༄ 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗋𝗍𝗒－𝖾𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 ༄

THALIA WAS BACK home that night. She didn't really know why. It wasn't a request, according to the call she received from Rose. Thalia waited in Ward's office for what felt like hours, alone, bored and confused, staring at the ceiling fan. She was slouched down low with her arms crossed, her knee lying on the coffee table with an ice pack over it. There was shouting throughout the house, and then Ward and Sarah walked into the office, Ward shutting the door firmly. "What happened?" Thalia asked, seeing Ward's bleeding wound on his arm and Sarah's distraught face.

"What happened to you?" Sarah asked, sitting down on the couch beside her cousin, swiping Thalia's red hair away from her busted eye.

"One thing at a time," Ward said with a heavy sigh, standing in front of his niece and daughter. "John B was here, wasn't he?" Ward asked Sarah.

Sarah was staring blankly at the floor. "No." she said. Thalia knew Sarah was lying.

"Sweetheart, please don't lie to me." Ward said gently.

"Okay, so then don't lie to me." Sarah abruptly stood up. Thalia looked between the two like it was a tennis match.

Ward was stunned. "I'm not." he denied.

"Then tell me what happened on the boat!" Sarah requested, and Thalia was instantly intrigued.

"Sarah!" Ward sighed. "I wanted to take the boy fishing. You saw that, all right? I did it because a boy needs a father figure. So, out we go, and it was great. It was. And then he just starts... drinking, and then, at a certain part, he starts accusing me of these... insane things. And the more I try to calm him down, the angrier he gets, till finally, he attacks me!" Ward said, and Thalia was growing to be skeptical about the whole story. Of course she didn't believe John B's lie about Ward killing Big John, but maybe Ward wasn't telling the whole truth either.

Thalia sat up straighter. "John B wouldn't do that." she interjected.

Ward then turned to her. "You don't believe this? Do you wanna see it again? Where he stabbed me with a spear? Do you want to see the one on the deck of the Druthers? You two want to go out there? Let's go!" Ward shouted at the two. Thalia wasn't phased, but Sarah was.

"Stop! Please... please stop yelling." Sarah cried, hands covering her eyes.

Ward took a deep breath and sat down opposite the two. "I'm sorry, girls. I don't mean to yell. John B is not who you think he is, okay? I mean, if you heard the crazy things he was saying on that boat." Ward spoke gentler this time.

"Like what?" Sarah asked.

"Like I killed his father. Like that. Me. Did he tell you that?" Ward said.

Thalia looked at Sarah as Ward sighed. "He told me. And the other Pogues." the redhead said quietly.

Ward turned to her. "What do you mean 'other Pogues'? You're not a Pogue. I thought I told you to stop hanging around those kids." Ward said, feelings of betrayal coursing through him.

"You mean my brother? You want me to stay away from him?" Thalia brought up. "You know, we only went over to Luke's house yesterday because we finally got the money to pay for restitution, which you wouldn't help with. Luke tried to take the money and beat the shit out of us. You want me to walk away from JJ, leave him, when we've spent sixteen years not knowing the other existed? That's not happening."

"Are you blaming me for what your father did?" Ward questioned thinly. Sarah looked between the two. She didn't know Luke was the source of Thalia's injuries until now.

"No, I'm not blaming you. But they're my friends, John B included. I'm a Pogue, Ward. I always have been." Thalia said, adjusting her knee so it was more comfortable.

Ward's head was in his hands. "Honey, Rafe told us how dangerous those kids are, and Rose and I agreed that you shouldn't hang out with them. Why can't you just be like your cousins?" he mumbled the last part, but Thalia and Sarah heard him.

Thalia scoffed, sitting up straighter. "Ward, I've been friends with them for weeks. You just didn't know because no one ever pays attention to me around here. I'm not as important as Rafe because I'm not the heir to the business. I'm not as important as Sarah because I'm not the Kook Princess. I'm not as important as Wheezie because I'm not cute and sweet. I'm me, and that's never been enough for anyone." Thalia said strongly. Sarah looked over at her with a frown. She didn't know Thalia felt like that.

Ward sighed. "Baby, I'm sorry you feel like that," he settled on saying before moving back to Sarah. "I know you have feelings for John B, and I know how strong that can be, especially at your age... but, sweetheart, he's dangerous right now. I don't know what he would do to you if you made him angry, and I just... can't have that. I need you to promise me that you'll stay completely away from him, and to stay here until this thing all blows over." he said gently. Sarah was the favorite.

Sarah sniffed. "No. I need to be alone." she said, standing up.

"I think that's best." Ward said as Sarah left the office.

Thalia pulled herself to her feet, taking her ice pack with her. "I'm going to bed." she announced quietly, beginning to leave.

Ward stopped his niece, taking her by the shoulders and drawing her into a hug. "I'm sorry. Okay? I know I've neglected you since everything started last year, but I promise that I love you and I'm always going to be here." he pressed a kiss into Thalia's red hair and she held him tightly. He was her father. He wasn't a murderer.

༄༄༄