Lost Souls ~ Phan

Chapter Twenty-Four

A/N Cute fanart to set the mood lol.

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Dan hadn't slept all night. Max was puking his guts up every hour and the poor kid felt like garbage. Once Max finally settled down and fell asleep, Dan was fighting sleep himself, Max curled up on his bed with him. All night Max was crying and shivering and complaining because he wanted his lion. Dan had forgotten to pick up the toy when he went to confront the man because he was so busy being angry.

Max was curled up near the middle of the black bed sheets and Dan was propped up on his side beside him. Dan just watched the five year old sleep and he sighed, feeling badly for the boy. He probably had nothing left inside of him since he spent all night throwing it up.

It was approaching 7 in the morning and Dan didn't want to fall asleep incase Max needed him so he got up and went to make himself some coffee. He was worried about Phil and Louise and the baby and stressing about Max and the creepy man. Dan was worried and stressed so much so that it felt like he was being eaten from the inside.

Cereal in one hand and coffee in the other, Dan sat himself in the living room and turned on the tv. He ate quietly until he heard little footsteps come into the room. Max stood beside the arm of the couch with his blanket hugged to his chest.

"Hey, Maxy. Feeling better yet?" Dan asked. Max nodded and climbed up on the couch beside him.

"Can we see Daddy today?" Max whispered.

"Maybe. If you seem to be better." Dan said.

"Hello!" Phil's mum called from the foyer.

"Hi!" Dan replied. She showed up in the door with Lion in her hand.

"How are you feeling, Maxy?" she walked over and handed the stuffed animal to him.

"Good." Max smiled. "Thank you." he hugged the toy to his chest.

"Can I talk to you in private a second, Dan?" she asked. Dan nodded and got up, following her to the hallway.

"Is Phil okay?" Dan asked.

"He's fine. He's better than fine. I came here so I could keep an eye on Max while you go down there to see him first. He was moved out of the ICU and he got his memory back." she smiled. Dan's eyes went wide and he gasped.

"When?!"

"In the middle of the night. I think a dream triggered it."

"He remembers me?!"

"And Max!"

"Oh my God." Dan smiled and covered his face with his hands.

"Go on. I got Max." she said. Dan hugged her quickly before running for the door, shoving his shoes on in the process.

Frantically and clumsily running for the tube, Dan almost dropped his Oyster card three times trying to scan it and tapped his foot impatiently waiting for the next subway train. The two minutes dragged on until the train showed up in the station. Not soon enough, Dan was standing outside the hospital, his heart in his throat. He had run the whole way from the train but the sight of the hospital made him freeze up suddenly. It was a chilly morning and Dan's hands and nose were cold but he stood there for many minutes, trying to tell his feet to take the first step up to the doors.

It wasn't like he had never met the guy before; they were married for God's sake. Dan looked down at the gold band around his finger and took a deep breath, making his way up the front steps of the hospital. The lady behind the counter gave him a smile as he approached.