NO MAN IS AN ISLAND.

Seeing Lazlo's body being rolled away was like watching his childhood being completely torn away from him, leaving nothing but loneliness and heartache in its place. The black body bag concealed everything that made up his best friend; the sound of the zipper closing forever echoing in his ears as the sound that stole Lazlo -the only person he had ever trusted with his life- away from him. He had tried to follow, not wanting to accept that he would never see Lazlo again, but his body was too weak, too exhausted by the day's events to move from where he had fallen.

The elevators dragged to a close in an agonizingly slow pace, as if they too didn't want to dissolve Darius' friendship, as if they regretted being the ones to fully separate the two best friends. But with a ping they too collided in the middle, severing the final thread that had tied Darius to Lazlo.

Despite living at Tanz Industries for over five years and putting aside Darius' single picture of themselves as little children, there was nothing in the tree house that pointed out Lazlo's existence. Lazlo had not deemed his presence worthy enough for reminders. However, as his eyes drifted aimlessly around the room, Darius noticed one stark reminder of Lazlo's last sitting place.

The light carpet was discoloured, the light brown fading into a tangy copper.
There were drops of blood on the carpet.
Lazlo's blood.
His best friend's blood.

Although he had not eaten anything that day -too caught up being water boarded and tortured by the government- Darius felt his stomach contract before its meagre contents were pushed up into his oesophagus and he was suddenly bent over a bin, tears dripping down his cheeks as the pain in his body made itself known with vengeance.

Simply breathing hurt. The hits that they had aimed at his side didn't ache in that room, but now the pain was webbing across his chest, focusing mostly underneath his left arm where the biggest goon had kicked him with iron toed boots. It was an all-consuming pain, stealing away his breath even before he inhaled. His lungs felt heavy, like they were too weak to lift his rib cage, the bones themselves keeping him from being able to breathe correctly. Logically he knew it didn't make sense. His ribs were neither cracked nor broken as far as he knew, so they couldn't impede his breathing by any way, but it still felt as if inhaling required more energy than he had at the moment, and Darius felt no problem with joining Lazlo at this rate.

After all, why would he want to remain in a place where he got tortured by the same people he was trying to help so he would give information he didn't have? The world was going to end anyway, he would just leave it a little earlier.

His frown caused the bruise on his cheek to flare up, sending pain through his skull and throwing the scientist back in the moment when he had slammed the back of his head against the wooden table they had him restrained on, the buckles digging relentlessly in his arms and chest as he attempted to get free and gain some sort of reprieve from the torture. Despite doing his best to expel the water that had trickled into his lungs, Darius was being worn down by each round and barely had enough energy to breathe let alone cough up liquid while lying as he was on that table. As his attempts weakened the buckles were pulled tighter, pushing out what little air was still in his lungs and making the scientist light headed as exhaustion did its best to drag him under.

Yet he held out, knowing that if he lost consciousness he'd be signing his own death warrant.

"...RIUS!"

His cheek, not the bruised one, tingled as the slap turned his head sideways, harshly wrenching him back to the present where Grace was kneeling in front of him, green eyes wide as they searched for something in his face. He tiredly raised his gaze to meet hers, unaware of the relief that flooded her being as she brushed his hair back and positioned him so his back rested against the chair he had fallen next to.

He let her do as she pleased, still not completely aware of what was happening around him as small shivers travelled through his frame. He could see no one in the tree house apart from the two of them and he inwardly sighed as he realized that this would be another wedge in Harris' and Grace's relationship. She had stayed behind to take care of him instead of returning home with her lover, something which even Darius had to admit would seem fishy from Harris' point of view.

He'd still be lost in his mind had Liam not crashed in front of him, huge eyes scouring over Darius' frame as if the scientist was bleeding out all over the floor. He wasn't bleeding, was he? He didn't recall ever being cut by anything. There was a hand on his head, gently threading through his curls and making sure they didn't stick to his face. It was an oddly comforting gesture.

"Darius!" Liam's panicked voice was accompanied by a hand on his arm -directly where the strap had been- and the scientist flinched back from the pain, never realizing the guilt that swam in Liam's eyes as he realized that he had unintentionally hurt Darius.
"What?" His voice was nothing but a rough whisper and Darius was thankful for the glass of water that appeared near his hands as he took a shaky sip to moisten the dryness in his throat.
"Where are you hurt?" Liam's hand had gingerly moved to his shoulder and Darius couldn't help but relax into it as the boy's warmth seeped into his still shivering body.
"Everywhere." The simple answer was nothing but the truth. He didn't even bother hiding anything.
"Grace, call medical, tell them to send a doctor up here and that he's in shock." Liam's business voice cut through the fog in his brain, and Darius let his eyes roll up until they met Liam's own brown ones.
"There's no need to do that Liam, I'll be fine." It was partially true, he'd be fine someday.
"Shut up, Darius." Liam was clearly trying hard not to flounder with his responsibility.
"You know I have spent a day being tortured to speak and now you tell me to shut up?" The dark humour fell flat as Liam's hand tightened on his shoulder.
"Stop saying you're fine then." Darius didn't even hear the bitter snort that clawed its way part his throat.
"I am fine, not like I just saw my best friend's dead body."

There was a sudden shift in atmosphere before Liam suddenly found himself face to face with a hysterical scientist.

"He's dead because of me Liam, I might as well have killed him. It's my fault, I couldn't find the mole, he probably found him and he got killed because of it. Oh God, how will I tell Tess? He's the only person I ever trusted, I don't have any friends left, he's the only one that stuck. But who would kill Lazlo just to keep a secret? How did they even know he knew? How could people hate me so much? Am I that bad of a person? Who am I kidding, everybody knows I'm a jerk, I've just never realized how big of an asshole I actually am." Liam unconsciously tightened his hold as Darius started fidgeting, trying to keep him from moving too much. After all, they didn't know what injuries he had.

"Darius, listen to me. You're in shock, you need to breathe. You're not a bad person, people doing bad things doesn't mean that you're on the wrong side, it means people hate what you're doing. Lazlo was sadly caught in the crossfire. But we'll find out who did this." Liam did his best, but like Grace he was tongue-tied, caught with no words that could console the clearly grieving man.

"Finding out who did this won't bring Lazlo back." There was no panic this time, just a matter of fact tone that sent shivers down Liam's spine. "Who would do this Liam? Lazlo's never been of any bother to anyone, most workers here barely know of his existence, it's not fair."

Liam was spared of answering by the arrival of a young doctor, spectacles resting on the edge of his upturned nose and pale fingers curled loosely around the handle of a briefcase. Liam couldn't help but groan; a doctor that just focused on being professional was the last thing that Darius needed. Although the scientist usually came off as someone who sought solace, Liam would find it hard to believe that Darius was not seeking human comfort at this very moment.

The hand that still clutched his sleeve was proof enough.

"What did you get yourself into this time, Darius?" His voice took Liam by surprise. It was low pitched but sweet, and the student could catch the hints of worry in his tone as the pale fingers sought out the scientist's pulse.

Darius flinched, his whole body tensing as the doctor put the freezing stethoscope on his collar bone and inched it slowly downwards, just like the water that had trickled down his neck and caressed his skin, leaving behind a trail of ice that paralyzed him. A soft hand on his upper arm, directly above the bruise of the strap, startled him out of his reverie just in time to see the end of a needle about to be inserted into his neck, and that's when hell broke loose.

Liam almost spilled his guts there and then when Darius jumped back, knocking the back of his head into the chair's arms before scrambling as far as he could go without toppling down the stairs and forming a small ball on the floor. The doctor, whose label read Bradley, seemed to be surprised by this and his brow furrowed as Darius paled right in front of them; evidently held hostage by yet another panic attack.

"Darius?" Grace's voice startled Liam, as the boy had forgotten that she was even in the room. "It's not the toxin, we're not trying to poison you. It's just something to help you calm down after today." Darius didn't respond, too preoccupied with getting some air into his lungs as his injuries protested his ungraceful movements. "Listen to me Darius, it won't do anything besides help you sleep and then you'll be guarded so the government can't be near you, only Liam will be there." She slowly moved, her heels clicking against the wooden floor as she approached the petrified scientist, kneeling gracefully next to him and laying a hand on the arms that hugged his legs.

"I can't Grace, I can't lose consciousness, they'll kill me!" Darius' voice climbed higher, breaking in the end as a fresh sob broke from his mouth.
"Nobody is going to kill you, people can't get to you in here."
"Will you stay?" He was actually begging her.
"I'll stay until you're asleep in a safe place after being treated Darius, but for now you need to let Bradley help you."

Darius launched forward then, catching the blonde woman by surprise as he hugged her, seeking comfort in her touch even as he shook from head to foot. She automatically embraced him, resting a palm on the back of his head as tears slipped into her sweater, soaking the material. She made sure to stay still as Bradley moved closer and swiftly injected the scientist who tried to jerk away from the sting only to find her arms restraining him.

"'Iam? I'm scared, I don't know who the mole is, just tell them, please..." The litany trailed off as Darius lost consciousness, his features relaxing as he slumped against Grace once again.

More than a couple of hours later Liam was slouched in a chair by Darius' bedside, a tablet held idly in his hands as he played some game to pass the time. Time after 2am always seemed to pass slower. He didn't even know the name of the game he was playing. Grace had gone home after making sure that Darius was going to be okay, saying that she needed to be with Zoe after everything that had happened. She had been smart enough to come up with an excuse, saying that Darius had been kidnapped and when they found him they were holding his head in a bucket of water, hence the ugly cough and bruises. The doctor had apparently bought the story, only nodding in acknowledgement before they had taken the scientist into an exam room.

Liam didn't know how she could have left. He let his gaze drift from the tablet to his crossed ankles where they were resting next to Darius's hip.

The scientist himself was still deeply unconscious, a serene expression on his face as he drifted in drugged oblivion. There was a tube in his chest only an hour ago, draining the residual water that had been residing in his lungs. Bradley had raised an eyebrow at the bruises, especially the one caused by the strap, but hadn't said anything apart from informing Liam that two of Darius' upper ribs had been broken and only the strap had stopped them from puncturing his lung and almost killing him right there and then. There was a bandage in its place now, hiding the mottled bruises and stabilizing his ribcage. Liam dreaded Darius's reaction when he woke up tough; would something wrapped tightly around his chest throw him into panic again? There was a breathing mask covering half of his pallid face, regularly fogging over as the scientist's chest rose and fell rhythmically, but apart from an IV providing fluid and a heart monitor to make sure he didn't go into shock again, there was nothing else attached to the scientist.

Liam let his eyes rest on the heart monitor, finding reassurance in the jumping line as it showed without doubt that Darius was still alive and kicking. Despite how much he tried to stay awake, it had been a long day and no amount of blinking kept the student from nodding off completely, his chin resting against his chest.

It was a slow return to the conscious world. Darius was aware of the soft mattress beneath him, the pillow sinking gracefully to cradle his aching head. He drew in a full breath, wincing when his ribs flared with pain, stealing away the air he had managed to inhale and igniting the many different aches all over his being.

Biting down a groan, Darius inched open his eyes, grimacing when the soft light hit his irises and turned his headache up by a notch. After the pain abated, he reopened his eyes -when had he closed them?- and threw down the covers, readying himself for whatever the government had done to him. A grimace pulled at his features when he saw the bruises peeking out from under the thick bandage, and he had encountered enough accidents to know that the bandages were holding broken ribs in place. He could see similar bruises on his thighs and a few hand prints on his calves, but knew that everything was superficial.

Unless you counted the stitches he could feel pulling at his chest.
Why did he have stitches on his chest?
It didn't really matter, because he was still getting out of here.
Once he could see clearly that is.

He raised his arm to rub his eyes, only noticing the IV when the needle prickled uncomfortably in his elbow. The scientist groaned lowly before pulling it out with a grimace, pressing a hand to the small, bloody hole left behind. He startled as something suddenly made a noise next to him, and turned hurriedly only to see a sleeping Liam about to topple off his chair as he twisted on the plastic thing, grunting when his elbow hit the arm rest twice in a row. Darius raised an eyebrow as Liam settled once again, his head resting on his open palm while he continued to slumber. The oximeter was the next apparatus to be pulled off, and Darius made sure to quickly turn off the screen directly above his head -all without even standing from the bed- so that no doctor would be alarmed.

Now, to go to his quarters.

He smoothly threw his leg to the side and planted them on the floor, allowing the dizziness to pass before he pushed himself to stand up. It was a bad idea. Darius didn't need a doctor to tell him that his blood pressure had plummeted below the floor the second he was standing on his own two feet, and the thought to hold on to something didn't even cross his mind as his eyes rolled and his knees buckled underneath him, taking him to the floor.

But there wasn't any huge thud, nor did he fall as heavily as one would except.
It was as if his fall had been broken by something.

"God Darius, you're such an idiot!" There were two arms around his stomach, each hand passing from underneath his arms and making sure to not put pressure on his ribs as the scientist felt himself being lowered to the floor.

"Hmph," Darius frowned as he gasped for the air that his lungs craved in order to calm down the thundering heart in his chest, igniting the pain in his ribs even further. "I thought you were asleep." The words were muttered in between one breath and the other, and Darius caught the younger boy rolling his eyes at the statement.

"I felt you standing up from the bed. Good thing I woke up too, or else you'd have kissed the floor. You're still recovering and you could have pulled your stitches, where were you planning on going while only in your boxers?" Liam growled as he handed the scientist a glass of water which Darius gladly sipped at to regain his equilibrium.
"To my quarters. I hate it here." Darius pointed out bluntly with a raised eyebrow, making it clear that anything Liam would say wouldn't affect his decision. However, he was thankful when the boy handed him a folded pair of flannel pyjamas which the scientist put on.

"Your quarters?" Liam's voice was overflowing with incredulity. "You can barely stand, let alone walk to the other end of the compound. Besides, you need to be here in case something happens and the doctors need to do something else because you're clearly still exhausted and the water that was in your lungs didn't help anything and-"

"And nothing, I'm going to my quarters regardless of whatever happens. I can nurse broken ribs, it's not the first time, and any other injuries are just superficial bruises and cuts, don't panic so much Liam. Besides, if anything happens Tess will alarm the medical faculty within seconds." Darius cut Liam off before the boy could utter anything else, smiling as he dictated his perfect logic to the younger man in front of him. Liam didn't say anything, just let out a sigh and stood up, pacing up and down the bed while Darius calmly finished the glass. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a date with my bed." The scientist was careful this time, standing up slowly so as to get used to the change in altitude. The room still swam when he was fully on his feet, and the scientist was surprised when Liam suddenly appeared at his side, throwing the scientist's right arm over his own shoulder and taking most of his weight.

"What are you doing?" The words were grinded out from between closed teeth, the annoyance clearly heard in the scientist's voice.

"Well, you can just admit that you're not making it on your own and let me help you, or we can see how many times you fall or pass out till you reach the elevators. If you do that, I'll drag you back here and you won't be able or allowed to complain. So, which do you prefer?" Liam didn't look at Darius, only focusing on matching his pace to that of the scientist as they slowly made their way out of the silent infirmary.

There was no response from the suddenly pliant scientist.

They arrived at Darius' quarters without incident, even if Liam was shouldering the majority of Darius' weight and the scientist stumbled over his own two feet more often than not. Although he would deny it to his last breath, Darius was clearly exhausted and Liam could feel him shaking in his arms, the physical strain of having moved so soon after waking up showing. He gently sat him down on the edge of the bed before pulling back the covers and throwing them over Tanz, raising an eyebrow when he saw that the scientist had already passed out again, small wheezes escaping with every breath.

Liam couldn't help but release a breath himself; Despite being rather slim, the scientist was still heavy. He threw a glance around the room and felt his eyebrows rise when he saw the portable oxygen tank near the bedside table, a note neatly folded on top of it. He opened it carefully, smothering a snort so as not to wake up the scientist as he read it.

"I knew he'd escape, so keep him on this mask at least until he stops wheezing from the journey. If anything happens, especially if he can't breathe properly, give me a call. -Bradley"

The student uncoiled the wire before turning to Darius, unconsciously smirking when he saw that the scientist had extended his limbs to every corner of the bed. He gently looped the strap of the mask around the scientist head, being careful not to hurt him while he lifted Darius's head and loosened the strap so it would be more comfortable.

Darius slid open his eyes, regarding Liam with an intense stare that was weakened with pain and tiredness as he carefully inhaled the purified air. It didn't last long before Darius was dragged under again, his eyelids fluttering as he lost his battle with consciousness. However, coughs still escaped him every so often and Liam winced when he saw the painful expression that flickered on the scientist's features when the movement jarred his healing ribs.

Liam couldn't help his frown as he saw the results of the day; the way the proud scientist had been reduced to nothing but a trembling mess of panic and shock as he got hit with one tidal wave after the other. And just when the physical torture ended, the emotional one began. Liam had no doubt that beneath the mask there was the raw grief that Darius had no energy to express, especially so soon after being tortured to falsely admit that Lazlo had been the mole. Despite attempting to hide it and go on as if nothing happened, Darius was still human. He still had emotions, and he still needed someone to lean on every once and a while.

Liam would make sure he would be there for him lest Grace suddenly step out.

However, looking at the scientist now, Liam saw nothing but a young man, his features mostly relaxed as he slept his troubles away. There wasn't the thoughtful frown on his forehead, nor the always present squint of his eyes as he ran one problem after the other in his mind. There was just plain peace, disturbed only when coughs wrecked his frame. Yet Liam knew that although asleep, the mind could still play cruel tricks on the scientist, could still conjure up petrifying nightmares and dredge up the most painful memories in order to further exhaust Darius.

Liam also knew that in his current state, Darius didn't have the strength to fight off his own mind.

So he would be there to help him fight.
He would be there to save Darius from his own memories should the need arise.

He wasn't there while Darius was being tortured, but he was here now, and Liam was hell bent on making that count.

It wasn't cold.
It wasn't freezing.
It was a paralyzing iciness that penetrated his skin and bones and forced his nerves into numbness and tremendous pain all at the same time.

The water was once again dumped on his head, the fabric sticking to his face making it impossible to breathe without swallowing a gallon of water in the process and further exhausting himself. The straps were tight, too tight, and Darius could barely take in a full breath as the strap kept his lungs from inflating properly. There were hands on his face, on his chest, others on his legs, all keeping him down and stopping him from making the smallest of movements as he was pressed harshly against the table, the fingers having enough strength in them to quench his feeble rebellion and quite probably bruise his skin.

There were too many hands. Despite his waning strength Darius attempted to raise his arms once again so he could at least loosen the strap. Why was he restrained as such? It wasn't like he could go anywhere. His arms refused to obey, the grip on his wrists more than enough to keep him from making any movement. Wasn't he laying on a wooden slab? How was it so soft? Or was he hallucinating? It felt hard against his back. Or did it? It alternated, as if shifting from one material to the other in a repetitive cycle that made his head spin wildly as he attempted to orient himself.

Breathing hurt, his chest lighting on fire every time he attempted to satisfy the cravings of his lungs and feed them the air they so desperately wanted, needed. Had they broken his ribs? The huge guy had surely been way too happy to use his fists and feet. Darius could still feel the kicks against his torso and the punches to his cheek that had ended up with him nursing a split lip and probably a half bitten tongue. Even now there was a hand on his forehead, keeping him from raising his head to try and dislodge the cloth that was sticking stubbornly to his face. He attempted to dislodge it, confusion flooding him when he realized that it was being held to his face with strap as well.

He had to remove it.
He couldn't breathe in the water anymore.
But was he inhaling water?

He experimentally pulled in yet another breath, noticing that nothing but pure air travelled into his lungs. But was it air? Or were they poisoning him? They hadn't managed with the syringe, but they could disguise the poison under the veil of giving him supposedly helpful air. After all, there was still the strap around his chest hindering his breathing and keeping him from moving. He was still being held down. There were hands on his shoulder now, pinning him to the pillows underneath him.

Pillows? Darius blinked, attempting to clear his vision and to make sense of what the hell was going on around him. The world gradually sharpened and the scientist began to recognize the sharp corners of his own room, the environment slowly relaxing him as he realized that he was indeed in his own bed. There was someone kneeling on the bed, and he dimly noticed that it was the person's hands that were fleeting all over his body, as if afraid of where they could actually touch.

But the government wouldn't be so caring. The person seemed to release a sigh of relief before he stood up from the bed, and Darius didn't even bother to see where he was going. He had just been sent to make sure he was still alive, so that the government and its employers can do with him as they pleased without actually dirtying their hands with his blood. So he wasn't breathing in air, he was being drugged and could do nothing to stop it. His hands weren't restrained now - at least he could feel nothing around his wrists- but they were still as heavy as lead, refusing to be moved. Great, probably a muscle relaxant as well to keep him 'calm'.

He attempted to blink once again, trying to draw himself out of the cruelly induced hallucination of the comfort of his own room, and barely registered the mindless chatter in the background as the person returned, a glass of water in his hands. They were using glasses now? He thought that the huge goon had been using buckets. Where was the other goon? He stared blankly as the person seemed to trip over his own two feet and fall on the bed, the jolt of the mattress igniting pains in every possible nerve. But that wasn't the worst possible part.

No, the worst part was that the glass of water landed directly on his face, the droplets trickling slowly down his neck as its coldness numbed his limbs. So he was right. He wasn't in his room, he wasn't free from the government. They were still water-boarding him. He couldn't feel the water going down now, and didn't know whether that was a good or a bad sign. It was just a matter of waiting till they actually killed him for information that he himself didn't know.

But he did know, hadn't he and Liam found out?

Speaking of Liam, the boy was leaning towards his face, a soft towel in his hands as he gently wiped down Darius' face from the water and removed the miraculously still intact glass from the sheets. But was it Liam? No, this must be another hallucination. The towel was just the cloth being dragged off his face, the feeling mistaken for something else as the drug he was inhaling distorted his perception. He wouldn't say anything, wouldn't divulge what he thought was true, not until he was out of the pentagon for good.

Not until he was sure he was safe.

He waited till the young man was close enough before mustering enough strength to head butt the other man, relishing in the muffled shout as he threw himself out of the bed or whatever he was on and threw away the mask that had been nestled on his face since he had woken up. He had to find a way to leave, he couldn't stay here. Panic flooded him as his knees buckled underneath his weight, driving him to the floor and rendering him unable to run out of the door.

He had to crawl. He dragged himself to a corner, curling up in a ball as he tried with all his might to drag himself out of the drug induced haze. Because that's all this was right? He was still in the interrogation room, he wasn't in his bedroom, there weren't people taking care of him because nobody cared about the great Darius Tanz. Nobody would notice if he disappeared off the face of the planet.

Actually, a lot of people would notice, but nobody would pay attention.
After all, he was nothing but an asshole.
But he didn't want to be tortured till his last days.

Maybe it was a selfish wish, or maybe it was the survival instinct talking, but Darius didn't want to die in this room, not like this. Not when he could save the world from the asteroid. But could he? Panic wrapped its steely arm around his chest once again, forcing him to focus on his breathing as the air in the room seemed to deplete repeatedly. He had to preserve it, had to focus on getting out of here. But when did the drug wear off? He couldn't possibly plan an escape when he wasn't aware of his proper surroundings.

His chest heaved for air and Darius shook his head, wincing as it thumped against the wall behind him. What could he do now?

"-RIUS!"

The voice sounded familiar, the comforting baritone slipping through the cracks in his wall and calming the panic there. But they wanted him to feel comforted and safe. He wouldn't, couldn't let them. Not if he wanted to get out of the room. Alive. That is, if he could see the room clearly any time soon. He had to stay awake, had to stop them from drugging him. He had to... He had to what? The panic was nearly blinding now, and Darius felt tears leak out of his eyes, sprinting down his cheeks much like his heart was racing in his chest. His broken ribs did nothing to keep the beating organ from travelling up his throat until it was lodged there, making him choke as the air got caught in his throat. Was this how he was to die? He still had too many things to do. But the world was ending anyway, so why not leave it now? Still, he never thought he'd go like this.

"DARIUS! YOU'RE NOT DYING." The strict tone, along with the harsh slap on his cheek, brought him out of his reverie with a painful, wheezing gasp and a wave of relief as his heart thumped in its correct place.

The agonizing inhale was expelled as his lungs convulsed, making the scientist cough harshly in his arm until somebody forcibly straightened his legs and leaned him forward until Darius' forehead was resting against someone's shoulder, close enough to both see and feel the calm breaths of the other person. The smell of cheap deodorant invaded his nostrils, and Darius recognized the plaid underneath his head without any difficulty.

Liam. The other person was Liam. He was resting against Liam's shoulder.

Why wasn't Lazlo there?

"That's it Darius, just breathe with me, c'mon." The calm baritone danced in his ears once again as the scientist became aware of an open palm on his back, its warmth welcomed by his cold skin. Why was it so cold? God, had they soaked him completely? "You're not there, you're at Tanz Industries, we got you. I've got you." Liam's litany kept going, the words soothing his lungs enough for the scientist to slowly start matching his breathing to Liam's. His heart slowed as it approached the finish line of its race, leaving the scientist exhausted as it started to beat regularly once again. The hand on his wrist - how had he not felt that? - moved so it rested on the back of his neck, gently easing his head backwards until the rim of a glass was pressed against his lips.

The memories filtered back in his mind, and Darius suddenly remembered his best friend's vacant gaze once again.

The liquid dribbled slowly into his mouth, dampening his dry throat but settling heavily in his stomach. He tried to turn his head to refuse it, tried any way possible to not swallow anymore, but Liam was insistent. Another mouthful was slipped into his mouth and Darius grimaced as his stomach rebelled, sending up the water that it was sick of receiving. Liam reacted quickly, and Darius was barely aware of him moving until a basin was shoved underneath his chin, catching the expelled water. The force with which his stomach convulsed had the scientist instinctually snap his eyes open, an action which he regretted as the pain that blew up in his head had him retching once again until only bile hung from his lips.

His world tunnelled as a flannel was dabbed on his mouth, cleaning away the bile before a glass of orange juice -he could tell by the smell- was at his lips, the liquid gently eased into his mouth as he swallowed away the taste of vomit. He grimaced as his throat protested the liquid, but it was better than the tasteless water. He must have blacked out at some point because the next thing Darius recognized was the feel of his mattress against his back as the covers were thrown over his waist, deft hands gingerly pressing against his ribs before the mask, "It's just helping you breathe Darius, don't fight it," was settled on his face once again.

Even Darius had to admit that the purified air felt nice on his overtaxed lungs. There was a damp cloth dabbing at his forehead, cleaning away the sweat before it was set over his eyes, its coolness a much welcome reprieve from the headache that was still thumping beneath his lids. A hand rested on his own, and somehow Darius knew that the long fingers could only belong to Liam.

"You can let go Darius, you're safe here, they won't do anything to you anymore." There was something reassuring about his voice, something that screamed at Darius to allow himself to trust the young man and let himself fall into oblivion's arms. The exhaustion, common after such panic, didn't leave him much choice. It was pulling at him, providing a comforting embrace that both his body and mind found difficult to resist as the day's events refused to let go of him. He could feel himself tumbling further and further down, so with the knowledge that he was safe and sound, Darius allowed himself to slip into a much needed sleep, unaware of the sigh of relief that the student awake by his bedside let loose after seeing the scientist completely pass out.

Liam couldn't say that he wasn't glad the second that Darius let go, his body relaxing into the mattress as he tumbled off the precipice of consciousness. He doubted that the scientist would remember anything once he woke up again, but Liam was sure that the images would never leave his mind.

He had seen the one man who was always sure of himself question where he was and being unable to grasp the simple fact that he was at home. That he was safe. Most importantly, that he was not being ruthlessly tortured anymore.

He had seen him fighting in vain to catch his breath, worrying wheezes accompanying every exhale. Worried that he would give up on breathing altogether.

He had felt Darius's heart beating so hard it felt as if the organ was trying to rip a hole through the scientist's chest.

He had heard him mutter half concocted plans about how he was going to escape, how he wouldn't be drugged anymore, and how he first had to recognize his surroundings. Even if those surroundings were supposed to be immensely familiar.

He had heard Darius blindly call out for Lazlo, not realizing that his best friend wasn't here anymore, and had seen the exact moment that Darius's eyes shattered as he remembered Lazlo's untimely demise. He had seen the loneliness flash briefly in the scientist's eyes, as if he had nobody to turn to now, as if he had to shoulder the world alone without someone to take over every once in a while.

Liam cursed himself for slipping, for reawakening the trauma with the water, but had never expected such a reaction. Never guessed that it would wreck such havoc on the scientist's still healing mind.

He had seen the usually composed genius fall apart in his arms until Liam's hands seemed to be the only thing keeping him in one piece.

And he didn't know how to deal with that.

He didn't know how he'd get back to seeing the invulnerable Darius every time he looked at the scientist. He had no idea how the image of a petrified, shaking Darius would ever leave his mind and once again be replaced by the strength and charisma that the other man usually emitted.

Darius wasn't made of glass, was he?
Maybe he was just as sensitive.

Liam shook his head, disrupting his train of thought before it even started. Darius had just gone through something traumatic, he couldn't be blamed for being jumpy, especially considering he hadn't even been fully conscious.

Liam just had to wait until Darius got better, until they could get back to the saving the world business that seemed to have taken a backseat until Darius gathered his wits once again.

Liam just had to be there until the scientist was steady on his feet once again, then he could fade in the background where he belonged.

But for now, his place was by Darius' side, a buoyant in the turbulent water that was Darius' mind every time he hovered near consciousness.

Maybe he could sleep a little until Darius came to again.

It was weird; waking up in a warm bed and actually feeling well rested. Darius blinked blearily, waiting to see if the hallucination of comfort would fade away once his vision cleared up. However, no amount of blinking made his bedroom go away, and Darius slowly started convincing himself that he was safe, protected by the dark blue walls of his room and not dying in a forgotten interrogation room.

He was on an actual mattress, with a real duvet drawn up to his chin and an undoubtedly solid, cumbersome mask covering his nose and mouth. He turned his head to the side, catching sight of an upturned stool on the floor and making a flare of pain spread through his head. It was mild, nothing near his usual migraines, but still highly annoying.

He took a deep breath in an attempt to orient his thoughts and couldn't hold back a groan as his ribs protested angrily at the movement, releasing liquid fire into his chest and pulling at the stitches. The back of his eyelids suddenly took a white tint, covered by the exploding fireworks until the pain slowly dimmed and left only sweat in its wake.

Now aware of the fact that his upper body was not taking kindly to fast movement, Darius carefully threw down the duvet, uncovering weighed-down limbs and shivering slightly as the cold air hit his stomach. He grimaced when he noticed the hand-shaped bruises on his legs and the others on his biceps, their dark shading a stark contrast with his pale skin.

He slowly sat up, allowing himself to get used to the change in altitude and letting the dizziness completely pass before removing the mask and letting it drop next to his hip, where there were a pair of feet crossed at the ankles.

Wait, what?

He followed the line of the legs to the only chair that he kept in his room and noticed that Liam was deeply asleep, his chin resting precariously on his palm as his elbow dug into the armrest. His hair was dishevelled, light brown strands sticking up or falling down into his eyes. However, they weren't long enough to cover the grey shadows underneath. Darius frowned as he saw the crystal clear exhaustion in the student's body, suddenly reaching the epiphany that Liam had been taking care of him while he was unconscious.

How long had it been?

It couldn't have been many days, his bruises were still colourful. The memories were still too vivid for comfort, but he doubted that those would ever go away.

Darius doubted if he would ever bear to have his face covered again.
Even the thought was slowly tying a noose around his neck, cutting off his breath and dribbling water down his windpipe.

Darius shook his head, dispelling the thoughts before they flooded his brain and took hold of his precious consciousness. He wanted to keep his wits for as long as he could. He swung his legs off the bed, pushing himself to his feet and stumbling to the adjoined bathroom so he could freshen up.

Getting the bandages off proved to be a challenge, as the twisting required was slightly beyond his capabilities at the moment. A well placed snip of a pair of scissors solved the problem, and he watched as the white fabric fell innocently to the tiles.

Like him the fabric unravelled slowly, falling apart in secret but still seeming whole to those who just looked at the surface. Unlike him it was white and pure, not tainted by experiences and haunting memories.

He would give anything to rid himself of the image of Lazlo's lifeless stare, the sound of the gun as it tumbled to the ground, Lazlo's hand following it as gravity pulled the corpse downwards.

He would give anything to forget the hands that manhandled him from the ground to a chair, and from the chair to the slab of wood.

He would give everything to forget the sensation of the cloth being dragged across his face, the rough fabric catching on his beard.

He would give anything to forgive the sensation of drowning on dry land as too little air made it to his lungs courtesy of the water that was taking its place.

The water pelted hard and hot on his back, washing away the dirty fingers that still dragged along his spine and the cold that had wrapped around him like a second skin.

He washed, letting his thoughts drift to the good old times when him and Lazlo were still kids, playing with Tess and enjoying each other's company. He had lost Tess, had known that eventually he'd lose her, but he had never imagined losing Lazlo, definitely not like this.

Definitely not by a cold blooded murder.

Darius turned slowly, allowing the water to hit his face and wash away the tears that had slipped unbidden down his cheeks as the pain and grief finally hit him. The only person he trusted wasn't here anymore, wasn't by his side and wouldn't be there ever again. There was no one there to remind him of his childhood, of the days when life was easier and a comet wasn't going to destroy everybody.

A sob tore from his sore throat, giving a voice to his throbbing heart. He slid down the walls, curling into a ball on the floor to muffle the sounds as much as possible as endless tears welled in his eyes. He ignored the tenderness from his chest in favour of accepting the pain inside.

He didn't know how much time had passed before the water started turning cold and he was forced to get up and turn it off before towelling dry. He somehow managed to re-bandage his chest as tight as he could before dressing himself in a warm sweat-shirt to ward off the coldness that lingered in his limbs.

Darius knew that he needed time to come to terms with what had happened, but he also knew that time was not on his side. He had to throw himself back into work as soon as possible in order to avoid a major catastrophe.

Maybe work would help him. Darius hoped so.

Besides, he was good for now. He could do a little work on 'Salvation', just to make sure everything was working as supposed to and maybe add a few features. He just needed to keep his thoughts focused on something so they wouldn't delve into unwanted memories.

Darius shook his head, ridding himself of his thoughts as he grabbed his mobile and saw a message from Grace, demanding him to text her back once he was able to hold his phone. He couldn't help the smile before shooting off a text, thanking her for the thought and begging her not to worry.

He'd be fine.
He always was.
Right?

Liam was still deeply asleep -now with drool running down his jaw- and Darius threw a light blanket on his lanky frame, making sure not to wake up the younger man. He looked as if he needed the sleep. Feeling more like himself, Darius grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and scribbled a small note which he left on the pillow, certain that it was the first thing that Liam would look at upon waking up, before leaving the room.

Liam came to with a start as his elbow slipped off the arm rest and he almost plummeted to the floor. His neck protested loudly as he jerked and a groan tumbled from his lips, cut off by a cough as his lungs struggled to catch up with the sudden loss of air. He closed his eyes, centring himself before reopening them, rubbing roughly to clear the bleariness from his vision and idly throwing off the blanket. Where had that come from?

Panic promptly hit him when he suddenly realized that the bed was empty and there was no sign of Darius in the room. He grabbed his tablet, about to hack into the security cameras before the note that was resting innocently on the pillow caught his gaze.

"Take a wash, you need it. I'm fine, just resting in the bunker. Take the night off if you want, but remember, a comet is heading towards earth.

PS: Thanks for taking care of me Liam, I owe you one.
PSS: You have a change of clothes on the cupboard.

-Darius"

Liam stared at the scrawl as if it was in Chinese, unconsciously sniffing himself and grimacing. Darius was right, he really needed a shower. Considering nobody was screaming at Liam for the fact that they had found Darius unconscious in some corridor somewhere, he was sure that the scientist would be fine on his own for some time. Liam had no doubt that Darius needed time alone to process everything, and he wouldn't impose his presence on him.

At least not before washing.

After locating his clothes, he let the wonderfully hot water wash away the events of the day from his mind and body, loosening his muscles and trying to put the images of the vulnerable Darius in the very back of his mind. It worked, to some extent.

He quickly towelled dry before heading to the lab, fully aware that he was wasting an opportunity to have a night off. However, Jillian was about to put her case on the table and he needed to work on the EM Drive. Not like the comet was going to take a day off, so he couldn't take one either.

He'd check on Darius later, maybe convince him to go see Grace as well.

But for now, he'd just focus on finding the right material to achieve lift. Who knows, maybe they might save the world after all.

HI GUYS! Long time no post, I know. I've been hella busy with school, I have my A levels coming up this year and I'm running after my own tail trying to keep up with everything. I have been working on this for months, and just found the time to finish and proof read it.

Since you made it till down here, I sure hope you liked it, and feel free to leave your thoughts in the review box below? I appreciate all of your support guys!

I will make no promises on when my next story is going to be, but it may be on either suits or the musketeers, depends on my mood XD Most likely on "The Musketeers", that series butchered all of my feels.

Anyway, I don't think I have anything to add, so see you next time guys c=

-Chrisii

DISCLAIMER ; I DON'T OWN SALVATION AND AM NOT MAKING ANY PROFIT WHATSOEVER WITH THIS STORY.