"And I can chase away the fears, the ones you've built up all these years, you don't have to hide away, when you're talking to me."

Mark Joseph, Get Through

Effy was furious as she stormed into the house, over the last few days she hadn't been paying attention to what was going on outside the small bubble that was her world. But it had come to Effy's attention that Lucas was being hazed by the team and she suspected that Nathan was the most likely instigator whilst Dan was the brains behind the entire idea. Effy had learnt about it through the grape vines through the halls of the gym and then she got official confirmation of it from Tim, well Effy threatened to kick Tim's ass if he didn't tell her what she wanted to hear and naturally Tim spilled. He was one of the most stupidest jocks Effy knew but Tim was smart enough to know to be scared of Effy and he was literally left shaking when Effy had been done with him. Effy couldn't believe that Nathan had stooped so low to hazing Lucas to try and get him off the team, even more so after Coach Durham had made Lucas shooting guard over him. Effy had found that hilarious and she thought that it would teach Nathan that there was the possibility that there were other people who were better than him at basketball. But that didn't have the desired effect and Nathan had just gone into over drive, in particular trashing the river court that Effy knew Lucas played at with his friends.

"Are you stupid or just an asshole?" Effy demanded as she walked into the kitchen where Nathan was sitting and eating a pizza. "Hazing Nathan? Seriously… Are you really that self conscious that Lucas is going to ruin all the plans dad is trying to get you fulfilled that you have to haze Lucas? Because if you want me to tell you that your great then I will Nathan, I will tell you that even though I think you're the biggest ass I have ever met I still think you are a brilliant basketball player!"

"Effy…" Nathan began, wearily looking away.

"Dan can't get you out of this, he may be able to use his influence to get your indiscretions waived away but dad's crap won't work with me and I'm not going to be silenced. Your going to put a stop to this hazing or I'll go to Principal Tuner and I'll make sure that your dumb ass really actual gets suspended this time." Effy threatened and she could see the colour drain from Nathan's face as he knew she wasn't bluffing about this, Effy would actual go to Turner knowing full well that it would probably get Nathan suspended for a while and no doubt put his place on the team in jeopardy.

"Lizzy you wouldn't…" Nathan uttered and Effy just reached the end of her tether with Nathan and so she grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him up off his seat and pushed Nathan up against the fridge. Effy may have been smaller than Nathan but she had worked up a lot of upper body strength because of all the tennis and climbing she did. Effy knew Nathan would never hit her, but that didn't mean she wouldn't ever hit him if she thought he didn't deserve it.

"Trust me Nathan I would do that to you and my conscious would be clear because you would just be getting what you deserved." Effy hissed as she let go off Nathan and began to walk away.

"Why do you care so much about that loser so much Eff?" Nathan questioned and Effy turned around, crossed the room and started shoving Nathan repeatedly in the chest.

"You really want to know Nathan? I care about Lucas because he cares about me more than what you and Dan care about me. Lucas barely even knows me and yet he treats me with the respect that you have never shown me, Lucas acts more like a brother to me than you have ever been to me so because of that I will fight and defend Lucas from you. So you want to pick on someone Nathan? Then pick on me because I guarantee that I won't rise above it like Lucas does, I will actually kick your ass because I know all this crap is because you want to prove yourself, make you feel superior. Well your not superior, you are just stupid and you had better cut this hazing bullshit out or I will definitely go to Principal Turner!" Effy screamed before finally waking away towards the front door and just as she ripped the door open to storm out she came face first with Jake. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought we should talk about what happened the other day, but it's good to see you two Elizabeth." Jake began and Effy just sighed to herself as she motioned for Jake to move to the slide she could walk out the door and purposely slam the door behind her.

"Did you know about this hazing thing?" Effy demanded and the look on his face told Effy everything she needed to know.

"I did."

"Then why the hell did I have to practically beat the information out of Tim? Your supposed to be my best friend Jake and I would have thought that you would have mentioned this hazing thing to me given that both of my brothers are kind of involved in it and the moron brother I live with is the ringleader of all of this." Effy asked as she was pretty sure that she had steam coming out of her ears because of all the frustrating men that she had in her lives. It was making Effy seriously consider joining a nunnery and taking her vows.

"I would have told you Eff but I was giving you some time to calm down after what happened a few days ago. I knew if I told you then you wouldn't have lost your temper like I just heard you yelling at Nathan. You've been having a hard time with your family at the moment Effy and I just didn't want to pile another thing on you when I know your still having difficulties with that Dan said to you. I know your mad Eff but Lucas is having a hard time with this hazing thing and it's really getting him down so I figured I'd go talk him and I thought maybe I should bring you along. I dropped by his house and his mom told me that Lucas was at your uncle's garage." Jake explained and Effy slowly nodded her head and allowed Jake to lead her to his car. The first ten minutes of the car journey were in silence until Effy decided to finally speak up.

"Look about the other day I'm really sorry Joke, I j-just really don't know what's going on with me right now." Effy quietly admitted as she knew something was wrong and there had been something wrong with her for months but she just pretended everything was fine. But it was getting to the point where Effy just didn't have a clue anymore, she was just drifting through her life and doing stupid things all the time. The two different lives she was living were finally starting to catch up with her and Effy knew she should slow down but it just made her want to go faster.

"I know you don't Eff." Jake said as he placed a reassuring pat on her leg and Effy just leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes.

"They are just driving me crazy." Effy stated and she knew that Jake would know that she was referring to her family, they were turning her into some self destructive monster.

"I know they are and I know it's been tough but I'm here for you Elizabeth and I will always be here for you." Jake said in a reassuring manner and Effy opened her eyes and smiled.

"Do you think Lucas will actually quit the team if it gets to much?" Effy eventually asked as they were coming close to arriving at her uncle's garage, she knew if anyone was to know about this then it was Jake. He was the one who saw Lucas and Nathan together on the court and was much more privy to the dynamics of the whole team then Effy was. She may be Lucas and Nathan's sister but that didn't mean she knew what was going on with either if them.

"I'd like to think not because Lucas has lots of talent but Nathan is being pretty relentless about it but everybody has their limit, I just hope Lucas can hold out because he has a lot to show."

"Thank you for looking out for him Jakey, I really appreciate it as Lucas needs a friend on the team." Effy quietly replied as they pulled up outside of the garage and the two of them exited Jake's car. As they walked together their hands kept brushing against each and Effy was surprised when Jake just seemingly took her hand in his without batting an eyelid. Effy was taken back by this that it took her a moment before she was finally able to knock on the door of the garage, just as she heard an engine splutter.

"Sorry we're closed!"

Smiling to herself Effy pulled Jake along with her as she walked into the garage and over to the car that Keith was working on, just as Lucas exited the car and it was clear that the two of them were surprised to see Effy and Jake there. "Closed, huh? Even for me Uncle Keith?"

"Hey Effy this is a surprise, who's your friend?" Keith asked as he looked Jake over and before Effy could even open her mouth, Jake beat her to the punch and introduced himself like the true gentleman he was.

"Hi, I'm Jake."

"Oh, hi Jake I'm Keith."

"How ya doing?" Jake began and Effy knew that it was best if Jake spoke to Lucas alone so she looked at her uncle and subtly motioned that the two of them needed to leave. So Keith made up an excuse about needing to go to the office and asked Effy to go along because he needed her to pick up some paperwork relating to some work that had been done on her car a few weeks ago. So Effy played along, let go off Jake's hand and followed her uncle into the office.

"Okay, I take it you know what's been going on?" Keith asked not beating around the bush and Effy nodded in a grim manner.

"I found out today and I pretty much almost killed Nathan before Jake swung by today, and I gave him an ultimatum. If Nathan doesn't cut this hazing crap out then I'll go to Principal Turner and turn him in. I'm sick of his behaviour and thinking that he can do whatever he wants without any consequences. If I had known about this then I would have put a stop to it a lot sooner Uncle Keith. I want you to know that Jake's not apart of this hazing thing, he's not like the rest of the guys on the team and he thinks this hazing thing is stupid. He's all for Lucas being on the team, that's why we came here tonight. To try and convince him to ride it out, I've given Nathan this ultimatum and hopefully he'll stop but if he doesn't Jake will watch out for him and I'll deal with Nathan..." Effy wearily stated as she was willing to do whatever it took to stop Nathan, regardless of the fact that he was her twin brother.

"How are things between you two?" Keith asked and Effy looked away in a rather uneasy manner.

"Bad as usual. I lost my temper with him about this hazing thing and I kind of got a bit rough with him as I've just had enough of Nathan. If were not arguing then we're avoiding each other like the plague as I can't bare to be in the same room as him let alone under the same roof as Nate. I just really can't deal with him or Dan anymore, I don't want to be around them anymore. I just hate being under the same roof as them. Jake is literally my saving grace…" Effy quietly said as she looked through the office window to where Jake was talking to Lucas and a smile couldn't help but appear on her face.

"So this guy Jake… Is he your boyfriend Elizabeth?" Keith questioned and Effy looked away from Jake to face her uncle again. He was yet another person that she had to deal with when it came to her and Jake.

"Nope just my best friend." Effy began before pausing momentarily to glance back over to Jake.

"Well it doesn't seem like the two of you are just best friends, you two seem like you could be a lot more than that given that the to of you walked in here hand in hand and you had a big ol' goofy grin on your face kiddo." Keith noted and Effy chuckled quietly.

"We're just best friends Uncle Keith, I take Jake for granted sometimes but he means everything to me though. He keeps me sane when everything at home is causing me to lose my mind." Effy quietly noted with a small sigh, she didn't even want to go home tonight. Effy didn't want to go back home in general, she just wanted to be out of that place and be free of the burden that being related to Dan and Nathan placed on her.

"You should tell him how you feel."

"Uncle Keith I don't know what your talking about it." Effy stated as she glanced down and kicked a tiny bit of the ground before looking back up to her uncle. She had no idea why Keith was bringing this up or why other people kept bringing up her and Jake in the last few days. They were just friends.

"Sure you don't kiddo… Elizabeth you are one of the smartest people I know, so I know that you are perfectly aware that you have feelings for the boy out there who isn't your brother." Keith stated and Effy glanced back out the window and watched Jake, the truth of the matter was that Effy was aware of why people always thought there was always something going on with her and Jake because in the last few months she had noticed a change in dynamics between them. Not to mention a slight change in feelings on her part but like everything that was confusing and dysfunctional in her life, Effy just tossed it into the back of her mind and did something else instead. You could say she was kind of in denial and Effy had thought she had hidden the entire thing well as no one had seemed to pick up on it but apparently not.

"Jake makes me… He makes me feel… I don't even know how I feel Uncle Keith, I've been told that teenagers don't actually know anything in the slightest. They just think they do." Effy feebly replied after a few moments.

"Well I think you do Eff." Keith said and Effy could see that her uncle wasn't going to let this go any time soon.

"Doesn't matter what I think or feel Uncle Keith if he doesn't feel the way and I don't want to lose him as Jake is one of the few things I have left in my life. If I lose him then there's really nothing else left I suppose, not with how things are at my house." Effy stated in a rather uncomfortable manner and she watched as her uncle gave her a reassuring manner.

"Given the way that young man has been looking at you, I'd say you don't have a thing to worry about Effy." Keith told Effy and she didn't know what to say to this so instead she got up and walked out of the office to see that Jake and Lucas had finished their conversation.

"I'll give you two a minute, I'll be outside Eff." Jake said with a warm smile and Effy looked at him, wondering what on earth Keith meant about the way Jake looked at her as Effy couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. Jake took his leave and Effy turned her attention over to Lucas.

"You ask Jake to come and talk to me?" Lucas questioned and Effy just shook her head.

"No, in fact Jake was the one who asked me to come with him and I'm glad he did. I'm sorry that all this is happening Lucas, I just wish you would have told me about all of this so I could have dealt with Nathan sooner than today."

Lucas sighed. "This isn't your fault Effy."

"I know that but given that Nathan is behind all of this I feel like I have some degree of responsibility given that he is my bonehead of an asshole twin brother. I hate him and yet I seem to get dragged into his messes and trying to fix them. I should know better than that given the fact that Nathan doesn't acknowledges my existence half the time and he couldn't care less about what happens to me. Just like Dan…" Effy wearily said.

"Effy…"

"You're a good person Lucas, you've kept your head up throughout the whole of this despite what Nathan and everyone else has thrown at you. I like the fact that you haven't let those bastards grind you down and they will give up, I know they will. I know it's been hard and you've dealt with it so graciously and that makes you the better man of them all and you should know that there are people who care, who believe in you just like I do." Effy stated with a small smile and she walked over to Lucas and placed a small kiss on his cheek and walked out of the garage and found Jake standing outside waiting for just like he promised he would be. Effy looked at him before walking over to Jake and wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning her head into his chest.

"Effy? What's wrong?" Jake questioned as he pulled her further into a hug and at first Effy didn't want to answer as she just wanted to be here, she just wanted to be here with Jake and feel like she mattered and more importantly feel like she was safe.

"Can I keep you?" Effy asked, barely above a whisper but she knew Jake would have heard her.

"Always."