Never Again

This is a one shot 'missing scene' from episode 56, Hatred of the Bird Missile, involving Jun's childhood friend Koji.It was written in collaboration with Goldangel, who deserves the credit for putting the idea into both our heads during a marathon conversation one evening. Since this particular episode is not yet available in English, we use literary license to justify any slight mistranslations of the original episode dialog. As always, neither of us own the Gatchaman, they are the property of Tatsunoko Productions.

CRACK!

Ken's eyes narrowed as Jun slumped down over the counter and the atmosphere in the J was suddenly tense, the sharp sound of Joe's slap seeming to reverberate endlessly in the air as he scolded her harshly, "Jun, I don't care if Koji is your childhood friend. Many people have died because of Galactor, and he is our only clue. Don't you care about the mission of the Gatchaman?"

Jun looked up at her brother, a wounded look on her face, yet not questioning his outburst or defending herself from the blow. Ken, however, had to restrain himself for leaping forward in her defense and nailing his second in command. Putting a firm choke hold on his temper, he placed a gentle arm around Jun's shoulder and spoke quietly in her ear, "I know this is hard for you, but please, come with me to the track tomorrow. Maybe then we can sort things out."

Jun gave him a tiny smile of gratitude through the tears that still lingered in her eyes. Seeing them, Ken felt a sudden, violent flash of hatred; not only for the tears on her face but also for the one who had put them there. Once again clamping down on his rising anger, he placed a gentle hand on her elbow and guided her to the door that led to the upstairs loft. As he opened the door to lead her in, he threw an icy blue glare over his shoulder at his second in command and ordered brusquely, "Don't go anywhere, I want to talk to you."

Joe shrugged negligently, "Yeah whatever," but leaned back against the wall, arms folded and eyes closed in a rare moment of obedience as Ken stepped through the doorway and allowed the swinging door to slam shut behind him.

Ken lead Jun slowly to her room, an inner sanctum he had seen few times but dreamed of often. Guiding her gently to the bed, he glanced around; the few feminine trinkets on her dresser, the katana above the door, and the scent of jasmine that hung in air combined to provide a true reflection of her personality: both delicate and strong like the swan she was named for. Kneeling in front of her, he gently slid her shoes off, brushing aside her soft protest, "Ken, I'm fine, really. You don't have to go through all this trouble."

Task finished, he rose and placed a hand on her shoulder, gently urging her to lie down. Brushing a stray lock of hair from her face, he said, "I want you to get some rest." His tone was gentle but brooked no disobedience, and too worn out to argue, Jun complied, closing her eyes and swiftly falling asleep. Ken reached for a soft afghan and lovingly placed it over her then brushed the back of his hand over her cheek, whispering softly, "Sweet dreams koishii." He turned and left the room, shutting the door gently behind him, only to come face-to-face with a curious Swallow in the hallway.

Jinpei looked up at him worriedly, "Aniki, what gives? What's wrong with Oneechan?"

Ken laid a finger on his lips in a silent signal for the boy to lower his voice, "She needs to rest Jinpei, it's been a tough day for her. I want you to keep an eye on her and call me on the communicator if anything comes up." With those words, Ken headed back down the stairs and out the door.

Down in the J, Joe was eyeing the clock, his annoyance level swiftly rising, 'Dammit, what is taking him so long? Does he think I'm going to just wait here all day?' His thoughts were interrupted by the unusually loud entrance of the Eagle into the bar area. One glance at his commander's stormy countenance put Joe immediately on guard but he tried with pseudo-nonchalance to hide his growing concern, "So, what now boss?"

Ken was quiet for a moment before slowly approaching him and saying, "Come outside with me, I want to talk to you."

Joe frowned at him, "Nani?"

Ken's expression grew darker and his eyes flashed, "I said, I want to speak to you...now."

Without further ado, Joe pushed himself away from the wall and went outside, Ken following closely behind. Once there, Ken turned into the alley behind the J, and with a swift unexpected movement, grabbed Joe by the front of his shirt and slammed him roughly into the brick wall behind them. The Eagle's voice was dangerously low as he snarled, "I know you're worried about Jun, and I know that Koji is connected to Galactor. And I also know that Jun has her obligations to the team. But unlike you, I can also see her point of view in this. We both know how loyal she is...but striking her like that was completely uncalled for. If you ever lay a hand on her like that again, I will personally see to it that you pay dearly for every tear that she cries."

Joe scowled down at him, temporarily forgetting his precarious position above the ground, "Ken, that Galactor scum deserves everything they get and we both know it."

The storm in Ken's eyes grew even darker, "They may, but Jun does not. I'm warning you now, if you ever hurt her like that again, I will not be responsible for my actions. Do we understand each other?" Without waiting for an answer, he roughly dropped his second onto the concrete before turning and walking away.

Joe got up slowly and watched him leave before going to his own car and departing with the plenty of to think about before the race the next day.

The End

koishii--beloved