Never Leave Me
By Kachimoochi
Chapter IV
I'm Here To Help
6 Months Ago
RJ Clifford sat in a wicker chair in the waiting room of a small office. He was deep in thought, not saying a single word after registering with the registrar. His voice was croaky, dry and strained, as if he hadn't spoken for weeks, or spoken a weeks-worth in a single day.
It had been one week since Revin's death, and RJ's subsequent loss of sanity. The final thing he remembered about that night was being carried off by Vikeni, and being checked into a hospital. His guilt was immense; he should be out on the streets tracking down Revin's killer, instead of a mandatory psych evaluation.
After his episode, he was put in solitary confinement for 3 days after her death. When he exited the room of soft, white material, he seemed as he'd always seemed, normal. He wasn't of course; every minute in that room was spent with the ghost of his love, which he came to accept was an apparition, or a figment of his imagination.
They didn't talk about anything important, just the things she usually talked about. She never explained her death, she wasn't even aware of it until RJ told her of it. She wanted her murder to be solved as well, though she was only a projection of RJ's conscience. They'd pass the day comparing theories, or imagining scenarios, in effort for RJ to feel his time wasn't completely wasted.
Either way, it was obvious to him that he couldn't let anyone else know about her, or rather know that he was still seeing her. He wasn't sure why he was seeing her phantom, he'd seen hundreds of dead bodies across his career, but none had ever affected him so. He wasn't afraid of losing his freedom, but rather he was afraid of being put away, never to solve her murder, or to let someone else take the credit.
Fortunately, Vikeni was a jobsworth in every sense of the word, meaning he'd follow the guidelines of CLED meticulously, even at the cost of convenient evidence. When RJ was released from solitary, Vikeni was no closer to solving the murder, not that it mattered at the time. The CLED had another matter occurring simultaneously, one they had to supervise.
Many don't know this, but killing a cop is tantamount to starting a war, without any exaggeration. The criminal mind could gain much morale realizing they were capable of killing a cop, meaning the rest of the cops had to squash that habit before it even became one. In the CLED department, cops and detectives were suiting up for war; Revin's death enacted a new, temporary policy: no mercy.
The CLED would be more brutal in their tactics, no matter the crime, to offset the notoriety of a murdered detective. In addition to expediently tracking down the culprit, they'd arrest a criminal for as little as a parking violation. If they couldn't find an arrestable offense, they'd plant something, anything to receive a modicum of recompense for their fallen comrade.
Unfortunately for RJ, much of the fun had already been had while he was in solitary. The joy of arresting gangsters for arbitrary offenses in retaliation for a cop's murder hadn't occurred as he'd thought. Other detectives scoured their contacts and moles within the various gangs on The Citadel, and none were aware of Revin's murder.
Even the higher-ups in the gangs were unaware of such an event, as most of the gangs' policies demanded no murder of officers. An offence that they personally punished with death, or surrender to the police. Despite almost a week of arresting and investigating, they found no clues in her murder, and with the streets satiated with their lesson, CLED would have no choice but to return to other businesses.
RJ understood, after all, this was something he wanted to solve personally. After he was released from the hospital, he was ordered to receive mandatory counseling and evaluation, which he begrudgingly accepted. This is what brought him to this private office, CLED spared no expense on their officers, so they contracted the most expensive and experienced psychiatrist on The Citadel.
"Mr. Clifford? Dr. Yuibo will see you know" The receptionist shouted at the brooding figure in the wicker chair.
RJ thanked her, and traveled with her into a private room in the back of the clinic. He was met with the Asari psychiatrist standing outside her office, shaking her hand and following her into her private office. She offered him refreshments, of which he only accepted a single tea cake, before laying down on a reclining sofa, assuming the position of a therapist's patient.
"Before I begin, I want to implore you to be as truthful with me as possible, so I can help you as accurately as possible, whether you think so or not, I'm here to help" She preamble.
RJ nodded in agreement.
"So tell me Detective Clifford, what brings you here?" Dr. Yuibo began.
"I was ordered to after my partner died" He answered.
"The grief is too much to bear?" She inquired.
"Not exactly…uh, I think that when I heard the news I went a little crazy. I imagined she was still alive before me, she was even talking, I felt insane." He detailed.
"You believe you were hallucinating?"
"I was hoping you could tell me"
RJ took a moment as Dr. Yuibo jotted some notes on her Omni-Tool to eat his tea cake. He knew that if he told the whole truth he'd be committed on the spot, and that was something he couldn't afford to happen until Revin's case was solved. He decided to dance around the details, and make excuses as to why he'd seen her phantom. After all, he was a detective, he met liars every day, he must have picked some of it up by now.
"What was your relationship with Detective Tyuvio?" She restarted.
"She was my best friend, it was almost like we were siblings, I guess my heart couldn't handle the news" RJ excused.
"Who told you the news?"
"Her sister, Levita"
"Usually in cases of emotional hallucination, the victim undergoes not only intense psychological trauma, but also physical"
"I think I see where you're going with this"
"Did you have any physical discomfort or trauma that night?"
RJ began to innocently chuckle, and gave a long sigh. He needed to make up an excuse for the physical discomfort. Thankfully he had a rock-solid alibi, as he did every night of Revin's and RJ's duty.
"Every night after our shift, Revin would always insist on stopping to eat at this horrible Turian fast food joint, she only ate there because they had food from her part of Palaven. I'd always eat from their human menu to save time, and would usually get food sickness because of it, it was worth it to make her happy" He recited from memory, hoping the false reason was acceptable.
"Would you often sacrifice things for her?"
"She was my best friend; I'd sacrifice anything for her"
"I see"
They would continue to conversate for another hour, with Dr. Yuibo never giving away her hand, though RJ believed his lies had been enough to convince her that he was sane enough to return to duty. She insisted that RJ return for more sessions, on the CLED's dime, to work through any trauma that may surface later. RJ hoped that this wasn't her way of offering him a way to tell the truth next time, but he had better things to do at the moment.
He left the office, and drove his car to the Apartment Complex where Revin lived. He had another commitment to honor, helping Levita collect her sister's belongings.
His heart rate began to pulse rapidly as he inched ever closer to her former abode, Revin's phantom took this opportunity to present herself once again.
"I really am sorry about all of this, if I could stop this I would" Revin apologized.
"Don't apologize, this is the best result I could hope for" RJ answered as he drove.
"What?"
"I have you all to myself for all eternity; I'm just sorry you had to die for me to get it"
"Not as sorry as I am"
They drove ever closer to her former home, noticing Levita's skycar in the nearby parking space inside the apartment. It occurred to Revin's phantom that she hadn't seen her parents and little sister in months, and they wouldn't even know she was in the room with them. That scared her to no end, knowing the family she loved would never see her again.
"Listen…I'm going to find whoever did this, no matter how long it takes" RJ assured Revin, placing his palm on her leg.
"Just promise me one thing" She whispered, staring at the sky.
"Anything"
"Take care of my sister, watch out for her, you know how often she gets into trouble"
"Definitely"
"She's too prideful to ask my parents for help, she needs to trust you, so earn it…please?"
"The way I see it, in some alternate universe, we could have been a couple, and she'd have been my sister-in-law, so I'd do anything for her, you don't have to worry" RJ assured her.
"Thank you RJ" She whispered.
RJ's skycar landed beside Levita's inside the apartment, he didn't see her, so he assumed that she was already inside packing her belongings. He exited the car and slowly made his way into the house, Revin's phantom slacking slowly behind.
"Arjay? Is that you?" Levita shouted, hearing the door console activate.
"Yeah, it's me" RJ answered me.
"And me" Revin whispered, knowing that Levita couldn't hear her anyways.
Levita rushed from around the corner of the kitchen and jumped into RJ's arms, gripping him tightly. She was smiling as she held him, tearing up at the circumstances, for minutes on end. RJ felt uncomfortable, but held Vita back nevertheless, she was his responsibility now. Revin stared at her sister nearly straddling the 3 inch shorter human, she felt extremely sad. She reached out to hug her sister, hand passing through the both of them without incident.
"By the Spirits I missed you so much, I'm so glad you're okay. Vikeni said you went crazy, my parents and I were worried sick"
"I can't tell you how sorry I am for that, I should have been comforting you and your family after Revin… I'm sorry I couldn't be there"
"We all understand, we were dumbfounded when we got the news, but we've cried enough, it isn't what Revin would have wanted. Her funeral is in 4 days, you're coming right?" Vita asked rhetorically.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world" RJ responded.
They both stared at one another in silence for seemingly minutes, and then they walked around the house and met one another at Revin's picture shelf. The shelf was lined with pictures of her parents, Levita, their graduation and military portraits, and a single photo of Revin and RJ in their squad car together. They both stared at all of the memories she had, many of which RJ had been a part of, it brought tears to both of their eyes.
RJ reached his arm upwards and patted the head of the tall Turian, comforting her in the only way he could think to.
"I remember when I was taller than you, at your education graduation. You were so excited to graduate, and start you military career"
"If only we both know what a major disaster that'd turn out to be"
"Don't say that, it wasn't your fault what happened, Revin was proud of you, never forget that" RJ lectured, Revin smiling behind the two hugging beings.
RJ scooped the tall, but light, Turian in his arms and carried her to the sofa facing the wall of pictures. He held her to his chest, making sure she had a visible view of the wall with him. She cried silently, though she smiled simultaneously. This was the moment she'd been waiting for ever since she met RJ at her military convocation, all those years ago. She felt immensely guilty that it took her sister dying for him to get closer to her, that's why she cried, and that's why she smiled.
They hugged one another for minutes on end, it only made RJ feel even guiltier. He'd never forgive himself for abandoning Levita in her time of need, and it was a sin he'd gratefully spend the rest of his life repaying. When they broke apart Vita had a sparkle in her eyes, she smiled for the first time all week. The sight made Revin's phantom happy. She knew in that moment, even if RJ didn't, that Vita's love for him was genuine, one she would try to convince RJ to satisfy.
"Still" RJ said after a while "I'm jealous that you're still so taller than me" He spoke facetiously, making a feux-frowning face.
"I'm fourteen years younger than my sister, you must be shrinking mister" Levita responded.
"Fourteen years, I thought it was eight, you must be getting younger" RJ joked.
"I guess Revin wanted a little sister too late" She said, the both of them now chuckling.
Eventually the pair would return to filling metallic boxes with Revin's belongings, before sending them to the post station, where they'd be transported to her parent's house on Palaven. What once was a tacky abode lined wall to wall with film posters and junk food was now a barren wasteland. The very sight of which prompted Vita to burst into tears once again, and her would be brother-in-law to pick up the pieces.
He carried Vita back to her car, after assuring her that he'd always be there for her, and watched her return to her apartment. Revin approached the Human from behind and hugged him.
"She's in love with you, you know?" Revin spoke, still gripping the Human from behind.
"I had the feeling, I'll have to let her off easy" RJ responded, knowing that it was Revin who was holding him.
"No! I want her to be happy, and you're the only one I trust to make her happy, at least don't burst her bubble, at least until she's ready" Revin begged, turning RJ to face her.
"I promise"
"I don't understand, she's like me, but fourteen years younger, what red-blooded man would resist such a willing princess" Revin joked.
"You were always loyal to me, and I'll always be loyal to you. You'll never leave me, and I'll never leave you" RJ whispered, walking back to his skycar, dragging Revin with him.
