Rose eventually went upstairs and went to bed

The cold, damp air of the holding cell clung to Caden’s skin as he was shoved into the small, stark room. The door slammed behind him, the heavy metal sound rattling through his bones. He barely flinched, his eyes still locked on the officer who had been leading him. The man gave him a brief, disapproving glance before walking off, leaving Caden alone.

The cell was dark, lit only by a single dim light that flickered overhead, casting long shadows against the stone walls. It smelled of mildew and old sweat—an unwelcoming place meant to break people. Caden stood there for a moment, letting his senses adjust. His wrists were still sore from the handcuffs, the metal biting into his skin, but there was nothing he could do about it for now.

He paced the small room, restless, his thoughts racing.

They think they’ve got me, he thought, a wry grin pulling at the corners of his mouth. But I’m still in control. Still free. They don’t know what I’ve got inside.

He wasn’t about to give them the satisfaction of seeing him broken. Not now, not ever.

The sound of footsteps outside the cell caught his attention, and for a split second, his heart skipped a beat. He was expecting another round of questions, or maybe worse. More interrogation.

But the door didn’t open. Instead, there was a click, a shift in the air, and Caden turned to see a guard looking through the small window in the cell door. The man gave him a smirk—one that told Caden everything he needed to know.

“Your mugshot’s already on file,” the guard said, his voice muffled through the door. “But they’ll want to see you again soon. You made quite an impression back there.”

Caden’s lips quirked, a flash of that same defiant grin returning. “Impression?” he repeated, voice steady. “I thought I was just doing a public service.”

The guard didn’t reply, but Caden could hear the sharp exhale of frustration through the door. He could imagine the guy on the other side grinding his teeth.

A few moments passed, the silence stretching thick. But then the guard spoke again, his tone colder.

“You might be smiling now, but you’re not gonna be for long. You’ll break eventually.”

Caden didn’t respond right away. Instead, he turned away from the door, making his way back to the corner of the cell. He sat down on the cold floor, his back against the stone wall. There wasn’t much room to move, but he didn’t need much.

“You really think so?” Caden asked, his voice quiet, almost like a challenge. “I’ve had worse days than this. Worse than all this...,” he motioned with his hand, indicating the confines of the room, “... crap.”

The guard’s footsteps retreated, his reply fading as he walked away. Caden allowed himself a quiet laugh.

He was right.

He’d been through hell before. He’d faced worse—much worse—and somehow, he always survived. No matter what they threw at him, no matter how many walls they put up, he always found a way to slip through the cracks.

But for now, he needed to stay still. To keep his mind sharp, because he knew the real challenge was coming. The next interrogation. The next round of questions.

They wanted answers. He couldn’t give them any. Not yet.

But what they didn’t know was that Caden’s mind was like a locked door, and he wasn’t about to give anyone the key.

Rose laid down, the bed feeling cold without Caden there. She felt empty and without purpose with him gone. She didn't know if he was caught or running, dead or alive, safe or hurt. She stood up and walked to the balcony after a moment of thinking and leaned on the rail. The memory of Caden's crazy dream came back to her as thoughit were happening in that moment. Her friends had offered for her to come over multiple times in the past few hours, but Rose hadn't even had the care to read them. She didn't want to live without Caden, but she would keep going in case he came back to her. Eventually

Caden Ortiz sat in the cold, stark interrogation room, his wrists still cuffed to the metal chair, the weight of the moment settling like a stone on his chest. The fluorescent light buzzed above, flickering every few seconds, casting an eerie glow that made the already sterile room feel even more suffocating.

The officers had left him alone for now, but Caden wasn’t fooled. He knew this was just the calm before the storm. They’d be back, and when they came, they’d have the full weight of the law on their side. First-degree murder wasn’t something they took lightly, and the evidence stacked against him was damning. But that didn’t mean he was about to roll over and give them what they wanted.

First-degree murder...

He couldn’t deny it, not to himself. He’d killed the man. It wasn’t an accident or some spur-of-the-moment thing—it had been deliberate. Cold. Necessary.

He had no regrets. Not anymore.

The door creaked open, snapping Caden out of his thoughts. Two officers stepped back into the room, their expressions colder than the room itself. The one with the clipboard—Officer Ryan—was the same one who had been grilling him earlier, and the look on his face was the same: hard, like he was trying to break through a wall with nothing but his words.

“You’re not talking, Ortiz,” Ryan said, his voice clipped. “We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. But you’re not leaving this room until you give us something.”

Caden didn’t answer immediately. His eyes stayed fixed on the table, staring at the cool, smooth surface as though he could will it to give him answers. But when he finally looked up, it wasn’t with fear—it was with a grim sort of calm, like a man who’d already accepted his fate.

“I told you before,” he said quietly, his voice even. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”

Ryan leaned in, his face inches from Caden’s, his breath hot on the younger man’s face. “You think we don’t know? You think you’re fooling anyone here? We’ve got enough evidence to send you away for life. We’ve got your prints on the weapon, the victim’s blood on your clothes. You were seen leaving the scene. But you know what the worst part is?” He paused for effect, then added, “You took a man’s life in cold blood. That’s what you’re really up against, Ortiz. Murder. And I don’t think you’re ready for what’s coming next.”

Caden held his gaze. His heart rate didn’t spike. His hands didn’t shake. He was steady. Unbroken.

“So, what?” Caden said, lifting his chin, a defiant glint in his eyes. “You think I care about any of that? About your little threats? You think I’m scared of some cells and a judge?”

Ryan’s lip twitched, his anger barely contained. “You should be. You’ll wish you had been.”

“Maybe. But not today,” Caden replied, his smirk returning. “You’re wasting your time.”

The officer’s partner, a woman with short, dark hair, stepped up behind Ryan, her gaze cold and calculating. She had been quiet up until now, but the silence was telling. She leaned in toward Caden, her voice low and almost mocking.

“You know, Ortiz, people like you—they always think they’re above it all, like they can just walk away. But trust me, you’re not special. You’re just another criminal with blood on his hands.”

Caden looked up at her, his expression never wavering. “I’m not here to impress anyone. I’m not some tragic hero you’re trying to redeem. I did what I had to do.”

“Did you?” the woman asked, her voice barely a whisper. “Or were you just running from something? Trying to prove something to yourself?”

The question hit harder than she probably intended. Caden’s eyes flickered for just a moment, his defenses almost slipping. But then he caught himself. The moment was gone, buried beneath his cold front.

“It doesn’t matter what I’m running from,” he said, voice cold and final. “The only thing that matters is what I did, and I’m not ashamed of it.”

The officers exchanged looks—one of disbelief, one of frustration.

“I’m done here,” Ryan finally said, turning toward the door. “You’re not getting anything out of him. At least, not today.”

The woman nodded in agreement. “We’ll see you soon enough, Ortiz. You can’t keep this up forever.”

The door slammed shut behind them, and once again, Caden was left alone in the dark, cold room. His breath was steady, but his mind was racing. They might not have gotten what they wanted out of him, but they were relentless. They’d be back, of course. They had their methods, their techniques.

But for now, Caden was in control. He still held the key to his fate.

And as he leaned back in his chair, staring at the gray walls of the cell, he couldn’t help but smile, despite everything. Because deep down, he knew something they didn’t.

This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

Rose kept thinking, remembering the tons of times she had stood here, looking out. "How long are you going to stare at the city?" He asks,walking to the rail. "I don't know." She said, feeling the fray on her shorts touch her legs. "Valid answer." Wind blew softly. "Did I fuck up on something?" He asks. Rose sighed. "A little. You refused to tell me anything, leaving me scared and wondering, wishing I knew what was wrong so I could fix it. I know I can't, but i'm still pissed you didn't tell me. Then, I realized after you yelled that you're a high school senior jacked football captain who is 10 times my size and terrifying when upset. You don't think there's something wrong there?" She asked calmly looking at the city and feeling the warmth of the sun on her face. "Rose I barely managed to even tell you about last season without darting out the door and just taking off.I fucking hate talking about that.And yeah im 10x your size and yeah I can be scary when I get mad but,don't we all have problems?Wheather its trama you dont want to talk about because the guilt makes you question why your not dead everyday,or teamates who only abuse you skills and dont even acknowledge you at all. The entire reason why I get like that, is because of guilt." Rose shook her head, looking down in sadness. Even when they fought, at least he was here.

Caden sat in the interrogation room, his cuffs clinking lightly as he shifted in the chair. The silence was almost comfortable, a weird, detached sense of peace. The officers had left him alone for a while now, and honestly, it felt kind of nice—like they didn’t know what to do with him.

The door creaked open again, and Officer Ryan stepped in, looking as impatient as ever. He tossed a folder onto the table, eyes narrowing when he saw Caden still sitting there with his legs stretched out, relaxed in a way that suggested he wasn’t bothered at all.

“You know, most people are freaking out by now,” Ryan said, crossing his arms. “You’re acting like you’ve got nothing to lose.”

Caden smirked, leaning back even further in his chair. “Guess I’m just good at staying calm. You should try it sometime.”

Ryan’s jaw tightened. “You’re gonna regret this attitude, Ortiz. We have you dead to rights. First-degree murder, witnesses, physical evidence—all of it.”

Caden just shrugged, not even glancing at the folder Ryan had thrown onto the table. “Yeah? Sure. Whatever. Not like it changes anything. It’s not like you’re gonna get me to talk just by throwing some papers in my face.”

Ryan’s fingers drummed on the table. “You really think you’re gonna walk out of here without saying a word? It’s not gonna be that easy.”

“Who said I’m trying to walk out?” Caden raised an eyebrow. “I’m just waiting for you to realize that you’re wasting your time. That’s all.”

Ryan stared at him for a moment, visibly frustrated. “You’re digging your own grave.”

Caden chuckled softly. “I think it’s a little late for that.”

Another few moments of silence stretched between them. Ryan looked like he was trying to figure out his next move. Caden, for his part, wasn’t really worried. He wasn’t going to crack under pressure. He hadn’t done anything wrong—at least, not in his mind.

“Look, man,” Ryan said, his tone shifting a little, trying a different tactic. “We can make this easier on you. You give us something—anything—and we can work with it.”

Caden raised an eyebrow again. “Yeah? And what’s in it for me? A little less time behind bars? I’m not exactly seeing the appeal.”

Ryan sighed, clearly getting frustrated. “You're gonna regret being this stubborn. Everyone breaks eventually, Ortiz.”

“Maybe, but not today,” Caden shot back, giving him a lazy grin. “You’ll get something out of me eventually, just not what you’re hoping for.”

Ryan let out a breath, trying to hide his irritation. “You think you’re tough? Playing this game? You’re not as clever as you think you are.”

Caden just shrugged again. “Maybe not. But I’m better at this than you think.”

And with that, the officer walked out, leaving Caden to his thoughts.

Rose couldn't take the mental pain anymore, walking back downstairs and not sitting down. If she sat down anywhere, memories would make it all harder to keep going. She paced back and forth across the living room, her arms crossed and head pounding. Rose woke up still in Caden's arms like how she had fallen asleep. "Morning, my handsome." She said, kissing his arm. "Morning." He announced. Rose kept playing the memories over in her head, the pain worsening again.

Rose could hardly take it, curling up where she stood and holding her head in her hands and sobbing. She wanted, no, needed him back. She didn't know if she'd be able to live without him