Quiet Backstage: A Series of Lippa Oneshots

Crystal // Stippa

Schuyler03

**Alcoholic tendencies**

If Steven played the piano as often as he drank, he could be the next Beethoven (or someone relatively close). He never got mean when he drank; it wasn't like he'd ever hurt her, but he had hurt his career. He'd been laid off his past two movies because he was caught drinking on the job, and/or showing up to set drunk. The whole problem started the night his father died. It was simply an emotional indulgence then, but it had now spiraled into something dangerous.

She had forced him into AA meetings once or twice, and he did go, but ended up dropping out about week two or three, solely because he couldn't handle it.

Now, it wasn't under the influence when he got angry. It was during the withdrawal periods that he got mean. When he went cold turkey on the whole thing, and his body was craving for the one thing it couldn't have, was when he got mean.

"Y'know, none of this would've happened if you never came into my life!" He shouted towards Pippa one night after he had realized that all the whiskey had been replaced with apple juice, and that all the red wine became red wine vinegar.

"I'm just trying to help you!" Pippa cried back. "Steven, you have a problem, just accept it already!" She rarely got this emotional during his sober outbursts like this one. There was just something about this one that was different.

"What's your definition of "helping", because this sure doesn't seem like what I think it is!" Steven yelled, grabbing a coat from the hanger by the door. Without a word, he left, slamming the door to the apartment.

~~~~~

"Hello?" Pippa asked as her phone rang, putting a stopper in her dramatic Hallmark movie binge. That channel was definitely a guilty pleasure of her's. "Lin?" She asked, confused as to why her director for the new musical she was in was calling her so late.

"Phillipa, listen to me closely." Lin took a deep breath. "Steven's in the hospital."

The phone fell straight from Pippa's hand. She picked it back up, thanking the Lord that it wasn't cracked, but she was still panicked. "Where is he?" She demanded an answer.

~~~~~

"Where is he?!" She exclaimed again, entering the hospital waiting room, and instantly spotting Lin.

"Love," A receptionist stopped Pippa from running any closer to Lin. "Who is it that you are looking for?"

"My boyfriend. Pasquale. Steven Pasquale. Where is he?!" Pippa tried to push past the nice lady, but she stopped her. Tears poured down Pippa's cheeks.

"Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to calm down. Take a few deep breaths with me. There you go. Now, I can look him up, what is his name again, Love?" She returned to her desk.

"S-Steven Pasquale." Pippa's breaths shook as the receptionist typed away on her keyboard, and studied the computer screen for a moment.

"Yes, we have him here. Room 213. I can talk to a doctor, if--"

"May I please go see him? Please?! I'm begging you!"

"Let me page a doctor." The receptionist smiled sympathetically and did to go page the doctor.

Mere seconds later, Pippa was led t room 213, and she was staring at her boyfriend. She barely recognized him. He was laying on the bed, pale as a sheet of paper, eyes shut, wires hooked up to him in every which direction. Pippa glanced at the white board by the bed.

Alcohol poisoning.

Pippa took in a shaky and tearful breath as she approached Steven. "I love you so much." She whispered, tears hitting the crisp bedsheets. Pippa leaned in to kiss his cheek, but right before her lips touched his skin, an ear piercing, yet now constant beep emitted from the machine beside her.