[A/N thank you so much for 1k💛]

Chapter 8

Elysia guided them through the open lobby of a large apartment building and the thoughts swarming in Una's head previously had dropped at the beauty she witnessed. It wasn't modern but it was elegant and clean and simply flawless that she had to stop herself from gawking at every piece of furniture, every light and accessory no matter how much she liked to.

Elysia Ari as she liked to be called, was very talkative and Una found it hard to keep up with the girl as she followed behind her, navigating them through many hallways until they reached a golden elevator at the end of a long beautiful hallway.

"Oh, Flynn is just going to love you!" Elysia squealed when she heard that Una loved dogs, she had asked the girl a wave of questions on their journey and Una answered the ones she could faintly comprehend.

"She's excited," Gus pointed out, making a point to clasp his hand over a frowning Elysia's mouth, "it's rather hard to get her to shut her big mouth when she meets someone new."

"Oh, you know what!" she exclaimed, her arms flailing around, "I don't even know how Una put up with you for so long you big grump!"

Una giggled at that, and Elysia's smile widened at the sound of her happiness. Gus had noticed that the Una he first saw was back, in the presence of someone she had never met before, a stranger she had only heard of, she had barely spoken more than a few words, either nodding along or giving quiet responses in return.

He wondered how long it would take for her to fully open up to his friends, they were nice - well, most of them - and they would make her feel like home but he knew she needed space. The week after he helped her with her leg proved that to be very true as the memory swirled in his head.

Una watched Elysia push the button for floor thirty and then swiping a card she held in her hand. It was very high up she realised and as they stood in the lift, she couldn't help but feel drawn to the girl. It was an odd feeling, and it wasn't so much because she wanted her - like she wanted Gus, her boyfriend ­- but it was more so that she was lured against her will, begging to stand near her or talk to her or be around her.

Gus seemed to realise what was happening and laced her fingers with his own, sending a glare in Elysia's direction who merely smiled as innocently as she possibly could. The harsh butterflies continued to grow in Una's stomach as the floors passed them, showing number after number on the small digital screen just above the elevator door.

Twenty-eight.

Twenty-nine.

Thirty.

And it dinged open just like that.

Her eyes trailed to Gus, tightening her hand around his own and staying close to him for any sort of comfort. She really did want to meet his friends, she had wanted to meet them for a long while but now that it was actually happening she was simply terrified.

The many thoughts swirling in her head weren't helping her at all as she once again followed behind Elysia, thoughts of doubt of them not liking her, of fear and all of them wishing she just turned and went home because she wasn't wanted and it seemed to show on her face when Gus pulled his hand from her own and threw it over her shoulder, tucking her into his side.

"They're going to adore you," he whispered, pressing the softest of kisses to her forehead, "Elysia already does."

"He's right, you're simply lovely!" Elysia beamed, falling into step beside Una, "Gus has told me a mountain of things about you and I have to agree...you're incredibly beautiful!"

"Yes, and she's also my girlfriend," Gus warned, glaring at the smirking girl.

"It was one time, Gus, and you didn't even like her!" Elysia exclaimed, squeezing Una's shoulder, "a few tips before you meet the crew. Delilah can be a bit loud at times but she really does have a heart of gold-"

"Of course, you would say that," Gus snorted, "Miss "I love everything Delilah does".

"Piss off," Elysia bit back, "Flynn loves compliments, he adores compliments and he loves to give people compliments. Ferris is a complete party goer, and if you talk to him about anything remotely exciting he will fall at your feet - he's also a bit of a flirt so just watch out for him. River...well, River-"

"Is an arse," Gus scoffed, earning a glare from Elysia.

"He just has a hard time trusting new people," she smiled reassuringly, but Una had been wary of River before she even entered the city, "he's protective of us and the thought of anything happening always seems to swirl in that pretty little head of his."

"Thoughts of doubt." Una nodded, "at least I can relate to that."

Elysia beamed, "you're gonna love them, and they're gonna love you. I love you!"

Una smiled at her, it was a wonderful feeling to have someone be so nice to her, to reassure her and walk by her side. Elysia was incredibly kind, so kind in fact that the smile didn't waver from her lips as she followed her, she wasn't sure if she was at ease or just so past worry that she looked calm.

"Guys?!" Elysia's voice boomed loudly and Una had to stop herself from gawking once more.

It was completely different from the lobby, or the halls just outside when she stepped into the very large apartment. Floor to ceiling windows lined every wall giving the entire place the natural sunlight.

She didn't think It was possible to have so many plants in the one place and for it to look good, and cosy, and spacious at the same time but the apartment had exceeded all of her expectations without having to try. She spotted some figures over at a set of three couches that lined up to a television with a coffee table in the centre and she wanted nothing more than to see how comfortable the sofas were.

"Gus is here!" Elysia called, rolling her eyes and muttering something about them all being so lazy.

"Gus?!" a feminine voice squealed excitedly, and soon did the sight of a girl just as beautiful as Elysia hop off the couch and rush over. She stopped in her tracks at the sight of Una but her smile managed to widen, and she moved a lot more cautiously, slowing her pace and eying her curiously.

"Una," she spoke with a voice so smooth that Una thought she could melt, the name rolled off her tongue quietly and just like Elysia, Una could feel herself drawn to her, "you are everything I pictured you to be!"

Una was shocked, surprised to hear those words and to see her look so happy to say those words, that the thought of Una being who she was, was a good thing, "oh, I can tell we are going to be such wonderful friends!"

"I hope so," Una spoke quietly, smiling at the girl who had ended up right in front of her, reaching for Una's hand and pulling her into such a tight hug that Una wasn't sure if she liked it or not, but she was happy nonetheless.

"Del, please don't scare her," Gus groaned, leaning on the side of the wall and watching Una interact with them all. He didn't want her getting too overwhelmed by them all hounding her at once, but he could very clearly see the smile resting on her lips regardless of how she felt and decided to leave her alone to wander the apartment he had grown to miss.

"Flynn!" Elysia screeched the house down, "Flynn come see her!"

At the sound of Elysia's voice, Una could suddenly hear a crash coming from a nearby room of the apartment, and not long later did a very lanky boy with very dark hair appear. He was just as beautiful as the girls in his own unique way that she smiled wider when he stumbled to a stop, almost slipping on the floor with the fluffy socks he had on.

He gasped as Delilah moved out of the way, clutching his heart - very - over dramatically, and screeched, "I told you! I told you she would be beautiful!"

"We all said she would be!" Delilah screeched back, and Una found herself inching closer to Elysia. She had never found herself overly beautiful, she had always been average and she didn't mind it all that much, her appearance never bothered her in the slightest but the compliments she had received in the last fifteen minutes was more than she ever had in her life and she couldn't deny that she liked it.

She liked being called beautiful, and surprisingly, she liked being gushed over and moved around so that the three could all see her for all that she was.

"Gus talked about you nonstop and it was lovely but he never ever showed us what you looked like!" Flynn exclaimed, "I'm Flynn. I'm sure Gus has told you about us all and if he hasn't...I'll kill him! but I very much like animals!"

"Yes, and makeup too," Una smiled, making sure that Gus was in the clear and Flynn's smile widened as he pulled her into a bone-crushing hug.

Her eyes wavered to someone behind Flynn who was eying her too, and she offered him a small smile, watching him push himself up and over to her, "Ferris," his voice was low and slow and he stuck out his hand slowly for her to take, which she did warily.

"My, you are beautiful, I have to admit," she hoped her cheeks hadn't shown how flustered she was as he leaned down and pressed a lingering kiss to her hand whilst the three others groaned around her.

"Now, now, Ferris," a voice she hadn't heard before which managed to send a shiver down her spine cut off the boy who had dropped her hand, "I don't think Gus would like you playing with his...new pet."

River, she thought. She spared a look at the boy to the left of Ferris and was greatly irritated to find that he was incredibly, incredibly handsome. His eyes had a sharp edge to them, and she wondered if it was just him glaring at her, and she could have sworn she heard a snort from Ferris who backed up a step.

"I'm not his pet," it was the most she had spoken, very clear and harsh and she had straightened herself up from the flustered cheeks and the gushing with Flynn, "but I can bite when provoked."

She heard a squeak of laughter from Delilah followed by a bark from Flynn who clapped his hands together. Ferris was grinning cheekily at River who looked not at all fazed except his cheek which he was clearly biting out of irritation, and Elysia was smirking widely.

"I like you," Ferris grinned, patting Una's shoulder, "I very much like you."

"I do too," Gus suddenly reappeared again and Una hadn't even realised he had gone, "so I suppose you said something to her," he pointed to River who looked very unhappy, "and she bit back."

"Good choice of words," Flynn snorted, slinging an arm around a giggling Una's shoulder.

"That was amazing!" Delilah giggled, though she slipped her arm around River to make sure he knew she still loved him.

Delilah was the peacekeeper amongst the group. If anyone made a joke that got a little too out of hand, or an argument had started usually between Elysia and Ferris then she was the one to make sure both sides knew that she was still there and she still loved them. It was a rare sight to see Delilah without a smile on her face and to have Gus back and to make a new friend in Una had her simply ecstatic.

Elysia Ari was the excited one of them, though that could be tied with Flynn. She was incredibly smart and incredibly talented in a lot of fields and yet she didn't quite know what she wished to do. Her friends where the most important things to her in her life and whilst she seemed to be kind, and bright, and very cheerful all of the time, she had a wall up - and that wall only opened by a small gate that her friends could fit through.

Flynn was an open book, he needed his friends more than anything because of the amount he had gotten through because of them. He had a lot of feelings, a lot of emotions and many thoughts that sometimes expressing them became more than hard and usually he came off as excited with Elysia, he liked to make sure everyone was okay, and arguments simply weren't his thing - he didn't like the thought of hurting someone's feelings, and more times than one if someone hurt him...he tended to forgive them.

Ferris was the party goer, he was mostly the only one but sometimes he managed to convince River and Flynn - and mostly Gus before his departure - to go out with him. He knew every club and every hotspot and every deal in the city, but looking out for his friends was the number one intention, and much like Una had just proved, he had to make sure he liked a new person until he was completely himself. He liked his friends the way they were, he didn't need anyone else in his life and so his shield was his charm, he was naturally gifted to "woo" whoever he wished, flirting his way into their hearts for fun for them both and that was it. He didn't want to settle down or find someone, he wanted fun, and he always had and he didn't want to stop anytime soon.

River had a heart of gold, he truly did. He was kind and compassionate and trusting and a good person, but his shield was his coldness and rarely did he let his shield down unless it was his friends. He couldn't trust people as easily, he couldn't compliment like Flynn did, or get excited like Delilah did, or flirt like Ferris did because he was always on edge, he didn't trust Una and whilst he was - slightly - amused that she didn't care for his comment, that was it. He didn't care for her, or about her in any way because she was a stranger no matter how much Gus wanted to prove otherwise, only Gus knew her, and he was entirely against her in their residence.

"So, is this...your home?" Una asked, her arm linked with Delilah who was giving her a tour of the open plan space. A large dining table was off on one wall, set for seven and she realised that it was because she was there, and Gus too.

The sofas were the comfiest looking sofas she had ever seen, all three of them huge and perfectly aligned with the mounted TV on the only bit of wall in the entire apartment. The kitchen was huge too, and a cut off wall broke the counters away from the living area, with an island right in the middle and the same modern feel to it as much as the rest of the house, it really was a beautiful place.

"It was a gift," Elysia spoke as she trailed behind, "Delilah's parents had to leave and instead of Delilah being alone they gave her this space, and she asked us all to move in with her."

"That's incredible," Una whispered her eyes on the windows - of the view of the city. Every window had a different view and she was mesmerised, simply awestruck by the beauty. She could see the sea in the distance and wondered how close to the coast the city was, wondering if their beach was a lot more beautiful than the one in her town and she already knew the answer couldn't be anything but yes.

"We want to take you shopping tomorrow if you'd like?" Delilah asked as she pulled her along gently, her hand grazing over a rose bush against the wall. A number of plants she had seen were very odd and in unnatural places, that she was completely shocked that the flowers had bloomed but they looked as perfect as everything else the city offered.

"Elysia is very stylish and the shops in the city are rather lovely," the girl moved a curl out of her way as she spoke, "of course we can do much other stuff - I heard you liked tea?! There's a wonderful café that we can go to, it's not far...it was actually Gus' mother's inspiration for her own tea shop."

"Oh yes!" Una beamed, "Gus told me that...I would absolutely love that."

Delilah's smile had widened as she opened the door to one of the furthest rooms, "this is your room, I really do hope you like it. Of course, we set this up before we knew about...you and Gus finally getting together. I really can't with that boy he liked you for so long!"

"Oh my-" she choked on her words, bringing a hand to her chest as she took in the interior. It was painted a very pale colour of pink and it was lovely. The bed was bigger than any she had ever seen before, taking up almost half of the wall it was pressed against and she had to fight the urge to run and jump on it. There wasn't much in it, and Delilah informed her that they could go out and get accessories for it tomorrow.

"You're one of us," Delilah smiled, "well I definitely think so anyway, we've heard so much about you that it would be odd not to think so. Gus said you're shy, but I think I saw a little bit of you when you replied to River. I really hope we can be good friends."

"I would love that," Una whispered, nodding furiously, "I've never had someone...so willing to be my friend before."

Delilah's eyes couldn't help but widen, and she spoke a soft, "really?!" to which Una nodded.

"Gus is my first friend...ever," she shook her head at the mere thought of it. He had shown her so many things she didn't quite think possible and she loved every minute she spent with him.

"Well I'm your second friend, and I'm sure all of them would fight for that position," Delilah jerked her head in the direction of the main room where the others talked to Gus about something she didn't hear, "I'll leave you to get settled in, please make yourself at home, Una!"

"Thank you, Delilah," she patted the girl's shoulder.

"Please, call me Del," and she was gone, closing the door of Una's room over behind her. She wondered if all of their parents were as rich as Gus' if Delilah's had gotten them a place like this to stay and they didn't seem at all fazed.

Of course, she hadn't been here when they were presented with the apartment and wondered if they had just gotten used to the luxury of it all, she knew that she could certainly get used to it. She didn't know what to do first and opted to charge her phone in order to make sure her siblings knew she was alright, thankfully enough.

The room was something out of a dream, and every time she thought of something along those lines she couldn't help but laugh at herself. The room was decorated very minimally, a dresser, a desk, a mirror, two bedside tables, a fireplace and a bed and that was it and yet it seemed so cosy.

The fire was already crackling as she entered and the sound was very satisfying to her ears. The bed was luring her to it with every second she stood standing and she knew that if she allowed the bed to engulf her in the many pillows, cushions and blankets then she would instantly fall asleep, and whilst the thought was tempting - she wanted to stay awake as long as she could.

Her phone buzzed with messages when it finally turned on and she hardly looked at any notifications other than the many missed calls from her siblings, and this time she clicked on her sister's name in order to ring her.

"Una!" Kasey shrieked on the other end of the line, "I've been trying to call you for two days!"

"I know, Kase, I'm sorry," Una sighed, yawning as she sat on the warm bed, "my battery ran right down, that's me just got a charger."

"What were you thinking, Una?! When you left, when you just packed up and left a letter!" she hadn't spoken to Kasey, and she wondered if Beck had, knowing she was safe, she didn't think it was as big a deal as they were making it out to be, of course, it was a reckless decision to up and leave, but it wasn't the worst thing to do.

"I was thinking I wanted to live my life and take a chance to see something other than the village every single day," her voice was calm and she knew if she had the energy then her tone would have been harsher, she would be shouting down the phone like Kasey was doing but she just couldn't, "I was thinking that maybe for once I could be the spontaneous Reynolds for a change, that I could be the one finding hidden beaches and going on road trips and leaving the house every day.

I was sheltered, Kase, and don't say I wasn't because we both know the truth. My biggest issue was mum closing down a tea shop that wasn't even my own and of course I still don't want that to happen but I've never had my own problems.

I never had the fear of a car breaking down in the middle of nowhere and making the best out of a not so good situation, or having to stay at an inn because I was so tired and so was the person I left with and we decided that stopping was better than anything else.

I'm having fun Kase, I'm happy, I'm happier than what I've been in a long time and I have experienced something so beautiful that it's hard for me to think of coming home. I wish you were here, I wish you and Beck were here with me, seeing all of this up close but I can't stop living my life because of your worry.

I'm fine, and I'm safe, and you don't need to tell me that mum doesn't care because I already know that. I bet she probably doesn't even know I'm gone and that's fine by me. I'll talk to you everyday Kase, as much as I can and I can't wait to tell you everything - I can't wait until you hear all about this."

"You're safe?" Kasey whispered, her voice shaky and Una realised it was worry. It wasn't anger or jealousy or bitterness, but worry and fear that her sister had been stripped away from her, "A-are you sure?"

"Yes, Kase. I promise. Hope to die if I tell a lie," she made a sound as though she was kissing the phone and could hear the softest of laughs on the other end, "I love you."

"I love you, too, Una. Beck does too, he understood more than I did but I was just so scared. I still am and I will be until I can see for myself that you're alright but I'm happy that you're happy," she took a deep breath, "you sound exhausted."

"I am," Una groaned. She hadn't the faintest clue where the wave of sleepiness had come from after sleeping so much in the car but she couldn't deny that the bed was calling her to sleep and she really wished to.

"I'll talk to you later, Una," Kasey let out a laugh, though it was very evidently forced and Una's heart broke, "I love you."

"I love you." The phone rang dead as soon as Una uttered those words and she placed her phone down in hopes that it would help her not to think of leaving Kasey and Beck behind. She thought most of her mother when the plan arose to leave the town and travel to the city, of how she wouldn't care and that she had the right to do something fun.

But she wondered that if she spent more time thinking of her siblings that the outcome of packing up would have been entirely different. She didn't regret leaving, she couldn't, after all she had seen, the city was the most beautiful thing she could think of, and not to mention that the best time of her life was with Gus, that he was officially hers because of the road trip and she wouldn't have it any other way.

"Does she know?" Una frowned at the voices outside of her door, hushed and muffled but she was positive that it was River.

"No, not yet." Gus, she thought when his voice floated through her ears and she fought the urge to open the door, to make it known that she could hear them. She was sure that they were talking about her, and she wondered most of all what she didn't know, though Gus had suggested that she would know soon.

"She deserves that much," was the last thing she heard coming from River before the door to her room opened and Gus walked in with a tired smile on his lips.

"What was that about?" asked Una, her legs crossed in a basket as she sat atop of the bed and watched him stretch his muscles.

"Hmm?" she nudged towards the door, to the conversation that just happened on the other side of it, and he whispered, "oh, that."

"Should I be worried about something?" she already was, she realised, when the butterflies swarmed her stomach and she pulled her lip between her teeth in order to gnaw on something.

He took small steps forward until he was right in front of her, standing in front of the bed with her head resting in each of his hands and a small kiss on her lips told her no, and he did too when he whispered it.

"You don't need to worry about a thing, babe," he slowly ran his hands through her hair, trailing his fingers down to her neck whilst she stared at him, "except what our...sleeping arrangements will be."

"Well this bed is just so big," she trailed off, gesturing to the space she had, "I think it would be a shame for me to have it all to myself."

He laughed, climbing onto the bed beside her and kissing her one more time, softer, slower and hoping it would turn into something, which it did. She shifted so that her hand rested on his cheek and he slowly hovered over her, whispering between kisses of how happy he was that he was back and that she was with him.

She went to kiss him, to pull on the back of his neck eagerly in order to be close to him when a yawn escaped her lips, and he couldn't help but laugh, "tired?"

"It seems so," she snorted, taking a deep breath when he rolled to the empty space beside her, "maybe we could both go for a nap?"

He smiled at her, at the thought and soon nodded, "they want to go out tonight, to celebrate meeting you and seeing me again. I told them I'd ask you what you wanted to do - I didn't want to say yes to something you weren't comfortable with."

"You are so lovely," she smiled, patting his cheek, "but I'd love to go out, Flynn and I have to finish our conversation about the best dog breeds."

"Is there really a best?" Gus' eyebrow raised and Una smiled wider.

"You're right, I'm not sure that's possible," she snuggled closer to him, tucked under his arm and into his side whilst he wrapped his arms tightly around her, "I'm glad we're here. I'm glad I met your friends."

"Are you really?" it wasn't so much as a question but words to form his happiness and sort of relief. He knew that she would love them and they had gushed about her as she settled into her room - of course, excluding River who was as wary as ever, of course - but there was always that little bit of worry that had to vanish when hearing the words, the fact that she really did like them, that she was glad to have met them made his heart swell.

"I'm more than glad!" she laughed softly, "I think it's more than obvious that River doesn't like me in the slightest, but seeing him so irritated was very amusing."

"He could warm up eventually," Gus trailed off, though hearing Una snorting was simply playing over the doubt they both had over the thought, "he can hardly trust himself never mind other people, I wouldn't bother about him."

"He's your best friend, Gus," she whispered quietly, snuggling closer, "I want to be someone all of them can trust. I want to be their friends...I've never had any before and now most all of them are so willing. I feel like I need to prove myself...prove I'm worthy...of you."

"Una, you are more than worthy," he frowned and she turned around in his arms to look at him, just look at every feature he had, and the colour of his eyes and his lips parting and she kissed him softly, "If anything, I'm not worthy of you."

"We both know that's not true," she whispered, tracing her thumb over his lips and kissing him one last time.