Fic: When The Leaves Fall (5/?)
Title: When The Leaves Fall (5/?)
Author: BradyGirl_12
Pairings/Characters (this chapter): Mike Parker, Libby Kingston
Fandom: Naked City
Genres: Angst, Drama, Historical, Holiday, Romance
Rating (this chapter): G
Warnings: Major Character Death
Spoilers: For Today The Man Who Kills The Ants Is Coming (3x21)
General Summary: After the fallout from a violent confrontation with a fleeing killer, Adam is broken.
Chapter Summary: Mike talks to an old friend about Adam.<
Date Of Completion: September 12, 2024
Date Of Posting: October 31, 2024
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em, Screen Gems does, more’s the pity.
Word Count (this chapter): 1395
Feedback welcome and appreciated.
welcome and appreciated.
All chapters can be found here.
"Good friends are like gold. Treasure them."
Maxwell Minter
American Writer
"Quotations Of An American Genius
1941 C.E.
October 23, 1967
Mike sighed as he leaned back in his desk chair, ignoring the squeak. Like everything else in this precinct, it was broken-down.
Like a certain police lieutenant.
Maybe he had stayed in this job too long. There had always been a certain amount of animosity towards the police but now hating on cops was considered a badge of honor. But then, hating on all authority figures seemed to be the thing these days.
He looked around his office. Peeling paint, a couch that should have been replaced three years ago, the floor in bad need of a good buffing. The door leading to the squadroom was slightly ajar. His newest (i.e. youngest) detective was bantering with one of the veteran detectives.
That used to be Adam and Frank.
He turned his chair around to stare out the window.
Grungy building across the street. Hell, grungy street.
The phone rang. For a second he debated answering it but he swung the squeaky chair around and lifted the handset.
"Parker here," he barked.
"Whoa, someone's all sweetness and light today."
"Libby! How are you?"
"Just fine. Sorry I was out last night and missed your call."
"Out hobnobbing with the stars, I take it."
"Hey, I am a star!"
"Well, of course, you're Jessica Cooper, Girl Reporter."
She laughed. "Adam all right?"
"Adam's good."
Mike hesitated to impart the latest news. He didn't know if Libby had ever figured out the true nature of Adam and Frank's relationship. If she didn't know, the news might disconcert the ex-girlfriend of Adam Flint.
"And?"
Mike tapped the desktop with his fingers. "And he sees Frank."
There was silence. He was about to ask if she was still there when she said, "Adam is seeing his dead partner?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
"Depends. He's going deeper into delusion, but he's happier."
"Maybe we should let it be, then."
"Tempting, but we're not the shrinks."
She blew out an exasperated sigh. "I know Adam's doctor is really good, but a shrink's a shrink."
"Truer words never spoken. Listen, I need your help. Do you remember where the key to Adam's storage locker is? I lost my duplicate key."
"You on a treasure hunt?"
"I wish. I just thought I'd get a few things to personalize Adam's room. He's got his books, but a few pictures might help."
"I think it's in the box I gave you after the funeral."
"Of course! Thanks, Libby." The funeral she mentioned had been Frank's, but Adam's life had been packed up, too. "So they renewed you for Season 4?"
"Oh, yes. We started the 1964-1965 season with the show set in 1936. If we're lucky, we might get up to Pearl Harbor. World War II shows are always popular: Rat Patrol, Hogan's Heroes, 12 O'Clock High...you know, that guy who played Colonel Gallagher on 12 O'Clock High is a real looker.*
"Sounds like you're busy."
"What about you?"
"Swamped. I tried to get out to Ocean View after my September visit but couldn't, and last week I was at a police convention in Boston."
"Oh, Boston's nice. We have to shoot some scenes there every year, though most of our work is on the Universal back lot because the show's set in the '30s. Did you have a good time?"
"Pretty much. At least I learned something besides how to throw water balloons."
Libby laughed. "Hunkering down for Halloween next Tuesday?"
He groaned. "Don't remind me. Every year Halloween gets weirder and weirder."
"You'll do fine, Mike."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence."
She laughed again. "Don't sell yourself short." There was a pause, then, "You're a good friend to Adam."
"So are you, Libby."
"I hope so." Her voice was tentative. "Well, I gotta go, Mike. Lunch break is over and Jessica's in peril. Keep me updated!"
They said their goodbyes and Mike hung up. Libby was a good friend. Some might say she wasn't because soon after Adam's admission to Ocean View, she'd accepted an offer to star in Jessica Cooper, Girl Reporter out in California.
"Go, Libby," Mike had said. "Adam's in deep catatonia. No idea if he'll ever come out of it."
Besides, the romantic relationship between her and Adam had cooled. Even Mike could see that. Proof she knew the truth?
If so, I give her credit. She hasn't outed him in two-and-a-half years.
And, she was an actress. Homosexuals were plentiful in her world.
He looked out the window again. He decided to take a cab to the storage locker.
& & &
After a quick trip home to fetch the key, Mike took a cab to the storage facility. He just beat the rain as it began to pour as he went inside.
The facility was located in an old brownstone. The owners had cut up apartments into individual storage units. Some were big enough to hold furniture, but Adam's unit was a smaller one since he had rented a furnished apartment.
Mike unlocked the unit. The rain was drumming on the roof as gray light filtered through the single window. The room smelled faintly musty. Mike shrugged and looked around, turning on the light.
There was a clothes rack with two good suits and Adam's patrolman and police dress uniforms. Two Army uniforms, one everyday and dress uniform. Hats were on top of the rack. Ties hung on hangars at the end.
Two suitcases held white shirts, sweaters, jeans and slacks. Some had been brought to Ocean View by Mike after Adam had come out of the catatonia. An open box held a pair of dress shoes. The other shoes (a pair of sneakers, winter boots, loafers and slippers) were now at Ocean View.
A man's jewelry box contained a pocketwatch, tieclips and class rings. A gold ring with a small sapphire had been requested by Adam and Mike had brought it to him. He wore it every day. He didn't know what connection it had to Frank but was certain it had one.
A box was labeled Odds 'N' Ends while another was labeled Photographs. Bingo! Mike opened the box
There was an old album inherited from Adam's aunt. The pictures were of him as a child and up to his high school graduation. There were photographs of him in Korea, usually with a buddy as they celebrated surviving another day.
Loose packets of photos showed Adam in patrolman uniform and then his arrival at the 65th Precinct in snappy new fedora and suit and overcoat. There began photos with Frank and one of the squadroom with even Mike in it. Photos with Libby, and snapshots of Adam, Libby and Frank. Photos on vacation, some with Libby, some with Frank.
One photo featured Adam and Frank showing off their catches on a Cape Cod fishing trip. Mike frowned. He was looking for a particular photo but it seemed to be missing. He hoped it hadn't been lost in the shuffle of packing up. Maybe Libby had taken it or given it to Frank's mother.
It was a photo of Adam and Frank on a vacation in Maine. Frank's Uncle Vito had a cottage he let family use, and Frank and Adam had helped him out for a few days on his lobster boat. The color photograph showed them holding up lobsters (careful to hold them properly) and smiling at the camera. Disappointed, Mike took the Cape Cod photo, a good choice but he still wondered where the lobster boys picture had gone.
Mike returned to the window. Rain usually didn't put him in a gloomy mood. More likely most people would say I'm gloomy all the time. Today, though, the rain was depressing him. Life had depressed him since February 24, 1964, the day Frank had died.
Mike sighed and put the photograph in a mailing envelope and the envelope in a bag to protect it from the rain.
Hopefully he could get up to Ocean View on Saturday since he was working on Tuesday, which was Halloween.
Muttering to himself, Mike left, switching off the light and locking up as the rain ran down the window like tears.
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