wanted (phan) || book #3

twenty

fanart by @nena_bena

D A N ' S P O V

"He said he'd call."

I was chewing at my nails, pacing back and forth anxiously near a small lake. The four of us managed to outrun the police and found our way to each other. Now we were just waiting for Phil.

"Maybe he's still running?" Alex tried to offer up, but it wasn't helping my anxiety.

"No, something's wrong. He would've called by now, it's been over twenty minutes. We have to find him."

"Dan, as much as I wanna find him too, cops could still be out there," Layla explained. "Phil wouldn't want us getting caught, you know that."

"But I wouldn't want him dying."

"Dan-" Oliver began.

"Imagine if it was your sister," I snarled to Oli. He shut his mouth and I ignored the guilt building up in my chest.

"Fine. We'll go. But as soon as we find him, we're seeking refuge. We've come this far, I'm not gonna let us all die tonight," Oliver responded.

"Wait, we need someone to grab the cops' attention and run them away."

"I'll do it," Alex murmured. "You guys are better off without me, anyway. I'm not as strong or smart, I get that. And if I don't make it, thank you for being the best family I've ever had. . . Dan, I hope you find Phil and you two find the happy ending you deserve. I know you guys have done bad things and blame yourself for others, but they were all for valid reasons. Your feelings are valid."

"Alex we can just go toge-" Oliver tried to protest.

Alex shook their head. "If there's even the slightest chance that I go down knowing that I helped people. . . that I saved my family- well I'll take it. I'll rub some dirt on my face to cover up my identity and chase them away while you guys go."

I reached out and found my arms around them. They hesitated, obviously not used to affection, but melted into my touch.

"I'm so sorry I dragged you into this," I whispered against their shoulder. I felt Alex shrug.

"I dragged myself into it, Daniel."

Layla hugged them next, and Oliver stepped forward. I expected to see a hug, but he kissed their forehead, flashing them a sad smile.

"Thanks for making me feel safe when I knew we weren't," Alex told him. Oliver held back tears, not wanting to seem weak in front of us.

"You better not die, Alex."

They flashed us a lopsided smile, and then they were smearing mud all over their face, pulling up their hood over their head and gesturing for us to follow. We went together and Alex gasped, pointing their hand out and gesturing towards three cops gathered near the start of the woods. We hid behind the bush, thankful they had their backs to us.

Alex then moved forward and climbed on top of one of the parked cop cars, clenching their fists then letting out the strongest yell I had ever heard. I covered my ears and watched intently behind the vehicle as the three men turned.

"You three up for a game of tag or not?" They chuckled, hopping down and swinging open the car door and jumping in, stepping on the exhaust without even shutting the door. The men instantly began hurrying to the other two cars, following suit after Alex and leaving the three of us left.

"Go!" I shouted, and we started sprinting to the other side of the road. After going deep enough into the woods we stopped in an open area, panting and sweating, searching for any signs that Phil had passed through.

"Do you guys have any weapons?" Layla questioned. Oliver's lips formed in a tight line.

"I've got a pocket knife but that's not enough."

I furrowed my eyebrows, feeling defeated, then an idea popped into my head. I headed over to a few fallen branches, picking them up and tossing one each to my friends, keeping one for myself. Oliver blinked and I chuckled, taking the knife from him and beginning to sharpen the top of my branch.

"Spears? Clever, my friend," Oli flashed me a lopsided grin. I rolled my eyes and finished carving, giving the two the completed products. "Alright stick together, but face different ways. I face the front, Layla faced sideways and Dan faces the back."

"Why do I have to face the back?" I groaned.

"I mean with Phil you usually-"

"Oli!" I blushed, hiding my dimples behind my sweater sleeve. Layla burst out laughing. "I hate you guys."

Oli rolled his eyes playfully and giggled a bit before we regained ourselves, heading on our way. I whipped my head around frantically, keeping my weapon tight in my grip. Suddenly I backed up into Layla and furrowed my eyebrows, wondering why we stopped.

"I think I know why he didn't call," said Oli from his crouched position. I wobbled over and noticed what he was holding. Phil Lester's phone. He stood back up and looked at the steep drop in front of us. "It must have fallen from his pocket when he tripped."

Layla stepped forward to get a better view at what lied ahead of us, squinting. "And I think I know where he is now."

I got next to her and noticed the big, needs-a-new-paint-job shack at the end of the stream next to us.

I began to move forward when Layla stopped me by raising her hand up in front of my body.

"What?"

"Keep your eye out for traps, and stay behind us." Layla instructed. My mind instantly went back to when Phil and I first got ourselves reinvolved in this.

"It could be a trap."

I scoffed. "It's a damn necklace on the ground, I don't think anything's-" I cut myself off when I touched the jewelry, hearing a click. Without warning I felt a rope tie around my feet and was lifted up, hanging upside-down from the tree.

Phil burst out laughing. "Told ya."

I smiled sadly to myself at the memory and we kept moving, and every step I took the more anxious I felt. My skin demanded the feeling of his against mine. I craved the sight of his smile in front of me, his arms around me as he whispered sweet nothings into my ear, his laughter ringing through my ears while my mind made a mental recording of that sweet melody.

I have to find him, one way or another. And I will.