Having the Outcasts around without Clark felt wrong in a way. It felt as though there was something missing.

It was clear the Outcasts themselves weren't accustomed to it either in the way that Ophelia would crack a joke and look round to where Clark would have likely stood only to remember and laugh it off awkwardly; in the way Geo would see something - more often then not, a puppy on the street - and turn to tug on Clark's sleeve and show him, only to be met with no one; in the way Jethro kept his hands tucked in his pockets or crossed over his chest, one always resting over his phone, for fear that he may reach out and have his hand fall on empty space.

Jethro refused to say more about what was going on with Clark than telling them not to try and convince him and that he's not angry. Eventually, the others let it go.

Regardless of the clear hole in the group, George felt safer with them around. They pitched themselves a possible ten minute walk from George's and George wondered distantly whether Clark had still helped with the cost.

"Alright, we've been up here a few days and we still don't have any plan for what to do if he shows up other than to just beat his ass." Ophelia stated from draped over George's couch.

"I'm down to keep it maim on sight but that may make it tricky if they're taking him to court. There's no more free trial in juvy for us, it's straight to big boy prison if we get done for assault." She continued and George was only mildly afraid of the casual tone in which she still spoke.

"You know we'll only be taken in if it's deemed category one or two, right? And that'll only be six months, there's no way he could claim it as racially aggravated. We'll likely get a slap on the wrist, maybe a fine, and be off." Geo countered. Ophelia sat up and raised an eyebrow in a silent 'think about who we're dealing with here'. "...oh yeah."

"If we batter ourselves up some we could try and pull self defence?" Jethro offered. "Just keep away from any people and cameras and he'll have no evidence he didn't make the first move." Geo nodded, looking to Ophelia once more.

"The guy is a fully grown, rich, famous and heterosexual white male." Ophelia stated and Jethro quirked his head slightly, not understanding how that disproved his preposition.

"Who do you think people are going to believe more? A well established, seemingly previously innocent, adult white man or a group of sketchy looking teenagers from south England?" She asked and Jethro huffed, knowing she had a point.

"Guys, no ones- no ones going to be assaulting anyone, what the fuck?" George finally managed to get out around an almost impressed kind of shock.

"You're just here to make sure Damien doesn't catch me alone. If he actually comes, you stay with me and maybe start recording, it could give us some evidence. He's less likely to do something if there's more of us and if he does then you can catch it on camera." George reasoned.

"So we're just supposed to pop up when you call, whip out our phones and record it as you two battle it out? Not as fun but I guess it'll work." Ophelia shrugged and George sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"No ones going to be.. battling it out." He sighed and Ophelia flopped back onto the couch with a huffed 'boring'.

////:\\\\
10/06/21

Clay <3
Hi :)
1:01pm

Georgie 💕
Hi there
1:01pm
Can I help you?
1:01pm

Clay <3
Just wanted to say hi, make sure you're okay
1:02pm

Georgie 💕
I feel like I've become a very young father
1:02pm
Ophelia keeps talking about beating Damien
1:03pm
Jethro is going through his emo phase
1:03pm
And Geo seems fine
1:03pm
But he has been texting a lot
1:04pm

Clay <3
Good luck with that XD
1:04pm

Georgie 💕
Wow
1:04pm
Leaving me to raise our kids alone
1:06pm

Clay <3
GEORGE
1:07pm
You're such an idiot
1:07pm
I actually have to go but I'll message later, okay?
1:08pm

Georgie 💕
Okay ttyl
1:08pm

Clay <3
Bye
1:08pm

Georgie 💕
Bye
1:08pm

Clay <3
Goodbye
1:09pm

Georgie 💕
Goodbye Clay
1:09pm

Clay <3
I love you <3
1:09pm

Georgie 💕
Just leave already
1:09pm
<3
1:12pm
Seen

////:\\\\

"Hey..." She sounded nervous, though the reason why was unclear "look, I know I haven't been the most... present in your life these last few years but... I want you to know that I am here. That I do care about you, even if I haven't been the best at showing it."

He simply smiled in response, dropping his head softly. "I know, Selene."

"Good. I just- I know you won't ever see me as- as your mother or anything, I'm only four years older than you, but... I didn't want that to mean you didn't see me as someone you could talk to." She stood and moved to sit on the couch beside Clark. "I can tell that something's bothering you, more than usual, I just wanted to make sure you knew you could confide in me if you needed someone. I can't stop or change Damien, we've both tried, but sometimes it can help to just... talk about it."

After a moments silence, Clark reach to place a bare hand on Selene's forearm. "Thank you." He pretended not to notice the way she winced at the sight of his arms.

"So.. do you want to talk about it?" She offered gently, placing her hand on top of Clark's. He contemplated it for a moment, sitting straighter to look around for any possible sign of Damien. He was scheduled to be at the hospital for a few more hours but you can never be too certain.

"My friends - the band Damien manages - have a plan to try and get rid of him. They're collecting evidence of everything he's done and will probably use it to take him to court. I tried telling Jethro it wouldn't work but he wouldn't listen." She softly ran her thumb over Clark's knuckles.

"And I know it's selfish but I want it not to work." He sighed, running his free hand through his hair. "Because, if it works, that's it for us. Me, you, Aurelia... if it works, we fall through the cracks and we end up with nothing." He pulled on the strands roughly. "I can't let that happen to Aurelia... but I can't just ask Clay and George to give each other up either... I can't ask the whole band to continue letting him take their humanity from them for me." Selene reached to carefully pry the fist in his hair away.

"Clark, you're the smartest guy I've ever met." Clark raised his eyebrows sceptically but Selene continued. "Don't give me that, you are." She softly bumped his shoulder. "And I know that, either way, you will be doing everything you can to keep Auri and your friends and me safe. So I'm not afraid." Clark was about to interrupt, to tell her that she should be, when she spoke again. "I know that you'll figure something out, whatever happens."

"You shouldn't put that kind of blind trust in me." Clark said, squeezing Selene's forearm.

"It's never let me down before." She countered. "Clark, you're trying to prevent the inevitable. There will be a day where we will find a way to get away from him and it's going to be so hard but we'll be fine... and you know why we'll be fine?" She jostled him lightly. "Because I know you'll be there. I know that you think you're doing what's best for us but there's no better option, just a sooner and a later."

"And, I don't know about you, but I'd prefer the sooner because that means this" she took Clark's forearm into her hands delicately, brushing over the scars and marks there "stops sooner. If their plan works, it will be difficult but we will make it through, I promise you."

"Stop worrying about us so much and worry about yourself and your friends for a second. You know Damien better than anyone and you clearly think they have a chance, you wouldn't be this worked if you didn't. I want you to rethink now, without worrying about me or Auri, and decide again. If you were there, if you helped them, it would work, wouldn't it?" Clark thought for a moment, not noticing his trembling hands until Selene took them into her own. He nodded softly.

"And do you want it to work?" She continued, searching Clark's face. "Do you want him gone?"

"Aurelia doesn't deserve that life..." Clark deflected and Selene sighed.

"And you think she deserves this one? Don't worry about her. As far as she's concerned, as long as you're in her life then she has everything she could ever want. You're her knight in shining armour regardless, Clark." Clark wanted to say that Selene was downplaying herself, that Aurelia adored as much, if not more, than she did Clark. For the first time in possibly Clark's entire life, no words came to him.

"So I'll ask again: do you want him gone?" Finally, Clark looked up and into Selene's eyes.

"Yes."

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