43: The Walls Between Us – Pt. 1

Victoria awoke with a start, her eyes slowly adjusting to the ginger candlelit hue of the room she laid in as her hands rubbed over her face. Her damp tresses swept wildly over her head and she brushed them back sleepily as she sat up. Air from the vent above the bed licked at her exposed flesh, causing her nipples to alert her of the cool conditions of the room and she pulled the blanket tighter over her shoulders.

Hissing in pain as she attempted to roll towards the edge, the sore muscles in her back were a reminder of her previous nights’ romp. Shit, she thought as she recognized the bedroom she was in and threw her legs over the side to stand; she had to get out of there. Quietly she looked around the floor for her clothing, tossing them on as quickly as she could. 

The door opened with a creak and she held her breath, stopping suddenly as light flooded into the room stinging her eyes slightly until they adjusted. Releasing her breath slowly she pulled the door open just barely enough to squeeze through and took the stairs one at a time towards the foyer. Almost home, she thought unlocking the front door and gripping the handle tightly in her palm. 

“Going somewhere?”

“Derrick!” she jumped and turned to find him leaning against the wall smiling at her with that impossible grin. Fucking vampires, she growled in thought realizing his speed and stealth gave him the advantage. A glass of blood was positioned in his palm and he swirled it once before placing it on the table beside him. “What um…why are you…hi…” she stuttered with a croak, clearing her throat before and after which only made the smile on his face grow wider.

“Good morning, Victoria; or I suppose I should say good afternoon. I thought you’d sleep the rest of the day at the rate you were going. I tried waking you for breakfast but, you grumbled, slapped my arm away and rolled over tucking the sheets deeper against your body,” he chuckled and dug his hands into his pockets. “I guess you were tired after our…rigorous activities last night. It, uh, sounds like you used muscles you probably never even knew you had. How’s the throat feel?” he asked crossing his arms into his chest with a smirk. Victoria ignored the jab as she nervously glanced around the foyer, nibbling on her lower lip. “Ah so where are you off to?”

“Oh um it’s…I need to…I have…stuff that I have to take care of.”

“‘Stuff’? Like what?” he shrugged and slowly approached her, a neutral expression on his face that she found unreadable and at the same time alluring as it reminded her of last night all too vividly and the dominating hands that turned and twisted her into countless positions.

She sighed as he stopped just in front of her and dropped her eyes momentarily. That heavy fragrance that she coated herself with instantly filled her nose and she inhaled deeply. “Look, Derrick, last night was…nice but I—we—that shouldn’t have happened.”

“Then why did it?”

“Would you believe a moment of weakness?” 

He grinned hearing her express him as her weakness and slid his hand up her arm drawing her into his chest. Turning her so that the vein he focused on the previous night was just below his lips, he kissed her gently listening at her breath catch in her throat. “I would describe you as many things, Victoria, more now knowing you intimately, however ‘weak’ would never be one. Last night happened because it was something we both wanted. And now I catch you trying to slip away like a one night stand ashamed of what she did.”

Victoria twirled herself away from his hold and shook her head. “It shouldn’t have happened,” she repeated.

“But it did and unlike you I have no regrets about it.”

“It’s not like that, Derrick.”

“No? Then you’re not trying to run off without so much as a goodbye kiss?” he asked brushing the hair back behind her ear. “I mean after the work I put in last night, a kiss is the least you could do right?”

Victoria chewed on her inner cheek to keep herself from smiling and pulled away from his caress. “Maybe later, Derrick, right now I have to leave.”

“And go where? It’s your day off, your morning is shot and I just made the most delicious Falafel and lemonade. Now judging by the way your stomach just growled I’m willing to bet you’d much prefer having lunch with me rather than running off to some imagined ‘stuff’ errand.”

“Derrick…I…”

“Lunch now and we’ll figure the rest out later.” He pressed his body tightly against hers, tilted her head with his index finger and lightly rubbed his nose on hers testing the waters before connecting their lips in a gentle kiss. His hands curled around her back, drawing her closer until Victoria had no choice but to hook herself onto his neck and enjoy the taste of his lips which she encouraged with a tender moan. 

Derrick pressed himself harder against her as the tips of her fingernails scraped across his scalp and shifted directions, running his tongue over her bottom lip. Breathlessly she looked up at him as he pulled away as if trying to figure out how he always knew what her body wanted regardless of what she said. “Come on,” he growled tenderly to which she mechanically nodded to.

Taking her by the hand Derrick led her into his kitchen and she took a seat at the island and waited for him to serve her meal. “How many times,” she started and paused as he stopped what he was doing by the stove and turned around to face her. He gave her a nod in a motion gesturing for her to continue and she cleared her throat and began again. “How many times last night did we um…go at it?”

He smirked and she quickly diverted her gaze to the empty plate sitting in front of her, straightening the silverware on the red napkin as if they were out of place. Derrick returned to slicing the rolls but couldn’t erase the smile that had grown on his lips as he responded. “How many do you remember?”

“Uh, well, I remember passing out after each one which kinda makes it hard to process an actual number. Positions, locations and ‘oh gods’ seem to blend into one, long, amazing blur.” She rubbed her neck timidly as he produced a plate of Falafels in front of her. 

“Amazing huh?” Stealing a quick kiss, he chuckled as she glanced up at him and smiled, “Eat up; you’ll need your energy.”

“For?” Victoria instantly responded, curious about the look he gave her before he started towards the front door.

“More spell work of course. What did you think I was talking about?” He asked before disappearing around the corner. “Oh and to answer your question, the first two you matched my stamina and lust. The third you were beginning to lose it a bit and I could tell you were gonna pass out again. But after the fourth time, it became harder to wake you so I let you sleep. Somehow it just felt wrong to keep going when you weren’t actively screaming my name anymore, you’re welcome.” She heard him laugh wickedly as he walked to the foyer to retrieve his glass of blood.

He rejoined her, sitting his glass on the counter near her as he watched her finish her meal. “That was delicious.” Victoria smiled and dropped her plate into the sink as Derrick leaned against the counter beside her. “I had no idea you knew how to cook especially considering you don’t really need to eat to survive.”

“Oh? Did I fail to mention, I took a cooking course once or twice also. I studied under some of the most renowned chefs in both France and Italy and completed three Culinary Art degrees.” He grinned at her stunned expression and placed his glass on the counter behind him. “Not to brag or anything.”

“Right because you simply HATE boasting!” Victoria sighed and rolled her eyes as she took a step away from him. “Well it was wonderful either way.”

“Hey,” Derrick called to her before she could disappear into the adjacent room. “What happened last night? I mean what brought you to my front door. You said it was something at work?” 

Victoria paused, visibly shaken as she turned to peer into his eyes. She had hoped they’d moved passed her emotional breakdown last night but Derrick, much like an elephant, hadn’t forgotten. “I-I-I don’t…I don’t want to talk about it right now.”

“But it’s obviously something weighing heavy on you, Victoria. Talking can usually help ease your anxiety. Is there anything I can do to make it better?”

“Please I really don’t want to talk about it. Talking about it makes it real, makes it now, it makes it…in this moment, Derrick, I’m happy right now. Strangely enough for the first time since I can remember I’m happy. What happened at work…I just, I don’t want to go to that place right now. Please.”

“Yeah, yeah sure,” Derrick nodded his head but his concern only deepened for what was truly bothering her. “We can do this later; just know when you’re ready, I’m here.”

“Thank you.” She paused a moment and stared at the floor and Derrick watched her, waiting for her to move or say something. Finally she took a breath and stepped back into the kitchen near the island but he remained where he was. “I’m going to the hospital.”

“What? Why? Are you ok?” he asked, worry suddenly flooding his senses and he moved closer.

“No I’m fine. Mike is being released today…” she replied and her eyes again fell away.

“Mike. You mentioned him last night. Victoria what happened?” Derrick urged this time and saw the makings of tears in her eyes.

“We were running down a lead, standard operating procedure, and we had our suspects pinned down in a convenience store. Mike was shot.”

“Oh no.”

“The bullet hit his spine, paralyzing him from the waist down.”

“Geez, Victoria. You were in a shootout? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” she looked down at her bracelet and he followed her gaze. “I’ve been trying to give you space. After everything that happened I…” Victoria lifted her hand to quiet him and he stopped midsentence. “I would have been there, Victoria, had I known.”

“And done what? You already said taking a bullet for me was not an act that needed to be repeated,” she joked lightly.

“Victoria…”

“It’s ok,” she tried smiling as she wiped away her tears. “Besides I wasn’t sure if you and I…I mean after the Devereux thing you just sort of dropped out. I didn’t want to bother you.”

“You’re never a bother. And yeah I guess I have been a bit distracted as of late. But that doesn’t mean you can’t come to me when you need to.” Derrick quieted a moment as his thoughts lingered on his Sire and Rowan’s sudden appearance in town. His message from the Elders wasn’t taken lightly and he feared how that would affect Victoria so he stayed away. Not to mention Rowan’s tastes for the exotic would have kept him sniffing up Victoria’s skirt and Derrick was not about to let that happen. “I’m sorry you had no one to turn to.”

“I talked to Cole,” Victoria replied, looking up at him.

“Cole? Y-you went to Cole?” Victoria nodded. The name instantly awakened Derrick’s envy and made him angry. Angry by not only the fact she thought to go to him and the idea he’d comforted her first, but the fact that he could have been there for her had Rowan not shown up like he did. Derrick turned his head slightly and pierced his fang through his tongue, the pain of the bite momentarily blinding him to his other emotions so they would not show on his face. “How’s Mike?” he asked, quickly changing the subject.

“He’s, well he’s doing as good as anyone could do in this situation. I’ve been by his side every morning, staying until visitation hours are over. His sister came down from Spring Glen and stayed with him for a night before she had to get home. She took their niece back with her. That just added more salt to his wounds. Tina didn’t want to go and he didn’t want to lose her but he can’t take care of her, at least right now,” she explained her partner’s current circumstances. “Derrick?”

“Yes, Victoria?”

“Is it possible for your blood…could you heal Mike’s spine?”

“No.” Derrick stated simply and watched the hope die from her eyes. “It’s already been too long. Vampire blood has to be in the person’s system no longer than thirty minutes after the injury in order to take effect. How long has it been?”

“Three days.”

“I’m sorry, Victoria. I’d have gladly healed him if I was capable. Do you want me to come with you to see him?” Victoria happily accepted the offer and Derrick drove her to Mercy General.

Mike was sitting outside waiting on them and looked puzzled watching Derrick approach beside her. “Hey, partner,” he waved and leaned forward in his chair, excusing the nurse standing beside him. “I was beginning to think you’d forgotten about me.”

“What and leave these poor medical professionals in your company a day longer? No, I could never. My job is to protect and serve the community,” she joked as she leaned over to give him a hug. “Ready to rol…go?”

“Oh I get it, so I have my own set of wheels now and you can’t talk to me the way you normally did. Sure. Let’s all amend our ways for the newly handicapped.”

“Mike…”

“It’s ok, Vik. I’ve been taking it from the hospital the past few days. Why not from my own partner? Just call me ‘Old Ironsides’ and I shall name my sidekick, that’d be you, Legs. Alright, Legs, wheel me out of this hellhole.” Victoria didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at Mike’s words as she gathered what few belongings he had and followed behind Derrick pushing him towards her jeep.

They got to Mike’s place with Derrick helping Mike in and out of the car. At times he had to pretend to grunt in pain as he lifted him with ease up the five steps of his Brownstone. “You have nice eyes,” Mike joked as Derrick carried him over his threshold and sat him in his chair just inside the living room.

“Thanks I think I’ll keep them,” Derrick laughed and batted them a few times before grabbing his bag from Victoria and sitting it on the coffee table.

“Has Aria moved in with you?” Victoria asked, noticing a few women’s clothing thrown around the area.

“No and I doubt she’d stay after she learns about this. We were in bed when I got the call about Bonanno. I ran out before we finished uh…” he paused and looked up at his partner as if he was surprised to see her standing there. “Right now she’s out of town on some business conference or something. She called my cell a few times but I let it go to voicemail.”

“Mike. Why are you ignoring her?”

“Better to sever ties now than become a burden in her life later.”

“That’s not fair.”

“What is these days?” he laughed lightly and noticed Derrick leaning against the wall. “Well, anyway. I’m home now so you and your ‘just friends’ friend can leave.”

“Derrick,” Derrick sighed and narrowed his eyes towards Mike. “The name is Derrick.”

“I’m well aware of who you are and what you are,” he responded and looked between the two who exchanged a glance of their own, “to Victoria I mean. This whole ‘friends’ thing is paper thin even if she’s too fool to see it.”

“MIKE!”

“What? You show up to the hospital wearing the same thing I saw you in yesterday and expect a seasoned detective such as myself not to notice? You did the walk of shame and best guess is with tall, dark and smirky over there,” he shrugged and smiled a little seeing her blush causing Derrick to smirk as well. “Even he knows it. Ok so I may have gone a little overboard pretending to buy that cockeyed story about a raven he stole and gave to you because you didn’t seem to want to tell me the truth then about the two of you. I figured you’d come around eventually. But when are you gonna admit it to yourself?”

“You mean like you and Aria.”

“Yeah, yeah. I at least told you that things had gotten serious between us. You still haven’t admitted to sleeping with…Derrick,” Mike replied and glanced up at the vampire as he used his name. Derrick nodded at him before stepping up behind Victoria.

“I don’t think Victoria and I are quite there yet but,” he paused and turned her head so that she was looking up at him. Slowly he inched his mouth closer as her breathing escalated causing her chest to heave vigorously up and down. “But it’s only a matter of time.” He closed his lips down on hers connecting their mouths in a soft, sweet kiss. Her hands wrapped around his stopping them as he slid one across her belly slinking up towards her breast and the other behind the waistline of her jeans.

Derrick smiled as he backed away and Victoria blew out a sigh. “Now was that so hard?” Mike grinned as his partner fought to catch her breath. “What are you doing?” he asked as she took a seat on his couch.

“What?”

“You’re getting comfortable, comfortable means you’re planning to stay longer than I want you to; don’t do that.”

“Uh…ok,” she replied and tucked a pillow behind her back before leaning against the arm of the sofa. “So have you talked to Cappy at all?” Derrick smirked as thoughts of him doing the same thing to Victoria replayed in his mind and Mike sighed in frustration as he wheeled himself closer.

“Other than the day this happened, no. No one’s really been around besides you. It’s like an injured cop is contagious or something. They only came around out of pity and that’s the last thing I need right now,” he gave her a knowing look and Victoria shook it off.

“Well I only came for the free chocolates,” she responded and ripped opened one of his care packages from his sister. 

“Hey that’s not for you!”

“I’m sorry did you want a bite? Mmm, women always know the best places to get this stuff.” Victoria watched as Mike got that look in his eyes again and quickly tried to redirect. “Hey so there haven’t been any new leads on this Bonanno thing. I tried pinning down someone that might have known this rat Billy but no one’s come forward.”

“Yeah I heard you went all supernova on Mills. What the hell did he do to you anyway?”

“Fucked up our case. I went back to our suspect to question him about his tip, turns out Mills let a member of the Calabrese family in to see him and the guy got a rope around his neck; apparent suicide.”

“Suicide? Is that what they’re calling it these days?”

“Yeah well I’m sure he was given a choice. It was either that or they’d take him once he was inside; better by his own hand so he didn’t suffer as much.”

“Pity.” Mike looked over at Derrick standing near the kitchen and smiled to himself. “You know you can sit if you’d like.”

“You mean you’re offering me a seat after you told your own partner not to get too comfortable in your home.”

“Hey! Yeah! What’s with that?” Victoria chimed in as Derrick came to sit beside her.

“Well you didn’t carry me across the threshold,” he winked at Derrick and the two men laughed. Derrick and Victoria sat with Mike for a while longer before he drove her home.

“He seems to be in good spirits,” Derrick commented as he walked Victoria to her door and watched as she unlocked it. “I don’t know if I would have such an optimistic attitude after something like that.”

“Yeah? Neither does Mike. He was keeping a brave face for me. He’s probably in tears as we speak,” Victoria replied solemnly. “He doesn’t want me to see him cry. He kicked me out of his hospital room a few days ago for the same reason.” She stopped before opening her door and turned to Derrick with a half smile. “Thank you for today, coming with me; helping him.”

“You don’t have to thank me for that. And Victoria, I’m sorry I’ve been so absent lately. There’s just something, Rowan and I…I just want to keep you away from him.”

Victoria smirked and stepped closer, wrapping her arms around his neck. Derrick’s hands skirted up her hips as her mouth lingered a mere inch away from his. “And here I thought you said you weren’t the jealous type, Mr. Constantine.”

“Only when it comes to you,” he smiled in return as he moved in to kiss her. Leaning her back towards the door, Derrick very skillfully turned the handle before ushering her inside.

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