Author's note (worth reading, I promise!) – Ah well, here we are. The end at last. I hope everyone has enjoyed the ride and will be around for future fics, both in this arc and others. For everyone that has contributed, from proofreading to just reviewing with a quick 'I'm enjoying this – please keep writing' – THANK YOU. You have my heartfelt thanks. Writing can be hard when real life rudely wants a look-in, but your support definitely makes it worth it!
Love, hugs (and hughs) to my good friend, BlueSimplicity – although you may not have written any of it, you've contributed to this fic more than you could ever know. I've got my fingers crossed that you'll wanna be part of the Swordy rollercoaster in the future!
So why was this nonsense worth reading? Well, if you've stuck with me, you'll now know that on Saturday, I'll be posting a full, uncut version of this epilogue at Mediaminer and adultfanfiction, which includes the 'incredible experience' that Ryo and Dee partake in during this chapter. I didn't think you guys should have to go without a good bit of makeup sex!
So please, for the final time, leave a review either here or at Mediaminer et al when the chapter's up there. The last chapter got a really low number of reviews, so I'd love to hear from you, especially if you've never left a review before.
And now (to resounding cheers no doubt) I'll shut up. Later guys – I'll see you for the obligatory Christmas one-shot! – Swordy
Somewhere in Between
Epilogue
It seemed fitting that the sky was grey and overcast. Dee could never understand people who said it was 'a good day for a funeral' when the sun shone. As far as he was concerned it seemed appropriate that the sky should also dress for the occasion when someone was being laid to rest. Beside him Ryo stared straight ahead. For all his beauty, Ryo's face could be so unreadable at times. They'd both individually come to the decision that they wanted to attend Stacey Kleppel's funeral but, now that they were here, it was impossible to tell whether Ryo was regretting his decision.
He was about to reach for Ryo's hand when the priest asked them to pray. Through long bangs, Dee studied the only other person present. Stacey's psychiatrist from Denver. It was a pretty sorry turnout, even for a life as short and troubled as Stacey's, and Dee felt that they'd made the right decision by attending.
When the service was over, the priest thanked them for coming and then hurried away, presumably to escape the gathering rain clouds overhead. Ever the one to come prepared, Ryo put up the large black umbrella when the first drops began to fall.
"Am I right in thinking that you are the gentlemen that Stacey hurt?"
The doctor was standing before them now, his demeanour indicating nervousness. Ryo glanced at Dee before he spoke. "Uh, yeah. My name is Randy McLain and this is my husband, Dee. You must be Dr. Hitchens?"
The smaller man nodded, the rain running in little rivulets through his thinning salt and pepper hair. "I'm surprised you came – I thought it would be just me here today."
The two men sensed that he wanted to talk, but the weather and current location felt prohibitive. "Would you like to have a drink with us?" Ryo asked with a smile. "There's a coffee shop nearby."
Directions were given and the three men hurried through the cemetery and back to their cars to escape from the rain.
The warm and inviting atmosphere and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee quickly banished the gloom as the two men found a table. They laid their damp overcoats across an empty chair and sat down to study the menu. Ryo, who was facing the door, waved when the doctor entered and made his way across to them.
"Found it okay?" Ryo said with a smile as Dee turned and plucked another menu from a nearby table.
"Yes, thank you." His returning smile was still nervous and the two detectives felt sure that he would be worrying about whether they blamed him for what had happened. While the waiter took their orders, the doctor took the opportunity to study the two men, noting one of them had a heavily bandaged hand.
"I know a little of what happened," Dr. Hitchens announced once the waitress had gone. "I trust you're both recovering from any injuries you received."
"Yeah, we're both okay," Dee replied, following the doctor's gaze down to his hand. "I'm right-handed so this isn't too bad. Believe me, we're just both glad that we're still here."
The doctor nodded. "I'm so sorry about what happened to you. She was my patient after all. I feel deeply responsible-"
"It's okay," Dee cut in. "From what we've been told, she was a pretty messed up lady."
Making no attempt to dispute the detective's choice of wording, Dr. Hitchens looked saddened. "She had a lot of problems, which just made me all the more determined to help her." His expression indicated that he had immersed himself in his memories. "She had an anger that was consuming her – she found fault in everyone and everything. If someone didn't measure up, she just cut them dead. When they did measure up, then in her eyes they were perfection personified."
Dee smiled and winked at his lover. "See? I told you that you were perfect."
Ryo blushed slightly and turned back to the doctor. "Nobody's perfect – surely even she could see that."
The drinks arrived, forcing a break in the conversation. Dee swore as he spilled some sugar after opening the packet with his teeth and his one good hand. Dr. Hitchens wondered whether he should help, but, seeing that Ryo hadn't offered either, kept quiet. From initial impressions, the dark haired man possessed a quiet strength and determination that extended to even the most menial tasks.
"Her condition meant that she would choose to ignore anything that didn't sit right with the image she had created."
"Like me being gay?"
"Exactly. No matter how many times she was confronted with your sexuality, she would have excused it away in her own mind. In her eyes, not only were you were a heterosexual male, but you were a heterosexual male in a relationship with her. Any incongruities that others pointed out to her would have made her angry."
Ryo looked at Dee. "That explains why she went ballistic at Kelly Capland," he said, recalling the statement they had obtained from the recovering Australian.
"I know this is probably no consolation to you both, but I genuinely cared about Stacey's welfare. I tried to help her so much, but her demons were obviously too numerous." His sorrow was apparent. "When she moved to New York, she wrote to me saying she wanted to sever all contact with me. I was bound to respecting her wishes, even though her request concerned me."
"Don't feel guilty. Everyone should have someone to look out for them," Dee said, thinking of Penguin and Jess. "You tried your best." He looked to Ryo who nodded his agreement.
The doctor smiled gratefully. "I'm really glad I had the opportunity to meet you both. Stacey could have done so much damage and yet you're obviously a really strong couple."
The two men looked at each other, equally aware of how close they'd come to disaster, but both glad to get this endorsement of their relationship.
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Rose had given them the rest of the week off. With so much to talk about, they both agreed that they should get out of the city for the remaining three days before they were due back at the precinct. The apartment had too many bad memories and they were conscious that the friends they were currently lodging with had done more than enough already.
"We're going to Montauk," Dee announced to Drake as he finished packing. The other man, fresh off his shift, looked surprised.
"Cool. How long for?"
"'Til Sunday. We're both due back in work on Monday."
Drake sensed something, hesitation perhaps, in Dee's response, but didn't question it.
"Besides, it's our wedding anniversary on Sunday."
"Sunday? Wow…" Drake appeared as stunned as Dee had been that an entire year had passed. "So things are back on track with you and Ryo?"
Dee zipped up his bag and tested the weight of it before he sat down on the bed and looked up at his friend, still hovering in the doorway.
"We've got a lot of things to talk about, but I think the signs are good."
Drake indicated his approval. "So is Bicky going with you or did he not figure in your plans for a romantic getaway?"
"Actually," Dee said, thinking how far he'd come from when he'd first become involved with Ryo and his unconventional family. "I asked him and Cal to come, but they chose not to. I think they realised that we needed to do some serious talking and they figured that they'd give us the space. They're good kids."
"Definitely."
Ryo arrived shortly after. He smiled at his husband, seeing the other man emerging from the bedroom with his bags.
"All ready?"
Dee nodded, glancing across at Drake who was also smiling. "You sure you don't mind keeping an eye on our apartment?"
"Nope. Now you kids go and have a good time."
The three and a half hour drive to Montauk passed quickly. They chatted like long-time friends, laughed, sung along to the radio and playfully bickered. They were both aware that they had come away to talk – a necessity if they were to truly salvage their relationship – but for now, they would just enjoy being together.
"God, this is fucking annoying."
Ryo turned from the wheel to see what Dee was doing. The other man was smoking a cigarette and, as far as he could tell, nothing was obviously wrong. "Dee?"
Dee waved the cigarette as if it should be obvious. "I'm having to smoke with my right hand. It's really weird."
"But you're right handed. Why's it so weird?"
"Because smoking is usually one of the things I do while I'm multi-tasking. I'm used to doing it with my left."
Ryo chuckled. "I thought men couldn't multi-task?" A quick glance at his lover confirmed the other man's indignation.
"Are you questioning my masculinity, Ryo?"
Full blown laughter now. "With the amount of testosterone you've got? Are you kidding?"
They arrived in Montauk shortly before lunch. Although not the warmest of days, the sky was bright and the roar of the ocean captivated the two men for several minutes as they stood beside the car, their hair ruffled by the bracing sea breeze. Neither spoke for a moment, and each man felt it only fair to leave the other alone with his thoughts. Eventually Dee reached out, his hand finding Ryo's and their fingers entwined. Ryo looked over at the dark haired man and smiled.
"Should we go and check out our accommodations?"
"Sure."
The house they had rented looked out onto the ocean, its pathway strewn with sand and other sea debris. The white fascia was newly painted, giving the building a freshness that ensured it was perfectly placed in its location, with the crashing ocean and Montauk Lighthouse in the distance.
"This is fantastic," Ryo remarked as he sunk into the large leather couch and studied the beautifully decorated living room.
Dee smiled. "I'm glad you approve. JJ told me about this place. Maybe he's not a complete dipshit after all."
"Dee, that's not nice." Ryo rebuked his lover, although he knew he was only joking.
A dark eyebrow quirked upwards. "You wouldn't be saying that if you knew he'd followed up the suggestion by telling me what he'd like to do to me here. I swear, my ears nearly bled."
Ryo frowned. "You're right – he is a dipshit."
Dee laughed, loving when the other man's jealousy was pricked, not that he would ever admit that JJ could still evoke that feeling in him.
"Well, you'll just have to show him who's the boss by telling him what you did to me here." He winked, the action raising a smile from the blond.
"Maybe I will."
"Sounds good."
They unpacked and went out for a walk, agreeing that they would use the excursion to choose somewhere to eat that night. They settled on a quaint Italian restaurant and booked a table before returning to their lodgings to freshen up. Although nothing had been said, both knew it still wasn't the right time to start talking – that could wait until tomorrow. Tonight was just about being together. The meal was delicious and they retired to bed with full stomachs and contented hearts. Sleep enveloped them both quickly as they lay together in the luxurious king-sized bed.
Following breakfast the next morning, the two men decided to take another walk. JJ had suggested that they take a walk out to the Montauk Lighthouse and it seemed like a good choice, knowing the inevitable discussion they were likely to have.
It started innocuously enough – Ryo simply making reference to their first wedding anniversary the following day. Conversation then moved retrospectively to their actual wedding day and the arrangements that had encompassed the months that had preceded it. Eventually they reached the moment of the proposal – technically Ryo's second attempt – when Dee had prompted his lover to ask him again, even though he had turned him down once before. It had felt right, Dee explained as they walked together along the beach, after he had returned from England with everything straight in his mind.
"You never went into too much detail about what happened during that month," Ryo said gently, sensing Dee's tacit permission to move into this conversational territory. "You told me all about the people you were there with and their problems, but not about what you actually did while you were there. Obviously you were much healed, but I don't really know how that happened."
Dee looked at him and nodded, knowing it was true. He'd told Ryo the general agenda of the group and shared his admiration for the therapists he'd worked with, but the amount he'd held back clearly outweighed the amount he'd shared. He knew Ryo wanted to know more, and before they'd left New York he'd alluded to the fact that he would tell him anything he wanted to know. Ryo waited patiently as he lit a cigarette and contemplated where to start.
"We talked a lot – not just about the experiences that had brought us to the group, but why we had chosen our respective careers. Being asked to talk about Jess and why I was so determined to make it was really powerful. All that kind of stuff gets buried but something as simple as bringing it to the surface was a strong motivator to make the most of the help they were offering."
Dee had been looking out to the horizon as he smoked, but his gaze suddenly fell upon Ryo, his green eyes reflecting his sincerity. "When I first got there, I had no idea about what had really happened to me. It came out part way through, during a session where I received relaxation instruction before I was asked any questions."
"Like hypnosis?" Ryo asked.
"Kinda, I guess. Whatever it was, it allowed stuff to come out of my memories that I'd totally forgotten about. I didn't even realise what I was saying - it was my therapist who brought it to my attention."
He could sense Ryo's hesitation before the other man said finally. "And what were you saying?"
Dee sighed, his memory returning to that particular time in his life. It didn't hurt to think about that period now, but neither did he enjoy revisiting it. "I started talking about someone who Lou realised wasn't Liam Patterson. When she queried who I was talking about, I freaked."
He looked at Ryo and gave the intently-listening man a sad smile. "After that, I started to piece things together, but I still wasn't ready to admit that anything had happened. I lied to Lou and I tried to lie to myself." Now his smile was humourless. "It didn't work."
"What happened then?" Ryo asked. He was watching Dee carefully - any sign that his lover was uncomfortable with telling his story and he would tell him to stop, that he didn't have to know. For now Dee looked calm, like he was no longer emotionally affected by what he'd been through. Yet again, Ryo was struck by his lover's strength.
"It was Danny that made me see how things were. He felt like he'd failed because he thought that I was cured and he wasn't. I had to admit to him then that it wasn't true, and obviously he wanted to know why. For the first time, I started to talk about what really happened."
Ryo found himself swallowing hard, knowing they had reached the juncture in the conversation where he would finally hear what he did and didn't want to know. He didn't speak, allowing Dee to carry on where he'd left off.
"Someone else had come to check on me one day – a friend of the younger brother. I still don't remember everything because I was pretty out of it, but I do remember him giving me an ultimatum – I let him do what he wanted to me without complaint or he would let Liam Patterson hurt you and Bicky."
"Dear God, Dee…"
"It's okay." Dee stared straight ahead, his dark hair blowing about his face. Down on the beach a family was playing together, the father and his daughter laughing as they posed in front of the sandcastle they'd built while the mother took a photo. He watched them for a moment before he continued. "Worse things have happened to other people – hell, as cops we know that better than anyone. I wasn't raped and I wasn't made to do anything. The irony is I probably have Liam Patterson to thank for that – his beating made me so ill that there was very little his friend could actually do to me. It was mainly mental stuff, you know? Sometimes the threat is worse than the punishment.
"I was shocked that something could have happened to me that I didn't remember and that's why I freaked. When your mind is a blank you automatically assume the worst. Then I started to piece things together and realised that the worst hadn't happened. In order to recover, I knew I needed to focus on that so that I wouldn't be controlled by some jerk who just took advantage of the situation. I'm stronger than that, Ryo."
The blond smiled and nodded. "I know you are, Dee. I know you are." He faltered suddenly, his smile now gone. "There was something else I wanted to ask you."
Dee could sense it was important. "Okay, shoot."
"When I had to see the precinct shrink, she asked if I was aware that you'd admitted to having suicidal thoughts." He looked haunted. "I had no idea. I felt even more like I didn't know you at all. "
Dee nodded silently, aware how shocked he would be if he were to discover that information about Ryo, and all from people that weren't as close to his lover as he was. "I won't lie to you, Ryo," he said, knowing what the other man was indirectly asking. "I thought about suicide because I didn't think I would be worthy of you anymore. But," – he cut off the anticipated protest – "I was still confused about what had happened to me and I know I wasn't thinking straight. I would never do that to you, Ryo. I couldn't cause you that kind of pain – I love you too much."
He suddenly looked contrite. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything to you, about any of it – I swear I thought it was for the best. I didn't want you to feel responsible and I didn't want it to change how you were around me. I needed to come home and things be the same between us. Finding out I was diabetic had already changed things a little – I didn't need anything else adding to that."
"You don't have to apologise, Dee. I understand." Ryo stepped forward so that they were closer. "While we were apart recently I did a lot of thinking. I tried to put myself in your shoes and I realised that what you did made sense. Obviously I want you to feel like you can talk to me about anything, and I'd prefer it if we didn't have secrets from each other, but I know that if we do, there'll be a good reason for it and we just need to trust each other."
Dee grinned as he grabbed Ryo's hand and pulled him in for a kiss. The embrace was long and lingering and attracted a few stares from passing tourists.
"Love you, Ryo," Dee said when they eventually pulled apart. "And thank you."
"For what?"
"For being you. And for being with me."
Ryo laughed. "It's easy to be with you, Dee. You're amazing."
"Ditto."
They both started to walk, shoulder to shoulder, lost in their own thoughts. Both felt a sense of completion having had this conversation and they now knew that they could finally lay the ghosts of last year to rest.
"Come on," Dee announced, breaking to silence as he slung his arm around his lover's shoulder. "Let's go and get something to eat." He winked. "Being amazing creates one hell of an appetite."
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Their good moods were further enhanced by the activities of the afternoon. Ryo's suggestion to try something new when they were intimate was well received and as the evening drew in, they basked in the afterglow of the incredible experience. Only when morning was upon them did the other issue they needed to discuss get raised. Tentatively, Dee mentioned that they were due back in work on Monday and reminded Ryo of the discussion that they'd had before they'd left New York.
"So what do we do?" Ryo asked, as he cleared away the breakfast dishes. He turned to look at Dee, still sitting at the table flexing the fingers of his left hand with frown-inducing effort. Dee looked up.
"I dunno. I think whether we quit or not has to be a joint decision, but there's a lot to think about first."
Ryo nodded. "And I don't want to influence your decision…"
"Ditto. Okay, how about this. Let's spend the morning apart, do whatever, then we can meet up at lunch to give our decision."
"That sounds okay," Ryo agreed.
Once dressed, Dee announced that he was heading out to do his thinking in the fresh air. He left Ryo at the house and set off down to the beach, initially finding it difficult to get his mind off the amazing sex they'd had the day before and onto the serious business of their future.
He sat for a while watching a guy throwing a Frisbee for his highly excitable mongrel dog, laughing as the mutt did backflips, much to the delight of the watching audience. He thought of Bright and wished his own canine companion was here – somehow walking with the dog helped him to think, and help was exactly what he needed right now. He wandered on, eventually deciding to stop off for a drink at the beach front bar where they'd arranged to meet for lunch. He opted to sit at the bar and watch the world go by, but it wasn't long before he attracted the attention of the otherwise unoccupied barman. He looked to be in his early twenties and was impressed when he learnt that Dee was a cop. Dee didn't have the heart to tell him he might not be for much longer.
"I wanna study medicine," the young guy explained as he supplied Dee with a second drink on the house. "But I gotta get my grades up first. I screwed around a lot at school so now I gotta go back and re-take a few subjects." He rolled his eyes as he grinned. "I wish someone had told me to get my head down and study first time around."
Dee laughed as he nodded his agreement. "I hear you. I wasn't exactly a model student either. I really had my work cut out to get in the academy – not just with the subjects, but with convincing other people that I was dedicated enough to do it. I had one person that always believed in me and I vowed I wouldn't let her down."
He suddenly thought of Penguin and what she had sacrificed to make sure that he realised his dreams. She would understand if he explained why he and Ryo were quitting, but he couldn't help but think he would be disappointing her with the decision. She'd invested so much in him.
And then there was Jess.
He'd promised the dying man that he would be the cop Jess had found it impossible to be. Only yesterday he'd told Ryo that thinking about Jess had motivated him to go the distance in England. Could he really go back on that?
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Ryo had decided that Dee was onto something by taking his thinking outside. The day was promising to be clear and warm and, despite the onerous task at hand, he felt optimistic about what might lie ahead. He'd seen Dee heading towards the beach so he left the house and set off into town. He walked wherever his feet took him, suddenly interested in the people going about their business around him. He never imagined being anything other than a cop. What would they do if they both agreed that they should find a less dangerous career? He tried to imagine himself and Dee in a range of other jobs, on a couple of occasions finding himself smiling or chuckling out loud as he pictured his lover as everything from a chef to a mailman.
He had stopped to watch some workmen on a construction site, entertaining a slightly perverted notion of Dee in a hardhat, tight t-shirt and almost indecent denim cut offs when he found himself thrown forward as someone crashed into him. The startled young man in question leapt to his feet and, before Ryo could check he was okay, set off running. His cop instinct fired and Ryo set off at a sprint, his actions endorsed by a shout of 'stop him!' from a male voice somewhere behind him. The runaway glanced back to find, to his horror, the determined face of Ryo McLain barrelling down on him.
He ducked down an alleyway, tipping garbage cans over to stall his pursuers. Ryo leapt one, then slipped on some spilled rotting food that had fallen from another, his left knee colliding with the dirty floor before he regained his footing and pushed on. Behind him, Ryo could hear at least two other people following him, their angry shouts telling him that they were probably the ones on the receiving end of whatever the young man had done.
The alley was a dead end, but the wall blocking it wasn't insurmountable. Immediately, Ryo knew the young man was going to try and jump so with one final push, he shortened the distance and made a dive for the fleeing youth. He struck gold, catching him around the legs and sending them both crashing to the floor.
"Keep hold of him!" one of the men yelled.
Like I'm gonna do anything else, Ryo thought to himself as he grappled with the struggling man. Eventually he had him pinned and the fight was over.
"You little bastard," the taller of the two pursuers growled as he walked towards Ryo and his prisoner. He turned to the blond and nodded gratefully. "Thanks for that, buddy. You can go now. I'll deal with him."
"Now hold on," Ryo said firmly, sensing the surge of fear from the man beneath him. "I want to know what he did."
"He stole from our shop," the smaller one replied.
"Did you call the police?"
"Of course," the other man snorted. "They're on their way. I think there's just time to have a little fun before they get here. Now I'll ask you again – get out of the way."
"No."
The muscle of the operation looked stunned. Clearly 'no' was a word he didn't hear too often. He didn't step forward though – there was warning in the dark eyes looking back at him that told him the blond was serious.
"My name is Detective McLain and I'm with the NYPD." His voice was clear and authoritative. "I appreciate that you're angry with this guy, but two wrongs don't make a right. Carry on and I'll let him go and arrest you instead, got it?"
The larger man seemed to weigh up what he'd been told before he gave a grudging nod of agreement and held his hands up in a gesture of defeat. The cops arrived shortly after and the young man was handcuffed and placed in the back of the car while statements were taken from all other parties involved.
"Are you sure you don't wanna get yourself checked out?" the cop asked Ryo, gesturing towards his grazed and bleeding elbows where he'd dived to stop the other man escaping. Ryo looked down, more annoyed about his dirty jeans than a few scrapes.
"I'm fine. A little dirtier than I'd hoped to be going on a lunch date, but never mind…"
The cop laughed. "I'm sure she won't mind."
Ryo smiled as he set off to the beach, too aware that he was late for meeting Dee to bother setting the other man straight about the gender of his date. Even though he hadn't had any time to think about their future, Ryo knew he had his answer. The call to action had come and he hadn't hesitated, even though now that he thought about it, it had been exactly the same situation that had led them into all the trouble with Laura. He'd never hesitate, forcing him to face the fact that his instincts knew exactly what line of business he should be in.
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"Ah, you decided to turn up… what the hell happened to you?"
Ryo rolled his eyes while making a futile attempt to brush down his jeans. "I decided that I could do with a little exercise."
"Huh?"
"Don't ask. I'll explain later."
Dee nodded, crushing his cigarette into the ashtray on the bar. "So, have you come to a decision?"
"Yeah, you?"
"Yeah."
There was an awkward silence, which Dee eventually broke. "Okay, how about we write down what we've decided for the other to read, then we won't have to worry about influencing each other's decisions?"
Ryo smiled, impressed. "Okay. Sounds sensible."
Dee secured pens and paper from his new friend behind the bar and they moved to separate tables to write what they wanted to do. It took literally seconds – there was no last minute reconsidering for either of them. Papers folded, they exchanged them, expressions suddenly solemn.
"And we stand by this if we've both written the same thing?" Dee asked.
Ryo nodded. "What if we've made different decisions?"
"Dunno. Guess we should cross that bridge if we come to it."
"Okay."
Another silence. Eventually they both laughed, surprised by how nervous they were.
"Together," Dee said. Once Ryo had nodded his agreement, he unfolded the piece of paper his lover had given him, letting out a breath as the words came into view.
I want to stay.
The blond held the paper, trying to imagine what was inside. He couldn't look at Dee until he'd read it – he'd know with just one glance at the other man whether they were on the same wavelength or not. He couldn't put it off any longer. As he began to unfold the note, his heart leapt as the word 'quit' came into view. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat.
I can't quit…
The trapped words were replaced by a lump of emotion. He knew Dee's words had come from the heart. Finally he could look up and his growing smile was met by a similar one on his lover's face.
"Guess we're staying?" Dee asked. "Although it's probably for the best. God only knows what we'd have done to earn the dollars."
"Uh huh." Ryo laughed out loud, wondering if he should share his vision of Dee as a builder. "McLain and McLain are back in business as of tomorrow."
Dee had started to laugh before he remembered something and his expression froze. Ryo saw it.
"Dee? What's the matter?"
The other man hesitated, but only briefly. "I guess you should know that when we were apart, I requested a transfer. I'm really sorry, Ryo, but I just couldn't see how we could work together if we'd separated-"
"It's okay," Ryo said, looking slightly sheepish. "I already knew because I'd been to see Rose about doing the same thing myself."
Dee looked shocked, but nodded anyway. "Well at least it shows we were on the same wavelength even though we weren't together. Anyway, I gotta make a call. I told the chief to put the request in before I changed my mind and he said it would be in place by the time I was coming back to work."
He took his cell phone out of his pocket and dialled the precinct, asking to be connected to the chief. He wandered away as he waited for their superior to come on the line. The conversation was brief, but Ryo sensed it had gone well as he listened to Dee laugh before he hung up. The dark haired man walked back towards the bar, grinning.
"So?"
Dee shook his head, still chuckling. "He never submitted my request. Seems like the old badger had more faith in us than we did."
"Remind me to thank him when we get back."
"Will do," Dee replied, slinging his arm around his lover's shoulder. "Now, let's get some lunch and you can tell me all about how you ended up with skinned elbows."
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Six months later…
"Dee? Rose is asking for your report from the Porter case. Now." Wisely Drake covered the mouthpiece of the phone as his colleague launched into an expletive-ridden rant. He waited until Dee had finished before he put the phone back to his ear and said: "Dee says he'll get it right to you, Sir." He hung up and was met by a penetrating glare.
"Gee thanks, Parker. What d'you do for an encore? Tell Rose I use his phone to make long distance calls when he's not here?"
"You do use his phone to make long distance calls when he's not here."
Dee looked at him like he was the stupidest person on the planet. "Yeah, but you don't tell him."
Drake rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, just get him that report before he comes down here and finds a million and one other things that he wants finished yesterday."
For a brief moment, Drake thought his colleague had actually developed a sense of urgency before he realised that the fruits of Dee's sudden search was a cigarette. Shaking his head in despair, he returned to his own work, determined to get his paperwork done and get out of the office before Rose made good on his threat and came down. Salvation entered shortly after in the form of Ryo, who informed his partner that he had seen Rose and personally handed him the missing report.
"You see?" Dee said to Drake, grinning broadly. "This is why I married him."
His comment was met by a glare from the blond. "Yeah well, remember you promised you'd take Bicky and his friends to their school dance tonight as payment for me doing your report."
"Shit…"
"And pick them up."
"Double shit. Man, I need a vacation."
"You win some, you lose some, eh?" Drake chuckled as the door behind him opened. He turned and smiled at the attractive visitor. "Hi. Can I help you?"
The slim, dark haired woman smiled nervously. "Sorry to interrupt, your desk officer told me to come up. I'm looking for Detective Dee McLain."
Ryo and Drake turned to Dee, who quickly stubbed out his cigarette and stood up, extending his hand across the desk. "That would be me. What can I do for you, Miss…?"
"Peters. Sara Peters." She took the empty seat that Dee gestured to and listened as he introduced the other men in the room. Then it was time to tell her story.
"I live in Brooklyn. My boyfriend and I recently moved there from Chicago. The house we moved to had been used as a hostel for young people many years before, so the previous owners told us. About a month ago when we were clearing some of the rooms we found an unopened letter. It wasn't addressed to the people we bought the house off so we figured it must have been to someone who had lived there when it was a hostel and they hadn't known who to forward it onto. We decided to open it." She smiled at the three intently listening men.
"And a month later I can't believe I've finally found you."
"Sorry," Dee replied, scratching his head and frowning. "I'm not sure I understand."
"Most of the letter was just news from a friend to a friend. If that had been it, we probably wouldn't have done anything, but there was a message the writer of the letter wanted the recipient to pass on. When we read it, we decided we'd do everything we could to pass on that message as it sounded important. Pardon the pun, but it's taken a lot of detective work."
She reached into the bag she had on her knee and pulled out a yellowing envelope, which she passed across the desk to Dee. He studied it for a moment, noting the Spanish stamp and postmark and the strangely familiar handwriting, before he found the letter inside. There was silence as he read it, his eyes quickly finding the part she had mentioned – and his name.
And finally, I really need you to do me a favour. I need you to let Dee and the others know I'm okay. They're probably so angry with me for just disappearing… which is why I've chickened out of contacting them directly. I left so suddenly, I'm worried that they'll think something bad has happened to me. Tell them I'm fine and I'm happy. Maybe one day I'll come back and explain.
Tyler
"Dee?"
The stunned man looked up to be met by Ryo's questioning gaze. No wonder the handwriting had looked familiar. "It's from Tyler."
He could understand why Ryo suddenly looked worried, but he shook his head. "It's her writing, Ryo, I know it!"
"That's wonderful. Does she say where she is?"
After the sudden moment of elation, Dee felt crestfallen. There was no address at the top of the letter. "The postmark is Spain," he said flatly, knowing that did nothing to narrow down a possible location.
"There was this too," Sara said, going back into her bag. This time she handed Dee a photograph. "I think this might help."
The picture showed a grinning girl, her arms slung around the shoulders of two similarly aged girls. They were standing in front of a bar which featured a harbour as its backdrop and wearing the same t-shirts with a logo on the front that he couldn't quite make out. She looked happy and tanned and Dee knew without a shadow of doubt that he was staring at the face of Tyler Brown.
"Turn it over."
He did as instructed, to find more of the familiar handwriting.
Hollywood Bar, Alicante.
He laughed out loud as he read it, recalling an age-old conversation he had had with a young and petulant Tyler when she'd vowed she'd make it to Hollywood one day. She'd been half-right at least. Turning the photo back over, he realised that the logo on the girls' t-shirts bore the name of the bar, indicating that they were staff rather than clientele. For the first time in years, he had a clue as to where she was.
"Dee?" Ryo asked.
"She's in Spain," he replied, holding out the photograph for his lover to see. "Alicante."
"The postmark is several years ago," Sara warned, seeing the man's obvious excitement.
"But it's a start," Dee replied.
Drake grinned. "Well, you said you wanted a vacation."
The partners and lovers exchanged glances. Ryo shrugged, a smile gracing his features. He knew Dee, and that it would be pointless to argue otherwise.
"I hear Spain is nice this time of year."
END
Please don't forget to read the author's note if you skipped it!