Title: Legacy (part XI)
Author: BELOVEDbyWAR
Rating: PG
TV verse: Blood Ties
Disclaimer: Not mine, not making any money.
Summary: Waking Mike
AN: Thanks to luvinmike for beta-reading!
WK: 1198
Thanks to Vampbaby, Sin Angel and Endgame65 for reviewing!
Part XI:
The greatest power… Henry was not quite sure.
No… It could not be that obvious, could it?
Henry knew that everything had been fine until Mike had spoken with Vicki. Therefore the elf's sudden mysterious illness had something to do with her. But what could possibly have happened to cause such a physical response from the detective?
Well, there was only one way to find out.
Henry called her back.
After careful, strategic questioning, Henry had a vague idea how the conversation had gone. It was quite ironic that he could understand his adversary so well. Vicki did not realize how she played with their hearts and how her attempts at friendship and neutrality were usually more painful than an outright rejection.
Was this what had caused the blond's current condition? He hoped not.
Taking one of Mike's big hands into his slightly smaller ones, he looked over the unconscious man. Henry had rarely encountered anyone as strong-willed and stubborn as Vicki and Mike. Contrary to Betty's theory, was it possible that the blond's new body had weakened the cop? Was he no longer as immune to Vicki's attitude as he previously had been? Had something shifted in their relationship? Or maybe it was both.
Henry was not sure but the last few weeks had been difficult at best and the two best friends had done more arguing than actually speaking to each other, at least as far as he had witnessed.
Looking closer at the other man, the vampire clearly saw the drawn expression edged into his face, even while unconscious. Mike looked sad, pained, and hopeless. And being so close to Celluci, Henry could almost taste and feel it. The feeling was indeed so strong that it weighed on his soul and the vampire's heart went out to the blond.
As irritating as the man may be, he still did not deserve to suffer so deeply. Surely Mike had not given up hope? That was a ridiculous thought! Henry could not imagine the larger man simply rolling over without a fight. But…that's exactly what it appeared he was doing.
This thought enraged the vampire. How could Celluci think so little of both Vicki and himself? Henry knew Vicki loved the cop and had had a hard time accepting it, to be honest! So, if even he could see it, how come Mike could not?
And then a sudden realization hit him. He did not want Celluci to give up! He had gotten so used to their little triangle that he had accepted the other man's constant presence in his life. And believe it or not he, being a creature of habit, did not want the blond to quit!
"Come on Celluci. I don't want to win like this! Don't you want to fight for Vicki? She loves you, you know? And even I have gotten used to your… - mmh, you being around. So, stop this! Wake up!"
Nothing changed. Henry sighed.
"Nothing is ever easy with the two of you!"
So that left the vampire with only one option.
The greatest power on earth Betty had said. Well, if legends and Hollywood were right, it could only be one thing: Love.
He guessed Mike had felt rejected by Vicki and his new nature could not handle this heartache, so it was now shutting down. Henry had to stop it before it was too late.
Granted, he did not love the blond, but he had to admit that the man was not without his virtues. He was courageous, loyal, witty, intelligent, and not at all hard on the eyes. In short, he had grown to like him. An acquired taste, so to speak, but like a good wine, something you grow to cherish.
So, taking a deep breath, Henry could think of only one last way he had not tried in awakening the other man, and he hoped that fairytales were really based on small truths.
Still holding Mike's hand, Henry carefully bent over, thinking the whole time how much they needed the blond in their lives and how much even Henry would miss him. He was just tilting his head a little bit more to the side when he suddenly heard, yes even felt, a startled, deep intake of breath and wide, blue eyes - only inches from his own - looked at him in astonishment.
Both bodies seemed frozen in that position until a soft, unsure voice asked:
"Fitzroy? What are you doing?"
Like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar, Henry quickly leaned back.
"I had to make sure you were still alive. You would not wake up," was the lame explanation.
"Riiiight! And you planned to revive me with mouth to mouth? Had I stopped breathing?"
Henry simply threw him an annoyed look and stood, wearing his best "Prince of Men" expression.
"See if I care next time!" he barked before he swiftly stalked out of the room, holding his head high, his body practically screaming that "His majesty is leaving the building".
As he left, an enraged little fur ball entered the room, looking at the vampire as if he knew what had almost happened. The raccoon ran to Mike and climbed him as fast as he could, coating the elf's face with saliva as it licked his face affectionately.
Mike removed the little fellow, petting him absent-mindedly.
"What just happened?" Mike was not sure, but he had a feeling he had missed something important.
'See if I care next time?' Ha, Mike should have responded: 'Oh so you care for me, then?'
But hey, there was always a next time! Grinning, Mike thought about how he would rile the vampire the next time they met until his hand was nudged by a cold, wet nose.
Big, beady eyes looked at him expectantly and when a loud growl announced the animal's hunger, all his other thoughts dissipated and Mike laughed.
"You are insatiable!" he declared before they made their way to the kitchen.
-
In the basement in his safe haven, Henry paced back and forth.
Oh, this, this, grrr….! How dare that man, elf – whatever – taunt him like that! He had been wrong! He would not miss that overbearing ass at all! No! Not. A. Little. Bit!
Throwing himself on his bed like the 20-year-old he looked, he agnoized about the situation, but soon calmed down. When he thought some more about it, a smirk crept over his face.
What had he expected? Sleeping Beauty falling in the arms of her prince? Now, that was a thought that almost made him laugh out loud. Mike was as far from the obedient, little princess as one could be and he was sure as hell not Celluci's prince!
Oh well, everything was back to normal and hadn't that been what Henry had wanted? Yep! Tomorrow he would show the other man! After all, Mike had to get trained on his new weapons and Henry was sure he could show the taller man a thing or two.
With visions of Mike falling on his backside, Henry eventually died for the day as, above him, a noisy pair raided the pantry.