Chapter 99

February 24,1987

My dearest Pony,

Gosh, its already been a week or so since I last wrote, and a few days since we last talked! Feels like a year already doesn't it? Haha. (Ok you know I lose time.)) Oh god you're gonna be home in just a week or so! I can hardly wait. Honestly this big old bed is just too cold when you're not in it. Maybe its cuz I keep the air conditioner on high? Guess who got me used to that I wonder?

Let's see, what's happened since my last major missive?

Kate as usual is working her crazy self into the ground. She’s pulling more and more doubles. I think its cuz she’s missing Mop Top more than she'll admit too. *rolling eyes* Oh he’s just entertainment she says. I say.. HELLO she’s got it bad. So she’s all grouchy on her days off, definitely not the waking up fun I have when you're here. Showers are just boring without you around I’ll have you know.

Other than my most adoring public Kate, things are doing well. I finally finished my thesis. ((say yay honey it means I get that degree finally)) Professor said it was one of the better ones he'd read in years. I'm a shoo in for a slot getting my doctorate If I want it.. Can't decide on that. Really I think giving this place four years of my life was enough. I have bigger fish to fry. Ok well I have better things to do, me and frying or cooking is just dangerous, really.

I do need to decide what to do next, but that’s something we’ll do together. Those types of things are decisions a married couple should make together right?

Ok, Ok, I know. You’re sitting there eyes rolling and saying, “ok now Lains, how are you doing really.” Quit worrying baby, I’m ok, seriously.. well other than this deep ache I feel in my heart while you’re gone, other than missing your smile and body. Other than…

Missing your long legs tangled with mine, your insanely long and limber fingers dancing all over my skin. And then there’s your lips and well baby like I’ve said before my fingers just can’t do the things you can do. Not the only reason I miss my Pony though, I miss making him crazy with a hum, kissing each inch of his body, his heat as he curls me into his arms. Oh god I can just go on and on….

Oh shit there’s the doorbell, supposed to be heading out for a celebratory drink or two with the girls. Hurry home lover, I need ya.

Loves and kisses..

Elena

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Richie dumped his bag and landed face first on his bed. "Shit, I hate this traveling part. I swear I'm going to hurl just at the smell of that bus." He rolled over and smirked at Jon. "Alec bent your ear the whole five hours, huh?"

Jon flopped backwards onto the pillows of his bed. "And then some man, I do NOT get what’s going on with him of late."

"I understand some of the blow at the parties, but I think he's dipping in a whole lot more than at parties."

"Yeah, maybe that's it." Jon closed his eyes a moment and wandered back over Alec's shifty behavior in the last two months. It wasn’t just the blow, it couldn’t be. There seemed to be a shift in his whole demeanor. He’d have to have a talk with him soon, before he self-destructed.

Richie slid off the bed and reached for his bag. Jon was known for his cat naps for a little recharge and he could snag a look at his letter from Elena.

He was a sad sack. He didn't like to admit it, but loved the letters she wrote. He could hear her in his head every time he read one. Grinning as he skimmed through it he settled back on his bed.

The shrill ring of the phone interrupted his reading about her thesis. When Jon didn't move, he reached over. "Yo!"

"Hey, Richie."

"Well hell, Kate. That was quick. We just walked in the damn door."

Kate snorted. "You guys gotta use better names than Captain Crunch and Count Chockula."

He laughed, "C'mon those are good. Who the hell's going to ask for that?"

"Me."

"Damn, I see your point. We'll have to think of something harder. Oh wait, that's Jon's perpetual state of being, don't want to rub it in."

"Pig," she said with a laugh. "So, is the little shit there?"

"He's sleeping." When Jon grunted, he laughed. "Or maybe not," he muttered. "Hey, Jonny wanna talk to Dr. Hottie?"

One blue eye flicked open as a middle finger shot up. "Damn straight, gimme the phone jackass."

"See, testy. I'm sorry in advance, Doc."

"I can handle Oscar."

Jon grabbed the phone muttering. "Hello beautiful.”

Kate settled into her bed, winding the cord of her phone around her finger. "Hiya, grouchy. How's my guy?"

A grin slid onto his lips as he pulled the phone closer. "Your guy is dead tired and looking forward to 3 days off. How's my baby?"

She glanced down at her bra and scrub pants. She'd nearly made it out of the hospital with the spare she had to go home in, but vomit had followed her home. She sighed, "I'm tired too. These 36 hour shifts are harder to deal with when I know I could be having good sex on my days off but my boy toy is across the world."

"Across the country this month baby, but still a long way to go." He chuckled softly into the phone, "So you like having me around a lil huh?"

"You'll do," she said and cursed inwardly. She hated to look needy. "I wouldn't have bothered you, but I wanted to check in and see if you could give me a little info."

He heard the tired stressed tone in her voice and sat up, "Sure babe. Whatcha need?"

"Richie...how's he dealing lately?"

The very question added to the tone of her voice had Jon standing and moving towards the bathroom phone in hand.This was a conversation he didn’t want Richie hearing. Shutting the door he leaned back,

"Well babe, on letter day he gets really bouncy, but lonely to ya know? Most of the time though he seems pretty happy. Playing the best he has in a while even. Why?"

Kate sighed and wrestled the ponytail holder out of her hair with a groan. "I walked in on a nightmare. She's been hiding it pretty well, but she couldn't tonight. It scared the holy hell outta me, Sugar."

He winced at the word, "Nightmare?"

"I've heard her crying every once in awhile. I know she's gotta deal with the..." she swallowed against the anger it wasn't helping here. "The attack, but she's not. She convinced me to write her a script for sleeping pills, but I think she's dosing with wine. She's trying to hide the bottles, Jon."

"Shit. If she'd told this to King he'd have been home by now. You sure bout the wine baby?" Jon winced, this wasn't good at all dammit.

"She knows I won't refill her script, and I wrote a low dose anyway, but you know those things. Sleeping pills are easy to get hooked on, but add in the wine that I found tonight? And the fact that even after the nightmare was over she couldn’t stay awake?" She raked her hand through her hair. "Dammit, Jon. I'm a doctor I should have caught this. Goddammit!"

"You're only human baby, and Elena, she’s a sneaky lil lady when she wants to be. You can't hold yourself responsible like this." He sighed against the phone his mind working overtime on what she'd said. "Man she must be hiding this from him as well, you know she is, he'd be in pieces if he had an inkling."

"Don't tell him!" She sat up and hugged her arm around her middle. "God, he'd be back here in a friggin' second. I just wanted to see if it was just that bad. I was hoping she wasn't doing what I think she's doing."

"What do you think she’s doing baby?"

"Hiding. She's done it before, but never like this." She clenched her jaw. "She thinks if she doesn't think about it or talk about it her problems will go away."

"Man what can we do? We have another few days on the road at least." Jon shook his head. If it was as bad as Kate made out shit was gonna hit the fan big time.

"I'll watch her, and the script has got to be about gone unless she's found another source." She swore. "She could have gotten another script if she sweet talked a doctor."

"According to King she could sweet talk Satan himself Kate." Jon closed his eyes. How the hell was he gonna hide this from Richie?

"FUCK!" She tossed the phone across the room and slammed her fist into her bed. "Dammit," she got up and lifted the receiver. "Are you still there?"

"Yeah I'm here, My ear's a lil bloody from that god awful slam, but I'm here." He took a deep breath and thought fast. He had to help keep her calm, He knew she needed support, he just wasn’t sure what could be done from thousands of miles away. "What can we do baby?"

"I'm sorry. I usually handle my anger better but I'm..." she growled. "I don't know what to do. I always know what to do," she cursed again.

"Listen to me baby, our last concert this month is just a couple days away. I'll have him home right after that. He needs to know, and he needs to help her deal with this somehow. Can ya hold in there a couple more days??" He closed his eyes and prayed she could, she wasn't as strong as she made out to be at times.

"I can. I'll watch her. I have some vacation days saved up. I'll just take a few extra days. I'll take her mind off of things by letting her plan a party or something. Ugh," she laughed harshly. "Good thing I love her...because a party? Man!"

Jon laughed softly, "Just be prepared to welcome ME home baby."

"Well after you peel me off the ceiling from the party planning, you can do whatever you want to me or with me," she said with a half teasing voice. "Seriously, I--" She swallowed against the need to hold back. She didn't want to need him like she did, hated that she could even need him. "I could really use those arms around me."

"They're yours Katy baby, for as long as you need them. You know that." He murmured softly to her a few more minutes offering comfort and companionship in this moment, making sure she knew she wasn't alone in the fight. "You call me anytime in the next couple of days baby, if you need to vent just call me okay?"

"I will. I--" she swallowed against the quick flash of tears that threatened. "I miss you, Jon," she said grudgingly. She hated to admit it, but after this, she didn't know what she would've done if she didn't have him in her life.

"I miss you too baby, more than ya know." He smiled at the grudging admission, his own a bit easier to make because of it. "I can't wait to see ya."

"Alright, Sugar. Go relax. I know you have a show tomorrow. Not to mention that you shouldn't be wasting your voice on me."

"Kate baby, anything to do with you is not a waste."

"Yeah well, you're a sweetie sometimes." She held the phone close to her ear. "Sweet dreams, Sugar. And if you dream of me, make sure I'm screaming for all the right reasons."

Jon chuckled, "You will be baby, no doubt about it. See you soon."

"Night."