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Loyalty	By : Macx Category: +. to F > FAKE Views: 1987 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own FAKE, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Loyalty
- 2-part 2
- 3-part 3
- 4-part 4
- 5-part 5
- 6-part 6
- 7-part 7
- 8-part 8
- 3
- 4
- 5
The hospital was busy, as usual. Intensive Care was mostly calm
compared to the hubbub outside, but there were still a throng of nurses,
doctors and visitors. The reception desk outside the unit was manned by
three nurses and Dee was currently having a hard time with one of them.
She was two heads smaller than him, maybe in her fifties, and her face
was set in an expression that told whoever dared to approach her that she
meant business. Ryo was currently just watching, ready to intervene, and
it was time to do so soon.
"I want to see him!" Dee demanded, staring down at the woman who barred
his way.
"I'm sorry, detective, but it's family only at the moment."
"I'm his brother," Dee said through clenched teeth.
It was the first time he had said it out loud, claiming their relationship
in any way. Green eyes were burning with the need to get into the unit
and see for himself that Ross Barclay was breathing on his own, that his
heart was beating.
The nurse frowned a little and anger bubbled up inside Dee, but it was
Ryo who intervened.
"It's true, Nurse Walker. They're related. Please, let him see his brother."
She gazed up at him, frowning a little at the calm, serene face, the
open brown eyes.
"You're not listed, Detective Latener."
"I know. We didn't know about each other for a long time. Listen, he's
my brother. We might not share the same name, but we have the same parents!
Please!"
After another look, she nodded. "All right. If this is a lie, you'll
get to know me, Detective, and not in a good way. You can see him for a
moment, but I want your name on the family list ASAP!"
"You will."
Ryo was about to step back, but Dee's pleading expression had him glance
at the nurse. She gave them a little smile, the first she had showed.
"Dress up and wear the mouth cover," she instructed. "I can give you
a while with him."
Ryo nodded his thanks and they proceeded to don the surgical clothes,
covering their mouths and slipping protective covers over their shoes.
Then they walked into the intensive care unit.
He looks so pale, was the first that shot through Dee's mind
as his eyes fell on the motionless figure on the bed. Barclay was sans
glasses, his blond hair combed back out of his face, which just served
to highlight how pale and thin he looked. There were dark smudges under
his eyes. He was dressed in a hospital gown and there were so many tubes
and cables running back and forth, it seemed he was unable to exist without
mechanical help. Blood was drained out of the wound, which was a thickly
bandaged bulge underneath the thin gown. Two lines ran into his arms, one
of them for a blood transfusion.
Ryo took his hand and interlaced their fingers, squeezing them reassuringly.
Dee just stared at the inanimate face, unable to move. Part of him wanted
to touch Barclay, another shied away.
Ross Barclay had tried to protect Ryo, had almost died for it. He had
thrown himself between his lover and the deadly projectiles. He had stood
up despite his injuries, intent on keeping Ryo alive.
Because he was Dee's brother, because Dee was bonded to Ryo, because
the whole Barclay family would protect the other man. Dee had never believed
it to be the truth, but now�
What if Barclay died? What if he never woke up? What if there were complications?
Questions were running through his head and he felt himself starting
to swim. Ryo wrapped an arm around his waist.
"Let's go," he whispered.
"No�" Dee protested faintly, but he followed his partner's gentle pull.
Outside they stripped off the borrowed clothes. Ryo threw them into
the bin placed right next to the ICU and pulled his lover with him since
Dee seemed to have no life of his own. They finally arrived in the small
private area and Ryo took him into his arms, holding him tightly.
"He can't die," Dee whispered. "He can't."
"Shhhh�"
Ryo didn't know how long they had been standing like this when he was
startled by someone softly clearing his throat. He looked over Dee's shoulder,
still holding him protectively, the black head buried against his neck.
A tall woman with shoulder-length, dark hair stood in the entrance to
the private area. She was dressed in casual, gray pants and a dark blue
blouse.
"I'm sorry to interrupt," she said softly. "Are you Dee Latener and
Ryo McLane?"
Ryo nodded. "I'm McLane."
"My name is Bethany Moore. I'm Ross's sister."
Dee's head came up and he turned around, eyes wide. Green eyes met blue
ones and a little smile graced Bethany's lips.
"Hello, Dee. I know it sounds corny, but Ross told me a lot about you."
Another smile. "I'm glad to finally meet you in person, though the circumstances
could be better."
Ryo caressed the small of his lover's back, giving him the hold
Dee needed and radiated.
"Why don't we sit down," he said calmly. "I'm sure you have questions�"
She nodded and sat down on one of the cream colored chairs. Her eyes
kept going to Dee, studying him, curious. Dee made a point not to look
at her and Ryo sighed to himself. He knew this was bad on his lover, but
he wasn't making an effort either. Well, for now he would take the lead,
but he and Dee would talk.
* * *
Ryo and Dee had returned to work, answering questions, fending off the
well-meaning and too nosey, and thankfully JJ helped with getting rid of
people who just wanted the gory details. Ryo was forced to work his desk
because of his injury, which meant Dee was out a lot and doing the leg
work while his partner got rid of files and reports, cleaning up the 'in'
boxes and piling neat files in the 'out' box, both on his desk and his
computer.
It was on that first day back to work with Ryo taking it easy as by
doctor's orders that someone entered the office he usually shared with
Dee. The man was dressed in a casual outfit, his hair thinning and almost
gray, his eyes hidden behind glasses that looked like they had been in
fashion twenty years ago. He was favoring a full beard, neatly trimmed,
and a visitors badge was clipped to his shirt.
"Detective Randy McLane?" he asked.
Ryo nodded. "Yes. What can I do for you?"
"I'm Paul Ortiz from criminalistics."
The man held out a hand and Ryo shook it, making moves to get up. Ortiz
waved at him to remain seated.
"Better for the leg," he only said.
"What gives me the honor, Mr. Ortiz?"
"Well, I'm in charge of the investigation of the shooting you were involved
in. I thought I'd drop by and talk with you about the results of the first
lab tests in person. Some of them are a bit� astounding."
Ryo frowned slightly.
Ortiz materialized a photo from inside the folder he had been carrying.
"This is what the doctors pulled out of Lieutenant Barclay."
Ryo gazed at the picture and knew why Ortiz was here. The object on
the photo was a screw. A very long one, probably out of the workman's box,
and Harding must have used it as a projectile.
"Whatever explanation there is for a screw ending up inside a human
body without having it fired from a device that can achieve the necessary
velocity for the deep penetration, it's nothing that can fit your report
or mine," Ortiz went on and his eyes were suddenly serious. "Normally I
wouldn't have come here, would have handled this on my own and no one would
be the wiser. I could have Harding down for possession of an unregistered
gun, shooting a police officer and assorted other crimes, and you wouldn�t
even know it. Fact is, you do know what happened, Detective McLane. You
worked the job long enough."
Ryo's expression changed. He carefully schooled his features, watching
the other man sharply. Ortiz might be talking about ally business, but
he might also be up to something else.
"Not long enough to meet you," he replied, words carefully chosen.
Ortiz smiled. "I hadn't heard from you either and I blame it on the
fact that we never worked on such a case before. I called a few people
and received an interesting phone call from a woman called Mitsumi this
morning. She said to handle this with gloves on and all eyes open. Looks
like your status was elevated, Detective."
Ryo smiled wryly. "Not really, no. But I'm out of that business, Mr.
Ortiz."
"Yes, being partnered to someone like Detective Latener changes a lot
of things. I was also warned about your Lieutenant. Looks an interesting
triangle here."
Ryo chuckled. Yes, an interesting triangle indeed. In more ways than
one. Then he grew serious.
"What about the evidence now?"
"It'll uphold in court, but I doubt you can get a conviction. Mr. Harding
sadly committed suicide."
Ryo shot the man a sharp look and Ortiz waved him off.
"Officially," he added. "Unofficially he's been taken care of and he
won't be a bother. I think Latener scared the shit out of the guy, whatever
he did. There wasn't a scratch on him, but Harding was babbling about creatures
from Hell."
He remembered the metallic golden eyes, the murderous expression, and
Ryo could only agree with the phrase. Dee had been a terrifying vision.
Ortiz rose, smiling jovially. "Anyway, just wanted to let you know.
You don't have to worry about a thing. It's in good hands."
"Thank you, Mr. Ortiz."
"That's what we're here for."
Ryo gazed at the door Ortiz had closed after himself. Yes, that was
what allies were for. He had never appreciated their work more than now
� now that he was so much part of the world that needed them.
* * *
Dee looked at the pale form, noting the lines that had etched themselves
into the usually so smooth features. The long blond strands were in disarray,
the usual style changed into what the nurses had combed the hair into.
The dark bruises under the dull, blue eyes added to the exhausted look
of the man lying in the hospital bed. Dressed in the standard hospital
gown, an IV still leading into the vein of his left hand, Ross Barclay
was far from the self-assured, sometimes too arrogant for his own good
superior officer Dee liked to hate.
He was simply a man. A hurting, injured man. The man who had protected
his lover and partner, Dee reminded himself sharply. The man who would
die to keep Ryo alive.
Because Ryo was a shield.
Because Barclay was the Shaman Pair's shaman's brother.
Brother.
Here it was again. This one word. In the past three days in which Barclay
had fought to live, to heal, Dee had come to terms with it all of a sudden.
The aspect of losing the man had brought everything into sharp relief.
As much as he wanted to despise Barclay, he was his older brother, someone
he had never known was out there, searching feverishly for his baby brother
he had sworn to protect.
The doctors were pleased with his progress. He had been transferred
from intensive care to the normal station and they expected him to return
home by the end of the week. Dee was glad the other man wasn't awake; it
would have been awkward. He had no idea what to talk to him about anyway.
Turning, he left the hospital room and nearly collided with Bethany.
She smiled at him.
"Hello, Detective."
"Dee," he corrected her automatically.
Another smile. "Can I invite you for a coffee?"
He hesitated a second, then just shrugged. They silently walked to the
cafeteria that was on the first floor of the hospital, looking out the
back where no cars or ambulances reminded visitors where they were for
a while, though how anyone could forget this was a hospital was beyond
Dee.
Bethany got them two large coffees and they settled down at the far
end near the large glass windows. Dee let his eyes stray outside, taking
in the serene, calming garden that stretched behind the hospital. It was
small, but it was still a welcome change to the gray and white everywhere
else.
"Ross is getting better," Bethany said almost as if to herself. "He
was awake for a while yesterday and today. We talked some. He needs a lot
of sleep and his body demands it, but he's strong."
Dee nodded, sipping at his coffee. "Good to hear."
Bethany's eyes were on him and Dee felt decidedly unwell. This woman
was supposedly his older sister, twelve years his senior, the oldest of
his siblings, but he had no connection to her at all. He had more of a
relationship with Barclay than her, and there were more siblings out there,
including their respective others and children.
"It's hard," Bethany suddenly said.
"Huh?"
"After so many years of no hope, of accepting the loss� and even after
Ross told me that he had found you, asking us to give him time before we
came here to see you�"
Barclay had asked them to wait? "Why?" he blurted.
"Why did he stop us from coming here?" At his nod she smiled. "Well,
he told me that you hadn't been very� happy about the revelation. He said
it was because of your past work relationship and after hearing him out,
I agreed. Unless you accepted your brother, the one person who never gave
up and shaped his life around finding you, we didn't even want to think
how you'd react to the whole Barclay family coming for a visit."
Dee winced a little. "It was a bit much," he murmured.
"Finding out you're not an orphan? Having Ross as your brother? Or discovering
you're actually paranormal?"
"All and nothing of the above." Dee gazed out of the window. "Who doesn't
want a family after growing up alone? It's a child's dream. As for Barclay�
I think it shocked me the most. I can live with the paranormal stuff, though."
He flashed her a little grin.
Bethany smiled in return. "You look a lot like Mom," she said softly.
"I'm so glad you're still alive, that Ross found you� and that you're healthy.
Dad shielded you, hid you from everyone, and we never knew. If we had known,
maybe we would have found you sooner."
"A lot would be different then."
She nodded her agreement.
"I wouldn't be here, a police officer. I wouldn't have met Ryo."
"Believe me, you would have. Just under different circumstances. He's
your shield and in a Shaman Pair, the two parties involved are drawn to
each other. You would have met, believe me, Dee."
"It wouldn't be the same."
"No, it could never be the same as how you two found each other and
achieved your balance." Bethany smiled warmly. "What I've seen of your
partner, he's cute."
Dee shot her a warning look, sharply reminded of the discussion he had
had with Ryo about genetics and the Barclay family. Ryo was his and no
one would come between them.
"Whoa, Dee, down boy. I just stated a fact. I'm not going to woo him
away from you." Bethany made a calming gesture. "I'm happily married. You
know it's just a normal reaction from your siblings to your shield."
Her eyes suddenly turned very serious.
"It's why we're sitting here, in this cafeteria, this hospital, right?
The reaction we show toward Ryo's safety. Ross did what comes natural to
us. We women don't feel any differently, Dee. Not at all."
Dee winced and evaded the knowing eyes, unwilling to think about Barclay
and his near-death at the hands of someone who had been out for Ryo's blood.
"This will take time," she said calmly. "And understanding."
She touched his hand and Dee looked up, right into her warm eyes.
"Dee, no one of us is your rival, least of all your brother. Try to
give him the benefit of a doubt. Try to give him a chance. This hurts him
more than you think."
He bit his lower lip and suddenly pushed away, unable to take this any
longer.
"Gotta go," he murmured.
Bethany rose and nodded. "I'll be here until the end of the week. It's
as long as I could take time off from work. Gwynn is in Europe at the moment
and Lenore can't come, but they'll be in contact. I'll keep them informed."
She smiled. "Say hello to Ryo from me."
"Uh, I will."
And with that he fled from the cafeteria and finally from the hospital.
Things were getting way too complicated for his liking.
- 3
- 4
- 5
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Loyalty