Thalia

I winced as Rhys placed one of the ice packs Fiona gave us on my cheekbone, slightly below my eye. But that quick, sharp pain soon melted into cool relief as the ice began to sooth my bruise. He'd already had an ice pack on his eye, one which he was holding himself.

"I'm sorry, about everything. The fighting, the punching, the arguing, it was stupid." Rhys muttered. "You shouldn't' have been caught in the cross-fire either." He placed down his ice pack and tilted my face so that he could see my skin more clearly. "That was honestly even stupider."

I picked up the ice pack that Rhys had put down and placed it back onto his eye with a small smile. "Well, stupid is sort of in the contract when you're in cahoots with the Ronans." I joked.

Rhys chuckled and shrugged. "True."

I rolled my eyes playfully and I saw the mirror on the fridge out of the corner of my eye. It was then I noticed how ridiculous we looked. I snickered and Rhys looked at me in confusion.

"What's so funny?" He asked.

"We look like clowns." I replied.

Rhys smirked. "Friends who clown together, stay together." He stated.

I laughed even harder and grinned at him. "Rhys, that was the stupidest thing I've ever heard come out of your mouth."

Rhys' previous smile seemed to falter as he processed my words. Then I suddenly remembered how Corey had called his stupid. I silently cursed and reminded myself to give him hell for it next time he spoke.

"Rhs," I began softly. "I'm...I'm sorry. You didn't deserve to be called those names that Corey called you."

"I mean, he's kind of right." Rhys said, placing down the ice pack in his hand and pulling himself up to sit on the counter top with me. "Everyone else is all tough, macho, and intimidating. And then...there's me, the bubbly, blonde tag-along. What do I really do? Make jokes, get confused about what's around me, and barely process shit." Rhys sighed and looked down. "I might as well face it, out of everyone in the mob, I'm the group retard."

"No you're not." I said, turning so I could see him better. "You're not even close." I turned his face so that he was looking at me in the eyes and smiled softly. "Rhys, if anything, you're the heart of this operation, okay? You being a jokester just makes you the glue holding this group together, and that makes you one of the most important people here."

Rhys' eyes grew a small glimmer in them and he smiled. "You really think so, Tal?"

"Oh I know so, Rhys. Plus, Corey wasn't in his right mind. That was just his anger talking. He'll come around." I said.

Before I could react, Rhys gave me a tight hug. "You're the best." He grinned.

I scoffed and waved my hand at his dismissively. "Of course I am. What about me ISN'T the best?"

Peter

I winced as mother applied more rubbing alcohol to the wound on my temple. "Damn, it mom! That shit hurts!" I growled.

"Oh shut your cry baby ass up." She scoffed. I huffed and she leaned away. "There. Finished. Are you happy?"

"Yeah." I muttered. I looked at my face in the mirror. Of course my jaw was still bruised from where Corey had managed to land a solid punch, but it was nothing that makeup couldn't handle. I'm sure Fiona had some concealer I could use.

"That was quite the display you and Corey put on back there." My mother said.

I rolled my eyes. "You know good and well that I didn't start that."

"Oh, but you did finish it."

"YES! And I had every right to! I was trying to diffuse the situation and Corey's delusional ass just-"

Mother held up a hand. "Don't even start, Peter. Corey was in the wrong, but you were as well."

I gave her a look. "Huh?"

"You shouldn't have punched Corey back, Peter. You let your anger get the best of you and as a result, everyone is angry at one another." Mother said, folding her arms.

"Oh my-" I threw my hands up in exasperation. "Mom, PLEASE don't give me shit for this NOW!"

"Oh shut up!" She stated calmly. Though her voice was as chill as they come, it still radiated a scary amount of anger that I found to be unbelievable.

"You listen here, Peter. Your anger has been a major problem for as long as I can remember. It has caused this family numerous problems and endless amounts of money. Frankly, it's annoying."

I scoffed in offense and opened my mouth to speak, but mother held up a hand to cut me off. "But," She began. "That's one of the things that made you just like your father." She grew a distant look and sighed. "He was just like you are now when he was younger: ambitious, determined, protective, loyal, handsome."

"Mom, please don't give me this talk right now. I don't want to hear about you and dad's bedroom endeavors."

Mother gave me a look before rolling her eyes. "Just listen!" She hissed. I instantly shut my mouth. "Peter, you can be a handful sometimes, but other times, you're everything I could ever want and more." She held out her arms and I rolled my eyes, holding back a smile before leaning down and hugging her petite frame.

"Peter, I don't blame you for what you did. I understand you were just trying to protect everyone at first, but you allowed everything to get out of hand. THAT'S what makes me upset." She said.

"I'm sorry, mom." I replied.

She stroked my hair softly. "Its fine, Pete. It's fine."

We sat in silence for a moment, just hugging like that for the longest.

"I do expect you to apologize to everyone though."

"MOM!"