C29

"We should get going soon," Brooke said, after checking her phone. She had a text from Harry, telling her to unblock her mind.

She ignored it.

"Yeah," Sasha nodded.

"Where are you guys going?"

"Brooke needs to go somewhere out of town," Sasha said. "I said I'd drive her."

Indianna raised her eyebrows. "Out of town?"

Brooke smiled. "Yep, we better get going-" Brooke swore when her phone rang and she sighed, answering it. "Yes, Harry?"

"Where are you?"

"Still in town."

"Unblock your mind, Brooklyn. You're not going until I can get in touch with you easily. I need to know I can make sure you're safe."

"Sorry, but I can't do that."

"You lied," Harry snapped.

"You should've guessed that, Harry," Brooke said.

"My cars just parked round the back of the diner," Sasha was telling Indianna.

"You're still at the diner?" Harry said, overhearing Sasha. "Stay where you are, babe."

"Sorry, gotta go!" Brooke said quickly.

"Don't you fucking-"

Brooke hung up and avoided eye contact with Indianna. "I've had an argument with Harry and he's on his way here. Can we go, like now?"

"Brooke, whatever you're doing, I don't think it's a good idea," Indianna said as Brooke stood.

"Chill, I won't crash the car this time," Sasha joked and stood as well.

Brooke rolled her eyes. "Lets speed things up, Sash, I'm kinda in a hurry."

"Hurry from Harry?" Sasha smirked.

"Move your butt, girl!" Brooke said and looked over her shoulder at Indianna. "Don't say anything to anyone about this," Brooke said quietly. "I'll be fine. Harry knows what I'm doing."

"He's just mindlinked me and told me to stop you," Indianna said and stood up.

"Sash, I'll meet you at the car," Brooke called and Sasha shrugged, walking out of the diner. "Am I the only person who blocks people out?" Brooke said to Indianna.

"What are you doing?"

"I can't say, not with Rogue's fuck buddy sitting across the room," Brooke muttered. "Look, this is mine and Harry's problem. He's just pissed that I'm still blocking him."

"You're going to try to leave," Indianna whispered. "You know you can't-"

"Out of all people I'm probably the only one who can!" Brooke said lowly. "Can I trust you to ignore Harry?"

Indianna shook her head. "Brooke, I can't let you go. You could get hurt."

"I can deal with hurt. I've had enough pain, I should be used to it by now," Brooke said. "I need to do this do Harry, for his parents."

"Brooke," Indianna whispered and took a step forward. "You're not going. I'm not letting someone else get hurt."

"I won't get hurt! But talking about it here isn't going to help!" Brooke said.

"You're not going," Indianna repeated. "I'm your Luna and I'm telling you no."

"You're also my best friend, you should trust me," Brooke whispered.

"I do trust you, it's him I don't trust. And his men." Indianna took another step forward. "Brooke, I'm sorry, but don't make me force you to stay here. I can't believe Harry agreed to let you go in the first place."

"Force me?" Brooke repeated. "And I can make my own damn decisions, I don't need anyone 'agreeing' on what I should do. Indie-"

"I'm a werewolf, you're only human," Indianna said softly. "I'm telling you no, you should listen."

"Only human?" Brooke said. There was a flash of hurt in her eyes. "Wow. Thanks a lot, Indie."

"That's not what I meant-"

"Just because you're a werewolf, it doesn't make you better than me!" Brooke snapped. She took a step back. "Indianna, don't take another step towards me."

"Then don't take another one back," Indianna said.

"What are you going to do, Indie?" Brooke asked.

"Brandon," Indianna said. Her voice was quiet, but he heard her and looked up. "I'm sorry, Brooke."

Brooke swore and span round.

"Stop Brooke," Indianna said.

Brooke rushed towards the exit, but she wasn't fast enough and Brandon stood up and blocked Brooke's path. "Hey," he said and caught her shoulders. "What's wrong?"

"Let me go," Brooke snapped and shoved Brandon back. She went to move past him again, but he easily held her back. "Get your hands off me!"

"What's going on?" Brandon demanded, looking at Indianna who had walked up to them.

"Indianna's thinks that she's the only one who can be right," Brooke said. "She clearly doesn't trust me."

"I do trust you!" Indianna argued. "Gosh, Brooke, I'd trust my life with you, and the life of my unborn children, which is why I'm trying to keep you safe!"

"You need to let me do this. I need to do this, for Harry," Brooke pleaded. "His head is all over the place right now. I need-"

"You're definitely not leaving my sight if he's involved," Brandon said.

"Shut up," Brooke snapped. "You don't know him! You don't know me! You don't know anything about us so back the fuck off!"

"Brooke, calm down," Indianna said gently.

"I'm sick of people treating me like I'm broken!" Brooke snapped. "No one seems to think I can handle anything! No one thinks I can do anything by myself!"

"We don't treat you like that-"

"Oh, don't pretend! I see the looks I get. I was raped, I got over it, everyone else needs to get over it too! I'm not some broken doll that can't handle anything-"

"You're not over it, Brooke," Indianna whispered.

Brooke knew Indianna was right, but she was fed up. Brooke wanted to do something. Something to help. She was always just there, on the sidelines while everyone else got involved and helped out.

She was the human who was useless, broken and scarred.

She was sick of it.

Her emotions were in overdrive. She didn't really know where all of this anger had come from, but it was coming out now and she couldn't stop it.

"Guys," Tai spoke up. She was looking at Brooke with wide eyes. Tai thought Brooke was a super happy girl, with no worries. Brooke always seemed so carefree. Tai couldn't have been more wrong.

Tai realised that she wasn't the only one who was messed up.

"I think you should give Brooke some space," Tai said and nodded when Brooke looked at her.

"No, she's not going-"

Brooke flinched away from Brandon touched her shoulder. "Don't touch me! You have no right to touch me, not when you're fucking in love with the person that did this to me! The man that ruined me for life!"

"Brandon," Raiden spoke up next. He was watching Brandon cautiously. "Brandon, what is going on?"

"Everyone, chill the hell out," Tai said and stood up. She gently, but firmly shoved Brandon back, and stood in front of Indianna, blocking her path to Brooke. "Brooke, get out of here."

"Thank you," Brooke whispered and in seconds she was gone from the diner.

"Tai, you don't understand-"

"Indie, did you see her? She was on the edge of a breakdown," Tai said. "She needed to leave." Tai turned to Brandon and crossed her arms over her chest. "Somehow, I don't think Brooke was exaggerating about hating you. Why don't you explain to us what the hell that was about?"

"I..." Brandon faltered.

Suddenly the door to the diner flew open and Harry burst in. "Where the fuck is she?" He demanded, looking at Indianna.

Indianna sighed and ran her hand down her face. "She's gone."

*

"You okay, girl?" Sasha asked, raising her eyebrows at Brooke.

"Fine," Brooke said, flashing a dazzling smile. "Let's just get out of this town."

"Where is it we're going?" Sasha wondered.

Brooke reached into her pocket and pulled out a piece of paper with an address scribbled on it, in Harry's handwriting.

"We're going to visit Harry's parents," Brooke said.

"We're what?"

"They're ill, both of them. They're in a facility where they are looked after, and they're finally starting to get better," Brooke said. "Harry can't visit them. He's not been in a while. So I'm going, I'm going to update them on everything."

"I never knew he even had parents," Sasha said. "Hell, I don't even know anything about him."

"He's rather reserved," Brooke said.

"That's putting it lightly," Sasha laughed. "I think it's nice, you going to visit them."

"I'm glad you think so," Brooke smiled.

The girls drove in a comfortable silence. The radio was playing softly and Brooke hummed under her breath. Soon they were reaching the edge of town. Brooke bit her lip nervously and looked out of the window. She couldn't see anyone. She didn't think she was being followed.

Brooke held her breath when she saw the sign.

YOU ARE NOW LEAVING-

The car suddenly spluttered and rolled to a stop.

"What?" Brooke panicked and looked around. "What's wrong?"

Sasha turned to Brooke and smiled sheepishly. "Stalled it," Sasha chuckled and restarted the engine.

Brooke let out a long breath and rolled her eyes at her friend as they drove past the sign, marking the edge of their town.

"Right," Sasha said and put her foot down on the accelerator. "Now where the hell am I going?

*

"This seems lovely," Sasha said as she parked outside a large Victorian looking house. The outside was dotted with colourful flowers and the grass was freshly cut.

"It's just like I remembered it," Brooke said and got out of the car. "I came here once with Harry last year. It wasn't a successful trip."

"What happened?" Sasha wondered. There was a loud beep as she locked the car.

"They had no idea who he was," Brooke sighed and walked up the steps that led to the house. "I'm nervous. I don't know why, but I'm super nervous. I-"

Sasha took Brooke's hand and laughed. "You blabber a lot when you're nervous."

Brooke smiled. "I know." The two girls walked through the front door. Their shoes clicked on the wooden floors as they walked down the corridor and up to the reception desk. A guy in a sleek suit was sitting behind the desk. He raised his eyes and stared at the two girls when they approached him.

"Hi," Brooke smiled. "I'm here to visit Mr and Mrs Raine-"