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"No." He shook his head, vehemently. "No. I'm not asking. I just wanted to hear your voice. I need something to ground me."

This statement bothered Alec more than anything said so far. Mac had no trouble at all asking

for money, had done so numerous times in the past.

"You need help, Mac. More than money. Why don't you call Demarco? He's got contacts. He can

get you another job."

"He hates me."

"No, he doesn't. He hates your effect on me."

"I don't want another job, Alec. I just want the pain to go away."

Pain? What pain?"Look… I'm going to wire some money to your account."

"No—" Mac began, lowering his face into his palms.

"No arguments. I want you to stay clean. Get some rest. Make sure Victor gets paid and is not hassling you. Is ten thousand enough?"

"Yeah… but you can't keep doing this, Alec. I'm such a loser."

"Just keep quiet before I change my mind. I'll send it to your account when we disconnect."

"I just wanted to see you again before—"

"Before what?" He did not like the way this conversation was going.

"Nothing. Never mind."

"Mac—"

"I'm so stupid. Everything I've ever done is stupid. Everything but you."

"It's OK, Mac. We can talk about this later. Just get some rest."

"I love you."

"Me too." He couldn't bring himself to say the words.

"I'm gonna go. I shouldn't have called."

"I'm sending the money. Call Demarco."

"Goodbye, Alec."

Alec started to say more but the screen went blank. This was the worst he had ever seen Mac

and he had seen some pretty bad stuff. He believed him for the most part… believed that he wasn't

high. What he saw was something else… depression… deep, dark depression. The lowest of lows.

And though Mac had never threatened himself harm before, never outwardly spoke the words, Alec

had suspected a time or two that he was capable of it.

But he could ground Mac. He'd done it before… just never half a continent away.