Ryan's Redemption

[the-empressar.livejournal.com]

Title: Ryan's Redemption: 14/?
Author:  The Empress
Pairing: None/WLiiA Cast members
Rating: PG
Summary:  A very heartbreaking chapter indeed.  Character death.  
Disclaimer:  I have only myself to blame.  I am in the market for a much more happier muse.  This one has a slightly tinged halo that is in need of a polishing.  Forgive me!

*Sorry to my beta fan...I waited until 10pm.  I needed to get this out before bedtime....*  I want your comments here N E ways:)

 

Chapter 14

A loud clanging on the cell door startled the pair who were at the moment locked away in a paradise of their own making. Their looks spoke volumes as each tried to convey to the other everything that was in their hearts in the next 30 seconds.

"Proops!" A voice called. It belonged to Chip Esten. "Time's up." He said with a laugh in his voice. Brad Sherwood stood behind him. His features were drawn and morose. He did not like the task that he was about to perform. He hated it. He hated himself. He wanted to quit this whole business. He stood unmoving behind Chip, as the short, lithe man dug out the cell keys.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN HERE!" Chip said as he entered the small cell. Greg and Colin were still locked in a naked embrace. Greg looked at Chip with sheer animosity and just a slight touch of fear. He wrapped his arms protectively around Colin, and brought his lips to his forehead, never taking his eyes off of the jack ass in front of him. Colin, who had been tasting the skin of Greg's neck under his earlobe trying to remain oblivious but failing, raised his bleary-eyed gaze to Brad. Brad looked away smiling, blushing slightly.

"Oh now this is just too much, " Chip said with a look of disgust. He started to pull Greg out of the bunk. He grabbed Greg's ankle and yanked hard.

"NO." The word came from Colin. He held on to Greg tighter.

"Get off of him, sissy boy." Chip pushed hard on Colin's shoulder.

"Don't you dare touch him!" Greg threatened.

"Or what, you gonna beat me with that limp piece of shit you call a dick? Get your ass outta that bed Pansy!" Chip removed his stick.

"That's not necessary." Brad said from behind Chip. He had entered the cell and was picking up Greg and Colin's discarded pants.

"Alright then make them move." Chip said looking anywhere but at the pair clutched tightly together on the mattress.

Colin was whispering frantically to Greg. "Don't go. Not yet. Please. Don't go."

Greg was trying his best to be strong for Colin's sake. Inside he was already dying. "Shhh..honey. It's ok. It's going to be ok."

"GET THE HELL OUT OF THAT BED BEFORE I MAKE YOU!" Chip said grabbing Greg's upper arm and pulling him. Greg complied. He knew he would have to anyway. Chip started pushing him toward the cell door. He had his cuffs out and was locking Greg's wrists behind his back.

"Hey can't a guy even dress first?" Greg said looking behind him at Chip. "Or do you like what you see? I mean I don't have any problems walking in front of you down the hall. I'll make sure I give you a good show.

Greg received a blow to the mouth for his impertinence. He looked back at Chip without making a sound, the blood oozing out of a cut in his lip.

Colin darted out of the bed and rushed at Chip. He was seeing red. He couldn't contain his animosity anymore. It was only by sheer luck that Brad was able to hold him off and hold him back before he got to Chip. He grabbed his arms, locking his own behind him and pulled him back with effort.

"Hold him." Chip said.

"Let me go, Brad!" Colin screamed. "Just once let me go!"

"COLIN!" The sharp sound of his name gave him pause. It came from Greg who stood in front of him. He was calm. He was standing still, naked and handcuffed, looking at his lover, sternly getting his attention. He stopped trying to pull away from Brad and stood there breathing heavily.

"Let me go."

"What...Greg, what are you saying?"

"It's time, let me go." Greg looked at him filling his smile with as much love as he could. Chip had already started trying to dress Greg in his discarded pants. Colin tried to shrug away from Brad once more, calmer now.

"Don't you let that gay bastard get any where near this one." Chip said ruthlessly. Brad reluctantly held Colin back tightening his grip once more.

"Don't look away from me Colin." Greg said pleading.

"I won't! I won't" Colin said beginning to cry, his hands were twisting, distressed behind him. "Greg...Greg...please! Please don't leave me now!"

With some difficulty, Chip managed to get Greg's pants up and fastened. He looked the man in the eye as he did the button, with a cold-hearted steeled gaze. A brutal smile played on his lips. Greg maintained his vacant-eyed stare at the man. He would not win this time. Instead he looked over to Colin and reassured him as best as he could with his words. "It's ok. It's alright. You'll be ok. Ssshhhh. Don't cry Listen to me. I want you to let Ryan take care of you ok? Will you promise me that? Will you give me that? "

Chip ushered him a little less than civilly toward the open cell door. Greg broke contact with Colin's eyes momentarily and Colin wailed "No..NO! Brad you have to let me go to him, PLEASE BRAD!" Brad held him back but faced him toward Greg. "Greg...GREG please please please." he repeated in a mantra.

Chip was starting to walk Greg down the corridor, nudging him forcefully when he balked. Brad clanged the door shut to Colin's cell leaving the man standing there. "I'm sorry, so sorry Colin." He said turning to go. Colin threw himself at the bars shaking them violently. "GREG, GREG COME BACK! COME BACK!" His voice became hysterical.

Greg heard the panic in his voice and immediately stopped. Chip nudged him again and before anyone could do anything at all, Greg whirled around and ran back to his cell. He stopped before it and looked at Colin desperately, pleadingly. Colin reached between the bars and held the other man closely to him, pressing their foreheads together once more. Greg wished he had his hands free, but he stayed there, pushing himself as close as he could to Colin's body.

"I forgot to tell you..." Colin whispered, tears coursing down his cheeks.

"What, what is it?" Greg said low, his voice filled with affection, he peppered light kisses on Colin's nose.

"I never told you," Colin said sobbing his voice.

"It's ok...you don't have to." Greg said understanding.

"I want to. I have to. You have to know."

Greg nodded. Colin's hand stroked the back of his neck at the base of his hairline. Their foreheads pressed together. No one would take him before he said it.

"I love you, Greg." Colin brought his lips to Greg's in a fate sealing kiss. Greg whimpered and lost his control. Chip had already come up behind him and yanked his arm hard almost pulling it out of it's socket. Colin held on to the other arm not letting go until Greg was wrenched from his grasp.

"Let Ryan love you more." Was Greg's parting words to him. He turned with Chip and was hustled down the hall once again.

The trio made their way to the first story landing of Cell Block C. All of the other prisoners were witnessing the commotion and by no means were being silent about the goings on. Ryan and Jeff were both out of their bunks and at the cell door when Greg was ushered past. Greg looked at the pair forlornly wanting to convey as much love as he could in his looks to them as well.

"Give 'em hell Greg!" Ryan shouted shaking the bars of his cage. "See you on the other side!!"

Greg stopped once again, Chip nearly tripping over him as he held onto Greg's upper arm. "You ain't going no where." He said pulling him along once again. Greg turned back caught Ryan's eyes and said simply. "Love him."

Ryan nodded. Jeff turned his back on the scene and leaned against the bars, running a hand through his hair.

Brad and Chip walked Greg to an outer building much like the solitary confinement area. This building was known by everyone as "death row" Greg was to stay here a week, while preparations were made to the viewing room, the control room and finally the chair, the last he would ever sit in. Greg was issued to a cell that contained a bunk, a wash basin and a toilet. There was also a desk for writing correspondence and eating a last meal. There was a window to look out of. It was sterile, but it was not dark and gloomy like the pit.

The cell door closed with finality.

Every day during the week, Greg asked repeatedly if the Governor's stay had arrived. Each day he received negative news. Each day he inquired after Colin. If it was anyone other than Brad he would not ask, but Brad came by at least once a day to bring him news, to bring his meals. He listened to Brad as he told him that Colin and Ryan spent most of their time together. Ryan was doing his best to console Colin, and that he was looking after him as promised. What Brad didn't tell Greg was that Colin wasn't looking well at all. Ryan told him he wasn't eating, and he wasn't sleeping. He would sit alone in the yard, and would only let Ryan comfort him at times, pushing him away at others.

 Ryan was having a hard enough time of his own. He had grown to care for Greg over the short time he had known him. He had took Greg's parting words seriously, but did not know how to feel that way toward Colin. He cared for Colin very deeply. They had played together, talked together, enjoyed each others company over the past year. He looked forward to seeing the man every day and felt empty if he couldn't. Did that mean he loved him?

When he saw Colin that first day after Greg's forceful extraction, he knew his answer was clear. Colin had a lost, adrift look about him, and all Ryan wanted to do was reach out and hold him. And so he did. Despite a few feeble protests, Colin gradually melted into other man's bony yet comforting embrace, rubbing his face against Ryan's shirt collar. Ryan just held him. He brushed his nose against Colin's scalp softly, and closed his eyes. They both stood that way for hours. Sometimes Colin would cry bitterly into Ryan's chest, other times he would beat his fists against the same chest in defiance, not understanding why life was so unfair to all of them. "Why did this happen?" He would say over and over.

The week was spent catching moments together whenever they could. They met everyday when they were not working or in their cells. They ate their meals together in comforting silence, although Colin hardly touched his food, just sat there and stared at it. When they had free time, it was spent in the library, sitting on one of the few benches brushing their shoulders together every so often letting the other know they were still there, even though there was not much to say. Everything that was needed to be said was said clearly and understandably through looks and touches. They seemed to automatically read each other's thoughts and touches with an ease that came naturally.

The day came faster than anyone had expected. That night Greg stayed up looking at the moon from his window. The moonlight cast an eerily calm glow over everything. They had shaved his head earlier that day and he thought ruefully to himself that he could now give Colin a run for his money in the baldness department. Gone was his full head of luxurious hair that he had so cherished. They had also taken his glasses that evening. He requested that they give them to Colin for safekeeping. They granted him his request. He had asked several times during the day if the Governor had come through for him. It was not to be in his favor. Greg had by this time truly given up any hope of survival. He prayed a silent prayer before laying down in his bunk, letting his eyes drift shut, letting the images flood his brain once again of a moment in time that will remained etched there for all of eternity.

 

The rain came down, coating the hot Alabama landscape with it's cooling relief. It pitter pattered soothingly against a cell window, rousing its occupant. He looked toward the window, wishing that it were open so that he could feel the rain once more on his skin. He reached up and held onto one of the bars, pressing his hand against the glass. He watched it, his back turned to the cell door.

A throat cleared softly behind him. He turned and Brad Sherwood stood at the open cell door. He looked at Brad. Brad shook his head no. He nodded. For some reason he was glad it wasn't going to be Brad who escorted him. He wanted to spare his friend that. Two guards followed Brad into the cell and took their place on either side of him. Straightening his shirt and out of habit, reaching up to fix his glasses that were no longer there, he left the cell and turned to the right.

It was like every movie that he'd seen as a child. The door was at the end of a long hall. It stood open and inside waited the chair, a beacon calling to him. Calling him home. In a way he was happy he no longer had his glasses, because from this distance everything was a blur. The guards on either side pushed him forward a little. Brad, knowing that this was his only opportunity, tugged on his shirtsleeve and gently turned him around. He put a comforting hand on his shoulder and studied his eyes. "Be brave." He said. He turned away, overcome by tears of his own.

The guards each took one of his arms and walked slowly with him. Each step seemed like miles. Everything was going in slow motion only to speed up when they were 10 steps away from the door. Everything was becoming clearer, in his mind and in his sights. He let out a breath and something inside of him broke free. He couldn't let this happen. Screw courage, screw bravery, he wanted his freedom. He wanted his life. He didn't care what anyone of the people sitting in that room thought of him, he didn't deserve this. "NOOOOOO" He screamed. NOOOOOO you can't do this to me!!! You can't...YOU CAN'T!! I'm SORRY I'M SORRY!! DON'T DON'T DON'T let them DO THIS TO ME...He laughed and cried hysterically. The guards wrestled with him. At one point he broke free running for his life, running for the door. They caught him and pulled him back, kicking and screaming. He would NOT go down without a fight! LET ME LIVE LET ME LIVE!!! He cried to the blank faces behind the glass. The people from long ago who came to witness the death of a man they never knew. They looked at him with bitter, hateful eyes. "You don't know me," he whispered pleading.

They strapped him to the chair and placed the cap on his head. Greg looked around at the man who would throw the switch. He forgave him instantly. He would have no other opportunity. He watched the clock, desperate to hear the call of halt to this travesty, waiting for a call that never came. As the clock struck 9:00 am, the Warden Drew Carey asked if the prisoner Gregory Everett Proops had any final words. With a look of maniacal glee he shouted at the top of his voice "MADE IT MA!!! TOP OF THE WORLD!!!" The last thing he ever saw was Warden Carey's nod as the hood was brought down over his head and the switch was flipped.

The lights throughout the penitentiary flickered on and off momentarily. Colin Andrew Mochrie sat on the top bunk of the bunk bed he shared with his very best friend for 13 years. He thudded his head slow and methodically against the wall. One hand gripped his sheets, clenching and un clenching. In his other, he held a pair of thick rimmed glasses. He couldn't cry. He couldn't see. He couldn't feel.

Ryan and Jeff held onto each other tightly giving each other the comfort they wanted to give their friend. Each of them cried into the others arms, the tears flowing freely and openly. They would feel. They would feel.