You Can't Live Like This... (The Rules of Survival Fanfiction)

The Room Where It Happened

We all went to school the rest of the week, and from the moment school started, I could tell that Murdoch was exhausted. We'd come home and find him asleep in the armchair. I'd always have to jump on him so he'd wake up. I remember one day after school, one of the last days I'd ever see you guys at my house (well, you and Callie, at least), I overheard Matthew and Murdoch talking about it all. You and Callie had decided to go outside and have fun. I was working on my homework when I started eavesdropping.

"Murdoch, really, it's okay if you don't want us here. We can go home, Mom always leaves us at home when she's gone, we can-"
"Matthew," I heard my brother's soft and gentle voice cut him off, "it really is okay. I'm just tired is all. That's not you kids' fault. That's my own for not getting enough sleep. I'll be fine. And you're not going home by yourselves."
Matthew intervened, saying, "Aunt Bobbie's right downstairs. We have an adult in our house besides Mom, we'll be fine back home."

"No," I jumped in, and both of them looked at me, surprised I was listening as I continued, "Matthew, you told me yourself that Bobbie doesn't even do anything. You told me she doesn't take care of you, even when Nikki's not around. Please stay..." Matthew, looking at the table now, eyeing his hands, sighs. "Sorry... I just... feel like we're bleeding over into your lives and just becoming nuisances..."
"Matthew-"
"No, Murdoch... let me handle it." I sit next to Matthew and rub his arm. "Matthew, what did I tell you the first time you came over?"
"That I'm always welcomed.."
"And what about when you and your sisters came over?"
"We're always welcomed..."
"And the night you guys were left here, what did I say to you?"
"... I-"

"Matthew," I hug him, sighing, "it is honestly okay that you're here. It's okay that your sisters are here. Murdoch's not the only one who's refusing to let you go home by yourselves..." we all three stayed silent. I just kept hugging Matthew. He didn't really hug back until I heard Murdoch get up and get something from the kitchen. That's when he squeezed me tight, burying his face in my hair. "Thank you..." he whispered. I smile. That's when you ran out and started tapping my back. I let go of Matthew and faced you. "What is it, Emmy?"
"Outside! Outside!"
"What? Something out-"

"M-Matt," Callie came in, and not two steps through the door behind her was Nikki. She still wore the clothes she had on when she left you guys a week ago. Matthew and I looked at her, and I felt him grab my hand and squeeze it. Murdoch finally looked her direction and said, "Oh, you're back. I called the hospital, they said you hadn't showed up for any-" in a minute, a single moment, your mother was all over Murdoch. She kissed him, as if he was hers. Her property. And the minute he grabbed her arms and practically pushed her off, I knew how Matthew would feel. And he felt like he was not only pushing Nikki away, but you guys as well. The minute that I noticed Matthew's posture, I went to grab his hand, but Nikki already stormed out of our house with you in her arms, Callie following behind, and Matthew being practically dragged. As she left, I remember hearing her say, "I don't want you anywhere near either of them, you understand me??"

My heart shattered. I stood frozen, listening to Nikki talk (pardon my French) shit about us. I sat down on the couch, and grabbed the blanket Matt used to sleep on the couch and cuddled in it, on the verge of tears. "Lynny..?" Murdoch said gently, sitting next to me. I was wrapped up in the blanket, just remembering the movie night we all had, and this very blanket Matthew and I used to keep warm. I cried just at that thought. Murdoch held me close and rubbed my back as I cried. "A-am I gonna S-see him again...?"
"That depends... if he still sees you."
"A-and if he d-doesn't...?" I asked through hiccups and snot crying. Murdoch laid soft eyes on me and shook his head. "Looks like its back to just us two, huh buddy?"
"N-no!" I shout. I push myself away from Murdoch as he did with Nikki, sitting on the other side of the couch. I kept crying, into the blanket now, that still surprisingly had Matthew's scent on it. For once I felt cold again. Cold and alone.

That entire week I didn't leave the house. Not even for school (which I too was surprised when Murdoch let me stay home). I slept on, sat on, and stayed on that couch, curled up in that blanket, staring out the window into the streets outside. Murdoch would remind me I couldn't stay inside forever, and insisted I go to Cumberland Farms to get some ice. I sigh and grab my coat, throw on my work boots, and go down to the store, still in my pajamas. They were big flannel pants and a t shirt. Once I made it into the store, I saw Callie. By herself, surprisingly. I was about to say something until she saw me first. She smiled a bit shyly. "L-Lynnette."
"Callie... how's, uh... how's Emmy?" She read my mind instantly. She looked down. "Emmy's okay... she's being a real pain to Mom, constantly testing her. Just last night Matthew had to keep her from Emmy because she prayed for you and Murdoch..." when she told me this, I read her mind quickly. We had been teaching ourselves and each other how to react and how exactly to finish the thought just by looking at one another.

"There's something else happening... what's going on?" Callie started tugging at her sleeve. She sighs and waves for me to walk with her. I do, only now just realizing how short she was compared to me. She's up to about my jawline a whole head taller than her. I watched and listened as she talked. She told me about SixFlags and the car ride home that night, the talk that Matthew had with their father Ben, and about how you've been tempting your mother. I could see clear in her eyes just the terror you kids we're going through.

She also mentioned Nikki's talk to report Murdoch for child molestation against Matthew. My eyes widened at that. "You've got to be kidding me... but you're not, are you?"
"I'm smarter than half of the people in your high school, it would be idiotic of me to lie about that."
"I know, I know... what should I do?"
"Tell him. Tell him for us, before Matthew does it himself. We're trying to push Murdoch out of our lives, and push you out of it too... that summer we spent together meant nothing, and never existed. That's what we've agreed on. But now, I can see it in his head. Matthew's going to tell Murdoch himself, which will only piss off Mom, so please tell him... for us."

I nodded at her. As I walked her home, I quickly made sure Nikki had not seen me before going back home. I walk in the door and hand Murdoch the stuff he needed. "Meet anyone while you were there?"
"I saw Callie... she told me how M-..." I had paused, but then sighed. "She told me how everyone was doing... Nikki's still insane." I sat down on the couch and wrapped myself up in the blanket.

Emmy, I won't lie... I didn't tell Murdoch about what Callie said. And in complete and utter honesty, I was happy with thinking Matthew would come and do it himself. Call me crazy, or stalkerish like Nikki, but him coming over and telling Murdoch on his own meant that I'd see him again.