AUTHOR'S POV   

Larry: "I...I can't open this".

Laurent: "Why are you crying bebe? And why can't you open it"?

*brief pause*

Larry: *sniff* "Because I can't see Laurent".

Laurent: "What"?

Larry: "I can't see"!

Laurent practically runs over to him then slowly lifts his head up by his chin. With his eyes wide and a deep voice that's heavily accentuated by his French accent...

Laurent: "Oh my God". 

Laurent is horrified at what he sees. Larry's right eye is swollen shut with a deep purple and black bruise surrounding it. Naturally Larry is beside himself in panic...

Laurent: "Bebe you can't see out of your other eye"?

Larry: *sniff* "I...I don't think so".

Laurent: "Ok bebe just breathe. You just woke up so just relax and try to open your eye".

Larry takes a few deep breaths then flutters and stretches his left eye. He's eventually able to see Laurent standing up in front of him...but his right eye is obviously a completely different story... 

Laurent: "Larry bebe, I'm so sorry. Come here".

He tries to stand Larry up but he resists...

Laurent: "Please bebe come here".

Larry resists again but eventually gives in and stands up. Laurent wastes no time wrapping him up in his arms causing Larry to sob even harder...

Laurent: "I'm so sorry bebe. Please forgive me".

Larry: *sniff* "Forgive you for which part Laurent? For beating me or the things you said to me? I don't know which one hurts worse"!

Laurent: "For all of it bebe. All of it. Just please say you forgive me".

Larry angrily pushes him away causing Laurent to stumble back in surprise...

Larry: "Why?! So you can do it again tomorrow?! And the day after that"?!

Laurent stands there completely speechless with his head down....

Larry: "Answer me! So you can do it again"?!

Laurent: "I...I don't want to do it again and I promise it won't happen again".  

Larry: "Fuck your promise Laurent! I'm here for two weeks and look at me! Look"!

Laurent's head pops up as Larry begins showing him the many bruises all over his body. He starts by taking his shirt off...

Larry: "Look at my shoulder! My back! My stomach! My wrist! My neck"!

His screams are getting louder with each body part reference and now tears are streaming down Laurent's face as he looks where ever Larry points...but Larry is unaffected...  

Larry: "You see it"?!

Laurent: *sniff* "Yeah I see it".

He then steps forward and points to his eye...

Larry: "Now this! I can't even open my eye Laurent! It hurts"!

Laurent's eyes, now red and swollen, observes the damage caused by his hands. His breath hitches as he attempts to cup Larry's face...

Laurent: "Bebe I'm sorry".

Larry instantly removes his hands causing Laurent to flinch...

Larry: "Don't touch me"!

Laurent: "Bebe please".

Larry: "No Laurent! No more! No more begging! No more sorry! Just no more, oki"?!

Several moments of silence ensues as Larry takes a few deep breaths and allows his tears to settle as he wipes them away... 

Larry: "Just leave me alone".

Now Laurent is giving his tears the opportunity to settle and as he looks at his love he replies...

Laurent: "Oki. I'll leave to give you time to yourself".

He walks back over to the closet to put his shoes and jacket back on then walks to the bedroom door but stops briefly...

Laurent: "I'll be back soon my love".

Larry says nothing so Laurent sadly leaves the room and moments later Larry hears the alarm signaling that the front door is open and Laurent ultimately leaving. Larry plops down on the bed, rests his elbows on his thighs, drops his face in his hands and cries. After several moments, his head pops up and he turns towards the nightstand where his phone is. He immediately goes to retrieve it and make a phone call...

"Hey you".

Larry: "Hey. Can you come over"?

Stephanie: "I take it Laurent isn't there"?

Larry: "No he left and um, I need your help".

Stephanie: "I'm on my way".

Larry: "Thank you".

*****

Twenty minutes later Stephanie shows up and rings the doorbell. Larry takes the biggest, deepest breath of his life before opening the door. Stephanie's heart drops when she sees Larry's eye...

Stephanie: "Oh my God! Larry"!

Larry: "I'm fine Stephanie just please come in".

She walks in and immediately turns around to take Larry's face in her hands...

Stephanie: "I could kill him! When did this happen"?!

Larry: "Yesterday".

Stephanie: "What could possibly warrant such a thing to be done to your eye"?

Larry is hesitant to tell Stephanie about the drugs as he's still in a state of shock himself about it...but he does think about Laurent's words as he beat him. About how perfect he seems to be and it makes him think about Stephanie's words from just a short time ago...

Larry: "You were right Stephanie. It is internal for him. I can't say what exactly but...it is".

Stephanie: *sigh* "I'm sorry sweetie. I'm here for you".

Larry: "Thank you".

Stephanie: "No problem. So what do you want to do"?

Larry just looks at her with his pain-filled eyes... 

~Laurent~ 

Laurent is at a restaurant sitting at the bar thinking about different things. He isn't drinking hard liquor or even a beer for that matter. He has a glass of Sprite and is taking small sips of it while watching the TV that's plastered on the wall. He isn't paying much attention because his mind keeps going back to Larry. His words are ringing in his mind, the way the tears fell from his eyes is flashing but most of all...his bruised eye. He's still in disbelief because out of all the times he's hit him he's never done such damage. Then out of nowhere he hears...

"Look at my shoulder! My back! My stomach! My wrist! My neck"!

Laurent's eyes shut tightly as the memory of Larry's deep bruises invades his psyche. He then shakes his head to get them out instantly catching the attention of the bartender...

Bartender: "You alright buddy"?

Laurent: "Huh"?

Bartender: "I was asking if you're alright".

Laurent: "Uh yeah. I'm fine. I just um, I had a bad night and a bad morning too".

Bartender: "I see". *pause* "Well can I get you anything else? Maybe something from the lunch menu"?

Laurent sees all the liquor bottles behind him and is tempted to order a shot of Vodka but decides against it....

Laurent: "No thank you. Just another Sprite please".

Bartender: "Another Sprite coming right up".

Laurent: "Thanks man".

Bartender: "My pleasure". 

*****

After he drinks the last drop he pays the bartender and leaves but instead of going home he makes the short drive to the beach he took Larry to on their date night. Before he steps in the sand he removes his shoes and socks. He begins to walk along the shore as the sand presses between his toes and he finds himself walking towards the spot he had their romantic dinner set up and stops. He begins to have flashbacks of the way Larry's beautiful, caramel skin glowed in the moonlight and the way he looked up at him and smiled. That only makes him smile. He then looks to his left and notices the spot he had the blanket placed and that smile quickly fades when his mind brings back the memory of Larry's anger about being thrown out of the house...

Larry: "You threw me out like I was trash and that made every punch, every slap, every slam against the wall feel like nothing"!  

The word "nothing" is on repeat in his mind as it echoes in Larry's voice. He also remembers getting up and running after him then turning him around...

Laurent: "Bebe please! What will it take? Tell me so I'll do it! I'll do whatever"! 

The word "whatever" is now on repeat in his mind as it echoes in his own voice. At that moment Laurent spins around and runs to his car. He stops on the boardwalk to quickly put his socks and shoes back on before making it to his car, getting in and cranking it up then taking off on his way back home...

~meanwhile~

Stephanie: "You need to take anything else with you"?

Larry scans the house to do a final check...

Larry: "No, I think that's it".

Stephanie: "Ok. Well it looks like we're ready to go".

Larry: "Yeah". *pause* "I'm ready".

Larry picks up the remaining bags as he and Stephanie are about to make their way towards the door. Before they can even take their first step Laurent comes in and stops dead in his tracks...

Laurent: "Bebe? Where are you going"?

Stephanie looks at Laurent then over at Larry... 

Larry: "Stephanie? Can you go and wait in the car please"?

Stephanie: "Sure", she replies softly.

Stephanie quietly brushes past Laurent as they watch her. After she walks out and shuts the door behind her they placed their attention back to each other...

Larry: "I'm leaving Laurent".

Laurent: "Bebe no. Please don't leave me".

Larry: "I can't do this anymore. I know I said it before and I came back but I mean it this time. I love you...but my love can't fix this. You need help".

Laurent takes steps towards Larry and oddly he doesn't flinch...although Laurent isn't coming to hurt him... 

Laurent: "Bebe please. I'm really going to do it this time. I'll get help".

Larry: "I really want to believe that but I can't sit around and hope you do then find out you lie to me again". *pause* "How am I supposed to believe this time will be different? Of all the times I begged you"?

Laurent: "I...I...."

Larry: "Exactly".

He proceeds to walk towards the door but Laurent stops him and is already crying...

Laurent: "No bebe wait". *pause* "Look I get it, oki? I lied before but if you stay I promise I won't do it again".

Larry looks at him and having heard this before he simply shakes his head...

Larry: "Stephanie's waiting. I have to go. Please just let me go". *pause* "And I'll be back to get my car when I can see".

Laurent: "Oh bebe. I'm so...."

Larry: "Laurent please. No more sorry. I've heard that so much".

Laurent: "I know. You're right".

Then another thought comes to him...

Laurent: "But...what about Les Twins? There can't be Les Twins without you".

Shaking his head from side to side once again...

Larry: "You left Les Twins a long time ago Laurent".

Laurent: "I don't get it bebe. What do you mean"?

*pause*

Larry: "Just think about it".

Laurent's head drops as his eyes darts in confusion. Then he hears...

Larry: "Now for the last time. I have to go".

Larry successfully brushes past him and is about to open the door when Laurent grabs Larry's arms and rests his forehead on his back...

Laurent: "Bebe please! You can't leave me! This is us home remember?! The home we buy together"! 

Larry lifts his head to the ceiling and exhales before dropping his bag to the floor. He turns around and wraps a trembling, frightened Laurent in a hug. They embrace each other for a few moments and Laurent's trembling seems to be coming to a halt...until Larry pulls away and looks into his eyes... 

Larry: "I love you Laurent". *pause* "But this is no longer home for me...it's a house".  

Laurent just gazes at Larry...his face soaked in tears. It takes him a minute to realize what Larry meant but before he can protest Larry takes his face in his hands and plants two soft kisses on his lips. He then releases him and looks into his eyes again...   

Larry: "Goodbye Laurent".

He picks up his bag then turns around and opens the door. Laurent's trembling and tears come back tenfold as he cries out... 

Laurent: "Bebe please! Please"!

Larry ignores him and now the door is closed. Laurent steps forward and slams his arms against the door before allowing his knees to buckle to slowly fall to the floor and cry uncontrollably. He stays that way for several minutes wishing he had something to settle his frantic nerves. Then he remembers a stash in the corner of the bathroom cabinet so he stands up and runs to the bathroom. He's like lightning getting everything out. He successfully has it cut with the straw in his hand when he looks into the mirror. Unhappy with the person looking back at him he screams to the top of his lungs, takes his arms and flings everything off the sink causing a crash to the floor...mirror breaking. He sits down, presses his back against the wall and cries for what will turn out to be several hours...   

*****

Larry and Stephanie arrived at her home minutes ago and Larry is once again setting himself up in her guest room when there's a knock at the door. In a solemn tone...

Larry: "Come in Stephanie". 

Stephanie softly walks inside and speaks to him...

Stephanie: "Hey. I'm going to the market. You need anything"?

Larry: "No I'm good but thank you".

Stephanie: "No problem. I'll be back shortly".

Larry: "Oki". *pause* "Oh and Stephanie? I need to thank you for something else".

Stephanie: "What's that"?

Larry: "For not saying I told you so".  

Stephanie: "Oh Larry. I'm not going to say that and I'm sorry if I made you feel that way".

Larry: "It's oki. I just wish I listened to you but...I believed him. He was just so...."

Stephanie: "Convincing"?

Larry: "Yeah".

Stephanie: "And he did ok for a while, right"?

Larry: "Yeah. How did you know"? 

Stephanie: *sigh* "It's a pattern that I know all too well".

Larry solemnly drops his head. Seeing the sadness in her friend and not wanting to make it any worse she decides to leave for the store...

Stephanie: "Listen I'll let you finish. Call me if you change your mind about wanting something".

Larry nods and after she leaves he gets the rest of things unpacked. He then stretches across the bed and stares at the ceiling for a minute before feeling something warm and wet sliding down his temples...

*****

Laurent spent a long time on the bathroom floor bawling his eyes out although his tears have settled now. He still can't believe the love of his life left him but he really can't blame him either. All Larry wanted to do is love him and he did....more than anyone else ever could. Now all that's left is for Laurent to love himself so he gets up from the floor and heads for the living room. He takes his cell phone out of his pocket then takes a seat on the couch to make two very important phone calls... 

"Hey Laurent".

Laurent: "Hey Eleni. Whatever you have booked for us please cancel everything. Apologize and give back all money, oki"?

Eleni: "What's going on"?

Laurent: "I, um. Well Larry and I need to take a break. It's something I have...something we have to do for now".

Eleni: "Ok Laurent. You're really scaring me. What happened"?

Laurent: "I...I can't tell you right now but please just do that for me and I'll tell you when the time is right".

Eleni: *soft sigh* "Alright. I'll get on it right away".

Laurent: "Thank you and when you're done please call Larry and tell him. I won't be available".

Eleni: "I will".

Laurent: "Oki thank you. Bye".

One call down. One more to go...

"Hello"?

Laurent: "Chris. I need you to come over and take me somewhere".

Chris: "Sure man. I don't mind taking you where you need to go but I'm just curious. Is something wrong with your car"?

Laurent: "No. It's just better that it stays here".

Chris: "Ok. I'm on my way".

Laurent: "Thank you".

Laurent has his bags packed and by the door. He's now making sure everything in the house is off when he hears Chris blow the horn. He sets the alarm before walking out and locking the door then solemnly walking to the car...   

~thirty minutes later~

Receptionist: "Welcome to Melbourne Rehabilitation. How can I help you"?

"I need to check in".

Receptionist: "Your name"? 

*brief pause* 

"Laurent Bourgeois".

---------------------------  

A/N: Hey my loves. I hope this chapter made everyone feel better. Please sound off in the comments! Love you guys. :)