|
|
| Fandom: | Houston Knights |
| Series: | Other Stories |
| Rating: | NC17 |
| Pairing: | Joe/Levon |
| Archive: | Starwinder's |
| Title: | My Very Own Angel |
| 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. | |
Lundy held the letter in his hand trying not to let his face betray what was written there. "I'm going to kill you." Plain, simple, to the point. No signature of course, nothing on the envelope to indicate where it came from... except that it hadn't been mailed. That was the most significant fact about it. Who ever had written it had hand delivered it or had someone do it for them ... someone with access to the Major Crime Unit.
Which meant that he had no way of knowing who he could trust with the fact he had received it. He glanced across at LaFiamma. The man only had a single letter but he seemed to be totally absorbed in it. [Must be from Chicago....from some of his family I reckon...don't seem happy about whatever it is though.] He thought about mentioning the threatening letter to his partner but decided against it. LaFiamma had only been down here a little over a month and he just wasn't certain about trusting the man.
He got up and went to take the letter into the Lieutenant. He had to show it to her but he'd ask that under the circumstances, the fact it wasn't mailed but left on his desk by someone with access to the Major Crime Unit, she not tell anyone that she didn't absolutely have to ... including his new partner.
Through half lowered eyes LaFiamma watched Lundy head for the lieutenant's office, careful not to let the man know that he was watching. This had been a difficult assignment right from the start and it didn't help that he was developing feeling for the man ... feelings that in his line of work just were not encouraged. He'd have to be moving on soon and feeling the way he was beginning to feel toward Lundy wouldn't make that any easier.
He stared back at the letter in his hand. So, the letter Lundy was carrying into the lieutenant's office was a death threat. The attempt would be made this afternoon when they left work. He'd have to be ready. The rest of the letter was just a reminder that it was against the rules for him to become as attached to an assignment as he was becoming to Lundy. Sort of a warning that if he wanted to graduate from 'trainee' to 'full fledged operative' he had better keep his mind on business.
#########################################################
LaFiamma picked up the last of his reports and slipped them into the folder, looking across at Lundy he asked, "You finished?"
"Yeah." Lundy picked up his report folder and held it out, "Wanna take it in with yours?"
"Sure." LaFiamma flashed him a smile as he took the folder and headed for Beaumont's office.
It was such a little thing and yet, [That smile could light up a room ... or somebody's life.] Lundy sighed and picking up his hat, slung his jacket over his shoulder, heading for the elevator. LaFiamma would catch up.
They rode the elevator down in silence. When the doors opened on the ground floor, LaFiamma turned toward the parking garage.
Lundy, stopping to slip into his jacket, called after him. "Jimmy's out front, LaFiamma."
LaFiamma rejoined him and they walked toward the Jimmy side by side.
Just as they reached it a shot rang out.
LaFiamma shoved Lundy away ... toward the cover of the Jimmy as a second shot followed the first. The second bullet ricocheted off the hood of the Jimmy and creased LaFiamma's forehead sending him spinning to the ground before he even had a chance to reach for his guns.
Lundy had regained his feet and had his revolver out returning fire toward the building across the street as other cops poured from the station house behind them, guns drawn and ready.
"Where's the shooter?" someone yelled.
"Second story! Third window from the right!" Lundy shouted turning back to his fallen partner, letting the other cops go after the shooter.
Dropping to one knee beside LaFiamma, he holstered his gun and reached out to check for a pulse. As he probed for a throat pulse LaFiamma's eyes opened and he struggled to sit up. Lundy slipped an arm around him to assist him.
"I'm all right." LaFiamma mumbled just as Lieutenant Beaumont arrived.
Lundy looked up at her and shook his head. "Bullet creased his head, Joanne. He needs to be took to the hospital."
Beaumont nodded agreement and over LaFiamma's protest the two of them got him into the Lieutenant's car.
######################################################
At the hospital Lundy sat in the waiting area, staring at the floor, thinking. It had almost been as if LaFiamma had known exactly when the attempt was going to be. Which was impossible unless he was connected to the attempt but if he was connected then why had he risked his life to save Lundy?
Beaumont was pacing restlessly nearby. A nurse came and spoke to her and she headed for the treatment room.
Lundy rose and followed her to the door arriving just in time to hear the doctor tell her; "He'll be fine but I want to keep him over night. Just for observation. He could have a concussion and he says he lives alone so I'd rather he stayed here."
Beaumont nodded in agreement and went with the doctor to make the arrangements.
Lundy stepped through the door and moved to LaFiamma's side. "How ya doin'" He asked.
LaFiamma looked up and smiled just a little, "Got a hell of a headache, but I'll survive." He paused and reached out to touch Lundy's arm. "You okay, Cowboy?" He asked softly.
Lundy started a little at the touch then, nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine." He looked down at LaFiamma and frowned. He wasn't certain what the look in LaFiamma's eyes was but it shook him. [Concern.....worry.....love?] He looked away. "I better let you get some rest." He mumbled and sorta backed out of the room.
He had just stepped through the door into the hall when the orderlies arrived to take LaFiamma up to a room. He stood out of the way as they took care of the business at hand. It wasn't until they wheeled LaFiamma out of the treatment room and were on their way to the elevator that Lundy, glancing back into the room to make sure they had gotten everything, saw LaFiamma's suit jacket lying across the back of a chair.
He walked over and picked it up. Draping it across his arm he heard something crinkle in the pocket, pulling it out he saw that it was an envelope. He turned it over in his hands. There was nothing on the outside of the envelope; not even an address. Curious, he glanced around to see if anyone was noticing, then opened it. He stared at the handwritten note in disbelief.
"There will be an attempt on his life this afternoon at six seventeen when you are walking to the Jimmy. Shots will be fired from across the street. You must keep him from being hit.
As to the other matter we spoke of: Your assignment is to protect him, Joseph. Protect him and restore his faith. Guardian angels can not allow themselves to fall in love with their assignments. You will have to leave him when you have fulfilled the assignment. It will be much easier on you both if you remember that you are there to do a job. I know that technically you are a trainee and you won't become a full fledged guardian angel until you rejoin us in heaven but as your training angel I feel that wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't remind you of this."
It was signed "Tess."
Lundy stood staring at it. It was impossible. He started to throw it away but as he looked down at it the words began to fade. In a moment they were gone. He stared at the blank paper in his hand. He was still staring at it when a white light began to coalesce in the corner of the room. He turned to look at it.
It solidified into the form of a large black woman. "You weren't supposed to see that, Honey." She informed him reaching for the paper.
He gaped at her, unable to think of anything to say for a moment when he finally managed to find his voice it came out as a whisper, "LaFiamma ... LaFiamma is an angel?" He couldn't hide the utter disbelief in his voice.
"Not at the moment. He has the soul of an angel. I don't know why he was returned to flesh. That's not my department. But when the flesh is gone he will return to us. Meantime I am supposed to be training him to take on the responsibilities of a guardian angel when that happens. I shouldn't be telling you this but you already know some of it and I guess that it won't hurt for you to know the rest."
"I guess he'll be leaving now." Suddenly the prospect of LaFiamma leaving was very unwelcome. That look in LaFiamma's eyes ... if what the letter had said was real then that look had been love and love was something that Lundy had all too little of in his life.
She sighed, "That was the idea ... but the Boss has a real weak spot for Joseph. Apparently he has decided to make the assignment permanent. Joseph will be staying with you."
Lundy couldn't quite comprehend what she was saying, "For how long?" he stammered.
Tess smiled as she began to turn back to radiant light. "Forever, Honey. Forever."
#########################################################
LaFiamma lay back in the hospital bed in the dimly lit room and sighed. He wondered how much trouble he was in with Tess. He glanced over at the corner of the room and saw the light beginning to form, looked like he'd be finding out soon enough.
The form that took shape inside the light wasn't Tess'. "Andrew." He breathed the name softly. "I guess I musta really screwed up if they sent you for me."
The Angel of Death smiled at him, " No, Joseph. Actually I have good news. Tess is busy and since I have to be next door in a few minutes anyway, I was asked to deliver the message."
LaFiamma reached out and took Andrew's hand.
Andrew looked down at the hand holding his, "I think that this is what told me all those years ago that you were one of us. You were never afraid of me. That day when you were eight and I came for your baby brother, you just looked at me. It was strange enough that you could see me but you knew who I was and you were not afraid. You weren't angry with me for taking him or anything, you just said "He'll never be in pain again, will he?" and when I said "No, he won't." you smiled at me. I get so few smiles in this job, almost none from the living, that I could not ever forget it."
He held LaFiamma's hand for a long moment not wanting to let go. It was so rare that he got to touch a living being, one that looked at him without fear. He smiled down at LaFiamma glad that he was the one who got to give him the message. "The Boss has decided to make your assignment to Lundy permanent."
LaFiamma stared up at him in disbelief, "Permanent? What does that mean? How long ... ."
"Permanent, LaFiamma, means forever." The words came from the doorway, spoken in a soft Texas drawl.
LaFiamma turned to look toward the door. "Lundy." He whispered. He could see Tess standing behind his partner and realized that when Andrew had said she was busy he must have meant she was with Lundy.
Lundy walked toward the bed. Laying his hat down on the table in passing he sat down on the edge of the bed. Reaching out, he took LaFiamma's hand, holding it tightly between both of his, "My heart tried to tell me that you were something special, first time I ever saw you ... but I just wasn't ready to accept or believe. I can't hardly believe what I've seen today but I reckon I'll just have to take it on faith. Only thing that really matters about it all is that I realize that the look I've been seeing in your eyes is just what I've been wishing for."
He looked into his partner's eyes, "I love you, LaFiamma." He smiled suddenly at the realization that he still called his partner by his last name.
"I love you, too, Lundy. Have almost from the first time I saw you." LaFiamma confessed.
Andrew stepped back from the bed, "I have to go, Joseph."
LaFiamma nodded to him barely taking his eyes off Lundy.
As Andrew passed Tess he looked back at the two men. "It won't be easy for them."
"They'll be all right," Tess said with a smile, "Joseph's faith has always been strong. Levon's is restored. With their faith in God and the depth of their love for each other, they'll be just fine."
The End.