Dyatlov Pass [4/12]

[x-carnivale-x.livejournal.com]

Title: Dyatlov Pass.
Author: x_carnivale_x
Pairing: Chip/Jeff, everyone else.
Rating: R/NC17 [violence, homosexuality, graphic description of gore]
Summary: The causes of the accident are still unknown. Neither the official inquest, nor attempts by enthusiastic unofficial investigations have solved the mystery.
Author's Notes: This one isn't as long as the last, but future chapters actually get pretty long. I think one is like. 10,000 words. So, look forward to that. :)
Previous Chapters: Chapter One // Chapter Two // Chapter Three //



Chip's ears jumped to attention. Everyone's heads turned to look through the window at Jeff. His figure hadn't changed, he still faced the wall, sitting perfectly upright, his head titled slightly. His mouth was slightly open, and Chip wondered if anyone else noticed that he was shaking. They sat in silence, as if they were waiting for Jeff. Had he spoken? Had he heard them? He couldn't have heard them. It wasn't possible.

"They're dead..." He muttered again. Chip swallowed thickly, and in the next instant they were filing out the door and into Jeff's room. Chip started to walk towards his friend, but the Helsinki officer held him back and shook his head no as the doctor approached the young man instead. When they were sure Chip would stay put, the two police joined the doctor by Jeff's bed.

"Jeffrey?" The doctor asked. Chip saw the raven twitch slightly, and his head tilted further to the side. This was a complete one eighty from the Jeff that Chip had just witnessed. What had happened behind those blue orbs to trigger such a quick change? Chip wanted to believe it was his own presence that had managed to bring out his friend again, but for some reason he didn't think that was the case this time. He continued to watch as the American spoke up.

"Jeff, we need you to tell us what happened."

"They're dead."

"You could be the key to finding the others, Jeffrey. You need to tell us exactly what you remember."

"T-they're all dead."

"We know, Jeff. But we just want to at least find their bodies."

"You won't find them."

"We found you."

"I got out."

"Please, Jeff."

But the boy was silent again. Chip saw his eyes glaze over and he wanted to yell in frustration and anguish as they did so. Goddamn them. Goddamn those eyes; what once had been haunting were now only haunted. And it broke Chip. He closed his eyes and ran his hand over his brow. He heard the American officer curse loudly, and in that instant, Chip wanted to hit him. Not for kicks, not a nice little love tap. He wanted to punch him in the face.

"Shut the fuck up." Chip instructed sternly, and the officer merely looked at him, as did the rest of his friends, all shocked at his sudden outburst.

Chip shook his head and walked towards Jeff, he pushed past the doctor and sat hesitantly next to him. Chip looked at the dark haired man as he merely stared at the wall. Slowly he reached his hand forward and placed it against Jeff's pale cheek. Lightly his thumb moved back and forth, stroking the alabaster skin as gently as he could. Jeff didn't move. But Chip didn't stop, Jeff's lack of response only fueled him to do it more. He felt his stomach turn as he felt his friend's cold skin underneath his fingers. Then suddenly, Chip felt movement underneath his fingertips. Chip bit his lip as Jeff turned to look at him. He had to hold back his tears as he stared into pale blue colored eyes. They stared back... and they quivered. Jeff bit his lip and a tear slipped down his cheek.

"Chip..."

"Jeff."

Chip leaned forward and wrapped his arms around him as Jeff leaned against him in return. Chip felt Jeff shake in his arms. No one said a word for a few minutes, they watched as the two friends held each other. Chip could hear Ryan and the Helsinki officer talking quietly, but couldn't hear what they were saying. But when he felt Jeff moving he again, he glanced down, and suddenly he didn't care about what Ryan and the officer were talking about. Jeff's arms were wrapping gingerly around Chip's middle to reciprocate the hug. Chip felt a sudden need to kiss Jeff's hair, and he did. But suddenly the officer was signaling to him that they needed to leave, and Chip wanted to hit him again. Hesitantly he released Jeff, who stared up at him again as he left, but after a moment he merely returned to staring at the wall. With a sigh, Chip ran his fingers lightly through Jeff's hair again and walked towards the others in the room. They left silently. In the hall, everyone stood in a circle in silence until finally the American officer spoke again.

"We need him to talk."

"Is that all you're worried about?"

"Mr. Esten, we still have six missing people. And all Jeff has told us is that they're dead. We have to know what he knows."

"Well you're not going to fucking get anything out of him now. Look at him, for Christ's sake! He's scared shitless. Whatever happened fucked him up. That is not my best friend in there. You won't get him this way... You won't get him so long as he's here." Chip ran his hand over the nape of his neck and turned away from the officer. He wasn't sure why his friends and the other officers were being so quiet all of a sudden. He had a funny feeling that there was something he was missing about the given situation, but he dared not ask. He swallowed thickly.

"Let me take him home. Or, or at least out of here." Chip demanded in a flustered voice. But the doctor responded quickly.

"We can't yet."

"Why not?"

"You said it yourself, look at him, Mr. Esten, he is not of sound mind, and I cannot, in all good conscience, release him at this point."

"He's not going to talk if you keep him alone in a fucking institution. If anything, it's just going to make him worse."

"Even if we could release him now, we would need the consent from his family to do so."

Chip furrowed his brow and let out a quick breath.

"Family?... I," he pointed to himself, "am his family. They," he pointed to Ryan, Colin, Brad, and Greg, "are his family. And we give consent."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Esten, but I cant release him."

Chip pressed his palms into his eyes and clenched every muscle in his face. With a frustrated huff, he relaxed and lowered his arms.

"Fine... Fine. Then I stay here." He paused. "With Jeff. Not in the lobby, not in the waiting rooms. I stay here, in his room."

The doctor said nothing, nor did the police officers, and yet Chip stayed resolute and firm in his stature. The doctor began to open his mouth, most likely to object to Chip's demands, but Greg spoke up quickly.

"Chip stays. If you want Jeff to tell you anything, you'll let Chip stay. No one's gunna bring Jeff out but him."

Chip looked at Greg in slight surprise at the vehement defense he'd just provided and he smiled slightly at him; a small sign of thanks to his friend. But that moment was past, and now all that Chip could focus on was the nod the doctor gave and him saying that they would roll in a cot for him. Chip would have preferred to not stay to hear the rest as he continued to blather on, he would have rather been back in Jeff's room, which is why he stood staring through the window at his friend's back, clad in horrendous off-white shirt and pants. But the doctor, officers and the band were talking again, and Chip kept catching small parts of the conversation.

Forensic files.
Worried about his health.
It was on his clothes.

Chip would've cared, but his eyes and attention were trapped, he was entranced, staring at his friend. He could see the boy's spine along with his ribs through the white shirt, and as he stared, he noticed small movements in Jeff's right hand. His fingers were moving, only slightly, but enough to be seen. Jeff's fingers were tracing something, small patterns in the sheets on which he was sitting. But aside from his hand, Jeff didn't move. And for the next five minutes, as the others talked, Chip watched Jeff trace and scratch into the sheets, until finally he had the courage to rejoin the boy, sliding into the room and closing the door behind him; leaving the two of them alone for the moment.

[Chapter Four Cut]


There's chapter four! I know it wasn't as long, but it's still filled to the brim with goodies and new stuff. So there. Enjoy!

Review! You guys have really done great and definitely made me want to keep going. Each reviews fuels me a little more and makes me want to keep going. So thank you guys, keep on reviewing for me. :)