http://dublinscot.livejournal.com/ (![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
dublinscot.livejournal.com) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fellowshippers2007-07-15 03:37 pm
dublinscot.livejournal.com) wrote in fellowshippers2007-07-15 03:37 pm
Entry tags:
Out of the Darkness...Light (12/?)
TITLE: Out of the Darkness...Light (12/?)
AUTHOR: Heidi
E-MAIL: lotr58@bellsouth.net
RATING: R--Violence, Angst
PAIRING: Orli/Viggo
DISCLAIMER: I don't own these guys (though I wish I did). No money is being
made from this endeavor and no disrespect is intended. It's all for fun!
And thanks so much to those of you looking it over for me:) Your time and
comments are much appreciated.
FEEDBACK: Yes, but be kind, gulp:)
ARCHIVE: Anywhere, just let me know. Thanks.
*******
CHAPTER TWELVE
"Sean!"
"Come on, mate. Let's go get a drink."
Viggo allowed himself to be pulled along the corridor, Sean's grip strong
on his arm. At the moment, he was too numb to say or do anything. He'd go
wherever Sean brought took him.
He barely noticed when they left the hospital, nor did it really register
when he found himself being pushed into Sean's rental. He remained still as
Sean fastened his seatbelt. Was this what shock felt like, he wondered
vaguely. And then he realized that it must be.
But he had to remain strong. Even as that thought skittered across his
consciousness, he realized that, at thiat moment, he couldn't. He had been
strong through everything that had happened these last few days. Right
now in this moment, he couldn't be strong any longer.
A torrent of emotion overtook him, even as he fought to contain it. He
didn't want to cry, not here, not in front of Sean, not ever. But he
couldn't help himself. Even as the dam burst, he felt Sean patting him on
his shoulder awkwardly, in an attempt to comfort. And though he appreciated
it, he couldn't stop the tears.
He cried for everything that had happened Sunday and since. He cried as
images of Orlando flitted through his mind. And he thought of Henry, now
and at four and five, just as he knew Sean was thinking of his own
daughters.
By the time he was spent, with no tears left to fall, the car had stopped.
He had not paid any attention to where Sean was driving, but was surprised
to see they'd pulled up in front of Sean's house. He'd half-expected to see
the pub he and Sean favored on their nights off. As if he existed in a
dream-world, he unlatched the belt and followed Sean out of the car and into
the house.
****
An hour and quite a few beers later, Viggo wasn't feeling much better. The
events of the last days, plus the information he'd just learned, refused to
leave his mind. He felt totally wiped out by grief and sorrow and powerless
to do anything about it. But, he felt compelled to return to the
hospital--to Orlando. Finishing the beer he held with no small feeling of
regret, he struggled to his feet, glancing over at his drinking companion as
he did so. While he was feeling the beginnings of a 'beer buzz,' Sean,
sitting tense and straight in his favorite chair, appeared to be stone-cold
sober. Viggo looked him over and decided that he'd never seen such an
expression of intense anger on anyone's face, let alone his friend's. And
with that realization he concluded that he couldn't leave his friend--not
like this. Depositing the empty bottle on the table, he made a detour to
the kitchen where he grabbed another two brewskies before returning to his
chair and sinking into it. Reaching over, he handed one to Sean, who
accepted it without a word.
Sinking back into his chair, he took a deep swig. It still didn't help.
Looking over at his silent companion, he decided to break the silence.
"So, what do you think?"
Silence. Viggo continued as if Sean wanted him to.
"About this whole...mess?"
Glittering green eyes looked at him suddenly and he felt himself
uncomfortable under the intensity of his friend's look.
"What do I think? Do you want to know what I think?"
Taking another gulp, Viggo nodded.
"Well, Viggo, I think there are a lot of sick bastards in this world, and
they're not all punks and criminals. A great majority of them are right
here, living among us--esteemed citizens. Putting our lives on the line
through our trust in them. Trust that is often misplaced. And I think
about my daughters and I want to just hug them and make sure they're all
right. And I want to be there forever to protect them from...from
everything and everyone."
Viggo watched as his friend threw his head back and with a vicious gesture
poured beer down his throat, as if he was literally trying to drown his
sorrows. To Viggo's eyes, Sean looked even worse than he, himself, felt.
Which was pretty bad at the moment. Nodding absently, he silently agreed
with his companion.
Then, "I know what you mean. I keep thinking of Henry. And what I would do
if something like this had happened to him. I'd want to kill the
bastard...anyone...who touched him, hurt him."
Seeing that he had Sean's attention, he continued.
"What I don't understand is, how could someone, anyone, do something
like that to a child? To anyone, for that matter, but to a *child*??"
Feeling the emotion welling up inside again, Viggo took a deep breath,
hoping to forestall it. No such luck. Feeling like a teary-eyed schoolgirl,
Viggo sat helplessly as the tears came once again. He didn't even try to
stop them.
"What kind of monster is that man? Who is he?"
Sean just sat and watched, now empty beer bottle hanging loosely in his
hand. Didn't utter a word. But the angry expression on his face told Viggo
he was listening to every word that was being said.
"Sean, Orlando was only five years old, maybe four, when that *animal* that
*monster* did..."
He trailed off, unable to continue with the painful words. It was hard
enough to think them. To utter them aloud was just too excruciating right
now. But he couldn't get them out of his mind. Like a man drawn to a car
wreck, or a bad film, his mind kept playing through the image of a young
Orlando. A young boy who¹d recently lost his father and was confused. A boy
who'd placed his childish dependence in a trusted friend. A beautiful
child, he was sure. A beautiful, trusting, innocent child who'd had that
innocence and faith ripped away. A soft, melodic voice interrupted his
tortured thoughts.
"I know, Viggo. I know. The time for those feelings will come."
Looking at his friend in confusion, Viggo contemplated what he'd said.
"What do you mean?"
Sean looked him directly in the eye, face and voice more intense than Viggo
had ever seen him.
"Viggo. You care for Orlando, correct?"
Nod.
"Then you need to help him now. Don't wonder why this was done or who this
beast is. You'll have a chance to do that later. Don't waste your strength
on it. Right now, you need to focus your energies on that young man. If he
senses your anger, he may misunderstand it and think it's directed at him.
He doesn't need that. What he needs is your strength and your support.
Give it to him."
Viggo just sat and looked at his friend in awe. Sean was right. He
needed, and wanted, to be there for Orlando. Just to be there. There would
be time for anger and accusations later, once Orlando was through this
ordeal. Decision made, he placed his empty bottle on the coffee table and
stood.
"Sean, will you drive me back to the hospital?"
A sharp nod and a firm smile were his only answer.
"Sean!"
"Come on, mate. Let's go get a drink."
Viggo allowed himself to be pulled along the corridor, Sean's grip strong
on his arm. At the moment, he was too numb to say or do anything. He'd go
wherever Sean brought took him.
He barely noticed when they left the hospital, nor did it really register
when he found himself being pushed into Sean's rental. He remained still as
Sean fastened his seatbelt. Was this what shock felt like, he wondered
vaguely. And then he realized that it must be.
But he had to remain strong. Even as that thought skittered across his
consciousness, he realized that, at thiat moment, he couldn't. He had been
strong through everything that had happened these last few days. Right
now in this moment, he couldn't be strong any longer.
A torrent of emotion overtook him, even as he fought to contain it. He
didn't want to cry, not here, not in front of Sean, not ever. But he
couldn't help himself. Even as the dam burst, he felt Sean patting him on
his shoulder awkwardly, in an attempt to comfort. And though he appreciated
it, he couldn't stop the tears.
He cried for everything that had happened Sunday and since. He cried as
images of Orlando flitted through his mind. And he thought of Henry, now
and at four and five, just as he knew Sean was thinking of his own
daughters.
By the time he was spent, with no tears left to fall, the car had stopped.
He had not paid any attention to where Sean was driving, but was surprised
to see they'd pulled up in front of Sean's house. He'd half-expected to see
the pub he and Sean favored on their nights off. As if he existed in a
dream-world, he unlatched the belt and followed Sean out of the car and into
the house.
****
An hour and quite a few beers later, Viggo wasn't feeling much better. The
events of the last days, plus the information he'd just learned, refused to
leave his mind. He felt totally wiped out by grief and sorrow and powerless
to do anything about it. But, he felt compelled to return to the
hospital--to Orlando. Finishing the beer he held with no small feeling of
regret, he struggled to his feet, glancing over at his drinking companion as
he did so. While he was feeling the beginnings of a 'beer buzz,' Sean,
sitting tense and straight in his favorite chair, appeared to be stone-cold
sober. Viggo looked him over and decided that he'd never seen such an
expression of intense anger on anyone's face, let alone his friend's. And
with that realization he concluded that he couldn't leave his friend--not
like this. Depositing the empty bottle on the table, he made a detour to
the kitchen where he grabbed another two brewskies before returning to his
chair and sinking into it. Reaching over, he handed one to Sean, who
accepted it without a word.
Sinking back into his chair, he took a deep swig. It still didn't help.
Looking over at his silent companion, he decided to break the silence.
"So, what do you think?"
Silence. Viggo continued as if Sean wanted him to.
"About this whole...mess?"
Glittering green eyes looked at him suddenly and he felt himself
uncomfortable under the intensity of his friend's look.
"What do I think? Do you want to know what I think?"
Taking another gulp, Viggo nodded.
"Well, Viggo, I think there are a lot of sick bastards in this world, and
they're not all punks and criminals. A great majority of them are right
here, living among us--esteemed citizens. Putting our lives on the line
through our trust in them. Trust that is often misplaced. And I think
about my daughters and I want to just hug them and make sure they're all
right. And I want to be there forever to protect them from...from
everything and everyone."
Viggo watched as his friend threw his head back and with a vicious gesture
poured beer down his throat, as if he was literally trying to drown his
sorrows. To Viggo's eyes, Sean looked even worse than he, himself, felt.
Which was pretty bad at the moment. Nodding absently, he silently agreed
with his companion.
Then, "I know what you mean. I keep thinking of Henry. And what I would do
if something like this had happened to him. I'd want to kill the
bastard...anyone...who touched him, hurt him."
Seeing that he had Sean's attention, he continued.
"What I don't understand is, how could someone, anyone, do something
like that to a child? To anyone, for that matter, but to a *child*??"
Feeling the emotion welling up inside again, Viggo took a deep breath,
hoping to forestall it. No such luck. Feeling like a teary-eyed schoolgirl,
Viggo sat helplessly as the tears came once again. He didn't even try to
stop them.
"What kind of monster is that man? Who is he?"
Sean just sat and watched, now empty beer bottle hanging loosely in his
hand. Didn't utter a word. But the angry expression on his face told Viggo
he was listening to every word that was being said.
"Sean, Orlando was only five years old, maybe four, when that *animal* that
*monster* did..."
He trailed off, unable to continue with the painful words. It was hard
enough to think them. To utter them aloud was just too excruciating right
now. But he couldn't get them out of his mind. Like a man drawn to a car
wreck, or a bad film, his mind kept playing through the image of a young
Orlando. A young boy who¹d recently lost his father and was confused. A boy
who'd placed his childish dependence in a trusted friend. A beautiful
child, he was sure. A beautiful, trusting, innocent child who'd had that
innocence and faith ripped away. A soft, melodic voice interrupted his
tortured thoughts.
"I know, Viggo. I know. The time for those feelings will come."
Looking at his friend in confusion, Viggo contemplated what he'd said.
"What do you mean?"
Sean looked him directly in the eye, face and voice more intense than Viggo
had ever seen him.
"Viggo. You care for Orlando, correct?"
Nod.
"Then you need to help him now. Don't wonder why this was done or who this
beast is. You'll have a chance to do that later. Don't waste your strength
on it. Right now, you need to focus your energies on that young man. If he
senses your anger, he may misunderstand it and think it's directed at him.
He doesn't need that. What he needs is your strength and your support.
Give it to him."
Viggo just sat and looked at his friend in awe. Sean was right. He
needed, and wanted, to be there for Orlando. Just to be there. There would
be time for anger and accusations later, once Orlando was through this
ordeal. Decision made, he placed his empty bottle on the coffee table and
stood.
"Sean, will you drive me back to the hospital?"
A sharp nod and a firm smile were his only answer.
no subject
So Viggo can get back where he belongs and help Orlando through the healing process . . . Sean's very wise.