Disclaimer I got the title from my friend K-la's lovely poster work. Other than that, I do not own anybody or anything from Re-Animator. I am not making any money from this ... I still live with my mother.
This takes place immediately after the basement crumbles in Bride. In my head, Dan had already gotten Francesca out. So yeah...This isn't the only piece of slashy goodness that I've written, but it is the first.
Herbert loves Dan Forever!
'Till Death's Dawn Does Rise
The basement was thick with ash and oder. The scent of rotten flesh had seeped it's way into Daniel's senses. He could barely breath with all of the debris that lay on top of him. He managed to wrestle himself up, kicking and pushing parts of the ceiling off of him. As he rose, he stumbled like Frankenstein's monster and he ran his hand over to his bloody shoulder. It took him only a moment to recollect his memory and that is when it hit him.
"WEST!" he shouted. "WEST! Where are you?!"
Daniel staggered as he began to push away fallen bricks and wood, cutting his palms repeatedly. He felt nothing.
"WEST! Talk to me! Where are you?!"
He continued to push anything that was in his way to the floor, throwing them and smashing them with fear and anger.
"West!" he cried, talking deep breaths, the smokey air now getting to him. Sweat dripped from his brow as he panted, searching in desparation for a silent Herbert. He began to dig up debris in hope of seeing him. Nothing. Dan, not realizing, picked up a shard of metal, throwing it and slicing the flesh of his palm clean open. He let out a blood-curdling cry that would have woken any dead.
Suddenly, the pain was lost, forgotten. A great force overcame Dan. He felt the blood within him boil and as he became a wild beast, throwing, pushing, and digging up anything to find Herbert. He wiped his face with his dirty and bloody hands, smearing his blood all over his face.
In the corner of the room, Dan heard some bricks rustle. He ran to them as fast as he could and began to throw the bricks to the side. Dan felt as though the bricks were never to end. There were so many, it seemed. Like in a dream. Brick after brick.
Finally, Dan saw a hand. A lifeless hand. Dan felt his heart thump as he moved more bricks. Then he grabbed the lifeless hand and with all of his might, Dan pulled a lifeless Herbert out of the debris.
"West! Oh God!" he yelled as he shook him in an attempt to wake him. "WEST!"
Herbert's eyes slowly fluttered open a small bit. He tried to speak, but only gasps came out. Dan spotted a nearby, still standing, table and dragged himself and Herbert underneath it. He lay Herbert down and cradled his head in his lap. He felt his eyes begin to sting with hot tears.
"Don't worry West. You'll be okay. We'll just wait here a bit until everything settles. You'll be fine. Don't worry, okay?"
"Dan?" Herbert said in a dry, crackled voice, looking up at Dan and into his eyes.
"Yes"
"Dan" Herbert said again. Only this time, blood poured out of Herbert's mouth with his words.
"Stay with me West," Dan said hovering over him. Rocking back and fourth as though Herbert was a baby. "Just stay quiet."
"Daniel," Herbert whispered weakly, looking into Dan's wet eyes. Dan then saw Herbert's eyes fill up with tears as Herbert gasped and shook.
"West," said Dan, holding him tighter. Herbert gasped once more and suddenly stopped shaking. Dan froze. "West?" Dan spoke quietly as he shook Herbert. "Come on now, West. Wake up." He shook him some more. His tears swam down his face and he bent down and put his forehead to Herbert's and sobbed. "HERBERT!" Dan screamed. Herbert West was dead. Dead in Daniel Cain's arms. Dan hugged Herbert's scrawny, limp body as tears made clean streaks down his face through all of the dirt and blood.
Dan sniffed when something inside of him told him to look up. That is when his eyes became intranced with an unbroken vile of re-agent. He thought for only a moment. His mind told him no. What's dead should remain dead. He and his friend had had many arguements about this. Without realizing what he was doing, Dan reached for Herbert's medical bag, still cradling him. From within it, he removed an empty syringe and carefully reached over to retrieve to vile. Carefully, trying to steady his shaking, Dan inserted the syringe into the vile and suck out the right dose. He dropped the now empty vile and stared at the glowing needle. He glared at it, then Herbert. Daniel took a deep breath and bent down and kissed Herbert ever so gently upon his still warm, rosey, lips.
"I will love you, 'till death's dawn does rise."
He picked up Herbert's head slowly and gently and injected him with the re-agent.
Moments later, Dan heard a blood-curdling scream of not a monster, but the scream of Herbert West.