Stay With Me

- Lie to Me -

By: Lil' Amethyst Angel

Warnings: Slight swearing, shounen-ai, slight violence, and mentions of past abuse.

It had been just over two months since JJ first left the hospital. Things had returned to normal at work quickly and JJ didn't have to put up a happy front anymore. He truly was happy. JJ liked living with Drake and Drake, also, enjoyed having JJ as a roommate. Neither had even thought about the possibility of JJ finding a place of his own.

JJ and Drake had grown closer, which also benefited their partnership as officers. JJ relied on Drake's comfort when he was feeling low and drew strength and reassurance from him. Drake found JJ's smiles and companionship brightened his days, as clichéd as that sounded.

Drake made sure that he never made his partner feel like a burden and didn't baby him. JJ took the role of cleaning the apartment as Drake, who was usually very organized and tidy in the precinct, was somewhat messy at home.

Of course, the partners also had fun together. They found that they both like action movies and video games. The two officers spent hours sitting in front of a screen trying beat each other up, shoot each other down, or defeat each other in whatever way the game dictated. Though, JJ won at shooting games most of the time. That's not to say that Drake wasn't a good challenge. He had quick reflexes that at first caught the lavender-haired man by surprise (you would think JJ would have noticed his partner's reflexes sooner considering their job) and made for some interesting games.

As time went on the two men found themselves wanting to be partners in every sense of the word. Both had started to develop feelings for the other, but neither would admit to it. Drake didn't want to ruin their professional relationship and something always held JJ back. That something was Sean. Even though JJ had started to heal, finally beginning to believe that everything that had happened with Sean wasn't his fault and accept that Sean had hurt him, he still faced many times of doubt.

Things were definitely going well for the two officers, but Drake couldn't help being suspicious as to why Sean had never tried to contact JJ or returned. He figured the abusive writer was just a coward, but uneasiness still assaulted him now and then.

-

"I'm leaving now. I'll be back tomorrow morning. See ya then!" Drake waved as he left the apartment.

"Bye, Drake!" JJ called.

Drake was going to visit his sister for the evening. He would return the next morning in time for work.

JJ took a seat on the couch and flipped through channels until he gave up and shut the television off. He was about to go make some popcorn when a knock sounded at the door. He walked over and opened it, ready to tell some door-to-door salesperson off. He froze when he saw who was standing before him.

Finding his voice at last he spoke, "Sean."

"Hey, JJ." Sean offered a half-smile. "Can I come in?"

JJ didn't move. He wanted to say no, to tell Sean to leave him alone, but at the same time he wanted know why Sean left before. He needed the closure. So, JJ made his decision and stepped to the side to let his ex-lover enter.

Sean wandered into the living room with JJ at his heals.

"It's been a while. How've you been?" Sean asked, managing to sound sincere.

"Look, let's just get to the point. What do you want?" JJ demanded.

Sean's eyes narrowed slightly and the smile left his face. "I want to know why you left."

JJ's eyes widened. "You left me! Don't try to put this all on my shoulders!"

"You know I'd never leave you. I love you and I thought you loved me. But I guess I was wrong. You leave me to fuck him." He said referring to Drake.

JJ could see the familiar furious look taking over Sean.

"N-no. It's not like that. Drake and I aren't like that. And you're the one that left me!" JJ spoke firmly, no longer able to suppress his hurt.

"I didn't leave you! Your boyfriend," He spit the last word, "threatened me to stay away from you. I haven't been able to catch you alone until now."

"Drake? Drake told you to stay away from me? You didn't leave me?" JJ couldn't help feeling happy. He was glad that he wasn't the one to drive his lover away. Still, JJ knew it was ultimately a good thing that he had gotten away from Sean, but he the betrayal he felt at Drake making that decision for him overwhelmed his common sense.

"I told you I would never let you go. You're mine, JJ. You had no right to go behind my back like that with your little partner." Sean's possessiveness and anger grew and he starting advancing on the other man.

JJ backed up. Soon, the familiar feel of a fist bashing into his cheek assaulted him.

JJ couldn't protect himself against Sean since he could never bring himself to hit him. It would be wrong to hit Sean. They were lovers…well, ex-lovers. Not that Sean ever seemed to care about that little fact. The lavender-haired man just wasn't able to raise a fist against someone he cared about this much. Sean was only doing this because he thought JJ was cheating. JJ convinced himself that he would have been just as angry in the other's position, if he thought Sean had cheated on him.

"Sean, stop." JJ pleaded, duck another punch. "I'm not with Drake."

"But you want to be." Sean accused. The officer opened his mouth to protest, but nothing came out. It was true. JJ did want to be with Drake.

"It's your own fault for cheating on me." Sean spat.

JJ couldn't, and wouldn't argue with that. He betrayed Sean. They never did break up and JJ had started to forget about him, moving on. He deserved whatever Sean gave him. JJ closed his eyes as pain rained down upon him.

-

"JJ?" Drake shouted as he checked his bedroom. He had checked the other rooms, only to find his partner was not there. Drake figured he must have gone to work early and started to get ready himself.

-

Officer Jemmy J Adams left the commissioner's office and began to head over to his desk when he was stopped by someone calling his name.

"JJ! What the hell happened to you?" Dee exclaimed.

JJ was sporting a swollen, coloring cheek and what looked like red finger imprints on part of his neck.

JJ, knowing it was pointless to lie, sighed, "Can we talk about this privately?" He had noticed Dee's exclamation had earned the attention of several of their colleagues.

Dee nodded and followed JJ to the momentarily empty break room. JJ closed the door behind them and leaned against the counter as Dee took a seat.

"Sean came over last night." JJ said emotionlessly.

"What? He did that to do? I'll kill the fucker! I thought you left him! You can't go back to that!" Dee yelled only to be hushed by JJ.

"I didn't leave him. I was never given the opportunity." JJ hissed. Seeing the look of question on Dee's face he changed the subject, not wanting to dwell on Drake right now. "And I'm not going back to him. I can't, not anymore. I don't love Sean and the more I think about it the more I realize he doesn't love me either. He still has some control over me, I can't fight him. I can't raise a hand to him, but I don't want to be with him. Don't worry. Sean just wanted some revenge of sorts. He doesn't really want me back either."

Dee took a deep breath to calm down and ran a nervous hand through his dark hair.

Before anything else could be said between the two the door opened and Drake stepped through.

"Hey, guys. What's u- JJ, what happened to your face?" Drake's eyes widened taking in the sight of his partner.

"Sean stopped by last night." JJ continued before Drake could interrupt, seeing his anger. "Don't worry, he won't come back. He just wanted to visit and get some facts straight. Actually, he told me quite a few interesting things. Apparently he didn't leave me. Not on his own free will anyway."

JJ's eyes were clouded with fury and his stance was defensive, with arms crossed. Drake felt his mouth go dry.

"Look, JJ, I thought what I was doing was right at the time. He was hurting you and I was scared you were gonna go back to him a-and I thought it was bet. I was worried. I am your partner after all."

"That doesn't give you the right to make decisions for me! Oh, but don't worry, I talked to the commissioner this morning. We're not partners anymore." JJ bit out.

Drake felt like the air had been knocked out of him. He faintly heard Dee gasp slightly.

"JJ, please, you're not being reasonable-" Drake's voice was small.

"I am being reasonable. Trust is essential when you're partners. I can't trust you right now and apparently you don't trust me. If you did, you would have trusted me to make my own decision with Sean."

"No, JJ, that's not it!" Drake almost pleaded.

"Don't lie to me, Drake. You've done enough of that. Do you even care what you put me through? You saw me at my worst. You knew how much Sean leaving me messed me up. I thought it was my fault he left, that I had done something wrong, that I was totally unlovable. You caused me that pain. Even now, do you know how helpless and weak this makes me feel? I couldn't control my own life. I wasn't given the privilege of choosing who to be with. You chose for me!" JJ's voice had steadily rose through his speech until he was full out screaming at the other man.

Drake, as well as Dee, was speechless.

"Well, I should go clear out my desk. And I called my friend Crystal. I'm going to be moving in with her until I get my own place. I'll pack tonight."

With that, JJ left the two distressed officers behind as he packed up his belongings and changed desks.

-

JJ had left work early that night. He packed and moved out before Drake had arrived home.

JJ's new partner, Michael, was a nice enough guy, but the two didn't 'click' like JJ and Drake. The same went with Drake's new partner, Alicia (pronounced A-lees-ee-ah).

Dee and Ryo (whom had been informed of the argument in the break room by Dee) were both worried about their friends. JJ (very successfully) avoided Drake, who in turn was sinking deeper and deeper into despair.

JJ was still living with Crystal and Drake still lived alone. JJ was too stubborn to admit that he missed his former partner and could never bring himself to fully forgive Drake for putting him through everything he had. Drake had long ago realized how wrong he had been and had long ago given up hope of JJ ever accepting his apologies. As Drake saw it, he had just ruined not only his partnership with JJ, but their friendship and the possibility of a romantic relationship. To put it shortly, Drake thought that he had lost JJ for good and was crushed.

A month had passed since Sean's disruptive visit that caused all these changes.

-

A lavender-haired man stared blankly at the police reports sitting on the desk in front of him. It was the report Michael filled out earlier this morning on a break-and-enter and he was supposed to be checking it over. 'Supposed to be' the key words. JJ couldn't focus. His mind kept drifting to the officer who sat a few desks away, who was absently typing at his computer. JJ cast a glance at the light-haired man in front of the laptop. The man was none other then Drake.

JJ studied his ex-partner. His sandy hair fell limply around his face, long bangs casting shadows over his eyes. Drake held a haggard appearance with bags under his eyes. His uniform was in perfect order, as Drake was almost always a perfectionist when it came to work or anything work-related. Even with the slight distance as a barrier, JJ could see Drake's eyes. They always made JJ feel a stab of guilt. Drake's eyes, which once shone, now seemed dulled. JJ had always loved Drake's eyes. They were such a pretty shade of blue, which flashed green with strong emotion. He missed being able to stare into them.

The young officer's thoughts were interrupted by a light slap to the back of his head.

"C'mon, I wanna talk to you." A familiar deep voice spoke.

-

Dee leaned against the wall outside the precinct with a cigarette between his lips. JJ stood a few steps away, kicking around some pebbles. After taking one last drag Dee throws his cigarette to the ground and steps on it.

"I noticed you've been staring at Drake lately. Why don't you talk to him?"

JJ stayed silent.

"He's miserable. You know that. He's been trying to apologize for weeks. He never meant to hurt you, he was just being protective." Dee continued.

"I didn't need to be protected! I-" JJ snapped.

"Actually, you did." Dee effectively shut the other officer up. "Sean was hurting you and you were letting him. You wouldn't have left him if you were given the choice." Dee said, not unkindly.

"But, he shouldn't have done that. He could have at least told me. He knew that I thought it was all my fault and yet he never said anything." JJ's voice was significantly quieter and somewhat saddened.

"I know. He knows that and he regrets it. He hates himself for driving you away. It's killing him." Dee turned to re-enter the precinct. "I know you're hurting too. Talk to him. Forgive him. It will be better for the both of you."

JJ didn't follow Dee in, but sat down on the curb and let his thoughts run free.

-

Drake was getting ready to leave for his apartment. The precinct was almost deserted. Those who hadn't already gone home were patrolling. The night had engulfed the sky and it was dark outside. Another day had passed.

"Drake? Can I talk to you?" Drake froze at the sweet voice. That was the voice that he had dreamed of hearing for what seemed like forever now. That was the voice that he missed so much.

"Sure." Drake started to feel nervous. JJ hadn't really spoken to him, unless it was necessary for work purposes, since their fight.

"I wanted to apologize for being so hard on you. I was upset and you were the person I took it out on. I've been thinking and I realized, even though what you did hurt me, it probably saved me. And I…miss you, Drake." JJ finished softly.

Drake felt a huge smile break unto his face.

"I've missed you too." Drake continued in a more serious tone, "I really am sorry JJ. I never wanted to hurt you. I'm so sorry for everything."

"I know." JJ smiled slightly. His smile turned into a grin as an idea popped into his mind.

JJ promptly glomped Drake before the older man even knew what was happening,

"It's been forever since I've been able to do that." JJ pouted, still latched onto his colleague.

Dee, who was watching the display with amusement from around the corner, shook his head at Drake's looked which practically screamed 'help me'.

"Better you than me." Dee grinned. Dee felt arms wrap around his waist. He turned in surprise to see his lover.

"You talked to JJ. That's why he made up with Drake, right?" Ryo asked.

"Maybe." Dee grumbled, reluctant to admit he helped.

Ryo smiled, taking that as the affirmative.

"I'm glad you were able to snap JJ out of it." Ryo surprised his partner with a quick kiss. Dee stumbled surprised. Ryo rarely showed his affections publicly or initiates such acts.

"What was that for?"

"I just felt like it. C'mon, let's go home."

With one last look at their smiling colleagues, both Dee and Ryo knew that their friends would be alright now.

To Be Continued

Author's Note: My exams are done, so as a sort of celebration I wrote a new chapter. I feel kind of bad for leaving Ryo out, but I thought Dee would have a better connection with JJ. But I did manage to get a little Dee/Ryo moment in at the end. Anyway, Sean made his little come back, but will that be the last of him? Read and find out. ;) I'm already working on the second chapter. The story is coming to an end soon. :( I've grown so attached to it, too. Well, please continue to read and review!