*R.I.P Nipsey Hussle*
Play the song guys, especially if you've never heard his music. He was a precious soul.❤️

Mason

"Got you a coffee." Abriel let known, while he took a seat beside me. "Get out of your head Mason. This isn't your fault." Glaring up at him through a side glance, I just looked away." Got some of those cheese Danish things you like, here, eat."

     Just shaking my head no at his offers he set them down on the coffee table before us. "Mason. Snap out of it. The problem here is Vindango. You caught your Moby Dick, now let's go find that disgusting little pig. Maybe that could help you sleep at night."

       Nothing would ever help me sleep at night. Clenching my jaw, I swiped the open parts of my suit back as I stood up. I didn't have time for this right now. "Um, Detective Mason?" I'd been sitting in this damn waiting room for 8 hours, somebody was going to tell me something about Klein. Grateful that I didn't have to rain on someone's parade with my snarky attitude I walked up to him, as I nodded my head, Abriel took place at my side.

      "Yeah, we're here about Klein Masthers." Abriel happily took up my failure to use actual words. Raising my brows at the man in scrubs, he nervously continued to speak.

      "He's stable. You can go visit him if you'd like. He is sleeping though, but once the anesthesia wears off he should be awake at any given time. We just urge him to take it slow. He's going to be in here for at the most, two weeks. But it hasn't been set in stone, I'm waiting to hear from the other doctors. So please come," Following after him like lost puppies Abriel and I carried along. But disappearing for a second I grazed my eyes over my shoulder, and Abriel was gone. He'd gone back to grab the food he brought.

      "Haha can't forget these!" Smiling his stupid smile, I smiled back.

        "Yeah, man. I know." I admitted, as the weight of the world seemed to press me into a flat pancake. All I could think about was Dayton. He was the center of a plot to get Klein, and because of my idiotic decisions I killed a good person. I thought the point of me having this job was to protect the good, put away the bad.

      But as I looked at my reflection through the glass windows passing by me, I saw him, my father. Every single time, I was beginning to be just like him. Carelessly making reckless decisions to prove myself as a hero, only destroying myself in the end, by ultimately becoming the villain. Ashamed, I looked at the back of the doctors head, reaching Klein's room, he gave a subtle smile, and motioned for us to open the door to go in. Abriel took no thought of it, he just rushed himself inside.

   As of I, I looked at Klein through the wide glass window. Oxygen running through his nose, cords all over his body, tubes to help him breathe, blood being forced through his fragile veins. He looked pitiful, but it was nothing compared to what he was battling inside. Thanks to me.

       Watching, Abriel took a seat beside him. Reaching for Klein's hand he held it. For the amount of years Abriel and I have been working with each other, I never took him for actually caring about Klein. But it didn't much surprise me really, if you were human, regardless of your past or what you had done, Abriel cared about you. A characteristic I found long before in Khai.

      He was talking to him now, trying to guide him back into this world. A part of me wanted to barge right in there and tell him to just let him go, to let him die, he's better off dead. But that would make me seem heartless, not like it wasn't completely accurate, I did indeed roam this earth with no heart.

     That, had been taken away from me a long time ago.

     And maybe it was a sign of my own destruction, I've been spiraling out of control, and I had no more fight in me to try and get a grip. Eventually everything will come to its end, and I hoped that it wouldn't end with anymore great people dying.

         Abriel seemed to be going deep with his one sided conversation with Klein. A part of me thought I was ready to go in there and confess my sins, but I wasn't. Shaking my head, I just walked away, I didn't belong here.

      Taking my place again in the waiting room I sat there. Looking at the expensive wallpaper, and the big smart tv hung high upon the wall. It was on again, "Earlier this afternoon, Basketball player, and award winning actor, Dayton Lang was killed during an interview on live television. Witnesses say that a man, soon to be named Klein Masthers, was seen bleeding as he screamed to the crowd to get out of the way. "It just happened out of nowhere you know, he was shaking like he was scared and I, I felt bad for him. I don't see why everyone is so scared of him, he seemed concerned like he knew what was going to happen. Yet he hesitated. I think he already knew he was too late."

  Tailer and Rylainah I breathed my thought aloud, feeling the vibrations of my phone, I swatted myself down in a hurry to get to it. Luckily just in time, I got a hold of it, and answered," Hey, what's up?"

      Kassie, her energetic voice slammed itself through my ears and right through me, causing an unexpected calm.  "Hey, I was just calling to check on you, haven't heard from you since. Well, me being an emotional wreck. Are you okay?" Slightly forcing a smile, I upped the tone of my voice to play off as if I were completely fine, even though I was completely done with life itself.

    "Yeah, uh yeah I'm fine, I'm really fine. How are you and the girls."

    Sighing into the phone in relief, but more of exhaustion. I only figured she was in the kitchen, baking. That's what she always did late at night, when her mind was so overly cluttered with her worries, and her heart aching from all of the faults that wrong her in the world. Probably standing by the window, gazing at the moon through that opened window I always nag at her to keep shut. But she never listens, "it calms me Mason, the natural silence of the world, makes me believe that maybe someday my life could be as peaceful as that. Happy."

    I always ignored her, plainly crushing her dreams, by stating somebody could just break in and kill her. But that never scared her, she'd shrug, and laugh at me, while I just played along like the fact that, that could truly happen wasn't real. Under those words lay a hidden feeling of fear, that it'd happen when I'm not around to protect her. Thinking about padlocking the son of the bitch down next time I go to that house, I zoned back into reality. "Honestly Mason, I don't know. Rylie is torn apart that her childhood celebrity crush, was brutally murdered right before her very own eyes. Shattering every single dream of marrying him and having his first child she's ever had. Mason. Rylie loved that man, everything he'd do she'd know, all of the fun facts that existed she could state back to you, as if she were reciting Shakespeare. Talk about obsessed? Hmmph, that's an understatement." She was licking her fingers, I could hear the agitating noise through the phone, laughing because she more than likely missed her tongue and the evidence was now vacationing on her front teeth, not that she would give a damn anyway.

     "What about Tailer?" I asked, Kassaundra grew quiet, my question sunk deep into her mind as she tried to think of the right words to say to me to not make me concerned. But the fact that she was right next to Klein when it all happened worried me, she could've been shot, her and Rylainah. Yet that didn't too much soak in, Klein wouldn't have allowed it, not if he could have prevented it. He didn't know them, but their innocence spoke to him, I just knew it. Because Tailer wasn't scared of him, and she's afraid of everything.

      "She's been crying. A lot, I can't even get her to calm down so that she could go to sleep. Please tell me that your close, I could use some company, my mother is asleep. And I just don't want to handle this all alone, I'm not a mom Mason, I don't know how to do these... motherly things of comforting, and talks. The whole nurturing ordeal is like Chinese on the back of a microwave dinner box. And that didn't make sense, but hell this doesn't make sense. Why did the kid have to die? Why'd they have to kill him? 1: On national television live! 2: At the mall where I freely shop, and now I have to carry salt on me, because I am afraid of his ghost coming back and slitting my throat! 3: In front of our nieces, scarring them mentally, and emotionally for life. Mason, I don't think they're ever going to overcome this. And I have faith in them, but they're too young, and I don't think therapy is going to be enough." Her voice became sulky, her sadness was so overpowering it echoed through the phone like a loud gunshot.

     Dayton. My mind zoomed to the thought of him just dying, because of a single handed choice that I made. Snap out of it Mason, snap out of it. "Okay, well for starters mini Winchester, you've been watching, wayyyy too many supernatural episodes. I think you need to slow your roll before you get ahead of yourself. And look the fact that he was killed in front of them, the fact that they could be scarred for life, and the image of his death could potentially haunt them. You have to give them a chance Kass, they're strong, I know they can push through it."

        "No. They won't. That kind of stuff just doesn't go away, you of all people should know. I see you. Pretending to be all alright with all that you've been through. Those nights you take too long in the bathroom I know you have that damn gun to your head just contemplating on pulling the trigger. You think I don't know how paranoid you get when I forget to check in with you after 10? Mason you fell apart that night, you and I both. And to this day you still will not tell me how Khai died, does my mom know?...you know what don't even tell me. Just get your ass here Mason, I mean it."

    "Give me 30, and I'll be there. Just lock up alright? Tell Tailer to wait up."

      "Be careful, and I love you."

Shooting my eyes to the wall, I pressed my lips together firmly. "Say it back now."

      "Alright I love you too Kass. Bye." I muttered quickly, as I hung up the phone. Letting out a loud breath I stood up slowly, preparing myself to go inform Abriel that I was heading to go see Kassaundra. Walking down the long hallway I reached his room, "342." Taking a moment before I entered, I looked inside. Abriel was reading now, out loud to Klein as if he could hear him.

      Klein liked books, any kind interested him, he liked knowing everything. Always trying to outshine everyone, was a goal, he thrived on it. I had a whole library at home of books he's finished, and just passed down to me, I still haven't touched a damn one. They were sitting there collecting dust, like everything else, including me. But they meant something to me, each and every book, that was worn out beyond repair, had some special zing to them. And often days before his arrest, the somber days I'd wonder what he was out there getting himself into, I would take a chair, and just stare at them.

   And every time I sat there, each time I had the chance to pick up one of those books, and actually read them, I couldn't. Because instead of focusing on catching him, I would be brought to the conclusion of saving him, throwing his crimes under the carpet, and allow him to come to his ruin. I would convince myself that putting him in jail would protect him, I could visit him. And be his,"good friend, detective Mason" again. Good. If only I were a good friend to you Klein, friends don't allow their friends to get their hearts broken. And that I did.

     Noticing me standing outside, Abriel patted Klein on his stomach, set the book down, and made his way outside to me. Not looking away from Klein I listened when he finally broke the silence. "I'm gonna head home, Paisley is waiting for me. You know how she gets when I'm out too long."

  Him and that damned dog. "Haha yeah she does get a bit antsy huh?"

     "Indeed she does, I'll tell her uncle Masey said hi."

     "That is such a ridiculous name and I wish you'd stop calling me by it." Laughing together Abriel took me in a hug, squeezing me with emphasis, I did the same.

      "Do us both a favor, get yourself some rest Mason, the rest of this isn't going to be a walk in the park. Your kid still has to go on trial, let's just hope he gets some good ass lawyer's, and that the judge, and the jury take it easy on him. Because we both know." He didn't even bother finishing the sentence, sparing me of the truth like he always did. Blinking away the thoughts I just nodded.

    "I will, see you later." I professed, smoothing my short hair back, I dragged my hand to my neck as I slightly massaged it. While tiredly placing my other hand on my hip.

    "He's going to be alright. And don't stay here all got damn night okay Mason, stop torturing yourself, I mean it. Go ok?" 

      "Yeah, yeah, get the hell out of here. Go!" Shooing him away, I smiled. Doing the same he put on his coat, and waved,  

     "Alright bye!" Watching him leave safely, I rolled my eyes, and sighed once more. Reluctantly turning around,  he was laying there, observing closely, his eyes began to blink. Trying to wake up, defeatedly I closed my eyes and let my head down, he's back.

       I should be smiling, running into that room, hugging him, showing him how relieved I was to see him again. But I was disappointed, he was safer dead, knowing I couldn't fight this fight for him I watched him a little longer. Before deciding completely if I was just going to leave, or go and talk to him, even though I knew damn well he didn't want to even look at me.

     Looking around him suspiciously, Klein screamed loud, as he attempted to break free of the equipment. Ripping the breathing tubes viscously, he threw them across the room like an angry bear. Finding that he was being pumped with foreign blood, he attempted to tear the needle out of his tattooed arm. Racing in there before he did anything else stupid, his nostrils flared with anger. Roaring loudly, I allowed it, "Stop it." I calmly demanded, holding my hand over the blood transfusion line. He scowled as he turned away. "You're high you know that?"

     "Why am I not dead? WHY AM I STILL HERE!?"

      "Because you just are dammit, now deal with it. We both have to." Like my words struck some sort of spark he geared his vision to head straight toward me, positioning completely to face me he just stared.

   "You only wanted me to die because you didn't want to have to see the regret of your actions, laid out all before you. You're lying to yourself thinking that I'd be better off dead, and I know that I am, but don't try to spare yourself the truth Mason. You look miserable when you do, it's written all over your face like the plague."

      "That isn't true. Regardless of you being dead, I'm constantly going to think of what happened. And don't you lay there putting all of this on me, I didn't get you into this shit Klein. Had you of just gone your separate way after that fight, you wouldn't of had any ties to Vindango. You would've held out your prolonged sentence and moved on with your life, this all started with you, don't you forget that. You're just hurting right now, I'll take away some of that blame you feel, put it all on me, that's fine. Just know Dayton's blood is on both of our hands, together." Letting his eyes drop to the book on the nightstand he glanced back up to me.

     "Abriel was reading to me. Did you tell him to?" Changing the subject completely, I stared at the book quickly as well.

     "No. He was uh, I don't know just trying to give you some company." I replied dull, and emotionless, "Go back to sleep Klein."

     "You got my brother killed, and I hate you for that. You forced me to get medical help, now I'm alive, and I hate you for that. You're sitting here next to me like everything is alright, and I fucking hate you for that. I'm slightly happy that you're here, talking to me, and I hate you for that too."

    Just nodding at his anesthetic high of nonsense, I leaned back into the chair. Waiting until he finally took his sleepy ass back to sleep. "Mason."

"What?" I responded harshly, as I forced my eyes opened.

      "I saw Dayton. He forced me back here. Said that you needed me, and I couldn't leave you alone. Do you need me?"

     Without much of a struggle my eyes shot completely wide open, as I sat up. He was looking dead at me, his green eyes stabbing at my shattered soul, scattering its mauled pieces about.

       I couldn't say anything, but neither did I want to. I never thought of ever needing Klein. But maybe in some unexplained way I did, for what though I had absolutely no idea. "Well I don't need you, so I don't even care." Klein retorted, still eyeing me down I just looked away.

     "I got the memo years ago kid."

"I'm not a kid."

                "No Klein you are still a kid, you make choices like one. Selfish, half thought, you might not act like one completely. But you damn sure ain't no man so don't even go there."

    "You're just angry with yourself. Trying to call me just a boy, but what are you?"

      "Cut this shit out Klein just go to sleep!"  He was digging into my head, and was using everything he could detect to throw right back at me. That's how it was with him, especially when he was mad, borderline hating you.

   He tried to pry deep into your skin, making your blood boil with the faintest of truths, that you continually push to the back of your mind with the blandest of lies. "I never asked you to stay! Get the fuck out! Why are you even here Mason? Do you even know that?"

       "You know what I don't," Grabbing the handcuffs from my pockets I slapped them on his free wrist, taking the second pair, I did the same to his ankle. "Have fun."

      Leaving the book Abriel was reading, I walked out of the hospital room. The officers, Chief Gibson called for were now waiting outside. Ten of them uniform, and two swat. Pacing the perimeter religiously, I found Mike.

      Today was his first day on the job, fully dressed in his bulky black, he smiled gracefully as I walked to him. "I'm sure he's said some tough shit to you in there, but he's just hurting yaknow?"

        "He'll get worse once that shit wears off completely. I hope the nurse has a backbone and some tough skin, cause if not he's going to eat them alive. He didn't sting me too bad, but he isn't getting any sweeter anytime soon. Watch him Mike, and closely alright."

     I stared at my brother ashamed. "Okay I'll see you later today?" He asked cheerfully, eyes wide and encouraging I replied.

       "Yep, later."

      Pulling him into a close knit hug, I held on to him, "This is all my fault Mikey."

      Patting me on the back with a gloved hand he breathed aloud, the cool breeze whispered through my ear. "If it was his time to go Mason, and that was the way he was meant to go, even if you never in your life met Klein, you were a worker at McDonald's or somewhere, Dayton would have died, yesterday, at that time, in that way. Nobody can or should be blamed, his death can only be blamed on the shooter. You didn't hold the gun, we found the body inside the mall dead, alright. Dayton's killer is no more."

        "But his death is not justified Mike. The real killer is on the streets right now, probably preparing to disappear, and it is all of my doing. I-,"

      "Fix it. Find a way to fix it. You feel this bad Mason, do the right thing. But stop kicking yourself in the ass about it, you don't self pity, you taught me that. Go home rest up, find yourself again, you're miserable." Pulling apart, and punching me in the arm Mike just smiled.

      "Alright. I'll get going. Bye." Waving a hand at everyone, I took the shot at glancing through Klein's window again. He was asleep. Good. I thought, laughing quietly as I walked to the exit, into the parking lot, and then in my car.

___________________________

    "30 minutes? Is that your idea of 30 minutes? If I knew you were going to take a shit of a decade long, I could've been asleep."

      "You're lying." I simply put, taking
off the suit jacket, and laying it on the back of the dining room chair. I raised a brow at Kassundra, awaiting for her response. Icing about her 20th cupcake she set the piping bag down on the marbled white countertop. "I was at the hospital. Got caught up in watching the suspect until the back up got there. So I'm sorry. Got enough cupcakes for me?" Rolling those beautiful eyes of hers she smiled in her remorsefulness.

     "Maybe detective, maybe not." Setting them on a display, she grabbed a few,"C'mon we've got a kid to talk to."

    Following after her as she strutted up the stairs, I agreed." Yes in fact we do mama k."

       "Of course father Mase. It's the best I've got your name just sounds awkward when you try to cut it short. M, may, son. Haha k son! Father son it is!"

      She was proud of herself, letting my head down as I shook it profusely at her odd humor, we reached Tailer's room. "Here. She'll talk to you more than she'll talk to me." Handing me the plate of cupcakes, I knocked on the door.

     "Baby girl, it's me. Open up, I got something for you."

       "I don't want it." Kassaundra dropped her face in offense, preparing to say something stupid, I stopped her by laying a hand on her shoulder.

     "Okay well I put it back can you open up now? You're not in trouble,"

     "Yet!" Kassundra chimed in, shooting her a look she grew quiet.

      "You're not in trouble I just want to talk. You open up, or I'm just barging in." Waiting, it was silent, until Tailer slammed open the door with her face puffy, and dried with tears. "Come here." Forcefully dragging her into my arms, she broke down."It's okay, it's going to be okay, "

      "Yeah but he's not going to be okay." My expression froze, she was crying because of Klein. Pulling her away from me, I walked into the room completely, shying away from the poster of Dayton, I took a seat on her bed.

      Motioning a hand for her to come, she did, shaking and hiccuping in her misery. Kassaundra stood in her rolled sweatpants, and a plain black tank, covered in flour, icing, and batter. She was a mess. Wanting to laugh at her actually trying be serious in her physical state, I looked back to Tailer. "Who are you talking about?" Kassundra looked at me with a hint of worry, trying to reassure her with my look of surety, she took a breath.

      "The, the guy. The one you arrested, I was scared that you were going to ground me because me and Ryli skipped school. But I promise I won't ever do it again, I didn't mean for him to die. It's all of our fault, Aunt Kass said there was some bad juju going around and we just ignored her, we cursed everyone!" Hiding in the flesh of my chest I kissed her head of curls.

  Her innocence made me smile, "Aunt Kass always talks about 'bad juju' Tailer, that doesn't mean you have it. It's just a term for a bad feeling not a curse."

     "Is he bad?" Looking up to me now, I turned away, she was asking about Klein.

       "He's done some pretty bad things, but no, he isn't bad at all. It's just the terrible things he's done that makes everyone define him as being bad."

     "Did he get help? Is he okay now?" Pulling her head closer, I leaned my tired one on hers.

     "Yes baby, he's okay for now. Are you?"

   Nodding her head, she wrapped her arms around me,"Aunt Kass?"

    "Yes?"

          "Can you and uncle Mason sleep in my room tonight?" Glancing at each other Kassundra threw a soft smile my way.

      "Well I don't mind, I'm sure Mason doesn't either right?" Coughing a short laugh, I nodded my head.

      "Of course. I don't mind at all, I've got nowhere to be. Let me just go check on Ryli and I'll be back okay?" Letting go of me as I got up, I hurried out of the room, and into Rylainah's.

     Slowly opening the door, I peeked inside, her lights were on. But she wasn't in her bed, alarmed, I reached for my gun. Until I seen her groggily return to her bed, yet instead of laying down, she sat straight up, looking into space. She was scaring me, letting the holster go, I stood up straight, and headed in.

   Her eyes lit up, as she rushed from the mattress, and jumped into my arms. "Please don't go. I'm so sorry for not listening, it was my idea!" Wrapping her arms around my neck, and legs around my waist, I held her up.

      "Shh, Cmon. We're camping out in Tailer's room tonight." I said quietly, comforting her with a pat on the back.

       "I love you so much uncle Mason, you're the best." Random at the thought of it, but she was just happy to see me, and I was more than happy to see her.

     Carrying her over back to Tailer's, I replied, "I love you too Ryli." Kass, was already knocked out on the floor, and Tailer was sound asleep as well, it's been practically 3 minutes. Laughing to myself, I laid Rylainah in the bed with her sister. "Goodnight, I'll be right on the floor if you need me okay?"

     "Are the people that killed Dayton going to come after you cause you're the good guy?"  She asked with her brown eyes wide of fearful curiosity.

     Lying in uncertainty, I kissed her forehead, "No. But go to sleep okay?"

   "Okay." She said in return, with her sleepiness sewn throughout her voice.

      "Good." Tired myself, I got on my knees, and walked over until I was laying down completely, right next to Kassundra. Kissing her cheek as she slept, I rolled over to my back.

  As I mindlessly stared at the poster, of a person that shouldn't belong to death.