"Blood On The Ground" – Part 7

Summary and additional notes in part 1.

Author's Note: Language warning for this chapter.

FYI, there are a few OCs in this chapter. Nicki Foster and Yusuf Ahmad are GLBT club members introduced in chapter 16 of "Radiate". Dan Hayes is a friend of Owen's and was introduced in chapter 18 of the same fic.

Rating: M (for violence, language, and dark themes)

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

7-

Today was a new day and Adam felt slightly optimistic. Yesterday they had a great meeting in the GLBT club. After the initial reactions, there had been some teasing around about his fight. Then they got into a long discussion about bullying and bashing.

"You guys didn't get into a fight, Adam. Three against one is not a fight," Nicki insisted.

Adam nodded. "I know, but it sounds better than reminding people I was jumped."

She grinned at him. "Worried about the rep?" she teased.

"Well…" he shrugged. Everyone laughed.

"You were definitely bashed," Yusuf asserted as the laughter died down. "Gay bashing. Trans bashing. It's motivated by harming someone who is different."

"Right," Adam agreed. But he hated the term 'bashed'. It made him feel weak. He was reminded that despite finally reaching the point where he was accepted and loved by most people in his life, there still were people determined to hurt him for simply being who he was. He was sick of it. He had been dealing with this type of ignorance since he was nine years old.

"Now couldn't be a more appropriate time for the Stand Up Together rally," Yusuf continued.

"Fuck yeah!" Nicki agreed. She was happy that they were having their end of the semester rally this Friday. They needed it after starting off the week with such dismal news.

Nicki had been shocked when she heard Adam was jumped. She loved the kid – he was a good friend and leader – but he was such a guy. Though she knew he was transgendered, she saw Adam as a typical straight guy. He played basketball and worked out. She didn't see him as a candidate for being bashed, but she had been wrong. Any member of their community was a target, no matter how heteronormative they presented, and Adam was the most visible one in school.

"Did any of you see Owen around school?" Christopher asked curiously.

Alicia laughed. "I noticed that dipshit didn't show his face."

"Adam, what did you do?" Nicki teased.

He shrugged. "Guess we'll find out tomorrow, right?"

Like yesterday, he was hoping that Owen wouldn't show today. He wasn't sure if he could stay calm like he had promised Fiona, but he knew he had to try.

"You gonna stand out here all day?" Drew asked as he walked up to the school.

Adam smiled. "No. Let's go inside."

-oOo-

Owen scowled as he walked down the hall. His outward demeanor was menacing, which did wonders to hide the nervousness and embarrassment he felt inside. One minute he was getting revenge on Torres, the next he woke up alone and bloody in a deserted alleyway. Who knows how long he had been there. When he sat up, it felt like every muscle hurt. He eventually made it to the emergency room where he was treated for his bloody nose and busted lip. He also had bruised ribs, which meant he wouldn't be able to play football for the next few weeks. He was glad they were in the off-season but in January they were starting again. He was going to be rusty at a time he couldn't afford to. He needed football if he was going to make it to university.

"What are you looking at?" he growled defensively to a couple of sophomores. They quickly continued down the hall.

When he got to his locker he was relieved. He started on the combination when his friend, Dan Hayes, came up to him.

"Hey, man! Haven't heard from you," Dan started. He grimaced when Owen looked up. "Dude, what happened?"

"Shut up!" Owen sneered.

Dan raised his hands defensively. "Sorry to strike a nerve… You look like you've been run over by a train though."

"What the fuck, dude?" Owen said irritated. Dan's words were pissing him off and it hurt every time he moved his jaw.

Dan laughed. "For what it's worth, Torres looks fucked up."

Owen slightly grinned, ignoring the pain. "I heard."

"Dude was trying to cover it with a hat yesterday! Didn't work," Dan smirked.

Owen grabbed his final book and closed his locker. "Yeah, would have done more but Grober and Collins ran out on me."

"Pussies!" Dan jeered.

Owen laughed. "Yeah. Fuck 'em."

Dan paused. "Can't believe Goldsworthy and Torres did so much damage to your face," he commented. Owen's nose looked bruised and purple. His bottom lip simply looked painful.

Owen looked away. He knew Eli hadn't laid a finger on him but he didn't want to correct his friend. It was humiliating enough without people knowing that Adam was solely responsible for his injuries. "Well, they got lucky."

-oOo-

Bianca smirked when she saw Owen's face. She had heard he had taken some blows on Saturday but was shocked at how messed up his face looked. Her happiness was short-lived when she realized it was less likely that Owen would bury the hatchet now. His pride was too great.

She found herself walking down the hall to her best friend's class. She looked in through the glass windows and waited for him to notice her. It took awhile because he was busy flirting with his new girlfriend, but eventually he spotted her and stepped outside.

"What is it Bee?" Fitz said impatiently. He wanted to get back to shop class and spending time with Clare.

"It's about Owen."

He sighed. "What about him?" he said dispassionately. He was no longer friends with the boy and wasn't happy to hear that he assaulted Adam.

"He's not going to let things go. You have to talk to him," she pressed.

Fitz laughed. "And why would he listen to me? Weren't you in the cafeteria last month when he insinuated I wasn't 'working with a full set' because I told him to knock it off?"

Bianca pursed her lips. "You're the only one I can think of who might get through to him," she said honestly.

Fitz looked at her with concern. "Look… I know you love him, but this thing between him and Owen just has to run its course."

She frowned. "I don't love Adam!" she said defensively. "I… I just want him to be safe," she added quietly.

He gave her a knowing look. "Fine."

"Don't look at me like that," Bianca said annoyed.

Fitz laughed. "Okay, I'll talk to Owen," he agreed.

"Thank you."

.

tbc

A/N: Fear not, this isn't a triangle fic, but feelings rarely go away overnight… (The events of "Radiate" concluded just a few weeks earlier)

Ugh, what can you say about Owen? Still a jerk, even with a busted face! I'm going to update later tonight with chapter 8. Fitz and Owen talk…

Btw, I heart reviews :D