The Meaning

11: What They Deserve

It's almost the end of the school year. It's the end of May, a month has passed since the funeral. Cain got over it, the marks are still there of the loss. But Bailey helped him through. The last he saw of his dream version was at the funeral, he believes that those visions are gone. Diana took some time off to be with Monica and get herself ready to become a psychologist. She's sorting things out and she will take Richter's place. Kelly also helped Cain as much as she could through this. Mickey wasn't really around, they haven't been talking, Mickey messaged Cain and he said that he's sorry for what he said, he didn't mean those words, it was just the frustration and anger. He has distanced himself away as much as he could from everything. 

It's lunch, everyone's heading to the cafeteria, almost everybody is there at this time except a few people. Cain and Bailey are heading there too. The cafeteria has an entrance on one side and an exit at the other end.
As they walk to the cafeteria, Cain sees Mickey and that Dolan guy, who was at the hospital talking to Mickey. They're speaking, it looks like Mickey's nervous and Dolan's trying to calm him down. Cain waves at Mickey, he gives a faint wave back. Worry sits down on Cain's face, Bailey notices.
Bailey: Something wrong?
Cain: I just have a bad feeling. 
Bailey: What about? 
Cain: Just in... general, but I'm sure it's nothing.
They enter the cafeteria and they look at the menu. 
Bailey: Nothing good... I'm not really that hungry to be honest.
Cain: 30 minutes later I'll have to listen to you saying: *mockingly* I'm starving, why didn't I eat at the cafeteria?
Bailey: I knooow, but there's nothing good. 
Cain: *sighs* Then we'll get something after school.
Bailey: Okay. We should go chill somewhere until the lunch break is over.
They head towards the exit. People are already eating or they are waiting in line. Cain and Bailey are almost at the exit, when a huge bang silences the whole cafeteria. Everyone's just looking around confused. Then another bang blares out. People start whispering to each other. 
Bailey: Cain? 
Cain: We should go. 
As he says that Dolan barges in with a machine gun in his hands and starts shooting at the people there, they all start screaming.. Cain and Bailey see a bunch of people get hit, and scream up in pain and fear. There is no emotion on Dolan's face whatsoever.
Cain: HOLY FUCKING SHIT! 
Cain stands in front of Bailey and quickly pushes her out through the exit of the cafeteria. A couple of people follow them. Cain grabs Bailey's arm and pulls her back.
Bailey: What are you doing?!
As people turn the corner they get shot as well, it was about 20 people. Cain and Bailey start running the other direction, people who were lucky enough to leave the cafeteria, which is more and more see the bodies at the corner and start running the other direction as well. Gunshots can still be heard from the cafeteria.
Cain: Hey, the cleaner's storage room, we could hide here. 
Bailey: Is that a good idea? 
Cain: Who knows how many of them are there? There might be another one that way. They won't look in here, they want crowds. 
Bailey: *reluctantly* Okay...
They get inside the small room, which is barely enough for 2 people. Even from in there, the shots and screams of people are still audible. 
Bailey: Is the other shooter Mickey? 
Cain: I- I... might be, I don't  know. He's not... he wouldn't be capable...
Bailey: I can't believe this is happening. 
Cain: Me neither. 
Bailey: How long are we going to stay here? 
Cain: Until the only thing we can hear is silence. 
Bailey: What if they find us? 
Bailey starts hyperventilating.
Bailey: What if they know we're here? What- What if-
She's having a panick attack, so Cain tries to calm her down.
Cain: They don't know we're in here, they won't find us, they probably won't even notice the room. 
Bailey: YOU CAN'T KNOW THAT!
Cain: Sshhh! If you scream like that they WILL find us.
Bailey: And how are you not panicking? 
Cain: I am, trust me. I guess I'm just good under pressure. 
Bailey gives Cain an alienating look.
Bailey: Is that all this is for you?
Cain: Oh, come on, of course not... 
Bailey's tearing up.
Bailey: I'm sorry...
Cain: You're just scared, I know.
Cain grabs her hand and they sit down. After 10 minutes the gunshots and screams have gone mute. 
Cain: Come on, let's go.
They exit the small room and start walking away from the cafeteria, where everyone was running from. As they turn the corner they see Mickey standing at the other end of the corridor. 
Cain: Shit... *whispers* Stand behind me! If you get the chance, just run! *raises his voice* Mickey! It's me Cain! 
Mickey: I can see that. You would be dead if you weren't. 
Mickey lowers the gun and starts heading towards them. He's about a meter away, when he stops. 
Cain: Why are you doing this? 
Mickey: Dolan opened my eyes. He was bullied as well, he told me about, how he looks at the world. There people in this world, who deserve punishment. Almost everyone. But there are exceptions, like for example, you. Then, he told me about this plan of his, taught me how to use guns and now we're here. 
Cain: Why am I an exception? 
Mickey: You helped, when no one would, they all just stood around laughing and cheering Ryan on when he beat me up. You did something good. 
Cain: You don't see a blindspot in all this? How many good people got killed in the crossfire?
Mickey: I didn't see them do any good. That makes them bad, so technically no good got killed.
Cain's expression hardens.
Cain: What about you and Dolan? Are you exceptions?
Mickey: Yes. We get rid of these motherfuckers, we do good for this world. 
Cain: Jesus... Is Dolan like Charles Manson? Dolan completely turned you into this in a space of a month?
Mickey: No, no, no... he didn't turn me. He opened my eyes. This is what they deserve! *smiles*
Cain: Whatever ypu say... So can we... go? 
Mickey: Well, you can, but Bailey can't. 
Cain went pale.
Cain: Why? 
Mickey: Haven't you been listening? She would've joined the crowd which was watching me get my ass whooped.
Cain: That doesn't make her a bad person! Please... Can I like... vouch for her or something?
Mickey starts thinking. Bailey's shaking and crying behind Cain. 
Mickey: Nah... last chance. You can go, she stays. 
Cain: You won't shoot me. 
Mickey: I will. You're getting in my way, you're staining yourself, don't join the mass. 
Cain: I'm afraid I have to. 
Mickey: Then... you leave me no choice. 
(Okay... It's now or never.)
Mickey points the gun at them. Cain quickly grabs at the barrel and pulls it sideways, he succeeds and gets the gun out of Mickey's hand. He can't get a hold of it and it falls into a trash can next to them.
Cain: BAILEY! RUN! 
Bailey reluctantly, but listens to Cain and runs away.
Mickey reaches for a pistol, but Cain grabs a hold of that too and pushes Mickey against the lockers, grabs his wrists and slams it into a locker, Mickey drops the pistol, Cain slides it away with his leg. Mickey uses the opportunity and knees Cain in the stomach, Mickey gets free and punches Cain in the face, but Cain blocks the next punch and returns with a right, then a left. He grabs Mickey by the collar, who headbutts him, but Cain doesn't let go and headbutts back. Cain kicks him and Mickey stumbles back, Cain catches his breath, then tries to end the fight with a full blown punch, but Mickey dodges it and grabs the back of Cain's head, he slams it into the lockers, which gets Cain down to the floor. The pain paralyzed him, giving time for Mickey to get the pistol off the ground. Mickey turns around and Cain tackles him to the ground. They are struggling for the pistol, Mickey's trying to point it at Cain, but Cain is stronger. He gets the pistol once again and throws it away. Then tries to knock Mickey out, as he raises his hand, he feels a sharp pain in his side. Mickey stabbed him with a knife, Mickey pulls out the knife, Cain screams and his mind is clouded by the pain and the adrenaline, so when Mickey tries to stab him in his stomach, he gathers all his remaining strength and gets the knife and stabs Mickey in his heart. Cain realises what he has done and gets off Mickey, he watches in shock as Mickey passes away in agony, gasping for breath. Mickey eventually dies. Cain just collapses and he can't move because of the pain and the sheer fear and disgust of himself. But, he has to get out if he doesn't want to bleed out. He passes Mickey's body and stumbles out of the school where police and ambulance are waiting. They quickly rush out to him and start treating him, he passes out. When he regains consciousness, he's on a stretcher in an ambulance heading for the hospital with Bailey at his side, she's crying. He looks up at her.
Cain: I... had to...
Bailey: Sshhh! Don't speak, just hold on!
Paramedic: BP's stable, ETA 5 minutes. 
He passes out again. 

Cain wakes up in the hospital. He looks around and there is no one in the room. For a second he thinks that he was in a coma and he dreamed all of that, but he remembers everything cleary and he can feel the pain in his side form stab wound. He yawns and rubs his eyes and when he opens them, Dream Cain is at the end of his bed. 
Dream Cain: You're a murderer now. 
Cain closes his eyes and tries to get rid of him, but when he opens them back up, he's still there.
Dream Cain: I'm afraid we've reached the tipping point, you don't have control over me.
Cain: You are in MY mind, of course I have control over you.
Dream Cain: I'm sorry to break it to you, but I'm gonna be here whenever I want to be.
Cain: Is this me trying to tell myself something? 
Dream Cain: Maybe... or you're just crazy...*shrugs his shoulder*
Cain: This is fucking ridiculous... 
Dream Cain: So... you want to talk about what you did?
Cain: No... just shut up. 
Dream Cain: You killed the person who was there for you, even though you were an asshole to him.
Cain: Stop it. I don't need this.
Dream Cain: Just because you want to ignore it, that doesn't mean your mind will obey. You could've just knocked him out...
Cain lets out an angry sigh and he clenches his fists. 
Dream Cain: But instead you stabbed him right... through... the... heart. Ironic, don't you think?
Cain: *shouting* JUST LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!
He buries his face in his hands and starts crying. Bailey rushes in.
Dream Cain: Ooh, here comes the cavalry.
Bailey: Oh my god, finally you're up. What happened, I heard your scream.
Bailey gets out a tissue and hands it to him.
Cain: I... killed him, Bailey. 
Bailey's eyes widened, she's speechless.
Cain: *in a trembling voice* I killed him... I did.
Bailey: You had to. You must've had no choice.
Cain: I could've just knocked him out... but my mind went blank and I just... stabbed him. 
Bailey: You're life was in danger, you can't override your instincts... and to be honest maybe it was the right thing to do.
Cain: Don't say that. Don't make me believe it was justified.
Bailey: He got a taste for killing... I'm sorry to say this, but he wasn't the person you knew once.
Cain: Still... he was my only friend back then. I was an asshole, I never said thanks, never showed him gratitude, maybe I could've saved him, and things wouldn't have turned out the way they did.
Bailey: Don't put this on yourself!
Cain: But I could have done something. 
Bailey sighs and grabs Cain's hand.
Bailey: I can only imagine what it's like, but... you probably did the right thing.
Cain scoffs and pulls his hand away.
Cain: Sure I did... Tell that to his parents. I killed their only son, who was living far away from them, they rarely saw him. He was a better person than this! *raises his voice* And he saved your life, you're here because of him, I have you because of him! 
Bailey: I didn't ask him to save me! 
Cain: But I'm glad he did! He saved your life, and you're saying he deserved to die! 
Bailey: He killed countless of students! Their deaths against his. 
Cain: But they were already dead! I didn't want to avenge them! There wasn't a choice of whether he dies and they live or they die and he lives! THEY ARE ALL DEAD!
Bailey shakes her head.
Cain: Don't shake your head, you're not in the position to judge me on this!
Bailey: I'm no-
Cain starts shouting.
Cain: Of course you are! You didn't have to put a knife through his heart and watch him die in agony as he's gasping for breath! *lowers his voice* Please just leave, I have to be alone. 
Bailey: I won't lea-
Cain: Yes, you will! Go!
Bailey's eyes welled up and she left. 
Dream Cain: Well that was... Interesting. I didn't want to interrupt.
Cain's eyes glowed with anger as he looked at the vision. 
Dream Cain: *mockingly* Consider me scared. 
Cain: I hate myself...
Dream Cain: Rightly so. Wouldn't it be easier to just end it?
Cain: Is that why you're here? You're going to try to get me to kill myself?
Dream Cain: Remember, I'm your subconscious. This is a question you're asking yourself. So answer it.
Cain: I can get through this.
Dream Cain: Still so hopeful. Let's see if it stays that way. 
He vanishes.
Cain glances at a glass on the bedside table. He picks it up and breaks it, then he picks up a shard and stares at it for a couple of seconds.
Cain: Maybe it would be easier...