Thanks go to Samara13 for my only review (hint hint). Angsty John in this chapter!
The bike purred to a halt at the base of the apartment building. Ember poked his head out of the cat carrier—I locked the bike both physically and psychically, then picked up my cat and my satchel and headed toward John's apartment on the third floor.
When I approached the door, I frowned. The protective glyphs I'd etched into the doorframe were nearly completely faded. It was an incredibly easy ward to renew—two characters needed to be rewritten every month—and the fact that it hadn't been renewed spoke volumes.
I inserted my key into the lock—as I opened the door lefthandedly, I renewed the ward with my right hand. Ember leaped from my arms, into the room, then miaowed unhappily. "What's wrong—" I stepped into the room and nearly recoiled from the reek of alcohol. "—oh, God!"
Finding the light switch in the hallway by memory, I flipped it on, then heard Ember meow again. This time, it was more of a questioning plea. I followed the sounds, squinting in the gloom—mentally swearing as I made out the shapes of alcohol bottles—then suddenly remembered my eyes. With a touch of power, I changed my vision very slightly so I could see better as I picked my way through the darkened apartment.
Ember meowed again, once again, more desperately—I glanced around, and saw him patting a huddled form with his forepaws. "John? Ember, come here—John?"
He was shirtless and barefoot, dressed only in a pair of battered black pants. "John, what in the world have you been doing?" I tossed my satchel aside and crossed the room to the man slumped at the table, my heart breaking as I saw how much weight he'd lost.
"Lia?" he rasped, looking up at me with bloodshot eyes. " 'm dreaming…"
"Why would you be dreaming?" I brushed hair off his face, stroked his cheek with the back of my fingers, felt the soft hairs catch on his rough stubble. "I said I'd come back once I finished, and here I am."
"I thought—" He blinked rapidly and swallowed, a childlike quivering of the lip betraying his pretense at being strong. "I thought you wouldn't come back. That you'd left me—" his voice cracked. "—alone."
I smoothed his hair back, trying hard not to retch at the reek of alcohol; Jack Daniels, if my eyes distinguished the bottles' shape correctly. "Hush, John." My hands trembled, much to my irritation. "You're drunk and need sleep."
"I thought you'd abandoned me like she did…" He finally gave in to tears, great racking sobs that shook his whole body.
"Shh, John, it's all right. Easy, it's okay, hush now…" I sank down on a chair and gathered him into my arms, my heart aching. "John, don't cry, I'm here, I promise I'm not going anywhere, I won't leave you here alone…"
It happened so suddenly—I wound up on a chair, his arms around my waist and his head buried in my lap. He clung to me like a drowning man, weeping with heaves that shook my entire body. Watching my best friend cry, I wept silent tears that moistened his hair where they fell but kept talking to him in a low murmur, soothing and reassuring.
"Let's get you something warm, John." I was finally aware of the chills ripping through him. Sliding out of my duster, I tucked it around his shoulders, then gently dislodged his death grip on my waist and eased him into a chair, before heading for the kitchen. "I'll only take a minute."
I heard a mumble of assent as I entered the kitchen—it was a mess, with alcohol bottles everywhere. Wrinkling my nose, I bagged the bottles for disposal then hunted up one of those instant soup mixes I'd bought for Chas. They tasted disgusting to me, but the kid—and John—seemed to like them. I grabbed the first packet my fingers found, then mixed it up before carrying the mug out to place it in front of John.
"Thanks." Still clutching my duster, he extended a hand toward the chipped, plain ceramic mug; his hand was trembling. Seeing that, I scooted a chair closer and wrapped my hand around his on the mug, helping him left it—the glance he shot me was supposed to be scathing, but ended up being more petulant than anything else. "Lia, you're fussing."
"Good thing, too, or I don't think you'd be able to lift that mug." I retorted. "When did you last eat? Oh, and alcohol doesn't count as food."
"M'be two days…" he mumbled. "M'be more. Dunno."
"Looks like five days or more to me, boy." I shot back. "Come on, drink."
He did as I ordered, finishing the mug before turning to look at me. " 'm glad you're back. Glad you didn't leave me—"
"Dobson may have left you, but I never will." I murmured, squeezing his hand.
"—alone forever." John finished, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard.
"There's never a forever thing." I said softly as I tugged him up, supporting him into the bedroom. "Come now, let's get you into a bed."
He climbed onto the bed obediently, but pulled out a folded blanket and handed it to me. "It's your favorite one."
"Thanks, dearest." I gently covered him with his own blanket, then sat up—he grabbed my hand desperately. "Don't leave… please?"
"I won't." I pulled him close, wrapping an arm around his shoulders—then had an idea. I knew he like hearing my voice—and there was only one song going through my mind.
"Dearest…" As I sang the first line, John nuzzled against me with a sigh.
"Dry your eyes now
Don't you cry
It's all right
Lie back
Leave the lights on
It's all right, dear
I'll be here through the night
With you till the first signs of light
Say the word and I'll come tonight"
I saw a childlike quivering in his lower lip as a tear slid down his cheek—he shifted to lay his head on my thigh, I wove my fingers through his hair, gently massaging his scalp.
"It's all right now
Don't you cry now
Hush…"
With my free ahand, I rubbed the tense muscles in his shoulder and neck, feeling the tension begin to drain from his body.
"Wipe your tears away
There's never a forever thing
All through the night
I'll try so hard to be there somehow
With you till the first signs of light
Say the word and I'll come tonight
Darling, don't you
Cry.."
John was asleep, breathing easily, his cheek pillowed on my leg, cuddled up against me. I stroked his hair, then flipped off the lights and settled back against the headboard to rest.
To Be Continued
The song used here is "There's Never A Forever Thing", by Three Doors Down.