Self-Help
a dan and phil fanfiction
chapter 3
Enjoy.

"Mum, come on!" Dan's voice was desperate. "I don't have my wallet, I can't get home! Please, come get me." As soon as Dan had stepped outside, thunder crackled over his head as rain erupted from the sky, the storm finally releasing. As he spoke, lighting flashed the sky, along with another bout of thunder.

"Dan, you know I can't. I'm in a meeting!" His mother's voice was unchanged to Dan's issue. "You'll just have to phone a friend or something. Good luck honey, have to run, bye now."

"Wait!" Dan gasped, but his mother had already hung up. He sat on the dry concrete guarded by a patio outside the office. Dan was so frustrated, he hadn't noticed he didn't grab his wallet on the way out. Now he was trapped, with no one to call and no where to go. He'd have to wait for the rain to stop so he could walk the way home. How far away was eleven kilometers?

Really, what was his mother thinking? He didn't have friends to just phone up and give him a ride! Dan scoffed at the idea.

He curled his knees into his chest, and watched the falling pools of water. The noise of the storm began to lull him to a doze, and he began fighting sleepiness.

"Daniel?" A soft, questioning voice woke him. Startled, Dan blinked wearily. It was darker now, the only brightness coming from a street lamp farther back. The office behind him was dark, the person looming over him barely a shadow.

Immediately, Dan was jolted awake and his mind ran through every fighting method he ever knew, which was a karate class he took in grade 3.

Slender, pale hands came into view in an attempt to calm him. "Daniel, it's only me." With Dan more awake, he recognized with shock that it was Dr. Lester that standing over him. "What are you doing sitting here? Do you know what time it is?"

When Dan didn't answer, Dr. Lester spoke again. "You're lucky it was me who found you, you could have been mugged, or worse." Without the formal tone, Dr. Lester's voice fluttered an array of octaves, speaking quickly. "Do you need a ride home?"

Dan immediately shook his head, cringing at their awkward encounter. "How are you planning on getting home, then?"

"Walking."

"Oh Daniel, no! Let me help you. You can't even risk taking the tube home this late, I've got you covered." Dr. Lester clearly wasn't planning on changing his mind. He helped Dan up with one hand, and began trudging into the rain. When Dan didn't immediately follow, he turned around.

"Coming?" He shielded his eyes from the water, squinting at him. Seeing as this was better than sleeping at the office, Dan followed Dr. Lester into the hissing rain. The coldness bit at him like a real wound, the rain was not far off from being snow. The older man veered towards the only car left in the lot, which was a black BMW. Snazzy, Dan noted.

When they were in the car, Dr. Lester switched on the light, and Dan was greeted with a pale face with black hair plastered to the sides. The harsh glow emitted from the light changed his skin to pure white, the array of moles plastered on his face were invisible. When Dan continued to gape, he noticed the white collared shirt Dr. Lester was wearing was soaked through, his fair flesh visible underneath the fabric. Dan looked away, his skin prickling.

This man could have been a model! Why did he choose to spend his life doing some boring job?

Dan flipped the mirror down to gaze at his appearance, and his fringe had begun to curl from the freezing rain that drenched him. Shivering, Dan tried to warm himself up by rubbing his arms. The car started to life with a purr, immediately Dr. Lester's hands found the heater and switched it on.

Dan sighed, enjoying the warmth that seeped into the car.

"Where do you live?" Dr. Lester asked, glancing over at him. Dan quickly mumbled Upper St, and Dr. Lester's car began to move. The car ride was mostly silent, Dan occasionally making small glances over at him, before putting his eyes on the blurred buildings outside of the car.

"So Daniel..." Dr. Lester began.

"Dan." he corrected him. He might as well know what he prefers to be called. Dr. Lester shot him a glance. "Why didn't you correct me sooner?" his voice was incredulous. "I guess it didn't matter..." Dan trailed off.

Dr. Lester's eyes were trained on the road as he continued. "Dan," he began again, "Why couldn't you get home?"

Dan didn't look at him. "My mum... She was in a meeting."

"And your dad is incapable?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"It's a wonder how you've been getting on in this city without a car." Dr. Lester ventured. As he was speaking, Dan noticed the streets around him began to familiarize even in the darkness, he was getting close to his home.

As he sat in the silence, Dan's belly let out a fierce grumble. Oh no! He gasped.

"Did you eat today?" Dr. Lester inquired.

"It's fine, I'll just eat when I get home." He could order a pizza, or some Chinese, now that his stomach had reminded him, hunger gnawed on his stomach painfully.

He almost didn't want to leave the car, with the safety & warmth it gave. It wasn't a feeling he was particularly used to.

At last, Dr. Lester pulled up to the curb of his miserably small flat, barely enough to fit him and his parents. If his therapist noticed its miniscule size, he didn't make a remark.

"Thank-you, Dr. Lester..." Dan muttered. Dr. Lester nodded and said briskly, "I'll alert you via home phone for your next appointment." As he spoke, he grabbed a napkin and began to scrawl something on it. "Be careful, and let me know if you need a ride anywhere in the future. These streets are dangerous." He handed Dan the napkin, which must have been his personal cell number.

Dan nodded his thanks & sauntered for his front door. By the looks of it, his parents weren't home. The lights were off, the building giving off an ominous glow.

Glancing behind him, Dr. Lester was still watching him through the window, making sure he made it in safely.

No one had ever gone out of their way to make sure he was safe. His cheeks burned with the unusual gesture of kindness.

Dan gave the door the usual hard jerk for it to swing open, but instead the door did not move. He pushed again, with more force. Nothing.

"Is something the matter?" Dr. Lester called from inside his car.

Horror swelled in his belly as he realized he was locked out with no way of entering. No key, no unlocked window. Fear and anxiety crashed over him as was overwhelmed with such a shitty day, he began to panic.

Dan spun around and met his eyes. Dr. Lester immediately opened the car door and made his way to Dan's side and gazed at him. "Dan?"

"It's nothing! You can go!" Dan choked down his fear as he tried to pull off that everything was fine. Dr. Lester didn't move or say anything, just stared at him.

No, he wasn't staring at Dan. His eyes weren't focused on anything, the gears of his brain were turning as he gave the situation extreme thought. His lips parted, and closed.

Suddenly, Dan understood why he had chosen this career choice. This man was a genius, thinking critically to every situation that was put in front of him.

Dan wanted to know more about him, the curiosity gnawed at his mind. For a moment, he forgot about his issue and focused solely on Dr. Lester.

At last, the therapist's eyes focused and rested on Dan's, and for a moment they locked eye contact, Dr. Lester turned and gazed at the door.

"No one's home, no way in." He commented. "I can't leave you at here, it's almost below negative in temperature. For tonight, you can sleep in my flat." Dan took a step back, and Dr. Lester continued, "I can drop you off safely before work. I understand the circumstances are strange, but I can't leave you here."

For a moment, he and Dan argued over the matter, and finally Dr. Lester's voice got to a hard edge. "Daniel, you are coming with me."

He gulped.

With this, there was no turning back. Dan could only wonder what awaited him as he was brought back to the warm vehicle.

A new form of self-help, maybe?

END OF CHAPTER THREE.

Let me know if you have any comments or suggestions. I'll try to upload at least once a week, I'm not entirely certain of an exact publish date.

Please let me know if you have any comments or criticisms, I genuinely appreciate them.

Thanks for reading!

-G