Roy sat in the waiting room, a bandage on his side, and a small cup of water in his hand. He still didn’t feel totally stable, but as the excitement around him died down, so did his nerves.
Detective Stephen Roberts sat next to him, sipping a cup of coffee. Roy was shocked that the detective could actually drink that stuff. It was usually either to hot or to bitter to consume, but Stephen was downing it like it was tap water.
"You know I’ll have to talk to Paul at some point, right?" His voice was gruff.
"Come by tomorrow." Roy looked out the window, towards his car. He wanted to just run out of there, get in his car, and jump in bed with Paul, but he knew that he was in no shape to drive.
"So if you knew Nurse Fitch was harassing Paul, why didn’t you come to me?" Stephen brushed some coffee off of his rather bushy mustache.
Roy always that Stephen resembled a seventies porn star, with his big mustache, his thin build, and that little bit of chest hair you could always see because he never buttoned the top few buttons of his shirts. Right now that bit of humor was the only humor Roy had.
"I didn’t think it was that serious." Roy sipped his water. "I told William about it, and he and..." He pointed to the body bag being wheeled out, "they had been keeping an eye out."
"I just want to know why she did it." Stephen put down his coffee and looked Roy right in the eyes. "What would drive that woman to go and try and kill your boyfriend?"
"She was crazy Stephen." Roy shook his head. "You’ve known Paul and I our entire lives. When have either of us done anything that would warrant... that."
Roy wanted to tell Stephen everything, but he knew that the police wouldn’t understand, or even believe them. Roy hardly believed it all, and he’d lived through most of it.
"You okay? Looked like she sliced you pretty bad." Stephen lifted Roy’s arm, taking a look at his bandage.
"It’s not to deep. No stitches." Roy noticed that Stephen’s hand held on to him for just a little to long.
Their eyes met.
Roy stood up, stretching, and finding any excuse he could to get out of the detective’s grip.
In between Chester and Paul, Roy had found himself hooking up with Stephen a few times. It had never been anything serious, at least not to Roy. He was hurting, and Stephen was willing. They had ended it peacefully, but right now Roy was getting the feeling that Stephen wasn’t as done with the whole affair as he was.
"I should get home. Paul is going to need his pain medication soon, and I have to open the bar." Roy’s eyes kept glancing at the door. "You need anything else?"
Stephen stood, his eyes on his feet. He ran his fingers through his dirty blonde hair.
"No, not right now." He looked up, his eyes avoiding Roy’s face. "I don’t want things to be weird between us Roy."
"They aren’t." Roy reached out, putting his hand on Stephen’s shoulder. "I’ll see you tomorrow. I’ll give Paul the heads up that you’re going to be stopping by."
"Does he know?" Stephen’s hands went into his pockets, and his eyes looked out the window.
"Probably. I don’t think it’ll bother him. He knows we’re friends." Roy started walking towards the door. "I’ll see you tomorrow."
He gave the detective a quick wave, and then headed out the door.
Before he could even get in his car he was stopped by the sound of William calling out his name.
Roy looked up to see the good doctor running towards his car, clouds of steam puffing from his mouth.
"Hey, don’t forget these." He held out a small bag, the little insignia for prescription on the front. "The two big bottles are for Paul, and the small one is for you." He leaned against Roy’s car, out of breath. "It’s something to help you sleep."
"Thanks." Roy unlocked his car. "You sure you don’t want to come to the bar later? Carla will probably be there."
"I think they’ll let me out of my shift early, so I might stop by." He crossed his arms. "I’m guessing she knows that our date was canceled on account of a homicidal nurse."
Roy laughed. The situation was so odd, so out of place in his life, that his mind just couldn’t take it seriously. Then he remembered that one person died tonight, and the reality started to set in.
They were all in real danger, and all he could worry about was his old flame hitting on him, and making sure that William and Carla got their chance at a romantic evening.
"Did you know him well?" Roy leaned on the roof of his car, his chin resting on his crossed arms.
"Yeah. I mean, not really well, but he was a friend." William looked back at the hospital, his shoulders dropping. "I don’t want to go back in there. Not tonight. Maybe not ever."
"Then don’t. Call them up and tell them that you need to take the night off to clear your head." Roy got in his car.
William stood outside for a few moments, then joined Roy.
"Drinks will be on the house." Roy started the car, and pulled out of the parking lot.
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