As I Collide, I See I Am a Paradox // White Collar

TWENTY-NINE

the first half

~

Day Six
Thursday, March 31, 2005
Heist Day

Jayson was sulking. Tight-lipped and silent and angry. Angry with Kira, angry with himself, and Neal couldn't wait for the story. He flicked a glance at Kira, but Kira was carefully keeping her head turned away, her jaw clenched shut. She could barely even look at Jayson she was so angry. Neal's lips twitched, "You two have a nice trip?"

Neither of them answered and Neal wondered how much of a screw-up Jayson made. The elevator doors opened and Kira left the tension filled elevator first, Neal behind her, then Jayson. And when she walked into her and Matthew's hotel room, she faintly heard the voice of the television become clearer and clearer, "Terri Schiavo, the 41-year-old brain-damaged woman who became the centerpiece of a national right-to-die battle has died this morning, nearly two weeks after doctors removed the feeding tube that sustained her for more than a decade." Kira came around the corner to see the television. Her head was now raised, her anger gone, replaced with shock. Leland sat in front of the television and let the news continue talking. An empty feeling settled within her as she stared at it. Her eyes watered and she lowered her head. She lost her balance in the daze that she was in and fell on the wall, her voice stuck in her throat.

She died. Terri Schiavo finally gave up on life. That was a lie. Terri never gave up on life. People gave up on her and she died because of it. There was one less human in this world and for some reason, it felt like someone gripped her heart and squeezed it harshly. Her open mouth closed and then her jaw clenched again. The news was still on and Leland sat in front of it silently. Her fists balled angrily, "Leland, turn that off." She instructed tersely.

She heard Leland, still in character, respond with the arrogance of Donovan Stone, "I'll turn it off when I'm ready to turn it—"

"—Leland!" She snapped loudly, causing everyone in the room to flinch. Even Mozzie looked over with a frightened look.

"It's off, it's off!" Leland said hurriedly, then stood and watched with everyone else as Kira pushed herself off the wall and walked to the balcony, sliding the door closed behind her.

Neal stepped in fully and watched as she leaned on the railing, her head falling defeatedly. He paused and looked around at the others. Neal nodded once at them all, "The curtain goes up at seven; we have only a few hours left to prepare. Everyone get ready." Neal said, then went over to the balcony.

Before the door slid shut, he heard Leland saying, "Let her go, Jayson. They'll sort it out." He shut the door behind him and stood alongside Kira. They stared out at Tokyo. Well, he stared. Kira glared down at the city below.

"What are we doing here, Neal?" She muttered. Neal squinted his eyes to see her's glossy. He was sure a few tears fell off the balcony and to the city below. Neal's gaze shifted to her hands tight around the railing. They squeezed it tightly until her knuckles turned white, "What are any of us doing here?" Her voice was quiet, almost a whisper. She sniffled, "That woman..." She took a heavy and shaky breath, "...she suffered, Neal. They made her starve to death. And nobody..." She started shaking now and Neal came closer in concern, "...nobody did a damn thing about it!" She said in a yell, lifting her head to Neal, her lips quivering and body shaking. He tilted his head at her and nodded in understanding. She turned back around and put her hands on the railing again, "Those people that wanted her to die, her husband, the judge, that president, they're all murderers. They're all murderers, Neal. That president." She said with venom in her tone, "That president is no president of mine." Her anger seemed to be gone. Her head lowered now. "She deserved to live." Her voice was a whisper.