AUTHOR'S POV      

Larry: "Stephanie? I...I need your help".    

Stephanie: "What happened Larry"? 

Larry: *sniff* "He...he kicked me out and I can't drive because...." *pause* "Can you just come and get me please"?

Stephanie: "I'll be right there".  

Larry: "Thank you", he replies softly.    

Larry sits on the cold ground with his head down silently crying while waiting for his friend. Occasionally he hears a sound and his head pops up wondering if Laurent had a change of heart and is opening the door to let him back in...nothing...   

~twenty minutes later~

Stephanie pulls up and it's clear that she was speeding because her tires screech as she stops. Now out of the car she pops her umbrella open to protect her from the rain that's still pouring down. She immediately runs over to Larry and kneels before him... 

Stephanie: "Oh Larry. I'm so sorry". *pause* "What could possibly be his reason for this"?  

Larry: "I don't want to talk for this right now Stephanie. I'm too embarrassed".

Stephanie: "You don't have to be embarrassed Larry. I'm your friend remember? You can tell me anything".

Larry: "I know but...can we just go"? 

*brief pause*

Stephanie: "Not before I give him a piece of my mind".

She stands up and prepares to bang on the door but Larry quickly stops her...

Larry: "No Stephanie please. I'm tired and I'm just ready for this night to be over".

She sees the pain in his eyes and doesn't want to upset him anymore than he already is so...

Stephanie: "Ok. Let's get you to my place".  

Larry stands up then reluctantly picks up his bags and begins to walk to the car. The moment he steps from underneath the shelter and into the rain he becomes soaked ...but he's too weak and too sad to pick up his pace. He throws his bags in the trunk, solemnly looks at the house once more then gets in the passenger seat. Little does he know Laurent is watching them from the window. When he saw Stephanie pull up his jaw clenched since he doesn't really care for her now...but his disdain for her was quickly overshadowed at the memory of Larry's pleas to let him in just moments ago and how he was merely standing behind the wall the whole time listening to him...too livid at that moment to relent and let him back in so he simply walked away. He heard Stephanie pull up and has been discreetly watching them ever since. After seeing her pull off he turns away from the window and is quickly enveloped by the silence around him. The rain has slowed down by this point but there's still a light tapping of it against the windows. Laurent immediately feels angry tears prick his eyes and he knows exactly what to do to bring him comfort...even if it's just temporary... 

*****

The entire car ride to Stephanie's place is silent. Stephanie looks over at Larry ever so often to try and read his face although she can pretty much guess that he's feeling pretty low...probably the lowest he's ever felt by Laurent. She watches as two tears fell from his eyes then onto his lap and her heart breaks even more. She's seconds away from crying herself but she holds it together to be strong for him. They finally pull up to her house and when she's about to get out of the car she notices Larry isn't moving...

Stephanie: "Larry? Sweetie we're here".

Larry looks up at her with the absolute saddest face and Stephanie has to swallow the lump that instantly formed in her throat...

Larry: "Oh. I'm sorry".  

Stephanie: "It's ok. Let's get you inside so you can get dry".

*****

Larry emerges from the bathroom dry and clothed. Stephanie has the fireplace blazing and is sitting on the couch waiting for him. She pats the spot next to her signaling for him to sit down. Now beside her...

Stephanie: "You think you can tell me what happened now"?

*brief pause*

Larry: "Um...at the gala tonight I was talking to a dancer we know when she hugged and kissed me. I met her best friend and he was giving me strange looks. Laurent saw all of it and was upset. *starts to tear up* We left right after we got an award for dance and he was so mad! I tried to talk to him in the car but he was so angry that he started hitting me and he was driving so fast I thought he was going to crash. When we got home he packed my bags and told me to go and be with them and when I told him that I wasn't going anywhere he pulled me by the hair so hard I fell to the ground. Then he grabbed my arms to drag me to the door and he threw me out on the porch"! 

Larry is full blown crying at this point and it's so hard his breath is hitching in between sobs. Stephanie soothes him as much as she can...but she knows Larry's heart is too broken for the tears to cease. Anyone can just look at Larry and see how in love he is with Laurent even in spite of the abuse...but if this isn't final confirmation that this relationship wasn't meant to be she's not sure what else it will take...

Stephanie: "Larry, I know how much you love Laurent but sweetie what else has to happen before you realize that just because you love someone doesn't mean that person is right for you? It's like I said before. Maybe you were just meant to be brothers".

Two more tears fall from Larry's pain-filled eyes as he responds with a broken, raspy voice...

Larry: *sniff* "Stephanie I...I'm too in love with him to just be brothers now". *pause* "I understand what you're saying but...it's hard".  

Stephanie: *sigh* "I know it is my friend...but you'll get through it and I'll be right by your side to help you, ok"?

He nods his head through his soft crying. Then...  

Stephanie: "I'm going to make some tea. I'll be right back".

Stephanie disappears into the kitchen as Larry allows his back to rest against the soft cushion as the flashbacks of the nights events take over his psyche. Every memory of Laurent swinging on him and that final memory of him charging over with that evil look in his eyes moments before he was thrown out of the house is enough for him to shut his eyes tightly and shake his head to get it out of his mind. The thoughts are just too much for him. He's mentally and physically exhausted...ready to just sleep the night away... 

Stephanie comes out of the kitchen with two mugs in her hands when she notices Larry curled up on the couch, knees to his chest and sleeping like a baby. She stops dead in her tracks when the light from the fireplace allows her to see his tear stained face. She can't help but to sob internally at her friend in so much pain. She entertains the idea of going over to his place to give Laurent a piece of her mind like she planned earlier while Larry sleeps but she knows Larry would be strongly against it so she let it go...albeit very difficult to do so. She really doesn't want to disturb him but since he's right in front of the fireplace it will eventually get too warm for him but on top of that she wants him to be as comfortable as possible. She places the mugs softly on the table and tip toes over to softly awaken him...   

Stephanie: "Larry"? 

Larry moans slightly then slowly flutters his eyes open. When he gains focus he sees Stephanie hovered over him...

Stephanie: "You should sleep in my guest room sweetie. It'll be much more comfortable in there for you and it's yours for as long as you need it to be, ok"?   

Larry: "Oki. Thank you Stephanie".

Stephanie: *smile* "My pleasure". 

Larry stretches then stands up and makes his way to the bedroom. Within seconds he's comfortable in the soft bed and sound asleep again...

~morning~  

After a night of heavy drinking and drugs Laurent wakes up to an overwhelming sunlight causing him to shut his eyes tightly and grunt in displeasure. He looks over at Larry's side and notices he isn't there and of course he assumes that he's merely in the kitchen making his breakfast. He fails to notice that his side of the bed is completely untouched. He then gets a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach and leaps from the bed then runs into the bathroom. He drops to his knees, hovers over the toilet and empties himself of everything he could have possibly had in the last 24 hours. After composing himself he freshens up as best as he can as to not cause another vomiting episode then leaves the room and down the hall. He doesn't smell breakfast cooking and wonders why...prepared to start yelling at Larry the moment he turns the corner but when he enters the kitchen he notices he isn't there. "Larry", he calls out confusingly...  

~meanwhile~

Larry's eyes pop open as he swears he hears his name being called. The voice sounds very much like Laurent's...but as he looks around the bedroom it only takes a split second for the painful memory of the previous night to come flooding back causing tears to brim his eyes yet again. Laurent kicked him out of his home...their home...and now he's here still trying to make sense out of it all. He smells the aroma of breakfast cooking and coffee brewing and for once...it isn't him preparing it...  

*Laurent*

"Larry"? Still nothing. He proceeds to search the entire house even looking outside to see if his car is still there and of course it is. "Where is he", he asks himself. He goes back to the kitchen and pulls out the bottle of Sprite from the fridge which he's sure will settle his upset stomach. He pours himself a glass and begins to sip on it as he stands at the counter trying to figure out where Larry could be. He goes to take another sip but he stops just as the glass is about to touch his lips. He stops so abruptly because just like that he remembers everything about last night. From the gala, to him beating Larry in the car, the afraid look on Larry's face as he hit him over and over again, Larry's tears streaming one right after the other and Laurent not having a care in the world. He's remembering it all. He places the glass down and he can't hold back any longer. He places his elbows on the counter then drops his face in his hands to sob loudly...and uncontrollably...   

*Larry*

Larry raises up to sit on the edge of the bed and place his feet on the plush carpet below him. Suddenly he feels a sadness come over him only this time it isn't his sadness. He has a feeling it's someone really close to him. He wonders for a brief moment that it's Laurent. After all, it would explain why he's feeling it so deeply as if it's him going through the emotion. Is it possible that Laurent regrets what he did and is actually saddened by it? He would like to think so but he just isn't so sure anymore. Laurent always apologized only to hurt him again. He just sighs deeply then stands up to go and freshen up before joining Stephanie in the kitchen... 

*****

Stephanie has her back turned humming and just cooking away...seemingly carefree until she spins around at the sound of Larry's voice... 

Larry: "Stephanie"?

Stephanie: "Oh. Good morning Larry".

Larry: "Good morning".

Stephanie: "How long have you been standing there"?

Larry: "Not long".

Stephanie: "Well breakfast will be ready in a minute".

Larry: "I'm sorry but I don't think I can eat anything".

Stephanie: "You have to eat love. If you don't you'll get sick. Even if it's just a little bit please just eat something, ok"?

Larry: "Oki".

Stephanie: "You sleep well"?

Larry hesitates briefly then slowly shakes his head...  

She isn't surprised by his answer but it still hurts her. She turns away to pour a cup of coffee and when she turns back around she notices Larry's head down...

Stephanie: "Do you want to talk about it some more? I know it's hard but it could be very cathartic for you. It may not make you feel 100% better but talking about it should help if you let it all out".  

*silence*

Stephanie: "Larry"?

Larry looks up at her with nothing but pain in his eyes....

Larry: "I...I feel numb Stephanie. I know it's been bad between us but I never think something like this would happen. I've seen him mad before but last night was just so different. It's like something else took over him and made it worse than before". *pause* "That's why I want to help him".

Stephanie: "I know sweetie but remember what I said. Whatever happens it starts with him. You can want so badly to help someone but if they don't want it it's wasted time".  

Larry: "You're right. I just love him so much". *pause* "He's my Laurent". 

Stephanie: *soft sigh* "I understand. We want to fight so hard for the ones we love the most even when they don't fight for themselves". *pause* "It'll get better but for now...*places plate in front of him* ....try to eat something. It's Sunday so that means it's gardening day. You can come out and help me if you like. It might help you take your mind off of it for a while. Or it might allow you time to think". *pause* "What do you say"?

Larry: *smile* "Oki. I'll help".  

Stephanie: *smile* "Great. Well eat up".   

*****

After helping Stephanie clean the kitchen Larry goes to the bedroom to change his clothes so he can join Stephanie...but he decides to sit on the bed for a minute as so many things are going through his mind. He knows that everything Stephanie has said to this point is the truth as hard as it is to admit so he also knows what he has to do. As he's changing his phone rings. He looks at it cautiously before slowly walking over to pick it up. It's Laurent. Normally he would answer it quickly but instead he softly places it back on the nightstand and finishes changing. Just as he's walking out of the room it rings again and of course he knows it's Laurent...again. He turns to look at it before blowing out a sigh and walking out of the room because he's sure that if he answers and Laurent is sorry yet again for what he did then begs him to come home he won't have the strength to say no...    

~three days later~

These past few days have been very difficult for Larry. It's all felt like a horrible nightmare that he has never been more desperate to wake up from. He hasn't received a phone call from Laurent since the morning after coming to Stephanie's place and he can't help but wonder what he would have said to him had he answered the phone. In fact, curiosity almost got the best of him because he was really close to calling him back but decided against it. Ironically it's eating him up that they haven't spoken considering why he's even at Stephanie's place to begin with. For the past few nights he's either stared at the ceiling because he hurt so much he couldn't sleep or he's cried himself to sleep due to his heart being in complete turmoil. He would be lying if he said he doesn't miss him terribly and how he just wants to be his knight and shining armor and rescue him from whatever changed him...but he knows not speaking to him is for the best. It took Stephanie saying it twice before he came to the realization that change does start with him...  

*****   

Stephanie: "Larry? Larry wake up".

Larry: "Hey", he answers groggily.

Stephanie: "Hey. I just wanted to remind you that I go back to work today but I'll be home around 4. You can help yourself to anything you want and I'll also leave the keys to my other car just in case you need to go somewhere. I'll see you later".

Larry: *smile* "Oki. Thank you".

She smiles back at him then leaves him to the silence that surrounds the room. He eventually gets up to take a hot shower then make his way to the kitchen to make himself some breakfast. Afterward he makes himself nice and comfortable on the couch to watch TV...eventually falling asleep only to wake up several hours later hungry again. He's in the kitchen making a sandwich when the doorbell rings...

Larry: "Coming"!

Without so much as looking through the peephole he opens the door and is in shock at the person standing before him... 

Laurent: "Hi".

---------------------------------

A/N: What could Laurent possibly want? Until next chapter everyone! Love you guys. :)