Mary Sue dropped Jacob, none too delicately.

On the edge of her bed.

"Now, let me see your head."

"Just give me a needle and thread."

She scoffed, "Jake, did you not hear what I said? You're much too drunk for needles right now. I still don't know how, you even made it home from the saloon holy cow!"

Jake gave her a grin, even though his head was killing him.

"It's a talent. I hold my liquor well. This room is pretty swell."

Mary Sue placed her hands on her hips. "You've seen it before, Jake. Do you not remember that at all? Or am I only good enough for you to call, on when you're three sheets to the wind?"

Jake didn't feel like rehashing all this again. Especially with his head poundin'.

"You're a great girl, Mary Sue. Just not for me."

"Because of Ruechari?" she spat, "or better yet Sallie?"

"No," answered Jake, "cause I actually like you, you see. And getting involved with me is the last thing you should do, Mary Sue."

She was quiet for several seconds, not knowing just what to say. She poured him some water from the pitcher and came his way.

"You drink too much Jake. You're going to kill yourself for pity's sake."

He took the glass from her trembling hands, "You need to understand Mary Sue, that I can never be that guy for you. The one you deserve and who will treat you right. Thanks for this."

He brought the glass to his lips.

"Because of Rue!" Mary Sue said with a hiss. "I know you don't love Sallie. I have seen that look on your face. Or else right now you'd be at her place."

"Sallie was a mistake, I made long ago. I just want you to know Mary Sue, me, and Rue are through. But if I ever did settle down and marry, it'd be to a girl like you."

Jake yawned then finished his water as Mary Sue stood with arms crossed and a frown. Jake tried not to look at the fabric of her thin dressing gown. He promised her he wouldn't make a pass at her and had meant it too. It would only cause problems with Sallie indeed. And it was the last thing either of them would need. Even if he was lonely.

And Mary Sue did deserve better than a man who only came to her room, drunk and wanting a one-night stand.

"Take your shirt off and I'll see what I can do about the blood in it," she finally said.

He shook his head, not wanting her to bother with it. But the room began to spin and he felt sick. Jake jumped up rather quick, looking for a place to be sick.

She scrambled across to him, snatching up the garbage bin. Jake stuck his head in. She turned away with a scrunched-up face, as unpleasant sounds and smells filled her place.

After he was through, nothing left in his stomachs at all, he rested his back against the wall. It wasn't the first time he'd found himself on the floor. Under his breath, Jake swore.

"I apologize for this Mary Sue."

She sighed and opened the window to air out the room.

"It's your body trying to tell you, to stop drinking Jacob Craven. Do you want to wind up like those ravin' bums on the street? And soon end up six feet, under? Think of your sister Josie at least."

Jacob stumbled up to his feet. Another lecture was the last thing he'd need.

"I think of Josie every day. And how I'm raising her the wrong way. But I don't need to hear it from you too Mary Sue."

"Maybe you do. Maybe you need to hear it until it sticks. Until something in that hard head of yours clicks. Drinking is not the answer Jake. It won't make your problems or mistakes just go away. They'll still be there when the haze fades."

She wet a cloth in the basin and gave it a good wring. Jake somehow managed to get himself to the bed. He hated what was inside his own head. It wasn't a place he wanted to be.

"I don't think I can do this life sober," he confessed honestly.

Mary Sue let out a deep breath, "There's still time just yet. Time for you to change the things you don't like Jake. Be whatever man you want to be."

She touched the cloth to his cut tenderly. He sucked in a deep breath. But Mary Sue wasn't done just yet. Not done tending to his wound or the ones deeper than the eye could see. The ones Jake hid from everybody.

"If Sallie did this to you, you need to put an end to it. It's not right for a man to hit a woman, but the reverse is also true. It's not right for her to put her hands on you."

Jake laughed, "Sallie didn't do this to my eye. You should see the other guy."

"So it was a fight then? Why does your story keep changing? A fight or did you fall down the stairs?"

Mary Sue asked with care. She finished cleaning Jake's eye with a sigh. But didn't want to pry. Jake wouldn't tell her the truth anyway.

Jake let the matter pass. What did it matter anyway? He could handle Sallie and would make her pay one day.

"You do know how to sew right Mary Sue?"

"Yes, I do."

"Stitch me up and I'll pay you. I'm sure your stitches are neater than mine anyway.".

She gasped, appalled he'd even asked!

"I sew fabric not skin! I'm sure the doctor is in. Or I could go get him for a house call."

"I don't want to be a bother at all. I'll take care of it in the morning. I'll take the floor for the night."

Jake grabbed a pillow and practically fell out of the bed. It felt like hammers were smacking into his head. Mary Sue placed a blanket over him as he settled in.

"Goodnight Jake. In the morning we should continue this chat."

But Jake didn't like the sound of that. He closed his eyes awaiting eagerly for the escape sleep would bring.

But he chased it for a while yet. Trapped in the past, in his pain and regret.