Bad Fanfic: 'Rising'. Chapter 8

Rising: Chapter 8. Ian/Anthony, Anthony/Kalel, Phil/Dan. Drama/Comedy/Sci-fi. PG-13.
Guest starring: Phil Lester, Dan Howell, Brian Rasmussen (mentioned), Rafi Fine (mentioned), Lisa Donovan (mentioned), Kalel Cullen (mentioned).

A/N: Kind of a short chapter, but at least it's something, right? Ian's so jealous, awwww.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anthony slowly blinked his eyes open, but quickly shut them again against the bright light. His head was pounding. He tried to sit up, but every muscle in his body screamed in protest. He groaned and flopped back to the pillow.

"Anthony? Can you hear me?" a voice asked.

"Phil?" Anthony said faintly, opening his eyes again. Phil was leaning over him, looking relieved. "What's going on?"

"You're in the infirmary. You and Major Howell were beamed up into a Wraith Dart. Kind of a mini Wraith ship. Their version of our Puddle Jumpers."

"How'd I get out?"

"Hecox and Shane shot the Dart down. Rasmussen figured out how to beam you back out."

"Thank God," said another voice from nearby.

"Howell?" Anthony acknowledged. He hadn't realized that Howell was there. He lifted his head, trying to see where he was. "Where is he?"

"There wasn't enough power to beam Major Howell out. He's still trapped inside the Dart," Phil said.

"No I'm not," Howell said. "I'm right here."

"Where are you?" Anthony asked, confused.

"What are you talking about?" Phil gave Anthony an odd look.

"I'm talking to Howell," Anthony said.

"Anthony, Howell isn't here. He's still inside the Dart."

"I'm in the bed right in front of Phil," Howell said.

"No, I'm in the... oh no."

"What?" Phil and Howell asked at the same time.

"I'm in the bed in front of Phil," Anthony said.

"How is that possible?" Howell asked.

"Anthony," Phil said, "What are you -"

"Shut up for a second!" Anthony put his hands over his eyes.

"Hey!" Howell cried in alarm. "Everything just went dark! Phil -"

"He can't hear you," Anthony said, removing his hands from his eyes.

"Who can't -" Phil started.

"Shut up! Howell, look down at your body."

"Why -"

"Just do it."

"Anthony -"

"Phil, shut up!"

"I... I can't move my eyes. I'm paralyzed."

"No, sorry, just a second..." Anthony lifted his head and directed his eyes down his own body. There was silence for a few seconds.

"That's not my body," Howell said finally. "It's yours."

"Howell -"

"Anthony, Howell isn't here. He's still inside the Dart."

"Hold on a second. Phil, listen to me. He's not inside the dart. He's in my head."

"What are you talking about?"

"His consciousness. It's in my head. I can hear him. He can see what I see and hear what I hear. He's sharing my body."

Phil was silent for a few seconds. "Anthony, I think you might be halluci -"

"No!" Anthony said fiercely. "It's true!"

"Just tell him what I say, I can prove it's me," Howell's voice commanded.

"He's telling me he can prove it's really him," Anthony said to Phil. "He says he..." Anthony's jaw dropped when Howell told him what to say. "You didn't."

"I didn't what?"

"You and Howell? You...? Oh God, Phil, ew!"

"Hey!" Howell said indignantly. "I'm right here!"

Phil blushed furiously.

Anthony's eyes widened as he heard the next part. "You guys have been sleeping together? For two months? You never told me?" Anthony felt a little hurt by this.

"I just... I... So Howell's really in your head?"

"I think that just proved it."

There was silence for a moment.

"Rasmussen got us out of the Dart?" Anthony asked finally.

"That's right."

"It figures. Of course he'd screw it up. Please tell me they saved the Dart."

"Of course."

"Good." Anthony got out of bed, wincing in pain.

"Ow," Howell complained.

"Where are you going?" Phil asked.

"To sort this mess out and get Howell's body back. Tell Rasmussen to meet me in my lab."

"Anthony, it's two in the morning. Get some rest and figure it out tomorrow," Phil said.

Anthony sighed. "Fine." He settled back into the bed.

Phil nodded. "I'll be in my office if you need me."

Anthony yawned and turned over on his side.

"Goodnight," Howell said, a little awkwardly.

"'Night," Anthony replied. Soon they were both fast asleep.

---

Anthony awoke at 6:30 the next morning as the infirmary door slid open. Ian walked in, a look of concern on his face. However, as soon as he made eye contact with Anthony, he quickly switched the look of concern to a smile - no, not a smile, but his old smirk, the one that Anthony had hated so much when they first met.

"How are you two doing?" he asked.

"You've heard, huh?" Anthony sighed.

"Phil briefed us about it this morning."

"Us?" Howell asked.

"How many people know?" Anthony voiced Howell's question.

"Dr. Fine, Dr. Donovan, Dr. Rasmussen, Dr. Lester, and me. Everyone else still thinks that Howell's consciousness is still in the Dart along with his body. And we'd prefer to keep it that way," he added. "No need to weird everyone else out, right?"

"Right," Anthony agreed.

"So, Howell," Ian said, a grin spreading over his face. "What's it like being in Padilla's head?"

"I'd rather be still inside the Dart," Howell said.

"He says he loves it," Anthony told Ian. Ian snorted.

"What about your date with Dr. Cullen tonight?" he asked.

Anthony groaned. He has completely forgotten. He'd have to...

"You're not going to cancel on her, are you?" That smirk was still there, and Anthony didn't like it. "Come on, Padilla." Ian's eyes were daring him to go through with it. Anthony drew himself up with as much dignity as he could manage while sitting in a hospital bed, and said, "Of course I won't cancel."

Ian laughed. There was an edge to it that stung Anthony like a slap to the face.

"I didn't think so." He turned around and headed for the door. "See you guys later."

Anthony settled back against the pillows, his stomach turning uncomfortably, painfully aware that Howell could feel it, along with every other physical indicator of his distress. Thankfully, he kept quiet, leaving Anthony alone with his worries.

Anthony turned the visit from Ian over and over in him mind. An image of Ian - eyebrows raised, that stupid smirk distorting his gorgeous face - flashed to the front of Anthony's mind, and he sighed in frustration. It was like the last few days had never happened; Ian was back to the swaggering, pushy guy he'd been when they'd first met, and the friendship they'd managed to establish had all but disintegrated.

"You wanna talk about it?" Howell asked finally.

"No," Anthony said, and rolled over for a few more hours' sleep.