'Good week off?' Zubin enquired politely as the lift passed the first floor on it's journey to the highest level in the hospital. Still he appeared blissfully unaware that Michael had the first idea what he had done to his wife. Either that or he was so arrogant he believed that Michael would never seek to confront him about it. That the Beauchamp's would just brush it under the carpet and pretend it had never happened. Conveniently forgetting that this was exactly what Connie wished to do he turned to Zubin preparing to say something, anything, that would make the other man realise that he knew everything that had happened.
'Not especially' he turned, scouring his mind for some intelligent, preferably witty comment that only Zubin would see the true meaning of. Inconveniently he found himself suddenly unable to form a coherent sentence. Cursing silently as the lift rode past floor 4 and he realised that time was running out and this was going to be just another lost opportunity something amazing happened – almost as if by divine intervention the lift clunked, creaked and drew to a halt, the lights dimming and then dying completely.
'What's going on?' Zubin looked around the stationary lift in surprise as Michael calmly reached for the emergency phone, wondering how much time this little interruption would buy him. When the hassled receptionist finally picked up she informed him that an inept electrician had drilled through the electrics for the lifts and they were stranded until a qualified engineer arrived. That could be anything between fifteen minutes and three hours.
'It could take a while' he told Zubin dully as he replaced the phone 'something about an incompetent electrician'
'Right' Zubin slid down the wall so he was sitting with his head in his hands 'I've never been good with confined spaces'
'Really?' Michael sat next to him, allowing himself a small smile at Zubin's clear unease. It was nothing compared to what Michael wished to inflict but mild claustrophobia was a nice added bonus.
'So, what did you do with your time off?' Zubin asked conversationally and Michael suppressed a look of surprise. Either Zubin was incredibly stupid or he liked sailing close to the wind. Surely he could see that if Michael knew the details of what had happened to Connie then even the most restrained man would be hard pressed not to rise to this particular bait. Michael was not a man famed for his self-restraint.
'Connie hasn't been well' he replied slowly 'she's needed some looking after'
'No, I heard' a small smile crossed Zubin's face 'flu wasn't it?'
'That was the official line, yes' Michael gave a cold glare in Zubin's direction but it seemed to have no effect. The other man just stared straight ahead, almost as if he had no idea that something more serious had happened. Despite knowing that doubting himself was almost certainly the effect Zubin desired Michael started to panic. Connie was still refusing to tell him who it was who had attacked her, at least not while she was conscious. Perhaps he had read the situation all wrong but something told him that he hadn't.
'Official line?' Zubin enquired with a forced lightness to his voice 'you mean there is something else?'
'It's a lot more complicated than flu' he turned to Zubin coldly 'she's been suffering from nightmares and generally very distressed'
'Post traumatic thing after Will?' Zubin asked with a raised eyebrow that gave him an even greater air of arrogance. There was now no doubt that the two men were on the same page but neither of them were about to admit it.
'No, she was attacked…' Michael informed him, fighting to keep the emotion from his voice as he thought of what his wife had been through.
'Attacked' Zubin stated dully and an expression of discomfort crossed his face, as if it was the first time it had occurred to him that there was even a chance that Michael knew what had happened.
'Yes' Michael turned to him 'but then, you knew that didn't you?'
'What?' Zubin looked completely stunned but Michael homed in on the fear in his eyes, his rage reaching new heights as he fought to restrain his natural urge to respond with his fists.
'Connie was devastated when I found her' Michael stated, backing Zubin in a corner, almost out of instinct. He wanted Zubin to have to look him in the eye if he wanted to deny what he had done 'after she was raped. After you raped her' he added, watching Zubin's facial expression move rapidly through shock, panic, fear, arrogance and shock again. Either he hadn't expected Connie to have the guts to speak out or he had expected her to be too ashamed to tell anyone. He was now in no doubt that he had underestimated her relationship with Michael.
'She told you that did she?' he replied eventually, a sneer crossing his face as he clearly decided that attack was the best form of defence.
'Yes' Michael felt a faint flush creep up his face as he told the lie but he stifled it with the thought that it wasn't a lie as such. Zubin didn't state that Connie had to be conscious when she told him and that was irrelevant now anyway. He was in no doubt about Zubin's guilt.
'Why on earth would I do that?' Zubin emitted a smug laugh that made Michael's skin crawl with rage 'why would anyone rape Connie? You only have to ask and it's on a plate – rape is utterly unnecessary where she is concerned' he finished with a sneer that Michael wiped from his face, finally unable to hold back any longer. He had expected at least a little remorse from Zubin; in spite of his feelings about him, he had assumed that the attack was a moment of blinding rage on his part that he would bitterly regret once he came to his senses. Seeing that he saw it as a joke had been the final straw and he sent his fist crashing into Zubin's rib cage, watching as he buckled against the wall of the lift with a satisfying crack.
'Do you have the first idea what you've done?' he dragged Zubin whimpering to his feet and pushed him hard into the corner, bracing him against the cold metal with one arm, poising the other in preparation to hit him again 'Do you know how much you've hurt her? This has broken her; you took away her power, her control, her free will. You made her worst nightmare a reality and for what? An extension of your professional sparring? A power game? A joke? I don't understand it; what possible reason could you have to destroy her like this?'
'Destroy her?' Zubin laughed out loud at this 'She looked fine to me. Her normal loathsome self'
'That's all a front. It has only ever been a front' Michael took a deep breath to steady himself before continuing 'She's. Not. That. Strong' he shouted, punching Zubin for every word that he yelled, finally feeling release flood through him as he gave Zubin what he so richly deserved. In his blinding rage he hardly noticed the lights flash and come back on. He didn't hear the doors hiss open over his own shouting. He didn't realise he had an audience until an all too familiar voice called out his name, a mixture of surprise and horror evident in her voice. Slowly he turned and saw Connie standing in front of the lift, staring at him in horror, behind her the collected staff of both Darwin and Keller watching the heated exchange with utter fascination. Releasing Zubin immediately he stepped from the lift, not looking back as the other man crumpled to the ground in a winded heap and several nurses descended upon him to help him.
'My office' Connie stated but despite the ice in her voice she couldn't prevent the quiver 'now' she added and strode off down the corridor with her husband following guiltily in her wake.
