Consequences

Where Have You Been...

Where Have You Been?

Xander had awaken to an empty bed, Rae was gone, leaving him tangled in the sheets, and hugging her pillow in thoughts that it was her. He heard the front door close, and immediately called out, “Rae?” He heard footsteps making their way down to the bedroom, and as the door creaked open he was surprised to see Avery standing there. “Hi,” she said in a whispered voice. Avery hesitated walking into the room any further, unless Xander was going to give her the go ahead. “Where have you been?” She lowered her head, as a tear cascaded down her cheek, “Staying away. I was going to call... but”, he cut her off. “But you didn't. How do you expect me to believe anything you are going to tell me? You couldn't even tell me the truth about what happened between you and Rae yesterday! How can you do that to your friend of all people?” Her gradual tears had now turned into sobbing to a point where she was having trouble breathing. “I'm sorry Xander. I've been trying to say that to Rae too, but she won't accept my messages.” He slid over to the edge of the bed and let his feet touch the floor, “I mean, really do you blame her. You tell her that you think you were drugged, she was concerned about you, and then you tell her that you lied, because you were afraid of anyone finding out that you slept with someone else on your own accord. And then, and then... I ask you about it and you hang up on me! What else have you lied to me about? I'm curious, because right now, I don't know what to believe that comes out of your mouth.” Avery was concentrating on the fact that Xander was in Rae's bed, tangled in the sheets and naked. “Why are you in here... with no clothes on?”, her tone had changed, she now sounded annoyed. He lowered his head and stood up from Rae's bed. “Well, wouldn't you like to know,” he proceeded to pick up his clothes from the floor and get dressed.

Avery continued to sob in anger, and began to back out of the bedroom, leaving Xander. He heard a bang in the sink, and rushed to find Avery on the floor of the bathroom, pills surrounding her, and with some still sitting in the sink. He knelt down beside her, and shook her shoulders constantly screaming her name. “Avery! Avery... wake up!” He ran to get his phone to dial 9-1-1.

He was beside himself watching the paramedics usher her out into the ambulance in the driveway. He took Avery's car and followed them to the hospital. Along the way, he had made several calls to Rae's phone, but had not gotten an answer. He had left so many messages, her voice mail box was now full. He tried to call Bruno, in hopes that maybe she had decided to stay with him, but he said that he hadn't seen her. Xander even went as far as calling Ink Kink and talked to Markus, who was now freaking out that no one had heard from Rae since last night. He wanted to meet up with Xander to work out a plan of where to find her, and was not too surprised when he stated that he was headed to the hospital because Avery had taken pills, and was unconscious on the bathroom floor. That was one thing that Markus made clear to everyone, he was NOT in anyway worried for Avery.

Xander was sitting in the waiting room as Markus's booming presence was made known bursting through the sliding doors. “Well....?” he immediately walked to Xander. “She's fine. The doctors informed me that she is stabilized. They still want to keep her....” Markus just rolled his eyes, “I'm not asking about Avery. Have you heard anything from Rae?” He was confused at where the hatred of Avery came from with him. And what better time to ask then now, “What is the issue with Avery? Why don't you like her?” Markus turned to give him a stern look, “Really, it's none of your concern.” He pulled out his cell phone, and dialed Rae's number again. “Hey... Where are you?... You had me worried sick!” Xander could hear her voice through the cell phone. “Damn you. No stay where you are... I'm coming to get you... I'm not going to drop this... Fine!” He turned back to Xander, “She's fine. She's with a friend. f**k! I need a drink. Come on.” He motioned for Xander to come with him. “I don't drink.” Markus rolled his eyes, “Well, then you can watch me.”

There was a bar on the waterfront a block or so down from the hospital. It was one of the local dive bars that were still in existence. The alcohol was cheap, and the food was acceptable. Entering the establishment, the lingering odor of sticky fruit juice and the up chuck result of the patrons who could not handle their alcoholic beverages. Everything was covered in bamboo and dried out grass skirts, which made the place a huge fire hazard. The salty sea air lingered at the open bar, which gave both men the view of the ocean and girls in bikinis that were scattered all over. They clearly adjusted themselves as they could see Xander and Markus making their way up to the bar stools. “What can I do for you today?” Markus spoke, “I'll take two shots of whiskey, and two menus.” Turning to look at Xander, “You look like you could eat something. Your going to have to do something here, you're not just going to watch me drink.” He gulped down both shots as though they were nothing. “So... you want to know why I don't like Avery?” He ordered two more shots, after taking them as well, he leaned back on the stool. “Where do I begin really... I knew Rae's dad before he died, and I made a promise that if anything happened to him, I would take care of her like she was my own. That's why she's like my daughter, so I was around to see Rae grow up. It's true that Rae and Avery met in high school. Even from the very beginning, it was obvious that Avery had a insecurity issues with her appearance. Sometimes, she would make Rae feel like there was something wrong with her body too. You know how they say misery loves company. Well, Avery had herself a one person audience. Rae started changing her appearance, losing weight, and for me, she was deteriorating right before my very eyes. I committed had her commited. She saw a few therapists and prescribed god knows what meds, but she started to come around again. But her and Avery were still be attached at the hip. Avery would be by her side twenty four seven, telling her constantly that she was worried about her, and that she was the greatest friend Rae could have, being that she was by her side. That is... until Avery was caught sleeping with none other then Rae's boyfriend. I know, because I caught them together. I confronted Avery and told her to tell the truth to Rae. But what Avery did... She ended up saying that it was the guy who instigated it from the start, saying that he took advantage of her, and that she was completely innocent of any wrong doing. Rae was heartbroken, but Avery wiggled her way back into Rae's good graces and apologized, mending their relationship. That's the day they made the vow to not date the same men. Rae had her type, and Avery had EVERY type. I never wanted to be the one to change Rae's mind about Avery, I wanted her to learn on her own. She's a real smart girl that way. She can forgive, she's got a heart of gold, but that girl never forgets. Just a shame that's it's taken about seven or so years for her to realize it.” It took Xander a few minutes to process everything that Markus was telling him. He started to contemplate what he initially attracted himself to Avery. Sure, she was beautiful, curvaceous, flirty, and could keep your attention on her without a doubt, but she was callous, inconsiderate, and a cheater. No matter how much he went through their first encounter, he contemplated on whether he himself was swindled into her trap. But whatever Xander thought that he had felt for Avery didn't matter, it couldn't stop how he has always felt towards Rae.

“I met Rae about seven years ago,” he couldn't make eye contact with Markus, as he looked at his plate of food. He caught Markus giving him a side glance while he was eating BBQ ribs. “I had never met anyone quite like her before in my life. She scared the s**t out of me, saying something about her friend leaving her there. We met in the elevator. We went for coffee. She was the easiest person to talk to. I told her things, I hadn't told my own friends. She didn't judge me, and she didn't leave... I didn't want to lose her that day, I wanted to keep in touch with her, but she said something about fate bringing us together in the future. If our paths crossed again, it was fate that we were meant to be together.” He smiled as he remembered everything about that day again. “And you ended up with Avery?” Markus shook his head and continued to eat his ribs, talking with a mouth full of food, “Rae has always been like that. Believing in the whole fate thing. She would always tell me that things happened for a reason, one way or another. I think that's how she was able to cope with her father's death. I felt that everything that had happened in her life, only made her a stronger independent woman.” Xander was now curious, “How did you meet Rae's father?” Markus cleared his throat, after finishing off the last of his ribs, “He was my PO when I got out of prison. He saw me as a changed man, and since he knew that I lost my family, he treated me like a family member. He trusted me with his life and family, just like I trusted him with mine.” Leaning back in his chair, glancing over at Xander again, “You know, I remember that day you're talking about. She stopped at the parlor, and talked about meeting this guy. It was the first time in a long time that I saw her beaming with a smile that wouldn't fade. You were something special for her. I could tell it by the look in her eyes.” Xander was starting to feel horrible, overthinking the entire situation. “I didn't know that they were friends though. Only after I had been with Avery for a few weeks. I was able to stay at the house one night, and when I got up in the morning, there she was. Standing in the kitchen, dancing to a tune, making breakfast. I was awe struck. I couldn't believe that it was her. After all of these years, it was fate, our paths had crossed again, just not the way I would have wanted them too. And even when Avery cheated on me, the only reason I forgave her was because I was afraid that I would lose Rae.” Markus put his hand on Xander's shoulder. “Okay, first... that's the most asinine thing I've ever heard, and second... you can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending. We don't meet people by accident. They are meant to cross our path for a reason. Remember that.” They were just ready to leave the bar, when Xander's phone had started to ring. He debated about answering it, because it was Avery. “You do what you got to do. I have a feeling you will make the right decision.” With that Markus said he would be waiting outside in his car.

 With all the powers that be, Xander didn't want to deal with her right now, but he knew it would either be now or never. He answered the phone but didn't get the chance to say a word, “Hey baby. I'm staying for a day or so for observation. Apparently they don't ease up on people who try to kill themselves. So, I am able to have visitors though, and I wanted to know if you wanted to come up. I do have my OWN room all to myself.” There was a long pause, and Xander still hadn't responded. “Baby, did you hear me? HELLO!”, Avery was shouting with a little annoyance in her voice. “No,” he responded. Avery was speechless. “What do you mean NO!?! I can have a hundred other men come up here and be with me, but I choose you. What the f**k Xander!?! Are you still pissed off about the whole me sleeping with someone else thing? Don't I mean anything to you? It's because of her isn't it! Damn it ANSWER ME!!!” For the first time, he actually listened to her. She sounded selfish and bratty, like a toddler who didn't get her way, and she was throwing a tantrum. He hung up the phone, and walked to Markus's car. “Well, they are keeping Avery for a day or so... I want to know where Rae is? You know I'm afraid of losing her. And I want her Markus... I want Rae.” Markus shook his head, “Well, your probably not going to like where she's at.”