REESE

- 7 -

           The double doors to the police station swung open so violently that Dewey made a mental note to have a handy man check for potential damage in the morning -- tornado? Clad in pajamas, Reese and Roman slid into the room, Breakfast Club-style, having lost their footing thanks to their slippers which, just their luck, decided to become ice skates the moment they came into contact with the smooth, linoelum floor, and came to a stop before Sidney, Roman almost slamming into a desk in the process! <Thank God!> Billy, bound by cuffs, tried his hardest to stifle a laugh... only for his eyes to widen to unprecedented proportions at the sight of the numerous injuries that adorned their bodies!

              Dewey gasped, "Who did it!?"

              Instead of acknowledging the question, let alone Dewey, in general, Roman fell to his knees, his eyes -- where... are your glasses? -- locked on the double doors, and his right hand grasping Reese's nightgown, his left hand planted firmly on his right shoulder, blood seeping through his fingers and onto the floor below! A barrage of cuts and bruises and stab wounds peppered Reese and Roman's bodies, their pajamas soaked with blood -- oh? It felt like years had come and gone before either individual uttered a word, but, when Roman made an attempt to do so... all of Dewey's hopes were dashed... as Roman's phone rang. Reese froze like a deer in headlights. Roman fainted, crumpling to a heap on the floor. Sidney's jaw dropped.

               The phone slipped out of Roman's pocket and fell to the floor with a splashing sound, as it had landed in a pool of blood, but Dewey swooped in to answer it, anyway, despite Reese and Sidney's synchronized pleas! Raising the device to his ear, Dewey demanded to be told the identity of the caller... only for a series of cackling to burst forth, startling Dewey into dropping the device out of shock! Sidney leapt from her seat, dropped to the floor, and grasped Reese's shoulders, shaking her gently, trying to calm the latter as she tried desperately to wake Roman. The cackling continued. Dewey had the secretary call for a medic, some nearby officers rushing to Reese and Roman's aide and some nearby officers racing to secure all entrances, guns at the ready in case Reese and Roman's attacker decided to make an appearance, despite not knowing who this attacker is!

                  "PRESCOTT!" Billy shouted. "WHO!?"

                  Reese sobbed, "G-GHOST FACE!"

                  The cackling ceased. Dewey cautiously reached for Roman's phone and, once again, demanded for the identity of the caller. <It,> A wave of horror crashed violently over Sidney, her heart dropping. <wasn't Billy!> The call ended. Sidney managed to separate Reese from Roman, wrapping her clothed arms tightly around her as the latter was checked for a pulse. In all the panic, Billy wove through the officers and headed straight for Reese -- there is no way. 

                    Still bound, but in no rush to do anything about it, Billy crouched beside Reese, nudged her with his shoulder, and watched in silence as she turned to face him, her eyes all bloodshot, her cheeks wet with tears. Something inside Billy snapped. The rage that had consumed Billy back when he saw Reese in Tatum's room, her injuries on full display surged through his body -- whoever did it... is a dead man. No one and I mean no one can lay a hand on his lov -- his WHAT!? 

                     Wait.

                     <What,> Billy thought to himself, his breath hitched in his throat and his palms clammy with sweat. <is... this?> The longer that Billy stared at Reese, the stronger that the feeling grew, filling Billy with both curiosity and fear -- Billy didn't know what to do. The screech of sirens assaulted Billy's ears and Billy winced, but didn't avert his gaze. 

                     His.

                     The double doors to the police station flew open a 2nd time, this time giving way to a group of medics toting 2 stretchers and an array of other equipment, their eyes locked on Reese and Roman! Billy couldn't care less about Roman, but about Reese? The medics loaded Reese and Roman onto the stretchers, strapped the 2 in, and disappeared through the double doors and into the night... leaving Billy and Sidney on the floor, both at a loss for words. Dewey, having finally, finally realized Billy had moved, grabbed ahold of Billy and led him back to the interrogation room.

                        What.

          *          *          *

                        Still in costume, Stu collapsed onto the sofa and stretched, never more thankful for his parents not being home. How would he have even, even explained to them just what he had done tonight? <I,> Stu grabbed the remote, flicked on the TV, and waited for his deeds to make an appearance on the nightly news, a smidge of guilt tugging at his soul. It wasn't like Stu had a say in the matter, but...

                         Stu muttered to himself, "I did what I had to do."

            *           *           *

                         Aside from the sirens, the ambulance was... void of noise. <Please,> Roman, slipping-in and out of consciousness, thought, a tear sliding down his cheek. <leave her out of this.> The medics, taking notice, rushed to check Roman's vitals all the while assuring Roman that Reese was going to be OK, that Reese was in good hands, but it did little to steady Roman. <You want me, not her.> The ambulance came to a stop, the medics flittering every which way, preparing to unload Roman.

                          Roman wheezed, "Where... is my sister?"

                          The taller of the medics, a young man named Dylan, once again assured Roman that Reese was no longer in harm's way -- bull --, but never actually, actually made an effort to answer the question. The world around Roman slowly, oh so slowly faded into the blackness, his eyelids fluttering closed as he slipped out of consciousness for the 4th time that night. <DAMN YOU!> Stu... should have never been picked as Billy's +1 -- it was only a matter of time before Stu did this, no longer able to cope with his newfound responsibilities.