A/N: I wanted to post both chapters because I don't know when I will be on next… I have had a hard time at work, and can't get on the internet much anymore… So just incase it takes another 2 months to update, here are two chapters to keep you content. Thank you for the reviews, and I hope that more of them keep coming!
This chapter in honor of all of the service men and women out there fighting for our country.
I don't own FAKE or the wonderful characters. However SSGT Stone is my own character.
Chapter 3: Facing the Truth
11/3/01
Dee and Ryo waited in hangar B6 at Laguardia. It seemed like an eternity. Neither man slept the night before, too busy trying to make phone calls, piecing together the details of what had happened, and just trying to regain their bearings. It still hadn't hit them. It just couldn't have been Bikky, each of them swearing that it wasn't. Each repeating to them selves that there was a mistake and that it was some other family that should have been receiving the news.
Drake and JJ stopped by after work the previous night, each trying to stay strong for the two men as they paced Ryo's apartment, doing anything and everything to get them to calm down. But as the night grew older, even Drake and JJ couldn't help but show some emotion as it hit them too. Bikky was a nephew to them.
A plane taxied toward the hangar. Another family that Dee and Ryo vaguely remembered were standing next to them. A family of what was four, now three, huddling together as the youngest clutched his teddy.
"Look mommy! A plane! It's SO big! That's the plane Daddy's on!" The youngest squealed with excitement, not old enough to understand the situation.
Dee and Ryo exchanged solemn understanding glances with the wife, tears streaming down her face, having gone through the same thing yesterday. The woman clutched the child close, hushing him as the plane's engines died down, as loading gear arrived next to the plane's belly. Two men undid the latch, each dressed in their BDUs.
Ryo turned his face into Dee's shoulder, he couldn't bear to watch. He didn't want to watch. It would mean that everything that he had been told, would be coming true. He told himself, prayed to himself, wished to himself that if he pinched himself hard enough, he would just wake up and Bikky would be there at home, chilling on the couch watching an NBA game with Dee.
An honor guard stepped towards the plane as two metal boxes covered by American flags were handled carefully out of the plane and onto special dollies used to transport them to a hearse nearby. He took a few moments to verify the paper work attached to them and gave them the okay to close up and prepare to take off towards the next city where families would be waiting.
Dee whimpered a little as the guard drew long strides towards them, his tears hot against his cheek. He looked over at the wife, she was breaking down along with the oldest child, had to of been about 14, she doing her best against her will to keep herself strong.
"Please follow me," The honor guard motioned towards a limousine that would shuttle them to the mortuary.
The ride to the mortuary had been a long one. Ryo stared out the window blankly. Everything was gray, the sky, the buildings, the lights, Dee… Everything just would not focus. His life behind them in a box, lifeless. All the memories that they had shared, all the dreams they had, shattered. Why wasn't this ending, why was this real?
The limousine stopped in front of Evergreen Mortuary, the honor guard leading them into a small room. "I'm sorry for each of your losses. I am Staff Sergeant Stone. Mr. Mclean, Mr. Laytner, Mrs. Hodgens, we will do our best to help you in this time of need. We have counselors on hand and we will have funeral arrangements set up as we speak with each of you individually. If you wish to see your loved ones, we will be leading you into another room shortly. Are there any questions that I can help answer at this time?"
No one answered, no one dared to talk. Small whimpers were all that filled the air. SSgt. Stone excused himself for a moment, heading for another room down the hall leaving a few moments for them alone.
Dee could only watch as his lover held his head towards the floor, he was doing his best to be there for him, doing his best not to kick himself for all the remarks that he said about Bikky joining the millitary. He regretted it now, figuring that Bikky would be there when Dee was laying on his death bed, able to get the last punch in. But it wasn't the case. He was here, no more bickering, no more 'in-your-face' comments about the Bulls being better than the Knicks, no more of Bikky smart mouthing off to him about how immature it was to see Ryo and Dee being all gushy on the couch. He wasn't here anymore… and to be honest, Dee didn't know if he could handle it.
Stone knocked on the door, "If you are ready I can take you back now."
The woman and her children went first, Dee and Ryo wanted a few moments to steady themselves. They needed to say their good-bye's, but they just could not bear to let themselves say it. "Dee, what are we going to do?"
Dee was almost startled as he was divulged in thought.
"What honey? I'm sorry, I was just thinking."
"What are we going to do? How am I going to make it through this?" Ryo's reddened eyes looked weakly at his.
"I don't know baby, I don't know." Dee's voice cracked.
Dee was supposed to be the strong one, always there to offer insight and guidance to any situation that arose. But for once even he didn't know. He had heard stories of other military families who had gone through this before, each offering advice to go on and live their lives for their lost loved ones. All said to look back and remember the good times that they shared, and to remember that they would always be there with them, but right now, there was nothing.
"Mr. Mclean," SSgt Stone peeked his head through, "You and Mr. Laytner may follow me."
The walk down the hall was a long one as both tried to keep their emotions together and their stomachs from turning. They heard the heart breaking tears of the family that went before them in room A2, their minds telling them that this would not be easy as they didn't know quite what to expect once they entered into the room. They weren't prepared. Nothing that they had ever dealt with on the force was able to prepare them for this.
They were merely inches from the room A4 as SSgt. Stone offered them one last condolence before he opened passage into the room. Never in their life did a door seem so tall and so thick. It was so quiet right then in that hallway, it was deafening.
The partners stepped into the white room. It was small, about as small as the interrogation room at the precinct, but without the window. The can lights were focused on the opened casket that lay on top of a metal cart centered in the room. Dee wrapped his arm around Ryo's waist and pulled him in. Ryo, feigning the urge to stay back.
Bikky lay there in the mahogany casket lined with silver. He had on his blues that were the formal dress for his military branch. His blonde hair that always seemed so messy, was shaved into a high and tight, leaving open view of his tanned face that carried minor cuts and small burns.
Ryo inched closer, his weight supported by Dee as he could not find the strength to stand on his own. 'Why him? Why? Of all the people out there in the world Bikky did not deserve this…' Ryo looked at Bikky, tears obscuring his vision. He placed a shaky hand on Bikky's face, smoothing over it as he had done so many times, only this time the feeling under his had was cool and leathery.
"Bik, please… just open your eyes for me. Just one more time. I beg you. I don't ask for anything else, just please do this one thing for me?" Ryo bent over the casket, placing his arms over his son, sobbing.
"Ryo…" Dee couldn't manage anything else, hearing his lover break like this was harder than he could have ever anticipated.
The two cried, running their hands though their son's hair, caressing his face, wondering if he died in pain, wondering if in his last moments he was laughing, spurting off smart assed remarks about his fellow wing men. They were in there for a while, just holding each other, reminiscing, trying to find the strength to leave that room, and do what had to be done to lay their son to rest.
A/n: I know that this was a sad chapter, but I felt that if I didn't, the story would just be missing something. I started crying as I reread this chapter myself. I'm sorry for those of you that have had this happen to you before, and I'm sorry if I didn't get the details right. I do apologize. If you have any information for me to update this with more accurate information, please let me know. I hope to have another chapter up within a week… please be sure to review.
