Disclaimer: Not Mine! In answer to Sarah's Write a fic based on the line"I guess I always knew you could give up on yourself but I could not give up on you" Challenge, I do hope this is okay. Enjoy! :)
"I guess I always knew you could give up on yourself but I could not give up on you" Esther sighed as she approached the back of the park bench where Brian Lane sat, empty vodka bottle firmly in hand.
"None of us could" Sandra Pullman added as she too approached the scene of devastation with Gerry and Steve hot on heels.
"Look, mate just because UCOS can no longer be a part of your life doesn't mean we can't be" Gerry said sitting down beside his friend who was clearly starting to sober up from an all night bender.
He hadn't even left UCOS for 24 hours and already he was showing signs that he wasn't coping. He might have accepted that he had to leave but that did not mean he was ready, or prepared. As soon as his final shift ended he didn't want a leaving do, no flags hung out, no drinks with his now former colleagues. Hell, he didn't even want to go home to his loving wife who stood by him through thick and thin, despite all the empty threats that on the next occasion he had a drink she would leave him.
Instead he chose to wallow in his own sorrow, his own personal grief and drink himself into a silent stupor. Alone.
It was gone eleven o'clock when Esther began to go into a full scale panic. She knew today would be a lot harder than when he originally had to retire. Back then he didn't have any friends in the force. Now he had made some of the best friends in the world who were always there for him, though thick and thin. He had even found someone to replace the one he lost. Jack. That was the start of the demise of Brian Lane.
It was now twenty to five in the morning , the sun was slowly waking up and lighting the little park on the edge of the council estate. Esther, Gerry, Sandra and Steve had been looking for Brain since Esther's panicked phone call to all of them just after half past eleven the night before and were relieved to have found him safe and sound as each and every one of them had spent the five hours imagining the worst.
"Brian, we are going to get you the best treatment money can buy, that's a promise. I am not giving up on you now. Not ever." Sandra said looking up at him.
"Look pal, I know I haven't known you all that long but you can rely on me, you know that" the Scottish man smiled as he sat on the other side of Brian, leaving the two women in Brian Lane's life standing, staring at him both with tear-filled eyes.
He didn't reply, he felt too crowded. All Brian wanted to do was buy another bottle of vodka and perhaps some whisky, crawl into a ditch and not think about the new day that had arrived. His first without UCOS. His first without a purpose.
"Brian, you are not alone you never have been, whatever is on your chest, however scared you are of life without UCOS you can tell us, we can help, please" his wife pleaded trying to stay strong. She came to think of herself at being good at it, after all if she wasn't strong on his behalf how did she ever expect him to get better? This time however, she felt her strength being snatched from her, like a rug being pulled from underneath her feet, she was powerless to stop it.
A part of her was already worried that even though Sandra, Gerry and Steve promised him, and her that they would remain a consent part of his life that in a couple of months they would dwindle out and she would be left by herself to pick up the pieces once again.
"But I was" he began to sob uncontrollably. "When Jack went, he asked me to keep it secret act as if nothing had happened, but how was I supposed to do that, eh? He was the rock that held us altogether and when he went we, I began to crumble and I will tell you this I am nothing but tiny particles of sand now".
Esther looked at Sandra with accusing eyes, Brian wasn't very good at keeping secrets and like before she knew that they had chosen to ignore his meltdown as they didn't want to admit they had let him down once more.
"Don't bring Jack into this, Brian" Sandra let the tears at the very mention of Jack's name escape down her cheek, something she had been accustomed to ever since she lost him.
"You know it's true, he was a damn better father to you than Gordon ever was-"
"Hey, that's enough" Gerry interrupted he couldn't bare the both of them tearing up like this. This crisis was rapidly becoming a war, just like every war that there ever was it was pointless and an excuse not to admit to needing help. Colatteral Damage was the only way to ensure survival yourself.
"Brian you are drunk, you don't know what you're saying" Steve tried, he felt like a spare part, stood right in the middle of the battlefield having no idea why he was really there. He liked Brian he really did but this was just as hard for him as it was for Brian.
"Come on, let's get you home so you can sober up" Esther said holding out her hand.
"We will be round to see you this evening, that's a promise" Sandra sniffed.
"Promise?" Brian asked steadying himself to his feet, his eyes were innocent, like those of a young child pleading not to be left.
"Always" she whispered. Gerry and Steve nodded nothing else could be said.
"See you later then" he smiled linking his arm in Esther's as they headed off into the sunrise.
The three remaining bodies watched, Gerry affectionately put his arm around Sandra, he could feel how much this was hurting her. In return she rested her head on his shoulders for some form of comfort
"Do you think he will be okay?" Steve finally asked.
"I don't know and I am not sure Esther will be either" Sandra admitted solemnly.
"Nah, they will be so long as they have us" Gerry said popping a cigarette in his mouth, come on, let's get some breakfast so we are ready for the long road to Brian's recovery" he said his arm still around Sandra, heading off the same way Brian and Esther had moments earlier.
The End. I really hope this is okay, any review would be most welcome, Gee :) x