It was a typical day for the group. One where Ted is incessantly complaining about the pretentious nature of his architecture class, Robin is rolling her eyes at the stalker-like tendencies of her news anchor who has taken up parallel parking in front of her apartment, Lily stares at kindergarten paintings, and Marshall rushes off to work.

As they all typically converge at MacLaren’s, they found a spot open, one that is usually occupied by Barney, the ever-energetic partner-in-crime, with his flashy suits and contagious charismatic traits. His absence struck them oddly. "Our legen-dary Barney, not here? It's preposterous!" was everyone's mutual sentiment.

Part 1: Barney Gets Sick

Showrunner Bays kept things a secret until this episode �‘Barney Gets Sick. Here, the usually flamboyant Barney Stinson lands up with a whopping fever that pulls him out of his wild bachelor life and into a bed, not for his typical antics but for rest.

There's nothing funnier than a womanizer wailing over a syrupy cough and bleeding nose. Barney, who usually plays the all-healthy suave, appears in pajamas with a temperature reading 101 on the thermometer scale.

Part 2: A Day without Barney

Back at the bar, Ted and Marshall kept themselves busy by fantasizing about jabbing a needle into Barney's arm, pretending to be empathetic, but really itching to see their friend squirm.

Meanwhile, Lily and Robin miss their friend at the bar and foresee a gloomy life without Barney's running commentaries on life, love, and women. They decide to pay him a visit, bearing soup and a barrage of classic chick flicks hoping he might pick up some sensitivity. Barney, however, in his delirious state, mistakes them for nurses, creating a comedic scenario.

Part 3: Barney's Tweets

Juxtaposed against the concerned faces of Ted, Robin, Lily, and Marshall, Barney's feverish texts and tweets to his friends add a touch of humor to his predicament. Often punctuated with hashtags reading '#DyingButStillStylish', '#NoNeedlesPlease', and '#WheresMySuit', his social media account lightens the mood and keeps his friends connected to him in sickness.

Ted finds Barney's out-of-context tweeting hysterical and even uses one of them as his class assignment, portraying the clever and quirky nature of their bond. Barney, ever the optimist and clown, keeps calling out to his 'suit up buddies' even in sickness.

Part 4: The Candlelight Seance

Feeling immense pity for their ailing friend, the gang decides to host a 'candlelight seance' and pray for Barney's quick recovery. In the dim-lit bar, sitting around with beer mugs instead of candles, they share their favorite 'Barney moments' collectively acknowledging his irreplaceable presence in the group.

Bays juxtaposes the group's serious reminiscing with Barney's fever dreams where he hallucinates that he’s accomplishing his greatest fantasies. Barney’s illness has also fascinated his usually disinterested brother, bringing him running to his aid, promising him that his suits are in safe hands.

Barney’s Recovery and The Ending

After a week of bed rest, Barney emerges healthier than ever and much to the group's amusement, 'just in time before Weekend!'. Barney's triumphant return to his suit-up life brings together the group, reuniting them at the bar, which had been feeling incomplete without him.

The story concludes with a reflection on the significance of human connections and the strength of friendship. The writer subtly underlines the irreplaceable aspects of every person in a group and the unique space they fill in the lives of their friends, and the hole left when they are absent.

Concluding Notes and FAQs:

Q: Did this episode of 'Barney gets sick' air on television?

A: No, this is a fan-fiction piece, a creative imagination based on the show's characters and themes.

Q: Who is the author of this episode?

A: This episode is authored by an anonymous fan who loves 'How I Met Your Mother' and its character dynamism.

Q: What is the principal theme of ‘Barney gets sick' episode?

A: The theme is of friendship, the bond shared amongst the group and the value of every individual in that bond.

Please note, this is a fanfiction piece and is not connected to the show's official storyline or the application CBS streamed on. The shows' characters and sets have been used for fan speculation and creativity.

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