Present Day

John tried to walk back to his desk but Green raised the gun, "Hold it there."

"Why? What're you afraid I'll do?"

"It's more that I don't know what you'll do." Green walked around the sofa, gun trained on John. "More that you could reach for a gun of your own and then I'm buggered because you're a better shot than me. At this range I can't miss you but I also know that this range'd have you placing one right through my eye so I'll avoid that."

"I don't keep guns in my desk."

"Then I'm stopping you reaching for a panic alarm." Green nodded, "That's right. I've not been idle while waiting for this chance. I studied the plans for this building so I could get in and out without being seen."

"It's not possible."

"You're right, it wasn't, but I timed it for when no one else would be around and I could do this with minimal exposure." Green paused, "You know, it's funny, that I'm not afraid of this now that I know I've got nothing to lose."

"And everything to gain?"

"No, no," Green shook his head, "This is a game with the same outcome either way so I risk nothing being here, or by shooting you, and I gain nothing but the satisfaction at your death. That, I have to admit, is enough for me at this point."

"Killing Matthew Crawley and your own father wasn't enough for you?"

"It's all about means to the end, John." Green perched on the arm of the sofa. "I'm seeking mine and while it's not what I intended it'll be worth price of admission."

"I doubt it." John snorted, "Men like you burn in Hell, Alex."

"I guess we'll both find out soon enough. Although," Green cringed, "I think you're under the mistaken belief you won't be joining me but, remember, that adulterers go to Hell too so…"

"We won't be bunk mates down there."

"But we'd both be down there and that's satisfaction enough for me at the moment, given the options I'm faced with now." Green frowned, "You weren't this cavalier when we were younger."

"Prison changes a man." John pointed at Green, "I guess I should thank you for that."

"Should you?"

"Well, if we're talking about gratitude I guess you did me a favor. Showed me the bastard you are and allowed me to make something of myself."

"Unlike what you did to me."

"What I did to you?" John frowned, "What did I do to you?"

"Drove me to this." Green waved the gun a bit, "This is all thanks to you."

"Better way to say that would've been 'no thanks to yourself'." John shrugged, "You always were your own worst enemy Alex."

"No, you were."

John scoffed, "I'm not surprised you reached that conclusion, just disappointed."

"Disappointed?"

"That's right, disappointed." John leaned back of his desk, lowering his arms, "It's a word you should be familiar with since your dad used it more than once. I'll admit, I didn't really see it then but I was blinded by the love I had for my friend. I see it now though."

"Do you?" Green ground his teeth, "You see now where Daddy was disappointed in his son?"

"Of course." John opened his hands, "It took you almost a year to finally put together who I was. You drove your company into the ground when it was on the peak of success when your father handed it to you… or, should I say, when you walked over his cold corpse to grab it for yourself. You abused your son and wife when all they wanted was to love you."

"Anna never loved me like she loved you."

"But it didn't mean she didn't love you or that she couldn't love you." John shook his head, "Did you really hate all of us so much you'd burn the world just to watch us burn too?"

"Not always, no."

"Then what, Alex? What drove you to drive a wedge between the world and yourself." John pointed at him, "Why'd you do it all?"

"Why does anyone do anything?" Green shrugged, "Because we're trying to prove something."

"And you couldn't do that properly managing your father's company? Or loving your wife? Or caring for your son?"

"But he's not my son, is he?" John swallowed, shifting on the desk as Green nodded at him. "That's right, I worked that out. Again, you'll be disappointed with how long it took me, but I worked it out."

"It wasn't malicious."

"So Anna just happened to fall for me in time to convince me Jack was premature? She just happened to accept my proposal in time to hide your bastard under my name."

"I wouldn't be so self-righteous when you used the rings I gave you for safe keeping to propose to her." John stood straight, "You want to fight it out about the fact that Jack's not yours then drop the gun and bring your fists up but I won't hear a word against Anna making a decision to help herself. Especially since you put her in that position in the first place."

"No John, you did."

"You had me arrested, railroaded, and tossed in prison just to cover up your murder of Matthew Crawley. Or how you got Bricker, for no more than a nod of approval from you, to swear under oath that I killed him?" John leveled his finger at Green. "Then you had Barrow and O'Brien orchestrate prisoners to try and kill me until you gave up and just had me lost to the system before declaring me dead to Anna."

"You should've stayed that way."

"Why, so you wouldn't have to catch her crying over me occasionally? Or because you couldn't live with the guilt of what you did to your friend?"

"Does it matter?"

"It matters how you ever called yourself my friend when the whole time you planned to destroy my life and take my girlfriend."

"She deserved better than a washed up school teacher with nothing to offer her but that cracker box of a flat on the East End."

"She deserved to be loved." John threw up a hand, "But I can't see you doing a very good job at that either. You had her for fifteen years and you just had to cock it all up because, at the end of the day, you're still you and you never wanted to be anything different."

"I tried it once," Green stepped closer and John forced himself to breath easily with the gun growing in his vision. "I tried to be the business man my father wanted, the sober man you encouraged, and the good man I thought Anna might want for herself and you know what happened? Do you know what you did to ruin that for me?"

"You never tried that?"

"You don't remember then, do you?" Green pressed the barrel of the gun to John's forehead. "Let me jog your memory, eh?"

Sixteen Years Ago

Green pulled at his shirt, swallowing to steady his nerves and hands as he walked down the bar to the cute blonde chatting with her taller, darker-haired friend. He cleared his throat but they failed to hear him over their conversation and the general din of the pub. Trying again the darker-haired one turned, only to roll her eyes and lift a hand to the bartender. She tapped her friend on the shoulder and the blonde woman turned to him, smiling when she saw him, and extended a hand.

"How nice to see you here Alex. I didn't think you were coming tonight."

"I wasn't going to but then you told everyone we deserved some fun before exams I thought, 'why not' and came."

"I'm glad you finally got out with us." She pointed to her friend, "You know Mary Crawley right?"

"Of course." He shook Mary's hand, her upturned lip and raised eyebrow as unwelcoming as the dead fish grip she gave him. "It's nice to see you again Mrs. Crawley."

"Why must everyone remind me I'm married when I come out for a night of fun?" Mary took her hand back, picking up her drink, "I'm meeting Matthew in a corner booth in a moment for our first date since George was born. Excuse the married woman."

She pushed past him and Green fumbled for words at the sight of the other woman's cringe. "Anna, I'm so sorry I didn't know she-"

"Mary's just not had tequila in awhile and I forgot it makes her the petulant drunk." Anna patted Mary's vacated seat, "Why don't you take her seat and I'll get you something for your nerves."

"No," Green held up a hand, "I'm actually trying to quit."

"How impressive." Anna pointed to her own drink, only sipped from the top. "Technically I am too but I was always a bit of a lightweight anyway so it's not much of a sacrifice for me."

"If you don't like drinking then…" Green put forward a hand, coughing to clear the sudden block in his throat, "Maybe I could offer you dinner somewhere else."

Anna frowned, "I don't think I understand."

"I think you do." Green turned toward her, reaching for her hand but she retracted it. "I like you, Anna. Like, really, really like you and I've been working up the nerve all term to ask you on a date."

"I'd noticed."

Green sighed with relief, "I'd hoped you had. I just didn't know how to say it and I-"

"Alex," Anna stopped him, "I think you misunderstand what I mean."

"What?"

"I've been hoping you'd stop trying to make me notice you." Anna played with the stem on her glass. "I like you, a lot, but as my friend. You're funny, you're witty, and I think you've got skills with people that make them like you, which makes you a really good business man."

"But?"

"But I've had conversations with you and…" Anna flailed her hand in the air a minute, "We've got none of the same interests. Your eyes glazed when I spoke for half a minute on the benefits of education stipends for lower income families and housing incentives to- See, there you go again."

"It's just difficult for me," Green held up a hand, "But I can change and I can learn. I promise I'll put in the effort and we'll-"

"We'll what, Alex? Fall in love?"

"Is it too crazy to hold out hope for that?"

Anna shook her head, "No, it's very masculine but not wise."

"Is this you rejecting me then?"

"As anything other than a study partner or a friend, yes." Anna went to put her hand over his but Green drew back. "I'm sorry Alex but I just don't see you that way."

"Because I don't care about poor people?"

"Because you don't care about what matters to me." Anna stopped herself, the rise in her voice obvious. She took a breath before she continued. "I wish there was a way this wouldn't hurt but I think it's time I left before I make it worse."

"Probably best."

"Goodnight Alex." Anna took her drink, walking away from him.

Green held up a hand for the bartender before pulling out a wad of notes. "Get me the top shelf whiskey. Whole bottle and, if there's more in my wallet after that, whatever I can get that's enough to send me into a coma."

"Is that wise?"

"No but I've decided it's not worth it to be that." Green took the bottle handed him and the glass to immediately pour a full tumbler. He downed the glass, hissing a moment, and took his wallet and the second bottle with him to a booth. There his glass filled in direct proportion to the emptying of his bottle.

About the time his vision hazed he thought he heard a familiar voice. Green blinked, trying to clear his vision, and recognized John. Raising a hand so John could see him he stopped when John collided with Anna. Her fruity, feminine drink splattered all over his shirt and, when they both went to address the situation, it spilled all over her as well.

Green's heart beat faster, pumping blood and adrenaline through his fog as he watched John and Anna chatting like old friends. Watched them take a booth and laugh together before the charm meter maxed out on their interactions. From his position he could only hear snippets but with each line exchanged Green gripped his bottle tighter in his fist.

Anna soon left, taking half a bill with John's number written in his masculine script, and disappeared into the crowd toward the door. But not, Green noticed with a growl, before she kissed his cheek. John waited a few, Green snorting to himself at the sight of John's physical reaction to Anna, and followed her out of the pub. Green stumbled out of his booth, leaving the half-drunk second bottle to follow John from the pub.

"John!"

John turned, smiling as Alex looped his arm over John's neck. "Alex! What are you doing here?"

Green swallowed back his first answer for the second, letting the haze of his drinks take over from his anger, "I'm rescuing you from a night on your own so we can paint the town together. What'd you say?"

"I'd say I've got exams to study for."

"Nonsense," Green waved a hand, "You've got loads of time for that. Don't waste it all sitting in tight corners with your books."

"You'd know more about it if you didn't already have that glass, corner office in your Dad's building." John eased himself out from under Green's arm. "We're not all luck enough to be a Green."

"No," Green leveled a finger at John, feeling a bit unsteady on his feet but now a new anger washed him afresh. "But one day you could be."

"I don't think so." John shook his head, "But if I want that internship then I've got to work my ass off and I'm not doing that standing here."

"Please, if you want it then you've just got to ask. I'd-" Green stumbled forward and John barely caught him, righting him with an arm under Green's shoulders.

"Come on Mr. Green. Let's get you home."

"No," Green moaned, holding onto John and digging his fingers in harder than necessary. "We're going out."

"You're already smashed brother." John waved down a cab. "And I'm getting you home."

"You're always so good to me." Green mumbled into John's shoulder as he situated them both in the cab, giving directions to the desired address. "It's why my father wants to hire you."

"I'm sure that's why." John patted his arm, "I'm sure that's why."

Green bit back his next answer, settling into the seat to simmer instead.

Present Day

John blinked, "Are you shitting me?"

"No."

"You're bitter because Anna rejected you in a pub sixteen years ago and then, by what was gross coincidence, decided to take my number? That's why you arranged to get me set up for a murder?"

"That was the tipping point John." Green used his other hand to hold level with his forehead. "I had it up to here with my father praising you, raving about how you were so wonderful, and everyone falling tits over ass to compliment you."

"You need to get over yourself."

"No, John, no!" Green pressed the barrel to John's temple and John held his breath to stop himself freezing. "I need to get over you. You're the one who's stood in my way since we were kids. It's always been you there, stopping everything I wanted coming to pass because you were better, or stronger, or faster, or more bloody honorable than I was."

"Being a shit human being is your problem, not mine."

"It's yours now."

"Tell me, Alex," John took a breath, "How long, exactly, have you been this mad?"

"I'm not mad!" Green practically screamed in John's face. "I'm not mad."

"Holding a gun to my forehead doesn't exactly prove otherwise."

"Doesn't it?" Green snorted, "This is the most sane I've felt in a long time."

"When did that start? When you betrayed me after swearing blue to defend me to the ends of the earth?"

"We were kids then."

"I always defended you." John seethed, "I protected you from your father, I covered for you, I helped you sober up more times than I can count, and I even joined the army because you asked that I give you the space you needed with your father."

"Much good it did me."

"You bloody stabbed me in the back!"

"You took everything from me." Green's voice reached a hauntingly even tone. "So I took it all back."

"By killing Matthew Crawley?"

"Two birds, one stone, John." Green smiled, "I was always one for efficiency."

Fifteen Years Ago

Green pulled his hood over his head, grumbling under his breath about the rain. John's form entered the shop down the street and Green pulled his wrist up to consult his watch. In a few moments John exited the shop, right on time and ducked under another awning.

Running across the street in the rain, avoiding the streetlamps, Green took to the alley. In the distance he saw the man holding his attaché case over his head to block the rain and noted the billow of the too-big-coat Matthew Crawley insisted on wearing. Said it belonged to his father. Sentimentally stupid blighter.

Once Matthew Crawley turned into the alley Green grabbed at the ridiculously large coat. Crawley tried to swing the attaché case to defend himself but Green caught it under his arm, wrenching it away before driving his fist into Crawley's gut. He bent double, letting out a rush of air, but charged for Green.

In that moment the world seemed to slow. If he wanted to, Green hazarded he could have counted the individual drops of water pattering on his head. Instead he drew the gun from the front pocket of his sweatshirt and fired.

Crawley went down and Green thrust his hands into the man's coat as he fell. Snatching the bills from the wallet he tossed it to the side and turned to tear into the attaché case. He could hear footsteps and dug out the papers in the meticulously marked folder before shoving them down the front of his sweatshirt to keep them dry while leaving the rest for the rain and the garbage of the alley gutter.

A skidding sound drew Green's attention and he dropped the gun, slinking back into the shadows as John landed next to Crawley. Green pulled his mobile from his pocket, dialing 999. The woman's voice on the other end of the line took his call, heard his whispered fear in a high pitched voice about a mad man with a gun shooting someone in an alley, and sounded distressed when Green ended the call.

He pulled the sim card loose, tossing it into a drain before crushing the phone under his heel. John's voice, trying to soothe the worries of the dying Crawley grated on Green's ears. Other footsteps, accompanied by flashing blue lights, drown out John until another crack filled the air.

Green peeked out from his hiding place and watched John fall to the ground, holding his leg. His eyes caught sight of the bag John spilled to enter the alley, the evidence of his desire to propose to Anna, and Green ground out his guilt. He slipped away between two buildings and hurried back to his flat.

Once through the door he put the money in his wallet, tucking the papers with the others he filed away in company storage files, and dumped his clothes in the rubbish. In the shower his hands still shook but Green tramped it down enough to dress and dial a number on his flat phone. The voice that answered, groggy from sleep as Green's eyes caught sight of the time on his oven clock.

"Bricker, I need you to make a statement to the police."

"What? Who is this?"

"This is the man you conspired with to make sure the Fraud Squad can't lock you in somewhere you'll be man-raped for the rest of your life." Green smiled at the palpable fear on the other end of the line. "That's right. Now call the police and claim you made a call about twenty minutes ago reporting a mad man with a gun right off Abbey. Next to that little corner shop there."

"And say what?"

"When they ask you to confirm what you said on the phone then say yes to it all. Claim you saw a man matching John Bates's description carrying a gun and shooting someone."

"Who the hell is John Bates?"

"The bloke who's picture I showed you the other day." Green gave an exasperated sigh. "When they call you in to confirm the witness you need to tell them it's him, do you understand?"

"I don't know Alex, this is getting a little-"

"What?" Green ground out, "A little too deep for you? Because I've gone deeper and if I go down I'll drag you with me."

Silence reigned on the line a moment before Green spoke again. "Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Then do it now." Green hung up and took a deep breath before grabbing his keys. He drove to John's building, parking just outside it and running through what to say. With a swallow he entered the building, taking the stairs to their floor, and paused outside their door.

He mussed his hair, feigned breathing a little harder, and slapped himself to give himself a less-put-together look. It would not do to have her suspicious of anything. With a roll of his shoulders he knocked on the door.

Anna answered, the smile on her face shifting from exuberant to surprised. "Alex?" She peeked into the hall, "What's wrong? Where's John?"

"He's…" Green swallowed, trying to think of a memory to make his voice catch just right. "Anna, I'm so sorry."

"Sorry about what? What's going on?"

"He's been arrested Anna. They're saying he killed someone."

Anna collapsed against the door frame and Green moved to catch her, holding her there as her whole body shook. He helped her back into the flat, trying not to express his distaste at the size and cheapness of it. He noted the bottle of wine on the table and the glass before turning back to Anna.

"Anna are you-"

She pushed away from him, grabbing something off the table and walking away into the flat. Green waited but she slammed the door and locked it. Soon her tears echoed out into the rest of the flat and Green went to leave, smiling slightly to himself.

In the hall he removed his other mobile, dialing a number. "Thomas, it's Alex. Yeah, I've got something you can do for me. That's right, do this and no one needs to know about you and that intern this summer. And tell Ms. O'Brien that her little fumble with that Crawley baby case stays quiet too. That's right. Good, now there's a man being brought in on murder charges, a John Bates."

Green looked back at Anna's flat. "I want you to end him."

Present Day

John shook his head, "You're despicable."

"And you're just jealous that I got it over on you for so long." Green sneered, "You always thought you were so clever but you never saw that coming."

"I'm sorry then. Sorry I didn't see you for the snake you are and wring your neck when I had the chance."

"You were too stupid to see it." Green taunted, "Always believing in the best in people like a fool."

"Better a fool than a psychopath."

"Better a psychopath than dead."

"There's debate to be had on that account." John took a breath, "Where does that leave us?"

"What?"

"Where do we stand, Alex? Now that you've told me how you ruined my life but still failed to beat me." John took a breath, "What are you going to do now?"

"Now?" Green stepped back, holding the gun flush with John's forehead, "Now I'm going to kill you."