"Dan, can I talk to you for a second?" PJ said. He was back to bringing Dan and Phil food from the cafeteria, since they barely left the room anymore, but today was probably the first time in weeks he had said anything either of them.

  "Sure, what about?" Dan asked.

  "Um...can we go somewhere more private?" PJ said, looking pointedly at Phil, who wasn't really paying attention and staring at the wall blankly. Dan looked at him too and sighed softly. He'd been doing that for a while. Dan nodded at PJ, and followed him outside of the room, looking at Phil once again before the door closed.

  "What's up?"

  "Dan. I'm really worried about you guys." PJ said, and he really did look worried. He looked as if he got as much sleep as Dan, which really wasn't much. Dan looked down at the floor, not wanting to face all the things he'd put his best friend through. He felt really guilty just thinking about it. "You guys don't ever come out of that room, you don't talk to me or Chris anymore. Phil's always crying, and don't deny it, I can tell. I just want to help you guys."

  "It doesn't have anything to do with you, Peej. I'm not being harsh, but I barely know what's wrong myself, I don't think you can do anything about it either."

  "But you won't even give me a chance. I just want you guys to be happy."

  "Is this all you came to tell me?" Dan said, fidgeting slightly. He really didn't feel like having this conversation right now, especially not with PJ.

  "No." He sighed. "The Highers wanted me to tell you-"

  "Why do they only send you to tell me stuff? Are you like their personal messenger or something?" Dan interrupted.

  "I'm pretty much the only person you even look at these days, Dan."

  Dan didn't say anything to that, because it was true. He ignored everyone except for him and Phil, and Phil wasn't too easy to talk to these days anyway.

  "What do they want now?" Dan asked, somewhat warily.

  "They wanted me to tell you that Phil needs to take one a job, or-"

  "No." Dan interrupts once again, glaring at his friend. "There is no way in hell I'm letting him on a job. He's been through enough as it is, he wouldn't be able to handle it."

  "I don't think it's too brilliant of an idea either, Dan." PJ said sadly. "But this is how things are done. He became a Reaper, and now he has to do a job. Otherwise, he has to leave, and I'm pretty sure this time, they won't let you leave with him."

  Dan twisted his already wrinkled shirt between his fingers. He had already known that this would happen. Eventually, the Highers would get sick of them just wasting their time when there was work to be done, and they would be called out, but he was hoping they would at least wait until Phil became...normal again. But there were rules to this society, and he had agreed to come back here, so living by those rules was mandatory. And there wasn't much he could do, but either go along with it, or Phil would have to leave. Because he knew Peej was right, they wouldn't let him leave again. Not after what happened last  time.

  "I just don't want anything to happen to him." Dan said softly. 

  "Neither do I, Dan, believe me. But if you want him to stay, he has to do this."

  "You think there might be some way I can go with him?" Dan asked suddenly. "I mean, like, do the job with him. That way, we could both get out, and I could still watch over him and stuff."

  PJ looked at him, a bit surprised, but smiled and shook his head. "I don't know, you'd have to ask the Highers." He said.

  Dan thought about it for a minute, not very confident in the matter, but it's not as if he had much of a choice. He was sure the Highers would allow it, especially with the way Phil was currently, it was just the idea of actually doing it. He was so damn worried about Phil, and if he could even handle going out there, even with Dan at his side. Dan would try his hardest, but there was really know way to tell what could happen.

  "Alright." He said hesitantly. "But I'm coming with him, no matter what they say."

  PJ laughed softly. "Of course."

  It was quiet between them for a moment, and then suddenly, Dan was being wrapped in PJs arms, and they were hugging. Dan breathed out heavily and hugged him back. They never really were the touchy feely kind of friends, but right now, it was exactly what Dan needed, a friend to just hug.

  "I really miss you guys." PJ murmured, and Dan nodded against his shoulder.

  "I miss you, too, Peej." He replied, and didn't even try and fight back the tears that were spilling over his cheeks and into PJs shirt. God, it had been so long since he had talked to him. They were friends, best friends, they went to each other for everything. And Dan had pushed him away when he needed him most of all. It felt good being like this, like they were before all the stress and the drama.

  PJ eventually pulled away and laughed when he saw Dan's tear soaked face. "That was a really gay moment right there." He said, and Dan couldn't help but laugh too.

  "Yeah, well, we're the experts on gay, it seems."

  "I'll see you later, okay?" PJ said, and Dan nodded, smiling slightly. PJ patted him on the shoulder, before turning and leaving down the hallway. 

  Dan sighed, trying unsuccessfully to wipe the redness from his eyes before heading back into the room. 

  Phil was still sitting on the bed, but he was up against the wall now, with his legs propped up slightly and a pillow wrapped in his arms. At least he wasn't staring at the wall anymore, Dan thought. 

  "I heard you guys." Phil said quietly, not looking up from where his hands were playing with the blanket underneath him.

  "Yeah?" Dan asked, sitting down beside him. Phil nodded and glanced quickly at him. 

  "You don't think it would have been a good idea to let me know, before you went and made the decision yourself?" Phil asked, and Dan was actually surprised to hear the emotion in his voice, even if it was a bit hostile. But that quickly turned to guilt, because he should have asked Phil beforehand, instead of taking control himself. It was extremely selfish.

  I...I wasn't thinking, I guess." Dan muttered.

  "I do want to do it."

  Dan stared at him in shock. He'd honestly thought Phil wouldn't be up to gong along with it. He was sure there was going to be all kinds of begging and arguing on his half, and Phil just continuously shaking his head no. 

  "You're going with me right?" Phil continued, looking up at him hopefully. "I won't be alone?"

  "Of course not." Dan said quickly. "I'd be constantly worried if you went by yourself. And I wouldn't want anything to happen to you, and I'm not there to help."

  Phil smiled him, a real genuine smile, and Dan nearly started dancing. He seemed so much different than he had just ten minutes again. And Dan couldn't stop himself from leaning over and kissing the smiling boy.

  And this was the first kiss they'd had in a while that was filled with the sparks that Dan had missed so much.

  "I love you."

  "I love you, too. So much."

*****************************************************************************

a/n: I bet you guys fucking flipped when you saw this was updated.

I know I said, I was gonna discontinue it, but at like 4am, I had the greatest fucking idea, and so now.....this story is back on track!

So yeah, now Dan and Phil are gonna do a job together, and guess where it'a gonna be? Just guess? I'm not gonna tell you if you don't know.

But yeah, hope you guys liked this chapter, I may be a little bit rusty with this story, but whatever, I like writing. Peace. :3