DARREN'S POV

Apparently Leonie had been busy the entire time I was trapped in the hospital, because by the time we made it back to the hotel the reservations had been changed, Daniel and my belongings had been packed up, and the both of us were relocated into a double suite. The ride back to the hotel was rather uneventful, if not a little tense. It seemed as if the others no longer knew what to say to me. Leonie spent the duration of the ride on her mobile barking out orders to various unsuspecting people, Ben was driving (which was a fact that no one bothered to inform me of until we were well on our way�) and playing with the radio dial at the same time. Angie, Elisa and Lee were sitting somewhere in the very back of the van, none of them saying a word. In the middle seat, Daniel sat on one end with me practically in his lap, leaving Karl to sit in the space next to me. I could feel him fidgeting the whole way back to the hotel and a sense of nervousness seemed to hang heavily in the air.

Daniel spent the entire trip softly murmuring nonsense to me and rubbing the tenseness from my neck and shoulders. I was still a little groggy from the whole hospital experience, so I simply laid there in silence, my head on Daniel's chest, listening to his heartbeat, and reveling in the feel of his strong hands.

Getting into the hotel was an experience, and not one that I long to repeat. Though the rest of the group might not have known what to say to me, they were still overprotective. For safety purposes, we pulled around to the back of the hotel to use the private service elevator and avoid prying people. As Daniel took my hand and helped me out of the van, suddenly I seemed to acquire six other seeing-eye-people. They all flocked around me, allowing me to feel nothing but a fluttering wall of bodies, talking in rapid-fire voices and generally giving me a headache. Flinching, I cowered and tried to lean my body as close to Daniel as I possibly could, my hand clutching his in a death grip. He compensated by putting his arm around my shoulders and pulling me flush up against his side. Then with an exasperated shout and a few colorful expletives, he made the rest of the circus back off.

"Calm your arses down, for fuck's sake!" he growled. "You're not helping anything by scaring the hell out of him�"

That was all it took to get them quiet and the remainder of the journey up to the rooms was made in silence. It was quite a trick to wedge the eight of us into the service elevator, but we managed. The ride up was more than cramped, with no space to move in any direction. Once more, I attempted to merge Daniel and my space bubbles together, and once more, he made me feel safe.

For the next quarter of an hour after entering the hotel everyone went their separate ways, only to meet up again once Daniel and I had settled into our new room. There we got comfortable to discuss our battle plans for the remainder of this week. It was decided that Leonie, Daniel, and I were to remain where we were and that the others would fly home for a few days to return on the day before my surgery. Not all of them were too thrilled with the prospect of leaving, but it was generally agreed that things would make more sense that way and a break would do us wonders. So Leonie spent even more time barking orders into a telephone making travel arrangements for the band to leave the next morning. The others made themselves right at home and talked about their plans for the impromptu break. In the background, I heard the television being turned on to some sports channel, which captured the attention of half of the group for awhile.

I took the time to sprawl out on the bed I had claimed as my own, using Daniel as my own personal pillow. He didn't have any complaints about it. As he talked with the others, I allowed myself to sink into a light doze, still draped across his chest, stroking my hand idly up and down his side as if I were petting a cat. A large, beautiful cat. He shifted slightly to prop up against the headboard and wrap both arms around me, holding me in a position that I was quickly learning to love. We must have spent about an hour like that, but it didn�t feel nearly that long to me.

Soon the others announced that they all had to head off to their rooms to pack for their flight in the morning. Daniel shook me awake, much to my displeasure, and made me sit up to tell the others goodbye. One by one they came over to the bed, calling farewells to Daniel, and patting me on the arm or shoulder or head as they walked by. It was as if they figured that because I couldn�t see them, I needed them to touch me to know that they cared. I just went with it and tried not to flinch.

It was agreed that we would all meet back in Daniel and my suite to order in dinner and spend a private evening together before going our separate ways. That sounded heavenly to me because I didn't feel up to facing other people at the time. I was still getting used to my world of darkness and had no desire to wander back into the spotlight before I was truly ready for it. Then they left in a whirlwind of voices and footsteps and I actually found myself breathing a sigh of relief when I heard the door close behind them. At that moment, Daniel pulled me back to him, and moved to lay us both down on the bed.

"How're you holding up?" he asked me, his voice a rough purr in my ear.

"Better," I admitted, then sighed. "They just make me so nervous. Pathetic, isn't it? I can't even be around my own friends without wanting to jump right out of my skin�" I snuggled closer to him as I made my admission.

"It's not pathetic. I understand though, you still need time to adjust and they just happen to be damned overwhelming."

I nodded in agreement. "They mean well, though�I just have to remember that."

Daniel made a non-committal noise then rolled me over onto my side, mindful of my injured shoulder, so that he could spoon up against my back. "Why don�t we take a nap until they get back?" he suggested. "You still seem tired from the drugs they gave you and I know I could use some extra sleep�What think you?"

I smiled. "That could be one of you better ideas�"

He snorted and nuzzled his head against my shoulder. "Why thank you, I try."

So, as lame as it might sound, we spent the greater part of the afternoon snuggling together in my bed taking a much-needed nap. We didn't wake again until several hours later when Ben returned to the suite and did his best interpretation of a battering ram against the door. Needless to say, that was not the most pleasant of ways to be brought out of a peaceful sleep�

* * * * * * *

Dinner was a quiet, lovely affair that consisted of all eight of us sprawling out in the hotel room and ordering a cart-load of room service. I didn't move from my spot on the bed all evening and I must admit that I was famished by the time the food finally arrived. I hadn't had a bite all day because of both the tests and my own nervousness completely killing my appetite, but even doing something as simple as eating seemed to turn into quite a formidable task under the circumstances. I ordered soup (easy on the stomach and easy to eat, right? Wrong.) and spent several minutes trying to situate myself in the bed to be able to eat it. Daniel offered to help me move to the table, but I was stubborn and determined to face the problem head on. I wound up propped up against the headboard with a towel-covered pillow in my lap, clutching the soup bowl in one hand and slowly, methodically eating with the other. Daniel perched right beside me and I can only imagine that I looked like a timid two-year-old who was learning how to handle a spoon for the first time. However, it was either that or having to face Daniel spoon-feeding me, which might have been nice if it were a romantic food like ice cream, but with soup? Call me mad, but that really didn't tickle my fancy.

Once the meal was over, we made idle chit chat for a time, until everyone seemed to run out of things to say. I was quiet for most of the duration, a rather large change from the norm. I could only sit in the bed and think isolated thoughts. I felt so out of the loop, like the others were in a separate world from me, a world of light as opposed to the black void of nothingness that had me enveloped like a shroud.

Finally, the world's longest evening drew to a close and the company decided that it would be a good idea to pack it in for the night, as they had an early flight out.

"Night Dan�g'night Darren, hun," Elisa called from somewhere across the room.

The sound of the door opening and closing was audible, then Angie and Lee's voices chorused, " Goodnight!" And out they went, too.

Karl chimed in with his own farewells and Leonie then took her leave claiming that there were many things which she still needed to get accomplished before the morning. Ben was the last one to exit and he did so after saying, "Night, gents�don�t be doing anything that I wouldn�t, now!" I could hear the smirk in his voice and merely groaned as Daniel laughed throatily in response. Finally it was just the two of us, and I was grateful for the silence.

"So�" Daniel drawled, as he heavily flopped down next to me on the bed. "What now?"

I rolled over to face him then carefully reached forward to touch his shoulder with one hand. "I don�t know�" I replied, moving my hand up to massage his neck. Then out of curiosity, I asked, "What time is it?"

Daniel shifted beside me then answered, "A little after nine, why?"

"Just wanted to know. I'm not used to having no idea what the time is�" I paused to stretch the tense muscles in my back, then announced, "I think I want to take a shower."

"Need any help with that?" he asked jokingly, leer evident in his tone.

I laughed. "I think I can handle the shower on my own, but I might just require your assistance in the bathroom." I took his hand in one of mine, then slowly slid off of the bed, pulling him with me. Together we made our way to the bathroom, with me taking cautious little steps and groping about with my free hand. When we reached the doorway Daniel moved to stand behind me then nudged me into the room. I stood completely still upon entering, not knowing where anything was, and not wanting to knock into anything. Once more, Daniel became my eyes. Still standing behind me, he took hold of both of my hands then guided me a foot or so ahead. He placed my hands out in front of me and directed them in brushing over a cold, solid, flat surface. Hooking his chin on my shoulder, he whispered in my ear, "Know what this is?"

My hands ghosted over curved metal and smooth porcelain. "The counter and the sink," I replied. I felt him nod. Then he took my right hand and made me stretch out to touch what I figured out to be the tank of the toilet. He moved to reach past me and with a hollow 'thunk' closed the toilet lid and made me sit on it. Still controlling my hands, he had me extend my arms to feel the textured sliding glass doors of the shower. I ran my hands over the sheet of glass until my fingers encountered the handle and I slid the door open. Growing a bit more bold, I stood up and groped with my left hand until it came in contact with the tiled wall. I could feel Daniel behind me, watching me, as I moved my hand down the wall and found the faucet. I smiled, absurdly pleased with that small accomplishment, and twisted the taps. My reward was the rushing sound of water through pipes and I turned to beam in Daniel's direction. He chuckled in reply then gathered me in his arms to place a quick kiss on my lips.

"I think you'll be able to handle the showering nicely," he told me. "I've left a bathrobe for you on the counter and I plan to leave the door open a bit, so call if you need anything, yeah?" I nodded and received another kiss. Then Daniel released me and moved away. "Remember, I'm just in the next room�" Then he left the bathroom. I could instantly feel some of my self-assurance leaving with him, but I knew that I could do this--it was just a shower after all.

Yes, it was just a shower--a shower of hell. In a short span of about twenty minutes, which felt like an eternity, I managed to knock over and spill half a bottle of shampoo, drop the soap about fifteen times (insert childish laughter and much innuendo here), get conditioner in my eyes, and hit my arm against the tiled wall hard enough to bruise it and my ego. However, despite the many setbacks and my throbbing elbow, I stepped out of that shower with the strangest feeling of relaxation and triumph. And the water had felt incredible while it lasted, each warm drop kissing my skin and raining down my body�

Carefully, I strode across the linoleum floor, dripping water everywhere, and moved gingerly in the direction of the sink. I was a tad bit turned around at first, but eventually I got things sorted and located the counter and the bathrobe that was lying there. Daniel had left a towel out for me, too I discovered, and soon I was completely wrapped up in terrycloth.

I was almost tempted to forgo brushing my teeth because of the difficulty level of the task, but I decided to try it anyway. Skimming my fingers over the far side of the counter I came across two toothbrushes and a tube of toothpaste. Unfortunately both toothbrushes felt exactly the same as I held each in a vain attempt to determine which was mine. I didn't want to have to call Daniel into the bathroom for such a silly reason, so finally after dithering for a little while I just chose one and prayed that I was right. Things went much smoother after that and I was minty-fresh in no time flat. Finally, satisfied that my hygiene was up to par, I turned to leave the bathroom.

In the other room, I could hear the soft strains of a guitar being played, and the sound made me smile. With a sense of confidence that I hadn't felt in months, I felt for the door and strode out of the bathroom.

"Daniel?" I called upon entering the room.

The music stopped as he answered, "I'm here."

"I've finished with the shower!" I announced, still proud of the accomplishment.

"So, I see," he returned, humor lighting his voice. "And now I believe that I shall take one. Can I trust you to be good while I do so?"

I had been groping to find my bed at the time, but I paused and shot a completely innocent look in his direction. "But of course."

He laughed, then apparently put down the guitar because it made a soft thudding sound then jangled a bit as the strings vibrated. Daniel moved towards me then, his footfalls sounding muffled on the carpet, and stopped right in front of me. Instantly all of my senses were invaded by his presence. I could smell him--the distinct and comforting fragrance of his cologne, traces of tobacco smoke, and the natural spicy scent that was uniquely him. His warmth immediately wrapped itself around me and instinctively I reached forward to be able to touch him. His arms closed around me tightly for a moment as I gently ran a hand up to stroke lightly over his face.

Then I smiled. "Go on and take your shower. I'll be good�"

"Somehow I doubt that," he returned. "Will you be able to find a way to amuse yourself while I'm in there?"

I knew his question for what it really was--he was asking me if I was okay--so I set about to reassure him. "I'll manage."

He gave me a comforting squeeze, released me, then turned me in the direction of my bed with a little nudge. "I'll hurry," he told me before disappearing into the other room.

"No worries," I called after him then flopped down on my bed with some degree of relief.

From the bathroom, I heard Daniel puttering around cleaning up my mess, I supposed. Then a few seconds later the sound of rushing water could clearly be heard, meaning that Daniel had once again left the door open. Knowing that he could be gone for awhile, I immediately cast about for something to do. Watching television and reading were definitely out, for obvious reasons. I didn't feel like sitting around being bored, so I crawled to the head of the bed and felt for the nightstand. It never failed in hotels to have things in predictable places, and for once I was grateful for it. On the nightstand, my hand sought out and found the radio and after some fumbling and muttered curses that would have made Daniel proud, I managed to turn the radio on. My ears were assailed with some loud, screechy and slightly offensive music, and I hurriedly groped for the tuning knob to change it. Listening carefully and turning slowly, I soon found a station that I could live with and settled back to relax until Daniel returned.

The music was soothing and I let it wrap around me and take me into another world. I was so spaced out that I failed to hear when the water being turned off or Daniel leaving the bathroom. I didn't realize that he had finished until I felt the bed dip with his weight. He leaned over to kiss me, which snapped me completely out of my reverie.

"Hey there, sleeping beauty," he said while still crouched over my body. I laughed slightly while reaching up to touch him, and was shocked when my hand came into contact with warm, moist, bare skin. Trailing my hand over his shoulder and down his back, I discovered that Daniel was shirtless and wearing only a towel wrapped around his waist. He shivered as I caressed his shower-heated skin and leaned over to capture my lips again. Then he slowly moved down, kissing along my jawline and neck to pause and suckle on the juncture between my neck and shoulder. As he moved, his wet hair brushed across my face leaving cold water droplets in its wake.

I laughed and squirmed. "You're getting me wet!"

"So?" he replied, suddenly shaking his head and sending drops of water scattering all over me and the bed. I laughed harder, but it ended in a choked gasp as Daniel moved to lick up one of the beads of water that had been trailing down my neck. "That better?" He shifted to do the same thing to the other droplets and I was left at a complete loss for words.

"Mmmm, Danny, wha-?"

The kissing resumed, warm and wet, before he replied, "Just continuing where we left off in the hospital�"

An electric current of arousal shot through me. "Oh�?" It took awhile for me to get my thought process going again, but with much effort I succeeded. "Then either you're underdressed," I stated running my fingers along the edge of his towel. "Or I'm overdressed."

"Its all you," was his answer as he moved his hands to the belt that kept my robe tied. "You are wearing FAR too many clothes�"

I had never before considered a bathrobe to be too much clothing, but I was not about to argue the point. Instead I laid back and let his sure fingers make quick work of the knot that I had so painstakingly tied. He slipped the belt off and with a muffled sound, it hit the floor. I figured that the robe would be fast to follow, but Daniel surprised me.

Instead of removing the cloth, he kissed me again and I returned the kiss with fervor. Our breaths mingled and Daniel shifted so that he was draped over my body, practically straddling me, locking us together from the chest down. A groan tore itself, unbidden, from my throat and Daniel answered it with one of his own before clutching my body closer to his. The kiss deepened, and one of Daniel's hands moved under the robe and began roving over my chest, leaving trails of electricity coursing over my skin.

My lungs were burning in time with my skin; finally the need for air overcame me and I tore my lips away from Daniel's with a stifled gasp. My chest heaved as I fought to return air to my starving lungs. Still pressed against me, I could feel the deep and erratic rise and fall of Daniel's breathing as he panted. His endurance was apparently better than mine was though, because in the next instant he went back to spreading heated kisses and trails of fire on my body. His lips moved more quickly this time, with purpose, as he kissed his way down my chest. Slowly he removed the robe from my shoulders, inch by inch, kissing every bit of skin that he was working to expose.

My hands worked like mad, rubbing all over his muscled back, his sculpted arms, and his wonderfully smooth chest. His skin felt amazing under my palms, like silk and velvet wrapped around steel. Unconsciously we started moving against each other, creating a rhythm that fueled our desire and spurred us onward. Daniel shifted again, breaking the contact of our bodies. The next thing I knew, the robe as well as all rational thought was gone, and I was practically writhing as Daniel's slightly callused hands glided over my stomach and down my bare thighs.

"Danny�?" I breathed, still vainly attempting to think coherently with every fiber in my body reacting to his touch.

"Hmmmmmm?" He asked before his mouth latched onto one of my nipples and he began to suckle gently. All of the heat Daniel had been creating in my body pooled between my legs in that moment and I involuntarily arched upwards. He met my thrust with one of his own, which had us both moaning and me clenching my hands on his back.

"�now�" It was getting increasingly more difficult to breathe. "Now�you're the one wearing too many clothes!" My hands traversed the path down his spine, and moved over the towel to cup his arse. Then my curious fingers slid back up to slip underneath the towel and explore the soft skin hidden beneath. Daniel's breath hitched as my hands ran over the smooth globes. I made up what was left of my mind then--the towel had to go. And it did�with one firm yank.

My body shook with his laughter, and desire. "That better?" he asked as the gap was closed between our straining bodies.

The ultimate feeling of his naked flesh sliding against mine was indescribable. It was just the two of us, heart and soul, and no barriers between. We locked together in a sizzle of heat and electricity. His lips once again assaulted my overheated skin, just below my sternum, and massaged their way down my trembling abdomen. In a reflex, I reached out to grope for one of his hands, needing something to hold onto, an anchor. He caught my hand in his, then moved both of them up to pin my arm over my head, licking a warm trail all the way up as he did so. My body jolted in reaction, and shuddered once again as he slid his other hand down over my stomach to wrap around my growing arousal, which was now hard and practically begging for attention.

My hips jerked as he continuously palmed me and I wished desperately to God that I could see him; see what he was doing to me. Suddenly the warm pressure of his body was lifted off of me causing me to make a desperate, questioning little sound.

"Shhhhhh�" he soothed, his hand still stroking. "I'm not going anywhere, I just wanted to look at you." His lips met mine again, and he whispered against them, "You are so beautiful�"

I rolled my head back a little to lock my lips firmly over his; a little more daring, I reached out to lick at his bottom lip with my tongue. His mouth opened automatically, giving my questing tongue the entry it sought, then he sped up his stroking causing me to break away with a choked gasp. Faster and faster, his talented hand worked to bring me quickly to the brink. Each breath of mine was strained, every muscle in my body tensed, and everything in my being craved release�but not just then. I felt myself growing nearer and nearer to the breaking point, and at the last possible moment I arched and cried out a breathless, "Stop!"

Daniel's hand slowed in puzzlement, his grip slacking, and I drew away.

"Darren," the confusion was evident in his raspy, lust heavy voice. "Dazza�wha-?"

I worked for a moment to get my breathing and body under control. "Not� like this," I explained, cautiously reaching a hand up to rest on his flank. "I want you; I need...need to feel you; all of you."

"But--"

"Now, Danny�please?" I didn't have to beg, and I knew this, but I wanted him to know how much I needed him just then. "�please?"

Daniel silenced any further entreaties by giving my weeping erection a parting squeeze. "All right, but I'll have to get off of you for a moment." I sighed shakily and nodded in reply. He languidly ran his hand over my thigh as I felt him leaving the bed. "Be back before you know it." His feet padded softly across the carpet and a light clicked on in the direction of the bathroom.

The bed seemed so much colder and the darkness around me seemed so much darker without him there. I waited with bated breath, anticipating his return. After a few seconds of rustling, I heard the bathroom light click again and then the bed was dipping with Daniel's weight as he climbed back in beside me. He settled himself between my still-parted legs and I felt him dropping something down beside us. Cautiously, I reached to run a trembling hand over what lay beside me, and my sensitive fingers were able to clearly determine what they were feeling--a foil-wrapped condom package and a tube. Lubricant�

I swallowed hard, and Daniel caught the motion. He began to rub circles on my flat stomach with one hand as he moved up to kiss my lips and caress my face with the other. "Darren?" he whispered. "Are you certain�?"

Closing my useless eyes, I forced a deep breath into my lungs. As nervous as the prospect made me--and it did scare the holy hell out of me--I needed it. I needed Daniel; he made me feel anchored, loved, and whole. I needed him right then to hold me into this reality; I wanted him to fill my darkness with his golden light; I wanted him to fill me, make me whole. I wanted him.

I opened my eyes once more, knowing that if I could see, then I would be gazing into the deepest set of emeralds in the face of the most gorgeous man ever created. And I knew that I would see love shining from deep inside those green depths. Those thoughts alone calmed my fraying nerves and I reached out for Daniel to give me his hand. He did so and with a squeeze to reassure the both of us, I gave him my answer. One word.

"Yes�"

TBC