Title: Second chances - unbetaed!
Author: BELOVEDbyWAR
Pairing: Henry/Mike
Rating: PG
TV verse: Blood Ties
Disclaimer: Not mine, not making any money.
Warnings: Vampire bashing.
Summary: They say ‚you always meet twice', most times it is no comfortable experience, but sometimes, just sometimes, life gives you a second chance, one you never would have thought possible.
WK: 1370

They say 'you always meet twice', most times it is no comfortable experience, but sometimes, just sometimes, life gives you a second chance, one you never would have thought possible.

(Seattle 2010)

Noise disrupted the quiet of the night, what on earth was happening here? Even on vacation Mike Celluci could not stop being a cop. For him it was not simply a job, it was his life; now more so than ever. There had once been a time he would have gladly thrown everything away, for the one he loved, - to be honest he most possibly would do so again, should he ever again feel for someone as deeply as he had then for Victoria Nelson - but that was old history and his work was now all that he lived for.

Mike had been on his way back to Tony's (an old college pal of his) house, where he stayed for his vacation, when he heard the unmistakable sounds of fighting and being the cop that he was, he had to look, if someone was in trouble.

At first he only saw a group of five men surrounding someone, which was no unusual sight, but when he saw them holding swords and flamethrower, he got suspicious. Praying to the lord above, that this was only the odd mugging gang, having watched one too many Highlander flicks, he drew closer, unmentioned. But the closer he got, the better was he able to see the victim. Dread filled Mike's heart. No, this whole fiasco could not start over again! Why did he have to come looking?! But seeing that he did, he now just could not look the other way and do nothing, for in the circle, a sword producing from his gut, laid none other than Henry Fitzroy, ex-Duke of Richmond, vampire.

Mike tried to think of the best way to proceed. He knew he had to hurry, seeing that the vampire was down and not able to defend himself any more, but they were five and he was alone; those odds were not good, especially when they have been able to overpower a vampire! His only hope was to scare them away. He hoped they were as dumb as they looked.

Sneaking back to the alley's entrance Mike leaned against the wall next to it. Praying that today was his lucky day, he took out his mobile, turned up the volume as laud as possible and played the one sound file sent to him by his nephew; it was a police car's siren. After taking a deep breath and summoning his courage he drew his pistol and called:

"Police! Everybody freeze!"

It was over; today he was going to die and all because he had been too careless. Henry had forgotten that there still were hunters out there, humans that killed his kind professionally. And when he had spotted that attractive female he'd walked right into their trap. They had somehow poisoned her blood and it rendered him powerless. This weak, he was easy pray. They fought, but in his weakened state and with his dulled senses, he had been no match to them. Once a sword impaled him, he felt even the last bit of his power disappear. And just like a mortal did he see his life pass in front of his own eyes; his father, wife, loved ones and especially Christina and Vicky. Vicky, who he had loved so much and wished to see again, only for one last time…

His mind must have played tricks on him, for he could have sworn he smelled a familiar sent… maybe wishful thinking - although, the person belonging to the sent was certainly not someone he would wish for… No, the thoughts of Vicky must have triggered that particular memory and simulated the sent.

Suddenly a noise resounded; was it a siren? And his attackers, scrambled apart, leaving him bleeding on the floor. If he only could move! The police must not find him like that!

A hand on his shoulder made him focus again, but what he beheld could not be real; kneeling over him was indeed the man he thought he had smelled earlier; Detective Mike Celluci. But that could not be true. This was Seattle, not Toronto, Mike could not be here!

"Mmiiiike?" Henry asked weakly and unsure.

The blond only nodded once, before he seized the sword, still paralyzing the vampire and hauled it out. Henry could not suppress his cry of pain and curled into a fetal position.

Strong arms lifted him up and he found himself being cradled to the tall cop's broad chest, his head buried in Mike's neck, - hearing the man's heartbeat, feeling the blood running threw his veins – while the blond carried him out of the alley, Henry could not help himself and sniffed and nuzzled it, wanting nothing more, than to sink his fangs into the warm, pliant flesh. He heard something like a groan from the other man before he was carefully put on his feet again. Disappointed to be parted from that wonderful big, warm body, an almost embarrassing, whiny sound escaped him. Mike looked him straight in the eye and said: "Later!" Henry nodded in understanding; they had to get to safety first.

A cab was hailed and they got in. Mike kept a steadying arm wrapped around the vampire's waist and Henry leaned his head against a broad shoulder. It was a hardship for the vampire to be this close to that sweet blood and not being able to take it. In his haziness he was not sure but believed they switched cabs, till they eventually arrived at an acceptable - looking motel, where Mike rented a room. The blond had not let go of him for one minute, since picking him up from the alley's filthy floor! Once inside their room he was carefully laid on one of the two queen-sized beds and Mike helped him out off his torn shirt.

Surprisingly gentle, his wound was cleaned. After this, Mike excused himself to call his friend -'Tony', Henry believed, Mike had called him- and freshen up a little himself.

Once he had washed the blood from his hands, Mike sat down next to the wounded vampire. How should he continue? He knew Henry needed blood to heal, but the memory of that one time hunted him till today, he didn't think he could expose himself to something like that again - willingly. It had hurt, god, had it hurt and the sheer panic had almost made his heart stop beating…

A movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Henry had lain down on his side, focusing on Mike, the gaze pleading him to help, to make it better. Those big, grey eyes looked far too young for a 400 plus year old being. And they touched something deep inside of him, making him want to protect, to comfort.

As if of its own accord, wandered the detective's hand to one of Henry's and when the vampire took it carefully in his own, was Mike's decision made.

"How are we going to do this?" the blond asked bravely.

"You do not have to do this, Mike-"

"Then who if not me?!" the detective interrupted the vampire, getting aggravated. As if the decision had not been hard enough, as it were, was he now supposed to beg for it?

Embarrassed, Henry kept silence. Mike was right, who could he possibly ask at this hour and further more, without the risk of exposing their location to the hunters; it had to be Mike.

But Mike was afraid. Henry could feel it and who would not be, had they been in Mike's shoes. Now it was on Henry to reassure the mortal.

Drawing Mike on the bed next to him the vampire, still holding his hand, leaned over the tense human and said almost touching his lips to the mortal's:

"Don't, be afraid, I'm going to make you feel, like nobody has made you feel before!"

And with that promise hanging over their heads, the vampire set about doing, exactly as he said, he would do.