You're Never Alone

Chapter 21

Word Count: 1423

The two wake up in the afternoon with PJ shaking Phil awake telling him that he should get up before the sun goes down. PJ leaves the room, closing the door after him and Phil sits up as he looks over to Dan. Dan soundly sleeps but he's becoming pale again and the black veins are starting to crawl over his shoulders. Phil sighs with worry before gently shaking Dan to wake him up. His chocolate eyes open and Phil instantly smiles but Dan groans as his head is throbbing and the world is spinning.

    "Hey are you okay?" Phil asks quietly and Dan shakes his head, dizzy and weak. Phil nods, getting up and getting dressed. After he's done, he grabs some clothes for Dan and brings them over to him. "Here. Put these on and I'll be back."

    He quickly goes down the stairs and fetches a glass of water for Dan in the kitchen where a couple people including PJ are working.

    "Phil, have you heard the plan yet?" Joe asks and Phil shakes his head as he leans against the counter with the glass in his hand. "Well the plan is for a group of us to stay back to keep an eye on the guards a palace through the security cameras. Another group will go for the king and the last group will keep the guards away."

    There's one part of the plan that's missing that Phil notices. "What about the cure?" he asks and Joe looks over at PJ who's biting his lip. PJ looks away. "What?"

    "We... don't know exactly where the cure is," PJ says and Phil slightly begins to panic. "Okay, okay, it's okay. Maybe Dan might know?"

    Phil kind of relaxes but is still uptight. "I'll ask him."

    He heads back up the stairs stressed and a mental wreck. Phil walks back into the room to see Dan dressed in a dark shirt and jeans laying on his back in the middle of the bed with his eyes shut. Phil sets the glass of water on a night stand before sitting on the bed next to Dan.

    "Dan." Dan opens his eyes and looks over at Phil who's staring at Dan's arm. "Do you know where your father would keep the cure?"

    "Yeah. It'll be hidden in my bedroom of the palace in a box somewhere," Dan replies and Phil gives a confused look.

    "In your room?"

Dan nods. "Yeah. It was something I used to do as kid with my friends. Take the poison and find the cure in your room as soon as possible. That's where my father would hide it because he figures I'll run out of time before then," he explains quietly.

Phil scoffs. "Your dad is a psycho." Dan smiles despite having a headache and chuckles at Phil. But he stops when it starts to make him feel worse and he winces, closing his eyes once more. Phil reaches over and rubs Dan's cheek with his thumb. "Feeling that bad?"

Dan nods with a frown and Phil sighs. "Hey, I'll be okay and we'll figure this out, alright?" Dan says to him and Phil nods unsure still. "I should go downstairs."

He sits up but almost immediately groans and holds a hand to his head. "Can you stand?" Phil asks and Dan shrugs before standing with Phil closely doing the same. The world spins and the ground falls out from beneath him. Phil thankfully catches him and helps him stand once more with the help of his shoulder but Dan's balance is so off. "Let me just carry you."

Dan smiles before Phil grabs him and puts him on his back. Phil holds onto Dan's legs and Dan wraps his arms loosely around Phil's neck.

"Thanks, Phil," he mutters and Phil smiles with a nod as they make their way out the bedroom door and down the stairs.

They walk into the kitchen and PJ watches them with a confused as Phil carefully sets Dan down in one of the chairs at the table. Phil gives PJ a look saying 'If you ask or even talk to me about this, I will never talk to you again and I will shoot you' and PJ looks back at his computer with wide eyes and a small smirk on his lips.

They all talk for awhile about the plan and Dan also explains where the cure is. Phil stands next to Dan but Dan stops talking after a little while and lets the rest of them figure it out. He thinks for a moment about what his father did to him and Phil. He can feel his life slipping away and his strength disappearing as the poison is taking over. The plan was tomorrow and here he was extremely weak and dying. All he can do hope that he can do his part before his time runs out.

***

    "So we have three groups and four tasks," Phil says and PJ sighs as he nods, typing on his computer as he communicated with Cat and Louise who are with the other rebels. "Okay so the group here has to do what they need to and the other two also have tasks to do. Why don't we pull in extra people to those two groups and then after they complete most of their task in the palace, a third of each group comes together to find the cure?"

    PJ shakes his head though. "No the groups would end up too big." He thinks for a moment before getting an idea. "What if we had a couple rebels dispersed into the palace and then a few people from the groups meet them and you find the cure? Would that work?"

    "Yeah that would definitely work. We just need to figure out timing," Phil concludes so he works with PJ, Cat, and Louise to try to figure everything out. It takes a couple hours and Dan eventually falls asleep on the table which Phil smiles slightly at. PJ of course notices.

    "Do you love him?" PJ asks quietly and Phil looks over at him in surprise before shrugging.

    "Well, I'm not sure," Phil responds. "I haven't known him for a long time and I only met him because we kidnapped him. If you think about it, that wasn't too long ago and killing his best friend wasn't long ago either." He says the end quietly and PJ reaches over, placing his hand on top of Phil's.

    "I can tell that you care for him. You have never cared for someone like that for a really long time. And I can also tell that Dan is the same way," PJ explains and Phil chuckles softly because he knows that PJ is right. "Sure you two have hurt one another but you also have been through so much together that no one can understand but you guys."

    Phil smiles and gives PJ's hand a reassuring squeeze before pulling away. "Thanks, Peej," Phil replies before standing up and grabbing Dan bridal style. He carries him up the stairs and Dan snuggles into Phil's chest which makes Phil look down at him with admiration. Phil sets him down on the bed and Dan looks up at him, sitting up.    

Phil pauses and looks at him for a moment when Dan swiftly stands and kisses Phil on the lips, wrapping his arms around Phil's neck. Phil makes a startled noise against Dan's lips before closing his eyes and leaning into him. He holds Dan by the hips to stable the unsteady prince and the two relish in the moment. Dan is the first to pull away, softly gasping for a breath leaving Phil in the same state. He sighs before they lean their foreheads against each other.

"I heard you and PJ talking," Dan explains and Phil nods.

"I figured with... you know whatever that was." Dan laughs quietly before placing a kiss onto Phil's cheek.

"I wanted to kiss you in case I lose my chance," Dan says and Phil smiles as Dan pulls away from him fully. He gets into bed and looks up at Phil fondly. "Goodnight."

Phil goes to the door and looks back at Dan. "Goodnight," he responds softly, closing the door behind him. It clicks shut and he smiles, giddy with excitement as he leans his head on the wall for a moment. He walks calmly down the stairs after composing himself and helps makes plans with the other leaders for tomorrow.