Roman looked at Dean and wondered what had happened to his old friend. They used to be close and then Dean moved on to work elsewhere. That wasn't an issue for Roman. Something had changed and Roman couldn't figure out what. Dean was no longer the cheerful, good man Roman once knew. There was something cold and cruel that had taken over.
"You want a beer or something?" Dean asked.
"I'm good with water," Roman said.
"You've gotten so boring," Dean said. "You used to be fun, Roman. We used to party all the time."
"I've gotten older. I don't feel the need to party anymore," Roman said.
"I'm having a beer," Dean said.
"Suit yourself," Roman said.
Roman watched as Dean walked out to grab a cold beer from the fridge. Roman didn't like Dean anymore. If it wasn't for Dean's sister Figgy, Roman would have already walked away. He thought about the beauty that lingered too often on his mind. Long, curly, reddish blonde hair and a pair of big, beautiful, ice blue eyes. If it wasn't for her, Roman would have been long gone and never visited Dean again. Dean was no longer his friend but for now Roman pretended that he was.
Outside in the darkness Figgy was moving down the street towards Dean's house. She had done it again. This was the third time her brother had asked for help. Help she didn't want to give but she had done it because of what would happen if she said no. Tonight had been way worse than the first two times. She hadn't thought it would get to that.
Tears were streaming down her face when she finally reached his door. He still had the nice house despite having money trouble that no one but she knew about. She knew that no good brother would ask of his sister what he had done but she still did it. He needed help. And he unfortunately was way too good with the guilt tripping. She opened the door and walked into the house.
"Dean?" Figgy called.
"In here!" Dean called back.
She moved towards the light in the living room while hugging herself. She felt worse for each step she took. She stepped into the living room and was surprised to find Roman there as well.
"Did you get it done?" Dean asked.
Figgy nodded and turned her back to Roman. She didn't want him to see her like that. She was a mess and he didn't need to know anything about what was going on. Roman dropped his eyes down her body and felt bad for her. There was blood on her shorts.
"I hate being that guy but I think you got your period," Roman said.
Figgy ignored Roman and looked at Dean with a pleading look in her eyes. She needed her brother to send Roman away and tell her this was it. This was the last time he needed her help. As always he was oblivious to the pain he had caused or he simply didn't care. She wasn't sure which one it was. Maybe both. She started shaking. She couldn't control it.
"Figgy, are you alright?" Roman asked.
"I don't feel so good," Figgy said.
"Do you need help?" Roman asked.
"Dean, please!" Figgy pleaded.
"I got something to calm you down," Dean said.
Dean got up from his seat and grabbed Figgy's arm. He dragged her out of the living room, down the hall, and into the bathroom. Roman got a sinking feeling in his stomach. Something wasn't right. He got up and followed soundlessly down the hall.
"No, Dean. I don't want that," Figgy said.
"It'll help you. I promise," Dean said.
Roman pushed the bathroom door open and his jaw dropped at what he saw. Figgy was pressing herself up against the wall in an attempt to get away from Dean. Dean had pushed her sleeve up and held on to her arm with one hand while holding a syringe in the other. Roman flew in and grabbed the syringe out of Dean's hand.
"What the fuck are you doing? What the fuck is in this thing?" Roman asked.
"Give it back! It's expensive!" Dean shouted.
In that moment Roman finally realized what was wrong with Dean. Drugs. He didn't care what type of drugs but he was not going to allow Dean to get Figgy addicted to it too. Roman threw the syringe into the wall and it broke.
"No!" Dean screamed.
Dean fell to his knees and looked at the mess on the floor to see if he could salvage it.
"You fucking ruined my heroin!" Dean screamed.
Roman grabbed Figgy and pulled her out of the bathroom. They were gone before Dean even turned his head to notice it. They hurried out of the house and into Roman's car, and Roman quickly drove them both away from there.
"Do you still live in the same apartment?" He asked.
"Yes," she answered.
He nodded and drove back to her place. He didn't live in this state but he wasn't about to go back to his hotel room after what he had just experienced. He parked the car and followed her up the stairs to her one bedroom apartment on the second floor.
"Do you need some help?" He asked.
"I'm taking a shower," she said.
"Do you need me to run out for some period products?" He asked.
She turned around in the bathroom doorway and grabbed the door with one hand.
"I'm not on my period, Roman. Something happened that made me bleed," she said.
"I don't understand," he said. "What happened?"
"Use your imagination," she said.
She closed the door and locked it. He suddenly couldn't breathe when he realized what she had just said.
"No," he whispered.
He walked over to the door and knocked on it. She didn't answer but he knew she heard him.
"Figgy?" He called. "Who did it to you?"
"Leave me alone!" She screamed.
Her scream slashed his soul. That was how it felt. He had never felt a pain that deep before from something he wasn't even part of. He was hurting for her. He placed his hands on the doorframe and concentrated on breathing while staring at the door. The water started running on the other side, and so did his tears. Something bad had happened to Figgy tonight and she came to her brother for help who instead tried to shoot her up with herion.
He stepped away from the door and moved over to her bed. He sat down on the bed and removed his boots. He kept looking at the door but she was taking a long shower. He lay down on the bed and looked up in the ceiling. He would be there when she was ready to come out. She was not going through this alone. He yawned and closed his eyes. He would be there.