Linus had the whole altercation in the back of his head the whole time out with his friends, and he decided to give her an ultimatum, once he and Rerun got home.

"Lucy open the door," he knocked.

No answer, he could hear her, but not discern what she was doing, and knocked on the door again, still no answer. He walked to his room and dug out the emergency key he hid, and went in her room, it was nearly pitch dark, other than the display on her stereo, and some standby LEDs, he left the door open, letting light spill in. He saw her laying in her clothes, facing away from the door.

"Lucy, look at me… look at me," he ordered, turning her around.

"Go away, Linus," she whispered.

He noticed her mascara had ran, and she looked defeated.

"No, I'm here to warn you to leave Schroeder and Frieda alone. They're happy together, don't fucking ruin it. Nobody wants your bullshit, we aren't kids anymore, you can't scare us, or bully us, do you understand?"

She didn't answer.

"I'm not joking here, you've caused more than enough trouble, and we're done with you. Lucy!"

She just stared right through him.

"This had better be getting through to you, you're an embarrassment to this family," he slammed the door as he left.

Lucy woke up, not sure of what time it was, she tried to check her phone, but it had died, with a sigh, she sat up and found a slight headache, needing to leave the room, like she hadn't intended. The light from the house attacked her eyes, when she made her way to the bathroom. Lucy heard one of their shows downstairs, figuring her brothers were lazing about.

"Sounds like Lucy's awake," Rerun spoke.

"Ehh… who cares? You might be eager to listen to whatever diatribe she has in store, but I'm not. Oh nooo… why didn't you tell me about my man blah, blah, blah, incessant whiny, self-absorbed delusion," he mocked, "because nobody knew they were dating, Lucy- I understand how the truth of anything is hard to grasp outside your own mindscape."

They heard a door slam.

"I think she heard us."

"I hope she heard us. And don't say I'm being hard on her, you saw how she was acting."

Lucy sat on her bed playing it back over and over; Schroeder and Frieda kissing on stage, all she wanted to do was go back to sleep.

After a while, since no Van Pelt was keeping track of time; the two downstairs were surprised to hear somebody knocking on the door, breaking their gaze at the television.

"C'mon, open the door."

Linus opened the door, "what Violet?"

"Have you seen Lucy, I've been calling her all day."

"Have you looked for her?"

"Not really, I had other things to do."

"Thank you for your grave concern of my sister," he replied sarcastically.

"You're welcome, now where do you think she would be?"

"She's upstairs," Rerun spoke up.

"How could you not know she was here," Violet walked past him.

"I was trying to forget," he shut the door, "just come right in."

"Yeah, thanks," she went upstairs.

Violet opened Lucy's door to moderate darkness, her laptop was just cracked open enough not to sleep, playing music, she flipped the light on.

"I've been calling you all day, and you're just laying here, listening to this depressing crap."

Lucy moaned in response.

"Why are just laying here like this… are you in the same clothes as yesterday, get up."

"Go away," she wined."

"No, why haven't you answered your phone," she picked it up, "it's dead… c'mon Lucy, seriously," she plugged it up.

Violet grabbed her, and rolled her over, seeing the mascara all over her face took her by surprise.

"No," she moaned.

"You look like something from a horror movie, what the hell is wrong with you," she went to grab the makeup wipes from her Vanity, "you look disgusting and pathetic… lemme guess; your sad that Frieda is with your dreamboat? News flash; it happened, suck it up and deal, sitting here in the dark isn't going to change the fact that you lost. He never even liked you to begin with, and you get so vindictive, I'm not surprised. You're just laying her ugly crying, when you should be sucking it up and moving on, and stop being so weak."

"You act like you're so strong and unbreakable," she started to cry, "My hearts broken, Vee, why don't you care… you're supposed to be my friend."

"I do care… that's why I'm telling you, you're crying over nothing."

"Boy… sounds like Violet is really letting her have it."

Linus shrugged.

"Get the fuck out," Lucy screamed at the top of her lungs, making the boys jump, "It just happened last night, damn it!"

Moments later they heard Violet stomping down the steps, and Lucy crying again.

"Well somebody is a bit touchy today," Violet huffed.

"You're not a good friend at all," Rerun said.

"She should be lucky she has any at all," Linus added.

"Exactly what you said, Linus," she walked out the door.

"Lucy shut up, or shut the door!"

"And you're not a good brother," Rerun got up.

"She always treated you better. Ya know… it's fascinating how you just excuse how she treats everybody else, because she treats you marginally better."

"Well… she won't change if we treat her like a pariah, and maybe she'll succumb to her own hubris, and this is a turning point? Maybe a bit of compassion will push her in the right direction."

"You sure you're not Charlie's brother? Keep that wishful thinking, and see how it turns out."

Rerun went upstairs to Lucy's room, shut the door, turned off the light.

"Go away," she sniffed.

Ignoring her request, he prepared for the chance she might swing at him, sat on the bed slowly, then laid down and wrapped an arm around her, pulled her tight.

"…Rerun…?"

"Shhh," is all he said.

He laid with her until he knew she was asleep, before going back downstairs.

"You proud of yourself," Linus asked.

"For what, I didn't do it for clout, I did it because it was right. You may have seen one thing last night, but I saw something else, something broken, that wasn't anger in her voice, It was surprise and pain."

"Huh…"

"She's sleep."

"…okay…"

"You know… I get that you don't like her that well, but most of the time we're all we got, and family should be able to be turned to, if there's nobody else."

"Well family needs leeway, and she gives me none of that. I'm surprised Charlie hasn't rushed right over here, maybe he finally got the picture that she can't be saved."

Rerun gave him the side eye, and went for his phone.

Charlie was with Sally and Patty over Schroeder's playing music with him and Frieda.

"You two are almost a cute a couple as me and my sweet baboo."

"Thanks," Frieda giggled.

"Yeah… thanks Sally."

"You're welcome, Schroeder," she grinned.

"All this attention is embarrasing," she laughed.

"It's too late to go back now," Charlie assured.

"I can't believe you two managed to hide it," Patty exclaimed.

"Wasn't easy," they said together.

"I always had a thing for Frieda, even when she was with Lucy's gang- you can relate, Charlie."

"Umm… me‽ How?"

"The way you feel about Lucy, despite everything."

"That name," Sally growled.

"I know, I know," he held his hands up in defense.

"I've been meaning to ask you, Sally- about the other night with Lucy."

"There's not much to say, Patty, honestly. Lucy claimed she wanted to make rendering, and- mending, I meant mending! But we weren't having it, we sent Marcie after her, and she dissapeared."

Charlie pulled out his phone to Reruns text message, "hmmm…"

"What is it, Charlie," Patty asked.

"Rerun texted me about Lucy; she hasn't left her room since last night."

"More Lucy news‽ Patty, get your man!"

"He's not my man, you get him, he's your brother."

"Rerun is there… she'll be fine."