Wounded Jackal Author: Romantique Email: dolph1n@sbcglobal.net Summary: This fanfic takes place immediately after "Sensitive Jackals" and assumes "All The Rage" never happened. Let's see how sensitive a jackal can be when wounded. Just another loose end left dangling from Season 2. The story squeaks in at 998 words (not counting the heading). June 2003 Summer Daze Challenge Classification: Vignette Rating: PG-14 for Language Distribution: Archive anywhere, but e-mail me --+-- Allegheny County Jail How strange it feels for an Officer of the Court to collect his personal belonging after being released only moments before from a holding cell. The young attorney slips on his wristwatch and quickly rifles through the contents of the well-worn, black leather wallet his family had given him upon graduation from law school. Satisfied his possessions have all been returned in good condition, he stuffs the wallet into his trouser pocket and begins to make his way down the long, dreary hallway of the municipal building. "Hey, thanks for bailing me out," he shouts as he spies a familiar face at the end of the hallway, near the lobby. As he comes closer, the man drops his eyes down to his feet and adds, "I, uh, you know . . . I hope you know I didn't mean what I said yesterday . . . what I said about being tired of the firm . . . and you. I was just pissed off. I guess I couldn't believe that you, off all people, bought into Clay Simms' crap." It seems Jake Straka is more embarrassed by the fact his hasty words came back to bite him in the ass than he is about being arrested, even though the most unlikely person had come to his rescue to bail him out of trouble. After Jake was arrested and called Nicholas Fallin for help, he wasn't so sure his friend would come because he wasn't so sure Nick still was his friend. Nick responds to Jake the only way he knows how: By staring through him. "No, man, I mean it," Jake continues. "I'm really sorry, Nick." The two men begin to walk without a word between them until they step out of the building and into the light of day. Finally, it is Nick who breaks the silence. "Dad wants Simms to handle all this, to make it go away." "Oh, Jeez!" Jake exclaims, clearly irritated. "You have got to be kidding? Simms knows I was arrested?" Nodding his head, Nick answers, "Yes, I believe he does. Dad spoke with him about you this morning." Jake mutters under his breath, "This is my own private business." "Nothing is private when it involves the firm," Nick volleys. He then looks Jake, square in the eye, and arches his eyebrow. "Hell, I know that better than anyone." Jake stops walking, unable to see a similarity between his situation and Nick's troubles. "How does this involve the firm? I've been accused of an assault that occurred on private property during non- business hours." "Because you're accused of assaulting the opposing party of a lawsuit you filed for the firm!" Nick is referring to the Internet case Jake recently handled for the former Barbara Ludzinski. "You don't have to answer this if you don't want to, but . . . did you do it? Did you beat that college kid?" His partner's face becomes flushed, and Nick can't tell if he is embarrassed or angry. Jake tightens his jaw and replies, "You're right. I don't have to answer this." And he says nothing more. Fallin & Fallin Burton Fallin's Office Jake sits before Burton Fallin who is seated behind his executive desk, impatiently rubbing his hand across his chin. "I am unyielding on this, Burton," Jake explains. "I will defend myself in this matter." The elder Fallin gives Jake a cold, hard stare. It becomes apparent to Jake where Nick gets his cold stare, that stare he often gives, the one that is void of all warmth and feeling. Nick gets it from his father. "Not if you want to continue working for this firm," Burton artfully lowers the boom on the younger partner. Jake is startled in disbelief. "What?" "I've asked Clay Simms to join us. Hear him out, Jake. He says he can make this all go away," Burton orates in his typical, authoritarian tone. "I don't want Simms to defend me." Jake is adamant. "Look, criminal law is Simms' specialty . . . not yours. This is nothing to mess around with." Jake suddenly holds newfound empathy for Nick, as well as new vision of Burton Fallin. Always somewhat of a father figure to Jake, at this particular moment, Burton only appears to be one, controlling and opinionated SOB. A loud rap outside the closed office door interrupts the rising tension. Clay Simms then enters the room. Smirking, the firm's newest partner razzes his old acquaintance, "So, you need my help, Jake." "No, I don't. Not from the likes of you," Jake shoots back. "You always were so damned defensive, Straka," Clay responds without missing a beat. "Okay, you two," an angry Burton reprimands the two men before him. "I don't know what the story is between you two, but you both need to knock it off and start behaving as professionals!" "Sorry, Burton," Clay gives a condescending chuckle. "Straka and I do get a little carried away at times." "Let's just set the record straight," Jake breaks in. "I don't like you, and you don't like me," he succinctly states while staring down his old adversary. "And I do not want you to represent me." Clay glares back and then, glances over to Burton. "Suit your self," he flippantly replies and makes a deliberate exit from the room. Jake Straka stands before Burton Fallin with all the strength he can muster. "I will be representing myself, and there is nothing you can do to stop me." And for the first time in his life, Jake stared down Burton Fallin, leaving the elderly gentleman speechless and alone with this one thought: ~fin~