Author's Note: Written for Hearts-n-Scalpels because she wanted a sick baby vampire story for her birthday. :) I had a bout of bad luck recently, but it makes a world of difference to meet such friendly people!

Warning: It's going to be fluffy, it's going to be cheesy, and it's certainly going to be sappy! Don't read it if you didn't see season 5. I do try to stay away from plot, but I mention some characters that are only seen that season. Spanking is in the last chapter. Have a pleasant weekend!

UNBREAKABLE

by Evgeniya

November 8, 2009

The Authority headquarters was the very place where power collided with incompetence. Steve sat in the inner sanctum. His only intention was to simply become the perfect vampire.

Naturally, progress was a little slow… For 31 years, Steve had resisted the urge to look into the shadows. He had done pretty well at first. He even founded the Light of Day Institute, and not even a storm cloud could have kept the sun from shining down on him.

But later as a newly turned vampire, and thus forever trapped in the dark, he still couldn't fully succumb to his desires for bloodshed and violence. Nope. Since he was the face of the AVL, he was held to much higher standards. Just like his role at the Light of Day Institute, he had to teach morals by living as an example, (of course, the term morals was different for vampires, even the mainstreaming ones).

Furthermore, preparations for televised debates and public service announcements went far enough to ensure that his attention remained forever fixed on the important matters, which were anything that served the current agenda of the Authority. Steve was a public figure and a media magnet, so he just had to keep trudging through the trials and tribulations of night-to-night living.

But resistance had been hard. It was as if he stood at the edge of a grave and stared down at the dark soils of damnation. He had not yet plunged into that murky hell, but his balance was becoming irresistibly unstable.

Luckily, everything had been turned upside down and the line between damnation and salvation blurred. It was all thanks to the addition of a single man:

Russell Edgington.

"How long did you stay in the sun?" Steve asked as he inched closer to Russell. They sat alone in the blue chairs.

This was a question Steve had asked so many times that it was no longer question. Now it was just a ploy to keep Russell talking. He was still delighted by tales of Russell's 3000 yearlong adventures. While everyone else had grown tired of his fixation on fairy blood, Steve was still mesmerized by his ostentatious enthusiasm. Russell was a natural when it came to storytelling, but the best part was that all his attention was focused on him.

And that's exactly where Steve wanted to keep it.

"Just fifteen seconds before I started to burn," Russell admitted with obvious pride. Steve could always tell when the ancient vampire was relaxed. His voice had a rare softness to it and he drawled his words out so slowly.

"But it didn't hurt one bit," Russell added as he placed his hand on top of Steve's.

Steve tried to restrain a smile as Russell held his hand. It was a sin to boast, but Russell did it so well. Steve loved how the older vampire never missed an opportunity to brag. It certainly had him impressed and once Russell knew he had made the desired impression, he would reward the reverend with one of his throaty laughs.

"You mean it hurt none at all?" Steve encouraged with a dubious, but playful tone. "Being weighed down by silver and cement and whatnot?" His smile eventually broke through and he was now grinning luminously in the dark hall of the sanctum because he knew with certainty that he would hear that story several more times tonight.

"Felt like a feather," Russell insisted elegantly. Then as if to illustrate his point, he flipped Steve's hand over in his. With his other hand, he began to tickle Steve's palm with featherlike touches.

Steve was stronger than he was when he was human, but he was still sensitive to the slightest touches. It would look preposterous for a grown man and the current face of the AVL to burst with laughter, so he eventually wiggled out of Russell's hold with a smile when the torture became too much.

He wondered if what Russell had said was true. Steve could only hope that he lived as long that cement would only feel like a single feather. For now, he was just a baby vampire and vulnerable to everything that Russell felt as a pinprick.

"It won't be the last time I see the sun," Russell suddenly asserted. His tone had changed dramatically. It was more insistent and Steve realized that Russell was no longer the politely amused vampire that had sat before him. He was now determined and distracted and Steve knew that he no longer held his attention.

It was times like this that Steve wondered if something still smoldered deep within Russell. A part of the sun would always be inside him, that was for certain, but Steve was convinced that Russell's need for love and companionship would eventually leap into full flame.

In fact, Steve could be that eclipse that blocked out the sun and forced Russell to aspire for something greater. Something lasting. Fifteen seconds was impressive and all, but true love could last an eternity.

Steve had created an entire fellowship centered around the light, so he knew what he was up against. A little sun was no competition for him, so this time, Steve grabbed Russell's hand.

"I thought I had found God's glory in the light," Steve said purposely to draw the older vampire's attention. He knew that the soil must rest in order to prepare for new growth and he decided that Russell had rested long enough.

So firming his resolve, Steve licked his lips and continued,

"But I realize that there is a love still inside me that grows in your darkest shadow."

God was love and love was light, so even Steve was surprised when he had found life stirring in the darkness. In fact, it was the darkness cast by Russell's shadow that finally gave his undead life significance.

So Steve continued to look into the ancient vampire's eyes, even as a stifling sadness swept through him. He and Russell had spent most of their time together, but Steve was never able to say'I love you' aloud because there was a good chance that Russell was not ready to hear those words. Not after all he had lost. It was his reaction that Steve feared most of all.

While Steve had longed to finally have his love reciprocated, any words remotely similar to 'I love you' were hard to say after his humiliating experience with Jason Stackhouse. However, he trusted Russell not to humiliate him in the same way. After all, an ancient vampire had to be better than an everyday human being.

Right?

As Steve continued to hold Russell's hand, he swore he could feel the sun still within him. His hand was as cold and stiff as any vampire's, but Russell was alive with endless rays of light. Light that reflected all the promises he had made to Steve about wealth and power.

Unfortunately, those promises were never a commitment. Steve had gone through too many changes recently. He needed something to be constant. He needed something to go his way.

Just one damn thing.

After his proclamation, Steve noticed that there was a sparkle in Russell's eyes. To Steve, it was a glimmer of hope in the darkness, so he prematurely sighed in relief. With any luck, it wasn't just some leftover effect from Russell's near death experience in the sun, but by the time the ancient vampire opened his mouth to respond, they both were startled by the clicking of heels on stone slabs.

Salome had returned to the sanctum.

"Good," she announced tactfully has she sauntered deep into the sanctum. "I'm glad you boys are still here."

With a frown, Steve dropped Russell's hand. He should have known better. The sanctum was no place for declarations, and his declaration was certainly not in need of an audience.

Salome joined Russell and Steve on the blue chairs. She gathered her legs under herself as she sat, looking very relaxed and casual. She leaned across the small space as if she were about to disclose some juicy piece of gossip. She had her hand on Russell's knee to balance herself, or maybe to feign camaraderie.

"As you know, we began as just a small faction hidden inside the regime."

Since her hand was on Russell's knee, Steve discreetly lowered his eyes to let the elder vampires talk. He would listen, or course, but anything he needed to know would be written on index cards for him to memorize later. Plus, he wasn't the least bit thrilled that Salome interrupted his and Russell's quiet time together. Her timing, as usual, was impeccable and as Steve eyed her hand on Russell's knee, he decided that her straightforwardness was unwelcomed as well.

However, Salome's hand was suddenly on his knee. It let Steve know that he was a part of this conversation, too.

"We may have seized power, but we are not comfortable just yet," Salome continued, her eyes wandering from Steve to Russell. "Like Molly, there will be others who will try to make a pathetic attempt to undermine us. They may be within our walls, but they are no challenge to us. Do you understand? Just a nuisance. But I want you both to keep an eye out for suspicious behavior."

Steve didn't listen because he was only watching Russell. With what he could only describe as unrestrained possessiveness, Russell snatched Salome's hand away from his knee. If Steve had a breath left inside him, it would have been swept away. However, Russell managed to control himself enough to simply land a gracious kiss on Salome's wrist.

"You needn't worry about us," Russell assured and let Salome pull her hand away. "I can guarantee that our rebellion will be the last."

"I should hope so," she said firmly as she stood up. "We're the oldest vampires here. So like I said, any attempt at an uprising will only be a nuisance."

Salome slowly headed out of the sanctum, but stopped underneath the doorway. "But a nuisance is still a nuisance." Then she glanced over her shoulder. "Steve, if you don't mind, I'll like to borrow Russell for a moment?"

Steve opened his mouth to respond, but stopped when he heard Russell chuckle grudgingly in amusement. Baby vampires weren't asked for permission in anything, especially concerning Russell Edgington. But, of course, Salome would need an older vampire to take care of any nuisances if she wanted anything done right.

However, Russell's laughter made it seem like an inside joke. One that left Steve fumbling.

"Uh, yeah, sure," Steve stammered, not knowing if he was actually supposed to respond. He still cast a frantic look at Russell because he was not eager to lose his company just yet. If he had any real choice, he would have said no.

Russell was still chuckling as he stood up.

"Wait," Steve said as he grabbed Russell's arm before he could follow Salome. "What exactly did she mean by all that?" he asked after she was gone.

Russell thought for a moment. There were so many possibilities. He mentally had to assess just what insurgents would attack next.

"It means stick to the bottled blood," Russell answered simply.

When Steve still held onto his arm without a word, Russell pried off his fingers and headed to the far corner of the room. He opened a cabinet and grabbed a bottle of antique blood. He inspected the bottle, blew off some dust, and brought it back over to Steve.

"You can handle that, can't you?" Russell asked as he shoved the bottle at Steve's chest. "I'll be back shortly. There's nothing to fret about."

Steve was momentarily stunned. How was it possible that he declared his love, albeit somewhat subtly, for Russell Edgington and Russell ended up leaving with Salome? That was one possibility he did not foresee, and all he was offered for his efforts was some old blood.

And it was certainly not the old blood that he craved.

"Go on. Take your bottle," Russell said more firmly as he dropped the antique blood into Steve's lap.

Steve looked at the bottle without thinking much about it. He was too distracted knowing that he would not see Russell for the rest of the night.

"You will drink the aged blood," Russell said evenly. He saw immediately that Steve was distracted, so he knew not to expect too much. All he needed was the young vampire to follow a simple command, so he asked, "Can you repeat that, Steven?"

Steve finally looked up. Russell had said his name in a tone that was not to be argued with. For a reason he could not even fathom, the younger vampire found himself instantly repeating.

"I will drink the aged blood," Steve declared in impulse rather than acknowledgment. Of course, he knew that without Russell, he wasn't going out to eat anyways. Bottled blood was really all he had left for the night. It wasn't the end to the evening that he had hoped, but at least he wouldn't leave empty handed.

Russell inspected Steve once more and Steve was sure that meant he was reluctant to leave. However, Russell eventually departed by saying, "Take care, Reverend Newlin."

Steve watched the great Russell Edgington as he left. It was only when he was alone that he truly acknowledged the weight in his arms.

The antique blood. Right. That should make for an exciting night, so Steve tucked the bottle underneath his arm and headed back to his chamber…

Steve should have been grateful for his spacious room, but he knew it was much too big for one. The bed was seemingly empty when Russell wasn't there and the only possessions he had were suits and prepared speeches. He hardly needed that much closet space.

Steve dropped himself onto the empty bed and wiggled the cork out of the aged-blood bottle. He didn't feel like feeding, but he knew that would change after a single drop on his tongue.

Some blood had hardened and crusted around the brim. It flaked off undesirably in his hand. He let the bottle linger on his lips as he first inhaled the heady fumes. Impressive and strong, but it was missing the most important aspect of feeding – the victim.

Oh well, Steve thought, and he downed a big gulp.

The texture was thick and coated his mouth before it fully sunk down his throat. The taste was appetizing enough, but all the life in it had passed away long ago. Steve decided that the old saying was true - vampires crave young blood.

Steve knew what Roman would say - that he was a new vampire and couldn't control his cravings and temptations. But so what? Roman was gone and there was an entire floor of human livestock below.

Now that Steve finally shed the rules imposed on him by humanity, he was going to enjoy it…