"You didn't have to carry it," Lane told Fangs as he set the clothesbasket on Tall Boy's dresser.
He shrugged offhanded and replied with a happy; "no big deal." But she didn't seem to notice as she began carefully placing the neatly folded clothes in their designated drawers. "The trailer looks great by the way," he said having noticed that when he walked in. Everything was put away, surfaces were scrubbed clean, the carpet was vacuumed, it even smelled nice.
"Thanks," she told him oblivious to his efforts.
Toni stood by Sweet Pea watching Fangs' failed attempts with amusement, Sweet Pea on the other hand was ready to tell him to knock it off. Northsiders thought they were too good to mess with Serpents, she wouldn't be any different. "Is there a boyfriend waiting for you on your side of town?" Toni asked watching her move between the drawers and the closet as she arranged things the way she liked them. All without answering. "Or girlfriend?"
She charged past them holding a moldy cup she'd spotted under the bed. "I have more important things to do."
"Right," Toni said turning as Lane passed, finding her intense but cute. "You ever been in a relationship?"
Lane was standing at the sink staring into the cup contemplating whether it was worth it, in the end she tossed it the trash. "I'm gonna refer you to my first answer," she said marching past them again as she headed back to the room to put the clothes Tall Boy left on the floor that morning in the now empty hamper.
Her grin spread to a wide smile as she pivoted to follow as Lane went. "So you're a virgin," she said finding herself both surprised and not.
"No wonder you're so uptight," Sweet Pea muttered, his eyes following the curve of her back as she bent to grab something she'd noticed from under the dresser.
She came back out with a dirty fork in hand and fixed him with a stern look as she walked around him. "It couldn't possibly be someone trying to kill me yesterday."
"Point taken," Toni was quick to say, wondering why it was up to her to referee between the two. "So let's go, we'll have fun, loosen you up a bit."
Lane paused beside them staring at Toni with a deep wrinkle between her brows. "I'm pretty sure we have different definitions of the word fun," she said not really wanting to be around a lot of people. She didn't really want to be around them, and even though she knew it didn't seem like it she really was trying.
"Come on," Toni prodded, "everyone's probably already at the Whyte Wyrm. We can dance, maybe get you going with a few drinks."
This conversation was eerily similar to one she had with Reggie last week, she'd said no then too. "Is there an option where I stay here?"
Toni's face fell disappointed while Fangs came out of the room and stood by Sweet Pea. "I have to stay with you," he told Lane, which meant he had to stay if she did.
She looked at him several long drawn out seconds weighing her option before she stated, "you'd have more fun if we went," to which he nodded. Heaving a dramatic sigh she turned for the door and growled an unhappy, "fine."
As she reached for the knob a hand latched onto her arm jerking her back. And she stumbled looking up at Sweet Pea. "There's a hit on you, remember," he said before wrenching the door open and stepping out first, pulling her behind him.
She hadn't noticed it before then as she walked behind him with her arm trapped within his vise-like grip, he'd walked in front of her when they left the laundromat, and he'd been close at her back when they walked to the house. Whether or not he wanted to he was gonna do his job. She caught herself on the back seat of the car after he shoved her in and she slid over feeling him settle beside her.
The bar was crowded when they got there, the music was loud forcing people to yell to be heard, but even still it seemed to quiet when Lane entered. While Fangs and Sweet Pea headed to the pool table she found an empty table close enough to them and sat back studying the people around her. Many had turned back to what they were doing but a lot of them either continued to steal glances or outright stared mistrustfully at her. There was a familiar warm buzz inside her mind like a hive that'd just been kicked as her eyes darted between them; like every other Northsider, arrogant, pretty little bitch, thinks she's above us all, she's a murderer and she still acts like she's too good to be here, bitch.
"Care for a drink?"
Her mind quieted and she turned to see Toni holding two glasses. She happily took one and downed it. "It's been a long week," she said by way of explanation to the brow Toni cocked in question.
Sliding into a chair next to her Toni offered a small smile. "I take it you don't feel like dancing."
"I don't dance."
Toni laughed lightly. "Why am I not surprised." They shared a smile though Lane's was fleeting, and Toni saw for the first time that day how tired she seemed. "How'd you sleep last night?"
"I didn't," was Lane's quiet answer, so quiet Toni almost imagined she'd heard it. There was a soft touch on her hand and Lane looked down to see Toni had pushed her own glass toward her. Her sigh was almost relieved as she downed that one as well.
Looking to where the boys were shoving each other with wide grins on their faces Toni half-turned to Lane. "You clearly aren't enjoying yourself," she said, "but he appreciates you letting him come out." She met Lane's eye and saw her half hearted shrug. "Why are you making such an effort for him?"
Lane watched Fangs seeing his easy smile. "He was nice when he didn't have to be," she answered. There was a moment's pause before she turned to Toni. "So were you."
Almost touched Toni grinned. "Does that mean you'll dance with me?" she teased seeing beneath Lane's eye roll her faint smile.
"Maybe next time," she answered, without really answering because though Toni didn't know her well she had a feeling Lane would turn her down then too. The two girls sat for a while longer, Fangs came over to talk, Sweet Pea hovered refusing to be apart of anything to do with her, and Lane very slowly and with great reluctance began to let her guard down. They even got her to laugh, a very brief series of chuckles coupled with a flash of teeth as she grinned – it was small but it was a start.
"I'll take her from here," said a low gruff voice and they turned to see Tall Boy at her back. He looked to Fangs. "She's coming to the shop with me tomorrow."
With his hand light on her shoulder she stood and bid them all goodnight, begrudgingly she included an even unhappier Sweet Pea, and left with Tall Boy. "Thank you for this," she told him when they were back in his house.
"You don't have to keep thanking me," he informed her as he grabbed a beer from the fridge. Looking at her tired face he extended it to her, offering her the beer as if she were ten years older and had lived long enough to deserve any part of what was happening to her. But before he could forget she was just a sixteen year old kid she shook her head, her arms still folded around her like she needed to protect herself. "Your dad was a good guy, one of the best," he told her, finding those words tasted bitter. "We'll see how much you take after him."
Not enough, Lane thought knowing if she was like either of her parents it'd be her mom. She wasn't good enough to be like her dad. "You know, I'm really tired."
He looked at her seeing something swimming in her wet eyes and he nodded. "Okay."
Feeling like she couldn't meet his eye she turned for the room and quietly shut the door. She felt like she'd been tired for years, it was a heavy suffocating weight as she lay curled on her side. But sleep wouldn't come, she'd close her eyes and see that awful sneer before something dark and ugly had taken over her. Something that scared her, not that she'd done it because she did it once before – it felt good.
A tap on the window had her sitting up, her eyes narrowed as she crept to it and peeked outside. Her head tilted as though weighed down by confusion. Tiptoeing out of the room she snuck to the door and opened it slowly, quietly, fur brushed her calves as she pulled it shut and returned to the bedroom. She flipped on the light and turned to the dog that sat patiently waiting. "Can I help you?" she asked him staring hard at his warm brown eyes. He was a shaggy pitiful looking thing, but his stillness was strange, almost human. She half expected him to speak, but he didn't. "You're not sleeping on the bed til you get a bath," she told him as she climbed back in it and laid down.
She shifted her weight trying to get comfortable, to will her exhaustion into sleep but it hovered just out of reach. Heavy breathing warmed her face and she sighed heavily and turned her head looking at the dog as he set his head on the edge of the bed beside hers. "The foot of the bed," she said through clenched teeth. He happily complied and spread out over her feet, it wasn't long before he was snoring.
.^.
Tall Boy set her up in the shop's main office, away from the prying eyes of his boys and any other Southsider who needed their car worked on. She'd gone through every magazine and scrap paper lying around, peeked in desk drawers, straightened everything up, cleaned the windows, punched at the keyboard of the locked computer. After three hours she'd slumped so far in the chair her shoulders were almost touching the seat. She still had four hours til the high school let out, and even though she was still unsure about Fangs and Toni they were better than this endless boredom.
He was hunched over the engine of an old run down car muttering about the carburetor being shot when a thin figure moved in his peripheral. Tall Boy looked up to find Lane peering at the grimy engine with furrowed brows. "Sorry this isn't as exciting as what you're used to," he said without really being all that sorry.
"I shouldn't have cleaned so fast yesterday," she shrugged looking at the piece he was shining the flashlight on. "Mind if I watch?" she asked him in an almost quiet way.
Grinning faintly he held the flashlight out to her. "You can hold the light." He was mildly impressed when she leaned under the hood hitting the carburetor just right. With both his hands free and decent lighting it'd make this job a hell of a lot easier.
"What are you doing?"
He looked up and could see it on her face that she was being sincere. His rough expression softened just a little and he turned back to the engine and started explaining the problem and how he was gonna fix it.
.^.
The two boys stood in the office, the light was off and it was empty, but it was clean which meant Lane had been there. They walked around to the shop looking from one car that had its hood popped, to another that was suspended as the tires were changed, hearing a few voices calling over the loud roar of an engine. But where Fangs went left spotting Tall Boy, Sweet Pea hesitated at the sight of jean clad legs sticking out from under a car.
His head was cocked to the side inquisitively as he slowly moved to her side, and he kicked her small foot to get her attention. He watched her roll out on the wooden creeper and pause at the sight of him, her brows furrowed as she looked at her watch. "Is it that time already?"
He stood back when she climbed to her feet, almost remembering too late where she was from when he thought of helping her up. "Sorry to run out on you in the middle of it," she said turning to address the perpetually sour-faced man she'd been working with.
"There'll be more for you to do tomorrow," he told her in a rough voice. Even then, still sounding mean, he wasn't as hostile as when Tall Boy first left her with him.
Grabbing a rag Lane walked with Sweet Pea scrubbing at her hands, he noticed beneath the dirt she had pretty trim nails. And he didn't think she knew she had grease on her face. Her hair was falling out of its bun, she wasn't wearing a bit of makeup, and she'd borrowed one of Tall Boy's shirts – for the first time she didn't look like a Northsider. Sweet Pea didn't like that.
"You did good kid," Tall Boy told her when they found him and Fangs, catching her small smile. "I'll see if we can't find a uniform that'll fit you."
It was the strangest feeling, she was almost excited to come back. Then again she liked learning new things, and on top of that she'd spent the last four hours too preoccupied to think of who wanted her dead. "See you at home," she said before following Fangs outside, with Sweet Pea close at her back.
She sat in the back while the boys took the front making small talk, with Fangs at least because Sweet Pea was in a mood and wouldn't acknowledge she was there. "Where's Toni?" she finally asked. If she had to pick between her and Sweet Pea she'd rather him be gone.
"With the other Northsider," Sweet Pea growled now having to deal with two of them.
"He means Jughead," Fangs explained for him, looking at her in the rearview mirror to see her looking out the window.
Toni had said something about him yesterday, about whether they needed to keep her a secret from him. "I figured," was her simple reply.
A silence settled over them, heavy and stifling, and no one said anything for the remainder of the drive. Hot Dog was waiting at the door when they pulled up, and when he realized she was there he stood upright and waited as she climbed the stairs to unlock let them all in. "There isn't much to eat but you can watch TV, I'm gonna take a shower."
The boys shared a look before they sat on opposite sides of the couch hearing the steady stream of the shower beneath the show they'd found. She came back in an oversized shirt and sweat pants with her wet hair pulled back, and she sat in the place between them curling her knees to her chest as Hot Dog laid at her feet.
For the most part they stayed quiet, Fangs made an occasional comment but after a while Lane stopped responding. His phone buzzed and he smiled almost relieved. "Toni's on her way," he said turning to Lane and Sweet Pea. The sight he was met with was of Sweet Pea's stony face over Lane's head, which at some point had fallen onto his shoulder. "How long has she been out?"
"Thirty minutes," Sweet Pea muttered glaring down at her half hidden face. It'd been so light at first he didn't notice. And though he was greatly unhappily he sat still with her weight against him, telling himself it meant nothing that he didn't want to wake her.
With his mouth pursed around a grin Fangs sat back watching TV, noticing how unusually still Sweet Pea was. There was a knock on the door and Fangs jumped to his feet startled before he saw Toni through the window. Unceremoniously Sweet Pea shoved her off him and stood leaving her to blink dazed on the couch having to remember where she was.
Looking up at the opened door she saw a familiar beanie-wearing boy charge inside and stop when he saw her. "Hey Jug," she greeted simply.
He stared at her wide eyed and mouth slightly agape. "Lane," he said though it sounded a question. He and Toni had been working on the Red and Black when Toni very casually dropped Lane into the conversation, so much so Jughead didn't realize at first that the two girls shouldn't know each other. And yet there he stood in Tall Boy's house gaping at where Lane sat blinking at him like it was any other day. "What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded moving toward her, but he was forced back as Sweet Pea stepped between them. Jughead looked from Sweet Pea, down to the dog who almost looked like his hackles were raised as he stood in front of Lane, then to Lane who didn't notice as she addressed Toni.
"You didn't tell him?" she asked, looking to where Toni now sat beside her on the couch.
"I told him on the way over."
Lane turned back to Jughead, who stood half behind Sweet Pea. "Then what's the question?"
He gave a short irritable laugh. "Cut the superior act, Lane, you know exactly what I'm asking. Why here? Did it not occur to you to, I don't know, go to the police?" Like any other normal person, but he kept that part to himself.
The way familiarity softened her face had been so subtle the three who knew her least didn't notice, at least not until they watched her expression harden. "You really wanna start this conversation insulting my intelligence." She didn't pose it as a question, the warning was clear in her stony voice.
Her eyes darkened, those that didn't know her didn't notice it. But Jughead knew her, and he knew what it meant. "Enlighten me," Jughead said not backing down. He didn't think she knew what she was getting into, or how much worse it could get.
She was on her feet and stepping closer, this time Sweet Pea turned facing her now thinking he might have to keep her back. "He's either already got the sheriff in his pocket or would buy someone to take us both out. Coming here was about disappearing until I figured out how to fix this. I'm a lot of things, Jughead, stupid isn't one of them."
"You figure anything out yet?" he asked in as unkind of a tone as hers.
"Would I still be here?"
The two stared each other down and Toni jumped up from the couch. "Maybe we should take a break, cool off a little," she suggested looking to Fangs who stood on the other side of them watching with wide eyes.
"Yeah, somewhere that's not this really small house," he added feeling suddenly claustrophobic.
Their breathing was even and their mouths scowling. "You guys can go, I'll stay with her until Tall Boy comes back," Jughead replied.
That wasn't what Toni meant, and if she were honest it wasn't Jughead she was worried about. "Lane, if you wa-"
"We have a few things to discuss," she snapped. Though she blinked and turned to Toni, having not meant to sound that harsh. "We'll be fine, thank you," she said in an almost nicer way.
Toni gave a quiet okay before ushering the boys out, Fangs was quick to turn on his heel but Sweet Pea almost held his ground between her and Jughead. When they were outside heading for the car Fangs was using to drive her, Fangs turned and asked, "okay, she's scary right?"
With a laugh Toni nodded. "She's something," she agreed. In truth they didn't know what to think of Lane, her above it all attitude was very much that of a Northsider. But she had a dead-eyed stare that somehow also burned. She was almost intimidating.
Inside the house Jughead and Lane still stood several feet apart sharing a very heavy look, but something unspoken had passed between them as it did every time they argued and it weakened their resolve. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into," he told her, warned her. "This is more than a favor, you're gonna end up owing them."
"Toni told you why I'm here," she said leading him to her point.
He nodded. "Yeah, she said there's a hit on you. What's that about?"
He was one of the people who'd figure it out if she said the wrong thing, so she took a breath and let her tense shoulders fall. "He either somehow found out I saw him kill my dad or he's tying up a potential loose end."
His face softened to one of pity. "This was a hail mary," he said and she nodded. Jughead sighed realizing just how serious this was, she was the only living witness and he'd seen enough movies to know how this played out. "Was it like the first time?" he asked knowing this wasn't her first body. He'd seen the first one, he still didn't believe it.
"You can't tell anyone," she told him in a small voice sounding so very tired. "You can't tell her."
He straightened at that, a fire lighting in his eyes once more. "You know, Betty was really worried when you didn't show up. I'm not gonna lie to her for you."
"I'm not asking you to," was her simple reply. They both knew she was capable of forcing him to.
They were left still standing a foot apart, him with too many questions and her refusing to answer. "This would be easier if you'd tell me who to worry about it," he said knowing she'd never answer.
And sure enough she gave a blunt, "probably."
Inhaling sharply he fought not to roll his eyes. "It'd be easier if you'd stop being difficult."
She shrugged turning back to the couch. "It is me we're talking about," she said as if it were a joke, as if she didn't know what kind of person she was.
With a sigh Jughead joined her, glancing down at the strange shaggy dog who watched him too close. "That is true," he agreed knowing her well. "And you're weird."
"It's why you like me."
"Also true," he said in the same dull tone as they both stared at the TV. They found some cheesy old horror movie and for the most part talked through it, laughing at the scary parts, and at one particularly weak moment she'd even asked him how he was adjusting. They were both slouched low on the couch with their feet propped up on the coffee table when Tall Boy came home. "Where are the other three?"
"He sent them away so he could yell at me," Lane answered before filling her mouth with popcorn.
Tall Boy looked at FP's kid, who was very slowly starting to become wrapped up with the Serpents. "How'd that go?"
"Like running full force into a wall," Jughead said prodding her with his elbow, catching her faint smirk as she continued to watch the movie. Over her head he saw Tall Boy leaning against the wall watching them with an unknown look in his eye, Jughead suddenly got the feeling he was intruding. He'd have to ask her about it later. "I guess I'm gonna head home."
Lane looked up at where he now stood and gave a quiet, "okay." It'd been a while since they just hung out, she'd made herself too busy for that, it surprised her how easy it was to fall back into. "I'll see you around."
"Yeah," he agreed touching her shoulder as he passed. He looked up at Tall Boy and they shared a nod before he was out the door.
"You two close?" Tall Boy asked after the door closed.
Lane shrugged muting the TV. "It was a friendship that always could've been but never really was."
"How come?"
Setting her elbow on the arm rest she placed her chin in hand and looked up at where he now stood over her, finding she was getting used to having him around. "I guess I've never really been one for friends." She could count on one hand, that was missing a couple fingers, how many friends she had.
She turned back to the television and he stepped forward to sit beside her on the couch. But the dog he was only just now noticing was on his feet to the second watching him with black eyes not seeming to breathe he was so still. Tall Boy stepped back keeping his distance, a memory he'd tried to drink away resurfacing of those black eyes he'd seen years before. He glanced at the side of Lane's face wondering if she knew what hell she'd let in.
