Hey! This is my first fanfiction, and I have no beta so please be honest but kind!
Also, I own nothing but my OC's.
-K
x
The alcohol in her system was kicking her ass. She fumbled to hide the flask she stole from her father, as she leaned against the grungy bathroom counter. Going to Nicky's was a bad choice, possibly the worst choice, but it hadn't been her choice. Once her father had helped her settle back into her room, he insisted that she call some old friends and go to old hangouts. His affinity for sentiment was not an inherited gene. Her fear of rejection fueling her stubbornness to call her old friends.
"You can't stay in there forever, Larose."
"Garwin" Alyssa Larose muttered under her breath.
"Hurry up in there, I really have to pee" sounded a shrill female voice.
"Sorry, phone call. Hanging up now." Alyssa called back, stepping in front of the full length mirror. Smoothing down her long black hair, her brown eyes searching as she judged her appearance. White shirt, legs clad in distressed dark wash skinny jeans, and her trusted black flats hugging her feet.
She took a deep breath, with the help of some liquid courage she felt some semblance of control. Hand reaching for the doorknob, she prepared for a night of interrogations.
Two blondes rushed the door the moment she opened it. One brushing by her quickly, the other wrapping a large hand firmly around her wrist. A very male hand grabbing her very small wrist. She guessed that there was no going back now; no running for the door or making a breakaway. Her eyes met the face of one Reid Garwin.
"Hey Reid." She attempted a smile, feeling weaker than she allowed to show.
"Alyssa…" Reid's voice trailed off as Tyler Simms made his way over to them, curious blue eyes and a hopeful smile pulling at the corners of his lips.
"Alyssa, you ran to the bathroom so quickly. I was yelling for you! Are you joining us at our table?" Tyler asked. Beautiful, forgiving, trusting Tyler. He looked at her with nothing but happiness, no judgments or questions. No reservations. She should have sought him out before going to Nicky's. He would always have her back. He was like a brother to her, and her heart hurt. She'd never bothered to keep him involved in her life, three years passed and he still had his arms open for her.
"Saint Tyler. Long time, no see!" She said as she slipped her hand from Reid's grasp, and moved to wrap Tyler in a hug.
"No kidding." Reid scoffed.
Alyssa rolled her eyes. "I'm not sure I'm ready to say hello to everyone all at once, maybe I could cheer you on while you and Reid play pool?" she suggested to Tyler and his only widened.
"I could play some pool, how about you Reid?" Tyler questioned, releasing Alyssa's small frame from the bear hug he had trapped her in.
"Okay, Baby Boy. Go rack the balls. I didn't get my hug yet." Reid replied, focusing his attention on Alyssa once again.
"Hi Reid." She held her breath, waiting for the questions and the yelling. The reaction she hadn't received from Tyler.
"Larose, I'm not going to snap. Just relax, seriously." Reid gently explained.
"I'm sorry, it's just…I'm sorry." Alyssa didn't know where to start.
"Hey, let's leave it for tomorrow okay? Tonight can just be fun, we can worry about you skipping town tomorrow. You will still be here tomorrow, right?" Reid raised an eyebrow, genuinely asking if she planned on leaving once more.
"Not leaving, I'm back for good." Alyssa answered.
"Then let's go play pool. I honestly think that if I keep you from Baby Boy much longer he'll march over here and tear me a new one. He really missed you, kid." Reid said as they walked towards the pool table Tyler had decided on.
"I really missed him too, I missed you all.." She trailed off, afraid of the inevitable tears that continuing would bring.
"Tomorrow." Reid reminded her, taking the pool cue Tyler handed him as they reached their destination.
"Break 'em up!" Alyssa cheered to Reid, trying to relax as much as possible. Being back with the more carefree half of the boys was more of a relief than she had expected. It felt like no time had passed. Reid could still understand her like an open book and Tyler was still in her corner. She was thankful for the boys in front of her.
Time had passed, generic rock song after generic rock song. The boy's playful banter keeping her from drifting too far into her own thoughts.
"Well, well, well…" Reid said suddenly, causing her and Tyler to look over.
"How long you guys been here?" Pogue questioned, his broad smile brightening up his face.
"A bit, we picked up a stray on our way to the tables." Reid motioned towards Alyssa. Pogue's smile fell. Replaced with a look much colder, yet still indifferent. Alyssa felt the twinge of guilt she'd been feeling all night intensify. Reid's promises of tomorrow seemed to be slipping through her fingers. Pogue was not as patient, it seemed.
"Alyssa." He nodded; making the first move. His eyes narrowed as he waited for her to make hers. Her face had changed in her two year absence. She had angles where there used to be soft curves. High cheek bones and full lips that had obviously been passed down from her mother, but she still had her button nose that reminded him of her at the age of fifteen. Alyssa Larose, the only girl to break Pogue Parry's heart.
"Hey Pogue." Alyssa said. Shoulders slumped but chin held high; she wanted to seem strong even if she felt far, far from it.
"Would you look at that…" Reid said, attempting to cut through the tension.
"Blue, cotton." Reid said as he laid down fifty dollars. Starting a bet she knew all too well.
"Hmmm. Pink, lace!" Tyler said, casting his money down alongside Reid's.
"Boys." Pogue said, "That girl hasn't worn panties since she was twelve."
Reid nudged Pogue before using, causing a sudden wind to lift the girl-in-question's skirt into the air.
"Ouuu," Pogue hummed in victory, closing his eyes. When he opened them he collected his winnings, and thanked the boys for their money. Glancing once more at Alyssa, "Are you sticking around this time?"
"Yeah, I am." Alyssa responded
"Thanks boys." Pogue said, nodding goodbye before taking his leave.
As Pogue walked away Aaron Abbott and his cronies swaggered up to the table.
"Garwin, Simms, Larose.." Abbott smirked. "How are we tonight?"
"Aaron, are you looking to lose some of your daddy's money tonight?" Reid asked.
"We'll see, if you can make a combo shot. Rack them." Aaron replied.
The jukebox started cranking out a Joan Jett tune, and Alyssa pulled the flask from her bra once more. If she had to put up with the Abercrombie version of the Stooges then she wanted to be a lot drunker.
"If Nicky catches you with that he'll lose his mind, Aly." Tyler cautioned, eyes worried and running a hand through his hair.
"You still worry too much, Saint Tyler." Alyssa smirked before taking a small gulp. She wanted a buzz, not a sloppy night.
Aaron made his first shot and didn't thrust the cue with enough force, failing miserably to break.
"Let me show you how it's done, Abbott." Reid spit with venom and sarcasm. Pulling the cue, he added the perfect amount of force behind his shot. Sinking a stripped ball and causing the balls to separate in a strategic way to suit him.
"Fuck off Garwin." Aaron grumbled.
Reid took aim once more, attention slipping as a pretty freshman blonde giggled and winked at him. He fumbled his hands, missing his target. Aaron eyed the table before leaning over the edge and angling his shot.
"So Alyssa, I see you've come home." He shot the cue, and sunk a solid.
Alyssa tucked her bangs further to the left side of her face, taking in a quick breath before looking at Aaron.
"Yeah, the boys need someone to keep them out of trouble." Alyssa responded, hoping that this conversation would stay civil. One thing she could guarantee about the Sons was their protective nature.
"I somehow doubt you'd be able to resist getting into trouble right alongside them." Aaron joked. Missing his third shot.
Reid was pulled away from the giggling blonde freshman by Tyler. He leaned over the table and took aim.
"Things change, trouble isn't my middle name anymore Abbot." Alyssa said with a smirk tugging at the right corner of her lips.
"Somehow I doubt that." Tyler joked.
"We can't have you staying out of trouble, Alyssa. Not on your first night home." Reid's reply had a foreshadowing tone. She tensed in anticipation.
As Reid lined up his shot he focused harder than really necessary on the cue ball. He used and caused a trick shot, knocking three balls consecutively into the same pocket. Smirking as he looked back to Aaron.
"Better get that wallet out now, dude." Reid laughed. Lining up to take another shot.
Aaron leaned onto the table, jaw flexing in frustration.
"It's just a game, Aaron. It's okay." Alyssa tried to interject, though after the look Aaron shot her, she felt it may have been better left unsaid.
Reid shot again, until only the black ball was left. He shot it into the pocket with smug finesse. Aaron's friend Bordy dropped his glass, and shouted vulgarly about the fairness of the game.
Aaron roughly shoved Reid, and Alyssa suddenly realized that Aaron had hoped for a fight all along. She looked to the direction Pogue left, and locked eyes with the final Son, Caleb Danvers. Giving him a plea filled look, and glancing back to Reid she hoped that Caleb got the point.
Reid shoved Aaron back, hard. Eating up every aggressive signal that Aaron was feeding him. Aaron glanced quickly to Alyssa, pushing up his sleeves and donning a shit-eating grin.
"When you're done with these dipshits, give me a call. I've been dying to get under you." Aaron said, putting the final nail in the coffin he'd created for this evening.
"Let's take this outside Aaron, come on." Reid gave him a final shove and walked towards the door, Aaron taking advantage of his turned back and rushing him once more.
Alyssa tucked the flask she'd been holding back into her bra, and looked to Tyler.
"Shit Ty.." She trailed off.
"I know, I know… I'm sorry. Stay here okay, I'll come back for you." Tyler's tone held no room for argument; she was in no mood to argue anyways. The moment Tyler turned his back she was behind him, following him outside.
Aaron and his friends exited first, Tyler followed, and Alyssa exited beside Reid. Gauging his emotions and finding he resembled a caged tiger. Furious, and restrained. Reid wanted to use against Aaron, she knew him like the back of her hand once before and his temper could only have gotten worse since then.
"He made the shot, Dickhead. You bet him he couldn't and he did." Tyler said with determination.
"We ain't paying you shit, so if you don't like it why don't you do something about it…" Aaron's wanna-be slim shady fired back.
The door swung open once more. "What's the problem?" Caleb demanded, entering and controlling the situation. When Caleb spoke, people listened. It had always been that way.
"None of your damn business." Aaron yelled. Gesturing to the two boys walking down the stairs. Alyssa's body instinctually fell behind Pogue, he moved to be directly in front of her. Neither of them were oblivious to the motions, but quickly let them go. They weren't worth the time it would take to analyze them.
Reid's brashness knew no bounds as he quipped to Aaron "you bet me I couldn't make a combo shot and I did. Two of them."
Caleb assessed the situation and said "Why don't we just forget about it, okay?"
The door swung open a third time and Nicky's booming voice sounded. "Hey, take it someplace else, ladies." Nicky played with the bat in his hands and cocked his head, but he was intimidating on a normal day. The extra was unnecessary.
The boys hushed down and shifted, no one willing to piss off Nicky, if not because of his size then because Nicky had the only decent hangout in town. Being banished from Nicky's meant death by boredom. All of the group outside, including Alyssa, could agree that no bet was worth that type of torture.
"Now." Nicky finished, staring at the group while they mulled the situation over.
"Whatever you say, Nicky." Aaron was the first to respond. Walking back towards the bar and nudging Caleb on his way, his friends following closely.
As the door swung closed behind them, Caleb turned to Reid. "What were you thinking?"
Alyssa felt a text vibrate in her pocket and pulled out her phone, Caleb handled the boys so well and she didn't feel like listening to one of his lectures while she tried to hold onto the buzz she'd been working on since she had arrived.
She flipped her phone open and opened the text,
"Hey honey, are you having fun? When will you be home? – Dad"
She sighed and decided what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him.
"Fine, everything's fine. Met up with the boys, I'll be home soon. Finishing up a game of pool. – Aly"
She hit send and focused back onto the boys,
Reid had his hand wrapped tightly around Caleb's wrist and was staring him the eyes. From her angle she couldn't see what was happening so she peeked out from around Pogue's imposing frame, surprised to see Caleb struggling and even more surprised to find Reid using against him.
Caleb's anger flaring cause him to use and throw Reid back with such force that he crashed into the wall behind him.
"What will it take for you to get it? It's addictive, you moron. You've seen what it can do if you abuse it. You want that, that's your business but if you use in the open like you did tonight, you risk exposing us all, and that I won't let happen."
Reid levitated a keg, throwing it at Caleb.
"My power's greater than yours." Caleb finished.
"Not until you ascend." Reid grated. Sounding like a child who wasn't allowed to eat his cake before dinner.
"Alright go for it tough guy." Caleb responded, sounding exasperated.
Reid flicked his hand and threw the keg, Caleb raised his arms defensively and blocked the shot. Sending the keg crashing to his side. Throwing Reid into bottles lining a fence, Caleb started towards Reid. Intent on finishing what Reid had begun. Pogue caught up to him, and Alyssa looked to Tyler.
"So, things have stayed the same since I left?" Alyssa questioned
Tyler smiled, but the concern never left his eyes. "The fights are over more than Marvel vs. DC now."
"Reid's never used on a brother before, none of you have ever blurred that line. What happened?" Alyssa questioned
"I guess we both have things to explain tomorrow.." Tyler trailed off looking back to the boys.
"So I fixed her car, big deal." Reid yelled to Caleb. Tyler noticed Reid's gait had changed, a newly gained limp was causing him to stagger. Tyler rushed to Reid, helping him hand a little straighter, and stumble a little less.
"Don't play me Reid, I'm talking later and you know it." Caleb said as he fought to get to Reid, his anger had gotten the better of him at this point.
"Like hell I do." Reid snapped, shoving Tyler away. "I didn't use later."
Nose to nose, Caleb and Reid stared each other down. Reid broke away first, yelling at Tyler and Alyssa to hurry up and meet him in the car. Tyler walked forward "It's not right using on each other, Caleb." He said softly
"Oh, tell it to Reid." Caleb groaned, rolling his eyes. Tyler walked past them, joining Reid. Alyssa watched the two boys walk inside and looked to Caleb.
"Wow, talk about a welcome home party." Alyssa scoffed, but nudged Caleb. "Still keeping the boys on a tight leash I see."
"Hey Aly, have you got a ride home?" Caleb questioned, he would really make a great dad one day.
"Yeah, I think Tyler would kill me if I let anyone but him drive me home. I'll see you around soon, okay?" Alyssa said before walking by them. Her eyes meeting Pogue's once more as she stepped by him, he nodded as if agreed that they'd be seeing each other soon as well. It sent a shiver down her spine. Explaining her disappearance to everyone else would be hard, but to Pogue it would be near impossible. She hated that she may have hurt him. Had definitely hurt him, if she meant as much to him as he did to her.
Alyssa walked through the crowded bar, and towards the front exit. Glancing once at Aaron Abbott to shoot him and his girlfriend a dirty look before walking back outside into the cool night air. She wished she had thrown on a cardigan when she'd been planning her outfit.
Hopping into the back seat of Tyler's SUV, she read the tension radiating from the boys in the front. Tyler was clearly not happy with Reid, and Reid was hating the world. Tyler glanced into his mirror finding a curious set of brown eyes meeting his own. Starting the car, he threw it into reverse and backed out of his spot.
Alyssa relaxed into the seat and watched the streetlights go by.
"You guys can sleep in the basement if you want. It saves you the drive home, and my dad will be happy to see you. I'm sure you'll both be back at my house bright and early before school anyways in order to interrogate me…I also have left over pizza and some Wes Craven movies. Like old times?" Alyssa's question broke the silence that had been overwhelming them all.
Tyler looked to Reid, and Reid let out a laugh.
"You always did know how to make me feel better." Reid stated
"I'm in too, but I'm so tired. I'll probably crash within the first fifteen minutes of whatever you put on." Tyler joked.
Smiling Alyssa responded. "Then it really will be like old times. You're always the first to fall asleep, old man."