vigorli

TITLE: Out of the Darkness...Light (29?)
AUTHOR: DS
E-MAIL: lotr58@bellsouth.net
RATING: R--Violence, Angst
PAIRING: Orli/Viggo
DISCLAIMER: I don't own these guys (though I wish I did). No money is being
made from this endeavor and no disrespect is intended. It's all for fun!
And thanks so much to those of you looking it over for me:) Your time and
comments are much appreciated.
FEEDBACK: Yes, but be kind, gulp:)
ARCHIVE: Anywhere, just let me know. Thanks.
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CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Viggo gazed at Samantha with a mixture of admiration and awe as she held the telephone to her ear and lied through her teeth.

“Yes, I’m Sonia Bloom. Yes. That’s right. I want you to lift the ban. I’m authorizing it. Viggo Mortensen and Sean Bean are now allowed to visit my son. What is that? Yes, any time. They can visit any time.”

‘What a smooth liar you are,’ Viggo marveled as he listened to the young woman speak with the nurse on Orlando’s floor.

Then, conversation apparently over, he watched as she replaced the phone on its cradle and turned to face them, a smile on her face.

“It’s all set. I just spoke with Nurse Billings and gave her the authorization to let you in. You shouldn’t have any problem. This first time, though, it might not hurt if you all went in together. You know? So you’re not real obvious?”

“And just in case some one doesn’t get the word,” Ian finished.

Viggo found himself nodding in agreement and noticed that Sean was doing likewise. He listened as the young woman continued.

“It’s very early—only 8:00—so I’m going to pick up mother and take her out to breakfast. That should give you a chance to go in and see him.”

Reaching out to grasp her hands. Viggo put his heart and soul into what he said next.

“Samantha. Thank you so much for all of this. You don’t know how much I appreciate this. How much Orlando will appreciate it.”

The young woman inclined her head slightly, squeezing his hands.

"Yes, Viggo, I do."

Closing her eyes briefly, she drew a deep breath, as if gathering her strength for what they were about to do.

"Okay, here's what we're going to do."

Viggo leaned closer in an effort to catch everything she said. This was too important to miss anything—not a word—and right now, he was willing to do just about anything to get in to see Orlando.

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"All right, just keep walking. Pretend you belong here."

A pat on his shoulder followed by a quick squeeze, caused Viggo to glance to his right, where he saw Ian smiling in encouragement. He didn't know why, but he felt almost guilty creeping along the hospital corridors, sneaking in as he was. Sean Astin had assumed unofficial command of the mission and was barking out instructions nonstop. He didn't know about the others, but personally, Viggo felt like belting him. Was he even pausing to breathe, he wondered? How was the man managing to get enough air in between sentences?

"...and when we get to the nurse's station, just keep walking. Be nonchalant about it. Don't act guilty."

To his left, Viggo realized that Bean had finally had enough.

"Will you give it a rest, mate? We know what to do, for God's sake. We're not going to run up to the nurse's station and announce ourselves. “Hello, we're Viggo Mortensen and Sean Bean. We've been banned from visiting, but are coming in anyway. You were given false information to allow us to visit. Is that okay?”

The group, consisting of the entire Fellowship, minus Orlando, plus Hugo and Liv, came to a sudden standstill as Sean Astin, a hurt look on his face, stopped in his tracks and looked over at Sean Bean.

"I know that, Sean. I'm simply trying to make things easier. Help them run a little more smoothly."

Bean sighed and smiled at him, his anger obviously gone. Viggo released the breath he hadn't even realized he was holding when his friend reached over to clap his fellow Sean on the back.

"I know, lad, I know. These last few days have just been a little...tense, that's all."

"Well, that's an understatement," Billy replied, lightening the mood and garnering smiles and chuckles from those around him.

"And here we are," Viggo heard from behind him. He'd been so intent on the conversation going on around him that he hadn't even realized they'd passed the nurses station and come to a stop in front of a closed door--room 417. His heart began to beat a little faster in anticipation--he was going to see Orlando again, in just a minute.

Casting his gaze over the assembled group, he saw his friends and he realized what a lucky man he was. They were all here because of him--and Orlando. And at the moment, they all wore identical expressions. They were happy, too. He knew that they all wanted what was best for Orlando, and at the moment, that meant seeing him. So here he was--finally.

After a four day separation, he was anxious to see the young man. More than anxious, he was almost desperate in his need to make sure the boy was all right. He needed to see for himself, with his own eyes. Inhaling deeply, he turned to face the closed door, anxious and concerned about what he would find on the other side.

‘Would Orlando be happy to see him? Or angry that he hadn't come to visit?’ As far as he knew, Orlando had not been told the real reason behind his absence. So he had most likely spent the last four days feeling hurt and possibly even rejected because Viggo hadn't been there with the others. Slowly releasing the breath he hadn't even realized he was holding, and praying that Samantha could keep Sonia Bloom occupied for the next several hours, Viggo braced himself for whatever was waiting for him beyond the door in front of him. Reaching out slowly, his hand trembling slightly, he grasped the door handle and pushed.

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