Aidan didn't flinch as the cops flooded through his broken door with their weapons drawn. He obeyed their orders and knelt on the floor while one of the officers ran behind him and cuffed his hands together.
"For the record, I'm the victim."
But since they didn't know for sure, they followed standard protocol of securing him before they called an ambulance for Donnie.
Once they realized Donnie was an escaped felon and Aidan did in fact live in the cabin and was the one who'd been attacked, they removed his handcuffs and let him get a cold towel to clean some of the blood off his face and shoulder.
"You sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" one of the male officers asked.
Aidan shook his head as he watched them haul a semiconscious Donnie out of his living room. There was no helping what really hurt him. Only Leta could do that. "I'll be all right."
"You sure?"
For the first time in years, he actually was. "Yeah. That which doesn't kill us-"
"Requires a lot of therapy to deal with."
Aidan gave a small laugh as the police officer shrugged.
"Hey, in my business, it's really true." The officer suddenly looked awkward as he glanced at the mantel where Aidan kept his Oscars. It was a bashful stance Aidan knew extremely well.
"You want an autograph?"
The officer's face brightened. "I didn't want to ask with you bleeding and all, but my wife's a really big fan of yours and this would score me some major points with her. If I could put that under the tree, I know it would make her Christmas."
Aidan smiled even though it hurt his split lip. "Hang on." He went into his office and pulled out a stack of publicity photos Mori had sent that he'd ignored and a Sharpie before he returned to the living room. "What's her name?"
"Tammy."
Another officer stepped forward. "Oh, man, can I have one too? I loved that movieAlabaster . You kicked major butt in it and the chick who was in it with you... Was she as hot in real life?"
"No, she was even better."
The officer laughed.
Aidan hesitated as the old joy he used to feel came flooding back. He could still remember the first time someone had asked for his autograph all those years ago. The first time someone had stopped him on the street to tell him how much they loved his work. There was nothing else like it. No matter when or where, he loved to be stopped by his fans. To share a few minutes chatting with them.
Donnie and Heather had tainted it with their poison. "Those people don't care about you. They're just hanger-ons wanting to touch something they'll never be. God, I hate it whenever they come up to us. I can't even eat a meal in peace. Why don't you tell them to go away and leave us alone?"
But Aidan had never minded. Even when it got to the point he couldn't drive on the street with his windows down or the times he had the press climbing into his backyard, he hadn't minded it. He was glad he did something that other people enjoyed, and if talking to him made them happy... There was no greater feeling than knowing he'd touched their lives and brought a smile to their faces, even if it was only for a few minutes.
This was what he'd wanted since he was a kid. What he'd fought his ass off to achieve. He'd suffered through enough slings and arrows to make Shakespeare proud.
And he loved every minute of it.
He handed the signed photo for Tammy to the officer before he looked at the other one. "What's your name?"
"Ricky... and can you make one out for my girlfriend, Tiffany? She'd just die if I came home with that. Oh, and my mom, Sara. She's been a fan of yours since that weird horror movie you did. I loved that too, but it was a major mind scrambler."
Aidan laughed at the man's enthusiasm. "It'd be my pleasure."
Before it was over, Aidan signed a total of twenty photos for the police and paramedics. Donnie was screaming in outrage from the ambulance, but no one cared.
"You have a Merry Christmas," Ricky said as he trailed the others out of Aidan's cabin. He hesitated at the splintered door. "You probably need to call someone to fix this. I don't think you should be up here without a good door, given what happened today."
"Thanks. I'll take care of it."
Ricky held his hand out. "You're a decent man, Mr. O'Conner. Thanks so much for the autographs."
"My pleasure, and call me Aidan."
Ricky grinned. "Aidan. It was a pleasure meeting you. I just wish the circumstances were better."
"Yeah, me too. You have a good Christmas and tell your mom and Tiffany I said hi."
"Will do. Thanks."
Aidan followed him out to the porch where he watched Ricky walk out to his car before all of them drove off. He could still hear Donnie's muffled voice cursing him as they pulled onto the road. Pity welled up inside him, but then again, maybe it was a good thing Donnie was still being eaten with hatred. One day Donnie would realize exactly what his jealousy had cost him-that in trying to ruin Aidan, he'd destroyed his entire life.
God help his brother then.
The pain of Donnie's betrayal rolled off his shoulders now. He really didn't care. "I am the last man standing."