Submission

A/N: I'd like to thank everyone for their reviews and support. I'm sorry for the delay between updates. I'll work to get the chapters out as quickly as I can, and hope you forgive the errors that e the through since I'm flying without a beta at the moment. To answer a few questions: 1) the romance aspect of the story will still be very important, I promise; 2) I don't think the QaF characters will be making much more of an appearance in this fic, though I do now want to eventually write something featuring them to explain what they were celebrating in NYC. Now, as far as this chapter goes, all I can say is... Please don't kill me.

Chapter Five


Dee kicked at a small stone on the ground, grinding out a curse when his toes stubbed painfully against the surface of the sidewalk. There were only a few people lingering outside the club and Dee wondered if it would be worth it to try asking any of them some questions about the case. He was pretty sure that Ryo had hopped a cab and headed home, and he decided it might be better to chase after his partner, rather than fish around for information on his own. This certainly wasn't the best area in the city, even before the recent murders.

Unfortunately, there wasn't another cab to be seen, and in this neighborhood it might be a while before another came by. Dee sighed and stepped around the corner of the club, starting toward Ryo's apartment. At least if he had to walk partway, it would give Ryo a chance to cool down a bit before he got there. Facing a furious Ryo wasn't one of Dee's favorite pastimes.

“Going home alone tonight?” The voice that came from behind him was deep and sounded darkly amused. He started to turn, one hand reaching for the gun that wasn't there. His other hand dove into his pocket, fingers skittering across the buttons on his cell phone. Sharp pain spiked across the back of his skull, and he felt himself start to fall just before everything went dark.

*

The shrill scream of the phone dragged Ryo out of sleep. It was still dark, though he thought the sky outside his windows looked like it was starting to lighten. Ryo fumbled for the phone, pulling it up to his ear with one hand while the other rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

“Maclane,” he said sleepily into the phone, knowing that it was unlikely that the call would be anything but work related at this hour.

“Ryo, you have to get down here,” the voice on the other end of the line belonged unmistakably to JJ, and to Ryo it sounded like the other man had been crying.

“JJ? What's going on?” Ryo pushed himself upright in the bed, swinging his legs over the side. As far as he knew JJ and Ted hadn't been covering any particularly dangerous cases, so he wondered what could have happened to upset JJ so much. “Is Ted alright?”

“Oh, God, Ryo. It's not Ted,” even before JJ finished his statement Ryo felt his heart thud hard against his ribs. “It's Dee.”

Ryo's breathing skidded to a shuddering halt, his hand curling so tightly around the phone that he could hear the plastic creak under the frantic thump of his pulse. JJ had dissolved into hard, wracking sobs that carried over the lines to assault Ryo's brain with images more grisly than any nightmare.

The pressure in his lungs reminded him to breathe, but even after sucking in a harsh breath he could still feel the hard knot there. He leaned forward, elbows againss kns knees, phone pressed tight to his ear, cutting deep dents into his skin.

“Talk to me, JJ,” Ryo demanded calmly, surprised that his voice didn't shake the same way the hand in front of his face did. He watched his trembling fingers with a tight fascination bordering on the desperate.

He listened as JJ ruthlessly choked off his sobs, recognizing the taunt line of calm that infused the voice on the other end of the line. They all had to learn that trick sooner or later, for occasions just like this.

“He was picked up by a couple of goons,” JJ said slowly, still working on the ragged edges of his composure. “They got him down by...”

“I know where he was,” Ryo answered tightly when JJ hesitated, sudden nausea churning in his stomach.

“Right,” JJ didn't ask any questions, just continued with his story. “They worked him over pretty badly. Somehow, just before they knocked him out he managed to speed dial the precinct on his cell phone. Either the perps were pretty stupid, or we got damned lucky, because they never noticed the phone. We were trying to track the call, but getting nowhere, when one of them said something that led us right to them.”

“Jesus,” Ryo breathed, closing his eyes and trying not to think about what else JJ would have heard while they attempted the trace.

“I'd hardly call it luck or stupidity,” JJ added, bitter venom in his tone laced with revulsion. “They were pretty focused on what they were doing and might not have cared even if they had noticed.”

Ryo dropped the phone then, clamping both hands over his mouth and squeezing his eyes closed harder. Neither action erased the imagined echoes that filled Ryo's ears, and for a moment it was all he could do to keep himself from shouting in a bid to drown out the sounds.

He had to hear the rest but he didn't think he could do it over the phone. He picked the ear piece up off the floor, swallowing hard before speaking.

“Where is he?” His voice was almost a whisper, and he asked again, a croak this time. “Where is he?”

“The Metropolitan. 1901 First Avenue,” JJ answered with a heavy sigh. “Get here as fast as you can Ryo. It doesn't look good.”

Ryo never heard JJ's last words. He hung up the phone as soon as he had the address, lurching out of bed to grab some clothes. He hit the buttons on the cordless phone even as he pulled on his pants, dialing a nearby cab company. After being assured that there would be a cab there in five minutes he threw the phone on the bed and tugged on the first shirt that came to hand. Then he dashed out of the room, slipping into his shoes before rushing out the door.

*

Those few thoughtless moments when he had been dressing were a blessing that Ryo wished he could have back. The quiet in the cab was only broken by the hush of tires rolling over pavement. New York may be the city that never sleeps, but even here the instant just before dawn somehow held an eerie silence.

His hands were knotted tightly in his lap, his hair in wild just-woke tangles and his shirt was only half tucked in. Concern for his appearance was the furthest thing from his mind. In the time it took to pull up in front of the hospital, Ryo had driven himself into an abyss of guilt. If he only hadn't left, Dee wouldn't have been alone.

Stumbling out of the back of the cab, Ryo passed the driver a wad of billst ext exceeded the fare by quite a bit. Rather than waiting for his change, he waved a quick hand at the driver and then hurried through the chrome and glass doors at the front of the building.

At the desk, he asked the young clerk where he could find Dee Laytner's room. The girl looked up at him, head cocked curiously.

“Are you family?” she asked, consulting a clipboard in front of her.

“I'm his partner,” Ryo replied, flashing his badge and attempting what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

Not phased in the least by the badge or the smile the girl shook her head a bit and tapped one long fingernail against the top sheet of paper on her board. “Well, either way you won't be able to see him.”

Ryo blanched, his free hand falling and gripping the edge of the desk. Hastily, the girl continued, “He's still in surgery.”

“I see. And the waiting room fort?” t?” Ryo knew that was where he'd find JJ, and he hoped that his normally flighty coworker would have some solid explanation for him.

“Fourth floor,” she said, pointing to a bank of elevators. “Take a left. You won't be able to miss it. There are already several people from your precinct up there.”

Ryo nodded his thanks and headed for the elevators. He paced the elevator floor all the way up, unable to loosen the ball of nervous energy that had settled in his stomach. His fingers twitched, worg atg at the buttons of his rumpled shirt.

When the elevator doors opened he hurried to the left, easily finding the door marked for the use of the families and friends of those patients treated on this floor. He was greeted by the tear-streaked face of JJ and the somber, sad, faces of Rose, Diana and Ted. Steeling himself, he entered the room.

“What news?” He waited quietly, watching the uneasy glances that passed between those already there.

“Ryo...” It was Diana who broke the heavy silence, stretching out a hand toward him. He moved toward where she sat, but didn't get close enough to let her touch him. No expression crossed his face as he waited to hear what she had to say.

(Some additional notes: While the Metropolitan Hospital really does exist at that address in NYC, I've never been there or seen the building. All mentions of layout and design are totally made up by me, so if you're a native or NYC or you ever go there, please don't yell at me for lying about how this hospital looks. ^_^;;)