[Hayley noticed those fists and his controlled voice. That meant she was close to the truth and, if nothing else, the girl was good at uncovering the secrets people didn't want to share. Or so she hoped. Dick was someone she didn't quite know well enough to know what buttons to press, but she also knew that if she didn't take this chance right here and right now, she would probably never get to this point again.]
"Do you really think killing yourself would have changed anything?" [Logically, that was not proper atonement. But if what Hayley thought about Blockbuster was true, then she would have wanted the man to die anyway.]
"But there's something there you're not telling me, something you probably haven't told anyone. Maybe you pulled the trigger yourself or you wanted him to die or you asked her to. Whatever it is, it's what's preventing you from moving on. It's why your fists are clenched and you look like you're about to punch someone-- to punch me, I guess.." [She glanced sideways, then back to Dick again.] "I'm sorry, but you really need to tell someone. I mean, I'd prefer it was me, obviously, but I can't force you. What I can do is tell Tim that there's something he's missing and let him try to get it out of you, but I really.. I think you'd be happier telling me, because I don't know the people involved so I couldn't really judge you the same even if I wanted to, you know? And I mean, you don't have to see me ever again. Do you really want Tim looking at you like that? Wondering what he knows? If Stephanie knows.. or Eddie..?"
[Hayley stared him straight on, the same level of concern plastered on her features.] "It's okay, Dick. I won't tell anyone if you talk to me. You know, it probably wasn't even your fault? But you'll never move past it if you don't talk to me."
Spam! -
"Do you really think killing yourself would have changed anything?" [Logically, that was not proper atonement. But if what Hayley thought about Blockbuster was true, then she would have wanted the man to die anyway.]
"But there's something there you're not telling me, something you probably haven't told anyone. Maybe you pulled the trigger yourself or you wanted him to die or you asked her to. Whatever it is, it's what's preventing you from moving on. It's why your fists are clenched and you look like you're about to punch someone-- to punch me, I guess.." [She glanced sideways, then back to Dick again.] "I'm sorry, but you really need to tell someone. I mean, I'd prefer it was me, obviously, but I can't force you. What I can do is tell Tim that there's something he's missing and let him try to get it out of you, but I really.. I think you'd be happier telling me, because I don't know the people involved so I couldn't really judge you the same even if I wanted to, you know? And I mean, you don't have to see me ever again. Do you really want Tim looking at you like that? Wondering what he knows? If Stephanie knows.. or Eddie..?"
[Hayley stared him straight on, the same level of concern plastered on her features.] "It's okay, Dick. I won't tell anyone if you talk to me. You know, it probably wasn't even your fault? But you'll never move past it if you don't talk to me."