Lupin III Fan Fiction ❯ Daddy's Girl ❯ Night Talk ( Chapter 18 )

Daddy's Girl

By Bekka Mouri-Hibiki

(Lupin isn't mine. We get to check in on Fujiko then go back to Goemon's and find out why Jigen can't stand Kaoruko or Mishi.)

Part Eighteen: Night Talk

Fujiko was getting antsy as she waited on the doctor to decide what he was going to do with her. She had been checked all over to make sure she wasn't injured. They had concluded she was dehydrated; a little bruised and needed fluids. She glared at the IV pole, wondering how much longer she would have to tolerate the needle in her hand.

" Can I come in, Miss Demeanor? " Ranma asked through the curtain that surrounded the bed.

" Sure, " Fujiko sighed. She knew she had something wrong with her when she had picked her alias. She felt it was rather lame but she said the first thing that came to her foggy mind.

Ranma pulled the curtain open just slightly and smiled, " Do you feel like giving me a description of your kidnapper? Even if you can give us a vague description, it will help us a lot. "

Fujiko nodded, " I think can do that. "

Ranma pulled the curtain aside and revealed another man standing there. Ranma put his hand out, " This is a sketch artist. He will turn your description into a composite picture we can use in our investigation. "

" I understand, " Fujiko said as Ranma pulled up a stool. The sketch artist pulled one up as well.

" Can you remember what he looks like? I know you said that you only saw him briefly, " Ranma patted Fujiko's hand. " I just want to you take your time and recall whatever you can. "

Fujiko took a deep breath, " He had long black hair. It was about collar length, " Fujiko tried to sound like she was struggling with recalling Chamberlain's features though she was pretty sure she wouldn't forget them for a long time.

" Was it straight or curly? " Ranma asked.

" It was straight but really thick. It looked like the kind of hair that would be unruly on a humid day. "

The sketch artist started to draw, his pencil scraping against the paper as Ranma leaned closer, " Are there any identifying marks? Does he have a beard or a scar? "

" He has a beard but no moustache. He looks like he's wearing a chinstrap, " Fujiko made an arch around her chin with her index finger.

Ranma nodded as the artist continued to sketch. " Was the beard long or short? "

" It was longish and kind of pointed at the chin, " Fujiko said then looked at the sketch artist because he had stopped sketching.

" What's wrong? " Ranma looked at the artist.

" Hold on, " The artist flipped a few pages back in his sketchbook before turning it around for Fujiko to see it. " Was it this man? "

Fujiko gasped and put a hand over her mouth, " Yes but he didn't have a hat on. Everything else matches though. "

Ranma looked at Fujiko, " Are you sure? "

" Yes. "

Ranma grabbed the sketchbook and looked closely at the picture. " This is the man that is wanted for shooting an ICPO officer, correct? "

The artist nodded, " Yes. He is also wanted for trying to kill that diplomat that killed himself this morning and killing two of his three assistants. "

" But that happened in Tokyo last night, " Ranma furrowed his brow. " Why were you there? "

"I was on hand at the event as a guest and volunteered to take the description from the guards that had seen him, " The artist said.

" I see, " Ranma nodded once. " This is more serious than I thought. Perhaps I will visit the warehouse's owner. This man could be an employee since we found Miss Demeanor in one of the crates. "

" Investigator Tsukino? " A woman asked from behind the curtain.

" Yes? " Ranma responded.

" You have a phone call at the nurses' station, " The woman said then she left.

Ranma stood up, " I guess we're done then. We'll just have to add kidnapping to that guy's list of offenses. "

" Have you got a name for him? " Fujiko asked.

Ranma nodded, " Daisuke Jigen. We matched the picture with a photo in the ICPO files. No one else matches and he's got a rap sheet a mile long but it's mostly theft. "

" Then why are you suspecting him? " Fujiko acted puzzled.

" He matches the descriptions we have, " Ranma shook his head. " He's our only possible suspect. "

" But my kidnapper wasn't wearing a hat, " Fujiko pointed out.

" That doesn't mean he didn't take it off, " Ranma shrugged. " Now, I have to go take that phone call. "

Fujiko watched as Ranma left, the sketch artist following him. ~Damn it, Jigen's going to blame this on me. He's going to say it's my fault and he's going to be right. ~

**

" Lupin, " Goemon said from where he sat against the wall.

" What is it? " Lupin muttered. He was just starting to fall asleep when the samurai spoke. " I thought you were asleep. "

" Something is bothering me, " Goemon said. " I cannot sleep because of it. "

Lupin sighed, " What's bothering you so much? "

" How in the world did Toshiko get that note to you? " Goemon sounded suspicious. " How was a teenager able to track us down so easily? "

" That's simple, " Lupin sat up and looked at Goemon. " She gave it to Mishi. "

Goemon arched an eyebrow, " Mishi? Are you speaking of the sow at the ramen shop with the infatuation for Jigen? "

" She's a nice person, Goemon. "

" I wasn't describing her personality, " Goemon replied. " I was describing her size. "

" Anyway, " Lupin growled. " Mishi told me that this dirty bedraggled girl came in and asked for a telephone book because she was looking for someone. When Mishi asked the girl who she was looking for, she said Lupin the Third. "

" Did she really think she could just look you up in the phone book? " Goemon sounded like he couldn't believe what he had heard.

" Mishi said she was in a desperate state. She even gave the poor girl an extra bowl of ramen besides the one the girl was able to pay for because she looked like she hadn't had a good meal in awhile. She said the girl started crying when she laughed at her for thinking she could find me in the phone book. She felt really bad about making the girl cry so she said she knew someone who knew someone else who could get the letter to me. "

" Are you saying that girl was Toshiko? " Goemon asked.

" Yes but Mishi just thought she was some messenger for someone else. She took the letter and promised the girl it would get to me somehow, " Lupin said.

" Was she surprised when you informed her of the girl's true identity? " Goemon asked.

" Yes. When I told her that filthy pitiful looking girl was Zenigata's kid and we figured Toshiko was on the streets for a few of days after she took the note, she insisted to pay for the clothes out of her divorce savings. "

" Mishi does indeed have a big heart. I suppose you did not mention that Toshiko put a gun to your head, " Goemon arched his eyebrow again.

" No. I decided to leave that part out, " Lupin waved his hand. " According to Jigen, it wasn't even a real gun. It was a starter pistol. "

" A starter pistol? " Goemon repeated.

Lupin looked at Goemon in disbelief, " You don't know what a starter pistol is? "

" Is it a smaller caliber gun? " Goemon sounded completely serious.

Lupin threw himself down on the futon, " Goemon! I hope you're pulling my chain. "

" I am not, " Goemon acted insulted. " I only handle guns when you or Jigen shove them in my hand so my knowledge of them is limited. "

Lupin sighed in frustration, " Okay. A starter pistol is a gun that fires blanks. It can't fire real bullets. They are used to start races hence the name. "

Goemon furrowed his brow, " I thought those were small caliber handguns. "

" They aren't. They can only fire blanks, Goemon! "

" Ah. She would not have been able to kill you with that, " Goemon said.

" Well there was a slim chance the paper in the blank could have gotten lodged in my brain if she had fired it that close. I couldn't see very well in the alley though. I really thought she had a real gun. "

" I do not think she has the fortitude to take the life of another person. I do not get that feeling from her, " Goemon sighed. " I do however feel she is deeply troubled and needs a lot of help. I also feel that her interest in Jigen could prove to be problematic. "

" Get over it, Goemon. She isn't your type anyway. "

Goemon growled and hit the end of the futon with Zantetsuken. " Lupin! " He hissed.

Lupin drew his legs up to where they were nearly at his ears. " Hey! You could have done some damage if that thing weren't sheathed! "

" I know! " Goemon said sharply. " I am not interested in the girl! What bothers me is the fact the difference in age is too great. "

" The difference in all of our ages and her age is big, " Lupin narrowed his eyes. " I've probably got a little brother or little sister running around out there that's her age. "

" I see promiscuity runs in the family, " Goemon muttered.

" We aren't talking about my family. We're talking about Toshiko, " Lupin clenched the blanket in his hands.

Goemon shut his eyes, " It is only asking for trouble. I do not think it is proper that she is hanging around Jigen. "

" Goemon, every girl her age has a crush on an older man at least once. I bet nothing will come of it. Jigen's old enough to know better, " Lupin shut his eyes. " Now, let me get some sleep. "

" I wish to get some sleep as well, " Goemon shut his eyes. " We have a busy day ahead of us. "

**

Jigen looked down at Toshiko. She had went back to sleep and was clinging to him again. He had his right arm wrapped around her, his hand resting on her hip. She looked like a little girl in the position she was in, her oversized pajamas emphasizing her slight frame.

He could feel her breasts pressing into his side. He thought about when she had shown him her scars and realized she didn't have a bra on. He was too concerned with the scars to make note of it at the time but he was certain he hadn't seen one. He tried not to think about her pajamas and his nightshirt being the only things between them.

His mind then went back to the kiss. He couldn't believe he had been the first man to kiss the girl. The thought made him feel dirty, like he had taken something sacred. ~What was I thinking? ~ He scolded himself. ~I shouldn't have done that… now she'll get attached to me for sure. ~

He started to think, trying to recall just when the last time he had been with a woman. He counted up a few one-night stands but nothing significant. He hadn't been in a real relationship in a long time. The only woman he could think of that he had seen for more than six months was Theresa.

He couldn't believe how that one woman affected him so much. He knew it was because he had been young at the time and getting the living hell beaten out of him made quite an impression on him. He could pinpoint that event in his life that made him want to be a lone wolf. He decided then and there that women were nothing but trouble.

In spite of that, he couldn't help but be attracted to one every once in awhile. Something just had to all click together but he wasn't sure what it was. He knew that he didn't like the clingy big girls that Lupin brought around to use as contacts. It would take one look at him for those girls to be smitten and he didn't like it.

He didn't really hate fat chicks on the whole but he could do without Kaoruko and Mishi. He remembered when they met Kaoruko the first time. She took one look at him and vowed he'd be hers. He decided that she needed to stay far away from him when she slapped him on the ass as he and Lupin left the seedy restaurant they met her in.

Lupin thought it was hilarious but Jigen didn't find it very funny. He also found it less humorous when they went to meet Mishi for the first time and she 'accidentally' spilled his drink. She shoved her tits in his face as she wiped up the spill but didn't realize her husband was walking in the front door at the same time and thought the wrong thing entirely before going berserk.

Jigen and Lupin barely escaped the raging sumo wrestler by speeding off in the Benz but the guy did get one shot in. He took off one of his sandals and threw it, hitting Jigen in the back of the head. The resulting mild concussion was the main reason he vowed never to set foot in that particular ramen shop again. The fact that Mishi was big enough to be a sumo wrestler herself didn't sit well with him either.

He had dated a couple of cute chicks that had been a little chubby but he did prefer them to be a little more reserved than Lupin's latest contacts. He liked curvy women as long as they had curves in all the right places and a sense of manners. He couldn't stand wild women, no matter what size they were. He had gotten his fill of those with Theresa and her crazy stunts.

When Fujiko first came along, he thought she was hot but kept his hands off because she was Lupin's girl. He had thought about getting between her long legs and screwing her brains out a couple of times but what healthy man wouldn't want to? He was certain Goemon had even had a few impure thoughts about the busty redhead though he'd never admit to it.

He had long suppressed those thoughts once he saw what a little snake Fujiko was. He watched Lupin fall for her tricks time and time again; bitter memories of his own past being dredged up each time she'd screw them over. He had tried to talk some sense into Lupin but it was useless. Lupin was completely head over heels in love with Fujiko and not even God himself could peel him away from the conniving wench.

He thought back to how she had kissed him on the cheek when he agreed to help her. That little kiss had brought back everything he had thought about doing to her when they first met. He had even entertained the thought of talking her into sleeping with him as payback for helping her. He was pretty sure she'd slap him and tell him there would be no chance in Hell but it was worth a shot.

~Damn, I must be getting desperate to think about asking that little bitch to sleep with me, ~ He thought. ~It's been a long time since the last time I was with a woman but Hell hasn't frozen over yet. ~

He looked at Toshiko again, thinking about how he might have a chance with her if she did become attached to him. He frowned at the thought. He couldn't believe he could think such a thing about the girl. She trusted him for some unknown reason and he was going to do everything in his power to make sure that faith would stay intact.

She had been hurt too many times and he didn't want her to be hurt again. The girl has taken a great step by saying she wanted to make amends with her father even though she seem overwhelmed by the idea. He wanted to help her have the strength to follow through and get on steady ground. He wanted her to get somewhere she would be safe so she could start over and wondered if Pops would be able to help her with that.

She would still bear the scars of her first suicide attempt and her stepfather's abuse for the rest of her life, the physical ones as well as the mental ones, even if she were to get somewhere safe. He thought about her first attempt on her life, still amazed she had survived. He knew she wouldn't have survived if she fell from Tokyo Tower or from the tree he climbed to get her. Jigen took a sharp breath as the realization that he had actually saved her life washed over him and he grasped why she had gotten the courage up to tell her that she liked him.

He sighed, ~Damn it babe. I wish you were just a few years older then this wouldn't be such a damn mess. I think you're starting to grow on me… ~

**

Fujiko tapped her fingernails on the bedrail as the last of the fluids from the IV bag began to vanish. The doctor had been in and told her she wasn't going to move an inch until the bag was empty. She wanted to leave the hospital and just get back to Lupin to let him know she was okay. She wondered if he had even been there since no one had said anything about what had happened in the warehouse before she woke up.

She didn't even know where Chamberlain was. She wanted to ask Ranma but thought asking too many questions would make him suspicious. As she thought about how to broach the subject, someone came into the room. Fujiko knew from the cologne just exactly who it was.

" Miss Demeanor? " Ranma opened the curtain slightly.

" Please call me Lucy, " Fujiko sighed. She was tired of hearing her false surname.

Ranma looked a little confused then said, " Okay. Lucy, I have some good news for you. "

" Am I being released? " Fujiko asked with hopefulness tingeing her voice.

" Yes, " Ranma nodded. " You are and will be put into protective custody for the next twenty-four hours, perhaps longer. "

Fujiko blinked, " Twenty four hours or maybe longer? " She repeated.

Ranma nodded, " It's precaution for your safety. We don't want the kidnapper to snatch you right up again, do we? "

Fujiko shook her head, " No. "

" Good then. I'll be driving you to the location where you will be safe. As soon as the nurse comes in here to unhook you from the IV and you sign your release papers, we'll leave. "

" What about some clothes? " Fujiko arched an eyebrow.

" That's been taken care of. I hope you don't mind wearing scrubs though. It's the best we could do, " Ranma looked apologetic.

" That'll do for now I guess, " Fujiko said. " Hey. Can I ask you something? "

" Sure, " Ranma shrugged.

" What happened back there? " Fujiko said. " Why were you guys all over that place? "

Ranma sighed then looked at the floor, " I can't tell you much but we received a call saying that the man that shot the ICPO officer was going to be at that location so we followed up. It was an anonymous call but it could have very well saved your life. "

" Was anyone else there? " Fujiko recalled that Chamberlain had given an address to Lupin over the phone with the goal of setting up a trap. He had asked her what she thought Lupin would do but she apparently guessed wrong. She was a little hurt that he had obviously not come for her like she said but he still saved her if her hunch about the caller was correct.

" No. We didn't find the guy there but there was obviously someone there because there were traps all over the warehouse like they were expecting someone. That's about all I can say right now. "

" I understand, " Fujiko sighed. The nurse came into the room shortly afterwards, setting a clipboard and the scrubs Ranma had promised on the bedside table. She watched as the woman took her IV out and bandaged her hand. She then handed the clipboard to Fujiko so she could sign her release papers.

The nurse looked over the papers then gave Fujiko the scrubs. " Could you please wait outside? " She glanced at Ranma.

Ranma nodded, " I'll be in the hall. See you in a minute, Lucy. "

Fujiko nodded as the nurse shut the curtain.