Death by Dreaming - 14. Chapter 14

When Marcus returned to the party Angel was nowhere in sight. He looked around for a while but the gardens were full of people and the band was now in full swing so it was practically impossible to speak to anyone.

Finally he found Charlie and dragged her into the house where it was at least possible to hear themselves think.

“Wassup big boy? You looking for some girlie loving?”

“Charlie! You’re pissed.” He said disgustedly, unwinding her arms from around his neck and sitting her down on the stairs.

“Course. That’s the idea isn’t it?”

“Where’s Angel?”

She shrugged. “Dunno. Last time I saw him he was with you.”

“Well he isn’t with me now, and I need to find him fast.”

“Wassup?”

“I’ve had some scary news from Harry. Charlie, Angel’s in danger. I’m sure of it. We have to find him and keep him close.”

“Why?” Immediately Charlie sobered and sat up straight. “What did Harry say?”

Quickly and in hushed tones Marcus filled her in and her eyes grew wide.

“We’ve got to get him out of here.”

“That’s what I thought at first but we can’t Charlie. Nothing that Harry gave me on Charles was acquired through legal means. We have to find evidence. If we don’t then Charles gets away free with what he has done already and he is not going to give up. If he’s gone to this much trouble he is not going to stop just because Angel is out of the house. We have to find something incriminating before we can do anything, and be sure that Angel is safe.”

“Bugger.” She started blankly at the carpet for a moment. “Where’s Angel? We have to find Angel.”

“I think this is where I came in. Look... you have a look around the house. Mention to Charlton that we’re looking but don’t breathe a word of what I have just told you to anyone.”

Gravely she nodded and she was only swaying slightly as she slipped off the stairs and went to search the house.

Desperate, Marcus searched through the gardens, questioning friends, enlisting their help... until he heard the news that turned his blood to ice.

“The last I saw of him he was talking to that arse Henry. I think there might have been a problem. They headed off towards that side of the house.” He nodded with his head towards the wing occupied by the Bishops.”

“Fuck!! How long ago?”

“I don’t know... maybe half an hour or so.”

“Double fuck. Alright... come with me. We need to pay Henry a visit and I think he’s got friends around.”

On the way they collected a few more friends, including Clay and Harry, both of whom were wired and spoiling for a fight with Henry.

Henry’s party was smaller and less energetic... just a number of boys and girls lying around a barbecue pit drinking bottled beer, smoking spliffs and generally getting down and dirty with each other. Marcus was unaccountably shocked. At a nearby table a young man, who already looked as if he’d had more than enough, was cutting a line of coke with the edge of a credit card.

There was no sign of Angel but Marcus quickly spotted Henry and made straight for him. With no preliminaries he grabbed the front of Henry’s shirt and practically lifted him off his feet, demanding, “Where’s Angel?”

“Woah there, what the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

“Where is he? I know he came here. What the fuck have you done with him?”

Henry smirked at him and said quietly.

“Take your hands off me. You got away with it the first time but this time I have witnesses.”

“I couldn’t give a flying fuck about your witnesses, all I care about is Angel.”

“Awww... how sweet. Did you two have a lover’s tiff?”

“I’m warning you Henry, don’t mess with me.”

“Do your worst Marcus. You’ll be in court in the morning and what would poor little Angel do then? His bed would be so cold tonight without you to warm that cold blood of his... unless of course he found someone else to oblige. Now that we all know which way he swings I’m sure it wouldn’t be too difficult for him to get himself some sweet gay loving from... someone.”

Marcus snarled but hands on his shoulders pulled him back. Henry calmly brushed down his jacket as Marcus glared at his friends.

“Don’t give him what he wants Marcus... just don’t give him the satisfaction. Take it easy.”

Eventually Marcus nodded.

Henry’s friends had drawn round in a circle which, at another time might have been considered to be intimidating or even threatening but both Marcus and his friends were too angry, too wired to care. At that point in time every one of them would have welcomed the chance of a fight. Apart from Marcus and Harry no one really knew what was going on but they had all picked up on one thing... Angel was in trouble. Added to that was the fact that everyone hated Henry.

Some of the boys glared at each other and one or two of Henry’s friends drifted away. The boy snorting coke had never paid them any attention. Henry looked around nervously and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was the one who would undoubtedly come off worse if any fight broke out.

“Chill out Marcus. What’s the big deal anyway? We were having a good time, keeping ourselves to ourselves, not interfering with your circus over there. What the hell gives you the right to come storming in here, trying to make a fool of me in front of my friends?”

“I wasn’t trying to make a fool of you Henry. Why would I bother? You do an excellent job of it without any help at all.”

“Then what the hell do you want?”

“If you listened to me you would know... try to follow. I... want... to... know... where... Angel... is.”

Henry gave him that look again, the supercilious smirk, and he wanted to smash his face in. “What makes you think that I know?”

“It seems that the last time anyone saw him he was heading over here with you.”

“And? You say that as if you think I have him tied and bound rotating over the barbecue. Sure he came here. I went over to ask him if he minded my friends and I wandering over to listen to the band. He was off his face. He insisted on coming back here with me and putting us all in our place. Fucking arrogant little shit.”

“Don’t speak about Angel like that. You know it isn’t true.”

“Whatever.”

“What happened then? Where did he go?”

“How the hell do I know? I was glad to see the back of him. He made a complete arse of himself.”

A few of Henry’s friends were nodding and Marcus began to feel decidedly uneasy.

“What do you mean he was ‘off his face’?”

“What do you think I meant? He was high as a kite, barely able to stand or string two words together."

“That’s not Angel. Something was wrong. For fuck sake Henry... you know he’s been ill. You know he doesn’t do drugs. Didn’t it occur to you that something was wrong with him?”

Henry grinned and shrugged. “It occurred to me... but I just didn’t care.”

Harry and Clay caught Marcus’ arms as he lunged forwards and dragged him back. Henry paled slightly as his friends shuffled uneasily backwards. It was one thing to support a friend when all that was involved was standing around looking menacing but Marcus was clearly out of control and none of them fancied the idea of getting caught in the crossfire.

Henry looked around nervously seeing the way the wind was blowing. He snarled at his friends and then brought his eyes nervously back to Marcus who was slowly and with difficulty getting himself back under control.

“Where did he go Henry? When he left here, where did Angel go?”

Henry shrugged again, looking less cocky but still careless. “How should I know? I’m not his keeper.”

“At least tell me which direction he went in.”

Henry nodded with his head around the side of the house back towards the party. “I thought he was heading back to the big boy party.”

Marcus turned towards the house and his friends let him go. At the last minute Marcus leaped away from his friends and caught Henry, once again by the lapels.

“I’m only going to say this to you once Henry... take it seriously. If I ever find out that you have done anything... anything to hurt Angel... I will take you apart piece by piece. Trust me... it would give me enormous pleasure to ram your attitude so far down your throat you’ll be shitting arrogance and pissing smugness. Capisca?”

Henry stared at him wide eyed and nodded once slowly. Marcus smiled and let him go, smoothing down his jacket for him. “Good. Glad we understand each other.”

As soon as they turned away from Henry and his group Marcus handed out orders to his friends to scatter and search. He, himself, headed down towards the rose garden. He could not have said why he chose to go that way other than the fact that he knew Angel and had the idea that if he had not been feeling himself he would have headed away from the noise and crowd.

Of course he could have done that by heading in any number of directions but he loved the rose garden and they had both often spent time there, sitting on the stone benches and breathing in the scent of the roses.

The scent rose now, to assail his nose, heavy in the still air. His heart was pounding and his mouth was dry. He was frightened, more frightened than he had ever been, without really being able to say why. Surely Henry wouldn’t have done anything to hurt Angel, not openly and blatantly in the middle of a party with so many witnesses... and yet... there was no way that Angel would have taken drugs, no way he would even have been so drunk as to be... ‘off his face’. There was something about that, about the way Henry had been... so smug, so cocky... something was wrong, horribly wrong.

He wandered into the heart of the rose garden, his eyes scanning everywhere, searching for something, any sign that Angel was there or had been there. He was almost to the very centre where a circle of stone benches enclosed a fishpond with a stone fountain, when he heard something, a soft sound, one he would not even have registered if his ears had not been straining. It was a kind of whimpering and at first Marcus thought it was the whining of a dog, until he realised it wasn’t and sprinted the last few yards to the end of the avenue that opened into the centre.

Angel was slumped, half sitting half lying against the wall that surrounded the pond. His hair and shoulders were soaked and one arm was hooked over the wall, his forehead resting on the arm and the hand trailing in the water. He looked as though he had been trying to splash water on his face. Marcus fell to his knees at his side.

“Angel? Angel, what the fuck...? What happened?”

Angel tried to raise his head but his eyes were all over the place. He had no chance of focussing on Marcus. He groaned and Marcus pulled him into his arms holding him tight against him. He could feel his body shaking and his hearth hammering, racing so fast that Marcus panicked for a moment.

“Shit Angel. What have they done to you?”

“Marcus?”

“It’s me babe. It’s alright... you’re safe now.”

Angel was breathing in pants between teeth chattering shivers. He couldn’t hold his head up or focus his eyes.

“Marcus where... where am I?”

“Safe babe. Do you remember what happened?”

“What...? No... I... I can’t... Marcus I can’t...”

“Sssh. It’s alright. It’s going to be alright now.”

Holding Angel tightly in his arms Marcus slipped his hand into his pocket and fished for his mobile. The fairy lights twinkling in the rose bushes all around gave plenty of light for him to be able to find Charlie’s number. She answered almost instantly.

“Charlie. We’re in the centre of the rose garden. Get help.”

“What’s happened?”

“I don’t know... just get someone down here to help me get Angel back to the house.”

“Is he alright?”

“No... he fucking isn’t. Get help Charlie... fast.”

Snapping the phone shut he slipped it back into his pocket and tightened his hold on Angel who was moaning softly, his head lolling back against Marcus’ shoulder.

“Fuck babe... fuck what the hell...?”

“Marc...”

“Ssh... it’s alright. It’s going to be alright now. Just try and calm down babe. You’re heart’s beating so fast... I’m scared. Try to take deeper breaths, just be calm.”

“Too much... can’t... can’t...” Angel mumbled, shaking his head from side to side.

“Just be calm. I’m going to get you inside. Help’s on its way.

Angel started to mumble incoherent words that made no sense only increasing the rising tide of panic that was threatening to sweep Marcus away entirely. Anger warred with fear in his chest and he felt almost fit to burst. Someone had done this. There was no way that Angel would have taken drugs himself. Someone had slipped him something and Marcus had a pretty damned good idea who that someone was. Unfortunately he had just as good an idea that he had a shed load of friends who were going to swear that Angel was high way before Henry came anywhere near him.

“Damn... damn, damn, damn! Why the fuck did I ever let you out of my sight? I thought you would be safe here, with all your friends around you. I thought you would be safe.”

Angel muttered something and Marcus stroked his face, dragging the long sodden strands of dirty yellow hair away from his cheeks, which were icy cold.

“Fuck... where is everyone?”

It seemed like forever before they heard the sound of running feet followed moments later by the appearance of Clay, Harry and a few other friends.

“Shit. What happened?”

“I don’t know. I found him like this. Someone’s given him something. He’s off his face.”

“Henry.” Someone growled.

“That fucking bastard... I’m going to knock his teeth down his throat.”

“Look guys... much as I would love to be holding your coat when you did that... there is no way that we are going to be able to prove it was Henry... not unless Angel can tell us that when he comes down. Anyway... I don’t give a fuck about Henry right now. We need to get Angel inside.”

“Sure.”

“Of course Marcus, we’re sorry... it’s just...”

Marcus smiled. “I know. Thanks guys.”

With the help of Clay, who was roughly the same build as he was Marcus managed to haul Angel to his feet. Although he made a valiant attempt to stand up his legs just wouldn’t hold him and they ended up half carrying, half dragging him to the house and towards the stairs. Half way across the hall they were met by Charlie, Betty and Charlton.

“Oh my dear God, what happened?”

“It’s okay Betty, Angel’s not feeling too well... we’re just going to put him to bed.”

Betty was having none of it and she fussed about trying to get Angel to speak to her. By now he was too far gone to know who or where he was and he certainly didn’t know who she was.

“What happened to him?”

“I’ve no idea. I found him like this in the rose garden.” Marcus looked sharply at her. “You do know he wouldn’t have done this himself don’t you?”

Betty was outraged and swiped him with her hand across the ear. “Don’t you even go suggesting such things. I’ve known Master Angel since he was a baby. I know him as well as anyone. He would never... especially not now.”

Relieved, Marcus smiled at her. “Look, can we discuss this later? I want to get Angel into bed.”

“I don’t think that would be such a good idea. He’s been so poorly lately... I think it would be wise to get Dr Cole out here to take a look at him before we do anything else.”

Dumbly Marcus nodded and complied as he was directed to take Angel into the sitting room. There they laid him on the huge couch while Betty fussed about tucking a rug around him and Charlton went off to phone with a strange, tight expression on his face.

Fortunately, although Dr Cole worked in London he lived only a few miles away and promised to be there within half an hour.

In the meantime Betty shooed everyone save for Marcus and Charlie out of the room. She insisted that they go out and ensure that the party was running smoothly as it was still only a little after seven thirty.

Angel was very restless, constantly tossing and muttering. Marcus, holding his hand tightly was worried about the fact that he was still breathing very fast and his heart was racing. The shivering seemed to have stopped though, or at least calmed down a little. It was very clear that Angel still had no idea where he was though.

Both Charlie and Betty hovered around looking stressed and anxious and, to be honest Marcus would have much preferred they hadn’t. He just wanted to be left alone with Angel so he could take him in his arms, rock him like a child and tell him that everything was going to be alright. Not that he was entirely sure that it was going to be alright... but he needed the reassurance too; he needed it badly, probably even more badly than Angel did.

The time it took the doctor to arrive, which was actually less than twenty minutes, seemed like an absolute eternity to them all. They all jumped and stared at the door when it opened, startling the doctor who took one look around and seized up the situation straight away. He ordered everyone, even Marcus out of the room and they had no choice but to comply, albeit reluctantly. Instead they paced the hallway where they joined Harry, Clay and a half dozen of their other close friends.

“What do you want us to do?”

“If you are asking whether I want you to go and take Henry apart the answer is... yes I want you to but you can’t. There is no way that we can prove that he had anything to do with this and he probably has a dozen witnesses who can prove that he didn’t. It would make no sense to do anything silly like that right now.”

“Marc... you don’t think that any of us... you know that there’s no way that anyone who knows Angel, who really knows him...”

Marcus shook his head. “I have no doubt in my mind whatever who was responsible for this. The problem is that there is a huge lacuna between knowing it and being able to prove it.”

“What’s going on here?”

They all froze and looked up at the sound of Charles Bishop’s voice. He ignored the hostile stares and repeated the question.

“I asked what’s going on? I understand that Dr Cole is here? Where is he and why?”

“It’s Master Angel, sir.” Said Betty throwing an apologetic glance at Marcus who didn’t even notice as his gaze was fixed on Charles. “He’s had a bit of a turn. The doctor is just checking him over and I’m sure he will be fine.”

“A ‘turn’? What exactly does that mean?”

“It means...” said Marcus, slowly and deliberately, a dangerous chill in his voice, “that someone has given him something and it’s made him ill... and if I ever find out who it was then I will take them apart piece by piece and put them together again with their head up their ass.”

“That’s enough of that Mr Sheldon. I don’t take kindly to threats in my... in this house.”

“It’s not a threat, Mr Bishop, it’s a promise.”

For a long hot moment their eyes locked and for the briefest fraction of a second Marcus saw something flicker in the older man’s eyes... fear?

“Whatever. If you’ll excuse me... I have... business to attend to.” Before anyone could say anything he opened the door of the sitting room, slipped inside and shut it firmly behind him. Marcus went to follow him but both Betty and Clay held him back.

“Let the doctor do his work Marcus. It will only be moithering for Master Angel if there are too many people around him, especially when they are bringing a bad atmosphere.”

“I...”

“They won’t be long Marcus, leave them be.”

“But what if...?”

“Charles is not going to do anything to Angel, not with the doctor right there.”

For a dizzying moment Marcus wondered if the doctor was in on it too but he shook that thought out of the way. Dr Cole had known Angel for too long, had been too close to the family. He would never do anything to hurt Angel, or allow anyone else to.

When eventually the doctor came out he was looking grim. Charles was thanking him and telling him that matters would be taken care of and was trying to usher him towards the door before he was able to speak to anyone else. Fortunately the doctor himself was more switched on than that and made a point of slipping out of his friendly arm grip and making straight for Marcus.

“Is Angel alright?”

“For now. What the hell happened? Did you see what he took?”

“No, and neither did he. There is no way... NO way that Angel would take drugs knowingly.”

“Yet you mentioned something about this when you came to see me didn’t you? Why would you have brought it up? You have to admit that this is something of a co incidence.”

Marcus looked horrified and shook his head. “I swear to you... I absolutely swear that Angel has never taken drugs, never. And that goes double for tonight. He’s been so freaked out with everything that has happened, so frightened that he was getting ill again... No... there’s no way he would have done anything so bloody stupid. Do you know what it is? Is he going to be alright?”

“The answer to both those questions is going to have to be ‘I don’t know’ Marcus. Whatever he took it’s causing his blood pressure to rocket and his heart to race. I don’t need to spell out what that could mean to someone in Angel’s condition.”

Marcus went white and if he had not been holding on to the stair banister he would have fallen. It was left to Charlie to ask the burning question.

“What are you going to do? What can we do? He’s not going to die is he?” Well... alright...three burning questions.

“I have already made arrangements for an ambulance to take him to the local hospital. I can’t afford the time to take him to the clinic. I have a few private rooms there and he will be well taken care of. I want to get him on a monitor as soon as I can to keep an eye on his heart and to find out what the hell he’s taken.”

“I told you.” Marcus growled. “He didn’t take anything... he was given.”

“It makes little difference to the effects on his body Marcus. The fact is that this was exactly the last thing he needed right now.” The doctor looked around, then drew Marcus and Charlie to one side. Charles insisted on being part of the aside, as did Betty. No one objected to the latter or was able to object to the former.

“The fact of the matter is that I am very worried. You know that I wanted Angel to stay at the clinic earlier in the week because I was concerned about the strain put on his heart by the seizures he was having. This is worse. If you have any idea... any idea at all who gave those drugs to Angel, you should warn them that their thoughtless act is likely to have very serious consequences, very serious indeed.”

“But he’s going to be alright... he is going to be alright isn’t he?”

“Marcus... you were there when I spoke to him at the clinic. His heart was under a lot of stress then and showing signs of failing and now... this has put intolerable stress on him. His heart could fail at any time and if it does...”

“But... can’t you do something? Can’t you give him something to stop it? Can’t you...?”

“I have no idea what drugs are in his system. Until I do it would be extremely foolish to give him any more which might just make matters worse. Until I get him into the hospital and test his blood to see what is going on in there I can't do a single thing for him.”

“Do you think... I mean was he given an overdose?”

“No, I don’t think so... it’s not the amount of the drug that concerns me Charlie... it’s the fact that it’s affecting his heart which was already in trouble. I don’t think that anyone was deliberately trying to hurt Angel... they just didn’t know.”

‘Didn’t they?’, thought Marcus, unconsciously glaring at Charles who glared right back. ‘Huh’ Marcus thought, ‘if I didn’t know better I might think he actually cared’.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m not going anywhere Charlie, at least not until the paramedics get here. I just need to get a few things from the car.”

“Can I go and sit with him?”

“Yes, of course. I think it would be a good idea... it will calm him. But only you Marcus.”

“What about me? I am the boy’s guardian after all?”

“With the greatest of respect Mr Bishop, we are thinking of Angel right now and I think you would be the last person he would want to see.”

“But I... I...” he blustered. Fortunately the doctor was very clear and Marcus was happy to shut the door on him, on them all.

Angel was still tossing restlessly on the couch. The doctor had taken his shirt off and his chest was covered with a fine sheen of perspiration. He was shivering again and Marcus pulled the rug up to cover him. Angel moaned and muttered and Marcus stroked his hair whispering to him soothing words. There was no way he could have raised his voice more than a whisper no matter what, it was too choked.

Angel seemed to respond to the sound of his voice and calmed a little although Marcus could clearly feel that his heart was still racing alarmingly.

At some point Angel opened his eyes and looked up at Marcus, his eyes still completely spaced out.

“Marc...?”

“I’m here hun.”

“What... what’s happening? What’s happening to me?”

“It’s okay darling. Just try and relax. I’m taking care of you.”

“But what...?”

“Don’t worry about that now. Don’t get scared ok?”

“Scared?”

“The doc’s been to see you and they’re going to take you to the hospital for a while...”

“No...” Struggling to get his head around what was happening to him Angel understood that one thing and fought to bring himself back.

“Angel don’t. You’ll make yourself really ill baby. You have to relax, you’re heart can’t take it.”

“Take what?”

“Someone slipped you something hun... you’re wizzing your tits off.”

“I... am?”

“You sure are. Just try and relax and rest ok?”

“I don’t... I don’t want...”

“I know you don’t but you’ll be feeling a lot better in a couple of hours and then you can do what you want. In the meantime you’re really not very well babe so let the doctor do what he needs to okay?”

Angel looked as if he wanted to say something else but he couldn’t find the focus and went spinning again.