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Eli flinched as if a fist had just sailed by his face. “Fuck you.”

Greer turned to Jack. “I told you, it’s pointless.”

To Jack McCoy, few things were ever actually pointless. A little tricky, sure, but they usually served their purpose in the end. This conversation was beginning to feel like an exception to the rule. Still, he never was one for letting a friend’s better judgment stand in the way of a plan. And in this case, and perhaps only ever this case, he also had the greater good on his side.

“She’s scared, dude,” Jack said to Eli.

Greer’s gaze was sharp on him now, but he decided not to feel it.

“This is her kid’s life we’re talking about. Your niece.”

“That’s low, McCoy,” said Eli. “Even for you.”

“It’s true, isn’t it?”

“And what’s in it for you? Money? Thrill? You’ve never done anything out of the goodness of your heart in your entire miserable life. So don’t start pretending that’s what’s happening here.”

Jack stared at Eli for a long moment, mouth agape like a Big Mouth Billy Bass with its batteries taken out. Then, as quickly as his elderly body could manage it, he was on his feet, poking a wrinkled finger at Eli’s chest even as Eli towered above him.

“What’s in it for me? Seriously? Everything I’ve ever done has been for you guys. I spent my entire youth providing for the You Agains like a goddamn mother duck. How did you and Greer pay for that overnight field trip to the museum? How did Carter get those art supplies freshman year? You think the jobs we did were just for the thrill? You never got anything out of them?”

“What I got was a criminal record,” said Eli.

Greer stood from the couch and made her way to the door. She tipped her head at Jack. “Come on. I’m done here.”

Jack looked back up at Eli, whose blunt features were tangled up in a scowl. Behind them, not even that far, Jack could still see the petulant boy who would roll his eyes and bitch and sigh before diving into every scheme with more zeal than anyone, even Jack. It was the zeal that always got Eli caught in the end, but it was also what made him special. Because he cared so much about everything that it made him act as though he cared about nothing at all. But Jack could always see it, the way he cared, and when it had been just the two of them, sometimes Eli wouldn’t pretend otherwise.

A sad smile tugged at Jack’s lips. His poor little duckling. “It’s okay,” he said. “I get it.” And he did. Even as his old life slipped further from his grasp, he did get it. Because as much as he longed to be Jack McCoy again, even for a moment, Eli was fighting to be less himself, if only to stay on the right side of the law. If only to prevent another incident like…

Swimming

July 2005

Eli looked like one of those rats who climbed out of the sewer dragging a week-old pizza crust in its jaw. He was wet, for a start, hair slick to his scalp in places and springing wildly in others. Under one armpit was a plastic bag of belongings: a wallet, a pair of glasses he only wore when Greer yelled at him to, and a pair of tighty-whities that sat at the front like a white flag of surrender.

He gave Jack the crooked smile of a man who was only half on this plane of existence, then barfed on Dale’s shoes.

“Gross,” said Jules.

“Not again,” said Dale, his entire focus on the second pair of his shoes Eli had been sick on that night.

“Hi,” said Eli, who had no real focus at all.

Jack had always known it was only a matter of time until someone in the You Again gang would face the strong arm of the law, he’d just never expected that strong arm to be grabbing at a drunk, naked Eli. Still, he’d kept a little nest egg for just such an occasion, and when Eli’s bail fees were announced, Jack had been able to pay them without issue.

It wasn’t Eli’s fault, really. Jack should have known better than to suggest the grad party knowing Marla Liu would be there. Eli never handled crushes well.

But most of the You Agains wouldn’t be graduating for a few years yet, and it seemed like as good a time as any to get a sneak peek at the revelries to come. Besides, Greer was off from college for the summer, and despite complaining about the prospect of babysitting a bunch of younger teens for the night, she’d slapped on a blue satin dress and crashed the party with them all the same. Jack could hardly believe his luck. There he was at a high school senior pool party with the most beautiful girl in the world on his arm (or at least occasionally acknowledging his existence), his dearest friends in tow, and his first full beer to himself. Apparently the host of the party had conveniently oblivious parents. Jack’s favorite kind.

Then Marla showed up. She wore a halter dress with a chevron pattern, which made her hard to miss no matter how much Eli tried, and before long, he was tossing back contraband alcohol in a way his body was not entirely sure how to handle. Jack had been forced to abandon Greer poolside to talk Eli down from his fourth vodka tonic, but it was too late. When Marla swished by, ignoring Eli’s clumsy attempt at a wave, Eli took off one shoe, then a sock, and before Jack could tackle him, Eli was in the pool, naked as a sphinx cat. Jack stripped down to his boxers and dove in after him, hoping this would be enough to take the heat off his naked friend, but the same oblivious parents who didn’t notice an underage party flowing with alcohol had called the police at the first sign of a penis, and Eli was hauled away, butt cheeks jiggling a drunken farewell behind him.

It was Eli’s first encounter with the law, which helped, as did being a minor, but it was also the moment that solidified in Jack’s mind the lengths Eli would go to when he truly cared about something. That was unusual. That was useful. That was dangerous. And now it was up to Jack to make sure things never went this far again.

Dale shuffled out of the barf puddle as Jack and Greer each wrapped an arm around Eli to help him wobble out of the police station and into the misty tendrils of early morning. Eli lolled his head over to Jack’s shoulder and whispered, “You think she noticed me?”

Jack gave Eli’s back a pat. “I think she did, bud. I really think she did.”

This inspired another crooked, half-present smile from Eli. “Good. I felt so shy.”