Treat you better

Part 41- One step away from freedom

SHAWN

Shawn couldn't think straight. He was lost between his mental confusion and incredulity. Had he really heard the words he'd longed for that week, which was the worst of his life?

He shook his head to order his thoughts. No, he wasn't dreaming, Brian was there in his room, and with the nice smile that Shawn hadn't seen for days shining on his face.

-What did he say? - Shawn asked, fearing he'd dreamed his friend's words. He didn't trust his senses very much at the time, numb to the sleep and emotional exhaustion he had been subjected to in the last few days.

- They found her, Shawn. Finally, you'll get your Rosely back. Brian shook his friend's hand with affection.

. How did they find her? - he hadn't dreamed. Rosaly had been found, and her heart leapt with joy.

- The police have been watching her apartment constantly, hoping that Caio or anyone related to her kidnapping would show up. And incredible as it may seem, one of his goons suddenly appeared and entered her apartment in search of Rosely's passport. It seems that Caio wants to take her back to Brazil, and sent this man there after the document, from which he needs to get a new one, falsifying all the information from the old one.

- Bastard! - Shawn screamed in anger.

- Luckily the police managed to arrest this man, and he told where Caio took Rosely. Now they're coming up with a plan to get her, even down there talking to your father about it.

- I'm going along, I need to find her.-  Shawn said, getting out of bed in a jump.

- What do you mean you're going along? Are you out of your mind,Shawn? It's dangerous. Brian was looking worried at his friend. He was agitated and not thinking straight.

- I don't care. I need to be there. I failed her once and I won't fail her again. - Shawn headed for the bedroom door, came down the stairs almost running, followed by Brian.

- Where's daddy? - Shawn asked his mom who was sitting in the room with Aaliyah and Lexy.

- In the office with the police. From the looks of it, Brian already told you. - Karen looked at Shawn's friend with a frown. - Didn't I tell you to let him rest, that we'd talk to him later?

- I'm sorry,Karen,but I couldn't keep it a secret,after all these days of seeing Shawn's suffering. I thought he deserved to know soon.- Brian responded by holding Karen's gaze steady.

Brian had never seen Shawn as devastated as he was that week. He had walked onto the stage of every show as if he were facing a battlefield. Shawn had done everything that was expected of him with his usual professionalism. Brian knew how perfectionist his friend was, and even at his worst he hadn't let the quality of his work drop. The only thing was that Shawn had done everything mechanically, like a robot programmed to perform his daily tasks. Brian wondered how painful it must have been for Shawn to sing all those songs while his soul bled, smile when his heart cried, lift his head when he felt too defeated to go on, but he had overcome himself and made it to the end without anyone noticing his misfortune, and for all that, Brian admired him even more. If that was happening to him, Brian didn't know if he would have the same structure to endure the tormenting hours of waiting.

It was true, that in a few moments he had seen Shawn give in to despair when they were alone in the hotel room. He had cried in silence for hours on end, looking at the photos of Rosaly he had on his cell phone. It was painful to see him so devastated and unable to do anything to help the only friend who had always been with him, supporting him when he felt abandoned by his father and alone. It was not uncommon for Shawn to take him to sleep in his home, treating him like a brother, lending him his own family when his didn't seem to care about his well-being. Shawn was the brother life had given him, they might not have the same blood running through their veins, but their spirits were united by a bond of friendship that would never be destroyed by anything. For that friend, Brian would give his life if he had to, and for this reason, he decided that if Shawn wanted to go get Rosaly, he would go with him.