Fandom:	Houston Knights
Series:	Future
Rating:	NC-17
Pairing:	Joe/Levon
Archive:	Starwinder's
Title:	Black Day: Lundy
Author:	Starwinder
e-mail:	starwinder2of7@gmail.com
Standard Disclaimer: Houston Knights belongs to Jay Bernstein and Michael Butler and Columbia Pictures. No copyright infringement is intended. This is fan fiction, written out of love for the shows. I am making no money off this. I have no money so please don't sue me. Any original characters who may appear in these stories are the property of the author.

Black Day: Lundy
By Starwinder

October 14, 2012

Levon Elmer Lundy, Jr., Chief of Detectives of the city of Houston, paced restlessly as he waited for his driver to arrive and swore under his breath. "Bitch, Bitch! Bitch!"

He looked at this watch again. Eight-twenty-three. "That damn driver's got exactly two more minutes! Then I'm driving myself!"

Joe had been gone since five thirty. Meeting with the Mayor at six. [Six o'clock in the damn morning! Who calls a meeting at six o'clock in the morning?] He asked himself and answered himself. [That bitch! That's who.]

He sank down on the couch and put his head in his hands. Everybody knew that she was out to get Joe. [She hated him from day one!] She couldn't stand the thought that she had inherited a chief of police that actually went out to crime scenes and knew what was going on... and Joe hadn't done a thing to try and charm her.

He leaned back on the couch and actually managed to smile at the memory of the first time that the Mayor had seen Joe at a crime scene. There was blood everywhere. Joe turned and saw the mayor standing there blanching at the sight of it. He casually and deliberately, squatted down, dipped his finger in a puddle of blood, rubbed it between them, lifted his fingers to his nose and sniffed it then touched his tongue to it; before announcing. "Stage blood. Tastes soapy. Human blood oxides to a dark brown." The Mayor nearly fainted dead away, in front of the TV cameras. [That was probably the only reason she didn't. The world was watchin']

[Now,] he thought bleakly, [she's got something to use to oust him.] Wasn't enough for her that Joe blamed himself for the tragedy more than anyone else ever could. Wasn't enough for her that the perps were dead, or locked up in the new facility 300 feet below the new Police plaza. Wasn't even enough for her that the cult leader/psychopathic killer had been killed in the attack that his followers launched against Police Headquarters trying to free him. No. She had to have a scapegoat. [And it looks like Joe's it.]

He looked back at his watch. [Damn] Eight thirty-five. He'd been so lost in thought he'd let the deadline he'd set for the driver to be there slip by. He grabbed his hat and started out the door... and nearly ran into the young officer assigned as his driver.

The kid had his gun out and was fixing to kick in the door.

"Oh! Sorry, sir! I blew the horn.... When you didn't come out... I... I... thought...." His voice was shaky and he trailed off as he started putting his gun up.

What he'd thought was plain in his eyes. In the wake of the assault on HQ, six days before, he'd thought someone had attacked maybe killed his boss.

Lundy felt the anger that had been burning in him drain back down into grief for the dead... and pity for all the young officers who would spend the next few weeks or months and maybe even years, nervous and scared, unable to forget the horror of that day. [Twenty-three dead. Fourteen of them active duty police officers. Four more retired officers who just happened to be there and five civilians. One hundred and seventeen injured. It had been a black day. A very black day.]

He reached out and laid a hand on the young officer's arm and glanced at the name tag. "It's all right, Anderson." He said softly. "I'm all right. I was just lost in thought. Sorry I scared you."

"Yes, sir. I'm sorry sir. I should've...."

"No. You did the right thing. Did you think to call for backup before you got outta vehicle?"

"Uh.... Uh, no, sir."

Lundy said, "It's all right. Anderson. In fact it's good that you didn't... this time. Keeps us from having to call dispatch and cancel it... but you always wanna call backup before you go into a possible shootin' situation. Understand?" He steered the younger man toward the waiting vehicle.

He'd almost added. 'We don't wanna lose anymore good cops.' But caught himself before reminding the kid about the shoot-out and the good cops they would be burying today.

"Yes, sir." The young cop said with a sigh of relief. When they reached the car he shook himself, seeming to remember his duty and hastily opened the back door for Lundy, holding it then closing it behind Lundy.

He went around and climbed into the driver's seat.

Lundy leaned back in the soft buttery leather of the seat and stared out the window. So many things had changed in the last twenty-five years. The ride was smooth, the vehicle gliding along above the road rather than actually on it.

The small ranches like his disappeared more quickly now than they had twenty-five years ago as they glided toward downtown Houston and the new Police Headquarters. [One hundred fifty stories high, with forty more levels below ground.] He shook his head.

His office was on the hundred and twenty-second floor. He hated it. Hated being 'an administrator'. Itched, ached to get back out on the street. His boss understood that and let him do it whenever he could. He smiled. [It didn't hurt to be sleepin' with the boss. 'Specially when you been doing it for a quarter of a century!]

He checked his watch again, impatient to get to HQ, see Joe, make sure that everything was all right. [Find out why 'The Bitch' didn't include me in the meeting.] Eight-fifty-three. He looked out the window. They were downtown now but still another five to ten minutes from HQ, depending on the traffic. Of course he could see the building. [Glass and steel monstrosity.]

From the day they'd moved into it three years ago he'd felt like the building itself was out to get him. He had a private elevator. [But the damn thing's out of order more than it's in order.] He'd been stuck in it so often he'd threatened to put a bed and refrigerator in it if the maintenance department didn't get it fixed. You couldn't open the windows. [Building's environmentally conditioned. Temperature's always perfect.... If you're an Eskimo!] Even Joe hated it. Much as he loved wearing his sweaters in the office, he hated having to change to go anywhere outside the building.

Traffic was bad. [Should've expected that. 'Specially around HQ... all the out-of town officers here for the funeral.] It was nine-fifteen before they got into the parking garage. He took the regular elevator up. Damned if he was gonna give the private one the opportunity to freeze on him.

He stepped out of the elevator on his floor and headed for his office. He stopped at Holiday's office first though. He tapped on the open door before stepping in, "Carol, Nat. How're ya'll holding up?" He asked his two top Deputy Chiefs. "You gonna be okay at the funeral?" This was directed at Carol, who was sitting in the biggest, softest chair in the office, looking like she was ready to go to the delivery room, with hers and Nat's third child.

She gave him a sad smile, reaching up to take his hand. "I'm not missing this funeral, Levon, not even if I have this baby in the cemetery. Joanne... Joe Bill... and his boy... Esteban... Eric.... All of them were friends, good friends. I'm going."

He squeezed her hand. "I understand, Carol... but you get yourself a chair to sit on. Nat, you make sure she does. I don't care if you gotta take the Mayor's seat. She sits down. Understood?" He looked up at Nat.

"You can count on it, Levon." Nat said, "And thanks for making it official that she gets a chair. I couldn't keep her away... but I really don't want to delivery this baby out there."

Levon nodded. He took a quick look at his watch. Nine-forty-one. "I gotta get upstairs. I'm riding with, Joe."

He stepped into his office and gave the private elevator a dubious glance then with a sigh he stepped inside. It usually worked when it was going up to Joe's office. Moments later the bell dinged and he stepped out into Chief of Police Joseph Anthony LaFiamma's office.

He stood there just a moment, just looking at Joe. His lover was standing at the window, his back to him, decked out in full dress uniform, just as he was. Still so handsome, so beautiful; to Levon he was still as gorgeous as the first time he'd ever seen him striding toward him in Houston's Hobby Airport. He'd had a chip on his shoulder, a price on his head, a hit man on his trail and his mind on going home. He'd chafed to get back to Chicago from day one but here it was twenty-five years later and he was still here.

Lundy reached up and took his hat off, holding it, turning it in his hands he asked quietly, "Are you ready for this?" It was a question he'd asked often over the years.

Joe turned then, to face him "No, I'll never be ready for it."

Lundy looked at him. Joe looked at least as bad as he felt. That was understandable. Joe had been as close to the people they were on their way to bury as he had and he carried the burden of responsibility. [At least we still have each other.] "Know what you mean." Lundy replied bleakly.

LaFiamma crossed the room to stand close to Lundy, reaching out to take him into his arms. "We'll get through this, Levon. We will." He said firmly.

Lundy let his arms close around LaFiamma and leaned into the shelter of the embrace. "It's just so much to take at once, Joe. So many friends... gone.... so fast... Joanne... Esteban... Eric.... Jamie never did forgive me for helping him get into the academy. Joe Bill. God! Joe Bill wasn't even on the force anymore just dropped by to see his boy.... Now both of them are gone."

LaFiamma hugged him for a long moment before he straightened, pulling away. He took Lundy's head in his hands and tilted it up so he could look into his friend's eyes. "We got this to do. We owe it to them to go down there, stand up straight and pay our respects. So, let's go do it."

Lundy nodded, straightening and taking a deep breath. He wiped at his face. "How'd I look?"

"Like I feel. Like you been run over by a herd of wild horses." He reached out to caress Lundy's face. "Don't worry about it. We all look like Hell. Wouldn't be natural if we didn't. This thing... has damn near killed everybody.... The police psychologist is swamped with officers needing help to deal with this. We're lucky... we got each other. Some of the other survivors... have no one left."

"Yeah." Lundy's voice was still bleak. "Let's get it done."

They stepped into the elevator.

___________________________________________________________

Lundy felt like he was ready to collapse. He glanced at LaFiamma. He looked like he was made of steel, a statue standing straight and tall. [Lord, I wish I had his strength.]

He felt a hand at his elbow, a silent reminder he wasn't alone; that the most important person in his life was still there. Such a tiny touch, but love and support flowed through it.

He turned his head and gave a slight nod, acknowledging that LaFiamma was still there and that it mattered. He stood a little straighter, felt a little stronger.

He let his eyes wonder... to Kimberly Beaumont, his god-daughter, standing with her father. [So like Joanne and yet so different... Joanne...] She'd quit trying to climb the ladder about the time Kim was born, happy to stay a Captain. A nice safe desk job. [Yeah, safe till that maniac's followers gunned her down at her desk.]

[Jamie... Oh, Jamie! I really did love you.... But I'm a cop... couldn't be anything else... not even for you.] She was standing alone. [Burying her only son... and standing alone. That bastard. I know that Eric hated him, wouldn't have anything to do with him, but Eric's dead now. How could he let Jamie face that alone?]

He felt the tears start, making silent trails down his face. He didn't care. He knew he wasn't the only one.

They made it though it somehow. Just having Joe there helped get him through the mandatory condolences to the families. It was for the cameras, of course, he and LaFiamma had been to see every one of the officer's families personally immediately after the event.

___________________________________________________________

Finally they were back in the car, following the Mayor and her media entourage toward the reception hall for the news conference that she had promised them. He sat back into the soft buttery leather of the limo seat and turned to look at Joe. Except for the driver they were alone. Not that it would have mattered. LaFiamma had made it plain to HPD years ago that if they didn't like their relationship they could go straight to hell.

Joe reached out and drew him into his arms, reaching up to stroke his hair. Lundy had always loved to have Joe stroke his hair. It never failed to comfort him and he needed comforting now.

The driver looked in the mirror and asked. "Where to, Sir?"

He groaned inwardly as he heard LaFiamma say, "We ought to go to the Mayor's fancy-shmacy media circus/reception for the out-of-towners...." Then sighed with relief as Joe added, "but to hell with it. Take us home, Marcus."

Marcus grinned as he swung the limo out of line and turned away form the Mayor's reception hall. Like most of the cops that worked under the two men he liked Lundy and LaFiamma. The old timers still told stories about their early days together, the fights and arguments, and the cases they had busted in spite of the fighting. They had become legends in the detective squad. He was gonna miss them. There wasn't any doubt that the Mayor planned to make LaFiamma the sacrificial goat for the media in this... and Lundy would go with him. They'd been together too long for that not to happen.

Levon felt his lover press a kiss to the top of his head as he rested in Joe's arms and heard him whisper, "Mio amore!"

Lundy smiled slightly, just hearing the words was enough to ease his aching heart a little. [My love!] He had long ago learned the meaning of that particular phrase. Joe had babbled it over and over the first time that they had made love.

He settled into Joe's arms. It felt so good. It always had. He might have been quicker on the draw and harder to get to on the streets but Joe had an emotional strength that was utterly amazing. [And resiliency. He bounces back. I tend to shatter. Without him... without him I would have gone down a long time ago.]

Lundy thought back across the years to all the times when he had needed some one and Joe had been there, to comfort him, shelter him, act as a buffer between him and a world he couldn't quite handle.

From the beginning, Joe had been there. It'd been less than a week after he arrived in Houston that Lundy had needed him for the first time. The night that Rose Ellen Hale died in a burning car, just like Lundy's wife had. Joe'd been there. [Nervous, awkward more than a little scared but he was there for me.] Levon smiled a little at the memory.

He was there when Rhonda was murdered, [I wouldn't even talk to him about her till after it was all over but he was there for me... more so than I was for him.] Lilly Brissom, [Strange, that what I really remember about that mess was Joe telling her that John was on the way back to get her when we caught him, lying to ease her pain and spare her feelings.] Bobby Wilton, [Once upon a time, my best friend... and lover. Joe tried to save him... for me. He hated Bobby on sight. Reckon I know why now!]

He settled deeper into Joe's arms, it felt so safe there. [Caroline.... Oh, Caroline! He saved me from your ghost, too. You'd have destroyed me completely if he hadn't been there. Stood by me, helped me finally lay you to rest.]

He felt Joe shift to get more comfortable holding him and shifted with him, knowing that Joe would never even think of withdrawing. Joe would hold him as long as he needed to be held.

Mother Minnie, [Lord, it was hard to let her go] even knowing that she was suffering, in pain, ready to go. [I woulda never survived it without him.] Chicken. Who woulda thought that losing him woulda been so hard. True we were friends but I woulda never said we were that close till he was gone. [So sudden, that was part of it and seeing it... It was such a shock. One minute he was there, the next he was dying of a heart attack and we couldn't save him. But Joe was there to get me through it.]

Lundy drew back, straightening up, out of Joe's arms. He wiped his face and took a deep breath. Turning, he looked at Joe. [He's always been there, for me. Always made the sacrifice, for me. He stayed in Houston, made it his home because it was my home.... He ain't ever asked me to sacrifice anything for him.]

Joe was looking back at him with a puzzled expression on his face.

"Take the job." Lundy said firmly.

"What?!" LaFiamma gasped. "I ain't leaving you...."

"You got that right. I'm going with you."

"You mean that? You really mean that?" Disbelief warred with hope in Joe's eyes. If there was one thing he had never expected, it was that Lundy would go to Mars to be with him.

"I mean it. Ain't nothing left here, now, that's more important to me than you and your happiness. Won't be easy leaving friends behind but... it ain't nothing you didn't do to be with me."

He hesitated, reaching out to take Joe's hand. "You ain't ever asked me to make the kind of sacrifices for you that you made for me. When your Uncle Mikey and the rest of your family found out about us and most all of them turned their backs on you I was terrified.... I was so sure you'd leave me rather than lose them. But you didn't walk away from me to keep them in your life and that did more than anything to tell me how much you loved me."

He reached up and caressed Joe's face. "I ain't ever made a sacrifice like that for you. I ain't ever proved my love like you've proved yours. All these years, you have made my life so easy. You were the one who stood up to the brass; told them that they could accept us as we were or lose their two top detectives. Anytime... every time that there has been an objection to our relationship, from anybody, you have been the one that stood up and spoke out. I just stood by and let you defend us."

He looked deep into his lover's eyes. "It's time, Joe, time I did something to show how much I love you. You are the most important person in the universe to me. I love you. I will follow you anywhere... even all the way to Mars."

"Levon, I... I don't know what to say... I... you don't have to do this.... " He floundered.

"I know I don't have to. I want to. Now tell Marcus to turn this thing around and take us to the Mayor's press conference. Call that guy from Mars.... What's his name?"

"Lucus." LaFiamma provided with a grin.

"And tell him he's got himself a package deal. Chief of Police and Chief of Detectives."

LaFiamma popped open his wrist phone and started to dial. "Head'em off at the pass, huh?" He grinned at Lundy as he realized that by announcing that he was leaving to take the Mars job he would be short-circuiting the Mayor's plan to kick him out.

Lundy sat back in the seat as Marcus turned the limo around and LaFiamma spoke on the phone. He tightened his grip on LaFiamma's hand. For the first time he really understood how Joe must have felt being exiled to Houston all those years ago. [At least this is my decision. It wasn't forced on me.]

He looked at his lover. Joe's eyes were shining like they hadn't in months. Lundy could feel the energy building up in his partner, see the years seem to drop away as the anticipation of moving to Mars, becoming part of a new frontier, filled Joe with an excitement that Lundy hadn't seen in a long time.

He found himself grinning as Joe's excitement began to sing through him as well. [This could be the best thing for both of us. Getting away from the memories, away from the grief, starting over; where we can be accepted as a couple, like any other couple. Lucus made it clear when he first came round that he knew we were 'together' and it wasn't a problem.]

Joe hung up the phone. "We got a job, Partner." He said with a grin.

Levon squeezed his hand. It was a black day but it would end and tomorrow ... [And tomorrow will be here before we know it.] With that thought he finally understood Joe's resiliency. That was what Joe had always known, the next day always dawns, whether we are there to greet it or not and Joe always chose to be there to greet it. [Life's a choice, Lundy. Life's a choice.] How many times had he heard Joe say that and not understood what it meant ... until now.

The End