Unhinged [Rafe Cameron]

[wanted]

"What's wrong?" JJ asks, but I've already gotten off the bed.

"Uhm, I just need to.... go..." I mumble feebly, grasping at straws for an excuse.

An awkward pause settles over us. If it wasn't already clear, my improv skills are shit.

"Oh," JJ looks visibly uncomfortable now, dropping his voice down to a murmur, "Is it... lady issues?"

I bite my lip so that the laugh doesn't burst out. "Yes, actually."

"Oh, gosh. I'm- I'll just go back to the waiting room." He fumbles around before practically sprinting out of the room.

There's no time for relief because I've already taken off in the other direction, the same direction that Rafe went. My hospital slippers pad helplessly on the clean scrubbed ground and other patients that are milling about watch me run stupidly through the lobby.

I see Rafe's back rounding the corner of the hallway, and a burst of adrenaline shoots through me as I trail behind him.

He shot the sheriff. He shot her. He's a murderer.

I am running after a murderer. In a hospital gown, no less.

I turn around the corner and my slippers catch on each other as I stumble, my hands flinging forward to protect me from impact. But none comes.

Instead I find myself in the grip of Rafe Cameron, (the murderer), and I feel myself getting hauled sideways into a dark broom closet.

I struggle and flail my limbs to try and get out of his hold, but he lowers his face to my ear and whispers a rushed, "stop fucking fighting" before letting me go and shutting the door. All the light in the room is now gone, except for the tiny crack of space under the door where a faint light is filtering in.

My heart hammers against my chest as we stand in silence, waiting for the other to make a move. Or to say something. Anything.

Can I leave fast enough? If I went for the door, would he try to stop me?

"Celeste..." he breathes so quietly that it's just barely a whisper.

"Why did you do it?" I ask, my voice trembling despite my efforts not to seem scared.

The light from the door crack shines a dim blue over his face, and I can see that he's shaking, beads of sweat hanging on his forehead.

I tilt my head, trying to make eye contact, but he decides to look anywhere by my eyes.

"Why. Did you do it." I emphasize, trying to pressure a response out of him.

"I- I..." He begins, but I'm just about done with his bullshit.

"What? Rafe? Why did you shoot her? WHY?"

He grabs my wrists, pinning me up against the racks lined against the wall.

"I was saving him. I saved him." He grits out through clenched teeth.

"Don't fucking touch me, Rafe!" I shove him off of me, and his back bumps against the wall behind him.

"I SAVED HIM!" He shouts, and for the first time I see a rage bubble up in his eyes. One that I've never seen before. The way he's acting reminds me of an animal: rabid, unhinged, and willing to do whatever it takes to get what he wants.

"You didn't save anyone." I seeth, "What you did was kill an innocent woman. You did an unnecessary thing, and all it's done is cause chaos."

"I had to. My dad was in danger, and I had to do something. I saved him. I had to." A glint of madness shadows his eyes, and I feel myself retracting back, instinctively trying to get as far away from his as possible.