Hi, AreYouHaight and LovesReading here :)

I want to thank for the reviews, follows and favorites on the previous chapter. You really are great ;)

To the Guest who reviewed: I'm very happy you want to and I hope you'll be happy with this part! Thanks, I hope it will be amazing ;)

Enjoy!

WARNINGS: depictions of results of rape and violence

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Dan or Phil. They are normal human beings and this story is just a work of fiction.

I quickly locked the door of our apartment and took out my phone. No new messages, said screen, the last one was still mine, sent already an hour earlier to Dan, after ten minutes in which he promised me to be back home.

It passed not ten minutes now since he signalised it but a whole hour - sixty minutes, three thousands and six hundreds seconds. I tried calling him but every time I did, it ended on his voicemail. I was really scared, he always answered me or at least called back but this time it was different. I've been trying to get to him at least a thousand times and still, there was no feedback.

I tucked my hands further into the pockets of my jacket as I walked down the streets of London. The cafe Dan went to wasn't so far away from our apartment so it couldn't take him an hour to get back home.

At least not without any interferences, I thought.

I was almost beside the building but it seemed closed, everything inside was dark. I almost turned around but through the doors went out a girl. She was holding up her purse under her left arm as she turned to the doors, her keys jinging as she turned them in the lock.

"Hey, hey, I'm sorry" I said as I sprinted up to her. The waitress turned around, facing me, her face a little anxious. But it changed after a while as she recognized me and her face turned into a smile. After all, me and Dan were regular clients here.

"Hey, I'm sorry but maybe you could help me. I'm looking for my friend. Maybe you have seen him today. His name is Dan. He has hair almost like me but it's brown and he may look a bit like a Mexican" I described shortly Dan's look to her.

The girl shook her head apologetically,

"He was here today, I think, but it was a long time ago. Maybe an hour and half. He left with someone" she said and I furrowed my brows.

Dan left with someone? He didn't tell me he was going on a coffee to meet someone.

I thanked the girl and turned around.

Now I was staring at two streets as the cafe was laid on the cross of two roads. I had two options now; go the street we usually walked or go the one that was put straight in front of the cafe's entrance.

I thought about it for a while; if Dan chose the usual one, he would be home in fifteen minutes max but this option was nearly impossible because I'd meet him today at some point as I went to look for him now. He must go the other one then, I believed.

So I turned my body in the direction of the street I didn't even know the name of. I kept walking and walking and walking. The road seemed to never end.

This street could also lead to our apartment but the way down it took much longer than the latter so we almost never took it. Once, we've walked it when we were coming back from a party, both obviously drunk and we had mistaken it with the right one.

That's why I knew that in a few minutes I'd be met with a smell of a not taken out rubbish and a rotten fish or food. And just as I thought about it, I smelled it.

I didn't even bother to cover up my nose though the odour was horrible. I glanced at my phone, the screen lighted up my face. I dialled Dan's number and once I did, I heard a familliar song:

So light 'em up, up, up! Light 'em up, up, up! Light them up, up, up, I'm on fire!

Wow, Dan has the same ringtone when somebody calls him, that's weird,I thought and my heart sank as I heard his happy voice encouraging me to leave him a message. In the same moment, the song stopped playing and I almost dropped my phone. With shaking hands I called him once again.

Please, don't play, don't play, I pried in my mind but after few ~beeps~, the Fall Out Boy started singing again. I looked around myself, my mind a bit hazy, looking for the source of sound. I walked farther down the street and the sound seemed to be closer now. It was the clearest when I approached an entrance of some dark alley.

The voicemail started, Dan's voice telling me to record on his voicemail but I ended the call and cut him off.

As I walked up closer to the alley, my heart skipped a beat or two. I stared at the phone laying on the concrete, still shining with notifications of dozens of my unanswered calls. There was a single break through the middle of the screen but it didn't look damaged.

But Dan isn't here, I noticed. I didn't know if I felt happy or worried about this fact. But what I knew about, was that I needed to find him.

I hastily hid his phone in my pocket and took a quick look around. It was some dark alley with no other exit than the entrance. A dead end.

All of a sudden, my breathing turned erratic as I saw some blood smeared on the very end of the wall, right next to the street. There was not a lot of it, it looked rather like someone had cut his finger a little, nothing dangerous. But still, calming myself down took me much too long than it should have.

And I don't have much time. I need to find Dan. Now.

Seeing no other evidence that Dan was here except of his abandoned phone, I walked out of the alley and started my walk down the street again, into the direction of our apartment. I was still trembling as I felt Dan's phone in my left pocket, like it had weighed more than it really had. I wasn't aware that I started running. I only wanted Dan to be here with me and be able to hug him. Was it too much?

And then, I almost reached our street when I heard it.

A quiet sobbing, coming out from somewhere round where I was standing. What hurt me the most was that I knew whose crying it was because I would probably recognize this voice everywhere. We had spent so much time together that I could probably recognize him even in the dark.

My heart beating fast, I called out, my voice a bit shaky,

"Dan?" and the sobbing turned into a proper crying.

I followed the sound, my legs leading me into some dark corner, behind a big container. When I saw him, I bent down immediately but I guessed it was more likely because my legs would buckle beneath me either way.

"Dan..." I whispered, seeing him in this state. He was all dirty, his shirt teared in a few places, hair messy, eyes red and swollen. He sobbed and just as I spoke, he hugged himself even tighter, turning into the smallest human ball I've ever seen. Just as he wrapped his arms around himself, I noticed what was actually covering his skin.

"Blood?!" I asked, the question accidentally spilling out of my mouth. "Dan? Is it yours?" my voice raised a bit but it wasn't because I was angry. I was honestly freaking scared and worried about my friend. Dan must not know about it as he held himself even closer.

"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you" I assured him softly, feeling how something was wrong with his behavior.

How wrong it was to assure him that I wasn't going to do anything bad to him. I walked closer to him and just after a second, I noticed that he had a quite big bruise on his head, handmarks on his skin and a lot of scratches.

"Oh no..." I whispered, my eyes widening as I suddenly understood the situation. But it was very hard not to, it was too oblivious.

In the moment I found Dan's phone, I feared that he got robbed and maybe hurt in the process. But looking at it now, being robbed would be better from what most possibly happened.

Dan crawled even farther into his corner and he kept repeating,

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry..."

I tried to get closer to him but when I only moved, he shouted,

"DON'T COME CLOSER! STAY AWAY FROM ME!"

It hurt, those words because I knew that he didn't mean them. He wouldn't normally say that.

I took a little step back, trying to hold back my tears. I couldn't start crying here. I wouldn't be able to help him then.

Dan looked at me, his eyes wide-opened and he mumbled,

"Sorry, I didn't mean it, I don't know why I shouted, sorry" he glanced down and I had a feeling that the last part was meant to be heard only by him.

He squeezed himself tighter suddenly and I was scared for a while that he was going to break his own bones. He swayed back and forth for a while and I watched it anxiously. I was still in a big shock and just seeing Dan like that made me very angry.

He wasn't himself at the moment, it was not a real Dan. Someone hurt him, hurt him so much that the real Dan was gone somewhere now. The one who was always first to laugh and smile, to give the best sacrastic notes ever wasn't here. Instead of him, in front of me was scared and terrified Dan.

Broken.

Lost.

I couldn't even imagine what he was feeling right now. It was unbelieveable for me.

"I didn't want this," Dan began and I felt tears starting to form in the corners of my eyes, "but he told me he was going to kill me!" he casted me a momentary glance, like he was waiting for me to judge him. I opened my mouth to say I wasn't but he was still talking, probably more to himself than me. "And he had this knife..." he whispered and I looked at his bloodied hands.

"Dan? Did he-?" I started but he cut me off, as if I wasn't even there.

"I didn't want to hurt him but he was really going to kill me! I-" he paused, his lips twitching as he was looking for words, "It was an accident!" I heard and Dan made an eye contact with me but only for a brief moment, like he did it casually.

I saw tears in his eyes and I noticed more on his face, flying down on the cold concrete of London's pavement.

"You're going to be okay, Dan" I tried to assure him though I myself wasn't really sure about it.

I stood up from my place, taking out my phone. I chose 112 on my phone and waited several beeps until someone answered. I gave them the address and when the dispositor asked what was the case, I replied:

"My friend..." I swallowed hard. "I think he's been raped"

The voice on the other side told that the ambulance would be here in ten to fifteen minutes. I hung up and walked up once again to Dan. He was where I left him, still hugging himself, his eyes red but he wasn't crying. I almost took one step forward before I reminded myself that this could make him even more scared.

"Dan, you're going to be okay. It's fine now" I whispered, hoping to make him feel better but how could I? His whole life was crumbled into tiny pieces by some... monster.

And he just started sobbing as I said it.

He was crying, choking on his own tears that were trickling down his broken face and yet, I couldn't hold him, tell him it was all okay now, that everything could be like earlier. It hurt much more than if someone would push a knife into my heart. I could only look at him, as he was breaking down in front of me and I couldn't even do anything about it.

I heard sirens somewhere in the distance and I looked around. Some machine pulled up nearby. Mechanically walking out of the dark corner, onto the street, I waved at the three paramedics that hopped out of the ambulance. I glanced at Dan with my one eye; he was still where he was, almost not moving at all. The men and a woman rushed to me, a big bag hanging at their arm.

Questioning my state, I shook my head at them,

"No, it's not me. This way" I led them to Dan who was still in that corner. The paramedics exchanged glances and I was about to ask what it was but I felt a tap to my shoulder.

I jumped slightly, startled at the sudden touch. I turned around to find a police officer standing behind me.

"Sorry, Mr. Didn't mean to scare you. Can you answer me on a few questions?" he was clicking his pen on and off again, like he had a habit like this. I didn't know why but it started annoying me right away.

"Yeah, I guess I can do that"

click, click

"So..." he extended the word, like he was preparing a question. I looked at Dan but currently, I couldn't see my friend as the paramedics blocked him out of my view.

Another click, click.

"Do you know who the young man is?"

click, click

"Yeah, he's my, uh, my flatmate. His name is Daniel Howell" I responded almost automatically, my eyes slowly dashing out to the other direction, to the dark corner.

Two paramedics were approaching Dan now, a man holding his hand up, in a sign of surrender, the woman not so far from him. I didn't hear what the man was saying but I saw that his lips were moving so he must be saying something.

"How did you find him?" the question reminded me that I was still talking to an officer.

"I- I went to look for him because he was running late and I found him here" he scribbled something down, clicking his pen off and on again. He looked rather young, almost my age and for a moment I thought it was quite surprising he was an officer so quickly.

"Have you seen the attacker?" he asked.

Click, click

"No, I actually-" a shrieking shout cut me off completely.

"DON'T TOUCH ME. STAY AWAY FROM ME!" we both turned our heads to Dan who was now standing beside a wall, his legs shaking, hands looking for support in the brickwork behind him.

I unconsciously stepped forward, wanting to protect him. In that moment the paramedic, who I suspected was talking to Dan earlier, said calmly,

"I'm not going to hurt you", while still slowly walking closer to my friend.

Dan's eyes were wide, he looked scared, frightened: "N-No, d-don't," he blurted out, "DON'T COME CLOSER!"

But the paramedic did it anyway and I saw how Dan was freaking out more with every next step the man took. He was shaking more and more and the paramedic was standing almost beside him now but suddenly he stopped. He motioned with his hand that was behind his back at the woman, who held something in her palm. She slowly, but gracefully, walked up to the man and slowly handed him the mysterious thing.

My eyes widened when I finally recognized what it was.

The man only grasped his hand at the needle and walked closer. I saw how fast Dan was breathing and I had no doubt he was starting to hyperventilate. I walked forward, trying to get closer to Dan but immediately a some hands stopped me. It was one of the paramedics.

"What are you doing?! He's really scared! Let me go!" I almost shouted but the paramedic shook his head.

"This is for his own good, trust me" he told and the man in front of us was still doing his work.

I obviously knew that they could do anything to prevent me from doing them any trouble, maybe even sedate me too but it wasn't the reason why I gave up. It wasn't fear about myself but the warm look in the man's eyes that I nodded and stepped back, giving them a free hand.

The man quickly got to Dan who screamed loudly my name but his cries faded after a while and his whole body went limp.

"I've got him" the paramedic said as he held Dan and slowly lowered him to the groung while the woman and man rushed to him with a stretcher.

She pulled it out next to my friend and said,

"On three"

The two men nodded.

"One, two, three"

They pulled Dan up onto the stretcher together and started their way to the car.

"Can I come with you?" I asked quickly as they were packing him up, the man looked significantly at the police officer who stared back, clicking his pen off and on again.

"I think I've got the most important informations" he answered after a second, "We will call you if we want to get more" he said and I almost sighed in relief.

The only thing I wanted to do now was to be with Dan, I didn't want to leave him alone with strangers. Even the paramedics. I myself wanted to make sure he was alright.

"Thank you" I mumbled as I got in the back of the ambulance where were only one of the paramedics and Dan.

The man told the other one behind the wheel to start the engine and the car drove. The woman was sticking to Dan some big machine and as she turned it on, there was a steady beeping of his heartbeat.

"So, you're friends, yeah?" she asked, her hands reaching out for another useful machines. We were alone here, the two of the men were in the front of the car.

"Yeah, yeah, we are" I muttered and she nodded.

When she was done with all of the machines, she took out some clipboard and a pen. She glanced at the heartbeat machine and wrote something down. I glanced at Dan in the meantime. He looked so peaceful, not frightened and panicked about someone touching him. Like he was actually okay, like nothing happened. But his face was dirty and clothes were ragged in places. He definitely didn't look casually.

"We needed to sedate him. He wouldn't let us help him." the paramedic explained, "Sorry about that" I heard her scribbling down again while my eyes couldn't leave Dan`s face. I was so scared about him.

What will he do when he wakes up? He will be surely terrified.

Oh God, what am I supposed to tell his parents? I need to call them and tell what happened to their son. Will they ever forgive me this?

I hid my face in my hands and took a deep breath.

"Hey, it will get better" the woman said, giving me a comforting smile. I returned it though I didn't know how it ever could get better.

Dan was raped. My best friend was physically violated and it couldn't get better. No one could remove this out of his head, out of his memory. He would be haunted by this through his whole life. And I've failed as a friend. I should've gone looking for him earlier, maybe I could protect him? Maybe I could find him and we would simply go back to the apartment then, the whole thing never happening?

But maybe the woman was right and it would be fine in the end. But how could I believe her when Dan's frightened eyes were so freshly etched into my mind as well as his reaction on me getting near him?

The woman suddenly stood up and I noticed we have stopped. Someone opened the door and the paramedics pulled Dan out of the ambulance, driving him into the building of the hospital.

I followed, walking into the bright white hospital. As they passed one doors, a nurse came out from nowhere and stopped me before I'd go farther.

"I'm sorry, sir, you cannot go in there" I looked at the door, it said "Examination room".

I nodded and the nurse led me to a long row of black chairs. Before she hastily disappeared behing the doors of the room where Dan was, she said kindly,

"You can wait here"

I didn't. Instead of it, I grabbed my phone and realized I didn't even have number to Dan's parents. My hand touched my left pocket where was Dan's phone and I took it out.

I unlocked the screen and tried to not pay many attention to the dozens of notifications of my unanswered calls. The screen lighted up after a second and it went to the message Dan must have been typing but never sent.

From: Phil

I think I got lost. I don`t know where- and it ended just right there, nothing else.

My eyes started watering up again as I thought that if I went looking for him earlier, maybe it wouldn't happen. Maybe he wouldn't get hurt. Maybe I could prevent it.

I swallowed past the lump in my throat and went to his contacts, stopping at the Mum. I dialled it and after few rings, Mrs Howell picked up the phone,

"Dan, sweetie, it's very late. Something happened?" her tired yet happy voice almost caused me to cry out into the phone. This call shouldn't ever exist.

"Um, hi, it's Phil here, I..." I took a deep breath. I didn't even think about what to tell her. I didn't know where I should start from.

"Oh. Hi, Philip... Is something wrong? Where's Dan?" I could hear her tone changing to slightly worried. I had tears in my eyes when I realized how big bomb I was just going to drop on her.

"I- I'm at the hospital and-" I paused, "Something bad happened to Dan and-" I took a long, deep breath, feeling how I was slowly losing all of my confidence I ever had.

The other side was silent for a while and when Dan's mum spoke, I heard her soft but concerned voice asking,

"Is he alright, Phil? What happened?"

"Could you get here, please?" I squeaked quickly. "Dan has been- I think he's been raped" I choked out and Mrs Howell remained silent for a minute or two. I had no idea what was going through her mind right now.

"Look, Phil" before she started, I could hear her taking a deep breath, "I'm on my way. I'll be there as soon as I can. What's the address?" I gave it and she spoke again, "Okay. Listen, Phil. It's going to be alright, okay? I'll be there in an hour and it's going to be fine" I didn't know if she said it more to herself or me but I didn't have any time to ask about it as she hang up right then.

I sat in the chair then and stared ahead at the white wall. My mind was suddenly flooded with all the pictures of recent happenings; I saw Dan's frightened face, his tears, swollen eyes and I could swear I heard his miserable sobbing somewhere nearby.

I could no longer hold it all in myself and I cried out, crumpling myself on the uncomfortable and small hospital chair as Dan's frightened voice was constantly screaming in my mind,

"DON'T TOUCH ME!"

I hope it was nice... in some way, heh :)

About updates, I won't say anything as to when I'll update again. I'm going back to school soon and I'm sure I'll have not much time to give you a new part of this. So let's just hope deep in our hearts that it won't crash on me again. Too much :D

Also, I don't wanna make an author's note so about my other story, Light Up The Darkness, it will take me a while to update there too :/

Sorry, guys!

Have a great week and just, time (as I'm not sure how long being busy will take me) :)

Bye!