Author's Note: Ok, much shorter chapter this time. I really don't like this one very much, but whatever. Not all chapters can be epic. Than the epic chapters would no longer be epic. So whatever...um....I don't have much to say for once. =P So just read, review, repeat!! Enjoy!

Reno came into work the next day, with a hangover, which didn't surprise any of them in the slightest. However, he somehow managed to come up with his teasing grin.

"Hey, Tseng," Reno said with exaggerated cheer as he kicked his feet up and settled back in his chair. The man flashed him an annoyed look.

"Don't even think about trying anything," the Turk leader dropped a file on Reno's desk, "Paperwork," he said in answer to the raised eyebrow Elena gave him. Tseng retreated to his office, obviously feeling the ill-will. Reno dropped his feet to the floor, and took a look at the file in front of him. Sighing and rubbing his temples, he clicked a pen open and went to work for once.

"You know," Elena rolled her chair around to face him, "You'd feel a lot better every morning if you didn't drink so much." Reno looked up and blinked.

"I know," he said.

"So…" Elena looked expectantly at him and paused as if he was supposed to fill in the blank. He didn't say anything. "Why don't you stop drinking then?" She said brightly, with the tone of one who points out something blatantly obvious to a child.

"Cause," Reno quickly went from neutral to frustrated, as he struggled for an answer, "Cause…"

"Cause…what?" Elena prompted.

"Cause I can't," the redhead said harshly.

"Can't? Or won't?"

"I just can't!" When Elena obstinately opened her mouth to argue further, Reno snapped, "You don't get it, ok? Leave it alone." He turned on his work angrily.

Elena twisted her chair back around without a word, a bit hurt, while Reno hunched over his desk. Rude continued working as he had been doing through the whole conversation, as if nothing had happened. Almost fifteen minutes of absolute silence followed.

"I'm sorry, 'Laney," Reno said quietly, not looking up from the paper in front of him.

"It's ok. It was my fault anyway," Elena glanced over at the man, her slight frown of concern worn more and more frequently when thinking about him.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"How about I handle dinner this time?" Reno said, kicking the door closed behind him. It had become habit for the two of them to go to his apartment after work. Elena made sure he got at least one decent meal a day, and that he didn't just sit down with a drink at once. She knew he drank as soon as she left, but it was the best she could do. She kept reminding him that she knew, and disapproved but it did nothing but frustrate him. She was beginning to get rather frustrated herself. No matter how much she told him he should quit drinking as heavily as he did, he just wouldn't stop.

"Getting sick of my cooking?" she teased, tossing her purse onto a table near the door.

"Yeah, I'm going to be physically ill if I have to put up with it for even one more night," Reno replied, grinning. Elena spit her tongue out at him and sat on the arm of the couch and crossed her arms. Reno kept talking as he headed towards the kitchen, "Honestly, it's my turn. You've been at it for…" he counted on his fingers quickly, "Like a week now."

"Well, let's see what you can do," she challenged. He grinned and disappeared into the kitchen. Elena slipped onto the couch and turned on the TV, listening carefully for any sounds from the kitchen that could tell her what progress was being made. There was hardly any noise at all, and soon Reno returned with a satisfied smile. Hopping over the back of the couch and landing beside her, he put an arm around her as if it were only natural.

"Give it thirty minutes tops," he said, with a smirk only he knew the meaning of, "So what are we watching?" He turned his attention to the TV.

"Uh…" Elena looked at it for the first time herself, having been previously occupied with attempting to decipher his actions in the kitchen, "It's…"

"You have no idea. Admit it, you were trying to spy on me," he accused with mock anger and shock.

"Turk instinct, baby," Elena offered her excuse with a sly smile.

"Uh huh," he crossed his arms and shook his head, "Try more like just plain nosy!"

"Hey!" she playfully punched him, but his hand shot up in the blink of an eye and caught her punch, leaving her staring, surprised.

"Turk instinct, baby," his aqua eyes sparkled as he used her own words. Staring into those beautiful eyes, Elena experienced one of those amazing moments when she just knew. She knew she loved him more than anything, she knew he loved her, she knew she had to be with him.

"Come here, Reno," she said, even though he was already right next to her, placing her hands on his cheeks and pressing her lips to his. Her fingers stroked the red tattoos on his face as she kissed him deeply. There was something else she knew with certainty. She knew he had to stop drinking like he did.

"You have to quit drinking, Reno," she pulled away suddenly, speaking the words that had popped into her head. The beautiful aqua eyes looked at her, no longer sparklingly clear, but clouded with a struggle.

"Elena," Reno began in a strained voice, but she cut him off.

"Don't tell me I don't understand," she was upset, "You always tell me I don't get it. You are an alcoholic, you drink too much, too often. You need to stop, but you won't! That's all there is to it. Am I right?"

"Yes, but no," Reno looked desperate, "That's it, but…it's hard. You can't understand…" he ended, aware of how lame an answer it sounded. It was the truth though, it was all he could tell her. They'd had the same argument on countless occasions by now. It was brought up one way or another at least once a day and both were losing patience with each other. Elena didn't know why he wouldn't stop, and Reno didn't know how to explain to her that it wasn't like a light switch. He couldn't just turn it off and stop like that. How do you describe such a compulsive need for a certain thing? He couldn't get away from it. He'd tried to stop, more and more frequently of late, but it never worked. The moment he started telling himself no, excuses and arguments flooded his head. It's not hurting anyone… He knew that one was wrong though. It damaged his health. It hurt Elena. It doesn't hurt her that badly. She's still here isn't she? The arguments were endless and increasingly varied. He would argue with himself as long as he could, but always gave in eventually. He couldn't escape it.

Elena didn't get a chance to reply because the door bell interrupted. She frowned and looked towards the door.

"Who's that?"

"I've got it," Reno got up, and answered the door, pulling some cash out of his pocket and trading it for the box the pizza guy had in his hand. Returning to the couch, Reno unceremoniously placed the box on the table. "Dinner," he said, lamely.

"Is this what you normally eat?" Elena asked, the atmosphere slightly awkward as it always was after one of their heated 'discussions'.

"Yeah," Reno shrugged, "When I feel like eating."

"You need a woman," Elena almost laughed.

I need you, he yelled inside, but all he said was, "There's nothing wrong with pizza."

"No, not really," she replied. They sat in silence for a moment, "I'm going to go now. I'm not very hungry."

"Me neither," the redhead muttered. She kissed his lips softly before getting up and going home.

Reno sighed as he sat by himself in the kitchen. He'd thrown the untouched pizza in the fridge and, skipping the mental arguments altogether, sat down with a drink. Not an evening passed without Elena trying to convince him to stop. As if I need convincing. He would if he could, but he couldn't, so he didn't even try anymore. Reno had given up. They must have gone through the same words at least a hundred times. It was almost scripted. They were going in circles though. Nothing changed except tempers grew shorter and patience wore thinner.

He felt very alone. Having gotten used to Elena being around in the evenings, when she went he felt the loneliness much more acutely. It was so quiet, it felt like his thoughts were screaming at him. It quickly became too much, and, on impulse, Reno hopped up, grabbed his coat, and went to spend his time drinking in a bar instead of at home.

Author's Note: Hm, I just discoverd something. Normally, when there is a change of scene or whatever you want to call it, I do a longer amount of space between the paragraphs. I just disocvered that when I upload a chapter, it doesn't include those extra spaces....I hope that hasn't confused anyone. I will start entering lines where the breaks are now. Sorry for any confusion! Also please note that the contents of this chapter occur several days after last chapter. Thank you!