Pairing: past Hank/Nikki

Warning: Het

Author's Notes: After reading a journal entry from a friend on livejournal, this happened and there will be more exploring this topic and...well, I won't spoil you. There will be a alternate chapter for this prompt because I have another plot bunny for it. :D Review, loves.

It's not something he's particularly proud of. Evan never should have had to deal with something like that from him, of all people. He should have known better than to do that to his little brother. He did the same thing that Eddie did when they were kids. He left Evan.

Everything was going so well. He was the shining star at the ER and he was engaged to a wonderful woman. Life was going great; it was on the perfect track. Too bad that track didn't include his brother. Nikki knew that Evan was the black sheep of the two brothers and saw him as someone who would only hold Hank back. It's not something Hank's proud of, but he felt the same when Nikki first brought it up.

"I don't think you should spend so much time with your brother." She said, taking a sip of wine and watching Hank.

Had anyone else said this to him, he would have responded with anger, but it was Nikki, so all she got was a "Why?" in a calm, almost bored tone.

"He's a bad influence. Always partying and sleeping around. He'll only drag you down, dear." Nikki said, trying to look concerned.

"Maybe he does party a bit often, but he's not a bad influence." Hank gave his token protest. After all, every family had a screw up, Evan just happened to be theirs.

"Whatever you say, Hank, but I still don't think you should hang out with him so much." Nikki went back to her dinner.

So Hank began making excuses to Evan, blowing him off, ditching him, standing him up, and flat out ignoring Evan completely. Finally Evan seemed to get the hint and left Hank alone with his new, perfect life. Before he did, however, Hank had one last voice mail from him.

"Henry, it's apparent for whatever reasons that you simply don't want to hang out anymore or spend any time together. Okay, fine, I know you've got a busy work schedule and you and Nikki are busy with the wedding, that's cool. I just don't understand why you're ignoring me all of a sudden. It's not like you to do that even when I piss you off. Did I piss you off? I'm sorry if I did. I wish you would tell me what's going on. As awesome as I am, I am not a mind reader. I get that you think I'm the screw up brother and I probably am, but stop ignoring me, please. I just...I miss you, Hank. Call me later, though I won't hold my breath."

Hank deleted that voice mail and convinced himself it was for the best. They're both grownups now, Evan needed to learn how to live without Hank there all the time, right? Right, according to Nikki. Then why did it hurt so much to hear the pain in Evan's voice when he said, "I miss you, Hank"? He was hurting Evan, but he was sure that Evan would get over it.

Then everything went to hell at the hospital and then with Nikki and soon he was sitting in his only chair, eating day old pizza, drinking all day, and watching daytime TV. Who was the only person who came and rescued him? Who was the only one that cared about him, wanted to make him happy again? Right, the one person he had turned his back on and shoved out of his so called perfect life. His baby brother. The only person he could really count on when times were rough.

Now they're both happy and in The Hamptons. Their relationship in well on its' way to being the way it used to be before Nikki. Hank sees clearly now everything that she was trying to do to his and Evan's relationship. What's more is that he was willing to let her do that to them. He was willing to throw Evan away simply because he didn't fit in with Nikki's plan of their perfect life together. That thought sickens him.

Everyone has a dark side, even the good doctor and he'll spend his life making it up to Evan, showing him exactly what he means to him.