Dominion Tank Police Fan Fiction ❯ That Boy...that I Loved ❯ Thoughts ( Chapter 1 )

Chapter 1

"The wind in my face! The smell of burning oil in the air! The feel of the metal caressing my..."

"Leona, put a lid on it."

Scowling, I thrust my foot forward and hit my partner Al Cu Ad Solte right on the back of his stupid blonde head. "Don't be such a jerk, Al. It's been awhile since I've ridden in Bonaparte."

"It's only been a week."

"So what?" I said plopping down into my seat at the top of the tank. Running my hand over the side of the tank I smiled. "Any time away from him is too much time."

"Oh give me a break..." He muttered bitterly, turning to look up at me with those big green eyes. "Captain Brenten's right, you really do need a vacation."

"Vacation my ass, he's just mad about the bank incident."

"You mean the one where you stole his tank and blew up the whole bank building looking for one criminal?"

I clenched my teeth and swung my arm out, barely missing him. "He mocked the Tank Police, Al! He called us incompetent rude bastards! I couldn't let him get away with that!"

Al sighed and shook his head slowly. "Anyways, where are we heading again?"

"Back to headquarters. The Captain wanted to brief us on some job down at the park. Seems like there's some bastard running around selling coke to a bunch of middle school brats from the place next to it."

He sighed again and reached up, flipping a few switches on the wall next to him. The small LCD screen in front lit up. "I really hate these jobs. Anything having to do with kids really bothers me."

"Not much of a kid person?"

Laughing softly, he punched in some kind of access code. "I guess you could say that. They never seem to like me."

"Probably because you're so uptight."

"Me?! Uptight?!" He whirled to face me, green eyes wide. "If anyone's uptight, it's you and you know it. Now stop trying to pick fights, I'm really not in the mood."

"Well, if you weren't so uptight..."

I smiled, watching the vein on his tanned forehead begin to pulse. "You're pushing it, Leona." He said managing a small smile. "Well, radio Brenten and tell him we're coming in the garage now."

I laughed and grabbed the small black communicator from the wall. "Yes sir!"

"Cut it out, woman!"

* * *

It had been a few weeks since Al had gotten back from the hospital, where he was recovering from a gunshot wound to the lower back. I admit, I probably should have been nicer to him. After all, he could have died or something. I wasn't really sure. I didn't visit him. I guess, in a way that's why he was being so harsh towards me, but I couldn't help it. I didn't know what to do.

I didn't know what the hell to say to a man who had taken a bullet for me...

* * *

The garage was almost empty. Lunch time I guessed. Al and I never really got to take our lunch breaks. We are always in too much trouble.

"Hey, Leona. If you want, I can park Bonaparte. Why don't you go change or something. I'm pretty sure we won't have to go today."

I nodded slowly and opened the hatch. I looked down at Al as I climbed out, noticing he was staring at me oddly. "Catch ya later." I said a bit nervously and he nodded, his face disappearing from view as the hatch closed.

This was stupid, I thought walking towards the girl's locker room, I shouldn't be this weirded out about being around him. It wasn't like he hadn't done things like that before. Like the time we were checking out this building full of junkies and the whole place got gassed. My oxygen tank ran out and he gave me the rest of his, putting his own life in danger.

I closed my eyes as I pushed open the heavy red locker room door. I guess I should have thanked him. It was hard for me though, to think that someone would care that much to risk their life for someone like me.

Shaking my head hard I concentrated on finding my locker. It was so damn big in here. I didn't understand why, there weren't that many women on the police force, apart from me and that Sophie woman. I scowled when her name crossed my mind. That damn woman had a field day when Al got back from the hospital. She showered him with praise and flowers and all that shit. I didn't say a thing.

I found the locker and angrily put in the code. It flew open and I dodged. It always did that, no matter what. Quite annoying if you ask me. The mirror on the inside of the door flashed with the bright horrendous light that filled the locker room, along with the painful look I suddenly realized I had on my face.

"Damn it..." I cursed leaning back on the cold metal. Shivering, I grasped my shoulders. It wasn't...fair. Why did he even have to do that? All I did was ridicule the poor boy... Maybe I was just stupid. Maybe I didn't want to see that someone in the world...actually cared for me. After everything had happened; Charon's death, my unfinished revenge against Mueller...I... just didn't know anything anymore.

I clutched a balled up white tank top in my hand and threw it onto the bench in front of me. Stupid Al. I remembered it like it was yesterday... All I could think about as I ran to those bastards was how I was going to tear their throats out. I didn't see the damn gun that weird talking one was pointing at me. Not until Al had grabbed me. It surprised me, and I remembered opening my mouth to speak. He had looked up, and then...the shot sounded.

It had torn through my mind like it did his skin. I remember his body jolting forward, and his emerald eyes bulging. His head went back. His head gear fell. The next thing I remembered was the smack of the pavement and the screeching of tires. My heart had stopped. All my thoughts of revenge had flown away with the bastard's escaping limo. Only one had pushed through...

Was Al...?

I had crawled to his body, muttering his name over and over again, hoping...silently praying that he would answer back... I remembered the sound of his ragged breathing as I inched closer. Good, he was alive at least, but... I had held him. Even though I knew I shouldn't touch him...I did. I held his shivering body in my arms and started to cry. It was at that moment, that I realized no matter how much I made fun of him, no matter how much I laughed and yelled at him... I couldn't be without him. Sure, he was annoying and acted completely retarded sometimes, but... he had never said a harsh word to me. He had never complained like the others about me. He stood up for me. He saved me... He....

I wanted to hug him, I wanted to kiss his stupid sweat covered forehead, but I couldn't. I just stared and he...laughed. He told me he was alright and he wouldn't, by any means let me take him to a damn hospital. I told him he was crazy as hell. He wouldn't budge, though. He made me get him back into Bonaparte and go after the men that had murdered my friend.

What a damn hero.

I took him to the hospital afterwards and left him. He had passed out during our little raid. I had just left him. I remember walking outside into the cool autumn air and getting into the first cab I saw. I had to get away. I was so confused.

Was it love? I didn't think so. As I downed the last of a bottle of vodka I had stashed under my bed for such stupid occasions, I remember thinking this over and over again. I would get angry, and then I would cry. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat... And I damn well didn't want to go to work...

I did so anyways, though. No one spoke to me. Maybe my mood was contagious, I didn't know. Sophie had begged me to come see him. She had told me with that vacant smile on her face that he was asking for me. I would just laugh and shrug her off, telling her that I'd see him when he got out, I didn't want to bother him.

Inside, though...my heart would break. Why couldn't I be normal? Why couldn't I thank him?

Letting my back slide down the cold metal beige lockers, I clenched my teeth. Why couldn't I tell him how much it meant to me? How could I...

"Leona Ozaki, report to Captain Brenton's office this minute! Do you hear me, Leona? That means right now! Not later, NOW!"

I smiled and wiped my hand quickly across slightly damp eyes. Maybe I would find the words to say. I just...didn't know how.

I stood and donned the regular police uniform quickly and continued to wipe my eyes. I couldn't show any weakness. That was the Leona Ozaki way. I hated it, but it was how I presented myself. Maybe I was stupid. Maybe that's why no one talked to me....

With a heavy pounding heart, I made my way out of the locker room.