Life After High School - Ten Years Later

By Risty and Silver

Disclaimer: Uh...err...heh...Oh damn, we don't own them.

Summary: ::yawn:: read and find out.

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(Kane's POV)

We just stayed in Rivendell for one night because Lucas was eager to get home. Elrond was very quiet and I knew that he was upset about mum. Billee, Legolas, Wendy and Colan were all at the hospital, although I heard Elrond telling Lucas that they had left that morning to come back to Rivendell. Apparently mum was stable, but she wouldn't talk to anyone, not even to dad. She had completely shut off, they said. Then Elrond said something about how she had done that many times when she was still at high school. I didn't doubt it since from what I had heard about her life, it has been pretty screwed up. Still, at least she wasn't going to die. That was good news.

Ria was pretty quiet too, but that was hardly surprising. She had had someone trying to kill her, had had to leave her family and go to stay with strangers. And in theory, although she had heard her mum talking about them and she had met my dad once or twice, everyone in our house with the exception of Vince and me would be a complete stranger. I think anyone would be scared in that situation. I know I would. 

After dinner, Ria went up to her room. I left Vincent chatting to Lucas and went up after her, just to make sure that she was all right. I was still a bit embarrassed about the kiss and all that, but since she hadn't said anything about it, I just though what the hall? There was no point in worrying about something that had probably been a complete mistake.

She was sitting on her bed looking at a picture of her family. I sat beside her and took her hand. She held it tightly, but didn't say a word.

"Listen" I told her. "I can understand how scary this must be, but my family are not that bad. They will look after you, honestly. And you've have me, I'll look after you too."

"Thanks Kane" she gave me a sad smile and looked at the photograph again. "I guess I'm just a bit nervous, that's all. My mum…well she doesn't say much but she seems very afraid of your dad."

"Well I can sit here and tell you over and over again that he isn't at all scary most of the time" I said with a shrug. "Whether you believe me or not is a different matter. You will just have to see for yourself."

"Who else lives with you?" she asked settling back against the wall. "You have a baby sister don't you?"

"Yeah, baby Crystal" I told her. "She is really cute but she cries a lot and she likes messing everything up. Then there's Lucas, he's my dad's boss and Benny, that's my mum and dad's best friend. He was with us when we came to Hobbiton the first day we met."

"I remember him" Ria nodded. "I think he used to be quite good friends with my mum…"

"He was best friends with her brother Mark for quite a while" I told her. "And so was Lucas. But when everything blew up at that dreadful wedding, they both took Damon's side and neither of them want anything to do with your mum now. I think it was because Damon was a member of their group as well as being their friend. Gang members always stick together when things get rough, regardless of all other commitments. And then there's Galia, Benny's fourteen-year-old daughter. She can be a bit of a pain sometimes, but she's basically all right. I think you will be sharing a room with her."

"Sounds like there's quite a lot going on" Ria said with a laugh. "A bit more exciting than around our place."

"Yeah, it is that all right" I agreed. "Definitely."

As soon as we reached the tavern in Silverwood the following afternoon, Vincent and I left Lucas to put the horses in the stable, which is joined on to the back of the tavern, and each grabbed one of Ria's hands.

"Come on" Vince said excitedly. "We have to show you around."

We had to go in through the back door because the bar was closed, obviously due to lack of staff. But we showed Ria it anyway and I could tell that she was impressed. The staircase, which led down to the hideout, my dad's work area, was open and Vince pointed it out to her. I told her not to tell anyone about it and warned her that we were not allowed to go down there unless we had dad or Benny with us and that did not happen often. There were some dangerous things down there we had been told, and it was not safe for us to wander down there alone. Then we went upstairs. Only Galia and Crystal were home, so we introduced Ria to them. Crystal loved Ria, she really did. And Galia seemed to like her as well, but then Galia is pretty easy going most of the time. Then we showed her around our living area. First we showed her the bathroom, then the bedroom that Lucas and Benny shared, then my mum and dad's bedroom with Crystal's cot, our room, the kitchen, the living room and finally Galia's room where Lucas had all ready put up a camp bed for Ria to sleep in.

"Now all we need is for mum, dad and Benny to be back" Vince said. "And we'll all be here."

"Benny is coming back tonight," Lucas said, overhearing our conversation. "Just for a little while. "But I have no idea when your dad will be back, Kane. Probably not until they let your mum out of hospital. Maybe a few days. I just hope that Benny tells him about Ria being here before he gets home and finds out for himself."

"Don't Lucas, you'll scare her," I said, remembering the conversation I had had with Ria the night before. "Dad will be all right. He might be a bit shocked at first, but Benny will talk him round. Now" I said quickly changing the subject. "Can Vince and I show Ria around Silverwood? I promise that we will be careful."

"Aye, no harm can come to you here" Lucas agreed. "It is but a small village now and everyone here knows each other. Just stay in sight of people and if you see anything suspicious, come back at once."

"Will do." I called. "Come on you two," I said to my friend and my brother. "I'll race you outside."