Disclaimer: I do not own One Life to Live, or any of the characters.

Rating: In movie terms? PG-13/R

Timeline: After the May 1st episode.

Summary: While helping Cole through his withdrawal pains, Schuyler remembers his past.

Author's Notes: I know. The title is clichéd and lame. I'm sorry.

What Happens In Vegas…

Chapter 1

The bright sunlight was filtering through the now open window of Starr Manning's bedroom, hurting the eyes of the sick boy crumpled on the floor. All the people he had hurt with his drug use, heck, even the people he WANTED to hurt would not leave him alone.

Cole Thornhart gripped Starr's comforter and yelled, screamed at everyone to stop, just go a-fucking-way. First Markko, followed by of course Nora and Matthew, his mom; even those scumbags Todd Manning and Schuyler Joplin had stopped by just to let Cole know how much he had FAILED.

Sensing someone over his shoulder, Cole turned to see Matthew again, though this time with no Nora by his side.

"Matthew," he managed to grit out, "I hate myself for what I did to you."

"You should," Pure hate was flowing through the younger boy's eyes. Horrified, Cole slowly started to crawl back as Matthew rose from the chair and started for him.

"You're the one that should be in that chair, not me." Cole was now up against the bottom of the windowsill; Matthew had backed him into a corner with his anger and was now shaking a finger in his face.

The young boy's voice was quiet, but oh so deadly, "It. Should. Be. You." With that, Matthew grabbed Cole by the front of his shirt and yanked him to his feet. Someone else reached over and spun him to face the open window; it was Nora, her face twisted in anger. "Now my family might finally get some peace."

Cole was panicking. Matthew had released him, but as he tried to turn away from both Nora and the window, Markko blocked his way, "If you're dead, you won't screw up anyone else's life. If you jump, I could still go college. Jump, if you're feeling guilty about wrecking my future."

Turning to his right, Cole saw that Marty had taken Nora's place, "Come on son, it won't be half as painful as what you put me through."

He now had one knee resting on the edge of the windowsill, the sun almost blinding him, as he looked at the ground a couple stories below. He started and almost dropped when he felt a hand grip his left arm.

"Say hello to your baby for me," Todd hissed.

He was leaning halfway out the window, terrified, waiting for Todd to give him that final shove. Another strong hand took hold of his right arm. "And kiss Starr goodbye," purred that sleazebag Joplin, "Never mind, you did that already. Any future kissing of Starr will be taken care of by me."

Cole gritted his teeth and closed his eyes as Joplin grabbed the back of his neck. He felt his foot leave the ground and his body pitch forward. At the last possible second, he felt Joplin's hands on his arm and scruff tighten painfully and yank him backwards.

Cole groaned as his landed on his back, on Starr's floor. Joplin gazed down at him for a moment, before crouching down at his side.

The teenager glared, despite shaking so hard that he practically flopping on the floor. Was that scumbag REALLY going to beat the shit out of him before chucking him out a window?

Not if Cole had his way. He reached up and shoved Schuyler hard, lunging toward the open frame. He barely got halfway there before that pervert had him around the waist, dragging him back. Cole started to fight violently, trying his hardest to escape. He was not so much scared anymore, as he was furious.

"You ARE NOT going to kill me, and you ARE NOT taking Starr!" he roared, as Joplin pinned the fighting teen to the floor.

"Cole. COLE! Stop fighting!" Joplin's voice had changed; it was no longer that creepy, mocking purr…it was more…urgent, almost afraid.

Schuyler now had Cole's head pressed to the floor, and his arms pinned. He hated using his strength against anyone, especially a withdrawing addict, even this one.

"Cole, Starr called me." The teen's thrashing had subsiding, but at this, he started anew.

"COLE!" Schuyler repeated urgently, "She told me you were here, that you needed help." Cole's feet, which were not held down and therefore furiously kicking at Schuyler, slowed their angry drumbeat.

Encouraged, he went on, "She's stuck at her dad's. She'll come be with you as soon as she can. She's very worried about you." Cole was now just lying there, still restrained, but now he was calm, "She is?" Schuyler loosened his grip on the teen and allowed him to sit up. "She is," the teacher confirmed. Cole's eyes narrowed slightly, "Why'd she call you then?"

Quickly, Schuyler scooted between Cole and the window, knowing the boy might still be having some hallucinations. Using all his knowledge from his own addiction, and later, counselor training, Schuyler continued to talk Cole down, "She was worried about Rachel having to report this to the courts. She doesn't want to see you in jail. Since I am no longer your counselor, she called me."

"And what's to stop YOU from calling Rachel, or talking to the judge?"

Schuyler sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He knew that as Rachel's coworker, he was obligated to report this. He could lose his job at the center if he didn't. But something was stopping him. A brief thought crossed his mind: he should be used to losing jobs now anyway, right? He was lost in his own thoughts and stalling, and Cole noticed.

"Huh teach?" it appeared as if the terror from the hallucinations had subsided and the teenager was resorting back to sarcasm. "Gonna turn me in? Wouldn't that be satisfying? RIGHT?" And rage. As Cole's voice rose, he picked up the bottled water Starr had left for him and chucked it at good ol' Mr. J.

Schuyler ducked away and slowly stood up, but made no further move to restrain Cole.

Cole stood as well, "Sending me to jail works out perfectly for you, Joplin. I'm out of the picture, while you're SCREWING MY GIRLFRIEND." Cole was now all but spitting his words in Schuyler's face, but the bastard wasn't flinching. "Well, FUCK YOU. I will NOT stop fighting for her. I LOVE her."

"And she loves you." Schuyler kept his voice as calm and even as possible, not wanting Cole to take this statement as sarcasm at all, "She told me on the phone."

Well – that part was only partially true. Starr had texted Schuyler a brief message: I know I should be leaving you alone but Cole's sick and needs help. I'm my dad's. He's my house. Plz don't call Rachel. Schuyler, I'm scared for him. I NEED him 2B ok. Despite knowing that he might be reopening a huge can of worms, Schuyler in good conscience could not ignore someone in a state as dire as Cole's. He knew that while Cole had turned to drugs to cope with Hope's death; Starr's way of acting out was to latch onto the first new person that cared. He believed that Starr loved Cole, that he was just a temporary, convenient distraction.

"How'd you get in here without Starr's family seeing you?" the teen asked. Schuyler sighed again, but understood how crazy things must be inside the boy's head. Sheepishly, he answered, "No one was home, so I picked the locks." A slight uncomfortable pause, "Y'know, an old junkie's trick."

Strangely, Cole smirked slightly at this, "Good going, teach." Seeing that the teen seemed alert and responsive, Schuyler decided to seize the moment, "Come on, let's get out of here." At this, Cole froze, "Umm, and go where? I'm not leaving. I'm waiting for Starr,"

"We…um, you…can't wait for her here. You don't know when she's coming back, and I'm surprised her family didn't hear you yelling. So I need to take you somewhere else." Cole still wasn't moving. Gritting his teeth, Schuyler made a "promise" he hoped he wouldn't have to break later: "Look man, we need to go. I won't take you to the center."

"Where then?"

"The hospital…?" Schuyler's voice rose at the end a bit. He couldn't leave the kid to be found screaming his guts out in Starr's room, and couldn't leave him to his own devices either. Despite Cole's current lucidity, the boy was sweating, shaking, and twitching. Schuyler knew it was just a matter of time before the bad thoughts came back. But even at a hospital, there was no guarantee that Cole would be closely monitored; Schuyler knew that firsthand. Also, the hospital would probably end up calling the center, as per policy.

"No, that won't work either," the teacher answered himself. Then, he had an idea. It was a horrible, shitty idea, but an idea nonetheless. "I guess you could come stay with me." As soon as the words were out, Schuyler wanted to take them back. True, he felt pity for Cole, but currently didn't like him at all. It was Cole who sicced Todd on him; Cole who had treated his ex so badly that the teen threw herself at a grown man for comfort; Cole who had used the drugs that made him act this way in the first place.

On the other hand, Schuyler Joplin was a human being. The REAL reason he was going out of his way to help Cole was that because, a few years back, Schuyler WAS Cole; was WORSE than Cole (in some ways; luckily, he had never crippled a kid, but hey, he wasn't judging).

However, Cole's base reaction was the same as Schuyler's, "No way in hell." While he wanted to throw his hands up and say, "Ok, peace," he couldn't do that. Starr's family would be home shortly and by the looks of the rich palace, wouldn't take to kindly to two strangers lurking around.

Reaching into his pocket, Schuyler withdrew his keys and jingled them at Cole, "Fine. But let's at least go somewhere else, take a ride. I'm assuming you don't want food, but man, aren't you HOT?"

He took off his blazer and pretended to fan himself, "I don't know about you man, but even with that window open, this place is stifling." Cole still was gazing at him suspiciously, swaying a bit on his feet. The kid was also sweating profusely.

"Yeah. I guess I could get out for a bit." He stumbled toward the door and yanked it open, Schuyler on his heels. The pair then left the house without incident, and climbed into Schuyler's car. He started the engine and pulled off, heading for the highway.

Cole had opened his window and was leaning his head and arm out, almost in a trance, enjoying the cool air on his sick skin. All of a sudden he started, "Shit. I left my cell at Starr's. I wanted to call her. I think I tried before, but Manning hung up on me. Mind if I use yours?"

He reached for Schuyler's cell that was resting in the cup holder, but the man quickly snatched it up, "Cole, the last thing I need right now is for Manning to see my name show up calling Starr's phone."

This was true, but as he spoke a plan was forming in Schuyler's head. Heaving what he hoped was an exasperated sigh, he exited the highway and made a few turns. "There's the desk phone in my room, you can use that."

Cole chuckled, "Afraid of big, bad Manning teach?" Schuyler ignored the jab, keeping his eyes on the road. "Why? How angry DID he get at you for screw-''

"I'm not scr- I'm not with Starr, Cole. In any way, shape, or form, for the last time," Schuyler growled. He was trying to keep his temper, but the kid was pushing it. Schuyler would never admit to fearing Todd, but did worry a little bit that one day he'd end up behind the Motel with his throat slit.

But he was a man. He'd tough it out, "I'm not looking to get matching black eyes. At least not this week."

This amused Cole, "He punch you good?"

The reply, through gritted teeth, "Slammed me into a door."

"Did you see stars?

"Yup."

A chuckle from Cole, "Good."

Rolling his eyes, Schuyler pulled the car into the parking lot of the Angel Square.

A/N: I hope you enjoy this story. My skillz are a bit rusty so bare with me. I didn't like the chapter, but think it's a good set up.