Bring me to life

Title: Bring me to life 7 of 7
Author: Simplyshelly (simplyshelly2@earthlink.net)
Pairing: Craig Parker / Dave Wenham
See part 1 for disclaimer
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07/27/2004
The house was quiet as he came in, leaving his keys on the table by the door. It had been a long day but a good one. He'd spent most of the day at his agent's working out plans for next month's festivities and confirming a few more. It was a grueling schedule, allowing him one convention here in London, then flying to the US for another one the next weekend and immediately heading to Paris the following weekend. It would mean he'd spend several days just in travel, another month away from his house and jet lag was bound to be a problem along with lack of sleep. He'd done enough of these things by now that he knew he rarely slept and three in three countries over three weekends would definitely take everything he had. Considering his year off was coming to an end, Craig just wanted to go out with a bang and get in as many as he could schedule.

Keeping busy was extremely important to him right now, keeping him sane. He'd spent the first few days after arriving back in England holed up on his sofa, doing nothing more than sleeping, watching the telly and moping. Now it was time for him to return to the land of the living, air out his house, do his laundry and get out with people again. Today had been good for him. He'd spent hours going through fan mail, signing pictures and reminding himself he wasn't a complete bastard.

He poured the strong liquid into the tumbler, breathing in the heady aroma. Only the best. It cost a bit more but the taste was smoother and the effects potent. He thought about eating something but nothing looked appealing. He wasn't really hungry, more bored so it was best he didn't indulge. Wandering in the dtiontion of his stereo, he pressed the power button, instantly filling the room with a relaxing ambiance. He settled himself on his leather, overstuffed sofa and called his voice mail. Since he'd been in meetings all day, he'd had his phone on vibrate and he knew he'd come home to many messages.

The first two were from his accountant and could easily wait a day. They just needed his signature on a few things and to update him on the property he owned in New Zealand. He knew they didn't expect a call back. The next was from his mother, reminding him of his father's upcoming birthday. Craig had already arranged a gift so that was one thing already taken care of. There were a few from friends with invites for dinner and one very intimate proposal from another. Next was Oliver Driver checking in since he hadn't heard from Craig for a few days and just wanted to make sure he was still alive. Craig always liked messages from Ollie. Ollie was nuts and always made him smile.

Then Craig heard the voice, the only voice he really cared about hearing from but never expected to again.

"Hi. It's me. Look, I just got in. I'm at Heathrow and all I could think about during the thirteen hours of this flight was getting to you. Now that I'm here, I realize that I have no idea where you live. I don't even know if you're home or in the same country. With my luck, you probably got some fabulous offer and are trekking in the Conga right now but I at least had to try." There was a pause on the other end. "Okay, if you get this message and don't want to see me, fine. I understand but I saw you that day. What I don't understand is why you keep running from me. I'd like the chance to at least talk to you. I'm going to book myself a flight back home at seven. If you get this message and want to talk to me, call me."

Craig checked his watch and it was nearly six. The message had been left over four hours ago.

~~~~~~~~~~

Dave hung up his phone, feeling pretty stupid. Maybe Craig would get the idea that he just wanted to talk and then again maybe he'd think he was some crazed stalker and just delete it. But Dave had to do something. He'd been going crazy trying to forget the man but somehow always ended up thinking about nothing but.

The day he'd seen Craig standing out in front of his house had been the answer to all his prayers. Kate had been trying to talk him into just calling Craig but something kept stopping him. Seeing him there, actually live had just reminded Dave how much he'd grown attached to the Kiwi. Dave knew he judged Craig harshly that first day on the phone but he'd been hurt to find Craig had left. Then Dave spent some time talking with Hugo, finding out a bit more about this man who had come into his life.

Hugo had spent a considerable amount of time with Craig during the shoot hanging around at the hotel and had gotten to know a few things about Craig. The first thing that Hugo mentioned was that Craig was nice, truly, honest to goodness nice. He loved people and loved experiencing life. He was adventurous but not thrill seeking. When the hobbits and elf had gone off bungee jumping, Craig had found them insane. There was no way Craig would throw himself off of anything to fall hundreds of feet towards earth with nothing but a rubber band tied to his ankle. However, Craig was of a different class. He knew the man who invented bungee jumping.

Craig was naturally sophisticated. Hugo found it wonderful to watch Craig get into character of the silent guardian and the next second he'd be doing something so silly that most ten year olds would blush. Craig was completely in touch with his inner child but could be serious in the blink of an eye. He was in constant motion yet his mind always moved faster. He could blend in with the rich as well as with regular folks. He could talk about anything with anyone. He was one of the most intelligent people Hugo had ever met and Hugo had great respect for him.

Craig also had his mysteries. Hugo had gotten close enough to the younger man to see the brooding side as well. Craig had been perfecting his craft half his life. He had this uncanny ability to know when eyes were upon him and was rarely caught off guard. The jokes about his preening were all true, Craig wanted to appear a certain way and he was willing to pay any cost to get there. He liked his toys expensive and his indulgences often. He liked fine things – silks, salons and wines and felt like he deserved them.

While he l to to pamper himself, Craig also had this almost obsessive need to please. He hated to disappoint people and when he did – well, Hugo had been there a time or two to see Craig beat himself up, almost sadistically as self punishment. He was his own worse critic and he could be so harsh on himself. When people were happy, Craig was happy. Even if he was tired or in a bad mood or sick, Craig could put it all aside if it meant he'd make someone pleased. He felt that it was his personal mission to make people happy and while he was usually successful, occasionally he failed.

Dave remembered their time together. He'd been so absolutely attentive to Dave's needs. Dave thought about that night in the bar, when he asked the question, he knew Craig had heard the underlining true question. In fact, Craig had understood immediately what Dave was asking and without hesitation, without question or discussion, Craig brought Dave into a world of pleasure, of the most exquisite sensations and journey to completion that Dave had ever encountered. Craig allowed Dave to explore, to look upon him and learn. Craig had allowed Dave to enter him, never once pressuring Dave into accepting Craig, never asking more from Dave than what Dave wanted to give.

And the next morning, Dave had been hurt. Once the initial sting cooled and the more Dave learned, the more Dave chastised himself for being selfish. He wanted Craig there when he woke so that he could continue to explore, to learn. Only days later did he even consider the point that maybe, just maybe Craig had given him everything he had and maybe, just maybe, Craig left because he felt he had no more to give.

Dave tried to imagine what it must have felt like for Craig to come find him and look up to see Dave and Kate walking up the street. Pushing the baby stroller, arms linked, both had been so into talking quietly with each other that at first Dave didn't see him. As soon as Kate broke contact though, Dave had felt the beacon, the pull and he looked up. His stomach flipped, his lungs stopped and his heart, well, his heart immediately began beating so hard and fast that Dave swore he would pass out. They stared at one another for what felt like an eternity until finally Craig broke the stare. Seeing that Dave appeared happy, back with the woman in his life, complete with the child that Craig could never give him, Craig let him go to be – happy.

Dave had tried to contact Craig. He'd called his parent's house, spoken to his mother but according to her, as soon as Craig arrived back in New Zealand, he became very busy preparing for the debate. Dave left messages on Craig's mobile phone but they went unanswered. After a few days, Dave got the hint and stopped calling.

But then Dave spent the weekend with Billie. It turns out that Billie and Craig spent a considerable amount of time together during the filming and Billie had some insight that many of the others didn't have. First, Billie and Craig were the same age and similar personalities. Both loved humor and making people laugh but Billie was also someone Craig felt comfortable around enough to just be himself. They spent many nights talking until dawn, revealing secrets and dreams and hidden desires.

By the time the convention ended, Dave had changed his flight arrangements and booked a ticket to London.

He looked at his wristwatch for what was probably the thousandth time in four hours. He'd changed his ticket once again over an hour ago and now he just wanted to go home. He was tired, sick of airports and gravely disappointed. His flight was boarding and soon he'd be on his way, back to Kate and Eliza.

"Final boarding call for Flight QF032. Flight QF032 boarding now at Gate 19." Came the announcement.

Dave sighed. This was it. He packed up the magazines he'd purchased and shoved them into his bag. He stood, running his hands down his jeans, smoothing out the creases from sitting too long. He checked the area to make sure he didn't leave anything behind. He was stalling. He knew he was stalling. Just a few more minutes and Craig would come running down the hall, begging him not to board the plane. Dave looked around at all the faces, all strangers.

One last glance of the faces, Dave shrugged and handed his ticket to the flight attendant.

"Welcome, Mr. Wenham. Enjoy your flight." She smiled.

"Thank you." Dave said, wondering what in the world she had to smile so widely about.

~~~~~~~~~~

Craig lived close to the airport but even if he lived just right across the street, getting through London's Heathrow Airport was no easy task. Thankfully he'd spent a considerable amount of time in airports lately and he knew that any flights to Sydney would first have to go to Singapore, then on to Sydney out of Terminal 4. He pulled his car into the roof car park and parking quite illegally, he bolted into the terminal.

He didn't dare look at his watch, knowing that this would be close. Experience in airports would finally pay off because he knew what he needed to do in order to get past security. He made his way quickly to the airline check-in desk and slapped his identification onto the counter.

"Please, I need a pass to the departure area." He asked the young woman behind the counter. He'd chosen her specifically because she had assisted him several times in the past.

"Mr. Parker?" She asked, looking up at the almost crazed looking man standing before her, fidgeting worse than she had ever seen him. His face was covered in sweat, trails rolling down the sides of his face, hair going every which way and he looked wired.

"Please, Lizzy." He had clearly remembered her name. "I need to stop someone from getting on a plane. Please, I need your help." He begged, turning on every bit of charm he had.

Lizzy picked up the phone and dialed security. "Uh, hello sir. Yes, this is Elizabeth at check in. I'm calling about ..." She placed her hand over the receiver. "What flight?" She whispered to Craig.

Craig looked up at the monitor. "To Singapore. Gate 19. Flight QF032." He said quickly. He noticed that the flight had not yet taken off.

"Flight QF032. Have they had a final boarding call?" She listened for a moment. In the meantime, Craig flipped open his mobile phone and punched in the numbers. Lizzy looked at him sadly. "Mr. Parker, I'm afraid they are about to taxi to the runway. They've already boarded." She said. Just about that time, the call that Craig made connected.

~~~~~~~~~~

Dave just relaxed into his seat after stowing his carry-on and he pulled out his phone to turn it off for the flight. To his surprise, suddenly it started ringing.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Hello?"

"Please, you need to get off that plane." He pleaded.

"Excuse me?" Dave asked, looking around confused.

"Get off the plane, Daveraigraig repeated. In the meantime, Lizzy was doing what she could to get Craig to the gate.

"I...uh...I can't. They've shut the doors and we're about to ..."

"Get off the fucking plane!" Craig yelled, startling a woman standing next to him. "Please get off the plane. You can't leave like this. I just got your message and got here as soon as I could. Please, Dave. I'm begging you. Get off the plane." He was about to take off on his own when Lizzy handed him a pass and motioned for him to go.

Craig took off, running down the escalator as people stood aside. He kept talking on the phone as he ran.

"Dave, please, you've got to get them to let you off. Please, I was wrong. We need to talk this out. I can't stop thinking about you." Craig entered the terminal, followed closely by security. It seemed all the attendants in the terminal hadn aln alerted and were watching.

Craig was rushed past the security checkpoint but he set off the metal detector. Frantically he began emptying his pockets onto the conveyor belt, tossing his keys, wallet, change and everything else he had into the bowl. They scanned him again and this time he passed, once again taking off.

"Hey, you left..." The security guard yelled, watching Craig run.

"Dave, I'm an idiot. If you leave now, we're going to miss out on something..." Craig fly aly arrived at Gate 19. The airline attendants were watching, some smiling as the door to the ramp opened up and Dave walked out, phone held to his ear, looking a bit bewildered.

Both men stopped and looked at one another.

Suddenly, Craig felt their audience. He slowly lowered his phone.

"I'm sorry." Craig said, taking a few steps toward Dave.

Dave smiled, His heart was hammering in his chest and he couldn't help but to mentally compare Craig to a knight in shining armor.

"For what?" Dave asked, also taking a few steps forward, closing in the space between them.

"For leaving. For disappointing you. For not talking to you. For taking something so important from you. For not telling you how I felt." Craig said, the last coming out as a whisper as they stood directly in front of each other. "For not telling you that I cared about you."

"How do you feel about public displayed of affection?" Dave asked, his voice low as he placed his hands on Craig's hips.

"Considering how much attention I've attracted already just getting here, I don't think I have anything to lose." Craig smiled, draping his hands on Dave's shoulders and behind his neck.

"You're all sweaty." Dave whispered, his eyes taking in every inch of Craig's face.

"I ran all the way here. My keys and wallet are somewhere in security and my car probably been towed.

"Was it worth it?" Dave whispered, pulling Craig close in a tender embrace.

"Yes, it was." Craig brushed his cheek against Dave's. "Another chance with you is defiantly worth it." He whispered.

"I think I could fall in love with you." Dave whispered back, pressing a light kiss against Craig's ear.

"I think I could deal with that." Craig replied, pulling back slightly. The two men stood arm in arm, staring at each other.

"All my luggage is on that plane." Dave finally said with a smirk.

"I'll buy you new cloths." Craig replied without hesitation. "So, how long can you stay?"

"I may never leave." Dave replied as they finally broke apart, both blushing slightly. Craig reached out and took a hold of his hand, bringing it towards his lips.

"I could definitely deal with that." He placed a kiss to Dave's fingers. Their audience sighed at the tender display, the love between the two men showing clearly in their eyes.

"Can we go someplace maybe a bit more private?" Dave asked, adjusting his shoulder bag. He was very aware of the attention that they had drawn.

"My place?"

"I know I could definitely deal with ." Dave winked.

The End