Notes:
Bridging segment and part one of next section.

"I will hold on hope
and I won't let you choke
On the noose around your neck
And I'll find strength in pain
And I will change my ways
I'll know my name as it's called again"
- Mumford & Sons

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text
~OCTOBER~

The concert started off fantastically. The crowd was roaring as Danny waved to them from the stage, clapping his hands to the beat of Everybody Wants to Rule the World, TWRP and Ninja Brian behind him. Dan sang his heart out, a warm glow rising in his chest with every note, wanting nothing more than to be swept away by the music, the cheers.

At the introduction of the following song and after a minute of singing, Dan ran out into the crowd to give high-fives to the fans, who were going crazy and crowding around him. His palm met with several people's hands and he grinned, running down the hall, getting ready to head back the opposite direction.

Then something caught him off guard; a sharp, slicing pain that ran from his palm all the way down his arm. Dan cried out and fell to his knees, clutching his right arm, now badly bleeding. The music stopped. Suddenly, everything got dark around Dan; he felt a hot spotlight right above him and he squinted against the harsh light. The fans had all gone quiet, encircling him. Dan winced as he held his throbbing arm, trying not to panic. Trying not to ruin the wonderful energy in the room…but it was already long gone. And his eyes widened when he peered within the gash and was met again with the familiar, dizzying image of metallic bone, twisted wires. His wires.

Dan looked up and met the horrified eyes of a fan- Emily from the café. Her face was red with fresh tears, her arms trembling. She held a box cutter in her hand. She stared at Dan's open arm, then back at him, breathing heavily. All was silent around them. Then she lifted her finger to point at Dan, her face contorting into anger. "…You…" she whispered. Her eyes disappeared beneath the shadows. "Traitor!" she spat. He could feel her eyes penetrating him in the dark.

Dan's eyes widened in fear. "No…nono!" He whispered, pulling his arm towards his chest. Suddenly, the lights lifted slightly. All members of the crowd stood above Dan, staring down at him. All of them giving him that same look of pure hatred. Dan stared at them all, trembling. He didn't know what to say, but he was afraid of being silent. Blood dripped down the front of his costume, spilling across his star. "No, please…I'm still me!" he pleaded with the crowd, his anxiety growing by the minute. "I'm Danny Sexbang!" he shouted, tears dripping down his face. "Please…somebody help me!"

There was a moment of silence. Then the crowd began to chant in total infuriation, "TRAITOR! LIAR!" They booed and shouted at him , pounding their fists in the air. They began to close in on him.

Dan shouted out to Brian and TWRP, trying to see the stage. But he felt his head get forcefully yanked back and he was down. All of the lights in the room went out. And then all he could feel was his face being punched, his body being kicked. Helpless, he listened to the chaos erupt around him, listening to his bones crack as he lay there, eyes squeezed shut. He tried to cry out again, but the noise was too much. So he lay there, waiting for the final blow.

Waiting for the hit that would finally just take him-

Dan's eyes flew open and he stared at the studio ceiling, hyperventilating. He was lying flat on his back. He took a moment to realize where he was. He looked around, his breathing calming down. Then he sat up, groaning and wiping the hair from his eyes.

Pushing the horrid nightmare from his mind, Dan took a deep breath and stood up, opening the door.

~~~

Brian was sitting on the couch, looking at his phone. When he saw Dan, he stood up, walking over to him. Brian's eyes widened when he saw the amazing condition that Dan was in. He let out a breath. "Dan…how did you heal so fast?"

Dan put on a grin for his friend and held up the bottle of the green serum, setting it on the kitchen counter. "Magic," he replied. He put his hands on his hips and looked at Brian expectantly. "…Well?"

Brian raised an eyebrow. "Well what?"

Dan opened his arms and walked around Brian in a circle. "What do you think of the new, life-sized Danny Sexbang action figure?"

Brian felt unsure of the joke but he played along with it, smiling at his friend. "…He looks much better than he did yesterday," he replied honestly.

"Yep!" Dan exclaimed with a laugh, folding his arms. "Incredible! The best piece of NSP merchandise money can buy!"

Brian's smile faltered. "Dan…"

Dan began to pace now, looking at the floor. "I was thinking…that at our next show, we could sell me to the highest bidder. Or just give me away." He leaned against a wall next to the TV, staring blankly ahead. "…Who do you think should get me, Brian? The fan that spits on me first? Or the one that's cried the longest?" Dan smiled, but there was no happiness in it.

Brian just stared back at Dan, his face becoming somber as his heart fell. "Dan…it's not…you aren't…"

"I'm not what, Brian?" Dan asked. He laughed but his eyes were glistening. He looked back down, rubbing his forehead. "…The channel will die in minutes when fans find out that I'm just a robot. Our music...they'll fucking tear me apart. And you think Ross is the problem…" Dan began to giggle, covering his eyes with his hand.

Brian swiftly rushed over, putting his hands on Dan's shoulders. His expression was serious as he held back his emotions. "Dan, I promise you, we are going to fix this."

Dan looked up at him. "How? How the hell can we possibly fix this?! M-my…b-body's not taking me, if that's the case. Fuck, it's hardly functioning for its own sake!" Dan began to tremble. "And this body is probably breaking too…"

Brian pulled Dan into a tight embrace, his feelings breaking through. "You aren't broken, Dan! You're going to be okay. You have us."

Dan pulled away from him. "…Brian, everyone in the office is scared of me. Why do you think Ross attacked me? And our musician friends don't know I exist…Doctor Sung thought I was some phone scam when I called him weeks ago." Dan laughed again, his body shaking from the effort. "And then m-my parents…can you imagine? And Dana…she already thinks that I'm…" Dan's voice broke and he slid down to the floor, giggling incessantly, his face in his hands.

Brian sat next to him with an arm around him, a couple of tears escaping him. When Dan's giggles died down, he took a deep breath and lowered his arms, closing his eyes. "Brian," he said airily, "Everyone is fighting, and I can't…I'm just so tired. Already so fucking tired…"

Brian understood what Dan meant. He rubbed his back, speaking gently. "Dan…we're all afraid of losing you. We all love you. But you're going to heal." Brian squeezed his shoulder. "You just have to hold on a bit longer. Hold onto hope. We'll figure this out, together."

A small, gentler smile escaped Dan's lips. He looked over at Brian, feeling a little better. "…Arin told me pretty much the same thing."

Brian returned the smile. "Then that's the smartest thing he's ever done." Brian stood up, offering Dan his hand before pulling him up off the floor. "…Arin should be at the hospital now. To talk to Ross, and to check on you." Dan nodded at this bit of information. Brian continued. "You should eat something, and keep resting if you're tired." Now Brian looked down as guilt poured into his chest. "I'm sorry about yesterday. About Ross, and how I handled it. I...wasn't acting reasonably. I'm so sorry, Dan."

Dan nodded again. "…It's fine. Don't worry about it."

Brian sighed, putting his hands in his pockets. "Well…if you're okay, then I should leave you alone and go home." He headed to the door and looked back once more before heading out. "…Hold onto hope, Dan. We all are."

"I will," Dan said. When Brian left, he slowly walked into the kitchen to check what was in the fridge.

While Dan searched for something edible, Barry walked down the hall and met up with him. "Hey Dan!"

Dan looked up at him, startled. He cleared his throat, suddenly feeling embarrassed, quickly wiping his moist eyes. "Hey, I didn't know you were still here."

Barry shrugged. "Yeah, well, I live here, so…" He peered into the fridge from behind Dan. "Hmm…not a great selection, is there?" He looked over at Dan. "Let's go out for lunch, my treat. You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"

Dan smiled at him, throwing out a guess. "Sushi bar?"

Barry smiled back warmly. "Exactly, my friend! We are on the same page." The boys chuckled and grabbed their jackets before shutting the front door behind them on the way out. Despite his somewhat sore body, Dan's spirits were already slightly lifted.

~~~

Arin carefully opened the door to the hospital room. The florescent lighting above the patient's bed was combatted by the bright sunlight shining through the window, which landed on Ross' back as he sat next to the one in the bed. Ross' eyes were glazed over as he stared at the patient's face, but became alert when Arin entered the room.

Arin pulled a chair up to the foot of the bed and took a seat. He looked at Ross. "…How is he today?"

Ross' reply was low and hoarse. "He looks better today. I dunno, like…more vibrant, I guess." It was true- the patient's skin was still riddled with scars, but they had begun to soften. The shadows beneath his eyes somehow didn't seem as deep as before.

While he was still hooked up to an oxygen machine, Arin thought his chest was rising a little further than before. He had heavy facial hair, although his head was shaved clean and heavily bandaged, a drainage tube still protruding from the back of his skull into a container. Despite all this, Arin had to agree. "Yeah, he does look better."

The two sat in silence for a bit. Then Ross shifted, a scowl beginning to form on his face. "Look…" He sighed. "…I don't want this to take all day, so just say what you have to say," he said, his eyes never leaving the patient.

Arin watched him. Ross had the patient's hand in his, circling the top of it with his thumb. Then Arin looked down. "I didn't come here to get mad at you, Ross." He began to play with his hands, feeling uncomfortable. His voice became softer. "I…I know that it's far past way too late. But…I came to apologize. For everything." When Ross didn't reply, he continued. "I should've spoken to everyone before I…before I got the android. And the party…" Arin gave a cold chuckle, looking away. "…I don't understand. Why did anyone agree to that? And…for me to expect that from you..."

Ross still didn't reply for a bit. His eyes were fixated on the patient. Arin didn't press him; Ross was clearly at the end of his own rope. But then he quietly replied, "…I missed it. One of the most important days of his life…and I wasn't there." His eyes began to glimmer.

Guilt was flooding Arin's veins. He sighed. "I…that was completely my fault. I should've reminded you again about the operation. I should've known you couldn't hear me when I dropped by your office-"

Ross was somewhere else. "The last show…his…" he said vaguely, staring blankly ahead.

Arin was confused. "What?"

"The Grumps Live Show. In April," Ross clarified dreamily. His hand drifted up the patient's arm.

Arin thought about it for a minute. It was true that Ross didn't make it to the show. But that was nothing new- everyone on the team had their own schedules. Sometimes others would follow Dan and Arin to the live shows but it was completely normal for someone to miss it. They never had the full team there. Arin raised his eyebrow. "…Yeah? But you were busy working on your animation."

"And it's all I ever do," Ross said, sounding defeated. "I could've put it down for one day. Just one day…" A few tears spilled from his eyes. "And now…"

Arin just looked at Ross in surprise. He moved his chair closer to him. "Ross, look…you can't beat yourself up about not being at the show. It's not the first time that you've been too busy to go, it wasn't a big deal. We had no way of knowing that any of this was going to happen. And besides...none of us would be mad at you for doing what you're passionate about. Especially him. Seriously."

Ross' emotions began to pick up as he cried. His voice fell to almost a whisper. "...I don't have any more excuses. Not for yesterday. Because..." Ross closed his eyes and looked down, biting his lip. His hand moved back down to the patient's, squeezing it tight. "I missed the operation...because I forgot," he admitted incredulously, eyes now wide, rimmed in red.

Arin nodded, thinking that he understood. "Yeah, and that's okay sometimes. We have a lot on our plates, and-"

"No, Arin," Ross interrupted, looking up at him. Arin's eyes widened when he saw the expression on Ross' face. It was ridden with guilt. Scared. "I. Forgot," the sandy-haired man emphasized, staring at Arin. Arin swallowed, listening intently to him. Ross closed his eyes again. His voice broke. "He's just…so damn convincing…and sometime, I dunno…maybe the third day…I just…it felt like…how it used to be." Ross' breathing became erratic as he tried to hold back his feelings but he just couldn't. "That just…that can't happen! That can't ever happen! And I let it!" he cried aloud, putting his face in his arms.

Arin took a few deep breaths, his own eyes watering now. Hesitantly, he scooted next to Ross and began to rub his back. Ross didn't pull away.

A heavy feeling like lead began to rise in Arin's chest. Suddenly, weeks of pent up feelings were stacking up on each other. A deep sense of dread began to spread throughout his body. The god-awful truth was creeping up on him. A growing shadow.

Ross looked up at Arin. Analyzing him for a minute, he seemed to relax a little. He wiped his eyes and cleared his throat. His tone became almost sympathetic. He looked Arin in the eyes. "..I want to believe that…the fans would never accept a replacement. But even if they did…" He gave Arin an intense look, "They'd forget too. Even if just for ten minutes, they'd forget someday." His eyes began to glisten again. "Arin...I know what you think is true. But I will never, ever let that happen."

Arin just stared back at him for a bit. Then he stared at the floor. His shaking hand gripped his thigh. The truth was slamming into him, over and over.

Dan had been right. It didn't matter of he was real or not. And Arin couldn't convince Ross alone that he was. But could the fans believe?

…The question was pointless. Arin knew that he was willing to risk everything, including the channel, to try and give Dan his life back. But that could derail the entire team's careers and potentially cause years of backlash and hurt. It ignored how Ross and everyone else felt. It would be a completely thoughtless, arrogant move. Dan and Ross had been trying to tell him that this whole time.

Arin put his head in his hands, holding back the tears.

He had to admit it now. He was wrong. As far as he could tell, Dan couldn't retain his normal life as an android. Arin had tried too hard to fit a warped piece into the puzzle. And in some insane, supernatural stroke of bad luck, everyone was paying the awful price. Including Dan.

There was only one solution, as far as Arin could see.

Dan had to return to himself. He just needed to wake up.

But nobody knew how to do that…or what the consequences could be.

Fuck.

Arin felt his heart turn cold. The light in his eyes dimmed. He looked up at Ross in defeat. His voice was low. "What…" he bit his lip. It was fucked up to ask. But he had to. "…What do you want me to do with the android?" he asked, staring at Ross.

Ross' eyes washed over Arin carefully. Seeing if he was serious. Then Arin saw it- a flicker of something else again. He couldn't read what it was. Ross was quiet for a bit. Then he answered decidedly. "…He's your computer. Do whatever. I don't care anymore."

"…Ross…"

Ross stared Arin in the eye. "…We're still barely keeping our heads above water as it is. So keep recording. Do solos…or 'prerecorded'…with him. It doesn't matter. Just space out the videos- one every other day or so. The fans will just have to deal with it."

Arin was completely shocked. It wasn't the answer he had expected. He just stared at Ross. "But…why…?"

Ross ignored the question. He looked back at the patient. "…I'm not doing Steam Train anymore. I'm gonna start something I've wanted to do for a while. Maybe like…an animation or drawing show, or something."

Arin just nodded, still dumbstruck. "Okay…I can help you if you need it." The two men sat quietly, just watching the patient, lost in thought.

After a while, Arin glanced at the clock. It was late afternoon…he figured he should help Katie out today….Arin stood up, looking back at Ross. His eyes never left the one sitting in the bed.

Arin wanted to end on a better note. "Hey, Ross…you should forgive yourself." Arin's eyes passed over the patient. "…I know he'd forgive you, easy."

Ross nodded. "…Of course he'd forgive me. That's Dan." A sad smile touched the corner of his mouth. Despite his efforts, thoughts of the recording sessions with the android entered his mind. They filled him with regret…

…and warmth.

Arin got up and walked to the door. Before he left, Ross spoke up. "Arin?"

"Yeah?"

"If…" Ross seemed conflicted for a moment. Then he continued, speaking slowly. "If…you asked the android…what he wanted…what would he say?"

Arin just stared at Ross. He was completely puzzled. ~…Why?~ And all the right answers flooded his head. Everything Dan had told him. But they didn't make it past his lips. He looked away. "…See you later, Ross. Take it easy." He walked out, leaving Ross alone.

Ross looked back at the patient. He squeezed his hand again, closing his eyes.

Ross mouthed the words, but they wouldn't come out either. Instead, another stray tear fell.

~I'm sorry-~

~I miss you-~

Please wake up.

~~~

Nobody had been home for a while except for Dan, who was sitting alone on a bench in the mini studio in his and Barry's house. His roommate had to supposedly run to the office after lunch, leaving Dan once again alone with his thoughts.

He had a dusty acoustic guitar in his lap, his laptop open next to him with some chords and scales pulled up. He was in the process of tuning it.

Dan had never been fantastic at playing guitar but he figured that he needed something else to do to pass the time. And music was always in his heart.

He played with a few chords for a few minutes, fiddling with the basic melody of "Everybody Wants to Rule the World." He listened to the notes spring to life for a moment before fading, absorbed by the soundproof tiles on the walls. If only he could turn them into something new, good. Real.

After a bit, he set the guitar aside and sat for a bit, staring ahead. Then he put his face in his hands. And he sat a while, body shaking, water dripping through his fingers.

As the tears dripped down his face, Dan put his laptop in front of him. He pulled up a video app and hit record. And he began to speak. As he spoke into the camera, he felt something sweet bloom in the center of his chest, covered in a layer of despair and mixed feelings. He began to sob but he wiped his eyes and continued to speak. It was vital that he got all the words out. Because they deserved so much better. They deserved everything.

The Lovelies.

~~~

Dan thought he had more time but he got caught when fifteen minutes later, a somber looking Arin opened the door and widened his eyes when he saw Dan's red, swollen face. He turned the light on and rushed over. "Hey- you ok?"

Dan sighed and wiped his face, feeling embarrassed for the second time today. "Yeah, sorry. Just…bad day."

Arin moved Dan's closed laptop aside and sat next to him on the bench. He tried not to stare but he was concerned. "Did Brian give you any shit today?"

"No, nothing like that. Just..." Dan cleared his throat and swiftly changed the subject before Arin could probe any more. "How'd it go with Ross?"

Now Arin looked downtrodden. He was silent for a bit. Dan watched him closely. "…Arin?"

Arin sighed. "Ross, he…feels guilty about a couple things. Mainly that he wasn't there for your cell graft. That was my fault. I should've just dragged him there with me." Arin pushed his hair back, staring at the floor.

Dan took deep breaths, leaning back. He began to feel guilty too. "I wanted to say something…I really did. But, I knew that it was already too hard for him, just having me there. So I just…shut up and did what he wanted." Dan wiped his eyes again with a hand. "…Fuck."

Arin looked up at him. "Dan, you never did anything wrong. You…" Arin looked back down. "You made him so happy…that he couldn't tell the difference….He held your hand the entire time he was there-"

"Wait," Dan said, cutting him off. "Did he say that? What did he say?"

Arin hesitated. "Ross…he loves you, and he misses you-"

Dan sat up straighter, looking at Arin with a serious expression. "Arin. What did he say?"

Arin sighed. His eyes met Dan's as he let the words spill from his mouth. "Ross was mad…at himself, because…he forgot...that you were in the hospital."

The men let the words hang in the air a moment. Then Dan's eyes widened before beginning to water again.

So Ross had seen him. So well that it hurt. Dan bent over, putting his face back in his hands.

Arin sensed the waterworks coming. He scooted over to Dan, putting an arm around him. "Hey, hey…it's okay…I asked him about you, and he said that we should keep recording videos….He's not going to do Steam Train anymore, but that's because he wants to start another show-"

"Stop." Dan sat up and stared at the ceiling. "Just stop." Arin shut his mouth shamefully. Dan sighed and looked at Arin. "I'm…not going to make videos anymore, Arin. I can't do this."

It badly stung but Arin expected it. He just nodded. "…Okay. Okay, you don't have to," he said dejectedly, the low feeling in his chest becoming a steady background hum. But he couldn't even imagine what Dan was feeling…Arin blew out a sigh and stood up. He reached out a hand to Dan. Dan just looked at it. Arin rolled his eyes. "Come on. Let's get out of this dark, depressing room."

Arin let Dan into the living room. "You eat dinner yet?" Arin asked as they passed the couch. Dan was about to answer when Arin looked back at him, his face falling a little. "Oh, shit. You're still injured."

Dan raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about-" He was interrupted when Arin grabbed the bottle of gel off the counter and delicately, without hesitation, Arin spread some of the gel across Dan's torn lower lip. Arin then gave him a goofy smile. "You missed a spot." He looked down and recapped the bottle before walking back to the counter. Dan caught the pink on his cheeks. Then Arin walked to the front door and held it open for him. "…Well? You comin'?"

Dan slowly followed behind. He wasn't sure if he had the energy for Arin's shenanigans…but he didn't have any excuses either. "Where are we going?"

"To have a better night than yesterday," Arin replied vaguely as they made their way to the car. As they each sat down, Dan wiped the gel from his lip. It was already smoothed out.

If only it were all that easy.

~~~

They stopped at Arin's house first, to pick up Suzy to presumably go somewhere to eat. While she was getting ready, Arin led Dan past the kitchen. "There's something I want to show you," he said. With Dan behind him, Arin opened a door connecting to the garage. Dan's eyes widened when he saw what was behind it.

The entire garage was filled to the brim with bags of mail, presents, fan made art and posters. Arin grinned at Dan, who just stood staring. "…Well? What do you think?"

Dan didn't know what to say. His throat was too swollen. He just shook his head. "…This is…"

"Also three storage units," Arin added, putting a hand on Dan's shoulder. "We're running out of room, dude. It's insane how much fan mail you've gotten since the last update." Arin smiled at him. "You did really well after the skin graft. Katie said there's less fluid in your brain now."

Dan closed his eyes. "This is…" He began to feel remorse. "…This is all their pain."

"Dan." Dan looked over at Arin. His expression had softened when he looked back at Dan. "This is love."

Dan swallowed his tears, looking back at the room. "…Jesus…"

It was more than he ever thought he'd have.

~~~

When Suzy saw Dan at the bottom of the stairs, her eyes lit up. She ran down to him and have him a huge hug, asking him how he was, if he was ok. After hearing the sincerity in the question, he insisted that he was alright. Suzy glanced at the clock and gasped. "Babe, we're gonna be late again!"

Dan shot Arin a questioning look. "…What are we late for?"

Suzy smiled back at him. "Oh, we're going to Vernon's to watch the new Mystery Science Theater 3000 and hang out. You coming?"

Dan began to feel nervous. He looked at Arin. Arin knew what he was thinking. "I invited everyone, but so far it's just Vernon, Barry, Matt and Ryan."

Dan nodded. He didn't really feel comfortable with the idea. But he had a feeling Arin would just drag him along anyway. He sighed. "Yeah, I'll join ya," he said with some defeat. But when Suzy smiled back so genuinely at him, Dan couldn't help but return it as they all walked out to the car.

~~~

It was easier to get comfortable at Vernon's house as everyone got situated around the TV. Everyone treated Dan normally, although Vernon may have stared at him a little too long occasionally. There were pizza boxes, snacks and drinks spread out in the kitchen. Everyone just chatted casually about work and entertainment. Dan silently navigated the back, getting food after everyone. On his way out, he caught Vernon talking to Arin.

"So…how's, you know…your robot?" Vernon asked awkwardly as he poured a drink.

"He's good. Works fine," Arin dismissed him, quickly grabbing his plate and leaving before the conversation could continue.

Dan sat apart from everyone else by taking a seat in a chair next to the couch on the edge of the little group. After talking for a few more minutes, everyone got situated and started the show.

Dan stared at the screen, but he wasn't paying too much attention to the show. He was still thinking about the piles of mail that Arin had shown him. But every now and then, he laughed aloud at a good joke. He needed to feel something good.

If he didn't, then what could he possibly give back?

~~~

They took a snack and bathroom break after the first movie. Everyone was chatting again, Vernon putting on some of his music for the intermission. Then Vernon looked over at Dan. "Hey, uh…Dan?"

Dan was caught off guard. He blinked back at Vernon, aware that everyone was looking at them now. "Uh, yeah?"

"What have you been up to lately?" Vernon asked with genuine curiosity.

Dan gulped, feeling on the spot. He didn't want to bring up work. "Uh…well…I've been sort of learning the guitar, slowly. And reading, I guess."

Vernon nodded. "Cool. What are you reading?"

Dan smiled a little in embarrassment. He didn't want to admit the full title. "Um…the 'Bladerunner' novel."

Vernon seemed deeply amused by this. He laughed. "Right on. You see the movie?"

"Yeah."

"And are you excited for the new one?"

This time Dan chuckled, shaking his head. "No, not really. I mean…some things just don't need remakes, or sequels."

Vernon nodded, smiling. "Fair enough."

Arin hopped into the conversation to help steer it away from Dan. He sighed in relief and closed his eyes.

~~~

Ten minutes into the next movie, there was a knock on the door. Vernon paused the movie and got up to answer it.

When Dan heard Ross and Holly's voices, his heart felt icy cold. He glanced over at Arin, who gave him a knowing look. Dan looked down as the couple walked into the room and said hi, taking a seat next to Suzy and Arin on the couch. As they chatted for a minute, Dan hesitantly looked over at them. But nobody was looking at him now. So he decided to try and relax as Vernon sat back down and started the next movie.

After the next movie ended, they decided to call it a night, since most of them had to return to work the next day.

Everyone said their goodbyes and headed to their cars. As Dan was walking back, he stopped dead when he heard Ross call behind him. "Android!"

Arin cut in "Just ignore him, Dan-"

But Dan sighed and turned around. "Yeah, Ross?" Ross was looking back at him with his usual stare. But even Holly looked nervous as she watched the interaction.

"Did you…have fun tonight?" Ross asked casually. Dan held back an eyeroll and stood his ground, saying nothing. He felt Ross' gaze piercing him. But he returned the look as they both sized each other up. Ross continued. "Are you…gonna be in the office tomorrow?"

"…Maybe. But I won't be recording. Which is what you're really asking," Dan pointed out. Their eyes were glued on each other.

Holly was trying to lead Ross to their car now. "Come on, babe…enough…" But Ross wasn't listening. "…Do you want to do videos?" He asked Dan. His expression was unreadable.

"Alright, time to go," Arin decided, getting in the car with Suzy. "Come on, Dan. You don't have to play this game."

"I'm just asking a question," Ross insisted. But Dan's silence was irritating him. He pushed a little further. "You won't answer me, but I know that you think about these things. What do you…expect to get from this?"

Arin got back out of the car to pull Dan into the backseat. But Dan pulled away from him, leaning against the car. He looked at the ground, feeling emotional. He chuckled. "What…do I expect to gain?" He looked back up at Ross with a sorrowful look. He replied slowly. "I expect that…all of this is never going to get any less painful."

Everyone was quiet. Matt, Ryan and Barry had left, but Vernon watched the interaction from his porch, raising an eyebrow.

Dan ignored them all and looked out at the sunset. "After the hell you all have been through…it's nice to see everyone laugh again."

Arin murmured something to Dan and got back in the car, starting the engine. But Ross seemed more frustrated now. He spoke louder. "…Just answer the question!"

Dan sat down in the backseat. Before closing the door, he gave Ross a tired, small, sad smile. "Ross…everything in life is temporary. So…you just have to decide…what that means for you, I guess." Before Ross could respond, Dan shut the door, Arin put the car in reverse. Ross watched them drive away, a pensive look on his face.

Dan rolled the window down and held his hand out. He put his fingers together in the "heavy metal" sign. He hoped Ross would see it and know what he meant.

~…I hope you find peace, brother.~

…I'll hold onto it for you.

~~~

Notes:
*I actually heard the Bladerunner sequel is getting amazing reviews! Haha