Fifteen

They didn't even unpack when they reached home in the morning, choosing to make love for almost half the day. As Dean planted tender kisses to Roman's shoulder, he was grateful to have had the chance to love this man.

He was thankful that Roman chose him.

Once they had showered together, Dean tidied up the bedroom while Roman went to the kitchen to make a simple snack for them. He played with Dixie in his living room, strumming her strings once he was done.

The doorbell rang then.

"Babe? Can you help me answer the door?" he heard Roman call.

So the Steel Hounds' lead singer bounded down the stairs and when he answered the door, his smile disappeared.

"I have half a mind to throw you off this porch," Dean snapped when he saw Roman's mother at the doorstep.

"Dean!" Roman said joining him by his side, shocked . "She hasn't said a word yet."

"It's okay," Helen replied as she walked into the house regally. "He has a reason to be angry. What a nice home you have."

"I'm not angry, Mrs Reigns," Dean said in a menacing tone. "You've never seen me angry."

Rosey stepped in with an angry look with two of Roman's sisters. "What did you say to my mother?"

"What the hell is this? Invasion of the Samoans? Get the hell out of my house! I didn't invite the entire village here!"

Roman's mother was looking at her son pleadingly. "Roman, we came here to talk. Honestly."

"Dean," Roman coaxed him gently. "Let them in."

Fuck. He always had a hard time saying no to Roman. Seth was right; he was whipped.

All four of his boyfriend's family members sat on the couch while Dean stood at the corner of the living room.

"Would you like something to drink? I just finished making dark chocolate oat clusters." His boyfriend the host. Once they were served warm drinks and the snack, Dean didn't waste time. "Alright. Talk."

"Dean!" Roman pleaded.

"Don't you Dean me, Roman Reigns. In case you conveniently forgot like the rest of these Quaker Oats, they're the reason for what happened to us. So don't Dean me when you knew how close I was to hitting back on that road again."

Rosey was furious. "Hey! Don't talk to my brother that way!"

"Keep your nose out of our business!"

"He's my brother! He is my business!"

"Oh yeah? Well, since he's your business, where the hell were you when he was being sexually harassed by his college professor, huh? Where the hell were you when he was trying to balance between his job and school? When he was living in that small room at his friend's apartment? You weren't there so don't tell me how to talk to my boyfriend."

"Right. Because you were a good boyfriend, weren't you, Dean?" Rosey stood up. "You live a life of pure debauchery. You led my brother into a life of booze drinking, drug taking and sex fiending so don't act like you live on the higher ground."

"Rosey, stop it," Roman interrupted before Dean could reply. "He didn't force me into doing anything. He did all those things on his own. I never partook in anything."

"He still had no business talking to you that way."

"He's my boyfriend, Rosey."

"After what he did to Dad, Roman? I mean how can you support him after what he did to Dad?"

Dean pushed Roman aside and stood in front of Rosey. "What I did to your father? Your old man had it coming by trying to blackmail me. Who the hell did he thought he was trying to tell me to break up with your brother because I'm not what? Samoan? We're really doing the race thing in this place when the rest of the world has progressed? Fuck off. I don't stand for threats from you or him!"

He saw Rosey trying to swing at him but Roman caught it mid air amidst all the protests in the background against his remarks about their father. "Stop!" his boyfriend shouted. "Can we all just sit down and talk? Dean, I don't appreciate you talking that way about my father either."

Dean kicked the chair in frustration and walked out of the living room to the porch.

Roman came out a moment later. "Dean, come back inside."

He refused to say a word.

"Look, I understand where your anger is coming from but you did say that I shouldn't be fighting with them because they're my flesh and blood."

"Yeah and I meant it. You shouldn't be fighting with them. I should. I should because of the unfair way I've been treated by them. Don't tell me I can't yell at them, Roman. It's my right!"

"But they're my family too."

"Well, we're back to square one again, aren't we, Roman?"

His boyfriend crossed his arms. "Don't even think about it, Dean."

"Think about what? I didn't say a thing."

Helen stood at the back door. "Please come back. The both of you. We need to talk."

Roman had to drag him along against his will. If he had it his way, he'd be punching Rosey in the face. The ingrate. After letting him sleepover in their home…

"Alright, can we all agree to just talk?" Helen said when they all sat down.

Roman nodded.

Rosey shrugged. "I will when this hothead decides not to jump on us."

Dean stood up again. "Hothead? Who are you calling hothead, bonehead? I'm Kool and the Gang. You're just lucky. You're lucky that I love your brother enough not to punch you in the face!"

"Then do it!" Rosey stood up. "Do it, punk!"

Roman held Dean back when he walked up to Rosey's face.

"I've got news for you, pal," he shouted as he pushed Roman's hands. "I don't stop. I don't quit. I've been in fights before. I can kick your ass!"

"Dean, calm down!" Roman pulled him aside to make him sit beside him.

"Rosey, sit down!" Helen instructed him. "We are here to go over things."

Roman frowned. "Go over what?"

"Roman, your father has left you a significant amount of money. The money will be given to you if…" Helen swallowed and passed him a paper. "Here."

Dean didn't glance or even try to take a peek as Roman read; this was Roman's business alone.

"Is he serious?" Roman asked his mother.

"I'm afraid so."

"I didn't even know he had that much money."

"He was investing a lot in oil and gold in the Middle East especially." Helen started crying. "I had no idea… Where's your bathroom?"

"I'll show it to you," Roman said, standing up and bringing her down the corridor.

Dean was just taking out his iPhone when Rosey commented, "He's inheriting a huge amount of money. He won't need this house."

"Good for him. What do you want me to say? That I'm mad he's got money now? You know what, Rosey? It always surprises me when somebody intentionally tries to piss me off."

"Dean?" Roman said coming into the living room.

"He started it!" he snapped.

"Rosey, can you please back off? Mum's upset and I'm trying to console her. I don't need you trying to provoke Dean." Roman walked down the hallway again.

Dean wondered what was in that will.

"It was our father's last wishes that Roman broke up with you, that he settled down with a nice Polynesian man preferably Manu," one of Roman's sister gloated. "It was his wish that his son didn't end up with alcoholic."

Face it, Dino. You're replaceable. Roman's father's words came back to haunt him. Dean wished he could take Dixie and just run away with her at that moment. He didn't even care where; he'd go so far where no one could find him. Not Corey. Not Paul. Not even Roman.

Maybe over time, he'd get over how stupid he was to fall in love.

Roman returned to the living room with his mother who took her bag before hugging him. "I'm sorry to have cut this meeting short," she apologised to him. "I'm staying at the Hilton's."

"I'll drop by tomorrow," his boyfriend promised.

Dean didn't even bother with a goodbye. He heard the front door shutting as he was halfway walking to the back porch with his Jack Daniel's. Old reliable whiskey. Alcohol had never let him down.

"Babe?" Roman asked. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," he lied as he took a swig. "I'm going to head to Asylum. I'll be back late. Don't wait up."

"Of course I'll wait up."

"Well, don't."

Dean got up and walked past him back into the house. "Dean," he heard Roman as he came up from behind him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just tired."

"I'll make you supper so you have something to eat when you get back."

"It's fine. I'll grab something along the way."

He headed for the door before Roman called out to him again. "Aren't you forgetting something?" his boyfriend asked.

"What?" He had his car key and his wallet.

"You're leaving without kissing me?"

"Oh. That." He gave Roman a quick kiss and walked out towards his car.

Dean had lost count of how many bottles he had drank in the corner of Asylum's bar. It wasn't close to opening yet and none of the guys were here either. He couldn't fault them; they had done a lot for him this past week.

Roman's father had been right in a way; he was an alcoholic. But the liquid that was destroying him was also his rescue aid. Things were not going to be the way they used be. He had no doubt in his mind that Roman's father had stipulated in the will that he had to break up with Dean if he wanted the money.

Investments in oil and gold surely brought in a lot; Roman would be dumb to pass up on that kind of money. He probably wouldn't even have to work for the rest of his life.

Dean opened up another bottle of vodka and drank it straight. He used to wonder if money brought him happiness. Nope. Love was a grey area. Only alcohol brought him happiness. And music, of course.

Why should even try to fight it?

He couldn't go home tonight, he thought as he fell off his seat with the bottle. There was no way he could. He couldn't bear for Roman to see what he had let himself become.

What do you want, Dean? he asked himself. If you can't go home tonight, what do you want?

He wanted Roman.

There was no way he was going to let Roman be tainted trying to save a burden like him. But he did want that future with him. Words were not enough not this time. Dean had to show him that for him, he'd go through anything and mean it.

He had to show Roman that he was worth more than whatever was written in that will.

Dean's hand slid over a number and pressed it. After three rings (he was always reliable), the call was answered. "Dean?"

"Core? Can you come down to Asylum. I need help."

"Dean!" Dr Mick Foley, the chief medical officer of Faith and Serenity Centre said when he saw Dean and Corey at the registration counter of the centre. "I'm so proud of you."

"I need help, Dr Foley," Dean said. "I need help. This time, it's not going to be several rock stars who have turned this place into a circus. It's just me. Dean Jonathan Ambrose. I need your help to fight this thing."

"You'll go through hell, Dean," Dr Foley said. "It's not going to be easy."

"I'll survive. I don't stay down so easily."

"Then Dean, I'll be glad to have you. Have you brought your clothes… aside from what you're wearing now?"

Dean looked down at his black tank and leather jacket and jeans. "Yeah I went shopping for new ones." He pointed to some thrift shop paper bags.

"Does Roman know you're here?"

"I'll call him later once I've sobered up a little."

Dr Foley gave him the same room to his surprise while Corey was helping him out with registration. "Wow. So much memories," he said before smiling at the doctor. "Thank you."

"Hey. As long as you want it and want to fight for it, I'll be here for you every step of the way."

He headed back to registration to sign the necessary papers. Corey looked at him with sadness. "You sure you'll be okay?"

"I'll be fine," he assured him. "I've never told you this before but you're more than just my best friend, Core. You're my brother. You have been with me through everything and have never faltered."

"Damn you, Dean. Are you trying to make me cry?"

The two friends hugged one another. "I'll call you tomorrow."

"You better."

Dr Foley walked with Dean back to his room. "I won't have much for you today. It's free and easy. Dinner's at six and I'll have them deliver the meals to your room because I understand that privacy would be better for a celebrity like you. We'll start off tomorrow morning with some swimming, okay?"

"Sure."

Alone in the privacy of his room, he took out his phone and called Roman. He bit his lip as he waited for his boyfriend to pick up.

"I made yours with no sugar," Roman said as he brought two mugs of coffee to the living room.

"Just the way I like it," Manu replied. "Do you think your family's okay with your decision?"

Roman shrugged as he sat down beside his friend. "I'm glad you came down with them."

"I had to. Amoka and I were shocked at the stipulation when your mother told us. He was furious. He trusts us both of course but I think he was more furious the way I am that, even till the end, your father was so stubborn."

"I don't need the money. I have Dean and that's all I need."

"Where is he, by the way?"

"At his club. He was so… distracted when he left. I hope he's okay."

"Your family gave him hell?"

Roman laughed. "It went both ways. He lashed out at them but they deserved it. I'm glad he got to say what he needed to say."

"Me too. That was uncalled for what Serena said to him."

"Yeah." He took his phone and stared at the number calling. It couldn't be Dean, could it? Roman didn't have his new number. He tapped on the green button. "Hello?"

"Roman?" It was Dean. He sounded like he had been drinking.

"Hey babe. Have the guys arrived yet? I'm planning to make you chicken stew."

"Actually, you may want to nix the idea. I'm not at the club."

"Oh? Where are you?." Please be safe...

"I'm in rehab, Roman. I checked myself in forty minutes ago."

Roman was surprised but proud of Dean. He hadn't even gave a hint of his whereabout. "Really? The same place?"

"Yeah."

"Alright. I'm on my way over. See you later, babe." He pressed the red button. "Sorry, Manu but once our coffee's been drunk, I'll be over to meet Dean."

"Sure. No worries, man. I dig that."

Dean wanted to take a walk at the gardens so after finishing his dinner, he did just that, choosing a spot that he knew from his previous stays hardly a soul passed by.

This was hands down the best decision he had made in a long time. It would be hard but Dean had faith that it would work this time around.

"Dean?"

He found Roman walking towards him. How did he even know where Dean was?

"I'm so proud of you," Roman said, kissing him on his lips. "I'm so, so proud of you."

Dean laughed. "Alright, Roman. You're proud. I get it."

"What made you want to come here?"

"After my confrontation with your brother while you were with your mother."

"What did he say?"

"Doesn't matter. What matters is that I want to prove to you that I'm worthy of you, Roman. I'm more than just the alcohol or the money. I'm Dean. And Dean is just a guy who loves you with everything inside."

"You know about the money?"

"Your brother's hints weren't really vague."

"I told my mother that I didn't want the money. I want you. I'll always want you."

"Till we're grey and old?" Dean teased.

"Yeah till we're grey and old."

"I can't promise you that this sobriety will last, Roman. I may relapse; I may not. But I can promise you that I won't stay down; I'll keep doing my best to fight it."

"And that's all I want."

Roman pulled his face towards his and started kissing him passionately. Dean remained tight lipped; do people kiss like this during mourning periods?

Not that his lack of response deterred his boyfriend who was persistent. "Stop fighting it, Dean," he heard Roman whisper in his right ear. He started to reciprocate and kissed Roman back. Next thing he knew he was on his back, with Roman's hands underneath his t-shirt.

"Roman, are you sure?" he asked as Roman kissed his neck. "I don't think we should-"

Roman took off his hoodie revealing his muscular body before he removing Dean's t-shirt. So they were doing it, Dean thought as he wound his arms around his boyfriend's neck. "I love you," he said softly.

"I love you too," Roman said before discarding the rest of their clothes.

A/N Gosh I'm getting emotional thinking that this series will end soon even though I don't really want it to. But we'll see. I have a soft spot for rocker Dean and student Roman. LOL. Thank you for your kind words, favorites and follows. I appreciate it. Guest (I'm sorry I don't have your name), I dedicate this to you! Thanks for the love! :-)