Ryan had barricaded himself in his room and been in there hours and Michelle had done nothing but worry ever since. She was terrified that he was packing, planning to leave because he was disgusted by her latest venture. Michelle paced as Carla walked over to boil the kettle and make them both a brew, after all she had a banging headache and needed a nice strong black coffee. Occasionally she caught sight of Michelle stopped outside Ryan's bedroom door and hovering gently trying to hear what he was up to. She shook her head thinking how Michelle was completely overreacting but thought it best not to say anything, last thing she wanted right now was Michelle and her to fall out.

Pouring out the drinks and stirring them Carla continued to watch as Michelle pressed her ear against the door, her breathing so heavy though she was convinced Ryan would know she was there. Smirking she picked up the mugs and headed over in Michelle's direction, without saying a word she held the mug out to her friend and waited for her to turn.

As Michelle turned she almost jumped at the sight of Carla stood beside her and nearly knocked the cup from her hand as she didn't expect her there. With a shaking hand she took the mug but she didn't make any eye contact with Carla, she was again on the brink of a breakdown and she knew one look at Carla would set her off again. Shuffling across the living area she headed to the sofa, placing her tea on the coffee table she flopped down upon the sofa and pulled her feet in underneath her, all she wanted was to curl up in a ball and block out the world.

Carla came round to stand before her and looked down on her with pity. She knew that demeanour and act all too well, that feeling like your world is falling apart and you are powerless to stop it. Things steaming ahead and you losing all control on the situation, but Carla was unable to offer advice. The only way she knew to deal with this was to drink, it certainly hadn't helped her and she presumed that it wasn't going to help Michelle at all. She wished she had some words of wisdom or could do something to drag Michelle from her ever-deepening state of depression.

She'd been there herself before and knew that if you kept stepping further and further into the darkness you'd lose sight of the light, that downward spiral from which you then needed to rely on someone else to pull you back. Then they would usually abandon you, leaving you alone again at square one. It pained her to think of Michelle that way, she'd been through so much and didn't need a spout of depression on top of it all. Carla had never seen Michelle so bad, she after all had always been the positive one, the shoulder everyone could cry on and life and soul of the party, depressed and distressed really didn't suit her.

Taking a seat beside her friend Carla wrapped her arm around her shoulders and gave a little squeeze. Offering comfort had never really been one of her strengths, she had tried with Peter but had failed miserably on most occasions and it had often left her feeling low to. She stayed silent beside Michelle, keeping her arm around her like it was some sort of empty routine gesture just wishing that she could do something but she was short of ideas. The silence in the room was terribly awkward and they hadn't spoken a word since Ryan's little outburst earlier. Carla offered up a silent prayer, anything to interrupt and change the atmosphere.

It was like a miracle when Ryan's door slowly crept open and he peeped round it to see the eager expressions of his mum and aunt as they stared at him. His eyes were red raw, almost like he'd been crying and that is what a confused Carla thought but his mum saw right through him, he'd been on the drugs again. It was his way of coping she supposed but she wished he hadn't done it, not in front of his aunt anyway.

Sniffling and looking like an upset mess Ryan dragged himself across the room until he was standing beside the sofa. Staring his mum directly in the eye he shuffled uncomfortably as he tried to think of the best way to say what he wanted. In his room Ryan had at first been frustrated and had turned straight to the drugs as always but as they began to take effect he started to see things differently. Thinking it through, although high he decided that he did prefer his mum to be happy no matter what and if the person who made her happy was his aunt then he'd have to accept that. He couldn't deny that it was a bit sick and twisted but everything would work out okay in the end, it usually did.

Still starring at his mum Ryan coughed to clear his throat, he was nervous now and feeling a bit sick but knew he needed to let her know that he accepted her decision if that is what this all was. He was completely confused but he was sure they would explain, after all there had to be reasonable explanation.

"Listen mum I'm …well just wanted to say that if you and Aunt Carla are…well if you are together then I'm happy for you"

He was relieved to have managed to get the words out with only minor hesitation and felt pleased that his mum was smiling even if she was crying. Michelle was an emotional mess but leaping up from the sofa she threw her arms around her son and held him tight. She was so pleased he wasn't angry or threatening to leave and eventually her tears dried up. Pulling away from him she held him at arms length and smiled, she was so proud of her son.

Ryan gently brushed her hands from his arms and stated that he was going out, just to let them have a bit of time on there own. He still seemed slightly off though to Michelle and she felt herself beginning to panic that he wouldn't come back but she had to tell herself it was just fear and that Ryan would return. With a big smile she turned to him as he opened the door.

"Have a nice time love, see you later" she said bravely, trying to fight back the slowly reforming tears.