Disclaimer: I do not own Danger Mouse or any featured characters. They are the property of Brian Cosgrove and Mark Hall.

Notes: This is a lot darker and more distressing than my usual fics. This tends to happen when I am in a dark place in my mind. The prompt not only called for it, but this was also written to try to sort myself out.

Trigger warning: suicidal thoughts.

This is set during the 1980s series. There is no slash, it is all brotherly love and friendship. Danger Mouse and Penfold may seem extremely OOC, but considering the subject matter, it may not seem all that far off.

I hope you enjoy this.

(Linebreaks hate me, they will be replaced by DMEP)

DMEP

By now, you should all know this story takes place in London. I'm sorry, but looking at the script, I feel like this wouldn't be appropriate for my standard introduction about the residents of the red pillar-box on the corner of Baker Street. You should know them by now.

The phone was ringing. "Hold on a second, I'm coming!" Danger Mouse exclaimed as he hurried to answer it. He picked up the receiver, holding it by his ear. "Hello?"

"Hello, I...erm, is this Keep Fighting?"

The voice was all-too familiar to the mouse. Penfold? But, why is he calling them? Wait...aren't they...? His heart was pounding. What should he do? Say he was and listen to what his best friend had to say? Or should he tell the truth?

"Hello?"

"Ah, terribly sorry, something went wrong with the connection." He decided to go with the lie. He only hoped Penfold wouldn't hold it against him later. "How may I help you this evening?"

"Well, I...it's hard to explain. See, my circumstances are highly confidential and I need to be sure I will not compromise anything."

Even now, he is keeping to the correct conduct. Oh, Penfold... "You do not have to worry about that, Sir, this is a confidential service. You can remain anonymous if you choose."

"Okay, good."

"The only time we will share details is if your life is in danger."

"Oh. Well, erm...at the moment, it sort of is."

His eye widened, his legs felt like jelly. "Could you please specify what you mean?"

"Um, well, I am calling this number because I need help, right?"

"Yes, that is a very good point. But, right now, just how bad is it?"

"I'm debating about it."

"Well, the fact you called this number means that you don't really want to do it."

"You're right. I keep thinking what my best friend would say if he knew this was how I felt all along."

"Your best friend?"

"I can't say anything about him, just that we've been best friends for years and are always together."

Penfold...

"The last time my life was in danger, not through these same means, he was rather worried about me."

Of course I was! And I am rather worried about you right now! I should drop this facade!

"But...but, I..."

He was about to reveal himself, but the sound of the choked up voice stopped him. "How long have you felt this way?"

"It's been a couple of years. I feel like I'm no good. Nothing but a hinderance and annoyance. I feel like everything is my fault. I feel like...like...I shouldn't even have the right to be his best friend. I just get in the way. I'm useless..."

He felt like crying himself after hearing that. He had never realised Penfold had carried such pain for so long. He always seemed like such a happy hamster, even if he was also scared half of the time. "What makes you say that?" He praised himself for keeping his voice steady.

"Well, in our work, which I can't go into detail about, we have to deal with a lot of different situations that an average citizen never would. He is very capable, he can do anything and everything! He's amazing! Me, on the other hand, I..." He sniffed. "I just get in the way. I slow him down. I can't do anything to help without messing up and making things all the more difficult."

You may slow us down a bit, but you have helped!

"He probably secretly hates me, resents having me by his side. I..." A choked out sob sounded. "I feel like it would be better if I was no longer here..."

"Where are you right now?"

"I'm sitting on the east bank of the Thames, debating whether I should drown myself or not."

"Alright. I need you to stay there. Don't move and don't act on your thoughts. Someone will be there shortly." He set the phone down, not placing the receiver on the cradle. He hurried out the door and down the stairs to the garage. He only hoped he wouldn't be too late.

DMEP

Penfold sat there. He was told not to act on his thoughts, but he couldn't help but think that would be for the best. As he rose to his feet, he heard a car screeching to a stop nearby.

Danger Mouse leaped out of the car and ran to Penfold's side. He wrapped his arms around him in a firm embrace. "Please, don't..."

The hamster was more than a little surprised to feel a familiar embrace, but the shock came when he heard the whispered plea. He turned and saw the one holding him was his best friend. "D-Danger Mouse...? But, how...?"

"You called our flat."

"Eh? Then...why didn't you tell me the truth?"

"And not realise you've been hiding something from me too? Not blooming likely!" He tightened his grip. "You should know you can come to me and talk about anything troubling you. Why didn't you?"

"It was better if you didn't know..."

"That's false, Penfold, and you know it." He pulled back slightly. "Do you know what would've run through my mind if you had followed through? If you hadn't called our flat?" His grip loosened too. He shifted his position so he and the hamster could have direct eye contact. "I would've been left wondering why you did it, what I could've done to prevent it. Penfold, you are my best friend. I've told you numerous times that I can't imagine my life without you as part of it. Tonight, I would've been forced to find that out. I don't want that."

"But...but, I'm just a bother to you. I know I am. I am the reason for any failed missions."

"No, you're not. It's never your fault."

"But, you always have to save me. I slow you down, Danger Mouse, I know I do."

"It's not like I could ever leave you there. What sort of best friend would I be if I did?"

"But..."

"Penfold..." He pulled him in for another hug. "I would save you as many times as I had to. I have done so, and shall continue to. I shan't ever leave you to think I would never."

"I...I thought you were going to shush me just now."

"Not this time. I want you to talk to me, tell me everything. I don't want you to feel like you can't."

"DM, I..."

"Not even that time Greenback got you could compare to how frightened I was tonight."

"DM...?"

"Why did you let it all build up to this? Why did you allow it to bring you to the edge? Penfold...why were you willing to consider ending it all?"

"I...I just, I..." He shook his head and clung to the mouse. "I don't know, DM, I just don't! I know I could've told you! I know I should've told you instead of letting it come to this! But, I...!"

"Penfold..."

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"Shh, don't apologise right now. It's clear something isn't right. We'll have to get in touch with a psychiatrist through the agency, they may be able to help you."

"I'm sorry..."

"Penfold, you should not be apologising. I should." His grip tightened protectively. "Some best friend I am if I can't see the signs that something has been troubling you. We've been together for years, I should know how to read you."

"I kept it hidden. Not even you would've noticed."

"If I had, I could've prevented it from getting this far. We could've talked about it. We could've arranged for you to get some extra help. Instead..."

He felt the mouse trembling violently. "DM?"

"Instead, I..." He collapsed against the hamster and started sobbing aloud, something he would rarely ever do. "I almost lost you!"

Penfold felt awful. While he had been worried he was nothing but a hinderance, an annoyance, nothing but useless, his best friend was worried about something far worse. He felt tears returning to his eyes, clung to the mouse for dear life and joined him in sobbing.

DMEP

It took half an hour until the pair of rodents had calmed enough to halt their sobs. "I want to go home. Back to our flat."

Danger Mouse nodded. He rose to his feet, still holding the hamster. "Let's go." He started on a long trek back to their home.

"Hm? Didn't you bring the car?"

"I did, but right now, I don't want to let you go."

"Me neither."

"I'll send it back home on automatic. For now, I just...knowing tonight could've been...I can't let go of you. I love you, Penfold. You're my best friend, you're very dear to me. I can't bear the thought of..."

"I love you too, DM. I'm sorry."

"We'll have that taken care of. But, please remember from now on, come to me and talk if you must. I will take you seriously. I will do what I can to reassure you, no matter what is troubling you."

"I will."

"Know this; you are far from useless. You don't slow me down in our missions. The traps our nemeses set do, but not you."

"But, I always get caught in them..."

"I do as well, or have you forgotten?"

"But, that's usually because you have to help me out of them."

"Sometimes, yes. Penfold, don't feel guilty about that. I told you, I won't leave you behind."

"I...I know."

"There have been times I was caught myself. That slows us down, not you. Never you."

"Okay, DM."

"By the way, Penfold."

"Yes?"

"I hope you don't mind, but you are sleeping with me tonight."

"I am?"

"Not only because I don't want to be apart from you right now, but because...it would set my mind at ease knowing you're safe."

"Like when you had that nightmare?"

"Exactly."

"Well, of course I don't mind it. I thought you usually did."

"Not at times like this."

DMEP

They arrived home, but were so drained, physically and mentally, they decided to just go right to bed. The whole night, Danger Mouse refused to let go of Penfold. If he did, he thought he really would lose the hamster. A thought that chilled him to the very core of his being.

Though it got warm through the night, Penfold didn't try escaping his best friend's grasp. He owed him that much for what he had put him through that night.

DMEP

This story ends here, but not their story. What will happen between them? Will Penfold get the right help? Will Danger Mouse be able to help his faithful assistant through such a dark time? One can only hope so.

DMEP

After note: I warned you, didn't I? Just as Penfold's troubles built up on him leading to those thoughts, the same is applying to me. I made up Keep Fighting.

Anyway, this was inspired not just by my own feelings, but by a prompt on the Tumblog otpprompts that says Person A receives a call from Person B, who was trying to call a Suicide Help Hotline. What happens and how Person A reacts is up to you.

I hope my next works will be lighter, fluffier and nothing like this.

Thank you for reading. You don't have to review, but if you do choose to say something, please do not flame. Constructive criticism is fine though.