Fanfic: B&S episode 609: part 2/4
Season 6 - Episode 9 - (I JUST) DIED IN YOUR ARMS TONIGHT
By Marea67
About: Brothers & Sisters (general)
Rate: Can’t go higher than PG-13, as this is American Television, but I may add a few ‘deleted scenes’ here and there. ;)
Disclaimer: Just escaping from reality here, not created for financial gain
Summary: It is my very own season 6, you guys! Go with it! ;) Don’t complain! If YOU can do better, post your own story! (I dare you!)
***** Part 2/4 *****
When Max enters the interrogation-room, where Kevin had just spent nearly an hour explaining everything to one of Max's colleagues. Kevin just rubs his forehead and he looks completely drained of all energy.
“How are you?” Max asks gently, putting a cup of coffee in front of Kevin.
“I don’t know. I really have no idea what to answer you.”
“Kevin, it’s been an interesting afternoon….” Max starts, but Kevin cuts him off.
“Where are my kids?”
“Don’t worry. Daniel and Olivia went home with your mother after we done talking to Olivia.”
“You didn’t interrogate her, did you?”
“'Interrogate' is a big word…. We just let her tell her story to a very nice police-woman who is used to talk to children… We’re not the enemy.”
“I know. I’m sorry…. I just don’t want my kids traumatized any further. What about Mateo?”
“Nora wouldn’t leave unless he was coming with her.” Max smiles. “Gave my colleagues quite a piece of her mind too….”
“Don’t hold that against me, please…” Kevin sighs, fearing the worst.
“No, no worries, and your kids are safe with your mother.”
“Where is..What have they done with Alex’s body?”
“He's at the morgue…”
“I want to give him a decent funeral…” Kevin’s voice is insecure.
“Does he have any relatives?”
“No. I don’t think so.”
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Max asks.
“It’s the last respect I can show him.”
“I’ll see what can I do.” Max says and Kevin nods, fighting his tears.
“I would have never believed that it would get to me like that. His death, I mean. I can’t stop thinking about it, I keep… feeling him die in my arms…”
“It will take a while before those memories go away…. Meanwhile… I have a few things to discuss with you…”
“I’m ready.” He can see that Kevin pulls himself together.
“First off. Ahm… I went to check the address that Alex gave me… The address was a to a house. Apparently he had been there somewhere between escaping the hospital and going to your office.
He left a long letter addressed to me, in which he told us the name of the man who killed Stanton. The man’s name is Theo Greene….” Max places a picture of the man on the table. Kevin shakes his head however.
“Never met him. Never saw him before.”
“Apparently, he shot Stanton.”
“Why?”
“For no reason other than that he owed something to Alex… and because there was no connection between Theo and Stanton, we would have never connected them.
But Alex gave him up, so we now have the killer. We found the gun, fingerprints will most likely match, as well as the ballistic report... This is his brother called Tiny Mike…”
“Oh, that is the guy I ‘never met’.” Kevin makes quotation-marks with his fingers. “but he wasn’t tiny. He was huge.”
“He was Theo’s little brother, hence the ‘tiny’.”
“Did you catch them?”
“Oh, we found them. On the address that Alex had left us…”
“Did they confess?”
“Hardly. We found them in the house. Mikey downstairs, in front of the tv and Theo upstairs in his bed. Both of them had their throats cut…” Max replies quietly, controlling a shudder at the memory of those two butchered men.
“Alex?”
“Yes. He killed them both to make sure they wouldn’t retaliate on you or your family. In his letter he explained that, once he understood that I hadn’t spoken to you, he realized that you might do something stupid. Once he knew that, he convinced Tiny Mike and Theo to kill Stanton for you and then get rid of the gun.
You would remain innocent. Robert would be avenged. No one would connect Theo to Stanton. It couldn’t have been you and it couldn’t have been Alex.”
“He always tried to protect me, when we were kids….”
“Guess he never stopped doing that…”
Max hesitates and then he places his hand on Kevin’s.
“He wrote that he wanted to clear your name, once and for all, because you were the only good thing that ever happened to him in his life and he wasn’t ready to let your name be attached to this case….”
Kevin remains quiet for a few seconds and then frowns.
“But he couldn’t have known that he would get shot, how could he leave you a letter?”
“The letter started with ‘Max, if you read this letter, then you must have followed the lead I gave you on the phone….’. I think he planned to run away and hide.
But before he would vanish forever, he would call me and let me know where to find the evidence, that I needed to clear your name, once and for all.”
“What’s going to happen now?”
“For now? Nothing. I will have one of my officers drive you and Scotty home…”
*****
“It is an amazing story…” Paige answers, having listend to Mateo, quite in awe.
“Yes, well, I don’t know what to think of it.” Nora says. “Except that Daniel needs some clean clothes and a bath..”
“Can I help?” Olivia offers and Nora smiles.
“Yes, of course. Go and prepare the bath upstairs, it may take a few moments for me to join you. It seems that Daniel want to climb up those stairs all by himself.” Nora explains and Paige and Mateo watch them walk up to the stairs to join Daniel.
“I’m glad that you and the others alright.”
“Kevin was so awesome, the way he tried to protect me…” Mateo bites his lip, as if a thought, which saddens him, suddenly comes to his mind. “.. My father would have just let that woman kill me, so he’d be rid of me.” Paige puts her hand on his wrist in a comforting gesture.
“I’m sorry to hear that, about your dad, I mean... Uncle Kevin is like that, that he wants to protect his family. He can go overboard sometimes, … piece of advice here: just keep him away from your science project, .... but I can usually forgive him, because I know that he loves me very much. I think that you’re lucky to be with them…”
“I know I am. I try hard not to disappoint them…” Mateo shrugs, a bit embarrassed that he can so easily talk to Paige, who only smiles sweetly at him and moves a bit closer to confide to him:
“You’d have to screw up big time to make them dislike you.”
“Did Kevin say anything about me?” Mateo asks and Paige notices something.
“You really care more about Kevin than Scotty, don’t you?”
“I care for Scotty, he’s nice, a good person, a great cook and I like Olivia and Daniel, who are cute and sweet and I can handle them, but Kevin….
Kevin was the first grown-up around me, who made me a promise and stuck to it. Mom got sick, told me she wouldn’t die and then she did. I know, she was trying to not scare me, but she knew she was dying and yet made me believe, that she'd stay alive. I think a part of me understands, but I’m also very mad at her. I never got to say goodbye to her, because of that.
I can't tell you how many times my father promised me he’d stop drinking, stop hitting me, but he didn’t and … eventually he didn’t even try anymore, didn’t even bother to apologize, just felt that I had probably deserved it… So, I started to run away, whenever he got home drunk.
Police would find me, tell me everything was going to be alright and bring me back to my dad, who’d tell them that he was grateful they found me and, once they were gone, he would beat me up for running away and embarrassing him. Like he needed me to do that.
There more people who promised they would ‘fix things’, make things alright, protect me or whatever and never came through on their word. And then I met Kevin…. My father used a few unkind words to describe him… he doesn’t like gay men, but I … Kevin made me want to trust someone else again, ... just give it one more try…
And watching Kevin work, I … I also found out what I wanted to become. A lawyer, like him, helping people…” His words are spoken very softly, as if doesn’t dare to speak of his dream and Paige lets her fingers slide from his wrist to his hand. A quiet little gesture that make Mateo look away from her, with an embarrassed smile.
“I’ll give just another piece of advice. Don’t tell Kevin… He’ll be so proud and happy with that, that he will start, right now, with teaching you every law in the book, so that you’ll be ‘well prepared’ and be ready for your first trial at the age of 18. Youngest lawyer ever…” Paige jokes to try and take away the sadness in Mateo.
“I thought about that too,… I think it’s best if we keep this our little secret.” Mateo jokes in returns. His fingers curl around hers and this time Paige has to hide a shy grin.
“I think, I should go check on Nora, Olivia and Daniel.” She says.
“Yeah, you should…” Mateo says, but neither of them is letting go.
*****
“I’m so glad mom could keep Mateo, Olivia and Daniel a little longer…” Kevin sighs, rubbing his face. He throws his coat on the couch and lets himself fall on it rather inelegantly. “What a day it’s been, so far.”
“Yeah, what a day.” Scotty replies curtly.
“Did they give you a lot of trouble over what happened?”
“Not really.” Again a short, pissed off answer. Kevin frowns.
“Scotty, is something wrong?”
“Nope.” Scotty bites and Kevin doesn’t believe him.
“Okayyyyy,….” He says hesitantly, before he continues: “Max will make sure that we can arrange a funeral for Alex soon enough.”
“A funeral? For Alex? We?”
“Yes. I want to give him a decent… goodbye…”
“And you expect me to pay for that?”
“Us. I expect us to pay for that… or rather… I thought you wouldn’t mind…. I sort of assumed….” Kevin tracks back on his words, believing that this is the reason for Scotty’s anger.
“I’m sorry, it all came out wrong, I would have asked you first, naturally,…” Kevin says, slightly apologetic. “.. as soon as they would have released the body… I would have discussed it with you…”
“Like you discussed it with me, that you planned to assassinate Stanton? ….”
“Excuse me?”
“…No, of course not. Instead you went to that completely deranged psychopath of an ex-boyfriend of yours…”
“Who told you that? Max?”
“No, his colleague Dave, who interrogated me, can you imagine how stupid I felt to find out that you planned to kill Stanton? I wondered, way back then, why Max believed you had anything to do with Stanton's death, and why you went to talk to Stanton, when you were mad with him, but seriously Kevin? Murder? I couldn’t believe my ears!
You never told me anything! Do you have any idea what it feels like to find out that your partner has been keeping a secret from you?” Scotty asks angrily and at the moment he sees a spark ignite in Kevin’s eyes and he knows he used the wrong words. Kevin opens his mouth and Scotty braces himself for the snide remark.
“Yes! I have a pretty good idea….” Scotty can see him swallow down the rest of the words, get a control of himself and reply more calmly: “But let’s not go there, shall we? … I’m sorry you had to find out like this, but I never said anything because I wanted to protect you.
I knew that Alex’s name was the last thing you’d want to hear about, and, looking back, I think I also felt rather stupid for going to Alex in the first place.”
“I’ll bet, that he wanted you to go for it, the sooner the better, because then you would be in prison… with him?”
“Actually, he talked me out of it. Reminded me of you and our kids, my family…. All I stood I loose,…. and the fact that I had nothing to gain by it…. Ultimately he was right, of course, but I didn’t realize that until I stood in Stanton’s office. That is when the thought of you, made me walk away from revenge on Stanton.
In the end it was you who kept me grounded enough to not ruin my life and yours and that of our kids, Scotty, … and the only reason, that I didn’t tell you, was, that I know what it does to you. I didn’t want to bring back all those bad memories of Alex back to your doorstep.”
Scotty seems to become a little less tense after Kevin’s words and Kevin breathes a bit more easily too. He hates to fight with Scotty.
“Okay…” Scotty replies, tiredly rubbing his fore-head, and he absent-mindedly he continues: “Let’s hope your chose your friends more wisely in the future…” He doesn’t notice that Kevin’s lips form the word ‘what?’ or the Kevin’s change in posture, going from accommodating to defensive.
“Yeah…” The word suddenly drooping with sarcasm. “Next time I’ll chose someone as great and wonderful as your darling friend Michelle. Someone who cons me out of my money, steals my child, lies about its whereabouts, dumps it with my brother-in-law, only to come back as gun-carryingmad woman on drugs and booze accusing me of being a bad parent, for spending one night alone with my partner.
Those are the sort of friends anyone should have, right? Because getting stabbed in the back is not half as bad as getting a gun in your face, I presume?”
“I didn’t mean it like that….”
“Yes, you did. You just want to look down on my friends and act as if yours are better.”
“Michelle was confused….”
“So was Alex, … in a way.”
“He tried to kill me!”
“And what do you think Michelle tried to do to me? Use that gun to brush my hair?!”
“Nonsense! She would never have hurt you…”
“… says the guy who screamed his lungs out, when she pointed the gun at Mateo.”
“Yes, it was scary, but, in her essence Michelle is a good person.”
“And good persons never screw up, do they?”
“There is no point in talking to you, when you are in a mood like this.” Scotty answers, trying to back out of the verbal fight with an angry Kevin, in the knowledge, that Kevin will be much sharper than him. “I think.. we need some space… to … ahm… deal with what happened today….” He tries carefully.
“Take all the time you need…. Call me when you’re done and ready to take off those pink glasses regarding you precious friend….” Kevin answers and he takes his coat and marches out the door, slamming the door behind him.
“Shit!” Scotty says from the bottom of his heart.
*****
“Hey, still awake?” Chad asks, Jason look at him.
“Have they found the reason for my fainting?” He asks in return. Chad shakes his head.
“If they had, they would have told you first.”
“I guess.” Jason sighs. “How long do I still have to stay here?”
“Probably just overnight. Just to be sure.” Chad answers.
“Where will you go?”
“Home. Your situation isn’t life-threatening. I don’t have to stay here.”
“Are you sure it’s smart to be home alone? With Alex's escape, I mean?”
Jason sees a look on Chad’s face, before Chad can hide it.
“What is going on?” Jason asks.
“It's Alex…. He’s dead.”
“What?”
“Do you remember Michelle, that ex-girlfriend of mine, Kevin and Scotty’s surrogate, who stole their child? She shot him.”
“She shot him?” Jason echoes Chad. He can’t believe it. “Why? What does she have to do with anything? ”
“She was at Café 429, trying to get Daniel back. When she threatened to shoot Kevin, Alex interfered. He died in Kevin’s arms.”
“Oh, my God… That’s awful… How’s Kevin? And Scotty? Where were the kids? Please, tell me they didn’t see it.”
“I spoke to Kevin. The kids are alright, but Kevin was shocked and hurt. Apparently Scotty thinks that Michelle should get a medal of honor for killing Alex. Kevin doesn’t agree. He wants to arrange a funeral for Alex and show some respect for him… and now Scotty is angry at Kevin and Kevin at Scotty….”
“Oh, this isn’t good.”
“No, it isn’t… Anyhow, Kevin has asked us if we wanted to be there for the funeral.”
“No way.” Jason replies without hesitation.
“Oh, come on, Jase…” Chad is shocked.
“That guy tried to kill us. No. I’m not going.”
“Kevin needs us.”
“You can go alone if you wish.”
“I don’t want to go alone. We either go together or we won’t go at all.”
“Well, that is settled, neither of us will go, then.” Jason replies curtly.
“He can’t harm us anymore. Isn’t this a bit childish?”
“Childish? No. It’s not… I’m sorry. Apologize to Kevin for me, if you want to go, but I never ever want to see Alex again…” And, as far as Jason is concerned, it’s the end of the conversation.
*****
“Hey, Scotty.” Kevin’s voice, on the phone, is friendly but tired.
“Where are the kids?” Scotty asks.
“They will stay at mom’s house tonight. I brought some things over. I’m not ready to deal with them right now.”
“Fine.”
“Will you be home for dinner?” Kevin now asks.
“No. I have to work."
“When will you be home?” Kevin asks, the silence that follows speaks volumes.
“Kevin… About tonight…. I just called to say, that I’ll be sleeping at the hotel tonight. I got here and there’s so much work and … it will be so late before I get home tonight.. And, ahm.. I’ll take an empty room…. So you can sleep.” Kevin’s face becomes all tense.
“Fine. Suit yourself. Thanks for calling. Bye.” Kevin hangs up before Scotty can say another word.
*****
THE NEXT DAY
*****
“Oh, my god, I just heard the worst bit of rumor.” Sarah says.
“What is it?” Joe looks up from helping Cooper with his homework.
“Remember when we heard the fire-department yesterday. Turns out someone vandalized a shed and then set it on fire…”
“That’s awful.” Joe’s face is filled with horror.
“You know what is even worse?” Sarah asks. Joe and Cooper shake their heads. “The man who owns the shed, 72 years old, was so upset by the loss of it, that he had a heart-attack…”
Where this is just unrelated gossip to Sarah and Joe, Cooper feels the earth under his chair move…
“Is he dead?” he asks, terrified of the answer.
“He’s in hospital, sweetie, and they think he will be alright.” Sarah answers gently.
She is surprised by how compassionate Cooper is, just viewing the relieved look on his face.
“Can I take a break from homework?” He asks.
“Sure, we’re nearly done anyway.” Joe answers and Cooper is glad to get out of the room.
*****
“I’m sorry, that your shopping spree with your mom ended so badly.” Seth says, gently caressing Kitty’s belly, enjoying a moment of silence in bed before Evan wakes up and makes his presence known. “I hope your brother is alright.”
“According to mom, Scotty and Kevin have had a terrible fight and Scotty is no longer sleeping at the apartment.”
“What? That is bad.”
“Nah, Kevin and Scotty have a way always finding each other again… I’m not too worried at the moment.” She shrugs, giggling at the tender touch. “Kevin wants to hold a funeral for this Alex…. I… don’t think I can go.”
“Why not? He saved Kevin.”
“But he hurt Scotty and Jason, and Chad. Robert hated him and Robert did help to make sure that Alex would get a strong sentence… To go to that funeral feels like saying somehow that Robert was wrong… Does that make sense?”
“I guess it does. If you’re not comfortable going, then shouldn’t do it. I’m sure Kevin can understand that.”
“I hope so. I don’t want him to be hurt by the fact that I’m the only one in the family who won’t be there…”
“You can always blame it on your pregnancy, just say that you’re too tired or something. Like that you don’t have to judge Kevin and he can accept it more easily, I think.”
“That… is devious… and it could work… Are you sure I can’t convince you to make a career in politics?” She teases.
“I’m sure. I’m not that good at lying.” He grins back. “Besides, I want to focus all my attention on my beautiful girlfriend and our baby. Far more important.” He smiles, but his smile fades when he sees a sad look on Kitty’s face. “What is it? Did I say something wrong?”
Kitty looks up at him, as if she only now notices that he’s talking to her.
“No, it’s not you… It’s just that… Robert… I just got reminded that, while we were expecting Evan, Robert planned to campaign to become Governor. I was so angry and disappointed.
Though I wasn’t physically pregnant, I felt like I didn’t have the energy to focus on a campaign, but Robert just ignored me and went on anyway. No. Wait… That’s not entirely true. I told him he could go on, but I felt discarded, as if my opinion, our baby and my life didn’t matter as much to him as his career.
And then mom threw me a terrible baby-shower…. And I had all these things, some of them I never even wanted and again I just felt, like I didn’t have a say in anything. It was all moving too fast or not moving at all…
Robert had his heart-attack the day Evan was born and I was so mad at him for thinking his campaign was more important than our baby, no matter how often Kevin told me that Robert was anxious to be there in time. So much went wrong when we expected Evan.
And this time it all runs so much better for me, as if all the drama just slides right off me and doesn’t stick… It becomes scary… And it’s very tempting to worry about what doom lies in the future.” Kitty says quietly.
“Don’t worry. Nothing bad will happen.”
“Don’t say that. Don’t tempt fate… I love you and this baby. And Evan.. Evan is just a wonderful kid. And I love my life right now.. I don’t believe I’ve ever been more satisfied and relaxed in my life. I want to continue to feel that way and not let anything or anyone destroy that.”
“And I want you to continue to feel that way and if you don’t want to go to that funeral, then, of course, we won’t go.” Seth smiles at her and wraps his arms around her. She lets her head rest against him.
“I love you…” She whispers.
*****
End of part 2/4
**** COMMERCIAL BREAK****
By Marea67
About: Brothers & Sisters (general)
Rate: Can’t go higher than PG-13, as this is American Television, but I may add a few ‘deleted scenes’ here and there. ;)
Disclaimer: Just escaping from reality here, not created for financial gain
Summary: It is my very own season 6, you guys! Go with it! ;) Don’t complain! If YOU can do better, post your own story! (I dare you!)
***** Part 2/4 *****
When Max enters the interrogation-room, where Kevin had just spent nearly an hour explaining everything to one of Max's colleagues. Kevin just rubs his forehead and he looks completely drained of all energy.
“How are you?” Max asks gently, putting a cup of coffee in front of Kevin.
“I don’t know. I really have no idea what to answer you.”
“Kevin, it’s been an interesting afternoon….” Max starts, but Kevin cuts him off.
“Where are my kids?”
“Don’t worry. Daniel and Olivia went home with your mother after we done talking to Olivia.”
“You didn’t interrogate her, did you?”
“'Interrogate' is a big word…. We just let her tell her story to a very nice police-woman who is used to talk to children… We’re not the enemy.”
“I know. I’m sorry…. I just don’t want my kids traumatized any further. What about Mateo?”
“Nora wouldn’t leave unless he was coming with her.” Max smiles. “Gave my colleagues quite a piece of her mind too….”
“Don’t hold that against me, please…” Kevin sighs, fearing the worst.
“No, no worries, and your kids are safe with your mother.”
“Where is..What have they done with Alex’s body?”
“He's at the morgue…”
“I want to give him a decent funeral…” Kevin’s voice is insecure.
“Does he have any relatives?”
“No. I don’t think so.”
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Max asks.
“It’s the last respect I can show him.”
“I’ll see what can I do.” Max says and Kevin nods, fighting his tears.
“I would have never believed that it would get to me like that. His death, I mean. I can’t stop thinking about it, I keep… feeling him die in my arms…”
“It will take a while before those memories go away…. Meanwhile… I have a few things to discuss with you…”
“I’m ready.” He can see that Kevin pulls himself together.
“First off. Ahm… I went to check the address that Alex gave me… The address was a to a house. Apparently he had been there somewhere between escaping the hospital and going to your office.
He left a long letter addressed to me, in which he told us the name of the man who killed Stanton. The man’s name is Theo Greene….” Max places a picture of the man on the table. Kevin shakes his head however.
“Never met him. Never saw him before.”
“Apparently, he shot Stanton.”
“Why?”
“For no reason other than that he owed something to Alex… and because there was no connection between Theo and Stanton, we would have never connected them.
But Alex gave him up, so we now have the killer. We found the gun, fingerprints will most likely match, as well as the ballistic report... This is his brother called Tiny Mike…”
“Oh, that is the guy I ‘never met’.” Kevin makes quotation-marks with his fingers. “but he wasn’t tiny. He was huge.”
“He was Theo’s little brother, hence the ‘tiny’.”
“Did you catch them?”
“Oh, we found them. On the address that Alex had left us…”
“Did they confess?”
“Hardly. We found them in the house. Mikey downstairs, in front of the tv and Theo upstairs in his bed. Both of them had their throats cut…” Max replies quietly, controlling a shudder at the memory of those two butchered men.
“Alex?”
“Yes. He killed them both to make sure they wouldn’t retaliate on you or your family. In his letter he explained that, once he understood that I hadn’t spoken to you, he realized that you might do something stupid. Once he knew that, he convinced Tiny Mike and Theo to kill Stanton for you and then get rid of the gun.
You would remain innocent. Robert would be avenged. No one would connect Theo to Stanton. It couldn’t have been you and it couldn’t have been Alex.”
“He always tried to protect me, when we were kids….”
“Guess he never stopped doing that…”
Max hesitates and then he places his hand on Kevin’s.
“He wrote that he wanted to clear your name, once and for all, because you were the only good thing that ever happened to him in his life and he wasn’t ready to let your name be attached to this case….”
Kevin remains quiet for a few seconds and then frowns.
“But he couldn’t have known that he would get shot, how could he leave you a letter?”
“The letter started with ‘Max, if you read this letter, then you must have followed the lead I gave you on the phone….’. I think he planned to run away and hide.
But before he would vanish forever, he would call me and let me know where to find the evidence, that I needed to clear your name, once and for all.”
“What’s going to happen now?”
“For now? Nothing. I will have one of my officers drive you and Scotty home…”
*****
“It is an amazing story…” Paige answers, having listend to Mateo, quite in awe.
“Yes, well, I don’t know what to think of it.” Nora says. “Except that Daniel needs some clean clothes and a bath..”
“Can I help?” Olivia offers and Nora smiles.
“Yes, of course. Go and prepare the bath upstairs, it may take a few moments for me to join you. It seems that Daniel want to climb up those stairs all by himself.” Nora explains and Paige and Mateo watch them walk up to the stairs to join Daniel.
“I’m glad that you and the others alright.”
“Kevin was so awesome, the way he tried to protect me…” Mateo bites his lip, as if a thought, which saddens him, suddenly comes to his mind. “.. My father would have just let that woman kill me, so he’d be rid of me.” Paige puts her hand on his wrist in a comforting gesture.
“I’m sorry to hear that, about your dad, I mean... Uncle Kevin is like that, that he wants to protect his family. He can go overboard sometimes, … piece of advice here: just keep him away from your science project, .... but I can usually forgive him, because I know that he loves me very much. I think that you’re lucky to be with them…”
“I know I am. I try hard not to disappoint them…” Mateo shrugs, a bit embarrassed that he can so easily talk to Paige, who only smiles sweetly at him and moves a bit closer to confide to him:
“You’d have to screw up big time to make them dislike you.”
“Did Kevin say anything about me?” Mateo asks and Paige notices something.
“You really care more about Kevin than Scotty, don’t you?”
“I care for Scotty, he’s nice, a good person, a great cook and I like Olivia and Daniel, who are cute and sweet and I can handle them, but Kevin….
Kevin was the first grown-up around me, who made me a promise and stuck to it. Mom got sick, told me she wouldn’t die and then she did. I know, she was trying to not scare me, but she knew she was dying and yet made me believe, that she'd stay alive. I think a part of me understands, but I’m also very mad at her. I never got to say goodbye to her, because of that.
I can't tell you how many times my father promised me he’d stop drinking, stop hitting me, but he didn’t and … eventually he didn’t even try anymore, didn’t even bother to apologize, just felt that I had probably deserved it… So, I started to run away, whenever he got home drunk.
Police would find me, tell me everything was going to be alright and bring me back to my dad, who’d tell them that he was grateful they found me and, once they were gone, he would beat me up for running away and embarrassing him. Like he needed me to do that.
There more people who promised they would ‘fix things’, make things alright, protect me or whatever and never came through on their word. And then I met Kevin…. My father used a few unkind words to describe him… he doesn’t like gay men, but I … Kevin made me want to trust someone else again, ... just give it one more try…
And watching Kevin work, I … I also found out what I wanted to become. A lawyer, like him, helping people…” His words are spoken very softly, as if doesn’t dare to speak of his dream and Paige lets her fingers slide from his wrist to his hand. A quiet little gesture that make Mateo look away from her, with an embarrassed smile.
“I’ll give just another piece of advice. Don’t tell Kevin… He’ll be so proud and happy with that, that he will start, right now, with teaching you every law in the book, so that you’ll be ‘well prepared’ and be ready for your first trial at the age of 18. Youngest lawyer ever…” Paige jokes to try and take away the sadness in Mateo.
“I thought about that too,… I think it’s best if we keep this our little secret.” Mateo jokes in returns. His fingers curl around hers and this time Paige has to hide a shy grin.
“I think, I should go check on Nora, Olivia and Daniel.” She says.
“Yeah, you should…” Mateo says, but neither of them is letting go.
*****
“I’m so glad mom could keep Mateo, Olivia and Daniel a little longer…” Kevin sighs, rubbing his face. He throws his coat on the couch and lets himself fall on it rather inelegantly. “What a day it’s been, so far.”
“Yeah, what a day.” Scotty replies curtly.
“Did they give you a lot of trouble over what happened?”
“Not really.” Again a short, pissed off answer. Kevin frowns.
“Scotty, is something wrong?”
“Nope.” Scotty bites and Kevin doesn’t believe him.
“Okayyyyy,….” He says hesitantly, before he continues: “Max will make sure that we can arrange a funeral for Alex soon enough.”
“A funeral? For Alex? We?”
“Yes. I want to give him a decent… goodbye…”
“And you expect me to pay for that?”
“Us. I expect us to pay for that… or rather… I thought you wouldn’t mind…. I sort of assumed….” Kevin tracks back on his words, believing that this is the reason for Scotty’s anger.
“I’m sorry, it all came out wrong, I would have asked you first, naturally,…” Kevin says, slightly apologetic. “.. as soon as they would have released the body… I would have discussed it with you…”
“Like you discussed it with me, that you planned to assassinate Stanton? ….”
“Excuse me?”
“…No, of course not. Instead you went to that completely deranged psychopath of an ex-boyfriend of yours…”
“Who told you that? Max?”
“No, his colleague Dave, who interrogated me, can you imagine how stupid I felt to find out that you planned to kill Stanton? I wondered, way back then, why Max believed you had anything to do with Stanton's death, and why you went to talk to Stanton, when you were mad with him, but seriously Kevin? Murder? I couldn’t believe my ears!
You never told me anything! Do you have any idea what it feels like to find out that your partner has been keeping a secret from you?” Scotty asks angrily and at the moment he sees a spark ignite in Kevin’s eyes and he knows he used the wrong words. Kevin opens his mouth and Scotty braces himself for the snide remark.
“Yes! I have a pretty good idea….” Scotty can see him swallow down the rest of the words, get a control of himself and reply more calmly: “But let’s not go there, shall we? … I’m sorry you had to find out like this, but I never said anything because I wanted to protect you.
I knew that Alex’s name was the last thing you’d want to hear about, and, looking back, I think I also felt rather stupid for going to Alex in the first place.”
“I’ll bet, that he wanted you to go for it, the sooner the better, because then you would be in prison… with him?”
“Actually, he talked me out of it. Reminded me of you and our kids, my family…. All I stood I loose,…. and the fact that I had nothing to gain by it…. Ultimately he was right, of course, but I didn’t realize that until I stood in Stanton’s office. That is when the thought of you, made me walk away from revenge on Stanton.
In the end it was you who kept me grounded enough to not ruin my life and yours and that of our kids, Scotty, … and the only reason, that I didn’t tell you, was, that I know what it does to you. I didn’t want to bring back all those bad memories of Alex back to your doorstep.”
Scotty seems to become a little less tense after Kevin’s words and Kevin breathes a bit more easily too. He hates to fight with Scotty.
“Okay…” Scotty replies, tiredly rubbing his fore-head, and he absent-mindedly he continues: “Let’s hope your chose your friends more wisely in the future…” He doesn’t notice that Kevin’s lips form the word ‘what?’ or the Kevin’s change in posture, going from accommodating to defensive.
“Yeah…” The word suddenly drooping with sarcasm. “Next time I’ll chose someone as great and wonderful as your darling friend Michelle. Someone who cons me out of my money, steals my child, lies about its whereabouts, dumps it with my brother-in-law, only to come back as gun-carryingmad woman on drugs and booze accusing me of being a bad parent, for spending one night alone with my partner.
Those are the sort of friends anyone should have, right? Because getting stabbed in the back is not half as bad as getting a gun in your face, I presume?”
“I didn’t mean it like that….”
“Yes, you did. You just want to look down on my friends and act as if yours are better.”
“Michelle was confused….”
“So was Alex, … in a way.”
“He tried to kill me!”
“And what do you think Michelle tried to do to me? Use that gun to brush my hair?!”
“Nonsense! She would never have hurt you…”
“… says the guy who screamed his lungs out, when she pointed the gun at Mateo.”
“Yes, it was scary, but, in her essence Michelle is a good person.”
“And good persons never screw up, do they?”
“There is no point in talking to you, when you are in a mood like this.” Scotty answers, trying to back out of the verbal fight with an angry Kevin, in the knowledge, that Kevin will be much sharper than him. “I think.. we need some space… to … ahm… deal with what happened today….” He tries carefully.
“Take all the time you need…. Call me when you’re done and ready to take off those pink glasses regarding you precious friend….” Kevin answers and he takes his coat and marches out the door, slamming the door behind him.
“Shit!” Scotty says from the bottom of his heart.
*****
“Hey, still awake?” Chad asks, Jason look at him.
“Have they found the reason for my fainting?” He asks in return. Chad shakes his head.
“If they had, they would have told you first.”
“I guess.” Jason sighs. “How long do I still have to stay here?”
“Probably just overnight. Just to be sure.” Chad answers.
“Where will you go?”
“Home. Your situation isn’t life-threatening. I don’t have to stay here.”
“Are you sure it’s smart to be home alone? With Alex's escape, I mean?”
Jason sees a look on Chad’s face, before Chad can hide it.
“What is going on?” Jason asks.
“It's Alex…. He’s dead.”
“What?”
“Do you remember Michelle, that ex-girlfriend of mine, Kevin and Scotty’s surrogate, who stole their child? She shot him.”
“She shot him?” Jason echoes Chad. He can’t believe it. “Why? What does she have to do with anything? ”
“She was at Café 429, trying to get Daniel back. When she threatened to shoot Kevin, Alex interfered. He died in Kevin’s arms.”
“Oh, my God… That’s awful… How’s Kevin? And Scotty? Where were the kids? Please, tell me they didn’t see it.”
“I spoke to Kevin. The kids are alright, but Kevin was shocked and hurt. Apparently Scotty thinks that Michelle should get a medal of honor for killing Alex. Kevin doesn’t agree. He wants to arrange a funeral for Alex and show some respect for him… and now Scotty is angry at Kevin and Kevin at Scotty….”
“Oh, this isn’t good.”
“No, it isn’t… Anyhow, Kevin has asked us if we wanted to be there for the funeral.”
“No way.” Jason replies without hesitation.
“Oh, come on, Jase…” Chad is shocked.
“That guy tried to kill us. No. I’m not going.”
“Kevin needs us.”
“You can go alone if you wish.”
“I don’t want to go alone. We either go together or we won’t go at all.”
“Well, that is settled, neither of us will go, then.” Jason replies curtly.
“He can’t harm us anymore. Isn’t this a bit childish?”
“Childish? No. It’s not… I’m sorry. Apologize to Kevin for me, if you want to go, but I never ever want to see Alex again…” And, as far as Jason is concerned, it’s the end of the conversation.
*****
“Hey, Scotty.” Kevin’s voice, on the phone, is friendly but tired.
“Where are the kids?” Scotty asks.
“They will stay at mom’s house tonight. I brought some things over. I’m not ready to deal with them right now.”
“Fine.”
“Will you be home for dinner?” Kevin now asks.
“No. I have to work."
“When will you be home?” Kevin asks, the silence that follows speaks volumes.
“Kevin… About tonight…. I just called to say, that I’ll be sleeping at the hotel tonight. I got here and there’s so much work and … it will be so late before I get home tonight.. And, ahm.. I’ll take an empty room…. So you can sleep.” Kevin’s face becomes all tense.
“Fine. Suit yourself. Thanks for calling. Bye.” Kevin hangs up before Scotty can say another word.
*****
THE NEXT DAY
*****
“Oh, my god, I just heard the worst bit of rumor.” Sarah says.
“What is it?” Joe looks up from helping Cooper with his homework.
“Remember when we heard the fire-department yesterday. Turns out someone vandalized a shed and then set it on fire…”
“That’s awful.” Joe’s face is filled with horror.
“You know what is even worse?” Sarah asks. Joe and Cooper shake their heads. “The man who owns the shed, 72 years old, was so upset by the loss of it, that he had a heart-attack…”
Where this is just unrelated gossip to Sarah and Joe, Cooper feels the earth under his chair move…
“Is he dead?” he asks, terrified of the answer.
“He’s in hospital, sweetie, and they think he will be alright.” Sarah answers gently.
She is surprised by how compassionate Cooper is, just viewing the relieved look on his face.
“Can I take a break from homework?” He asks.
“Sure, we’re nearly done anyway.” Joe answers and Cooper is glad to get out of the room.
*****
“I’m sorry, that your shopping spree with your mom ended so badly.” Seth says, gently caressing Kitty’s belly, enjoying a moment of silence in bed before Evan wakes up and makes his presence known. “I hope your brother is alright.”
“According to mom, Scotty and Kevin have had a terrible fight and Scotty is no longer sleeping at the apartment.”
“What? That is bad.”
“Nah, Kevin and Scotty have a way always finding each other again… I’m not too worried at the moment.” She shrugs, giggling at the tender touch. “Kevin wants to hold a funeral for this Alex…. I… don’t think I can go.”
“Why not? He saved Kevin.”
“But he hurt Scotty and Jason, and Chad. Robert hated him and Robert did help to make sure that Alex would get a strong sentence… To go to that funeral feels like saying somehow that Robert was wrong… Does that make sense?”
“I guess it does. If you’re not comfortable going, then shouldn’t do it. I’m sure Kevin can understand that.”
“I hope so. I don’t want him to be hurt by the fact that I’m the only one in the family who won’t be there…”
“You can always blame it on your pregnancy, just say that you’re too tired or something. Like that you don’t have to judge Kevin and he can accept it more easily, I think.”
“That… is devious… and it could work… Are you sure I can’t convince you to make a career in politics?” She teases.
“I’m sure. I’m not that good at lying.” He grins back. “Besides, I want to focus all my attention on my beautiful girlfriend and our baby. Far more important.” He smiles, but his smile fades when he sees a sad look on Kitty’s face. “What is it? Did I say something wrong?”
Kitty looks up at him, as if she only now notices that he’s talking to her.
“No, it’s not you… It’s just that… Robert… I just got reminded that, while we were expecting Evan, Robert planned to campaign to become Governor. I was so angry and disappointed.
Though I wasn’t physically pregnant, I felt like I didn’t have the energy to focus on a campaign, but Robert just ignored me and went on anyway. No. Wait… That’s not entirely true. I told him he could go on, but I felt discarded, as if my opinion, our baby and my life didn’t matter as much to him as his career.
And then mom threw me a terrible baby-shower…. And I had all these things, some of them I never even wanted and again I just felt, like I didn’t have a say in anything. It was all moving too fast or not moving at all…
Robert had his heart-attack the day Evan was born and I was so mad at him for thinking his campaign was more important than our baby, no matter how often Kevin told me that Robert was anxious to be there in time. So much went wrong when we expected Evan.
And this time it all runs so much better for me, as if all the drama just slides right off me and doesn’t stick… It becomes scary… And it’s very tempting to worry about what doom lies in the future.” Kitty says quietly.
“Don’t worry. Nothing bad will happen.”
“Don’t say that. Don’t tempt fate… I love you and this baby. And Evan.. Evan is just a wonderful kid. And I love my life right now.. I don’t believe I’ve ever been more satisfied and relaxed in my life. I want to continue to feel that way and not let anything or anyone destroy that.”
“And I want you to continue to feel that way and if you don’t want to go to that funeral, then, of course, we won’t go.” Seth smiles at her and wraps his arms around her. She lets her head rest against him.
“I love you…” She whispers.
*****
End of part 2/4
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