Fake Fan Fiction ❯ Dead Men Tell No Tales ❯ To Change the Story ( Chapter 11 )

Four chapters in one weekend? Is it possible? Let's find out….

 

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Chapter 11—To Change the Story

 

An hour later, a freshly showered and changed Ryo sat on the couch in his and Dee's apartment, a likewise freshly showered and changed Dee at his side. Dee was curled as close to Ryo's side as physically possible, refusing to break contact with his lover for even a moment. He had not spoken a single word since Ryo's return, but simply clung to the blond like a drowning man clings to a lifeline and refused to let go.

“….Damn,” JJ said as Ryo finished explaining about what had happened to him and how he had managed to get back to the city. “That's….quite a story.”

 

“Believe me, I know better than anyone how lucky I was,” Ryo replied, taking a sip of his tea and carding his fingers through Dee's hair. “I was sure I was dead….” He looked over at Bikky, while his hand stroked Dee's head thoughtfully. “I kept hoping that maybe….just maybe….I'd get lucky….and I'd be able to come back.” He shrugged. “Guess God….or fate….or whatever the hell it is that runs our lives decided that I wasn't done with you guys yet….” He trailed off, his eyes darkening for a moment before he said, “I'm so sorry for worrying you….for making you think….I was….”

 

“Don't freaking say it,” Bikky ordered, his hand tightening around Carol's shoulders. “Say it, and I swear to God I'll do it to you myself.”

 

Ryo chuckled. “Fair enough, Biks.” He turned to JJ, who was lying on the room's other, larger couch with his head in Drake's lap. He had just taken another dose of painkillers, and was floating pleasantly in total numbness. “So….how are you feeling? What are you doing out of the hospital so soon?”

 

“Well.…when we thought you were….you know….” JJ swallowed. “I convinced them to let me stay out of the hospital, so that I could stay with Dee.”

 

“And now he's checking back into the hospital tonight,” Drake stated, in a voice that booked no argument. “Because he was a moron and he probably made himself worse with all the worrying.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, can it, bonehead….” JJ muttered good-naturedly, his voice slurred.

 

“….JJ, are you falling asleep?”

 

“Mm-hmm….” JJ affirmed.

 

“Well….you can't do that. We're leaving.”

 

“….Now?”

“Yes.”

 

“Do we have to?”

 

Drake sighed in exasperation. “Yes.”

 

JJ groaned. “Fine….”

 

Drake leaned over to shake Ryo's hand, and JJ gave him a light hug after settling into his wheelchair. Then the two left, JJ falling asleep almost before he and Drake were out the door.

 

Sister Maria stood soon after that. “I'll be going, too,” she said, before coming over to pull Ryo into a long hug. She kissed him lightly on the top of the head. “It's good to see you, son,” she said softly. “Let's try not to have this happen again, all right? This old woman would rather have both her boys alive, well, and together for many years to come, thank you very much.”

 

Ryo laughed. “Yes, Mother,” he replied. “I'll see that it doesn't happen again.”

 

After Sister Maria had left, Ryo said, “Now, if I know my boys, you two probably slept since all this started.” He smiled and stood up, pulling Dee with him. The raven haired detective did not protest or fight the action, but followed the blonde's direction wordlessly. “Carol, why don't you stay here tonight? You can stay in Bikky's room….I get the feeling he'd like to have you around.”

 

Carol smiled as she slowly uncurled herself from her position in Bikky's lap and stood up. She came over and planted a kiss on Ryo's cheek, then one on Dee's. “Welcome home, Ryo,” she said to the blond, before going back over to Bikky's side.

 

Ryo smiled. “Thanks, Carol. Goodnight.”

 

After Carol had disappeared into the bathroom to change into one of Bikky's largest tee shirts, Bikky came over and grabbed Ryo in a fierce hug. Ryo blinked and hid his grimace as he returned the hug in a surprised sort of way. “Bikky….?”

 

“You scared the hell out of me, you jerk,” Bikky muttered, his face buried in his father's chest. “And if you pull that shit on me again, I swear to God….”

 

“I won't,” Ryo replied, his arms tightening around his son. “I promise.”

 

Bikky's stepped back, his arms dropping reluctantly from around Ryo. “Night.”

“And then there were two,” Ryo said as Bikky and Carol closed the door. “Are you ready for bed?”

 

Dee nodded, his hand still clinging tightly to Ryo's as they went into their bedroom. They curled up on the bed together, Ryo stroking Dee's back soothingly as they began to drift silently into dreams.

 

---

 

When Ryo awoke later, it was to find himself most certainly not in the arms of his lover. Dee was curled up on the opposite side of the bed….and as far from Ryo as he could get.

 

Frowning, the blond considered moving over to him, but then decided against it; Dee clearly did not want to be touched or held at the moment.

 

The concerned frown still on his face, Ryo stared up at the ceiling for over an hour before finally falling back to sleep.

 

---

 

“I hate this God damned hellhole….” JJ muttered.

 

Drake laughed. “I know you do. But….you feel better being here, don't you? Physically, I mean,” he rushed to clarify, knowing without a doubt that, if left with an opening, JJ would begin a tirade on the uselessness of hospitals and their insistence on filling their “prisoners” with multitudes of lime Jell-O, and nothing else.

 

“Yeah, I guess….but it's so boring….no colors on the walls….nothing. How do they expect people to get better in places like this?”

 

“I have no idea,” Drake replied with a shrug. “But you are not leaving until the doctors decide to let you this time. Do you understand me?”

 

JJ smiled slightly. “Yes, Daddy….” he muttered, pulling Drake into a long, slow kiss. “Love you,” he said softly when they parted.

 

Drake opened his mouth, then closed it. He still had trouble with the words….they just didn't come as easily to him as they did to his partner. “I know you do,” he finally managed.

 

The smile grew wider. “It's okay, Drake. You don't have to spaz. You said it once….that's enough. It's more than enough.” His face suddenly grew serious, though, and a little sad. “I just wish Dee would say it to Ryo again….”

 

“Yeah….” Drake agreed. “What's going on with those two, do you think?”

 

“I don't know….” JJ sat there for a moment, subdued, then suddenly pulled on Drake's hand. “Come sit with me.”

 

Drake laughed. “You're insane, you know that?” In spite of the words, however, he sat down on the hospital bed next to JJ, stretching out as close to his lover as he could without hurting him.

 

JJ reached over to the bedside table and picked up a book from the stack there. “Read to me?”

 

Smiling, Drake took the book, opened it to the first page, and began to read. He read for hours, pausing only when a nurse or doctor came in to see to JJ, until the silver-haired man fell into a peaceful slumber, lulled to sleep by the voice of the man he loved.

 

The man who, both of them knew by now, was there to stay.

 

---

 

Sister Maria was sitting in the front pew of the church, staring thoughtfully at the face of the Virgin Mary. The place was silent, as all the children had scattered to play outside, and at this time of day, the church was an excellent place to think.

 

“….Mother?”

 

The kindly old nun turned, and smiled happily. “Ryo!”

 

“Hello, Mother,” Ryo said, planting a light kiss on Sister Maria's cheek.

 

“Hello to you, too, dear. And to what do I owe this pleasure?”

 

“Actually, I….needed to talk to you. Do you have a minute?”

 

“For one of my boys? I have two. Come sit.” She patted the space next to her, and Ryo took it, wincing as even the smallest movement pulled at his chest and his shoulder, the latter of which was now supported by a sling. “What is it, dear?”

“Actually, it's….it's Dee.”

 

Sister Maria frowned. “What about him?”

 

“He's been acting….strange.”

 

“Strange how?”

 

“I don't know, it's hard to put your finger on. It's just….since everything happened….he's been different. One minute, he's clinging to me like there's no tomorrow and acting like I'm about to disappear again any second, and the next….he doesn't want to be anywhere near me. And he never talks or makes eye contact. It's almost like he's….angry at me….”

 

Much to Ryo's surprise, Sister Maria smiled. “Ah….I see.” Sighing, she took Ryo's hand in hers. “Well, Ryo, you have to understand something about Dee. He handles a lot of things….differently….than you and I do. He's lost so much in his life….so very, very much that he's loved and treasured. And then he met you, and his life suddenly looked so much better than it ever had before. You compliment each other, take care of each other….love each other. And he thought he'd lost all of that. So he dealt with the situation the only way he knew how—he closed himself off from it. He's still closing himself off from it, because you haven't talked him through the process of opening up again.” She squeezed his hand. “He needs you now more than ever, Ryo. Just coming back isn't enough. You have to prove to him that you're here to stay.”

 

“I guess that….makes sense….” Ryo smiled at Sister Maria. “Thank you, Mother.”

 

“Yes, well….that's what I'm here for.” Sister Maria smiled. “Now….go back to Dee.”

 

Ryo's smile grew. “I will. I….always will. I promise.”

 

---

 

When he returned home, it was to find Dee sitting on the bed, staring at nothing, as he so often did nowadays. Closing the bedroom door behind him silently, he came over to sit on the bed next to Dee. The raven haired man did not look up or acknowledge his presence.

 

“….Dee?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Can….you come with me for a minute?”

 

“….Huh?”

 

“I want you to come with me. I have something I need you to see.”

 

---

 

The air on the rooftop of the apartment building felt different. It was….clearer, somehow. Quieter. More soothing.

 

Ryo moved over the railing, leaving Dee standing by the door to the stairs that led up to the roof. He leaned against the rails, closing his eyes and taking in the smells and sounds of the always moving, never ending city life. “God, I love this town….” he said softly, just loud enough for Dee to hear. He paused for a moment, letting the fast pace that was the essence of New York calm his scattered senses, then turned suddenly to look at Dee. “Do you know why?”

 

Dee shook his head wordlessly, coming over to stand beside Ryo, although not close enough that they were touching. Ryo took note of this, but did not press the issue as he turned to look back out over the cityscape.

 

“It's because….cities like New York give guys like you and me a reason for being.” He stopped to collect his thoughts. “Look at all the good we've done, Dee….everything we've accomplished.” He tried to find a way to express his thoughts, and then suddenly, a quote that Carol had read to him from one of her favorite books jumped into his head. “`There's always a story. It's all stories, really. The sun coming up every day is a story. Everything's got a story in it. Change the story, change the world.'” He turned to look at Dee. “We've changed….so many stories, Dee. You and me, together. And all of this….me disappearing and getting shot, Russell confessing to you and getting three truly evil men off the streets by doing so….it was all just a way of changing another story. Of changing the world.”

 

“Yeah, but the end doesn't justify the means, Ryo,” Dee said, the words coming with surprising clarity and ease, considering he had hardly spoken two words at a time since Ryo's return. “I almost lost you….I thought I had lost you for awhile.”

 

“Yeah, but Dee….when all is said and done….the end is really all there is. We have nothing else besides the knowledge that by getting up and going to work and risking our lives every single day….we're changing the world.”

 

Dee sighed, and stared out at the city. It made sense….but it didn't make the thought of losing Ryo any easier to bear. Still, hearing the words from Ryo soothed him in a way that nothing else had. And suddenly, Dee couldn't see a good reason for his recent behavior. Suddenly, having Ryo in his arms seemed like the most important thing in the world.

 

Ryo yelped as he felt himself being pulled against his lover in a bone-crushing grip. Then he smiled, slowly, and ran his good across Dee's back in soothing circular motions, ignoring the painful fire that the raven haired detective's tight hold lit under his damaged skin. “I love you.”

 

“I love you, too,” Dee said softly, his voice choked. “Don't leave me again….please.”

 

In answer, Ryo simply held Dee closer. A warm drop fell onto his neck, and it was followed by another. The second was followed by a flood, and Dee felt like they would never stop.

 

And throughout the torrents of tears, Ryo held him, comforted him….loved him. As he would continue to do until the day he was dragged, kicking and screaming, off the face of the Earth.

 

Nothing short of death—possibly not even death itself—could have broken them apart now.

 

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There. Finished. Four chapters in two days, and they're not totally crappy….not in my opinion, at least.

 

….I've probably doomed myself to eternal writer's block now….

 

Oh, and anyone care to guess what book the line that Ryo used came from? I'll give you a hint: I DID NOT MAKE IT UP. It's from a book by Terry Pratchett.