Chapter Four; Mistakes and Keys
Disclaimer; I own nothing, Alcatraz and all characters belong to FOX and in my case Channel Nine and J.J Abrams.
Authors Note: There really is no excuse for how long this has taken. All I can really say is that I'm really really sorry.
The beginning of this chapter takes place immediately after the last.
He stood dumfounded at the door staring at the peeling lacquer coating the slowly rotting wood. He definitely wasn't expecting her to shut him down and slam the door in his face; he wasn't as naive to believe that she would open the door, forgive him and they would live happily ever after, but he was hoping that just maybe, maybe she would listen, that she would grant him clemency and hear him out and maybe he could repair their already fragile relationship. Instead he stood on her doorstep while she was presumably in bed as his pleas and her dismissal hung heavily on both their minds. As he slowly gathered his thoughts, he fished around in his pockets for his pack of cigarettes, a habit he picked up while he was in Korea and multiplied tenfold during his incarceration in Alcatraz, there wasn't much in the way to the pass time beside reading and smoking when he wasn't in the infirmary, he couldn't believe how expensive these things had gotten, and this new fixation on health hazards; when he tried his first cigarette with his childhood best friend behind his father's shed, all he ever saw were cigarettes; in his father's shirt pocket, on the kitchen bench, at the drive – in smoking was the cool thing, now however if you smoked you were a social pariah. It was reminder of how much he had missed. He missed growing old with Agatha, missed seeing Van grow up, have a wife and kids of his own. They were of his own making though; he had no one to blame but himself. He had long resolved to enjoy the small pleasures, to limit the mistakes he made, he had second chance now, something that not many people got. He wasn't going to let Chloe be a mistake. Taking in one last drag of his cigarette, he stubbed out the last half out and left the porch for his new destination.
Chloe tried to ignore the recent conversation replaying over and over in her mind and get at least a couple of hours of sleep before she had to babysit the two boys next door for Ms Harris, they were nice boys but five and seven years old and extremely hyperactive so she definitely needed sleep if she was to entertain them until Ms Harris got back from her job at the local petrol station. She felt a pang of regret at her quick and somewhat rude rejection of Tommy's attempt to repair their friendship, or their relationship or whatever it was, but that battled with the anger that she still had left over from just a couple of hours ago, he had no right to judge her that way and then to turn up on her doorstep expecting her to forgive him, no she was not impressed. Tossing and turning she struggled to find a comfortable position when she heard another knock on the door, eyes snapping open she felt the annoyance inside her increase tenfold.
"What do you want now?" she grumbled turning over and throwing the blanket over her head, she attempted to ignore his persistent knocking, she was going to kill him if he didn't stop trying to keep her from her much desired rest.
"Chloe?" she heard a voice call out, a voice that wasn't Tommy's. Panic seized her as she quickly sat up in bed, someone was in her house; she knew she should have fixed the stupid door. She looked around frantically, her heart pounded against her chest as she searched for some sort of weapon something to defend herself with. "Chloe? You home?" the voice called. Swinging her legs off the side of the bed, she registered that she knew the voice but she couldn't place who it belonged to. Dragging on her jeans in her haste to get to the doorstop that did a better job of getting in her way than actually keeping her door open she hoped it would serve her better as a weapon, creeping slowly out into the hallway she strained to hear any noises to where the man was, turning into the kitchen she jumped seeing her study partner.
"What the hell, Joey?! You scared the shit out of me." She said resting her hand over heart in hopes of catching her breath, as she put the doorstop on the kitchen bench.
"Sorry, Clo, the door was open." He chuckled, leaning casually against the counter.
"So what, you just let yourself in?" she asked irate, she was officially having a really bad day.
"Well I..." he began, his posture straightening noticing her frustrated demeanour.
"Wait, how do you even know where I live?"
"That's why I came; you left this at the library." He offered handing out the tan leather wallet.
"Oh, thanks."
"No problem."
"I'm sorry, I was so rude; you were really just being nice."
"No, its fine your right I shouldn't have yet walked in, I'm sorry"
The conversation stood at a standstill the awkward atmosphere rising in the room until it was almost suffocating.
"So," he said tapping his fingers against the peeling paint of the worn bench top, "Walk you to class?"
"What?" she asked her exhaustion and emotional state dulling her sense and comprehension. "We don't have class until this afternoon." She elaborated.
"No, today's lecture was cancelled remember, we have to go to the nine o'clock one." He insisted.
"Oh yeah, that's right, shit." She admitted running a hand over her face tiredly, she was definitely definitely having a bad day. "Just let me have a quick shower and we'll go." She acquiesced. She picked up her phone from where she left it this morning on the kitchen bench to call Mrs Harris to let her know she was going to be a little late.
He nodded his acceptance as she made her way towards the back of the house.
Chloe sipped on her coffee that Joey insisted on paying for, funny that, the claim chivalry is dead yet she knew two guys that insisted on being gentlemen. They walked in companionable silence, a walk that Chloe took almost every single day expect with a different man at her side. It was weird walking with Joey as opposed to Tommy with whom conversations were many and full they weren't opposed to silence, not at all but conversation flowed with ease and laughter, something she had surely missed moving to San Francisco.
Nudging his shoulder with hers he asked, "So are you going out tonight?"
"Yeah, I think the girls are dragging me out for a couple of drinks." She answered, with a small smile. Her girlfriends were far and few and quality time with all of them was hard to find in between classes, working and studying so she was looking forward to tonight. A chance to drink and dance away the stress of exams and angry thoughts of a certain blue eyed blond haired man. "What about you?" she asked.
"I've got to do a couple of things tonight for work but otherwise I think I'm just going to take it easy."
She nodded in understanding. Seeing the university up ahead she sighed heavily, normally she liked going to class, true most mornings she had to bribe herself to get out of bed but she honestly enjoyed being in class but today she really did not want to be here.
Joey raised an eyebrow at her, an unspoken question.
"Today is going to a long long day."
The music was loud and she could feel the vibrations under her feet and yet her friend, predictably tried to have a conversation with her over the thundering bass. She couldn't hear a word that was coming out of own mouth let alone Desire's, both girls shared confused looks and simultaneously laughed before Chloe gestured outside to the smoking area. Finishing her half full drink she stumbled to her feet, the alcohol and exhaustion making her clumsy yet she couldn't find it in herself to care the warmth of intoxication and the slight haziness making her carefree. Pushing their way through the crowds they reached the exterior of the bar and into the fresh air, finding a seat they rested their still aching feet from all the dancing they did earlier. The two other girls that they had met up had long gone home, one claiming work early the next morning and the other to continue her fight with her boyfriend, a typical nigh out really yet, it was better than nothing.
"So, met anyone new lately?" Desire slyly asked, suggesting that she already had her suspicions. Chloe hesitated in telling her about Tommy. She didn't know why exactly apart from the old habit of never trusting or opening up too much but also because what she and Tommy had, despite her annoyance towards him she deemed to private, something she wanted to keep to herself if only for a little while longer. Yet, Desire was her friend and she could do with someone else's perspective on the relationship or lack thereof that kept her mind working overtime. Desire caught the eye of the passing waiter and ordered them another round of drinks.
"Well…" she teased, laughing at her friend's excited yet 'come on don't bullshit me' expression.
"Well…come on give us the goss." Desire said slapping her on the leg playfully before sitting further into her chair getting comfortable.
Chloe beamed back at her, "His name is Tommy and I meet him at the café where I get my coffee every morning."
"And…" she pressed.
"And what? There isn't much more to add. We've met up a couple of time for coffee, and gone exploring the city a bit." The waiter returned placing their drinks in front of them as Desire shot him flirty smile.
Desire narrowed her eyes, huffing like she had just asked her to lend her a million dollars. "There is so much more that I need to know like; what's his last name? What does he do? Have you Facebook stalked him? What is his family like? What kind of car does he drive? What is he like in bed? How bid is he, this stuff is the most important stuff."
Chloe almost spat her drink out at the last two questions but settled on spluttering and coughing instead.
"What?" she croaked.
"You heard me, so go on answer the questions." Desire said entirely unsympathetic as she patted her friend on the back.
Regaining her bearings, she began to answer slowly "Um well… his last name is Madsen, he's working as a carpenter and no I haven't stalked him on Facebook; I doubt he even has it and I haven't meet his family and he doesn't really talk about them and he drives a 4WD sort of thing I don't know I don't really know cars."
"And his bedroom talents?" Desire asked, looking up from her mobile phone where she no doubt was in fact attempting to Facebook stalk him.
"I wouldn't know, we haven't," She replied simply, taking a few decent gulps from her drink, she was going to need some fortification if this conversation was heading in the direction it looked like it was.
Desire paused; thumb hovering over the screen as she looked at her seemingly taken by surprise at the admission. Chloe felt a sudden urge of anger at her friend, what she was supposed to jump in to bed with the guy the first chance she had. No, she wasn't like that and if she was deemed a prude for it then that was their problem not hers.
"I doubt we will anyway, he's an asshole." She continued, directing the subject away from sex and more towards the relationship and the thoughts currently plaguing her mind.
"What did he do?" Desire asked leaning forward as she put her phone down, abandoning her search for the elusive man. This was why Chloe was glad she was her friend, she didn't automatically assume that she was blowing things out of proportion or taking his side in an attempt to foster the budding relationship between her and Tommy. She was simply without question on her side and if she said Tommy was an asshole, then Tommy was an asshole.
"He pretty much called me a slut." She said, remembering the harsh sting of his words.
"What an asshole!" Desire exclaimed. "Why would he say that? Who does he think he is?!"
"He suggested that I was sleeping with Joey, my study partner and asked me what people would think. Who gives a shit what people think, even if I was sleeping with Joey, which I'm not by the way, is not any of his business or anyone else's for that matter!" She said similarly outraged, it felt fantastic to vent to a sympathetic audience.
"Has he even apologised?" Desire asked, signalling for another round of drinks.
"He tried, I think, earlier today but I kind of slammed the door in his face." She felt kind of guilty about it but the annoyance far outweighed it.
"Maybe, you should hear him out, I mean if he did try and apologise that shows that he knew he was in the wrong, at least make him grovel a bit." Desire suggested timidly. Chloe felt a little betrayed at the change in sides, what happened to solidarity and the war against men. She reluctantly agreed with her friend though, if he was going to apologise that had to stand for something she knew a lot of people wouldn't even feel guilty about it let alone attempt to apologise.
"Yeah, I suppose." She sighed.
"Let him come to you though." Desire added quickly and both girls shared a smile, this was the twenty-first century; no girl would crawl for any man.
Simultaneously picking up their drinks, they changed the topic to much more light hearted issues as Chloe silently agreed if somewhat hesitantly to give Tommy another chance.
Stumbling out of the taxi, she smiled at the nice older man and promised him that she really didn't drink all that much as he helped her to her door. Thanking him as he walked back down the drive she turned to find herself locked out of her own house, which was ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous as her house didn't actually lock. Staring at the door, seemingly trying to will it to unlock itself she kicked over a coffee cup, looking down at the rolling cup, she swore she was never ever drinking again. Bending down to pick it up she realised it was strangely familiar yet with her muddled mind she couldn't place exactly why it was familiar. Hearing something rattle inside it, she opened it with far more difficulty than she should have and was even more confused to find a key wrapped in a note. Using the key to open the door she beamed with pride, she wasn't that drunk after all. Placing the key an unread note on the coffee table she staggered to her bedroom flinging clothes of as she went the mysterious note lock and key quickly forgotten as her thoughts were quickly consumed by Tommy Madsen and her promise to herself that she would speak to him again.
Authors End Note; I had a lot of trouble with this chapter and sort of lost my mojo after seeing the finale of Alcatraz but never fear I just recently brought the DVDs and now my mojo is back in force :D. I think one of my major issues is know how I want it to end and I know what is going to happen but it is just the trouble of getting there. I would really appreciate any constructive criticism you could give me, it makes me a better writer. So please review and thank you so much if you have stuck with this story for this long.