False Impressions 7

Disclaimer: I don't own them. ;_; Other then Danny, and the future villains. If you want to give Dee to me though, I'll be MORE then happy to take him off your hands *hentai grin*

Comments in the brackets [ ] are by me, and are meant to entertain. They aren't actually part of the story. So just ignore them, unless you think I'm amusing, or something. Italics indicate thoughts/mental flashbacks.

-

Everybody hurts when your playing the game of love
Stumble and fall and it's all in the name of love
Words don't come out right. Can you make it okay

Erasure 'crying in the rain'

-

Ryo stretched, slowly waking up. It was nice, not being woken by an alarm, or Bikky, for once. Hadn't happened in awhile... So he enjoyed it, resting in bed, looking up at the ceiling. Ahhh, peace.

"Hey, Ryo!"

He made a face. Ahhh, Dee. Pushing himself up so he was sitting he kept his expression neutral as the door opened and Dee burst in. "What is it, Dee?"

Dee grinned. "I made some breakfast, you hungry?"

"Yeah." He smiled back. "Thank you."

"No problem." Dee disappeared, shutting the door behind him.

Ryo tossed the covers aside, stood up, and promptly tripped over his shirt lying on the floor. Pushing himself to his feet he glared at the offending article of clothing. Luckily Dee had already gone, because that was truly embarrassing. Picking up the shirt, it was the one he'd worn the day before, he dropped it in the laundry basket. Looking around he sighed and set about picking up all the other clothes that were lying on the floor, which seemed to be everything, except his shirt, that he'd worn the day before.

It wasn't until he noticed his pajamas lying folded on a chair nearby that he really began to piece everything together... Ok, so he was slow in the mornings. He hadn't even eaten yet, and Ryo was the kind of guy who wasn't really awake until he had his coffee.

Ryo looked at the pajamas, then the clothes in his hands, then at himself. Then he dropped the clothes in the basket and quickly threw on a robe. He was really, really lucky Dee had left, because that would have been truly embarrassing.

As if on cue the door opened again and Dee stuck his head in. "You gonna eat or what?"

"Y-Yeah. I'll be there in a minute." He quickly made the bed, then walked out to the table. "Dee, I didn't know you could cook pancakes!"

"I'm a man of many talents!" Dee pronounced, setting the maple syrup on the table.

"If you say so..."

"I am!" Dee looked a bit hurt. Then he grinned a bit naughtily. "Which's why you love me, isn't it?"

Ryo blushed. "Dee!"

Dee laughed and walked to stand behind Ryo, wrapping his arms around his neck. "Well then, why?" His arms tightened almost imperceptibly. His voice dropped to a near whisper in Ryo's ear. "You do, don't you?"

"Yes, but...I love you because you're you..."

Dee was silent a moment, then kissed Ryo's temple. "Good, because I love you too."

They didn't move for an endless minute, simply enjoying being together. Then Ryo spoke up. "Dee, the food's getting cold."

"Forget the food. I can always make more."

Ryo jumped as he suddenly remembered. "Bikky!"

"Already sent the brat to school. Told him you'd call the teachers later to make sure he showed up."

"...You didn't have to do that, you know..."

Dee shrugged. "You're cute when you're asleep." With a final squeeze of his arms Dee let him go, returning to his chair. He eyed his pancakes, then tried a bite as Ryo sipped his tea. He immediately made a face and pushed his plate away. "They are cold!"

Ryo smiled, laughing quietly. His tea was cold too, but he barely noticed. Not with Dee there to warm him up.

* * *

JJ yawned as he wandered out of his room towards the kitchen, finishing buttoning up his shirt. He blinked as he noticed the light was blinking on the answering machine. Had Danny forgotten to check it that morning? Shrugging he pushed the play button, walking into the kitchen to grab a quick breakfast and something to drink.

'Hey, Danny, you there? It's Dee.'

Dee-sempai? JJ perked up immediately.

'You left your cell phone here, silly girl! You must've been drunker then you looked.'

She'd gone out for drinks with Dee-sempai? JJ pouted. Why hadn't she invited him?

'Anyway, I just wanted to call and thank you... I mean, it's just... you know, you've been a real big help, with Ryo and all...'

...What?

'I had that talk with him last night and, well...'

JJ's heart stopped beating for a minute.

'He admitted it! He loves me too!...Ahhh, well,' Dee went from ecstatic to flustered. 'I'll tell you all about it later, if you want to know. Probably shouldn't be talking so much on your machine. Just come by to pick up the cell phone, OK? And thanks again.'

'End of message.'

JJ stared into the sink, then walked back into the living room and hit the repeat button. For some reason, he wasn't hungry anymore.

'Hey, Danny, you there? It's Dee...'

* * *

Danny cursed as the door handle slid from her grip, shifting her bags around to try and get a better hold. Pushing it open she stepped inside, dropping her keys, purse, and bags in the entryway. "Hey, Jamie, you home? Have you seen my cell phone? I think I left it here this morning."

Stepping inside she blinked. JJ was sitting at the table, staring melancholically at an empty bottle of beer in his hands. Several other bottles lay on the table. "What's wrong, Jamie?"

"You left your cell phone at Ryo-sempai's. Dee-sempai called."

"Really? How annoying. Must've fallen out of my pocket. Oh well, I'll go after dinner."

She muttered to herself as she walked into the kitchen. "Did you drink all that? I hope you left at least one, Josh's coming over."

"Why do you like him?"

"I don't know. I just do." She pulled open the fridge door and looked around for something to eat.

"He's a killer you know."

"A hitman, right? Yeah, he told me."

"You're OK with that?"

"You've killed people too, Jamie."

"Criminals!"

"That's who he kills. Or the police would've arrested him by now. You know that."

"But he's a murderer."

"JJ, the only difference is who he works for. You work for the police, he works for a customer. He's got an official job too you know."

"I don't like him."

She sighed. "You don't like a lot of people." She laughed slightly, pulling out some mayonnaise and a soda. "I swear, sometimes it seems you don't like anyone but me, Sean and Dee."

She was reaching for the bread, so she didn't see him walk up behind her. She did hear his chair scrape across the floor as he pushed it back, and him walking, but thought nothing of it. She yelped as he grabbed her by the hand, dragging her off the small stool she was using to reach the top cupboard.

She landed on her right arm with a sickening crack, a wave of nausea washing over her. JJ twisted her left arm behind her back, keeping her from gaining leverage to even sit up. "J-Jamie?!"

"Why are do you care so much about them?!"

"Them? Jamie, what's wrong?" She knew he was a nasty drunk, the only other time she'd actually seen him intoxicated he'd broken Laura's nose after a small fight. True, she'd goaded him into it by teasing, but she always teased him. He just reacted violently when drunk.

"Josh and Ryo!"

"What does Randy-san have to do with this?"

JJ was silent a moment, then pulled her over onto her back, still holding her left arm in the air. She stared up at him, eyes wide. He glared down at her. "You set him and Dee-sempai up, didn't you?"

"Eh? They got together? Really?" She was so surprised she momentarily forgot the pain in her arm, and JJ's strange actions; her mind was actively seeking to reject these ideas anyway. However, she put perhaps a bit too little of her surprise and too much happiness into her tone. JJ snarled, throwing her hand to smack into the tile. "Yes! Dee-sempai said that it was all because of me."

"It wasn't all me, they did like each other..." She trailed off. That was definitely not territory she wanted to get into with JJ already unstable and drunk... When had Dee left that message? Looking up into JJ's eyes she quailed. JJ was excitable normally, but when very upset... She had the feeling Dee had probably called early, as soon as he'd found her cell phone.

He'd been thinking about this, worrying, upset, drinking, all day? She stared into his eyes, trying to remember how many empty bottles she'd seen on the table. She'd half-thought that Sean had come over, she knew JJ didn't drink, not anymore. But... Sean hadn't mentioned plans or coming over, and he would've. He never would have left JJ drunk and angry. She gulped. She wondered what Dee had said on that message. He'd thanked her? God, JJ had to be feeling betrayed right now. There was only one thing that could set JJ off more than alcohol, and that was betrayal.

She looked into his eyes, ignoring the pain spreading from her left hand, then dull ache she just knew was a broken bone in her right arm. "Jamie... Stop this. You're scaring me. My arm hurts..."

His eyes cleared for a moment, a little. Some of the pained haze seemed to clear. Then it came back as he yelled at her. "You hurt me too! You're supposed to care about ME? ME!! Not them! I love Dee-sempai, Ryo doesn't!! Josh...Josh..." He clenched his eyes shut, biting his lip, then snapped them open and slapped Danny hard enough to make her head spin. "Why the hell didn't you think about me?" He hit her again. "Why didn't you think about how I'd feel?" She managed to get her left arm up to block the blows to her face, at least slightly. He was punctuating every half-screamed question with a blow now. "Why doesn't anyone think about ME? I loved Dee-sempai first, why didn't he love me? Why? Why?" He stopped, actually shaking. All the rage, the hurt, the rejection built up over the years of abortive Dee-chasing, of countless rejections, taunts, slights from everyone around him. Everyone, but... "You were supposed to care about me..." His voice was quiet with pain. "You said you cared about me..."

"...What's wrong with me? Why doesn't anyone care about me? Why doesn't anyone love me?" He was crying now, voice shaking. The last thing Danny saw, before the shock and pain caught up with her, was him staring down at her, tears streaking his face, his eyes filled with unfathomable pain.

Darkness overwhelmed her as she slipped into unconsciousness, JJ still crying beside her.

* * *

He'd hit her. He'd hurt her.

Stupid girl! You're failing, again! Why can't you ever do anything right?

He'd beaten her, broken her arm.

Sounds of a beating, a girls screams

He'd gotten drunk and hurt her...

I feed you and pay for you and take care of you! What do I get in return?

She never even had a chance to defend herself...

A little girl cries as her father hits her...

He hurt her...

The girl cries for her mother to stop him. Her mother simply shakes her head.

He knocked her out...

The girl sobs as she sits in her room, hearing her father raging through the hallways. He's drunk again, she can tell. He's going to hurt her!

How could he?

The little girl pulls a knife from her drawer, as the noise gets closer. She can distantly hear her mother crying, he must've beaten her already. She waits beside the door, knife in hand, tears drying.

She won't take this anymore...

He'll pay...

* * *

She slowly stood, getting up off the floor. Her eyes were haunted, an ancient pain. "He'll pay..."

She pulled her gun out, turning the safety off. "He won't get away with this..."

She walked into the living room. "No excuse..."

She aimed at the figure on the couch, face buried in his hands. "...No excuse."

She pulled the trigger.

Sean jumped at the sudden noise, covering his ears. "What was that?" He pushed open the door to the apartment. "Laura, what ha... GOD! Jaime!! Someone call 911!"

Laura stared ahead blindly, hands shaking. "...He hurt her..."

* * *

JJ woke up slowly, in an unfamiliar bed. He blinked, staring at the ceiling. "Where..." He frowned as he found his right hand trapped, unable to move. Turning his head he blinked. Sean was asleep in an uncomfortable looking chair, with machinery lining the white walls behind him. He looked to the other side. He was in a hospital. He tugged on his hand, trying to free it. Pulling it closer he stared. Sean was holding his hand?

"Nnn..." Sean woke up, unhappily. He immediately turned his head from side to side, stretching his neck. "Man, these things are uncomfortable." He smiled as he found JJ staring at him. "Oh, awake finally."

"What happened?"

"Eh? Don't you remember?"

"I..." He closed his eyes. "Danny..."

"She's just down the hallway." Sean deliberately misinterpreted his comment. "She'll be out of here well before you are. Right now Josh's in with her."

"...Why're you here..."

"Well, like I said, Josh is in with Danny. Dee and Ryo are busy doing police stuff, so I figured I was the best candidate to watch for when you woke up." He made a face. "Took long enough. It's been more than a day. I was starting to get scared."

"Why?"

"Because you were unconscious so long. That tends to make people worry."

"..."

"...Danny'll be out of here tomorrow. The doctors say that, except for the broken arm, she has no real serious damage. She'll look funny until the bruises heal, but that shouldn't be very long."

"..."

"Jamie... If I was having a very hard time with something, and you were involved, and I got really mad and fought with you, would you be very angry with me?"

"That's different..."

"How so? If she hadn't fallen wrong she wouldn't have been very hurt at all, truthfully."

"It was my fault though... She didn't et a chance to fight back."

"Because you were better at it. If she'd been paying attention she could've stopped you."

"It was all my fault!"

"Yes..."

"..."

"Danny doesn't blame you for it, you know."

"How could she not?"

"You haven't exactly been having the best week, you know. It's only natural for you to get upset."

"But..."

Sean sighed, then knelt by the bed, looking JJ in the eyes. "Jamie, Danny forgave you. You've been under a lot of stress and everything, and then you got mad at her. You had to let that rage out somehow." He poked JJ on the nose, right between the eyes. "The real problem was that you got drunk. We all know how you get when you're drunk."

"But-"

"But nothing. You stopped, didn't you? You didn't hurt her that much. Actually, if she hadn't fallen wrong she would've been all right, except for some bruises. And that wasn't your fault."

"Sean..."

Sean smiled. "Don't worry over it so much. If you keep beating yourself up over it you'll disturb Danny. And then we'll have to get mad at you."

"...Why are you here?"

"Hmm?"

"Why'd you wait for me?"

Sean smiled, squeezing his hand. "Because I'm your friend. Danny wanted to be here, but she's too hyped up on painkillers to be very coherent. So I came down."

"Why am I here?"

Sean sweatdropped. "Umm...haven't you noticed?"

"Noticed what?"

The sweatdrop grew. "JJ, you got shot."

JJ blinked. "I did?"

"Laura shot you in the stomach. You mean you didn't even notice?"

"Well...uh..."

Sean laughed. JJ glared at him. "It's not funny!"

"Jamie, you idiot." Sean sat on the bed beside JJ. "It is funny. You're so worried over Danny you didn't even notice you got shot and she's so worried about you that she's been bothering the nurses endlessly to keep her informed about your condition."

"It's not funny!" JJ protested, still a bit angry.

"Ahhh, I almost forgot. Dee and Ryo have been visiting, they were worried about you. Should I call them and tell them you're awake."

"...I don't want to see Dee..."

"..." They sat in silence a moment, then Sean smiled, running a hand through JJ's hair.

"OK then. Do you want me to see if I can convince the nurses to get you some real food? The stuff they serve here is awful."

JJ shook his head. "I'm fine. Just a bit sleepy."

Sean laughed quietly. "You've been sleeping, did you forget?... Oh well, go back to bed. I'll tell Danny and the others that you got up."

"...Are you leaving?"

"If you want me too."

JJ grabbed Sean's hand. "Stay with me?"

Sean nodded. "If you want me too." He smiled down at JJ, who curled up around him and the pillows, still holding his hand. "Just one thing."

"What?"

"I ain't eating hospital food. I've seen what they serve here. I think that that's probably half the problem with people in this place."

JJ laughed a bit. "You're so picky."

"Only the best."

"Narcissist."

"Don't you know it. Go to sleep Jamie."

JJ did, drifting off as Sean lightly rubbed his back with one hand. After he'd fallen asleep Sean sighed, leaning his head against the wall. "Better sleep now, this is only going to get worse." He shook his head. "I hope Laura is OK." He was silent a moment, thinking. Then he frowned and lifted his head, glaring at the wall. "And I thought the chair was uncomfortable. Better get a pillow for myself."

He looked down at JJ, who was sound asleep again, still holding his hand. "You don't deserve all this, you know. You never really wanted to hurt Danny, or you would have hit her more. You already have enough in your life, how long will this haunt you, I wonder?" He patted JJ on the head with his free hand. "Then again, Laura and Danny don't deserve it either..." He leaned back against the wall again, uncomfortable or not. "The world's so unfair."

End part 7