Author's Note: Hello! Second story for the 5D's fandom! Personally, I'm shocked that there aren't more stories about the series; I think it's great. Also, I gave Trudge a non-Japanese name, so heads up for that. Please review!
Much love, Princess Kanako x

Title: A Splash of Colour

Author: Princess Kanako

Pairing(s): Trudge/OC

Date Edited: 26/12/14

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's or any of its affiliates; they belong to Kazuki Takahashi

Claimer: I do own Scarlett, a few plot ideas, and any OCs that pop up along the way.

Genre: Drama, Romance, Suspense, Humour.

Summary: Officer Trudge's life was grey, bleak and meaningless. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw it. Something bright. Something warm. Something he'd almost forgotten about. A splash of colour. (Previously known as To Trudge Towards The Light)


Four Weeks Later

Trudge scanned the four reports spread out across his desk. Each one showed a similar graph of various substances found in the victims' bloodstreams. It was becoming evident that while he had taken one drug pusher off the streets, another had set up shop near the University resulting in two deadly overdoses and two young men fighting for their lives in the hospital. The tox reports from these victims was identical those of the young women that Scarlett had helped pull from the lake weeks ago.

So what am I not seeing here? Trudge wondered irritably.

Running his hand through his hair, he swung his chair away from the desk and stood, staring out the floor to ceiling windows that made up the walls of his office. Before him, the city traffic went about its daily business. As the traffic came and went, stopped and started, Trudge let his thoughts drift to a certain dark, violet-eyed woman who seemed to have infiltrated his life, slipping stealthily past his carefully built defences. While getting ready for work this morning, his gaze had fallen on her toothbrush and strawberry body scrub tucked into a corner of the vanity.

"Why don't you keep some things here?" he had asked her one Saturday evening, his eyes wary.

"Chris …" Scarlett's voice had trailed off and she shook her head. "I can't …" she had finally answered, looking away from him for several moments.

"Why not?" The question was out before he could stop it and she looked at him quickly

"Because, that would imply that we are something we're not," she had answered him, her fingers fiddling with the buttons on his shirt, her lavender eyes looking into his dark ones. He had been unable to coax or cajole anything further from her and Scarlett had slipped out of his arms, murmuring she had to let Violet out. He had been pleasantly surprised to see her personal things appear a week later.

"What's changed?" he asked her curiously, sliding his arms around her from behind, pulling her gently against him. Her head moved back and forth against his chest and he had to bend close to hear her murmured answer.

"I realized I was being an idiot," Scarlett answered softly. "Are YOU okay with this? I don't want to bring back any sad memories," she added, tilting her head up to look at him. Trudge shook his head and she felt his warm breath feather her ear.

"I'm fine with it. And while I appreciate you thinking about my feelings, I don't buy your explanation completely. However," he paused, kissing the sensitive spot on her neck just below her ear, "I'm willing to go along with that answer for the time being."


Scarlett pulled into the driveway, noticing the shade was drawn in the front window. As soon as the garage door had gone up, the absence of her aunt's van made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up in alarm. Gathering up her bag and several canvas totes containing her purchases, she hurried to the door, Vi and Rosie barking all the while she fumbled to fit the key in the lock. At last the door swung inwards and she almost fell inside the kitchen.

"Granny? Hello Vi, what's going on here?" As if she understood, the big Lab tossed her head and backed away from her mistress. Feeling more and more worried, Scarlett dropped her things and moved further into the kitchen, attempting to calm the bouncing Rosie while moving toward the sheet of paper on the kitchen table. As her eyes skimmed the spidery handwriting, she felt her heart sink.

Lottie,

Don't worry. I've gone with Mr. Bekku to pick up a couple new dogs for him to foster.

Spend the evening with your handsome Captain. See you tomorrow.

Love,

Granny

"What was she thinking?" Scarlett said out loud as she began sorting through her purchases. Looking up, she saw Violet watching her with calm dark eyes. "I'm not overreacting you know," she told her pet. "She certainly can't drive! I know she wants to be involved and help Mr. Bekku, but I don't think this is how to do it! Her sight's not good and her knee is still rehabbing. Oh Granny, I hope you know what you're doing," Scarlett sighed as she headed down the hall to her room to get ready for her shift at the hospice.


"I do hope we don't have any trouble this time Sato," Sophie Jones's knitting needles clicked as the van sped along. "As much as I want to help out all those lost dogs, I think this is just getting too dangerous. We may have to tell Mrs. Tsuki this has been our last trip." The elderly man driving didn't take his eyes off the road, but nodded in agreement.

"Yes, but she won't like it. Remember how upset she got when I asked if we could skip a trip? I wish there was another way to get these medicines to the vets and animals that need them without all this cloak and dagger business. We are just getting too old for this."

"Agreed," Sophie answered and for some time all that was heard was the soft clicking of knitting needles against the background noise of the engine.


"Hey boss! You got a minute?" Trudge looked up quickly and saw Roku standing at the doorway to his office. With a wave of his hand, he beckoned him inside, wondering if the "minute" was going to involve good news about these overdoses.

"We got a break!" A wide smile creased the younger man's features as he came to a halt in front of his boss's desk. "Dog biscuits!"

Trudge looked at him, his expression plainly saying 'you've got to be kidding me.' An image of one of the dog treats that Marguerite fed her pack of pups rose up before his eyes and he blinked it away.

"Sakura was going over the stomach contents of the victims and it turns out every one of them had eaten a 'Pupcake'." Roku shook his head in disbelief.

"I don't see the connection here, Roku," Trudge said, eyes narrowing as he rose from his chair. "How would a dog biscuit land you in hospital? That's impossible."

"We thought the same thing," Roku was nodding. "The treats are made local, a little bakery café near the University."

"That may be the source of the drug." Trudge was headed out the door. Glancing at the younger man keeping pace beside him, he said, "Call Mina. Let's go see what they put into those biscuits that make otherwise sane people eat dog food." Reaching for his phone, he added with a grin, "I think I'll give my friend at the K-9 unit a call. They might enjoy working on this one."

'That sounds like the Trudge I once knew,' Roku thought with a smile of his own. As he watched Mina follow Trudge to his car, Sakura's words from this morning in the break room echoed in his mind.

"Something is going on with Trudge, Roku, I know it." He blew on his steaming cup of coffee, before answering.

"Okay, Sakura, I'll bite. Going on how?"

"I think he's seeing someone. A woman," she added when his expression told her he was about to fend her off with a flip answer.

"It's none of our business," He finally answered, but almost choked on the hot liquid he swallowed too hastily. Sakura had closed the gap between them, lightly laying her hand on his arm.

"I can't imagine how you feel. But Trudge deserves some happiness as much as you and I," she said, widening her eyes meaningfully. "I've noticed he's lost a little weight, he doesn't look so tired all the time and Mina said he's been at the gym at least once a week."

"Mina is stalking Trudge now?" Roku asked with a reluctant grin. Sakura punched him lightly in the arm then.

"Of course not!" she hissed. "Her husband happens to train there in the mornings. Mina's seen Trudge leaving some mornings when she drops him off."

"And that translates into a woman in his life how?" Roku widened his own eyes innocently.

"You'll see that I'm right all in good time." Sakura said smugly.


"Eri, I'll bring Vi in on Saturday. The Mother Superior only allows her to visit and be a therapy dog once a week." Scarlett busied herself setting the small room in order, setting some juice and crackers on the elderly woman's bedside table. "If you're looking for some company of the feline kind, I saw Buyo sunning himself out in the lounge. I could bring him in here for you. He's always agreeable to having someone stroke that beautiful fur of his," she smiled, her eyes twinkling.

"Hmph! I'm not a cat person and you know it, Scarlett!" The patient waggled a finger at her nurse. "This place needs a dog, not another cat. Doesn't your Granny have any strays we can give a good home to here?" Scarlett shook her head as she reached over to fluff the woman's pillows.

"It doesn't work that way, Eri. Besides," she lowered her voice, "the Mother Superior isn't all that crazy about Vi visiting once a week. I don't think she's a dog person."

"Well, you just keep after her, young lady! My beautiful Naru saved me from more lonely days than I can remember back when I was a new widow. Broke my heart when she died," the woman's voice drifted off. Scarlett nodded sympathetically. Anything else she was about to say was cut off, as a friendly knock sounded at the door.

"Can I interest anyone in a manicure?" The cheerful woman who came around once a week to give the residents haircuts and do their nails, poked her head into the room.

"I think that sounds wonderful!" Scarlett beckoned for the woman to come inside. When she left the room ten minutes later, she stopped off at the small lounge for staff and pulled out her phone. Perhaps she might be able to coax that handsome Captain of hers into having dinner tonight.


"Welcome!" The chirpy young woman behind the counter announced. "Would you like to try one of our Strawberry & Cream Pupcakes? It's the Special today."

"No thanks," Trudge said mildly, moving his hand to reveal the badge clipped to his waist. "But I'd like to speak to the manager." As his fingers drummed on the badge, Mina scanned the small, cramped shop, her expression as bland as a bowl of milk. She turned her attention to the glass cases filled with cupcakes and cookies. Leaning closer, she wondered which treats were for humans and which were destined to be consumed by their four-legged companions. Trudge had been taking in the built in shelves which ran the length of one wall, each filled with "organic" products for owner and pet. Rows of vitamins and supplements filled one shelf alone. Before he could point them out to Mina, the owner of the shop herself appeared from the back room, hand extended.

"Good afternoon," the perfectly made up woman glanced at his badge, "Captain. What brings you to my humble shop? A dozen Dognuts for the K-9's perhaps?"

"No Ma'am," Trudge answered, stopping her in her tracks. "I'd like to ask you some questions about your bakery. And you are?" he asked, his eyes glinting.

"Mrs. Usagi Tsuki," the woman answered, folding her hands on the counter, looking much less friendly than she had been a moment ago. "Of course, Captain," the woman continued evenly. "The Health Inspector paid us a visit last week. We passed with flying colours, so I must ask the reason for your visit."


"Sato, do you see anyone?" Sophie Jones's voice rang out in the stillness of the van.

"No," the elderly man beside her peered through his binoculars into the fading light. "It's pretty quiet here, Sophie. I don't see anyone. What time was the gentleman supposed to meet us?"

"6:00, and it's already…half past that now." She tsked beside him, remarking that people today didn't have any respect for timeliness.

"Well, I wonder how long we must wait?" Sato murmured nervously. "I don't like this. The parking lot is empty, the building looks like it's closed up tight. It's deserted here. The veterinary office was supposed to be open when we got here."

"Maybe we should try the door. Perhaps something has happened and the dogs are inside?"

"I've hung up my running shoes these days, Sophie. Even if I parked the van in front of the door, it would take me a couple minutes to get back to the van if something should go wrong. I've got a bad feeling about this one." Before his companion could answer, the screech of tires and rumble of an engine signalled the arrival of a car.

"It's about time," Sophie said, packing up her knitting needles. "Let's get these dogs and get out of here." Her companion's heartfelt agreement was lost in the sound of the van doors opening.


To be continued...