"How's Caitie?" Jamie asked immediately.
"She's out of the recovery room. She's stabilized, yet has not regained consciousness. The doctors are hopeful though. Val's there right now, and Hank's checking in on her often."
Jamie and Tyler sat at a booth, in a diner nearby the police station. With two steaming cups of coffee sitting idly in front of the two, silence dominated the conversation.
"What are you being charged with?" Tyler asked, breaking the silence.
"Nothing formally."
"Jamie, what happened?"
Jamie lifted his head making eye contact with Tyler. "I . . . I was just so mad after seeing Caitie like that. I went to find Alec. I went to his apartment. Basically, he hit me, and I fought back."
"So it was self defense."
"The thing is, something happened. I don't know what got into me but I couldn't hold back. I really hurt him. I couldn't stop hurting him. All I could see was Caitie, and how he broke her." Jamie paused for a moment before he continued to speak. "Tyler, Alec's dead. By the time I finished hitting him, he wasn't breathing. He wasn't moving at all. I called 911 and the paramedics came. I was arrested for manslaughter."
Tyler took a moment to process the information. "That's ridiculous. He made the first physical move. There isn't any evidence. I can get you a really good lawyer," he assured making a mental list of all his law school contacts.
"I told them my story. Right now, there isn't enough evidence. The DA's office is going to proceed with this regardless. They're going to investigate and go forward and move for first degree manslaughter." Jamie sat quietly.
"No. Don't worry. The charges will be dropped. They don't have a case. You've been released on bail so that's good start," Tyler stated in a reassuring voice.
Jamie stared blankly at the steam rising from his cup of coffee.
"Did the autopsy report come out yet?" Tyler questioned.
"I don't know. I've been sitting in a jail cell for the past two days."
"Why . . . why didn't you call me sooner? You needed a lawyer. You still do. I could of helped."
"I did it. I admit it. I killed him. I didn't mean to. Honestly I didn't, but the fact remains unchanged. I killed a man. I was angry with him, but I never intended to kill him. Never. That's a line . . . I thought I'd never cross. I didn't even know he was gone. All of a sudden I realized he'd stopped breathing. I realized this all too late."
Tears started to well up in Jamie's eyes. "I just . . . I just don't know what's going on with my life anymore. I have this successful career I happen to be good at, yet I lack the passion. I can't sustain any relationship because I'm in love with my best friend. Now I'm going on trial, for some heinous action I never thought I was capable of. I deserve it."
Jamie sat quietly, holding back the ceaseless tears. He stared out the window, barely seeing the darkness. Instead, staring back at him was the reflection of Tyler and himself. "You know, the thing that scares me the most is loosing her. I never got to tell her I love her. I've been in love with her for so long."
"You'll get your chance. Do you want me to find you a lawyer?" Tyler asked trying to be helpful. It was a difficult situation he was trying to handle.
"I want to see her."
"Val's there right now. There's been no change. How about we head back to the apartment and get some rest. You're probably tired form the last few days."
Jamie's tone grew firm. "I want to see her."
*
Val sat in the uncomfortable chair listening to the rhythmic sound of the machines beeping. She leaned her head against the wall, focusing her eyes on her best friend. The physical damage on her face and body began to significantly heal. Her abdomen was carefully bandaged, aiding the healing process from her surgery. Plaster casts covered her broken bones. Her head was dressed with a white bandage. Brown hair covered her shoulders, hiding the fading cuts. She looked better today. Every day she seemed a little better.
Jamie entered the hospital room and stood beside Caitie. He took his hand and stroked her cheek gingerly. Tears were flowing from his dark eyes freely. Tyler appeared in the doorframe. He motioned for Val to leave the room. Taking the hint, Val arose from her chair. She squeezed Jamie's shoulder tight and closed the door behind her.
"Is he okay?" she asked quietly, stepping out into the hallway.
"He's been through a lot." Tyler couldn't have stated it any simpler.
"Where has he been?" Val asked curiously. It surprised her that Jamie didn't return to the hospital sooner, but figured it has hard for him to handle.
Tyler relayed the entire story to Val as they sat outside of Caitie's hospital room.
A/N: I've been super busy, so I wasn't able to update in a while. Hope this chapter didn't ruin the story-I had writer's block. I didn't know what should happen after the last chapter. If there are suggestions in improving this. . . feel free to give some! I always can delete this chapter and we all can pretend it was never uploaded ;)
"She's out of the recovery room. She's stabilized, yet has not regained consciousness. The doctors are hopeful though. Val's there right now, and Hank's checking in on her often."
Jamie and Tyler sat at a booth, in a diner nearby the police station. With two steaming cups of coffee sitting idly in front of the two, silence dominated the conversation.
"What are you being charged with?" Tyler asked, breaking the silence.
"Nothing formally."
"Jamie, what happened?"
Jamie lifted his head making eye contact with Tyler. "I . . . I was just so mad after seeing Caitie like that. I went to find Alec. I went to his apartment. Basically, he hit me, and I fought back."
"So it was self defense."
"The thing is, something happened. I don't know what got into me but I couldn't hold back. I really hurt him. I couldn't stop hurting him. All I could see was Caitie, and how he broke her." Jamie paused for a moment before he continued to speak. "Tyler, Alec's dead. By the time I finished hitting him, he wasn't breathing. He wasn't moving at all. I called 911 and the paramedics came. I was arrested for manslaughter."
Tyler took a moment to process the information. "That's ridiculous. He made the first physical move. There isn't any evidence. I can get you a really good lawyer," he assured making a mental list of all his law school contacts.
"I told them my story. Right now, there isn't enough evidence. The DA's office is going to proceed with this regardless. They're going to investigate and go forward and move for first degree manslaughter." Jamie sat quietly.
"No. Don't worry. The charges will be dropped. They don't have a case. You've been released on bail so that's good start," Tyler stated in a reassuring voice.
Jamie stared blankly at the steam rising from his cup of coffee.
"Did the autopsy report come out yet?" Tyler questioned.
"I don't know. I've been sitting in a jail cell for the past two days."
"Why . . . why didn't you call me sooner? You needed a lawyer. You still do. I could of helped."
"I did it. I admit it. I killed him. I didn't mean to. Honestly I didn't, but the fact remains unchanged. I killed a man. I was angry with him, but I never intended to kill him. Never. That's a line . . . I thought I'd never cross. I didn't even know he was gone. All of a sudden I realized he'd stopped breathing. I realized this all too late."
Tears started to well up in Jamie's eyes. "I just . . . I just don't know what's going on with my life anymore. I have this successful career I happen to be good at, yet I lack the passion. I can't sustain any relationship because I'm in love with my best friend. Now I'm going on trial, for some heinous action I never thought I was capable of. I deserve it."
Jamie sat quietly, holding back the ceaseless tears. He stared out the window, barely seeing the darkness. Instead, staring back at him was the reflection of Tyler and himself. "You know, the thing that scares me the most is loosing her. I never got to tell her I love her. I've been in love with her for so long."
"You'll get your chance. Do you want me to find you a lawyer?" Tyler asked trying to be helpful. It was a difficult situation he was trying to handle.
"I want to see her."
"Val's there right now. There's been no change. How about we head back to the apartment and get some rest. You're probably tired form the last few days."
Jamie's tone grew firm. "I want to see her."
*
Val sat in the uncomfortable chair listening to the rhythmic sound of the machines beeping. She leaned her head against the wall, focusing her eyes on her best friend. The physical damage on her face and body began to significantly heal. Her abdomen was carefully bandaged, aiding the healing process from her surgery. Plaster casts covered her broken bones. Her head was dressed with a white bandage. Brown hair covered her shoulders, hiding the fading cuts. She looked better today. Every day she seemed a little better.
Jamie entered the hospital room and stood beside Caitie. He took his hand and stroked her cheek gingerly. Tears were flowing from his dark eyes freely. Tyler appeared in the doorframe. He motioned for Val to leave the room. Taking the hint, Val arose from her chair. She squeezed Jamie's shoulder tight and closed the door behind her.
"Is he okay?" she asked quietly, stepping out into the hallway.
"He's been through a lot." Tyler couldn't have stated it any simpler.
"Where has he been?" Val asked curiously. It surprised her that Jamie didn't return to the hospital sooner, but figured it has hard for him to handle.
Tyler relayed the entire story to Val as they sat outside of Caitie's hospital room.
A/N: I've been super busy, so I wasn't able to update in a while. Hope this chapter didn't ruin the story-I had writer's block. I didn't know what should happen after the last chapter. If there are suggestions in improving this. . . feel free to give some! I always can delete this chapter and we all can pretend it was never uploaded ;)