Two in one night! Be proud ya'll! Again thanks for reading, keep the reviews coming and forgive me if it's hard to read and or any grammer/spelling errors! Enjoy!

Fallen #42

Kevin slowly pulled up to the entrance of Cali's building. "Here we are, brother." He said as he opened his door and Michael did the same. By now the rain has ceased and it was starting to look like it might be a nice night. Well, what was left of night anyway, considering that it was almost 2a.m. Manny, the rent-a-cop for Cali's building was a man in his mid-20's had become fairly well acquainted with Michael and Kevin since they visited Cali often, Kevin not as much as he used to. "What are you two doing here at 1:30 in the morning?" Manny asked as he approached Kevin, who was leaning against his car and Michael who stood staring at the enormous building before him. "Romeo here has come to confess his love." Kevin teased as his gestured to his drunken buddy. "Hey Manny." Michael greeted, completely oblivious to the teasing. As Manny drew near the smell of alcohol assaulted his senses. "Hey Mike." He said patting him on the shoulder as he leaned on the car next to him, mimicking Kevin who was on Michaels other side. Michael took a deep breath and headed for the now unguarded door. During the day you had to be buzzed up or have a key, at night Manny or another guard would be watching the door. Kevin and Manny watched as he slowly approached the building and disappeared into the lobby. "Liquid courage?" Manny asked with a chuckle. Kevin laughed "How'd you guess?" he asked. "Blood shot eyes, the smell, and the fact that he's showing up here now. Cali seemed pissed when she got home earlier; she was pretty out of it as well." Manny replied. Kevin just nodded. He didn't need anyone to explain to him why she had seemed that way, he was well aware of Calis' history of drug use. It was only then that he realized that her drug use was anything but history.

Calis POV

I was sitting in the middle of my living room floor, surrounded by a wide variety of newspaper clippings, police reports, witness statements, and various other documents that I shouldn't have had. In the middle of my mess was a bundle of envelopes held together by a rubber band. It was a pile of every letter or note I have ever received from Lincoln, from before and after his incarceration. Recently the letters from him had been few and far between. I don't think that he knew that I knew why he hadn't been sending me as many as before. But I knew. Michael had complained about my crusade to prove Lincolns innocence and Lincoln agreed to become less and less involved in my life until I had forgotten about him completely. Not only was that impossible it was not an option.

I was reading an article about Lincolns arrest for about the millionth time when there came a knock on my door. I glanced at the clock, 1:45a.m. "Who would be here this late?" I thought. I did a quick check to make sure that all of my paraphernalia and illegal substances were out of sight and got up to answer the door. I peeked through the peep hole, surprised to see Michael leaning up against the wall on the other side of the hall. I unlocked the chain, deadbolt, and door knob and slowly opened the door. For a second Michael just leaned against the wall, eyes shut. Just as I was about to speak he opened one eye and asked to come in. I nodded and took a couple steps back, allowing him entrance into my home.

I could tell by the way he was walking, and the way he smelled, that he had been drinking. Not only was I still upset about earlier, the fact that he showed up at my place at damn near 2a.m. drunk only infuriated me further. "What are you doing here Michael?" I asked as I shut the door. "You were right… I don't want you to believe that Lincoln is innocent, because I don't believe that he is." He began as he paced my living room. I sighed I didn't have the energy or patience for this. "Michael… It's late, you're obviously drunk and chances are you won't remember any of this in the morning. So you have two options, I can call you a cab or you can crash here, but we are not having this conversation right now." I said as I moved into my small kitchen. "No. See we are having this conversation right now, Cal. You owe me that! After leaving me to make an ass out of myself earlier today… Besides, I'm not drunk!" He said in a raised voice. "You may have made an ass out of yourself earlier but you sure as hell didn't need any help in that department!" I exclaimed as I emerged from my kitchen. "And don't give me that "I'm not drunk" shit. You reek of the Hub and a twelve pack!" I said angrily. "Whatever. I didn't come here to fight with you some more." He sighed as he walked toward me. You know that saying "Leave enough space for God"? Well, obviously Michael has never heard that one.

"I'm sorry that you think that Lincoln is a good guy. He's got a good heart but he took a mans life Cali! And for what? To pay off 90 grand in drug debt. Is that worth killing somebody?" He said placing a hand on my hip. Instantly I grabbed his hand and removed it from my body and took a couple steps back, dropping his hand. "How can you say that! He is your brother Michael! After everything he did for you, and you abandon him! He is no murderer Michael!" I spat venomously. "After all he did for me? Oh yeah! We bonded real well while he was beating the hell out of me! There are only two people that Lincoln ever helped! Himself and you. You're enabling him Cali. As long as you feed him this "I believe you" bullshit he's going to keep claiming his innocence." He spat equally as venomous. "Are you blaming me for your shitty relationship with Lincoln?" I asked incredulously. "Because if you are, I think you had better rethink things. I'm pretty sure that your relationship problems with your brother are a direct result of your "holier than thou" attitude toward him!" I yelled. "I do not have a 'holier than thou' attitude toward him!" Michael retorted lamely. I laughed angrily "Oh please, Michael! You've always acted like Lincoln was below you… Yeah, he's made some mistakes. Who hasn't? You're not perfect either, Mike… You know what I think bothers you the most? I think that you're afraid that people look at you differently because of Lincoln. Because your brother supposedly offed Steadman. You're afraid that it's going to be high school all over again. That you will be outcasted because of your brother, the criminal." I said darkly. I would be surprised if half of my building hadn't woke up from all the screaming. "You want the truth, Cali? I'll give it to you. Lincoln killed Terrance Steadman in cold blood. That's not easy for me to say. He is my brother and I envy the faith you have in him. I have to move on with my life, Cali and so do you." He said as he advanced toward me once more, stopping only inches away. "He's guilty as sin, Cal. Every time I hear you saw otherwise it breaks my heart! Even you should be able to see what's right in front of you!"

I won't lie. His words cut me. The way he said "Even you should be able to see what's right in front of you." It sounded like he was questioning my intelligence. And I'm not so sure that he wasn't. But the thing that bothered me most was that he made it sound like I was holding him back. That I was the reason he couldn't move on. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt the only people that I had left. My interpretation of Michaels words told me that I was doing just that.

We stood in silence for what seemed like years. Michael waiting for me to say something; me wishing that I could disappear. Then it hit me; that's exactly what I needed to do. Disappear. I quickly rushed past Michael, grabbed my jacket, my wallet, and my stash. "Call a cab, Michael." I said as I walked past him once more; this time heading out the door. "Kevin's waiting outside." He replied standing where I left him. I gave no reply, just headed out the door, leaving it open, hoping that he would get the hint that I wanted him out of my apartment.

When I got to the lobby I could see Manny and Kevin leaning against Kevins, engaging in a conversation the topic of which I cared nothing about. "Hey, Cali." Kevin greeted as I walked closer to them. I grabbed a cigarette from my pack, out it in my mouth and lit the cancer stick. "Get his drunk ass out of my apartment." I ordered angrily before taking a left down the side walk.