FicWad

It had taken a long time for Shannon to calm Jared down from his crying spell, clutching his injured hand to his chest. He'd always known that Jared had that wound. He never did ask because every time he did he always got a backlash from it. He would scream and yell, telling him that he didn't want to talk about what was happening to him. So Shannon had learned not to ask too many questions even if the worry was almost overbearing. How could he refrain so much from asking questions when worry was what took over his life now? It was all that he thought about. What happened to his brother? What had made him spiral into this dark pit of darkness that no one seemed able to hold him up from?

Now though he had some kind of hope- or at least he convinced himself that he did. If there was hope than there was an end. And with an end he would get his brother back, finally after all these long months. Peace would find itself found and things could be finally set into motion. They could go back to being alive rather than holding their breath and waiting for another outburst, another screaming fit of absolute terror. No more letters, no more phone calls. Nothing else at all to be afraid of. They were free of the chains that had once bound them.

The backyard was quiet for now. No one was around. It was much too early in the morning for anyone to drop by but he was sure there would be others- and soon. There was always people around Jared, before there was at least. The Lab had become more than just a studio for them, it had become something of a place where everyone got together, where meaning happened in their lives and that's where the best parts of themselves came out. He was actually quite glad to be back here. After Jared had steered off course the place had been nothing but a graveyard. He'd come by, remember the not too distant past and be overwhelmed with exhausting emotions before he would have to leave again.

But now it was a new day. The sun was whispering its rays over the glisten of the pool water. A soft breeze had whispered by, rippling the surface, rattling the plants and the trees. It was actually a perfect day. He could smell breakfast being prepared by Jared's cook. He was sure that there would be pancakes, maybe eggs and some tortillas. His stomach was completely empty. He was in the mood for just about anything. As long as it was filling. He couldn't remember the last time he actually ate something substantial. And for a moment he was glad that was his only problem.

Jared had been out of his old apartment, his shelter away from the terror he had faced, for sometime now. A couple of weeks at most. They were going to put the place up for sell, hoping that nothing too disruptive got out to the press about the place. Shannon had expressed great concern in keeping most of secret, under wraps. As much as he could, as much as wasn't already documented publicly. The place was soon going to be far from their minds now. The police were apparently doing one last search in hopes that they would find another key point in connecting Harlow and her boyfriend to this strange crime.

At the thought of Harlow Shannon let out a low breath. Jared seemed to be taking the loss of her fairly easy. But it was still so early, how could one actually tell? He remembered her fear in that hospital room and still couldn't understand what it was she had been afraid of. Had it really been because of her confession? Was that the reason for that desperate fear that seemed to have been plaguing her? He couldn't quite tell. But did it matter really? She, too, was out of their lives, finally.

Now came the long and hard healing process. He'd spoken to Jared's psychiatrist and he had gotten nothing but the age old saying of 'things take time'. Well no hell they take time. He just needed time to hurry it up and bring his brother back to him wholly. Jared was still in the stage of blocking his emotions however. He was barely expressing any regarding his ordeal. He was putting up a dozen walls that Shannon hoped would come crumbling down anytime soon. He would be there, he made that silent promise. He would be there the moment that happened. Whatever happened he was never going to abandon him and he was sure going to make sure to believe him next time.

He took a final drink of his coffee and slowly sat up. Taking his sunglasses off his face he looked up at the high sun and stared for several moments. His vision grew spotty and he closed his eyes quickly. There was only so close one could stare at a burning flame before your eyes went up in fire themselves. The thought was stranded, left there in the desolate place in his mind where he swept away his biting side of his conscience. This wasn't over. Something told him. Of course it was over. Everything had an end and this here was an end.

Tucking his glasses into the front of the shirt he took the coffee cup and headed into the house, sliding open the door and stepping in. Right when he entered the sound of music hit his ears and a smile reached his lips. Of course Jared would be playing again. Finally, after all this time, things were being created. That was enough to assure him that things had hit their peak and were slowly winding down to a full stop. Everything ended sooner or later. Nothing could anticipate to last forever. This was a step forward, he knew that. With music Jared opened himself up and that was the best thing Shannon could hope for. He would have to let the psychiatrist know all about this.

He headed into the kitchen, exchanging a few words with the cook who handed him two plates of pancakes along with a small bowl of syrup. He continued making them, for whoever else was going to be coming by. Everyone knew how things worked around here. He grabbed a juice from the fridge before heading out of the kitchen and towards the studio. A curse fell from his lips when his phone rang. He couldn't exactly answer the phone when he had his hands full. It was gonna have to wait. He moved on to the door of the studio and nudged up against it with his shoulder, hitting it with the bottom of the bottle.

At the sound the music inside stopped and the door was pulled open. Shannon smiled at his brother. His eyes seemed a little clearer, at peace with themselves. His face seemed anew with a sudden surge of brightness. He was alive now, Shannon could see that. He hadn't seen it in such a long time but seeing it now sent another reassurance through him. Jared was strong enough to heal, he was strong enough to break out of the barrier of pain. He always had faith in him and he was suddenly elated to see the fruition of that hope.

"Thanks." Jared said with a smile, grabbing one of the plates and the bottle of juice before heading back to sit at the computer desk.

Shannon smiled and followed inside, closing the door with his shoe before working on drizzling some syrup onto his pancakes before handing the bowl over to Jared who took it and used the rest. Shannon watched him silently for a moment. There wasn't a shakiness to his hands, no hesitance to eat, no looking over his shoulder or jumping at the smallest sounds. He was whole again, wasn't he? Someone that lived and breathed, not someone who went against the world that shone with life and light.

Jared looked up, having obviously felt eyes on him and a smile appeared on his lips. A smile that seemed genuine, seemed actually alive. "What?" He asked, his brows tensing as a small laugh escaped him. He used his fork to cut into the double stack of pancakes and put some into his mouth. He sighed a little, having no doubt been extremely hungry.

Shannon made to answer but his phone went off again and Jared gestured to his pocket as if he were saying 'go on and answer it.' Shannon nodded, set his plate down and pulled it from his pocket. The name flashed on the screen and his brows tensed. "It's the detective, the one checking out your old place?"

Jared looked up curious now. "Yeah? Well answer it." He insisted and took another bite. His eyes never left Shannon even as he cut out another part of the pancakes.

Shannon nodded a little and brought the phone to his ear after sliding the screen to answer it. "Hello?" He answered, reaching down to cut some more food and put a forkful into his mouth.

"Shannon? Detective Rosalind speaking, do you have a minute?"

Shannon nodded. "Yeah sure, of course."

There was a hesitant sigh and then an audible parting of the lips. "Shannon, we did the sweep of your brother's apartment..."

"Oh, you all done already? Can he go and get his things?"

Another sigh. "We're far from done."

"But, detective, it's been almost a week since you started."

"I know. And that's what we're calling about." There was a hesitance in his voice, a hesitance and an struggled sound of disbelief.

Shannon glanced at Jared who had stopped eating, his hands folded in front of his face as he simply stared at Shannon. There was a change in his eyes, something dark, something different. The image of Harlow afraid passed Shannon's mind before he shook his head of it.

"Well, what is it?"

"We found something down in the basement..."

Shannon's eyes went to Jared's again. That change of still there. Was there a smirk on his lips?

"Look there's no doubt that Harlow and her boyfriend had a part in whatever it was that happened to your brother. We have the confession, her boyfriends body...but..."

"But what?" Shannon questioned, a little impatient now.

"But in the basement...there was a body buried beneath the concrete, ID matching a waiter at a local restaurant. The same one that your brother was fighting just a few days before his admittance to the hospital. And...we've matched handwriting samples from the letters Harlow and her boyfriend sent to the others?" Another long and hesitant sigh. "The handwriting is conclusive in being your brothers."

"Wait." Shannon said quickly, holding Jared's eyes as he rose to his feet. "What are you saying?"

"We're saying that your brother he...he buried his dog and this waiter in his basement and we have legitimate proof here that he has been stalking himself, besides what Harlow had done, for quite sometime."

Jared let out a small laugh and walked over, reaching out to take the phone from Shannon's ear. He set the phone down on the desk once he hung it up. He leaned back against the desk, his arms folded across his chest, a smirk on his lips and his blue eyes growing a darker shade.

"Jared?" Shannon whispered.

He shook his head. "Jared's not here anymore. He thought he could run. Thought he could push me down deep down inside." He chuckled a little, dark grin still holding on his lips. "Surprised?"