Chapter 19

Thanks to Hannah, X-Kate-X and sn0zb0z for reviewing.

This is the final chapter of the score. so enjoy

Stacie looked on as Danny answered his mobile, well aware it was against hospital rules. She listened to his side of the conversation,

"Yeah…. Go on…. So are we. Whereabouts... okay." And he hung up, leaving the other three con artists wondering what had just happened.

"Who was it?" Ash asked

"The police." He said, staring at the pattern on Stacie's bedcovers, unable to look anyone in the eye

"Do they need you to make a statement?" Danny shook his head

"It's Mickey… He's been hurt, probably by Hendon."

"Where is he?" Albert asked

"Downstairs, getting operated on now."

"I'll go find out what's happening." Ash said before disappearing from the room. Albert followed swiftly, leaving Danny and Stacie alone together for the first time since Stacie gave the statement.

"This is our fault." She said, her voice sounding hollow

"It's not." Danny argued, trying to reassure her despite thinking the same thing himself.

"It is! Hendon warned us to stay away, and you went ahead anyway."

"Then it's my fault, not yours."

"I sent him after you, to tell you to stop. He'd still be here if I hadn't."

"You're making it sound like he's dead."

"He might be."

"Don't overreact; he's probably just been beaten up a bit."

"Even that shouldn't have happened!"

"At least Hendon's away now. He won't be able to hurt anyone else again."

"Until he gets out." Stacie said sounding exasperated

"That'll be a long time away."
"He could still come for us."

"I'll protect you when he does."

"We might not even know each other then Danny!"

"We will. I guarantee it."

"The others might not want you to stay with us after what happened to Mickey. They'll blame you even if he doesn't."

"Do you blame me?"

"A bit." She admitted.

"You wish it was me instead of him don't you?"

"Of course not!"

"You've always liked him more; it was obvious from the start." He went on, sadness and anger in his voice.

"Don't be stupid Danny."

"I'm not being stupid. Just honest." He said, turning on his heel and leaving the small room.

"What's happening?" he asked Ash as he appeared by his side

"He ran into one of Hendon's men. They stabbed him too." Ash said, and Danny saw the rage in the normally calm Ash's eyes.

"You should have listened to Mickey." Albert said, and Danny couldn't stand the disappointment he heard in his voice.

"He stabbed Stacie." Danny reused his old argument, noticing for the first time how feeble it actually was.

"And now he's stabbed Mickey. What're you going to do now Danny?"

"I don't know." He said feeling very much like a naughty schoolboy, yet knowing his crime was so much worse than that.

"Well you'd better work it out, because Mickey's going to want answers when he gets out of here."

"I know." Danny said, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done the con. And…. I can't do this anymore."

"Do what?" Ash asked

"This. Con people. Too many people get hurt."

"You've never had a proper job Danny, how're you going to get by?"

"I'll work something out." He said, turning on his heel and heading towards the main door, "Tell Mickey I'm sorry. And tell Stacie… Tell her goodbye." He called over his shoulder as he left.

"I didn't want him to quit." Albert said

"Leave him. He'll be back. He's just upset." Ash said confidently

"I hope so."

there's a sequal in the pipeline, probably not as long as this one turned out, but you never know.

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