He poured a shot of the cheap whiskey. Kicking it back he thought about the burn it left in this throat, how it was nothing compared to the pain he had felt since that day. He longed for a stronger sting to distract him from what he was feeling emotionally, mentally, and physically. Being able to feel the pain of the drink was an aching reminder of what he missed. He longed for the little things just as much as the big things. The way she smelled, her smile, the way it felt when she touched his hand. Watching her walk away was the hardest thing he had ever done. Seeing her turn around and leave when he knew that the only reason she was going was to save him and his town.
At first he tried to remind himself that she wasn't alone. Just as she had said, she was with their son. Duke also had jumped in after her, and never returned. He knew she wasn't alone. But he was. Sure, he had people there that cared about him, but he had pushed them all away in the past year. He couldn't bear to lose anyone else. His mother had died. His father's life was taken by his trouble. He had lost his new-found son and the woman he loved at once when she went into the barn. He couldn't bear to see anyone go. Even Duke was gone. Sure, they didn't get along, but at least he would have been someone to talk to. They both cared about Audrey, and he knew that if he was there, he would be drinking his sorrows away too. He knew that Duke was in love with Audrey too, but that he was a good enough person that he would have stepped back and let them be a family, no matter how messed up and dysfunctional it was.
Another shot.
It had been a year. A year since his world had shattered into a million pieces. A year since he had walked her walk away. A year since he died. He knew he wasn't really dead, but he felt as though he was. His body ached, his mind was tired. He wished he could just lie down and die peacefully in his sleep, but he was the Chief of police in the Haven PD. He had a town relying on him and felt that he had to protect them, just like his Audrey had done when she went into the barn. He knew that she would be back eventually, and he needed the town to be safe for when she did. For her and their son.
Another shot.
Things hadn't been the same since she had left. The sky seemed grayer. The world seemed darker. He could feel people stare at him as he walked down the street. He spent most of his time at home alone, drinking cheap alcohol, or in a bar drowning his sorrows. He often compared himself to Reverend Driscoll, handling his pain by drinking it away. He even felt sympathy for him, now knowing what it felt like to have the person you love leave you. It took a lot to make him realize that he was a good man, stuck in a bad place, unlike the rev, who was a bad man in a bad place. He knew Audrey didn't want him to feel like this. He knew she wanted him to focus on the fact that in 27 years, she would be back, and they could do it all again. But what would it be like then? He certainly wouldn't be young.
Suddenly, his phone rang next to him on the bar, pulling him out of his thoughts. The shrill sound made him cringe. He sighed and slowly picked it up. He looked at the caller id. Stan. He answered.
"Chief Wuornos," he started.
"Nathan, you need to come down to the hospital," Stan stated quickly.
"It's my night off Stan, can't someone else handle it?" he question, notably annoyed that he probably wouldn't be able to drink himself sick tonight because of work.
"Nathan, we found Audrey," Stan said into the phone.
Nathan could feel his heart stop. They had found Audrey. He stood there in disbelief as he tried to let it sink in. They had found his Audrey. Was she hurt? Was she confused? His mind raced with questions.
"Nathan?" Stan questioned after no response came from his boss.
"I'll be there in fifteen," Nathan said before hanging up, throwing a handful of bills from his pocket down onto the bar, and rushing out to his Bronco.
They had found her.
His Audrey.
He began to come back to life.