Fic: Can You See the Real Me? (The Who, M7:ATF Crossover fic, PG-13)
Title: Can You See the Real Me?
Series: Second Chances
Author: Sparrow
Fandom: Magnificent Seven: ATF, The Who
Characters: JD Dunne, Keith Moon, Buck Wilmington
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I in no way, shape or form own Magnificent Seven: ATF or The Who.
Author Note: I found this prompt challenging as I never heard the song before, but of the group. It took me awhile for something to click in my brain, but once it did, the words flowed. I hope everyone enjoys the story. Many thanks to sierraphoenix for the beta! Written for the Sticks & Strings challenge.
Spoilers: Prequel to Second Time’s the Charm
Summary: While at work, late one night, JD Dunne falls asleep and dreams.
Story #1: Second Time's the Charm
Story #2: Collision: Past and Present
Story #3: Flip Side of Reality
The light from the computer screen glared harshly in the dim office light.
An office that had seen many cases come through and solved. Tonight was no different.
‘JD Dunne, Communications Expert and Computer God’ as it said on his business card, typed furiously on his keyboard.
Numbers, figures and letters flew by his eyes on the screen as his brain assembled the information, processed it and then tied it to other cases.
His desk resembled a small mountain of paper as he worked tirelessly.
“Hey JD! Ready to call it a night?”
JD looked up and wearily blinked at Buck Wilmington. He then looked back the computer screen and resumed typing.
“Think the kid is a little absorbed there, pard,” Vin said from behind Buck.
“Think you’re right. Chris is working him too hard,” Buck said as he tried and failed to gain JD’s attention.
“The kid’s working himself too hard,” Vin countered. “How about we let it go tonight and then talk to the kid tomorrow, when he’s a bit more coherent.”
Buck nodded his agreement and followed Vin out of the office.
JD barely heard them go.
A couple of hours later, JD was blinking heavily and yawning. Coffee and Redbull could only last him so long. He crashed hard.
He was dreaming, lights flashing by him and this band was playing in the background. Some sort of gypsy sounding music.
And then he was somewhere else, in a back alley, smoking a cigarette. But he didn’t smoke.
T`was in the early evenin`
Near the presence of the moon
You told me you would meet me here
Well now is not too soon
“Keith! Keith!”
JD felt the body he was occupying turn around.
He felt a manic grin grace ‘Keith’s face’. “What you got there Ernie?”
The teenager skidded in front, wheezed a few times and straightened up, producing a baggie from his pocket. JD recognized it immediately, weed. “The answer to our questions, Keith me lad!”
“And what kind of answers are those, Ern?” JD felt himself reply.
“Miracle answers!” Ernie grinned as he took out some of the weed and produced some paper to roll it in.
JD felt the joint on his lips and saw his hand hold up a lighter to the end.
Inside, he rebelled. This wasn’t the answer!
This dagger twisting in my back
Tells me I never should
Have trusted everything to fall
From beggar to fool
The music had started up once again and JD was swept away in a whirlwind of music and lights.
Images flew past him as the band played on and he was once more in the body of ‘Keith’. But it felt a few years older.
Drum sticks were in his line of vision as he hit cymbals, drums, tom-toms and his feet pounded a crazy rhythm out on the bass drums.
He felt like he was flying!
The singer in front of him banging away on tambourines. The guitarist flying in the air. And the bassist was standing still amidst the chaos.
JD didn’t know where he was, who he was, as the music invaded his soul. All he knew was the drugs he took earlier (he never did drugs before, what was going on? Buck, where are you?) was making him feel good as pounded rhythm after rhythm out.
But something felt wrong; he was starting to slow down! This wasn’t right! He was supposed to speed up and out!
JD felt his eyelids droop slightly as he faltered on a beat.
What was going on…?
I see your face like every race
A serpent with two arms
Devouring me while rains the sun
With dreams in foreign lands
The music from before pounded in his ears as he was swept away from the drum kit and the gypsy sounding music raged on.
This time, it felt like JD was watching a movie, but everything the person did was hooked up to him.
The joy as he held his wife.
Seeing his daughter for the first time with his wide grin.
He felt flesh smack flesh.
The rise and fall of emotions.
The barking laugh as a prank went off and he felt no remorse for what happened.
It went from one extreme to another. The light hearted side and then the side brought out in pills and booze. A dark side.
JD felt and saw it all. Tears were streaming down his face.
What did he ever do to deserve this? To watch and experience this…hell?
Buck? Someone save me please?
With dreams in foreign lands
This cold dark tormented hell
Is all I`ll ever know
So when you get to heaven
May the devil be the judge
The haunting melody continued once again as JD was deposited into a drug addled body.
“No more, Moonie,” came one voice.
He could barely concentrate he was so blitzed out.
“Shit! He can barely function!” The snarly sounding voice said.
“It’s either the band or the drugs,” Came another voice.
That ultimatum got his attention, somewhat. He focused his blurry vision upwards.
“Wot?”
“You heard us Keith, the band or the drugs,” came the first voice.
JD felt his eyes well up with tears. “But it’s all I know…”
The snarly voice gave a bitter laugh. “All you know right now is drugs and booze.”
“That’s not true!” JD half slurred and snarled.
A face came into his view, curly hair cascading the man’s shoulders. His voice was the third one he heard. “It is Moonie.”
JD half snarled and threw insults their way as they left him on his couch. He cried out he didn’t need them and he would be fine.
With another bag of bricks
JD had enough, he wanted out of this crazy dream. He didn’t want to know this drug, crazy loon.
But he didn’t get his wish as once again he was swept away in a chorus of gypsy music.
I scratch your name across these walls
And with my blood turns red
Then drips upon my killing floor
Where I now call my bed
No precious light to harbor
Like so many here before
Now breathes a thousand mores
JD felt like this dream would never end as he lived out a rushed month in the body of Keith.
A lonely month as the man drugged and drank himself to oblivion.
Watched as his wife and daughter left him.
And dreams tormented the dreamer as visions of cars danced in front of him, striking a young man over and over.
He would shriek in the night that he wasn’t a murder.
JD would agree with this lost and lonely man, that Keith wasn’t a murder.
But it would do no good and more drugs and booze would come out.
JD felt like he was watching the slow destruction and death of a man that could change the world.
But all of the things that Keith cherished had left him.
JD wondered what could save them.
With another bag of bricks
The gypsy music was haunting and beautiful as its notes and lyrics swirled around JD. It was dizzying at times.
Temper filled with blindness
Leads this lost and lonely man
Dragged around your whipping tree
A scourge you can`t command
So deafen me with silence
The young ATF agent was starting to realize what kind of passion fueled this man he had taken to following around.
This dream, crazy, drug filled loon.
It was this passion that led to a semi-sobriety as Keith cleaned himself up, somewhat.
It was passable enough for the other band members to let them back in.
But every night JD saw the torment the drummer went through and JD felt for him. How couldn’t he, they were connected in this dream.
And throughout it all, a silent giant watched them.
Drown me with your roar
Scowl me with your hollow eyes
Still burnin` to the core
No door will go unanswerd
Like so many closed before
JD was getting used to being inserted into random moments of this man’s life and this time was no exception.
It was another point in this weird life.
They were on top of an organ, pressing keys with their feet. Singing and laughing away.
It was definitely a new experience, but JD still felt the drugs coursing through their system, but not as bad as before.
“And CUT!!”
They stopped their dancing and the curly haired man from before stepped up to the organ with a smile. “You gonna get down from there Moonie?”
“That’s Uncle Ernie to you, Tommy-boy!” The barking laugh once again.
“Yeah, yeah. C’mon you loon, time for food.”
Still laughing, JD was helped down by this man.
“Still can’t believe we’re actually here,” the curly haired man grinned.
“Oh believe it dear boy! Now, if you don’t mind, Uncle Ernie sees a darling girl he’d like to Fiddle About with,” JD gave a wink and leer at the curly haired man before running off.
The curly haired man only shook his head slowly and went another way.
No vagabond to knock upon
This tired and beatin` war
When all return to exile
Free from all once bound
Decline and brawl old parasites
The truth will yet be found
The gypsy music pulled at JD and he found himself in the body once again.
Older, heavier set and in California.
Once again they were reduced to drugs and booze. The beard was new though.
Everyday was mostly the same thing.
Drink. Dress up. Drink some more. Maybe have some food. Drugs and more drink.
It was a pattern with no end in sight.
JD predicted they would be dead before the year was out.
With another bag of bricks
With another bag of bricks
With another bag of bricks
He was getting use to the gypsy music and being swept over the place.
Again, the same man, heavier set and older.
He was getting tired of all this body hopping around.
It was another night of partying and Annette was on his side.
JD felt the need for some alcohol and he almost headed to the bar when he remembered his pills. The doc did say to take one whenever he felt the need for alcohol. So he popped the pill.
All through out the night he kept popping pills whenever the need hit him.
JD felt that Keith felt he was in control of his addiction.
This cold dark tormented hell
Is all I`ll ever know
So when you get to heaven
May the devil be your judge
He left the party after saying goodbye to several friends. Hugs passed around.
Him and Annette, side by side, laughing and smiling as they headed home.
He popped another pill.
Temper filled with blindness
Leads this lost and lonely man
Dragged around your whipping tree
A scourge you can`t command
JD popped pill after pill, the need to curb his alcoholism warning with him.
He showered and changed into his pajamas.
Annette plastered her body against his, hands wrapping around waist.
“Mmm, come to bed, Keith,” Annette purred in his ear.
So deafen me with silence
Drown me with your roar
Scowl me with your hollow eyes
Still burnin` to the core
They lay tangled amongst one another and JD felt content.
Annette rested against his chest and he stroked her face.
This was a nice feeling.
It appeared this man’s life was back on track once again.
JD was inwardly smiling.
No door will go unanswerd
Like so many closed before
No vagabond to knock upon
This tired and beatin` war
He popped another pill.
And another and another.
JD was starting to panic inwardly.
They’ve been popping pills all night long. They should stop. They actually should’ve stopped way before the night began.
Please stop! But JD knew it was futile as more pills were popped.
When all return to exile
Free from all once bound
Decline and brawl old parasites
The truth will yet be found
JD was outside the body now.
He watched as the woman stood still and watched the body cool.
The vibrant, lively man was now dead.
JD walked over and watched as his hand went through the man’s face.
I’m sorry…
JD faded away as the music swept him away.
With another bag of bricks
With another bag of bricks
With another bag of bricks
With another bag of bricks
The music stopped and he was in blackness.
He wanted to wake up now.
“JD!!”
JD jerked awake and looked around.
Buck was leaning over him with a concerned look in his eyes. “Were you here all night, kiddo?”
Blinking the sleepiness out of his eyes, JD yawned and nodded. “Seems like.”
“I’m gonna talk to Chris about working you so late,” Buck fumed.
A hand latched onto Buck’s sleeve. “Don’t Buck, my own fault really. I’ll work something out.”
Buck looked around at the cups of coffee and Redbull. “I think the drinks can only take you so far, JD.”
JD glanced at the surroundings and grinned.
“So any good dreams?” Buck asked as he swept the empty cans into a trash bin.
“I think so, but it’s started to fade already,” JD said.
Buck grinned and turned on the radio.
Gypsy music started and JD froze with eyes wide.
Lunging forward, the young ATF agent turned the radio off quickly.
“You okay, JD?” Buck asked in concern.
“Yeah, yeah, just don’t really like that song,” JD weakly explained.
Frowning, Buck fiddled with the tuning dial and flipped the radio on once again.
This time The Who’s ‘Who Are You?’ came on.
“Here, something much better,” Buck grinned as he hummed to the music.
JD mustered up a smile, but couldn’t help feel a sense of foreboding as the song continued on.
THE END