Fear is not the End

Author's Note: The fourth and final part of the series starting with "Not to 
be Great." But don't worry, I'm not going away. It's too much fun to 
torture Cameron. Be expecting a new series, in this universe. Soon. (Soon 
being relative… It'll be here before the continents crash together again. 
Definetely.)

Summary: Cameron and Daedalus meet again after the argument. 

Rating: PG/PG-13 SLASH

Disclaimer: Not mine. Whimper, whimper. Whine, whine. 



Cameron was halfway to the pier when he sensed the familiar presence 
trailing behind him. It was a dismal day, even by the standards of San 
Francisco. The sky was dark gray, scowling with the promise of rain. To 
his left, the waves rolled, even blacker than the sky. A brisk wind whipped 
them into their massive peaks, even as it cut through his light jacket and 
slacks. 

That was perfectly fine with Cameron. The nasty weather drove people 
back into their houses, leaving him alone on the beach. He had been 
stalking down the beach, thinking, in perfect solitude. Until now. 
Footsteps crunched vaguely in the distance. At the edge of his hearing, 
he could make out the faint rustle of a cloak. More reliably, his sensitive 
nose could pick up the scent, a pungent mixture of paint and herbs, that 
tinged the sea air. There was little doubt in his mind as to where the odor 
originated.

He continued to pick his way down the shoreline, ignoring his companion. 
It wasn't that he wanted to send the other packing with his silence. 
Cameron had known Daedalus too long to believe in that particular tactic. 
Rather, he was just so tired, he wasn't up to acknowledging the 
Nosferatu's presence. Experience had also taught him that Daedalus 
wouldn't make the first move. He'd follow Cameron into eternity, stalking 
him more closely than the Brujah's own shadow, but he'd never force an 
encounter, a fact for which, right now, Cameron was extremely grateful.

They walked across the damp sand in silence. Daedalus never came 
closer, but neither did he fall behind. Cameron plodded steadily forward, 
shoulder hunched against the wind. The pier rose up in front of him like a 
monolith in the distance. Years of exposure had bleached the wood a 
sickly gray. Barnacles and seaweed clustered around the bottoms of its 
pillars. Aside from them, the only creatures occupying the pier were a 
bent figure with a fishing rod and a seagull, plump with many discarded 
lunches. Neither seemed to care about the two ragged figures closing in 
on their perch.

For some reason, their presence made Cameron feel even more alone. He 
was- obscurely, confusingly, desperately- glad that Daedalus was out 
here as well. There was something comforting in his silent presence. 
Unintentionally, he took a deep breath of the chill air, trying to distill more 
of the other vampire's scent. His ears cocked of their own accord to pick 
up the creak of his boots. 

As they crested a slight rise, Cameron abruptly whirled around. A few 
steps behind him stood Daedalus, characteristic blank expression firmly in 
place. With a sigh, Cameron plopped down onto the gritty sand beneath 
him. Having seen Daedalus, he couldn't pretend he didn't exist anymore. 
For a moment, Daedalus froze in place, dark even against the black 
waves. Cameron stared directly into the Nosferatu's eyes and shrugged. 
Join me or don't, his expression said, it doesn't matter to me. 

Daedalus gave him a slight nod and approached the sitting Brujah. In a 
rustle of fabric, he had seated himself beside Cameron. Together, they 
stared out over the ocean. Cameron could feel the tension bleeding out 
of his shoulder. Even the damp soaking into his slacks didn't dispel the 
strange feeling of peace that came over him. Beside him, Daedalus 
exhaled slightly. He tipped his bare head back to look at the sky above 
them. Cameron did the same. The clouds were too thick for him to see the 
stars. Even the moon only lent a faint glow to air around it.

"All seems kinda pointless out here, don't it?" Cameron let the words slip 
from his lips. He hated to break the spell, but he had to inject reality back 
into the proceeding. Better to do the inevitable banishment now than 
later, when the loss would hurt more.

Daedalus turned his head slowly to look at the Brujah. His eyes, usually 
so sharp, were unfocused. "No, never pointless… " a small smile 
appeared on his face, "but forgettable… at least for a time." 

His words shocked Cameron fully back into reality. As much as he wanted 
to, his eyes traced Daedulus's cloaked form, he couldn't allow himself to 
forget the way things. Not even for a short time. Because if he allowed 
himself to this one time, he shook his head, he might never want to 
remember. He turned away from his companion. He couldn't forget his 
grudge with Luna, not for anyone. To do so would be to betray everyone 
the Ventrue Prince had killed at Manzanita, and they didn't deserve that. 
He drew up his knees and buried his head in his arms. Some of the 
awareness came back into Daedulus's eyes at his action. One thin brow 
arched over his wrinkled forehead. Still, he kept the peace, content to 
simply observe Cameron.

Finally, under the weight of unmitigated attention, Cameron turned back 
around. His eyes traced the ground near his feet.

"What are you afraid of?" Despite Daedulus's gentle tone, Cameron's 
head shot up.

"I'm not afraid of anything." His tone was defensive. He took a deep 
breath and closed his eyes. "This isn't gonna work."

"This?"

Cameron opened his eyes and rubbed his left temple. "This. You know." 
He made a universal gesture. "Us."

Daedalus cocked his head. On his face, curiosity warred with some other, 
more complex emotion. "What is there about "us"?"

Cameron's stomach lurched. In the same instant, he realized his own 
feelings and encountered the doubt that Daedalus might not share them. 
His disgust at his own weakness and stupidity laced the already volatile 
combination of emotions. It was a sobering mixture. All of his earlier calm 
vanished.

"Us… we…", he cast about for an appropriate word, waving his hands 
absently. "I don't think we can be friends."

The Nosferatu chuckled. "No, I don't think we will ever be friends." His lips 
cocked up in a tiny grin. "But right now, we are very close enemies." 

Cameron studied him closely. He knew what Daedalus had said, but he 
wanted to be sure he got the right interpretation. What it sounded like- 
to be perfectly honest- was a come-on. In fact, he hoped, despite himself, 
that it was. But, if it wasn't, then Cameron didn't want to make expose 
himself in that way. He would have to tread carefully.

"They say you should hold your friends close and your enemies closer…" 
He kept his tone carefully light.

"That is not so difficult. I have few friends. Julian is quite taken with the 
lovely Caitlin and Cash," he made a face of mock disgust," is not someone 
I would want to hold too tightly to my body. He has a distinct odor." The 
Nosferatu wrinkled his nose.

His comical expression was too much. Cameron laughed. Cash had a 
thing for cheap, musky, aftershave. He splashed it liberally all over his 
body. To the vampiric nose, it ranked somewhere in between rotting food 
and room spray. Even Sasha complained about it sometimes. Usually in 
high pitched, loud, tone of voice.

"That's no odor. That's a bloody legal dependent." Cameron grinned. 
"Good to hear that I don't have competition." 

Daedulus gave him an odd look. "I am not sure you want the prize…" his 
voice trailed off, masked by the crashing of the waves.

"Depends on whether or not it's a good prize." Cameron struggled to 
keep his voice steady. It wouldn't do to give away the game now. He had 
to be sure before he took the leap of faith.

"Some would welcome it. Most I think," Daedalus turned his head away," 
would not." His shoulder slumped a little. 

To his surprise, and chagrin, Cameron felt his throat tighten at the 
Nosferatu's dejection. His emotion overcame his good sense. Before he 
could think about he, he had his arm around Daedalus's shoulders. Under 
the cloak, the Nosferatu was solid and muscular. A slight heat radiated 
from him. 

"In that case, it's a good thing that Brujah tend to be a little… different… 
than most." 

Daedalus turned to look at him. His face was tight until he glimpsed 
Cameron's expression. Then the tension slowly faded away. Most of the 
wrinkles disappeared and a smile twitched on the edges of his lips. 
"Different, Cameron, does not begin to describe it." And with that, he 
leaned in and laid his lips against Cameron's.

The Brujah started at the sudden contact, but then eased into the kiss. 
You're crazy, he berated himself. It'll never work. You're just setting 
yourself up for… he smacked himself mentally. Because right now, in the 
moon light, holding Daedalus in his arms, it just didn't seem to matter.

Rori watched the Primogens embrace. Cash had been right. There was 
something up with those two. As quietly as possible, he stowed his rod in 
it's leather case. Then, he stood gracefully, movements honed by vampiric 
blood and martial arts training. On silent feet, he glided off the peir, back 
towards the Prince's manner. It had been an interesting evening. His 
Primogen would think so too. And so would Prince Julian. Knowing that his 
most trusted advisor was even now clenched in a lip lock with his most 
hate enemy would interest the Prince very much indeed.

Finis

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