A new competitor

We ran towards Ashley.

She wasn't awake yet.

I was making sure she wasn't hurt when, Derek pulled me away and started shouting at me,

" I haven't informed you about her life being in danger so that, you shouldn't even care, right ?

I have already told you about this, then why weren't you close to her ? "

Derek yelled.

" First of all, keep your voice in check Mr. Detective.

It's a hospital.

Your voice can disturb my patients.

And second of all, you have no fucking right to yell at me.

When you called me, I was already on my round.

I approached back here the moment you cut the call.

This hospital isn't a small match-box that, I can run from one corner to another in snaps of my fingers ! "

I said calmly.

" Don't give excuses now, Dominic !

You could have told anyone here to be with her till you show up.

But you didn't do that.

Now, accept it's your fault ! "

Cole said.

I am surprised at his accusation.

" No, I won't !

Because it isn't.

If YOU already knew that, her life was in danger and if, you already had heard someone was planning on it; then why didn't you arrested them then, Mr. Cop ?

And your informer have heard it himself, he could have arrested them then !

Why didn't he, Mr. Detective ? "

I said loosing my calm.

How dare they accuse me for what is not my fault !

" On what basis do you think we could have done that ? "

Cole asked.

" What ?

You said your informer heard them talking about... "

I was gonna repeat his words but they didn't let me finish.

" Simply talking about something doesn't make anyone criminal, Mr. Doctor !

You can't arrest someone just because, he was talking something !

If this was the law, we would have hanged Cole for minimum 100 times till now, in the crime of always threatening Derek that, he would break his jaw or kill him !

Just because, Cole is Derek's friend, he can't escape from law, am I right, Mr. Cop ? "

Lauren said as if defending his client.

This bastard lawyer, made me shut my mouth.

I hate Lauren for he always prove me wrong !

But yes, he do have a point.

" Yes, ofcourse.

You are absolutely right, Mr. Lawyer.

Don't you have to say anything in it, Mr. Judge ? Anything at all ? "

Cole said provoking Jules.

" No.

Mr. Lawyer have kept the law infront of everyone, along with an example. "

Jules said calmly.

" Ok, ok. Alright.

But it wasn't my fault !

I was so stressed out, it didn't striked my mind.

I am sorry.

And thank you, Lauren and Jules if, it weren't for you guys, she would have been in a serious danger ! "

I said thanking them genuinely.

" That's why, I always tell you to get some self defence classes.

If I hadn't took those, it wouldn't have striked my mind, how to stop that bastard to approach her without letting him know about us ! "

Lauren said proud of himself for thinking about throwing the scalpel at him.

" If you are done self bragging, shall we go and check on her ? "

I said rolling my eyes.

" Check out her ?

Yes, ofcourse.

I am dying to meet her.

Tell me one thing, is she beautiful ? "

Lauren said smirking.

" Hello there, lover boy.

I am standing in this queue way too earlier than you do !

So, you better back off ! "

Derek said crossing his arms.

" Well hello there, this isn't some rule that, no one could stand in a queue for getting something.

And by the way, since when YOU started to get scared of competition, huh ?

You know, we always have a healthy competition. And Doc, you don't need to tell me, if she is beautiful.

His insecurity just told me everything I need to know ! "

Lauren said smirking.

" Hey, I am not scared, ok !

You know I don't get scared or anything to be in competition with you. ! "

Derek said getting defensive.

" Excuse me, my patient's about to wake up.

So, keep your mouth shut. "

I told them.

" You, heard it ?

So, keep your mouth shut ! "

Derek said to Lauren.

" I was talking to both of you !

And forget it, she isn't anything like your sex toys. She won't be a part of your competition.

So you better... "

I was telling them that she is innocent and won't fall for their trap but they got the under line meaning of my words.

" Oh yeah Lauren, I forgot to tell you that, this time we have a tough competition, though.

We have got two brand new competitors ! "

Derek said to Lauren raising his eyebrows.

Where is he going ?

Please keep your mouth shut, Derek.

Don't say anything.

" What ?

Who are they ? "

Lauren said happily surprised.

" Well, guess it yourself ! "

Derek said winking.

" Ohhhhh, yeah !

Who else ?

Dominic and...

My god COLE ? "

Lauren said gasping in surprise.

" How did that even happened ?

I mean, I am not surprised by Dominic but, Cole ? Now that's interesting ! "

Lauren said rubbing his hands.

" Shut the fuck up, Derek !

I'll break your ass, I swear ! "

Cole said clenching his teeth.

" You are being so naughty lately, Cole !

I told you, not here.

Let's go home earlier, if you are that desperate.

I mean.. "

Derek said running his fingers over Cole's arms.

" Shut the fuck up !

Dominic, don't you have any medicine which will shut his mouth ? "

Cole said slapping his fingers away irritated.

" Sorry, unfortunately no !

If it were available, I wouldn't have waited this long !

Derek, seriously keep your mouth shut. "

I said telling him to shut up.

" Can't you see, Lauren... "

Derek said meaningfully looking at Lauren.

" Yes, yes. I can.

Even a blind guy would tell what's happening here !

Then, dude I have got the most charismatic eyes in this world ! "

Lauren said running his fingers in his hair proudly.

" Don't you think, you are exaggerating it a lill bit ? "

Derek said showing his fingers as if he was holding a pea in them.

" Um...

In the country ? "

Lauren asked.

" Nope ! "

Derek said shaking his head.

" In the city then ? "

Lauren asked.

" Still, nope. "

Derek shook his head.

" In this room ?

Come on now, yes, in this room ! "

Lauren said.

" Ok, fine.

The best and charismatic eyes in this room ! "

Derek said patting on his back.

" Yipee ! "

Lauren squeal happily like some toddler.

These drama queens, I tell you !

Someday I am gonna kill them...

Only if, thinking this won't make me a criminal !

Ashley is about to wake up.

I need to be close to her.

I don't know about Cole but yes, they are right, I AM now in their competition !

But I think, they are right in case of Cole too.

I have never seen him being polite or praising someone.

May be, Ashley have evoked feelings in him.

And I hope, they increase and stay with him forever !

For now, I need to be with her.

But before I could go to her, Derek and Cole told us something terrible.

" Dominic, we need to talk. "

Derek said seriously pulling me away a farther more from Ashley's bed.

" You are not going to shit in front of me.

Wrap up your drama, dude !

Now what ?

You are breaking up with me or what ? "

I said chuckling.

Being with them had made me crazy as well !

I got used to crack some lame jokes like this with him and Lauren.

" No, he is serious. "

Cole said making me stop chucking.

If Cole is by his side, that means it is dead serious.

" What is it ? "

I asked seriously.

" Rachel...

Her mom left a sucide note in her apartment.

And the way she wrote it with determination, I don't think she would show any mercy on herself. "

Derek said sighing.

" What ?

What are talking about ?

I mean, she ran from Michael and went to her apartment and wrote the note and... "

I asked confused and shocked.

" Yes. "

Derek said.

" You are insane ! "

I said in disbelief.

How in the hell is this possible ?

" No, he is right.

I hate it when he is, but yes, he is right again ! "

Cole said seriously.

" But when we were there we didn't found anything !

Then how come you guys found it ? "

I asked still doubting their words.

" You were searching for her photograph.

After you left, we searched for anything and found something ! "

Cole explained.

" But...

Ashley said she was badly hurt.

Then how come we didn't found a single drop or even a wipe of blood there ? "

I asked my doubt.

" Because, Rachel is suffering from OCD !

She cleaned the apartment before leaving.

We found the mop stained with blood.

We have sent it to the forensics, and we'll get the report by tomorrow I guess.

And we even found her and Mr. Grayson's divorce papers ! "

Derek said like it was something extraordinary.

Ashley already told us that her parents were divorced then, finding the papers in her apartment isn't a big deal !

" What's the big deal ?

They were divorced, having those papers at home isn't some shocking news, is it ? "

I said.

" Those papers were stained with blood, Dominic. That's the shocking news ! "

Cole told me.

" What ?

Have you found her Mom's body or anything ? "

I asked panicked now.

" Not yet.

We have sent our squads and Derek sent his informers in search of her.

But no news yet.

We need to tell her that ! "

Cole said looking at Ashley.

" Are you out of your mind ?

She haven't even recovered from last night's shock and you want to push her into another shock ?

That too, when she had pleaded us to search her Mom !

We can't do that to her. "

I said concerned.

" But she needs to know about it.

She have the right to know. "

Derek said calmly.

" Know exactly what ? "

I asked.

" Know that...

Um... "

Derek started thinking about what to say.

" Exactly !

We don't know yet, what happened with her mother for sure.

WE need to know it first.

Then only we can tell her anything about her.

If we don't know anything for sure yet, what are we gonna tell her,

' We don't know confirm yet but, we think your Mom have committed suicide. ' ?

Are you fucking serious ? "

I said in disbelief.

" He is right, Derek.

Cole, we can't do that to her. "

Jules said taking my side.

We all decided that, we won't tell her anything about her Mom, unless we get some confirm news.

When we turned towards her after deciding that, she woke up.

" Hey there, how are you feeling now ? "

I went to her and asked checking her pulse.

" Um...

My whole body is stiff.

My arm is aching like it's gonna burst.

My head is about to blast.

Other than that, I am completely fine ! "

Ashley said while laughing.

I could feel her pain in her eyes.

The effect of the painkiller was fading now and she have started feeling the pain which she couldn't feel in the morning.