Boomtown/Desperate Housewives: David & David, Part 13
Title: David and David
Fandoms: Boomtown, Desperate Housewives
Author: L.A.K. willos_world
Rating: PG
Summary: What happens when David McNorris meets Dave Williams/Dave Dash? What is their connection? What does it mean for LA's self-destructive deputy district attorney and the residents of Wisteria Lane?
Disclaimer: Boomtown and Desperate Housewives belong to their respective rights owners.
A/N: Part 13 is the final chapter. Or as they say on Wisteria Lane, it ain't over 'til Mary Alice (or some other dead person) sings. And if they don't say that, they should. Thanks to everyone on LJ and FF.Net who's read/reviewed along the way.
Previously on David and David: Prologue | Mary Alice Young | David McNorris | Mike Delfino | Andrea Little | Dave Williams | Jack McNorris | Katherine Mayfair | Susan Mayer | Dave Dash | David McNorris | Dave Williams | MJ Delfino | David McNorris | Jack McNorris | Dave Dash | David McNorris | Jack McNorris
MARY ALICE YOUNG
Actions have consequences. A lifelong affection for the bottle leads to a diagnosis of liver disease. A sense of loyalty to your father drives you to find his long-lost love child. An absent father’s burning guilt sees him attack an innocent child to avenge his son’s family…
Susan screamed. “Oh my god! That’s my baby! MJ? MJ! Oh my god, call 911!”
Sometimes actions have ironic consequences. A senseless attack on your child is the catalyst for you to make amends with an adversary…
A hand touched Susan lightly on the shoulder. “Ambulance is on the way,” Katherine said quietly.
Susan’s lip quivered and she threw her arms around her old friend, sobbing. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled.
Katherine held her tightly and together they prayed silently for MJ.
Some people think they’re beyond caring about the consequences of their actions…
Collateral damage. It was a shame things had worked out the way they had, but Jack McNorris believed his friend had achieved everything he needed to in his life. For someone so full of talk and little else, Kerry Fitzpatrick had had an uncanny ability to avoid falling on the sword throughout his life - thanks mostly to Jack - and even Fitz must have understood that couldn’t continue forever. There wasn’t much else Kerry could contribute to anyone, but Jack still had work to do in whatever time he had left.
Jack turned the key in the lock and opened his front door. “Sarah, I’m home!” he called, as he was greeted by the scent of cupcakes in the oven.
“Jack!” Sarah burst into the hall and jumped into the arms of her husband, tears of joy and relief flowing down her cheeks. “Darling, where have you been?”
“Just… driving around,” Jack replied, looking over Sarah’s shoulder to see David Francis glaring frostily at him with a suitcase at his feet. “Hello, son.”
“Hello, Pop,” said David Francis coolly. “Head all clear now?”
The corner of Jack’s mouth flinched slightly as he tried to analyse his son’s expression. “Yes, thank you,” he said.
“Good,” David Francis replied, picking up the suitcase. “Well, I’d better go. I should be able to get a flight back to LA tonight.” He walked over and kissed his mother on the cheek, his sharp blue eyes never leaving Jack’s. “Love you, Mom.”
“You’re leaving already?” asked Sarah.
“Yeah, unfortunately the work keeps piling up. And Pop’s back to take care of you, aren’t you, Pop?”
“Absolutely,” said Jack.
But even the best calculation of one’s actions often fails to take into account all the consequences…
David McNorris let himself out of his parents’ home and began to walk away.
“David Francis!”
David puckered his lips together and considered ignoring his father before spinning around irritably.
“What’s the matter, son?” asked Jack, approaching him.
David stared at the ground, his jaw tight. “Mayor Fitzpatrick,” he said softly. “I remember him, Pop. He was your first boss at City Hall, right? Your old drinking buddy.” David looked up and met Jack squarely in the eye. “I remember him watching the Bruins and Celtics with us. I remember how you used to tease him about letting the big boys do all the hard work he’d never have the stomach for, while feeding off them to elevate his career. You weren’t just talking about hockey or basketball either.”
Jack tipped his chin back and frowned. “What’s your point, son?”
David offered a sad almost-smile. “He’s in a coma under police guard tonight. DUI… attempted murder… For his sake, it's probably better if he doesn't make it. Oh, and you know what, Mike Delfino was admitted to hospital a few days ago and now his kid’s in intensive care.” David took a menacing step towards Jack. “You didn’t happen to spend the past few days in Fairview, did you?” Immediately, David held up his hand, shook his head and sniffed bitterly. “Actually, don’t answer that, Pop. I don’t want to know.” David closed his eyes with a pained expression on his face, and began to walk away again.
“David Francis, if you have something to say, you damn well say it.”
David halted. He swallowed hard and took a deep breath, angry tears welling in his eyes. “You better hope that kid pulls through, Pop,” he spat, without turning around. “Maybe Dave Williams really is his father’s son.”
Jack didn’t reply. David walked on and kept walking, wondering if he could ever face Jack McNorris again.
***
MJ Delfino sat up, rubbing his eyes and looking around. “Wow,” he mouthed in astonishment. He was surrounded by an endless field of white cotton candy. Hungrily, he ripped off a piece and let the sweet sticky floss dissolve in his mouth. As he looked up, he could see a shimmering golden light in the distance.
“MJ!”
The hollow, echoing voice came from somewhere far behind him but when he turned around, there was nothing but white fluff. He frowned, and started crawling in the direction of the light.
“MJ!”
MJ paused. “Mama?” His voice sounded small and tinny. He wondered where he was.
“MJ!”
MJ looked around for his mother but the only thing he could see was the golden light. It beckoned him closer, and he made his way towards it.
“MJ?”
MJ stopped. This new voice sounded familiar but it wasn’t his mommy. It seemed to be coming from in front of him, where the light was. MJ crawled a little faster, trying to work out who it was.
“MJ, what are you doing here?” A beautiful woman with long blonde hair appeared in front of him, hovering gently above the candy field.
MJ looked up and blinked. “Edie?”
Edie Britt-Williams smiled warmly and nodded. “Fancy a girl like me being let through the pearly gates,” she laughed, before growing serious. “But you shouldn’t be here, MJ. Not yet.”
“I’m looking for Mommy,” said MJ, sitting back. “But I can’t find her.”
“That’s because you’re looking in the wrong place,” Edie replied. She leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss on MJ’s forehead. “Now go. Go home where you belong. It’s not your time.”
MJ grabbed one last handful of cotton candy and stuffed it into his mouth before the field and Edie and the golden light dissolved, and everything went black.
An unfamiliar voice rang out in the darkness. “He’s got some bruising of the skull but no brain damage. He ought to make a full recovery.”
“Thank God,” gasped Susan’s voice.
“…Mama?”
“MJ!”
MJ’s eyes gradually flickered open to the relieved, tear-streaked faces of his mother, father, and Katherine standing over him.
Mike’s face still bore some cuts and bruises, but he grinned brightly. “Good to see you awake,” he said. He pointed to his arm, which was bound to his chest in a sling and cast, then at MJ. “You broke your arm too. Now we’re gonna match.”
MJ giggled.
Susan leaned over and kissed his head. “I love you so much, my baby.”
“Edie just kissed me right in that same spot,” said MJ.
The three grown-ups looked at each other in confusion. “Edie?”
“I saw her,” MJ explained. “There was cotton candy everywhere and a yellow light but she said it wasn’t my time.”
Susan began to weep.
“Aw, don’t cry, Mama,” said MJ. He looked at Katherine, then back at his mother. “Are you and Katherine friends again?”
Katherine looked startled. Susan wiped her eyes.
“What do you mean, sweetie?” said Susan. “We’ve always been friends.”
MJ raised his eyebrows and sighed. “Does anyone have my macaroons?” he asked sweetly.
***
“Ah, Mr McNorris. This way.” Dr Riviera forced himself to smile as Jack McNorris swaggered back into Boston Ridgegate Mental Hospital. It was just his luck that Dave Williams had found himself related to a nefarious pair like the McNorrises, thought Dr Riviera, as he led Jack to the observation room where Williams sat appropriately sedated.
“I’m seeing my son alone,” Jack told him flatly. “No listening in either.”
Riviera and McNorris regarded each other suspiciously before the doctor opened the door and Jack stepped into the room.
Dave looked up and a slow smile spread across his face. “Jack! It’s good to see you again.” They shook hands and Jack took the seat across from him as the door clicked shut behind them. Dave’s face grew sober. “They ‘assessed’ me. They don’t think I’m ready to leave.”
Jack pursed his lips together. “You’ll get out of here, Dave.” David Francis hadn’t been willing to test anyone’s corruptibility after so long away from Massachusetts, but Jack knew there was no one in the world that couldn’t be bought. Jack turned and glared at Riviera through the window before returning his gaze to Dave. “Meanwhile, I went to Fairview and did what you couldn’t.”
Dave blinked. “What do you mean?”
“Gave Mike Delfino a few bruises he won’t forget. Had MJ hit by a car.”
“MJ? Is he dead?!”
“He’s in hospital,” said Jack lightly. “For all I know, he’ll be fine. But Susan will get the sickening fright of her life before she knows for sure, and she’ll start to see what you went through.”
Dave shook his head in wonder and gross fascination. “Why would you do a thing like that?”
“Because you couldn’t and I’m your father.”
“But you could go to jail!”
“I’ll die first.” Jack shrugged. “I’m a Fixer, remember? One who’s never seen the inside of a prison, by the way, and I don’t intend to start now.” He wiped the smirk off his face and leaned forward slightly. “Look Dave, I was the man to call for assignments like this before you were even born. You never had to be a Fixer and you’re probably a better person for it. But I knew, or learned early on, that the job has to be carried through to the end. You let your feelings get in the way because you didn’t have to do what I had to my entire adult life.”
Dave stared vacantly into the space between them, letting a deep silence fill it.
“Wow,” he murmured at last, as he slowly drifted back to the present. Dave matched Jack’s sardonic smile as blue eyes met blue eyes. “You’re nothing like my dad.”
THE END...?
or you can read the story in its entirety at FanFiction.Net