SHIT'S GOING DOWN
…
That's all I'm going to say.
Something wasn't right.
Julian hadn't seen or heard from his father in three days.
There had been no gifts, no summons to dinner, to his office, no phone calls or cryptic messages, nothing.
Under normal circumstances, under ordinary, everyday circumstances, Julian would assume that his father was away on a business trip...business or pleasure.
But he was always notified when that happened.
Even stranger, his father's employee's had been acting tense and withdrawn. They were giving deadpan instructions and minimal answers, all with a blank, emotionless face.
Something was either happening, or it had already happened.
Either way, Julian wasn't being told about it. He hated being left out.
Dan felt homesick.
Of course he did. He'd been kidnapped who knows how long ago. It could've been a month...it probably had been.
He's lucky, in a sense. As lucky as he could be given his...situation.
After all. He's got food, a comfortable bed to sleep in. He was able to have a shower, and read. He had luxuries, human contact...
Human contact with his dead brother's old friend who keeps thinking that Dan, is not Dan, but rather his brother.
But still, human contact.
And it's not like Julian is a horrible person, he just doesn't like the fact he is a captive in Julian's home, that's all.
His life would be perfect – if he was at home, with Phil, not wherever the hell he actually was.
Phil,who he missed immensely.
Phil, who he loved so much it hurt, more than anything else ever had, including being beaten up until he blacked out.
Phil, who he only recently realised he needed in his life more than he needed to breathe.
"Have you heard any more news?"
"No sir – they've acquired the search warrant, but they haven't made any indication of using it yet."
"That search warrant is not just for my office, but for my house! How the hell did they get enough information on me for that?"
The messenger was new. Very new.
His first assignment had been to infiltrate the police station, he'd only been working for a week. Seven days. Now, he had to tell his terrifying boss, with an incredibly disturbing reputation, that the police were getting ready to search his house. Not the good news he had been hoping to deliver.
"I-I don't know, sir. I wasn't able to get that information."
His boss' eyes burned with a hateful fury that sent bone-chilling shivers down his spine.
"I suggest, you get that information, then. And quickly."
The messenger, the poor messenger, gulped.
He's a certified dead man now.
"Julian...is everything okay?" Dan asked.
He had noticed that Julian seemed...tense, distracted. Despite his own common sense, Dan felt worried about him.
"I am fine."
"Julian, if something's wrong – you can tell me."
Julian sighed. He looked worried, and tired.
Wrecked.
"It is nothing...my father, he has not talked to me in a few days – I know I should not be worried, but I can not help it. I-I hate him, I hate him so much, but I still feel concerned. He's never been absent like this before, not ever."
Julian was shaking. Full, body-shakes, with trembling hands and a pale face to match. Dan got up off the bed and walked over to him.
"Julian," He said softly, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"I do not understand...why I care. Why-why do I care?"
"I don't know Julian...because he's your dad? Your parent?"
Dan tried to recall Julian's mother, but found he couldn't remember her. Strange.
"But he is a horrible father. I hate him. I hate him, I hate him, I hate him."
Julian's shaking had increased, which Dan hadn't previously thought possible. He wrapped his arms around Julian in a tight, comforting hug.
It was the first time he had hugged someone in a long time.
Such a long time...
"Thank you." Julian whispered.
"What for?"
"Everything. You have been so lovely, and kind – and I do not even know why. It is not as if you chose to be here."
"No I didn't." Dan confirmed. "But I'm here now, and it's not going to kill me to be nice. I mean, it's not like it's your fault. You didn't abduct me."
Julian sighed heavily. He'd only thought of it recently, that morning in fact, only a few hours ago, but he figured Dan deserved to know.
"I think – I think it might be."
"What do you mean?"
"I think...you might be here – for me."
"Phil..."
"Yeah?"
PJ walked into Phil's bedroom. His expression had become a constant mask of sympathy.
"How are you holding up?"
"Horribly. I mean, it's been what, a fortnight? I still don't know anything. I had hope, because the police are investigating and everything. But they should have called by now, they should have found something, shouldn't they?"
PJ so desperately wanted to tell Phil what he wanted to hear. But he couldn't do it. He couldn't lie to his best friend, even if he wanted to.
"Maybe, Phil. Just because they haven't found him, doesn't mean they haven't found anything; and it doesn't mean they aren't going to. Stressing about it – it's not going to help anyone. Not you, and especially not Dan."
"How else am I supposed to help him?"
"You can stay calm. Wherever he is right now, I'm sure that he'd feel better knowing that you're okay."
"But I'm not!" Phil cried.
"I know. But they are going to find him, okay? And then he'll be back and you can tell him how you feel. You don't want to tell him you were distraught and panicked, do you?"
"Well, no..."
"Exactly. You need to be strong, Phil. If not for you, then for Dan."
PJ rubbed his eyes. He could feel himself begin to cry, and he didn't want to do that in front of Phil. He had to be strong. He couldn't be there for Phil if he was crying.
"Peej, are you – are you crying?" Phil asked.
"What? No, no I'm not...I'm not crying. I'm fine."
"Peej," Phil stood up, walking over to PJ. "Is everything okay? Are you okay?"
PJ shook his head. "It's – it's nothing."
"Peej..."
PJ shook his head again, slower.
"I just...I'm worried about Dan, and I'm worried about you, and-and Chris. And everything is just piling up, and I feel like I'm being crushed under the weight – like I'm Atlas and I have to hold the weight of the whole world on my shoulders. I didn't want to tell you because I don't want you to worry about me too. I haven't even told Chris, because I know he's just as worried and...and neither of you need or deserve my problems too."
"So you've been keeping this to yourself...all this time?"
"Basically...yeah. But it's okay, you know, I mean I've handled it so far."
"Peej, you shouldn't have to. You should have told me, or Chris. Anyone. You can't bottle this up and just expect it to be okay. You'll explode."
PJ nodded. "I know, I know. I'm sorry."
"You don't have to be sorry. Just promise me you'll speak to me, and Chris, instead of keeping it all to yourself."
"Okay, I will. I promise."
Phil opened his arms. PJ walked into them, hugging him tightly.
"They'll find him." Phil said, softly, gently.
"I thought I was supposed to be the comforting best friend?" PJ said.
Phil grinned. "Oh, how the tables can turn, so unexpectedly."
They both laughed, and it felt nice.
Foreign, distantly familiar, but nice.
Just then, Phil's phone rang.
He let go of PJ, picking up his phone from the desk.
"It's the police station." He said.
"Answer it." PJ prompted.
Phil answered the call.
"Hello?"
"Mr Lester, we have some news..."
Phil was quiet throughout the phone call, giving short answers like, yes, and okay, and I see. He ended the call with a polite thank you, before facing PJ.
"Well, what did they say?" PJ asked.
"They think – they think they might know where Dan is."
As I stated on the last chapter, I'm hoping to do a Q+A bonus chapter, but of course I can't do that without some Q's.
So please leave me some questions. I will honestly answer anything.
Any questions about this story, about the characters or even my writing.
Or even questions about me. Anything you're curious about, within reason and comfort, of course.
I will literally answer questions like do you like cats? I'm not kidding.
Please.
Review-Reply Thingy!
yesiwritephanfiction: I'm glad you like it. Maybe he will be back in Phil's arms soon, maybe not...who's to know?
Phanstarlight: That's awesome. Not even joking, that makes me really happy.
Olive Pie: No problem. I'm glad you're liking it. That's a really cool, I may do that. I like sequels, though I'm yet to technically write one.
NeverlandNat: They are, they are. Nervous and excited...perfect. Awesome, thanks. As you know, the more questions the better.
OlivePI: I'm trying, unfortunately I wasn't able to post before.
superasia8: That's okay, perfect even. If you knew who Green-Eyes was, it wouldn't be a surprise when you find out. The detectives are very smart, definitely. They know what they're doing.
Malon1227: I'm glad you like it. Don't worry, it's not quite finished yet.
witbeyondmeasureXOX: You can feel sorry for Julian. I do. That's an interesting though, Stockholm. Yes, extremely major red flags, indeed. Julian's not a bad person, per se, he's just surrounded by bad people. INTRIGUING IS HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE!
IonaCarter: More...now.