Secrets to Keep (Phan)

Chapter 22

"I'll just leave you three to it then." Dr. Meyers announced, obviously picking up on the tension in the room. Though how could she not, considering that the rigid atmosphere was thick enough to make me feel as though I were inhaling sand. My limbs seemed like they were comprised of lead rather than flesh and bone; much so that I didn't have the ability to protest being left alone with a man I strongly believed was a murderer.

The door shut with a faint click behind the doctor, leaving me sitting completely still in the otherwise creaky chair, and on display in front of metallic eyes which I imagined carving into my body with every glance.

"It's nice to see you're well." Michael commented, looking ever so relaxed in his cushioned chair at the foot of Dan's bed. My jaw clenched because of course he wasn't actually happy that I was alive, his plan had failed, who would be happy about that? "I guess I should start out by saying that despite what you probably believe, I didn't do it." he stated, and I could feel anger bubbling beneath the surface of my skin at his calm demeanor.

"So that's your entire fucking defense huh, I didn't do it. And what, you expect me to believe that?" I finally spoke, the words tumbling out of my mouth and previous tears threatening to make a reappearance.

"Trust me Phil, I have my rivals, but my own son is certainly not one of them."

"Don't you dare call me that." I snapped, rolling my chair closer to Dan's bed. It had occurred to me that it didn't make much sense for him to be asleep this early in the day, with the orangeish color of the smog on the horizon telling me that it was only around six in the afternoon. Though the doctor had said he'd been asking about me a lot, which caused me to wonder if he had even slept the night before.

"Just leave, please." I hissed, quieter this time as I took Dan's hand that wasn't in a splint into a careful hold. "I've already got enough going on, I really don't want to have to deal with you as well."

"Phil why can't you just believe m-"

"I'll tell you why I won't believe you, you washed up piece of pond scum," I spat, interrupting Michael and causing a shocked expression to form on his face. "You have broken into our hotel room, threatened Dan, threatened me, stalked the both of us, and above all given absolutely no explanation as to why you wont just leave us alone."

The childishly decorated room was thrown into an eery pit of quiet, as I returned the same daggered stare to the man in front of me that he had given me himself so many times. His face, usually stony and cold, almost showed the few tell-tale signs of guilt, with upturned eyebrows and concern washing over his eyes like rinsing blood from a knife, though it's not as if I bought any of it.

It was a small, weak voice that broke through my ringing ears and pounding head, and brought on a feeling that only the owner could possibly drag out of me at a time like this. "Phil?" Dan mumbled quietly, and I turned to see him staring at me with widened eyes, "y-your head." he remarked, sitting up and lightly touching the gauze that encased my skull, which at the moment felt to be too small for whatever sorry excuse of a brain rested beneath it.

"I'm fine, don't worry alright, it's just a few stitches, how's your wrist?" I responded, releasing his hand from my grip and instead taking a cautious grasp on his splinted arm. The dark material was scratchy to the touch as I turned the injured limb in my hands to inspect the damage, which thankfully, seemed to be at a minimum.

"My hand's fine, but your- wait why is he here?" Dan turned from me to the man sitting casually in his chair, who watched the scene unfold before him. To put it simply, I didn't really care what he thought about it.

"He was just leaving."

"No I wasn't." Michael argued, and I'm positive that he knew just how well he was getting under my skin. I sent him another hateful glare.