A/N: This is where you get a little better sense of Dean and just what his objectives to Paige are. Careful now... you will be entering the mind of a madman. Please read and reply.
Hospital
Rose Michalchuk sat in quietly in a waiting room in the cardiology wing of the local hospital. Her cell phone was clutched desperately in her hands as she waited for it to vibrate signaling a call from her daughter. She shifted her feet slightly, noting with a fleeting detachment how the residue from a recent waxing caused her sensible shoes to stick to the tiles. She drew in a shallow breath through her nose as she looked towards the room they had taken her husband. A quiet voice startled her from her staring and she turned drawing back in shock as she recognized the speaker.
"You! What are you doing here?" She lashed out with all her pent up stress and anger at the young man in front of her. He seemed almost unfazed except for the slightly hurt look on his face.
"I was going to ask you the same thing Mrs. Michalchuk. Did something happen to Paige?" Dean, the boy from Bardell who had ra- had taken advantage of Paige asked as he put his hands in his pockets.
"You'd like that wouldn't you? She must have made it very difficult for you what with the trial and then wrecking your car." Rose spat at him surprised as he recoiled.
Dean looked down at the ground and was about to speak but a woman in a suit came striding up to him with a card in her hand.
"Dean, I'm glad I ran into you. You forgot your appointment card earlier today." The woman handed the young man the card and then hurried on without so much as a backward glance.
Dean turned back to Rose and regarded her carefully. "I'm not here to bother anyone. My grandmother is in the room down the hall, something wrong with her pace maker. I just saw you sitting here on my way out for the night and I wanted to see if everything was alright."
Rose searched his face for any trace of deceit but found none. He seemed to be genuinely concerned. She decided to hedge her bets just the same.
"No, it's not Paige. She's- " Rose paused a moment to consider her words. "She's fine. It was her father, I think he had a heart attack. I've been trying to get ahold of Paige with no luck so far."
He nodded and backed away slowly. "Well then I really should be going. When you do get in touch with her I'm sure she'll rush over and I'm going to be the last person she'll want to see especially in such a stressful situation. Not that I can blame her at all. I just-" He stopped and then looked Rose directly in the eye. "I can't ever make up for what I did to your daughter and she has every right to hate me forever. I am sorry though. I just want you to know that."
And then he was gone. Down the hallway and out the exit and out of sight.
"Rose?." Startled for the second time in a short period Rose whirled around rather frantically. She saw her husband's doctor holding a chart.
"Yes Gerome, you have some news on Dmitri's condition?"
Gerome Livingston looked at Rose Michalchuk, a grim look on his face. He took in her dishevelment and had to admit he was a little surprised to find her less than perfect coiffed.
"It's been a long night for both of us, let's go get some coffee and we can go over Dmitri's condition." He laid a gentle but guiding hand on her shoulder and pulled her towards the elevator. As they moved away from the bank of chairs Rose looked down at the ground and noticed the appointment card that woman had handed Dean. He must have dropped it on his way out. She picked it up and read it.
Dr. Amelia Rosenbaum DPM. Tues. 3:00 pm.
'DPM? What does that stand for?' Rose wondered silently before voicing her curiosity to Dr. Livingston.
"DPM stands for Doctor of Psychiatric Medicine. Why do you ask?" The doctor inquired in distracted tones.
"Oh, nothing. Just something I heard somewhere and I wondered that's all." Rose murmured.
'So he's seeing a psychiatrist. Maybe he's finally going to get help. Maybe somebody's finally going to get to the bottom of why he felt the need to take advantage of a little girl.' But somehow even during her silent recriminations she couldn't help but be happy for the young man. He seemed to be moving along while accepting responsibility for his mistakes, which was more than her daughter had done. Thinking again of Paige made Rose grip her phone, still clutched in her cold fingers, even more tightly. Why hadn't she called back?
Paige and Alex's Room
Alex lay on her back staring at the ceiling. Her mouth curled into a smile even as her breath came in spurts. Paige crawled out from under the covers and wrapped a sheet around herself as she looked down at her tired lover. She moved a strand of dark hair off of Alex's face and kissed her gently before pulling back with a grin.
"I told you I'd win that one."
Alex swallowed audibly and let her eyes roam over Paige's form.
"First off, why must everything be a contest with you? And second, you cheated." Alex leaned up and pecked the blonde's nose affectionately.
"Excuse me? How did I cheat?" Paige scoffed as she ran a hand down the length of Alex's torso.
The brunette arched her back as the caresses continued. She reached down and grabbed the source of her distraction and kissed the palm.
"Paigey, we had a wager on who could outlast the other one. You agreed to not do the tongue thing because you know what it does to me. Yet you used it despite your promise."
"Hmm." Paige sighed with a smile. "I prefer to think of it as in spite of my promise. And really, you can't tell me you're that upset over losing."
Alex rolled over quickly pinning Paige's body with her own. She pulled on the sheet covering her girlfriend.
"Oh you can bet Paigey, I am very glad I lost that little competition. However, since you cheated I think a little discipline is in order."
Paige chuckled as she took in the implied "threat". Wrapping her arms around her dark haired beauty she pulled the other woman closer.
"Oh yes Alex, punish me really. I deserve it." Aquamarine eyes looked into brown as they sparkled mischievously.
"Alright, since you agree..." Alex trailed off as she rolled off Paige and got up from the bed.
"What-" The blonde began in shock before Alex interrupted her.
"I think I'll go sleep in Ellie's room."
She moved towards the door but found her path blocked.
"I don't think so Miss Nunez." Paige said as her eyes narrowed to slits.
Alex folded her arms over her chest and regarded the other woman nonchalantly.
"You agreed to it Paige."
Paige grabbed Alex's hips and gave them a gentle shove back towards the bed and it wasn't long before the Latina was pinned beneath her lover as kisses were planted along her neck.
"Paaaaaige." Alex whined as she pushed ineffectually at Paige's shoulders. Not that she was actually trying anyway.
"Alex, you and I both know that sometimes I make choices that aren't good for anybody. Now, however, I'm making a choice that I think will benefit us both."
She trailed kisses along Alex's exposed skin and grinned to herself when she heard Alex moan in half hearted protest.
"You're cheating again."
Hospital Parking Lot
Dean sat in his car staring at the exit he had come from. He wondered how long Paige's mother would be inside. He also wondered how long it would be before Spirit showed up. He smiled to himself when he thought of the fear and anger on Rose Michalchuk's face when she saw him at first and then the cautious trust she extended when he offered his apology. She was going to be so easy to manipulate. He hadn't dropped his psychiatrists card for nothing. He wanted Rose to know that he was getting "help". Not that it had been up to him. But after that little bitch up at Blakely Prep had made threats of pressing charges against him, Dean's parents had forced him into counseling to avoid a scandal.
"Huh. Not like she was that good anyway. Not nearly as feisty as someone I know." He muttered to himself as he continued to sit in the dark parking lot.
He kept thinking about Paige, everyone had advised him to move on but there was something about her that drew him to her. And now that the restraining order was up he could pretty much do as he pleased. He didn't know if he wanted to make her life a nightmare or if he wanted another shot at her. He'd meant it when he said she had been good that night. He had been watching her for months now, had seen how her body had grown and matured...had seen the way Waterboy looked at her and it was obvious he had a shot and fucked it up. And he'd seen how the dark haired girl she was with now behaved. It was pretty clear that his Spirit had experience outside of himself and he planned on making the most of it.
He chuckled to himself. Watching Spirit make out with another girl had been pretty hot. Briefly he thought about involving the girlfriend but he shook that thought away. Getting Paige was enough, he decided. And then he would make her pay for all that she had put him through.
Dean sat back and waited for his quarry's arrival.
University House Livingroom
Paige wandered downstairs t get some water. She was tired but it was definitely a good tired. She and Alex had made up for the missed "quality time" they had been suffering from as of late and now Alex was sleeping soundly. On her way to the kitchen Paige heard a beeping from her purse. She recognized it as her cell phone letting her know that she had voicemail.
'I guess I should see what my mom wants.' Paige thought with reluctance.
She dug the cell phone out of her purse and after flipping it open dialed the number to her voicemail box. She listened to the message for a moment and then dropped the phone. Her father had had a heart attack and was at the hospital and her mom had been trying to get ahold of for the last three hours.
Paige stood silently for a moment, her body unable to move. A noise on the stairs drew her attention and she saw Alex standing there in a pair of sweats and a tanktop not unlike the ones Paige herself had thrown on to come downstairs. Curious brown eyes questioned her silently.
"I have to go to the hospital. My mom found my dad having a heart attack. Or at least that's what they think it is and I need to go be with her." Paige said in a surprisingly steady voice.
Running on automatic Paige grabbed her keys and headed for the door but was stopped by a hand being laid softly on her arm.
"Alex I have to g-" But she was interrupted by the feel of a coat being placed over her shoulders and the keys being taken from her hand.
Paige slipped on the coat and followed Alex as she walked out into the chilly night headed for Paige's car. So deep in thought and worry for her father it never occurred to Paige that perhaps Alex's presence would not be a good thing given the situation between her and her mother. All that she could think about was her father and how she prayed he was going to be all right.
TBC...
A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. I was really stuck as to how I wanted to approach this chapter. I hope you enjoyed and I will try not to take so long next time.
