Norman was sitting on his bed. The whole room was cloaked in darkness, the only light coming from the bed side clock and the seedy fluorescent light streaming through the window shades. He sat staring at the glowing red digits of his bed side clock, it read 11:31pm.
His right leg involuntary shook like a jack-hammer, driving his frustrations into the floor while his hands were folded and quivering his his lap. His teeth gnawed and ripped at his lips. Agitation rolled off him in heavy waves.
It was Friday night and Norman hadn't seen Carter since Wednesday. Norman hadn't seen the man once and the effect that had on Norman was quick to show.
His withdrawals came screaming back, echoing thunderously in his head. He craved for Triptocaine, he craved for Carters company. But he couldn't have either. His nerves were shot and he couldn't sleep.
Thursday night he had taken three Temazepam sleeping pills. They had done the job, he was knocked out all night, but unfortunately he was knocked out during most of the day. It didn't help with the withdrawals, just the sleep. So drifting in and out of a autumn forest while already feeling like you were going to vomit did not help at all.
Norman decided he wasn't taking any more Temazepam, he had an addictive personality, and although the grogginess he felt in the morning was horrible, the actual sleep was just what he needed. And he could easily see himself getting addicted to the sleeping tablets.
Norman couldn't understand why the withdrawals hit him so hard with only two days of not seeing Carter. He had managed those days fine before, hell the weekends were usually fine, that being said the withdrawals where not as aggressive.
But that was just it. Why were they so bad this time?
He had only been sitting on the bed for a few minutes, constantly needing to get up and move, which only resulted in him pacing the small room.
His shift at the precinct had ended hours ago, yet Norman still wore his suit pants and shoes. His white shirt and tie however had been traded in for Carters blue shirt as soon as he arrived back from work. Carters scent had been virtually erased now. Ever since Wednesday night Norman had taken to wearing Carters shirt. It was a little loose on him but Norman couldn't care less, the calm that followed wearing it was astonishing. But that calm had left with Carters androgenic scent.
Norman sank his head into his hands with a loud sigh. The room around him spun, colours merged and scenes changed. He could hear the soft lapping of water around his ears, he could taste the hot red dust and could feel the cool autumn breeze blow through his dishevelled hair.
"Oh my god I have to get out of here" Norman breathed heavily, "Maybe he's back at the station."
Norman slowly made his way to standing, ever so carefully he reached for his jacket situated on the back of his desk chair. Norman squeezed his eyes shut in frustration as he was forced to slowly pull his jacket on, the risk of fainting was close, he could feel it.
Grabbing his keys and locking his door Norman made it to the elevator without fainting.
'So far so good' Norman thought bitterly.
Outside on the streets it was starting to pour down with rain, Norman stood under the hotels small bearing as he waited for a taxi to stop by, he couldn't risk walking in his condition.
The sky and everything around him; the buildings, the streets and even the odd passer-by seemed to have been painted in the same shade of grey. The wind whipped around the buildings and down into the street, throwing heavy rain drops onto Normans face and down his neck.
'Shit, I hate this fucking weather'
Norman leaned against the chilling pole of the bearing, careful to steady himself in case of a 'dizzy attack.'
After some waiting around a taxi finally came and Norman made his way to the station.
The ride to the station didn't take long since it was just a few blocks away from his hotel. After paying the driver the small fare Norman stood outside the station.
The bright fluorescent lights from the precincts windows shone onto the street; the light catching Normans cold breaths.
Although feeling uncertain Norman quickly made his way into the building. The front waiting room was busy as was the rest of the precinct. Officers darted around the front room leading people this way and that. Norman quickly manoeuvred his way through the front, he passed the front secretary Cheryl and gave a quick nod before making his way into the office area.
Normans heart was pounding loudly as he scanned the desks for Carter. Neither Carter or Ash were at their desks. Norman was sure that the level of distress he felt was clearly written on his face, Carter wasn't here.
'oh fuck this was a mistake, oh Jesus Christ I can't let anyone see me like this'
Norman turned back around, heading for the precinct doors. If his shoulders weren't shaking they'd be slumped in defeat right now.
Before Norman could exit the office area a voice from behind stopped him,
"You look like shit."
Norman had trouble controlling the wide grin that threatened to take up his whole face as he turned around and saw Carter standing by his desk. Behind him Ash was just leaving Perry's office, closing the door.
"What are you doing here?"
Carter asked.
Norman was barely able to walk casually over to Carter, the feeling and need to get closer faster to Carter was nearly uncontrollable.
The closer Norman came, the closer the answer for Normans late night drop by became apparent. Carter gave him another look up and down. Norman looked like a complete crackpot. His suit pants were wrinkled, the shirt he was wearing was barely tucked in and was also heavily wrinkled, not to mention it looked about a size or two too big for the Ex-Agent. He wasn't wearing a tie and the top buttons were left undone.
'is that my shirt he's wearing!?' Carter thought perplexed.
Normans hair, although short, was a complete mess. And his jacket seemed to have just been thrown on. His eyes were blood shot and his face was a sickly pale colour. All round Norman looked like had been through a three day bender.
Both men were now only a few feet apart standing next to Carters desk.
Carter spied Ash sitting down at his own desk, watching them both intently. Carter inched closer to Norman.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing here looking the way you are Norman?" Carter harshly whispered.
Carter moved closer to Norman and grabbed his forearm, suddenly turning and pulling them both into the bathroom.
Although the calm washed over him from having Carter so close and holding his arm, Norman couldn't help but feel a small amount of dread as they came closer to the bathroom. He just hoped that whatever happened in there, he didn't leave calling the situation Bathroom Incident Number Three.
As they opened the bathroom door Carter quickly looked around the room and stalls for anyone that could bear witness to their conversation.
Satisfied that they were alone Carter shoved Norman away from him into the bathroom wall.
Norman glared at Carter as the man slapped his hands onto the tiled walls beside Normans head.
"Do you have any idea what you're doing!" Carter growled out, his face only a couple of inches from Normans.
"You walk into a fucking police station looking like a fucking junkie!"
Norman kept silent. But inside his heart was beating loudly, his pulse was racing and he had difficultly concentrating on what Carter was actually saying. Instead his focus was on everything the man did; they way his lips moved, the quirks of his eyebrows and the way his shoulders seemed to bunch up as if he was about to lung at Norman. Carters deep blue expressive eyes bore into Normans pale silver blood shot eyes.
"Answer me!" Carters harsh command snapped Norman out of his stupor.
Norman matched Carters heavy stare.
"Not here Carter" Norman stated bluntly, his breathing becoming heavier.
'is it just me or has the air in here become heavy?'
Carter slowly pushed himself off the wall and walked backwards a few feet, never breaking eye contact with Norman.
As Norman let out a sigh Carter turned around and ruthlessly ran his hands through his hair.
'What the fuck am I doing? He's not my charity case'
Carter quickly composed himself and turned back to Norman, who was still leaning against the bathroom wall.
"Ok, lets go, we'll grab a beer or something."
Norman nodded and pushed himself off the wall.
"First you've got to tidy yourself up" Carter said, walking towards Norman.
Carters face looked slightly agitated as he gripped the front of Normans jacket and gave it a quick tug. Norman was so surprised by the sudden pull that he nearly fell into Carter. But Carter had a firm grip and Norman only ended up staggering oddly, his hands quickly reaching for Carters wrists to steady himself.
"Jesus Christ Norman" Carter breathed, obviously irritated.
After straightening out Normans jacket Carter made quick work of buttoning up Normans first few buttons.
"Like the shirt hey?" Carter asked, smirking at Normans reaction. He obviously forgot he was wearing Carters shirt.
Norman stammered for an answer,
"Y-yeah it's good."
Carter stepped away from Norman, leaving the other man to tuck in his own shirt, well actually Carters shirt.
"I will want it back you know? Cleaned and ironed"
Norman quickly nodded and started tucking the shirt into his pants.
It was a messy job but Carter reasoned that he looked reasonable now, he could probably pass for a officer who had a long night...except for the fact that he wasn't an officer.
Norman finished by brushing his pants, trying to straighten out the wrinkles.
"How do I look?" Norman asked trying to flatten his hair with his hands.
Carter raised and eyebrow and scoffed,
"About as good as when you came back from visiting Mad Jack."
Norman allowed himself to smile at Carters joke.
They both made their way out of the bathroom and into the office area.
Ash, Carter noted, was still sitting at his desk. He threw a glance at Carter and Norman, then went back to looking at his computer screen.
Carter grabbed his coat from the back of his chair and Norman wondered why he hadn't seen it when he first came into the precinct.
After receiving a coarse stare from Ash, both men left the precinct through the back entrance; leading down to the bottom floor and officers car park.
The lights on the black Sedan flashed into life with a click from Carter's car keys.
Carter slid onto the drivers seat and closed the door, Norman quickly took his place in the passengers seat.
The ride to the pub, as Norman had figured would be their destination, was quiet and peaceful. Well for Norman anyway, Norman had no way of knowing what Carter was thinking right now. The man was quite and seemed to be lost in thought.
Norman sighed happily, closing his eyes and sinking into the leather seats.
'If only I could have this feeling forever.' Norman thought contentedly.
The soft hum of the engine mixed with the pitter patter of rain on the car windows and the subtle scent of Carter was nearly enough to send Norman off to a well deserved sleep.
But all too soon for Normans liking the car had stopped and Carter was getting out.
He quickly unbuckled himself and got out of the car. Norman quickly took in his surroundings.
A/N =^_^=
Yay 3
Also, I've noticed that while I'm typing this out and transferring the new chapters into new pages, the language selection keeps changing, so I'm just letting you know I am using Australian spelling from now on. Which means for you Americans out there ;D some words will look misspelt, like emphasising [no 'z'] etc.
Yay new problems with the editor T_____T;. The line breaker usually means a new day but in this case the editor didn't like the stars ** that represent a sort of lapse in time [for lack of a better word]