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[Continued from The Midnight Hour]

Krishna locked the door against prying eyes and ears. It would probably only buy them a bit of time, since he had been the one to call for the authorities in the first place. Had he another chance, however, he would have done the same. Richard could have been injured and, if he had been, the authorities would have been much more useful.

As it was, the florist tended to his partner. He grabbed a towel from the counter and offered it to him to wipe his face. He then pulled him over to a chair, his voice low but commanding, "Power down, Richard." It had to happen sooner rather than later, just in case the police came knocking more quickly than expected.

Gentleness was not Krishna's forte. Even if it had been, there no time for him to deal with Richard's sudden resistance. Already a knock came to the door of the shop, as the police were simply doing their job of investigating the incident. Cursing beneath his breath, he called more loudly, "One moment, please."

The florist grabbed his friend's face between both hands and forced him to meet his gaze. He squeezed firmly, but not tightly, to make sure it registered. Something big had happened to Richard. Even if Krishna had not seen the damaged Sugar Shanty, he would have known it from his sluggish reactions. The florist smelled no alchol, which left shock as the culprit. Had he more time, he would have perhaps used a softer touch to match his whisper, "Richard. Go. Power. Down. Now. I will stall the police."

Buddingtonite was not the only one aware of their physical power difference. The grip on the florist's hands were steel encased in velvet. Yet, Krishna neither flinched nor winced. He trusted his partner, his friend, not to ruin the source of his livlihood and pride. Such trust could not be easily earned and, from the aloof florist, such trust was rarer than any of the most exotic wares in his shop.

He pulled open the door just enough to see not one but two of Destiny City's finest at his door. One held a flashlight entirely too bright for Krishna's liking; the other had a pen and paper for notes. The florist did not let them in the shop, opening it a crack and instead demanding, The taller of the two spoke first, her voice professional and brisk as she lowered her flashlight. "I'm Officer Juneau, and this is my partner Officer Williams. We're here responding to a call about the incident next door. Are you Krishna Dhawan?"

"Obviously." Krishna folded his arms across his chest, but did not open the door any further. A stubborn tone entered his normally cold voice as he barked, "Paramedic? I have Richard. He seems in shock."

"Sir, the health officials are on their way. We're going to need you to answer some questions, as the caller. Can you do that for us?" Officer Williams had the same professional air as his partner, and he was already writing down on his pad. "Is there anyone else who might have been around and need help?"

"No, nor do I care. Richard--"

"Sir, we're going to do everything we can for your friend. As soon as the ambulance arrives. For now, though, we're going to need you to answer our questions. Once your friend is off, we'll have you come to the station to fill out a formal statment."

The florist was beyond annoyed at this point, but then he heard the pitifiul calling from his office. He glared at the two officers, and his voice was clipped. "I will get Richard. Once he has medical care, I will answer your questions." This was a plan of action, not a suggestion. He opened the door wider and let them in but headed for his office himself. His partner said he was ready but given his mental state... perhaps his judgment would be off.

It was a relief, then, to see Richard and not a uniformed Negaverseofficerwhen he opened the door to his office. He quickly knelt and offered the prone man his arm and lowered his voice, "Yes. Come."

He did not like the way Richard was not eager to move. Once the ginger had solid support from the desk, the florist gave a brisk examination. Calloused hands checked the man's arms, legs, and torso for wounds, wounds he had perhaps missed. Krishna was no medical professional, and now more than ever he wondered where the paramedics were to examine his friend. What if the confectioner had injured his head? Or had internal injuries that were currently undetectable?

"When EMTs come, you must move." On that point, Krishna was very, very firm. It was implied in his speech that, until said time, Richard was perfectly welcome to continue leaning against the desk. His mouth hardened into a frown whenever the police began their interogation. A few simple questions they may have been, but to someone as clearly confused and weak as Richard... it came across far more harshly.

The confused looks from his friend brought out the florist's protective instincts. He positioned himself between the wounded man and the police, his arms folded across his t-shirted chest. How intimidating a figure he could cut in a t-shirt and boxers remained to be seen, but no one could say he was not trying. So far, the two officers had not crossed the line... but the line was fine, and he was ready to jump in at any moment.

The moment came whenever Richard asked him a direct question. He answered with no hesitation. "It's heavily damaged." Krishna was never the kind to sugar-coat his words, and he would not do so now. He could have. He could have lied and said nothing was wrong. He could have avoided the question all together and likely his weary partner would not have known the difference. Both of those options were the way of cowards. Richard needed to know that someone would be straight with him, that someone was on his side no matter how dire the circumstances. "We will rebuild."

Golden eyes flashed over to the officers. "Can he go to the hospital now?"

Krishna snorted, resting the back of his hand against Richard's cold, blackened face to establish connection. He was wearing his pajamas because he had been sleeping in the shop, as he had every night for months. Of course, he would neither admit it to his friend nor the police. They would force him to move, explain that he was in violation of several city ordinances. Later, there would be time for explanations. "I did - when would I have changed? Nothing to worry about." Unlike the chill that still lingered over his partner, the wet, the soot. From the youma that had been destroyed... but what was Richard doing so close, without him to provide support?

Williams stopped writing notes for a moment at the mention of someone else being in the store, but Juneau was already radioing it in. "Search and rescue for Sugar Shanty, looking for a girl named Lucca. Mr. Moreau, what does Lucca look like? Did she leave with you? We need to know so we can help her too--"

"Easy, Juneau, easy. He's obviously shook up." Williams seemed to find the shrillness of the confectioner's voice and he shared a long look with the florist. The slightly tubby man removed his hat and rubbed at his bald spot, giving a frown. "I think we should go ahead and let the EMTs take him. We can continue our questions at the hospital. He's cold and dirty and we're not going to get anywhere if we keep pushing him. Let's let him go and then help look for this Lucca."

"Dammit, Williams, that's not procedure!" Juneau tugged annoyedly at her pony tail, but before she could snap again, Krishna interrupted with a snap of his own. "Damn procedure! He needs medical attention, and I will carry him there myself if you prattle on much longer!"

Richard's plea turned the florist's attention back to him, and all Krishna could do was whisper, "After the hospital. Then home. I will walk Baldwin."

The florist understood that look all too well. It was the most promising sign he had seen thus far that Richard would recover from whatever had happened. It was the only aspect of his old friend that he recognized. when his friend floundered in a sputter of water and soot, he instantly moved to catch him. In that position, Krishna inclined his head subtly to show that he had caught the look.

He looked over to Officer Williams and nodded again, adding in a verbal snarl that the sympathetic man seemed willing to overlook, given the taut circumstances, "Yes, as I have been. Go."

"Yes sir. The EMTs will be in shortly. Until then, I'll be outside the door if you need anything. Going to phone in Lucca's description." It did not take long for him to exit the room, though he left the door open.

Krishna awkwardly shited positions in order to wrap an arm around Richard's shoulders, mimicking his friend's favorite position in reverse. Judging from his chill, he could use the extra warmth. The support offered from the pose was also obvious. That he endured the wet and the muck was no small sign. He was there to help him, however he needed it.

"What happened, Richard?"

Krishna frowned at the news that Richard had to give. He also did not have to ask who "she" was. Obviously, if he had given the description of his cousin Lucca to the officers, then it was Lucca who had become a threat. His frown only deepened as his mind raced, and he asked softly, "How? I saw no evidence of a General-King to give her the gift... and Captains cannot." The memory of Bazzite reared its ugly head, and the florist found his gaze drawn towards the soot coating his partner.

Soot. Past tense. Speaking of giving her. His golden eyes looked directly into the confectioner's red ones and spoke only three words, "I am sorry..."

Sorry was not going to be enough to keep the police at bay for much longer. There was nothing he could do to protect Richard from what he had done already - only from what would come next. When the EMTs entered the room, he helped them to put his friend on the stretcher. He squeezed his hand and walked with them towards the ambulance. He would not leave his side.