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~Chapter Five~
How long the pair sat together in that room, they did not know; nor did they care. It could have been minutes, it could have been hours or any time in between. Darren cried himself dry, letting all the fear, grief, and stress of the day slowly seep out of him. Daniel cried a bit, too, as he continued to hold his sobbing friend close, grateful that Fate had not chosen to take Darren away from them. When there were no more tears to cry, Darren found himself too tired and weak to move from the protective circle of Daniel's arms. Daniel, sensing this, briefly tightened his hold on Darren before slowly letting go.
Gently, Daniel eased Darren's tired body back to lie down on the bed. He could see that Darren was fighting sleep for all he was worth, struggling to keep his eyes open.
"Go to sleep, ya fool. Stop fighting it..." Daniel told him, not unkindly. With a small smile, Darren settled back and let his eyes slip closed, finally giving into sleep's call.
Daniel had just gotten up off of the bed when he noticed that Darren had started shivering in his sleep. Quickly, he grabbed and straightened the blankets, tucking them over Darren's trembling shoulders. "No wonder he's cold..." Daniel mused, "Paper-thin hospital gowns aren't exactly thermal."
With Darren securely tucked in, Daniel walked over to a chair by the window and sat down. He alternated between watching over Darren's sleeping form and glancing out the darkened window. The darkness outside had surprised him. Daniel had expected it to be mid-afternoon, not late evening. He looked at his watch; it was already after 8 o' clock. He and the others had been at the hospital for nearly eleven hours. He sighed and settled back in anticipation of a long night. Daniel was about to drift off to sleep when Karl poked his head in the room and looked around cautiously.
"Dan?" He whispered.
Daniel immediately jerked himself awake. "Wha...?" He managed, his voice also low.
"Are you two okay?" Trust Karl to be blunt.
Daniel straightened in his chair and streched to loosen his stiff muscles--hospital floors and hard plastic chairs did not do wonders for the back and spine, he noted. Then he looked blearily at Karl and replied, "Guess so."
Karl seemed satisfied. "Alright. Anna-Maria wanted someone to come check on the both of you. With Daz asleep we're going to go out and grab some real food. You comin'?"
"I don't think so, mate... I'd best stay here with him. You go on ahead, though."
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
"Okay...Do you want us to bring anything back for you?"
"That'd be great. Don't care what you get, anything'll do."
"Sure thing. We'll be back in a bit."
"Thanks, man."
"No prob. Go back to sleep," Karl laughed, backing out of the doorway.
Daniel chuckled lightly, then looked over to make sure Darren hadn't been awakened by the exchange. He hadn't. Daniel got up from his chair and wandered quietly over to the bedside, as if magnetically drawn. He stared silently at Darren's peacefully sleeping form. Reaching down, he gently brushed a few strands of Darren's hair out of his face.
Darren seemed to sense the warmth of Daniel's hand because he stirred slightly and leaned into Daniel's palm. Daniel let his hand linger for a moment then withdrew. He smiled as Darren sighed in his sleep and slightly frowned at the loss. A small smile formed on Daniel's face, too--sometimes Darren was just too "Darrenish" for words. The smile immediately faded as he thought about the early morning accident. The outcome could have been so different...Losing Darren would have been so easy.
Though, logically, Daniel knew Darren was a very strong person, there were times when the man seemed so breakable, as if he were made of spun glass. Delicate and beautiful...
Daniel sighed and retreated back to his chair--he hadn't allowed himself to think like this in a long time. Once he got started it was generally hard to stop. Daniel knew he cared deeply for Darren, how deeply though, he found it hard to determine. There was a thin line between a friendship as close as the one he and Darren shared, and the feelings of something more. Something deeper. For Daniel, that line had blurred a long tome ago and he could no longer easily discern between the two; his love for Darren as a friend and his LOVE for Darren as a...Well, as a what he really didn't know, but he did know that he truly loved Darren. His best friend. His presumably straight best friend.
Life was such an unfair bitch.
Daniel flung himself down in the chair and silently cursed the day. The emotional turmoil that Daniel was feeling now was a direct result of the morning's near-tragedy. The mere thought of Darren dying loosened Daniel's tenuous grip on his locked away feelings, allowing them to rise to the forefront of his mind.
He let himself dwell on his feelings for all of two minutes before viciously clamping down on his thoughts. Daniel forced himself to look out the darkened window then around the room to try and find something else to think about. His attention was immediately snared by the door of the room; it was slowly and silently opening. Quietly, Nurse Boyd silpped into the room carrying a blanket. She walked over to Daniel and draped the blanket over the back of his chair. He glanced up at her, questioningly.
"For you," she said in answer to his unspoken question. "I figured that you wouldn't be leaving him tonight, after visiting hours are up, so I took the liberty and have arranged for a cot to be brought to this room. This may be a single room, but I think we can manage to squeeze the thing in here."
"Thank you," Daniel replied. "I'm glad you did this, though I hope I'm not causing any problems."
Nurse Boyd shook her head. "Don't worry--you're not." She glanced over at Darren, lying peacefully asleep. "Having him here has stirred up some trouble, though..."
"What do you mean?" Daniel was alarmed.
"There was quite a media line-up earlier today, after it was announced that he was brought here. They were insistent, but our staff--some of the burlier male portion of out staff--did an excellent job of getting rid of them."
"I'm so sorry about that. The press is like that and Darren is quite the public figure."
"So I gathered. Don't worry about it, or him; he'll be fine here. Safe, too, seeing as this is the VIP-restricted wing."
Daniel nodded. "I can't thank you enough for what you and the doctors have done for him. And for all you've done to help the rest of the group as well."
"You're thanking the wrong person, but you're very welcome regardless, hon." Nurse Boyd replied as she went to give a cloce inspection to Darren. She looked back over at Daniel. "I'm glad he's sleeping. He'll need the rest for tomorrow, it´'s going to be rough."
Daniel was confused and more than a trifle worried by this unexpected prediction. "How so?"
"He spent most of today unconscious, numb, and sedated. Tomorrow he comes off the sedatives in the IV. He's going to be stiff and sore and feel like he's one giant bruise. He'll be in no little pain and it won't be pretty."
"That doesn't sound pleasant." Daniel agreed with a grimace. He joined the nurse by the bedside.
"It's not going to be. Plus, the local police are going to want to get a statement from him. An officer was here around noon wanting to talk with him, but he hadn't regained consciousness yet."
Daniel's brows creased in a worried frown. "Why do the cops want to talk to Darren?"
"The taxi driver was killed in the accident and Mr. Hayes was harmed. The police will need his side of the story since he is the surviving, sober witness. He might even be needed to testify against the drunk driver in court when the time comes up, though I highly doubt it concidering your schedule. But it's best to be prepared."
"What happened to the man that was driving the other car?"
The nurse's calm features clouded over. "He escaped from the accident realitively unharmed. A medic checked him over and released him to the police on sight. It was mostly scrapes and bruises, that's it."
The sparkling green of Daniel's eyes turned dark emerald with anger. "I should be glad that two lives were not needlessly lost today, I should be glad that there is one less patient in the hospital," he began. "But it seems so fucking unfair that the innocent one died and the other innocent wound up here. That man--that goddamn drunk bastard--killed someone and landed my best friend in the hospital and didn't even get a scratch on him!" By this time, his voice had lowered to a lethal hiss.
Nurse Boyd put a restraining, comforting hand on his shoulder. "I know, we see it here everyday. Life doesn't play fair. But you should be thankful that your friend wasn't killed. Concentrate on that, not the bitterness."
Daniel was seething. "Oh, I am thankful. I am grateful. But I can't stop thinking about the 'what ifs'. If that man had taken Darren's life..."
"But he didn't. Your friend is alive Mr. Jones. Alive. He could have been killed, yes, but he wasn't. He will be fine, but you are going to have to support and help him get better and you need to think positively for that. You can't be of any help to him when you are angry and bitter."
Daniel didn't say anything, so Nurse Boyd continued, "What you are feeling is perfectly natural. You've all had quite a scare today, but the worst of it is over. So let the anger out and pull yourself together, for his sake," she gestured towards Darren then looked Daniel straight in the eyes and finished, "For his sake, and your own."
She was right. Daniel knew she was right and he hung his head as he felt the anger slowly begin to drain out of him. It didn't completely leave, but it diminished enough to leave him tired and repentant.
Though the entire conversation between him and Nurse Boyd took place in voices no more than whispers it seemed as if Darren, in his sleep, could sense something amiss. It was then that he began to move around slightly. The slight movement began to grow in intensity until Darren began tossing restlessly, frantically while uttering small whimpers. Trapped in a nightmare.
Both Daniel and the nurse reacted instantly. Nurse Boyd began to talk to him in a calm soothing tone, but Darren seemed beyond hearing her. Instead of quieting, his thrashings increased and his whimpers grew louder. The nurse's calm countenance faded as she realized her attempts were having no effect on the panicked man. "Mr. Hayes... Mr. Hayes, please. It's all right. Calm down...please.....calm. Shhhhh...."
Daniel saw that Darren's distress wasn't easing and that he wouldn't awaken. Carefully, he maneuvered Nurse Boyd out of his way and stepped over to grab one of Darren's thrashing hands. "Darren, c'mon mate, wake up. You're okay, Daz. I promise. It's alright, hush now. It's okay, Dazza, it's okay..."
Daniel repeated this calming litany and his low, familiar voice seemed to do the trick. Darren's struggles slowed as Daniel continued to speak softly and gently stroke his hand. Finally, after a few moments, Darren was still again, but not awake.
"Why won't he wake up?" Daniel asked Nurse Boyd as he gently sat down on the bed next to Darren's prone form.
"He was given one last round of tranquilizers and pain medication earlier, to make him sleep through the night. It'll be awhile before they wear off." She answered. Then said, "You handled that nicely."
Daniel shrugged. "Old habits," he stated. "Stress-induced nightmares are common on tour. Darren usually gets them the worst of all of us, and most of the time I share a room with him, so it's me that usually helps..."
Nurse Boyd nodded, absently. "Luckily he responds so well to you."
A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. It opened and Ben walked in accompanied by an orderly carrying a cot.
"You guys back already?" Daniel asked with a look of puzzlement. "Already?" Ben repeated, placing a styrofoam container on the bedside table. "Man, its been over an hour! It's nearly 9:30 and visiting hours are about up."
"Oh. Where are the others?"
"They went back to the hotel; sent me to check on Daz and fetch you. I figured I'd bring you food while I was at it." Ben replied. "So, how's Darren?"
Daniel shrugged and they both looked to Nurse Boyd for a professional opinion. She laughed silently at the identical looks of questioning on both men's faces. "He's fine, you two. Now that his nightmare has passed, he's resting comfortably." This was said as she assisted the orderly with the troublesome cot.
Daniel's questioning look faded, but Ben's remained. He glanced over at the cot, then looked back at Daniel and asked, "You crashing here tonight, man?"
"Yeah. Figured I'd better... Do you think you could bring Daz and me a change of clothes when you guys come back tomorrow?"
"'Course. Are they gonna let him out tomorrow?"
"I think so. We'll just have to wait and see."
"Well, I'd better go before the powers-that-be wind up kicking me outta here," Ben said with a wink in Nurse Boyd's direction.
"Night Ben."
"G'nite Dan. We'll be back by visiting time in the morning." Ben walked over toDarren's bedside, mindful of the cot in the way. Leaning down, he quietly told him,"Sleep well, mate. The rest of the group commands you to get better." He gave Darren's hand a quick squeeze, waved goodbye to Daniel, and slipped out of the room. The orderly had left long ago, so now it was just Daniel, Nurse Boyd, and the sleeping Darren remaining in the room. But not for long because Nurse Boyd soon announced that she had to leave.
"I'm afraid that my time's up today," she said. "I don't work the night shift, but I told Emilie Westbrook--the night nurse--to look out for you. I'll be back to check on you both in the morning..."
"Thank you for everything, Ms. Boyd."
"Call me Katie, please, Mr. Jones." She replied. "And once again, you're welcome."
"G'night, then, Katie."
"Good night," she said, placing Darren's clipboard back in the holder on the open door. After a quick glance around the room she gave Daniel a small smile and shut the door behind her. Daniel stood, uselessly, in the middle of the now-quiet room. Darren´'s heart monitor had been turned off earlier in the afternoon, as had the oxygen tube. The only sound in the still room was the quiet rhythmic sound of Darren's breathing. Daniel listened to the lulling noise for a little while then moved over to sit on the made-up cot that had been brought for him.
Quickly, he removed his socks, shoes, and belt and placed them on the floor, next to the bedside table. He was aware that it was only 10:00 but decided to go to sleep anyway. It had been a rough day. Standing, he turned down the blankets of the cot then padded, barefoot, to use the bathroom and dim the lights of the room. He returned to the cot a few minutes later and settled down to sleep.
For awhile sleep eluded him, so he lay in the cot and stared quietly at Darren. He watched the rise and fall of Darren's chest as he breathed and let the calming rhythm lull him to sleep...
* * * * *
Only a few hours later Daniel was jolted from a troubled sleep. He sat up in bed (in cot, rather) disoriented, trying to figure out where he was and what woke him up. In a flash of insight, he remembered--he was in the hospital. In another flash, he realized the only thing that could have awakened him. Darren!
He looked to the bed and, indeed, it was Darren, thrashing about, lost in another nightmare. Daniel attempted to untangle himself from his blankets so he could either sooth or wake up Darren. His efforts weren't needed.
In that moment, Darren cried out, "No!" and sprang up in his bed breathing heavily, unsteadily.
"Darren?"
Darren's whole body jerked at the sound of his name. "Y...yeah?" He quivered. "Jonesy?"
"Yeah, Dazza, it's me," Daniel was seated on the bedside again, drawing Darren into his arms. Darren stiffened at first, startled by the contact, then relaxed into the hug. Then the shivering began.
Daniel re-wrapped Darren in the blankets and began to rub his back, soothingly. "Nightmare?" He asked.
Darren nodded. "Of epic proportions..."
"Want to talk about it?"
"No."
"Alright. Later then..." Daniel said. "Lay back down and try to go back to sleep." He guided Darren to lie back. Darren did so, but still trembled.
"I don't think I can go back to sleep, Danny..." He replied.
"Aren't you tired?"
"Extremely. But that's not the point."
"Try?"
Darren sighed. "Okay."
"Good..." Daniel released his hold on Darren and made to get off the bed.
"Jonesy?"
"Yeah Daz?"
"I know this is going to sound really weird, " Darren began in a small voice. "But..."
"Do you want me to stay?" Daniel finished for him.
"Would you? Please?" Darren asked, a bit uncertain. "I don't think that I can go back to sleep otherwise."
"Of course, Darren. Shove over a bit, then, would ya, mate?" Darren did so and Daniel got under the covers. "Is there enough room for us in here?" He asked.
"I think we'll manage," replied Darren as they maneuvered to squeeze together in the rather small bed. "Thanks for staying..."
"Sleep now, Daz. We'll talk in the morning."
Darren nodded and closed his eyes. Soon, Daniel could feel Darren's body relax against his and he knew Darren was asleep. Gradually the shivering ceased as Daniel wrapped his arms around his dearest friend and held him while he, too, drifted off to sleep...
~Chapter Six~
The warmth of sunlight, the smell of coffee, and the bright flash of a camera, woke Daniel and Darren from a sound sleep. Blearily, they both opened their eyes and attempted to focus. What they saw was each other, helplessly tangled together in that small hospital bed. Then they simultaneously glanced up and saw their fellow band mates and Nurse Boyd standing in the doorway of the room. Ben, grinning cheekily, had a Polaroid camera in his hands.
"Aren't you two a sight?" Anna-Maria said with a chuckle.
The nurse was laughing, too. "And to think that I went to all the trouble of getting you that cot..." She said.
"Funny..." Daniel mumbled, slightly moving away from Darren to one side of the bed. "Let me guess, it's already visiting time and we have to get up, right?"
"You can get up Jonesy," muttered Darren who rolled into the middle of the bed and lay on his stomach. "But I'm not."
"You're not, are you?" Daniel challenged. "We'll just see about that..." He sat up and looked over at Darren who was trying to burrow back under the covers. "Oh, no you don't. Wake up!"
"No. Get out of my bed!"
"Oh, and this from the person who begged me to crawl into bed with them last night," Daniel joked.
Darren muttered obscenities into his pillow as Daniel got out of the bed. He still refused to get up.
"How do you feel this morning, Mr. Hayes?" Nurse Boyd asked as she watched Daniel go over and steal Ben's coffee.
Darren stretched languidly before answering. "I feel as though I've been hit by a truck," he concluded finally.
"Um, Daz. That's probably because you were hit by a truck," commented Lee.
"No, I wasn't." Darren corrected. "I was in a taxi that got hit by a truck and took a swan dive off a bridge."
The others laughed at his lame quip before Lee, Karl, and Ben moved out of the doorway to use the unoccupied cot as a couch. Anna-Maria sat down in the plastic chair and Nurse Boyd suddenly excused herself from the room, leaving Daniel leaning by the wall and Darren slowly sitting up in bed.
"You're funny Darren. Really..." remarked Karl.
"How are you really feeling? Honestly," Anna-Maria asked.
"I'm fine."
"Really?" Lee seemed doubtful.
Darren became exasperated. "I'm not pissin' in your pocket, mate! Yeah, I'm FINE."
"Still cold?" Daniel asked quietly.
Darren's exasperation faded and his expression softened. "Nah. I've warmed up."
Anna-Maria's eyes glinted with mischief. "You'd better be warm!" She exclaimed. "Because I don't think that it is possible for someone to be cold with Danny sharing their bed!"
Daniel and Darren's jaws dropped in shock and then they both turned crimson in embarrassment. Ben, Karl, and Lee burst out laughing. They found the entire situation hilarious and VERY teaseworthy.
"Good one, Anna!" Ben cheered through his laughter.
Darren lay down again and went back to muttering obscene things into his pillow. It took a few moments for the laughter to be brought under control, but once it was Karl had the decency to change the subject. "We've brought breakfast," he told Daniel, indicating a large white bag on the bedside table.
"Yeah, you'll need it," remarked Ben to Daniel. "Since I noticed that you obviously didn't eat what I went through all the trouble to bring you yesterday."
"Oops..." was all Daniel said in reply.
"I've brought breakfast, too," came an unfamiliar voice from the doorway. In the door stood a young candy-striper carrying a tray. "Katie told me to bring this to Mr. Hayes."
Darren, once more, slowly sat up in the bed and offered the young girl a small smile. She grinned back in return and sat the breakfast tray on a rolling tray-table. Carefully, she wheeled the table over to the bed, offered another grin, and started for the door.
"Thank you," Darren called after her.
"You're welcome," she replied, blushing, as she left the room.
Lee chuckled. "Looks like you've got an admirer, Daz!"
Darren ignored him and stared down despondently at his breakfast. "I'm not very hungry," he stated.
"Sure you are, Darren. You have to eat; you didn't have anything at all yesterday," Daniel told him.
"Well, I wasn't exactly conscious to eat most of yesterday, now was I ?" He returned.
Daniel cringed; he didn't want to think about yesterday's events. Darren saw the expression and felt guilty.
"I'm sorry, Jonesy. I just don't think I can eat."
"Especially not that," Ben remarked looking disdainfully at the breakfast tray.
"It is kinda gross," Darren admitted. "But I just don't feel like eating."
"Try?" requested Anna-Maria.
Darren sighed and sat up a little straighter in the bed. It was then that he glanced down at his lap and noticed what he was wearing. //This certainly explains the chill...// He raised an eyebrow, "Aren't I a little underdressed for breakfast?"
The others laughed.
"You want some real clothes?" asked Ben.
"Really?"
"Yeah, Dan requested that I bring you both a fresh change."
"Oooh, clothing!" laughed Darren. "Gimme!"
Ben pulled two changes of clothing from a backpack and tossed them to Darren and Daniel. Darren looked the garments over, critically. "These aren't mine..." He remarked after a thorough examination.
"I know," Ben grinned. "I couldn't find anything in your mess of packing, so I improvised. Those are Dan's!"
"My clothes?" Daniel repeated.
"Yup."
Darren scoffed. "Benny, I appreciate the thought, but really..." He paused and turned his eyes to briefly roam over Daniel's lanky form leaning against the wall. Then he resumed, "The boy is taller than me and is as big around as a rail, to boot. I really don't think that I can wear his clothes!"
"Daz, have you looked in a mirror lately?" asked Anna-Maria. "You're not exactly much bigger around than a rail, yourself!"
"But I'm still short!" He pointed out.
"Deal with it," Karl laughed. "Besides, anything's got to be better than a backless hospital gown!"
"True..." He admitted before he thought of another problem. "But how exactly am I supposed to get up and change with all of you here? The gown may be backless, but I certainly am not!"
"I'm not complaining," Anna-Maria remarked with a smirk.
"Well I *am* complaining!" Darren retorted, carefully moving the tray table out of the way and standing up. Making sure that his arse wasn't facing anyone, he grabbed one of the blankets off of his bed and wrapped it around his waist. "HA!" He huffed, smugly.
His fellow band mates laughed and rolled their eyes at his excessive display of modesty--after all, this was the bold, daring man who had no shame on stage.
"Going to a toga party, Daz? " Lee asked with a grin.
Darren just rolled his eyes expressively, gathered his borrowed clothing, and retreated into the bathroom with the blankets still wrapped around him. Several minutes later he emerged again, blanket and hospital gown in hand. He ambled across the room and modeled his newly acquired attire. The jeans were a bit tight, achieving the not-quite-painted-on look. The really humorous part of the situation was the fact that Darren had had to roll the cuffs of the pants up at least twice so they wouldn't drag on the ground. Daniel's blue shirt fit okay, but Darren had left it untucked to try and take some of the emphasis away from the arse-hugging jeans. His plan failed, but it was a valiant attempt nonetheless. With a great flourish, he plopped back down on the bed, wincing slightly as he did so, and faced the rest of the laughing group.
"You look good in my clothes!" Daniel quipped.
Darren waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "I'd look better out of them!" He replied, smirking slyly.
//Oh Christ. Darren don't do that to me!// Daniel's mind screamed.
Darren's retort had the group--save for Daniel--giggling again. Daniel just chuckled weakly and prayed that he wasn't being too obvious. His tension was relieved a few seconds later when Ben stopped laughing and suddenly decided to pass out breakfast. Food, at least, gave Daniel something else to occupy his mind.
"Whatcha got there?" Daniel asked Ben.
Ben cackled happily in reply. "Bagels!" He said, producing one for Daniel's inspection. He passed the bagel-bag around and everyone took one, except for Darren who was sitting cross-legged on his bed starring dejectedly at his breakfast tray. He was still examining the supposed food critically--it was oatmeal he assumed--when he felt the mattress dip as someone sat down beside him. He turned his attention away from the tray and to Daniel who was watching him watch his breakfast.
"Have you reached a verdict on it yet?" Daniel asked.
Darren went back to his studies. "I think it's supposed to be oatmeal..." He stated finally. "But I don't believe that it is edible. Rather, I think it is a rare form of wall spackle masquerading around as breakfast food." He grinned at his own joke and was rewarded with soft laughter from Daniel.
"Not edible, huh?" repeated Daniel. Darren nodded his head enthusiastically in agreement. Daniel smiled and held the bottom half of his bagel, already lightly spread with cream cheese and jam, out to him. "Would this be better?"
Darren looked at Daniel, his eyes silently asking if Daniel really meant he could have the offered item. In answer, Daniel leaned over and nudged the oatmeal bowl to one side of the tray and sat the bagel down on Darren's napkin. Darren grinned and quickly leaned over to envelop Daniel in a spirited hug, only to draw back halfway with a gasp, the muscles in his arms and back screaming in protest. The others looked at him concerned, having heard the small intake of breath and having see the fleeting look of pain that crossed Darren's features.
"What's wrong?"
Darren tried to grin and laugh it off. "Oh, nothing," he said. "My body just decided that now would be a good time to protest any sudden movement." His grin ended as more of a grimace as he tried to slowly stretch his stiff and pained muscles.
Daniel nodded. "Your nurse told me this would happen. You're supposed to take it easy today..."
Darren shrugged slightly. "Whatever," he replied. "I think that I want to try that hug thing again in slow motion." He slowly reached forward again and this time Daniel met him halfway so he wouldn't have to stretch as far. Darren grinned. "Thank you," he said, expressively.
Daniel looked confused. "For what?" Surely a bagel didn't deserve such an emotional thanking...
"Everything," Darren replied settling back at the head of the bed. He reached over and picked up his newfound breakfast. "For everything you've done for me in the past two days...and for the bagel!" He finished with a laugh, raising the food in a mock-toast before finally taking a bite. Once again, he had the entire room in laughter.
It was about half an hour later, after the bagel-bag had been thrown away and the oatmeal was sitting, ignored, on the tray table, when Dr. Wallis walked into the room. Darren could tell immediately that something was wrong, but he didn't say anything. He just sat still and let the doctor check him over, answering his questions honestly, and waited for the bomb to drop. It wasn't long in coming.
"Mr. Hayes, a police officer is here right now and he wishes to speak with you about yesterday."
Darren instantly stiffened but tries not to let it show. Ever since his nightmare he hadn't wanted to think about yesterday, let alone talk to anyone about it. But he knew he had to. "Do you want me to talk to them now?" He asked.
Dr. Wallis stared at him for a moment, appraising, then said, "If you feel up to it."
Darren decided to play it nonchalant. "Bring 'em on."
"Very well," the doctor nodded. "I'll send him in. It'll be a moment..." With that, he left the room.
A short while later, a uniformed police officer strode into the room. "Mr. Hayes?" He questioned.
Darren gave a small wave. "That would be me. I heard you wanted to ask me some questions, yeah?"
"Yes. Would it be possible for me to speak with you alone?"
"I suppose, if you want..." He looked around expectantly at is friends. "Guys?"
"I can tell when I'm not wanted!" Ben joked, getting up to leave. The others followed suit, but Daniel lingered for a moment.
"We'll be back in a bit," he assured Darren as he left.
"Thanks Jonesy..." Darren returned. The door closed and Daniel was gone. Darren sighed and settled back to listen to the cop.
"Okay, Mr. Hayes, if you could please re-account for me the events which triggered the accident yesterday..."
* * * * *
It wasn't until three hours later that the officer finished with Darren, took a formal statement, and left his room. Daniel knew this because he had spent the entire time in the hallway just beyond Darren's door, watching the clock tick. Slowly tick. As soon as the cop left, Daniel moved to stand in the open doorway and looked into the room. There he saw Darren sitting stiffly in his bed, his knees drawn up to his chest and his chin resting on them. He stared straight ahead, almost unblinking, his face expressionless.
"Daz?" Daniel ventured walking into the room. "You okay?"
Darren nodded slightly, but made no other move.
"You want me to go?"
Darren shook his head no.
"You want to talk about it?"
Another negative headshake, this movement even slighter than the others previously. Darren now looked lost and as if he was fighting tears. After struggling briefly, Darren seemed to win out over his emotions and was able to school his expression once again. Daniel went over to the bed and moved to sit down next to Darren. Slowly and quietly, Darren scooted over to make room.
"Do you want a hug?"
That question received a shaky smile and an affirmative nod in answer. Daniel always seemed to know what Darren needed. Carefully, he drew Darren into a quick hug and said softly," I know that you don't want to talk right now, but when you're ready, I'm here to listen."
"I know. Thank you Jonesy... When can I get out of here?"
"I think Lee and Karl are trying to spring you as we speak."
"Really?"
"Yes, really! We figured that you could rest better at the hotel where there is more privacy and your own clothing..." Daniel's eyes twinkled with amusement as he said this.
"Funny... Real funny; you're quite a riot," Darren stated. Then his face took on a worried frown. "Jonesy?"
"Yeah, Daz?"
"What are we going to do about our show?"
"Leonie's still working on it for us. If we're lucky we may be able to see her tonight and she'll let us know what's up. Don't worry about it now."
"Okay, I was just wondering."
The rest of the group, minus Ben, decided to reappear at this time, accompanied by Nurse Boyd and a wheelchair.
"Are you ready to go, Daz?" asked Lee.
"Wheelchair?" Darren responded, incredulous.
Nurse Boyd laughed and shrugged. "It's policy," she explained.
"That's lovely, that is..." Darren grumbled as she wheeled the chair over to him and gestured for him to take a seat in it. He did so, and she began to wheel him out of the room. Briefly, they stopped in the hall and Nurse Boyd entered another room and came out carrying a plastic bag. She returned to Darren and handed the bag to him.
"What's all this, then?" He asked.
"The clothes you were wearing when you were brought in. They've been dried... Your wallet and your cell phone are in there, too, but I'm afraid that your cell is a bit waterlogged."
"I figured as much," was Darren's rueful reply.
The procession continued on their way down the hallway, the entire time Nurse Boyd gave Darren instructions. "Under the doctor's orders you're to rest for the next few days. No stress, no concerts, no overdoing things." She handed him a couple of pieces of paper. "These are some prescriptions for mild painkillers and muscle relaxers. Get them filled and take them only when needed."
Darren pocketed the papers and nodded absently. The wheelchair slowed as they approached the double doors to leave the hospital. The halls were surprisingly empty. The group stepped out of the doors and into the early afternoon sunlight. There in the firelane, the van sat idling, Ben at the wheel.
"It was great meeting you Mr. Hayes, but--no offense--I hope that I never see you here again!" Nurse Boyd told him.
"None taken, and I share you sentiments!" laughed Darren as he was helped out of the wheelchair and into the back of the van. The others piled in after him and Ben took off.
"Whose bright idea was it to let Ben drive?" Darren quipped weakly, closing his eyes and leaning down in his seat. At first Daniel thought he was sleeping but every now and then he'd see Darren's baby blues open slightly only to quickly be closed again.
"You okay?" whispered Daniel.
Darren nodded but didn't open his eyes until they were back at the hotel. Once there, he was marched straight up to his room where he was forced into bed and told not to move until further notice. It was there that he spent a rather boring afternoon receiving phone calls from worried/terrified people; his parents, his ex-wife, miscellaneous family members, and various other friends from back home. Everyone, it seemed, had just now found out about the accident and felt the need to call and reassure themselves that he was, indeed, okay.
* * * * *
Afternoon turned to early evening.
The phone calls and overly helpful bandmates who kept coming to check on him, offered Darren no time to think. That was all he really wanted at this point--to sit down and sort out his jumbled thoughts. And it seemed that thinking was the last thing that he'd be able to do. Darren knew that he was supposed to be sleeping, but he suddenly found the confines of the hotel room stifling. He was tired of being in bed, he was tired of keeping still, and he was tired of staying indoors. So, like any other frustrated, tired person, Darren decided to get out and go for a walk; though he knew his body wouldn't like the idea too much. Hastily, he scrawled a note to his band of mother-hens and then left the room.
He walked out of the hotel entrance and drew his jacket closer around him to ward off the sudden chill. Taking a deep breath, he picked a random direction and then began walking; looking around at the now-overcast, darkening sky. His random direction led him into a small park area where vendors had little booths sitting in the middle of the sidewalks.
So far, his walk hadn't done anything to help his thinking. The atmosphere was gloomy; dull grey sky was the backdrop for the grey leaf-less trees. Underfoot, the dry grass rustled and the brown carpeting of fallen leaves crackled when he walked. It wasn't until Darren paused in front of a flower vendor that a clear idea entered his head. Hesitantly, he stepped up to purchase a single red rose. He had the vendor tie a bow of black ribbon around its stem, then he took the flower and started out of the park.
Darren soon found himself on a deserted street corner watching the traffic go by. He might have appeared to be wandering aimlessly, but he did have a destination in mind. Now all he needed was a means of getting there... Briefly, he debated on hailing a cab, then shuddered and mentally declared that idea out of the question. The only other alternative seemed to be a bus, so he ambled a ways up the street until he found a bus stop.
Fifteen minutes later, he was huddled in a bus seat, flower in hand, trying to look inconspicuous and non-famous. Several more minutes later found Darren getting off of the bus and walking the last part of the way to his destination. At one point he paused stiffly and stared silently into space for a moment before resuming his walking; the bridge slowly loomed into view.
* * * * *
Daniel was frantic. Actually, he was quickly moving beyond frantic and groping for another adjective to describe his current state. Darren was missing.
It was their PA, Leonie, who first discovered this fact. She had just finished the rescheduling of everything and, finding a free moment, had decided to quickly check up on Darren since she hadn't been able to be around much. When she opened the door to Darren's room and found no singer, needless to say she became rather worried. Then she discovered the note and became even more anxious, as did the other band members when she told them. Daniel took it worst of all.
//Guys,
I've gone for a walk to clear my head & stretch my muscles. I wont be long...
-Daz//
"Where could he have gone?" Leonie muttered to herself for about the seventh time since they realized Darren's disappearance. The others shrugged and Daniel began to pace.
//Think, Dan, think. You know Darren--have known him for years; where would he go?// Nothing came to mind. //Oh, I hate it when he gets like this! He draws away and creates a huge gap between us that is so difficult to be bridged... Bridged? BRIDGE!//
The proverbial light bulb snapped on and Daniel grabbed the van keys off of a table and bolted out the door.
"Where are you going?" Anna-Maria called after him. Daniel neither heard her, nor slowed his rapid pace.
"Great," Leonie said, throwing her hands in the air as a sign of exasperation. "Now we've lost BOTH of them." She shook her head then muttered to herself, "But if anyone could find Darren, it would be Daniel..."
* * * * *
Leonie was right, only she didn't know it. Daniel drove quickly through the streets, hoping he was right in his assessment of Darren. He knew he would soon find out because the van was rapidly approaching the two-lane bridge which symbolized all of the trouble and pain of the last couple of days. On the bridge, Daniel spotted a lone figure standing next to the twisted and broken metal railing, looking down at the water. He didn't have to think twice about who that figure was. Hastily, Daniel pulled the van over to the side of the road, right before the bridge; he was thankful that the roads were practically deserted. He quickly killed the van's engine then jumped out of the vehicle and quickly jogged towards the bridge. When he was about ten feet away from Darren, he slowed his jog to a walk and closed the final distance.
Silently, he let his gaze take in Darren's appearance. Darren was standing quietly by the railing clutching a long-stemmed rose in one hand. His face was pale and his blue eyes gleamed with unshed tears. He had heard Daniel's approach, but didn't turn or acknowledge his presence. Daniel didn't really want to break the heavy silence, but he felt he had to.
"Darren, c'mon, mate. It's too cold for you to be out here; you're should be back at the hotel, resting. Leonie's going to throw a fit."
Darren didn't seem phased. Instead he softly whispered, "The cab driver died..."
Daniel cringed. "I know, Dazza," he replied. "I'd hoped that you wouldn't have heard about it so soon. Did the cop tell you when he took that statement?"
Darren shook his head. "No, Danny. I knew already. I knew back in the taxi--no pulse tends to make one rather dead, does it not?" He laughed brokenly, bitterly; the sound catching in his throat and coming out a mournful half-sob. The choking bark of hollow laughter sent a stab of pain through Daniel's heart. Darren's laughter was supposed to be childlike--musical, happy, and beautiful. It was NOT supposed to sound like that.
Daniel put a hand on Darren's shoulder. "C'mon, Darren," he tried again. "Let's go back."
"In a minute," Darren replied. Then he raised the black-ribboned rose to his lips and whispered to it the words, "You'll not be forgotten..."
Whether he was talking about the dead man, the accident, or both things at once, Daniel didn't know. He stared silently as Darren kissed the flower and then tossed it gently away from him. Together they watched the rose fall from the bridge to noiselessly land in the river below, where it bobbed in the current and floated silently in the water. Eerily, it drifted out and stopped near the location that the taxi cab had struck the water. There it remained until both men on the bridge tore their eyes away from the sight.
"Now we can go back, Jonesy..." Darren whispered with a sad air of finality.
A gust of cold wind blew, the road was silent, and the pair slowly walked away from the bridge.
~Chapter Seven~
*BACK TO THE PRESENT*
Daniel stood and stared at the closed bathroom door, not seeing it. His mind was still deeply involved in the events of two weeks ago. After they left the bridge they had returned to the hotel where Darren had been instantly smothered by Leonie. Then he had been forced into bed and made to stay there for two days. Their concert was done only four days after Darren had been released from the hospital and of course he overworked himself which resulted in yet another day of bed rest. Finally, the band was able to pack up all of their equipment and move onto the next venue. It was hoped that the change in scenery would be a good change for Darren. Another state, another city, another hotel, another concert, and a sense of normalcy.
Daniel blinked and realized that he had been staring blankly at nothing. With a sigh, Daniel sat down on one of the hotel beds and waited for Darren to come out of the bathroom. He didn't know how much time had passed before the door opened again and Darren stepped out, fully dressed, with dried hair.
"Daz," Daniel started.
Darren interrupted, "We have a soundcheck in half an hour. Let's go--we wouldn't want to be late."
"Sod it!" was Daniel's reply. "We need to talk."
"Then we'll talk in the car. C'mon."
The car. Two innocent words that symbolized yet another change in Darren. The group had had to start renting cars when the van was unavailable for travel because Darren was now terrified of taxi cabs. He tried not to show it, but the others could see his fear. Darren simply refused to get in one. If hailing a cab was mentioned Darren would suddenly fall "ill" or would rather walk or one of about a million other reasons to stay behind. So, the group--claiming convenence--decided to rent vehicles when needed.
Daniel took the rental's keys and offered them to Darren. "You want to drive?"
"No..."
//Of course not...// Daniel thought. //You can't close your eyes and drive at the same time.//
It wasn't just cabs, really. To Darren, any car was a death-trap. Daniel shook his head. "Okay, you ready to go?"
"Yeah, I'd better be. I bet the others are already at the arena."
"Probably..."
They didn't say anything on the way to the car. They didn't say anything *in* the car, but Daniel hadn't really expected them to. That was yet another gradual change that had come over Darren; he was now often silent. Every day that passed, every night that he was awakened by a nightmare left Darren quieter, paler, and more exhausted. He was also eating less and less, and it was beginning to show. Daniel and the others knew that keep up the pace forever without breaking. And Daniel knew that Darren desperately needed to talk to someone whether he wanted to or not. Now it was just a matter of waiting for something to trigger Darren's breaking point. Little did he know, the trigger was soon to be pulled.
They arrived at the arena on time, thankfully, and pulled up next to the familiar van. Then the pair went in and joined their bandmates in setting up for practice. The sound set-up and check went off normally. While various crew moved about preparing the stage for the evenings show, the band geared up and practiced their line-up.
Though the air was cool outside, the atmosphere on the stage was sweltering, especially when the crew began the lighting check. The band, while complaining loudly, took off as much excess clothing as possible. Even Darren wound up removing two of his three layers, leaving only a T-shirt. The other guys went shirtless and Anna-Maria slipped into a tank top. It didn't seem to help. Ben loudly bemoaned their state while glaring at the air conditioner vents.
"This place has huge air vents literally lining the ceiling and NONE of them are working. That is such a waste!"
"The problem isn't the vents; its the thermostat," Anna-Maria stated.
Ben grinned evilly. "It won't be a problem for long. Just point me in its direction..."
Anna, Karl, Lee, and Daniel immediately pointed to one of the walls off-stage. With a conspiratorial chuckle Ben headed off to fiddle with the air's controls.
"Don't blow anything up..."
"Guys, come on, it's not that hot in here," Darren told them. "It feels quite nice actually."
"So sayeth the cold-blooded one," laughed Karl, running a hand through his sweaty hair.
In reply, Darren picked up a nearby bottle of water and doused Karl with it. Karl spluttered in surprise and Darren gave a tired-but-evil grin. "Better?" He asked cheekily.
"Much," Karl returned sarcastically. Then he reached over, grabbed Anna-Maria's water bottle from her hands, and attacked Darren with it. It was then Darren's turn to be surprised as he choked on a mouthful of cold water. Darren stood perfectly still as the water dripped from his hair and collected in his sodden shirt. Then he arched one eyebrow eloquently, gave a rueful smirk, and stated in an eerily calm voice, "You know, of course, that this means *war*..."
He let the threat trail off ominously as he continued to stare at Karl, calculating.
"I figured as much, but you *did* start it."
Suddenly Darren's manner changed and he grinned impishly. "True!" He remarked. Then he took a running leap and tackled Karl.
"Get off me ya oaf!" Karl said as they rolled through the puddle of water on the stage. Karl managed to shrug out from under Darren's weight and pinned him. It was Karl's turn to smile evilly. "You're dead, Dazzy," he stated. By this time Daniel, Lee, and Anna-Maria were gathered around to see the outcome of the battle. It was then that Karl launched into a tickle attack that soon had Darren giggling and gasping for breath.
Daniel smiled slightly at the exchange. This was the first time in a long time that Darren was acting like himself. And, to Daniel at least, it felt good to hear Darren's laughter again. The feeling was short-lived.
Just as Karl was sitting back and easing off of his torture, a loud jarring sound of grating metal was heard as the air conditioners kicked on--full force. An ice cold blast of air surged down upon them and the band members sought out Ben accusingly. He stood proudly by a far wall.
"Ben, that's *too* cold!" Anna-Maria shouted, trying to suppress a shiver.
"Ain't it great?" Ben replied.
"NO!" yelled Lee, casting about for his shirt.
"Yeah, turn it down!" Karl commanded.
Daniel and Darren didn't say anything. Daniel was too busy staring at Darren with concern and Darren didn't seem to be able to reply. He was lying on the stage still gasping for breath, but now all traces of laughter were gone. It took Daniel a second to see this and it took a few more seconds before he or anyone else realized that Darren was hyperventilating.
"Daz?" Daniel asked in alarm as he rushed to Darren's side. The others, seeing this, glanced at Darren in shock and confusion. By this time even Ben was rushing over to investigate.
"Damn Karl," Ben said. "What in the hell have you done to him?"
"Nothing!" exclaimed Karl, at a loss. "He was fine just a few moments ago!"
Darren's eyes were wide, panicked, and unfocused. He struggled and shivered against Daniel's hold on him. His breathing was far too fast and harsh and refused to calm. Despite the weak struggles, Daniel managed to pull Darren's sopping and trembling form up off the stage and into his lap. As he slowly rocked back and forth, Darren began to quiet and his panic seemed to abate. Daniel continued to rock him gently and talk soothingly and soon Darren started to come around. His rapid, gasping breathing slowed, his racing heartbeat lessened, and the wild panicked look soon faded from his eyes.
"What just happened?" Lee demanded.
"And what the fuck started it?" Ben chimed in. Everyone wore an identical expression of puzzlement and worry.
Daniel made a slight shrugging motion. "I don't know," he answered.
Darren, who had closed his eyes, slipped them partially open again and managed to whisper the word, "Cold..."
Daniel pulled Darren into a sitting position. "I know," he said. "I know you're cold."
Though Darren was no longer hyperventilating, he was still rather out of it. His panic-attack seemed to have drained him of all energy, leaving him limp and tired. With a sigh, he slumped in Daniel's arms, closed his eyes, and let his head fall back against Daniel's shoulder. They sat like that for a moment then Daniel slowly got to his feet, pulling a weakly protesting Darren up with him.
Glancing over at the rest of the group, Daniel began to propel Darren towards the exit, saying, "I'm taking him back to the hotel."
The others nodded, still very puzzled. "You do that. It's early, yet--get him dry and try to make him eat something. He didn't this morning," Anna-Maria told him.
Lee added, "Yeah, and then make him take a nap. He hasn't had a decent night's sleep in a while, and it shows..."
It was Daniel's turn to nod.
Karl pulled himself off of the floor to help Daniel with Darren. "Guys, I'm sorry for this..."
"Karl, man, it wasn't your fault. Something happened to freak him out when the air conditioner came on. I know, I was watching," Daniel said.
Karl just shrugged and opened the door for Daniel, who had his hands full. With one last glance at Darren, Karl told Daniel, "Take care of him."
"Yeah. He'll be fine... I'll give you guys a call in a couple of hours, after I have gotten this whole mess sorted out."
With one arm around Darren's waist and Darren's arm draped over his shoulder, Daniel maneouvered out to the rental. Carefully, he placed Darren into the passenger seat and buckled him in. Darren's eyes fluttered a bit, resting on Daniel as he got into the car. Daniel settled behind the wheel, started the car, and pulled out of the parking lot. He glanced over at Darren and Darren gave him a small, tired smile as his eyes drifted closed again. "Jonesy..." He murmured, half asleep,"...so good to me..."
Daniel smiled, then nearly slammed on the breaks as Darren sleepily, softly finished his sentence,"Love you..."
Shaking his head as if to clear it, Daniel resumed his driving while thinking //Fuck, Dan, you're a right berk, you are. A real idiot... He means it in a purely platonic way, I'm sure!// Out of the corner of his eye he stole another glance at Darren, now asleep in the seat. //I wish he meant it in the way I dream for him to.//
With a sigh, he turned his attention back towards the road.
* * * * *
Darren didn't remember leaving the arena. He didn't remember falling asleep in the car, or the trip up to the hotel room, or Daniel tucking him into bed clothes-and-all. He woke up about an hour after Daniel had put him in bed, slightly confused and not really sure where he was. Blearily, he opened his eyes and saw the white expanse of the underside of a blanket. Shifting, he moved the blanketing from his body and sat up in bed, realizing that he was back in the hotel room, but having no recollection of how he got there.
"Feeling better?" A voice asked from across the room. Darren quickly turned to see Daniel in one of the padded hotel chairs, sitting at the small table. The look on his face was one of concern.
"Better, thank you," Darren told as he stretched.
Daniel nodded absently, then fixed him with a searching look. "Care to tell me what that was all about?"
"What what was all about?"
"Your little episode back in the auditorium."
Darren grimaced as he recalled the incident. "Oh. That."
"Yes, that. I believe an explanation is past due, Daz.
"I don't really want to talk about it."
"Doesn't matter--do it anyway. Whatever your problem is, its slowly eating you up and that's unacceptable. So talk." Darren squirmed uncomfortably, so Daniel continued, "I'll make it easy on you. What caused your attack; start from there and work your way through it."
Sighing, Darren settled back in the bed. "I really don't know what happened, Jonesy," he began. "One minute I'm goofing off with Karl and the next I'm freaking out."
"What started it though? I mean, you were fine until Ben got the air conditioner to work."
Darren nodded. "Yeah, I know. It was a combination of things, really. I guess what started it was the grating sound the vent fans made when they geared up--it was the same sound the metal of the taxi and bridge made when... when the car went over the side."
"Yeah," Daniel prompted. "There's more..."
"Then it was the sensation of being wet coupled with the shock of quickly becoming cold. It was at that moment that my mind seemed to leave the stage and travel straight back to that bridge. Suddenly I was caught in an emotional backlash and I...I just couldn't escape!"
"Tell me about the accident Darren."
Darren looked uncertain. "What do you want to know?" He asked slowly.
Daniel sensing his reluctance, replied,"Just tell me what happened. I won't make you go into great detail, but I want a summary and a description of your thoughts on the subject."
With a sigh, Darren began his narrative. He started out slowly, almost impassive, but soon began to get emotional in his telling. "...I was terrified. Then when I realized the cab was quickly filling and found the driver was dead, things got a bit...well...disjointed. I was running solely on adrenaline and fear and I just knew that I had to be smart about it or die. Getting out of the taxi was easy; I might have cut myself doing so, but I misremember. But then I sank under the water! It was the water that was awful and the cold. The cold sank into my body so deeply, it made me leaden; it wanted to pull me down, to claim me...Oh Danny! Both the cold and the water wanted to keep me and, at one point, I almost let them because I was so tired..." He trailed off as his body began to shake again. Once more, true to form, Daniel was by his side, wrapping a blanket around him and urging him to finish his story.
Darren did so. "...The cold may not have claimed my body, but now it has ahold of my nightmares, my memories. It twists my dreams and warps my memory of the event, making things seem so much more horrible then they were. I drown or I freeze or others I care about get consumed by the cold...It just won't stop!"
Somewhere into his narrative Darren had unconsciously leaned into Daniel's warmth and Daniel had placed a soothing hand on Darren's back, rubbing in small, comforting circles. And the small tremors running through Darren's form had ceased as suddenly as they had started. Daniel's touch seemed to just have that calming effect.
With his tale finished, Darren was able to relax under Daniel's almost tender ministrations. He leaned his head on Daniel's shoulder and shook it slightly.
"Jonesy?"
"Yeah Dazza?"
Darren lifted his head to look Daniel in the eyes. "Why are you so good to me?"
Daniel was rather taken aback; he hadn't expected that question and he didn't have a decent answer for it--aside from the obvious one, of course. He met Darren's gaze and searched those blue eyes to find the reasoning behind the question. There was no answer in Darren's eyes, only questioning and what almost appeared to be a desperate need for Daniel's answer.
"Danny?"
Daniel dropped his gaze, deep in thought, but couldn't bring himself to say anything.
"Dan, please?" There was a pleading note in Darren's voice. "Please answer me. And don't tell me its because we're mates. Everything you've done for me is above and beyond the call of the duties of friendship. This whole time you've been there for me, cried with me, rocked me, held me as I slept, comforted, cared, tucked me in after a mental breakdown. You've rarely left my side in spite of everything. I just want to know what is going on in that head of yours. Why do you dote on me, so?"
Daniel closed his eyes and let out a soft sigh of frustration, praying he was right in what he was about to say. He looked up into Darren's anxious face, braced himself, and said, "Because I love you, Darren." Since Darren didn't scream, faint, or strike him, Daniel continued, "I have loved you for quite some time. That is the only answer that I can give you..."
Darren interrupted, "And its the only answer I wanted from you."
"Really?" Daniel replied, the shock plain on his face. "You don't mind, then?"
Darren inched closer to Daniel, practically sitting in his lap. "Mind?" He repeated. "Jonesy, I'm estatic about it!"
The smile on Darren's face caused an equally bright smile to form on Daniel's as he crushed Darren in a fierce hug. When they broke the embrace Daniel cupped Darren's chin with one hand and gently tilted his head up to claim Darren's lips with a kiss. The kiss started out as tentative, but quickly grew in intensity and soon they both found themselves completely lost in the sensation. They moved closer to each other, hands sought out skin, and fingers buried themselves deeply into soft feeling hair. It was a gentle kiss, one that spoke volumes and contained an underlying well of passion.
When the need for air became larger than the need for contact they reluctantly pulled apart. Darren removed his hands from Daniel's hair, but still clung to Daniel, completely ignoring the concept of personal space. Daniel didn't seem to mind.
Darren shook his head in wonder. "Wow," he gasped.
"Mmhmm..." Daniel agreed, drawing Darren completely into his lap. Lazily, he stroked a hand over Darren's cheeks. "Know what, Daz?"
"Hmmm?" replied Darren, arching an eyebrow inquisitively.
"Nothing else can have you," he stated. "Not the cold; not the nightmares; not the memories. Nothing can claim you 'cause your *mine*."
"Oh really? Are you claiming me, then?"
"That I am, love, that I am."
Daniel leaned forward again and captured Darren's lips once more. Then Darren slowly pulled away to smile at Daniel and say, "Claim away, Jonsey..." He shed the blanket and wrapped his arms around Daniel's neck. Suddenly he grinned and the impish sparkle returned to his eyes. "So," he began. "Does this claiming thing work both ways?"
"You'd better believe it," Daniel said, also grinning--it was infectious. Then he seemed to sober and studied Darren's happy-but-exhausted features. Gently he brushed a strand of hair out of Darren's eyes. "And together we're going to work to get you past this."
Darren nodded. "I know it," he said. "I'm not going to use some sappy diva-in-distress line like, 'oh, I feel perfectly safe when I'm with you...' or some other such nonsense, but I do believe I'll be fine. And we'll be fine."
"Of that, I have no doubt," Daniel told him. Darren attempted to reply, but was cut off by a yawn. Daniel saw this and his brow furrowed as he asked, "Are you going to be up to doing the show tonight?"
Darren nodded affirmative while fighting another yawn. "Yeah, I just need more sleep! I haven't really gotten much of that lately..."
"So I noticed," Daniel replied, shifting Darren out of his lap and moving to drag him down to lay on the bed. "C'mon, sleep time."
Darren didn't fight it. "Stay?" He asked.
"Just you try and make me leave!" was Daniel's joking answer.
Darren grinned. "Good," he sighed snuggling down against both the mattress and Daniel. "I love you, Jonesy...jus' like you love me..." With a chuckle, Daniel pressed a quick kiss to Darren's forehead. "You're babbling, love. Go to sleep." "Okay..." //Now this is a feeling of déjà-vu.// Daniel thought as he pulled the blankets over both of them. Then he gathered Darren into his arms once more, closed his eyes, and soon the peace of sleep claimed them both.
~finis~
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