Park Jungsu exhaled softly and rested his hand against his brunette head, elbow braced along the side of the car door as he sat in traffic.  He was not a fan of New York and having been here for the majority of the past month, his opinion of it hadn’t changed any in the slightest.  A groan escaped him when he glanced at his watch and bemoaned the sheer amount of traffic present even on a weekend morning.  Ah well.  At least he was almost there at any rate.  For a moment, he was tempted to pick up his phone just to check on them but then thought better of it and eased forward another few feet when the line of cars shifted.  They’d managed well enough thus far after all.

                What felt like a millennia later, Jungsu finally found a parking spot near the apartment complex and hurried inside, taking the stairs since he never had much preference for elevators in general.  Running his hands through his straight hair quickly, he paused in front of room 314 and quirked his head to the side when he heard voices drifting through.  “Huh.  What do you know,” he chuckled, realizing there was company before he knocked on the door.

                “I’ll get it!” a young voice immediately called out before he heard feet bolting across the space towards the barrier.

                “Taemin!” another voice called sharply, making the unseen male pull up abruptly.

                “Aww…” came the sad, mumbled response before a pair of considerably more measured steps approached, though Jungsu didn’t hear the other boy walk away either.  He just blinked at the place where the peephole was and waited for the door to open.

                “Captain,” the opener greeted, filling the doorway with his fairly petite form, milky white complexion complimented nicely by the casual clothes he was able to wear in his current role.

                “Morning, Heechul,” Jungsu chuckled, glancing around the equally tall male to peer at the younger boy behind him, innocent expression mildly perplexed as he tried to place the newcomer.  Jungsu couldn’t help but smile harder when he heard a new voice emerge from the kitchen around the corner.

                “You.  Stay.”  Quiet steps brought another young man into partial sight over Heechul’s shoulder as he asked, “Who is it, Mr. Kim?  Do we have another guest?  Oh,” he blinked under the fall of straight brown bangs that teased his eyes.

                “Seriously, Jinki.  Could you just call me Heechul already?” the taller male rolled his eyes, running a hand over his short black hair before he waved Jungsu inside.  “And yes, we’ve another guest.  Captain’s here, Jae,” he called, ushering Taemin back into the kitchen with rapid shooing motions.

                “Jungsu?” the soft voice responded in warm inquiry.

                Smiling to himself, the Captain rounded the corner and leaned against the frame as he took in the sight of a wan and pale Jaejoong seated at the kitchen table, black hair kept out of his face with a thin white headband as he sat across from a blonde young man on the other side.  His stomach grumbled when he caught the scent of breakfast lingering in the air and then noticed the food already settled in front of the seated males as Taemin made his way to the third chair against the wall, still watching the newcomer uncertainly.  He obviously didn’t really remember him from the rare times they’d crossed paths at the hospital before Jaejoong was released.

                “I didn’t realize you had company,” Jungsu chuckled, crossing his arms in bemusement as Jaejoong had the grace to flush, though he made no effort to rise from his seat, covered in a long robe with slippers on his feet.  The long layers kept any chill at bay and helped to hide the last of his bandages and scars.

                “We weren’t exactly expecting them,” Heechul smirked, eyeing the trio in amusement, “but Jinki invited Jae over for breakfast and when I said no, they upped and came over here to take over the kitchen.”  He shrugged in bemusement and chuckled.

                Jinki glanced over his shoulder at the Captain and explained, “After hospital food and the crap he’s been bring back, Jae needs a real meal or two.”

                “I could’ve cooked,” Jaejoong tried to defend himself, falling silent and flushing lightly when all eyes turned to peer at him in annoyance.

                Across from him, Hyukjae snorted and rolled his eyes, “You’re still in worse shape than I am and Jinki won’t even let me go near the kitchen.”

                At Jungsu’s curious look, Heechul moved closer to quietly remind him of Hyukjae’s injuries when he’d been held hostage by the assassin B-Bomb, later identified as Lee Minhyuk.  “Hey.  I can walk now,” Jaejoong grumbled, picking up his fork to start working on his food.  He had to take it slow since his system was still a bit finicky about what he put in it.

                Intestinal injuries were not something he ever wanted to experience again.  After more major surgeries than he cared to think back on and the haze of weeks of medicated healing, Jaejoong had no desire to be back in a hospital anytime soon.  Never mind the mandatory physical therapy sessions he’d been enrolled in after his recent release from the hospital which Heechul had been roped into making sure he attended.  In fact, the officer was pretty much his unofficial babysitter and had been since he was released only four days ago.

                “Shuffle is more like it,” Heechul snorted fondly, teasing though it was obvious he was happy for the mobility.

                “Isn’t it fun being chauffeured around in the wheelchair though?” Hyukjae asked in a conspiratorial manner, leaning over the table with a grin as he looked at Taemin who stuck his tongue at him.

                “You just wanted to be lazy,” the youngest grumbled around a bite of food, looking at Jaejoong.  “Don’t let him fool you.  He could walk just fine long before they made him give up that stupid chair.”

                While the siblings bickered good-naturedly among themselves, with Heechul interjecting a comment as he was wont to do, Jungsu took that moment to shift close and kneel beside Jaejoong.  “How you holding up, Jae?” he asked, glad to see the young man finally out of that damn hospital bed.  He’d looked so pale and so frail for the longest time…

                Jaejoong offered him a weak smile and set his fork on the side of the plate, looking down at Jungsu.  “I’m tired all the time, the pain medicine makes me nauseous, and I don’t rightly like my pushy slave driver but… I’m… okay,” he admitted slowly, expression tense and thoughtful.

                “You sure you’re up for this today?” Jungsu asked softly, reaching out to grasp Jaejoong’s left forearm gently, the limb thinner than he remembered.

                “I want to,” Jaejoong nodded as he answered in a mere whisper.  “I… need to actually,” he admitted in an even quieter tone.

                “You’ve only just been released from the hospital, Jae,” Jungsu reminded him gently, very much concerned for what he wanted to do now that he was out.

                “I know,” Jaejoong sighed softly, glancing down at his still achy person.  “But I can do this.”

                “You’re sure?” Jungsu pressured just a bit more, sighing himself when Jaejoong nodded in mute agreement.  He shook his head slightly and then noticed they were under scrutiny from four pairs of eyes.

                “You two going to kiss now or something?” Heechul teased unrepentantly, glancing between the two men as they hovered terribly close to each other.

                “You wish, Chullie,” Jungsu snorted with an amused roll of his eyes, politely giving Jaejoong a chance to recover from the immediate flush that blossomed across his face.

                “Here you go, Mr. Kim,” Jinki offered a plate of food to the male, gesturing towards the fourth empty seat at the table with a curious glance around.

                “It’s Heechul, dammit!” Heechul grumbled, accepting the plate with a glare at the shorter male before he sat down to start in on the fresh food, not completely oblivious to the amusement of Taemin and Hyukjae who giggled nearby.

                Ignoring the quip, Jinki glanced at Jaejoong, “Do you have any more chairs, Jae?”

                “Huh?” he chirped, flush fading rapidly as he looked up.  “Oh.  In my room and there should be another in the closet as well,” he answered, shifting as if to stand up.  A hand on his shoulder kept him firmly in his seat.

                “Stay,” Jungsu chuckled in amusement, dimple appearing while he smiled down at the thwarted younger male.  “I’ll check,” he offered instead, wandering off to see if he couldn’t find the hidden chairs.

                Jaejoong just sighed and relegated himself to additional doting and being pushed around, in a good way mind you.  At least he was home and at present, surrounded by good friends and company.  Heechul wasn’t terribly hard to be around and he was actually familiar with him from Jungsu’s office.  They’d worked in the same areas a time or two and Heechul was apparently doing Jungsu a favor in watching over him since the Captain wasn’t as free as he would like in regards to taking care of his former employee.

                While he’d escaped any official sentencing, his Private Investigator license had been temporarily revoked with the possibility of it being permanent, given everything that had happened.  His case was still under appeal in that regard and he would have cared more if he wasn’t just glad to be alive, out of the hospital, and finally able to get some news on everything that had happened after he’d been shot.  Not to mention he was just glad the Lee brothers were alright and that they didn’t hold him personally responsible for Hyukjae’s injuries or Taemin’s psychological trauma.

                Apparently he’d been visiting a counselor since the incident and Hyukjae did on occasion but he was more preoccupied with taking care of his physical injuries.  Jinki looked more stressed than usual, but that was due in no small part because he spent practically every waking moment focused on his siblings and blaming himself for not having been able to protect or help them in any way.  Overall, they were recovering though and if anything, Jinki had kicked into an even higher mother hen mode when it came to Jaejoong and his almost invalid status.  It was both annoying and incredibly endearing.

                When Jungsu returned with two additional chairs under his arms, they managed to make room around the table, everyone but Jaejoong shifting accordingly because he was forced not to, and then they settled in for breakfast.  Jaejoong focused on eating and listening, content to simply observe instead of contribute, drinking in the sounds of their voices and laughter as they spoke of nothing but more mundane things.

                Taemin was utterly ecstatic it was summer vacation and he’d been driving Hyukjae to distraction since he was moderately housebound.  “You try being stuck in the same apartment with a hyperactive younger brother all day,” he grumbled at the rest of the table while Taemin pouted at his side amidst the resultant laughter.

                Jaejoong did have the grace to flush when Heechul , “Well, he might not be hyperactive but he sure is y in the mornings.  And the evenings.  And any time he has to go to physical therapy,” Heechul smirked.

                “I can dress myself, thank you,” Jaejoong responded, flushing harder when it just encouraged them to laugh even more.

                “Oh.  Speaking of which,” Jungsu interjected, glancing at Jaejoong’s current outfit.  “Will you need to wash up before we head out?”

                Heechul snorted and Jaejoong’s flush deepened as he glared at the other male.  “Jae here thought it was a good idea to shower at the crack of dawn so we’re good on that front.”  It wasn’t Heechul’s fault he didn’t know Jaejoong couldn’t sleep in most mornings because the pain drove him to consciousness and he refused to go back to sleep after he took another dose to make it tolerable.

                “At least you never have to worry about the hot water running out,” Jinki smiled knowingly, glancing at his siblings with a keen eye as they both ducked their heads and pretended to be very interested in the remnants of their food.

                Carefully pushing himself away from the table, Jaejoong smiled and murmured into the sudden silence, “I think I’m just going to go ahead and get dressed.”

                Jungsu made as if to get up, hands braced on the table and the back of the chair, “Here.  Let me help you.”

                “It’s alright,” Jaejoong urged quickly with a tense smile on his face as he held up one hand.  “I can do this,” he assured them all standing up with care.  He was still a bit shaky on his feet and he really did tire easily but he could damn well walk to his room and change clothes by himself.

                “You guys heading out?” Taemin asked, looking between Jaejoong, Heechul and Jungsu intently.

                “Neh,” Heechul nodded, cleaning the rest of his plate before he picked it up and deposited it in the sink.

                “Oh!  I’ll just clean up here then and we’ll leave you to it,” Jinki smiled, picking up his brothers’ plates and heading for the sink himself.

                “You don’t have to, Jinki,” Jaejoong urged, pausing at the entranceway, one hand braced on the wall for support.

                “It’s alright.  Won’t take me but a minute,” Jinki smiled, already running the hot water.  “Taeminnie.  Why don’t you help Hyukkie back to the apartment?”

                “Okay!” the youngest grinned, glad to be escaping dish duty.

                “Jinki!” Hyukjae whined, rolling his eyes while his younger brother gleefully hovered at his side, helping him to pull the chair out and gaining far too much enjoyment in ‘helping’ his sibling.

                “Come on, Hyukkie,” Taemin coddled unrepentantly, going so far as to hold his brother with a supportive grip which earned him a glare that he laughed off.

                Hyukjae flailed, the enthusiasm lacking in his right arm, and mock attacked his younger brother, “I can walk just fine you know?!”

                “Hyung!” Taemin wailed plaintively.

                “Hyukkie…” Jinki chided without looking back.

                “Ugh!” Hyukjae groaned, relenting enough to let Taemin sling his left arm over his shoulders and guide him out of the kitchen, leaving the remaining trio in near stitches as they tried not to laugh at the drama unfolding before them.

                “Bye, Jae!” Taemin waved, slowing up enough so that his brother could speak as well.

                “See you around,” Hyukjae grinned, giving him a partial salute before letting himself be hustled out the front door.

                Shaking his head, Jaejoong smiled and retreated to get ready for the day, praying that his pain meds would last long enough to get him through.  It was going to be a long day, but it was one he’d been both looking forward to and dreading for quite some time.  At least since he’d regained the ability to think without feeling all muddled and disoriented by the morphine he’d been on for a time.

                By the time he returned, Jinki was gone but he saw Jungsu and Heechul waiting at the door, ready to go, standing behind his wheelchair.  He sighed but didn’t even bother to argue.  His internal and external stitches had been removed but the scars were still tender and crutches were out of the question for now, particularly since he had to regain a majority of the strength he’d lost while on bed rest.  Oh, there had been other issues to deal with, including an infection they’d narrowly managed to apprehend stemming from the intestinal rupture, as well as fractured ribs which were still a pain in the , but his major internal organs had been missed for the most part, which meant a relatively shorter recovery time than it could have been.

                Talking softly behind him, Heechul and Jungsu wheeled Jaejoong out into the corridor, locking up behind before they headed for the elevator.  Getting into the car was a mild adventure and storing his wheelchair in the back was a pain but after that, he was able to rest in the backseat and simply think, or not, on the drive.  No one had been willing to talk to him in detail while he’d been in the hospital and Heechul had practically barred him from the internet when he’d gotten home, nor would he discuss any ‘private’ info since he was back to being a civilian.  The thought galled at times and was more of a relief at others.  Sighing heavily, he noticed Jungsu peering at him in the rearview mirror and he managed a forced smile for his benefit.

                “Go ahead, Chullie,” Jungsu murmured softly after a moment of general quiet.  He the radio for background noise while Heechul rifled around in the glove compartment and pulled out a folder which he handed back to Jaejoong.

                “What’s this?” Jaejoong asked, blinking curiously at the moderately thick folder.

                “We can’t discuss confidential info, but your angel here figured you might appreciate the info available to the public,” Heechul answered, peering over his shoulder before leaving him to his private thoughts.

                With shaky hands, Jaejoong flipped open the front cover and started peering through newspaper clippings, magazine articles, official announcements, and read over small hand written notes on the majority of them, giving him detailed information about persons he’d been in contact with that Jungsu figured he’d be asking about at some point.

                The first article made him jerk in surprise and he blinked as the headline read, “Jongwoon Kim Murdered”.  He had not been expecting that…  Avidly, he read over the article that detailed how the tycoon had died, blinking at the reports that indicated only one person was actually harmed during the event, though a secretary was incapacitated and one of the security guards had been compromised.  They didn’t give a name but off to the side, Jungsu had written in, Choi Siwon was badly beaten and hospitalized.  Was in intensive care but is on the mend, though his memory of the event is spotty at best.  Currently under investigation for accomplice to money laundering; the bombing of Dragon’s Used Goods; and various other criminal and drug charges connected to the Ddangkoma Foundation.  No positive suspects for the murder identified yet.  Partial evidence only.

                Jaejoong took a shaky breath and absorbed that.  He hadn’t known G’s place had been hit.  Flipping through the articles, he found another that gave a more detailed account of the bombing and his throat became heavy as he saw that the owner and two of his employees, Jaehyo and Victoria, had been caught and killed in the explosion.  Another note to the side explained, The other men were employed or hired by Jongwoon’s company.  Kim Jonghyun, one of Jongwoon’s right hand men, was caught in the explosion and is currently in a coma.  Not sure if he’ll wake up.

                Reading on, he saw an article which covered Sven Klausen’s assassination, though no culprit had yet been named or identified.  During the investigation into his assassination, his company had also fallen under suspicion for drug trafficking when some of the numbers didn’t add up and one of his shipments had been reported to have a strange white powdery substance inside.  No additional information was available pending further investigation.

                Daryl Benson was also under investigation in conjunction with the debacle at the Ferrier where Captain Kim Youngwoon was assaulted.  He had suffered head trauma, but at the time of the article, was on the mend and only under faint suspicion for the altered records discovered with the ship’s manifest.  Cargo master Kim Ryeowook was wanted for questioning specifically.  Looking through additional articles, he found a printed version that Jungsu must have found online that indicated he’d been apprehended at the Ddangkoma Casino, casting suspicion upon Kim Jongwoon at the time.

                Delving deeper, he paused at an article that read, “Shootout at Local Apartment Complex”.  That was his apartment complex…  Quickly, he glossed over the text that explained how a few residents were injured and several officers as well while the purported suspects had escaped.  Blood samples at the site confirmed you, Lee Hyukjae, Shim Changmin, Lee Minhyuk, and Jung Yunho present that day.  Well damn.  That was modern forensics for you…

                With a sigh, he flipped on and froze, staring at the picture on the magazine paper.  “Kyu,” he breathed, letting his fingers trace over the image gently, feeling guilt crash down on him as tears pricked his eyes.  He was apparently going in mostly reverse order of events, backtracking as things were discovered and brought to light.  “Police Officer Cho Kyuhyun Murdered”.  The article covered the highlights of Kyuhyun’s career and finally confirmed that Lee Minhyuk was the culprit, clearing Jaejoong’s name.  Off to the side, another note read, Minhyuk’s body was identified at Keys, Odds and Ends.  The owner, Kim Kibum and his assistant, Kevin Woo were caught in the crossfire and hospitalized after the attack. Released from hospital and were questioned but no charges against them.

                Jaejoong had to pause for a moment, covering his mouth with both hands as he remembered what Changmin had told him that day they’d been in the safe house.  It was the day he’d been injured again.  He said that B-Bomb was dead but that Key had been hurt.  He was glad to know they were alright in the end.  Idly, he wondered about Micky and that assistant of his…  What was her name?  Suri?  Sunny?  No.  Sulli…?  That sounded about right.  With a shake of his head, he cleared his thoughts and eyed the remaining stack.  Almost done.  What else could be left?

                Taking a preparatory breath, he moved to the next piece and picked it up gently between his fingers, peering at it through narrowed eyes.  “Assassins in the Big Apple?”.  Jaejoong stared at the date of the event and muttered under his breath.  It was from the day he’d been shot.  Three of Daryl’s men were found dead on the top level of the parking deck and police apprehended Jung Yunho in a fire fight, the suspected assassin that went by the alias U-Know.  He flinched at the grainy, black and white picture that showed him being loaded into the back of an ambulance, one of those breathing masks over his face and otherwise fairly unrecognizable.

                Shaken by the image, he flipped it over and blinked, frozen for a moment as he saw the headline, “Foreign Diplomats’ Suspected Assassin Apprehended”.  His parents…  Who?  Scanning the page, he saw Yunho’s name jump out, though there was no mention of Changmin.  At least not yet…  For a long moment, he stared at the page, not sure how he was supposed to feel about it.  Chewing his lip thoughtfully, Jaejoong finally closed the folder, resting his hands atop the blank surface and sighed, staring at nothing in particular.

                “You alright back there?” Jungsu asked, his soft voice suddenly intruding upon his thoughts.

                Blinking rapidly, Jaejoong picked his head up and leaned back, peering at the two in the front.  Jungsu was looking at him in the rearview mirror and Heechul was actually leaning around the seat.  “Yeah…” he murmured, still slightly dazed.  “It’s just… a lot… you know?” he added uncertainly, fingers playing with each other nervously.

                “You can say that again,” Heechul nodded.  “You certainly know how to get right in the middle of some , don’t you?” he asked, mouth quirked to the side in tentative amusement.

                The question was so unexpected and out of the blue that Jaejoong laughed before he even realized what he was doing.  It was harsh and brief, but it helped to cut the almost painful tension in him.  “I guess so,” he exhaled, looking at Jungsu once more.

                “I just thought you might like to know is all,” he explained again, shrugging his shoulders before focusing on the road.

                “Thank you,” Jaejoong breathed, carefully setting the folder aside.  It was a lot but it was helpful all the same.  It let him feel more connected and like the questioning he underwent in the hospital when he was in his right mind was worth it.  Boy, did they know how to grill somebody for answers…

                “You’re welcome,” he smiled, eyes flickering back to peer at him again.  “We’re almost there too, by the way.”

                “Eh?” Jaejoong chirped, caught off guard.  He looked at the clock for confirmation and saw that he’d spent over an hour reading over them.  Well damn.  As much as he’d been thinking about this moment, he wasn’t so sure he was ready just then.

                Otisville.  Hardly an imposing name but Jaejoong felt his heart lodge itself firmly in his throat as they pulled up to the Federal Correctional Institution located there.  Jungsu found a parking space and popped the trunk while Heechul hopped out to retrieve the wheelchair, glaring at Jaejoong so he wouldn’t try to move before they were ready.  That was alright by him since it gave him a moment to compose himself and try to still the rapid beating of his heart still firmly stuck in his throat.  When his door was opened and Jungsu stood by to help him if needed, he found his hands were shaking as he shifted into the waiting seat.

                He was grateful when Jungsu arbitrarily took his hand, giving it a comforting squeeze as Heechul wheeled them across the lot.  When they got closer, they broke contact but he never moved far from either of them, pressing the handicap button to open the door for them instead of doing it himself.  Once inside, he took charge, explaining who they were there to see and nodded in understanding when the officer explained how things would go.

                Jaejoong looked at the wall clock and saw that it was just after ten thirty.  Plenty of time left for visiting hours.  Nervously biting his lip, he stood up when prompted so his wheelchair could be pushed off to the side while another facility one was retrieved for him instead.  He answered the mandated questions and endured the general pat down to make sure he wasn’t trying to sneak anything in, managing to not roll his eyes at the cautionary measure.  When he stepped through the metal detector without incident, he still breathed a sigh of relief and folded himself into the wheelchair waiting on the other side while Jungsu followed after.

                “I’ll just wait out here,” Heechul winked, finding an open seat in the waiting room before he found a magazine on one of the tables to distract himself.

                “Come on, Jae,” Jungsu urged, patting the shoulder nearest him comfortingly before he pushed the chair into the visiting room.  It was moderately full with a handful of other inmates in bright orange suits with persons in more mundane dress sitting with them, but they found an empty table and settled in to wait.  “I’ll be right back,” Jungsu commented, standing up as he headed for the vending machines nearby.

                Jaejoong just sat where he was, feeling all manner of nervous.  Butterflies rioted in his stomach and he felt the beginnings of unwarranted panic trying to edge in.  What was it going to be like?  How would he feel?  Would he be angry?  Happy?  Apathetic…?  He inhaled softly when he heard someone approaching and saw a young man in an orange jump suit approaching, hands chained together.

                “Alright, Shim.  You’ve got a visitor,” the officer chuckled, unlocking and pushing open the cell door before he guided the taller male in, short hair looking odd with the familiar face.  By rote, he held his hands out so the officer could remove the bindings but his eyes were locked on Jaejoong sitting in his wheelchair.

                “Minnie…” Jaejoong gasped, swallowing hard as he felt tears prick his eyes, surprised that the only thing he felt upon seeing the other man was… happiness.  There was no resentment lingering; no uncertainty or hesitation; no anger.  Just…

                “Joongie?” Changmin murmured in response, a warm, bright smile lighting up his face as he read the emotion in the other male’s visage.

                It suddenly felt very wrong to be sitting down and Jaejoong winced when he pushed himself to his feet, watching the way that Changmin started to rush to his side before easing up and moving at a more measured pace, closing the distance sedately.  “Minnie,” Jaejoong murmured again, tears beginning to trickle down his face as Changmin met him before he’d even taken two steps, enfolding him in his arms as he held him close, lips pressed against the side of his raven hair.

                “You’re really okay,” he breathed as if he hadn’t actually believed it when he’d been told otherwise.

                “So are you,” Jaejoong laughed weakly, clinging to the taller male with all the strength he had, as pathetically weak as it was.  He was alive and whole and right there and his arms felt so good wrapped around him like they were.  So much of the tension he’d been holding onto just drained from him when he realized that things between them were alright; undeniably altered but still okay.

                The officer nearby cleared his throat long before Jaejoong wanted to pull away but Changmin let go and stepped back, letting his left hand linger on his arm while his right caressed the pale cheek before him with the backs of his fingers.  “Limited contact, Jae.  That’s the rule,” he whispered sadly, cupping his other cheek with his left palm warmly.  “Safety regulations and all.”

                “It’s a stupid rule,” Jaejoong grumbled uncharitably, not looking away from Changmin as he maintained eye contact with those beautiful brown orbs.

                “I know,” Changmin murmured, dropping his left hand as he shifted his right to place his fingers under Jaejoong’s chin, tilting his face up.  “May I?” he whispered in quiet inquiry, wanting so badly to close the distance between them but he left it to him instead.

                “Yes,” Jaejoong smiled, searching his face before he closed his eyes and simply savored the chaste kiss, focusing on the way his lips felt when pressed against Changmin’s while his hands floated awkwardly on either side of him, not sure where to put them for fear of raising suspicion.

                Another clearing of the throat, this time from Jungsu back from the vending machines, drove them apart and finally to either side of the table, still holding hands as they sat across from each other.  “I’ll just leave you two alone for a minute,” he chuckled, setting a pack of crackers, a bottle of water, and a couple napkins on the table before he squeezed Jaejoong’s shoulder and nodded at Changmin, the expression neutral.

                “Who was that?” Changmin asked, making sure to keep both hands in plain sight, resting on the surface.

                Jaejoong smiled and watched the other male leave.  “That was Jungsu, my former Captain,” he explained fondly, turning his attention back to Changmin with a blinding smile.  “You’re really alright?” he asked again, inspecting the rest of his visible person as if looking for hidden wounds.

                “Yes, Jae,” Changmin assured him, clasping his hand in both of his.  “Another damn shoulder wound.  A bit closer to the heart than usual but nothing fatal,” he shrugged, giving Jaejoong a similar once over.  “And you, dear one?”

                He would be lying if he said his heart didn’t do a little flip at the name and Jaejoong smiled shyly, ducking his head before he admitted, “Eh…  Gut wound.  Some fractured ribs.  A bit of an infection… but nothing fatal!” he assured hurriedly.  “I’m just stuck in a wheelchair for a while and making regular visits to physical therapy.  Could be worse,” he explained with a shrug.

                “That it could,” Changmin nodded and Jaejoong understood that he was also referring to himself.  “It’s a bit complicated,” he grimaced, seeing the unspoken question in the other male’s eyes.  “Breathe, Jae,” he instructed, slightly amused.  “Capital punishment is out, but they’re still working on sentencing and all that fun stuff.  I’m not sure how long I’ll be here for…” he admitted uncertainly, hand tightening unconsciously around Jaejoong’s.

                “Minnie…” Jaejoong sighed, bringing his other hand up to hold tight to Changmin’s in turn.

                “Yunho’s in a similar position,” he added with a shrug.  “Oh.  You didn’t know he was here too?” he asked, unable to miss the surprise in Jaejoong’s eyes.

                “N-no,” he shook his head.

                “Yeah.  They shot him in the leg when they took him down.  He’s better off than I am in that regard,” he chuckled.  “Micky and Sulli have been by to visit both of us a time or two.  I haven’t seen Key or Kevin yet but that diva has called at least.”

                Jaejoong had to laugh, fighting tears again.  “I heard he was on the mend.”

                “He’ll be back in no time, knowing Key.  Stubborn little thing,” Changmin nodded sagely, glancing at the snacks on the table.

                “Oh.  Hungry?” Jaejoong asked, noticing his gaze.

                “Always,” he chuckled with a glance at the guard.  “You’re allowed to share if you want but you have to set it on the napkin first.  Rules,” he added with an aggrieved sigh.

                “Stupid rules…” Jaejoong grumbled, reclaiming his hands to get into the crackers and open the water.

                “Tell me about it,” Changmin agreed, smiling fondly at the other male as he opened the packet and neatly spread them over the napkin.

                It wasn’t the most perfect of settings, but they managed to share the food and drink, speaking companionably as they continued to hold one hand on top of the table.  It was as much for comfort in that place as it was to assure them both that the other was really alright.  They spent as much time as they could in each other’s company, storing the memory of them for later.  Jaejoong asked about Changmin’s hair and he explained it was easier to keep up short and no one could pull it now.  Not that they had but it was precautionary more than anything.

                By the time Jungsu came back to retrieve Jaejoong, the still seated male was struggling not to yawn, and was beginning to be more than aware of his aching body as his pain medication started to wear off.  “Alright, Jae.  Time’s about up,” he murmured, touching him gently on the back with his fingers.

                “I don’t want to go,” Jaejoong admitted, staring at Changmin across the distance.

                “I don’t want you to either,” he agreed, standing up anyway so that he could move around to the other side.  “It’s alright,” he urged, gesturing for him to remain seated as he knelt beside him, still making sure to keep his hands where the officer could see them.

                “What are we going to do, Minnie?” he asked, fingertips tracing gently over Changmin’s cheek.

                The kneeling male gave a lopsided smile and cupped Jaejoong’s cheek again.  “I’m willing to try if you are.”

                “It’s not fair you keep leaving everything up to me,” Jaejoong laughed with a hint of tears in his voice.

                Changmin just chuckled, unrepentant.  “I suppose it isn’t.  Well?” he prompted, letting his lips pull into a warmer smile.

                “,” Jaejoong couldn’t help but groan, forcing an answering smile with a nod.  “I am,” he whispered, tracing his fingers to Changmin’s chin so he could tilt it up like the other male had done for him earlier.  Leaning forward, he gave him a tender, sweet kiss, fighting the rush of emotions that threatened to swamp him.

                He was just a touch surprised when Changmin broke the kiss to lean closer still and whisper into his ear, “When you’re up for it, you should go say hi to Zico.”  When Jaejoong pulled back to look at him questionably, he winked.  “I’m pretty sure he’s got a thing or two he’d like to show you and all,” he chuckled, caressing Jaejoong’s cheek with the backs of his fingers once more before he stood up.  “See you again soon?” he asked hopefully, his tone slightly wistful.

                Still somewhat confused, brow furrowed in thought, Jaejoong nodded in agreement.  “As soon as I can,” he smiled, forcing himself to relax so he could think about it later.  It was too hard to say it so he just picked his hand up and waved at Changmin as the younger male headed back for the officer who put the chains back on opened the cell door again.  Changmin waved back, smiling sadly before he was led off.

                Jaejoong just stared at the place where he’d disappeared while Jungsu removed the trash from the table and grabbed hold of his chair, wheeling him back out.   “You doing alright?” he asked, not for the first time that day.

                “I’m just… tired,” Jaejoong answered after a pause.  And slightly confused, but that was beside the point and probably quite expected.  What had Changmin meant?  Go see Zico?  Why?  He worked at the riddle the whole time that they made the switch to his wheelchair and Heechul met them on their way out.  He was still contemplating it by the time they got him settled in the car and they were well on their way back to his apartment before he finally thought of something.

                It was highly improbable and he was probably just grasping for straws but there was only one loose end he hadn’t been able to figure out yet.  None of the articles mentioned it anywhere and ironically enough, he’d lost something pretty important just before he’d met Zico.  No freaking way…  He was going to kill him.  If he got to Zico and that daffy bastard had the documents that he’d ‘lost’, he was going to kill Changmin.  Not literally of course but dammit!  Sneaky little… assassin.

                Despite himself, he laughed lightly in the back of the car, drawing the attention of both Heechul and Jungsu.  When he caught their scrutiny, he just shook his head and waved his hands, “It’s nothing.  Just been a long day,” he assured them in all sincerity.  And it really had.  “If you don’t mind, I think I’m just gonna take a nap back here until we get back.  Alright?” he asked, not waiting for them to respond before he leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

                Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t have even been remotely close to falling asleep in the back of a car, but with everything that had happened and his body being in less than tip top shape, he was out within seconds.  Jungsu snorted at the reality and explained as much to Heechul who promptly joined in.

                “A regular sleeping beauty, that one,” he chuckled with a satisfied quirk of his mouth.

                “Let him rest.  He’s had a tough time of it,” Jungsu explained, turning the music down a hair as he drove the young man home.

                “So how long am I babysitting him for?” he asked, expression completely serious when Jungsu just looked at him.  “Seriously.  Captain…  Come on,” Heechul groaned, slouching in his seat as he leaned back and grumbled under his breath.  “I demand a raise after this,” he stated, eyeing the other male out of the corner of his eye.

                That got a laugh out of Jungsu and he smiled.  “We’ll see, Chullie.  We’ll see.”

                Meanwhile, in a diner downtown, Soonkyu approached the single customer in everyday casual clothes who had uncertainly seated himself near the door, eyeing the menu with interest, dividing his time between inspecting it and the rest of the establishment.  “Good afternoon,” she greeted, giving him a bright and cheerful smile.  “My name’s Soonkyu and I’ll be taking care of you today.  Can I get you something to drink?” she asked, taking in the straight black hair framing his slightly chubby face and perceptive dark eyes.

                “Umm…  Just a water, please,” he responded, giving her a tentative smile in return.

                “Coming right up,” she assured him, turning on her heels to retrieve his drink.  It didn’t take her long and by the time she returned, he was still having a hard time with the menu.  “First time here?” she asked easily, easing herself into the open chair on the other side of the table.  She knew it almost for a fact since she remembered just about everybody that came through here.  Most of the time anyway.

                The stranger ducked his head and he smiled in mild embarrassment.  “Am I that obvious?”

                “Nah.  I just know my customers,” she winked in response, leaning closer to peer at the menu upside down.  “I’ve heard we’re known for this one, this one, and that one,” she pointed out with her pen, giggling when he just blinked at her.  “Take your time though.  There’s no rush,” she promised, standing back up, about to give him another minute.

                “Soonkyu?” he asked, stalling her before she could wander off.

                “Yes?” she chirped, hands clasped lightly over her order pad and pen.

                For a moment, he didn’t seem to know how to respond but then he finally began, “I’m beginning to see why this place is so highly recommended.  I’ve been by a number of times and I have no idea why I never came in,” he explained, brow furrowed as he surprised himself.

                “Well,” she hummed, giving him another smile.  “They say things happen for a reason but either way, I’m glad to have you today.  What was your name again?” she asked, head tilted to the side inquisitively.

                “Sungmin,” he smiled back at her, more relaxed as he extended his hand in greeting.  “And it’s nice to meet you Soonkyu.”

                “Nice to meet you too,” she responded easily, reclaiming her hand.  Again, she almost walked away but something prompted her to stay for just a moment.  Her smile became softer and she asked, “Is something on your mind, Sungmin?”

                He jerked in mild surprise and then laughed sheepishly, obviously beginning to wonder if he had a sign that indicated his thoughts.  “Actually…  I seem to be between jobs at the moment,” he explained awkwardly, holding up both hands as he hurried to assure her, “I’ve got some money and I can pay.”   She giggled at his knee-jerk reaction and waited for him to go on.  “I don’t suppose you know of anyone that’s looking to hire by chance?”  After what had happened with his former boss, he was a bit unwelcome in his usual circles…

                “Hmm,” she hummed in response, tapping her finger to her bottom lip thoughtfully.  “Maybe,” she told him with a warm smile.  “I’ll get back to you on that one.”  Soonkyu looked to the side in thought and then leaned towards him, placing her hand on his shoulder in a friendly gesture.  “And Sungmin.  This one’s on me,” she winked, patting his shoulder twice before she stood up and wandered back, pausing at other tables as she went.

                For a moment, Sungmin just watched her, unaware that he was staring until he shook himself and returned his attention to the menu.  Still looking at it but not really seeing anything on the laminated surface, an almost giddy smile lit his face as he peered over the top, catching sight of Soonkyu bustling about again.  With a shake of his head, he settled in to focus on the menu once more, chiding himself for not coming in here sooner.

(a/n: And fin!  There was a lot to cover.  >.>  If I missed anything, please let me know but I think I got it all.  Hopefully anyway.  As always, thank you so much for reading and you guys have been awesome!  Take care!  ^_^)