Framed - Part 2
Author: I wrote these here words, for you, so I am the Author!
Fandom: Politics RPS
Pairing: Clameron
Rating:NC-17
Word Count: 52,680 in total
Warning: Character Death, RPS, Blood, Strong Language.
Disclaimer: Not real, it is pure fiction that I made up in my head, no nastiness meant to the lives of anyone involved.
What lengths would someone go to, to get what they think is owed to them?
6
“So what is so urgent then, George?” William asked as he bounded into George’s office. He flattened down his tie as he lowered himself briskly into the chair situated in front of George’s desk. He arched his eyebrows as he waited for a response, confused by the silence that greeted his question. George was still to look at him, deep in thought as his fingers of one hand drummed a repetitive, hypnotic rhythm. Finally he looked across at William and sucked air through his teeth.
“I think we’ve got a problem, a big problem. Which one way or another needs sorting out.” He leant forward in his seat and braced his elbows on the desk that separated him from William. “It appears that David has fallen for his Liberal Deputy.” William’s expression changed to one of bemusement.
“That maybe so, but Nick is holed up with Michael, right? Everyone knows they’ve been together for a long time. What makes you think that just because David has a crush on Nick that anything will change, I mean, David should know better than to tread on another man’s toes, right?” George sat back and steepled his fingers.
“He should know. He probably does know, William. But that doesn’t appear to have stopped him. He told me a while ago that he and Nick had got closer than they should have, and yesterday he told me that he was in love with him.”
William rubbed at his temple, trying to take stock of the information George was telling him. “But... what about Nick and Michael?”
“Well, this is what I’ve been telling David; that there was no chance that Nick has enough back bone to leave Michael, but David said he was telling him last night, and something in the way he said it has me worried, William, I think he might just have gone and done it.”
“We need to find out what’s going on, David owes it to us to be truthful.” George nodded at William’s suggestion. “What on earth is he thinking of?”
“I knew it would be a bad idea going into this government with the Liberals... I know it was the lesser of two evils, but still. I bet Nick will have him so loved up he’ll be pushing all their flimsy policies before we know it.” George hammered a fist down onto the hardwood of his desk, his face tense with rage.
“Calm down, we need to keep our heads and think this through properly. Maybe if we get them to confide in us about their relationship, we’ll be able to monitor things more closely?” William looked hopeful, but the stern grit that George wore on his face filled him with a dread that worried his bones to their core.
“It won’t be enough, and you know that. Something needs to happen, something radical. Some that will turn this Coalition on its head.”
“You mean something severe enough to end it and force another general election?” George nodded, a malicious smile tweaked at the corners of his lips.
“There is no way we can lose; we’d be the governing party, just us, no yellow bastards diluting our ideals.”
“Maybe we can just talk David into seeing some sense?” George laughed incredulously at his colleague and friend.
“Don’t be so naive! You remember what it was like to be in love, William.” George leaned forward again, his face serious once again. “We’ll get the facts together and discuss what to do, I have a few ideas, and we’ll need Theresa on board though.” William nodded in compliance and got to his feet.
“I hope you know what you’re doing, George.” William said sombrely.
“Trust me.”
7
David had woken up startled, his chest heaved deep breathes as his looked at the alarm clock through his blinking eyes. Directing a tirade of curses at himself for forgetting to set his alarm, he sat bolt upright and jumped out of bed. He quickly showered, dressed and rushed through a quick breakfast, hoping that the small amount of sustenance would see him through until he could grab something more substantial after his meeting with his cabinet. After double checking he’d got everything, he snatched his phone off the bedside table and hurried out of the door, down to the offices below.
With his head down and purpose in his long strides he navigated the corridors briskly towards the cabinet office, hoping to get there before a vast number of his team in order to look prepared, not wanting them to see him in such disarray. As he made his last turning onto the corridor that lead to the Cabinet meeting room, he was met with the tall frame of Michael Moore stalking towards him, a solemn look on his face. Of his entire Cabinet members to have to met on this morning, he would have put Michael’s name at the bottom of the list; he was riddled with guilt as Michael moved closer towards him. David swallowed his fear.
“Good Morning, Michael. Leaving already?” David tried his best to sound light hearted but he could see that Michael’s mind was on other things, as he managed a quick tightening of his lips in response. David’s heart pounded in his chest, mixed emotions surged through his body; sadness and guilt pushed against the swelling relief and happiness that was rising within him. “Everything okay?”
Michael looked at David for what felt long time, as if searching something. David squirmed internally under the intense scrutiny of Michael’s dark brooding eyes, hating every prolonged second. Michael finally found his voice. “I think I’ll be okay, thank you.” Michael went to continue on his route to where ever he was heading but for some reason he was restrained by David’s hand on his forearm; puzzled, he once again searched David’s eyes, this time for an explanation.
“I’m sorry.” David said in a lowered voice. “I know he really didn’t want to hurt you.”
Michael pulled his arm free with as little force as possible, not wanting to cause too much of a scene in the quiet corridor; a murky look of confusion fell on his face. “I’m sorry... I don’t understand.”
David’s face contorted as he started to understand. “No... I’m sorry, I must have things confused, I’ll let you get on.” David attempted his most charming smile, hoping he’d sounded convincing enough. Michael didn’t move and over his shoulder David watched as George and William looked at them and entered the meeting room, not without sharing a look with each other first. David swallowed hard, his throat went dry and it felt like it was compressing. The glimmer of happiness he had previously felt was now splintering into a thousand pieces.
Michael stood firmly, his feet planted in position in a wide stance; his hands on his hips as he loomed over David. “I’m guessing when you say ‘he’ you mean Nick, has he said something to you?” Michael found himself scowling at David; he tried to soften his features the best he could despite his simmering anger, conscious of who might see him looking intimidating towards his boss.
David shook his head in reply. “No...” he closed his eyes, he knew he sounded feeble. When he opened them he saw Nick over Michael’s shoulder where George and William were previously stood. David’s mouth dropped open, Michael turned to follow David’s gaze. Nick started to walk towards them, his face was panic stricken. Before Nick could get a word out, Michael had turn round to face him, blocking his route through.
“Have you spoken to David this morning?” He asked his voice was barely more than a whisper. Nick shook his head, his brow furrowed as he Michael’s jaw line tensed at his response. Michael stepped out of Nick’s way and shared a glance at each man standing in front of him. Nick didn’t say anything but he could see Michael hurting as he was piecing together the information internally. Michael turned to Nick and stared with unfocused eyes at his face. “I’d hoped you’d be able to talk to me first.” He then turned his attention to David. “My apologies, David, but I fear I won’t be able to attend today’s Cabinet meeting... personal reasons.” He bowed his head quickly before taking his leave and making his way down the corridor.
“Nick... I’m sorry, I saw him, asked if he was alright, next thing I’m making excuses for you...” David rambled through his words quickly until Nick held up a hand to stop him.
“Shit, David!” Nick pinched the bridge of his nose. “Don’t you turn your phone on?” Nick asked sounding agitated. David’s head fell forward as he suddenly remembered just grabbing the handset of the bedside table and pocketing it, forgetting he had switched it off the previous night.
“I... I turned it off last night; it was driving me mad with distraction... I...” David looked both flustered and apologetic as he explained.
“That would explain it. I didn’t get chance to tell him last night, I’m sorry. I really am, I sent you a message, and another this morning, saying that Michael’s mother was taken into hospital overnight... look, I better go after him.” Nick placed a hand to David’s forearm and squeezed. David looked mortified.
“I’m... sorry, Nick... I really am. I had...”
“I’m to blame, I should have told him last night, when I said I would. Hush, please. Just let me go after him. I’ll set things straight. I owe it to him and you.” Nick’s voice was tainted with worry as the realisation of what had happened started to sink in; he shared one last fraught look with David before hurrying down the same route Michael had gone.
8
Nick finally found Michael shrouded in the warming glow of the morning sun in the courtyard at the back of the Cabinet office, his face didn’t reflect the warmth of the weather that touched their skin. Nick approached cautiously, unsure of what to say. Michael surprised him by turning to face him square on, his eyes void of emotion. The broken look on his face caused Nick’s heart to drop as the weight of his actions pulled him down, and no words would form as he tried to explain. The tense silence was finally broken by Michael’s muted tones.
“If you weren’t happy with me anymore, you should have told me, maybe we could have worked things out, and maybe I wouldn’t have to hear about it from the Prime Minister... I feel a fool.” He raked a hand over his face, and when their eyes met again, Nick could now see the hurt.
“You’re not a fool; I should have spoken to you, you’re right... I just needed to talk it through with someone, and... David was there.” Nick shrugged, trying to pay down David’s involvement, hating himself as the deceitful words passed his lips. “I... I couldn’t tell you, I just couldn’t bring myself to say the words, I needed to be sure and I wasn’t.” Nick turned his face towards the nearest building, not wanting to look Michael in the eye as his heart broke.
“How long have you felt like this? I should have known... maybe I just couldn’t bring myself to see what was happening.” Michael’s mouth worked over time as the endless possibilities and hypothetical solutions came into his mind.
Nick raised a hand to stifle the flow of mutterings. “Please don’t blame yourself, Michael. This has nothing to do with anything that you’ve done. I... just...” Nick paused momentarily to think about what he really did want, trying to push the doubt from his mind. “I just found I needed someone new.” Nick bit down on his bottom lip to curtail the possibility of the truth from escaping.
Michael’s hurt was now mixed with suspicion and his hands rested on his hips in a slightly more aggressive stance, which however imposing it felt to Nick, he knew he deserved it. With eyes of brewing thunder that peered out from below a taught brow, Michael stared at Nick, and Nick knew what he was looking for; the truth.
“Have... have you found someone?” Michael tried his best to mask the pain that the words kicked up as he spoke them.
“No... It didn’t seem right to... well...” Nick gestured wildly with his hands, as he struggled to find the words. He knew they wouldn’t be there to be discovered as they were lies, lies that he didn’t have the conviction to say and make them sound convincing. He could see Michael was tentatively considering what he had told him and eventually nodded slowly, the innocence on his face caused Nick to react involuntarily. “I love you, Michael, I do... Just not how I used to...”
“And that’s not enough.” Michael finished Nick’s sentence for him, solemnly. The two men looked away from each other. Nick felt as if he’d said enough, worried that he would say something he shouldn’t if they were to remain in this awkwardness. “If it is okay with you, can I drop by and collect a few things later?”
“Sure... if you need some time to... I don’t know... I’m going to try and get a flight up to Scotland first thing in the morning, so if you’re worried about me being there, and that’s why you want to leave then you have a few days to sort things out, I know I’ll be there tonight, but I’m sure we can work something out.” Michael attempted a small smile that never quite settled on his lips.
“Thank you. I should get back... before I’m missed.” Nick bravely joked and it was replied to with a faint smile and a nod. Nick said a quick goodbye and made his way back to the office. Each step was an effort as he left the security of Michael’s love and compassion behind him and headed blindly into a world of uncertainty and secrets with David.