Johny tapped his foot, faster and faster until his calf would probably cramp at that rate. What was taking Justin so long to answer. Finally the ringing ended.

"Hello?" someone said, not Justin.

"Uh... wrong number," said Johny automatically.

"Are you sure?" asked the man. "This is Justin Thomas's phone, if that's what you wanted."

"What--" he stammered.

"This is the police," cut in the man. "Thomas is currently under investigation for murder." Someone said something in the background. "Manslaughter," corrected the policeman, although he sounded skeptical.

Justin could hear Johnny's voice over the phone, because the cop was so closeby. "Please let me speak to my brother! Johnny!" He needed his brother real bad. They used to be so close. "Johnny!" The cop grunted and said to Johnny, "Here's your good fro nothing brother." She handed the phone to Justin. "Five minutes." Hands shaking, Justin took the phone. "Johnny? I am so sorry. It was an accident. I was only trying to protect Kevin and Nate!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Maralyn had ordered chinese for her, Jen and Peter. Peter sucked on his spicy chicken, savoring the taste. Then, asked, "What do you think happened?"
Maralyn said, "He was probably falsely accused."

Ryan and Chrissa were walking home. Chrissa said, "I can't believe that happened to Justin." Her stomach churned. How could so much change in just one day?

"It's awful," Ryan agreed. He hesitated a moment before saying, "Do you think he'll be put into prison?"

Chrissa kicked a pebble onto the street angrily. "I don't know what to think!"

"Calm down, Chris," Ryan said.

For a moment Chrissa was angry at her brother. He was always so calm and matter-of-fact in situations like this, while she tended to get upset and lash out at people by snapping at them. "Perhaps the police officer will believe Justin's story. We have to hope for the best."

Justin sniffed, waiting for Johnny's answer. The two were so different. Johnny was honorable, poised, good, smart and everything Justin wasn't. Justin was the bad younger brother who couldn't keep himself out of trouble, even if he was trying to help others. He wanted to think of more pleasant memories, like when Johnny tried to stop him form eating the cookie dough by telling him it was bad for his health. One Christmas, Johnny had given him a play sword that said King Justin the Just, while Justin gave him a sword that said King Johnny the Magnificant. Johnny was that, but Justin felt the opposite of just. More like Stupid. Yeah, Justin the Stupid described him better.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Amanda walked inside the hospital with Diane. "This is awful. I hope Justin doesn't have to go to jail."

When the Chief got back to the car he saw the Miley and Justin hugging he ran up to the car and was there by the time Johny had call "Are you rookies crazy?!" he asked the cops. He drew his gun and pointed it at justin "Out now!" he grabbed Justins shirt coller and dragged him out of car and onto the ground "Check him!" he ordered the younger cop.
---
Nate pushed himself up off the bed "Well I really don't know much... Ask Kevin he said pointing to his brother who had been sitting in a chair silently.

Justin collasped onto the ground, when the Cheif dragged him onto the ground. With the phone in his hand, he sobbed. "Bye Johnny. I love you." He saw the gun was pointed at him still, so he quickly shut the phone. He closed his eyes, when the young cop tore into his pocket and found his pocket knife. The young man jerked his arm and dragged him to his feet. "Is this the one you used?"
Justin fell back to the ground and blinked. "Yes." He held himself up on his hands and tried to scoot back, but felt someone grab his hair. He heard the cop ask, "Should we cut some of this off to search for drugs?" Justin groaned, "I don't do drugs anymore. Please don't cut my hair just yet. It's not even long anway."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Miley saw the silent, stunned expression on Kevin's face. She calmly but seriously asked. "What happened?" Then, she demanded. "May as well tell me. My brother is getting tortured out there because of you just sitting there!"

Kevin said "I really don't know..." with a sigh "I was walking out of the newspaper office when I was grabbed bye two thugs and drug into an ally way were they threatened to kill me" he put his hand on his forhead "Poor fella, he didn't even know I had a gun on me unfortanatly Nate didn't know that either and tried to save me. Well he acomplished that and I thank him, then the thug sent another after Nate; when he was shot. Justin caught the thug and sent me for help... I think thats when he killed the man, I didn't just sit there Miley I did all I could"

Miley sighed. Justin was just trying to protect his friends and look where that got him. "Please go out there an dhelp him. I will watch over Nate." SHe closed her eyes. "Just go. Please."

Kevin stood up... not knowing what to say he just walked out the door and made his way toward the parking lot when he saw justin on the ground he ran over and helped him up "You get away from Thomas!" said the chief Kevin put his hands up "So... Chief?" the man replied "Yes its chief" and then Kevin said "Didn't you know I'm a possible murderer to?"

Justin took a breath of relief, when the young cop forgot all about his hair and let go. He nervously ran a hand through his hair, grateful for Kevin, who pulled him up.
The young cop sneered at Kevin, "Oh yea?"

"Yeah" said Kevin "You found a dead man in that allway right?" he asked. The Chief shifted onto his other foot "Yeah why" and Kevin replied "I killed him in self defence and thats just what Justin did... So what do you have against Justin. Said Kevin not knowing any of Justins past at all.

Justin hung his head, remembering one thing the Cheif could have against him. He and his kid had been going for a scholorship from a rival school. He remebered the two of them fighting and Justin, stoned on drugs, beat him so bad he couldn't play.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Peter Maralyn and Jen got to the hospital, Peter jumped out the car and called out, "Justin!" He rushed to Justin's side, looked at the police officer ans said, "Please let my cousin go. He didn't do anyhitng wrong!"

The chief was going to give Kevin an response but was rudely interrupted. "Get the kid away from Thomas!" he yelled, the younger cop grabbed Justin again put him face first in the snow and checked him again to make sure nothing had passed between the two. While the female cop gently pulled Peter away 'Don't worry your-" Kevin cut her off "Can I have a word with the boy?" he said. The female cop nodded her head and said "Go ahead" Kevin said "Peter there's a boy in the hospital that would like your company" he said referring to his brother "Miley's in there with him"

Peter's eyes widened. Was Nate hurt? He knew Miley must be having a fit by now. Tears in his eyes, he rushed inside, to where Nate and Miley were. Miley immediately ran to him, hugged him, stroked his hair and sobbed onto his shoulder. "The cheif pulled a gun on me out there."
Stunned, Peter asked, "He did what? I"m going to havwe a talk wiht him." He was about to start out the door, when Miley held him back. "It's not use."
Peter sighed. "Right." He turned to Nate, "Are you okay? WHat happened?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Justin felt the cold snow against his face, and some of it went into his mouth. `His face was frozen and he could hardly speak.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Maralyn could not stand to watch her husband suffer. SHe wanted to scream for them to stop and that hey were hurting him. Still, the stress was not good for the baby. She and Jen casually walked to the scne. Maralyn siad, "I am Justin's wife and am carrying our baby. Can I please speak with him?"

Diane shivered and nodded at Amanda. "It's so awful. I hope everything will be all right in the end."

"You're right," Ryan said to Chrissa, glad that she was calming down.

They arrived at their house, and Chrissa unlocked the door and strode inside. "What do you want to do?"

Ryan shrugged. "I don't feel up to doing anything right now. I'm going to my room."