The Professionals Circuit Archive - Moving On       Moving On

 

by Shorts

  
 Time. He felt the weight of it pressing close around him. This last op
had brought home to him just how near the time was for him to move on. If
he was really honest with himself, the time to end this phase of his life
was well past, but he had remained, knowing he was putting himself in
jeopardy.

Solemnly he pushed aside the heavy drape and gazed at the twinkling lights
of London outside his window. It would be a long time before he would
again be able to look upon the sight that had become his home. He mused
over the plans he had put into motion as soon as he came back to his flat.
The necessary phone call had been placed and his affairs had been put into
order. There was very little he would take with him when he left, which
could be as early as tomorrow if everything moved as quickly as it usually
did in these circumstances. A small selection of clothes and a few
personal items were already packed in a duffle bag sitting on the floor of
his bedroom. After a quickly fought battle with himself, he had
surrendered and packed a single photo to remind himself of what, better
yet, who, he would be leaving behind. 

Now he was simply waiting for a return phone call informing him that his
new identity was set and he would be off after staging his own death. He
hadn't given it much thought as to where he would go, but the States
seemed as good choice as any to lose himself quickly and buy himself time
to decide where he would once again start over.

There was another task he needed to take care of tonight, but he didn't
want to chance missing his contact that would set the wheels in motion for
his new life. The pang of hunger was still slight, but it was getting
sharper with each hour that passed since his *miraculous* escape earlier.

The flash of car lights turning the corner down the street caught his
attention. His expression turned from melancholy to pain for all he would
be losing. He should have known his partner would show up tonight. He shut
his eyes against the wave of loss that washed over him as his inner eye
conjured up the emotional pain he would inflict on Doyle by his actions
due to Doyle's very nature. 

Resigned to do what he had to do, he once again opened his eyes as Doyle
pulled in front. He watched as the slender form of his partner jumped out
of the car and jogged toward the stairs leading to his building. With a
deep sigh, Bodie turned and surveyed his flat. Nothing seemed out of the
ordinary and he closed the door leading to his bedroom to hide any
evidence of his leaving.

For now, whatever his needs, they would have to wait. He couldn't help the
weakness to be selfish and share as much of tonight with Doyle as he
safely could. It could very well be the last night he shared with the man
who had come to mean more to him than anyone ever had in his life.

Doyle hurried up the stairwell, taking the steps two at a time. He was
worried about Bodie after he had nearly been blown to bits today by a bomb
planted in the warehouse. They had been chasing a man suspected of
destroying a number of dock side buildings. By luck alone, the main force
of the blast had somehow missed Bodie who had been close to it. Too close.
Yet, Bodie had still managed to collar the bastard. Catching him despite
the injuries he had and getting them both bloody in the process.

Other than some lacerations and bruises, Bodie seemed to have been fine.
Never the less, Cowley had insisted he be checked out by the company
physician, giving them both two days leave. Doyle had volunteered to take
care of the paperwork while Bodie was being poked and prodded. The relief
that Bodie hadn't been killed made tackling the reports a mere annoyance.

When he had finished, he hurried to the infirmary but Bodie had already
left and gone home. A stab of fear sliced through him as his instinct told
him to get to Bodie. Now. It wasn't like his partner to leave without them
reassuring each other that they were both fine, especially after a close
call like today.

Approaching Bodie's door, Doyle hesitated. Something wasn't right and he
felt a deep dread settle into his gut. He tried to shake it off as a
leftover from the scare earlier. He had never admitted to anyone just how
much Bodie meant to him, and the thought of losing him made him break out
into a cold sweat unlike anything else he'd ever faced. Squaring his
shoulders he raised his hand and knocked hard on the solid wood of the
door.

The sound of locks being undone preceded the slow opening of the front
door. All of Doyle's doubts and worries boiled to the surface the moment
he laid eyes on his partner. "What the hell do you think you were doing
just leaving without letting me know you were alright?" demanded Doyle,
pushing his way inside Bodie's flat. "You didn't think to let me know that
you were leaving? It didn't take me that long to do *our* paperwork and
I'd have brought you home. It never cross your mind that maybe I would be
worried about you, did it?!"

Bodie quietly closed the door and relocked it before turning to face the
fury of his partner. "I'm fine and I just wanted to get home. Didn't
think...." It didn't appear tonight would go anywhere near the way he had
hoped. The last thing he wanted to do was fight with Doyle, especially
when this might be the last time they saw each other.

"That's right," cut in Doyle. "Sometimes you don't think." He turned away
from Bodie and ran his hand through his unruly curls unwilling to let
Bodie see the underlying emotion that spurned his outburst. 

Without saying anything, Bodie moved past Doyle and headed for the scotch.
Doyle's strong reaction to his close call today was just a peek at how
Doyle would react when Bodie was gone. He set about pouring two drinks,
trying not to think too closely about how much he would be hurting Doyle
when he left. He turned and jumped in surprise when he almost ran into
Doyle standing directly behind him.

"You really should have waited for me," snapped Doyle, arms crossed over
his chest and green eyes flashing as he studied Bodie closely.

"Said I'm sorry," said Bodie, handing Doyle a glass. "I'm fine, just a
killer headache and I wanted to lie down for a bit to try and ease it."

"What's wrong, Bodie?" asked Doyle, seeing the strain etched on Bodie's
face. His anger ebbing and turning to honest concern.

"Nothing." Bodie brushed past Doyle to sit on the couch.

"You haven't been acting yourself lately," pressed Doyle, worry in his
voice. "You're distracted and in our line of work that's dangerous." It
was true, but it hadn't reached the level of endangering either of
them...yet. Granted, there was no way they could have known there was a
bomb set to go off at the exact moment they were running through the
warehouse. But other times it had only been Bodie's quick reflexes that
had kept them alive when someone got the drop on them. Times when Bodie
should have been alert and notice the half open door or a shadow that told
where their quarry had run to hide. Yet the most telling thing lately was
Bodie was more likely to go off by himself than pop into the local pub
with Doyle at the end of the day. If he wanted Bodie to tell him what was
going on, he needed to push his buttons.

Bodie placed his glass on the small table and rubbed his face with his
hands. "I'm just tired, Ray. Maybe I need a holiday." He didn't want to
fight. Not tonight.

Surprised by Bodie's reply, fully expecting defensive anger, Doyle eased
himself down on the couch next to him. He knew there was more to it than
that. "Then we'll put in for a holiday if you think that will solve what
is bothering you." 

"I told you, nothing is bothering me," said Bodie. He kept his gaze locked
in front of him. He hated lying to Doyle, even if it was in his best
interest. "I'm just...tired."

"Don't give me that, Bodie. I know you, remember? You've been acting odd
lately." Doyle tried to keep the accusatory tone out of his voice, but he
couldn't help feeling like he was losing Bodie somehow. 

"You don't know me as well as you think you do, Sunshine," muttered Bodie,
picking up his scotch and draining it in one swallow.

"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Doyle, his eyes narrowing.

"Nothing. Just forget it." Bodie stood to refill his empty glass.

"No, Bodie. I'm not going to forget it," said Doyle, rising to follow him.
"You don't go saying something like that without meaning it. Have I done
something to piss you off? You want another partner? What?"

Bodie sighed, his back toward Doyle. "Just leave it, Ray. It has nothing
to do with you."

"Like bloody hell it doesn't! We're partners, you and me. And what affects
you, affects me." Doyle gripped Bodie's shoulder and forced him to turn
around. 

Bodie shrugged off Doyle's hand. "Look, it's none of your business, okay?
I said to leave it." All he wanted now was to end this before things got
worse, because there wouldn't be time to mend any of the hurts that might
very well be inflicted tonight.

Before Doyle could argue, the phone rang. Bodie side stepped him and
grabbed up the phone. The brief conversation was low enough that Doyle
couldn't hear what had been said. 

"I gotta go, got a date I need to keep," said Bodie, after he hung up.
Everything was set, he just needed to close this chapter of his life. A
life that he had become too comfortable in, that had touched him too
deeply.

"Oh, some bird is more important than me? Than us?" said Doyle
sarcastically. "Should know by now just where I stand with you. We're more
than just partners, we're mates. Or at least I always thought so." He
glared at Bodie as he stormed toward the front door. "This isn't finished,
Bodie. You're gonna talk to me sooner or later." 

The slam of the door reverberated throughout the flat and Bodie squeezed
his eyes shut. The stress of Doyle's anger, on top of the injuries he had
suffered before, combined to flare up the hunger that ached deep in his
soul. He moved back to the window and watched as Doyle peeled out and
roared down the street. 

He decided to go ahead and leave tonight, to delay would only cause more
heartache. His new identity was waiting for him and he couldn't face the
questions that Doyle would be certain to put to him in the morning. The
thought that Doyle would feel guilty for having left with angry words
between them couldn't be helped. He collected his bag from the bedroom and
headed out of the flat.

******

Doyle slammed on the brakes and squealed to a stop, leaving a long trail
of black rubber on the road. It was just like Bodie to find some way to
squirm his way out of explaining himself. Well, not this time. He wanted
answers and by God he was going to get them tonight. He turned the car
around and headed back toward Bodie's flat. Just as he rounded the corner,
he saw Bodie toss a duffle bag into his car and climb in. Curious as to
what Bodie was really up to, Doyle waited until Bodie pulled out and then
followed him. He might just get his answers after all. 

They drove down dark streets, Doyle hanging as far back as he could
without losing Bodie. The traffic was light in this residential area and
it would be easy to pick out a tail. But obviously Bodie wasn't paying as
close attention as he should and Doyle darted into an empty space when
Bodie parked in front of a house.

Doyle strained to see in the dark who Bodie was meeting. He raised his
eyebrows when a short, pale man answered the door and ushered Bodie
inside. Well, so much for it being a bird. Whatever was going on was
serious enough to make Bodie lie to him, a rarity in of itself. He would
side step a question, but never directly lie to him. 

It was less than ten minutes before Bodie emerged from the house, pausing
long enough to embrace the man before returning to his car. Doyle waited
until Bodie was almost to the end of the street before following him. 

Eventually, Doyle found himself in a rough part of town near the docks.
The night denizens, hard and mean looking, slowly walked along their
domain. He parked away from the pub Bodie had chosen and decided to wait
and watch. This wasn't the normal type of establishment Bodie was known to
frequent. It had the air of slime and degradation about it, not the kind
of place to meet and pick up birds or to quietly drink away your worries.

Just when Doyle was considering going into the bar after Bodie, he spotted
his partner stepping out with a blonde. The woman was obviously smashed
and hung onto Bodie as she tried to walk, stumble more like it, toward
Bodie's car. The tight skirt and form fitted blouse was gaudy and even
from this distance and Doyle could see her exaggerated makeup. The woman
was the farthest from Bodie's type Doyle could ever have imagined. 

Once again, Doyle found himself hanging back, trying not to draw attention
to himself as they drove a couple blocks away from the pub toward a
deserted part of the docks. He turned off his headlights and slowly crept
forward, parking just past the pale light of the street post as he watched
Bodie stop his car facing the water. He couldn't believe he was spying on
Bodie making out with some tart.

"Wha' are we doin' 'ere?" slurred the woman, blinking and looking around.
"Thought we were goin' back to yer place, handsome."

"It's a beautiful night out, and the quiet will give us a chance to get to
know each other a little better," reassured a smiling Bodie. He brought
his arm around the drunk woman and tugged her closer. "We've got the
stars, the moon, and the night. What more could we ask for?"

"Yer a romantic bloke, aren't ya?" giggled the woman, settling into
Bodie's embrace. She sighed and tilted her head when Bodie leaned forward
to nuzzle her neck. She closed her eyes as Bodie placed soft kisses along
her jaw and neck, so she missed the dark, blue eyes flicker with a light
of their own. A sharp pain brought her out of the mellow stupor she had
fallen in and a short scream escaped her lips as she tried to push Bodie
away from her. Just as quickly as the pain came, it vanished, to be
replaced by a feeling of sweet contentment flowing through her.

Bodie latched his lips tightly around the small wound he had made and
drank deeply of the only thing that would sate the hunger that had started
to gnaw away at him. The warm blood filled him and replenished his
strength that had been depleted when the explosion had torn through him.
The brief respite he had taken from their suspect after the blast hadn't
been enough to completely heal him. Now, he cradled the limp form in his
arms, careful not to take too much. 

Reluctantly, Bodie withdrew leaning his head back against the headrest
allowing the sweet excitement of having fed wash over him. A surge of
energy travelled through him, exciting him, and he used the palm of his
hand to rub the hardness at his groin. He vaguely acknowledged the woman
fumbling with the door latch. She didn't mean anything to him, other than
a source he needed at the moment which had passed. Abruptly, Bodie reached
out his hand and stopped her. "Forget this, forget ever seeing me."

She blinked as she stared into the glowing blue eyes and slowly nodded.
"Never saw you." With slow movements, she got the door opened and stumbled
out of the car.

Bodie relaxed back into his seat, riding the sweet sensation shooting
through his body. His mind conjuring the image of the one person he did
desire above all else.

Doyle thought he had heard a scream and strained his hearing to catch any
sound, but the quiet remained unbroken. Certain he hadn't imagined it, he
carefully got out of his car and hugged the shadows as he slowly made his
way toward Bodie's vehicle. 

He darted into a small alcove of a doorway when the passenger car door
opened and the blonde staggered out. She used the car to steady herself
and propel herself back toward Doyle who remained hidden in the shadows.
Just as she passed by Doyle, she stumbled and he automatically reached out
to catch her from falling. He held her up until she could get her feet
underneath to support her own weight. He noticed two tiny wounds on her
neck as her head lolled to the side, yet even as he watched the puncture
marks healed and vanished. "What the hell?"

The woman mumbled something and struggled out of Doyle's hold, continuing
to weave her way down the street. He shook his head, there was no way he
could have seen what he had just seen. 

With a sigh, Bodie opened his eyes and denied himself the pleasure of his
hand. He needed to get on with things before he could indulge in finding
release. He hadn't taken more than she could easily afford, but it was
enough to help mend his injuries further.

Doyle had turned back to face Bodie's car when he saw him get out, pulling
the duffle bag with him. Before he could do or say anything, Bodie closed
the car door and leaned in through the open window. He watched in shock as
Bodie put the car into neutral and then pushed it off the dock.

Bodie stood a moment, watching his car sink into the black, inky water. By
the time they discovered it, they would assume that he had drowned and had
been washed away with the undercurrent. With a silent farewell, he hefted
his duffle bag and turned to walk away. He stopped when he saw the
familiar silhouette back lit by the dim street light.

"What the hell are you doing?" demanded Bodie, standing perfectly still. A
shock of desire struck him and he suppressed a groan as he drank in the
sight of his partner.

"I should be asking you that," countered Doyle, slowly walking toward him.

"Can't you ever mind your own business?" said Bodie, tensing. The tingle
of warmth still sang through his veins and he fought to damp down his
rising desire for sexual release.

"What's going on, Bodie? What did you do to her?" Doyle stopped in front
of Bodie, searching the face that was as familiar as his own, but at that
moment looked like a stranger's. Bodie's eyes were bright and shiny, and
his face flushed with a rosy glow.

"Leave off, Doyle," warned Bodie. He realised with Doyle having seen him
push his car into the water, his means of vanishing had been ruined. "I
didn't hurt her, not really, at any rate. She'll never remember even being
with me tonight. She's fine, trust me."

"Trust you," repeated Doyle, pointedly looking at the duffle bag slung
over Bodie's shoulder and then toward the water. "For me to do that, you
better start explaining what is going on."

"Just forget about it. Forget about me and what you think you saw
tonight," said Bodie, his heart tearing in two. It was hard enough to
leave friends behind each time he did this, but to leave someone he had
come to love was torture.

"Forget about.... Bodie what is going on?!" demanded Doyle again, shaking
his head. A feeling of lightheadedness had washed over him along with
Bodie's words. "I'm not going to just walk away and let you do a
disappearing act on me."

"That's exactly what you need to do," said Bodie, wishing with his own
being that Doyle would just let him go. He was surprised that Doyle had
been able to shake off his suggestion, it hinted at just how deeply their
relationship had become between them.

"Not gonna happen, *Sunshine*," sneered Doyle, gripping Bodie's arm and
preventing him from bolting. "You owe me an explanation."

"I don't owe you anything," snapped Bodie, yanking his arm free. He could
have easily pushed Doyle away, but he had never used his strength against
him before and he wasn't about to start now.

"Oh, you don't, do you? Being partners means that little to you? Or
friendship? I thought we were best mates." Doyle glared hard at Bodie,
angry that he could so easily throw away what they had.

Bodie pinched the space between his eyebrows as he turned away from Doyle.
"Please, Ray. Do this for me, okay?"

"Only if you tell me why," said Doyle.

"I can't."

"Then I can't let you just walk away from me." Doyle stared Bodie down,
refusing to budge. He couldn't think of what could have happened to make
Bodie want to just leave like this. To leave him.

"You don't know what you're asking," said Bodie, his whole being pleading
with Doyle to do this. To let him go.

"You're right. I don't." Doyle searched Bodie's face for some clue to this
madness. "That's why I'm asking."

Anger suddenly flared through Bodie. Anger at Doyle for making this harder
than it already was, anger at himself for allowing Doyle to have such a
hold on him. "Fine! You want to know? I'll tell you. Everything you don't
want to hear and will never believe. But not here."

"Then let's go back to your place," said Doyle, moving back a small step.

"No. Your flat." Bodie strode past Doyle and opened up the passenger door
and slid inside. He knew he was making a mistake, but he couldn't stop
himself.

Doyle drove silently back to his place, refusing to glance at Bodie who
slouched in the seat beside him. To try and conjure up reasons for Bodie's
behaviour was fruitless, because nothing he could imagine could explain
this. He kept his questions to himself, preferring to wait until they were
behind locked doors. 

******

Bodie dropped his duffle bag next to the front door, while Doyle relocked
it.

"Make yourself comfortable," said Doyle, motioning toward the couch. The
drive back had given him the time to regain control over his emotions.
"Want a drink? I think we're both going to need it."

Bodie remained silent as he took a seat, watching Doyle pour the drinks.
How he ended up in this situation was beyond him. He should already be out
of London and heading out of England by now.

Doyle sat down beside him and handed him his drink. "Talk to me. And don't
go spinning any of your tales, Bodie. I want the truth."

"You sure?" asked Bodie, an unamused smirk on his lips. He took a long
drink to wash away the coppery taste that remained in his mouth.

Doyle simply glared at him and settled back waiting.

"I guess if I told you I had to leave, that I needed to start over
somewhere else, as someone else, you wouldn't just accept that." Bodie
eyed Doyle, knowing the answer.

Doyle snorted and raised an eyebrow.

"Nah, didn't think so," sighed Bodie. "Remember Ray, you asked, alright?"
When Doyle gave him a slight nod, Bodie took a deep breath and let it out.
"I've been here too long and if I stay much longer people are going to
start asking questions. Questions I really don't want to answer."

Doyle continued to look at Bodie, waiting.

Bodie finished off his scotch and placed the empty glass down on the side
table beside him. "I wasn't as lucky as you thought I was today."

Of everything Doyle expected to hear, that wasn't it. "What are you
talking about? You're here aren't you? In one piece, a little banged up,
but still alive."

Bodie shook his head. "That's where you're wrong. I got caught in the full
blast of that bomb, knocked me clean across the room. Tore through me like
so much raw meat...."

"Oh get off, Bodie," said Doyle in disgust. "I told you, no fabrications.
I want the truth!"

"That is the truth!" yelled Bodie, rising to his feet. "You tell me how I
avoided the blast then. There wasn't any wall or equipment to shield me
other than that door it was stashed behind. That bomb exploded and I was
right there in front of it!"

Doyle froze, his eyes wide and staring at Bodie. He knew what Bodie was
saying was true, but he had convinced himself somehow, something, had
protected Bodie from the blast, although the room had been completely
empty. "Is not possible.... You'd be dead, Bodie."

"Yeah, I should be, but I'm not," said Bodie, dropping back down on the
couch. "I've made it through some tight spots before where I should have
died and didn't. It's because of what I am that I'm still here. And it's
because of what I am that I have to leave."

"You're not making any sense," said Doyle, still staring at Bodie. "What
do you mean, what you are? You're you, Bodie."

Bodie cradled his face in his hands. "I'm not.... I'm something else."

"You got that right." Doyle reached out and rubbed Bodie's shoulders,
wanting to relay the support they always shared.

Bodie chuckled. Leave it to Doyle to turn his words around.

"But you're still not telling me why you think you need to leave," pressed
Doyle, leaning forward and ducking his head to try and get Bodie to look
at him.

"Oh, but I am," said Bodie. "I just never had to tell anyone this before
so I'm not sure exactly how to go about it."

"That's easy, just tell me." Doyle stopped rubbing Bodie's shoulders, but
he kept his hand firmly on his back.

"Okay...." Bodie sat up straight and turned to face Doyle. "I'm not
normal." 

Doyle tried to smother the snicker that coughed out.

"Look, do you want to know or don't you?" said Bodie in exasperation.

"I'm sorry. Please, go on."

Bodie glared at Doyle a moment before continuing. "Remember that time I
was knifed and was holed up in that abandoned building?"

Doyle nodded. By all rights Bodie shouldn't have survived that long
without medical attention immediately, but somehow he had. 

"Well, I wouldn't have been in that bad of shape had I followed my nature
and taken what I needed from that boy, Tommy. But I couldn't risk exposing
myself for what I am. Wasn't sure who he might have told about me."

"I'm not following you here," said Doyle. 

"I could have taken what I needed from him, just like that bird tonight
and that bastard today at the warehouse, but it would have been too risky
to do that," said Bodie, knowing he wasn't make it very clear to Doyle by
the confused look on his partner's face. "Blood, Ray. I'm talking about
taking some of their blood. It was so long between being knifed and the
transfusion of blood at the hospital that my system took a while to kick
in. But once it did, I wasn't down for very long if you remember.
Afterward, they released me pretty quick from hospital."

"What?" Doyle shifted back slightly, wondering if maybe Bodie had suffered
a blow to the head that the doctor had missed.

Bodie couldn't believe Doyle could be so thick headed. "I'm a vampire,
Doyle. A bloody vampire!"

Doyle sat there a moment then started laughing. "Right. You turn into a
bat, sleep in a coffin and drink peoples...blood." The humour suddenly
drained out of him as he remembered the puncture wounds on the woman's
neck.

"Only the last part you got right," said Bodie. "Most of what surrounds us
is so much peasant legends that it's ridiculous."

"You're serious," said Doyle, really looking at Bodie.

"Of course I am." Once he had admitted it, Bodie was finding it a little
easier to continue. "We're pretty much like you, except it takes a little
more to kill us, but we do die, of old age. Our life span is much longer
than yours, a little over double. Of course, sunlight doesn't harm us, nor
does garlic and the like...."

"Bodie," interrupted Doyle. "You're honestly sitting here, telling me
you're a...a vampire, and expect me to believe that?"

"Yes, I do."

Doyle shook his head. "I just can't. You sure you don't need to see if
you've banged your head harder than you thought?"

Bodie stared at Doyle, debating on whether or not to prove it. Making up
his mind, he stood and started to unbutton his shirt.

"What are you doing?" asked Doyle, when Bodie started to undress.

"Proving my point." Bodie slipped off his shirt and waited.

At first, Doyle thought Bodie had seriously lost it after all, then he
really looked at Bodie's torso. The skin was practically healed and the
slight pink marks of new skin showed where Bodie had taken shrapnel from
the explosion. Only the deepest of gashes still remained as still healing
cuts. Mesmerized, he reached out and ran a hand down Bodie's chest and
stomach. "Turn around." He repeated the light caress on Bodie's back,
trying to believe what his eyes were telling him.

"Convinced?" asked Bodie, turning back to face Doyle. 

"That's not possible," Doyle said, his voice tinged with awe. "I saw your
injuries myself. You were sliced up pretty good."

Bodie nodded and sat back down on the couch. "They were there. But do you
see now why I can't stay? Too many more close calls like today and people
are going to start wondering. It doesn't help that I age slower than
everyone else either."

Doyle shifted his stare from Bodie's smooth chest to his face. "So you
were just going to leave, make me believe you were dead."

"I'm sorry," said Bodie. "You are the last person I ever want to hurt."

"But you had no problem letting me think you had died with only angry
words between us," spat Doyle. "You're so sorry that you went ahead and
tried to pull that stunt anyhow. If I hadn't followed you tonight, I would
have believed you had died when we found your car. It didn't matter to you
that I would have blamed myself for how things were left between us."
Doyle wanted to punch Bodie, to lash out with all the hurt and guilt he
would have been left with. To know how close he had come tonight to losing
Bodie for good seared through his heart. Nothing mattered to him as much
as Bodie in his life. Not his job, his family, or anything else. Not even
Bodie's claim of being a vampire.

Bodie lowered his head, unable to look at the hurt and anger reflected in
Doyle's eyes. "But now you know, so you don't have to blame yourself when
I'm gone."

"Gone!? What do you mean *gone*? You still can't seriously be considering
leaving," shouted Doyle, jumping up and towering over Bodie's slumped
form. 

"Nothing's changed. I still have to leave." Bodie's voice was low and
soft.

"Then I'm bloody well leaving with you," announced Doyle, daring Bodie to
argue.

"You don't know what you're saying," said Bodie, his head jerking up to
look directly at Doyle.

"I know that I don't want you to leave me, that somehow, somewhen, you
became my life and I won't let you go and throw it away." Doyle's entire
body was tense with fear and anger. He didn't care whether or not Bodie
found out just how deeply his feelings ran for him, he was fighting to
keep Bodie with him.

"Ray...." 

"Dammit, Bodie. Don't you get it? There's nothing to keep me here if you
go. Not the job, it's never been the job," said Doyle. "If it hadn't been
for you, I'd have gotten out of it a long time ago."

Bodie couldn't help it, he smiled.

"What?" demanded Doyle, tensing with the thought that Bodie was laughing
at him, at his feelings.

"Is funny is all. I stayed here longer than I should have because of you."


Doyle looked at him in bewilderment.

"You're the reason I stayed this long," explained Bodie. "I never allowed
myself to get close to anyone like I have with you. It's not safe to be
vulnerable and you worked your way right under my barriers, making me...."
He trailed off, not sure if his declaration would be welcome after all.

"Making you what, Bodie?" said Doyle, leaning more toward him. He needed
to hear what he thought Bodie had been about to confess.

"It's not important." Bodie looked away.

"That's twice tonight," said Doyle, his green eyes glittering. "Don't lie
to me a third time, Bodie, or I'll pop you one but good."

"When did I lie to you?" asked Bodie.

"When you claimed to have a date and instead you met with some guy,"
answered Doyle, his hands on his hips.

"I guess I should have used the word appointment then," countered Bodie.
"Besides, it was you who jumped to the conclusion that I was going to see
some bird. A date doesn't have to be with a bird, you know."

"Really? You mean you fancy the lads as well?" Doyle's heart jumped a beat
despite the off handed way he said it.

"Not generally, but there's one that has caught my eye," challenged Bodie,
daring Doyle to make something of it.

Doyle's breath caught as he saw the meaning in Bodie's eyes. "You
serious?"

Bodie gave him a slight nod, bracing himself for Doyle's reaction.

"We're fools," said Doyle, flopping back on the couch, all fight gone out
of him. "The both of us. Fools. Things are never easy, is it? I've been
trying hard to hide how I feel and here you've been feeling the same way.
We can do this. Between the two of us we can make this work."

"It doesn't matter, Ray," said Bodie, breaking into Doyle's rambling. "I
still have to go, not safe for me to stay here any longer."

"If you leave Bodie-mate, I'm going with you," said Doyle. "You might not
have exactly said it, but I feel the same way about you. Don't matter none
to me that you're different. We're all different in our own way from
everybody else. We'll deal with it."

"I can't ask you to leave behind your life," protested Bodie, but his
heart wasn't truly in it. To have Doyle with him would make starting over
an adventure, something to look forward to, not a sentence that was the
price he had to pay for his nature.

"God, but you're thick headed." Doyle exclaimed in disbelief. "Haven't you
been listening to me? You are my life. Doesn't matter where we are, or who
we are, as long as we're together. You and me."

"It won't be easy having to move all the time, never being able to set
down roots." Bodie needed Doyle to understand what he would be getting
into should he come with him. "I can't afford to bring attention to myself
when I don't age at the same rate as those around me. Otherwise, there'll
be questions neither of us will be able to answer."

That made Doyle stop and think. "So you're saying that eventually you'll
not want to be with me when I'm old and gray. Won't even allow us the
short time we could have because I'll get old on you and it'll look queer
if you're involved with an old man." 

The hurt and rejection struck Bodie and he immediately moved to hug Doyle
close. "That's not what I meant, nor does it have to be that way. I only
meant being with me, you'd have to always be on the move. Never have a
home or friends but for brief stints."

"Home is wherever you are, Bodie," said Doyle, hugging Bodie back, afraid
that if he let go, Bodie would vanish forever. "If you're going, let's go
together. Promise me, Bodie. You won't leave me behind."

"This is a big decision to make. Shouldn't you take some time and think
about it?" Bodie tightened his hold around Doyle, wanting to memorize
every moment of this embrace should it prove to be the last.

"Won't matter. I'll feel the same way a hundred years from now," said
Doyle. 

"Only if you're sure." Bodie couldn't fight Doyle and himself. He would
give anything to have Doyle by his side in the future ahead of them.

"I'm sure," said Doyle, pulling away from Bodie. "I want whatever time we
can have together."

"We can have however long you want," replied Bodie. 

"I want our whole lives."

"That's a couple centuries, give or take a decade or two," smiled Bodie,
happiness filling him.

"Um, there's a slight hitch in that," grimaced Doyle. "I'm not like you. I
don't have that long of a life span."

"You could," said Bodie, licking his lips nervously. "That is, if you
trust me enough."

"I only trust you with my life, how much more can I trust you?"

"Trust me with your death," said Bodie.

That stunned Doyle. "You mean killing off Ray Doyle, go somewhere as
someone else, right?"

"That, too. But I'm talking about giving you a longer life through your
death, or as close to death as you've ever been." If Doyle was to agree to
this, he had to understand exactly what he was getting into.

"What? You going to drain me of my blood and bring me back?" laughed
Doyle, nervously. The memory of him fighting for his life after being shot
filled him.

Bodie nodded, his face serious.

"Um, do you kill people when you take their blood?" asked Doyle. "And does
that mean I'm going to have go around playing Dracula as well?"

"No. That would bring too much attention to us. As long as you take only
as much as the donor can tolerate, there's no harm." Bodie waited as Doyle
digested that little bit of fact. "We don't need blood to survive an every
day existence. We seek it out only when we are severely injured."

"But to change me to be like you, you'll have to take more than you'd
normally would, right?" Doyle bit his lower lip and looked wide eyed at
Bodie.

"Yes."

After a moment, Doyle's whole posture changed. "Let's do it."

"Ray, if we do this, there's no going back," said Bodie, his heart rate
spiking in excitement and hope.

"Nothin' to go back to," insisted Doyle, unbuttoning the top of his shirt
and tugging the collar away from his neck. "Come on, then."

Bodie studied Doyle before moving in close and wrapping an arm around his
shoulders and pulling him close. "Trust me," he whispered as he lightly
brushed his lips over the pale skin of Doyle's neck. He felt Doyle shiver
and he held him tighter.

Doyle closed his eyes, concentrating on Bodie's lips caressing his neck
and jaw. He trembled as his body started to respond in arousal at the
intimate touch. Warm breath tickled his ear and he couldn't suppress the
tremor that ran through him when Bodie licked his neck. The moment Bodie
pierced his skin, he arched his back against the sharp pain. A sense of
euphoria washed away any traces of the pain quickly and he leaned into
Bodie's embrace.

Anticipating the shock when he bit into the vulnerable flesh before his
saliva that changed when he fed could numb the area, Bodie gripped Doyle
harder to his body. The rich, hot liquid flowed into his mouth, sending
waves of pleasure over him. He continued to drink more than he had ever
taken from a person, more than he needed to finish the last bit of healing
to his wounds. He felt Doyle's body go limp in his arms as he continued to
drink. The pulsing liquid heat started to slow and he had to suck harder.

Doyle felt like he was floating, disconnected to his body. Darkness
descended around him and he felt himself let go, surrendering to the peace
that beckoned to him. 

Bodie released Doyle, sitting back and gasping as the feeling of
unbelievable power rushed through his whole being. He now understood the
lure to go past the point of common sense while feeding. His groin
throbbed with an aching desire, his skin overly sensitive to the very air
currents that caressed his skin. A deep groan passed his lips as his body
arched into the sensation. He turned his head, his eyes glowing a deep
blue, wanting to share this moment with Doyle.

The sight of Doyle pale and limp brought him back to himself. Struggling
to sit up, he quickly bit his own wrist and pressed it against Doyle's
soft, lax lips, letting the source of life seep into his mouth. "Come on,
Ray. Don't let go mate, you gotta fight it." Bodie muttered encouragement
under his breath, willing Doyle to accept the life he was offering back to
him.

A warmth was the first sensation that Doyle noticed as the darkness
started to recede. A fiery heat filled his mouth and his throat convulsed
again and he swallowed once more. At first he tried to turn his head away
from the sharp tang of copper, but he was held firm.

"Drink, Ray," ordered Bodie, ignoring the singing in his own veins.

Bodie's persistent voice penetrated the fog that had settled around Doyle,
and he closed his mouth over the source of the fiery liquid. With each
swallow, he felt more alive, stronger. 

"That's it," whispered Bodie, watching the pale cheeks turn rosy with
life.

Finally Doyle gasped and pulled his head away, his whole being tingling
with energy, centring on his groin. "Bodie?"

"Right here," said Bodie, softly. He eased back, giving Doyle room to sit
up. The movement caused his trousers to slide against his erection and his
hand moved to grip himself, while clenching his teeth.

"You okay?" asked Doyle, catching the desperate expression on Bodie's
face. He gasped in surprise when he saw Bodie's eyes glowing sapphire
blue.

"I should be asking you that," said Bodie, gasping against the increasing
pressure of desire. He didn't want to scare off Doyle, not now.

"Are you hurting? Did doing this hurt you?" asked Doyle, still staring at
Bodie's beautiful eyes. He hadn't thought to ask whether or not sharing
Bodie's gift with him would cause him pain.

"Not exactly," gritted out Bodie, shutting his eyes. He shifted, trying to
ease the uncomfortable tightness of his pants.

"Then what's wrong?" persisted Doyle, blinking when he was released from
the lure of Bodie's gaze. He rubbed his neck where the two tiny wounds
were already healing.

"It's noth...," Bodie stopped, his breath caught in his throat as he saw
the emerald glow of Doyle's eyes glaring at him. Doyle had warned him he'd
pop him one if he wasn't truthful. "I...uh.... How do you feel?" he asked
instead.

"Horny," snorted Doyle, then his eyes went wide. "Oh!"

"Yeah, just magnify it about ten times and that's how I'm feeling." Bodie
could feel his blush highlight the rosy glow already on his cheeks.

"Is it always this intense when you feed off someone?" Doyle squirmed,
finally giving up and releasing the confines of his jeans. The temporary
relief the freedom gave him had him sighing.

"No, but you do get excited to some degree," admitted Bodie, following
Doyle's example and opening the fly of his pants. The lessening of
pressure was only a fleeting relief. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to
regain control of his libido. Warm pressure gripped him and he jumped,
discovering Doyle's hand cradling his cock through the thin material of
the y-fronts that separated their skin.

"If I'm moving too fast, just say the word and I'll back off," said Doyle,
stilling his hand but not removing it.

Bodie swallowed and licked his lips. "Not too fast at all." He raised his
hips and between the two of them tugged off the remainder of his clothes
after kicking off his shoes. He watched transfixed as Doyle quickly
stripped and held out his hand toward him.

"Come on, don't want our first time to be a grope on the couch." Doyle
hoisted Bodie to his feet and wrapped an arm around his waist to steady
him. He took the opportunity to brush his own aching erection against
Bodie's smooth hip.

Bodie found walking difficult, his sole concentration on Doyle whose body
rubbed against his as they stumbled their way into the bedroom. When they
collapsed onto the bed he rolled Doyle beneath him and captured the full
lips in a searing kiss. His hips bucked against the heated body lying
under him.

"Do it!" hissed Doyle, thrusting up against the pressure on his groin. He
grabbed Bodie's hips and met him in desperate urgency, striving toward
release.

Bodie ground his hips downward in a circular motion, answering Doyle's
strained groan with one of his own. He felt wet heat spread between them
as Doyle's body arched against him with a shudder. His own orgasm hit him
and bright spots danced behind his closed eyelids.

Doyle dropped back down on the bed, Bodie's body weighing heavily on top
of him. He shifted a leg into a more comfortable position and discovered
Bodie was still hard. "Thought you came."

"Did," gasped Bodie. "But I'm not near done yet." His whole body tensed
when Doyle moved under him.

"Oh." Doyle gently pushed against Bodie, easing him off and to the side.
"Let me see if I can't help you with this." He grabbed the corner of the
sheet and tenderly cleaned them both up, taking extra care when Bodie
hissed between clenched teeth when he wiped over his cock. "Easy," soothed
Doyle, moving to hover over Bodie's inert form.

"Ray...." 

"Sshh." Doyle lowered his head and kissed Bodie before trailing light
kisses down his neck and over his chest. He didn't want to prolong Bodie's
discomfort any longer than necessary. He shifted further down and studied
the thick column of flesh before him.

"You don't have to do this," ground out Bodie, moving his own hand to gain
release, but Doyle caught it and at the same time placed his lips over the
crown of his leaking cock. The sensation had Bodie arching off the bed.
"Fuck!"

Doyle released Bodie's hand and held onto his bucking hips, trying to
control his thrusts so he wouldn't gag. The salty taste on the velvety
skin wasn't unpleasant and he used his tongue to lick the soft skin.

The play of Doyle's tongue was his undoing and Bodie held Doyle's head
with his hands as he erupted into the warm cavern that surrounded him. He
immediately released his hold when Doyle grabbed his wrists and tugged.
"Sorry."

"S'alright," coughed Doyle, wiping the remnants of Bodie's seed from his
lips and chin while rolling onto his back. "Just never done that before.
Hell, never been with a bloke before." 

Bodie rubbed his face with his hand then curled against Doyle's side,
wrapping his arms around him and resting his head on his shoulder. "I'm
okay, now." 

"Bodie...." Doyle's warning tone made Bodie look at him. He had felt the
firmness of Bodie's cock brush against his leg.

Bodie buried his face against Doyle's chest. "It's never been this strong
before."

"So you're up to one more round?" Doyle ran his fingers through Bodie's
damp hair, making it spike.

"Yeah," admitted Bodie. He started to rub his cock along Doyle's thigh,
intent on finishing this.

"Not like that," said Doyle, moving slightly away from Bodie. "Might as
well go for the gold, we've done pretty good so far."

Bodie looked at him with confusion, until Doyle rolled over onto his
stomach and his meaning became crystal clear. "Ray, you said it yourself.
You've never been with a man before." His mouth might be arguing, but his
body was siding with Doyle.

"All that means is there has to be a first time, doesn't it?" Doyle
widened his legs, offering himself. "Come on, Bodie. I want you. Any way
you're willing to let me have you." 

"I don't want to hurt you," said Bodie, running his hand up and down
Doyle's back.

"I trust you, besides, if things get a little rough, I'll heal," countered
Doyle.

"You'll heal, but that doesn't make you immune to pain," argued Bodie. 

"Do you really not want me this way?" asked Doyle, shifting a bit to his
side and looking directly at Bodie.

"Oh, I want. Maybe too much," said Bodie. "Not sure how much control I
have at the moment. You do something to me, Ray."

Doyle's lips twitched into a mischievous grin and he cupped the back of
Bodie's head and pulled him into a kiss. "Then do something to me." He
sealed his lips over Bodie's once more to stifle any more arguments that
Bodie might come up with to not do this.

Bodie found himself lost in the kiss. Any protest he might have conjured
up disintegrated into the desire he felt for this man. He ran his hands
along Doyle's sides and shifted his weight to settle himself between the
wide spread legs.

"Look in the side drawer," suggested Doyle, resettling on his stomach to
get comfortable. "I might have a small bottle of lotion left in there
from, uh, well...."

"Solo encounters?" 

"Hmm." Doyle refused to admit that was exactly why the lotion might be
there.

Grasping the bottle, Bodie repositioned himself between Doyle's legs. "Let
me know if you change your mind. I can always take care of things the old
fashioned way." His only answer was Doyle's wiggling.

Doyle clamped down on his apprehension when he felt Bodie spread his
asscheeks apart. He had asked for this, it wasn't like Bodie expected it
of him. He jerked in surprise when Bodie kissed him on the small of his
back. He had been expecting a probing finger, not the softness of lips.

"Sshh," soothed Bodie, in between gentle kisses as he slowly worked his
way downward.

"Bodieeee..." groaned Doyle, burying his face into the crook of his arm as
Bodie neared his centre. The flick of a moist tongue nearly had him
levitating off the bed, but strong hands held him down. He trembled at the
assault of the persistent tongue teasing him, eventually probing gently
into his opening.

Doing this to Doyle was making him ache to replace his tongue with his
cock, but Bodie forced his mind to focus on making this as good as he
could for Doyle. He loosened his grip on Doyle's hips when he felt Doyle
struggle to rise to his knees. The new position exposed his goal easily
and he explored the virgin territory a little longer with his mouth before
replacing his tongue with his finger. He watched as he slowly slipped the
tip of his finger inside the tight passage, smiling when a muffled groan
drifted toward him. Slowly he moved his finger in and out before gradually
adding a second to stretch the tight muscle.

"Now, Bodie," gasped Doyle when the long fingers sliding deep inside him
sent sparks through him. He suppressed the moan from the loss of those
magical fingers. The spongy, blunt head of Bodie's cock rubbed against his
loosened opening and his breath caught in his throat. He braced himself to
take Bodie into himself, holding perfectly still.

Bodie held the base of his cock as he lined up to push inside. With as
much care as he could muster he pushed until the crown of his cock
breached the tight ring that attempted to keep him out. He waited, giving
them both a chance to adjust.

Doyle bit his bottom lip against the pain that flared from his centre,
grateful that Bodie hadn't continued pushing inside him. He forced himself
to take a deep breath and let it out, releasing the tension that had built
up and easing the ache of Bodie's cock penetrating him. "Go on."

Watching as his cock slid further inside, Bodie groaned. When he felt the
walls of Doyle's passage clamp down once again he stopped. Gradually, he
worked his way inside until he was flush against Doyle's bum and he was
resting his chest on his back. 

"That's it. I'm all the way in," said Bodie, nuzzling the sweat soaked
curls that clung to Doyle's neck.

"Feels like it," grunted Doyle, as his protesting muscles gradually
relaxed around Bodie's bulk.

"You okay?" Bodie closed his eyes against the rippling sensation that
travelled along the length of his cock.

"Yeah, just give me a minute," said Doyle, tentatively moving his hips to
slide along Bodie's cock. The feel of Bodie rubbing along sensitive nerve
endings sent goose bumps up his back.

"Ray!" hissed Bodie, as Doyle slowly fucked himself on his cock.

"It's okay, move," urged Doyle.

With slow, measured thrusts, Bodie moved. He kept pace with Doyle, only
increasing in speed and strength as Doyle started to buck against him. He
leaned his weight on Doyle's back, slipping his hand along his chest and
stomach until he fisted his hard cock. He pumped in time to his thrusts,
grunting with each deep shove inside the hot channel.

Doyle arched his back, lost in the dual sensation of Bodie's fist and
cock, spiralling out of control as his climax built toward completion.

"Love you," gasped Bodie, feeling their souls join. He bit the back of
Doyle's neck, not the bite of a vampire but with the bite of a lover as
they both tumbled over the edge.

Together they collapsed flat on the bed, gasping for much needed air as
their hearts pounded in their chests. A faint hiss escaped Doyle as Bodie
withdrew and rolled off to the side.

"If it's like this every time, it just might kill me," groaned Doyle,
forcing himself to move. He flopped himself on Bodie, holding him close.

"Then it's a good thing you're a vampire now," chuckled Bodie. "You'll be
able to survive it." A comfortable silence fell between them, each
enjoying the simple act of holding each other. 

Despite the serenity settling over them, reality seeped back into his
thoughts. "I've gotta make a phone call," said Bodie, untangling himself
from Doyle.

"You what?" asked Doyle, sitting up and staring at Bodie in disbelief.

"We'll need to get you a new identity, and since you're new in the network
it might take a couple of days," explained Bodie as he reached for the
bedside phone.

"Can't this wait?" asked Doyle.

"Doyle, I already pushed my car over the dock, remember? I can't very well
go into work and tell Cowley I did it on purpose, can I?" Bodie searched
Doyle's face for any signs of regret. "Doyle?"

Doyle pinched the bridge of his nose and raised his other hand to
forestall Bodie. "You're right. I just didn't expect you to jump out of
bed right after...I mean, it was nice lying together...oh, fuck it. I like
to cuddle afterwards, okay?"

Bodie relaxed and broke into a grin. "It's more than okay." He pushed
Doyle back and stretched alongside him. "I'm looking forward to a lifetime
of cuddles with you." 

Laughter erupted when Bodie darted his fingers along Doyle's sides and
started to tickle him. "Stop! Stop it, Bodie!" gasped Doyle, struggling to
get away. 

Bodie stilled his hands and chuckled in devilment glee as he wiggled his
eyebrows.

"*That* is not cuddling," laughed Doyle, swatting Bodie on the shoulder.

"Oh? I find cuddling comes in many forms," grinned Bodie. "Any time I'm
physically close to you is cuddling to me."

"Oh, shit," laughed Doyle, shaking his head. "You're such a berk, you know
that?"

"Ah, but I'm your berk," said Bodie, leaning down and kissing him.

"That you are," sighed Doyle, melting under Bodie. He reluctantly broke
the kiss, his own thoughts settling on their situation. "Guess you best
make that call, huh?

"Yeah," agreed Bodie.

******

Morning sunlight woke him and he turned over to face his bedmate. Doyle
would have thought last night a dream except Bodie was snoring beside him.
His thoughts turned inward, going over the choices that had been made last
night. He knew he would make the same choices again to keep this man
close.

The jarring ring of the phone startled him and he rolled over to answer it
as Bodie snuffled awake. He held the receiver to his ear, "Doyle."

"Get over to the docks," came Cowley's clipped voice. 

"Sir?" Doyle glanced over at Bodie who was watching him closely.

"What part don't you understand?" By Cowley's tone, the man was in no mood
for argument.

"But you gave us two days off," said Doyle, shoving off the bed covers and
sitting up on the edge of the bed. Bodie's hand caressed his back, causing
him to close his eyes in remembrance of last night.

"Aye, I did," admitted Cowley, his tone suddenly softening. "This involves
Bodie, Doyle. I need you come down here."

"Fuck," said Doyle, under his breath, twisting to look back at Bodie.
"What about Bodie?"

"Just get here, son." Only someone who knew Cowley well could have caught
the catch in his voice.

"On my way." Doyle hung up the phone and held perfectly still.

"What's wrong?" asked Bodie, having a pretty good idea what was going on.

"Cowley's down at the docks," said Doyle, relaying the rest in silence.

"Guess my disappearance has been discovered earlier than I thought it
would be," sighed Bodie. 

"How can you expect me to show up and pretend that you're dead? I'm not
going to have any answers to his million questions." Doyle stood up and
started to pace back and forth. "And what about when I do my own
disappearing act? Huh? Think the Cow'll just accept that as well?"

"Never said it was going to be easy," said Bodie, grimacing with hurt.
"I'm sorry, I never should have...."

"Don't you dare," snapped Doyle. "I don't regret stopping you from leaving
me last night and I sure as hell don't regret the choice of taking the
chance to spend our future together. I'll figure out something when I get
there." He yanked on his jeans and grabbed a shirt, tugging it on as he
walked out of the bedroom.

"Doyle, wait," called Bodie, scrambling from the bed. He didn't bother to
dress and hurried after Doyle.

"What? If I don't hurry down there, the Cow will think something's up,"
said Doyle, his voice tight. "After all, this involves you and Cowley
knows exactly how protective we are with each other."

"Exactly," said Bodie. "So don't show up."

"What are you blabberin' on about?" Doyle shoved his feet into his boots
and gathered up his holster.

"Disappear," said Bodie. "Vadier said he should have your new identity
ready by tonight, we just hang low until then."

"Bodie, I just spoke to the man. He's waiting on me."

"So? Things happen in a blink of an eye in this life."

Doyle studied him, weighing his words.

******

The sun finally dipped beyond the horizon as they watched the darkening
sky set on their new life. They had spent the day holed up in Vadier's
home, waiting for the documents for Doyle to start them on their way.

"It is time," said Vadier, silently walking into the study. 

They shouldered their bags and made their way toward the front door. All
three halted when a sharp, insistent knocking sounded. Vadier ushered them
back toward the study and waited until they were out of sight before
opening the door.

Faint murmurs of conversation could be heard through the closed door to
the study as Bodie and Doyle looked at each other. They both stepped back
in surprise as the door opened and Vadier led his guest into the room.

"I thought I'd find you here," said Cowley, eyeing Bodie. "But I hadn't
figured on Doyle."

"Sir?" Bodie was the first to find his voice.

"Vadier is an old acquaintance of mine," said Cowley. "I had been
expecting you to vanish, Bodie. Figured out we were more alike than I
first thought, but I hadn't counted on Doyle as well."

"Uh, he wasn't. At least not until last night," said Bodie, understanding
rushing right behind Cowley's words.

"I see." Cowley's eyes narrowed and pinned Doyle where he stood. "Had I
known, I would have included Doyle's disappearance along with yours."

"Sir?" Doyle finally found his own voice.

"How did you know? I mean, that my being missing wasn't due to some
misadventure?" asked Bodie.

"Give me some credit, lad," smirked Cowley. "No sign of a struggle, yet
your car was pushed into the water. No bullet holes to be found anywhere,
yet you were forced to drive your car over the dock."

"Oh." Bodie glanced over at Doyle. "But what about him, Sir?"

"I'll think of something," said Cowley. "I usually do." 

"Thank you, Sir," said Doyle, still digesting the fact that Cowley knew
exactly what Bodie, what they, were because he was one, too. 

Once again, they grabbed their belongings and headed out.

"Take care and let the wind guide you in your destiny," said Vadier,
standing next to Cowley as they climbed into the waiting car.

Cowley looked on, a distant look on his face as he silently bid farewell
to them.

******

The plane took off into the star glittering night, carrying two passengers
that had been born anew.

They sat together, Doyle leaning over Bodie to look out the window at the
dwindling island of England. "We'll come back some day, won't we?"

"Yes," promised Bodie. "A day will come when moving on is coming back
home."

-- THE END --

*Originally published in *Love Bites*, AngelWings Press, 2002*

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