Author's Note: Sorry for the lacking updates! For some reason, I'm really bad at this. Lol. I forget even when I'm updating something else and omfg. Busy. It's so much easier to update something that's already formatted and has been posted before. OTL

So I'm sorry! Thank you for sticking with me and reading this story. I have really enjoyed writing it and I can't wait to keep writing and post more. But for now, I must get to work and study and prepare for Christmas!

Please enjoy!

Thank you so much!

"He's never going to admit that he has a problem," I heard Shinra speaking in a harsh voice down the hall, "He's recovering fine, but as soon as I let him go, he's going to go straight back to drinking himself to death…"

He paused, as if talking to himself. "I know, I know. We haven't seen him in years. So if that's the life he has chosen for himself… but…"

He sighed.

"Last time we saw him he wasn't like this. He was still my friend, so I'd like to think that he still is."

Friend? What friends? If he wanted to be my friend so badly, where was he when it all fell apart? Where was his support? Last time he'd even spoken to me he was telling me to deal with my problems myself as he shoved me out his front door.

"I know, Celty –"

Ah… so she was still around…

"We have to do something to help him. Maybe it isn't too late to get the old Izaya back."

Tch. The old or the sober? Nobody ever liked either one.

"The situation he's putting himself in could kill him. Yeah, he was a jerk in high school, but does that really mean we can leave him like that?"

….

"Shizuo? He'd never – I… I see… Th-that could work."

Moments later, Celty entered the room, still headless with a message held out for me to read on a PDA much newer than the model I had last seen her with… seven years ago.

[Welcome back.]

And I was glad that some things had remained a constant since my leave.

"It must really suck being you," Shizuo scoffed, taking his usual place leaning against the wall.

Shinra rolled his eyes, sliding the IV needle out of my arm. I flinched at the slight sting and tug, staring as the tiny hole began to bleed.

"Oh well," I shrugged. I wanted to show him that he couldn't get to me the way I used to get to him. "At least I'm getting the hell out of here."

A look of guilt washed over Shinra's boyish expression. Forcing me down without a word, he continued his work of next inspecting the uncomfortable catheter from beneath my skin.

"What?" I stared at him suspiciously, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

He grimaced, forcing a small grin onto his face, and the pieces came together easily. "I'm not removing this yet."

"Seriously? Why?" I started, "You told me –"

"You're not ready."

"The hell I'm not! I feel fine!"

My heart began to race, filling with panic in mere moments.

"Well, Izaya, I'm your doctor, and I say you're not ready," his voice shook slightly, while his gray eyes travelled back to Shizuo for reassurance. "I'm leaving it in until you're well."

"I'm fine!" I hissed, desperate to get the fuck out of his apartment and back to my own life – whatever that meant.

"I mean until you recover fully… from your… er… drinking problem…"

"What fucking drinking problem?" I used all of my force to shove him away from me.

Shizuo slid away from his spot, catching the doctor before he hit the floor. His narrowed, angry eyes clashed with my own.

"The one that has you acting like this!" he barked, gesturing toward me.

Regaining balance, Shinra looked at me with hurt in his eyes. Such an expression forced me to look away. I wouldn't feel guilty for it. This wasn't my fault for ending up like that and I wouldn't sit back and claim responsibility for it. I refused.

"I'm leaving it in so that I can continue to do blood work on you and keep you in good health."

"You're trying to experiment on me?" I easily jumped to conclusions, feeling that much more cornered when Celty appeared to check on the commotion.

Glaring at all three of them, I tried to keep away as best as possible by curling into a smaller mold and pressing against the headboard as if I could fall through it and disappear.

"Don't read it like that," Shinra pleaded, "I just want to help you!"

"How? How is this helping me?"

"Whether you'll admit it or not, Izaya, all of us know you have a life-threatening problem you need to work out. I'm going to see to it that you recover."

"There is nothing to recover from!" I glowered, resting my hand over the bruise I'd earned from that bar owner a week back. "I got a little sick. So fucking what? I'm better now."

I hadn't had a drink in too long. My head was a wreck, and these people who I once knew were making it worse than it needed to be.

"Look, flea, we're gonna give you two options here," Shizuo spoke up, "You're gonna fucking pick one. And you're gonna stop drinking."

"We know about your situation," Shinra backed him, "We also know you're currently homeless."

"None of your business," I grumbled, slumping my shoulders.

"I looked at your record," Shizuo said, "I know the shit you've pulled, about your DUI, assaults, threats, and your business with certain yakuza groups."

"Ne? I think assault and defending yourself are two logically different things," I shot the blond a cold glare, not seeing out any of this mattered to him.

He ignored the comment, bringing forth my ultimatum. "So here's how it plays out. You get two choices. The first is that you agree you have a problem and we do something about it."

"Meaning?"

Despite his blatant nervousness, Shinra smirked. "You're going to live with Shizuo for a while, attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, take whatever medications I prescribe to you, submit to blood tests every other day, and get your life back in order."

If there was a good time to laugh, it was now. And that's exactly what I did. "Oh God! HAHAHA! You two really had me going for a minute!" I snorted, trying not to completely break down into hysterics.

"It isn't a fucking joke," the police officer growled, "Because your second option is prison."

At that, the laughter died immediately. Untrusting of the blond, I gave my sharp leer back to him. "For what? You have nothing on me!"

"Don't we?" Shinra spoke dryly. "Celty, my dear?"

On cue, Celty tossed her lover a plastic bag.

"It's never too late to find this on you, Izaya."