I Would Have

Falling Like the Stars

Song for this Chapter-
Falling Like the Stars- James Arthur

"And I need you to know that we're falling so fast
We're falling like the stars
Falling in love
And I'm not scared to say those words, with you, I'm safe
We're falling like the stars
Falling in love"

*Isadora*

She was down and out for the count with the flu, and so was he. He'd spent the last few days, him and Tyson both, babying her, until they both had fallen sick themselves. They'd taken turns distributing meds, but for the most part hadn't left his bed except to be sick. Isadora was still in denial after reading him her therapy. He could never love someone as f-cked up as she was. There was just no way.

And yet the way he babied her through taking her meds, the pills and the liquids, said otherwise. She was a nightmare about taking liquid medicine, having to be medicated like a cat, with Tyson sitting on her and holding her nose closed while Ryot forced the syringe into her mouth and pushed the plunger. She always looked at them with seething hatred until the medication started to kick in, and she became snuggly and needy once more.

They'd made it through that, and she'd missed a few days of work from being so under the weather, but they'd weathered the storm nonetheless. She was shocked when Ryot had went to work still sick, and came home angry as all get out.

"Move." He said, dropping his lunchbox on the coffee table and going straight to the cabinet where he kept his handguns. Isadora jumps to fight or flight, grabbing his arm.
"No. Talk to me." He shook her off.

"Sh-t day. Got into it with the boss. Don't want to deal with this sh-t anymore. Everyone would be better if I was gone." He slurs. Her heart sinks. He was plastered. She guides him to the couch, where he immediately stands and went for the bathroom.

"I'm serious Isadora. Find somewhere to go. Please don't make me get mean and that be the last memory you have of me." He tells her. She shakes her head.

"No. You've seen me through my darkest, I'm getting you through yours." She tells him stubbornly. He slams the bathroom door on her, leaving her to quietly put his water bottles in his lunchbox in the fridge. She moves it to the table so Kallie doesn't get into it, and sits, waiting for him to come out. She gives him half an hour, and when he doesn't make a sound, gets worried.

She knocks on the door quietly, before cracking it. He's lying on the floor, curled into a ball. "Oh, baby." She sits behind him, lifting his head into her lap. "I can't fight them for you, but I can sit with you in the dark." She tells him quietly. He nods, letting her play with his hair.

She hums to him, hoping to settle him. "Come on, peach. Let's move to the couch. You don't have to talk. I won't say anything. Let's just move to the couch, and sit." She offers. He nods, standing unsteadily.

Instead of going to the couch, he heads for the shoe rack, kicking off his work boots and swapping them for his riding boots.
"No! Ryot, no. You've had far too much to drink." She says. He shrugs.

"Doesn't matter. The kids will get the money when I die." He goes into the garage, getting his sport bike out.
"Take care of Izzy and Kallie for me." Is all he says as he throws his leg over the bike. "You're a good person, Isadora. I love you, dearly." He starts the bike before roaring out of the subdivision, gunning it as soon as he hits the road.

Terrified, Isadora goes inside and calls Tyson. "Ryot just left on his bike. No helmet. He's not in a good spot, I don't know what to do." She panics. He sighs, she can almost see him waking up.

"Do you need me over there?" He asks her. "I know how he gets. Are you afraid he will hurt you?" She sighs.

"I trust him with my life, but right now he is scaring me. I don't know what to do." Tears begin to stream down her cheeks as she cries. Her anxiety was threatening to boil over. She could feel the attack brewing. On Tyson's end, she hears the sound of keys.
"I'll be there in five." He says. Outside, she hears Ryot slowly pull back up.
"Wait." She tells Tyson. The front door opens, and Ryot steps in, visibly shaken. He makes a beeline for the chair, where he sits.