Enjoy :)

Tw: verbal manipulation, verbal abuse, just Shadow Weaver in general. This isn't a fun chapter

Having to recover again wasn't fun. Catra went through the stages of pain all over again. Luckily she had some strong pain meds ready. It was a painful few weeks of lying in bed and trying to stay active as much as possible.

During that time, unfortunately, Catra discontinued her therapy treatment. Mara couldn't afford to pay for it. Catra fully understood and told her not to worry about it. Once she was able to, she'd find a job and earn her own money. Things would be alright.

That is, until one day there was a knock at the front door.

Catra, Adora, Bow, Glimmer, Scorpia and Perfuma were all hanging out in the house. They had wanted to see Catra and check up on her. Especially Scorpia. The girl had been super concerned after Catra's hospital visit, texting her every day. It was endearing. The group was watching tv and eating snacks and doing stupid activities Catra thought were pointless. Like doing hair.

The sudden knock was a surprise. They weren't expecting anybody. They all looked at one another, confused. Adora was the one who got up from her spot on the couch. She walked over to the front door, opening the door a crack. She saw a woman standing there.

Catra's caseworker?

Adora's stomach dropped. She looked back at the others.

"It's your caseworker." She announced, looking at Catra.

Adora turned back to the door, opening it wide. The caseworker, Spinnerella, perked up when she noticed the door swung open. She smiled kindly.

"Hi. I'm Spinnerella. Catra's caseworker. Is Catra here?"

Adora nodded.

"Yeah. Come in."

Letting the women in, Adora shut the door quietly. She went over to Catra, who was now standing up, a confused expression.

"Hey." Catra greeted. "Is everything alright?"

Spinnerella had a grim look on her face.

"We need to talk." She said.

That couldn't be good.

Catra led her to the kitchen to talk. Adora immediately texted Mara to let her know what was happening. She and her friends talked, keeping their voices down, while they waited.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Glimmer asked.

Adora sat down in her previous spot, shrugging uselessly. She had a bad feeling.

"I don't know." She chewed on her lip anxiously.

After what felt like an eternity, Catra and her caseworker walked back out. Spinnerella bid them all a good day before walking out the front door, closing the door behind her. Catra stood there in the middle of the room, an unreadable expression on her face.

Adora watched her, worry gnawing at her.

"Cat?" She spoke up.

Catra seemed to be shaken out of her thoughts, looking around before landing on Adora. Catra crossed her arms, her posture giving away she was bothered.

"What did your caseworker say?" Bow asked. "Is everything ok?"

Catra pressed her lips together tightly, not making eye contact with anyone. She shook her head silently.

"What happened?" Adora asked, standing up.

She walked over to Catra. The shorter girl refused to look at her, obviously upset. Adora wanted to help fix whatever was wrong.

"Talk to me, baby." She pleaded. "What's wrong?"

Catra laughed darkly. She looked at the floor, shuffling her feet.

"I have to go back home." She finally said.

Adora's eyes widened.

"What?!" Everyone shouted in perfect unison.

Catra jumped at the volume. She tightened her crossed arms.

"That's what I said." She snorted.

Adora was speechless. Catra had to go back home? To that woman! Who's horrible idea was that? Why would they do that?

Adora grasped for words, trying to put them in order.

"Why?" Was all she could get out.

Catra took a deep breath and exhaled with a sigh.

"My caseworker said that since I left before starting the process of emancipation, my mother" she hissed out that last word, "called me in as a runaway. I have to go back since I'm a minor and there wasn't a legal investigation for abuse. The cops and everyone has done this the wrong way."

Catra ran her hands through her hair, groaning in frustration.

"I knew it was too easy. There's no way I could've just simply left."

"But Sharon said you could go." Adora said, getting worked up. "Did she know you couldn't go?"

Catra shrugged.

"I don't know but wouldn't surprise me. She's a lawyer. I have to go back or else Mara will be charged with kidnapping or sheltering a runaway and that's illegal."

Adora felt like her world was crumbling. Catra couldn't go back. Her life was in danger there. Sharon might kill Catra if she went back. Adora thought back to when she last went to Catra's house. The police hadn't done a thing to help. They probably didn't even file the incident. A thought came to mind.

"Why didn't the city cops do anything when I rescued you from your house that day? They didn't even try to arrest her."

Catra shrugged. "Beats me, no pun intended."

She snorted at the dark joke, but Adora didn't find it funny.

"I'll call my sister to let her know about this."

"When do you have to leave?" Bow asked.

Catra sighed. "Tomorrow. My mom must've changed her mind and decided that she wanted me back so I can suffer."

Her expression darkened. She shook her head.

"Should've known this was all too good to be true. Things were finally ok. Of course she comes and fucks it all up."

Catra shrugged dramatically, letting her hands slap her thighs.

"Guess I should start packing my stuff." She said and walked away.

Adora stood there, frozen.

This couldn't be happening. Why was this happening? Why to Catra?

A hand on her shoulder made her look up. Glimmer stood beside her, a determined look on her face.

"We're here for you both." She said. "This can't be how it ends. We'll figure it out. I'm sure her mom wouldn't harm her as soon as she gets there. There'll probably be people watching for a while. She can't be that careless."

That was true. Sharon has spent so much time making sure no one found out about the abuse. Surely, she wouldn't do anything right away. That gave them time to come up with a plan.

Adora felt a spark of hope rise. She nodded, smiling. Glimmer pulled her in for a hug. Adora felt better. They'd figure it out.

"Thanks you guys." She said. "Now let's go tell that to Catra. She's the one who needs to hear that."

They did just that. Catra was less optimistic and more emotionally closed off, but allowed the hugs and reassuring words to sink in. She was grateful for the support.

After a bit of helping Catra pack her stuff, Mara  came home. They explained what happened. Mara was horrified and furious. They all talked about it, while Catra threw all her stuff into a trash bag. She didn't have a suitcase, so it would have to do. They hadn't done much shopping for Catra, with all the drama and time spent recovering from injuries, they hadn't really gotten in a normal way of life yet.

Catra pretty much had the same things she had when she first came to live with the Grayskulls, with a few of Adora's hoodies that Catra claimed.

Packing didn't take too much time. Their friends were shocked at how little Catra owned. Catra felt the tiniest bit of shame, unable to look at anyone when the observation was mentioned.

Mara ordered food, not in the mood to cook dinner. She welcomed their friends to stay. So, the group of teens hung around, not wanting to leave Catra yet.

------

That night, Adora and Catra were restless. Catra was quiet and closed off. Adora somewhat understood why. It wasn't exactly a great day.

She looked at Catra's back, knowing Catra was wide awake. The silence was tense. Adora wanted nothing more than to hold Catra, not knowing when they'd get a chance to do this again. Yet, she knew if she pushed too soon, Catra would just run. That would hurt so much.

Adora decided to simply speak.

"Catra?" Her voice was soft and quiet, breaking the silence. "You awake?"

Adora heard Catra shifting. She turned around so she was facing Adora.

"Yeah." She said, her voice even and emotionless.

Adora wished Catra would talk to her instead of bottling things up all the time. She wanted to be there for her when Catra was obviously in turmoil.

"Can I hold you?" She asked hesitantly.

A moment of silence passed before Catra scooted close to Adora. Adora felt the tension leave her body, draping an arm around Catra's waist. Catra curled up, her head tucked under Adora's chin. Fit perfectly.

"You know that I love you, right?" Adora asked.

Catra nodded minutely.

"Yeah. I love you too."

Adora squeezed her a little tighter.

"And you know that I won't rest until you're safe from that woman, right? I will not leave you or abandon you while you're with that woman. We'll figure this out. Together."

Catra was quiet.

"So... we're not breaking up?"

Breaking up? Why would they do that?

Adora pulled away a little to look at Catra.

"Why would we break up?" She questioned. "I'm not giving up on you, Catra. You leaving physically doesn't mean I love you any less. We're going to make this work and one day we can together again. It's only a few months until your birthday. Once you're eighteen, you can legally leave. So, don't worry."

They resumed their cuddle positions. Catra burrowed into the crook of Adora's shoulder and neck.

"Thanks." She whispered. "For not giving up on me. I don't think anyone else would've put up with me and my shit for this long. I'm surprised you're still willing to stay with me. Personally, I'd rather you be as far away from my mess as possible."

Catra then tensed up in Adora's arms.

"Promise me you won't show up out of nowhere again."

Adora frowned.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

Catra pulled away from the embrace. She sat up.

"I mean, promise me you won't come to my house without me asking you to." She explained. "I want my mom to forget about you and Mara. The less she sees you as a threat, the better your life will be. I can handle it, but I won't let her go after you. You don't deserve her anger. Ok?"

Adora sat up. She could see almost perfectly right then, seeing Catra giving her a serious look. She meant what she said.

"Catra-"

"Promise me." Catra said again.

Adora sighed, not wanting a fight to occur.

"I promise. However,"

She held up a finger to shush Catra from arguing. Catra stayed silent. Adora continued.

"If you need me or if you're in danger, you call me or Mara and we will be there at your house to come get you. Promise you'll try to call me if anything happens. If you can contact me, that is. Just promise you'll try to find a way to get to someone if something does happen."

Catra nodded.

"I promise I'll call if I can." Adora accepted that answer.

She sighed in exhaustion. Lying back down, she let Catra lie on top of her. Adora soaked in the feeling of Catra. Her soft fur, her scent of fire and grass, the weight of her body on top of her, her steady breathing. She burnt the memory in her brain, not ready to let her go.
-----------------

The drive to Catra's home was silent and tense. Catra and Adora sat in the back, Mara driving with Spinnerella in the passenger seat.

Catra and Adora held hands, their grip tight. Adora didn't mention that Catra's hand trembling. She just held her, taking in their time together.

The car pulled up to the house. Of course, Sharon was standing on the front porch, looking every bit poised and evilly elegant as ever. Catra looked out the window at her childhood home. She inhaled nervously.

"Catra?" Adora whispered, getting her attention.

Catra looked at her. Adora looked at her worriedly.

"It's ok. I'll be right there until we have to leave."

Catra took little comfort in those words.

Until we have to leave.

She'd be alone with Sharon eventually. Nonetheless, she knew Adora was trying to be comforting. Catra nodded, unbuckling her seatbelt. The four got out of. They immediately started to bring Catra's things into the house. When they approached Sharon, the woman barely glanced at Catra before turning to the caseworker.

"Thank goodness you brought her back." She told Spinnerella, relief in her voice. "We haven't had the best relationship lately, so I understand her wanting to get away for a bit, but after a few weeks, I got worried something happened to her."

Catra didn't utter a word. Adora glared at the woman.

"Yes." Spinnerella replied. "Teenagers can be emotional at times and I think she just needed time away. I will need to inspect the home before I go."

This had to be it. Surely, they'd see the horrible conditions Catra had to live in.

Surprisingly, Sharon agreed immediately, letting them in.

Adora stayed between Sharon and Catra. Sharon gave a quick tour of the home, letting Spinnerella inspect each room. When they got to Catra's room, Sharon opened the door.

Catra and Adora's jaws dropped.

This couldn't be right. It was an entirely new room. There was carpeted floors. Colored walls. Windows.

A bed with a nightstand next to it. There were posters on the wall, picture frames on a desk.

The four entered the room. Spinnerella looked around.

"This is nothing like how you described." She commented, looking at Catra skeptically.

Catra was frozen. She looked around at the alien environment. This had to be a trick. She'd never had a bed here, much less colored walls.

"This isn't my room." She blurted out. "This wasn't here before. I swear."

Adora looked at her, agreeing.

"This wasn't." She told the caseworker.

Sharon waved away their claims.

"Oh that girl is a liar. She has always pinned me as the villain." She scoffed. "She's a trouble-maker and lies for attention. I'm so sorry she caused all those drama."

Catra looked at her mom.

"I'm not crazy!" She shouted.

Mara looked at her.

"We believe you." She said quietly to Catra. "Adora saw it for herself."

Catra's shoulders slumped. At least someone was on her side. She listened as her mom labeled her as crazy and dramatic and all awful things. The woman was successfully deceiving the caseworker, her lies actually being believed. Adora, powerless to stop any of it, held Catra's hand, not letting go. Sharon would pay for this.

"Well, I find no issues here." Spinnerella finally said. "I'll leave you be for now, but I'll be checking in every so often to see how things are. I would recommend some counseling for Catra. I think it would benefit her greatly."

Sharon nodded in agreement.

"Oh, of course. I'll be sure to look into it. Perhaps even family therapy." She said.

The caseworker seemed happy enough and she ushered Adora and Mara out. Adora hugged Catra, careful of her back.

"I love you." She whispered.

Catra nodded.

"Love you too. I'll see you at school."

Pulling away, Adora was pulled by Mara out of the house. Catra felt her heart shatter as the three walked out of the house. Once the door closed, Sharon locked it. A familiar sense of dread washed over Catra when her mom turned to face her.

Sharon's face darkened.

"So... you thought you could get away from me."

Sharon slowly approached Catra. Catra froze in place, her old habits coming back to light. She avoided eye contact with the woman as she towered over her menacingly. A rough hand gripped her chin, making her look up. Catra clenched her jaw, looking her mom in the face.

Sharon sneered at her.

"Things are going to change around here. You're going to wish you'd never left in the first place. Adora isn't here to protect you. I expect your cooperation from now on, unless you want Adora and her family to suffer instead."

Catra felt her heart pound. She shook her head.

"No ma'am. I'll do whatever you want. Just don't hurt Adora."

Sharon smirked.

"Good. For once, you listen."

She released Catra. Catra took a step back.

"You'll sleep in the basement. I'll allow you to bring a blanket at night." Sharon said, authority in her voice. "If I catch you sleeping in that bed, your food privileges will be decreased."

Catra nodded obediently.

Sharon continued, pacing.

"Like before, you will do your chores and school work and stay out of my way. You will not use your room unless it is for when your caseworker comes to check on you. Until that woman leaves for good, I can't leave bruises or marks, but believe me."

The woman went serious.

"Your life here will be much worse from now. Now, go. No dinner for tonight. You've upset me too much. I don't want to see your face out of the basement unless it's to use the bathroom. Understand?"

Catra swallowed thickly. She nodded.

"Yes, Ma'am." She replied.

Catra turned and began to take her stuff down to the basement. She stored the boxes of stuff against the wall, in the corner out of the way. Once that was done, Catra surveyed they space. It was as if basement switched with her bedroom. Cold cement floors, bare walls, cold, dark.

Catra spotted a dirty mattress in the corner. She scoffed.

"At least she showed me some mercy."

Walking over to the mattress, she sat down on it, tossing her blanket over herself. Catra kicked off her shoes. She changed her clothes, getting into lounging clothes. Climbing into bed, she fell asleep, thankfully escaping from her reality.

So yeah. Comment your thoughts :)