Phil had an uneventful two weeks after he told his story to Rogan. Rogan promised to tell Phil anything as soon as he knew it; but until then, all they could do was wait. Phil spent most of his time with Dan during visiting hours from nine to six. They played games Phil brought, had drawing contests that were so terrible they ended up both losing, and watched DVDs on Dan's laptop while Phil sat on an uncomfortable chair next to Dan's bed. Finally, Dan paused the X-Files one day and turned to Phil who was cowering quietly.
"Are you scared?" Dan asked, slightly amused as Phil readjusted himself into a non-cowering position.
"No." Phil laughed falsely but Dan raised an eyebrow and Phil sighed "Maybe a little. I was a kid when I first watched the X-Files!" Phil tried to explain over Dan's laughter. "I was paranoid growing up." Phil mumbled as Dan wiped tears away from the corners of his eyes.
"Sorry, I shouldn't laugh but, everything looks so fake!" Dan roared, starting himself off again.
"It looked real to a kid." Phil muttered. After another minute of laughter from Dan, Phil's cheeks were burning so he went to leave; he wasn't going to be a thing to laugh at for Dan. But he felt a hand on his arm and turned to see Dan, serious as ever, laughter gone from his face, looking intensely at Phil.
"I promise not to laugh anymore if," Even though it had been some time since Dan's incident, his body was still recovering. Dan pulled the sheet away revealing his beaten body slid had over to the opposite side of the bed, revealing a Phil shaped hole for Phil to lay next to Dan. "You join me. I know this bed isn't nearly as comfortable as that cracked leather chair but…" Dan trailed off with hope in his bright, brown eyes. Phil's light blue eyes scanned from the hand to the bed and back to Dan's face.
"Nothing funny?" Phil questioned, sliding in next to Dan.
"Nothing funny." Dan promised and let Phil get comfortable before he hit play. Phil's attention was no longer on the investigators in the abandoned building with guns drawn but it was now focused on Dan's bandaged, bruised and ever present weight next to Phil.
No matter how many times he tried to focus back onto the show; his thoughts always led back to Dan. What was Dan playing at? Dan did this to get closer to Phil, but why? What was the reasoning? Then his thoughts failed him as Dan's fingers found and curled around his own. "This bit scares me too." Dan whispered just before an alien jumped out at the heroes. Dan jumped too and squeezed Phil hand before he could breathe again. "Damn aliens." Dan laughed softly.
Dan tried to pull his hand away, but Phil tightened his grip. Dan paused the video again and looked at Phil who was already staring at Dan. Time seemed to slow as they studied into each other's faces. Their eyes met but the intensity was a bit much, so they looked away. Phil noticed Dan's focus had landed on Phil's lips. Phil swallowed nervously, he had never been so close to someone since… Then.
"Dan, I'm scared." Phil admitted as Dan's non-intertwined fingers brushed away a particularly stubborn piece of black hair back from Phil's face into the fringe line with its fellows.
"I know." Dan nodded then let go of Phil's hand and removed his other hand from Phil's face. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done this." Dan shook his head and rolled over, ever careful of his laptop which he set on the bed side table gingerly. "I think you should go." Dan muttered and wrapped his arms around himself as if he was cold. Which was a lie, since Phil was still lying next to him.
Phil didn't know what to do except obey Dan's request. He got his things and paused at the doorway to look at Dan. But Dan had already rolled away and all Phil could see was Dan's back to him. Phil saw plasters and pale, sunlight virgin, skin peeking out between the tied up back of Dan's hospital gown. Phil opened his mouth then closed it and finally mumbled "Get some rest." Before leaving.
When he came in the next day, the nurse informed him Dan didn't want any visitors today, they would be running tests for the foreseeable future, no visitors were permitted during that ordeal and Dan was very sorry and thought that he, Phil, would understand. Phil said he did but was confused and hurt since this 'trying ordeal of tests' wasn't mentioned any other day he had come to visit Dan. He told the nurse to tell Dan that he hoped Dan would feel better in time for the trail of Dan's rapist's murder, which was coming up and with that, he left; tossing his bag of apologetic Malteteaser's in the trash on the way out.
So he decided the following evening to go to the useless "We are ALL Victims Here" meeting, since he had nothing better to do. Phil greeted a fraction of those who said hello or were happy to see he had come back.
"Alright everyone, let's come together into the circle, if you'd please." Someone new, a woman, was now the head of the Victims meeting.
"What happened to the other guy?" Phil asked of the girl he remembered being part of the one meeting he had attended.
"He was arrested for growing, selling, and taking marijuana." The girl mumbled back, Phil had forgotten everyone's names but wasn't about to ask; this was a onetime thing, he just wanted something to do that night, which did not involve making friends.
"Hello, and who are you?" The woman smiled warmly at Phil, recognizing that she wasn't familiar with him, yet.
"I'm Phil." He grumbled but still managed a smile.
"Well nice to meet you, Bill. I'm Julie, welcome to our little meeting." She was too perky, Phil didn't trust her as far as he could throw her. And, with his lack of upper arm strength, it wasn't that far. Phil wasn't even going to bother correcting her either, it wasn't like he was going to stay or- -
"It's actually, Phil, Miss Julie." A cold voice corrected from across the room. Phil looked towards the voice to see who it was, but he knew. The voice came from a chair holding a gingered hair man who raised his head slowly before looking into Phil's blue eyes with his evil, green ones.
"Oh, sorry Phil. Thank you, Zachary." She smiled, either ignoring or unaware of the staring contest going on now between Phil and Zachary.
"Anytime." He muttered, never taking his eyes off Phil. Phil suddenly stood up but stumbled due to the speed causing him to lose his balance and the dizziness it caused him.
"What's wrong, Phil? Julie asked concerned as Phil stumbled away from the circle, never looking away from Zachary, making sure he stayed where he was at.
"I-I need to go." Phil gulped and turned to run, tearing his terrified eyes away from Zachary's greedy ones.
"But we haven't even begun yet!" Julie called after him, but he was already gone.
"It's okay, Miss Julie." Zachary smiled before rising. "I'll go talk to him." With that, he left the group, leaving a sense of security that hadn't been there in a very long time.