Disclaimer: Wolf Films owns them.
I'm about to toss one of these chairs against the wall and I don't even know why I'm so fucking mad. And I am. Fucking mad. And it's ridiculous! Jack only ran into some scheduling shit today, he didn't tell me to go take a hike! Just the opposite, for God's sake!
Yelling at myself, yes, that'll help.
The door opens and it's Lennie. "Ed," he demands, "what the hell is going on between you and McCoy?"
Oh, great, Lennie on my case. That'll help, too. I consider the chair again. "What," I say as loudly, but slower, "are you talking about?" I figure that deflection is a good strategy. There's no way in hell I'm gonna answer his question.
"Don't even try it, partner."
Ah, fuck, I know that voice. I see that attitude. "Lennie," I say, throwing the warning right back.
"Look--I got you going nuts, I got McCoy swearing, lookin for you, first lunch and now dinner--do you think I'm that stupid?"
"Fuck!" I can't think of what else to say. I know, let's see who's really stupid here.
Lennie mutters, "Not you, too." He sighs in exasperation; I calculate how quickly I can make it out the door before he can react. "Okay," he says in a buddy-type voice. My turn to sigh. He continues, "Looks to me like it's pretty simple." He grins, or grimaces, I can't quite tell.
"Simple, you think it's simple?!" I can snark, too.
"Yeah, damnit, it's simple! You two wanna go out, then do it! What's the problem?! He's a busy guy, you're a busy guy, so?!"
I stare at him. Probably longer than necessary. He doesn't understand. Do I?
"Ed, it's that you want it too much, isn't it?" He's looking at me funny, which could be due to the fact that we're talking about Jack McCoy here.
"I...." I blink. He's right. "How do you know that?" I challenge.
"I just do. Now, go," he says pointedly. "Talk to him." I finally relent, and nod, not having the energy to do much else. He leaves.
At least I can honestly say that I never told Lennie anything.
I've been everywhere--Jack's office, the restaurant, some bar he once mentioned. I've called work and home numbers, left messages at each. Apologized for being an asshole. Used up what I had left of my minimally charged cellphone. Been sitting here, outside his apartment. Don't ask how I got in the building. I'm a cop. I look at my watch. Almost nine. There are seventeen cracks in the ceiling. Eighteen reasons why I should go home.
"Ed."
I turn, and he's approaching. I stand. "Hey," I say.
He shrugs. "I've been looking for you."
I see the look in his eyes and finally breathe. "Me, too. I'm sorry...."
He raises a hand to stop my groveling. "Doesn't matter. Want to come inside?" He smiles.
Oh, yeah, I want this too much. "Yes," I answer sincerely.
He unlocks the door.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Green
Copyright July, 2003, Cassatt
On to Part XV, Anita's POV, by Lynk13