Ok, so here's chapter 2 (It's quite a long one). Deals with sensitive issues but nothing to graphic. I was wondering if the title to the story might be a bit misleading, but you'll see by the end of this chapter what I was meaning with the title. Hope it's ok. By the way, thank you so much for all the reviews and the story followers - makes me so happy when people enjoy what I write. Got to keep writing through this very loooooong hiatus!

Takes place approx 10 years in the past.

Chapter 2

"Hey Joe, are you going anywhere near the bowling alley tonight?" Jamie asked as he dried the dinner dishes, as his older brother washed, "Yeah, I'm going to the cinema - you want a lift by any chance?"

"If that's ok? I'm meeting Dylan and a couple of other guys there..."

"No problem kid - be ready in 10 though," Joe ordered, while flicking soap suds at his younger brother.

About half a hour later, Jamie was arriving at the alley, right in the middle of some sort of disturbance that seemed to be involving his friend, "Isn't that Dylan?" Joe asked, confused as to why Jamie's normally placid friend was in the middle of the melee.

Jamie looked at his brother and shrugged, trying to make out like he wasn't concerned by his friend's out of character behaviour, as he began to get out of the car - closely followed by his brother, "Joe..." he said indignantly, "I can look after myself!"

"Just humour me Jamie - I can't switch off being your big brother."

The younger man sighed despondantly. Something had been off with Dylan for a while now, but he hadn't voiced any of his concerns to his family, instead hoping against hope that whatever was going on with his friend would soon be rectified. Unfortunately, looking at what was happening in front of him, that didn't seem to be the case.

Jamie dashed towards his friend, "Dyl! What's going on?"

His friend looked at him and Jamie immediately knew what was going on, "He owes me money!" yelled the guy who he was exchanging blows with.

Joe, by this time, had got in between Dylan and the other guy, his hands raised to try to diffused the situation. He glanced at Dylan then raised his eyebrows questioningly at his brother, "Is he high?" he demanded, as Jamie quickly tried to block his view, while shaking his head.

A few minutes later, Joe had managed to calm the guy down enough to leave. Jamie had bundled Dylan out of his brothers eyesight, but that didn't stop Joe, "Where is he Jamie?" he demanded.

"He's in the bathroom. He's pretty shook up after everything..."

"Jamie, what's going on? We've just seen Pete out front steaming about Dylan." The two other friends that Jamie had been meeting arrived.

"I've no idea. There were at it when me and my brother arrived..." Jamie couldn't meet Joe's eyes.

Joe decided to try a different tact, "Hey guys, I've never seen Dylan in such a state before.."

"I know - he's had some stuff to deal with lately but we thought he was handling it..." He stopped talking when he saw the object of their conversation staggering towards them, obviously struggling to put one foot in front of the other, "Hey Joe, good to see you man," he called out to the oldest of the group.

"You ok Dylan? You don't look to steady on your feet there," Joe commented looking concerned and suspicious all at the same time. Dylan suddenly pulled himself up and corrected his gait as he walked to Joe and slapped him on the shoulder, "I'm real good, thanks for asking Joe."

He then turned to his friends, "Are we bowling tonight or not?" he laughed as he turned to leave. As the other three boys began to make their way Joe caught Jamie's arm, "Jamie..." his voice carried a warning note.

The younger brother made eye contact with the older boy, "It's ok bro - I'm handling it."

With that he left, leaving a worried Joe in his wake.

The night carried on without any more trouble, although Jamie found himself increasingly concerned about his friend. At one point in the night when they were sat together, on their own, Jamie felt he had to ask, "Dyl, I need to know, are you taking anything? You're my best friend and I know there's something going on - you're just not yourself...you're erratic, moody..."

Dylan's face took on an expression that Jamie had never seen on his friend's face before, especially directed at him, "You say you're my friend and yet you ask me a question like that? I can't believe you Jamie. But I guess I should've expectedit of Saint Reagan - did Joe put you up to this?" He spat out - causing Jamie's anxiety to increase, "No he didn't. Come on Dylan though, fighting in the street - snapping at me, your best friend - it's not your normal behaviour..."

"Well if you don't like it Saint Reagan then you know what you can do!" He yelled at his stunned friend as he jumped up and marched towards the rest room, his hands shoved into his pockets.

Their other two friends, by this time, had ceased playing their game and just watched in surprise and confusion what was unfolding before them.

They tentatively made their way back to where Jamie was sat in stunned silence, "What's going on Jamie? Somethings not right..."

Jamie ran a hand through his hair, "I know...I think...I think he's on something..." he mumbled, surprised that his declaration didn't seem to surprise his friends.

But before he could say anything else, a distraught man dashed to the reception desk, "Phone 911!" he yelled at the shocked assistant behind the desk, "There's a kid passed out in the mens room!"

Jamie felt his stomach plummet to the floor, and judging by the stricken expressions on his friend's faces, they were thinking the same as him. All three sprinted towards the mens room. Jamie could hear his heart pounding with every step he took. He yanked open the door and skidded to a halt, shock preventing his feet from moving. There in front of him lay his best friend, pale, sweating, unmoving in a puddle of vomit, "Oh my God," he heard gasped from behind him. The sound spurred him into action. He fell to his knees beside his unmoving friend, careful not to kneel in the putrid substance pooling on the floor. Tentatively he reached for his neck...it was there, not particularly strong, but it was there.

"Oh Dyl..." he whispered, totally at a loss as to what to do for his friend.

Presently, two paramedics raced in and quickly assessed the situation. One of them glanced at Jamie, "What has he taken?"

Jamie stared open mouthed at them, "I...I don't know...I didn't know he was..."

The medic laid a hand on his arm, "It's ok," he told him quietly.

"Found it," the other medic told them, as she held up a small bag of something that Jamie didn't even want to contemplate. The man with Jamie nodded, "We'll take care of him - but we need to get him to the hospital - now!"

They began to quickly collect all their equipment together and loaded Dylan onto a gurney. As they wheeled him to the ambulance, Jamie and his friends followed, feeling like they were in another world. As they felt the fresh air on their faces they heard a frantic, "Jamie! Please let me through - that's my little brother there!"

Before he knew what was happening, he was swept up in a huge embrace from an extrememly distressed older brother, "God Jamie, are you alright?"

The younger boy shook his head, "Dyl...it looks like drugs Joe...I didn't...know...I wondered...I asked him earler, he yelled at me then went to the rest room..." Jamie buried his face into his big brothers chest as he felt the fear and shock take hold. Joe held on to him for dear life, having feared for his younger brother earlier.

The older boy looked up to meet the eyes of the equally shocked friends, so he gathered them together, "Come on, I'll take you to the hospital and I'll call Dylan's parents."

Jamie was vaguely aware of Joe talking on the phone as he bundled them all into the car.

After what seemed like hours, yet was in fact only fifteen minutes, the group of youngsters arrived at the hospital. Joe could see that they were all in shock, so he took charge, asking at the desk for any news.

"Joe!"

Jamie looked up to see Dylan's distressed parents racing towards his brother. Dylan's mum was in bad shape and his dad wasn't faring much better. Joe explained as best he could what he knew, then Dylan's father walked up to Jamie, who tried to shrink into the wall. The older man gently laid a hand on the young man's arm, "What happened Jamie?" he asked gently.

"I...I don't know. We had an argument...he stormed off...I..." He couldn't continue as visions of his friend laid out on the rest room floor assaulted his mind once more.

Dylan's father shook his head slightly, "You argued? That's not like you two. What did you argue about?"

Jamie swallowed heavily, not wanting to get into this conversation with his friend's father. That same father actually saved him the trouble, "Was he on drugs Jamie?"

Jamie's eyes grew wide, "I...I...don't know, honestly. I did ask him tonight and..."

"That's what you argued about?"

Jamie dropped his head, "Yes sir."

He patted his arm, "It's ok Jamie. I'd had my suspicions but I'd never got round to confronting him about it. Don't worry, everything will be fine."

He patted his arm once more, then left him to go back to his wife. Joe joined his brother as the parents of the other two boys arrived, "Hey kid, you ok?" He asked, even though he already knew the answer to that question.

"Have you called mum and dad?" Jamie asked quietly.

"Yean, I called them, they're happy for me to stay with you - unless you want them here, then they'll be here as soon as."

Jamie shook his head, "I'm glad you're here Joe."

His older brother flung his arm around him and pulled him closer, "Did you know Jamie, about the drugs?"

"No Joe, I swear, I didn't know anything. I wondered...coz over the last few weeks his behaviour had changed - his moods were all over the place. I guess I didn't want to believe it."

"Why didn't you say anything? You could've come to me!"

"I know Joe, but like I said, I didn't want to believe it..."

Joe sighed deeply, "Jamie, I have to ask..."

His younger brother turned to him, the anger in his eyes plain to see, "No you don't Joe! I thought you knew me better than that..."

The older boy pulled him into a strong embrace, "Oh God Jamie," he breathed, "I'm sorry - I know you wouldn't..."

Jamie felt his anger disappear almost as quickly as it had appeared.

"Family of Dylan Westbrook?" A doctor strode out, his expression not giving anything away. Dylans parents followed him through the door. Jamie grabbed hold of his brothers hand, trying desperately to see if he could see what was happening.

Suddenly, a scream pierced the air. Jamie jumped up, racing towards the source of the scream. He pushed open the door, just in time to see Mrs Westbrook fall to the floor as her husband and the doctor tried to help her. For the second time that night, Jamie felt his stomach plummet to the floor. He stood there as still as a statue, unable to move. Mr Westbrook glanced up at him, his face tell Jamie all that he needed to know, a slight shake of the head confirming his worst fears.

All of a sudden, strong arms encirled him, steadying him as he realised that he had almost hit the floor too. What had happened to his legs?

Joe, who had followed Jamie as he went through the door had noticed the exact moment when Jamie's legs had forgotten how to hold him up.

As the Westbrooks were led away, Mr Westbrook had quietly spoken to the doctor, who was now making his way towards Jamie and Joe.

"Let's get him sat down," he advised the older boy. Joe led his brother back to his friends and parents, who looked equally distraught.

The doctor took a deep breath, "I'm sorry to have to tell you this but Dylan overdosed tonight - we have to perform more tests but we believe that it could have been a bad batch - something mixed up on the street. We did everything we could but I'm afraid he passed away approximately ten minutes ago. I'm very sorry for your loss. Please excuse me, I need to get back to Mr and Mrs Westbrook."

Joe stood and shook his hand, "Thank you for explaining everything."

Joe was aware of sobbing from behind him, where the other boys were being comforted by their parents. His concern right now was his own brother, who was presently sat staring at the floor. He moved to place a hand on his shoulder, but Jamie flew to his feet, "Don't touch me!" he yelled as he bolted from the room. Joe rose to his feet, glancing over at the others. Both sets of parents gestured for him to go - so he did. Luckily, he didn't have to go far to go. Due to the fact that they had been waiting in the emergency department, a few steps through the doors led you straight outside, which is where Joe found his brother, retching behind a tree.

"Jamie," Joe felt his heart breaking for his brother.

If Jamie had heard him, he didn't acknowledge him. Suddenly he started punching the tree, "Jamie, hey little brother, come on, don't do that..."

"My fault, should've done something...my fault," was the only noise coming from Jamie.

Joe could see that his hand was starting to get bloody, so he acted. He went up behind his brother, encircled him with his arms and grabbed the younger mans arms to stop him, "No! Get off me! I deserve it!" Jamie screamed.

Joe was now beyond worried, "Jamie, it's not your fault. This was a tragic accident..."

"He was my friend Joe - my best friend - I should've known - I should've helped him!"

Tears were now beginning to fall down his face, as the anger and adrenaline began to leave his body, leaving him feeling weak. Joe felt the difference, "Jamie, I know you're not hearing so well right now, but please believe me when I say that it wasn't your fault. I know that if you had have known about what was going on, you would have moved heaven and earth to help him..."

Right then, the dam burst. Jamie sagged in his brothers arms and sobbed his heart out for his lost friend. Would he ever be the same again?

So that was chapter 2, hope it was ok. Hope it made sense. Next one is the final chapter and will be back in the present.