When Elora slapped Tyler on the school ground at twelve, his mother had screamed at her.

She still remembered the woman towering over her, screaming at her that she was a dirty Pogue, that she'd never learn, that she was the problem, and the reason for this whole mess.

And of course her mother had been on her latest hookup when she came home in tears, the man she'd been having sex with crueler than ever. He'd dismissed her tears, and because he did, so did her mother.

And though Elora's views on Tyler Thornton had differed since that day, her views on Cynthia Thornton hadn't.

Which is why she instinctively shrank back into herself as the woman marched towards her and Tyler, feeling more scared than ever as she looked them up and down. Tyler, of course, wasn't having her shouting at Elora, and so tried to pull her behind him as he straighted up to his full height.

"Tyler!" She screamed, her face red in the blue light from anger, steam practically coming out her ears. "Tyler Thornton, don't ignore me!"

Tyler squeezed Elora's hand. "What do you want, mum?"

Cynthia stopped just before them, the look on her face one of unbridled rage.

"What do I want?" She snapped, her voice only just contained. "I want to know why you've been hanging around dirty Pogues, stealing thirty five thousand off a drug dealer, and conspiring in a murder!"

Her voice was high and breaking, and its shrillness made Elora jump back slightly.

Tyler was tensed, staring at his mother with something akin to hatred.

"They're not dirty, or murderers," he snapped loudly. "John B didn't kill Peterkin."

"Oh, of course he didn't!" Cynthia screamed. "When will you see that these Pogues are RUINING YOUR LIFE?!"

"MY LIFE WAS ALREADY RUINED!" Tyler screamed back at her, his hand gentle as ever in Elora's. "YOU FUCKING DID THAT YOURSELF!"

"DON'T YOU DARE USE THAT LANGUAGE WITH M-"

"I'LL SAY WHATEVER THE HELL I LIKE!" Tyler roared, right up in her face as he snarled. "But don't you dare say a word against Elora."

"Oh, I should've guessed," Cynthia smirked. "Fallen in love with a Pogue, have you?"

"I didn't say that," Tyler snapped.

"Of course you didn't," Cynthia smirked. "I can see it, though."

"You can't see shit," Tyler snapped back in reply. When Cynthia didn't say anything, he continued.

"Have you ever truly listened to me? To anything I've said?"

Tyler chuckled slightly, shaking his head. "No, of course you haven't. You've kept me in a bubble my whole life, never letting me do anything I want because you're too scared we're gonna turn out like you, stuck in a shit situation with shit kids and a shit ex husband who left because even he couldn't stand y-"

SLAP!

His loud rant was cut short by his mother stepping forwards and slapping Tyler across the cheek so hard his head was jerked to the side.

Elora gasped audibly as she watched Tyler's eyes transform from anger to hurt. As a girl that had been emotionally and sometimes physically abused by her own mother, it hurt to see someone else get the same treatment.

Anger boiled within her as she watched the glimmer of satisfaction cross Cynthia's face. Satisfaction at hurting her son. Her son, who was amazing and brilliant and smart and talented and didn't deserve any of this.

And then her expression was back to anger.

"Don't you dare talk about me like that, you ungrateful brat!" She screamed. "You should be grateful for everything I have given to you-"

"GRATEFUL?" Tyler demanded. "YOU'VE GIVEN ME SHIT MY WHOLE LIFE AND NOW YOU'RE EXPECTING ME TO-"

"YOU'VE JUST RUINED THE LIFE I'VE GIVEN YOU, ASSOCIATING WITH HER!" Cynthia then turned her attention to Elora, looking at her the same way someone would look at a slug on the ground.

"Oh, and don't even get me started on you!" She yelled, jabbing her finger in Elora's face. "What do you think you're doing with him, hm? What on earth do you think you're doing?"

Elora straightened up, still holding onto Tyler. She knew she was being brave with her planned response, but she didn't care. Her mouth and her brain often didn't listen to her.

"I think I'm not slapping him and screaming at him, like others who claim to care."

For a second, she thought she was next in the line to be slapped. Cynthia stared at her, her face a mixture of anger and disbelief, before she chuckled bitterly.

"Oh, you are just like your mother," she said, glancing between Elora and Tyler. "Doing the exact same thing as her, as well, spreading your legs for any random Kook in the Outer Banks-"

Elora felt numb. She hardly even noticed the tears filling her eyes, or the tears streaming down her cheeks.

To be summed up so quickly to her mother had hurt more than ever. She wasn't her, and she knew she wasn't, but seeing Cynthia say that with such malice in her tone made her stumble slightly, letting go of Tyler's hand.

"Don't you dare," the blonde boy was snarling, shoving her fully behind him. "Don't you fucking dare compare her to her mother!"

"That's who she is, Tyler!" Cynthia yelled. "It's the same with all Pogues - it's hard wired into them! You don't want to be associated with-"

"I'd be associated with anyone that wasn't the likes of y-"

"THEN GO BE A FUCKING POGUE, THEN!" Cynthia's throat was hoarse, her eyes wild and wide. "GO SMOKE WEED AND SKIP SCHOOL AND DATE THIS SLUT, I DON'T CARE! BUT WHEN YOU COME CRAWLING BACK A YEAR LATER CAUSE YOU'VE REALISED YOU WERE WRONG, YOU'LL NOT BE WELCOME IN MY HOUSE!"

She was panting hard when she finished shouting, and Elora was wiping her teary eyes. Tyler picked her hand up again, squeezing slightly.

"Don't call her a slut," was the first thing the blonde boy said, eyes narrowed at his mother. "And I will. I'll go be a fucking Pogue, and I'll be one for the rest of my life."

And then he turned round, looking at Elora and murmuring. "You okay?" The girl nodded, putting on a smile through her teary eyes.

"Yeah," she said, trying not to focus on how her stomach felt fluttery as Tyler defended her despite feeling so sad at the same time.

She didn't regret their decision to walk away.

Now they just needed to lay low until meeting with the other Pogues at three tomorrow.

𔓘𔓘𔓘

They were in her house.

She wasn't really sure how they'd ended up there, but she knew they were there, in her house, sat opposite each other. Tyler had a soft hand on her face, wiping the tears from her eye.

The dark sky outside told them it was already midnight.

"Don't think a word of what she said," Tyler said eventually, after she'd stopped sniffling. "You're nothing like your mum."

"Doesn't feel like it," Elora mumbled, her eyes falling from his.

"Hey," Tyler spoke again, pulling her chin up to look at her. "Listen to me. She is not even half the person you are, and as for my mum, she's not even a third."

Elora looked at him, tears of a different emotion threatening to slip out. She was feeling so terrible, yet so amazing at the same time.

"You're amazing," Tyler told her. "Like... everyone in your life could tear you down, and you'd still come out on top. You're just amazing, Elle."

Elora bit her lip hard, trying to smile at him.

"Thank you," she said with a shaky, wet smile. "You're pretty amazing too, you know."

"I'm nothing compared to you," Tyler shook his head.

"Yes, you are," Elora fought back. "You stood up for me there, to your very own mum. She fucking slapped you, Ty-"

"I'd have her slap me again if it meant I was able to protect you," Tyler said honestly, his tone becoming meaningful. "I'm never going back to her, Elora. I promise."

Elora nodded, but she was still torn up.

"I just..." she trailed off, not able to look at him. "I just- she slapped you, and I just stood beside you and I... I just watched-"

"No," Tyler said instantly, his hand coming up to cup her cheek again. "No, I wouldn't have wanted you to get involved. I was expecting it, don't worry."

Elora looked at him, almost scared to ask. "You were... expecting it?"

Tyler looked down, pressing his lips together.

"Yeah," he admitted finally. "She, uh... it didn't happen often or anything, but... sometimes, when I hadn't done my chores, or I hadn't been good in school or something, then... she'd- Elle?"

Elora was sobbing softy, tears streaming down her face as she looking at him. She didn't know what was going on, why she was so torn up about something that didn't happen to her, but she was.

"Shh, shhh, I've got you, I've got you, don't cry..." Tyler pulled her into him, rocking them back and forth slowly. "Listen to me," he whispered in her ear. "Are you listening?"

Elora nodded. "Y-yes."

"You don't have to worry about me," Tyler whispered. "I managed. And as I said the other day, I don't think about my childhood as rough for a second when I see what yours was like."

As she looked up at him, she wanted to kiss him.

It was irrational, yes, and completely crazy, and oh my god was it weird, but she was feeling it. And they were so close, she definitely could, and it'd be fine because it wouldn't ruin their friendship and-

"As long as you're alright," she whispered up at him.

Tyler smirked slightly. "With you by my side, Elora Easton? How could I not be?"

𔓘𔓘𔓘

Finding the other Pogues was hard, but Elora and Tyler had decided not to wait until three. They'd hidden at the boatshed where the Phantom was kept, and staked it out. They'd heard news on the way that a huge storm was coming to Kildare tonight, meaning JB and Sarah would have to be extra careful on the boat.

Elora found crouching in the bushes very borning, even if it was with Tyler, and was about five seconds from screaming in frustration when the car, containing only JJ and Kie, rolled up.

"Oh thank god-" Kie got out as they emerged, running at both of them and crushing them into a hug. "We thought they got you!" She shouted as she let go of them.

"Well, we had a close shave," Tyler sighed.

"What?" JJ demanded, eyes wide. "And where's John B?"

"Kelce locked us and JB in his laundry room," Elora said. "He got out, we didn't, but Shoupe couldn't arrest us."

"Oh, holy shit," Kie covered her mouth. "We've gotta get him outta here."

"Well," JJ said with a slight smirk, holding up a set of keys. "We're about to do just that."

The Phantom was a big boat. Especially for the Maybanks, who often didn't have two dollars to rub together.

"There she be," JJ said as he rolled open the boat shed door. The Phantom was the biggest thing in there, right in the middle as well. It was a huge thing, smaller than the Druthers of course, but not by much.

"Hey, girl!" JJ grinned as he skipped in, running a hand along the edge of it. "This boat is forty years old! Forty! And it was the first boat to make it to Bermuda and back in under sixteen hours. Still the fastest thing that Kildare's ever seen."

Kie shrugged. "It's kinda a- junker."

JJ frowned. "Really? She's right there, Kie, she can hear you! Let's just put it this way, you would not be smoking weed right now if she never existed, okay?"

"Well thank god for the Phantom," Elora said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, see, Elle gets it!" JJ said, hi fiving the redhead with added vigour.

"As long as she runs, she'll be fine," Tyler commented.

"Oh no, she'll run alright," JJ promised. "She's faster than any of the cutters the boys in blue got."

As he finished talking the sounds of a motorbike arriving filled the air. Elora tensed slightly but Kie just grinned.

"Pope!" She yelled, ducking round the door. "Finally-"

"Hey, there."

Ah, shit.

Because it was in fact, not Pope.

It was Rafe. And Barry.

"What's going on?" Rafe looked at Kie, smirking slightly.

"JJ?" Barry payed no attention to any of the others and marched straight round the boat to see the boy. "How you guys doing?"

Elora was tense, her eyes wide. First Kelce and Topper, now Rafe and Barry. How many Kooks were going to corner them?

"Well, well," Barry smirked, as the four Pogues stood together. He wasted no time in cocking a gun and pointing it right at JJ's chest, the blonde boy putting his hands up.

"See, don't think I forgot about me and you on the side of the road," Barry snarled. "Now, I'm here because I want my motherfucking money!"

"JJ! JJ!"

"RAFE, GET THE FUCK OFF ME-"

Just then, two things happened. One was that JJ got knocked to the ground by Barry, and the second was that Elora got picked up by Rafe, his arms trapping her. She writhed and struggled and screamed, but he was strong.

"Elora!" Kie shouted, running to try and get Rafe off the girl whilst Tyler helped JJ.

"That's what I'm here for!" Barry was yelling at the boy, who was still on the ground.

"It's not you we want, Elle, alright?" Rafe said, putting Elora down to face him. "Where's John B-?"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Elora screamed, throwing a well aimed punch to his jaw. Her knuckles stung as contact was made, but the crack she heard and the way his face moved was satisfying.

(She felt like Cynthia Thornton for a fleeting moment. Then she remembered what justice was).

Rafe was looking at her, panting slightly.

"You know, I really wish you didn't do that," he told her.

"Oh yeah? I'd fucking do it again, you murderer," Elora spat the last word at him, unable to express the level of contempt she felt for this boy.

Rafe paused for a second. "What did you say?"

"I said that you're a MURDERER!" Elora screamed. "You fucking shot Peterkin!"

Behind her, Tyler and JJ were trying to restrain Barry and Kie was watching the scene unfold.

Then Elora's head was getting wrenched up to the sky, and two murderous hands were on her neck.

She grunted as Rafe brought her face closer to his, snarling. "Don't you ever say those fucking words again?"

"Wh-why shouldn't I?" Even when she was getting fucking strangled, she was fighting. "They're tr-"

Before she could finish he pressed harder, slowly choking her. Elora gasped and clawed at his hands, trying to get him off her.

"Where's John B?" Rafe switched tactics.

"I don't k-"

"ANSWER ME!"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Elora screamed as she got a foot up to kick Rafe in the groin, sending him doubling over in pain as she got free.

"Urgh!"

As she doubled over on the concrete, she took a moment to listen to what was happening behind her. And to look.

Kie was helping JJ, who was still on the ground. Tyler was fighting off Barry.

And Pope was handling Rafe.

Elora had never been so thankful to see the bastard in her life.

"Elora!"

Once Barry was on the floor and not getting up, Tyler ran over to her, taking in her heaving chest, her red neck, her wide eyes.

"Elora, are you alright?"

Elora nodded with a cough. "F-fine."

Across the room, Pope was strangling Rafe, who was bleeding from the nose and the mouth, punching again and again at the boy's arms.

"Pope! POPE! HEY!" JJ yelled, running at the boy, trying to get him off. "Pope, he's had enough, man!"

"LOOK AT ME!" Kie screamed, and that's what appeared to finally snap Pope to his senses, looking at Kie in shock and horror of what he'd done.

He stood, panting and shaking with wide eyes, Kie murmuring. "Okay, we gotta go, we gotta go... Tyler, Elle, you alright?"

She looked over at the two of them. Elora was still doubled over and Tyler had a hand on her back. Yeah," the latter told Kie.

However, just before they left Pope have Rafe one last message, leaning low over his crumpled form and snarling. "Stay off the Cut."

"Pope!" Kie yelled, just as JJ managed to get the Phantom free. "Come on, let's go!"

And Pope left with them.

But not without directing one last menacing look back at Rafe.