English is NOT my native language!

Disclaimer: Don't own the "Saved by the Bell"-characters. Someone else does…
Rating: I don't know anything about these ratings, but let's say T or PG-13. Just to be safe...
Warnings: Deals with some disturbing and mature themes. Don't like, don't read…
I haven't seen this show in a while, so I'm sorry if some things don't add up with what happened on the show. I kinda rearranged the timeline… Instead of being situated in the early nineties, it's now situated in the next century. Our own timeline. Still the college years though… So maybe you could say it is slightly AU…
Genre: Drama / Tragedy (I know SbtB is a comedy show, but hey… life can't be fun all the time! Trust me, I know… Let's bring on the drama…)
Summary: Everyone's lives change drastically when one of their own is badly hurt…

Chapter 4

Room 324… 324… 324… Ray repeated the number over and over in his mind. He walked through the hallway with a large bouquet of flowers in his hands and searched for the matching number. 320… 321… 322… 323… He slowed down and sighed deeply, a big smile on his face. Samuel, Samuel… Together again at last! He chuckled softly as he finally reached the door of the room he was looking for. 324… He grabbed the doorknob and silently opened the door of the room. He decided to hide his head behind the bouquet of flowers and stepped inside.

"Guess who, Samuel?" he said evilly as he moved towards the bed. "I wouldn't have a clue…" he heard someone say dryly. Ray stopped dead in his tracks. Wait… that doesn't sound like Samuel… Slowly he lowered the bouquet of flowers and looked over at the person in the bed. Instead of Samuel, there was an old man lying in it. Damn it! Ray cursed inwardly and slightly panicked. Where did he go? Where the hell is he? He forced a gentle smile on his face, eyeing the old man carefully. "I'm sorry sir," Ray said in an apologetic tone. "I must have entered the wrong room." The old man nodded. "I guess you have," he answered. Without a word Ray turned around and left the room.

Damn it Samuel! Why did you have to interrupt my plans again? Damn you! You'll pay for this… I swear… He walked towards a nurse who sat behind a huge desk. "Can I help you sir?" she gently asked the tall, handsome looking man in front of her. "Yes, you can," Ray answered politely. "I'm looking for Samuel Powers… I was told he was in room 324, but he isn't there…" The nurse nodded and looked through her computer database. "Hmm…" she started, "Mr. Powers was released last night." Damn! "Really," Ray replied, "Good for him… I guess I'll visit him at his home then…" The nurse smiled and nodded. "I guess so!" Ray nodded his thanks and walked away.

Damn it! He cursed again as he threw the flowers away. This complicates things… People will be with him at all time… His parents, his damn friends… the cops… What to do, what to do? He chuckled softly but evilly as he left the hospital. Don't worry Samuel… I'll find a way! I'll find a way…

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Screech sat on the bed in his room and stared into the distance. A part of him was glad to be home; however, another part of him wished he would have been able to stay at the hospital. The first night at home had been rough. He had hardly slept; images of a certain man haunting his dreams. A man who had hurt him so badly… But it wasn't the only thing that bothered him. Being in this big house with just his father and his mother made him nervous. His mother wasn't really the problem. She was a sweetheart, trying to make things as comfortable as possible for her son. His father however, was a completely different story. He hardly spoke to his son; avoiding him as much as he could. Screech wondered why. Was the man ashamed of him? Was his father mad at him? Or did he feel so bad for him that he just didn't know what to say to him? Of all things, Screech hoped that the last reason would be the issue. He couldn't stand the thought of his father being mad at him or being ashamed of him. Screech himself felt mad and ashamed enough as it was.

A knock on the door awoke him from his thoughts. The door slowly opened and he saw his mother standing in the doorway. "I brought you some soup," she said softly. "Tomato soup… It's your favorite…" Screech shook his head. "No thanks," he answered quietly. "Sweetheart, you need to eat something," his mother said worriedly. "Please… for me? It's not that much…" She walked towards him and put the bowl of soup on the nightstand. Screech nodded.

"You want to talk about something?" she asked softly as she sat down next to her son. "No…" Screech answered and then shrugged. "Yes… I don't know…" He was quiet for a moment and then asked hesitantly: "Why doesn't dad speak to me?" His mother sighed. "Oh Samuel…" she whispered. "Is he mad at me?" he continued to ask, fear evident on his face. "Is he ashamed of me?" His mother shook her head heavily. "Oh honey, no!" she exclaimed, "Of course not!" "Then why won't he speak to me? Or even look at me?" Screech asked again. His mother shrugged and then carefully put an arm around her son's shoulder. To her surprise he didn't flinch this time. "I… I don't know sweetheart," she answered, "I think he just feels bad about what happened to you… I even think he feels guilty… And you know your father, he's not good at expressing his feelings… Please don't think that he hates you! I'm sure he doesn't… I'll talk to him alright?" Screech nodded. He so hoped that his mother was right about this. He relaxed in his mother's embrace and closed his eyes. He felt so small; like a child even. It felt safe to lie in her arms like this. For a moment he felt like a ten-year-old again…

"Zack called," his mother said, interrupting the comforting silence. Screech opened his eyes and sat up straight again. "He wants to see you," she continued. "No," Screech answered and looked away. "Samuel, he's your friend… You can't keep hiding from him," his mother told him. "I'm not hiding!" he yelled, but deep down inside he knew his mother was right. He WAS hiding. "Samuel," his mother said gently, "He's not mad at you or ashamed of you… he's worried about you… all your friends are. They won't judge you for what happened, you know… They feel sorry about what happened and they want to help you get back on your feet again. That is all… Wouldn't you do the same for them?" Screech listened to his mother's words. He knew she was right, but it was so hard to set these negative feelings aside. The insecurity, the fear…

"Alright," he whispered, "But ONLY Zack… I'm not ready to see everyone else yet… I just… I'm not…" His mother nodded and smiled gently. "Good," she answered, "I'll call Zack alright?" Screech just nodded in agreement. His mother gently grabbed him by the shoulder and hugged him. "I'm proud of you…" she whispered. Then she stood up and left the room. Screech looked away, noticing the bowl of soup on the nightstand. To his own surprise he actually felt hungry. So he took the bowl in his hands, grabbed a spoon and started to eat. And he actually enjoyed it…

TBC

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