Shards of Salvation

Shards of Salvation

TIMELINE : 4 years after Gabriel Van Helsing becomes a Hunter for the Order.
PLACE : Vatican City, Rome, Italy.
DISCLAIMER : I don’t own these characters. I make no money.
PAIRING : Gabriel/Carl
RATING : R to NC-17

BETA : No. Don’t use one. Don’t recommend it. Thanks. My writing is my own. My mistakes are my own. This is for fun, not for sale.

CHAPTER FOUR

Morning July 06

Carl was not sure how late he’d slept in when the sun woke him that morning. He yawned and stretched lazily, not at all wanting to get up. He’d had the most amazing dream even though he really could not remember much of it. He’d been cuddled and held all night within the arms of the one he loved. It was too cruel to wake up and spoil the effect.

He cracked open one eye and let out a soft sigh. Time to get back to reality. The other eye followed the first and soon he was grumbling as he sat up groggily. It was then he realized that there was a blanket on him. He frowned, trying to remember whether he’d slept with one. No, no he didn’t think so.

He forced the previous night and day from his mind, it had been too full of conflicting emotions. There were also those new experiences he probably should not have indulged in for now he was feeling slightly sore. Well, this was one thing he was -not- confessing. "Do forgive me, Lord." he glanced hurriedly up at the roof of his room. "I just can’t." he shook his head and sighed.

Time for another day at the Vatican. He cracked open the closet door and fished a clean shirt and shorts, the typical ones’ he normally wore under his robe. He bundled up the clothing he’d worn the night before and carefully tucked it away.

Using a meager bar of soap he washed himself carefully, wincing slightly as he rubbed his bum. The skin that had suffered under his burn was now almost constantly flaking and he glared at it in annoyance. Just one more thing that made him unappealing, he supposed.

He dried himself and applied a bit of cream to the tender spots on his body then got dressed. He stared at his head in some despair. Despite everything he tried to do it still stuck up at the sides. Such a nuisance. Why couldn’t he grow it long like Gabriel’s? He looked like far too comical with short hair. It just -wasn’t- him.

Finally, he was ready to face morning mass and get on with the day. He walked to his door, ready to unbolt it when he found that it was not bolted. -that- was strange. Carl went back to the night before. He was -positive- he’d bolted the door. How?…and he hadn’t put the blanket on himself. Carl paled. He was certainly not a -slow- man.

Someone had been there. Had they seen him? Had they seen him do that? Who? Carl swallowed nervously. Oh God, as if he did not have enough problems, now there was this mystery. He could not even approach it! If someone saw him, then they’d know. They would know for sure. "God help me." he trembled and nearly jumped out of his skin at a loud rap on his door. "Yes?"

"Carl, it is brother Ferdinand, may I speak with you?"

"Certainly," Carl forced back his fears and allowed the monk into his chamber.

"You look much better today." Ferdinand observed as he examined the nervous young man. "I came to tell you that your friend is out of the Infirmary and will recover. He’s a stout fellow, Van Helsing. It will take more than a few lashes with a whip to take him down. Don’t you think?"

"He’s out? Well that’s wonderful!" Carl brightened at the news, something cheerful to focus on.

"You know that he is to remain here for 14 days, without access to any weapons, yes? I was speaking to a few of the others and we were concerned he would get underfoot. You know how men are when they are left to their own devices. We thought perhaps you could take charge of him."

"Me?" Carl squeaked, "But…but I’m busy with the new project…" his eyes widened at the idea of being around Gabriel all day.

"Yes you, you see the Cardinal wishes that he broaden his mind. And you could teach him."

"Teach him what?" Carl nervously fidgeted with the folds of his robe.

"Languages. Cultures. You are an expert on that after all. He’d have a far easier time of it if he understood the places we send him, and…"

"You want him out of everyone’s hair." Carl sighed. "What about -my- work?"

Ferdinand laughed softly, "Really Carl, you can stand to take a break from that yourself. You work far too hard sometimes you know, straining your eyes day in and day out. I watched you work down in that dark lab 14 hours straight once. God does not admire a lay about, but he does not want his people to exhaust themselves either."

And suddenly it dawned on Carl. They wanted him to baby sit Van Helsing while he stayed at the Vatican because they knew that he was one of the few people who could keep the man calm. Gabriel had never been around for this long before, usually he was sent out within a few days of returning. Carl hardly ever got to see him. Now…now he would see him every day. How in the world would he be able to keep his feelings from being discovered? He did not really have a choice though, if the Cardinal wanted this, it was his duty to agree. "You’re right, of course." Carl nodded. "I… I suppose I will take care of him."

"You do that." Ferdinand patted him on the back, "Good lad. We’ll all be very grateful. You’ll make a fine Monk someday."

With that the healer was gone leaving a very bemused young man behind. A good Monk…he almost laughed. He was anything -but-. Especially after the night before. Good lord, he did not know how he was going to be able to get through this next couple of weeks.

He walked out of his room somewhat in a daze and almost cursed as he ran into someone. "Oh, dear… I’m…" he flustered, then he blushed as he looked up and realized who he had collided with.

Gabriel’s hands were on his shoulders gently, steadying him. "Don’t worry about it, I was just coming to get you for mass."

"You’re coming this morning?" His eyes widened with some shock, Gabriel usually never attended mass except on special occasions.

"All part of the penance, Carl." he shrugged, "Shall we?" The hunter made no indication that anything was wrong, not that anything should be wrong. "You did very fine work yesterday, I hardly feel a thing."

The friar had to walk quickly to keep up with Gabriel’s long pace. He stole a glance at his friend who was dressed casually in black cotton, sans hat. "How’s your back?"

"Its painful." Gabriel said honestly, "But nothing I can’t handle."

As they threaded through the crowd to their seats, he attempted to speak more on the subject, "You need to put the salve on every day, you know. To make sure the scars heal. I…" whatever he was about to say was drowned out in the crowd of people who had come to the Vatican that morning.

Gabriel and Carl waited until the Cardinal was present before seating themselves, the hunter shushing his friend. He gave a soft smile as he glanced to the side, watching Carl as the young man gazed up at the service taking place. He was completely captivated by the stories and testimonies as they continued through the early morning. He found it almost relaxing to sit there, the one person he trusted in the world at his side knowing that he was not expected to jump up and fight something. He was now glad that the Cardinal had given him this punishment. He would finally be able to spend time with the young man, to get to know him better.

The service was not a long one, a little over an hour and they were soon free to go. Carl smiled up at the man with him and Gabriel’s heart leapt. He would give everything in the world to see those eyes smile up at him every day. "Wasn’t that wonderful?" Carl breathed excitedly, "Jinnette is amazing! Don’t you think? He has such a way with words."

"Indeed." Gabriel said dryly. "Well, it was not boring, at any rate. Watch out Carl…" he stopped the young man from nearly tripping over a stair.

"Sorry!" he apologized to a passing monk who he had almost collided with.

Gabriel shook his head in amusement, "Why are you so nervous? it’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?" He slung his arm over his friend’s shoulder lazily as he looked up at the brilliant blue sky. It was not an innocent embrace. Not completely.

Carl’s mouth opened and he attempted to speak but the feel of the elder man’s fingers rubbing absently against his shoulder made him want to groan. "I um… I am not nervous. Yes, it is nice out." he wracked his brains for something intelligent to say.

"Why don’t we go for a walk in the city?" Gabriel suggested. "I can’t really do any training at the moment."

"Van Helsing you make it sound like I have nothing to do at all! Why…I have plenty to do…" he was about to continue when a nearby monk interrupted him.

"Carl, The Cardinal told me to inform you not to go down to the lab today, we’ve had a bit of an accident there. Your allergies will not be able to handle it."

Carl sighed and pinched his nose, "Oh, great." he murmured, "Just when I was getting somewhere on my latest experiment too."

Gabriel grinned widely, "There, now you have nothing to do and you can come for a walk with me."

The friar could not find any words with which to argue the point so he ended up giving a short laugh and nodding his assent.

**To Be Continued**