Title: Try
Author: Mrpointyhorns aka Blemery
Rating: PG -13
Status: Complete
Pairings: Liam/Wilhelm (past live of William/Spike)
Warnings: none
Spoilers: None
Summary: Liam tries to have hope.
A/N: Tenth One-shot after Beginnings. Order isn't crucial! After Careless before Goodbye. This is not my favorite one shot
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by someone else. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Try
After Liam learned that Wilhelm was really gone he tried to be good. He moved in with his Uncle and Aunt, their teenage daughters. He took over working with the sheep. He had no hope of taking over his father's business. He went to church. He stopped gambling, smoking and drinking. When his brother introduced him to Catherine he attempted to court her.
He couldn't say he was exactly happy. He had felt perfect happiness before and this wasn't close to it. He was content. He could live this life without regret. Then he walked past the doctor on his way to visit Catherine one early afternoon.
"Ah, Liam, I don't see you much anymore." The doctor smiled at him. "Almost, as if you were never a regularly visitor at one time."
Liam stopped to be polite. However, his hearth clench in his chest when he looked at the doctor. Never before had he seen the resemblance between his Will and the doctor, but now that Will was gone he could see little things. The cheekbones, the height and there was a hint at Will's own smile. The one that Liam loved most. "I'm sorry, doctor."
"Nevermind, I understand." The doctor gestured for Liam to follow him up the stoop to his house. "I have something for you."
Liam hesitated, but curiosity was his better. He followed the doctor into his house. "Alright, but I am on my way to meet someone."
"Oh yes, Catherine." The doctor's smile became even more like Will's. Liam knew that people in town talked, but he didn't know that the doctor knew about Catherine so soon. Did Will know as well then?
The doctor went back to his office and was making some noise. He was saying something, but Liam couldn't hear him. He could tell the doctor was mostly talking to himself as he searched for whatever it was. "Found it!" The doctor called before returning to the main part of the house. He handed Liam a letter. Liam recognized the script on the envelope was his name.
"Will sent this to me?"
"Ah not to you lad. To me." The doctor placed the letter in Liam's hands. "He put it in a letter to me. Said he wasn't sure the letter would make it to you otherwise."
Liam's hands shook. He felt a sting behind his eyes. He was scared and excited. What did Will send him. Something that he guarded deeply enough to keep from Liam's family? There was just one problem. "I'm not good at reading."
"I'm afraid I can't read it to you." The doctor shook his head. "Sometimes things are better between two people."
Liam looked straight at the doctor. He suspected that the doctor had some idea about his and Will's relationship. He knew that it was not spoken about in his own family. He was grateful for the doctor's discretion. "I'll see what I can do on my own." Liam held the letter up. "But, if I have trouble, perhaps you can tutor me on the good Lord's book?"
"Certainly, although knowing Wilhelm, I'm sure he took everything in to consideration so you shouldn't have a problem." The doctor smiled. "Oh it's about time that you go son, it's becoming late."
"Right. Thank you, Doctor," Liam said. He left the doctor's. He held the letter tight in his hand until he was at Catherine's. He placed that letter back in his jacket. He didn't read it for three days.
It start with, "good health, Liam," then the letter told Liam about Wilhelm. He was working as a copier. This was good because it wasn't dangerous to his health. Wilhelm had also met a girl Sara. Just like Liam, however the girl was not meant to take Liam's place. Marriage and love were separate things, Wilhelm insisted, only the French married for love. It excited Liam and hurt him to know that Wilhelm still loved him, and they were so far apart. Wilhelm told him that he saved some of his earnings in hope that one day they would be together again.
The hope surged in Liam. He felt it in him. He started to save some of his money. He didn't know if it would ever help, but he had to try. That hope caused him to succumb. As long as he had hope that one day he and Wilhelm would be together. He couldn't look at Catherine. He returned to things that reminded him of Wilhelm. Drinking, gambling and smoking. He stopped going to church. He moved from his uncle's home and stayed in a room near the docks. He earned a living gambling or doing odd jobs around town. He didn't much care as long as he could fuck and drink. He did whatever it took.
He had tried.