Chapter 4 – Shooting Practice

BANG!

JJ continued shooting rounds into the paper. His eyesight was blurred slightly and he felt a little dizzy. He stopped and put a hand to his head; swaying slightly he put the gun down and removed his safety glasses.

"Must be coming down with something." He muttered, rubbing his eyes.

"Where did you go last night?"

JJ spun around. There, standing in the doorway was Berkley. He had a strange look on his face and JJ frowned slightly before plastering his trade-mark smile on his face.

"I just went out, sir. Sorry for leaving you in the lurch." He picked up the gun again; shot a couple more rounds, then set it back down. "I, uh, needed to get out."

"I stayed at your apartment over-night… I didn't hear you come back. What's with that bruise? Jesus, JJ!" Berkley sounded strange… distant. Is it him… or me?

JJ touched his left cheek gently, "I got wasted *chuckle* probably ended up in some kinda fight. I didn't get in till late, sir. I –" JJ was shocked when Berkley suddenly sprung on him; grabbed him and held him close.

"JJ. Stop. You don't have to smile if you don't want to."

JJ sagged against him for a moment, but then felt all his cuts and bruises very, VERY clearly.

"Ouch!" He exclaimed, pulling back sharply.

"What's wrong?" Berkley seemed concerned, gently touching his shoulder.

JJ looked up… his vision was blurred again and he felt extremely dizzy. Then the whole world tipped sideways. His last thought before unconsciousness claimed him was; Oh shit.

Slowly, JJ came round. He opened his eyes, but the harsh light hurt his head and he closed them quickly.

"Look," An unfamiliar voice said softly, "He's waking up. I'll leave him with you."

A cool hand was placed on his head and JJ sighed, that's nice, he thought.

"JJ." Berkley murmured and JJ shrunk away from the hand a little. "JJ, why did you come in today?"

"Shooting practice." He replied strongly.

"You're not well… and also, judging from the marks on your –"

JJ sat up suddenly, grasping for his shirt, which was no longer around his slender body. He frantically searched the room – the infirmary, he noticed – only to be disappointed. He slowly turned to glare at Berkley.

"Give me back my clothes." JJ growled, his eyebrows drawing close together.

Berkley reached out and softly touched JJ's bare arm. JJ jerked backwards, shaking like a leaf, and all of a sudden he realised how weak he felt.

"JJ, what happened to you yesterday?" Berkley murmured, the concern written on his face enough to bring frustrated tears to JJ's eyes.

"Nothing happened, sir. I got drunk… I don't remember much more than that." JJ looked down at his hands in his lap, still shaking but unwilling to admit the weakness of his body in face of the situation. He needed to look like a man in this situation, he needed to prove to his boss that he was not weak; not a liability.

"Don't give me that shit." Berkley growled.

"I am…" JJ swayed a little, his eyes closing for a second and one of his hands flew to his head. When he overcame the dizziness he opened his eyes and straightened, fake smile once again in place. "I'm fine, sir."

"That is it, JJ." Berkley barked, slamming his hand down onto his knee. "I'm taking you back to my place."

JJ was shocked. This was not the reaction he wanted. "Sir! I can't accept. I have to be home and –"

"Don't talk shit to me! You don't need to be home for anyone or anything – I've been to your apartment remember! Now, I will have no arguments! You are coming to mine and that's final." Berkley ranted, as he stood. "I'll go and talk to the chief and then I'll be taking you back with me. Understood?"

JJ looked up at his boss for a moment, tears of anger in his eyes, the he looked away and nodded – swallowing anymore pride that he may have had left.

"Good." And with that Berkley left, handing JJ his shirt. He was back, however within 10 minutes and JJ was still glowering at him.

Berkley ignored the death glares and said, "The chief told me to tell you to take a few days off, until you're better… he'll give you paid leave."

"I don't understand why you're so worried about this, sir. I'll be fine by tomorrow. I probably just got into a fight with another drunkard." JJ shrugged then winced and this did not brood well with Berkley, and his frown deepened.

"When we get back to my place, you are going to tell me EVERYTHING. Do you understand?"

JJ rolled his eyes, getting up, rubbing his various aching muscles and slipping his shirt back on. "Yeah. I know." He has to know I'm not gonna tell him anything. JJ took a step forward, feeling dizzy and a little unsure of himself. This is not good. It's been a long time since I've felt this way after sex. I don't like this feeling at all. He raised his eyes to the door, determined to walk as a man, and not be carried. The door wobbled sliding from side to side in JJ's vision. This is not good. He took another step and swayed, losing his footing.

Berkley launched forward, grabbing him before he hit the floor. "JJ!"

"I'm fine, I'm fine! Stop fussing!" He scolded. "I still don't understand your worry!"

"Call it paternal instinct. You're one of my team and I feel the need to protect you."

JJ stared at him as though he was from Mars. Why was he being so kind to him? Was he feeling guilty? JJ didn't care. It was nice for him to feel cared for, rather than to be the one doing the 'caring'.

"I highly doubt that there is any need to protect me to be honest, sir. It's not as though I'd be missed." JJ stated, looking away. This was starting to get personal and he was feeling uncomfortable. He wore his 'smile' again and continued, "Let's go, if you insist on making me go to yours."

Berkley frowned, but let JJ's previous statement slide. He would ask him about it later. He then nodded. "Sure."

Despite JJ's protests, Berkley carried him down to his car, parked in the precinct garage. JJ had blushed a great deal and thrashed against him trying to get away, and even raised his voice a couple of times, but all to no avail. Dee had made a flippant comment as they had passed but Ryo (god bless him) had noticed the aura around them and pulled Dee out of the way, his engagement ring glinting, and into their office. JJ had had to turn his face away from the other men at that point, choosing instead to bury his head in Berkley's chest. He was so embarrassed.

Berkley gently placed JJ in the car. "Sorry." He murmured. "I didn't mean to embarrass you but I wasn't sure if you could make your own way down the stairs and I didn't want you to fall."

JJ grunted in response, hunkering down in his seat with his arms across his chest. He felt tears rise, but he choked them down. He had cried too much of late, and he would only humiliate himself further.

Berkley jumped in the other side and as he turned the key in the ignition he reached over to JJ and pulled him into his embrace. JJ was shocked and he looked up at Berkley with wide eyes. Berkley in turn, looked down into those wide, beautiful eyes and felt his own gaze soften. JJ was usually the man who, if one was ever down, could put a smile on your face without even trying. He was the 'bubbly' one at the station and many occasions had reminded Berkley of Ryo. It was not necessarily noticeable at first glance, but in the year or so that he had been working at the 27th he had noticed things in JJ that he also noticed in Ryo. For example, their giving nature, their maternal instinct and even the way that they reacted after a sniper raid – the guilt of shooting another human, even if they were the criminal.

JJ had so much in common with Ryo and yet neither of them noticed it. JJ hated Ryo, and at time Ryo resented JJ for stealing little moments between he and Dee – both at the office and on holiday (A/N referring to vol. 2).

Realising that he was still holding onto JJ tightly he swiftly released him and slid his seatbelt into place, gripping the steering wheel with both hands tightly.

"Buckle up, JJ." He said softly.

JJ regarded him curiously for a moment before doing as he was told. All the way to Berkley's place, JJ looked out of the window making sure that he didn't look at Berkley. He watched all of the scenes that passed. From the slums – where he belonged – to the high-class housing where no-doubt Berkley resided. He was surprised when Berkley pulled up to a small and fairly dingy apartment building.

"Well, here we are." Berkley said, smiling lightly.