| Taken For Granted |
| written by Brandi |
| I still can't believe it. He actually left me. The little bastard left me! Joey took another gulp of alcohol out of the bottle he had been nursing for about an hour. How dare Lance have the nerve to leave me! He stood suddenly and in a rush of anger threw the bottle at the wall. He watched as it exploded into pieces and as the alcohol came spraying through the air and landing on the wall, flowing into the carpet like rain. "Shit, now I have to get another damn bottle!" Joey exclaimedwhile turning away from the mess on the wall. On the way to the kitchen he tripped over several empty beer bottles. "Fuck!" he yelled while kicking them angrily. He opened the fridge and grapped another bottle, opening it quickly and taking a huge drink. He looked around the kitchen and was suddenly hit with a memory of Lance when he was trying to surprise him with breakfast. Joey sat down suddenly remembering the moment with unseeing eyes. FLASHBACK "Lance!" Joey cried. "What?" "What are you doing?!" "I was going to surprise you with breakfast." Lance replied with a shy smile. Joey looked around the kitchen with an amused gaze. Lance was sitting on the floor with his legs crossed. Pot and pans surround him as he was digging through the cabinet. "What are you looking for?" questioned Joey. "I was trying to find a skillet for the omlets I was going to make you." replied Lance while looking up at Joey with a smile, "but I can't seem to find any." "That's because they are in the next cabinet over Lance." Joey said and then sighed. "oh, I thought you kept them all in one place together." Lance said with a confused expression, "I'm sorry about the mess, I'll clean it up." "That's ok, you didn't know." Joey replied while kneeling next to Lance, "let me help you and then we can cook breakfast together, ok?" "OK, I would like that." Lance said with a smile. "I love you Jo Jo." he said and gave Joey a soft kiss on the lips, then started to clean up. Joey just sat there with a cheesy smile and a dreamy look on his face. The banging of pans brought him out of his phase and started helping Lance. Together they fixed the omlets and had a breakfast full of smiles and kisses. END FLASHBACK The sound of a bottle hitting the floor brought Joey back to reality. The memory had sobered him up a bit and he looked at all the bottles that littered the floor. What have I become? "No wonder he left me." cried Joey lying his head on the table. I'm drowning myself with alcohol, instead of willowing in my fears. "Damn, what have I done?" He was starting to get up when another memory hit him. Only this one wasn't as nice as before. FLASHBACK "Hey honey, I'm back." Joey yelled while stubbling through the door, obviously drunk. Lance looked at him with a sad glance. "Hey Joe, you have fun?" Joey had went to a club with Chris after watching a movie with the guys earlier. It was now almost 4 in the morning. Lance had stayed up knowing he would be drunk. This had been happening for quite awhile now and Lance was getting worried. Joey had started drinking more and more after coming out to his parents. Lance know that his drinking is a result of whatever happened between Joe and his parents. Everytime he asks Joe about it, he becomes angry and shuts himself off to anyone around him. At first Lance thought nothing of the drinking, he was just having a good time with friends.Lately, though things have been changing. Joey started becoming more violent. "Hell yeah, I had a blast." Joey said with slurred words. "Have you talked with your parents lately?" knowing he was treading on dangerous grounds, but Lance asked anyway. Instantly he saw Joey's eyes harden and his face grew angry. "It's not any of your business Lance!" yelled Joey while grounding his teeth in anger. "Yes, it is Joe. We are together, if something is hurting you, then I'm hurting too!" Lance replied trying to find out the problem. Joey balled his hands into fists and suddenly punched Lance as hard as he could in the face. The force was so hard, Lance flew to the ground. He immediately grabbed his face and looked in shock at Joey. "That ought to teach you to stay out of my business." snarled Joey as he stomped to the bedroom and slammed the door, leaving Lance crying on the floor. END FLASHBACK Oh God, I've become a monster! Joe cried to himself. I let my fight with my parents get to me and found refuge in the alcohol. It's because of the alcohol that I lost Lance! "I can't believe I let myslef push away the one person who means the world to me." No! I'm not going to let the alcohol win! It's not going to control my life any longer! "I need to talk to Lance, I have to find him!" Joey cried while looking around frantically trying to find his keys. Suddenly the phone rang and he rushed to answer it. "Hello?" he asked while trying to catch his breath. "Hello, is anyone there?" "J..J..Joe, it's me." Joeylet out a sigh of relief. "Oh god, Lance! I was just going to find you!" "Joe, I really think you need some help. You are killing yourself." Lance cried while sniffling. "I don't want to lose you Jo Jo!" "Oh Lance, I'm so sorry! I never realized what I was doing. All I knew was that drinking took away all the pain. Lance, I don't want to lose you either. I am going to get help Lance. That way you can come back to me." Joey said while his eyes began to sting with tears. "You don't know how happy I am to hear you say that Joe." Lance whispered with his deep voice. "I'm just sorry that it took you leaving to make me realize I had a problem." replied Joey. "I'm so sorry baby! I miss you so much. Oh god Lance, I love you so much!" Joey sobbed. "I never wanted to hurt you like I did." "Oh Jo Jo, I love you too! I can't stand being without you!" Lance said. "Lance, I want you to do me a favor baby. I want you to stay away until I am better ok?" "Joe, I can't do that!" Lance cried. "I want to help you." "Lance you are helping me by staying where you are." "How can that be helping you Jo Jo?" "With you being away, it keeps me striving to get help. It's a reminder of what I have done and what I have lost because of my stupid actions." Joey explained. "I..I understand Jo Jo, it's just that I miss you so much already. Having to wait longer is going to hurt so much." "I know baby, but it's for the best. I just don't want to see me, if I relapse. I might hurt you again Lance. I would kill myself before I would do that again!" cried Joey. "Oh Jo Jo, I really don't want to wait but... ok. I will stay here, but you have to promise to call me everyday ok?" Lance asked. "Of course baby!" Joey eagerly replied. "I'll be back before you know it baby. Then you and will be where you belong, right here in my arms." whispered Joey while trying to hold back more of the tears threatening to fall. "Listen, I have to go Lance, I want to find help as soon as possible." "Ok Joe, just please try to hurry." Lance said with a raspy voice from crying. "I love you Lance, don't ever forget that." Joey replied softly. "I love you to Joe-bear." Lance cried. "Bye baby, see you soon." "Bye Joe." Lance softly replied. Joey listened as he heard Lance hang up, then sighing hung up the phone and walked out the door in search of help. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* TWO MONTHS LATER Lance was sitting on the couch looking at old photographs of him and Joey. "Oh Joey, I miss you so much." cried Lance while lovingly running his fingers over Joey's smiling face. Why haven't you called me Joe? It's been a week since I last talked to you. Lance thought to himself. As he continued flipping through the photos, he heard a knock on the door. He sat the album on the couch and went to the door. When he opened the door his eyes widened. "Hi Lance, I'm back." Joey said softly while smiling. Lance stood there in shock. "Oh my gosh! Joe!" Lance exclaimed after snapping out of his shock and giving Joey a hug. "It's you, you're really here, I'm not dreaming!" "No, you're not dreaming baby. I'm back and here to stay." Joey said before leaning forward to give Lance a kiss on the lips. Lance happily returned the kiss and knew everything was going to be okay. They were finally together again. THE END |