Redwing

By Darksbane

Disclaimer: DNAngel is copyright material of Yukiru Sugisaki-Kadokawa. I'm not him, so I don't own DNAngel.

A/N: A what-if, alternate-universe styled fic continuing the DNAngel universe. After sealing the Black Wings at the Central Art Museum, Daisuke is shot in the back by a barely-alive Mr. Hiwatari before the eyes of his friends. Ten years later, another phantom thief using the name of 'Dark' has emerged – but since Daisuke died that day, Dark's return is a far-away impossibility. But all is not as it seems… Based after the TV series. Pairings are canon-related. Enjoy, guys.

Verse One – Crimson Bullet

The smoke was clearing now. Satoshi Hiwatari leant heavily on the boy assisting him from the wreckage of the Central Art Museum, knowing that he was safe from harm so long as he remained near the boy. Daisuke Niwa would sooner cut off his arm than allow harm to come to – well – anyone. That had been one of the things Satoshi Hiwatari had learned about Niwa over the long months of chasing after him because of his association with the phantom thief Dark Mousy. He had been so sure he would have been able to do what it took to put Dark behind bars where he belonged, yet as he grew to understand Niwa, that desire to see justice had lessened.

Niwa was panting as he supported Satoshi's weight, but he seemed determined to get out of the danger zone. Satoshi hid a small smile, thanking him silently for all he'd done for him. But he could almost predict what would soon be coming out of the considerate boy's mouth next –

"Are you alright… Hiwatari?" Niwa asked softly. Satoshi could have laughed. That was Niwa for you. Always concerned with everyone else but himself. Satoshi had grown up in a world where he had to fight tooth and nail – not only within the police force, but for his own mind and body. The concern was touching, in a way.

"Yeah," he answered quietly, the smoke almost all swept away by the morning breeze filtering through the jacket Niwa had lent him. He glanced up, blinking as he saw the sunrise. It was… beautiful. He'd seen so many of them, and so many artworks… but they'd never compared. He took a stunned breath. "It's brilliant, isn't it?"

Niwa looked up also; his eyes were alight with wonder as the amazing colours dazzled him. "Yeah! It is…"

Satoshi nodded, his eyes fixed on the sight. "But it's a different kind of brilliant than before."

It truly was. All the others he'd seen… they'd all been so dull by comparison. All the artworks he'd ever seen seemed gaudy and uncouth compared with this… wonder. Was it because he was truly living life again? Was it because his life was his own? Or was it because… he was here. With his closest friend, who had proved his loyalty time and time again. It seemed so much better.

"Hnh?" Niwa stopped at the edge of the cliff. Satoshi released his shoulder, but stumbled as the weight was too much on his weak legs for an instant. Niwa's hand shot out to grab his shoulder, but Satoshi waved him off with a sigh.

"I'm alright." He straightened in the jacket, feeling the tattered edges of the sleeves trace against his skin. It was a good coat – but more than that, it was a sign of Niwa's friendship to him. Given in the never-ending kindness of Niwa's heart, it meant more to him than a simple article of clothing.

He smirked slightly as he turned to the red-haired boy. "Niwa, can I have this coat?"

Niwa's eyebrows raised. "Huh? Yeah, sure."

Satoshi nodded, and looked out to the sunrise again. The sun was climbing higher now, the colours were less brilliant. But somehow… it looked so much more lovely than before.

"I guess.." he started in a quiet voice, not sure what he was going to say. Then he hit on gold. "I guess I'll try to enjoy my life… since I have it."

"Yeah." Niwa smiled at him then – a smile full of relief, of happiness, of joy at not losing a friend…

Satoshi watched him for a while, and then told him seriously, "You're truly an amazing person, Daisuke Niwa. I am glad to have met you."

"Niwa!" Someone called out to the red-haired boy, someone calling at the top of their lungs. Satoshi smiled. He was happy that Niwa had found somebody – that somebody he'd described when Satoshi had been so bent on destroying himself. Someone who was happy just because they were there…

"Niwa!" Riku Harada was running towards them, looking exhausted but exhilarated all the same. Risa Harada followed her a few paces behind, her dark hair whipping back in the wind. The twins both looked as tired as the other, both of them so glad to see Niwa safe and well… he might have been called a fool for hoping that they might have spared a thought for him. Still, he could hardly blame them. He had always been so cold and distant at school.

He saw Niwa's face light up as he saw his friend running flat out towards him. "Miss Riku!" He dashed towards her too, looking every inch the man in love. Satoshi watched the pair near one another, watching them stop. Riku was gasping from the sprint, but her eyes didn't leave Niwa's face.

"Miss Riku…" Niwa smiled gently.

Riku held up her hand to stop the flow of caring words that would soon follow. But she was smiling, too. "Now let ME say it!"

Niwa's eyebrows rose with worry and confusion. "What?

Riku swallowed, then whispered, "I found you…" Tears suddenly began to run down her face, and she tackled him in a huge hug. "Oh Niwa!"

Her arms wrapped around his neck and she sobbed with relief at finding him here… whole. Satoshi turned away to give them their privacy. He wouldn't intrude. Not now…

"Miss Riku…" Niwa sighed happily, hugging her tightly.

Then Satoshi glanced at Risa, and smirked at her as he found her looking at him. She quickly looked away with a blush, but her eyes darted back to him again.

I'm not alone, he realized with a start as he smiled at Risa – a genuine smile. Not anymore. Thank you, Daisuke Niwa. You have done so much for me. How can I ever repay you?

He should have known it was coming. He should have seen the man – half mad with pain and anger – emerge from the billowing smoke still being spewed out by fires in the wreckage of the Museum. He should have known that his father wouldn't have just given up and died when he was given the chance.

All Satoshi heard before the end came was his father's maniacal laughter.

"Now, you will finally be destroyed – once and for all!"

Satoshi whirled, the world seeming to go in slow motion. Yet it was not slow enough.

His father stood in the smoke, half of his face dripping with blood, his jacket gone, his shirt stained crimson. In his hands was a gun, pointed at the small group of friends as they celebrated their victory. Satoshi's eyes widened.

"NO! Father! Watch out!" He screamed at the others as he leaped at the grey-haired lunatic.

Crack.

Satoshi's eyes widened as he saw the bullet erupt from the barrel of the gun.

Crack.

It wasn't aimed at him – it missed him by several meters. Satoshi swerved away from his father, skidding to a halt.

Crack.

The barrel of the gun was smoking now, and Mr. Hiwatari's face split into a maddened grin. Satoshi knocked the gun from the man's hand and grabbed a pair of handcuffs from his pockets and fastened them about his father's wrists. The man was writhing in what seemed to be unholy joy.

"I've done – I've done it, I've done what Krad and Satoshi have never been able to do, so help me I've-"

"NIWA!" He heard Riku scream.

Niwa? Daisuke?

"NO! Niwa!"

Satoshi left the madman where he was – for all he cared, the man could die of blood loss – and ran for the group. One of them was on the ground, the others around him.

Niwa! He broke into a run. Not now – not Niwa! He's too good a person to die like this! Not by a madman!

Risa was screaming where she stood, clutching her head, her eyes riveted to the fallen form of her classmate. Satoshi spared her a glance, but there were far more pressing matters here. Was Niwa alive… or not?

Riku clung to her love, tears falling freely from her eyes as she sobbed.

"Niwa, Niwa, Niwa…" she whispered brokenly, brushing his wild red hair from his pale face over and over, telling him things in a soft voice that Satoshi could not hear. Nor did he want to… Niwa's face was almost grey, his lifeblood leaking onto the ground around him, the bullets ripping through his black leather clothing…

He reached out to the boy's neck, searching for a pulse. It fluttered weakly beneath his fingers. His fingers came away blood-smeared.

"He's still with us – quick, we have to stem the blood flow, or he'll bleed to death!" Satoshi grabbed the rags – all that remained of his old shirt – and began to wrap them around Niwa's injuries. Riku dried her tears, her fingers tracing blood down her cheeks, and began to help. Satoshi tightened the bandage about the boy's torso, knowing in his heart that it was not working. Niwa's life was slipping away, and there was nothing that could be done to save him.

Niwa's eyes fluttered open – the deep brown colour that almost seemed as red as his hair.

"Miss… Riku…" the boy's eyelids shut for an instant. When he opened his eyes again, they were unfocused and dazed. "I… hope… I kept you safe… no bullets… got you…?" he breathed, blood flecking his lips. Satoshi could see Riku's pain in her eyes.

"Niwa, why? You weren't even in the path, you got in front of me…" her voice broke and she touched his face. "Niwa, don't go, I've only just found you – all of you –"

"I'm… sorry… I got blood on… your clothes… Miss Riku…"

"Don't waste your energy on talking nonsense like that, you idiot! You… you… you…" she sobbed, tears coursing down her face. "Please don't go…"

"Niwa, she's right. You'll only lose the battle quicker if you keep talking!" Satoshi broke in harshly. This was not the way it was supposed to have been. Niwa had stopped him giving up on life, yet Niwa had thrown himself into a bullet's path to stop it from hurting the one he loved most…

"I'll…" he coughed, blood spattering on his lips again. Satoshi had to strain to hear his words. "I'll be okay, Miss Riku… Hiwa… Hiwatari… give me a few minutes… ok…?"

Satoshi watched Riku's heart break, watched her shake her head in denial at what she was hearing.

"Love you… sorry we couldn't… spend… Christmas…"

And Daisuke Niwa was gone. Just like that. And when Satoshi turned to kick his father's head in for doing this to him – to Riku – to the most kind, selfless boy the world had ever seen – Mr. Hiwatari had vanished into thin air.

"NIWA!"

Satoshi jerked up with a gasp, sweat matting his blue hair to his forehead and his shirt sitting damp between his shoulder blades. His ran his fingers through his hair distractedly.

That dream… again…? I suppose it makes sense. It is that day.

"Gah." He fell back onto the bed with a groan, his eyes still feeling sandy and tired. It was always the same with that dream. He'd relive Niwa's tragic death, remembering just how helpless he had been to save his first close friend. Niwa would die, always with the same words on his lips, always with a gentle smile that didn't fade as the life left him. Riku would always scream for Niwa to come back… then Satoshi would wake up, not rested at all.

Satoshi's eyes flickered over to the picture he kept beside his bed. The school photograph taken mere days before the incident at the Central Art Museum was alive with light and colour, the students smiling at the lens of the camera with no care in the world. Satoshi saw himself, standing up the back corner, and Niwa before he saw anybody else.

It had been his fault Niwa had died three days later. All of the chaos in everyone's lives had been all his fault… if only he had have been faster, if only he had know who his father's target had been.

"Well, Niwa," he said without thinking, staring up at the whitewashed ceiling of his bedroom. He didn't even stop to consider that he looked like a nutcase, talking to himself or to somebody no longer there.

"It's been ten years - ten years today. Ten years... since you died. Will you now let me live my life in peace?"

But I will never forgive myself.