Chapter 8-Falling Back

Egon went to the bathroom door and knocked. He called Ray's name, but he didn't respond.

"Ray, are you ok?" Egon asked.

There was no answer.

"Ray?" Egon called again.

And again, no answer.

Egon then opened the door to find the bathroom empty. Egon's eyes widened as he realized something.

"Oh no!" Egon said as he rushed into the bedroom where he found Ray wrestling with the drawers on his nightstand, which had been shut with padlocks.

"Oh come on, you stupid drawer!" Ray yelled, not knowing that Egon was behind him, "Open already!"

"Ray, what are you doing?" Egon asked.

"I need the pills!" Ray yelled.

"No you don't." Egon said, "You're doing just fine without them. You can make it."

"No I can't!" Ray yelled, "I need them, but some idiot locked the drawer up! Peter, Winston, you did this didn't you?!"

"Peter and Winston have nothing to do with this Ray." Egon said, "It was me."

Ray stopped messing with the drawer and faced Egon. "Why did you do this to me Egon?! Why?!"

"It was for your own good Ray!" Egon exclaimed. He was starting to get riled up again, "I did it so you wouldn't be tempted!"

Ray then rushed over and grabbed Egon by his shirt collar and shook him violently. "Give me the key! Open the drawer! I need the pills!"

"Ray, control yourself!" Egon yelled as he slapped Ray hard across the face.

Ray then let go and grabbed his face.

Egon was in shock at what he just did. "Ray, I'm so sorry. I lost my cool for a minute."

Ray rubbed the throbbing side of his face and snarled, "You idiotic, no-good scientist."

Egon was hurt at what Ray said to him. He tried to say something, but then Ray charged at him and knocked him to the ground.

"Why would you do this to me?!" Ray yelled. He tried to keep Egon on the ground, but Egon was stronger than him.

"Guys! Help! It's Ray! Get me out of here!" Egon yelled.

"Shut up you worthless, no-good freak!" Ray yelled as he slapped Egon hard across the face. Egon then scratched Ray hard across his face as well. Just then, Peter and Winston ran in.

"Alright, break it up, break it up!" Winston yelled as he pulled Ray off Egon, and Peter helped Egon up while trying to hold him back as well.

"What's going on here?" Peter asked.

"That idiot locked up my pills!" Ray screamed as he pointed at Egon.

"Egon, you did what?" Winston asked.

"Earlier before we went out on that bust, I came up here to put locks on the drawers so Ray wouldn't be tempted." Egon explained, "And I'm sorry, but I did it for his own good!" He then turned and faced Ray, who had calmed down, "And I'm sorry for hitting you and scratching you!"

"Egon, you hit Ray?" Peter said.

"Yeah, then he hit me after he pinned me down, and I scratched him across the face." Egon replied.

"Egon, you're bleeding!" Ray said.

"You're bleeding too Ray." said Egon.

The two then looked in the mirror. Egon had blood trickling from his nose and lip, and Ray had blood dripping from several deep scratches on his face. Ray then fell to the ground and broke down crying.

"Go clean your face." Winston told Egon, who then went into the bathroom. Peter was next to Ray trying to get him to calm down.

"What have I done?!" Ray said in between sobs, "I hit my best friend just for some stupid pills?!"

"It's ok Ray. You didn't mean to." Peter said while trying to get Ray to calm down. He then got a tissue to wipe the blood off of Ray's face.

"Try to get Ray relaxed, and I'll talk with Egon." Winston said as he headed toward the bathroom. Egon was standing in front of the mirror wiping the blood off his face. And his eyes were full of unshed tears.

"That was one heck of a move you made there, man." Winston said.

"Hitting and scratching Ray or locking the pills up?" Egon asked.

"Both actually." Winston replied, "Was it a trust issue? You didn't believe Ray could make it?"

Egon let out a sigh and said, "I do believe in Ray. It was just that I was scared."

"Scared of what?" Winston asked as he gripped Egon's shoulder.

"Knowing that those pills are there. What if he starts using them again? What if he...he..." Egon's voice trailed off as tears began falling down his face and his back beginning to heave.

"We almost lost Ray twice because of me." Egon said, "I caused him to end up in the hospital, get addicted to painkillers, and I almost strangled him to death last night, and I scratched him. That's four times I've hurt him. I can't risk hurting him again because of my mistakes. It's my fault."

Winston wrapped his arms around his distraught friend and hugged him, "Buddy, it's not your fault. And I know you had good intentions on helping Ray, but it's his choice if he wants to get off the pills. We just have to be here to keep him on the right track."

"But I just don't want to lose Ray because of my mistakes and my stupidity." Egon said, tears still running down his face, "I want to protect him so I don't kill him."

"You won't." Winston said, "And the fire wasn't your fault."

"You guys keep telling me that, but I don't believe." said Egon, "I don't know if I'll ever believe it."

"You will someday." Winston said rubbing Egon's back to get him to calm down, "Come on, go apologize to Ray. I'm sure you two will both feel better."

Egon and Winston walked back into the bedroom where Peter was sitting on the bed with a slightly calmer Ray next to him.

"Ray, I'm really sorry for locking up the pills and scratching you across the face." Egon said, "I guess I can't control my own temper."

"No, I'm sorry Egon." Ray said, "I shouldn't have hit you over some stupid pills. And what I said was not true. You're not a freak. You're my best friend. And you were right to lock up the pills."

"No I wasn't. I was treating you like a child. And sorry for punching and slapping you across the face." Egon said remorsefully.

"It's fine. I deserved it." Ray said.

"Ray, I do really believe you can fight your habit." Egon said as he sat down next to Ray.

"Me too. But Egon, I have to say this right now, but you can punch really good. Heck, better than me." Ray remarked with a small smirk.

A small smirk appeared on Egon's face as well. "Thanks, I think."

Peter and Winston smirked as well and snickered a little. All of a sudden, thunder clapped loudly outside, along with a bolt of lightning, which caused the power to go out.

To be continued...

Author's note: Hey everyone, sorry for the late update. My computer had been acting up and I couldn't get into anything. But anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Peace out!