This Is Me

Part 64

Sean watched Rasputin get wrapped in a towel and taken into the elevator. Stacy hugged herself, mumbling out. "I can't believe this... You don't think they'll send Rasputin to prison for defending himself... Do you?" Nate shrugged, answering her softly. "Well... From what I was told, it depends on the threat level of the incident. Was his life truly in danger to justify stabbing his Uncle?" Stacy huffed, saying sternly. "Yes. He came at him with the intent to beat him and he STABBED Roslyn!" Nate gave her worried eyes, saying coolly. "That's what they say. It's their word against his. I don't envy what they are going to get themselves locked into... and we could be dragged into this too for helping." Stacy opened her mouth to say something, but Nate raised a hand to stop her, interjecting quickly. "Yes, we can. We helped keep the secret. We had inside information. We can be blamed for setting up the scene." An officer walked up to them, saying something in Russian and pointing toward the stairs and the elevator.

They got the hint just watching the crime scene crews coming in. They were blocking off the area. Together they took the elevator back down, when Sean said hopefully. "This means that they'll have to let Mark go, right? Rasputin confessed and Quintin is practically caught red handed." Nate shook his head, mumbling out grimly. "Guys... Rasputin was in shock... They won't hold his statement as fact until after he calms down. When he's more rational. Then it becomes a process of separating fact from fiction. Could take hours or days. It all rides on what they find and what they say to them." Sean kicked his heel against the wall of the elevator, snapping out at Nate. "Can you be more hopeful? Say something positive that doesn't make me feel like this is a loosing battle." Nate blinked, then coolly said aloud. "I'm being realistic. I'm not saying it is hopeless. I'm saying that this could be seen as attempted murder. And while Mark's hands are clean... WE are still involved in this." Stacy huddled up in a corner starting to cry a little as she mumbled out. "What are we going to do...?"

Sean took a deep breath, telling them openly. "If they come for us... We tell them the truth. There is no point in hiding it. We knew the abuse was happening and we tried to stall the outcome to let Roslyn... finish her skate." Stacy broke into tears, mumbling out. "Oh my god... Roslyn never even got to skate... Were we wrong?" Nate grabbed the bar behind him, saying softly. "We did what she wanted..." Sean rubbed Stacy's back, telling her comfortingly. "Stacy. You should go and see them at the hospital." Stacy sniffled, shaking her head. Sean hugged her, lightly saying. "You're her best friend and... Rasputin likes you. You're all they have right now. You should go and be there for them." Stacy looked at him with fragile eyes, asking weakly. "What about you? Without Mark..." Sean smirked a little, trying to sound uplifting and playful as he said. "Go. I'll be fine. Nate will be here to watch my back. Along with some of the crew. You take your dad and go." Stacy nodded, wiping her eyes as the doors opened.

Stepping out, Sean coaxed Stacy into leaving. While Sean and Nate headed back to the mens locker room. They had planned to change, when two of the ISU staff approached them. Nate grabbed Sean's wrist, pulling him behind him. The staff members gave them a bow, then the woman in a suit told them. "I know this is a difficult time for both of you. As a result of this incident, we have been forced to delay the final skate. With Rasputin's injuries, he will be removed from the score board." Nate glanced at Sean with concern, shakily saying allowed. "What a minute... You're not canceling the Championship? After what just happened?" The woman straightened up to her full height, answering seriously. "The show must go on. What happened to Rasputin was unfortunate... but people have come from all over to watch this event. The Olympics are coming up and we need a Champion for our division." Sean put a hand on Nate's shoulder, saying uneasily. "So, what does this mean?"

The woman took a clipboard from her partner, answering as she looked it over. "What this means is that we are delaying the event. The skater that ranked fourth in the Regionals will be brought in to fill the third slot. When he arrives, he will preform the first skate alone and then his second skate among you both." Nate folded his arms, defiantly saying. "And if we drop out?" The man beside the woman, answered seriously. "If you drop. We will bring two more skaters in the line. This sport has a short shelf life. You aren't the only skaters working to be at the top. If you don't want it. Someone else will take it." Sean squeezed Nate's shoulder to calm him down, asking curiously. "Who ranked fourth? When will he be here?" The woman finished looking over the paperwork on the clipboard, answering swiftly. "Well, it would have been Felix... but he turned it down due to an issue with his schedule. So, Tony Tornado is being flown in as we speak." Nate scoffed loudly, turning to face Sean as he bitterly shot out. "Great. I'm going to beat the shit out of Felix..."