AN: Well, here it is, the first chapter, I hope you all enjoy. By the way, I'm halfway through actually reading Dorian Gray and something in it has stuck with me and become integrated with the plot. If you've read the book then perhaps you'll guess what as the fic goes on but if not don't worry.
Disclaimer: I own what I own, and I don't what I don't.
THE LAST CHANCE
Chapter one
The residence of Mr. Dorian Gray, exterior.
The dark, dingy docks of London were not exactly what Wilhelmina Harker had expected to find when she went in search of her old… friend, Dorian Gray, especially considering the man's spoilt nature. Oh, she knew 'M' -- what kind of a name was that anyway? -- had asked her to wait for the rest of the League before attempting to approach him, possibly fearing for her safety in such an area, but she had felt a great restlessness since hearing that fateful name once more.
As she gazed up at the grim, unimpressive building she felt her mind wander back to better days, days when she and Dorian had been happy together, and even in… love? But those days were long over and she would not allow them to be repeated, no matter what it cost her. Dorian Gray had broken her heart once before, never again would he hold that power over it, over her. No, her shattered heart was safe from him, but would it stay that way?
Gathering up her ebony silk skirts in a vain effort to keep them dry, she crossed the rain dampened road and carefully ascended the few stairs leading to a heavy wooden door, as unimpressive as the brickwork surrounding it. Steeling her courage she knocked, rather more harshly than she had intended to, against the door and waited.
The residence of Mr. Dorian Gray, interior.
Gazing incredulously around him, Dorian wondered if he'd dreamed the last few… what was it? Days? Weeks? Months? Longer? It seemed rather like an incredible dream, despite the fact that he didn't actually sleep. Ignoring the person at the door, it was probably M anyway, come to blackmail him with his painting, he stalked around his vast library, picking things up and returning them to their rightful places moments later. Absently he wandered over to the impressive, gold-framed mirror, situated in pride of place above the fire, and gazed upon his handsome reflection.
As he stared into the reflective surface though, the image it presented him rapidly began to change. Gone were the youthful good looks he had come to know and love, replaced instead with a wizened, ugly corpse, rotted and twisted beyond recognition by numerous years and sins. It was the very same visage that had stared out at him from his damnable portrait. Watching closely, the gruesome form changed once more, this time becoming the beautiful, perfect face of his 'guardian angel', if that's what she really was.
"Come now, Mr. Gray, are you going to answer the door?" she asked him, blue eyes sparkling with mocking amusement, "There really isn't much point you being given this wondrous chance if all you're gonna do with it is sit here and stare at the sorry state of your soul now, is there?"
Annoyed at this unwanted intrusion of his existence Dorian snapped at the girl, "And what of my portrait? Am I to risk that, and my very existence, for your 'second chance'?" he threw his arms up suddenly, gesticulating wildly and angrily. "Couldn't you have just stopped M from taking my painting? Then I wouldn't have to betray Mi -- any of the League!" While he was thinking such things he also wondered why she hadn't just sent him back to the fateful day Basil had completed the panting, the very same day he'd met Lord Henry and made that foolish, damning wish. Surely changing that day would solve all this?
Highly amused with the situation the mysterious woman in the mirror smiled brightly at him, "Calm down, love, there is a reason I've brought you to this time rather than going back to when your painting was stolen, or when it was completed." Dorian started, how had she known what he was thinking? "And anyway, that bloody painting doesn't matter anymore, your death cancelled out any power it had over you, see…" she stepped back in the image, revealing the room around her. The walls were painted a delicate dove-grey, glowing softly with a strange, internal light, the furnishings a pure, shining white, and, in pride of place, Dorian's portrait, looking just as he did at the moment it was painted.
"I'll keep it safe for you until you've done your redemption thingy, don't worry your pretty little head about that," her smile changed into one of genuine affection, that of a mother to a son or a sister to a brother, "Until you redeem yourself, though, you're gonna see your soul every time you look in a mirror, that's your guide. Now," her voice raised to a shout, "Open the bloody door!! I've already told you that you can't get your bleedin' redemption sittin' on your damn arse ignoring visitors!"
Turning from the mirror for fear of seeing his true self once more, Dorian was surprised to notice that the knocking had started up once again, teamed with a faint, but unmistakably female, voice, most likely cursing him. Sighing melodramatically he exited the library, "I supposed I'd best face my demons then?"
Musical laughter whispered through the door after him, a subtle reminder of her earlier words, 'Remember Dorian, I'll be here to help you.' Sensing his thoughts, again, she added one final, and sincere, word, "Always."
Elsewhere.
Watching the man carefully a spirit creature, male in appearance, shook its head sadly, "Why does this one matter so much to you sister?"
The second creature, female this time, sighed softly, wishing she could reveal all to him, it would certainly save her time and him pain, but it wasn't possible. Even a creature such as herself had rules to restrict her actions, nothing was ever truly free in any existence, "Because it was my fault all this happened, my 'kindness' that granted his wish."
The male nodded understandingly, "You wish to undo your mistakes through his. I understand that sister, but why her? Could you not have asked me to send someone else?"
"No brother, he wouldn't have listened to any of the others. They are all far too pious to interest him enough that he would listen. He needs something… unconventional, Ria provides that."
The residence of Mr. Dorian Gray, exterior.
Mina was rapidly growing impatient, she knew Dorian was in, could sense his presence, so why wasn't he answering his door? About five minutes earlier she'd taken to punctuating the rapid, harsh raps with an even harsher string of highly unladylike cursing.
Raising a slightly bruised, though rapidly healing, fist she prepared to recommence pounding on the heavy oak that was barring her from entering her desired destination. The instant before flesh met oak a small security grille opened, just below her eyelevel, to reveal a familiar pair of dark, almost black eyes. She heard the soft, almost inaudible, intake of air as the grille was slammed shut and the door itself pulled open.
Dorian's face was priceless as he took in the glorious green-eyed redhead before him, as perfect and beautiful as he remembered but with none of the hatred, fear and horror that has marred those lovely features the last time he had laid eyes on her. "Mina?" he breathed softly, reverentially. This was the woman he loved, had always loved, no matter what he did to her, what he told her.
"Hello Dorian," her voice was extremely polite, almost bordering on cold, yet beneath that was the faintest hint of the turmoil she truly felt, "It's been a while."
An unfathomable smile crossed the immortal's sensual lips as his vampiric love spoke those words, "Not as long as you think, dear Mina," he muttered under his breath, though he knew she would hear it anyway, as evidenced by a single raised eyebrow and a curious gaze.
He shook his head slightly, "Never mind," he stepped back from the door and made a grand gesture of showing her in, "Please, dearest, you must come in out of the cold and tell me what you're doing here."
The residence of Mr. Dorian Gray, interior.
As the pair slowly climbed the stairs to Dorian's living area, Mina took the time to observe the paintings taking up almost the entire wall. Most were dark, sombre affairs depicting various deceased relatives, including the hated grandfather he'd told her so much about, though none contained the image of the handsome, not to mention vain, man she had known oh so many years ago.
One portrait caught her attention more than the others though. It rested low on the wall, fairly close to the floor, but contained a vast amount of colour and light. The subject, a golden haired girl not much older than her teens and dressed in an old-fashioned sky blue gown, was seated beneath a graceful weeping willow, smiling benignly on all who passed. It was one of the most beautiful, and lifelike, pieces of art she had seen in her long life, and she'd spent a few years simply travelling around the world visiting art galleries.
Absently she wondered why it wasn't displayed in pride of place, somewhere it could be fully admired and appreciated, but it didn't seem that important so she decided not to ask. Instead she followed the man she had once loved, coming to a comfortable, well-stocked library.
Dorian sank gracefully into one of the numerous chairs, lounging boyishly, while Mina perched primly on the arm of another. She gazed about her, collecting her thoughts briefly, before turning back to him, "I understand you've been approached by a man named 'M' about joining something he calls the 'League of Extraordinary Gentlemen'?"
He nodded hesitantly, suddenly afraid that the changes made to his life had somehow forced Mina to take his place as traitor. He hoped to a god he wasn't even sure he believed in anymore that it wasn't true, nothing was worth making Mina as bad as him, not even his own rotten soul.
Unaware of his inner turmoil, Mina continued on, "I also understand you refused to join him?"
Hmm, maybe she wasn't a traitor after all, considering that by this time, last time he'd done this little adventure anyway, he had readily agreed to join M's plans in the hopes of getting his painting back. He also had vague memories from this timeline that showed him doing so again, and for the same reasons he thought, though he was unsure how that worked.
Again the vampire was completely unaware of his internal musings, "I'm here to ask you, once more, to join the League. I know you're a selfish man, Dorian," he flinched almost imperceptibly at that, "But surely even one such as yourself can see no benefit to a world war?"
As Mina had done earlier, Dorian took a moment to collect his thoughts, putting in order how much he would tell her, trying to judge what she would believe. Finally he spoke, "There was a time, Mina, when I believed there was. Weeks ago 'M' approached me and gave some rather disturbing news, he used this to blackmail me into agreeing to be his traitor within the league. I was to betray you, steal you, perhaps even kill you."
"What are you talking about? I was told you refused to join the League, and why would M wish to destroy that which he created? What hold could he possibly have over you?"
Taking a deep breath, Dorian prepared himself to answer Mina's questions, both asked and unasked. He omitted no detail from his explanation, from the wish he had made so many years ago to the "death" that had never actually happened, and his subsequent chance for redemption.
Throughout Dorian's tale Mina had listened silently, revealing no hint of what she really felt. She stayed quiet for a good few minutes after he finished speaking, digesting his past, present and (former) future. Coming to a decision she raised her head, emerald green meeting coal black, and smiled at him, "Then we shall give M his traitor."
Ending notes: I apologise greatly if they seem somewhat out of character but it's important for the story that they are this way. I also apologise for leaving this chapter where it is but I had only intended for it to be 1000 words and it got to over 2000. The next few chapters should follow the movie slightly more and could, possibly, be up by tomorrow as I'm just about to start writing it. If not it'll be next weekend probably.
Review responses:
Calliann: Darling, I just knew you'd review. I absolutely adored the bios by the way and of course you're forgiven, compared to me that was a very quick response. You aren't quite correct but it was close, and I promise the one who brought him back will appear regularly, I actually have some rather interesting things planned for her (in my mind anyway). Will review Wandering Souls ASAP, promise, especially as my fondest wish is soon to be granted *cheers, whistles, dances, claps and makes other gestures of celebration*.
Ares: So you don't want Dorian to remember? I really was gonna do it that way but after reading the book (Dorian Gray not the movie novelisation, though that is great too) I've adapted my plot slightly. He'll still get the little conscience moments though, cos he's never gonna be perfect, I mean it's Dorian! And I don't think they had Martini's in Victorian London anyway.