Sweet surrender Part 1

"Why are you taking his side? Huh?" Casey screamed into the phone, straight into her friends ear.
Trying not to loose her hearing as well as her temper, Jamie kept the phone some distance away and tried to calm herself.
For the tenth time this week, they had the same fight. The same one they had six months ago, but Casey closed the case and didn't want to talk about it. Now, they are back at the beginning.
"I'm not taking sides at all. I never was. You just don't listen. He tried to explain, but you wouldn't let him." Exasperated, Jamie rolled her eyes skyward.
"Explain what exactly?" said Casey sarcastically. "The fact that he cheated on me?" she continued.
"He did not cheat, Casey." There was no use to go further into the conversation, because her friend simply wasn't going to listen. Same thing happened when the whole situation blew up back then. Jamie tried to reason with her friend. Told her what happened but she didn't believe her and neither does she now.
"Are you telling me that, dating me and kissing another girl isn't cheating?" She asked surprised.
Halfheartedly, Jamie listened to the shouts. Of course that was cheating but not in this case. She wished she could squeeze herself through the line, get to her friend and grab her by the neck. Just for a second, that's how much she needed, so Casey might actually listen to her finally.
"It is, but he..." The phone line was abruptly cut off, and Jamie silently hung up as well.
Apparently, that was the only answer Casey wanted and nothing more.

Leaning back in her chair, she knew there was only one way to get Casey to listen to her. She needed to slap some sense into her, but that couldn't be done over the phone. Staring into the space absently, she tried to sort her thoughts in her mind. It was time to play the game with open cards, and that meant, dumping her boyfriend as soon as he'd confessed. Casey thought it wonderful, the two of them dating the guys from the band. It wasn't much of a relationship in Jamie's case, but she had to get close to him, to figure out what really happened that night. She was almost there. Casey's fits and tantrums were a good cause to push the matter to finalization.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

After hearing Jamie admit the fact that her ex boyfriend, Dorian, really did cheat on her, she threw herself on her queen size bed and started crying into the pillow. She was confused. Madness and sadness at the same time didn't make any sense. Why now, after six months, did she bring it up again, when she didn't want to listen to reason the first time? Her heart was aching, as she remembered Dorian and their time together. She thought they were made for each other. What a mistake that was!

That night, it was supposed to be their one year anniversary, she walked into the little club, radiant as ever, looking for him. However, the second she saw him, her smile was gone and her face lost its color. She was late, as usual, but he never did mind, or so he kept telling her. Until that night.

He was sitting at a table, the band that just started playing in the club was with him. She doesn't remember much of that. Only the picture of a girl sitting on his lap and kissing him. She couldn't see her face, then again, didn't really want to. Silently, she turned around and ran outside. Tears wetted her cheeks but she didn't notice. She was short of breath. Just like she was now.

Dorian called her the next day, but she didn't answer, or any other of his calls. Silently, she had shut him out of her life and with that shut the door to their relationship.

That night, Jamie was with some other friends, sitting at a table, away from the door, so Casey couldn't have seen her. Realizing that it was their special night, she wanted to give them some room and privacy. It turned out to be the wrong thing to do. When she didn't see her friend come in, she called her, but Casey did not answer the call. Not sure as to why she didn't come, she went to the table where Dorian was sitting and understood what happened. The bartender of the club was a good friend of theirs as well, so he came over to her to put his two sents as to what he possibly saw.

"I didn't think he actually knew the guys, or that wild cat, for that matter." he was reffering to the girl. Jamie smiled at her friend while listening. They were both concerned.
"I was too busy flirting at the bar to pay much attention about three guys and a girl."
Tweets was more of a security type of guy, from his tall looks, but he liked flirting and bartending made that perfect for him. He was very well built, lean muscles showing under every part of his clothes with short black hair and dark eyes that made a person jump a foot if he surprised them. His name, however, didn't fit into that. People called him Tweets ever since he showed up at work in a shirt with Tweety Bird on it. All he did was shrug their jests away, so the name stuck with him. His real name was Jason, but not many people knew it.

After talking to him, all the while watching now, exausted, colorless face on Dorian, she knew he passed out. Everyone knew he could hold his liquor, for he would drink anyone under the table. Something was wrong, but they couldn't figure out what. Trying to reach Casey once again but not succeeding, Jamie decided she'll just have to drive his sorry ass home, herself. She couldn't possibly leave him there. Looking down on his, now lifeless body, she wondered how someone with so much strength can actually do this sort of thing to themselves. She quickly calculated how much he must have weighted, and concluded his size is twice as hers, which meant there was no way she could move him.

Talking to Tweets, she explained her dilemma and, instantly, two guards were at her sides, ready to help a damsel in distress.
Once they lifted Dorian's heavy body, they headed for the door. Jamie was right behind them, but something caugt her eye. Turning her attention towards the small couch where her drunk friend was sitting, was a small orange bottle. Slowly, she neared the couch, picked it up and looked at it. There was no label on it to indicate the owner of the little plastic bottle, only pills. Glancing around her, as to check if anyone saw her actions, she tucked the item into her purse and went after the three men.

By the time they reached Dorian's appartment, his face changed many colors. It started with a pale yellow, then it was green and right now his purplish-bluish complection worried Jamie and the guards.

Reaching the small, but comfortable light brown couch in Dorian's living room, they slowly put him down to rest on it.

"I'm not sure if we should just leave him here." said one of the giants into the silence. With a not, Jamie and the other security person agreed.

"Look, you guys, I'll stay with him and take care of him for the night. He should be fine by tomorrow." Jamie said.

Glancing at each other a top of Jamie's head, they didn't feel the same confidence. Too many people start out this way and end up in bad shape.

Seeing how there wasn't any kind of reaction from the giants, she sighed. "If it'll help any, I'll call you if he really gets bad. Besides, you are only about ten minutes away and I have Tweets number in case of a real emergency."

"You're the boss." said one of the tall men, while tapping her on the shoulder.

They turned around and headed for the door. "Take care. Be sure to call if you need anything." Jamie nodded absently.


What is she going to do? Dorian looked as if he was either ready to die, or throw up. He felt cold to her touch and broke out in sweat also. Not a pretty picture. He started groaning, as he turned to the side and put his arms around his waist, as if he was in pain. Frantically, Jamie rushed to the kitchen, in search of a bucket, that Dorian could throw up in. Finally, she found it hiding in a closet where he kept all his cleaning stuff.


She was running back, just in time to catch Dorian's head in her hands to point it towards the bucket, when he started vomiting. Glad to see he was alive, she silently said a prayer. He was still unconscious but at least he wasn't dead.


The recovery was a slow one. Jamie kept forcing water down Dorian's throat, while he emptied his insides shortly after it. They were at it until four o'clock in the morning. Finally, Dorian calmed down and rested. His face regained some of his color and Jamie was glad to see that. She sat down on a chair across from him, still affraid to leave him by himself. Reluctantly, she closed her eyes, as she driffted off to sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Jamie?" someone's voice penetrated through her dreams, but she couldn't make out who or why they were asking for her.

It was eight in the morning and Dorian was awake. Sitting on the couch he slept on, he tried not to make any fast movements for it made his stomach turn upside down.

"Hey, Jamie!" he said louder.

Against her will to awake fully, she peeked through one eye to see who the madman was that kept calling her. Seeing Dorian sitting there, she opened both eyes in amazement, a grin from ear to ear.

"You're alive!!" she screamed, as she jumped up to hug him.

Putting up his hands in protection, Jamie stopped in mid air with her hug.

"Are you in a lot of pain?" she asked, concerned.
"Not really, but any kind of shaking might make me vomit."

Making an ugly face in reply, she went back to the uncomfortable chair and stretched.

"Are you able to talk or remember anything from last night?" Lot of questions went through Jamie's head, but she wanted to go easy on him.
With a raised eyebrow Dorian looked at his friend as if she lost her mind.

"You're talking to me right now, aren't you?" He didn't wait for an answer. " I don't remember much of last night. All I remember is my last drink of Vodka and that's it."

Jamie watched him search for an answer, as to why he passed out.

"I can't believe I had so much too drink. Casey must hate me." Then, shock and fear showed in his eyes at the same time.

"Where is she? Was she there at all? I have to call her." Jumping up from the couch, he instantly felt dizzy. Already, he forgot how bad he felt but that reminded him. Sitting back down, he leaned his head on the couch to rest.

"Take it easy, Romeo. I have no clue where she is right now, but I assume she was there last night."
He glared at her. "What do you mean, you assume? It was our..!"

Jamie let out a sigh. No wonder they fit together, she thought. They were both irrational with a short temper.

"If you listen to me I'll tell you all that I know."

Dorian silently listened to everything Jamie had to say, her speculations, what she thought might have happened and why she didn't see Casey.
She didn't leave much out, only the parts she didn't know about.

After she explained everything as best as she could, she reached for her purse and took the little bottle out. Dorian looked at it first, then slowly took it out of Jamie's hand to have a closer look. He didn't know much about pills, in which case, these didn't seem at all familiar to him. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out how that ended up in the club, next to him. It wasn't his, that much he knew, and told Jamie that.

Jamie left Dorian's place around noon, right after she'd made sure that he ate something and was feeling good enough to walk around. She was too exhausted to do anything, but knew she should check on Casey. Dorian wanted to call her first so she'll give them some time before she went to see her.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Around four o'clock that afternoon Jamie's phone rang. She picked it up and on the other side was Casey talking and crying at the same time. Since she couldn't understand a word, Jamie told her she'd come over and they can talk. She hung up, changed her clothes and drove to see her friend.


Once there, she rang the bell of the Jenkins residence.

"Oh, hi Jamie!" Casey's mom was a small woman with dark brown hair. There were tiny dark circles showing around her eyes, indicating that she was up with her daughter for a while.

"Hi Mrs. Jenkins." Jamie managed to smile a little. "I stopped by to check on Casey and see how she's doing." There was no point of hiding the reason why she was there. Casey's mother knew everything about everything, especially when it came to Casey.

"Yes," she replied "she's in her room. She's very distressed." she added. Worry showed on the woman's face.

"You go ahead to her room and I'll bring you guys some refreshments." Hastily, she scurried of to the kitchen, to get them something to drink. Knowing Casey's mom, she probably was ready to put some food on a plate as well to make sure the girls have something to munch on. Jamie imagined, her friend wasn't in the mood to eat anything, but it wouldn't hurt to try.

Knocking softly on Casey's door, Jamie didn't wait for her to answer. Turning the knob on the door she peaked inside and saw her friend sitting on her couch, curled up. Her face looked red from all the crying and her eyes were puffy. The short dark blond curls were covering some of her beautiful face, but that didn't seem to bother Casey. Her mind was somewhere else to pay attention to her looks right now. Slowly, Jamie went to her, giving her a hug as she kissed the top of her friends head. Casey clutched at her, as fresh tears started rolling down her face. It pained Jamie to see her friend like this. Usualy, Casey never showed any signs of distress even in the toughest situations. This was a big blow, Jamie knew. She let her cry, while she moved the dark curls from Casey's face. There weren't any words spoken, until the light knock on the door. Jamie pushed her thoughts away and went to answer it.

"Jamie, honey, would you mind..?" Casey's mom asked without finishing her sentence, a big tray in her hands. Jamie nodded and took it. She slowly closed the door, while Jamie put the tray on the table in front of them.

She sat down in front of Casey waiting for her to start talking. There weren't any words. She just stared into space with a blank look in her eyes. Jamie couldn't wait any longer and broke the silence.

"Can you tell me what happened?" She wasn't sure why her friend was so upset, but knew there was a reason. She doubted that Casey knew about the pills she found on that couch, but she wouldn't mention them either until Casey told her side of the story.

Slowly, lifting her gaze to meet Jamie's eyes, she blinked her tears away.
"He doesn't love me anymore." She was calm when she said that, as if all the love she felt for him left her heart. It sent shivers down Jamie's back. There was iceness in her voice, which Jamie never noticed before and it scared her.

"What are you talking about?" Jamie demanded. "Of course he does. Just this morning.."

Casey put up her hand to silence her friend.
"I don't want to hear it. He sure did pick out a good day to do it."

Sighing, Jamie had no idea what she meant by that.
"Do what? What are you talking about? He said you weren't even there!"

Casey snorted out a laugh. "He was too busy with that hussy, no wonder."

"Are you talking about the girl that Tweets said was sitting with them?" At least they were getting closer as to what happened, Jamie thought.

"Yes, I'm talking about her." Casey said dryly. "She was sitting on his lap. She was all over him, kissing him and he didn't seem to mind, either." Fresh tears showed in her eyes.

Oh, good Lord, what in the world was going on, Jamie wondered. She knew Dorian just as long as her friend and he never cheated on a girl. Besides, he loved Casey endlessly. It just wasn't possible. Someone must have drugged him, but why? Trying to search for an answer in her head and comfort her friend as well she continued their conversation.

"I don't think he cheated. It might have looked that way, but.." she paused. Casey didn't seem to be listening anyway. Jamie debated weather or not she should show the pill bottle to Casey. That was the only way to prove to her that he wasn't cheating. He was probably passed out before she kissed him. Why would she kiss him anyway, if he was out like a light? It didn't make any sence! Was she tring to make Casey jealous on purpose? She could have seen her come, and just jumped on his body. Knowing Casey, that would stop her dead in her tracks. That must have been it. Thinking this would explain it all, she took the pills out and put them on the table.

"Listen to me!" Jamie said, while Casey turned her head to stare at the wall. Rolling her eyes, she ignored her friends reaction.
"I found this on the couch where Dorian was sitting." she said, but Casey didn't seem to pay any attention at all.


"He doesn't remember any of that. He doesn't remember kissing anyone, either. Someone drugged him, Casey, but I don't know why. It could have been her, for all I know." She said it all in one breath. Then, she remembered that Tweets mentioned the guys from the band. They were with Dorian as well. How come they didn't notice? Were they in on it? Too many questions started giving Jamie a headache.

"Casey!!" she shouted. "Look at me!" she demanded. Casey obeyed and looked at her friend with the emptiness in her eyes.
"What ever you saw last night, it wasn't what you think! Dorian would never cheat on you, and you know it! Someone did it to him, for what ever reason."


"Sure, take his side." - "Now I know he uses drugs, too." Casey retorted.

"Oh, for Heaven's sake would you snap out of it!" Jamie couldn't stand it any longer.
"He puked half the night. This morning, he didn't remember anything." She paused. "You know what kind of effect alcohol with any kind of pills has! You're the medical assistant."


"So you tended to him?" Casey said through clenched teeth. It seemed to Jamie that her friend was losing it big time.

"Did he kiss you too as a thank you?" she continued, her face red.

Jamie stood the instant Casey spoke the words. "You know what? I'm your friend, at least I thought you saw me as one. If you think I would do such a thing, our friendship is over." She was heading for the door.


Instantly, Casey started crying again, ran after her friend and hugged her. "I'm so sorry, Jamie! I don't know what came over me. I'm just so upset. Please, don't go. Forgive me?"

Jamie didn't know how much of this drama she could take. How was she to help if Casey didn't want to listen.

"You have to understand Jamie, he cheated on me."
"If you listened for one second you'd know.." she started but Casey interrupted her.

"I don't want to hear it. What ever the reason, I know what I saw. I'm done with him."

"You don't mean that. Talk to him! The pills are not his, Casey. He simply did not cheat." Jamie was so worked up over this, she half screamed.


"WE are DONE! I'm not talking to him and that's that. Case closed!" she said, exasperated.

"You're making a mistake, just so you know." Jamie tried to make her see her point, but it was a lost cause.

"It's over!! You can tell him that when you see him." Sitting back on the couch, the conversation was over, at least for her.

"Fine!" Jamie said and walked out of the room.




This way to: "Sweet Surrender Part 2"