Disclaimer: We do not know these men, therefore this is total fiction. We make no money from this at all.

Pairing: EW/DM DM/?

Rating: This part is PG15

Summary: Prologue to a series. Trouble is brewing, a secret is out.

Feedback: Greatly appreciated, either to perhobfan@yahoo.co.uk

Archive: A Shortcut to Trianne - anywhere else, please ask.

AN: The story is Dom's POV. Elijah's POV is only expressed through his journal, indicated by italics. Kia has taken on co-writing duties on this story, which is wonderful. UPDATED 02 OCTOBER 2005 - My co-author, Kia, passed away just a few days ago. Please note it is highly unlikely this story will now be completed, as to be honest my heart isn't in it. Kia was a fabulous writer and, more importantly, a very dear friend.

***

Prologue - *Flashpoint*

His heart begins to resume a more normal rhythm, from its high of 185 beats to a steadier pace. With agonizing slowness the lungs follow suit and take on a more regular breathing pattern, and the flashing lights that spark within the brain subside and then dim.

For a moment, a brief moment, the brain and the body are detached entities and then that moment is gone and the whole experience is receding into memory. Searing, pleasurable, intoxicating memory. Brain and body become reacquainted and normalcy returns.

He withdraws his penis from his lover, spent and flaccid in its coat of latex, and flops heavily onto his back. His partner must be relieved that the weight has gone from his slender frame, but he sighs at the loss nevertheless.

Dominic turns, takes Elijah in his arms and settles him spoon like against his hard and sweating body. Deftly he has removed the condom and disposed of it over the side of the bed into a special container used for just that purpose. He wants nothing to disturb them; reality must not be allowed to intrude. Sunday afternoons are made for this.

"I love you, Lij," he whispers, nuzzling sweetly into Elijah's soft neck. He is smiling, grinning like a fool. The grin relaxes perceptibly when there is no reply.

"Lij?"

Elijah turns in his arms and Dominic feels the pain like a physical blow. There is no love in that look, no tenderness in that flushed, damp face. Elijah's eyes are dark.

He knows.

"I know," Elijah says, quietly. Then he frees himself completely from Dominic's grasp and is out of the bed and out of the door and Dominic is out of his mind.

He knows.

****

It was a fling, that was all. A mistake. A stupid mistake. They were split up by circumstances and Elijah was suddenly far away. Filming far away.

It was just a kiss. An alcohol fuelled ridiculous kiss between friends. That fanned and burned and erupted in flame and consumed.

By the time Elijah had rejoined Dominic the fling was merely smouldering. Dominic could congratulate himself on one thing; the affair never touched his heart, never came close. Elijah resided in his heart, had staked his claim and was immoveable. No, this was just a bump and grind, a tussle in the dark. It was good because it was stolen, exciting and novel. It never even came close to being love.

It began in New Zealand in mid-June. It ended in New Zealand in early July. A fling. Happens all the time. No one gets hurt. And Elijah was supposed to never know.

He knows.

****

"How do you know? What do you think you know, Lij?" Dominic tries for brazen, for misunderstood and affronted. Elijah is in the kitchen, drinking coffee. He has found an oversized t-shirt from the laundry basket. Even in that old thing he looks good. He quit smoking but he is dragging on a cigarette now, and it strikes Dominic that he must have been to buy the cigarettes. When? When did he buy cigarettes? Ahead of this scene, in preparation? In cold blood?

"You had an affair in New Zealand," says Elijah, steadying himself on the counter. He looks very tired to Dominic. "I was told. I didn't believe it, Dominic. I told the guy who told me to go fuck himself. Crazy bastard! But not so crazy, cos he was right. You did it."

"No! Who would tell you crap like that? That is just bullshit, Lij! God! I would never do that." Dominic pushes against Elijah and holds him tight. For a second there is yielding. Then that second is gone and there is an eternity of hate queuing up to take its place. Elijah pulls angrily away and puts space between them. Dominic thinks he has never seen those eyes that exact shade before.

Elijah lights a cigarette and blows the smoke directly into Dominic's face.

"I just wanted one more time," he says, quietly. "I had it. You had it. Bye bye."

"Lij, no. Its not what you think, I-"

But the trouble is, it is exactly what Elijah thinks.

There is no further debate, no discussion. If Dominic enters a room, Elijah leaves it. If Dominic tries to touch Elijah, Elijah threatens to call the police. He wants him out. Now. No one does ice maiden like Elijah when he is in the mood.

Dominic finally packs and leaves. It is mid October. Two months until the premier of the next film.

As he drives away, he knows one thing. This is not the end. This is not over. Not like this.

****

Journal Entry
Monday

He left. I made him go. It was the worst thing I have ever been through in my fucking life. Right now, who do I hate more? Him for doing it or J for telling me? Close call.

We fucked one last time. I knew it was the last time, he didn't. It might have affected his performance if I had told him. And I didn't want that. Not for the last ever time.

Now I feel like shit. Every bad thing in the world just came and set up home in my head and my heart. Elijah fucking Wood, what have you done? Couldn't you just have ignored it? Carried on? Been that couple? Done those things? Lived that life?

No. You couldn't. So you won the moral fucking high ground. And lost Dom.

I need to know who he was. That's all I want, is the name. Just the name of the guy.

***

Continued with Part One of "Trust Lost"