Disclaimer: I don't own it. You should know that by now. I think Faraday's the bomb, but that doesn't matter.
A/n: This is another random, wee one-shot. A little depressing. Timeline is sometime before the crash, probably sometime before Liam quit heroin. This was written using the prompt "Overdose".
Overdose
He has the nightmare more often than he can count. Then he would care to admit. Too many druken nights end with restless dreams, so very often coming around to become the same nightmare.
He knocks on Liam's door excitedly. They're album has hit number one and he wants to be the first one to tell Liam: they're officially true rock stars now. He can't wait to share the fame and the fun with his brother. He can't wait for his brother to keep his promise.
He bangs his fists on the door again, this time a little harder. Liam must not have heard him. Perhaps he's in the shower. Maybe he should go in and just surprise Liam. That seems like a good idea, so he tries the door handle.
It's unlocked and he opens it slowly, calling out for his brother. He wonders if Liam is out, but if he is, then why was the door left unlocked. He enters the living room… the kitchen… the hallway…
"Liam?"
On to the bedroom, where Liam's still form is sprawled on the bed.
"Liam?
And then the truth of what his eyes are seeing hits him like a freight trains straight to the chest. The open heroin packages scattered across the nightstand, floor and pillow, the odd smell in the room, the unnatural paleness of Liam's face, the phone in his one hand, a note clutched tight in the other.
"Liam!"
The panic is real and startling. He rushes to his brother but knows he is much, much too late. He feels for a pulse – there is none – and Liam's skin is cold to the touch. The panic threatens to overtake him as he fumbles to dial 911 – he doesn't know what else to do. They say their on their way. With wildly shaking hands, he pulls the note from Liam's fingers and reads it.
Sorry for all the trouble, baby brother.
And abruptly, he thinks of the promise Liam made only a few weeks ago…
"I mean it, baby brother. If we get to be big stars – real rock stars – I'll stop."
"You can't just stop, Liam. It's an addiction – you need help."
"Will you help me?"
"'Course I will. If you promise, if you mean it."
"I absolutely promise! Tell you what, if our album hits number one and we start on the road to being real rock stars, I'll stop the junk."
He collapses on the floor crying, sobbing.
"You promised, Liam… you promised…"
When he wakes up, he feels horrible. Because he knows Liam won't ever stop. If anything, it's getting worse. And soon, he starts the drugs too. He doesn't know what else to do. And then the nightmares become Liam finding him, crying out for his baby brother to come back.
He wonders why this doesn't make him try to stop the junk.
A/n: Thanks for reading!