Brendan unplugged the phone. He turned and looked at Cheryl, who was sitting at the bottom of the Chez Chez stairs. The sirens outside crept their way through the thick, paint-peeled walls and rung out through their ears. They were in deep trouble.
''What are you doing?'', she asked.
''We need to get our stories straight before we talk to anyone'', he said softly, shaking his arms slightly.
''We can't lie our way out of this one, Bren. I think I need to just go out there with the gun, I need to tell them what I did''. ''Out there'', Brendan thought to himself. Steven was out there. He's probably scared stiff. He couldn't even imagine the thoughts going through Steven's head right now. He shook Steven out of his head immediately, because if he didn't then he wouldn't be able to do what he was about to say.
''No'', Brendan said, approaching Chez at the bottom of the steps.
''I don't have a choice'', she refuted. She wasn't giving up without a fight. She was as stubborn as Steven sometimes.
''You do that and you'll get life''.
''I know''.
''You're not going to prison''.
''He's dead because of me''.
''You've got your whole life ahead of you. It's not being taken away, not like this, not today''. Cheryl began to feel tears welling up in her ears, and whimpered as she tried to hold them back. Brendan knelt before her and placed a hand on the back of her neck.
''Hey, don't cry'', he said looking deep into her eyes, '' I can fix this''.
''You can't'', she cried, '' I killed him''.
''No, you didn't. I did. Do you know what unconditional love is, Chez? Unconditional love is standing in front of somebody and taking a bullet for them''. Cheryl looked at him in horror of what he was suggesting. ''Taking the hit''. He gave her a loving smile that he knew looked unconvincing. '' I'm taking that bullet for you''. He though back to last year, October 1st, when he stood in front of that gun for Steven, he'd do anything for Steven, and the ones he loves. He'd have taken that bullet one hundred times for Steven, because back then it's what him and Cheryl would have wanted. He tried to kiss Ste that day, got turned down and all, Steven didn't love him anymore, he does now though. Brendan quickly erased Ste from his mind, didn't want to think about what he was about to do to his true love, what he was sacrificing, but one thought stuck there: he does now though.
''So why can't you just go in there?'', Ste questioned.
''Because we have to follow procedure'', the detective said, dismissing him and walking away, but Ste wasn't having it.
''So, you're just gonna stand here and do naut?'', he said, angrily flailing his arms in the air.
He turned back to Ste, ''We're gonna continue to try and make contact and exhaust all over avenues''.
''Then what?'', he said, tears welling up in his eyes, not even trying to hide it.
''Please, sir, just let us do our job'', he said, growing impatient with all of the questions being thrown at him. As he tried to walk away Ste raised the barrier and tried to follow him but found himself being manhandled by another officer.
''Yeah, this is you're job, right? Him in there that's my life! Please?'', he begged.
''We'll do everything we can'', he snapped, raising his eyebrows at him and waled away. Conversation over. Ste turned at looked at the club above him. What's happened? What's happened to Brendan? What if he's hurt? What if he's dead? How would that have happened? Did he top himself? Kevin? Walker? Seamus? What about Cheryl? Where is she? Ste couldn't handle all these thoughts and emotions all at once. He rubbed his eyes and snapped out of it. He'll be okay.
Cheryl remained on the bottom step, staring at the floor below her, ignoring all the shifting and rattling noises that Brendan was making at the table at the other side of the room. He was wiping down the gun with a cloth, frantically removing all evidence of Cheryl shooting Seamus.
''Listen to me. You heard a shot, came into the club...'', she was shaking her head disapprovingly towards the ground, not looking at him, and he didn't look at her, '' you saw him lying there'', he continued, ''you saw me standing over him'', he sighed, ''gun in hand''.
''No''. He completely ignored her.
''Then I fired the gun again to stop you from running away and calling the police''.
''Do you think I could live with myself knowing what I've done?''.
''What you've done is stop any other kid through what I went through by his hands. What you've done is made this world a better place''. She finally turned to look at him and saw determination in his panicked eyes.
''I'm not gonna let you die in prison because of something I've done, no way!''.
''I'm not gonna die in prison never gonna happen''. He was becoming agitated at her refuting.
''You can't protect me forever!-''.
''Ah, yes I can! Yes I can!'', he shouted, banging the table roughly with his fists and Cheryl felt fear creep up on her. She rarely saw her brother in this state. She was close to tears. ''i can't let him win, okay? Because of what that sick parasite did to me as a kid, we have landed here'', he said rising to his feet and walking towards Cheryl. ''We were so close weren't we? All of us we were so close. You, me and Steven, we finally got it right and what happens? He turns up and he starts tearing everything apart. Walkers dead. Dad is dead. And what are they doing? They are laughing from the grave. Why? Because they got what they wanted, they're tearing us apart. Nobody is gonna take your life away from you. Nobody''.
''You don't get how to say how it goes all the time''. Cheryl found herself crying, her voice shaking. Brendan turned 360 degrees and raised his hands out, tensely.
''Oh, you think I want this I don't want this. I don't want his'', he whispered. ''The things I've done, I should have been banged up in prison a long time ago. You know that. It just catches up with you in the end, doesn't it?''.
''I'm not that little girl anymore''.
''Don't!'', he winced, raising his index finger in the air.
''Bren, please, listen to me'', he cried, walking over to him to stop him pacing around the room and placed her hands on his shoulders, ''Babe. I'm not that little girl anymore who's in the bedroom next door to you, okay? She is all grown up now, she can look after herself''.
''Hey, you've got everything ahead of you now, you've got Nate to look after you''.
''No''.
''Yes, yes. Your life is not going to end before it even gets started, huh?''.
''You and Ste?'', she said. He nods, trying to push Steven out of your head before he makes you change your mind about all of this. If he shot Seamus he would have done the same for him. His heart breaks inside his chest as he thinks about his final kiss with Steven. Was it the one he gave me earlier? Or will we get one more chance before I leave him forever?. He quickly snaps out of it though.
''Oh, so close''.
''No, I can't. I'm sorry but I'm not letting my brother go to prison again, no way'', she said nodding and walking towards the table beside her. Brendan smiled angrily and closed his eyes and prepared for what he was about to reveal.
''And when I tell you your brother killed our Nanna, then what?''. Cheryl turned around and a single tear fell down her face.
''No'', she cried.
''Yeah''.
Darren arrived outside the club in all the commotion and approached Ste how was frustratedly sat on the sidelines behind the barrier. His voice was low under the even louder voice talking through a mega-phone above him. ''Hey! Ste! What's happened?''.
''There's been a shooting inside the club but nobody's doing anything, nobody's telling me anything!''. Darren rested his hands on Ste's arms comfortingly.
''Hey, hey mate calm down'', he said soothingly.
''I don't even know if he's alive, Darren, alright? I shouldn't have left him, why did I leave him?''.
''Is Seamus in there?''. Darren's words burned his skin. Why would anybody care about Seamus after everything he's done?
''What? I don't know, why?''.
''Cause I'm about to make his night''.
''She knew and she didn't say anything?'', Cheryl said, looking at Brendan for hope that he's lying. This time, she wants to be lied to.
''No''. Cheryl felt her world come crashing down around her.
''You know, we could go out there and tell them the truth, we could go out there together with the gun, tell them what was doing to you, I think they'll believe us''. Brendan smiled and walked to her. She was back sitting on the bottom step of the stairs.
''I am gonna do that but you weren't involved''.
''Brendan?''. Brendan took off his suit jacket and placed it around her shoulders.
''It's time'', he muttered.
''No, not yet'', she cried, shaking her head frantically. He bent down to her and rubbed her hands in his.
''Hey'', he whispered softly, ''It's gonna be okay''.
''This isn't happening, this isn't happening''.
''Everything's gonna be just fine'', he reassured her. But it wasn't. Not for him, not for her, not for Steven. Steven. ''I love you''. He wasn't sure if he said it to Steven or to her, but it didn't matter. He loved them both, and was leaving them both. ''I'll love you more than you'll ever know''. That was for Cheryl, because he thinks Steven knows how much he loves him. ''You were the only one that never let me down''. He needed to say it, because it was true. Steven had let him down. Told him he hated him, stole the deli off him, pretended to want to get back with him, hit him over the head with a baseball bat, told Cheryl he was gay, thought he was guilty of rape, married someone else.
But none of that matters now. None of that ever mattered, because nothing Steven could ever do would make Brendan stop loving him. Nothing. Because he loved him unconditionally. And plus, what Brendan did to him was so much worse. If Brendan could turn back time and undo it all to the point where he kissed Steven he would. He would have accepted who he was from the start, and would have never let Ste go, would have never laid a finger on him, except to lovingly touch him. He'd give anything.
''I love you too'', she smiled, and Brendan returned that smile, relieved that she still loved him after everything he had done and said, and huffed a laugh. ''What's gonna happen now?''.
''Nothing for you to worry about. You just sit here, you don't follow me out''.
''I won't''.
''Promise me''.
''I promise''. Brendan gave her another short small smile before sighing, standing up and taking a deep breath.
''Well, you know I'm not one for goodbyes, so I'm just gonna go up there''.
''Brendan? I'm sorry''. He immediately tutted at her.
''Don't''.
''I am so sorry for not being the better sister. For being the sister that you needed''. She was crying now, tears flowing down her face. It was almost like she was the one giving up her life.
''Ah, Chez'', he dismissed her, ''you were so much more'', he smiled. She nodded, still crying, and closed her eyes. The officer using the mega-phone outside blasted through the walls. The sound was an indication that it was time for Brendan to leave.
''Okay'', he muttered and walked past her up the stairs, and as he did so Cheryl burst into tears, gasping for breath, her breathing hitch and wobbly as she cried. She turned and looked up him and he looked back at her.
''Bye'', she said, and he gave her a smile in return, and he continued walking up the stairs to the bar. He turned and looked around. This place had so much history, it was a huge part of his life. This is where he made his first move on Ste two and a half years ago down in the cellar. The night before had been the most important night to him in his entire life. He looked towards the office where he remembered the time Mitzeee had burst Rae's bubble and let her into the office to see what he was doing with Steven.
He looked at the middle of the room, where he had kissed Steven for the first time in public, and it made him smile that he got back at Foxy that time. He would be joining him soon. He looked at the bar and remembered the time Steven came to him before Dublin, wanting Brendan to ask him to stay, and they kissed, but he had to push Steven away because Brendan brought nothing but pain into Steven's life. Still does. He looked at Seamus' body on the other side of the room. Brendan understood why Cheryl did what she did. She did it for him. Brendan did it for Steven, when he killed Danny Houston, when he killed Walker. They deserved to die, all of them.
He looked at the balcony door and took another deep breath, and he reluctantly walked towards it. He was giving up so much. He placed his hands on the bar and gripped it, pushing it down, and stepped out. Blinding blue lights distorted his vision slightly. The first thing he saw was Steven below, and his heart sank. He looked up and saw a helicopter above, and snipers perched out on the arch across the village, waiting for him to make the wrong move. S.W.A.T teams waited below, but didn't dare move. Dozens of police vans and cars and ambulances were scattered out across the streets.
He stepped out further and looked into the light being shone down on him from the helicopter above and closed his eyes and took another deep breath.
''Brendan!'', Ste called, walking to the barrier, and Brendan was thankful Darren was there to hold him back to restrain him from doing something stupid.
''Get down, now!'', the officer with the mega-phone demanded, and Ste's face dropped with worry. Brendan raised his hands on his head and sighed.
''My name is Bren-''.
''My name is Cheryl Brady and this is my confession!''. Brendan turned to his left and saw Cheryl walking out the door onto the balcony. He gave her a stern look that she ignored.
''What are you doing?''.
''This is my mess, Brendan! You're not going down for something that I've done!''.
''No, you have to let me do this. I have to pay for what I've done''. He was desperate and needed this. She turned to him and gave him a loving smile. Everything around them had vanished and all they could see was each other.
''You need to be with Ste now. You need to give him the future he deserves. You can't turn your back on him. Not again. Not now''.
''No, I need to give you the future you deserve!''. She smiled at him again and turned to the commotion below. Nate was resisting confinement calling for her. She loved him so much.
''Tonight, I shot my own father in cold blood. I am responsible for the murder of Seamus Brady'', she said, turning towards the Chez Chez stairs and raised her hands on her head as Brendan lowered his.
''Chez, please'', he begged, as she walked past him.
''Goodbye, Bren. I love you so much'', she said, tears flowing down both their faces.
He bowed his head to the ground, trying to hold down the tears as she walked down the stairs, but they just kept coming. ''I love you too!'', he shouted to her, and she smiled as she accepted her faith. The officers roughly grabbed her arms and put cuffs around her wrists and slid her into the back seat of a car and was taken away, forever.
He felt numb and limp and walked slowly down the stairs as officers rushed past him to the scene of the crime. He continued walking and his heart broke as he saw Steven waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs. He had teary eyes and had red circles around his strained eyes. Brendan collapsed into his arms and let out all his anger and sadness as he cried into his shoulder. It's been three months since they were last in this position. Brendan gripped his back as tightly as possible without hurting him, something he knew he would never do again, and nothing could have persuaded him to let go.
Brendan's eyes shot open. He was in Steven's sitting room,on the sofa. His head was rested against Ste's chest, who was still asleep under him. Steven was still wearing the clothes from the night before, and so was Brendan. Steven's right arm was wrapped behind Brendan's neck and gripping his own right arm, holding him closer. Brendan never felt so safe. He really has changed. He knows because he's actually enjoying letting Steven take care of him. He wants him to. He wants to know that Steven still cares.
The world has become a much safer place this week. Seamus and Walker were now dead. As heartbroken as he was over Cheryl, he felt slightly relieved that Steven at least was safe, and Seamus and Walker were both gone. That reminded him, he has to identify the body today. He lifted Ste's arm from around him slowly and placed it at Steven's side gently. He stood and went to the kitchen and put the kettle on, made two coffees and sat back down beside Steven, coffees in hand.
He gave Steven a small nudge. He was a light sleeper. ''Hey'', Brendan said softly, ''there's a coffee here for you''. Ste rubbed his eyes and sat forward. He gave Brendan a light look.
''I'm supposed to be the one taking care of you, remember?''. Brendan gave a weak smile as Ste grabbed his coffee from the table.
''Thank you, Steven''.
''For what? I haven't done anything''.
''Thank you for being you. For putting up with me. For always being there for me when I need you the most. I love you so much''. He suddenly feels the urge to tell him how he feels, because you never know when a person can be taken away from you.
''Brendan?''. Brendan replied with a ''hmm?'' and looked Ste in the eyes. ''I'm sorry too''.
''For what? You said it yourself, you haven't done anything''.
''I'm sorry for the things I said''. Brendan still wasn't following. ''Last week''. Brendan raised his eyebrows and felt searing pain beginning to overcome his chest.
''Ah'', Brendan said dismissively, shaking his head and staring at the floor.
''No, what I said was horrible. I was just running out of patience last week, that's all. I'm so sorry for ever doubting you''.
''Steven, I don't blame you after everything I've done. I deserved it all''.
''Brendan, you didn't deserve any of it. I love you, yeah?''. That was all Brendan needed to hear and he gave him a peck on the lips and muttered, ''I love you too. I'm gonna take a shower and get cleaned up, I've got a lot to sort out today''. He stood up and left for the bathroom, and Ste watched him while drinking his coffee.
Brendan hadn't worn anything smart, had traded his usual attire of a suit to baggy trackies and shoes. He wasn't going anywhere special after all, but this was very important. He had to talk to Nate. He walked into the village for the first time since last night. He stopped outside the deli and looked through the window. Dougie was there, continuing his day as if nothing had happened. Cindy was in Price Slice, busy with customers. She was never really that close to Chez anyway.
He turned and looked towards the club. It had police lines wrapped around the balcony and at the entrance to the courtyard and a big blue board of wood covered the side entrance. He quickly turned and approached the long stair ahead of him. When he got to the top he stopped outside Number 2. He raised his hand to the door, but didn't knock. What would he say? What can he say? Tell him everything's gonna be okay, even when it's not? He turned and walked to the wall behind him and looked down over the village, and remembered the panicked state it was in compared to how it is now, calm and empty.
After 5 or 10 minutes waiting outside, he knocked. The door didn't open until Brendan knocked a second time. Nate opened it. He looked like a sleepy mess. It was understandable. His hair was all ruffled up and he hardly made an effort to get dresses, much like Brendan. He was wearing a vest, slippers and a dressing gown. It was a huge change to the posh outfits he usually wore. His accent wasn't as thick as it usually was. His body ached, probably hasn't slept all night.
''Hi'', Brendan said softly, so quiet it was almost inaudible. He entered the flat and noticed that it was missing a lot of furniture. The police had probably raided the flat earlier this morning. Brendan entered the kitchen and flicked the switch on the kettle. ''What a coffee or tea or...?''. He turned around to see Nate standing over him, a look of determination on his face.
''Cut the crap, Brendan. I want answers about last night. Now''. Brendan swallowed harshly, and his throat hurt as he did so.
''Okay, come on'', he said, motioning towards the door. He left, didn't even look to see if Nate was following, he was though. Brendan knew. He sprinted down the steps and towards the side door of Chez Chez, moving the big blue wooden board out of his way. He moved quickly, he didn't want anyone to know he was there. Nate followed him in, he didn't even put anymore clothes on, just his pajamas. He was freezing but he didn't care, didn't care about anything anymore. Brendan slowly walked up the steps and to the bar.
He scanned the room. Seamus' body had thankfully been removed this moring, but the police weren't done with it yet. He motioned towards one of the bar stools and looked at Nate. ''There'', he said. ''That's where I was sitting. When he came in. That's where I was sitting''.
''I'm sorry but I think I'm missing something, here'', Nate said.
''When I was eight years old my father raped me''. Nate's face didn't stir. He knew already. Brendan told him. ''But last week he said he was sorry. He said... He came up here last night, told me he didn't mean it, told me I was being a bold boy. Then he...'', Brendan exhaled a wobbly breath. ''Then he tried to rape me again, and that's when Cheryl came in''.
Nate's lip began to shake, he felt sick, but he stayed quiet. ''She knew'', Brendan muttered. ''Walker sent her a video on a memory stick, she knew. She was holding Walker's gun from last Friday. She found it under the sofa, came over and saw what he was doing to me. Pulled the trigger. I wanted to save her, I did, but she wouldn't let me''. Brendan felt tears fall down his face. ''I walked out onto the balcony, was about to confess to a murder I didn't commit. But she stopped me, admitted to it first. I wanted to I did, I wanted to give her the future she deserved. Deserves''. Brendan looked into Nate's eyes waiting for what he would say next.
Nate didn't say anything for a while. Wanted to absorb what Brendan had just told him. It was a lot to take in. ''Thank you''. Brendan gave him a soft, weak smile.
''What are you gonna do now, Nate?''.
''I don't know. We had our whole lives together yesterday, but now... now I have nothing''. This was heartbreaking for Brendan. He didn't really know Nate, but he knew what it was like to lose the person you love.
''You gonna stay here?''.
''No. Too much history. I've only been here just over a month and I'm already sick of it''.
''Where you gonna go?''.
''I don't know to be honest. Cheryl doesn't want me to go see her. Ended it. It had to end there. I've nothing left for me here now. I might go back to South Port, maybe I'll go to Ireland as planned, or go somewhere else. Anywhere but here''. Brendan approached Nate and gave him a hug.
''I'm sorry, Nate''.
''Yeah, me too''. Neither of them moved for a while, until Brendan realised he had to be somewhere.
''I have to go'', he whispered soothingly. Nate broke the hug.
''Yeah, okay''.
''I have to identify the body today''. Nate sighed. He knew it was hard for Brendan, but not because his father was dead, but because he had to look at the man who tried to rape him last night. His own father.
''Do you want me to come with you?''.
''No, no, you don't have to. Not if you don't want to''.
''No I'll come. Be there for you''. They shared a smile and left. Brendan went and got the car while Nate put some real clothes on.
As Brendan pulled out of the village he drove past Steven, who turned and waved, but Brendan kept driving. No distractions. This had to be done. He was determined. The silence between him and Nate wasn't even close to awkward. It was understandable. They had both lost the person they loved last night. The radio was low and almost inaudible. It wasn't a long drive, just short of the city. They arrived at the hospital and pulled into the multi-story car park off the busy streets of the city. Brendan turned the keys and removed them from the ignition. Nate took off his belt and opened the door, but Brendan didn't move. Nate sat back and closed his door again.
''Brendan?''. Brendan gave a grunt, not looking into Nate's eyes, but Nate was looking into his. ''The sooner you do this, the sooner you can let go''. Brendan looked at him and raised his eyebrows in question. ''Think about it. You'll finally be free of your Dad. Forever''. Brendan nodded awkwardly.
''I'm afraid''. Brendan was vulnerable. He would have never admitted that before last night.
''Afraid of what?''.
''I don't know. I don't know. Your right though, it's time to finish this'', he said unbuckling his seat belt and opening the car door and closing it behind him. Nate sighed and followed.
An officer was waiting for Brendan. It was the detective who questioned Brendan last night at the police station. He didn't say anything though, and neither did Brendan or Nate. He just instructed them to follow him down the corridor. They arrived at the morgue and passed through two more halls, passing rooms full of containers on the walls. They arrived into a room. It was small and narrow and there was a window on the wall which was connected to another room that was equally small and narrow. The other room had a table standing in the middle of it, with a large, hefty lump on it covered with a white sheet. It was about five foot long. There was a doctor in a red shirt standing over the bag on the table and placed a hand softly on the edge of the sheet.
Brendan gulped and looked at the detective and nodded. ''Go ahead''. The detective looked at the doctor and nodded, and the doctor nodded in return and pulled the sheet away from the bodies' face. It was definitely Seamus. Brendan felt panic and relief flood over him at the same time. Seamus was paler now. Even in death he still had a stern look on his face. Brendan felt fear come over him and realised that a couple of moments had passed since the doctor removed the sheet.
''Yeah, yeah it's him''. The detective raised his hand on Brendan's shoulder and nodded at the doctor and he covered Seamus again.
''I'm sorry for your loss''. But he wasn't sorry, he knew what Seamus was, what he had done.
''Can I have a minute alone with him?'', Brendan asked softly.
''Of course'', he moved towards the door and Nate followed. When they were gone Brendan walked towards the glass and pressed his hands and face against it.
''Why, Da? Why? Why me? Why did you have to take her away from me? You've ruined my life, you've ruined Nate's life, you've ruined her life. You got what you deserved, but I didn't. I deserved to be the one that gets to kill you''. It was evil and Brendan knew it. ''I hate you. I hope you're burning in Hell''.
Brendan and Nate arrived outside the deli and Brendan stopped the car. They nodded at each other and Nate left. Brendan looked at the club once more before collapsing into his seat and sighed. The fear had gone. Seamus was gone. Cheryl was gone. Walker was gone. Kevin-. He sat forward and his mouth dropped, and his eyebrows raised. He leaned over the steering wheel and watched in shock as he saw Kevin walking out of Price Slice, a stupid grin on his scrawny face. He stopped and turned at Maxine's flat and raised his hand to the keyhole and pushed the key in. He turned the key and opened the door, walking in. Suddenly he found himself being pulled out the door and into the alleyway under Chez Chez. He was thrown against the wall and let out a grunt from the pain. It was Brendan. Kevin's stomach was in his mouth as he trembled under the weight of Brendan Brady hanging over him.
''What the Hell are you doing here, eh? Come back for a real beating?''.
''No, I-I-I'm sorry. I had nowhere else to go'', he cried.
''So you thought you'd come back here after what you've done?''.
''I don't want any trouble. Please?''.
''You don't want any trouble? Ah, that's nice. Do you think I wanted trouble? Walker could have killed me, or Steven. Did you ever think of that? Do you have any idea how much hurt you've caused us both? Sexual assault and actual bodily harm? I could have gone to prison for that!''.
''I'm so sorry! Walker made made me do it!''.
''Oh me made you do it? He made you? Is that your excuse?!'', he shouted, raising his fist back to punch him. Kevin closed his eyes and waited for yet another beating, but it never came. He opened his eyes to see Ste dragging Brendan around the corner. He was safe for now. Ste pulled Brendan by the collar and into the deli.
''Get in there!''.Douglas was there behind the counter. There were no customers so he was just sat there twiddling his thumbs. Doug looked startled and jumped to his feet. Ste pushed Brendan roughly towards the counter and he hit off the cash register.
''What the Hell are you doing?'', he called.
''Get out, Doug!'', Ste shouted, opening the door and pushing Doug out by the back. He closed the door and turned the ''OPEN'' sign around so it read, ''CLOSED''. He approached Brendan, who was walking swiftly towards him.
''What the Hell am I doing? What are you doing, eh?!''.
''I'm giving Kevin what he deserves!'.
''No you're not. You're looking for someone to take your anger out on''.
''Steven, you of all people know what he's done. He almost killed us!''.
''Yeah, and beating Kevin to a pulp is only gonna land us in more trouble! It's not gonna bring Cheryl back either is it?''.
''Don't push me, Steven''.
''Or what? Kevin might have been lying last time but the next time he might not be. I don't wanna hear about you knockin' the shit out of him and goin' down again, alright?''. Brendan tutted, he was fighting a losing battle and he knew it. ''Promise me you won't touch Kevin''.
''Ah Steven-''.
''Promise me!''. Brendan stormed out the door and walked back towards Kevin who was standing beside the alleyway. Ste ran towards the door and watched as Brendan nudged his shoulder against Kevin's, so hard he almost knocked Kevin over. Ste didn't follow him. He knew he'd won this round. Doug approached him.
''Hey, how are you?'', he said.
''I'm fine, Doug. It's not me you should be worried about''.
''What do you mean?''.
''It's Brendan. He's not handling it very well. He's acting like everything's fine but it isn't''.
''What about Cheryl?''.
''She's been sent down. Charged with murder''.
''But she was protecting Brendan''.
''It doesn't matter, Doug. She still murdered someone. There's something Brendan did last night''.
''What?''.
''Before Cheryl confessed, Brendan was about to do something. It looked like he was about to confess to something''.
''You don't think he did it, do you?''.
''No, of course not, but I think there's more to last night than he's letting on''.
''Like what?''.
''I don't know, Doug. But I intend to find out''.