Chapter Text
CONSTANT CRAVING: a consistent, intense desire for a specific person, experience, or substance - in this case, a previous
romantic partner. It can also apply to emotional or psychological needs, such as the craving for love or validation. A person
may feel 'addicted' to a person, experiencing similar symptoms of withdrawal as one struggling with narcotics or alcohol
addictions. These compulsions can require therapy to address underlying issues.
Chase places a fresh scotch rocks in front of Jack, remarking, "You may wanna slow it down some, Brother. I seen men turn old
in six months under that bottle...seen 'em die in a year. Just sayin'."
The handsome Seattle First Responder grins wanly and tips his whiskey in the barkeep's direction. Fifteen minutes or so later,
Seattle Patrol Sergeant Ryan Tanner - sitting at a table in a far corner - watches his one-time romantic rival - spontaneously
decides to join him at the bar [not his brightest idea, their last encounter had ended in fisticuffs]; he intuits that the two of them
are both suffering the same malady -'can't get over Andy Herrera-itis' - and strolls over, taking his beer with him. Taking the
stool next to him, he quips, "GIBSON; 'sup!"
Gibson side-eyes the interloper. "Hey. The mean streets of the Emerald City will be OK while you booze it up with the rest of
us poor slobs?
"C'mon, man...I come in peace." He lifts his beer bottle, in a gesture of peace: grudgingly, Jack taps it with his cocktail
glass. They drink in silence for a bit, ordering three more rounds until Chance - after round three - states, "Gents...I'm
imaginin' a number between 1 and 100"...
Tanner, a bit clearer of mind than his companion, answers, "86?"
"Closer to 80. He places a glass of ice water in front of each. "Drink up, fellas, and tell me your woes."
The frenemies exchange glances, prompting Chase to opine, "Women trouble...specifically, Andy Sullivan."
Tanner looks away. "Somethin' like that."
"No one asked me, but if someone were to I'd say the woman IS GONE; she's made her choice and
from where I stand, she ain't comin' back, Chers. She GONE, men. This drinkin', all this 'poor mouth'...you gon'
make yourselves sick, get fired, or worse."
"Oi, Chase!" Ultra-busty Jules Karr calls from the waitress station; a few seconds later, he drifts over to fill her
orders. Referring to a past conversation of theirs, Tanner slurs, "Ya KNOW...we're fightin each other, and ANDY'S
the bitch running the two of us in circles - playing us against each other"...
"Like...Like when she was fucking BOTH of us, and gas-lighted us into believing it was OUR FAULT?! Fucking BITCH...I
love her, though, Jack says. Married ?...FUCK YOU, MARRIED! Shit, man"...
"I'm calling UBER for both of you," the barkeep advises him. "You're cut off, an' you gotta go, guys.""
"Ah, fuck you too, then, Chance M' Man!", says the 'badge'. "I wanted to marry her...I would have..."
Gibson chimes in "I asked her, Chance," the fireman confides. "She tol' ME (HIC); scuse me, Chance M'Man...she tol' ME that
she didn't 'want that'...with me or ANYONE...except the GUY; the great and Wonderful Guy. She fuckin' LIED."
Nearly passed out, Ryan shous, "Fuckin...LIAR!"
Unknown to Gibson, Tanner, and Chanc, Jules had contacted Dean Miller and Ben Warren, who, after taking in the scene
at the front bar stroll up up and bodily start to assist the two men men out of the bar. "Fucky Lie, Dad," Gibson mumbles
to Ben, who turns his head to avoid his foul breath.
At the same time, Tanner says to Miller, "BIG MAN...I luh her, but she's a sneaky lying Bitch-who shit where she eats!",
and cackles drunkenly.
Ever the pecemaker, Miller suggests, "Come on, Jack. She's married and from what I can see, they're happy. You gotta
LET IT GO."
"Mates...Chance is two seonds away from calling SFD...just leave and sleep it off," Juls calls. "Please, lads."
******
[...Maybe a great magnet pulls - All souls to what's true...
Or maybe it is life itself - Feeds wisdom to its youth...
And constant (constant) - Craving (craving)
Has always (always) - Been (been)
Ah, constant craving - Has always been - Has always been...]