Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, they own me. Special thanks to Toby Whithouse and BBC3 for the playground. Beta assistance from Whimsyfox & TJ4ev enables (most of) my grammar to pass muster for Hal.


The gentle sensuality of the morning is what Alex would dwell upon later. The way they had woken with the faintest light and birdsong, and how the warmth and pull between them sat rich and heavy. Hal held her, softly entwined and dozing, with his arm across her belly and fingertips cupping her hip. He was lingering, long past when he would usually be rising for his regimented routine.

While he dozed, Alex slowly turned to position herself against his growing hardness. She had to be careful - tormenting Hal when he wasn't fully awake wasn't exactly safe. Once, she had felt his fangs drop against her shoulder and had to wrench away. But this morning she was languid, slow, waking him with incremental, writhing movement.

Pulled free of the brooding thoughts he'd awoken to, Hal smiled with an acute awareness of Alex. At the end of his last cycle, he had become bored with sex. His appetite had increased to the point that control over others and cruelty had been the only way to feel. But now, after fifty-five years of abstinence, even the simplest touch was pleasureful. With Alex, everything felt heightened. He wondered how much was the Hangori bond, and how much was simply from his long-held restraint.

He had never really thought much before about how it was for the Hangori. He had witnessed the endings of nearly a dozen, but never once thought about the benefit to the affected vampire from such a bond. He was still astounded that she continued to want him, even after all that she knew, and had seen. He made a contented, sleepy sigh into her shoulder, amused by her attempt to rouse him, then wrapped his arm around her torso. He caught her hand in his, then whispered, "You're insatiable."

"Mmm," she intertwined their fingers and curved against him more. "This is what I've always imagined a honeymoon would be," she whispered.

"Completely lazy?" he huffed.

"Nae silly," Alex teased, feeling shy by her admission but she felt his smile, lips pressed to her shoulder.

"There's usually room service," he grumbled, completely serious, trailing fingers from her arm to the soft underside of her breast.

"Aw. Are you in need of nourishment?" She mocked, but turned to kiss him. He responded, returning her kiss, softly at first, but then with a rapidly growing hunger.

Hal stopped abruptly, sighed and pulled back. "I need tea."

"You need a butler," she taunted, then a realisation spanned across her face. "Oh gobs! You actually had one once, didn't you?"

"A butler?" Hal huffed a laugh - a slight peal of mirth - and the brief darkness dispersed with her use of humour to deflect his hunger. He hugged her close, resting his forehead against hers.

Alex stared back, noting that Hal's eyes held a gentle peace, the flecks of green brightened in the morning light. The sadness that was usually there seemed further away somehow. His arm settled over her waist as he pulled away slightly, regarding her with a curious smile.

"It's a most remarkable thing, really."

"That we're sleeping together?" Alex grinned. She knew he was leading into something, but couldn't help but tease.

"That is nice, I must admit," he answered slyly. She squared her jaw and faked a punch with mock hurt. He caught her fist and held her hand to her breast. His mirth turned to contemplation as he met her eyes, and he softly added, "I think… I'm happy."

"Well ring the bells!" she laughed, playing off the sudden seriousness of his expression. Hal tapped his fingers against hers as they lay there, face to face. "Mmm," she dropped her arm over his side. "Admit it. You just needed a good shag."

"How horribly uncouth," he said, but with a brief corner of a smile on his lips. "No, I see now that I've needed a mission outside of myself. Sustaining restraint, control - it has taken a full dedication of focus, but has held little joy. I was merely existing. You have guided me to another way." Hal interlocked their fingers. "One that I'm better for. This?" he said and squeezed her hand. "Being with you? Being human? It has been coming easier."

Alex held his gaze for a long moment, seeing every detail of his eyes that held so much age in their depths. She pulled her hand free and turned onto her stomach, her earlier flirtation lost with the turn of their conversation. "You needed a job," she said plainly. "Your purpose as a vampire was pretty bloody clear. But as a man?" She tilted her head. "It's good. What you're doing. Not saying I'm thrilled about tonight, but I get it - why you're helping."

Hal continued to regard her, until suddenly, the heaviness of his expression lifted, turning mysterious. "Come with me,"

"What? For tea?"

"To the bath. I wish to try an experiment," Hal said shrewdly as he sat up. "Don't teleport," he added.

"But my clothes…" the question trailed unfinished as Hal stood, pulled on his pants then crossed the room to open his armoire. He held out his silk dressing gown to her.

"But I can't." She sat up, clutching the blankets over her chest.

"I would wager that you can." Hal raised an eyebrow, then added, "Please, indulge me."

Alex let go of the blankets with a sigh, then stepped out of bed as Hal walked towards her. She wondered what he was really up to, until he turned her, placing the gown around her shoulders. The material felt cool and light - and it stayed. She put her arms through then tied the sash.

"Och! Does this mean...?" She turned side to side, testing the material. "Sweet jaysus - I can change clothes!"

"To a human, I believe you would still appear as a floating garment. But in the house…"

She twirled with the revelation, the silk feeling fantastic as it brushed her bare skin, then kissed him gleefully.

"Come," he held his hand out to her. "That wasn't actually the experiment."

Curiosity piqued, she took his hand. "You must really be sweet on my dress if you've been keeping that all to yourself," she teased. Hal just gave an amused shake of his head.

The corridor was quiet and the house was empty. Tom and Allison had already departed for work and class while they had been dozing. They entered the bathroom and Hal turned on the shower. He reached for a clean towel, then casually removed his pants. Alex noted that the bruising from where Milo had struck him had all but faded, even though the burn had not. Hal seemed rested, and she wondered if there was a connection. She had been right last night. She hadn't dreamed. Pausing at the shower door, he indicated with a tilt of his head for her to join him.

Alex raised an eyebrow - Hal inviting her into the shower for once?- but untied the sash and slipped free of the gown. She caught herself from letting it fall and pool to the floor, and hung the non-disappearing garment on the back of the door. Then she joined Hal and shut the glass door behind her. He was standing in the spray with beads of water speckling his hair. He turned to the side to allow Alex to enter the spray as well. As always, the water didn't touch her.

Hal pulled her close, pressing their bodies together. Already, his skin felt warmed from the shower. She loved the feel of him; how the muscles of his chest and stomach pressed against her as he breathed, despite his leanness. Holding her by the shoulders, he kissed her deeply, passionately. As they kissed, he turned her so she was fully under the spray of water and kept kissing her. Then, he pressed his tongue into her mouth.

Wet warmth cascaded around her, dousing her, covering her. Alex pulled away in shock, but Hal was triumphant. "Thought so," he smiled, then brushed a bit of wet fringe clear of her eyes. "It is stronger when you haven't teleported." He kissed her again. Realising what was happening, Alex slipped her tongue into his mouth, tasting him, and the water shivered down her skin once more. She could feel every tiny, miraculous and wonderful rivulet. The heat hit her in comforting waves. As she 'tasted' from him, the water would hit her as well. Hal was running his hands down her wet skin, over her breasts, her sides and down to her legs. She felt overwhelmed with the intensity of this sheer pleasure of sensation. She could feel the wetness of his skin on hers, she could taste it on his lips.

Exuberantly participating in his experiment, she explored the boundaries of his theory. She followed the slick trail of water everywhere; his shoulders, the muscles of his arms, his sculpted stomach and the hard-on he had for her. As she kissed him, the water flickered with her tangibility of it. She wanted to kiss the rivulets off his skin. She wanted to taste him everywhere. When she took the head of him into her mouth and the water came crashing down again, he groaned. He ran his fingers through her wet hair and she sucked and swirled her tongue around him. He loathed having her kneel though, and soon he was urging her up.

Holding the soap, he kissed her, setting every nerve ending alight with pleasure. He began to bathe her, massaging her skin with sudsy warmth and care. She was alive under his touch; alive, well and loved. He lathered the soap between her legs, then set the bar aside. He kissed her to rinse, the flood of sensation of the water and his massaging hands rocking her breathless.

Giving her reprieve, he quickly began to wash his hair. Hal rinsed while Alex caught her breath, then he reached past her for his shave crème. Once, with curiosity she had opened the old-fashioned, round tin to sniff. The scent was pleasant, but it wasn't the only reason Hal smelled so good. He turned, to be clear of the spray, and applied the crème with his back to her. Alex nabbed the soap. She hugged him from behind as he reached for his razor and he closed his eyes, a smile peeking out from under the white froth. He kept his eyes closed and began to shave. Using both hands to guide the blade, he made shaving without a mirror look completely intuitive.

Alex kissed the moistened space between his shoulder blades, then began rubbing his torso with soap. He didn't falter or miss a swathe of his shave, just continued, methodically, by rote. Alex set the bar back on the shelf, then ran her hands over his soapy skin, running the lather up his chest, down his abdomen and around to his back. She took the same care he had given her; revelling in the simplicity of touch. Loving the feel of his arms, his back, his legs, she saved his penis for last.

Completely controlled, Hal finished shaving. He returned the razor the shelf, then leaned into her embrace, allowing her to 'clean' him for a moment longer. But then he turned, pushing them back under the spray. He cupped her face, wrapped his arm low around her waist, and pressed the yearning line of their bodies together. Seemingly unable to resist, he kissed her again, sucking the water from her lower lip as his hands dropped to slide over her ass, grinding her pelvis to his.

"Hal, if we -" she gasped.

"Yes," and he cupped her, lifting her up against the back wall of the shower. He growled low in his chest with pleasure as they joined with slick ease. Saturated and slippery, in steam and rivulets of water, they were completely submerged in each other.

Yes, later, Alex would very much miss this morning.

Even though the hot water ran out near immediately, and they had to quickly dry to take their amorous behavior back to bed. Even though Hal still returned to his routines right aft, back to silent counting and his commitment to the practises he believed would keep him safe. Later, she would hold the memory of the entire morning dear and cling to it as the lifeline that it really was.

For the sake of them both.


Work was utterly dragging.

Tom forged the thought as he formed yet another pointless little pastry. He should have taken the day off as well as tomorrow. But they had bills to pay, and he was trying to be a responsible and upstanding citizen now. His whole life had been about nothing but the wolf for so long, that keeping his dedication to this small part of his human life seemed right.

But it sure was difficult sometimes. Just under his skin, the wolf was pacing - raring for the fight, and eager to run again. Last night's lope had certainly helped, just like McNair had taught him. But what McNair neglected to mention was just how stupendous it was to give in to their other waxing urges. Tom grinned at the thought.

He couldn't be more happy with how Allison was embracing her wolf. And how they were together. She loved him, which he sometimes still couldn't believe. Him, scruffy Tom McNair with someone so smart and pretty and wonderful? He'd shoot the moon for her.

Tom worried though, his grin turning down as he continued his work. Tonight was going to be a real, honest-to-goodness fight. The likes of which he hadn't seen since the days he fought alongside his Dad. Under the surface, his wolf growled and pawed in anticipation. Allison had handled herself plenty well before, but he still wished she wasn't going to insist on coming.

If only he could formulate the proper defense for her inevitable debate. Except, he already knew; there was no winning this one. But it didn't mean he wouldn't try.


Hal was meditating.

At least, that is what it looked like he was doing. Seated on the floor, at the center of his room, eyes closed with his hands resting lightly on his knees. Alex had brought tea, but he gave no outward indication that he knew she was there.

She set the steaming mugs down on the nightstand, then folded her arms over her chest, watching him for a moment. When there still was no change displayed, she stepped forward, then dropped to her haunches in front of him, curious.

Hal seized her suddenly, tipping her forward.

"Aargh!" She landed in his lap. "What are you doing?"

He smiled and helped her up. "What did it look like? I'm preparing," he answered, matter-of-factly.

"I see," she said slyly.

"You can join, if you would like."

"Oh no, I'm good. Totally good," she made to stand, but he kept his hold on her. "What? You really want me to zen out with you?" She laughed, but Hal held her, poised with some retort. The insistent trill of the doorbell interrupted whatever he was about to say however.

He cocked his head, listening, then the doorbell rang again. Alex stood, as did Hal, who proceeded to leave the room to answer. She followed, and he paused briefly on the stairs, then slowed his pace. The familiar silhouette at the door switched to a pounding knock. Hal opened the door just as Milo started to turn away.

"Ah. You are home. May I?" Milo looked past Hal to Alex and the foyer beyond. Hal hesitated, and Milo gave him a toothy smile. "Yes, I know where you live. I'd rather not be seen with that knowledge, if you don't mind?"

After a small, expressionless deliberation, Hal wordlessly stepped aside and allowed Milo to enter. The stocky werewolf glanced at the street, then came in, walking straight into the living room and blatantly looking around.

"Hmm. Now there's brand promise delivered," he chuckled to himself, then turned away from the beach mural to face them both. "We've got a problem."

"Do we?" Hal asked, innocently enough.

"I was just at Finnegan's," Milo said, then leaned against the sofa back. When neither of them replied, he added. "Yeah, see it was the most interesting thing - when Health and Safety showed up?"

"Well, their kitchen is certainly suspect," Hal said without pause, keeping his expression completely impassive.

"They cleared everybody out down the entire stretch. Fire & Rescue, Heddlu - the works. Bomb threat, apparently."

"A bomb?" Alex slipped. Milo glanced at her, catching her surprise, then back to Hal.

"There has been quite the rash of those lately," Hal said flatly.

"You wouldn't happen to know anything about this one, would you?"

"I know you wouldn't have enjoyed being blown up."

Milo's eyes narrowed. "You called it in?"

Alex knew Hal had done nothing of the sort, but he retained his wordless stare in a way that made Milo believe his own words. The werewolf appeared to think quickly, but then shook his head. "Vampires wouldn't do this. Your kind likes a good fight far too much."

"You are forgetting the length of vendetta they can hold. Strikes have already been made against them."

"And this was someone striking back. I get that."

"Well good thing they weren't successful!" Alex added, to play along.

"That we know of," Milo answered, then stepped closer to Hal. "Your friend is quite involved in this. You'd say if you knew something, wouldn't you?"

"Of course."

"Well bombs or no, the gathering may be visited on by police sooner tonight than anticipated. I'm passing the message for discreet assembly on our part. There's no point in making the news before we've had the chance to kill a few vampires."

"I would hate to see you disappointed."

"Yes, well, we'll see who shows. Gwedore already had a run-in with 'em in bloody Tesco's. I'd lay low, if I were one such as yourself."

"Are you actually warning me off?"

"Just stating the facts."

"How did you come to know we were here?"

Milo grinned, "Oh, I've known for quite some time. Our old boss had me watching the place. Spooky, that one."

Hal's impassive expression broke into brief surprise, then he shook his head. "More akin to maniacally thorough."

"Funny, that. He once said the same thing about you."


Hal had made a ridiculously large amount of pasta, Alex noted from her perch on the counter. It would have been enough to feed her whole family, with dregs for a lunch or two the following day. Wearing an unnecessary apron over dark jeans and a black shirt, he opened jars of meaty red sauce and stirred it in, making a disagreeable face.

"Why'd you cook so much if you don't like it, numpty?"

"It's for Tom and Allison. She is going to insist on going. Having enough food will help keep the wolf calm."

"Oh. Maybe she won't have to eat anyone then?"

"Perhaps."

Hal's timing of dinner was impeccable. Allison's car pulled up, returning from picking up Tom. They came up the walk and into the foyer, noisy and rushed. Alex heard Allison throw down her bag at the table, buttons clicking, then the pair of them came into the kitchen with cheeks flushed and eyes alight. If Alex didn't know better, she'd think they were both high, instead of only hours away from transformation.

"Oi Hal - brilliant!" Tom immediately took down plates from the cupboard and Hal handed him the spoon.

"How did it go last night?" Hal asked.

"You know," Allison began conversationally while reaching for Tom's offered plate. "I was never much of one for athletics. I still made my marks, of course, but running…" She shook her head and held her plate out for Tom to serve. Hal huffed a laugh and Alex smiled. She had seen Allison run. "With the pack though?" Allison continued, unperturbed. "It's different. Quite natural, really."

"Yeh, tis grande," Tom said as he dished heaping mounds of pasta. "There's really something to it. Like, we were s'posed to work together and all."

"Did you convince them of our placement strategy?" Hal asked as he removed the sachet from his brewing cup of tea, then untied and removed his apron.

"Yeah. They didn't have much of a plan 'cept to show up. Milo suggested we all lay low today. And I told em of the gates and cameras, like we talked 'bout. We're to be in teams."

Tom and Allison sat down at the kitchen table with massive mounds of pasta. Hal cupped his tea and sat down opposite. His fork was poised, but before digging in, Tom paused. "There weren't any way around it," he levelled Hal with a serious look. "We're on the east, like we wanted, but… We're with Irving and Christa."

"Christa already knows," Alex said, dropping off the counter to join them all at the table. "Well, that the Department exists anyways."

"And Irving I can handle," Tom assured. "Did you go by the park?"

Hal shook his head. "Wasn't necessary. Milo brought the news to us. He wanted to know if I had something to do with it, of course. Rook shut the entire area down. They've sent everyone to King's Square while Heddlu sorts out a bomb threat. Assuming the Department does have control, the perimeter of the park will remain clear."

"Milo came here?" Tom asked, between mouthfuls. "But we've been so careful not to lead -"

"He knew all along. He was Snow's watchdog, after all."

Tom made an unpleasant face, "Not creepy at all, innit?"

"It is not as if we ever believed Milo was trustworthy," Hal said, then sipped his tea. "What I would like to know is why you still haven't heard from the Lobisomem. It is suspiciously odd that not one has turned up, even though they apparently instigated this whole thing."

"But did they?" Alex asked, spinning an empty mug between her fingers. "I mean, Davi confirmed that it was possible, but he left his pack before any of this. How do we really know it all wasn't just cooked up by Milo himself?"

"We don't," Hal agreed. "Except if it is Milo, he isn't working alone."

"Who then?" Allison said curiously, then took another bite. The steam from the pasta had slightly fogged up her eyeglasses, but she didn't seem to mind.

"That is precisely what I hope to find out. Tonight."

Tom lowered his fork, then looked to Alex. "You sure you'll get him out? I'm all for killing vampires, but I really don't want to wake up tomorrow having ate me best mate."

"Trust me. I am SO ghost-busting our shite outta there," Alex answered with a smirk. "I really don't want to catch hide nor hair of either of you all wolfy."

Tom glanced to Allison and she stared back at him, then blatantly took another bite. He swallowed. "Allison, I really would rather -"

Allison put down her fork. "If you think for one minute Tom McNair that you can stop me, then you very well haven't been paying attention, have you?"

Hal just raised an eyebrow when Tom looked to him for help. "Don't you think it's goin'ta be dangerous for us tonight? I mean, if Rook fails we could all be caught. Or worse."

"Are you seriously shitting me?" Alex lowered her magazine. "If you really think Allison is turning in the cellar, then you're more medieval than Hal."

"I'm not medieval," Hal retorted calmly, then finished his tea.

Allison took Tom's hands as he furrowed his brow, looking stumped. "Look, I know you would rather see me here, safe. I understand. I really do. But don't you realise? It's the same for me. Locked up here, waiting to change and all the while not knowing what was happening? Not knowing if YOU were safe? I'm coming. We'll just have to manage to look out for one another is all."

Tom's eyebrows met, obviously worried. Allison just smiled and patted his hand reassuringly under the table.

"Along those lines," Hal said, interrupting the moment that passed between their friends. "I would rather neither of us have our vehicles near the scene. In the off chance this does go public, then the less evidence to connect us to it, the better."

Allison glanced back to Hal, then down to her half empty plate. "We should hurry along then.'

Hal nodded then stood, placing his tea cup in the sink. He put the lid back on the pasta and rummaged for a storage container while Tom and Allison finished eating. Alex looked away. Watching Hal tidy up was better than wishing she could join their housemates with dinner. But given the morning, maybe further explorations of 'taste' would be possible. Hal had declined to eat, but maybe when they returned home. If they returned home. Alex shook the thought aside and stood, taking her mug to the sink as well.

Tom and Allison finished eating, placed their plates in the sink, then dashed upstairs to change clothes. Hal was about to start in on the dishes, but Alex came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his chest. He rested a hand on her arm and leaned into her.

"Do you trust Rook?" she asked.

"I believe his motives are genuine."

"And the werewolves?"

"Are in over their heads. They will be none too pleased when they come-to in the woods tomorrow morning. Better disappointed than dead however."

Alex hugged him, resting her nose on the back of his neck. A moment passed until the sounds of Tom and Allison trodding back down the stairs broke them apart.

As they readied to leave, Alex noticed that Rook's pistol sat on the backside of the bar, discarded. No one made motions to take it, so Alex picked it up. It was lighter than it looked, designed to propel something other than a bullet. Hal glanced back at her and she raised the weapon with a question. "You aren't taking this?"

"I've dealt with werewolves plenty of times without such assistance. Besides, we will not be around to use it. You're teleporting us out."

"Yeah, but…" Alex paused awkwardly. How could she explain this dead dread she was feeling for them all? Richard's warning about the department's priorities repeated in her mind. "I'd feel better if you had it, is all."

Hal stepped close, his eyes searching hers. She knew he was well aware how much werewolves still frightened her, which was probably the only reason he acquiesced. After a pause, he took the pistol from her hands, then tucked it casually into the inner pocket of his jacket.

"Let's go."