Disclaimer: I don't own the characters (apart from Alex). Hiyaa! Thanks for reading. It was meant to be longer but I've been having writers block lately :(

If you have any ideas please let me know! I know where the story is going but it might take me a while to get there! I'm sorry about the amount of dialog but I thought it was needed. I'll try to show their feelings more next time.

Ste

"What was his problem?" Asked Alex. What a question.

We were sitting in The Dog after the incident with Brendan. I sipped my drink to avoid answering for a second. What was Brendan's problem? Well, he had a few. In fact, I was pretty sure even a professional pschologist couldn't find out all of them. He was a manipulative, possessive, jealous sonofabitch but, then again, so was I. Whenever I saw Brendan with another guy I wanted to smack them. Not that I'd ever let Brendan know that.

"I dunno. He's mental." I replied. I didn't want Alex to know about my connection with Brendan. I had no idea how he'd react, I mean we were mates and everything. We made a great team but Alex was someone from my past and, well, my past wasn't a pretty place.

"Seemed like you two knew each other pretty well." He said. I looked at him and saw he was staring at me intently, waiting for my reaction.

"I wouldn't say that." It wasn't a lie exactly. I mean, did anyone really know Brendan? Even me?

"Sure." He said sarcastically. "Whatever you say."

"What are ya tryin' to get at?" I asked.

"He was jealous and we were only talking. There was obviously something between you." He looked at me to explain but I stayed silent.

"Ste, I know you're gay."

"What?" I asked, shocked.

"I knew since I met you." He explained.

"How could you have knew then. I didn't even know then." I said, confused.

"Dunno." He shrugged. " I just always thought you were. I just never pushed it because...well it's not the type of thing you talk about in there."

" 'suppose not." I replied. I knew what he meant.

"So were you and the Irish psychopath together then?" He asked, curious.

"What's it to you?" I said, defensive. "What're ya doin' here anyway?"

"Erm...well I came looking for you." He confessed.

"Why?"

"I need help. You're one of the only people I'd trust."

"I haven't seen ya in years. Why now?"

"Well. ..err...I think we should talk about this somewhere else. More private." I looked at him suspiciously but didn't object.

A couple of minutes later we were standing in an alley way. Not the best place to have a conversation but I wasn't taking him back to my flat and I had no where else to go.

"So what is it you need help with?" I asked, wanting to know but scared of what sort of trouble he'd got himself in and what he wanted me to do.

"I need money. Alot of it." He said, straight to the point.

"Well you've wasted you're time seeing me, then. I'm skint." I replied.

"But...the thing is...well..." I'd never seen him this flustered. Usually he was confident about everything.

"Spit it out Alex." I ordered.

"I wanted to know if you still did drugs. I mean if you still sell them. Because if you do, I want in."

"You want me to give you drugs?"

"No. I want to sell them, too. You know, to get some extra cash 'n' that." He replied, nervously.

"You shouldn't have come. I don't do that anymore." I hissed, angry at him.

"What?" He looked confused, like it had never occured to him I might be different to the messed up kid he used to know.

"I'm not like that anymore." I explained. "I don't deal drugs, or nick cars or 'out."

"But you don't understand. I need this. I owe some people..."

"It doesn't matter." I interrupted, "I can't help ya."

"But we're mates. I need ya help Ste." Seeing that I still looked unconvinced he added, "I'd help if it was you."

"Look, I've changed. I'm not that person anymore."

"People like us, Ste. They don't change. A leopard doesn't change it's spotts. How many times did I help you out when you needed it? You wouldn't have survived two minutes without me. We're mates. We have each others backs, yeah?"

"I know what you did for me before but it's different now." I said, willing him to drop it.

"Why?" He demanded.

"I've got too much to lose."

"Fine. Be like that. If you won't help me, I'll have to find someone else. That irish guy we were talking to, Brendan. He looked well dodgy. I'll bet he'll have some work that needs doing."

"No!"

"Why not?" He raised an eyebrow.

"He'll screw ya over. He doesn't give a damn and you'll end up in trouble. I know him, know what he's like." I explained.

"I bet you do." He smirked.

"Alex" I warned.

"Okay. So if not him then who?" He asked, persistent.

"Look, I'll try to sort out something, okay? But I'm not promising anything." I sighed.

"Thanks." He said, grinning. "This is why you're my best mate." He joked, pushing me playfully.

"Yeah, whatever."

Brendan

I saw Steven and Alex leaving The Dog. They looked suspicious so I followed them. I didn't like Alex. Ste'd never mentioned him before and now, suddenly, out-of-the-blue, he turns up. I didn't like the apparent bond that Steven shared with him or the way Alex, the cocky prick, had spoken to me. I know Ste was cocky but I didn't mind it, in fact I liked it. But with Alex it just annoyed me. I wanted to know everything there was to know about him. I believe in knowing your enemy and that is what Alex had now become. I know I was supposed to have been proving I didn't love Steven anymore, but the rules of our game had changed.

They went down the alley way and now my curiousity out weighed my fear of Steven finding out I was following him. I stood just outside of the alley so they couldn't see me and, although they were speaking quitely, I could just make out what they were discussing. Alex wanted Ste to get a job selling drugs but Ste refused. Good. I hoped Steven told the guy to take a hike and leave him alone.

"Brendan. He looked well dodgy. I'll bet he'll have some work that needs doing." I was intrigued now. He wanted to sell drugs for me. Well, there was only one way that could end in my mind. I smiled.

"No!"

"Why not?" Yes, Steven, why not?

"He'll screw ya over. He doesn't give a damn and you'll end up in trouble. I know him, know what he's like." Damn. That's a shame. But my thoughts lingered on the last words he said. I know him, know what he's like

It was true, I suppose. He had known what would happen if Alex had come to me. I didn't know whether to be angry that he knew how I thought, fearful or relieved.

Then I heard something that made me want to scream. "Look, I'll try to sort out something, okay? But I'm not promising anything." What the Hell? Steven was going to help him? What if he got in trouble? Didn't he care? He could get sent down for drug dealing.

"This is why you're my best mate." I rolled my eyes. I was liking Alex less and less. But, before this went any further, I'd have to have a word with Steven. Make him see sense. He shouldn't be doing dodgy stuff with Alex. If he helped anyone with illegal things, it should have been me.

Rachey Ayyy xx