Big Date

Ch. 15 Better

Dan woke up to a myriad of sounds. He heard the buzz and beeping of machines, the chatter of conversations, and the distinct sound of a voice he'd recognize anywhere, for it was the voice he'd been hearing for his entire life. Dino.

"I should have been notified of this! He could have died!" Dino shouted

"With all due respect sir,"

"No, there is no due respect, for you already disrespected me by not notifying me from the beginning!"

"Dino?" Dan said through a voice he didn't recognize. Dan's voice, and really everything around him sounded different than it should. Everything seemed louder. Dan's voice was not as deep. Dan felt disoriented.

"Dan!!! Oh my god! Brother, you had me worried!"

Finally, Dan found the strength to open his eyes, and when he did, he kept blinking until his vision was clear. Everything and everyone around Dan looked so much bigger than it had before. Instead of looking down on everyone from a towering height, Dan seemed to be looking up from a bed. Wait... had it worked? Has the trial actually worked?!

Dan attempted to sit up from his lying position, but very quickly Dr. Kim appeared in front of him, stopping him from rising any further. Dan had never seen Dr. Kim this close up and detailed before. From his current position he could make out the fine lines around her eyes when she smiled, and even see the couple of freckles around her face.

"Dan! Take it easy. As you can see, the trial was a great success. While we didn't get you down to our 6'3" goal, we managed to bring you down to 8 ft tall."

8 feet. Dan's entire heart swelled when he heard the number. 8 feet tall. Dan hadn't been 8 feet tall since he was in middle school. While it wasn't exactly the standard height for 'normal' guys, it was still the greatest number Dan had heard associated with his height in years. At 8 feet tall Dan could go back to a somewhat normal life again! He could fit in cars, as long as there was leg room, enter restaurants or stores, as long as he ducked his head, and he could finally once again hold Jordan in his arms, instead of his hand!

"How do you feel Dan?" Dino asked, clearly concerned.

"I feel... smaller," Dan replied before letting out an excited laugh.

"There's a chance Dan's muscles and joints are feeling a strain from undergoing such a rapid change, however, we have Dan on anti-inflammatories and pain meds as a precaution. From everything our scans are seeing, he's not exhibiting any side effects at the moment."

"So what now Doc? Can he live a life again now?"

"I don't see why not! General Foster just stepped out, but I'm pretty sure he can't keep Dan here. He never really could, for Dan hadn't ever hurt anyone... He wasn't a prisoner,"

"I kind of was though..." Dan replied as images of all the commotion he'd made from leaving his house to find Jordan flashed across his mind. Even though Dan hadn't been arrested and thrown in jail, his giant house felt like his own private jail.

A few hours after more tests were run, Dan finally got the okay to leave, and there was only one place he wanted to go... and it was Jordan's apartment. Even back when Dan had first met Jordan he'd been too large to even attempt to fit in her apartment. But now, 8 ft tall was much more manageable. Dan was going to surprise Jordan! First he just had to convince Dino to take him there... Oh and he needed to figure out where 'there' was. Once a pair of shoes, a skin tight hoodie, and a pair of sweatpants big enough for Dan to squeeze into were supplied, Dan was ready to leave his giant house and return to what he'd been calling the real world. The real world where he could socialize with other people who weren't soldiers or doctors being paid to be around him. The real world where Dan might be able to get a job, travel, find new hobbies, and of course build his relationship with the love of his life. Dan wouldn't have to feel guilty for dating Jordan. Now Dan could give Jordan everything she deserved in a partner, and he would.