Mpreg -- WIP, RP
Nov. 2nd, 2009 11:48 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
la_samtyrTitle: Mpreg (Orli/Viggo, Orli/??, ??/??)
~~~~~
“You feeling ok, babe?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
Orli snuggled against Viggo’s arm, and the older man sighed quietly knowing they both were perfectly content. They watched the fire, thinking about the holiday season. Orli’s daughter Emma was old enough to be interested in the Christmas preparations and had been wildly excited at the idea of Father Christmas/Santa Claus visiting her.
The muffled sound of tapping woke them from their nap, and Orli stretched before standing awkwardly.
“I’ll get it, Vig.” Orlando walked cautiously toward the front door as the tapping seemed to take on a more frantic note. He opened the door and smiled hesitantly at the dark-haired young man.
“Jake.”
“Hi, Orli. Let me in please? I don’t want the paparazzi to find me.”
The very idea of a horde of photographers and film crews bearing down on his home was too much for Orlando to bear and he pulled the door open so Jake could slip inside.
“Orli? Who? Oh, it’s you.” Viggo frowned inwardly at the arrival of a third party in the form of Jake but managed to keep his face and voice pleasant. "Hello, Jake."
“Yeah, sorry to show up like this but my flight was cancelled, and well…” Jake broke off, biting at his lower lip.
“We don’t need to expect an Aussie invasion now, do we?” Viggo had no interest in being any part of the continuing drama that was Jake and his lovers.
“No-ooo.” Jake’s voice did nothing to reassure either of the other two men, and they were resigned to the idea of someone else showing up and looking for Jake before long.
The three men stood awkwardly in the entrance hall.
“Well, I’d better see the guest room is ready. Come on Jake.” Jake nimbly followed Orlando up the stairs while Viggo sighed in annoyance and locked the door.
As they entered the upper hall, Orlando gestured to the far door. “You’ll have to use the old computer room, Jake. I turned your bedroom into her nursery.”
“Ok,” Jake replied as he hesitated before the door. “Can I look at her? I won’t wake her, I promise.”
“Sure,” Orlando said as he eased the door open. Jake moved quietly inside and stared down at the tiny face, illuminated by a night light. “She looks just like...”
"her father." Orlando smiled knowingly and moved out of the room. Jake followed as they walked down the hall.
“What really brings you here, Jake? You could have stayed at any hotel you wanted and it would have been just as private.”
“Orli, I… “ Jake sat heavily on the bed, dropping his head down. “It’s a long story.”
“Tell me.” Orlando sat down in a nearby rocking chair as his legs ached suddenly. “We don’t have secrets from each other.”
“Just the one, right?” Jake smiled but it was an unexpectedly haunted smile. “Orli, you…” He broke off as he appeared to see Orlando for the first time. “Again? Viggo?”
“Yes.” Orlando placed a hand on his gently swelling stomach. “And I’m very happy, Jake. Vig and I are right together.”
“That’s good. I’m happy for you.” Jake twisted his watch around until Orlando worried that he’d break the band. “Really. I mean it.”
“You were saying?” Orlando prodded Jake back to the subject at hand. “You know I won’t repeat anything and neither will Vig.”
“It’s… complicated.” Jake ran his hands through his hair leaving it sticking wildly in all directions. “You know about Peter… that dumb quote he made when we were filming ‘Jarhead’?”
“More or less.” Orlando had a vague memory of Jake’s co-star saying he liked the brother and sister equally well, or something of the sort. “What about it?”
“Well, I came to visit Maggie here in London -- you know that she’s filming ‘Dark Knight’ with Heath…”
“Go on.” Orlando shifted uneasily in the rocker. He had a bad feeling about whatever it was Jake intended to say next. “You came to see Maggie, and?”
“Well…” Jake looked down at the floor, apparently fascinated by the intricate pattern in the Oriental rug.
“Jake.” Orlando’s voice held a warning note in it. “Quit stalling and tell me.”
“I had some papers that Mom wanted me to give to Maggie.” Here Jake paused and Orlando didn’t want to pry into what was clearly family business. “I didn’t want to go to the set, so I went to Maggie’s room to wait for her. And I… I…found…”
“What is it, Jake?” Orlando questioned gently. “It can’t be as bad as that, can it?
“She’s sleeping with Heath.” Jake covered his face as his shoulders shook with muffled sobs. “And no, there isn’t any mistake.”
“I can’t believe it.” Orlando was totally stunned by the news. If it had been anyone else, he would have not-so-politely informed them that he had no interest in tabloid gossip. He didn't know what say to his friend. "What exactly did you find?"
"Pictures, video." Jake looked up briefly. "A few weeks ago Pete and I came over with Maggie just before filming started, to just have time together before... and Heath was already here, so we... we... had a pre-filming party. Christian was there too, and a few other people that we knew were discreet."
Orlando nodded, understandingly. It was hard to be in the media spotlight all of the time and having your every move scrutinized. His extended leave of absence from film was being blamed on his bad back, which was genuinely extra-sensitive right now. Orlando’s publicist made certain sure that his renewed interest in painting had been leaked to the press as well.
"I... Orli, can we talk about this in the morning? I feel all done in." Jake's blue eyes were strangely pale, almost grey-looking and Orlando knew he must be exhausted.
"Of course we can Jake. You know that." Jake helped pull Orlando to his feet and the two young men hugged each briefly. "I'll see you in a few hours then?"
"Yeah." Jake yawned, stretching and rolling his shoulders to get the knots out. "I might sleep late but don't worry about me. Ok?"
"Ok." Orlando opened the door, sensing Viggo's presence nearby. "Later."
Viggo stepped out from the shadows of the long hall and stretched his hand out to the younger man, who was grateful for the extra support. Once back in their room, Viggo silently helped Orlando into bed, making sure that he was comfortable before shutting off the light. Orli rested against Viggo, the older man's presence acting as a much-needed support.
"Want your feet rubbed?" Viggo asked him.
"Not now, maybe later on." Orli sighed briefly as he tried not to think of Jake's troubles but it was impossible. He considered telling Viggo what Jake had told him but decided against it. It would be much simpler to let Jake re-tell the story over breakfast. "You don't mind him being here, do you Vig?"
"Of course I don't." Viggo's voice took on a no-nonsense tone as he continued. "But I won't stand for our lives being disrupted by him either. I know the two of you are friends but you don't need the extra stress right now."
"Jake wouldn't have come to me if he'd thought he had a choice." Orlando rubbed a hand across his eyes and yawned. “I just need to sleep.”
"The extra rest will do both of you good." Orlando knew by those words that Viggo wasn't going to argue the point but he wouldn't let anyone off the hook either. "Sleep as long as you need. I'm an excellent nanny."
“Vig, I promise we’ll talk.” Orlando yawned again and snuggled up to his partner. "I'm going to try and sleep in a bit longer in the morning."
“It’s morning already,” Viggo grumbled but there was no anger in his tone.
Viggo opened the door to get the morning paper, not exactly surprised when the large bundle of rags he found in the doorway unfolded to reveal Heath Ledger braced in the frame. The young Australian had wedged himself so that the slightest movement of the door would wake him. Heath yawned and blinked owlishly at Viggo.
"Where's Jake?"
"Did you forget how to say hello, Ledger?"
"Hello. Where's Jake?"
Viggo sighed. This was not how he wanted to start the day. He reminded himself to be polite as he forced himself to smile – if baring one’s teeth could be considered a smile.
"I'm the only one up right now, Ledger. I suggest you come back later."
"I want to see Jake." Ledger had an obstinate look in his eye.
"Ledger." Viggo stared hard at the younger man. "This is a private residence. You have not been invited here, and I have already told you that everyone else is asleep. I suggest you come back at a more reasonable hour."
"You can't keep me from seeing Jake, Mortensen. I want to see him and I want to see him now."
"Listen to me." Viggo felt a headache starting and gritted his teeth. The last thing he needed was to get in a brawl. With his luck, some paparazzi was already camped out in the shrubs, getting everything down on film. "You’re going to leave and leave right now before we both regret it."
"You..." Heath didn't say anything more but glared sullenly at the older man. "You make sure you tell Jake I want to see him."
"I promise to tell him you were here and asked to see him."
Heath wasn't quite satisfied with this but he decided to leave before someone noticed his presence.
"You can tell the others that if they show up here unannounced that they won't be welcomed either. This is a private home, and it will be treated as such. Understand? Call first. Orlando isn't well and I won't be having him upset."
"Right." Heath glared briefly once more at Viggo before slouching away.
Viggo picked up the morning paper and as he stood, he happened to glance at Ledger. Viggo shuddered as he felt the hair on the back of his neck bristling. Eerily, the larger than life Australian seemed as if he were fading from view. Something was wrong here, very wrong.
“Ledger,” he called, his voice sounding oddly strained in his ears. “If you promise to be quiet, you can come inside.”
Heath turned around, eyeing the other man suspiciously. This change in attitude wasn’t typical of Mortensen. But he noticed that the older man seemed strangely pale now, when only moments before he had seemed in perfect health. Maybe Mortensen was sick. He was in his forties, after all.
“Right, I’ll be quiet. No worries.” Heath said as he walked through the door Viggo held open.
The two men stood awkwardly in the foyer, neither quite knowing what to say. Viggo wished he had a better idea of what to do next. He didn’t know Ledger that well, and he had never been good at making small talk, but he didn’t want to disturb either Orlando or Jake. Fortunately, he was saved by Emma’s arrival.
“Eat, daddy. Want eggs.” The little girl looked curiously at Ledger but quickly turned her attention back to Viggo. “Daddy! I hungry!”
“Ok, honey, breakfast is coming up.” Viggo smiled down at the toddler, who had once again turned her attention to Ledger. “Emma, this is a friend of ours, Heath. Can you be a big girl and say hello to him?”
“Hello.” She dimpled as she smiled prettily at Ledger, who smiled back at her. It was easy to see that Emma had Orlando’s strikingly dark good looks but her eyes were a curious shade of blue. //The child must take after her mother then.// Heath thought to himself.
“Hello, Emma.” Heath bowed to her and she giggled. “I’m pleased to meet such a lovely young lady.”
Emma smiled back, a wide million-watt grin that seemed oddly familiar. He tried to ignore it though and not think of how much he missed his own daughter.
Viggo remained quiet as he began preparing breakfast, trying to keep to a normal routine in front of Emma. Ledger already sensed that something was wrong and Viggo didn’t feel up to answering questions.
“Can I help you with anything?”
“No, it’s fine.” For once Viggo was at a loss for words. He didn’t quite know what he was supposed to do with his unexpected guest but at least he knew what Emma wanted for breakfast.
Luckily Emma decided that Heath was here to entertain her and kept him distracted with a long involved discussion of her crayon art.
~~~~~
Jake struggled to sit up, in the welter of blankets that had twisted around him in his restless sleep. He didn’t feel good; in fact he hadn’t felt good since the night of the big party and he didn’t think he’d be feeling better anytime soon.
“You awake?” Orlando carefully pushed open the door and stared closely at Jake.
“Yeah.” Jake sighed and stretched briefly before holding onto his side. “I don’t feel too good though.”
“When were you going to tell me?”
“Tell you what?” Jake squeaked, mortified that he had been caught out. “I don’t have anything to tell.”
“Jake, don’t try and play me, alright?” Orlando refused to be distracted by Jake’s attempt to avoid the issue and nodded briefly toward the door. “It’s safe here. You know that you can say anything and it won’t be repeated. You know that we’re the same.”
Orlando sat carefully and placed his hand over Jake’s. “Come on, tell me.”
“Well, since you already know…” Jake sighed tiredly. “I came here to have that procedure. I can’t do this now, Orli. I just can’t. I have a big movie I’m starting in two weeks; it will cost a fortune if I back out – there’s no way they can shoot around me for very long either.” Jake had an expression of exquisite hurt flicker across his face before adding, “You know my history, Orli. I know what will happen. I never get past the first tri, and I won’t go through it again. I can’t go through it again. I just can’t.”
Orlando grabbed Jake as the younger man slumped forward, sobbing quietly and gently rubbed his shoulders.
“It’s ok, really We’ll eat breakfast, then I’ll call my doctor and get you an appointment.” Orlando hoped he didn’t sound as cold and calculating as he feared. He also hoped that he could avoid Viggo’s involvement as much as possible. “I understand, Jake. You know that.”
“It’s not about being bi, you know. It never was. But the damned press would not let up on the lame jokes, it was constantly in our faces no matter what… and so we decided to try and play it straight until things died down a little. Only now… what do I do, Orli? I never expected that Maggie, of all people…”
“I know, Jake. I know.”
“Thanks, bro.” Jake smiled tiredly. “I wish this was a happier visit.”
“I know. But you’re also going to have to face Maggie and Heath sooner or later.”
Jake’s face took on an obstinate look and for a moment Orlando was afraid he would decide to storm out of the house. But just as quickly, Jake seemed to shrink inside himself.
“I’ll talk to them, Orli. I promise. I just don’t…not right now, ok?”
“Ok.” Orlando stood as carefully as he had sat. “Will you be down for breakfast?”
“No. I’ll just be sick again.” Jake blinked sleepily at him. “Maybe later on…”
Orlando nodded and left as Jake laid back down, making sure to shut the door. He frowned slightly as he walked down the hall, noticing that Emma’s room was empty. She must have been hungry and decided to look for Viggo.
“Hey, Vig,” Orli called as entered the kitchen. “Where’s…”
His voice trailed off as he noticed Ledger sitting at the table, drinking a cup of tea. The Australian looked up hopefully, his face falling in disappointment.
“Orlando.”
“Heath, hi.” Orlando stared worriedly at his one-time co-star. The man looked exhausted, as if he had pushed his body beyond its normal limits. “I didn’t know you were here. That is… I mean, I knew you were in London.”
“It’s ok, Orli. I knew what you meant.” Heath sipped at his tea. “I hear you’re taking time off because of your back and working on your art.”
“Uh, yeah. Right.” Orlando distractedly ran his hand through his curls as he sat down and poured himself a cup of tea. “Where’s Vig?”
“Laundry, maybe?” Heath shrugged his shoulders. “He didn’t tell me. Your daughter’s with him.” Heath tilted his head and looked quizzically at Orlando. “I never knew you had a little girl, Orli. She definitely has your hair, but her eyes -- she must take after her mother, yeah?”
Orlando choked and sputtered at that innocent remark, banging the cup on the table. He dimly realized that Viggo had a rather good point about using microwave-safe plastic cups instead of china for early morning use.
“Her mother, yeah.” Orlando finally caught his breath. “Look Heath, I don’t want to talk about Emma’s mother ok? Emma might overhear and she’s not old enough to understand certain things.”
“Right, right.” Heath felt bad at seeing the other man’s distress. It must have been a bad break-up, or maybe Orlando had hired a surrogate. Heath certainly couldn’t remember any special girlfriends. “Sorry. I won’t mention it again.”
~~~~~
It took Jake several minutes before he could fall asleep again. He knew he could trust Orlando to keep his secret but he didn’t know about Mortensen. It would help if he could find out just how much the older man knew about his past, but he’d have to wait until he could ask Orlando privately. And then there was Emma to be considered. Jake didn’t want to do anything that would cause trouble for her.
~~~~~
Orlando looked up as Viggo entered the kitchen. The older man was upset about something but Orlando couldn’t quite read this particular mood. Viggo merely glanced away, shaking his head at Orlando.
//Good morning, Legolas.//
//What is going on, Estel? Why did you allow him in?//
//He is fading. Can’t you see it?//
//*Fading?* What are you talking about?//
//”Look at him, my friend. Look carefully.//
Orlando widened his eyes in shock. Viggo had struggled to separate himself from his role as Aragorn but at times Orlando didn’t think the Dane had never quite made the transition back. At least it appeared that way to Orlando. Of course, being so closely bound to one’s co-star over such an extended period of time did make a difference. It was so easy to slip into character without realizing it. And Viggo seldom, if ever, spoke Elvish in front of strangers, especially in their home saying it was incredibly rude to do so if the other people couldn’t speak or understand it as well.
“What’s wrong? Orli?” Heath’s voice broke in, startling him.
“Nothing.” Orlando stammered, trying to think of a plausible explanation. “Vig… he gets migraines sometimes and with bad ones, he tends to slip into Elvish. The night shoot at Helm’s Deep…”
‘Oh.” Heath took a sip of his tea, nodding in assent. Being a Method actor himself, he understood Viggo. The older man had nearly lost himself in the role, to the extent that the director had addressed him as ‘Aragorn’ on set for nearly a full day before realizing it.
~~~~~
Things had finally settled down once more after Heath’s unexpected arrival. Viggo had fixed a large breakfast for everyone and luckily Orlando had gotten over some of his more unusual food sensitivities.
“This is good, thank you.” Heath said to Orlando.
Orlando looked away in embarrassment. “You’re welcome,” he answered distractedly, trying to decide if he should try to wake Jake up. “What’s the news from the set?”
“They’re pushing the schedule around to accommodate Maggie.”
“Oh? Why is that?” Viggo looked at Heath curiously.
“She’s preggers.” Orlando’s stunned look made Heath feel as if he had rattled a family skeleton though he couldn’t imagine why. “It happened a few weeks ago.”
”The night of the party?” Orlando managed to choke out.
“I guess…” Heath looked up sharply. “How did you know about the party?”
”Jake mentioned something about it the last time he was here, that you had a party.”
“Yeah, well I don’t know if that was when it happened or not. Maggie’s not saying much to anyone, though she seems to be angry with Peter. And me, and Christian.” Heath rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. “Tell you what mate, you want to watch out for her. The lady has one wicked left. Her right isn’t wimpish either.”
Viggo watched his husband and their guest closely. He knew something must be wrong but he didn’t know what the problem was and he didn’t want to interfere. Orlando looked very worried now, as he hastily excused himself.
As Orlando went up the stairs to Jake’s room, he wonder how he should break the news to Jake, or even if he should be the one to do so. Maggie should tell him herself but Jake hadn’t seen her yet. Orlando sighed. //One thing at a time, Orli// he thought. //First, I need to tell Jake that Heath is here, then find out what happens next.//
“Orli?” Jake was half-asleep when Orlando came back in his room. “Sorry that I’m not up yet.”
“It’s ok, Jake. Get as much rest as you can.” Orlando watched him closely. “You don’t mind if I talk do you?”
“Nah, go ahead.”
“This is really personal. I’m sorry Jake but I have to ask anyway. Do you know who the father is?”
“Not for certain.” Jake looked up tiredly, the dark circles under his eyes even more pronounced than before. “But I think it was Heath. Yeah, it must have been Heath.”
“Did you ever tell him about your, um, health?”
“Not really.” Jake looked down and twisted the heavy quilt in his hands. “I know I should have told him right away. But you know how it is. You just want to seem normal for as long as you can.” He laughed bitterly. “It’s not like the agencies are going to want us if we’re freaks.”
“Jake, you have to talk to him. If you hide this, he’s bound to find out and he’ll never forgive you.”
“He’s here, isn’t he?” Jake looked up sharply at that. “How did… oh never mind, Orli.”
“Yes.” Orlando paused for a moment before continuing. “He showed up for breakfast and he met Emma. He asked me about her mother.”
“Oh, fuck.” Jake dropped his head into his hands. “That’s just great. Where is she now?”
“Vig took her to the nursery, so she’s with her nanny.”
~~~~~
Jake and Orlando entered the kitchen together.
“Jake.” Heath looked up and smiled at his former co-stars. Orlando realized just how lethal that smile was, and not for the first time, Orlando wondered what might have happened between them if Heath hadn’t been involved with Naomi during the ‘Kelly’ shoot.
Heath pulled Jake into a quick hug and only Orlando noticed the sudden flinch that shadowed Jake’s eyes.
“Heath.” Jake slipped out of the hug as quickly as he could. “Easy there, I think I cracked a rib or something.”
“Are you ok?” Heath’s brown eyes betrayed his worry.
“Sure, I’m fine.”
“Does anyone want an omelet?” Viggo cleared his throat, trying to buy some time and wishing he had better conversational skills right now. It would help if there was a script he could call to mind for such a situation.
“No,” Jake and Orlando replied as one. “No eggs.”
“Just toast and juice, please.” Jake added. “And coffee – no cream, no sugar.”
“Sure thing.”
~~~~~
Maggie stealthily entered her hotel room, hoping that Heath would out for a change. When he had showed up at her door in the middle of the night over a month ago, in an attempt to hide from the press and determined fans, she agreed because of the harried look in his eyes.
Unfortunately, her room proved to be a little too effective as a hideout because Heath had gradually moved more and more of his things in until it looked as if they were living together. An extra toothbrush in the bathroom was one thing but their family pictures sharing dresser space was a different story again. To say nothing of the collection of rags he called clothing and that damned skateboard…
For once the room was empty, though she frowned when she saw the mess that had been left behind. Clothes and snapshots had been strewn over the bed and she leaned over to put them away in a dresser drawer. She stared briefly at the “couple” photos that had been taken of them as a joke at that damned party. The party. That had been her mistake of the year, because as near as she could figure, that was the night she had gotten pregnant. Damn. She did not need to be pregnant right now, with Ramona was only a few months old. But her morning sickness had carried over to the set, and now they were scrambling to accommodate her before she started to show.
Maggie paused briefly, wondering if Heath had brought someone back here in her absence. Things seemed slightly off to her and she knew that it wasn’t because of Heath. Shrugging briefly, she began to undress and get ready for a long-overdue shower.
Relaxing under the warm spray, Maggie felt her neck muscles relax. She supposed that she didn’t really mind being pregnant except for the timing. She ignored a tiny voice that had insinuated itself in her darkest thoughts, the one that kept asking her if she was sure she knew who the father was. It was Peter, of course.
//Ah, but are you sure?// The voice slyly asked. //That was some party, and you hadn’t been with Peter before then, and he left right away after that didn’t he? Maybe he smelled another man on your skin?//
//Shut up damn you. It was Peter. It is Peter.//
//”Oh really? Then why did you allow Heath to move in with you? Why did you really allow it? Jealousy?//
//Jealousy? I’m not jealous.// Maggie nearly laughed out loud at the idea of this weird conversation she was having inside her head. //Michelle is sweet. She’s a friend. I’m certainly not jealous of her.//
//But you are jealous of Jake. Admit it, don’t you want to know the truth about what happened in Alberta before Michelle arrived? He tells you everything, doesn’t he. But he’s never told you about that. Has he, Maggie dearest?//
~~~~~
“Vig, we have to talk.”
At the older man’s puzzled glance, Orlando nodded his head in the direction of the artists studio.
Orlando entered the room first and Viggo shut the door tightly.
“What do you want, Orli?”
Orlando walked over to the big north window and stared blankly out. He should have told Viggo more about his family history a long time ago but at first it had been too awkward and then it hadn’t seemed to make that much difference.
“It’s about my family.” Orlando swallowed nervously. “It’s hard to explain, you know. I don’t like to bring up the past much. Vig, you have to know that I never meant to hide anything from you. I don’t want you to think I was being dishonest or lying. I meant to tell you sooner but it was just easier to wait for a better time. You do believe me, don’t you?” Orlando’s dark eyes pleaded with Viggo to believe, to understand.
“Of course I do.” Viggo nodded, not wanting to interrupt. Orlando’s agitation was clear to see and Viggo knew that Orlando would never deceive him.
“I didn’t know about my… medical history for a long time. In fact, I’m not sure when I would have found out – it’s not exactly common. If I hadn’t fallen and hurt my back…” Orlando sighed, pressing his forehead against the window frame. “When I was in the hospital, those first days -- it was really bad for awhile, Vig. Worse than I’ve ever said to anyone, including you. I’m so sorry. I know I should have said something sooner but I’ve tried to forget as much as I can. I just… I’m sorry, ok? Anyway, at one point, the doctors thought I might need a kidney transplant. I didn’t, but they wanted to be ready because my blood type is rare. The doctors ran a lot of tests on me and added the information to an international registry. My family were good matches but the best match came from America.”
Viggo listened intently. It was a little uncommon but not unheard of for a donor match to turn up outside of family with the access of computer databases.
“Anyway, the hospital contacted the American donor as a precaution. And interestingly enough, the donor was living in London at the time. It wasn’t until later that I discovered that I had another sibling. A younger brother, to be exact.”
“Jake.” Viggo said tonelessly. So many things made sense to him now – why the two young men seemed so similar at times, yet were so very different.
“Yes,” Orlando confirmed this. “To be exact, Jake is my half-brother and it turns out we have many things in common. Including being *freaks.”
“Orli.” Viggo stood and wrapped his arms around his young husband, kissing him lightly on the neck. “Don’t say that. I don’t think of you like that. You know that. You’re not a freak.”
Orlando sighed and leaned back, letting himself be comforted by Viggo’s calm strength. There was a lot more he had to tell, and it wouldn’t be any easier. It would be better if Jake had been able to be with him.
“It’ll be alright, Orli. I understand about Jake now, and I promise that I’ll try and be more patient with him.”
“That’s not all, Vig.”
”What do you mean, Orli?”
“Jake’s like me.” Orlando sighed tiredly. “Enciente, and all that. I mean, right now, as of this moment, Jake’s expecting.”
“Oh hell.” Viggo’s eyes darkened with worry. “You didn’t tell him what Heath said about Maggie did you?”
“No. Things are awkward enough as it is without adding to it.”
Orlando continued to stare blindly out the window. There was so much more to tell Vig, yet he hesitated because he felt uneasy telling so much of Jake’s personal life without Jake’s express permission.
“What aren’t you telling me, Orli? I know you haven’t told me everything yet.” The older man’s voice never failed to calm him. Orlando reminded himself just how lucky he was that their age difference worked in their favor. If he had been with someone nearer his own age, it would be much more awkward. Viggo had a better perspective of life than most people would. Viggo pressed a soft kiss on the young man’s neck. “It’ll be ok. You know I won’t be mad or upset with you.”
“Vig, it’s just that there’s so much – I don’t know where to start.” Orlando’s back was starting to ache again, and he really hoped that things were going to be easier this time, it didn’t seem like it. “I need to check on Jake first. You don’t know what a temper that kid has.”
Viggo stared in dismay. //Temper must run in the family,// he mused.
~~~~~
Heath watched as Jake picked at his toast. It looked to him as if Jake wasn’t feeling too well and the Australian wondered if he should say something. He didn’t want to start the day with an argument, so he sipped at his tea and waited for Jake to speak first.
Jake was in no mood to talk to Heath. It had been bad enough when they had been forced to separate in Alberta but they had still planned to be together. Michelle’s pregnancy had changed things but even so they had remained close. But now though, everything was different. *Maggie made everything different. Jake had no idea how he would ever be able to face his big sister – she was the one person he had trusted absolutely and without reservation. But now she had betrayed him too.
The long silence grated on Heath’s nerves and he finally spoke.
“I didn’t know you were coming over Jake. Maggie didn’t say anything.”
“Maggie didn’t know,” Jake snapped, trying to hold his temper. “I’m here on my own.”
“Oh.” Heath floundered, trying to gauge Jake’s sudden dark mood. “Well, I have the day free and I thought you might want to do something.”
“Really.” Jake replied. “So just how did you know I was even here?”
“You were spotted at the hotel.”
“Oh hell.” Jake scowled darkly. “Funny, I didn’t think the paparazzi knew the meaning of low profile.”
“They don’t.” Heath smiled smugly. “I made friends with some of the fans who work near it, and I promised them lunch if they would let me know if any of my close family or friends showed up.”
“So you followed me here.” Jake was even less than happy about Heath drawing the fans in.
“Yeah, I did.” Heath smirked at his lover. Jake might get mad but he never stayed mad for very long. “So, how about we find a more pleasant way to visit, yeah? Do you think that we could go upstairs?”
“No.” Jake was getting angry now. He hadn’t expected Heath to be completely faithful – after all, they did have to keep a low profile, making sure they were seen with women but he never expected to find betrayal on all sides. “How come you aren’t needed on set?”
“I do a lot of filming at night.” Heath was thankful that this wasn’t a lie. He didn’t want to be the one who told Jake that he was going to be an uncle again. That news should come from Maggie or Peter. “So for now, my days are a little more free.”
“Must be nice,” Jake muttered into his coffee.
“C’mon baby.” Heath got up and stood behind Jake, wrapping his arms around Jake’s shoulder and nuzzling his neck. Jake shivered and leaned into the firm embrace. Heath gently took an earlobe between his teeth, pulling lightly on the delicate flesh. “We don’t get a chance like this often. Let’s go back to my room.”
“Leave me the fuck alone,” Jake yelled as he jumped out of the chair, his vision obscured by a sudden red haze. “Damn you anyway.”
“What’s wrong, love?” Heath pulled away, startled by Jake’s outburst. There were times when he just didn’t understand his volatile lover.
Jake was regretting his sudden haste since he was feeling dizzy. He knew better than to do such a thing and he staggered over to the sink and leaned against it, fumbling to turn on the water.
“Jake? Tell me what’s wrong, please.” Heath’s voice was edged with worry but Jake scarcely noticed. “Jake?”
“I’m fine.” Jake let the cold water run, cupping his hands to drink. He didn’t dare tell Heath that he was so dizzy he couldn’t see straight because Heath would overreact, and that was the last thing Jake wanted. “Just give me a minute.”
“Jake.” Heath couldn’t bear to be pushed away and he stepped forward to embrace the younger man again, letting one of his hands drift down to gently rub Jake’s abdomen. “I love you so much.”
“Don’t.” Jake whispered. He couldn’t stand to have anyone touch his stomach at the best of times, and now even Heath’s soft touch felt painful. “Don’t touch me please.”
Heath dropped his hands, feeling as if his heart was broken. He didn’t understand why Jake was so angry with him or why he kept pushing him away. He had been so happy when he learned of Jake’s arrival but now it had turned into a nightmare.
~~~~~
reentered the house, making sure to lock the door behind him. He had a feeling that the others would be showing up as well throughout the day and he was not looking forward to it. Orli needed rest and quiet, not a lot of press lurking around like a pack of hyenas. He made his way into the kitchen, not quite surprised to see Orli sitting at the table and watching as the kettle boiled for tea.
"Morning, Orli." He leaned over and kissed the younger man lightly on the lips. "What would you like me to fix for you?"
xxxENDxxx
~~~~~
“You feeling ok, babe?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
Orli snuggled against Viggo’s arm, and the older man sighed quietly knowing they both were perfectly content. They watched the fire, thinking about the holiday season. Orli’s daughter Emma was old enough to be interested in the Christmas preparations and had been wildly excited at the idea of Father Christmas/Santa Claus visiting her.
The muffled sound of tapping woke them from their nap, and Orli stretched before standing awkwardly.
“I’ll get it, Vig.” Orlando walked cautiously toward the front door as the tapping seemed to take on a more frantic note. He opened the door and smiled hesitantly at the dark-haired young man.
“Jake.”
“Hi, Orli. Let me in please? I don’t want the paparazzi to find me.”
The very idea of a horde of photographers and film crews bearing down on his home was too much for Orlando to bear and he pulled the door open so Jake could slip inside.
“Orli? Who? Oh, it’s you.” Viggo frowned inwardly at the arrival of a third party in the form of Jake but managed to keep his face and voice pleasant. "Hello, Jake."
“Yeah, sorry to show up like this but my flight was cancelled, and well…” Jake broke off, biting at his lower lip.
“We don’t need to expect an Aussie invasion now, do we?” Viggo had no interest in being any part of the continuing drama that was Jake and his lovers.
“No-ooo.” Jake’s voice did nothing to reassure either of the other two men, and they were resigned to the idea of someone else showing up and looking for Jake before long.
The three men stood awkwardly in the entrance hall.
“Well, I’d better see the guest room is ready. Come on Jake.” Jake nimbly followed Orlando up the stairs while Viggo sighed in annoyance and locked the door.
As they entered the upper hall, Orlando gestured to the far door. “You’ll have to use the old computer room, Jake. I turned your bedroom into her nursery.”
“Ok,” Jake replied as he hesitated before the door. “Can I look at her? I won’t wake her, I promise.”
“Sure,” Orlando said as he eased the door open. Jake moved quietly inside and stared down at the tiny face, illuminated by a night light. “She looks just like...”
"her father." Orlando smiled knowingly and moved out of the room. Jake followed as they walked down the hall.
“What really brings you here, Jake? You could have stayed at any hotel you wanted and it would have been just as private.”
“Orli, I… “ Jake sat heavily on the bed, dropping his head down. “It’s a long story.”
“Tell me.” Orlando sat down in a nearby rocking chair as his legs ached suddenly. “We don’t have secrets from each other.”
“Just the one, right?” Jake smiled but it was an unexpectedly haunted smile. “Orli, you…” He broke off as he appeared to see Orlando for the first time. “Again? Viggo?”
“Yes.” Orlando placed a hand on his gently swelling stomach. “And I’m very happy, Jake. Vig and I are right together.”
“That’s good. I’m happy for you.” Jake twisted his watch around until Orlando worried that he’d break the band. “Really. I mean it.”
“You were saying?” Orlando prodded Jake back to the subject at hand. “You know I won’t repeat anything and neither will Vig.”
“It’s… complicated.” Jake ran his hands through his hair leaving it sticking wildly in all directions. “You know about Peter… that dumb quote he made when we were filming ‘Jarhead’?”
“More or less.” Orlando had a vague memory of Jake’s co-star saying he liked the brother and sister equally well, or something of the sort. “What about it?”
“Well, I came to visit Maggie here in London -- you know that she’s filming ‘Dark Knight’ with Heath…”
“Go on.” Orlando shifted uneasily in the rocker. He had a bad feeling about whatever it was Jake intended to say next. “You came to see Maggie, and?”
“Well…” Jake looked down at the floor, apparently fascinated by the intricate pattern in the Oriental rug.
“Jake.” Orlando’s voice held a warning note in it. “Quit stalling and tell me.”
“I had some papers that Mom wanted me to give to Maggie.” Here Jake paused and Orlando didn’t want to pry into what was clearly family business. “I didn’t want to go to the set, so I went to Maggie’s room to wait for her. And I… I…found…”
“What is it, Jake?” Orlando questioned gently. “It can’t be as bad as that, can it?
“She’s sleeping with Heath.” Jake covered his face as his shoulders shook with muffled sobs. “And no, there isn’t any mistake.”
“I can’t believe it.” Orlando was totally stunned by the news. If it had been anyone else, he would have not-so-politely informed them that he had no interest in tabloid gossip. He didn't know what say to his friend. "What exactly did you find?"
"Pictures, video." Jake looked up briefly. "A few weeks ago Pete and I came over with Maggie just before filming started, to just have time together before... and Heath was already here, so we... we... had a pre-filming party. Christian was there too, and a few other people that we knew were discreet."
Orlando nodded, understandingly. It was hard to be in the media spotlight all of the time and having your every move scrutinized. His extended leave of absence from film was being blamed on his bad back, which was genuinely extra-sensitive right now. Orlando’s publicist made certain sure that his renewed interest in painting had been leaked to the press as well.
"I... Orli, can we talk about this in the morning? I feel all done in." Jake's blue eyes were strangely pale, almost grey-looking and Orlando knew he must be exhausted.
"Of course we can Jake. You know that." Jake helped pull Orlando to his feet and the two young men hugged each briefly. "I'll see you in a few hours then?"
"Yeah." Jake yawned, stretching and rolling his shoulders to get the knots out. "I might sleep late but don't worry about me. Ok?"
"Ok." Orlando opened the door, sensing Viggo's presence nearby. "Later."
Viggo stepped out from the shadows of the long hall and stretched his hand out to the younger man, who was grateful for the extra support. Once back in their room, Viggo silently helped Orlando into bed, making sure that he was comfortable before shutting off the light. Orli rested against Viggo, the older man's presence acting as a much-needed support.
"Want your feet rubbed?" Viggo asked him.
"Not now, maybe later on." Orli sighed briefly as he tried not to think of Jake's troubles but it was impossible. He considered telling Viggo what Jake had told him but decided against it. It would be much simpler to let Jake re-tell the story over breakfast. "You don't mind him being here, do you Vig?"
"Of course I don't." Viggo's voice took on a no-nonsense tone as he continued. "But I won't stand for our lives being disrupted by him either. I know the two of you are friends but you don't need the extra stress right now."
"Jake wouldn't have come to me if he'd thought he had a choice." Orlando rubbed a hand across his eyes and yawned. “I just need to sleep.”
"The extra rest will do both of you good." Orlando knew by those words that Viggo wasn't going to argue the point but he wouldn't let anyone off the hook either. "Sleep as long as you need. I'm an excellent nanny."
“Vig, I promise we’ll talk.” Orlando yawned again and snuggled up to his partner. "I'm going to try and sleep in a bit longer in the morning."
“It’s morning already,” Viggo grumbled but there was no anger in his tone.
Viggo opened the door to get the morning paper, not exactly surprised when the large bundle of rags he found in the doorway unfolded to reveal Heath Ledger braced in the frame. The young Australian had wedged himself so that the slightest movement of the door would wake him. Heath yawned and blinked owlishly at Viggo.
"Where's Jake?"
"Did you forget how to say hello, Ledger?"
"Hello. Where's Jake?"
Viggo sighed. This was not how he wanted to start the day. He reminded himself to be polite as he forced himself to smile – if baring one’s teeth could be considered a smile.
"I'm the only one up right now, Ledger. I suggest you come back later."
"I want to see Jake." Ledger had an obstinate look in his eye.
"Ledger." Viggo stared hard at the younger man. "This is a private residence. You have not been invited here, and I have already told you that everyone else is asleep. I suggest you come back at a more reasonable hour."
"You can't keep me from seeing Jake, Mortensen. I want to see him and I want to see him now."
"Listen to me." Viggo felt a headache starting and gritted his teeth. The last thing he needed was to get in a brawl. With his luck, some paparazzi was already camped out in the shrubs, getting everything down on film. "You’re going to leave and leave right now before we both regret it."
"You..." Heath didn't say anything more but glared sullenly at the older man. "You make sure you tell Jake I want to see him."
"I promise to tell him you were here and asked to see him."
Heath wasn't quite satisfied with this but he decided to leave before someone noticed his presence.
"You can tell the others that if they show up here unannounced that they won't be welcomed either. This is a private home, and it will be treated as such. Understand? Call first. Orlando isn't well and I won't be having him upset."
"Right." Heath glared briefly once more at Viggo before slouching away.
Viggo picked up the morning paper and as he stood, he happened to glance at Ledger. Viggo shuddered as he felt the hair on the back of his neck bristling. Eerily, the larger than life Australian seemed as if he were fading from view. Something was wrong here, very wrong.
“Ledger,” he called, his voice sounding oddly strained in his ears. “If you promise to be quiet, you can come inside.”
Heath turned around, eyeing the other man suspiciously. This change in attitude wasn’t typical of Mortensen. But he noticed that the older man seemed strangely pale now, when only moments before he had seemed in perfect health. Maybe Mortensen was sick. He was in his forties, after all.
“Right, I’ll be quiet. No worries.” Heath said as he walked through the door Viggo held open.
The two men stood awkwardly in the foyer, neither quite knowing what to say. Viggo wished he had a better idea of what to do next. He didn’t know Ledger that well, and he had never been good at making small talk, but he didn’t want to disturb either Orlando or Jake. Fortunately, he was saved by Emma’s arrival.
“Eat, daddy. Want eggs.” The little girl looked curiously at Ledger but quickly turned her attention back to Viggo. “Daddy! I hungry!”
“Ok, honey, breakfast is coming up.” Viggo smiled down at the toddler, who had once again turned her attention to Ledger. “Emma, this is a friend of ours, Heath. Can you be a big girl and say hello to him?”
“Hello.” She dimpled as she smiled prettily at Ledger, who smiled back at her. It was easy to see that Emma had Orlando’s strikingly dark good looks but her eyes were a curious shade of blue. //The child must take after her mother then.// Heath thought to himself.
“Hello, Emma.” Heath bowed to her and she giggled. “I’m pleased to meet such a lovely young lady.”
Emma smiled back, a wide million-watt grin that seemed oddly familiar. He tried to ignore it though and not think of how much he missed his own daughter.
Viggo remained quiet as he began preparing breakfast, trying to keep to a normal routine in front of Emma. Ledger already sensed that something was wrong and Viggo didn’t feel up to answering questions.
“Can I help you with anything?”
“No, it’s fine.” For once Viggo was at a loss for words. He didn’t quite know what he was supposed to do with his unexpected guest but at least he knew what Emma wanted for breakfast.
Luckily Emma decided that Heath was here to entertain her and kept him distracted with a long involved discussion of her crayon art.
~~~~~
Jake struggled to sit up, in the welter of blankets that had twisted around him in his restless sleep. He didn’t feel good; in fact he hadn’t felt good since the night of the big party and he didn’t think he’d be feeling better anytime soon.
“You awake?” Orlando carefully pushed open the door and stared closely at Jake.
“Yeah.” Jake sighed and stretched briefly before holding onto his side. “I don’t feel too good though.”
“When were you going to tell me?”
“Tell you what?” Jake squeaked, mortified that he had been caught out. “I don’t have anything to tell.”
“Jake, don’t try and play me, alright?” Orlando refused to be distracted by Jake’s attempt to avoid the issue and nodded briefly toward the door. “It’s safe here. You know that you can say anything and it won’t be repeated. You know that we’re the same.”
Orlando sat carefully and placed his hand over Jake’s. “Come on, tell me.”
“Well, since you already know…” Jake sighed tiredly. “I came here to have that procedure. I can’t do this now, Orli. I just can’t. I have a big movie I’m starting in two weeks; it will cost a fortune if I back out – there’s no way they can shoot around me for very long either.” Jake had an expression of exquisite hurt flicker across his face before adding, “You know my history, Orli. I know what will happen. I never get past the first tri, and I won’t go through it again. I can’t go through it again. I just can’t.”
Orlando grabbed Jake as the younger man slumped forward, sobbing quietly and gently rubbed his shoulders.
“It’s ok, really We’ll eat breakfast, then I’ll call my doctor and get you an appointment.” Orlando hoped he didn’t sound as cold and calculating as he feared. He also hoped that he could avoid Viggo’s involvement as much as possible. “I understand, Jake. You know that.”
“It’s not about being bi, you know. It never was. But the damned press would not let up on the lame jokes, it was constantly in our faces no matter what… and so we decided to try and play it straight until things died down a little. Only now… what do I do, Orli? I never expected that Maggie, of all people…”
“I know, Jake. I know.”
“Thanks, bro.” Jake smiled tiredly. “I wish this was a happier visit.”
“I know. But you’re also going to have to face Maggie and Heath sooner or later.”
Jake’s face took on an obstinate look and for a moment Orlando was afraid he would decide to storm out of the house. But just as quickly, Jake seemed to shrink inside himself.
“I’ll talk to them, Orli. I promise. I just don’t…not right now, ok?”
“Ok.” Orlando stood as carefully as he had sat. “Will you be down for breakfast?”
“No. I’ll just be sick again.” Jake blinked sleepily at him. “Maybe later on…”
Orlando nodded and left as Jake laid back down, making sure to shut the door. He frowned slightly as he walked down the hall, noticing that Emma’s room was empty. She must have been hungry and decided to look for Viggo.
“Hey, Vig,” Orli called as entered the kitchen. “Where’s…”
His voice trailed off as he noticed Ledger sitting at the table, drinking a cup of tea. The Australian looked up hopefully, his face falling in disappointment.
“Orlando.”
“Heath, hi.” Orlando stared worriedly at his one-time co-star. The man looked exhausted, as if he had pushed his body beyond its normal limits. “I didn’t know you were here. That is… I mean, I knew you were in London.”
“It’s ok, Orli. I knew what you meant.” Heath sipped at his tea. “I hear you’re taking time off because of your back and working on your art.”
“Uh, yeah. Right.” Orlando distractedly ran his hand through his curls as he sat down and poured himself a cup of tea. “Where’s Vig?”
“Laundry, maybe?” Heath shrugged his shoulders. “He didn’t tell me. Your daughter’s with him.” Heath tilted his head and looked quizzically at Orlando. “I never knew you had a little girl, Orli. She definitely has your hair, but her eyes -- she must take after her mother, yeah?”
Orlando choked and sputtered at that innocent remark, banging the cup on the table. He dimly realized that Viggo had a rather good point about using microwave-safe plastic cups instead of china for early morning use.
“Her mother, yeah.” Orlando finally caught his breath. “Look Heath, I don’t want to talk about Emma’s mother ok? Emma might overhear and she’s not old enough to understand certain things.”
“Right, right.” Heath felt bad at seeing the other man’s distress. It must have been a bad break-up, or maybe Orlando had hired a surrogate. Heath certainly couldn’t remember any special girlfriends. “Sorry. I won’t mention it again.”
~~~~~
It took Jake several minutes before he could fall asleep again. He knew he could trust Orlando to keep his secret but he didn’t know about Mortensen. It would help if he could find out just how much the older man knew about his past, but he’d have to wait until he could ask Orlando privately. And then there was Emma to be considered. Jake didn’t want to do anything that would cause trouble for her.
~~~~~
Orlando looked up as Viggo entered the kitchen. The older man was upset about something but Orlando couldn’t quite read this particular mood. Viggo merely glanced away, shaking his head at Orlando.
//Good morning, Legolas.//
//What is going on, Estel? Why did you allow him in?//
//He is fading. Can’t you see it?//
//*Fading?* What are you talking about?//
//”Look at him, my friend. Look carefully.//
Orlando widened his eyes in shock. Viggo had struggled to separate himself from his role as Aragorn but at times Orlando didn’t think the Dane had never quite made the transition back. At least it appeared that way to Orlando. Of course, being so closely bound to one’s co-star over such an extended period of time did make a difference. It was so easy to slip into character without realizing it. And Viggo seldom, if ever, spoke Elvish in front of strangers, especially in their home saying it was incredibly rude to do so if the other people couldn’t speak or understand it as well.
“What’s wrong? Orli?” Heath’s voice broke in, startling him.
“Nothing.” Orlando stammered, trying to think of a plausible explanation. “Vig… he gets migraines sometimes and with bad ones, he tends to slip into Elvish. The night shoot at Helm’s Deep…”
‘Oh.” Heath took a sip of his tea, nodding in assent. Being a Method actor himself, he understood Viggo. The older man had nearly lost himself in the role, to the extent that the director had addressed him as ‘Aragorn’ on set for nearly a full day before realizing it.
~~~~~
Things had finally settled down once more after Heath’s unexpected arrival. Viggo had fixed a large breakfast for everyone and luckily Orlando had gotten over some of his more unusual food sensitivities.
“This is good, thank you.” Heath said to Orlando.
Orlando looked away in embarrassment. “You’re welcome,” he answered distractedly, trying to decide if he should try to wake Jake up. “What’s the news from the set?”
“They’re pushing the schedule around to accommodate Maggie.”
“Oh? Why is that?” Viggo looked at Heath curiously.
“She’s preggers.” Orlando’s stunned look made Heath feel as if he had rattled a family skeleton though he couldn’t imagine why. “It happened a few weeks ago.”
”The night of the party?” Orlando managed to choke out.
“I guess…” Heath looked up sharply. “How did you know about the party?”
”Jake mentioned something about it the last time he was here, that you had a party.”
“Yeah, well I don’t know if that was when it happened or not. Maggie’s not saying much to anyone, though she seems to be angry with Peter. And me, and Christian.” Heath rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. “Tell you what mate, you want to watch out for her. The lady has one wicked left. Her right isn’t wimpish either.”
Viggo watched his husband and their guest closely. He knew something must be wrong but he didn’t know what the problem was and he didn’t want to interfere. Orlando looked very worried now, as he hastily excused himself.
As Orlando went up the stairs to Jake’s room, he wonder how he should break the news to Jake, or even if he should be the one to do so. Maggie should tell him herself but Jake hadn’t seen her yet. Orlando sighed. //One thing at a time, Orli// he thought. //First, I need to tell Jake that Heath is here, then find out what happens next.//
“Orli?” Jake was half-asleep when Orlando came back in his room. “Sorry that I’m not up yet.”
“It’s ok, Jake. Get as much rest as you can.” Orlando watched him closely. “You don’t mind if I talk do you?”
“Nah, go ahead.”
“This is really personal. I’m sorry Jake but I have to ask anyway. Do you know who the father is?”
“Not for certain.” Jake looked up tiredly, the dark circles under his eyes even more pronounced than before. “But I think it was Heath. Yeah, it must have been Heath.”
“Did you ever tell him about your, um, health?”
“Not really.” Jake looked down and twisted the heavy quilt in his hands. “I know I should have told him right away. But you know how it is. You just want to seem normal for as long as you can.” He laughed bitterly. “It’s not like the agencies are going to want us if we’re freaks.”
“Jake, you have to talk to him. If you hide this, he’s bound to find out and he’ll never forgive you.”
“He’s here, isn’t he?” Jake looked up sharply at that. “How did… oh never mind, Orli.”
“Yes.” Orlando paused for a moment before continuing. “He showed up for breakfast and he met Emma. He asked me about her mother.”
“Oh, fuck.” Jake dropped his head into his hands. “That’s just great. Where is she now?”
“Vig took her to the nursery, so she’s with her nanny.”
~~~~~
Jake and Orlando entered the kitchen together.
“Jake.” Heath looked up and smiled at his former co-stars. Orlando realized just how lethal that smile was, and not for the first time, Orlando wondered what might have happened between them if Heath hadn’t been involved with Naomi during the ‘Kelly’ shoot.
Heath pulled Jake into a quick hug and only Orlando noticed the sudden flinch that shadowed Jake’s eyes.
“Heath.” Jake slipped out of the hug as quickly as he could. “Easy there, I think I cracked a rib or something.”
“Are you ok?” Heath’s brown eyes betrayed his worry.
“Sure, I’m fine.”
“Does anyone want an omelet?” Viggo cleared his throat, trying to buy some time and wishing he had better conversational skills right now. It would help if there was a script he could call to mind for such a situation.
“No,” Jake and Orlando replied as one. “No eggs.”
“Just toast and juice, please.” Jake added. “And coffee – no cream, no sugar.”
“Sure thing.”
~~~~~
Maggie stealthily entered her hotel room, hoping that Heath would out for a change. When he had showed up at her door in the middle of the night over a month ago, in an attempt to hide from the press and determined fans, she agreed because of the harried look in his eyes.
Unfortunately, her room proved to be a little too effective as a hideout because Heath had gradually moved more and more of his things in until it looked as if they were living together. An extra toothbrush in the bathroom was one thing but their family pictures sharing dresser space was a different story again. To say nothing of the collection of rags he called clothing and that damned skateboard…
For once the room was empty, though she frowned when she saw the mess that had been left behind. Clothes and snapshots had been strewn over the bed and she leaned over to put them away in a dresser drawer. She stared briefly at the “couple” photos that had been taken of them as a joke at that damned party. The party. That had been her mistake of the year, because as near as she could figure, that was the night she had gotten pregnant. Damn. She did not need to be pregnant right now, with Ramona was only a few months old. But her morning sickness had carried over to the set, and now they were scrambling to accommodate her before she started to show.
Maggie paused briefly, wondering if Heath had brought someone back here in her absence. Things seemed slightly off to her and she knew that it wasn’t because of Heath. Shrugging briefly, she began to undress and get ready for a long-overdue shower.
Relaxing under the warm spray, Maggie felt her neck muscles relax. She supposed that she didn’t really mind being pregnant except for the timing. She ignored a tiny voice that had insinuated itself in her darkest thoughts, the one that kept asking her if she was sure she knew who the father was. It was Peter, of course.
//Ah, but are you sure?// The voice slyly asked. //That was some party, and you hadn’t been with Peter before then, and he left right away after that didn’t he? Maybe he smelled another man on your skin?//
//Shut up damn you. It was Peter. It is Peter.//
//”Oh really? Then why did you allow Heath to move in with you? Why did you really allow it? Jealousy?//
//Jealousy? I’m not jealous.// Maggie nearly laughed out loud at the idea of this weird conversation she was having inside her head. //Michelle is sweet. She’s a friend. I’m certainly not jealous of her.//
//But you are jealous of Jake. Admit it, don’t you want to know the truth about what happened in Alberta before Michelle arrived? He tells you everything, doesn’t he. But he’s never told you about that. Has he, Maggie dearest?//
~~~~~
“Vig, we have to talk.”
At the older man’s puzzled glance, Orlando nodded his head in the direction of the artists studio.
Orlando entered the room first and Viggo shut the door tightly.
“What do you want, Orli?”
Orlando walked over to the big north window and stared blankly out. He should have told Viggo more about his family history a long time ago but at first it had been too awkward and then it hadn’t seemed to make that much difference.
“It’s about my family.” Orlando swallowed nervously. “It’s hard to explain, you know. I don’t like to bring up the past much. Vig, you have to know that I never meant to hide anything from you. I don’t want you to think I was being dishonest or lying. I meant to tell you sooner but it was just easier to wait for a better time. You do believe me, don’t you?” Orlando’s dark eyes pleaded with Viggo to believe, to understand.
“Of course I do.” Viggo nodded, not wanting to interrupt. Orlando’s agitation was clear to see and Viggo knew that Orlando would never deceive him.
“I didn’t know about my… medical history for a long time. In fact, I’m not sure when I would have found out – it’s not exactly common. If I hadn’t fallen and hurt my back…” Orlando sighed, pressing his forehead against the window frame. “When I was in the hospital, those first days -- it was really bad for awhile, Vig. Worse than I’ve ever said to anyone, including you. I’m so sorry. I know I should have said something sooner but I’ve tried to forget as much as I can. I just… I’m sorry, ok? Anyway, at one point, the doctors thought I might need a kidney transplant. I didn’t, but they wanted to be ready because my blood type is rare. The doctors ran a lot of tests on me and added the information to an international registry. My family were good matches but the best match came from America.”
Viggo listened intently. It was a little uncommon but not unheard of for a donor match to turn up outside of family with the access of computer databases.
“Anyway, the hospital contacted the American donor as a precaution. And interestingly enough, the donor was living in London at the time. It wasn’t until later that I discovered that I had another sibling. A younger brother, to be exact.”
“Jake.” Viggo said tonelessly. So many things made sense to him now – why the two young men seemed so similar at times, yet were so very different.
“Yes,” Orlando confirmed this. “To be exact, Jake is my half-brother and it turns out we have many things in common. Including being *freaks.”
“Orli.” Viggo stood and wrapped his arms around his young husband, kissing him lightly on the neck. “Don’t say that. I don’t think of you like that. You know that. You’re not a freak.”
Orlando sighed and leaned back, letting himself be comforted by Viggo’s calm strength. There was a lot more he had to tell, and it wouldn’t be any easier. It would be better if Jake had been able to be with him.
“It’ll be alright, Orli. I understand about Jake now, and I promise that I’ll try and be more patient with him.”
“That’s not all, Vig.”
”What do you mean, Orli?”
“Jake’s like me.” Orlando sighed tiredly. “Enciente, and all that. I mean, right now, as of this moment, Jake’s expecting.”
“Oh hell.” Viggo’s eyes darkened with worry. “You didn’t tell him what Heath said about Maggie did you?”
“No. Things are awkward enough as it is without adding to it.”
Orlando continued to stare blindly out the window. There was so much more to tell Vig, yet he hesitated because he felt uneasy telling so much of Jake’s personal life without Jake’s express permission.
“What aren’t you telling me, Orli? I know you haven’t told me everything yet.” The older man’s voice never failed to calm him. Orlando reminded himself just how lucky he was that their age difference worked in their favor. If he had been with someone nearer his own age, it would be much more awkward. Viggo had a better perspective of life than most people would. Viggo pressed a soft kiss on the young man’s neck. “It’ll be ok. You know I won’t be mad or upset with you.”
“Vig, it’s just that there’s so much – I don’t know where to start.” Orlando’s back was starting to ache again, and he really hoped that things were going to be easier this time, it didn’t seem like it. “I need to check on Jake first. You don’t know what a temper that kid has.”
Viggo stared in dismay. //Temper must run in the family,// he mused.
~~~~~
Heath watched as Jake picked at his toast. It looked to him as if Jake wasn’t feeling too well and the Australian wondered if he should say something. He didn’t want to start the day with an argument, so he sipped at his tea and waited for Jake to speak first.
Jake was in no mood to talk to Heath. It had been bad enough when they had been forced to separate in Alberta but they had still planned to be together. Michelle’s pregnancy had changed things but even so they had remained close. But now though, everything was different. *Maggie made everything different. Jake had no idea how he would ever be able to face his big sister – she was the one person he had trusted absolutely and without reservation. But now she had betrayed him too.
The long silence grated on Heath’s nerves and he finally spoke.
“I didn’t know you were coming over Jake. Maggie didn’t say anything.”
“Maggie didn’t know,” Jake snapped, trying to hold his temper. “I’m here on my own.”
“Oh.” Heath floundered, trying to gauge Jake’s sudden dark mood. “Well, I have the day free and I thought you might want to do something.”
“Really.” Jake replied. “So just how did you know I was even here?”
“You were spotted at the hotel.”
“Oh hell.” Jake scowled darkly. “Funny, I didn’t think the paparazzi knew the meaning of low profile.”
“They don’t.” Heath smiled smugly. “I made friends with some of the fans who work near it, and I promised them lunch if they would let me know if any of my close family or friends showed up.”
“So you followed me here.” Jake was even less than happy about Heath drawing the fans in.
“Yeah, I did.” Heath smirked at his lover. Jake might get mad but he never stayed mad for very long. “So, how about we find a more pleasant way to visit, yeah? Do you think that we could go upstairs?”
“No.” Jake was getting angry now. He hadn’t expected Heath to be completely faithful – after all, they did have to keep a low profile, making sure they were seen with women but he never expected to find betrayal on all sides. “How come you aren’t needed on set?”
“I do a lot of filming at night.” Heath was thankful that this wasn’t a lie. He didn’t want to be the one who told Jake that he was going to be an uncle again. That news should come from Maggie or Peter. “So for now, my days are a little more free.”
“Must be nice,” Jake muttered into his coffee.
“C’mon baby.” Heath got up and stood behind Jake, wrapping his arms around Jake’s shoulder and nuzzling his neck. Jake shivered and leaned into the firm embrace. Heath gently took an earlobe between his teeth, pulling lightly on the delicate flesh. “We don’t get a chance like this often. Let’s go back to my room.”
“Leave me the fuck alone,” Jake yelled as he jumped out of the chair, his vision obscured by a sudden red haze. “Damn you anyway.”
“What’s wrong, love?” Heath pulled away, startled by Jake’s outburst. There were times when he just didn’t understand his volatile lover.
Jake was regretting his sudden haste since he was feeling dizzy. He knew better than to do such a thing and he staggered over to the sink and leaned against it, fumbling to turn on the water.
“Jake? Tell me what’s wrong, please.” Heath’s voice was edged with worry but Jake scarcely noticed. “Jake?”
“I’m fine.” Jake let the cold water run, cupping his hands to drink. He didn’t dare tell Heath that he was so dizzy he couldn’t see straight because Heath would overreact, and that was the last thing Jake wanted. “Just give me a minute.”
“Jake.” Heath couldn’t bear to be pushed away and he stepped forward to embrace the younger man again, letting one of his hands drift down to gently rub Jake’s abdomen. “I love you so much.”
“Don’t.” Jake whispered. He couldn’t stand to have anyone touch his stomach at the best of times, and now even Heath’s soft touch felt painful. “Don’t touch me please.”
Heath dropped his hands, feeling as if his heart was broken. He didn’t understand why Jake was so angry with him or why he kept pushing him away. He had been so happy when he learned of Jake’s arrival but now it had turned into a nightmare.
~~~~~
reentered the house, making sure to lock the door behind him. He had a feeling that the others would be showing up as well throughout the day and he was not looking forward to it. Orli needed rest and quiet, not a lot of press lurking around like a pack of hyenas. He made his way into the kitchen, not quite surprised to see Orli sitting at the table and watching as the kettle boiled for tea.
"Morning, Orli." He leaned over and kissed the younger man lightly on the lips. "What would you like me to fix for you?"
xxxENDxxx
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no subject
Date: 2009-11-02 09:58 pm (UTC)*hugs*
no subject
Date: 2009-11-03 12:47 am (UTC)The paragraph in question though was worked in another scene; this is just a fragment of it. I'll look and see if I can't find the fuller version I was writing though.
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Date: 2009-11-03 12:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-03 02:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-03 06:38 am (UTC)Tease! :-)
no subject
Date: 2009-11-03 02:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-03 03:01 pm (UTC)That you used the word enciente made me smile and it added to the joy I had in the story. Thank you, for that!
I wonder how Jake will get along as the story moves...And Heath. I really want to know more about Heath.
Temper running in the family *ROFL*!
Go, hunt down the rest of it. *growls ominously*
no subject
Date: 2009-11-03 06:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-02 08:13 am (UTC)Hugs,
Jackie