Over the last few nights Sawyer had been sleeping in her mother's bed while Rue slept in Gias. She really took what Ashtray said to heart, and she wanted to be there and shower her mom with love.

The house was starting to feel like home again. As best as the girls could make it.

Sawyer sat on the couch watching reels. Rue went to open the front door and Ali walked inside with two big bags of groceries in his hands.

"Could you?" Ali looked down at sawyer. She nodded and quickly got up from the couch taking of the bags from his hands.

Sawyer went to put the bag on the counter.

"Hi." Gia blankly let out. She stayed on the couch.

"I'm Ali nice to meet you." He greeted.

"You're rues sponsor?" She asked.

"Uh, I am. A better question is, uh, what're you doin' right now?"

"Nothing."

"Wanna help me cook?"

"Uh I can help." Rue looked at them.

"Nah, Nah, you keep yo stanky withdrawled diarrhea ass away from our food." Leslie chuckled at him. Gia got up from the couch and followed Ali to the kitchen.

"Oh you wanna tell him about—"

"No! No!" Rue laughed.

"Hey, yo, yo! I'm serious. You're a heath hazard. In the other room!" He joked as Rue tried to come in the kitchen.

"Okay. Dang, sorry." Rue walked to her room.

"Bye-Bye." Leslie waved at Rue.

"Bye bye to you too." He said to Leslie.

"Uh-huh-" Rue chuckled from down the hall.

"I know you probably been washin' that ass" he started hysterically laughing. Leslie giggled walking away.

Sawyer stood leaning against the fridge, laughing with Gia.

"They know I'm right." Ali continued.

Gia started cutting cucumbers, while sawyer washed some of the vegetables in the sink.

"I think she's doing better today." Gia didn't take her eyes off the cutting board.

"For as tough as it's been on Rue, I'm sure it's been harder on you girls." Ali sat a bowl of tomato's next to Gia, "Dice these tomatoes."

Sawyer slightly glanced in Ali's direction. But she refused to fully look at him. She shifted her attention back to the sink and continued to wash the vegetables.

Gia loudly sighed as she took a tomato out of the bowl and placed it on the chopping board.

The room was filled with silence for a few moments. The only thing heard was the soft jazz music that was playing.

"It's okay if you hate her." Ali broke the silence. Sawyer turned her head in his direction. He had his back turned and he was working with the steak.

"I'm not sure that helps anyone." Gia's voice came out calm and soft.

"Ah, well, oh, I... tend to disagree. I think it would actually be good for you girls."

"How." Sawyer dryly asked. Both of her hands were placed on the counter and her focus was on the sink.

"You're not wrong to be angry at her. That shit hurt. It's unfair. You don't deserve it."

"I'm fine." Gia finally lifted her head up and looked at Ali.

"We're fine." Sawyer agreed. That was a lie. They were not fine. If fine was crying to sleep every night then that's one fucked up way to normalize living.

Ali darted his eyes between the girls unconvinced. There was an uncomfortable silence resurfacing once again.

Gia continued cutting the vegetables and the loud sounds of the knife scraping the cutting board were ringing through Sawyers ears.

"I didn't say I didn't believe you." Ali spoke up.

"May I be excused?" Sawyer asked.

"This is your house, go ahead."

Sawyer nodded her head and dropped the vegetables into the sink, walking to her bedroom. She shut the door behind herself.

She stood in front of her mirror disappointed. This was her. Her spark was gone. This wasn't the version of herself that she presented to people right? It couldn't be... right?

Sawyer let out a deep breath and sat on the edge of her bed, picking up her phone. She dialed a number and brought her phone to her ear. Anxiously listening to the dial tones.

"Hey kiddo, you okay?" Fezco asked.

"No. I need your help please."

"Of course. What's up?"

"I'm not sure if Ashtray told you what I did. But before I explain I need to ask you a huge favor."

"Go for it."

"Rue- Rues in some shit I think, I'm not sure what it is but I please need you to find out and fix it... please."

"Some shit like what?"

"Drug dealer shit."

Sawyer sat beside Rue at the dinner table. There wasn't really tension at first. They all sat around the table eating. But sawyer barley touched her food. She couldn't help but think about the Laurie girl Fezco told her about.

They came to the conclusion that Laurie was the one that had caused Rue to come home in the condition that she was in. And Fezco promised to take care of it for Sawyers sake.

"You think you hit rock bottom?" Ali asked Rue. She glanced up from her plate, feeling a sudden rush of embarrassment.

She paused. Her gaze never left Ali. "Yes." Leslie spoke up.

"Um.. okay, uh, I know that I have a lot of apologizing to do. Uh... I get that."

"Uh-Huh." Ali listened carefully.

"So, I just figured that I'd.. you know go to rehab, get clean, you know, sort my shit out, and um...then come back and.... Apologize."

"So you wanna get clean?" Ali inquired. Gia had her face rested on her hand, watching Rue.

"Yeah."

"Okay." Ali nodded his head. His attention shifted to Gia and Sawyer, "how do you guys feel about that?"

"If it's real then great." Gia took a bite of her food.

"Is it." Rue muttered out.

"You've said that before." Sawyer gulped.

"Come on." Leslie shot Gia and Sawyer harsh glances.

"What's wrong with not believin' her?" Ali asked Leslie.

Leslie sighed, " I think she needs all of our support.. right?" She looked at Rue.
" I don't think it's a question of support. When you've let someone down again and again I think it's fair to lose a little faith." He stared at Rue. He stared hard.

Rue was visibly uncomfortable. She had a smug look on her face. She shifted around in her seat.

"I mean what do you think? You think she'll get clean?" Gia asked Ali.

He brought gaze back to Rue, " I don't know."

"She said it's like a five percent chance, right?"

"Somethin' like that." Ali nodded.

"Where's the hope in that." Gia shrugged one of her shoulders.

Sawyer felt herself growing upset. She didn't want Rue to lose motivation. But she also felt stuck, like no words of encouragement could leave her mouth. She glanced down at her plate and she hadn't ate a single bite, even though her stomach was growling because she hadn't eaten all day.

"The hope.. is what Rue has to find." Ali cleared his throat.

"Yeah... piece of cake." Rue shrugged. It was definitely not a piece of cake.

Once they finished dinner Rue and Gia did the dishes while Leslie stayed at the table seated beside Ali talking.

Sawyer didn't want to intrude so she went back to her room. She opened her closet and grabbed out a baggy T-shirt. She changed into it.

Sawyer sat at her vanity and looked at herself. She looked horrible, she thought. Her hair was a mess, her eye bags were darker than ever.

Sawyer decided she wanted to change. She didn't wanna live like this anymore. She didn't wanna live in self pity any longer.

Sawyer grabbed all of her skin care products and took her time treating herself. After she finished with her skin routine she moved onto her hair.

She detangled her hair and put it into two Dutch braids. It was nice and moisturized. She put on deodorant and sprayed herself in perfume.

Sawyer put Vaseline on her lips and stood up. She walked out of her room and all the lights were off. The house was silent. She had taken way more time than she had realized.

She made her way to Gia's bedroom, quickly going inside and closing the door after.

Rue and Gia were already laying together asleep. Sawyer slowly crawled on the bed and laid on the edge. She couldn't fall asleep.

Although her body was tired her mind wasn't. She could never feel at ease until everything was handled.

Sawyer closed her eyes, pretending to fall asleep until she eventually actually did.

AN/
hey guys! Let me know how you guys are feeling about this story so far?

I have quite a few different ideas on how I want to end this story, and don't worry it definitely will be different from the show's ending & different from my other books ending. I didn't wanna go the sad route this time ;)

all votes / comments are appreciated so don't be shy to speak ur opinions & ask questions!

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「unkownm122