I Can't Explain
# CW: I think I got ten reviews today! TEN! Thanks so much, reviewers (tell your fanfic friends – I wanna make it up to over 50 reviews to beat Crystal Ball). BTW, out of that ten, four (I think) people said they hate me. Well, be like that! If you don't like me, you won't wanna read my story! Just kidding. Here's the next instalment - #
Mai sat frozen in bed as the tall man approached, stepping over Joey's body as if it were just something littering the floor.
He raised his gun so it was level with her head.
Mai found herself screaming, 'FINE! JUST FUCKING SHOOT ME! AT LEAST I WON'T BE ALONE, WHEREVER I'M GOING! YOU'LL PAY! YOU'LL PAY WHEN THEY FIND OUT!'
Mai had no idea who 'they' were, but she didn't care at that point in time. Joey was dead, and she was about to join him. Joey was dead.
Mai closed her eyes. This was it.
She heard the click of the trigger, but nothing more. She opened her eyes.
The man stood there, his gun still raised. He clicked the trigger a couple more times. Nothing happened.
He swore and hurried back to the window, vaulting over the sill into the street.
Mai realised what had happened. Joey had made the guy use up all his ammo on him. Joey had taken the bullet for Mai.
Mai climbed out of bed and crawled over to Joey. On an impulse, she took his hand and held it to her face, stroking it gently. It was still warm.
Mai lay down beside Joey, hugging him to her as if he would vanish if she didn't.
Then a small voice in her ear said 'Is he gone yet?'
Mai cried out, then began to laugh.
Joey hadn't died. He was pretending he had been shot when the guy had used up all his ammo, in the hope that he would leave him alone. He would then have no time to kill Mai with his own two hands, because the hospital security would be coming.
'He's gone alright.' Smiled Mai. 'It was a miracle he missed you.' Suddenly, her face changed entirely. 'You had me worried sick, Joseph! You know I really thought you were dead?'
Joey laughed nervously.
'It was for your own good, Mai.' He said. 'I saved you.'
'The best thing you could've done would be to save yourself for me.' Said Mai without thinking.
'Wha'?' Joey raised an eyebrow.
'Never mind.' Smiled Mai. 'Hey, uh, what's that hard thing in your pants?'
'Er – not what you think.' Replied Joey. He pulled the necklace's case out of his pocket.
'I got this for - ' began Joey, but he was cut off as two security guards and a doctor came hurrying into the room.
'Is anybody hurt?' asked a security guard.
'Duh! This is a hospital!' sneered Mai.
'We heard gunshots.' Explained the doctor. 'What happened?'
'A guy came in through the window.' Joey indicated the broken pane. 'He tried to shoot Mai but - '
'- But then Joey saved me.' Interrupted Mai. 'He made the guy run out of ammunition, so he ran away.'
'You should have stayed in bed.' Tutted the doctor. 'What were you thinking – that you could defeat the bad guy with severe burns and a fractured ankle?'
'I - ' Mai glanced at Joey. 'I guess I just wasn't thinking.'
The doctor peered over his glasses at her. 'I guess we'll have to contact the police.' he said, as if it were Mai's fault.
Joey hid the case again in disappointment.
'So the guy jumped in through the window and threatened you with a gun?' Clive and PC Maun were back, along with a few of their colleagues and a couple of guys from forensics who were presently scouring the room for evidence.
'Pretty much.' Replied Mai, who was now standing with the assistance of a crutch. 'At least, I think he jumped. I was facing the other way when he came in.'
'Ok.' Clive jotted this down in his book. 'And you, Mr Wheeler. What did you see?'
'Uh, I'd gone to town.' Said Joey to the dark haired inspector. 'When I came in, the guy was threatening Mai so I guess I just jumped at him.'
'Can you explain to us the reason for your departure?' asked Clive.
Joey looked blank.
'Can you tell us why you went into town?' PC Maun translated.
Joey reached into his pocket and brushed the necklace case gently with his fingertips.
'Not at the moment, sorry.' He said, glancing at Mai. He wasn't ready to tell her he'd gone into town for her.
The inspectors looked at each other. Joey wondered if he'd said something suspicious.
'Can either of you describe the man?' asked PC Maun.
'He was wearing a balaclava.' Explained Mai. 'I wouldn't be able to recognise him.'
'He was tall, though.' Added Joey. 'Real tall. Over six foot, I think.'
The officers looked at one another again.
It was a doctor who broke the deadly silence by bustling in with a load of papers in his hands.
He looked round at the policemen and nodded politely, then turned to Mai.
'Miss Valentine, um, we feel it is time now for you to leave the hospital. You understand of course, that we can't put our other patients at risk.'
Mai nodded.
'But where'll I go?' she asked. 'My place is burnt to the ground.'
Clive looked particularly pleased with himself.
'Ah, not to worry.' He said, as if he was an action hero who had just beat the bad guy. 'We've got that sort - '
'You can stay with me!' Joey erupted accidentally.
The whole room went quiet.
Joey went very red.
'Uh, what I meant to say was, uh, if – if you, uh, if you don't have anywhere to go, uh, I would more than gladly let you stay in my room – I mean in my house, in a room in my house. Yeah. Helpin' out a friend. Yeah, that's it.'
'I didn't catch a word of that.' Said Mai.
'I was just wondering if you wanted to, uh, stay at my place until everything's sorted.' Said Joey.
Mai didn't know what to say.
'Joey, I - '
'O' course, you don't have to - '
'But Joey, I - '
'I understand, Mai. I mean, who would wanna sleep in the same house as a guy who snores like a foghorn and has an alcoholic father?'
'No, really - '
'It's Ok. It was only a thought. You need a proper place to sleep - '
'JOEY I WANT TO SLEEP WITH YOU!' bawled Mai.
The policemen all stared, and a couple of junior officers burst out laughing.
It was Mai's turn to go red.
'I mean – I mean I want to stay with you.' Replied Mai. 'Thanks for the offer. I could really use a real house now.'
Joey smiled slightly.
'Uh, can I have a word with you?' Joey asked Mai quietly.
'Sure.' Mai raised her eyebrows. 'Out in the corridor, Ok?'
Mai, led the way, unsteady on her crutch. Joey followed.
He shut the door behind them.
'Hey, Mai, uh - ' Joey reached into his pocket. 'What you felt before, uh, it was this.' He produced the box for the necklace. 'I was kinda nervous about givin' it to ya, 'cos it would look like I – er – liked you more than I do.' Joey winced. That sounded cruel. 'Get well present.' He handed the case to her.
Mai opened it and her eyes instantly welled up with tears.
'Wha'? Don't you like it?' Joey shifted from one foot to the other.
He leapt a foot in the air when Mai threw her arms round him.
'It's absolutely – oh, I don't know, it's perfect! Jesus, this sounds like some sort of cheesy movie, but I don't give a shit! It's beautiful, Joey.' She let go of him reluctantly. 'Whoa. That was so not me.' She muttered.
'I didn't, uh, think you'd like it that much - ' mumbled Joey.
'Joey, you do realise this is the first present I've had for four years, don't you?' said Mai.
'I hope it's Ok, then.' Said Joey, hoping futilely that she would hug him again.
'Joey, trust me. It's the best ever.' She smiled.
Mai pulled the necklace out of its case and put it on.
Joey had thought it looked beautiful on its own, but hanging around Mai's slender throat it looked perfect. It really brought out the deep violet of her eyes –
Oh, great. Now Joey was stuck like this. This happened occasionally – he accidentally looked into Mai's eyes and it was as if they were magnetised. There was a force holding his gaze to Mai's and he couldn't help but look deeper and deeper.
He always managed to resist though, before he was completely submerged in the feeling ...
# CW: Aww! I am sooo soppy. I think it's 'cos I'm jealous that Joey Mai actually have a love life! Anyway, I've had this idea of putting up 'review votes', where I give my readers a topic and they have to vote on it. This upgrade's topic is: TRISTAN OR DUKE – WHICH DUDE IS YOUR FAVOURITE? I chose this simply because they're hardly ever talked about. Ok, so the first dude to ten votes wins. Oh yeah, and the reviewer with the best reason wins (not a prize, just acknowledgement!) Happy voting!!! #
# CW: I think I got ten reviews today! TEN! Thanks so much, reviewers (tell your fanfic friends – I wanna make it up to over 50 reviews to beat Crystal Ball). BTW, out of that ten, four (I think) people said they hate me. Well, be like that! If you don't like me, you won't wanna read my story! Just kidding. Here's the next instalment - #
Mai sat frozen in bed as the tall man approached, stepping over Joey's body as if it were just something littering the floor.
He raised his gun so it was level with her head.
Mai found herself screaming, 'FINE! JUST FUCKING SHOOT ME! AT LEAST I WON'T BE ALONE, WHEREVER I'M GOING! YOU'LL PAY! YOU'LL PAY WHEN THEY FIND OUT!'
Mai had no idea who 'they' were, but she didn't care at that point in time. Joey was dead, and she was about to join him. Joey was dead.
Mai closed her eyes. This was it.
She heard the click of the trigger, but nothing more. She opened her eyes.
The man stood there, his gun still raised. He clicked the trigger a couple more times. Nothing happened.
He swore and hurried back to the window, vaulting over the sill into the street.
Mai realised what had happened. Joey had made the guy use up all his ammo on him. Joey had taken the bullet for Mai.
Mai climbed out of bed and crawled over to Joey. On an impulse, she took his hand and held it to her face, stroking it gently. It was still warm.
Mai lay down beside Joey, hugging him to her as if he would vanish if she didn't.
Then a small voice in her ear said 'Is he gone yet?'
Mai cried out, then began to laugh.
Joey hadn't died. He was pretending he had been shot when the guy had used up all his ammo, in the hope that he would leave him alone. He would then have no time to kill Mai with his own two hands, because the hospital security would be coming.
'He's gone alright.' Smiled Mai. 'It was a miracle he missed you.' Suddenly, her face changed entirely. 'You had me worried sick, Joseph! You know I really thought you were dead?'
Joey laughed nervously.
'It was for your own good, Mai.' He said. 'I saved you.'
'The best thing you could've done would be to save yourself for me.' Said Mai without thinking.
'Wha'?' Joey raised an eyebrow.
'Never mind.' Smiled Mai. 'Hey, uh, what's that hard thing in your pants?'
'Er – not what you think.' Replied Joey. He pulled the necklace's case out of his pocket.
'I got this for - ' began Joey, but he was cut off as two security guards and a doctor came hurrying into the room.
'Is anybody hurt?' asked a security guard.
'Duh! This is a hospital!' sneered Mai.
'We heard gunshots.' Explained the doctor. 'What happened?'
'A guy came in through the window.' Joey indicated the broken pane. 'He tried to shoot Mai but - '
'- But then Joey saved me.' Interrupted Mai. 'He made the guy run out of ammunition, so he ran away.'
'You should have stayed in bed.' Tutted the doctor. 'What were you thinking – that you could defeat the bad guy with severe burns and a fractured ankle?'
'I - ' Mai glanced at Joey. 'I guess I just wasn't thinking.'
The doctor peered over his glasses at her. 'I guess we'll have to contact the police.' he said, as if it were Mai's fault.
Joey hid the case again in disappointment.
'So the guy jumped in through the window and threatened you with a gun?' Clive and PC Maun were back, along with a few of their colleagues and a couple of guys from forensics who were presently scouring the room for evidence.
'Pretty much.' Replied Mai, who was now standing with the assistance of a crutch. 'At least, I think he jumped. I was facing the other way when he came in.'
'Ok.' Clive jotted this down in his book. 'And you, Mr Wheeler. What did you see?'
'Uh, I'd gone to town.' Said Joey to the dark haired inspector. 'When I came in, the guy was threatening Mai so I guess I just jumped at him.'
'Can you explain to us the reason for your departure?' asked Clive.
Joey looked blank.
'Can you tell us why you went into town?' PC Maun translated.
Joey reached into his pocket and brushed the necklace case gently with his fingertips.
'Not at the moment, sorry.' He said, glancing at Mai. He wasn't ready to tell her he'd gone into town for her.
The inspectors looked at each other. Joey wondered if he'd said something suspicious.
'Can either of you describe the man?' asked PC Maun.
'He was wearing a balaclava.' Explained Mai. 'I wouldn't be able to recognise him.'
'He was tall, though.' Added Joey. 'Real tall. Over six foot, I think.'
The officers looked at one another again.
It was a doctor who broke the deadly silence by bustling in with a load of papers in his hands.
He looked round at the policemen and nodded politely, then turned to Mai.
'Miss Valentine, um, we feel it is time now for you to leave the hospital. You understand of course, that we can't put our other patients at risk.'
Mai nodded.
'But where'll I go?' she asked. 'My place is burnt to the ground.'
Clive looked particularly pleased with himself.
'Ah, not to worry.' He said, as if he was an action hero who had just beat the bad guy. 'We've got that sort - '
'You can stay with me!' Joey erupted accidentally.
The whole room went quiet.
Joey went very red.
'Uh, what I meant to say was, uh, if – if you, uh, if you don't have anywhere to go, uh, I would more than gladly let you stay in my room – I mean in my house, in a room in my house. Yeah. Helpin' out a friend. Yeah, that's it.'
'I didn't catch a word of that.' Said Mai.
'I was just wondering if you wanted to, uh, stay at my place until everything's sorted.' Said Joey.
Mai didn't know what to say.
'Joey, I - '
'O' course, you don't have to - '
'But Joey, I - '
'I understand, Mai. I mean, who would wanna sleep in the same house as a guy who snores like a foghorn and has an alcoholic father?'
'No, really - '
'It's Ok. It was only a thought. You need a proper place to sleep - '
'JOEY I WANT TO SLEEP WITH YOU!' bawled Mai.
The policemen all stared, and a couple of junior officers burst out laughing.
It was Mai's turn to go red.
'I mean – I mean I want to stay with you.' Replied Mai. 'Thanks for the offer. I could really use a real house now.'
Joey smiled slightly.
'Uh, can I have a word with you?' Joey asked Mai quietly.
'Sure.' Mai raised her eyebrows. 'Out in the corridor, Ok?'
Mai, led the way, unsteady on her crutch. Joey followed.
He shut the door behind them.
'Hey, Mai, uh - ' Joey reached into his pocket. 'What you felt before, uh, it was this.' He produced the box for the necklace. 'I was kinda nervous about givin' it to ya, 'cos it would look like I – er – liked you more than I do.' Joey winced. That sounded cruel. 'Get well present.' He handed the case to her.
Mai opened it and her eyes instantly welled up with tears.
'Wha'? Don't you like it?' Joey shifted from one foot to the other.
He leapt a foot in the air when Mai threw her arms round him.
'It's absolutely – oh, I don't know, it's perfect! Jesus, this sounds like some sort of cheesy movie, but I don't give a shit! It's beautiful, Joey.' She let go of him reluctantly. 'Whoa. That was so not me.' She muttered.
'I didn't, uh, think you'd like it that much - ' mumbled Joey.
'Joey, you do realise this is the first present I've had for four years, don't you?' said Mai.
'I hope it's Ok, then.' Said Joey, hoping futilely that she would hug him again.
'Joey, trust me. It's the best ever.' She smiled.
Mai pulled the necklace out of its case and put it on.
Joey had thought it looked beautiful on its own, but hanging around Mai's slender throat it looked perfect. It really brought out the deep violet of her eyes –
Oh, great. Now Joey was stuck like this. This happened occasionally – he accidentally looked into Mai's eyes and it was as if they were magnetised. There was a force holding his gaze to Mai's and he couldn't help but look deeper and deeper.
He always managed to resist though, before he was completely submerged in the feeling ...
# CW: Aww! I am sooo soppy. I think it's 'cos I'm jealous that Joey Mai actually have a love life! Anyway, I've had this idea of putting up 'review votes', where I give my readers a topic and they have to vote on it. This upgrade's topic is: TRISTAN OR DUKE – WHICH DUDE IS YOUR FAVOURITE? I chose this simply because they're hardly ever talked about. Ok, so the first dude to ten votes wins. Oh yeah, and the reviewer with the best reason wins (not a prize, just acknowledgement!) Happy voting!!! #