Author: Angela

Notes: I don't own I-Man and don't know who does. I'm a newbie so bare with me if I have any careless mistakes. This is rated PG-13 because of one or two cuss words. It's told as if The Keeper's telling the story.

Part One of Six

I sat at my desk, in the lab, trying to figure out the conclusion to one my latest theories for trying to remove the Quicksilver Gland out of Darien's brain. I looked around the room remembering all the times we had spent together in here. The chair where I gave him his counteragent injections, and to this day I can't believe he trusts me with his sanity. My eyes started to tear up at all the memories that we've shared together. I was reminiscing when suddenly I heard,

"Claire?"

I tensed at the sound of the voice, but looking up I realized it was Darien staring at me. I wiped my eyes and forced a smile as he asked what was wrong.

"Nothing. I was just thinking that's all. Need a shot?"

"You read my mind." he said smiling.

As he sat down in the chair I tried to steady myself by taking some deep breaths as I got the counteragent ready. When I was ready to give him the shot I noticed what he was wearing. A wifebeater that clearly showed that he had been working out, blue jeans and a pair of sneakers topped off the "look" that he usually sported around the Agency. He noticed that I was observing him more than usual and he questioned it.

"What?"

Shaking my head I replied back, "Nothing."

I injected the needle into his vein. After I threw it away, I noticed he was going out the door when he turned to me and said,

"You know that you can come to me if you need anything, right?"

My only response was a nod as he walked out the door.

'Stupid! You just had to stare didn't you? What's wrong with you! He wouldn't date you...stop that, you can't like him, got that?'

For some reason, my thoughts had never really been there before.

The next day...

I walked into the lab surprised to find Darien sitting on my desk, with a very self-satisfied look on his face.

"Do you wanna guess or do I have to tell you?"

Without waiting for a reply, he said,

"We have the day off!"

With that remark he jumped off my desk, grabbed my hand and started dancing. For a grand finale, he dipped me down and brought me back up with that sly grin of his.

"And you're going to tell me what was wrong yesterday over lunch, whether you like it or not."

At that, all I could do was roll my eyes, but on the inside I was really starting to worry. How was I going to tell him? Should I even tell him?

Part Two of Six

The car ride to the restaurant was so silent, I couldn't take it. Fortunately, it was very short, so that it went by quickly. We ordered our food and while we waited Darien started the conversation,

"So, what was wrong?"

I sighed, "Nothing I can't handle."

"I'm not satisfied with your answer."

The food arrived right at that moment so I didn't answer, but by that time I picked at it, all the while screaming at myself for feeling this way about him. I guess he noticed my uneasiness because when I looked up, he was looking at me trying to figure out what was wrong. Our eyes met and for a while I wished that I could tell him, but that would have to wait. When we were done he picked up the check and we decided to go to the park for a walk. All the while thinking about how I could tell him without fear of rejection. We stopped by a willow tree and sat on the bench underneath it. A cold wind made me shudder, and without a second thought, Darien took off his jacket and put it around my shoulders.

"Thanks," I said softly, "you should know that..." but I couldn't continue.

He put his hand over mine and gestured for me to go on.

I nodded, "I know that you don't feel the same way, but I care for you, more than the rat even, but it seems that it's growing every day and you-"

"You're wrong if you think I don't have feelings for you," he interrupted, "because I do, you're such a wonderful and beautiful person, how could I not? I've been wanting to tell you this but I thought you wouldn't care about my feelings, just the gland."

Part Three of Six

Just then the famous beat up beige Fish and Game van pulled up. Hobbes came out and half walked, half ran toward us. As soon as he reached us he started talking.

"Looks like I'm interrupting but we gotta go, Fawkes. Fat man has a case for us. Come on let's go."

I nodded for Darien t go on after telling him I would meet him there. In the Official's headquarters we got briefed on the case.

"There's a man who goes by the name of Andrew Denenberg who has been ransacking the most highest labs for information on the Quicksilver Project," he informed as Eberts passed out pictures of a middle aged man.

"So, what does this have to do with us?" the always inpatient Darien asked.

The Official continued, "All of a sudden, he's stopped searching in the high labs and been going to local labs, which is why we are involved. He might come down to this one, that's why we have to stop him before he finds the information and it goes into the wrong hands. We," he gestured to Eberts and himself, " have found where he's going to be next, the basement of the old lab on twenty-seventh street. Agent Hobbes and Darien, you are to go to that lab tonight and stop him from looking any further. Dismissed."

"So, how are we supposed to stop the guy?" Darien asked Hobbes in the hall after the meeting, "Scare the hell outta him so he has to go to a padded room for the rest of his life and that way nobody'll pay attention to him? I don't think it's going to be that easy."

Hobbes nodded in agreement.

Back in the Official's headquarters...

"Don't you think, that since he's searching the lower class of labs, he'll look in out lab? Or try to get it from The Keeper?" Eberts asked.

"No, I don't think so, Eberts." replied the Official.

As I walked out of the lab and to my car I made a silent prayer that Darien would be all right.

Part Four of Six

I stood behind a building close enough so that if Darien needed something, I could come quickly, but far enough so that I wouldn't get hurt. All I had to do now was wait. The Fish and Game van pulled in front of the old lab and Darien and Hobbes came out. I suddenly felt a presence, that wasn't anyone I knew. A hand from behind grabbed me as I tried to get away. Chloroform made blackness come toward me, I tried to warn Hobbes and Darien, but couldn't. Finally, the blackness took over, but not before I someone yelling.

Darien felt that something was wrong.

"Something's not right." he told Hobbes.

Hobbes rolled his eyes. "My friend, I'm supposed to be the paranoid one, remember?"

"Yeah, well, let's go see if Claire needs anything before we start this."

They walked back to where I was in time to see me being dragged by m captor.

"Claire!!" Darien yelled.

Part Five of Six

I woke up in a dimly lit room, bound to a metal chair, with the largest headache I've ever experienced. I had a door open and looked toward the sound. A man, around his mid thirties, came into the room. "Mrs. Keeply, I presume?" he said with a bitter laugh. "I guess I should introduce myself, I am Andrew Denenburg, and I would like some certain information of which I think you know off." He then pulled a small hand held pistol from his pocket and held it to my head.

Outside Darien paced as he tried to think of a plan. Hobbes frowned and then looked at Darien, a smug look on his face.

"We split up, I take the top floors and you take the lower. If one of us finds Claire or Mr. Deneburg first, we radio the other, ok?"

Darien nodded then went into the building, radio in hand. Hobbes started to walk towards the back exit, hoping that I could take care of myself a little while longer. Inside, on the lower floors, Darien cautiously looked around, straining his ears for any sound. Thinking he did hear something down the hall, he turned. He saw a door on the left of the next hallway slightly open and heard hushed voices coming from inside,

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't give me that, Ms. Keeply, I have files on you and your experiment."

"I told you-"

Right then he slapped me, hard. The shock was worse than the pain.

Darien walked away from the door and down the hall, out of earshot to turn his radio on.

"Hobbes?"

After a while the radio came back,

"Found her?"

"Yeah, come on down to," looking for a way to describe where he was, "the next to lower section. I'm in the last hallway to the right."

"Alright, hang on."

A short while later, Hobbes showed up. After Darien showed him the room, Hobbes formed a plan.

"Okay, silver-boy, get in there and do your thing I'll handcuff him. You just worry about Claire."

Darien then quicksilvered and went in. He walked around Denenburg and kneeled behind my chair.

"It's me, I'm going to have to get you outta here if we want to go out again, right?" he whispered in my ear.

I soon felt the ropes loosening. When I was free enough to move around, I hear something fall to the ground. I looked up to see Denenburg being held up in the air, as Hobbes came in and put the handcuffs on him and led him to the van. Quicksilver fell off onto the floor to reveal a very anxious Darien.

"Shall we?" he asked.

I nodded breathlessly, getting out of this building was the only thing on my mind.

Part Six of Six

A week later...

I haven't talked to Darien since that day. Of course, I still gave him his shots, but I couldn't talk to him. His words rang in my ears,

"I'm going to have get you outta here if we want to go out again, right?"

I turned out the lights and walked out to my car. I was surprised to find Darien waiting for me, rose in hand. I was about to say something, but he put a finger to my lips.

"I meant what I said in that building," he said handing me the flower and looking into my eyes, "I love you and don't ever want to lose you again." With that statement he kissed me. Fireworks went off as I wrapped my arms around his neck and he tightened his grip on me. I returned the kiss and when we broke apart, I looked at him and said ,

"I love you, too and you won't ever lose me."

He kissed me again.

The End