[mentions of relapse]

AURORA HELPED Heyward in his shop since she was 13. She did it as a favour to Heyward, and to earn a little bit of pocket money to buy cigarettes and food. Rory saw Heyward as her father-figure, he was always there to heal her and JJ's cuts and bruises.

"That'll be $3.50." Aurora said to a customer, "Thanks, ma'am."

Heyward walked in, causing Aurora to look up curiously, "Hey, Pope, someone here to see you."

Shoupe appeared behind Heyward,
"I have an arrest warrant for felony destruction of property. Keep your hands on the counter where I can see them."

"Deny, deny, deny." JJ mouthed secretly.

"Shoupe, what'd he do?" Heyward asked, "You're just arresting my boy?"

Aurora shared a worried look with Kiara, before turning to her next customer, "I'm sorry, just give me a second."

She stormed over to the gathering and walked closer to Shoupe, "What the fuck are you doing? Get off of him!"

"Hands where I can see 'em." Shoupe repeated, "Maybank, get out of my way."

"You're arresting him?" Kiara worried.

"Of course he is." Aurora scoffed angrily, "Because he's a pig!"
She spat on his shiny black shoes, as Kie held her arm.

"Enough!" Shoupe snapped at Aurora, as she glared.

JJ stressed, "What's the proof?"

"Be careful!" Kiara worried, "Are you even listening?"

"Everything you say and do will be held against you in the court of law." Shoupe continued as he cuffed Pope, "You have the right to an attorney."

"How much did they pay you, man?" JJ asked Shoupe, as they followed him outside.

"Take a step back from the vehicle." Shoupe raised his voice at the kids.

"Why are you taking him?" Kiara worried, "He didn't do anything!"

"You can't just take my boy!" Heyward argued.

"It wasn't him!" JJ blurted out, "It was me! He tried to talk me out of it, but I was man because he'd just been beaten up. I can't let you take the blame for something I did."

Pope frowned, "JJ, what are you doing?"

"I'm tellin' the truth." JJ replied, "I took his old man's boat, too."

"What the hell?" Heyward questioned.

"JJ, come on-"

"Shut up, Pope!" JJ interrupted, as he turned to Shoupe, "He's a good kid. You know where I'm from. This was all me."

Aurora's eyes burned with tears as she felt a lump form at the back of her throat, "JJ."

"It's okay." He reassured, before Shoupe shoved his head into the car.

"Be careful, asshole!" Aurora yelled at Shoupe uncontrollably, "Fuck, man."

As the car pulled away, Pope threw his cap down onto the gravel, before storming inside and ignoring his father's calls.

"Rory." Kiara spoke softly, "Rory, come here. Rory, please don't."

Ignoring her friend, Aurora started sprinting after the police car. Despite her unhealthy lungs, she promised herself she wouldn't stop running.
JJ looked out of the back window, shaking his head slightly at her.

She stopped finally. Her legs physically wouldn't carry her any further. Her chest felt like it was going on explode, as she wiped the tears streaming from her face. She was officially alone.

***

311 days. 311 clean days all gone to shit. Aurora walked around the streets of the Cut, stumbling around every corner. She missed the wave of numbness, however, she felt a tsunami of guilt.
She was drowning in her own head and, before she knew it, she was at another drug house. Her feet were uncontrollably walking her to drug places, until she found herself at Barry's.

"Barry?" She slurred, as she repeatedly knocked on his door, "Let me in, Barry."

The door slowly opened and Barry's familiar face peered around the brown door. He frowned, "Rory? What you doin' here, bro?" 

"I, uh, I just need some pills." Rory said quickly, as she fiddled with her arms.

"Rory, you know I can't do that no more." Barry explained sympathetically, "You told me no more drugs. You can't be relapsing on me."

"No, no, no, no." Rory corrected quickly, "I'm not. Just let me in, please. Please, Barry. I need something-"

"You can't be doing this shit no more, Rory. Go live your life." Barry reasoned, "Go away, man."

"Don't be an asshole, Barry." Aurora snapped, "Just open the door and let me in!"

"I love you, man, I really do." Barry replied, as he slowly shut the door, "This is for your own good."

"No, no, no, no, no!" Aurora cried, as she repeatedly knocked the door so hard it made cuts on her knuckles, "Please. Please, man. Barry!!"

Aurora sobbed, as she slid down the brown door. After a while of begging, Rory accepted that Barry would never open the door to her like this.

"Stubborn bastard." Aurora slurred as she walked away.

She stood on the street, realising the situation she was in. Her friends would find out and treat her differently again, like she was a baby in need of full-time babysitting. 

She got her phone out of her pocket shakily. She cried into the phone, "JJ?"

"Hey, Rory, where are you?" JJ worried, "I've just got back from dads. John B said you weren't at the Château."

"I've fucked up, J, don't be mad." She sobbed, "Please, please. Don't be mad."

"Rory? Rory, are you okay?"

"I'm using again." Aurora said shakily, "I- I didn't... I don't know what to do."

"Shit." JJ muttered, "It's okay, Rory. Where are you? Stay where you are, Rory."

Aurora sighed, "Uh, I'm in, uh, I'm near Barry's."

"Okay. Stay where you are, Rory." JJ repeated, "I'm coming to get you, okay? I love you."

JJ hung up the call, as Aurora stood on an empty street. She fiddled desperately with the skin on her arms, pulling and itching it so much it bled.

"Rory!!"

Aurora turned around to the voice of her brother, as he ran out of the Pogue's Van. He hugged her tightly, before examining her body, as she sobbed loudly.

"Let's go, yeah?" JJ's voice softened, as he put an arm around her shoulder and guided her to the van.

John B turned around from the drivers seat, giving her a sympathetic look, "We're taking you home, yeah?"

Aurora cried, as she sat down onto her seat. She couldn't stop fidgeting, as JJ slid the door shut,

"Don't scratch yourself, Rory." JJ said softly, as he removed her hand from itching her own skin.

She buried her face in her hands, before rubbing her wet face, "I'm-I'm so fucking stupid! I- I just thought you were gone and that- that I'd have nobody and-"

"You'd never have nobody. Ever." JJ interrupted softly, "I would never ever leave you, you hear me?"

Rory looked at her brothers bruised face, and the deep cut on his cheek and above his eyebrow. He had obviously been to Luke's, which made Aurora feel even worse- while she was doing every drug on the planet, her brother was suffering. How utterly selfish, she thought.

a/n:
sorry for this heavy chapter.
if you're struggling please message me and ill be happy to help. there's always downfalls in recovery, you've got this<3