Althea Bookes's Story

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Althea finally replied. Confusion crossed Darrin's features as he looked at the message. He stared at the message for a long time, almost as if he was trying to will her to send him a message that he could read. However, one never came. He sighed after a few moments had passed. He decided to wait until he'd finished his cigarette before trying again. He didn't understand what was going on. He knew that something was wrong. It frustrated him that Althea was not messaging him back.

Althea?
Please talk to me.
You're worrying me.

He sent the message as he rose out of the bed and headed over to the closet. If she didn't message him back he was going to head out and look for her. He'd already made up his mind and there was little that could change his mind. Darrin slowly changed out of his pajamas, getting into a simple outfit. He then put his glasses on and grabbed his phone once again.

Still nothing from Althea. He typed furiously on his phone, soon sending another message to her.

Althea! If you don't answer me I'm coming out looking for you.

Darrin sighed, sitting down once again. He was trying to remain calm though was finding it rather difficult. Althea meant the world to him and he would never forgive himself if something happened to her. A few more minutes passed with no reply from her. Suddenly, not able to handle it any longer, Darrin got back up and headed through the house. He unlocked his phone as he walked, and quickly brought up Althea's number, dialing out to it. He placed the phone up to his ear, hoping that she would answer.

He allowed it to ring as he got into his car, putting the keys into the ignition. He turned the car on, slowly pulling out of the driveway. He knew that he likely should have left a note for his Mother in the case that she woke up to find him gone but he didn't have time to worry about that. His main concern was Althea.

Althea had found Rona, however, as soon as she did, her phone was buzzing. The music was so loud in the background she knew she wasn't going to hear whoever was on the other end if she answered. Pulling her phone from her pocket to see who it was, she managed to read Darrin's name. She had to answer. Sliding the answer button and putting the phone to her ear, she tucked her whiskey bottle under her other arm and used her other hand to plug her opposite ear.

"Darrin?" She answered on the phone, not realizing that she had shouted it to compensate for the loudness of the music. However, she couldn't hear anything from the other end. In a desperate attempt to get the hell away from Peter, she decided just to tell Darrin over the phone to get her. "Come, please, get me." She slurred drunkenly into the phone. She wasn't even sure if he was there anymore, but she tried.

"I'm at Rona's house. It's two streets behind my Ma's house. You know. Rosebush Circle or something is her street." She slurred even more. That's when her eyes set on Peter. His cheek was bright red, but he seemed over it. He was approaching her. Althea moved the phone from her ear, not hanging up just yet.

"Leave me the fuck alone Peter." She snarled at him when he was just a foot in front of her. It was then that Rona turned around to see what was going on. "Althea! What is wrong with you?! He's a guest!" It was then that Althea hung up the phone, and took a big sip of her whiskey while she looked at the both of them. She was furious that her own best friend let this asshole show up. She knew what had happened between them. "I just want to talk to you, Althea. About what had happened back then."

Althea was enraged. There was no way that she wanted to talk about this. Not now. Not at all. Especially while she was this messed up.

Finally, after what had seemed like forever, Althea answered the phone. He could hear music playing in the background and it had to be loud on her end. "Darrin?" Althea shouted and caused Darrin to pull the phone a bit away from his ear. "Thae?" He replied, trying to make sure that she could hear him. A moment later Althea's voice came over again. "Come, please, get me."

He could hear the slurring in her voice. "I'm at Rona's house. It's two streets behind my Ma's house. You know. Rosebush Circle or something is her street." He supposed that it wouldn't be that hard to find the place. It bothered him that shew wanted to leave. However, he would find out soon enough what was going on. He'd been about to hang up when Althea's voice sounded again. "Leave me the fuck alone Peter." And then another woman's voice sounded. "Althea! What is wrong with you?! He's a guest!"

Darrin began in the direction of Althea's old house. He decided that was the best place to start. As he drove, Darrin couldn't help but play the last few sentences that he'd heard before Althea's phone had been hung up. Whatever was going on, it hadn't sounded good. He sighed as he continued along the road. It had been a long time since he'd gone that way. He was..surprised that he still remembered the way so easily.

The drive seemed to go by quite fast and soon enough he'd found the street that he was supposed to be looking for. It was easy to see which house was Rona's. The music coming from the home was loud even as Darrin brought his car to a stop, parking. He got out, locking the door, and then began walking towards the home. For once, he was not worried about anyone recognizing him. He didn't care. The only thing he cared about in that moment was finding Althea and making sure that she was okay.

He reached the door, opening it and then going into the home. He ignored everything around him, his eyes searching out for Althea. He didn't see her right away and so kept pushing his way through the home. He walked through the home for some time before he was about to call her again. However, he'd found himself in a hall, a man clearly all over a woman. A woman who's outfit was exactly what Althea had been wearing before she'd left earlier that day.

Darrin said nothing, making his way to the couple. He could hear her voice and he knew that it was his friend. Darrin moved then, making his way to them. He stopped just behind the man, gripping him by the collar roughly. Darrin pulled the man off of Althea, forcing himself between the two of them. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" He found himself saying, his eyes locked onto the man. He then glanced back at Althea, as if trying to make sure that she was okay. He then turned his attention back to the man. He couldn't stand the thought of the man being so close to the woman behind him. He still held feelings for her and even though he was refusing to allow himself that close to her..that didn't mean that he was okay with someone else being there.

"I don't want to fucking talk about it!" She snarled at him, but his response was to push her gently up against a wall, cornering her. She tried as hard as she could to push him off of her, but he wouldn't have it. His arms were against the wall at the level of her head. Still having the bottle of whiskey, she took a few more sips of it, ignoring all of the words that seemed to be pouring out of his mouth. She was too drunk for this. She was too mad that her best friend had left her like this.

She hoped, and prayed that Darrin would be here soon. She was clearly upset, angry, and drunk. This went on for what felt like an eternity. However, all of a sudden, Peter was gripping her jaw forcing Althea to look at him."Althea, have you heard anything I said?" He snarled at her and Althea ripped herself out of his grip. She rubbed her now sore jaw in response. "No. And I don't care." She started, taking another sip of her whiskey. At this point, it was almost gone and so was she. "Now get the fuck away from me!" She yelled at him, drawing the attention of a few people nearby.

His response was to move his head closer to her neck and kiss upon it. In response, she tried to hit him with her bottle of whiskey, but he grabbed her wrists, pinning them. Squirming angrily, Peter wouldn't let go of her. This was not even anywhere similar to the man she remembered either. She didn't know who this man was. All of a sudden, he was torn away from her, and another person was in front of her. Althea's entire world was spinning too much for her to even notice who it was. She finished her whiskey even though she knew she should have stopped a while ago.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" The voice she knew all too well. However, her entire weight was supported by the wall now, and no longer some asshole. She slid down the wall drunkenly, the empty bottle clattering to the floor beside her. "What the fuck is your problem man? Butt out!"He had snarled back at Darrin, shoving him in Althea's direction angrily. It was then that Rona had come over. "Hey! Let go of him! Who the hell are you anyways?" She didn't recognize the man at first, but at a closer, blurred glance she knew exactly who it was. Darrin Reed. "Althea..." The woman pushed passed Darrin and knelt on the floor in front of her best friend. "Let's get you out of here, sweetheart." She had shouted over the music and helped Althea stand.

Althea didn't want to go with Rona, though. Instead, she reached out and grabbed onto the first part of Darrin that she could reach. She managed to get a hold of his jacket near one of his shoulders. Pulling him towards her, she tucked her face and head into his back. "Please." She begged. She just wanted to leave, that's it. Everything was happening in such a blur, the entire world was spinning and she was starting to feel sick. There was a moment where she felt really lightheaded and almost sober. Except that moment went away when all of a sudden she dropped like a weight, clinging onto Darrin still for support.

Trying to steady herself, she heard Rona in the background like a distant voice. "Peter. You said you would leave her alone." The woman said as she shooed him off to a different room away from what had become a scene. "Darrin, right?"She turned her attention to Darrin and Althea.

"What the fuck is your problem man? Butt out!" The man said, shoving him in Althea's direction. Darrin caught himself, not moving too awfully far back. He'd been about to speak when the woman's voice from earlier sounded. "Hey! Let go of him! Who the hell are you anyways?" Darrin ignored her words, his focus only on the man that had been all over Althea. The woman pushed past him, moving to Althea to help her stand.

A second later, a hand had taken hold of his jacket, near his shoulder. He wasn't sure how he knew..but it was Althea. He allowed her to pull him towards her though he kept watching the man. He didn't trust him and he didn't want to be caught unawares. Suddenly, Althea had tucked her face and head into his back. "Please." Darrin sighed silently, turning to Althea as she was suddenly clinging to him. He was quick to slide a arm about her waist so that she would not fall. His gaze was on her now, watching her with slight worry.

"Peter. You said you would leave her alone." Althea's friend said before shooing Peter away from them. So..that was Althea's ex. It certainly explained why they'd been arguing when he'd been on the phone with her earlier. She turned her attention to them then, speaking. "Darrin, right?" Darrin was silent for a moment, his eyes gazing at her for a second before answering. "Yea. And you would be..Rona?" He asked her, then turning his gaze back to Althea.

It was all too clear to him that she was drunk. "Althea?" He said, looking down at her. Concern was written all over his face. He had no idea what all had happened before he'd arrived but he wanted to find out. "So what happened?" He asked Rona though he was still watching Althea.

He waited long enough for Althea's friend to speak before Darrin moved slowly, leading Althea to stand against the wall. He hoped that it would help her feel a bit better. He stayed close to her though would have allowed her to leave his side if she wished it. "Thae? You need to focus. Are you okay?" He was beginning to worry about her. He didn't care that her friend was still with them..didn't care at how holding her still would appear. He just simply couldn't let her go. He'd been so worried for her when he'd found her. His face was close to Althea's as he watched her for her response. He hoped that Peter hadn't done any lasting damage.

"Yea. And you would be..Rona?" Darrin had spoke, and Rona nodded in response. She glanced at Althea and frowned a little. She didn't realize how much damage she did to her best friend. Forgetting that Althea was much smaller than she was, forcing her to do all of those drinks wasn't the smartest idea she had. However, she couldn't blame herself too much since she was just as hammered and had been drinking well before Althea had even showed up. Rona glanced around them, making sure that the attention was off of them. This situation was clearly not over.

"Althea?" The sound of his voice stirred her a little. Althea was leaning on him with a good amount of her bodyweight. When he had moved her so that he had an arm around her, Althea tucked her head into the crook of his neck and closed her eyes. One of her hands moved to grab on to his shoulder and rest there in response to him calling out her name. She hiccupped a little and her hand dug into his shoulder in response to her body.

"So what happened?" Darrin had asked Rona, and she turned her attention back to the man. "Well, after the limo brought us back here, we wandered around greeting people. I had allowed Peter to come because he was practically begging me. However, it was on the condition that he would leave Althea alone. Clearly, that went south. I'm not sure what happened after he said he wanted to talk to her... I had to attend to some other business, so it wasn't until I saw you at his throat that I knew something was up." The woman spoke to him, talking loud enough that he could hear her, but anyone nearby wouldn't be able to over the music. After a moment, there was a loud crashing sound and she turned her attention back to Darrin.

"I should really go see what that was. Tell Althea tomorrow that I'm really happy she came. Isaac would have really appreciated her presence too. It was nice to finally meet you, hearing about you wasn't enough!"She spoke as she referred to her brother, a small frown at her lips before she disappeared into the crowd to follow the loud sound.

At the feeling of Darrin moving, Althea felt her back against a surface that felt a lot more sturdy. She leaned her head back against it, eyes still closed. "Thae? You need to focus. Are you okay?" The sound of his voice made her eyes open a little and try to find him. She could feel him holding her for extra support, and in response her hands moved up to rest on the back of his neck. She lifted her head, letting her forehead gently fall against his. She knew he was waiting for a response, but it was so hard for her to form thoughts, let alone words. "As ever." She whispered.

It was then that she let her subconscious take over. Every feeling in her that had been buried and dying to surface finally made its way into control. One of her hands tangled in his hair at the back of his head and she pushed her forehead against his softly. Tilting her head a little, she moved close enough that their lips just barely brushed. She waited a moment, hoping he wouldn't pull away. She may have been extremely drunk, and borderline blackout, but what she was doing and feeling at this moment was anything far from unreal.

Althea was finally looking at him and Darrin was glad. The woman moved her hands to rest upon the back of his neck and then lifted her head so that their foreheads were resting together. "As ever." She replied, her voice no more than a whisper. Darrin suddenly realized how close they were. There had been a time when he wouldn't have even thought about it. However, since the other night..it made him nervous though he hid it well. He allowed his eyes to watch Althea closely as one of her hands found its way into his hair, tangling at the back of his head. It was then that Althea pushed her forehead gently against his. And he allowed it. He didn't know what she was doing but he enjoyed their closeness.

She then tilted her head a bit, moving closer so that their lips barely brushed. Darrin knew that he should not allow it to continue. More because she was drunk and he didn't want to take advantage of her. But, also because he'd caused such a fight about them acting so. However, Darrin found that he could not hold back. He gently moved his free hand to the back of Althea's neck, pulling her lips much closer to his own.

Darrin allowed his eyes to slide closed as he deepened the kiss. He cared for her deeply and it was so hard to keep those feelings buried. The arm that had been holding Althea up had tightened, pulling her body closer to his own. He was unsure of how long he allowed himself to remain locked with her before he pulled back slightly, their foreheads still touching. He wanted nothing more than to kiss her again..but he needed to get her home.

She was going to have another hangover and it would do her good to get to bed. "Come on, Thae. Let's get you to bed." He said softly, pulling away from her so that he could lead her out to the car. He didn't know what he was going to do if she brought up the kiss later. He would cross that bridge when he came to it.

He gently took hold of her waist once again, moving, helping her through the home. It took them a bit longer than it normally would have to reach the car. Darrin helped Althea into the vehicle and then moved around, getting behind the wheel. He buckled up and then made sure that Althea had done the same. He then started the car, heading back to the house.

The drive seemed to go quickly, and before he knew it, Darrin was helping the woman out and into the house. He was glad to find that his Mother hadn't woken up. Darrin helped Althea up the stairs and into her room. Making the way to the bed, Darrin helped her to sit. He stood rather close to her, gently helping her to remove her shoes. "You need to get some rest, Thae. It's getting late." He said, getting ready to leave her for the night. However, his eyes locked onto her once again. She was killing him. Not being able to have her..it was torture. Though, he could not complain. She was his best friend and he didn't want to ruin what they had..yet, at the same time he wondered how things would be if they truly crossed that barrier.

When he pulled her closer, Althea couldn't help but to slip her arms around his neck all the way. He kissed her intensely, and she couldn't help but to melt inside. Even if she was completely drunk and obliterated, she knew that by the way he held her that her feelings for him must have been matched. However, the thought that she was drunk in the situation made Althea believe that it was the alcohol in her that was feeling this. He pulled back a little, their foreheads still together.

Darrin said something that she couldn't quite interpret, but it was all of a sudden that she felt his arm around her waist guiding her out of the home. Before she could consciously figure out where she was, she found herself inside of a car. Althea wasn't sure how she managed to buckle her seat belt once she was in Darrin's car, but she did. Her thoughts lingered on her car, and how she would have to get it soon. As the thought disappeared, Althea pulled her legs up as she moved onto her side, facing Darrin. She opened her eyes for a brief moment when she felt him get into the car, and she smiled up at him. The thought of their kiss still fresh on her mind.

When they got back, she didn't move at first, she was feeling extremely sick from the car ride. However, soon enough Darrin was helping her into the house and into her room. All of a sudden, she felt the mattress underneath her, knowing that she was sitting on her bed. She felt Darrin pull off her shoes, and he said something that she wasn't able to comprehend. Something about sleep. She had been struggling all night to keep her eyes open.

She had been unable to make sense of the thoughts running through her head. There was one thing, however, that she was more than capable of thinking of. That was Darrin. She forced her eyes open to see him crouched in front of her. He had come for her. Biting her lip as a small smile tugged at her lips, she looked at Darrin.

Sliding down off of the bed, and sitting down in front of him, she rested her head against the mattress. On her way down, she wrapped her arms back around his neck. He had been fairly close to her when she was on the bed, and it made her slide down to his level a little bit easier. In her head, it made much more sense and seemed much easier than what had actually happened. When she had slid down, it was far from graceful. However, she smiled at him wider this time as she sat in front of him, still holding onto Darrin. She mouthed a thank you, unable to actually voice her words.

Her mind was swirling with everything that had happened that evening, the life celebration, the mental state of her best friend, Peter, and then Darrin showing up. Everything was something that bothered her inside... except for Darrin. Darrin's face at the party was the most relieving sight during the whole night. Not to mention the kids that they had shared. However, there was no way she was going to bring it up tomorrow. She knew that. Especially after how things had gone the last time.

Pushing all of the jargon that was going on in her head away, Althea decided to focus on the moment at hand. She knew he was going to leave to retreat to his room. Yet for some reason, she didn't want that. She knew why, but she knew she was taking a shot in the dark. Deciding to go against all reasoning, she moved her hand into his hair and gripped it.

Tugging him to her, she pressed her lips against his. Her free hand moved to slide along the side of his neck, her nails gently digging in to the soft skin below his ear.

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Althea slid off of the bed so that she was sitting in front of him. She'd managed to wrap her arms around his neck. Her descent had not been graceful thought that was to be expected considering her current state. Althea was smiling at him, mouthing a thank you. Darrin smiled at her as he replied. "You're welcome." He had been planning on returning to his room, having gotten Althea to her own. However, just as he'd been getting ready to help her back into the bed, Althea's hand moved into his hair, gripping it once again. Something told him that he should move, should get her to bed. But, he just couldn't force himself to do so. Not with her so close to him.

Not a moment later, Althea was tugging Darrin to her, pressing her lips against his once again. Darrin had not expected her to do so..remaining frozen for a moment. He was at a loss. He wanted nothing more than to kiss her again but at the same time he knew that it would be best if they didn't continue down this road. However, her free hand suddenly moved, sliding along the side of his neck and her nails were gently digging into the skin below his ear.

Darrin reacted then, returning her kiss with equal fervor. He slid one arm around Althea's waist and then his free hand was quick to move to the back of her neck, as he'd done earlier. He didn't know why he couldn't stop. There was just something about Althea that seemed to draw him to her. It had always been that way. Darrin knew that when they got up in the morning..if either of them brought up the kiss, that he would not be able to deny it any longer.

He was just...so frightened of screwing things up with her. After what had happened with Hannah, Darrin had lost nearly all confidence that he'd had in himself. Not that he'd tell Althea that. As the kiss continued, Darrin allowed his hands to move, roaming over her form much as he'd done the night they'd gone out together. He just couldn't seem to get enough of her. Yet, there was that ever present nagging in the back of his mind.

Pushing it away, Darrin allowed the kisses to continue. He suspected that they would not share any more kisses after these. He'd ruined any chance that he had at that the other morning. But, that didn't mean that he couldn't enjoy these for a while longer.

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Althea's mind seemed to finally quiet as Darrin returned her kiss. The feeling of his hands around her felt like fire. She broke their kiss for just a moment, inhaling a small breath before she moved her mouth again. She gently bit down on his lower lip, tugging delicately. His hands roaming on her figure felt like explosions of tiny fireworks through her entire being. "Darrin." She whispered as her grip loosened on his hair, her hand fell from his neck, sliding down to hold onto his arm. She brushed her nose against his, landing a light peck on his mouth before she took another breath in. His warmth and closeness was intoxicating. She didn't dare think about what would happen the next morning, she didn't dare think about it at all. She vowed to herself that she just wouldn't bring it up. If he brought it up, it would be different. However, the last time she brought it up things ended rather abruptly and terribly. The only driving factor that made Althea want to simply enjoy their moment before morning.

Without hesitation, she moved forward so that she was no longer supported by the side of the bed. As she did so, her forehead met his again. "Darrin." She whispered against his mouth, her breath scented with whiskey. She didn't want him to leave, but she knew it was best for them. Best for the situation. Yet it pained her heart to think of letting him leave. Both of her hands rested on his shoulders, however, distractions caught the best of her then, and she found herself tracing her finger down his shirt and along his collar bone. She moved so that she was on her knees, and so that her head rested in the crook of his neck. She traced her finger up and down his collar bone a few times before it traveled over to the other one. A few moments passed like that, until she rested just the tips of her fingers in the small space just above where the collar bone poked out.

Tilting her head upward, she kissed along his neck. She started near the neckline of his shirt, moving up towards his ear in slow rhythmic motions. when she reached his ear, her hand that was resting on his collar bone made its way back up to the other side of his neck. She slid her fingers up to the lobe of his ear and tugged gently. She kissed along his jaw the same way she had on his neck, before she rested her head back down on his shoulder, her forehead nuzzled into his neck. It was then that she moved so that she had landed in his lap, and she closed her eyes once again. Don't go. Is what she meant to say, but what came out was something completely different. "Play your music." It was all that she whispered, and it was completely out of context. Althea then loosened her grip on his ear lobe, and moved to grip onto his jacket once again. A subtle sign that she didn't want him to leave her.

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Althea moved, no longer supported by the bed. Her forehead met with his own as she whispered against his mouth. "Darrin." He could smell the whiskey on her breath. Her hands had come to rest on his shoulders and soon enough she was tracing her finger down his shirt and along his collar bone. He watched as she moved so that she was on his knees, her head resting in the crook of his neck. Darrin slid both of his arms around the woman, keeping her close to him. Althea continued to trace her finger a few more times as she'd begun doing a moment earlier before she stopped the movement.

Darrin felt Althea move her head, suddenly kissing along his neck. He tilted his head, providing her with better access, and closed his eyes. He allowed her to continue as she wished to, enjoying the feeling of her lips upon his skin. She moved with purpose and soon she was kissing along his jaw in the same fashion as she'd done his neck. When she stopped, Althea laid her head upon his shoulder. Darrin opened his eyes just as she moved, landing in his lap.

He kept his arms around her, not wanting to let her go just yet. Though, he knew that he needed to. "Play your music." She said and Darrin eyed her curiously. He wondered if she'd heard his conversation earlier with Kris. This was the second time that day that she'd mentioned him playing. He tried not to dwell on it. At least for now. Althea had taken to holding onto his jacket again and Darrin realized that she was wanting him to stay. "Thae, lets get you to bed. I'll stay with you if that's what you want." He said quietly. She needed to rest and if that meant he had to stay with her to make sure that she did so, then so be it.

He moved, helping her up and then helped her into the bed once again. Darrin then made his way to the other side, removing a few items of clothing until he had on only his shirt and pants. He then got into the bed, moving so that he was laying close to his friend. His arm found its way around her waist, keeping her near. Darrin settled, his face coming to rest near Althea's neck. "Get some rest. You need it after all that drinking you did." He said with a small smile on his face.

Darrin closed his eyes, trying to will himself to relax. However, he was finding it rather hard. All he could think about was what had happened between them....again. He really should have never given in the first time..but now that he had, it was like a dam had broken. He wanted nothing more than to tell her how he felt but Darrin knew that he couldn't. If she didn't return his feelings..he doubted that he'd be able to handle it.

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The following morning, Darrin slept in later than usual. Having stayed up so late likely attributed to that. When he did finally wake, he remained laying fairly still for a bit longer, his eyes closed. He then moved so that he was laying upon his back. Slowly, he opened his eyes. He ran a hand over his face before slowly sitting up. Honestly, he felt like shit. Like he'd not gotten any rest at all. He sighed softly before turning his gaze to the space beside of him.

Althea was still there with him. Nervousness suddenly overtook his being though he did not show it. "Good morning." He said, his eyes resting on her. "How are you feeling?" He still wanted to ask her about why she'd been at Rona's..why she'd stayed there for so long when she'd told him that she would be back later in the evening. However, they first needed to get past speaking for the first time since the night before. He wondered if she remembered what had happened and if she did..would she bring it up?

Rest. She needed a lot of rest. And if she didn't go to sleep soon, she was going to be sick. She knew that for sure. Althea had fallen asleep fairly easily after Darrin had gotten her back into the bed and managed to climb in with her. She was thankful for that, even when she wasn't really able to voice much of it. As they laid there, Althea fell asleep rather quickly. However, it was nearly impossible for her to stay asleep. Tossing and turning, no matter how much she tried to get comfortable she couldn't. She'd either start dreaming about Peter, or Isaac, or Rona, and she would wake up. She would use her time with Darrin as a tool to try and fall back asleep but it only seemed to work half of the time.

It was early when she woke up for good, and Darrin was still asleep beside her. She had managed to get up at one point and find some water and ibuprofen in the bathroom. She had taken a couple and brought water back with her to the bed. However, while she was in the process of trying to numb the abnormally large earthquake in her head, she had stopped in front of the mirror. It was mostly habit after a long night of drinking to see the damages. It was then that she saw the little red mark on her neck.

She pulled some of her hair over her neck, knowing that her hair would only hide it for so long. She knew it wasn't from Darrin. She knew exactly who it was from. Althea had surprisingly remembered every bit of last night. As she replayed the night in her head, she remembered how Peter had gripped her jaw. Looking closer in the mirror, she saw a small bruise on the right side of her jaw line. It was maybe the size of a thumb print.

Raising her hand to touch her fingers lightly over the mark, she felt a little bit of soreness. Frowning, she looked down at her wrists. Both wrists had spots of light bruising. Had he actually grabbed her that hard? Part of her couldn't believe it. Especially because Peter wasn't that kind of person. Or at least that's what she thought. Inhaling a deep breath and letting it out just a moment after, Althea made eye contact with her reflection. She regretting not inviting Darrin last night, all of this would have been avoided. Except she didn't expect Peter to be there. She didn't expect Peter to act that way either. It was very unlike him.

When she had gone back into the bedroom with her water, she was quick about setting it down and changing out of her dress. She made sure to change into a long sleeve shirt, which was a little conspicuous given that it was summer. She pulled on shorts along with the shirt then climbed back into bed.

It must have been an hour at least when she heard Darrin stir. As he moved onto his back, she forced herself to roll onto her side towards him. However, this only covered the hickey on her neck, leaving the bruise vulnerable for him to notice. She hoped he wouldn't, she didn't want to talk about it. However, she would talk about it over what had happened between the two of them.

"Good morning." It was then that Darrin looked at her, and she tried as hard as she could to stay relaxed and calm. "How are you feeling?" He asked her and she smiled at him sweetly. "I was up a little while ago and took some ibuprofen. So I'm alright. Could be a little better though." She said as she propped her head up with her arm that rested on her pillow. "Thank you for picking me up last night, I really appreciate it." She said, still smiling. Her mind traveled back to how she needed to get her car at some point. And pick up her work stuff, which she had completely forgotten about. However, her thoughts didn't come through her expression as she remained calm.

"I was up a little while ago and took some ibuprofen. So I'm alright. Could be a little better though." Althea replied. Darrin watched her as she propped her head up with her arm. "Thank you for picking me up last night, I really appreciate it." He smiled at her, trying to relax. "You're welcome. You know that I'd do anything for you." He said honestly. He knew that given his past transgression against her likely would not make his statement believable. However, he meant the words. With Hannah out of the picture he was not going to abandon Althea as he'd done all those years ago.

She was still smiling and Darrin allowed his eyes to move over her. It was then that he noticed the bruise that was upon her jaw. Concern suddenly appeared upon his face as he moved his face closer to Althea's. He was no longer concerned about the kisses they'd shared the night before, the bruise that he was seeing now taking his full attention. Gently, Darrin lifted a hand, carefully cupping her face in such a way that he was not bothering the spot.

"Did he do this to you?" He asked her quietly. If Peter had done that to Althea, who was to say that he'd not done anything else to her. He was silent for a moment, allowing Althea to answer him. Only after she had did he speak again. "Are there any others?" He hated that he'd not been there to take care of her. That Peter had gotten to her as he had.

He was quiet, no longer looking at Althea's beautiful face but at what she was wearing. It was early summer and so there was no reason for her to be wearing the long sleeves that she'd donned. Without saying a word, Darrin took hold of her upper forearm, pulling it gently but firmly towards him. He then pushed the sleeve up far enough that he could see what she was clearly trying to hide.

The bruising on her wrist did not appear too bad but just the fact that it was there did not sit well with Darrin. Gently, his thumb running across the bruise on her wrist. "You need to put something on them. I'll be back." He got up off of the bed and headed out into the hall. Then, down the stairs and into the kitchen. He moved quickly, barely noting that his Mother and children were not downstairs yet. He fixed together a mixture of vinegar and warm water and then headed back up to Althea's room.

He entered and then took a seat in front of her. He then took the washcloth that he'd grabbed and dipped it into the mixture and then applied it to the bruise that was on her jaw. Darrin held it there, intent upon allowing it to do its work. "It'll help with the healing. We use this all of the time when we're on tour." His touch was gentle, afraid that he would cause her pain otherwise. "So, are you going to tell me why you were even there last night? I thought that you said that you were going to come back."

"You're welcome. You know that I'd do anything for you." He had said to her, and she knew they he meant it without a doubt. Whatever had happened between them that caused them to stop talking was something she couldn't change anymore, and she wasn't going to hold it against him. He didn't deserve that. She nodded in response, and started to play with a strand of hair, using the hand that wasn't holding her head up.

She looked up for a quick glance, but froze when she saw the way he was looking at her. He moved closer to him, and Althea chose not to shy from him. She knew he'd found the bruise on her jaw. It was only a matter of time before he had noticed. She felt him cup her face, and she let him. "Did he do this to you?" It was then that Althea shied away a little bit. She turned her head gently to break her face free from his hand, however, she put her hand over his as if to imply it wasn't anything against him. "It was an accident." She whispered, knowing it wasn't very good defense. However, the bruise on her jaw was mostly her fault, since she did yank her head away from Peter.

"Are there any others?" Well there's just a hickey, you know. She thought to herself, but decided to go against saying anything. It was then that he took her wrist, and she let him. He pushed up her sleeve and found the bruises. His thumb ran across the bruise and she flinched a little. Not at the touch, but at the memory that was associated with it. She wasn't sure why she had, because she knew that she was okay, and she was fine. But for some reason it just wouldn't settle. "You need to put something on them. I'll be back. Her attention turned to him, watching him leave the room.

When he returned, he sat on the edge of the bed in front of her. Moving to sit up, she looked at what he'd brought up. He took a washcloth and dipped it into the concoction before he applied it to her jaw. He was gentle about it as he held it there, and she smiled at him softly. She smiled simply because of the way he was taking care of her, the way he cared. Her thoughts touched on the way that they had kissed last night, and she lowered her eyes in order to stop herself from blushing. "It'll help with the healing. We use this all of the time when we're on tour." He had said and she blinked a few times. She couldn't help but notice how he'd said it in present tense. The thought made her happy.

"So, are you going to tell me why you were even there last night? I thought that you said you were going to come back." It was at that moment that Althea realized she needed to come clean, at least, enough for her explanation to be true. She swallowed a little, fiddling with her fingernails as she sat.

"Rona's brother died a few years ago, and Rona was the one that found him. Every year her family has a life celebration for him where we all ride around in a limo and then go back to the house and party." She started, her eyes flicking up at him to catch his expression. "You were invited, but I didn't think it would be a good idea to bring you... you know, out with a bunch of people, around funerals... I don't know." She went on as she looked at him. She dropped her eyes again as she paused, looking at her nails as she fiddled with them.

"I wasn't planning on drinking, but... Rona just has a way of convincing you to do something." She said softly, licking her lips a little. "So I was planning on coming back. I didn't want to drink, but when I saw Peter, I wanted to drink." She muttered as her eyes moved up to look at him again. She figured she would wait to explain what had happened between her and Peter, thinking it was best to not bring it up unless he asked. However, she knew he probably would.

Darrin continued to keep the cloth against the bruise that was on Althea's jaw as she spoke. "Rona's brother died a few years ago, and Rona was the one that found him. Every year her family has a life celebration for him where we all ride around in a limo and then go back to the house and party." Darrin remained silent as he listened to her, his eyes focused on the bruise that he was working on. "You were invited, but I didn't think it would be a good idea to bring you... you know, out with a bunch of people, around funerals... I don't know."

He smiled at her, hoping that she would understand that he didn't mind that she'd not told him about it nor asked him to go. "I wasn't planning on drinking, but... Rona just has a way of convincing you to do something. So I was planning on coming back. I didn't want to drink, but when I saw Peter, I wanted to drink." Darrin finally moved the cloth from Althea's jaw, dipping it again but moving to her wrist. He treated it in the same way, watching her wrist as he soaked it.

"I'm sorry about your friend." He said softly as he continued to treat her wrist. "What happened between you and Peter?" He asked her, moving to look at her other wrist. He found it in much the same condition as the other. While he waited for her to speak, he began treating it as well. He was silent as he waited for her to speak, tenderly dabbing and soaking her wrist.

After she'd spoken, Darrin shook his head. "I'd just stay away from him. He's nothing but an asshole. You don't deserve to be treated that way. I don't care if you think it was an accident or not." He said quietly, his eyes finally meeting Althea's. Finishing with her wrist, Darrin sat the bowl and washcloth on the nightstand. He then took her face in his hands, his eyes searching hers. "You're my best friend, Thae. And I can't watch you being treated so. Next time, I can't promise that I won't beat the shit out of him."

And he meant it. Darrin had been about to pull away from Althea when he spotted a red mark one her neck. He moved her hair out of the way, his eyes locking onto the spot. For some reason, seeing the hickey that Peter had quite obviously given Althea caused Darrin to feel a surge of jealousy. He was silent, gently running a finger over it. He knew that Althea likely hadn't wanted it..hadn't enjoyed the other man's touch. He wanted to make her forget that it had ever happened.

Gently, he pulled her closer to him. He suspected that Althea remembered all of the night before and so he did something that he normally wouldn't have done. He lowered his head, hip lips meeting the reddened skin of her neck. The kiss lingered, Darrin testing Althea's reaction. Only once he was sure that she wasn't about to beat him for acting in such a way did he become a bit bolder. Darrin slowly made a trail up her neck, each kiss lingering.

Darrin was trying not to think about what he was doing. He feared that if he did...he'd freeze..stop. His trail continued along her jaw for a moment longer before he returned to the mark that Peter had left on her. He didn't care that the other man had been the one to originally leave it. He would make sure that Althea didn't think about him when she saw it. He began gently kissing the spot, sucking on it a bit so as the hickey would become a bit deeper in color. He would not cause it to become too bad. A few moment passed in this way before Darrin pulled away from her skin, allowing his forehead to rest against her own..his eyes closed. He felt the urge to kiss her though waited. He needed to make sure that Althea was not angry at him for his actions.

"I'm sorry about your friend." She didn't respond at this, in fact, it was the last thing she wanted to talk about. It had been some time since the event happened, but it was still so fresh in her mind. "What happened between you and Peter?" He moved onto her other wrist then, and she didn't speak at first. Her mind wandered back to how everything had happened, how he'd come on to her and held her against the wall. How cruel he had been to her. Biting her lip, she watched him dab the mixture onto her wrist.

"I'd just stay away from him. He's nothing but an asshole. You don't deserve to be treated that way. I don't care if you think it was an accident or not." It was then that Althea looked up at him, still biting her wrist. His words struck home, and she couldn't help but to smile at him. "You're my best friend, Thae. And I can't watch you being treated so. Next time, I can't promise that I won't beat the shit out of him" Her first thought was on his last comment. Next time She hoped there never was a 'next time'. She hoped that even if she did encounter Peter again, that it would be on the terms they had before they had even started dating.

She watched his face, knowing that he was being serious. All of a sudden, she noticed his eyes weren't on her anymore. They were on the hickey, and it was like her body knew before she did. The hickey felt like it was burning on her skin. When he moved her hair, she remained still. He was silent as he examined it. However, as he touched his fingers to the mark, Althea's body jolted in response. Except she didn't move away. She let him continue, wondering what exactly he was up to. As he gently pulled her closer to him, she didn't fight what he was up to. Instead, she rather enjoyed that he was pulling her closer.

When he lowered his head, she stiffened a little before she felt his lips touch her skin. At that very moment, every unusual feeling that had been surging through her body seemed to disappear. She tilted her head just a little, giving him more room to work with. Her eyes fell closed and her hands found their way into his hair. As he trailed up her neck, Althea thought she was going to melt right then and there. When he moved along her jaw, Althea's grip in his hair tightened tugging just a little.

He moved back to the mark that Peter had left on her and started to gently kiss the area. She let out a small breath at the feeling, her back arching so that her body moved towards him. As he began sucking, she drew in a small breath and bit her lip, her hands slid from his hair and fell to his shoulders as her body responded to the feeling. After a few moments of the intoxicating feelings coursing through her body and setting her nerves on fire, Darrin moved to rest his forehead against hers.

Her eyes remained closed, and she let them stay like that for some time. After a few moments, she brushed her forehead forward causing their noses to touch. Her entire body was on fire, exploding all the way down to the smallest nerves. This was the first time that something like this was happening and they were both sober. It was actually real. Her hands slid down his chest, and she held her breath for a moment. So badly, she wanted to kiss him. But a part of her felt like it was never going to work, everything was going to fall apart. Their friendship balanced on this moment that they shared. Holding her eyes shut a little tightly, Althea found herself stuck with an extremely hard decision.

She wasn't sure what was the best option. She knew what her mind and her body wanted to do. She knew that feeling all too well. Except she didn't know how he felt. She just knew that he was making her feel better. What if the hickey he gave her over Peter's was to forget Peter's mark on her? What if it was just his way of consoling her and he saw her as nothing more than friends? On a whim, Althea's hand found his cheek and she tilted her face towards him so that their lips were closer and their foreheads were no longer touching.

"Darrin," She whispered, her thumb gently stroking his cheek. Her other hand slid from his shoulder down his arm and into his hand. She let the tips of her fingers trace along the inside of his palm. She wanted to kiss him so badly, but she wanted it to be mutual. She wanted to make damn sure they were on the same page.

They remained close for some time before Althea moved, their noses touching. Darrin enjoyed their closeness and remained unmoving. Her hands moved down his chest and Darrin allowed it. He was glad that she didn't seem angry with him for his actions. It was a relief. To a point. He knew that all he'd ever wanted was the woman before him. Yet, for so long she'd been out of reach. Even now, he couldn't believe that they'd gotten so close so quickly. Althea's hand was soon upon his cheek, her face moving towards his own so that their lips were much closer than they had been.

"Darrin," Althea whispered, her thumb stroking his cheek. Darrin allowed his head to tilt slightly into her touch. A moment later, her free hand had found his own. He was now watching her, as if trying to see what was going on in her mind. He wanted to close the distance between them though found himself hesitating again. Suddenly, Darrin gently allowed one of his hands to find the back of Althea's neck. His gaze was searching as he regarded her.

He knew that they could not continue in this way. One of them needed to make the move. It was clear that Althea was not going to do it. Darrin moved, closing the distance between them, pressing his lips to Althea's. His kiss was gentle and light, allowing the woman to push him away if she did not want it. However, it never came. Darrin then pressed himself slightly closer to Althea, his mouth searching hers.

Relief spread through him as Althea returned his kiss. Darrin was unsure of how long had passed before they finally pulled away from each other. Darrin gazed at her, watching her for a reaction. He still found himself rather nervous. That she would yell at him...would hate him. He suddenly offered her a small smile before he spoke. "We probably need to head down. Mom will be looking for us."

He'd decided not to give the time to speak of what had just happened between them. He rose from the bed, promising her that he'd meet her downstairs. Darrin headed into his room, quickly changing. Once he was ready, Darrin headed down to the kitchen. His Mother was in there, fixing up two plates. He was not surprised that his children had already eaten. They were always up rather early as was his Mother. He took a seat a the dining room table as his Mother set it for Althea and him. A few moments later, they began eating.

---

The day passed by rather quickly. Darrin was glad that Althea had not brought up the kiss earlier. He still wasn't sure exactly what to say to her about it...he didn't fully understand how he was able to move on from Hannah all of a sudden. That evening, Darrin had offered to help his Mother with dinner. They'd spent much of their time moving about the spacious kitchen, working to get the meal ready while the older woman had asked Althea to entertain the kids.

Judith had been happy that Darrin had offered to help and she was certain that it was easy for him to see. However, he never said anything about it. When the meal was ready, Darrin headed to get Althea. "Time to eat." He said softly, smiling. Nichola and Taylor both took off running at the mention of food. Darrin made his way to the dining room, taking a seat across from where Althea would likely sit.

Soon enough the meal had begun and the chatter about the table seemed rather happy. Darrin was even joining in. However, about halfway through the meal, Darrin's phone went off. He pulled it out of his pocket, quickly opening the message that Kris had sent him. He spoke of the others agreeing to meet in order to discuss reuniting the band and that he was going to be in Virginia soon. He also went on to lecture Darrin about how he was letting down their fans. Darrin's face had slowly grown blank as he read the message. When he'd finished, he rose from his seat and simply walked off.

He ignored his Mother's questioning glance and was soon headed up the stairs. He didn't stop until he'd reached the third floor. Darrin unlocked the door, entering. He didn't bother with locking it back. He sighed heavily as he found his oldest guitar. Darrin then took a seat on one of the couches, gently placing his fingers in the proper position. Darrin wanted to loose himself. This was the only way that he knew how to without taking anything. He began playing, closing his eyes as he listened to the soft sounds coming from his guitar. Kris was being a pain in the ass..and Darrin didn't know what to do about it. The other man seemed so intent upon getting the band back together. Darrin just didn't know why he wouldn't just leave him alone.

Darrin's hand found the back of her neck, and Althea unconsciously held her breath. There was hesitation clearly from both sides, and Althea wasn't sure if that meant he was considering it or not. However, she let the moment have its own way. Next thing she knew, he was pressing his lips against hers. It was soft and tender but packed with a million and one emotions. Her eyes slowly shut and she returned the kiss just as lightly. There was a moment during their kiss as if Darrin was testing to see if she wanted to kiss him or not. Something in him must have decided since he moved closer and he kissed her a little harder.

Althea returned the kiss without hesitation, and even though she knew they had been kissing for a good moment, she knew that it wasn't long enough. However, she didn't argue it. And she sure as hell wasn't going to talk about it either. She moved to pull the sleeves of her shirt back down and sat cross-legged. "We probably need to head down. Mom will be looking for us." She noticed the smile he was offering her, and she returned it as she nodded lightly.

Part of her was dying to talk about the whole situation, all of the kissing. However, after how well that went about the last time, she opted against it. When he left to get ready, Althea took the opportunity to put on something a little more appropriate. She donned a nice summer outfit, ignoring the bruises this time around. If Darrin already knew, she didn't think it would be that much of an issue. She met Darrin downstairs, finding that there was already food on the table when she had come down.

---

---

The day had gone by pretty quickly, however, there had been a few things that tugged at the back of her mind for the majority of the day. She was dreading having to retrieve her car. Not to mention her work things, because she wasn't about to enjoy working all over again. But her biggest concern was running into Peter while getting her car. For all she knew, he was still there. However, she kept shoving the thoughts away and went to play hide and seek with the kids when it had come time for dinner to be made. She was more than happy to see Darrin making dinner with his mother. It warmed her to see him coming out of his shell.

It was soon enough when Darrin had called her into the dining room to eat. It was delicious, and Althea was enjoying the table conversation that went along with it. However, Darrin seemed distracted at one point by something on his phone and Althea watched him carefully. His expression seemed to dim for a moment before he rose all of a sudden and walked off. Althea glance from him when he had left the room to Judith. However, instead of following him immediately, Althea decided to finish up what she could on her plate. She had never been able to finish a full meal, and it was something she always felt bad about like she was constantly wasting food.

It wasn't until she felt full that she excused herself and put her dished away before making her way upstairs. She checked his room, her room, and the bathroom before wandering down the hall. She had checked the other rooms and found no trace of him before she went back over to the stairs. There was another flight leading up. An area of the house that she was not yet familiar with. Althea knew Darrin had not come back down, so she decided to head up the stairs.

Immediately she noticed a small door at the end of a hall, and there were faint sounds of a guitar coming from it. She was careful about walking down the hall as she tried to be quiet. When Althea reached the door, she grabbed the handle and turned it slowly. Relief hit her when she noticed it was unlocked. She opened the door slowly in an attempt to not disturb him. She saw him being up here as some sort of progress. It must be, especially if he hadn't been up here since she had gotten here.

She had opened the door just enough to lean against the door frame and watch him play. She dared not move any more than she had to since she didn't want him to stop playing. However, she rested her head against the side of the frame as she watched. A small smile stretched across her face at the sound, and she couldn't help but to close her eyes and sway a little at the sound.

Just the simple motions of strumming his guitar immediately brought Darrin a sense of calm. About halfway through, he opened his to see Althea standing at the door. He did not stop playing, instead watching her for a moment as she seemed to enjoy the music. It had been a very long time since he'd played and even longer since anyone had listened to him. However, Darrin continued. "You know you can come in, right?" He said, raising his voice so that Althea could hear him over the guitar.

After a few more moments, Darrin finished the song. He then gently sat the guitar upon his lap, turning his gaze to Althea once again. He knew that she was likely wondering why he'd left dinner so abruptly. "Kris is pestering the fuck out of me." He said simply. He decided to act as if he didn't suspect her having overheard his conversation with the other man when they'd spoken on the phone.

"Our manager contacted him about performing at some European music festival later in the summer. Well, headlining it actually. So, he's been asking me to get Unfinished Belief back together. I've told him that I want nothing to do with it but he just won't leave me alone." He rose then from his seat, making his way over to the stand that he'd taken the old guitar from earlier. He replaced it and then slowly made his way to Althea, taking a seat next to her.

"I don't get why he won't just leave me alone." He leaned on her a bit, taking comfort in her closeness. It wasn't that he didn't want to get the band back together. It was simply that he just didn't feel like he could be the person that he'd been before Hannah had left. Since Althea had come back into his life, he'd felt better..it was..just a lot to commit to. In all honesty, Darrin missed his friends. He felt horrible for the way he'd treated them before telling them that the band was no more. Even if he wanted to get them back together..he doubted that they would go for it.

And..he couldn't blame them. He'd been an asshole at best and they'd not deserved that. Especially not Kris. Kris...who had saved his life after Darrin had tried to commit suicide. He felt worst about how he'd treated him. If what his friend had said was the truth..then he would be showing up at some point. However, Darrin didn't say anything to Althea about that. He would cross that bridge when the time came.

"You know you can come in, right?" The sound of his voice startled her at first and Althea opened her eyes to find him still playing guitar. It almost appeared as if he only sense that he was there. She didn't hesitate to go into the room now. She walked in and looked around, having never seen the room before she couldn't help but to look at everything that decorated it. She had made her way over to a small two cushioned couch near Darrin as she continued to listen to him play.

He finished the song not too soon after and set the guitar in his lap as he looked at her. She smiled at him as she remained quiet. She wanted to tell him how beautiful the song was, but she didn't want to be the first one to talk for some reason. She bit the side of her bottom lip and ran a hand through her slightly tangled hair. She needed a shower, she noted as she watched him.

"Kris is pestering the fuck out of me." She blinked a few times as she watched him. She figured that was what the conversation entailed when they had spoken on the phone the other day. Not to mention the text he received at dinner that lead him to retreating upstairs. She didn't think he was overreacting, however since he had been through a lot with his wife leaving him. She knew something like that could easily rip dreams away and step on them like small bugs. Althea did believe it would be good for him, and would most definitely get him back on his feet, which was what she wanted for him no doubt.

"Our manager contacted him about performing at some European music festival later in the summer. Well, headlining it actually. So, he's been asking me to get Unfinished Belief back together. I've told him that I want nothing to do with it, but he just won't leave me alone." Europe. The entire idea sounded spectacular, and seemed like something that Darrin could use to get back on his feet. Except, just as he said, he wanted nothing to do with it. Deciding not to push the subject further at the time, she let him talk about it. The idea of him being up here and playing guitar was a positive sign though, at least that's how she saw it. She watched him rise to put the guitar away before coming over to sit down next to her.

"I don't get why he won't just leave me alone." He leaned on her as he spoke, and she moved to rest her hand on top of his head. It was then that her own selfish thoughts got in the way. Europe. That meant he'd be thousands of miles away. Her first thought was what if he stopped contact with her again? She could just show up at his place when he got back, but who was to say he'd stay in Virginia? She wouldn't be able to just get on a flight and go find him in California, the state was massive. It would be next to impossible for her to find him. Letting out a small sigh and allowing her thoughts to escape with the air she released, she rested her head on top of Darrin's.

"It might be good for you. You know... you could always just give it a shot and see if things will work out. If they don't, you can just stop after the tour. It's just a thought, though." She said softly as she stroked his hair a little. She hadn't realized she had been doing it until she stopped talking. She stopped the motion after a brief moment and rested her hand on his shoulder instead. "Besides, you can't knock it until you try it." She laughed as she gave him a small nudge.

Althea's hand was soon resting upon his head. Darrin had gone quiet as they sat together. A few moments passed before Darrin heard Althea sigh, moving so that her head was resting upon his own. He was quite sure how she was able to do it..but Althea always seemed to make him feel better. "It might be good for you. You know... you could always just give it a shot and see if things will work out. If they don't, you can just stop after the tour. It's just a thought, though." Althea was stroking his hair a bit and Darrin allowed his eyes to close at the feeling.

It was only as she stopped that Darrin opened his eyes again, focusing upon Althea. "Besides, you can't knock it until you try it." He smiled at her as she laughed, nudging him playfully. "You realize that I've been on tour before? I would hope that I would know how it is by now. It's..just a lot to commit to. I don't want to agree to something like that, get out there, and then find myself having to force my performances."

He paused, his gaze shifting to his hands. Darrin was being painfully honest with Althea. He'd not even told the guys what he'd just told her. "I mean, I wouldn't want to give performances that I wasn't proud of. Our fans deserve more than that. I know that I wouldn't want to go and see a band whose heart wasn't in what they were doing."

Darrin smiled suddenly, his eyes on Althea. "It also doesn't help that everyone's eyes are on you at all times. Why do you think that I moved into this house? This is one of the few places where I'm not hounded every time that I step out of the house. Besides, I'd miss you too much to leave."

---

Darrin had gotten up early Monday morning. The weekend had seemed to pass by all too quickly for his tastes. He'd spent time with Althea, neither one of them having mentioned what had happened between them. Kris had continued to text him, insisting that they needed to talk. However, Darrin continued to ignore him. Darrin had fixed breakfast for everyone that morning and soon enough they were eating together. Once the meal was over, Darrin had excused himself from them, making his way back up to his room.

After Darrin had gone upstairs, Judith began cleaning up. She was happy that Darrin was doing better. Getting off of the pills had done wonders for him and she had Althea to thank for her son's turn around. As she was cleaning up, a knock sounded on the door. "Althea, could you get that for me?" She asked, her hands full. The knock sounded again.

When the door was opened, Kris smiled at the woman. "Hi. Umm..this is Darrin's house, yea?" He asked. He remained silent for a few moments, allowing the woman to speak before he continued. "Mrs. R!" He said as Judith came into view. "Hello dear! I wasn't expecting you! How have you been?"

Kris was invited in and he brought with him a bag which indicated that he was planning on staying with them. He spoke happily with Judith for a few minutes before he turned his gaze to Althea. "So, where's Darrin? I need to talk to him and decided that it was probably better if I did so in person since he's ignoring me again."

After spending the afternoon with Darrin retrieving Althea's car as well as her things she needed for work, they had spent the rest of the evening around the house. It was a mellow night, which allowed for Althea to start to get ahead on her work. Earlier they had talked about the band and how he didn't want to perform unless he was all­in. Something she really understood, however she had simply just wanted him to try again, to see how he felt about it now. After spending so many months out of the music industry.

They didn't talk about their kissing, which Althea was comfortable with. Especially because she dreaded the thought of it becoming something worse if they did, in fact, talk about it. By the time nighttime had come around, Althea had retreated for most of the night to continue getting ahead on her work. She knew that the more she got done now, the better off she would be during the week. Something she had grown a habit from because she preferred her free time more than working all of the time.

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The morning started off as usual, however, Darrin had made breakfast which Althea really appreciated. Althea could sense that Darrin had been bothered by something during breakfast, which made her worry a little bit. Except that she figured he would talk to her about it later on, just like he had yesterday. After breakfast, Althea had helped Judith in cleaning up when a knock at the door sounded. She couldn't help but to wonder who it was since this was the first time during her visit that someone had shown up at the house unexpected.

"Althea, could you get that for me?" Althea smiled at her with a short nod before drying her hands from washing dishes and heading to the door. She tugged it open to find a slightly familiar face standing before her. Kris, was it? She thought to herself as the man standing before her smiled. "Hi. Umm..this is Darrin's house, yea?"

Althea looked him over for a moment before she registered what he had said. He was here. In the flesh. After a few days of bothering Darrin, he was here. So his threats were serious. "Yes." Althea said as she stepped aside, however someone else caught his attention. "Mrs. R!" The woman behind her spoke. "Hello Dear! I wasn't expecting you! How have you been?"

It was then that Althea moved out of the way in order for them to continue their conversation. Althea didn't expect Kris to remember her, they had only met up once before Darrin and her hand no longer been speaking. Althea twiddled her thumbs a little as she watched the two engage. She hadn't noticed at first, but her eyes lowered, finding the bag he was carrying in with him.

Kris caught her off guard when he had asked her where Darrin was, her eyes lingering on the bag. Blinking a few times, she forced a small smile knowing that this situation was either going to go very badly, or well. She hoped for the later part of the thought. "I'll bring you up to his room." She said sweetly.

However, the thought reminded her that her reason for being here was to take care of Darrin and make him better. As she turned to lead him up the stairs, her smile faded and was replaced with a frown. Her mind settled on their kisses they had shared. Unconsciously, her finger tips rested on the hickey that was beginning to fade. The only evidence that what had happened was real.

Before she knew it, she was outside of his door. The moment her hand landed on the knob she regretted going against the thought of just telling Kris to leave, for Darrin's sake. But the side of her that felt that he needed this win over the other side. "He's in here." She spoke softly, turning the door handle and walking in first, Kris in tow.