Ch 643 - Bittersweet Freedom

"You two are ridiculous." Chelsea glared at the two men, but she still had a smile on her face. With a wave, she turned around and left. Timothy and Alex watched her go. She was stopped outside by Tamara, who apparently wanted to talk to her about a case.

Alex turned back to Timothy and rubbed his hands together gleefully. "Well, it looks like it's time to listen to the lady. She said I should go, and I really should. I have to get ready for the Top Doctor Competition. I passed the preliminary test, and now I have to prepare for the city-level competition."

After saying goodbye to Timothy, Alex gathered up his belongings and then left the station.

Timothy had not had the time to talk with Alex about his niece's illness. He only smiled bitterly as he watched Alex leave. He had been told to guarantee Alex's safety, and he intended to do just that. After all, the orders had come from someone even more powerful than Brian.

Timothy thought about the odd relationship between all of them. Brian still seemed to have a strong resentment for Alex, and neither of the men could communicate with the other. Timothy wasn't sure if Brian and Alex could ever have the kind of trust and friendship that he had with Alex. With a sigh, he grudgingly went back to work.

**

Alex walked out of the police station and took a breath of fresh air. It was good to be outside. He looked up and down the street, trying to catch his bearings. Now that he was free, at least on bail, he was puzzled. He realized that he had no idea who had posted bail for him. He turned around and went back into the station to ask. Sure enough, it had been Maryann who had come to his rescue.

Walking back outside, Alex felt refreshed. Suddenly, he heard a voice call out to him from farther down the street. "Alex!"

He turned to see Maryann, who had been waiting for him to be released. She looked happy to see him as she rushed up and gave him a big hug. "What took you so long? I thought you'd never come out of there. I'm so happy to see you!"

With that, Maryann started to cry tears of joy. She had obviously been very worried about him. Alex had become the most important person in her life.

Maryann was all too familiar with the complex relationships of the powerful families and players in Baltimore. None of them could be underestimated. The fact that Alex, one of the few people who had stood up to all of them, had escaped relatively unscathed was a miracle.

The key was that Alex wasn't afraid to fight back. He had not hesitated to take down the likes of Sam Young or Grace Thornton. They had been skilled fighters, and Alex had proved that he was more so.

What Maryann hadn't considered was that, in today's society, evidence was the key. Alex had attacked those people without laying a finger on them. And without hard evidence that he had attacked them, he couldn't be convicted.

Alex was happy to see Maryann, too. He thanked her for her help and told her what had happened after he had been arrested.

To Maryann's surprise, Maria had been locked up, and all the others who had bullied and threatened her were being brought to justice. She was impressed by how quickly everything had happened.

"Maryann, your tears are all over my clothes," Alex said teasingly. "Now I'll have to go buy some new ones." His tone was accusing, as if he disliked her excessive enthusiasm at seeing him.

Maryann let out a cry of mild annoyance and stepped back. Alex always acted coolly toward her, and she was used to that. She didn't care that he didn't return her feelings. She wished he did, but for the time being, she was simply happy that he had hugged her back, and that he seemed to genuinely appreciate her help.

When Maryann looked embarrassed, Alex said, "You don't have to worry about me. As you can see, I'm fine. They realized that I was not the enemy, and they couldn't prove anything."

His tone gentled as he saw her look of genuine concern. "Besides, with friends like you, who are willing to come to my aid, I can take on anything!"

Maryann nodded, his words a comfort to her. But she also knew he was mocking the situation. "Well, don't make fun of me. I did what I thought I needed to do. I may be little, but I do have some pull with this city. Not a lot, but some. I'm the one who should be thanking you. I feel embarrassed about how you had to jump in and help me."

What Maryann said was the truth. She had, indeed, been bullied by others. If Alex hadn't done anything, Riley would have refused to help her, and then she would have been on her own.

In addition, after Alex had intervened and had been arrested, Maryann had been trying to reduce the accusations against him through various channels. However, even though she had made a lot of phone calls, they hadn't amounted to much. It had become obvious to her that those behind the attack were far more powerful than she was; Maryann had had no effect at all.

"Alex, I'm sorry," she said. "You helped me out of a dangerous situation last night, but I can't do anything to change yours. I tried; I really did. I thought my family had some pull, but no matter what I do, I can't seem to help you. I feel useless."

She was especially unhappy with Riley. He had done nothing to help her. She had a deep understanding of Riley's double-dealing ways. She had told everyone that he was really a good person, and that he could be trusted. But now, she wasn't so sure. She had also placed too much stock in her own family. It wasn't that the Robinsons didn't have any pull; it was just that the enemy was much stronger. There was more going on than she could understand, and it was frustrating and terrifying.

"Well, you don't have to get involved," Alex said. "You've done enough already. You helped get me out of jail. Besides, if I had it to do all over again, I'd do the same thing. I have no regrets. It's me who should be sorry. You must have tried your best last night. How could I blame you for anything? I just..." he trailed off and frowned.

"Just what?" Maryann prompted after a few moments of silence had passed.

"It's just that you are too emotional. Do you know what happened last night? Do you understand it?" Alex's expression had become more indifferent.

"Understand?" she asked. She hesitated as she sensed that his attitude had suddenly changed, and she couldn't keep up with his ever-changing emotions.

She figured that what he was about to say wasn't going to be anything good, and she braced for it.

"I want you to understand that what I did last night wasn't because I wanted to protect you in particular," he said. "When I see someone in trouble, I feel the need to intervene. I'm a good-natured person, and I can't see others being bullied. That's why I did it."

"What do you mean?" she asked. She had prepared herself for the truth, but she still felt hurt. "Are you saying that you don't care for me at all?"

"Yes," Alex said simply. "I will save a little cat or a dog, but it doesn't mean that I'm going to take them home with me and take care of them. I'll save them because they can't save themselves. That's all. I don't want them to follow me home, because I'm out for justice, not for love." Although Alex's words were clear and sincere, they were also cruel.