Hopefully this chapter explains why Kent and Lewis are trying to protect Tom. Hope you enjoy and thanks for the reviews.
Emerson wasn't sure where he was going as he walked down the streets of Whitechapel. His ribs were starting to ache more and more but he didn't want to go back. The guilt at what they'd done was filling him up. Sure Tom probably did deserve it but Kent didn't want him to go to prison.
Taking a seat on a bench, Emerson's ribs throbbing in the process, Kent tried to stop his mind from whirring. The guilt was eating him up from the insides while his head was telling him that Tom needed to be punished for what he'd done. He couldn't keep getting a free pass with an apology and a promise never to do it again. Resting his head on his hands, Emerson sighed in frustration.
Lewis had been right to tell them, he knew that but Kent just couldn't stop thinking of Tom. He'd knew the team and they'd arrest him, at least hold him until they couldn't any more. Shit. Tom had done so much for him for years and he couldn't even help his friend. Repay him for everything.
Back in school he'd been a complete loner, always picked on because of his shy nature, but Tom had befriended him. Tom had been the one to push Kent to apply to the police. He'd pushed him when Emerson himself hadn't had the confidence to do it. If it wasn't for Tom most of Kent's life wouldn't have gone the way it had. And now Tom was probably stuck in a police cell because Emerson couldn't keep the secret he promised he would.
Logically he knew it wasn't his fault, Lewis had told them. But he couldn't blame Lewis for this because Kent should have stopped it. He shouldn't have let it happen in the first place. As he sat there, he didn't care that people were giving him strange looks as small tears of guilt, pain and frustration escaped his eyes.
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Lewis hadn't moved. He knew he shouldn't have let Emerson go out on his own. No matter how much his friend tried to hide it, Lewis knew that Em was in pain. He should be at home resting, not worrying because his flat mates were complete idiots.
Because that's what they were. Lewis was an idiot for not listening to Emerson, when the younger man knew how to handle these situations. And Tom was an idiot for getting involved in all of this in the first place.
Never had Lewis expected himself to actually lose his temper like that, usually being so laid back but he couldn't help it. Tom deserved it to some extent. So why did he feel so guilty about what he'd done?
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"What do we do?" Riley and Mansell had just come back from Kent's flat and had told the DS and DI everything.
"I don't know." Chandler replied to Miles.
"We should arrest him." Miles didn't want this kid to get away with hurting one of his DC's.
"We can't, not unless Kent wants to press charges." Miles wasn't happy with the reply so Chandler decided to change the subject. "These people will attack Kent, or Tom, again, soon. We need to place an officer at the flat so we can catch them before they do anything else." Miles nodded.
"I'll get Mansell on it. Meg's going to circulate the image around the streets."
"Good, we need to find out who this man is." Chandler could see Miles wasn't going to let the matter of Kent and Tom rest so Chandler continued. "We'll talk to Tom again but we can't hold him." Miles nodded in reservation, knowing there wasn't much else he could do.
"I'll talk to Kent."
"No!" Chandler shouted, lowering his tone after seeing the odd looks they got through the office doors. "It will only make him clam up. Give him time." Miles said nothing in answer to this.
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Entering the interview room once more, the two officers where met with an irate Tom. "I thought I was allowed to go once I was finished."
"You are, we just need to ask you a few questions." Tom sat down at Chandlers calming tone but kept his eyes on the DS, who was looking at with obvious hate in his eyes. Before Miles could say anything Chandler asked, "Do you know when those men could come back?"
"Yeah, Em said one week." Tom muttered, worrying about what might happen.
"So tomorrow." A nod was given in answer.
"You went to a party with DC Kent and Lewis Brooklyn didn't you?" Miles asked, giving the younger man a hard stare.
"Yes…what does this have to do with anything?" It was Chandler who answered, giving Tom an equally, though more subdued, look of distaste.
"The man you borrowed money from knew that you were having money difficulties. As confirmed by Lewis Brooklyn this man was at the party and may have seen…certain activities." Tom knew what they were going to say but kept a look of confusion on his face.
Cutting straight to the question, Miles said. "Did you spike DC Kent or Lewis Brooklyn's drinks?"
Tom froze in place, an angry look instantly crossing over his face. "Where did you here that?"
"Your Flat mates." Miles retorted, looking straight into the eyes of Tom Andrews. A look of pure anger flared in them.
"I didn't do anything. Where's your proof?" As an afterthought Tom said, "I want a lawyer before I go any further."
Miles looked about ready to kill the other boy and Chandler just sat there in complete anger at how Tom was treating his friends. Acting on w him the DI confronted the younger man. "You won't need a lawyer because DC Kent has decided not to press charges. However, we would like you to give an answer to this question."
"I'm not being charged so I'll be leaving." Tom growled out, getting up from his seat. Neither Chandler nor Miles tried to stop the other man leaving the room.
As soon as the door had been closed Miles started to rant at the DI. "That little piece of shit. He's not even grateful that Kent didn't want to press charges. How dare he?"
"I know. Get Mansell to follow him home, I didn't like the look in his eyes." Miles nodded in agreement with the DI.
While they didn't think that Tom would actually hurt his flat mates they had seen the anger in his eyes and they couldn't rule out that possibility.
Short chapter but this was is more of a filler anyway. Next chapter will have more in it I promise. Thanks for reading and as always please review and tell me what you thought :)
