The minute they left the cafeteria, Randall knew something bad was about to happen based on the looks of Toby and Sean. Sean looked as white as a ghost and Toby looked like he was going to puke. Sean leaned himself against the nearest wall and took a few deep breathes. Looked like he was going to be ok, but the kid looked worse for the wear.
"Toby, you ok kid?" he asked.
Toby went to respond when instead of words, a steady stream of projectile vomit came out instead.
-X-
Rick just kept staring at Emma expectantly, waiting for her to respond to his declaration of love. Meanwhile, all Emma could do was try to choke down the vomit that was rising in her throat at the thought and remind herself that Sean was just outside and that he wouldn't let anything happen to her.
"Rick...tell me about Terri," she found herself finally stuttering out.
That was why she was here in the first place and their hour was almostt up. She didn't want to leave without getting any answers at all or then all of this would be for nothing.
The smile felll off of Riick's face at the question and he sighed angrily.
"What is there to tell? Terri betrayed me. I thought she was the love of my life until I met you Em. But she wasn't. Instead I found out that she was just like everyone else." he spat out.
His intense anger on the subject scared Emma but she forced herself to push throoough.
"How was she just like everyone else?" she asked.
"She didn't really love me, she was only pretending. She was constantly letting her stuck upfriends like Paige and Jimmy tell her what to do and did you ever see the way Spinner used to look at her? He was obviously madly in love with her and just using Paige as a front! I didn't like the way she always chose them over me and constantly disrespected me in front of them. So I snapped and pushed her. I didn't mean to get to angry but…" Rick's intense concentration suddenly stopped out of nowhere and he pasted that sickly sweet smile back on his face.
"But let's not talk about her right now. She could never mean as much to me as you do." Rick told her as he tried to grab for her hand again.
Emma saw it this time and pulled her hand out of his reach and under the table.
"Rick, you asked me here because I thought we were going to talk about Terri." Emma told him firmly trying to keep the conversation on track.
Ricky sighed and gave her a sad smile.
"Donn't worry, Emma, one day I'll get you to trust me again and then all talk of Terri won't matter anymore. But unfortunately, our time is up for today. I'm not allowed more than an hour so that I don't overexerte myself. Sorry you have to go but it's doctor's orders." he told her cheerfully.
At his words, a nurse came rushing into the cafeteria.
"Rick, sweetie, it's time for your afternoon medication."
He nodded her way.
"Ahh, Rhonda, right on schedule. This is Emma." he introduced.
Emma could tell by her facial expression that Rhonda knew exactly who she was. She gave Emma a sad smile and said hello. There was nothing Emma hated more than when someone gave her a look of pity. She nodded a hello and looked away in disgust.
"See you next week Em," Rick told her as Rhonda rushed him out of the room.
The minute they were gone, Emma let herself take a deep breathe to try and calm her nerves. Sean came rushing in seconds later with Randall on his heels.
"Em, you ok?" he asked sitting down next to her and putting his hand on her knee.
Emma avaoided eye contact with him but nodded.
"Just get me the hell out of here Sean."
-X-
Just as Jay pulled the civic into the parking lot and he, Manny, and Spin all crawled out and made their way to the front entrance of Smithgrove, Toby came rushing out.
"Toby? You ok?" Manny asked as he got as far away from the front door as possible and gulped in fresh air like mad.
"Yeah, I just...had to get out of there," he admitted.
Manny's heart broke for one of her dearest and oldest friends and before she even realized what she was doing, she had Toby pulled into a big hug. Toby melted against her and finally let the tears fall from his eyes. Manny continued to comfort him as he cried hysterically and Jay and Spin stood there in horror. Both ooof them feeling massive amounts of guilt for the prank that pushed Rick over the edge in the first place.
A few minutes later, Emma and Sean came out with Randall following closely behind them.
"Can we just meet you sometime later this week to discuss this Sergeant? I need to get Emma home," Sean was saying to the detective cordially but obviously not really even asking.
Randall sighed in frustration but knew he couldn't push Emma too far, she was all they had in trying to solve this thing.
"I'll have my secratary give you guys a call to set up a meeting. In the meantime, go home and get some rest. All of you. Today has been hard." Randall intruscted them before making his goodbyes and heading to his cruiser.
"Em, you ok?" Manny asked the second Randall was gone.
"Why don't we all just head back home? We can meet at Emma's tomorrow and discuss our game plan?" Jay suggested immeduiately boticing the panic on Emma's face.
He could tell that all Sean wanted to do was get her out of there and from the looks of Toby and Spin, heading home instead of talking might just be the best option for everyone.
Manny went to protest but Sean cut her off.
"That's probably a good idea. Jay would you mind giving Toby a ride home?" he asked.
Jay nodded.
"No problemo Cam, see you guys tomorrow." he said as he ushered his fianccce and a crying Toby and zombie Spinner back to the Civic.
As soon as they were gone, Sean led Emma back to his rental car and they drove back to Degrassi in a comfortable silence. But this time, when Sean tried to hold her hand, Emma pulled back and stared out the window.
She was starting to pull away from him, but this time? Sean would be damned if he let her!
-X
AN: So yay me I updated! REVIEWS PLEASE!