Chris took another step forward. It bothered him to see his best friend in such a state, but he knew he had to be strong for the younger man, even if he had tried to murder him. He looked at Justin silently, watching his chest rise and fall, and he wondered what he was about to say to him.
"I'm sorry," he began, his voice low and raspy. "about what happened. I didn't want to do it. I didn't want to hurt you. You've got to believe me." Tears appeared in the corners of Justin's eyes as Chris spoke, choking back sobs of his own.
"I believe you."
Justin went on. "It was JC's idea. He knew I wanted to try my own stuff, and he wanted to go solo too. We were just supposed to scare you. I didn't know that he would almost kill you. After he found out that you suspected me, he said we needed to talk. He thought I had confessed. He told me that I was going to take the blame, even though it was his idea and he planned it all. Then he said that if I didn't take the blame, he'd put me in the same place as you. The last thing I remember, he bashed me in the ribs. But you've gotta beleive me, Chris. I never meant for it to go this far. I didn't even know about the knife set up until it happened. JC did that on his own while I was gone. I'm sorry." Justin's fear was apparent as his heart rate went up, and his tears spilled down his cheeks. The beeps from the heart monitor became more and more rapid, and the breaths Justin took became more shallow.
"Justin? Justin!" Chris yelled in a panic.
"I love you, Chris." Justin whispered.
"Justin, don't do that! Justin! Oh my God, Justin!" Chris yanked the door open and sprinted down the hall to the nurses' station. "Come quick," he said breathlessly, "my friend is, I dunno, just... help!"
Three nurses and a doctor ran after Chris back to Justin's room. Within seconds, Dr. Patterson rushed in and took charge. Chris' face turned more pale with each word the doctor and nurses exchanged.
"He's going into shock! Get me a crash cart, NOW!"
"His blood pressure is still rising!"
"We've got to get him into Emergency Surgery!"
"Where the hell is that crash cart?!?"
"Justin! JUSTIN! JUSTIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love you, Justin! I'm sorry!" Chris screamed above the noise.
"Somebody get him out of here!" Dr. Patterson hollered. A nurse escorted Chris out of the room and signaled to Fritz. She spoke softly as she led him away, but Chris didn't hear a word she said. He was too worried about Justin.
~*~
"I didn't try to kill him!!!!" JC yelled, slamming his fists on the table.
"Oh, really?"
"Why would I strangle my best friend?"
"Woah, hold on, there. No one said anything about Justin being strangled." The police officer raised an eyebrow. "Is there something you'd like to share with us, rockstar?"
JC was silent as he realized what he had just done. "Can I see my lawyer?"
Story Tags: chris
