‹ Prequel: Masterpiece Theater
Status: Sequel to Masterpiece Theater. Go back and read it if you haven't or you will be lost.

Sound Effects and Overdramatics

I Was An Island

My body did not enjoy the flight. As soon as we got through baggage claim, I was throwing up in the bathroom. I couldn't control it and every time Brian looked at me, worry and questions in his eyes, I looked away. I didn't want to answer him.

Not until I knew for sure.

He'd parked the Jeep at the car park. I didn't have to tell him not to go to the house. He was just as worried about Jason as I was.

The car was still moving when I jumped out and hurled myself through the sliding door of my mother's house.

"Jason!" I screamed, stopping just long enough to notice there was no one around. I started off down the hall. "Jason Thomas Reed!"

He stumbled out of the bedroom and leaned against the wall, pale and soaked in sweat, some semblance of a smile on his face.

My chest loosened as my body flooded with relief. I threw my arms around him and almost knocked him over. I felt his arms go around me with barely any strength to hug me back.

"What the hell happened?" I asked when I finally pulled away. I followed him into the bedroom, Brian coming in behind me.

"Please tell me you're here to take me home." He managed, looking to both of us with desperation.

"Of course we are. No way in hell are you staying here. We're gonna get you home and cleaned up and then we'll..." I stopped mid-sentence and threw a side glance at Brian. "Talk." I finished quietly.

He chuckled. "Talk, huh? 'Bout what? My treatment?"

"Jason..." I started, filling with guilt.

Brian and I had talked on the plane. We both agreed that Jason needed help, but also needed to be away from Monica. I was pretty sure he was only agreeing for my benefit, but it didn't matter.

Jason needed to be sober. If he didn't stop now, I wasn't sure he was going to see Christmas.

Easter was just around the corner.

"Laurel, nice of you to stop by." Monica greeted, none too happy.

"I just came to get Jason. He isn't staying here."

"I'm afraid he is. He doesn't have a choice."

"What the fuck does that mean?"

"If your brother leaves my care, he goes to jail."

My fists curled at my sides. I wanted to lunge at her. I knew it was too easy. I had false hope that I would be able to get in and out with my brother without a fight. I should have known better.

"Jail? For what? Being an addict isn't a crime. Possession is illegal. Dealing is illegal. Being addicted to drugs is not." Brian spoke up for me.

"That may be true, Mr. Haner, but he was already released on bail, thanks to you, and showed up at your friend's with fresh track Marks. Not to mention his own agreement to being treated in my home. There's also sufficient proof of prostitution I convinced the judge not to charge him with. If he leaves, it all goes out the window."

She said it all with a smirk, as if she had won. And maybe for now she had, but not for long.

"Lor, I'm sorry." Jason managed before collapsing onto the bed.

Ignoring Monica, I knelt down in front of him and grabbed his hands. "Look at me," I demanded. He lifted his eyes a fraction.

My heart shattered at what I saw. His eyes weren't just bloodshot from the detox and being awake for over thirty-six hours.

They were completely dead.

It wouldn't matter what I said to him, or Ian, or Luce, or Brian. He was resigned to his fate. There was no fight left in him.

My vision blurred. I pulled him to me and let the tears fall into his hair. My body shook as I sobbed.

"I'm sorry." I choked out, unable to say anything else.

Jason pulled away first. "You do what you gotta do, Laurel, okay? I did this. I'll do my best to fix it. But I don't need you spending all your time worrying. Go home. Get settled in. Go see Ali and Christian and the baby. I'll call later."

"Jason-"

"Please." He snapped. He closed his eyes and took a breath. "I need you to leave. I don't want you to be here for this. Please."

How could I deny his request? I'd let him down so many times. I was never there when he needed me to be. I could do this one thing for him.

So, after another hug, Brian helped me stand and walked me past Monica and out to the Jeep.

I heard Brian talking and the faint hum of the local rock station. Trees and mailboxes gave way to cars and storefronts, but I didn't process any of it.

When we got to Ali's, they were outside on the porch. Kai and Christian were throwing a football. Ali was rocking with Peyton sitting up in her lap. The whole picture was just too fucking surreal.

I walked past all of them without a word. I heard Brian muttering behind me. I didn't care what he was saying. I climbed the stairs to my room and laid down on top of the blankets on the bed.

Sometime later, I woke up. The room was darker and a blanket had been thrown over me. When I rolled over, Brian was laying next to me, his breathing deep and even. I leaned in to peck his lips and his eyes opened.

"Hi." He greeted softly.

"Hi yourself."

"You okay?"

"Honestly? No. But I can't do anything about it."

Before he could give me some false cheer, I plowed forward. "Why aren't you back at the house? I figured you'd wanna hook up with the guys."

"I'm gonna see them tomorrow. Right now, I'm worried about you." He sat up and leaned against the headboard, pulling me up so that I was laying against his chest. He held my hands and nuzzled my neck, placing a kiss there before setting his chin on top of my shoulder.

"If you don't want to tell me what's wrong, that's okay. I know it's more than just Jason. I just hope you know that whatever it is, we can get through it. Okay?"

Here was another man whose heart was breaking because of me, with a third down the hall. I'd kept so many secrets, so many people away, and it did no good.

Brian's question weighed heavily on me. He hadn't brought it up, but I knew the look in his eyes as well as he knew the one in my own.

He was terrified that he was going to lose me. Again.

"I'm here for the duration. In case you were wondering. I'm not going anywhere."

I felt the relief leave him in a breath. I tilted my head to look at him and he kissed me hard on the mouth.

Before I could take a chance to enjoy it, my stomach rolled. I pushed out of his arms towards the bathroom. Of course, nothing came up as I bent over the toilet. Not even stomach acid.

I needed to eat and actually keep it down.

Brian was gone from the bedroom when I came back. I took a tank top and a pair of lounge pants from my dresser and began to change.

"Sexy." He told me with a smile when I was standing only in my panties. He was holding a tray loaded with soup and a couple pieces of crusty bread.

I took the tray and leaned in to kiss him. "So are you."

We sat on the edge of the bed. I put my black tank top on before taking a piece of bread in my hands. Methodically, I broke pieces off and chewed, swallowing each bite individually.

"Where are you at right now?" He asked me, his hand rubbing circles between my shoulders.

I swallowed and sighed. "I don't want you distracted from work. You guys are almost done recording. We needed this trip. I'm glad we went."

"But?"

"I'm gonna stay here. Just for a few days. We can start moving my stuff back to your place this weekend."

He ground his teeth together. I knew he was thinking about Kai being here. We still hadn't made any progress on that front. If Michelle still lived with him, I'd still be wary too, but it was different because he didn't see her everyday. It was pointless to argue with him about it.

"Please, Brian. Just a week."

He nodded. "Okay. You eat. I'm gonna go smoke."

I kissed him and watched him go. I really wasn't hungry, but I had to choke something down. I couldn't go back to sleep until I did.

Even if I tried, I wasn't sure I'd be able too. There was too much to think about, things I had to get done without Brian. A week was plenty of time.