I really don't own anything.

Detective Ikari

Chapter Eleven: The Reunion Pt. 2

"Well." Spades took a drag and glanced at the woman beside him. Normally he was a relatively patient person. The operant word was relative.

"I have some friends inside that I don't want to keep waiting," he stated.

"Please!" Asuka blushed as her exclamation and took a deep drag on her cigarette. "I guess I should apologize."

"Nothing else you could really do I suppose." Spades exhaled through his nose and stared at the twin funnels of smoke. "You can't change history."

"What's past is past," Asuka agreed.

"I didn't say that," Spades replied. "What hurt in the past can still hurt in the present. For a smart person what's history is never truly past."

"You've become rather introspective," Asuka commented.

"Curse of seeing the worst in humanity," Spades replied. That was true enough. A life without love could lead to some rather startlingly clear insight.

"I see," Asuka stated. She took a deep drag on her cigarette and dropped the filter to the ground. She reached into her bag and pulled out her gold cigarette case. She pulled out another cigarette and lit it. "There's nothing I can do to redeem myself is there?"

"Redeem yourself?" Spades asked. "This is your first time seeing me in six years and in all likely hood we'll never meet again. Why the hell would you want to redeem yourself? Guilty conscience?"

"Yeah," Asuka stated flatly. "Even now I guess it's all about me, right Shinji?" Spades took another drag of his Gold and Mild.

"I doesn't matter," he stated. "I don't blame your for anything. Conscience clean."

"But. . ."

"I don't blame you," Spades interrupted, turning to look her in the eye. "You were sick back then. It wasn't your fault."

"But it was!" Asuka stated vehemently. "I was sick, but all those things I did to you. . ."

"It was because you were sick," Spades stated. "All illnesses have their symptoms. You couldn't have done anything about them any more then a man with a flu can do about a fever."

"But a man can take medication."

"So are you," Spades stated. "You seem pretty rich. Gyrecil?" Asuka froze. "That's it, right? I attended a few lectures on it, even met the chemist behind it."

"They changed the name for marketing," Asuka replied quietly. "Its called Zanthia now."

"Catchy."

"Isn't that the point of marketing?"

"I suppose so." Spades frowned as he watched Asuka nearly consume her cigarette.

"Why are you so understanding?"

"You weren't the only one suffering mental distress," Spades stated. "I'm not proud of a lot of things I did back them. I was really fucked up." Spades chuckled dryly. "In retrospect, I don't think anyone working at NERV was really playing with a full deck."

"You've changed a lot," Asuka commented.

"Everybody does," Spades replied.

"You're really a doctor?" Asuka asked. Spades nodded. "Of what?"

"Psychology."

"Why?"

"Well I've always found psychology interesting," Spades stated. "After all, I grew up surrounded by text book cases of hundreds of mental diseases." Asuka winced slightly, probably feeling rightfully implicated. "I'm going back inside."

"I'll probably be out here for a while," Asuka replied. "I have a lot to think about." For a moment Spades wondered exactly what he should do. Finally he simply extended his hand.

"It was nice talking to you."

"Not seeing me?" Asuka asked, a ghost of a smile on her lips. "A lot of men would give their eye teeth to see me up close and personal like you did." Spades kept himself in check, not wanting to mention that a lot of men hadn't known her as a teenager.

"This from the society that also enjoys pop music," he stated.

"Bad example I guess."

(:ii:)

"There's Spades." Hikari turned and saw the dark-haired man step into the auditorium.

"Long cigarette break."

"He's a chain smoker," Amber stated. "He never has only one at a time."

"He's going to die young."

"He will," Amber agreed, "but not from smoking."

"I guess not," Hikari replied. "After all, in his job he gets guns pulled on him so often that he makes jokes about it."

"That guy didn't pull a gun on him," Amber stated dismissingly. "He just kind of showed it off."

"And what would Shinji have done if that man had pulled his gun?" Hikari asked. Amber's mouth opened to answer, but she stopped herself.

"You don't want to know."

"I thought you would say that." Hikari accidentally bumped into someone. "Sorry."

"It's not a problem," the man replied. "Hikari?" Hikari froze and turned to face the man. His dark eyes widened. "It is you." Hikari scowled as she saw his eyes sweep downwards.

"Well hello Touji."

"The asshole?" Amber asked. Touji turned and stared at Amber.

"Who are you?"

"I'm her girlfriend," Amber stated as she slipped an arm protectively around Hikari's waist. "So he's the asshole, right?"

"He's the asshole," Hikari replied. "It's not really very nice to see you Touji. Good bye."

"Wait!" Hikari stared at the hand on her shoulder. Then she stared at the gloved hand that had closed, like a bear trap, around Touji's wrist.

"Suzuhara. Great to see you buddy." Hikari turned and saw Shinji standing beside her. He was smiling. It terrified her. "Hassling my girls?"

"Your girls?" Touji repeated, turning to look at Hikari.

"Yeah," Hikari replied. She carefully pulled Shinji's hand away from her ex.

"I just want to apologize," Touji stated.

"Do you want to hear him apologize?" Shinji asked.

"Not really."

"End of conversation," Shinji stated. He turned and led Hikari and Amber away.

"Hey Spades?" Amber asked.

"Yeah?"

"Remember how I tell you to smile?"

"Yes."

"If that's how you smile then you should never smile again," Amber stated.

"I'm alright with that."

(:ii:)

Amber looked between her two friends as the worked their way through several drinks. "So, who was that?" She knew who he was, but it was as good a place to start this conversation as any other was.

"My ex boyfriend."

"An old acquaintance." Amber had never known that those particular words could be spoken so coldly.

"Okay." She sipped at her bourbon. "Looks like you were right Spades. This is a waste of time."

"Wrong," Spades stated. "Thanks for talking me into this."

"Wow. That's the first time you've thanked me since I gave you that old Colt single action my dad kept in the office."

"I suppose that's right," Spades said. "Hey Hikari?"

"Yeah?"

"I apologize if I was too overbearing back there."

"You were fine," Hikari stated. "Thanks a lot Shinji."

"Call me Spades. My friends call me Spades."

"Alright," Hikari replied with the first non-forced smile that she had made since before they had run into that dark-haired guy.

"Asuka is around here somewhere," Spades continued. "I'm sure she'd love to see you."

"Asuka?" Amber repeated.

"You two met?" Hikari asked.

"We had a little talk," Spades replied. "She got some help. I'm empty. You two want anything else to drink?"

"No," Hikari replied. "You two are blitzed and I'm going to have to drive home."

"Taxi," Spades stated.

"Gin and Tonic," Hikari replied.

"You know what I like," Amber added.

"Yeah," Spades answered. "Be right back." He quickly disappeared into the crowd.

"Are you two going out?" Amber gagged as the burning liquid in her glass went down the wrong path.

"No!"

"Oh. It's just that you two seem so comfortable around each other," Hikari explained.

"We were really good friends in college," Amber explained. "When we met I was having a lot of trouble in school. He started to tutor me."

"You like him though."

"Don't you start," Amber growled. "I get that enough from my secretary."

(:ii:)

"Three Gin and Tonic, eight Bourbon, and twelve more of whatever the hell you gave me last time."

"Coming right sir," the bartender replied.

"You're quite a drinker." Spades spared the woman next to him a glance. Much to his relief she didn't have the star struck look of most of the woman he had talked to. She looked. . .rather sad.

"Not that much," Spades replied. "I'm ordering for a few of my friends as well."

"Well I hope you all have a ride home."

"Don't worry about it," Spades stated. He gave the woman a more careful glance and felt his stomach clench.

"Can we talk Shinji?"

"I'd rather not talk to you," Spades stated. "I don't need any more justifications on your actions from you."

"What I did was wrong," Ruri Nelson began.

"I don't care," Spades growled at his ex-girlfriend.

"But you don't understand," Ruri pleaded.

"Sure I do," Spades stated. "He had a bigger dick, or more money, or a nicer car, or some shit. I understand perfectly. A big part of my job is being paid to follow people who are cheating on their significant others. I'm also paid for protection when it comes time to confront that person. I've heard all the damn excuses."

"That's not right!" Ruri snapped.

"Hear her out please." Spades stared at the man who had moved to stand next to Ruri.

"So you're still together," he commented pleasantly.

"We've been married for three years," Touji replied quietly.

"Good for you," Spades stated. "Happy fucking trails. What the hell do you want from me, my forgiveness? You can go fuck yourselves, or each other. Like I said, I don't care." The bartender returned, carrying a platter covered in glasses. "The same stuff?"

"Yes sir," the bartender replied. "The blue one is different though. I figured you might like it, but if you try it. . .don't drive home." Spades nodded his thanks and handed the man a fairly substantial tip.

"You two listen," he stated simply. "I don't want to ever hear from either of you. Neither does Hikari. We don't care that you didn't have the balls or the brains to break up with us so you could fuck around in public." He glanced at Touji. "Frankly, from you? I wasn't too surprised. I hope you've managed to reign in your god damned hormones." He turned and made his way around the dance floor just in case they tried to pursue him. Spades frowned at the feeling in his chest.

'I didn't even know that I could feel like this anymore.' He shrugged it off. He should thank them. Pain was the only thing that let him know that he was still human anymore.

(:ii:)

Amber glanced up as Spades appeared with the drinks. He didn't look happy. Well, he was never happy, but there was something that made him look more pissed then ever. "You look annoyed."

"Ran into someone I didn't like," Spades replied.

"Oh no," Hikari murmured. "That woman right?"

"You got it."

"Okay," Amber growled. "What the fuck is going on?"

"My ex," Spades stated simply.

"Wow, you both have shitty love lives." Amber watched as Hikari and Spades shared a look.

"Actually our love lives are kind of intertwined." Amber stared at them. Then it hit her.

"You're ex," she began, pointing at Hikari, "and your ex," she continued, pointing at Spades, "together." Spades nodded. "And you're ex was his best friend, so your girlfriend left you for your best friend?"

"Well," Spades stated, "she never left me. She just liked fucking him."

"Oh." Amber picked up a bourbon and took a drink. "Ouch."

"And they're, apparently, quite happily married," Spades added.

"Well good for them." Amber watched as Hikari put back an entire glass of alcohol. "Who's up for more dancing?"

"Uh oh," Amber commented.

"Best go along," Spades whispered. "She can be rather forceful."

(:ii:)

"You should find someone for Hikari to dance with."

"Hm?"

"I said you should find someone for Hikari to dance with," Amber repeated. There was a slow song playing and most of the dancers had paired off. "I'd love to have her dancing with us, but people might think that's a little weird."

"I see." Spades spotted Hikari sitting by herself drinking. He did feel bad about cutting her out, even if he hadn't meant to. Spades looked around again and spotted the man he was looking for. "I'll be right back." He stepped out of Amber's arms and moved off the dance floor.

"Oh, hello Ikari."

"Hey Yuuske," Spades stated. "Not dancing?"

"I'm not a fan of dancing," Yuuske replied.

"You are now." Spades jerked Yuuske to his feet. "I'm going to set you up with a very sweet and beautiful woman and you're going to dance with her."

"What?" Yuuske squeaked. "I don't dance."

"You do now," Spades hissed. "Get it?" Yuuske nodded quickly. "The only terms are that you will not touch her inappropriately. She has had a bit to drink and if I find out you did anything then I will kill you."

"What are you, her brother?"

"No. I'm a very astute detective and a minor sociopath," Spades stated. "That's her." Yuuske turned.

"Wow."

"Behave."

"Right." Spades watched Yuuske make his way across the room. He talked to Hikari for a moment and she glanced up at Spades. He smiled for her and she rolled her eyes, but accepted Yuuske's hand. Yuuske glanced at Spades and Spades drew a finger over his throat while scowling. Yuuske nodded and Spades walked back onto the dance floor. Amber looked like she was near hysterics.

"I didn't mean bully someone into it."

"I didn't bully him," Spades stated as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "I simply explained the consequences for touching her."

"That's a good idea I guess," Amber stated. She looked around and leaned forward, her head resting on Spades' chest. "You drunk?"

"Yeah," Spades replied, he had a pretty good idea where this was going.

"So am I," Amber stated. "Want to go find a quiet place and fool around?" Spades sighed. It was tempting. Not like it was the first time they had ended up drunkenly pawing at each other.

"Oh, what the hell?"

-End

(:ii:)

-Author's notes. Well, that pretty much fills out the last of the back story. Come on, you know Touji would do something like that.