Chapter 20

Three more post-break up days went by with a blur. JD had been throwing himself into his work as much as possible, going even further for his patients to the point where some of them wanted him to go away. But no matter how much responsibility was thrown his way, JD couldn't block out everything else that was happening in his life.

He had heard through the grape vine about Jordan and Perry's split. A part of him wanted to talk it out with his ex, see if he could help the situation and get the chief and Jordan back together but Perry had been crammed up in his office. JD knew that even though he felt responsible it was best not to pursue, plus his mind was on other things.

Todd had somehow forgotten everything he and JD had shared. It was amazing the way he just went back to his old perverted self and hit on everything that walked by. JD knew deep down in his gut that it was just to hurt him, at least that's what he wanted to believe. But upon remembering that the go with the flow nature was something he loved about Todd, he couldn't help but wonder if the surgeon had in fact moved on from him.

All the surgeons were on Todd's side, in fact a lot of the hospital was. Most of the nursing staff comforted Todd, figuring that his innuendo was just covering up a broken heart. His battle scars from the fight with Perry helped to plead his sympathy case.

JD was simultaneously dreading and grateful for lunch time. Lunch was the only meal he'd really sat down to eat as he was usually really hungry by that point in the day. However, the cafeteria was full of judgemental eyes.

To make things worse, whenever Todd saw JD, he would deliberately make a pass at the nearest person and the cafeteria was the one place they were guaranteed to meet during the day. JD would put his head down and try to hide how much it hurt.

JD grabbed an empty table towards the back of the cafeteria; out of the way of most people, yet still able to look at Todd. He hadn't felt so hated since he'd told a pregnant Kim there was no chance for them.

"So how does it feel to be among the most hated men in the hospital?"

JD looked up when Perry sat down. He almost cringed at the sight. Having not seen the older man for a few days, he'd almost forgotten that Perry also had visible bumps and bruises from fighting Todd.

"What are you doing here?" JD asked, directing the question down at his food.

"As you probably heard, Jordan left me because of you." Perry explained before taking a sip of his soda.

JD looked up at the man he'd admired for many years. "And Todd left me because of you, so what's your point?"

"It doesn't look like he needed too much convincing." Perry looked back at the surgeon, sitting with a table full of female nurses. "That's the thing about nurses, no matter how uncomfortable you make them, they can't resist the wounded puppy. Just like the pervert he is, The Todd is lapping it all up."

JD stood up and stormed out. Even though he could see it, Perry's words just made Todd's actions more real. He suddenly lost his appetite and was in no mood to talk to Perry. He headed towards the elevator, hoping to grab a muffin from Coffeebucks that would help him get through the afternoon.

However, as he pushed the button, JD noticed that Perry had followed after him. To get away from the older man as fast as possible he ducked into the stairwell and proceeded in climbing. Unfortunately the set of stairs led up to their old love nest; the roof.

JD stepped out into the light of day and stared at the door, waiting for Perry to catch up with him. He hadn't been to the roof since their last get together. The memories that the place brought up shook him a little, particularly as his former lover stepped onto the roof.

"What do you want from me?!" JD snapped, throwing his arms up in frustration.

Perry walked over to him, cupping his face. "You know what I want."

JD shoved him back. "Sorry Perry, but I don't want you." He stormed over to the edge of the roof, looking at the view rather than the older man.

Perry didn't know how things had gotten so messed up. At least, he didn't want to admit his fault in the matter. In his mind, JD still loved him. He was determined to prove that now that they were both single. With nothing standing in his way, they could commit to each other completely.

Perry walked over to the younger man, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You do realise that we're both free now and since we can't seem to keep our hands off each other how about we finally give this a fair shot? I love you."

"Well I don't love you." JD shot back, walking away once again.

Before JD managed to get three steps ahead, Perry caught his arm and his fury started to heat up. "You don't mean that."

JD jerked his arm away, spinning to look at Perry with a purpose. "I do mean it. I don't love you. I thought I did but I guess you finally beat it out of me Perry. I made one little mistake but I'd rather be alone than get screwed over by you again."

Perry saw red. His hands shook with rage. He finally knew what it was like to put his heart on the line and JD was throwing it right back at him. "I gave up everything for you and after everything you've said and all we've been through you're giving me up for some slim chance that The Todd will actually take you back."

JD felt a flash of fear rip through him, but he wouldn't allow it. Taking a deep breath, he managed a shaky but firm reply. "You gave up nothing for me, at least not voluntarily. Though you were right about one thing, our problem is that you can't seem to keep your hands off me. I would rather wait for a chance that may never happen with Todd, then take any more of what you have to offer. I'm done with being kicked around by you. Goodbye Perry."

JD headed back down the stairs, confident that Perry had received the message. As he headed towards the room of a patient, JD spotted Todd stepping out of the cafeteria.

Todd's eyes, one of them blackened, locked with JD's. They both stood paralysed for a moment, but Todd wasn't going to let the medical doctor know that he was in pain. After all, he was confident, buff and believed he could get anyone. The Todd wasn't supposed to let feelings get to him this way.

Always quick with the innuendo, Todd spotted the closest target to show JD he was doing fine. "Hey Doctor Norris, want to play puppets? I'll let you put your hand in me, anytime."

Crude as it was, JD couldn't find it disgusting. It hurt a little too much. But JD knew that Todd was hurting too; he'd seen that side of the surgeon over their relationship. When everything passed they would find each other again. He was sure of it and wasn't going to miss that chance, especially not for Perry.

After a long day, the last place Perry wanted to be was in a meeting with Jack's teacher. But since the nanny was sick and he wanted any excuse to leave the hospital a little early, Perry played the hand he was dealt. He went to the classroom and only half listened to the teacher before reassuring her he would handle it.

Jack was waiting on a bench outside the classroom. Perry didn't know how to react to what he'd just been informed of. Frustrated, he led his son out to his Porsche.

It was only when sitting in the driver's seat that Perry finally spoke. "So Jack-o, do you mind telling me why you punched the school janitor in the groin?"

"Because of what you were saying last night, Daddy." Jack explained, flashing the smile that rarely left his face.

Perry shot his son a confused look. "What are you talking about?"

"You said that Mommy and Jennifer Dylan went away because janitors were stupid and crazy. You said that a janitor ruined your life. Then some stuff about JD the idiot."

Perry suddenly remembered what he'd been rambling about for the last few nights. He would come home, drink scotch and mumble about everything that had happened to no-one in particular. Sometimes he would blame characters on whatever TV show he was watching for being so gosh darn cheerful while he tried to make sense of his life.

"When is Mommy coming back?" Jack asked, seeing his dad looking a little distressed.

Perry had been pretty vague about where the two females of his family had gone. Jordan knew that this very moment would be torture for him, which he figured was her reason for leaving Jack behind apart from school. He couldn't lie, but he didn't want to reveal the whole truth either.

"Do you remember what I told you about love?" Perry finally settled on what he could say.

"You mean that it makes you go crazy."

Perry laughed and nodded. "Sometimes you end up hurting people, other times you end up hurting yourself."

"Like when you hurt yourself falling down the stairs."

In order to cover up for the fact he'd fought with Todd, Perry had lied about his injuries. Telling Jack the truth would reveal too much.

"Yeah it was. Crazy, cuckoo love." Perry replied. "Daddy has done some stupid things over the past few months. I'm sorry if I've become angry with you or hurt you in any way." He leaned over and gave Jack a quick hug.

Jack, still oblivious to the real story behind all the seriousness, smiled. "One time Jenny used my crayons and drew all over my space man picture."

"Did she now?"

Jack nodded. "I was mad at her, but I still love her. And Mommy got mad when I used her smelly powder to make snow in the bathroom."

Perry laughed at the incident with the talcum powder that happened merely weeks before. "I remember, but she still loves you."

"Yeah."

"Sometimes you know the right thing to do, other times you just end up doing the opposite." Perry stated, staring through the windscreen out into the distance. "Love can turn you into a monster."

"What do you mean, Daddy?"

"Oh Jack-o, Daddy hurt some people that he didn't mean to hurt. Some people that he cares about very much." Perry explained, turning back to Jack and trying hard not to just spill his guts to someone who probably couldn't fathom the situation.

"Why don't you say you're sorry?" Jack suggested.

"I think I've said sorry too many times. It won't work this time, I'm afraid."

"Then maybe you should do what mommy says and suck it up." Jack put on his seat belt, clearly restless and ready to go.

Perry couldn't help but let out a little chuckle. "Which reminds me; you better suck it up when you apologise to your school janitor tomorrow."

Since they were just talking about it, Jack found it easy to get an excuse. "But I didn't mean to hurt him. Love made me crazy."

Perry found himself laughing at Jack's naivety, but nevertheless answered anyway. "Me too, son."

Carla and Turk stood in line at Coffeebucks, waiting for their beverages. It wasn't hard to spot JD at a table by the window, picking at a chocolate pie with a fork. Carla couldn't help but feel for him.

Carla nudged her husband. "Look at him, he's miserable."

"Baby, I know. I've been trying to cheer him up but he's just not going for it. We have to leave him alone for a few days." Turk tried to reason with Carla, but he knew the woman could never resist meddling.

"We have to do something about this. JD is a workaholic zombie and The Todd is worse than he was before." Carla told him.

"Since, yet again, this situation somehow turned back on me I've been stuck in the middle of two of my best friends." Turk explained, picking up his coffee from the counter. "It's not easy."

"Come on, baby. You know he needs you." Carla gave him the look that usually wore Turk down. "We have to get them back together. Everything was so much better then."

"Look, you have to leave them alone. Besides, Todd gave JD back a bunch of stuff today. That's why he's so depressed."

"That's nothing. Now let's get over there." Carla grabbed her own beverage, heading over to JD's table with Turk in tow. "Hey Bambi, are you feeling any better today?"

"Todd gave me back a box of stuff today. Stuff I left at his house, gifts I gave to him. I think he even put some of his stuff in here, just because I liked it too much." JD motioned to the box beside him.

"Dude you were only going out two months? How could you possibly have a box that big?" Turk eyed the box with curiosity.

"We stayed at each other's places a lot." JD sighed, savouring a mouthful of pie. "This used to be our thing. Chocolate pie doesn't seem worth it without Todd getting it over his mouth. I used to like kissing it off."

"I know you're hurting Vanilla Bear, but you have to move on." Turk patted JD's shoulder sympathetically.

"I guess you're right. Besides, Kim agreed to let me have Sam for some extra time to help me get over the loneliness. So that's a positive, right?" JD picked at his pie a little more.

"Yeah it is." Turk nodded, pulling the pie plate from his friend. "Speaking of the positive side, since this pie causes such bad memories, I should probably take it."

"No chocolate for you. You had your candy bar last night." Carla moved the plate before her husband could touch it.

"I've been trying to look at this whole thing from a positive perspective." JD told his friends. "Maybe John Dorian isn't meant to fall in love. Maybe my destiny is to focus on my career, become Chief of Medicine and finally figure out the secret to floating head doctor." He seemed a little more confident as he spoke of his fantasies. "I could find the cure for cancer but if I kept spending all my free time with Todd that might never happen. It's destiny, my friends."

"Well that's great. Both of you are getting on with your lives and moving on to bigger and better things." Turk said as an attempt to move on from the subject and cheer up his heart broken best friend.

"Todd's moving on to bigger and better things?" JD hadn't been expecting to hear that, despite his attempt at looking on the bright side.

"Come on, how could Todd possibly be over you that quickly." Carla cried in disbelief. "You two had something, as weird as it was. I can tell that he still loves you."

JD's eyes seemed to light up with a glimmer of hope. "Do you think there's still a chance?"

"You kissed Doctor Cox, man!" Turk blurted out, due to his own insecurities at JD and Perry's relationship. But when he saw the look on his best friend's face, Turk offered reassurance. "Todd's not as strong as he likes people to think he is. Just give him some time."

"I really miss him." JD said with absolute earnestness. "I understand why he's mad and why you've been hanging out with him a lot the past few days, Chocolate Bear. I just wish I hadn't let Perry kiss me."

"So what!? Granted, you did kiss Perry but if you truly tell him it was a mistake I'm sure Todd will take you back." Carla told him, her face glowing with excitement. "You two will be back together by the end of the day and all of us will be better off."

"Turk?" JD asked his best friend inquisitively.

"Maybe not by the end of the day, but soon enough. As much as I hate to admit it, you two really seem to love each other."

"Guess I have a few more days of hell then." JD managed a chuckle, feeling more light hearted since his conversation with the husband and wife team.

By unfortunate coincidence, his joy was not to last too long. Todd entered Coffeebucks in an incredibly happy mood. He was high-fiving everyone he passed. JD tried to hear exactly what high five it was and didn't have to wait to long.

"Did he just give Mickhead a 'Player's got a date for Friday' five?" JD asked, the colour draining from his face.

Todd approached the table, bee-lining for his best friend. "Hey T-Dog. Guess what?"

"Player got a date?" Turk asked, taking a sympathetic glance at JD and hoping he was wrong.

"Damn straight five." Todd high-fived Turk before turning his attention to JD. He held up his hand and swatted the air. "Totally over you air five!" He turned to Carla briefly and gave her a wink. "Looking good chica."

Carla shuddered as Todd walked away from their table. "How can he go from that, to incredibly sweet when he's with you?"

"You know what Todd's like, he's probably lying just to mess with you."

JD stared off after his ex. How he wanted to believe Turk more than anything. But he knew that Todd's revelation contained only truth.

"He's not lying is he?" Carla noticed the look on JD's face.

"No, he's not." JD replied bluntly before standing up. "If you don't mind I'm just going to walk around for awhile."

As he walked out of Coffeebucks and into a daze, JD had to will himself to keep breathing and smiling. He wanted to hate Todd and this side of him, but he had seen what lay beneath. He wanted to find whoever Todd's date was and send them packing, but knew it wouldn't do any good.

As Janitor's mop tripped him, sending him crashing to the floor JD realised that he just didn't want to feel anymore. Perry was gone, Todd was gone and there was no point in trying to fix any of it, no matter how much he wanted to.

He stood up and brushed himself off, ignoring the maintenance man who clearly wanted some attention or revenge for nothing. Todd had moved on and he knew he had to as well. Getting over Perry had been easy enough, how hard could it be this time?

NOTE: So the plot thickens. Perry is realising it takes more than an apology to rectify his actions. JD isn't over The Todd, but it appears that Todd has a date. What will happen as a result of all this? Do you want to know? Do you? Love ya'll :-)