John sat down behind his desk, leaning over a stack of papers. He simply stared at them.

He was watching Michael and Aidan from the foyer, holding Shannon back. The pop from the discharged weapon echoed loudly through the home. Shannon screamed and Michael stepped back shaking as Aidan's lifeless body sunk to the floor.

"I... shot..." Michael stammered.

John walked over to him and grabbed the gun from Michael. "Get out of here, Mikey." he said

"But I shot..."

"Get out of here, Michael! Get on a bus, go back to school and don't say anything. Don't say anything and I'll take care of it." Michael didn't move. "Go!"

John took the revolver into his hand as Michael took off. He knew that he had to do something to keep Michael's name out of all of this. John had to think of something, of anything.

He checked the clip, seeing that there was in fact only one bullet missing. He went over to the side table by the front door, grabbing a single bullet and reloading the clip, setting it now back into the weapon.

"What are you doing?" Shannon cried. "John..." He was set on his actions. "Johnny, what are you doing?" John took the gun wiped it down and the wrapped his uncles lifeless fingers around it. He then took it in his own hands and stuck his arm out the window, firing a shot into the ground. Shannon screamed again. "What are you doing!" she said again. "John!"

"Shannon" he said "Shh. OK? They are not gonna find Michael's prints on that gun. When they ask what happened you're gonna tell them that I did this."

"But Johnny..." Shannon's voice shook.

"No buts Shannon." John said. "Michael was never here. They're gonna find two sets of prints on that gun. Mine and your dad's and they're gonna find gun powder on my hands. I shot him Shannon. I did it, understand?" Shannon was silent. "Shannon, do you understand?"

"You shot him. Michael was never here. You did it."

"I did it," John said softly.

"You did what?" Bo said, standing in front of his desk with Viki.

"Oh..." he said. "Nothing, I'm just losing my mind a little I guess." John laughed it off. "What's up?"

"The kid you brought in for battery." Bo said

"Messina," John said. "Yeah, what about him?"

"He's one of my students," Viki said. "I'd like to see him if that's alright."

John looked at Bo, who nodded. "Sure," John said. "I'll bring you down there."

Nick was lying back on the rock hard cot in his cell, staring at the ceiling, sizing up the foot long crack in the plaster. Mark had just left to call his father and Nick was alone. Alone and lonely in the deadly silence. It wasn't until he heard two sets of approaching footsteps that he sat erect.

"Messina," John said. "You've got a visitor," he looked at Viki. "He's all yours."

Nick sighed inwardly as Viki approached the cell and John left them alone. He didn't have anything more to say, but he knew that Viki would want to hear the whole story again.

"What on Earth happened here?" Viki said.

"It was unavoidable" Nick said simply. "President Davidson... I did what I had to do."

"You put a boy in the hospital, Nick," she said.

He wanted to say that Ethan deserved it, but bit his tongue. "I deserve whatever happens to me," Nick said. "I'm not going to deny that I did anything, because I did. But I had my reasons. My own... very personal reasons. I don't care what happens to me." Nick paused. "But don't penalize them. The rest of the Love Crew. They had nothing to do with this... they shouldn't suffer, the project shouldn't suffer because of me."

"I think that we need to worry about the community center and the Love Project another time Nick," Viki said. "Because right now, we have bigger matters on our hands here. Like jail time."

"There really is no justice," Nick shook his head.

"You maliciously beat another student into a coma." Viki said.

"He deserved it!" Nick shot up from his seat causing Viki to jump. "He deserved it, President Davidson and you will never understand why."

"Why don't you tell me Nick?" Viki said gently.

"Don't say another thing Nick," Jack said coming into the area with Mark. He approached Viki. "I'm Jack Solomon, Mr. Messina's attorney. Nick, zip it. Now. I need a few minutes alone with him."

"Of course," Viki said. Mark tried to stay.

"You too Mark," Jack said. "I need this to be one on one."

Mark sighed, wanted to protest, but didn't. "Yeah..." he said. He stepped out of the area with Viki.

"Now, Nick" Jack said. "I need to hear the whole story and I need the truth... all of it if you want me to help you."