Sticks and Stones

Chapter 12: Reunited

"Thomas!" Teresa called in alarm as both girls hurried over.

Brenda was walking behind the boys, and she told the girls tiredly: "He's fine, he's probably just passed out from being drunk."

"Drunk?" Rachel repeated in confusion, but Brenda just nodded in reply as she moved off to sit in an armchair across from Marcus and Jorge while the boys dumped Thomas onto the nearby bed. Teresa sat beside Thomas, gently caressing the boy's face as she stared down at him worriedly. Rachel moved to stand beside Newt as he rolled his shoulders, groaning a little.

"The shank's heavier than he looks." Newt muttered and Rachel smiled, while Minho agreed with a groan: "Yeah, you'd think he was a two hundred pound rock, not a scrawny kid."

Rachel chuckled lightly, although it was cut short as she winced when they heard another crack from behind as Jorge threw another punch at Marcus. Newt gently tugged Rachel off to the windows on the far side of the room, getting as far away from the violence as possible. Aris and Frypan sat in the armchairs beside Brenda while Minho stood with his arms folded between the armchairs and Thomas.

The whole group watched Jorge interrogate Marcus. Rachel winced as Jorge punched Marcus again, snarling: "Talk! Talk!"

A few minutes later, Rachel had had enough and she turned away from the scene, staring out of the window. She felt more than saw Newt move beside her, and then he was hugging her from behind, leaning his head on her shoulder. She sighed slightly, leaning back against him as he cradled her lightly.

Rachel absently played with his fingers, taking them in her hands and flexing and curling them alternately, as she stared without seeing out at the rather gloomy city. It was strange to think how quickly she'd become comfortable with him.

Part of it had to do with their strained situation- she recalled vaguely the saying that shared trauma could form the toughest bonds- but part of it just had to do with him. Rachel sighed a little again as she leant back on Newt, and he shifted slightly.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked quietly, his mouth pressed close to her ear.

She shivered a little as his breath fell on her neck, but she answered softly: "Just thinking about us and what'll happen now."

He tensed slightly and Rachel rubbed soothing circles on his hands to reassure him that her worries weren't too serious. He relaxed just slightly, and he murmured quietly: "We'll make it out of this alive. Promise."

She smiled a little, knowing even he didn't really believe his words. It was not a promise he could keep, but Rachel could hear the sincerity in his voice and that was enough for her. So she sighed a little, and leaned back against Newt. They stayed like that for a moment when a sharp gasp made them turn.

Rachel turned to see Thomas had awoken with a start, but Teresa was already calming him down. Minho moved over to Thomas, greeting with a sarcastic smirk: "Welcome back, you ugly shank."

Newt and Rachel rolled their eyes, but when Thomas sat up and looked around confusedly, Rachel smiled warmly at the boy. Thomas saw them by the window as he tried to get his bearings, and he nodded back when Newt nodded at him once. They all turned, Rachel unwillingly, back to where Jorge was still interrogating Marcus.

"I suggest that you talk," Jorge said with false calm, "you son of a bitch!"

Rachel flinched slightly and Newt sighed as Jorge shouted the last words, throwing another punch at Marcus' face. Newt wrapped his arms comfortingly around Rachel once more as Marcus's head rolled a little and he groaned.

"I'm sorry," Marcus said as he worked his jaw painfully, "you're going to have to leave my house."

Thomas had glanced over towards the others, getting up to walk closer to Jorge and Marcus. As he passed the pair near the windows, Newt commented dryly: "Looks like you've been having fun."