Fight
Desdemona takes a semester long leave of absence and moves back home. She spends the first couple of weeks wandering around the apartment like a ghost and Cordelia starts staying at home a lot more. Shawn hugs her a lot and Cory bakes a lot, but neither is totally sure what to do to help.
At the end of her rope, Cordelia suggests that she and Des go to a protest march that weekend and the color comes back into Desdemona's face for the first time since she came back to New York. When Shawn finds out where they're going, he comes with them.
They're all arrested on trumped up charges of Conspiracy to Incite a Riot, and after the charges are dropped Cory has to come and pick them up.
"I can't believe you Shawn," Cory hisses when they all get home.
"They did the right thing Cor-" Shawn starts.
"You got our daughters tear gassed and arrested," Cory yells, "You're all fucking lucky you weren't shot at or beat over the head with nightsticks."
"Them being more powerful doesn't make us wrong Cory!" Shawn yells back.
"But them having nightsticks makes you and our daughters dead of concussions in the streets Shawn!"
"I'm not afraid," Desdemona announces, arms crossed tightly over her chest in front of the bathroom door, "And I'm not going to stop."
"Go to your room!" Cory yells.
Desdemona looks Cory straight in the eye, uncrosses her arms and walks out the front door, slamming it behind her.
"Does anyone remember when she used to listen to me?" Cory demands of the unfair world at large.
Cordelia and Desdemona go to plenty more protests that year and Shawn and Cory pick them up from jail several times, Cory usually yelling something along the lines of "If you'd stop egging them on!" at Shawn on the way back.
Desdemona goes back to Georgetown in the spring, changes her major to social justice and starts several political organizations. The war goes on for two more years.
Next Installment: Birthday