This took longer then I thought to complete. And I'm finding that after griping endlessly that they weren't going out there and dealing with the gargoyles, now that they almost ready, I'm suddenly thinking mayb they should wait a while... thanks to everyone has been faithfully reviewing. Warm thanks, a hug and a big cookie goes to Kydasam who has unfailing given me reality checks which have been a big help in keeping me on track. I want to be you when I grow up :)

Van Helsing was observing a falling down abandoned building from his vantage point on a nearby rooftop. The property damage reports had been a good lead and he had been able to pick up the trail of the gargoyles, following it all the way back to their nest. Now he was checking out the building to find their probably entry points and to see if they were out on the hunt or not. Most of the time a gargoyle will only attack a human if they have large numbers. Having thinned the group down, it was likely they were sticking to stray animals and the local pigeon population – requiring far more hunting on their part. Because of this, they would need to all leave at once, giving Van Helsing the perfect opportunity to check out the lay of the land before he and Carl came back to do the actual work. He hated surprises at the best of times and with Carl along for the ride, he wasn't taking any more chances then he had to.

Feeling pretty certain the building was deserted, he climbed down the fire escape and made his way in. The stench was pretty powerful as was always the case with a spot that had a gargoyle's nest. He was use to it and merely breathed through his mouth to lessen the impact. The building had once been a small business but years of vandalism and neglect had left holes in the wall and floors. He scouted the bottom floor but as expected, did not find more then trash and other debris. Making his way very cautiously up the rotting stairs, he began his exploration of the top floor. The second floor had probably been offices but most of the doors were long gone and some of the walls as well. The stench was particularly bad up here, which confirmed that the gargoyles were nesting on the top floor. He made mental notes of the damaged spots in the floor and places where some cover might be found if things got ugly. He also tried to find a suitable location to stash Carl who was going to need to be out of sight and as far away as possible. He had hoped to find an undamaged room down the hall near the stairs but those rooms had apparently taken the worst abuse and most of the walls were gone. He was going to have to hope that the pile of broken furniture was going to be enough to keep Carl safe.

Having completed his reconnaissance of the building, he made his way quickly back out. No telling how long the gargoyles would be out hunting and he really wasn't prepared to take them on right now. Much better to wait until he had Carl's little wonder device. Having made it out without incident, he made his way back towards the better part of town where he left Carl's car. He was tired and looking forward to a hot shower and a long sleep.

Heading back, he found his mind drifting away from tactics and planning and on to the man who was back home waiting for him. Waiting for me. Is he waiting for me? The thought was both warming and frightening. He unconsciously picked up the pace, as though trying to outrun the thoughts that chased around his head.

The fight had changed everything and now he found it hard to know what his place was in all of this. Before it was easy – he was the street rat that Carl was helping out of some fit of boredom or altruism. It meant that he was to keep his distance and keep himself to himself. But Carl had changed that when he didn't walk away and now he found himself wishing for things that he had thought he had learned to live without.

The years had taught him that it's better to be alone then to become attached to someone. If you become attached, it only hurt when they left. Better to live with the loneliness – it was less painful. But Carl didn't walk when others had and now he was looking at a possible world where he wasn't always alone. Where he wasn't completely dependant on only himself. He remembered how it felt when Carl had taken him home that first night and bandaged him up. Carl had been through a rough time and yet he cared for him first. No one had ever put him first before – not without wanting something in return.

He slowed down as he thought about that night and how gentle Carl had been. And while he would never have admitted it to Carl, it had felt good to not be alone. At the time he had expected it to only be for the one night so he had allowed himself to relax and enjoy it. But then somehow the time kept getting extended and now he was stuck facing all the things he kept sweeping under the rug.

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. He came; he did what he had to do and left. He didn't get involved and he didn't get attached. And yet here he was fretting over how Carl was going to react and trying to figure out what Carl wanted from him. This wasn't how these things operated!

He shook his head as his thoughts continued to taunt him. He wanted things to work out. He wanted to have Carl want to keep him around. He wanted a home and stability and all those things that he had always said was a crock. He growled angry and stomped his way down the street. What was happening to him? He knew better then this! What was it about Carl that had made him suddenly go domestic?

An image of Carl as he had been after the fight in his room popped into his head. They had been sitting side by side on the bed, their shoulders practically touching and he could remember just how good it had felt to have Carl pressed up against the door. At that moment, he had wanted pull Carl to him and kiss that mouth that had been tempting him since he arrived. Normally he would have just done it and to hell with the consequences but instead he had just sat there until the moment passed and Carl decided that it was time to get back to work.

And that's what really was bothering him. He wanted Carl. The fact that he had almost taken apart a furniture salesman who had dared try to put the moves on Carl told him that. And it wasn't too surprising. Carl was funny, attractive and easy to be with. If he weren't such an incurable geek, he would have been snatched up ages ago. Even with it, he was rather surprised that someone hadn't claimed him. That kind of loyalty was a rare thing indeed – certainly worth putting up with the absent-mindedness and the occasional need to pry him out of his lab. Remembering how he had done just that, he chuckled to himself. Really, it wasn't that hard to take care of that particular problem.

The amusement was short-lived though. Geek though Carl might be, the fact remained he was still far above him. Carl was a blue-blood, as classy a thoroughbred as he was likely to encounter. He probably knew the names of his ancestors all the way back to the old country. He had gone to the right schools and got the right education.

Van Helsing had finished high school only because it kept him out of Juvenile Hall. He had never been to college and didn't know the first thing about civilized behavior. The only thing about him that made him anything more then street trash was that he had been born a Hunter. He was no match for Carl. Hell, if his family knew that Carl was even associating with him they would have well-bred fits. If Carl were to take up with him…

He let out a frustrated sigh. He knew he had no business being with Carl. Yet Carl insisted on keeping him around. Yes, but he doesn't want you for that. And really was that too much of a surprise? Over the course of several days he had threatened Carl, strangled him, scared the life out of him and humiliated him by dragging him out of a store. Not exactly the way to make a good impression. And let's not forget the way you preyed on him earlier. Carl had been freaked out by his attentions. Hardly the reaction of someone who was pining away for someone tall, dark and handsome. Well, tall, dark and dangerous anyway. Wasn't that supposed to be attractive?

He snorted in disgust and dug out his car keys. Looking at the car it was just one more sign of how different he and Carl were. While it wasn't some fancy sport car it was a luxurious and expensive vehicle. And Carl didn't even think twice about giving it to him. Carl trusted because in the end, he could. Replacing the car wouldn't be all that much of a hardship for him. Van Helsing had never been in that position. He had always had to fight hard not just to get what he wanted but to keep it as well. He just couldn't trust the way Carl did.

Except that he wanted to. He wanted to trust Carl was in this for the long haul. He wanted to trust that this partnership could be made to work and he would finally have the support and connection that had been promised to him when the Order first recruited him. But more then anything he wanted to be with Carl. He wanted everything that entailed but most importantly he wanted the sex.

He wanted it rather badly in fact. Being around Carl so much was a huge tease though the man wasn't trying to be. In fact Carl was so completely unaware of how attracted Van Helsing was that even after the incident in the doorway, he still saw them as some sort of movie-style buddy team. It would almost be easier if Carl knew and had indicated he wasn't interested but his completely cluelessness kept a foolish hope alive that maybe something could happen there.

Maybe he should just make a move and see what happened? Only if it didn't work out, then he was up a creek without a paddle since he was counting on Carl's little invention to help him take out the gargoyles. Should Carl get upset about it, he'd be out on his ear at the worst possible time. Damn, somewhere up there someone was laughing at him, he just knew it. Deciding that God, or whoever it was damn well owed him for this. He was fighting for Good, damn it! Shouldn't he get some perks for doing it? He sighed heavily. In all likelihood, probably not. After all, don't they always say that doing good is its own reward?

Deciding that this train of thought was only depressing and frustrating him, he put it aside and returned to planning out tomorrow's attack on the nest. He had worked out most of the details when he pulled into the driveway. He still felt a bit strange walking into such a big house but he was tired enough not to let it get to him. He unlocked the door and turned off the alarm. Setting down his equipment on a nearby table, he reset the alarm for the night. He was about to head for bed when he realized he could hear music coming from Carl's lab. Thinking Carl may have fallen asleep in there, he headed down there, intending on waking him up so he could get a real night's sleep. After all, he couldn't afford to have Carl less then 100 if he was going to be with him on the mission.

He walked into the lab and was surprised to find that Carl not only wasn't asleep but was putting the final touches on his device. He looked up when Van Helsing entered and an extremely relieved expression crossed his face when he saw him. Van Helsing felt surprisingly pleased at the sign of concern.

Carl put down the tool he had been holding and said "Well, you made it back in one piece. Any luck getting a lead on where the gargoyle's nest might be?"

Van Helsing grinned and said "I did better then that. I found it and scouted it out. We can go in as soon as you tell me your little doohickey is done." He leaned against the counter like a cat waiting for its master's praise.

Carl started to respond then stopped and with a frown said, "What do you mean you scouted it out? You weren't suppose to go in until the device was ready. I thought we had a plan." He knew he was sounding cranky but he couldn't help it. He had been worrying for hours and now he had been told that he had every reason to have been concerned. It was enough to make him forget his resolve to act calm and collected when he saw the Hunter next.

Van Helsing frowned in return; a bit annoyed that Carl was harping at him. "I only went in to get a feel for the terrain. I knew the gargoyles were out hunting so there wasn't any danger. I needed to know what we would encounter in there. Let's not forget, I'm taking a civilian in with me. I had to know I could find a safe place to stash you." He looked at Carl, his annoyance showing on his face.

Carl heard an implied criticism and snapped back. "I may be a civilian as you put it but I'm not a complete liability. It wasn't worth you risking it. What if they had come back before you got out? You are not in any shape to fight them. That was the whole point of my making the device in the first place." He huffed in frustration and picked up the tool he had set down. He was going to focus on the device rather then on the man he was feeling the distinct urge to smack.

Van Helsing pushed himself up from the counter and barked "I knew I had enough time. I have been doing this for ten years, Carl. I'm not completely incompetent you know. " He turned to leave the lab before he gave into the urge to shake Carl.

Carl saw the carefully controlled tension in the Hunter's body and knew he had ticked the man off. And since it had been his unsolicited worry that caused him to snap at the man, it was his job to apologize. He sighed and said "I'm sorry. I'm just tired and concerned about things. I don't like the fact that we're going in with an untested weapon – even though I know it will work if I can just have a little time. And I didn't like the fact you were out there tonight injured and without back up. I know that's the way the Order does things but it's not the way I do things. I was worried and when you said you went into the nest, it was the final straw. I'm sorry and I'll try not to do it again." He rubbed his hand wearily across his eyes and sighed again. Now that he knew Van Helsing was home safe, his exhaustion finally caught up to him. He wanted nothing more then to crawl into bed and sleep for hours. It had definitely been a long day!

Van Helsing felt his annoyance melt in the wake of Carl's apology. And the knowledge that Carl had been waiting up for him (even though he had told him not to) felt really good. He tried to remind himself that to Carl he was merely friend and partner but a part of him continued to see this as a good sign. He sighed inwardly – he was really becoming hopeless. Shown a little bit of concern and he was ready to throw away years worth of protecting himself just for Carl's attention. He had better pull it together if he didn't want to embarrass himself.

He faked a yawn and stretch and mumbled, "Well, I'm done in. I'm going to head to bed. Tomorrow night is the night if this device of yours is ready."

Carl shrugged and said "Well, it's as ready as it can get without testing. So, tomorrow is as good a night as any to put it to use. " He got up from his stool and said, "I think I'll join you in heading off to bed. It's been a very long day and my mind is fried." He yawned as he said the last bit and moved around the counter.

Van Helsing mentally rolled his eyes as he heard Carl say I think I'll join you in heading off to bed. The words he wanted to hear but not the meaning. Life was decidedly unfair sometimes. Though to be honest, he was pretty tired and not really in the finest of shape for such activities. Still, it was frustrating.

He let Carl proceed him out of the room and added to his frustrations but checking out Carl's backside as he wandered towards the bedrooms. The man really was walking temptation and he was really amazed that Carl could remain so unaware of it. If he wasn't so tired and there being so much on the line right now, he'd be tempted to toss him over his shoulder and take him someplace where he could show him just how much of a tease he was being. As it was, he just added it to the list of things he wanked over and did nothing.

As their reached their bedroom doors, Carl stopped and smiled sleepily at Van Helsing. "Pleasant dreams." he wished him then opened his door and disappeared inside. Van Helsing looked at the door for a moment and then muttered, "They'll be pleasant alright. Incredibly frustrating but highly pleasant." With that he turned and went into his own room. Perhaps when all of this was over, he'd do something about all of this…

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