a distorted reality is now a necessity to be free

Someone Who Understands is Better than a Lover's Arms

"What?" Mr. Dawes said. The fingers clicked away at the keyboard.

 "Don't bother," Zachary muttered, "Mandy is wiL's ex wife and the godmother of Elizabeth Gregory. Mandy did not kill the Gregory parents, but like another former psychopath, she guided the hands that did."

 "Do you have proof?"

 Zachary smiled. "I started recording our conversations after she blackmailed me."

 "We will need these..." Mr. Evans trailed.

 "And you will find them at my house under the TV," Zachary nodded and found it time to continue his story. wiL could only cross his arms as he tried not to explode. The doubt had been erased and as maniacal and impossible as it seemed, he knew it was true. Something about Elizabeth's unfailing loyalty towards this man gave it away, as did the sick memories of Mandy's weird words around the times he had mentioned.

 "Mandy was a friend of the family. She had grown up next to the Gregory's. When they moved, Mandy tried to stay in touch. Lives continued, and Mandy grew incredibly greedy. It was a result of the lavish lifestyle she'd now grown accustomed to. With the threat of losing her rich boyfriend, she turned desperate. When she heard of the 'sixth-in-line' fortune her friend's daughter Elizabeth was inheriting, she snapped.

 "She didn't go unassisted. On a drunken stupor, she ran into Barnaby. He talked sweet, but she wasn't going to put out. So instead they talked. After many hours, Mandy discussed her 'niece's' fortune. Barnaby used his forked tongue to convince her that the money would be worth anything lost. And he got her to want to commit the murder. However, she wouldn't do it herself. He told her to look for me.

 "First, she began calling them more, and eventually asked if she could be the godmother to Elizabeth, since she was sort of like a distant aunt. At first they were opposed, but a falling out with her grandparents made it happen. She played the part nicely.

 "Second, she found me. Going off Barnaby's tip, she first tried to get my shoots all the time, though totally by accident. I noticed it and finally decided to talk to her," Zachary lowered his head, just as he had when Elizabeth had heard this earlier, "and she played me like a piano. She charmed me and even though I knew about her boyfriend, we began a relationship that lasted several months.

 "One day she asked me if I would do anything for her. Thinking I loved her, I said of course. She asked me to kill for her.

 "I laughed at first until she told me how she'd found me and practically admitted that I was just a pawn in her scheme to get money. Then I refused. However, she had predicted this and since sleeping with your photography subjects is cause to be permanently fired, she blackmailed me. So I started recording our conversations. I got every detail of how it was to go down. But I refused nonetheless, forgetting my career to save lives.

 "Somewhere during this time, Barnaby spoke up and said if he got a percentage, he'd do it. And since she's a spiteful bitch, she asked him to frame me. He used old blood from when I'd gotten the fake ID, as well as my fingers prints.

 "By then, I'd known all the plans. The day before it was supposed to go down, I went to the house. However, I came there just in time to see a woman crying at the beach. She told a young girl, who looked about seventeen, that her parents were dead. I knew it was done, so I left.

 "When I was arrested, I knew exactly why. And I also knew that until I got to let that poor girl at the beach know she wasn't alone, I wouldn't say anything more than I'm innocent. Now she knows I've felt her pain. So I've given you everything."

 Stillness was defining. wiL's head reeled again, the shock and disbelief studded into his head.

 Mandy had hired a man to kill her parents to get the money. And it had almost worked.

 wiL felt everything leave him, but it was like a promise of the calm after the storm, and it reassured him enough to grab her hand. She squeezed back with undoubtedly the only strength left in her body.

 "We're getting proof of this," Mr. Dawes said, but as he continued to check the computer, it was clear the stories started to check out.

 "We will know for sure later," Mr. Evans said.

 Zachary looked up as they started to cart him away.

 "Let me see her again, please."

 Without question, they led him to the civilian hallway.

 She didn't hesitate as she raced to the door. wiL held tightly but as she stepped into the hall, he released. Zachary stood there, tears in his eyes. No one spoke, the cops even sensing the surreal moment.

 "You didn't deserve all this," he whispered.

 "Neither of us did." She whispered back.

 Something clicked and his hands fell loose. Sheriff Dalton looked him straight in the eye.

 "Try anything funny, and I kill you."

 A strange look crossed Zachary's face as he realized that he was being allowed a solitary moment of freedom. It was relief. It was peace.

 His gaze then turned to Elizabeth and she made a whimpering noise. She started running towards him. Almost knocking him over, she wrapped her arms around his neck. He embraced her back.

 At first, wiL was jealous. In a single second it went away.

 What wiL could never do was understand the pain Elizabeth felt every day. Zachary did. Instead of seeing it as a curse, wiL saw it as a blessing. He smiled, knowing she could finally feel understood. He smiled even more knowing now he could too.

 Though it was only intended to last a minute, Elizabeth and Zachary were eventually led to the couch in the sheriff's office. They broke off, only to hold hands until reaching the ugly orange couch and embrace again. He wrapped his arms around her protectively and she lay on his chest. At first, wiL felt wrong, but Zachary noticed.

 "Come here," he said, She looked up, red eyed and nodded.

 "I don't know your pain," he mumbled.

 "You feel her pain," Zachary insisted, "and your ex wife is Charles Manson. Besides, Elizabeth would be more comfortable in the nook of your shoulder than mine."

 Obediently, he sat next to her and she instantly lay her head on his shoulder, her hand staying connected to Zachary. He took his other hand and wrapped it behind her back. wiL threw his arm over her shoulder to rub her farther shoulder. Both of them took the same hand Elizabeth left on the center of her lap.

 All three of them wept for hours, their pain each unique, yet the same.

**long time no post. My fail. But I've had carpal tunnel and school and work... you know. So wiL's a daddy! Yeah, holy shit. I am writing more right after this so...YAY!

Oh and go read "A Beautiful Stranger" by xsaccrintoxicityx. It was the reason I came to buzznet and it's still awesome. After a LONG time she's back and writing more. BEst fanfiction of all time.**

XOXO