Something Amazing by LunaFlower

'No!'

'Oh come on. It's not that bad, it doesn't hurt I promise.'

'No way, you are on your own there mate.'

'Literally it seems.' Daniel lamented.

'Why? Aren't any of the others going? Ben? Karl? Lee?' Darren glanced around at their back-up musicians.

'Er, no.' Ben mumbled sheepishly and looked at his shoes.

'Why not?'

'Er...well...ermm...' Ben squirmed a bit more. 'You can't give for twelve months after having a piercing.'

'You've got a new piercing?' Darren's eyes lit up. 'Cool, where?'

Ben's face turned beetroot.

'No?' Darren's voice was full of disbelief.

'Yep and before you ask, no, you most definitely can NOT see it.'

'No, no, of course not.' It was Darren's turn to blush and he quickly turned his attention to their bassist and drummer. 'So why aren't you guys going?' He demanded.

'Darren.' Daniel sighed in exasperation as Lee grinned and held up his and Karls clasped hands.

'Oh yeah.' Darren giggled. 'I forgot.'

'You forgot?' Karl said incredulously.

'I mean I forgot that that meant you couldn't give. So what about the girls?'

'Well...' Daniel ticked them off his fingers one by one, 'Angie's got a cold, Jenny can't because of the medication that she's on for her headaches, Elisa's last holiday was to Africa and Leonie can't because Robert is bi. So that just leaves me and I am not going on my own, I need some moral support and guess what -- you're it.'

'But why me?' Darren whined.

'It'll be good for you,' Ben replied, 'and who knows you might even change your mind once you get there.'

'I will NOT change my mind.' Darren grumbled as he reached for his boots and pulled them on.

'Come on you,' Daniel propelled him from the room, 'see you guys in a little while.' He told the others and they could hear him still trying to talk Darren 'round as they headed down the corridor towards the lift.

'You get orange squash and a biccie afterwards.'

'No.'

'Just think of all the good you'll be doing all those karmic points.'

'I said NO!'

The school hall where the blood donor session was being held was fairly full when they arrived and Daniel knew that they would have quite a while to wait before it was his turn.

Taking a small card out of his pocket he went up and registered, holding his thumb out patiently whilst the nurse pricked it and then tested to make sure that he wasn't anaemic.

Picking up a clipboard and consent form he went and sat back down on one of the hard plastic chairs, Darren immediately assaulting him with questions.

'What's on the card?'

Daniel passed it across so that he could take a look. 'It's a record of all the times that I've given blood.' He explained as he went down the list in front of him ticking all the 'no' boxes.

'Wow, you've given loads of times.' Darren was impressed.

'Every time I can.' Daniel replied. 'I've missed the last few times that I could have done because we were touring or in the studio or just got back from somewhere exotic so that's why it's important that I give today, whilst we have a few days rest and before we go to South America.'

'I never knew you did this.'

'Well now you do.' Daniel smiled and got up to hand his form and record card to the nurse at the admin desk.

'Now what?' Darren enquired.

'Ah, now we wait.' Daniel glanced around him. 'Could be some while. Sure you wouldn't change your mind?'

Darren shook his head emphatically, 'No, you know what I'm like with pain, even just a little bit, it was bad enough when we had to go and get our inoculations.'

Daniel grinned. 'Fair point. So you won't be following Ben's example with the piercing then, I hear they have marvellous benefits.' And he laughed wickedly.

'I think perhaps not.' Darren paled just at the thought of someone passing a needle through there.

In the end they only had to wait forty-five minutes before Daniel was called but that was long enough for Darren. Twice Daniel thought that he was going to do a runner on him and bolt from the hall. 'Hey you're meant to be giving me moral support remember.' He had reminded him and Darren had smiled weakly, 'Yeah I know.'

A kindly looking nurse came and led Daniel over to an examining couch telling him to pop up and make himself comfortable.

'And what about you?' She asked Darren.

'Nah, I'm purely here to hold his hand. In the nicest possible sense of course.' He quickly added.

Daniel and the nurse exchanged looks. 'A total wuss.' Daniel explained as he took off his jacket and stretched out his left arm.

The nurse pushed up the sleeve of his t-shirt and applied a tourniquet.

'You done this before?' She enquired, making small talk as she cleaned the crook of his elbow with an antiseptic wipe.

'Yeah just a few times.'

'So you'll know what to do then. Make a fist for me please.'

Daniel did so and skilfully she slid a needle into his exposed vein. When she had fixed the attached tubing in place she handed him a glass cylinder approximately four inches in length which Daniel began to roll around in his hand.

'Ok, you're all set, I'll be back to check on you in a few minutes. Just keep rolling the cylinder please.'

Daniel nodded and placed his head back on the couch.

Darren watched fascinated as Daniel's blood flowed down the tubing and collected in the sterile bag clipped underneath the gurney. All that rich, dark blood just oozing its way down.

'You alright there Doze?' Daniel asked, suddenly aware that Darren had gone very quiet.

'Yeah just feeling a bit hot, a bit light-headed you know?'

'Try sticking your head between your knees.'

White as a sheet Darren silently complied.

'Everything alright here?' Daniel's nurse had come back to see how he was getting on.

'Yeah fine, my friend is just feeling a bit queasy thats all.'

'I'll be ok.' Darren muttered, annoyed at himself for being such a wimp.

'Well I think you are being very brave.' The nurse told him and shyly he raised his head to smile at her.

'And you're all done too.' She directed at Daniel, carefully removing the needle and dropping it into a sharps box.

Daniel sat up and pressed the dressing to his arm as directed, bending his elbow to keep it in place.

'Cool, can we go now, plllleaaaaaseeee?' Darren was glad it was all over. Next time one of the others could come along and be Daniel's moral support.

'I just need to rest for ten minutes first then have something to eat and drink to boost my sugar levels then, yes, after that I promise you that we can go.'

'Thank goodness,' Darren sighed in relief, 'cos I still dont feel so good.'

'Why don't you go outside and get some fresh air? I'll join you in a bit.'

'Can I? Sorry, you don't mind do you?'

'No,' Daniel assured him, 'now go.'

Darren went to stand up and had to put a hand out to steady himself. 'Oh shit, who moved the world?' He asked.

'Darren?'

'Oh shi...'

'Nurse!'

'So who was a very brave boy then'? Leonie teased as Lee threw a pretend punch to Daniel's arm.

'Yes, yes, very funny.'

'You didn't pass out then?' Angie asked.

'No...' Daniel looked slyly at Darren, 'I didn't...'

~finis~
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