And Again: Partners
By P'al Kwai
Ratings: NC-17 for language, violence and EXPLICIT m/m slash. If any of this offends you, PLEASE do not read.
Pairing: B White/ E Exley
Spoilers: Yes to both movie and book.
Disclaimer: I don't own LAC characters. Characters are owned by James Ellroy, with contributions from Brian Hegeland and Curtis Hanson. No infringement intended.
Summary: This a the fourth installment in the series And Again. First three should be read first. Series now archived at http://www.geocities.com/thelostchapters/.
Feedback: PLEASE, I'd love to hear from you.
Dedication: To my partner in crime, Thunderhead who I have so much fun discussing LAC, and how we want this series to develop that I forget that I'm suppose to write it. <g>
To Nakendo who wrote a WONDERFUL slashy snippet of Ed and Bud snuggling. I was privileged to be able to preview it. The image that it conjured up for me, I took and used in the closing scene of this fic. Hope you don't mind Nakendo, and THANK YOU.
{} denotes thoughts ** denotes emphasis
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And Again, Partners
Ed managed to make it out of the bar without staggering. Without his knees giving out. Head still fuzzy from that mind numbing blowjob he had received.
The fresh air hitting him, as he exited the building, was like a slap in the face. Cool night air blowing the cobwebs out of his head. Reason returning, subduing his lust. Subduing his emotions, making him wonder what the *hell* he had been thinking about. Coming here and seeking out White. Convincing himself with some flimsy excuse that he just wanted to see if White was ok.. He needed to just stay away from the man.
In White’s presence he forgot everything logical and rational. Just became a walking, talking mass of sexual desire. Heading for his car, resolve up, chanting to himself. ‘It’s to keep him safe. Keep Bud safe and out of harm’s way.’ Picking up the pace, trying to put distance between him and the man walking beside him.
"I’ll ride with you." Bud’s words stopped Ed in his tracks.
"And what about your car?"
An unconcerned shrug. "It can stay here. You can bring me here tomorrow morning to pick it up."
Two thoughts struck Ed at the same time. {He said tomorrow morning. He’s expecting that we...he’s not worried about leaving his car here in this neighborhood?} Stopping at his car, Ed was desperately trying to come up with an argument against the two of them spending the night together. Although he wasn’t sure who he was trying to convince. Himself, or Bud.
"Bud..." Interrupted by a voice over the police radio. Heaving a sigh of relief, as he reached in to pick it up. "Exley here."
"Lieutenant Exley. Lieutenant Jones requests back up." The dispatcher’s voice crackled over the radio.
"Location?" Exley found it interesting that a person could feel relieved and disappointed at the same time. Making a mental note of the address the dispatcher gave to him. "Bud." Turned to find that Bud was already striding away. "Guess I’ll see you around." He mumbled to himself, irrationally hurt that White didn’t say good-by to him. Getting into his car, determined to put Bud out of his mind. He needed to concentrate on business.
**
The body looked like the other two had. Striped naked with a bullet hole in the chest. And an ‘E’ carved in the forehead. Lieutenant Jones’ eyes were open, staring blankly up at Exley. Ed could swear that there was accusation shining from them.
Looking around, the vacant building was deserted. {Internal Affairs is going to have a field day with this.} Kneeling down, Exley was careful about not disturbing the scene. His stomach was churning, making him retch. A few dry heaves. {Jones, I am SO sorry!} Guilt and depression ran through him. So sure that if he had been more alert, Jones would still be alive. So sure that if he wouldn’t have been so wrapped up in White, he could have prevented the murder of a third police officer. The murder of his third partner.
And his once bright career? Although Internal Affairs had investigated him in the murders of his other two partners, and had found him innocent, there still was a cloud of doubt hanging over him. His superiors and his peers still viewed him with suspicions. A third partner murdered. No one was going to believe that he didn’t kill them. So full of despair, that he began to have thoughts of putting his .38 into his mouth, and pulling the trigger. Actually pulling the gun out, considering, considering...
"EXLEY!" A familiar voice behind him.
{White!} Turning his head, and using his best superior officer voice. "Detective, I don’t believe you were told to report here."
"Cut the crap Exley." Holstering his .38 Special, Bud surveyed the scene. Kneeling down beside Exley, studying the dead man. "Your new partner?"
Sighing with resignation, Ed knew it was time to just tell the truth. "Lieutenant Jones. Assigned as my new partner, when I..."
"Pulled some strings so that I wouldn’t be assigned as your partner. Still the politician. Still know how to get your own way." Voice half mocking him.
"I was doing you a favor. This could be you laying here." Ed stood up abruptly, defensive and a little angry for some inexplicable reason. "I’ll go and call this in." Turning and walking away, while Bud continued to study the dead body.
**
"Exley, you’re suspended with pay, pending an investigation by Internal Affairs." The homicide Captain was in a foul mood. Rousted in the middle of the night. Another officer murdered, and that troublemaker Exley right smack in the middle of it again.
"Captain, let me explain."
"Exley." The Captain didn’t even break stride, as he made his way to his office. "I don’t want to hear..."
"Exley was with me all evening. There’s no way he had anything to do with what happened to Jones." Bud hadn’t left Ed’s side, despite being told and then ordered by a distraught Exley to ‘go the hell away.’
Bud’s words did make the Captain pause. Turning and giving both men a resentful glare. "In my office, both of you."
"Now." Seated behind his desk, the Captain leaned back in his chair. "You want to explain yourself White."
"Exley and I were at the Lucky Lady all eve..."
"THE LUCKY LADY! What the hell were the two of you doing at...never mind, I don’t want to know. So, White, you’re giving Exley an alibi for the evening. But we need to first wait for the coroner's report. Find out the time of death. If Jones had been dead for some time, then perhaps your alibi is meaningless."
"When we found Jones, he hadn’t been dead for long." Bud spoke with confidence. "Body was still somewhat warm, and not very rigid."
His statement drew surprised looks from both the Captain and Exley. The Captain was surprised, because he had always heard that White was just a muscle man. No brains. And Exley was surprised, because he, who prided himself on being the thinking man’s cop had not thought to check the body for such details.
Scowling at the two men, the Captain was still not satisfied. "Would you be able to find anyone at the Lucky Lady who could verify that the two of you were there together?"
The corners of Bud’s mouth twitched. "I would say that we could come up with quite a number of people who would remember us there together."
"Is that so?" the Captain sat forward. "Why is that?"
"Because we locked ourselves..."
"There’s was a woman named Charlene who talked to both of us there. And perhaps the bartender remembers us." Ed hastily interrupted Bud. Again he had the sense that Bud now only scorned convention and authority. And that, given any opportunity, he would ridicule and defy them.
Sighing loudly, the Captain reversed his decision. "Alright Exley. Take the rest of the day off. I still am going to wait for the coroner's report for the *official* time of death. And you know, even with an alibi, this looks awful suspicious. Your third partner murdered in a similar fashion."
"THIRD!" Bud hadn’t heard the gossip and rumor yet.
"Yeah, three police officers murdered within a year. Common denominator, they were homicide detectives who were partnered with Exley here. Exley did you a favor by refusing to become your partner."
Bud gave Ed a long look. "I don’t want any favors. I’m again asking to be partnered with Exley here."
"NO!" Ed protested, sitting up straighter on the edge of the chair. "With what’s been going on, I shouldn’t have a partner, and..."
"Cap." Bud interrupted Ed, now bent down, arms resting on the captain’s desk. "I don’t care about a lot of things anymore. You can put me on any shit assignment you want. But I *want* this. And I think you remember what I expressed to you and the Chief. That if I didn’t get what I want, I might just have a change of heart. Might want to come clean about the whole Dudley Smith incident. Clear the air. Tell what really happened that night. Tell what kind of man Dudley Smith actually was. "
"Are you out of your mind?" Standing, Ed was half shouting at Bud, while the Captain had an expression of pure outrage on his face.
"You’ve got it White! You *deserve* Exley as your partner. You’ll be informed what the Coroner had to say. And if what you say is true about the body White, then both of you are to report for duty tomorrow. But for now, the two of you can GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE! "
**
"Want a beer? Want something to eat?"
{Want to go home.} Ed was sitting at Bud’s kitchen table. He was at White’s house again, after being basically manhandled into White’s car, and driven there under protest. Sullenly he refused to answer. He knew he was being childish, but after all that had happened, and being so tired he thought he just might pass out on the floor, Ed just couldn’t bring himself to behave reasonably.
Opening up a can of beer, Bud watched Ed closely. The usually immaculate and controlled Lieutenant looked disheveled and confused. "Exley, if you don’t want anything to eat or drink, then go take a shower."
"Take me home! I’ll take a shower there."
"Exley." Setting his beer down on the counter, Bud spoke slowly and softly. "Go take a shower. You’ve got 30 seconds. If you don’t, I’ll take your clothes off myself and throw you in. Although..." A wicked grin. "It would actually be my pleasure to do so. So if you want to wait the 30 seconds..." Breaking off, he chuckled to himself as he watched Ed stomp out of the room. Picking up his beer again, he sat down and waited until he heard the water running in the shower.
Standing under the hot water, eyes closed, images kept flashing through Ed’s brain. Images of dead partners. Images of a once almost fatally wounded Bud laying on the floor. The two images kept merging, and Ed kept seeing a lifeless White with an ‘E’ carved in his forehead. He wouldn’t allow that. Bud had sacrificed enough already.
Turning off the water, a plan was starting to form in Ed’s mind. He’d get dressed, and if Bud refused to take him home, a taxi would be called. Once home, he knew how he could end this whole fiasco. Pulling the shower curtain aside, grabbing a towel to dry off, Ed looked around for his clothes. Gone. {What the hell?}
Wrapping the towel around his waist, stepping out of the tub, he checked again. Although it was pointless. The bathroom was tiny. There was no place for his clothes to be ‘mislaid.’
"WHITE!" Stepping out into the hallway, coming face-to-face with the man. "Where the hell are my clothes? What did you do with..."
"Don’t worry about your clothes Ex. You don’t need them to go to sleep in."
Heaving a sigh. "Maybe not. But I need them to go home in. I can just see it now, ‘police detective arrested for indecent exposure.’ My career is hanging by a thread as it is."
Small smile. Relief that Exley was starting to show some spirit again. "You’re a detective Ed. Surely you’ve figured out that my plan is for you to stay here. Sleep here."
Another sigh. "White." A thought came to him. "Lynn. Won’t she be coming soon? How can you have me here, when..."
"Lynn? She won’t be coming. Doesn’t ever want to come back to L.A. Happy in Bisbee."
"Not coming...happy in...what happened...I’m so sorry."
A nonchalant shrug. "Wasn’t meant to be. Guess we had too many ghosts between us. One in particular." A meaningful look at Ed.
Opening his mouth to protest some more, but nothing came out. He was tired. He couldn’t fight Bud anymore. He needed sleep. He’d figure something out later.
"Come on Ex." A hand on his arm, leading him to the bedroom. "I’m putting you to bed."
**
Waking up to twilight. He had slept the whole day away. He found himself with his head nestled on Bud’s chest, arm around his torso. Ed could feel the gentle up and down movement of Bud’s quiet breathing. Wanting to move, knowing he should move, but his body refusing to do what his rational brain kept telling it to.
Needed to find his clothes. Needed to go home. Needed to do what he must, in order to protect Bud. Started to move away, when the arm around him tightened. "Going somewhere Ex?"
"Must you call me that?" Stalling, because he didn’t know what to do, or how to answer.
"Good nickname for you. You take yourself too seriously sometimes." Bud’s sudden movement took Ed completely by surprise. Rolling over on top of the slighter man, he used his superior weight to effectively pin him down. "Rested now Exley? Cause *I am*."
Warm lips on his neck, nipping and kissing. Warms fingers caressing and fondling him. Lips and fingers making him forget all about leaving. Fingers stroking him to a point where he just forgot everything. Moaning he arched upwards.
Sitting up, Bud grabbed one of Ed’s hands. "Stroke yourself." He whispered while with his one good hand, he began to fondle himself. Cock pulsing. Ready. Pre-cum oozing out. Coating two of his fingers on his right hand with his own pre-cum, Bud began to prepare the other man. Fingers working around and then pushing into Exley. Stretching him, searching for prostate.
Explosions were going off in Exley’s head. Pure sensual pleasure. Rubbing himself faster and harder. Climaxing. His inner muscles spasming around the fingers inside of him. "Goddamn Bud." Breathing hard. Panting. "Christ! Just Fuck Me Now!" Trying to roll over on his stomach. He wanted to feel Bud inside him. He wanted to be taken.
"Don’t Move! Stay on your back." Spreading Ed’s legs wider and pushing them back. "I want to see your face this time." Positioning himself, Bud guided himself into Exley. This time though, he didn’t go slow, and in one strong thrust, he drove himself in.
Ed jerked as his body was invaded. He barely had time to catch his breath, as Bud began to move at a furious pace. Squeezing his muscles in rhythm, Ed savored the waves of hot, hurting pleasure.
Sliding in and out of the man beneath him, Bud could feel Ed’s tightness clenching around him. Could feel Ed bucking up against him. Burying his face in the crook of a warm neck while burying his cock to the hilt. A never ending climax, as Bud just kept coming and coming. {Edmund.} Drained totally dry, biting Ed’s ear like he had done earlier in the bar.
Breath returning, Bud spoke into the ear he was biting. "Edmund. Let me help you. Stop fighting me. I *want* to help you."
Trying to speak while gasping for air. "No...I...I...can’t...let...you..."
Both of Bud’s elbows resting on either side of Exley’s head. Eyes studying his face. A face of sharp planes and angles. "Can’t let me what?"
Ed could feel the softened cock slowly sliding out of him. A momentary feeling of being less than whole. "Can’t let you..." He found he had to turn his eyes away from the intense look. "Can’t let you...give me a push again."
Taken aback for just a moment, but then Bud had to smile slightly. Lower body still holding the smaller man down, brushing lips over a forehead. "I’ve *never* regretted giving you that push. NEVER. And if you need me around to give you another one, then that’s where I want to be."
"No." Ed shook his head, as Bud rolled off of him. "What right do I have to ask you to risk your life again? You saved my life once, and it almost cost you yours..."
"But it didn’t." Wrapping a muscular arm around Ed, holding him down. Holding him against him. "Dudley couldn’t kill me. Three shots at close range, and that Motherfucker couldn’t kill me. I can’t be killed. NO ONE can kill me."
A nervous laugh, as Ed raised his head to look at the man beside him. {Is he out of his mind?} "Bud, what are you saying? You got lucky. Odds say, you won’t be that lucky again. You need to..."
"What? Walk away? If you think, you can get me to walk away from you...Edmund." Voice now a soft tone. Good hand gently stroking Exley’s hair. "Ed. Stop trying to push me away."
Resting his cheek on a bare chest for a moment, Ed just wanted to stay where he was. Forever. "I could quit the force. Move away...but then whoever killed my partners is another Rollo Tomasi."
Now it was Bud’s turn to raise his head and look at Ed. "Who?"
"The one who gets away with it. The one who doesn’t get caught." Quiet contemplation, as Ed fought with himself. A part of him still wanted justice and to clear his name. But another part of him wanted safety. Safety for himself and for the man laying next to him.
"Whoever is doing this has targeted you specifically. The ‘E’s’ carved on the victims foreheads are no coincidence. E for Edmund. E for Exley.. My guess is that this..." Bud gave Ed another look. "This person will hunt you down. Will hunt you down no matter where you go. Unless, of course you want to go and disappear south of the border. Habla Espanol?"
Again, that feeling of Bud teasing him. A lighter Bud. A side of him that Ed never knew existed. A side that only made the man more engaging. More attractive. A side that made Ed remember his vow. A vow to just end this here and now. And keep White safe.
Moving to get up off the bed, but was held fast by a strength that still amazed him. "Where you going Ex? Going to storm out of here like you did the other day? ‘Frain not. I’ve kept the handcuffs handy. I’ll just handcuff you to the bed. Besides, I hid your clothes...and...your gun."
That startled Ed. {How did he know?}
The look on Ed’s face confirmed Bud’s suspicions. Rolling his body over, to again pin the other man down. "What ya been thinking about doing, Exley? Eating a bullet? Well...you’re NOT. My goal for almost a year now has been to return to L.A. and find you. It’s what lessened my pain. It’s what made me rehab so fast. Stunned those fucking doctors. I didn’t do all that, so I could find you with half your fucking head blown away."
"Bud." Exley lay his head back on the pillow. A show of submission. "You don’t understand. It’s more than just some cop killer on the loose. There’s a conspiracy going on. Two police officers murdered. The whole force usually turns into a lynch mob when than happens. But it’s all been real low key. After I was cleared of the murders by Internal Affairs, it’s like everyone forgot about those murdered cops. There are people on the top who are involved in this mess."
"And what? You gonna make it easier for everyone, by blowing your brains out? Ain’t gonna happen. I wasn’t kidding about going south of the border. I know how I can lay my hands on a large sum of money. A person can live well, even in a Third World Country, with money. Or..." Lips on a temple. "We can work together and bring this bastard or bastards down. It’s up to you, Ed. But while you’re thinking about it, you’re *not* going to leave my sight. You’re stuck with me Exley, whether you like it or not."
****
TBC
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