The Good Ones Go

It has been a couple months since Chelsea has really talked to anyone. After a single week of staying in that stuffy hotel room, the calls seemed to come non-stop from Travis, who she resolved to avoid like the plague. The jealousy she'd felt from seeing Madie in his house made her uncomfortable, and she doesn’t think she can be around him anymore without asking him to leave her. Travis deserves to be happy, and she can't hold it against him that he decided to move on. Adam hasn't called, but she wants to call him. Dealing with this separation is difficult, and Chelsea had the divorce papers drawn up, but hasn't worked up the nerve to take them to him. She hasn't talked to Colson either save for the couple of text messages they exchanged after Casie's treatments. Two more to go, and hopefully the cancer will be gone forever, just like all the men in her life.

Work is the only thing that she's allowed to consume her life, and she doesn't hate herself for it. She finds the distraction like a gift - the only light shining upon her days of darkness. Rico is happy to see she's back on track. He had grown tired of covering for her, and when he first met Chelsea he didn't think she was one to take advantage of people. When he realized she was truly going through a rough time he backed off a bit, but still, he is glad to see her at work consistently.

Chelsea left that hotel after two weeks, realizing that paying rent in an equally shitty apartment would be more worthwhile. She's in a one bedroom now about 20 minutes from the hospital, but she doesn't go there often. Her compass needs some recalibrating because she doesn't really know what home is anymore. It used to be a place, a person, but now she feels homeless. Most of her nights she spends at the hospital picking up clinic shifts where she knows she's always welcome. It doesn't feel right when she drives to that red brick building and unlocks the hollow white door. Looking inside at the barren wasteland of an apartment makes her feel even more lost. However, she'd kill for a real nights sleep on a pillow top mattress.

"Chelsea!" she hears a familiar voice shout from down the hall as she makes her way toward the elevators. She tells her achey feet to keep walking, but they stop, and she has no choice except to turn around to see who wanted to catch her so bad. She kicks herself mentally for stopping in the first place when her eyes land on Colson's lanky body down the hall. How had she missed that Casie had an appointment today? She's always so good about avoiding them when they're here, and now she's dropped the ball. She's going to get a good night's sleep tonight, at least that's what she promises herself.

"Hey, you got some time to grab a coffee? Casie's just starting treatment, and it'll be a couple hours," he asks shoving his hands into the pockets of his black Addidas hoodie when he catches up to her. His eyebrows are raised in anticipation as he waits for an answer.

"Uh, well," she wants to say no because she's not sure she's ready to talk about normal people things yet, but the way he looks at her makes her feel guilty for avoiding him. "I can spare a few minutes," she sighs watching the grin form on his face. She doesn't have anything to do for the rest of the day anyway. She watches him reach a hand up to rub his runny nose, which is still red from the cold, and she can't help but smile.

"Ready?" he asks stretching out an arm to direct her forward. He bites his lip when she nods, and he watches her take a few steps before his all black Air Force Ones begin to squeak along the waxed floors behind her.

The pair make their way down to the Starbucks in the lobby by boarding the elevator. Colson admires the way Chelsea shines as she greets a co-worker with the shake of a hand. The lab coat on her tall slim figure seems to fall perfectly around her body, dancing with every move. He admires the dress she's wearing that day, listening to the trivial conversation she's having just to maximize the time he gets to listen to her voice. When his eyes finally land on her face he spots the fake smile that's betraying her act. He keeps quiet until she says bye to her coworker, and the pair steps off the elevator heading to the thankfully short line for much needed coffee.

Colson pulls a chair out for her, and as she sits she thanks him. He pops the dewy white lid off his cup and places it on that brown recycled napkin to let it cool off a little faster. He watches as Chelsea follows suit, settling in the silence for only a moment before asking, "what's wrong?"

"What do you mean?" she looks away from him because she knows he can see right through her.

"Chels," it rolls off his tongue in a sigh. She has the courage to tell him she loves him, but she can't tell him what's wrong?

"I don't really want to talk about it, Cole," she voices shifting uncomfortably in her seat. Her tone is a little snippy as she speaks, and it makes her feel guilty because none of this is his fault.

Colson's eyes watch her hands pick up the coffee cup and bring it to her lips, and suddenly it hits him - she's not wearing her wedding ring. When had she split with Adam? Was it because of their lunch a couple months ago? He did tell her he loves her, maybe when she told Adam he didn’t want to deal with it anymore? Is this his fault? He is the one that created the rift between them after all. The stream of consciousness translates into his words too.

"Fuck, Chelsea," he says, and she turns when she hears the desperation in his voice. "Let me talk to him. I'll explain everything. We'll pick up and leave after Casie finishes her treatment. I'll never call you again. Let me talk to him," his words are a frantic ramble because he's terrified that he's still ruining her life even when he's not with her.

"What are you even talking about?" she asks confused. She watches as his gaze shifts to her hand, and when she realizes he knows, she yanks it off the tables and into her lap.

"I promise, Chelsea. I didn't mean to come in between you. If I can talk to him, I can fix this," he's pleading with her. He wants her to be happy, even if it's without him.

"Richard," her eyes lock with his, and her face is firm because she's scared she's going to cry. She can see Colson gulp, and she lets her eyes blink shut for a moment longer than they should before she speaks. "He didn't leave me," she says unable to confess that she left the only man that had her best interests in heart because she couldn’t get her shit together.

"What?" he furrows his eyebrows. "Chelsea, listen to me. I swear I didn't mean to come between you two. I'm sorry if you've been fighting about this all these months. I promise. Casie's got one more treatment, and I'll leave. I'll never call you again. I don’t wanna be the one that fucks this up for you, not again, Chelsea," the desperation in his voice is so agonizing that he thinks he might cry too.

Chelsea's heart sinks when she listens to him talk. She has to tell him the truth. She can't let him blame himself forever. She readjusts her lab coat and fidgets with her badge. "We didn't separate because of you, Richard. A lot of things happened between then and now. I was confused. I'm still confused, I guess, and Adam doesn't deserve to be with someone that doesn't know what they want," she admits knowing he can hear the regret in her words. She's beating around the bush a little, but how could she tell him that she might still be in love with him? Worse, that she's probably not because she's been in love with Travis this whole time?

"When we were having lunch, you said there was someone else," he's almost reminding himself as he stares at her wondering who that someone could be. If it was him, she'd just tell him wouldn’t she? He can feel his heartbeat in his fucking eardrums, and he reaches down to take a sip of the black coffee in his cup before he looks back up at her.

"Yea, and just like you warned, that ship has sailed," she admits looking down at her lap to fidget with her fingers.

It's not him. Colson gulps. What a stupid thought anyway. "I'm sorry, Cheslea. I know how you feel, trust me," the look on his face is nostalgic as his eyes dig into hers.

Chelsea reaches up to grab a hold of the hand that's sitting on the table. His is warm and hers is ice cold as she grazes her fingers along his palm. "We're kind of pathetic, huh?" she chuckles as she watches his gaze fall down to their locked fingers. He doesn't say anything because he's too busy enjoying her touch. He thought he'd never get to feel it again. "If it's worth anything, I don't want you to go," she admits. She misses him. Despite everything that's happened, she misses him. The real him. The pre-MGK era Richard Baker that would snake his long arms around her body in front of Shaker Heights on a chilly fall day.

"I'm sorry for how I treated you, Chelsea," he sighs as he gives her hand a squeeze. "You deserved so much better. I know it's not an excuse, but I just got so wrapped up in who I became that I forgot who we were. I took you for granted because you were always there. It got me thinking you'd be there no matter what. I fucked up. I've spent a lot of years regretting it. I guess I'm not that much better now, but I'd like to be."

His words are like a veil lifting over her eyes, and she starts to think that maybe a change of scenery would be good for both of them. "Maybe going back home doesn't sound like such a bad idea," she offers. She didn’t have a home, and neither did he. For most of their lives home was with each other, and maybe that's what she needs again.

"It's funny how far we've come isn’t it?" he says "Two kids that had nothing, and now we're here. One of us did better than the other though," he smiles looking up at her. He had everything with her, and he threw it away.

"You didn't do so bad for yourself," she laughs at his statement. It's the first time she's laughed in months. A real laugh, the one that makes your chest vibrate as you throw your head back with a mouth wide open sucking in as much air as you can. She misses him.

"Yea, that's because I had you," his tone is grateful as he stares at her adoringly.

Chelsea holds his gaze for a moment before reaching her hand back to take a sip of coffee.

"I've gotta get back to Cas, but maybe you'll call me sometime?" he suggests as he gets up and places the lid back on his cup.

"Sure," she smiles up at him. He gives her a smile back before he walks away. She stays at the table for a moment, thinking about if it's a good idea to go back home. If it's a good idea to go back to him. Would he even have her? She doesn't know. She doesn't know much of anything, but she knows this is the best she's felt since she stepped foot into that hotel on 83rd a few months ago.

The sip Chelsea takes of her coffee almost comes back up when she sees another body slide into the seat Colson was just sitting in.

"So is that why you've been avoiding me these past couple months?" his voice is so bitter she can feel it in her throat. He sounds jealous even though he has no right to be. He started all of this.

"Travis, I said my peace, it's time to move on," she says with an obvious eye roll.

"Yea, I see you did that pretty quick," he spits back. He knew she'd go running back to MGK.

"I did that pretty quick? I'm not the one that fucking disappeared off the face of the Earth, and then came back with a trophy," she retorts trying her best to keep her voice down as her eyes dart around taking in all the people surrounding them.

She's mad about Madelaine. "So you're the only one that gets to live your life now, Chelsea?" he says through gritted teeth. The one time he tries to move on she gives him shit for it? The nerve. He watches her bring the cup up to her lips, and his heart almost stops at the missing 10k on her finger.

He sounds just like her husband, blaming her for everything when they were both a part of this hurricane that left their lives decimated. "You know what? I'm so over this bullshit. You and Adam can fucking have each other," she says before getting up and storming off. Her feet move as fast as they can in hopes that he won't catch up, and she swipes her badge and glides through the staff entrance to make sure he doesn't. She's tired of this. How did Colson manage to make himself seem like her best option after everything?



Travis stands at the two story mid-century home ringing the doorbell frantically. None of this makes any sense. He's still trying to piece things together as his index finger pushes the cold metal button continuously.

"What?!" Adam shouts as he opens the door, upset by the ridiculous amount of times his doorbell chimed. He's surprised to see Travis at his steps, and he furrows his brows as he opens the door to let the man come in.

"You left her?" Travis shouts as he walks in without bothering to kick his shoes off.

"What?" Adam is even more confused as he shuts the door and follows Travis into the living room. He rolls up the sleeves of his button up wondering what's going on.

"You left Chelsea? I saw her today. No ring on. What in fucking hell compelled you to let the best thing in your fucking life go and slip into MGK's fucking hands again?" Travis is pacing as he yells. He can't believe this is happening.

Adam is confused. MGK? He would have bet his life on the idea that she'd be with Travis. That's why he didn't call him or visit even though he desperately wanted to talk. He was terrified of walking into Travis' house and seeing Chelsea on the couch. He can't believe she's with that asshole again.

"What are you talking about?" Adam needs details. He reaches up to loosen the tie around his neck as he waits for an answer. Whatever this is, it's serious because Travis looks like he just found out he's pregnant.

"I went to see her at work. She's been avoiding me for months, and I couldn't wait anymore, and there she is smiling and holding hands with him," Travis recalls, pacing toward the kitchen with Adam in tow. He stops in his tracks when he sees a set of keys and a ring on the counter. He looks back at Adam for an explanation, but he already knows, and his heart feels likes on it's last beat.

"Right where she left it when she left me," Adam tells his friend as he walks around the man and grabs them both a beer from the fridge. He pops the top off both the Sierra Nevada's before taking a swig and pushing the other one across the counter.

"Why? What the fuck did you do?" Travis is pissed. His nose is flaring, and his hands are clasped into tight fists leaving his knuckles white. If Adam admits to cheating on her he'll fucking kill him, and there's no way around it.

"Me? Why the fuck is this my fault? This all you and your fucking girlfriend," Adam is pissed now too. Travis fucked this up. If he hadn't kissed her, she'd still be here.

"Me and my girlfriend?" Travis furrows his brows as he chugs the beer in his bottle before turning back to Adam for answers. He watches his friend shift his stance from across the counter, and he can tell that he's hurt. His ring is still nestled on his finger as he clenches the bottle of beer that's almost gone.

"I'm sorry, man. I'm not blaming you. I'm just kind of fucked up right now, okay?" this has nothing to do with Travis. It's Chelsea's decision, and he has to respect it. He can see Travis' questioning eyes peering at him, and he sighs. "It's been a long time coming. She doesn't know what she wants, she just knows it's not me," he concludes.

Travis slams the bottle on the countertop. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean? She married you! She doesn't get to decide that it was on accident!" Travis can't believe this. How the fuck did Richard manage to weasel his way back into her life? Travis is sorry his daughter is sick, but that doesn't give him any right to manipulate Chelsea.

"Okay, you don't have to fucking yell at me. You don't think I'm upset enough?" Adam shouts back throwing the empty bottle into the garbage before grabbing another one. This time he sits down on the stool, and his eyes settle on Chelsea's ring that's been staring at him since she left.

"I know, man. I'm sorry," Travis sighs as he follows Adam's gaze. Chelsea was his life for the past six years, and now she's gone. He must feel like shit.

"It's my fault. I should've listened to you that day when I came over. You were right to be doubtful," Adam recalls his friend stumbling over his words on the day that ring was fresh out of the store.

"Adam," Travis sighs out a warning. He shouldn't go there. He doesn't deserve that.

"It would have been kinder to kill me," he sighs, and Travis can almost feel his own heart break at the man's words. This is his best friend. How could he let himself fall in love with his wife?

"I'm so fucking sorry, dude," Travis sighs. He should have never kissed her. He should have never told her he loves her. He blew up all three of their lives in a span of a couple minutes.

"For what? Kissing her? We've been over this already. It's fine. I'm not mad about it," Adam says taking a drink from his ice cold bottle.

"I love her, man," he admits looking dead into Adam's eyes. He can feel the butterflies in his belly fluttering at the admission.

Adam doesn't bother to avert his gaze, but he gulps. It's okay. He knows. He nods at Travis, "I know you do, and I don't blame you because I know you have since the day I first saw you all those years ago."

Travis looks down at his feet. "I didn't even know," he says wondering how he could be so easy to read for everyone but Chelsea.

"Yeah, well, guy friends are never best friends by choice," Adam chuckles trying to lighten the mood. They can sulk all day at having lost Chelsea, but it won't bring her back.

"How does shit get so complicated?" Travis wonders out loud before taking the last sip of his beer. His neck snaps toward Adam at the sound of the doorbell ringing. The men make eye contact as they wonder the same thing: could it be Chelsea? Adam hops up and makes his way to the front door. His heart is beating out of his chest at the thought of seeing her again, and when he opens the door he is not disappointed until she opens her mouth.



Chelsea listens to the phone ring patiently. She is pacing around her bare apartment as she waits for him to pick up.

"Hey, Chels," the voice resonates through her ear, and she lets out a sigh of relief.

"Richard, hey," she says biting her lip. "I need a favor," she hopes he won't say no as her hand begins to twirl the loose strands of her un-brushed hair nervously.

"What's up? I can be free in about twenty minutes," he says looking toward Casie's grandmother for permission to leave. When the older woman gives him a nod, he leans down to kiss his daughter on the cheek before walking out of the house.

"Can you meet me at my place? I'll explain when you get here," she's hopeful it won't make him uncomfortable.

"Sure. Text me the address," he tells her. The smile that creeps up on his face is unavoidable. Her voice is enough to make him happy. He starts his Phantom with the push of a button as he waits for a response.

"See you soon," Chelsea says. She hangs up quickly to shoot him a text, and when she looks up she sighs at the bare room she's standing in. She hopes he doesn't say anything, but she doesn't have much time to worry because before she knows it he's at her door knocking. She turns the old door knob to let him in, and she bites her lip nervously as she watches him look around in surprise.

"I know I said 20, but I guess I was closer than I thought," his eyes flicker back and forth landing on white walls and laminate flooring. He speaks mindlessly, "are we heading somewhere? I don't wanna get towed - I just pulled up by the hydrant." His eyes continue to scurry around the room before they finally land on her. She seems embarrassed, so he offers her a smile. He doesn’t know why she's living like this, but he's not going to give her a hard time.

"Um yea, let me just get my bag," she says. She unzips her purse quickly to make sure she has what she needs, then she grabs her jacket from a lonely coat rack and slips on her nude stilettos.

Colson smiles as he watches her get ready. He doesn't understand how she walks everywhere with those things on. He's convinced that no ones feet could get used to that. Still, she does it. She's always ready. Proper. Classy. He didn't realize how much he missed watching her run around in the mornings before school. He'd give anything to rewind and cherish those moments.

"Ready," she announces as she looks up at him with a grin. She watches him step out with a smile lurking on his face. She doesn't ask what he's thinking as she locks the door and makes her way downstairs with him by her side. At the sight of his Rolls-Royce her mind flashes back to graduation day when she watched the car peel away. She shakes the feeling off as she lets herself in, and when she finally settles she turns to look at him.

"Hi," he says turning his hazards off with his eyes glued to her. A feeling of déjà vu overwhelms him, and he can feel his heart skip a beat.

"Hey," she almost whispers back as she bites her lip. She admires his features and how small he looks behind the wheel of such a luxurious car. She looks back to her legs and realizes her tight jeans are no longer tight, and she's lost more weight than she cares to admit. He's held up better than she is right now.

"So, what are we doing?" he's curious as he turns the heat on in the car.

Chelsea pulls the manila envelope out of her purse. Adam's name is written in the top corner, and she gulps as she looks at Colson hoping she doesn't have to explain.

He takes a moment to unzip his North Face jacket before looking at her with pursed lips. He knows what's in the envelope. "Be my GPS," he directs as he puts the car in drive and speeds off. He doesn't ask why she needs him. He's glad to offer her the support he never did before.

The ride is a twenty minute one, but Chelsea feels like they're in front of her old driveway too fast, and her breath catches in her throat when she sees Travis' Escalde parked there.

Colson pulls up curbside, ready to drive off if she says the word. His foot is still on the break as he looks over at her wondering what's going through her head. He watches as she takes a final drag of her cigarette before flicking it out of the window with a shaky breath. He's sure she remembers the no smoking rule in the Phantom, but he'll let it slide this once.

"I was gonna go in and do this the right way, but I didn't think he'd have company," she says with a sigh when she feels his eyes lingering on her.

He doesn't say a word. He just waits until she's ready.

"I was thinking," she begins to speak as she pulls her seatbelt off, "maybe after all this is over we can go home?" Her eyes are welling up as she looks up at him hopefully.

Home? What does she mean? "We?" he asks her. Her words come as a surprise to him.

"At the diner, you mentioned Shaker Heights," she almost whispers as she looks back to her lap suddenly feeling stupid.

"Chelsea, I don’t think there's anything left for us in Cleveland," he tells her, and she can't help but to feel disappointed.

"No, you're right. It was a dumb idea anyway," she says dejected. God. Reign yourself in, Chelsea.

"No, Chelsea, that's not what I mean. We left Ohio when you finished college. It's been over a decade. We've got no one there. What are we going back to?" he doesn't want her to feel like he's rejecting her, but Cleveland was never home for them. They fought to get away.

She nods in response to him. He's right. There's nothing for them there, but Chelsea doesn't feel like there's much for her here either.

"You get the legal stuff underworks, and once Cas finishes her treatment we can go wherever you want to. I promise," he tells her, grabbing her chin to make sure she looks at him.

Chelsea's eyes lock with his. She has no choice. His fingers burn against her skin, and all she wants to do is cry. She has to get it together if she's going to face Adam. She lets her gaze fall, but she feels his fingers squeeze at her face so she looks up again.

"I'm serious, Chelsea. You put your finger on a map, and I'll get us there. Wherever you want," he reiterates, and she gives him a forced smile. He lets her go, and she lets out a sigh as she opens the door. Colson watches from the car with his seatbelt still on. He's her getaway driver, and he knows she's going to need him any minute now.



"Chelsea," her name is everything when he says it. She feels her heart break as she realizes what she's doing.

"I'm sorry, Adam," she wants to cry, but she doesn’t. "I wish it didn't have to be like this for us, but you're right in saying that you deserve better," she tells him firmly.

"Chels, come in. We can talk this through," he says, but she shakes her head, and he feels like he's falling apart.

She knows that Travis is inside somewhere, and she needs to make this quick to avoid him. She raises up the envelope trying to calm her shaky hand.

"What's this?" he asks with furrowed brows. His heart drops hoping it's not what he thinks it is. Still, he reaches out to grab it from her.

"I had the divorce papers drawn up. The mailing address for my lawyer is inside. I just wanted this to be as resolved as possible, and so I thought I should bring them to you and say sorry one last time," her heart is aching as she speaks, and she doesn't know how she's keeping it together. "I really do love you, Adam," she concludes. Her fingers wipe at her cheeks in attempt to keep her face dry. Adam doesn't need tears.

"Chelsea, if you love me, why are you doing this?" he asks knowing he's a sentence away from tears himself. She could just come back. He wants her to just come back.

"Because I'm being selfish if I don’t," she admits, and her heart tugs a little at her when she speaks the words out loud.

"I don't care, Chelsea, you can be selfish. You can be whatever, just be with me," he's pleading with her now, but when she shakes her head he clears his throat in attempt to compose himself.

"I'm sorry, Adam," she says one last time before she turns to walk away. Her stilettos click against the pavement, and it's like she's in a trance as she speeds toward her getaway vehicle.

Adam wants to call after her, to run after her, but when he sees her walking toward an unfamiliar car he spots Richard in the drivers seat eyeing him with his hands on the wheel. Travis was right. She's gone. She's not Adam's anymore. She's Richard's. It's over. Adam watches her get in the car, and Richard wastes no time peeling away. He shuts the door in shock and walks back into the kitchen. His feet move as if he's on autopilot because he can't even think straight anymore.

Travis wants to ask who it was, but when he sees the envelope Adam throws on the counter he doesn’t have to. His breath catches in his throat almost choking him as he watches his friend collapse to the ground. The sobs that leave him are deafening, and Travis doesn't know what to do except to kneel down and throw his arms around the man. There is no way around it. Someone had to get hurt, he just wishes it wasn't Adam that got caught in the crosshairs.