Lennie struggled to keep eyes open as he and Rey sat in the car, watching the house, waiting for something to happen. It was close to midnight, and it had been quiet. Nothing was going on. Lennie felt warm and sleepy. He glanced at Rey and saw he was completely awake and alert, staring at the house. Doesn't he ever get tried ?Lennie wondered.
"Getting sleepy?" Rey asked with a grin.
"A little."
"It's going to be a long night. I don't think we're going to see any action here for a couple of hours," Rey observed.
"Probably not," Lennie agreed, leaning back in the seat and sighing.
"Lennie, I want to talk to you about something," Rey was hesitant and Lennie looked at him curiously. Rey never hesitated. He just spoke up no matter how delicate the subject or how ridiculous his opinion. "Why didn't you tell me about you and Jack?"
Lennie felt his heart drop into his stomach. He did NOT want to discuss this with Rey at the best of times. He was certainly not in the mood to discuss it with him while they were trapped together in a car. He wondered briefly if he should deny it. But Rey would not have even raised this subject if he was not fairly certain about it. Something had given away their secret. Lennie decided to go for the direct approach. "There's nothing to talk about. It's a private matter. I'm sorry if it disturbs your principles."
Rey struggled to control the anger that was growing inside of him. He did not understand how Lennie could treat him like an outsider. He felt betrayed by Lennie's lack of trust. "So, you don't trust me. You trust Logan, but you don't trust me," Rey replied in a very quiet voice.
"It's not that I don't trust you. It's just...wait a minute! How did you know Logan knew?" Lennie turned to Rey with an incredulous look on his face.
"I saw you three together, "Rey answered. "I could tell he knew. You three looked very comfortable together."
Lennie sighed. Rey could be a pain in the ass. There was not a woman around who couldn't pull the wool over his eyes, but when it came to other matters, Rey's instincts were so good they were deadly. Lennie was stuck for words. There was no doubt that Rey was hurt and betrayed by Lennie's lack of trust, but he also wondered if Rey was angry about his relationship with Jack.
"I don't know what to tell you. At first it was very new for both Jack and me. And then, then...well, Rey you know what happens to a gay cop around here. I didn't want ANYBODY to know. And quite frankly you know how you feel about things like this..." Lennie struggled with his words and then gestured with his hands helplessly.
"Goddamnit, Lennie!" Rey's dark eyes flashed with anger. "You know how I am with things like THIS? Like what? Like protecting a friend? Do you really think I would ever let you get hurt? That I would leave you to get ambushed in some alley? What is it? You think your friendship means so little to me that I'm going to stop talking to you or something?
"I would have found out eventually, Lennie. You two have moved in together. What were you going to do? Cut me out of your life?"
Again Lennie struggled for words, "You're right. I should have told you. I wasn't going to cut you off. Jeez, Rey, you KNOW how I am. If I don't have to deal with something directly, I don't deal with it at all. Ask my daughters if you don't believe me.
"I guess I knew I'd have to tell you sometime. Okay, you wanted honesty, here it is. I didn't want it to end our friendship. You know the Church is very important to you, and you don't like to go against its teachings. I didn't want to put you into that position."
"Please!" Rey snorted. "How do you think Deborah and I stopped having kids after Isabel? Do you think we gave up sex or something? If we used the rhythm method we'd have had fifty kids by now. I believe in the Church and I follow its teachings the best I can. But sometimes you have to make allowances. Besides, there is nothing in its teachings that says I have to cut off friends who live differently than I do."
"I'm sorry, Rey, you're right. I should have known better. I guess its still so new to me, I don't know what to expect anymore. To be honest, I feel a little paranoid about this."
Rey was calmer. "I'm not judging you. I just don't understand. Even if you are gay, don't you think you can do better than Jack McCoy?"
Lennie was incredulous, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"What do you think it means? McCoy's an asshole. Look I get it. You're here and you're queer. That's how you guys put it, yeah? But you can do a lot better than Jack McCoy. Actually, I think I may know someone."
Lennie winced, "Rey, I think I liked it better when you disapproved of me."
"Don't be stubborn, "Rey waved him off. "You know my brother-in-law, the doctor? Well he has a friend. The guy is a trauma surgeon, and he's just a bit younger than you. I've met him a couple times at my brother-in-law's house and he's a nice guy. He's gay and he was with someone, but they broke up. His partner couldn't handle all those long hours he worked. But you work crazy hours too, so that would be a problem."
"Christ, Rey! Am I on Candid Camera?" Lennie asked. He felt like he was in the Twilight Zone. Rey Curtis was trying to help him find a boyfriend.
"Hey, Lennie, this guy is a surgeon. He makes a lot of money. He's got a huge condo. Believe it or not, it has a view Empire State Building! And the guy's a golf fanatic, like you. You two could golf together, yeah?" Rey looked at Lennie encouragingly, then: "He's got a membership in one of those golf country clubs..."
"I am DEFINITELY in the Twilight Zone. I can even hear that creepy music. What the hell has gotten into you?"
"This coming from the guy who tried to get me in the sack with Lisa Lundquist instead of working on reconciling with Deborah," Rey muttered, then spoke louder. "What do you think has gotten into me? We watch out for one another. I'm trying to help you out. Why don't you come over for dinner and meet him at least?"
"I take it Deborah knows," Lennie said wearily.
"Of course she knows. I don't keep secrets from Deborah, it was her idea to introduce you to David."
"I don't believe this, "Lennie kept muttering, "I don't believe this." Lennie stopped and thought for a minute. "Hold on. I don't get it, what does Deborah have against Jack?"
"Nothing, Lennie, she doesn't even know him. I told her what a jerk he is and that's when she suggested that maybe we could find someone better for you."
"Okay, Rey, I know that you're trying to help, but well...I'll just say it plainly. I'm in love with Jack McCoy."
"Aw, jeez," Rey winced. "Did you have to put it like THAT? Now I'm going to have that picture running through my mind."
"Hey, you said you could handle the truth," Lennie smirked.
"I don't get it. McCoy's an asshole. He'll do anything or screw anyone to get what he wants. He doesn't care what's right, as long as he wins. You used to think he was an asshole too, what changed your mind?"
Lennie turned to Rey and asked him pointedly, "Why are you in love with Deborah?"
Rey was silent for a few minutes. He thought about all the difficulties he and Deborah had faced over the years. He thought of all the things they disagreed on, and yet his feelings for her were as strong as ever. "Okay, "he finally relented, "I DO understand."
They were both quiet again, and then Rey asked, "So do you and Jack want to come and have dinner with us? We can have a barbecue this weekend."
"Okay, sure. We've got nothing planned."
They fell silent again watching the house. Lennie shook his head, as he imagined Jack's face when he told him Rey knew.