Jack

I looked down at the spill I had made on the floor and shrugged it off, turning back to kick the door closed with a wink at Josh who stood behind it, who I had been pulling out of a kiss with mere moments before.

'I can see that, Jack.' Alex said dryly, tilting his head to look at the extent of the vodka.

'Don't worry about it, it's just like water.' I said, taking a gulp. The room spun and I sighed contentedly.

'No, it looks and tastes like water. It's sticky when it dries on the floor.' Alex replied, standing up and leaving the blanket he had been cocooned in on the couch. 'But, that's the least of my problems now.'

'I'm not fixing your boner.' I said quickly, taking a step back, again while taking long drags of the alcoholic beverage in my hands.

'I don't have a boner. I need you to sober up - now.' Alex ambled towards me and I threw my keys onto the bench, hearing them land with a loud clatter, sliding across the polished wood and landing on the floor.

'Well done.' Alex commented.

'That's no fun, you trying to fix my buzz.'

'Yeah? I have something important to tell you and it isn't going to be said while you're drunk.'

'Wait for the morning then.' I whined, trying to take another drink but finding the bottle to be empty. I placed it on the counter and turned to see Alex closer than he was before.

'No. Shower.' Alex tried to force me down the hall to the bathroom, but I struggled against him, using my slightly taller height to my advantage. Alex, being stockier than me, was able to more easily wrestle me down the hallway.

What hadn't occurred to him though, was getting me into the shower, turning the water on and keeping me in there long enough for the chill to wake me up. Once we reached the bathroom, Alex locked the door and left me to my own devices while he prepared the shower. Finding the door handle, I toyed with the lock, trying to get the tumblers to turn and the door to swing open easily. It had taken me several minutes to unlock the front door though, even with Josh's help, and I had ingested more of the addictive alcohol since then.

I heard the water come on with a squeak and had Alex's arms around my waist as he swung me around towards the shower.

'In you go.'

'No way.' I said, holding my arms out either side of the entrance. 'It's too cold.'

Alex suddenly swung me around the other way, stepping in the shower himself. He gasped as the icy water hit his back, his hold tightening involuntarily. Taken by surprise, I couldn't gain my footing or do anything to stop him from pulling me inside. The liquid attacked my face as he stuck my head under the water.

'Hey!' I yelled, accidentally swallowing the water. I shivered, goosebumps showing up on my flesh. 'Why didn't you just stick me out in the snow, huh?'

'It's not snowing. Did you do drugs too? I've told you before this guy is not good for you. Why won't you listen?'

'I haven't taken drugs, idiot! It's so cold it could be snowing.' I wriggled around, desperately trying to get out, and within a few minutes I felt my buzz fade. 'Thanks a lot, jerk.' I spat, finally resting, letting him hold me there. He kicked open the door and assited me to the ground, namely by throwing me. As I hit the ground with a thud, he turned the water off and grabbed a towel, stripping off, and winding the towel around his waist.

'I'll expect to see you in the lounge room in five minutes.'

Childishly, I rolled my eyes at him, yanking the remaining towel off the rack and peeling my leather jacket off, before removing the rest of my clothes. I walked nude to my bedroom, not caring if he was looking. I dumped my wet clothes onto the floor beside my bed, making a mental note to put them in the wash later. Changing into a simple shirt and jeans combination, I picked up the sopping clothes and towel, walked past Alex in the lounge room, and did so.

'You know, I said lounge room, not laundry.'

'I had to clean my clothes after you unceremoniously showered me.'

'After you unceremoniously got drunk off your ass.' Alex retorted, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorframe as I retrieved the washing powder and dumping some in.

'That's neither here nor there,' I replied, pressing the start button and listening to it start up.

'Well it is a big here or there. Especially to May.' Alex said, his temper flaring.

'So you've been talking to May, huh? Why does she care about me? She hasn't seemed to before.'

'I am over this, Jack!' Alex yelled. 'She went back to America because your dad died.' Alex gasped and clapped his hands over his mouth, eyes wide.

'Dad what? He had another month or two!'

Alex shook his head slowly. 'Two hours after touchdown.'

As much as I hated this man who was my father, as much as I hated the situation I was in now because of him, I felt the knife of guilt plunge into my stomach. Tears sprung to my eyes, and my breathing picked up speed, heading towards hyperventilating. Alex held his arms out and I rushed into him, not caring that he broke my heart, or screwed my sister. I didn't care that I'd been a jerk to him and ripped his heart out too, and stamped on it, laughing. What did matter is he was here now, to comfort me. No matter what, we would support each other. It's just the way we worked.

Alex smoothed my hair and made shush-ing noises designed to calm me down.

'May also wanted me to tell you that before your dad died, he said he loved you.'

'Really?' I blubbered.

'Yeah.' I straightened up, wiping away the tears.

'Was this the important thing you had to tell me?'

Alex nodded, trying to giving me a reassuring smile.

'I'm just going to...' I jerked my thumb towards my bedroom. Alex nodded again.

'I'll bring you in a tea, if you want to.'

'Nah, I'll be fine.'

Notes

Title cred: Say Please - Tonight Alive
c0l0urfultears