Chapter 36

"I saved you two some lunch, would you like some?" I asked.

"Ooh… what is it, huh Émile?" Gage looked straight into my eyes, as he was always curious or nosey.

"I can say, 'it's your favourite'." I grinned.

"I have too many favourites though…," he shrugged.

"It's apple fritters," I patted him on the back. "I know how much you love them."

His eyes glowed and his smile was as friendly as well as warm. "Of course…"

"Come on in, make yourself home Dad, Gage." I showed my arm to them, respectfully.

"I can't believe it's-it's my dad…" Jade stared at him. We all walked to the kitchen and sat down.

"I was so worried about you Jade and Stan." He looked at both of them. "You know I thought about you both every single day… even when I heard you were a part of Team Galactic… my heart broke but I still loved you two." We were all silent for probably five minutes.

"Say, where's your wife?" I questioned, at Gage, curiously, breaking the silence.

"Oh she couldn't come, she has too many patients," he replied.

"That's too bad…" I sighed.

"So… how's your… head?" he sneered. Oh God, my second head questions.

I growled and got up. "I thought I told you not to speak of that again." I picked him up. "You hear me, Gage?" He nodded slightly. "You mention that again and I'll punch your head into your neck, you got that?" He nodded again and I set him back down. I sat back down. "S-sorry…" Everyone blinked.

"Dad… I'm curious as to what happened next in your flashback," Stan asked. "I love hearing your stories… especially the fact that I could never tell any…"

"Are you saying I'm better than you?" I blinked. He nodded. "Fine, then." I cleared my throat.

Flashback, about six years ago…

"Émile… wake up, it's 7:30…" Jake shook me softly.

"Huh…" I mumbled and woke up. I woke up to a puddle of drool on my desk. "Damn. Looks like I drooled again, huh?" I blushed slightly. Jake wasn't a clean freak but, sometimes, when he wasn't in the mood, he would get upset if I did drool.

"I see you did drooled once again…" He reiterated.

"Yeah… I'll clean it up…" I mentally groaned, regretting not going home or sleeping on my couch.

"Thanks, you have a lot of work to do. I'll see you at lunch time," he said, and then walked off.

"Good morning Émile!" Rico said happily.

"Hey Rico, how are you?" I grinned and wiped off my drool with a paper towel. "I drooled again…" I chuckled.

"I see that, I wonder why you do that!" He chuckled along with me.

I shrugged. "I wouldn't even begin to know. Must be the potion of my face!" My cell phone rang before I could talk to Rico more. "Huh?" I picked it up to see it was Dad. "Hello?"

"We're almost done with the house out here in Pewter City, we're just wondering if you could stop by… I'm just wondering which of you would like to own it."

"Dad, I'm at work, I can't come by today but I can come by tomorrow."

"Oh all right, tomorrow is Saturday, come by whenever you can."

"I'll ask my boss if I have to work tomorrow or not. I'll try."

"All right hon, I love you, goodbye." He chuckled slightly, as I was usually busy.

"Bye, I love you too." I hung up. "That was my dad," I said, looking up at Rico.

He nodded and smiled. He liked my dad too, as I could tell by the way he smiles when I mention him. "Right, I'm going to do some work now, I'll see you later."

About sixteen hours later…

"Jesus Christ, Émile, it's 4:00 AM!" Rico blinked and rubbed his eyes, knocking slightly at my door.

I nodded sleepily, for him to come in. "Yeah… I know; I just have to finish this case… I must solve it… If I don't solve it… I'll regret it… for… the rest of my life…," I replied drowsily. I yawned. "Ugh… I'm going down to the dreaded morgue that makes me vomit… I have to tell Tory, that I think I know how this… person died…"

"Oh? How did he die?"

"He died via suicide, I mean, it's the only thing I can think… of…" I yawned again. "So why are you here?"

"I was just going to the bathroom and I happened to pass by and see that you are still awake," he replied, yawning too. I swear it's contagious, as he must have caught it from me.

"Oh, all right…" I said half-asleep. "Hey you're going to the bathroom too, right? Well, wait for me." I drowsily got up. "Please."

"All right Émile, come along then." We both walked to the bathroom.

"Ugh…" I groaned, wincing from the pain. As usual, it hurt. It hurt like red hot coals. I take ibuprofen, but it never works – it just drains out like a leak in the bottom of a boat.

"Émile… are you OK?" Rico looked at me funny.

"I'm fine…," I sighed.

"D-does it always h-hurt…?"

"Yes it does…"

"You should go to the doctor…"

"Doctors never help me, nor does ibuprofen!" I tsked and sighed. "Nor is it an enlarged prostate, I can guarantee you that. I know because I know the symptoms of it. This is a very touchy subject; I don't like talking about my penis and how it hurts every time I have to uriate."

"Oh… I see… I won't ask you again then…" We both walked out.

"I would appreciate that, thank you very much. I'll see you later." I waved.

"Bye Émile, hope you survive the morgue without vomiting! Have a nice sleep too!"

"Thank you Rico, you too." I smiled.

"Thanks bud and you're welcome," he said and waved.

I dreaded going to the morgue. It smells like crap, urine, vomit, blood, whatever other words describe the human body. I walked back to my desk to pick up the tox screen results. His heroin levels were off the charts. "My God… I cannot believe the levels of heroin in his system…" I looked at the paper. "Whoa, whoa, whoa–! What is this? His copper and calcium levels are off the charts, too." I found a nose plug on my desk and I put it on. I hurriedly ran down the hall and down two flights of stairs. I was out of breath and I nearly collapsed. I had made it to the morgue.

Tory, who happens to be a night owl as well, looked me funny. "Tory, I have your tox screen results," I said nasally.

"Émile… Why… are you wearing a nose plug?" He furrowed his brow. "Oh that's right!"

"Yeah… I don't think you want me to vomit." I handed him the tox screen results. His jaw dropped.

"Whoa…!" He blinked. "I was about to perform an autopsy on him, want to watch?"

"Uhh… no th-thanks…" I was getting sick just thinking about it.

"All right then…" His voice was sad. He took out his saw and began to cut a 'y-incision'. "Oh my God… why is he bleeding…?" I just had to turn around to see this. The person on the autopsy table began to scream and it scared the feck out of both of us – so we fainted.

"Pupils are responding…" I woke up to a bright light shining in both of my eyes, and the disgusting and cold fingers that belonged to Tory.

"Ahh… what the hell, Tory…?" I groaned and sat up. I noticed I was on an autopsy table… and that my nose plug was gone. "Tory, why did you take away my nose plug?" I had to hold my nose myself. "You know I'm going to vomit if you don't give it back, please."

"But you were out cold and I was worried that you were having trouble breathing."

"Oh dammit Tory, I feel like crap now… just give it back please, I'm tired sounding nasally and holding my hand up like this."

"Okay, here you go…" He handed it back to me. I jumped off the table and put it on.

"Thank you!" I sighed. "I thought I was going to upchuck… what time is it?"

"It's already 5:15," he replied, looking down at his gorgeous watch.

"Okay, well I'm going back to my office so I can sleep longer. Bye Tory… I don't know when I'll see you next."

"Umm… you wet yourself when you fainted."

"I what…? Huh?" I turned around. "Thank Goddddd for lockers! Hmph," I groaned. "Bye Tory." I walked out.

"Bye Émile…," he twitched slightly. I'm very easily annoyed and tend to get very irritated from the lack of sleep. I finally made it out of the area of the morgue and took off the nose plug. I left out a huge sigh… but Tory was right I did piss myself. "Damn…" I groaned. I stopped by my locker and got another pair of clothes.

"Boo…!" Rico jumped at me.

"Ahh…! Rico please don't… I've already gotten a heart attack and wet myself…"

"Damn you scare so easily…! So what happened to you?"

"I was taking the tox screen results to Tory when I was about to leave (mainly because he want to do an autopsy and those make me vomit, as usual) and he says 'Oh my God… why is he bleeding…?'… I turn around to see the person on the autopsy table screaming his head off, that made us both faint… I don't know why I fainted… I guess it's just I expect a dead person to be DEAD! I apparently wet myself when it happened." I started walking to the bathroom.

"You sure have urinated a lot," he said sarcastically.

"I had to drink four Dr Peppers to stay awake…" I grumbled. "As you know, they make you pee a lot."

"Muahaha… that was a good one Émile!" He chuckled. "I'll see you later."

"Bye Rico, hope you can more sleep."

"Bye Émile!" He waved and walked off.

About a month later

"Sorry Dad… I've been busy… how is the house coming along?"

"Oh it's doing great… you should come out," he replied. "So how is your arm and wrist doing?"

"Oh… it really still hurts… bad. What gets me is the pain… nothing seems to work…" I sighed.

"Are you going to come out soon?"

"Yeah, sure thing; in fact, I might ask my boss right now. I'll call you back, all right?" I hung up and walked to my boss's office. The pain was excoriating. I've thrown up twice because of this; so I keep a trashcan at my desk at all times. I read about pain and that severe pain can cause vomiting. The doctors had said that I had cut clean through muscle and all the way to the bone, leaving a scratch on my radius and ulna (the two bones in the arm – where they met at the top – because they split into two bones just after the elbow and up to the wrist). How I lived, doctors aren't too sure. That is exactly what they said when I was slashed by that intruder. I guess I must be a survivor… it runs in my genes. I had, also, accidentally tripped and broke my arm. I finally after five excoriating minutes, I had finally made it to Boss's office.

"Jake…" I knocked on the glass. "Boss Jake, please…" I said weakly. "I feel like crap please… answer…" I felt faint.

"Yes, Émile?" He finally opened the door.

"I just got off the phone with my dad… he's wondering if I could please take off so I could go see him… plus I want to order the first season of CSI: Veilstone on DVD…"

"Hell yeah Émile, go, you look like utter crap with your pale face and your red eyes… are you all right?"

"The pain… is beyond unbearable…" I groaned and sighed forcibly.

"Have-have you been crying…?" he questioned, looking at me funny.

"Y-yeah… I have, of course." I nodded weakly.

"Go home… rest… take a week off if you need to, you certainly deserve it," he said calmly, and then patted the top of my head.

"T-thank you." I wasn't sure what to say. "I'll see you later."

"Bye Émile, have a nice break."

"Thanks, bye," I waved and walked off.

I couldn't afford to get seasick, so I decided to go on Staraptor's back. I fell asleep on his back. I felt a soft jolt as Staraptor landed on the ground. "Huh…" I rubbed both of my eyes, despite having only one hand… I noticed that he had landed right in front of the house. "Thank you." I returned him.

"Ah…! There's my boy!" Dad laughed. "It's so great to see you're alive!" He hugged me tightly.

"Big brother…!" Gage hugged and tackled me.

I gagged. "G-guys… I don't feel very good… please let go…"

"Oh… sorry," the two said in unison and let go.

"How would you like to come up here and show you what I've done so far?" Dad asked.

"Ooh I would love to." I nodded. The two smiled and I followed them. I smiled as I walked up the makeshift steps and up the supports that were on the outside of the house. I loved what Dad was doing so far – the insulation had been put on perfectly along with the wooden wall studs, too. Even the all of the windows were perfectly even.

"I take it you like what I have done, don't you?" Dad smiled.

"Yes I have, it's so beautiful." I grinned. "All of the insulation, the studs, the framework, and the windows… all so beautifully placed."

"Haha… thank you so much, Émile." He grinned. "Now I'm wondering who should buy the house…" He looked at me. Gage stepped away, continuing his work on the house.

"I was thinking about buying it." I shrugged. "…That's all right if you don't want me to."

"Nah… I insist…"

"Oh… really… I mean, I don't think I can afford it." I wasn't sure what to say.

"Émile… you've always wanted a house outside the city… I seriously insist."

"No Dad… I think Gage should buy it…" I looked over at Gage; whom was nailing down more studs. "Looking good, Gage!" I called.

"Thanks big brother!" he called back.

"No problem!" I grinned.

"Anyway… I have a better idea… maybe you should both own it?"

"B-both of us…? Really? I don't think that's such a great idea… I mean, I love my brother, but I think he's a bit eccentric…"

"I hate to say it but I insist…"

"Would you stop using that please?" I tutted. "It's getting annoying, no offence." I heard a loud noise, but it wasn't a nail gun; it caused me to jump out of my skin and fall over backwards – Splat! – was the noise I heard when I landed on a steel rebar. "D-dad…," I screamed. "Dad…! Dad help, help!" I looked at the rebar and saw something reddish on it. It went clean through my left shoulder. "I think I'm going to be sick… and I think I'm going to f-faint…" I could just barely see Dad and Gage running up to me.

"Émile… I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have used that nail gun…" Gage looked at me sadly.

"It-it hurts…," I think I had tears run down my face. I had never been so scared in my life. I looked over at Dad; calling 9-1-1… I was in and out of consciousness… I could feel blood draining from me. "Yeah I'm going to be sick…" I had never been so sick in my life. I had two no, three, external forces against me: the rebar and the spot where I cut myself deeply, and because I got slightly burnt by Jupiter's Skuntank… but that was starting to heal. "Gage… if you ever see Cassidy… tell her I love her… I love you Gage… I love you Dad… ugh…," I groaned. "I'm never, ever making shish kebab again in my life…," I weakly looked up at Gage.

"Émile… why are you talking like that? No, don't, you're gonna live!" He looked at me and rubbed my hair. "Émile, you aren't bleeding that badly… I don't think it punctured anything significant."

"Gage you're gonna regret this but…" I accidentally coughed up blood on him. I fainted…. I was out cold for what seemed like hours until I woke up in an ambulance. I was sitting up because the steel rebar was still in me, within good reason too, because if they had taken it out, I would have bled to death and because the rebar blocked the blood vessels that were bleeding. I also looked at my nose to see I had one of those breathing masks on. I felt sick… really sick. I tried to take it off but they stopped me.

"Mmm," I mumbled.

"Yes?" one of the paramedics asked. She was short in stature, with tanned skin and dark blue eyes. Her curly, black hair bounced whenever she turned her head to look at me.

"Mmm!" I pointed to the breathing mask.

"You want to say something?" said another paramedic. He was tall in stature, with white skin and freckles. His green eyes shined as well as his orange hair. I nodded. "Okay then," he said while he took the mask off.

"Please give me an anti-emetic," I said weakly. I figured it would help keep me from vomiting. "I-I feel very sick…"

"Sure thing, can you swallow?"

"I don't think I can…" I groaned. "Just inject me with it."

"Actually, we're at the hospital… we're going to put you under surgery ASAP…"

"Okay… I guess I'll just sleep then…" I closed my eyes.

I could hear voices as I was being anaesthetised, thought they were fading quickly. "Wow he's so lucky… this rebar just barely missed his vital organs…"

"I know… except it pierced through his shoulder, but it just barely missed the left carotid artery…"

"He's also lucky because it just went straight between the clavicle and humerus, it's not even cracked."

"Lucky…" I mumbled and I was out cold.

"Émile… wake up," Dad said calmly.

"Huh…" I woke up and the second I did, the pain hit me like a jet impacting me. "Shit…" I cursed.

A week later…

I stumbled into Jake's office. "Jake…," I said weakly. I had seen another gruesome crime scene.

"Yes?" He looked at me.

"I was wondering if I could take a break…"

"Again, Émile?" He looked at me. "Oh never mind… you look like crap, again."

"Thank you." I limped off, out of his office. I walked outside into the fresh September air.

"There's another thing I've always wanted to do…" I smirked. Despite having one arm to work with, I was able to get my wallet out, and I opened it up to see that I had $1234 even. "Huh, that's an odd combination…" I limped off. I walked past 'Farfetch'd Pond' and it caught my eye – the Veilstone Game Corner. "There we are, I've always wanted to try my luck at gambling." I slowly walked in… I hadn't played poker in a casino before.

"Welcome sir," said a man standing at the entrance. He was wearing black and white, resembling a butler. His black hair was combed and straightened. He looked well kempt.

"Hey there," several others replied. They looked well versed at poker, seeing as how they each had four stacks of chips.

"Hi," I said, sitting down.

"How much do you have that you will you bet?" the dealer, whom was sitting at the end of the table asked. She was tall, with long blond hair and brown eyes. She was wearing navy blue, although it looked just as fancy as the greeter did. I had to admit to myself, that she was quite sexy. Her brown gaze stayed at my gaze.

"I only have $1234," I replied.

"Fine, toss it in," she purred. She must have thought the same thing: I was attractive. I nodded and tossed in 100s, 10s, 5s and 1s. They started to deal. She handed me $1234 worth of chips.

"Which kind of poker is this?" I asked.

"Texas hold'em," she replied. I had never played it, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to play.

"Damn he's winning," a man grumbled. He was older, but definitely looked experienced, with aged tanned skin, dark eyes, wrinkles and freckles. He looked at me with curious, blue eyes. I could tell just by looking at him, that he played almost every night.

They were talking about me. I had won $1200 already.

"Mind if we call you 'Radiant Ace'?" asked another, with his dark green eyes staring at me. He was older too, probably around the same age as the other man. I could tell the two were friends.

"No problem at all." I grinned. I had bet $400. "Four of a kind." I flipped over my cards.

"Straight flush," said the older dark-haired man. I had lost it.

I kept losing, just after I had a winning streak. Until I bet the last of my money, I couldn't believe it… I had won $5000.

…And only to be lost after a few more games.

Sighing, I sat down in a chair in the park near the 'Farfetch'd Pond'. I stared at the ground and looked up because Rico just happened to be standing next to me. "Rico…?" I looked up, slightly startled. "Hey there," I said blankly.

"Is there something wrong?" He sat down next to me.

"I went to Veilstone Game Corner and I lost $6234." I sighed again. "How could I be so dumb? I must be the stupidest person in the world…"

He got up and put his hands on my shoulders. "Émile what the feck are you talking about? You're not stupid!" He shook me.

"Ohh… shit Rico… d-don't do that…"

He stopped and looked at me funny. "Damn, you are sensitive…"

I nodded and shrugged. "My life seems empty…"

Rico did the 'crazy' gesture. "Émile, you're being a real idiot right now –"

"Yes Rico, thank you very much, I appreciate that. If you'll excuse me, I have to go home and eat something. By the way Rico, I could probably kick your ass despite being injured… but not right now…" I wheezed and coughed. "I can barely breathe."

"Oh… maybe you should go home then."

"That's what I was doing…"

"Bye Émile, sorry for doing that…"

"It's okay Rico, bye," I waved and limped home, coughing and wheezing.

Present

"That's just about as much as I can remember…"

"Wow…" we all mumbled.

We were quite quiet for a while, not really saying much. Stan seemingly stuffed his face with my delicious fritters…