Fake Fan Fiction ❯ Time for Healing ❯ Prologue

Disclaimer: We do not own FAKE or its characters. They belong to Sanami Matoh, lucky girl! Any original characters belong to either Irish or Wildefyre. *See Author's Notes at the end for the proper credits and profiles on those.
Warnings: Thus far just Shounen AI but then again that's what FAKE is anyway. It may become Yaoi further along. This may have the guys out of Character somewhat, so Gomen for that and we are taking some creative freedom on histories & backgrounds and lives as they are now... Deal with it! ^_~

Ryo nervously paced back and forth in the living, his hands clenching and unclenching as he tried to find the proper words to say what he needed to say. This wasn't easy for him, too many words would only make matters worse and too few would only cause more confusion. He had to find a balance and soon, his young audience was growing impatient with the passing of time.

Bikky and Cal sat on the sofa, patiently waiting for him to speak. They knew that whatever it was, was important after all Ryo wouldn't have gathered them together like this for any other reason. Huddled together now, shoulder to shoulder, they watched an otherwise self-confident man slowly breaking down despite his apparent efforts to remain strong.

"Ryo why don't you just come right out and tell us what it is?" Bikky finally spoke after watching Ryo walk past them for the umpteenth time. "It obviously has something to do with Dee considering that's been the main topic of conversations lately."

"Please Bikky. Don't get jealous over that. Not now anyway." Ryo ran a shaky hand through his dark blonde hair nervously. "It's not that easy for me to talk about Bikky. I don't want to say something that will make you guys more worried than you all ready are." Ryo found the words harder to say then he had expected. They were there, in his head and heart yet getting them to his lips was taking an act of strength.

"Ryo is Dee going to be okay? The way that you're acting makes me think that there's something terribly wrong with him." Cal sat there with her hands in her lap, eyes trained on the man in front of her as he stopped to cock his head and give her a reassuring smile. "H-He won't let us come to see him so there has to be something bad going on. Why won't you tell us?"

"Cal sweetheart, Dee will get better but it's going to take time." Ryo sighed and then stooped down in front of her. "His injuries are pretty bad that's true and it's because of that that he has been limiting visitors."

"So it hasn't just been us then? He's been chasing others way as well?" Bikky looked at Ryo, watching his eyes for the truth.

"Yes that's correct. You know Dee and his pride just as well as I do. He hates for people to see him incapable of taking care of himself." Ryo looked at Bikky and gave him a look that let the youth know how hard this was to talk about. "The thing is, Dee's going to need a lot of help over the next couple of months in order to get better." Ryo looked to the floor. He knew that deep inside it had hurt Bikky when he had been told that he couldn't accompany him to the hospital during his daily visits with Dee.

Dee had insisted that Bikky and Cal be kept away from the hospital, he didn't want them seeing him as he was. He had way too much stubborn pride and it had even frustrated Mother Penguin, as Ryo now referred to her as. Dee didn't want anyone pitying him and because of that saw only Ryo and Mother Penguin while the others were told that either he was resting or not up to visitors. Ryo cursed Dee for that stubborn pride of his yet it was one of the very many characteristics that Dee possessed that he found himself falling in love with.

"How bad is he... Really? And forget the sugarcoated version. Give it to us straight up... Please?" Adding please as an after thought, Bikky arched an eyebrow and then glared at Ryo who swallowed hard before standing up again.

"I'll try okay? You all ready know about his arm and legs right? His left wrist and arm were broken. He had pins put into his right ankle and both of his knees sustained damage." Ryo watched both heads nod.

"Yeah but we even heard the doctor's say that with some therapy he should have no problem with gaining use of his arm or his legs. Now try telling us something we don't know." Bikky was growing impatient and it showed in his body language. He sat there with arms crossed and a look on his face that spoke volumes to Ryo.

"I was getting to that Bikky. Dee received a severe blow to his head. There had been some swelling on his brain and they had to remove this small piece of bone to keep the pressure down to Dee's brain and allow for swelling. It's been replaced now that the crisis is over with but it caused another problem." Ryo paused, drawing in a large amount of air before letting it out slowly. Drawing on his martial arts experience to try and calm his all ready shattered nerves.

"You see... Uhm... Well Dee is..." Quickly Ryo turned his back to them, the unshed tears stinging eyes that had been sleep deprived since the whole nightmare had begun.

"Ryo what is it? What's wrong with Dee?" Cal's hands started shaking and Bikky quickly reached over to take them in his, trying to calm the trembles that were now hitting her. His thumbs gently caressed the backs of her tiny hands as he too sat there shaking, anticipating Ryo's next words.

"Dee... Dee can't see. He's... He's blind." His emotions were just too raw, it was too new. Dee's latest set back was just too fresh in his mind and he broke. As hard as he tried to hold on, he found his strength leave him and tears slipped through his defenses to rush down over his cheeks. "T-They aren't sure if it's temporary or... Oh God... If it's permanent." Softly he sobbed, trying to hide his tears when he wanted so badly to be strong for the two of them.

Ryo felt two sets of arms wrap securely around his waist and he reached out to their owners to hold them close. Instead of him being their rock, they were now being his, giving to him their strength in order for him to stand tall. His heart swelled as tears continued to cascade down over his cheeks. Ryo knew that over the next few months that he was going to need their strength if he was going to get through this nightmare and help Dee through his own.

"Hey come on Ryo! The bozo is strong! He'll pull through this just like he does everything else." Bikky responded. Even though he was trying to use his humor to smooth things over, his heart sank over the thought that Dee could be permanently blind.

The man was a cop and a damned good one too. That was one thing Bikky always admired about him and Ryo. They were doing jobs they both loved despite the dangers. To have that stripped away so cruelly would surely kill someone like Dee. Then there was the fact that Dee was a man's man... The thought that he might need someone constantly helping him would not go over big with someone like Dee. No way, forget, not gonna happen! Dee had his pride A stubborn pride that would prevent him from asking for help no matter how badly he needed it and that was something Bikky could connect with for he had it too.

"Bikky there's something else I need to tell you and sort of ask you as well." Ryo sniffled, trying to pull himself together. Stepping back slightly so that he could meet their gaze, he struggled once more for just the right words.

"Yeah it's fine with me. After all the jackass can't take care of himself. BUT he's not sleeping in my room though. Got that? He snores too loud!" Bright blue eyes looked upwards, giving off a glint of devilishness.

"BIKKY!" Ryo reprimanded the youth for his language.

"I meant donkey... mule... That type of jackass." Bikky quickly corrected himself.

" Still h-how did you...? I mean I..." A weak smile spread across the pale face as Ryo looked down at the boy that he hoped to someday adopt.

"Well he's not capable of taking care of himself and he won't burden the nun. Since he has no other family to speak of that leaves you and we all know how much of a sap you are when it comes to helping those in need." Bikky grinned over his ability to read the one he hoped to someday call dad.

"Yes that's true... About Dee needing someone to look after him. He is going to stay here with us for as long as it takes and he'll sleep in my room so don't worry about that. Dee doesn't snore that loudly and you know it." Ryo smiled a little more as he tousled platinum blond hair.

"Oh great that really reassures me. That's like letting a kid with a sweet tooth alone in a candy store." Bikky smirked and glanced at Cal who was covering her mouth, trying to hold back the giggles.

"BIKKY! Keep in mind that Dee's injured. I highly doubt that he is capable of trying anything." Ryo blushed furiously yet he himself couldn't help but smile a little. He would have to tell Bikky sooner or later that he and Dee had finally confessed their truest feelings for each other and that if Dee did try anything, this time it would be welcomed.

"He could be in a full body cast and he would still try to get into your pants!" Bikky shot back. He had this feeling that Ryo wouldn't mind that one bit. He had seen the change in Ryo since the accident and knew that Ryo had made his decision even if Ryo hadn't told him yet.

"I... Bikky!" Ryo blushed even more and looked away from them. "Just do me a favor and try to be nice to Dee. We're going to have to make a few changes around here and learn new ways of doing things for Dee's sake."

"Like what?" Cal asked. "I want to help too."

"Thanks Cal. I'll most likely need all the help that I can get. I mean I'll do as much as I can but I do have to go to work and to pay the bills." Ryo walked over and sat down on the sofa, beckoning them to join him.

"So how much is this gonna screw with our lives?" Blunt and to the point, Bikky stated what he felt without worry of repercussion.

"Don't think of it like that. Think of it as making small changes to help another." Ryo sighed softly. "You can't leave things just lying around. In other words, your skates video games, backpack all need to be put away. We can't move the furniture around so that Dee can learn where everything is and it stays constant for him."

"I guess that I could do that." Bikky sat back and looked at Ryo then at Cal. "Just tell me that we don't have to help him in the bathroom! I am NOT doing that."

Chuckling softly and blushing a bit, Ryo looked at his hands. "Don't worry I think that Dee will learn how to do those things without much help."

"Good!" Bikky smirked. "So when does he get sprung?"

"It'll be another 2 to 3 weeks. He needs to get the cast off his arm and gain some more strength plus go through some counseling and therapy before they will release him." Ryo stood and headed for the kitchen. "I'm going to get dinner started so go do your homework!" Ryo glanced over his shoulder, winking and smiling. "Don't worry we'll manage... Somehow."

Once in the kitchen and alone, Ryo's mind changed gears. The fears and uncertainties hit and once more tears slipped from his dark eyes. So much had been going on over the past few weeks. So many emotions had come to the surface. So many decisions had been made while some were still pending. He and Dee both had to possibly face the fact that Dee could wind up living the rest of his life in almost total darkness. Ryo still wasn't sure if Dee could handle that.

Over the past week or so he had all ready witnessed Dee's temper and frustrations and that would surely only get worse once he was home and attempting to do more. Ryo only wondered if he could be strong enough to handle to it all. This would surely be a test of his own strength and demeanor that was certain. Still he knew that in his heart of hearts that he would walk over a bed of hot coals for Dee, especially if it meant making Dee's life a little easier.

Silently he prayed to himself that he would find the strength within himself and that Dee would find his own as well. Too much was riding on him... So many people were depending on him now. He had to stay strong for them no matter how much he just wanted to fall apart. There wasn't time for that anyway. Dee would be coming home by the end of the month and there was still so much to do and so many new decisions to make. He just hoped that he could make the right ones.

Wildefyre's Notes: Please be kind okay guys? Irish and I are going to do our best to bring you a quality story but it's going to take a bit of work. We're two people with different writing styles and that means finding a happy medium to work on. Also while I may be more of a dialogue fiend, Irish is a lot better with descriptions so we have to try and pick those things up from one another. Over the course of this story we will be introducing new characters to help bring this story along so I will let Irish tell you about them when it's time and give a character synopsis to help you know what's going on.

Irish's Notes: Everyone please be sure to tell Wildefyre how wonderful she is. I think that she's stopped believing me :P Please forgive me if I get in over my head with this. When I get excited I think big! I'm hoping to have a sound track available for the story in the next week or so. I'm still working on the specifics. Hopefully Wilde and I will mesh well... and if not, just use your imaginations and have fun because we sure as hell are :P