The Ending They Should've Gotten - Monty and Winston

Part 15

Everyone in Alex's room stared over in shock at the man standing in the doorframe.

"Dad? What are you doing home so early?" Alex asked in a panicky tone as he shifted away from Charlie.

"Well, it's a Sunday." His dad said, taking off his hat and placing it on one of Alex's dressers.

Alex facepalmed, "Oh shit. I've been so stressed, I completely forgot you don't work on Sundays."

Tony cursed silently, "I knew I shouldn't have looked away from the window."

"How much of that conversation did you hear?" Justin nervously asked.

"Enough to know you need my help." Deputy Standall said as he walked further into the room. Winston, Estela, and Diego followed him.

Everyone who was already in Alex's room looked over at them. Some were looks of anger, some of confusion, and some of fear.

"Why are they here?" Jessica gestured to the three people standing behind Deputy Standall.

"Because they're as much a part of this as all of you are." Deputy Standall supplied.

Zach scoffed, "Like hell they are."

"We may not have killed anyone or tried to cover up a murder by framing someone innocent, but we still have every right to be here." Diego said. Everyone froze, silently thinking about how he could possibly know all of that. Plus, it wasn't good that he was repeating it in front of Deputy Standall.

"Monty wasn't innocent." Clay spat out.

"You're right, Clay." Winston spoke up, "He's done some terrible things, but that doesn't mean he deserved what happened to him."

"Maybe not, but it doesn't change the fact that what's done is done." Ani said.

Estela rolled her eyes, "What's done is done? Really, Ani? As if you didn't lie to the police and tamper with evidence."

Ani's eyes shot over to Deputy Standall to see if he had any reaction to that, but when she saw he had none, she started to put the pieces together.

"You knew I was lying during my testimony the whole time, didn't you?" She asked Deputy Standall, who nodded.

"Yes, I knew. And I wondered how could someone lie with such ease, knowing that they were destroying someone's life."

"Monty destroyed his own life, it's not our fault he died." Justin defended her.

"Yeah, and it's not our fault that he was a fucking rapist." At Clay's words, Tyler tensed beside him.

"So was Bryce, but Ani gave him a chance." Winston pointed out.

Ani shook her head, "It wasn't like that-"

"It wasn't?" Winston countered, "Explain the difference then. Tell us all what made Bryce such a better person than Monty."

Ani looked as if she was trying to think of something to say, but ultimately came up with nothing. Winston nodded, satisfied.

"Why are you doing this?" Justin asked. "Monty was a monster."

Winston looked at him with a sad expression, "Because I saw him for the things that made him human and not for what made him a monster."

Everyone was silent at that. They slowly began to understand where the others were coming from. Estela had lost her brother, Diego had lost his best friend, and Winston... He had lost his everything.

"Contrary to what you all may think, were not here to take you down. We're here because we can help you all." Diego said.

"How could you possibly help?" Jessica asked.