A/N: Well thank goodness for DNAngel volume 11 or else this might not have been writing. If I go too long without new material from the manga my inspiration to write dies. Ah, but here it is. The fandom's cooled down a bit. Who's up for a contest? If your interested mention PM, mention it in a review or at the FORUMS! Dark and Riku forever!

Disclaimer: I don't own DNAngel.

The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows
Book One: The Phantom
Chapter Five: The Best of Secrets

"Yes Sir, I understand," Riku murmured into the receiving end of an onyx telephone.

The room was so quiet that she could practically hear her fearful heart pounding in her chest. It was the type of silence that squirmed beneath your skin and drove you mad. It was never a good sign when he got this quiet. Riku's anxieties had nearly reached their peak.

Her toes wiggled nervously in her shoes at the thought of her next question. In away she just wanted to avoid it all together, but she had to know. Her mouth was dry as she formed the words. "How's mom?"

Her russet colored eyes plunged to the hardwood floor. "That bad, huh?"

Already a familiar sickness was stirring in the depths of her stomach as hot tears burned the corners of her eyes. News of her mother was always the hardest to hear.

"Yes Sir, I will. I love you too, Grandpa."

Hanging up, Riku lingered soundlessly around the phone. Tears trailed down the sides of her cheeks as she fought for composure. Sobbing in defeat she exited the room in search of solitude.

"Hey, Naru!" Dark called to a bubbly blonde. "Have you seen Riku?"

"No," Riku's roommate frowned. "She left the room this morning and hasn't been back all evening. She even missed field practice."

"She's probably in the library," Risa offered.

"Good idea," Dark waved as he headed down all. "I'll go check."

Pushing open the heavy wooden doors, Dark relished in the waft of aged books that emitted from the room. He loved the smell of books. Almost as much as he enjoyed the crisp feel of the pages between his fingers. But the usual amenity of the atmosphere was no where to be found. There was almost a mournful air about the darkened room.

Dark couldn't comprehend why he was so anxious as he quickly filed past the rows of book. Scanning the aisles as he traveled Riku was no where in sight. The more he searched the more his pace quickened. He couldn't understand why he was so uneasy. It didn't make sense.

What the hell is wrong with me! He thought as he rounded a shelf on 'European Literature'. That's when he found her and his heart settled.

Riku was gathered on the floor with her head down and her knees to her chest. Like a fearful child hiding from the wrath of an angry parent. She was alerted of his presence by the heaviness of his breathing. Had he really been moving that fast?

"What are you doing here?" her words were an odd mix of a hiss and a cry.

"Riku are you alright?" he took a cautious step forward.

"Leave me alone," she raised her face to him. Maybe if he saw how serious she was he would respect that and go away.

No...she should have known better than that.

Dark crouched to examine the girl. By the swollen size of her eyelids and discoloration of her cheeks it was easy to conclude that she had been crying for a few hours now. She looked so small and helpless crumpled on the ground of the colossal library. No matter how hard she fought to keep her tough demeanor. He wanted to comfort her even though he knew she wouldn't allow it. But for some unexplained reason...it pained him so much to see her like this.

"What kind of guy would I be if I left you here like this?"

"One with my respect ,"Riku sobbed.

"Well unfortunately for you," he moved to her, "I care more about your well-being more than your respect."

"Please just let me be," she pleaded no longer able to challenge his prying eyes.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong,"he plopped down on the marble floor crossing his legs. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Why do you care?" she ground out.

"Why are you so distrusting?" he countered.

Which apparently was the wrong thing to say because she burst into tears on the spot. "I was only kidding," he panicked. "Please tell me what's wrong."

"I don't want anyone to see me this like this," she whimpered.

"Hey," Dark whispered, "who am I going to tell?"

Riku would dammed if she was going to tell him a single thing about her. He didn't deserve to know anything about her. He wasn't a friend, he wasn't anything. He was just some hot-shot playboy.

Just like...

"My father left my mother," Riku heard the words spill from her lips before she could stop them, "after a shameless affair and now she's very sick. He told horrible lies and left my mother penniless. Grandfather's done his best by sending me to this school and paying for mother's medical bills. He told me not to shame the family name, to make my mother proud."

Dark's amethyst eyes widened in surprise. Every encounter he'd ever had with Riku Harada suddenly made sense. Her stand-offish nature and struggle for perfection was to defend her family. He shielded a wry smile for her eyes. Here she was fighting for something he was trying to accomplish the opposite of.

"You shouldn't put so much pressure on yourself," Dark consoled. "If you wear yourself out, you won't do your mother any good."

"But I have too!" she exclaimed. "I have to uphold the family name so our secret doesn't get out. That means living up to everything the Harada name should!"

"Listen to me!" he shouted over her hysteria.

Without even realizing what compelled him to do so, he reached out and wrapped his arms tightly around the girl. She thrashed beneath his weight, but his hold was firm.

"You don't have to do it alone Riku,"Dark whispered through the tears in his throat. "You have people here who love you if you'd only let them in. Let us help you."

He felt her relax in his arm and pulled back.

"I'm exhausted," the brunette groaned.

Dark grinned. That was the moment when she became so much more to him.

Behind the large bookshelve a wide-eyed school girl witnessed the entire thing. Turning silently on her heels she slipped out of the room.