Fake Fan Fiction ❯ Only Hope ❯ Too Soon? ( Chapter 1 )

CHAPTER 1: TOO SOON?

He stood there, his dark hair hanging damply for the nervous sweat that was running down his temple. Grabbing a wrinkled handkerchief, Detective Dee Laytner of the 27th precinct in Manhattan, New York, wiped his brow furiously, watching as crowds of friends and family gather into the Rainbow Room of NBC Studios. It was the perfect place for such an event, even though his partner raised his eyebrows that Dee probably spent an arm and leg to book such a magnificent place. But with that toothy grin and shining jade eyes, Dee convinced him that it wasn't any trouble and that he had enough saved. Besides, did his sweet natured partner really want to celebrate his thirtieth birthday in some swarthy bar getting drunk with his cop pals off of cheap beer, or actually dress up in a suit and tie, be catered to with a nice meal and wine and be treated like the prince he was. Of course, said cop buddies were there getting drunk off of the wine and commiserating with the birthday boy laughing and smiling.

Dee sighed as he gazed over at Randy “Ryo” Maclean, his partner, his best friend…his lover. The day he laid eyes on the half Japanese, midnight eyed, honey haired detective his heart flip flopped in a way he never imagined. He brushed it off as just a feeling of lust, a challenge since the young man made it clear that he was not at all gay. But it wasn't long before the sweet quiet detective couldn't keep himself from responding to Dee's never ending kisses and warm embraces and Dee couldn't stop the ever growing feeling of more than just an aching libido. And in one night…one beautiful, passionate night, they had let their feelings known. And what a night it was as Dee felt his face growing warm remembering it all.

All romantic feelings aside, Ryo was a caring man and a dedicated detective. Dee watched as Ryo stooped down to look at his foster son, Bikky Goldman. The smile was one of genuine fatherly love as Ryo laughed at something Bikky had said and ruffled his blonde hair. He then laughed as a little girl came around and gave his good leg a squeeze. Like Bikky, the little girl was an orphan. Dee sighed, he wished Ryo hadn't requested that he invite Mother Lane and the orphans, but Dee caved because Ryo loved the kids and of course Dee knew that he couldn't keep the orphans or Mother for that matter from such an important event.

Dee watched as his partner hobbled a little around the room and felt that sting of guilt grow in his gut. Ryo was moving a lot better now, having had physical therapy, but still limped as he made his way over to the buffet table and grabbed a little plate of cheese and crackers for the girl in the pink dress who was clutching his hand like there was no tomorrow. Watching his partner moved around in slight pain as he greeted the guests who continued to arrive, Dee suddenly felt suffocated. He left the room and went out into the lobby to catch his breath.

“What am I doing?” He murmured running his hands through his ebony hair. “I shouldn't be doing this…it's too soon.”

“What's too soon my child?” A caring voice asked. Dee looked up and saw Mother Lane looking down at him with a look of concern.

“Penguin.”

The nun grimaced and grabbed Dee's ear hard.

“OUCH...ALRIGHT ALRIGHT…MOTHER!” Dee squealed.

“That's better.” The nun said. Dee hmphed rubbing his now sore ear. Even though he was nearing thirty himself, the nun still made him feel like he was a little kid. Well, he guessed that's how most mom's are, his mother especially seeing as how Mother Lane had raised Dee ever since a kindly cop brought him to the orphanage when he was just a few months old.

“Well, what's too soon?” She asked again. “And don't say it's nothing, or I will pull your other ear.”

Dee sighed.

“I'm scared Mother”, he said sadly getting right to the point. “I'm scared that I will push him away.”

Mother Maria smiled and put her arm around his shoulder.

“You know that would never happen.” She said. “He loves you with his whole heart.”

Dee continued.

“But I nearly lost him, Mother.” He said remembering that horrible night. “I don't know if I can go through that again.”

Mother Maria sighed and shook her head.

“You're still blaming yourself for that.” She said sadly. “When will you realize that it wasn't your fault?”

Dee shuddered as he remembered that night. He and Ryo had been on a stake out trying to arrest a known drug dealer and rapist that a witness had identified in a picture lineup of previous convicted and released felons. Once the culprit had emerged from the seedy apartment building around midnight, Ryo and Dee charged out of their unmarked car and told the suspect to freeze, he took off running. Dee charged on foot while Ryo got into the car and demanded back up as he turned on the siren and lights and gunned the car down the block. Meanwhile Dee had chased the perp into a nearby blocked alleyway. Raising his gun, Dee told the man to drop his weapon seeing as he had no way out. The suspect raised a gun just as Dee neared him.

“Alright dude.” Dee said panting. “Let's do this the easy way, just drop your weapon and put your hands behind your head.”

The culprit snickered angrily and kept his gun raised just as Ryo ran to Dee's side.

“You heard him.” Ryo said sternly. “Put the gun down.”

The suspect glared, seeing he was outnumbered, threw the gun down and with a sneer put his hands behind his head.

Ryo breathed a sigh of relief as he approached the suspect holding his handcuffs in his hands. Dee meanwhile reached for the gun the perp had dropped and began emptying it of its bullets and putting everything into evidence bags.

Meanwhile Ryo approached the suspect and after a quick pat down unlocked his handcuffs and proceeded to put them on.

Just as Dee stood up, he heard a muffled cry. He turned his head to see Ryo beginning to fall just as the suspect wriggled out of his grasp and charged towards Dee, bloodied shank in hand. In a split second, Dee grabbed his gun and fired a shot into the suspects arm. The man yelled and the shank fell out of his hand. Dee then ran to his partner just as the back up Ryo had requested had arrived.

“RYO!” Dee yelled as he knelt quickly next to his partner who was shaking and panting. Dee skimmed his body and saw blooding soaking his right leg. The officer's face was growing paler and paler by the second as his breaths became shallower.

“HANG ON RYO!” He yelled as he held Ryo's head in his lap and fumbled with his walkie talkie.

“This is Detetive Laytner of the 27th precinct…we have an officer down…I need a bus immediately!”

A scratching voice on the walkie talkie responded and help was being dispatched as officers gathered around Dee and his fallen partner.

Ryo was losing blood fast as he gripped Dee's hand.

“It's okay Ryo!” Dee yelled. “Hang in there, help is coming!” He saw the tear in Ryo's jeans that the shank had made and used that to rip the leg wide open. Dee nearly threw up as he saw the large wound in Ryo's thigh, evident that it was deeper in the vein then he realized. Taking his jean jacket Dee wrapped it tightly on the wound to stop the bleeding.

“Dee…so cold…” The detective said heavily beginning to shiver. His face was sweating as he was going into shock.

“Don't close your eyes Ryo!” Dee yelled as he wrapped his arms carefully around the detective. “Dammit where is that ambulance?!”

“I hear it now Dee!” Detective Drake Parker said. “It's coming!”

“Dee…” Ryo whispered again. “I…”

“Don't let go of me baby!” Dee yelled as he tried to fight the tears in his eyes. Ryo's eyes started closing. “Keep holding onto me, just hold on tight.”

“I….love…you.” The sandy haired detective whispered as finally he slipped out of consciousness.

“NO!” Dee yelled grabbing Ryo's face as the body went limp in his arms. “Wake up Ryo! Dammit stay awake!”

Dee cradled his partner as the paramedics ran onto the scene and pushed Dee gently out of the way. After putting an oxygen mask onto Ryo's mouth, a portable heart monitor on his chest, and wrapped his wound tightly in gauze they put Ryo onto the stretcher and began to run towards the waiting ambulance with Dee at their heels. Quickly mentioning that he was Ryo's partner, they let him into the ambulance and off it raced towards Mt. Sinai Hospital.

“Don't go on me Ryo.” Dee said tearfully as the paramedics continued to work on Ryo. “Not now, not when we have gone so far. I can't live without you.”