Author's Notes: I was listening to a great song called "Closing time" by Semisonic and it kind of gave me the eida for this fanfic.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

JD stared at the shot glass in front of him on the bar. After his seventh shot, he felt that he had started to understand Dr. Kelso's staring contests with his muffins.

Should I drink another one or shouldn't I? Of course I should.

He took the glass in his hand and swallowed the vodka in it, then he set it back on the bar and singled the bartender to fill him another one.

"Give me another beer too." He said as the bartender took his glass. The man nodded his head in acknowledgement.

JD tried to count the number of drinks he'd consumed so far that night, but found it quite difficult. Every time he tried to count them he lost his count until he gave up, just in time for his new drinks to arrive and he was busy nursing his beer.

If he was able to count them, he would have found out he had drank 2 appletinis, 3 bottles of beer and too many shots of vodka, and he wasn't planning on going home soon.

He was literally trying to drown his sorrows.

The door opened and JD could feel the chill of the night creeping into the bar. He turned to see who was coming in.

And then, just like he was in the middle of a bad movie, not other than Dr. Cox stepped into the room.

JD turned back to the bar and buried his head in his hands in frustration. He was trying to run away from his problems but his problems had found him, and not in a very good state. Though he was very drunk, he knew he was going to do things he might regret the morning after. Damn those mornings after. So he decided he should leave the bar and find another place, before Dr. Cox noticed him. He took out his wallet, but when he turned around again to leave, Dr. Cox noticed him and sent him a surprised and annoyed look. JD turned around again. He sighed and put his wallet back into his pocket.

If he was going to deal with Dr. Cox right now, he needed more to drink.

He ordered another shot and another bottle of beer. After a minute he saw Dr. Cox standing next to him.

JD turned and smiled to him.

Well, I might just say a stupid movie quote to fit into the atmosphere.

"From all the bars in the world you had to walk into mine?" JD spluttered. Dr. Cox could smell the alcohol from his breath.

"Oh Sarah, are we perky tonight?" Dr. Cox said with a grin on his face.

"Oh yeah, sure. All happy and excited. You just can't see it because of the dim lights."

Dr. Cox raised an eyebrow at him, "Newbie you're so witty tonight that I feel like I should give you your own late night show. I know that you'll be better then Oprah. I just know it. And besides that, you have better dresses than she has."

JD gave him a fake smile and signaled the bartender again, "Please give a beer and a whisky for my praised mentor here."

The bartender nodded abruptly and went to get the drinks.

"If you feel like you've got to you can sit here, but I won't mind it if you'll sit somewhere else, like on that sofa there, or in another bar." JD said grimly.

Dr. Cox set next to him, "I see that the alcohol helped you to grow a pair Newbie. However, I suggest you quiet down your sudden cheekiness, or you'll be finding yourself lying on the street outside of the bar, bleeding and crying like a little girl."

The bartender gave him his drinks. "Thank you." he said and started nursing them.

JD stared gloomy at the liquor shelves in front of him. He was really frustrated.

On one hand he was happy to see Dr. Cox.

Dr. Cox had always been the evil doctor who ranted him and shouted at him and nothing he did was good enough for him. But lately JD was starting to feel things he thought he could never feel for another man. And it wasn't just any other man. It was his older, jackass, mentor, who probably found him very annoying.

He was starting to watch him at work, clinging on every word he said and thinking about him a lot. It took him time to figure out that it wasn't just his will to be accepted by his mentor and to be his friend. It took him time to understand that it was also a physical attraction, and even that he was starting to develop feelings for him.

On the other hand he was pretty sad to see him too.

He was drinking because he was feeling down, and one of the reasons he was feeling down was because he had feelings for his mentor and knew he had no chance in the world of ever being with him.

Dr. Cox was straight. Very straight.

All day long he laughed at JD that he was gay and that he was a girl. Also, Dr. Cox acted like JD was one of the people he hated the most in the world. Even if it wasn't true, it must've been close to the truth.

He was older than him.

He probably could get anyone he wanted.

So JD figured out Dr. Cox would never want him too.

Dr. Cox watched JD. He was quite for a long time and he seemed like he was deep in his thoughts. He had a disturbingly sad look on his face. What did he do now? Did he really push it to far this time? He treated the young doctor like that all the time.

Maybe that was the problem.

"Jenny, as much as I love the silence and I've been waiting for it for years, I have to ask, why are you so quiet? What happened? Are you in your fantasy world again? Imagining me in a short skirt and high hills?"

JD send him a death glare. Dr. Cox flinched a little. He finished his beer and signaled the bartender to give him another one.

"So, Newbie, what's up with you? And why are you here alone tonight without your boyfriend or your little friends?"

JD clenched his glass tightly and greeted his teeth. Dr. Cox had no idea how much he was hurting him, how close to the mark he was hitting. It felt like Perry was literally throwing salt into the wounds on JD's heart.

He took a deep breath, "I just felt like being alone tonight. Is that so bad? It's not possible that I would want sometime alone with myself from time to time?"

"Sure, sure, why not?" Dr. Cox grinned at him and took a sip from his new beer, "I kind of ruined your plans, didn't I Jenny?"

"You always do Dr. Cox. You always ruin everything for me," JD stated tonelessly. He blinked as he realized what had just come out of his mouth and mentally slapped himself. Why did he have to say those stupid things?

"Oh, really?" Perry gave him a sarcastic look of surprise, "I do? Well, then maybe I should go now. And maybe I should avoid you in the hospital too. I'm sure you won't run to me to apologies every second because you need my help so bad. Don't count on me forgiving you."

Oh, fuck. Now he's leaving. I drove him away. This night has hit a new low, even by my standards.

Dr. Cox got up and took his wallet out of his pocket. He put some money on the table and started to turn away from the gloomy looking doctor.

JD grabbed his hand, "No, Perry, please stay. I'm sorry about what I said, you don't have to go."

Dr. Cox sent him an annoyed glare. JD hated himself for saying that. He felt so embarrassed of himself, but he didn't want to be alone and he didn't want Dr. Cox to go. He was drunk, so the words just came out of his mouth.

"Oh what the fuck, never mind, you can go, you don't have to stay with me. Just go."

JD put his hands on the bar and his head on his hands and sighed heavily.

Dr. Cox looked at him with sympathy and sadness in his eyes. He didn't know what was eating JD but he could see he wasn't in a good place.

He sat back down on his seat beside JD, saying nothing.

JD was sure Dr. Cox was long gone. He could feel the tears coming to his eyes and a sob starting to form in his throat, but he stopped himself from crying. He couldn't let himself cry there; that would be so horrible and embarrassing.

It was a lost cause. Dr. Cox would never want him back, and he would never want to be just his friend either. He'll never change. He'll stay the goofy scrawny boy that Dr. Cox always hated.

"Ok fellows, time to get going. It's closing time."

JD could hear the bartender shouting to all the people in the bar. He looked at his watch under the bar. It was 4:30 am. It was really late at night or really early in the morning, either way it was time for the bar to close and for him to go home. He didn't know how yet but he guessed he'll figure it out soon.

After the bartender spoke, the song that was playing ended and another one began. JD couldn't stop himself from smiling at the irony of the song and how it'd fitted the situation.

Closing time

Time for you to go out, go out into the world.
Closing time

Turn the lights up over every boy and every girl.
Closing time

One last call for alcohol, so finish your whiskey or beer.
Closing time

You don't have to go home but you can't stay here.

JD lifted his head from the bar. He squinted at the bartender. Even with the dim lights he was getting a little dazzled because his head was down for a long time and because he drank too much.

The bartender put the bill on his table. He then put a reassuring hand on his shoulder and squeezed it a little while smiling at him. JD smiled back.

As he pulled the wallet out of his pocket he suddenly noticed that someone was sitting next to him and watching him. It was Dr. Cox

"D… Dr. Cox? You're still here? You didn't go out like 15 minutes ago?" JD looked at him a little shocked.

"No Newbie, I'm still here." He said in a soft voice.

JD could feel his body filling in with a little warmth.

Why didn't he leave earlier? Did he stay because of me?

"Oh." Good JD. That was very articulate.

He took the money out of his pocket and put it on the bar and then he turned to face Dr. Cox again.

"Ah, thanks Dr. Cox. It really means a lot to me. I'm sorry I was such an ass." He swallowed hard; he hoped he didn't sound pathetic.

Dr. Cox didn't talk, he just watched him, which was creeping JD out a little.

"Erm, I should really get going. It's really late. I'll see you tomorrow at work, alright? Bye."

"Where do you think you're going?"

"I think I'm going home. I drank my last paycheck tonight so I don't think I should be going to anywhere else."

"And how do you think you're getting there?"

"Am, I thought driving on my scooter or taking a cab, but I don't really want to leave my scooter here so I don't know yet."

"Newbie, I knew you were stupid, but I didn't know you were that stupid to be actually thinking of driving on your scooter when you're clearly very drunk."

JD wasn't really planning on driving his scooter home, but he wanted to get that response from Dr. Cox.

"Ok, so I'll take a cab."

"Newbie, I'll take you. Come on." He gestured with his hand for them to exit the bar.

JD had certainly not expected that.

"Oh no, it's ok Dr. Cox. I'll take a cab home. It's not any trouble for me."

"Forget it Newbie, I'll take you home. Stop arguing with me or I'll punch you in the face."

"O… Ok." JD mumbled.

Dr. Cox started walking towards the door and JD followed him.

I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
Take me home...

They got into the car and drove to JD's apartment. They didn't speak through the whole way there.

Dr. Cox pulled into the parking lot next to JD's building and turned off the engine.

Then he finally spoke.

"Alright, here we are."

" Thanks Dr. Cox. I'll see you tomorrow, have a good night." JD reached for the door but kept looking at Dr. Cox.

"You think that you can get to your apartment alone or do you need help?"

JD looked away from him and stared at the gloves compartment.

The truth was he wasn't feeling that drunk anymore. As time passed it kind of wear off of him and now he was a little drunk but could think straight and get up to his apartment without too much problems.

The problem was that he didn't want to be alone.

So he lied to him.

"Ah, I don't know, if you don't mind it." He mumbled.

"Sure Newbie. It's no problem." He stepped out of the car and walked over to JD's side.

JD felt terrible with himself, but he couldn't help it. He really didn't want to be alone. He didn't want to get to his apartment, to crawl into the bad, to cry some and then to fall asleep miserable and depressed again.

He also didn't want Perry to go.

He promised himself he'll tell Perry the truth in the end, but right now, he didn't want to be alone.

JD got out of the car and started walking towards his building. Perry followed, watching him closely to see if he's not going to fall or something like that.

They got to the apartment and JD opened the door and walked in. He threw the keys on the counter and walked straight to his room without looking back. He felt so bad with himself that he just wanted to get to his bad and crash on it. He also was afraid Perry would just go away and he didn't want to watch him leave.

Closing time

Time for you to go back to the places you will be from.
Closing time

This room won't be open 'til your brothers or you sisters come.
So gather up your jackets, and move it to the exits

I hope you have found a friend.
Closing time

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.

He sat on the edge of the bad and put his head in his hands. He heard footsteps and raised his head a little, realizing Perry hadn't gone yet, before lowering it down again.

The older doctor walked into his room and grabbed a chair that was standing there; He placed it in front of JD and set down on it.

Perry set in silence for a while and watched JD. He was wondering what was eating him. He wasn't usually as quiet and sad like that.

"Newbie, are you alright?" He asked finally, in a soft and quite voice.

JD sighed heavily. He didn't look up and he didn't answer. What would he say?

Not really, I want you but there's no way you want me back and now you're sitting in my room and I just want to grab you, throw you on my bed and kiss you until I'm out of breath.

"JD," Perry said and put his hand on JD's arm. JD held his breath at the use of his name and the touch of Perry's hand, "What's wrong?"

JD raised his head slowly and looked at Perry. He could feel his eyes watering. He opened his mouth and then he closed it again and bit his lip.

"It's nothing Perry, I, I just… I didn't really need your help, I'm not that drunk anymore; I could've go up to my apartment by myself. I just didn't want to be alone. I'm sorry I lied to you. I really shouldn't have done it."

"It's ok." Perry said. JD gave him a strange look. He was sure he was going to be mad at him for lying to him.

"You can go now. I'm ok."

Please don't go.

"I'll just change my clothes and go to sleep. Thank you for the ride and everything."

Perry gave him a little smile, "Are you sure you ok?"

"Yeah, yeah sure." JD looked away from him. He then realized that Perry's hand was still holding his arm.

He looked up at him again. Perry started to rise up. Suddenly JD grabbed his shirt and pulled him down. This time he was biting his lip so he won't cry.

Perry looked at him with concern, his hand still on his arm. He wasn't sure what to say so he kept his mouth shut, but he also didn't try to rise up and go again.

JD couldn't take it anymore. He didn't want Perry to leave. He couldn't watch him go away. He clenched his hand tighter on his shirt and put his other hand on his neck. He looked down again and closed his eyes. He really shouldn't do it.

He looked back up again and a few tears escaped his eyes. Perry reached forward with his hand and wiped some of them away.

Then JD couldn't stop himself. He lunched forward and kissed Perry on the mouth.

After a few moments he pulled away and looked at him with fear.

"Oh my god. Newbie, what the hell was that? What were you thinking?" Perry spurted out. He looked at him with shock.

JD could feel his cheeks burning up and turning red.

"Oh fuck! I'm sorry. I'm just so sorry. I shouldn't have done it." He covered his head with his hands and sprawled on the bad.

Perry still looked shocked and amazed by JD's sudden action.

"I'm so sorry. I'm a complete idiot. I shouldn't have done it." He sat back and looked at Perry. "Forget that ever happened." He stood up and grabbed Perry by the hand, forcing him up and leading him to the door.

"Just forget I did that. It didn't mean anything. I'm sorry. You're probably going to hate me forever for doing this. You should. I'm an ass. I guess you were right all these years when you laughed at my sexuality."

They got to the door and JD opened it. He pushed Perry out of the apartment and then he spun and stood in front of him, leaning on the door and looking at him.

"Again, I'm very sorry." He could see that Perry was really starting to get annoyed by his stream of apologies and excuses so he stopped talking and he bit his lip again.

Perry was watching him and trying to figure out what the hell just happened. Did JD just kiss him?

He was also trying to figure out what he felt about it.

JD's lip was starting to feel numb but he didn't leave it because he was afraid he wouldn't be able to stop talking again.

The truth was that the kiss didn't disgust Perry too much; actually, it didn't disgust him at all.

He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but he couldn't deny the fact that he'd pondered a little on the subject of JD being more then just one of the goofy interns in the hospital.

He occasionally found himself glancing at the pert backside of the younger doctor; when he saw JD with one of his dates, he sometimes thought how it would be to kiss him; he sometimes found himself holding his breath when JD's body brushed onto his own when they were walking together in the hospital.

But every time a thought like that had crossed his mind, he scared it away quickly and told himself he was just very tired from work and he was imagining things that he didn't really feel.

Perry realized that they had been standing in silence for quite some time now. He decided that he couldn't keep standing there and thinking to himself. It looked like JD was about to explode from the tension.

He had to make a choice and he had to make it now.

He decided to clear his thoughts and just do the first thing that came to his mind. He hoped that something would come. He took a deep breath and then he let his body lead him to wherever it wanted to go.

It led him to JD.

Perry lunched forward quickly. He grabbed JD by the waist and he could see the surprised look in his eyes. Then he closed his eyes and leaned to kiss him.

It was a rough kiss. He could feel their mouths crash violently into each other. JD responded immediately. He wrapped his arms around Perry's body and deepened the kiss as much as he could.

He grabbed tightly onto Perry, as if he was afraid that if he'll let go of him he'd go away, disappear like a dream.


Yeah, I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
Take me home

After a few minutes they broke the kiss, both breathless from it.

Did Perry really just kiss me? What did it mean? Did Perry really want to do it? Is he regretting it? What's gonna happen between us now?

Perry could see confused look in JD's eyes. He knew him well enough to know that he was obsessing over it now in his head and trying to think what the hell it meant. He figured that JD wouldn't say anything about it from sheer fear that Perry would smack him, so he decided to try and answer his questions before he even asked them.

Perry smiled at him and noticed he was still holding him. Instead of pushing him away he tightened his grip around him.

"Shelly, would you relax?"

"Relax? You want me to relax? How can I relax when you just went ahead and kissed me after I thought you'll hate me for ever for doing it first? I think I'm in the middle of a nervous breakdown." JD spoke quickly, without pausing for breath, and his voice became squeaky towards the end of his hysterical speech.

Perry laughed at his panicked protégé. JD gave him an angry look for finding it funny.

"Shelly, just calm down for a moment, ok?" He said and placed his hands on JD's cheeks, which were now burning and very much red.

"I know that this is a lot. This is a lot for me too. I've no idea what came over me. I don't know why I did it…"

"Wait." JD cut him. The begging of that statement didn't sound so good to him. "Just answer me one question. Do you regret it?"

Perry looked at him. He wasn't sure of it for himself. JD became more and more anxious as he waited for Perry to answer.

He couldn't believe that he was standing there in the hall of his apartment, Perry's hands on him, moments after they had kissed. A few hours back he was sitting in the bar and trying to drown away his sorrow in a lot of alcohol. Things had taken a very unexpected turn that night.

Still, he knew that if Perry's answer wouldn't be the one he was hoping for, he might be finding himself back there again.

Perry decided that he should do what he did moments before, and again he cleared his mind and let his heart control his actions. Though this time he expected it when his heart told him to kiss JD again.

"I don't." he leaned down and kissed him again.

This time the kiss was gentler then before. JD's body collapsed into his hands as the fear and worried started to wash away from him and begin to being replaced by happiness and relief. He sighed with relief and kissed Perry back passionately.

They pulled apart and JD looked deep into his eyes again. He still looked a little confused, but this time he looked much calmer. Perry gently stroked his hair and looked back at him.

"So what do we do now?"

"I don't know JD. I don't know," Perry said and smiled at him.

Closing time

Time for you to go back to the places you will be from

I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
Take me home

JD woke up and squinted his eyes against the shining light of morning that came from his window.

He rubbed his eyes and opened them slowly looking to his side, afraid that it was all a dream. His heart calmed down when he saw the sleeping figure besides him. He smiled to himself as he looked at Perry's sleeping face.

He looked so beautiful. JD couldn't believe that this was really happing. He couldn't believe that Perry was sleeping next to him on his bad.

After standing for a long time near the door, simply embracing each other, they had moved over to the kitchen and talked for a while. Then they went to the bedroom, kissing all the way there, and falling back on JD's bad. They kept the kissing and the snuggling for a while but fell asleep soon after. They were both exhausted, but they also didn't feel like that was the right time to sleep with other for the first time – although it appeared that 'sleeping together' in a more literal sense was perfectly fine. Considering he was somewhat the worse for drink, JD could not remember having slept better.

Things weren't clear yet and there was a lot more to talk about, but as JD lay by Perry's side and stroked his hair, he couldn't help the happiness welling up inside.

It would change a lot of things between them, and it would take a lot of effort to make it work, but this was what he really wanted, and he would do anything for it to work out.

For the first time in a long time, JD felt like the stories might just be true.

Maybe he had finally found his Prince.

Snarky, arrogant and egotistical he may be, but he was his.

With the heart warming thought in his head, JD decided to wake the older doctor.

Placing a gentle, loving kiss on Perry's lips, JD looked down on the face he was finally allowed to love, and as he got a glimpse of those beautiful blue eyes blinking into wakefulness, he murmured; 'Good Morning'.

With a huff, Perry grabbed whatever part of JD was nearest and tugged him down until he was snuggled up to him, head on his chest. Placing a hand in JD's soft dark locks, Perry murmured, "Good morning." JD could feel his smile on his chest.

Closing time

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end