Cloud 69

26:

"Do you want me to come with you?" Dylan asked after we had successfully laid Carson down in the backseat of my car. 

"Should we come, too?" Zach asked. It was obvious he was only asking because he felt he had to, definitely not because he wanted to witness the aftermath of this. Luna was still attached to his hip, Zach's jacket around her shoulders. She had stopped crying now, but she still looked terrified. 

I shook my head, "No, no. He'll probably get all freaked out if there's too many of us."

Dylan nodded, "You're probably right. Zach, you should take Luna home."

Zach agreed easily with a nod of his head. He gave a small goodbye before walking off to his car with Luna in between his arms. I watched as he walked her to the passenger side, opening her door and making sure she got in alright before heading to the driver's side. They were gone from the alley not a minute later.

Dylan looked over to Jason, who was sitting against the wall facing us, but looking toward the ground. Jason had never been good with high-stress situations. He always got really freaked out, and he would just... shut down.

Dylan sighed, "I'll tail you guys home, and help you get him inside. Then I can take J home and I'll come back tomorrow."

I nodded my head, giving a strained "okay" in response. 

I looked through the backseat window to Carson, trying to gather my bearings. Looking at him, however, really had the opposite effect. His eyes were closed, his face was all twisted in pain, and his brows were furrowed inwards.

"Do you know what this is about?" I asked Dylan. 

He opened his mouth to say something but seemed to rethink it. He sighed. "Maybe. I'm not sure. But if it's what I think it is, then Carson has to tell you."

"Dylan, I just pulled him off of a brick wall that he was using as a punching bag. He's drunk off of his ass, he might also be high on something, and now he's bloody and bruised in my backseat. I think I have a right to know."

Dylan placed a hand on my arm, trying to comfort me. It wasn't working. "Like I said, Maddie, I'm not even sure if it's what I think it is. But right now, it doesn't matter. The context won't change what needs to happen right now. He needs to go home, get cleaned up, and get some rest. We can worry about why and how he did this in the morning. Okay?"

I was really frustrated with his answer. I know Carson doesn't tell me nearly everything, or not nearly as much as he's told Dylan. But I couldn't help the slight anger I felt that he had left me out on something going on that clearly was really big. I didn't like being in the dark on this, not when Carson was physically tearing himself up over it.

But I got what Dylan was saying. In any case, this wasn't at all about my feelings right now. Carson needed help. Carson needed to be taken care of, and I might not be able to fix whatever was going on with him right now, but I would do whatever I could to fix the pain he was causing himself.

"Fine," I breathed out, bringing a hand up to rub my eyes. Dylan's hand fell from me as he pulled away.

Dylan pulled Jason up and all but carried him to his car. I got on my own and drove home slowly, making sure Dylan stayed with me the entire time.

Once we got to my house, Dylan helped me get Carson up the stairs. We brought him up to my bathroom and sat him down on the ledge of the bathtub.

"How's Jason?" I asked, half-shutting the bathroom door. I kept it open enough that I could see Carson, but closed enough that he wouldn't hear our conversation. 

Dylan shrugged, "He still hasn't said anything, which if the circumstances were different I'd enjoy. I think he just needs to go to bed, and hopefully he'll feel better in the morning."