Love Lost and Found

He frowned as he stepped outside and looked around once more. The street was empty. A few scattered cars were parking along the road and some visitors were entering or leaving the hospital but his partner was nowhere to be seen.
“There you are!” A heavy hand suddenly descended upon his shoulder.nchinching he turned and met Kyle’s dark-green eyes. “What kept you so long?” he demanded angrily, anger blazing from his eyes. Goodie suppressed a shudder and forced his breathing to remain even. “I wanted to talk to Mr Bloom.” He said seemingly calm “I saw no reason not to do that after you left so suddenly.”
“What did you tell him?” MacLachlan was positively furious now.
“I told him about the similarities between his case and the murders that happened three years ago.”
“You did what?” MacLachlan almost roared. “Why? How much does he know?”
“Only as much as was necessary. I told him I beed hed him and that I would see into the matter.”
“Why?” MacLachlan’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Are you going to do that? It’s obvious that Mortensen is the one responsible. Why did you do that?”
“I thought that’d be rather obvious.” Goodie sighed and trailed off, hoping that his partner would draw his own conclusions. A cunning smile suddenly lit MacLachlan’s face.
“So you decided to try that awful “bad cop – good cop” tactic? Well, if you think that’ll work... It’d surely be useful if he’d finally crack up and talk to us...”
Goodie just sighed and the followed his partner, glancing back at the hospital worriedly.

He sighed and continued to stare at the door in frustration. He was bored, bored, bored. And he wanted to get out of bed. He needed to do something. Shifting into a comfortable position he glanced at the magazines and newspapers that covered the bedside table. He had read them so often that he knew them, at least partially, by heart.
Finally he got up and dressed quickly in the clothes Ian and Peter had brought him. At least he didn’t look like a patient on the run anymore. No need to get caught. Stealthily he slipped outside and walked through the long, white corridors, following the signs till he finally found the Intensive Care Unit. He hid quickly behind a corner as he saw a nurse coming towards him and waited for her to walk past, his heart beating furiously. He breathed out a long sigh of relief as the danger was finally over. He quickly slipped into the station and peered into the rooms. All rooms had only one occupant, most of them connected to intravenous drips and other medical equipment that he’d rather not think about. His heart almost missed a beat, as he found Viggo. He pressed the palms of his hands against the glass and rested his head upon it. //And all this is my fault....// he thought slowly as he gazed inside. Viggo looked absolutely lost in the big, white bed, his face almost as white as the covers he lay beneath.
“What are you doing here?” A stern voice suddenly asked. Feeling guilty Orlando slowly turned around.
“Dr Stein!” He smiled and then stammered an explanation. “I... I just wanted... I I h I had to... to see...” he trailed off helplessly.
“It’s alright, boy.” Dr Stein said reassuringly. “I understand. But you could have asked instead of just sneaking out. Come on in.”
Gratefully Orlando followed the white-haired man into the room. His stomach seemed to be knotting itself into one big tangle and he felt almost sick with anxiety.
“This is all my fault...” he whispered quietly as he stared at Viggo. “All this would never have happened if I hadn’t told him...” Tears were burning in his eyes but he refused to let them fall.
He sobbed silently and then stiffened, as he suddenly noticed that Dr Stein had put a comforting hand onto his shoulder.
“It’s not your fault, Orlando.” The old man said soothingly. “The only one responsible for this is the one who stabbed him.”
“No...” Orlando whispered, resting his head against the doctor’s shoulder.
“If I hadn’t been drunk enough to tell him... he’d never have found out... and then I wouldn’t have tried to kill myself... and if I hadn’t tried to kill myself, he wouldn’t have taken me in... and if he hadn’t taken me in, the burglar wouldn’t have stabbed him... he was only looking for me.... he never meant to harm Viggo... it’s all my fault...”
“That are a lot of “ifs”.” Doctor Stein pointed out. “What did you tell him?”
“I told him that I loved him...” Orlando sobbed, freezing in shock as he realised what he had said. He slowly lifted his head and looked at Doctor Stein, his eyes insecure and swimming with tears. “I’m sorry...” he whispered as Dr Stein met his eyes evenly. “I should never have said that...” embarrassed he drew back, freeing himself from the doctor’s embrace. “You must despise me...”
“No...” the doctor slowly shook his head “I knew all along... it was obvious from the way you cared for each other’s well-being.”
“Oh...” Orlando felt his cheeks burn with a crimson blush.
“He loves you back, you know.” Dr Stein said smiling.
“Viggo? Me?” Orlando shook his head in disbelief. “I am ugly, tainted... I... hurt myself. Viggo could never love someone like me....” A single tear slid down his cheek, leaving a glistening trail on his olive skin. “He doesn’t love me.” He concluded, fighting back his tears.
“Does.” A hoarse voice suddenly rasped out beside them.
“Viggo!” Orlando gasped as he and doctor Stein turned in unison. “You’re awake again!”
“Love... you...” Viggo croaked before he drifted back into unconsciousness, the steady beeping of the life-monitoring machine the only sound filling the room. Helplessly Orlando turned to Doctor Stein.
“I told you so!” The older man said gleefully, a warm smile lighting his eyes-blue eyes. “But I think you’d better get back to your room and try to get some sleep, while I run a few tests on your friend here. You can visit him again tomorrow, alright?”
Embarrassed Orlando nodded and left the room, his cheeks still flushed.

He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling and absolutely unable to will himself to sleep. //Viggo’s back...// he thought happily. //Back awake... and he said he loved me!// His happy smile vanished as his gaze fell upon the almost fully healed wound and the scars on his left arm.
//But how can he? There’s nothing left of me to love...//
Startled he looked down as pain suddenly flared through his left hand. He had pressed his fingernails so hard against the back of his hand that the skin had broken. Four tiny, red droplets were blossoming upon his skin, stinging strangely. With a sad smile he dug his fingernails into his skin again, aware of it and relishing in the stinging caress of the pain this time. He could not understand why Viggo would say such a thing, after all he had done to the elder man. //He was still delirious...// he told himself. //He didn’t know what he was saying and he surely didn’t mean it!// Sighing he lay back against the pillows, trying to forget everything. He knew he couldn’t live without Viggo anymore. Even if the older man hadn’t meant what he said, the hope to hear these words from him again would tear him apart.
//Hope...// he thought bitterly, //Why is it always hope that destroys me?//
A wave of relief washed over him as his mind was finally swallowed by blackness once more.

Tbc...