Even with all the business of putting the new operation together, Buck had to take the time to eat. More often than not, he and Chris grabbed something together at the deli across the way, talking all the while about rosters and supplies and contacts, then coming back to the office in the middle of the same conversation. Which was what they were doing at the moment and, even though they’d just eaten, Buck was still puckish, thinking fondly of the vending machine.
It had only been four days since he’d talked to Chris about the whole thing, four very strange days.
He knew, for instance, that Chris and Vin had had their first date, but Chris was being a tight-lipped bastard about it and Buck still didn’t know what had happened. Well, aside from the fact that it had gone well. Funny how more Harley models kept showing up on Vin’s desk. And since Chris had a hard time not telling Buck everything when they did talk, the other man had arranged to keep their conversations strictly business over the last four days.
Buck also knew that Ezra was
visiting his mother in
On top of that, JD had taken to dogging his every step and it was starting to drive him a little crazy. He didn’t know what had prompted the sudden clinging and that root problem was what bothered him the most. Buck loved to be needed, was at his best when helping and supporting his friends, so the actual clinging part was kinda nice. What he hated was being in the dark about why. But JD would just flash those baby browns of his at Buck and ask counter-questions when Buck tried to figure out what was going on until Buck dropped it.
To sum up...all his best friends were acting crazy and he wasn’t all that far from joining them.
Today, Friday, had started out the same as any other day except that JD had decided to do his part for the environment...
* * * *
“You’re going to what?” Buck demanded, staring at him incredulously.
With a stubborn air, JD answered, “Take the bus to work. What’s the big deal?”
“JD. Buddy. This is LA. No one takes the bus. No one wants to take the bus.”
“That’s because you’re all self-absorbed energy-hoggers.”
Lips pursed, Buck just shook his head and asked, “You got the map routed out?”
JD paused. “Routed out?”
“Yeah. Do you know how many buses you’re going to have to take to get downtown from here?”
Frowning now, JD asked, “More than one?”
Buck sighed. “JD. The MTA is a
nice idea, but out here, it’s not exactly...fluid. It’s not like back east in
“It ain’t that bad!” JD exclaimed.
Holding up his hands in surrender, Buck said, “Okay. Suit yourself. Just don’t call me for a ride when the third bus has passed you right by and it’s thirty minutes ‘til the next one.”
“It ain’t that bad. Can’t be.”
Buck snorted as he grabbed his coat and tugged it on. “You got a charged cell phone?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. You’ll need the distraction of playing games on it while you wait.”
“I’m taking my laptop.”
Buck scooped up the expensive, personally bought item and slung the carrier over his shoulder. “No you’re not. It’ll be waiting for you at work, safe and sound.”
“Buck!”
“See ya, JD.”
* * * *
Walking into the office, Buck set the laptop bag on JD’s desk and met Chris’ curious frown with a grin. He announced, “He’s taking the bus.”
Chris blinked at him in surprise for a few seconds then repeated, “The bus?”
“Yep.”
“Did you tell him...”
“Yep.”
“What about...”
“Uh huh.”
“And he’s still taking the bus?”
“That’s right.”
Chris shook his head in dark amusement and said, “Well, he should be in sometime around lunch, so why don’t we get started?”
“Where’s Vin?” Buck teased.
“What’re we, in high school?” Chris snapped, though his voice lacked any real ire.
Laughing softly, Buck replied, “Might as well be, the way you two are...”
Buck’s voice trailed off when Chris lost all expression on his face. He turned around and his heart sank on finding Mary Travis standing in the doorway. She looked just as pretty as she had before, only with some lines around the eyes and mouth that spoke of grief and loss and guilt. The self-same lines that Chris had on his face, only not so deeply etched.
Offering a hesitant smile, Mary greeted, “I was here to see Dad, so I thought I’d stop by before leaving.”
Chris jolted out of his stupor and closed the distance, stopping a scant half-foot from her to reply, “It’s good to see you, Mary.”
Buck withheld his scowl when Chris leaned down to kiss her cheek, but barely, offended on Vin’s behalf. Still, he managed a polite smile and nodded to her when Mary looked his way. “Hey Mary. Chris said you were back in town. How’s Billy?”
“He’s good,” she replied, her face lighting up. “He’s upstairs with Dad.”
Vin chose that moment to come back from wherever he’d been, but Buck was the only one to see him, with the way he was facing. He leaned against JD’s desk to watch the show.
“Excuse me,” Vin requested softly.
Mary moved aside and smiled at him. “Sorry about that.”
Vin’s eyes looked at the floor, then back to her face, then to Chris, and back to the floor before he muttered, “No problem.”
“Mary, this is one of my agents, Vin Tanner. Vin, this is Director Travis’ daughter-in-law, Mary Travis,” Chris belatedly introduced.
Buck felt like smacking Chris
for the ham-handed introduction. Stupid
sonuvabitch is gonna lose Vin before they get too much further, if he keeps
doing shit like that.
He couldn’t even really say when he’d gone from cautioning Chris against pursuing Vin, to actively encouraging it. The only thing he did know, was that Chris was more himself around the quiet man than he had been since Sarah and Adam’s deaths. And anyone who made that happen, well, Buck was all for keeping them together.
“Good to meet you,” Vin said, offering his hand.
Mary took it with a warm smile. “You as well, Agent Tanner. I hope Chris isn’t being too hard on all of you. I know how much of a bear he can be.”
Vin cleared his throat, eyes flickering between Chris, whose face was expressionless, and Mary, whose gaze also returned to Chris, and answered, “No, ma’am. ‘Squze me, I need to get back to work.”
“Of course,” she agreed, still smiling. Turning her attention to Chris, she asked, “Do you have a few minutes to see Billy?”
“Yeah, of course. I’d like that,” Chris replied.
Buck waved at Mary as they left, then turned to Vin as the door swung shut behind them and asked, “You okay?”
Shrugging as he sat at his desk, Vin countered, “Why wouldn’t I be? And where’s JD?”
“Takin’ the bus,” Buck answered.
Vin laughed.
Grinning, Buck reluctantly let the matter drop even as he mentally conceded that he’d been doing that a lot lately to please his friends. Still, it wasn’t like Vin couldn’t handle a little competition. Far as Buck could see, Mary didn’t hold a candle to the sharpshooter for Chris’ affections.
* * * *
“I’m looking for John Dunne. I don’t have an appointment, but I know he’ll want to see me.”
The unfamiliar voice brought Buck out of his reverie as he and Chris headed for the elevators and he stopped short. Looking back, he found a man in his fifties standing at reception. He was on the short side with dark hair streaked through with silver, and had a paunch. Dressed in an expensive suit, the man looked like he rode a desk with that too-pale skin that comes from being inside so much.
“Buck?”
Glancing at Chris, Buck said, “That fella’s asking about JD.”
Chris looked at the reception desk and observed, “I always knew you had selective hearing and here’s my proof. How is it that you can hear a man almost thirty feet away in a busy lobby askin’ about JD, but you can’t hear me five feet away asking for a report?”
Buck grinned. “Just lucky I guess. I’m going to find out what he wants.”
“You want company?”
Taking another look at the man, something prompted Buck to nod. They walked back to reception, stopping by the large counter and the stranger. Buck took in the man’s almost-handsome features and noted a resemblance to JD that tightened his stomach in worry. Whoever this man was, he was clearly related to their youngest team member, which, given JD’s past, could only be a bad thing.
“Hey, Jeanie, it’s okay. I’ve got this,” Buck announced, smiling at the receptionist.
Jeanie smiled back and said, “I was just going to call Mr. Dunne and let him know his father was here, but you can bring him up. He’s already gone through security and has his visitor’s pass.”
Father? Buck thought. Fury was fast on the heels of disbelief and it was all he could do not to drag the man outside and beat the ever-lovin’ crap out of him.
Chris’ hand descended on his shoulder in a restraining move, as if sensing Buck was close to eruption, and the other man said, “Special Agent Chris Larabee, Mr...?”
“Gregory Dunne,” the man replied holding out his hand. “You know my son?”
“A lot better than the man who abandoned him,” Buck bit out.
A flush instantly heated the man’s face even as he instantly denied, “I didn’t abandon John, he was stolen from me!”
Chris’ hand tightened on Buck’s shoulder and he ordered, “Gentlemen, I suggest we take this somewhere else.”
Buck nodded, knowing JD would be mortified that Jeanie now knew about being abandoned, even though it wasn’t the kid’s fault.
“Let’s go into that conference room over there. It looks empty.”
Keeping to Chris’ side, Buck refused to look at the man claiming to be JD’s father, anger making his jaw ache. The room was empty, and they entered it, Chris firmly closing the door, then motioning for Dunne to take a seat. Buck sat at the long end of the oval table, as far from him as he could get, and slouched into the chair.
Chris, appropriately, took over the interrogation. He was legendary in his skills of persuasion, though he seldom used them in his personal life. Part of the reason he and Steve had had such a high conviction rate on the Force was because of all the confessions that Chris had been able to extract.
Knowing that, Buck kept his mouth shut.
“I’m sorry about that, Mr. Dunne. Buck’s a little protective of John. They’re teammates and you know how close law enforcement teams can be, I’m sure,” Chris began.
Dunne gave a grudging nod and allowed, “Of course.”
“I’m sure John will be thrilled to see you again,” Chris continued pleasantly. “When was the last time you two had a visit?”
The flush blanketed the man’s face again and he replied, “We haven’t, since he was a boy. His mother disappeared with him one day when he was five and I haven’t seen him since.”
Looking appropriately shocked, Chris said, “That’s terrible! You were in the middle of a bad divorce?”
“No, nothing like that.”
“So she was unstable, mentally.”
“Ah, no.”
Arching an eyebrow at him, Chris questioned, “Then why would she just vanish with your son?”
Dunne crossed his arms defensively over his chest and exclaimed, “Because she was a bitter, vindictive woman who married me for my money! When she didn’t get the life that she thought she would, she took the one thing that meant the world to me; John.”
Which, from everything JD had told him about his mother, was a crock of shit. They’d had plenty of late-night talks about JD’s past, his mother included, and there had been no mention of anything like bitterness in Annie Dunne. On top of that, if she’d been such a woman, JD himself wouldn’t have come out nearly as well as he had. He probably would’ve succumbed further to the temptations of crime, maybe even drugs.
Chris just nodded, commiserating, and said, “Women are fickle creatures, no doubt about it. So you’ve been searching all this time for your son? That’s a commendable thing, Mr. Dunne. Tell me, how is it that you’ve only just found him now, almost twenty years later?”
Dunne sighed. “I don’t know what she did, changed their names, moved constantly, stayed off the legal radar somehow. All I know is that the detectives that I’ve hired over the years to find John never did. She was a smart woman, I have to give her that.”
Buck wanted to smack the fake-sad expression on the man’s face right off. JD had told him that they’d lived in the same run-down multi-family house until his mother’s death. Sure as hell, he’d only ever had the name Dunne to go by and was listed in the Foster system as such. It wouldn’t have been at all difficult to find JD.
Standing and walking over to Dunne, Chris leaned on the table right beside the man and asked, “How did you find him now?”
“Stroke of luck,” Dunne answered, smiling. “The latest detective, and there’s been a lot over the years, thought to check for a work record. Came up with him working here. You could’ve knocked me over with a feather, I’ll tell you that! To find my son after all these years and discover that he was a good, productive member of society, devoted to public service? Well, it was more than I had ever hoped for.”
And somehow, Buck thought that that was the truth. He had the sneaking suspicion that the man had known where JD was all this time and had been waiting to see him either fail right into prison, or succeed in some legitimate and profitable venture. Also that he wasn’t going to sully his own life with a son who was in trouble.
Buck’s jaw tightened further.
“I’m sure,” Chris murmured. Leaning just a bit closer to Dunne, he continued louder, “I’m sure you can understand that we all want what’s best for John and, seeing you out of the blue, is going to be a shock. Why don’t you let us give him the news and then, when he’s ready, he’ll call you. What hotel are you staying at?”
Dunne frowned but answered, “I have a suite at the Westin Bonaventure.”
Expensive, Buck thought.
Right in the financial district. The man’s definitely got money.
Chris gave a reassuring smile and said, “That’s great. Not far away at all. He could even take the bus there if he wanted.”
Buck snorted, meeting Chris’ gaze in a mutually dark, amused glance, but didn’t speak.
Standing up straight, Chris held out his hand to Dunne, who stood to take it automatically. Guiding Dunne to the door, Chris said, “It really was great to meet you, Mr. Dunne. I’m sure that John’s going to be very excited to see you...”
Chris’ voice disappeared as the door closed behind them and Buck just sat where he was, wanting to curse loud and long for the man’s callous disregard for JD’s well-being over the many years of Foster care. How anyone could do that to their own son was so totally beyond Buck’s ken that all he felt was fury. He couldn’t even imagine deliberately turning a blind eye on that kind of situation.
It was only a few minutes before Chris returned to the conference room and, when he did, it was to give Buck a considering look. “You okay, Buck?”
“Oh fine,” Buck snapped, jumping to his feet. “That bastard is just going to waltz in here with his tale of woe to JD and bedazzle the kid with his lies!”
Chris eyed him a moment longer and asked, “So what do you want to do? Keep him from seeing his own father?”
“Yes!” Buck exclaimed.
“Buck.”
“I’m serious here! That asshole has no right calling himself JD’s father after leaving him in that world!”
“Buck.”
“Come on, Chris, you know I’m right! How hard would it have been to find JD? Not hard, especially once he entered the system. That bastard’s been waiting to see how JD turned out before claiming him as his son! And another...”
“Buck!”
Drawing up short in his pacing and ranting, Buck looked over to find a pained expression on his friend’s face. “What?”
Chris closed the distance between them and gripped his shoulder, staring earnestly into his eyes as he said, “It ain’t your decision on if JD has Dunne in his life or not. That’s something only JD can decide. We’ll give him the information, but he has to figure it all out for himself. He’s a smart kid, Buck, he’ll figure it out.”
Jerking free of Chris’ hold, Buck said softly, “And if you were a kid who’s been starved for affection and approval the way JD has, would you even want to question the miraculous appearance of your father? Especially one with a story like that?”
To which, Chris had no good answer.
* * * *
In a foul mood and sure as shit not wanting to hear any ‘I told you so,’ from Buck, JD had skipped going to the office before heading for his first class of the day. Besides which, he was twenty minutes late and had had to sneak into the back row of the lecture hall.
That bus system has no business calling itself public transportation, he thought for the hundredth time, trying to concentrate on the instructor droning on about legal technicalities and procedure. How do people manage, using that as a primary form of transportation?
He was tempted to hack into the system and siphon some of the salaries of the top people involved and put it to the repair department. They sure weren’t earning their money. His first bus had broken down when the heat kicked in, and yes, it did actually get cold in Los Angeles in winter. Granted, he was still wearing a light jacket, but it was chilly enough to have steam for breath, which was frigid for the natives. The second bus had sailed by all fifteen of them waiting by the broken down bus. The third one had picked them up, but of course by then, he’d missed the connecting bus and had had to wait for the next one.
Suffice to say, he wasn’t going to turn down any offers of rides from Buck or the others in the future.
Even now, three hours later, he was still agitated and tempted to avoid the office and Buck’s smirks. Maybe everyone’s smirks, if Buck had told them what he’d been doing this morning. Groaning at the thought as he shuffled out of the teaching room, JD headed for the elevators. A few minutes later, he was back in the office to find Josiah and Vin in conversation, but no one else present.
Frowning, he asked, “Where is everyone?”
Vin grinned and countered, “How was your commute this morning, JD?”
Ah crap, he thought. Lifting his head proudly, JD answered, “Just fine, Vin.”
“So you’ll be buying a monthly pass and not asking for rides anymore?” Josiah rumbled. “You’re a good man, JD, taking such a step to protect the environment.”
“It sucked! Okay? It was horrible!” JD howled, practically jumping in his agitation. “How do people do it?”
Laughing, Vin held out a hand and Josiah gave him a five dollar bill. “Not even three minutes! That’s pathetic, JD. Don’t you ever play with Ezra for real.”
“He won’t let me,” JD sighed, going to his desk and slumping into his chair. He pulled his laptop close and rested his head on it, petting the case. “Oh my love, I missed you so this morning.”
Chuckling, Josiah rubbed his hair the wrong way and said, “Don’t worry, JD. You’ll be able to afford a car soon enough.”
Perking up, JD sat straight, asking, “Do you know what? I’m thinking about a truck! What do you think? A pick-up would be so cool for camping and stuff. Buck’s promised that we’re going to go when the weather warms up. Said he knows some really cool wilderness preserves and stuff.”
“You’d have to weight it down in back,” Vin pointed out, “if you got one of those small ones.”
“Who said anything about small? I want one of those big ones!”
“Compensating for something, JD?”
“Funny, Vin.”
Vin’s grin faded and JD turned to see what he was looking at. He tensed on seeing a very serious, way too serious, Buck and Chris walk into the office.
“What’s wrong?” Josiah asked quietly. “Something happen to Ezra or Nathan?”
Buck shook his head and Chris said, “JD, we need to talk to you in my office for a bit.”
Fear sent a sick feeling through his stomach and JD stammered, “W-why? Wh-what did I do? I’m sorry, whatever it is, honest!”
“JD, buddy, you ain’t done nothing,” Buck promised, at his side in an instant, a hand soothing over his back. “We just need to talk to you about something personal is all.”
Not at all reassured, JD got to his feet and preceded them into Chris’ office. The last time someone had looked at him the way they were looking at him now was just before he’d been arrested the last time, only with a helluva lot less kindness. This was something bad, no matter what their words said.
Arms crossed tight over his shoulder, JD waited in front of Chris’ desk while he sat behind it. Buck stood off to the side, leaning against the wall, and the two older men exchanged a look before Buck said, “This is going to be tough for you to hear, but, your Dad’s come lookin’ for you, JD.”
For a long moment, JD just looked at Buck, not really understanding the words. Shaking his head, he repeated, “My Dad?”
“Yeah,” Chris confirmed. “We just got through talking to him downstairs. I’ve got his hotel information so you can call him if, or when, you want to talk to him.”
“My Dad?” JD said a second time, unable to fully comprehend what they were saying. “He found me?”
“We know it’s a lot to take in, that’s why we wanted to break the news to you first,” Buck said softly.
Fear mixed with the disbelief and JD hugged himself tighter, dropping into the chair in front of the desk. I should’ve changed my name. I knew it was a bad idea to keep it, but it was something of Ma’s, too, but I should’ve changed it! What do I do now?
“JD?”
Jumping out of the chair when Buck’s hand landed on his shoulder, JD stumbled across the room to land against the opposite wall. He slid down to slump into a ball, drawing his knees up tight to his chest. Even though it had been almost twenty years, he could remember his mother’s screams of pain and his father’s shouting. The sound of fist hitting flesh, over and over. It was always so loud, even when he was locked in the closet and they were two rooms away.
“JD, hush now, you’re safe buddy, it’s okay, take it easy! Chris, help me here!”
JD thrashed against the hands holding him in place, desperate to get away from them and shouted, “Let go! Let go! Stop it! Stop it! Stop hitting her! Leave her alone!”
Impossibly strong arms wrapped around him from in front and behind, and Buck’s voice suddenly penetrated the nightmare of memories, words spoken directly into his ear... “He ain’t going to hurt you, JD, I’ll protect you, you’re safe, JD, I swear it.”
Collapsing against Buck’s chest, JD cried like he hadn’t since his mother had told him to be a big boy and not make any noise while they ran away.
* * * *
Holding JD’s exhausted body was nothing to Buck, the young man barely weighed anything to start, and now he was limp as a dishrag and out cold from the emotional toll. Of all the reactions to the news, neither he nor Chris had expected a complete meltdown. Then again, they hadn’t known that Dunne had been abusing his wife and possibly his son, too.
JD’s sobbing had torn at Buck’s very soul, listening to the heartbreak of a little boy who hadn’t been able to save his mother. He’d rocked JD through the worst of it, whispering soothing words, and then just held him until he’d passed out.
JD’s shouts had brought Josiah and Vin running, of course, but they hadn’t interfered as Chris and Buck had kept hold of JD, keeping him from hurting himself in the middle of the flashback. And now they were talking quietly by Chris’ desk, about what to do next.
“...should press upon him that he is not wanted anywhere near JD and if he shows his face, he’ll bring down the whirlwind on himself,” Josiah finished, his voice harder than they’d ever heard.
Vin nodded agreement and said, “You should do it, Chris. You’re the scariest, when you want to be.”
Chris snorted. “Thanks, I think.”
“You know what I mean,” Vin apologized.
But there was no way in hell that anyone was going to teach that fucker a lesson except Buck and he stated, “I’m going to talk to him.”
All three men looked at him and whatever they saw in his face, caused three identical nods. Chris looked a little more worried than Vin and Josiah, but that was because he knew exactly what Buck was capable of, what his military training had included. Buck offered his friend a wry grin and assured him grimly, “He’ll still be breathin’ when I’m done, don’t worry.”
JD stirred at that and Buck soothed him with a hand through the longish dark hair.
“Why don’t you take him home, Buck? You can take care of Dunne once you’ve seen to JD,” Chris suggested.
Buck nodded and gently shook JD’s shoulder, saying, “JD? Wake up, buddy. Time to go home.”
“Five more minutes, Buck,” JD mumbled against his chest.
Grinning a bit at that, Buck moved into a sitting position, bringing JD with him, and said, “Come on, now, wake up.”
JD went still in his arms, probably remembering what had just happened. Sure enough, a flush suffused his face up to the tips of his ears, and JD groaned in embarrassment. He didn’t move at first, but then shifted away from Buck to sit on the floor, unable to meet his eyes. “Sorry ‘bout that.”
“JD, look at me,” Buck ordered, quiet. Reluctantly, JD did so and Buck continued, “You got nothing to be ashamed of. No one here holds anything against you, okay?”
Hesitant, JD looked around the room to encounter only kind faces and encouraging smiles. Breathing a sigh of relief, he said shyly, “Thanks, guys.”
Getting to his feet, Buck offered his hand and when JD took it, hauled the younger man to his feet. “We’re going home so you can get some sleep after today’s adventure. I know how riding the bus can set you off your feed.”
JD managed a wobbly smile and nodded. “Sounds good.”
“Call me before you do anything,” Chris commanded.
Buck waved an okay at him and escorted JD out of the office, hand on the small of his back, not wanting to lose the contact. He hovered close as JD picked up his computer bag and books, then they headed for the elevators.
* * * *
The ride home was quiet, which Buck expected, and he kept his attention on the freeway. Traffic was as thick as it ever was, even at the odd hour of two-forty in the afternoon. It was only a half-hour total between getting into the truck and pulling into the driveway of his 1-story home. JD climbed out of the truck without a word and headed inside. Sighing, Buck followed, not surprised that the other man didn’t wait for him. He knew that JD was still caught up in memories and fear, not really remembering that he was a grown man now, that he could face his father and probably even kick his ass, if he wanted.
Tossing his keys in the basket by the door, Buck headed for the living room, listening as JD walked down the hall to his room and closed the door behind him. Shaking his head, Buck collapsed onto the sofa and pressed his palms to his eyes. Rage was pounding through him to go to that hotel and beat the shit out of Dunne for what he’d done to his wife and son. Buck didn’t know if he’d ever actually touched JD, but if he had, then Buck’s promise to Chris wasn’t worth spit.
Buck took a deep breath, trying to calm himself from the darkness that was usually under much better wraps. Of course, you don’t usually find out that someone you love’s been abused every day, either.
Buck froze as the thought finished.
Love? Shit. Now I’m really screwed.
* * * *
Staring at the ceiling, JD knew that he’d have to go out and face Buck eventually, but just couldn’t make himself leave the comfort and safety of his bed. He was such a baby, it was unbelievably embarrassing. Breaking down like that, he had no excuse. He knew the others had said that it was okay, but how would they ever take him seriously if he was such a cry-baby?
“JD?” Buck called through the door.
JD sighed. “Yeah, Buck?”
“Supper’s ready. Come on out and eat.”
Even though he didn’t really want to, JD knew it was better to get it over with. Rolling out of bed, he opened the door to find Buck still there. Biting his lip, JD asked, “What’s going on at the office? Did Chris call?”
Buck nodded and they walked the short hall to the kitchen. “Everything’s going fine, JD, don’t worry. It’s another two days before we start to put anything into motion, so we got time for this.”
“I really am sorry, Buck,” JD began. “I didn’t mean to be such a...”
“Stop.”
JD stopped talking at the almost-angry tone in his friend’s voice. Surprised, he looked up at Buck to find some unknown expression on the older man’s face and his eyes flashing anger.
“You did nothing wrong here, JD. Wrong was done to you, and your Ma, and you reacted the way anyone would have when repressed memories come crashing down. If I even think you’re blaming yourself for any of this I’ll, I’ll take away that damned boogie board.”
A grin surfaced at the familiar threat and JD lightly punched Buck’s shoulder. “You and what army, old man?”
“Why you...”
JD yelped with good humor as he put on a burst of speed and ran through the kitchen, easily escaping the swat Buck aimed at his head. Chuckling as he skidded to a stop at the table, JD grabbed a plate and headed into the living room.
“No, JD, stay here tonight. We need to talk,” Buck said, shaking his head.
Sighing, JD asked plaintively, “What’s to talk about? I don’t want to see him. Ever.”
Buck kept his eyes on JD as he nodded slowly. “You want to tell him that yourself, or did you want me to?”
“I don’t know,” JD sighed, looking down at his plate. Heading back to the table, he sat and poked a fork at the pork chop. “I mean, it’s not like he can hurt me, right? And, he didn’t hurt me before, physically anyhow. But...”
Reaching across the table, Buck gripped his arm and said, “You don’t have to see him. No one would blame you, if that’s what you want. I just thought it might give you some...closure...I guess, if you were to tell him yourself. I could go with you. Or I can tell him not to come near you ever again. It is completely your decision.”
He didn’t even really remember what his father looked like. It was just vague memories of an angry voice and a big man. But then, he’d been five the last time he’d seen his father and everyone was big to a five year old. JD wasn’t all that sure that he’d be able to look himself in the mirror if he let Buck do this for him, let alone look Buck in the eyes again. He needed Buck to be able to count on him, to know that JD could be strong and take care of himself. Letting the other man fight his battles for him wasn’t exactly a good way of going about that.
Finally, JD looked up at Buck and said, “I, I want to do it. But, can you, will you go with me?”
“Absolutely,” Buck promised.
Relief swept through him and JD smiled, his appetite reasserting itself. “Let’s do it tonight and get it over with. I want to get back to work tomorrow and I won’t be able to, with this just hanging out there.”
Buck nodded, smiling briefly. “You got it, kid.”
* * * *
They met Gregory Dunne in the lobby of his expensive hotel. Buck stood off to the side of the alcove where JD and his father talked, but close enough to hear every word and keep an eye on them. He saw the moment on JD’s face when the young man’s father went from a remembered, and feared, monster, to just a man. Buck also saw the determination that set up shop on JD’s face and had never felt prouder.
“John, son, you look great,” Dunne said, enthusiastically.
JD twitched back out of his reach and demanded, “What do you want?”
Clearly taken aback, Dunne answered, “I want to get to know you again. I haven’t seen you since you were a boy, John, since your mother stole you from me.”
“Don’t you ever say a word against my mother like that again, or I’ll punch your lights out,” JD hissed.”
“John...”
JD held up a hand and said, “You beat her. I remember her crying and her being all bruised up because you beat her. She ran to protect me. She probably figured I was next. I don’t ever want to see you again, you hear me? You’re a mean, cruel man and I want nothing to do with you.”
“John! You don’t know what you’re saying!” Dunne exclaimed. “She brainwashed you, you were just a boy and...”
Grabbing Dunne by the shirt, JD shoved him into the nearest wall and said clearly, “Don’t you ever come near me again. Ever. Or I swear I will make such an embarrassment of your life that you’ll have reporters hiding in your bushes for the next ten years! I’m sure someone would love to know how you beat your first wife so bad she ran away with her son and lived in poverty until she died, rather than go back to you.”
JD released him and stepped back, contemptuous. About to turn away and leave, he was taken by surprise by the back handed blow that caught him across the face and staggered into a wall.
Buck was on Dunne in a heart beat, arm pressed on the smaller man’s throat, fury ringing through his very blood as he pushed down on the windpipe.
“Buck! Buck, c’mon, it’s not worth it!” JD exclaimed, pulling on his arm while Dunne struggled to breathe.
Leaning in, Buck hissed into his ear so no one else would hear, “If you ever even look at him again, I will kill you. Do you understand me?”
Dunne nodded frantically and Buck let him go, allowing JD to pull him away. Looking down at the young man’s bloody lip, Buck scowled and pulled out a handkerchief, gently blotting the cut. JD winced, but didn’t protest, standing there while Buck cleaned the blood away. There were two security guards walking their way, but Buck held up a hand and said, “We’re leaving. Just a misunderstanding.”
The uniformed men stopped and
nodded as Buck slid his arm around JD’s waist and led him towards the door.
Taking one last look at where Dunne stood, he found a man silently promising
him retribution. A faint smirk surfaced and Buck thought, I’ve been threatened by a hell of a lot worse than you, Dunne. Just you
try it.
Then they were outside in the cool night air and JD said, “You shouldn’t have done that, Buck. You could’ve gotten into trouble, threatening him like that.”
Shrugging as they headed for his truck, Buck replied, “No one heard me say anything but him, JD. And I wouldn’t care if they did. No one hurts you and gets away with it, not while I’m around.”
JD looked up at him, shy and pleased. “Thanks, Buck.”
Buck opened the door for him and answered, “You’re welcome, but it’s only what you deserve, JD. And if he ever shows his face around you again, you let me know, understand?”
After a brief hesitation, JD nodded.
Buck closed the door and headed for the driver’s side. He wanted to get ice on that bruise before it got too swollen. JD probably needed some aspirin too, getting knocked about like that.
* * * *
He wasn’t entirely sure how it had happened, but JD was much too content to care or move. One moment he’d been watching television with Buck after the disaster of a meeting with his father, and the next he was waking in Buck’s arms. Keeping his breathing slow and deep, pretending to still be sleeping, JD rested completely against his friend, head tucked just under Buck’s chin, both of them stretched out on the sofa.
JD still couldn’t believe the way Buck had moved, back at the hotel. It was like a blur of motion, a split second between Buck being almost ten feet away and then shoving his father against the wall. And the look on his face had been...feral...violent... JD shivered, but it wasn’t in fear or cold, it was in arousal. That he was the one to provoke such a look on the big man’s face brought a kind of wonder to his heart.
A healing wonder, and more.
Buck shifted slightly, but only to bring a blanket over them, probably thinking that he was cold. JD curled closer into his friend’s embrace, sighing in deep contentment and relaxing once more towards sleep. He knew that the connection he’d felt to Buck since that first day was returned, now. He was home, in a way he hadn’t felt since his mother’s death, but in a different way, too. It was like something in Buck complemented and fulfilled him in a way no one else ever had.
Smiling sleepily, JD yawned and
let himself fall back asleep, knowing he was safe and loved. The rest would
work itself out.