Look for Me

As always, Chance forgot to calculate for wind speed and his seemingly well-planned jump sent him toppling over the edge of the building.

He slammed into the stone wall with a bruising thump, eyes squeezed shut as his descent was arrested. Looking up, he caught sight of his partner in crime tightly gripping his jacket sleeve in both hands. He could have made the jump, even after missing the side ledge, but it would have hurt. It would still hurt if Shibuya released his hold, but it was their only chance.

"Shibuya, let go," he barked. The sound of shouting was thundering ever closer and the whizzing of bullets above them told Chance their pursuers were already too close for comfort. It wasn't safe. The children were hiding in the van only a little ways down the street. "We'll both die if you keep holding on to me!" Chance hollered as his body was pushed by the wind. "Shibuya. Drop me."

A look of defiance crossed his partner's face as Shibuya silently refused to release him. Their eyes locked and Chance hoped that his face looked more confident than he felt. Dust flew up beside Shibuya's wrist, signaling that the bullets were getting too dangerous. Too close. Chance forced a smile.

"I can make it."

"I'm sorry," Shibuya murmured as his fingers opened. He stayed only long enough to watch Chance disappear from sight over the side of the building. He didn't see the way his partner hit the street, didn't hear the gasp of pain as fire shot up and down his partner's shins and spine from the impact.

Somehow Chance managed to force the stinging ache to the back of his mind and stumble to the van. The children were waiting, terrified out of their minds but relieved to see him alive. While assuring them all that he was fine and that Shibuya was fine as well, he fired up the engine and tore off down the street as fast as the van's abused wheels could take him.

It wasn't until he had found Shibuya again half a mile from the nearest airport and had settled into a plane heading across the Atlantic that Chance was able to relax. The children sat in the row in front of Shibuya and him; the rest of the plane held only scattered passengers. Beside him, his partner was already sleeping; he'd suffered only minor injuries and one bullet graze that was only skin-deep. Chance leaned back in his chair, trying not to think about the throbbing pain that lingered in his muscles and bones or the danger they had once again put themselves in and at last he slept.

6 years ago

"'Saving Grace,'" the Peace Corps officer gave him a wry grin. "Is an underground railroad system that transports war orphans, child prostitutes, child refugees and others from their country to a school in Europe. There they undergo medical and psychological treatment and are educated to the point where they can then transfer to one of the one hundred accepted boarding high schools in the world. Although exact numbers, or any locations and other information of the sort, are not released, it is estimated that over five hundred thousand children have passed through this system and already one hundred thousand have graduated from college." The officer referred back to the packet on his desk, "Now you're a physicist just finishing your first term with the Corps, are you sure you want to get involved with something like this? I can easily transfer you, but as the job of transportation agent is quite dangerous, I would take some time to think it over."

"I've made my decision. Let me know when I'm accepted." Chance took the contract and signed it and left.

You've grown up to be a good man, Chance Jameson. His father's words at college graduation echoed through his mind. I know you will be able to help people.

"I will, Dad." Chance whispered, the news of his father's untimely death in a car crash last week still fresh in his mind, "I will."

Present

Shibuya woke on the plane to the twitch and groan of his partner beside him. He looked a little groggily to the children in front of them, who had turned in their seats to issue frightened looks at both their rescuers. Smiling, Shibuya instructed them with hand motions all of them could understand to turn back around and get some sleep. He waited until the last of their little faces had disappeared before he turned to look at Chance. The man's fists were clenched into themselves so hard they might have bled and his body trembled in the throes of a nightmare.

This always happens, Shibuya thought sadly. The only time fear ever took hold of his stoic work partner anymore was when he finally gave himself up to sleep.

Lifting the armrest between them, Shibuya pulled Chance over to lean against his chest. The tumult of the man's motions eased, smoothed, disappeared and his friend's sleep calmed as the comforting warmth of another human seeped through his back. He would never know what was done for him while he slept; Shibuya always made sure to push Chance back to his original position before the man began to wake.

For being twenty-nine, Chance still had the heart of a broken child. Shibuya's only guess as to why that was lay with Chance's dysfunctional family. An alcoholic father and a mother he never spoke of… Shibuya couldn't make even a weak attempt at guessing whether the other man had siblings. From everything he had ever told Shibuya, and it was precious little, Chance's childhood had never allowed him to be a child. He could only suppose that was why cruelly-indifferent-Chance, who never appeared to give a damn about anything else that happened, was in this line of work; why he risked his life for the children he never really saw again. He was giving them the chance he didn't have.

Shibuya could not begin to explain how he had managed to fall for such a man, but with the way their lives twisted and turned and raced, he did not have time to question. He could not afford the distraction.

6 years ago

"So this isn't the way to the orphanage…" Chase wrinkled his nose, following Shibuya who seemed to be leading them into an even more impoverished side of town.

"I want to show you something that happens around here." His work partner supplied.

"You found a secret garden, Shibuya? I never thought you the type." The physicist drawled.

"You don't know the first thing about what's going on here. You're too naïve." Shibuya barked.

Chanced huffed indignantly, "Well excuse me but I don't think you have room to talk. I know what it's like to have it rough."

"The poorest man in America would be a king here." Shibuya growled, "Now come on."

Chance accepted the hand up to a small balcony on the corner of a large street where a crowd was forming. All of a sudden Shibuya pinned Chance's arms behind his back and forced him to his knees. The physicist stopped struggling when he heard Shibuya's voice rumbling in his ear.

"The two rival clans have divided this city, including the area of the orphanage we'll be visiting later. I've been here before, and I can tell you the kids at the orphanage are the ones that manage to escape. Every night the east clan meets here with the kids they picked off that day and torture them to death in this street while the elders sell off the women they've taken."

Chance's eyes widened when he saw the crowd spread out in a circle and a handful of men pull a line of children tied together to the center. "You're joking, right?" The pleading tone in the young man's voice was full of denial that was all too quickly fading to horror.

As the ceremony began and the crowd danced and cheered, Shibuya held Chance as he cried out "We have to stop them!" and tried to wrench from his hold. As the children were slung to the ground Shibuya forced Chance to sit up when the man fell limp and tried to lean back for support. As the young blood spilled onto the street and the people lifted the tiny broken bodies in triumph Shibuya let go as Chance fell to all fours and choked on his tears.

I will not cry, I will not cry. Chance told himself.

Boys don't cry, he heard his father say in his mind.

By the time the crowd had cleared and carried them all away Chance was standing next to Shibuya, his tears dried, stoic mask firmly in place, and ready to go.

Present

They landed safely and Shibuya and Chance passed along another group of tired children to a volunteer waiting to take them to a school. Chance's thoughts on his nightmare during the flight returned to him when he felt Shibuya's hand accidentally brush his own. "Come Sing About Love" played over the speakers in the airport as they went to check the status of their next flight. Chance chuckled as he realized how long it had been since he thought about love, true love or anything related. But his dream still pressed and he had to tell Shibuya before he forgot.

"Shibuya," his work partner looked sidelong at him as they made their way down a crowded corridor.

"Yes?"

Chance kept his eyes glued to the ground as they walked, "when I die… I hope you'll be there with me so I'm not alone." His voice was barely a whisper but Shibuya caught every word.

Their next flight was delayed so the two took a cab to get dinner. Shibuya clapped a hand on Chance's shoulder, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"You went to college for physics, right? You never told me what your thesis was."

Chance smiled. "Bubble universes."

At Shibuya's confused look Chance laughed, "Basically it's the concept of alternative and coexisting realities and the mathematical prediction of fate processes within those realities."

Shibuya's eyes glazed over in thought, "I hope there aren't more worlds with this kind of suffering. However did you go from bubble universes to Saving Grace anyway?"

His friend sighed, "I woke up. Reality threw me in the raging river and I was baptized in the pain of this world. The truth in its horrific glory is more beautiful than any lie. I wouldn't trade it for anything."

Shibuya smiled, "Me neither."