Fake Fan Fiction ❯ Three Times A Charm ❯ Chapter 22

Title: Three Times A Charm

Author: JadeHeart

Located: found on AdultFanfiction. If anyone would like it, please ask me first!

Fandom: Fake

Rating: NC-17

Warnings: none really

Timeline: follows on directly from the end of Vol 7

Summary: A new beginning.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this, they belong to the creators of `Fake', nor am I making any profits from it.

 

 

Chapter 22

 

 

Pain - there was pain. Lots of it. Pain that came in a flood, washing through him as though trying to erode his very soul. Pain that blotted out everything else, leaving no room for thought of any kind - just pain.

 

When it did finally recede, when the tsunami left this shore that was his mind and body, it left devastation in its wake. Its legacy was sharp stabbing fires that felt like blades penetrating his heart and soul and severing each nerve. Stab…..stab…...

 

That was his existence. He knew nothing else. Pain was his only companion.

 

His world of darkness changed once. What his eyes saw when they struggled open, lifting leaden lids, was light, brightness, too bright, so he sought the comforting dark once more, only to find his constant attendant, pain, still there waiting for him - and he was alone.

 

Always alone.

 

************

 

JJ shifted in his chair, trying to find a slightly more uncomfortable position to sit in than he had been previously. He knew he was unlikely to be successful but he still tried in the vain hope that he would be proven wrong. He wasn't - unfortunately.

 

A small sigh escaped his lips as his gaze settled once more on the white shrouded figure lying on the bed. He had come here with the belief that he was wasting his time. For that reason he had waited till his shift had finished and night was drawing in. He had had a busy day and already been tired and more than ready to go home, so had almost put it off to the next day but then had decided that would be pointless. He would still have to deal with it tomorrow if he did. So, with a leaden heart, he had made his way here. He'd already given up hope but he had come anyway, driven by the need to absolutely `know'.

 

When he had entered the room he could hardly believe it. He was certain he was hallucinating, his pain and grief creating the image that he so desired to see. He had stood frozen in the doorway for what seemed an eternity until he forced himself to take that first hesitant step, fearfully, positive that what he was seeing would vanish at his first movement, leaving the room empty and him alone once more.

 

But it hadn't. The room remained the same, the figure on the bed still lay there silently. His steps had hurried a little then to draw him to the bedside all the more quickly.

 

Even in this dim lighting he could see the features clearly, features that he knew as well as he knew his own. They had haunted his life for many, many years, been the subject of his dreams for just as long. He felt like his heart would burst, whether from joy or pain he didn't know. For there was pain, joy at the knowledge that he was not dead, and pain in knowing that he was another's. Yet none of that mattered. The most important thing was that he was alive.

 

He had left the room then although loathe to do so, forcing his reluctant steps away from the bedside and back to the door, a feeling of apprehension that as soon as he turned his back that vision would disappear. He had checked over his shoulder constantly as he departed, trying to allay that fear. All remained as it was and he resolved to return as quickly as he could.

 

Firstly he spoke to the attending doctor to find out the status of the patient. The prognosis was good, although not without some worries. The bullets had been removed; one having gone clear through the shoulder, a second had lodged near the heart - fortunately halting its momentum before it could damage that critical organ, whilst a third had stopped against the rib it had cracked on impact. All in all he had been very, very lucky.

 

The circumstances had also been both good and bad. The coldness of the water had slowed his heart, dropping his body temperature as it began to move into the early stages of hypothermia which had helped in slowing the blood loss, although he had still required a transfusion. Of concern though was that of infection, the waterways were hardly pristine in their cleanliness and raw wounds were a haven for bacteria to begin to multiply. The bullets had pushed cloth deep into the wounds which had been painstakingly drawn out before swabbing with antiseptic solutions and sutured shut in the hope of destroying the microbes that had been present. However, the high fever afterwards was a good indication that they hadn't been entirely successful in this and the infection had already begun. A course of antibiotics had been immediately incorporated into the drip that steadily infused the weakened body it was attached to.

 

All these aspects were merely physical things. What was of more concern was they had yet to determine if he was going to even awaken from his current slumber, and if so was there any brain damage due to the unknown length of time that he had suffered from a lack of oxygen during his immersion in the water.

 

Finding out all this information, JJ hadn't known whether to react positively or negatively. There appeared to be a few too many `maybe's' in all of it that made him uneasy. Still, there really wasn't anything he could do. Concerned, he had made his way back to the room.

 

As he had placed his hand on the door handle he heard the sound of running footsteps, loud in the quiet corridors of the hospital. Turning his head he saw a large man rushing directly towards him. He braced himself expecting an impact for it appeared that the other was not about to stop but fortunately he did, shoes skidding to a halt on the polished floor, one hand on the wall as a form of a brake. He looked JJ up and down, giving him the once over and noticed the hand on the door handle still.

 

“Who are you?”

 

The curt question caught JJ off-guard and he bristled at the tone. “Who the hell are you?” he replied just as sharply.

 

The man flipped his jacket back to show the badge attached to this belt. Oh, JJ thought, he's a cop.

 

“So who are you?” The question was growled once more.

 

JJ pulled his own badge out. “I think that makes us even.” he said, lifting his chin defiantly. “What do you want here?”

 

The other man glared at him. “None of your business!” and tried to shoulder JJ aside. The younger man stood his ground, stubbornly refusing to move. They matched each other glare for glare.

 

“Get out of my way,” The other snarled, leaning forward and trying to intimidate the smaller man with his larger size.

 

“No,” JJ growled out, leaning forward also and raising his head so they were almost brow to brow and eye to eye.

 

Another moment passed as the air crackled with tension, then unexpectedly the other rocked back on his heels, giving out a tired sounding laugh. “Aw, what the hell am I doing?”

 

The question was obviously rhetorical and JJ just looked on in silence. He was still none the wiser as to what was going on but he felt he could at least relax a bit now.

 

The other returned his look, although now he seemed a little more calm. “You know him?” he asked, jerking his head in the direction of the closed door.

 

JJ's brow furrowed but he answered, “Yeah,”

 

“Ah,” The man straightened up from his semi-slumped position against the wall. “Sorry I lost it there. I'm his partner.”

 

JJ's first impulse was to blurt out something like, `You don't look like Ryo!', but he managed to refrain from doing so as his brain kicked quickly into gear and saved him the embarrassment. Partner - of course, from the 22nd obviously.

 

“Oh, sorry, I didn't know.”

 

The other man chuckled. “Not your fault. I hardly bothered to introduce myself!” He thrust out his hand. “I'm John Patton.”

 

JJ placed his own hand in the grasp, feeling it being engulfed. “I'm JJ, from the 27th.”

 

“Thought as much,” He glanced towards the door. “Is it….?” but he couldn't finish.

 

“Yes,” JJ said by way of reassurance. “See for yourself.”

 

The two of them entered and JJ watched as John walked quietly over to the bed. For a large man he was extremely light on his feet and moved almost silently. He said nothing as he gazed down on the figure in the bed. JJ saw his shoulders lift in a deep sigh and give a small shake. Was he…?

 

He watched as John lifted a hand to his face and cleared his throat before turning. “I almost didn't believe it would be him,” he said, his voice thick with suppressed emotion. “I…..thought he really was a goner.”

 

“Me too,” JJ said with the same feeling.

 

John cleared his throat again. “How did you find out?” he asked.

 

“Chance really,” JJ replied. “I've been checking for the past two days, calling every hospital or medial centre.” He shrugged. “I'd pretty much given up. What about you?”

 

“Oh, sort of much the same,” John grinned then, “I was out beating the bushes to see what I could turn up.” He looked back towards the bed. “Never thought he would have ended up over here though!”

 

“Not surprising really,” JJ said, sitting down. “He had no ID so he was just another `John Doe' and it's not like there aren't plenty of those reported on a bad night. Imagine if gun shot wounds weren't reported to us by the hospitals? We probably still wouldn't have heard.”

 

“That's the truth.” John agreed.

 

“Anyway,” JJ continued, “when I picked up the message, I came straight down here to see for myself.”

 

“The current must have taken him to the other side of the river and so he ended up over there as part of this jurisdiction instead of on our patch. It's taken some time for it to filter through the channels.” John surmised.

 

“Thank goodness he was found at all!” JJ said with feeling.

 

“Amen to that!” John affirmed with the same sentiments. He then looked over at JJ. “So where's his old partner? The guy Ryo?”

 

“I haven't been in touch yet, I just got here myself. I didn't even know if it was him until I got down here.”

 

“Oh, yeah. Well, I guess Ryo'll be glad to hear everything's okay now. He is going to be okay, right?”

 

John eyed JJ, who nodded, “As far as the doctors believe.”

 

John visibly relaxed again. “Well, I'm going to go. There's not much else I can do here just now. I'll make certain the docs give me a call if there're any changes.” He looked over at JJ. “You going?”

 

The younger man shook his head. “I'll stay for a bit longer.”

 

“Hmm, okay,”

 

JJ watched as John reached down a hand and gently squeezed the forearm of the figure on the bed. “Hurry up and get well, partner,” he said softly and with a last pat, turned away. He gave a crooked smile to JJ. “You know, he really is a hell of a lot of trouble, isn't he?”

 

JJ smiled back. “Yeah, he is.”

 

John's bark of laughter was loud as he opened the door. “Well, I'm going to have a drink! And one for him too!” he exclaimed. “No doubt we'll be seeing each other again sometime.”

 

“No doubt,” JJ agreed.

 

“See you then!” and John left, leaving JJ sitting in the dark.

 

He stared at the door for a moment after the other man had gone. John had obviously been really worried about Dee as well. He half smiled to himself. What a right royal mess he had caused! It was just like him to do something this dramatic. Attention seeking behaviour, that's what it was! He chuckled to himself as he stood. Yeah, that was it exactly.

 

He pulled his cell phone out as he navigated the hospital corridors and outside to a small courtyard, before dialling the number. He held on as the number rang out and switched to the answering machine. Damn it, where was Ryo? He left a message again, one of probably one hundred that he had left over the past two days. He had been almost as worried about Ryo as he had been for Dee. No-one had seen or heard from Ryo in this time and JJ had been getting a very bad feeling growing in the pit of his stomach.

 

He hung up and found the next number which was for Ryo's cell phone and rang that. Again it clicked into a message bank. Again he left a message, but as he hung up he thought he needed do something more, so this time he also sent a text message.

 

He looked at the silent phone in his hand and pondered further. He knew how close Ryo and Dee were, even before they had become a `couple' there had been a connection between them. JJ was getting a feeling of impending doom looming closer, a chill washing over his mind.

 

He dialled the cell number again, again it rung out. He hung up, leaving no message, but immediately redialled, letting it ring out for the second time; hung up and redialled.

 

Where are you, Ryo?, he cried out in his mind as it rang out for the third time. He dialled again. You've got to come back! Come back!!

 

JJ continued to call.

 

**************

 

He remembered his eyes opening again, slowly, and with some difficulty as though they were loathe to face the world. He had blinked a few times, that small movement an extreme effort, as he tried to focus. He heard his breath wheeze as he tried to inhale past the obstructing tubes, fighting against the intrusions.

 

A face swam into view, fuzzy around the edges. He squinted, trying to make the picture clear, trying to place a name to the person above him. Who was it? His mind couldn't answer that question.

 

He heard noise then. Yes, words, they were words; the person was speaking. He frowned, trying to concentrate, trying to understand. The words washed over him, drifting into his mind but disappearing just as quickly with no comprehension. What were the words?

 

“Dee, Dee, can you hear me?”

 

The mouth above him was opening and closing, the lips changing shape as they formed each new word.

 

“Dee, do you understand me? Can you hear me?”

 

What are words? What did they mean? It was just noise and noise had no meaning.

 

“Dee, you're in hospital. You've been hurt. Do you remember that?”

 

Noise, he didn't want noise, it was hurting his head. He wanted to sleep, he wanted silence.

 

“Dee, you're all right now, okay? I've been trying to get hold of Ryo to tell him you're here, but I haven't had any luck yet. I'll keep trying for you so he should be here soon. Dee? Dee? Can you hear me?!”

 

His eyes drifted shut again, shutting out the person as effectively as closing a door. Ah, the noise was gone, fading to a distant drone before disappearing completely. What did it mean? He didn't understand any of it except….

 

Ryo - an image rose to the surface of his mind. Ryo, yes, he knew that word. It was a name, a name that belonged to an image. An image that belonged to a person. A living, breathing person.

 

Ryo, his mind latched onto that word that seemed to fill his thoughts now, helping to sharpen them. Yes, he knew Ryo; of course he knew Ryo. Ryo was his, he was Ryo's. Ryo was everything to him. He was his world, his sun, his moon, his life, his meaning for existence. He was only on this earth for one purpose - to love Ryo.

 

Love, yes, he loved a person. He loved Ryo. He had thought he had lost him. He had thought he would never see him again. Fear almost overwhelmed him then, flooding his mind as panic clawed at his thoughts. No, he wouldn't lose Ryo! He would never leave Ryo! He would be with him no matter what, however he had to be, what ever Ryo wanted. It didn't matter whether it was as a friend or a lover, he would always be with Ryo.

 

There was only one thing important to him, only one thing that mattered, and that was Ryo. He was more important than life itself and it was worth anything and everything to just be with him. It didn't matter if there was pain or it hurt to be near him, or even if Ryo didn't return his love. He didn't care because it didn't change the love that he felt.

 

He would never leave Ryo, not even if death tried to take him. He would find a way to return, to be with the person he loved, for he couldn't bear to be apart from him. He had to be there for Ryo. He would be there to help him, support him, protect him. He would always be there and he would do whatever he had to, to make Ryo happy. Even if, and his heart clenched painfully, even if that meant breaking off their relationship. He could still be there for him, still keep his promises, anything to make Ryo smile again. That is all that was important to him.

 

Ryo, his mind lovingly caressed that name, rolling it over in his thoughts, touching it gently and pulling it closer to his heart.

 

Ryo…..

 

************

 

Dee knew when he opened his eyes again, no matter how slowly he had to do it. This time the room didn't sway and blur, this time the view didn't make him feel ill. This time he was finally fully aware of what was happening.

 

He mentally sighed with relief. He could feel the lethargic heaviness in his limbs that denoted he was on painkillers still and heavy ones at that. He could feel the constriction of the bandages tightly swathing his torso and a dull ache that wasn't really an ache but was there all the same.

 

Tubes trailed from him, stretching out like spider webs, connecting him to a myriad of machines that beeped and flashed by his bedside. His eyes felt gritty, his throat felt dry and sore from where a tube had been down it previously. Thankfully it had been removed and he could breathe freely on his own now.

 

He rolled his tongue around in his mouth, trying to build up enough saliva so he could swallow. He did so, a little painfully, but he did manage. He raised an unsteady hand to his head, noticing the trailing tube which he followed with his eyes to the drip standing by his bedside. He weakly rubbed at his eyes, trying to clear the crustiness that was clinging to his face. His fingers brushed another tube pushed into his nose. He moved his other hand and felt the pulse monitor clinging to one finger. Gods, how many frigging things were attached to him?!

 

Suddenly the door slammed open making his heart lurch in reaction and a figure burst through, followed closely by another with orange hair and two figures in white.

 

“DEE!”

 

The cry was in a welcome voice, one that he had been longing to hear and feared he never would again. A smile spread across his face despite the protest of the muscles. He automatically reached out with his hand toward the figure hurtling toward his side and felt the welcoming warmth as it was clasped in two others.

 

Ryo fell to his knees by the hospital bed, his grip on Dee's hand not lessening, drawing their combined clasp close to his face so he could rest his cheek on it. He ignored the noise rising behind him as he ignored the tears trickling down his face.

 

“Hey,” Dee said, or at least tried to but with his dry throat little more than a croak emerged.

 

“Don't try and talk,” Ryo said quickly, “I'm just glad you're okay. Do you need a drink?” Dee nodded gratefully and Ryo quickly reached out and poured one from the jug resting on the bedside table just for that purpose.

 

“QUIET!”

 

The firm shout was enough to startle Dee at its unexpectedness and silenced the din. He glanced around Ryo to realize that JJ had been the other person who had entered with his partner. He currently stood in the room with his back to Dee whilst addressing the two nurses before him.

 

“Look, Dee is awake now and he seems quite okay,” JJ was saying in a reasonable voice, “And we promise not to tire him out because we understand that he is still recovering, but Ryo's his partner so he needs to be here. We'll be gone soon all right? Now, let's leave them in peace, shall we?”

 

Dee watched in amazement as JJ herded them out. At the door the young man turned and threw a wink and jaunty wave at him, “Glad to see you're finally awake properly and looking better, Sleeping Beauty. I'll give you two a moment and be back shortly.” Then he closed the door firmly, leaving the two of them alone.

 

Ryo carefully propped Dee up on the pillows behind him, hesitating at Dee's soft gasps of pain with each movement and continuing only when Dee motioned him to do so. He held a glass of water to Dee's lips from which he greedily drank, relishing in the soothing coolness on his raw throat.

 

“Steady,” Ryo cautioned, drawing the glass away a little though Dee's pursued lips quested after it. “Take it slowly or you'll be sick.”

 

Dee pouted but did as he was instructed, sipping more slowly. Finally sated he leant back on the pillows with a sigh as Ryo placed the glass back on the bedside table within easy reach. Just that small amount of motion had tired him completely. He saw Ryo glance around the room and guessed he was seeking a chair, so he patted the bed next to him.

 

“Here,” he rasped out. He licked his lips to moisten them further and tried again. “Sit by me.”

 

Ryo glanced at the spot. “You're sure?” he asked a little dubiously. “I don't want to crowd you.”

 

Dee shifted minutely making a little more room and patted the bed again, this time with a little more force and a scowl. “Sit!” he ordered.

 

He saw the ghost of a smile on Ryo's lips as he obeyed and Dee enjoyed the feeling of pressure against his body and the warmth generated from the other's presence.

 

Ryo reached out once more and Dee eagerly laced his fingers together, holding tightly. “How are you doing?” Ryo asked, glancing down at their entwined hands.

 

Dee cleared his throat a little. “Getting better. Don't feel much at the moment.”

 

“Guess not. The doctor said you've been pretty lucky, though you'll have to stay in hospital for a while. There was some damage to your lungs that they want to monitor.”

 

Dee scowled at that thought. He really didn't like hospitals.

 

Ryo saw the look and frowned right back. “Don't go causing any trouble,” he warned. “The sooner you get better, the sooner you'll be out of here. But that's only if you do as you're told.”

 

Dee continued to scowl but then reluctantly nodded agreement.

 

Ryo sighed and squeezed his hand. “Good.”

 

Just then the door opened and JJ stuck his head around it. “Is it safe to come in?” he asked with a cheeky smile. Ryo waved him forward.

 

“Why wouldn't it be?” Dee wanted to know curiously.

 

“Oh, I just wondered if Ryo had jumped your bones already or not,” JJ answered as he commandeered the chair in the corner.

 

Dee's eyes widened and the inhalation he had just taken turned into a choke. “What?!” he gasped out, trying to get his breath back and ignore the shooting pains in his chest from the sudden exertion.

 

It was completely unlike JJ to make such a blatant joke about Dee's sexual interest in Ryo, especially in front of Ryo himself. He glanced at Ryo, expecting a fiery outburst only to see him studiously looking everywhere else except at Dee.

 

“Ryo?” he asked, wondering why his partner was so quiet.

 

“Hmm?” was the only reply he got as Ryo continued to examine the white painted ceiling intently.

 

Dee was puzzled. He turned his head to look at JJ perched happily in his corner, grinning from ear to ear, and looking like some sort of demented leprechaun in his emerald coloured jacket. “JJ?” Dee queried his only other source.

 

JJ threw an amused glance at Ryo as he answered. “I don't know if I should say anything. It might be a secret, you know,” he chuckled. “Though why it would be a secret from you when everyone else knows is quite beyond me!”

 

Dee was getting more and more confused. He heard a sigh and looked back at Ryo to see his partner glare at JJ, though not with as much force as he would have expected, before looking quickly at him. He saw a slight blush touch Ryo's cheeks as their eyes met. Gods, he was so fucking gorgeous!, Dee couldn't help but think. He saw Ryo glance down at their joined hands again, feeling his fingers twitch nervously against his.

 

“Well, you see,” Ryo began. “I….uh…” Ryo's voice trailed off.

 

“What?” Dee finally had to ask as the silence lengthened and Ryo was making no effort to fill it.

 

“Well,” Ryo began again, the flush on his cheeks darkening whilst the mirth in JJ's eyes deepened. “I…uh, sort of…ah...”

 

Again Ryo paused, but this time Dee was having none of it and poked him hard with a finger and glared at him. “Spit it out!” he ordered.

 

Ryo jumped a little at the sudden contact. “Oh, yes, well…ah….”

 

“Don't,” Dee warned, holding the deadly digit up again threateningly.

 

He saw Ryo swallow noticeably and draw a deep breath. “I accidentally mentioned at the station that,” he said quickly, then his voice dropped almost to a whisper. “we were…together.”

 

Dee could just stare at him, hardly believing what he had just heard. This wasn't happening, he was still dreaming. A drug-fogged mind does that to you; makes you think all your deepest desires and wishes have come true. He looked at JJ who just nodded in confirmation, grinning from ear to ear.

 

“Yup!” he agreed, eyes twinkling. “He sure did. In front of everyone - including the Commissioner!”

 

“Rose?” Dee gasped, looking back to his embarrassed partner. Ryo's other hand was plucking nervously at the bed sheet although he had not released his grip on Dee's hand the whole time. “You told Rose?!”

 

“Ah, well, he just happened to be there at the time,” Ryo nodded in confirmation. He ran a hand through his hair looking at Dee a little sheepishly. “It just sort of slipped out. I'm sorry.”

 

`Sorry?” Dee almost shouted in joy. “That's wonderful!”

 

“It is?” Ryo asked a little surprised. “You…don't mind?”

 

“Mind?! I think it's just great! Now maybe that bastard Rose with quit chasing you.” He fixed Ryo with a steely glance. “Remember, you're mine and only mine, and don't you forget it!”

 

Ryo smiled warmly back at him, squeezing his hands. “I won't. Ever.” he replied. Dee bathed in the tenderness of his partner's gaze, feeling warm all over.

 

“Hey,” Dee suddenly said. “Is it okay? Rose didn't say he was going to split us up, did he? I wouldn't put it past that prick to do that, just to spite us.”

 

Ryo shook his head. “He didn't say anything like that.”

 

“In fact,” JJ put in. “He just told Ryo to go and haul your gorgeously firm butt back to the station and that was it. That's when we found out you'd gone MIA. Ryo was pretty shook up about it.”

 

Dee looked at his partner, seeing the worry and hurt that flashed through Ryo's eyes at the memory. Now he also noticed the dark shadows that ringed his partner's usually clear bright eyes. It didn't look like Ryo had slept for a while. “Sorry,” he said quietly, apologizing.

 

Ryo gave him a small smile. “Not exactly your fault, was it?” he said. “I don't think you deliberately planned it like this.”

 

“Not exactly,” he agreed.

 

Just then there was a beep and JJ reached into his pocket to pull out his phone to read the message that had come through. Dee saw his eyebrows rise as he read the words before he flicked it closed and stood. “I'll be back in a moment,” he said with a cheeky grin. “Don't you two lovebirds exert yourselves too much while I'm gone!”

 

“Must be work,” Dee said, staring at the closed door.

 

“Probably,” Ryo agreed. “Are you sure you're okay?” he said suddenly, looking at Dee with intense concern.

 

“I'm fine, honestly,” he answered, then slightly amended the statement, “Well, apart from a few holes here and there, and generally feeling like a used rag that someone's just stomped on.”

 

The concern didn't leave Ryo's face although Dee had meant it jokingly, even if there was some truth in it.

 

“Hey, it's okay.” He gave Ryo's hand a squeeze. “I'm doing okay now. I'll be home soon, you'll see.”

 

“I hope so,” Ryo said quietly with a depth of feeling colouring those words that Dee had never heard before but before he could speak again JJ entered.

 

“Well, that's a surprise,” he said, sitting down again.

 

Ryo and Dee both looked up at him, waiting for him to expand upon his statement.

 

“They've just found the guy who shot you,” He said directly to Dee. “You probably don't know this yet since you've been unconscious till now, but your partner and the rest of the 22nd cleaned up the perps on the boat. The only one that got away was the one that shot you. John was able to ID him from the files and they've been tracking him since. It was only a matter of time before we got him. Only now he's been found. Dead. Looks like someone got to him first.”

 

Dee saw JJ's eyes flick briefly to Ryo's and then away. He glanced quickly at his partner to see Ryo look away. He suddenly felt a coldness wash over him. Ryo hadn't…

 

No, Ryo wouldn't have. It wasn't in his nature. No, he was just imagining things. It was the drugs he was on that were still flowing through his veins that were making him think such strange things.

 

“Well, we'd better go,” JJ said with a broad smile, standing once more. “Hate to leave you all alone, Dee. Don't go chasing any pretty nurses now - of either sex!” He winked at Dee, showing he wasn't being serious. “Come on, Ryo, time to go. Dee needs his rest and we're needed back at the station. You've got quite a bit of work piled up, you know.”

 

JJ discreetly waited at the open door whilst Ryo stood. “I'll be back later tonight,” he promised Dee, although it was already well past visiting hours. Of course, with Ryo's authority as a law enforcement office he was certain to be allowed back.

 

“Okay,” Dee responded, not really wanting Ryo to leave him. “I hope I'm awake then.”

 

Ryo smiled at him. “It doesn't matter if you're not. I'll watch you sleep.”

 

Dee felt his face blush at this soft declaration of love. “Geez, Ryo! When you say things like that it just makes me melt!” he complained, raising a hand to hide his red face.

 

Ryo chuckled softly and drew the hand away to lean over to place a soft kiss on Dee's lips; just a gentle brush but a promise of things to come that sent a hot flush directly to Dee's groin. “Get well quickly so you can come home.” Ryo instructed breathlessly.

 

Dee looked up into Ryo's dark eyes, warm pools of onyx that had a hidden fire burning in their depths, and he felt his whole body flush with the intensity of that gaze. “You bet I will.” he replied just as softly.

 

Ryo squeezed his hand gently and reached out to run a finger lightly down Dee's cheek, “Bye,” he said, stepping away, obviously with great reluctance.

 

Dee forced himself to release his grip on Ryo's hand as he responded, “See you later,”

 

Ryo backed up to the door still held by JJ and then stepped through with a final glance towards his bed-ridden partner before moving out of Dee's view.

 

Dee watched him go and then called out as JJ began to close the door behind him, “Hey!”

 

“Yes?” JJ stuck his head back round.

 

Dee beckoned him forward and he stepped into the room. “What's up? How's Ryo really? He seems….kind of withdrawn.” Dee asked.

 

JJ stood silently for a moment before speaking. “When he heard you'd gone missing, presumed dead, it was a pretty big shock for him. He just took off. We haven't seen or heard from him for the past two days. He didn't report in to the station, didn't even try to call in sick not even as a pretense. I tried calling him at home, even went round to his place, but he was never there, or at least he wasn't answering the door. I even tried your place in case he'd gone there but couldn't find him.”

 

“So where was he?” Dee wanted to know.

 

JJ shrugged, “Don't know. I have no idea at all. No-one does.”

 

“Then what was with that look you gave him?”

 

“What look?” JJ tried to look completely innocent.

 

Dee glared at him. “Don't give me that crap! You know what I'm talking about.”

 

JJ didn't say anything for a moment longer. “Well, it's only a guess, I don't know anything for certain.”

 

“What?” Dee growled.

 

“Well, if I was Ryo and something happened to you, I wouldn't just be sitting around moping.” JJ turned to the door. “I've got to go. It's good to see you back.” and he left.

 

Dee stared at the closed door, his mind whirling. Was JJ right? He didn't want to believe it but if he was…..

 

In one thing he was completely correct. Ryo was not the sort of person to sit and do nothing, not when it was something that was important to him, and certainly not when it was something….personal. He would more often than not throw himself into the puzzle and bury his feelings, and when he got like that he was like a terrier that had got hold of a rat and he would continue to shake it violently until it was fully dead before dropping it. Dee knew perfectly well just how good a detective Ryo was, how good he was at researching and putting together the pieces of the puzzle to reach the final conclusion. Ryo had a real knack for that sort of thing. No, he wouldn't have just been sitting around doing nothing; he would have been busy.

 

Dee chewed the inside of his cheek. JJ had said that his assailant had been found dead. That was quick, only a few days after his own shooting. And the look JJ had given Ryo clearly indicated that the younger man was wondering if Ryo had anything to do with it. Could he have? Dee winced as his tooth sliced the raw skin and he tasted the metallic tang of blood.

 

Had Ryo…. killed?

 

 

********

Author's Notes: See, I'm not quite as cruel as people seemed to think! I have brought Dee back from the dead!