"Your Still The One?" A Liam Fanfic Sequel to "Nobody Compares" by EB

Chapter 20

                        Its late and I hear the door downstairs open, footsteps coming up the stairs and I stand on my feet as I turn the light on. It catches him off guard as he blocks his face at the splendor. 

            "Where were you? I have been worried sick. I almost begged your mom to take me around town to see if I could find you."

            "I went out just for a while"

            "A while? Its dark outside, you left around the afternoon" I say and I notice his eyes are darker his gaze is lost somewhere in space. His eyes are bloodshot and a strong smell of alcohol oozes from him. 

            "You went drinking didn't you?" I shake my head in disbelief and I cross my arms in front of me. Because part of me knew this would happen but it chose to refuse that it would.

            "Darlyn .. I" he says taking two steps forward but he stumbles.

            "Don't " I flinch as he tries to touch me with his hands.

            "Liam you promised you wouldn't go drinking like this"

            "I'm sorry" he shouts.

            "Actions are better than words, Liam." I snap as I roll my eyes and let my arms fall to my side. Angry tears of disappointment prick my eyes but I don't want to argue. I want to understand the broken man in front of me.  I walk towards him as he sits on the edge of the bed. My hands travel through his hair and lifting his head.

            "I know"  his hands wrap around my wrist. I look at him and he looks completely lost. Like a little boy when he can't find his parents in the market full of strangers.

            "Come, you really need warm shower we can't talk about this later" I say as my hands move down to find the hem of his shirt. He brings his arms up making it easier to remove. His toned muscles flex with the movement and I hold my hand out for him to take.  I start the warm running water and I let him take his shower.  As I close the door behind me, my eyes shut close with my back to the door.  Will his ghosts from the past always come back?.

            By the time Liam is done with his shower I am back with two cups of tea and some Tylenol. His hair is wet from the shower and his sweatpants hang low from his hips. He seems much more relax and better now, still drunk but at least he is here now. He lays in bed on his back and his hand travel to his face opening and closing his eyes shifting.

            "Drink it, it will make you feel better" I say as I hand him his cup of tea and Tylenol.

            "Your going to take care of me now?" he groans.

            "Is that so wrong? I don't want to see you like this. Never" I snap

            "It should be the other way around. Me, taking care of you. You know." he says and his eyes meet mine.

            "How can you? If you keep going back to this"  I point out his obvious state of inebriation.  He stays quiet and after his done with his tea, I take the cup away from him and place it on the nightstand. When I look back at him his eyes are merely closing drifting away from our conversation. I hate to see his eyes get darker as they close.

            I kiss his forehead and cover him with a blanket. I want to shelter him I want him to know that I will be there for him just like every time before. It makes me sick to my stomach to see him drink his pain away. Suddenly the thought turns my stomach and I find myself running towards the bathroom. I pull my head back and I feel much better. No, this is not your fault. I remind myself.