Ghost ⇔ Cake ✓

Twenty Six: Luke and Calum

A/N: the beauty of this man hurts sometimes ngl

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After the detectives came and poured over the evidence in Calum's apartment, it didn't actually take a long time for the evidence to be processed. The backpack had apparently been wiped over with some kind of disinfectant, but it hadn't been able to catch all of the fingerprints-- the ones that were there matched Jack's. There was even a bit of unwashed blood that had missed Jack's eye when washing the fabric. It was dark red and splotchy and matched Calum's. When they heard this, Calum looked visibly sick.

It was later that week, around noon, when the police department finally conjured up enough evidence to arrest Jack. Calum, Michael, and Luke were all in Calum's apartment when they heard the sirens.

Piling into Luke's car, they sped off in the direction of the cop cars, all three of them anxious, leaning forward in their seats.

They arrived just in time to see Jack being pulled out of his house, dressed formally in a suit for work, his mouth screaming a tangle of profanities even Michael might wince at. His curly blonde hair was a mess, eyebrows lowered, eyes narrowed like a shark.

The three of them stepped out of the car to watch, although none of them noticed that dark-skinned boy watching carefully from behind the passenger door.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Jack was barking. "I'm a fucking lawyer, you guys know me. You've already arrested Ashton, why the hell are you bothering me?"

The detectives, thankfully, ignored him.

Luke watched with a pained expression as Jack was lowered into the cop car. No use hiding his emotions now-- his entire life was laid bare.

He wished he could say that he felt sad, or grief over Jack. But he couldn't. Jack had never been there for him-- if you don't count the countless screaming matches for him to go to school. It was Calum who stuck by his side. It was Calum who loved him unconditionally. It was Calum all along.

Luke and Calum looked at each other without saying anything. They didn't need to by now.

Jack was still screaming obscenities when the cop car's door slammed shut, the siren squealing as their tires spun on the gravel. Luke, Michael, and Calum stood there for a moment without moving, watching the car disappear down the road. In the window of the house, Luke saw Ben peeking through the curtains, eyes wide, lips parted in shock. Their eyes met through the glass.

Luke turned away.

The three of them piled back in the car. Michael, from the backseat, was the first to break the silence. "Okay. Now can we please go get Ashton, now?"

"Yeah," Luke said, shifting the car into drive. "It's about time."

----

The police station was packed. It was full of people from town who clearly knew Jack-- lawyers in suits, young men around Jack's age, and through the crowded lobby, Luke saw a flash of blonde hair: Liz.

Luke tried to hide behind Michael, but Liz turned around saw him before he could.

"Luke Robert Hemmings," Liz furiously whispered, marching up to her son through the crowd. A worried-looking Ben trailed behind. "Is it true? Were you the one who turned Jack in?"

Ben looked guilty at Luke from behind their mother.

Luke set his jaw. "Mom. Surely you know that what I did was right. It was Jack. The evidence proved it."

Liz wavered for a second, her lip trembling. "Is it true? Was he really the one who killed Calum?"

Calum took Luke's hand, steadying him. Luke took a deep breath. "Yes. It was."

"Which means Ashton should be walking out any moment now, so please, lady, move," Michael snapped. Liz startled but moved aside nonetheless.

The three of them eagerly stared at the doors that lead behind the police station. Ashton had been moved to the state jail, but they would have brought him back here to release him.

For a while, as the angry mob of town citizens demanded to know what Jack did, it started to seem like Ashton may never come out. Michael was growing antsy, no longer able to stand still. He paced in the small lobby, only pausing to snarl at a man who bumped into him. He swore colorfully under his breath, arms crossed, all fire.

But then the door opened, and Ashton emerged.

His head was down, hair grown long to curl over his ears and tuck around the nape of his neck. His eyes were lowered, almost embarrassed, as he quietly surveyed the scene in front of him. There were no shackles bounding his wrist, but he held them together as though there were. He approached the lobby carefully, like his feet were made of glass.

But then he saw them.

Luke saw Ashton's eyes well up with tears, mouth quivering. The cop that was standing beside him murmured something to him before disappearing back into the hallway.

Michael was the first to move. He slammed his fist into the chest of a man who stood in his way and pushed him aside. Luke and Calum followed suit, hearts racing.

Ashton stumbled forward, and one moment they were across the room and the next, the boys crushed Ashton to them.

Luke could feel Ashton crying against his chest, the tears soaking his shoulder. He had a grip of Michael's t-shirt, the other arm wrapped firmly around Calum's shoulders.

"It's okay," Luke whispered. "You're out. You're free."

Ashton clung to them like they were his lifeline.

"I'm sorry," he said, sniffling as he pulled away. "I just didn't think this was gonna happen. I thought I was gonna be in there forever. I'm not as tough as Michael, I can't--"

"You're out," Michael said. "But your piece of shit dad is staying in there. Okay? You can move in with me or Luke if you want. But you are not going back to that place."

Ashton, for the first time, didn't argue. He just nodded, still sniffling.

They stood there for a while, holding each other, while the mob of angry citizens yelled at the detectives around them. Jack is in jail, thought Luke. But Ashton is safe. And Calum has justice.

Luke turned to look at Calum, mouth already forming a smile in relief, but it dropped when Calum was nowhere to be seen.

"Calum?" Luke let go of Ashton and twisted around, scanning the crowd. "Michael, have you seen Calum?"

He shook his head, appearing bewildered.

Calum was gone.

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A/N: hope you guys are well!

planning a road trip around the US next summer, anywhere specifically I should go?

hope you guys are well. please stay safe

love you to the moon

bye