Viggo hears the plan

[karlofpalace.livejournal.com]

(takes place right after Ben leaves Karl)



"No problem," Viggo said, a moment too late as he watched the other man walk down the hall and disappear around the corner. He shook his head and walked into the suite. "Who was that?"

"Hey." Karl smiled as he kissed Viggo. "Ben Browder. Dominic gave me his name. I just hired him to find who hurt Harry and Lija."

"You did what?" Viggo pulled back and stared at Karl. "How?"

Karl frowned. "Why are you so surprised? I told you I was going to find someone. I asked Dominic when we were at hospital."

"I don't know- I guess I just thought you'd tell me that you had a name, or were meeting with someone or something. What did Elijah think- did he meet with him? Harry's not back yet, is he?"

"Harry should be getting back from Dr. Le- I mean Dr. Neeson's either today or tomorrow. And Lija hasn't met him. He's not going to til Ben finds whoever it was."

"Do they even know you're doing this? Did you talk to them about it?" Viggo asked, fairly certain he already knew the answer.

Karl closed the door. "No. And no." He walked to the table, picking up Ben's beer bottle and draining his before walking to the kitchen.

Knew it. "Why, and why?" Viggo asked, following behind Karl. "And how- you haven't explained that bit yet either."

"I told you. It's something I have to do. Need to do. Ben said I didn't need the money up front. He knows Harry. Likes him. He said he'd work with me. He'll be sending me a quote once he gets one worked up."

Viggo bit his lip, fighting the urge to scream in frustration. "Karl, do you even have any money? You've not been on the books here, with still being tutored, and I can't imagine retrievers make a lot, especially one in service."

"I have a little. And I can get the rest. Just need to make a visit and it's done." Karl walked past Viggo towards the front room.

Viggo followed behind Karl, tracking him throughout the room. "How are you going to get it?" he asked, refusing to let it go.

"Viggo, I can get it. Don't worry about it. How were your classes today?" Karl sat on the couch, drawing his feet up under him.

Viggo folded his arms and looked at Karl, calm, but silent, waiting for an answer.

Karl was forced to drop his gaze. "I'm going to see Sean. Or maybe Marton. Not sure which of them has to okay it."

"Has to okay what- Karl, what are you going to-" Viggo cut off, realization hitting him like a punch in the chest. "You're not serious."

Karl was still for a minute, than got up and walked to the window. "I am." He whispered as he passed Viggo. He leaned against the wall, arms crossed as he stared outside.

Viggo sat in complete silence for a few moments, his voice finally breaking through the soft room. "I'll be the first to admit that I don't know Harry at all, but from what I've seen, and from what you've told me, he isn't going to like this- you going further into debt for him. Is he." Viggo stated, rather then questioned.

"He's not going to know. I heard I might get tested soon. Get on the books. I'll be able to pay Ben off that. Just need the down payment. And he said he'd work with me. Might not have to be even that much."

Viggo went silent again, not knowing how to argue this with Karl without sounding like he didn't care about what had happened to Harry and Elijah. "Karl... why isn't Harry doing this himself? God knows he's got more money and resources then you do, and you said he already knows Ben- why hasn't Harry already got him on it- why aren't the police on it, for that matter?" he asked, getting up and crossing the room, leaning against the wall beside the window and looking at Karl.

"I don't know about the police. Tried to get some answers at the hospital but since I wasn't family or high up enough I didn't get anything. Harry's hurt. He'll be thinking about that and about getting shipped out to the country and having to tell Orlando about this. I need to do this. I need to find out who did this."

"Okay, tell me if I have this right- Elijah doesn't remember who attacked him, and Harry doesn't remember either?"

Karl nodded.

Viggo bit his lip, hesitating. "Karl, what if Ben can't find them? What if you never know who did it?"

"He said he would. I told him he was it for me. That there was no back up plan. He said they were that good. I have to believe he will. I have to."

Viggo nodded, and moved behind Karl, wrapping his arms around him. "Tell Harry and Elijah. Maybe there's something they remember that can help, but even if there isn't- I can't help but think they should know about this."

"I can't. They'll ask me about the money. I can't let them know about the debt. I'll ask them again, but i'm not telling them why." Karl leaned back against his love, placing his arms over Viggo's.

Viggo kissed the back of Karl's neck and held him tightly. "Okay. You've got to do what you think is right." And I have to do what I think is right too. "I love you, Karl."

"I love you, Viggo." Karl turned his head to kiss him, than looked out the window. "It's going to work. It will."

"I hope so. So, when Harry gets home? Does he know yet that you knew?"

"I don't think so. He didn't say in his message."

"And if he finds out that you knew? Should we start looking for hiding places for you?" Viggo teased, resting his head on Karl's shoulder.

"We might have to. For a long time." Karl pressed more against Viggo. "On the good side, we'll be able to hear him coming from the yelling."

"Yelling while you look for someone isn't terribly stealthy. I thought he was supposed to be good at hunting people down?"

"He is. It's more what I'm hoping he'll do. Give me a head start. But I wouldn't put it past him to sneak up on me."

"He's got the advantage anyway- sooner or later your bracelets are going to stop you, and he'll run you down." Viggo grinned, looking entirely unsympathetic.

Karl looked at Viggo. "Hey, whose side are you on anyway?"

"Could be interesting. Seeing him hunt down someone who isn't me. Karmic justice, maybe." Viggo shrugged, still smiling.

"Karmic justice my ass. He'll probably bury me up to my neck in the woods and leave me there overnight."

Viggo let out an undignified snort and shook as he tried not to laugh, the imagery coming through a little too clearly.

"You know, you're having way too much fun with my possible impending doom."

Viggo shook harder, detatching himself from Karl and bolting out of the room into the bedroom, burying his face in a pillow and losing it completely.

"NOT FUNNY, MORTENSON." Karl yelled, before running after him. He jumped on the bed. "You wanna laugh, do you?" He began to tickle his love.

Viggo's pillow flew out of his hands and he laughed harder, tears running down his face as he tried to squirm away from Karl. "Stop- your fault- not- buried- woods-" he cut off, lost in hysterical giggling.

"You didn't have to enjoy it that much." Karl tickled him for a couple of minutes longer, than let him go. "You're sick, you know that?

Viggo collapsed limply against the bed, giggles slowly subsiding. "You started it," he objected, his voice rough from the effort of trying to escape.

"You're the one who brought up hiding places." Karl hit Viggo with his pillow, leaving it on his face. "Some boyfriend you are."

Viggo squeaked from under the pillow and pulled it off of his face with a dramatic scowl. "Look, I'm sorry, but once you said the thing about the woods, it was all over. Next time I see Harry I'm gonna ask him if he owns a shovel."

Karl grabbed the pillow and hit him again. "He does."

"Ow! They let him walk around Palace Proper carrying a shovel? Or is it in his office- behind Elijah's desk or something?" Viggo started to laugh again.

"Okay, that's it. You can stay here til you're done." Karl got off the bed, shaking his head as he went back to the front room.

"Karl!" Viggo stopped laughing and followed him out of the room. "Come on, it was a funny image- you have to admit that it was. And I promise to hide you if he comes after you and not tell him where you are... as long as he doesn't tickle me, that is."

"It's not funny when you've been threatened with it before. And given a demonstration on how it would happen." The corner of Karl's mouth quirked up. "Well, not til I realized he was kidding."

"He gave you a demonstration?" Viggo stared, in serious danger of going into another fit of laughter. "How did that work?"

"Oh like I would tell you now. Try again some other time."

Viggo pouted. "Can you at least tell me what you did to warrant the threat?"

"I made a bad joke about running."

"Oh. Decided he wasn't going to let that happen, did he?" Viggo said, turning a bit more serious.

"I think he knew I was kidding. But there's alot who don't joke about that. It was more a warning about watching myself around people than about me actually running."

"You never even thought of running seriously- did you?"

"Where would I go?"

"That's why I was asking- just... caught me off guard I suppose. Anyway- I promise to protect you from Harry and his shovel." Viggo smiled.

Karl smiled as he went over to Viggo. "Thank you, love. And like I said, he knew I wasn't ever going to run. Just a bad joke."

Viggo nodded. "So... if I'm not successful and he buries you in the forest, who do I call to get you unburied, since I can't leave the building?" he grinned, before taking off for the bedroom again, laughter trailing behind him.