Author: Glo email: goglow@lycos.com

Standard Disclaimer: These Houston Knights belong to Jay Bernstein and Michael Butler and Columbia Pictures. No copyright infringement is intended. This is fan fiction and I make nothing from this story. Any original characters in these stories are mine.

Lundy's Friend
By Glo

Joe turned to look at where his partner was sitting at a back table in Chicken's. The cowboy looked rougher than Joe could ever remember seeing him. His blonde hair was mussed and hanging down over his forehead and his sinewy hands were locked around a short glass, dark with the bourbon from the bottle that stood at his elbow. As Joe LaFiamma watched, Lundy tossed back the contents of the glass and thumped it down on the wooden table, reaching for the bottle even as the tumbler's base hit the table.

Chicken, the huge black man who owned and operated the rib house, leaned on the plank countertop of his grill and jerked his head at LaFiamma, gesturing to Joe to come talk with him. LaFiamma spared one more look at his partner, then walked over to Chicken. "He been like this for long?"

Chicken nodded and rested on his elbows, nodding Joey closer. "Joe, the boy's been here since about five, won't talk, been drinking steady. Real quiet."

Joe LaFiamma, who'd been phoned by Chicken about thirty minutes earlier and woken from a sound sleep, ran his hands carelessly through his hair, as if that might clear his brain. [What's bothering Lundy?] He nodded at the black man who was friend to both his partner and to him, then headed across the wood floor to where Lundy sat, staring straight ahead.

LaFiamma hesitated for a moment when he reached Lundy's table, then heaved a grand sigh and yanked out a chair, dropping in to it almost melodramatically. He didn't speak directly to Lundy. Instead, he glanced back over his shoulder towards the grill and called out, "Chicken, can you send another glass over this way?"

Lundy was trying very hard to ignore his partner, his mind was blank and he wanted to keep it that way. Grimly he poured bourbon into his glass. Set the bottle down. Wrapped his hands around the glass and stared down into the warm amber depths.

Someone walked over to their table and set a glass in front of LaFiamma. Levon heard him say, "thanks," quietly. Then the man had the audacity to reach across Lundy, take the bottle of Four Roses and pour hizself a drink. Lundy glared at LaFiamma but did not speak.

Joe poured a drink and set the bottle down between and across the table from them, then picked up the glass, studying it carefully as if expecting it to suddenly change. While looking into the glittering liquid, he said softly, "Must be a tough problem or a sore one."

Lundy didn't answer at first. He brought his glass to his lips. Joe noticed it wavered slightly on its path. He drank about a third of the glass and set it back down, still silent.

Joe shrugged and took a swallow, wincing at the way the alcohol burned down his throat and heated his insides. Bourbon was not his drinking choice, in fact, he hadn't had any hard liquor in a long time. The next sip was easier. He did not speak again, just kept on sipping.
By the time the bottle was empty, neither man had spoken a word, but they were companionably trading off turns at refills from the bottle. It was LaFiamma who called to Chicken that they needed a new bottle. He did this while waving the empty one in the air by the neck. When he tried to set it back down, he missed the edge of the table and the bottle smashed on the floor. "Oops."

Lundy studied the mess over one arm. Looked owlishly back up at LaFiamma. "You missed."

"I know that."

"Completely."

"Yeah, guess you could shay - say that."

"Joe? When's the last time you went onna binge?"

"Binge? Is that what we're doin'?" LaFiamma asked carefully, pulling his empty glass close to his chest and cradling it against his shirt.

"'z'its what Ah'm doin'."

At this point, Chicken arrived with a new bottle of bourbon and a grim look on his face. "You two sure this is a good idea?"

LaFiamma looked sincerely up at the tall man, "Chicken, I always back up my partner."

Hiding a grin and shaking his head, the black man answered, "Joey, this ain't exactly what I had in mind when I called you."

"Wassamatter? What wuz he'supposed ta do?" Lundy was pouring another drink now.

With exasperation, Chicken shrugged monumentally and walked away without answering.

"Guess he don' feel like 'ny conversation." Lundy whispered confidingly in LaFiamma's ear.

"Guess not," Joe answered, nodding again. "Do you?"

"Whalll, Ah didn't, but since yore here enyway..."

"Yeah?" Joe paused and refilled his glass.

"Ah lost a good friend t'day."

"You did? I'm sorry, Levon."

There was silence, then, "Hadn't seen'm inna long, long time. But he wuz mah friend, nonetheless. And today, he died." Lundy's knuckles were white around his glass and his deep brown eyes were suddenly frighteningly sober and angry.

"Wha - what happened?" Joe asked slowly. LaFiamma sat up a bit, pushing away his own glass.

Lundy sighed deeply. "Ah got a call. From the rest home out in Scarlett. Ah'm... Ah wuz hiz ony next o'kin. Kermit died this mornin' in hiz sleep. He wuz thirty-one years old."

Joe absorbed this, trying to clear his thoughts of the cloud of alcohol that threatened to overwhelm him. "This Kermit? Why was he inna home?"

Levon flicked an assessing glance over at LaFiamma. "Wuz mah first pardner, when Ah was a uniform. Afore Joann even. He took a bullet fur me."

Joe waited.

"He was brain-damaged. Had to be put inna home, couldn't care fur hizself no more." Levon's long legs stretched out in front of him and he straight-armed his glass across the table where it rolled on and over the edge onto the floor. The sound of the heavy glass bouncing on the wooden floor was dull and hollow.

LaFiamma blinked and put a hand on one long, tight arm, the muscles in it nearly strumming with tension. Joe gripped it firmly. "Levon. Doesn't sound like it was your fault."

"Wasn't. Kermit, he shouldn't'a never jumped in front o'me. But he did. We wuz good friends, known each other at the academy. Known each other on the streets. Ah could count on him to watch mah back."

LaFiamma's eyes took on a pained look. He'd lost his share of partners, too. And now, this one was almost, not quite, but almost suggesting that Joey wasn't one to be counted on. He pushed the hurt away and tried to rewire his brain to concentrate on helping Levon. Just the drink talking, Joey told himself. "I'm really sorry about Kermit."

"Yeah." Lundy stood up suddenly, swayed. Stared down at his current pardner. LaFiamma looked more disreputable than he'd ever seen the man. He wuz wearin' some kinda black tee-shirt, looked sorta old, worn. Dungerees, dark gray, wuz a hole in one knee. And old Adidas runnin' shoes. No socks. Boy wuz a positive disgrace. Hunh. Levon shook his head which was a mistake because he lost his balance and had to stagger to catch himself upright again.

LaFiamma put his glass down untouched. Stood and caught Lundy by one arm. "Le's go home, huh?"

"Where's home fur you, LaFamma?"

Levon spoke so seriously that Joe decided to ignore the slight to his name. "Where ever you are, cowboy."

"Hunh." Lundy grabbed at the back of the chair that he'd dragged back under the table in front of him. "Tha's a new'un."

LaFiamma's blue eyes were so dark now that they looked black. "Levon. I'm your partner. I gotta back you up, just like Kermit did."

"NO!" Levon spun on his boot heels and faced the tall brunette from Chicago. "You ain't nothin' like Kermit!" Then he grabbed the ex-Chicago cop with both hands on the brunette's shoulders, shaking him none too gently. "Nothing!'

"Lundy, stop it! You're gonna make me sick." LaFiamma tried to break free of the other's iron grip without hurting him. No luck. "Please, Levon?" The tone was softer, a bit frazzled.

Lundy stopped and stared at LaFiamma. "Joey, yore much better than Kermit. 'N Ah trust you with mah life." His voice dropped. Truth shone from the brown eyes. "With mah love."

LaFiamma's eyes widened in shocked surprise. This was the last thing he'd expected tonight, especially after what Levon had just said before. "Levon?"

Lundy felt cold and hot all at once. He hadn't meant to say that last, it just kinda popped out. Feelin' sad and lonely tonight. Lost a good friend, even if he'd really 'died' long ago. [Now mah pardner's here tryin' to help me and Ah lay that on him. Lose him fur sure now.] Lundy let his hands fall to his sides, feeling sick and sober, he didn't answer, just started to turn away.

The world had shrunk to two warm brown eyes for Joey LaFiamma. Levon loved him. Oh, shit, what a time to find out - when I'm half-skunked. Damn, no way I can make him believe me if I tell him I feel the same. Stop him, keep him with me, that's all I can do for now. Joe grabbed again for Lundy's arms, missed.

Lundy jumped in surprise as his pardner made a grab toward him, missed, and slid down Lundy and onto the floor. Staring down at the brunette, crumpled at hiz feet, Lundy wuz suddenly a very worried man. "JOEY!" He stooped and tried to lift LaFiamma. No way, the boy is bigger'n me on even a good day. Then thick black arms were there, lifting LaFiamma easily, cradling the man like a baby against his chest - Chicken stood tall and faced Lundy.

"Levon, you got a lot to answer for." Chicken looked down at the now unconscious brunette in his arms, then back up at Lundy who stood pale and frightened in front of him. "I called Mr. LaFiamma to come try and stop you from drinking yourself into an early grave tonight. Guess he figured since he couldn't stop you, he'd join you."

"Ah had more'n him, Chicken," Lundy sounded desperately confused.

The older man frowned, not even straining at the weight he held. "You still don't know too much about your own pardner, do you, Levon?" Chicken paused, then continued, "He told me one time that he don't drink serious liquor 'cause he used to have a bad problem with it. Sticks to water, or a glass o' wine or one beer, most of the time."

"You think he's sick?"

"Levon, I don't know. Only he didn't drink all that much and he's the one passed out." Chicken turned and started toward the front door. "Where's your truck? You're gonna have to take him home."

"Home." Lundy obediently followed, feeling more sober, and more nervous by the minute. He wuz fishin' out hiz keys from one jean's pocket when Chicken slammed the passenger door shut on hiz pardner's collapsed form. "Don't worry none, Chicken, Ah'll take care of him."

"You better, Levon. He's a good man." Chicken wiped his brow and swung around, heading back into the simple restaurant. "Good night, drive careful," drifted over his shoulder.

Lundy slid into the driver's seat and looked over at Joe. The man was sleeping peacefully, strapped into the seat belt. With one hand, Levon reached over and brushed back the dark hair that had fallen forward into Joey's eyes. [Sweet baby.] He sighed. [Get a grip, he don't want you thet way.]

Joe felt the gentle caress of fingers sweeping his hair back from his face. He knew he and Lundy were alone in the truck now. He'd been swimming in and out of consciousness while their friend Chicken held him. Sick from that liquor, knew it was a bad idea. He shook his head and instantly regretted it, moaning.

"Joey?"

"Ah, yeah?"

"How ya doin'?"

"Not too well, Levon. I feel sick."

"That wuzn't too smart, drinkin' liquor you know don't agree with you."

"You were hurtin' - had to find a way to help you, talk to you. Figured if I drank with you, you might talk to me."

"Promise me you won't try this stunt agin. Next time, jest tell me you want to talk."

"Okay," came the soft reply.

Lundy started up the truck and headed out, dropping one hand to rest on Joey's nearest one. LaFiamma turned over his hand so he could grip Lundy's in return, squeezed it.

"Levon?" Joe ignored the moving condition of their vehicle and leaned over, close to his partner. "Levon?"

Struggling to keep the truck pointed on the road, watch traffic and deal with Joe, Levon stole a look at his pardner. "Joey, can you wait til we get to mah place?"

"Just want you to know." Joe swallowed on some bile that threatened to turn the moment into a less than memorable one. "Want you to know. I love. I love."

"Joey?"

"I love you... too."

And Lundy was slamming on the breaks and swerving the truck to the curbside. Throwing the gear into neutral, he yanked up the emergency brake and finally was able to look fully at his pardner. "Joe, did you hear what you jest said?"

"Yeah. I love you." Joey was smiling widely now, staring wisely into Levon's eyes. His blue ones were so dark that they seemed bottomless. "Always will. Should I tell you?"

Levon nearly laughed at the last, so serious question. Instead he captured Joey's face between his hands, then took Joe's mouth with hiz own. The kiss deepened, lengthened. "Yeah. You can tell me. You can tell me enything, Joey, 'cause Ah love you very much."

Joe seemed to melt forward into Levon's arms. Plastered against the other, LaFiamma smiled faintly, spoke softly. "My hangover is gonna be worth it, you're worth it, Levon. Just don't let me forget."

Levon smiled tenderly now, his arms wrapped around hiz pardner. He may have lost Kermit today, but he'd found Joe some time ago. Tonight jest made it official. "Love you, Joey, now you jest rest and Ah'll see that we git home safe."

----finis----