FAKE Stupid Sakura!

Disclaimer: I do not own, claim to own, or dream about owning the cast of FAKE. Ryo, Dee, Carol, Drake, JJ, Bikky, Commissioner Rose, and anyone else I forgot to mention are the property of Sanami Matoh and such. Sadamoto Sakura is mine, though.

So! – Here begins the story! I didn't have any plans as to where the story was going when I started it. It wrote itself as I went along. There used to be seven chapters, but only these two had anything to do with Sakura. The other five chapters are now separated into three independent stories, without Sakura. And I think prepositions are the best things to end a sentence with. The crappy grammar isn't the product of careless mistakes; it's included to add to the style. I sound really pretentious, don't I? I'm really not. Wait, that makes me sound even more pretentious. Oops.

Chapter 1 Unlikely

"Mornin'." Dee yawned as he walked, late again, into the 27th precinct.

"Weren't you supposed to be here ten minutes ago?" Ryo shot a partly disapproving, partly amused glance at his partner. At least Dee was dependable – Ryo could depend on him to be late and then cause a lot of paperwork, which he would leave for Ryo to do.

Dee shrugged. "Well, unless I missed a coup or a party, I'm not real concerned."

Ryo sighed. "Commissioner Rose wanted to see us. It sounded important, so I don't think he's going to be happy with you."

"Whatever." Typical Dee behavior. Ryo sighed again and walked off to the commissioner's office. Dee followed. What's the worst Rose could do, anyway?

Ryo knocked softly on Rose's office door. The commissioner barked gruffly that the pair was to enter. He looked up briefly as they entered, then returned his gaze to the report on his desk. Ryo spoke on behalf of his irresponsible partner before Dee could get them in even more trouble. "I'm sorry, Commissioner, Dee was a bit behind schedule. You wanted to see us?"

Rose looked up from the paperwork that was distracting him. "Yes, I wanted to see you ten minutes ago. Dee, if you don't get your act together, I'm going to have to reassign you to a different partner. I'm sure JJ would be thrilled to work with you..."

"What? You just want to take my Ryo away!" Dee had a suspicion that Commissioner Rose had eyes for his Ryo, and he wasn't giving up that easy.

"Then perhaps, Dee, you'll make an effort to be timelier. I wanted to see you two because I'm assigning you to a murder that took place half an hour ago nearby. A middle-aged couple was shot to death, and their daughter seems to be the most likely suspect. There are already a few officers on the scene, and I want you detectives there on the double. This should be an open and shut case, so don't screw it up."

"We're on it, Commissioner," Ryo replied. Turning to Dee, he said, "Now wake up and let's go!"

The pair got in Ryo's car and headed to the victims' apartment. Ryo was unusually quiet on the drive there. He hated cases like this. His parents had been murdered, so he understood the pain of loosing one's parents. When he had to deal with a case where a child had murdered their parents, he never failed to be amazed. He'd have given anything not to have lost his parents, and kids like this suspect actually got rid of their parents themselves! He would never understand it. Dee resisted the urge to bug his partner; he understood that Ryo was really upset by this type of case.

The pair entered the apartment to find a bloody and horrifying scene. The couple had been in their business clothes, walking into the living room carrying cups of coffee when they were shot, twice each, in the chest. They'd fallen next to each other, the wife partly on top of her husband as though she'd been walking slightly ahead of him. Their daughter, Sakura Sadamoto, had begged not to be forced out of the apartment. She was in tears, sitting with her head in her hands on the couch. Several officers were on the scene, ensuring that she didn't try to bolt. After all, Sakura was the only suspect in the case. The detectives asked the officers what they knew about the crime.

There was no sign of forced entry. The gun apparently used in the murder was thrown in a corner of the room. A small pair of leather gloves was thrown on the floor in the middle of the room. Sakura had made the phone call to the police herself, crying hysterically, minutes after her parents' murder. All the evidence pointed to her. It seemed that she had donned the glove to prevent fingerprint evidence. The neighbors had told the police that her parents kept a gun for protection loaded in the kitchen pantry, and she'd obviously gotten hold of the gun, shot her parents, then broken down and basically turned herself in. Her current state of tears could be an act, or she could have truly disassociated herself from the act. The detectives had seen this situation before. As far as they could tell, Sakura had planned the murder, committed the crime, and then realized that she couldn't face the horror of what she had done. She'd temporarily blocked the memory of killing her parents and truly believed in her innocence. How sad.

Although this seemed to be a simple case with all the evidence for conviction, the detectives still felt obligated to keep an open mind. It seemed highly unlikely, but Sakura really could be innocent. They'd seen some strange things in their tenure at the 27th, and it was always possible that this girl had been set up. Of course, they believed no such thing. Ryo walked over to the couch and crouched down in front of the sobbing girl. "Miss Sadamoto?"

She looked up at him, tears streaming down her face. Blood stained her shirt, as though she'd hugged her mother as she lay bleeding on the floor. "I'd much prefer it if you'd call me just Sadamoto, please, sir." Ryo nodded. "I know you think I killed my parents, but..." She trailed off, sobbing.

"It certainly looks that was, Sadamoto-san." He felt that she'd feel more comfortable speaking with him if he addressed her with respect and used the honorifics of her culture. Judging by the décor of her home and her lack of an accent, she was the first generation of her family to be born in the US, and her parents had been very traditional. Her request to be referred to only by her last name gave credence to that theory. "I understand that this is difficult for you. However...you are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Should you choose to..." With that, he recited to her the Miranda Rights. She didn't resist as he cuffed her and led her out to one of the police cars. She merely cried and mumbled incoherently something about a friend and a carpool.

Back at the station, Dee and Ryo took her into an interrogation room. She'd finally stopped crying. She sat quietly, staring into space as though she was lost. Ryo sighed for what seemed like the millionth time that day. She really did act like the distraught child of murder victims. Nothing about her screamed or even whispered 'murderer'. Still, there was no denying that she was the one and only suspect. When this case went to trial, she was sure to be locked up for a long time based on the evidence at the scene. If they could get a confession, of course, things would go a lot more smoothly. Dee started to speak, but Ryo hushed him. Dee was good at intimidating petty criminals into confessions, but his big mouth would only make this apparently frightened girl clam up.

Ryo spoke to the suspect instead. "Sadamoto Sakura?" She looked up at him and seemed a bit startled. "I'm Detective Randy Maclean; my partner Detective Dee Laytner and I will be conducting the investigation into your parents' murder. To begin, would you please tell us your name and date of birth?"

"My name, as you have said, is Sakura Sadamoto, though I prefer to be addressed as Sadamoto Sakura. My date of birth is June 23, 1987." Just sixteen years old, still a kid, and already on her way to the big house for murder one. What a shame. Ryo filled this out on the paperwork, and then filled in eye color, dark brown, and hair color, black. He was momentarily distracted by her hair. It was incredibly beautiful; it hung to her waist, but the top half was pulled up into a knot secured with beaded flower hairpins. Ryo silently chided himself for allowing himself to be distracted. Dee filled in the silence.

"Height and weight?" he asked curtly.

"Five feet, two inches. One hundred and four pounds." She answered absently, seemingly distracted by the ceiling lights. Ryo was beginning to be upset by this case. This girl was the either the best actress he'd ever seen or truly convinced of her innocence.

Ryo retook control of the questioning. "Thank you. Now, you understand the circumstances of your parents' murder. The gun that we understand was kept in the pantry was found in the corner of the room in which your parents were found. There is evidence of the gun having been recently fired. Leather gloves were found on the floor, and it can be presumed that they were worn by whoever fired the gun so no fingerprints would be left. Finally, there are no signs of forced entry. The killer was welcomed into the home. Do you have anything to say in your defense, or would you confess in exchange for a reduced sentence? I'm sure we could work a deal."

Both detectives expected for her to ask for a lawyer. The neighbors had labeled her as an intelligent girl, and she had stated that she fully understood her rights. Instead, she burst into tears. "It was Jamie! I swear! I let him in; he was picking me up for the carpool, and..." She trailed off. It sounded like she might have said more, but it was inaudible. After several minutes of crying, she sniffled and calmed down a bit. Ryo offered her a few tissues. She wiped her eyes, blew her nose, and sniffled a few more times before she began to speak again. "He wasn't himself. He must have been doing dust again. He pushed his way past me and said he was just going to the kitchen to see if I had any Pop Tarts around because he'd run out. My parents were in their bedroom, and they didn't hear him come in. I didn't want to argue, because Jamie's scary when he's mad. So I didn't follow him. I went in the bathroom to grab my compact, and when I went into the kitchen, Jamie wasn't there. My parents walked in, and they asked why I looked as though I'd seen a ghost. I told them Jamie'd come in to get me for the carpool, and he was acting funny. They hadn't even seen him. I went out into the living room, and he was sitting on the couch muttering. He had his hands in his pockets. I didn't see anything weird, but I was freaked out by the way he was acting. So I said to him, 'Hey why don't we get going?' He started screaming at me, swearing. He yelled, 'Shut up, bitch! I ain't gonna listen to you!' My parents heard him, and they came out into the living room. They asked what was going on, and he pulled the gun out of his pocket. He shot them both before they knew what was coming. My God, he..." Again, she broke down in tears. She spoke softly as she cried. "I didn't know what to do. He pointed the gun at me, said he'd kill me if I moved. I was so frightened. He threw the gun in the corner, but I knew he could get it back before I could move an inch. He took off his gloves and threw them on the floor. I hadn't thought anything about it when he came in wearing them, since it's been so cold. Then he just ran out the door. I went to my parents and checked to see if I could help them, but they didn't have pulses. And I just cried and cried...I hugged my mother, I didn't want to believe she was gone, but...I couldn't do anything. I called 911, and now you think I did it! I didn't, I swear, I..."

Ryo was deeply disturbed. She had been very convincing. However, her story was as wildly unlikely as it was possible. Dee was rather surprised himself. He was inclined to believe that she was a particularly talented actress who'd thrown together a cover story after she'd snapped and offed the parental units. Still, he couldn't help feeling that the story she told could be true. Ryo thought for a moment before he said anything. "All right then. If you can give me the names of all members of the carpool, I can have them brought here to be questioned to see if your story has truth to it." She gave the names of the usual driver and members of group. Ryo wrote them down, then motioned to Dee to leave the room with him. They called the school and arranged to have all members of the carpool transported to the station. They got a clean shirt for Sadamoto, then locked her in the precinct's holding pen. They gave the pickpocket who was already in there a stern warning to leave her alone, and left her to sob quietly in the corner.

Four people were brought in. After being assured that they were not under investigation or in any trouble, the driver and two passengers said that yes, Jaime had been high on angel dust when they picked him up and he had run up to Sadamoto's apartment when they parked. They said they hadn't gone after him because they knew he really cared for Sadamoto and they didn't think he'd ever hurt her. They said that when he came back downstairs, he told them that she was sick and they'd better hurry up so they wouldn't be late for school. They'd believed him and left without Sadamoto. Suddenly Sadamoto's story seemed a lot more plausible. Ryo and Dee brought Jamie into an interrogation room, making sure that he saw his friend sitting in the pen on the way there. He looked terrified. Dee cut Ryo off before he could speak. This case rubbed him the wrong way, and he wanted to make sure they got this punk if the story was true.

Dee decided that a little lie never hurt if he wanted this kid to talk. If his friends were telling the truth, he loved Sadamoto more than life itself. Perhaps he'd turn himself in to save her. "Well, Jamie, I guess you've heard by now that we took your pal in this morning for killing her parents. Real shame, a promising young thing like that gonna be put down like a dog."

Jamie looked ready to cry. "What you mean by 'put down like a dog'?"

Dee almost smiled. It looked like this kid really did care about the girl. "The needle, kid. As in death penalty. The evidence is all there. When she goes to trial, Sadamoto's definitely going to be convicted. There's no two ways about it." Jamie began to cry. Dee stared at him. "What's the matter, tough guy? She's a killer. Doesn't she deserve it? That's the way it works! Kill your parents and the government kills you. Double homicide is serious business." Jamie started to sob. Dee looked at his watch. It wasn't even ten a.m. yet and he'd interrogated two crybabies already. "What, kid?"

The sobbing young man immediately made this the pair's easiest case ever. "I – I did it! I killed her parents, man! You can't kill her for my shit! I was high, man! I didn't mean to!"

In less than five minutes, they had a signed confession from Jamie. Sadamoto Sakura's name was clear. Ryo went to the pen, let her out, and told her the good news. Not surprisingly, she broke down into tears. She happened to be an extremely emotional young woman. When she was finished crying, Dee asked if there was a relative she could call and stay with. She sniffled. "No, Detective Laytner, there isn't. I have no relatives in this country, and no close friends of the family. However, I can take care of myself. This country has emancipation of minors, yes? Perhaps I could look into that somehow. Until then, I can take care of myself."

Dee stared at her. Was she crazy? He wasn't much of one for kids, but he couldn't imagine letting this kid be on her own after suffering such a tragic loss and trauma. "That doesn't seem like a good idea..."

"I could take you in for a while, if you like." Dee shot an evil if- looks-could-kill glare at Ryo. Him and his big mouth! If Ryo took in another kid in addition to Bikky, that would be one more hindrance to his master plan for getting his Ryo! Sadamoto looked up, surprised.

"Pardon, sir?" Had this stranger just offered her a home?

Ryo spoke almost too quickly to be understood. "I can offer you a home. I know it seems strange, but I actually took in a kid in your situation a few years back; his name's Bikky. You're going to lose the apartment. Even if the lease was willed to you, the landlord will throw you out because you're a minor. Where else do you have to go? I'm a cop, so you can rest assured that you can trust me. I'm not some weird pervert or something. You can ask Bikky; I'm like the older brother you don't have and probably never wanted."

Sadamoto blinked and stared. She thought for a while. "I...don't seem to have much choice, do I? I cannot imagine how to repay your generosity..."

Ryo cut her off in mid sentence. "Don't worry too much about it."

Dee stewed silently. WHY did things just get worse and worse? Now he'd NEVER get anywhere near Ryo! With two kids around, someone would always be in the way of his advances towards his partner. Stupid Sakura!

Too bad for Dee, Sadamoto Sakura moved in with Ryo that evening. For once Dee and Bikky had something to agree on. Sadamoto wasn't welcome. Bikky saw her as nothing but competition for time and attention. Of course, unlike Dee, he felt sorry for her and kept quiet around her and Ryo. Dee was less well mannered. In front of Sadamoto, he whined to Dee, "Hey, you better not let her get in the way like Bikky does! I'm gonna get some quality alone time with you one of these days and..."

"Ah, shut up," Bikky cut in. That's a freakin' good thing, having someone else around to keep you off my Ryo!"

"Damn you..." Dee muttered as he stormed out the door. C'est la vie.

Continued in Chapter 2...