Nothing Lasts Forever (Phan)

Chapter 2

Dedicated to tenyspup for being the first to guess the video in the last chapter, who can guess which video this pictures from?

Dan POV

I close the door just as the phone rings.
"No!" Phil cries, dashing up the stairs. I chuckle as I hear him greet whoever was on the other line. I make my way upstairs, glancing over at Phil on the phone. His face crumples, making me stop in concern.
"Mum? Mum what's wrong?!" Phil frowns. I narrow my eyes, he looked so upset!
"W-what?" Phil whispers, sounding like he'd had the wind knocked out of him.
"Why would he do that!" Now he sounded angry.
"I'll be there as soon as I can." Phil puts down the phone. "Shit." He hisses under his breath. Phil barely ever swore. "Shit!" He says louder, emotion clear in his voice.
"Phil?" I call. He looks over at me, his eyes shining with tears. As we make eye contact, I see the fight go out of him. His lip quivers slightly, and he collapses to the ground, drawing his knees to his chest.
"Phil what's wrong?" I frown running over. I drop to the ground beside him and wrap my arms around his shaking body. He leans against me, unable to speak through his tears.
"M-m-m-my p-parents are g-g-getting a-a d-d-d-divor-vorce." Phil gasps. "D-dad won't, won't say-ay why."
I feel my jaw dropping.
"Oh Phil." I whisper, hugging him tighter.
"I need to go to Manchester." Phil breathes, calming down. "Can you get me a rental car?" He stands up and wraps his arms around himself, looking as fragile as I've ever seen him.
"Do you want me to come?" I ask. Phil looks up at me, and I see in his he wants to say yes, but he instead shakes his head.
"No, that's not fair to you." He says. "This is my family's mess and you've got better things to do than sort it out."
"Like what?" I laugh dryly. "Without you here I'll be bored out of my mind."
"You can hang out with Chris and PJ." Phil argues. "I can't ask you to come with Dan, it's not fair."
"I don't care Phil. Be selfish for a minute and think about yourself, cos that's the last thing you'll be doing in Manchester." I grab Phil's shoulders, giving him a little shake. "Do you want me to come? Would it help you if I were there?"
Phil sighs. "Yes. I need you."
"Right." I answer, wrapping my arms around him. Phil hugs me back weakly.
"I don't know what I'd do without you." He whispers.

Phil goes off to his room to pack a bag, and so do I. Once I've quickly chucked in clothes my laptop chargers and camera, I go order a taxi to take us to the nearest rental car depot. All the organisation done, I go check on Phil. He's sitting on his bed staring into space.
"You all packed Phil?" I ask gently. He shakes his and looks over at me in surprise.
"What? Oh, yeah, I'm packed." He gives a small smile. "Sorry about before I just kinda freaked out."
"It's okay." I look at Phil's bag. "Not taking your laptop?"
"What?" Phil looks at his bag, then at his laptop across the room. "Oh, can you grab it?"
I walk over and grab the laptop and charger, then put them in Phil's bag.
"You sure you got everything? The taxi will be here soon."
Phil murmurs under his breath as he run through what he has in his bag.
"Bathroom bag." He says, standing. "I'll go get it."
"Phil, it's right there." I point at the black bag on his pillow.
"Oh." He whispers, sitting back down slowly. "I'm sorry Dan."
"Hey, you have nothing to be sorry for." I tell him sternly.
"I'm not the one getting divorced." Phil argues.
"But it's your parents Phil! That kind of thing hurts."
"I know." Phil whispers. I sit down beside him and put my arm around his shoulder.
"Come on, the taxi is probably waiting."

***

"Which car do you like?" I ask Phil at the rental shop.
"You're driving so you choose." Phil is sitting on a bench while I wander though the cars.
"We'll take this one." I call to the dealer, nodding at the car I was standing by.
"Come on Phil!" I call. I look over and watch as Phil walks closer.
"Is your friend alright?" The dealer asks.
"Uh, yeah, just, rough times at home." I reply, receiving a sympathetic nod.
I pay for two weeks and get the keys from the office, then Phil and I leave.
"I haven't driven in ages." I state as we pull out of the car yard.
"Neither." Phil replies.
"I think the last time was when, actually I can't remember."
"Yeah." Phil slumps down in his seat, staring out the window. In the reflection I could see tears rolling down his face. He was so detached from everything! In a car he would normally annoying everyone by singing some travelling song or playing I Spy. I sigh, flicking on the radio to fill the silence where Phil's happiness should be.

***

At eight thirty we pull into Phil's parent's driveway. Phil was asleep, leaning against the window.
"We're here." I shake his shoulder. He jolts up, looking around. When his eyes fall on me he relaxes, breathing heavily.
"We're here already?"
I nod. "Come on, your Mum's standing on the porch."
We step out of the car and grab our bags from the boot, heading up to Catherine. Once we reach her, Phil hugs her tightly. I stand awkwardly until they finish hugging.
"Hey Dan." She gives me and small hug too.
"Hey."
"Come inside boys, I've made some pasta if you're hungry."

Inside we all sit at the dining table eating pasta.
"Where's Dad gone?" Phil asks. Catherine shakes her head.
"I don't know, Philip. He came home at lunch time said he wanted a divorce, packed a bag then left. He said he would be back tomorrow to do all the settlements."
I look up at Phil just as he looks at me.
"Cheating?" I mouth. Phil nods slightly.
"Later." He mouths. To his mother he said, "I guess you'll find out tomorrow. I mean, even his lawyers will need to know why he wants a divorce."
She nods. "Well it's been a long day. I'm going to get some sleep. Dan, the spare beds already made up. Phil, you have your room."
"Night Mum." Phil says, standing to give her a hug.
"Night." I wave. We both wait till we hear the her door shut before we speak.
"There's someone else." I state quietly.
Phil nods, sighing. "There has to be, it's the only reason I can think of."
I frown. "Sometimes it just doesn't work anymore, but normally the people in question fight a lot. As far as I know, your parents are the happiest couple I can think of."
Phil looks at me sadly. "That's what I thought to." He rubs at his eyes with his palms. "I'm gonna go to bed."
"Me too."

We both stand and go to our respective rooms, the depressed silence to much to bear.
I change into some pyjamas before climbing into to bed. I lay there thinking, unable to sleep. If it was anywhere else, I would put it down to a different bed. But the bed was comfortable enough, and I was super tired. As I listen to the quiet of the night, I identify what was keeping me awake.

Quiet sobs just loud enough for me to hear. I strain to figure out if it was Phil or Catherine. I groan quietly and walk out to the hallway. First I press my ear against Catherine's door. Silence. Pressing my ear against Phil's door, I confirm what I already knew.

I open the door quietly, and look at Phil curled in a ball under his covers. Quiet sobs echo through the otherwise silent room.
"Phil?" I call quietly. Phil sits up looking at me in surprise. "You okay?"
Phil hesitates before answering.
"No." He shakes his head. "I'm not okay."
I walk over and sit on the bed beside him and wrap my arms around him. Phil leans into me, crying heavily. I just sit there, hugging him and letting him cry, as he had done for me multiple times.
"Shh. Shh." I whisper under my breath. We stay like that for half an hour, before the crying suddenly stops.
"Phil?" I whisper, looking down at him. He was asleep. I start unwinding my arms and laying him down when he grabs me arm.
"Stay." He murmurs. Phil rolls over, making room for me to crawl in.
"Just like the old days huh?" I say, referring to when I would stay at Phil's old apartment in Manchester. Phil doesn't answer.
"Night Phil." I whisper.