Forever: Eternity of Insanity

Episode 16- Truly Alone?

"Lonely is not being alone, it's the feeling that no one cares."~ Unknown

Phoenix watched from a distance as Henry Morgan walked into the precinct, he probably had another murder to solve. With a sigh he turned away, there was nothing he could do about his unfortunate situation, whatever this situation was. Everyone thought he was dead, at least according to the papers. Now he was left to wander the streets avoiding cops and those who might by some chance recognize him... he wasn't even sure what he was. Was he a ghost? A spirit that was left to haunt the city? No, those couldn't be it. People could see him; they could bump into him on the streets. Whatever this was it wasn't an afterlife.

A cold wind whipped his hair into his eyes and he pulled his coat tighter to his body. He could go home instead of standing on the streets wishing he could be somewhere else, but back in the dark house... he was reminded of his mother. Pain shadowed over his heart and Phoenix slide to the ground before leaning against a light pole. After a week of living like this he didn't even notice the cold seeping into him from the ground, even the wind's bite was less fierce by the day. The only thing that didn't go numb was his confusion and emotional agony.

More movement from the police station gained his attention and he watched Dr. Morgan walk out beside Detective Martinez. They seemed to be discussing something important but from where he was he couldn't hear it. Phoenix stood up as they took a car and drove off, he needed to tell the medical examiner what he'd learned, now that the man was gone he could sneak in and give him an anonymous note.

"Now or never." He sighed and casually crossed the street before going around back and finding the back window.

Phoenix kicked the corner to test it before breaking the rusting frame and squirming through the gap. After alarms didn't ring out he started walking to the stairs and went down to the morgue, slightly surprised when no one said anything to him... Of course, who would pay any attention to a scrawny teen like him? Finally he reached the right floor and stepped into the morgue cautiously before seeing Lucas with his back turned, working intensely on the victim's corpse. He silently made his way to Henry's office and found a pen and paper to write on when footsteps made him duck down, minutes ticked by and when no one called him out Phoenix risked a glance to see he was now alone.

Relief washed over him and he quickly scribbled down the address before walking back over to the stairs... where he was tackled to the ground while a gun was rested against his head. "You're under arrest for breaking and entering."

He didn't struggle as handcuffs were placed around his wrists, after dying once he wasn't keen on being shot. Looking at his captor he was at least calmed by the fact this detective seemed to be a friend of Henry's. Any friend of the medical examiner could be trusted, right? Well he didn't have much of a choice as he was led upstairs... At least no one would recognize him when he looked like this.

*****

Henry was just getting out of the car to follow Jo up to the victim's house when his phone went off. He paused and motioned for Jo to go ahead as he answered it. "Hello?"

"We just caught someone breaking into your lab, I have Wahl checking that everything's there still but I have him in the interrogation room now." Hanson informed him.

His first thought was that Adam was up to something but Henry decided against it. He glanced over at Jo before replying. "Keep him as long as you can. We'll be back to check him out."

"What's happening?" Jo whispered as he caught up and followed the victim's uncle into the house.

"Someone broke into the lab, after we finish he we need to go back and see if he's trying to sabotage any evidence." He replied quietly.