Punishment

Kyle's head pounds as he lies in bed, drenched in sweat and fighting chills. Just moving to pull the blanket up closer hurt. He had no idea what time it was and didn't care. He'd made it up once to get a glass of water from the kitchen, and take some tylenol, but he'd barely had the strength to make it back to crawl into bed again. He couldn't remember a time he'd been taken down this hard this quickly.

His cell phone goes off on the nightstand, startling him enough to open his eyes. Groping for it, he manages to find it and flip it open. The number doesn't register in his mind right away...it rings a couple more times and he finally remembers that it's Misty's number.

Wincing as he swallows, he hits the button to answer it, but as he's trying to prop himself up on an elbow, the phone slips from his hand and drops to the floor.

Groaning, Kyle lies on his stomach trying to reach it, but finally gives up. He thought he might be able to hear Misty's voice, but trying to answer was too painful and no sound was coming out of his mouth anyway.

Shifting back down under the blanket, he figures the call would eventually end and if she needed something, she'd call back and leave a message on his voicemail instead. For now, all he wanted was sleep...lots of sleep...


Carson brings his hand to the side of his head where he'd been hit and can feel that it's mostly dried now. He'd just have to clean it up later. He gives a little shrug. "Yeah, I'm alright. My head can handle it."

As the silence drags on, Carson feels the urge to talk just to create noise, but he doesn't know what to say. He doesn't really want to go into details about everything that had happened...he doesn't really want to explain how he'd been played for a fool. At least Nate was respecting his silence. He just couldn't talk things through yet. So the quiet remains, Carson lost in thought about his future.

Getting closer to town, Carson takes a moment, contemplating before answering Nate. On the ride back, he'd decided what he was going to do. "Just take me to Vel..." He stops, realizing that Nate didn't know the names of these people. Word had gotten around that he was living with someone, but that was it. "...two-ten Barclay Street...it's an apartment building."

He lets Nate's second question about him being okay linger for several moments. Still not meeting Nate's eyes, he gives a short dry laugh. "I have to be."

It doesn't take long for them to finally reach their destination and park on the street. Carson sees both Velvet’s car and Sean’s car parked outside the apartment, and his stomach turns. But he was going through with this, and could very well ignore any personal feelings. He’d done it before. He would do it again. That’s what he was good at…ignoring his inner turmoil in order to get a job done.

“Thanks for the ride.” He finally gives Nate a sidelong glance before exiting the car. “You’re a good mate…” He pauses at the open window. He wasn’t used to showing thanks like this, but he owed it to Nate for what he’d done for him. “If ever I can repay you…” He simply ends in a nod before backing away, then turning around, hearing the car drive away.

Every step he takes towards the apartment building, his strides become stronger as he allows his anger to rule his actions. This was no time to play games or be the losing man.

Going inside and up the steps, he comes to Velvet’s apartment door and finds it locked. Fishing the key out of his pocket, he lets himself in, knowing good and well that his unannounced entry could prove to give him more than he wanted to see. But at this point, apathy ruled. He simply didn’t care anymore.

Barging in, he slams the door behind himself and looks with utter distaste at seeing Velvet and Sean on the couch. “Well, well, well, home sweet home.”

“Carson!” Velvet gets up, the surprise showing in her eyes.

“Get some clothes on, babe. Someone might think you haven’t been behaving yourself.” Carson heads to the bedroom, completely ignoring Sean.

“Carson!” Velvet chases after him, pulling on her silk robe. “What are you doing?”

“What? You think I was just gonna leave all my stuff here?” Carson lets out a dry laugh, kicking open the bedroom door and grabbing his duffel bag from the corner.

“You have no right to just barge in here,” Velvet complains.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Carson’s words are laced with sarcasm. “I forgot, that’s Sean’s privilege now, not mine.”

Velvet glares at him. “Get out.”

“What do you think I’m doing?”

“I mean now.”

Carson straightens from stuffing some of his shirts into his bag. “Or what? You’ll call the cops? You and I both know you wouldn’t.” He goes to retrieve several pairs of jeans from the dresser drawer.

“Velvet?” Sean comes around the corner. “What’s going on?”

“Well hi, Sean!” Carson gives him a smile. “Fancy meeting you here.”

Sean’s eyes narrow. “Try anything stupid and you’ll pay.”

“Ha!” Carson throws several more personal belongings into a backpack along with his extra pair of shoes. “Stupid came long before today, mate.”

“Leave now, Carson.”

Carson keeps his smile as he zips up both his bags. “My pleasure. But first…”

He reaches out to grab Velvet, pressing her against himself as he forces a rough kiss on her. Satisfied, he shoves her into Sean. “Well, she’s all yours.”

Velvet glares at him as she slinks into Sean’s arms. “You’re a slimeball.”

“I know.” Carson picks up his duffel bag and slings his backpack over one shoulder, shoving his way past the two and into the hall. He stops one more time though. “Oh, I almost forgot.” Setting down his bag, he reaches to his neck and yanks off the silver chain. Moving to Sean, he drapes it over his shoulder, giving it a pat. “I think this belongs to you. Enjoy it while it lasts. I’d keep your apartment though. You might want to move back in a few weeks.”

Saluting both, Carson picks his bag back up and heads to the door, tossing his key onto the floor as he goes, leaving the door wide open.

Halfway down the stairs, he hears the door slam. Without missing a beat, he goes out and to his car, throwing his stuff in the backseat. Within seconds, he’s burning rubber out of the driveway and heading to a destination unknown...

...Carson doesn’t know why he’s ended up here, but he knew with everything that had gone down, the gang wouldn’t be meeting here tonight. Parking at the front of the Bullseye, he just sits for several minutes in the silence. The adrenaline rush was gone. The anger was gone. The hate was subsiding. The humiliation was a lingering shadow. He felt…empty now. Emptier than he’d ever felt before. He’d been down on his luck in his life…he’d made mistakes before…he’d lost a lot of things in his life… But nothing seemed to compare to this.

After one decision…one stupid decision, here he was. Out of money, out of a home, barely keeping his job, and without anyone to lean on. Alone wasn’t the half of it.

Finally getting out of the car, Carson heads inside, taking up residence on a barstool, and ordering a beer. Tonight though, he’s not intent on drowning his sorrows. It’s almost as if he wants to feel it this time…he knows it’s what he deserves…it’s the punishment for his actions. The misery was the punishment to fit the crime, and he was experiencing it full force.

Sipping the beer slowly, he just sits…the noise around him going unheard. The people around him going unseen. He’d lost more than a home…he’d lost more than money…he’d lost more than a woman. He’d lost himself.