What are you running from?

Subject: What are you running from? Sat Sep 01, 2007 8:33 pm

Mike stopped moving when he slid his key in to open the door. "Is it normal to be so worried for Butcher?" he asked. He hadn't exchanged a single word with William on their way home, simply because he was too preoccupied. I have a really, really bad feeling.

Subject: Re: What are you running from? Sat Sep 01, 2007 8:35 pm

William nodded, almost out of breath since they had runt he whole way home. "I'm afraid he might go through with his plan," he said, shaking his head sadly. "I can't let him do that."

Subject: Re: What are you running from? Sat Sep 01, 2007 8:39 pm

"Me neither," Mike confided. "But I wouldn't want him to think we don't trust him." But the fact is, I don't. "I mean, he said he wouldn't do it, didn't he?" Now that he thought about it, Mike wasn't so sure whether Butcher had told him explicitely or not.

Subject: Re: What are you running from? Sat Sep 01, 2007 8:42 pm

William shook his head. "I knwo he hinted that he wouldn't, but he never clearly said it. Typically he wouldn't lie, but I can tell how much he cares about Mikey. I could tell because you could see how hurt he was after he told us about earlier. I think he might do it. I need to find some way to stop him." William bit his lip in thought, crossing his arms over his chest.

Subject: Re: What are you running from? Sat Sep 01, 2007 8:44 pm

Mike finally opened the door. "Well, let's think about this inside," he suggested, and motioned for William to enter. He closed the door behind them. "Do you think we should warn Mikey?"

Subject: Re: What are you running from? Sat Sep 01, 2007 8:47 pm

William walked further inside the entrance hallway. "I don't think Mikey could stand having Butcher hurt, much less having him killed. We need to warn him somehow. He may not believe us, but he needs to know," he said, his arms still crossed over his chest, his eyes staring directly into Mike's.

Subject: Re: What are you running from? Sat Sep 01, 2007 8:50 pm

Mike nodded. "I'll wait until my wing hurts less - a couple of minutes, no more than an hour or two - and I'll fly back to the mansion so I can talk to Mikey without Butcher knowing I came back."

Subject: Re: What are you running from? Sat Sep 01, 2007 8:52 pm

William sighed. "I'm afraid to let you go back there after what happened. It's not safe," he added, shivering a little as he remembered the look of pain on Mike's face earlier.

Subject: Re: What are you running from? Sat Sep 01, 2007 8:59 pm

"Mikey can pretty much control Nick's acts," Mike noted. "And Mikey asked Angel to help me back there. I know he's not over it, but I think the thought of slaughtering me is not in his mind anymore." I could be mistaken, though.

Subject: Re: What are you running from? Sat Sep 01, 2007 9:02 pm

"How do I know that you'll be safe though?" he asked, backing up to a spot on the wall where the sun was shining through a nearby window. The light made his body look frail. His arms looked like twigs; his face tired and pale. It was obvious to anyone's eyes, no matter how bad their sight was.

Subject: Re: What are you running from? Sat Sep 01, 2007 9:09 pm

"In that kind of situation, I don't think your presence would change anything. Besides, they all still think I'm immortal. They won't even try to hurt me enough to kill me." Mike studied William's face and body. He didn't know what had happened to the cheerful and healthy William he had known in his band. Did I do this to him?

Subject: Re: What are you running from? Sat Sep 01, 2007 9:13 pm

"Okay," William mumbled in defeat, not able to argue the point with Mike anymore. "Just be careful, okay? And just tell him and come straight back. I don't know how much longer we can trust anyone else. We're only doing this for Butcher's sake," he spoke quietly, the veins in his throat showing each time he moved his jaw to pronounce a word. He knew he looked unhealthy, but he didn't know how to fix it.

Subject: Re: What are you running from? Sat Sep 01, 2007 9:18 pm

Mike shook his head. "I deserved what he and Nick did earlier. Mikey helped you through a lot of things; don't assume he's a bad person. He'd never harm you." He stopped talking for a moment, once more troubled by William's appearance. "You know there's food in the fridge, right?"

Subject: Re: What are you running from? Sat Sep 01, 2007 9:22 pm

"I know he's a good person. He's helped me find out a lot of things that I never knew. I just don't know how much more emotional stress he can take before he cracks. I don't want a chance of him taking it out on you." William looked towards the ground as he thought of an answer for Mike's question. "Yeah, I know. Why do you ask?" he asked his fiance, even though he knew why Mike had to ask.

Subject: Re: What are you running from? Sat Sep 01, 2007 9:24 pm

"You know there are mirrors in the house, right?" Mike rephrased. "When's the last time you've eaten something? You look like I've been starving you for a month."

Subject: Re: What are you running from? Sat Sep 01, 2007 9:27 pm

William thought for a moment. "Just part of an icecream cone since I've been here. But it's fine. I'll be okay," he said, giving a weak smile to the guitarist. He kept his frail arms crossed, trying to cover himself.

Subject: Re: What are you running from? Sat Sep 01, 2007 9:30 pm

Mike raised his voice in a moment of panic. "But the doctor said you had to..." He stopped abruptly, not wanting to go on. He wasn't only harming himself. "You don't look okay. I'll make you a nice meal; just tell me what you'd like."

Subject: Re: What are you running from? Sat Sep 01, 2007 9:34 pm

He realizes that losing them was my fault now. I told him. William gave another weak smile. "I'm fine, honestly," he said, turning to leave teh hallway. When he reached mid-point, something caused him to stumble, falling to his knees. He closed his eyes for a moment, his arms keeping him up on his knees.

Subject: Re: What are you running from? Sat Sep 01, 2007 9:38 pm

Mike kneeled down. "Of course, you look absolutely fine," he said bitterly. He took William's arm. "Why are you doing this?"

Subject: Re: What are you running from? Sat Sep 01, 2007 9:40 pm

William bit his lip and kept his eyes shut tightly at the harsh tone in Mike's voice. "It just...I'm not used to eating is all. There were times when I went months straight without eating because I did something wrong," he whimpered a little, keeping his eyes closed.

Subject: Re: What are you running from? Sat Sep 01, 2007 9:44 pm

Mike's grip softened. He suddenly felt bad for thinking he could have put the blame on William. "It's different now," he told him. "What you're doing is not healthy. You have to eat." To him it was obvious, and he couldn't understand why William wouldn't simply do it.

Subject: Re: What are you running from? Sat Sep 01, 2007 9:47 pm

William kept his eyes shut. "Okay. Just give me a minute," he said quietly, shaking a little. He let out a small groan, the same blunt pain that had forced him to stumble now affected him again. As it passed, he stood up slowly, making sure that his knees wouldn't give out on him again.

Subject: Re: What are you running from? Sat Sep 01, 2007 9:50 pm

Mike wrapped his arms around William's waist to help him keep his balance. "See? That's what happens when you don't eat when you're supposed to," he whispered. He lead him to the kitchen.

Subject: Re: What are you running from? Sat Sep 01, 2007 9:55 pm

William accepted Mike's help and frowned. "I'm sorry. It's just I'm not used to it is all. I wasn't really allowed to when I lived with Ryland," he mumbled, staring at the ground as they walked.

Subject: Re: What are you running from? Sat Sep 01, 2007 9:56 pm

"No need to be sorry. You just have to break that habit, that's all." Mike helped William sit down on the nearest chair. "What would make you happy? What's your favorite kind of food?"