Somewhere in Between
Chapter 1 – Man's Best Friend
Two months later…
Dee glanced across at his lover and frowned. Ryo looked nervous and he couldn't for the life of him work out why. As the day had gone by, Dee had started to notice a pattern. When he left their office, Ryo would be wading through the mountains of paperwork that had never gone down since they'd returned from their honeymoon over two months previously, but when he came back, Ryo would be on the phone, making a call that would end almost as soon as Dee stepped through the door. Then there was the guilty look that followed the setting down of the receiver. Dee knew it well; only this time Ryo hadn't shrunk his favourite shirt or made plans for them to go out when there was a Knicks game on TV. Something was going on, and Dee had no idea what it was.
In his heart, he knew it wouldn't be a bad thing; Ryo would never hurt him and he trusted him with his life, but twinges of paranoia, an almost forgotten symptom of his PTSD would occasionally cause him to doubt himself. The therapy he had received in England helped him deal with those infrequent blips, but it still preyed on his mind on the rare occasions when Ryo was keeping something from him.
Come to think of it, Ryo had been mysterious on several occasions over the last month. Shaking his head in frustration, Dee pushed himself out of his chair and headed for the door.
"Going for coffee," he muttered to no one in particular. Drake was coming in as he left the room and he nodded a greeting as he passed the other man, which wasn't returned.
"What's up with him?" Drake asked, frowning at Ryo as he sat down.
Ryo looked concerned. "He suspects something. I should really tell him, Drake. I don't want him to think it's something bad."
Drake understood the blond's concerns but still shook his head. "It's only one more day, Ryo. Don't tell him. Trust me, it'll be worth it."
Ryo smiled eventually, trying to imagine his husband's expression when all would be revealed. "I hope so."
The day in question dawned clear and bright. Thursday, the seventeenth of November and also Dee's thirtieth birthday. Lovemaking had been the first item on the birthday boy's agenda and Ryo had willingly obliged, ensuring that his lover left their bed with a huge smile on his face as they dressed for work. As they ate breakfast, Dee opened cards and presents that had arrived steadily over the course of the last few days.
From Bicky and Cal, Dee received a New York Knicks jersey with 'McLain' across the back above a large number thirty. Dee laughed as he held it up before opening the present Ryo slid across the table towards him. It was a denim jacket; an expensive one that he'd seen several weeks ago when they were out shopping together. It had fitted like a dream when he'd tried it on but he'd put it back on the rack, citing the cost despite casting several long lingering glances at it through the shop window as they walked away. The fact that Ryo remembered how much he had wanted it and had gone back afterwards made Dee smile.
"Thanks, baby," he said with a grin, hugging Ryo tightly and giving him a quick kiss before he pulled the jacket on over the black t-shirt he intended to wear for work. "How'd I look?"
Ryo smiled. "Very sexy."
Bicky, who at that moment was walking past the kitchen, stopped and rolled his eyes. "Oh, get a room! I thought things were supposed to go downhill when you got married."
Ryo raised an eyebrow at his son's cynicism.
"Not this marriage," Dee snorted as he reeled Ryo in for another kiss.
More cards and gifts followed their arrival at the precinct and Dee was having such a good day that he completely forgot about Ryo's suspicious behaviour the day before. He knew Ryo had arranged a party for Saturday night so he presumed his lover would have booked them into an expensive restaurant so they could dine romantically on their own that evening. However, when six o'clock had rolled around and Ryo hadn't told him to go and get dressed or sent Bicky on his way, he was beginning to wonder what was going on. Ryo, for his part, seemed on edge about something; his expression only transforming into one of relief when the doorbell rang.
The blond man jumped up from where they were entangled on the couch together, ignoring the curious look on his lover's face as he crossed the room. Bicky also looked confused, indicating to Dee that whatever was going on, the boy wasn't aware of it either.
"Thank you. I really appreciate it," Dee heard Ryo say before he closed the door.
"Who was that?" the dark haired man asked as he reached for another cigarette. When he didn't get a response, he turned to see his lover wearing a strange, unreadable expression on his face. "What's up?"
"Dee… I have another birthday present for you; your real present from me."
Frowning, Dee sat up, now able to see the box in Ryo's hands over the back of the couch. It was fairly large, made of sturdy brown cardboard… and appeared to be moving.
"What the…?" Dee muttered, stubbing out the freshly lit cigarette as Ryo walked around the furniture and set the box at his bare feet. He opened it slowly. "Oh my God, Ryo this is… oh wow."
"What is it?" Bicky pestered, trying to get a better look. His eyes widened as Dee reached into the box and lifted out a dog, a puppy to be exact, which immediately started to wriggle in his arms.
"He's an English boxer," Ryo explained. "Like the dog you told me about in England."
"Oh wow…" Dee said again, barely listening as he lifted the puppy onto his knee and stroked its velvety head. The dog was certainly unique. He was white all over with a red brown patch over one eye and another splodge of colour on his back, near his tail. Perhaps his most unique feature however was the fact that one eye was a deep, dark brown and the other a brilliant blue.
"I remember you saying that you loved the breed and would like one yourself." Ryo leaned in and stroked the animal in Dee's arms. "He was the only one of the litter that was white and the breeders were considering having him destroyed because they thought they'd never sell him."
Dee looked up angrily. "Because he was white?"
Ryo nodded, inwardly smiling as he recognised the instant bond and relieved that Drake's suggestion of buying Dee a dog had clearly been a good one. "I don't think having odd eyes helped his case. Even the breeders described him as a little freaky and I just thought of you."
"Figures," Bicky snorted, downing the last of his soda, although his eyes were fixed firmly on the bundle in Dee's arms.
Even Dee raised an eyebrow at his lover's comment.
"I didn't mean like that," Ryo said hastily. "I meant he's unique, like you."
Bicky laughed, concluding there was still a veiled insult in there but Dee was too transfixed by his present to notice.
"I'm sorry if you thought I was being suspicious, love," Ryo said going to stroke the dog but withdrawing his hand as quickly when it tried to bite his fingers. "But it took some organising."
"It was worth it," Dee concluded with a chuckle as the puppy began to snap at his own tail. "He's fantastic." He set the dog down on the floor where he immediately squatted and produced a small puddle on living room carpet.
"Fantastic," Ryo repeated dubiously as he hurried into the kitchen to get a cloth. "Remind me to thank Drake when I see him."
Dee grinned, recalling the conversations he'd had with his colleague about wanting a dog. He could understand why Drake had suggested such a present; what surprised him was that Ryo had taken him up on the suggestion, having never given any indication that he would like a pet in his home. Unbeknown to the dark haired man, Ryo had his reasons. He knew Dee's diabetes specialist had been at him to get more exercise as a way of maintaining a healthy lifestyle; a suggestion that Dee had all but ignored aside from the weekly trip to the gym, and even that was always at Ryo's insistence. Having a dog, Ryo hoped, would ensure that his lover got more exercise without even realising it.
"I'm glad you like him," Ryo said, kneeling down on the carpet to scrub at the wet patch. The puppy immediately tried to snatch the cloth out of his hands and a tug of war ensued.
"He certainly seems very bright," Ryo remarked, finally wrestling the rag from the dog's jaws to take it back to the kitchen.
"Bright…" Dee grinned like a proud father. "Bright it is then."
"That's an unusual name," Ryo said from the kitchen. "Nice though."
Bicky looked less sure until the puppy ran over to him and began to snap at his bare feet. "Hey! Knock it off!" he shouted although he was laughing at the same time. "He is pretty cool, Ryo."
From the kitchen doorway, Ryo forced a smile, wondering whether he should have stuck with his original plan of the denim jacket and a romantic meal after all.
The day after, the two men arrived at the precinct late after Dee had spent a good twenty minutes trying to persuade Bright to come out from under the bed with his shoe. The dark haired detective had found the whole situation hilarious; Ryo had been less pleased, knowing they both weren't far off a verbal warning for their persistent tardiness. Since they'd arrived, Dee had done very little work, as he sat around regaling stories of what the newest addition to their household had been up to overnight to his fellow detectives.
"Hey, Drake, you don't mind covering for me later on, do you?" Dee asked, ignoring Ryo's frown of disapproval. "I gotta take Bright to the vets for his injection."
Drake nodded, grinning broadly. "Sure thing. Then will you be able to take him out for a walk?"
"Yeah. He's the best. You shoulda seen what he was doing last night, he…"
The dark haired man was just about to light a cigarette when Ryo walked past him and grabbed his jacket and briefcase. "Where you going, baby?"
Ryo rolled his eyes. "We made an appointment to go and interview that witness, remember?"
"Shit," Dee said, stuffing the cigarette back in the packet and jumping to his feet. "Well, later boys. Duty calls."
"Very quietly in your case," Ryo muttered as he left the room, causing the other detectives to laugh as Dee frowned at his retreating form.
"Under the thumb there?" Ted grinned, as Dee struggled into his jacket.
Dee snorted. "Not likely."
He hurried from the office, breaking into a jog until he caught up with his lover on the stairs.
"Ryo? Hey, Ryo! Slow down will you? What's the matter?"
"Nothing."
"Obviously there is."
Ryo sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "We just have so many cases on the go at the moment and none of them seem anywhere near being solved."
"And I guess I'm not helping, right?" Dee smiled, although his expression was contrite. "I'm sorry, baby; I know I haven't been pulling my weight lately. I don't notice so you should just say so instead of getting all stressed on your own."
Ryo nodded as they crossed the parking lot to Dee's car but didn't say anything. Dee knew what he was thinking.
"I know you're worried about pushing me, Ryo but I'm fine, honestly. I had a month's worth of intensive therapy, remember? I know my limits and if I think I'm reaching them then I'll say so. The rest of the time you're perfectly entitled to give me a kick up the ass if you think I'm slacking."
Ryo smiled, glad that Dee had been perceptive enough to know his fears and put them to rest. "Fine then. Let's go so we can get some work done. Then maybe I won't feel so bad about leaving early to get to the vet."
Dee chuckled as he climbed into the driver's seat, thinking of the newest member of their unconventional family. "Aye aye, partner."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Ryo stayed at home while Dee and Bicky took Bright to the vet. He was reading the paper while their meal was cooking in the oven when the two returned; the teenager carrying the wriggling puppy in his arms.
"Was he okay?" Ryo asked with a frown as Bicky set the dog down and watched as he immediately started to gnaw at the table leg.
"Fine," Dee replied, shrugging out of his overcoat and draping it over a chair. He grinned at the puppy, now tugging at Bicky's shoelaces as he sunk into the armchair.
"Do your insulin, Dee," Ryo said, folding the paper up and heading for the kitchen. "Dinner's about twenty minutes away."
The dark haired man nodded before standing and going to find the necessary equipment. He disappeared for several minutes before emerging from their bedroom, frowning slightly. "Blood sugar's high," he informed his lover, now stirring the contents of a pan on the stove. "Guess I need to pay more attention to what I'm eating."
Ryo nodded in silent agreement, knowing Dee hated being nagged about looking after himself. "Oh hey," he said suddenly, "there was a phone call for you while you were out. Danny Murphy, an English guy. That's who you met on the PTSD programme, isn't it?"
"Yeah," Dee replied, wondering why the younger man was calling. "I'll go and ring him back. What time will it be over there?"
"About two am, but he said it was okay for you to call."
Dee looked thoughtful for a moment, then worried. "I hope everything's okay," he said, voicing his concerns.
Ryo smiled reassuringly. "I'm sure it is. He didn't sound like there was anything wrong."
Ryo watched him go, tugging at his tie which he discarded carelessly on the kitchen table as he passed. The blond shook his head wearily before he went and moved it. He could hear Dee talking animatedly in the other room as Bicky wrestled with Bright on the living room floor.
"That's excellent," he heard Dee say, "Really great. Of course we'll be there. I'll ring you nearer the time."
As the call ended, Dee came back through into the kitchen, grinning broadly. "Guess what? Danny's girlfriend has had the baby. It's a boy, David, and they want me to be a godparent."
Ryo smiled warmly as Dee came to stand right next to him, dipping his finger in the sauce his lover was stirring. He knew some of what had happened in Manchester and it was good to know that his lover's new friend had clearly gotten his life back on track.
"That's great," he replied, slapping Dee's hand away when it ventured near the saucepan again. "So does that mean you'll be going across for the Christening?"
"So will you. A guy can't go without his husband, can he?"
Ryo smiled, but his fair eyebrows indicated a small frown. "Can we afford it? Plane tickets aren't cheap and who'll look after Bicky while we're gone?"
Dee rolled his eyes at his lover's typical obsession with the practicality of any situation. "Let's worry about it nearer the time, okay? Now are we gonna eat or do I have to start chewing on you to prove I'm hungry?"
Ryo chuckled as Dee began to nip playfully at his neck, teasing the exposed flesh as he unsuccessfully tried to squirm away. Dee's breath was warm on his skin and he couldn't prevent the stirring down below that contradicted his demands for Dee to stop.
"You know," Dee breathed. "We could just bypass the food and go and do the horizontal marathon in our room. You're always saying I should get some more exercise."
"Dee!" Ryo protested, whacking him on the arm with a serving ladle. "Stop it!"
"Yeah, bozo," Bicky piped up, coming into the kitchen with Bright at his heels. "You ever gonna stop being such a big perv?"
"Same day you stop being a pain in the ass."
"Ha ha."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
January, the following Year.
Laura smiled triumphantly as she pulled the towel off her head and surveyed her newly darkened hair. The box had said 'mahogany' and she was more than satisfied with the rich red brown tones that had transformed her blonde locks into the image of the girl in the photograph propped up against the mirror on her dressing table.
The photo was grainy, but it was enough to help Laura transform herself into an uncanny likeness of the girl who would now be roughly twenty four, if of course, she was still alive. Laura didn't know if she was still alive and didn't care; she hadn't been back around this way for ten years and that was good enough for her. Her new short, coloured hair was the final stage in over four month's preparation. Laura smiled; if this was an exam she would certainly ace it, the amount of work she'd put in.
Unable to prevent her smile of triumph, she glanced once more at the photograph, this time studying the handsome dark haired teen, his arm slung affectionately around the girl's shoulder. He was grinning; a kind of cocky self-assured smirk that made Laura want to rip the picture into tiny shreds. A cigarette hung from the boy's lips and a light breeze had pulled strands from his untidy ponytail. He was the picture of teenage rebellion and Laura hated him with every fibre of her being.
"Prepare to lose, Dee Latener," she said, tracing the angular lines of his face with her finger. "Randy's mine."
She was up early the following morning, prepared to put the first part of her plan into action. This was it; the crucial test that would tell her whether this elaborate charade would work or whether it was back to the drawing board. The thrill of danger was almost palpable. Dressed in combat pants and t-shirt, her auburn hair styled to complete her street smart image, Laura Burns caught the bus downtown before walking the last couple of blocks to her intended destination. The whole area was run down and Laura had to bite down on her disgust as she passed an old woman pushing a shopping cart filled with rubbish, her face and clothes smeared with dirt. A gang of boys, none of them older than ten, wolf-whistled and shouted obscene comments at her as she passed. Practising the persona she had decided to adopt, she flipped them her middle finger and stuck her newly pierced tongue out at them.
Soon she was at the entrance to the orphanage, mentally recapping all the information she would need before she pushed through the heavy wooden doors into the vestibule beyond. Having heard the creak, another door opened and a young woman, dressed in a nun's habit stepped out.
"Can I help you?" she asked, studying the visitor carefully.
In that split second, Laura had assessed her. Too young, wouldn't have been here ten years ago. "Is Mother Maria here? I want to see her."
The nun nodded. "I'll see if I can find her. Who can I say is here?"
Laura smiled. "Tell her it's Tyler. I've come back."
She was alone for only a matter of minutes before the sound of footsteps hurrying across the wooden floor greeted her. The door the nun had gone through suddenly burst open and the aging Mother Maria Lane appeared, her wrinkle framed eyes twinkling with hope.
"Tyler?" she said, her voice incredulous. "Tyler Brown, is that you?"
Laura nodded, fidgeting and looking nervous; exactly how she had planned this reunion. "Yeah… it's me, Mother. Or can I still call you Penguin?"
Penguin's smile lit up her crinkled features as she hurried forward and embraced the girl, scarcely able to believe the sight before her. "Oh, Tyler, where have you been? Oh my child…"
Laura hugged her back, playing the dutiful daughter returning home. "I'm sorry I didn't call but I'm here now."
Penguin held her face in her hands, studying it closely. For a moment, Laura was convinced her subterfuge would be discovered under this intense scrutiny but the elderly nun merely smiled and shook her head. "Oh, this is wonderful, truly wonderful." Her expression suddenly turned melancholy. "If only Sister Tabatha were still alive. You two were so close."
Laura looked suitably upset, despite inwardly cheering. Great! One old bat's dead. That'll make things easier for me. "When did she die?" she asked, impressing herself at the way she managed to conjure up tears.
"It was four years this August," the nun replied, before she patted Laura's arm affectionately. "Anyway, let's not dwell on sad times. Come; tell me what you've been doing all this time."
Laura found her lies swallowed with surprising ease. Clearly Tyler had never been seen since she'd left the orphanage ten years ago and so her tales about moving state for an entire decade seemed reasonable. She apologised for never getting in touch but the nun was a seasoned forgiver and insisted that her expression of regret was unnecessary. Soon Laura was moving on to what she needed to know. The old woman was information, not realising that every story she reminisced about gave Laura more intimate knowledge of Tyler's past.
Some of it Laura already knew as she'd done copious amounts of research on the young orphan when she'd decided that Tyler Brown was a viable person to impersonate. From researching school records to chatting with old associates posing as a friend who was desperately searching for her, it had all helped increase her confidence that her deception wouldn't be uncovered. Of the friends she'd managed to trace; most believed Tyler was dead, either that or a long way from New York. One even thought that she might be living abroad, as she had often said that she wanted to go and start a new life in Europe.
However the main and most crucial reason that Tyler Brown was the identity she'd decided to adopt was that as a young girl, she'd been good friends with a fellow orphan and teenage tearaway by the name of Dee Latener, her link to the man of her dreams; the man who would eventually be hers.
"So is there anyone from the old gang that I can hook up with now I'm back?" she asked casually after the nun had finished yet another anecdote that she pretended she remembered and gave two shits about.
"Well," Penguin said, unable to stop smiling, thrilled that Tyler was back. "Natasha got married and moved to California. She's doing ever so well for herself. She writes a couple of times a year. Haley called in last year to say she and her family were emigrating to Australia and I've heard that Deanne is doing okay although she hasn't stayed in touch."
Laura nodded. "What about the guys?"
"Well, let me see." Penguin's face clouded for a moment. "Oh my, do you know about Arnon?"
That's the one that was murdered. Stupid bastard; too dumb to look after himself. Deserves to be dead… "I saw the papers," she said, reaching across and giving the elderly nun's hand a reassuring squeeze. "I'll always regret not coming back for his funeral." She looked down, apparently ashamed.
"Arnon would have known you were thinking of him. I know you and he were fond of each other."
Laura nodded and smiled a small, grateful smile. God, I'm good.
The nun continued, her expression suddenly brightening. "I almost forgot about Dee! He still lives here in New York; in fact, he stops by every couple of weeks."
"Yeah?" Laura replied, cocking her head, feigning interest. "Ain't he in prison yet?"
"Oh no; Dee's a good boy! He's a policeman now."
Laura's eyes went wide, indicating Tyler's apparent disbelief that Dee could have amounted to anything. "Dee? A policeman? Get outta here!" Detective Dee Latener now McLain, Criminal Investigations, Twenty Seventh Precinct here in New York City. Partnered with Detective Randy McLain, office on the fourth floor which they share with Detectives Drake Parker and Jemmy J Adams, better known as JJ. "I can't believe it," she said, shaking her head in disbelief. Who'd have thought he'd have ended up on the side of law and order?"
"Miracles do happen," Penguin chuckled, winking at Laura conspiratorially. "He's very happy. He settled down with a lovely young man called Ryo and they got married a few months ago. He even changed his surname."
"A guy, huh?" Laura mused, despite it making her want to start smashing things up. Wrong, wrong, wrong. "Well, he always liked a bit of variety."
"That he did. But his days of variety are long over. He loves Ryo and is totally devoted to him." The nun smiled, taking Laura's expression to mean that she wanted to hear more about the life of the man she had supposedly grown up with. Nothing however could be further from the truth but Laura bore it bravely, knowing that listening to this stomach churning drivel would ultimately serve a higher purpose.
"I remember Dee coming to see me not long after Ryo had started working with him," Penguin said dreamily. "He was head over heels for him and was finding it very difficult to hide his feelings. You should have seen him, Tyler, the first time Ryo made a move on him. He said he'd died and gone to Heaven."
"I'm glad he's so happy," she replied, amazed that the acidic bitterness hadn't corroded the upbeat note of her voice. "He was always such a great guy."
She was sickened to see the nun's emphatic agreement. "Oh, Tyler, you won't believe how happy he'll be to know you're back. He was so worried about you. He looked for you for a long time after you'd gone."
Laura smiled, hoping her lack of sincerity wasn't showing on her face. "I'd love to see him. I just hope he won't be mad at me for not getting in touch."
Penguin smiled back, reaching for the girl's hand and squeezing it reassuringly. "Let me call him. I guarantee he'll not be mad."
"Okay," Laura replied, a surge of adrenaline rushing through her. This is it! It's working! I'll be close to you, Randy, before you know it!
TBC…