The Ending They Should've Gotten - Monty and Winston

Part 12

When Deputy Standall's voice echoed throughout the bunker, the four teenagers worriedly looked at each other. Winston grabbed hold of Monty's arm, but Monty was too in shock from Deputy Standall appearing to worry about the others seeing it.

"Deputy Standall, I can explain-" Monty tried to speak up but was cut off.

"Explain what? The fact that you left the bunker and told all your friends you're alive?" Deputy Standall accused him.

Winston shook his head, because that wasn't what had happened, "No, it wasn't like that."

"Shut your damn mouth, I wasn't talking to you." Deputy Standall snarled and stepped closer to the group, which made Monty grow angry.

"Hey! Back the fuck up and don't talk to him like that!" Monty demanded as he pulled Winston behind him.

Deputy Standall scoffed, "Really? I go out of my way to save your life, risking my entire career, and this is how you act?"

"That was your decision, no one made you do that. But I swear if you say one more bad thing to him I will leave this fucking bunker right now and turn myself in."

"Monty..." Winston started, but quieted down when he saw Deputy Standall walk away from them.

Deputy Standall sighed, "I should've known this would happen."

"I never left. I may have done some shitty things, but I'm not a fucking idiot." Monty explained.

Deputy Standall ran his hand through his hair, "Then how did these three find you?"

Diego, Estela, and Winston shared a nervous glance between each other. It was obvious that Diego and Estela were still very confused about the situation. Winston looked toward Monty, who only nodded at him. Winston took it as an okay for him to tell the truth.

"We followed your truck from the police station and saw you come down here. It was all my idea, please don't blame them." Winston said, but Diego shook his head.

"It was my idea too." He said.

"And mine." Estela spoke up.

Winston looked over at them, wondering why they decided to also take blame for the idea, but they just stared forward at Deputy Standall.

"So, let me get this straight, you kids followed me? And when I left, you came down here?"

"No, actually. We all went home, but I read..." Winston paused, realizing Monty still had no idea that he had read his journal, "I had a gut feeling that maybe there would be something important down here and I was right."

Winston was too focused on how Deputy Standall would react, to see Monty look over at him with a small smile.

Deputy Standall contemplated what he wanted to say, "Are you three the only people that know he's alive?" Diego, Estela, and Winston nodded in unison.

Deputy Standall leaned back against a wall, "I managed to convince everyone else in town that he's dead. Hell, it's all over the local news. If word gets out that he's alive..." He trailed off.

"Why did you try to protect Monty? I mean, what was in it for you?" Diego asked.

"I'd never be able to live with myself knowing he was convicted of a crime he didn't commit." Deputy Standall said.

"How do you know he didn't do it? Is it because you know who actually did?" Winston repeated the same words he had said to Monty a few days ago.

Deputy Standall's eyes widened at the accusation, but he stayed silent.

"Holy shit. You know who killed Bryce, don't you?" Monty reveled.

"Even if I did, it doesn't change the fact that everyone believes you're a murderer, and let's not forget the testimony Ms. Achola gave which managed to clear all of the other suspect's names." Deputy Standall pointed out.

"So Ani was the one who talked to you?" Diego asked even though he knew the answer. Deputy Standall nodded.

"That bitch." Estela mumbled.

"Even if everyone else is cleared, Monty has a real alibi now. He was with me that night." Winston brought up.

"Can you prove that, kid?" Deputy Standall asked.

Winston suddenly remembered a Polaroid picture he took that night. Of Monty, sleeping shirtless in his bed. It was they type of Polaroid that showed the date it was taken at the bottom.

"Yeah, I can prove it." He said.

Deputy Standall began to look panicked. He rubbed his hands up and down his face, a thin trail of sweat grazed his forehead.

"I don't understand why you're so concerned about this case. If it was your own son in this situation, I'd understand, but it isn't."

At Winston's words, Deputy Standall looked up. His face showed a look of complete sadness and panic. Everyone seemed to put the pieces together at once.

Estela gasped, "Oh my god. It was Alex."

"You knew this whole time." Winston said.

Deputy Standall remained quiet as they figured it out. He hadn't intended on them finding out the truth in that way, but if he was being honest with himself, he didn't know if he'd had the guts to actually tell them.

"I still don't understand why you're trying to help Monty. Alex would've gotten away with it, isn't that what you want?" Diego asked.

Deputy Standall shook his head, "No one deserves to be framed."

"You know we could go to the police right now. We could tell them everything and Monty's name would be cleared. There's nothing stopping us." Winston declared.

"You could. But you seem to be forgetting that everyone still thinks Monty is dead. Plus, he would immediately be arrested again, because of what he did to Tyler Down. If any cop sees him right now, they'll just suspect he was a criminal on the run and he most likely wouldn't get a trial." Deputy Standall watched the teens grow more and more worried with each word he said.

After a few seconds, Winston broke the silence, "What do you suppose we should do then?"

"I have an idea, but I need your help." Deputy Standall told them all.

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Author's Note: THEY FIGURED IT OUT AHHH! (If you're confused as to why Deputy Standall knows it was Alex, remember in 3x13, he tells Ani about his wife's car's tire prints. He also burns Alex's clothes.)

What's going to happen now that they know who really killed Bryce? And what is Deputy Standall's idea?

Thank you for reading this chapter! :)