A Brother's Intuition

Casey: The Worst Kind

Today's my day off. Normally I'd just hang around the apartment and fix whatever needs fixing, but I gotta get out. This whole ordeal that Raph is going through hits just a little too close to home. I can't stop thinking about Jillian.

Oddly enough, similar as Raph and I are, he reminds me a lot of her. She was such a hothead. So am I. But that was part of the problem with me and Jillian, we were just too alike for our own good.

From what little I've been able to gather from Raph, Leo's pretty much his opposite.

I grab some old towels from the bathroom cabinet and shove them in my hockey bag. I stop and look at myself in the mirror for a minute. Well fuck, I look like shit. Not surprising, since I haven't been sleeping too well lately. Ever since the morning I found Raph passed out on the couch from having too much to drink, I've been keeping an eye on him. Especially in the early hours of the morning. That's when he really hits rock bottom. I don't push him. I know from experience that that isn't the way to go. I keep an eye on him. Just to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid.

I wash my face and run my fingers through my hair rather than combing it. Raph looks up at me from couch. "Finally getting some sleep?" I asked.

His eyes dulled slightly. "Few winks here 'n there." He stated. I could see his eyes flicking up to my bag and equipment. "Ya goin' out?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Gonna hang with one of my old high school chums, get on the ice and poke the puck around. I'll be back in a couple hours."

Raphael nodded solemnly. His impassive face melted into a glower. "You come back with a busted joint an' I'll punch you in the face."

I chuckled and saluted him, mockingly. "Yes sir."

He rolled his eyes. "Whack-bag."

"Dome-head!" I countered as I opened the door and strutted out, now with a smile on my face.

"Meat-sac!" He muttered as the door was almost closed.

"I heard that, shell-for-brains!" I closed the door with a soft click and smiled as I heard him chuckle.

-----------------------

When I got to the hockey stadium, Gibbs was waiting for me. "Hey Buddy!" I said with a grin.

But he didn't smile back. Instead he seemed to be sizing me up.

"Dude, what's up, man?"

Gibbs frowned. "You know a reporter named April O'Neil?" He asked.

I raised an eyebrow and shook my head. "No. Why?"

My old bud sighed. "She came here with a picture of ya askin' who ya were."

I frowned deeply. "She didn't say why?"

He sighed. I looked him in the eyes and he finally caved. "At first she made up some bogus excuse about ya movin' and her having some boxes of yers. I called her out on that. Then she said that she wanted to talk to you because she thinks you know something about some friend of hers."

I crossed my arms over my chest and regarded him curiously. "That doesn't sound like anything to be concerned about."

Gibbs regarded me concernedly. "Are you sure? I told her that I'd arrange for her to meet you here today. If you don't want to we can just tell her to scram."

I grinned slightly and put a hand on my friend's shoulder. "It won't hurt to see what she really wants. Relax, man! Why are you so tense about this?" I asked, punching him lightly in the shoulder.