Just as I Begin to Fade

Forty. Something's Wrong

"Well, maybe I should just kill myself, so you don't have to worry about it, that would make you so happy wouldn't it?"

"Stevie, no it wouldn't. I love you to death. I'm just telling you you have a problem. It's my fault and I know that, but we're not going to get anywhere if you don't let somebody help you," he came forward, trying to talk to her closely so that their thirteen year old wouldn't hear.

"You think I would want your help?" she scoffed and shoved him away.

"For the sake of our daughter, I didn't think it would matter. Let me take you to the rehab---they're ready for you there. I got you a fake name; Sara Anderson, nobody will know it's you... Just please go, for Gwen's sake. She misses you. She never has anything positive to say when she comes to my house anymore and that should change."

"Screw the both of you, I'm not changing my lifestyle just for the two of you."

"I am not asking you to change for me. I am asking you to save yourself for Gwen," he clarified. "Stevie, you're sick and you need help."

"You are too and so do you. I'm not going to listen to you lecture me, when you have a whole set of your own problems."

"I admit, I have my problems. You can at least fix yours. I'm going to always have to live with regret for what I did to you, Stevie, I'm truly sorry for what I did."

She breathed a little heavier than usual only because she was angry and becoming worn out with the amount of drugs in her system.

"I know that there's not a chance in hell that we'll ever get together again, but just know that I never stopped loving you. Even though I did unspeakable things to you."

"I love you too, Andre, you were my first love. But you made an error that I will never be able to forgive."

He nodded.

"But I also hate you because you were able to stop with this," she claimed. "You stopped your problems and I can't," she immediately started crying.

"Stevie," he kind of pulled her into himself. "Let me take you to the rehab, please," he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

The blonde laid awake in bed for a moment, remembering that she slept with Andre that day, before she allowed him to take her to Betty Ford the next morning.

She shook her head and then started to pull herself out of bed, glancing over at Lindsey before slipping out of the room with her robe. She then traveled towards the kitchen in order to pick up her phone and she dialed Gwen's new house.

"Hello?"

She was stumped only because the male voice that picked up didn't really seem familiar. "Derek?" she creased a brow.

"No, Bobby... Who's calling, sorry?" the sleepy kid asked.

"Oh, um... Is Gwen there? This is her mom."

"She's asleep. Did you want me to wake her?"

"No, it's not that important... Just tell her that I called and I'd like for her to call me back when she can."

"Yeah, absolutely," he assured enthusiastically.

"I wasn't paying attention to the time," she brought a hand to her head, realizing it was four in the morning.

"That's okay," he chuckled. "I'll have her call you. Any time or...?"

"Any time, really. I just want to talk to her about some things."