Freak: Hey, look! I'm writing another Dai/Dark fanfic! Surprise! I bet my readers have been thinking I'd completely forgotten about one of my favorite pairings, huh?

Dark: Not hardly.

Freak: You. Shut it.

Dai: Listen to her, Dark. Remember the last one she wrote with you in it? IT'S NOT FINISHED YET!

Freak: Hey, I just don't know how to continue it, yet. When I figure it out, I'll post the next chapter. I'm too high-strung when I think about KH2 coming at the end of the month to concentrate on a fanfiction about it. ; )

Dai: Right . . . I'll actually buy that.

Dark: I won't. I still haven't shown up in it . . .

Freak: Enough about that story! Here's the disclaimer.

Disclaimer: Any resemblances to any people, places or ideas in this fic are completely coi – intentional. Right, sorry. All the characters in this fic, save one of no importance, were used in this story without the permission or knowledge of their respective owners. Please don't sue me! The one OC in this story will "appear" later and disappear quietly.

Dai: That's a long one for you.

Freak/grin/ Yeah, so?

Key: /'inside' thoughts/ flashback

"So . . . Dark . . . you simply let him go? You let go of the one wonderful thing in your life?" Why did it sound familiar . . . ?

"No, no! I can't hear you! La-la-la-la-LA!" Although I was bound by chains, I managed to block out that voice. The one that's been taunting me since that day . . . The day I left Daisuke.

/Dark? Don't ever forget . . . I exist within you, too. I'll never forget you either./

The pain I'd felt at that moment was a bittersweet pain. Pain from being separated from my other half . . . and happiness that he'd finally get the life he deserved – a freedom I'd deprived him of.

"You can hear me. Why did you let go of him, Dark? To give him freedom? Because you felt like a burden?"

"SH-SHUT UP! My reasons are my own!"

"If you won't give me a straight answer, I'll have to assume your replica (42) is right. What's his name again . . . ? Oh, yes. Krad. But, if you'd just answer my questions straight and honest, I might be tempted to make a deal with you."

"What deal?"

"I give you a body of your own. In order to keep it, you must steal the heart of your true love within 1 week."

"But – I don't even know who that is! That's just not fair!" I lied. I do know who my heart aches for – someone who I always thought of as just another fool of a host. Daisuke. My Daisuke. The first host I ever had that cared about my opinions and feelings. But . . . I know he'd never fall for me. He has Riku, one of my favorite ladies. At least, she was before she captured Daisuke's heart.

"You know who it is. The one you let go. Why did you let him go?" I finally reached my breaking point.

"BECAUSE HE'S NOT MINE! I left because that's what he wanted! Because . . . he has Riku . . ." I resisted the urge to cry. I couldn't handle not having my ex-tamer near anymore . . .

"Then steal him away from Ms. Harada. Isn't that what you do best . . . ? Steal things? You're the Phantom Thief Dark, remember?" . . . That's right. I had forgotten. I am the Phantom Thief. "Now, do we have a deal?"

"It's only a deal if both sides are getting something they want. What will you gain from me getting with Daisuke?"

"Satisfaction."

"Liar."

"I want to borrow your magic."

"What do you mean? Borrow my magic?" I was horrified. Who knows what this . . . voice would do with my magic! And why borrow? For how long?

"If you cannot steal the heart of your true love within 7 days, you will return here with your magic. If you do steal his heart, you may keep the body, and you will get your power back. All I want is to borrow your magic for those 7 days. It will be returned – I don't want to keep it, as it's not mine. So, do we have a deal?"

"What do you want my magic for?" The voice was silent. I guess it wasn't going to answer my question. But . . . the deal was so tempting . . . I sighed. "Fine. We have a deal."

"Good."

Everything went black and cold.

TBC . . .

Dark: . . . That's it? YOU ARE EVIL, WOMAN!

Dai: Shut it, Dark! Quit stating the obvious!

Freak: He can't! It's in his nature. Sorry he's so OOC this chapter . . . but then again, we don't really know what Dark thinks so it really doesn't matter that much . . . He'll be his cocky, perverted self next chapter, I promise.

(42) Watch the anime. Dark calls Krad a "replica" of himself in disc 3, episode 12.

Freak: BTW, if you're reading these DNAngel fanfics not knowing what DNAngel is or what it's about, I'M NOT GOING TO EXPLAIN! Excepting one wonderful author on the Inuyasha board whom I asked to judge my stories even though she knows nothing about DNAngel, none of you readers should be reading fanfictions of DNAngel without having either read the manga or watching the anime. Or both. Okay, that's it. I'm done ranting now.