They had said that Drake and JJ had been getting more lovey dovey, but that didn't mean that either male had confessed to the other what they were feeling, not totally. All these past weeks that Ryo had been out of it on pain killers, the two cops spent almost all their time together, visiting Ryo and Dee, then going out afterward to eat and just enjoy each other's company.

Drake wanted to come right out and tell JJ how he felt, but he felt guilty that they were out having fun, while Ryo was cooped up inside knocked out on pain medicine. Because of this he was really holding back. He hated feeling guilty. It was silly for him to feel this way, but he couldn't help it.

JJ on the other hand was starting to get impatient, because he had thought Drake liked him and the other wasn't making any moves on him. It made him upset on the inside. Maybe he and Dee had been wrong; maybe Drake didn't like him...

He still had somewhat of a childish crush on Dee, of course he did. Things like that didn't just go away, but he was really all for trying things out with Drake and seeing where they would go. He did like Drake, but it was different then a crush; it was more real in a sense. He didn't think it was love, though he had known Drake for a good while and he really was fond of the man.

But it was crazy thinking he could go from having a crush on Dee, to being in love with Drake three weeks later.

When a knock sounded at his door, Drake stood up, tossing a look across the room at his friend, and the man he was in love with. JJ really seemed to be in another world. He wondered what was on his mind. He had no clue the other would be thinking so hard about the lack of a relationship between the two. Seriously though, their thoughts were on the same thing.

Drake unlocked his door and swung it open, his eyes going wide in shock. Ryo, being supported by Dee, Bikky and Carol was standing in the doorway, with a pained smile on his lips. He was very alert, the most alert Drake had seen him in three weeks.

"Look who wanted to visit..." Dee gave his love a fond smile, placing a quick kiss on his cheek. Ryo blushed, but did nothing to push Dee away. Bikky used his self control to keep himself from going off on Dee like usual. He really had to let his dad and Dee be grownups. He could tell, though shy about everything, that his dad really did like Dee. Possibly even love him.

"Hey..." Ryo grunted, walking unsteadily into the room, of course Dee and Bikky never left his sides and Carol made sure to stay behind him.

"Welcome," Drake grinned, looking his fellow cop up and down, though not checking him out; just seeing how he was fairing. He seemed like he was going to collapse at any moment. He probably would have if not for the three around him. "It is good to see you up and about," Drake said.

JJ looked up, gasping. "Ryo!" He jumped up and ran across the room, slowing down when he got to the sandy haired cop. He put his hands on Ryo's shoulders, gently. "I've been worried about you."

"Sorry about everything," Ryo said, feeling guilty for what he put his friends through.

"Are you mad?" Dee shouted, "it's nothing for you to be sorry for, Ryo!" He felt pained, almost like he could cry at any moment. This was the one person who meant the most to him in the whole wide world. "Please don't feel like you have to be sorry."

Feeling like the men needed some alone time to talk, Bikky signaled for JJ to take his spot.

"You and Drake help Dee keep an eye on him, okay?" Bikky said, pulling on Carol's hand. "Let's go and give them some privacy..."

"How very mature of you, Bikky..." Carol smiled, leaving with him.

Ryo noticed and went to protest, but Dee put a finger over his lips, "Ah, Carol will keep an eye on him..."

The sandy haired cop blushed, looking almost cross-eyed at the finger on his lips.

Dee smiled softly, moving his hand to Ryo's cheek, softly patting it.

Drake felt a pang of jealously, only because he wished he could be that open with JJ. He loved that Dee could freely express his feelings for Ryo and the other wasn't pushing him away.

Oddly, instead of feeling jealous himself, JJ felt a rush of warmness spread through his body; it was sweet, their display of affection. This feeling was saying a lot about JJ. Perhaps he had moved on a lot more then he thought these last few weeks. It was a nice feeling not to feel jealous over Ryo and Dee.

"Not to bring up a depressing topic," Drake murmured, "but what is going to happen with the case now that Fritz has shut up the club and vanished?"

"I do not know," Dee sighed, helping Ryo walk over to the couch so he could sit down. He set down next to him and held onto his hand. "Everyone has been looking at all the possible hideaways, but nobody has found any sign of Fritz. They've been able to locate the strippers and bouncers that worked at the club, but none of those men are on the suspect list..."

"Because of what happened to Ryo, isn't that enough to have cause to test every worker at the club we can find?" JJ asked. "I mean... we know that it was obviously someone from the club."

"I was taken right from the stage when the lights went out..." Ryo whispered. "And it was someone who knew the club well enough..."

Dee squeezed his eyes shut, vowing he'd make sure whoever hurt Ryo would never be able to walk again when he got done with him.

"I'm still convinced it was Fritz," Dee said, gritting his teeth. "Or someone working for him. He has to be our main guy..."

Ryo set up a little more straight, grunting in pain, because of the quick movement. "What about... you guys said that all the strippers were found, right? All of them?"

The three men avoided Ryo's gaze.

"All of them?" Ryo demanded.

Dee sighed, "You know Connor, the redhead Irish dancer..."

"The eighteen year old...?" Ryo paled.

"He went missing a day after we found you," Dee said, regretting having to tell Ryo this. "He is already assumed dead. Been three weeks... ya know..."

"No, but he is just a kid!" Ryo felt tears falling down his cheeks. "Why are they doing this? Why did I become a cop in the first place? I can't handle this..."

"You became a cop because you are a wonderful man and you wanted to help make things right!" Dee shouted. "You are the best cop we have."

Ryo laughed bitterly, "Don't joke, Dee..."

"I'm not joking. Because of you... I've been able to have something good. I've been able to be a good cop, because of you. You're the best thing that could have ever happened to me and none of this is your fault."

Drake and JJ silently excused their selves, leaving the room; they could tell the two needed this moment alone.

"I honestly, with all my heart, love you, Ryo. I wish you could believe me." Dee knew he had tears streaming down his cheeks, but he didn't try to hide them from Ryo.

Ryo looked off to the side, trembling. That was the scary thing. He did believe Dee. He cared for Dee more then a friend. He really did have feelings for him. He wanted to say he loved him back. He was just scared. People he loved always left him.

A/N. It has been a while. Well, I hope I still get some reviews if I still have any readers. Thank you for reading.