[November 10th] [The Rockford Files-related] Chronicles of a Friendship, 10

[insaneladybug.livejournal.com]

Title: Chronicles of a Friendship, scene 10
Day/Theme: November 10th - Light/Simple and Clean
Series: The Rockford Files (using characters from The Queen of Peru episode)
Character/Pairing: Ginger Townsend, Lou Trevino, Mike Trevino
Rating: K/G

Follow-up to the previous piece.


By Lucky_Ladybug

Mike was lying on one of the living room couches, holding an ice-pack to his head, when the front door opened and Ginger and Lou tiredly shuffled in. He looked over with a start.

“It’s okay, Mike,” Lou sighed. “Don’t try to get up.”

“I just wanted to make sure you got back okay,” Mike said. “I was going to go after I saw.”

“I doubt Lou would want you to leave in your state,” Ginger retorted. “You certainly can’t drive.”

Mike looked from Ginger to Lou. “Then . . . I can stay the night?” He looked hesitant.

Lou glanced at Ginger. “You know it’s always okay with me, Mike,” he said. “And Ginger’s been pretty okay with it when you’re hurt.”

Mike started to relax. “Well, if you’re sure. . . .”

Ginger brushed past, heading for the stairs. “Lou is sure,” he said. “And I won’t go against what he wants in a situation like this.”

Lou looked to Mike and shrugged, helplessly. That was the best they could do for an Okay from Ginger. He and Mike would never be friends, but Ginger wasn’t a monster no matter what Mike thought of him.

Ginger paused and looked back. “Michael.”

Mike looked up. “Yeah?”

“Thank you for attempting to help me.”

Mike blinked, stunned. “You . . . you’re welcome, Ginger.”

Gripping the banister, Ginger limped up the stairs—just a weary, aching man.

Lou smiled a bit. “He’s not so scary now, is he?”

“Huh?” Mike started and looked to him. “I . . . I guess not.” Glancing back to Ginger, Mike continued, “He looks so dignified, even though he must be in a lot of pain.”

Lou nodded. “Ginger tries to never lose his dignity.” He moved to follow his friend up the stairs. “I’ll come back down and check on you when Ginger’s settled in, okay?”

“Oh . . . sure, Lou.” Mike still seemed to be lost in thought.

Ginger had been his usual aloof self during the thankfully brief time they had been held captive. Mike had not been able to get much out of him and had stopped trying before long. But Ginger had nevertheless looked after Mike with a sharp eagle eye, trying to keep the unknown men from harming him. It was probably just because Mike was Lou’s brother, but Mike had definitely appreciated it in any case.

He had to admit, when he had woke up lying alone on the docks, his first thought had been that Ginger had simply abandoned him because he believed that Lou had betrayed him and that hence, Mike was no longer worth his time. He felt awful about it now.

“Mike?”

Mike started back to the present, looking to Lou. “I uh . . . I think I owe Ginger an apology,” he stammered. “Lou, do you think you could tell him I thought he’d just kicked me to the side because of believing that fake you? And that I’m really sorry?”

Lou gave him a long look. “Tell him yourself, Mike,” he said. “If you don’t feel like getting up now, it can wait until tomorrow.”

Mike swallowed hard. “But . . .”

“Mike, come on. You’re feeling guilty because you misjudged Ginger. But if you can’t bring yourself to tell him that, aren’t you misjudging him again?”

Mike thought about that. “. . . I guess.”

“He’s not going to take a shot at you or suddenly try to clobber you if you tell him the truth,” Lou said. “He knows how you feel about him.”

Mike sighed. “I feel awful about it, especially after you told me he looked me over and would’ve even stayed with me until I woke up if it wasn’t that he thought that guy hurt you too. He was trying to protect me before that guy came along. And even after, since you said he went after him with the shovel.”

“We both misjudged Ginger tonight,” Lou said quietly. “Okay, so my faith wavered just for a minute when I wondered if he’d gone off the deep end, but it’s still not something I’m proud of.” He rested a hand on Mike’s shoulder. “Ginger didn’t blame me. He even asked me to forgive him for making me doubt. Just talk to him, Mike. It’ll be okay.”

“Yeah, but he loves you,” Mike mumbled. “He sure doesn’t love me.”

“He’s not unreasonable,” Lou said. “And at least he doesn’t hate you.” He straightened. “I’d better go see how he’s doing. That creep really bruised him bad with that stupid shovel.”

“Okay.” Mike closed his eyes. “I’ll just lay here for a while. Maybe later I’ll come up to the guestroom.”

Lou didn’t answer. As he turned to the stairs, he was almost sure he saw a flash of beige disappear at the top.

“Lou?”

Lou started. “Huh? Oh. Sure, Mike. You do that. Let me know if you need help,” he added.

“I think I can make it,” Mike answered. “But thanks, Lou.”

“Sure,” Lou smiled, briefly laying a hand on Mike’s shoulder before turning to leave.
****
Ginger was in his room, carefully and painfully easing out of his clothes, when Lou arrived. He didn’t look up or turn, but Lou was certain he was aware of Lou’s presence. One thing that Mike and others found unsettling about him was how he seemed to take in everything that was going on, even if he wasn’t looking directly at it.

“You heard everything, didn’t you?” Lou remarked.

Ginger slid his suit coat down his arms and onto a chair. “Yes,” he replied, matter-of-factly. He could not quite keep the pain out of his voice. He was aggravating the bruises by trying to disrobe, but he certainly didn’t intend to lie down in a suit.

Lou came in to help him. “Why didn’t you come in?” he asked, curious.

Ginger looked up, allowing Lou to walk over and unbutton his vest. “I could have, but it would have been the easy way out. I want to see if Michael will actually take your advice and come to me.”

Lou glanced at him. “I think he will. He just needs a little time.”

“Perhaps,” Ginger grunted.

“We’ll see,” Lou said, firmly and with confidence.

“You seem quite sure of him,” Ginger commented. He turned, allowing Lou to slip the vest down his arms.

“This is really bothering him,” Lou said. “And if he knows I won’t tell you, he’ll realize he has to tell you himself to feel peaceful again.”

“Or he might choose to start avoiding me.” Ginger fumbled with the tie and finally loosened it.

“Even if he does, that won’t go on long either.” Lou smirked a bit. “He’d have to avoid me too. And he won’t do that.”

Ginger finally nodded. That much he could believe.
****
It was quite by accident that Ginger stumbled across Mike later that night. Waking up parched, Ginger staggered out of bed and into the hall, badly wanting a drink of water.

He nearly clanked into Mike coming out of the upstairs guestroom.

“Ginger!” Mike squeaked. He reached out nervously, trying to steady the other man. “Oh gosh, I’m sorry. I thought I heard you up, so I . . .”

Ginger held up a hand to stop the ramble. “What is it you want, Michael?” he queried.

Mike sighed and looked down. “I uh . . . I wanted to make sure you were really okay after what happened, and . . .” He flushed, caught. “I wanted to say I’m sorry for some of the things I was thinking about you. You really tried to look out for me and I was grateful then as well as now. But I . . . I thought you just left me because you believed Lou betrayed you and . . .”

“Michael.”

Mike flinched, still not daring to look up.

“You had no real reason to believe otherwise. Nevermind it.” Ginger started to turn to go.

Mike finally jerked up, having half-expected some fiery retribution. “Ginger?”

“I didn’t think you’d have the courage to tell me yourself. But Lou believed in you.” Ginger wondered how long it would take Mike to grasp the meaning behind those words.

“Well, that’s good. . . . Hey, wait a minute!” Mike reached out, grabbing Ginger’s arm. “Lou told you?!”

“He didn’t have to,” Ginger answered. “I heard you earlier.”

Mike slumped back. “You . . . knew all along?” he said in disbelief.

“Yes. Although it wasn’t really a surprise,” Ginger deadpanned.

Suddenly realizing he was still clutching Ginger’s arm, Mike let it go with a start. “Oh.” He frowned. “I feel kind of stupid.”

“Don’t.” Ginger glanced back. “You affirmed your brother’s faith in you. And your choice to come to me increases my respect for you. That, and when you put yourself in harm’s way to try to save me.”

Mike stared at Ginger, stunned. “You really mean that?”

“I don’t say what I don’t mean.”

“Yeah . . . I guess you don’t.” Mike still looked bowled over. “. . . Ginger?”

Ginger turned fully back to face him. “What is it?”

Mike shifted. “I probably shouldn’t ask this, but . . .” He swallowed hard. “Well, I know it would never happen, but . . . hypothetically, if Lou really had betrayed you, would you have just abandoned me?”

Ginger frowned. “If he had struck and left you, he would have betrayed you as well,” he pointed out. “You would have been a victim as much as I. No, I wouldn’t have abandoned you.”

Mike stared at him, at a loss for words. Wanting that drink, Ginger turned away and started down the stairs.

Finally Mike found his voice. “Um, Ginger? Do you need any help?”

“I can manage.” Ginger reached the bottom of the stairs and limped into the kitchen.

Mike gazed down the stairs for a long moment. Then, finally shaking himself out of his thoughts, he went back to the guestroom in a bit of an awed daze.

And, lying awake in his room, Lou smiled to himself.