“You’re still angry,” he said as he drove us away from the hospital.

“I am, you’re right,” I was staring out of the window, not looking at anything in particular.

“Why, because I skipped breakfast...”

“No, or at least not just because of that, you shouldn’t get sick because of me. You shouldn’t even have been driving.”

“I just had a burger,” he complained.

“Only because I made you...”

“Hey, I’m fine now,” he protested.
“And it wasn’t like I just didn’t bother to eat. I really wasn’t feeling very well.”

I turned to look at him properly. He still didn’t have a lot of colour in his cheeks.

“Maybe you’ve picked up a bug?”

“Perhaps; I’ve had a few dizzy episodes over this past week, even after I’ve eaten something. It’s a real pain.”

“So why haven’t you been to see the doctor about it?”

“You’re worse than Mom, Phoebe. I’m not running off to the doctor just because I’m feeling a bit weird. That’s just stupid.”

“It didn’t seem like a stupid reason today,” I said. “You were grey and you were soaked in sweat; seriously Dan, go see a doctor.”

“Okay Mom, whatever you say,” he was grinning at me, almost back to his usual self.

I glared at him not believing a word.

“I will,” he promised. “Cross my heart...”

At least he wasn’t driving at his usual mad speed. It was really nice easing along, enjoying the clear morning sunshine.

“How about we go for a nice long drive,” he suddenly asked.

“That sounds cool, I guess.”  I couldn’t deny my heart rate had speeded up by about a hundred. “Where do you plan to go?”

“No idea. There’s no college to rush back for, so wherever the road takes us, I guess.”

“And since when did you start getting poetic,” I joked.

“It’s being around you, it must be contagious.”

“I’ve a whole mental dictionary of swear words inside my head that I could unleash, so I’d be careful. ”

“Gorgeous, eighteen and a bad-bad girl — no one would ever guess, Phoebe...”

We laughed so much that day my sides ached. The hours passed like a breeze. I had never felt so happy in my life.

Hours later he eventually pulled into the parking lot of a large park just a few miles from our town. It was drawing toward evening but warm enough.

“Dan, come sit here. You get the perfect view of the sun going down.” There were a few clouds low in the sky, enough for the glowing sunset to turn their edges to crimson. “It’s a perfect, beautiful evening,” I murmured.

“I come here a lot,” he admitted as he slid onto the bench beside me and slipped an arm gently across my shoulder. “It’s even better in the dark and there’s a full moon.”

We sat in comfortable silence as the shadows lengthened. I could tell he was relaxed, at peace, enjoying the moment. Why then did I feel so uneasy? It was like the creeping darkness was pressing down on me, trying to swallow me up.

Maybe I’d tensed, perhaps he just sensed something was wrong.
“What’s up?” he asked. “Are you getting cold?”

“No ... I umm... sometimes I just get these really black thoughts that’s all.”

“Don’t block me out, Phoebe. Just tell me...”

“It’s watching the sunset... It’s like watching death approaching.  Some nights I’m afraid to go to sleep, afraid I’ll never wake up. What if my heart stops and everything goes pitch black? I’ll be gone, erased, deleted as if I’d never existed. Some nights I wish it would just damned well happen!”

The last of the light kissed the top of the tall pines. The same light was reflected in his deep brown eyes, so dark and mysterious. It was easy to see his pain, his fear for me. I wished I’d never started this conversation.

“See, I think about it differently,” he finally said. “It reminds me of how life goes on. It’s the same sun that shone all those millions of years ago before there were humans and it’s the same sun that will shine tomorrow and until the end of our planet.  It will never stop.  People come and go, Phoebe. Some will do nothing with their lives. Others leave their mark, but that sun is there for all of us, setting and rising.”

“You really think about this stuff don’t you?” I said surprised at his intensity.

“Oh, believe me, I’ve had my own demons to battle. Not so long ago death was a real option...”
He sounded so grim. I couldn’t speak... didn’t know what to say.

“I’m sorry,” I finally whispered. “I had no idea things were so bad.”

“It’s just I’m afraid for you, Phoebe.  I don’t know what it’s like to face physical pain every day, but I know the hell of being down there, thinking the only way out is to die.  I love you... You’re my best friend – right now the only friend who really understands me...I do not want you to give up the fight — to lose you.”

He picked up my hand and I could feel his was trembling. This wasn’t easy for either of us.  Hell, I’d been so selfish.

“I’m sorry,” I said again and moved close into his side. I breathed him in, the scent of his clothes, the smell of his skin.

“I’ve never had anyone to fight for before,” I whispered.  “I’ll be here for you as long as I can, I promise,”

“You better had or I’ll have to write some seriously bad poetry,” he threatened.

I let myself sink into his chest, listening to his heart beating under his shirt and for that moment everything was right.

Edited by lindajonesAuthor

A/N Do you think they needed this private moment? Do you think Daniel is right?  Or is Phoebe right? What does the setting sun mean for you?

Your feedback means the world to me.

Thanks for supporting me.