Maybe it was blind faith that meant Zoe couldn't turn her back on Tom, or maybe it was just stupidity. Whatever it was, she wasn't sure how much she could take. It wasn't like Sam was ever going to come back, and seeing Tom drunk and delusional just brought back a tonne emotions and memories she'd rather not address.

Sam was gone, and everyone that knew her had spent the first few weeks after her death grieving and then had decided to honour her memory by putting as much effort into saving lives as she once did. Archer, the soldier Sam and Tom had just before Sam died had spent a few months on compassionate leave, and had tried his best along with everyone else to rouse Tom out of the rut he had fallen into but was forced to concede defeat when he was called back to help infiltrate known enemy bases, as his experience in this area was greatly needed.

Now Zoe was standing on Tom's doorstep, wondering whether or not knocking would be a good idea. Every other time she had entered his home it had felt as though her life force was being sucked out of her, Tom's depressed state sending her into a dark place herself.

After taking a deep breath and deciding that she would not give up on her friend she raised a hand and knocked the door a few times, hoping that Tom would be aware enough of his surroundings to answer the door.

To her surprise the door was opened within a few seconds, but the sight that greeted her was one that she was now all too familiar with.

"What do you want?" Tom asked, after staring at her for a few seconds without recognition.

"What do you think I want, Tom?" Zoe said with a roll of her eyes.

"Oh I don't know…. A life maybe? One that doesn't revolve around visiting your failure of a friend and competing with this Connie person?" Tom shot back, following a few seconds pause where he tried to recognise his face.

Zoe looked at her watch before replying, "Great. Half past two and you're already drunk. You trying to set new records?"

Tom shrugged. "What do you care?"

"What do you mean what do I care?" Zoe shot back, irritated, "You're my friend! I want you to stop drinking and get on with your life-"

"Get on with my life? She was my life, Zoe! I loved her! I'm not going to move on like she was nothing like everyone else has, like you have, and pretend that she never existed!" Tom shouted.

"Tom we will never forget her, but we can't live in the past! She's gone, and you're not. Everyone else decided to get on with their lives because they know that's what she would have wanted." Zoe countered, struggling to keep her temper in check.

"How can you possibly know that? She lost her memory, her brother and got blown up by some freak! And now you come around here preaching about how I need to stop drinking, to move on, and for what exactly? I have no job, you're the only friend I've got left and I'm about a week away from losing my house!" Tom yelled.

"What? Why are you getting kicked out?" Zoe asked, taken aback.

"Well gee, I don't know for sure but it may have something to do with the fact that you fired me and I have no income!" Tom shouted.

"You had plenty of money saved- or at least that's what you said when you stormed out of the new ED, rating about how you didn't need AA meetings." Zoe snapped.

"This stuff isn't as cheap as it once was." Tom replied, shaking the bottle of beer he had in his left hand around.

"Are you seriously telling me that you spent all of our money on alcohol? How much are you drinking exactly?" Zoe shouted, feeling a chill settle on her spine.

"Enough to get me by- How the hell do I know? Maths isn't exactly my strong point right now. Besides. I don't just drink beer. I bought some pretty expensive bottles of wine as well." Tom said with the barest hint of a smile on his face.

"You know what? Fine. Drink yourself into oblivion for all I care. I'm done, Tom." Zoe said her voice surprisingly calm considering what she had just said.

Tom, to her surprise, laughed and clapped his hands before doing some sort of small dance and taking a swig out of the beer bottle.

"Finally!" He exclaimed, "The old bitch is going to leave me in peace! Go. Go on then. Leave!"

"Have it your way. Goodbye Tom." Zoe said with as little emotion as she could muster.

Tom slammed the door in her face. Zoe stood there for a few seconds, thinking about what she had said.

Of course she didn't mean it, she would most likely be back on Tom's doorstep this time tomorrow. She was hoping to shock him into reality, hoping that he would admit to how much of a mess his life's become and try to do something about it. Zoe sighed, she had underestimated his desire to live like this- for nothing to change so he could hold onto Sam's memory.

That and he was never sober. He probably couldn't make a rational decision right now even if he wanted to, for by this point the alcohol must have significantly impaired his ability to do so, and that was just what it was doing to his head, never mind is liver. A few more months of this and he'll more than likely be in full blown liver failure.

Zoe wondered briefly if he even cared.

…

As soon as Tom shut the door behind him the gleeful expression on his face evaporated, replaced with one that looked like he had just attended Sam's funeral again. He wanted to go back outside and tell Zoe how much he needed her to get through this, to beg her to help him to stop drinking, but this feeling was short lived.

Tom no longer possessed the willpower to stop drinking, and in all honesty was not in the mood to start, not after he had pushed away his only real friend. He felt the need to replace her with more drinking, hopefully he would drink enough to forget all that happened today, then he could go back to thinking he had at least once friend in the world.

…

I was kind of expecting this story to be the fanfiction equivalent of a ghost town… apparently I couldn't be more wrong, going by the viewing figures and reviews! Thanks so much guys :)

Looks like I'll be continuing with this story after all!