After the accident, only immediate family was needed with the Cameron's. Bali and Dante left, going back home where Cassandra was. Bali was thankful she'd been cleaning out her, now completely wrecked office, so she could sneak upstairs. Being alone was exactly what Bali needed, she'd needed it for a while now. Her phone buzzed when she collapsed on her bed, grabbing hold of it with a sigh.

JJ: Want me to come get you babe?

Bali had to crack a smile as she texted back.

Bali: I'll come to you in a bit. Don't forget your coma before babe.

Bali tosses her phone aside and laid her head down on the pillow. It smelt like JJ's shampoo, considering this was his side of the bed. Bali turned on her side and looked at her laptop with her documents inside. Reaching over, she grabbed hold of it and opened the new chapter.

Chapter Sixteen: Serena's Fathers Death Day.

It was enough for now, going into details as to what just happened not her cup of tea. Instead, Bali shut her laptop and grabbed hold of one of her new books. She'd gifted Pope One Of Us Is Lying but was still left with the three others. Bali wondered if she should be looking for clues to find Conner, she thought about how sketchy it was when she was shot at in the exact place the directions lead her.

Bali knew it was far from the time to invest in a kidnapping when police were already all over with the recent evens that happened a hour ago. Her hands grabbed hold of Devil All The Time, remembering how badly she wanted it. That felt like forever ago, though it had just been a few days. Laying back against her many pillows, she allowed herself to feel herself again as she flipped the book open.

"How's it going in here?" Dante spoke up him him and Bali made it to the Cameron's later that night. The house was too quiet, Wheezie laid against the couch while Rose sat at the bar.

"Brought a bunch of pancakes, and garlic dip." Bali gave a tight lipped smile, laying the wrapped pancakes and bowl of garlic dip on the table, "Maybe not to eat together though."

Rose cracked a smile as she patted Bali's curls slightly, "Could you.."

Bali nodded, leaving the adults in the kitchen as she walked toward the couch. Wheezie laid across it, blinking behind her glasses. Bali nudged her feet, "Hey, kid."

Wheezie sighed as she glanced her way, "You're only four years older then me."

"Four and a half." Bali corrected her as she sat down, "Come over here."

Wheezie sat up and cuddled up into Bali's side, laying her head on her shoulder. Bali rubbed the side of her head with her arms around her, "You wanna hear a story about something you did when you were little?"

"What?" Wheezie asked in curiosity, sniffling in the slightest.

"When you were four, and I was eight, you threw one of those plastic fruits at me." Bali spoke as Wheezie looked up at her slightly, "I threw it back at you too."

"I was four." Wheezie defended herself with a look of disbelief.

"You were a demon." Bali corrected, rocking in the slightest on the couch with Wheezie, "And I loved you so much after that. No matter how many times you threw stuff at me, I loved you, Wheeze."

Wheezie relaxed in Bali's hold again as she pulled her glasses off, "This is all messed up."

"I know." the Pandaros girl agreed, "You got us though, you know that?"

"Yeah." Wheezie smiled as she sighed, "Sarah and Rafe are upstairs."

"I can stay here with you for a little bit." Bali reassured her as Wheezie laid against the pillow again. Bali reached over to tuck loose strands behind Wheezies ear, "Whatever you need."

Sarah glanced over her shoulder when she heard her door creek open. It was dark and the moon came through the window just enough to make out a familiar figure. Sarah laughed through her tears, "Bal."

"Hey." Bali gave a breathy smile as she got into bed with her. Sarah cried again when Bali hugged her from behind, resting her head on her shoulder, "It's gonna be okay."

"I just- He's actually gone." Sarah sniffled as Bali pulled her hair out of her face some, "And like that? It was just so-"

She stopped as she cried again, sniffling heavily as Bali nodded, "Difficult to watch."

Sarah nodded as she grabbed hold of Bali's hand, "Thank you for hugging me."

"I'd hug you even if I had no arms." Bali reassured, earning a minor laugh. She sensed the underlining issue Sarah was having, "I'm sorry that John B didn't comfort you like you needed him to. I think he was in shock."

Sarah waited, "I think he was happy."

Bali leaned up some, "What?"

"I think he was happy." Sarah repeated as she glanced over her shoulder at Bali when she rubbed her shoulders, "I just thought he would understand, loosing a dad."

Bali sighed, because she felt really stuck in the middle, "I think he should have been there for you, I do. He was seeing it as the man who killed his father was dead. I'm sorry that it had to be that way, on your half and his."

Sarah sniffled as she rolled over to face her. Bali gave a small smile as Sarah's puffy eyes blinked more tears, "I know he did bad things-"

"He's still your dad." Bali stopped her from going on, "You have a right to be upset. You don't have to explain yourself to me. Ever."

Sarah leaned over to hug her. Bali rubbed her back as the blonde locks got into her mouth slightly, "You feeling some fresh, buttery, fluffy pancakes?"

Sarah had to laugh into her shoulder, "You brought pancakes?"

"And garlic dip." she added in, "Ate half of it on the way here though."

Sarah convinced Bali she'd been asleep later on the night, just waiting for her to go to sleep herself. Instead, Bali got out of her head and left the room. Sarah snuck out her window after that and headed to Toppers, feeling trapped in the house. She'd shoot Bali a text when she got there to let her know she should come too.

Bali hadn't even had her phone on her, not that she'd actually check it if she did. She'd been too focused on the closed door infront of her, keeping a person, that could have multiple different reactions to seeing her, inside. The room was dark from what she could see, but she heard nothing on the inside. Bali went back and forth between walking in, knocking, and just turning away.

She went with the first option and twisted the door knob.

Bali's eyes darted around the dark room, like Sarah's, the moon from the window was the only thing lighting it up enough. There'd been a blazer, one of Wards, across the couch. She could make out Rafe laying with his back turned, and somehow she knew he wasn't asleep.

"Go away." he spoke up a second. Bali sighed, taking a seat on the leather couch and bouncing her leg. Rafe clearly sensed it, turning around quickly to flip on the lamp, "God,
go away, Wh-"

He stopped when he realized it wasn't his little sister, it was Bali. A scoff left his lips, eyes wide, a shake of his head, "Are you kidding me right now?"

"I'm sorry." was the only thing that came to mind.

"I don't care." Rafe spoke a lot quicker. His eyes were red, either from being high or crying. Bali could imagine it was both, "Get out."

Bali stood up, and he thought she'd actually listened and was heading out, before she took a step his way. His jaw tightened. "Go.Away."

"I'm sorry." she repeated, only standing a step closer, "About your dad, about what I-"

"That you turned me in? Tricked me? Recorded our conversation?" Rafe spoke in pure anger as he stood up out of bed. A flash of hurt and betrayal went across his face, "I trusted you."

Bali nodded, "I thought I was helping."

"By putting me in jail?" Rafe asked with a look of disbelief, laughing at her suddenly, "No matter what, I never would do this to you."

"John B was gonna die." Bali suddenly felt like she could cry. She'd never liked being yelled out, she was tough, but raising your voice at her had tears flowing faster then she even realized, "Your case would have been completely different. You'd have expensive lawyers, psychologists, he-"

She stopped though, because she could see Rafe didn't wanna hear any of it. Bali sighed, "I'm sorry that you can't trust me, and that I always leave you. But this lose is gonna be hard on you and I just want you to know i'm here if you want to talk to me."

Rafe stared at her, "Why? So you can record it and use it against me? Or do I have to cry first?"

Bali could tell she really, really hurt him.

"I'm sorry, Rafe." she could only say sorry, because she had no clue what else to do, "I didn't want it to be this way, that wasn't suppose to happen."

"How am I suppose to know you aren't lying to me?" his voice kept
getting angrier, red in the face with a lot of hand motions her way, "You're not my friend, Bal. You're not on my side, you're not anything to me now. You just like to use me when it's convenient for you and your stupid friends. So just, go. Seriously. I don't wanna see you, at all, never again."

Bali's eyes watered as she stared at Rafe, "You really want me to go?"

For someone who always defended Bali, Rafe meant every word he said out of anger for what she'd done. Bali made him feel safe, especially that night he cried to her about Peterkin, and she recorded it. And then once again when they were on the boat, and she'd set him up, "Yeah, I do."

Bali swallowed the lump in her throat with a nod of her head, waiting a second, almost expecting him to change his mind. But he didn't , only holding his ground and waiting for her to leave. So she did, turning on her heels as sadness filled up her eyes and heart, all at once.

•

kylie speaks

sad chapter now, happy
sweet chapter next. i have
something we have all been
waiting for planned.

but bal and rafe made me
saddddd. like i understand
both their sides but it still
hurts!