The Fault In Our Phan

Part Four

          Phil opened his eyes, but the brightness of the fluorescent lights hurt them. He blinked several times before his eyes adjusted. He was lying in a small hospital room, attached to many machines. Dan was sitting near the bed, his head bent. It wasn't until then that he noticed Dan's fingers locked with his own limp ones. Phil squeezed it slightly; he was weak. Dan jerked his head up.

          "Phil!" he breathed and before Phil could react Dan wrapped him in a crushing hug. Phil inhaled the familiar scent of him, but when he did his lungs hurt. He gripped Dan back, and tears came to his eyes. When they finally let go, Dan brought the chair he had been sitting in as close to the bed as possible. Phil studied him. His eyes looked tired and bloodshot, like he'd been crying. Dan's grip never loosened on Phil's hand.

          Just then the doctor walked in, and stopped when she noticed he was awake. "How do you feel?" she asked in a slight British accent.

          "....My lungs hurt," he admitted, not looking at Dan. "And I feel weak."

          She nodded and looked at Dan. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave." She smiled apologetically. Dan looked at Phil, squeezed his hand, and left. Phil felt lonely and cold with Dan absent. He wished he'd come back. "He hasn't left your side, you know," the nurse said to him, interrupting his wistful thoughts. "I doubt he even slept."

          "Really?"

          "Yep," she said. "Your mum was here first, but she had to leave for an emergency work call. Since she left and we allowed non-family to com in, he didn't leave."

          "Wait...how long have I been here?" Phil asked.

          " Only about ten hours I think, You know if it wasn't for your friend, I don't think you would have made it. It took a while to resuscitate you, and you didn't break consciousness until now, obviously."

          Phil knew he had almost died, actually had for a few minutes. He also knew that if Dan hadn't been there, he would still be dead. He hated to feel useless, and all he brought with his uselessness was pain to people close to him. He cried silently while the nurse left and he was alone.

Dan's POV-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

          Dan sat in the waiting room, his leg bouncing rapidly. It had been hours since the nurse told him to leave, and became more worried by the second. But seconds became minutes, and minutes became hours. Every time he'd see a doctor or nurse walk past him, he looked up hopefully. But every time, they'd gone to another patient. Finally as he was starting to fall asleep, a nurse and doctor approached him.

          "Are you here for Phil Lester?" the doc asked. He nodded and sat up.

          "We ran a few tests and unfortunately, it appears as though Phil's cancer has spread, and has been spreading, and it's getting worse. Put simply, he can't leave the hospital yet. We've informed his mom, and she'll be here shortly. Would you like to see him?"

          Dan nodded again, and followed them to Phil's room. There was a machine hooked up into his nose so that he could breathe, an IV in his arm, and another to track his breathing and heart rate. A steady series of beats filled the room. He pushed the chair back up to Phil's bed, and leaned on the bed closer to him.

          "Dan?" Phil asked.

           "Phil,"  he said happily. "Are you okay?"

          Phil gave him a look that said, "really?" and Dan laughed. He stood up to kiss Phil, softly. It turned more in depth, and Dan climbed on the bed to sit next to him, leaning down. They pulled back slightly, and Phil brushed Dan's jaw with his finger. Dan ran a hand through Phil's hair and kissed him again, softly. When he pulled reluctantly away again, Phil was beaming, full of happiness seeing Dan inches from his face. He loved Phil's smile. But that was the last time he saw it.