Disclaimer: Ushio and Tora characters, as well as the Fake cast do not belong to me.


Author's note: Ryo did live with a priest, but it's a guess on my part that his parents died (not adopted parents) and left him at the Church. This story is after the final battle in the Ushio and Tora manga (which I've only heard about, not read myself) where Tora disappeared while fighting WhiteFace and has not returned.



Chapter 2: New Beginnings



Downtown New York. A police station bustling with young men who were eager to start working. Oops, wrong place... another district.


Officer Randy McLane entered the offices of his work, placing his briefcase down at his large desk and sinking into the chair. Around him, the mumbles of grumpy morning cops filled his ears and made him sigh. Maybe today would be different... maybe...


'DEE!' a high pitched, highly energetic voice filled the office as the door opened again, revealing a handsome dark haired man now frozen in fear. He was soon tackled, pinned to the ground by his insistent... friend. 'Dee!' the blue haired youthful man yelled, gazing down at his crush with obvious joy. 'Get offa' me, JJ!' the cop yelled, pushing frantically at the lovesick boy, reaching desperately towards his own desk. His golden eyes pleaded for help up at his partner who merely watched with cool narrowed brown eyes. 'Come on, RYO! Give me a hand here... ow, JJ, what the hell are you doing?! I said GET OFF!' Dee screamed, finally managing to crawl out from under the glomping young cop. Dusting himself off, he shot a glare at JJ now grinning ear to ear, before stomping over to his desk and plopping down in the rickety old chair.


'Thanks a lot,' Dee grumbled to his partner, Randy McLane... Ryo to his friends. Ryo just sipped his coffee and opened his briefcase to start writing up reports. After their last assignment, they would have a lot of work to catch up on. 'Man, why does Rose give us sooo much work?' the darker skinned cop whined, trying to sneak glances at his not so secret crush of a partner. Ryo sighed again, this was an old argument. JJ liked Dee, Dee didn't love JJ, Rose liked Ryo, Dee liked Ryo, Dee hated Rose, Ryo... didn't like JJ or Rose romantically, but... Ryo glanced at his partner who was grumbling as he rummaged through the pile of papers. Raven swept tresses, caramel silken skin, deep golden eyes, full pouting lips cursing up a storm... The half Japanese cop smiled to himself, turning away before Dee caught him staring and tried to ask him out again. He didn't hate Dee, he just... well... he didn't really know. He liked Dee... but did he love him? Ryo groaned in confusion, always the same old question.


'What's that?' the deep voice snapped Ryo from his thoughts, and he found himself gazing into Dee's curious eyes. The other cop smiled, making Ryo's heart jump in his chest before he saw the object of his partner's question. A letter was poking out of his briefcase, Ryo had forgotten that in his rush he hadn't read it yet. With gentle fingers, he lifted it from the bag and glanced at the return address. His eyes narrowed in confusion. Who would send him a letter from Japan?


********************


Opaque globes stared unseeing at the clouds as they floated past the window. The young Japanese teen sighed and rested his cheek in his palm. It was peaceful... too peaceful. His mind immediately flickered back to the reason he was leaving, leaving his home in Japan.


Flashback:


'...your father's death. It states in the will that since you are under the legal age, you will have to live with a responsible adult for a few years until you turn 18. Your father only named one person in his will to take care of you, do you realize what this means?' Ushio glanced up at his deceased father's lawyer, an old man of around 65. His dark eyes tried to focus as he blinked at the gray haired man. 'You will be moving to America to stay with your older brother.'


The statement hit the boy with a jolt. He had an older brother? His mind went over the possibility. His mother had left when he was very young and his father hadn't mentioned another child. Why America, halfway across the world from Japan? If he had a brother, why didn't he live in Japan? Why didn't he ever visit or write or call? Did he even know? Who was he, what was he like? The questions stole through the boy's young mind, but found no answer. 'Who?' he choked out, hoping he didn't sound too shocked. 'Ryo McLane, he was your father's son. Look, I know your father never told you, but he was married once to an American woman. When she died, he was still very young, only 25. So, her close friends wanted to adopt Ryo as their own. Your father agreed, unsure if he'd be able to raise a child on his own back in Japan. So, Ryo grew up with his adopted parents, who unfortunately were killed in an accident, which in turn caused him to be raised in a Church. Now he lives on his own in New York City,' the lawyer drawled on.


Ushio had to blink, all this time, his father lied to him? No, not lied. He just never spoke about that part of his life. Why? He was happy with my mother, and then she left. And he raised me, sort of... we did fight a lot, but nothing serious.


'When?' Ushio asked, returning his focus to the bearded man. 'You will leave for the USA first thing on Monday morning,' came the direct reply. And with that statement, Ushio's life was once again changed. Just like before... when Tora...


End Flashback:


Ushio shook his head, he didn't want to think about that now. Those memories were too painful. He just wanted it to end, all the pain and suffering, all the guilt and disappear. His breath came out in a sigh as he leaned back, closing his eyes to enjoy a few moments of blissful silence.


...TBC...


Writer's Note: Well, that's the next chapter finished. Hope I can get the rest up soon. Does anyone know the name of the tiny ferret creature, from the manga? He's green, I think, and he hangs around later with Karani and Rashin (the wind/weasle monsters). He will be in the story, but I have a name I use for him even if it isn't the right one.


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