Heroin and Vodka
Author's note: Ok. I have figured out that Catherine and Caleb's case is going to be pretty boring here…so I will make it the subplot in the Season 2 storyline. As in right this chapter, there's going to be more Annalise- Isaac content. Without further ado, let's begin.
Chapter 4
"Is this Annalise?"
"I want you to do a favor for me."
"Do you love him?"
"I'm sorry?"
"I want you to kill me.
"Annalise." a voice called out, interrupting her thoughts. She turned to face the voice. It was Bonnie.
"There you are." she replied. Frank was standing beside her along with Wes, Laurel, Michaela and Conner. There was also a new client sitting on the couch.
She huffed. It was time to get down to business.
"Well, I guess they look normal." Micheala replied, browsing some pictures of their new client on her laptop.
"Just because they're smiling doesn't mean they don't want to kill each other." Laurel said over her shoulders.
"Hmm…said the girl who clearly wasn't popular in high school." replied Micheala, snarkily.
"Who says I wasn't?" Laurel asked skeptically.
Micheala scoffed at that.
"Oh please."
They were at the courthouse and the judge had just granted them leave for 2 hours before resuming the session.
"Can we stop mean-girling and talk about how Annalise's opening was literally a step-by-step of what she did to us?" Conner asked.
Micheala raised herself.
"All she did was protect us when she didn't need to."
"She did need to, to protect herself." Conner countered.
"No. Wait." Laurel interjected. "Let's hear your case then."
"Ok. Fine." Conner replied with a shrug. "She uses bullying and public humiliation in class, one. Two, she keeps us trapped in her world so the only thing we care about are her needs. Three, we work for her day and night so we never get to sleep. Four, she creates this cult of superiority, this-this Keating 5, which makes us feel special just to be around her…" Conner trailed off.
"Then quit." Laurel replied with a sigh.
Wes cut in.
"He can't. It's like the mob. They kill you if you try to leave."
"Yeah exactly. And she'd have her little puppy do it." Conner replied sarcastically, eyeing Wes.
Annalise walked in and assigned them work regarding crossing the prosecution's witness. She singled out Micheala and assigned her to prep Caleb for the stand but really find out whether he and his sister were screwing.
She called Frank over to her side.
"Frank. I've got a job for you."
It was night. The Keating 5 had just left along with Bonnie.
Frank was the last to walk out. Before doing so, he quickly stepped into Annalise's office.
"Bonnie said you needed to see me?" Frank asked, walking in.
"Yes. I did." Annalise replied, getting off her chair. "Did you get them?" she asked.
Frank eyed her hesitantly before digging his hands into his coat pocket and handing her an orange canister of pills.
"Should I be worried?" Frank asked.
Annalise looked at him, annoyed.
"No. Go be nosey somewhere else." she replied, shutting the door in his face.
Frank sighed before walking away.
It was 10 at night and Annalise was still up. She was pondering over Nia's words.
Flashback
"I want you to do a favor for me, Annalise." Nia replied. "I want you to kill me."
"This is inappropriate." Annalise countered.
"Just get me the pills. You wouldn't be killing me. I'd do that myself." she replied, softly. "Its called secobarbital. I take it and I'm asleep, just like that."
Annalise eyed the little orange canister on her desk.
"You owe me this Annalise. For sleeping with my husband, that's bad enough. But really, for what you put him through. He had to go through that all alone. Sit in that courtroom all alone only because I wasn't there beside him. You did that."
Annalise took in a deep breath before replying.
"Listen. I can't imagine what you're feeling right now and—"
"Exactly." Nia interrupted. "So you don't get to say no. Oh please. The nurses are all on Nate's team….but you….you owe me this."
End Flashback
Annalise's hands were shaking. Oh how she desperately wished for a sip of vodka. Heck. A sip would do nothing. Perhaps a chug. No one would know.
She eyed the refrigerator critically. She knew bonnie had hidden her liquor stash away in the basement where she thought she wouldn't find it. But Annalise had already found it a week ago, when she had been down there rummaging some files for a case.
You owe me this.
Nia's words rang over and over in her head, like an ominous echo which just woudn't subside.
Her hands instead grabbed her phone and quickly dialed a number. Her hands shaking, she put the phone to her ears and prayed that the call wouldn't go to voicemail. After a few rings, a voice answered.
"Annalise?" Isaac's voice answered. "This is unusual. You don't usually call me when—"
But before he could continue, Annalise cut him off.
"I can't do this." she interjected.
"Do what?" Isaac asked, his voice growing thick with concern.
"Stay sober. I can't do this. I can't. I need to take a drink—"
"Annalise! Don't you dare touch a drink." Isaac replied cutting her off. His voice sounded almost angry with an undertone of concern. "Don't leave your house under any circumstances." his voice replied, sounding almost frantic.
"I can't do this." Annalise replied, breaking down. Tears came to her eyes and slipped down her face.
Isaac heard Annalise crying over the other end. He began to sweat. He had to gain control of this situation, before it all went south.
He took a deep breath before continuing.
"Annalise. Calm down." his voice came, soothing. "You can do this Annalise. You can change. I believe in you." he replied softly.
"I can't." Annalise sobbed. "You deal with addicts every day. You know they don't change—"
"I changed." Isaac replied, cutting her off.
Annalise paused.
"What?" she asked.
"I changed." Isaac repeated. "I was a heroin addict before." he paused, taking in another deep breath and continuing. "I changed. I'm clean. And I believe if I can do it, so can you."
Annalise continued to sob on the other end.
Isaac's heart twisted with an unknown feeling. HE knew right here, right now, he had to to what he had to do. He could not and would not give up on her.
"Annalise." Isaac continued. "I know its painful. Take it from me. Drugs work in much the same way as alcohol does. It helps you numb the pain." Isaac gulped painfully. "But it only lasts a short while. You can't just drown your troubles at the bottom of a bottle. Believe me. I've tried it and you don't want to walk down that road."
Annalise was silent for a few moments. Her sobbing seemed to have subsided. It was dead silent on the other hand. Isaac feared that Annalise had hung up.
"Annalise?"Isaac tried. "Are you there?"
There was a short pause before a reply was heard.
"I'm here." Annalise replied, stifling a sob.
Isaac sighed in relief.
"I won't do it." Annalise replied. "But don't think that it was because of your little sob story."
Isaac chuckled on the other end.
"Hey, if it works, who am I to say no." Isaac replied. "But seriously…are you all right?" he asked softly.
"I'm fine. Well. Maybe not fine. But I will be." Annalise replied.
"Ok then. I guess I'll be seeing you on Wednesday then." he replied. He was about to hang up when Annalise replied.
"Thank you."
Her voice sounded heavy with pain. But it was still sincere.
"Anytime Annalise. I'm your therapist after all." Isaac replied softly, before hanging up.
Isaac stared down at the phone. A wave of guilt and pain washed over him
He knew he should have been truthful to her. He was nothing but a liar. A hypocrite— for giving advice that he himself had never once followed.
Author's note: There. Now Annalise knows a little of Isaac's past. A shoutout to nastygustin once more for helping me come up with this chapter. Anyways, read and review.