THANKSSS! To my beloved reviewers, every time I get one my day gets a
little bit brighter :)
AN: this chapter isn't as good as the rest of the chapters, I do apologize for it but it is an essential part of the story so I couldn't just leave it out.
Broken Angel Chapter 4
Chris stepped back from the younger woman that suddenly seemed to hate her. Why would she hate her?
"Why.?" Chris asked, despising her own weakness when tears started forming in her eyes.
"You ruined my life just as I was getting it in order again, I thought I'd return the favour." It was scary not because she laughed maniacally but because she didn't, she still had that sweeter then pie voice and smile plastered on her face.
"I didn't even know you before I came here!" Chris said, hoping to talk some sense in the girl yet.
"But you knew my brother, he was just a teenager when you shot him. He may not have been perfect but he was doing what he could and you shot him! You killed him and ruined my life!" Mary shouted, not caring who heard.
"When? I don't remember him!"
"They even offered you a medal for it, but you said you were just doing your job and refused to take it, you were in the navy then."
Chris gasped when she remembered.
"He was robbing a store, threatened to shoot someone, then he started shooting for real but he wasn't a great shot, I hit him in the hand and in his thigh. He passed out and later died in the hospital from loss of blood. I had to do that or someone else could have been hurt! He was the bad guy! He was waving his gun around, he started shooting."
"He was just 18 years old! He was everything I had! He was just trying to take care of me. And now you have even ruined my revenge, when is it enough? After all the time and work I put into this you just have to go and get sick!" Mary exclaimed.
"What have you been giving me? How long have you been giving me that stuff?" Chris asked, even at this precarious time she was relieved to finally find out that she wasn't mad.
"Something I cooked up myself. I have been planning this for so long, I always found something to put it in, back then, when you weren't in the hospital yet, you needed only one a week you have become more resilient over the years and I kept on increasing the dose, it wasn't very hard to do you just took them with the rest of your medicine. I was planning this for so long."
"What did you want me to do?" Chris asked, dreading to hear the answer.
Mary giggled "I was to increase the dose and then bring your hubby by one morning, I wanted you to kill him."
Chris was shocked, she trembled like a leaf, fear and malnutrition getting control.
"But now you have ruined it you serve me very little purpose. I want to get out of this dump, I want to go see the world and I cannot leave you here to blab everything you know. You have been a pain in my @$$ long enough."
"What are you going to do to me?" Chris asked, stalling, dragging it out so maybe someone would come by and unlock the door or something.
"Kill you, what else, and don't worry, I will swing by your dear husband and kill him too, of course I could just go get him and kill him before your eyes but I think it will be more fun if you two never see each other again. I will give him a message something like: Chris sent me. And of course hubby dearest will let me in and then I will kill him in your name. Very dramatic don't you think?" Mary asked, her bright eyes twinkled as if filled with nothing more then a bit of mischief, not murder, abduction and possible torture.
Chris really didn't feel the need to answer but had to think of something to stall the younger woman, maybe even talk her out of killing TC. OK so it was a long shot, she had to try something!
"I think it isn't very original, I mean you have thought out this great plan and to finish it with something plain like that would just decrease the whole thing." Chris said, trying not to look terrified.
"Well, I really don't care about that right now. Just be a dear and swallow these pills will you." In stead of just the two yellow little pills she held up a handful, clearly this would mean an overdose.
"No." Chris said, her thoughts were racing, trying to think of something, a chance to save herself. Screaming wouldn't help, it was a common sound around here. She was too weak to fight the nurse and the door was locked so she wouldn't be able to run. Maybe screaming was her best option after all, it was her only option.
"Cone one Christine you are not going to make a fuss, are you?" Mary asked still holding out the pills. "I am sorry I haven't got a glass of water for you."
Chris tossed the pills right out of Mary's hand, choosing not to scream until she had no other options what so ever, it would only aggravate the other woman more.
"You silly girl! Well I am not going to pick those up." Mary said, her tone chiding, then she reached into her pocket again and pulled more pills out.
"Where do you get this stuff? Isn't the drug cabinet supposed to be locked and checked every day?" Chris asked, nervously trying to stall her seemingly imminent death.
"I have my ways, don't worry about it. Now take the pills." Her voice got more urgent and her face more stern.
"At least let me die outside then. Just in the garden. I don't want to die in here." Chris pleaded, but knew Mary wouldn't be stupid enough to grant this request.
==============
TC had jumped into his car but before he could drive off Bobby and Monica had jumped in with him, he didn't feel like staying to chat about the deeper reasons of his officers to follow their leader like this so just stepped on the gas and raced off. Bobby gave him directions.
Monica in the mean time had pulled out her phone and hurriedly called Cory, telling her TC had figured it out himself.
===============
Finally they had made it, but in stead of parking his car TC just left it standing right in front of the hospital and sprinted in, Bobby sighed and sprinted after him while Monica had the presence of mind to put the car away.
Cory also swerved onto the hospitals parking lot in a squad car, she parked it on four different parking spaces at the same time but honestly couldn't care less about it. She and Monica sprinted after the men who had vanished behind the hospital doors some moments ago.
They found TC yelling at the old lady to let him in, he looked like he was about to fall apart and cry, the old lady however just looked chagrined.
"Now sir you cannot just barge in there, there are no visitors allowed during this time because of an outbreak of the flu. Unless you want to hospitalize yourself of course." She said, very disturbed by the scene he was making.
"I just need to see my wife!" He yelped and just as Cory and Monica caught up and were making attempts to calm him down someone came through the double doors of the mental ward he bolted for the opened doors, with an apologetic shrug to the old lady who no doubt was calling security by now they other three ran after him.
Bobby whistled hard when TC entered the wrong hallway and pointed into the right one, then led TC to the right door before stepping aside to let the man in, not realizing the door could be locked. But it was and when it didn't open immediately TC got all set to bash it in when Cory signalled Bobby to stop him. She stepped up to him.
"TC calm down, play cool I am going to get this door open." She hissed and then stepped back, TC nodded but didn't stop pacing in front of the door.
Cory went in search for an orderly or nurse, when she had finally found one she flashed her badge and identified herself as a police lieutenant.
"We need to speak to the patient in that room-" Cory pointed in the direction of their group "-immediately, we would appreciate it if you opened the door now, this is a matter of life and death."
==============
Chris suddenly heard voices outside as did Mary who turned her head to listen.
"HELP! HELP ME! SHE'S TRYING TO KILL ME!!!!" Chris screamed, then Mary dove on top of her to silence her or so Chris thought anyway.
"HEEELP ME!" Mary suddenly screamed, confusing Chris to no end, a key turned in the lock and Mary suddenly turned them around, only then Chris got it, Mary was making it seem like it was she who was attacked so she jumped back. Too late.
==============
TC got even more frantic when he heard her voice on the other side of the door screaming for help, he was lucky the orderly immediately went to unlock the door or he probably would have tried walking through it. They heard another scream for help, another voice this time and the orderly hurried to push open the door.
They all saw. Chris was lying on top of a frantic looking woman, TC has the bagging feeling he had seen her before but couldn't place her, his attention was more focused on Chris anyway, who jumped off of the other woman the moment the door opened. The other woman sobbed and rushed over to Bobby, launching herself in his arms.
Only now Chris looked their way, she was trembling like a leaf, she was too thin and her blue eyes were widened in fear. Her eyes rested on him, he stood there, frozen in place. He had imagined his reunion with her many times and somehow none of them were even remotely like this.
"She wants me dead. TC, believe me she wanted to kill me and she will come after you too." She said, her voice surprisingly clear. The orderly stood ready to restrain her if necessary but when she didn't seem to move he relaxed.
"Remember where you are, sir." He said, making sure TC doubted Chris words.
"Randall! You know me, you know my case. I am not delusional, and I do not lie. She tried to kill me, to give me an overdose! She said I killed her brother and need to pay for it." Chris said, trying to make them understand Mary's true nature.
"She attacked me. AGAIN! I really thought she was going to kill me this time." Mary sobbed against Bobby's chest. For him there was no question who he believed.
Chris picked something up from the floor, a couple of pills, there lay several more around her.
"And how do you explain these then, Mary?" Chris whispered.
"How should I know how you get all those pills? You probably cheated and didn't swallow all your pills and saved them up or something!" Mary said, still clinging to Bobby.
"TC, Cory you know me. I am telling you now that woman is dangerous. She wanted me to suffer and then kill me. She planned this whole thing, I am not crazy. Please believe me." Tears started streaking her face, she imagined judgement day would feel something like this.
"Chris." he said, then stepped forward and enveloped her in a hug. "I want to believe you." He whispered to her.
Monica cleared her throat.
"Now I don't know what this means or doesn't mean but I think I have to say that Chris did shoot Mary's brother when he was robbing a store, she was still in the Navy then." Monica pointed out.
More nurses started appearing at the scene and after the orderly, Randall, had explained the situation the head nurse cleared her throat to get some attention.
"We will investigate this matter, now if all the 'guests' would please go away maybe some of the peace will return to this place. Now I assure you I will personally see to it that Mary and Jane err Chris will not be allowed alone in the same room together." She told everyone, not happy about this spectacle in her ward.
Chris and Mary were both still clinging to their guys both looking very much like the victim.
"Can't I stay? Just for a little while?" TC asked the nurse, hoping the harsh looking woman would let him stay with his long lost wife. He felt an overwhelming urge to protect her, she was clinging to him with what little strength she had, he found it really hard to believe that she could have attacked anyone.
"No, Chris here obviously needs some rest. Just leave your name and phone number at the front-desk and we will contact you when you can visit." The nurse said and started shooing everyone out of the room.
"I will come back for you Chris." He told her, and kissed the top of her head. He hated the thought of leaving her after finding her but the nurse was right she did need her rest and probably wasn't up to having that conversation with him he had been waiting five years for.
"I'll hold you too that. Just please believe me, she is a psycho, she knows her way around drugs so watch what you eat." Chris pleaded, she watched him as he looked at her one more time before turning away. He had grown older, his face looked a little more serious but he was still the most beautiful man she had ever seen. Her knees were feeling a little wobbly as she fell in love with him all over again.
"I love you." She softly told him, she realized now might not be the perfect time to say that but she didn't know how long she had to live and she wanted him to know.
"I love you too." He answered, a smile forming on his all too serious face.
"Sir?" the nurse said, standing by the door gesturing for him to get out. He nodded and complied, over the nurse's shoulder Chris saw Cory standing, looking at her. Chris brought up her hand in a little wave, Cory returned the wave and smiled warmly, then TC turned around also and smiled. She felt warmed by their smiles, hopeful that Mary wouldn't be able to get her or them, but then the door slammed shut, locking her up away from her loved ones.
Chris slept for most of the day, and awoke with an appetite, it was the first time she actually wanted to eat something in days. She stepped to the door and only remembered it was locked when she tried to open it, usually Mary would look after her at times like these, making sure she was alright and that she didn't need something. She looked down on the pills still scattered over the floor, evidence that it wasn't her best interest Mary had in mind. She could only hope TC would still have enough faith in her to believe her, or at least would think the evidence was enough to make up his mind. And while he was watching his back she would stay here like a sitting duck? She had always thought staying here was the solution so never tried to escape, but now the very reason she was in here, her alleged madness, turned out to be false and TC or anyone else were no longer in any danger from her. So why stay to be butchered? She'd have to wait for the cover of night though, in the mean time she could work on the door.
============
An awkward silence filled the room around the table, TC and Bobby although trying to stay polite were glaring at each other, the girls stood ready to jump in between if the two decided to fight it out.
"How can you even think Mary would do such a thing? You don't know her! In any other case who would you sooner believe the nurse or the patient? We are talking about a mental ward here TC, you wouldn't believe all the stories the patients there conjure up!" Bobby came close to yelling, he needed the other man to see that he was right, why wouldn't he just listen?
"It isn't just some patient, this is Chris you're talking about! She had evidence, there was a motive, means and opportunity, it was Chris that yelled for help first, Mary probably figured she was about to be busted and then started yelling. Come on Bobby, can't you see reason?" TC was as desperate to convince the other man as Bobby.
"What about Chris? She had means and opportunity and you know that crazy people don't need motives. She has attacked Mary before."
"Did she seem crazy? Sick, tired and scared yes but everything she said seemed reasonable enough." TC wanted to say more but Bobby interrupted him in this heated conversation
"That's the danger! They don't always look mad, but she is in there for a reason, you just have to accept that!"
"Guys! Knock it off, you aren't going to agree on this so just agree to disagree OK?" Cory intercepted fearing what the men might do to each other if she didn't.
TC seemed to want to say something but changed his mind and just turned his back and walked away, Cory followed him into his office knowing he needed someone to blow off steam against and figuring that these days she would be the only volunteer.
"You believe me right?" he asked as soon as they entered his office, he started pacing.
"I don't know, we have all changed in the time she has been away and you know as well as I do she started changing even before she went away, but that doesn't dismiss that at one time I did trust her with my life and although she's in the loony bin she knows evidence when she sees it. I mean, she's still my friend and I want to believe her but Bobby did have a point." Cory hoped TC wouldn't seek to continue the discussion he had been having with Bobby with her. Her wish was granted, but if it was a good thing.
"You have been there before, all of you have." TC stated, his very posture demanding an answer.
"I just went as far as the front desk, Bobby and Monica have seen her before yes. I wanted to see her before telling you, Bobby and Monica said that she said she didn't want to see you and that she didn't want you to know where she was." Cory tried to explain, he just didn't seem to want to listen.
"What is this? One big conspiracy? She is my WIFE! Why am I always the last to know? And now she is in trouble. Whether that is as victim or not we'll establish later. You are my friend Cory, you should have told me." Towards the end of his words he got a little more in control of himself but the urgency never left his eyes or voice.
"I know TC, I should have." Cory said, now actually feeling guilty for not having done it.
===== that night=====
"What are you doing?" someone behind Chris asked as she was trying to sneak away, she froze and nearly had a heart attack for a second she thought it was Mary but then realized who it really was and turned around signalling for the other to be quiet.
"Agnes, I need to you be quiet alight?" she whispered, the girl nodded as if entrusted with some kind of honourable quest.
"What are you going to do?" The girl whispered so softly Chris could hardly hear her.
"I have to go away." Chris said, she understood the girl probably wouldn't take it very well but she couldn't lie to her.
"No, then who will chase the bad men away? They will hurt me, you know they will, I want to come with you." Agnes pleaded, still whispering.
"I can't take you with me, honey, someone is after me now and I don't want you to get hurt because of me." Chris explained, sneaking peeks over her shoulder to see if there was anyone around.
"I have been chased my whole life by my own demons, a couple of yours won't make a lot of difference." The girl suddenly seemed very lucid to Chris, except of course that it was only paranoid illusions that were following her, Chris demon was a bit more lethal then that.
"I know a way out of here, we won't get detected." The girl then said, to convince Chris that she really should take her.
"OK then Agnes, you can come. Show me the way."
======================
next time the final confrontation, tell me what you think and if you have suggestions about what should be in the next chapter, feel free to mail me (or write it in your review)
AN: this chapter isn't as good as the rest of the chapters, I do apologize for it but it is an essential part of the story so I couldn't just leave it out.
Broken Angel Chapter 4
Chris stepped back from the younger woman that suddenly seemed to hate her. Why would she hate her?
"Why.?" Chris asked, despising her own weakness when tears started forming in her eyes.
"You ruined my life just as I was getting it in order again, I thought I'd return the favour." It was scary not because she laughed maniacally but because she didn't, she still had that sweeter then pie voice and smile plastered on her face.
"I didn't even know you before I came here!" Chris said, hoping to talk some sense in the girl yet.
"But you knew my brother, he was just a teenager when you shot him. He may not have been perfect but he was doing what he could and you shot him! You killed him and ruined my life!" Mary shouted, not caring who heard.
"When? I don't remember him!"
"They even offered you a medal for it, but you said you were just doing your job and refused to take it, you were in the navy then."
Chris gasped when she remembered.
"He was robbing a store, threatened to shoot someone, then he started shooting for real but he wasn't a great shot, I hit him in the hand and in his thigh. He passed out and later died in the hospital from loss of blood. I had to do that or someone else could have been hurt! He was the bad guy! He was waving his gun around, he started shooting."
"He was just 18 years old! He was everything I had! He was just trying to take care of me. And now you have even ruined my revenge, when is it enough? After all the time and work I put into this you just have to go and get sick!" Mary exclaimed.
"What have you been giving me? How long have you been giving me that stuff?" Chris asked, even at this precarious time she was relieved to finally find out that she wasn't mad.
"Something I cooked up myself. I have been planning this for so long, I always found something to put it in, back then, when you weren't in the hospital yet, you needed only one a week you have become more resilient over the years and I kept on increasing the dose, it wasn't very hard to do you just took them with the rest of your medicine. I was planning this for so long."
"What did you want me to do?" Chris asked, dreading to hear the answer.
Mary giggled "I was to increase the dose and then bring your hubby by one morning, I wanted you to kill him."
Chris was shocked, she trembled like a leaf, fear and malnutrition getting control.
"But now you have ruined it you serve me very little purpose. I want to get out of this dump, I want to go see the world and I cannot leave you here to blab everything you know. You have been a pain in my @$$ long enough."
"What are you going to do to me?" Chris asked, stalling, dragging it out so maybe someone would come by and unlock the door or something.
"Kill you, what else, and don't worry, I will swing by your dear husband and kill him too, of course I could just go get him and kill him before your eyes but I think it will be more fun if you two never see each other again. I will give him a message something like: Chris sent me. And of course hubby dearest will let me in and then I will kill him in your name. Very dramatic don't you think?" Mary asked, her bright eyes twinkled as if filled with nothing more then a bit of mischief, not murder, abduction and possible torture.
Chris really didn't feel the need to answer but had to think of something to stall the younger woman, maybe even talk her out of killing TC. OK so it was a long shot, she had to try something!
"I think it isn't very original, I mean you have thought out this great plan and to finish it with something plain like that would just decrease the whole thing." Chris said, trying not to look terrified.
"Well, I really don't care about that right now. Just be a dear and swallow these pills will you." In stead of just the two yellow little pills she held up a handful, clearly this would mean an overdose.
"No." Chris said, her thoughts were racing, trying to think of something, a chance to save herself. Screaming wouldn't help, it was a common sound around here. She was too weak to fight the nurse and the door was locked so she wouldn't be able to run. Maybe screaming was her best option after all, it was her only option.
"Cone one Christine you are not going to make a fuss, are you?" Mary asked still holding out the pills. "I am sorry I haven't got a glass of water for you."
Chris tossed the pills right out of Mary's hand, choosing not to scream until she had no other options what so ever, it would only aggravate the other woman more.
"You silly girl! Well I am not going to pick those up." Mary said, her tone chiding, then she reached into her pocket again and pulled more pills out.
"Where do you get this stuff? Isn't the drug cabinet supposed to be locked and checked every day?" Chris asked, nervously trying to stall her seemingly imminent death.
"I have my ways, don't worry about it. Now take the pills." Her voice got more urgent and her face more stern.
"At least let me die outside then. Just in the garden. I don't want to die in here." Chris pleaded, but knew Mary wouldn't be stupid enough to grant this request.
==============
TC had jumped into his car but before he could drive off Bobby and Monica had jumped in with him, he didn't feel like staying to chat about the deeper reasons of his officers to follow their leader like this so just stepped on the gas and raced off. Bobby gave him directions.
Monica in the mean time had pulled out her phone and hurriedly called Cory, telling her TC had figured it out himself.
===============
Finally they had made it, but in stead of parking his car TC just left it standing right in front of the hospital and sprinted in, Bobby sighed and sprinted after him while Monica had the presence of mind to put the car away.
Cory also swerved onto the hospitals parking lot in a squad car, she parked it on four different parking spaces at the same time but honestly couldn't care less about it. She and Monica sprinted after the men who had vanished behind the hospital doors some moments ago.
They found TC yelling at the old lady to let him in, he looked like he was about to fall apart and cry, the old lady however just looked chagrined.
"Now sir you cannot just barge in there, there are no visitors allowed during this time because of an outbreak of the flu. Unless you want to hospitalize yourself of course." She said, very disturbed by the scene he was making.
"I just need to see my wife!" He yelped and just as Cory and Monica caught up and were making attempts to calm him down someone came through the double doors of the mental ward he bolted for the opened doors, with an apologetic shrug to the old lady who no doubt was calling security by now they other three ran after him.
Bobby whistled hard when TC entered the wrong hallway and pointed into the right one, then led TC to the right door before stepping aside to let the man in, not realizing the door could be locked. But it was and when it didn't open immediately TC got all set to bash it in when Cory signalled Bobby to stop him. She stepped up to him.
"TC calm down, play cool I am going to get this door open." She hissed and then stepped back, TC nodded but didn't stop pacing in front of the door.
Cory went in search for an orderly or nurse, when she had finally found one she flashed her badge and identified herself as a police lieutenant.
"We need to speak to the patient in that room-" Cory pointed in the direction of their group "-immediately, we would appreciate it if you opened the door now, this is a matter of life and death."
==============
Chris suddenly heard voices outside as did Mary who turned her head to listen.
"HELP! HELP ME! SHE'S TRYING TO KILL ME!!!!" Chris screamed, then Mary dove on top of her to silence her or so Chris thought anyway.
"HEEELP ME!" Mary suddenly screamed, confusing Chris to no end, a key turned in the lock and Mary suddenly turned them around, only then Chris got it, Mary was making it seem like it was she who was attacked so she jumped back. Too late.
==============
TC got even more frantic when he heard her voice on the other side of the door screaming for help, he was lucky the orderly immediately went to unlock the door or he probably would have tried walking through it. They heard another scream for help, another voice this time and the orderly hurried to push open the door.
They all saw. Chris was lying on top of a frantic looking woman, TC has the bagging feeling he had seen her before but couldn't place her, his attention was more focused on Chris anyway, who jumped off of the other woman the moment the door opened. The other woman sobbed and rushed over to Bobby, launching herself in his arms.
Only now Chris looked their way, she was trembling like a leaf, she was too thin and her blue eyes were widened in fear. Her eyes rested on him, he stood there, frozen in place. He had imagined his reunion with her many times and somehow none of them were even remotely like this.
"She wants me dead. TC, believe me she wanted to kill me and she will come after you too." She said, her voice surprisingly clear. The orderly stood ready to restrain her if necessary but when she didn't seem to move he relaxed.
"Remember where you are, sir." He said, making sure TC doubted Chris words.
"Randall! You know me, you know my case. I am not delusional, and I do not lie. She tried to kill me, to give me an overdose! She said I killed her brother and need to pay for it." Chris said, trying to make them understand Mary's true nature.
"She attacked me. AGAIN! I really thought she was going to kill me this time." Mary sobbed against Bobby's chest. For him there was no question who he believed.
Chris picked something up from the floor, a couple of pills, there lay several more around her.
"And how do you explain these then, Mary?" Chris whispered.
"How should I know how you get all those pills? You probably cheated and didn't swallow all your pills and saved them up or something!" Mary said, still clinging to Bobby.
"TC, Cory you know me. I am telling you now that woman is dangerous. She wanted me to suffer and then kill me. She planned this whole thing, I am not crazy. Please believe me." Tears started streaking her face, she imagined judgement day would feel something like this.
"Chris." he said, then stepped forward and enveloped her in a hug. "I want to believe you." He whispered to her.
Monica cleared her throat.
"Now I don't know what this means or doesn't mean but I think I have to say that Chris did shoot Mary's brother when he was robbing a store, she was still in the Navy then." Monica pointed out.
More nurses started appearing at the scene and after the orderly, Randall, had explained the situation the head nurse cleared her throat to get some attention.
"We will investigate this matter, now if all the 'guests' would please go away maybe some of the peace will return to this place. Now I assure you I will personally see to it that Mary and Jane err Chris will not be allowed alone in the same room together." She told everyone, not happy about this spectacle in her ward.
Chris and Mary were both still clinging to their guys both looking very much like the victim.
"Can't I stay? Just for a little while?" TC asked the nurse, hoping the harsh looking woman would let him stay with his long lost wife. He felt an overwhelming urge to protect her, she was clinging to him with what little strength she had, he found it really hard to believe that she could have attacked anyone.
"No, Chris here obviously needs some rest. Just leave your name and phone number at the front-desk and we will contact you when you can visit." The nurse said and started shooing everyone out of the room.
"I will come back for you Chris." He told her, and kissed the top of her head. He hated the thought of leaving her after finding her but the nurse was right she did need her rest and probably wasn't up to having that conversation with him he had been waiting five years for.
"I'll hold you too that. Just please believe me, she is a psycho, she knows her way around drugs so watch what you eat." Chris pleaded, she watched him as he looked at her one more time before turning away. He had grown older, his face looked a little more serious but he was still the most beautiful man she had ever seen. Her knees were feeling a little wobbly as she fell in love with him all over again.
"I love you." She softly told him, she realized now might not be the perfect time to say that but she didn't know how long she had to live and she wanted him to know.
"I love you too." He answered, a smile forming on his all too serious face.
"Sir?" the nurse said, standing by the door gesturing for him to get out. He nodded and complied, over the nurse's shoulder Chris saw Cory standing, looking at her. Chris brought up her hand in a little wave, Cory returned the wave and smiled warmly, then TC turned around also and smiled. She felt warmed by their smiles, hopeful that Mary wouldn't be able to get her or them, but then the door slammed shut, locking her up away from her loved ones.
Chris slept for most of the day, and awoke with an appetite, it was the first time she actually wanted to eat something in days. She stepped to the door and only remembered it was locked when she tried to open it, usually Mary would look after her at times like these, making sure she was alright and that she didn't need something. She looked down on the pills still scattered over the floor, evidence that it wasn't her best interest Mary had in mind. She could only hope TC would still have enough faith in her to believe her, or at least would think the evidence was enough to make up his mind. And while he was watching his back she would stay here like a sitting duck? She had always thought staying here was the solution so never tried to escape, but now the very reason she was in here, her alleged madness, turned out to be false and TC or anyone else were no longer in any danger from her. So why stay to be butchered? She'd have to wait for the cover of night though, in the mean time she could work on the door.
============
An awkward silence filled the room around the table, TC and Bobby although trying to stay polite were glaring at each other, the girls stood ready to jump in between if the two decided to fight it out.
"How can you even think Mary would do such a thing? You don't know her! In any other case who would you sooner believe the nurse or the patient? We are talking about a mental ward here TC, you wouldn't believe all the stories the patients there conjure up!" Bobby came close to yelling, he needed the other man to see that he was right, why wouldn't he just listen?
"It isn't just some patient, this is Chris you're talking about! She had evidence, there was a motive, means and opportunity, it was Chris that yelled for help first, Mary probably figured she was about to be busted and then started yelling. Come on Bobby, can't you see reason?" TC was as desperate to convince the other man as Bobby.
"What about Chris? She had means and opportunity and you know that crazy people don't need motives. She has attacked Mary before."
"Did she seem crazy? Sick, tired and scared yes but everything she said seemed reasonable enough." TC wanted to say more but Bobby interrupted him in this heated conversation
"That's the danger! They don't always look mad, but she is in there for a reason, you just have to accept that!"
"Guys! Knock it off, you aren't going to agree on this so just agree to disagree OK?" Cory intercepted fearing what the men might do to each other if she didn't.
TC seemed to want to say something but changed his mind and just turned his back and walked away, Cory followed him into his office knowing he needed someone to blow off steam against and figuring that these days she would be the only volunteer.
"You believe me right?" he asked as soon as they entered his office, he started pacing.
"I don't know, we have all changed in the time she has been away and you know as well as I do she started changing even before she went away, but that doesn't dismiss that at one time I did trust her with my life and although she's in the loony bin she knows evidence when she sees it. I mean, she's still my friend and I want to believe her but Bobby did have a point." Cory hoped TC wouldn't seek to continue the discussion he had been having with Bobby with her. Her wish was granted, but if it was a good thing.
"You have been there before, all of you have." TC stated, his very posture demanding an answer.
"I just went as far as the front desk, Bobby and Monica have seen her before yes. I wanted to see her before telling you, Bobby and Monica said that she said she didn't want to see you and that she didn't want you to know where she was." Cory tried to explain, he just didn't seem to want to listen.
"What is this? One big conspiracy? She is my WIFE! Why am I always the last to know? And now she is in trouble. Whether that is as victim or not we'll establish later. You are my friend Cory, you should have told me." Towards the end of his words he got a little more in control of himself but the urgency never left his eyes or voice.
"I know TC, I should have." Cory said, now actually feeling guilty for not having done it.
===== that night=====
"What are you doing?" someone behind Chris asked as she was trying to sneak away, she froze and nearly had a heart attack for a second she thought it was Mary but then realized who it really was and turned around signalling for the other to be quiet.
"Agnes, I need to you be quiet alight?" she whispered, the girl nodded as if entrusted with some kind of honourable quest.
"What are you going to do?" The girl whispered so softly Chris could hardly hear her.
"I have to go away." Chris said, she understood the girl probably wouldn't take it very well but she couldn't lie to her.
"No, then who will chase the bad men away? They will hurt me, you know they will, I want to come with you." Agnes pleaded, still whispering.
"I can't take you with me, honey, someone is after me now and I don't want you to get hurt because of me." Chris explained, sneaking peeks over her shoulder to see if there was anyone around.
"I have been chased my whole life by my own demons, a couple of yours won't make a lot of difference." The girl suddenly seemed very lucid to Chris, except of course that it was only paranoid illusions that were following her, Chris demon was a bit more lethal then that.
"I know a way out of here, we won't get detected." The girl then said, to convince Chris that she really should take her.
"OK then Agnes, you can come. Show me the way."
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next time the final confrontation, tell me what you think and if you have suggestions about what should be in the next chapter, feel free to mail me (or write it in your review)