Chapter 10

Daisuke suddenly called for a halt in the water fight. "Miss Riku, wait!"

The girl instantly stopped. She then realized. During their water fight, Dark had disappeared. She could see no sign of him whatsoever. Fear flooded through her, and she looked to the beach, hoping that maybe the thief had just gotten tired and gone there to rest. There was no sign of the dark-winged angel.

Daisuke's wings pumped, and the boy shot into the air, searching for Dark from that vantage. He spotted a dark spot beneath the water, and he didn't hesitate, diving for it.

Daisuke hit the water fast, going under. His eyes widened as he saw Dark beneath the surface, wings, hair, and limbs swaying lazily with the current, the broken ends of a net wrapped around his left ankle. Daisuke quickly went down to the net, trying to untangle it.

Riku had joined him by this time, and she was trying to get Dark to respond to her. He did nothing, and the girl finally placed her mouth over his, trying to give him air that way. While Daisuke struggled with the netting, she did this several times, rising to the surface to take a breath, moving back down to transfer it to Dark. Inwardly, the girl honestly didn't know if what she was doing was even helping, but she had to try.

Daisuke finally succeeded in getting the net untangled, and together the boy and the girl pulled Dark to the surface, Daisuke swimming for all he was worth towards the shore. Dark was a dead-weight against their hands, unresponsive.

Daisuke pressed an ear to Dark's chest, and swore when no beat of life came to him. Placing his mouth over Dark's, the redhead breathed into the thief, paused, and then did it again. Riku carefully put her hands on Dark's chest, counting out loud as she pumped the violet-haired man's chest.

Daisuke checked for breathing, and then carefully breathed into Dark twice more. After there was still no sign of breath, Riku pushed on Dark's chest again.

"Dammit Dark…" Daisuke growled. "Breathe! I didn't win your heart to just lose you now!"

Riku could feel tears gathering in her eyes as the two continued with CPR, trying to revive Dark. It had been two minutes, and there was still no response. Was Dark going to make it? Or had they found him too late?

Daisuke let out a cry of rage, punching the sand. Riku jumped, but continued with the chest compressions. Daisuke growled in his throat. "I won't let you die like this Dark! Breathe!"

Just as Riku counted off her 14th compression Dark sucked in a breath, instantly coughing heavily. The girl, remembering her CPR training, rolled the thief onto his side just in time. Dark heaved, and then vomited ocean water and what little he had eaten that day onto the sand.

Riku soothingly patted Dark's back, glancing to Daisuke. The redhead was breathing heavily, trying to calm himself down. He then blinked. Dark was shaking madly, and it wasn't just because he was cold. Daisuke reached forward, carefully pulling the trembling thief into his arms. "Dark?"

"I saw him, he had me Daisuke! He had my ankle, he touched me, he had me…" Dark sobbed out, trying to burrow his way into Daisuke's chest. The redhead held him tighter, and Dark wailed. "I was so scared! He was going to take me back; he was going to steal me away from you!"

Daisuke looked up helplessly to Riku, and the girl shrugged. Daisuke sighed, standing. "Perhaps it's best if you go home Miss Riku…"

Riku nodded her understanding. "Alright Niwa. Call me later, alright?"

Daisuke nodded. He knew that the girl would want to know whatever happened, and what Dark was talking about. As she pulled on her short and shirt, Daisuke took to the air, carefully cradling Dark's shaking form his arms.

An hour later Daisuke had Dark dried and wrapped in a few blankets, holding the thief in his arms as they both sat on the couch. Emiko was sitting nearby, and Kosuke was standing near the stairway. Dark was still trembling, though it was no longer from cold. Daisuke squeezed Dark's shoulders gently. "Dark? Do you want to tell me what happened today?"

Dark whimpered, burying his face in Daisuke's collarbone. "He was there… He grabbed me, kept me under…"

"Who, Dark?"

Daisuke looked down to see Dark's lower lip trembling. "Him…"

The redhead didn't need anymore explanation. The sheer terror in Dark's eyes was description enough. "Krad?"

Dark whimpered again, refusing to answer.

Daisuke was confused. When he had gotten there, it was only a net that had kept Dark beneath the water. And yet, the thief was convinced that he had seen his tormentor, and that the blond had been ready to take Dark away again. What kind of explanation was there for this?

Daisuke sighed, placing his cheek against Dark's hair as the thief shivered against him. He didn't know what to make of it. Had Krad really been there? Or had Dark just been hallucinating due to lack of air? Daisuke supposed he would never know, but he decided that he would keep a sharp lookout for the next few days, just to make sure that there was no sign of the blond man anywhere near Dark.

'And we were making such good progress too…' Daisuke thought sadly.

Daisuke was awoken by Dark's sobs and cries. He instantly rose from his bed, moving to sit on the edge of the bed that they had moved into the room for Dark. The redhead reached down, smoothing Dark's hair and attempting to calm him down.

The thief whimpered again in his sleep, but slowly quieted, lying still on the bed. With a sigh, Daisuke stood again, starting to move back to his own bed so he could get some more sleep.

A thin hand on his wrist stopped him. He looked down into Dark's pleading violet eyes, and Daisuke felt something within him crumple. "Please…" Dark whimpered, pulling on Daisuke's hand.

A frown coming to his face, the redhead, moved back to Dark's side, kneeling beside the bed. The thief tugged on his wrist again. "Please Daisuke… Stay with me?"

Daisuke sighed, and then climbed into the bed with Dark. The thief snuggled up to him immediately, putting his face in the curve of Daisuke's throat. "You chase the nightmares away Daisuke… Please don't leave me…"

Daisuke smiled slightly, wrapping his arms around the thief. "I don't plan to, not now, and not ever. I will always be here to protect you, and no one is ever going to take you away from me. Okay?"

Dark nodded against the redhead's collarbone. "Okay."

Daisuke pressed a kiss against Dark's forehead through his thick violet bangs. "Now sleep, my beautiful thief… Sleep and be at peace…"

Dark closed his eyes, and Daisuke held him throughout the night, keeping the shadows at bay.

A little short, but I promise that I'll update real soon! Please review, I love to get support!