Title: Living with Hazards
Characters: Rebecca Harper, Justin Walker, etc.
Spoilers: 2x15: Moral Hazard, after that AU
Rating: PG
Summary: After her conversation with Justin, Rebecca makes the decision to leave town for a while and seek out David. She tries to fix what she's broken, and may find better results when she returns than she thought. Rebecca/Justin
On the ground with my world upside down
I got a vision of your face
And I must get me out
For so many memories we've yet to make
She hated her voice for being soft and breathy, the very antithesis of the voices of the Walkers. They had strong voices, deep and gravelly, even the women, and since day one she noticed the difference. Since that very first day, suddenly thrown into this family of rambling, over-sharing men and women, she'd felt like the odd one out.
All it took was one little test to provide her proof that her instincts had been right.
Rebecca faced Justin with all the strength she had and spoke the one truth she knew could rip her world apart.
"No, I'm not." She hesitated, watching her words sink in with alarming finality in his face. "We're not related." She shook her head as her voice almost disappeared into the sudden tension in the room, her hands clenched in front of her as she fought to maintain composure. She would endure his yelling, his anger over her lying to him days ago. Why she had ever thought she could lie to this family, lie to him, and pretend to be a Walker, she'd never know. "Your dad's not my dad." Rebecca knew that she was rambling, but felt that something, anything she said would make that terrible hurt in his eyes fade.
"The test; you took a test, you said-"
"I know, I was afraid to tell you," Rebecca interrupted Justin's sudden bumbling words, grateful that she had the chance to explain.
Before she could continue, Justin replied with quickly darkening eyes. "So you lied to me?"
"No, I'm sorry, it's just..." She fumbled her words as she turned her eyes away, the strength of conviction and truth that had led her here, to facing him, crumbling as she realized belatedly that her entire life was falling apart with every word she uttered. She didn't know if she had the strength to finish this conversation without crying. "You've all become like family to me, and I really didn't want to lose that." She rushed into her explanation, the one she'd planned the entire ride over here. "And I know that you said that everything would stay the same but-"
"I thought you were different," Justin interrupted gruffly, his eyes hard but still shining with emotion.
"What?" She asked as his sudden statement caused her to lose her place in that lovely pre-arranged conversation she'd planned. A conversation that had not involved the man who'd confessed only last night to having romantic feelings for her looking at her like she was the scum of the Earth.
"Than your mom," he explained as he glared at her. "But you're not, you're exactly the same, you both lie." Words slipped so easily from his mouth, she was shocked that such cavalier tones could stab so deeply.
"Justin, no-" She'd give anything to start this conversation over. Maybe, to never have started this conversation in the first place.
"How could you do this to me, Rebecca?" How can he not see the tears gathering so quickly in her eyes? "You promised me you were going to tell me the truth, and I believed you." How could he not realize that she'd fallen in love with his family, and more specifically with him?
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"
"Just go! I think you should go. Go!" He said sharply, not quite yelling.
Rebecca didn't know how she'd gotten to this point, to this scene in her life, but as she rushed past Justin Walker she knew that it was all her fault.
It wasn't David's fault, wasn't her mother's fault, it definitely wasn't William Walker or any of his family's fault.
She also knew one very important thing.
She could live with Justin's anger, with all of the Walkers' anger.
She couldn't live with his hate, however. Hate that for just the briefest of seconds had been revealed to her as he'd told her to leave his home, and silently, his life.
Rebecca walked from that house, so lovingly filled with pictures and memories, and into a harsh world with no one there waiting for her.
She kept walking.
Three Months Later
New York City, New York
"David? Are you home?"
The lack of response told Rebecca that he wasn't and she pursed her lips as she tried to think of where he could be. He didn't have a shooting scheduled today, but he could still be out scouting locations. She sighed and tried to let the matter go but knew she'd have that nagging tension in her shoulders until he came home.
Actually, she'd had that tension in her entire body for the last three months. She'd tried, very hard, to relax in this new city, in David's home, but Rebecca wasn't foolish. This wasn't her home, and though he was her father, David wasn't family yet. They were trying to become family, but it always felt like something was missing, something integral.
Perhaps someone; someone was missing from the picture of a perfect family.
Rebecca shut the door firmly behind her and moved to set the grocery bags down on the kitchen counter. The loft wasn't a large apartment by any means, but she and David were making it work. Cramped and a little cluttered, it was clear that two artists lived here. Her photographs covered most of the walls, taped or tacked up, and his scripts and notepads were on most surfaces. She'd left her camera behind at her mother's house, but David had quickly gone about procuring her a new one. She'd almost cried when he'd presented it to her. Knowing that he was still struggling financially, despite the sudden influx of a job from an old friend, he'd made sure she had a camera.
Even in this place, so far from home, she had someone. Someone who cared and who thought of her, who knew her passions and tried to let her indulge in them. During the days while David shot his latest project on various locations, she wandered this vast impressive city and sought to find her artistic vision. Much to her surprise, Rebecca had found that she had a talent for portraits. She didn't know how, but the lens of her camera always seemed able to catch that edge of emotion in people. The tears hiding behind the shine of their eyes, the laughter stifled in the curve of their smile, even the secrets lurking in their down-turned eyes.
Rebecca smiled to herself as she glanced around the room at all of her photographs adorning the walls. Several of David's movie friends had purchased shots from her, though very cheaply. She was just beginning at this, but Rebecca knew in her heart that this was what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. The feeling of a camera in her hands, cold hard metal and hefty weight, felt right.
Much like the Walker family had felt 'right'.
She regretted what had happened, she really did. Rebecca even, in part, regretted running away. It'd been a childish reaction, but she was still so young she felt they could forgive the impulsiveness of it. However, running away had gotten her here, with David, and fixed something broken inside her, so the regret wasn't too large.
She missed them, though. Not just Justin, but all of them. They'd become like family to her and her fear of losing them had been so great she'd made the wrong choices. She'd known in her heart that she couldn't pretend forever, but to even try had doomed her from the start.
Rebecca liked to think that coming here, to New York to talk to David and convince him to return to Pasadena, had been the right choice. Her first right choice in a while.
She smiled slightly, knowing that she'd followed her right choice with another wrong one. Moving across the room she trailed her fingers down the large photo just above the couch. His face smiled out of it, rakishly handsome with a wicked humor dancing in his eyes as his fingers danced across the strings of his guitar, a blur near the bottom of the photo.
Definitely a mistake, but one that had taught her something very important.
You can't run from love.
"Hey, kid. You're home early," David said by way of greeting, opening the door and distracting her from her contemplation.
"Where you been? I thought this was your day off?" She asked as she moved back to the kitchen to finish putting away the few groceries she'd bought.
"It was, but with only a few shots left I want to make sure all the loose ends get tied up," he explained as he reached across the counter to grab an apple. "You bought groceries?"
"We have to eat for the next few days, David," she admonished as she finished her chore and smiled at him. "Only a few days left."
"Are you ready, Becca? Sure you can handle this?" David asked concernedly. He knew the circumstances of her decision to come to him, having had it confessed to him as she stood in his doorway fresh off a train from California.
She shrugged and smiled a little sadly. "No choice, really. Gotta face him, don't I?"
Pasadena, California
Tommy Walker wasn't a pushover. He was a good leader for his company and knew when to back down and when to push.
The problem was that his oldest sister wasn't a pushover either and since they'd merged their companies they'd butted heads more than not. Every issue that came before them was to be argued over, every single problem, and it had long since become tiresome. Neither wanted to give an inch, even when they were on the same side.
Today was no exception. The matter on the table, or rather being argued about as they walked down the hall toward Holly's office, was the new proposed letterhead that Tommy had ordered. As usual Sarah was resisting any changes that were suggested, whereas Tommy was pushing for them.
"I don't see why we need a new letterhead at all," Sarah said smartly as she studied the pieces of paper Tommy handed to her. "It's not like we're changing the name of the company."
"There's an entire new hierarchy, the stationary we send out should-" Tommy started to reply, only to be interrupted by his sister.
"I don't understand why your name goes before mine," she said with a distinct whine, but a teasing glint to her eyes.
Tommy glared at her but the sheer humor of the situation proved too much and his grin wiped away his glare. "Why shouldn't it?"
"I'm older and wiser and far more beaut-"
Both Walker siblings froze just outside Holly Harper's slightly open office door as the CEO's voice echoed through the crack clearly. It wasn't that Holly was yelling, though that was odd in and of itself; it was more the words than the volume that got their attention.
"-she's been in New York this whole time?! And he couldn't even pick up the phone to tell me?" Holly's voice cracked as she spoke and a loud bang that could only be her mug of coffee slamming on the desk echoed out the door. Tommy placed a finger to his lips to indicate that Sarah remain quiet as they listened.
A male voice from inside the office replied calmly, "It's taken a few months to track her down since she used cash to buy the ticket, but after looking into all the leads you'd given me I felt it was the only option. She didn't turn to any of her friends, and she had no other family than you and he. I might have had results faster; however you waited a month before hiring me, which made it harder to trace her."
"I had to wait a month," Holly said in a frustrated and stressed tone. "I figured Rebecca was staying with those blasted Walkers and just wasn't talking to me. We-" Her voice cracked again and she sighed raggedly before continuing in a softer, calmer voice. "We had a fight over David and his being her father and I told her to leave. I didn't know she was going to go missing for three months! Do you understand how worried and terrified I've been?"
The man made soothing sounds and there was some shuffling noise as he moved closer to Holly to comfort her, or so Tommy and Sarah supposed the man was doing. There was a harsh rubbing sound as a tissue was pulled from a holder and Holly sniffled delicately. Sarah's mouth was gaping as she stared over at her brother, mouthing at him in shock, "Missing?"
Tommy shrugged and gestured for her to remain quiet.
"How is she?" Holly asked quietly, her voice more solemn than Sarah and Tommy could ever recall it being. This was not the fire spewing hellcat they'd come to know since their father's death, no way, no how.
"She's...in good health. I have some videotape and photos if you'd like them, as well as a written report for your review." The man suddenly strengthened his voice and became all business. "If you'd like to review it before I leave, we can settle my bill now."
"No, I don't need to review. Please, let's settle the financial part of this." Tommy suddenly realized that whoever was in the office was about to leave and he and Sarah could not be outside the door when they did. He gestured for Sarah to follow him into a small closet just across the hall even as the sound of a check being written and torn off its pad echoed out of the office. Together, the duo hid quickly, and just in time as Holly's heels clicked closer to the door.
"Allow me to walk you out," Holly said coolly as she and the mystery man walked quickly past the closet door, her words slightly muffled by heavy wood separating the foursome.
When the footsteps could no longer be heard, Sarah pushed open the door and stepped out. "All clear," she confirmed to Tommy as he stepped out. For several seconds they just stood there staring at each other, both unsure what to make of this new information.
"Rebecca has been missing for three months and we didn't even know," Tommy said with a slightly guilty expression.
"She wasn't our sister so suddenly we don't care anymore?" Sarah questioned. "I know Mom said we should give her some space, but when did space become ignoring?"
Tommy shrugged. "I guess sometime around the fifth time Justin blew up because one of us asked about her."
Sarah turned to eye the folder and DVD case sitting on Holly's desk, now clearly visible through the wide-open door. "Would it be bad if I..." She let her voice trail off and gestured to the information so temptingly close.
"Yes, it would be bad. Holly is our partner in this business, and Rebecca's mother. She's more than capable of handling this alone...what are you doing, Sarah?" Tommy suddenly hissed as she darted inside and grabbed the folder and DVD.
"She's not our sister but we care about her. I want to know where she is. It's past time we confronted this," Sarah replied as she walked quickly past Tommy and towards her own office.
"That's Holly's and that's stealing!" Tommy argued as he followed her quickly. "Holly is going to know that's gone, immediately!"
"Which is why I won't be here," Sarah said calmly, stopping only momentarily to grab her jacket and purse.
"Where are you going?" Tommy asked as he grabbed his own jacket and followed her unconsciously.
"Where else? Mom's."
Tommy wasn't foolish enough to be anywhere near Ojai Food Co. when Holly realized she'd been robbed.
By a Walker, no less.
It didn't take long to get all the Walker siblings together and by keeping the reason for the meeting secret, it took even less time. Walkers loved secrets, especially about one another and especially when they were being spilled in front of each other.
Nora sat in her chair, calmly elegant as she watched Tommy and Sarah argue quietly in the corner. She was amused but kept that to herself. She turned her eyes to Justin where he sat brooding and silent across from her, a perpetual state for him for three months now, ever since he and Rebecca had fought.
Kitty and Kevin watched the entire tableau and shrugged it off, content to watch Tommy and Sarah argue and unsure of what to do to make Justin happy again. They could only be grateful that this perpetual state of grumpiness had not pushed him back into addiction.
"Well I think they have a right to know!" Sarah yelled as she gestured to her surprisingly-silent family.
"I think we should leave it be and take it back before Holly kills us!"
"Why would Holly kill you?" Kitty asked the pair as impatience overruled her amusement at the situation, an expression mirrored on her mother's face.
Sarah glared at Tommy before turning to address her three unknowing siblings and mother. "We were on our way to discuss something with Holly when we...overhead distressing news."
"Eavesdropped is more like it," Tommy muttered as he plopped himself down onto the couch next to Kevin.
"Well, I wasn't the only one standing there," Sarah replied sharply before continuing her explanation. "It's about Rebecca."
Justin's eyes sharpened suddenly, losing the haze of daydreaming that they usually had. "What about her?" His voice was gruff, having not been used too often of late and he fought to hide the sudden eagerness he felt.
Sarah bit her lip and studied her baby brother before moving to sit on the small coffee table in front of him, taking his hand as she started to reply. "She's...Rebecca has been missing for the past three months. We all assumed she was just hiding from us, no more able to face what happened than we could but...apparently Holly hasn't known where she was either."
Justin stood suddenly pacing back and forth as his face contorted with anger. "This is my fault."
"No, it's not," Nora said as she stood, her head reeling from this new information. "This is not your fault."
Sarah rushed into the rest of her explanation, standing and facing Kevin and Kitty as their mother pulled Justin back to his seat and forced him down. "She's not missing anymore, apparently Holly hired a private investigator and he found her in New York. Tommy and I took the folder with the information and brought it here."
Tommy contradicted, "You took the information, I just came with you."
"Either way it's stealing," a loud aggravated voice said from the doorway, startling all the Walkers. Holly stood there, lit by the sun from behind, and her anger was powerful enough to immediately affect every person in the room. They all stared at her wide-eyed, unsure how to respond, only to become baffled as she visibly deflated. "You did it because you cared, however, so I can't really hold it against you."
"You're not mad?" Tommy asked as he stood and moved to her side.
"No," she said resolutely, before moving further into the room and sticking her hand out for the folder Sarah now held. "Shall we go over it together? I'm as interested in what my daughter has been doing for the past few months as you are."
Sarah's eyebrows shot up and she pursed her lips in uncertainty before handing the folder over. "Sure, why not?"
(To Be Continued...)
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