ABANDONING
To his concern, Linus found Lucy was in an open room, and even more concerningly, had begun openly demanding Violet meet her.
"Hey" he hissed, "Be careful"
She eyed him crossly, but Linus dismissed that in favour of making his case.
"I get it. As stupid and reckless as it is, I get why you're doing this. You're worried" he nodded, "about when we get back"
"Worried?. I just said that you're scared, okay" she responded, "Why don't you get going with your brother"
Linus stared her in the eyes, "I think you'll find I don't try to run off on my family"
"Oh for the love of…"
And Lucy, in that instant, suddenly went quiet, as it dawned on her exactly what he had said.
Linus gave a knowing smile, as steadily, Lucy raised her hands and took off the headgear, finally showing him who she really was. The siblings saw each other properly, more so than they'd done in ages.
"Linus…when did you…realise it was me?"
He put a hand on his chin, "Well, you kept your usual "tone of voice". And you happened to know a little too much about me. Then there's a few things you said…"
"I think I've got it" Lucy sighed, "I'm the only one who was trying to hide from the restraining order. But now stupid Violet knows this"
Linus snicked a bit at "stupid Violet"
"And unless I do something about that, I'll be in so much trouble…"
"…when word gets out. Lucy, if it has already then we'd better go back"
Lucy grumbled, "It's better for you if I settle this myself"
Linus gritted his teeth.
"Better for me. Like how it was "better for me" when you stole my security blanket". He saw her wince, "You only think about what's better for you"
"I thought it was better for me" she sighed.
Linus's anger began changing to pity, he approached her.
"We've been okay, and I'll put in a good word to defend you. Like I'm your lawyer".
Lucy was acting very uncertain.
"Lawyer?, Protect?. Little Brother, I…you joined the prosecuting side, to defend Charlie Brown"
"And I left it to defend you"
Linus hadn't revealed that to many, let alone her. Lucy began stuttering.
"You left the…uh "Anti-me squad" because of that"
"That not the name, and I left citing academic reasons, but yes"
Linus reached out, "Lucy, you said you'd try to trust me. Can you trust me?"
There was a quiet between them, as they considered what was the answer, and then it was broken by a chuckle.
A slight chuckle came from right behind his sister, and it kept going as they turned to find the source.
It was Violet, who emerged to greet them.
"Ah Linus" she questioned "I'm wondering whether you can trust her"
He immediately gritted his teeth in anger.
"Violet. I want an explanation. You got Rerun stuck in your house…"
He was cut off.
"No, my compatriots really insisted he stay, that's all" she defended herself.
Linus uncharacteristically scoffed.
"…Besides, he can go now. These said compatriots got bored, but now…"
And as lights flicked on, more folks from inside the homestead stationed themselves around the three of them, wearing a range of frowns, sly smiles, and sneers at both the Van Pelts.
"Good grief" Lucy muttered, "It was a trick. Linus, you're the brains, did you expect this might happen"
"Are you kidding me Lucy" Linus's eye twitched, "Yes"
"Actually, this isn't a trick. I really would like you two and Rerun to be here" Violet reasoned, and Linus stared at the rest.
"Hey Lucy" he leaned over to her, "all these guys. Aren't they familiar. They were in that clique you and Violet were in"
Violet nodded
"Let get to business, now, obviously, the bunch of the proclaimed "bully hunters" have left town"
Her smugness grew.
"…and Lucy, you'll be happy to know, that the last one is hours from leaving"
She gave the other girl a warm smile. She predicted how Lucy would feel about Black, the fiercest of the bunch, no longer breathing down her neck.
"And we wanted to celebrate the departure by…how should I put this lightly". And now she turned resentful, "by teaching a lesson to the little boy who guaranteed our misfortune.
Linus felt a chill run down his back. There was a reason his family had been involved, they were after him.
Lucy looked over to him, her face worrysome. Linus could tell she'd realised it was stupid of her to bring him here
"I'd thought coming here was Linus's call" Violet quiried "but of course it's you Lucy"
And for the second time, Violet figured the right thing to say, and to the Van Pelt's surprise, she patted Lucy on the back.
"It wasn't stupid. she meant to hand you right to us. As was by design"
Violet give Linus a knowing look, visibly implying him to see Lucy was behind this.
"She pushed our message to Rerun, kept an eye on you, she was so ready to take action, and whalla…"
She gestured at a shocked Linus.
"your sister is free to get even with her meddling blockhead little brother. As you were always aiming too, am I right Lucy.
Lucy was giving a blank expression, that very quickly had gone to shock and then horror. Eyes wide, she turned slightly and bellowed
"WHAT"
This had quickly angered her again, and Linus saw her look at her former cohort's"
"Hey. Wasn't that the end goal anyway" one of them spat "wasn't it Lucy"
There was a pause, and Lucy spun around to face her brother.
"Linus. I swear. I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THEM. You believe in far fetched stuff, but are you going to believe her"
Linus, taken aback, then almost unconsciously kept himself frowning. He couldn't help feeling disappointed.
"I guess she didn't trust you, eh Linus" Violet taunted, "if you were truly loyal to each other, she'd know you'd not believe what I say. Gullible maybe?
Violet smirked at a scared Linus, and Lucy daring her to elaborate
"But she rarely cares about whatever you think…..No, she's looking out for her, and herself only"
"Oh, stay there and watch my back Linus" Lucy said, advancing, "I've heard enough from her"
Violet only shook her head.
"Linus, you've been asked to watch her back. But…..what about his own?".
It took a second for Linus to realise what that meant.
From right behind him, Thibault took his chance.
"I've been wanting this for half a year in the making" he siezed Linus by the shoulder of his shirt, yanking the scared boy to face him "and your sister's selfish choices made it too easy.
Linus was too late. Thibault swung his fists out at him, and struck him in the leg, very hard, again and again. With a inaudible sob of pain, Linus was knocked to the ground.
"Linus!"
Lucy was also too late to do much more than watch. But she ran over, between the two boys, shielding Linus from further attack.
"You won't try that again. You hear me" she cried.
Instead, she felt pain herself. Thibault quickly hit and shoved her down as well, his leg treading on her toes, purely to be petty.
"I guess he will" Linus winced as he got up.
Lucy quickly did the same, as both of them now stumbled as they pushed to get themselves out to the next room, as quickly as they could.
After that, then they went through a few more rooms, to gain distance.
"Are they?…"
"No Lucy, they're not following, yet"
"That blockhead Thibault, trending on my toes and doing that stuff. He oughta…"
"LUCY" Linus was clenching his fists, "You "oughta" listen to….."
Linus clenched his punched leg, his breathing heavy, as Lucy stared, now more concerned.
"…my leg is sprained. I'm limping. Let's keep going"
He kept limping forward, and when beside her, Lucy got his arm around her shoulder, helping him stand. Linus felt like rebuking her, but she was ignoring that.
Loud footsteps were heard from around the manor, and the two of them knew they were being searched for as they got to Rerun.
He noticed then, "Hey, what's going…"
Then Rerun became tense.
"…Big brother, your leg…and….you know about Lucy"
"I'm not stupid and naive you two" Linus frowned at them both, "Glad to find out you were excluding me, again"
His sarcasm was obvious, and his siblings began to protest.
"We're halfway out. If we keep going"
"LUCY NO" Linus said, "those footsteps are getting closer. And I need someone as a crutch. I'm dragging you down"
"No you're not. You're not thinking straight"
"I'm an above average student now. So yes I am"
Linus barely held his temper, "…We stick with the plan. Rerun needs to leave"
"You can't ask for the three of us to force our way out"
The middle sibling sighed, "Yes I can. And it's just two of us sneaking out"
He knew now his family's safety couldn't come freely. He threw himself from his sister, and jolted backwards.
"Little brother wait"
"Big brother don't do this"
"…and I'm demanding you leave" Linus persisted, "even without me"
Now he was separated from them, Linus knew what decision his sister was going to take.
"Linus. I shouldn't lea…"
"I'll hide. Now get out of here Lucy"
Linus was far enough away, and he was gone from sight.
Rerun was tempted to follow, but Lucy was implying him to come with her.
Now the siblings went much faster through the household, and reached the front door, pushing it open.
"We made it out" Lucy turned back briefly, scarcely believing the luck of not running into anyone.
And then, to her anger, she saw Violet from a window a floor up, smiling down.
"Good, Lucy and Rerun. Yes "you" made it out"
And a fake smile came on her face as the remaining Van Pelt siblings looked mortified.
"I'm at a loss why a selfish brat like you would think of being anything else" she gestured "I guess you tried your best, but you're nothing without your brother"
And she went away from the window. The two siblings stared where she'd been.
Linus hadn't come out, and there was no sign of him. Which could only mean that he'd been abandoned inside.
Lucy swallowed, "This…this.."
Rerun whipped around to face Lucy, and he was enraged.
"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT" he yelled.
And Rerun, before he could be stopped, was long gone from her.
A/N: So a lot to unpack in that chapter. And next will see the trail of reactions.