Save Me (Part 7d)

[vampiremadonna]

Title: Save Me
Author: VampireMadonna
Pairing: YunJae
Rating: PG-13
Length: Undetermined
Summary: Kim Jaejoong is on the run from his crazed ex-husband and Lieutenant Jung Yunho is the only one standing between him and an uncertain fate. Will Yunho be his savior...or will his rescue come too late?



Yunho stirred again, opening one eye to peek out at the world.

His gaze immediately fell to the alarm clock on the table.

3:40.

Where was Jaejoong? Did it really take fifteen minutes to pour and drink a glass of water? Even if he factored in washing time, it wouldn’t take more than five. Ten if he was really, really thirsty.

He unconsciously opened his mouth to bellow his lover’s name but remembered the precious little girl sleeping next door before he emitted a sound.

Swearing softly, he rolled off the bed and grabbed the discarded clothing off the floor. He flung the top back down and settled for the pants alone.

His sleepiness was fading and he was sure that he would be 100% awake by the time he trudged back upstairs with Jaejoong in tow.

Well…I may just have to find something to do to help me get tired again, he thought, becoming excited as images of what he’d yet to experience with Jaejoong flashed through his mind and heated his over-eager flesh. A quick glance down at his crotch showed a steadily rising tent in his pants. Not that he didn’t already know since he could feel himself harden with every image that popped up.

“Two years of celibacy has turned you into a pervert, Jung,” he muttered.

His hand was on the door handle when he heard a soft thump emanating from downstairs, the hair on the back of his neck rising immediately.

He’d been so sleepy and caught up in the lingering haze of lust that it hadn’t even occurred to him that something could be wrong.

Fully alert and in cop mode now, he redirected to the bathroom and picked up his gun, which he’d left on the counter, and stuck it into the waistband of his sweats at the small of his back. He strode back into the bedroom but went to the adjoining door that connected Maya’s room to Jaejoong’s, unlocking it. He silently walked to the side of the little girl’s bed, drew back the covers and picked her up, along with the stuffed animal she clutched in one limp hand, as gently as possible. He made swift, steady steps back into Jaejoong’s room and laid her down in the middle of the wide bed, tucking the covers under her chin.

She didn’t so much as stir the entire time.

As he headed out of the room, he pondered whether to lock her in, just in case, but decided against it. In the event that nothing was amiss and she awoke before he and Jaejoong returned, he didn’t want her to be startled or panic from being locked in. He had no idea if she was claustrophobic so it was best not to put it to the test at 4:00am.

Closing the door firmly behind him, he quietly made his way down the hall to the staircase, pausing to listen before he continued down the stairs.

It was silent, eerily so, and he felt uneasy.

“Jaejoong?” he called softly.

When there was no reply, he repeated Jaejoong’s name in a stronger, louder voice.

Nothing.

Then…

“Yunho… I’m in here.”

Yunho froze.

That was definitely Jaejoong’s voice but he didn’t sound like himself.

Reaching behind him, he withdrew his gun, removed the safety and held it low in front of him, gripped firmly in both hands.

The voice had come from the living room. He paused outside the entrance in the middle of the hallway. The room was bright enough because one of the lamps had been turned on but he couldn’t see Jaejoong or anything suspicious from his vantage point. Taking a deep breath, he raised his gun to shoulder level and crossed the threshold.

“Welcome.”

Jaejoong winced at the sound of Daniel’s voice. It reeked of madness, a further testament to his psychological imbalance, as if the insanity shining in his bright, blue eyes wasn’t evidence enough. He’d prayed that Yunho wouldn’t hear the thick book he’d knocked off a side table when he’d stumbled back as Daniel closed in on him but his prayer had evidently gone unanswered.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk… You’ve been naughty again, my love. I see that you haven’t learned your lesson.”

A shudder ran down his spine and he was back in that kitchen all those years ago, bloody, broken and fearing for his life. He’d done what he’d had to to get out of that situation alive and he’d do whatever it took now to achieve the same result. However, he knew that his measures would have to be more drastic this time around. It wasn’t just him that Daniel was after, after all. Yunho might be a target too, and Maya was sleeping upstairs, completely unaware of what was going on.

“The honorable Lieutenant Jung Yunho has graced us with his presence. Is that how they say it? Honorable? Or are you not high enough up the cop food-chain to be bestowed with that esteemed title?”

Daniel chuckled at his own joke and again, Jaejoong felt tingles of repulsion travel up his spine. It didn’t help that Daniel was so close to him, one hand clamped on his arm, so that he was afraid to move.

“Come in, come in,” Daniel invited jovially, waving Yunho further into the room. “But you might want to set your weapon on the floor. It’s quite rude to keep pointing that thing at me.”

Yunho’s grip visibly tightened around the gun as he aimed directly at Daniel’s head. “Let him go.”

“Uh-uh,” Daniel cooed, swinging his other hand upward and revealing the small pistol he held. “Don’t make me use this,” he threatened, his voice suddenly becoming frighteningly serious.

“You won’t hurt him,” Yunho said calmly.

“No,” Daniel agreed. “But I will shoot you without batting an eye. That will no doubt distress my love and I hate seeing him in distress.”

Yunho calculated the distance between them, weighing the pros and cons of taking action versus trying to peacefully resolve the situation. He had a clear shot at Daniel since he wasn’t using Jaejoong as a shield, for which he was grateful. It would be so simple just to pull the trigger. At the same time, there was always the slightest chance that Daniel could suddenly switch their positions and he would hit Jaejoong instead. It was a risk he just wasn’t willing to take. Plus, he knew that despite all that he’d been through, Jaejoong did not want Daniel dead. He just wanted him caught and locked up where he could get treatment. He could see the madness in the man’s wild eyes and couldn’t suppress the small surge of pity that he felt. Daniel was sick and despite the awful things he’d done, he didn’t deserve to be put down like an animal.

Mind made up, Yunho lowered his gun to his side.

“Wise decision,” Daniel acknowledged. “Now toss it out into the hall.”

Yunho did as he was told, already working on a back-up plan to get close enough to Daniel to tackle him and knock the gun out of his hand.

“Come over here,” Daniel ordered, pointing with his gun as he maneuvered himself and Jaejoong closer to the double doors while Yunho was directed further into the room, effectively caged in since there was only one way in and out.

“How did you get in?” Yunho asked.

Smiling, Daniel tapped the snout of his pistol against his chin, seemingly in thought.

“It was awfully easy, actually. Child’s play. Alarm systems, even high-grade ones, are frighteningly vulnerable to tampering. It’s easy to trigger it if you don’t know what you’re doing but of course that does not apply to me.” He grinned smugly.

“What about my officer?”

Daniel cocked a brow. “Officer? Oh, you mean your watchdog? He is…shall we say, indisposed?”

Yunho’s jaw tightened. “Did you kill him?”

Daniel’s smile fell, his expression becoming cold and stiff. “Don’t insult me. I’m not a murderer. He’s unconscious but otherwise unharmed.”

Touchy, touchy, Yunho thought. He’d better tread carefully. There was no telling what could set Daniel off. He wasn’t aggressively violent but he had exhibited the propensity for it when he’d attacked Jaejoong and that was the last thing that Yunho wanted. He had to be the negotiator in this situation and to do that successfully, he had to put aside his emotions, which were undoubtedly biased, and focus on getting them all out alive.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized, hoping that he sounded sincere. “That was rude of me.”

Daniel’s eyes narrowed as he watched Yunho suspiciously. “It was...”

“I’m sorry,” he said again. “Daniel…tell me how I can help you.”

Daniel’s brows drew together more deeply, his distrust of Yunho written clearly across his face.

“Help me? Why would you want to help me?”

“I know that you aren’t a bad person. You’re sick and you need help.”

Daniel scoffed. “You sound like those doctors in that bloody hospital. They locked me up like I was some infected animal that needed to be quarantined. If I go back, they’ll lock me away again, but this time, it’ll be for good. Do you know what that’s like? To have no power over yourself, your life? They control when you eat, when you sleep, when you go to the damn bathroom. How you feel. Those pills…they’re supposed to make you better but honestly, that’s relative. Sure, you don’t feel like the walls in your brain are closing in anymore. You don’t get these uncontrollable impulses to do bad things, to hurt people. But you don’t feel anything. Anything! It’s like being a vegetable, except you’re not. You’re alive but you’re dead inside. I’d rather just be dead.”

The pity Yunho had felt earlier doubled. He could hear the pain in Daniel’s voice and felt sorry for him. He understood now why Jaejoong was so adamant that Daniel not be dealt with permanently. It was the disease that made him dangerous but underneath the madness, he was still a living, breathing, feeling human being. Just like the rest of them.

“I’m sorry that you went through that,” Yunho said, his words completely sincere.

Daniel laughed harshly. “Yet you want to send me back there.”

“You’re sick… You need help.”

Daniel shook his head adamantly. “I have what I need, right here.” He pulled Jaejoong closer. “There’s nothing else that I want.”

Yunho’s eyes shifted to Jaejoong’s face. He had been quiet and motionless ever since he’d entered the room. He tried to read his expression but couldn’t. His eyes were downcast and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking. He just looked…resigned. He remembered the fierce, confident man who had strode into the police station a few short months ago and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Where was he? Had the situation beaten him down so much that he’d just given up? Or was he, like Yunho, trying to figure out how best to extricate them all from the situation with the smallest possible fallout?

“Okay,” Yunho said calmly. “Okay. Is that all? Jaejoong?”

Daniel nodded. “Yes, of course. What else is there? He is…everything.” Anger flared in Daniel’s eyes. “I know you tried to take him from me, don’t think that I don’t. And he…he’s weak. Aren’t you, love?” He spoke to Jaejoong now, taking his eyes off of Yunho and looking down at Jaejoong. “You let him touch you, didn’t you?”

Jaejoong’s mind was going a mile a minute, playing a million scenarios all at once, none of which ended well. Realizing that Daniel was no longer fixated on Yunho, he pulled himself together and looked up at him.

“What?”

“Don’t lie to me, Joongie,” Daniel snapped. “I can smell his stench all over you. I knew the minute I drove up to the house what was going to happen. And it’s not the first time, is it?”

Jaejoong tried to take a step back but Daniel’s grip tightened painfully around his arm, causing him to wince.

“You’re hurting me.”

“I don’t want to. I don’t like it but you…you do things and they make me crazy. Why do you do these things? You know how they make me feel. It’s not his fault that he can’t help wanting you but you…You’re supposed to honor the vows we made to each other.”

We’re not married. I can fuck whoever I want!, Jaejoong wanted to yell as temper flared in his chest. He fought it back, though, knowing that it wasn’t wise to say something that would obviously push Daniel over the edge.

“I’m sorry,” he said instead. “I don’t know why…but I’m sorry.”

“You don’t love him, do you Joongie? You wouldn’t love someone like him?” Daniel asked, his voice suddenly tender.

Without looking at Yunho, Jaejoong shook his head. “No. Never.”

“You love me. Always and forever, ‘til death do us part, right?”

Jaejoong took a deep breath and met Daniel’s eyes. If he was going to lie, he’d better make it believable.

“Yes. Always and forever.”

“Show me.”

Jaejoong blinked in surprise. “What?”

Daniel pulled him flush against his body. “Show me,” he repeated, his voice dropping several octaves.

Oh, God.

Forcing himself not to over-think it, Jaejoong framed Daniel’s face with his hands and laid his lips against his, trying to put as much fake-passion into the kiss as he possibly could.

He hadn’t kissed Daniel in so long that he’d forgotten what their kisses used to be like so he prayed that whatever he was doing would be satisfactory.

Daniel kissed him back passionately, holding him even tighter and forcing his lips apart with his probing tongue. He felt a momentary sense of panic, like he was suffocating, and it was all that he could do to remain within the circle of Daniel’s arms and not gag.

Yunho watched them, the urge to protect and defend what was his, what he’d claimed a mere few hours ago, flowing strongly in his veins, but he too forced himself to stay still. Daniel still held a gun and though he was currently preoccupied, Yunho wouldn’t assume that he’d suddenly forgotten that he was still there. It hurt, though, he had to admit. The kiss looked passionate and despite the bad times, they’d also shared a lot of good. He couldn’t help but wonder if some of that echoed inside them as the kiss went on.

When it finally ended, Daniel laid his forehead against Jaejoong’s as they both struggled to control their breathing. He sported a wide, satisfied smile.

“I knew that you still loved me. I knew that there was no way that you could forget what we meant to each other.” He pressed a brief kiss to Jaejoong’s lips. “We’re going to be a family again, love. Just us two.”

It was on the tip of Jaejoong’s tongue to add, “And Maya,” but he held it back. Again, it hurt to realize that Daniel had completely forgotten about her. It made him think that the family he’d cherished and the good times they’d shared were all in his head.

The kiss had been a means to an end but Daniel was right about one thing: he did love him. Part of him always would, he was sure. He’d married the man and he never would’ve attempted any permanent kind of commitment if he hadn’t thought it would last. However, he was no longer in love with him and had not been for a very long time. He would do whatever it took to get Daniel away from Yunho and Maya, even if it meant faking a love that he didn’t feel and doing things that made his skin crawl, but once they were alone together, he would make his move. Regardless of the outcome, Maya would be safe. Yunho would make sure of it.

“Let’s get out of here,” he suggested, forcing an excitement that he didn’t feel into his voice. “Let’s get as far away from here as we possibly can.”

Yunho’s fear escalated. What the hell was he doing? “Jaejoong…”

For the first time, Jaejoong looked at him squarely. “I’m sorry, Yunho, but this is the way it has to be. I’m sorry that I led you on. I never meant to hurt you.”

“Jaejoong…” he tried again.

Jaejoong shook his head. “Take care of things here and give us some time to get a head start before you call it in. Please.”

Yunho knew what Jaejoong was asking of him and he was pissed. How was he supposed to watch him walk out of the house with a gun-wielding madman who had already hurt him once, had stalked him for years, and not do anything about it? On the other hand, Jaejoong was asking him to put Maya first. He was sure that Jaejoong could handle Daniel, at least for a while, but if he let him leave, finding him again would be difficult because he knew without a shadow of a doubt that Daniel would watch him like a hawk. He might actually believe that Jaejoong still loved him but Jaejoong had already left him once: he would do anything in his power to make sure that it never happened again. And Daniel had already proven that he was good at covering his tracks. If he somehow got Jaejoong out of the country…

Yunho gave himself a mental shake.

Jaejoong wasn’t some child who would allow himself to be carted off wherever Daniel pleased. He would go along with Daniel until there was some distance between them and the house and then he would probably make his move. But Daniel had a gun and Jaejoong did not. Daniel was a loose cannon and Jaejoong was not. So many things could go wrong if he let him do as he asked. But what choice did he have? His hands were tied.

“Okay,” he finally said.

Jaejoong flashed Yunho a grateful smile before turning to Daniel. “Just give me a minute to pack some things,” he said, trying to extricate himself from Daniel’s hold.

Daniel’s grip around his waist tightened. “I’ll come with you,” he said with a tight smile.

Jaejoong squashed a moment of panic. “That’s okay, I won’t be long. I…”

“I insist,” Daniel stressed.

The last thing Jaejoong wanted was for Daniel to see Maya. Out of sight, out of mind, and he wanted her to stay that way. He didn’t believe, didn’t want to believe, that Daniel could ever hurt a child, even if he felt no attachment towards her, but he preferred to err on the side of caution and not take the chance.

“How about we just go and we’ll pick up what we need along the way?” Jaejoong suggested, forcing a bright smile. “We’ve only got a couple of hours before the sun comes up. We need to get as big of a head start as we possibly can.”

Daniel didn’t respond for a minute, then suddenly broke into a smile. “I knew I married you for reasons other than your looks,” he said, pressing a firm kiss to Jaejoong’s lips. He turned to Yunho. “Isn’t he smart?” he declared proudly.

Yunho nodded.

Inside, his impatience and fury were growing. He didn’t know how much more of Daniel’s forced attentions on Jaejoong he could take. The possessive hands and smug kisses: Daniel was purposely rubbing it in his face, knowing that he wouldn’t do anything to stop it. Yunho knew that Jaejoong returned none of Daniel’s feelings but it still bothered him. It was only natural, he supposed, considering that he’d just lain with the man a couple of hours ago. He was also beginning to rethink his decision to let Jaejoong leave with Daniel. Suppose he did or said something, any small innocent little thing, that angered Daniel? Would he be able to ward Daniel off? After all, Daniel didn’t need to kill him to do serious harm. Yunho had seen Jaejoong’s photos from when Daniel had assaulted him and he’d almost been unrecognizable, so extensive was the blood, bruising and swelling, not to mention the broken nose. Just thinking about it had his anger flaring. They needed a new plan: no way in hell was he letting Jaejoong walk out of the house with Daniel if he had anything to say about it.

“Daniel. I want to ask you something,” he said calmly, trying a new tactic.

Daniel cocked a brow, clearly suspicious yet curious. “What’s that?”

“You say you love Jaejoong, right?”

Daniel nodded. “Yes, of course. He’s my everything.”

“Right… Well, if you truly love him like you say you do, wouldn’t you want what’s best for him?”

“I am what’s best for him,” Daniel said vehemently. “He has to be with me. Only I can take care of him. Only I can give him what he needs.”

“Is that truly what he needs, though? A life on the run? Think about it: the police are after you. If Jaejoong ups and leaves with you, they’ll think he was kidnapped and the search for you will increase. You won’t be able to get out of the country as easily as you came in because they’re looking for you now and they’ll keep finding you no matter what you do.”

“Yunho, what are you doing?” Jaejoong asked, alarmed.

He knew exactly what Yunho was doing. He was turning the focus back onto himself, goading Daniel, distracting him. But didn’t he know that if he pushed Daniel too far, there could be disastrous consequences? Jaejoong appreciated his help but didn’t want it at the cost of his life.

Ignoring Jaejoong, Yunho continued. “Just think about it, Daniel. How are you going to protect him with the police nipping at your feet? What if they tried to get to you but hurt Jaejoong instead?”

“No!” Daniel shouted, outraged.

“Accidents happen, Daniel. It could be unintentional but when it’s done, there’ll be no going back. Jaejoong will be gone and it’ll be your fault.”

“No!”

Daniel released Jaejoong and started pacing, hands automatically going to his ears as if to block out the sound. He muttered to himself as he moved, seemingly working out whatever was going on in his addled brain.

Jaejoong shot a furious look at Yunho, one that would’ve worried him had he not been trying to save their lives. Instead, he ignored the look and motioned for Jaejoong to move closer to him while Daniel was distracted. Jaejoong shook his head but Yunho motioned at him again. Even without his gun, he would still have a better chance at keeping Jaejoong safe if he were with him. He needed to get him as far away from Daniel as possible.

Casting a wary glance at his ex-husband, Jaejoong started inching towards Yunho. Daniel was still pacing and muttering to himself, massaging his temples with the heels of his hands now. The sight broke Jaejoong’s heart but the gun he still held prevented him from being overly sympathetic. No matter how much he mourned the man he used to love, the man in his living room held his life in the palm of his unstable hand. It was a sobering realization.

“I know what you’re doing,” Daniel declared suddenly, coming to a halt and squaring off against Yunho. “You’re trying to manipulate me, to get inside my head. You’re hoping that I abandon him and leave him here so that you can come to the rescue. You gonna ride in on your white steed, Mr. Jung Yunho? Where’s your cavalry, huh? Did you really think that I wouldn’t figure you out? I’m a genius. A genius, you hear?! And you.” His wild gaze swung towards Jaejoong, who now stood midway between the two men. “Are you going to him? To your lover? You whore! Filthy, lying whore! Why do you keep doing this to me? All I’ve ever done is love you. Do I need to teach you a lesson again? Do you need a reminder?”

Jaejoong flinched, an unconscious reaction to the threat as the memory of the last assault came flooding back. He could still feel the pain that had exploded in his face when Daniel had broken his nose.

“Why do you make me have to hurt you?” Daniel asked brokenly. “I don’t like it but you haven’t learned your lesson so what choice do I have? You don’t give me any other choice, Jaejoong!”

The emotion behind his words, more so than the threat itself, terrified Jaejoong. Daniel honestly believed everything he said and he was emotionally unstable as a result.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone. When I followed you from your apartment tonight, I intended to just leave.” Though he seemingly spoke to Yunho, he wasn’t looking at either of them. “But then hours passed and you didn’t go back home and I got so angry. How dare you spend the night? In my marital bed? He’s a whore but you’re no better for lying with a taken man.” Daniel sighed dejectedly, rubbing a hand over his face. “I really didn’t want to have to do this but…”

Before either of them realized what was happening or could even think to move, Daniel aimed his pistol at Yunho and fired.

Jaejoong watched, horrified, as Yunho’s body jerked backward by the force of the bullet, his feet giving out from under him as he crumpled in a motionless heap.