Kickdrum Beating in My Chest Again (Alternate Version)

Chapter 51

Chapter 51

*******Trigger Warning for Drug Use and Graphic Violence*******

Andy and Patrick are still watching The Price Is Right game show. The host just cracked a pretty funny joke, and Patrick is currently laughing his ass off. The drugs must make things funnier, Andy guesses. It's good to hear Patrick laugh and see him smile. He's been through so much recently that it's nice to see that he hasn't lost his sense of humor. He's still holding Andy's hand while they watch. The next game is Plinko, where they guess the prices of some products and they win tokens they use to win money. The contestant currently has three tokens and is working on getting a fourth and fifth. They manage to guess one of the prices right and the other wrong, so they end up with four tokens. Now they had the person climb to the top of the Plinko board, hold one of their tokens and drop it down. The token goes through what kind of looks like a pinball machine until it gets to the bottom and goes into a slot with a dollar amount. The first token gets the contestant five-hundred dollars. The second token gets eight-hundred dollars. The third token gets them zero, and the fourth gets them two-hundred dollars. The contestant won a total of fifteen-hundred dollars. Patrick seems very excited for the contestant.

This is a side of Patrick that Andy rarely sees. He's mostly dealt with work Patrick, who is very serious about being a doctor and taking care of and advocating for his patients. He would joke around with the staff sometimes, but he was pretty laser-focused on doing his job. Andy and Meredith have thrown a few parties over the years. There were a few where Patrick was happy-drunk like he is now. This version of Patrick was always so much fun! He'd let his guard down and lose his inhibitions enough to where you could really see how amazing of a person he really was. He cared so much about everyone else but himself. When Patrick was at work, that was to be expected. He would always have a wall up protecting his emotions and other parts of himself so that he could objectively do his job. It is just a shame that eventually, this will all end when he is recovered and released back into the general population. The man that walked into his office a few days ago, was so different from the man that Andy had known. The Patrick he is seeing right now is much closer to the real Patrick than the man that walked into his office was. Andy is still shocked how six days could change a person so much. Prisoner Patrick was a lot tougher and was constantly looking over his shoulder. Prison will do that to someone. Andy had no idea because he's never done time and doesn't know what it's like. From what Patrick told him, it sounded awful. Andy still feels guilty for putting him in this position in the first place.

Andy didn't realize how long he had been thinking in his head until Patrick snapped his fingers in front of his face.

"Where did you go, Andy?" Patrick asks.

"I was just thinking about how I've only seen this laid-back side of you a few times. That's all. Actually, I need to say this, and I really want you to hear me, ok? I'm sorry for putting you in a position where all these terrible things have happened to you. I wish I could do something about it, but I can't. I know I'm not the one that did all these horrible things, but you are my friend and I want you to know that this isn't easy for me either. It's killing me to see you in this state or to read about all the things that have happened to you. I just want you to know that I'm struggling with this too. Ok?" Andy says.

"I appreciate that, Andy. It's not your fault that others have preyed upon me. Yes, you put me in this situation, but I don't think you had any idea how bad this would be. I forgive you. You should also know that even if I'm stuck here for the next five years or however long it ends up being, I don't blame you. You are doing your job, it's just that in this case, it's much harder for you. I understand." Patrick responds, still slurring his words and talking slowly because of the drugs.