Instant Connection

27

AUTHOR'S NOTE: It's taken me a while to update because of school and I finished my semester early, but then my cat fell ill the other day and I've been so overwhelmed and exhausted. He's doing better, but he does need an ultrasound. Since he is doing A LOT better then he was a few days okay, I was able to sit down and do this update. Depending on how he feels will depend on when the next update is. Thank you for being patient. 

~10 days later~

Briggs was standing in front of the gravestone as Sid walked up to him, "If there's one thing I appreciate, it's a good, quick funeral. No long eulogies, no bullshit sermons. Lose a friend, worst thing is to have your face rubbed in it."

Briggs turns his head to look at him, "You know, he didn't deserve this, Sid."

Sid lets out a sigh, "I didn't even think you liked the guy."

"You know, to be honest, I didn't."

"No?" Sid quickly gets out a handgun from his jacket pocket, "Lucky you split that day or else I'd be burying you too."

"What are you doing with that gun, Sid?" Johnny mumbles inside the bush.

"No, brother, if I was there, we'd be burying the shooter."

Sid chuckles, "Is that what you think, stud?"

"Oh homey, I wish you would." Johnny comments.

I stifle a laugh as I keep my eye on Sid.

"That's what I know." Briggs confirms.

"What are you still doing here, Paul?" Sid asks.

"I'm paying my respects."

"Oh. I think you should go back to Chicago or El Paso, right? Or where was it that you came from again?"

"I'm not going anywhere." Briggs states.

"Suit yourself." Sid says, cocking the gun to release the bullet from the chamber, sending it into the air where he catches it and squats down to place it on the grave site, "Just a little something to help him fight the good fight, wherever he may end up." He rises back up, "All right, well, I guess then I'll be seeing you around... Paul West." He claps Briggs on the shoulder before walking away.

Briggs looks back to the photo of Archie.

"Shit." Johnny says.

We got the clear that Sid was gone, and I rose from the scope.

"Can someone help me down, please? My legs and butt are asleep." I whine.

"I gotcha, Stella." Briggs' voice comes over the radio. He jogs over to me, as I disengage the gun, letting it fall from my grasp as he catches it with ease and lays it on the ground. I let myself slowly begin my descent from the tree limbs, as soon as Briggs can reach me, he places his hands on my waist and brings me down to the ground.

"Thanks." I told him, brushing the bark off my pants.

Jakes enters the house, seeing how disheveled it had become over the past few days. He calls out for anyone and Charlie responds from the kitchen. He enters the room and sees Charlie sitting at the island with a mug and newspaper in hand.

"When did we just decide to stop cleaning? When did that happen?" he shrugs.

"We've all been a little busy for the chore wheel, Jakes."

"Yeah, not me. Bathroom's spotless. And not like when Johnny sprays Scrubbing Bubbles and says it's spotless. I swear I don't know how that boy survives with Stella–"