-       By Caz� How�s this for disclaimer? Don�t own. Didn�t get permission. My stuff. No steal.

If you couldn�t make sense of that: No, as much as I wish, I don�t own Darren or Daniel� or Savage Garden for that matter. This is entirely fiction, and shouldn�t be taken seriously. But it is MY fiction� as in, plagiarism is a bad, naughty thing to do. Mmmkay? Also, this is going to be a long one� if anyone has an idea for a title, please suggest it. *Nod*

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��������������� I yawned, staring out into the seemingly endless expanse of road that stretched before me, and into the horizon. My hands tapped idly on the steering wheel as the scenery flew by, and as I leaned back into my seat, I could hear evened breathing coming from the passengers� side. Tossing a lazy glance over to my right, I checked on Darren.

��������������� He was sleeping, with his head resting against the window and his arms wrapped around his torso. It was sweet� I smiled a bit. He looked so cute! It was no wonder I liked the man. My attention turned back to the road, though I wasn�t really watching it. There was no need to. Who else would be driving at this time of night, other than two late-night clubbers on their way back from a hard night of partying? I yawned again, surprised to find myself so tired. I�d stayed out this late before� and I hadn�t had a terribly exhausting day, either.

��������������� Darren yawned and turned over, facing me and still leaning against the window, murmuring a light, �Mm.� I smiled again, shaking my head. Poor guy just wasn�t used to staying out as late as I was, but then again, not many people were. You�re babbling to yourself again� should�ve gotten home earlier� should get more sleep at night� Indeed, I found myself rambling. Rambling until my eyelids felt heavy� until my vision slightly blurred� I jolted myself awake. Can�t be falling asleep at the wheel� But I found myself doing just that. I was ready to collapse with fatigue, it seemed. I�d only had one drink� shouldn�t have been enough for these kind of effects. My eyes tried to force themselves closed once again, and I could feel my mind slipping from consciousness. I�m tired� bloody tired� And my grip slipped from the steering wheel as I fell into slumber.

��������������� �DANIEL!�

I awoke to a frightened shriek, and the unpleasant sensation of being jostled around. Roughly. I turned to see Darren, pushing himself against the locked car door and back into his seat. Why the hell was he so�I saw the view from outside the windshield, and opened my mouth to scream.

The Jeep was tumbling down a steep embankment, thrashing wildly whenever it smashed into a rock, tree, or bush. I screamed. I screamed again and again. The automobile hit a large rock, and flew into the air, landed. The seat belt gouged into my thighs and chest, my head banged roughly against the seat. Darren screamed, but was abruptly cut off. I looked to him, and my breath caught in my throat. He was slumped against the door, blood running down his forehead and smearing the window with a deep crimson. What the hell had happened?! I remembered� he�d been sleeping� he�d undone his seatbelt� good Christ� his seatbelt!

��������������� �Darren,� I shouted, reaching over to grab his arm and shake him. �Darren!� He didn�t respond, just groaned a bit. By that time, the ride was definitely getting rough.� I was struggling to wake Darren, to do up his seatbelt� to try and get the Jeep under control.� But none of it was working. I looked to see where, exactly, we we�d gone off the road. My eyes widened. Good God! I�d pierced the Jeep right through a guardrail! We were about halfway down the wall of the ravine, and I gulped a bit. How long had this been going on? It seemed like an hour� �DARREN!�

��������������� He still wasn�t moving. God, why wasn�t he moving!? The Jeep was rocked sharply to the left, and I let out yet another scream as the vehicle was thrown onto its side, still continuing its descent down the slope. Flailing wildly, I braced my hands against the seat and steering wheel as the world tilted at a crazy angle. I could hear the loud crash of metal on earth as we smashed downwards. Glass�windshield or window?�was shattered, and I felt some of the shards slice into my arms, legs, and cheeks. I felt a warm sensation begin to run down the side of my face� blood? Sweat? I opened my eyes.

��������������� The bottom of the ravine seemed so much closer now, and I figured that we�d hit the bottom in no time. The Jeep had righted itself, miraculously, and was now half-rolling, half-spinning down the incline, which seemed to level out about ninety yards down. Inanely, I wondered why the air bags hadn�t kicked in.

�My heart was pounding, and my arm throbbed. I stole a glance down to it and saw that the sweater�s grey sleeve was thoroughly soaked with a dark red, and a large piece of glass was protruding from just above the elbow. I knew I shouldn�t, but I pulled it out. It hurt. No, that was an understatement. JESUS, it hurt! A fresh gush of crimson fluid poured from the gash, which must have been deep.

��������������� The Jeep rocked again, and unfortunately lost its �footing�� once again beginning to tumble and thrash me about inside. I tried to look at Darren, couldn�t get a good view. Damnit!

��������������� The seatbelt now felt as if it were suffocating me, slicing into my neck whenever the Jeep turned, and I was actually wanting it to break, though I knew, in some, detached corner of my mind, that that would probably kill me� like it had� no, what the hell was I thinking?! Darren wasn�t dead. Just unconscious. Unconscious� because I�d fallen asleep at the damn wheel� I shook my head. Now wasn�t the time for self-lamenting� that would get me nowhere. But I didn�t have much time to do much else.

��������������� After a few more split seconds of careening, I heart a thunderous crash, the scream of twisting metal, and my head bashed violently against the steering column. I didn�t even have time to scream.

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��������������� I guess I�d lost consciousness, since I woke to the dripping of rainwater against my face. It was raining now? No�. that wasn�t water� I opened my eyes rather groggily, and felt a sour taste in my mouth. Motor oil. Once my vision focused, I saw that I was lying against the seat, still strapped in, and that the Jeep had overturned. The front was badly crushed, and the oil was dripping downwards, into my eyes and mouth.

��������������� I didn�t bother trying to move, just lay there. Everything hurt� my head hurt� my thoughts and vision were fuzzy. I wondered if those were symptoms of a concussion. I tried to sit up, and ended up falling backwards as my stomach churned, causing me to vomit. All over myself.

��������������� Darren� where�s Darren? The thought kept penetrating through my dreamy haze. Darren would be okay, wouldn�t he? I forced myself to sit, vomited again, and undid my seatbelt. Not bothering to wipe the bile and motor oil from my face, I crawled, pained, through the wreckage to the passengers� side, and was stunned when I got there. The seat was empty. Darren wasn�t there.

��������������� �Darren?� I choked out, hoarsely. My throat hurt from the screaming. I didn�t hear a reply� nothing� not even birds or the wind blowing. I had to find him� what if he was thrown from the Jeep? Oh, God� don�t even think that� he�s gotta be okay! The windshield was smashed, and there were just about a million other places he could�ve exited, and the door was still locked.

��������������� I forced myself to call out louder, rubbing my throat raw. �DARREN!� I listened for a few, long, tense moments. Hoping, praying that he�d answer� Finally, I was rewarded. I heard a low groan come from outside the vehicle.

��������������� Scrambling in my frenzy to locate Darren, I hastily pawed through the twisted metal, and finally was able to crawl out through one of the shattered side-windows and onto the rough, glass-lined ground. Crawling around some more brought me to the front of the vehicle. I heard another moan, and moved on. I finally found the source of the noises. I gulped in air.

��������������� He was lying on his side, half back, turned away from me. He wasn�t moving� Christ, it didn�t even look like he was breathing� and as I moved closer, I saw that he was in worse condition than I was. His right arm was twisted at an odd angle, and his entire body was covered with small cuts and forming bruises. As my gaze moved upwards, I let out a sharp cry as I saw his head.

��������������� It was like something out of a Hollywood special effects master�s work� the back of his skull appeared to be crushed, flecks of white bone showing through his blood-soaked hair. I crawled closer, still, and recoiled backwards in horror as I could see the pulpy matter of his brain mixed in with the gore. �Darren!� I cried, moving around to face him. He was alive, and his eyes flickered open just briefly, focusing on me.

��������������� �Danny�?� His voice was quiet, childlike. I could tell he was in intense pain. His gaze was clouded, and I thought it looked as if his pupils were dilated. God, it didn�t look like he had long�

��������������� �Oh, Darren� Darren, what happened to you?� I felt tears well up in my eyes, and I sat down beside him, lightly stroking his hand. He also teared up, wincing with the pain as he attempted to pull himself into a sitting position. I gently pushed him back down, resting his head in my lap. He looked so pale� so fragile� I choked.

��������������� �Dan� I�m hurt� I can�t move anything.� Again, he sounded as if it hurt to speak. As if he were on the verge of tears. I let the tears run down my cheeks; they mixed with the oil, blood, vomit� there was no use trying to stop them. �I�m sorry, Darren� God, I�m so sorry�� I was crying madly now, gripping his hand tightly in my own. This wasn�t happening� how could I have done this?! The flood of guilt began to pummel me.

��������������� �Don�t cry, Dan� I�m gonna be alright.� Was he trying to convince me or himself? �The ambulance will be here soon, right?� He was trying to be strong� trying to be strong because he could tell I was on the verge of breaking down. God damnit, Darren� why do you have to do this? I should be the one convincing you. Strong for me.

��������������� For a long time, neither of us said anything. I just stared into his eyes, letting my own water and spill. Each time his chest rose for breath, he clenched his jaw, eyes slitting closed. My stomach wrenched every time. This was all my fault� I�d done this to him� I�d let him go without wearing his seat belt, I�d let him sleep in the car, I�d fallen asleep at the wheel. I began to sob, audibly, now. I felt Darren�s light touch on my arm, and he managed a weak smile. �See? I�m fine. Only a matter of time� matter of time before� before the doctors get here�� His voice grew strained, and the sentence trailed off. His eyes closed, and he shivered.

��������������� �Daz,� I whispered, lightly stroking his cheek. �Daz?� He didn�t move. His skin was cold. I shivered, fear beginning to seep into my veins. �Darren�?� He still didn�t respond. I feared the worst, and shook him, just enough to get his attention. Nothing.

��������������� Nothing.

���������������

��������������� �Darren� don�t do this� you�re alright, aren�t you?� I was practically shouting. He just lay there� still, like an image. But images don�t breathe and move and� oh, God�oh God� �Darren!�

��������������� �DARREN!�

��������������� I screamed his name, over an over, like a chant. But it did nothing to help. After a few more moments of tortured wailing, I pulled his body into a cradle, clutching him and rocking back and forth. My Darren... my Darren� so still and lifeless. It wasn�t right like that� he should be talking, and laughing� I screamed again, burying my face in his chest and crying until I could barely breathe. Wait� what was that�? Was that breathing? Yes, it was! He was alive. Faint� but he *was* alive� I clung to him even tighter. �Don�t worry. It�ll be okay.� I found myself whispering into his ear. �I�ll take care of you.� I cried until I was physically exhausted. My head hurt and my heart ached. I pulled us both up next to the wreckage, leaning back against the Jeep.

��������������� And I held him.

���������������

��������������� I must�ve passed out again, either from exhaustion or from that awful bump to my head. Still leaning, back against the Jeep, with Darren in my arms. Guess it wasn�t a bad dream, huh? It was dark now, we�d crashed at twilight, and I could barely see our outlines in the black. He was breathing a bit easier, though uneven. Perhaps he was awake? As I moved, he spoke. �Dan?� �Hm?� I replied.

���������������

��������������� �Nothing, just seeing if you were awake. It�s dark. Why isn�t the ambulance here?� He sounded like a scared child. Something about his voice was cold� empty. I remembered what�d happened� his head� he must be close� �The ambulance isn�t here, yet, but it will be soon. You were only asleep for a few minutes.� I tried to speak calmly. He moved a bit and coughed. �Hopefully. I feel,� He paused, as if contemplating what to say. What word to find�? I couldn�t help but feel worried. Darren never did that� he always knew what to say. What was going on?

��������������� �I feel hurt.� God, I was wishing that I had some medical training. I knew something was wrong, I could sense it in his voice. �My head hurts.� I couldn�t help but pity him. He seemed so lost and confused� I lightly caressed his cheek with my fingertips, hoping to calm him. He only shivered. �I�m cold, Dan.� My stomach wrenched. �I know, Daz. I know.�

��������������� We both sat in silence for a long time, and I finally became aware of a quiet whimpering, sort of like someone holding back tears, and I realized that Darren was crying. I wondered if I should ask him what was wrong. Instead, I said, �Dar�?� He sniffled a bit, swallowed. �It hurts bad now� I can�t move my legs. I can�t move my legs, Dan!� His voice was shrill. A knot began to form inside my stomach. Darren�s breathing became faster, labored. He was panicking� �Daz, don�t worry��

��������������� �Daniel, I can�t move my legs! They�re numb!� Brain damage� paralysis� �I shook my head. Loss of blood� What the hell was I thinking? Darren wasn�t that injured� was he? He continued babbling and whimpering, clutching my arms so tightly that it hurt. �Darren,� I was beginning to get alarmed.

��������������� He didn�t reply. Just shivered and clutched me. What the hell was going on!? My thoughts were jumbled, and finally, the word came to me. Seizure! Darren was having a seizure! I frantically wondered what to do. Was he going to die? Should I try and stop his shivering? Oh God, oh God, oh God� Fortunately, I didn�t have to act. A noise to my right caused me to turn and sigh with relief.

��������������� There were red, flashing lights on a road opposite the slope we�d tumbled down. The ambulances were here.

��������������� Taking special care to lay the shivering Darren in a comfortable position, I stood and limped over to the canyon wall and began waving my arms, though they probably couldn�t see, and shouting. Someone turned on a flashlight and began to scour the area. Finally, the beam caught me square in the eyes, and I heard a replied shout.

��������������� Darren, hang in there� you�re gonna be alright. There were men climbing down the side of the ravine; finally, one reached me. �Our car ran off the road, we crashed� Darren�s hurt! He needs a doctor!� I was choking under the pressure, and the EMT placed a reassuring hand upon my shoulder. �Someone saw your car running down the canyon. You�re lucky; you�re a fair ways out of town, not many people could�ve seen you.� I only half-heard what he was saying, and grabbed his arm, pulling him rather roughly over to where I�d lay Darren.

��������������� My eyes widened and my grip tightened. Darren was shuddering violently, and I could see the true extent of his injuries in the pale, bright beam of the flashlight. I heard the EMT whisper, �Jesus,� before calling out to the others, motioning for them to come over here. Two others arrived first, carrying a gurney and setting it on the ground beside Darren. I stood, watched in stunned silence.

��������������� They loaded him onto the stretcher, clasping belts around his chest, stomach, thighs, and knees to keep him from convulsing as badly. I just stared, watched them retreat back to the waiting ambulance. My heart was racing. Was he going to be okay?! I looked pleadingly at the EMT, who just shrugged and lightly pulled at my shirt. �Sir, you�re going to have to come with us.� I blinked a few times, dazed. He grabbed me by the arm and gently led me over to the hillside. I followed, numbly.

��������������� After a stiff climb up the incline (which was, thankfully, smaller than the one we�d fallen down), I was whisked into a waiting ambulance, and saw Darren inside another. I stood to protest. �The other one� Darren�s in the other one�!� I felt disoriented. The flashing lights hurt my eyes. The paramedics kept touching me� pulling me back into the other ambulance. NO! I wanted to be with Darren! I struggled, fought their grips. Why were they holding me back!?

��������������� They held me down, strapped me into a stretcher. I didn�t need it� I could walk on my own! Why couldn�t I ride with Darren? He needed me. I swore; I could hear him calling my name. I felt a light prick of pain, and glanced over. Someone had inserted a syringe into my arm! �Hey!� I shouted, already calming down. An oxygen mask was slipped over my face, and I weakly fought the restrains that kept my arms pinned. Bloody hell. Damned doctors. I�m fine.

��������������� Soon, the sounds gave way, and my vision blurred once again. Why the hell were they anaesthetizing me? I wanted to ride in the other ambulance! Where was I? Why did my head hurt? My thoughts became jumbled. Darren� don�t worry� you�re going to be all right. I won�t let anything hap�