Title: The Middle
Author: xoapassionateblue
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Coming Up to Breathe is an album by MercyMe.
Summary: Rachel's detoxing, Brooke's over bros., and Peyton is somewhere in the middle of it all.

Note: Thank you, static-disturbed and angel0wonder. I really appreciate the feedback! And yes, angel0wonder, you totally did it right. Also, I changed this one too a little bit. :)

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Coming Up to Breathe

The sun had risen and light filtered in through the small window in the bathroom, hitting Rachel, causing her to shiver as she tried in vain to shield herself. Her eyes were out of focus and her mind was blank. Her body was tired and hurting, and her throat burned as she dry-heaved. All the vomiting she had been doing through the night had finally gotten to her and there was nothing left.

"Damn it," Rachel muttered to herself, pulling her knees up to her chest and hugging them tightly.

She was so fucking tired of this, of being sick and safe, when she never was before. But, she refused to complain because she knew it was her fault that this was happening. It had been her decision, and hers alone, to get addicted to such a dangerous drug, and she felt she deserved the pain of sobriety and detoxing.

It was only the second complete day she had been with Peyton and Brooke, and she hadn't talked to either of them much since she got there. Her time was spent puking and thinking. Mostly thinking. There were so many things on her mind, she could barely focus on one thing for more than a minute. For one, she had let so many people down with this painful addiction - Brooke being at the top of the list. She'd made her feel so miserable, because she didn't know about Rachel's secret agenda, and Rachel didn't exactly jump at the chance to let her know that Brooke was appreciated. Because, she truly was, but Rachel didn't have the words to tell her yet.

Besides, this whole 'sober' thing wasn't looking too good at the moment, and Rachel wanted to leave. She was always thinking about who she was and how she had gotten to this point. True, she'd had problems back in high school - being fat and having a total makeover being at the top of the list. From there, she'd thrown at herself at any boy that would give her a moment of their time. Drinking and sleeping around had sprung from that, and eventually she'd tried pot. She hadn't cared back then, and it was a shame too, she thought, because then maybe she would have had enough self-control to keep away from heroin.

With that thought, Rachel pushed herself off of the bathroom floor and drug her body slowly to the living room, sitting down on the couch with a 'plop.'

"Morning."

Rachel turned to see Brooke walking towards her with two cups of coffee. As Brooke held one out towards her, she took it and held it up to her lips, taking a small sip.

"This is really good." She commented quietly.

"Blue Hawaiian - as I recall, it was always your favorite." Brooke replied, smiling as she sat down next to Rachel on the couch. "Now, if you ask me what Peyton's favorite kind is, I'll draw a blank."

"Why's that?" Rachel asked.

The other woman shrugged. "She's my best friend, but I can't ever remember how she likes her drinks, or food. I only remember for you, my dear." With a wide grin, Brooke took a sip of her own and grimaced. "Remind me not to put ice cubes in this again."

"I told you that yesterday." Rachel replied, smiling.

"That you did." Brooke shrugged, "So… how is everything?"

"Still the same… never mind." Blushing slightly, the redhead turned her head away, looking away from Brooke.

"Owen told me about this… you're um... you know. Right?"

"Oh, yeah. Definitely." An unfortunate effect of going through withdrawal had her craving even the slightest touch from another human being, and it was driving her crazy. She was craving that natural high that physical contact with another person brought.

"So not awkward at all," Brooke commented, chuckling. "Can you believe that Jose kissed Maria?"

Grateful for a change in conversation, Rachel jumped at the chance to talk about the soap opera she'd been watching with Brooke the previous night.

"He is such a man-whore." She sighed.

Brooke laughed. "Oh, yeah. Tell me about it. He's so Lucas Scott."

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