The Predator and Its Prey

by procol harum

Following the ending of Blinded by the Thousand Points of Lights, where the man attacks Tom instead of getting arrested. But Doug saves him, Tom takes off, more problems, Doug becomes unhomeless, and Doug/Tom slash might show up.

4. chapter 4

Tom watched Doug thinking and he knew; he knew that Doug was blaming himself for the mess Tom had gotten himself into. But there was no way it could have been Doug's fault, could it have? He was the one who had gotten into the car without telling anyone he was doing so; he hadn't waited for back-up; he hadn't shot the man when he knew he should have. But Doug, Doug had come, knowing that procedure said you had to look out for your partner. Tom hadn't, he had screwed up. He had gone off without telling his partner, and he had screwed up. Doug hadn't, he had done the right thing. He had tried to save Tom. Except there was no way Doug could save him and now he was probably going to die here because of Tom's screw-up; Doug had already paid for enough of those, though. In the past, how many times had Doug been dragged down when Tom had messed up?

Too many times.

And now; now he was going to die because of another one.

Tom watched, and saw in Doug's eyes what he always saw when the older man was deep in thought. He also aw fear. Fear was not something he ever thought he would see in those eyes. Sure, Tom had seen Doug scared, but he had never actually showed the emotion before. But Doug was thinking, probably of how to get them out of here. Of course he wouldn't, though, because any sudden movement from Doug would result in Tom's neck being snapped. And then he would be dead. At least Doug would have a chance to escape, then. Unless the man killed him too. All in all, there was no way the both of them were going to get out of here alive. Maybe one, most probably neither, but definitely not both.

"Tommy."

Tom jumped slightly at the sudden icy tone; he had almost forgotten the man was behind him and then he had gone and whispered that in his ear. He struggled futilely as the man continued whispering in his ear that one word, over and over - Tommy, Tommy - over and over. And it disgusted him and scared him at the same time. He just wanted to get away and go home. He didn't want to die like this, at the hands of this merciless predator. But now he knew that that was the only way he had of getting out of here.

Dead. Not alive; he would never make it out of here alive.

Dead. That was when he would be allowed freedom.

TBC...