❝Til you say, here I am.❞ - BANNERS.

The car was contently quiet, the soft humming of the radio blissfully playing the only sound. Summer rested into the leather interior of Amelia's car as she drove, casting a small smile of reassurance to Summer as she remained silent, the music gently whispering.

Addiena rested her head on her arm, gazing out of the back passenger window as her sore, bloodshot eyes studied the blurring buildings passing by. Every now and then her breath would skip from being so unsteady, her only regret being that she hadn't made contact with the key at all.

The blazing sun beamed down on their car as it passed through the streets, shining onto their faces through the windows to warm them. Addiena slightly winced and withdrew from the window, causing Amelia to glance into her rear mirror with a small empathetic sigh.

Drawing in a breath, she gently spoke, "I'll get someone to bring you your car Addiena, it'll be with you by tomorrow is that alright?" she smiled as Addiena glanced up.

Tucking a strand behind her ear, Addiena softly returned a smile and nodded before shyly and awkwardly diverting her gaze elsewhere as her sister spoke, "where are we going?"

"To stay with a really fond friend of mine, I'm sure you've met her before," Amelia spoke as she pulled her sunglasses over her face, "you'll be safe with her, you can get ready over her house and then come to the party with her as I've got to rush back to work. She's closely related to Beck, you needn't worry," she assured the two sisters.

☇

Bronwyn furrowed her eyebrows before eventually kneeling down to pick the ring off of the floor, the force of Beck's throw urging it to bang against the bedside wall and tumble across the bed onto the floor. Her eyes misted as she acknowledged he had every right to be mad as she stared at the garment in her hands. After all he didn't entirely know the story but the speed of his unraveling rage was if all completely unnecessary.

She shook her head before rising from her kneeling position to her feet, weakly clearing her throat to detain the heavy forming lump in it as she dully noted that hysterics wasn't how to approach Beck. But considering that the entire HAB had likely heard their argument, or his, subtlety had long since swept out of the window.

Grasping the ring tightly, she wiped at her eyes and composed herself. She was still enveloped with shock at his interpretation but nonetheless she intended to set the records straight so drawing in a breath, she made her way out of the bedroom and headed to the main area.

As she entered her eyes landed on Martinez and Watney, drinks in hands as they sat at the table whilst conversing over their favourite shows and how they were thrilled that they'd have at least four seasons to catch up on. But she wasn't here for them, and so entered the room fourth more before she caught sight of Beck.

He leant against the kitchen counter tops, seething in rage as his clenched fist was placed firmly on his mouth, the likelihood of it being there being to stop him from blurting out obscenities as his eyes glared out at nothing. From the anger that radiated from him, she could only hope the egg shells she was already treading on didn't cut the soles of her feet.

Stepping into the main area as she put the ring in her pocket, she shot a small smile of acknowledgment to Watney and Martinez before she watched as their eyes widened, the two both realising her motives and slightly shaking their heads that it was a bad idea but she simply brushed them off. Regardless of their situation, Beck would always be her best friend.

His eyes suddenly glazed over her as she made her way to him, sheepishly resting her weight against the kitchen top opposite him before she crossed her ankles, her hands holding onto the edge behind her. He diverted his glare elsewhere, not finding it in him to look at her but also not finding it in him to get away from her.

Her lips formed into a thin line as she mentally appreciated he hadn't run before she quietly spoke, "Beck, are you going to let me explain?"

He remained silent, completely avoiding her gaze as she studied his furious features. The  senseless anger was prominently etched across his face, his body language tightly on edge as her question rang through his ears.

Moments passed and he refused to answer her, crossing his arms over his chest as she furrowed her eyebrows in confuse, "Beck?"

Watney had turned over his shoulder to watch as Martinez gestured towards the couple, sensing a raging argument arousing from Beck's silent treatment. It was perhaps better than Soap Opera repeats that they'd watched endlessly and what better than your own best friends as the main stars.

"Beck?" Bronwyn's voice grew sterner as her toleration level dropped steeply, his continuous lack of acknowledgment to her igniting a flourish of anger, "Beck-" she almost demanded before he brushed past her with a, 'just back off Bronwyn', as he walked past her to pass Watney and Martinez' table before she widened her eyes in disbelief.

"Don't be so ignorant, Chris," she seethed as she followed Beck, Watney and Martinez sheepishly turning around as though they'd heard nothing as the couple began to pass them.

"Beck for God's sake, can you- can you just let me explain!" Bronwyn merely pleaded as he continued to ignore her, before an idea gushed through her and in her rage, she reached for Watney's Pomegranate juice with a, 'hey that's mine' from Watney, unscrewed the lid and threw the liquid at Beck which stopped him dead in his tracks, dripping as Watney began to cackle uncontrollably, Martinez suppressing a laugh.

"Goddamn it Christopher Beck, you will listen to me," she snapped as he turned, his shirt dripping with the liquid as a glare adorned his face, a defiant growl on Bronwyn's.

☇

Addiena and Summer shyly followed behind Amelia with their bags tightly strapped around their shoulders for comfort, Amelia fumbling through her assortment of contents in her bag before finally fishing out the card key for Lily's apartment.

"Right," she breathed as she stopped outside Lily's door, turning to the two sisters, "Lily isn't here, she's in college as she's studying for her bachelor in nursing so excuse the scatters upon scatters of revision that are probably littering her apartment but all in all, she will take good care of you and take you to the venue tonight."

Summer glanced up at Addiena slightly unsure but Addiena pressed her lines into a firm line that it would be fine, though she didn't know much before Amelia swiped the car which allowed the door to open. Amelia entered with the two sisters following slowly behind her, having to slightly push stacks of folders and books to the side as the hallway was littered with them.

"Well, you weren't kidding," Summer retorted as Addiena lightly popped her across her head, a stern look to be more polite etched onto her face. Rolling her eyes, Summer followed Amelia into the living room.

"Well," Amelia breathed as she spun on her heel, "I best shoot off, just don't make a mess-" she paused as she acknowledged the mess in the apartment of a college student, "actually, never mind, just ring me if anything out of the ordinary happens," she smiled, hugging and kissing each sister on the head before rushing off into the hallway.

Addiena sighed as she shut the front door after her, joining her sister again in the living room. The living room was a pristine white with white leather chairs and a glass coffee table, but completely scattered with sheets of papers and books.

"Prison is fun," Summer muttered as she shuffled some sheets of paper off the chair.

"Hey now, this isn't prison," Addiena protested as she joined her on the sofa, "though mam is not to find out about this entire incident, I'm suppose to be looking after us not Amelia."

Summer shrugged, "how were you suppose to know Jonathan was going to up step us like that? You just had a fright, that's all sis," she murmured as she leant on her shoulder, feeling Addiena's arm wrap around her as she smiled appreciatively. "Bronwyn would be proud."

Addiena's smile grew, "I honestly wonder what's she up to right now."

☇

"Sit your ass down now," Bronwyn scowled, pulling out two chairs for herself and Beck. Watney bit his knuckles to stifle his laugh but Bronwyn ignored him, gesturing towards the chair opposite her as she sat down.

Beck shook his head in disbelief at her attitude, "do you not get that I'm pissed? You're taking the piss out of my reaction to your own actions," he growled, her fear having completely left her now.

"I'm your best friend too, so what, you're pissed off at your girlfriend right? Sit your ass down, I was you best friend first so let's have a bitch about her and maybe even let me explain her point of view because this has been blown out of proportion," she tapped the chair across her, gazing at Beck encouragingly as he stared boringly at her, not shifting an inch.

She let out a small sigh, "Beck, please?"

He huffed quietly to himself and obliged, pulling the chair towards him as he ordered Watney and Martinez to get out.

"What, why?" Watney merely pouted before Beck glared to him as a warning, Watney only pretending to swoon as he cackled his way out of the room.

Shaking his head, Beck sat down onto the chair across from Bronwyn before folding his arms. A small happy smile burst onto Bronwyn's face but she quickly hid it, remembering he was still pissed and being too happy could possibly just annoy him off.

"Okay right," she breathed, "I totally understand that you're frustrated and confused, but if you just let me explain why it's here then it'll save you the world of anger-"

"Bronwyn," he interrupted sternly before suddenly gently lowering his voice as he avoided her alluring eyes, "it's like you've brought him here onto Mars," he admitted, "it's like he's sharing your accomplishment, he doesn't get to deserve that. I want to experience it with you, you're mine Bronwyn, not his."

She frowned, her heart tugging at his interpretation, "Beck," was all she could muster as she realised why he'd gotten so worked up. Glancing down to her lap, she fumbled with her fingers.

"I feel like such a douche right now because I wish I had a deep reason for why I brought it but it honestly came down to three options: give him the ring back and let him get his money back, throw it into space and kill all of us in the process or bury it on Mars," she awkwardly shrugged as he detained a smirk. Her eyes widened in glee, momentarily catching his slight smirk before his expression dulled again.

"Beck, even if he was on fire and I had a glass of water, I'd drink it," she added as she nudged her chair forewords to be closer to Beck, "he's done with Christopher Beck, he's completely gone but it kills me that he still manages to disrupt the relationship we have even despite being 225 million kilometres away from us."

"We could just kill him-"

"-No Beck," Bronwyn laughed, grateful his humour had slowly filtered through finally, "regardless, that's illegal."

"And having an affair with some other girl behind your back is commendable?" Beck retorted before rising to his feet, reaching his hand out for Bronwyn to accept, "he dropped a diamond for a rock, Bronwyn," he added as she accepted his help to get her to her feet.

She smiled gratefully before her face contorted playfully, "you know, I still haven't heard you say sorry."

"You say sorry first," Beck shrugged.

"No it doesn't work like that-"

"If I say sorry and get the privilege of spending the rest of my life with you, then maybe I'll apologise first but you still haven't admitted you're mine," he smoothly replied.

"You're a dork."

"Maybe so," he laughed as he pulled her close with his left arm, enveloping Bronwyn with a kiss as his right arm reached for the table. In an instant, Bronwyn jumped back in disbelief as her hair dripped with juice as Beck laughed, an empty bottle in his right hand.

"That's not fair," Bronwyn pouted as Beck retorted, "well now we are even, doll."

☇

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"Bronwyn reaching for the Milky Way."
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