Dr. Daniel Saves The Day
Svenne14
Summary:
The wolfbrothers are staying in an abandoned cabin, right in the middle of nowhere. One day, the oldest wolf... got very sick. Someone needed to take care of him...
Notes:
Inspired by Orange Juice by QueenOfNeverland
This began as a standalone chapter for the anthology series. But I decided to make it into a fic of its own.
Chapter 1: Have No Fear
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Willamette National Forest, one month after the incident in Seattle…
It's been over a month now. At least Daniel thinks so. He doesn't really have any decent way to keep track of time out here. They're in the middle of nowhere, it's cold, dirty, it smells, and he's starving. Every third day or so, Sean leaves him alone for hours, going on one of his supply runs. His clothes smell like mold, just like the bed, they sleep in every night.
Oh yeah, his dad's dead, and they're both wanted fugitives now. So, there's that part as well. Daniel might only be nine years old, but it became clear to him very quickly that his brother had no clue what to do. They just randomly found this cabin after walking around in the cold for days. Sean called it luck. Daniel… did not. It just gave him more time to think. About his dad, about his… curse, about the monster he's become.
Sean did what he could, trying to cheer him up. It never worked. Daniel felt like the joy inside him was dead, forever. He never understood how Sean could be so… strong. Not counting the motel room, he never saw, nor did he ever hear Sean cry. Not a single time. As for himself, Daniel cried himself to sleep almost every night. Every day he cried, more than one time. And every time, Sean had been there, giving him the comfort that he so desperately needed.
That is why Daniel knew something had to be… off…
When he had cried for over an hour, and Sean still hasn't shown up to help him…
"Dad… I'm sorry. I- I miss you…" Daniel sobbed in silence, alone. Somewhere he knew that Sean not showing up, isn't good. But these days, he barely cared if he lived or died himself. Finally, the door opens, and in comes Sean.
"Daniel? You in here, man? Daniel- shit…" He could hear his older brother's voice sounding slightly… nervous? Daniel knew it was something, just not what. Then, as soon as Sean walked into Daniel's room, he heard him swear silently.
"E- E- Enano? A- Are you… alright?" Sean's stuttering? That doesn't sound like him. Sean tries to sound caring and comforting, but all he does is manage to sound like he doesn't give a shit. Daniel's pissed off by his brother's ignorance and turns to face him.
"NO, Sean! I'm not fucking alright-" Daniel stopped speaking as soon as he saw his brother's face. Sean was pale as a ghost, his entire body shivered, even in the heat coming from the fireplace inside. Sean's nose had small traces of blood in it like he tried to wash it off to hide it from Daniel. Obviously, he did not succeed. Daniel's seen worse, but it still scares him. The one thing he cares about, in the entire world, is his brother. Well, he cared about Mushroom too. But… stuff happened. Bad… stuff.
"Sean? Are you… ok?" Daniel doesn't even know why he bothers to ask. He knows that the answer will be…
"Yeah, Enano. I'm fine. Just… a little out of breath, it's all." The best track runner, out of breath from walking slowly outside?
"Sean… you're- you're bleeding…" He did. Sean touched his nose, only to discover that blood was not dripping, but pouring out of it. Daniel just stares at his brother, completely paralyzed in fear. This… can't be good.
Turns out that…
… It wasn't.
"No, Daniel, no. I'm fine, just fine. I'm-" Before he could finish that sentence, Sean Diaz coughed up a thick, reddish substance. Then, he collapsed to the floor unconscious. Daniel needed about ten seconds to realize exactly what just happened.
"SEAN!" He runs to his brother's side, screaming his name. Daniel's panicking, he believes Sean might be dead.
"Sean? Wake- wake up, Sean? Wake up? PLEASE, SEAN, why won't you wake up?!" He tries to poke his brother's unconscious body, but nothing happens. He tries shoving him, still no reaction. Daniel tries to calmly lay his palm on the side of Sean's face… but no. Sean shows no signs of life.
"NOOO! You can't just leave me here, Sean!" Daniel loses all of his cool. He punches Sean in the face, in the gut, everywhere. His grief has turned to anger, making him do horrible things.
"Don't… don't leave me here, Sean. Please. I- I can't…" Daniel accepts his brother's fate. Sean is dead. Daniel's now alone. He lies down, placing his arm over Sean's chest. Daniel plans on waiting like this, until… the day comes.
That's when he felt it.
Sean's pulse.
Daniel's hand had landed around the throat area of Sean. His fingers could feel his brother's pulse. Which could only mean…
"Sean?! Sean?! You're- you're alive?" Daniel's now standing on his knees, smiling as he looks down at the bloody mess that is his big brother. He feels a small bit of hope.
"Ok, dude. Calm down. Calm… down. Deep breaths. In… and out. In… and out." Daniel manages to calm himself down. He holds his palm above Sean's mouth, and yes, he's breathing. There's still a chance. He places his palm on Sean's forehead.
"You're gonna be just fine, big brother. I promise you. I'll take care of you. I- I- Doctor-Daniel's gonna get you healthy again, Sean." Daniel's voice is shaking more and more for every word, tears are pouring down his face. He cries, knowing he's not getting any comfort this time. Could he really do this? No matter what, he had to try. Because if Sean died…
Daniel died with him. Literally and figuratively.
"I have to move you to the bed, Sean. But… I don't know how." Amazing job there, doctor. You're already fucking up on step one. Then, he got an idea. He didn't like it. Actually, Daniel hated it. But it might be his only chance. Sean's only chance.
"Ok, let's see…" Daniel had barely figured out how his… curse works. He believes it's tied in some way, to his emotions. He doesn't remember it, but he did see that cop shoot his dad. Anyone's first reaction would be an exploding rage, directed at the person pulling the trigger. Now, he really, really wants to save Sean. Step one, move his ass to the bed. Maybe he can… do it?
"If this goes… bad, Sean. I just want you to know that… I love you… and I'm sorry." Daniel raised both his hands, concentrating, more than he ever has in his life. His eyes, steady on his brother's body.
"Move… move… fucking move, you fat fuck!" Daniel whispers to himself.
"Damn-it, Sean… I can't help you… if you don't move… please…" Apparently, all he needed to do, was say "please". Sean's body slowly began levitating until it reached the same height as Daniel's head. He carefully tried to push it towards the bed, randomly trying out different waving motions with his hands. After what felt like an hour, Sean was directly above the bed, so Daniel sets him down carefully.
"Whew… I- I did it, Sean. I actually did it-" Daniel's legs failed to keep him up as he fell to the floor. Fuck. This… whatever it is, fucking drains his energy. It took at least thirty minutes before Daniel could stand up again… barely.
"Here, Sean. Let me help you." He wasn't quite sure why he was talking to his unconscious brother. Maybe as a way to keep him somewhat sane? Daniel pulls the bloody jacket of Sean, along with his shoes. Next, he takes his other shirt. The one he never uses, that Sean bought at that gas station. He dips it in hot water, carefully cleaning Sean's face from blood and… whatever that other nasty stuff was.
"There. All cleaned up, big brother." Daniel wanted nothing more now than to just lay down next to Sean. But now it hit him with full force, that he can't. He's the caretaker now, not Sean. He wants to be there when Sean wakes up. WHEN, not IF. And someone needs to keep an eye on him if something happens at night. Right?
Right?
Yep. No sleep for Enano tonight…
Daniel turns Sean over to his side, at least he knows that's good for… some reason. He takes his brother's sketchbook. Sean always told him to never, under ANY circumstances, look inside it. At least not without Sean being right next to him. Now, Sean's right next to him. Daniel pulls out a chair and sits down. Uncomfortable as hell, but a good way to stay awake. He's not going to look inside the sketchbook. Not because he doesn't want to. His fingers are literally itching with curiosity. But…
"No, Sean. Don't worry, I'm not gonna look, I swear. I'll keep it safe." Daniel ends up sitting there, hugging the sketchbook like it's an ancient relic.
"Rest now, big brother. Doctor Daniel's here to keep you safe." Daniel planned on staying awake the entire night, making sure that nothing happened to Sean.
That… did not work out as planned.
About ten minutes later, a nine-year-old boy named Daniel… fell asleep. In a sitting position, with his arms still hugging his older brother's sketchbook, keeping it safe. Just like he swore to do…
The next morning…
Daniel awoke to a searing pain in his neck and back. Immediately, it all came back. He swore to stay awake, that he would keep his brother safe. But he didn't. Now, everything hurts from sleeping in a sitting position for eight hours.
"Oh, no! Sean!" Daniel's no slower though. He rushes to his brother's side, almost expecting him to be gone, or dead, or… something.
But he's not.
Sean's actually awake.
"Hey, Enano. How are you? What- what happened?" Sean's voice is weak, and he clearly struggles to even lift his hand to pat Daniel on the shoulder.
"S- S- Sean?! You- you really scared me. I thought you… died. DIED!" Daniel whimpers as he looks at his brother, telling him everything that went down last night. Sean doesn't remember anything.
"Shit, Daniel. I'm so sorry. But you did good, Enano. You- you saved my ass." Sean smiles at him, making Daniel feel proud of himself. Like he accomplished something good for once.
"Do not fear, big brother. Doctor Daniel will always take care of you. Always." Daniel answers proudly, with an even bigger smile on his face.
"I'm so proud of you, Daniel. Now, let's get- ow, fuck!" Sean had tried to get out of bed, but as soon as he moved he screamed in pain.
"Sean?! What- what's wrong?" Daniel doesn't understand. He looked… better. Still very sick, but better than yesterday.
"My- my leg, Daniel. It- it really fucking hurts. Shit. I- I can't fucking move it, man." Sean sounded like he's on the verge of tears. Whether it was because of the pain or the panic, Daniel did not know. Right now, it didn't matter either.
"Let me… look, Sean." Daniel didn't know why, but for some reason, this scared him. Sean had broken his leg once, but not even then, he screamed like this. Daniel pulls off Sean's socks, and carefully rolls up Sean's jeans up to the knee. What he sees doesn't scare him that much.
It fucking terrifies him.
Sean had a large cut on his lower leg, about the same length as both of Daniel's hands combined. Being only nine, Daniel didn't know much about how an infected wound looked like, he just knew that it's bad. This, however, got to be seriously infected. Half of Sean's leg was swollen and dark red. The wound itself had a purple-ish tone, with blood and dripping out of it. Also, it was filled with some gross yellow liquid that Daniel had no freaking idea of what it was. Just that… it's bad. Really bad.
"Daniel… how- how does it look?" Sean did his best to hide his nervousness, but Daniel heard it, loud and clear. Sean's as scared as he is.
"Sean… it- it looks… bad." He just whispers. What the fuck is he supposed to do here?
"Shit…" Apparently, that's all his brother had to say. Very… helpful, Sean.
"How did this happen, Sean?" Because it sure as hell didn't happen yesterday!
"Two weeks ago, I was on a supply run. I got clumsy I guess… I just fell over, hit my leg pretty bad. I thought that wound would heal up. But it just… got worse." Two weeks? Sean's been hiding it from him for over two weeks?!
"Why- why didn't you tell me, Sean? I- I could have helped." Daniel's on the verge of tears, feeling like Sean didn't tell him because he knew he couldn't help with shit.
"I- I just… didn't want you to worry about me, Enano. I'm sorry." Yeah, now you're sorry. Asshole. Daniel just looks at Sean with a look of disappointment.
"… But you can help me now, Daniel. You- you have to. Please…" He can hear it. Sean's scared. Daniel can't let his brother suffer like this, of course, he's going to help him.
"Ok, Sean. What do you want me to do?" All the lies, the worries, that's for later. Now, he's focusing on helping his brother through this mess.
"Ok, so the wound… it needs to be cleaned. You've watched enough movies with me to know what that means, right?" Sean could see how his little brother's eyes widened in horror.
"Y- Yes, S- Sean." Shit, shit, shit!
"Ok, so look around inside the house. Turn the entire fucking place upside down if you have to. Alcohol, bandages, and antibiotics." Sean doesn't have high hopes for any of these to be inside this cabin. There is a "Plan B". But Sean doesn't want to go there. Preferably not even as a last resort.
Daniel spends over two hours, systematically searching through every part of the house. In the end, he comes up empty.
Empty.
Nada.
Inte ett jävla skit!
"Sean…" He goes to his brother, sitting next to him with a defeated look on his face. After two hours, the bedsheets under Sean's leg are covered in a yellow and red sticky mess.
"Did- did you find anything?" Sean's sweating like crazy. Definitely not a good sign.
"No, Sean. There's- there's nothing here! I don't know what to do!" Shit!
"Fuck, Daniel. I- I can only think of one other option. But it's late. We'll talk about it in the morning, ok?" Daniel's in no mood for any "later" bullshit.
"No, Sean! We're gonna fucking talk about it now! I- I don't want you to… die, Sean. You're my brother." Daniel's crying out of both anger and fear. Sean sighs, admitting defeat, and looks the other way. Any other way, then towards Daniel.
"To help me… you need supplies, right?" Something's off. Why does Sean sound so nervous?
"Yeah…?" Daniel waits for his brother to elaborate.
"The only place with any supplies is-" Sean's voice cracked like he's about to cry.
"… The only place with any supplies is the small town where I do my supply runs, Enano." Sean's done speaking, but he keeps his eyes firmly away from Daniel.
"But, Sean? How? How are you gonna get there? It's like a four-hour walk, and you can't even stand up?" Daniel looks baffled. Sometimes, it must be great to be like that. Just, being a kid, not having a clue just how much shit's about to hit the fan. This… was not one of those times.
"Yeah, I know," Sean answers, still looking away.
"But, Sean?! Why are you even telling me this? It's not like I can walk-" Daniel stopped talking as he realized what Sean implied.
"But- but… I can't, Sean. I- I just… can't." Daniel already saw the horrors that stood in front of him. Meanwhile, Sean hated himself for what he was about to ask. But if he didn't go through with it, he would die. And if he died, Daniel would die here as well. Sooner or later.
"Daniel. You're my brother, my Enano. I- I hate to ask you this, I- I really do. But I have no other choice. You know that, right?" Both brothers cry as Daniel simply nods to Sean.
"Little cub… you have to go into town and bring back supplies to treat my wound. Just… follow the trail, and it will lead you there, ok? And don't ever… be afraid. Do you hear me? Do NOT be afraid, Daniel." Fuck. What kind of brother is he? Sending his nine-year-old little brother out like this? Shit…
"I- I'll do it, Sean. And… no fear. I- I promise. Doctor Daniel has no fear." But Daniel Diaz did. He had a shitload of fears. Many of those are related to dark forests.
"Be careful, Daniel. Just… be careful, please." Sean's full-on bawling now.
"I swear, Sean, I will." Daniel goes to his room, puts on as many clothes as possible, along with his backpack. He also grabs the last few Chock-O-Crisps left in the house, and a bottle of water. Fuck. Is he really going through with this? He looks at his reflection in the mirror.
"Is it really… worth it?" He whispers quietly, so Sean can't hear. Then, he gives his reflection the middle finger.
"Fuck you. Sean's my brother. He would die for me… and I would die for him." Daniel moves towards the door.
"Goodbye, Sean. I'll be back soon, big brother. I promise." Daniel doesn't wait for an answer. Instead, he leaves the house before he can think of a reason not to. It's already dark outside, and all he has is a shitty flashlight. He's doing it for Sean. For his brother. No fear.
"Doctor Daniel has no fear, Doctor Daniel has no fear, Doctor Daniel has no fear… shit." Only now, when alone, Daniel realized just how many fears he really has.
What on earth has he gotten himself into?
Notes:
End of chapter one. Doctor Daniel's got a long road ahead of him, which may, or may not, go smoothly.
Chapter 2: Fear Of The Dark
Summary:
Daniel begins his journey into town. However, his many fears are making things difficult.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Many hours later, deep inside a dark forest…
He didn't know how many hours had passed, just that it's dark. Really dark. Daniel had always been afraid of the dark, hell, what kid hasn't? Back in Seattle, his room had lights on the entire night, making him feel safe. He never dared to walk through the house if every light was off. It scared him that much. That obviously meant that living out here, had been an… adjustment, to put it mildly. He actually believed that he had conquered his fears. That for once in his life, he could stand up and proudly exclaim "I am Daniel Diaz, and I am not afraid."
Oh, how wrong he was.
So wrong…
He did his best to follow the trail, just like Sean told him to. But it wasn't easy. The entire trail had been covered with snow, reaching almost up to Daniel's waist. Every single step was a small workout. Walking a distance that for him might take twenty minutes in the summer, had taken hours. Many hours. His legs were hurting, his clothes were wet due to him falling in the snow countless times. He was angry. Angry for not being able to do anything on his own, angry because falling in the snow… it fucking pissed him off! But most of all, he's scared. Scared that he might die out here, or be captured. Scared that Sean might die. But the worst thing of all… is the darkness. It surrounds him, watching his every move. It's everywhere, and nowhere. Daniel tries to keep his eyes forward, only looking at what lies ahead of him.
"Not afraid. You're not afraid. You can't be, Sean needs you." He whispers to himself, trying to boost his confidence a little. It kind of worked. At least until he heard the sound of a large twig breaking close to him.
"Oh, fuck… d- dad?" Daniel points his flashlight towards the sound, but nothing else is heard. He's not sure if that's good or bad.
"Calm down, dude. It's probably just a… deer. Yeah, a deer… sounds about right. I gotta keep moving." It could have been a deer, sure. Or was it that creepy little girl from The Ring? He wished he never stayed up with Sean to watch that movie now…
"No, what the hell am I thinking? That- that's not even real. I'm not afraid, I have no fear, no fear, no fear-" Another twig breaks, this time, much louder. Daniel panics and runs, forgetting everything about following the trail.
"NOOO! Fuck, fuck, fuck, shit! Not real, not real, not real- HEEELP!" He just runs, not even thinking of the direction. Eventually, he finds a small cave. Without even a second thought, he crawls inside. Immediately, he felt a lot more calm. Sure, it's creepy inside the cave too. But in a more… cozy way. He doesn't feel like someone or something is watching him from above. As he let himself breathe for a few seconds, he remembered the sole reason he's out there, to begin with.
"I'm- I'm sorry, Sean! I- I can't fucking do it, I can't! I'm too scared. I'm just… a coward, Sean. A coward." As he said it, Daniel could almost hear his brother's voice inside his head.
"No, Enano. You're not a coward. You're brave, very brave. And I believe in you. Just… do it, Daniel. I know you can." Sean always made things sound so… easy. Daniel sighed.
"I don't even know where the FUCK I am! I left the trail… I'm so stupid, Sean. So… stupid. Sorry." Daniel never realized how exhausted he was. Two seconds later, he fell asleep inside the cave. A very troublesome sleep.
Daniel knew this was a dream. At least, he's somewhat sure it is. He's back at the abandoned cabin with Sean. His brother only has one leg. Sean sits on a chair with his back turned to Daniel. Everything surrounding them is black. He tries to move closer to Sean, but he can't.
"S- Sean?" Dream or not, this is starting to really freak him out. Then, he could hear a voice speaking. But it wasn't Sean. Not even close. This sounded so much more… evil.
"Fear. Fear attracts the fearful, the strong, the weak, the innocent, the corrupt. Fear. Fear is my ally."
"SEAN- OW, fucking hell!" Daniel woke up terrified and ended up hitting his forehead in the ceiling of the cave. He did so with such force, it knocked him right back down to the ground.
"Owww, it- it hurts. Help, Sean. It hurts." Daniel needed a few seconds to remember everything. As soon as he did, he quickly got out of the cave. At least it's daytime now.
"Right, Doctor Dumbass… which way now?" He doesn't know. Daniel's got zero clue about where to go. Why is he so easily scared? He fucked everything up last night. Like he always does. Then, he heard it…
Laughter.
Children laughing.
Quite a few of them too.
Without a doubt, he ran towards whatever's making those sounds. After about five minutes, Daniel saw- believe it or not, but he saw a building. He does his best to be a bit stealthy, wanting to find out what it is. Walking out of the forest close to a police station would not be the best move. As he gets closer to the building in question, Daniel noticed a sign. When reading it, he felt a slight pain in his chest.
"Oakridge Middle School".
It's a school. Daniel hasn't been anywhere near a school since… before. He watches the other kids from a distance. How they're all running around, playing, laughing, screaming, and just… being kids in general. Daniel gives himself a couple of minutes, closing his eyes, imagining that he's one of them, one of the… normal kids. A normal kid with a normal life, and not a care in the world. It felt more real than he expected it to.
"Hi, are you ok?" Holy shit! Daniel nearly fell on his ass, easily scared as he was. He turned around, expecting to see a small army of cops standing there. Luckily it wasn't. Only one person stood there. Another boy, about his age, with blonde hair and, for some reason, a cape. Well, a dork is better than a cop.
"No, I'm not." He's not sure why he's even answering this kid. He doesn't have time for this shit. Sean's literally dying as they speak!
"I hide out here sometimes too. The others aren't that… nice to me… sometimes." Yeah, that's cute… you don't have any real problems though.
"By the way, I'm Chris. Chris Eriksen. I just moved here. What's your name?" He should just leave, but he doesn't. Instead, Daniel sits down on the ground.
"I'm… Daniel. Daniel Dia- uh, Park. I'm Daniel Park." Thank you Lyla for having a last name that's easy to remember in times of need.
"You look… sad, Daniel. Is that why you're… hiding out here?" Don't tell him. It's a bad idea, really fucking bad idea! But Daniel really needs to talk to someone his own age. He can't help it.
"My dad… died, and my brother's… dying. I have to find medicine for him. If I don't…" The boy named Chris doesn't look as shocked as Daniel expected him to be.
"I'm so sorry, Daniel. I can sorta relate. My mom died two years ago. After it happened, dad… he was never the same again. He- he was always… drunk. And he… he… no." Something about that… just made Daniel feel uncomfortable.
"What… did he do?" He's not even sure why he cares. Does he care? For all he knows, this kid might as well have a completely different name. Maybe he's just lying to get attention or some shit?
"Nothing. Forget it. It's… stupid." Daniel still feels that something's not right with this kid. He wants to stay, and talk. About… everything. Maybe he could feel normal again? But he's here for Sean. Focus!
"Ok, man. Sorry. Listen… do you know where the closest pharmacy is?" The kid named Chris points him in the right direction.
"Thanks, dude. I gotta go now." Daniel turns around to walk away. As he does so, he feels Chris grab his arm.
"Hey wait, Daniel! I mean… don't you wanna like… I don't know… hang around for a while?" Fuck this kid. Fuck him for making Daniel realize how much he's lost. He wants nothing more than to just scream yes, and forget about all his many problems for a couple of hours. He wants to, but he can't. Daniel can't, and he hates it. He truly fucking hates it.
"I- I can't… sorry." Daniel quickly runs away, as he sees the disappointment in the other child's eyes.
Now, Daniel Diaz found himself on the main street of this small town. Somewhere on this very street lies everything he needs. Everything Sean needs. As he walks down the street, Daniel can't help but feel like everyone's watching him. To be fair, pretty much everyone he passes is watching him… a lot. And not in a very… good way. A dirty nine-year-old Mexican boy is bound to stand out here. Especially if he's alone.
Daniel walks right past a burger joint. He's small, fast, Sean even calls him a ninja sometimes. It would be so easy for him to just go in there and- no. Sean. He's here for Sean. On the way back… maybe. Fuck, it smells so good. No, just keep walking, dude. Eventually, he reaches his destination. The pharmacy. Halfway there. The easy parts are over, now for the difficult part. He goes inside, and everyone's eyes are on him. Shit. It's a really small store too, with just about zero other customers. Even better.
"Is everything alright, young man? Are you lost? Looking for your parents?" One of the cashiers asks him.
"No. I'm good, thanks." Idiots. Why does everyone think of him as a baby, incapable of doing anything on his own? It pisses him off.
Daniel scouts the store, looking for the supplies Sean told him to get. Everything he wants is here. Now, how the ever-living fuck is he supposed to get it? He doesn't have any money, and even if he did, they won't sell alcohol to a nine-year-old. What he needs… is a distraction. He's still not sure about how to use his… ability. But maybe… that's a good thing this time? Daniel stands in the faraway corner of the store. Someone his size… will be forgotten quickly. Then, he focuses on every bottle in the room. Or at least, every bottle made of glass.
"Come on… come on… come on…" Nothing happens. Fuck. Now what?
"It only… works… when I feel strong emotions. Very strong." He whispers to himself. Then, he focuses on something else. Daniel turns all of his focus on his memories. His positive memories with Sean. There are tens of thousands of them, simultaneously playing inside his head at the speed of light. How they used to just… hang out, being brothers. All the time's Sean bought Daniel Chock-O-Crisp and let him stay up late on the condition that dad was not to be told, but Daniel always told him anyway. Every time they played video games and Sean kicked his ass, never playing nice and letting him win because he wanted Daniel to learn the game. Which he did. Then, Daniel kicked Sean's ass. He remembered how Sean taught him how to ride a bike, and how proud he was as he turned back to look at him. Two seconds later, Daniel ran down into a field of nettle, burning his entire body.
Then, there's that one time. The entire family was sitting on the couch watching television in silence, each of them with their feet on the table. Then, without a word, Daniel had risen from the couch, and gone to his brother's room. Ten seconds later he came back with about twenty porno magazines in his hands. Continuing to, without a word, slam them down on the table. Right in front of dad and Sean. Dad had laughed his ass off, and Sean wanted to die. Daniel was about four years old.
All of these memories make him feel warm on the inside. He feels good, safe, and dare he say… happy. Without knowing it himself, he stands there in his little corner. Eyes closed, but tears of joy pouring out of them, and the widest smile on his face.
BANG!
Every single glass bottle inside the store exploded at the exact same time. He's lucky that the bottle he's after is made out of plastic. Now, he must move quickly. He opens his backpack and grabs a shitload of alcohol, bandages, antibiotics, and a bunch of other stuff they needed. Then he runs. Shit, this backpack weighs a ton. He's already out of breath. But the worst part is over. Now, all he's got to do is find his way back.
As soon as he got far enough into the forest, Daniel sat down. He needs to rest. The backpack feels like it's killing him already. And he hasn't had any food or water since he left the house. He reaches into his backpack, taking out the water bottle and a Chock-O-Crisp.
"Hang on, Sean. I'm coming. Doctor Daniel's gonna save you. No fear, remember? No fear." After his little break, Daniel looks around, trying to find his way back to the trail. Then it hit him. Everything looks so different now, compared to when he came out of the forest. It's been snowing the entire day, and soon… it's dark again. Very… soon.
"Shit. Hurry, dude. Gotta move fast." Daniel just walks randomly in a direction he feels makes sense, his fear making him believe that he actually can reach the cabin before dark if he's fast enough.
Far too many hours later, In the deepest & darkest parts of the forest…
There's no point denying it anymore. He's lost. He fucked up. Sean's going to… die, because of him. Daniel had no idea where to go. He had no way-points, no directions, he recognized nothing. Absolutely nothing. His body was hurting… everywhere. The backpack felt like it would break his spine in half. He's so god-damn hungry. Why, oh why, did he just bring chocolate on this expedition of his? Chocolate, really? The water is out, and he's so thirsty that he had to eat snow. That's how desperate he is now. Tears are pouring down his face constantly, Tears of pain, both physical and emotional. Tears of worry, of fear. But no matter what happens, how lost he is, how hungry or thirsty he is, or how much pain he feels, there's one thing Daniel Diaz will not do…
Quit.
He will not quit on his brother. Sean would die for him. Daniel's aware of the fact that he's never really said it, but he would do the same. He would… die for Sean. He will not quit. Daniel will either save his big brother or die trying… literally. The third option isn't something he wants to consider.
"God… it's- it's so cold. So cold." Daniel holds his hands around the flashlight, hoping that the small amount of heat coming out of it might warm his frozen fingers a little. However, the flashlight starts to flicker. Not… good.
"NO! Not now. Don't- don't do this, please!" He pleaded to no avail. The flashlight has died, and if Daniel felt like the darkness surrounded him before…
"Oh, god. Oh, shit. I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid, because Doctor Daniel has no fear. No fear, no weakness. I am not afraid. I am not afraid-" Yeah… it did… not work.
"I'm so FUCKING SCARED, SEAN! Help me, PLEASE!" Daniel screams his lungs out. Somehow, screaming that he's afraid… made him even more afraid. Great. Just… great. Daniel begins to just walk around aimlessly. He can't see a thing. It's pitch black. He couldn't see a wolf if it were standing right in front of him. After what felt like a small eternity, he ended up walking on a large flat surface. It was really slippery, which was annoying. But for reasons Daniel didn't know and didn't care about, it had exactly zero trees on it. The choice was easy. Slippery surface it is.
He walks across it, still being absolutely scared out of his mind. It's so quiet. The wind isn't even blowing anymore. No animals either… nothing. All Daniel can hear are these strange cracking sounds, coming from… underneath him? Weird. He doesn't pay much attention to it, why should he?
That very question got its answer moments later, as Daniel heard one final loud crack. This one coming from directly below him.
"Oh, you stupid motherfu-" One last massive crack, and Doctor Daniel's in the water. The flat surface in question had been a river with a thin layer of ice on it. Daniel didn't realize it until it was too late, and he paid the price. Luckily for him, only parts of the river have ice on it, meaning he doesn't end up under it. However, the stream takes him instead. Dragging him further and further down the river, making him hit his head, hit his arms, his legs, his… everything. Daniel's too exhausted to scream for help, besides, he knows no one can hear him scream out here. Not even Sean. He throws his arms anywhere he can, trying to grasp on to something.
Ultimately, he finally manages to grab on to something. A small wooden bridge. Daniel pulls himself back to land. He's in pain, he's bleeding but doesn't know from where. He was already freezing, and now he's completely soaked in ice-cold water. Daniel can't do it. Game over. You fail! Doctor Daniel failed. He buries his face in his palms, sobbing silently.
"I'm so sorry, Sean. I tried, I- I really tried. But I… failed you. I failed you. Doctor Daniel failed you. I'm so sorry, big brother. I love you so much, Sean. We will see each other again. Just, not… here." Daniel cries out his defeat. He then turns around to try to figure out where he is. Ok, he's sitting on a man-made wooden bridge near a river. There's a canoe nearby, and even some snowmen, and a house-
Ok, hang on now just a second…
Nope. Doctor Daniel's in no mood for waiting…
"SEAN, SEAN, SEAN!" With renewed strength, Daniel rises from the ashes of his recent demise, running as fast as he could towards the house. He did it. He actually fucking did it. Daniel's got blood dripping from… parts unknown, but he did it. He stared his worst fear in its eyes and gave it a bitch-slap. He came out victorious in the end. As he reaches the door, he comes to a complete stop. Now when he's done it, he doesn't want to sound like it was too… scary. Because… it wasn't… that bad… right? Daniel takes a few minutes to compose himself, and then he walks inside the house.
"Sean? Sean? I'm- I'm back!" He calls out, receiving nothing back. He finds Sean sitting in the bed, looking so much worse than when Daniel left. But he's fully awake, and he's… crying? Sean never… cries, right?
"Sean? Are you… ok?" Daniel sits down next to him.
"I'm so sorry, Daniel, sorry. I'm a horrible brother, I- I- oh, fuck…" Sean's almost having a breakdown in front of him. Daniel puts a hand on his shoulder.
"Sean, it's ok. I'm fine. It wasn't… that bad. Doctor Daniel has no fear, remember?" Daniel doesn't know why he does this, he doesn't even believe it himself, and he seriously doubts that Sean believes it.
"Are- are you sure?" He could see a small amount of hope in his older brother's eyes. But it didn't matter. All Daniel needed was Sean asking him. Then, he opened up like a dam.
"NO, SEAN! It was fucking horrible! I- I was so scared, all the time. It was so dark and- and something scared me, so I ran and- and-" Daniel cries so much he can't even speak a complete sentence.
"Shh, shh, it's ok. You're safe now, Enano. I'm so sorry you had to go through all that. But you did good, Daniel. I'll never forget that, I mean it. You were very brave, going out like that. Don't ever let yourself think otherwise, ok?" Sean's always good at comforting his little brother. Sean tells him that he's been brave even brings a smile to his face.
"Thanks, Sean. I- I told you, didn't I? Doctor Daniel's gonna take care of you." With the widest and proudest smile on his face, he embraces his brother.
"I know you will, Daniel. I know you will." Sean could admit it. After about five minutes he had regretted sending Daniel out there, all alone. He legit thought the kid would die. Sean had been so fucking worried. After this, however, he had zero doubts. He would always be there for Daniel, and Daniel would always be there for him.
Always…
Notes:
First off: Yes. As a child, I was EXTREMELY scared of dark forests. Really great, considering how I grew up with a dark forest being literally in my backyard, but oh well...
All the happy memories Daniel remembers in the pharmacy, are actually my memories. Yep, four-year-old me raided my brother's porn stash and slammed it on the table in front of everyone (lol).
Also: Whoever made "The Ring" can kindly just... go away. I've seen it once, in the year 2003 (?). That movie is one giant trauma.
Anyway, I feel pleased with this. Chapter 3 will be "Doctor Daniel's Daring Decision" or something...
Chapter 3: The Daring Doings Of Doctor Daniel Diaz
Summary:
Daniel made it back. Now he must begin the treatment of his brother. However, sometimes doctors are forced down a path. And this path contains quite a few things some might call... unethical.
Notes:
The final chapter of this fic. All hail Doctor Daniel!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Daniel's clothes were soaked. He's frozen like a Popsicle, and can barely feel his fingers. And more than anything else, he's tired. So very, very tired. Daniel wants nothing more than just to crawl into his sleeping bag, right next to the fireplace. Sean could tell him a story, and he would fall asleep. But no, there's no time for that. Not yet. His brother still needs him. Daniel has to take care of Sean's nasty wound, before- he doesn't want to think about what comes after. Step one is the part he's been dreading. Clean the wound.
Daniel couldn't handle blood, not even in movies. It always scared him, whenever someone on television screamed in pain because they were bleeding. Now, it's not someone. It's Sean, his own brother. He can do this, he has to.
"Ok, Sean. What- what do I do?" Daniel's not looking forward to this. He seriously considers trading places with his brother, just to get out of it. But he has to.
"The alcohol, Daniel. Take it, and pour it on some gauze. Then use it to… clean the wound… shit." Sean cursed very quietly, but Daniel heard him. His brother's terrified. Daniel does as he's told, and damn… this smells horrible. Why people drink alcohol, Daniel will never understand.
"Ok, Sean. I'm ready." Daniel does his best to put on a brave face. If he succeeded, he doesn't know. Either way, he did better than Sean, a lot better.
"Will it… hurt, Sean?" For just a few seconds, Daniel dropped his mask, allowing the kid in him to come forward.
"Yes, Enano. It will." Sean sounds so nervous. He's never seen him like this before.
"Will it be like… the movies?" Daniel feels almost dumb, asking a question like that. Everyone knows that movies are just made up. He expects Sean to smile and tell him "No, of course not, Enano." However, as Sean simply turns to him and nods, Daniel wished he never asked.
"Ok, Sean. I'm gonna… do it now… ok?" Deep breaths, keep your shit together. Just… stay calm. Daniel moves his hands towards Sean's swollen leg. He can almost… smell it. He feels like throwing up. Ok, let's get this over with. The very second Daniel's hand touches the wound, Sean begins to scream. Loud. Very loud. He screams in pain, scaring Daniel so badly that he falls backward.
"Oh my god, oh my god, Sean?! Are- are you- what's wrong, Sean?!" Daniel asks but can't get his brother to answer. Sean's gasping for air, almost in a state of shock.
"Just- just… just- do it… Daniel!" Sean wants him to continue? Can he even do this? Sean, that is? That… scream. It's the worst thing Daniel's ever heard in his life. Like his brother's being tortured. Daniel gives it another try, only for Sean to scream even more. Also, Daniel gets a kick in the face from Sean's healthy leg. Asshole.
"Oh, shit. I'm- I'm sorry, Daniel. S- sorry…" His brother's barely conscious- wait. That's it! Conscious…
"It's ok, Sean. I'll be right back. I promise." Maybe there's something in the backpack he can use? He did steal a shitload of pill bottles in the panic he caused. Ok, let's see. More than a few types indeed. He needs to find the right one… if it's even in here. First, one he looks at is the antibiotic. Good to know, but not what he needed right now. Next one…
"What are you? Anti… depressants? Oh, now I get it. Maybe I could use you… sometimes." Daniel mumbles to himself, part joke, part serious. Next bottle…
"Viagra? Take two pills in order to- what the hell?! Gross… and weird." NEXT!
"Sleeping pills. Bingo!" This will make everything so much easier… he thinks. Daniel takes a glass, and mashes a couple of pills, putting the powder in the glass. He didn't know how many pills to take, but Daniel's nine… so he took nine sleeping pills. Should be enough. He fills the glass with water and goes to his brother.
"It's gonna be ok, Sean. Doctor Daniel's got a plan. Here, drink this. You'll… feel a lot better." Sean takes the glass, drinking it without question. Now we play the waiting game…
"You've done so great, Daniel. I'm- I'm so proud of you, dude. I know… dad would be too." Why can Sean always make him smile with little to no effort? It feels so great, it's almost annoying.
"Thanks, Sean. I swore I would take care of you. And I'm not breaking that promise. You're my brother, I- I love you, Sean." He's never told him that. At least not while Sean's been conscious. This is the first time he said it out loud.
"Yeah, love you too, Enano. But hey… why- why are there… two of you, Daniel? I- I can like swear… that I only got one brother named Daniel. Don't I?" Oops, too many pills.
"Sean, I kinda have to tell you… something." Why? He's about to pass out.
"Wh- what's that?" Yeah, he seems pretty out of it.
"I kinda put sleeping pills in your water. You're about to pass out. It makes things… easier for Doctor Daniel. Sorry, Sean." And Daniel is sorry. So very, very sorry.
"You little… brat. I'm gonna… I'm gonna… yeah-" Sleep tight, bro. Now, the doctor needs to move fast. Daniel takes the alcohol-soaked gauze, cleaning the gross wound on his brother's leg. It's… really nasty. He wants to look away, but he can't. He wants to hold his breath to not smell it, but he can't do that either. With Sean out cold, everything went smoothly. Gross, bloody, sticky, and… messy, but smooth. When he's finally done cleaning it, the gauze has an almost orange tone to it. Daniel feels sick, and throws it in the fireplace, and HOLY FUCKING SHIT! For about five seconds, things got very… bright… in here. Alcohol… right. Stupid.
Daniel takes some new gauze, wrapping it carefully around Sean's entire lower leg. He expected the result to be a complete mess. Actually, it wasn't that bad. He feels like he did a good job. Now, all Sean needs is to take the antibiotic. But he's out for the count, meaning… he did it? Right? Did he not? Give Sean some pills when he wakes up, and the rest takes care of itself. He did it. Doctor Daniel Diaz (EMT) has now officially saved his brother's life. He went out there, faced his fears, and came out stronger at the other end of the tunnel.
Realizing this, Daniel sits down next to his passed-out brother. He puts his hand on Sean's forehead. He's burning up, although, not as bad as before. Progress.
"I think I… did it, Sean. I think Doctor Daniel… saved you, big brother." Daniel's adrenaline rush has now settled, and his exhaustion makes itself heard. He forgets all about his soaked clothes and how cold he is. Instead, he lies down next to Sean, grabbing onto his brother's arm.
"You're gonna be ok, Sean. You're gonna be ok." This time, he didn't say it to convince himself. Instead, he said it because it was the truth. A mere minute later, Doctor Daniel Diaz sleeps deeply. A calm, well-needed sleep, without any bad dreams or worries.
The next day…
Daniel didn't know how many hours he'd slept. But it was… many. He needed it, badly. As he wakes up he discovers two things. It's really fucking cold in here, but that's nothing new. The second… Sean's not next to him. He shoots out of the bed like a bolt of lightning.
"Sean?! Where- where are you?! Sean?!" He's about to panic as the door to the bathroom opens and Sean steps out.
"Hey, Enano. What's wrong?" Sean's walking on his own, however, he's clearly struggling.
"Nothing. I- I woke up and- I was just… worried, I guess. How- how do you feel?" He looks a lot better. He looks like Sean, instead of something from The Walking Dead.
"A lot better, Daniel. Thanks to you. The leg still… hurts. But I can walk around inside a little. You- you saved my life, man. I- I'll never forget that, Enano." Sean sits down on the bed, then he pulls his little brother in for a hug. If it wasn't official before, it is now. Daniel… saved a life. And not just any life, he saved Sean's life. He's not sure what feeling he's got at this moment. Is this how it feels to be… proud?
"Hey, Daniel? Can I ask you something?" Sean's tone didn't change, so Daniel didn't think much about it.
"Sure, Sean." Actually, Sean didn't expect Daniel to even have an answer.
"Why can't I remember anything from last night? All I remember is you digging around in your backpack, and that's it. Did I pass out or something?" Sean doesn't know. He doesn't suspect anything either. Daniel could… lie. He could tell Sean that he just… passed out. But he doesn't want to lie to his brother. Not after… this. Right?
Fuck it, he's lying anyway.
"Yeah, Sean. You- you kinda passed out. Too much pain, I think. Yep, pretty sure that's it. Too much pain, bro." Bulletproof lie as always.
"Ok, Daniel. So… you wanna tell me why you're lying to me?" Well… shit. He just looks at Sean, his eyes pleading.
"It's ok, Daniel. I promise you, I won't get mad." Daniel looks down at the floor, deeply ashamed. He did kinda Roofie his brother…
"You… promise…?" He can't look Sean in the eyes, instead, he keeps staring at the floor. Sean, however, puts a finger under Daniel's chin, making him look up, right into Sean's eyes.
"I promise, Daniel." Ok, this is it. Daniel takes a deep breath and sighs.
"I had to clean your wound, Sean. But… you were in too much pain. I- I couldn't do it. You- you get that right?" So far, so good…
"Yeah…?" Sean's obviously waiting for him to elaborate.
"I knew that the only way I could do it, was if you were… unconscious." Sean's silent, giving him the time he needs to explain. Daniel reaches into his pockets, taking out the bottle.
"So… I mixed a few of these in a glass of water and gave it to you. I'm- I'm so sorry, Sean." He shows Sean the bottle of sleeping pills. Sean's not quite sure how to react. Part of him is horrified. Where and how, does a nine-year-old boy even get an idea like that? At the same time, he's furious. His little brother… drugged him. Drugged him! However, the latter two parts are the ones that prevail.
The parts that are proud of Daniel, for doing everything in his power to save his big brother, even if it was a bit… unethical. Not to mention the last part. The part that finds the whole thing… absolutely… fucking… hilarious! Seriously. How many people in their late teens can say that their nine-year-old kid brother Roofied them? Well, Sean kinda can. Weird… but funny, somehow.
"You little fucker… I'm proud of you, though. You did awesome… Doctor Daniel." He really did. The kid deserves all the praise in the world. Sean would give him a medal if he could.
"Really? You mean it, Sean?" Daniel smiles proudly. Finally, he feels like he can relax a bit. Let his guard down. Be Daniel, instead of Doctor Daniel. He takes a few deep breaths.
"Are you alright, Daniel?" Sean's worried voice asked him.
"Huh? Wh- what?" Why wouldn't he be?
"You kinda… zoned out, man. You sure you're good?" Daniel's a bit annoyed, so he stands up.
"Yeah, Sean. I'm fine, I'm fine. I just-" Daniel's vision got very blurry, and the last thing he remembered before everything went dark, was a sharp pain in his skull followed by Sean screaming his name.
Several hours later, Daniel woke up. He is so damn stupid sometimes. Walking for two days in the middle of the winter, barely eating or drinking anything, and falling in the ice-cold river, only to keep those clothes on him when he got inside. He truly asked for this, the idiot that he is. Yesterday, Doctor Daniel took care of patient Sean. Today, nurse Sean has to take care of a very sick patient Daniel. And boy is he sick…
He's not in any danger, Sean assured him of that many times already. But he feels like he's about to die. He's got a fever, he's coughing, his head hurts because he hit himself as he passed out, so life's just great now. Just when things could not get any worse, the fever causes him to hallucinate randomly. At one point, he legitimately jumped out of the bed to avoid being hit by a freight train. But every time he needed aid…
Sean was there…
Every single time…
He was there to comfort him every time Daniel felt like he's about to cough up a lung. Sean made sure his younger brother didn't freeze or the opposite. He made sure Daniel got something to eat and drink, even if he had to feed him. Which he did. Somehow, it made ravioli taste more like… food. As Daniel lay there, he worried that Sean would hurt himself, looking after him so much. He didn't want his brother to risk it. But at the same time, it felt good to be cared for. Good to be… loved.
"Here, Enano. Drink this. You'll feel better, trust me." Daniel gets a flashback to when he drugged Sean. And to all those pill bottles. He hopes that Sean's been taking his antibiotics. Daniel feels like he must ask, just to be… safe.
"S- S- Sean…?" Daniel's voice is so weak, Sean can barely hear him. However, he did hear his little brother's concern.
"Yes, Daniel? I'm here." Sean moves closer to him so he can hear.
"Don't- don't forget to- to take your Viagra." Unfortunately, his fever-brain mixes up the names, creating… interesting results in the process…
"Uhm… Daniel? Why- why would I need… that?" Ok, his brother's got a ridiculously high fever. Sean gets that. But who the hell told him that Viagra was a… thing?
"But- but… you need it, Sean. You need it if you're gonna get it working again, big brother…" Ok, Daniel's delirious. But what the actual FUCK… is this kid talking about?!
"Uh… get what working, Daniel?" Sean's uncertain if this is a question he wants to hear the answer to.
It turns out…
… that it was.
"Leg, Sean. Your- your leg. You need to get it working again, so we can… play outside." Five seconds ago, Sean was really god-damn worried. Now, all he can do is look at his little brother. His very sick little brother, and smile. Sean clearly has underestimated this kid. Even now, when he's hallucinating more than Sean did that one time he tried LSD (never again!)… even then, he wants to take care of his big brother. He's so fucking proud of this kid.
Then, Sean remembers all of Daniel's hallucinating madness from the last two minutes… and he laughs. For the first time, since their father died, Sean truly laughs. Loud. Is it mean? Maybe, but he just can't help it.
"Stop it, Sean. Are you laughing at me?" Daniel sounded slightly more conscious than he did before. Sean lies down next to Daniel, the latter one immediately calms down.
"No, buddy. Absolutely not. We're gonna be fine now. You're gonna be fine. And I'm gonna be fine. Wanna know why? Because we're the wolfbrothers, and we always take care of each other. You took care of me, and now, I'm taking care of you. Everything's gonna be alright, Enano. There's nothing we can't do, as long as we're together. Now, rest, buddy. Rest."
The little cub fell into a deep sleep. Several days went by, with Sean's leg getting better every day. Daniel's condition had pretty much returned to normal as well. However…
He didn't let Sean know that…
He liked it, when his brother cared for him, letting him eat food while in bed, however, he did eat by himself now. All of those little things, those that made Sean extra caring. It made Daniel feel super-special and even more loved. So, he just… didn't tell Sean that he's healthy now.
Either that or one could say that he just lied.
He did, however, feel guilty about it. Very guilty. He will never be able to forget how worried he was that Sean would die. What if Sean thinks the same about him? He's made up his mind. It's time to end this little charade. He enjoyed it while it lasted, but it's time to… do the right thing. Tell Sean.
"Hey, Sean? Can you… come in here, please?" Daniel calls for his older brother as soon as the door opened. Seconds later, Sean sits next to him by the bed.
"What's up, Enano? You look a lot better today, how do you feel?" Sean's smile had always been a source of comfort. Today… it just makes him feel guilty.
"I- I kinda have to… tell you… something…" Daniel's nervous. Sean's going to be so mad. So… disappointed.
"Yeah? What is it?" Sean's facial expression did not change. Not one bit.
"I- uhm… I don't- maybe- I- I-" Daniel stutters his way forward, and ends up saying nothing. As he gives up, Sean takes his hands and looks him in the eyes.
"Daniel… I know." No, you don't… right?
"Uhm, know what, Sean?" Now, Sean's smile grows even wider. He almost looks… proud.
"I know that you're not really sick anymore. You haven't been sick in almost a week now." What the-
"What?! How- how do you?" Daniel doesn't understand. It doesn't make any sense.
"Daniel. You're my brother. I've watched you grow up over the last nine years. I know when you're happy, I know when you're sad. I know when you're being honest with me, and when you're bullshitting me, I know a lot of things, Enano. But I didn't call you out on this. Wanna know why?" Wow. Is he really that easy to read?
"Why…?" He asks silently.
"Because unlike in Seattle, I don't hate to take care of you now. It didn't bother me one bit. Besides, you risked your life for me, Daniel. You deserve to be spoiled for a while. Which reminds me…" Sean goes to the table and picks something up.
"You saved my life, Enano. I would give you a medal if I could. Given our current… circumstances, I don't think I can do that. So instead, I got you this." Sean hands him a piece of paper. On it, is a brand-new drawing. A drawing of Daniel, walking through that dark, creepy forest. However, instead of looking terrified, insecure, small, powerless, and lost, this Daniel looks… different. The Daniel in the drawing just radiates self-confidence and a no-fear attitude. He looks like someone on a mission. And nothing will stand in his way.
As he looks closer, he sees how the Daniel in the drawing smiles proudly. Above him is a small bubble with the sentence "I am Doctor Daniel Diaz, and I have no fears." At the top of the page, there's a written headline "Doctor Daniel saved the day (he saved my ass. And leg)."
Daniel's at a loss of words. He embraces his brother, for a long time, until he feels like he's able to say… something.
"I- I love it. It's so awesome, Sean. Thank you." Daniel's crying tears of joy. It's a weird feeling, after spending two months crying in pain.
"No, Enano. Thank you. Thank you, for saving me." The brothers embraced once again. Daniel now felt something… something good. Daniel Diaz or Doctor Daniel, it doesn't matter. They're both one and the same. He walked through the dark forest as Doctor Daniel because Daniel Diaz would never be able to do it on his own. But they're both the same, they're both him… Daniel. And Daniel went out there, stared his worst fear right in its eyes. Then he ran like hell because he was afraid. But he made it, he found his way back. Daniel conquered his fears. He survived because there's nothing out there. No monsters, no nothing.
Suddenly, he's hit with a sudden urge to do something. He breaks out from their hug, walking outside.
"What- where are you going, Daniel?" Sean's a bit confused.
"There's just something I gotta do, Sean…" Daniel walks outside. It's already pitch black. The door's closed and Sean's inside. He still doesn't love the darkness. But it doesn't scare him nearly as much as last time. He walks down to the river, where there's absolutely no light whatsoever. He takes the deepest breath he's ever taken in his entire life, and then he calls out…
"I am Daniel Diaz, and I am not afraid! Do you hear me, huh?! I am Doctor Daniel Felipe Fucking Diaz, and I am NOT afraid of you ANYMORE! No fear! OOOOWWWOOOOOOOOOOO... OWOO OOWWOOOOOOOO!"
Notes:
I've really enjoyed writing this fic. It began as a simple idea where Sean's sick and Daniel takes care of him. Then, it became a lot about Daniel "facing his fears" and all that. But I like how it turned out. It's a lot different from what I usually write. It's not as... dark (no pun intended) and depressive. But I like to try stuff out, I guess. I like comments, so if you enjoy, please leave a comment below.
Enjoy!