It is much more secure to be feared than to be loved.
-Niccolo Machiavelli
"He's lost a great deal of blood, but the knife missed his heart by a quarter of an inch. He'll be just fine," Melissa informed with a gentle smile.
Liam's handsome features broke into an ecstatic grin at the news, his soulful green eyes sparkling with relief. "Thank you. Thank you so much," he told the doctor.
"I was just doing my job. But you're very welcome. He'll be out for a couple of hours but you can go and sit with him if you'd like."
Grabbing his jacket from the sofa, Liam followed the doctor out of the room and up to the Recovery ward.
Once they'd reached Sandoval's room, Doctor Park left them alone to take care of some paperwork, leaving Liam to sit at his father's side.
Taking the agent's hand in his, Liam whispered softly, "I'm sorry... I'm sorry that I lied to you... Dad."
He knew that speaking those words to his father was a risk he shouldn't be taking, especially not after denying their true bond to the man just a few hours before. But he also knew that this might be the only opportunity he would ever have to say them to his face. Even though Liam did wish to open his heart to his father when he knew that he would be listening, it was better this way. He couldn't bear it if Sandoval rejected or denounced him.
Some day, maybe I'll be able to tell you the truth.
But first, he had to learn to forgive his father for all that he'd done. Ren�e had once asked him if he loved Sandoval, if that was why he continued to save the Implant's life. Liam had always thought that he did care for the man, but at the same time he couldn't deny the fact that Sandoval had done some pretty horrific things during his career as a Companion Protector.
Though they were family and Liam felt obligated to protect his father whenever he could, he didn't love him, he couldn't. Not until Sandoval showed that he was willing to repent for his sins, his crimes against Humanity, and against his own son. There was just too much hostility between them for Liam to truly love his father the way he should.
Someday... I hope that someday I will be able to forgive you... To love you.
***
Erin's apartment, 12:45 a.m.
The Global continued to ring as Erin sighed with frustration and sank down onto the sofa with a huff. When Ron hadn't shown up for dinner four hours prior she had tried calling every number that he'd given her access to, but the only response she'd gotten was the dialling tone or a message service.
It wasn't unlike him to be late on occasion, considering how busy the Taelons kept him, but it was unusual that he hadn't called to let her know that he wouldn't be able to make their appointment. Especially not on a night that he was so looking forward to. After the first three hours, Erin's unshakeable feeling that something had happened to him was beginning to become even harder to ignore.
"Dammit, Ron, where are you?" Erin whispered to the empty room, glancing out at the darkened balcony where two tiny flames flickered in the slight spring breeze. "The one time that I manage not to burn the dinner and he doesn't show up."
Heaving another, longer sigh, Erin slapped the Global shut against the arm of the sofa and leaned back, staring up at the white-painted ceiling by the dim light of the lamp.
What if he's ignoring me on purpose?she mused. Maybe that dream held more truth than I thought.
The dream. It had plagued her sleep and waking hours for the past three days, though the fears it represented had been bothering her for several weeks. She couldn't stop thinking about her future with Ron, what he would do if he ever grew bored with her and concluded that she was too much of a liability to him. Erin knew full well that he had told her a great deal of valuable information about himself, the Taelons and both their plans. Secrets that could destroy him in the blink of an eye if they were ever to fall into the wrong hands.
And because of that fact, in spite of their feelings for each other at the present, if things were to change between her and Ron, she knew that he would never allow her to leave.
"He'll rip that bastard child from your womb and leave you to bleed to death,"the dream-Tate had hissed cruely.
A shudder ran up Erin's spine at the memory of the nightmare. Ron loves me, he would never do that, she tried to soothe herself, closing her eyes. A low yawn escaped her pressed lips then, reminding her that it was well after midnight and she had an early class tomorrow.
Sitting up, she switched off the lamp, stood and morosely walked the short distance to her room.
Maybe he'll call in the morning, she thought, undressing for bed. And if not, then I'll just have to go find him. Even if I have to ask Liam for help.
***
7:30 a.m. , Com-tech labs
The day-shift staff were just starting to arrive by the time Liam returned to the check on his father that morning, a plastic cup filled with his favorite brand of herbal tea in one hand, and a generous bouquet of beautiful orchids in the other. Nodding and flashing his oh-so-charming smile at one of the nurses, the young Major merrily ambled down the stark corridor and into Sandoval's room.
He had hardly taken a step over the threshold when his eyes involuntarily widened, his hands almost dropping their contents. A barely-awake Sandoval was futility attempting to get up off the floor, having apparently fallen out of bed while trying to get up by himself.
"What do you think you're doing?" he sternly asked the Agent, quickly going to his father's aid.
"I was trying to get dressed," Sandoval hissed through clenched teeth, wincing at the pain of his efforts. "And I don't need your help, Major."
Liam's handsome features wrinkled slightly as he grimaced with minor strain, helping the shorter man back up onto the bed with much greater ease. "Well, whether you like it or not, Sandoval, I'm giving it. And you're not going anywhere until Doctor Park says so," he informed firmly, pulling the blankets up around his reluctant father. The Implant didn't seem too please with Liam 'fussing' over him like this.
"I believe I'm quite capable of making that decision for myself, Major. I feel fine," Sandoval insisted.
"Oh really? Sandoval, you almost died less than twenty-four hours ago. You lost more blood than what's healthy for anyone and you need rest. Like I said, you're staying."
Turning back to the chair on which he'd laid the flowers, Liam couldn't help but overhear the irritated curse Sandoval made under his breath. Suppressing a smile, he placed the flowers in the vase on the bedside cabinet and sat down in the chair.
"I got you some flowers, I thought the place could use some brightening up."
Sandoval just sighed, not even bothering to look at the flowers.
"Is there anything you'd like me to get you? Books, a Global?" Liam offered, sipping his tea.
Sandoval hesitated. He could use something to read and Erin was probably worried sick by now. But, unfortunately, it wouldn't be wise to arouse the Major's suspicions. "A book or two would be fine," he answered after a moment's thought.
Liam got to his feet. "Okay then. I'll stop by your office at the Embassy and bring you a couple of novels after lunch. If that's okay?" the young man asked.
"Yes, that's fine."
"I'll see you later, then."
***
Taelon Embassy
A low, deep humming followed by a high-pitched squeaking sound emanating from Agent Sandoval's office caught Da'an's attention as the Companion slowly walked the empty corridors of his Embassy.
Coming to a stop outside the office, he peered inside, face softening into an amused smile as he saw his Protector swivelling around and around in the agent's leather chair, a slight grin of almost childlike glee lighting up his usually stoic features as he hummed a tune to himself.
"Major?"
The voice clearly startled Liam, for the young man almost fell off the chair into a nearby bookcase.
Coming to an abrupt halt, Liam turned the chair slowly to face the Taelon standing before him. "Da'an!" he exclaimed, his eyes widening with surprise. "Er, I thought you were on the Mothership."
"I was, but now I have returned," the Companion answered, stepping closer to the desk. "Tell me, Liam, do you often stray from your duties in such a fashion when I am absent?"
If Liam didn't know better he could've sworn that Da'an was actually amused by this. "Well, no... Not all the time, anyway. I just came by Sandoval's office to pick up a few books for him to read at the hospital and I... had an impulse to sit in his chair and spin around like a little kid," he confessed quickly, feeling his cheeks getting just a bit warmer under the Taelon's intrigued gaze.
Da'an allowed himself to smile again. "I am glad that you find joy in such a simple act, Liam. It is... nice to see you smile."
Liam let his own smile return, noting that it was also 'nice' to see Da'an smiling at him and speaking to him in a warm, friendly tone that had been absent from their conversations of late.
The unexpected bleeping of Liam's Global startled them both from the companionable silence that had descended.
Excusing himself, Liam unclipped the device from his belt and slid it open. "Yes, Volunteer?"
"There's a problem at the front gate, Sir. A young woman is demanding to speak to you. She says she's Chief of Staff Urick's daughter," the young Asian man reported apologetically. In the background, Liam could hear a female voice refusing to leave until he came and talked to her.
"Okay, I'll take care of it. Just give me a minute."
"Another hysterical young fan, Major?" Da'an quipped.
"I wish," Liam muttered, heading out the door...
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