So, I've solved a mystery, if a small one, about Dave.

See, there's this alley that we'd pass by on our patrols occasionally. And we'd always pass by it. Never once did he ever go to turn into it. He'd act like he didn't even notice it was there. I didn't think anything of it the first time, or even the second time, but by the third time it'd started to bug me.

Tonight I finally called him on it.

His answer? He didn't even realize he was doing it. Then he just sort of stared at it for a second and said, "This is where it happened," then paused for a second and said, "Well, in the parking lot a few buildings down." And then he just stood there staring down the alley for a minute before finally saying, "Let's go," and started walking down it.

When he reached the parking lot he was talking about, he looked into it, and then suddenly put his arm out to stop me and pushed me back out of sight and then he leaned up against the wall and started shaking. For a second I thought something was wrong with him, then I realized he was laughing.

It took him a second to answer my, "What is so fucking funny?", and when he did, I didn't understand what he the hell he was talking about.

"They're still here."

I was all, "Who the fuck are 'They'"

And he said, "The guy's who stabbed me. And mugged me. Like eight times. They're still hanging out here. I can't fucking believe it."

Then he suddenly grinned this wicked ass grin and pulled his batons out and said, "Oh, this has been a long time coming. I am so going to enjoy this," and started to walk into the parking lot.

I started to watch him go, but then I suddenly had this thought and ran over and caught him by the wrist and dragged him back behind cover. I said, "Let me do it."

He looked at me like he didn't understand what I said, then asked, "What? Why? This is my fight. These are my guys. I should go beat their asses."

So I said, "Yeah, well D'Amico was my nemesis and you killed him, so let me do these guys for you."

He said, "If I hadn't killed him he would have killed you, this isn't the same thing."

I said, "Hey, I'm not complaining here, I'm just saying it'd make us even. You took out my guy, I take out your guy." He hesitated so I pulled out my best puppy eyes and said, "Pleeeeaaaasssssssssssse?"

He smiled and laughed and said, "Alright fine, if you want to that badly go get 'em hot stuff."

And I just completely froze. I couldn't believe he said that, and when I turned and looked at him I guess it showed because he said, "Er, sorry. Didn't mean anything by it. Was that out of line?"

I just looked at him and then turned away and said, "No, it's fine. I just... didn't expect it." and it just made me so fucking angry. He'd said what I'd dreamed of hearing him say for months now, and he didn't even... It was like he was worried I'd be mad at him for it! It was like.. I felt like what I wanted was suddenly RIGHT THERE and then it was gone and I was being apologized to for it even being there in first place like I'd be offended at the thought of it. Stupid fucking.. just...ugh.

But, I took the anger, and I directed it at the two douchebags sitting in the parking lot, eating pizza and drinking beer. I was going to show Dave how much I cared about him. I was going to fucking MURDER these guys who'd hurt him so many times and then nearly killed him. Would Katie do that for him? Fuck no. The little bitch. I was the one who he should be with. What could he possibly have in common with her anyway? We shared the biggest part of our lives with each other. Who else could he possibly say that about?

Fuck.

Anyway.

I started out then stopped to ask him which one was the guy that'd stabbed him. Then walked around into the parking lot and headed straight for them.

They didn't see me coming. Even though they didn't look in my direction, I was radiating so much fucking hate towards them I'm surprised they didn't FEEL me coming.

He felt my fist smash his fucking face in though, that's for damn sure.

The black guy swore, jumped up like he was ready to fuck up whoever just sucker punched his buddy, then realized it was me and tried to run. I said, "Oh no you fucking don't!" and threw one of my knives into his knee. He screamed and face-planted into the pavement.

The other guy stood up, looked at his buddy and then pulled a knife, probably the same one he used to stab Dave. I took one look at it, said, "Pffft, whatever," and stepped towards him he took a shot at stabbing me, but I just twisted out of the way, caught his wrist, and snapped it. Then as he fell to his knees I pulled his arm out straight and broke it between my knee and elbow.

He fell over cradling his arm, rolled over and half tried to stand, half tried to crawl away. He cried, "What the fuck? We didn't DO anything you crazy bitch!"

I kicked him in the back of the head and he sprawled face first into the ground. I straddled his back and hooked my fingers into his nose and pulled him up (the little dick didn't have enough hair to grab him that way), bending him backwards, and said, "You hurt my PARTNER."

Then I flicked open my balisong and said "Ready to tell the world, 'bye-bye'?" then put the blade to his throat.

Then Dave told me to stop. I was so close to slitting the bitch's throat wide open and I just couldn't believe he was telling me to stop.

But I did. If I was doing this for him... I couldn't do something he didn't want. Didn't want him to suddenly feel like he had SAVE the piece of shit's life or anything. Didn't want him mad at me.

Then he stepped around and kneeled down in front of him so he could look him in the eye, then he said, "Give him something he could survive. Ya know, if someone helped him," and he tapped his stomach, right where the scar from that day was, "Right there."

I had to admit I kinda liked the idea, so I grinned, said, "Sure thing." grabbed him by his shirt, hauled him to his feet, threw him into the wall, and jammed the knife right into his gut and then twisted it. He made this beautiful croaking sort of sound as he slid down the wall and wrapped both his arms around his stomach.

Dave looked down at him and said, "Hope you can find a good Samaritan," and then turned and walked away. I grinned down at him and then skipped after Dave. Yeah, you didn't misread. I felt so damn good I was actually skipping. I caught up to Dave and put my arm around his as we went down the alley.

He looked down and smiled at me, and as I felt him put a hand on my arm I thought I was going to joygasm. Even Katie showing up couldn't have ruined my mood. Because I knew, I just fucking KNEW now, that nothing was ever going to be able to come between us.