I feel horrible… it's been months since I've updated and I'm so sorry! Thanks so much to everyone who has read and reviewed this story! I disclaim.
Chapter Nine: Addicted
Ivy didn't go back to the Danvers place that night. She sat on those steps in the shadowed back alley behind Nicky's for hours. She dimly remembered telling first Tyler and then Pogue not to wait on her and that she'd find another way home. The initial hit of Reid's words had been harsh. His addiction was the last thing she expected him to use as an excuse not to be with her. This group of Covenant boys had been extremely lucky; only Caleb had to grow up without a father. Pogue's family was pretty messed up. His dad was crazy and his mom was depressed but it had nothing to do with the power. Tyler's parents had divorced when he was ten, but he and his little sister Kelly had spent every other weekend at his dad's house up until he moved into the dorms. His dad was a perfectly healthy, addiction free, architect, who was now remarried and living a perfectly happy life. Reid had probably had the easiest home life of any of the Sons. His parents were high school sweethearts, still married some twenty years later. They were happy, and as far as Ivy knew, Reid had never even seen his father use the power once. The Danvers family was the only family that had any power problems, and Caleb seemed to have truly learned from his father's mistakes, maybe even a little too much. She couldn't seem to be able to wrap her head around where Reid was getting these ridiculous ideas from.
After replaying the conversation over in her head for the millionth time, she realized what he had let slip. What he had said about Caleb and Pogue didn't surprise her, but he said about Tyler sure as hell did. "And Tyler, Tyler's already so far gone, he'll be lucky to see twenty." Certainly Reid didn't mean that Tyler was addicted. Did he? There was only one way to find out.
When she arrived outside of Tyler and Reid's dorm room it was already 3:50 on Saturday morning. She was not going to be the most welcomed house guest, but she had to talk to Tyler, about both his own and Reid's addiction. She was certain Reid wouldn't be there, he always went back to his parent's place when he was upset.
Tyler answered the door looking disheveled and slightly alarmed.
"We need to talk." She brushed past him and moved into the messy dorm room. She threw a few shirts from Reid's bed on the floor and made herself comfortable for a long conversation.
Tyler moved and sat back down on his bed, waiting for her to start. Ivy had a whole speech worked out for when she finally got to see him. She had a nice long time waiting in the cold for a cab, seeing as the only cab company she could find in the phonebook was from two towns over. She really shouldn't have let all her friends leave her at the bar alone with no ride. But now that she was sitting there looking at her friend's face, she didn't know what to say.
"Are you addicted?" She decided to just come out and ask it. He looked entirely taken aback.
"Where is this coming from?" he asked after a few moments of stunned silence.
"Reid kind of went off on a huge speech about why we couldn't be together, and he mentioned something about you. I don't think he meant to say it. I don't even think he realized what he said. He says he's addicted. I want to know if that's true and I want to know if you are too."
He sat in silence for a long time, picking at his comforter, not looking anywhere in Ivy's direction, before he finally gave a response.
"He's been covering for me to Caleb. Caleb already just assumes that Reid is the one making all the bad choices so it must be him using too. And sometimes it is Reid, but it's usually me. He never says anything to me about it; I didn't realize he thought I was so far gone." He paused and thought for a moment and a frown formed on his face.
"I guess I have gotten pretty bad here lately. I don't use for anything big, but I'm using on a lot of small stuff. It adds up. I don't really even think about it when I use anymore. It just happens."
"I know you can stop, Ty. I have faith in you." Ivy was scared, but she made sure not to let it show on her face. Tyler was the last Son she ever expected to have problems controlling his powers. He never had shown any signs of a problem. She was suddenly questioning how well she really knew the boys. What dark secrets was Pogue or even Caleb hiding?
"Thanks. I promise I'll stop. From now until my ascension, I won't use at all." He had such a determined look on his face, some of her worries went away, but she had to know about Reid.
"And Reid?"
"I really don't know what to tell you. He never uses, as far as I know, except when he wants to piss off Caleb. I really didn't think he had a problem. Caleb is sure that he's addicted, but that's my fault. I really have no idea why Reid would tell you he's addicted."
Tyler looked sincere, which left Ivy with too many questions. Why would Reid say something so serious if it wasn't true? She didn't know what his problem was but she was going to find out.