ext_127814 (![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
mystery-ink.livejournal.com) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fellowshippers2005-02-15 07:18 pm
mystery-ink.livejournal.com) wrote in fellowshippers2005-02-15 07:18 pm
Endings
Title: Endings (Part 3 of 3 in a "VampLij" series)
Genre: Vampire fic
Summary of Part 3: Even LA isn’t far enough to escape…
Pairing: DomLijah
Rating: NC-17 overall, R for this part; may squick those not used to vampire fics (beware - this is not the "romanticized" version of vampires)
Disclaimer: Lord help us if this is true! *L*! Nope, didn't happen, but... Remember the SAG awards back in 2003, that Elijah didn't attend? This was written for the "Where's Elijah?" challenge but never posted here.
Part 1 - Darkness - can be found here: http://www.livejournal.com/community/fellow_shippers/2533002.html#cutid1
Part 2 - Healing - can be found here: http://www.livejournal.com/community/fellow_shippers/2538506.html
Before I go on with the story, here are a couple of photos to set the scene - and explain the “inspiration”:
The 2002 SAG Awards:
The 2003 SAG Awards:
This photo, the absence of Elijah at the awards, and Dom’s oddness during the show lead to the “Where’s Elijah” mystery of the day… and to this story, which follows with the final part, Part 3: Endings -
Endings
He sat on the beatup leather sofa, knees drawn up, arms around his legs, softly crooked chin resting on his knees, eyes open and staring into nothingness.
He'd never felt so dead before. It was as if he were hollow inside, a bottomless well. Drop a penny into Dom and watch it fall... fall... fall....... and never hit bottom.
He'd never felt like this before. But then again, he'd never lost someone so utterly, so completely. Dom shivered, despite the warm LA sun shining in on him through the patio door. He stared out at the bright blue sky with eyes that remained a dark stormy grey. He was alone now... and he was prey, a target of the very someone he was missing. His eyes closed as he remembered...
The hospital in New York had gladly complied with his request to be moved to L.A. - ostensibly for treatment at a center for blood diseases, but, in truth, to avoid a repeat of the ghastly attack that had left the staff badly shaken and frightened, and the PR staff in a tizzy. After a quick transfusion of new blood, Dom was wheeled onto a plane and arrived at an LA hospital before the next nightfall, and was released on his own the next day, leaving behind a gaggle of puzzled experts in his wake. Dom knew better than to try to tell them the true story, and he felt better able to protect himself in an environment he could control, rather than in a hospital. He had no idea how long it would take before Elijah arrived - but he meant to be ready when he did. But the last thing he expected when he tossed his luggage on the floor and went to the phone to check his messages was this:
"Hello, Dominic. You know who this is. Welcome home." A soft laugh, but a hard voice; Dom squeezed the phone hard, eyes pushed shut. "I'll join you soon. But in the meantime - talk to nobody. Nobody. Not my family, not Sean, not Billy. Nobody. Tell them - and I'll have to take care of them. Keep quiet - and I'll leave them alone. I think we'd both like it better that way - don't you? " A pause. The voice changed, softened. "I miss you, Dom. I'm sorry. I thought - it didn't work out at the hospital. But you don't have to be frightened. You'll understand." A pause. "I miss you." Click.
And so Dom sat on the couch, phone cradled against his face, eyes closed. Until he sighed, opening his eyes, replacing the phone, untangling his legs and standing up. It had already started.
There was only one person Dom could go to for help - and it was the last person Elijah would think of, thankfully. Andy Serkis. Dom laughed ruefully. Who would have thought that the same job that brought Dom and Elijah together would also bring Dom in contact with the nephew of an honest-to-goodness vampire killer? It was a small world indeed. Dom was thankful that he and Andy had gotten drunk together that one night in Wellington, and Andy had let that fact slip, insisting that Dom keep it secret at all costs. At first, Dom had simply looked at him in bemused amazement - but the look on Serkis' face was enough to convince Dom that Andy's uncle - and his profession - were all too real. Or, at least Andy thought it was. It was a little piece of knowledge he never thought he'd have to make use of. Until now.
Dom knew Andy was in town for the SAG awards, and he wasted no time finding him and telling him the whole story. The surprise and shock was terrible to see on the face of the usually congenial actor, and Andy resisted believing at first, but Dominic pushed forward, pushing him past his denial, towards acceptance and a plan of action. Andy finally agreed to contact his uncle's people, all too numerous here in LA, where vampires thrived in the land of plenty. They would set a round-the-clock watch on him and his apartment, and be ready on a minute's notice for when Elijah made contact... at which time Dom would act to set the trap. Dominic found in Andy's dark, sad eyes the full confirmation of what he feared - there was only one way to save Dom from a life of fear or a future as one of "them"... and that was to destroy what Elijah had become. He could feel those eyes on his back as he walked away, hunched over, hands burrowing deep into his pockets, feeling more dead than alive in the sharp L.A. sunshine.
Billy's bright eyes, question-mark eyebrows, and impish smile suddenly popped up in the gaps between the passengers exiting through the arrival gate, becoming impossibly brighter as they found what they were looking for, face scrunching up into a laugh. Billy nimbly found a way through the mass of people, then headed for Dom.
"Dom!" Billy smiled, the smile disappearing as he came closer. "Dom? What the hell - DOM? Shite!" Billy quickened his stride, taking Dom into a tight hug, face screwed up with concern. "You look like hell! No, fuck it, you look worse than hell... oh God, Dommie, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry... I had no idea about you and Lij until I got your message..." Billy pulled away, looking Dom in the eyes, one hand on his arm, one cupped behind his neck. He shook his head slowly. "You didn't call me when you broke up." Billy's eyes were sad as they looked at Dom. "Do you want to talk about it?" A flick of the eyes down to the bandage on Dom's neck. "Do you want to talk about that - the illness?" Now the green eyes were serious, probing. Dom's eyes were hidden as he silently shook his head , and stepped back into his friend's comforting embrace, squeezing his eyes closed to keep the tears from leaking out.
Somehow, Billy got them both from LAX back to Dom's apartment, where they each drifted to their beds to sleep, an unspoken agreement between them to save talking for the morning.
He and Lij had been drinking with the stuntmen, all of them twice their size, and they'd gotten considerably soused. After playing drunken tag around the fountain in the square in Wellington, Elijah, always the acrobatic one, had started climbing the fountain statue, looking down at Dom, grinning. That didn't last long. Dom was soon laughing and shouting, clambering up the statue himself, trying to beat Elijah to the top, but Lij had too much of a headstart. He met Lij at the top, hands over his, breathing fast, flushed. Elijah looked... well... amazing - eyes glinting darkly in the streetlights, mouth open as he panted and grinned, hair all wild... as Dom leaned towards him and kissed him, tongues hungrily dancing through each others mouth, not caring who saw... although few strolled by at this time of night. Elijah pulled away first, breathing fast, eyes half closed... then his eyes opened, hungry and bright, and he dove at Dom again.. but this time at his neck... fastening, teeth sinking in, sucking, sucking ohgod sucking so good it felt so good ohgod so good... and now Dom bent his neck in turn and spread his mouth to span Elijah's throat, hearing him gasp and moan in turn as Dom's teeth sunk in and he was drinking, they were drinking, devouring each other, the pleasure intense, all else forgotten, winding about the top of the fountain, each other... and together they grew cold, rigid, like death... and their skin pulled back, taut, until they looked like cadavers feasting obscenely on each other as they grasped at the fountain for support... flesh disappearing, the ivory of bone made visible... becoming part of the statue, frozen in time, two gruesome skeletons, teeth clamped on each others necks....
Dom woke up in an cold sweat, breathing hard, moaning. Different setting... same dream. Always the same dream.
Before he knew it, he was up out of bed, feet padding down the hallway to the extra bedroom, opening the door to see Billy on his side, asleep. As quietly as he could, he slid in under the covers behind Billy, pulling the covers over them both, resting his face against Billy's neck, arms lightly around his waist.
"Dom?"
"Billy."
"Couldn't sleep?"
"No. Could I... ?"
"Of course, Dommie." Billy's hand moved to take Dom's hand in his, holding it against his chest as Dom curled around him. "Sleep, Dom... I'll be here."
"Thank you, Billy," was mumbled against Billy's back with a sigh. Billy could feel the wetness of hot tears against the back of his neck, as Dom's body shook quietly.
"Don't mention it," Billy answered softly, eyes cloudy, just before they closed again for sleep.
Dom thanked the fates for Billy's intensely private Scottish background, and his natural reluctance to pry. Once Dom told Billy about Elijah's abrupt disappearance and the attacks made on him in NewYork, Billy accepted the need for bodyguards watching the apartment with no further questions. As to Dom's overall moroseness and anxiousness, Billy put it down to worry over Elijah and the past attacks, and made it his duty to fuss over Dom, going into full mother hen mode, making sure he ate, slept, kept up his meetings with the "Spivs" production company, went to his costume fittings (where Dom showed some of his old playfulness by nicking an entire outfit to wear to the upcoming SAG awards), and, overall... did everything he could to help his Dom recover, while he was there. When they could, he and Dom stole off to the beach and threw themselves into surfing, laughing and enjoying the sunshine and water. And Dom was grateful... so grateful not to be alone in LA, without Elijah, facing this terrible fear. Billy's presence reassured him, grounded him, and helped him get through the days as he waited for Elijah to arrive in L.A. He knew it couldn't last, not with Billy set to leave for Canada just after the SAG awards, but he took as much comfort as he could in his friend's presence, and, in turn, protected Billy from the truth as best as he could.
It was late afternoon. Dom was napping on the sofa while Billy was out, taking a meeting. The morning had been spent surfing in the bright California sun, and the soft scent of coconut still clung to Dom as he slept, one arm thrown over his eyes to keep out the light. The phone rang. Dom reached up over his head to pick it up without opening his eyes.
"Dom."
Dom sat up abruptly, his hands squeezing the receiver tight. "Elijah?" Whispered with unexpected hope. The voice was not the hard, cold one that had greeted him previously on the answering machine. This one sounded more like the old Elijah he'd known, a little highpitched, a little young... and very much wanting... him.
"I miss you, Dom." Just that. Just enough to break his heart with the loneliness and need he heard - so much like the old Elijah, so much...
"I miss you, too... Elijah." Whispered. Hoarse. And he did, oh god he did, it was all hitting him hard, too hard, it shouldn't be shaking him like this, but it was, it was. But it wasn't Elijah. It couldn't be. Elijah was dead, and the thing on the line had to be killed. It was time, his one opportunity. He forced himself to pull together. This was what he'd been waiting for; he couldn't waste his one chance.
"Meet me, Lij... please?" He tried to keep the need, the longing out of his voice, but it still came out with a whimper he couldn't control. He did want to see him again, pleasegod, not to kill him but to be with him, with him, even if it meant having the blood drunk out of his veins, Lij's mouth on his throat, sucking, sucking, ohgodhe... NO. To meet with Lij. And have him killed. End this. He waited for an answer, fear growing as he did... fear that Lij would say no... fear that Lij would say yes.
"Yes." An admission, forced through lips, almost strangled. Why? What was going on on the other end of the line, Lij's mind, in his.. heart. No. No heart. None in what was left of... Forget it NOW.
"At our spot... on the beach... 4 am.... tonight." Just as Andy's people had worked it out with him.
Silence. Then the sound of the call ending. From Lij's end.
It was done. It would be tonight.
It was cold on the beach, colder still in the small cave where Dom stood, just visible in the opening. Behind him, hidden in the darkness in the crevices, the two vampire hunters, watching. Colder still was Dom's heart as he waited, eyes soft with pain, to meet Elijah, to watch him die. Dom hugged himself, stamping his feet to stay warm, staring at the waves on the beach, allowing them to lull him while he waited.
"Dom." His head whipped around to the side, where he saw... darkness. A shadow, darker than the night, standing against the blackness. His hands dropped to his sides as he stood, shaking, cold... waiting, with fear and desire. For Lij to come to him. Suddenly, there he was, holding Dom's arms with his cold hands, eyes staring into his. God he was cold, but the eyes - suddenly Dom let himself go, let himself fall into them, forgetting all, whimpering as he closed the last gap between them, nuzzling into Lij's neck, holding him, burrowing into him, pressing him close to him... no spell, no words of command this time, just... he needed him, needed Lij more than anything else, and here he was. He was cold, he was undead, it was all wrong, but it didn't matter. He heard the soft gasp of surprise escape Elijah's mouth, and shaking hands reach to stroke slowly up and down his back, cold mouth pressed against his ear, murmuring Dom, Dom, Dom, Dommmmm..... ohgod Dom..... and it felt like forever. "Don't leave me, Lij... don't leave me" "I won't, Dom... I'll take you with me, I'll take you and we'll be-"
Suddenly Lij's head snapped up, staring into the shadows behind them, as the slightest of sounds betrayed Dom's bodyguards. His face grew rigid and snarling, then turned that snarl on Dom, who felt it like his heart was plummeting down a steep cliff... "No, Lij... I’ve changed my mind… I don't want them to... not anymore -" But the look of hate and betrayal and disgust grew on Lij's face as he shoved Dominic to the ground... and fled in to the night, too quickly to be caught. Dominic gasped, trying to get back his breath, fighting off the hunters as they knelt to help him to his feet, struggling to get away from their clutching hands and run after Elijah, as they held him fast and dragged him to the car.
By the time they reached the apartment, Dom had recovered himself enough to apologize shamefacedly to his hired bodyguards... and drag himself to his bed to sleep uneasily.
It wasn't going to end, after all. Not the way it should have. Perhaps it would never end. Perhaps it would be better to end it now, and submit. He didn't know; he just didn't know.
Billy didn't ask about the strange disappearance in the night, and Dom didn't bring it up. The few days before the SAG awards, Dom did some of the finest acting he'd ever done in his life, pretending to Billy that everything was fine, aside from lingering sadness over Elijah's absence. Billy, of course, was worried about Elijah's disappearance, but held to the belief that Lij had simply needed to disappear for a while, take off on his own. After all, there'd been no ransom note, no reports of foul play... and he could sense that Dom was holding something back... possibly the problems that Billy suspected he and Elijah had been having, and the reason for Lij's leaving. Dom helped those thoughts along as much as possible. The last thing he wanted was any sign of worry or concern on Billy's.. or Sean's.. or anybody else's face at the SAG awards, for Elijah to catch.
When the day of the SAG awards arrived, Dom woke up late, looking tired from a night of uneasy rest. He'd gone back to sleeping on his own, hiding his erratic sleeping from Billy, while leading Bill to think that this was a sign of his recovery. He shrugged on a white shirt and retro black coat and pants, topping it off with a black fedora parked low over his face. He'd talked Billy into the two of them entering separately, reminding him of the bodyguards. A pair of dark sunglasses completed the outfit, while providing cover for tired, bloodshot eyes. Dom doodled on his hand in the car. "Not that kind of 4ever Lij". He shook his head, managing to remove the "Lij" with a little bit of spit and his thumb. He sighed as they arrived at the red carpet; thank god this was a limited coverage event, very few interviews on the red carpet. He and his two neanderthal-looking hunter/bodyguards arrived on the carpet, as Dom made a show of taking off his sunglasses and putting them back on. He struggled through the interviews, finding it hard to pull a smile off for the cameras, heading quickly to the table. Andy, bless his heart, had managed to re-arrange the seating plans so that Dom was on the end, with only Andy next to him, to shield him from his own friends and their questions. Dom tried to pay attention during the show, making sure he clapped at the right places, but it all went by like a dream. He felt almost drugged, clapping in slow motion as his own movie came up, barely aware that it was LOTR and Sean was up there speaking. Fortunately, he and Billy were allowed to beg off parties after the show, due to Bill's travel plans starting early the next morning.
Dom drove Billy to the airport Monday morning and dropped him off, hugging him close and wishing him well as they said goodbye. Billy looked a bit jagged, and Dom was surprised at how saying goodbye tore at his heart.
"Billy" Dom said, as Billy started to turn away, making him turn back, eyebrows raised questioningly.
"Love ya, mate" Dom managed to choke out, as he felt his throat constrict.
Billy's eyes softened with understanding. "Love ya, too, Dommie." Billy's mouth curled up in a sweet smile for Dom; then he turned and left, lost in the crowd.
Dom gazed after him, feeling suddenly cold and alone.
Dom slept, curled up and alone that night. The apartment was eerily quiet without the presence of Billy there anymore. He was befuddled and sleepy when he picked up the ringing phone, half-expecting to hear that soft Scottish lilt when he answered.
Instead, it was a voice he didn't recognize... strong... commanding...
"Lose the foolish guards. Come to the beach, to the place where you and Elijah met. Come alone, now. Come to me, lovely Dominic, come to me... " The voice at the other end smiled. Somehow Dom could tell. But that's all he was aware of - the voice. Before he knew it, he was up and dressing, peering out the windows to see where his body guards were, then leaving down the fire escape and out of sight. At the corner 24-hour store, he rang up for a cab, and sat on the edge of the seat as the cabbie took him to the beach. He paid off the cabbie and walked to the small beach cave, heart pounding. All this time, he was unaware of why he was doing what he did. He simply did it. There was no choice. Not when given a Command by a vampire as powerful as the one he now saw waiting for him. Not Elijah. No. A woman, dark and mysterious.
"I've been waiting for you, Dominic." The deep sultry voice caressed him as he stood there, eyes fixed on those hypnotic eyes. She walked forward to slide her fingers slowly down his face. He heard a whimper, and turned his head, confused, to find the source. It was Elijah. How could it be? He was standing there, in jeans, with no shirt, barefoot on the sand. He was shaking all over, but... just standing there, as if frozen. Another whimper. Dom was transfixed by the sight. A moan. And Dominic realized that it came from him. Lij's blue eyes were wide in the darkness, almost glowing in the moonlight that washed over his body. Why was he standing there? Who was this woman?
"Dominic." Dom's head whipped back to gaze at the dark woman again. "Elijah." The whimpers stopped.
"Dear Elijah... so this is what you came here for?" The woman walked in a slow circle around Dom, eyeing him appraisingly. "He does have a certain... appeal." The smile again, as Dominic shivered. "Does he taste as good as he looks, sweet one? Hmmm...?" She was in front of him again, hands on his chest, pushing him down, flat on the sand, straddling him, licking her lips. "Let's see..."
He felt her lips first, then the sharp stab of those needle-like teeth, and the intake of breath... then the sucking. He shuddered... he couldn't fight her, but... it felt different... he wanted it to stop... wanted it to be... He turned his head slowly, to see Lij staring down hungrily at him, eyes furious as they watched his sire take Dom, drink him in. Lij's mouth formed words, but they wouldn't come out. Finally, he could see Lij gather all of his strength and force the words out.
"For... me! Save.. him for... ME!" The words came out with a hiss and a growl, fury burning brightly through them, making Dom shiver.
The dark head bent at his throat rose slowly up, tongue licking off the blood... his blood. Dom whimpered, but the creature paid him no mind, looking up at Elijah, frozen in place by her Command.
"No. None for you. You disobeyed me by coming here, following him... forcing ME to follow you. Never - NEVER - has a Childe disobeyed me so before. Do you understand, sweet one? This is your punishment." Dom felt her eyes on him briefly as she turned and grinned, then turned back to Elijah. "He's tasty... very tasty. I will take him as... a gift... from you, sweet one. I will enjoy him so very much." That smile again.
Dom groaned as he felt the teeth and mouth return to his neck... felt the blood flow out of him, her soft moans as she fed... while she opened wide to the blood flowing into her, filling her with sweet hot life, and the memories from Dom... of Elijah... she reveled in the memories of Dom inside Lij, Lij inside Dom, the two of them giving and taking from each other, shared passion... and shared love. It was heady stuff, rich and intoxicating. Before she realized it, she was swallowed up by it, immersed in it, unaware of anything else. And forgetful of her Command.
Elijah felt he was dying all over again. She was taking Dom away from him, taking away what he needed so desperately. She had no RIGHT! Dom was his, his.. ohgod... Lij moaned, whimpered as he saw her take him, drinking him deeply. HE wanted to be the one to turn Dom, not her... it wasn't fair.
But, what if... she wasn't turning him? She has said nothing about turning him. She wouldn't - kill - him? Kill Dom? Ohgod... she would... that's why she had Commanded him to stay.. and watch. If she did, he'd be lost to him forever. Dom didn't deserve that. Elijah never meant for that to happen. He wouldn't let it happen. Elijah pulled and struggled against the Command... and found it somehow loosening. He gasped in surprise, and looked down at his sire, suddenly seeing that the bloodlust she was consumed by had made her forget all else. He could do it, could get free... but what would he do then? He looked desperately around the cave, until he saw it. He bent all of his mind towards freeing himself, and reaching it. Like molasses, like swimming through molasses, he found himself moving, and finally grasped a hard sharp piece of driftwood in his hand, turning, moving forward jerkily, standing over his sire as she greedily drank.
"Forgive me..." He gasped. The shaft of wood came down, piercing through her back, and into her heart. She stiffened, jerking back and straightening up. She seemed paralyzed, falling over onto her side next to Dom - but not destroyed. Elijah backed away, terrified. Fuck the movies! Why hadn't they told him stakes don't kill vampires??? Why wasn't she turning into dust? He had to kill her, had to keep her from ever coming back. Sunlight? No, it was still some time before dawn. Fire? He felt in his jeans pocket - his lighter. Driftwood on the beach. He reached over to her with shaking fingers and grabbed her arm - but there was no reaction. Just a hate-filled stare from her frozen face. He turned his face away as he dragged her out into the open, then ran about the beach, picking up dry driftwood and piling it up over her as fast as he could. He tried not to think of what was happening - of what would happen to him, how he would be treated by the other vampires if he killed her. The important thing was keeping her away from Dom, and getting free of her. Nothing else mattered. He held the lighter under the wood in several places, waiting until it appeared to catch fire. He backed away towards Dom, who lay there weakly, watching from the cave. The first flames licked at her body, and he worried - would she burn or not? He gasped as he saw her suddenly go up in flames, like a piece of dry paper, bright and hot.
Lij fell to his knees. Something was happening to him. He was changing, the blood roaring through his ears, like the tide, like the waves of the sea crashing on the shore. Those were his last thoughts before he collapsed.
The sun. It was on his face. That wasn't right. That wasn't right at all.... oh god.. the sun!!! Elijah jerked upright screaming, hiding his face, turning away from the sun, waiting to smell the terrible odor of flesh burning, the feel of skin falling off of his bones. But it didn't come, and he didn't understand why. In fact, he could feel the sun on his hands - but no pain. Slowly, Elijah lifted his face, blinking, hesitant... to look at the daylight. In the sun. It was all bright, much too bright for him to take in. The stunning brightness of the sun on the sand... the darkness behind him... and there, lying motionless next to him... Dominic.
Elijah shook. He looked at his hands... they looked... real. He pressed his hand to his chest, and felt warmth. And... was that... a beat? His eyes widened, as his fingers shot up to his neck, to the jugular. He cried out in shock as he felt a pulse - HIS pulse... How did this - ? He looked over at the fire. All that was left was a circle of grey ash. Was that what changed him?
Dom. He wasn't moving. He was so pale... ohgod, no... Dom, pleasepleaseplease be alive… Elijah crawled over on all fours to his side, hand going under Dom's neck to lift him up, cradle him in his arms, press his face next to Dom's. With shaking fingers, he felt for a pulse. It seemed to take forever before he finally found a shallow lub-dub. Dom was alive... but barely. Elijah frantically patted down Dom's pockets, looking, searching... digging into a pocket to pull out a cell phone and calling 911, tears of relief running down his face as he finally got an answer and blurted out all of the information they would need to find him and Dom.
Him and Dom. He set the phone down carefully, then hugged Dom close to him.
"Lij?"
"Here, Dom... don't talk... I'm here."
"You... alive!? Sun? Wha... happened?"
"I'm ok now, Dom... I'm back... and you're ok... the ambulance is coming... but you're ok... I... killed her" Elijah pressed a kiss to Dom's forehead, then pressed his face into his hair, sobbing.
"You're... back? Stay?"
"Yes, Dommie... to stay."
The waves crashed on the beach, moving in and out, the seagulls crying and circling. And one figure held another, slowly rocking, as the sun crept into a small cave at the edge of the beach, and an ambulance slowly made its way up the beach.
Genre: Vampire fic
Summary of Part 3: Even LA isn’t far enough to escape…
Pairing: DomLijah
Rating: NC-17 overall, R for this part; may squick those not used to vampire fics (beware - this is not the "romanticized" version of vampires)
Disclaimer: Lord help us if this is true! *L*! Nope, didn't happen, but... Remember the SAG awards back in 2003, that Elijah didn't attend? This was written for the "Where's Elijah?" challenge but never posted here.
Part 1 - Darkness - can be found here: http://www.livejournal.com/community/fellow_shippers/2533002.html#cutid1
Part 2 - Healing - can be found here: http://www.livejournal.com/community/fellow_shippers/2538506.html
Before I go on with the story, here are a couple of photos to set the scene - and explain the “inspiration”:
The 2002 SAG Awards:
The 2003 SAG Awards:
This photo, the absence of Elijah at the awards, and Dom’s oddness during the show lead to the “Where’s Elijah” mystery of the day… and to this story, which follows with the final part, Part 3: Endings -
Endings
He sat on the beatup leather sofa, knees drawn up, arms around his legs, softly crooked chin resting on his knees, eyes open and staring into nothingness.
He'd never felt so dead before. It was as if he were hollow inside, a bottomless well. Drop a penny into Dom and watch it fall... fall... fall....... and never hit bottom.
He'd never felt like this before. But then again, he'd never lost someone so utterly, so completely. Dom shivered, despite the warm LA sun shining in on him through the patio door. He stared out at the bright blue sky with eyes that remained a dark stormy grey. He was alone now... and he was prey, a target of the very someone he was missing. His eyes closed as he remembered...
The hospital in New York had gladly complied with his request to be moved to L.A. - ostensibly for treatment at a center for blood diseases, but, in truth, to avoid a repeat of the ghastly attack that had left the staff badly shaken and frightened, and the PR staff in a tizzy. After a quick transfusion of new blood, Dom was wheeled onto a plane and arrived at an LA hospital before the next nightfall, and was released on his own the next day, leaving behind a gaggle of puzzled experts in his wake. Dom knew better than to try to tell them the true story, and he felt better able to protect himself in an environment he could control, rather than in a hospital. He had no idea how long it would take before Elijah arrived - but he meant to be ready when he did. But the last thing he expected when he tossed his luggage on the floor and went to the phone to check his messages was this:
"Hello, Dominic. You know who this is. Welcome home." A soft laugh, but a hard voice; Dom squeezed the phone hard, eyes pushed shut. "I'll join you soon. But in the meantime - talk to nobody. Nobody. Not my family, not Sean, not Billy. Nobody. Tell them - and I'll have to take care of them. Keep quiet - and I'll leave them alone. I think we'd both like it better that way - don't you? " A pause. The voice changed, softened. "I miss you, Dom. I'm sorry. I thought - it didn't work out at the hospital. But you don't have to be frightened. You'll understand." A pause. "I miss you." Click.
And so Dom sat on the couch, phone cradled against his face, eyes closed. Until he sighed, opening his eyes, replacing the phone, untangling his legs and standing up. It had already started.
There was only one person Dom could go to for help - and it was the last person Elijah would think of, thankfully. Andy Serkis. Dom laughed ruefully. Who would have thought that the same job that brought Dom and Elijah together would also bring Dom in contact with the nephew of an honest-to-goodness vampire killer? It was a small world indeed. Dom was thankful that he and Andy had gotten drunk together that one night in Wellington, and Andy had let that fact slip, insisting that Dom keep it secret at all costs. At first, Dom had simply looked at him in bemused amazement - but the look on Serkis' face was enough to convince Dom that Andy's uncle - and his profession - were all too real. Or, at least Andy thought it was. It was a little piece of knowledge he never thought he'd have to make use of. Until now.
Dom knew Andy was in town for the SAG awards, and he wasted no time finding him and telling him the whole story. The surprise and shock was terrible to see on the face of the usually congenial actor, and Andy resisted believing at first, but Dominic pushed forward, pushing him past his denial, towards acceptance and a plan of action. Andy finally agreed to contact his uncle's people, all too numerous here in LA, where vampires thrived in the land of plenty. They would set a round-the-clock watch on him and his apartment, and be ready on a minute's notice for when Elijah made contact... at which time Dom would act to set the trap. Dominic found in Andy's dark, sad eyes the full confirmation of what he feared - there was only one way to save Dom from a life of fear or a future as one of "them"... and that was to destroy what Elijah had become. He could feel those eyes on his back as he walked away, hunched over, hands burrowing deep into his pockets, feeling more dead than alive in the sharp L.A. sunshine.
Billy's bright eyes, question-mark eyebrows, and impish smile suddenly popped up in the gaps between the passengers exiting through the arrival gate, becoming impossibly brighter as they found what they were looking for, face scrunching up into a laugh. Billy nimbly found a way through the mass of people, then headed for Dom.
"Dom!" Billy smiled, the smile disappearing as he came closer. "Dom? What the hell - DOM? Shite!" Billy quickened his stride, taking Dom into a tight hug, face screwed up with concern. "You look like hell! No, fuck it, you look worse than hell... oh God, Dommie, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry... I had no idea about you and Lij until I got your message..." Billy pulled away, looking Dom in the eyes, one hand on his arm, one cupped behind his neck. He shook his head slowly. "You didn't call me when you broke up." Billy's eyes were sad as they looked at Dom. "Do you want to talk about it?" A flick of the eyes down to the bandage on Dom's neck. "Do you want to talk about that - the illness?" Now the green eyes were serious, probing. Dom's eyes were hidden as he silently shook his head , and stepped back into his friend's comforting embrace, squeezing his eyes closed to keep the tears from leaking out.
Somehow, Billy got them both from LAX back to Dom's apartment, where they each drifted to their beds to sleep, an unspoken agreement between them to save talking for the morning.
He and Lij had been drinking with the stuntmen, all of them twice their size, and they'd gotten considerably soused. After playing drunken tag around the fountain in the square in Wellington, Elijah, always the acrobatic one, had started climbing the fountain statue, looking down at Dom, grinning. That didn't last long. Dom was soon laughing and shouting, clambering up the statue himself, trying to beat Elijah to the top, but Lij had too much of a headstart. He met Lij at the top, hands over his, breathing fast, flushed. Elijah looked... well... amazing - eyes glinting darkly in the streetlights, mouth open as he panted and grinned, hair all wild... as Dom leaned towards him and kissed him, tongues hungrily dancing through each others mouth, not caring who saw... although few strolled by at this time of night. Elijah pulled away first, breathing fast, eyes half closed... then his eyes opened, hungry and bright, and he dove at Dom again.. but this time at his neck... fastening, teeth sinking in, sucking, sucking ohgod sucking so good it felt so good ohgod so good... and now Dom bent his neck in turn and spread his mouth to span Elijah's throat, hearing him gasp and moan in turn as Dom's teeth sunk in and he was drinking, they were drinking, devouring each other, the pleasure intense, all else forgotten, winding about the top of the fountain, each other... and together they grew cold, rigid, like death... and their skin pulled back, taut, until they looked like cadavers feasting obscenely on each other as they grasped at the fountain for support... flesh disappearing, the ivory of bone made visible... becoming part of the statue, frozen in time, two gruesome skeletons, teeth clamped on each others necks....
Dom woke up in an cold sweat, breathing hard, moaning. Different setting... same dream. Always the same dream.
Before he knew it, he was up out of bed, feet padding down the hallway to the extra bedroom, opening the door to see Billy on his side, asleep. As quietly as he could, he slid in under the covers behind Billy, pulling the covers over them both, resting his face against Billy's neck, arms lightly around his waist.
"Dom?"
"Billy."
"Couldn't sleep?"
"No. Could I... ?"
"Of course, Dommie." Billy's hand moved to take Dom's hand in his, holding it against his chest as Dom curled around him. "Sleep, Dom... I'll be here."
"Thank you, Billy," was mumbled against Billy's back with a sigh. Billy could feel the wetness of hot tears against the back of his neck, as Dom's body shook quietly.
"Don't mention it," Billy answered softly, eyes cloudy, just before they closed again for sleep.
Dom thanked the fates for Billy's intensely private Scottish background, and his natural reluctance to pry. Once Dom told Billy about Elijah's abrupt disappearance and the attacks made on him in NewYork, Billy accepted the need for bodyguards watching the apartment with no further questions. As to Dom's overall moroseness and anxiousness, Billy put it down to worry over Elijah and the past attacks, and made it his duty to fuss over Dom, going into full mother hen mode, making sure he ate, slept, kept up his meetings with the "Spivs" production company, went to his costume fittings (where Dom showed some of his old playfulness by nicking an entire outfit to wear to the upcoming SAG awards), and, overall... did everything he could to help his Dom recover, while he was there. When they could, he and Dom stole off to the beach and threw themselves into surfing, laughing and enjoying the sunshine and water. And Dom was grateful... so grateful not to be alone in LA, without Elijah, facing this terrible fear. Billy's presence reassured him, grounded him, and helped him get through the days as he waited for Elijah to arrive in L.A. He knew it couldn't last, not with Billy set to leave for Canada just after the SAG awards, but he took as much comfort as he could in his friend's presence, and, in turn, protected Billy from the truth as best as he could.
It was late afternoon. Dom was napping on the sofa while Billy was out, taking a meeting. The morning had been spent surfing in the bright California sun, and the soft scent of coconut still clung to Dom as he slept, one arm thrown over his eyes to keep out the light. The phone rang. Dom reached up over his head to pick it up without opening his eyes.
"Dom."
Dom sat up abruptly, his hands squeezing the receiver tight. "Elijah?" Whispered with unexpected hope. The voice was not the hard, cold one that had greeted him previously on the answering machine. This one sounded more like the old Elijah he'd known, a little highpitched, a little young... and very much wanting... him.
"I miss you, Dom." Just that. Just enough to break his heart with the loneliness and need he heard - so much like the old Elijah, so much...
"I miss you, too... Elijah." Whispered. Hoarse. And he did, oh god he did, it was all hitting him hard, too hard, it shouldn't be shaking him like this, but it was, it was. But it wasn't Elijah. It couldn't be. Elijah was dead, and the thing on the line had to be killed. It was time, his one opportunity. He forced himself to pull together. This was what he'd been waiting for; he couldn't waste his one chance.
"Meet me, Lij... please?" He tried to keep the need, the longing out of his voice, but it still came out with a whimper he couldn't control. He did want to see him again, pleasegod, not to kill him but to be with him, with him, even if it meant having the blood drunk out of his veins, Lij's mouth on his throat, sucking, sucking, ohgodhe... NO. To meet with Lij. And have him killed. End this. He waited for an answer, fear growing as he did... fear that Lij would say no... fear that Lij would say yes.
"Yes." An admission, forced through lips, almost strangled. Why? What was going on on the other end of the line, Lij's mind, in his.. heart. No. No heart. None in what was left of... Forget it NOW.
"At our spot... on the beach... 4 am.... tonight." Just as Andy's people had worked it out with him.
Silence. Then the sound of the call ending. From Lij's end.
It was done. It would be tonight.
It was cold on the beach, colder still in the small cave where Dom stood, just visible in the opening. Behind him, hidden in the darkness in the crevices, the two vampire hunters, watching. Colder still was Dom's heart as he waited, eyes soft with pain, to meet Elijah, to watch him die. Dom hugged himself, stamping his feet to stay warm, staring at the waves on the beach, allowing them to lull him while he waited.
"Dom." His head whipped around to the side, where he saw... darkness. A shadow, darker than the night, standing against the blackness. His hands dropped to his sides as he stood, shaking, cold... waiting, with fear and desire. For Lij to come to him. Suddenly, there he was, holding Dom's arms with his cold hands, eyes staring into his. God he was cold, but the eyes - suddenly Dom let himself go, let himself fall into them, forgetting all, whimpering as he closed the last gap between them, nuzzling into Lij's neck, holding him, burrowing into him, pressing him close to him... no spell, no words of command this time, just... he needed him, needed Lij more than anything else, and here he was. He was cold, he was undead, it was all wrong, but it didn't matter. He heard the soft gasp of surprise escape Elijah's mouth, and shaking hands reach to stroke slowly up and down his back, cold mouth pressed against his ear, murmuring Dom, Dom, Dom, Dommmmm..... ohgod Dom..... and it felt like forever. "Don't leave me, Lij... don't leave me" "I won't, Dom... I'll take you with me, I'll take you and we'll be-"
Suddenly Lij's head snapped up, staring into the shadows behind them, as the slightest of sounds betrayed Dom's bodyguards. His face grew rigid and snarling, then turned that snarl on Dom, who felt it like his heart was plummeting down a steep cliff... "No, Lij... I’ve changed my mind… I don't want them to... not anymore -" But the look of hate and betrayal and disgust grew on Lij's face as he shoved Dominic to the ground... and fled in to the night, too quickly to be caught. Dominic gasped, trying to get back his breath, fighting off the hunters as they knelt to help him to his feet, struggling to get away from their clutching hands and run after Elijah, as they held him fast and dragged him to the car.
By the time they reached the apartment, Dom had recovered himself enough to apologize shamefacedly to his hired bodyguards... and drag himself to his bed to sleep uneasily.
It wasn't going to end, after all. Not the way it should have. Perhaps it would never end. Perhaps it would be better to end it now, and submit. He didn't know; he just didn't know.
Billy didn't ask about the strange disappearance in the night, and Dom didn't bring it up. The few days before the SAG awards, Dom did some of the finest acting he'd ever done in his life, pretending to Billy that everything was fine, aside from lingering sadness over Elijah's absence. Billy, of course, was worried about Elijah's disappearance, but held to the belief that Lij had simply needed to disappear for a while, take off on his own. After all, there'd been no ransom note, no reports of foul play... and he could sense that Dom was holding something back... possibly the problems that Billy suspected he and Elijah had been having, and the reason for Lij's leaving. Dom helped those thoughts along as much as possible. The last thing he wanted was any sign of worry or concern on Billy's.. or Sean's.. or anybody else's face at the SAG awards, for Elijah to catch.
When the day of the SAG awards arrived, Dom woke up late, looking tired from a night of uneasy rest. He'd gone back to sleeping on his own, hiding his erratic sleeping from Billy, while leading Bill to think that this was a sign of his recovery. He shrugged on a white shirt and retro black coat and pants, topping it off with a black fedora parked low over his face. He'd talked Billy into the two of them entering separately, reminding him of the bodyguards. A pair of dark sunglasses completed the outfit, while providing cover for tired, bloodshot eyes. Dom doodled on his hand in the car. "Not that kind of 4ever Lij". He shook his head, managing to remove the "Lij" with a little bit of spit and his thumb. He sighed as they arrived at the red carpet; thank god this was a limited coverage event, very few interviews on the red carpet. He and his two neanderthal-looking hunter/bodyguards arrived on the carpet, as Dom made a show of taking off his sunglasses and putting them back on. He struggled through the interviews, finding it hard to pull a smile off for the cameras, heading quickly to the table. Andy, bless his heart, had managed to re-arrange the seating plans so that Dom was on the end, with only Andy next to him, to shield him from his own friends and their questions. Dom tried to pay attention during the show, making sure he clapped at the right places, but it all went by like a dream. He felt almost drugged, clapping in slow motion as his own movie came up, barely aware that it was LOTR and Sean was up there speaking. Fortunately, he and Billy were allowed to beg off parties after the show, due to Bill's travel plans starting early the next morning.
Dom drove Billy to the airport Monday morning and dropped him off, hugging him close and wishing him well as they said goodbye. Billy looked a bit jagged, and Dom was surprised at how saying goodbye tore at his heart.
"Billy" Dom said, as Billy started to turn away, making him turn back, eyebrows raised questioningly.
"Love ya, mate" Dom managed to choke out, as he felt his throat constrict.
Billy's eyes softened with understanding. "Love ya, too, Dommie." Billy's mouth curled up in a sweet smile for Dom; then he turned and left, lost in the crowd.
Dom gazed after him, feeling suddenly cold and alone.
Dom slept, curled up and alone that night. The apartment was eerily quiet without the presence of Billy there anymore. He was befuddled and sleepy when he picked up the ringing phone, half-expecting to hear that soft Scottish lilt when he answered.
Instead, it was a voice he didn't recognize... strong... commanding...
"Lose the foolish guards. Come to the beach, to the place where you and Elijah met. Come alone, now. Come to me, lovely Dominic, come to me... " The voice at the other end smiled. Somehow Dom could tell. But that's all he was aware of - the voice. Before he knew it, he was up and dressing, peering out the windows to see where his body guards were, then leaving down the fire escape and out of sight. At the corner 24-hour store, he rang up for a cab, and sat on the edge of the seat as the cabbie took him to the beach. He paid off the cabbie and walked to the small beach cave, heart pounding. All this time, he was unaware of why he was doing what he did. He simply did it. There was no choice. Not when given a Command by a vampire as powerful as the one he now saw waiting for him. Not Elijah. No. A woman, dark and mysterious.
"I've been waiting for you, Dominic." The deep sultry voice caressed him as he stood there, eyes fixed on those hypnotic eyes. She walked forward to slide her fingers slowly down his face. He heard a whimper, and turned his head, confused, to find the source. It was Elijah. How could it be? He was standing there, in jeans, with no shirt, barefoot on the sand. He was shaking all over, but... just standing there, as if frozen. Another whimper. Dom was transfixed by the sight. A moan. And Dominic realized that it came from him. Lij's blue eyes were wide in the darkness, almost glowing in the moonlight that washed over his body. Why was he standing there? Who was this woman?
"Dominic." Dom's head whipped back to gaze at the dark woman again. "Elijah." The whimpers stopped.
"Dear Elijah... so this is what you came here for?" The woman walked in a slow circle around Dom, eyeing him appraisingly. "He does have a certain... appeal." The smile again, as Dominic shivered. "Does he taste as good as he looks, sweet one? Hmmm...?" She was in front of him again, hands on his chest, pushing him down, flat on the sand, straddling him, licking her lips. "Let's see..."
He felt her lips first, then the sharp stab of those needle-like teeth, and the intake of breath... then the sucking. He shuddered... he couldn't fight her, but... it felt different... he wanted it to stop... wanted it to be... He turned his head slowly, to see Lij staring down hungrily at him, eyes furious as they watched his sire take Dom, drink him in. Lij's mouth formed words, but they wouldn't come out. Finally, he could see Lij gather all of his strength and force the words out.
"For... me! Save.. him for... ME!" The words came out with a hiss and a growl, fury burning brightly through them, making Dom shiver.
The dark head bent at his throat rose slowly up, tongue licking off the blood... his blood. Dom whimpered, but the creature paid him no mind, looking up at Elijah, frozen in place by her Command.
"No. None for you. You disobeyed me by coming here, following him... forcing ME to follow you. Never - NEVER - has a Childe disobeyed me so before. Do you understand, sweet one? This is your punishment." Dom felt her eyes on him briefly as she turned and grinned, then turned back to Elijah. "He's tasty... very tasty. I will take him as... a gift... from you, sweet one. I will enjoy him so very much." That smile again.
Dom groaned as he felt the teeth and mouth return to his neck... felt the blood flow out of him, her soft moans as she fed... while she opened wide to the blood flowing into her, filling her with sweet hot life, and the memories from Dom... of Elijah... she reveled in the memories of Dom inside Lij, Lij inside Dom, the two of them giving and taking from each other, shared passion... and shared love. It was heady stuff, rich and intoxicating. Before she realized it, she was swallowed up by it, immersed in it, unaware of anything else. And forgetful of her Command.
Elijah felt he was dying all over again. She was taking Dom away from him, taking away what he needed so desperately. She had no RIGHT! Dom was his, his.. ohgod... Lij moaned, whimpered as he saw her take him, drinking him deeply. HE wanted to be the one to turn Dom, not her... it wasn't fair.
But, what if... she wasn't turning him? She has said nothing about turning him. She wouldn't - kill - him? Kill Dom? Ohgod... she would... that's why she had Commanded him to stay.. and watch. If she did, he'd be lost to him forever. Dom didn't deserve that. Elijah never meant for that to happen. He wouldn't let it happen. Elijah pulled and struggled against the Command... and found it somehow loosening. He gasped in surprise, and looked down at his sire, suddenly seeing that the bloodlust she was consumed by had made her forget all else. He could do it, could get free... but what would he do then? He looked desperately around the cave, until he saw it. He bent all of his mind towards freeing himself, and reaching it. Like molasses, like swimming through molasses, he found himself moving, and finally grasped a hard sharp piece of driftwood in his hand, turning, moving forward jerkily, standing over his sire as she greedily drank.
"Forgive me..." He gasped. The shaft of wood came down, piercing through her back, and into her heart. She stiffened, jerking back and straightening up. She seemed paralyzed, falling over onto her side next to Dom - but not destroyed. Elijah backed away, terrified. Fuck the movies! Why hadn't they told him stakes don't kill vampires??? Why wasn't she turning into dust? He had to kill her, had to keep her from ever coming back. Sunlight? No, it was still some time before dawn. Fire? He felt in his jeans pocket - his lighter. Driftwood on the beach. He reached over to her with shaking fingers and grabbed her arm - but there was no reaction. Just a hate-filled stare from her frozen face. He turned his face away as he dragged her out into the open, then ran about the beach, picking up dry driftwood and piling it up over her as fast as he could. He tried not to think of what was happening - of what would happen to him, how he would be treated by the other vampires if he killed her. The important thing was keeping her away from Dom, and getting free of her. Nothing else mattered. He held the lighter under the wood in several places, waiting until it appeared to catch fire. He backed away towards Dom, who lay there weakly, watching from the cave. The first flames licked at her body, and he worried - would she burn or not? He gasped as he saw her suddenly go up in flames, like a piece of dry paper, bright and hot.
Lij fell to his knees. Something was happening to him. He was changing, the blood roaring through his ears, like the tide, like the waves of the sea crashing on the shore. Those were his last thoughts before he collapsed.
The sun. It was on his face. That wasn't right. That wasn't right at all.... oh god.. the sun!!! Elijah jerked upright screaming, hiding his face, turning away from the sun, waiting to smell the terrible odor of flesh burning, the feel of skin falling off of his bones. But it didn't come, and he didn't understand why. In fact, he could feel the sun on his hands - but no pain. Slowly, Elijah lifted his face, blinking, hesitant... to look at the daylight. In the sun. It was all bright, much too bright for him to take in. The stunning brightness of the sun on the sand... the darkness behind him... and there, lying motionless next to him... Dominic.
Elijah shook. He looked at his hands... they looked... real. He pressed his hand to his chest, and felt warmth. And... was that... a beat? His eyes widened, as his fingers shot up to his neck, to the jugular. He cried out in shock as he felt a pulse - HIS pulse... How did this - ? He looked over at the fire. All that was left was a circle of grey ash. Was that what changed him?
Dom. He wasn't moving. He was so pale... ohgod, no... Dom, pleasepleaseplease be alive… Elijah crawled over on all fours to his side, hand going under Dom's neck to lift him up, cradle him in his arms, press his face next to Dom's. With shaking fingers, he felt for a pulse. It seemed to take forever before he finally found a shallow lub-dub. Dom was alive... but barely. Elijah frantically patted down Dom's pockets, looking, searching... digging into a pocket to pull out a cell phone and calling 911, tears of relief running down his face as he finally got an answer and blurted out all of the information they would need to find him and Dom.
Him and Dom. He set the phone down carefully, then hugged Dom close to him.
"Lij?"
"Here, Dom... don't talk... I'm here."
"You... alive!? Sun? Wha... happened?"
"I'm ok now, Dom... I'm back... and you're ok... the ambulance is coming... but you're ok... I... killed her" Elijah pressed a kiss to Dom's forehead, then pressed his face into his hair, sobbing.
"You're... back? Stay?"
"Yes, Dommie... to stay."
The waves crashed on the beach, moving in and out, the seagulls crying and circling. And one figure held another, slowly rocking, as the sun crept into a small cave at the edge of the beach, and an ambulance slowly made its way up the beach.
no subject
no subject
So glad you liked it - thank you very much - *S*.
no subject
*dies*
wow... that ending was a surprise.
*loves it*
thank you for sharing! <3
no subject
no subject
no subject