Fake Fan Fiction ❯ Time for Healing ❯ New Found Friendships:Bikky & Lyn ( Chapter 14 )

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.
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 stood at the stove making breakfast, smiling over at Bikky who was playing with Keiry while Lyn finished his shower. "Has she finished her food Bikky?" Ryo asked as he flipped the pancakes and then checked on the eggs.

"Yeah and she may have actually eaten some of it too." Bikky grinned.

Ryo laughed softly as he worked. Lyn and Keiry had been staying with them for four days now and though he insisted that he was fine they knew that he wasn't and so did he for that matter. Every time Dee's name was brought up it felt as though someone had stabbed him in his heart and while he tried to remain cheerful around them, privately he was dying inside. Looking up when Lyn walked into the kitchen, Ryo smiled and then grabbed a mug for him. "Good morning Lyn. Sleep okay?" Ryo asked and looked down at the pans in front of him.

"Before or after Kei kicked me in the groi...twice." Lyn asked wincing at the thought as he tied his tie absently. "Morning Bikky, Ryo. How did you two sleep?" Once his nimble fingers had managed to get his rather interesting frog patterned tie in some semblance of order they immediately began to fly as he spoke to Keiry who watched with rapt interest.

"Did you eat well for Bikky and Ryo?" Of course Keiry had no real idea what he had signed after 'eat' but that was beyond the point.

"You know I could look for the futon my family gave me. It may be in the storage area up on the top floor. All the tenants use it but they respect each other's property. I mean I've been on a few busts and have been kicked like that and talk about taking your breath away... Ouch!" Ryo chuckled.

Bikky looked at Lyn, a devilish glean flicked in his eyes. "So she kicked you in the nuts huh?"

"BIKKY!" Ryo turned and glared at him. "That's not nice."

"Come on Ryo. Dee would say that all the time and you never yelled at him!" Bikky bit his bottom lip when he saw dark eyes sadden. Ryo quickly turned and scooped out the pancakes, his hands shaking as he worked. "Me and my big mouth!" Bikky slumped down in his seat.

"Yup Tiger, square in the nuts and we talked about saying the fourth letter of the alphabet." He gave Bikky a look, picking up Keiry. "You know hair gel works much better then syrup punky." Balancing the sticky tot on his hip Lyn picked up a fork and ate his share standing up.

"Thank you for breakfast Ryo. Hey Bikky, if its okay with Ryo do you want to go out for burgers and the arcade with me tonight? That's if Ryo can keep an eye on Kei for a couple hours?" He turned to Ryo, eyebrows raised questioningly.

"S-Sure. I have to work a little late. I've got 3 days to make up for, which means 12-hour shifts again and I have to work this weekend but you could drop her off at the station. I'll keep the door to the office Dee and I use, closed, to contain her." Ryo sighed and looked at his food before pushing it away. "Bikky would you wash the dishes please? I'm going to go grab my shower quickly." Ryo stood.

"Just let me know what time and all. Whatever you decide is fine by me." He said and walked out.

"He didn't eat supper last night and now..." Bikky said as he got up to scrape off the dishes.

"Damnú." Lyn cursed softly. "All right, I will get him to eat before we go even if I have to tie him to the chair and force feed him myself. Are you ready for school Tiger?" Lyn asked around a mouthful of pancake as he pulled on one shoe, Keiry still on one hip happily playing with his tie.

"Good luck. I tried to talk him into eating last night and he just said that he wasn't feeling well. Cal has been worried sick about him. She said that she could tell that he's lost weight." Bikky frowned. "Why did Dee have to do this to him? I thought that if you loved someone you didn't go around hurting them? If that's so then maybe Dee doesn't love him. Maybe he only wanted to take Ryo to bed..." Anger flared to life in what became icy blue eyes. Bikky grabbed his book bag and stuffed his books in. 'Maybe I should hurt Dee just as badly.' He wanted to say but instead he just looked at Lyn, and smirked. "Ready."

"I know that it's hard to understand Bikky but Dee thinks that he's doing this because he loves Ryo. It's a crazy adult thing. It's a nice day so you can blade to school if you want but if you cut, you're in deep shi- shindig. Understand me?" Lyn asked glancing back towards the bathroom.

"Yeah I hear. I'm never going to treat Cal like that! Never! We're going to get married when we're out of college and have kids and Ryo can come live with us! The hell with Dee!" Bikky replied as he grabbed his skates. Without thinking he kissed Keiry and then hugged Lyn.

"Tell Ryo that I owe him his hug since I don't think that you'd want to give it to him for me." Bikky grinned and headed out the door. He was angry with Dee for doing this to Ryo and even angrier at that person who turned Dee's life into a living hell. Still Dee had no right doing this to Ryo...

"All right have a good day Tiger..." Lyn watched the preteen dart out the door then looked down at his own bundle of joy.

"All right Mo mhíle stór let's get you cleaned up." Standing over the kitchen sink he washed Keiry off while she squirmed and kicked. Finally getting the stickiness off her hands face and hair he stripped her down to her diaper and turned her loose. Ryo had moved anything dangerous out of toddler's reach and Keiry was too active to be restrained for any length of time. Lyn rolled up his sleeves and started on the dishes after starting oatmeal on the stove for Ryo.

Ryo finished his shower and dressed in his slacks shirt and tie before going to the safe and getting out his gun. Strapping on his shoulder harness he then combed out his hair before grabbing his wallet badge and keys. Looking at the picture on the dresser of Dee and himself his eyes misted up. "I miss you koi. I miss you so much." Every time he had tried to call Dee, Dee always had an excuse as to why he could not talk to him and it was starting to get to him now.

Grabbing his suit jacket he put it over his arm and walked back towards the kitchen, laughing at Keiry as she ran around giggling. "All cleaned I see." He smiled and walked into the kitchen.

"What time will you be dropping Keiry off?" Ryo asked as he adjusted the shoulder harness, finding it looser than normal.

Lyn met him with a bowl of oatmeal. "What will work best for you? Bikky and I can do this another night. Eat this, it's plain oatmeal so the excuse of not feeling well won't work."

"Thanks... But I'm not hungry. And anytime is fine. Bikky will be bummed if you don't go." Ryo sat the bowl on the table. "I should be in the station all afternoon... Up to about 8 or 8:30. I have a lot of paperwork to catch up on." Ryo grabbed his suit coat and slipped it on.

"Ryo you're loosing weight and your slight enough the way it is. Eat the oatmeal or I will be forced to feed you and make airplane noises." Lyn grabbed his own suit coat off the chair where he had hung it rolling down his sleeves and slipping it on.

"I'm not a child! I'm just not hungry... Please try and understand." Ryo sighed. "I... I need to get into the station. I've fallen behind as it were." Ryo started to turn away but stopped, shoulders coming up. "Thanks for the concern anyway. I'll grab something later if I feel hungry."

"Ryo, your shoulder holster doesn't even fit right. If you don't eat you're going to pass out at work and then have to explain to your boss why you're lying down on the job. I've got paper work up to my eyebrows so I can't come and pick you up if you do pass out. It will take you five minutes and I will drop you off at the station so you are not late. Please eat."

Ryo grabbed the bowl and took several token bites before placing it back down. "There I ate now if you will excuse me, I'm going to be late." He didn't want Lyn to see the tears forming in his eyes and quickly headed for the door. At work yesterday he had heard Ted and Drake laughing and talking about Dee and that they had stopped to pay him a visit. That had hurt deeply. Dee was refusing to see him but obviously not Ted and Drake or other co-workers. He still felt confused and hurt and the pain went deeper than even he realized.

Lyn sighed and gave Ryo's shoulder a squeeze as he passed by before scooping up Keiry and bringing her back to the bedroom to get her ready to go.

Ryo sighed, stopping at the door and then grabbing a piece of paper and a pen from the table, jotted a not down for Lyn. 'Lyn thanks for caring. I'll be fine. I just need some time yet... Ryo.' Taping it to the door so that Lyn wouldn't miss it, he left. It was weird going to work without Dee but it was something he had to accept.

Lyn pulled the note from the door shaking his head as he juggled his briefcase and Keiry, trying to get out the door, all ready twenty minutes late for work. "The problem is Ryo you're just as resistant to caring as Dee is."

Ryo rubbed his temples as he worked. The headache had started earlier and was progressing nicely. Hearing a knock he looked up, beckoning whomever it was, to come in. "Lieutenant Rose. What can I do for you?" Ryo asked nervously, always suspicious of his superior's true intentions.

"Oh I just thought that I'd stop in and see how you are doing. I guess you must be lonely without Dee there. Maybe you and I can go for dinner tonight." Berkley practically purred as he sat on the edge of the desk and stared at the detective.

"Thanks but no thanks. I all ready have plans for this evening." It wasn't a lie really, he was babysitting Keiry plus he had Lyn for company so he didn't need Rose. Ryo got up to file away a report but a hand grabbed his wrist. "Nani?"

"God I love it when you speak Japanese." Rose smiled and kissed Ryo's hand softly. "Plans Ryo? Come on now. There's no need to lie. Come to dinner with me. A nice quiet evening out of the house. I promise to make it a night to remember." His voice dripped of seduction, which Ryo shivered over.

"I said no Lieutenant! Now please let me go." Ryo tried to pull out of Berkley's grasp but it was a weak attempt at best. He was just too drained from the day to put up much of a fight. "No means no Rose now let go of me!"

"No need to put up a token effort. Dee's not here to see. In fact he's not seeing much of anything these days now is he?"

Ryo stared in shock at Roses audacity. "Nani?! How dare you say..." Ryo paused his anger, braking rather suddenly when he saw Lyn step up behind Rose, his mismatched eyes snapping with anger. His height of 6'6" made him a very imposing figure despite the toddler on his hip.

"I don't know who you are but this is sexual harassment and as Ryo's lawyer I'm advising him to sue for damages." Lyn stated with confidence echoing in his voice.

"Then he'd better be prepared to face IA because he has not been doing his job correctly. His performance has been sub standard. He also risked the life of one of my men this afternoon... Sue me Ryo and I'll have your badge." Rose glared harshly at the detective before turning and walking out, leaving Ryo there shaking uncontrollably.

"T-Thanks Lyn. Usually I can fight him off..." Ryo sat down and ran his hand through his hair. "I just don't seem to care anymore... The fighter in me is on a hiatus I guess. Before I fought because I knew what it would do to Dee but now... Well now there's nothing to fight for."

Lyn plopped the bubbly redhead in Ryo's lap, not above using Keiry as a comfort device. "Does he always treat you like that? Despite his big talk if he's been treating you like this for a while you really do have a case..." Lyn trailed off, shaking his head as he loosened his tie and tucked his glasses in his breast pocket. "You should care Ryo. You're not a piece of meat. You should fight despite Dee's absence."

"If I would had said anything before he would have split Dee and I up. There's a policy about interoffice relationships. Before it wasn't too bad before. Dee always managed to keep things from getting too out of hand but since he's been gone... It has gotten worse." Ryo looked away, cuddling Keiry to him. "What's the difference...? Dee treated me even worse. He led me to believe that he loved me. At least with Rose I know where I stand. Even if that does mean being seen as a piece of meat."

"Dee does love you." Lyn said simply while fishing a paper bag out of his briefcase and setting it on the desk along with a bottle of juice, one of Keiry's bottles, a small Tupperware container as well as the diaper bag.

"There is a sandwich from the deli in the bag for you as well as the juice. The Tupperware has enough fishy crackers to keep Kei happy until we get home. There's juice in her bottle but if she runs out feel free to fill it with water. Diapers and whatnots are in the diaper bag as well as a dozen toys. Bikky and I will be home by 7:30 or so...." Lyn pause making sure that he had said everything. "Oh Andrew says hi and so would Annie if she could talk, I'm sure... I've got my cell phone, Andrew has his and Dee is at our house so pretty much any number you call you will reach someone." Lyn paused again for breath this time. "How are you holding up?"

"Okay I guess." He sighed "If Dee loved me he'd be at my place not yours. He told Drew that he wasn't up to visitors or talking when I called him the other night but I found out yesterday that that was a lie! Ted and Drake were there the first night that he was at your place. He'll see them but not me." Ryo blinked back his tears.

"I needed to talk to him about something. I needed his strength and his reassurance but I didn't get it. Dee would always help me get back on track when I strayed and I know that that makes me sound incapable but there are times when I need that solidity he gives me." Ryo's eyes lowered in embarrassment.

"I will talk to Dee tonight or something. I don't think that he realizes how badly you need him. If you call again tell Drew not to make excuses for him or I will kick his ass- association. I have to go or I will be late meeting Bikky. Don't hesitate to call... any of us." He gave Ryo's shoulder another squeeze.

"Thanks Lyn. See you guys later. Have fun." Ryo sighed sorrowfully. He missed having Dee to talk to. He needed some encouragement now more then ever. IA was investigating him as it were. He had been careless out in the field that morning and now because of his carelessness Ted was laying in the hospital after being shot in the shoulder. He was being blamed for shooting his own co-worker despite his protests that his bullet wound up in a wall yards from Ted.

"Well Keiry? It's just you and I." Ryo smiled and took things out for the little one while he went back to work. He found that having the tot around made everything a little easier to deal with. He adorned kids and wanted more then anything to be a father, even if it was just on paper.

Lyn paused outside the station to strap on his own set of roller blades as dusk was beginning to settle. Standing up with the skates clamped firmly to his feet he was an easy head and shoulders above most on the sidewalk dwellers... 'Lyn the roller blading lawyer.' He thought, bemused at himself as he pulled out his cell phone and dialed Andrew's cell.

"Hello? Andrew speaking."

Impeccable etiquette as always Lyn thought to himself with smile. "Hi... The number on the bathroom stall said to call for a good time with a sexy Scandinavian stud." Lyn grinned to himself.

"Well you must have the wrong number.... Hey baby. Done with work?"

"Yeah I just dropped Kei off with Ryo." Lyn's feet glided effortlessly over the sidewalk as he wove between pedestrians. "He says that Dee isn't talking to him."

"Yeah I know. Dee refuses every time he calls..."

"Well no more making excuses for him. If he's gonna be a dumb ass let him do it to Ryo's face."

"Riiiiiight! You try and make him do something that he doesn't want to do."

"Yeah well...." Lyn paused as he skated down a short set of stairs. "How's Annie? You doing all right with her and Duke... and Dee?"

"Yeah we're one big happy family or something. The bed is awfully big at night though."

"Yeah I miss you too. I will come over if I get a chance tonight. Maybe switch kids with you. Bikky and I are going out to dinner and then to the arcade."

"Sounds like fun."

"Yeah it should be. Grease and games. I had better go though before I knock over some hapless granny."

"Blading and talking on the phone. That's almost as bad as driving and talking on the phone."

"Bhí Mo mhíle grá. Yes my thousand loves." Lyn sighed "All right, got to go. Love you."

"Love you too." Andrew made a kissing noise into the phone, which Lyn reciprocated before disconnecting and dropping the phone back into his pocket as he approached Ryo's building.

Bikk y skated around outside the building, excited about the evening yet worried about something he had heard in the news. He needed to speak with Lyn about it as soon as possible. Looking up he saw him and his jaw dropped.

"You blade too?" Bikky grinned. "Have you ever considered adopting a son?"

"Only way to get around this jungle and two wee ones are more then I can handle all ready. Besides I bet you could get Ryo up on skates." He ruffled the boys blond hair. "Ready tiger?"

"Yeah but he could never be as cool. I mean he's cool in his own way but not like this." Bikky grinned. "Race ya!" Before Lyn could say another word, Bikky took off, jumping obstacles and even going over stoops with ease. He managed to keep well ahead of Lyn as they zipped along the busy streets of New York, laughing as the moved along. Bikky reached the hamburger joint first and waited for Lyn, trying to catch his breath.

Lyn's lanky form wasn't far behind. In fact Bikky had a sneaking suspicion that he had been allowed to win, definitely no harm done. Lyn was just so damn cool! One ear pierced all the way around, the other had about six studs artfully placed and his tattoos were out of this world. The Celtic knot on his spine wasn't the only one Bikky had seen. There was another knot around his bicep a five-pointed star on his left shoulder blade and a compass around his navel. He even managed to make his work clothes look cool. Dress shirt unbuttoned at the collar, sleeves cuffed up, coat draped over his shoulder tie hanging loose. Bikky shook his head, ginning and let Lyn lead the way in. 'Definitely coolness at its best!' Bikky thought to himself.

Lyn took a seat in a corner near the jukebox. "So how was your day Tiger?"

"Okay I guess. I was telling my buds about you. They want to meet you and if I didn't know any better I'd think that Cal has a crush on you. She was writing your name on her binder after school." Bikky looked up him, snickering. He was much taller then Ryo and just the coolest guy he had ever known. "How was Ryo? You dropped Keiry off with him right?" Bikky asked the question though a part of him all ready knew part of the answer.

Lyn nodded crossing his long legs Indian style in the booth. "Yeah that poor kid's gonna think she has four dads now... Man you too. Next time kids tease you for having two dads say "Screw you! I've got four. See how long it takes them to work that out." Lyn paused chuckling softly. "Ryo was... well depressed. I brought him some food and I think watching the rug rat cheers him up some, but Dee needs to get his ass- assumptions straightened out. Have you stopped by to see Dee lately?"

"Yeah at lunchtime. Ryo gave me a note so that I could do that. While I was there the TV was on and they said that a cop from the 27th was shot and it may have been from friendly fire. Dee called in to check on it. He looked shaken. We both did. We didn't know if it was Ryo or not." Bikky looked at his hands. "It was Ted but Ryo may be under investigation for it. They think that he was the one who shot him by accident."

Lyn couldn't help but groan as he rubbed his temples. At the moment he was more then ready to trade Ryo for Dee. At least Dee didn't currently have firearms at his disposal. "Damn.... err... the beaver kind of dam..." Lyn blinked at his own lame cover for his foul mouth. "Ah, yeah Ryo's a mess..." Another mid-sentence pause as a waiter appeared. Lyn ordered a strawberry malt and a chicken sandwich for himself waiting patiently as Bikky ordered onion rings, a burger, a chocolate malt and a soda. Lyn grinned shaking his head as the boy rattled off his order. "Just don't tell Ryo or he'll have my head."

"You're mad aren't you? Ryo always rubs his head when he's angry. I-I shouldn't have said anything. I've probably messed up his friendship with you. Dang! When am I going to learn to just keep my mouth shut?" Bikky slapped the table.

"I know Ryo! He's more careful with a gun then anyone could possibly be. In fact he won't use it unless he has no other option." All of a sudden Bikky felt anger welling inside of him. "Please Lyn, don't look at him like some total fu... funked up guy. This is all Dee's fault! If he had just stayed out of Ryo's life... I hate him! God I hate him!" Bikky glared at Lyn. "I'll mash his face in for this!" Bikky pounded his fist into his hand, blue eyes ablaze with anger.

"Hey Tiger. Chill out little dude. Okay? Rubbing my head in Lyn-speak means that I'm worried not angry. When I'm angry, believe me you'll know it. You didn't screw anything up Bik, I think you're a great kid and the only one I can get to go to the arcade with me. I know Ryo isn't err... 'funked' up. Ryo is a very sensitive and competent man but he's also very stressed and confused right now." Lyn sighed and went to rub his temples again but stopped himself.

"And you don't hate Dee. Don't say that you do. Hate is when... Hate is seeing someone hurt, lying bleeding in the gutter and then kicking them while they're down just because you can. You wouldn't do that to Dee."

"No but he did it to Ryo! Now didn't he? He knew Ryo was depressed and stressed out yet did that stop him from leaving? Or telling Ryo that he didn't give a flying flip about him? NO! He kicked Ryo when he was down. Ryo was doing everything that he could to keep Dee's spirits up!" Bikky quickly wiped away the tears sneaking from his eyes. "Ryo's better off without the jerk! I hope Dee never comes back!"

Well the kid had a point and a good one at that. "All right I'll give you that one. Dee's being about as self-centered as you can get right now." Lyn smiled to the waiter as their food was set down in front of them. "But this is sort of a thing that Dee and Ryo need to sort out on their own. Both Dee and Ryo really need your support right now. Dee's feeling pretty damn low and worthless too right now... If we can get Dee back on track we can get Ryo back on track and then we can all live happily ever after."

"Aww man not you too! This whole fairytale shit is for the birds! Face it Lyn! No magic wand is going to magically appear and restore Dee's eyesight causing Dee to sweep Ryo off his feet and ride off into the sunset. Just so that they CAN live happily ever after." Bikky chomped on an onion ring.

"I figured you to be more realistic than that. This is the real world they're living in! I know because I'm living in it right along side of them. It's killing me to see Ryo in this much pain. You don't know how badly I just want to tell Dee to go far away and just leave us alone but I can't. That would kill Ryo for sure." Bikky rested his chin in his hand, sighing heavily as he ate.

"Hey Tiger it will be okay." Lyn handed the boy a napkin to wipe his tears. "I know nothing magical is going to happen but I think Ryo and Dee love each other too much to give up this easily. Besides there is no harm in being optimistic."

"Lyn? What will happen with Ryo if he doesn't start eating right and soon? I mean I know that he'll lose weight. He's doing that all ready. I want to know what else to look for. You know... Just in case? If Dee isn't going to be around to take care of him then I need to. He needs someone right now. At least until he gets back on his feet. Cal is even going to help." Looking up from his food, the love Bikky had for Ryo flowed just as easily as the tears now did. This whole incident was making him aware of just how much he really did care about Ryo whereas before he never really bothered with it all. Now, all he wanted was to be with his... Dad. God how good that felt to say... His dad.

Lyn took a bite of his sandwich, chewing carefully as he thought back to the first aide training he had had. "Well... If he keeps on not eating he will loose weight, he will be tired and weak, he might even pass out and he will be cold all the time. We'll get him eating again though. I'm not going home until he is doing just that."

"I know... Man! Why did Dee even have to push Ryo into falling for him? He goes around messing with other people's lives and then cuts out on them. What a coward!" Bikky continued eating as he talked. "Just because he's bummed out he brings Ryo down with him. If he wants to wallow in self pity then let him but he has NO RIGHT to make Ryo feel like shit! NO RIGHT! Ryo's too nice a guy for him... Plain and simple!"

"Hey Tiger do you know what the word 'empathy' means?"

"No... Should I?" Bikky put his burger down and looked up at Lyn curiously.

Lyn closed his eyes a moment, pulling up from his mental index the page of the dictionary it was on. "Empathy: noun, the ability to share in another's emotions, thoughts or feelings. Other wise known as putting yourself in another persons shoes. Empathy is important because it means that we understand how other people feel, even if we don't agree with their actions or choices. It means we understand without judgment."

"Okay so why can't Dee understand what Ryo is going through? Ryo understands what Dee's going through. If Dee had put himself in Ryo's shoes he wouldn't have treated him like mud and he wouldn't have walked out!" Bikky arched an eyebrow at Lyn. "Seems to me that you need to tell him that definition as well. I feel sorry for Dee and I know it bites being sightless but shit it could be worse! He could be paralyzed a vegetable or dead and he's none of those! He should be happy about that and stop being such a jerk!" Bikky finished his burger and started on his onion rings.

"Yeah Dee needs the definition of empathy too but he's not currently sitting across from me. He is being a jerk, you're right but it's hard to make him see that because he's sure that he's doing the right thing. He's doing it out of love, which I realize makes no sense..." Lyn trailed off, sighing. He could only just wrap his own mind around it he couldn't possibly hope to explain it.

"The moral of the story is Dee could use your support too. In fact..." Lyn's eyes twinkled. "I bet that it would really irritate him if you went and saw him and were really nice to him. I guarantee that it would drive him nuts." It wasn't even reverse psychology. The crux of the whole matter was that Dee hated himself right now and he wanted everyone else to too. It would drive Dee nuts if Bikky were good to him. But it would also maybe help him regain the self-esteem that he needed to get his head on straight.

"You're joking right?" Cocking his head and giving Lyn a funny look Bikky found the request quite off the wall. "After all that he's done to Ryo, you want me to be nice to him? I mean I want to smack him not hug him!" Glaring and sighing he thought that he kind of understand but still that meant betraying Ryo, at least that's how he saw it and that was something he didn't want to do. If Ryo wanted to try and get over Dee, he didn't want to risk messing that up.

Lyn shrugged nonchalantly. "He wants you to smack him. I mean sure taking him down a peg would make you feel better but it would be exactly what he wants." Lyn took a drink of his malt. "Either way, it's your call. I'm not about to make you do anything. It's just idle conjecture." He took another bite of his sandwich. "So tell me about Cal. Are you two...? You know?" Lyn winked and grinned at his not so subtle changing of the topic.

"So he wants me to hate him? Ryo too? That would make sense. This way he doesn't have to feel so guilty about hurting us. It's still the coward's way out." Bikky replied and blushed over Lyn's question. "Cal is a lady and I would never do that to her! Besides she won't even let me be her boyfriend until she's older. So we're just pals. Though I have kissed her. Just a peck mind you, not a real deep kiss like with Ryo and Dee." Bikky smiled and quickly hid his face, feeling the color rise in his cheeks. "She's just so pretty."

Lyn's eyebrows shot up. "Of course Cal is a lady. You're way to young for anything else anyway, by about five years. Kissing is pretty okay though." He grinned as the boy blushed. "Yeah she is pretty and definitely a lady so you always treat her like one too Tiger. She's a special girl."

"I will. I won't treat her like Dee treats Ryo." Bikky smiled. "She really likes Dee though and sometimes that causes problems but then again she's this hopeless romantic." Bikky rolled his eyes. "She reads those yucky romance novels and watches soap operas. God girls, as great as they are, are just so weird."

"Girls are most definitely weird." Lyn affirmed with a smile. Lord knows he had years of mysteries ahead of him with two daughters but he wouldn't have had it any other way. "Someday you'll appreciate romance Bik. Love and romance are what make life bearable." Lyn polished off the rest of his sandwich in a bite.

"It's too complicated. There are too many rules. You have to act like this or you need to do that... God why can't it be that you just love someone? End of story." Bikky finished off his food and gathered up his trash.

Lyn chuckled helping Bikky sort out the mess that they had made on the table. "Because love is actions, not words and people are very careful with their own hearts and not so careful with others.... That creates a lot of misunderstanding." Writing out the check with a generous tip, Lyn stood. "Ready for the arcade?"

"You bet! What's your game of choice?" Bikky smirked. "Tekken's mine." Bikky stood and smiled. This is how he always imagined it would be like if he had a real dad and spent time with them. Not that he didn't have fun with Ryo, it's just that with Dee and himself, Ryo always felt like a referee when he went out with the two of them in tow. 'Of course Dee and I argue a lot whenever we are together! He's a bozo that's why! Though it does seem to be at its worse when Ryo is around. Maybe Ryo's right, maybe Dee and I are competing for Ryo's attention.' He thought to himself.

"Tekken's good but I've got to admit that I'm an old-fashioned pinball wizard." Lyn bent down, snapping his blades back on once they were on the sidewalk. Now standing near seven feet tall in the skates his form was awe-inspiring. "You up for another race Tiger? Give me a chance to redeem myself?"

"Hehe... You're on big guy!" Bikky got a gleam in his eye as they got ready. "If I win you have to help me clean my room." Bikky laughed.

Lyn chuckled. "All right but if I win..." He rubbed his chin for a moment thoughtfully. "You have to walk Duke for a week."

"Cool! He's a neat dog. I can blade and he can... well he can pull!" Bikky laughed harder. "On your mark... get set..."

Lyn crouched low, waiting for his mark, dark hair hanging in his eyes.

"GO!" Bikky took off before Lyn even got started laughing at him. Turning to look over his shoulder he shouted at him. "Come on slow poke! Oh and watch the dog dirt back there!" He warned and raced ahead.

The dark-haired man chuckled and avoided the 'dog dirt' with barely a thought. He would let the boy win again but he couldn't help but show off a little bit. With an easy turn he passed Bikky, going backwards, feet weaving easily in front of him as he dodged pedestrians, apparently having eyes in the back of his head.

Bikky nearly stumbled as he watched Lyn... The guy was a whiz on blades. Determined to win, Bikky took off, going through a maze of people and obstacles trying to catch up. "No fair! You have longer legs!" Bikky panted while laughing. Yet he refused to give up.

Smirking slightly he saw the alley and knew just where it led to. Ducking in, he wound up going through a pizza shop he and Cal always went to and when he came out, he was ahead of Lyn. "I'm over here turtle!" Bikky called out to Lyn and then turned. The arcade was one more block away. Lyn gracefully turned himself forward again and slackened his pass a little so that Bikky was ahead of him by about five feet as he raced after him, letting the boy beat him once again.

Bikky reached the arcade and grinned as he tried to catch his breath. "Man I have got to have Cal see you blade. She'll be asking you to marry her for sure!" Bikky chuckled. "Thanks for letting me win though." He glanced at Lyn as he removed his blades and put his sneakers on.

"That obvious huh? Oh well." Lyn unsnapped his blades as well, stepping out of them. "Besides I'm all ready married." He grinned then pulled a brand new roll of quarters out of his pocket that had been carefully labeled 'Bikky'. "Here you go Tiger, a roll of quarters with your name on them as promised."

Bikky grabbed Lyn's hand and looked at the ring, ignoring the quarters for a moment. "Can you really do that?" He made a face. "Does that mean Ryo and Dee would do that? I mean who...? Well what I mean is... Does one of them...?" Bikky sighed as tried to find a way to state his question. "What I mean is, in a regular wedding you have a bride don't you?" He looked at Lyn and blushed. "No offense or anything."

The ring in question was a silver band with a Claddagh etched on the band over a black background. "No I'm not legally married but because I'm a lawyer I've managed to draw up enough legal documents to have most of the same rights that I would if it were legal. I don't know if Ryo and Dee would do that though. Andrew's Buddhist and I'm pagan so our ceremony looked miles different from what Dee and Ryo's would look like and neither one of us wore a dress." Lyn smiled.

"Good! I would die if Dee talked Ryo into doing that. On second thought Dee would die... Figuratively speaking of course. Because Ryo would probably nail his butt to a cross!" Bikky grinned. "How did you know that you were gay?" Bikky asked him. "Not that I want to know for myself or anything. I'm all for boobs and curves." He blushed.

"Breasts Bikky. Call things by their right names. And probably when I tried to kiss my best friend when I was 17 or so. My mothers are lesbians. I hadn't thought anything about it until he gave me two black eyes for my attentions." Lyn shrugged as he stepped into the arcade glancing around at the kids shrieking jubilantly and groaning in defeat over various electronic games.

"That's wild because Ryo always says that until he fell for Dee that he was straight. Yet he never slugged Dee for kissing him though I had heard that he slugged his boss Berkley Rose. Does that mean that he was lying? About his sexuality I mean? Or was he just in some sort of denial over it?" Bikky asked, as he looked around and then groaned. "Damn my game is broken! Oh well... What should we do first?"

"You ever play pinball? Takes more skill then you would think. Well Ryo had ten years or so on my poor friend but I think that he and Dee are like Andrew and I. They've known each other for lifetimes and their souls recognize each other even when their eyes do not." Lyn spoke with a soft reverence in his voice remembering he and Andrew, their trials and tribulation and how he fell in love with him more deeply every day. "Ryo may have been confused about his feelings for Dee at first but once that lifted... You get the picture right?"

"You mean that they were destined to be together? That's just so weird." Bikky scrunched up his face. "Okay let's see how good you are!" Bikky pointed at the pinball machines. "Put up or shut up!" He laughed at him. Bikky's big bright blue eyes gazed at Lyn and clearly showed nothing less then the utmost respect and admiration for him.

"Indeed." Lyn said with a grin as he stepped up to the pinball machine and slipped in his quarters. With an intense stoicism he undertook the game. His brow furrowed as his long fingers danced over the buttons, his hips shifting down and again to give him a better view of an angle. The small white ball ricocheted back and forth. Being a little out of practice he only got one free game ball before he misfired his flippers and with a groan lost his last ball. "Damn I'm rusty."

Bikky gazed at the score and his face fell. "I-If that's rusty I am so screwed." Bikky groaned. "Is there anything that you can't do? Damn! Maybe you could teach Ryo a few things. Not that he doesn't try but he's more into things that enrich your mind. He likes those brainteasers and crossword puzzles and such. The very ones that drive Dee up a wall. The big dummy. Ryo plays the flute though and the piano. So that's cool I guess."

"Don't worry there's plenty that I can't do. Really? I didn't know Ryo was into music. That reminds me." Lyn stepped away from the machine to let Bikky have a go. "I was going to ask you if you would mind me taking a couple pictures of you. I'm pretty okay with a camera and I thought that Ryo would really like something of you framed for his desk at work."

"That would be really cool." Bikky took his turn and while he wasn't as good as Lyn, he seemed to hold his own. "Now Ryo wants me to take piano lessons. He thinks it'll be good for me. He says that people who study the arts have better academic achievements. That it makes you smarter somehow. I just think that it's too girly. Not that I think that of Ryo or anything mind you. God he'd bop me if he heard that." Bikky moaned in defeat as his ball went straight down the center.

"Good job Tiger! With a little practice you'll soon beat my socks off. Hey piano isn't girly at all. My mothers we're very insistent about my musical education and it's true what Ryo says. Now if you want girl, then try the harp. That's girly... and damn hard too." He shook his head smiling. "Maybe you can compromise with him. You'll take piano if Ryo lets you take karate or something."

"The harp? Don't even tell me that you play it! God!" He made a face at Lyn, laughing the whole time. "Maybe he'll let me that just might work! With karate, Ryo's a black belt so I don't know why he wouldn't let me take it too." His face lit up and then he grinned. "Then I can really nail Dee when he's being a jerk." Seeing the look that he was getting from Lyn he quickly corrected himself. "Just kidding."

"I think martial arts are a good plan. It will get you some discipline... Ballet is good for that too." Lyn smirked.

"NO WAY! Are you serious? I am not having my ass pushed into those sissy tights! Gross!" Bikky put his hands up above his head and pretended to do ballet. "God now that is for sissies!"

Lyn just laughed and shook his head. "I think that Ryo would agree with you on that. Speaking of which..." Lyn checked his watch and the roll of quarters, which had disappeared over the course of the conversation. "We need to head back. I told Ryo that we would be back by 7:30 and I'm sure that you have homework."

"Don't remind me." Bikky groaned. "Social Studies and Math. Pre-algebra sucks! And with the way Ryo has been lately I hate asking him for help." Pulling off his sneakers, Bikky slapped on his blades. "Let's not race this time. I'm too tired."

Chuckling Lyn nodded. "Fine by me. A nice leisurely skate to wind down sounds good. I might be going home for a little while and sending Andrew over to hang out with you guys, he's about a hundred times better with math then me so maybe he can help." Lyn offered as he slipped his skates back on.

Bikky looked slightly disappointed. "Okay... Sure." His voice was smaller. "You'll be coming back right?" Looking at Lyn he practically pleaded with his eyes for him to say yes.

"Yup. Of course I will. I Promise. I just need to see my other daughter and my husband, if only for a few minutes. Besides I sort of want to talk to Dee and I want my guitar as well." Lyn responded while reaching down and ruffling the boy's hair as he skated lazily down the sidewalk.

"You play guitar too? WOW! Wait until Ryo hears this! You're so cool Lyn!" Bright blue eyes were wide in amazement as they talked. All too soon they found themselves at the apartment building.

"Hey Ryo's home all ready. There's his car." Bikky pointed to the Toyota that was parked just slightly down from the front of the building. "That's weird. I thought that he said that he had to work late."

Lyn frowned slightly, also worried as he ducked through the front door into the lobby. "Huh...? Odd." He led the way to the elevator trying not to let his concern show on his face.

"Hey I'm sure that Keiry's okay. You did have your cell phone on right? Ryo would have called if there had been a problem." Bikky followed him, trying to soothe out his worry. "I'm just hoping that nothing happened with Ryo. Now that he wouldn't tell anyone about."

Lyn nodded skating into the elevator. He wasn't too worried about Keiry. He knew that the tike was safer with Ryo then with damn near anyone else. Pressing the button for Ryo's floor he leaned against the wall, trying to look cool despite the frown lines around his mouth.

"What? You suspect something and don't tell me that you don't. Every time Ryo is worried he gets that same look." Bikky stood across from him and glared. "You two are so much alike that it's not even funny." He commented.

Lyn had to laugh at that. "Nah, I like to drink and swear. I'm stubborn as hell and prideful to boot." When the elevator came to a stop though Lyn was out and down the hall in a flash opening the front door carefully as he called inside. "Ryo...?"

W ildefyre: Okay here's the deal. Irish and I talked about this quite a bit. We have so many ideas for this story and just for the characters in general even after the Marlo bits. What we thought about doing was to just continue writing until we decided that enough was enough. The other option was to make this into a series. Which would you rather have? If we continue, this could run into 40 maybe 50 chapters. If we took it as a series then we'd find stopping points and pick up the latest in a new story.

Personally I vote for the series idea. But we could just make this baby a novel and the mother of all FAKE stories. It would be cool to just follow these four as they move along in their lives. What do you guys think? You can give us your opinion in a review or by emailing us. We'd really like to know.

Irish: Yes Wildefyre and I are plotting many evil things! Muahahahahaha! Also if you were wondering why the last two chapters didn't have songs and lyrics it's because they were sort of late add ins to the story so Wildefyre and I decided that since it was sort of a shift that Lyrics weren't needed. After rereading them though I am considering putting lyrics in anyway. But yeah, let us know how you want us to handle the Story: Chapter by chapter or individual stories all separate and what not. Also just so that you all know, this is one of my favorite chapters. I actually really like Bikky and think he is often misunderstood. No kid is a brat through and through, especially not kids who are as sharp and on the ball as Bikky.