Defending Ben

Ciara left the loft and went straight to the station to see Ben. Ciara walked into the interrogation room and saw Ben cuffed to the chair.

" What are you doing here?"

" I tried calling your attorney. It went straight to voicemail. So I left him a message, letting him know. That you've been arrested."

" Thank you, but that still doesn't answer my question."

" I had to come see for myself."

" To see if it's true? If the evidence proves, I set that fire?"

" Yes."

" You don't believe it, though. Do you?"

" Ciara, please tell me you don't think I actually tried to kill you."

" Ciara... please talk to me. Tell me you don't think I actually tried to hurt you."

" I want to, but..."

" You said you trusted me. You fought to get me released."

" Yeah, and my family and all of my friends told me I was crazy."

" Is that what you think now, that you made a mistake by helping me?"

" You swore to me that you didn't start that fire."

" Nothing's changed."

" Everything has changed, there's evidence now."

" I didn't do it! There's no proof I didn't do it!

" What about the can of accelerant?"

" I have never seen that thing before in my life."

" It has your fingerprints on it."

" I never touched it."

" Okay, then maybe you don't remember. Maybe you bought it when you were off your meds."

" No, I would remember that."

" Are you saying the lab made a mistake?"

" Yes!"

" They don't make mistakes like that, Ben; this looks really, really bad."

" Or maybe because somebody wanted to make it look that way."

"Somebody wanted it to look bad for me?"

" Ciara, that evidence is bogus. That can wasn't mine. Somebody planted it at the scene."

" You're saying someone set you up?"

" Yes! Somebody who wants me to be in jail for the rest of my life, who wants to destroy any type of trust between you and me, wants to keep me away from you forever."

" Are you saying..."

" You know, exactly what I'm saying. You know, exactly who I'm talking about. She would do anything to make me look guilty in your eyes."

As Ben finished talking, Hope walked into the room.

After Ben said, it was convenient that Hope was the one who found the evidence sitting there after all this time.

Ciara asked Hope how did, she find it?"

Hope said she went out there to make sure she hadn't missed anything.

Ben said, " Or maybe you went out there to set me up?"

Hope told Ciara that she couldn't believe anything Ben said.

Ben looked at Ciara and said, " I would never hurt you. I didn't start that fire."

Ciara said she believed him and left the station.

Ciara went back to the loft.

" How did it go at the station?"

" Ben swears he didn't do it."

" Of course, he's playing you, Ciara."

" He's not. I believe him. I think he is right; someone set him up."

" Is that what he said? Someone set him up."

" He told me he has never seen the can of accelerant before."

" Of course, he's going to say that."

" You just want him to be guilty."

" He has a past of killing people."

" He's not like that anyone. Okay, he's different, the way he took care of me at the cabin. He's kind and caring."

" He's a KILLER, why can't you see that."

Tripp walked out of the loft and slammed the door. Ciara started thinking about who could have possibly set Ben up.

A few days later, when Ben got released, he went straight to the loft. He walked in and saw Ciara and Tripp eating breakfast at the counter. Tripp was dressed for work, and Ciara was in sweats.

Tripp stood up and said, " What are you doing here? You should be in jail."

Ben looked at both of them and said, Turns out that new evidence was planted."

" You're lying."

" You can check it out if you want to, man. Like I said all along. I would never hurt Ciara or anyone else. I'm innocent."

Ciara finished talking to her mom on the phone.

" So?"

" My mom said he's telling the truth. Someone planted that can to make it look like he set the fire."

" They found his fingerprint on it."

" Well, my brother Shawn, the forensics expert, said the print was transferred onto the can from something else."

" Who would do that?"

" I have no idea. My mom swears she didn't do it."

" I've been in a jail cell for the past few days, so I'm gonna shower up."

Tripp looked at Ciara and said, "Did Ben Weston really just walk in here?"

" My mom said they had to let him go."

" Why cause somebody transferred his fingerprint?"

" What, you don't buy it?"

" Do you?"

" I mean, what, Ben just gets to move back in like nothing ever happened?"

The door opened, and Ben walked out shirtless.

" Can I have a moment alone with Ben?"

" No."

" I will be fine."

Tripp looked at Ben and said, " Don't you even think about trying anything."

" Thank you again for just letting me crash here."

" Now that we know you didn't start the fire. We have to figure out who set you up."

" We?"

" Yes! We."

" Ciara, you don't have to help me."

" I want to."

Ciara put her hand on Ben's and said, " We are going to figure this out."

Tripp watched Ben and Ciara from the doorway, thinking about how his plan didn't work.

" Are you hungry?"

" I am."

" Would you like some cereal?"

" I'll make myself some eggs if that's okay?"

" Sure."

Tripp walked out and said he was going to work. He went to kiss Ciara, but she turned, and he caught her cheek.

He looked at Ben and then walked out the door.

Ben made himself some eggs and toast, and Ciara made the coffee.

" So, what do you have planned for today?"

" Well, after being in jail. I would love some sleep."

" I have some school work to do, so you can use my bed if you want?"

" Are you sure?"

" Of course, go get some sleep."

Ciara put Ben's dishes in the sink and watched Ben go to her room. She went and sat at the desk and started her work.

Ben walked into Ciara's room and sat on her bed. He looked around before lying down. Her bed was really comfortable. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he was out.

After spending two hours on her paper, Ciara took a break to watch TV. She laid down on the couch and started watching.

An hour later, she fell asleep.

Tripp walked in and saw Ciara asleep on the couch with a big smile on her face. Tripp stopped in his tracks when he heard her say Ben's name.

He walked to the fridge to grab a drink. He closed the door, which woke Ciara up.

" Hey, how was your shift?"

" Fine."

" Are you mad at me?"

" Nope. Did you have a nice nap?"

" Yeah."

" Where's Ben?"

" He's in my bed sleeping."

" Why is he in your bed?"

" I was out here working, and he's been in jail, so he didn't get much sleep."

" So he asked to sleep in your bed?"

" No, I offered."

" Great, you're letting a killer sleep in your bed."

" Stop calling him that."

" Go wake him up and get him out of your bed."

" I'm not going to do that; he deserves to get some sleep."

" Fine, I'll wake him up."

Tripp went towards the door, and Ciara pulled on his arm.

" I'm your boyfriend, and I haven't slept in your bed, but you have no problem letting Ben sleep in it."

" It's not like I'm in there with him."

" I'm going out; Ben better be awake when I get home."

Ciara went to her room and saw Ben sound asleep. She watched him from the doorway; he looked so peaceful. She noticed the blankets had fallen off and went to cover him up.

Ciara had just pulled the blanket up when Ben flinched.

" Hey."

" Hey, sorry, did I wake you?"

" No. How long have I been asleep?"

"Almost 5 hours."

" Wow," Ben said as he sat up.

" Are you okay? You look upset."

" Tripp and I had a fight."

" Do you want to talk about it?"

" No, I'm okay. I was right, Tripp was wrong."

Ben just smiled at Ciara and then got out of bed.

" Thank you for letting me use your bed. It's very comfortable.

Ciara watched Ben walk out of her room. And then lay on her bed. It smelled like him.