Written in 69 minutes. Sorry, I ended up combining two parts, and then needed to find a way to end the scene.

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Sunday, September 14, 2024

PCPD: Squad Room

Dante strode just ahead of them into the squad room, shoving the double doors open so forcefully they slapped against the walls and nearly came back on them.

The targets of his ire were seated in a trio of chairs lined up next to a pair of desks, facing out towards the rest of the room. Aiden was at the far left, slouched down, his head propped up on his elbow. When the adults arrived, he snapped up straight, his eyes wide, his cheeks flushed. The only one of the three of them that seemed to have any sense—

Danny was sitting in the middle of of the trio, grinning and cracking jokes with Rocco who looked a little queasy, but had no problem snickering. Both boys had flushed cheeks, too, but Dante knew it came from whatever they’d put in their systems — their eyes were glassy, and they were still clearly riding something other than just alcohol.

And neither of them seemed all that concerned when their parents had arrived.

Dante scrubbed his hands down his face. “If I talk to him right now, I’m going to lose it,” he told Sam. “Let me grab Dex and the other arresting officer and see what I can handle. Sam, I’m tagging you in. Kill him for me.” He made eye contact with Dex, then nodded towards the interrogation room.

Sam folded her arms, took a deep breath, then shook her head. “I can’t—I can’t look at them—” She turned away, looked at Jason and Elizabeth. “They don’t even care—they’ve got to be high or something.”

Jason saw Danny point in Sam’s direction, then say something to Rocco and snort with laughter. He scowled, pushed his way to the front. “What do you have to laugh about right now?” he demanded, and Danny’s eyes went a little wide at the tone in his father’s voice. Some of the flush dissipated and he fidgeted.

“Mom, none of this is my fault—” Aiden snapped to his feet. “You gotta believe me—”

“Oh, you mean like every time I believed you were spending the night with your cousin?” Elizabeth wanted to know, lifting her brows. “I’m supposed to believe that Danny and Rocco’s phone just happened to show up at your house? What, did they chuck them into the bushes without you knowing?”

Aiden swallowed hard. “Okay, so some of this is my fault, but no one told these morons to come over. They were supposed to be somewhere else—”

“Aiden, sit down,” Jason cut in, his tone only slightly less harsh than it had been with his own son. Aiden obeyed, swallowing hard, and dropping his head slightly. “When I told you how important it was that every single person in that house had to be very careful, that the feds would use whatever excuse they could to put your mother back in jail, did you think that didn’t mean you?”

Aiden opened his mouth, looked at his mother. “Mom—”

“Don’t look at me. I want to hear your answer,” Elizabeth retorted, and his cheeks paled. He  clearly hadn’t counted on her backing Jason’s anger. “Because you have been lying to me for almost a year. Even if I wasn’t wearing this—” She jerked up her jean leg to reveal the ankle monitor. “I would still be angry. How am I going to explain an early morning trip to the PCPD, Aiden? How do I explain two drunk teenagers on my lawn at one in the morning?”

Aiden folded his arms, and seemed to fold in on himself. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. It wasn’t supposed to be like this.”

“Don’t smile,” Sam snapped at Danny, whose slight smirk faded. “You wipe that goddamn smirk from your face right now, or—”

“Or what? You’ll take my phone from me again—” Danny began.

“Shut up,” Jason said, and Danny looked at him, swallowed again. “I don’t care what’s going on between you and your mother. You’re not going to talk to her that way. You think it’s funny that the three of you might have put Elizabeth’s freedom in jeopardy? That she might go back to jail? You think Jake would be happy if you got his mother locked up again?” he demanded of Danny.

“Right, because it’s all about Jake, right.” Danny scowled, got to his feet. “All summer, you’ve been obsessed with him because he was pissed at you, and it was like you didn’t even care about me—you didn’t even fight Mom when she said I couldn’t see you—”

“Oh, then what was stopping you this week?” Sam cut in. “Because I lifted all of those restrictions last Monday, didn’t I? You’re done playing me, Danny. You fought me all summer because you thought your dad would let you run wild, but the second you got the chance to see him, you didn’t even bother to call him. Why is that?”

Danny rolled his eyes. “Oh, my God, I told you! The FBI was on my ass — they literally stopped me in the park. I didn’t want to deal with it! Okay? Dad made sure to protect Jake from being harassed, but I guess he couldn’t be bothered to make sure I didn’t have to either—”

“I—” Jason looked at Sam, sharply who flushed.

“Danny—”

“You both actually suck, so how about that?” Danny retorted. “Mom let the FBI talk to me even though I didn’t want to, and Dad didn’t stop her. Didn’t fight her. You never do. It’s always whatever she wants, and you don’t give a damn about me! You never did! Don’t lie! I know Jake’s the one you care about, the only kid you actually wanted—and you left me with this lunatic who tries to control everything I do! Nothing is ever good enough for you!” he shot at his mom, who pressed her lips together, her eyes glimmering with furious tears.

“Don’t bother—” Sam said when Jason started to speak. “He’s made himself the victim. First, your dad was fighting to see you more and was going to get lawyers involved. Why do you think I dropped the restrictions?”

Danny looked at his father, then back to Sam. “That’s not true—”

“Whatever. I’m—I’m just done. I’m done. You want to destroy your life? You want to follow in my footsteps, in your dad’s? You want a felony record that will make your life harder? You want to get drunk and high? Go ahead. I’m done.” She looked at Jason. “He’s your problem. Good luck.”

And then she just walked out.

PCPD: Interrogation Room

Dante smelled the vape pen Dex had given him, and his stomach lurched. “Both of them?”

“Yeah.” Dex shifted, his thumbs tucked into his belt, clearly uncomfortable with the entire situation. “I guess we can’t say for sure, but it’s definitely weed.”

“High and drunk.” Dante dragged out the metal chair, and sat down, put his head in his hands. “And it’s not the first time. Clearly.”

“I don’t think so. But we have no record of it here. I ran their names.” Dex looked at his partner, then back at Dante. “Listen, I want to help. It’s just—if was just alcohol, you know we could just release them. With a warning. But the weed—”

“We got called out on a 911,” his partner said. “Reported two kids walking along Elm Street, laughing, giggling. Nearly got hit by a car. The driver called it in.”

“Oh, man. I had—” Dante nodded. “Okay. Okay. I get it. And I promise you, a month ago, these idiots pull this, I’m ready to scare them straight with whatever we throw at them. But my idiots—they showed up at Elizabeth’s house. And her son didn’t do anything illegal. He was trying to get them to leave.”

“I know she’s out on bail. Joss said it’s pretty strict. They’d run her for this? Even though her kid didn’t do anything—”

“They’ve got her on murder charges, Dex. Charges that Chase and I debunked within an hour. They’re gunning for her. Or for Jason. Either way—this—this isn’t right. Aiden’s not just her son. He’s my nephew—he’s Lulu—” Dante looked away, thinking of his comatose ex-wife who was sleeping away their child’s life. “He’s Lulu nephew. And he doesn’t deserve to bear the guilt for something happening to his mom because he was a moron.”

Dex rubbed his mouth. “We didn’t do any paperwork,” he said slowly. “And I’m the only one who smelled—I didn’t right that down. I know—” he looked at his partner. “I know it’s asking a lot—”

“I’m not asking as a cop,” Dante said. “And I swear, Rocco and Danny — this isn’t going to happen again. I got a wake up call, and I’m not about to let him mess up his life. Please.”

“I guess we can just note that we found the teens on Elm Street, called parents and released them with a warning. We don’t have to mention the weed,” Dex’s partner said reluctantly. “It would just be me and Dex who know.”

“Thank you. Thank you. This is—okay. Thank you—” Dante gestured at the vape pens on the table between them. “Do you want me to get rid of these—”

“Yeah, let me get you an evidence bag.”

After Dex had sent Dante back to the squad room, his partner just looked at him. “If this blows back on us, I’m gonna blame you,” she said.

“It won’t. Dante’s good people. I just hope he can get those kids under control.”

PCPD: Squad Room

Dante emerged from the squad room, the plastic evidence bag in hand, then stopped short when he saw Jason and Elizabeth in the squad room, all three boys still sitting down. “Uh, did Sam need a break, or—”

“I think she’s waiting in the car.” Elizabeth paused. “Danny’s going home with us,” she added. “Sam needs a break from him, and honestly—” she blew out a breath. “Hard to blame her.”

“Uh—” Dante nodded. “Okay.” He looked at Rocco who was holding his middle. “Stand up. We’re going home, and I don’t want to hear a single word from you. Got it?”

Rocco got up, swayed slightly. “Yeah. Sorry that was a word. Does that—” He closed his mouth when his father lifted his chin.

Then Dante looked at Danny, staring hard at the linoleum floor. “You and your mother have been going round and round for weeks, and she’s taken a lot of crap from you. I sat back, I let her handle it, but I should have slapped you upside the head the second you started with the insults. I don’t even have to know what you said to know it was out of line, and remember this, Danny. You’re the one that started this. You became someone we couldn’t trust, and your mother’s been reacting to you. So maybe it’s a good idea for you to take a  break from each other.”  He looked at Jason and Elizabeth. “I got it handled. This goes away. Not because they deserve it, but I’m not letting you or Aiden take the fall for any of this.”

“Thank you. I’ll still need to explain the PCPD trip,” Elizabeth said, “but my address won’t be on a police record?”

“No. And Aiden’s a minor who didn’t do anything wrong. At worst, he’s a witness.” Dante wrapped a hand around Rocco’s upper arm. “Let’s go. And if you vomit in my car, I’m going to make you clean it up.”

“Let’s get out of here,” Jason said to Elizabeth. “Before anyone else sees us.” He looked at Aiden and Danny. “Get up.”

Aiden nearly leapt to his feet. “Mom, I am so sorry—”

“You haven’t even begun to be sorry,” Elizabeth said, taking his arm and steering him towards the doors.

Danny lifted his chin at his father. “You can’t make me go with you—”

“You want to stay here? Face charges for whatever was in that bag Dante was carrying?” Jason bit out. “Go for it—”

“You’re just mad because Elizabeth might get in trouble—”

“I’m mad because my son is drinking and doing drugs,” Jason said. “I’m angry because you’re a selfish, self-centered idiot who can’t think of anyone but himself. Because, yeah, this disaster put her in jeopardy. And it’s made trouble for Dante where he works. Your actions? They affect the people around you. What you did tonight, the position you put Aiden in—”

“Please, don’t let him fool you—” Danny began but Jason silenced him with one look.

“I’ll have a conversation with Aiden. His mother will have a conversation with Aiden. Let’s go. Now. Or stay here, and I’ll tell Dex you want to be booked. Your decision.”

Webber House: Living Room

Cameron and Jake were sitting on the landing when Jason and Elizabeth arrived home. Elizabeth came in first — holding the door for the teenagers who trudged in with Jason following.

“Sofa,” Jason said. “Both of you.”

“I’m tired, I just—” Danny saw the look in his father’s eyes and scowled. “Fine. Whatever.”

“What did you do?” Cameron wanted to know, getting to his feet. “Where were you guys? I woke up—”

“I don’t even know where to start.” Elizabeth wrapped one arm around her middle, rubbed her temple with the other. “How long?”

Aiden blinked up at her. “How long?” he echoed.

“How long have you been drinking?”

“What?” Jake exploded, lunging to his feet. “What do you mean drinking—”

“Jake, don’t start,” Elizabeth cut in sharply. “Or we’ll have another conversation about the Brown Dog and what you were doing there.”

Cameron frowned, looked at him. “What?”

“Later,” Jake muttered, dropping back to the landing, Cameron slowly sitting next to him.

“How long?” Elizabeth repeated, and Aiden made a face, obviously hoping his mother had been distracted from remembering the question.

“I dunno.” He picked at his sleep shorts. “Like since last Thanksgiving.”

“Last—” Elizabeth nodded. “Great. That’s—that’s great—”

“Maybe you were too busy kidnapping people to notice,” Danny said.

Jason stepped forward, and Jake both stood up at the insult, but Elizabeth held up her hand and met Danny’s gaze head on.

“Feels good, doesn’t it?” she said, and he scowled at her. “When you lash out, slap someone. When you call your mother a lunatic, or a bitch, or any of the other lovely things I’ve heard you say to or about her. Did you feel good when you did that?”

“What does it matter?”

“You think that because I’ve been in trouble with the law, because your mom and your dad have records, that somehow you’re better. That you get to use it like a weapon to bludgeon your way out of trouble, but that’s not how it works in this family. And don’t—” She held up a finger when Danny opened his mouth. “Don’t you dare say you’re not in my family. Jake is your brother. Whether you like it or not, that means I give a damn about what happens to you.”

Danny swallowed hard, looked away. “Whatever.”

“The drinking, the drugs, it stops now. For both of you,” Jason said, flatly. “My sister nearly died from a drug overdose when she was your age. I was almost killed in a drunk driving accident caused by my own brother.” He looked at Aiden. “Your grandfather drove drunk and nearly killed your brother.”

“And your father is a recovering pill addict,” Elizabeth offered. “Addiction runs in the Spencer bloodlines. And the Quartermaines.”

“It was just a couple of beers,” Danny complained. “You’re acting like I go to school drunk or whatever—”

“You vape during the day. I’ve seen it,” Jake said, and Danny shot to his feet, betrayed. His brother got to his feet. “I’m done covering for you.”

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