"A Single Yellow Rose" – Chapter Forty

Interrogation Room – Milford Police Department

Again and again he wiped at his fingertips but the remains of the jet black ink lingered. Head bowed, he could hear the scratch of the detective's pen as he continued to rub the damp paper towel between his hands. He could still feel the stickiness of the paper as they rolled his fingers across the upper edge and he watched silently as small white letters were pressed into black felt that spelled out his name in a silver framed plaque. He almost dropped it when they handed it to him to hold under his chin as a bright flash momentarily blinded him so that for a split second he'd forgotten where he was. Now sitting in a metal folding chair in a windowless room, his gaze drifted to the large plate glass mirror that of course allowed who know how many others to witness him, with his great Uncle Mickey at his side, tell his story to the two detectives in the room.

"So you are telling us that it was a shoving match with a few right hooks thrown in but that was all?"

Shawn looked up into the blue eyes staring at him from across the table. "Yes sir."

"And from that Roger Turner ended up unconscious in the hospital?"

"I don't know how he ended up unconscious," Shawn replied, "when I left him he was wide awake."

"And this…altercation was because of his alleged attack on your girlfriend?"

"Yes sir."

"I understand this alleged attack occurred a few weeks ago…why go after him now?"

"I was concentrating on helping Belle deal with what happened to her," Shawn said softly remembering the time the two of them spent last week alone in the Kiriakis solarium. "She's my number one priority."

"Until last night."

Shawn looked at the other detective who had turned back from getting himself a cup of coffee at a small table in the corner of the room. "Yes sir."

"Why is that?"

"Because he was following her…stalking her. He knew there was a restraining order that required him to stay a certain distance from her but that bast-" Shawn bite back the word as Mickey gently squeezed his arm. "But he violated that and Belle was freaking out…"

"Did you see him?"

Shawn started to roll up one of the sleeves of his starched white shirt having long ago removed the jacket which now hung on the back of the chair and the bow tie, which he shoved it into his pocket. "Excuse me?"

"These times when Miss Black claimed Roger Turner was following her…did you see him?"

"N-no I didn't."

"Did anyone?"

Shawn thought back to the two times Belle said she saw her attacker, first at the school and again in the dress shop while he moved onto the other sleeve until both were folded back to just below his elbows.

"The first time…no…she was alone and the second she had a friend with her but when she looked he was gone."

"So no one saw him."

"Except Belle," Shawn answered with a hard edge to his voice as he finally realized where they questions were heading.

"When did this altercation between you and Roger Turner occur?"

Taken aback by the sudden switch in the questions, Shawn paused a moment. "I already told you…last night."

"What time?"

"I don't know I didn't stop to look at my watch," Shawn said. Turning, he sighed when he saw the slight shake of Uncle Mickey's head. "Okay…I guess it was around midnight…probably a little after that."

"So almost twenty four hour ago and you look pretty good for someone who was in a fist fight."

"I'll admit I got in more punches that he did but look, this guy and I are about the same height and built…its not like I took on someone who was half my size and beat him into a coma. I think he had a black eye and a few loose teeth I'd bet…but he was awake. Lying on the ground and whimpering but awake."

"How did you find him?"

"How did I…I don't understand."

"Well from what you told us earlier you weren't there when he allegedly attacked Miss Black and you weren't there the two times she claimed to see him after that. You said your father made sure you didn't even know his name. Did Miss Black tell you about him…describe him to you?"

"No…Belle never even said his name."

"So again…how did you find Roger Turner? How did you find out where he lives?"

"I'm a cop's son…I did a little investigating okay?"

"Were there any witness to the fact that he was conscious when you left him?"

"No…no one else was around."

"You didn't take along any buddies with you for backup?"

Shawn immediately thought of Jason but he had nothing to do with this. "No…I went alone and again, when I left him he was very much awake."

"Until a someone passed by and found him and he was only able to say your name before slipping into unconsciousness."

"How many times do I have to say it…we had words, we fought but when I left he was awake."

Detective Wagner nodded and he continued to make a few notes in his book before closing it. Rising from his chair, he took a few minutes to put his jacket back on and straighten his tie. "I assume your parents will be posting your bail and are looking to have you turned over into their custody?"

"That's correct," Mickey replied, standing.

"Come with me and we'll get started on the paperwork," Wagner said before leveling a hard stare at Shawn's direction. "You sit tight."

Shawn only nodded as his great uncle gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze before following the two detectives to the door. Pushing back his chair, he leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees his hands clasped in between as he dropped his head. God, he was tired and all he could think about was the last time he saw Belle sitting in Detective Wagner's office, her back straight and stiff in the hard wooden chair refusing to even look in his direction.

"Hello Bo."

Shawn's head jerked up to find his father standing in the open doorway.

"We are starting the paperwork to have your son released to you," Wagner said.

"Thank you," Bo said quietly. "Can I talk with Shawn while you do what you need to do?"

"Sure…just stay here."

Bo nodded, quietly thanking Mickey and waiting until the men left the room before he entered and closed the door behind him. Moving towards the table, he propped himself on the corner taking a long look at his son.

"You don't have to say it dad," Shawn said, his gaze centered on the paper towel he was rolling up into a tight ball, "I know what you're thinking."

"Well that's pretty good because I'm not even sure what I am thinking."

Lifting his head, Shawn looked his father in the eye. "You're disappointed in me."

"You're right about that," Bo said, silently proud of the way his son was looking him straight in the eye. "I am disappointed. I thought I made myself perfectly clear that you were not to retaliate against Belle's attacker."

"You did and I listened to you. I try to push aside my anger…to bury it, concentrate on Belle and help her deal with what that bastard did to her."

"From what John and Marlena tell me you've been doing a good job."

"I've tried…I know her therapy sessions at the hospital are helping her and the rest of her friends…I've tried really hard to put her feelings first and do what is best for her but I…"

"But you lost it…even after coming to us and telling us that she thought he was following her. And if I'm not mistaken I reminded you again…just a couple of nights ago not to do anything."

"Jesus Christ!" Shawn cried rising to his feet, ignoring the chair as it toppled to ground behind him. "I know what you told me Dad! But you weren't there…"

Walking to the opposite end of the table, Shawn placed his hands on his hips and faced away from his father. "You weren't there that night in the woods when I entered that clearing and saw her curled up into a ball, bloody and bruised…crying…and when I went to her…to help her…I felt like my heart stopped beating when she kicked and screamed at me not to touch her. She was clawing at the dirt just to get away…she didn't even know it was me. And then later, when she finally let me touch her…help her…I felt like I was finally able to breath again…she didn't want to look at me but just to be able to hold her in my arms was enough…"

"Your right son…I don't have any idea what it was like for you but that still is no reason-"

"No reason? How about what he was doing to Belle…following her? Showing up in places where she should feel safe…where she's entitled to feel safe like at school or shopping at the mall. I mean, who knows where he would have shown up next…her front door? There was no way I was going to let him think he could get away with stalking her!"

"Shawn…I know you care deeply for Belle-"

"Care for!" Shawn whirled around, slamming his open hands against the flat surface of the table. "Dad I love her! I love her with every ounce of my being and when I realized what had happened to her that night I was filled with a rage that…that I can't even begin to describe."

"Shawn, I know you think that you love-"

"Please don't hand me that crap 'you think you're old enough to know what love is' speech," Shawn waved his hand, cutting off his father's words. "Like you and mom Belle and I have known each other all our lives and when you came back from the Merchant Marines and met up with mom again you weren't much older than I am now and mom was only a year or two older than Belle. Are you gonna tell me that your feelings for mom weren't real back then?"

Bo slowly shook his head. "No…I can't tell you that."

"Look dad…I don't know if Belle and I will ever marry and settle down in Salem with the required 2.5 kids but no matter what happens in my life I know I will always love Belle…and do anything for her. Hell…look at you…you've traveled around the world for mom, run into burning buildings…take on the likes of Stefano DiMaria in order to protect her and keep her from harm…and I know you have smudged the fine line of the law over the years a few times in doing so. You're doing it now in trying to deal with whatever the connection is between the Bradys and the DiMarias!"

"Son…you have no idea what the history is between Stefano and our family…"

"What do you think I am…a child? Dad. I've got ears and eyes and I know the pain and hurt he has caused us…geez, I was laying on a balcony thirty stories off the ground last New Year's eve because of what he did to mom!"

Bo held up his hands in defeat. "Okay, okay…you're right."

"Dad I know when I first came home from boarding school I was a real pain in the ass," Shawn's voice softened as he moved toward his father. "You know, being half Horton and half Brady in the town of Salem is a tough legacy to live up to but when I'm with Belle…none of that matters. All she wants me to be is Shawn Brady…that's enough for her and I find myself wanting to share everything that I am with her. Every thought that comes into my head I want her to be first one I tell it to…every thing I do I want her to be the first one I do it with…" Shawn stopped in front of his father and shoved his hands deep into his pockets. "I've already told you that Belle and I haven't…well, that we haven't…"

"I know son," Bo said, reaching out to place a hand on his son's shoulder. "And like I told you before…it may be a long time before Belle is ready to take that step…especially considering the attack."

"I understand that dad…and that's okay. I mean…I'm not going to be with anyone else…I can't be," Shawn stared into his father's eyes wanting to make he understood what he was saying. "Look, I don't pretend to know what is going to happen five or ten years down the road and who knows…maybe Belle won't be the last woman I ever love. Look at you, when you believed mom had died you moved on with your life…with Carley and then with Billie. I know both of those ladies were very special to you and you loved them. But you can't tell me that there wasn't a part of you that you never gave to them… because it wasn't even there for you to give…it belongs to mom and it always has…it always will."

A quick knock at the door caused both Brady men to move apart just as a uniformed police officer stuck her head in. "You are free to go to Detective Wagner's office to sign the necessary paperwork."

"Thank you," Bo said as Shawn turned back to set the chair back up on its legs and to grab his tuxedo jacket.

"I guess this means I'm free to go?" Shawn asked.

"I guess so…of course you still have a couple of ladies out there to answer to."

"Belle," Shawn whispered as he hooked the jacket with his finger and swung it over his shoulder.

"Not to mention your mother." Bo said rising from the table and placing his arm around his son's shoulder as they walked from the room. "I take it from Belle's reaction that she had no idea about what you did."

"No she didn't."

"And how did you explain this?" Bo asked, pointing at the faded bruises.

"I…um, I told her the same lie I told mom," Shawn said. "I planned on telling her the truth but I didn't want to ruin tonight for her."

"Hmmm," Bo said as they stopped outside the frosted glass door. "I'd be prepared for quite a bit of anger."

"From mom you mean?"

"Oh I think dealing with your mother is going to be a lot easier than dealing with Belle. What you did has brought back all that happened to her that night in the woods in full force and you lied about it. Those two things are going to be very hard for her to deal with."

"Do you believe me dad? That I didn't hurt that guy bad enough to put him in the hospital?"

"Yes I do son and once your mom knows the whole story I know she is going to believe you too."

Opening the door, Bo entered the room first and Shawn took a deep breath, bracing himself to seeing Belle again. But when he walked through the door the only people sitting in the room was his mom, Uncle Mickey and Detective Wagner.

As he closed the door behind him, Hope rose from the chair and moved over to stand in front of him. "are you okay?"

Shawn nodded. "I'm sorry mom…about lying to you."

"We'll talk later…at home."

"Where's Belle and her folks? Did they leave?"

Hope shook her head. "They are out in the waiting area. I told them you were being released but Belle still refused to leave until she knew you were leaving too."

"Well, I guess that's a good sign."

Mickey moved over to join them and Shawn turned to look at him. "So what happens now?"

"Now you go home…get some sleep and we'll discuss the rest of this tomorrow."

Bo finished signing the papers and shook hands with Wagner before moving over to join his family. "Okay…let's go."

The group of them left the office and headed down a long hall to the front waiting area. John and Marlena sat on one side of the room while Belle stood alone in front of a large glass window, staring out into the dark night watching the snow swirl and twist in the wind. Shawn felt his footsteps falter as he entered the area behind his parents who went over to join John and Marlena in hushed conversation. Steadying his gaze on Belle's rigid shoulders, her arms folded tightly across her chest, he decided that even thought this wasn't the best place to offer an apology she deserved to hear one and as soon as possible. Half dozen steps later, he found himself standing next to her but she didn't acknowledge his presence, only continued to stare out the window. Looking at her reflection in the glass, Shawn could see that she wasn't really looking at anything outside but seems lost in her own thoughts.

"Belle," Shawn whispered as he reached out to lay a hand on her shoulder. But Belle turned suddenly before he could touch her and Shawn looked down in her red-rimmed eyes and saw the dried tracks of her tears staining her cheeks. "Oh honey…I'm-"

The loud crack reverberated through the room as Shawn's head snapped to the right with the powerful blow of Belle's hand as it landed hard against his cheek. Blinking his eyes against the stinging sensation that danced across his face, Shawn turned to look back at Belle and saw that she was still holding herself with one arm wrapped across her stomach but her other hand was now pressed against her mouth. The tips of her fingers shook as they rested against the upper edge of her open lips.

Slowly she pulled her hand away and looked down at it as she curled her fingers inward against the burning feeling before lifting her gaze to Shawn's face. "You lied to me."

to be continued…