Good Friends

For Kathy, if anything, it was worse. She'd carried her guilt about what had happened around with her for all of those same years. She'd lived in horror the whole time that someday Elliot would find out what had happened. Her worst nightmare had come true and her guilt had come right back with it.

Elliot couldn't stand hearing Kathy cry. He had simply loved her for too long. He went back into her room to try to comfort her. She was still lying down on the bed. He rubbed her shoulder and told her not to cry. "Why not?" she whimpered. "You don't love me anymore."

"Kathy, if I didn't love you I wouldn't be here. I hate what you did to us. And I don't think I'll ever be able to trust you again, but I still love you," he told her.

Kathy slowly worked Elliot's pants back down. And rubbed and squeezed him until he was ready again. Then she rolled him on top of her as much as she could with one hand. Elliot found himself between her two casts and worried about hurting her.

"Elliot, I need you in me so bad," she said. That decision made, Elliot slowly and gently pushed his organ into Kathy's still wet pussy. It felt so good that he gasped. Kathy in turn simply screamed. She'd never thought it would actually happen again.

When they were done, Elliot caressed Kathy gently. He kissed and nibbled her ears the way she loved for him to do. Kathy was caught up in the bliss that she usually felt after they'd made love. She was sure that they had taken a giant step towards fixing their problems.

Kathy fell asleep in Elliot's arms as he lay deep in thought.

The next morning Kathy woke up wracked with pain in her legs and back. Elliot took her to the doctor to make sure that it was nothing serious. When the doctor found out what had happened, he smiled but he explained to them that they couldn't do that again for a while.

Two weeks later, the casts came off of Kathy's legs and Elliot had to help her with physical therapy to teach her atrophied muscles and nerve pathways how to walk again. Because of the accident, Kathy's back would never be as strong as it was but she'd be able to walk and to swim and do most of the things that she could before. She would get tired more easily and need to sit down. She also couldn't stand for unreasonably long periods of time but she was getting better every day.

They moved the hospital bed out of their room and moved their queen sized bed back in. It didn't matter though, because Elliot still slept in the guest room.

"Elliot, please sleep with me," asked Kathy one morning. "I need to feel you beside me. We are married, you know?"

"For now," said Elliot.

"Elliot, you've never been unreasonable, before you divorce me and ruin four lives, could we try counseling?" asked Kathy.

They saw a marriage counselor. They went twice a week for six months. Elliot finally moved back into the bedroom he shared with Kathy and called off the divorce. He spent a lot of time with his kids and got closer to them.

Kathy was happy and smiling every where she went. Elliot had called off the divorce. He'd moved back into their room. She knew that it was only a matter of time before they started to do more than just sleeping together. The doctor they'd seen had told her that it might take a long time before he was ready to take that step. Kathy slept in her best lingerie or naked to try to remind him of what he was missing.

It seemed as if he was really trying to reconnect with her almost desperately so. He often got a babysitter and took her out on dates, like they did when they first got together. He was trying so hard.

In the end that was what really let her know that there was still a problem. From the first time that they'd met, they never really had to try. Everything between them was so natural they just fit. Elliot having to try to feel comfortable with her was just wrong.

She still ached for him whenever he wasn't with her. She loved him as much as ever, probably more because she'd come so close to losing him. Elliot seemed happier once he'd gone back to work.

She began to notice that there were a thousand little things that were different and missing from their relationship. It caused her a great deal of pain when she noticed for the first time that he still pulled away from her whenever she touched him.

"Elliot we need to talk about this," she told him one day while the kids were in school. "It's been nearly a year. When will we be back to us?"

"Kathy, this is so hard to say," said Elliot. "But this is all we're ever going to have."

"No Elliot," she said. "What are you talking about? This isn't us. This isn't half of us."

"Kathy, you and Mark destroyed us," said Elliot. "This is what's left. I knew from the day that we fucked in our bed when you still had your casts on that we were broken and we wouldn't be the same. I called off the divorce so I could spend as much time as I could with the kids. I didn't give up on us, and I am trying. Believe me, I miss us too. But I don't think we can ever go back to that. I would give anything to be able to just totally let go and give you my heart and my love as freely as I did before. But a big part of love is faith and trust. Those are gone now." Elliot just shrugged his shoulders.

"And I know all of the logical things that you and our therapist ran me through. I've considered them all and I can recite them chapter and verse. I know that it was only one slip and it was a mistake and all of the other bullshit. I don't feel inferior to Mark. I don't feel like he took something of mine. But when I thought about it further I realized that in 99 percent of cases you and the therapist were right.

"But Kathy you and I are the one percent. We were never like anyone else. Everyone always says that nothing is perfect. But Honey, we were. We were perfect for each other. Finding that kind of love is rare. So rare in fact that what we had was a kind of magic. When you let your anger and need to get back at me overrule that magic, you broke it. It's like that line from that old Gordon Lightfoot song."

"I don't know where we went wrong, but the feeling's gone and I just can't get it back."

Kathy ran back to their room and cried. A few days later she and Elliot agreed on terms for a completely amicable divorce. They put their children first and minimized the stress of their new situation. Elliot got a condo that was within walking distance of their home. He took the kids out on activities most weekends and came to see them every night during the week too. Kathy frequently accompanied them. Elliot and Kathy remained friends. She also often went to company events with him as his date. She always let him know that if he didn't want to sleep alone, he could always come home.

She cried again when it happened. Elliot didn't ask her to go to the annual company dinner one year. Elliot had been shopping in a market near his condo and accidentally ran into the back of a woman with a young son. Before the woman could even turn around, Elliot was apologizing for the mishap.

"No harm done," said the woman. "Elliot," she gasped. That was how Belinda came back into Elliot's life. Within a month they were involved in an exclusive relationship. Elliot told Kathy about it, from the beginning. Elliot didn't see his kids any less. In fact he saw them as much as ever, including them in everything he did with Belinda and her son, Elliot.

After a few months Belinda started hinting about moving the relationship on to the next level. Elliot thought about it, but something wouldn't let him take that step. "We need more time," Elliot told her. One night while they were in Belinda's bed with her trying to convince him that they belonged together, someone knocked on the door very loudly.

Elliot looked out through the peephole and saw that it was a police officer. In fact he'd left the flashing lights on his squad car going, so it seemed to be an emergency.

Belinda opened the door and asked the officer what the problem was. "I'm looking for Elliot Carson," said the officer.

"I'm Elliot Carson," said Elliot stepping forward, still in one of Belinda's robes that he'd thrown on.

"What's the problem officer," asked Elliot. "Is it my wife?" The officer just looked at Elliot and shook his head.

"Sir, do you know a gentleman named Mark Daniels?" asked the officer.

"Yes," said Elliot. "Unfortunately, I do. He used to be my best friend."

"Well this may be your last chance to make your piece with him," said the officer. "He's in the hospital and he's asking for you."

"So what?" said Elliot. "Fuck him! If he hadn't done what he did, I'd still be happy."

"Mr. Carson, you don't have to come with me," said the officer. "But your friend, or ex friend, is dying. You were friends once and from the look on your face, you were good friends before whatever messed you two up happened. Are you sure you don't want to give him a chance to say his last words to you? That seems like the kind of thing that you'd probably regret in your later years."

"Let me get my clothes on and I'll be right with you," said Elliot. Elliot turned to see the look on Belinda's face. She looked as if someone had punched her in the stomach but she didn't say anything.

The officer and his partner drove Elliot to the hospital with the siren blaring all the way. "Mr. Carson, if I was you I'd stop doing what you're doing," said the officer. "It has a way of catching up with you. In fact that's what happened to your friend."

"What do you mean officer?" asked Elliot. He was confused.

"Your friend was having sex with a married woman," said the cop. "Her husband came home and shot your friend several times. Then he dragged him, bleeding, down a flight of stairs and threw him out into the streets like garbage. One of the neighbors called the police. There's no law against what you're doing, but when I got there the first thing you asked about was your wife. That showed me that you love her a lot. Maybe you love her enough to stop sleeping with other women."

"Officer, I made a mistake when I said my wife. I meant my ex wife. We're divorced because Mark slept with her too. I'm not married to anyone currently, but the woman back there wants to change that," said Elliot.

"God, what a piece of shit!" said the officer. "I'm sorry for my mistaken assumption, Mr. Carson. Now I know why you were hesitant to come. I can't believe the balls on this bastard for even asking you to come."

Elliot was shown to Mark's room. A group of doctors and nurses were all gathered outside of the room. One doctor came to talk to Elliot as soon as the officers brought him in.

"He doesn't have long," said the doctor. "In fact we're not sure what's been keeping him alive for this long. There were just too many bullets, there was too much internal damage." He pushed Elliot into the room.

The lights in the room were dim. Elliot figured that it was probably so they wouldn't hurt Mark's eyes.

"Elliot, I knew you'd come, bud," said Mark. He smiled and if it wasn't for his deathly pallor Elliot would have thought he was faking it. The he noticed the red tinge to Marks teeth and noticed that with every word Mark fought to utter his lips were flecked with blood as well. Then Mark coughed and a big gush of blood came out. A nurse ran to wipe his mouth.

"All we can do is make him comfortable," said the nurse. "He has so much morphine in him that he isn't feeling anything."

"Shut up, you lying bitch," said Mark. "Everything still hurts like hell. Now let me talk to my friend." The nurse went back across the room to give them some privacy but she still watched Mark like a hawk.

"I guess I fucked up, El" said Mark laughing. "But seriously, Elliot we've been friends since we were kids. This isn't the way I wanted my life to end. I never thought that I'd go to my grave with you hating my fucking guts. I guess I always pictured the three of us growing old together. You, me and whoever you were married to, probably Kathy, all sitting in rocking chairs watching the sunset at the old folks home. You and Kathy holding hands while I told you about the nurse I'd just fucked in my room."

Mark was interrupted as he spat up another gush of blood.

"Elliot, when I said I fucked up, I didn't mean now," he said. "Hell this is the way it was probably supposed to happen. I get to die while everyone remembers me as this handsome young stud, not as some doddering old fossil. That's your job Elliot. Being the fossil, I mean."

Elliot and Mark both smiled. "Oh shit, that hurts," said Mark. "Try not to make me laugh." Elliot just nodded but noticed that there was wetness coming from his eyes already.

"Mark if it means anything, I forgive you," said Elliot. He grabbed Mark's hand and the tears were flowing furiously from both eyes.

"Elliot, I'm not the one you need to forgive. Right now two very good people are miserable because I wanted something that was never mine," croaked Mark. "El, it's human nature to want the things that we can't have, the most. To be truthful I never found Kathy to be pretty or sexy at all. I was just jealous of what the two of you had, because I think that down deep inside I knew that I'd never have it. I've fucked enough women to populate a small country and not one of those bitches ever felt about me the way that Kathy does about you. I chased after her, very subtly dropping all kinds of hints for years and she just smiled and laughed at me because I had no fucking chance with her. She never loved anyone except you." Mark spit up more blood and Elliot could tell that he didn't have long to live. the flow of blood was increasing.

"Elliot, like some kind of snake in the garden of Eden, I waited until she was vulnerable. And when she was scared and nervous and angry at you I pounced. But even as drunk as she was, I barely got into her before both of us realized that it was an epic mistake. She pushed me off of her so fast the friction burned my dick. Then she started yelling at me and crying. Elliot, she was distraught, she couldn't handle the thought of losing you."

"Elliot, I've fucked a lot of married women in my life. But I've never seen one react the way she did. Most of them just don't want to get caught. But she knew what she had done and just freaked out. It was me who convinced her not to tell you. And you, Elliot you bastard, you had 10 fucking years of pure bliss and you threw it away because of some drunken fumbling. What you heard in your kitchen two years ago? That was me wanting what I couldn't have again. I guess seeing Steph and what a great kid she is, just brought home another thing I'd never have, so I asked Kathy that stupid question that you overheard. I realized even when I asked, that it wasn't possible, but I guess you never stop wishing for what you can't have. Shit, the only chance I had at a kid of my own was with Sally and we both freaked out and...God I wish I had a do over for that one. Anyway, I'd been wondering what my kid would have been like, so out of the blue I just asked and messed up everyone's life."

Mark started coughing a lot and he was wracked with pain. Elliot hugged his friend and held him.

"Elliot, you coming here tonight shows me what kind of person you are. You have the capacity to forgive you're a good person. And from the way you're crying I can see my me dying hurts you. You dummy, even after everything I did to you we're still good friends." Elliot nodded his head.

"The best," he said. "Fred and Barney."

"Elliot, I haven't done a lot of good things in my life," said Mark. "In fact the only one I can think of that wasn't motivated by self interest was getting you and Kathy together. Don't let the only good thing I ever did go to waste. Ah, why am I worrying about you two? I'm the one who's going to hell. I can already feel the flames." Then Mark laughed and coughed up more blood.

"Hah, I was joking El, I don't feel shit. Elliot Kathy loves you. She always has and she always will. You love her too. So get off your ass and go back to her while the two of you are still young enough to have another kid. Name the little fucker Mark this time. Promise me that you'll..." Mark's entire body rose as if he was about to cough up a massive gush of blood, but nothing came out. When Mark settled back on the bed, the life had left his body. Elliot lay there on the bed holding his friend while his own body was wracked with sobs.

Elliot stayed and watched as they prepared his friend's body for burial. Mark had left instructions that Elliot would arrange his funeral. Mark had left very little money because he'd recently been fired for sexual harassment. Elliot just smiled and shook his head when he found out.

There were only two people at Mark's funeral. The irony of it floored Elliot. Mark in life had been the biggest partier. He'd known and not just in the biblical sense, hundreds of people. Most of them had been women, but none of them cared enough to see him put to his final rest.

As Elliot and Sally heard the minister's words, both were teary eyed. After the ceremony Sally told Elliot some interesting news that he hadn't known. The man who'd killed Mark was Bob, Sally's ex husband. Even though he had never officially divorced her. After starting the process and running out on her after he found out how much he'd have to pay her, Bob had remarried. When he came home and found Mark with his new wife, he had become unglued. He'd turned himself in and was awaiting trial. The DA was leaning towards a lighter sentence in a mental hospital because of the circumstances.

As the minister was packing up his things and getting ready to leave Elliot ran over to him.

"Is there something I can do for you my son?" he asked Elliot. As Elliot explained what he wanted, the minister's somber demeanor faded and a smile crossed his lips.

An hour later Kathy opened her door to find a minister standing there. "Are you here about a donation for your church?" she asked. Kathy was remembering the minister who'd come to her barbecue and been sent away three years before. A tear rolled down her cheek as she thought about all of the things Elliot always tried to do to show her his love. She felt so cold and alone all the time without him. Now that he was seeing that Belinda woman she knew that she might not ever get him back, but she didn't deserve him anyway. She'd still wait for him though no matter how long it took.

"Do you believe in second chances, my child?" he asked.

Kathy was confused. She had no idea what the man was babbling about. "Father I'd give my life for a second chance," she said.

"Sounds like a good deal, I'll take it," said Elliot stepping out of the bushes. "I'm giving you a second chance, so you owe me your life. I want you to spend it married to me. That's why I..."

Elliot stopped talking because Kathy had fainted. Elliot lifted her and put her on the couch in the living room. He was holding her hand when she awakened.

She reached up and kissed him as if she was trying to pass her entire soul into him through her lips. "Sorry Elliot," she said. "But I've wanted to do that for so long."

Elliot just smiled.

"El, are you really giving me a second chance?" she asked. He just nodded and pointed at the minister.

Elliot and Kathy remarried. They lived happily ever after as everyone who knew them expected. Ten months after they got back together. Their third and last child, a daughter was born. They named her Mark.

Belinda was pissed that Elliot had remarried Kathy without telling her or giving her a chance, until she remembered that she'd done the same thing to him and payback is a bitch.

The End

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Story B

A nurse came running into the security room. "Mr. Carson," she said excitedly. "Your wife is alive. Her doctor wants you to come up to her room."