Free Patient Privilege by Allison Cassatta Page A

onto the floor. Angel's eyes shot wide and his arms stretched out, fingers splayed. He tackled Jon, took him straight down to the shag carpet and was about to hit him when the good doctor locked his arms around his body and pulled him back.
    "Do you know what I had to do for that shit?" Angel growled as he struggled to get away from Dr Daniels.
    "Fuck you," Jon spat. "Are you trying to kill yourself?"
    "I had to suck off some nasty fucking old man in a Goddamn alley for that shit! I had to swallow his cum and you just wasted it on the fucking floor!"
    "I don't give a shit what you did! You did it to yourself!"
    Angel finally broke away from Dr Daniels's hold. He pushed past Jon and pressed his nose to the scattered pile of white powder dusted all over the brown carpet. He inhaled as much as he could, as fast as he could. He didn't give a shit how desperate that made him look.
    He rolled over, leaned against the wall and stared up as Dr Daniels held Jon's trembling body. Tears filled his best friend's eyes and Angel hated those soggy little reminders of the piece of shit he'd been. He hated everything he'd put Jon through in the last few days. And most of all, he hated to see someone else holding Jon while he cried over the shit Angel had put him through.
    In a soft, understanding voice, the doctor said, "I get it, Angel. I do, but look what you're doing to the only person who loves you enough to try to save you. Look how badly you're hurting him. Is this the life you want to live?"
    Lowering his head, Angel mumbled a soft, "No." He wrapped his arms around his own body. He curled against the wall and sobbed. "Fucking help me. Please, God, somebody fucking help me. I don't want to be a whore anymore. Fucking help me."

Chapter Fifteen
     
    Erik gave Jon a light nudge. Jon looked back and Erik nodded toward the scared, warm body curled against the wall in a silent way of telling the kid to go to the man he seemed to love so much, hold him and help him. Erik knew better than anyone how much Angel needed support right now. He needed love and compassion, understanding and care. He definitely didn't need to be treated like a pariah, and Erik knew if Angel thought for one second the only person he trusted had turned his back on him, rehab would be the last thing on his mind.
    Erik felt the warmth of satisfaction as Jon knelt down beside Angel and pulled him into a tight hug. Angel's hands gripped Jon's arm so tightly his fingers bit down into his skin, turning the surface of his flesh white.
    "Why don't you take him to the shower?" Erik asked. "Help him get cleaned up and I'll run out and buy him a change of clothes."
    Angel's and Erik's eyes locked in an intense stare, like Angel didn't understand why a complete stranger wanted to help him. It almost stopped Erik's heart mid-beat, but he understood. He'd given the people at the facility he'd gone to the same kind of look. Obviously, Angel wanted to say something. Maybe he wanted to ask why, but it seemed like the kid didn't know where to start. Erik imagined himself looking the same way at one point in his life. He recognized the unspoken, mutual understanding in their hard, worn gazes.
    In a hoarse voice, Angel finally said, "Thank you."
    "You can thank me when we get you well," Erik said. "We will get you well. Now go. Get cleaned up and we'll get you all taken care of." He watched as Jon led Angel into the tiny, hotel bathroom then he let out a soft, relieved sigh just before leaving the boys to take care of each other.
     
    * * * *
     
    No words were spoken. Angel sat on the toilet, head hung low in shame. Jon leaned against the wall. In their time together, they'd never shared such an awkward moment, but Angel had also never seen Jon be so strong. He'd never seen his best friend take control like that. Angel had always been the strong one of the two. He'd always led the way and Jon had happily followed along to the beat of Angel's drum.
    Something needed to break the silence,