04.
Rikki bottomed up what was probably her seventh glass of tequila. And that was shortly after she had drunk a couple of glasses with whiskey.
She knew that the next day she had to go with Cleo and Lewis to their doctor's office for the IVF procedure, but right now she just wanted to forget about that, about everything.
"Fill my glass, again." She motioned to the man behind the bar.
He looked at her with sympathy in his eyes.
"You've already drank enough. I'm going to make you some coffee-"
"I don't want coffee, I want tequila!" Rikki hissed, but he shook his head.
"No more tequila for you. You can pay for what you've drank and leave. Go somewhere else to get drunk."
Under the bar, Rikki curled the hand that was resting on her knee into a fist. All the drinks started boiling.
To say the barman was frightened to death was an understatement, but he quickly came to his senses and turned to Rikki again, ignoring the boiling liquids.
"I'm going to call you a taxi and you're out of here."
Rikki slammed her glass down too loudly and threw some money at the barman's face.
"That's for my bill. And I don't need a taxi."
The curly blond stood up and faltering a bit she walked out of the bar.
Not watching where she was going she suddenly bumped into someone and she and the other person both collided on the ground.
"Hey, watch your feet!" She spat angrily not looking at the person, but trying to get off the ground.
"Rikki?!"
The voice made her look at his face.
"Zane?!"
He stood up and stretched out his hand to her. She took it and clumsily stood up, causing Zane to grab her so she wouldn't fall down again. Their faces suddenly were inches apart, their eyes locked into each other's; blue in brown. Zane smelled the stench of alcohol in Rikki's breath.
"Are you drunk?"
"So what if I am?!"
"Come on I'll take you home."
And he tried to make her walk, but she didn't move.
"You don't know where I live."
"Of course, I do." Zane rolled his eyes impatiently. "At the trailer park with your dad."
But he was surprised when she shook her head.
"My father died one year ago. And since then I'm living in a small apartment not far from here."
Zane was quiet for a few seconds.
"I'm sorry for your loss."
Rikki shrugged.
"It's ok. I've already got over it."
He didn't bought her lie.
"You haven't. I know you too well, Rikki, you idolized your dad."
"It doesn't matter anymore, does it? He's gone and I can't bring him back. End of story."
Rikki faltered and this time Zane lifted her in his arms.
"What direction is your apartment on?"
She locked eyes with him, again.
"Why are you doing this?"
Zane smiled.
"Because I care about you. I always will."
"My apartment is on the first turn right." Rikki told him and Zane started walking at that direction.
"You didn't call to tell me you were coming back."
Rikki said all of a sudden and Zane slowed his pace.
"Why would I do that when you told me you want nothing to do with me?!"
Rikki had to admit he had a point.
"I just wish you'd called."
"Yeah, well..can't bring back the time now. But if I could..I would've called you."
"We're here." Rikki announced, noticing they'd reached her building.
"What floor are you at?"
"You want to walk me to my apartment?"
"Yeah. I mean..only if you don't mind." He avoided her piercing glance.
"No, I don't. I'm living on the fourth floor." She said and he nodded walking up to the staircase.
He quickly reached her floor where he finally put her down and she unlocked the door.
"Come in." She motioned for him to follow her inside.
He looked around and a smile showed up on his face.
"Nice place. Really nice. And so you."
"Thanks." Rikki said. "Do you want anything to drink or-"
"No, it's fine."
The curly blond nodded and threw her jacked at one of the armchairs.
"I'm going to pour myself a drink, so if you want anything just let me know." She turned around to the liquor cabinet, but Zane grabbed her hand.
"What are you doing? You've already drank enough."
"No, I haven't." Rikki shook her head. "There's not enough alcohol in the world to help me forget how I'm about to ruin my life."
"Ruin your life?!" He was so shocked by what Rikki said, that he lightened his grip and she pulled her hand away. "What do you mean by "ruin your life"?"
"It doesn't matter." She shook her head and grabbed the bottle of whiskey. "Just let me knock myself off and forget about everything."
He grabbed her arm and pulled the bottle out of her hands.
"Instead of knocking yourself off, why don't you talk to someone, anyone?! It'd help make you feel better."
Rikki barked a laugh at that.
"And who I would talk to? You?! Don't be ridiculous. You know me better than that, Zane."
Rikki reached to take the bottle of whiskey back, but Zane pulled it away so she couldn't reach it.
"I'm not being ridiculous. We might not be together anymore, but I'm always here for you. Whenever you need anything."
Rikki looked at him for a moment, assimilating his words, and then..
"Give me the bottle."
"No."
"I said, give me the bottle!"
He shook his head and he felt the bottle in his hand getting extremely hot, the whiskey in it bubbling uncontrollably, before suddenly it exploded in his hand, 'causing broken glass to spill everywhere. Luckily Zane didn't get hurt. He was quite shocked though. So was Rikki.
"Sorry." She muttered. "I just got angry and.."
"You lost control over your powers." Zane finished for her. "Yeah, I know."
He moved closer and took her hand leading the curly blond to where her couch was, making her sit down.
"Look, I don't know what happened to upset you like that, but you'll be ok, do you hear me?! You're the strongest person I know and you always find your way through everything."
They locked eyes for a moment.
"This time it's different." She argued tiredly. "This time I'll probably ruin my life."
"Then talk to me. Tell me what's the real problem. Who knows, maybe I can help."
Rikki shook her head.
"You can't help me. No one can. But..thanks for the offer."
"Maybe you just shouldn't do whatever you're going to."
"I don't have a choice." Her voice was full of sadness.
"Who are you and what have you done to Rikki Chadwick?"
The question made Rikki chuckle.
"I'm still the same. Just..matured."
She looked at the mess from the broken bottle.
"I should probably clean up." She sighed.
"No, it's ok, I've got this."
And before Rikki knew Zane had started cleaning up the pieces of broken glass from the floor.
"Ouch!" He yelled suddenly.
He had cut his hand and drops of blood started rolling down his skin. Rikki jumped and led Zane to the couch. She took the first-aid kit and carefully cleaned Zane's hand and bandaged the wound.
"That's better." He said. "Thanks."
She lifted her eyes to look at his face, her hand still holding his.
Hell, maybe it was only the alcohol talking, but she knew she probably wouldn't be able to do this for months and she let the passion take out the best of her.
Rikki leaned and pressed her lips against his, asking for an entrance. Zane was shocked at first, but he gladly gave it to her. Her hands shot down, reaching to unbutton his belt, while his own were on the small of her back.
In the next morning it was already 10 a.m. when Rikki woke up. Her eyes fluttered and finally shot open. Her hand immediately shot up to her head that she felt like it was going to explode. She looked around noticing the mess from the previous night.
"What did we do?" She murmured under her nose.
She then noticed the time the watch on Zane's wrist was showing.
"Oh, crap!"
Rikki jumped from the couch and ran into the bathroom to refresh herself, and then to her room to put some fresh clothes on. After that she took a pill for her headache, anr after she wrote Zane a note explaining that she had an appointment and had to go, and telling him to grab himself something to eat from the fridge, Rikki left the apartment.
Heading to where she thought was going to begin the part in her entire life she'd later want to never remember.
{ * } { * } { * }
Two weeks later Rikki, Cleo and Lewis were at doctor Huffman's office again, waiting for the results.
Lewis was holding Cleo's hand, who was looking at Rikki. The curly blond was staring somewhere out the window.
The door opened and Dr Huffman walked inside carrying a familiar looking folder.
"Now we're going to find out what is the result of the IVF procedure, Miss Chadwick. But regardless the result, what you're doing for your friends is really honorable. Not many people would agree to do it." She said taking her seat behind her desk.
The corners of Rikki's lips twinkled as if they were going to form a smile.
"Thanks. Now would you please tell us the results so we can get over with this?!"
"Yes, of course." Dr Huffman opened the folder and her eyes scanned the content of the few pages that were in it. She then lifted her eyes again to look at them. "Congratulations, Ms Chadwick, the IVF procedure was successful. You're pregnant."
Cleo's eyes lit up and her mouth broke into a huge smile.
"Did you hear this, Lewis?!" She turned around to her husband glowing. "We're finally going to have a baby."
And Cleo threw herself into Lewis' hands. He turned to the doctor.
"Thank you so much for everything, Dr Huffman!"
And Lewis hugged his wife.
While they were hugging each other happily, Rikki was watching them her thoughts running wild in her head. The minute Cleo and Lewis found out the news they immediately forgot about what Rikki had done for them and ignored her, totally lost in their own world and happiness.
The curly blond felt something white hot rushing through her veins, and before anyone could even notice how angry she was, Rikki stormed out of the doctor's office.