Chapter 34: New arrival

The minute Dan could no longer see Phil, was the minute he lost it. He was throwing himself against the window, hitting it with enough force to make his knuckles bleed. He was screaming and crying and shouting, but it was all unintelligible. Dan wasn't even sure what he was saying, all he knew was that he needed to get out of this car and back to where he belonged. He was NOT going to let these people take him away. Who said it was their choice anyway? Why were these people, who had never met him, allowed to make choices about his future? This wasn't fair, and he was sick of it. He heard shouting that wasn't his own, and then he was being pinned harshly into his chair. He felt the fingers digging painfully into his shoulders and he tried to twist out of the man's grasp. Of course he was unsuccessful, he wasn't strong enough. Eventually his yelling quietened, his thrashing lessened, and they let go of him. They quickly strapped his seatbelt around him and sat straight in their seats. He considered trying again, but one glance at the door told him it was useless. It was obviously locked, there was no way to wind the window down, and the glass must be shatter proof. Another glance, this time at the men, enforced this feeling of uselessness. They would have no problem restraining him again, and the way they were tensed made it obvious that they would be able to move quickly to stop him. There was no element of surprise, there was no way they were letting their guard down.

He knew he gave up to easily, but he was just so tired. It wasn't just the sleepless nights either, though they definitely played apart. He felt like he had been broken down so many times and he was sick of having to keep building himself back up time and time again. He no longer had the energy, or the passion to do it again. He no longer cared. What was the point in constantly rebuilding to be destroyed again? He was just going to stay at the bare minimum, the base materials. Breathing and moving. Existing, not living. That's what he focused on for the journey. He stared out the window, focusing on controlling his breathing. Trying to keep it slow, even, trying to dispel the tightness in his chest. He didn't think about what he was leaving behind, or what he was heading towards. He focused on the current event, on the breathing and the passing of scenery outside the window. Eventually the passing slowed, until they came to a stop outside a large, grey building.

He was ushered inside quickly, a firm grip on his arm telling him not to even attempt escape. He didn't, just let them force him to where they wanted him. He watched as they looked through his luggage, and then he was forced through some kind of machine. He had a faint memory of being patted down and searched, and then being shoved into another room. It was empty apart from two chairs, one of which was already occupied. Dan wandered aimlessly over to the other, his footsteps echoing through the large room. He tried to slide his chair to sit on it, but it didn't budge. It didn't take him long to realise it was screwed to the floor. What was this place, juvy? He shoved that thought out of his head quickly. Baseline Dan did not think, because thinking lead to feeling, something he really did not want to do at the moment. He robotically sat down in his chair, and stared at the blank wall over the woman's shoulder.

"Daniel Howell?" the woman asked, voice a bored monotone. Dan gave a jerk of his head that resembled something of a nod, and the woman took it as such. "Well, I'm Miss Jones, I run this institute. Welcome to the Jones behavioural institution, where we aim to use therapy and medical techniques to improve behavioural tendencies in young people." She sounded so bored, like she was reciting a speech she'd learnt off by heart a long time ago. Well, she probably was. "You will be escorted to your room shortly, once your luggage has been thoroughly checked of course. You will be given precisely an hour to settle down, and then you will be introduced to the other patients. Bad behaviour will be punished, and the type of punishment depends on the crime. Curfew is automated. Visitors will not be permitted for the next week, and once the week incubation period is complete, visitors will have to book their meeting 3 days in advance. You are expected to keep your room neat, and it will be checked every day. Any questions?" Dan hadn't moved or spoken throughout the speech, and he didn't now. He just remained staring at the wall, trying to quell the desperation that was tearing at his chest.

A few seconds later another person, dressed in a navy blue uniform, entered the room, pulling Dan's suitcase behind them. Miss Jones raised her eyebrows questioningly and the man spoke in a low voice "We confiscated a pair of hair straighteners and some posters, but that's it. His rooms already prepared, do you want me to take him up there now?" The woman just nodded, face blank, and then stood quickly and walked out the room. Dan watched her leave and then trained his eyes onto the man in the uniform. He was tall and skinny, nothing like the men that had brought him here. He turned his head so not to make eye contact with Dan, picked up his suitcase, and left without a word. Dan stood up and shrugged his shoulders slightly, assuming he should follow. He had to jog slightly to keep up with the man, who was walking briskly, banging his suitcase against the wall. They walked through a maze of corridors that Dan would never be able to make sense of, and the man halted suddenly outside a room. Dan came to a quick stop next to him and watched as he entered a code into a keypad. The silver, steel looking door slid open with a quiet hiss, and the man placed his suitcase just inside the doorway.

Dan took a few tentative steps into the room, looking around slowly. It didn't take long to take it all on. In one corner there was a bed, with a table next to it. On that table, which was screwed into the floor, was a small black box. It looked like a small speaker. In another corner was a small chest of drawers and in another corner was a sink and a small cubicle. Dan poked his head into this cubicle to see a toilet and small shower cubicle. There was no lock on the cubicle door. Yup, this place was definitely like juvy. Seriously, why couldn't he have a lock in this stupid makeshift bathroom? He strolled quickly back over to the bed and sat down heavily, ignoring the loud creaking of the springs. He glanced back over to the door to see the man still stood there. He was staring at the floor, and after a few minutes of awkward silence he cleared his throat. When he spoke, his voice was low and gravelly. "I'm Nurse Wilson" he said quickly "I'm going to be your main supervisor. I'll give you a proper tour later, but there isn't much. The only places you need to know are the medical bay, the therapy rooms and the rec room, why you can hang out with some of the other kids." Dan nodded slowly, and Wilson continued "You should start unpacking, I'll go get your uniform." He walked away without another word, and Dan sighed quietly. This was going to be hell.

He trudged over to his suitcase, dragging it further into the room. He stopped moving it quickly when it started to screech on the hard floor. He pushed it onto its back and quickly undid the zip. The first thing he did was remove his phone from the hidden pocket and place it gently on his table. That phone was his lifeline. It was the only way he could contact Phil. He needed to tell him where he was so Phil would know where to come. First though, he had to actually figure out where he was. Why hadn't he paid attention on the way here? He walked quickly back to his suitcase, wondering if Wilson would tell him where this place was. He could see right away that all his posters and his straighteners were missing. Great, hobbit hair. He smiled to himself, figuring that would make Phil happy. He always told Dan that he loved his hobbit hair and that he shouldn't straighten it. No he scolded himself Don't think about him. It's just going to make this harder. He tried to distract himself by grabbing a few bits of clothing and tossing them on the bed to pack away later. When he lifted up a black t-shirt he could a glimpse of brown and white, and shoved some more flimsy fabric out of the way to get a better look. His heart started to race as he lifted the small item from the suitcase. It was Phil's totoro. Dan felt himself collapse back onto his bed as he stared and the cuddly toy in his hands. Phil loved totoro. Why was it in Dan's suitcase? He caught a glimpse of bright yellow and tugged at it. He pulled away a post-stick note, but it took him a few minutes to focus on the words scrawled on it.

Dan, remember you're superamazing!

I love you!

Phil

The scribbles quickly blurred again as tears filled Dan's eyes. He tried to swallow, but he throat was too tight. His whole body was trembling slightly. He could feel a small smile tugging at his lips as he tried to hold in the tears. There was no way he could stop thinking about Phil, he shouldn't have even tried. The raven haired, blue eyed boy would probably be the only thing that kept him sane in this place. He'd probably also drive him crazy, but Dan found that he didn't care. It's strange, when the thing that keeps you sane could also drive you crazy. Remembering Phil would make him happy, and sad. Remembering Phil would make this time a little bit brighter, keep him sane. Remembering Phil but not being able to see him, never knowing if he'd see him again, that could push him over the edge.

"You must- is that a teddy?" a new voice echoed through Dan's room from the open door. It was a boy's voice, and it rumbled. Dan could hear the sneer in the voice. He glanced up, fingers digging tightly into the totoro as he put all his effort into not crying. A boy, roughly Dan's age, was stood in the door way. He was smirking at Dan, one eyebrow raised. He had dark brown eyes and blonde hair, and he guessed people probably found him attractive. He was well built and average height, with muscular arms, and was dressed in a grey uniform, similar to the nurses. He stood with confidence, something Dan wasn't used to seeing. For a brief moment, Dan wondered what was wrong with him, but quickly decided that he didn't really care. They boy took a large step into his room, eyebrows still raised as he spoke again, louder this time. "Awww, does ickle baby need a teddy?" he teased, and Dan just stared at him. He watched as he took a few more steps into his room, picking up some of his stuff as he went. Dan stiffened as he got closer, and his eyes involuntarily darted to his phone. Of course, he noticed this, and he wandered casually over to it, picking it up.

"You got permission to have this? They don't normally let us have any contact with the outside world." Dan nodded his head quickly, but he knew it was pointless. They both knew he wasn't allowed to have it. The boy turned it over in his hand a few times before looking back up at Dan, a new glint in his eyes. "I think I'll keep this" he mused out loud "I'll use it for a few days, and then I'll give it back." He turned his back on Dan before adding "maybe." He shouldn't have turned his back. Dan tossed totoro behind him before launching at the boys back. He wrapped his arms tightly around his chest and tried to wrestle the phone out of his hands. He wasn't losing his lifeline. That phone was Phil, it was his way out, it was everything to him now. They boy twisted in Dan's weak grip and shoved him away. Dan hit the wall, hard, and all the air was knocked out of his lungs. He gasped quickly, trying to get it back, but he was thrown quickly to the floor. The boy clambered on top of him and waved the small device in front of his face, just out of his reach. Dan didn't struggle, just tried to get his breath back. When his breathing was back to normal- well, sort of- he made his move.

He twisted his shoulders roughly, using the momentum to throw the other boy off. They rolled, and Dan was sat on the others chest. He tried to reach for the phone, but the boys arm moved, as if in slow motion. Dan watched as it arced, fingers loosening, his phone flying through the air, hitting the wall with a loud thud, falling apart before it even hit the floor. It was gone. Suddenly, anger was rushing through his veins, burning away all reason in an intense inferno. He turned back to the boy and threw a punch at his cheek. It hit home, but Dan didn't notice. He carried on throwing punches, not paying attention, just letting the anger flow through him, trying to ignore the tightening in his chest. All he could hear through the roaring of his ears were his own screams of "No! No no no no no no!". He could see the others boys mouth moving as he shouted, twisting, trying to get out of Dan's grip. Then there were other shouts, they sounded far away. Cries of "fight! Get him off him! First day! Wilson!" He ignored them, not really aware, not really caring. Then he felt a sharp prick in his arm, and the inferno was dulled. He could feel something rushing through his veins, but this wasn't anger. This was cold and harsh, and it was making his vision dim.

They had drugged him.

He was thrown roughly off the other boy, and he lay on the floor, staring at the ceiling, all of a sudden too weak to move. His vision was still dimming, the edges now completely black. He just lay there, listening to the faint voices. "Dylan are you alright?" There was silence, and for a moment Dan thought he had gone deaf. Then there was a reply of "Yeah. I was just talking to him, being nice, and he just attacked me." Dan was too tiered, to alone, to feel any indignation. He no longer cared. He turned his head slightly, and stared at the pieces of broken plastic that used to be his phone. He no longer cared what happened to him here. He was alone. There was no Phil to talk to, no Phil to rescue him. A small flash of yellow in the darkness spreading through his vision caught his eye. He reached slowly, weakly, for it, and clutched it in his hand as everything went black.

When his eyes opened again, he had a pounding headache and everything was blurry. He groaned and rolled over; waiting for Dave to bang on the door and tell him it was time for school. His vision became clearer and he was met by a strange room. Panic hit him, but it was quickly lost in a wave of sadness as he remembered. He wasn't there anymore. His eyes moved slowly around the room as he tried to ignore the pounding in his head and the aching in his chest. This room was even smaller, and there was no sink or cubicle in the corner. There was no table next to his bed, and no chest of drawers. There was just the bed he was lying in, and in one corner of the room was a large speaker and a camera. The door had a small window, covered in bars, and what looked like a small cat flap. He stood up slowly, and wandered unsteadily towards the door. His limbs felt weird, like they were still asleep, not under his control. He struggled to walk the short distance, and he had to lean against the door when he reached it, so his shaking legs wouldn't buckle underneath him. He stared out of the small window, twisting his head to try and get a good look of outside the room. This place must have been in a completely different place, because the corridor was empty. It was long, and there were no other doors in the whole corridor. He could see cameras dotted down the corridor, and he chuckled slightly to himself, wincing as it cut through his head. He wasn't running away from this place.

After a while he wandered back to his bed, using the wall to make sure he didn't fall. He collapsed back into the bed, closing his eyes to try and calm his head. That's when he noticed that he was clutching a piece of paper. He opened his eyes slightly and peered through to see the yellow bit of paper. He smiled to himself, remembering vaguely finding the paper, reading a note from Phil. He closed his eyes again, rubbing the smooth paper under his thumb. He had started to feel nauseas when his eyes shot open again. No, he wasn't imagining it. There were footsteps echoing in the corridor. He quickly shoved the paper under his pillow and turned his head to look at the door, trying to ignore the wave of sickness that overwhelmed him. After a moment some eyes peered at him through the bars, and the woman spoke. It was the woman from earlier, Dan couldn't remember her name. Had she even told him it? He couldn't remember much of earlier to be honest. He remembered shouting, and being breathless, but not what had happened. "Oh good, your awake." The woman started "You're in isolation for fighting and having a contraband item." Fighting? Contraband? Oh. He remembered. "You'll be allowed out in a few days if you behave. Until then, there are scheduled bathroom breaks and meal times. You need to get changed into your uniform." She slid a red uniform through the flap and walked away without another word. Huh, the other boy was dressed in gray. It must be different because he was in 'isolation', the joys. Driven mental by the silence and his own thoughts in isolation. He had a feeling he would prefer this to human interaction these days though. He could just sit here and revel in his thoughts of Phil.

He looked at the uniform for a few moments before sighing and rolling over in the bed, closing his eyes. Whatever they had given him was strong and besides

He'd never been a morning person anyway.

A/N Hey guys, sorry this took me so long. I started writing this a few days ago, but my friend had some problems and got kicked out of her house and straight into a police cell (nothing serious, she was out the same day), so she's been staying with me and I've been helping her out. I didn't really get a chance to finish it until yesterday. Then my computer decided it hated me and wouldn't let me open the document or save anything. I ended up losing this whole chapter and I had to re-type the whole thing out of memory! Anyway, I finally got it too you, so I hope you enjoyed it! I'm hoping to write and upload the next chapter tomorrow, so you shouldn't have long to wait! If you haven't figured it out yet, the next few chapters are going to alternate between Dan and Phil, so we'll be catching up with lion boy next :D see you on the other side!