Everybody Loves Danny
By Almost Heaven
Rating T for mention of blood, a dead body, extended to include violence
Replies to reviews: Guest, Veronicazshoes, Pace1818 – Thanks much for the reviews, you all are why this story went beyond chapter one. And yes, I am trying to flesh out the twins a bit more with emphasis on Danny and Ethan's relationship. More characters are in this story next chapter. Might be going 5 chapters. Not 100% sure yet. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: Don't own anything here. Just borrowing for a wee bit. Volunteers happily accepted though. Takers? (chirp chirp) Such is my life.
Aiden bent down and picked up his jacket. Retrieving Ethan's phone from a pocket he read Lydia's text again.
-Please tell your brother I need him. I'm home. Please tell him.-
As he pulled on his jacket, he handed the phone to Ethan.
"Kali said she would let us know if she found anything else out. Blake has disappeared along with McCall's mother." Aiden gave a little shudder and cracked his neck. "Gotta admit, his mom had some guts. That defibrillator stunt was outa nowhere." He started walking back to elevator.
"I'm not going back to the apartment right now." Ethan said as he pulled his shirt back on. Aiden paused, looking back at his brother.
"You are going to see Him, aren't you?" he asked, obviously not surprised at this turn of events.
"Yes. I need to see that he's okay. Look, why don't you go see Lydia? She wants to see you." Ethan smiled at his twin. "You know you want to. We might not get to see them again once this is over. Good or bad. I'm not going to waste my chance. You shouldn't either."
Aiden frowned and turned away from Ethan. They both walked into the elevator, Aiden pushing the button to bring them to the ground floor. As they left the elevator, Ethan put his hand on his brother's shoulder.
"If we can't be happy, bro, what's the point?" he said before heading out of the hospital thru the ER. Aiden followed, shaking his head. Sometimes his brother was kinda sappy.
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Lydia put the book she was reading down and stood up. As she turned toward her bed, she nearly jumped out of her skin. Someone was at the glass doors and that someone was Aiden. He was leaning on the corner of the wall outside and when he saw she was looking at him he lightly tapped on one of the doors. Lydia walked slowly over, paused, and then opened the door.
"I'm sorry it took me so long. I.." Aiden stopped talking as he saw the bruises on Lydia's neck. Purple and red, they told the story of what Blake had tried to do. Aiden was speechless. With a trembling hand, he reached out to Lydia only to have her flinch away. She turned from him and walked over to her dresser. Aiden followed her.
"I'm so sorry this happened to you. We're going to stop her. Please, let me explain."
Lydia turned around and held out her hand. In it was Aiden's cell phone, the screen lit with the text display. Aiden slowly took it and looked at the screen.
-Need to see you right now-
-Life or death-
Lydia sat down at her dresser and put a bag of ice on the back of her neck. Aiden looked up, shocked, as he realized what this meant. Blake had lured Lydia to her by using him. If she hadn't went to met with him, alone, she would not have been hurt. That realization made him nearly crush the phone in his hand. He closed his eyes for a moment to get control of his anger. Breathing out slowly, he put the phone in his pocket.
Bending down to one knee in front of Lydia, he gently took her free hand. His other hand reached up and cupped her cheek. Tears were coursing down the redhead's cheeks as she avoided his gaze. Aiden bent his head and concentrated. Warmth flowed through his hands as his veins showed black under his skin. Lydia could feel the pain drain away and stared at Aiden in surprise. She knew werewolves could do this, take away someone's pain, she just never expected Aiden would do it out of nowhere like that. Closing her eyes as the physical hurt flowed away, she felt Aiden kiss her cheek. Opening her eyes, he was still on his knee in front of her, inches from her face.
"I never wanted you to get hurt, Lydia. I care about you. You like me too and you know it." He said as he settled back on his heels. "I understand if you are angry at me." He looked down, still holding her hand, he squeezed it and let go. "Do you want me to leave?"
Lydia reached out and took his hand back. With a slight roughness to her voice, "No, please don't." Aiden carefully reached up and hugged the injured girl. They moved to the nearby bed and lay down. Aiden gently pulled the sheet over Lydia and held her. They stayed like until they fell asleep. All the while, Aiden held her close and vowed never again. Never again would this courageous girl be hurt by Deucalion's agenda.
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Ethan moved through the halls of Philbrook Memorial swiftly and stealthily. The chaos of the arrivals from Beacon Hill Memorial was gone and the night shift was quiet even with the extra patients. He sniffed the air again and followed Danny's scent to a room on the second floor. Evading an orderly pushing a cart of linens, he slipped into the room he now knew Danny to be in. Inside, Danny slept in the first of two beds with the other empty. Ethan pulled a chair beside the bed and covered the nearby hand with his own. Danny was once again warm, thank god. Ethan breathed a big sigh of relief and rested his head on Danny's arm. Danny stirred slightly and opened his eyes.
"Hey." He said groggily. He looked around and then turned back to Ethan who pulled the chair up closer and put his other hand on Danny's shoulder.
"Hey, yourself. How are you feeling?"
"Tired. What happened? Nobody will tell me how I ended up in the hospital, let alone Philbrook." Danny asked, obviously confused. His brown eyes looked at Ethan with trust as he turned his hand to grasp the other boy's.
"You don't remember?" Ethan asked with concern.
"No. I.. I remember talking to my dad on the phone about the recital. He couldn't make it as he was in LA for an occupational therapy convention. Then, I was here. The doctor told me I was admitted to Beacon Hills but they had to evacuate?" he looked at Ethan, apparently not sure what he remembered.
"It's okay. You're okay." Ethan squeezed his hand and leaned in closer, his other hand moving to the back of Danny's head as he kissed his softly and rested his forehead on Danny's. "If you want me to tell you, I will. Just stay calm okay? Your safe with me."
Danny nodded.
Ethan hesitated but then slowly sat back in the chair, keeping Danny's right hand in his. He would tell him enough to explain how he ended up here. No more. Danny needed to stay out of this.
"During the recital, something strange happened. Everyone starting playing this weird music and the chorus was kind of chanting. Then, one of the wires in the piano snapped. It killed the woman at the piano instantly." He paused as Danny closed his eyes and pressed his free hand over them.
"Danny?!" Ethan exclaimed, surging up out of the chair. Danny moved his hand, "I was seated just a few feet from the piano. Mrs. Beane has been in the community band since I can remember. She's dead?" He looked forlornly at Ethan, tears forming in his eyes.
"I'm so sorry, Danny. Yeah, after that, I had to pull you off the stage, everyone was running, you were in shock. Then you started having trouble breathing. My brother and I took you to the hospital but the storm was getting worse. They evacuated you here." Ethan watched with concern as Danny absorbed it all. He had not wanted to tell Danny since he didn't remember but didn't want him to find out in the news or something. He seemed to be working through it okay, though he kind of had a death grip on Ethan's hand.
"Does anyone know what happened?" Danny asked, trying to get his emotions under control.
"Don't know actually. Some family stuff came up and then I came here. Priorities." He grinned at Danny as he stole a quick kiss. Danny smiled slightly which made Ethan smile back.
"Speaking of family, my dad called and is coming back early to pick me in the morning."
"Oh. That's not that far off now." He started to get up. "Should I.."
"No! No. You can stay, I don't want to be alone. Stay?" Danny asked, looking a little lost.
Ethan immediately sat back down only to have Danny move over to make room for him on the hospital bed. Ethan climbed on and pulled the other boy close, listening to his heartbeat. Closing his eyes, he held Danny and prayed this was the worse his friend would have to face.