Let the Record Show

Dennis has a Breakdown

The Incident

10:09 P.M.

Dennis and Mac's Apartment

Silence swelled in the room. "Mac, I fucking love you," echoing in everyone's minds as the seconds ticked by. Dennis's panting the only noise filling the void. As his head came down from that high, Dennis's mind caught up with his words.

Mac, I fucking love you. Dennis opened his eyes, realization settling.

Mac, Mac is staring at him. Tender brown eyes struggling to register the words. I fucking love you.

There is no time to bask in the afterglow; no moment to enjoy any of tonight's debauchery. It's official— Dennis has ruined it. Forever tainted the memory as something shameful (and not in the fun, sexy kind of shame he was originally intending). He's ruined it like a homicide ruins a home's resale value. Dennis can feel his heart pounding and vision going red as his mind reels with what has been uttered. And the worst part is, he's not sure who he is furious at.

Himself, certainly. Love? Mac? No, no, no... that was a slip of the tongue. Muttering nonsense in the heat of the moment. Overwhelmed, projecting onto the nearest person in view. His mind so caught up in the lust he was delirious. A confession coerced from the deep recesses of his mind. Worked raw and vulnerable from—

Charlie, who sent him over that edge. It was Charlie, after all, who drove Dennis to such a state he was rambling insanities into his sheets. Charlie, who ignited Dennis with his coarse hands and unrelenting grip. Charlie, the one person Dennis would have refused to ever have sex with if it wasn't for—

Science Bitch, the smug bastard. Him, with his coy smile and limber frame. The way he so easily seduced them with his 'good person' act. The way he captivated Dennis by his ability to cause an unraveling in Charlie's sexuality. How open and eager he was to accept Charlie in all his filth. Dennis wanted that. He didn't want—

Mac. Fucking Mac. Eyes soft and... and... vulnerable. Looking at Dennis now as though he understood. Well, he fucking doesn't understand! Mac doesn't understand anything about Dennis Reynolds, let alone how he feels!

Dennis's panting grew from hazy euphoria to abrupt panic. Then, descends into a blistering rage.

"Dennis?" Mac's voice is cautious as he searched Dennis's blue eyes peeking above the comforter.

Dennis reels in his temper just enough to growl out: "Get him out of here."

There's a hesitancy to comply as Charlie and Science Bitch stare. Charlie is still holding Dennis with an arm wrapped around his waist and his free hand tentatively placed on his back. Dennis unexpectedly hates the touch. Loathes Charlie daring to touch him.

"Get him out of here!" Dennis begins thrashing against his bindings, struggling in vain to buck Charlie off of him. "Get him the fuck out of here!"

Dennis is screaming, trying desperately to lash out and break free. Hands are suddenly on his wrists, attempting to undo the knots and calm him down. He doesn't want that! He wants Mac gone! Another room, another planet! Anywhere as long as it's far away from Dennis.

"Dennis stop! You'll hurt yourself!" Doc struggles with the knots around his wrists, but with the kicking and screaming he can't manage to undo them. He instead reaches down to stop Dennis's thrashing. To look him in the eyes and beg him to quit before he's injured.

Out of instinct, he places a hand over Dennis's mouth to silence him. A severe mistake.

Doc's cry startles Charlie as he pulls his hand away, cradling it with a hissed: "Mother-fucker!"