Higher Ground

When Shelby tells Peter about Walt.

Shelby

In between episode 17 and 18. I think...

I know this show was on like 13 years ago, but I just recently found it. So coming to the party late. After watching the series this is one scene that I wish the would have shown. Hope you felt the same way.

Shelby's POV

It has been a couple of days since Kat's Dog's Peak trip. Today, and I have a solo session with Peter. I know he has been waiting to confront me about my break down that happened during the trip. I'm not ready because just like with Scott I know that once he knows that he will hate me. I can't tell. I promised him and he made me a promise. I can not break it. No one understands that I can't let that happen. But here I am waiting outside Peter's office being my usual bitchy self.

"You can come in now, Shelby." Peter says while standing in the doorway to his office as Juliette walks out with her usual smiling face.

"Bye, Peter. See you later. Hi, Shelby, have fun." She says winking at me and then walking away. I don't reply as I walk into Peter's office and sit on the couch.

Peter sits in the chair across from me, with his back against the chair. He looks at me waiting for me to talk. I cross my arms over my chest and stare back. We sat like that for a couple of minutes till Peter finally gave in.

He sighed leaning forward in the chair to say "Shelby. Your going to have to talk eventually." I looked away trying not to let the words get to me. I knew what he was saying was true but this was so hard to talk about and I promised he promised. I can't.

"Shel, it is eating you up. Even though you don't want to admit it. It is one thing in a long time that you can control. I understand but the only way to fix things and to be helped is to talk. I'm ready whenever you are." Peter said softly

I could feel my walls starting to break. I opened my mouth to start talking. I can't. He promised. I promised. I closed my mouth shrugging.

Peter groaned and slumped back in the chair for a moment rubbing his temples.

"Ok. Shel, in a few months you will have been here for almost a year. Your mother brought you here after you ran away multiple times and the last time you had been living on the street for a couple of months before she found you. You were using drugs when you came in. You were hostile, angry, and terrified to get close to anyone. And in the time you have been here you haven't improved much. You limit those who you allow to get close to you. Daisy is one of those people and I want be. Shel, please, talk to me."

I could feel the tears forming in my eyes. "I want to, Peter. But...I can't. I can't. I promised." I said quitely

"Promised who?" Peter questioned

"No one. Can I go? Please." I said quickly starting to stand up and charge for the door

Peter jumped up and beat me to the door. I tried to push passed, but Peter just wraped his arms around me and held me tight. His back was up against the door I fought trying to get away. Peter just held me tighter as I fought I slowly stopped and just started to sob into his shoulder. He murmured comforting word to me. After awhile I stopped crying and we just sat there. Peter still had his arm around my shoulder and I was leaning into him. It reminded me of when I watched tv and you would see a father watching tv with his daughter how they were relaxed and safe around each other. For once in a long time I felt safe and comfort.

"Shelby?" Peter said

"Yeah." I answered

"I'm going to say something and you probably won't like it. Ok." He said shifting to look at my face

"I guess." I said unsure

"I know about what you don't want to tell me."

I flipped around real fast and moved away from him. "What do you know?" I stammered

"I know about your stepfather." I said calmly

"How?" I cried "I never told anyone. I can't. I promised. He promised."

"You didn't need to say anything, Shel. It is in your eyes. Everyone can see the pain, confusion, and guilt. You use your sarcasm and anger to distance your self from everyone so you don't get to close to anyone and get hurt."

"Is it that obvious?" I whimpered with fresh tears coming down my face

"Not to the students or most of the adults. I could. I mentioned it to Sophie while we were on the Dog's Peak trip. She didn't want to believe it."

"Sophie knows?" I moaned

Peter nodded

I started to cry again. Peter moved over to me and I flinched away. "No, don't! Go away!" I yelled

Peter still came and he picked me up and moved over to the couch. He laid me down. I rolled over to face the back of the couch. I couldn't look at Peter. To see the pity and sadness in his eyes. I wrapped my arms around my chest and just kept crying. Peter sat down on the floor next to me and rubbed my back. He grabbed a cover off the back of the couch and covered me up. It was comforting I finally let myself feel all of the emotions I was burying deep and thoughts that is all that remember when I slowly stopped crying and fell asleep.

Peter's POV

I sat there rubbing Shelby's back as she cried and listened as they slowly quieted down and fell asleep. I sat there for awhile after she fell asleep still rubbing her back and thinking. I couldn't believe that she had finally broken down. Now it was going to get harder she didn't deny it before but she hasn't said any details yet either. I stood up and walked over to my desk to do some paperwork until Shelby woke up.

It had been a couple of hours since Shelby fell asleep. When she started tossing and turning and yelling.

"NO! GET OFF! PLEASE! NO, WALT!" she yelled

"Shelby." I said jumping up to run over to her shaking her to wake her up

"NO! DON'T TOUCH JESS! THAT HURTS! I'M SORRY!" she screamed some more

"SHELBY! WKAE UP!" I yelled at her shaking her more

"I'LL DO WHAT YOU WANT! JUST DON'T TOUCH JESS, PLEASE!" she yelled before finally waking up confused about why I was shaking her she pulled away quickly and moved across the room.

Shelby's POV

I was having a horrible dream. Maybe it wasn't a dream but a memory. I woke up to someone shaking me. I opened my eyes and saw that it was a man. I jumped away quickly trying to get away before realizing it was Peter and not him. Not Walt. Oh, Crap.

Peter's eyes were full of worry. I must of said something while I was sleeping Crap.

"I'm sorry, Peter. I didn't realize it was you." I said

"Shelby. We have to talk about it."

"I know. But nobody can know that I told you."

he nodded I knew he would have to tell but it was comforting for the moment. I walked back over to the couch and sat on one edge. Peter sat on the other we faced each other. I put the cover over me.

"Where do you want to start?" I asked

More will be up soon. Enjoy.