"Look who's back in the land of the living," Kai smirked when Alisson rolled into his office.

She glared at him. "I had a fever the entire week because of that stupid rain." Of course Kai had gotten off with a minor cold.

"We will build up slow then," Kai answered, "come. I thought we could work at the gym today. I set up a few light exercises for you to try out."

Alisson only stared at him. "I ain't gonna go to there where people will stare at me. I don' want their pity. It's bad enough I have to be here at all."

Kai rolled his eyes. "No one is going to stare at you."

"People always stare," Alisson said.

"Then give them that fierce killer look you gave me the first time," Kai said. When Alisson only looked at him unimpressed, he sighed. "Can you just trust me? Just this once?"

Alisson gritted her teeth. "I don't do trust."

Kai sighed and rolled his eyes. "Alright. Will you just believe me then instead? No one will stare at you. I thought you wanted to take your life back and be able to do things on your own. Or maybe you're just scared that once you know how to do these things, you have to rely on yourself."

Alisson narrowed her eyes in anger. "I ain't scared of nothin'," she hissed.

He smiled sweetly. "What's the problem then?" When she didn't reply, he sighed again and hunched down next to her wheelchair. "Hey, I only want to help you. Why would I want to embarrass you in front of other people? I'm a physical therapist. It's my job to help you rehabilitate, but I need you to work with me here. Can you do that?"

Alisson gritted her teeth and gripped the armrests of her chair. There was a stubborn look on her face, but she gave a stiff nod of compliance.

"Good," Kai nodded, "this way then."

Reluctantly, she followed him towards the gym. When they were there, she looked around confused. "There's no one here."

Kai nodded. "That's right."

Alisson glanced at him suspiciously. "How did you know no one would be here?"

"Because I reserved the gym for our hour session today," he answered casually.

She looked at him annoyed. "You could have just told me that."

"Yes," Kai nodded, "I could have."

Alisson crossed her arm. "Then why didn't you?"

He sighed. "Maybe I had hoped you would just take my word for it when I told you no one would stare at you."

Alisson opened her mouth to comment, but then closed it again. Arguing with him was annoying and he seemed to want to just get a rise out of her. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction. "Just get on with it."

...

"Alright Chase," Harrison Reynolds said kindly as he gestured towards a chair. "please sit so we can go over few things."

Chase drew a nervous breath and sat down. He rubbed his sweaty hands against his jeans. "Is he going to be there?"

His uncle nodded. "Yes, he will be there, but you won't have to talk to him. The judge has your written testimony." He smiled comforting. "It will only be a small hearing. Just you and me, your father and his councilor and the judge. You may bring someone for support if you want to."

Chase shook his head. "I need to do this on my own."

Harrison nodded. "Alright. That's fine. Now, the judge may have a few questions for you. I thought we might go over them so you know what to expect, alright?"

Chase frowned. "I thought my written statement was enough?"

"It is enough to get the hearing, but sometimes the judge needs more clarification. Don't worry, Chase, there is also the statements of Archer and Kai. And I will testify as well." He pressed the boy's shoulder. "It will be alright, Chase."

Chase swallowed and gave a nervous nod. "Okay."

"Okay," his uncle nodded, "first question..."

Chase took a deep breath and focused on the questions his uncle put in front of him. Was it really going to be like this? He wasn't sure he was ready for that. Questions about how long the abuse had been going on, when it had started and at what point he had reached out for help had already been answered in his statement. His uncle had assured him that wouldn't be brought up again. It was the other things that had him on edge. Did he bear a grudge against his father? Did he want his father to be sent to prison? Who had convinced him to get emancipated? Was there anything he would like to say to his father? By the time they were finished, Chase felt like he had run a marathon.

He flinched when a glass was pushed into his hands. Looking down, he saw it was cola.

"Drink, Chase," his uncle encouraged him, "you're hyperventilating."

When Chase lifted the glass with shaking hands and put it to his lips, he noticed his uncle was right. His breath was coming out in short, rapid huffs. He downed the glass slowly.

"I apologize, Chase," his uncle said, "I wasn't aware what this would do to you."

"It's fine," Chase said.

His uncle eyed him unconvinced. "We will still call it quits for today. Will you stay for dinner tonight?"

Chase shook his head. "That's alright. I don't want to bother you."

His uncle sighed. "You are not a bother, Chase. We are your family. I will tell your aunt to put up another plate. We are having casserole and mashed potato. Is that alright with you?"

Chase nodded awkwardly. He still felt a little uncomfortable with his family. He couldn't quite explain it. Perhaps it was just because of Zeke. After all, the two had been at odds for years, though Chase had to admit that was mostly his fault.

He followed his uncle out of the study and towards the kitchen. His aunt was checking something in the oven. When she noticed him, she smiled. "Chase, are you staying for dinner?"

"He is," his uncle confirmed as he kissed his wife's cheek, "as I'm sure you have already anticipated."

She smiled at him amused. "You know me so well." She looked at Chase. "Dinner's going to be a little while, Chase. Why don't you go up to Zeke? He's in his room. I will call you boys when dinner's ready."

"Ah..." Chase shifted uncomfortably. Hang out with his cousin? Even if they got along now, they didn't have much in common.

"It's the first room left off the stairs," his aunt smiled.

Chase gave an awkward nod and headed towards his cousin's room. Hesitantly he knocked on the door that was open a crack.

"Come in," Zeke's voice came from inside the room.

Still hesitating, Chase pushed the door open further and awkwardly stood in the doorway with his hands in his pockets. "Hey."

Zeke looked up surprised at the sound of his cousin's voice. "Hey," he answered. He turned his desk chair so he could look at Chase better. "How are you?"

Chase shifted uncomfortably. "Aunt Irene told me to go up."

Zeke nodded in understanding. "Well, come in then. No need to stand at the door."

Chase nodded and took a step further into the rom. He nodded towards the books on his cousin's desk. "Homework?"

"Yeah," Zeke sighed, "English essay, Math and a Physics test next week."

Chase flinched. "Crap, I forgot about that. I haven't studied yet."

Zeke put his pen down and leaned back in his chair. "There's still time. You're not too bad at Physics, right?"

Chase shrugged. "I guesss," he muttered awkwardly. His eyes moved across the room. On his left a door lead to a small bathroom. Against the wall was a large book case, ceiling high. Chase wasn't sure what he had expected from his cousin. Encyclopedias maybe or dictionaries. But there was a whole array of fictional books, along with schoolbooks and books on astronomy and wildlife. Al large stereo with a stack of CDs was on one of the shelves and across the bed a large TV.

Zeke watched calmly as his cousin studied every detail of the room. His obvious discomfort made him look like a helpless child that was lost in the mall.

Chase's fingers moved across the spines of the books until he pulled out one about the solar system. Curiously he skipped through it before carefully putting it back on the shelf. He moved to a small side table. "You play videogames?" he asked surprised when he noticed the small stack of rectangular boxes.

Zeke tilted his head and shrugged. "Sometimes. They're mostly Aaron's. He brings me one every time he visits. It's not really my thing though." He studied Chase carefully. "You wanna try one?"

His cousin placed back the game he had been holding and shrugged casually. "I don't have a device back home."

"Use mine," Zeke offered, "you played before, right?"

"Yeah," Chase answered. He had played when he was younger, when his life was still normal. After his mother had died, his father had never bought him anything anymore. Most of his toys had been taken away because his father decided someone like him didn't deserve them. All of his clothes had been hand-me-downs. He had taught himself to cook so he could eat a decent meal. His only haven had been Archer's gym, the one place Chase knew his father would never set foot in.

"Go ahead," Zeke nodded, "I don't mind."

Chase nodded awkwardly. "Thanks." He put the disc in the device and picked up a controller. Slowly he sat down on the bed. It didn't take long before he was completely wrapped up in the game.

A faint smile passed over Zeke's lips and he turned back to his homework.

...

Going back to school was just a reminder of how much she hated this place. Even with Eric's help she just didn't understand most of the material. Complicated equations and ancient literature only gave cause for headaches. She managed an average C plus by cheating her way through tests wherever possible. She even bought more essays from Lucas so she wouldn't have to read the material, but she knew that eventually she would get caught.

She knew she should probably put more effort in, but at the moment she was too stressed about the pending hearing to care much about school.

For the time being she would just continue like this. Especially now that she had missed several days.

Alisson sat at her regular lunch table, staring at her Science book like everything was written in runes. She didn't even look up when Eric sat down across from her. At seeing her study, he raised an eyebrow. "I think that fever did something to your head. Are you actually studying?"

She was actually trying to figure out a way to cheat on their next test, but she wasn't going to tell him that. She already knew he would disapprove. "Are you going to share that?" she ignored his questions and pointed towards the nachos on his tray.

Eric rolled his eyes and pushed the tray towards her. "Help yourself."

Alisson took a nacho and ignored him otherwise. She knew it annoyed him, but annoying him was fun.

It didn't take long for him to let out a sigh. "You know you could have gotten your own portion."

Alisson took some more nachos and shrugged. "Why would I when I can take yours? Ain't that what friends do? Share stuff?"

Eric snorted amused. "You sure know how to only focus on the things that are to your advantage."

"Well duh," she answered.

"Sooo..." Eric said awkwardly, "that 'thing' you had, why you can't come to the Debate Tournament, does that have anything to do with that letter?"

"We ain't talking about that," Alison said in a singsong voice.

"I know," Eric sighed, "but if you did want to talk about it... you can... you know."

She looked at him blankly. "I don't."

He sighed again. "Alright." He nodded towards her textbook. "Need help with that?"

"Maybe later," Alisson answered, "I'll try myself first."

Eric smiled. "Good. I'm proud of you."

Alisson rolled her eyes. "You're such a dork."

He chuckled. When several chairs were pulled back next to and across from him, he looked up. Daniel, Mark and Elise dropped down at the table, each with their own serving of nachos. The three were already used to seeing Alisson and their friend at the same table and usually just ignored the older girl while talking with Eric.

Alisson herself usually repaid the favor by pretending they didn't exist, making the only one uncomfortable with the situation Eric.

Even now, he kept stealing glances at Alisson while keeping up conversation with his friends. She just kept ignoring them as she continued to steal Eric's nachos.

"Don't forget the extra session tomorrow," Daniel told Eric, "we have to take every opportunity to practice for the Tournament. Elise is up first. Then Mark, then you."

"I know," Eric nodded, "and Zeke will close." He took a deep breath. "We won't know the topic until it's our turn, so we need to be prepared for anything."

"That's half the fun!" Mark grinned, "and don't forget the afterparty at Leo's place. You bringing anyone?" He glanced at Alisson who was still ignoring them.

Eric shook his head. "No, I'm not bringing anyone." He looked at his friend. "are you?"

Mark smirked and leaned back with his hands behind his head. "I asked Cassie. She's coming."

"Hey, good for you!" Daniel high-fived him over the table.

Elise rolled her eyes. "You two are pathetic," she pushed back her chair and flicked back her hair. "Well, I'm going to the library to do some research. See you guys later."

"I'm off too," Daniel said, "take care. See you all tomorrow. Try to come up with some topics we can use, okay?" He slung his back on his shoulder and strolled out of the cafeteria.

Mark waited until he was out of sight before turning to Eric again. "Why don't you ask Lennox?"

Eric flinched and looked at the table awkwardly. "I'm fine, thank you."

Mark sighed and rolled his eyes. "Come on, dude. It's obvious you like her. Why don't you just go for it?"

"I'm not you," Eric said flatly.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Mark asked, "look, Lennox seems like a nice girl. Just talk to her. The worst that can happen is she turns you down. At least you'll know and you can move on."

"Easy for you to say," Eric muttered.

"You know what you need?" Mark said, "a wingman. And I happen to know one willing to help."

"Let me guess," Eric commented dryly, "you?"

"You know it," his friend smirked, "just leave it to me."

Eric sighed and closed his eyes. "Please stay out of it."

"Hey, I'm just trying to help here," Mark said, "you're not making any moves. How's she gonna know you even exist if you're only staring at her from a distance?"

"Well thank you for making me loke like some crazy stalker," Eric stated flatly.

The bell cut their conversation short. Mark swung his bag over his shoulder and stood up. "This conversation is not over," he smirked, "let's go. You know what coach Warren gets like if we're late for class."

"I'll be right there," Eric said, "go ahead. I'll catch up with you."

Mark glanced at Alisson again and then back to his friend. Though he had accepted his friend keeping the girl company, he still found it weird. "Alright then," he said, "suit yourself." He lifted his hand in greeting and strolled away.

Alisson lifted her head away from her textbook and looked at Eric amused. "You do know I can find my own way to Art class, right? You don't need to stay with me."

Eric sighed. "I know that. I just thought that maybe you'd want to come to the party after the Tournament. I mean, once you've finished with that thing we're not talking about.

Alisson stared at him a moment and then almost sadly shook her head. "No thanks. For the invite, but I ain't comin'."

"You might enjoy yourself," Eric tried.

A wry smile appeared on her lips. "I think I'll be hearing enough debating going on that day. Besides, I don't think I'll fit in with your friends. They don't like me."

"They just don't know you," Eric countered, "and I'll be there. And Zeke too."

"I don't even now Zeke," Alisson rolled her eyes, "I seen him like once."

Eric sighed. "Alright. Fine. I'll be there. And the others really aren't that scary."

Alisson watched him amused. "You don't give up easy, do you? Don' tell me you secretly do have a crush on me."

Eric chuckled. "You don't have to worry about that."

"Good," Alisson said, "cuz I'd hate to disappoint Lennox." When he flinched, Alisson rolled her eyes. "I don't get why you can't just talk to her. I'm pretty sure she won't eat you."

Eric sighed again. "I wouldn't even know what to say. She doesn't even know who I am."

"You kept bothering me," Alisson replied, "and now I tolerate you. Lennox is nicer than me. Should be easy."

Eric scratched his arm awkwardly. "I don't know."

Alisson snorted. "For someone on the Debate Team, you ain't doing a good job pleading your case. Maybe that should be the topic for your rehearsal thing tomorrow, reasons why you ain't speaking to the girl you're crushing on."

Eric stuck out his tongue. "Funny, Ray."

She scoffed. "I ain't tryin' to be funny, Vermeer."

The second bell rang and Eric flinched. "Shoot. I'm late. Coach is gonna kill me!"

Alisson raised an eyebrow. "Need an excuse note? I can write you one."

Eric stared at her with open mouth. "Where did you get excuse slip?"

She shook her head amused and wiggled her finger. "Ah-uh. I don' kiss and tell."

Eric stared at her unimpressed. "It's probably better you don't tell me. You'll make me an accomplice. Don't you have class too?"

Alisson shrugged. "Fillmore is always late himself. And if he beats me to it, I'll have an excuse note."

Eric crossed his arms. "You do know those have to be signed off by Mrs. Tildon at the office right?"

Alisson smirked. "Got it covered. Her signature is easy."

Eric gasped. "How'd you... you know what? Nevermind. I can't believe I'm saying this, but just give me a slip. I can't afford detention so close to the Tournament."

Alisson's grin got wider. "Happy to be of service," she drew a slip from her bag and signed it before handing it to Eric.

He sighed. "You're corrupting me."

His response was a laugh and a wink. "We'll make a bad boy out of you yet."

A/N Ah, these two awkward cousins...