Chapter 4: Humility Does the Heart Good

Eric Finch moved about the dance floor with Audrey, carefully working them towards his destination: Martha and Michael.

Being the smart man he was, he had some idea that the good doctor might not wish an exchange of partners, so surprise was called for.

And Michael Cahill did indeed look startled when he tapped him on the arm and asked to cut in. The poor man eyed Audrey as though facing his execution.

Still, he did the proper thing and traded off his partner.

Finch managed a weak smile as Martha took his hand.

And then Michael and Audrey had danced away and they could finally talk

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"Eric."

"Martha."

"I see that you've made the party after all," Martha said, sarcasm evident in her voice.

"Yes. I really had little choice; required to attend, you know. It was my intention only to make a quick showing and then leave, but a funny thing happened…"

"And what might that be?" she asked, still both sounding and looking very upset.

"I got jealous."

"Wha…. What?" she stammered.

"I saw you out here dancing with Dr. Cahill and couldn't stand the thought," he said, grimacing. "So I thought I'd come on out here and risk your anger on the chance you might forgive me."

"Why couldn't you have told me that you didn't want to be here, rather than accepting my invitation and then backing out?" she replied. "Do you have any idea what that did to me? Eric, you broke my heart!"

"Your heart?" His eyes widened in his hangdog face.

"Yes," she whispered. "For weeks I'd hoped that some miracle would happen and that you'd ask me out..."

"You've wanted to go out with me for weeks?"

"Eric, why are you making this even harder? I'm not a suspect to be cross interrogated," she chided, exasperated by his questions.

"Sorry."

They danced together silently for a time as she struggled to find words. To her surprise, he was the one to speak first.

"Marta, I deeply regret having canceled on you," he said, the ghost of his Irish accent asserting itself as it sometimes did during difficult situations. "The truth of the matter is that I... like you very much and I wanted to be here with you."

Her heart skipped a beat. "But then; why did you cancel?"

He sighed deeply. "I lost everyone I cared about many years ago. In the years since, I've became very good at keeping everybody at a distance. After all, people can't hurt you if you don't let them." He squeezed her hand. "But I realized something tonight, Martha..."

Their eyes met and locked.

"And what might that be?" she asked.

"That I would rather be hurt repeatedly by you, than to never have any chance with you at all. Next year… I want to be here with you."

She stepped closer, leaning up against him and placing her head on his shoulder as his arms tightened automatically around her.

It was the best reply in the world.

She felt him nuzzle her hair as he sighed in relief.

Their dance had become a slow one.

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"Dominic?"

"Hmmm?"

"Isn't that the Deputy Commissioner over there?" Jennifer indicated the proper direction with a toss of her chin.

When he looked where she had indicated, he saw a couple intertwined and dancing slowly. "Not likely," he laughed.

"Maybe you'd better have another look," she smirked.

He did, just as the man briefly lifted his head to look around. "Good Lord, it is him!" he exclaimed.

"I thought you said you'd fall over?"

"Well, it would be in poor form to do so now… but maybe you'll buy me a drink to help me get over my shock?"

"In a bit. I'd like to enjoy this dance first," she whispered, moving closer so that they, too began a slow dance.

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"You've got a lot of nerve!" Audrey snapped the moment they'd moved away from the other couple. "Who do you think you are; ducking out on me like that; and so that you could dance with Martha, of all people?"

"Martha's a very nice lady," Michael replied, trying to reason with her.

"She's a cow! I mean, she's quite a few dress sizes larger than me and as far as gray matter goes, she's nothing special."

Michael fumed silently.

"Good!" Audrey snorted. "Maybe you'll actually start moving your feet now. You agreed to come with me tonight and the least you can do to make up for your horrid behavior is dance with me!"

"You know, Audrey... I now know why it is that you can't seem to find the right man," he said, pleasantly enough.

"And why might that be?"

"Because you're revolting," he hissed.

She merely laughed.

And that was when the band segued into music fit for a slow dance.

Audrey's arms came up around his neck as she pressed herself against him. "Oh, I can be very pleasant when I want to be," she purred. "I'm spirited and I know what I like and that's what scares the weak men away..." She moved her mouth near his ear. "Just give me what I want and I'll make you very happy indeed!"

She nibbled his ear.

And Michael reacted as though a snake had bit him, jumping and accidentally stomping on one of her feet.

"OW!" She shrieked, hobbling on her other foot. "You clumsy, stupid oaf!"

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From a distance, Evey and V observed the exchange and it wasn't hard for her to notice the angry expression on her lover's face at hearing Michael being abused.

It seemed the perfect opportunity to again broach the delicate subject of their friendship.

Running her hands down the front of his lapels, she tipped her head up to capture his gaze. "Won't you help him? I know you want to."

When he remained silent she continued. "He doesn't deserve to be treated that way by her... nor by you."

"Evey..." he began, but she didn't give him the chance to end the subject.

"He saved your life. He gave you back to me. If it weren't for him I'd have nothing... We owe him so much!"

When he still remained silent, she pushed one last time, besides; she could tell by the his expression and the constant glances he shot towards Michael, that he was softening. "V, you've both been absolutely miserable since you parted ways. Won't you at least save him from that harpy? He only endured coming with her so that he could see you."

He sighed deeply and bowed his head. "As you wish..."

His reward was a hug and a quick kiss, before he set them on a path that would intersect that of the other couple.

Michael saw them coming and his eyes took on a pleading look. Despite everything, he still seemed to hold out hope that V would forgive him. Even now, he seemed to be silently pleading for a rescue.

"May I?" V handed Evey off to Michael and then held his hands out, inviting Audrey to dance just as the music changed to one with a spicy Latin flair.

"Well, it's about time you noticed me," she husked, stepping into the circle of his arms. "This is going to be fun!"

"I heard you complaining to Michael," he commented, as he began to move her into the steps of a Salsa.

"The poor man just can't dance," she sniffed, then tried to move closer to him, intent upon pressing against his body. "Not like you; you can probably keep up with me."

V easily kept her at a distance. "So then, you fancy yourself a good dancer?" he asked, in a clipped tone, which anyone who knew him would instantly have recognized as a warning of sorts.

Audrey was oblivious. "Why, darling... I'm the best," she laughed.

V had to turn his head to hide the nasty smile that appeared on his face.

Across the way, Evey and Michael caught a glimpse of it as they left the dance floor, intent upon watching from the sidelines so as not to miss a thing.

"Uh oh..." Evey breathed, then laughed. "Michael, I do believe that V is about to give Audrey a comeuppance for the trouble she gave you."

"I can barely wait!" he replied, as V made his first move, swinging Audrey around so quickly that she stumbled, drawing gasps from all the onlookers.

V caught his dance partner before she could fall, somehow managing to make her look even more inept.

"Careful, my dear," he said, getting her back into position and moving the dance along. "I fear that your shoes are not well crafted." He offered her a gentlemanly explanation for the gaff.

"I think you're right," she managed to reply, her face beet red with embarrassment. "I don't know what happened!"

"Hmmm... Perhaps I had better keep this dance simple," he offered.

"Oh please!" she laughed, then added loudly enough for those around them to hear, "You're just afraid that I'll show you up despite my shoes!"

"Oh Jeez..." Dominic laughed, as he and Jennifer danced nearby. "Now she's done it!"

And indeed, no sooner had the words been said than Audrey found herself moved through a series of elaborate and quick spins, dips and reversals. They were so quick in fact, that by the time he returned her to a more upright, semi-stationary position, her head was quite literally spinning.

It took only one sudden step forward on his part for V to tip the scales...

Audrey was so dizzy that she lost her balance and went down... and this time her partner seemed unable to catch her.

She landed on her ass right in the middle of the dance floor, her legs splayed out in front of her and her dress hiked up indecently.

"My dear!" V immediately held out a hand to help her up. "Are you alright? I do hope you're not injured!"

His voice was loud enough to draw the attention of the very few people who hadn't already stopped to stare. Flashes went off as several Paparazzi captured the event on camera.

With a her teeth clenched and tears welling in her eyes, Audrey slapped V's hand away, scrambled to her feet and made a bee-line for the front door. In a few seconds she was gone.

Evey had her face buried in Michael's Tux in an effort to stifle her laughter, while other people weren't quite so polite. Among them was Michael, who clapped V heartily on the back when he strode over to collect Evey.

"You've made my night," he said as V bowed and took Evey's hand, drawing her away from Michael and back into the circle of his protection.

"A shame the woman can't dance," was V's seriously offered reply.

"And to think that you called ME a cad..."

V froze and met Michael's eyes, surprised to see the pain that lurked in them. Then he sighed heavily and turned towards his lover. "Evey, would you mind terribly if I took a walk with the good doctor?"

"Of course not," she said, suddenly beaming. "I'm going to go and get something to drink." With that she moved off.

V indicated the staircase. "Come along, Michael," he encouraged. "Let's have a little talk."

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After watching from the side-lines as V mopped up the dance floor with Audrey, Finch offered to escort Martha outside for a breath of fresh air, something she readily agreed to.

With his hand at her back, they wove their way through the huge crowds until Martha took his hand and led him to a hidden service lift. Two floors up, they exited it, made a few turns, went through an "employees only" doorway, through a cafeteria and out a set of glass doors.

Blinking, he looked around them to see that they were on a cozy balcony containing a few tables and chairs as well as a couple of benches nearer the railing.

"Very nice!" he said. "Very... private."

She smiled and laughed. "That was the idea."

Barely believing that he was doing so, he pulled her close and kissed her.

And what a kiss it was!

Starting out gently, tentatively, it quickly grew far beyond his expectations and was anything but one-sided.

"Wow!" he breathed when they finally came up for air.

"Wow is right," she gasped, trying to catch her breath.

He nuzzled her ear. "I think you're wonderful," he whispered, then began nibbling at her lobe.

"I think you're pretty brilliant yourself," she gasped out, earning herself another kiss.

This time, when they drew back, they were staring at each other, unable to look away.

"I feel as though I've known you forever..." he said. "I never believed in such statements until now."

"I feel strangely comfortable with you as well," she admitted. "Oh, and I think I should state 'for the record' that I forgive you for backing out on me tonight."

He smiled. "Thank-you." He gave her a quick peck. "And what would you like to do now? Shall we get a drink? A snack? Have another dance? I'm at your disposal."

"Eric?"

"Mmmmm?" he hummed as she kissed him along his jawline.

"Why don't you take me home?"

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V climbed the main staircase to the museum's second level with Michael at his side.

How strange, he thought, that we should keep taking furtive glances at each other, much as would-be lovers might. Then again, perhaps all close human relationships were, at their heart, a striving of two souls to connect, one to the other.

And perhaps it was futile for him to try and stop this connection from strengthening...

They stopped at the top of the stairs before a huge display case as each of them pretended to occupy their time staring at it.

"Evey was right," he finally said. "I've been miserable. She even said that she distinctly heard me carrying on a conversation with you in my sleep a few nights ago."

Beside him, Michael laughed. "Did she catch what it was about?"

He turned and finally met his eyes. "Oh, something having to do with a "damned cast"."

They both chuckled over it.

It was Michael who sobered first. "I've been miserable as well," he admitted.

"Evey told me that as well." V began walking slowly, intent upon making a circuit of the level, with the doctor falling into step beside him.

"She was right about quite a few things," he continued. "I've been stubbornly trying to pretend that I could just forget the many kindnesses you've shown me, the times we've enjoyed together... and finally, the fact that you saved my life."

He stopped momentarily and stared at the man. "Amongst many of the world's oldest cultures, there is the belief that when you save a life you either own it or are responsible for it... forever."

"You owe me nothing," Michael replied. "I merely played MY part."

That made him chuckle.

He began walking again. "The fact is, Michael, that I feel a responsibility towards you, that has nothing to do with antiquated beliefs or with my feeling obligated to you for having saved my life. It has everything to do with the fact that you have wormed your way into my heart."

He stopped walking again. "You ARE my friend. I was foolish to think I could deny that."

As they stared at each other, he saw Michael's mouth tighten, then tremble. The man dropped his eyes and took several deep breaths, but his voice still broke when I spoke, "I was so afraid that you wouldn't see that..."

In the next second, V found himself in a bear hug and strangely, he felt not in the least bit awkward about it. On the contrary, his friend's embrace seemed as natural as those Evey gifted him with.

Here was his friend.

His friend.

He brought his own arms up and gave Michael a powerful hug in return; one that made the other man gasp and step away with a laugh. "As strong as ever, I see!"

"Yes."

It was Michael who began them walking again.

"You've been feeling well, lately?"

V placed a hand on Michael's arm and stopped in his tracks, effectively stopping his friend as well. "You had the testing done," he said.

It wasn't a question. The night that Michael had placed the cast on his arm, he'd complained about a few symptoms which were very odd for him. In a flash, a few vials of his blood had been obtained and his friend had promised to have a few tests run to see if anything strange was afoot.

Their encounter had ended with him walking away from Michael and until now he had simply assumed that his blood had been discarded.

"Yes, I had some tests run," Michael confirmed.

"And you found something, didn't you?"

"Yes." Michael suddenly looked very grim, his happiness over their reconciliation suddenly evaporating.

"That bad, is it?"

"V..."

V took a breath and smiled sadly. "Are you telling me that I'm going to die, doctor?"

Michael hung his head.