Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2000 11:24:53 +1000
From: Sun Child <heartmindsoulau@yahoo.com>
Subject: Garden of Songs 5

Hye guys, part 5 is now here... ain't ya lucky ;o) I hope that you will
enjoy reading it and thanks so much for the support I have been receiving
in relation to the story.  If you are going to give feedback, please put
the title of the story in the subject.

Thanks to everyone who has given me feedback, it's been amazing.  There
have been so many people that have written that I am truly blessed.  Thank
you all.

WARNING: (here we go into my like totally fav part--NOT!) Underage? Well go
away.  Offended by m/m concepts? Go away.  I know Savage Garden (from a few
meet-n-greets) but have no idea of any sexual orrientation.  All songs used
are owned by the respective artists.  Any poems, unless otherwise noted,
are mine.

Feedback to the new address please. -= heartmindsoulau@yahoo.com =-
Also, when you write in can you like write the story title in the subject
please.

Lastly, Derwan, I love you.

Here we go:


Garden of Songs 5
by
Sun Child

Sitting there with my head on Daniel's shoulder I just felt so comforted.
I don't know what I would have done without him there.  He just made me
feel safe, warm, protected.  I didn't know how to thank him.  So I just sat
there holding him.  Daniel eventually let go of me and sat back a little.
   "Dan, I want to know... will you come on tour with me?  I know it's a
big ask, but I can't deal with Darren on my own."  I looked Daniel in the
eye, this was a big ask but it didn't take me long to figure out my answer.
   "Of course I will come.  You know I would never pass up and opportunity
to travel and you know the added bonuses?" I asked.  Daniel just shook his
head.
   "I get to spend the tour with my boyfriend and I get to slay Darren as
much as I like." I grinned at Daniel.  He just smiled back.
   "Don't bullshit me Dan.  You're only going so you can slay Darren
daily."  I grinned even more.
   "You know me too well."

Several hours later we were just sitting back on the couch when the phone
rang.  Being the closest I reached across and answered it.
   "Hello? ... hey Mum... yeah he is... okay just a sec."  I handed the
phone to Daniel who looked at me.
   "My mother again." I told him, he just nodded.
   "Hey Julie... yes... who tells you that?... oh okay... well, you should
ask him... okay... bye."  I looked at Daniel as he handed me the phone.
   "Hello?" I asked.
   "Dan, are you going out with Daniel now?" My mother asked.
   "Umm, yeah.  Who told you?" I asked.
   "Darren called and told me.  He said that I should talk to you because
he knows it won't work with Daniel going on tour soon."
   "Well, Darren's got it wrong.  It will work."
   "You sound sure about yourself.  Hang on, what have you got planned?"
asked my mother.
   "Well, Daniel asked me to come on tour with him and I said yes." I told
her.
   "Is that wise?  You will be living with him full time then."
   "Mum, I'm living with him now."
   "Okay sweetie, as long as you are sure."
   "I am, there's nothing to worry about."
   "Okay then, well I'm going to get off the phone. I'll speak to you
later."
   "Okay, and Mum, don't tell my father.  I'm not ready for him to know
yet."  I heard her sigh.
   "Alright Dan.  I do wish you two would get along."
   "So do I Mum, so do I.  Anyways, I'll speak to you later."  With that I
hung up the phone.  Daniel looked straight at me.
   "Darren?"
   "How'd you guess."  Daniel sighed and I lay down, my head in his lap and
he started to stroke my hair.

We didn't move from that spot for several hours afterwards. We just lay
there, not speaking, just enjoying the knowledge that the other was there
should we at any stage have something to say.  Eventually I started to
drift off to sleep.  When I woke up I noticed Daniel had also drifted off
to sleep as well.  Not wanting to disturb him I lay there, just watching
him as he slept.  He looked calm and peaceful.  I was jolted back to
reality moments later when there was a loud knocking at the door.  Moving
slowly and gently I slipped out from where I was lying and walked to the
front door.  Opening the door I saw Darren standing there, his eye's red
from crying.
   "Can I come in please?" Darren asked me quietly.  I was shocked at how
mild his personality was.  Standing back I moved so that he could come in.
When he was in the door he looked at me and said two words I never thought
he would ever say to me.
   "Thank you."  My surprise must have been written across my face but I
quickly hid it.
   "Darren, are you okay?" I asked.
   'Could this be some sort of trick to get to lower my defenses?' I
wondered.
   "Where's Daniel?" He asked, his tone still low and quiet.
   "He's asleep in the lounge room.  Is it important? I don't really want
to disturb him." I told him, my defenses on edge.  Darren just nodded so
cautiously that I wondered what had happened.  Deciding it wise, I walked
into the lounge room and woke Daniel gently.
   "Daniel.  Time to wake up sweetie.  Darren's here and needs to talk to
you." I told him gently while shaking him lightly.  Groggily Daniel opened
his eyes and looked at me.
   "Darren wants to speak to me?  Great, my day was going so well."  I
looked at him.
   "I think it might be serious somehow.  He's been crying, I can tell you
that." Daniel just nodded and I left the room to go and get Darren.  I led
him into the room then walked away sensing that this would need to be
private.

Daniel came into the kitchen where I was a while later.  He just came over
and sat down beside me and cuddled up to me.  Surprised by the sudden show
of affection.
   "Are you okay?" I asked, I guess there was some type of surprise in my
voice.
   "I just wanted to give you a hug and little attention or aren't I
allowed to do that now?" He spat at me.  I sat there and looked up at him
amazedly.
   "Look Daniel, I don't know what Darren has just said to you but there is
no need to take it out on me.  If he's upset you, I will let you vent and
bitch about it, but I won't be abused." With that I stood up and walked to
my room to grab my smokes.  Walking out the front I sat down on the step
and lit on up.
   "Don't smoke here.  If you want to smoke go down on the foot path." I
heard behind me.  Turning I saw Daniel standing in the door.  Shrugging I
stood up and walked down to the footpath and started to walk away. As I
started to walk I heard a Daniel from just behind me.
   "Where are you going?" He asked accusingly.
   "None of your fucking business." I spat back.
   "Going to see your other boyfriend are you." He snapped.  My head
snapped back and I looked at him.
   "I only had one boyfriend Daniel, but I don't think I even have that
now."
   "Yeah right, what about your little 20 year old you were going out
with?" Daniel shot at me. I took a step back, memories of Brendon flooding
back into my mind.
   "He's dead." I told Daniel very quietly.
   "What you killed him with your cooking did you?" Daniel told me harshly.
I felt like I had been slapped in the face.
   "No, he killed himself when he was diagnosed with AIDS.  I haven't seen
anyone apart from you since then.  I haven't even looked at anyone.  You
don't love someone for nearly two years then just forget them and stop
loving them and just find someone new.  It's been nearly six months, so I
think I'm fairly much single." I snapped at Daniel, turned and walked away.

I followed a long line of twisting streets getting more and more lost as
each street went by.  I didn't really care.  I was about to call a cab when
I realised I had left my wallet back at Daniel's along with my phone so I
couldn't even call him for help, not that he would come.  I shrugged and
lit another smoke and started to head back the way I had come.  As I turned
onto a street, a group of about 7 guys stepped out of the shadows.
   "What are you doing here?" asked one of them.
   "Walking home." I told them, my voice flat and calm, my insides shaking
like jelly.
   "Well you ain't comin' this way.  You shouldn't have even come this far.
This is Clan territory." Another guy grunted.
   "Hey, I'm sorry, I didn't know... I don't live here, I'm only here on
holidays."
   "Well, if you were here on holidays, you would have some money.  Give us
what you've got and we'll consider lettin' you pass." The first guy spoke
again.
   "I don't have money here with me though.  I left it at the place I was
staying.  All I have are my smokes." I told them.
   "How many left?" The guy asked.
   "About forty.  I only bought them this morning." I told him.  I buy
packs of fifty because I usually share smokes with my friends.
   "Hand them over." The first guy said again.  As I reached out with them,
one guy grabbed my arm and through me to the ground.  As I hit the ground I
felt a boot ram into my side, then another.  These guys were getting in and
kicking as hard as they could.  I started to lose conciousness when it
stopped.
   "Thanks for the smokes man." One of them said.  I tried to stand up but
couldn't.  So I tried to drag myself onto the sidewalk.  I made it onto the
sidewalk and half way up someone's driveway when the blackness caved in on
me.

I awoke I don't know how much later to find myself in a bed that was
unfamiliar and without Daniel in the bed beside me.  Then all the memories
of what had happened came flooding back to me.  Looking around I saw
several items that kinda confirmed my suspicions that I was in hospital.
Looking up, I reached for the buzzer to get the nurses attention wherever
she was.  I then lay there looking around only to stop myself rapidly when
I felt a headache starting to loom overhead.  Soon a young guy walked in.
   "Yes what can I do for you Sleeping Beauty?" He asked smiling, picking
up my chart.
   "Maybe get me something for my head, it's pounding like a really bad
Spice Girls concert." I told him.  Smiling he looked at me.
   "Well I can't get you anything for that just yet.  The doctor said we're
not allowed to feed you anything until he sees you.  My name's Robert by
the way."  I smiled and reached out my hand to shake his.  Smiling he took
it and firmly shook mine.
    "Is there anyone I can call for you? Family, friends?"  Robert asked.
I thought about it and slowly shook my head.
   "No thanks, there's no one."  Robert looked at me in surprise.
   "You're here on your own?  You don't even have that special someone down
here? Talk about lucking out."
   "I had someone, but we broke up yesterday." I told him sadly.  Robert
shook his head.
   "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry.  If you need to talk though, just give
me a buzz and I'll come, lucky you, I'm your special nurse for the duration
of your stay."  I nodded my thanks and closed me eyes opening them again
slightly.
   "Thanks Robert, but I think I'll just go to sleep now."  Robert nodded
his head.
  "Sleep well, happy dreams." Robert whispered walking out the door.

Drifting off to sleep I felt my mind wander over to thoughts of Daniel.  I
loved him so much, now we had broken up.
   'Well he did say some horrible things.' I told myself.  'Then again I
wasn't the nicest person either.'  In the end I gave up trying to figure it
out and just drifted off to sleep.  As I started to dream, it was my lying
in bed with Daniel walking towards me.  He was carrying in a tray of food
like the morning after we started to go out.  Then he layed out the tray in
front of me and there was photos of me and Brendon lying all over it.
  'See,' he hissed 'you were cheating.' I just sat there in the bed then
while I looked at the photos Brendon seemed to climb from the photos.  He
wrapped his arms around my neck and kissed me and it was all infront of
Daniel.  Then when I didn't kiss Brendon back he moved away and started to
kiss Daniel.  He then started to undress Daniel as he used to undress me
and Daniel started to undress him.  I sat there sickened.

I jolted awake in the bed, my breathing heavy.  I looked around the
hospital room frantically.  Robert was in the room and came over hurriedly
to my side.
   "What's wrong? Are you okay?" He asked concerned.
   "I just had a nitemare.  It was just about my break-up.  It's nothing
too serious." I told him.  He put his hand on my shoulder.
   "Like I said before, if you need to talk I'm here." I smiled and looked
at him.
   "I meant to ask before, how long have I been out of it?  Like before I
woke up."
   "Before you woke up earlier, three days."  I groaned quietly.  Then I
looked at him.
   "Can I get a phone to use?" I asked.  Robert nodded.
   "I'll bring it in as soon as I can.  I've just got another patient to
see then I'll bring one in."  I nodded and lay back on the bed and closed
my eyes again.

Robert returned soon with a phone in his hand.  I took it from him and
looked at it.
   "This isn't a land line, it's a mobile phone."  I looked at him.  "I'm
assuming this is yours."  Robert looked at me and nodded.  I handed the
phone back to him.  "I'm not going to run up a phone bill on that." I told
him.
   "Alright, well, let's take you to the nurses station and you can call
from there." He sighed.  He tucked the phone into his pocket and then
started to lift me up.  I swung my legs over the side and tried to stand.
As soon as I put weight on my left leg it started to throb with pain.  I
gasped.  Robert looked at me.
   "What's wrong?"
   "Left leg.  Hurting like mad." I managed to get out.  He put me back
down on my bed and squatted down to look at the leg.  He soon stood back
up.
   "That one was sprained when you got hurt.  It hasn't finished healing so
I'll go get you a wheelchair and we'll take you over to the station.  I
just nodded, trying to get my head around the pain.  Robert soon returned
with a wheelchair which I climbed into.  Soon we were at the nurses station
and I picked up the phone to dial.  Robert hung me up then looked at me.
   "Can I find out your name first?" He asked.  I looked at him.
   "Dan.  Dan Murphy.  Didn't you know?"  Robert shook his head.
   "You had no ID so we had no idea."  I nodded and Robert picked up the
phone and got me an outside line.  I dialled the number and looked at
Robert quietly asking for privacy.  I think Robert picked up on it as he
left.  I could hear the phone ringing and then it was picked up... by the
answering machine.  After hearing the instructions I left a message.
   "Hey Daniel, it's me Dan.  I'm calling to let you know I'm okay, well,
kinda.  I'm sorry..." I was going to say more when I heard the other end
pick up.
   "Dan? Is that you?" Asked Daniel's worried voice.
   "Yeah it's me.  I missed you.  I'm callin' to say that I'm kinda okay."
   "Kinda okay? Dan what's happened?"
   "After our fight I went for a walk and on the way back some guys kinda
beat the shit out of me and took off with my smokes." I told him.
   "Okay, well where are you now?" He asked.
   "Hospital.  Can you come for me please?" I asked quietly.
   "You don't need to ask me to come, I'll be there in a heartbeat.  Which
hospital?" He asked.  I gave him the name and he said he's come soon and
hung up.  As I hung up, Robert reappeared.
   "You got someone coming for you?" He asked.  I nodded.  He smiled sadly.
   "Well, I'm gonna miss my fav patient.  You're great, you sat there
quietly and never complained once."
   "I was out cold." I told him and he nodded.
   "That's why I liked you so much." He told me with this big huge shit
eatin' grin.  "That and you're not too hard on the eye." Robert flirted.  I
sat there amazed.
   "Well, my fav nurse isn't too bad either.  Maybe a few too many grey
hairs and too large nose but other than that." I threw back smiling.
Robert poked his tongue out at me.  I just laughed and wheeled myself out
so that I could go back to my room.

I was sitting there in bed, channel surfing the TV when Daniel burst into
the room closely followed by Mum and Darren.  Daniel threw his arms around
me and kissed me lightly on the forehead.  When he let me go, Mum came up
and hugged me, again kissing me on the forehead.  When she moved away
Darren took a step towards me and I looked at him with a stare that stopped
him dead in his tracks.
   "Why are you here?" I asked Darren accusingly.
   "Because I wanted to see how you were going." Darren told me
defensively.  "Is that such a crime?"
   "Well considering it's partly your fault that I'm here.  If you hadn't
lied I wouldn't have had the fight with Daniel, walked away and gotten the
shit beaten out of me." I told him angrily.
   "Hey, I'm sorry.  I didn't mean for that to happen."
   "Well it did.  Let me return the favour one day, then you can know what
it's like to have nine colours of shit beaten out of you it's like such a
total thrill and you just want everyone to experience it." I told him
sarcastically.  The look on Darren's face made him look like he was about
to cry.  He didn't but instead he turned and walked out of the room.
Daniel looked at me sternly.
   "Dan, he was sorry.  He felt terrible for doing what he did.  Maybe you
should lighten up on him a little."  With that Daniel turned and followed
him out before I could reply.  I sagged back into the bed and Mum looked at
me.
   "Kiddo, I don't know what's happened between you and Darren, but Daniel
is torn between you both.  He is Darren's friend and he's your boyfriend.
I know it's all hard, but can you at least try? For Daniel."  She asked
pleadingly.  I nodded and closed my eyes then opened them again.
   "Mum, I don't want to be rude but can I have some alone time please?
I've got to think." She just nodded, came over to the bed and kissed me
lightly on the forehead.  She then left the room, turning before she left
to impart one last piece of knowledge.
   "Dan, he loves you.  Don't let this destroy your relationship." She
advised then left.

When I awoke a time later, Robert was sitting the beside the bed.  I looked
over at him.
   "Surely your shift if over by now."
   "Yeah it is but I saw the way your three visitors left and figured that
you might need someone to talk to or at least just have someone here for
you to keep you company." He told me.  I nodded.
   "But won't your girlfriend or wife or whatever be missing you?" I asked.
He shook his head.
   "My boyfriend walked out on me last week. he felt that my work took
priority over him." Robert told me. I half nodded.
   "Well, I have a strange feeling that I am single again. I can't get
along with one of his friends and boyfriends come and go but friends stay
forever so I think that, know that, he will go with his friend rather then
me."
   "If he does, I think he will be missing a lot in life.  You are a nice
guy, you have a good heart.  Yeah you might not get along but there are
worse things.  Besides, who will he have to fuck while he's on tour?"
Laughed Robert.  A look of complete surprise crossed my face then it turned
crimson red. This only made Robert laugh even harder.  When I finally found
my voice again I looked over at him.
   "Not funny.  So I take it you know who my boyfriend is,
was... whatever."  Robert just nodded.
   "Daniel." Was all he said.  I just nodded.  He leaned over and put his
hand on my shoulder and left it there.
   "What ever happens Dan, don't ever let yourself believe that you are not
a good person and that you can't make people happy.  I mean, if things were
different, we had met some other way, should we be in a relationship with a
rough patch, I would be doing my best to hold onto you."
   "Darren's his friend though.  I can't just expect him to walk away.  I
know that relationships aren't easy.  I mean I've known Daniel for years
and years now.  I love him so much, but it doesn't seem like it's
enough..." I was about to say more but there was a knock at the door and I
called out for who ever it was to come in.  I was hoping it was Daniel,
instead it was the doctor who walked in.  Robert stood, at this point.
   "I'm going to go and have a coffee, I'll come back when the doc is
done." He advised me.  I nodded my thanks, Robert then walked out of the
room.  The doctor sat back down with me and we started to talk about what
was happening, what I needed to do and finally decided that I was right to
be checked out of the hospital.  As he was leaving the doctor turned to me.
   "Is there anyone who I can call to come and get you?" I just shook my
head then thought and replied.
   "Can you just send Robert back in please?" The doctor nodded and left me
there.

---
There we go.  Could it be over between Dan and Daniel? Well, we'll find out
soon enough.  I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing
it.  Feedback on your thoughts of the way the story is going will be
appreciated. Please put the title of the story in the subject line though.
Thanks.  Feedback is now to the address of -= heartmindsoul@yahoo.com =-
Keep safe, SC.