(Day One)

Tim started to become uncomfortable on the couch and asked if they would help him upstairs. His muscles were beginning hurt as if he had been working out. Not to mention the nauseous feeling that was growing in his stomach.

He wanted to save what pride he had left and not let everyone watch him throw up.

He groans in pain as Adam and Chris help him up the stairs followed by Nate.

"What can I do? I feel so helpless." Avi asks from the foot of the stairs.

"He's going to need a lot of Gatorade. We've got to keep him hydrated." Nate says looking down at the green-eyed man. "And I mean a lot. He's going to be vomiting, diarrhea, sweating. He's going to be losing a lot of fluids."

"I don't think we have any Gatorade." Kirstie says.

"Well, then, we'll go get some." Avi says, grabbing Kirstie by the hand. "Come on, Kirst."

"Wait! My purse." Kirstie says as she grabs for her purse as she's pulled out the door.

"We need to make him as comfortable as possible." Nate says as he hurries over to the bed to turn down the covers.

"I need to use the bathroom first." Tim says. "Like, really bad."

Adam and Chris helps him over to the bathroom door. He steps into the bathroom. As he turns around to shut the door, he sees the brothers still standing in the doorway.

"Uh, this is something that I'd like to do alone, please." Tim says, offering a small smile.

"Oh, Okay." Adam giggles. "If you need help, just holler."

"That's alright, Angel Face." Tim chuckles. "Right now, I'm still able to wipe my own ass."

"Oh, my God, Tim." Chris laughs as he walks away from the bathroom pulling his brother with him.

~~

"Okay, listen y'all.." Eddie starts as he's putting some of the Gatorade that Avi and Kirstie had bought into a cooler of ice to take up to Tim and Adam's bedroom. "I know Adam well enough to know that he plans on staying with Tim the whole time. Which I understand. But he also needs his rest. So, I think we need to take our turns staying with Tim."

"True." Chance nods. "But you know, when things starts getting really rough, Adam is not going to want to leave his husband."

"The first day or two is pretty rough but it's about the third and fourth day that it gets unbearable." Avi says. "Those are the days that Timbo will need his husband the most. And I really don't think it's a good idea for Kirstie and Esther to go up there in the room."

"Why not?" Esther asks. "Tim is almost like a brother to me."

"Avi's right, Esther." Eddie nods.

"Man! I love hearing those words." Avi smiles.

"Anyway." Eddie continues, rolling his eyes. "I'm pretty sure they have Tim stripped down to just his boxers and being modest is the last thing on his mind right now."

"And my tallywhacker is the only one I want you to be seeing." Avi says as he takes his wife by the hand and kisses it.

"Should I be worried about you seeing Tim's, uh, tallywhacker, as you call it?" Kirstie asks with a raised brow.

"Of course not." Avi says as he kisses Kirstie on the cheek.

"Guys, can we stay on the subject of helping Tim." Eddie says as he picks up the cooler. 

They make their way upstairs to the Fousts' bedroom. Chance gently taps on the door. A seconds later, Chris opens the door.

"Oh, hey." Chris says.

"Thought y'all might need these." Eddie says as he holds up the cooler. "How's he doing?"

"Well, he's already emptied everything in his stomach. He's got chills but sweating." Chris says as he steps back to let the others in.

Tim and Adam were laying on the bed. Tim was dressed in nothing but his boxers, his body covered with sweat. Adam was gently wiping his face with a cool cloth trying to cool his body down. 

"Uh, Adam." Eddie says quietly. "We were talking downstairs. We thought, until he gets really bad that we would take turns sitting with him so you could get some rest."

"Absolutely not. I'm not leaving him." Adam answers as he wipes the sweat from Tim's face.

"He's going to need you more later than he does now, Adam." Avi says.

"Yeah, and you're not going to be much use to him if you're dead tired." Chance adds.

"I SAID I'M NOT LEAVING HIM!" Adam says with a raised voice.

"Baby, listen to them." Tim says with a hoarse voice due to all the vomiting he has been doing. "You need sleep."

"No, Sweetie, I'm staying right here." Adam says in a sweet voice. "Are you thirsty? They brought you some Gatorade."

Tim only manages to nod.

Austin grabs a bottle and hands it to Adam.

"Here ya go." Adam says as he helps his husband raise his head to take a drink of the cool liquid.

"Drink it slowly, Tim." Nate warns.

"I feel like I'm suffocating." Tim groans as he lays his head back down on the pillow. "I can't hardly breath." He fights to get air into his lungs.

"Your blood pressure is elevated and so is your heart rate." Nate says as he takes Tim's vitals.

"Am I having a f*cking heart attack?" Tim asks as he brushes his hair back with a shaky hand.

"These are just a few of the symptoms of withdrawal, Tim." Nate says. "You know, you had the option of weaning off the pills."

"I know that." Tim nods. "I want off the sh*t. It would be to tempting if the pills were in the house."

"You can do this, Tim." Eddie says, trying to give words of support to his friend. "Hell, we've seen you being operated on without any anesthesia."

"That was different. This is like my whole body is attacking me. And I know it's only going to get worse." Tim says before groaning in pain. Suddenly, he puts his hand over his mouth and starts trying to get out of bed. Adam and Nate were quick to rush to his side to help him to the bathroom.  

Avi watches with sadness in his eyes. This was his best friend. A man that he always looked up to and loved dearly. It broke his heart to see him suffer like this. And he knew it would only get worse. He's been there.

"Are you okay?" Kirstie asks, rubbing him comfortingly on the arm.

"This brings back so many bad memories." Avi sighs and hangs his head. 

"I know it does, Sweetie." Esther says as she rubs her little brother on the back. "And there's one thing that we need to keep in mind. As it gets worse, Tim will not be himself at all. He'll say things that he won't mean and won't even remember saying them. Just like you did."

"Yeah, you told Esther that you hated her and wished she was dead just because she wouldn't get you any cocaine." Eddie says.

"Y'all told me that later." Avi nods. "I would have never said anything like that."

"We know that, Honey." Esther smiles. "And I'm sure that Tim will strike out in anger and say things, things that will probably be pretty hurtful. But just remember, this ain't the Tim we know and love."

"He won't be in a stable mind." Eddie adds.

"So, in other words, we just need to prepare ourselves for anything?" Chris asks.

"Exactly." Esther nods.

** Please bare with me. There will be several chapters of Tim's withdrawal.

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