All three of them...together? Ellie's initial reaction was to get angry, but after a few seconds she just started to laugh. It was kind of a nervous I-can't-believe-that-after-everything-that-has-happened-today-he-has-the-nerve-to-suggest-such-an-absurd-thing kind of laughter. "You are kidding, right? Is this your way of trying to get us to forgive you and go along with your...crazy little plan just so that can have another 'open' relationship with two people that you obviously don't care enough to remain exclusive to?" She knew she was probably being a little too harsh, but how dare he propose such a thing! It was completely insulting! "Well, you can forget that," she continued. "I can't believe I ever thought we had something! You will never change," she added quietly, her anger barely masking her hurt.

For a few moments, Marco's brain just seemed to stop and he could do nothing but stare mutely at Craig, not believing that he just suggested...what he suggested. He blinked, staring numbly at him even as Ellie spoke her mind. He didn't know whether to laugh because this wasn't even the first time that day that he had been presented with this same idea--though he doubted that Cam was actually serious--or be upset for the same reason. He was sliding rapidly toward upset. His self esteem took another blow. He tried to block out his father's words as they echoed in his head, but this was just another example that proved his father right. He was worthless. He wasn't enough for Dylan, and clearly he wasn't enough for Craig...his gaze started to lower.

Craig opened his mouth to protest, to try and explain to Ellie that it wasn't like that at all. It wasn't just a way to not be exclusive. They would be exclusive! To each other.

As his gaze lowered, Marco saw Craig's lips part and suddenly he was angry. Not so much for his own sake, but for Ellie's. Craig had no right to do this to them. Craig had no right to put Ellie and himself in this position in the first place, and then to further point out that neither of them alone was good enough for him? Marco's eyes narrowed and he rose to his feet, placing himself between Craig and Ellie, folding his arms across his chest and glaring at Craig coldly. He had no right to treat Ellie like that.

"I think you should go," he said quietly, an edge to his voice that was just daring Craig to say whatever it was he was about to say.

Craig's jaw snapped shut as he saw the fury on Marco's face.

He didn't want this to be the end of the discussion. He wanted them to understand that he didn't mean it to be like that. It wasn't so that he could 'legally cheat' or anything like that. It really wasn't! How could he make them realize that?

Oddly, he knew that it wasn't Marco that was going to be his best chance at resolving this problem. Marco might usually be the most accepting person he knew, but it was quite clear that this misunderstanding had struck a nerve that wouldn't easily be smoothed over.

He looked over at Ellie, hoping that maybe she would let him explain. If she okayed it, he was pretty certain that Marco would follow her lead. He licked his lips and opened his mouth again to speak, stepping back as Marco tensed, and the normally peaceful boy's eyes grew darker than Craig had ever seen them. Craig's mouth went dry and he could feel the color draining from his face at the complete shock at having managed to upset Marco this badly. He backed up another step.

"Wait," Ellie said to Marco, even though she wanted Craig to leave, too. He'd certainly done enough for one day, but she did care about him, and she didn't want him to think that she hated him or anything. She didn't know what to say to him, though. He'd hurt her, and Marco. And then totally insulted them with that...crazy idea of his.

She placed a hand on Marco's shoulder, a little taken-aback by his reaction, too. This wasn't normal, though she could see something that Craig couldn't. Behind the apparent fury she could see the hurt, betrayed look on her best friend's face. And she could sense that most of his anger was on her behalf. She almost smiled, but couldn't quite. But he was right; it was time for Craig to leave. She just didn't see any way that she could talk to him right then. And she could see that Marco's mask of anger was about to crack.

"Never mind. Just... go. I think it's best."

For a moment, Craig was sure that he was going to get an opening to plead his case and calm them down, but something about the way Ellie spoke, and the way that Marco was still glaring at him, he realized that once again, he'd managed to completely fuck up. Not just a little. He was such a moron! He wanted to explain it to them, so they could understand that the last thing he wanted was for them to be insulted, hurt, or angry. Which was exactly what they both were. But his head was reeling from the rejection and he didn't know what he could possibly say to change their minds. He needed time to think. He needed to get out of there. They were right.

He nodded, defeated, and turned around. He slowly left the room hoping that miraculously by the time he reached the door, he'd think of the exact perfect thing to say. But of course he didn't. So he paused only long enough to throw an apologetic look over his shoulder at them. Then he was out, hoping that it was before they could notice the way his hands were shaking. What had he done? How could he have possibly fucked everything up this badly?

He waited until he was out of their sight, then bolted, needing to get home, anywhere where nobody could see him while he freaked out. He felt the urge to...break things. Throw things. Scream in frustration. No wonder Ashley hated him. No wonder his two best friends in the world were probably going to hate him forever. He was such a...he was just like his dad. The internal rage was immediately squelched and he deflated; all thoughts of destruction gone. He'd done enough of that today.

Marco felt all the anger rush out of him as Craig left. He sank back down on Ellie's bed, exhausted and upset. He couldn't believe Craig...but he couldn't stay mad, either. He felt really bad that he'd run Craig off like that. Which was stupid, he told himself. Craig deserved a bit of anger, didn't he? So why did he feel so rotten about it? And why had he let this affect him so much? Was it just because his emotions were so raw from his encounter with his father? Or was it really Craig's thoughtless actions? He looked up at Ellie, feeling helpless. He hoped that she assumed that all the pain he could no longer hide was completely attributed to what had just happened. He still wasn't ready to discuss what happened at home.

Ellie smiled weakly as she sank down next to her best friend and laid her head against his shoulder, relaxing a little as his arm slid around her shoulders and he kissed her forehead softly.

By the time Craig reached home, he just felt numb. He'd blown everything, and he had to fix it. He just wished he knew how. Joey and Angela were watching some cute cartoony movie and he just wasn't in the mood, so he went to the garage and picked up his guitar, needing to work his frustration out somehow and this was the most constructive way. Construction, not destruction.

He loved them both. He really did. It wasn't just...selfishness that made him make that suggestion. As his fingers worked over the frets, he found himself gazing at the doorway, imagining Ellie there watching him. He imagined their all-too-brief moment together. His lips against hers. Her breath against his cheek. He closed his eyes, blocking out the image before it could depress him further--knowing what he'd lost. He turned away from the door, only to find himself staring at the couch. And the images of himself and Marco. He looked up at the ceiling, ignoring the tears that rolled silently down his cheek.

Ellie lay alone in her room long after Marco finally headed home for the night. She glanced at the phone, wanting to call...Craig. But she couldn't. It had become the natural thing to do while Marco and Ashley were away, but now she couldn't do it. She rolled away from the phone and stared blankly at the other wall. She didn't want to think. If she thought, she'd only get upset. And she was feeling something that she hadn't felt in while.

The temptation.

She rolled onto her back and stared instead at the ceiling, willing
herself to just go to sleep. Things would be better tomorrow. They had
to be.

She was exhausted, physically and emotionally, but the clock ticked on
and she was no closer to sleep than before. It was going to be a long
night.

Marco wrapped his arms across his chest, shivering though it wasn't really all that cold out. Maybe it was just that his body hadn't adjusted back to Canadian temperatures.

But he didn't think so.

It was more to do with the fact that he was out walking the streets. Alone. After dark.

And he had no place to go.

He couldn't go home. He'd been there briefly. Long enough to learn that his father had not yet cooled off. Long enough to take another emotional beating as he was again rejected and belittled by someone he thought loved him. (Worthless faggot)

He couldn't go to Craig's, even though the offer had been made. The reasons were obvious. Though he really wasn't that mad at Craig, if he went there now...he felt weak. And needy. And if Craig were seriously interested, he wasn't so sure that he'd be strong enough to say no. And he couldn't ever do that to Ellie.

He couldn't go to Ellie's, either. Not that he wasn't completely positive that she would welcome him and would completely understand and would comfort him like he needed to be comforted. But she had enough to deal with without him dumping this in her lap, too. She couldn't know how bad things suddenly were at home. Besides, he figured, this would all blow over soon. A day or two and his dad would come around.

But that didn't help him tonight.

He shivered again and flinched as he became aware of something moving in the bushes ahead. For a moment froze, irrationally terrified that this was going to be like the night he got bashed. But then a squirrel darted from the bush and up a tree. He relaxed only slightly, though, still freaked at being out here alone.

It was clear that he couldn't just stay out here.

Maybe he could go to Jimmy's? With that in mind, he started the long trek. As he neared the park, though, he grew tenser. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

He felt foolish even as he turned around, but the truth of the matter was he was still a little freaked out to walk past the park alone after dark. Which left out Jimmy's place. He was probably with Hazel, anyway. And if Hazel found out that he wasn't able to go home, everyone would know. Same if he went to Paige's or Manny's. Besides, if he went to one of them, and the other found out, there'd probably be hurt feelings or arguments that he just didn't need. He didn't even know where Alex lived.

Which left only one idea. One he wasn't sure was such a great idea, but it was clear that he was going to drive himself crazy if he stayed out alone. And this person wouldn't ask questions. Nor would he tell anyone. There'd be no one for him to tell.

His decision made, a few minutes later he found himself knocking on a door he really never expected to be at again. He folded his arms across his chest again, lowering his gaze as he waited for the door to open...or not. He wasn't sure that he'd be welcome here.

"Marco?" a sleepy voice asked, and he looked up, not having even heard the door open. He looked up at Spinner's surprised face and suddenly came to the realization that this was probably a really bad idea. He hadn't even talked to Spinner since...in a long time. And he felt like he was being a traitor to Jimmy. Still, when he saw Spinner's expression change from one of surprise to one of concern, he felt a little better about being there. Especially when--without him even saying a word--Spinner opened the door and motioned him to come in.

End

Has Craig ruined his chances with Ellie? Has Craig ruined his chances with Marco? Will he give up on his idea of a "Crelco"-ship? What will happen between Marco and his dad?

These questions (and many more) will be addressed in future episodes of SerenityChaos' Virtual Season Five.

(Credits for this ep: Serenity as Ellie and some Craig, Chaos as Marco, Joey, some Craig, and the minor characters appearing in scene 2.)

Thank you to everyone who reviewed, it really means a lot. Stay tuned for the next episode!