Here's the next update :) It will probably feel really short compared to the last two chapters but I hope it doesn't disappoint. I am currently working on the next chapter so hopefully I'll upload it late tomorrow :)

Disclaimer- Still don't own these beautiful characters or make any money from them. So I will try to get on with life even though I know I will never meet let alone 'own' Peter Deluise and Johnny Depp from the 80's/90's. Or even the 2014 versions, or them ever. Anyways... sorry for that minor breakdown, onwards we go!

Chapter 8

… Bad dreams …

An angry Doug McQuaid burst through the front doors of Grandvale High. Kids cleared a path in front of him as he made a beeline for Mathew Benton who was leaving his homeroom class, blissfully unaware of the brother's approach.

"You and me need to have a chat," he spat with fake conviction.

"Because I have a problem, and I'm certain you're going to help me out." He continued coldly. Mathew leaned lazily onto the wall behind him, looking uninterested.

"You better listen up, I don't want you giving any of that shit you sell to Tom again, is that clear!" He roared as he placed his forearm across Mathew chest leaning hard into him. "Or I assure you, there will be consequences!".

"Why don't we let Tom decide what he wants, where is he by the way? We have some business to talk about," Mathew questioned managing to keep his voice calm. His eyes however darted around giving away his anxiety.

"Well why don't you talk business with me, because from now on I'll be accompanying you boys on your little trips anyway,".

"I would really like to know where Tom is, I'm sure he'd have something to say about this," Doug knew he was going to have to take this little show further so he loosened his grip momentarily only to shove him hard back into the wall, a little harder than he intended. He leaned in closer and continued to speak just loud enough for Mathew to hear.

"You don't get it do you, I'm not letting some low life dealer like you get my brother hooked on crack, acid, grass, whatever. I'm not going to let it happen, not again!"

"Fine, ok, just get the hell away from me!" He said hysterically sounding more like a little school girl than he had planned.

"When Tommy gets here both of you can meet me at the sports shed alright," he said regaining his composure

"I doubt he will be in today, you only have yourself to thank for that. So I suggest whatever you were planning to tell him you share with me and I will pass it on," Mat's face displayed his regret but as he continued he pushed any guilt from his mind and was soon wearing an arrogant smirk.

"Fine, tell him that whatever he was playing at, at our last meeting worked because we've got our self a meeting with the guy next up in line. We're moving onto bigger and better things, "

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The truth was Doug had told Hanson to go home and sleep off the alcohol still obviously in his system. So that night when he got home to his apartment he was relieved to not walk in and see Tom waiting for him.

He must have just gone home and gone to sleep as Doug had instructed. Otherwise he knew Hanson would have been there ready to either tell Doug what for, or apologise profusely. Doug wasn't ready to deal with either scenario. Emotionally and mentally drained he let himself fall into a heavy sleep on his couch.

It felt like he had only been out for minutes when he was awoken by a scratching at his front door. The strange noise was quickly proceeded by knocking to his great surprise.

"Who is it?" He said jumping upright suddenly.

"It's me, I can't find your spare key," came a muffled voice from behind his door.

"Who's me?"

"Hanson."

"Hanson?" He said groggily as he opened the door to see his partner on the other side. Cold air rushed in and he felt immediately more awake. Suddenly he felt embarrassed by his appearance and proceeded to wipe the spit from the corner of his mouth. He stopped midway through running his hand through his hair when he realised Hanson looked worse than he did. Eyes bloodshot, hair in a mess (more than usual), still in the clothes he had worn for the past two days. Doug ushered him inside.

"What's up buddy?"

"Nothing really, just a bad dream," he said plainly, feeling like a stupid little kid. Doug examined his partners face and knew he was lying; Tom looked like he hadn't got a minute of sleep in days. And you needed to be asleep to have dreams. But before Doug could question him any further, Hanson had proceeded to walk over to one of Doug's cupboards where he knew he would find a spare blanket and pillow.

"I'm sorry for waking you, really, go back to bed."

"Hanson we…" Doug started

"I'm really tired so if you don't mind I'm going to try and get back to sleep straight away," Hanson rambled and before Penhall could get a word in he was curled up on the couch closing his eyes.

Hanson knew he was getting away with doing this far too often. Doug bought his lies too readily. The problem was that the nightmares Hanson was having didn't go away when he woke up. But just being in the same apartment as someone else seemed to help. It seemed to help keep his mind occupied, preventing it from torturing him with thoughts of self-loathing. He knew staying at Doug's would mean he wouldn't need to drink in order to forget enough to get a half decent night's sleep.

He also knew he couldn't do it every night though. Doug was accommodating but he would get suspicious if he stayed over too often. He had chosen tonight as he needed to be clear for tomorrow. They were meeting with someone who would probably be key to their case. Tom couldn't let himself, Mathew and especially Doug down by being hung over or completely sleep deprived. Yes, this meant he had convinced himself it was okay to be wrecked on a normal day that he didn't consider so important to his case. He knew he had let his standards slip and that his pride was already tarnished but tomorrow he had decided he wouldn't let himself endanger others because he was selfish enough to want to escape from his guilt at the bottom of a bottle, when obviously he deserved to feel it.

He cleared his mind of these worries and allowed himself to drift off calmly into sleep as he knew tonight he was safe from his own punishing thoughts and he was too tired to worry about anything else.

Doug watched on as his partner struggled to fall to sleep obviously dealing with an internal conflict. As he saw Tom's shoulders relax he decided he couldn't hold off sleep any longer and retreated into his room for the night.

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