I'm sorry it's taken so long to update but you know...global pandemic! I've made it an extra long chapter for you all. Hope you're still keeping safe and well wherever you are in the world.

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans or any characters from the DCU. Remember this story features strong language, adult themes and is not suitable for children.

Chapter ten

The looming building of the youth centre had never seemed more threatening. Rachel took a few centring breaths, before following her friend inside. The drab walls greeted her, just the same as they had always been. Jenny saw her defeated expression and gave a little smirk.

"What? Did you think they were going to redecorate in honour of your return or something?"

"I mean, a lick of paint wouldn't go amiss," replied Rachel, giving a grim smile. "I guess being away from the place you forget just how dingy it really is."

"Still not a Monday person, huh?"

Rachel let out a tiny chuckle. "Not even a little bit."

After they'd signed in and deposited their effects in the lockers, the two friends trudged their way down the corridors towards their respective groups.

"Right, I'll see you later, Rachey," said Jenny, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Don't let the brat brigade overwhelm you. I know you're out of practice and all but—"

"Jennifer Maledict, don't you have something more important to be doing than jostling Rachel?" came a deep voice from behind them both. Jenny and Rachel both jumped as Miss Wilson appeared from down the corridor. Jenny's eyes betrayed panic, but she recovered quickly.

"Sorry, Miss Wilson. I was just checking in with Rach as I haven't seen her all week. She's only just become non-contagious!"

"I'm well aware of Miss Roth's ailments, thank you," growled Rose, her eyes narrowed beneath her glasses. Rachel swallowed in fear. Rose gestured towards Jenny's room. "Now kindly go and do the job I pay you to do. Rachel and I need to have a brief word."

"Yes, Miss Wilson," replied Jenny, her voice bland and low. She gave Rachel a look then turned on her heel and clomped away. As the door swung shut, Rachel turned to face the officious woman head on.

"Are you feeling better, Rachel?" asked Rose, her tone laced with sarcasm. Rachel nodded, dumbly. She wasn't sure what was about to be levelled at her, but she didn't want to give Wilson any more ammunition than necessary. Rose gripped her clipboard to her chest and glared at her. "Oh wonderful. Perhaps now you can actually do some work for a change."

Rachel nodded, and Rose tilted her head. That strange, amused smile was on her face again. It was unnerving. "Did you lose your voice?"

"No, Miss Wilson," replied Rachel, softly. "I just don't have anything meaningful to say. I'm here and I'm ready to work."

Rose Wilson nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer. Her amused smile suddenly looked slightly sadistic. "Good. I'm glad to hear it. Just to clarify, last week will be classed as unpaid leave. If you so much as take another day away without an official note from your doctor, I will be forced to let you go. Are we clear?"

"Completely," mumbled Rachel, her voice monotone.

Rose nodded again, turning on her heel and beginning to walk off. She turned slightly and shot a parting comment over her shoulder. "Hurry up, Rachel. Wouldn't want you to be late for your favourite group, now would we?"

Rachel snarled under her breath, feeling her anger hanging on by a thread. She swallowed it down. "No, ma'am. I'm on my way."

As Rose clicked away down the corridor, the brunette unclenched her fists. There were indentations in her hand where her nails had dug into her palm. As she paced towards the room, she began to reconsider her options. Perhaps moving across the country wouldn't be so bad after all. Wilson's rudeness was giving her cause to want to throw the towel in there and then.

But as the door opened, she saw some familiar smiling faces. Timmy and Teether raced towards her at lightning speed. "Miss Wachel!"

She opened her arms as the two boys latched on to either leg. The rest of the brat brigade circled around her and she smiled at them all. "Good to see you, munchkins. Shall we do some craft again today? I think it's time to get messy."

Rachel wiped her hands on a cloth and looked at all of the pictures on the table. Every single child had handed their pictures to her today. She felt her heart swell a little despite her strange mood, and she couldn't thwart the smile that was on her face.

"Miss Wachel?"

The brunette turned, her long hair waving behind her as she did so. Timmy was looking at her expectantly, his blanket clutched in his fists. She nodded, still smiling. "Yes, Timmy?"

"Are we the last ones again, today?"

"Looks like it," replied Rachel, sitting down on the chair. "Is Melvin coming to get you?"

Timmy nodded, as Teether tottered over and leapt onto her lap. He was half chewing and half sucking his pacifier, and dribble was coming down his chin. Rachel grabbed a wet wipe, absently catching the drool before it hit her legs. "Maybe she's running a little bit late."

"'Spose," said Timmy, looking a little worried. Rachel reached for the cookie tin.

She ruffled his hair and offered him another biscuit which he took gratefully. "Don't worry, Timmy. I'm sure she'll be here soon."

As the young boy munched away on his treat, Rachel looked back at the amateur gallery of pictures. There were lots of scribbles and scrawls she couldn't understand yet they felt priceless somehow. At least Wilson had got one thing right. They were her favourite group. Brat brigade or otherwise.

The doors banged as Melvin charged in; she was panting slightly as she raced across the room. She launched herself at Rachel, wrapping her arms around her shoulders. "Oh, Miss Rachel! I thought maybe you had left."

"No, I'm still here, Melvin," replied Rachel, patting the girl gently on her blonde head. "I'm sorry I had to take a bit of time off last week, but I'm back now."

"I know, you were off sick, right?" said Melvin, her blue eyes locking onto Rachel's matching ones. The girl grinned widely, as though she had told a secret and gripped her teddy in her arms. Rachel nodded her head, raising an eyebrow in the process.

"Yes, I was. Who told you that, Melvin? I know Bobby didn't do it this time."

"No, Bobby didn't tell me, silly! He did," gestured Melvin, pointing to the doors. Rachel looked around the girl's small frame and saw a familiar face looking back at her.

Gar was standing near the doors, leaning against the wall.

Rachel's face paled as she spotted him, and she swallowed before remembering where she was. She looked back at Melvin slowly, trying to keep her tone even. "Is that so?"

"Yup! He says he's your best friend. Is that true?" asked Melvin, curiously. Rachel paused then nodded.

"Yes, it's true."

Timmy ran across the hall to where Gar was standing. He grabbed hold of his hand, suddenly dragging him towards the group. "Hi fwend! Come see my picture I did for Miss Wachel!"

"Uh, sure," managed Gar breathlessly, as he was pulled across the room. He stopped a few feet away from Rachel, their eyes meeting for a moment. He smiled at her like he used to, and she felt her heart flutter. "Hi, Rae."

"Hi, Gar," she replied, though her throat was dry and hoarse. His eyes left hers as he scanned across the pictures. Timmy was pointing at one specific drawing eagerly.

"S'mine, here!"

"Wow, that's really good!" said Gar, leaning across the table to look at the drawing. As he moved past her, Rachel could smell his familiar scent and feel the warmth from his body. It made her feel lightheaded. He picked up Timmy's drawing and looked at it hard before smiling widely in appreciation. "You're super talented."

Timmy blushed so hard he was almost the same colour as his hair. "S'bwue cos it's Wachel's favourite colour."

Gar looked back across to her, that strange smile still on his face. "I know."

Rachel's heart started to beat so hard, she was concerned that Melvin would notice. But the blonde girl was gazing adoringly up at Gar. Perhaps she hadn't had the best male figures in her life. Either way, seeing a kindness from a man like Gar seemed very special through the young girl's eyes.

Teether was holding his arms up, fists clenching over and over. Gar tilted his head. "You want to come up here, buddy?"

Teether nodded, as Gar gently put the picture down. He leant over towards Rachel again. He was so close; she could feel his breath on her cheek as he whisked the small boy up into his arms. Teether squealed with delight, as Gar span him around rapidly. Timmy gripped hold of Gar's leg. "Me next, me next!"

Gar swept him up in his other arm and span the pair of them round until they looked dizzy and a funny shade of green. Rachel frowned, her usual spirit returning to her. "Careful, Gar. Timmy's just eaten - he'll be sick all over you."

The young man slowed down before gently popping them down on the floor. "Sorry boys, the boss has spoken."

Melvin grinned at him, then looked back at Rachel. She was an astute little girl, and Rachel knew that she had pegged something was going on. Rachel looked at her, hard. "I think that's quite enough for today. Melvin, are you ready to take the boys home?"

"Yup!" exclaimed Melvin, reaching out and grabbing both of their hands. They were still tottering slightly and giggling with excitement. "We've gotta go home now otherwise Dad will get mad. Thanks for everything, Miss Rachel."

"You're welcome, Melvin," replied Rachel, smoothing the girl's ruffled hair. Melvin turned towards Gar, a big smile on her petite face.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Gar!"

"It's just Gar," corrected Garfield, his green eyes flashing. He reached down and squeezed her shoulder. "And it's nice to meet you too, Melvin. You take care, okay?"

Melvin nodded, before hauling her siblings out of the room. Rachel and Gar watched them leave, their chattering dispersing down the corridor until there was silence. The fire door clanged as it finally shut, and Rachel licked her lips anxiously before turning back towards him. She was still sitting down and was aware of their height difference. Knocking the chair back with her leg, she stood up to face him head on.

"What are you doing here, Gar?"

Garfield's eyes locked onto hers again, and for a moment Rachel felt weak. Wishing she had stayed sitting, she folded her arms and tried to appear defiant. But his low voice hit her square in the chest.

"I was worried about you, Rach," he began, taking a small step towards her. Rachel shifted her eyes to the floor, feeling slightly petulant and angry. Worried about her? She could take care of herself.

"You don't need to worry about me, I'm fine. I'm just at work."

"You are at work," confirmed Gar, looking around the large room. His emerald eyes fell back on to hers. There was a seriousness behind them. "But you're not fine. And neither am I."

Rachel shrugged and turned towards the pictures. She started to clear up, feeling that she might cry if she started to speak. As she put craft materials back into their respective boxes, she tried to ground herself. But it was useless; Gar was determined when he wanted to be, and she knew he wouldn't leave easily.

"I miss you, Rach," came his soft voice, from beside her. Rachel stopped mid action, her hand freezing as she processed what he had said. She squeezed her eyes shut.

"Gar, please don't do this."

"We need to talk this through," countered Gar, placing a warm hand on her shoulder. His touch sent electricity through her body. "You know that we do."

"What do you want to talk about?" asked Rachel, suddenly feeling a fury rising within her. She turned to face him. "How about the fact that you told me to leave? Maybe the fact that you accused me of sleeping with Garth? Or the fact that you've been hiding something from me?"

"Rae—"

"No, you wanted to talk about it," shot back the brunette, folding her arms across herself and staring at him heatedly. "So, fine. Talk."

Gar took a deep breath. He looked her in the eyes and straightened to his full height. It seemed he was trying to put on a brave façade just as much as she was. He swallowed before speaking again. "Okay. Let's start with this. I'm in love with you."

Stunned didn't even begin to cover it. The young woman could feel her knees buckling and she gripped onto the table desperately. His words rang around her head. Disbelief kicked her hard. She needed to be sure. Perhaps she had misheard him.

"You're what?"

"I'm in love with you," repeated Gar, his eyes shining with honesty. There was a vulnerability about him as he spoke, but he seemed determined to stay with it. "And it was wrong of me not to tell you sooner."

"Sooner?" whispered Rachel, turning to rest her weight on the table. She felt faint, dizzy. Like the ground had been swept away from beneath her and she was floating on air. She blinked at him. "What do you mean sooner?"

"You think it happened overnight?" asked Gar, shaking his head. He turned to rest his weight next to her on the table. They sat side by side for a moment before he spoke again. "I've been in love with you for a long time, Rae. But I know...I knew that you didn't want a relationship."

"I..." began Rachel, trailing off to nothing. She had been so snow-blind that she hadn't seen it coming. It had knocked her sideways, and her brain was still trying to process it. Gar sighed, drumming his fingers on the table.

"I didn't not tell you because I wanted to hide it from you. It was because I didn't want you to think that I was being friends with you for any underlying reason. I freaking love spending time with you, Rae. You're the most kind, funny and intelligent person I know. I've never lied to you about the fact you're my best friend, but I never told you how I fully felt. I guess on some level I was scared how you might react."

"Scared?" repeated Rachel, like a parrot. She felt incapable of processing any coherent thoughts at the moment. It was as though her carefully constructed world was collapsing around her. Gar nodded.

"Yeah. I was scared you wouldn't feel the same way and that it would change things between us. I didn't want to risk losing you," he explained, quietly. "Then when we had that moment last month...everything changed. But I was still too much of a coward to just ask you."

Rachel was quiet, waiting for him to finish speaking and trying to hold herself together. She wrapped her arms around herself tightly, feeling as though the contact might help.

"That night at the cabin, it just all came together. I never believed that you would actually confirm what I was thinking, and when you did...I couldn't let it go, Rach. I needed to know."

"What did you find out?" asked Rachel, closing her eyes tightly. She could feel him looking at her, his proximity making her feel heady and strange.

"That there must have been some part of you that felt the same. That there might be some crazy chance that we could make it work."

His thoughts had mirrored her own. All this time. The young woman couldn't believe it; she felt happiness and fear washing over her in a second, like a bucket of cold water being poured down her spine. She opened her eyes and turned to look at him. "But Tara..."

"I'd already told her I wasn't interested," said Gar, his eyes full of honesty. "She kept ringing and messaging me, but I never replied. She wouldn't take no for an answer. It was driving me so insane I was on the verge of changing my number."

So, Richard had been telling the truth. She must have been the girl that he was talking about. Rachel swallowed, despite her overwhelming relief at this realisation. Because there was still one mystery yet to be solved.

"That make sense. But then, the phone calls. Who was calling you all weekend?"

"Steve," replied Garfield, his eyes faltering slightly. He closed them and shook his head. "Sorry, I mean my adopted father. Steve Dayton."

"Oh," replied Rachel, her eyes faltering. She knew Steve and Rita Dayton from back in their school days although they paid her little mind. An unusual couple, and Gar didn't talk about them much. Any contact she had been aware of over recent years had always been through Rita. "So...why was Steve phoning?"

"Family stuff. I didn't want to talk about it because we were away, and it's quite personal," explained Gar, shrugging. "I was always planning to tell you about it later, but it had literally nothing to do with what was going on between us. That's what I was trying to tell you when you left."

Rachel felt sick at his words, but for a different reason than before. She recognised that perhaps she had made a mistake. So, where did this leave her? All her carefully created plans fell away in an instant. She looked up at him.

"I'm sorry. I got it completely wrong, didn't I?"

"Yep," nodded Gar, a little bit of amusement lining his eyes. "But I guess so did I. I should have been honest with you."

There was a pause as they looked at each other. The atmosphere was becoming thick again. Rachel felt drawn to him, more so than she ever had done before. He reached out and touched her face gently. "Will you come home tonight?"

Rachel nodded softly, nuzzling into his hand. "Okay."

He rubbed his thumb over her cheek, eyes filled with curiosity. "Rach, are you okay with this? With what I told you?"

Rachel paused, contemplating her thoughts. The idea that he was in love with her had never crossed her mind. She was surprised by it, but it made her feel happy in equal measure. "I'm okay, I think. Let's just take it one step at a time. At least, I don't want to run right now, which is a first."

Gar laughed, his happiness glowing around him so tangibly she could feel it. There was a sense of relief, as though he had let out something he'd been carrying around for a long time. As his laughter died down, he looked at the clock then back at her. "Come to lunch with me?"

Jenny was more than happy to cover for Rachel's disappearance. Despite Rose Wilson's rude interventions that morning, Rachel decided that taking a quick break with Gar was worth the risk. Technically she wasn't doing anything wrong, they were entitled to an hour's break as part of their contract. It was simply that Miss Wilson didn't like staff leaving the site, so it was normally easier just to stay in the break room during lunch. But today had been anything but normal.

There was a small coffee shop across the road that looked quiet, and as they entered Rachel felt butterflies in her stomach. She recognised she was nervous but tried to put on a brave face and looked around the room coolly. There were two comfortable looking chairs in the corner, and she jumped to them right away whilst Gar ordered.

As the young man sat down, they both looked tentatively at each other before Garfield finally broke the silence. He seemed awkward and unsure given how candid he had been at the youth centre. "Nice place."

"Yeah, I've never been before," replied Rachel, equally as self-consciously. She played with her long hair and glanced out the window. "Wilson's wrath beats my interest in doing anything with my lunchbreak most days."

Gar snorted with laughter. "Still considering that murderous rampage?"

"More so now than ever," said Rachel, her eyes flashing with mirth. They fell into a more comfortable silence for a few beats as their drinks and snacks arrived at the table. But the young woman was struggling to contain her emotions. She picked up her tea, taking a long sip before speaking again. Perhaps it was like a plaster; it just needed to be ripped off. "Thank you for being honest with me before."

"Oh, y-you're welcome," stammered Gar, looking uncharacteristically flustered. He batted at her with his hand as he took a swig of his soy latte and leant back in the chair. He was clearly trying to look casual despite his own anxiety. "To be honest...it's just good to see you."

Rachel nodded, a genuine smile gracing her face for the first time in what felt like years. "I'm glad to see you too, Gar. But I feel like we need to talk a little more about everything that's happened."

Rachel paused, shrugging her shoulders defeatedly. "Don't get me wrong, I really don't want to. I'd rather sit here talking rubbish and mess around like we used to. But...things aren't like they used to be, are they Gar? I'm sick of pretending that they are."

Garfield shook his head, his eyes serious and calm. "No, they aren't."

"I suppose on some level that makes me sad."

"Me too," agreed the young man, brushing his blond hair from his eyes. He leaned forward, weight resting on his knees. "But it doesn't mean that we can't still make it good again somehow. I guess the question is..."

He paused, biting his lip slightly. "What do you want, Rachel?"

"What do you want?" shot back Rachel, not missing a beat. Her throat was constricting in fear. She knew the question was coming, yet deflection seemed her safest option. But Gar shook his head vehemently. It seemed the time for defences had come to an end. One way or another they needed to talk this out.

"I think it's pretty clear what I want, Rae. I told you back at the centre. So, don't redirect. Tell me what you want. I promise you I won't be mad, whatever you've decided. I just need to know so that we can hopefully move forward through this."

Rachel tilted her head, trying to think about things in more detail. Until a short while ago she was planning to change her entire life. Now a completely different option was being put in front of her and she was uncertain as to what to do with the new information. She took a bite of her sandwich and chewed thoughtfully for a few moments. Her heart and mind were in conflict. But the first thing she could do was to repay his earlier gesture by being honest with him. Completely honest. Even if it was painful.

"Fine. I know this isn't answering your question directly but there are some things I wanted to tell you. As we're on the subject of honesty."

"O-kay?" replied Gar, looking a little confused but also mildly curious as he placed his empty plate down on the coffee table. He folded his arms and sat waiting patiently for her to continue. Rachel rolled her eyes, feeling that all too familiar blush creeping around her cheeks.

"We need to go back in time for a minute, back to when we were at school," she began, tentatively. Gar blinked, nodding in acknowledgement. It was clear he was struggling to see where the young woman was going with her statements. Rachel continued slowly. "It was a long time ago but still significant. Do you remember the fireworks at Halloween?"

"Rach, we've been friends for twelve years...you might need to be more specific."

"Halloween ten years ago. There was a party at the school grounds, and they had fireworks. All the Titans went. You had asked me to go with you and—"

"We watched the fireworks from the rooftop," interrupted Gar, eyes suddenly focusing into the air as he remembered. "Yeah – we'd snuck in through a back stairwell so that we could get the best view."

"That's right. Richard was terrified we were going to get caught but you and Vic convinced him that it would be the best place to see the display. He never could resist fireworks."

"Right," nodded Gar, smiling at the memory. He chuckled to himself. "Jesus, Richard had a stick up his ass even back then."

Rachel couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips. She shrugged lightly. "I guess I was kind of nervous too. But we made it up there somehow just as it was all starting. Remember?"

"Yeah, we were all sat with our legs dangling off the rooftop," mused the young man, taking another sip of his soy latte. He gave her a churlish look. "You didn't like the loud bangs, did you?"

"So kind of you to bring that up," growled Rachel, her face flushing again with embarrassment. Garfield laughed at her discomfort and ran his hand through his blond hair. His mind was being flooded with memories and she allowed him a moment to reminisce. His eyes suddenly landed on hers, as something else occurred to him.

"You grabbed my hand, when the biggest bang went off. Your face was so pale I thought you were going to faint."

Rachel smiled, but this time there was a sadness behind it. She put her tea down on the table, her blue locking onto his. "Do you remember what happened next?"

"I..." began Gar, his brow furrowing. His eyes closed as he attempted to remember the night in detail. "I wrapped my arm around you because you started to shake. I wasn't sure if you were cold or afraid, but you were shivering like it was going out of style. Vic and Rich ran to the other end of the roof to watch the finale and Kori had tagged after them."

"Yeah, she really was like a puppy in those days."

"Right! And Rich was so dense, he had no idea how she felt. He missed every single sign she was sending his way."

Rachel laughed at the bitter irony of what her friend was saying. She found the strength to mumble an affirmative response. "Yeah."

"Then you looked up at me. Your face was strange, kind of scared but not from the fireworks this time. You hesitated like you wanted to say something. I think I kind of asked you what was wrong, and I thought you looked like you were going to cry. You were about to speak but then..."

Gar tailed off, eyes looking at her with a newfound sadness. It appeared the penny had finally dropped. His jaw clenched tightly then released. "Then Tara headed onto the rooftop and I stood up to see her. I left you there at the roof's edge."

Rachel nodded despondently, her eyes faltering and falling to the floor. Gar let out a deep sigh, running his hands through his hair again. He laughed, finally getting the irony of his earlier words and raised his eyes to the ceiling. "Man, I was a dumb kid, huh? I made Richard look like Sherlock fucking Holmes."

Rachel laughed gratefully at his attempts at humour. But they both knew deep down that it was covering a hidden sadness. There was another silence, but this time it was laced with anticipation. There was an expectancy in the room and both of them could feel it. Gar moved his weight forward again, putting his drink down next to hers on the table. "What were you going to say that night, Rach?"

The young woman looked at him, blue eyes filled with tears. She felt the words sticking in her throat just like they did that night. She could almost believe she was fifteen again. But she wasn't. She hadn't been for some time. The reality was that Rachel was sitting here with a man who had just confessed his love to her. They were adults now, and it was time to separate her childish mental state for good. Things were not going to get resolved whilst they were both stuck in the past. The time had definitely come to live in the present. She took a deep breath. It was now or never. "I was going to tell you that I was falling for you."

Gar paused, his jaw setting again. He looked furious. But this time the anger wasn't directed at her. It was directed inwards. He slapped his hand to his forehead in frustration. "God. I'm such an idiot."

"Your words."

"Rachel, I can't apologise enough. I was so absorbed in Tara back then that I couldn't see what was right in front of me."

"You don't have to apologise. It's okay that your feelings back then were different," mused Rachel, the tears receding and her empathy returning to her. "Things were different. We were different."

Gar laughed bitterly, his eyes faltering to the floor. "You know, that's the really dumb thing, Rach. Things weren't really that different at all."

"Why?" asked Rachel, her eyes wide. It was the young woman's turn to be confused for once. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," began Gar, his eyes raising to meet hers again. "I felt the same way. Why do you think I kept bugging you in the library? That I was desperate to make you smile or laugh? God, I went to hell and back to make sure you were never left out or made to feel alone. When I first saw you, I thought you were the most beautiful person I had ever seen in my entire life."

Rachel felt herself blushing furiously at his words. Something kept niggling her. "But Tara—"

"Come on Rach. You're completely out of my league. The goofy, gawky, dim-witted kid with someone as intelligent and untouchable as you? I honestly thought I was wasting my time," said Gar, quietly. He looked embarrassed, as though he had just been exposed for doing something really awful. It made the young woman cringe and fidget in her seat as he spoke. "I figured that it was best to just stay friends, but the feelings never really went away. After two years of feeling like that about you, I'd just come to the conclusion it was hopeless. So, when I met Tara and she was so outgoing and easy...everything seemed to just fall into place."

"Wow," replied Rachel, shaking her head. She smiled, trying to remain reflective despite the difficult feelings they were discussing. But for once she felt the need to rescue him with some comedy of her own. "You really were dumb."

Gar's mood broke in an instant and he let out a loud laugh. Before they knew it, they were both giggling like they used to. Rachel wiped a mirthful tear from her eye as she spoke. "I can't believe we've been playing this silly game all this time."

"Me neither," admitted Garfield, folding his arms behind his head and leaning back in the chair again. "After Tara and I broke up I figured I'd completely ruined everything. Hell, I felt lucky just to still be in your life. You were so kind and forgiving, after everything she'd done. Everything I'd done. So I left it, decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth; I never told you or tried anything after that. But I just wish I'd been braver before you met..."

The young man trailed off; his fury palpable in the tiny café. It was as though the name was repulsive to him - like he couldn't bring himself to say it somehow.

"Mal," finished Rachel, taking pity on him. "It's not your fault, Gar."

"I guess I always felt like it was. Like I could have rescued you. Protected you from it all. From him."

"You didn't know what was going on. Hell, I didn't really know until it got bad and—"

"Got bad?" interrupted the young man. His green eyes were flashing fire, and Rachel felt her gut twist. She didn't want to upset him by going into too much detail. Malchior was undoubtedly emotionally abusive, but by the end there was some physical abuse too. She so rarely spoke about the trauma she had endured at Malchior's hand that it somehow still felt like her fault when people got upset about it. She nodded lamely, deciding not to go any further.

"How bad exactly did it get, Rae? You never told me everything."

"You don't want to know," replied Rachel, shrugging dispassionately. "You don't need to know, Gar. What good would it do now? It's over."

Gar let out a noise that resembled a growl in the back of his throat. "If I ever see that son of a bitch again, I swear I'll—"

"Walk past and ignore him. If we retaliate then he's won. As it stands, I've won. I can see that now. I'm out of there and beyond his control," said Rachel, firmly. "If you use violence to counteract violence then where does it all end?"

Gar paused, shaking his head and blinking at her. It was as though her words shook him out of his mood, and there was a resigned look on his face. "Damn. I hate it when you're right."

Rachel smiled, shaking her own head in response. "The past is the past. I've been running from Mal for long enough. I'm tired of running, Gar."

The young man smiled at the comment, leaning back towards her. There was a table between them, but Rachel could feel his warmth radiating across to her. It made her feel happy in a way that nothing else could. Gar's green eyes focused on hers again; they were swirling with desires, feelings and questions all at once. But he settled on just one. "So, we're back at the start now. Let's stop talking about the past and come back to the present. You still haven't answered my question. What do you want, Rae?"

In an instant, it came to her. She smiled widely, remembering his words ad verbatim as only she could. "To be happy. I know its cliché but it's true, Gar. I just want to come home to someone I want to see. I don't want to argue and fight all the time and play mind games. I want the easy life."

Garfield's eyes twinkled, an impish smile spreading across his face. "You sneaky, devious, underhanded—"

"Careful, I might change my mind," replied Rachel, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She rolled her eyes, pushing her dark hair back behind her ears. "This past week has been torture. I want to come home. My real home."

"Our home," amended Gar, reaching over for her hand. She let him take it, her pale slender fingers entwining with his. His digits were slightly calloused from working outdoors, but she didn't care. Right now, his touch felt like the most precious thing in the whole world.

"Our home," agreed Rachel, squeezing tightly. Suddenly she felt self-conscious, as though the whole thing was obscure somehow. She gave a defeated shrug and looked upwards. Exhaling, she spoke her mind. "Shit, I suck at this, Logan. I don't know what the hell I'm doing. What I do know is that in whatever crazy way, we belong together. Even after all this time. I still love you, dumb kid or not. I probably love you more now than I ever have before."

Gar pulled her across the table in a swift movement and placed a firm kiss on her lips. She melted instantly, her hand finding his hair as she desperately grasped for him. But he cut it short, a mischievous smile gracing his face. "Good. Then it's time I let you in on a secret."

Rachel trotted across the road, checking her watch briefly. Fifty-five minutes. She could still make it back and speak to Jen before the groups started again. Gar had left to head back to work; their lives had to continue as normal, after all. There was a sense of excitement and happiness within her, the likes of which she hadn't felt in some time.

The door stuck as usual. As she kicked it to get in, she noticed the room looked slightly less drab than it had done earlier that morning. A small smile on her face, she rounded the corner and almost walked smack into Jenny.

"Rach! You nearly took me out, sis."

Rachel wrapped her arms around Jenny, without uttering a single word. The pink-haired woman stared in shock as she was released. She blinked blankly at her friend. "You okay?"

"More than. Thanks for covering for me."

Jenny's expression shifted in an instant. She cocked her hip, putting her hand on it and raising her eyebrows suggestively. "Oh, I see. More than okay, huh?"

Rachel shook her head, knowing that no matter how she phrased what she was about to say there would be relentless teasing. "I'll save you the trouble of sarcastic comments and jeering. Gar and I talked things through and—"

"Miss Roth," came a sharp voice beside them, causing the pair to leap into the air in shock. As they turned, Rachel realised she had gripped Jenny's arm in fear and promptly let go. She straightened her posture as she turned to face her assailant.

"Yes, Miss Wilson?"

"Please do tell me where you have been for the past hour?"

Rose Wilson was glaring daggers at the young woman, her glasses slipping down her nose with the effort. Her arms were folded, clipboard nowhere to be seen. Rachel looked her straight in the eye.

"I was on my lunch hour, Miss Wilson," she replied evenly, her voice emotionless. She lowered her tone before speaking again. "The clue is in the name."

"Are you trying to be funny, Rachel?" seethed Rose, her eyes suddenly bulging out in anger. Rachel hadn't seen her this furious in some time. Yet she shrugged, folding her arms.

"Trying? I would have said I was succeeding," responded the brunette, flicking her dark hair out of her eyes. There was a small amused smile on her face. "Miss Wilson."

Rose didn't look angry for a moment. She looked completely stunned. It had obviously been a while since someone had spoken to her in such an audacious manner. Rachel continued to speak, ignoring her bosses' expression.

"I'm entitled to take an hour for lunch, and it does not state in our contracts anywhere that I am not permitted to leave the premises," she continued, still keeping a level tone. "This is a workplace not a prison after all."

"You had better think very carefully about what you are saying here, Miss Roth," spat Rose, her fury clearly returning to her. She unfolded her arms and pointed at Rachel menacingly. "You are walking a very thin line. A very thin line, indeed. One more outburst like that and I will—"

"Let me save you the time and energy, Rose," interrupted Rachel, putting her hand up to silence the woman. Rose Wilson's usually flawless hair was starting to tumble from her tightly woven bun. Her mouth hung agog, as though she couldn't quite believe what was happening. Rachel continued to speak. "I quit."

"What?"

The young woman turned and wrapped her arm around Jenny's slim shoulders. Her friend looked equally as surprised at Rachel's outburst, although there was a hint of captivation on her face. She was clearly awestruck by her friend's words.

"I said, I quit. And so does Jenny."

Jenny's expression rapidly changed to sheer mortification. "I WHAT?!"

"We both quit," emphasised Rachel, ignoring her friends' comment. She turned back to face Rose, a firm tone to her voice. "Effective today."

Rose was so angry she was practically hopping from foot to foot. Her tone became threatening. "If you walk out of here, you little worm, then you should know that neither of you will ever work in this city again! There will be no references, no final paycheque drawn up and certainly no—"

"Whilst both Jenny and I appreciate your kind concern for our future employment, that will not be necessary," interjected Rachel, smiling brightly at the woman despite her enraged state. "We have both secured other employment. A reference will not be required."

"We've both what?!" said Jenny, still looking wide-eyed and as though she may faint; the reality of her friends' words seeping into her mind. She gripped onto Rachel's arm tightly. "Rachel, please tell me you're not kidding around."

"I'm not kidding, Jen," said Rachel, squeezing her reassuringly. "We both have new jobs. And seeing as how Miss Wilson has made her position perfectly clear, I suggest I make ours equally as transparent. Our business here is done. We're leaving. Now."

With that, the young woman swivelled around on her heel and pulled her bemused friend towards the exit. Jenny looked perplexed, but she still had the wherewithal to turn around and give a cheeky wink and a wave to the stunned woman that was left in their wake.

"Bye, Rose! I'll miss you, sweetheart!"

As the glass door swung shut behind them with a bang, Jenny twisted herself around and began to walk in pace with Rachel. She turned to look at her, linking their arms together in a swift movement. "I have never been more attracted to you."

Rachel snorted with laughter, a wide smile on her face. "Sorry, I'm taken."

"You're doing what?!"

Back at the apartment, Jenny was sat on Rachel's couch curled up with a warming cup of coffee and a bewildered look on her face. Rachel shrugged from her position opposite her.

"I said, Gar is buying us our own youth centre so that we can set it up in the way that we think works best. Whilst Gar would be the legal owner, we'd oversee the projects in the right way. A way that actually cares for the children we're supporting. Nothing like what that ravager Miss Rose Wilson is doing."

Jenny shook her head, her eyes still wide from the shock of what she was hearing. "Step back a moment, Rachey. How the hell is Garfield Logan going to afford to buy us a centre?"

"Ah," smiled Rachel, brightly. She took a sip of her coffee and winked cryptically at her friend. "Now that would be telling."

"You can't do that to me, you bitch!" growled Jenny, folding her arms. "Maybe I don't want to be partners with you now."

"Fair enough. You could always go and ask Rose for your job back."

"On second thoughts," countered Jenny, giving a sarcastic smile. She flopped her arms down and threw puppy dog eyes at her friend in desperation. "Come on, Rachey baby. Please?"

"Alright, put those eyes away, piglet. I was going to tell you, I just love seeing you squirm," laughed the brunette, placing her drink down on the table. "But all joking aside, this has to stay between us, Jen. I do mean that. You can't even tell Wally until it's all finalised. Promise?"

"Okay, okay, friend's honour or whatever," replied Jenny, sounding exasperated. "Just tell me already."

Rachel folded her legs beneath herself. "You know all those phone-calls that Gar was receiving at the cabin?"

"Yeah, the ones you thought were that bitch-troll from hell?"

"Well, that's a new one," chuckled Rachel, amused by her friend's choice language. "Yeah, those calls. It turns out that it wasn't Tara. It was Steve."

"Who the hell is Steve?"

"Steve Dayton. He's Gar's adoptive father," explained Rachel, twisting her fingers in her long, dark hair. "He and Gar have a...complicated relationship so I probably haven't mentioned him before. Steve isn't the easiest man in the world to get along with. He has pretty fixed ideas about things. He still treats Gar the same way he did when we were fifteen."

"Hang on, did you say adoptive father?" asked Jenny, suddenly curious. She leaned towards her friend, craning her neck. "You mean Gar's adopted?"

Rachel nodded, her blue eyes looking down at the couch. "Yes. His real parents died a long time ago. I don't know much about them, he doesn't like to talk about it."

"Oh," said Jenny, simply. She shrugged, eyes narrowing. "So, what did Steve want then? Sounds like he was pretty persistent or whatever."

"You don't know the half of it," sighed Rachel, her eyes raising to meet her friend's. "It turns out he's been pressuring Gar for a while about his trust fund."

"Trust fund?!" laughed Jenny, holding her arms out towards the young woman. "Pinch me Rach, I think I'm dreaming. A trust fund, for fuck's sake?"

Rachel snorted. "Yes, a trust fund. Gar's real Dad set one up before he died. It suggested that the estate would come out of trust once Gar turned twenty-five."

The young woman paused, her blue eyes looking suddenly sad. "It's been tough for him because he didn't want to accept the money. He's done everything he can to hold up the transfer into his name. But Steve was pressuring him to do something about it. It appears that Mr. Dayton fails to see the emotional side of the situation. To him it's a practical issue which requires resolution."

"Ah. Well I can kind of see why Gar wanted to keep it all quiet now."

"Yeah, it certainly makes clearer sense of why he was being so evasive over the weekend," shrugged Rachel, her eyes closing as she exhaled. "But Steve's persistence has finally paid off. Gar's decided to accept the fund. On one proviso."

"What's that?" asked Jen, tilting her head to one side. Rachel smiled, her eyes shining slightly.

"He made Steve promise that he could invest some of the money to set up a youth centre for us."

Jenny became still as a statue for a few moments. It was as though she was completely stunned by what her friend had said. She blinked a few times. "No way. No freaking way. Are you serious? Gar did that...for us?"

Rachel nodded, a tear winding its way down her cheek. She wiped it away, quickly and sniffed. "He did. He knows how unhappy it's been for me there. For you too. But he also knows how much it means to us to be with those kids, Jen."

"I...I don't know what to say," replied Jenny, her eyes faltering as she looked down. She snuffled into her sleeve.

Rachel let out a little laugh. "Never thought you'd be speechless."

Jenny didn't seem to acknowledge her friends' comment. Her usually brash demeanour had vanished. Rachel noticed suddenly how frail she looked.

Jenny blinked, her eyes welling up. "No one...no one has ever done anything like that for me before."

"Nor me," agreed Rachel, shuffling down the couch so she could embrace her friend. They sat there quietly for a little while, before breaking apart. Rachel still gripped Jenny's hands firmly.

"You will accept the job, won't you?"

"Like I have a choice," joked Jenny, her eyes lighting up again. "You've pretty much backed me into a corner, sis."

"You always have a choice, Jen. So, what's it to be?"

"Obviously yes, you idiot," joked Jenny, lightly smacking her friend on the shoulder. Her normal persona seemed to gradually be returning to her, and she shot Rachel a cheeky grin. "Now stop, or you'll make me blub again."

"Wouldn't want that," laughed Rachel, shifting her position backwards. She heaved a sigh of relief. "I'm so glad, Jen. I need you right there with me. You know, Gar will be really happy you've agreed to help out. He was excited about the whole idea."

Jenny nodded brightly, a smile still on her face. She looked pensive for a moment. "So, are you guys...you know...officially together now?"

"If you like."

"You're not giving me a definitive answer?"

"Do you need one?" countered Rachel, her eyes playful. Knowing the answer, she silenced her friend with her hand. "Look, Jen. We love each other. I'm moving back in. We're not going to see other people right now. What more do you need to know?"

"I want to know if you're best friends or if you're boning!"

"Jennifer," growled Rachel, her face flushing despite the smile on her face. Jen laughed at her friends' discomfort and shrugged.

"Fine, fine. I get it. Ask no questions, tell no lies. So how much is in this trust fund, anyway?"

Rachel grabbed the two now empty mugs and hopped over the couch to make her way back to the kettle for a second cup of tea.

"Five hundred," she replied, busying herself in the kitchenette. Jenny leaned over the back of the couch; her eyes wide.

"You're freaking kidding me. Five hundred grand?!"

"No," said Rachel, a smirk on her face as she turned back to her friend. She couldn't wait to see Jenny's next expression. "Five hundred million."

Review Replies:

Golem XIV: No - your beautiful hair! :0 They are stubborn, but I hope this chapter brought you some comfort! We're nearly at the end, one more chapter left I think. I'm still toying with the idea of an epilogue but we shall see. Sorry it wasn't as soon as I'd hoped - hope you're still well :)

Kairu-Blackstar: Thank you, you lovely person you! :)

Sanzojoe: Hope you enjoyed and aren't too stressed by the rollercoaster...!

LilyTimbers: Hi there - what a lovely username! :) Pleased to meet you, and thank you so much for your kind reviews. I'm glad you enjoyed Fly Away - don't worry, I always appreciate any reviews I get whether post or during. Thank you also for your kind compliments on my writing - I do hope this chapter wasn't too obvious and that you enjoyed it too. I get what you were saying about showing up in a dramatic declaration but I'd always had it written this way so here we are - I hope it didn't disappoint too much. Either way - thanks for dropping me a review and being generally lovely! :)

Guest: Oh dear! Two idiots together! Hope you enjoyed - and yes I agree, Richard was an underrated star!

essa8b3: Thank you! I hope you enjoyed it!

Guest: I'm glad you're not mad - I do angst for days! But eventually it has to come to an end. There's another chapter coming up don't worry :)

Ghost: Here you go! :)

Guest: Frustration alleviated! :D

Funny-Little-Cute White Fox: Adorable name! Thanks for the encouragement :)

TeamLiEvansDragneel: Aw, hi! You're so sweet. Thanks for your lovely review :D