First off, Trigger Warning: This story is based around knowledge of Adam Carrington's character in the original version of Dynasty, and theories going around about him in his new incarnation. That plot in particular involved him raping another character who later married him. As someone who has dealt personally with assault (not rape), I could never bring myself to write out something like that. So this story MENTIONS/is based upon assault (again, not rape, and not written out) in the fictional sense, but with that in mind, I strongly advise that you not read this if that will be upsetting for you. Personally, it has been nearly eight years since what happened to me, and while I understand that others may not want to read this, it's easier for me to write about something than just talk about it, and so this, honestly, is kind of a story for me. I hope that in some way, other people can get something out of it, but I obviously won't be offended if you don't.
This is intended as a multi-chapter, Falliam-centric story that is … mostly cannon through "New Lady in Town." With an exception when it comes to Blake's likely upcoming plotline, as will be explained straight away. So if you're not caught up, beware of immediate spoilers. And expect this to basically be AU.
Disclaimer: I mean, of course I don't own anything. Haha.
Clearly I'm anxious about this one, but if you're still with me, let's just get into it, shall we?
The absolute last thing Liam was expecting that morning was a call from Blake. Mercifully, for the Carrington family if no one else, Blake had very quickly paid off the right people and made the right deals to get out of trouble. It helped, of course, that he also had Cristal's father to throw under the bus. That was a fight that Liam had no intention of asking about. But he answered the phone even while he continued to sign copies of his book.
And man, if that in itself wasn't a crazy feeling.
"Hello?" He greeted cautiously.
"Liam? You need to come to the manor. Immediately."
With a deep frown on his face, Liam slowed his pen to a stop. "...Is something wrong?"
"It's Fallon," Blake said. Something about his tone of voice finally became clear to Liam: He was... distressed. Afraid? Maybe just shaken. Blake was clearly trying to hide it, but either way, it set Liam completely on edge.
"On my way."
He hung up, slapped the pen down, and grabbed his keys before rushing out. He barely remembered to lock his apartment door, having to whip back around to do so. When he made it to his car, yanked the door open and slid inside, Liam had to take a second to shake himself. If he drove while fully panicked, the odds of him getting into a wreck and just making things worse went up exponentially. So he steadied his hands, and made sure his mind was focused on driving so he could hurry up and get to Fallon.
Far too long later, in his opinion, he pulled up right in front of the door and didn't even knock before walking inside. "Fallon?! Blake?"
From the office, the Carrington patriarch strode out, gesturing up the stairs. "In her room."
"What happened?" Liam asked, his feet already walking him towards the stairs even though he wanted to know. He couldn't very well walk into whatever was waiting for him without forewarning. Not when he was already so nervous.
"Adam... He attacked her. I heard her trying to fight him off." Blake shook his head, a level of fury on his face that Liam honestly never expected when it came to Adam. "It was..." Blake trailed off, unable to explain it properly to someone like Liam. "Just be careful with her, okay?"
"Damn." Liam ran a hand through his hair, astounded. Or he thought he was, anyway. But it was Adam they were talking about, after all. "He- he didn't hurt her did he?"
"No. I stopped him before he got... far enough."
Liam saw nothing but red for a second. He knew exactly what Blake meant, and the fact that he couldn't own up and call his son what Adam so clearly was? Well. That didn't sit well with Liam at all. But he had bigger things to attend to – namely, he needed to check on the woman he loved. "He- He seriously-? What the hell?"
"I'm not convinced he's who we thought he was anymore."
"You'd think," Liam snapped, "that after Hank, you'd have done a better job of proving if he wasn't or not."
"Just try and keep your head on straight until we know how she's doing, will you?" Blake gestured up to the second floor. "I sent him away, but... she hasn't come out since."
Liam nodded, turning to rush up the stairs and head straight for her room. It shocked him that she hadn't so much as texted him. But he also couldn't imagine how she felt, either. So he figured it must be best to tread carefully and let her lead whatever their conversation would be. Or, perhaps, wouldn't be.
"Fallon?" He called softly, hoping not to startle her as he tapped on her closed door. "Can I come in?"
He heard some kind of muffled, unintelligible response, so he hesitated slightly, before deciding to turn the handle. Liam cracked the door open, stopping when he saw the lump of blankets in the middle of Fallon's bed. He could only assume it looked like that because she had burrowed her way under there.
"Sorry, Fal. I couldn't hear you."
"I said sure," she mumbled, shifting around under the covers.
Liam closed the door behind him before picking up a chair and bringing it over to sit beside the bed on the side she was facing. "Hi," he greeted gently, taking in her unusual lack of makeup and the way she had the blankets pulled up all the way to her chin. She looked like she'd been crying for quite some time, and he yet again had to wonder why he was only just hearing about this.
Fallon didn't open her eyes to look at him, but offered a, "Hey," in return.
"You're not... in pain, are you? Can I get you anything?"
She shook her head, her eyes flicking open a little but not enough for her to meet his gaze. "No, nothing hurts, exactly."
"That doesn't change the question. Do you need anything?"
"Who told you?"
Liam frowned, taken aback by the sharpness of her question. Did she not want him to check in? Perhaps Blake had overreached, not realizing that she wanted time alone to process. Liam obviously didn't know quite how to react to something like this, but mostly he didn't want to make anything worse. "Blake said I needed to come over. I- I can go, Fallon, if you don't-"
"It's okay."
He wanted to believe her. He did. But she didn't sound sure of herself, and she still hadn't so much as glanced his way. "Fallon?" She just waited for him to continue, so after a few moments, he did. "I don't know how you're feeling right now. Of course I don't. But I know that you are the strongest person I've ever met. You were strong before, and what happened can't take that from you. You know that, right?"
Fallon's eyebrows pulled together slightly, and he watched her lift one shoulder, withdrawn in a way that was completely foreign to him. His gaze dropped to the ground in response.
"Listen, I understand if you're mad at me," he continued. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here. I just thought, with the whole arrest thing, and our plans falling short, maybe you wanted some space."
When he looked up again, she had finally tilted her chin back enough to meet his eye. But he hadn't expected her to be angry with him so suddenly.
"It wasn't your fault."
"...It wasn't yours either, Fal."
She rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling as she pursed her lips. "I knew provoking him would make him snap. But I didn't expect..."
"Of course you didn't," he agreed. "Nobody would've expected their own family to-" He cut himself off, figuring he would only make things worse. And he clearly was right about that, because a hand snuck out from under her blanket to wipe at her cheek and Liam sighed heavily. "Sorry. Maybe I should give you some time."
He started to stand, but she reached out to catch his arm, pouting up at him. "I'm sorry," she told him.
"What for?" Liam twisted his arm a little to offer his hand, palm up, for her to take.
Fallon tugged a little and he carefully sat himself down on the edge of the bed, setting their hands on the comforter between them. "We both know I was... putting things off when it came to us. We could've left, or just gone to your place. Or rented a hotel room, or – I mean, anything. I know that. I'm pretty sure you know that. But I just thought... before you, all of my relationships started with the physical side. And I felt like, if we did something, that things would change."
"First off," he began slowly, "we really don't have to talk about this if you don't want to. Not right now."
"I know. But now...? Liam, things are different, now. I just really don't think I can-"
"I know," he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "I would never expect it of you, especially after something like this. But second... Fallon, I love you. Yes, you are beautiful. Attractive. But do you not remember what I said at the divorce party? I love you for so many other reasons. More important reasons. Honestly? Yeah, I've hoped for that sort of closeness with you for a long time. But despite the way things might've seemed, especially the night of the party, who you are and who I am with you? That comes first. Always. I'm sorry you thought otherwise."
Her gaze fell to their hands, expression turning remorseful. "It isn't because it's you, Liam. It's- everything I've been through. I wanted us to be different. I wanted to give us time."
"Fallon. Sweetheart, I mean it, it's okay." Liam nodded firmly to try and make her really understand. "If you ever think I would put something like that above what we have already, Fallon, you're mistaken. Okay?"
"Sorry."
She burrowed a little deeper into her blankets and Liam reached out with his free hand to cradle the one of hers he was already holding. "You don't have to tell me what happened if you don't want to. Just tell me what you need right now, Fal. We'll work on it from there, okay?"
"Just... stay?" She requested, looking a little more hopeful now. "I just need to wallow for a bit. Then I can get back to work."
"Understandable. Of course I'll stay. Always." He looked around the room as she got comfortable, and spotted a copy of his book sitting on her bedside table. He'd known how well she liked it, but seeing it right there made him smile and instinctively reach out to pick it up.
Fallon shifted, moving away from him before she patted the blankets. "At least get comfortable. Maybe you could read me some of that."
"Read it to you?" He actually chuckled a little at that, turning himself around after toeing off his shoes so he could settled back against the headboard.
"I mean... I could sort of imagine it in your voice, but if you're going to do readings at your book signings, you may as well get some experience, right?" She cracked a smile, and the sight of it had him completely unable to say no.
So despite feeling a little embarrassed at first, he slid the book jacket off, setting that aside to keep it nice, and was surprised when he opened the book, finding she'd marked a page during what appeared to be a re-read. He looked over at her, nearly smirking, and she blushed, inching a little closer to him.
"Just- just read it, okay?"
He nodded, patting her hand before picking up where she left off, evidently providing some kind of distraction for her undoubtedly still-spinning mind. Liam wasn't sure how long he actually read, considering they both sort of fell into it. After a while, though, he realized that she'd stopped moving around, stopped reacting when he reached a line or a part that she liked.
Looking down, he stopped to check on her. She seemed to have fallen asleep, which he hoped was a sign that she had managed to relax. Not a sign that his voice was so boring that she couldn't take it anymore. But she looked peaceful, and he would take that either way. It was infinitely better than the huddled, hurt woman he'd discovered upon entering the room.
Liam wasn't sure what made him angrier – Adam going after Laura, or Fallon. Frankly, he had both ranking incredibly highly when it came to how disgusting he thought they were, though he knew one was innately worse than the other upon the assumption that Adam really was a Carrington. But it didn't change the fact that Adam was using Liam's mother, too, whether she knew it or not, and that vengeful mean streak Liam was starting to recognize in himself was building back up. He got the distinct feeling that Fallon wouldn't really want him to put himself in Adam's crosshairs, but Liam knew now that he would be damned if he didn't ensure that Adam was gone for good.
He waited a few seconds, and when she didn't raise a protest against the fact that he'd stopped reading, he decided that she was definitely asleep. So he left the book, his phone, his shoes – everything, in hopes that if she awoke before he returned, she wouldn't think he'd just left. And then he made his way downstairs to have a word with Blake.