A/N: So this is chapter 3... Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed or read it!

xoxoxo

katastrophic88- Thank you so much! You flatter me. Ryo and Dee are not going to make an appearance in this chapter, but they will later on. It's always fun to have them talk to each other, such different personalities...

Soli- Thanks hon! I know you know nothing about FAKE but I guess you can appreciate it anyways. Love ya!

xoxoxo

Chapter 3:

Drake had been gone for about half an hour before JJ got up to go look for him.

JJ searched various offices, the file room, and even the basement for his partner, but came up empty handed. Once he had made sure that Drake was no where in the building, he climbed the rickety stairway that would lead him to the roof. When he had assured himself that no one else was around, he leaned against the brick wall and hung his head. Why didn't I just tell Drake it was my birthday today? I could have just saved us both a lot of hassle. Oh, wait... but then he would have yelled at me for the year before, or the year before that. I just don't see what the big deal is! It's not like anything would have happened.

While JJ was on the roof, Drake was leaning against the concrete wall right outside the precinct door, out of sight from the lobby. It was a bit chilly for an August day, but Drake wasn't about to go and grab his coat. He just couldn't believe how things had gone so spectacularly bad. One minute he had been drinking JJ's coffee and the next minute he was yelling at him. What the hell happened?! Oh yeah, his birthday... well, Jesus Christ! He should have told me, but then again I've never told him MY birthday. I don't know. Drake rubbed the back of his neck in frustration. What am I supposed to do now? Maybe I should go back in there and talk to him. Calmly this time. Yeah, yeah, that sounds okay...

So, Drake made his way back to his office. When he opened the door, he found the place to be empty. Must have gone out. Oh well, I'll just wait till he comes back. The chair creaked as he sat down and took another sip of his, now cold, coffee. It was at this time that his eye caught something square and yellow stuck to his computer monitor.

- - - Drake- you must slap Dee later this afternoon. You're seeing double right now. –JJ - - -

He lifted the post-it off his display and held it in his hand. While JJ's neat, curvy penmanship stared up at him, he chuckled to himself quietly. JJ is a good person and he's also a damn good detective. He doesn't deserve a birthday where no one knows it. Crap, I don't even know if he's got family or not. I SHOULD make it up to him. I'm his partner. I've got an obligation. However, while he thought of things he could do for JJ's birthday another little voice popped inside his head... what's the sudden interest huh Drake? You never cared before so why start now? To which he retaliated, he's my friend and friends do nice things for other people on their birthday. But was that really true? Hadn't he been friends with JJ before all this?

Drake pushed all other thoughts out of his head so he could concentrate on getting JJ something. Luckily his birthday fell right around pay day so it would be okay to splurge a little. Something for JJ... something for JJ...damn, I don't know a single thing about his likes or dislikes! I just know that he lives alone and that he liked Dee and that...

EUREKA!

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

JJ headed downstairs only to have Ted, panting and wheezing, call to him.

"JJ! -wheeze- JJ! Hey, Rose wants us in his office AS -pant- AP. I've been -huff puff- looking everywhere for you! Where's Drake?" Ted managed to get out while he bent over clutching his knees.

"All right. I don't know where Drake is. I think he left somewhere," JJ said.

Ted gave this confused look before he grabbed JJ by the arm to drag him toward the commissioner's office, "You don't know where your partner is?"

"Uh... no," whispered JJ before he was flung face first through Berkeley Rose's door.

"There you are! Finally! Where the hell were you? Ryo and Dee are on stake out so it'll just be us five for... the..." Rose began before he trailed off, doing a mental head count, "Where's Parker?"

"JJ says he doesn't know where he is," Ted piped in.

JJ shrank back in his chair as the commissioner glared at him through his glasses.

"Excuse me? Adams... you don't know where you own partner is?" Rose said in a low, deadly voice.

"No," JJ squeaked before the tirade hit him.

"What the hell are you two thinking?! We've got partners for a reason you nitwit! And you're telling me you don't know where he is?!" Rose took a deep breath, "Next time I hold a mandatory meeting and either you or Parker 'happens to lose each other', you're both suspended! Act fucking professional and find out where he went!"

JJ was used to harassment, for being small, obnoxious, and not to mention gay, but having someone threaten his work as a police officer was too much. He concentrated hard to keep the tears behind his eyes and his face indifferent. Unfortunately, his face seemed to be winning that battle.

Before he started to cry, he burst out of the office, running like a mad man to the car park. His whole day had been one ordeal after the other and he was leaving, to anywhere but where he was. He gripped the hood of his Corolla before stepping inside. Silent tears made their way down his face as he caught his breath. Some birthday, this turned out to be. First Drake and then this...

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Drake pulled over to the curb before rechecking the address. It was late at night, around nine o'clock, and he wasn't sure if JJ would be expecting company or not. Probably not.

After doing a bit of shopping in the morning, he came back to the office to be greeted by Rose. He was then lectured, threatened, and cursed at for a good fifteen minutes about keeping his partner informed of his whereabouts at all times. Then, when Rose asked if he knew where JJ was now, and he mumbled something about 'maybe', Rose lost it. "Well, take the rest of the day off Parker and come back tomorrow when you're ready to actually earn your pay!"

Drake gladly left, while thinking about all the cruel things he could do to the dear old commissioner. Son of a bitch, he doesn't even have a partner. He's just pissed off because Ryo's pants are officially off limits to him. And earn my pay? What the fuck is there to earn! We get paid next to nothing!

He spent the rest of the afternoon getting his present ready to take over to JJ.

And so here he was. Sitting in his Honda, staring at JJ's apartment building, and wondering if he should go in or not. He decided to go for it and grabbed the huge box from his back seat. It was tough getting it upstairs. JJ lived on the sixth floor, of a building whose elevator wasn't working. After ten minutes, he was half way there. Maybe it would have been better to come later since my knees feel like they're going to give at any second.

Yet, Drake went bravely on and in twenty minutes, made it to JJ's front door. He rang the door bell while sliding down the wall opposite the door. Deep breaths, man, just take deep breaths.

When the door bell rang, JJ froze. At first, he didn't recognize the sound, but soon realized that someone must be here to see him. That's odd. Maybe the super has something to say about the hot water or something...

The front door swung open and the last thing he expected was sitting there waiting for him. Drake looked like he had just run a marathon, hot and somewhat sweaty, while a huge brown box was laid next to him.

"Hey JJ," Drake grinned from the floor.

JJ was speechless. He stood there in his door frame just opening and closing his mouth with no words coming out. Drake took the initiative and stood up slowly, brushing himself off. "Um... can I come in for a second?"

"What are you doing here?" was the first thing to escape JJ's mouth, still standing firmly in his doorway.

"I... well... it's just that... I came to give you a present." Drake was fumbling for words and he knew it must have sounded stupid. All of a sudden he felt embarrassed. This isn't right, I shouldn't be here, what have I done?

"You didn't have to do that," JJ spoke softly.

"Whatever, just let me in, so I can give it to you okay?" Drake sighed.

"Yeah, okay." JJ finally moved aside so Drake could push his box into the open living area. Drake took a few moments to look around the apartment. Wow! was the only thought he could think of at the moment. JJ was obviously well endowed from outside the police work. It appeared to be a comfortable two bedroom flat, which was probably twice the size of Drake's own apartment.

"It's a really nice place you got," Drake wondered out loud.

"Thanks," JJ replied.

"So... uh... this is for you," Drake mumbled as he tapped the box lightly with his foot.

JJ slowly approached the box. It was making small noises and shaking slightly. Before JJ opened it up, he shot Drake a if-this-is-something-dangerous-I'll-get-you-back look, to which Drake just smiled and waved his hand for JJ to continue.

Kneeling down and pulling back the flaps that covered the box, JJ came face to face with a chocolate Labrador puppy. Both JJ and the puppy yelped at the same time, as JJ fell backwards on his butt and the puppy cowered in the other side of the box.

Laughing quietly, Drake reached into the box to pull out the dog and placed it into JJ's lap. JJ instantly closed his arms around the tiny animal to keep it in place.

Drake smiled and said, "Look, I knew you lived alone here so I decided to get you a friend. I mean, you've got that park close by so it won't be trouble finding a place for it to go to the bathroom or anything. I also brought..." Drake lifted a small bag from the box. "some dog food to start you off."

Drake began to become worried when JJ didn't say anything and his smile faltered a little.

"Uh... I just thought it would be a good idea because you know... you might get lonely or something because of Dee and... not like I'm saying you can't live by yourself because you can... it's just... I thought it was a good idea at the time," Drake eventually spat out. I am such an idiot. A dog is a big responsibility and I doubt JJ wanted anything else to worry about. Damnit! Why didn't I think this through longer?

"I can take her back if you want me to," he said as he searched JJ's eyes for something that could give him a hint as to what JJ was thinking.

Suddenly, JJ's blue eyes started to tear up. Slow, glistening beads fell from the corners of his eyes, down his cheeks. "No," he said while clutching the puppy to his chest.

"No?" Drake asked.

"No, I... I want to keep it, I mean uh him... or her," JJ choked out through his steady stream of tears.

"Really? Oh good... and it's a girl by the way," Drake said, relieved.

"Okay," JJ sniffed as he ran his hand down her back.

"Are you okay JJ?" Drake questioned sincerely.

"Yeah. Yeah, it's just that... thank you. Thank you so much, Drake." JJ took this opportunity to wipe his face with the back of his sleeve. This is the most thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for me in such a long time... such a long time...

"No problem JJ. Happy Birthday and... mine is on October the 16th," Drake beamed.

And for the first time in a long while, Drake saw JJ smile. Drake was taken aback by how JJ's smile lit up his entire face, which was still moist from crying. He noticed that JJ had this adorable dimple right above his left cheek and wondered why he had never picked up on that before. This is right. Making one of my friends happy is exactly what I'm supposed to be doing. I hope I can help to make all of his days better than before...

"And mine is... well... today," JJ chuckled, "August 22nd. Hey, that gives me an idea. I'll name her October, just so I won't forget."

"Hahaha, whatever you want JJ," Drake answered with amusement in his voice, "I've got to go. We both have to get up early for an extra few hours in the office tomorrow."

JJ set October down in her box as he walked Drake to the door.

"I just can't tell you how much that meant to me Drake," JJ whispered at the door, "And I'm sorry for this morning, that was uncalled for."

"Hey now... it's not just your fault. I was being an ass too and I'm sorry. Let's just get to know each other better okay? So, then fights like that won't happen again," Drake said as he stepped into the hallway."

"That sounds good to me," JJ stated from his position inside his apartment, "Thank you again Drake. You're a really good friend." And with that he shut the door, to turn his attention to the whimpering lab in her box. You are the cutest little thing. I'm going to take good care of you October. Perhaps the loneliness will fade, like Drake said. He picked her up and carried her to his bedroom and placed her on his queen sized bed. Ah, Drake, you really don't know how much you are beginning to mean to me.

Drake smirked to himself as he took the stairs two at a time on his way out. That was worth all the trouble I went through today. Just to see him that content. And maybe he'll make me some more French Roast coffee tomorrow...

A/N: YAY! That was a LONG chapter for me, but we're finally getting things rolling. This was a little (well a lot) sappy, but the next chapter is going to fun. The next chapter is my favorite chapter so stay tuned! And like the previous chapters, PLEASE REPLY! They keep me going if I know I've got someone who wants to read this fic!