Author: Inca
Feedback: And I�ll go on a trip with you- [email protected]
Rating NC17
AU Liam/William
Disclaimer: They don't belong to me, I just like to play with them
Spoilers: AU
Summary: Risen from the ashes, as an Angel
Authors Notes: Dedicated to anyone who hated Harlen or Steve or ever felt irritated by Will or adored Liam.
***
Wilthos and William stared at each other a little bright flickers of eternity and time flashed past at blinding speed. Will broke the gaze first and stared down at himself, blinking and feeling like he couldn�t breathe, knowing that he couldn�t move.
I didn�t lock the door.
Liam was still breathing heavily, sitting calmly on his thighs, watching Wilthos with vague interest.
�Liam. Go into the room, now.� Wiltho�s said, dangerously quiet.
I didn�t lock the door.
Liam looked a little hurt at the tone but he stood, disengaging himself from Will with a whimper and trotted towards the office bedroom. Will couldn�t look at the way his come spilled out and started to slide down Liam�s thighs. He couldn�t think of anything. His mind was a vacuum. It was a nightmare. The worst nightmare. And he was completely naked, which was astoundingly accurate.
Liam stopped at the closed door, staring at it, waiting patiently for it to open. Will inwardly groaned. He slid to his knees and tugged his jeans on, somehow believing if he were at least partially clothed, the situation would improve.
Wilthos silently made his way across the room and opened the door for him, closing it with a slam after he had trotted inside. He glared at the ground, found Liam�s uniform hanging half off the coffee table, picked it up and silently opened the door passing it to him.
He slammed the door on Liam�s happy �thankyou� and turned around, glaring eyes with burning righteousness.
Will stared down at himself quickly, still blinking and still feeling like the air was being sucked out of his lungs. Wiltho�s walked up towards him, making little sounds of shock, cackling out spurts of disbelieving laughter.
This was the moment. Will had pushed and pushed until the last thread of his luck had snapped and flailed uselessly. A crying jag suddenly pushed at the back of his eyes, but he managed to tamp it down.
He risked a glance up at Wilthos and saw him shaking his head with his eyes closed, like it was all too much.
�What are you doing!� Wilthos finally asked, still shaking his head, his eyes bugging out. �You � You�!�
Will hung his head and slid down onto the chair, trying to find comfort. He didn�t want to cry or yell but everything was building up. He was scared and humiliated and ashamed. It was all too much.
�I cannot even express how � utterly astounded! I am! By � this�this�!�
Will bit his tongue to keep from saying anything and looked furtively for his shirt. He realised his hand come on his belly. He breathlessly tried to wipe it off, his face burning.
�This is the most, depraved, sickening, abuse of position I have ever seen!�
Will couldn�t help himself. �I�m sorry.�
�Sorry? You�re disgusting! You � take advantage � Liam trusts you �� his mouth hung open, as he glared down with furious eyes.
Will winced with every word.
�Never in my � forty eight years of treating patients have I ever seen � you better pray, Will, you better!�
Will grabbed his shirt and tugged it on. �I care for him, I trul��
�I don�t want to hear it. You disgust me.� He spat out the words like they were acidic.
Will studied the floor. He couldn�t look up. He couldn�t. He couldn�t speak, his tongue felt heavy and rubbery. He wanted to melt away.
Wilthos� laughed bitterly. �That conference � in England? You took him there as some sort of sexual toy to � use and � and � and degrade, didn�t you?! And I, I let you! Me! ME!� He yelled.
�I never used Liam!� he barked back, raising his eyes to the opposite couch, couldn�t face those eyes. He needed him to understand, to say it was alright and that he got it, that it can happen. �Never! We care about each other!�
�I think we both know what you care about.� He said quietly, waspishly.
Will clenched his jaw trying not to scream back at him. He blinked furiously. �What you have done to Liam is not only unethical, it�s wretched. And don�t think I wont use my full weight to make sure you are put away somewhere you can never � prey! On the vulnerable ever again! I�m taking Liam and I�ll send someone to deal with you.� He growled out that last word with so much repugnance, like he was talking to some murderous leper.
Will�s face crumpled for a moment, but he regained his composure. They were taking him away. He�d never see Liam again, and that was that. And it was all moving so fast.
�Liam!� Wilthos yelled.
Why does it all have to go so fast! Wilthos was already taking him away He was never going to see him again.
He didn�t come through the door. He was probably standing at the other side. Will felt a tear well up on his bottom lid.
Wilthos marched over and opened up the door to reveal Liam, looking scared. He was clothed now, and Will turned and smiled weakly at him. He looked between the men warily and came forward a few steps, like a scared dog.
He�d heard the yelling. Will wondered if he knew what was happening.
He hoped not.
�Will?� he questioned, eyes flicking between his and Wilthos� as the man strode towards him.
�Come now, Liam. He won�t hurt you anymore.�
�Will doesn�t hurt me. He loves me.� Will�s heart felt weightless for a few moments. He smiled at him, brighter.
Wilthos shot a hateful look at Will that burned his cheeks. �He doesn�t love you. He�s just cruel.� He said, gripping onto Liam�s arm.
�No! Will loves me. Right?� He said, eyes searching Will�s. Will smiled, feeling like he wanted to fall into the foetal position and never recover. It was better not to say it; Liam would get over it in time that way.
This was torture.
This was the last time he was ever going to see him.
He looked up at him. Breathed in the long body covered by prison blue. The tanned hands with long fingers worrying at the buttons. Absorbed it all, with unblinking eyes, afraid he�d miss a detail. The smooth neck, a dark line of black across it, straight strong jaw and sharp cheekbones, dark straight eyebrows over darker eyes. Messy sex hair, some sweated wet strands clinging to the skin beside his ears.
Never again.
Never see him again. Or hear him talk, or sing, or purr. Never feel his fingers, or run his own through the dark hair. The room went on mute. Never feel the hot body against his own; never watch in awe as he created something beautiful out of paint or graphite.
Will closed his eyes and pursed his lips against the dark sinking feeling. He didn�t want any tears. He didn�t want to upset Liam.
Didn�t want to remember their last hellish moments together, the last look at Liam - to have him upset.
The sound was traitorously back. �Will.� Liam whimpered brokenly, starting to cry as Wilthos lead him to the door.
He knew what was happening, and the thought made a tear roll down his cheek. He could hear every hiccupping breath, every distressed noise Liam was making as tried to get his arm away from Wilthos� grip.
Liam�
He couldn�t let him go, not without a word; everything would mean nothing if he said nothing. Liam would remember his words. He believed it.
�I love you baby, don�t worry, everything will be fine.� He babbled before his brain caught up. �Be a good kitty for Daddy, yeah? Don�t worry, purr for me.�
Liam�s face brightened. A little. Tears still seeped out. And Wiltho�s shook his head, staring at Will like he was the Morning Star. �Never in my life ��
Wilthos turned to drag Liam away forever and Will was overcome. By the last year and the feelings that had arisen inside him, growing up so much and hiding everything, talking to none and keeping the weight of his life like baggage to carry every single day.
Liam was trying to turn around in the grip, was keeping distressed eyes on him, pleading for help.
Scheming and plotting and adrenaline highs followed by lows so deep he felt they would swallow him whole, like sinking into an open grave and feeling the dirt thrown over him and fill his nostrils and eyes and squeeze in through his clenched eyelids.
Wilthos was yelling at Will and at Liam, and Liam was crying and saying his name over and over.
Falling in love with someone and now having them taken away, sobbing and sad and helpless.
No.
Fire filled his heart and he would not let Liam go. Ever. He would take care of him. They would live in that big house with the pool and the yard and the stars. That was the only path. Letting Liam go was not an option.
He�d die without him. He knew it.
He stood up slowly.
He�d die; part of who he was would be snuffed out and never re-lit. He needed him.
He stalked over, yanked Liam out of the way and grabbed the back of Wilthos� frail head in his hands. He heard the cry of protest as he knocked it against the door with as much force as he could push into his body. He felt the shudder, reverberation in his arms as Wilthos� head slammed into the heavy wood. He did it over and over until Wilthos slumped, soundless, his hands dragging down Liam�s jumpsuit as he fell to the floor.
�Will?� Liam mewled looking down at Wilthos, at the red, too red forehead, the rising egg.
�Angel, baby, it�s all good now. I love you so much.� Liam stepped over the still unconscious body and wrapped his arms around his neck. He purred and laid a light peck on his lips.
Will was laughing maniacally inside. He�d knocked Wilthos unconscious. Probably killed him.
�Okay, sweets I want you to go back to your room and pack up okay? Don�t talk to anyone. Just go back, and pack, alright? I�ll come soon.�
Did he really just say that? What the bloody hell�?
�Okay Daddy. Are we going away?� Liam asked, his tears drying up, watching him as he dragged Wilthos away from the door.
�Yes.�
They were? Who was speaking out of his mouth?
Liam disappeared after a meow and a fluttering of eyelashes and Will dragged the unperceiving man into the bathroom. He leant down and listened for breathing.
Still breathing. Faint and barely there, but still breathing.
He ran back to the bed and grabbed a couple of belts he and Liam often �played� with and tied Wiltho�s hands around the toilet, strong and tight. Much tighter that he ever tied Liam.
He grabbed a sock and pushed it into Wiltho�s mouth, praying he wouldn�t choke to death, and taped it in there with tape from his desk. He wound it round and round his head.
He didn�t want anyone to hear him for a while. He taped his hands up just to be sure and then his ankles.
He used the entire roll.
He grabbed his bag and shoved all the things he could think of, into it. Photos, memories. He thought for a second then reached under his desk, unsticking the Polaroid of Liam at Christmas looking happy and excited.
He had money in the bank. Grants, savings, publishing payments. He�d withdraw � they could go anywhere.
Go?
He was going to take Liam. And go. He steadied himself against the wall as the floor swayed. Was he really going to do this?
His eyes widened at the answer.
Yes.
He was in prison even if he hadnt hit Wilthos and now that he had� And Liam was already in prison. They wouldn�t punish him for Will�s mistakes.
He had to try.
He nodded to himself.
He looked to his bedroom and dragged the sheets off, balling them up and tucking them under his arms. With his bag packed he slipped down to the car park, tears slipping out.
He was so insurmountably fucked if this didn�t work.
He parked near a back access and jumped out, leaving his bag and the balled up sheets inside.
Fucking Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuckety Fucking Fuck.
He ran to Liam�s room, and found him calmly packing things into the huge Christmas box Will had given him what seemed like years ago. �Little faster luv.� He said patiently, throwing everything he could find into it.
�And this.� Liam said, picking up some folded over wood. He realised it was the easel Allen had given him.
He pushed it into the box, tight fit, but in there. Liam picked up his water glass.
�Not that Pet, we can get a new one.�
He put it back down and pouted. Will stayed calm as he acquiesced and put it into the box, trying to hurry him as he started pulling his drawings carefully off the walls.
�Baby. Please!�
He went faster.
After they�d cleaned out, he�d managed to convince him to leave the bed sheets and table there; they strode down the halls, Will carrying a large brown box and Liam clipping along merrily beside him.
They both smiled at Barry as he walked past them, although Will almost shat himself.
The guards wandering near the back entrance door made Will�s heart stop beating for a few seconds, but they hadn�t noticed. He pushed Liam into an empty room telling him to crouch down beneath the window and not get up. He meowed quietly and swayed into the room. Will poked his head round the corner.
�Oi!�
The guards stopped joking and looked at him, ready for action.
�There�s some big bugaboo with the inmates in the aerobics gym over the other side, wanna check it out for me?�
�Sure Dr Telleck.�
He pointed down the hallway and they walked quickly. He let Liam out of the room and they sneaked out the back after opening all the many locks with his keys.
The sunlight was harsh and accusing. Will quickly pushed Liam into the back seat.
�Lay down sweets.�
Liam giggled. �Are we going to play in your car?� he rumbled.
�Maybe some other time. This is a different game and you can�t break the rules.�
He nodded.
�You have to lie in the back, under all the sheets and stuff and not move or say a word or even hum, kay?� he said, holding his head to make sure he heard him.
�Kitty can do that.� He said as Will pushed him into the backseat, furtively looking around.
�Good. And if you do, we can go to the house.�
Liam�s eyes went wide.
�We�re going today Daddy?� he made some happy noises as Will lay him back and folded the sheets and blankets over him and then put all the boxes and junk over and around him.
�I�m hot Daddy.�
�I know Baby, it�s only for a few moments.�
Will jumped into his car and started the car with a resounding �We�re so fucked�. He drove past the staff gate and opened it up with his pass.
�Remember, don�t make a sound. Not one. Alright?�
To Will�s pleasure there was no answer.
�Good kitty.�
He unlocked another entrance and then drove to the front gate and waved at the guards as he pulled up.
�Hey.� Clive said. The other never took his eyes off the game on the small t.v. Will tried not to look at the heavy black guns they had within reach.
�Hey Will, you knocking off?� He asked, holding out the sheet for him to sign.
�Yep, bit of a hurry actually. Moving.�
�Great!� he said with a joking false abandon.
Will nodded in an �I know I know� fashion and turned and waited for the gate to open.
�Why�d you bring your stuff to work?�
He turned, smile frozen. �Oh just stuff I didn�t want dirtied or broken by the movers. Let�s see what they�ve broken today, yeah?�
He laughed and flipped the switch; the gates opened up in front of him. �Last movers broke my wife�s wedding present mirror. It was one of a kind. She tried to sue.�
�Oh, that�s horrible.� He said sympathetically, scanning his pass. He heard the things shift in the back.
�Nah, it was ugly as hell.� He joked as the final security arm raised up and out of the way, affording him an unchecked view of the street.
He laughed for an appropriate amount of time before pulling slowly away, waving to Clive and watching in his rear view mirror as he sat down beside the other guard
�Daddy I�m burning inside.�
�Hold on baby.� He said still smiling like someone would see him as he drove away from the prison.
He turned down a few more streets and then told Liam he could come out. He did so sweaty and red faced from being under the blanket.
�Did I play well Daddy?�
�You did, I�m very proud.� He said, indicating and turning. They were going to his apartment as quickly as they could. Without breaking the speed limit. Will didn�t want to push the gods of luck too much. �Take off the jumpsuit Pet. Put on some of my clothes, even if they don�t fit properly.�
�Okay!�
Will made it to his apartment and dragged Liam upstairs, distracting him by telling him to go change into his holiday clothes which Will still kept folded on the dresser next to his bed. He trotted off as Will frantically packed suitcases full of photos and money and things that could be pawned quickly.
Liam came out, smoothing his shirt down. �Will, I�m dressed in my lion tail shirt.�
�Good, good.� Will said absently, throwing him a smile before grabbing his diploma. It meant a lot to him. He paused a second and then grabbed his address book.
�I�m thirsty Will.�
Will ran to the kitchen and grabbed the huge bottle of water he kept in the fridge. �Here you go.� He said, giving it to him after he ran back.
He frantically looked around. This was it. He laughed, high pitched and strange enough to make Liam look at him funny.
�Okay back down to the car, Help me carry these.�
They scrambled back and Liam was happy because he got to sit in the front seat. He clapped his hands and bounced as Will tried to drive to �D�sirer et L'�me� as quickly as he could, swearing everytime he looked down to see himself ten, fifteen over the speed limit. He couldn�t imagine anything worse than getting pulled over for a ticket, right now. Well, he could imagine a few things worse.
�I like this game, it feels like a race.� Liam cooed, reaching over to brush Will�s jaw.
�A race we have to win Pet. Another game? Ready? Over the next few hours you have to do everything I say as quickly as you can.�
Will felt that this could possibly be the most stressful day of his life. His heart was going to collapse under the pressure, he�d pass out or have a stroke.
�Yes, I can do that. Will we play?� Liam asked sexily.
He laughed. It lessened the tension. �One track mind luv.�
Liam grinned and looked up at the entryway.
�What are we doing here?�
�Looking for the only person I know who can help us.�
**~~**
Angel was having fun. He bounced up to the door with Will and joined in happily as he banged on it. He smiled. It was brighter out here, yellowy gold sun and his clothing was comfortable and Will was a lion.
A little slot slid open, revealing two eyes. �Not open yet Pal.� They said.
�Wanna speak to someone. Wanna find a girl that comes here.� With a white lion roar.
�Not my problem.�
�You know Faith?�
�Yep. So?�
�Know where she lives?�
�What�s it to you?� The eyes asked.
Will grabbed his wallet and held up money.
The door clanked open.
*~
Now they were standing at another door pounding at it. This was fun but it would get boring soon. He wished he could draw all the excitement in the air. Where were his �
�pencils?�
�In the car Pet. We didn�t forget them. FAITH!�
A voice. A girls voice. From behind the door. �What the fuck do you want!�
�Faith!� Angel said helpfully. He wasn�t sure what they needed faith for but �
An irritated, beautiful girl opened the door. Liam wanted to draw her. Big eyes and tan skin.
�It�s you. How did you find me?�
�I need to get out of the country and I need your help. I�ll pay you.�
She laughed. Like sweets, like candy in the air. She laughed lighter than Jana. Deeper than Sally. Out of the country?
He looked at Will, �Is the house out of the country?�
The girl looked at him and blinked. �Who�s your friend?� She smiled seductively, all cat eyes and red lips.
�This is Angel.� He said quickly. �I need to get out of the country.�
�Hey Angel. Come in guys.�
Will�s hand wrapped around his elbow and manoeuvred him inside, like Will thought he might lose him if he didn�t touch him. The apartment was not as nice as Will�s. It was dark and smoky and small. She closed them into the smallness, locking the door behind them.
�Why do you need to get out of the country?� She asked, smiling, crossing her arms over her chest.
�Can you help me, or am I wasting my time?� Will sighed, standing woodenly.
�Maybe. Where�d you wanna go?�
Will stared back at her. �Anywhere they can�t extradite.�
�Whoa.� She smiled naughtily, big pretty eyes enthusiastic. �What have you done?�
Her gaze turned to Angel and she looked at him out the corner of her eyes like he was screaming at her.
�Why is he singing?�
Was he? Probably. The stars song was way too loud and happy to ignore.
�Please. Can you help? Or point us to someone who can?�
�Yeah, yeah. I can, calm down. I�m guessing you need to leave soon.�
Will nodded, relaxing, his shoulders slumping. �Very soon.�
�We�re going to the big house and the pool and the stars?� Angel asked excitedly. Will�s hand in the small of his back moved him to the couch. Will smiled, showing the slightly crooked tooth that Angel loved. He purred.
She gave him the same look. �Is he retarded?� She coughed a laugh.
�No!� Will barked, spinning around to look at her and the woman looked offended.
�Alright, alright, so what�s wrong with him?� She said, laughing, putting her hands up in a surrender gesture.
�There�s nothing wrong with me.� He said happily. Not anymore.
�Okay. Fine. Whatever.� She went to the small bar fridge and grabbed a beer. She gave one to Will and to Angel. Angel accepted eagerly, but Will absent-mindedly plucked the bottle out of his hands and started having a quick-paced long boring conversation with the girl. They sat at the small plastic looking dining room table, speaking quickly, hushed, the woman nodding quite a bit. He zoned out and started thinking about the pool they�d have. Under the stars, who would never sing the anxious ear hurting songs again, swimming, with Will. Naked. Naked Will.
��Philippines or Indonesia, they�re both on the boat�s course.� Said the woman, holding a cell phone to her ear.
�No passports, right?� Will asked.
�No need, baby� She smiled.
Angel was lost in the words. Too much. Confusing. He ignored them, Will would take care of it all. They could play in the pool. He could hold on to the edge of the pool and Will could play with him. Mmmmmm. Maybe they could get a floaty bed. He wondered if Will would get him a collar like the one in his dream. Although, he did like his collar. He reached up and brushed his fingertips across it.
�I�ll get him round to talk. It won�t be five star accommodations� probably be downright uncomfortable.� She said in a warning tone.
�Comfort doesn�t matter. We just need out.�
He wriggled his nose and stared out the window. The stars were murmuring about how happy he should be. He wasn�t going back to prison this time. He could feel it. He frowned. Doyle� would Doyle know the address? He would have to ask �
�Angel?�
He turned. Will was gone and the woman was staring at him. �Angel?�
�Yes?�
�Do you need anything? You�ve been sitting there for about an hour now. And while I do like your singing could you knock it off for a while?�
�Where�s Will?�
�Gone to get money. He cant access it again, so he�s gonna draw it all out. But you have to sit in with the banks to draw his kind of money out.� She looked at him. �You alright? Look a little dreamy. You�re not trippin out are you?�
�No.� He answered, feeling like that was the right answer.
�Oh good.� She looked at him funnily.
She was radiating all different colours. Greens and blues mainly. Yellow and gold too. She was a little confused. He could draw it all if he had his �
�pencils here.�
�Sorry?�
�I could draw the colours if I had my pencils.� He repeated.
�What colours?�
�Your colours.�
�Ah.� She tapped her thigh. �Will didn�t tell me much about you Angel. How do you know him?�
�We love each other.�
Her eyes went wide. �Oh. Okay.�
�And we�re going to go live in a big house with the stars and the pool and a big yard.� He smiled and thought for a moment. �And a little puppy. Maybe. But I don�t think Will knows yet.� He�d like to have a puppy. A brown one, with sleek fur. Or a blue one.
She raised an eyebrow. �And � where do you live now� before today?�
�Prison.�
Her eyebrows slowly drifted up her forehead.
�And �� she frowned. Realisation flooded her face. �Liam. You�re the one that Will was talking about.�
�Liam died.�
�Okay. By vampires.�
His hands shook. �They come at night.� He managed, feeling the prickles on the back of his neck.
�Okay. Alright, that�s fine.� She said fake happily.
He looked for Will. He wasn�t there�
�Where�s Will.�
She paused. �Uh ...at the banks?�
�Oh.� He frowned. That seemed familiar.
�So � how did you and Will meet?� She asked, coming to sit next to him.
�Will�s my therapist.�
She just laughed. �Man, you guys have a really fucked up relationship.�
He frowned. She was laughing so what she said wasn�t bad. Angel was confused. He wanted Will, even though this girl was pretty nice. He pouted and fluttered his eyelashes at her, because that always seemed to work.
�You�re cute. I can see why Will�s trying to flee the country with you. Tuck you away inside a big house.�
He smiled. He�d like that.
Where was Will anyway? Oh at the house. No the bank. Or something. He felt tired. He let himself drop away and then felt the girl picking him up like he was light as a baby. Or a kitten.
�Meow.�
She laughed and layed him along the prickly but comfy bed.
�No don�t need to do that anymore�� Will murmured, appearing behind him. �Not needed.�
He picked up a paintbrush and dipped it in yellow, laying a large golden line over the black and red people crying on the picture.
Angel dipped his fingers in green and dotted them across the corners, drawing leaves and worms, squiggles to chase away the black.
�See?� he wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him close, resting his chin on his shoulder, his hair soft and tufted against his neck. �No shadows now. They�re not needed.�
Angel nodded.
He woke on the bed and got up, hearing Will�s voice drifting in from the other room. He went to the doorway and leaned against the jamb, blinking the sleep away. There was another man sitting at the table now. He was dusty looking, but nice still. His skin was chocolate and he had a shaved head. His eyes were lighter than his skin. The back of Will�s head was to him, and the dark haired woman leant back in her chair, arms crossed as she watched them.
�We were scheduled to leave in three days time. But seeing as I�ve got all the junk now, we can go earlier. How�s one thirty in the am?� The bald man said to Will.
Will�s bright white head nodded. �Sounds good.�
�Expensive though. I hear its about twenty grand more to leave then.� He smiled and his teeth were white as stars in the dim room.
�Gunn�� The girl frowned, a smile on her face.
�Fine. I don�t care.� Will cut in, and then he and the man shook hands. Will reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys. He pulled off a few and gave them to the woman. He gave the car key to the man who rubbed his hands together.
�Man, I�m gonna love that car.� He laughed.
�I did.� Will said flatly.
The man�s eyes caught sight of him moving away from the doorframe. �Your toy�s awake.� The man said, smirking.
Will looked over his shoulder. �He�s not my bloody toy.� Will snapped, turning back around.
The man held his hands up in a surrender gesture, like the woman had done earlier. Will was agitated. Angel sat on the couch again and watched them as the conversation turned and twisted around things he couldn�t keep up with. He fell asleep.
�Come on Sweets� Will said, climbing up in front of him, white chest over black pants. He pulled himself up some vine.
It was all green.
Jungle green.
He could hear the parrots and the roar of lions.
White ones.
Except Will was silent now. They had to be quiet or they�d scare it off. He wasn�t sure what, but there was something. Will helped him up with muddy hands. He had dirt in a stripe across his face and he was sweaty.
�Bit of a climb, huh?�
Angel looked down, they were right up the top of the canopy, the hard sun filtered through the leaves and turned everything green. Dark green. Jungle green.
�Where are we Will?�
�Jungle, Pet. We had to see it.�
It?
He pushed through the canopy and a second later a muddy white hand reached back through to pull Angel up. They crawled along the leafy tops, which seemed to go on forever, but they didn�t get tired. They could hear the sounds of the jungle below them.
�Wait Pet. Stop.�
They�d reached the edge. Will looked over, holding onto the leaves tightly. �Beautiful. �ave a look, kitty.�
He came up beside him and looked down to see a waterfall down below, a pool beneath it and a huge orange-red and yellow bird on the rocks on top of it all, huge sweeping tail feathers running down along the waterfall. It squawked and it sounded like the stars songs were coming from its belly.
He wanted to get closer; pat the feathers but Will held him back.
�Never get too close to a fire Pet, no matter how pretty it looks.�
Good advice. Will always protected him. He sat back and let Will wrap a sweaty arm around his bare chest as they watched it preen.
He woke again, sitting up on the couch and the apartment was pitch black. �Will?� He asked, not seeing anyone anywhere. He felt like he was alone. His fingers tensed around the blanket on him.
��Mhere Pet.� Will�s sleepy voice mumbled.
Angel looked down and saw him lying on the floor, white hair all messy.
�I thought you�d left.� He whispered.
�Never. Never leave you.�
Angel was happy with that response. The stars hummed at it. They liked it too. Happy songs, like at their anniversary, like when they played. Always around Will.
�When are we going to the house Daddy?�
Will yawned a little and read the time from something to his left. Angel couldn�t see what. �In forty three minutes Luv, go back to sleep.� He rolled onto his belly, pushing his face into the pillow on the floor.
�Are we leaving America?�
Silence for a moment. �Yes Pet, we have to, I did some bad things today � yesterday.�
�I don�t think so.�
He lifted his head, smiling up at him, like Angel was the most beautiful thing in the world. �That�s cause you�re beautiful.�
�Where are we going?� Angel asked, reaching down to pat his fingers through Will�s hair. The gel had rubbed out of it.
�Indonesia.� Will mumbled.
�Ooooh.�
Will yawned. �I love you Angel.�
�I love you too.�
�Are you happy? With what we�re doing?�
He looked around. The room was dark and it wasn�t Will�s office or his apartment or his own room. He felt a pang of homesickness for his tiny room, with the door with the small square of glass.
�Where are we?�
�In Faith�s apartment. She�s driving us there, she just went to get a car.� He murmured.
�Faith is her name then.� Faith of the big cat eyes.
�Yes Pet.�
�Will we be together? In Indonesia?� He tried to remember where Indonesia was. He vaguely recalled something from geography when he was still in school.
�Yep.�
�Can we go out to dinner and hold hands?� He asked, thinking of the time in England.
�Yep.� Will snorted a little sleepy laugh. �They quite like man on man there.�
He smiled. That made him happy. No hiding. He couldn�t wait to get to the house. �What�s the address?�
�Of what? Indonesia?�
�No, the house.�
Will blinked at him, sleepily. �Angel, we don�t own it yet. We have to go there.�
�Oh. So I can help choose?�
�Yep.�
Hmmm. That made him feel sugary.
�Do you have any candy?�
Will yawned and rolled over to his bags. He rattled through the one from the office. �Here, have some fudge.�
�Yummy.�
He chewed, liking the sound of the sctuk sctuk in his ears. Will started snoring and he liked that too. He�d hear that every night from now on. He grinned in the darkness. Hear him snoring as they slept next to each other, and then they could wake up the next morning and stay and purr and eat and play, not needing to rush away from each other before the guards saw them.
From now on, It would be Will and him. Together.
He liked that. Yes.
He purred.
Sugar and whiskers.
**~~**
�Daddy, I�m so tired. Can�t we go back to bed?�
�No pet, we�re going on a boat ride now.� He said pulling Liam�s jacket around him in the one a.m. darkness. Faith was following them, so he wasn�t really worried about vampires. He�d seen what she could do.
�Can we sleep on the boat?�
�It�s going to take a bloody long time, so yes.�
They were at the shipping yards and some crewmates were loading Will and Liam�s meagre baggage onto a pulley and hoisting it into the huge cargo boat, along with other huge boxes of their own belongings. The water was softly rising the smaller boats up and down, and the air was cold but not windy. He�d pulled Liam off the sofa and thanked Faith in money just five minutes ago. He�d given her the keys to his apartment, saying she could sell whatever, as long as she sent the artworks to them. She�d loaded them into a huge black van she�d procured from somewhere, and driven them here, staying at the speed limit. Liam got excited about the house and the paintings when he woke up, but then started murmuring about being tired again. He had tried to fall asleep in the car but they hadn�t let him.
Will was so nervous. He�d had vivid dreams all twenty-three minutes he�d slept, of policemen swarming the docks looking for them, and even though he was now awake, he kept seeing Liam being pulled away from him screaming and crying and shoved back into his evil cell for the rest of his life.
It is quite possible that Wilthos hasn�t even been found yet.
Will winced. He hoped he hadn�t killed the bastard.
Gunn came jogging up to them. �Good day to get your sea legs?� he laughed, slapping Will on the back.
�No one will stop us will they?� Will asked, shivering a little at the thought, not the cold. Police, buzzing onto the ship, finding he and Liam cowering in a corner and dragging them aw-
�No need. Don�t worry about that. We�ll be in international waters before you know it.�
He nodded quickly, trying to assure himself. �Yep.�
�Will, I�m falling asleep.� Said Liam, struggling to keep his eyes open.
�Go up, get one of the boys to show you where to sleep.�
He turned back to Faith, not knowing what to say. Without her� none of this�
�I know what you�re thinking. And yes, I�m great.� She smiled, red lips parted around big white teeth. She handed him a scrap of paper. �That�s my number now, you ever need me in the future, try to get in contact with that guy. He always knows where I am. Just tell him I helped you.�
�You really did.� She hadn�t needed to do any of this. Hadn�t even needed to save him from the vampires that night. But she had. Whether she was bored, or altruistic, or because she expected for him to pay her like he did� it didn�t matter, she�d helped them.
�Hey, helping people? My destiny, remember?� She smiled, turned around in a flick of dark hair, and walked back to her car without looking back. Just a day in her life. Just two more she�d saved. He watched until the car disappeared and tucked the paper into his pocket, feeling Liam�s head come down to rest on his shoulder.
He led Liam up the ramp, watching as he tried to take in everything at once. He let Liam run his hands over the railings, humming, as he got directions to the room off a gruff man who was sweating despite the early hour.
He took Liam�s hand and led him quietly singing and sleepy to the tiny room in the middle of the ship. Their belongings were packed into the corner of it and made it seem even smaller. A single bed was the sleeping arrangements. He shook his head as he thought about how much he�d paid for this privilege.
�We�ll have to sleep on top of each other.� Liam said jumping over to the small bed. �It needs some pictures on the walls.� He said yawning.
�Maybe when you wake up Pet. Sleep now.�
Liam purred tiredly and crawled into the bed, slipping his shoes off. �Pictures of you and me.� He smiled at Will, blew him a kiss, and closed his eyes. He was asleep in moments, peacefully snoring. With his dark hair mussy, black smudges of eyelashes, pink mouth slightly parted as he lay motionless against the dusty cream sheets, he truly looked like an angel. Will hoped he didn�t mind the rocking of the boat too much.
Will stood in the small cabin and just breathed. In and out. Trying to let his mind catch up to what was happening. Watching Liam sleep carelessly was helping. He giggled maniacally and had to lean against the wall as his legs threatened to stop working. What he�d done in the last five hours � what he�d done in the last year�
He�d conducted himself in an entirely unfit manner for his profession. He let put a snorting crazy laugh, having to slap his hand over his mouth as not to wake his lover.
He�d lied and snuck around, he�d taken a prisoner from custody and given him day trips around England. He�d beaten up a mentally ill prisoner and put him into a coma, had beaten up his boss. And now, he had absconded with a convicted felon and was fleeing the country.
He left the room and stood on the deck, his shaking hands on the railing. He swallowed and looked at Los Angeles, slumbering expansively, and quietly before him. He�d never see this again, but he was alright with that. Los Angeles wasn�t for him. Liam might take it harder, he�d grown up in America, it was all he knew.
He sighed through his nose.
He smiled. Regrets, he�d had a few� He giggled again. It was true.
But if he could re-do the last year of his life, live it over, he�d still take the job, he�d still fall for Liam. Liam had shown him things he�d never seen, made him grow as a person. Opened his eyes to real monsters and monsters that existed in the sun, living in human skin. He�d seen the worst of people in the last year, but through Liam, he�d seen the best humanity had to offer as well.
Liam would never have gotten out of that life, not without breaking a few rules. The world wasn�t ready to accept him and what he believed, or even, how he acted. They would have rather stuck him away where he couldn�t upset their way of life. And he had no one else to help him. No one but Will. And now, Will had no one but him. It seemed fitting.
And he�d almost saved him. Almost. Will could feel it in his bones, just so close. In a few hours they�d be fine. His heart was ignoring his scared and frightened thoughts of imprisonment, and joyously soared, uncaring of consequences, already planning what to do in Indonesia.
Will felt the boat rock away and he laughed again as he watched all of his and Liam�s bridges burning merrily behind them.
He watched for a while, until the shoreline drifted away, and the buildings became little insignificant toys on the horizon. He went back into the tiny room that was theirs, the first thing that was theirs, and lay down next to Liam, side on, face to face.
He was snoring a little, lightly, his hand under his cheek.
He was so beautiful.
Will leant forward and kissed him gently, pressing against the soft rose of his lips. He didn�t wake. Will didn�t want him to. Just wanted to enjoy this moment, as it was, be in it completely.
They were starting over, new names, new country, and new life. Together. Unafraid and in the light. Their old lives were gone, Will thought, as the boat cut smoothly through the calm waters, their old lives were burning away as fast as the bridges.
But it didn�t matter anymore.
They�d rise from the ashes.
~End~
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