Destructive Healing (Part 2)

Chapter Five

Elijah's POV

I was sitting at the end of my bed, my elbows on my knees, my hands clasped in front of me, the light off.

Jane was in the kitchen yelling at Jeremy and I could hear the tears in her voice.

Harlen was laying on the couch, passed out so hard, I was pretty sure a grenade could go off and she would sleep through it.

It was 3am.

After a few more minutes, I let out a sigh and I stood up.  I wasn't going to sleep tonight, so might as well go talk to Jane.

I walked into the kitchen slowly, my hands in my pockets, my heart heavy,

Jane had a finger pointed at Jeremy, tears falling down her face and Jeremy looked so ashamed, so broken. 

"...her!  You messed her up!  Look at her, Jeremy!  What if we can't bring her back from this!  You should have told us!  You should have just come forward and been truthful about everything and you didn't, so now we get to watch her disintegrate in front of us!"

I felt tears burn my eyes and decided to just turn around.  I walked into the living room and took her in.  We put a light blanket on her and took her shoes off.  Andrew told me what was going to happen when she woke up.  She would be confused then she would get a very bad headache.  Her hangover will hit her and then she'll start getting angry.  She will say and do anything to get alcohol and drugs, but we can't let her manipulate us.  She's going to try being nice and then she's going to get really really mean, but we can't hold it against her.  She doesn't know what she's doing or saying.

I leaned down next to her head and pushed her hair back, my hands shaking.  She felt so cold.  I just wanted to pull her into my arms and hold her until it was all over and we could be us again.  "Hey, darling," I whispered, my voice thick.  "Things are about to get really really tough for us, but I think we can handle it.  I shouldn't have left your side.  I made you a promise and I thought this was better, but it wasn't...It wasn't and I am so sorry.  Harlen, I love you so very much.  I know you don't believe that right now, I know you think I lied to you because you were weak, but it's not true.  I am in love with you and I will always be in love with you.  You are my best friend and the strongest person I have ever met in my entire life and I am sorry.  I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"What do you need me to do?"

I looked up, to see Jane, wiping her eyes as she walked in to see me.  My eyes fell behind her to see Jeremy sitting at the table, head in hands.  "Um..." I started, turning back to her.  "We're going to need to take shifts so one of us is awake when she wakes up."

"I'll go first," she said with determination.  "Just let me use the bathroom first."

I watched as she stalked off to the bathroom and I turned to Jeremy.  I placed a kiss on Harlen's forehead and headed over to talk to him.

He glanced up and sighed before looking back down and shaking his head.  "Is it your turn again?"

I sat in my chair and shook my head.  "No, I'm too tired to yell anymore.  What you did was fucked up, but...you believed, for some reason, that you were doing good for her.  You were trying to help."

He looked up, tears in his eyes.  "I'm sorry, Elijah, I'm sorry.  I should have told you when she came to me, but I thought...I thought that if I could just control it-" he gasped.

I shook my head.  "I think, quite possibly, I might have done the same thing in your position.  I'm not angry at you anymore, Jeremy, but you have to understand that Harlen might just hate you for a while and Jane?  She will forgive you in time, she just needs to come to the same realization as me."