A/N sorry I've been a bit dead, since school went back I've kinda had to shift from fanfics to textbooks :(

Alex stumbled into the temporary holding cell, ushered in by an officer that locked him in and left, Alex moving with an unsteady limp. He looked down at the fresh white bandages wrapped neatly around his calf. How the hell had Laf done all that cool shit when he had a bullet in his collar bone? This hurt like a bitch.

His eyes flickered up and he caught sight of Eliza sitting at the back of the cell. She stared ahead blankly, her eyes frozen over like the surface of a winter puddle, robbing them of their usual warmth. It caused a slight chill to shiver down Alex's spine.

He limped over hurriedly and took a seat beside her, wrapping an arm around her and snapping her out of the trance.
"Oh, hey, how'd it go?" She spoke hoarsely, tilting her head back against the wall, facing Alex.
"They removed the fragment and patched me up," he sighed with a weak smile, squeezing Eliza's arm reassuringly. The cell fell into a hollow silence, suffocating both Alex and Eliza.

"Listen I'm sorry about what-" Eliza attempted to snap the silence before Alex hushed her, placing his finger on her lips.
"I initiated it, and then the cop did the rest, you did nothing wrong." Alex muttered, holding her cheek in his hand. "But, this stays between us, nobody would believe us anyway, they wouldn't take a criminal's word over a cop's."

Eliza nodded furiously before Alex pulled her into a tight hug. Eliza felt like she was going to cry again and as soon as her small frame shook with the first sob Alex was raking his hand through her hair soothingly and rubbing her back, reassuring her everything would be okay.
"We're getting out of here 'Liza, ssh I'll figure something out," Alex reassured her, standing up from his seat.

"Alex you're smart, but there's no way to get out of here without a key." Eliza frowned, bringing her knees up and hugging them to her chest. The bruises on her knees swirled with vile greens and purples, making Alex cringe with guilt.

Right as Eliza finished speaking a cop came marching in. Eliza shut up, shrinking back against the wall timidly. It was the same asshole cop that had been driving their car. He glanced into the cell and chuckled under his breath seeing the state Eliza was in.
"You'll be laughing when I slit your throat," Alex growled, straightening up.

"You can't do anything to stop me, you're going back to Prison, where you belong, filthy criminal," The cop scoffed, rolling his eyes and taking a seat at the desk across from their cell. Alex clenched his teeth and stormed back over to Eliza, sitting beside her and hooking his arm around her protectively. Eliza leaned into his embrace, closing her eyes with a soft sigh.

"We'll have to wait until he leaves," Alex frowned under his breath, just loud enough for Eliza to catch.
"Maybe n-not," she muttered. Alex glanced at her and she sighed shakily. "Play along." she whispered before standing up, slipping out of Alex's embrace.

Alex watched on worriedly as she sauntered up to the metal bars in a very Maria-like fashion, hips swaying slowly before she slung her arms up and through the bars.
"Hey," she hummed softly, tilting her head to the side playfully. Alex's stomach dropped to his toes.
"Oh hell no." he muttered with wide eyes.

The cop looked up and a smirk crawled onto his lips when he saw Eliza seductively slung over the bars.
"Change of heart?" The cop snickered, leaning back and crossing his arms.
"Maybe~, come and get it big boy," she sang, slipping her hand down the bar slowly. Alex's cheeks flushed bright pink watching her from behind. He couldn't believe after all that she was risking doing this.

"Not without him locked up," the cop growled, leaning to the side to look around Eliza and glare down Alex like the scum of the earth.
"He'll obey, won't you Alex," Eliza mumbled, turning to shoot him a glance of fear. Alex's heart sank knowing she didn't want to do this, but he knew what she was planning now.

"Yes," Alex sighed with a scowl, averting his gaze. The cop chuckled bitterly and opened one of the desk draws, retrieving a pair of handcuffs.

He stood up and made his way over to the bars with slow strides, a smug smirk dancing on his lips.
"You. Here," he directed to Alex, ushering him towards the bars. Alex growled under his breath and reluctantly stood up, making his way over. The cop reached through the bars and snatched up Alex's wrist, ripping him forward and cuffing him to the bars.
Alex hissed in pain when the cop abruptly tightened them, the metal slicing into his skin.

The cop then left his keys on the desk, which Eliza silently cursed at. Alex sighed in defeat too. She was hoping to snatch them while she was getting intimate with the officer. He would have to think like the smartest person in the room and find an alternative escape.

As the cop came in he immediately sauntered towards Eliza, his large stature looming over her small frame. Her breathing quickened but she continued to play along, letting him lead her to the back of the cell and push her up against the wall.

Alex looked away, cringing at what he heard next. He frantically began searching his pockets for something he could use, a weapon, a bobby pin, a-
a lollipop?

The lollipop Maria had given him when they first met, he still had it after all this time! Alex grinned triumphantly and slowly slipped it out of his pocket, the green lollipop now had a crack running through the middle, but was still neatly wrapped.

He brought it up to the handcuffs with his free hand and twirled it in his fingers to have the stick facing down. He jammed it into the keyhole of the cuffs and began shimmying it around, praying for some kind of reaction.

Click

The cuffs popped open and Alex quickly caught them before they fell to the floor.
"Yesss!" he muttered under his breath, kissing the lollipop before stuffing it back in his pocket. He slowly stood up and turned to face Eliza and the cop.

All he could see was the cop from behind, his back muscles flexing as his hands traced Eliza's silhouette. Alex shivered in disgust and his scowl reappeared. He snuck out of the cell and over to the desk, pocketing the keys and grabbing his gun that had been confiscated.

He slowly snuck back into the cell, sneaking up behind the cop as quiet as a mouse, before he swung his fist up, smashing the gun across the cop's head with a solid THWACK!

The cop yelped and stumbled to the side in surprise. His hand immediately flew to his holster but a look of sheer horror swept his features when he couldn't find his gun.
"Looking for something?" Eliza grinned, twirling the cop's gun between her fingers teasingly.
"You bitch!" The cop yelled, launching forward, but Alex was quick to raise his gun, pointing it straight at the cop's head.

He froze and quickly sunk back, his hands rising defensively.
"Look, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"
"We don't want your bullshit." Alex cut in, shoving the gun closer, although he was shaking a little. "We're leaving, and you're going to let us leave or else you eat lead."

The cop nodded furiously.
"Yes g-go, sure," he stammered, shuffling away. Eliza left and retrieved the hand cuffs while Alex advanced forward, the gun still aimed directly at his head. Alex grabbed his hand roughly and held him against the bars while Eliza cuffed him, tightening the cuffs to squeeze his wrists uncomfortably.

Alex and Eliza left him cuffed to the bars and ran out of the cell hand-in-hand, out the door and into the hall before Alex began laughing softly.
"What is it?" Eliza hissed, squinting at him curiously.
"Safety was on the whole time," Alex grinned, raising his gun and flipping the safety off and back on.

Eliza smiled and shook her head.
"I was a bit confused as to how you were so willing to shoot him," she scoffed. "Either way, let's get out of here," she mumbled, beaming excitedly. Alex quickly kissed her cheek and tugged her down the hall, off to continue their great escape.

---

John hadn't cried. He was angry. Angry that after all that, everyone just left. Now Alex probably hated him for leaving him behind. And he had been caught. What if he was sent back to prison, and John never saw him again.

He sat in the corner of the van, his knees drawn up to his chest and his face hidden. He was worn out after spending at least 30 minutes screaming, thrashing and trying to get everyone to turn back. It was no use.

He had almost fallen asleep when he felt a hand rest on his shoulder. He tensed, but didn't look up.
"Hey," Maria hummed, leaning down slowly.
"No." John simply stated, clamming up even more. "Leave me alone."
"No need to be sour, I know how you feel," she muttered, squeezing his shoulder. "We left Eliza too," she sighed.

"There is no we, you guys left Alex and Eliza. I tried to go back for them but you all held me back. I'm not a part of this," John snapped before hiding again, digging his nails into his palms.

"Well, if you ever need to release some pent up, anger, or you need a distraction," she hummed, raising her hand to twirl a lock of John's hair.

John's hand snapped up and he grabbed her wrist, ripping her hand away and glaring at her.
"When was the last time you actually did anything," she whispered suggestively, tilting her head playfully.

John shoved her hand away with a disgusted growl.
"I don't want you," he spat, hiding his face in his knees again.

"You-"
"Maria, give John some space," Lafayette sighed, a hint of frustration in his voice. Maria rolled her eyes and stood up, moving away, but not before one last comment.
"You won't be able to say no to this for long, John,"

And when I said straightening up, the pun was intended :(