[ Ben takes his time, considers. He's a little sad that he hadn't gotten to really be a part of Diego's life back then. To tease him about trying to lead a good cop astray. To maybe matchmake and meddle a little, in a benevolent brotherly way.
Instead he had gotten to be a part of this bit. The ending. Ben thinks through as much of it as he knows, what he'd seen, what he'd pieced together from other conversations since. Then, thoughtfully: ]
I'm not sure she did, though.
[ Ben looks over to Diego. The words have weight, because Ben wouldn't lie, if he thought Diego had contributed. He would not try to be cruel about it, but he would see it as the loving thing to do to be honest and hold Diego accountable as much as he needed to be. ]
I don't know a lot about the rulebook, but it wasn't like she was being reckless. Maybe that was what got her to the motel in the first place, but that just as easily could have happened by chance. I don't think things would've turned out any differently if she'd been there with a partner, on official business hours, or any of that. She was just - nearby, and Klaus got her attention, and she's a cop, right? Cops are trained to intervene, if they're walking by and hear someone's being held captive and tortured and stuff. That's her job. That's her doing it her way.
[ It's hard, to know where to start answering Diego's question. Ben had made the offer, and he meant it, but that doesn't make this easy. Ben pulls his knees in against his chest, and lays his cheek against his arm, turning away from Diego slightly. ]
Which part?
[ There is just the barest hint of bitterness in that question. Not directed at Diego - not exclusively anyway. It's just unfair. How many horrible things had happened all at once. The fact that Ben has to ask which awful thing Diego is referring to... well, what does that say about the kind of day it had been.
Ben closes his eyes. All at once he feels so tired. ]
All of it was very, very bad.
[ But that isn't enough of a warning, and he knows it. So he adds, gravely: ]
I can tell you more, but you should be sure you want to hear it, first.
no subject
Instead he had gotten to be a part of this bit. The ending. Ben thinks through as much of it as he knows, what he'd seen, what he'd pieced together from other conversations since. Then, thoughtfully: ]
I'm not sure she did, though.
[ Ben looks over to Diego. The words have weight, because Ben wouldn't lie, if he thought Diego had contributed. He would not try to be cruel about it, but he would see it as the loving thing to do to be honest and hold Diego accountable as much as he needed to be. ]
I don't know a lot about the rulebook, but it wasn't like she was being reckless. Maybe that was what got her to the motel in the first place, but that just as easily could have happened by chance. I don't think things would've turned out any differently if she'd been there with a partner, on official business hours, or any of that. She was just - nearby, and Klaus got her attention, and she's a cop, right? Cops are trained to intervene, if they're walking by and hear someone's being held captive and tortured and stuff. That's her job. That's her doing it her way.
[ It's hard, to know where to start answering Diego's question. Ben had made the offer, and he meant it, but that doesn't make this easy. Ben pulls his knees in against his chest, and lays his cheek against his arm, turning away from Diego slightly. ]
Which part?
[ There is just the barest hint of bitterness in that question. Not directed at Diego - not exclusively anyway. It's just unfair. How many horrible things had happened all at once. The fact that Ben has to ask which awful thing Diego is referring to... well, what does that say about the kind of day it had been.
Ben closes his eyes. All at once he feels so tired. ]
All of it was very, very bad.
[ But that isn't enough of a warning, and he knows it. So he adds, gravely: ]
I can tell you more, but you should be sure you want to hear it, first.