A/N: I've decided to change the rating to M on this because I got a bit descriptive with the last few paragraphs in this chapter. That along with the subject matter in general probably warrants an M rating.

Chapter 16

Mordecai arrived at the picnic area of the park just before the sky broke with a loud crash of thunder. The rain started coming down in sheets all around him. The shelter provided cover for the worst of it, but he was still getting wet from leaks in the roof and rain blowing with gusts of wind. He regretted that he and Rigby had blown it off when Benson asked them to patch the cracks in the roof of the shelter several months ago. The storms were ushering in a cold front. He felt chilled as the temperature began to drop so he dug in his bag and took out a sweatshirt. His phone began to ring as he was pulling it over his head.

Mordecai looked at the phone and saw that is was the last person he expected to be calling him. Margaret. "Hello?" He answered shakily.

"Hey Mordecai! How are you?" Margaret's voice came over the line.

"I'm okay." Mordecai lied. "How are you doing, Margaret?"

"Great! I love it here. Everybody is so nice. I've made a lot of friends. I really like my classes too." Margaret gushed.

"That's awesome. I'm glad you're so happy."

"Thanks." Margaret replied. "It was the best decision to come here. It was really hard to leave everyone, but this place is amazing!''

"Sounds like it."

"So what's going on with you?" Margaret asked.

"Oh, you know...same old, same old." Mordecai had no intention of telling her everything that had happened since she had left. "Just working and hanging out."

"That's good. How's Rigby?"

"Uh…Rigby's fine. " Mordecai paused apprehensively. He wondered if she had somehow heard what happened. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason, just wondering." Margaret said. "You're acting kind of strange Mordecai, is everything okay?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're not really talking, just giving me short answers to everything." Margaret pointed out.

"Sorry, I guess I don't have much to talk about."

"It sounds like you're outside in the rain."

"Yeah, it's a pretty bad storm going on right now." Mordecai said.

"Why don't you go in?"

"I can't."

"Why?" Margaret asked.

"Um, the storm came up quickly and I got stuck out by the picnic shelter. I'm just waiting for the rain to stop so I can go back to the house." Mordecai partially lied.

"Oh."

"I'm glad you like it so much there." Mordecai said again, not really knowing what else to say.

"Thanks."

"Do you have someone special yet?" Mordecai wondered. He dreaded hearing the truth, but he had to know.

"Well, since you asked, I have been off a few times with this one guy. He's a junior majoring in Biochemistry."

"That's great, Margaret!" Mordecai tried to sound upbeat even though his heart was breaking all over again. "Wow, Biochemistry, huh?"

"What about you?"

"Me? No. There was a girl named Jessica that I was hanging out with, but she was just a friend. I never liked her that way."

"What do you mean 'was'? Did she go somewhere?" Margaret wondered.

"No, it's a long story and I don't want to bore you with it." Mordecai was sorry that he'd brought the subject up.

"That's okay, I don't mind hearing it." Margaret pressed.

"I guess I never liked her that way because the truth is, Margaret, I still love you." Mordecai avoided the subject.

"Mordecai, we agreed to move on." Margaret sighed. "Please don't sit around and wait for me."

"I can't change how I feel. It's okay though. I found ways to deal with it." Mordecai said distantly.

"You sound really strange. " Margaret mentioned again. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine! Great! Just a little tired."

"Oh. Like I told you before, I really like you too, but right now it's best we just be friends. Maybe we'll be together again someday, just not right now." Margaret explained once more.

"It's okay Margaret. I get it. Don't worry about me."

"Well I'll probably come home around Christmas and I'd love to see you and catch up." Margaret changed the subject.

"Sure." Mordecai replied, even though Christmas was still months away and he had no idea where he'd be or what he'd be doing by then.

"I've gotta go. I'm going out with some of my friends in a little while. Take care, Mordecai. I'll talk to you again soon."

"Thanks, you too. Bye." Mordecai responded. He waited for her goodbye, then hung up.

The phone stated to ring again almost immediately, startling him. This time he did not recognize the number. He slid his thumb across the screen to answer it, but the phone beeped in protest signaling that the last of his battery was dying. The screen went blank as the machine shut itself down.

Mordecai sat on the picnic table and stared at dead phone in his hand as the rain poured down around him. He couldn't help but notice that the weather was eerily like it was last time he had spoken to Margaret. His fears were confirmed and she had found a college guy to sweep her off her feet. She could tell him how much she cared about him all day long, but he knew he would never be enough for her again. 'Why would she ever want me when she can have someone educated that will probably be making a load of money one day?' he thought.

It was too much for him to bear alone. Rigby, Margaret, getting fired, nowhere to go, his injuries, the sickness, the relentless cravings – it was all starting to snowball and take its toll on his ability to stay rational. He reached in his bag and pulled out the shirt that he had wrapped up the syringes of heroin in. He unrolled them and laid them out on the picnic table.

Speaking to Margaret and learning of her new love interest was the straw that ultimately broke Mordecai. He felt that he had to have something to ease the torment, or he would lose his mind. He decided that tomorrow was a new day and he would start over fresh, but right now he desperately needed an escape. With shaking fingers, he screwed a hypodermic needle on the end of one of the syringes. He rolled back his sleeve and the bandages that covered his injured wing then plunged in the needle, watching as the clear brownish liquid disappeared from the tube with pressure of his thumb. He winced at the familiar burning in his vein, then closed his eyes and sighed with ecstasy as he immediately started to feel the first of its effects.

Mordecai sat with his back against the picnic table for a while and allowed himself to become lost in the high. Although the euphoria made him feel amazing, images of Rigby lying in the hospital unconscious and Margaret kissing some other guy still kept creeping into his mind. He felt he needed more. Despite his better judgment, he screwed the needle onto a second syringe and took another hit. He was sure he could handle it. The rush that came with it made him feel like he was floating. His pounding heartbeat was like a drum in his ears. Then, just as quickly as the rush came, it was gone. He began to feel extremely sleepy so he laid his head down on the table. His breathing slowed and he started to drift dreamily in an out of consciousness. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he felt that something was wrong, but he was too stoned to care. He closed his eyes and lost consciousness once more.

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A/N: Thanks for the reviews everyone. I appreciate you letting me know what you think. Next chapter will probably be up in a couple of days.