Love, in Progress

Look me in the eyes

Tinsley was incredibly angry with himself, he shouldn't have hit Ricky like that. However, Holly was priority. If Holly was dying, and Ricky was to fault, then the Detective was going to introduce Ricky to a long stay in a very small cinder-block cell. He didn't care how much he felt for Ricky, anger was all he could feel now. He knew Ricky was dangerous, a murderer, but he never thought he'd take it this far.

Tinsley wasn't allowed to visit for a couple of days, but when the go ahead was given, he walked as quickly as he possibly could to the hospital. When he entered, he was greeted to white sterile walls and harsh lighting. Tinsley was directed by a nurse to Holly's new room, that he was informed had been paid for by an anonymous caller- although he already had his suspicions who.

The door was opened by an older man, who took off a thin pair of medical gloves to shake his hand, "You're the Detective I've been hearing about, I presume?"
"Yes, and you are?" Tinsley asked, accepting the handshake.
The man spoke, taking his hand back, "Dr Fear, I... work here."
"Good.. can I come in?"
The doctor paused, before swinging the door wide for the Detective to enter through.

Holly was unmoving and a little pale, but otherwise appeared to be stable enough.
"Is she.. going to be alright?" Tinsley asked quietly.
The doctor sighed, "We put her into a comatose state a couple of days ago in the hope she'll recover better. We'll give it a few weeks, bring her round, and see how she's doing."

Tinsley nodded silently, bringing out a crushed bouquet of flowers that he had carried under his coat. He dropped them into the empty vase on the bedside table, and pulled up a chair next to the bed. 

"Visiting hours close in half an hour, I'll come back then to see you out" Fear concluded, closing the door behind him.

Tinsley turned back to face Holly, he didn't really have much to say, he was just really glad she was alive.

"Hey Holly, it's me... CC. I uh.. brought you some flowers- they're a bit mangled but they're still pretty I guess." he sighed, understanding that if she were conscious, Holly would not appreciate the waffle. "I'm really sorry, Holly. Really, really sorry, that this has happened to you. And it's all my fault- I shouldn't have let this happen." Tinsley said, growing very upset with himself,
"I should've known better, I'm a Detective goddamnit! My whole job is protecting people and I've only managed to get you hurt-". He paused for a moment, taking a breath to calm down. "I just, I guess, I'm trying to say.."

"This wasn't your fault Charlie, don't make it your fault."

Tinsley whipped around to the sound of the voice. Sure enough, Ricky was stood in the doorway- head bowed in guilt.

"You have some nerve coming here, Goldsworth." Tinsley responded emptily.
"Yes... I suppose I do. But I did pay for this room, so I have just as much of a right to be in here as you." Ricky explained.
"But considering you put her in here, I don't think it weighs up!"

"Charlie, look me in the eyes", Ricky said softly, walking over to where Tinsley was sitting, resting his hands over the taller mans wrists and leaning over him. Tinsley stubbornly refused to make eye contact, until Ricky slipped his fingers under his chin to lift his face up.

Now locked eyes with the coiled snake that was Ricky Goldsworth, Tinsley didn't look away for a second- completely captured by Ricky's beautiful dark eyes. Ricky spoke softly, trying to be as sincere as possible, "Charlie, I didn't hurt her, I promise. I would never do anything like this, please, you have to believe me."

Tinsley was conflicted. Sure, as much as he wanted to admit he had fallen in love with (hands down) the most beautiful man he'd ever met- he also had to consider the fact that the man in front of him was a dangerous criminal, who had lied to him before. If Tinsley trusted him now- would that be too quick of a turn around? However, something in Ricky's eyes told him that maybe he should give him a chance, that maybe he wasn't lying. Tinsley reminded himself that Ricky had probably been trained from birth in puppy-dog eyes, but gave into them anyway.

Tinsley sighed, "Fine, I'll hear you out."
Ricky leapt up excitedly,"Oh! Thank you- I promise you, you won't regret this!" he beamed happily.

With a small amount of mumbling under his breath, Tinsley continued,
"Can you confirm where you were when the attack happened?"
"Oh so professional, but y'know me... I like a man in uniform" Ricky commented flirtatiously.
"Is that a no then?" Tinsley asked, completely ignoring Ricky.

Ricky sighed, realising he was getting nowhere with flirting. He pulled up a chair next to Tinsley's.
"Francesca saw me, I waved to her as I left and walked past her flat."
"What time did you leave?"
"11:30, I believe"
"And Holly was found half an hour later, that doesn't rule you out- you're still not accounted for for 30 minutes."

Ricky remembered exactly where he was for that half an hour. However, considering it was talking some...less than legal business with some... less than law abiding citizens, he didn't really want to drop any names.

"Ricky, where were you in that half an hour?"
"I was at a... meeting?"
"You don't sound very sure about that."

Ricky stopped, irritated "Okay look, it was just some business- nothing big okay?"
"Alright then", Tinsley continued, "Can anybody attest you were there?"

Ricky thought for a moment before answering "The Mayor, he picked me up from outside of Francesca's flat and drove me there."
"Alright... I'll take that as an answer. You still have an obvious m.o for attacking her though, I can't put that aside just yet." Thinking aloud, Tinsley asked, "But who else would attack Holly?"

Ricky answered not with the answer to his question, but with a possible solution, "I could call in a few favours... but I'm already indebted to quite a few people, some seriously hot water."
"Thanks, Ricky."

Ricky stood up to leave, but Tinsley grabbed his wrist, "I'm sorry for hitting you, and getting angry at you before- even though you were being an ass, I shouldn't have treated you like that. Would you... stay?" Tinsley asked softly.

Ricky sat back down, resting his hand on top of Tinsley's.

"Tinman?"
"Yes Ricky?"
"It's okay... and... thank you."