Stockholm Syndrome (Jalex)

Epilogue

Alex is laid across the sofa, his stomach propped up with a cushion and his head turned slightly to the left in our to keep his eyes on the TV screen - he doesn't want to, and really just can't, miss this.

His eyes fixate upon the smiling face of the newsreader. He wonders how she can go through everyday, continuously reporting upon the many deaths, murders and rapes in our community with that enormous smile plastered across her lips.

Perhaps they're beginning to employ psychopaths as newsreaders these days. Perhaps Alex would've made a good newsreader, but not anymore, because this ache in his heart is far too real.

He continues to watch, waiting for the story he's been both dreading and anticipating, clutching his badly bandaged abdomen; the memories forever imprinted upon him with a gunshot wound, which he now reckons that he shouldn't have survived.

Cassadee was reluctant to bandage him up independently and not take him into hospital, but Alex knows that a hospital bed would be the last place he'd want to be right now. She's simply satisfied that he's alive for the moment, despite her initial dislike towards him, she has the compassion for Jack to know that what he'd want to her to do is look after Alex for him, no matter how difficult that appears to be.

She's sat in the armchair beside the sofa, facing the TV screen at a forty five degree angle, allowing her to take in the happenings on screen whilst keeping an eye on Alex.

Flyzik is stood at the doorway, his arms crossed and his gaze directed towards the wooden floorboards of Cassadee's home. He's reluctant to sit; his mind focused upon the events of the past few days, wondering quite how they switched from losing Alex to losing Jack. And although he isn't exactly the most compassionate of people, Matt Flyzik is upset to lose either.

The second phone call was most definitely the hardest thing he's ever had to experience. He's unsure whether it was the broken tone of Alex's words or the heart wrenching meaning behind them that really got to him.

He reckons he deserves several speeding tickets for just how violently he drove both himself and Cassadee across town to the address Alex barely managed to choke out. He barely even has time to stop the car before he's leapt out, shouting back at Cassadee to stay in the car - he didn't want her to see this. He didn't want to see it either, but that day Flyzik found out that perhaps compassion was worth something after all.

He didn't look at Jack or Zack as he entered the bedroom; he knew they were long dead by now. Alex began to explain the situation and the wound in his stomach, but Flyzik told him not to and carried his bleeding friend downstairs, leaving Jack behind for the authorities to find. He reckons Jack's family deserve the funeral more than the three of them do.

Cassadee gasped at the sight of Alex, almost dead in Flyzik's arms. He doesn't respond until Alex is laid out across the backseat with his head in Cassadee's lap and he's speeding back to Cassadee's home. And only then does he respond with instructions; he tells Cassadee to open her front door and the door to the spare bedroom. She's confused, of course, but Flyzik only has time to ask her to also get out her first aid supplies, before they arrive, and Cassadee grabs her keys, following Flyzik's instructions for the sake of Jack Barakat.

Flyzik had never wanted to carry his best friend's limp body inside to be poorly stitched up by someone who only did first aid in school, but life doesn't let you have much of a say in these things.

He knew Alex would protest against the idea of hospital already, and that they'd have better chances if they just stitched and bandaged him at home. It was a lousy shot anyway.

Alex laughs at the sedatives but swallows them regardless and somehow wakes up two hours later with no ails beside an aching abdomen, which hurts as he moves.

Alex doesn't reckon he deserves to be alive and even considers what would have happened if Zack's shot hadn't been quite so lousy or if he'd have grabbed the gun after Jack and shot himself too, but right now he's alive and isn't quite stupid enough to be ungrateful for that.

The news reader's voice breaks all three out of their thoughts, her face devoid of expression as he mouth fires out most painful words Alex thinks he's ever heard.

"Jack Barakat has now been found dead after being missing for thirty one days. Jack Barakat and Zackary Merrick were found dead today in a house in Baltimore, Maryland. The house belongs to Mr Merrick - the older of the two men and police suspect that Mr Merrick was involved in a possible kidnapping of Mr Barakat. Both bodies had gunshot wounds to the forehead and police suspect Mr Barakat was murdered by Mr Merrick, who then took the gun to his own head perhaps after realising just what he'd done to the young man from Baltimore. The funeral-"

Her voice is cut off as Flyzik slams his finger down against the TV remote.

"I can't watch this anymore." He explains as two sets of eyes lock on him.

Cassadee nods - she understands, and with that Flyzik makes his way upstairs, leaving the two of them alone together.

"Jacky killed him, not the other way around." Alex says into the silence his teeth gritted.

"Alex, I would be glad that Jack hasn't got the charge of murder on him." 

"But they don't understand-"

"Don't expect them to." Cassadee sighs and leaves the room, "I'll fix something to eat." She offers as an explanation.

Alex isn't really listening; his eyes are fixated upon the sedatives she's abandoned on the table just a foot away.

His heartaches more than his abdomen as he stretches to reach for them, and he knows there's simply nothing else left for him to do.

He just wants to ease pain. He wants to forget.

After all, one can't hurt. 

-

Hey:) So then, it's over this fic is over. I've spent like 8 months writing it by now haha, and I'm quite proud of how it turned out:) I'm so happy with how many people enjoyed it and I guess you'll be pissed at me for the ending, but, come on, all things have got to end;) It's at 100k+ words in its entirety and I'm still confused as to how the hell that happened but oh my god I can't believe this fic seriously and you guys I love you all so much okay<3

PS. totally not sorry for your emotional pain haha;)