Addiction [Rick Grimes]

Chapter 8

Rick sat alone in his almost empty apartment. Besides a table and chairs, his living space looked almost exactly like it did the day he came to view the apartment. He sat at the dining table, his mind a fog. It had been four days since Gabriella was released from the hospital and yet, the empty Vicodin bottle lay on his table.

He had taken it from Gabriella's bedside table as she slept. How could she have gone through thirty pills in 4 days? He knew she had been in a lot of pain the first two days of being released, but now she was seemingly going about her everyday life with only a twinge.

He tried to rationalise that maybe she had an accident with them, dropped a few down the sink, or maybe she had been sick moments after taking some and had to take the dose again.

He knew there was no point making excuses up, he had to ask her himself. He was already going to try and subtly discuss the amount of alcohol she had been drinking lately, but he didn't want to upset her, but if she was drinking and taking an excessive amount of pills, he had a huge cause for concern.

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It was a little over two weeks until Christmas Day, it was one of Gabriella's favourite time of the year.  That was until this year. She didn't want to plan parties, get dressed up, or take part in the usual traditions.

She had no one to spend the holidays with, Shane was gone, and she wouldn't have been able to stand having him around anyway. Rick, Lori and Carl were going to try to have a normal Christmas for Carls sake. She didn't have the energy to plan and fly to see her parents and she didn't believe she would be good company even if she did.

She was alone with an almost empty liquor cabinet and a new prescription.

The combination of alcohol and medication had become the perfect concoction to allow her to sleep through the night without dreams. The medication dazed her enough during the day so she didn't have images of Shane screwing someone else.

The downside, she hadn't cleaned her home since she last saw Rick two days ago. She hadn't eaten, she hadn't washed, she was slouched on the couch wearing the same pyjamas from two nights prior.

She sighed and drank her wine straight from the bottle. It wasn't even an hour later before she passed out on the couch.

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Gabriella was startled awake when her doorbell rang, she wasn't expecting anyone, so initially she ignored it. Her head throbbed and her throat burned. She worried if she moved she would vomit.

She groaned out loud when her doorbell rang again and again, she pushed herself into a sitting position, hiccuping and almost vomiting before she set forth to the door.

She opened the door, "what do you- Shane? What are you doing here?"

"Baby," he began, "I need you back, I'm so sorry. Can I come in please? Can we talk?" He begged, his eyes were red and puffy and he had shaven his head completely. He almost looked a different man.

Gabriella shook her head slowly, "you hurt me Shane, you really hurt me," she sniffed, wiping away a stray tear, "please leave."

She attempted to shut the door, but he held it open, "I know, and I'm sorry. I need you back. I will do anything for your forgiveness. Anything."