Adult-FanFiction.org : Television / Streaming

Ask Me No Questions and I'll Tell You No Lies	By : OpenPage Category: 1 through F > 21 Jump Street Views: 2448 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own 21JS or the characters. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. All characters and events in this story are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead is coincidental.

Chapter List
- 43
- 44
- 45
Six months later – Sacramento, California
Arriving home after a twelve-hour shift at the prison where he had been working for the past four months, Dennis unlocked the front door of the house he rented and walking inside, he tossed his keys onto the coffee table and headed directly towards the bathroom. It had not been an easy day, he was tired, sweaty and he sported a fresh black eye from a wayward fist that had smacked him in the face when he stepped in to break up a fight that had resulted in one inmate receiving a fatal stab wound to the chest. Working at the maximum security facility was far more demanding than his previous position in Nevada but he continued to enjoy the job and deep down, he hoped that he was still making a difference in the lives of the men he watched over.
Bending over, he unlaced his boots and kicked them across the floor. He longed to take a hot shower to wash away the day’s events, before settling back with a beer, day old Chinese food and watching the Lakers annihilate the Celtics. Even though he now lived in Sacramento, his loyalty remained with his beloved Lakers, a team he had followed since he was a young boy. It was a good way to start his week-long vacation, he knew it would be an exciting game and he was looking forward to relaxing after such a stressful day.
Peering into the mirror, he studied the reddish bruise beneath his right eye. It was a hazard of the job but even after being on the force and working the last eighteen months as a correctional officer, he still found it increasingly difficult not to lose control when someone punched or attacked him. His automatic reaction was always to fight back but he had vowed only to use excessive force when absolutely necessary and most of the inmates respected him for that. In addition, his physique was somewhat intimidating and most of the prisoners knew better than to push him to breaking point. He was fit, he was strong and he was fast, a triple combination that mostly gave him the upper hand in a physical fight. His strength and agility had stood him in good stead over the years; however, they did not prevent him from receiving the occasional injury and today had been one of those days. His ribs ached and the bruising around his injured eye was becoming more prominent. However, they were minor injuries in comparison to the prisoner who now lay in the morgue and Dennis knew he had gotten off lightly. It could just as easily have been him lying on a cold slab, waiting for his parents to claim his body and it was a reminder of just how dangerous his job could be.
Pushing away the unsettling image, he started to unbutton his shirt, but he stopped when he heard the chime of his doorbell. For the briefest of moments, he considered ignoring it but on the off chance that it was something important he decided to answer it and with a loud sigh, he turned and padded back out into the living area.
Reaching the front door, he yanked it open and stared at the bowed head of a slim man standing on his porch. The man wore a baseball cap and in his hand he carried a brown paper parcel. Thinking that the young man was at the wrong house, he gave a small, polite smile. “Can I help you?”
The man lifted his head and Dennis gasped in shock when the beautiful face that haunted his dreams gazed back at him. When Tom gave his trademark half grin, he immediately felt his stomach flip-flop with desire and he marveled at the fact that even after so long apart, Hanson still had that effect on him. But as he gazed at the man that had made such a dramatic impact on his life, he immediately pushed the feelings of longing aside. He had built a new life for himself and this time he would not let Tom disrupt it, this time he would not allow the feelings in his heart to overrule his head. This time, he would be strong. “Tom,” he muttered in a quiet voice. “What are you doing here?”
They were echoed words from the past and the significance was not lost on Tom. A sad smile played over his full lips and he gazed deep into Dennis’ eyes. “I asked you that same question the last time I saw you,” he murmured softly. “And it signaled the end of our relationship. Do you think it’s an omen?”
Dennis’ lips set in a hard line as he struggled to keep his emotions in check. “I don’t know,” he replied stiffly. “Maybe.”
Tom lowered his gaze for a moment before lifting his head and giving Booker a wistful look. “This isn’t exactly the welcome I was hoping for,” he muttered quietly. “Aren’t you going to invite me in?”
Pulling himself together, Dennis stepped aside and motioned for Tom to enter. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “Come in.”
Stepping over the threshold, Hanson gazed around the large entrance hall before following Booker into the tastefully decorated living room. It was very different from the small apartment in Nevada and his heart swelled with pride; Dennis was obviously doing very well for himself. “Wow,” he smiled. “Nice place.”
Taking a seat in his favorite easy chair, Dennis motioned for Tom to sit on the couch. The shock of seeing his ex lover after so long was slowly starting to wear off and in its place was a mixture of anger and resentment. It had taken him months to get over Tom and move on with his life and now the man with whom he had shared so much pain and heartache was sitting in his living room acting as if none of the dramas of the last two years had ever happened.
Sitting forward in his chair, he clenched his fists into tight balls as he struggled to keep his voice calm. “So, how’ve you been?” he inquired in a tone tinged with bitterness. “You’re looking well.”
A pink hue tinged Tom’s cheeks and he squirmed uncomfortably. “Yeah, I suppose I do,” he replied quietly. “I guess I was a bit of a mess the last time you saw me.” He paused for a moment as he studied Dennis’ black eye. “What happened to your face?” he asked gently.
Unable to contain his emotions any longer, Booker jumped from his chair. “Jesus Christ Tom, this is bullshit!” he yelled in frustration. “I can’t sit here and exchange polite small talk with you when it’s been six fucking months since I’ve seen you! Things have changed... I’ve changed! Why the hell do you keep coming back and disrupting my life!”
Tom stared back in stunned silence. It had never occurred to him that he might cause Dennis pain by reinserting himself back into his life. The last six months had been tough for him; when Dennis had left, he had needed to learn how to take care of himself without the love and support of his friend. Doctor Farmer had been instrumental in helping him adjust and he had spent six weeks in a psychiatric facility so that he could receive extensive treatment to help him overcome his anxiety. When he finished his treatment, he had moved out of Penhall’s home and into a tiny studio apartment and even though his disability pension barely covered the rent, food and utilities, he could honestly say that he was happy for the first time in months. His therapy with Doctor Farmer continued and it was during one of his sessions that the psychologist had suggested exposure therapy. He had sat quietly whilst the doctor explained how the therapy worked and even though he felt his anxiety levels rise once he knew what it entailed, he had agreed.
The first session had been terrifying; through the help of the resident psychologist, he and Doctor Farmer visited the prison where he had spent a year of his life incarcerated. Even though they had only entered the administration part of the facility, it had been enough to trigger a full-blown panic attack and it had taken him days to recover fully.
Unperturbed, Farmer had persisted with the treatment and they visited the penitentiary a further eight times until Tom was finally able to enter the building without suffering any anxiety. Pleased with the results, the psychologist put forward stage two and three of his therapy and it was then that Tom knew that to complete them successfully, he needed to do them with Booker.
Now, sitting in Dennis’ house staring up at his ex lover’s angry face, he suddenly realized the selfishness of his motives. He had become so consumed with his own recovery that he had not given any thought to how it would affect his friend. However, he now realized that he had made a mistake. Booker was not the one who needed closure, he was and it was unfair to ask him to relive the horror of their imprisonment when it was perfectly obvious that he had moved on with his life.
Standing up, his mouth twitched into a remorseful smile. “I’m sorry Dennis,” he apologized quietly. “I shouldn’t have come here.”
Seeing the sadness on Tom’s face, Dennis felt his anger slowly slip away. Exhaling heavily, he spoke in a calm voice. “Why did you come here Tommy?”
Hanson grasped the brown paper parcel to his chest and lowered his gaze to the floor. “Doctor Farmer suggested it,” he replied slowly. “I’ve been having exposure therapy to help me with my anxiety and he… well, he suggested a couple of things that I needed to do and I guess I thought we could do them together.”
Hearing Tom speak about his therapy immediately made Dennis feel guilty. If Tom needed his help, the least he could do was listen to what he had to say. Motioning his hand towards the couch, he sat back down and leaning his elbows on his knees, he rested his chin in his hands. “How did you find me?” he asked. “Did Penhall do a background check on me?”
Another blush stained Tom’s cheeks. “Yeah,” he admitted guiltily. “But don’t blame Doug, I asked him to.”
Dennis shrugged his shoulders. “It doesn’t matter,” he replied softly. “When I was a cop I probably would have done the same thing.”
Tom nodded his head and smiling awkwardly, he steeled himself for what he knew was to be the next question.
“So,” Dennis continued in a quiet voice. “What is it you want me to help you with?”
Shaking his head, Hanson immediately covered the parcel in his lap with his hands. “Don’t worry about it,” he muttered. “It was a bad idea.”
A deep frown creased Dennis’ brow and he gave Tom a hard stare. “You traveled over six hours to see me Tommy,” he commented. “Which makes me think it must be something important.”
Tom felt backed into a corner. He did not want to lie to Dennis about his intentions but now that he was about to reveal his reason for coming to Sacramento, he felt nervous and unsure. When Dennis had left Doug’s apartment on that fateful day, he had known that their relationship was over and that was why he had not tried to make contact. It had been his gift to Booker, to give him a fresh start away from the emotional turmoil of his damaged life. However, when he had successfully completed the first part of his exposure therapy, he had become so engrossed in his recovery that he forgot his promise to let Dennis live his life and now, he was once again about to ask his friend to relive their past.
Taking a deep breath, he picked up the small rectangular package and held it in his hand. “I want to ask you to do something with me,” he confessed in a soft voice. “And if you want to say no, that’s okay because—”
“Tom!” Dennis interrupted impatiently. “Just tell me!”
Leaning forward, Tom held out the package with a trembling hand. “This is a copy of the video Bentley made of us. I want you to watch it with me.”
The walls of the room closed in on Dennis and his vision blurred. The horrors of his past had returned.
- 43
- 44
- 45
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Ask Me No Questions and I'll Tell You No Lies