Martin Riggs was crazy. He was suicidal. He knew and accepted this.
Martin Riggs also had a crazy partner. His partner was crazy to like him, was crazy to let him near his family, crazy to not care that Riggs was suicidal.
His partner's wife was crazy for the same reason. For whatever reason, they both cared too much. They invited him over to dinner, they let him hold their baby, they took in his suggestions about their kids, they invited him for more dinners.
He accepted this too.
He accepted that somehow through the sleepless nights and the hangover that he had somehow gained a family of sorts. And Riggs always took care of his family.
So when Roger had asked him if he available to kill the boy dating Riana, Riggs went along. At first he went along to stop Rog from being an overprotective father knowing from experience that it would do more harm than help. He thought that was what it was, just a bit of an over protectiveness.
Roger didn't say a word on the way fuming and curling his hands tightly on the steering wheel, ignoring any questions thrown his way. So Riggs sat back and waited.
They pulled onto a beach front and Roger got out and began to stalk towards a Mystery Inc type van. Riggs jogged to catch up and hunched an eyebrow at the DAWGSTYLE plate. This was Riana's boyfriend's place? A niggling feeling had Riggs slowing down and scanning the place with a more observant eye.
Roger banged on the glass and huffed and puffed as he waited. The door open and Riggs eyebrow's shot up. This boy had to be at least 20. Rianna had just turned 16. Barely.
"Ya'll here to get wet?" The boy's voice grated and Riggs had to curb the urge to cover his ears.
"No. I'm Riana's dad." The boy's eyes glazed over before laughing stupidly.
"Which Riana?" Oh hell no. "I got a few." Oh HELL NO! Riggs lurched forward to grab Roger from killing the stupid boy regardless of the coldness that had engulfed him as soon as he heard the boy's answer. It took everything in him not to react like Roger but he couldn't let Roger do anything illegal.
"Think about it Rog, where would you put the body?" This clearly stumped him. Martin still didn't know why Roger was so fired up but the niggling feeling grew to a pulse.
"Wh- Which Riana?! The one with the dirty picture on your facebook page!" And Riggs almost let go of Roger then because What? The what on his face book page?
The boy's eyes cleared up and he nodded a dopey grin on his face.
"Yeah man. She is hot, good job pops!" Martin struggled with Roger and himself before he finally convinced Roger to let the boy ...help...them.
The boy brought them a book and stood nervously as gthey looked through it.
"Are we good now, can I go?" Roger started to answer wen Martin spoke.
"Stay right there, I got some business for you." C-dawgs eyes lit up.
"You wanna learn to surf?"
"No." The excitement dimmed in confusion and he felt his partner shift beside him.
They threw theories back and forth as they walked out of the party with Chauncey behind them.
"I may know someone who could help decode the names."
"Alright so I'll see you tomorrow?" Riggs smiled and nodded. He watched and waited as Rog got in his car and left. He waited a few minuted to be sure.
"So can I g-" The boy was cut off as he found himself held by the throat against the car. He felt something touch his dick and struggled to look down and began to shake and whimper when he saw the gun.
"W-what the hell are you doing?!" He began to struggle and Martin just watched the futile movements with cold dark eyes. He spoke in a faux cheerful tone that confused the boy and had him shaking harder.
"So C-dawg- I can call you that right? So C-dawg, I got a problem. See My wife is dead. My kid is dead. Do you know what that means? " Confused eyes and a vigorous shake of a head was his answer.
"That means I am a bat shit crazy Detective who doesn't have very much left in this world. But that's not your problem, right? Right?" He suddenly took the gun away from the boy's crotch and laid it against his temple.
"Right?" The boy had sweat, tears and snot running down his face. He nodded quickly before stuttering a response.
"R-right."
"Wrong." Martin shoved the barrel harder and the boy cried out.
"It is your problem. Because until a few weeks ago I had no one. A few weeks ago I met this incredibly annoying man. This incredibly annoying man incited me to dinner with his incredibly annoying wife and incredibly annoying kids. You wanna know why the were so incredibly annoying, C-dawg? Because they would just not leave me alone. Every time I turned around they were inviting me to dinner. And I love them for it. "
"Wanna guess who they are?" C-dawg felt his bladder release and a stench floated up and humiliated tears stung his eyes. He didn't need to guess, he knew.
"So, my man. You are going to leave Riana alone, and so help me God if I catch you disrespecting a girl, much less my girl, I will kill you and dispose of the body. Are we clear?" His cheerful expression had become hard his eyes so dark they look black.
C-dawg whimpered and nodded frantically, sobs racking his body.
"Let's keep this conversation between us, no? Get. " He stepped back and the boy fell before he stumbled and ran. He holster the gun and hailed a taxi.
His work was done.
Roger watched as his partner was driven away in the cab. He had driven up the street and ran back just in time to here the beginning of the pow wow. He had half hid behind a tree and listened as his crazy partner threatened and eviscerated the boy who had disrespected his little girl. He listened and he listened.
He listened and he felt tears sting his eyes. He;d had no idea Riggs treasured them this way. He'd had no clue that his action to cheer the man up had won the man in ways he hadn't expected. He;d just been trying to give him something to live for. He hadn't meant to become family. Riggs showed he'd done it anyway.
He listened and he watched and he cried, because the man hurt so much, he lost too much, and he was still claiming his daughter as his own. He stood there long after the man who had just done what Roger couldn't had left. He fumbled for his phone when it rang. He didn't know how long he had been there, it was probably Trish.
"Roger, where are you? You missed dinner." He could here the reprimand.
"I'm on my way but baby..we got to talk when I get there." She was silent before she agreed. She knew when he was being serious. He hung up and drove back in a daze.
He let himself and she met him in the living room arms crossed and an impatient look.
"Well?" He dropped onto the couch, and dropped his head backwards. She was worried now, and sat beside him hand over his heart in a nervous gesture she'd gotten ever since his surgery.
"Baby talk to me." He sighed before raising his head.
"So I found out who she sent the picture to." She scowled.
"Roger tell me you didn't. "
"I did." He held his hand up when she opened her mouth to scold him.
"Listen to me. I did. He's 19! I told him I was Riana's dad and he asked me which Riana." Her mouth dropped open and maternal fury had her up and pacing.
"He didn't."
"Followed by I've got a few." She stopped and her hands balled into fists fury in every line.
"He didn't!" He nodded.
"That son of a bit-" He cut her off.
"So Riggs suggested we use him in an operation as a pick pocket. I agreed an-" He wa cut off by her this time.
"Good. The little brat deserved it." He nodded but continued.
"That's not all." When she looked confused he patted the cushion next to him. She sat gingerly.
"When it was all over and I was about to let him go, Riggs held him back. I didn't know why but I let it be. I told him I was going home but I parked my car and went back. " His voice was quiet now as he relived what he had saw.
"He had the boy up against a car, hand on his throat and a gun to his crotch." Trish's hands covered her mouth. Riggs had what?
Roger told her everything his partner had said every last word. By the end she was white faced and teary eyed. She patted Roger's chest before standing.
"We should invite Martin to dinner tomorrow don't you think?"
"We should."