It Won't Work (Emery's POV)

Coming back to my apartment after arriving back in the city, I was exhausted and wanted a hot shower before crawling into my bed and deciding that dealing with what I missed while away for work could wait another day.

My friends were used to me going MIA while out of town for work, they were used to both Spencer and I having to fly out last minute for whatever reason since we both worked for the same company. But since Spencer was higher than me he was sent more often than not, however with him being in London up until recently I was the one that got sent off more regularly.

I think the partners were hoping that Spencer could stay in London and I would eventually take over from him, but I knew he would never take the position especially if it meant he could lose Dri permanently.

Having Spencer back in the city and seeing the changes in Dri were only small. I knew my best friend and I knew that if she hadn’t had to deal with the drama surrounding Nathan and Damon those changes would be bigger, but instead she was still scared.

It didn’t matter how well she tried to hide the fact that she was still scared and is constantly kicking herself for answering the door that revealed Nathan and then she proceeded to wake up in the hospital.

I wanted her to return to herself but I knew it wouldn’t happen overnight. I knew it would take some time and I knew that just like last time, only therapy would help and damn that would be an adventure in itself to get her to agree to it.

So of course I wasn’t exactly surprised to find Spencer sitting outside my apartment when I returned from the airport. He had to have known when I was returning and knew that none of our friends would bug me because if they tried too, I wouldn’t answer.

“Thank God Emery, do you know how long I’ve been sitting here? Your neighbours probably thinking I’m going to raid the building.” I raised an eyebrow at Spencer as I unlocked my door.

My flight was delayed by an hour, so he had to be sitting here for at least that and traffic was a bitch.

“Jeez, be more dramatic next time Spence. Are you coming in or not?” I stood there with the door opened. I knew I was being short with him but he had to have known what to expect coming here tonight.

“You and I both know how damn hard this trip would have been, no one likes going out to that branch if possible but it’s important and I knew no one would bother us.”

“I know. I was just hoping to get some sleep and you could bug me at work on Monday. What in particular about Dri would you like to talk about?” I spoke as I headed towards the kitchen hoping more than anything I had a bottle of wine in the fridge. I needed alcohol if I was being forced to have this conversation tonight.

“What makes you think it’s about Dri? I could have gone to Sutton.”

I wanted to laugh at him, we all know he wouldn’t go to Sutton.

“Come on, the three of us may be best friends but Dri and I have been friends for longer than we have with Sutton. I’m the one that is blunt with Dri whether she wants to hear it or not, whereas sometimes Sutton tries to butter up the truth. Now what did you want to talk about?” I held up a wine glass and he nodded.

He was silent while I poured the glass. I could tell he was trying to find the right words. I knew this had to be hard for him- going behind Dri’s back. Hell we all hated it but sometimes she needed to be ganged up on in order to hear the harsh truth.

“I’m worried about Dri, I’m worried she’s still blaming herself for what Nathan did.”

“I know. I am as well, but there is nothing we can do till it gets sorted and that includes the trial that is next week. Please tell me you are ignoring her request for you not to be there? Sutton is flying to Paris after her and Alex are finished in Rome and I have a big client meeting but I know you’re still on a light workload.”

When Dri told us about the trial that her boss Harvey had put into motion, Sutton and I both jumped at the idea of being there for her whether she wanted us there or not. Then we found out that we couldn’t be there for her. We were both devastated and we tried hard to get out of our work commitments but Dri would have our heads if she found out we let out work slip for her.

The last trial was hard on Dri since it was so close to her losing her dad and we were there for her every step of the way even though she didn’t want us there but once it was all done and dusted she broke down in tears and told us how she was thankful for having us there for her.

“But she’s told me on countless occasions that she doesn’t want me there…” Spencer looked like a wounded puppy at that and I didn’t know what to say to make him feel better.

We all knew he still loved Dri and nothing had changed for him, I knew a part of Dri still loved him but it was going to take some time for her to realise it or if she had, she hadn’t voiced it to us.

None of us knew what happened when they visited his parents for the weekend a month ago and ever since the two of them had been spending more and more time together. We had all hoped that maybe this was them getting back together but nothing had been said to any of us yet.

“Spencer it’s not just you, she doesn’t want anyone there. She didn’t last time but once it was over she was grateful to have Sutton and I there for her every step of the way. This time it needs to be you, it’s been you ever since she woke up in the hospital. How many times have we gone behind her back and done something she didn’t want us too but yet she ended up being grateful it?”

“But how do I be there for her at a time like this? Our friendship is weird because of what happened between us, I don’t know how Emery.”

“The same as you have been Spence, nothing has changed for you. So don’t act like it has, I wouldn’t suggest just randomly kissing her but your actions and words towards her shouldn’t change. Spence, I believe she still loves you and it’s there somewhere. I think she needs to get past this before anything can happen. You’ve stuck around this long, is a little bit longer going to hurt that much?”

I always thought Spencer was crazy for sticking around like he did when he returned, I thought he was punishing himself but it wasn’t until I saw the little things he was doing that I realised what he was doing. He was proving to Dri that nothing had changed for him, he was bringing her flowers, her favourite food, wine, taking her out on outings. He was trying to be friends with her with hopes of proving that he deserved a second chance but we could all see it was hard on him.

“You’re right but how did she get over it all last time? I know I don’t know everything that happened last time but I’ve been told enough to work out that Nathan has attacked her before and around the same time she lost her father.”

“Spence it was the same night, he convinced her to go to the police about it all and they were on the way home when a drunk driver ran a red light.” Spencer hung his head and I didn’t know if he was blaming himself for not putting together what she had told him or the fact that she hadn’t told him.

“Look it will be hard for her to get past it all and I’m hoping this time the same thing will happen.”

“What happened last time?”

“The judge put her on court appointed therapy sessions so she could get past everything that happened. She fought it for weeks before she finally gave in and agreed to talk to her therapist.”

I knew he was shocked at this news, still to this day I don’t think Lee even knew that Dri was in therapy.

“It won’t work if it’s not court appointed.” Spencer stated and he was right, we all knew Dri well enough to know she wouldn’t talk to a therapist.

“I know and again because I believe she still loves you, I’m hoping you can convince her.”

He laughed in response, “If I could convince Dri to do anything don’t you think I would have her back by now?”

I looked at Spencer and even though he had just laughed, I could tell he was hurting. I’ve known Spencer for a long time and every time him and Dri had the slightest problem or he wanted to surprise her with something he always came to me.

“You’ll get her back, I honestly believe you and Dri are meant for each other.”

“Wow, Emery I would never have guessed you were such a romantic.” He teased, so in response I threw the towel I had sitting on the bench at him.