A/N: Sorry it's taken so long to update! I'm a crappy updating, clearly, but I'll try to be better. Please review :)

Chapter 7- It's Been A Long Day

It had been hours since Baze and Lux had left Cate's place, and father and daughter currently sat at the bar, starring at each other, neither knowing what to say.

"Can we call her?" Lux broke the silence, asking the question that had been on both of their minds for the last couple of hours.

Baze pushed his phone towards Lux but she shook her head nervously, silently asking him to do it. Baze dialed the all too familiar number, listening as both Cate's cell and home phones went to voicemail. "She's not picking up." Lux looked at him concerned, and it was then Baze realized Lux was slightly grateful for the new distraction. "She's going through a lot right now. She needs some time."

Lux nodded, the bar once again going silent until the door was thrown open and heels stalked inside. Lux and Baze looked up, both as surprised as each other. "Abby?" Lux's voice was quiet, reserved.

"Lux." Abby breathed, smiling sympathetically at her niece as she engulfed her in a tight hug. Lux froze under the touch, looking at Baze pleadingly.

Baze understood what she was asking, and pushed a reluctant Abby off of his daughter. "What are you doing here, Abby?"

Lux tiredly leant her head against Baze's chest as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, looking at Abby questionably. "Cate called me. Drunk. Saying Ryan was gone and Lux was…" She trailed off, looking pitifully at Lux who squirmed a little under the look. Noticing this, Abby looked up at Baze before smiling sadly at Lux. "I thought you could use someone to talk to."

Lux waited for Baze to answer snarky like he usually would have, but she looked up to find him waiting for her answer. Lux looked between the two, taking a step away from Baze and protectively folding her arms over her chest. "I don't want to talk." She said in a whisper. "I just want to forget it happened." She cleared her throat and forced a half-hearted smile. "But we were just about to order something, if you wanted to stay."

Abby smiled, pulling up a chair at the table as Baze and Lux sat back down. In sync, all three rested their chins on their hands and Lux laughed a little, receiving confused but happy looks from Baze and Abby.

"Could we maybe go out for dinner?" Lux asked after a few seconds, feeling the need to justify everything she asked or said. "I don't really want to be here when the bar opens."

Lux's attitude was different, and both adults noticed this. Cate and Ryan had too, but it was understandable considering the circumstances, and Cate and Baze couldn't help but be a little hopeful the event would make it easier for them to bond.

"Sure." Baze smiled reassuringly, standing up. "What do you feel like?"

Lux shrugged, smirking a little. "Uh… honestly? Pizza. Canadian bacon, extra cheese to be exact."

Baze grabbed his keys and placed a hand on Lux's shoulder, thankful when she didn't flinch. "Let's go then, kid." He smiled at her lovingly and Lux smiled back.

Despite both Baze's and Abby's protests, Lux sat in the back seat leaving the two adults in the front, and the teenager sat back, amused at the tension between them. Finally, they settled into meaningless conversation and Lux didn't even realized they had stopped until they pulled up outside the restaurant.

Baze opened Lux's door for her, and both he and Abby exchanged a glance when they realized she wasn't willing to drift more than a couple of feet away from either of them.

They were seated and ordered quickly. Lux was surprised at how hungry she was, though it wasn't really any surprise seeing as she had hardly eaten in almost two days.

"So she's a liar, a slut, and a fat pig too."

A voice caused Lux to pale and drop the piece of pizza she was eating, instinctively inching closer to Abby as Baze stood up.

Brynn moved in front of the table, Casey beside her. "He got suspended because of you. It's going to go on his permanent record. You know, he's never going to get into Columbia now, because you lied." Brynn's voice was filled with venom.

"I didn't lie." Lux mumbled as Abby wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Hey!" Baze's voice was filled with anger, and his eyes showed it as he starred down Brynn. "Back off now."

"Or what?" Brynn replied. "You'll hit me like you did my boyfriend. He didn't do anything wrong. Your slut of a daughter lied!" She directed at Lux.

Lux starred straight ahead, as if blocking out the world and it worried the adults. "Come on." Abby whispered, rubbing Lux's arm as she kept an arm around her shoulder and let her away from the table.

"Whore!" Casey yelled after her and Abby turned back, crossing the now silent restaurant quickly to stand in front of Baze, their expressions of pure hatred.

"Your boyfriend raped my niece." Abby spoke calmly but her tone was pure anger. "She's not a whore or a slut, she didn't lie, and you better keep your spoiled bratty little ass away from her or I will personally make your life a living hell."

Leaving the girls speechless, Abby grabbed Baze's shirt and pulled him out of the restaurant to where Lux stood robotically by the car.

Baze got in the driver's seat as Abby chose to sit in the back besides Lux. Lux starred out the window, her face pale, although she expressed no other emotions.

They pulled up outside of Cate's minutes later and Baze opened Lux's door for her to get out. Lux didn't move, not even flinching when Abby placed a hand on her back and led her inside, Baze following.

Cate emerged from her room at the sound of the front door, and was shocked to see the three, especially the condition they seemed to be in.

Lux walked past her and directly into the bathroom, despite all three adults calling after her. The shower started less than a second later and Cate stormed up to Baze and Abby furious. "What the hell happened?" She threw up her hands for emphasis.

"Brynn and Casey." Baze rubbed his head, unsure of what else to say or do. He was furious, and scared, and at a loss all at the same time.

Cate didn't need to hear more, her face turning to worry as she ran to the bathroom door. "Lux!" She banged on it hard, and upon hearing no response, opened it.

Lux sat curled up and sobbing on the shower floor, still fully dressed, and Cate's heart broke at the sight of her daughter.

She grabbed a towel and crossed the room, turning off the shower and wrapping the towel and her arms around Lux. Lux cried into her shoulder, exhausted. "I didn't lie." She sobbed and Cate nodded.

"I know, baby. I know."

Baze and Abby stood at the door, neither knowing what to do or how to help the broken teenager.