You really really REALLY need to have read the previous three parts for this to make a lick of sense!

With that said *mawhahaha* 😏 Enjoy...
***********************************

Mason stepped off the elevator and turned towards the stairwell. He didn't feel nervous. He never did. He pitied people who felt nervous. People who felt nervous didn't have his confidence, his assurance that nothing was wrong.

He imagined how annoying it would be to have that gnawing feeling in their gut like something was trying to eat its way through his abdomen to his spine. He meant they, they would feel that. He wouldn't know... 'cause of course he didn't feel that.

He climbed that last flight of stairs to the rooftop and pushed the already cracked door open more. Before him lay a seascape of apartment buildings and thousands of windows into other worlds and lives.

Mason didn't feel nervous at all as he crossed the rooftop to where Donovan and Carter sat. Why would he feel nervous? Nothing was wrong, nothing at all.

Donovan looked up as Mason stopped in front of the pair. Carter didn't react at all. Which was totally normal for Carter, she barely tolerated him on any given day so this was keeping with that.

"Link told me you'd be here," Mason said, casually. "I figured you might need a break to eat or sleep. Possibly shower."

Donovan looked a mess and a half. Only slightly better than Carter. Which considering Carter never cared how she looked meant nothing. She looked the same, completely the same.

"Thanks," Donovan said, tiredly. "That would be helpful. You can sit with her."

Donovan bent over Carter and kissed her forehead and whispered something. She didn't react. Which didn't surprise Mason, seriously, who would react to signs of affection? Those were annoying. Why did people feel the need to show love? Totally unnecessary, so it made sense Carter wouldn't care.

Donovan clapped Mason on the arm in gratitude and slipped back into the apartment building. Mason sank into Donovan's empty chair and surveyed the view. It was decent.

He glanced at Carter. He didn't look at her face and the healing bruises and the lost look in her eye. Nope, he wouldn't look at that because honestly for Carter that seemed normal. She was always getting into fights. So seeing her battered had no effect on him whatsoever.

"Carter, look," Mason said, pointing to a distance window. "Someone is trying to do an embarrassing workout in the privacy of their own home." He snorted. "The nerve of some people. No one wants to see that, let us all go about our lives please."

He shook his head, some people. Lacing his fingers, he laid them on the top of his head.

"Fine," he said. "I'll admit it, you've won the Most Broken One In This Relationship award." He rolled his eyes. "I mean I was leading with daddy issues, family issues, and general egotism issues. But yeah, sure you getting kidnapped, tortured, and facing trauma wins. Whatever."

He looked at her. "You know you didn't have to try that hard to take my title from me. A general self-esteem issue would have nudged you into the lead." He narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, you're right, you wouldn't have self-esteem issues, you're too self-assured. Maybe control issues. Let's go with that, you could have control issues to beat me."

That fit and was less dramatic than-

Mason focused hard on the other apartments, taking in which were brick and which were glass. A strange mix of both. Curious.

"You can stop bugging me already," Mason said. "I'm serious, I don't want to talk about it, so I'm not going to talk about it."

He remained quiet for a long time then burst out.

"Fine! Man, you're so demanding at times. At least that hasn't changed. Ever since high school you've constantly bugged me. Well, fine, I will admit it. I like Yvette. There, you happy?" He scowled in irritation. "You got me to say it out loud. I hope this whole thing you're doing was worth it to hear me admit it."

Carter just couldn't let it be, she had to nag him about his feelings and opening up. Well, which one of them needed to open up now-

"I mean she's beautiful and smart," Mason said, quickly. "Sometimes she gives me this look like she thinks I'm about the dumbest person in the world. Kinda reminds me how you look at me, you know, all the time."

He turned his head to her, but Carter didn't react, didn't look at him, didn't seem to hear him at all.

"Yeah, that look right there. Man, it's annoying. You understand our IQs are the same, right? I wish you would realize this."

Finished with his tirade, Mason leaned back in his chair. The day was a mix of warm sunlight and cool breeze. He understood why Carter would want to spend it up here. It was peaceful.

"I feel like I need to say something," Mason said. "And don't try and stop me..." He cut a glance at her. Nothing. "Your Boy Scout husband is ridiculous."

He leaning his elbow on the chair's arm and edged towards Carter.

"I'm serious. I've had this theory for a long time, but I think he is a genetically modified human being. No one is that good-looking. Does he eat bricks for breakfast to make his jaw that sharp? And the personality! No one that good-looking has that good of a personality. I submit myself as an example."

Mason shook his head, backing away. "It's like a bunch of scientists did a survey of what women want in a man and put all those traits into him. I'm telling you, Carter, it was the FBI's ploy to hire you. They wanted you so they sent in their best man to make sure you took the job."

Mason rested his chin on his fist. "I mean seriously, when you were taken he acted like he was in physical pain because you were gone. No one cares that much for another person. He seemed completely broken-"

Donovan's anger and fear were so intense it looked like it would consume him. It was like watching a man crumble before his eyes. The one he loved was stolen and beaten-

"Oh look at that Carter," Mason said hurriedly. "A teenage is having a meltdown in front of her parents." He snorted. "Ah, this new generation. They don't understand it. It's all about psychological warfare. Meltdowns don't bring results, only mind games do. I mean seriously..."

Mason fell quiet. He sat there, beside the girl who'd pissed him off more times than he could count. Who threatened him on a daily basis. A girl who never seemed scared of anything.

For crying out loud she argued with him in high school. Everyone knows high school is the worst and pissing off Mason meant it was even more unbearable but she did it cause she could. Because that's who she was- is. That's who she is.

"You know we caught them," Mason said, quietly. "The Castello family, we got them, they won't be able to..." He twisted in his chair, facing her. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I should have helped them find you sooner. I should have been monitoring the club's feed that day. I would have known, would have seen. I could've stopped-"

Carter turned her head towards Mason. But it didn't matter. She was trapped behind a wall in her mind, he knew it, could see it. She needed to come back. He needed her to come back. His friend...

"Carter, I think I'm choking," Mason said. "There's this weird feeling in my throat and I'm pretty sure I'm internally being strangled. And my eyes are doing this weird blurry thing. Maybe I'm malfunctioning. Plot twist I'm the modified human." He laughed, but it sounded strained. "Kidding. No, it means I'm broken. I guess I can reclaim my Most Broken One In This Relationship award."

The door to the roof opened and Mason bolted upright, blinking hard.

"How is she doing?" Donovan asked, coming over and kneeling before Carter.

"Honestly, too chatty for my taste. I don't get how you can stand to hear her drone on."

Donovan lifted his head and Mason nodded to him.

"You look less homeless, that's an improvement."

After a beat where Donovan looked to Carter then Mason, he spoke. "Thanks for trying, Mason."

Mason backed up a step. "I have no idea what you're talking about. I came here to annoy Carter and succeeded. Now I can tell she wants me to leave. I'm kind, so that's what I'll do." He gave Donovan a two-fingered salute. "See you around. Later, Owens."

Mason sauntered to the stairwell door and stepped inside. He gazed back for a second and watched as Donovan took the empty seat and locked his fingers with Carter's. Mason waited, willing her to move, to respond to the stupid compassionate Boy Scout husband of hers.

When he saw her close her fingers around Donovan's, Mason turned away and gripped the stair railing. He closed his eyes since his vision was being finicky and blurring again and he couldn't see. Damn, and that stupid internal choking feeling was at it again.

He really was broken. He guessed they still had that in common.

**********************************************************************

I'm not crying, you are!

You can *sobs* leave your *weeps* thoughts and *wails* tears here! 😭😭😭

*sniffs and hugs a teddy bear* Oh buckets that hurt. I mean I could hold out because I'm made of stronger stuff but if Mason goes then I go.

Not going to lie writing Mason emotional was such a fascinating thing because he's not going to get emotional like anyone else, he's going to make jokes, deny his feelings, pretend everything's okay, not even acknowledge that he's crying. That's Mason in a nutshell, scared to feel and scared to see his friend hurting.

If you didn't leave your thoughts on the chapter up top then take a moment wipe your eyes and do it now cause I'm really curious what you thought. 💭💬🗯

Vote, comment, follow because even though you might hate me you love Mason.

I hope this makes you smile.

It took me a second to figure out which head belonged to which puppy.