randomweaving (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
randomweaving) wrote2006-12-15 11:28 am
randomweaving) wrote2006-12-15 11:28 am
Entry tags:
Amnesia: Chapter 2
Fic: Amnesia
Characters: John Dorian/Perry Cox
Rating: NC-17
Chapter Rating: PG-13 for language and implied m/m attraction
Description: JD awakens from an accident to find his memory is gone. Written for the![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
2dozenowies challenge community.
Warnings: None, save the rating.
Chapter: 2/4
Over the next day and a half, he did start recalling more. Nothing recent, unfortunately--nothing that made him feel any better about leaving the hospital--but he was starting to get a better feel for who he was. What his childhood had been like: his dad leaving, his mom remarrying (apparently more than once), his brother basically making his life a living hell. Now, sitting with Elliot playing Egyptian Ratscrew with the deck of cards she'd brought, JD reflected that he rather wished the rest of his memory would hurry up, because so far it hadn't been that great.
Elliot was the one who'd been spending the most time with him, apart from Dr. Cox. Turk had tried, once or twice, but he'd had a hard time relating to this JD who didn't seem to remember him.
JD'd been miserable, when he'd left earlier, but Dr. Cox had waved it off. "He'll get over it," he said. "You can't be worried about trying to get your memory back and worried about hurting Gandhi's feelings."
He knew it was true, but it didn't stop him from feeling terrible. He willed his memory to return faster, to get to college, so he could start remembering what he and the surgeon had been through together.
"I'm almost up to high school," he told Elliot, flipping a jack onto the growing pile of cards between them.
"Oh yeah?" Elliot replied, flipping a card over, then making a triumphant sound when it was a queen.
"Yeah," JD said, flipping two cards over and groaning when they revealed a 2 and a 7. Elliot smirked as she took the stack and reshuffled her deck. "I think I was a nerd."
"You ended up in med school," Elliot reminded him, flipping down a new card (ten of spades). "That's kind of a given, isn't it?"
"Well, yeah, I guess," JD replied, flipping one after her (six of clubs). "If nothing else, it means I'm pretty brainy. Unless I'm like that Doug guy who came in earlier." He frowned. "Is he always that nervous, or is it just because of my memory thing?"
"Oh, no, he's always that nervous. Dr. Cox calls him Nervous Guy. Or Pee Pants, depending on what sort of mood he's in." Elliot slapped the deck when she flipped a six of hearts. JD slapped down a moment too late, and she laughed, sticking her tongue out.
"Snooze you lose!" she crowed.
JD laughed, rolling his eyes. "At least I remembered the important things," he said dryly--for some reason, he'd remembered the rules to just about every card game she'd suggested. "I don't know my birthday or my best friend's name, but damn it, I can still play cards."
"You're losing," Elliot reminded him.
"Shut up."
She giggled, and flipped a new card. "We can do something else, if you want," she suggested.
"Elliot? What's the deal with Dr. Cox?"
She looked up at him, frowning. "What do you mean?"
JD bit his lip. "He... well, he's in here all the time, you know? And he's taking care of me, and everything, but... I don't know. I get the impression that's... well, does he do that for all his patients, or something?"
Elliot made a face. "He's a good doctor, if that's what you mean, but... no, he doesn't. I mean, not to the point of staying with them on his days off and after his shifts are over. Not unless they're critical."
JD frowned at the pile of cards, forgetting to flip one even though it was his turn. "What...I mean, how do I know him?" he asked finally. "I get that I work with him, but... it seems like it's more than that, somehow." He didn't want to admit that it almost felt like they'd been a couple--he was sure Dr. Cox would have told him, if that were the case, and after all, he'd said he wasn't dating anyone. JD had no reason to doubt him. But he couldn't deny there was an attraction there, at least on his part, and if the glances he'd caught Cox giving him were any indication, then there might be one on his part, too.
Elliot tilted her head, a bemused expression on her face. "Well, he's an attending here," she said slowly. "He's our attending, actually--which means he's our teacher--so we both see a lot of him. You're kind of obsessed with him, actually."
JD's eyes widened, and he felt himself flushing a little. "O-obsessed?" he stammered, wondering if his crush was common knowledge already.
Elliot shrugged, nudging his hand; he started and flipped a card, but didn't even glance at it. "Well, yeah," she said. "You're always like... chasing after him, trying to get him to admit he's your mentor, trying to get him to give you a compliment..."
"Is it that difficult?" JD asked, watching as she flipped the jack of diamonds. He flipped a card--a seven of hearts--and watched as she scooped up the pile.
Elliot snorted again. "To get a compliment from him? I don't think the man knows what a compliment is."
"Really?" JD started to flip a new card, but stopped when Elliot gave him a look, reminding him it wasn't his turn. "He doesn't seem... I mean, he seems like a nice enough guy... a little closed-off, maybe, but..."
"JD, trust me on this one," she said, watching as he placed his last card on the deck--an ace. She began to play her obligatory four cards, but came up with a king on the third flip, and scooped the remainder of the deck into her hand. "Dr. Cox is about the biggest jerk ever to walk through these halls. Oh, sure, he's a good doctor, and I'm sure he's being all nice to you now because he feels sorry for you, but when your memory comes back, you'll know what I mean." She held up the deck. "Want to play again?"
"I... no, thanks, Elliot, I think I want to get some sleep," JD replied after a moment, trying to absorb this new information that so directly countered what he'd come to believe about the older doctor. "Percocet's kicking in, you know."
Elliot looked at him for a moment. "JD, I'm not trying to turn you against him or anything," she said softly. "He does seem to care about you, I'm not denying that. But... I don't want you thinking he's some sugarcoated, softhearted guardian angel or something. He's... well, he's Dr. Cox." She shrugged, looking a little helpless.
JD nodded, giving her a tight smile. "Yeah, I got it," he said. "I believe you, Elliot, I... I really am just getting tired," he finished lamely.
She shrugged, sliding off the bed and adjusting her scrubs. "All right," she agreed. "But just... don't say I didn't warn you, okay?"
"All right, all right," JD said, sliding down in bed and tugging the blankets up around his chin. "See you later, Elliot."
"Yeah," she said with a smile. "Bye, JD."
Then she was gone, leaving the room and closing the door behind her softly. JD watched her go, a frown on his face as soon as she left.
Biggest jerk ever to walk these halls? How could that be true? Dr. Cox had been nothing if not supportive and concerned, and of all his so-called friends, Cox had been there more than any of the others. Hell, his supposed best friend had only managed to visit him twice, and each time he'd left JD feeling worse than ever for not remembering him. Carla had been in a few times to apologize for him, to try to explain how hard it was for Turk--"He feels like his best friend has died, and you're this stranger, you know?"--but that had only made him feel worse, of course.
And Elliot had been great, true, but even she hadn't been there as often as Dr. Cox, and she had a habit of forgetting what he didn't know and going off on tangents he couldn't follow because of it. Not her fault, perhaps, but still difficult for him, because he'd have to interrupt her and remind her gently he didn't know what she was talking about, and that was always embarrassing for them both.
Only Cox seemed to be able to walk that line of knowing what he did and didn't remember, and of making him feel okay about it at the same time. Cox was the one who made JD feel good about remembering little, insignificant things--like the fact that he usually bought Jiff brand peanut butter, or that his father was an office supply salesman. He was the one who spent hours just talking to JD before and after his shifts (and during, when he could), helping him sort out the strange images and vague snatches of thought that occasionally surfaced in the thick fog that was JD's memory.
And I'm supposed to believe he's the jerk? JD frowned, then shook his head slowly. Maybe it was true, and maybe it wasn't. He didn't think Elliot would lie to him, anyway, and Cox had made several references to being disliked around here. But... well, actions spoke louder than words, after all, and JD was prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Innocent until proven guilty, he thought, settling back into the pillow and staring blankly at the clock on the wall. Cox's shift ended in an hour, and he'd promised to bring JD Chinese carry out (JD'd been craving beef and broccoli, for some reason).
Biggest jerk, my ass, he thought with a smirk. If he's the biggest jerk, then this hospital must be run by saints.
* * *
Though he wasn't actually tired when he'd asked Elliot to leave, he had almost nodded off again by the time Cox came back.
The sound of the door opening roused him from his half doze, and he blinked, a smile crossing his face as he saw the older man walk into the room, carry-out cartons in one hand and plastic bag in the other. "Hey," Cox said softly. "I didn't wake you, did I?"
"You did, but I'm glad," JD replied. "I'm starved." He pushed himself up in bed, inhaling deeply, catching the tantalizing scents wafting from the cartons.
"I can help you there," Cox said with a grin. He moved forward and deposited the cartons one by one on JD's rollaway bedside table, adjusting it so it would be of a reasonable height for him too, then settling down in the chair next to the bed. "You use chopsticks or utensils?" Cox asked. "Because I brought both."
JD shrugged. "Beats me. Hand over the chopsticks, and I guess we'll find out." He remembered Elliot's words again, watching Cox as he started opening containers. She hadn't lied to him about anything, but how could she be right?
"All right, but be careful, because I didn't bring a bib," Cox said, giving JD a wink. He dumped some rice onto the paper plates he'd been carrying in the bag at his side, and dished out some beef and broccoli on top of it. These he handed to JD, along with a paper package of chopsticks.
JD giggled, and took the chopsticks, frowning a little before breaking them apart, watching how Cox held his pair. But once they were in his hand, he proved to have no trouble. "Okay, add that to the list of things I do know..."
For a time they ate in silence. JD relished the meal like he had no other since waking up--hospital food just wasn't the same as real food, and even though it was just Chinese carryout, it tasted like heaven. He rather suspected Cox hadn't stopped at any old Chinese restaurant, either; this was good.
But as Cox handed him a fortune cookie, the older doctor broke the silence. "Listen, I was talking to the neurologist, and he said your CT scan looks fine. We're planning to discharge you tomorrow morning."
JD set the cookie down, suddenly feeling a little sick. "T-tomorrow?" He blushed when he stumbled over the word. "I suppose that's good..."
"It should be," Cox said, unwrapping his cookie and snapping it open. "But from the look on your face I'm betting you're thinking it's not, am I right?"
"Well...getting out of here would be nice," JD admitted slowly. "But...oh hell, this is going to sound awful." He let out a long breath, gradually breaking the fortune cookie into smaller and smaller pieces. "I live with Turk, right? I don't...I mean I don't think I can...God, I'm pathetic. I don't know if I can handle it. Especially not if I need help with something...he's so weirded out by me now."
Cox frowned, considering. "You two haven't made any more progress, huh?" he said softly.
"Carla told me he feels like his best friend died, and I'm some stranger who looks like him," JD said softly, not looking up.
He heard Cox's sympathetic hiss. "That's not good," he murmured. "What about Elliot? Maybe you could stay with her."
"Her place is a one bedroom." JD bit his lip. He knew what he wanted, but after Elliot's protests earlier...well, what the hell? Worst thing that could happen was he'd say no. "What about..." He trailed off, unable to make himself say it.
Cox frowned, leaning forward. "What?" he said. "Newbie, what about what?"
"Could I stay with you? If you have room?" JD couldn't bring himself to look up. "I mean...you've been better than anyone else, and I know it's a huge favor, and I understand if I can't, but..."
"JD," Cox cut him off, and JD felt himself flush, recognizing the tone as one of regret.
"Never mind," he said quickly, trying to laugh, but the sound came out rather weakly. "It was a stupid thing to ask, and I shouldn't have--I mean, I don't want to impose--"
"JD," Cox interrupted again, reaching out and laying a hand over JD's. "If you'd let me get a word in edgewise?"
"I... yeah," JD murmured, staring at the hand that covered his. "Sorry."
Cox drew a deep breath. "JD, listen... I feel like I haven't exactly been honest with you, here."
"Oh?" JD kept staring at the other man's hand, trying not to think about how warm it was. "How?"
"Well, I... this... this isn't exactly how you and I usually interact," he said softly.
JD smiled wryly. "Elliot told me you're my attending. She said you're a jerk, too, but...I don't see it. You're...you're the only person I've talked to since I woke up that I feel comfortable with. You don't make me feel like you're expecting something, you don't keep talking about things I don't remember...But it was too big a thing to ask. I'm sorry."
"Let's clear one thing up right now," Cox said, pulling back and releasing JD's hand, much to JD's disappointment. "I am a jerk. Elliot wasn't lying to you. I'm a grade-A, first class asshole, and as soon as you remember that, you're going to laugh at yourself for ever wanting to stay with me. But..." he hesitated, looking down. "But if it's what you want, well... I do have an extra room."
"If you're an asshole, why are you doing so much for me?" JD asked softly, wondering at the bitterness in the other man's voice as he described himself. "And it is what I want. It shouldn't be for long, I'm getting things from high school, now."
Cox snorted. "Then maybe by tomorrow you'll be up to college and Gandhi will stop giving you the guilt trip," he said with a shrug. "Then you won't be reduced to thinking I'm your best bet."
"Dr. Cox..." JD bit his lip again. "Look, you're right, I can't promise things won't change when the rest of my memory comes back, but right now...You are my first choice. Maybe you've been an asshole to everyone else here, but you haven't been to me at all in the past few days, and it means a lot."
Cox closed his eyes briefly, but nodded, giving JD a forced-looking smile when he opened them again. "Fair enough," he murmured. "All right, then. I'll clean out the guest room when I get home tonight, and switch shifts so I can get you settled in tomorrow. Though..." he hesitated. "I have to warn you. Your friends aren't going to like you moving in with me. Apart from Carla, they can't stand me." He smirked ruefully. "And Carla can only stand me on a good day."
"They don't have anything to say about it," JD replied, though he smiled a little. "Turk and Carla especially. I can't keep...I can't be somewhere where I feel like I'm being blamed for not remembering. I didn't do this on purpose..." His smile grew slightly. "And if it helps, Elliot said they couldn't understand why I liked you before all this, too. But apparently I did."
Cox's face showed his disbelief, but he only shrugged. "All right, then," he said. "Carmichael did say the best environment for you would be one where you didn't feel pressured. If you... if you really think it's best, that's what we'll do."
"I do. And...thank you, Dr. Cox." JD paused, brow furrowing. "What's your first name? Or would you rather I didn't use it?"
"I... no, I don't mind," Cox said slowly. "Actually, it makes sense, if you're going to stay with me. It's Perry."
"Perry?" JD smiled, liking the way it felt on his tongue. He knew he'd said it before, but not often. And couldn't remember the context, just that the syllables fit easily in his mouth. "All right then. I guess...I should ask Carla to get some of my stuff together."
Cox--Perry--nodded. "I... yeah. I'll let her know, if you like." He grinned crookedly. "She'll come try to talk you out of it, though."
"She'll do that anyway," JD replied, returning the grin. "But if you couldn't, what chance does she have?"
Perry made a face. "Carla can be... persuasive," he said softly. "But if you still want to move in after all her horror stories, then... well. Then you can stay with me, until you feel comfortable at your place again." He stood, shaking his head slowly. "But don't say I didn't warn you, okay?" he murmured. "When your memory comes back you're going to think I should've had you committed the moment you asked."
JD resolved to ask someone what Cox--Perry--could've done to him that would make him regret things so much. "Then thank you for taking the chance that I'm not insane, too. And thanks again for the food," he added, hoping to steer the conversation back to something less likely to make Perry insult himself.
"Don't mention it," the older doctor said, grinning. "And I am going to get going. Expect Carla in here telling you you're insane in about..." he glanced at the wall clock. "Oh, five or ten minutes, depending on how quickly I find her." He winked. "See you tomorrow, Newbie."
"I'll time her. See you tomorrow, Perry. Thanks again." JD smiled to himself as Perry cleaned up the trash from their dinner and took off. Moving in together without even a first date...He couldn't help giggling at the idea, even as he kept one eye on the clock, waiting for Carla.
* * *
Well, Perry. You’ve really done it this time.
Perry closed his eyes and shook his head, tapping his steering wheel as he pulled out of the parking lot. He’d been hearing it—both in his head and from Carla, when he’d spoken briefly to her—ever since he’d left JD’s room.
What the hell do you think you’re doing? Jesus Christ, you’re falling for him, aren’t you? And what, precisely, do you think is going to come of it? When he remembers who you really are to him, and realizes you’ve been acting like some happy hippie on Prozac for the last few days? What then, huh?
He’d been pretty powerless to answer those questions—or even Carla’s more general, “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”—but that hadn’t seemed to deter them.
In truth, he wasn't sure. He knew he hadn't been acting... well, the way he normally did. Not around JD, anyway. And he wasn't entirely sure it was just the fact that the kid had amnesia. He'd been so grateful, at first, that the kid was alive that he hadn't even felt the urge to put up his normal front. He'd started to, when JD'd woken up, but then JD hadn't remembered them; he'd decided he could play nice at least for awhile, but it had just... stuck.
It was strange. Even when he'd been with Jordan and was almost happy, he'd still picked fights with her. So why wasn't he doing that now?
He scowled. It doesn't matter. Carla's going to tell him what an ass you are. He’s going to change his mind. You’re going to walk into that room and he’s going to give you some funny look and say he’s thought about it and decided being in a familiar environment would be best, but thanks anyway.
“Shut up,” he muttered, shaking his head again.
Why? What’s the matter, Perry boy? Can’t take the truth? He’s going to remember who you really are at some point. Then he’s either going to think you’ve been playing him for a fool this whole time for your own sick, twisted amusement, or he’s going to realize you’re completely smitten, and either way he’s going to want out, and fast, and what then?
“Shut the fuck up.”
Now you’re talking to yourself. Brilliant. You’re sick and you’re crazy. Isn’t JD a lucky guy?
He swallowed, gritting his teeth as he drove down the dark, deserted streets toward his dark, deserted apartment. Dark and Deserted: The Perry Cox Story.
He sighed.
Okay, so it wasn’t the best decision he’d ever made. But the kid had asked. Perry hadn’t even brought it up. It wasn’t like he could just say no, was it?
Why the hell not? Just Say No. They teach that to kindergarteners, Perry, and you’re a doctor. What’s the matter? Little self-restraint beyond you?
Well, it wasn’t like he had much to worry about anyway, right? Carla would convince JD this was a mistake, and he’d end up back at home and it wouldn’t matter. Oh, he’d be embarrassed, sure, but hell, it wasn’t like that was anything new. He was Perry Cox—he was an expert at people leaving.
He’d done it himself a time or two.
He pulled into his apartment’s lot and parked, turning off the engine to his Porsche, but he didn’t leave it right away. He lowered his head to the steering wheel, trying to stop the pounding in his skull.
My God… this is such a mess.
Well, it was, but he’d gotten himself into it. He’d made his bed, and now he’d have to lie in it.
Or let JD lie in it, as it were.
Do not even go there, you sick bastard.
He almost grinned. Almost.
Stepping out of his car, he locked the doors, then headed toward his apartment to clean out the guest bedroom.
* * *
Eight minutes. "Bambi, are you crazy?" She started talking even before the door was all the way open. "Why aren't you coming home?"
"Technically, I don't think amnesia counts as insanity, so to answer your first question, no," JD replied evenly. "To answer your second: I'm not going to Turk's place because I can't handle it right now."
Carla folded her arms. "And why is that?" she snapped. "Don't you know he misses you?"
"No, he doesn't," JD replied, voice still soft. "He misses his best friend, and I don't blame him, but he doesn't miss me, not so long as I don't remember him. Carla, he's been in here twice, the last time for less than ten minutes, and I felt like ass by the time he left. I can't deal with that at home. Can't deal with him looking at me like...like I'm hurting him on purpose. I don't know how to act around him, he doesn't know how to act around me, and I just can't deal with that pressure right now."
Carla opened her mouth to argue, but after a moment simply made a frustrated noise. "Okay," she said. "Okay, you're right. He misses someone you aren't right now, and he's sorry for that. But Bambi--he's trying. He really is. You just have to give him a chance."
"I will. I promise. But I'm not staying with you guys."
Carla's jaw dropped, and she folded her arms across her chest. "Just like that?" she said, voice dangerous. "Just like that you'll throw away everything we've done for you?"
"Carla..." JD pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. "Can't you look at this from my perspective? I don't know you. Either of you, but Turk even less. Perry at least has been in here and talking to me for hours, every day. I feel comfortable around him, he doesn't keep expecting me to be someone I'm not. Or at least he doesn't tell me, if he does."
"Perry?" Carla sputtered incredulously. "So what, you two are best buddies now? After the way he's treated you? Bambi, who the hell are you going to trust? Your best friend, or the guy who wouldn't give you the time of day if he worked in a watch factory? Because that's who Dr. Cox is, no matter what kind of sweet-guy act he's trying to put on for you now."
"Look, he told me he's an asshole, okay? Everyone's told me he's an asshole. But he hasn't acted like it for a second with me. He's been taking care of me, doing everything he can to make sure I'm comfortable, keeps telling me not to blame myself when I can't remember something..." JD shook his head. "He's not the one acting like an asshole. My 'best friend' can't stand to be in the same room as me. I'm sure as hell not comfortable asking him for help, when I can't remember how to do some stupid little thing everyone knows. I'm sorry, Carla, I know I'm making everyone feel weird, and I really, really wish I wasn't, but..." He trailed off, biting the inside of his lip. He wasn't going to break down in front of her.
"He's treated you like dirt from day one, and I'm not going to argue that he obviously does care about you, but you have to know it can't last," Carla said, voice softening a little. "Bambi... Turk has been there for everything, and Dr. Cox refuses to even let you into his apartment most of the time. And now he's going to let you stay?" She bit her lip, looking away, clearly blinking back frustrated tears of her own. "I just... I don't like it, and I really don't want to see you get hurt. I'm afraid that's what's going to happen."
"He tried to talk me out of it, too," JD offered after a moment. "Not 'cause he didn't want me there, because he thought I wouldn't really want to, either. Told me he was a jerk, and an asshole, and if I was myself, I'd never even consider it. But...I don't know, Carla. I like him. And I trust him. And if I've hardly been in his apartment, I don't have to feel bad every time I don't remember something about it."
Carla stared at him for a moment, clearly trying to find a way to argue, but finally she slumped. "All right, Bambi, all right," she sighed. "I won't try to talk you out of it anymore, but... just don't say we didn't warn you, when you snap out of this and suddenly realize we were right."
JD smiled slightly. "Guess I shouldn't hope you're not the 'told you so' type, huh? If it happens, I'll buy you all dinner, all right? And I do want to try and get to know you guys, if this lasts for a while...but I'm about up to high school, so hopefully the last ten years will fill in pretty quick. I hope so, anyway."
Carla sighed. "I hope so too," she murmured. "And I'll... I'll pack some clothes for you and bring them in tomorrow morning, I guess."
"Thank you." JD ran a hand back through his hair, making a face at it. It'd been bothering him all day, but he wasn't sure why. "I'm sorry, Carla. I really am. I wish I could remember..."
She smiled, sadly. "You will," she said. "I just hope it's sooner rather than later." She turned to go, but paused in the doorway. "And Bambi... you can come home anytime you want, okay?"
"Thank you. I'll get someone to tell me where it is..." JD offered her a grin, but she didn't seem willing to take the joke, just shook her head and left. God, I don't even want to think about Turk's reaction to all this...
Something told him Carla would tell him, though. At length. He sighed, trying to put it from his mind, and curled on his side with his back away from the door. Tomorrow he'd be getting out of here. And he'd be going home with Perry. He smiled, hugging his pillow; that pleasant thought in mind, it was almost easy to fall asleep again.
* * *
JD was alone when he woke up the next morning, but then, it was pretty early. He lay where he was, watching the clock tick, wondering why Carla was so sure he'd made the wrong decision. He didn't think he had...and only hoped he'd still think so when the rest of his memory came back. He closed his eyes, taking stock, but aside from some painful images from what he guessed was prom, there was nothing new.
He was still thinking things over, brow furrowed, when the door opened.
He turned and saw Perry peering into the room, looking a little hesitant. "Newbie? You awake?"
JD smiled, sitting up. "Yeah. Morning..."
Perry was wearing street clothes again: a blue button-up shirt he'd rolled to his elbows, and another pair of blue jeans. He was watching JD's face, his own a little guarded. "So?" he said. "What's the verdict? Carla talk you out of it?"
JD almost smiled again. "Of course not. I told you she wouldn't. We're just waiting for her to drop off some clothes and things for me, I think, if all the discharge stuff is ready. You did clean out the guest room, right?" he added, letting a slight grin peek through.
Perry looked so surprised that JD was half-tempted to give him a hug. "I... yeah, I did," he said, blinking a few times and brushing a hand absently through his hair. "You really--I mean, didn't she give you all the, you know... the horrible Cox stories?"
"Yeah. You must really work at the asshole thing...you have everyone completely convinced." JD would've been tempted to laugh at how astonished Perry was, if it hadn't been so bittersweet. "She's mad, but..." He shrugged. "I need to do what's best for me, right? And that's staying with you."
Perry simply blinked again. "I... well. If you--if you really still think that's true, then..." He shrugged, grinning a little shyly. "Mi casa es su casa."
"Gracias," JD replied automatically, returning the smile, then blinked. "I don't speak Spanish, do I?" He shook his head. "Never mind. And yeah, I'm sure about it."
"I... okay, then," Perry said. He ran his hand through his hair again. "Well, I--I switched shifts with Dr. Mickhead. He's going to cover the rest of today and tomorrow for me, and I'm going to work for him over Christmas. I figure that'll give us time to get you settled in. Are you hungry?"
"Mickhead? Oh God, that's an unfortunate name..." JD shook his head, trying not to giggle. Though hearing Perry'd given up his Christmas for him...wow. "And yeah, I'm starved. What's your place like? How're we getting there?" He'd gotten more comfortable asking multitudes of questions, since Perry seemed willing to answer them.
"Mickhead's an unfortunate man, my place is more or less like any other bachelor pad you'll ever find, meaning it's stocked with more hard liquor than food, we're getting there in my car when you've got something to wear that is a little less... revealing... and I thought we could go grab some breakfast first, which is why I asked," Perry returned without missing a beat. JD had to grin--clearly this man really was used to him.
"Real food? I'm there." JD stretched, hoping Carla would hurry up. Even if he'd probably get a lecture when she arrived. "Perry...thank you. For everything."
"Don't sweat it, kid," Perry responded, moving to flop down into the chair next to JD. "I've filled out your discharge summary, so you'll be good to go as soon as Carla brings your bag. Hospital policy requires we take you down to the lobby in a wheelchair, but just think of it as a free ride." He grinned.
JD smiled, opening his mouth to reply about getting a lot of those lately when the door opened and Carla stepped in, duffle bag in hand.
The effect on Perry was immediate. The easy grin slipped from his face and he looked down, ears turning faintly red. "Good morning, Carla," he said softly.
JD raised an eyebrow, looking back and forth between them, but shrugged to himself. "Morning, Carla. Thanks for getting my stuff..."
"So you're still doing this?" Carla asked, dropping the bag on a chair. "Bambi, if you could've seen Turk's face last night..."
"Carla...drop it," JD interrupted her quietly. "I'm sorry, but yeah, I'm still doing this. Tell Turk if he wants to come over and hang, he knows where I'll be."
She drew a breath through flared nostrils, then turned to Perry. "You're really something else, you know it?" she hissed. "We're his family, damn it--"
And JD had finally had enough. "Perry didn't ask me to stay with him, I asked if I could. And if you're supposed to be my family, then start thinking about me, and not so much about yourselves," he snapped back, tired of the whole thing. "I don't need to hear how hard this is for Turk anymore, all right? Because it's sure as hell harder for me. And Perry gets that."
Carla stared at him, then turned and stormed out of the room without a word. JD shut his eyes, rubbing at them, frustrated.
"I... JD, she's got a point," he heard Perry say softly; he looked up and saw the older man leaning forward in his chair, elbows braced on his knees, staring at his clasped hands. "You're much closer to them, and the familiar surroundings might--"
"Might drive me fucking insane within a day," JD retorted, before sighing softly. "Look, if you don't want me at your place, I can understand that. But it's where I want to be, so if you think I'm just waiting to change my mind...I'm not going to. Especially after what she's pulled over this. I lost memories, not IQ points."
"That's just Carla," Perry replied softly, though JD was pleased to see a small smile cross the other man's face. "She does that to everyone." Then he looked up. "All right," he said. "If you're really sure, I won't keep asking. And since you've got your clothes, I'll step out so you can get changed, and we can get the hell out of here."
"Not a moment too soon," JD replied, pushing away an urge to tell Perry he didn't have to leave. He had a feeling, from the glances he'd been getting, that the other man would enjoy the view, but...still. He should work up to it.
Perry nodded, stepping out of the room to hail an orderly with a wheelchair.
JD got out of bed, still moving a bit slower than he'd like, thanks to his ribs and a bit of lingering weakness from so much time spent lying down. He dug into the bag, finding jeans and an array of short and long sleeved shirts. And right on top, a tin of hair wax. He blinked, and stared at it for a long moment. "What the...?" He set it aside, shaking his head and getting dressed, frowning again at the scar on his belly. He'd have to ask when he'd gotten his appendix out, too.
When Perry came back in, he was sitting on the edge of the bed, wearing jeans and a long sleeved white shirt with a dark green t-shirt over it, holding the hair wax and staring at it. "I think Carla tossed in some of her own stuff by mistake..."
Perry, to JD's surprise, suddenly started laughing. He frowned, wondering if there was some joke he was missing. "Uh--what's so funny?"
Perry was shaking his head, trying to get his laughter under control. "Just... trust me, Newbie," he managed finally, wiping at his tears. "That's yours."
"Mine? What the fuck do I use it for?" JD stared at the little tin in horror, only slightly overplayed to make Perry laugh again.
It worked. Perry actually had to sit down, and by the time he could breathe again, JD was laughing too, out of sheer amusement. "Remember when I said you were girly?" Perry managed. He nodded toward the can. "Case in point."
JD shook his head, dropping the tin in the bag and zipping it closed. "Yeah...I can't argue with you over that. Hair product. No wonder Dan could always kick my ass..." He finally stopped giggling, running a hand back through his hair. "Well...I'm ready. Let's get the hell out of here."
* * *
Perry had a Porsche. Looking at the sleek lines of the little car almost drove the memory of the trip out of the hospital from JD's mind. His fingers skimmed the side, before Perry unlocked it, and he grinned to himself. He'd wanted a Porsche in high school, and had ended up with an older Volvo clunker...
Which, to his own astonishment, he saw parked a few spaces down. Malik, looking even more like hell than when he'd gotten him. "That's my car..."
Perry looked over, and nodded. "Yeah. Gandhi drives it more than you do. How long have you had it?"
"Oh." JD blinked, settling back in the seat. He didn't want to think about Turk. "I got him...it, when I was seventeen. Birthday present thanks to my mom's then husband...He was a used car salesman."
"Him? What's its name, Newbie?"
JD blushed. "Malik. After this kid at school...He was on the track team, and kept getting hurt, but kept running every week anyway...That car broke down four times the first three months I had it. Hasn't since, though, not seriously." He paused, going back over his last sentence, and laughed humorlessly. "Fuck, I remember my car's history, and not my best friend..."
"You'll get there," Perry assured him quietly. "Give it time. If you remember Malik then you're only about a year or so away from remembering Turk."
"I... yeah," JD said, biting his lip as Perry started the engine and put the car in gear, backing up. He didn't want to say it, but the flow of returning memory had begun to slow down; he could remember snatches of prom, and a few vague moments from graduation, but after that... nothing. "Hey, Perry?"
"Yeah?"
"Is it...well, is it normal to have... more difficulty with the more recent memories?" he glanced at the older man quickly, but Perry's face remained unchanged.
"Usually only if there's some kind of trauma--a memory you're avoiding," he replied. "But complete retrograde amnesia's so rare that all we really have are a few individual case studies. Nothing we can make any broad statistical claims about." He gave JD a sympathetic look. "Sorry, kid," he said. "There's no 'normal' about this one. We'll just have to figure it out as we go, I guess."
"Great." JD looked out the window, up at the hospital where he'd apparently spent the past year. He could've sworn he was seeing the outside of it for the first time.
It was only about five minutes before Perry turned into a parking lot. JD looked at him, mildly surprised. "You live this close to the hospital?"
Perry parked and shut off the car's engine, giving JD a grin. "You live about the same distance away in the other direction," he said. "I hate to break it to you, kid, but you and I both spend most of our waking hours in that place."
JD shrugged. "It's what doctors do, right? Least I know now I always wanted to be one...Is breakfast out?"
"Nah, we're dropping your stuff off," Perry replied, unhooking his seatbelt and opening his door. "Coming up, or do you want to wait out here?"
JD hesitated, and then shook his head. "I'll wait," he said. "Won't want to leave again when I get up there, and I'm hungry. But thanks..." And while Perry ran his duffle upstairs, JD stared out the window, trying to let his mind wander enough to come up with something new. The past few days it'd worked. He'd let his thoughts go where they would, and he'd find them following link after link, down chains of old memories. But now...nothing new, just rehashing of things he'd already rediscovered. He couldn't even remember which college he'd gone to, much less his roommate.
He was leaning back in the seat by the time Perry returned, his eyes closed, brow furrowed. How was he ever going to fix things, if he couldn't remember them? Turk didn't seem interested in trying again...
As if on cue, when the older doctor climbed back into the car, he said, "I figured I'd take you to this little diner nearby--you and Gandhi are pretty fond of the place, so at least we'll know you'll like it, and maybe it'll help jog your memory a bit." Then, catching the look on JD's face at the mention of his friend, he paused, frowning. "Or we could go somewhere else...?"
JD managed a wry smile. "No, that's fine. I was just feeling guilty again. I haven't...still haven't remembered anything past high school, and that's all been pretty vague. But I know I like diner food..."
"It'll come to you," Perry said again, putting the Porsche into gear and backing out of the spot. "And Gandhi will get over himself soon enough and realize that avoiding your or making you feel worse about this is probably making it harder for you to remember."
"I hope so," JD murmured.
* * *
Breakfast was delicious. JD wasn't sure if it was because, apart from the one time Perry'd brought him Chinese, he'd only had hospital food for the last five days, or if it was the sheer relief of being able to forget (no pun intended) about his problems for an hour or so.
Of course, it might have also been because he was famished. He polished off a large pancake plate and a side of bacon and eggs easily before finally settling back with coffee, while across the table, Perry poked at the remains of his biscuits and gravy and watched him with a mildly amused look on his face.
Conversation had been light, easy. Perry hadn't brought up the amnesia, hadn't asked him if he remembered the diner--hadn't, in fact, done much more than make sure he'd gotten his fill, before settling back and letting JD take control of the conversation.
And he had. He'd yammered, between syrup-soaked bites, about everything that came to his mind. Given how shaky his memory was, he was surprised he was able to come up with so many topics, but Perry was listening, watching him intently, and for some reason that made JD want to keep talking.
When they both finally finished, JD wrapped his hands around his coffee mug and, hesitantly, broached the question that had been nagging the back of his mind for days now. "Dr. C--Perry?"
Perry heard the change in his voice and lifted an eyebrow. "Yeah?"
JD looked down, feeling slightly embarrassed, but knowing he had to ask. It was rather important he know, before he... well. Before he got his hopes up otherwise, anyway. "Are you... I mean, are you seeing anyone?" He realized how that sounded when Perry's eyes widened a little, and he hurried on: "I mean, you mentioned an ex-wife, so I was just... curious. You know--seeing anyone? Have any kids? That sort of thing..." Shit! Open mouth, insert foot. He knew he was beet red, and looked down into his coffee mug, watching the lukewarm dregs swirl in a slow, lazy circle.
"No," Perry said softly. "I'm not. And no, no kids either."
At least it was a good answer. JD'd decided he wanted the older man, not caring if he was supposed to like guys or not, and now there was a chance. He hoped. But still... "Oh. Okay. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't going to be in the way if you had someone over...or something like that. But I guess not. Uh." Damn, why'd he wait to ask until he was out of food to shove in his mouth?
"No," Perry said lightly, and now there was a definite note of amusement in his voice. "You won't be in the way."
JD's blush deepened, and he drained the rest of his coffee, shuddering as it went down. "Good. So..." He searched around for a subject change, but nothing came to mind. He couldn't help sighing in relief when their rather attractive waitress brought the check.
She smiled at him. "Where's your friend?"
JD blinked at her, checking the nametag. "Jenny." Well, Perry had said he came here often...and she must mean Turk. "He had to work this morning," he offered after a second, hoping the hesitation wasn't noticeable.
She merely nodded, and headed off again as Perry dropped his debit card on the bill, but JD frowned after her. How many people were going to come up to him expecting him to know who they were? At least his blush had faded...
"You're a bit of a flirt," Perry said after a minute.
JD's head whipped around, eyes wide. "I'm--what?"
"With her," Perry clarified quickly, again biting back an amused smile at JD's flabbergasted look. "You and Turk flirt with her when you come here."
"How do you know that?" JD asked, watching her at the register, still blushing a little. Well, she was hot, he didn't blame them, but...
"There's not much you don't feel compelled to share with me, Newbie," Perry told him, settling back, unable to keep the smirk from crossing his face. "Despite my best efforts."
"Well, at least that hasn't changed," JD replied, grinning slightly. He'd told Perry he flirted with a diner waitress? Why? Oh well, least it meant Perry could tell him, now. So, not to be proven wrong, he smiled at her when she came back. "Thank you, Jenny."
She dimpled for him. "You're welcome. Take your time leaving."
JD laughed softly when she walked away. "Guess you're right."
Perry smiled at him again, though it was a little subdued this time. "I usually am, Newbie," he replied.
* * *
Characters: John Dorian/Perry Cox
Rating: NC-17
Chapter Rating: PG-13 for language and implied m/m attraction
Description: JD awakens from an accident to find his memory is gone. Written for the
2dozenowies challenge community.Warnings: None, save the rating.
Chapter: 2/4
Over the next day and a half, he did start recalling more. Nothing recent, unfortunately--nothing that made him feel any better about leaving the hospital--but he was starting to get a better feel for who he was. What his childhood had been like: his dad leaving, his mom remarrying (apparently more than once), his brother basically making his life a living hell. Now, sitting with Elliot playing Egyptian Ratscrew with the deck of cards she'd brought, JD reflected that he rather wished the rest of his memory would hurry up, because so far it hadn't been that great.
Elliot was the one who'd been spending the most time with him, apart from Dr. Cox. Turk had tried, once or twice, but he'd had a hard time relating to this JD who didn't seem to remember him.
JD'd been miserable, when he'd left earlier, but Dr. Cox had waved it off. "He'll get over it," he said. "You can't be worried about trying to get your memory back and worried about hurting Gandhi's feelings."
He knew it was true, but it didn't stop him from feeling terrible. He willed his memory to return faster, to get to college, so he could start remembering what he and the surgeon had been through together.
"I'm almost up to high school," he told Elliot, flipping a jack onto the growing pile of cards between them.
"Oh yeah?" Elliot replied, flipping a card over, then making a triumphant sound when it was a queen.
"Yeah," JD said, flipping two cards over and groaning when they revealed a 2 and a 7. Elliot smirked as she took the stack and reshuffled her deck. "I think I was a nerd."
"You ended up in med school," Elliot reminded him, flipping down a new card (ten of spades). "That's kind of a given, isn't it?"
"Well, yeah, I guess," JD replied, flipping one after her (six of clubs). "If nothing else, it means I'm pretty brainy. Unless I'm like that Doug guy who came in earlier." He frowned. "Is he always that nervous, or is it just because of my memory thing?"
"Oh, no, he's always that nervous. Dr. Cox calls him Nervous Guy. Or Pee Pants, depending on what sort of mood he's in." Elliot slapped the deck when she flipped a six of hearts. JD slapped down a moment too late, and she laughed, sticking her tongue out.
"Snooze you lose!" she crowed.
JD laughed, rolling his eyes. "At least I remembered the important things," he said dryly--for some reason, he'd remembered the rules to just about every card game she'd suggested. "I don't know my birthday or my best friend's name, but damn it, I can still play cards."
"You're losing," Elliot reminded him.
"Shut up."
She giggled, and flipped a new card. "We can do something else, if you want," she suggested.
"Elliot? What's the deal with Dr. Cox?"
She looked up at him, frowning. "What do you mean?"
JD bit his lip. "He... well, he's in here all the time, you know? And he's taking care of me, and everything, but... I don't know. I get the impression that's... well, does he do that for all his patients, or something?"
Elliot made a face. "He's a good doctor, if that's what you mean, but... no, he doesn't. I mean, not to the point of staying with them on his days off and after his shifts are over. Not unless they're critical."
JD frowned at the pile of cards, forgetting to flip one even though it was his turn. "What...I mean, how do I know him?" he asked finally. "I get that I work with him, but... it seems like it's more than that, somehow." He didn't want to admit that it almost felt like they'd been a couple--he was sure Dr. Cox would have told him, if that were the case, and after all, he'd said he wasn't dating anyone. JD had no reason to doubt him. But he couldn't deny there was an attraction there, at least on his part, and if the glances he'd caught Cox giving him were any indication, then there might be one on his part, too.
Elliot tilted her head, a bemused expression on her face. "Well, he's an attending here," she said slowly. "He's our attending, actually--which means he's our teacher--so we both see a lot of him. You're kind of obsessed with him, actually."
JD's eyes widened, and he felt himself flushing a little. "O-obsessed?" he stammered, wondering if his crush was common knowledge already.
Elliot shrugged, nudging his hand; he started and flipped a card, but didn't even glance at it. "Well, yeah," she said. "You're always like... chasing after him, trying to get him to admit he's your mentor, trying to get him to give you a compliment..."
"Is it that difficult?" JD asked, watching as she flipped the jack of diamonds. He flipped a card--a seven of hearts--and watched as she scooped up the pile.
Elliot snorted again. "To get a compliment from him? I don't think the man knows what a compliment is."
"Really?" JD started to flip a new card, but stopped when Elliot gave him a look, reminding him it wasn't his turn. "He doesn't seem... I mean, he seems like a nice enough guy... a little closed-off, maybe, but..."
"JD, trust me on this one," she said, watching as he placed his last card on the deck--an ace. She began to play her obligatory four cards, but came up with a king on the third flip, and scooped the remainder of the deck into her hand. "Dr. Cox is about the biggest jerk ever to walk through these halls. Oh, sure, he's a good doctor, and I'm sure he's being all nice to you now because he feels sorry for you, but when your memory comes back, you'll know what I mean." She held up the deck. "Want to play again?"
"I... no, thanks, Elliot, I think I want to get some sleep," JD replied after a moment, trying to absorb this new information that so directly countered what he'd come to believe about the older doctor. "Percocet's kicking in, you know."
Elliot looked at him for a moment. "JD, I'm not trying to turn you against him or anything," she said softly. "He does seem to care about you, I'm not denying that. But... I don't want you thinking he's some sugarcoated, softhearted guardian angel or something. He's... well, he's Dr. Cox." She shrugged, looking a little helpless.
JD nodded, giving her a tight smile. "Yeah, I got it," he said. "I believe you, Elliot, I... I really am just getting tired," he finished lamely.
She shrugged, sliding off the bed and adjusting her scrubs. "All right," she agreed. "But just... don't say I didn't warn you, okay?"
"All right, all right," JD said, sliding down in bed and tugging the blankets up around his chin. "See you later, Elliot."
"Yeah," she said with a smile. "Bye, JD."
Then she was gone, leaving the room and closing the door behind her softly. JD watched her go, a frown on his face as soon as she left.
Biggest jerk ever to walk these halls? How could that be true? Dr. Cox had been nothing if not supportive and concerned, and of all his so-called friends, Cox had been there more than any of the others. Hell, his supposed best friend had only managed to visit him twice, and each time he'd left JD feeling worse than ever for not remembering him. Carla had been in a few times to apologize for him, to try to explain how hard it was for Turk--"He feels like his best friend has died, and you're this stranger, you know?"--but that had only made him feel worse, of course.
And Elliot had been great, true, but even she hadn't been there as often as Dr. Cox, and she had a habit of forgetting what he didn't know and going off on tangents he couldn't follow because of it. Not her fault, perhaps, but still difficult for him, because he'd have to interrupt her and remind her gently he didn't know what she was talking about, and that was always embarrassing for them both.
Only Cox seemed to be able to walk that line of knowing what he did and didn't remember, and of making him feel okay about it at the same time. Cox was the one who made JD feel good about remembering little, insignificant things--like the fact that he usually bought Jiff brand peanut butter, or that his father was an office supply salesman. He was the one who spent hours just talking to JD before and after his shifts (and during, when he could), helping him sort out the strange images and vague snatches of thought that occasionally surfaced in the thick fog that was JD's memory.
And I'm supposed to believe he's the jerk? JD frowned, then shook his head slowly. Maybe it was true, and maybe it wasn't. He didn't think Elliot would lie to him, anyway, and Cox had made several references to being disliked around here. But... well, actions spoke louder than words, after all, and JD was prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Innocent until proven guilty, he thought, settling back into the pillow and staring blankly at the clock on the wall. Cox's shift ended in an hour, and he'd promised to bring JD Chinese carry out (JD'd been craving beef and broccoli, for some reason).
Biggest jerk, my ass, he thought with a smirk. If he's the biggest jerk, then this hospital must be run by saints.
* * *
Though he wasn't actually tired when he'd asked Elliot to leave, he had almost nodded off again by the time Cox came back.
The sound of the door opening roused him from his half doze, and he blinked, a smile crossing his face as he saw the older man walk into the room, carry-out cartons in one hand and plastic bag in the other. "Hey," Cox said softly. "I didn't wake you, did I?"
"You did, but I'm glad," JD replied. "I'm starved." He pushed himself up in bed, inhaling deeply, catching the tantalizing scents wafting from the cartons.
"I can help you there," Cox said with a grin. He moved forward and deposited the cartons one by one on JD's rollaway bedside table, adjusting it so it would be of a reasonable height for him too, then settling down in the chair next to the bed. "You use chopsticks or utensils?" Cox asked. "Because I brought both."
JD shrugged. "Beats me. Hand over the chopsticks, and I guess we'll find out." He remembered Elliot's words again, watching Cox as he started opening containers. She hadn't lied to him about anything, but how could she be right?
"All right, but be careful, because I didn't bring a bib," Cox said, giving JD a wink. He dumped some rice onto the paper plates he'd been carrying in the bag at his side, and dished out some beef and broccoli on top of it. These he handed to JD, along with a paper package of chopsticks.
JD giggled, and took the chopsticks, frowning a little before breaking them apart, watching how Cox held his pair. But once they were in his hand, he proved to have no trouble. "Okay, add that to the list of things I do know..."
For a time they ate in silence. JD relished the meal like he had no other since waking up--hospital food just wasn't the same as real food, and even though it was just Chinese carryout, it tasted like heaven. He rather suspected Cox hadn't stopped at any old Chinese restaurant, either; this was good.
But as Cox handed him a fortune cookie, the older doctor broke the silence. "Listen, I was talking to the neurologist, and he said your CT scan looks fine. We're planning to discharge you tomorrow morning."
JD set the cookie down, suddenly feeling a little sick. "T-tomorrow?" He blushed when he stumbled over the word. "I suppose that's good..."
"It should be," Cox said, unwrapping his cookie and snapping it open. "But from the look on your face I'm betting you're thinking it's not, am I right?"
"Well...getting out of here would be nice," JD admitted slowly. "But...oh hell, this is going to sound awful." He let out a long breath, gradually breaking the fortune cookie into smaller and smaller pieces. "I live with Turk, right? I don't...I mean I don't think I can...God, I'm pathetic. I don't know if I can handle it. Especially not if I need help with something...he's so weirded out by me now."
Cox frowned, considering. "You two haven't made any more progress, huh?" he said softly.
"Carla told me he feels like his best friend died, and I'm some stranger who looks like him," JD said softly, not looking up.
He heard Cox's sympathetic hiss. "That's not good," he murmured. "What about Elliot? Maybe you could stay with her."
"Her place is a one bedroom." JD bit his lip. He knew what he wanted, but after Elliot's protests earlier...well, what the hell? Worst thing that could happen was he'd say no. "What about..." He trailed off, unable to make himself say it.
Cox frowned, leaning forward. "What?" he said. "Newbie, what about what?"
"Could I stay with you? If you have room?" JD couldn't bring himself to look up. "I mean...you've been better than anyone else, and I know it's a huge favor, and I understand if I can't, but..."
"JD," Cox cut him off, and JD felt himself flush, recognizing the tone as one of regret.
"Never mind," he said quickly, trying to laugh, but the sound came out rather weakly. "It was a stupid thing to ask, and I shouldn't have--I mean, I don't want to impose--"
"JD," Cox interrupted again, reaching out and laying a hand over JD's. "If you'd let me get a word in edgewise?"
"I... yeah," JD murmured, staring at the hand that covered his. "Sorry."
Cox drew a deep breath. "JD, listen... I feel like I haven't exactly been honest with you, here."
"Oh?" JD kept staring at the other man's hand, trying not to think about how warm it was. "How?"
"Well, I... this... this isn't exactly how you and I usually interact," he said softly.
JD smiled wryly. "Elliot told me you're my attending. She said you're a jerk, too, but...I don't see it. You're...you're the only person I've talked to since I woke up that I feel comfortable with. You don't make me feel like you're expecting something, you don't keep talking about things I don't remember...But it was too big a thing to ask. I'm sorry."
"Let's clear one thing up right now," Cox said, pulling back and releasing JD's hand, much to JD's disappointment. "I am a jerk. Elliot wasn't lying to you. I'm a grade-A, first class asshole, and as soon as you remember that, you're going to laugh at yourself for ever wanting to stay with me. But..." he hesitated, looking down. "But if it's what you want, well... I do have an extra room."
"If you're an asshole, why are you doing so much for me?" JD asked softly, wondering at the bitterness in the other man's voice as he described himself. "And it is what I want. It shouldn't be for long, I'm getting things from high school, now."
Cox snorted. "Then maybe by tomorrow you'll be up to college and Gandhi will stop giving you the guilt trip," he said with a shrug. "Then you won't be reduced to thinking I'm your best bet."
"Dr. Cox..." JD bit his lip again. "Look, you're right, I can't promise things won't change when the rest of my memory comes back, but right now...You are my first choice. Maybe you've been an asshole to everyone else here, but you haven't been to me at all in the past few days, and it means a lot."
Cox closed his eyes briefly, but nodded, giving JD a forced-looking smile when he opened them again. "Fair enough," he murmured. "All right, then. I'll clean out the guest room when I get home tonight, and switch shifts so I can get you settled in tomorrow. Though..." he hesitated. "I have to warn you. Your friends aren't going to like you moving in with me. Apart from Carla, they can't stand me." He smirked ruefully. "And Carla can only stand me on a good day."
"They don't have anything to say about it," JD replied, though he smiled a little. "Turk and Carla especially. I can't keep...I can't be somewhere where I feel like I'm being blamed for not remembering. I didn't do this on purpose..." His smile grew slightly. "And if it helps, Elliot said they couldn't understand why I liked you before all this, too. But apparently I did."
Cox's face showed his disbelief, but he only shrugged. "All right, then," he said. "Carmichael did say the best environment for you would be one where you didn't feel pressured. If you... if you really think it's best, that's what we'll do."
"I do. And...thank you, Dr. Cox." JD paused, brow furrowing. "What's your first name? Or would you rather I didn't use it?"
"I... no, I don't mind," Cox said slowly. "Actually, it makes sense, if you're going to stay with me. It's Perry."
"Perry?" JD smiled, liking the way it felt on his tongue. He knew he'd said it before, but not often. And couldn't remember the context, just that the syllables fit easily in his mouth. "All right then. I guess...I should ask Carla to get some of my stuff together."
Cox--Perry--nodded. "I... yeah. I'll let her know, if you like." He grinned crookedly. "She'll come try to talk you out of it, though."
"She'll do that anyway," JD replied, returning the grin. "But if you couldn't, what chance does she have?"
Perry made a face. "Carla can be... persuasive," he said softly. "But if you still want to move in after all her horror stories, then... well. Then you can stay with me, until you feel comfortable at your place again." He stood, shaking his head slowly. "But don't say I didn't warn you, okay?" he murmured. "When your memory comes back you're going to think I should've had you committed the moment you asked."
JD resolved to ask someone what Cox--Perry--could've done to him that would make him regret things so much. "Then thank you for taking the chance that I'm not insane, too. And thanks again for the food," he added, hoping to steer the conversation back to something less likely to make Perry insult himself.
"Don't mention it," the older doctor said, grinning. "And I am going to get going. Expect Carla in here telling you you're insane in about..." he glanced at the wall clock. "Oh, five or ten minutes, depending on how quickly I find her." He winked. "See you tomorrow, Newbie."
"I'll time her. See you tomorrow, Perry. Thanks again." JD smiled to himself as Perry cleaned up the trash from their dinner and took off. Moving in together without even a first date...He couldn't help giggling at the idea, even as he kept one eye on the clock, waiting for Carla.
* * *
Well, Perry. You’ve really done it this time.
Perry closed his eyes and shook his head, tapping his steering wheel as he pulled out of the parking lot. He’d been hearing it—both in his head and from Carla, when he’d spoken briefly to her—ever since he’d left JD’s room.
What the hell do you think you’re doing? Jesus Christ, you’re falling for him, aren’t you? And what, precisely, do you think is going to come of it? When he remembers who you really are to him, and realizes you’ve been acting like some happy hippie on Prozac for the last few days? What then, huh?
He’d been pretty powerless to answer those questions—or even Carla’s more general, “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”—but that hadn’t seemed to deter them.
In truth, he wasn't sure. He knew he hadn't been acting... well, the way he normally did. Not around JD, anyway. And he wasn't entirely sure it was just the fact that the kid had amnesia. He'd been so grateful, at first, that the kid was alive that he hadn't even felt the urge to put up his normal front. He'd started to, when JD'd woken up, but then JD hadn't remembered them; he'd decided he could play nice at least for awhile, but it had just... stuck.
It was strange. Even when he'd been with Jordan and was almost happy, he'd still picked fights with her. So why wasn't he doing that now?
He scowled. It doesn't matter. Carla's going to tell him what an ass you are. He’s going to change his mind. You’re going to walk into that room and he’s going to give you some funny look and say he’s thought about it and decided being in a familiar environment would be best, but thanks anyway.
“Shut up,” he muttered, shaking his head again.
Why? What’s the matter, Perry boy? Can’t take the truth? He’s going to remember who you really are at some point. Then he’s either going to think you’ve been playing him for a fool this whole time for your own sick, twisted amusement, or he’s going to realize you’re completely smitten, and either way he’s going to want out, and fast, and what then?
“Shut the fuck up.”
Now you’re talking to yourself. Brilliant. You’re sick and you’re crazy. Isn’t JD a lucky guy?
He swallowed, gritting his teeth as he drove down the dark, deserted streets toward his dark, deserted apartment. Dark and Deserted: The Perry Cox Story.
He sighed.
Okay, so it wasn’t the best decision he’d ever made. But the kid had asked. Perry hadn’t even brought it up. It wasn’t like he could just say no, was it?
Why the hell not? Just Say No. They teach that to kindergarteners, Perry, and you’re a doctor. What’s the matter? Little self-restraint beyond you?
Well, it wasn’t like he had much to worry about anyway, right? Carla would convince JD this was a mistake, and he’d end up back at home and it wouldn’t matter. Oh, he’d be embarrassed, sure, but hell, it wasn’t like that was anything new. He was Perry Cox—he was an expert at people leaving.
He’d done it himself a time or two.
He pulled into his apartment’s lot and parked, turning off the engine to his Porsche, but he didn’t leave it right away. He lowered his head to the steering wheel, trying to stop the pounding in his skull.
My God… this is such a mess.
Well, it was, but he’d gotten himself into it. He’d made his bed, and now he’d have to lie in it.
Or let JD lie in it, as it were.
Do not even go there, you sick bastard.
He almost grinned. Almost.
Stepping out of his car, he locked the doors, then headed toward his apartment to clean out the guest bedroom.
* * *
Eight minutes. "Bambi, are you crazy?" She started talking even before the door was all the way open. "Why aren't you coming home?"
"Technically, I don't think amnesia counts as insanity, so to answer your first question, no," JD replied evenly. "To answer your second: I'm not going to Turk's place because I can't handle it right now."
Carla folded her arms. "And why is that?" she snapped. "Don't you know he misses you?"
"No, he doesn't," JD replied, voice still soft. "He misses his best friend, and I don't blame him, but he doesn't miss me, not so long as I don't remember him. Carla, he's been in here twice, the last time for less than ten minutes, and I felt like ass by the time he left. I can't deal with that at home. Can't deal with him looking at me like...like I'm hurting him on purpose. I don't know how to act around him, he doesn't know how to act around me, and I just can't deal with that pressure right now."
Carla opened her mouth to argue, but after a moment simply made a frustrated noise. "Okay," she said. "Okay, you're right. He misses someone you aren't right now, and he's sorry for that. But Bambi--he's trying. He really is. You just have to give him a chance."
"I will. I promise. But I'm not staying with you guys."
Carla's jaw dropped, and she folded her arms across her chest. "Just like that?" she said, voice dangerous. "Just like that you'll throw away everything we've done for you?"
"Carla..." JD pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. "Can't you look at this from my perspective? I don't know you. Either of you, but Turk even less. Perry at least has been in here and talking to me for hours, every day. I feel comfortable around him, he doesn't keep expecting me to be someone I'm not. Or at least he doesn't tell me, if he does."
"Perry?" Carla sputtered incredulously. "So what, you two are best buddies now? After the way he's treated you? Bambi, who the hell are you going to trust? Your best friend, or the guy who wouldn't give you the time of day if he worked in a watch factory? Because that's who Dr. Cox is, no matter what kind of sweet-guy act he's trying to put on for you now."
"Look, he told me he's an asshole, okay? Everyone's told me he's an asshole. But he hasn't acted like it for a second with me. He's been taking care of me, doing everything he can to make sure I'm comfortable, keeps telling me not to blame myself when I can't remember something..." JD shook his head. "He's not the one acting like an asshole. My 'best friend' can't stand to be in the same room as me. I'm sure as hell not comfortable asking him for help, when I can't remember how to do some stupid little thing everyone knows. I'm sorry, Carla, I know I'm making everyone feel weird, and I really, really wish I wasn't, but..." He trailed off, biting the inside of his lip. He wasn't going to break down in front of her.
"He's treated you like dirt from day one, and I'm not going to argue that he obviously does care about you, but you have to know it can't last," Carla said, voice softening a little. "Bambi... Turk has been there for everything, and Dr. Cox refuses to even let you into his apartment most of the time. And now he's going to let you stay?" She bit her lip, looking away, clearly blinking back frustrated tears of her own. "I just... I don't like it, and I really don't want to see you get hurt. I'm afraid that's what's going to happen."
"He tried to talk me out of it, too," JD offered after a moment. "Not 'cause he didn't want me there, because he thought I wouldn't really want to, either. Told me he was a jerk, and an asshole, and if I was myself, I'd never even consider it. But...I don't know, Carla. I like him. And I trust him. And if I've hardly been in his apartment, I don't have to feel bad every time I don't remember something about it."
Carla stared at him for a moment, clearly trying to find a way to argue, but finally she slumped. "All right, Bambi, all right," she sighed. "I won't try to talk you out of it anymore, but... just don't say we didn't warn you, when you snap out of this and suddenly realize we were right."
JD smiled slightly. "Guess I shouldn't hope you're not the 'told you so' type, huh? If it happens, I'll buy you all dinner, all right? And I do want to try and get to know you guys, if this lasts for a while...but I'm about up to high school, so hopefully the last ten years will fill in pretty quick. I hope so, anyway."
Carla sighed. "I hope so too," she murmured. "And I'll... I'll pack some clothes for you and bring them in tomorrow morning, I guess."
"Thank you." JD ran a hand back through his hair, making a face at it. It'd been bothering him all day, but he wasn't sure why. "I'm sorry, Carla. I really am. I wish I could remember..."
She smiled, sadly. "You will," she said. "I just hope it's sooner rather than later." She turned to go, but paused in the doorway. "And Bambi... you can come home anytime you want, okay?"
"Thank you. I'll get someone to tell me where it is..." JD offered her a grin, but she didn't seem willing to take the joke, just shook her head and left. God, I don't even want to think about Turk's reaction to all this...
Something told him Carla would tell him, though. At length. He sighed, trying to put it from his mind, and curled on his side with his back away from the door. Tomorrow he'd be getting out of here. And he'd be going home with Perry. He smiled, hugging his pillow; that pleasant thought in mind, it was almost easy to fall asleep again.
* * *
JD was alone when he woke up the next morning, but then, it was pretty early. He lay where he was, watching the clock tick, wondering why Carla was so sure he'd made the wrong decision. He didn't think he had...and only hoped he'd still think so when the rest of his memory came back. He closed his eyes, taking stock, but aside from some painful images from what he guessed was prom, there was nothing new.
He was still thinking things over, brow furrowed, when the door opened.
He turned and saw Perry peering into the room, looking a little hesitant. "Newbie? You awake?"
JD smiled, sitting up. "Yeah. Morning..."
Perry was wearing street clothes again: a blue button-up shirt he'd rolled to his elbows, and another pair of blue jeans. He was watching JD's face, his own a little guarded. "So?" he said. "What's the verdict? Carla talk you out of it?"
JD almost smiled again. "Of course not. I told you she wouldn't. We're just waiting for her to drop off some clothes and things for me, I think, if all the discharge stuff is ready. You did clean out the guest room, right?" he added, letting a slight grin peek through.
Perry looked so surprised that JD was half-tempted to give him a hug. "I... yeah, I did," he said, blinking a few times and brushing a hand absently through his hair. "You really--I mean, didn't she give you all the, you know... the horrible Cox stories?"
"Yeah. You must really work at the asshole thing...you have everyone completely convinced." JD would've been tempted to laugh at how astonished Perry was, if it hadn't been so bittersweet. "She's mad, but..." He shrugged. "I need to do what's best for me, right? And that's staying with you."
Perry simply blinked again. "I... well. If you--if you really still think that's true, then..." He shrugged, grinning a little shyly. "Mi casa es su casa."
"Gracias," JD replied automatically, returning the smile, then blinked. "I don't speak Spanish, do I?" He shook his head. "Never mind. And yeah, I'm sure about it."
"I... okay, then," Perry said. He ran his hand through his hair again. "Well, I--I switched shifts with Dr. Mickhead. He's going to cover the rest of today and tomorrow for me, and I'm going to work for him over Christmas. I figure that'll give us time to get you settled in. Are you hungry?"
"Mickhead? Oh God, that's an unfortunate name..." JD shook his head, trying not to giggle. Though hearing Perry'd given up his Christmas for him...wow. "And yeah, I'm starved. What's your place like? How're we getting there?" He'd gotten more comfortable asking multitudes of questions, since Perry seemed willing to answer them.
"Mickhead's an unfortunate man, my place is more or less like any other bachelor pad you'll ever find, meaning it's stocked with more hard liquor than food, we're getting there in my car when you've got something to wear that is a little less... revealing... and I thought we could go grab some breakfast first, which is why I asked," Perry returned without missing a beat. JD had to grin--clearly this man really was used to him.
"Real food? I'm there." JD stretched, hoping Carla would hurry up. Even if he'd probably get a lecture when she arrived. "Perry...thank you. For everything."
"Don't sweat it, kid," Perry responded, moving to flop down into the chair next to JD. "I've filled out your discharge summary, so you'll be good to go as soon as Carla brings your bag. Hospital policy requires we take you down to the lobby in a wheelchair, but just think of it as a free ride." He grinned.
JD smiled, opening his mouth to reply about getting a lot of those lately when the door opened and Carla stepped in, duffle bag in hand.
The effect on Perry was immediate. The easy grin slipped from his face and he looked down, ears turning faintly red. "Good morning, Carla," he said softly.
JD raised an eyebrow, looking back and forth between them, but shrugged to himself. "Morning, Carla. Thanks for getting my stuff..."
"So you're still doing this?" Carla asked, dropping the bag on a chair. "Bambi, if you could've seen Turk's face last night..."
"Carla...drop it," JD interrupted her quietly. "I'm sorry, but yeah, I'm still doing this. Tell Turk if he wants to come over and hang, he knows where I'll be."
She drew a breath through flared nostrils, then turned to Perry. "You're really something else, you know it?" she hissed. "We're his family, damn it--"
And JD had finally had enough. "Perry didn't ask me to stay with him, I asked if I could. And if you're supposed to be my family, then start thinking about me, and not so much about yourselves," he snapped back, tired of the whole thing. "I don't need to hear how hard this is for Turk anymore, all right? Because it's sure as hell harder for me. And Perry gets that."
Carla stared at him, then turned and stormed out of the room without a word. JD shut his eyes, rubbing at them, frustrated.
"I... JD, she's got a point," he heard Perry say softly; he looked up and saw the older man leaning forward in his chair, elbows braced on his knees, staring at his clasped hands. "You're much closer to them, and the familiar surroundings might--"
"Might drive me fucking insane within a day," JD retorted, before sighing softly. "Look, if you don't want me at your place, I can understand that. But it's where I want to be, so if you think I'm just waiting to change my mind...I'm not going to. Especially after what she's pulled over this. I lost memories, not IQ points."
"That's just Carla," Perry replied softly, though JD was pleased to see a small smile cross the other man's face. "She does that to everyone." Then he looked up. "All right," he said. "If you're really sure, I won't keep asking. And since you've got your clothes, I'll step out so you can get changed, and we can get the hell out of here."
"Not a moment too soon," JD replied, pushing away an urge to tell Perry he didn't have to leave. He had a feeling, from the glances he'd been getting, that the other man would enjoy the view, but...still. He should work up to it.
Perry nodded, stepping out of the room to hail an orderly with a wheelchair.
JD got out of bed, still moving a bit slower than he'd like, thanks to his ribs and a bit of lingering weakness from so much time spent lying down. He dug into the bag, finding jeans and an array of short and long sleeved shirts. And right on top, a tin of hair wax. He blinked, and stared at it for a long moment. "What the...?" He set it aside, shaking his head and getting dressed, frowning again at the scar on his belly. He'd have to ask when he'd gotten his appendix out, too.
When Perry came back in, he was sitting on the edge of the bed, wearing jeans and a long sleeved white shirt with a dark green t-shirt over it, holding the hair wax and staring at it. "I think Carla tossed in some of her own stuff by mistake..."
Perry, to JD's surprise, suddenly started laughing. He frowned, wondering if there was some joke he was missing. "Uh--what's so funny?"
Perry was shaking his head, trying to get his laughter under control. "Just... trust me, Newbie," he managed finally, wiping at his tears. "That's yours."
"Mine? What the fuck do I use it for?" JD stared at the little tin in horror, only slightly overplayed to make Perry laugh again.
It worked. Perry actually had to sit down, and by the time he could breathe again, JD was laughing too, out of sheer amusement. "Remember when I said you were girly?" Perry managed. He nodded toward the can. "Case in point."
JD shook his head, dropping the tin in the bag and zipping it closed. "Yeah...I can't argue with you over that. Hair product. No wonder Dan could always kick my ass..." He finally stopped giggling, running a hand back through his hair. "Well...I'm ready. Let's get the hell out of here."
* * *
Perry had a Porsche. Looking at the sleek lines of the little car almost drove the memory of the trip out of the hospital from JD's mind. His fingers skimmed the side, before Perry unlocked it, and he grinned to himself. He'd wanted a Porsche in high school, and had ended up with an older Volvo clunker...
Which, to his own astonishment, he saw parked a few spaces down. Malik, looking even more like hell than when he'd gotten him. "That's my car..."
Perry looked over, and nodded. "Yeah. Gandhi drives it more than you do. How long have you had it?"
"Oh." JD blinked, settling back in the seat. He didn't want to think about Turk. "I got him...it, when I was seventeen. Birthday present thanks to my mom's then husband...He was a used car salesman."
"Him? What's its name, Newbie?"
JD blushed. "Malik. After this kid at school...He was on the track team, and kept getting hurt, but kept running every week anyway...That car broke down four times the first three months I had it. Hasn't since, though, not seriously." He paused, going back over his last sentence, and laughed humorlessly. "Fuck, I remember my car's history, and not my best friend..."
"You'll get there," Perry assured him quietly. "Give it time. If you remember Malik then you're only about a year or so away from remembering Turk."
"I... yeah," JD said, biting his lip as Perry started the engine and put the car in gear, backing up. He didn't want to say it, but the flow of returning memory had begun to slow down; he could remember snatches of prom, and a few vague moments from graduation, but after that... nothing. "Hey, Perry?"
"Yeah?"
"Is it...well, is it normal to have... more difficulty with the more recent memories?" he glanced at the older man quickly, but Perry's face remained unchanged.
"Usually only if there's some kind of trauma--a memory you're avoiding," he replied. "But complete retrograde amnesia's so rare that all we really have are a few individual case studies. Nothing we can make any broad statistical claims about." He gave JD a sympathetic look. "Sorry, kid," he said. "There's no 'normal' about this one. We'll just have to figure it out as we go, I guess."
"Great." JD looked out the window, up at the hospital where he'd apparently spent the past year. He could've sworn he was seeing the outside of it for the first time.
It was only about five minutes before Perry turned into a parking lot. JD looked at him, mildly surprised. "You live this close to the hospital?"
Perry parked and shut off the car's engine, giving JD a grin. "You live about the same distance away in the other direction," he said. "I hate to break it to you, kid, but you and I both spend most of our waking hours in that place."
JD shrugged. "It's what doctors do, right? Least I know now I always wanted to be one...Is breakfast out?"
"Nah, we're dropping your stuff off," Perry replied, unhooking his seatbelt and opening his door. "Coming up, or do you want to wait out here?"
JD hesitated, and then shook his head. "I'll wait," he said. "Won't want to leave again when I get up there, and I'm hungry. But thanks..." And while Perry ran his duffle upstairs, JD stared out the window, trying to let his mind wander enough to come up with something new. The past few days it'd worked. He'd let his thoughts go where they would, and he'd find them following link after link, down chains of old memories. But now...nothing new, just rehashing of things he'd already rediscovered. He couldn't even remember which college he'd gone to, much less his roommate.
He was leaning back in the seat by the time Perry returned, his eyes closed, brow furrowed. How was he ever going to fix things, if he couldn't remember them? Turk didn't seem interested in trying again...
As if on cue, when the older doctor climbed back into the car, he said, "I figured I'd take you to this little diner nearby--you and Gandhi are pretty fond of the place, so at least we'll know you'll like it, and maybe it'll help jog your memory a bit." Then, catching the look on JD's face at the mention of his friend, he paused, frowning. "Or we could go somewhere else...?"
JD managed a wry smile. "No, that's fine. I was just feeling guilty again. I haven't...still haven't remembered anything past high school, and that's all been pretty vague. But I know I like diner food..."
"It'll come to you," Perry said again, putting the Porsche into gear and backing out of the spot. "And Gandhi will get over himself soon enough and realize that avoiding your or making you feel worse about this is probably making it harder for you to remember."
"I hope so," JD murmured.
* * *
Breakfast was delicious. JD wasn't sure if it was because, apart from the one time Perry'd brought him Chinese, he'd only had hospital food for the last five days, or if it was the sheer relief of being able to forget (no pun intended) about his problems for an hour or so.
Of course, it might have also been because he was famished. He polished off a large pancake plate and a side of bacon and eggs easily before finally settling back with coffee, while across the table, Perry poked at the remains of his biscuits and gravy and watched him with a mildly amused look on his face.
Conversation had been light, easy. Perry hadn't brought up the amnesia, hadn't asked him if he remembered the diner--hadn't, in fact, done much more than make sure he'd gotten his fill, before settling back and letting JD take control of the conversation.
And he had. He'd yammered, between syrup-soaked bites, about everything that came to his mind. Given how shaky his memory was, he was surprised he was able to come up with so many topics, but Perry was listening, watching him intently, and for some reason that made JD want to keep talking.
When they both finally finished, JD wrapped his hands around his coffee mug and, hesitantly, broached the question that had been nagging the back of his mind for days now. "Dr. C--Perry?"
Perry heard the change in his voice and lifted an eyebrow. "Yeah?"
JD looked down, feeling slightly embarrassed, but knowing he had to ask. It was rather important he know, before he... well. Before he got his hopes up otherwise, anyway. "Are you... I mean, are you seeing anyone?" He realized how that sounded when Perry's eyes widened a little, and he hurried on: "I mean, you mentioned an ex-wife, so I was just... curious. You know--seeing anyone? Have any kids? That sort of thing..." Shit! Open mouth, insert foot. He knew he was beet red, and looked down into his coffee mug, watching the lukewarm dregs swirl in a slow, lazy circle.
"No," Perry said softly. "I'm not. And no, no kids either."
At least it was a good answer. JD'd decided he wanted the older man, not caring if he was supposed to like guys or not, and now there was a chance. He hoped. But still... "Oh. Okay. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't going to be in the way if you had someone over...or something like that. But I guess not. Uh." Damn, why'd he wait to ask until he was out of food to shove in his mouth?
"No," Perry said lightly, and now there was a definite note of amusement in his voice. "You won't be in the way."
JD's blush deepened, and he drained the rest of his coffee, shuddering as it went down. "Good. So..." He searched around for a subject change, but nothing came to mind. He couldn't help sighing in relief when their rather attractive waitress brought the check.
She smiled at him. "Where's your friend?"
JD blinked at her, checking the nametag. "Jenny." Well, Perry had said he came here often...and she must mean Turk. "He had to work this morning," he offered after a second, hoping the hesitation wasn't noticeable.
She merely nodded, and headed off again as Perry dropped his debit card on the bill, but JD frowned after her. How many people were going to come up to him expecting him to know who they were? At least his blush had faded...
"You're a bit of a flirt," Perry said after a minute.
JD's head whipped around, eyes wide. "I'm--what?"
"With her," Perry clarified quickly, again biting back an amused smile at JD's flabbergasted look. "You and Turk flirt with her when you come here."
"How do you know that?" JD asked, watching her at the register, still blushing a little. Well, she was hot, he didn't blame them, but...
"There's not much you don't feel compelled to share with me, Newbie," Perry told him, settling back, unable to keep the smirk from crossing his face. "Despite my best efforts."
"Well, at least that hasn't changed," JD replied, grinning slightly. He'd told Perry he flirted with a diner waitress? Why? Oh well, least it meant Perry could tell him, now. So, not to be proven wrong, he smiled at her when she came back. "Thank you, Jenny."
She dimpled for him. "You're welcome. Take your time leaving."
JD laughed softly when she walked away. "Guess you're right."
Perry smiled at him again, though it was a little subdued this time. "I usually am, Newbie," he replied.
* * *
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EEE! I love it! It's so sweet! XD Can't wait for more!
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what does 'jda' mean?
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i was kinda hoping you knew, but i'm happy i'm not the only one
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JDA
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And we'll be updating soon, but I'll need to check with my co-author about when. But I'm pretty sure we'll oblige. ;D
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And it was a nice change for us, as well. The cancerfic was so hard, that we made an effort to keep this light.
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I liked Carla'a cameo too and the hair gel exchange.
This story? fills me with glee. :D
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Thanks so much for reading!! :D Glad you're enjoying it!
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I love your fics. I really do. They so totally make my week.
Oh, I think I found a typo though. I can't quite remember where, but there was "Worse that could happen" or something like that, instead of 'worst.'
Oooooooooor I could be thinking of another fic, in which case I would be all embarrassed, but not all that surprised, seeing as I'm reading about 14 at the moment. Meheh. >.>
LUVS!
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Nah, seriously, though--when you notice things like that, do let us know. Even with two of us proofreading we still miss things.
Glad you liked it, though!! :D
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I didn't like how the others responded to JD's suggtions and how they talked about Perry! Poor Perry. They said really bad things about him.
Great job guys! Keep write amazing fics like that.
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XDDD No kidding, doc, and you're not? Hehehe.
This is lovely. Good therapy after the last arc, tiding me over beautifully til the next installment of "Changeling" shows up.
And that said, it stands on its own as a wonderful arc as well. I'm really enjoying it!
~m
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Aww, I want JD to remember his life after high school. And I want him to fuck Perry. Maybe I'll get one of those wishes... ;)