You've just gotten off work after a long day of dealing with senseless human beings. At the vet's office where you work, being around the animals is much preferred to interacting with their owners. Either way, you always need cuddles and kisses from your favorite person after any day you have. As you make your way to your shared room in the hotel on autopilot, you have no clue what you're about to enter into.
Sally has been bored all day, wanting to call and message you just to hear your voice. She needs you, every second of every day, and yet she can't have you like that. Of course, with you being alive, she understands your obligations and responsibilities. However, none of this makes it any easier when her mind plays tricks on her. It began to feel like she was just trading an addiction for another.
You open the door and sigh almost silently to yourself as your eyes fall shut for a moment. You softly close the door and make eye contact with your girlfriend just as she's become aware of your presence as well. She sits perched on the bed and just by her wide eyes you know something is wrong. A quick scan of her body for blood and your eyes focus right on her arm. Your bag falls off your arm and your jaw falls open.
Her sleeve is rolled up, a thick rubber band tightened around her bicep, a syringe ready in her hand. You had never seen her do this before, when you met she had already stopped. She told you about it and how you were a big motivation for her to stay clean, she never wanted you to see her in that light. So to be in this position right now is equally jarring for the both of you. Neither of you move or even speak for several minutes.
"Sally..."
"Don't."
She finally looks away from you, feeling ashamed of herself and wanting to disappear. A part of her wishes she had truly died that night years ago, just so she wouldn't have to experience this moment with you. You, on the other hand, approach her slowly and she sees this out the corner of her eye. She stands up abruptly, her hand with the needle behind her back and the other outstretched to keep you away.
"No"
You stop, knowing this is a delicate situation, you don't want to push her too far.
"Sally, I-"
"Don't! I'm going"
Your reaction time is delayed, having closed your eyes from her raised voice. She slips past you and heads to the door, her hand quickly taking the knob in a tight fist. Tears sting her eyes but she refuses to let them fall now, she's done this to herself. You turn around swiftly, noticing her absence and you run over while still keeping distance between you.
"Don't."
She glances at you and then back at the door, shaking her head.
"Don't. Leave."
Sally halts in her tracks, her hand falling from the knob as a tear makes its way down her cheek. She turns slowly and stares at you in confusion. She's usually the one begging people to stay and she's never had to do that with you; you've always been by her side, even now. She doesn't understand why you would want her to stay, maybe it's her mind playing tricks on her again.
"What did you say?"
"Nothing..."
Your gaze averts to the floor, anxiety filling your entire body, seeping its way into your bones. Your insecurities rarely make an appearance with Sally because she naturally just quells all your fears. Her clinginess helps to fight your abandonment issues, she always wants to be around you so why would she ever leave? Her dominance helps with your indecisiveness, you trust her to guide you through everything. So not having her in a time where you're so unsure, her being the reason you're unsure... it's more than hard.
"No, say it again..."
She takes a few hesitant steps towards you and you see her feet enter your field of vision. You can't deny her of anything, you never could. Which leads you to look up and into her eyes, tears clouding your eyes so her image is blurry.
"Don't leave me... please?"
The tears start rapidly falling down your cheeks and Sally feels her heart break as her own race down her face. Without thinking she drops the syringe, her body pulling her right back to you. Your arms wrap tightly around each other's torsos and tears are shed and shared amongst you. A string of apologies fall from Sally's lips and if you had the strength to respond, you'd tell her she didn't need to say anything.
Sensing that you're not able to speak, thus proving your exhaustion, the blonde helps you over to the bed. She avoids the side she had been sat on, not wanting to get close to the spot where she almost ruined it all. Once you're laying down, a hand holding her shirt to make sure she doesn't go far, she lays beside you. Your head rests on her chest as she rubs circles on your back and kisses the top of your head.
"Shhh... I'm not going anywhere, baby"
You grip onto her tighter for a moment before pulling away. Sally reaches up to wipe your tears before you have a chance and you smile at her. You do the same, the blonde only noticing she was crying as you gentle wipe her face.
"Let me help you. We can get through this together. Will you let me?"
Sally can't understand why or how you're being so calm about this, why you didn't scream in her face and tell her how she ruins everything and everyone she touches. Harsh memories of past lovers flash in her mind, how all of the connections just burned away or fizzled out. No one had been able to take her away from her previous heaven, the one thing that always made her happy and most importantly: it made her forget.
"Annie?"
A smile instantly found its way to the blonde's lips. Anne is her middle name and you were the only person to ever address her by it. In fact, you may be the only person alive that she's told. Her mother would always call her by her full name with such hatred. She came to despise it altogether and of course she had no choice but to use her first name; however, she vowed to never utter her middle name again. Well, until you came along and just cracked her right open like a fresh book.
"Yes, I will"
The smile on your face, the way your eyes light up, she could never grow tired of it. It makes her own expression mirror yours out of habit, loving to see you happy — especially when she's the cause of it.
"I'm so sorry you had to see that"
The guilt crept up on her quickly, causing her smile to drop as if it was never present.
"Don't be. I need to know about these things and I'm glad I came at the right time, now you don't have to have any regrets, my love. I can still see my sweet little Annie in there... and I'm so grateful and happy that I didn't lose her"
Sally tears up at your words, this time out of joy. She's never been loved so much before and it's been overwhelming. It took her a long time to even feel deserving of your kindness but you finally got it through her thick (but cute) skull, that she has no choice but to receive your love.
"I love you so so much, baby"
"I love you too, Sal"
Sally holds you close to her chest, close to her heart, wishing she'd never have to let go. You're having the same thoughts, as well as debating on how and when you'll remove that syringe your girlfriend carelessly disposed of. Figuring she wouldn't want to face it again, mainly trying to keep her away from the temptation.
"You should sleep, I know you're tired. I'll take care of... the things"
Her voice shakes a bit, expecting that you'll jolt up or insist that you'll do it and she could never let you do that. Her sweet princess shouldn't be dealing with such evil things.
"Stay until I fall asleep?"
Sally smiles at your silent affirmation, you trust her to handle it responsibly. You trust her with everything. In that moment she makes up her mind for good; she can never betray that sort of trust, she knows what something like that can do to a person. Even if she has to rely on her friends to hold her accountable, she'll ask for the help she needs this time around.
"Anything for you, my love..."