April 13, 2019

Sorry for the slow posts compared to earlier chapters. Been super busy with work and class! D:

After meeting with Bobbi about the audio they'd saved, Fallon and Liam were directed into a vehicle with her, and answered various questions on the way to the Carrington estate. As shocked as the Police Chief was, Bobbi obviously knew the sort of record the family had as far as dangers and attracting crazy outsiders. Fallon herself had been nearly rescued by Bobbi during the kidnapping, after all.

"We didn't even know he was still around after Hank pretended to be Adam previously," Fallon was saying as they pulled into the driveway. "I'd guess that they're home from work by now, but they might not be."

"Well," Bobbi replied, as stern and matter-of-fact as ever, "we will see to it that he is taken in for questioning - along with any devices he may be using to contact this Stone woman."

Fallon gripped Liam's hand a little tighter at the thought she nearly voiced: Blake wouldn't like that. He ran his thumb over the back of her hand soothingly, but had yet to speak up, as none of the questions were really directed at him. Apart from the obvious one of whether Liam knew Adam or not. He'd offered a brief No, also noting that he had only met Ada herself for a few moments, but she was undercover so he had pretended he was unaware.

At their first mention of Ada back at her office, Bobbi had admitted they'd received an anonymous call earlier that day, and Fallon just feigned surprise at the idea.

But as they pulled up to the front door, a second police car coming up behind them, Bobbi got out and Fallon turned to Liam. "I think you should wait here," she told him. "If we show up together, it'll distract them or make us into targets, and I'd rather just focus on this for now and tell them afterwards."

He looked conflicted, as he of course wanted to be there to stand up for her if Adam tried anything, but he didn't argue it. "Okay. Just call me if you need anything."

Fallon agreed, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before getting out and following Bobbi to the door. Rather than knocking, however, Fallon let Bobbi in herself. She aimed towards Blake's office, peeking in and bracing herself when she saw him. Bobbi held out a hand, however, and silently told Fallon she needed to go first. The younger woman stepped out of the way so the Police Chief could knock.

Blake looked up, raising an eyebrow. "I'm sorry," he said when he saw Bobbi. "I didn't hear anyone at the front door."

"Your daughter let me in," Bobbi explained.

He sat back in his chair, casual as anything. "Is she back? I hadn't realized. What can I do for you?"

Bobbi walked in, gesturing for Fallon to join her. "I'm here because we have reason to believe someone is preparing to threaten Fallon's life."

Fallon flinched slightly as Blake pressed his hands into the desk and pushed himself up. "Excuse me? Who?"

Bobbi looked to Fallon, who eventually nodded. It was time to just get this over with. "Well, there is a woman named Ada Stone, who is working with your son, Adam—"

"What." Blake's eyes narrowed, but it wasn't a question. It was an expectation that someone was lying or prancing him.

Fallon spoke up, then. "She's the woman that blackmailed me and Michael. The one who made him work for her, and hurt Jeff. She wants access to the family for some reason—"

"What did she have on you?" Blake asked, crossing his arms challengingly.

Fallon turned red in both anger and embarrassment. She hadn't wanted to go over this again. It had been hard enough to tell Liam, and now she had to do it in front of the Chief of Police? "... When I was in New York to finalize the sale of CA, Liam's uncle said the only way he would sign the contract was if I slept with him. I obviously didn't, but... someone who looked very similar to me tried to trick him into signing it, and while they were there, he had a heart attack. And didn't make it. Apparently, Ada had the means to twist what happened to make it look like I'd somehow made him have that heart attack, not that I'd even begin to know how."

"So," Blake began slowly, "you've decided that because you don't like your brother, you're going to associate him with her?"

"What? Dad, no-"

"Anders!"

Fallon followed Blake's gaze to the door, which opened moments later as Anders came through the door. "Yes sir? Ah, Fallon. Are you and Kirby back?"

"Well, no," she answered slowly. "Kirby is staying with a friend for now. We don't think it's safe for her to be here at the moment."

"Safe?" Blake scoffed, shaking his head. "You've been determined to get rid of Adam since he got here-"

"Blake, come on!" Fallon groaned, unable to accept that he wouldn't hear her out.

Bobbi quickly stepped out into the foyer for some semblance of quiet, and explained everything to Anders, who looked rather livid by the end, his attention focused in on the door Fallon was now standing behind, who he'd practically raised over the years alongside her parents. Perhaps even more than them.

"I believe he is in his room," Anders said stiffly. "Would you like to join me?"

He and Bobbi started up the stairs, and upon hearing them do so, Fallon started to follow them before Blake spoke up, stopping her.

"Why would you do this?" He asked, suddenly calm and quiet.

"... What? You mean why would Adam do something like this."

Blake shook his head. "No, framing your brother and associating him with a blackmailing thief is over the line."

"I'm not framing him, Dad! He wants me and Steven out of the way, probably so he can get his name on your will. And as soon as he does that, why bother keeping any of us around?"

"He already is in my will."

Fallon froze, staring at him. "Since when?"

"A few nights ago, when he joined Atlantix. And nothing has happened. So why would he bother threatening you?"

"I don't know," she replied, frowning deeply. "Maybe he thinks I didn't deserve the childhood I had after his was taken from him? He already got Steven to leave, so maybe I'm next. But I obviously wouldn't go quietly. And that's clearly why he said he has to do something to me and make it look like an accident. That hardly sounds like a loving brother."

"Maybe he's right in thinking that you're going to get in the way, here."

She had started to turn, still wanting to go out into the foyer to listen for anything happening upstairs. But she slowly looked over at him again, taken aback. "Why?" She asked, at little more than a whisper. "Why have I never been enough for you? Because I'm not Adam? Because I'm a girl? I am so much like you that people can't even believe it, and I do absolutely everything I can — for you. Yet I've never measured up to this imaginary, perfect version of Adam. Now that it turns out he's a monster, you're fine with him wanting to harm your only daughter?"

"Things taken out of context can be misinterpreted, Fallon. I'm sure when they question him I'll be able to post bail and you'll see that you're overreacting."

"Wow. You couldn't answer a single one of those questions." Fallon shook her head, wishing she'd somehow been wrong about the direction she predicted the conversation would take. "...I'm not exactly surprised, considering everything you've made me do in the name of this family."

"Everything you do, you do it for yourself and you know it."

"That is so not true!" She shouted, stepping towards him as if aggression would make him finally hear him. "Whatever I did to make you hate me, I'm sorry! Maybe I'm too much like Mom, and that hurt you after she left, but I don't deserve this. My whole life thus far has been about proving myself, and trying to earn some value in your eyes." She hesitated, taking a deep breath. "You've kicked me out before, and I doubt you'll choose not to do the same thing again after this. But— do you remember when you got drunk after Grandpa died, and you said you loved me?"

He didn't react, but she continued anyway, voice dropping to an almost hateful growl.

"I don't believe you."

His suspicious look turned into a glare as she headed towards the door. But Fallon stopped at the last second, looking back at him.

"I know you won't care about this, but I do: I'm dating Liam now. For real." She lifted her chin at his bored eye roll. "I love him. And he loves me far more than anyone in this house ever has."

Then she stormed out, and nearly ran into Anders in the foyer. "Sorry, Ms. Carrington," he said, though he kept his arm out to block her way as Adam was taken through the front door by Bobbi and one of her officers.

Fallon locked eyes with him, silently daring Adam to say something or make a scene. He just scowled back at her as he was shoved through the front door in handcuffs. Bobbi was carrying a bag of what must've been considered evidence, and she gestured for Fallon to come with them.

"Thanks, Anders," Fallon said. "Kirby's safe, I promise."

He nodded his gratitude. "Tell her I said hello."

"I will. Do the same for Cristal and Alexis, from me, won't you? They need to know about Adam, but not from dad." Fallon sighed quietly. "But...I'm glad you'll be here for Blake. I just can't be anymore."

"I know. It was bound to happen eventually," Anders replied, gesturing towards the door. "I'll have the staff begin packing the rest of your things. Let me know when you'd like to retrieve them."

She offered a final thanks before stepping outside. It took a moment, but she could feel her father staring after them all through the window of his office. She glanced back, but merely walked up to Liam, who must've gotten out of the car in his impatience to know what was happening inside.

"Let's go," she told him, her voice sad despite the pretense she put on visibly.

Liam helped her into the car, then climbed in behind her, waiting for Fallon to decide that she wanted to tell him what had happened.

In the end, she just asked, "There isn't an empty seat on that plane next to yours, is there?"

He sighed at the understanding of what the question meant, but said, "I'll change my ticket and get two instead."

"Monday?"

"Monday."

She stared out the window, leaning against him as Bobbi got in and began the drive back to her office. They were quiet until they arrived, had filled out a bit more paperwork, and were released.

"Where to?" Liam asked. "The hotel?"

"I guess? Ada knows I'm staying there, though. Maybe I ought to pack up and go to a different one."

"Maybe." He shifted his weight, sliding his hands into his pockets as he worked up the nerve to say what came out next. "I mean... if you want to stay with me until you find a place, that's fine."

She lifted her eyes from her nails, her fidgeting slowing down until she was gazing at him curiously. "Are you sure?"

"You don't have to move in permanently or anything if you don't want to—"

"Are you saying you'd want me to, though?"

Liam reached up to the back of his neck, rubbing at it anxiously. "I've waited this long, Fal. I'm not trying to rush you into anything. I'm just saying, I wouldn't mind it."

Fallon stepped forward and drew him into a slow, gentle kiss - one that she hoped made her appreciation for him clear. He pulled his other hand free of his pocket to slide it across her back and bring her closer. It didn't last as long as she wanted, but she needed to answer him. "Maybe we just consider this a trial period? It's probably good to know now, before we spend a week in New York."

"Wow, a whole two days," he teased. "I'll know everything by then." She rolled her eyes at him, so he just wrapped his arm a little more tightly around her. "I'm sure it'll be fine, Fallon."

"Let's go, then. I can be packed and out of there before dinner."

Smiling broadly, Liam flagged down a cab and hoped that by the time they left on Monday, everything would be taken care of so Fallon wouldn't have to worry about Adam or Ada or Culhane at all.