Locked In

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, all right to original owners, yah.

A/N: 1,200 something words=too much time on my hands

Enjoy.

It had been noted by many that the bathroom door of PH did not have a lock. Sonny and Maxie were both particularly disturbed by this and had each mentioned it several times. In fact, the Penthouse did have such a handy appendage- on the outside. Jason had flipped the doorknob, intending for it to be used as a final resort for holding sketchy characters or hiding someone. Unfortunately, as his various acquaintances (whether he liked them or not) were starting to realize this, and the previously innocent bolt became the boon of many pranks. He had been locked in his shower more than once by someone trying to blackmail him and was seriously starting to consider getting rid of it altogether.

He arrived home early one evening, since Sonny had excused him for the evening, which was unusually gratuitous of the usually curmudgeonly boss. Jason hadn't complained-he could use a night off and figured that he should spend some time with Spinelli since he was still distraught over Georgie's death.

The house was quiet and dark. Puzzled, he turned on a light and looked around, pulling off his jacket and hanging it in the closet, doing his nightly gun ritual as usual. No sign of the shaggy haired youth or any of his friends. Jason frowned, thinking back on the depressed drinking binges that he had witnessed when Spinelli was down. He crept through his crib, expecting to find his roommate sulking somewhere, but found nothing. It was only when he started up the stairs that he heard a small scratching sound from one of the hall walls, thin and incessant. Realizing that it came from the vicinity of the bathroom of question, he knocked on the door.

"Hey Spinelli," he said cheerfully. "I'm home." He heard a groan from within, than a giggle. What? Maybe he should have stayed at the office, after all, the kid lived here, and well, it wouldn't be the first time Jason had embarrassed him by coming in at an unfortunate moment. Moving on down the hall to his room, he was stopped in mid step by a high shriek from behind.
"Wait, Stonecold!" Spinelli shouted, jerking at the handle. "Come free the Jackal from this suffocating annex!" Jason turned and stepped forward, unsure, before seeing that the bolt was shut. Reaching out, he quickly fumbled with the lock, wondering half-anxiously what the explanation was.

Turning the lock, he thrust the door open and was intercepted with a vigorous hug, encompassing his broad chest and pinning his strong arms to his sides. Immediately, he tried to pull away, but the thin geek came with him, sending them both plunging into the wall. Luckily, it shocked the kid's hands off of him and he fell to the side.

"What have I told you about hugging?" Jason growled, his back aching sorely.

"Uhh…" Spinelli giggled. "Beats me. You look funny!"

Jason groaned and scratched his head, sitting up. "What did I do to deserve this," he whispered to himself. Unfortunately, his young friend had heard and was looking at him concernedly.

"Oh Stonecold!" He exclaimed. "You can never imagine the extent of the favors the Jackal owes to you, for your help in many-"

"Okay, okay," said Jason, putting his hands up. "Whatever. Who locked you in the bathroom?" He watched, exasperated, as Spinelli got distracted by the carpet.

"Focus, Spinelli!"

"Oh, okay. It seems that the Blonde One was the culprit of this … unfortunate incident."

"Why did Lulu lock you in the bathroom?" asked Jason cautiously, wondering if he really wanted to know. Spinelli seemed to be even weirder than usual.

"She, she said that I shouldn't have drunk so much, s-soda." Spinelli leaped up. "I love orange soda!" He pumped his fists in the air, grinning at the ceiling.

Jason shook his head, standing up. He turned to the kid, who was just standing there. He was almost concerned, but figured that if his story was true, soda was better than vodka. But what if it was soda and vodka again? On the other hand, Spinelli seemed too jumpy to be drunk. He frowned, turning to walk down the stairs.

Suddenly he felt a weight descend upon him as Spinelli jumped on his back, sending them both flying forward into the landing wall.

"What the hell Spinelli! What is wrong with you?" His only answer was the kid jumping off and running down the stairs. Jason, really rather angry by now, chased him into the kitchen. "Come back here!" The kid was fast, he'd give him that.

Spinelli was in the weight room. Jason cringed, a little afraid of what he'd find, and scuttled (jk-this is Stonecold!) around the corner, his arms shielding his head.

He went in just in time to see Spinelli attempting to lift the heaviest bar bell he owned-one that even Jason had trouble with.

"Wait," he called, trying to distract Spinelli before he took it off the supports on the table and was squashed. Unfortunately, it was too late. Spinelli groaned and pushed it up, the bar teetering a second before flying towards his midsection. Jason gave a yell and ran forward, already envisioning the paramedics asking what exactly had happened.

He drew to a halt at the table, shocked. The edge of the biggest weights, which were on the inside, had landed on the table. Spinelli was small enough that he could fit under the slightly raised bar, so he wasn't hurt.

"Jason," gasped Spinelli, looked a little scared.
"Yeah, I got you. Let's see, do you think you can crawl out from under it?" Spinelli bit his lip and squirmed a little, but he didn't have enough space to wriggle from beneath the bar. He was starting to freak out a little bit from claustrophobia. Without thinking, Jason grabbed him under his arms, hauling him out like a puppy. They stood half suspended in time for a second, both panting, and then the weight started to roll down the table, disturbed by their movements. Jason ran to get it before it fell and dented the floor. When he turned back around, Spinelli was gone.

"Auugh!" He all but screamed, running a hand through his hair before sprinting to find his young charge.

Spinelli was in the kitchen, cracking eggs into a bowl on the counter. A lot of eggs. The stove was on, and the boys elbow was perilously close to slipping onto the hot burner. Jason ran forward and grabbed him, attempting to pull him away, but the bowl of eggs came with him, spraying them both with uncooked omelet. Spinelli gave a girly scream then slipped from his mentor's grasp, running up the stairs. Jason followed, not wanting to think what might happen. Only when he saw the "grasshopper" heading for his door, where there was evidence of, well-things he would really rather Spinelli not see did he really increase his pace. Catching Spinelli, he tackled him and grabbed him by his shirt, shoving him into the bathroom.

What happened next has been greatly disputed and discussed but never truly decoded. Spinelli turned around, flailing, and Jason fell into the counter. In the moment he paused, chin aching from sudden contact with the faucet, Spinelli spun out of his grasp and out the door. Locking it behind him.

"Spinelli!" Yelled Jason, painfully aware of his cell phone ringing in the other room.

"Hallo-'tis the Jackal back from his brush with fate. Oh yes Fair Samantha-"

"You're dead meat, Jackal Boy," Bellowed Jason from his prison.