The Son and the Sparrow

Chapter Forty Seven(v3)

Chapter Forty Seven

Daniel packed his things as Philip stood to the side and watched. "Are you sure?" he asked again.

"Of course Philip. It's time for me to go home. Wouldn't you like that?"

"Obviously." Philip grumbled. "But are you ready for this? The nurse-"

"The nurse what?" Daniel glared at Philip, daring him.

"She said she doesn't think you're all better. And I agree."

"Of course I'm all better." Daniel scoffed.

"You don't notice. But I do. Sometimes-"

"Sometimes what?"

The abruptness of Daniel's interjection halted Philip's words. He stared at Daniel with suddenly anxious eyes, but continued. "-sometimes you just stare at objects. You don't realize what you're doing but even when I call your name you don't snap out of it."

Daniel sighed, unable to deny it. "That's nothing big. It won't be an issue."

Philip frowned. "You aren't yourself yet."

Daniel longed to snap back that he was always himself, but Philip's kindly worried face stopped him. "I'll be fine. The only thing that I'm worried about is the cops dogging me for information." Now that he was out of the hospital he couldn't hide forever.

"I don't think you understand the severity of what happened to you." Philip said quietly. "What you went through can be very harmful to the mind."

Daniel couldn't bring himself to look at Philip as he replied, "I sat in a chair for a couple of weeks." he mumbled. "It's not really that big of a deal. It's not like he tortured me."

Philip looked down, as he didn't have the nerve to argue with Daniel's statement, wrong as it might be.

Daniel blushed, suddenly ashamed that he had won an argument he shouldn't have. He continued putting things into his bag, and added quietly, "Anyway, it doesn't matter. The doctor wants me gone."

Philip didn't answer, which only made Daniel feel worse. He felt as though he should apologize, but if he did it would also be an admittance that he was not as well as he pretended, so he didn't.

Daniel spotted the nurse out of the corner of his eye, yet decided to ignore her. For some reason he felt like he was being evicted, and she was the landlady. He sighed. Although he despised being here, at the same time it felt comfortable. He knew he was safe here, and it had been his salvation. Well, that and Philip. And Alexander was out there. Daniel flinched at the thought. What if...no. But Alexander knew where he lived. Despite all of Philip's security, it was possible...

Daniel looked down at his hands clutching a shirt, frozen in midair, and slightly trembling. He forced his hand to loosen its hold, but it did so reluctantly, as though it had a mind of its own. He stared at his suitcase, suddenly terrified. Rope scratched his skin as it slithered around his wrists.

"Finch," Alexander purred in his ear. The muskiness of the air choked his lungs. Daniel felt the panic begin to rise up, eat away at him, bite by bite until-

"Daniel!"

Daniel blinked, then looked up blankly. Philip had his hands on Daniel's wrists, a concerned expression in his eyes. "Are you okay?" he whispered into Daniel's ear.

Daniel paused, then nodded. "Yeah." His voice was raw.

Philip opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. He ignored Daniel's eyes as though he couldn't stand to look into them. "Are you done packing?" he asked.