Title: The Meaning of Pops

Author: Lady Jet

Rating: PG-14

Summery: Zenigata finds out a lot of things very quickly about Lupin the Third, most that surprise both the thief and the inspector.

Author's Note: I own nothing!

Chapter Five: Abandon Me

Lupin, Jigen and Goemon sat in front of a local coffee shop drinking in the sights as well as the news from around the world. The weather was cool but that didn't seem to stop the steady flow of tourists that came to the area just for the leaves. Lupin shook his head and went back to his reading as a bunch of loud kids came running into the area. What caught his eye though was a familiar figure walking slowly on the other side of the street.

"Holy Crap it's Pops!" Lupin choked out trying to hide his face even more from the trench coated cop.

"He tracked us down that quickly? Hey wait a second, Lupin that looks like a suitcase, and he doesn't exactly have the best look about him." Jigen's words popped into the thief's head like the words sex and money did.

"Huh?" Lupin watched and indeed saw that while the cop was in his usual uniform he was carrying a suitcase and his hat was off. As Lupin watched the cop seemed to have been either not sleeping well or very emotionally wrecked.

"Perhaps we should leave Lupin," said Goemon. Lupin frowned and shook his head.

"No, something's up. Pops' got the eyes of a hawk when it comes to me, he should have spotted me anyway." Folding up the newspaper the thief got up and walked over towards the cop.

"Don't bother Lupin," Zenigata said as he heard Lupin's fast steps come up behind him. He didn't even bother turning around.

"Pops? What's wrong? You okay? I mean, hell, you almost walked right past me and didn't even so much as try to take out your cuffs!"

"That's because I'm off your case," came the reply. Lupin blinked and stood in shock.

"They...they fired you? How could they do that? How could you let them? I mean c'mon you're the only one whose ever gotten close to catching me!"

"They didn't fire me, you punk, I resigned. I'm old Lupin. I'm almost forty two. I'm not chasing you forever. It's time I actually went home, there's nothing left to do now anyway." The man still kept his back to the thief. Lupin looked extremely hurt and put a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Zenigata, you're...you're giving up? Why? C'mon! If it means that much to you, you can catch me right now!" The hat was placed on the graying buzz cut head and the shoulders slumped.

"It's family business Lupin, I'm not going to jeopardize this case any more, now that I know," a weak and very un-Zenigata-like voice said. Lupin knew that there were tears in those eyes and tried himself not to break up. "I'm just glad that I got to know you through these games. I've got to go Lupin, there's a lot of things I have to do before I head back to Japan. Good bye Arsene." Lupin blinked and watched in shock as the cop pulled away from his hand. Never once had the Interpol officer called him by his first name. He didn't know why, but Lupin felt abandoned.

"P-Pops...?" he asked weakly as the figure continued to walk away and fade into another crowd of tourists; leaving Lupin there to stare in confusion at his long time rival and quite possibly friend under it all.

Lupin sat in stunned silence as the others mulled over what had happened in the plaza.

"I can't believe it. It has to be some kind of trick!" Fujiko said looking at Jigen and Goemon.

"It's not," Lupin said coldly his chin on his chest. The tension around him was about to snap and everyone made sure to steer clear. "THAT DAMN BASTARD ABANDONED ME!" he yelled as he stood up and slammed his fists into the table. Where some may have seen a man pissed about his rival giving up, Jigen Goemon and Fujiko saw a man who was betrayed, and hurting.

"Lupin, maybe this is for the best. Maybe now it will be easier to..."

"I don't WANT it to be easy! Damn it Zenigata was the only guy who came close to catching me! He made it fun to steal! He was the reason why I started sending out the notes! When he came onto my case, it made it more fun," the young man sat heavily back in his chair covering his face that was now stained with tears. "I cared about him...I know this sounds stupid but, he was like a father to me." Fujiko went over and gently pried one of Lupin's callused hands from his face and held it.

"We all felt that way about him. Look we just have to move on, it's not like he's dead. He just retired. Maybe to go and spend time with his family or start a new life." Lupin looked up and blinked his tears away, the gears in his head turning.

"Wait...wait a second! He said something about his family, and also something about jeopardizing the investigation on me 'now that he knew'. Something's up here, Pops is hiding something from me. From everyone."

"Lupin wait!" Jigen's words were too late as the lanky thief ran out the door, not bothering to say good bye. "Damn it. That kid's gonna get himself killed. You coming Goemon?"

"Do I have any choice?" the samurai asked standing up.

"I'm coming too. Lupin may be a pain in the ass, but he's my pain in the ass," Fujiko grabbed her bag and followed the others out, closing the door behind them.