Carpool Crisis

While the rest of the world celebrated the beginning of a new year, Katie Ryan was beginning to feel the unfortunate effects of her lithium withdrawal. But worse than anything physical were the mood swings. Katie never knew if she would wake up depressed or ready to face the world's challenges. And her life contained no shortage of challenges right now, that was for sure. Her sister's face lit up the screen of her cell phone in the darkened room where she lay staring at the ceiling, and it was the only thing that could have made her bother to pick it up. "What?" she groaned. "I'm busy resenting being alive. This better be important."

"I remembered everything," said Melissa's voice. "Is that a worthy enough reason to be glad you picked up? Think you can meet me at school, and we can walk Bobby home today? It might do you some good; you sound like crap."

"I'm not sure tough love is the way to go today," Katie admitted. "I actually can't move. Even though I'm somehow both thirsty and need to go to the bathroom simultaneously. Stupid bloody lithium!"

"That's what you get for taking it inconsistently," Melissa pointed out, and she could almost picture her sister's scowl through the phone. "Stop frowning; it'll make you look old."

"Look who's talking," her sister grumbled, but for once, worry pushed through the numb lethargy that usually dragged her down on days like this. "Are you okay? Is this just about having company on the school run? You know how I hate that place; I was never a goody two shoes like you."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Melissa laughed, and the next thing Katie knew, her sister was hammering mercilessly on her bedroom door. "Get up! I need you with me out there today, okay?"

"I really don't like you sometimes," Katie muttered, opening the door and glowering at her sister. "What happened to meeting at school?"

"I could tell from the sound of your voice that you wouldn't have bothered to come." How well Melissa knew her even while recovering from a brain injury freaked Katie out more than she would ever admit. "This was the only way I could think of to drag you out the door myself. Now, get moving!"

"Are you sure you have a traumatic brain injury?" said Katie cynically. "The bossiness is completely normal for you. Would my protests at being forced outside do any good at all?"

"None whatsoever," said her sister smugly. "I've theoretically improved enough even to be able to drive, so there. Get your butt out here, now! We are going to be at the school gates when Bobby gets out, whether you like it or not."

At the school, meanwhile, Logan cornered Jamie in the hallway before his cousin could disappear in the throngs of students heading home. "Are you supposed to walk me home today? Mama Q never mentioned anything this morning."

"I usually only walk you home when you don't have a ride," Jamie pointed out, and the younger boy frowned at him. "Stop looking so worried all the time, knucklehead. Look over there!"

Logan followed the direction of Jamie's pointing finger and beamed. Quinn's Jeep stood in a prime parking spot, clearly visible from the doorway. Without so much as a goodbye to Jamie, he darted towards the car and tackled his mother. "Mom, you came!"

"I was challenging myself to get out of bed," Quinn admitted. "Luckily, Tree Hill High isn't a super judgmental place, especially the parents in your grade."

"I don't know, even second-graders suck sometimes," her son informed her. "Remember Bobby Ryan, the kid I told you about who got into a fight with me last year over the presentation about our family?" Quinn gave a confused nod, and her son continued: "He's still acting super weird around me, and I don't know why. Sometimes, he says nasty things for no reason, or he pushes me around and steals my lunch. Why are kids so mean?"

"Maybe I should have another word with his mother?" Quinn mused. "Did that make a difference the last time?"

"I guess so," Logan shrugged, reaching for the car door. "Are you ready to go home?" There was no answer, and Logan twisted around, his hand already holding the Jeep's door open. "Earth to Mama Q!" When he laid eyes on his mother's pale face, Logan frowned and squeezed her hand tightly. "Mom, what's going on? You look just like Dad did the other day picking me up. This isn't like funny duck weird; you're freaking me out."

Quinn abruptly dropped her son's hand, and her voice sounded foreign even to her own ears as she said tightly: "Wolverine, get in the car, please…I'll be right back."

Logan was just about to oblige when he followed the direction of her wide-eyed gaze. "That's Bobby over there," he said nervously. "Are you really going to give him the talking to right now? I didn't mean immediately; it's okay…really."

"Logan, I said get in the car!" Quinn snapped and stalked towards the school entrance without looking back.

Just outside the main building, Katie stood adjusting the straps on Bobby's backpack for him. It should have been a simple task, but she fumbled with it nonetheless because she kept looking up at her sister. Melissa's arm slipped around Bobby's shoulders when the worry in his eyes mirrored his aunt's. "Would you both stop looking at me like I'm going to black out at any second? I'm fine, I promise. In fact," she continued pointedly: "I probably have more practice with those fiddly straps than you do. Need a hand?"

"It's a backpack, not rocket science," Katie huffed, giving the offending strap a final tug. "How's that?"

"Fine," said Bobby vaguely, taking her hand and squeezing lightly. "I'm glad you both came today. I wish we didn't have to go home yet."

"That's not exactly a normal sentiment about one's home." Katie gave her sister a pointed look. "Now that his crimes against humanity are coming back to you, any new plan to get away from Kevin yet, Mel?"

"The last time I tried was to come and visit you, which ended in a concussion," Melissa sighed. "Not exactly a promising start, is it? Also, crimes against humanity? Isn't that just the slightest bit over the top?"

"I live over the top," said Katie airily. "It's way more fun than sticking it out with a psycho. If I could get rid of him for you, I would."

"I love you for that, Katie-Cat, but I think I need to face this on my own. Your idea of problem-solving usually lands you behind bars. I don't want to lose you again, understand?"

"That's not going to happen," Katie replied fiercely. "I'd like to see that asshole try and take me down! I'm on your side, no matter what anyone says, law enforcement or otherwise."

"One would think you, of all people, would be a little more mindful of what law enforcement thinks of you, considering your history," her sister pointed out, and Katie grimaced at her.

"Low blow! I haven't done anything worthy of getting in trouble with the cops in ages," she argued. "In fact, the only person in law enforcement who totally has it in for me is your husband. Am I wrong?"

"That's an ironic question for you to be asking," said an icy voice, and Katie dropped Bobby's hand and looked up. "I could recite a long list of your wrongdoings, but I wouldn't want to do it with children present."
While Katie gaped at her speechlessly, Quinn shifted her gaze to Melissa. "Mrs. Riley, I'm sorry to bother you, but were you aware that Bobby has been picking on my son? Multiple times a week, he comes home with stories of stolen lunches and being pushed around. Do you have any idea why that is?"

"I…I'm sorry," Melissa stammered. "Things have been difficult at home. I could reimburse you for the lunches. My husband has a temper, so sometimes Bobby leaves home without food to escape him faster. I didn't mean for anyone else to suffer just because he does."

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Quinn sincerely. "I could forgive stealing the lunches occasionally, even if asking to share would be more productive. What I can't forgive is how Bobby talks to my son about me and his deceased mother. I guess what I want to know is…why would an eight-year-old tell another kid his mother died to get away from him? There has to be more to that story, right? If not, it's simply inhumane! Does he have something to say for himself?"
Melissa's jaw dropped, and she looked down at Bobby, whose face had turned bright red. His little hand still pressed against her back, as if constantly needing to touch his mother.

"Logan might as well hear this too," Bobby sighed finally, breaking the awkward silence, and Quinn spun around to see her son lurking just behind her. "I was jealous, okay? Most days, when my Mom drives me to school, it's after a night of Dad getting drunk and hitting her in places no one can see. I was really tired of not being able to do anything about it, so I took it out on your perfect life. I-I'm sorry, okay?"

"You could have just told me that instead of insulting my Mommy," Logan muttered. "It's kind of a sore spot; stories are all I have of her. You're lucky your Mom loves you enough to keep you safe from your crazy father."

Katie flinched at Logan's casual use of the word crazy, and Quinn stepped in front of her son once more as she aimed a glare at the bipolar woman. "Don't think my compassion for your family's situation means anything has changed," she said in a dangerously low voice. "If you ever come near my family again, I'll get you locked up for good. Stay the hell away from my husband, or else!"

Before Katie could formulate a response, both Melissa and Bobby were tugging her away from Quinn as if they could feel the rage radiating off the other woman. Not feeling nearly as satisfied as she had hoped, despite resolving a big problem for her son, Quinn let Logan lead her back to the Jeep. By the time she got behind the wheel, Quinn's adrenaline was already fading. She pulled over the car near the River Court and let her head graze the steering wheel, gasping as a delayed reaction panic attack took hold.

The minute the car stopped, Logan knew he had to do something. One hand squeezed his mother's shoulder as he stood up and reached towards the front passenger seat, where Quinn had dumped her phone before she started driving. Logan dialled Clay's number from memory and waited, praying his father would pick up. Relief flooded through him when the eight-year-old heard Clay's voice.

"Dad, meet Mom and me at the Rivercourt. It's an emergency!"

"What are you talking about, Wolverine? What's going on?"

"She confronted the kid who's been picking on me and his mother in front of the school," Logan explained so hurriedly that Clay could hardly make out his words. "There was another lady with them. I think it was the same one you saw hanging around when you came to pick me up a few days ago."

"No," Clay gasped. "Stay put, buddy. I'm on my way!"

Before Logan could even make a quip about how he couldn't drive yet, even if he had wanted to, his father had hung up. Instead, he shifted into the front passenger seat beside his mother and held her trembling fingers tightly. Even though her head was bowed, he could see the tears dripping into her lap. The image brought back memories of the devastation over Christmas, and Logan grimaced even as he held Quinn's hands steady. "It's okay, everything's going to be okay, I promise."

A/N The angst continues, enjoy everyone! xx