Kiss

Welcome back.

For the record:
I do not own FAKE
and am making no
money from this
story.

If you're here for another
chapter, I thank you.
No sex yet, just some
UST and angst.

Stick around, I promise
you won't be disappointed.

This story is complete
on loose leaf paper,
but I am a very slow
typist. I have no
excuse,I never took
typing like Mom told
me to.

Moon



Chapter 2


Wednesday April 13th , 8:05 am

" Yo, JJ , where's your surprise party gonna be this year?

" Danny's Brew Pub, " JJ called back immediately, and Ted, on his way out the door from third shift, gave him a thumb's up and a grin.

"Once, just once, " Drake groused, unsnapping his laptop carry case, "I'd like to see a surprise stay a surprise around here. "

"Oh, don't be such a poop, " JJ said, scanning their schedule for the day on their dry erase board. Interview three at 8:30 with a witness
in the Silva assault case. Autopsy update at 11:00. Then a staff meeting until 1 pm. Ugh. Hello, hump-day.

"It's in three days, you know, " Drake continued moodily. " Don't you think you better tell me what you want?"

" I already told you what I want," JJ said absently. He retrieved their coffee mugs from the shelf above his desk. Maybe caffeine would
improve his partner's surly mood.

When he turned around, Drake was directly in his path , stopping him short.

" I am not kissing you, " Drake said, hands squarely on his hips. " Ever since you smooched me onthe roof that day you've been all over me. We've been over this a million times , JJ . I am not gay , I am not your
boyfriend and I'm not Dee. "

JJ smiled impishly, and leaned in and kissed him quickly on the mouth.

"See? " He winked, stepping around a sputtering, red-faced Drake. "It's really not that hard ."


Thursday, April 14, 1:45 pm


The lunch crowd in the precinct's cafeteria was on the wane. The CI unit, having spent most of their morning in a briefing with Chief Smith ,
were enjoying a late lunch. Today their friend Jim Campbell, station coroner, had joined them at their favorite table. The discussion had
turned to the victim in Dee and Ryo's latest case.

"--And then I cracked open the chest to check the heart for entry wounds. '" Jim was saying, helping himself to one of Dee's
fries, " and the plaque in the coronary arteries was nearly
two centimeters thick ! It looked like the old plumbing in the last appartment I lived in. "

" Sounds like Giovanni did old man Carnello a favor, " Dee remarked, finishing his coke.
" Better a slug to the head than the Big One in bed with your favorite mistress. "

" Death by Sex ? " Ted quipped. " I wouldn't mind going that way. "

" Just keep eatting like that, " Jim said, nodding at Ted's bacon double cheesburger, " and you will ."

" Hey ! I'll have you know I've got excellent genes ! We Irish never die of heart disease ! "

" Janet's gonna kill you first if you don't get Saturday night off, " Drake added helpfully.

"Who'm I supposed to switch with? " Ted demanded. " Everyone else wants to go to the party too. "

He glared at JJ as he and Ryo approached the table with their own trays. "This is all your fault," he said, brandishing a ketchup
soaked fry in JJ's direction.

JJ blinked, setting his tray next to Drake while Ryo sat across from him next to Dee."I just got here , Ted - senpai , " he said,tearing
open his packet of croutons and sprinkling them on his caeser salad.
" What am I supposed to have done now?"

" Gone and had a birthday on a night I'm already scheduled," Ted harumphed. " Janet's threatening to go with Edwards from traffic if I can't take her. "

" Ouch, " Dee winced. " I've seen him in the showers ; trust me, Ted, you do not want Janet going with him."

Ryo kicked Dee under the table as Dee began to laugh at Ted's impending panic." So , JJ , " Ryo said, " after lunch do you want to go to
the range with me? "

" Sure, " JJ smiled. " Drake, can you cover the phones for awhile? "

Drake nodded, mouth full of the last of his ham on rye. " Take your time, " he said after a swallow. "Jim's provided Dee and I with some
lovely after lunch reading material as it is. " He tapped the Carnello
autopsy report at his elbow.

" And on that note, " the lanky coroner said, standing and gathering his tray, " it's back to the butcher block for me . See you fellas later ."

They bid their goodbyes. " God, I hate it when he does that," Dee shuddered. " I won't be able to look at our kitchen counter tops
the same way for a week ! "

The beep of a pager had them all looking to their belts. " It's me , " JJ muttered, pressing the display button.
He frowned . " Better make that a rain check, Ryo- senpai. Rose wants me back upstairs ASAP. "

" You just sat down ! " Dee exclaimed. " Let him wait til you're done eatting.'

" He won't, " Drake said, gesturing at his partner as JJ shoveled in a few more bites.
" Here , I'm done ; I'll go back up with you. "

JJ took his lemonade with him to the elevator. When the doors slid shut, he turned to Drake with a mischievious grin. " I'd take my birthday
present early, you know."

" JJ- " Drake warned, feeling his face heat. That little pink tongue was sucking not so innocently on the straw, doing things to Drake's
body he'd rather not admit.

JJ giggled before the elevator stopped. " Oh senpai, you are just so fun to tease ! "

The doors opened and they stepped out. JJ lobbed the empty cup into the trash near the exit.
"I'll go see what the commisioner wants and then meet you back at the office, okay ? "

" Sure, Bud, " Drake said, turning left down the hall." Hope you're not in too deep of trouble
this time-"

But JJ had stopped dead in his tracks. Drake did a double take over his shoulder to see his partner staring as Commisioner Rose came down the
hallway .His face was grim, and he was not alone .

A woman in her early thirties walked beside him, conservatively dressed in a dark blue jacket and skirt. Her silvery blonde hair was cut in a business woman's bob, her face and body softly plump. Her eyes,
however, and the set of her mouth told Drake who she was even before he heard his partner speak.

" Laura ? " JJ said incredulously. " What are you doing here ? "

But JJ already knew, if the expression on his face was any indication. Drake moved instinctively to his partner's side .

"I'm here because I have a brother who won't answer my calls, " JJ's sister said. " You need to come home, Jeremy. It's bad this time . Daddy's dying."

Drake's head snapped around to see his partner's face. JJ was pale, but his expression hadn't changed at all.

" He doesn't want to see me, " he said slowly, shaking his head. " There's no point-"

" He can't see any of us anymore ; he's in a coma. This is for you. If you want to see him again before he dies, you have to come home with me now. "

JJ looked uncertainly between his sister, and Drake and Rose. "Well , I, I guess I'll have to, then," he stammered. " Just let me wrap up this last case and I'll fly out in a few days."

" Jeremy, " Laura said, her voice hard. Immediately JJ locked eyes with her, and Drake was struck by the timeless dynamic of little brother/ older sister playing out before his eyes. " You're not listening to me. You have to come home now. Right now. . The plane leaves for Los Angeles
in two hours. You need to be on it with me if you want to make it home in time. "
She sighed, moving closer to clasp his hands. " We have just enough time
for you to go hame and pack . "

JJ just stared at her, speechless.

" Come sign your leave papers, " Rose said , nodding towards his office. " Take what time you need , and come back when your family's business is complete."

Drake stood awkwardly as JJ hurried off with Rose. " Drake Parker, " he said, holding out his hand. " I'm JJ's partner. "

Her grip was firm. " Laura Adams-Grayson , " she said She looked him up and down appraisingly. " Yes, you would be Drake, then . I've heard a lot about you. "

Drake felt as if he was under the scrutiny of his own older sister, Connie. "I'm really sorry about your father . "

Laura smiled sadly. " It's end stage Multiple Sclerosis , " she explained . " He's been sick for many years, but this latest exacerbation, well..." She shook her head. " We're with hospice now."

Drake was saved from having to reply by JJ's return.

" Oh , " he flustered, " Drake , Laura, have you met ? "

" We just did , " his sister assured him. " If you're finished, we need to go . "

JJ turned to Drake . " I don't know how long I'll be gone, " he said .

" I 've got your spare key, " Drake said , feeling useless otherwise. " I'll look after your place . "

" Thanks," JJ said quietly..

Drake hugged him, hard. " Christ, I wish I could go with you , " he said against his hair.

JJ clung to him tightly . " I know . " he whispered.

They pulled appart. Then Drake leaned in , and kissed the top of his head, cupping his face
in his hand.

" Happy Birthday, partner , " he said miserably.