Unexpected

“Why won’t you hold my hand?” Rhett asked, a flash of hurt crossing his face.

Link couldn’t find the words to explain why he couldn’t. Honestly, it was probably due to the fact that he didn’t have a good excuse other than being scared. The fact he knew it wasn’t a good excuse spoke volumes, but still he found himself flinching every time Rhett got that little too cosy in public. Pulling his hands away and rejecting kisses.

He had not been an intimate person before he realised he had feelings for Rhett, he’d rarely hold a girlfriend’s hand in public, let alone wrap his arms around their waist as they did the grocery shopping. He believed that that sort of thing was for the privacy of your home, not to be publicly displayed while making everyone else uncomfortable.

Rhett had a very different attitude to romance, he liked to show that he loved someone, liked to have other people know what was rightfully his. Link presumed it was some sort of dominance thing, a way of marking his territory so others wouldn’t mess with him or try to steal his boyfriend. Not that anyone would, because not only did Rhett easily stand a foot taller than anyone else, but unless they were gay, people only tended to send threats their way or mind their own business.

In some ways him and Rhett were polar opposites, and it was times like this that he would find himself questioning everything. The questions about whether they really were compatible with each other, if it really was working, would swamp him. Where Rhett would be loud and proud, Link would find himself wanting to hush the taller man and not flaunt their sexuality in the slightest. It took Rhett two months of persuasion to travel to a pride parade, under the promise that no one would know them, it’d be fun, and if Link wanted to go home Rhett wouldn’t hesitate for a second before turning the car around.

It had turned out to be fun, and Link had probably relaxed in public for the first time in their four months of officially dating. Of course, that weekend had to come to an end, and on the walk back to the hotel Link had stripped his arms of the rainbow bracelets and the flag that had been tied around his shoulders like a cape. Rhett had followed his lead, hastily cramming the items into his backpack, while saying it was probably a good idea because he didn’t want either of them to get stabbed.

And that was one of the many reasons why Link was so hesitant to flaunt any pride, they did not live in the most accepting area, it wasn’t safe to be gay. Albite, it was safer for them than many, but the thought of either of them being hurt for a little hand holding didn’t sit well with him, so it was easier to just not risk it, and cuddle in the safety of their parent’s living rooms or one of their beds.

Rhett was looking at Link like a puppy that’d just been kicked, the look alone broke Link’s heart, but when it was followed by a quiet yet heavy voice, it shattered.

“Are you ashamed of me?”

Link shook his head, instantly feeling a knot tighten in the back of his throat. He was making Rhett hurt, the one person in the world Link would transfer any and all pain from onto himself without hesitation, was suffering at his own hands, or lack thereof.

“No.” Link looked at his boyfriend apologetically. “Of course I’m not. “

“Then why won’t you hold my hand?”

“I will, just…just not here, Rhett. You know why.” Link focussed on the punnets of strawberries in front of him, intent on getting the best ones he could.

“It’s the farmer’s market; you don’t have to be scared here.” Rhett huffed, looking over the punnets himself. His hand reached for the same box as Link, their fingers danced across each other. Rhett took the opportunity to intertwine them.

Link tugged his hand away harshly, shooting a glare up at Rhett. “I said no.”

“Fine, Link, have it your way.” Rhett huffed, taking a step back with his hands up in surrender.

He turned on his heels and started to walk away, Link sighed. “Wait, where are you going?”

“Like you care.” Rhett muttered, just loud enough for Link to catch before picking up his pace and disappearing behind some stalls.

Food trucks. Link thought. He’ll be going to the food trucks.

“Got yourself into a domestic?” the girl behind the stall asked, taking the punnet he’d selected and setting into paper bag.

Link sighed as he handed over the money. “Something like that.”


“I’m just saying, you don’t half give him a hard time. That’s all.” Steve said as he leant back in his camping chair.

He’d provided Link with refuge from the sun and a chat while he was letting Rhett have some alone time. He knew Rhett would calm down and that a brief apology from none other than himself would speed up the process, but he couldn’t. Not yet. He didn’t want to hold his own boyfriend’s hand, what sort of a monster did that make him?

“Look at James and me, when we were growing up holding hands would probably have had us stoned by mobs or imprisoned, at least now you boys can be free to do whatever you want without legal persecution.” Steve said, his logical and calm voice always holding wisdom for Link to absorb. “You love him, right?”

“More than anything in the world.” Link replied, sipping his glass of Steve and James’ signature ice tea.

“Then don’t be afraid to show it. If you keep pushing him away like you are, there won’t be anything to pull back one day. My boy, would you rather a live a life where you’re always in the shadows, or give Rhett a little of what he craves to keep you both happy? That boy would walk over hot coals for you; in fact if I remember correctly, he already did that at the county fair.”

Link nodded. It was true. Rhett had walked over hot coals for him when he was called upon by a performer to try the stunt. Link had panicked and failed to back out, so Rhett stepped forward and volunteered in his place. Link was rubbing ointment on the bottom of Rhett’s feet for a week after that, but Rhett assured him he’d do it again if it meant Link wouldn’t have to.

“It’s not that easy though, is it?” Link rubbed the bridge of his nose where his glasses usually sat. “It’s not natural to me.”

“Well all the more reason to practice.” James joined in, appearing behind Steve and planting a kiss on the slightly younger man’s cheekbone before handing him a tortilla wrap. “They didn’t have any plain so I had to go for barbecue flavour, dear.”

“Thank you.” Steve watched his partner as he dragged another of their garden chairs under the canopy and plopped down into it beside him. Link did find the whole thing endearing and utterly adorable but would never voice that.

“How are you so brave? I don’t understand how you can do it.” Link asked.

The pair shared a look before Steve turned back to him. “We’ve lived through worse things than bigots saying we’re going to hell. And we learnt to take the higher ground, honesty, after years of practice their comments bounce off us unnoticed.”

“So what you’re saying is, that I need to man up and stop being so bothered by what everyone else thinks. Take some risks and see what happens?”

Link’s question hung between them as the couple exchanged yet another long look, silently communicating with each other before turning back to Link and nodding.

“Yes.” They said in unison, making Link sigh.

“Hiding every day, even with the littlest of things, will chip away at both of your egos and confidence levels.” Steve pouted. “Just go to him, tell him you love him, take it at your own pace but don’t keep constantly batting him back. If you do it too much you could lose him.”

“You two always gang up on me.” Link complained, getting to his feet. “I’ll have to come up with something to make it up to him.”

“I heard there’s a nice new restaurant in town that’s popular with the kids.” James suggested, his attention moving from Steve’s white hair to Link. “More-roses? No. No, no, no. What was it called again? It began with an M I swear.”

“Are you thinking of Morris’?” Steve asked, smiling when his partner’s face lit up.

“Yeah that’s it! Morris’. It’s a lovely little Italian place from what I’ve heard.” James suggested, prompting an idea to fly into Link’s head.

“Sound’s great.” He rose from his seat. “I think I know what to do. I’ll see you guy’s next week! Thanks again.”

“It’s always a pleasure.” Steve called after him, despite the fact Link was already hot footing it across the market to find his dirty-blond haired boyfriend.


“How would you feel about doing something completely reckless?” Link asked, surprising Rhett by wrapping his arms around his shoulders from behind.

Rhett hummed, leaning back into Link. “You’ve changed your tune.”

“I sure have.” Link rested his chin on top of Rhett’s head. “The question still stands.”

“How reckless are we talking?” Rhett asked; an edge of trepidation in his voice. “I’m not going sky diving or bungee jumping.”

“Not that sort of reckless. No, we’ll be keeping our feet on the ground.” Link removed himself from Rhett and walked around the edge of his chair, taking Rhett’s hands in his own. “I want to show you how unashamed I am. How in love with you I truly am.”

A small smile pulled at Rhett’s lips, making Link’s heart swoon. “Alright, Link, what’ve you got in mind?”

“It’s a surprise.” Link beamed, tugging on Rhett’s hand to get him to stand. “Let’s finish getting the groceries for your Mom and then we can go home and get ready.”

“Whenever you say ‘surprise’ I get worried.” Rhett teased, letting Link drag him back towards the stalls.

Link rolled his eyes. “Where’s your sense of adventure?!”

“Right here…” He pointed to his chest, “…But this…” He pointed to his head, “…Is confused.”

“There’s nothing to be confused about, Love, just roll with me here.” Link spun around and went onto his tiptoes, grabbing Rhett’s shirt to pull him down the rest of the way. Their lips connected passionately. It took Rhett a moment to comprehend what was happening, but when he did he was quick to respond with his hand’s holding Link close as they gently parted.

Link was bright red, he could feel his skin burning from the fact he’d just done that in front of so many people. His heart was hammering in his chest as he offered Rhett a wide smile and turned to the closest stall that held a range of root vegetables.

Rhett was on cloud nine, a grin spread across his face. He heard laughter to his right, and looked over to find Steve and James beaming at them. ‘Was that your doing?’ He mouthed, pointing to Link.

Steve shrugged a cheeky smile painted on his face. That meant yes. Rhett chuckled to himself, once again replying soundlessly. ‘Thanks’

They gave him thumbs up, laughter still tickling them as he turned back to Link and reminded him they needed sweet potatoes.


“I love you.” Link said for probably the hundredth time. “I love you so much; I don’t think you can actually comprehend how much I love you.”

“I love you more than any human should be able to.” Rhett replied, running his fingers through Link’s jet black hair.

“I Love you the most.” Link countered. “I love you so much I’d fling myself into the sun for you.”

Rhett chuckled. “Impossible. I love you the most. I’d follow you to the end of the earth.”

“I’d marry you.” Link said, instantly embarrassed by his lack of thought before blurting that out They’d only been dating a year and eighteen weeks (not that he was counting.) And sure, they’d known each other for over a decade but at twenty one, it was far too soon to be thinking about marriage. He was going to scare Rhett off.

“Really?” Rhett asked. He had come to a stop in the middle of the sidewalk. “Seriously, would you?”

Link laughed, walking back to Rhett. “Of course I would, Love. What about you?”

“I wouldn’t even hesitate.” Rhett’s words hit Link hard, the confession making his knees feel weak.

“Let’s do it.” Link’s hand flew to Rhett’s free one. “Marry me?”

“Link…” Rhett trailed off, a look of love and adoration in his kind eyes.

“I mean it, Rhett.” Link dropped to one knee in front of him. “Rhett McLaughlin, I know this is out of the blue, but will you do me the honour of marrying me?”

There were tears in Rhett’s eyes as he nodded, and Link wanted nothing more than to bounce to his feet and wipe the wetness away, but these were happy tears, these were the only sort of tears Link could accept.

“Yes, yes of course I’ll marry you.” Rhett dropped to his own knees as tears sprung into Link’s eyes. He dropped the shopping bag beside them and cupped link’s jaw as he planted a delicate kiss on Link’s lips. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Link cried, pulling his glasses off to wipe his eyes. “I love you so much.”

“I know, I love you to the moon and back.” Rhett murmured, enjoying the intimate moment.

Link had low key known he wanted to marry Rhett since about a week of them dating, and if he was honest, probably before that too, long before they both opened up to their feelings and made out in their college bedroom. He did not intend to get engaged today, he did not set out with the plan to make such a massive commitment, but he was glad he had. Whenever he had daydreamed about proposing, he always pictured it being Rhett on one knee, on some pretty beach with the sunset and maybe some dolphins in the distance. It was a soppy dream, but the reality was just as tender as he’d hoped. Even with the kids skateboarding past and people bustling around as they tried to get on with their day.

After a while, Link slipped his glasses back on, and the pair rose back to their feet. Happy smiles plastered on their face that wouldn’t fade. Rhett was the first to set off, leaving Link stood rooted to the spot. There was one thing missing. “Wait! What about a ring? I’m meant to give you a ring.”

Rhett chuckled. “It doesn’t matter, Link. I just want you.”

“It matters to me.” Link urged, joining Rhett as they continued to walk. “Can we stop off at the jewelers?”

“If you want.” Rhett paused, savouring the moment. “Fiancé.”

As they rounded the corner to where the old jewelers used to sit, they were greeted with a very different shop: One with blacked out windows, and a swinging board full of designs advertising that they did walk-ins.

Rhett made a noise of disappointment, “Looks like we’ll need to go into the city.”

Link had a brainwave, “I’ve had an idea.”

Five minutes later, and a long conversation with the artist that was free, Link was watching Rhett check out the stencil.

“You can still back out if you want.” Link paused, “Tattoos are permanent, Rhett. Are you sure you want my name there forever.”

“Thanks for the reminder, Link.” Rhett chuckled, settling into the chair and giving his hand to the tattooist. “Of course I do. Forever isn’t long enough.”

“Are you sure you’re sure?” Link asked, somewhat regretting suggesting this. What if it went wrong? What if they spelt his name wrong? What if it got infected and Rhett had to have his finger chopped off? The worries were endless.

“I’m sure, Link. Do you want to back out?” Rhett asked him and the tattooist looking at Link expectantly.

Link looked down at his own ring finger, the stencil of Rhett’s name bold against his pasty skin. Was he sure? Of course he was. “No. If I’m going to get a tattoo, I can’t think of anything better to get.”

“Exactly.” Rhett turned to the artist. “I’m ready.”

The tattoo gun started to buzz, and just like that it was too late to turn back. It was unorthodox, and would probably make his mother angry, but it was permanent, just like their commitment to one another, even if they ended up divorced, they’d still be best friends, and they’d always have one another. There was no doubting that.


Their fingers were sore, but not nearly sore enough to dampen their spirits as they walked hand in hand into Rhett’s parent’s house. They alternated between both of their parent’s houses frequently, depending on what they needed and where they happened to be. They had called ahead, making sure they the McLaughlin’s were home.

They’d told Link’s parents from the tattoo parlour (as most of his family had been out of the state on a short break, and were bound to be in the airport waiting for their flight home.) Link’s Mom had wept happily down the phone, and wanted to call Rhett’s Mom immediately. Link had had to calm her down enough for her to realise the boys needed to tell her first, then they could call each other and talk about it to their hearts content.

“Rhett, honey, is that you?” Diane called from the living room, worry hanging off her words.

“Yeah, Mom. Hang on.” The pair kicked their shoes off and made a beeline for the kitchen. They chucked the shopping bags on the counter and quickly embraced before the big reveal.

“Are you ready to see your soon-to-be in-laws future Link McLaughlin?” Rhett grinned, running his hands through Link’s hair.

Link smirked. “Anything you want, future Rhett Neal.”

“Oh is that how it is?” Rhett raised an eyebrow; his hand’s darting to Link’s ribs to tickle him. “Want me to give up my name, huh?”

Link squawked, doubled over with laughter as he tried to bat Rhett’s hands away. “I surrender! Stop! Stop I can’t breathe.”

The pair were both laughing by the time Rhett finally stopped his playful assault on Link. It took Link a second to catch his breath, and as he did so with his hands on his knees he looked up at his fiancé. The way the light bounced through the window onto Rhett’s golden hair had his heart leaping and his tummy fluttering with butterflies. It was like they were love-struck teenagers all over again. (Not that they’d ever been truly in love as teenagers, at least not on Link’s part.)

“Come here.”

Rhett obliged, ducking down so Link could pull him into a proper kiss. One that made him feel as though Rhett was the only anchor he had to stop him from floating off into space on nothing other than love.

Someone cleared their throat from the doorway, making the pair split apart as blushes tinted their cheekbones. Diane and Jim were stood beside one another, looking at them expectantly.

“You said it was urgent, boys, what’s going on?” Jim’s gaze flicked between the two of them. “I swear, if you’re in trouble with the cops again, I’ll-”

“Dad. Dad, woah, calm down. It’s nothing like that.” Rhett wrapped his arm around Links shoulders. “It’s a good thing.”

“A really good thing.” Link confirmed, looking up at Rhett in excitement.

“Oh!” Diane seemed to piece it together faster than her husband as her hand flew to her mouth. “Oh Jim! I think, have you? Oh my…”

Rhett and Link nodded. The grin that stretched across Link’s face was making his cheeks ache, but there was no way in the world he could stop it, even if he’d wanted to.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I er, well we, er…” Link rambled unable to form any coherent sentences.

“We’re engaged!” Rhett exclaimed, rocking excitedly from foot to foot.

Rhett’s parents were elated, engulfing the pair in a tight hug, while cheering for them. It was loving and warm, and made Link feel even more like family than ever before.


“Well go on; tell me all the details, who proposed to who?” Diane asked a little later, while stirring some sort of sauce on the hob.

“I proposed to him.” Link said.

Rhett chuckled, “It was kind of an accident.”

“A sort of joint effort.” Link let his hand dance across Rhett’s back.

“When is it not with you two?” Diane hummed knowingly. “So, when’s the wedding?”

Jim nearly choked on his drink. “It’s a little soon to be thinking about that, don’t you think?”

“Oh we’re thinking tomorrow at the town hall, we already signed the paperwork so we can just show up and wait for a ceremony slot.” Rhett rambled, spouting utter bullshit rather convincingly.

“Stop it Rhett.” Link’s hand drifted absent-mindedly to Rhett’s belt loop, and hooked around the material. “We were actually thinking of late spring next year. Something smallish, y’know, with just close family and friends.”

“That’s still going to be big.” Rhett pointed out. “Just not gigantic.”

“Well, with you there….” Link joked, cheekily bumping his hip into Rhett’s.

“So what made you want to propose to my son, Link?” Jim asked, metaphorically putting Link under a spotlight.

Link swallowed nervously, his palms sweating. He knew there was weight behind the words, and that he should choose his own carefully. Rhett’s family were traditionalists, they believed things should be done in a certain way. They had no qualms with Rhett’s ‘unconventional’ lifestyle, he was free to be himself and they would support him one hundred percent, but certain rules and courteous actions were to be respected at all times.

Link should have asked Jim for his son’s hand in marriage. Even though Rhett was not Jim’s daughter, seeing as Link had been the one doing the proposing, the rules said he should be asking Rhett’s family for permission to ask for his hand in marriage.

“I, er, I had a conversation with a friend, because we bickered about something. He, er, he told me not to push things I love away just because I’m scared because one day I wouldn’t have anything to pull back…which sort of made me think about how I never ever want to push Rhett away so far I can’t pull him back. I never want to leave his side, sir. When I realised that, it sort of slipped out.” Link lifted his gaze to the man, who was smiling smugly over his drink.

“Well, you definitely have my blessing, boys.” Jim walked over, planting his hand on Link’s shoulder. “I can’t think of anyone better to have as a son in law.”

Link breathed a sigh of relief, “Thank you.”

The sound of car doors slamming on the driveway had Rhett and Link snapping their attention to the window. Rhett groaned. “Shit…the dinner, I forgot.”

“What?” Link asked.

“Mom invited Ray and Anne over, you know their friend’s from Georgia.” Rhett looked to Link apologetically. “We’ll have to go out some other time; I promised I’d be here.”

“…but our table.” Link pouted, shaking off his ridiculous argument. “Okay, it’ll be fine. I’ll call and get them to change it to tomorrow instead.”

“This is why I’m marrying you.” Rhett planted a kiss on Link’s temple as the door bell rung.

“Where did you have booked?” Diane asked, sliding a tray of what appeared to be garlic bread into the oven.

“Just Morris’,” Link shrugged, “It’s no big deal. Look, Rhett, if you’re doing this I think I’ll head off to my house and get some work done. I’m already behind, and this way we can spend the weekend doing fun things instead of watching me look over design plans.”

“Link, wait, if you two want to go out for your meal I’m sure Ray and Anne won’t mind.” Diane offered them a free pass out of there.

Rhett turned to his mom. “What about you? Are you sure you and Dad don’t mind?”

Rhett’s mom gave him a kind smile, “Rhett, you only get engaged once, enjoy it. Go out, have fun! You’ve got a whole week to properly catch up with Ray and Anne.”

Rhett wasted no time in engulfing his mother in a hug. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. I’ll make this up to you. I’ll cook for us all tomorrow.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” Diane waved her oven mitten clad hand towards them. “And it’ll be more then order-in pizza.”

“Of course,” Rhett chuckled, “I’ll order fries too. Right, well, we’ll go help Ray and Anne with their bags then we’ll be off. We might be going into the city tonight so don’t wait up.”


“Would you care for some coffee?” Their waiter asked as he cleared away their plates.

Link shook his head. “Just the bill, please.”

The meal had been fantastic, which was not something Link would often find himself saying. A few people from their high school were there, all older now and with their own friends or respective partners. They did not tell them about their engagement, just politely said their hello’s and got on with looking through the menu. In fact, they had not told anyone except their parent’s (And Ray and Anne.) about it. At least that was until someone familiar walked up with the receipt book, with long blonde hair, and kitten heels Link had grown to recognise a mile off.

“Christy.” Link smiled, nodding towards her.

Rhett turned in his chair to look at the woman approaching. “Christy!”

“Boys,” She grinned, “fancy seeing you here.”

“It’s so good to see you.” Rhett beamed. “What’ve you been up to?”

She chuckled, “I was in Montreal for a few months, working, I got back three weeks ago and somehow scored the bar manager job here. What about you two?”

“Not much, same old same old.” Link shrugged.

“Mmm.” Christy seemed distracted, her attention on their table instead of them. “Rhett what’s that on your finger?”

Link’s heart skipped a beat as she took his hand and examined it. “Lenk?” she paused, eyes widening. “Link?! You got his name tattooed?”

Rhett laughed, nodding. “Sure did. He got mine too.”

Link raised his hand, showing her the patch where Rhett’s name was etched in.

“Why would you do that?” She looked between the pair. “Oh boys, don’t you know it’s bad luck to do that? You’re gonna end up breaking up.”

“I highly doubt that.” Rhett said sincerely, eyes casting over the table to meet with Links.

She huffed, dropping his hand back to the table. “What makes you so sure?”

“We, er, we’re getting married, Christy.” Link reached over the table, and held onto Rhett’s hand. A part of him was still nervous about what other people around them might think, but his love for Rhett could subdue those fears for now.

She looked at them, surprise clear across her face. “You’re what? Really? Like really really?”

“I hope so; otherwise these tattoos are going to be really dumb when we’re seventy.” Rhett laughed, rubbing his thumb over link’s knuckles.

“That’s….that’s amazing. I’m so happy for you two, oh, don’t look at me, I’m welling up.” Christy grabbed an unused napkin and gently patted below her eyes to try and not ruin her makeup. “So happy, like you wouldn’t believe. The meal is on the house boys; oh you’re going to make such beautiful husbands.”

Their waiter from earlier appeared at her side. “Christy, Chef needs a word.”

“Tell him I’m right behind you.” She kept her gaze on the two boys in front of her. “You two keep in touch, alright? My number hasn’t changed.”

“We will.”

With that, she was gone, disappearing after the waiter into the kitchen.

“Legends?” Link asked.

Rhett nodded. “Legends. Uber?”

“Uber.”


“Rhett, I made you a mug of coffee...” Jim hovered by the bedroom door, waiting to see if there were any signs of life from behind it. His son was always a heavy sleeper, always had been. They could vacuum right next to his crib as a baby and he wouldn’t even stir. “…I’ll leave it by the door but if you don’t get up in the next twenty minute’s you won’t have time to shower before work.”

Jim placed the mug on the floor, a little to the side of the door, and turned on his heels heading down the stairs to the kitchen. Link’s shoes and coat were gone, meaning his future son-in-law had likely gone to work already. He started a little earlier than Rhett most days, something the McLaughlin’s had grown used to over the years.

“Is he still not up yet?” Diane tottered into the kitchen with her hair wrapped in a towel. “Should I try?”

“You can try, love, but he’s dead to the world.” Jim joked, pulling out a packet of bacon to make breakfast for the family and Ray and Anne, who were sat in the living room watching the news.

“It’s worth a shot.” She climbed the stairs quickly, and knocked gently on Rhett’s door. “Rhett, you need to get up now. We’re making breakfast. If you’re not up in five minutes I’ll be coming in.”

It was an empty threat. She wouldn’t barge into her son’s room, not now he was twenty one and sharing a room with his fiancé. Even if she was pretty sure they weren’t even together at that moment, she didn’t want to risk it. “Five. Minutes.”


“Hello is this Sue Capps?” A formal voice came through her mobile, jarring her from her sleepy state.

“Speaking. If this is another cold call, I’ll be blocking your number.” Sue mumbled, giving the caller the benefit of the doubt.

The woman at the end of the phone cleared her throat. “This is not a cold call. I’m Dr. Mercia from WakeMed Raleigh Campus trauma centre. I’m under the impression that you are the emergency contact for Charles Lincoln Neal.”

Sue was instantly wide awake; she sat up shaking Tony’s shoulder. “I am. Why, what’s he done? Is he okay?”

She was getting out of bed and flicking the lights on before they even had a chance to answer. She threw open their closet, her heart hammering in her chest.

“I’m afraid he’s been in an altercation, he’s in a very critical condition. We think it would be best if you could get here as soon as possible.”

“Oh gosh, okay, um, where are you? Tony get up Link’s in the hospital.” Her hands were shaking as she pulled out the first clothes her hands laid on. There wasn’t much in there with them having been away.

“The emergency centre at WakeMed Raliegh Campus, it’s on New Burn Avenue.” The doctor repeated. “Do you need any transport?”

“No. No, my boyfriend can drive us.” She turned to look at her husband who had sat up bleary eyed and confused. “Dammit Tony, get up!”

“Ma’am I have to go, when you arrive tell the staff at the desk who you’re here for, and they’ll tell you what to do.” The doctor said.

Sue took a deep breath trying to calm down as she threw a pair of pants at her boyfriend. “Can you tell him we’ll be there as soon as possible? And that we love him.”

The doctor stalled, “I, er, yes Ma’am. I’ll pass the message along. Travel safe.”

“Okay.” Sue hung up without saying bye, it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that her baby was laid in a hospital forty minutes away and she couldn’t teleport there. Her thoughts were racing almost as much as her heart as she explained to Tony what was going on as she raced down the stairs grabbing their car keys and shoving her feet in the first shoes she could find.


“Why isn’t anyone telling us what’s going on?! This is ridiculous!” Sue exclaimed, having been told to sit and wait in the waiting room for someone to come for them five minutes ago. The police were there, lingering around, apparently having something to do with it but not wanting to disclose anything at moment in time.

“Calm down, they’re probably working on him. They don’t need us right now; we’d just be under their feet.” Tony tried to be reasonable, despite his own anxieties about the situation. He’d driven close to double the speed limit for the majority of the way there.

Sue sighed, her foot tapping rhythmically on the smooth floor. “I need to see him.”

“I know you do, and we will. We just have to let them do their jobs.” He gripped his girlfriend’s hand a little tighter. “Waiting is the hard part.”

The clock creaked by, second by second, minute by minute. The fish in the tank swum slowly around their plants, and they watched mindlessly, not that it did anything to quell either of the pair’s worries.

A man in scrubs appeared at the reception desk, “Mr and Mrs Potts?”

“Here.” Tony tugged on his girlfriend’s arm and the pair jumped to their feet, despite the fact he was not married to Sue (it was something neither of them had wanted.), he knew now was not the time to be discussing it. The doctor guided them into a family room, asking them to take a seat as he closed the door behind them.

“Is he dead?” Sue blurted, tears already welled up in her eyes.

The doctor shook his head. Sue breathed a sigh of relief.

“I’m afraid I do not have good news, though, Mrs Potts.” The doctor was sincere and calm, while he slowly tore their world apart. “The injuries your son has acquired are substantial…”

Sue heard words like haemorrhage, brain, spinal cord, perforations, organs, broken bones. But none of them seemed to be strung together. The doctor’s mouth was moving but all she could do was think about the words should never have been uttered in the same sentence as her son’s name.

“Can’t you operate?” She heard Tony ask, and tuned back into the conversation.

“I’m afraid our surgical consultants don’t believe that is a viable option. His injuries are too severe; the best we can do is make him as comfortable as possible.” The doctor paused. “I’m sorry; I know these are not words you want to here.”

“Are you telling me you’re going to let my son die?” Sue sounded fierce as she whipped her attention to the doctor. “I don’t care if he’s in here for years I want him alive.”
“That’s understandable Mrs Potts, but the damage your son has to his head alone…In my thirty years here I’ve never seen someone still breathing with as much damage as the scans show.” The doctor bowed his head. “This is always difficult to hear, but we don’t expect him to survive the night.”

“If he does will you operate?” Tony asked, not knowing if his wife was shaking in anger or fear.

The doctor’s expression wasn’t readable. “I don’t want to offer any false hope, but if by some miracle he survived the night and his stats started to rise, we would reassess our options.”

“I need to see him.” Sue stated.

“I’ll take you to him in a moment, but you need to be prepared. He’s covered in lacerations and bruises, there’s going to be a lot of tubes and wires. Some of his injuries will be very startling, so you need to mentally prepare for what you’re going to see.” The doctor rose to his feet, and opened the door.

“Okay. I don’t care, I need to see him.” Sue repeated, following the doctor out of the room and down the corridor into the resus area.

The police followed them, not that Sue noticed. After a brief exchange of words the doctor pulled the curtain across.

Sue gasped, her hands flying to her face as she felt her knees want to crumple. A wave of relief washed over her before a ton of bricks made of dread and horror were dropped onto her frame.

It was not her son.

Pain rippled through her, a heartbroken cry escaped her lips. “Rhett.”


“Mrs Potts I’m so sorry, we found your son’s phone on the other gentleman and believed it to be his.” A police office spoke to them.

Sue was struggling to take it all in. “Let me be with him.”

“Mrs Pott’s you know that’s not allowed, only direct family members can-”

“-He’s my son’s fiancé, I’ve been looking after him since he was six, please, officer, let me be with him, at least until Diane and Jim get here.” She was still crying, still trying to get over the obvious dent in Rhett’s forehead, the dried blood, and the crooked limbs. It was like he’d been hit by a train twice. “I love him like a son.”

“Ma’am, we’ll have to ask you to leave. You’re being-” The officer appeared heartless as he went to take Sue’s arm to escort her off the ward.

The doctor stopped him. “-This is my emergency room. If what she’s saying is true and we get in contact with the patient’s parents, with their say so we could allow her to stay with him.”

“I know everything about that boy. I know him as well as my own son.” She said to the officer, then turned to the doctor. “Please, call Diane, she’ll be glad I’m here.”


“Anne, can you get that?” Jim asked.

Diane and Jim were busy washing up when the doorbell rang. They thought nothing of it, assuming it to be the neighbours or that maybe Cole decided to stop by before work.

Hurried footsteps approached them from behind and suddenly Anne was whispering to them with urgency. “It’s the police; they want to talk about Rhett.”

Jim tossed the plate he was washing back into the sink with a sigh. “What’s he done this time? Let me talk to them.”

“He’s probably just been a bit too drunk last night and did something silly. It’ll be something of nothing.” Diane sounded confident in her words but Jim didn’t share that thought.

“Because they really have a habit for making house calls about that…” Jim muttered, handing the dish towel he’d used to dry his hands to his wife.

The officers were stood waiting outside the front door; upon Jim’s approach they removed their hats.

Jim opened the door fully, “Officers.”

“Are you Diane and Jim McLaughlin?” The shorter of the two officers asked.

“We are. Now, what’s this we hear about you wanting to talk about Rhett?” Jim asked.

The officer’s expressions were solemn. “Is there anywhere more private we could talk?”

Jim looked to his wife, who nodded. “The living room, please come in.”

Jim stepped aside to let the two officers follow his wife; Anne and Ray were in the kitchen talking quietly together. They wouldn’t disturb them.

“Mr and Mrs McLaughlin, you may want to take a seat.” The officer said to Jim, who had stood beside his wife.

Jim complied, lowering himself onto the couch close to Diane.

“Earlier this morning our colleges in Raleigh informed us that a young man, who we now believe to be Rhett McLaughlin, was taken to the emergency department. We’re sorry to inform you that the young man has died from his injuries.” The officer’s words seemed fake, almost alien as they came from his mouth.

Diane looked sceptical, “Well I can tell you right now that that’s not right, because he’s upstairs asleep. I’ll go and get him.”

She was on her feet and up the stairs before anyone could say anything.

“Rhett! You better be dressed I’m coming in.” His wife’s voice carried clearly through the house.

The sound of his door being flung open so hard it banged against the wall behind it was followed by silence. Jim rushed after her then, and found her staring wide eyed into his room. The double bed was made, the curtains open. It was exactly how it had been the day before. No one had been home, not Link, not Rhett. The feeling that crept over him felt as though a nightmare was about to set in.

“Would either of you be able to come to the hospital to do a formal identification?” One of the officers asked, ten minutes later, when they’d both returned to the couches.

“No. No, we won’t be going. You see, we’ve got guests, and Jim’s got to go to a lecture soon.” Diane said, shaking her head. “We’ll be staying here, it won’t be long until Rhett’s home and then you’ll see he’s okay.”

“I’ll go.” Jim said, earning a wide eyed stare from his wife.

“But you don’t need to, he’s fine.” Diane said, grabbing onto his sleeve.

Jim nodded, “I know, but it’s best to go and check.”

“Oh, well, if you’re going I might as well go with you…I’m sure Ray and Anne will be able to entertain themselves for an hour or two. Let me just grab my jacket.” Diane disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Jim to look at the two officers.

His wife might’ve gone straight into denial, but something about their sincerity had struck Jim. He wouldn’t believe it until he saw him, but he knew that more than likely they were right. “How did it happen?”

“We believe he was in a fight… you should know that we’re treating this as a murder investigation.”

The officer’s words sunk in. “Who did it?”

“We don’t know, but we intend to find out. We already have one suspect who we have patrols out looking for.” The officer admitted.

“Right.” Jim accepted their words, ending the conversation before his wife came back. Nothing felt real; the shock had set in and skewed his perception of the world. It didn’t feel real, he wanted to wake up, he knew he couldn’t, he knew Rhett wouldn’t.


Sue had still been in the family room, when she’d heard a commotion. She had used the excuse of going to the bathroom to slip back into the main resus area and found a lot of doctors and nurses near Rhett, the machines were beeping, he was moving. Then she realised he was fighting it, fighting the end with all he had left, despite the fact it must have hurt. Even if he wasn’t really there, didn’t know what was going on, she couldn’t leave him there to be with them alone.

She found the doctor from before, stood at the end of Rhett’s gurney, and rested her hand on his arm. He looked to her as she asked ‘please’ just once more. This time, he nodded, and let her go to the top of Rhett’s bed, let her whisper soothing words of ‘I’m here, it’s Sue, I love you, Link loves you, your mom and dad are coming, it’s okay, we love you, I know it’s scary, but it’s okay if you need to let go, Rhett, it’s okay, we’ll forgive you. We love you so much.”

It did not take long, it was simple really. He had fight, and then it was gone. The machines rung, someone tried to get Sue to leave, but she stayed anchored to her spot, watching Rhett. She decided he looked at peace. Her son’s fiancé might have stopped breathing, but he looked calm now because the pain had stopped. It did not truly register with her what she had just seen until her eyes landed on Tony back in the family room. Then she broke down.

She felt guilty that she was glad it wasn’t Link, she felt guilty that she’d told him it was okay to let go, when it so clearly wasn’t. She didn’t know how she was going to tell Link, she felt bad that Rhett had held all of her attention and she hadn’t asked the police where Link was. She didn’t know how to tell him they wouldn’t see each other again, she didn’t know if her son was even alive, because if they could do this Rhett, what could they do to Link? She cried for Diane and Jim, and their son’s lost future. It was all unfair, and uncalled for. Rhett was gone, and she couldn’t bring him back.


They were escorted by an officer into the hospital morgue and were greeted by a doctor. They explained what to expect, and told that they couldn’t touch. It was like some fragmented reality when suddenly they were stood behind a curtain with a nurse asking them if they were okay to continue. Jim nodded and the curtain was pulled back.

Sue cried, she asked for it not to be him, not her little boy. Jim couldn’t vocalise anything, he stood at the edge of the bed looking at his son. He turned to the officers and nodded, which was enough to confirm their suspicions, if it hadn’t already been obvious.

“Was anyone with him?” Sue asked, tearfully, her hands twitching to caress her son’s hair, or his shoulder. She just wanted to comfort him even though it was too late.

The doctor nodded, “The doctors and nursing staff were with him, and, er…”

He trailed off, looking to the nurse as if asking permission to tell the whole story.

“And? Was Link there? Is he here?” Jim asked, knowing Link would be hurting as much as them right now. Perhaps in a slightly different way, but he wanted to be there for his wife and Link, he wanted to comfort the man his son loved so dearly.

“No, er, someone who claims to be your son’s fiancés mother was there.” The doctor paused. “The doctor on duty allowed it as he thought it may be a comfort to him. He understands it’s against regulations, but he made a call for what he thought was best at the time.”

“Sue was there?” Diane asked tearfully.

The doctor nodded.

“Oh thank god. Sue was there Jim, S-sue was with him h-he wasn’t surrounded by strangers.”

Jim held Sue against his chest. Tears welled in his own eyes, but he would not let them fall. Not yet. He had to be the strong one for now. “I know…I know….Are…Are they still here?”


The two families collided tearfully, apologies and worry were thrown around. They decided not to tell anyone else until they were home, and Tony offered them a lift. The drive home was both too quick and not long enough. The McLaughlin’s went inside to break the bad news to their guests and call their family. Sue and Tony reluctantly went home, having been told by the police to rest there until they had any more news, and to call them if Link showed up.

They sat in silence on their couch, watching the muted tv play reruns of some eighties show. Sue kept replaying what she’d seen in her head, over and over, imagining what could have happened to her own baby, if he was laid in a ditch somewhere or tied up in some warehouse. She was imagining all sorts when they heard a car pull up outside and the doorbell ring.

She ripped open the front door and was met with an elderly gentleman she sort of recognised. Then it clicked. James. “I think I have something of yours.”

“Now really isn’t a good time.” Sue started, but he was already walking back to his car and pulling open the passenger side door.

Her eyes landed on him through the slightly tinted glass and she set off running. He was bloody and bruised, but happy to see her. She engulfed him in a hug before he could even get his feet on the ground. She was sobbing, and Link hugged her back.

“I’m alright Mom. It looks worse than it is.” He stiffly got out of the car and started to limp towards the house.

Tony helped Sue get Link into the house and onto the first seat they reached. Link winced as he lowered himself onto the cushioned seat, his ribs protesting every movement.

“What happened?” Sue asked. She did not need to ask how Link was; she could see that clear as day. He was a mess and she’d be driving him to a hospital as soon as possible but she couldn’t keep imagining scenarios, it’d drive her insane.

Link groaned. “We got mugged coming out of Legends. I don’t really remember, I just know there were these guys and they stopped us and I don’t know, we ran. We just ran and then we got split up and then they found me and the next thing I know I’m waking up behind a dumpster.”

Link huffed out a sort of chuckle. “Rhett must’ve picked up my jacket by mistake because I have his; I hope he did anyway because he probably managed to keep my wallet and phone. I hope he got an uber home. Mm, I should probably ring him.”

Link reached towards the home phone, Sue stopped him. “Link…”

Link looked between his Mom and Tony, both sharing a similar worried expression. “What?”

“About Rhett… you were…. you….he….” Sue shook her head, tears once again flowing painfully. “He didn’t go home, he didn’t make it. I’m so sorry baby, he’s gone.”

“What do you mean gone?” Link stared at her with anger trickling into his veins. It couldn’t be right.

“We had a call from the police; they thought he was you so we went up to the hospital…” Tony spoke calmly, explaining it to Link as simply as he could. “He passed away about two hours ago.”

Link stared at his Mom, silently asking if it were true, she nodded. The small action tipped his whole world from wobbly to crashing in a split second. “No.”

“Yes.” Tony was holding Sue steady as he offered Link the only verbal comfort he could. It was still sinking in for them, let alone Link. “We’re so sorry Link.”

Link shook his head, rejecting any suggestion that Rhett was anywhere but at home or work. He had to go to him. He had to see him and show everyone he was fine. Rhett couldn’t be gone, Rhett was his rock, Rhett was fine.

“I need to- I’m going to his.” Link got up from his chair and headed towards the side cabinet that held his car keys.

“Link. Link no, you can’t drive like this.” Tony let go of Sue and quickly grabbed the keys before Link could, earning himself a vicious glare. “Listen, son, I know this is hard, but he really is gone. We wouldn’t lie to you. Diane and Jim identified him.”

“Fuck you.” Link spat, overcome with anger towards the world. He knew that logically his Mom wouldn’t lie to him, but the tiny shred of hope he had left was telling him it wasn’t true anyway. He wanted to lash out, and Tony was the closest thing. “Don’t call me son. I’ll never be your son. Rhett’s fine! Now give me my damn keys.”

“No. You’re in no fit state to drive Link.” Tony folded his arms, keeping Link’s keys tightly in his fist.

Link huffed dramatically, knowing there was no point in trying to force the keys off his honorary stepfather. Instead he turned on his heels and stormed towards the front door. If they weren’t going to let him drive to Rhett’s, he’d walk. Even if every step felt like another bone was falling to bits inside him.

He made it as far as the living room door before he heard his mom sob. It was a heart wrenching sound that forced him to look back. A sick feeling creeped over him.

This was real.

“H-he’s really dead?” Link asked quietly. He knew the answer.

The room suddenly felt a few degrees too warm. Rhett was laid on a slab somewhere. His ears started to ring. He’d never hear Rhett laugh again. He braced himself against the door frame as his mom was walking towards him, apparently steady despite the fact the floor had begun to rock beneath his feet. He couldn’t tell Rhett he was sorry. His vision began to swim. It was his fault. Rhett wasn’t breathing and that was on him.

His knees buckled, he felt strong hands catch him, then nothing.


“Bottoms up.” Rhett hit their shot glasses together, before knocking back the bright green liquid.

Link joined him, enjoying the warmth that spread through his chest despite the almost bitter aftertaste. He laughed as Rhett scrunched up his face and placed his glass back on the bar.

“Let’s dance.” Rhett’s hand wrapped around Links and pulled him towards the dance floor.

Link would usually protest, but tonight he went along with it as they slipped onto the crowd. Link always thought the club dancefloor was a little bit more like orgy foreplay with how much skin and grinding there was going on, but it was somewhere they could be themselves and damn it he was going to enjoy every second being pinned against Rhett in a mess of moving bodies.

Rhett was always one to attract attention in Legends; he just had the height and charm that could make most of the boys swoon. Link had grown used to other people being way too upfront and touchy with his boyfriend, he usually found himself knocking people’s hands off him when he brought their drinks back from the bar, or possessively sticking his hands places that told whoever was on the prowl that Rhett was his. He’d once earned himself a split lip for taking the roundabout way to telling a guy that no, that tall guy in the plaid shirt wouldn’t be interested in him. Link learned that day to pick his battles, but also that Rhett had a bat sense for people laying a finger on him. He’d sprung out of the restroom and locked eyes with Link just as the guy had taken a swing. Then Rhett had swept in and pushed Link behind himself as he towered over the guy and asked him what the fuck he thought he was doing.

People didn’t tend to mess with them for long, not many people could match Rhett in a fight let alone win. Not that Rhett was one for fighting. Link loved that about him, loved that Rhett could make him feel safe without violence. He loved him. Link dragged his hands up Rhett’s body and twisted his fingers into Rhett’s hair, pulling him down into a kiss. Rhett responded instantly by cupping Link’s ass and pulling him closer. The world might as well have melted away in that moment because it felt like it was only the two of them.

It was two am by the time they were leaving. They didn’t care much about being tired at work but decided staying out until closing at three thirty would be stupid.

Link had blissfully stopped worrying about what other people thought as they walked slowly down the sidewalk, fingers intertwined. Whether it was the alcohol or adoration he had for Rhett that was fogging his brain, he didn’t know nor care. Rhett was rambling animatedly about honeymoon ideas, his free hand waving around as he explained how they’d go somewhere they’d ever been before. Maybe they’d go to Australia or Europe. “Really it’s a choice between visiting a few countries and Koalas.”

“Europe sounds good… but we have ages to decide.” Link chuckled fondly.

Rhett shook his head. “That’s where you’re wrong. If we want to have the best honeymoon ever, we need to start planning it now. You’ll be surprised how quickly we’ll run out of time.”

Link was going to tell Rhett they could start planning next week. They could just enjoy the idea for now and worry about the details later, when five figures crossed their path. They were a distance away, spread out across the sidewalk and coming towards them. Link faltered, tightening his grip on Rhett’s hand.

Rhett returned the gesture and kept walking. “We could go to Paris and Rome. I’ve always wanted to go to London…“

The group of guys were closer now; they weren’t slowing down or moving to the side at all. Link tugged Rhett closer to him and went to walk around the edge of the group when one of them knocked their shoulder into Rhett and whipped around with a look of repulsion. “Watch it fa**ots.”

Rhett made a small noise and went to keep walking but Link was anchored to the spot, a sudden flood of courage (or was it stupidity?) had him taking a step towards the blond man. “What did you say?”

Rhett’s grip tightened on Link and pulled him back; dropping his voice so only Link would hear. “Leave it. They’re not worth it, come on.”

Maybe Link was drunker than he’d thought, because he turned on his heels to glare at the guy and ignored Rhett’s words. “Fuck you. Who the hell do you think you are?”

“Link!” Rhett tugged him harder, forcing him to fall into step with him.

They didn’t get very far before hands latched onto the back of Link’s shirt, he was dragged into their little group. Before he could register what was happening, he and Rhett were surrounded. Link felt Rhett wrap his hand around his wrist. The guys were saying things; they were being shoved about a bit but nothing too bad. He saw a flash of silver in the corner of his eye, and he wondered if he’d been the only one to see it, but Rhett had caught it too, and he knew because Rhett set off running. He barged to the side, knocking one guy over and dragging Link with him.

They sprinted down the block taking the first turning left. They took another turning, Link thought they might get away with it, but then he heard the stampeded following them. They were torn away from each other. It all happened too quickly, he was being pushed violently into the road and then he heard Rhett screaming at him.

“RUN!” Rhett’s voice was ferocious as he demanded Link move. “LINK RUN!”


“You’re very lucky Mr. Neal, it could have been a lot worse.”

The doctor had diagnosed him with three cracked ribs and bruising. There wasn’t really anything they could do other than manage his pain while they healed over the next couple of months.

His Mom was worried about the pain when he refused to take the medication. The pain was serving as a stark reminder that he was alive. Anyway, the real pain he was feeling couldn’t be touched by any pills. He’d come around while laid in the back of Tony’s car, and stayed silent until they’d arrived at the ER. He didn’t have anything to say anymore. His world was gone. That hurt more than any broken bone ever could.

He went through the motions of being checked over for his mother, answering their questions in as few words as possible and soon found himself sat on the edge of the bed waiting for Tony to text Sue to say he was outside the door for them.

When two figures came around the curtain he didn’t look up, but his Mom did. “Not now. He needs rest.”

“Charles Lincoln Neal?”

He nodded.

A police officer was at his side. “I’m arresting you…”


“Can I call my mom?” Link asked the man he’d just given his address too.

“Why?”

“I want my lawyer here, she can contact them.” Link’s hands were shaking as they took his fingerprints.

When they were children, back in elementary school, he and Rhett’s class had visited a police station; it’d been a welcome break from their lessons and fun to see. They got to do their fingerprints and Link managed to get the ink on his face. Rhett had found it much funnier than anyone else, as he pointed to patches on Link’s face so Link would mirror him asking ‘what?’ only making it worse. Later that day, they’d been in a holding cell to show them all where they’d go if they did bad things, he and Rhett were messing around and slid door shut, inadvertently locking half the class in there. Rhett told the officer it would be the last time he’d be locked in a cell, and laughed as he ran after their classmates for lunch. Link wished Rhett could be stood next to him now, cracking inappropriate jokes and laughing.

“Once we’ve finished the booking process we will arrange for your attorney to be present.” The officer at the desk nodded to the officers at either side of Link, prompting them to bustle him into a room.

“Stand at the line with your back to the wall and look at the camera.”

Link did as he was told, the flash went off.

“Turn ninety degrees to your left and look straight ahead.”

Link waited, the officers guided him back out of the room and down a hallway into a holding cell, much like the one he’d been in with Rhett all those years ago. He did a quick headcount, not that he cared. There were six other guys in there. He felt out of place as he took a seat on one of the benches after getting his handcuffs removed.

They hadn’t explained why he was there, or what he’d supposedly done. Maybe they had told him, and he just hadn’t heard them. He was struggling to process anything other than the ache in his ribs and his blood stained t-shirt.

“What’d you do?” The man across from him asked, nodding at Links beaten up exterior.

Link shrugged.

“Armed robbery.” The guy pointed to himself, then to each of their cellmates. “Drug possession… ‘fucked some motherfucker up’… drunk and disorderly… and those two have been out of it since they got here, so drugs probably. So again, you?”

Link shrugged.

“He’s out of it too.” Drunk and disorderly, but apparently now sober and orderly, said. “It’s all in the eyes man.”

Link focussed on a crack in the wall, not up to talking. He didn’t care what they thought he’d done to end up there. As long as it didn’t mean he’d be attacked again. Although if that was another part of his punishment for not listening to Rhett: he’d take it. If he’d just listened to Rhett, if he’d just left it alone, he’d probably be calling Rhett to listen to him complain about his hangover instead of sat in a cell. Rhett would still be alive.

He drifted around in his own head, reliving memories from what felt like a lifetime ago and the events from the night over and over again. The last time he’d seen Rhett, he’d been running in the opposite direction to Link, leading three of the people Link had decided to have a go at, away from him. Link was running too, looking over his shoulder as the other two guys chased him down.

“Dude. Snap out of it.” His cellmate, armed robbery was clicking in front of his face. “Oh fuck off Nigel like they checked him over. They don’t give a fuck. I don’t want to sit in here with a body.”

He was talking to someone else, and then there was a hand on his chin, forcing his gaze away from the crack on the wall, to concerned green eyes.

They weren’t the green eyes he wanted to see.

“Fuck.” Link breathed, knocking the guy’s hand off him. “Get off.”

“You’re fucking weird man.” Armed robbery held his hands up. “The fuck you taken?”

Link rubbed at his eyes, blinking owlishly to try and get them to focus at least a little. “Nothin’”

“Who’s Rhett?”

Link felt a lump in his throat but ignored it, he had two choices: tell the truth or lie.

“He- She’s my girl…Was my girl.” Link shrugged.

“Oh shit what she go do?” ‘Fucked-some-motherfucker-up’ asked.

Armed robbery took his spot back on the other bench. “Yeah, what she do? That’s new ink, is she why you’re in here?”

“Dunno.” Link shrugged, wishing the cell floor could open up and swallow him.

“I got two of me ex’s names on me. Got Rose on me ass and Mira on me shoulder. Don’t trust bitches with four letter names. They’re all fuckin’ psycho.” Fucked-some-motherfucker-up laughed.

“Good job Rhett’s got five letters in her name then.” Link muttered, “She was nothing but good.”

“Why’d you get rid then? Not good in the sack? I had that problem with Louise.” Armed robbery leant back against the wall. “It was terrible.”

“Oh come on, too much information.” Drunk and disorderly said, looking over his shoulder from where he stood looking out of the bars.

“Loose as fuck man, I mean seriously-”

“-Seriously shut the fuck up.” Drunk and disorderly huffed. “She dumped your ass for Jeremy when you started going off with Nat.”

“Pfft. I dumped her. I didn’t need her anymore.” Armed robbery turned his attention back to Link. “Was that your problem with Rhett?”

Link shook his head. “We didn’t break up.”

They technically hadn’t. Hell, he hadn’t even really thought of Rhett as ex anything. Could he still be his best friend in death? Ex-fiancé. Ex-boyfriend. Ex-best friend. It took one mistake to turn is to was. How could the word Rhett and dead go in the same sentence? They couldn’t.

“She got mugged.” Links voice was quiet, hoping that it would let the other guys in the cell read between the lines.

“Oh shit. She croaked it? Oh man that’s shit.” Drunk and disordely sounded sincere, but quickly changed his tone. “Wasn’t you was it Dex?”

“You think I’d fuckin’ take a bribe to fuck up some chick? What the fuck you suggesting?” Fucked-some-motherfucker-up, or Dex, got to his feet. Link anticipated a fight to break out. And he wasn’t wrong. He couldn’t find it in him to care, merely watched as the pair tried to tear chunks out of each other. Officers came into the cell and separated them.

Link had a feeling it was going to be a very long day.


“I want you to listen to me before you freak out.” His attorney sat across the table he was handcuffed to. “They’ve arrested you for assault. A man has accused you of assaulting him last night. He’s in the hospital. They also want to question you on the death of Mr. McLaughlin… which I’m afraid to say I feel they may try to pin on you as well. We’re potentially looking at a charge of battery or assault, possibly murder depending how the detectives want to play things.”

“I didn’t, we didn’t. They attacked us.” Link felt a little sick as he looked at Maisy.

Maisy nodded, “I don’t doubt you. I’ve seen cases like this before. I’ve seen perpetrators play the victim to avoid prison sentences. We just have to be smarter than them.”

“How’d those cases turn out?” Link asked nervously.

Maisy kept a straight face as she uncapped a pen. “Let’s focus on you. Do you feel up to telling me everything that happened?”

Her shift in conversation wasn’t comforting. Still, Link recalled the previous day in as much detail as he could handle.

“Do you think you could pick them out of a line up?” The question was like a slap across Link’s face.

He nodded. He’d probably be seeing their faces in his nightmares for the rest of eternity.

“Okay, they’ll take you back to your cell, then in an hour or so they’ll bring you in for the official questioning. I want you not to comment on anything until they question you on Rhett. Tell them what you’ve just told me, but don’t go off on any tangents. We can work through this Link. I’m going to do everything in my power to keep you out of jail.”


Link closed the front door behind him. He’d been released fifty minutes before, and Maisy had driven him home. The questioning had gone as well as he could’ve expected. As Maisy had suggested, they tried to suggest he’d hurt Rhett too, to which she’d whipped in, telling them her client wouldn’t be answering the question. They didn’t have any evidence to support their murder claims, and with his consistent lack of comments about the accused assault, they released him on his own recognizance. He signed the papers, and agreed to the rules. He was not allowed within a five hundred meters of the people accusing him; he could have no contact with them. Along with that, he had to abstain from alcohol, hand over his passport and turn up at all court dates. The judge had been very stern about the fact his previously clean record had played a big part in his decision to release him. If any new evidence came to light or Link so much as moved a millimetre out of line, he’d be arrested and put into remand. He was warned he still could be, if in four days, when they’d do the proper arraignment; where they’d tell him his charges, the judge would likely send him to prison to await trial. It was a thought that didn’t rest easy with Link.

He trudged up the stairs, wondering where his mother and Tony had gotten to, but couldn’t find it in him to actually search for them. Instead he kicked off his shoes and crawled into his bed. He buried his head in his pillow, breathing in as deeply as he could without his ribs screaming in agony. It smelt like Rhett’s shampoo and musky cologne. The lump in Link’s throat was there again, threatening to burst. He gripped the sheets tightly, all the anger and upset of the day channelling through him into the thin fabric. Usually when he was upset, Rhett would crawl into the bed and wrap him in a hug so tight it’d feel like he was holding all of Link’s pieces together. He’d kiss the side of Link’s head and his neck. His beard would tickle Link’s skin and remind Link there were always good things to counteract the bad.

Now though, without the glue that was Rhett, he fell apart. Every brick he’d used to build a wall around himself throughout the day came crumbling down. It hurt. It all hurt too damn much. He loved Rhett, it wasn’t fair. He needed Rhett. How could the universe take him? He cried, he screamed until he was red in the face. Why? Why Rhett? Why couldn’t it have been him?


“I know how much this hurts.” James leant across the mosaic garden table. “But listen, kid, you can’t blame yourself.”

Link couldn’t lift his head to look at him. “If I hadn’t proposed to him…If I hadn’t held his hand…”

James shifted closer still, his hand resting on the top of Link’s arm, voice soft. “Hey, look at me a sec.”

Link shifted his gaze up.

“You can’t keep beating yourself up about what ifs. Steve would probably be a better person to give you this talk; he’s the one who’s always blaming himself for things that weren’t his fault.” James’ eyes flicked to his prosthetic arm. Link had never known James without it, he’d only heard the story once, about how when they were young the pair had been comrades and a mission went wrong. James never blamed Steve, only his own shoddy footwork. At that point, Steve had told James to hush and spare Link the gory details before distracting them both with a new summer fruit lemonade blend. “What-ifs are only good for inventions and experiments. If you spend all your time dwelling on them it’ll eat you up inside. The bastards who hurt him, you didn’t ask them to, did you? You did not hand them a few thousand dollars and tell them to put him on their hit list. So it’s not your fault, it’s theirs.”

“Diane didn’t think so.” Link's voice was shaky. That’s where he’d been before coming to James and Steve’s house. He’d gone to Rhett’s house that morning, wanting to be around people who understood, and in his logic, there was no one who would understand more about what he was going through than Diane and Jim.

He knocked on the door out of respect, Jim answered. There was pain in Rhett’s dad’s eyes that he’d never seen before, an emptiness behind them that only a parent who’d lost a child could hold. Recognition flashed across his features, and he swiftly stepped outside, shutting the door behind himself.

‘Let’s walk.’ Was all he said until they reached the bottom of the garden path, at which point he glanced back at the house and sighed. ‘I’ve been worried about you.’

Link had been worried about them too, he’d also been too scared to visit. He hadn’t seen them in four days, a record amount of time since the McLaughlin’s holiday during the summer between High school and College. He had almost expected the house to have vanished, along with everything that Rhett had ever touched. But Rhett’s car was still parked on the drive and his hiking boots were still sat next to the front door. He kept meaning to clean them but never got around to it.

‘The police think you did it.’ Jim said solemnly, as they trudged down the street.

Link kept his head bowed, not knowing what to say. He’d seen what the papers had said, and what the internet thought. Looking at Facebook had been a mistaken and a half. He had an invite to a group called ‘Engagement Party’ set up by Christy from Thursday night, only to find the group had changed its name to Memorial Party & Vigil. He had a hundred well wishes for his wedding on his profile. But these were followed by a mixture of vile comments and a few ‘sorry for your loss’ posts. He hadn’t dared look at Rhett’s profile.

‘I didn’t.’ Links voice was scratchy; he’d barely spoken at all since the police station on Friday.

‘I know, son.’ Jim had paused throwing in the ‘son’ as an afterthought.

Link followed Jim over the road towards the park. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘Me too.’

Link did not know what Jim had to be sorry for, he was not the one who had lead Rhett out that night.

‘Sit?’ Jim asked, coming to a stop in front of a bench that overlooked the pond.

The sat in silence for a while, watching the ducks swim across the water, and the families moving along with their daily lives. Link felt like he was watching it all through a bubble, like he was looking in on something that wasn’t really going on. He was struggling to understand how the world could keep turning without such an integral part, but then he remembered Rhett was only small in the grand scheme of things, people would keep going to work like his mother and Tony, Kids would still go to school, Legends would still open every night. He’d keep breathing.

‘It’s too nice.’ Link commented, the weather was too sunny, the temperature too comfortable.

Jim sighed, nodding. ‘I suppose it does feel that way.’

‘I feel like it should be raining.’

‘Or thundering perhaps?’ Jim noted.

‘I keep seeing him.’ Link blurted.

Jim hummed. ‘When I lost my mother, I saw her on the tv, in magazines, on the street.’

‘I thought I saw him in CVS stacking the shelves. I feel like I’m going mad.’ Link stared at the far bank of the pond, watching the water reeds sway in the gentle breeze.

‘I thought I heard him on the radio this morning.’ Jim was watching a young family with two young boys playing on the grass. ‘Grief is a strange thing.’

Link nodded. ‘I’d do anything to bring him back.’

‘As would I,’ Jim rose to his feet again, ‘come, I want to show you something.’

They walked slowly around the edge of the pond, eventually passing the young family playing soccer. The ball rolled away from them straight towards Jim. He forced a smile as he kicked the ball back, offering the parent’s a friendly wave as they continued to follow the path. ‘What I wouldn’t give to have my boys that age again.’

Link didn’t know what to say, other than he wished he was also six again. Meeting Rhett for the first time rather than saying goodbye.

‘I strongly believe that anyone who we love never leaves us, Link. He’s gone too soon, and it hurts right now. I know it’s almost too much to bear, and feel free to call me a silly old man but...’

‘-I’d never think that.’

Jim nodded at Link’s comment, acknowledging and thanking him for his words. ‘…even with everything you’re being forced through, I think you should think about the positive marks he’s left with us.’

Link didn’t know what to say, so he just kept pace with Jim’s footsteps as he stepped off the path, heading towards a collection of trees.

‘I’ve been thinking a lot about the future, and how it feels like a lot of that’s been snatched away. I’m sure you can relate. You were building something together, Link. I think you had been for a long time.’ Jim came to a stop and turned back, motioning to the tree beside him.

The initials RM + LN sat side by side, still carved into the bark of the tree. Link remembered the day well, they had been ten, and stolen Jim’s pocket knife for the sole intention of their little project. When they’d been caught, Jim had told them off for a good half hour about respecting nature and public property, but of course it had gone in one ear and out the other. It had become a tradition for the boys as they’d grown up. There were multiple trees all over the state and country with their initials scratched into them. It was a way of making memories, a way of saying they’d been there together. Link had forgotten the route of their tree carving vandalism. His fingers reached out, brushing over Rhett’s initials gently; as if he touched them too hard they’d rub away.

‘I’ll be at your court appearance tomorrow, Link.” Jim’s own hand brushed over Rhett’s initials, a far off look in his eyes. “I wanted you to know I’m on your side, I know you loved him, and I don’t think you could’ve done what those monsters did.’

‘How can you trust me when he’s gone?’ Link asked, eyes still glued to the wood.

Jim rested his hand against the tree, and looked to Link. ‘Positive marks. You two, you had too many for me to count. Even though there’s a lot of horrific ones right now, ones I can’t even begin to look at, I know you loved him. I could see it in every movement you’d make together. You made him happier than anyone else ever could. I watched you grow up together. If you loved him even a fraction of what I could see, I know you’d never hurt a hair on his head. He wanted to marry you, he’d been talking about it for months, and he wouldn’t have wanted to marry someone with an evil streak. He’s not like that; he’s full of goodness and light. He trusted you beyond anything and I know he’d want me to stand by you.’

Link stared at Jim, struggling to take in the older man’s rambling. Trying to register what he’d just heard sparked a flurry of tears. He kept doing that, bursting into tears at random. The red rim around Jim’s eyes told Link he’d been doing the same. Jim wrapped his arm around Link’s shoulder and guided him back onto the path.

Link battled to compose himself, not wanting to scare any of the kids around. It took a few deep breaths and a lot of sniffling before he could force any words out. His lips still wobbling as he asked, ‘For months?’

Jim realised his words were news to Link, and tightened his grip around Link’s shoulders. ‘Mm, a good eight or nine I’d say. He took me ring shopping with him. I think he even asked Sue if it was ok, but you ended up beating him to it. He was going to propose on your anniversary but chickened out because he thought it was too early.’

‘He never said.’ Link wondered how much else Rhett had never had a chance to tell him.

‘I’m sure he would have, given the chance.’ Jim sighed as they exited the park, heading for home. “Can you promise, no, can you do something for me?”

Link nodded, he’d try to do anything he could for Rhett’s family.

‘Don’t do anything stupid.’ Jim’s grip on his shoulder was firm. ‘I...I want you to be safe. No matter what happens, no matter how hopeless it seems, I want you to look after yourself for me, for Rhett too. I’ve read too much, I don’t want the end of his life, to, to be the end of yours too. Even if, god forbid, they sentence you, stay strong. You hear me? I can’t lose another son.’

‘I will, Mr McLaughlin, I will.’ Link rubbed at his eyes with his hoodie sleeves. It wasn’t really his, it was Rhett’s he’d found it easier to sleep with Rhett wrapped around him, even if it was just fabric. He had no intentions of taking it off any time soon.

‘Atta-boy.’ Jim gave Link’s shoulders a last squeeze before dropping his arm to his side.

‘How’s everyone else coping with it?’ Link asked cautiously, ‘When’s the funeral?’

Jim stalled. ‘About that. Look, Link, You know I would be-‘

‘You!’ A shout from the distance snapped their attention to the McLaughlin’s house.

Diane marched towards them with fury in her eyes. Link looked to Jim as he offered Link a sympathetic look and stepped slightly away from him.

Link had no time to question what was going on before Diane all but barged into him, her fury having given way to a look of distraught. ‘How could you let this happen?’

Link was at a loss for words. He didn’t know, but he wished he did.

‘I knew from the second you started dating it would end badly. I knew you weren’t good enough for him. Always following him around, lurking behind his every step.’ Diane closed the distance between them, her finger jabbing towards Link. ‘You were the worst thing to ever happen to him.’

She glared up at him like he was an abomination. Link’s heart felt like it was sinking further underground with every word that passed her lips. They were like slaps to the face, after all, the truth hurt. Still Rhett loved him, and he loved Rhett. He had to defend that.

‘I loved him.’

Diane scoffed. ‘You loved him ,did you? Did you really? Then how come he’s dead? I wish it was you. I wish you had died.’

‘Diane!’ Jim chastised, trying to tone down his wife’s anger.

It all made sense now. Why Jim had been so quick to walk Link away from the house, so intent on talking in the park, not at home. Even with Jim’s words about staying strong ringing in his ears, he couldn’t lie. It was a thought that had been lingering in Link’s mind from the moment he’d regained consciousness on the way to the Er.

‘So do I.’

Link didn’t care what James thought about the tears that sprung from his eyes. “And the worst part is, she’s right. She’s right James, he’s dead. He’s dead and it’s entirely my fault. I wish it was me. I’d do anything to swap places.”

James rubbed his arm, ‘He’d have said exactly the same.’

“I want him back.” Link tried to suppress his shaking as James scooted his seat closer still. “I don’t want to go to prison.”

“You won’t.” James tried to reassure. “I promise you, any judge with a brain cell will see through this.”

It was just a shame Link’s judge only had half of one.


“Mr. Neal. You are to be charged with three offences, firstly: an A1 misdemeanour of assault, to which you carried out on May eighteenth. Secondly, a class C felony, aggravated assault, carried out May eighteenth. Your third charge is a class A felony, murder, the degree to which cannot be determined at this time, also carried out May eighteenth. “

Link couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Everyone had told him not to worry, that it would be okay. He looked over to the audience, his mom was crying again, leaning on Tony to try and muffle the sound. He did that. He’d made his mom cry more times in the past four days than he ever had in his life before that. Tony looked emotionless, probably shock. His eyes drifted past family and strangers until they landed on Jim. He was not looking back, his eyes glued to his shoes, Link didn’t blame him, he didn’t want to watch this either.

“In light of these charges, and the level of threat you pose, you are to be remanded in custody until your next court date at the Supreme Court of North Carolina which will be no later than July twelfth. I suggest you consult your legal team.”

The gavel hit the table; the officers all but dragged him out of the box, and marched him towards the doors that lead down to the Court’s cellar.

He looked to Maisy, she had been down to him earlier that afternoon, told him it wasn’t looking good. He’d say that was a massive understatement. As they tugged him through the door he caught a glance of Steve and James sat on the last seats, looking pained.

Link didn’t have time to worry about what was happening. One minute he was being bombarded by words from Maisy that he didn’t have time to process and the next he was being bundled into the back of a transport van along with several other men. The door slammed shut. His freedom was gone. He was sure he’d never get it back.


Dear Rhett,

People, namely your dad, keep telling me you’re looking over me. If that’s true, how come I feel like I’ve never been more alone in my life?

They think it was me. The think I turned savage and beat you to death, despite the coroner telling them he doubted one person would have the strength to do what happened to you. They forced us all to look at photos of your body. I passed out, twice. I think I threw up too, but I don’t remember much from that day, the court was adjourned while they took me for medical checks.

The attorney representing you, argued I could have been on an adrenalin rush from assaulting the other guys. He swayed the jury, made it look like I’d gone out with the intention of hurting people and took it one step too far with you. I’ll admit I threw a few punches at the ones who attacked me before I got knocked out, but it was self-defence. They were breaking my ribs, I didn’t stand a chance.

I tried to tell them the truth about what happened with the other guys, but their attorneys were better. Turns out the one who had the broken wrist, who I think ran after you, is the son of an officer. So I guess it’s no surprise that they’d take his word over mine. They used each other as witnesses, pulled in friends, people I’ve never seen before in my life, to claim they saw the whole thing unfold. Apparently I was treating you like shit, so they stepped in, tried to calm me down only for me to flip out and turn on them. Then I chased and attacked you as they fled. No one called the police at the time because they were scared of what I’d do to them.

They had their story straight, and they were terrific actors, I’ll give them that much. I mean if this whole fake victim thing doesn’t work out, they could probably get a job on Broadway for all the acting they’re doing.

Sorry, I know now isn’t the time for jokes. Believe me, I know. It’s just my whole life’s gone Rhett. If I don’t try to laugh I’ll just cry, which really isn’t an option in here. I’m in a maximum security facility. I was deemed guilty of all charges and sentenced to life in prison without parole. My lawyer doesn’t sound hopeful about an appeal; the evidence is stacked against me. The only ways I’ll be getting out is if one of them cracks under their lies, new evidence shows up, or in a body bag.

I said for so long that I wished it was me. That I wished I was dead instead of you. And I’d still swap places in a heartbeat, but not if it meant you had to be in here. I think this place is worse than death. You don’t even want to know what the guys I’ve been sharing cells with have done. They’re rapists, murders, gang members, people I used to have nightmares about.

I’ve only been here a few months, but I’ve had to change a lot. You’ve got to fight to survive. I’ve only been in one physical fight since I got here, it somehow got out that I was in here for killing my gay lover. I didn’t dare tell them it wasn’t true, but then one of them called you a f*g again. He wouldn’t shut up so I decked him. It was only one punch, but he ended up out cold. I don’t know what came over me, I don’t think you’d recognise me, I barely recognise myself. One of the guy’s calls me banner, after Bruce banner, he says it’s ‘cause I look all feeble but then lash out like the hulk.’

It didn’t help me at all; these aren’t the sort of people who are scared of confrontation. They wouldn’t be in here if they were. It might have earnt me a bit of temporary respect though. Maybe, you can never really tell.

I’m sorry I missed your funeral.

Your dad said most of the town showed up to the service, all of our high school friends and college friends came home for it. He says most of them don’t believe it could be me, but from what I saw online before I came in, I’m pretty sure they’re wording will have been ‘I can’t believe Link did this.’ Rather than ‘I don’t believe Link did this.’ I think he’s just trying to keep me positive; I’ve no idea why though. I’m making this all about me; you wouldn’t be surprised, I mean, I was always the selfish one, wasn’t I?

I do wish I’d been there, I have so much I want to say that if I tried to write it all down I’d run out of paper and ink pretty fast. Your dad told me they decided on cremation. He said you’re home now. I can’t quite comprehend that everything left of you is sat in a box in your bedroom. Your mom’s refusing to scatter your ashes or bury the urn; she’s keeping your room like a shine, with you sat on the bedside table. Your dad wants to put a plaque in the park by the trees we used to play in. I think you’d like that.

I miss you. I want to write more, but I can’t. It’s almost light’s out. I hope you know I love you with every inch of my soul. I kiss your name on my finger every night, and I know I was never very much into the idea of heaven, but these days I like to think you’re up there and that you do the same. It’s the only way I can keep breathing and keep all our memories alive for a little longer.

Missing you always,

Love, Link xxx


Link had grown accustomed to life inside. It hadn’t taken him long to pick up on how to survive. He’d adopted a steely expression that never left his face. He’d learnt what emotions got you: nothing but trouble. So he’d switched them off entirely, he’d already felt pretty emotionally dead after everything that lead him there, so he let it be. Then there was staring, just don’t, ever, no matter what.

In the first few months they moved him between cells, once for fighting, twice just because they felt like it. He’d landed on his feet for the first time since he got there when he was placed with Miller. Miller as it turned out was gay too, something Link had found out by accident when the guy had moaned the name ‘Dave’ in his sleep. Link had confronted him about it casually, when Miller had accused him of hiding his family letters and watched the guy go pale. Link had something against him, something that would keep him quiet and give Link some room. The old Link would have felt bad, hypocritical, about it. He knew that, and yet he couldn’t stop, wouldn’t openly admit Rhett was anything but a code or an ex-girlfriend. Sure there were people in his old cellblock who somehow found out, but he didn’t see them, not even during their yard time, so that was all well and good.

Through good behaviour, from both him and Miller, they’d gained a few privileges, luxuries to be honest. Like the ability to go and buy things at the shop and have books in their cell. Link had paper and a floppy pen that had cost him dearly in commissary (in comparison to other items.), which he used regularly. He added pages to his makeshift book weekly, half of it was a sort of journal. Some of it was doodles, and notes of things to include in his letters home. Sometimes he’d write to Rhett, knowing no one would read it other than the guards if they were searched for contraband, and he didn’t care if they did. He just had to make sure there was nothing that could be at all incriminating in what he wrote. That was another thing he’d learnt: there’s no such thing as privacy in prison.

“Neal.”

Link leant over the side of the bunk towards the bars, two guards were waiting. “What?”

“You’ve got visitation.”

Link frowned, dropping off the edge of the bed and going over to the door. He usually only got visitation on weekends, on days when his parents or Rhett’s dad could make the drive. He was relatively sure today was a Tuesday though. The door slid open, he stepped out and turned back to face the wall, hands on the brick, legs apart. They patted him down and after a moment was allowed to stand up straight again. They guided him through the block and down the winding corridors to the visitation room A. There were three other people in there, talking to their visitors behind the glass through their phones. Link was told to take seat number five.

As he reached the end of the row of seats he almost did a double take. He sat on the stool and hooked the phone off the wall.

“Diane.”

The woman in front of him had aged over the last however long; her hair was flecked with grey. She was gaunt in comparison to how Link remembered her. It was like looking at a ghost.

“What do you want?” Link asked, leaning on the little ledge between him and the glass.

She closed her eyes, holding the phone tightly to her ear. “I’m sorry… I came to apologise.”

“Why?” Link was confused. The last time they’d spoken it had not been on good terms, in her own words it was his fault Rhett was gone, and that was the end to it.

She sighed, looking back at Link with eyes too familiar. “I’ve done a lot of thinking, I was angry, I was hurting, but it doesn’t excuse what I said or did.”

“And?” Link raised an eyebrow. “Get to the point.”

His words were cold, her expression faltered. Link didn’t like the look that crossed her face; it was one he’d seen from his own mother multiple times. His disdain was hard to miss.

“What have I done to you?” She asked herself in disbelief.

Link said nothing. She had been grieving and lashed out, Link didn’t hold what she’d said against her, half of it was true and he’d agreed, but it was everything else. She’d given a statement to the police, one stating that she thought he had a violent streak, that he’d taken away her boy. It was the fact that she cut off his parents and made his Mom’s life more difficult by turning more people against her by saying ‘what sort of mother raises a murderer.’ It was the fact it’d taken over a year for her to show up in the visitation room trying to alleviate whatever guilt she felt.

“I’m sorry.”

“You already said that.” Link snapped, keeping his eyes trained on the wall behind her. “Did you think just saying that’s going to make any difference?”

“I…No, I didn’t. I just wanted you to know.” Diane’s voice was soft. “I think, I was wrong, Link. I don’t think it was you.”

“Oh really? What made you figure that one out?” He dropped his voice. “Was it the whole engagement thing, or was it the friends-since-childhood thing? Do enlighten me?”

“You loved Rhett.” Diane shook her head. “You must have been hurting so much and I must’ve made it worse when I blamed you. I know it’s taken a long time, Link, but I don’t think you killed him.”

“Her.” Link hissed, clenching his jaw.

“What?” Diane looked confused. “I’m just trying to say, that you were going to get married, and the mess you were in, it couldn’t have been you. He-”

“She! For fucks sake! She was going to be my wife.” Link glared daggers through the glass hoping she’d catch on. He was starting to get attention from the other prisoners. He couldn’t be outed now, not when he was having such an easier ride. “Why did it take you so fucking long to figure that out?!”

“Inmate!” One of the officers warned.

Link bit his tongue. “Sorry Boss.”

He settled back on the stool and tried to hide the fact he was shaking with anger. The other prisoners had gone back to their own conversations, not paying any attention to Link.

“What’s going on Link?” Diane asked quietly enough for no one on her side to hear her.

“You think I can be open in here? Talk to your husband for once, maybe he can fill you in.” Link spat, voice thick with malice.

Diane had taken to pretty much ignoring Jim since Rhett died, it had got to the point Jim had suggested a divorce if she couldn’t be happy with him, but also that he’d stick around for as long as she needed him too. It was complicated.

“I did.” She confessed. “I got some help, and the doctors said it might be good to talk to you.”

Link scoffed. “So you really are here for yourself.”

Diane shook her head. “Link it’s not like that.”

“What is it like then?”

“I wanted to say I was sorry, I wanted to talk about hi-her, I wanted to get some closure on everything I did when I was first grieving. But I also wanted to prove I’m sorry.”

“I’m listening.”

“We’ve have been in the city, we’ve been to that bar nearly every night talking to people.” Tears welled up in Rhett’s mom’s eyes.

Link softened slightly, confusion overtaking the anger again. “You’ve been helping Mom and Tony look for witnesses?”

She nodded. “I’ve been helping for the last month… we found some people.”

“What do you mean?” Link’s heart started to race.

“We found people who saw you both that night, people who remembered how you were together.” Diane paused, “And I found a couple who live in the flats next to the alleyway where you claimed they caught up with you… he’s a digital hoarder Link, he had security cameras on the street, he has every clip from the last four years backed up on his oh what’s it called, it’s like a big memory box you plug into computers.”

“On an external hard drive?”

She nodded.

“Are you kidding me?”

“No, I’m not. Link, he has footage from that night. They’d been in Japan at the time, and had no idea they could have footage because all they heard was how Rhett was found down the side of the central fire station, which as you know is nowhere near their flat.” She paused, a small smile pulling at her lips. “It shows you were nowhere near him, Link. The timing on the tapes shows you were unconscious long before he was found, long before someone called to say they’d heard fighting and could see a man on the ground.”

Diane watched him absorb her words, kindness in her voice. “You need to register for an appeal Link, we had your attorneys look over the footage, and they think we could have you home by Christmas.”

“No.” Link shook his head, not believing her words. “I’m, I can’t…”

“You can.” Diane said. “They’re going to have to open the case again; your attorney’s going to be coming in tomorrow to help you sort some things out. We’re going to get the people who really hurt Rhett, Link.”


He breathed in slow to compose himself as he was escorted into a room with his attorney inside. She greeted him with a wide smile, it wasn’t Maisy, but someone more expensive, someone who’d got people out before according to his Mom who he’d managed to get a phone call to the night before.

“Take a seat.” She gestured to the seat and wasted no time in pulling out a wad of paperwork. “I’m under the impression you know why we’re here? I would like to show you the footage, however, the best I can do is show you some stills from the video. First off, I can say, there’s no mistaking that it’s you.”

Link looked at the first sheet she’d slid over the table; the footage was clearly high definition. Even though it was black and white there was no mistaking that it was him in mid-run. She slid the next still over; the group appeared in front of him. Another still, he turned away to run. Another. They were on top of him. Another. One stamped on his head. Another. He was left alone. Another, an hour later, he was still alone.

“It’s a lot to take in, I know.” The attorney rustled through her folder. “Your mother’s boyfriend has had the media getting involved, he took it straight to the papers to try and get your case pushed forward and although I advised him against it, this time it seems to have worked quite well. I had a call this morning to let me know they’ve stopped the crime reporter sniffing around and are going to be looking into it all. They don’t want to look bad for not doing their jobs right.”

“Now, this call means two things. One: they’re making a head start on looking at the evidence the couple submitted. Two: We might be in court sooner than we think.” She offered Link a smile. “I’m going to go through a few things with you, I only need you to sign three things, and then we’ll talk about what you need to do if we get to court. Okay?”

“Okay.” Link nodded.

An hour later, she was packing up her folder babbling about how yes he could be out by Christmas, it was something to aim for but that he shouldn’t set his hopes entirely on it. She told him she’d be back on the twentieth, unless something majorly changed between now and then and was about to walk out when it struck him that he didn’t actually know how far away that was. “Hey, wait, what’s the date?”

“October twelfth.” She waved bye, before disappearing through the door leaving Link to wait for the guards to escort him back to his cell.

He let himself be guided back into the main prison area, keeping his eyes on the ground as they passed by the other cells. Once inside, Miller looked up from his book.

“How’d it go?”

Link ignored him, climbing up onto his top bunk and rolling over to face the wall. He pulled out the family photo he kept stuck under his pillow; it was a good five years old now. The one which he’d lied about and told Miller Rhett’s cousin was Rhett.

October twelfth. Rhett should’ve turned twenty three yesterday. Link thought, leaning the photo against the wall, hand flying to his tattooed finger. I’m going to make them pay, baby.


“Link I swear to god, if you don’t hurry up, we’ll go to the airport without you.” his mom yelled up the stairs making Link forget exactly what he was doing.

“Just a minute!” He patted his clothes down. Wallet, phone, keys, tickets…Ah there they are.

He hauled his big rucksack onto his back and clunked down the stairs, almost falling under the weight of it all.

“Careful.” His Mom scolded, holding the front door open for him. “You better be more careful than that-”

“-I will. I promise.” Link kissed her cheek as he passed her, heading for the backseat of Tony’s car.

“Are you sure you’re ready for this? Because it’s okay if you’re not, if you want to leave it a bit longer, you know, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.” His Mom rambled from the front seat, making Tony chuckle.

“He’s sure Sue; he’s been planning it long enough.” Tony drove past the McLaughlin house and turned towards the park. “He’ll call you every day.”

“I’m still not sure about this.” Sue turned in her seat to face Link. “Are you sure about this, what if you regret it?”

“I won’t.” Link reassured her. It all felt right, it was not like he was jumping into this blindly, he, Diane and Jim had planned it all out well. “It’s going to be alright Mom, you’ll be able to watch the videos, and I’ll skype you whenever I find internet.”

The car rolled to a stop. “We need to hurry up or we’ll miss the flight.”

Link delved into his bag and pulled out the little navy and silver urn he’d left on top. They walked around the pond towards the group of people who’d gathered for the event. Jim and Sue engulfed him in a hug when he got close enough.

“Alright everyone, we’re going to start now.” Jim got the group’s attention and quickly silence fell over them. “As you all know, we’re here today to commemorate our son, Rhett. We’re going to hand this over to Link, who’s going to say a few words.”

“Thanks Jim.” Link smiled taking his place in front of the group. The group wasn’t huge, but the turnout was still good. “It’s good to see you all, thanks for coming… so um, like Jim said, we’re all here for Rhett. It’s now approaching three years since he was taken from us. I wanted to take a moment to say some things that I never got a chance to say at his funeral.”

“Rhett was, and is, the love of my life, there’s no doubting that. Since we were six years old we were attached at the hip, we were in love before we knew what love was, it took me longer to figure that out than him.” Link paused, smiling down at the palm sized urn in his hand. “Rhett was brighter than the sun and more beautiful than the stars, but best of all he was my rock. For the longest time I thought he had been taken away, I couldn’t contemplate a life without him. It took a long time to realise that he never truly left us.”

The cooling breeze tousled his hair and made him smile. “There are parts of him everywhere I look, and in the best possible way. He’s in the wind that whispers through the trees, he’s the ground beneath my feet; he’s the clouds up over head. He’s in the sunrise and the sunset. He’s in every life he touched, he’s in the memories we won’t forget.”

“I could stand here all day and list the things I loved about him. It was everything, even his faults.” Link traced his thumb over the silver patterns. “We were set to get married, and it’ll probably hurt a little every day that we never got down the aisle.”

“When we lost Rhett, I lost half of me, and then I went to prison and lost a lot more.” Link felt a lump in his throat but ignored it. “It took me a long while to build myself back to something resembling what I was before I went in, and if I’m honest, after almost a year free... I’m still not there. I don’t think I ever could be without him by my side, because I now have to figure out a path without him.”

“Can any of you tell I forgot to grab my prompt cards when I left the car?” Link asked jokingly, looking up at their friends and family. “Oh boy, I’ve had a complete mind blank, er…”

“I guess I’ll improvise, basically, we’re going to scatter some ashes here, as a memorial. We actually got a permit, although it’d have been more fitting if we hadn’t.” Link chuckled. “It’s the first of many little goodbyes, as I take Rhett on a journey across the world. To lay him to rest in places he loved, places he dreamed of visiting, and places he called home.”

“I love you, Rhett, and I’ll be home to visit you soon.” Link whispered, swiftly kissed the side of the urn before handing it to Jim.

They all stood around as Jim scattered the ashes gently into the pond. Once the urn was empty the breeze glided across them once again. With the sun beating down and the birds starting to sing, a sense of calm washed over Link, one that felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. It was a feeling he was familiar with. It was the same one he got whenever Rhett had hugged him. He squeezed his mom’s hand, knowing she was scared about the three months he was about to spend in Europe, he wanted to tell her not to worry because with Rhett as his guardian angel, he knew there was nothing to fear.

The End.