Chapter 25 part 1

Matias

Everything about the hospital made Matias feel like he was being driven insane. The beeping of machines, the lack of darkness even at night, the people constantly roaming the halls, the doctors who pretended to care, the doctors who didn't pretend to care, the insane coldness.

All of it just seemed like it wasn't worth it. Like he'd be better off trying to treat himself at home. Hell, if he hadn't just got out of prison he probably would think it was the worst. Nothing could be worse than the prison though.

A light knock came from the door before it clicked open a second later.

He didn't have to look to know who it was. Only one person actually had the courtesy of knocking.

"Officer Hinton" he greeted.

"Matias" he returned the favor.

Matias's headaches—migraines, occasionally— had gotten much better. They were less frequent and when they did occur they were significantly milder, even though it had only been five days. Not even a week.

"How's Samuel?" He asked casually.

The hospital had stopped letting Samuel travel to Matias's room after the first visit. Matias also hadn't seen the doctors who allowed them to see each other since it happened. He tried not to think about that part though.

"He's doing well. He will be able to leave within the next two or three days" Officer Hinton answered with a bit more pep.

Matias smiled. He didn't say anything about it, but he had been worried out of his mind about Ellie. Surely the lady who was with her before was taking care of her, but she must still be terrified.

Not to mention with all the unidentified bodies, the odds she thinks her father is dead are extremely high. Now, in the next few days, they'll see each other again. Samuel would have some explaining to do, but Matias wasn't too worried about that.

"Doctors said you're healing quickly too. You might be able to leave a bit early. Not as soon as the Samuel though." Officer Hinton pointed out kindly.

The officer had begun to use their first names rather than 'the hero' and 'the villain'. As far as Matias was concerned it was no big deal, but he couldn't help but find it a bit off putting.

"That's good" he replied.

"Yeah" Officer Hinton stated.

The room got quiet. As quiet as the hospital got at least.

"We have found you a good lawyer. And a judge" the officer added, becoming more professional in a matter of seconds.

Matias was quiet for a few seconds before he began.

"I can't pay for a lawyer."

He had been trying to avoid it as long as he could. He had banished any thought of it from his mind for as long as he could, but he couldn't run from the problem any longer.

"It's paid for by the state" Officer Hinton responded as if Matias was supposed to know that.

"What?" He asked, puzzled. "Why would that be paid for by the state?"

He wasn't exactly sure how things like that worked, but he was fairly certain that grown men with jobs, no disabilities, and who are believed to be criminals, don't get their lawyers paid for by the state.

"The whole thing is paid for by state. It's such a large case that was called by the police department. Plus because of-"

"Yeah, yeah. Okay" Matias interrupted.

He was fairly certain that no matter how much it was explained he wasn't going to understand it. He didn't want to waste both of their time.

"So have you figured out when it'll be yet?" Matias asked.

He knew the answer was no, but he still asked everyday.

"Not yet. We know it won't be in the next month at this rate" he scoffed.

Matias found it a bit amusing how annoyed Officer Hinton had become by the whole thing, but didn't allow himself to laugh. He didn't want to make the officer go back into professional mode. He felt like it made things a bit more unbearable. Boring, if he was honest.

"So, how'd you find a judge that isn't completely biased towards me?" Matias asked casually. A little too casually.

Officer Hinton looked over at him, a questioning look on his face.

"I'm not here for small talk" he stated blandly, seeming to remember that he was working and realize that Matias was avoiding just that.

Matias considered asking what he was there for, since he had already told him about the court, but didn't. He really wasn't bothered by the company. The hospital could be terribly boring.

They both got quiet, unsure what to say next.

"How'd you find me?" Matias asked suddenly.

Officer Hinton raised an eyebrow, waiting for Matias to elaborate.

"When I was knocked unconscious. When me and Samuel were in that alley. How'd you know where to find us?"

The officer chuckled quietly.

"Do you honestly think I was just going to let you go off to do whatever you wanted?"

Matias couldn't help but feel a bit offended, but said nothing.

"Listen, I trust that you aren't a bad person like people say you are. I don't, however, trust that you can just handle everything on your own—such as finding and saving the hero. I followed you to that girls house and then to the alley"

Matias scoffed quietly. He knew the officer was right, but knowing how oblivious he was irritated him more than he would ever admit.

"I didn't follow you into the alley right then, but there was pretty clear footprints in the dirt. You're lucky it was soft dirt, otherwise it would've taken much longer to find you" Officer Hinton finished explaining.

Matias nodded gratefully. He couldn't be too offended when the officers plan actually worked.

He couldn't help but wonder what would've happened if he wasn't followed. Or even if the ground was concrete or gravel, rather than dirt.

Would he have been given drugs, like he was told they gave to Samuel? Or would they have been beaten? Killed?

The door suddenly clicked open, a nurse walking in without saying a word. She looked at Officer Hinton, then at Matias, and back at Officer Hinton.

"Should I.. come back another time?" She nearly whispered.

Matias began to answer, saying she was fine, but the officer interrupted.

"I was actually just about to leave" he spoke pointedly. "I'll be back tomorrow" he spoke again, this time to Matias.

Matias nodded, but Officer Hinton was already facing away from him and heading towards the door.

The nurse stood awkwardly even after the officer had left. She looked slightly scared, even.

She had been in Matias's room a few times before, and very clearly didn't trust that he wouldn't hurt anybody.

He had seen her glancing at his wrists, completely free and unbound. It was also very clear how she avoided eye contact and flinched when he moved ever so slightly.

It was like a bitter reminder that he was still the villain. Even if there's someone much worse out there, even if the police believe he's innocent, and even if he saved the hero, he will still always be seen as a villain.

The nurse gently grabbed a bandage on his arm, her fingers trembling only a little, but still enough to be noticed.

She pulled it off, checking Matias's face for any sign if anger, before pulling out another bandage and sticking it back onto the wound.

She repeated this process over both his arms and his legs, and then another nurse assisted her with his head. Each bandage was changed slowly and gently, the nurse moving so slow it irritated Matias.

Just a few more days, he told himself. He just had to get through a few more days.

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Kind of a filler chapter, sorry!