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TheZot

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  1. TheZot

    Busted chapter 66

    By TheZot,

    [This is longer than it actually seems, since there's a lot of missing non-dialogue. And Snuffles makes an appearance courtesy of very clever readers. Thanks guys!]
     
    When Chris got back to the station he found the place in a buzz.
     
    "What's going on?" he asked Steve.
     
    Steve gave him a cold glare. Chris flinched, but not much. He'd been beating himself up the whole drive back to the station, and there wasn't much Steve could do to make him feel any worse.
     
    "Yes, fine, I f**ked up," Chris snapped. "Thank you. What's going on?"
     
    "The kid ran the video he brought back from Joe's apartment complex. We got a few good stills off it."
     
    Steve pushed a few black and white pictures over to Chris. He picked them up and looked at them.
     
    "Damn," he said.
     
    "You recognize him?"
     
    "Yeah," Chris said. "I ran into him in the hall outside Joe's apartment. We should get a uniform over there."
     
    "Probably no point," Steve said. "He's probably gone by now."
     
    "I know, but we may get lucky. Think the kid's up to it?"
     
    "I think so. He and Petersen can go. Maybe they can get an ID on a car, if they've got cameras outside the buildings." Steve picked up the phone and started to dial.
     
    "Fine," Chris said. He pulled out his glasses and started scanning through the statement Joe had made. It was all he could do to stay professional when he read it. The statement was clear enough that he could picture what happened. He started making notes as he read through, frowning.
     
    "Have you read this?" he asked Steve after he was done.
     
    "No, why?"
     
    "Read it," he said, handing it over. He waited, tapping his pen impatiently as Steve scanned it. He was making notes as he read.
     
    "Notice anything unusual?" Chris asked.
     
    "The descriptions don't match," Steve said. "We've got video of that young guy going in and coming out. The times match up pretty well with the 911 call. Nobody old."
     
    "That's one. There were two others."
     
    "Toby called the guy grandfather," Steve said.
     
    "And?" Chris prompted.
     
    Steve read the statement again, and then a third time. "I've got nothing," he finally admitted. He hated it when Chris stumped him on these.
     
    "Joe tripped over the teddy bear."
     
    "Yeah, so? It was on the floor."
     
    "It's on my bed," Chris said. "This morning."
     
    "You got a teddy bear, Gagnon? Should have figured."
     
    Chris stiffened. "Captain," he said through gritted teeth.
     
    "This the guy that put your boyfriend in the hospital?"
     
    "He's not my godd
  2. TheZot

    Busted chapter 64

    By TheZot,

    [Kind of a transition chapter. And setup for the future. The guys have been nudging for a vacation. It feels like a good spot for a plateau, before we race into the finish]
     
    Thursday morning Joe woke up and felt like hell. His left arm was stiff, his shoulder hurt like hell, and his whole body ached. The hotel bed had been fine as hotel beds went, but it wasn't his, and it wasn't Chris'. Not that he was going to end up in Chris' bed again. The closest he came was Snuffles. It wasn't the same. It was all he had, though.
     
    Cursing whatever part of his background that made it so he couldn't take anything useful for the pain, he walked carefully into the bathroom. That was another thing he wasn't looking forward to. He couldn't even shower for a few days. Tylenol and a damp face cloth. What a wonderful combination.
     
    He wasn't too bad off, not yet at least. Some product in his hair got it in reasonable shape, and he was limber enough that he could wash most places. He had to be careful. It wasn't tough to stretch in ways that made his shoulder twinge.
     
    Joe felt
  3. TheZot

    Busted chapter 63

    By TheZot,

    Joe stood on the sidewalk of his apartment complex and waved at Toby as Mary pulled away. It hurt, watching them go. It was the last time he was going to see Toby. He had a lump in his throat he couldn't get rid of, and it was all he could do to keep from crying. It was better this way, though.
     
    He'd been honest when he told Chris he wasn't going to hide. But Chris had been honest with him, too, at the hospital. He wasn't Joe's boyfriend. And that had hurt. It was a really shitty day when the most pleasant thing that happened was getting stabbed.
     
    Shaking his head, he turned and walked up to his building. He hoped the psycho that had jumped him earlier was gone. It didn't seem likely that he'd be hanging around. Joe just needed to pack, then he could get the hell out of there. Find a hotel for a while, find a job somewhere else, and go.
     
    The thought of leaving hurt worse than anything. There wasn't any other option, though. If he stayed with Chris he'd end up hating the man. If he stayed but left them alone, Toby would be hurt. He felt like he ought to be pissed at Chris. It was all his fault Joe was in this situation. Caught by a lover he couldn't keep, and tossed out by one he couldn't have. He couldn't manage any anger. Just sadness.
     
    Joe was preoccupied enough that he didn't pay much attention to the fact that his door was unlocked.
     
    "Excuse me, who are you?"
     
    The question brought Joe back to reality. Standing in his living room was a cop. He was young and nervous looking.
     
    Joe frowned. It was his apartment and he didn't feel like explaining himself to anyone. "Listen, it's been a really crappy day, and I don't need this right now."
     
    "I'm sorry, sir, but this is a crime scene. You can't come in here."
     
    "I'm not walking into a crime scene, I'm walking into my apartment. Now who the hell are you and what are you doing in my living room?"
     
    The cop looked a little uncomfortable.
     
    "Um, could I see some ID? Please?"
     
    That was the last straw.
     
    "ID? Are you f**king joking? You're in my apartment, standing next to a puddle of my goddamn blood, and you have the gall to ask me for identification? Who the f**K do you think you are? No, never mind, I don't care. Just get out."
     
    The cop had gone from uncomfortable to embarrassed. "You must be Mister Hennesy. Detective Russell said you might be back."
     
    "Figures. What does he want?"
     
    "He told me there was a stalker and I should make sure you were okay."
     
    Joe sighed. "I'm as fine as I'm going to be. You have to hang around or anything?"
     
    "He said I should gather some evidence if I had to."
     
    Joe snickered a little. "You're new at this, aren't you?"
     
    "How did you know?"
     
    "Just a guess," Joe said. "Nevermind. Listen, can you take a statement or whatever it is you guys need? I'm supposed to go down to the station tomorrow, but if I don't have to that's fine."
     
    "Uh, sure, I think. If, um, you have any paper?"
     
    "Oh, brother," Joe said. "Yeah, let me get some. I need to grab the boxes anyway."
     
    "Boxes?" the cop asked, as Joe walked into his study. "Are you packing?"
     
    "Yeah," Joe said. "I was getting ready to leave. Here," he said, handing the cop a legal pad and a pen, "you want to start writing while I throw things in boxes?"
     
    Joe opened the boxes up in the living room. The pile of charms and pictures had been knocked down when he'd been attacked, so he started there, carefully packing them in. He gave the cop a quick rundown of the attack as he worked.
     
    "
  4. TheZot

    Busted chapter 61

    By TheZot,

    [Ah, you knew it was too good to be true]
     
    "Well, I'm all done," Nurse Dave remarked as he gathered up his things. "Someone'll be along in a bit to take care of you."
     
    "Thanks, Dave," Chris said absently. His fingers were stroking Joe's hand. He wasn't paying much attention. Steve was, and he caught the wry smile the nurse had.
     
    "So what happened?" Steve asked. He'd pulled out a notebook and pen. "Why'd you get carved up?"
     
    Something flared inside Chris. He was feeling suddenly very protective. Joe had been hurt, when he wasn't there to protect him. He was there now, and nothing else was going to hurt Joe, not if he could help it.
     
    "Steve," Chris snapped. "Not now."
     
    "Yes now," Steve shot back. "You know the drill. Just 'cause you're jumping the victim doesn't mean we put this off."
     
    "It can wait, dammit."
     
    "It's okay, Chris," Joe said. He gave Chris a gentle smile and squeezed his hand. "My shoulder's numb, and I'd rather get this over with."
     
    "Are you sure?" Chris asked. He was worried about Joe. Going over the details of crimes was tough, especially attacks like this. They'd had more than one person break down trying. Joe had already gone through enough.
     
    "Boy, are you whipped," Steve remarked. He sounded amused.
     
    "f**K you," Chris shot back.
     
    "Not my job, man," Steve said.
     
    "Can we just get this over with?" Joe grumbled. He was tired and achy, and feeling shook up. He wanted to get his things, go home, and curl up on the couch. Even if the couch was damned uncomfortable. It'd be worth it.
     
    "I don't think
  5. TheZot

    Busted chapter 60

    By TheZot,

    [i keep feeling like I ought to have Chris have a harder time with all this. I dunno, it feels a little too easy]
     
    "What's going on? Dammit Steve, where the hell are we going?"
     
    "Hospital," Steve said. He was driving like a madman. The car's lights were on, and he was weaving in and out of traffic.
     
    "Why ware we going to the hospital?"
     
    "Busy driving here," Steve said as he cut off a green SUV.
     
    Chris spent the next fifteen minutes worrying. There wasn't any point in pressing Steve for information
  6. TheZot

    Busted chapter 56

    By TheZot,

    [Ah... I got nothin']
     
    "Yes," Joe said. It was a reflex, the word coming out before his brain was at all engaged.
     
    "Don't I get a say in that?" Chris said from behind them. His voice was almost a growl. This was how things had gone with Megan. She'd always done what she'd wanted, and made sure he'd done it too. Whether he wanted to or not. He'd hated that, how insignificant it made him feel. How insignificant he'd let it make him feel.
     
    Joe turned and gave Chris a smoldering look. "Always," he said. "You always have a say, Chris." He meant it, and Chris knew it.
     
    Chris was up and around the table in a second, pulling Joe into a crushing kiss. Joe's head started to spin. When Chris let him go he had to grab onto Toby's chair to keep from falling.
     
    "Are we going over Aunt Mary's now?" Toby sounded impatient. His Papa and Joe were doing boring kissing things, and he was ready to go.
     
    "Sure, sport," Joe said. He took the boy's hand. "I can always kiss your Papa later."
     
    Toby rolled his eyes and pulled Joe towards the kitchen door.
     
    "See you tonight?" Joe called as he was dragged away.
     
    "About six," Chris called after. He was smiling, amused at how quick Toby had taken to Joe.
     
    When they were outside, Joe grabbed Toby under his arms and swung the boy around. He was rewarded by a squeal of laughter. He pulled Toby in close and he wrapped himself around Joe.
     
    He was still like that when Joe knocked on Steve's door. Joe was surprised it was Steve answering. He'd expected Mary.
     
    "Good morning," Steve said. He hadn't expected to see Joe, and he was shocked at the change. Monday afternoon he'd looked like his world had ended. Now, two days later, he looked happy. Ecstatic, really. Rumpled, too. His hair was messy, his shirt was rumpled, and his lips were a little swollen.
     
    Steve grinned. He knew exactly what had gone on. He was tempted to hassle Joe about it, but Toby being there would've made it tough. He'd get Chris instead when they got to the station.
     
    "I came to drop Toby off for the day. I've got to go run some errands and get a few things from my apartment."
     
    Toby started to bounce. "C'n I come with you? Can I, can I? Pleeeeeeeease?"
     
    "Uh, I dunno? Help?" he asked Steve.
     
    "I think this is your call," Steve said. He was grinning like a maniac, watching Toby try to get Joe to do what he wanted.
     
    Joe took a breath. He didn't know what was the right thing to do here. If he was going to be with Chris, though, that meant he was going to be one of Toby's parents. He had no idea what that meant, but he figured there was at least some responsibility involved. He certainly didn't mind Toby coming with him, and he was pretty sure that his apartment was at least mostly safe for a kid to be in.
     
    "Okay," he said. "if it's okay with your Aunt Mary, you can come with me."
     
    "You'll need a car seat too," Steve said.
     
    "Oh. Um, I don't have one. Sorry, sport."
     
    "Aunt Mary does, Aunt Mary does!" Toby said. "You c'n burrow it. Please, Daddy?"
     
    Steve cocked an eyebrow at that, but it hit Joe like a punch in the head.
     
    "You can borrow one of ours, Daddy," Steve said, snickering. Joe was obviously in shock, and he thought it was hilarious.
     
    "Chris is going to have a fit," Joe muttered.
     
    "Nah, I don't think so," Steve said. "Or is that going to get you confused in bed?"
     
    Joe blushed. "You could shut up, you know."
     
    "Oh, I know. I'm just not going to."
     
    "Bastard," Joe grumbled. It didn't matter, though. He was pretty sure this was the best day of his life.
  7. TheZot

    Busted chapter 57

    By TheZot,

    [i'm not sure whether I should have Joe have more stuff he pulls down. I do need to go back to the part where Steve stops by and make sure more of this is mentioned]
     
    Joe pulled into his parking spot at his complex. He'd almost parked in the visitor's spot
  8. TheZot

    Busted chapter 55

    By TheZot,

    [From the mouths of babes, and suchlike things]
     
    Joe came downstairs, his hair still wet from the shower. Chris had gone first, as he needed to get ready for work. The smell of fresh-brewed coffee hit his nose as he walked into the kitchen.
     
    Toby was sitting at the table. Chris was at the stove. Joe could hear sizzling.
     
    "Breakfast?" Chris asked. There were two coffee cups on the counter next to him.
     
    "Thanks. What is it?"
     
    "Scrambled eggs and toast. You like them soft, right?"
     
    "Yeah. Can I grab a coffee cup?"
     
    Chris pointed at one of the cups on the counter. "Yours. Light, two sugars, right?"
     
    Joe gave Chris a hug from behind. "Right. You like yours black with sugar."
     
    "This is going to take some getting used to," Chris said.
     
    "Think of it as getting the awkward bits of dating out of the way," Joe said.
     
    He leaned in and whispered "have I ever mentioned I find a man who can cook really sexy?"
     
    "Really?" Chris asked. He sounded surprised.
     
    "Really," Joe said. He was tempted to give Chris a kiss, but he wasn't sure if Chris was up to that yet, not in front of Toby. Joe wasn't sure it was a good idea, either. He wanted them to work, but if they didn't he didn't want Toby to wonder why things had changed so much.
     
    "Morning, Toby," Joe said. He sat down at the table next to Toby.
     
    "Hi Uncle Joe. Can you do toast glasses?"
     
    Joe smiled. "Maybe tomorrow," he said. "Your Papa's got to go to work soon."
     
    "Don't you have to go in?" Chris asked.
     
    Joe shook his head. "No. I took the week off. I wasn't feeling too good Monday afternoon, so
  9. TheZot

    Busted chapter 52

    By TheZot,

    Chris just watched Joe dumbly as he walked past him and into the living room. It was like he owned the place. That felt natural. It also annoyed him a little.
     
    "What are you doing?" he asked.
     
    "Sitting," Joe called back.
     
    Chris moved to follow and found Joe in the recliner.
     
    "What are you doing there?" Chris asked.
     
    "If I sit on the couch, I'm going to be next to you," Joe answered. "If I'm next to you I'm going to touch you, which means I'm going to be kissing you, and from there
  10. TheZot

    Busted chapter 51

    By TheZot,

    [The beginning of this harkens back to the missing chapter 45. Chris ran into his ex, and the guy she'd cuckolded him with, and caught enough of the last encounter between Joe and Alex to realize they'd split, just not the exact circumstances. Short section too -- seemed like a good place to stop, and I've not had a lot of time to write]
     
    It was late, and Chris was lying on his couch wondering how things had managed to get where they were. He wasn't a bad guy. He was pretty sure of that. He was a good cop, he loved his kid, he was nice to animals. Dogs, at least.
     
    It just wasn't enough. He hadn't been good enough for his mother's family, just a half-breed with a mystery grandfather. He was an Indian enough for most everyone else, and the weak little wuss to the rest. A pathetic little kid with a pair of drunks for parents, not good for anything. He'd been a lousy husband and a failure as a lover.
     
    So there he was, lying on the couch in his grandmother's house. Alone. Hell, even his imaginary friend was alone. He was getting dumped in his dreams. It was pathetic.
     
    The banging at his kitchen door brought him back to reality. The clock over the stove read 11:35. Nobody banged on his doors that late at night. Steve had a key, and there wasn't anyone else who would have any reason to.
     
    Chris opened the door. Standing on the other side was Joe, hand raised to knock a second time. Chris had a flash of irritation. Dumping Alex still rankled.
     
    "Joe," he said. His voice was flat.
     
    It was reflex, but he gave Joe a quick scan. Rumpled shirt, tousled hair, and thicker beard shadow than he'd ever seen. He had a small bulging duffle bag. He looked haggard, his eyes bloodshot. He was trembling a little.
     
    Joe didn't say anything. He just dropped the duffel and latched onto Chris, hugging him hard. The ride in the cab had been nerve-wracking. He'd gone from the club to his apartment, then over to Chris'. Twenty five minutes in the back of a cab, riding along with the shadow of a corpse, the roof covered with tiny chittering spiders.
     
    He'd been tempted to stay in his apartment when he'd gotten there, where he was safe, where reality wasn't all twisted. He couldn't do that. Alex knew where his apartment was, could get inside. It would only take a kiss, a single touch, to stop him. If he did that, he'd be lost, and so would Toby.
     
    "You're shaking," Chris said. The embrace had taken him by surprise, as had the fierce power behind it. Something was very wrong. He wrapped his arms around him. His right hand was stroking Joe's back in unconscious comfort. "Are you okay?" he asked gently.
     
    Joe loosened his hold a little, enough to allow him to speak. He was going to say something, he really was. He saw the concern in Chris' eyes. Then he found himself kissing Chris.
     
    The kiss was gentler than Joe had expected. He felt safe, all wrapped up in Chris. It was different than the last time. When he'd kissed Chris he was hit with guilt for cheating on Alex. This time he knew Chris was Alex, and more. The more was washing around him. This was more solid, more real, than kissing Alex ever had been. It was better. He didn't ever want it to stop.
     
    The kiss had surprised Chris too. The first time Joe had kissed him it had taken him by surprise, and ended before he could really think about it. This time he had warning. He could have stopped it. He just didn't want to.
     
    The moment Joe's lips had touched his the thinking part of his brain had turned off. The kiss was more right than anything else he'd ever done. The dreams he'd had of Joe and Alex, the reality with Megan and a half dozen women before her, none of that could compare to this. It filled his head and overwhelmed his senses. He could hear someone whimpering a little. Chris was pretty sure it was him.
     
    Joe finally broke the kiss to take a breath. He let himself relax. The tension from the ride had drained away with the kiss. He felt more stable, more ready to face Chris. Chris wasn't quite so ready. His eyes were still closed, and his body still felt the warmth where Joe had just been.
     
    Joe took a deep, shuddering breath. He was feeling everything he'd ever felt for Alex, without the doubts, without the feeling that something was lacking. He only hoped Chris felt the same way.
     
    He grabbed his duffle as Chris finally opened his eyes.
     
    "Moving in?" Chris asked. It just slipped out of his mouth. The question was half-sarcasm. It was half real, too.
     
    Joe just smiled and walked into the living room.
  11. TheZot

    Busted chapter 50

    By TheZot,

    [so much cliffhanger material, so few words to make it work. This is definitely going to need a good edit and rewrite. It's very rough, and didn't quite go where I had planned on it going (mostly, but not quite) but it's solid enough to work with. Later.]
     
    The remainder of Monday had been miserable. Joe had tried drinking in his apartment, but that hadn't worked too well. He was feeling abandoned, and lonely, and drinking made that feel worse. It helped numb the pain some, but not enough.
     
    Tuesday Joe was a zombie. He spent the day cleaning out what remained of Alex in the apartment. There wasn't much
  12. TheZot

    Busted chapter 48

    By TheZot,

    [Yes! I know how to menace Joe now! Not that it's in here, but that's fine. Dashing for the home stretch now, I think. Three or four big scenes and we're done. Woohoo!]
     
    "They gave me the key because the apartment was vacant, and has been since February."
     
    Joe was paying almost no attention.
     
    It wasn't just that the apartment was empty. It was that it was huge. He was looking into a good-sized living room, at least the size of his own. There was a large kitchen off it, and there had to be at least two bedrooms. There was no furniture. No bed. No couch. No nightstand. No walls. Almost no light.
     
    "This
  13. TheZot

    Busted chapter 47

    By TheZot,

    [Y'know, I think I like this cliffhanger thing...]
     
    "I'm surprised you came here willingly," Steve said as he slid into the booth across from Joe.
     
    "Yeah, well," Joe said, "it seemed like the best place. I ordered already."
     
    "Not a salad, I hope," Steve said.
     
    "Learned my lesson," Joe said as the waitress came over.
     
    "Hey, hon," she said. She put a pitcher of Coke and a pair of water-spotted glasses on the table. "Pizzas are up in a minute."
     
    "Thanks," Joe said. He gave her a big smile and a small wink. The waitress blushed.
     
    "Decided to bat for my team?" Steve asked.
     
    "Nah," Joe replied. "But it beats dying of food poisoning. So anyway, what did you want?"
     
    "I wanted to talk to you about Chris. What did you want to talk about?"
     
    "I wanted to talk to you about Alex," Joe said.
     
    "Good. Same subject," Steve said.
     
    "What? No, they're two different people. Close, but not the same."
     
    "Joe," Steve said, "I don't think so."
     
    "What do you mean by that?"
     
    "What I mean is that Chris and Alex
  14. TheZot

    Busted chapter 49

    By TheZot,

    [beware the bear, man!]
     
    Joe drove home by reflex, his brain numb. He'd had the presence of mind to call in sick for the rest of the week. That was about all he could manage. He hadn't said why to Joan, but she knew. He could tell.
     
    He just sat in his car when he got to his apartment. He should go in, maybe go lie down. Maybe go drink. Drinking had a certain appeal. It was safe enough, in his apartment. The monsters never came out when he did. He'd made sure of that. There were enough charms and talismans and pieces of art with alleged powers to keep the hosts of heaven at bay. Not that he was worried about angels.
     
    Snuffles looked back at him from the passenger seat. He was safely belted in. Joe had even dropped the shoulder strap down as far as it would go. Probably silly, but it made sense at the time.
     
    "Well, I guess it's just you and me, buddy," he said to the bear. "We both got abandoned. Still, the castoffs should stick together, right?"
     
    The bear didn't answer.
     
    "Ah, the strong, silent type, huh? I like that in a guy. They can't lie to you that way. 'Course, Alex never lied to me. I should've known. Just because they don't lie to you doesn't mean they're telling you the truth.
     
    "I loved him, you know. I really did. I even told him. I never told anyone that before. Look how good that turned out."
    Joe snorted. "He never said it back. I should've know. God, I was stupid. Just some guy he had, just a dance partner. I was only there for the good times."
     
    He unbuckled the bear and sat him on the steering wheel. "I won't abandon you, guy. You're mine, now, and I promise, I won't leave you behind. Old and grey together, huh?"
     
    Joe leaned in and gave Snuffles a kiss on the nose. The bear smelled faintly of smoke and Alex. That was okay. He'd be a reminder of mistakes past.
     
    "Time for your new home, buddy." Joe unbuckled himself and walked up to his apartment.
     
    As he got closer a guy approached him from the other end of the corridor. Relatively young and darkly tanned, he was wearing a blue jacket and a baseball hat, and carried a clipboard.
     
    "Excuse me," the man said as he approached.
     
    The smell of smoke from Snuffles got stronger. It was enough to set off the headache that had been brewing. Stress always made Joe's head hurt, and it didn't take much to trigger one. The smell and lunch were enough to make his stomach churn some, the nausea just adding to his misery.
     
    "What?" Joe snapped. He regretted it, but didn't feel up to apologizing.
     
    "I'm with the electric company," the man said.
     
    That was a bald-faced lie. The guy was probably working some sort of charity scam or collecting for something. At least a few times a year someone in the complex would get caught by one of those. His next-door neighbor had been burned by one over the Christmas holidays, and at least twice in the time he'd lived there people had been robbed by fake repairmen.
     
    Normally Joe would just brush this guy off. It wasn't worth the hassle, and there probably wasn't any way to prove he was up to something. Today his head hurt, his stomach ached, and his boyfriend had run away.
     
    "Bullshit," he said. "I know exactly who you are and what you want. I'm not impressed, and I'm not caught, and you can go f**K off."
     
    Joe unlocked the door to his apartment. The man didn't leave as he did. Joe could feel him watching. When he heard the footstep as the guy moved in, Joe whirled around.
     
    "You! Go away! The teddy bear is loaded and I'm not afraid to use him!" He brandished Snuffles at the man. He was sure it looked ludicrous, but it probably looked insane as well. The man backed away, surely convinced Joe was mad.
     
    "Never f**K with a man with a bear," he said. Joe slammed the door shut behind him.
  15. TheZot

    Busted chapter 44

    By TheZot,

    [The first of a few short ones. Probably ought to be collapsed together into a single chapter when they're done. There's also going to be an out-of-order thing going in, since I realized this evening that I need something before this, but I don't have it written. Ah, well, discontinuity works]
     
    Joe had begged off coming over to Steve's that weekend. More than anything else he wasn't ready to face Chris again. When he was alone he could keep things under control
  16. TheZot

    Busted chapter 43

    By TheZot,

    [Note I'm using the 2005 moon tables, but the dates are needing fixing. http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/MoonPhase.html. More notes at the end]
     
    Steve sat watching Chris as he ate his lunch at his desk. He hadn't said anything when Joe had dropped Toby off, he hadn't said anything when Chris asked him for a lift to the gay bar he'd seem Joe and Alex at, and he hadn't said anything the whole morning as they both dug through a mountain of paperwork and research. He was finding it hard to keep not saying anything.
     
    Chris had been chipper that morning. He hadn't been chipper in months. Possibly years. That was strange enough for a normal day, but yesterday hadn't been normal. It'd been total crap, the kind of day they both hated to have. He was still feeling it. Chris, though
  17. TheZot

    Busted chapter 42

    By TheZot,

    [i didn't know Joe was a mime, I swear!]
     
    Chris woke up, feeling more rested than he had in months. For once his sleep had been undisturbed by the raw dreams that always heralded Alex's appearance, or the erotic dreams of his own that had been as bad in their own way. There wasn't any trace of the fatigue that Alex brought either.
     
    His first alarm went off then. He hadn't been up before his alarm in a very long time. It was nice. He gave the pillow he'd grabbed one last hug, then rolled over and turned off the alarm. He turned the other three off. No point in having them go off when he was already awake.
     
    There was something subtly different that morning. It was more than just him getting up, more than just a good night's sleep.
     
    He shrugged and stretched as he got out of bed. He padded over to the dresser, the floor under his feet cool and comfortable. He grabbed a clean t-shirt and boxers, then stripped off the shirt he'd worn to bed and threw it at the dirty clothes in the hamper.
     
    He froze. There was a rich green shirt on top of the pile. He didn't own any green shirts. Chris picked it off the top of the pile. It was still a little damp, and had a smell to it that was intense but not unpleasant.
     
    Three things registered on his brain.
     
    The shirt was Joe's.
     
    He was smelling it.
     
    He had an erection that almost hurt.
     
    Chris threw the shirt back as if he'd been burned. This wasn't right. He wasn't supposed to be feeling this. Megan had shown him that. He didn't need anyone. He was fine with just Toby. He certainly didn't need Joe.
     
    Except he had last night. Maybe need was too strong a word, but he'd been miserable and Joe had made him feel better. Dragged him out and made him have fun. Hell, he'd even made Chris dance, something he'd not done in a long time. And he'd even enjoyed it.
     
    Afterwards, once they'd gotten home, he'd been so
  18. TheZot

    Busted chapter 41

    By TheZot,

    [Aren't mornings after great?]
     
    Joe woke up to the sound of twittering birds and the morning sun shining on his face. There was something not quite right about that, but he couldn't put his finger on it. It was early, well before coffee, and he wasn't thinking too clearly.
     
    Alex had slept in, something that was unusual for him. Unless Joe was staying over his apartment, which he'd only done a few times, Alex was usually up first and off to work, doing whatever it was. Joe gave a sleepy smile and kissed Alex. He was buried under his blanket, so Joe had to make do with his forehead.
     
    Alex mumbled something and rolled over. He took the comforter with him, leaving Joe exposed and chilly. He grabbed clumsily for it a few times then gave up. It was bright and he felt like he was waking up.
     
    "Lousy thieving boyfriend," he grumbled as he slid out of bed. When his feet hit the floor the first impression he had was cold. There was wood under his feet. That wasn't right. His bedroom had carpet. So did Alex's.
     
    Chris' didn't.
     
    He was in Chris' bedroom. He'd slept with Chris. Not slept slept, but still he slept with Chris. That would've been okay except he liked it. God, he'd even kissed Chris good morning.
     
    This was bad.
     
    Very bad.
     
    He had a boyfriend. He loved his boyfriend. And he just slept with his boyfriend's brother and liked it better. Even with the no sex part, he'd liked it better. Chris was probably a better lover, too.
     
    He really, really had to not go there. He wasn't sure it was a good idea to be on the same planet as there.
     
    There was an overstuffed old armchair in the corner of the room. Joe slumped down in it. He wanted to bolt. He needed to think. He wondered if it was still considered straight panic if it was the gay guy panicking in the morning.
     
    He desperately needed coffee. And his boyfriend.
     
    He just wasn't sure if he wanted his boyfriend right then.
     
    Joe sat there and watched Chris as he let his brain settle. He watched Chris roll over again. Saw an arm wave awkwardly where he'd been asleep just a few minutes before, hands grabbing the pillow Joe had used and pull it in. He even heard the contented sigh.
     
    This was so not right.
     
    Joe was tempted to gather his things and just go. Get dressed, get the hell out, and never ever go back. That'd probably be best all around. Chris might not be straight but he was as good as. He'd been married, he had a kid, he had a gay twin he hadn't talked to in god knows how long. Alex was a good guy. There wasn't any other reason Joe could think of to abandon him.
     
    Maybe that was in the past, or would be some day. Chris had talked about Alex to Toby. But still. Though being honest, it was a good thing for Joe that Chris and Alex weren't close. He wasn't sure how he'd handle it if they were. That wouldn't be good.
     
    Still, Joe couldn't run away. He might be seven kinds of scum, lusting after his boyfriend's brother, but he remembered how Chris had been last night, how much he needed someone. He couldn't just run. Chris deserved better than that.
     
    Sighing, Joe got up and grabbed his clothes from the night before. The shirt was still grimy, but his pants were okay. He slipped them on. By reflex he tossed the shirt and socks into the hamper. He caught himself right after he'd let fly.
     
    He almost went and got them. That might be dangerous. There were things that smelled like Chris in the hamper. Instead he grabbed his shoes and padded downstairs. He just hoped there would be coffee.
  19. TheZot

    Busted chapter 40

    By TheZot,

    [in which we find out exactly why Chris' day was such a crap one. And the fact that Joe uses the same nickname for Toby as Chris does is entirely coincidental. Really]
     
    The drive back to his house was long enough that the good feelings Chris gotten from the club had time to fade away. He was back to brooding again, and staring out the window without actually looking at anything.
     
    Joe could tell he'd faded. Something was seriously bothering Chris, and it worried him. He'd hoped that time in the club would help, and while it did it wasn't enough. He could feel the pain Chris was in.
     
    He pulled into Chris' driveway and set the brake. The cranking noise roused Chris. He started, and it took a moment for it to register that they'd gotten to his house. He started to fumble with his seatbelt.
     
    Joe had been debating what to do the entire drive. He was sure that Chris wasn't going to volunteer anything, and equally sure that he'd do his best to get by. He needed to talk, though, or something. Rant maybe, or cry. Joe didn't know what, but it was eating Chris up.
     
    He put his hand on Chris', stopping him from undoing the seatbelt.
     
    "Tell me what happened today," Joe said. He was putting on his best HR guy voice. People who were quietly upset tended to do what you told them, especially if you told them to do something they really needed to.
     
    Chris looked over at Joe. Part of him just wanted to dump it all out, let it go. Part wanted to go out and hurt something. Part of him wanted to curl up and cry.
     
    He looked away from Joe, staring out the windshield. "You don't
  20. TheZot

    Busted chapter 39

    By TheZot,

    [Chris definitely needs to loosen up some. But, then, he's had a really bad day...]
     
    Chris hadn't been paying much attention while Joe drove. He was too caught up in his own thoughts. It had been an exceptionally bad day, one he was trying to forget, though he couldn't. He'd thought maybe some target practice would have helped, but it hadn't, no matter how many times he imagined the target at the end was someone real. He'd actually been relieved when Joe had decided to drag him along somewhere. Chris wasn't sure where they were going, but anywhere had to be better than the empty house that waited for him.
     
    "We're here," Joe announced, rousing Chris out of his reverie.
     
    He looked around. They were parked on the side of a nondescript cinderblock building. There were a few other cars in the parking lot, but it was otherwise pretty empty.
     
    "Where's here?" Chris asked.
     
    "Here," Joe said, "is a place to relax. C'mon, you'll enjoy it. Drinks are on me tonight."
     
    Chris flashed back to the previous weekend. He was still embarrassed about that. "I'm not sure that's a good idea
  21. TheZot

    Busted chapter 38

    By TheZot,

    [And it's the end of a very bad Tuesday, and the start of three parts of it getting better. I really need to go see what the gun laws in Connecticut are -- I'm not even sure if some of this is possible here.]
     
    Thursday evening Joe was in the parking lot of the firing range when his cell phone rang. The call came through with no phone number attached. Joe smiled
  22. TheZot

    Busted chapter 37

    By TheZot,

    [Apparently the B story will not be denied...]
     
    Tuesday evening Joe tried to knock off work early. He was supposed to meet Steve at the firing range. It was his third time there and Steve was right
  23. TheZot

    Busted chapter 36

    By TheZot,

    [since you can post comments to draft entries, I think I'm gonna leave my notes until the end for this one. I posted 35 and 36 together, since I've a backlog, and a bit faster than normal. If you missed it, here's 34, and here's 35]
     
    The last place Joe thought he'd ever go back to was the Peddler's Pony. It was a dive, a run down neighborhood bar whose sole claim to fame was it was established before indoor plumbing was common. A hundred years later they still hadn't gotten around to putting any in that actually worked.
     
    Joe cursed non-stop from the time he left the office to the time he got to the bar. He was on his fourth go-round for most of it.
     
    He'd stopped at home first. He knew he could get away with driving his car there
  24. TheZot

    Busted chapter 34

    By TheZot,

    [The first of three parts for this particular monday in the story. I'm tempted to group them all together and title it 'Dodging the Bullet']
     
    "So, had a fun weekend?" Steve was munching on the last chocolate chocolate chip muffin as he watched the steam rise off his coffee. At least he presumed it was steam. There was always the possibility that it was smoke from the Styrofoam being eaten away by the coffee.
     
    "Don't even start," Chris growled. He still felt like hell. Toby hadn't made it any better
  25. TheZot

    Busted chapter 32

    By TheZot,

    [in which we find that the author can't quite manage to work in the phrase "something under the bed is drooling". Dammit.]
     
    Chris' couch was damned uncomfortable. Joe had spent the better part of two hours trying to get to sleep on it, but he just couldn't. It was so old the lumps had lumps, and the ones that didn't had springs sticking through them. He had no idea how Chris had managed to lay on the thing, drunk or not.
     
    Joe's anger had died down as the evening passed. He was still annoyed, but the cleaning had given him time to think. Chris wasn't his parents. He'd remembered what Steve had said, about Chris' divorce, and about what happened to cops that didn't have any support. It didn't excuse what he'd done, but it did explain it some.
     
    It was going on midnight, though, and he was still awake. Not that he had any place to be on Sunday, but it had been an active day and a crap night. He wanted to sleep, and he didn't want to be asleep when Chris got up in the morning.
     
    On top of everything else, he had a headache.
     
    Joe hoped there were aspirin in the bathroom upstairs. He didn't want to be going through all of Chris' cabinets, definitely not at midnight.
     
    He made his way upstairs, trying to walk as softly as he could. The floors creaked a little under his feet, in ways he'd forgotten that houses did. It brought back memories of sneaking into his own room, back before he'd left, before they'd stopped trying to make his life hell. He'd forgotten but his feet hadn't. He kept close to the walls and kept the floors quiet.
     
    It was quiet enough that he could hear faint whimpers coming from Toby's room. Joe thought that the boy was having a nightmare, and cursed himself for not leaving a light on or something. While it didn't hold any terrors for him any more, he understood being afraid of the dark all too well. He didn't want to turn the lights on and lose what night vision he had, so he pulled the door to the bathroom nearly closed and flipped the light on. A beam of light was cast against the hallway wall, enough to see by but not enough to blind.
     
    "Toby?" he said softly as he entered the room. "It's Joe. Are you okay, Toby?"
     
    In the faint light he could see that Toby was on his bed, huddled up in his blankets, pressed into the corner. He didn't say anything, but Joe could see him shake his head.
     
    He walked slowly over to the bed. It was bright enough for Joe to see he was scared of something. Joe sat down next to him. "I'm here, Toby," he said. Joe reached out to stroke Toby's hair, trying to reassure the boy.
     
    That touch was enough. Toby lunged over and grabbed hold of Joe as if his life depended on it. He could feel the boy trembling. Joe pulled him into a hug and stroked his back, humming a soft tune.
     
    When Toby's shakes stopped, Joe let go a little. "Did you have a nightmare?" he asked.
     
    "Yeah," Toby mumbled into him.
     
    "You going to be okay?"
     
    Toby just shook his head no.
     
    Joe was at a loss. "What's wrong?" he asked.
     
    "Monster."
     
    That he understood well enough. Every kid had a monster somewhere, in their closet or in the attic.
     
    "Well, good thing I'm here," Joe said. He tried to sound as cheerful as he could. "I get to handle monsters all the time at work." Which was sort of true, Joe thought. Some of the people he had to deal with could certainly pull night duty hiding in closets and scaring little kids. "I'll just tell it we don't need it and it can have the night off. So, where's the monster?"
     
    Toby looked up at him. He was clearly torn, part of him wanting to believe Joe, the other part not at all sure.
     
    "Under the bed," he finally said.
     
    "Oh, monster," Joe said as he slid off the bed. "This is Joe. There's been a mixup with the paperwork, and we don't need a monster here any
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