Discipline

General Hospital

Chapter fourteen

Vinny: Morgan. I know you won't understand what I have to do, but I want you to know that you were always my best friend. My only friend. We had a great time together. I'm glad you got your card back. n

Morgan stared down at his phone, frowning. What the hell was Vinny up to? They didn't get out of school for another three days; he shouldn't be saying his goodbyes so soon. And the way Vinny had been acting lately…Morgan had reason to worry. He looked over towards Vinny's bunk, which was surprisingly empty. Morgan really began to worry, now. Although cadets were not allowed to leave their bunks after the 'lights out' was called, Morgan slipped out in search for his friend.

As soon as he stepped out of the halls, he was confronted by Sergeant Tackett. Tackett raised his eyebrows at Morgan, who knew he was in deep trouble.

"Bathroom?" Tackett asked uncomfortably, for he wasn't one for that sort of stuff. Morgan thought about simply saying 'yes' and moving on, but something made him stay put.

"No." He whispered.

"No?" Tackett was surprised at the honesty. "You know where you're supposed to be, Cadet, now be there."

"Sir-"

"Cadet. Go back to the bunks."

"Sir-"

"Are you disagreeing with me, Cadet?" Tackett became angry. Morgan shook his head quickly.

"No, sir, no. It's Vinny Triste, sir. He's not in his bunk."

"It's not your responsibility to-"

"Yes, sir. I know, sir. But, look at what he wrote."

"Cadet, no phones allowed." Tackett grumbled, but took the phone anyhow, reading the message carefully. When he was finished, he gave Morgan a concerned look.

"Where could your friend be, Cadet?"

"I have an idea, sir."

Morgan was right. Vinny was standing outside, playing with a gun. A gun that should be locked away with the others, but had somehow gotten out. He stared at it conflictingly, flipping it around in his hands. Morgan stepped forward to confront his friend, but Sergeant Tackett held him back.

"What is he going to do?" Morgan tried to keep his voice down, but Vinny still heard. He looked up slowly to see the official and his best friend, laughing softly.

"It's all right, Morgan." He called. "I'm going to be okay."

"What the hell are you doing, man?" Morgan yelled. "This isn't you."

"Let's not jump to conclusions." Tackett grumbled. "Cadet, I'm giving you twenty seconds to put that gun away and come to me."

"And if I don't?" Vinny asked. Morgan gave him an appalled look. Vinny was never like this, he always followed orders. Hell, he was scared of Sergeant Tackett most days…except apparently not tonight.

"Cadet, I didn't ask for backtalk." Tackett growled.

"You never answered my question." Vinny loaded the gun.

"You know the answer."

"No, I really don't." Vinny looked down, shaking his head. "I'm so sick of this place. I'm sick of everyone here, I'm sick of all of the things I had to go through." He sniffed and wiped his nose.

"I'm sorry, Morgan. I'm not the friend you thought I was." Vinny choked up, and shakily cocked the gun. Morgan couldn't speak, he couldn't move. He had this horrible, wretched feeling in his gut.

Sergeant Tackett began to cautiously step forward. "Vincent," he whispered, using Vinny's full name.

"Don't move!" Vinny yelled. "D-don't come any closer."

"Damn it, drop the gun!" Tackett yelled.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Vinny screamed. "No one gets to tell me what to do anymore, got it? Understand? I'm my own person, now. My own spirit. Finally." He aimed his gun at its target.

Before Morgan heard the noise, he hit the ground. Tackett pushed him down, holding him steady, thinking they were being fired at. Morgan thought so to, angry at Vinny. Why would Vinny try to kill him, after all they had done together, all they had been through? Slowly, to his horror, he realized the only one who had been injured was Vinny.

"Vinny," he whispered, getting up and running to his friend. At the sound of a gunshot, the cadets had all filed out, still in their pajamas, dazed and concerned.

Vinny was on the ground, bleeding from his chest. Morgan helped prop his friend's head up, but he really had no idea what to do. He felt so helpless.

"Help me," Vinny whispered. "I…I didn't…I…it was supposed to be quick…" Vinny's breathing was becoming shallower. "Help."

That was his last word. Morgan stared at him, shocked. A cool chill ran through his body, taunting him. It would be so easy just to take the gun and shoot. Shoot Paul. Shoot Frank. Everyone who had bullied Vinny throughout his years here. But, he couldn't. He felt so pointless, Vinny was already faltering, and it wasn't like he could do anything to help. Oh, but he wished, he tried desperately to keep Vinny breathing, to keep him afloat. People were whispering, screaming, yelling. Morgan was silent all the while.

Someone was talking about the body. Where to keep the body, they certainly couldn't ignore it. The body would have to be collected by the family at some point or other, that was a given. Morgan frowned, what body? This was Vinny, his best friend, not some sort of corpse. Except that he was.

"Take the body," someone said. "Take the body back inside. Get a cadet to help."

Morgan felt himself being pulled up, he felt Vinny's body move from under him. Cadets were helping to carry their fallen comrade. Morgan searched the crowd of unfamiliar faces. Students that never knew Vinny, students that never knew what he really went through. Neither did Morgan. He never knew how Vinny felt. He never thought to ask.

Morgan heard his name being called, but he didn't respond. He couldn't comprehend what was happening. He felt someone grab his arms and pull him back against a cold, unforgiving wall. Morgan slowly reached up to his face and realized he had been sobbing. He realized the low moaning he kept hearing did not come from Vinny, but from him.

Vinny was still dead.

Morgan was still alive.

He slowly slipped to the ground in a heap of exhaustion and unconsciousness.