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Pacing the length of the wooden floor before him, Scott barely restrained himself from sighing for the umpteenth time. Most of the evening had been spent wandering through his house, through the rooms that were too silent and around the gardens with their empty chairs. The sounds of the ocean filtered through the open door to the lanai but instead of being calming and soothing, they did nothing more but remind him of the terrible week he had
It started first with the sudden change in the script two days before wrapping up the episode they were currently shooting. 2x20 was supposed to end with the team finishing the case then Steve and Danny heading out for a beer with a bit of banter about who’s paying?
But the ending they shoot yesterday involved Steve getting called for a mission with the SEALs and a shouting match with Danny, ending with Steve storming out of HQ. At first, Scott thought it was an interesting turn in events especially since it seemed that in the last few episodes, Steve and Danny were back in the “honeymoon phase” again after a dry season.
Peter Lenkov was on the island, which wasn’t really weird except they were supposed to start shooting 2x21 on Monday and they still didn’t get a script. Then Alex seemed a bit too distracted and kept going back to his trailer whenever he wasn’t needed on set, as opposed to just sitting around with Scott until they prepared for the next shot. He tried asking him what’s wrong but got nothing back. They finished shooting for the day and headed home early for the first time in weeks.
He texted Alex about meeting up for a beer later that night then got in the bathroom for a quick shower. When he was done, there was still no answer from Alex, which was weird; but found a few missed calls from his publicist. He texted Alex again then called his publicist, just to have her drop the bomb about Alex’s break from the show and that she needs a quote from him, or if he wants, she’ll come up with something.
He told her he’ll call her back and that was about an hour ago. He texted Alex again but there was still no reply. He threw his phone somewhere on the sofa and now he’s just standing in the middle of the living room with a beer in hand and a blank mind cause he doesn’t know what to do.
The last few months, he thought Alex and he were closer than ever. Even though their scenes together were kind of limited, they still spent a lot of time together off camera. They found a new spot to surf that rarely had anyone in the weekends so they enjoyed spending the whole day just hanging out and surfing.
Maybe it was only him but he definitely felt like it was only going to take them a few more days alone there to act on what's been there since Alex's ‘oh hey’ 2 years ago when they met for the first time on the table read. Alex has always been a handsy person but the soft touches and looks that have been exchanged on the beach were a bit more than they’re usual flirting.
He finished his beer and went back to the kitchen to get another bottle and try calling Alex again. He checked his phone but nothing new, he was about to head out to his backyard when he saw Dot standing by the entrance. He knew that she only did that when someone was standing by the door. The way his heart started beating faster all of a sudden tells him it’s Alex on the other side of the door.
He walked slowly toward the door, pushing Dot aside and opening it to find Alex standing there looking lost. When he looked up, Scott’s heart broke right there. He didn’t know what to do or say, he wanted to act dump, like his publicist didn’t just call him, he wanted to drop a sarcastic line with ‘hey best friend, something you want to tell me?’ but he felt like it won’t work, especially with the look on Alex’s face.
Alex’s face that looks too thin, his eyes too tired and how the hell did he not notice that before? He should’ve pushed for an answer when Alex tried to tell him that everything was fine.
“Why the hell didn’t you say anything?” asked Scott after a silence that went too long.
“Can I come in?” asked Alex.
Scott didn’t answer but he left the door open, walking back to the kitchen, grabbing his bear and heading outside. He was standing there for a few minutes when he felt Alex standing behind him.
“I’m sorry,” said Alex.
“You don’t have to apologize.”
“But I want to.”
“We’re friends, right?” asked Scott turning around to look at Alex.
“Of course we are!”
“I’ll say best friends, or am I wrong?”
“Why are you asking me questions that you already know the answer to?”
Scott sounded a bit more hesitant before he asked his last questions, “a few more days at the beach and we would’ve been more than friends, right?”
Alex didn’t answer at once, but he gave Scott a weak smile before he said, “I was waiting for you to make a move.”
Scott started to smile too, but then remembered the whole fucked up situation they’re currently in so he shook his head and said, “Wait just… Look I just want to know, why? Why the guy who I thought was my best friend, have been lying to me for the past few months telling me everything is fine, when it’s clearly not! And the next thing I know, my publicist is asking about my response to the ‘whole Alex situation’.”
“I’m sorry Scotty, I swear I wanted to tell you...”
“But what Alex? Seriously give me one reason, that’s all I’m asking for!”
“I knew you had a past with addiction, I didn’t want to drag you back in it.”
He was prepared to shout at Alex no matter what answer he gave him but he did not expect this. They never really talked about the past, especially not Scott’s troubled past, he expected that Alex looked up stuff about him because Put Your Handz Up was suddenly Alex’s favorite tune to hum between takes.
But it never came up and Alex was still looking at him like he’s the one who’s going to rehab… wait he’s going into rehab, he’s taking a break from shooting the show! And that was what triggered his reaction because the next thing he knows, he walking toward Alex and pulling him into a crashing hug, “You’re here to say goodbye, aren’t you?”
Alex’s hand went around Scott and pulled him into the hug, “Just a few weeks babe, I promise I’ll be back before you know it.”
“Am I going to be able to talk to you? Visit?” asked Scott stepping back a bit so he can look at Alex.
“I’m not sure about visiting, but I think I’ll have my phone on me, I’m going in there voluntarily.”
“Promise me you’ll take care of yourself.”
“I promise,” said Alex smiling then slowly leaning in to kiss Scott, they’re lips meeting for the first time but definitely not the last time.