Powdered Sugre 9
Determination
Jack sat with his mouth open as Lord D entered the house. The small man was covered in heavy satin with large sleeves that dragged the ground when his arms lowered and yet the light blue material was not marked by a single speck of dirt. Nor did he seem cold for having come in out of the snow. Long hair fell to well below his waist, confined in a deep blue ribbon. Jack had at first assumed the person was a female, but Rain had saved him from embarrassment by calling him Lord D. Did that mean that the other detective, JJ, was gay, as he was obviously with the Chinese man. "I can not be away for too long," His deep voice, rich in inflection with a sweet accent was more confirmation that he was indeed a male.
"I know," Dee said before JJ could. Jack wondered at the worried look Dee sent Ryo's way before he continued. "Little D is sleeping now, we will try to get you back before he wakes. Just rest here before you go back to responsible Dr/parent mode."
"You need a break darling," JJ said assisting Lord D into a chair. Bikky came by offering Lord D a cup of tea with half a jar of sugar and just as much honey in it. Watching him make it, Jeremiah had nearly lost his lunch. Lord D sipped with a pleased smile on his face. "We all do," JJ frowned as he did not like where his investigation was leading. He had said nothing, but he knew that before too long the brothers would discover it on their own. It looked as if their mother had been betrayed by one of them. The on that would benefit most was the one who had taken out a large insurance policy on her life.
"I can not be gone for too long," Lord D reiterated he paled then sat up looking out of the window as Angel entered the house with a scowl on his face.
"Darling?" JJ said coming to his side. Bikky stood by with Ryo. Bikky frowned when he saw that his parents were avoiding each other, or rather, Ryo was avoiding Dee. What was going on? Every time they left LA, their family had to get stressed? Bikky remembered New York and looked between the pair with a frown. Rain looked to Bikky for reassurance, not sure what was going on.
"Biggy," Lyo piped up tugging on Bikky's pant leg. Bikky looked down to see the small boy had dragged his snow suit and coat over. "Promised to play with me," Lyo stuck his bottom lip out and widened his large blue eyes in the way he knew was sure to get him what he wanted.
"Alright, kid," Bikky beckoned to Rain. "Come on,"Rain nodded his head and followed his brothers from the room. A tense silence followed the kids as the adults stood in silence. Ryo startled when Angel lunged at his brother and punched him.
"Whoa!" JJ said placing his body in front of Lord D. Perhaps today was not a good day to bring him out of the shop.
"You son of a bitch, you sold out mom!" Angel yelled against Bobby's hold. The ensuing argument was loud enough that the boys outside could hear it.
"No, I did not," Jeremiah defended himself explaining his hardship to his brothers with tears. Jack backed away when he heard the knock at the door.
"I got it," Jack said softly leaving his older brothers to their discussion. He opened the door and swore as a snow ball pelted him. "What the heck?!" He demanded stalking out into the cold. He continued after the retreating figure throwing snow balls and cursing. As they reached the street the hooded assailant stopped and turned to face Jack. Jack froze when he noted the gun aimed at him. "Bob..." the only sound to be heard for miles around was a gun shot.
"Jackie, Cracker Jack!" Bobby frantically searched outside of all the windows. He saw his brother fall to the cold ground and began to dash out the door that still stood ajar. He was held at bay by a rain of bullets as several black vans pulled up.
"Bobby!" Jack screamed from his position in the snow.
"Hold on you little fairy," Bobby yelled out the door as he fired his weapon. "I'm coming."
Angel was shocked to see Ryo pull two guns from hidden places and begin to return the fire. He heard a scream and his blood ran cold. "Dee," Ryo called over the din of gun fire. "The boys are outside." Ryo blasted a few more times the dashed the other side of the room. "I'm going!"
"You be careful!" Dee called over his shoulder as he leaned next to Angel fire.
"Bobby!!!" Jack screamed again as he could feel the cold seeping into his body while his life's blood seeped out.
JJ thought he was going mad as he saw a fluttering of light blue dash past him. "Darling!" He called as Lord D ran out of the house amidst the flying bullets. His ribbon fell from his hair leaving it to whip wildly about his slim frame. Keeping his head low, Lord D ran and crashed beside Jack.
"It's alright, calm down," Lord D said to the frightened human as he lay in pain. Lord D pressed his hands against the wound and winced as he formed a connection. Using the bag he summoned from a sleeve pocket he began to search for his tools. Jack screamed in agony as Lord D made sure that no fragments of the bullets remained inside.
"Bobby!" Jack called for his brother.
"He is occupied right now, I will take care of you," Lord D promised. He pressed his hands flush against Jack's skin watching as a golden glow surrounded his fingers where they pressed inside the wound. He did not focus on the entry and exit wounds paying attention solely to the vital organs that had been ripped asunder by the bullet. Jack grew silent as the pain lessened. He looked down to see Lord D with his eyes closed in deep concentration. Though he was sitting in the snow beads of sweat gathered on his brow and upper lip devoid of any hair that would mark his gender. Lord D winced fearfully as several bullets winged past his ear.
Ryo dashed out into the back yard and froze. His boys were no where to be found. Ryo ducked and fired several shots as he was spotted by an assailant. "Cease fire!" He called hoping the criminals would see reason. "There are children present!" Ryo scanned the yard hoping to find Rain, Bikky and Lyo. All he saw was a swirling vortex of wind and snow. Peering inside he saw Rain standing with his hands outstretched and his eyes closed. Bikky knelt at his feet holding Lyo in his arms. "Kuso!" Ryo swore when still the attackers shot at him. Pulling a fresh clip from his pocket and loading his guns Ryo returned the fire with deep determination. Ryo huffed as he saw a large car speed past him. It crashed hard into a black van with painted windows. Jeremiah jumped out and began to pummel the driver.
Dee wanted to go check on Ryo but he was pinned down next to Bobby returning fire. Bobby grew worried and looked to the front yard when Jack no longer screamed his name. "Jackie!" Bobby called. "Cracker Jack!" Bobby nearly got to his feet to go to his brother's side only a blast of a machine gun kept him at bay. "Damn it!"
"Don't worry," JJ said firing. "My darling has him."JJ saw Lord D duck from bullets, but still manage to keep his brightly glowing hands on Jack. "I'm going to get him, before they do." JJ made sure his assault rifle was packed away before he pulled out two hand guns.
"Damn, you guys came packing heat." Angel said from his position at the window.
"Dee, promise me... If I don't make it, you'll take care of him." JJ said opening the door. He snatched his hand back quickly as it was almost shot off.
"You're not going out there?!" Dee yelled.
"Ryo has a gun and the skill to use it. Imagine if he didn't..."JJ ground the words out his blue eyes hard with determination. "My darling is of light, not fire." JJ shook his head and rolled onto the porch.
Dee swore and turned his fire covering JJ's wild sprint. JJ jumped behind a parked car. He was close. So close he could see Lord D where he crouched next to Jack. The ground around them both was covered with deep red blood as were Lord D's hands where they were pressed against the wound. Lord D knew JJ was there but he could not take his concentration off of his task or surely he would loose his battle to save this young man's life. It was a slow process knitting delicate organs, but lord D knew he could do it. In the back of his mind he saw that Count D was waking and he whimpered as his his endurance was once against stretched to the breaking point.
"Precious, it's okay if you have to let go." JJ called out over the loud bang of his own weapon. JJ cried out as Lord D tucked his beautiful bottom lip between his teeth and paled as still he worked to heal the internal damage.
"If I do, he will die," Lord D whispered as tears fell down his face.
"If you don't... you will," JJ sobbed. "What about Little D and the baby?"
"Upon my expiration, everything will revert to my father. Including the connection I have formed with D. He has the strength to hold him through this."
"But not the skill, he has already admitted that!"JJ said blinking in confusion at the cessation of bullets. He crawled over to Lord D and placed his hand on Lord D's arm. He felt the deep tremors that wracked the slight frame and grew worried. "I don't have the strength to loose you." JJ sobbed and grew terrified as Lord D let go and fell back weakly against him.
"He is far from out of danger, but..." Lord D paused as Bobby crashed to the ground beside him taking Jack into his arms. "The organs are healed, I can do more, but..."
"No," JJ said softly. "You can't." He stood to his feet pulling Lord D to stand. Lord D's knees buckled beneath him but he firmed his spine and stood.
"I can... I just need..." Lord D's eyes rolled and he fell over. JJ caught him.
"To get to the garden and let nature take care of you." JJ said. "If you want your brother to live," JJ said to Bobby. "Bring him along and ask no questions, expect no answers, deal no insult." JJ pulled Lord D into his arms and stalked to his rental car now riddled with bullets, but still functional. Bobby picked his brother up and followed. Leaving behind an trail of blood he got into the car.
When the bullets ceased Ryo turned to the pillar of wind and snow. He saw Rain sag to his knees and ran to catch the exhausted teen. "I did it Bikky," Rain said as he inhaled deeply. "Just like you said I could. I did it..." Rain closed his eyes and passed out.
"I knew he could," Bikky said his entire body shivering in the cold. Ryo saw that Bikky's coat was open and Lyo was pressed inside the fabric. The little boy, nearing six years old had a tight grip on Bikky.
"I got him," Dee said coming behind Ryo he took Rain into his arms and carried him inside while Ryo gathered Lyo close allowing Bikky to lean against him as his limbs were stiff with cold. "He is not cold, just exhausted," Dee explained as he pressed a hand on Rain's skin to feel the damp from his sweat. "He worked to make wind with enough pressure to block those bullets. I'm going to have to thank that Bird for teaching him that." Dee said wrapping Rain in a blanket then offering several to Ryo for the other two boys. Angel and Jeremiah were busy going to speak with the police that had showed up a while after the fighting had stopped. Ryo wrapped the blanket around them then raised his temperature. Not enough to cause a fire, but enough to warm his children as he held them in his arms.
Break
Bobby nearly choked on the strong smell of incense that permeated the pet shop. He wondered that he could not smell the animals in the cage even with the cloying perfume, but they seemed well cared for, some of them even wandering around freely. Bobby watched in fascinated horror as the creature that looked to be a mixture of a goat and tiger lick up the drips of blood that Jack left behind. Bobby sped up after JJ when the creature followed.
"T-Chan, you are frightening the guests," Ten-Chan scolded when he saw Bobby hold Jack close as they neared the door to the garden.
"I'm hungry," T-Chan complained. Any more words T-Chan could have said were halted as Bobby let out a gasp.
"What the hell is this place?" He asked as the door was opened and he saw a clear blue sky overhead. Grass grew wild and sweet at his feet with flowers in bloom under the shining sun. Animals scampered around while butterflies fluttered around cloistered around a single being sitting in the midst of fragrant plants. Trees swayed in a gently blowing breeze and Bobby took a step back.
"This is the Garden," Bobby looked down to see a tot no older than two resembling a porcelain doll in her fine silk ensemble. "O-Ji-Chan... Daijobu Des-Ka."
"Hai Chibi, Daijobu-Des..." Lord D's voice sounded weak even to the child. She shook her head and pointed a finger to where Count D had gotten to his feet. It was slow process with his belly heavy with child, but he managed.
"Leon?" D asked when JJ sat his father in the grass he had vacated.
"He'll be along shortly, he went to the police station, he was not even there when the bulk of the fighting took place. Take care of your father." JJ said finding it hard to believe that this mature young man was his step-son. "I'll get him a change of clothes, you clean his hands." Count D nodded and summoned a basin of clean water with scented soap. Looking curiously at Bobby and Jack, Count D took a towel from his voluminous sleeves and began to wipe the blood dried onto his father's hands. Lord D forced his eyes open to gaze at his son, but could not muster the strength to speak. Shaking his head he took his hand away and nodded to Jack.
"You want me to help him?" Count D said looking over at the young human that was bleeding all over the hibiscus. Lord D sighed glad that Count D had understood. Bobby held Jack close to him when Count D approached. "I need to dress his wounds," Count D said softly. "And you must be weary from holding him. Come, rest a while," Lord D smiled when he heard the persuasive tone in his son's voice and knew that Bobby would cave to the calm demands. Count D was well trained in the art of human gullibility, all he lacked at the moment was a handy contract for bobby to sign, he smirked as Bobby heard his masculine tone, then gazed at his expanded tummy. "I am sure that when you left your bed this morning you were not prepared to say an eternal farewell to your baby brother, let alone finding a pregnant Kami in a magic garden, but life has a way of surprising us all."
"What are you?" Bobby asked forgetting for a moment his promise not to ask questions.
"A little over five months along now," Count D answered as he lowered himself the ground. Bobby stared at the pile of antiseptic, cleansers and bandages that had not been there a moment before. "Lay him here and I will care for him. I am sure my father has done all he can," Count D sighed sure that if he had not been keeping his son inside, Lord D could have done so much more. Bobby stood by watching as Count D cleaned the exit and entry wounds then spread an ointment on a thick pad that he placed on the openings then wrapped linen securely around.
Bobby stared at the creature before him with one deep purple eye and one brightly golden. His lush black hair fell around his shoulders freshly trimmed by Leon that very morning. This all seemed so incongruous, Eden in the midst of the smog filled city chaos of Detroit. Abundant life after horrific scenes of chilling death. Peace settling in after surviving violent clashes, Bobby stood staring down. Count D tried to stand and wobbled causing Bobby to reach for him and gasp in shock at the frailty of the arm in his hand. "Are you alright?" Bobby asked watching as D steadied himself.
"Fine now, just a bit precarious," Count D said with a laugh. "Your brother will be fine now, you may leave him. I am going to clean my father now," Count D went back to his task of wiping Lord D's hand clean of the blood. Bobby stared for a moment, then nodded his head. JJ re-entered the garden carrying yards of fresh satin and lace. Bobby left the shop in a fine, black rage. Victor had gone too far.
To Be Continued
Author's notes; I am trying so hard to keep up with time, but I fear I am slightly under the weather. The next chapter will conclude this arc and see our boys back home in time for Christmas. I want to say thank you to all who read, enjoy and comment on this strange work of fan based fiction. I do not own Fake, Pet Shop of Horrors, Earthian, Rent, Queer as Folk, Four Brothers, or any other series that perhaps might visit. The White Lion and all Arcadians are mine and used with permission only. Speaking of the White Lion, have you all gotten a copy? Please do so and support a struggling artist, let me know what you think.
Song credits from the previous chapter are as follows.
Voodoo Doll: Fergie
S.O.S: Rihanna
I do not own those songs and am making no profit from their use.
