A New Dawn Ch. 09

So "Hi," guys. Once again, a cop story with just a smidgen of sex and incest. I've told you how these stories tend to write themselves, and how the characters often dictate what's happening and what's going to happen and I just type it all. This time, the first part popped into my head fully fledged. But it made me write myself into a corner. I pulled out of it with a totally implausible ending. Mea culpa.

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Jenny Myers was walking down a sidewalk on Ocean Avenue near the beach in Santa Monica. She had had a light dinner at Meat On Ocean, or as light a dinner as one can get there. She had purposely parked aways away from the restaurant so she could walk it off before heading home. She also enjoyed walking at night close to the ocean, where the night air was redolent with salty goodness. Before she got to the public parking lot, she heard the sounds of fighting. Against her better judgement, she investigated.

Three men were attacking another man in the alley between the parking lot and a restaurant. The man appeared to be holding his own against the three, using a mix of martial arts moves and straight boxing. As she watched, one of the three who was now behind the man they were attacking pulled out what looked like a sizeable knife.

"This will not do," she thought as she ran towards the knife wielder. She took him from behind with a joint lock that eventually made him drop the knife, but not before he partially turned and aimed it at her. She grappled and put him down with an elbow to the temple. As soon as she was sure he was out, she jumped at one of the other attackers. This left whom she assumed to be the victim free to finish the third man. When he turned towards her she could see that he was bleeding profusely from the head. Her guy turned and ran. She turned back to the victim, who was now down on his knees, holding his head.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"Yeah," the man said. "I fucked up and took a good shot to the head with something hard."

"You looked like you were doing okay. Where did you learn those moves?"

"Around," he said. "And thanks. Where did you learn yours? You put your guy down like nobody's business."

"MCMAP training," she said.

"Marine?"

"Ex-Marine."

The man stood. "There's no such thing as an ex-Marine. Once a Marine, always a Marine. Semper Fi."

"How did you know MCMAP?"

"I was a Ranger. I got to spar with one of your instructors a few times."

"Hooah, Ranger. What in hell was this fight about?"

"I have no idea. They just appeared. I'm guessing they were after money." He looked at her. "By the way, you're bleeding, too."

She looked down and sure enough, there was a significant slice on her abdomen. The asshole must have managed it before she made him drop the knife. The adrenaline had kept her from feeling it. The man whipped off his shirt, lifted up hers, looked at the wound, bundled up his shirt, and pressed it against her.

"Keep pressure on it. You'll be okay," he said. "But please let me drive you to my house so we can fix it right. Or to a hospital, your choice."

She studied him for a bit. Without his shirt on, she could see that he was in incredibly good shape. She could also see that he was carrying a semi-automatic pistol. He saw where she was looking, and reached for his wallet and showed her his credentials.

"I'm a cop," he said. "You can trust me."

"My car is just down the street," she said.

"Yeah. Well, after this I hate to let you walk there alone in the dark. I owe you big time. Please let me drive you somewhere."

She WAS feeling a little faint. "Hmm. Is it okay with you if I call 911?"

"Yup. When you call, tell them that you need an RA unit and that a Robbery Homicide detective needs assistance."

She thought a moment, then "Okay, you passed the test. Drive me to your house and we'll figure it out from there."

He walked her to his car and opened the door for her and she climbed into the passenger seat.

"I'm Jenny Ryan, by the way. May I know your name?"

"Rand," he said. "Johnny Rand."

------

Once he started the car, which looked like a standard issue undercover police car except for the nice interior, he fired up his phone. The ring sounded over the car speakers.

"2501," she heard.

"Mary Beth, I'm in trouble. Can you get Buddy and Jen over to our house? Buddy's a lot better at first aid than I am."

Silence. Then, "Girls! You're on speaker now, Johnny."

"I was attacked down near the pier. I was rescued by a Marine, who got sliced with a knife, and whom I'm bringing home. We'll do triage there and figure out what to do next."

"Copy. Are you hurt?"

"Nah, I'm fine." Jenny looked at him. His face was covered in blood.

"You know where we are. I'll be there in just a few minutes. I'm hanging up now. Please call Buddy."

Rand pretty much ignored the speed limit, wanting to get home and knowing that if he got a cop on his tail he'd be pretty much golden with his get out of jail free card from the LAPD chief of police. When he pulled into his driveway all three girls were out there, waiting. He walked around the car and opened the door for Jenny, then together they went up the walk. That's when the girls saw all the blood.

"Johnny!" Dawn screamed, and ran to him.

"It's okay, baby, it's just a scalp wound. They bleed like a bastard." He pointed at Jenny. "She's the one you should be caring for. She saved my ass."

Dawn looked at her, and at the slashed blouse and blood. "She's the Marine?"

"Yes she is, and don't piss her off, because she has the skills to make you regret it." But he said it with a smile.

"I didn't save his ass. I just helped. He would have put all three of them down; it just would have taken longer."

"Three?" Jay said. "What did you get yourself into, Johnny?"

"I have absolutely no idea. We'll talk later. Right now, let's get this young lady into a bed. And somebody please call the Pacific Division, let them know what's happened, and ask them to please send a unit out.

They walked into the house, Johnny unwilling to let go of Jenny's arm on the way there.

"Where's Kimmy?" he said.

"Asleep," Mary Beth said. "We didn't want to wake her up for this.

Mary Beth called the police while the other two girls walked Jenny into a spare bedroom and got her to lie down. Dawn pulled her shirt up and pulled off the shirt that Johnny had given her as a compress.

"Shit," she said when she saw the blood and the cut. "I don't think Buddy's tape job will do the trick. You need stiches."

"I'll be the judge of that," said Buddy Magellas from behind her. "I brought all my best stuff." He walked over to the bed and surveyed the scene. "Can you remove your shirt, please?"

Jenny stared at him. "I'm not wearing a bra," she said.

"He's a trained combat medic," Jen Magellas said from behind him. "I think he can handle it."

"Tell you what," Buddy said. "I'll go into the hall, you take off your shirt, use it to cover up your boobies, then yell when you're ready." He walked away.

... And Johnny Rand walked in, just in time for the big reveal.

"Dammit, I'm sorry," he said as he turned to face the door.

"It's okay," Jenny said. "I trust you now."

Johnny continued facing the door until Dawn yelled, "All covered up now." Buddy came back in. He looked at the knife wound. It didn't take long.

"I'm afraid Dawn was right. I'll disinfect and tape it up, but I think you're going to need stitches. We need to get you to a hospital."

"I don't have medical insurance," Jenny said.

"Don't worry about it. For what you did, it's on me," Johnny said.

"What did she do?" Buddy said. "What is this all about?"

"She saved my ass. I'll tell the longer version later."

"I did not save your ass," Jenny said. "You were doing just fine by yourself. But there were three of them, which seemed a little unfair."

"This story we all need to hear, Johnny," Dawn said. "But right now, the cops are on their way here and you really, really need a shower. Your face is covered in blood."

"Okay," Rand said. "I'll make it quick. Meanwhile, can you find something for Jenny to wear? If you want, it can be one of my t-shirts." He left the room.

"Combat medic," Jenny said. "Lemme guess: Rangers?"

"Hooah," Buddy said. "Right the first time. Johnny and I served together. You?"

"Marines."

"Oorah, Marine. What was your MOS?"

She looked away. "Supply," she said softly.

"Hey, Marine, eyes on me right now!" She looked back up at Buddy.

"Where do you think us grunts would have been without Supply? Nowhere fast, that's where. It's an honorable MOS. You're a fucking Marine, and that's what counts." He paused. "Pardon my French."

Jenny laughed, then winced. "Ooh, that hurt."

That was as Rand walked in with two Pacific Division cops. Between Johnny and Jenny, they quickly told their story to the cops, the girls, and Buddy and Jen.

"Remind me not to piss you off, Jenny," Buddy said.

The cops asked Rand if he wanted to arrange transport for Jenny.

"No, I'm going to drive her to Reagan. Thanks for coming out and taking our story. It would be a bonus if you could find those three guys, but the odds are slim. Look for one guy who took a hard joint lock to his knife elbow."

The officers shook hands all around and left.

"Ready?" Johnny asked Jenny.

"Ready," she said. She slid over, stood up, and fainted. Her tattered blouse fell away from her breasts.

"Somebody get some water," Johnny said. "Somebody else get a t-shirt. Please. I'm pretty sure this woman saved my life tonight."

Mary Beth and Jay moved into action. Johnny covered Jenny back up.

"Dawn, can you come to the hospital with us?"

"Only if you get your head looked at, too."

"Deal."

------

Dawn held Jenny in the back seat while Johnny drove as quickly as was safe to the hospital. He parked in the no parking zone which was reserved for ambulances, put his LAPD placard on the dash, got out of the car, and helped the ladies out. They walked into the emergency room which was surprisingly uncrowded.

"May I help you?" The woman behind the counter said.

Rand badged her, then said "Knife wound to the abdomen, and a fainting spell. Please expedite if you can."

"Yessir." She pressed a button.

Two nurses, or a nurse and an orderly, or two orderlies -- he couldn't tell; they were both in scrubs -- quickly came through the door with a gurney. They helped Jenny onto it and whisked her away. Dawn followed.

Meanwhile, Johnny went back to the counter to attend to the paperwork.

"Thank you," he said, and handed the nice lady a credit card. "Please put all charges onto this."

She stared at him. "No insurance?"

"Not a bit," he said. "But my card can handle it." He started to walk to the chairs to sit and wait.

"Sir, I'm going to need some information about the patient."

"I'll bet you are. Unfortunately, I don't have any. At all. I can go out to my car and get her purse; maybe it'll have what you need."

Turned out that it had the basics, her name and where she lived and stuff. No info like blood type, or allergies, or medications. That would have to wait.

Johnny arranged to keep Jenny's room private, then trudged around the waiting room, then sat, then got up again and walked outside, then walked back inside, and sat again. It was taking a long time, but for this lady he would wait all night. He really hoped that she would have no scars. She was pretty, and from what he'd seen of her body she was also pretty fine. And athletic.

Dawn came through the doors and sat down next to him. "She's going to be fine. Buddy was right, she'll need stiches. The nurse didn't want to do it so they're waiting on a doctor."

Rand jumped up and went back to the counter. And the nice lady.

"Do you have a plastic surgeon on call?"

"Yes."

"Please call him or her in. And don't let a regular doctor stich Jenny up until he or she gets here."

"Sir, it's the middle of the night."

"It is. And I brought my biggest credit card. Please call."

Turned out, even rich (Johnny assumed) plastic surgeons are willing to come to the hospital in the middle of the night when good money is involved. He fairly quickly stitched her up and came back out.

"There will be a scar, but not much of one," he said. "Was she actually in a knife fight?"

"Yes, actually," Rand said. "I want to thank you for coming here so quickly."

"Wait until you see my bill," he said, grinning, and left.

"I'm going back to see her," he told Dawn.

"You should," she said.

He negotiated with the counter lady and she checked her computer and told him how to get to Jenny's room. He navigated there and paused at the open door. There were privacy screens by the two beds but they were both open, and the other bed was empty. Jenny was under a sheet. Rand closed the door and walked in and sat down by the bed. She opened her eyes.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi your own self," Rand said. He took her hand.

"I feel woozy," she said. "They gave me something. They want to keep me overnight."

"Sounds right," Rand said. "You passed out at my place."

"Why are you doing this for me? This is going to cost a small fortune."

"Shut the fuck up," Rand said mildly. "Are you kidding with the 'why'?"

"I could check out now AMA and save you some money."

"Here's what's going to happen, Woozy" Rand said. "You are going to stay right here and go to sleep. I am going to go home and get you some clean clothes, because you bled all over mine, then I am going to come back and sit right here with you and watch you sleep all night."

Two uniformed police officers knocked softly on the door and came in. They were off duty, and on Johnny's dime.

"These nice officers will stay here while I'm gone. You're going to be fine, and safe, and you're going to go to sleep, Marine. That's an order."

------

When Rand came back after taking Dawn home, Jenny was indeed asleep. He put her clothes and her purse next to the bed, sat down in the chair, and promptly also fell asleep.

"Johnny?"

He woke up to sun streaming through the window. He had passed out and slept all night. Some bodyguard.

"Hey. How do you feel today?"

"Still woozy. I don't know what they're giving me here, but it's good stuff. I need to pee, and I've pressed the button, but no nurse. Can you help me to the bathroom?"

"Of course."

He helped her into the bathroom, and lifted the toilet seat lid, and started to exit.

"Johnny."

"Yes?" He turned back around as she was lifting her dumb hospital gown up and he could see it all.

"Please stay. I don't want to be alone."

"Okay." He turned around again. He heard her let loose and yeah, boy, did she have to pee. It went on and finally stopped. There was the sound of the paperwork being done, then "Help me to the sink?"

He did. She washed her hands and dried them and leaned on him as he led her back to bed.

"How much is this costing you?" she said as she climbed into the bed.

"I dunno," he said.

"What do you mean, 'you dunno'?"

"I mean I don't care."

"What are you, rich or something?"

Rand said nothing.

"I refuse to be a charity case, or to owe you. I'll find a way to pay you back. But it might take a while."

Rand looked at her for a time. "What do you do for a living?" he said.

She looked at the wall, as she had when she told Buddy that her MOS was supply.

"I'm a bartender," she said softly.

"Outstanding," Johnny said. "I'm taking you back to my place, and you're going to make me a Perfect Manhattan, and we'll call it even."

She stared at him.

"I AM rich," he said. "And guess what: after last night, so are you."

"You don't look rich. You're wearing old jeans and a Led Zep t-shirt."

"That's nothing. You should see my other rich friends."

Tears started rolling down her face.

"No, no, no!" Rand said, and went to her, and hugged her, and she sobbed into his shoulder. He waited until she had cried herself out. He pushed back on her and wiped the tears from her face.

"I really am rich, Marine. I still find it hard to believe, but I am. And when I say that after last night so are you, I mean that. You'll never have to bartend again unless you want to. I have other opportunities in mind, though, given your experience and skills."

She stared at him.

"We'll talk about it later. First things first. Do you feel well enough to get dressed?"

"I think so. Can you help me undo the back of this stupid gown?"

He chuckled. "Sure. Been there, done that." He undid the ties and she immediately let the gown fall to the floor. She was wonderfully naked. He quickly glanced at the room door to make sure it was still closed, and it was. He looked back at Jenny.

Her body was glorious. Her back was glorious. Her ass was glorious. However many hours she put into PT, it was worth it.

She turned around.

Johnny had seen her breasts before and her mound before but not everything at once. Her front was glorious as well. With the exception of angry red suture marks across her abdomen. He moved to her and very lightly cupped the wound.

"I'm so sorry," he said. She pushed him back.

"You have nothing at all to be sorry about. I voluntarily joined the fight. Also, you've been nothing but kind and solicitous. I thought you deserved the Full Monty look as partial payment." She looked down at her abdomen. "Although I'm sorry that I'm damaged goods now."

She thought Rand was going to explode, his face went so red, so quickly. He stood up.

"Never fucking say anything like that again, okay? You're beautiful. Gorgeous. And if you wind up with a scar from this, it's going to be the sexiest scar I'll ever hope to see. Because you got it for me."

"He's right, Jenny" Dawn said as she walked in. "You are gorgeous."

"Oh no!" Jenny said as she grabbed her gown and tried to cover her front. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I wasn't trying to... take him. From you."

Dawn chuckled. "Maybe when you feel better, you can take him if you want. Or he can take you. Or both."

Jenny stared at her. Rand sighed.

"It's a little complicated," he said. "But for now let's get you dressed and out of here."

------

Jenny was still woozy, so after she checked out Johnny refused to take her back to her car and let her drive home.

"We can get your car later. For now, we can either drive you to your home or to ours. Either way, you're going to need to rest until the drugs wear off."

"Umm... your house, if that's okay. I seem to recall that I owe you a Perfect Manhattan."

Johnny and Dawn both grinned. "Home, James," Dawn said.

When they got home, Kimmy was up. She had heard the whole story. She ran to Johnny and hugged him and he picked her up.

"Kimmy, this is Jenny. Jenny, meet Kimmy."

"Hi, Kimmy," Jenny said. She looked inquiringly at Johnny.

"Long story," he said. "Let's go inside."

As they were headed towards the door, Meyer's Cadillac pulled into the driveway. He opened the door and got out and walked over to them.

"Buddy called and told me everything," he said. He looked at Jenny. "My name is Meyer. I have a first name too, but nobody uses it. How are you, young Marine?"

"Jenny," she said. "I guess I'm okay, just a little woozy. I have Johnny to blame for that. He paid for my hospitalization, a plastic surgeon, and really good meds."

"Meyer and I were LAPD cops together," Johnny said.

"This may seem a bit forward of me, but may I see your wound?" Meyer said.

Jenny lifted her shirt up enough to show off the stiches. Meyer whistled through his teeth.

"I know it hurts and shit, but actually you were lucky."

"No, skilled," Johnny said. "She took that bastard down like he was a big toy. Let's go inside. Jenny is a bartender, and as soon as she feels up to it, she's going to make drinks." He looked at Kimmy, who was still in his arms. "Sorry I said 'bastard,' Kimmy.