Date: Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:19:25 -0500
From: Odin <belsport09@gmail.com>
Subject: Second Shot Chapter 25 Cause and Effect

Disclaimer: Story characters belong to the author, any resemblances to real
people are entirely coincidental.

Content Advisory: Adult situations, language, sexual references

Copyright, 2010, Quonus10

I hope you enjoy it. Please comment to: belsport09@gmail.com


25. Chapter 25: Cause and Affect


Jason barely noticed the nurses and orderlies as he searched for Peter.
With every room he passed, his stomach tightened.  Room 313, Peter's room,
was nearly dark when he arrived.  Inside, a nurse stood at the foot of the
bed looking at something.  Sitting beside the bed, near Peter's head, Jason
could see the arm of someone he assumed was Mrs. Gregory.

"Son, you are not permitted in here."  Old enough to be his mother, the
nurse stopped what she was doing to direct Jason away.  "Family only after
9:00 p.m."

"But . . ." Jason wanted to say he was Peter's boyfriend, but wasn't sure
how Mrs. Gregory felt about him announcing it here.  "He's my friend.
Can't I see him?"

"No."  She said firmly.  "Visiting hours start at 9:00 tomorrow.  Come back
then."

"Please!"  He begged.  "I need to see him."

"Child," she touched his arm gently, but maintained her position blocking
the entrance.  Speaking in a hushed voice she said, "He's in a bad way,
there isn't a lot to see right now."

"Jason?"  He heard Mrs. Gregory's voice.  "Is that you?"

"Yes, ma'am," he answered, trying to see around the nurse.  Knowing he
might not get in, he hurriedly asked, "How is he?"

Peter's mom made it to the door, her eyes red and puffy.  Streaks marked
the lines where tears had rolled down her cheeks.  She reached past the
nurse to hug him and sobbed.  "He's in a coma.  They beat him so bad, I
hardly recognize him."

He caught himself before he let out a cry.  Coma?  What the hell did they
do him?  How did they do it?  Holding Peter's mom, he wondered how she
would feel if she knew what happened between him and her son.

Swallowing hard, he stifled his feelings as best he could.  Right now she
needed him to be strong for her.  "He'll make it.  He's a strong person."

Clinging to him, she continued to cry on his shoulder.  The nurse peered
into the hallway, checking both directions before she motioned him inside.
"If anyone asks you're his cousin," she told him as he walked past.

Prepared as he thought he was, he gasped when he saw the swollen, puffy
face lying back against the pillows.  This close, he couldn't hold back his
tears.  The cardiac monitor flashed silently to his left, with Erin sitting
next to it, holding her brother's hand.  She gave him the barest smile upon
seeing him, as if he was part of the family.  He couldn't meet her stare,
not now.  He wasn't there when this happened like he should have.

Fixing his gaze at Peter's battered face, he struggled to see through his
tears.  "Do you know what happened?"

"The police said six guys attacked him."  Erin's face tightened as she
recounted how her brother was injured.  "One had a bat."

"What?"  Jason couldn't grasp what happened.  "Who . . . who was it?  Do
they know?"

"It was that asshole Jordan who started it," she spat.  "He couldn't face
Peter alone, so he ambushed him with those other pricks from his
fraternity."

Jason stared blankly at her as words failed him.  Oh god, did he bring this
on by rejecting Jordan's attempt to patch things up?  Did Jordan blame
Peter for the ending of their friendship?

Erin stroked her brother's hand, new tears rolling down her face.

"Officer Bennett saved his life."  Mrs. Gregory said, followed by a sniff.

"Bennett?"  Jason didn't recognize the name.

"Yes," she nodded her head.  "The detective said he happened to be in the
area and saw the fight begin.  He nearly shot the boy with the bat to make
him stop."

"Did they arrest anyone?"  Jason didn't know what else to ask.  Over and
over he saw his and Peter's last words; the ones Jason shouted at him
before storming out.  His body jerked and he couldn't breath for a moment.
Those couldn't be the last words they spoke to each other, he had to get a
chance to make it right.

"All six."  The venom in Erin's voice chilled him.  "The Detective also
said there is a video that captured the fight.  They're all gonna fry."

"Erin," her mother admonished.

"What?  They deserve it.  They had no right to do this, NONE!"  Her voice
was just shy of a shout.  "I hope they get raped every day in jail."

Ignoring her anger, Jason reached out to give her a hug.  She hesitated at
first, then collapsed against his chest sobbing.  Much as he didn't want
to, Jason's body shook with is own grief.  Holding back as much of his own
emotions as he could, he let her cling to him, whispering softly through
his tears that everything would be okay.

He knew how much Peter and Erin meant to each other.  She was always there
for him, no matter what.  Comforting those who meant the most to Peter was
the only thing Jason could do for him right now.  This time he wouldn't
walk out on Peter.

After several long moments, she sniffed, looking up.  "Sorry, Jason, no
offense."

"It's okay, I agree with you."  He tried to give her a reassuring smile,
but it wouldn't come out.  "What have the doctors said?"

"It's too early to tell."  Mrs. Gregory said softly.  "They cracked a bone
in his back, broke his left arm, fractured his eye socket and cheek, broke
his nose and he has fluid on the brain."  Her voice trailed off to a
whisper as she recounted her son's injuries.  "He isn't responding to
stimulus right now because he is in a coma, so we won't know if he can walk
until he wakes up.  If he wakes up."

She started crying again, harder this time.  Moving to her side, Jason
pulled her close as she sobbed.  "Don't say that, he's going to make it.
He's strong."

Sniffing, she wiped her eyes.  Jason found a box of tissues that he offered
to her.  Plucking several, she balled them up to wipe her eyes.

"You two stay with him, I need to call his father."  She did not wait for
their answer before walking out.

Keeping her focus on her brother's face, as if she might miss a blink of
the eye or a movement, Erin ignored Jason as he wondered what he should do.

This was his fault.  If he hadn't left like he did, Peter wouldn't have
come looking for him.  No doubt Jordan found Peter, spewing his usual
homophobic taunts.  Given how angry Peter must have been, it was probably
enough to provoke a response.

"He never saw them coming," he muttered.

"What?"  Erin asked.

"Jordan must have set this up so Peter wouldn't notice the others until it
was too late."

"What happened today?" she asked him pointedly.  "I spoke to Peter an hour
or so before the attack.  He was really upset.  He wouldn't say why or what
happened.  In fact, he denied anything was wrong, but I knew there was.

She knew, he thought.  All she wanted was confirmation before she lash out
at him.  He tried to swallow, but found his mouth too dry.  "We had a
fight."

Even that small acknowledgment wracked him with guilt.  Was it really a
fight or was it Jason being weak?

"About what?" she pressed.

"Me, I suppose.  Us.  I don't know."  He searched for the right words.  "I
told him I was thinking of going to the ex-gay classes my mother was
pushing for."

"You broke up with him?"

"No." The truth gave conviction to his words.  "He told me he would break
up with me if I went."

"That doesn't sound like Peter,' Erin replied.  "He totally loves you."

"I know," he whispered, unable to meet her stare.  "But he said if I
couldn't say no to my mom about the classes, he didn't want me around."

"What did you say?"  Erin didn't hide her anger.

"I told him I needed to think about it."  He finally looked at her, trying
to see past his tears.  "All I wanted was some time to work through the
consequences of saying no."

"I thought you loved him."  Squinting, her face hardened.  "Peter told me
you said you loved him.  Why did you lie to him?"

"I didn't."  He never stopped loving Peter.  The threat of being left to
fend for himself, left him scared to say no to his mother, but it did
change his feeling for Peter.  Seeing her doubt, he continued.  "Really, I
didn't lie to him.  I did, do love him.  But I am, . . . my mom gave me an
ultimatum, go or get cut off.  If they did that, I would have to leave
school."

"You let your parents tell you who to love?"  She asked sarcastically.
"That's pathetic."

"I know."

"You should probably go," she said.  "I don't think it would be good for
Peter to see you if he wakes up."

"What?  No, I can't go."  He knew she was angry and needed to lash out, but
he couldn't leave.  "Look, it was a fight, but I didn't break up with him.
I was sitting on the stairs in his hallway waiting to tell him I wasn't
going when . . .  he was out looking for me."

She shook her head.  "Think of him and not you.  Your presence will only
make him more upset.  You really need to go."

"No."  Mrs. Gregory said from the doorway.  She was not alone.

Framed in the bright white light from the hall, it was difficult to make
out the man's face.  Before either could say a word, the nurse walked back.

"Sir, it's after general visiting hours, family only are allowed to be
here."

"I'm his uncle."  Jason recognized the voice.

"Uncle?"  She didn't sound convinced.

"Yes, I'm his uncle by marriage."  Mister Lee stepped further into the room
so Jason could see his face.

"He is married to my ex-husband's sister."  Ms. Gregory took up the story,
almost daring the nurse to say she was lying.

Erin recovered her composure as the two debated Mister Lee's ties to Peter.
"Uncle Lee, I didn't recognize you in the dim light."

"It is good to see you too little Erin."  He kissed the top of her head.

Whether she believed he really was Peter's uncle, she did not renew her
request for him to leave.  Shaking her head, she walked away muttering how
she was getting soft in her old age.

The older man walked over to the bed, gently touching his student's
forehead.  Jason noticed Lee's jaw quiver slightly as he ran his fingers
gently over Peter's head.

"Jason can stay," Mrs. Gregory said.  "It won't upset Peter if he sees
Jason."

"Did you hear what happened between them?"  Erin glared at him.

"I heard enough to know they had a disagreement."

"One argument, no matter the outcome, could not quench what I know was in
Peter's heart."  Mister Lee added without turning from his student.  "For a
time he might have been angry, but at his core, he loves Jason.  Of that I
am certain."

He turned his gaze on Jason.  "If, however, you are not prepared to return
his love, you should go.  His recovery will be long and difficult, do not
complicate it with your own indecision."

"I never stopped loving him," Jason said.

Mister Lee did not appear satisfied.  "Let me rephrase my statement.  If
you are not prepared to be with him, you should leave now."

Erin picked her head up, waiting to hear his answer.  Could he really say
he would never get cold feet again?  Never need space to sort things out?
No, he couldn't say that.  For a moment he debated leaving, taking to heart
Erin's words to think of Peter and not himself.  Instead he walked toward
the door and moved a chair closer.  "Like I said, I was looking for him to
let him know I chose him."

"Damn!"  Mrs. Gregory said, her attention locked on her phone.

"Mom, what's wrong?"  Erin asked

"That stupid bimbo your father married is such a . . . ."  She fumbled for
the right word, but her anger held her back.

"Jerk?"  Jason offered.

"Worse, but that will have to do."  She snorted.  "I told her that Peter
was critically injured and I needed Thomas' cell phone so I could call him.
I only have his home number.  She told me under no circumstances would she
give me Tommy's new number."  Her voice turned shrill when she used the
woman's pet name for her ex-husband.

"She told me she would take a message and have him call back when he
returned from Dallas."

"Did you tell her Peter might be dead by then?"  Erin caught herself too
late.

"No, because he won't be," Mrs. Gregory said in steely voice.

"I can get you Mr. Gregory's number," Jason offered.

"What?"  She looked confused.

"Yes, Mrs. Gregory, Peter has it."

"Amanda."

"Excuse me, ma'am?"

"Call me Amanda."  She managed a weak smile.  "Mrs. Gregory sounds so old."

"Yes, ma'am."  He felt uncomfortable using her first name.  "Is Peter's
phone around?"

"I have it."  She grabbed a small bag beside the bed.  "The paramedics gave
it to the nurses when they brought Peter here."

Rummaging through her purse, she pulled out Peter's blackberry.  Turning
the phone over in her hand, she dropped it Jason's hand.  "You do it.  I
have no idea how that contraption works."

Jason unlocked the phone, thumbing through the numbers until he found
Thomas Gregory's name.  Pressing the call button, he tried to hand the
phone to Amanda, but she and Erin were holding Peter's hands.

"Hey, Peter!"  He heard a voice on the other end.

"Sorry Mr. Gregory this is Jason."

"Jason?"

"Peter's . . . er . . . friend," He said.

"Why are you calling me on his phone?"

"Peter's been hurt, sir.  Hurt real bad."  Jason choked before he could
continue.

"WHAT?!?"  Thomas yelled so loud everyone in the room turned toward the
source.  "What happened?"

Jason struggled to open his mouth without sobbing, drawing two breaths in
the process.

"Give me the phone."  Amanda held out her hand.

Relieved to not have to keep talking to Peter's father, Jason quickly did
as she requested.

"Thomas, this is Amanda.  I tried to call you, but Boopsie wouldn't give me
your cell number."

"Her name is Becky."  Jason heard him growl

"Whatever, Peter got beat up by a group of boys.  He is in a coma."  The
words came out in a rush, but that was a far as she got before she started
crying again.

Jason heard Thomas Gregory repeat something several times, his voice
getting louder each time.  Steadying himself, he gently took the phone from
Amanda's hand.

"Sorry sir, she can't speak right now."  His voice was barely more than a
whisper.

"What happened?"

"A guy named Jordan, who hated Peter, ambushed him with five of his
friends.  Someone had a baseball bat.  They kicked and stomped him pretty
bad before a police offer stopped it."  Jason had to stop several times
during the brief explanation.  Each time he closed his eyes tight,
remembering this is what Peter would want him to do.

When he stopped speaking, Jason was greeted by silence.  Finally a shaken
voice asked, "How is my boy?"

Jason swallowed hard.  He needed to control his emotions to do this for
Peter.  "He has a lot of injuries.  I don't know them all, but they broke a
bone in his back, his arm, his eye socket and he has fluid on the brain.
He's . . . he's in bad shape, sir."

"Where are you?"  Thomas managed.  Jason thought he heard him crying.

"County General, sir.  Do you need me to text you the address?"

"No, no, I know where it is."  This time Jason was sure Peter's dad was
crying.  He kept quiet, not knowing what else to say.

Finally Thomas spoke, "Can you see if Amanda can speak to me again?"

"Yes, sir."  He held the phone away out, hopeful she could talk.  He was at
the limits of his ability to keep his emotions in check.  After talking
about Peter's injuries, he wanted to curl up and cry.  Acting as a go
between for the two would be too hard.  "Mrs. Gregory . . . Amanda,
Mr. Gregory would like to speak to you again."

She wiped her eyes, took a deep breath, then held her hand out for the
phone.  "Yes, Tom."

She stepped away so that Jason couldn't hear what Mr. Gregory was saying.

"Yes, Tom," she repeated.  "Yes, yes, you can stay with me.  This isn't
about you and me."

Another pause while Peter's dad spoke.  Amanda turned to look at Jason and
Mister Lee.  "Yes, I will get someone to pick you."

Both men nodded they would do that.

"What?"  Tear started to flow down her face again.  "Yes, Tom, it is.
Hurry."

She looked at the key board, a finger poised over the buttons.  Frustrated
she handed the phone to Jason.  "Here, turn this off please."

"Yes ma'am."

"He's going to book the first flight he can and let me know the details,"
she told no one in specific.

"I can go get him," Mister Lee volunteered.

"Me too," Jason added, trying to be useful.

The older man shook his head, meeting his gaze.  "No, you should stay
here."

Jason stared at Mister Lee before he nodded.

"How long has Peter been talking to Tom?"  Amanda asked him.

Jason noted she did not sound pleased by this.  "I'm not sure ma'am.  As
long as I have known him he and his dad talked."

"They talk all the time mom. Peter started calling him about two years
ago."

"You knew?"  Amanda faced Erin, stunned by the news.  "Do you talk to him
too?"

Erin shook her head.  "Peter keeps asking me to call him, but I was old
enough to remember, he wasn't."

"Why would he do this?"

"It is not about you Mrs. Gregory."  Mister Lee said.  "He wanted his
father to be a part of his life.  I suggested he call Thomas Gregory if
that is what he wanted."

"You encouraged him to go behind my back?"  Amanda's voice wavered, but
Jason didn't know if it was because Peter was hurt or he had been talking
to his father.

"Peter is a man now.  I told him a man must make his own choices and live
with the consequences," he told her.  "When he sought my advice on whether
to call, I told him to follow his heart."

No one said much for a long time.  Peter's blackberry broke their silence,
buzzing on the night stand.  Jason answered it when he saw "Dad" flashing
on the screen.  Searching for something to write down the information, he
finally found a pen, but had to use a paper towel to write on.

After he confirmed the information he jotted down was correct, he gave the
phone to Mister Lee.  From the conversation Jason could hear, they were
discussing where to meet and how they would recognize each other.

Having all he needed, Mister Lee turned off the phone, setting it gently on
the table.

"I will see you tomorrow after I pick up Thomas. Gregory."  He gave Erin
and Amanda a hug.  Nodding to Jason, he said, "You should go home to get
some sleep."

"No, I can't go right now."  Jason refused to meet Mister Lee's eyes.  "I
left him once today."

Grabbing Jason by the shoulders, the older man forced him to look up.  "You
are not the cause of what happened today.  Those who did this would have
found another time to do this."

Jason didn't answer, what could he say?

"Goodnight."  Mister Lee said to the room as he left.

********

Jason didn't remember much else about that night.  He woke in the chair
next to Peter's bed covered by a blanket.  The sun was just beginning to
light the room, enough for him to see Erin and her mom similarly covered in
chairs across the bed.

Pushing the blanket aside, he got up to use the restroom.  In the mirror he
noted he needed a shave.  He rubbed the stubble, then splashed water on his
face.  After he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, he realized it was
Thursday; he had biology at 10:00 a.m.

"Too bad," he said to his reflection.  He wasn't going to class until he
knew Peter would be okay.

Drying his face, he opened the door, almost walking into someone.

"Whoa," he said before he could catch himself.

A black man in a blue shirt and striped tie stood just outside the bathroom
door.  Jason saw the gun holstered on his waist before he noticed the badge
hanging from a chain on his neck.  But for the hint of gray in the
officer's temples, Jason would have suspected he was not much older than he
and Peter.

"Are you Jason Tellerman?" the man asked.

"Yes sir."  Jason looked at the man warily.  "Who are you?"

Reaching for his badge, he turned it around to show Jason his police
identification card.  "Detective Belle.  I need to ask you some questions
if you don't mind."

"Do I have to?"  Jason asked.  "I mean do I have to do it right now?  I
don't want to leave."

"Now would be best.  We're trying to put the paperwork together to file
charges against the six who did this," Detective Belle said.  "It won't
take long."

Turning back toward Peter, Jason felt a pull back toward his friend, but
nodded anyway.  "Ok."

Giving Amanda and Erin a wave, Detective Belle directed him out into the
hallway.  "The hospital has a small room they let us use when we are
investigating crimes," he explained as they walked.

At the end of the hall, they turned right before stopping in front of a
room with no window.  Belle opened the door, motioning for Jason to go
inside.  Just past the detective's shoulder, Jason could see a second man
sitting inside.

"Am I under arrest?"  Jason remained in the hallway.

"No son, you're not even a suspect."  Belle sounded sincere.  "We're trying
to get as much background information we can.  We were told you were once
good friends with Jordan Colmar."

"Yeah, I was."  Jason shook his head.  "But he didn't like the fact I was
gay."

"C'mon, let's talk in private," Belle suggested.

"Do I need a lawyer?"  Jason heard detectives tricked people into talking
by pretending they weren't going to arrest someone.

"You're always free to have a lawyer present," Belle explained.  "But, as I
said, we really only want to talk about stuff that happened before the
attack.  Anything you can tell us might help convict Jordan and his
co-defendants."

Jason hesitated, he wanted to believe them.  No, what he really wanted was
to help put Jordan away for what he did.  Pushing aside his fears for
himself, he entered the room.  Three chairs, two on one side of a small
white table, and a third on the other side against the wall.  The second
detective, an older white man in khakis and a white shirt, motioned Jason
toward the lone chair across the table from him.

Jason stared at the man's badge as he scribbled a few notes on a
stenographer's pad in front of him.  A few business cards sat on the table
next to the pad.  Detective Belle shut the door, then moved the second
chair around the table until he was on the same side as Jason, sitting in
front of the door.

"If I'm not under arrest, how come you're blocking the door?"  Jason asked.

"Listen son," the second officer said.  "I'm not sure how else we can say
it, but you aren't in any trouble."

Belle laughed.  "Sorry Jason, old habits."  He shrugged.  "This is how
we're taught to do interviews, for our safety and to prevent escapes.  We
can trade seats if you feel more comfortable."

"No sir, that's ok."  He shook his head to emphasis the point.  "I'm tired
and afraid for Peter."

The older detective smiled sympathetically.  "You're Peter's boyfriend?"

Jason nodded.  "Yes, but we had a fight right before this happened."

"What I meant was, you and he are close, you're allowed to worry for him."
The man gave him a smile that seemed genuine.

"Jason," Detective Belle said.  "I don't want to pressure you, but we
really need to get as much information as possible.  If you don't feel
comfortable speaking to us, we can wait."

"No, if this will help, I want to do it."  Jason took a deep breath.  "What
do you want to know?"

"Good."  Belle smiled at him.  Jason found he trusted the man, even though
he knew that was part of the routine.

"As I told you already, I'm Detective Belle.  This is my partner, Detective
Dravek."  Dravek slid two business cards across the table toward Jason.

Jason picked them up.  One said Detective Joshua Belle, his badge number, a
phone number and other information.  Dravek's said Gilbert "Bud" Dravek,
Detective Sergeant.

"First thing, do you need anything? Coffee? Bagel? Juice?"  Belle pointed
toward a box of Starbuck's coffee, along with some pastries on the end of
the table.

"Coffee and a donut would be great."  Jason realized how hungry he was once
he saw the food.

Both men snorted.  "Not all cops eat donuts you know," Dravek said as he
tossed Jason a bagel.  "Have a wheat bagel, it's good for you."

 A small sigh escaped his throat.  Peter would have said the same thing.

"Thank you."  He remembered to say as he bit into the bagel while pouring
himself some coffee.

"Feel better?"  Belle asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Good."  Belle flipped through the page of his notebook.  "How long have
you known Jordan Colmar?"

"We were friends since were five."  Taking a drink Jason added, "We played
soccer together through high school."

"Good friends?"  Belle asked.

"I thought so, but I guess not really."

"What do you mean?"  Dravek asked.

"Well," Jason drank some more coffee trying to find the right words.  "He
stopped speaking to me the day he found out I was gay.  In fact he made it
a point to tell the entire school, our old friends, anyone he could think
of I was gay.  Then for shits and giggles, he had his mom tell all my
mother's friends, so it would get back to her."

"Some friend," Belle commented.

Jason nodded, biting into his food.

"When was the first time you noticed trouble with Jordan and Peter?"  Belle
asked.

"Week after Valentine's Day, this year."  Jason frowned thinking about that
day.

"What happened?" the detective asked.

While he finished his food, Jason relayed the night's events.

Still writing, Detective Belle asked, "Anything else happen?"

"Not between Jordan and Peter," Jason replied.

"How about you and Jordan?"  The detective asked.

"Other than him telling everyone he could I was gay, no."  Jason rolled his
eyes.  "He and I only spoke once since that night."

"What happened?"

Even now, talking about Jordan made him unsettled.  "He tried to apologize
before this semester started.  I told him I didn't believe him and we would
never be friends again.  I think he was afraid I will kick his ass for what
he did to me."

"Would you have?"  Dravek looked up from his note book.

"Fuck yeah."  Jason made his feelings clear.  "That asshole tried to ruin
my life.  He tried to get me kicked off the soccer team, the school, he
drove a huge wedge between me and my mom."

Detective Belle wrote something down in his book. "Describe Darryl."

"Tall, maybe 6'3,'' dark hair, kind of built, not skinny not fat."

"White or black?"

"Black, medium complexion."

"What about Wendy?" Dravek asked. "Are they a couple?"

Jason snorted and shook his head.  The detectives were too busy writing to
see his answer.

"What was that?" Belle asked.

"No." Jason replied. "I need to use the bathroom."

Belle stood up, open the door and let Jason out. Jason noticed the
detective was following him.

"I can do this by myself. Jason said.

"I know you can son," the detective said. "But I need to go too."

Jason laughed. "Sorry."