--Secrets--



I tried to put the events of the maze behind me, but Stuart was unwilling to let it go. Every night, when he was done with whomever his paid lover was, he�d visit me. My resolve wasn�t strong and every time he easily swayed me. By the end of the week he spent every night in my room. I could feel myself falling for him and hated myself for it.

The only person suspicious of our relationship was Dr Lewis, due to the absence of Stuart in his own bed, and often when we passed each other I could feel his icy glare on my back but whenever I turned to look all I saw was his retreating frame.

There were many reasons for our secrecy one being the effect it would have on Elijah. I�d already badly hurt him and wanted to spare him the unnecessarily pain that his heroes had chosen each other instead of him.

Stuart was, as always, his bitchy self �I don�t really want anyone to know about us, imagine the effect it would have on my reputation.� Whenever he made a comment like this I�d reply with a sarcastic retort and try to ignore the hurt it caused. That was Stuart�s effect. He could belittle, mock you and constantly inflict injury upon you but he couldn�t make you hate him for long, not really.

So when Dr Lewis called me to his office that day I panicked. The relationship was to end and once again I was to be alone.

Nothing prepared me for what happened instead.

*~*~*

�Sit down Darren.� His words were slurred and in his hand he held an empty whiskey glass �Want a little?� He motioned towards the bottle.

�No thank you, a little early in the day for me.�

�My god, hookers with morals.� He hiccupped collapsing into his armchair. I ignored the mild irritation that I felt warm in my face.

�You wanted to see me.� I asked my teeth gritted.

He didn�t answer immediately, only appraised me with that cool gaze of his.

�Paul�s angel.� He whispered his eyes narrowed to slits. I remained silent and uncomfortable under his stare. �I used to be Paul�s angel.�

�Erm Dr. Lewis I�d really better be going.� I stood to leave but he grabbed my arm and pulled me down.

�Stay angelic one�you may learn something.� Reluctantly I sat and waited for him to speak again. �Ever wonder how the good Doctor came here?� He asked, staring into the contents of his glass.

�A little I guess��

�Ha a little, am I not worth more then that?� I shrugged generally confused now.

�I used to be like you. An angel, a hooker.� His voice grew flat as he continued �I started as a hustler on the streets, anything to make money you know. Yes of course you know. Then McGann found me.�

�Paul?�

�Not your Paul, Anthony McGann, Paul�s father.�

�He found you�?�

�Bought me I should say. A house, money, security. Everything I had been denied before.� The strain showed on his handsome features.

�So you came to a place like this as well?�

�Oh no this is nothing compared, bless Paul but his resources aren�t in the same league.� Dr Lewis smiled slightly staring at he wall behind me, lost in memories. �That was a beautiful prison. Beautiful.�

�A prison? You mean you couldn�t leave?�

�No trial for me Darren. I signed the dotted line.�

�My god��I muttered.

�You don�t know how lucky you are do you?� He snarled, pouring himself some more whiskey. � I met Paul there. He was already learning the ropes. My lord it was a family business! He was handsome and ambitious. He was my saviour.� His eyes flitted to me. �Do you have a saviour Darren?�

I hesitated uncertain �Elijah I guess.�

�When you have a saviour you�ll know, there is no guessing. I told Paul my dream, to be a Doctor, to care for others. I thought he�d laugh, he didn�t though. Paul would never laugh at me. He lived for me as much as I lived for him.� His words had become sharper and his steel grey eyes no longer seemed distant but alert. �Love in brothel.� He sneered. �God what an idiot.�

�But you are a Doctor, you achieved your dream.�

�This is Paul�s achievement not mine. He gave me money, helped me escape, and paid for my medical fees�he said we�d be together. In the end.� He slammed a fit into the armrest. �God I was so gullible to believe him!�

�Why what happened?� I asked gently.

�That place, it sucked him in. He became his father. I tried to open a practise with what was left of the money, but it fell under, I couldn�t cope. Turned to drink.� He held up his whiskey glass.� Then it was the Paul who was my saviour again, paid off my debts gave me a new job, looking after his �boys�.�

�But that�s a good thing right? You�re together again.�

�Don�t you listen? I�ve returned to my prison I can�t leave! Paul doesn�t want me, he sees me as another purchase. Something to adorn his beloved mansion with.�

�Of course you can leave, why couldn�t you?�

�Debts need repaying Darren, and Paul�s cashing them in.�

�My god�� I whispered again.

�Run Darren, you haven�t signed your life away yet�There�s still hope for you� He moved from his chair and went down on his knees in front of me. �Run!� He gripped my wrists, pulling me towards him.

�The others they��

�Had their chance and blew it�they don�t know everything�s lost, they�ll realise too late, There�s still hope for you.� He repeated.

�What�s going on here?� A voice behind us demanded. It was Paul.

�Nothing we were just talking.� I tried to disentangle myself from Damian but he held tight.

�Run Darren, Run.� Dr Lewis sobbed

�Darren get out leave us alone.�

�But��

�Darren! Out!� I got to my feet and ran to door, looking back I saw Dr Lewis in a heap at Paul�s feet.

�Your angel, your angel�� He sobbed over and over as Paul ran his hand through his hair.

Turning, Paul met my eyes. Nodding I closed the door and turned my back on the scene.

*~*~*

�Why here, it�s freezing.� Stuart asked when we entered the maze.

�It�s quiet.� I answered looking around with my flashlight.

�Oh I see, best be a quickie though I�ve got a client in half an hour.� He stepped towards slipping his hands around my waist.

�No you nympho. I want to talk.� I struggled out of his grasp.

�Talk aw come on.� He moaned, while sitting down on the dewy grass.

�I want to discuss my trial.� I said, sitting down next to him.

�You�ve opted to stay right?� A shimmer of hope shone in his eyes but he quickly hid it.

�I�m not sure, I talked to Damian and��

�About what?�

�About staying here, he thinks it�s a bad idea.�

�Well naturally, you�re fucking his toy boy.�

�God do you have to be so crude?�

�Do you have to be so Mary Poppins?�

�Stop it this is getting us no-where.� I moved my position so I was facing him �I want to leave.�

�What? You can�t!� He exclaimed grabbing me by my shoulders and drawing me towards him.

�You�ll miss me?� I asked tentatively

�If that�s what you want to hear then yes, I�ll miss you!�

�I thought you hated me?�

�I don�t know what in hell I feel for you! But if you leave then I�ll never know will I?�

�Nothing should stand in the way of love.� I said, thinking of little Elijah

�If that�s how you feel then why are you going?�

�Come with me.� My face was only inches away from his beseeching eyes.

�What I can�t! I have a contract!�

�Screw the contract!�

�That�s what I�ve been doing!� He laughed softly �Come Darren don�t be an idiot, you may have noticed I�ve got a very little source of income here.�

�We can empty our accounts and put the money together, head to a big city maybe, we could find work.�

�We�d have to go into town for our money and Paul has our account information. They don�t just give you that stuff away without identification.� Stuart smiled, happy to have found a flaw.

�Dr Lewis! He could do it for us, His gone with Paul plenty of times to town. He�ll know where the information is.� I was growing excited and even Stuart�s nit picking couldn�t dampen it.

�Yeah I�m sure he�ll wave us off with hankie, it�s not like he�s attached to me or anything.� Stuart rolled his eyes and looked at his watch. �It�s almost time to meet my client.�

I stood up slowly and looked at him sadly. �I�m going tonight Stuart, if you want to come meet me here in two hours.�

�You�re giving me an ultimatum?�

�I won�t ruin my life here.�

�You�re mad�� He whispered, rising as well. I didn�t reply, only met his eyes with a defiant stare.

�Here, tonight in two hours.� I repeated. He stared at me with disgust before stalking back towards the mansion.

I�d called my bluff and Stuart wasn�t coming. Had it all been in vain?

tbc