Chapter 18 – Sounds like a Lie
A few months passed without any word from the Black family. As Regulus had predicted, it didn't take long to find a new internship, where he settled in rather quickly. Remus was looking forward to going back to school and getting the last few semesters that he needed. Everything seemed to be looking up. Remus' relationship with his parents was improving, and it had helped that he and Regulus had gone up to Leeds to stay for a week when Regulus had been between jobs.
Remus was in a great mood when he walked down the street on his way out shopping. He had just signed the final paperwork for his school start after the summer holidays. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice the van pulling up next to him. Before he realised what was happening, a pair of strong hands had grabbed him and thrown into the back. He kicked and fought the best he could but the assailant placed a solid punch in his face and knocked him out.
When Remus gained consciousness, he found himself in a room that looked like it hadn't left the seventies, with its yellow wallpaper and brown carpet. The light was dim, since the curtains were drawn. A blinking light from outside was slipping in through the crack between the curtains. He wondered for a second why someone was turning a light on and off, until he realised it was a flashing neon sign. Was he in a motel? How did he get here? He couldn't remember. "Where..." he started, then realised there was somebody else in the room with him. A man. The man who had put him in the van!
"Oh, yer awake," the man grunted. "Well, don't get used to it - yer going right back to sleep." He was fumbling with something Remus recognised all too easily: a syringe and rubber tube.
Remus panicked. He had to get out, but the man was too close to the door; so Remus decided to make a run for the bathroom. However, still dazed and confused as he was, he barely made it to his feet before the man caught him and pushed him back down on the bed. Then he held him down with a knee to his chest and quickly wrapped the rubber tube around Remus' upper arm and started tapping his fingers on the arm to find a good vein.
"What are you doing?" Remus coughed, trying to push the massive knee off with his free arm. "Stop!" he begged.
"Just shut yer mooth and enjoy, 'cause it's the last thing ye'll do," said the man in a thick Scottish accent and emptied the syringe into Remus' arm.
"N-no..." Remus whimpered but quickly felt the effect of the heroin rushing through his body and dragging him into oblivion.
o0o0o
As the evening progressed and Remus still hadn't come home, Regulus got more and more worried. There was reply to neither calls nor texts. At 9 p.m. came the call he had dreaded but refused to believe possible.
"Regulus Black? I'm calling from the emergency room. We have a Remus Lupin - is he a relation of yours?"
Regulus felt his heart drop and almost wished it was a traffic accident. Anything, anything but an overdose. "Y-yes... he's my boyfriend. What happened? Is he going to be ok?"
"He will live, yes, but it was a very close call. He came in with enough heroin in his blood to kill a horse." When there was a long silence, she continued. "Sir? Are you still there?"
"Yes," croaked Regulus. "Where... how..."
"A maid found him in a motel room."
o0o0o
Sirius received a call shortly after. Seeing Regulus' number on the display, he didn't think much of it (everything had gone well for so long), but when hearing his brother's numb voice, his insides froze.
"I'm at the emergency room. It's Remus. Please come."
Sirius hurried to the hospital, hoping to God it wasn't drug related. But when he arrived and saw Regulus sitting next to Remus' bed, almost as pale as the young man in the bed, he knew it was the case. "For fuck's sake," he cursed. "Why?" he asked, looking at his brother. It irritated him that Remus was unconscious, because he was itching to tell him a thing or two. "Everything was going so well! What the fuck happened?"
"He said... Well, he was awake for a few minutes, and he said he was abducted by a man who gave him an injection by force. That he held him down," said Regulus, sounding as if he was trying very hard to believe something he knew was a lie.
"Fucking shite excuse! Why would anyone give him heroin? He's just sorry he got caught using again." Sirius started pacing around the room, swearing to himself.
"Yeah..." sighed Regulus and dropped his head, face hidden behind his fringe.
Sirius left the room to call James to let him know that he was at the hospital and that he would either spend the night at his brother's place or bring Regulus with him home. The two best friends always updated each other on important events. Returning, he saw that Regulus sat caressing Remus' hand gently and he let out a sigh. "Don't tell me you're gonna forgive him again? Or that you're buying into that shite explanation?"
Regulus studied Remus' sleeping face for a long time. Then he shook his head. "Why should I? He has promised me a million times that he would never use again, and every time I believed him, and every time it turned out a lie. And why would someone shoot him up against his will? Sounds like a lie and a pitiful one at that..." He dropped his head again and started sobbing silently.
o0o0o
Regulus went home with Sirius that night. He felt so betrayed by Remus that he couldn't stand sitting with him any longer.
"The hospital will call when he wakes up?" James asked Sirius when they were out of hearing range of Regulus.
"Fuck if I care. If Reggie never sees him again it'll be too soon. This is the end; even if I have to force Reggie. If there's to be a chance he will ever recover fully from this, I'm taking it and it starts with that fucking junkie out of his life."
James sighed and leaned against the counter of the kitchen table. "He just seemed so stable. Made up with his mum and dad. Really good and solid relationship with Regulus and even about to go back to school."
Sirius shrugged. "Suppose you never can trust a junkie. Like I said all along."
o0o0o
Regulus' phone rang, but seeing that it was an unknown number, he didn't answer, suspecting it might be Remus. He had just had an avid discussion with Sirius about what to do now - Sirius having reminded Regulus again and again that he had promised himself, Sirius and Remus that this had been the last chance. Regulus knew it was right, but he didn't know if he could go through with it. He couldn't just throw Remus back on the street.
"Have his parents come take him home. It's about time they took some responsibility. You've done more than enough," said Sirius.
"Go talk to him and tell him it's over, Reg," said James. "That it was the deal - last chance The two of you had something great - nobody can deny that - so at least say a proper goodbye and send him back to Leeds."
o0o0o
Regulus finally agreed to go to the hospital to give Remus the news of his decision. James went with him, because Regulus refused to let Sirius near Remus.
"Regulus," gasped Remus when he saw him. "I tried to call. I…"
Regulus didn't say anything; just sat down on the foot of the bed, eying Remus with a neutral expression.
Remus could see that he was not happy. "Reg... I swear. It wasn't me. I got kidnapped by this Scottish bloke who 'eld me down and gave me a shot. I swear on me life that's what 'appened!"
Regulus eyed him for a long time before speaking. "At least show me the respect of telling me the truth. I don't deserve some ridiculous lie."
"It's not a lie!" Remus said desperately and started sobbing. "I told you I'd never use again and I 'aven't! And even if I did it, then why would I give meself an overdose? I've never been this 'appy, so why would I try and kill meself?" He looked at Regulus with pleading eyes from under wet lashes.
"Why? Why did you take an overdose last time? And the ones before that? Because you wanted a good high and you miscalculated the size of the dose!" said Regulus, starting to cry as well. Part of him wanted to hug Remus and forgive him (it broke his heart seeing him this despondent), but the other part wanted to hit him repeatedly, demanding to know how he could break his heart again and again. "I've got to say - I doubt that a washed-out junkie is the best mathematician, so overdosing shouldn't be that unthinkable a mistake to make."
Remus stared at him with huge eyes. Regulus had never called him a junkie before. And indicating that not only was Remus no good, but he was also stupid. He tried to collect himself before speaking, afraid he would break down by the harsh words. "I might be a washed-up junkie, as you say, but I would never miscalculation by that much." He turned his head away, looking out the window, trying to keep it together.
Regulus hesitated for a minute, remembering that the doctor had said Remus had taken a dose large enough to kill a horse. "I don't know, Remus, but I can't keep doing this. I can't keep letting you trample on my heart. I won't survive it." He got to his feet, trying to steady his voice enough to make himself clear. "I'll call your parents. It'll break their hearts too, but at least they have an obligation towards you, and I'm sure they'll want you back, regardless. I'm sorry," he finished and stormed out, just in time to avoid breaking completely down in front of Remus.
James stayed for a bit, trying to talk to Remus, but he had completely withdrawn. He just stared out the window, refusing to even acknowledge James, so eventually he left to go find Regulus.
He found him sitting on a chair, sobbing violently into his hands, a nurse trying to comfort him. "Come on, mate," said James, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Let's take you home, yeah? To Sirius' place? Or would you rather go to your own?"
"My own..."
"Right. I'll text Sirius and ask him to come over so you don't have to be alone."
"No. Not Sirius. Not tonight. I... I need to be alone for a bit. I don't need his I-told-you-so's."
"He just wants to help you, Reg, you know that. And I doubt very much he will allow you to go home on your own now..."
"Convince him," said Regulus.
James dropped Regulus off at his flat and drove to Sirius' place.
"I'm going over there and that's final!" said Sirius.
"He doesn't want you there tonight. Tomorrow -"
"Tomorrow I go over to find him in the tub with his wrists slit, yeah?"
James sighed. "Maybe you can send Barty over. They can have a girls' night and watch movies and eat ice cream and such. He needs a friend right now."
"I'm his friend!" said Sirius, sounding both offended and hurt. " His best friend!"
"I know. But right now it isn't you he wants. I think he's ashamed because you warned him so many times and ended up being right."
"I'm not going to dip his face in it."
"I know. But let's have Barty look after him tonight. I'm sure Reg will want to see you tomorrow."