Ok, so after about a year on hiatus, I have decided to continue with this story. If there is anyone still out there interested, please read and comment. I will be posting the rest of it soon. As always I own nothing but the story.

Higher Ground

Painted Black

Chapter 8: Parents Week

Though most of Horizons residents could have put it off, Parents Week had finally arrived. Tom watched as many of the parents stood up out of their cars, their kids, all lined up to greet them. He was one of the kids, dreading his reunion with his father.

"Can't wait huh?" Auggie crept up behind him, giving him a bit of a jump.

"What?"

"For your dad to come?"

"You think I'm like them", he asked referring to the kids down on the field waiting anxiously.

"Are you?"

"No".

"You're pretty shy huh?" Auggie said more passing comment than asking a question and waiting for a response.

"Not shy", Tom said, "Just know when to keep my mouth shut".

"I didn't mean anything man, I just...", Auggie hadn't meant to offend him, but it was pretty easy to do so with Tom, "Every so often I see you wanting to say something, you know, but you never do".

"State my opinion, you mean?" Tom was almost smiling. "That's the problem with people today, you know. Too opinionated. What makes them think people care?"

With that he left. Auggie was quite surprised. Even though it was cryptic Tom had actually let Auggie in on what he was thinking. He'd opened up ever so slightly letting him get to know him a tiny bit more. But Auggie didn't have any time to ponder. He's family had just arrived.

David's father had arrived early, much to David's surprise. They were one of the first family's in the mess hall. David didn't really know how it all worked. Were they just supposed to sit there and talk about what's been going on? They'd never done that even when he was at home. And it was almost like his father was actually trying.

"So, Mr Scarbrow tells me you're doing pretty well here?"

"Its Peter, Dad", David told him.

"He says your attitude has changed a lot", his father said.

Was that a question? What did he want him to say?

"Yeah, never better", David quipped.

"He tells me you've made some good friends here".

"Huh, well now he's lying", David said.

"Hey, David", Anna said from out of nowhere, "I guess your David's father, Hi, I'm Anna".

"Anna, its lovely to meet you", The General took her hand to shake.

"Uh, David, Peter just wanted me to tell you that there's a meeting with everyone scheduled at 2".

David nodded not making eye contact. For some reason it felt uncomfortable being around his father and Anna at the same time.

"She seemed like a nice girl", David father commented after she left.

"Well she's not", David lied, "She drinks like a fish, everyone knows she stacks gallons of vodka in her secret hiding spot, of course Peter knows nothing".

"Is that true?"

"Yep", David didn't know why he's said that. Maybe he figured his father would just move on and he wouldn't talk about her anymore if he thought she was an alcoholic.

"David, I want to level with you", The General begun out of nowhere. "I've realized my past mistakes and I came up here hoping to make a fresh start with you. You know, put all that stuff behind us".

"Little late isn't it dad", David couldn't take him seriously.

"Why should it be", his father said, "I just want you to give me a chance. I got you something".

"You're buying me off?"

"I just thought you'd like it, that's all".

It was a box that had been gift wrapped. This was surreal to David. He didn't know what to think about any of it. He unwrapped the box and opened it up. Inside was a pair of skates.

"I hope you like them, I noticed you looking at them ages ago when you were back home", his father beamed.

David just stared.

"I can take them back if you want, I just thought..."

"No, there...great", David said cautiously. "Thanks Dad".

"Still waiting huh?" Jules came up from behind Auggie. "Who knows, maybe they've realised what a complete jerk you are and decided not to bother".

Auggie just ignored her. Ever since they'd broken up, she was constantly saying smart ass things to him, trying to get him to crack. He wasn't going to take the bait. It was just too easy. She smiled sweetly to him as she walked past, her mother noticing the bitterness between them.

Juliet was angry. She wished she could be one of those girls who never let on that they were upset. Those girls that get dumped and continue with everyday life, ignoring their dumper if they ever came into contact. But she couldn't be. Every time she saw Auggie something came over her and she just wanted to hurt him, not letting him forget what he'd done. If a smart remark came into her head she'd say it to him and watch him flinch. The downside was that she was giving him the satisfaction of knowing how much she cared. Even as her mother babbled on about random things that had happened in her own life, Juliet was in another world, or at least in another location. With Auggie, by the docks, chatting about everyday things that couples talk about. All of a sudden she came back to earth as she realised her mother was trying to get her attention.

"What did you say?" Juliet asked automatically.

"I was just saying how sorry I am that you and that boy broke up", her mother replied. Did she hear her right? Or was she still in dreamland. Even if she had she knew her mother couldn't care less about Auggie.

"I don't really wanna talk about it mom", Juliet stated.

"Well I guess we should be getting inside for this meeting Mr Scarbrow has set up".

Kat had been surprised at how taken her parents were with Hank. It was like they'd known each other for years. Chatting away, they talked about everything from how the two met, to Hank's job as a policeman, even her parent's back stories. They were in the mess hall waiting for Peter to come in for the meeting. Kat looked around while Hank laughed at something her dad had said. Kids were arriving with their parents, coming from every direction. She wasn't used to seeing the mess hall so full. She noticed Shelby sitting with her mother, awkwardly, not speaking at all, waiting for it all to end. She sighed. She wished she could do or say something to make Shelby feel better but she knew the only person who could even begin to do that was Scott. Even Daisy had tried and failed. Shelby had retreated into herself these days. She was a ghost, pale and in the shadows, barely uttering a word to anyone. Kat couldn't begin to understand how she felt. But she knew that Scott not wanting to see her was agony for her.

Daisy sat on the couch with her dad. Since his last visit he'd been back three times and they were getting along better than ever. It was still awkward between them and every so often he would say something that would anger her, but she always knew her dad was never Mr. Sensitivity and she was learning to let things go.

"Hey Dais, Mr Libanowski", Ezra said as he sat down beside her on the couch, his parents standing behind him. "You know my parents?"

"Yeah, we've met", Mr Libanowski shook each of his parent's hands.

"Quite a day huh" Ezra said.

"I have no words" Daisy replied glibly. She watched on as Ezra chatted so easily with his folks and wondered if that would ever be her and her father. She doubted it.

She noticed Tom with his father, looking as uncomfortable as she did. Nobody had been able to crack Tom yet. He was a strange kid. Even Shelby had come out of her shell in a shorter time that what it was taking him to. Nobody understood it. Daisy was usually good at evaluating people but Tom puzzled her. One thing she knew, unlike the others, was that it wasn't that he was a shy person. Maybe he was but that wasn't keeping him from joining the rest of the group. It was more like he just couldn't be bothered. Maybe life had been too much for him so far and he'd just given up trying to be part of it. If that was the case and as horrible as the thought was, she couldn't help not understanding why he hadn't just tried to end it all. Maybe he couldn't even be bothered doing that.

Hank wanted to get Kat's parents alone. He never wanted to go behind her back but curiosity got the better of him. He supposed it was the cop in him. He just had to know why she pulled out of college with so much potential. He wished she would trust him enough to tell him. She should have known by now that wouldn't judge her. He only ever wanted to help her.

As Peter came in the mess hall fell silent as all the parents waited in anticipation for his speech.

"Parents, Guardians and students, Welcome to Horizon" he begun before going into a long speech about what Horizon aims to do and how it plans to do it. The students eyes glazed over as they had the heard it all before, however this is what parents week was all about and the parents wanted to know. After a long round of applause Peter then announced where everyone would be sleeping and gave them a tour of where they would all live for the next week.

It was late in the afternoon when Kat had left with the other Cliffhangers that Hank finally got his chance to press for answers. This would be his one and only chance as he was on duty for the rest of parent's week and wouldn't be able to see her or her parents until the bonfire on the last night. He didn't know exactly how to bring it up and he knew Kats parents weren't just going to give him the information he needed, no questions asked. So he decided to play it sneaky, immediately feeling ashamed of himself for doing so. Not only was he going behind his girlfriends back but he was conning her parents too.

"So, it's such a shame about college huh?" he started off shakily. "When she told me she was so upset"

"Oh, we know, we couldn't believe that she'd fallen again" Kat's mother said. Maybe this would be easier than Hank thought. It seemed Kats mother was looking for someone to talk to about it.

"She just seemed to be doing so well", Mrs Cabot continued.

"So there were no signs at all?" Hank pushed.

"Well, did you see any signs", she asked.

"No", he answered, "Kat and I lost touch for a while, when she was in college"

"Oh, we didn't know"

"We really are thankful for you Hank, you've really helped her through", Mr Cabot finally spoke. "I know her self esteem plummeted when she was told not to come back to college"

She was told not to come back? But she was a brilliant student. What had happened at that school that had made her get expelled.

"Yes, well, I'm trying to help her through it", Hank said, "She seems to be doing well".

"Oh, we've noticed", Mrs Cabot said, "It was hard to hear that she'd been caught with a bag of cocaine, I mean you never think that of your daughter"

He'd gotten his answer. That didn't sound like Kat at all. What had possessed her to take up cocaine? And why couldn't she tell him about it? Now he had what he was after he wondered if he should confront her or not. What good would it do anyway?

Auggie had just had the best meal he'd eaten all year. Home cooked Mexicana food made by his mother. Now he sat at the docks by himself. The Cliffhangers had been given some parent free time to talk and discuss the day with their friends. But Auggie just felt like being alone. However, that wasn't going to happen now. As Juliet's mother walked towards him he wondered what more could she want from him?

"Hello Augusto", she said in her usual formal tone.

Any graciousness she thought she might receive from him was gone the second he stood up and begun to walk away without a word, just a general look of disgust.

"Civility out the window then", she yelled back to him. "You know it may not feel like it now, but you are doing the right thing. Oh honestly Augusto, I just wanted to thank you for what you did..."

"You just wanted to thank me?" he spun back around incredulously. Both Juliet's mother and Auggie knew very well that none of this was for Juliet's sake and all for her selfish mothers, and yet she was still trying to spin it like she was looking out for her daughter.

"You really should have saved your breath", he said as he walked away. Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of Juliet, watching the whole incident. Great...how was he going to explain that one?

Scott was exhausted from his chemotherapy sessions. It was a struggle for him to even get out of the hospital bed in the mornings. Most of the time he didn't even bother until the staff made him. He longed for the company of his old friends. Oddly enough, he even longed for his bed at Horizon. Group, another thing he missed. He missed Shelby dearly and wished he could get over his pride and just let her come and see him. He knew it would be doing her damage to, what with all the not-knowing. Despite this round of thought, he was too tired to think most days. It was like his brain had turned into jelly, along with his limbs. Matty was surprisingly a good comfort. Scott was even getting used to Matty's initial weirdness. He guessed in that respect it wasn't unlike Horizon, in the way that these people were your only friends and if you didn't get used to them and if you didn't have them around for support, you'd go insane. Insane...he longed to go insane. At least then he could block out everything bad that was going on and live in his own fantasy world. At this point of thinking, Matty was wheeled in by the staff and placed into his bed.

"You're looking like shit lately, you know", Scott told him.

Matty just smiled, unable to talk. Sometimes it was just too hard for him to get a word out. Too much breath escaped when he opened his mouth. Scott had noticed that lately about Matty. It was like he was deteriorating before Scott's own eyes. But Scott knew that soon enough that would be him too. And soon enough, Matty would be good as new. Wouldn't he?

Juliet was curious to know what Auggie and her mother could have possibly been arguing about. Was it arguing? It certainly looked like it to her. As she approached him ready to question him she realised she could probably just go to her mother and ask her. But where was the fun in that? Just another excuse for her to talk to Auggie.

"Hey", she said in a tone that said straight up, 'don't mess with me'. "What was that about today with my mother?"

Auggie was sitting on the couch reading and was in no mood to chat, but he knew that this was coming.

"It was nothing", he said sombrely.

"Don't give me that, I saw you arguing with her", Juliet wasn't going to give up.

"Ugh it was nothing ok", Auggie said tiredly, "She was just giving me her opinion on our break up".

Juliet went quiet for a moment. "And what was it?"

"She thinks I did the best thing possible", he told her, not entirely lying. "Funny huh?"

"Yeah, well I guess he does get things right occasionally huh?"

"I guess she does", Auggie said bitterly before Juliet walked away.

Shelby had been sitting silently with her mother for at least half an hour now. They just had nothing to talk about. Every so often her mother would tell Shelby what Jess was up to, something she was very interested in. She was constantly worried about her sister. She knew that Jess was going through some of the exact same things that Shelby went through. Jess handled it better though. She had a level headedness that Shelby never had.

Shelby's mother also asked about Scott, something Shelby was dreading. What would she say? Nothing. Because she knew nothing. Only what Peter would tell her. Scott was doing fine; he'll be good as new. Right. Obviously Peter didn't want Shelby to worry.

"Shelby", Peter's voice summoned behind her. Usually she'd be happy to get away from her mother, but every time she heard Peter calling her, she would get an ache in her stomach. She was constantly waiting for the bad news. Scott wasn't going to make it. They'd done all they could and he was going to die.

"Has something happened", she jumped up immediately. Peter's tone was calm and if she were thinking straight she would know that he most likely was about to tell her that it was lights out soon. But she never thought straight at the sound of his voice. It was like alarm bells.

"No, everything's fine, but I was wondering if I could speak to you in my office, if that's ok with your mother?"

"Oh yes, of course, go ahead", Shelby's mother was probably just as anxious to get away from the silence as she was.

It was close to lights out and David couldn't believe he'd spent almost the entire day with his father and yet, they were still speaking with each other, with not an ounce of animosity. But that could always change. Sure enough, it did.

"Son, I've been thinking, as I said before I want to make a fresh start with you", his father begun.

"Ok", David said cautiously.

"Son, I want you to come back with me", he said. "Tomorrow, I know the transition won't be easy, but I think we're both ready. You're doing well here, all things considered; I think you would do well back at home".

David didn't know what to say. How could he get around this one without causing some big argument with the General. He was silent for a few minutes before speaking.

"Dad, you're right", he started, "Ï am doing really well here, but I'm not ready to go back".

"You're procrastinating here, David", his father said, "Can't you see that. This place isn't helping you; it's only making you sweep everything in your home life under the rug".

"Dad, you seriously think that?"

"Yes", he said matter of factly, "I do".

"Well, then obviously you haven't listened to me at all. Obviously you weren't listening to Peter in group today or me", he started off cautiously but couldn't help himself by the end of his small speech. He was angry with his father for just assuming that he could come to Horizon, see him for half a day and decide that David was fit enough to come home. But as angry as David was, the General had returned. David's father slammed down his hand on the table, angrily, making David jump back.

"I have been listening all day", he yelled enraged, "I've listened to people rant about how great it is here, and as I can see, it's a summer camp! This is a holiday away for you, well enough is enough. You are coming home with me whether you like it or not!"

"No I'm not", David said softly.

"Yes you are", his father came back bitingly.

"No, I'm not!" David rose from his seat. "You're right, I do like it here. Because there's no one to plan my life for me, there's no one to tell me what I'm gonna do, when I'm gonna do it..."

"You need direction", his father interrupted furiously, "You're going nowhere fast, son, and I won't see that happen".

"If I go back with you that will happen", David objected.

"When did you start to think you could disobey me? I am your father and you will do what I say", he told him.

David was trying so hard to contain his anger.

"You are coming home with me", his father repeated.

"No", David said simply but effectively, under his breath.

With that, his father walked off. David didn't know if he would see him again. He didn't know if he really wanted to. But he knew that nothing would make him leave the one place that made him feel better about himself.

Shelby walked into Peter's office. She mused at the neatness of it. She'd never realised how tidy Peter was, everything was in exact order, not one thing out of place. Even his ruler matched up to his notepad.

"So, should I start off?" she asked. She knew what he wanted from her. She had to tell him every day. "I'm fine Peter, everything's fine, the moment it's not, I will tell you".

"I want you to visit Scott", Peter told her without warning.

"What?"She had to confirm what he'd just said. She then noticed that her question had barely come out of her mouth, she knew she'd said something, but she never heard it.

"I think it's about time", Peter just stated.

"Has he asked for me?" she said, again she heard nothing.

"No", he said carefully, "Shelby I'm, I'm worried about the both of you..."

"I can't", she blurted out.

"Why not?"

"He doesn't want me there", she said simply.

"Sure that's it? Or are you afraid", Peter asked placing emphasis on the word 'you'.

"Why would I be afraid?"Shelby asked suddenly annoyed by Peter's intelligence.

"He's not...Scott right now. He doesn't even really look like that boy we know", Peter said as Shelby took that in. "I'm not telling you anything new here Shelby, you know this. The fact is he needs help. And I can't think of one person better than you to give him the support he needs".

Shelby now had tears in her eyes. "What if...what if I can't even recognise him, what if he's different?"

She wasn't speaking about how he would look, but what his personality would be like.

"He is...different", Peter told her, "but I know you can get him back".

Ok, More next time. Thanks for reading if anyone still is. Please comment. More coming soon, I promise.