Fake Tales

Chapter 27- Backlash

Chapter 27- Backlash

Greg

We had been waiting an hour when the door to the waiting room swung open. Dean's head snapped towards the sound in sync with my own. It wasn't the nurse however, it was the police officer with the hard face. Who had tried to stop me coming to the hospital. His face was grim, but I could tell he was triumphant that he had the authority to force me to leave.

"Let's go Jameson" He approached me and I stood up. Dean did also, obviously confused as to who he was.

"He's not going anywhere" Dean concluded, surprising me. "He needs to be there when she wakes up"

"Yeah, what he said" I chorused and he narrowed his eyes.

"Who are you?" He asked incredulously. Dean glared at him:

"Dean Johnson. The girl who was shot on your watch is my best friend" He snapped and I wanted to applaud him for that response.

"Well Mr Johnson" He hissed and the lack of respect was evident. "Greg has absolutely no choice in the matter, if he doesn't come and say his piece, he may be facing charges" He exclaimed.

"It can't wait until Maddy comes out of surgery?" I murmured. He sighed heavily as if these questions were troublesome:

"No" He fumbled in his pocket and retrieved handcuffs.

"I'm not going" I said obstinately.

"Wrong answer" He retorted grimly and more quickly than I could have thought him capable: he grabbed my arms and forced them behind my back. I struggled against his iron-clad grip and I shoook my head in defeat and the cold metal cocked into place. Dean sat down in defeat, obviously seeing fighting a police officer would be a foolish move.

He gave me a shove forward and I didn't move. He forced my head down with his hand, and used his whole body to move me across the room. I knew I wasn't going to be able to get out of this, no matter how desperate I was to stay.

"Ring me when she gets out of surgery!" I shouted over my shoulder. He nodded and the final glimpse of his face was harrowing. His need for her to be alive was an agonising, undeniable fact, it hurt to look at the suffering in his eyes. I had to believe that it would be gone when I returned, that there was no need for him to worry so much, but we both knew that Maddy's life stood on the edge of a knife.

...................................................................................................

Maddy

I was drifting on the edge of sleep, on the very boundary of consciousness. Bright lights filled my vision as I opened eyes, I squinted it to accommodate the brightness. Suddenly I became aware of a warm pressure on my hand and a weight rested near my legs. I shifted slightly to get comfortable, rubbing my eyes tiredly.

The clinical smell was unmistakeable: I was in hospital, I registered vaguely. The last thing I remembered was running towards him, trying to protect Greg. Wait... Greg was alive! I sat bolt upright, gasping in surprise at the sharp pain in my side and knocking the head rested near my knees. Instantly, the figure sat up to look at me to reveal an extraordinarily sleep deprived Dean.

"Maddy?" Dean asked happily, beaming happily at me.

"Hey Dean" I whispered, guilt racking through me as I took in the dark circles under his eyes, that gave him an almost bruised look. I glanced around the room, seeing no one else.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Dean asked his voice hard and frustrated.

"I'm sorry" I replied pathetically, quailing under his wrath.