WARNING: CHAPTER CONTAINS MENTIONS OF SELF HARM, SUICIDE, DEPRESSION, AND EATING DISORDER. PLEASE DO NOT READ IF YOU WILL BE OFFENDED!

Dan's POV (The next day)

I knocked on Phil's door. "Hey Phil? Are you awake yet?"

"Yeah," he answered. He sounded exhausted.

"How are you feeling?"

"Okay I guess."

"How about you come out? You don't have to eat, but maybe a change of scenery will help. We could watch a movie or something," I offered. I knew he was sick, but I still missed him.

"Umm no thanks."

"Oh come on. Pleeeaaassseee?"

He sighed. "Dan I don't want to get you sick."

"Don't worry about me. Come on... I'll play you something on the piano?" I didn't like to sing in front of Phil a lot, but I knew he loved it. And I was willing to do anything to get him out of his room.

After a moment, the door slowly opened. "I guess so," Phil said with a small smile. I grinned and led him to my room. He sat down on the bench in front of my keyboard and I propped his crutches up against the wall. Then, I took a seat next to him.

"What do you want me to play?" I asked.

"Hmm," he thought for a moment. "Oh Can't Help Falling in Love!" I grinned. That was his favorite song, so I learned to play it just for him. I started the song, my fingers moving swiftly across the keys.

Wise men say, only fools rush in

But I can't help falling in love with you

Shall I stay?

Would it be a sin

If I can't help falling in love with you

Like a river flows, surely to the sea

Darling so it goes

Some things are meant to be

Take my hand, take my whole life too

For I can't help falling in love with you

Like a river flows, surely to the sea

Darling so it goes

Some things are meant to be

Take my hand, take my whole life too

For I can't help falling in love with you

For I can't help falling in love with you

OnceI finished, I turned to see Phil. His face full of amazement and an amazing spark in his eye that I hadn't seen in a very long time. I grinned.

"Dan... that was incredible," he said breathlessly.

"Thanks," I said blushing. I pressed a small kiss to his cheek.

"You've played that song so many times for me, yet each time, it just takes my breath away."

"I'm glad."

"Can you play some more?" Phil asked.

I hesitated for a second, but how could I say no. I nodded and grinned at the look of excitement on Phil's face. We sat at the piano for hours. I finally had to stop because my voice was dry and hoarse and my fingers were numb.

"Dan... thank you so much. I know you usually don't like playing in front of other people, so this means a lot to me."

"Of course. Anything to make you happy."

Phil's POV (Three weeks later)

I slowly peeled my eyes open to see a bright ray of sunlight streaming through my window and I groaned. I sat up and my head immediately started pounding, so I layed back down into the warmth and safety of my blankets. I had been staying in my room for the past three weeks. I only left the apartment yesterday to get my cast off. But other than that, I stayed locked in my room. Each hour that ticks by, the cutting gets worse. The urge gets stronger, the relief feels better, my fears become worse. I have come to fear everything beyond our apartment. The fear takes over my body, forcing me to stay in bed all day. I want to tell Dan all of this, but he would be ashamed. Ashamed to have a boyfriend afraid of the outside world. Ashamed of a boyfriend who cuts. Ashamed of a boyfriend who is too fucked up to even leave his room. I really did feel bad for him. I had been shutting him out and he deserved so much better.

There was a knock on the door and it opened slightly. Dan peeked in and his face brightened once he saw me.

"Morning Phil!" he said walking into the room. Lately, all I've wanted to do was sit in my room alone, but today was different. I reached out and grabbed Dan's hand, pulling him down onto the bed next to me.

He giggled and layed down facing me. I buried my face into his neck. After a couple minutes, he pulled back and gently pressed his lips to mine. Quickly, the kiss deepened and he licked my bottom lip. No matter how many times we made out, Dan always made sure I was comfortable. I smiled against his lips and opened my mouth. Our tongues fought for a couple minutes before Dan pulled away from my mouth and started kissing my jaw. Slowly, he left a trail of kisses down my neck to my collar bone. He gently sucked on my neck. Shocked, a moan escaped my lips. He grinned looking proud, while continuing to gently suck on my neck.

"Dan," I breathed. He pulled back to reveal a small, dark purple circle on my neck. He brought his lips back up to mine as I fumbled with the bottom of his t-shirt. He pulled away for a slit second, only long enough for me to get the t-shirt over his head. He ran his fingers through my hair, gently tugging on strands. He started pulling up my sweatshirt and too caught up in the moment to notice what was happening, I let him. I had made the biggest mistake of my life. He pulled the sweatshirt up and over my head. That's when he saw them. The deep gashes, running all up both of my arms. The bruises covering my stomach. He gasped and immediately let out a sob.

"Ph-Phil. Why? Why didn't you come to me? Why would you do this to yourself?" he said quietly. A terrible sob racked through my body and Dan pulled me into his chest. He held me as if he would never let anything hurt me ever again.

"Dan! Oh Dan I am so so sorry. I was selfish and I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to tell you because I knew you would be ashamed of me and I'm just a pathetic excuse for a boyfriend and I am so so sorry," I cried.

Dan pulled away. "Phil! Don't say that! You were in no way shape or form being selfish and I would never be ashamed of you. Please please don't call yourself pathetic because you're the complete opposite. You are perfect in every way," he shouted. I let out another sob and buried my face into his chest again.

Dan took a deep breath and whispered,"Oh Phil..."

We cried into each others arms for what seemed like hours, before I finally pulled back, wiping my eyes.

"You haven't been sick all this time. Well... you have, but a different kind of sick," Dan said. I nodded my head.

"You've been laying in your room depressed and cutting. You forced yourself to throw up your food... didn't you?" I looked down at my hands in shame and slightly nodded my head.

"How long has this been going on?" he asked quietly.

"Well I've had trouble eating since my junior year in high school. I starting occasionally throwing it up, but everything got so much worse after the car accident. And Dan? There's one other reason I've been staying in my room."

"And what's that?" Dan asked.

I took a deep breath. "I'm scared."

"What? What do you mean you're scared? Scared of what?"

"That's the problem. I don't know what I'm scared of. I think I'm just kind of afraid of everything. Ever since the car accident, I guess I just realized how dangerous everything is and almost dying... I don't know," I said feeling more tears slip down my cheeks.

Dan pulled me into another tight hug. "I'll keep you safe Phil. There's nothing to be afraid of." I pulled back and smiled at him. The first genuine smile I'd had in a while. I layed down, pulling Dan down with me. I moved closer to him and gently rested my forehead on his. We layed there for a while, just taking everything in. All of sudden, I sneezed breaking through the dead silence. Dan jumped so badly that he fell off the side of the bed. Despite everything going on, I laughed. I tried to cover my mouth to hold it back, but it was no use. I rolled around on the bed hysterically laughing, as Dan glared daggers at me, still on the floor.