Chapter 2
I'll do Anything

# CW: Ok, I ain't got much to say, so here we go! #

'How you feelin'?' asked Joey after a couple of minutes of silence.

'I've been better.' Mai raised herself onto her elbows again. She was still breathing heavily, and Joey could see that the furrow in her brow was holding back tears.

'D'you want - ?' began Joey, but he was interrupted by the screaming siren of a fire truck whizzing along the road. It was closely followed by an ambulance.

The firemen leapt out of the truck, dragging hoses towards the blaze.

A few medics stepped out of the ambulance and hurried up to the two teenagers.

'It's Ok, kids.' Said one gently, the same way a dentist talks to a three- year-old who's about to have a filling. 'I think you better come back to the hospital. You've probably breathed in a lot of smoke and got lots of burns, huh? You, young lady, look like you've had one heck of a time.'

'Don't patronize me!' snapped Mai through gritted teeth. 'Anyway, I don't need a hospital. I'm fine.'

'Mai, you can't walk.' Muttered Joey.

'I haven't tried.' Retorted Mai.

'Still, I think it would - '

'Fine.' Snapped Mai. 'I'll go, but you're coming with me.'

Joey, very taken aback, helped Mai to the ambulance (she had refused to be carried on a stretcher), and climbed in after her.
'Hey.'

'Hey.'

It was the next day, and Joey had been allowed out of the hospital as long as he remembered to keep his fluids up as much as possible and change his bandages once a day.

He had returned to visit Mai, who hadn't been so lucky.

The burn on her leg had been severe, and the opposite leg had actually been fractured at the ankle because of the way the beam had struck her on the shin, which was badly bruised.

Her ankle was now in a cast, and she didn't look in the best of shape.

'Uh, it's not much, but I brought you - ' Joey handed her a card and a bouquet that he had being trying unsuccessfully to hide behind his back. 'I know you're not exactly a flower person, but it's the best I could do at short notice.'

Mai tried to sneer, but something inside her told her that this wasn't the time. Joey, in his own little bumbling way, way trying to show her he cared.

You've done the same for him, remember? said her brain. That time at Duellist Kingdom when Bandit Keith stole his entry card? What did you give him yours for, huh?

Mai waved the little voice away and turned to Joey.

'Thanks, kid. I appreciate it.' She said.

Joey glowed with pride.

'Mai, uh, when you were trapped beneath that beam,' Joey began to stutter, 'I, well, I didn't know what I was doing. I – I, well, all I could think about was - '

There was a gentle knock at the door. Joey leapt up suddenly, realising just how close he had gotten to Mai's face.

The kindly-faced doctor strolled into the room, followed by two police officers.

'Mai Valentine and Joey Wheeler?' inquired the female officer.

The teenagers nodded in unison.

'We were brought in to investigate the possibilities of, if you'll excuse my being so blunt, arson.' Continued the officer.

Joey looked blank.

'Arson?' he grunted.

'Arson, Mr Wheeler, is the act of setting fire to a building in order to damage its contents, or,' she looked across swiftly at Mai. 'Its inhabitants.'

'So – basically some bozo tried to barbecue Mai.' Joey nodded in understanding.

The male officer coughed pointedly. 'On with the investigation I think, Inspector Maun.'

Inspector Maun rolled her eyes and turned to Joey and Mai.

'Were you two in the house together last night?' she asked.

'If you're suggesting - ' Mai began, but Joey put a gentle hand on her shoulder to silence her and answered the question himself.

'No. Mai was in there and I was walkin' along the street when I heard this smash, and then this noise, like - ' Joey threw his arms dramatically in the air. 'WHOOMPH! Then I looked and saw fire in a room in the house and I started to run for help, but then I realised it was Mai's house, so I ran in to help.'

'Mr Wheeler, do you know how serious the situation could have become?' the officer looked sternly at him with her hands on her hips as if scorning a little kid for throwing stones.

'Oh, so this isn't serious?' snapped Joey.

'That's exactly what I mean Mr Wheeler, and I wouldn't take that tone of voice if I were you.' Replied the policewoman. 'The situation could have escalated so intensely that one, or both, of your lives could have been lost. Your original idea to run for help was the most sensible, but you must never EVER run into a burning building no matter WHAT is inside.'

'I'm sorry.' Muttered Joey. 'I guess I wasn't thinking.'

'Don't apologise to me. Apologise to Miss Valentine. The fire brigade could have had the fire out and her rescued in minutes if you'd just called them.'

'That's not true!' Joey's eyebrows shot up as he registered that Mai was backing him up. 'If Joey had stayed out there to call the fire brigade, the beam would still have fallen, and I'd be crushed and burning! He saved my life, and if you knew me, you'd know that takes a lot to admit.'

'I apologise, Miss Valentine.' The policewoman bowed her head politely. 'Now, where were you when the fire started?'

'I was in the kitchen.' Said Mai. 'I heard a smash and an explosion from the dining room just next door. I opened the door to investigate and a load of flames rushed into my face. There's no back way from the kitchen, and the window panes are too small to climb through, so I just hid under the table and watched the fire catch all around me.'

'Was there anyone else in the house?'

'No. I was alone.'

'Had anyone been there earlier that day?'

'Only the postman. I don't tend to mingle.'

'Mr Wheeler.' The policewoman turned to Joey. 'What brought you to Lamberth Avenue that night.'

Joey shrugged. 'I was jus' roamin'.' he said. 'I was gonna stay at my bud's house, but him an' all my udda friends're gone campin'.'

'Why couldn't you stay at your home, Mr Wheeler?' enquired the policewoman.

'This will be confidential stuff, yeah? Off the record?'

'Fine with me, Mr Wheeler, as long as you have a reason. You don't mind Miss Valentine hearing, do you?'

Joey blushed slightly. "Bout time she heard, I guess.'

The cops waited patiently.

'It's my Pop. He gets drunk, he gets angry, he gives me the boot for the night, Ok?'

'Mr Wheeler, if there is any threatening or abuse going on, I'd prefer it if we were at least alerted, just in case something serious happens.'

Joey felt as if a snake was writhing in his stomach.

He gave a nervous laugh.

'Hell, no! My Pop wouldn't hurt a fly.' Lied Joey. 'He doesn't so much give me the boot as ask me to give him some space. He gets depressed about Mom when he drinks.'

The police officers didn't look convinced, but they nodded.

'So you are certain you both heard a smash and an explosion?' asked the policewoman as the policeman stood in the backdrop, scribbling into a notebook.

Mai and Joey nodded.

'In that order?'

Mai and Joey nodded again.

There was suddenly a crackling from the policeman's radio.

'Triton four-zero-one-three, come in!' It blared.

'He-llo?' the cop reached for the radio.

'Forensics is here, Clive.' Crackled the radio. 'Found a gem. The point of explosion has been discovered in the dining room, along with the remnants of an exploded petrol bomb. Over.'

'Thank you, Wilson. Over and out.' Replied Clive. He turned to the others. 'Looks like that was no accidental fire.'

'Did either of you see anyone heading to the house that night?' asked PC Maun. 'Or running away?'

Both of them shook their heads.

Clive finished scribbling notes in his book. 'Well, I think that's just about all we need to know. Just one more thing, Miss Valentine. I know this may be a difficult question to answer, but do you know anyone who may want you dead?'

Mai gave a snort of laughter, but you could virtually see Joey's ears steaming.

'Cut her some slack, man! Jesus, she's in a hospital beg with a broken ankle - '

'Fractured.' Corrected Mai.

' – Fractured ankle, and you're asking her to tell you the name of her potential murderer? Gimme a break! She doesn't need to think about this sorta thing right now!'

'On the contrary, if someone has attempted to murder Miss Valentine, they may well try it again, and she must be on her guard. In the same way, so must we. So that's probably the thing she needs to think about most at the moment.'

'No. No, you're leaving now.' Joey ushered the out of the door. 'Mai needs rest and the last thing she wants to think about is dying. If some maniac's after her, man, they're gonna get more than they bargained for if I'm on the scene. Leave! Now!'

The cops stumbled out of the room. Clive turned to Joey.

'This is a police matter. Please stop trying to be the hard guy and allow us to continue with our investigation.'

'Clive!' PC Maun shot him a warning glance.

Clive tipped his hat grumpily at Joey and stormed off.

Mai burst out laughing. 'Kill me? Man, I can think of so many people who have more than likely fantasised about killing me, but actually doing it – I mean, how many people say 'yes, I know who wants to kill me' and pulls a mile long list out their butt?'

Joey's expression remained dark.

'Mai, don't let them ask you shit like that. You tell them in your own free time, and don't go dwelling over it, huh?'

'Joey, stop treating me like a kid.'

'I'm sorry. I just don't want you to be worried - '

'I know - ' Mai lay back, staring at the ceiling. Her eyes were becoming more and more shiny, and Joey suddenly realised they were filling with tears.

'Hey! Hey, Mai, this isn't like you at all!' he hurried over to her bedside, unsure of what to do.

'What isn't?' Mai was biting her lip, trying not to show her distress.

'Don't pretend you're not upset, Mai.' Joey carefully took her hand, trying not to make it mean too much. He gave it a reassuring squeeze. 'Don't keep it bottled up. I think what you need more than anythin' is a good cry. You never show your feelings, and I reckon it's about time you dropped yer barriers, huh?'

'Joey, I know this sounds pathetic.' Said Mai, still fiercely holding back tears. 'But I – I don't wanna die!'

She suddenly burst into tears.

Joey, who usually hated it when girls started blubbing, knew it must be too much for her to hold in.

He gently eased her upright for a hug and she drooped over his shoulder, her arms limp at her sides, muttering into his T-shirt, just saying anything she could to get it all off her chest.

Not knowing what he was doing, Joey stroked her silky cheek, his face buried in her golden hair, murmuring to her.

'Ssh. It's Ok, Mai. You're tired. You've had a real shock and you're hurt and you need someone here for you. You're strong, Mai. You could handle everything on your own, I know, but I just wanna be here for you. Ssh. Go to sleep, Mai. Get some rest. I'll always be here. Go to sleep - '

His voice trailed off as Mai's body relaxed completely, and she sunk onto her pillow, asleep. The tears still stood out, warm and silvery on her cheeks. Joey stroked them away with one bandaged hand and looked down.

Mai's sleep-stiff fingers were closed round the other.

# CW: Aw! I gotta say, this is the most intense Joey x Mai fic I've ever done. It's cute how these things can get so obvious and neither of them realises how the other one feels. I don't think they even know how they feel themselves! #