Love Drunk: Chapter Fifteen

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Last chapter Dexter made a huge mistake! Sleeping with a fan was something he and his bandmates had vowed never to do, but he had just done exactly that! What drove him to break the rules? Loneliness, heartache and the yearning to feel something with someone! Now that Alex and Lainie's romance is blossoming, Dexter just feels unloved and unwanted. But sadly his moment of weakness will have a lasting effect...

Lainie Robertson woke up to the sound of the birds chirping outside her window. She glanced over at the usually empty side of her bed and smiled. Just over a week ago, Alex Wilder had walked back into her life just when she was feeling down over losing a friend, and possibly a potential partner. Dexter had been a loyal friend to her, but she could only burden him with her moping for so long.

Or so she thought. As good a friend as Dexter Maloney was, that was all he was ever going to be. She had been crushing on the handsome artist since she moved into the building all those months ago, but she was a realist, she knew that a guy like him could never fall for a girl like her. As Alex stirred and said something incoherent in his sleep, she let out a small giggle. They had officially become a couple last night and she was giddy with excitement. If only Roxy could be happy for her!

She got up, threw on an old shirt and headed for the kitchen to make him something yummy for his breakfast. All the time she was thinking about Dexter and how quiet he had been over the past couple of days, it really wasn't like him, he was so subdued!

As Alex ate his pancakes, Lainie was still thinking about that beautiful Maloney boy. What was making him so sad? She didn't like seeing him so miserable. As she continued to fret over him, Alex seemed to be saying something in between mouthfuls of his breakfast, "...don't ya think babe?" Was all she could make out.

"Huh?" She mumbled and gave him a vacant stare. Alex laughed softly and replied,

"You're not listening to a word I'm saying are you Lainie?" She looked embarrassed and shook her head slowly.

"I'm sorry Alex I was miles away!"

"I'll say!" He muttered and took his plate away. "I said we should go bowling today, I'm sure Roxy can hold the fort at the diner for you. Anyway didn't you say that Charlotte was a mean cook? Couldn't she take your place for a day?"

Lainie frowned and shook her head again, "I can't Alex, it's a really busy time right now." Alex looked out of the window and scowled where Lainie couldn't see him.

"Okay babe, was just an idea. I understand!" No he didn't, he couldn't understand why a stupid diner was more important than he was! If that Dexter creature had asked her she would surely have done it for him! And that wasn't on!

He knew that Lainie had feelings for that tattooed wannabe rock star! That lousy, no good cartoonist! Alex hated him with a passion, since the first moment he saw him, he knew he was a punk! And yet he couldn't seem to get rid of him, he turned up every day like a bad smell, getting in the way of him and Lainie! Well it was going to stop, he wished that Lainie would be committed to him and only him, he wished that this Dexter would disappear! In fact...

...he wished he would just die!

Ash had the day off and decided he would use this time to win Erin back. She had let him into her little bedsit, much to his surprise, but so far all they did was sit in awkward silence...

...until she spoke up, "I...wanted to say I'm sorry for dissing your brother like that!"

"It's okay, he comes across as a cocky ladies man but in reality he's just a kid trapped inside a 34 year old's body!"

"Still, it was wrong of me to be so...opinionated!"

Ash put his arm around her and smiled, "I've really missed you!"

"I missed you too Ashton but..."

"But what?" he gave her a worried look.

"...we can't go on like this!"

"Ash's expression changed from worried to puzzled, "Like what?"

"You know damn well!" Erin pouted and pushed him aside.

"No, I don't Erin! Humour me gorgeous!"

She looked him straight in the eyes and replied, "Like a dirty little secret! Haven't the past four months taught you anything?"

"Yeah!" Ash looked back at her in amusement, "That when we're apart I'm in hell!!!"

"Then come clean to your friends and family, and we can be together always!"

"Okay!" Ash nodded as Erin's eyes widened.

"Okay?"

"Okay! I'll do it when I get home!"

Dexter had been out all morning with his camera, trying to get some sort of inspiration to paint. But all he wanted to do was hide under his bed covers and never come out. He regretted ever getting involved with Selena McLean, and it was all he could think about for the past couple of days. How cruel it was to sleep with a girl and then bail, not even call her, not even tell her he was sorry for using her...

...because that's what he basically did! He used that girl to make himself feel better, and it was so wrong! But in his defence, he had never had a one night stand in his life until that night! She had left messages on his phone, she'd been at the last two gigs the band played, she'd even hovered around the diner hoping to catch a moment of Dexter's time. And he'd ignored her!

Here she was again, across the street waving and shouting. "DEXTER!" Dex just put his head down and kept walking. 

Until she stepped out into the road, not even looking, waving her arms about like a loony. "DEXTER??? HI!" Not paying attention to the van that was headed her way, she was completely focused on her heartthrob and nothing else. Dex could see the van wasn't going to stop, he doubted the driver was paying attention either, yapping away on his mobile phone as the clouds began to form and the rain started to fall on the street...

...suddenly his instincts took over as he raced towards Selena...

...and threw her to the ground out of harms way...

...as the van, showing no signs of stopping...

...hit Dexter instead!!!

Spending the afternoon with Charlotte in his lab was Drew's idea of heaven. They'd had breakfast with grandpa Winston that morning and now they were trying to make a self cleaning feeding bowl for the cats. Charlotte was so interested in his work it made it all the more special. As he banged away at the scrap metal they had collected and Charlotte played with Mr Fuzzickles, Drew felt like he was dreaming! "Mr Fuzzickles says he can't wait to drink out of his new bowl Uncle Andrew!" Drew laughed at being referred to as the cat's uncle. Charlotte was so adorable!

"Well, it might not work because..." Charlotte cut him off.

"It will Andrew because you're a genius!" Drew could feel his cheeks flush at the mere mention of being a genius, especially when Charlotte thought he was a genius, that just made his day! Oh how he loved this kooky cat girl!

As he worked away he was disturbed by his mobile phone ringing, it was Ash. "Hey elder Maloney what's up?" Ashton's panicked voice made Drew feel uneasy, "Where am I? I'm in my lab, why?" Charlotte turned round and tried to study Drew's expression, what was going on?

Drew's face turned a deathly white as he almost dropped his phone, "I'll be right there!" he managed to mutter as he hung up the phone and turned away from her...

"Andrew?" she called to him in a small voice.

"Um...there's...there's been an accident! I...er...I have to go meet Ash at the hospital!" Drew had to grasp his work bench for support, he felt as if he could topple over any minute as Charlotte rushed to his side and took hold of his arms.

"What happened Andrew? What is it?"

Alex had managed to convince Lainie to take the day off and spend it with him. He was going to make her forget all about that stupid Dexter Maloney! They had already spent the afternoon in bed talking and reminiscing about university, and now he was going to show her he was a better man than that no good, glorified painter.

After they returned to the bedroom from watching a film, he kissed her tenderly and asked her "Do you still love me Lainie?"

"Yes Alex, you know I do!" She breathed, "But...what if Roxy comes in?"

"She won't!" Alex replied hurriedly.

It was just too much when the doorbell went as things were getting interesting, "Ignore it!" Alex snapped in frustration as Lainie went to get up.

"I can't Alex, it might be important!" She gave him an apologetic smile, and headed for the front door.

Standing outside looking extremely upset was Charlotte. "Charlotte? What..." Charlotte didn't even let her finish as she struggled to get the words out,

"It's Dexter..." Lainie studied the sheer look of horror on her face and her stomach began to churn wildly.

"What about him?" Charlotte took a long breath and replied,

"He's been in an accident, Lainie it's bad!"

When Lainie came rushing into the bedroom and throwing clothes out of her wardrobe, Alex grew annoyed and grabbed her arm.

"Lainie? What the..." Lainie interrupted him and pulled roughly from his grip,

"I have to go to the hospital!"

Alex stepped back in shock, "Why? What's happened?"

"It's Dexy, he was knocked down by a car!" She replied as she threw some clothes on the bed to change into. Alex sniggered,

"That was a bit stupid huh?"

Lainie turned to him and gave him a disapproving stare, "He was hit by the car because he'd pushed a girl out of the way! He saved her life Alex!"

"What a hero!" Alex scoffed, "I don't want you to go!" Lainie looked at him in disbelief,

"What?"

"You're MY girlfriend!" She could hardly believe what she was hearing as she hurriedly put on her clothes and tied her hair out of her face.

Still in shock over his attitude, she eventually managed to answer "and HE is my friend!" Alex looked as if she'd hit him in the face. "I have to go!" Lainie mumbled, leaving him dumbfounded.

When Lainie arrived at the hospital with Charlotte, Ash was beside himself, they were all sat in the waiting room together. 

Ash and Drew and someone she didn't recognise, a rather attractive older lady who looked lost, Lainie assumed that she was Ash and Dexter's mother. When Ash saw Lainie he came rushing towards her.

"Ashton, I..." Lainie began as Ash pulled her into a tight hug.

"It's bad Lain, real bad!" He looked as if he was going to burst into tears!

"He's in a coma, he's been unconscious since it happened! They think he suffered a blow to the head when he landed on the ground. Lainie what if he doesn't wake up?"

As Lainie looked into his eyes, she had no answers, just as she was about to speak the unfamiliar woman confirmed who she was and approached her.

"You must be Lainie, I've heard so much about you. I'm Avril Maloney, Dexter and Ashton's mother. I'm sorry we couldn't meet under friendlier circumstances." 

Lainie went from Ash to his mother, and looking at her took her breath away! Dexter had her eyes!!! In fact he took after her in a lot of ways.

Over an hour later and with still no word, doctors and nurses going in and out, Charlotte and Drew were trying not to fall asleep as Lainie paced. "What the hell is keeping them???" Ash growled and wiped his face roughly as Avril tried to soothe him.

"Ashton calm down honey!" she murmured as Lainie finally stopped wearing out the linoleum.

Just then a doctor appeared and called to Mrs Maloney. Ash and Avril both stood up and began talking in hushed voices with him. 

Eventually Avril turned to everyone and smiled, "We can see him. He's still unconscious, he can breathe on his own and things are looking positive. No spinal injuries, no broken bones, just cuts and bruises but..." 

She trailed off as Ash finished her sentence for her, "He just won't wake up and they can't understand why. They're keeping a close eye on him so we just need to wait for him to...come back to us!" Lainie could see the heartache in her expression, her youngest son lying unconscious in a hospital bed with no explanation as to why he wouldn't wake up! She wanted to reach out and hug her but...she didn't even know this woman and yet she felt she'd known her for an age! Her skin and eyes and nose, all reminded her so much of Dexter...and it was comforting and devastating all at once!

The doctor had said that only three people could go into Dexter's room at one time, Drew gave up his place to see his friend and let Lainie go first with Ash and Avril. As they entered the room, he looked like he was just sleeping, despite his battered face and the heart monitor beeping away in the background, he looked so peaceful!

Avril and Ashton began talking to him, "When are you gunna get up ya lazy little dweeb!" Ash sniffed and wiped away his tears.

"Lainie is here Dexter!" His mother said in the cheeriest voice she could muster, "She came especially to see you so you'd better wake up mister or there will be trouble!" She laughed softly.

Lainie sat down on the opposite side of the bed and took his hand. "My beautiful boy!" she whispered to herself, she couldn't cry, she couldn't feel anything...apart from complete emptiness!

Ash was taking it the worst! Lainie could see how much he loved his little brother. Every so often he would wipe away a stray tear and curse himself under his breath, but who could blame him for feeling the way he did?

They sat for a little while and then Avril headed for the door, the scene too much for her to take and said "I should really let Andrew in to see him, they've been the best of friends since they were boys!"

When Drew did come in, he burst into tears, unable to control his emotions. Seeing his best friend lying there, it broke his heart!

He didn't stay long, he couldn't bear to see Dex like that, he too headed out the door to be with Charlotte.

Ash looked at Lainie, who had hardly moved since she came in, and told her "You don't have to stay Lain, you can always come back tomorrow. I'm sure he'll be awake by then."

"No!" Lainie snapped!

Then realising what she'd done, put her head down and mumbled "I mean, I want to be here when he wakes up. I'm not going anywhere!" Ash smiled and nodded as the two of them sat in silence, waiting for Dexter William Maloney to come round.

Oh poor Dexy! What is to become of our pretty boy? We shall find out next chapter!;)