Disclaimer: I do not own Danger Mouse or any canon characters. They are the property of Brian Cosgrove and Mark Hall. I do own Dr. Moore.

Notes: A lot of what was brought up in this chapter references different episodes. I felt those would be among some of the best examples to be brought up when trying to see the times Danger Mouse did depend on Penfold.

Warnings: Mentions of suicidal thoughts and self-harm.

Relationship is still platonic, in fact, they've toned down on showing affection in this chapter.

I hope you enjoy!

(Linebreaks hate me, so I will use DMEP)

DMEP

The next day has arrived, as has Dr. Moore. It's time for Partner Therapy.

"I'll duck out for a bit, get some groceries for the next week or so," Agent 57 offered when the gerbil entered the flat. True to his word, he was in the form of a chipmunk.

"Thank you for that, 57. If you'd like, you can use the Mark III. I trust you with it," Danger Mouse responded.

"No, it's fine. I have my own means of transport. See you two in about an hour." At that, 57 stepped out of the flat, closing the door after himself.

Dr. Moore looked to the mouse and hamster. "Mr. Mouse, if I may say, you look a little more at ease today. But, Mr. Penfold on the other hand..."

"Oh. Um, I'll be okay," Penfold responded quietly. His tone sounded like he meant otherwise.

Danger Mouse frowned in concern.

"Right then." Dr. Moore decided to save asking about it until the session had progressed. "Where would you like today's session? In here? In the bedroom?"

"In here is alright with me. What about you, Penfold?"

"Here is okay," the hamster responded.

"Would you like Teddy?"

"No, thanks."

Dr. Moore made a mental note of that. "Then, please be seated and we shall begin."

The agent and assistant sat on the sofa.

"I took some notes yesterday about what could be brought up in this session. First, I think we need to take care of Mr. Penfold's frustrations over Mr. Mouse's safety measures."

"Oh. We already finished dealing with that. I'm not so frustrated about it anymore. If anything, I'm thankful," Penfold explained.

"Oh, right. Very good then. Hm, then how about we start with what helped bring this about in the first place? Mr. Penfold, is there something you would like to discuss with Mr. Mouse?"

"Erm...oh. I, um...I don't know. I mean..."

Danger Mouse turned to his assistant. "You can talk with me about anything, I promise."

"But, DM, this is kind of...well..."

"It must be important if Dr. Moore believes we should discuss it."

"Okay. Um...well, those times I had ideas, claimed that you'd think they were silly and laugh at them, you'd say you wouldn't but then you did?"

"Yes?"

"They hurt."

"They did? I mean, I had noticed you weren't entirely pleased with me when I did find myself unable to hold back a few chuckles, but I didn't realise it went that far."

"That's what made me more hesitant about making those suggestions in the future. And about confessing certain things. Remember the time I tried on your jumpsuit?"

"Something you should not have done, by the way."

"Cor, I know that. But, when I told you why I did it..."

"I know. What you admitted meant a lot to you."

"You tried covering your laughing by saying you were coughing, but I know what your laughing sounds like, and I know what your coughing sounds like. I shared a big secret with you, and you laughed. I had a feeling you would because to someone else, it's silly. But, to me, it was a big deal."

"I never meant to hurt your feelings."

"I know. But, you did anyway." He sighed. "I couldn't admit my concerns about being useless to you because of that. I felt like you would just tell me I was being silly, if not start laughing about it while saying that."

"Oh, now I would never think such thoughts as silly. I've known for years there are times you feel that way. That's why I try to give you an exercise or task to try to help keep those thoughts from becoming too much. It would always be something I knew for certain you were capable of. I wanted to give you a bit more self-confidence."

Dr. Moore was taking notes of the conversation; the tones the pair used, their body language, their words. "Could you please give an example of one such exercise or task, Mr. Mouse?"

"Certainly. Penfold, do you recall on our holiday to Venice?"

"There was a lot that happened, Chief."

"Now, you recall Greenback's plans on building a museum full of Barry Manilow records?"

"Of course I do!"

"We had to split up, and I had you mind the deed that would give the holder ownership of Venice."

"Yes. Then, a big fish ate it."

"That doesn't matter. We got it back in the end, didn't we? My point is I was depending on you to keep it safe. I trusted you would."

"But...but, I failed in doing so, Sir."

"Maybe so. But, do you not realise my faith in you that day? I had confidence in you."

"And I let you down." He looked down to his paws.

"I'm not trying to say that at all. Listen, Penfold. If I didn't have such faith in you, I would've held onto it myself. Whether or not a big fish ate it, I still had full trust in you."

"DM..."

"It was unfortunate a fish got to it. But, that doesn't change the fact that I believed in you to come through."

"But, because a fish ate it, I didn't come through. I failed." He closed his eyes. "I really am useless after all."

"Oh, Penfold, no." He had to think of how he could help his best friend regain a bit of self-confidence. "Ah! What about that time with that fuzzy alien pet? What was it called? Ah, that's it, a tickleohipos. Anyway, it was your tap-dancing that helped us realise the best way to round up the many that appeared, instead of trying to grab them, was to lead them back to the spaceship while dancing. You saved the day there, Penfold."

"I...I suppose I did..."

"And remember when El Loco had me weakened to the point even standing was an effort?"

"That wouldn't have happened if I hadn't accepted his milk though, Sir. I should know our milkman looks like Elton John."

"Even so, when I was utterly helpless in the physical sense, you put in every effort you could to try to ensure our mission would be a success."

"You saved the day in the end, DM."

"It was just good fortune that my strength started coming back at that moment."

Dr. Moore looked up from his notes. "Hm, I think we should go back on the original track. Earlier, Mr. Mouse, you were speaking of how you would never consider Mr. Penfold's concerns of being useless to be something amusing."

"Absolutely not! But, I didn't quite realise just how deep they ran." He placed a paw on his assistant's shoulder. "Speaking of those past three missions helps me see now. Well, not the one with the tickleohipos, that was where you really came through when we were running flat on ideas. In fact, at that point, I was starting to feel hopeless, remember?"

"I do remember that," Penfold muttered.

"Even though you meant otherwise, I want you to know that you saying I believe in you really meant a lot right at that moment."

"Well, sure I said I meant I believed in you as a one-eyed, white mouse sitting on a wall. But, I'll always believe in you, DM, even if there should ever come a day the world stops doing so."

"That's another thing. Remember when I was tricked into believing I was on that show and only failures were shown? Even when I was making it clear I wanted to do nothing more than retire since it seemed everyone had lost faith in me after that, you still said otherwise. It meant a lot." He shifted closer, placed a finger under the hamster's chin and used it to lift his face so they could have eye contact. "So, I should tell you a lot more often too that I always have faith in you. You make mistakes, certainly. But, everybody does. It doesn't mean I will ever lose faith in you as my assistant, let alone as my best friend. So, please listen well when I say this; no matter what anybody else says, you, Ernest Penfold, are far from useless."

"Thanks, DM. It means a lot to hear you say that."

"I will say it everyday if I have to until you can believe it yourself, and even then, I will still make sure I assure you of it."

"But, do you find me to be an annoyance, or a hinderance?"

"An annoyance? Well, maybe sometimes. But, isn't there something you find annoying about me?"

"Hm. Good point. When do I really annoy you?"

"There are the times you tend to make silly jokes and puns at very inappropriate moments, such as when we first receive a new mission from Colonel K."

"Ah."

"You do sometimes make good ones too, but even then, you do have to mind the timing."

"Right. So, I need to try cracking less jokes when we need to be serious?"

"It would help."

"But, DM, you do it too."

"Ah. You're right. Hm. Well then, either we both mind when we make jokes, or we ignore any annoyance we feel by it."

"So, at least I know your feelings of annoyance are standard. But, what about your thoughts of me being a hinderance?"

"As I told you the other night, you are not a hinderance. In fact, I've told you other times too."

"I know. Like the time we were caught in an earthquake and though leaving me behind would've given you a better chance at apprehending Greenback, Stiletto and Nero, you still took the time to save me."

"Exactly. Just as I told you then, there will never be a time I will leave you behind. I might make you wait a minute if it's not a situation that threatens your life. But, times like that, waiting could mean...well, the end."

"Our mission the other day, I was caught in trap after trap after trap."

"I know you were."

"Each time you rescued me from them, I always heard you let out a frustrated sigh. I think...that was when I really realised how annoying and frustrating it must be to always have to rescue me."

"I wasn't annoyed with you."

"Y-You weren't?"

"I was annoyed at the lengths those fiends went to in order to slow us down. I came to realise they were just toying with us when I noted the severity of the traps were actually rather mild. Your life wasn't in immediate danger, but making you wait wasn't an option. When you accompany me on a mission, it is not just you being there. You're my back-up. If I was to be caught, or if the best way to put an end to any schemes was to split-up, then I would need you to be able to act as well."

"So then, I..."

"Was it my sighs of annoyance that helped you make your decision the other night?"

"Erm..."

"Penfold, please tell me. Was it?"

"It...was. In my mind, it felt like not again, can't you do anything right?, so I...I'm sorry, DM, I should've known better."

"I want to say that yes, you should've known better. But, if you've been carrying those concerns around for so many years, they'd be deep-seated enough to make you come to that conclusion, whether or not it was false."

"Mr. Mouse, Mr. Penfold, our session is over for now. You can continue discussing this in private, if you'd like. But, for now, I have come to a conclusion about what needs to be done." Dr. Moore looked to Danger Mouse first. "I'd like to ask you if you would like to resume individual sessions with me before I make an appointment for you. You seem to be doing alright at the moment."

"I would like to resume, but not at the same frequency. If possible, could once a fortnight be arranged, instead of once a week? Of course, I will call you if things change."

"That would be fine. I'd still like to resume these partner therapy sessions as well. Once a week for a couple more weeks and see how we go, then we may change to once a fortnight."

"Understood, Doctor."

He then turned to Penfold. "As for you, Mr. Penfold, considering how serious your situation is, I'm thinking our sessions should be twice a week for the first couple of weeks. If you make steady progress, we'll change it to once a week. Is that fair enough?"

Penfold nodded. "Okay."

"I'd also like for you to document any times the dark thoughts return and if you start getting any urges."

"Urges?"

"Either suicidal or just an urge to hurt yourself. I need to see how frequently it happens so we can work out what else to do for you. I don't feel we should put you on any anti-depressants yet, but if by next session things get worse, then it may have to be taken into consideration."

"Okay. How should I document them?"

"Do you have a spare diary lying around? You can write it in there."

"I have one Penfold can use for this," Danger Mouse offered.

"Good. Mr. Penfold, remember to talk with Mr. Mouse if those urges should arise. Don't go through them alone, it is very important you remember that."

"Okay," Penfold responded.

"Good. Okay, I can hear your friend has just returned. In that case, I shall take my leave. But, first, we must make our appointments."

DMEP

Agent 57 entered the flat just as Dr. Moore handed cards to Danger Mouse and Penfold. "Oh, looks like I'm right on time."

Dr. Moore picked up his bag. "Now then, Mr. Penfold, I shall be seeing you in two days. Until then, please keep in mind what I advised."

"I will, Doctor," Penfold responded with a firm nod.

"Jolly good. See you then." He made his way out of the flat, giving a nod of acknowledgement to Agent 57 as he walked by him.

"I won't ask for too many details, but how was your session?" the chipmunk questioned as he approached the mouse and hamster.

"It was fine, actually. We managed to clear the air on a couple of concerns," Danger Mouse replied. "Would you like a hand putting those away?"

"It's fine. You two just stay there, it shan't take long." He entered the kitchen.

"By the way, Penfold, there is something I'd like to suggest, if I may."

The hamster looked up to the mouse. "What's that, DM?"

"Dr. Moore spoke of urges. It reminded me of something that had been suggested to me when I started feeling strong urges to hurt myself."

"What was it?"

"Take a block of ice and move that across where you feel you want to cut."

"Huh?"

"It comes with the same stinging pain, but it does no damage. It helps ward off the urges without causing harm. But, always remember, come to me if those do start cropping up. We can work through them together."

"Okay."

He smiled and nodded. He then pulled Penfold into an embrace. "I wasn't just putting on a show earlier either. I meant every single word I said, especially when I said that I have faith in you and that you are far from useless."

"Thanks, DM." He returned the embrace.

DMEP

Another session done, and our heroes have learned to better understand how they can help each other. What's to come? Find out next time, won't you? Unless the authoress does another filler, that is.

DMEP

After-notes: The suggestion DM made to Penfold about when self-harm urges strike was something I found on a post on Tumblr that had different ways you can take care of those urges without having to actually do damage to yourself. Of course, sometimes even then the urges are too strong. (I'm ashamed to admit I lost to mine yesterday...no severe damage so I didn't need to go to the hospital and get stitches.) That's why Dr. Moore adds it is important not to go through them alone.

I'm considering doing a timeskip after the next chapter. I don't want to rush this, but this just might start getting dull and repetitive if I don't wrap it up sooner or later. After all, I would have to write about months of therapy.

Next chapter, Penfold turns to DM for help when the urges begin.

Thank you for reading. You don't have to say anything, but if you do, please don't flame. Constructive criticism is welcomed, however.