Darien woke slowly. His eyes were squinting as the sun glared across him. He could feel the caked blood on his shirt and covering his body, and he moaned softly in pain. He noted with alarm his transformation had vanished during his stay in the world of unconscious living which meant he was too weak to sustain it anymore. With the loss of his transformation, that also meant that the powers that kept him healthy, alive, and unfeeling of pain were gone. It hurt everywhere and he felt like he couldn't move but he knew he had to, he had to make it home so he could wrap his wounds and then focus on saving Sailor Moon.
He pushed himself to his hands and knees and almost puked when a wave of dizziness hit him. 'How long have I been out here?' he thought as he slowly raised his watch to his face. The numbers glared that it was eleven o'clock AM and that he had been out for the past eight hours on the roof, with open and untreated wounds, and he had missed three classes.
Clambering to his feet he staggered several times as he clutched his stomach and side in one hand while trying not to move much of anything else as he walked. Finally he reached the door of the staircase that lead to the roof, if he got inside it was all downhill from here. He pulled it open and nearly fell down the stairs as his legs gave out on him. He leaned against the wall slowly slid to a sitting position and let his head roll to his side, he couldn't move. It hurt too much and he was much too weak, he needed help.
With careful movements, Darien reached inside his coat pocket and pulled out his cell phone. Opening it with precision he pressed the voice button and whispered softly, "Andrew."
Andrew picked up the phone and rubbed sleep from his tired eyes. He was going to curse whoever was calling him at this early hour on a day when everyone knew he was able to sleep in for he only had late classes. "What!?" he snapped as he rolled onto his back and leaned into the pillows once again.
"Andrew," a weak voice mumbled, "I need you're help please." The voice started coughing loudly and then they moaned.
"Darien is that you?" He asked slowly after looking at the caller id beside the phone and recognizing the voice of his best friend. Fear gripped at his stomach and he felt as if something were was very wrong.
"Yes," he whispered as he clutched his stomach in anguish, "please come help me."
Andrew sat straight up and held the phone to his ear as he struggled to hear what his friend was trying to say. "Where are you and what's wrong?"
"The roof of my apartment complex and I can't stay awake for much longer, please come." Darien's voice was fading in and out so he only caught certain words like roof, apartment, awake, longer, and please. Andrew knew he did not have much time so he started getting out of bed by un-wrapping the sheets that tangled around his body.
Andrew started pulling on jeans over his boxers, "I'll send help. They can get there quicker than I can," he started.
"No!" A roused Darien from the starts of his unconscious state shouted, "Only you can help me," he coughed and then whispered, "Please Drew." Andrew was fiddling with the buttons on his shirt when Darien's voice disappeared and he heard a thump.
"Darien!? Darien?" he repeated into the phone growing more alarmed with every passing second his friend did not reply. Finally he slammed down the phone and threw on shoes before grabbing his car keys and racing out the door.
Andrew ran took the elevator to the top floor and flew out of the doors once they opened. He paid no heed to the onlookers who viewed him as strange and crazed. Racing around the twists and turns of the halls he made it to the door that led to the staircase up to the roof. With a wild force he pushed it open and ran up the single flight of stairs. His eyes widened in horror as he saw Darien slumped to the ground covered in blood and bruises.
Without wasting any time he ran to his friend and began looking for a pulse, praying he would find one he sighed in relief when he found the faint one in his friend's neck. Then he started to assess his best friend's injuries. There were multiple deep gashes and cuts all over him and he looked utterly exhausted.
Andrew grabbed the cell phone, shut it, and the placed it into his pocket. Slipping his arms carefully around Darien's still form he tried to lift him with little success. Deciding that slowly dragging him would be the best approach, in fear he would drop him and injure him more, Andrew stood up and lifted Darien to a standing position. He snapped his fingers several times before lightly slapping Darien's face to hopefully help him regain consciousness.
"Ugh," Darien's eyes fluttered open and he looked around alarmed until his eyes semi-focused on Andrew's face. "Drew," he whispered softly, "Thank you." His eyes started to soften and Andrew knew Darien was going to collapse any second and he couldn't have that happen.
"Okay buddy you need to stay with me here and help me out." He coaxed Darien into a standing position and started speaking calm orders, "One foot in front of the other and down we go. We're going to get there, slowly but surely."
Darien grunted a reply so Andrew kept making small talk, "How did all this happen?"
Darien mumbled something and Andrew strained his ears to hear it, "Say it again Darien louder. You have to stay awake on me just till we get you downstairs. Now," he rephrased the question, "What happened to you? Who did this to you?"
"Zoycite," he paused and then swore loudly, "That damn bastard general from the Negaverse."
"Negaverse? What the hell is that and who is Zoycite? A general of what?" Andrew asked in disbelief and fear that his friend had possibly hit his head or was delusional.
"It's where all the youma come from, that the Sailor Scouts fight and protect people from. It's an alternate," his voice faded out as the battle with maintaining consciousness was lost to the slain hero.
"Damn Darien I really think you need help. More than I can give," his voice died as he looked around the hall for onlookers or people just walking about. Seeing no one he quickly dragged Darien's body to the elevator and pressed down. Andrew leaned Darien against the wall for support as he waited for the lift to come. The doors sprang open with a magical ding and Andrew was pleased to see a vacant elaborate elevator open to him.
Quickly he pulled Darien inside and pressed the number for ten. No less than a minute later they were on Darien's floor and Andrew was fumbling around in Darien's pockets for a key to the apartment. He found none and sighed, 'what now?' he wondered silently viewing for a spare key. He propped Darien along the wall and quickly raced to the elevator.
He only had a matter of minutes until someone was bound to come and find Darien passed out in the hall on the floor and they would get worried and call the cops or for help. The elevator came and Andrew pressed the floor for the lobby. Impatiently he pressed for the doors to close and for a direct route with no stops. Thirty seconds later he raced to the desk and smiled at the young woman behind the counter with her male counterpart beside the television security monitors and desk.
"Can I help you?" She asked smiling at the cute male before her.
"I certainly hope so." He winked and smiled and watched as she blushed. He read her nametag and said softly, "Leslie, my friends and I are trying to surprise someone who lives here by decorating his apartment before he comes home today. Is it possible that we get a key in to his place? We will bring it back as soon as we are done and hopefully we can get a chance to talk again if you're still here." He mock flirted with the girl in hopes of getting her to agree. If he was flirting for real, Rita would kill him.
The man with the uniform frowned at the interaction, "It is not our policy to let others into people's apartments. I'm afraid we can't help you."
The girl broke in with a wide smile, "But Robert it won't due any harm." She pleaded facing the security officer. She smiled and batted her eyes before winking at Andrew. "Come on Robert what harm could it do?"
"Leslie," he grumbled, "don't use that look with me."
"What look?" she asked playing dumb.
"You know what look, fine what apartment?" he asked as he wheeled towards the metal cabinet on the wall. He unlocked it and started looking the number over.
Andrew smiled at his victory when he replied calmly, "1032. Thank you so much and I swear we'll bring it right back."
"Here you go and if the key isn't back within the half-hour I'm coming to get it myself." He muttered as he pulled the right key out and handed it to the man in-front of the counter.
Andrew started to briskly walk towards the elevator when Leslie's voice caught his ear, "Hey! Who is your friend? Is he as cute as you?" she winked and leaned over showing her ample cleavage.
"No not really. He keeps to himself a lot. I bet you wouldn't know him. It's Darien Shields."
"Darien!" her voice squealed and echoed of the marble walls. "He is so hot! You're friends with him! Can I come celebrate whatever you're all decorating for too? Oh my god he is cute!"
Andrew laughed lightly and called over his shoulder as he entered the elevator with a sigh of relief, "We'll see!" The doors closed and Andrew pressed the button for the direct route once again and for the tenth floor. It came up and he raced through the twists and turns of the halls till he reached his friend's body slumped over against the wall.
"Still not awake I see. Geez, what happened?" he muttered to himself as he opened the door with the sacred key and dragged Darien into the entry way of his neat apartment. He let the door close and placed the key in his pocket. Darien lay limp on the floor and Andrew felt his forehead and realized with fear gnawing at his insides that without care and help soon Darien's fever could be a sign of shock if he didn't go into it already with the blood loss.
He looked at his friend and then the phone with a question burning in his mind, Darien needed more help than he alone could provide. He needed someone smart and wise with medical or healing items but who? He looked at the clock, it was noon. Slowly he picked up the phone and began to dial a familiar number.
"I came as fast as I could son. What's wrong?" The slightly balding gentleman hurried into the apartment with his medical kit clutched in his hand. He glanced around the tidy living room and spied the form of his son's best friend lying on the ground motionless. "Damn! Why didn't you call the hospital?" he yelled as he tore off his jacket and bent to his knees to feel for a pulse on the young man who was like his own son.
"He asked that I not." Andrew said slowly and softly.
His father looked up, "What else did he say? And where on earth did he get these injuries from? Where'd you find him?" He started rummaging through his supply kit and then barked, "Get me a bowl of clean luke warm water with some clean towels. Also I'm gonna need more bandages then what I brought with me so start searching through his cabinets."
Arthur Fruhatta found a pulse and looked at the pale skin of his patient and sighed. With careful hands he removed Darien's bloodied shirt form his body and rolled him to his back. He reached for a couch pillow and placed it under the boy's head to make him somewhat comfortable. He also grabbed a blanket and covered his lower body to keep him warm. Andrew hurried back into the room with a large bowl in one hand and several towels and bandages in the other.
He knelt beside his dad and stared incredulously at the damage that was wrought upon his friend's body. "What happened Dare?"
Andrew started wiping away the blood and he quietly commanded Andrew to do the same with some other injuries. "Where did you find him?"
Andrew laughed at the irony and said with soft conviction, "Just inside the door from the roof. He was slumped on the stairs in the middle when I got to him and he was out cold."
"Now I know he is your friend and all, but had he been drinking?" Arthur asked as he took some antiseptic and cleaned the cuts. He watched for any reaction from the man and smiled when he saw Darien, even while he was unconscious, flinch or jump from the sting which meant he still could feel around the sensitive areas.
"I didn't see any bottles or can's around him dad and he never drinks so I don't think that was the reason. He started saying or mumbling about a general named Zoycite and something nega-like. I think the guy may have beaten him up, with what and why I have no clue. Although he did mention the sailor scouts, more specifically Sailor Moon."
At this Darien's body jolted to life and he tried to move with little success. He started breathing heavily and he tried to speak but his parched tongue prevented him from doing so. Andrew raced to the kitchen and filled a glass with water. Running back he saw that his father was trying to get information from a wild Darien. Andrew set the glass on the table and restrained Darien's flailing arms. Finally when Darien ceased his turning due to the restraint and pain filtering back into his body did he allow his eyes to open and his body to relax. Andrew released his hold and held the glass to Darien's lips. Darien nodded yes and then tried to reach for the glass.
He settled his hand around the glass but he couldn't find strength to hold it so Andrew held it while Arthur supported his frame. Darien drank until the glass was gone and then he breathed slowly and evenly. His eyes started to dull and the father and son could tell that he was about to re-enter his unconscious state so Arthur lightly slapped him on the face. It roused Darien from the grips of unconsciousness.
"Darien! What happened?" Andrew begged of his friend.
"I was fighting Zoycite and I lost," he paused and then looked frantic, "You have to warn Sailor Moon!"
"He is acting delusion Andrew. I'm tempted to have you call the hospital and tell them were are bringing in a patient."
"No!" Darien commanded as his voice became stronger. "You don't understand! He is going to attack her and I can't save her!" Darien looked at the man who was like a father to him, "I'm alright," he looked at his beaten body, "mentally at least, but you have to believe me."
"I don't know what you're trying to say though." Andrew started to say but was cut off.
"Then listen to me!" Darien yelped as Arthur's hands brushed against the gash in his sides he was placing the bandage. "Have you ever wondered why I have really bad headaches suddenly and leave without a few words? Or why I get random injuries after the news has just broadcasted a fight with a youma?"
"What's a youma?" Arthur asked slowly putting pieces together as he compiled the information in his head.
"It's the monsters from the Negaverse who attack the citizen's of our town! You treat them all the time Dr. Fruhatta! And your girlfriend and the arcade have been attacked Andrew." He paused and looked at the ground as he felt his brief moment of strength fading fast. "I fight them." He whispered as his hand fell from the glass completely. His eyes started to close and Arthur slowly laid him so his head rested once again on the pillow. "I fight along side the Sailor Scouts as the mysterious," his voice faded out to a bare whisper as he lost the struggle to remain conscious, "Tuxedo Mask."