Someone Broken

Chester Lake held his head in his hands and finally let out the breath he had been holding. He could feel the scratchy material of his shirt clinging to his body, that awful orange that separated the good from the bad.

He heard his cell door creak open as it scraped against the ground but he didn't bother looking up. Heels clicked against the concrete ground, a sound he hadn't heard for a while. He almost smiled when he heard the soft voice that bounced of the walls and resonated through the hell he now called home. He faintly heard her call his name but he just ignored her and kept his focus on the grey wall in front of him.

"Chester, look at me please," Casey's voice was laced with desperation and guilt as she stood behind him with her hands folded in front of her. Chester finally stood and his muscles protested against him. He turned slowly and met Casey's blank stare.

Her hair flowed around her shoulders and his eyes traveled down her body slowly. His mouth twisted back into a frown and his eyes turned stormy as he walked back to the bench.

"What do you want Casey? Finally realize you forgot to visit?" He spat the words at her and he saw her cringe out of the corner of his eye. She opened her mouth but closed it again. The words seemed stuck in her throat and tears were pooling in her eyes.

"I want you to tell me why," she finally choked out. Her head leaned to the side, trying to get their eyes to meet again. Chester let out a bitter, dry laugh and rubbed a hand roughly over his mouth.

"That would be too easy." he told her, a smirk registering on his face. Casey's brow furrowed as she inched slowly towards him and put a hand on his arm. He didn't shrug her off so she wrapped both her arms around him and held him close. Unable to fight the urge he pulled her shaking body against his and breathed in the sweet smell of her perfume. Her skin was smooth under his touch and she felt herself shiver when his hand fell to the small of her back.

"I've been worried about you," her voice was thick and salty tears slowly descended down her cheeks. Furiously she tried wiping them away but they came faster. Chester's hand reached down and he wiped them away with his thumb, his hand resting on the side of her face.

"You shouldn't be. I know how to take care of myself. Been doing it long enough." He tried his best to sound sure and she almost believed him. She buried her face in his chest and breathed in deeply. It wasn't his scent she smelled anymore. It was tainted, a mix of cigarettes and sweat instead of aftershave and coffee.

Sniffling slightly she raised her head and smoothed a hand through her red hair. Her eyes were red rimmed and puffy, her makeup smeared across the tops of her cheeks. She smiled meekly at Chester and he bent down to press a kiss to her cheek.

"Will you come back?" he asked softly, running his fingers over her lips. She shrugged and kept her eyes glued to the ground. Chester lifted her chin until she was looking at him and slowly his lips brushed against hers, the sweet taste of cherries washing over his tongue.

She kissed back with force, letting his arms snake around her waist and pull her roughly against him. The was slow but it released a passion she couldn't control. When they broke apart Casey saw Chester's eyes glow and for the first time in weeks he smiled at her. She felt the guilt rip through her gut as she stared up at him longingly.

"I can't come back anymore." she admitted breathlessly. "That's why I'm here." the shock and hurt was clearly present on his face and for the first time he noticed the ring on her finger as she twirled it nervously. Chester laughed in disbelief and took a few steps back. He paced the floor for a few times before stopping in front of her again.

"So that's why you came here? To tell me I'm shit out of luck and get me out of your system?" He finally asked bitterly. Casey groaned inwardly and sent a pleading look up at Chester.

"Please don't do this. You know it could have been you. Besides you're not the only one suffering the consequences here. " she shot back. Chester raised an eyebrow, his mouth forming an o when the reality of it all suddenly dawned on him.

"You lost your licence." he said rather than asked. Casey nodded slowly, still twirling the ring around on her finger. Chester sighed and plopped onto his bunk. he looked up at her with a look of defeat reflecting in his dark eyes.

"I'm sorry Casey. I never meant to hurt you or the squad, I just got too caught up in the past and my priorities became blurred." He stood up and walked to Casey, their faces inches apart. "You should have been the most important thing in my mind." He breathed in her ear. Casey swallowed the building lump in her throat and focused her eyes on something behind him.

"You know, I came back for closure. I needed to know this wasn't for nothing." Chester shot her a lopsided smile and shook his head.

"No, it wasn't for nothing. I got what I wanted and a girl got justice." Casey felt as if a weight had lifted off her shoulders and she let out the breath she had been holding. She was finally free.

"He's a good guy you know. He reminds me of you. Brave, kindhearted, loving." She shrugged and folded her arms across her chest.

"As long as you're happy." He said quietly. Casey smiled and wrapped her arms around him for one last hug.

"I am," she said. He hugged her back, taking the time to breath in her scent and remember the feel of her skin under his waiting fingertips.

Slowly Casey untangled her body from Chester's, the sudden loss of warmth making her shiver. She waved to the guard and he opened the door. He didn't call to her or beg her to change his mind, and for that she was thankful.

But at the same time she desperately wanted to hear it even though it would do no good. She just wanted him to show he cared. Swallowing the lump in her throat she walked silently out of the prison without looking back.

Chester listened to her heels click against the concrete floor, a sound he hadn't heard for a while. during the months that followed he almost smiled when he heard her voice, but when all he saw was the empty cell around him he remembered he was alone and his mind was playing tricks on him.

She never came back and maybe that was for the better. She deserved more than him but it still didn't stop the sting when he had heard she was marrying someone else, another wealthy lawyer who made her happy, someone who could greet her when she came home and hold her while they slept. Someone who understood her.

He would dry her tears and tell her how beautiful she was and if he concentrated hard enough it was almost like she was there. But then he would hear the door creak and the warden would call him out, reminding him he was nothing anymore. Just a number in an orange jumpsuit, a hero in some peoples eyes and a murderer in others.

He got a picture of her on the day of her wedding and he had never seen anything more beautiful. He kept it tucked safely under his pillow where he would pull it out and look every time he heard heels click against the floor or her voice echo in his head. Now she was with him forever even though she really couldn't have been more far away.

Kinda sad I know but I really wanted to do a story with these two. They're actually one of my favorite pairs.