''Gimme another shot, in fact just leave the bottle' the dark haired man grimaced at the barman.

''You okay?', Gabe, the barman said eyeing him with a knowing look. He'd seen it so many times before, guys and sometimes gals who hung around until daybreak, reluctant to go home for one or another reason.

The bar was empty now at 4 am, except for them and Don, the homeless guy who nursed one beer all night, just wanting to be out of the cold. Gabe didn't mind, Don just sat quietly relishing the warmth in his rheumatic bones, Gabe, with his soft heart, had no intention of turning Don out, the bar belonged to him, he would often throw the old guy a pillow and a blanket and let him stay the night, poor old soul.

''There but for the grace of God....and all that jazz''. he thought.

''Depends what you mean by, ''okay'', the bar laughed sardonically

Gabe drew up a stool, he was in no rush, he had no comforts to rush home for, well he lived close by so he didn't have far to go either. He saw Don, heave a sigh of relief as he settled down for a snooze up the corner.

Gabe poured the guy a Jim Beam from the bottle.

''Having one with me,'' the guy asked.

''Nah, never touch the stuff."

''So what's got you hanging out here with me and the vampires so late, buddy ?'' he laughed.

''Too many regrets, you could say," the guy whispered barely audibly.

''Ah,yes, I remember those'', Gabe said with a wry smile, ''Not much time for them any more, seems to me that most things can be put right if you think about them...er ?'',

'' Dec, short for Declan, Irish ancestry'' said the guy holding out his hand to shake Gabe's.

''No, it's too late, you know, too much has happened and everything sort of snowballed, things start out so innocently and before you know it, you're knee deep in crap. It's like quicksand, you just keep sinking 'til you go under altogether''.

''Well now '',Gabe replied,'' I don't know what you've done or what's happened to you my friend, but I do know one thing for sure, it's never too late.''

'' Yeah, nice cliché, but this is real life'', Dec' ran his fingers through his hair and poured another drink.

Gabe saw the dark circles and red rims of Dec's eyes, he knew sleep had deserted him long ago, this man had been in despair for quite some time.

''Look, why don't you come up to my place, have some coffee, we can talk a while and you can get it off your chest ?''

'' Ain't you worried? You don't know me, I could be a crazed killer on the loose for all you know''

Gabe chuckled,'' Nah, I can take care of myself and having this place for years, I've seen all sorts, think I am a fair judge of character by now and I don't think that's your problem, mind you could be wrong, 'spose there's always a first time''

So, after throwing Don a pillow and blanket, Gabe escorted Dec' up the back stairs to his place.

''Nothing fancy, but cosy and mine own'' Gabe smiled the smile of a man who was contented with his lot.

''Now then, ''Gabe passed Dec' some coffee and settled down to hear the tale.

'' Where to start, so much has happened'', sighed Dec.

''The beginning is usually a good place, just take your time, think about the last time you got out of bed looking forward to a new day'' said Gabe.

'' Jeez. this could take some time'', Dec said thoughtfully staring into space.

''Well, it all began with a stupid drunken kiss at the office party, the thing is I have no recollection of it, or of even drinking that much to be honest, but there was a photo of me ,so ....''

''Go on,'' said Gabe patiently as Dec' took a sip of his coffee.

''Where's your coffee?'' he asked suddenly noticing that Gabe wasn't drinking.

"Never touch the stuff'', he said. ''Go on....''

''Well, Frank from the office was embezzling funds, he needed my help with codes and stuff and threatened to tell Lou',Louise, that's my wife , if I didn't, Lou' and my kids are the only thing I have ever done right in my life, I couldn't go on without them,you see, I was brought up in a kid's home, they are the only family I have ever had''. Tears welled up in Dec's eyes and he brushed them away in embarrassment.

''Well, the first thing you need to do is come clean with Lou, she may well be angry, hurt, but she loves you,she'll understand I think if we dig deep here, there was a little playing around with your drinks that night,something dropped into it.You've drunk over half a bottle of Jim Beam and still seem to be in control, if a little groggy, think some foulplay was afoot that night buddy''.

Gabe and Dec talked until exhaustion won the battle and Dec' finally lay back and went into a deep sound sleep.

The hospital corridor was deserted, Lou' had been sitting rigid with fear for what seemed like a lifetime, her muscles clenched, stiff and cold on the hard chair, refusing coffee and offers of a more comfortable place in the lounge.

Finally after what seemed like hours, she saw the figure of a doctor walking towards her, bending to talk to her, Lou burst into tears. Taking his arm. she entered the little room.
''Don't Lou, I let you down so badly, I don't deserve tears'' whispered Dec ,lying pale and drawn in the sparse room.

Taking his hand in hers ,her eyes full of tears, she said in a low voice.

''It's okay, Dec' I know everything.''

''But, how...?;'' Confusion filled his blue eyes circled with dark grey in his pallid face.

''Your colleague came to see me, he had heard about your accident,
and wanted to put things right, he told me how you had been set up at work''.

''I'm sorry Lou,I was so worried,I never saw that car,I wasn't even looking'' Dec' said with a downcast look in his weary eyes.

''Well,thank God they weren't speeding, things could'be turned out quite differently, they are bad enough as it is!'' answered Lou.
''Hang on, you said colleague, which colleague...I don't understand.....''

''You know that lovely man, Gabe, from your office, what a nice guy, he stayed with me waiting, when the doctor came I turned to him, but he had gone, like he vanished into thin air.