The trip to the airport was complicated by the need for Van Helsing to stop in a rather questionable neighborhood to arrange for the shipment of his weapons. Apparently part of any check-in at Order Headquarters required a complete weapons inspection. And since the Hunter had more then a few weapons to deal with, they had come perilously close to missing their flight. This had led to some snippy comments, which had only added to the level of tension between the men. As it was they were the last two people to board the plan and getting through international check-in had required some serious charm and the use of his social standing to get them preferred treatment. Carl hated to do it, which is why he made a point of always getting to the airport early. Needless to say the whole process had left him in a bad mood.
Van Helsing meanwhile was in a bad mood of his own. Watching Carl flirt, charm and pull strings had irritated the hell out of him. He hated the reminder of just how much of a class difference there was between them. Even their seats reflected this difference. Carl had booked them into first class and even with their last minute arrival on the plane the stewardesses had still taken the time to insure that they had drinks, blankets and pillows to insure their comfort on their long flight. He scowled at the back of the seat in front of him and wished he had never agreed to let Carl come along. Then at least he'd be traveling at his usual level and not feeling so out of place. He knew that the stewardesses weren't quite sure what to make of him. He'd have been incredibly surprised to know that most of them thought he was a rock star traveling with his handler.
He continued to drink his beer and tried to ignore the man sitting close by. Carl was staring out the window though there was nothing to be seen in the darkness. Shifting slightly in his seat, he leaned back and tried to get some sleep. Usually he could crash anywhere and it was a skill that had served him well over the years. But for once, sleep was not forthcoming. With his eyes closed, it was much easier to pick up the scent that was uniquely Carl and feel the subtle movements of his breathing. Opening his eyes with a disgruntled exhalation, he reached for his small carryon to grab something to read.
Carl looked away from the window when he heard Van Helsing's annoyed huff. Turning to look at the man, he found himself noticing that the man seemed as uncomfortable as a cat in a rocking chair factory. And who could really blame him with what they had ahead of them? Add to the mix that Van Helsing was not used to facing these things with any kind of backup and it was really no surprise that the man was antsy and tense. Carl sighed and pushed away the last of his irritation. They were going to need to present a united front if this was going to work
When Van Helsing straightened back up with a book in his hand, Carl leaned over and said "Hey, sorry about being such a grouch. I'm one of those annoying people who like to get to the airport really early. I'm particularly bad when customs is involved. I'm just not a very relaxed traveler." He gave Van Helsing a wry smile and waited to see how Van Helsing would respond to his overture.
Van Helsing looked at Carl for a moment and then down at his book. Why was it Carl was always so willing to put up with his bad tempers? By all rights, Carl should be wishing he had never agreed to come to Rome with him but instead he was apologizing for being grouchy. It didn't make sense but then again the fact that Carl was even here with him made no sense. Why would anyone willing tangle with Jinette if they didn't have to? He shook his head and then looking at Carl said, "That wasn't so bad. Especially when you figure what we've got waiting for us at the other end." He grimaced and his grip tightened on his book.
Carl nodded "Yeah, it won't be easy but I'm not really worried. We've got the better hand and they know it. They'll threaten and bully but in the end, we've got what they want. "
Van Helsing quirked his eyebrow and said "Do we? I'm not exactly on anyone's good list and I think they'd be just as happy to have an excuse to toss me out." And for all that he complained about how the Order treated him, the thought of losing the only thing he had in his life was truly scary. He didn't know what he would do with himself if he wasn't a Hunter.
Carl could see the thoughts chasing across Van Helsing's face and knew the man was worried about losing his job. He reached across and touched Van Helsing's arm. "They are not going to toss you out. What you did with the gargoyles has never been done before. You took out an entire nest without any kind of negative cost. That's exactly what the Order's mandate is."
Van Helsing frowned. "Yeah, but I did it by going outside The Order which is the biggest infraction you can make. They are going to crucify me and you right alone with me. I should never have let you come." The tension in the Hunter's body had reached a point where the least little thing could set him off.
Carl moved to defuse the situation. "They are not going to crucify anyone." He held up his hand to stave off Van Helsing's retort. "I'm not saying they are not going to TRY but its not going to work. Especially since that argument doesn't hold water. The moment I agreed to help you, I became part of the Order. I'm willing to give my time and expertise to them – which believe me; they couldn't afford if they were trying to recruit me. I'll give them access to things that will insure that they continue as the covert operation that they are so desperate to remain but only if they partner me with you. And since I have the kind of connections to make them front page news around the globe, I don't think they'll tell me no." Carl smiled rather evilly at the last bit.
Van Helsing frowned at the last bit. While what Carl was saying was true, the reminder of Carl's social standing was a bitter pill to swallow. He made him realize that his position within the Order may now be contingent upon Carl. Would this mean that if Carl left him, that the Order would throw him out? He wasn't so sure he liked this turn of events.
Carl saw the frown and was puzzled. Surely Van Helsing wasn't going to argue with this? He waited for some kind of response and finally impatiently snapped "What? What's going on in that head of yours now?"
Van Helsing snapped out of his thoughts at Carl's harsh tone. Seeing the peeved look on his face he said "I'm just thinking that this puts me in a place where my job is dependant on you staying around. Not so sure I like that idea."
Carl felt a pang of hurt at Van Helsing's comment but pushed it aside. He was taking the comment far too personally. Van Helsing was referring to him staying around as his working partner, not his lover. They weren't lovers – not yet anyway. Nor would they likely to be if he couldn't gain Van Helsing's trust. Pinning a calm expression on he replied, "First of all, I'm not going anywhere. I'm committed to making this work and if being on this plane with you doesn't convince you then I've got my work cut out for me. As for your job being dependant on me, I don't think that is going to be the case. Fact of the matter is you've got skills that they can't get just anywhere. And while your methods may not be their favorites, the fact of the matter is, you get things done. If they get rid of you, its not like they can just go on any street corner and find a replacement. Moreover, it must take a lot of time to train a Hunter. " Carl frowned a bit in thought and said, "Where do you find Hunters anyway? Not like you can exactly advertise for them or hire a recruiter."
Van Helsing gave a sour look and said, "You are born a Hunter." He hunched down in his seat and fought down the usual maelstrom of emotions that came up every time he thought about this.
Carl shook his head in confusion. "What do you mean you are born a Hunter? How does anyone know they are cut out to fight evil things? How can you be born a Hunter?"
Van Helsing heaved a dark sigh and said, "You just are. A certain amount of people is born with the skills of a Hunter. You have gifts that make you able to do the job and you have them from the day you are born. Usually the Order knows who you are and comes and gets you so that you can be trained in the skills that you need. I slipped through the cracks so I didn't get my training until I was an adult. That's part of the problem. The rest of the Hunters all trained together – hell, they grew up together. I'm the odd man out and it makes the rest of the group uncomfortable. No one likes to be reminded that they dropped the ball." By now the Hunter's expression was dripping with bitterness and anger.
Carl felt his heart bleed for the poor man. No wonder he had such a tough time in his work! It made Carl more determined then ever to make this work out. He couldn't even imagine what it must have been to discover that you had missed a part of your life that was literally your birthright. He wanted to reach out and hold the man but he knew he'd only be rebuffed. Instead he contented himself with saying "Well, then all the more reason to make things right by you. And we will you know. They'll give in eventually and then we can go back home and get down to more important things. I've been thinking about communication gear. I'm really not a lot of use if I'm too far away to hear you and it would greatly improve our efficiency in the field. I think I may have a lead on someone who makes the stuff the special ops guys use."
Van Helsing shook his head. Special ops equipment? Carl was like a kid in a candy store with all of these electronics. There was no way the Order was going to sign the check for that kind of purchase. Hell, he couldn't even believe that they were going to sign off on Carl's addition to the Order.
"Carl, don't you think you are getting ahead of yourself? We still need to get you on the books. And if we pull that off, I can pretty much guarantee they are not going to authorize that kind of outlay."
Carl just laughed. "We don't need them to authorize it. In fact, I have no intentions of telling them anything about it. They've already proven themselves to be inefficient at best and criminally negligible at worst. Far as I'm concerned, the less they know about what we are doing and using, the better."
Van Helsing looked pointedly at Carl and said "So what, you are just going to fund this out of your own pocket?"
Carl shrugged. "Why not? It's for us and I don't see any reason we shouldn't have the best. And since its going to be keeping us safe, I don't see scrimping as being a wise idea."
Van Helsing looked away. Spoken like someone who has always had money. It made him feel more and more like a mongrel who had been "rescued".
Carl could feel a wall being put between them and wondered what it was about. Surely Van Helsing wasn't upset about him funding their work. It only made sense. Van Helsing provided the necessary hunting skills and took the big risks. It only made sense that Carl would pick up the tab and provide a base for them. Especially since he had the wherewithal to do it.
But as he looked at the dark haired man beside him, he realized that Van Helsing didn't exactly feel the same way. He clearly had his pride around this and Carl was going to have to find some way to sooth it.
"Van Helsing, I didn't mean to come off like some kind of spoiled rich kid. I just meant that I want to see that we are kept as safe as can possible be done. You especially. You do all the really hard work on this team. You take the big risks and face the worst dangers. If I can use the money I have to make things a little less dangerous and make us a bit more comfortable, then I want to do it. Hell, it would be the first time I could actually feel good about having it." He shrugged uncomfortably and looked down in his lap where he was twisting his hands nervously.
Van Helsing looked surprised at Carl's comments. After watching Carl ease their way onto their plane, he would have said Carl rather enjoyed the benefits of his station. But here he was saying that he didn't really feel good about his money. That didn't make sense. Look at how he had lavishly spent money to get them to Rome and the meeting with the Order? But then again, this whole trip was really for his benefit, not Carl's and Carl had already shown how generous he could be when it came to other people.
Thinking back over what he knew of Carl he realized that Carl really didn't live a luxurious lifestyle. OK, yes, he had the big house but it was because he inherited it, not because that was his preference. He hadn't even done any kind of redecorating. Other then the expensive home entertainment system, the house was empty of the kinds of possessions you would expect of someone who was rich and privileged. Carl even worked for a living when he could just as easily be spending his days as a pampered jet setter. Van Helsing glanced over at Carl and had to stifle a laugh. Someone less likely to be a jet setter, he had yet to meet.
Still, that made him pause. Yes, Carl certainly had the money and name to be living the high life. And yet, he lived quietly alone and worked for a living. Given the chance to run away from a dangerous situation, he not only stayed but also committed to continuing to help him. Carl was not a spoiled rich boy nor was he a snob. And for some reason, Carl actually seemed to like him.
Once again he felt that strange, disorienting feeling as his world seemed to shift underneath him. He had spent his life fighting for a place to belong. Now it seemed like maybe he had finally found it. The thought was both exhilarating and terrifying. Could he really trust this? Or would it get pulled out from under him like everything else in his life?
Carl could feel Van Helsing's gaze on him and forced himself to look up. What he saw surprised him. He saw a mix of wonder, fear and pain, each moving so swiftly across Van Helsing's face it was almost impossible to identify them. He wanted to reach up and touch Van Helsing's face – reassure him that it would be ok. That he wasn't going to be alone, that Carl wasn't going to leave him. But he was afraid that Van Helsing would push him away and so he kept his hands clenched tightly in his lap. But he did offer a gentle smile and waited patiently for Van Helsing to make the next move.
At Carl's smile, Van Helsing felt a smile of his own form. In this moment, it was so easy to believe it could all work out. Not just with the Order but between them as well. It had been a long time since he had been hopeful for anything. It was like standing on the edge of a cliff and preparing to jump off.
"Carl…" he started to say but then the pilot came on over the speakers and informed the passengers that it was now safe to walk about the cabin. Van Helsing shrugged. It was probably just as well. This was hardly the time or place for a conversation about their future relationship. After all, first they had to survive Jinette.
Carl had been waiting for Van Helsing's comment and wanted to curse the pilot's ill-timing. He hoped that Van Helsing would continue but it appeared that whatever the Hunter had been about to say, he had changed his mind about it. Carl wanted to sulk in frustration but this was scarcely the place for such behavior. So, pinning on a smile he said "Well, looks like we can get comfortable" and unfastened his seatbelt. He scooted around in his seat until he found just the right position.
Van Helsing wanted to laugh as he watched Carl's imitation of a cat looking for the perfect resting place but a languid stretch suddenly made Van Helsing wonder if he could get Carl to purr if he rubbed his tummy. That thought had Van Helsing doing a bit of squirming around himself but it was not so easy for him to get comfortable.
Deciding that the best defense would be to pretend not to be aware of the man sitting next to him, he picked up his book and tried to get into it. It was not terribly successful as each shift from Carl drew his awareness away from the book. Worse still, his body was remembering that it was just about this time last night that he had been making love to Carl. That thought alone was making concentration nigh on impossible. He was actually pretty grateful when Carl dropped off to sleep and he didn't have to pretend to be reading anymore.
Dropping the book into his lap, he looked over at the sleeping man. How did everything get so out of hand so quickly? They were never supposed to have gotten involved with each other and yet here they were. And frankly, he had no idea what to do next. He was feeling things he never thought he would feel. He felt desire yes but it was so much more then that. Holding Carl as he fell asleep had been heaven and waking up to him had made him happier then he had ever been – at least until his brain kicked in. But even years of carefully built defensiveness were not enough to combat his feelings for Carl. Just looking at the man, his fingers itched to trace the lines of Carl's face – to touch and be in contact with him. He just needed to feel the man and know he was there. He had never felt that way with anyone before. This desire to just be in their presence.
Sighing, he turned away. He didn't know what to do next but he was going to have to figure it out somehow. Because he knew that even if he walked away right now, he would never really be free. He had fallen for Carl and there was nothing to do be done but try and see this through. He just hoped that he could find a way to win Carl over because he couldn't go on with things the way they were.
The stewardess came by with blankets and he took two from her. Settling the first one over Carl's sleeping form, he traced the line of his jaw. Carl murmured in his sleep but didn't waken. The picture brought a small smile to Van Helsing's face.
He settled down in his own seat and closed his eyes to get some sleep. There was nothing to be done about Carl and him now and he was going to need his wits about him for the coming battle with Jinette. Because no matter how anything else turned out on this trip, he was determined that he would protect Carl from Jinette. He drifted off to sleep with that pledge ringing through his head.