Rating: Yaoi
Always
Disclaimer: Not mine. Fake and all associated characters belong to someone I'm too lazy to look up
right now. *Grin* I assure you it isn't me, however. I get no payment from this, other than the
satisfaction of adding to the small amount of fanfic for this wonderful series. Don't sue me. It isn't
worth it, believe me. *lol*
Notes: This fic was born when I was driving with two friends of mine and the song 'One' by
Jordan McKnight came on the radio. Kat-chan and Dag-chan said that it would make a great song
fic. And while that is not what this _is_, I freely admit that the fic is based on the video for that
song. *Grin*
P.S - // indicates thoughts.
By Arion-Chan
Ryo sighed to himself.
The house was a bit too quiet. Cara and Bikky were sleeping over at a friend's house for the
weekend, so Ryo was all alone. He wasn't looking forward to the rest of this weekend. For that
matter, the whole week had seemed rather lackluster, even when the kids _had_ been around.
//And just why is that?//
Ryo steadfastly ignored the nagging voice that was trying to get him to acknowledge the truth.
That had been trying for the entire week that...
//That Dee was in Seattle for a conference...?//
Ryo flinched. Yeah. That was what he'd been _trying_ to ignore. But evidentially his little mental
voice was a masochist.
//Thhhbbbbt.//
And immature. He'd been hanging around Dee too...
//Funny how most thoughts seem to lead there, isn't it?//
Ryo sighed. He was not, repeat _not_ in love with Dee...Was he?
//Yeah...You aren't... _That's_ why you spend so much time with him.//
Ryo frowned. Dee was his partner, it only made sense that...
//And do you see JJ hanging out with his partner half as much? Or any of the others at the
station? You spend most of your free time, and a good bit of the rest of your time for that
matter, in Dee's presence.//
Well, JJ was far too busy watching _Ryo's_ partner to pay much attention to his own, as for the
others...Umm...They...
//You're reaching. And you're also jealous.//
Ryo snorted. He was _not_ jealous.
//Yes you are. You get rabidly jealous every time JJ jumps Dee. Because _you_ want to. Admit it.
You wish you could be as open about your feelings as JJ is.// Ryo sighed. He wasn't going to think
about this. It was time for bed.
//Ignoring yourself isn't going to help. You're afraid that he'll leave you? Well time has a tendency
to pass too quickly. Much as it would hurt to lose him, what if one of you dies without ever
knowing...//
Ryo shivered. That would never happen. Dee could take care of himself... Hell, Dee took care of
them _all_ given free reign...
Ryo tried very hard to ignore the too loud sound of the bedside clock ticking away the
seconds--one by one by one by...
It was a sound that woke him. A noise that wasn't part of the familiar night sounds of his home.
His eyes snapped open, hand reaching for his gun before he even registered the sight of Dee
kneeling by his bed.
"Dee?! What are you doing here? It's..." Ryo groggily checked the clock. "Three in the morning!"
Dee was just staring at him. Ryo blinked, confused. It was such a uncharacteristically serious look.
Somewhat akin to the look on Dee's face the first time he'd kissed Ryo, but with more sadness in
it. It just brought home to Ryo the surrealness of the whole situation. "Dee? What's wrong? Are
you all right?"
"I just need to know..."
"Dee?"
"How do you feel about me? Do you even like me at all...?"
His wistful tone was just to much for Ryo. "Dee! Of course I _like_ you. Your my partner, my
friend, and I trust you with my life!"
Dee's lips quirked up slightly, a smile that had little to do with humor. "Well, that's something I
suppose." His serious green eyes burned into Ryo's, depths of meaning swirling too fast for Ryo
to catch any of them. "I love you, you know. I realize that I've never said it...But I needed for you
to know. I love you. More than anything..."
"Dee!" Ryo could feel those words, the seriousness of them--their weight--hit him with the force
of a blow. All this time, his biggest worry had been whether Dee's feelings were more than lust.
Whether his persistence was more than bruised ego. Now...
"Dee..."
His partner smiled sadly at him. "Good bye Ryo..."
"Dee?!"
The phone ringing shattered the moment like a brick through glass.
"Dee?!" His partner's figure stopped in the doorway to Ryo's room and looked back. Ryo held his
hand out in a beseeching gesture. "Dee...Don't go. Please..."
The look in Dee's face was uncommonly serene. "I'll always be here, Ryo. I love you." Dee smiled
and with a casual wave, walked through the doorway.
Comforted somewhat, if still confused, Ryo picked up the phone, his eyes never leaving the door.
"Mclaine." Commissioner Rose's voice came over the line.
"Detective Mclaine. I have some distressing news to impart. At roughly one thirty this morning,
Detective Latener's plane went down. I'm afraid that he did not survive the crash."
Ryo stared numbly the door he had just seen Dee exit. "He...No...That's not possible..."
"Detective? If you'd like I could..."
"No...No Commissioner, that won't be... Thank you but no."
"Your partner's loss will be felt by the department Detective. If you need anything..."
"Thank you."
Ryo let the phone drop out of his numb hand. All he could hear was the echoing repeat of Dee's
voice.
'...I needed for you to know...love you...more than anything...'
Ryo wrapped his arms around himself, trying to hold in the pain he felt ripping through him. "I
love you too Dee. I love you too..."
As he cried, he could _swear_ he felt Dee's arms around him, heard him whisper, "Always Ryo...
Always be with you. I'll wait..."
The faintest of brushes against his lips, like a breeze or a butterfly's wing. Ryo smiled through his
tears. His voice was choked but sincere. "I love you too, Dee Latener..."
***
Six years later...
Ryo blinked, confused. There seemed to be an awful lot of noise and confusion around him. JJ
was standing by a gurney trying not to cry. The kid had grown up into a fine Detective, and he
was one of the few people that Ryo could talk to about...things. JJ understood, better than
anyone else, the pain of Dee's loss. After all, he felt it too.
"Hello...Ryo."
Ryo turned around and his eyes widened as he found himself face to face with Dee. "What...?!"
Dee smiled slightly. "I told you I'd wait..."
The man turned and sauntered off a few feet. He paused, then turned to shoot Ryo an arch look
over his shoulder. "Well? Are you coming?"
Ryo smiled slowly and nodded. "Yeah."
The two men walked away. They never noticed the EMTs loading a gurney holding the body of
Randy Mclaine into the waiting ambulance...
~OWARI~
