Kids in the dark

LOCATION | The park in Southside
DATE | 21st of May 2022
TIME | Midday
ATTIRE | Link
TOPIC FOR | @Lauren
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Of course he had been meaning to text Lauren about Southside being a free place for travel again, or well at least for some to say. Landon had felt utterly awful by how Anthony and Calliope had run things, but like Eric and Victoria always had reminded him, he had needed to play his part not to get hurt. So, he had just stayed with Cyrus, not saying anything to anyone really - just minding himself. Maybe his resting bitch face had been doing him some good for once. But since the beginning of the month where Linus and Francis had taken over, Landon saw it as the best thing happening to Southside since when Lodge had been put down years back. What a mess. At least now both Victoria, Eric and Lauren could return home if they would like, even Jack, even so no one had seen the former Serpent king in Southside, so perhaps it was true. Anthony had beaten the serpent out of Jack? Landon hadn't dared to question Victoria nor Eric about it yet, even though he knew he would slip up at some point.

Anyways, here he was standing at the park leaning against his bike that Cyrus had fixed luckily - for Landon - before his accident. Next to him, another bike, belonging to Lauren, so now he just waited for her to come to the city center, if she dared that was - but well, he had told her it was safe, so unless she assumed it was a trap - which he didn't blame her for, he would keep standing here waiting. A little longer at least.

Approximately two months had gone by since she got out of prison, sold her last storage and since she met the Jones brothers Malcolm and Willson. Things had been tough for Lauren. She had been sober ever since the accident with that Danica’s child. Of course, she had her medicine that her mother had locked into a cabinet, so she was certain that Lauren didn’t just take them, and she had a small stash of cannabis for anxiety and panic. She was somewhat good at keeping it low, though low was never good enough. She knew that.
Many things had changed and when Landon had texted her, a sweet feeling had spread in her whole body. First of all, Southside was safe to go to again – at least for Serpents. Anthony and Calliope were, of what Lauren knew of, gone and Pearl was at the hospital. It had been so odd to get a call about Pearl being at the hospital, as if Lauren cared for that finger-eating-fish. Second of all, it was Landon who had texted her. Not Jack, Eric, Victoria or any of the other serpents. Landon.
She knew her family didn’t want her to go to Southside ever again, but knowing it was safe to go, she simply couldn’t resist. She missed her home, friends and most of all, what she called her family. Most of the way to Southside, she had put her Serpent jacket in a bag and worn a big hoodie so no one would recognize her. First when she arrived at Southside, she put on her jacket. God, she had missed wearing it. She took her time. Second thoughts and considerations ran through her head. She had gotten so far, and she knew that either Landon or a trap was waiting for her. She looked at her hands folding them into hard fists before she made herself go.

When she arrived at the park, she was cautious of who was walking around in the area, but seemingly it seemed harmless for Southside. While biting her lip, she turned around a big bush and could see Landon standing with his own and her bike. She stopped for a moment, almost not believing that home awaited. Her eyes inspected the surroundings one more time before she with a quick pace walked towards him. She wanted to smile, but every time she tried to force it, her lips quivered. “Hey man,” she greeted  when she got close enough. Before he could escape it, she wrapped her arms around him in a diagonal and pulled him close. “Thank you,” she whispered, still not really believing she stood here in the park in Southside. The hug maybe lasted a little longer than it should, but eventually she let go of him, sniffing once. “And you brought my lady,” she said and let her fingertips shortly stroke the bike. She looked from the bike to him. “I owe you,” she spoke softly, shaking her head a little. How could this bring her so much joy?

Landon turned his head the second he could hear movement, and pulled a small tug up on his lip in a little smile. She had arrived. Well of course he had spoken to Victoria, who had made sure it was alright before he had gotten Lauren back here. No one had really seen Pearl since the accident with her, Cyrus and Victoria. Then another thing he suddenly recalled needing to tell Eric and Victoria, were that his own dear sister was in town again. So many things Landon had to remember, so little time. "Hey," he chuckled a little, then getting dragged into a hug, catching him off guard for a moment, but anyways he did wrap his arm around her, "anytime." The length of the hug almost started to pull on the nostalgia his ability was holding, maybe it was the Déjà-vu? Then he let go around the same time she let go. "Of course I did, Vic gave it a quick check up when I told her you would come back - she hasn't been back for long either," he wanted to point out. Everyone of the exiled Serpents had dealt with the loss of their home in their own ways, and things had happened to all of them. "Just don't go and crash on your first ride, then that deal is made," he nodded with a light little laugh, enjoying seeing how much joy caught her eyes by the sights of it.

Lauren looked at her bike as he told her that her cousin had given it a quick check when he had told her that she would come. He hadn’t even known that she would arrive, and still he had been sure enough that she would come. She pulled a smile, still quivering a little from the grand emotions she felt. It had almost been half a year and she simply had missed it so much because she had believed she would never, ever see Southside again.
A short laugh left her as he mentioned that she shouldn’t crash. “Deal,” she chuckled having a little easier with her smile. She licked her lips a little, “I’m not one to bottle up,” she assured him. Her cheeks had even gained color from all the emotions. “What about just, ya know, a slow ride, hm?” she wondered, once looking at her bike before him. Though riding her bike would bring back memories, she was quite certain that she would rather slow down and stop than seek adrenaline by speeding up.

Landon took a sharper breath in, wondering for a second like within himself, if it was his powers coming to surface again - bloody nostalgia - or if it seemly just was that without him using his powers a trigger pulling up some feelings from the past, a past you thought you had to leave as a past. But it was nice to see the color in her cheeks from actually feeling, after having been on whatever drugs and not drugs to numb herself completely. So, no as she said, she hadn't been bottling up emotions no, she had just more or less shifted them off - become someone else. But no this seemed more like his Lauren, or at least a  version of her breaking free from whatever she had tried to escape. Landon had seen it in Victoria too, the change from what had happened, how she had let go of the pink highlights in her hair, more or less - he reckoned he had seen just a single lock or two being still colored. But people didn't change, no, they grew. "I would like that," he hummed a little bit when she asked him for a ride. Now, he had no intention of rushing because well, he did not want to end up like Cyrus or Pearl, even if they were in good enough condition. Or he didn't for sure know about Pearl. She wasn't in Southside anymore. Banned was a nice way to put it. "Try to keep up," Landon then said and without further ado he jumped on his bike and put a helmet on, engaged a gear and let out the clutch to turn the engine over and start the bike - before she knew it he was already driving down the street.

She smiled when he said that he would like a slow ride, but as soon as that was said, he was quick to get up on his bike. “’Ey!” she laughed and hurried to her bike and picked up her helmet. In the helmet, she had some gloves that she was quick to put on, followed by the helmet. As she sat in the seat and grabbed the handles, she could almost remember all of the times she had been riding it. She quickly let the back of her hand run underneath her nose before she could remove the support stand and follow him, a little quickly maybe. While riding, she flicked the glass up and turned her head towards him, “My helmet smells like weed!” she yelled to him laughing. It didn’t bother her too much, but that might only be because she wasn’t that far in her rehabilitation. She looked back at the road and pushed her glass down to its rightful place. She was smiling so much, that her eyes were squeezed by her cheeks. It was certainly something else than just going for a walk to clear one’s mind. This, this was it.

He looked towards her while they were driving, enjoying the wind that blew towards them. Landon couldn't help but laugh as Lauren mentioned her helmet was smelling like weed, yet he didn't want to laugh because he knew why it did. He had never really supported the path she had been on with her drugs, even tried to talk her out of it, till he had given up and just been around. Landon let the smell and feeling of freedom take over him, finding the peace in the fact that Southside was getting back to its glory, what it was meant to be. Finally they reached the location he wanted them to come towards. The serpent headquarters. He parked his bike and took of the helmet. "Welcome home," he gestured towards the bar, knowing the last time she had been there it was when Anthony had been in charge, and locked both her and Victoria in the basement. An event no one rarely spoke about, he knew the two cousins hadn't even discussed it since. "There is new leadership in with the Serpents. But don't worry, its great," Landon clapped his hands in excitement. Everything had been upgraded inside, it was new and improved. All the disloyal members were gone, leaving the old crew that hadn't supported Anthony and Calliope to return along with newfound members. "Want to come inside or just sit out here for a moment - take it all in?"

The feeling of the wind that passed one’s body and how forces tugged a bit in one when you drove on the motorcycle was something amazing. It was a homey feeling that she had missed and had sought on the tops of roofs occasionally. As they got closer to the headquarters, she could feel how her eyes teared up a little. It was home. Nothing could ever replace the home she had felt there.
She parked her bike close to his and took of her helmet, looking up for a moment to try and force the water to go back in where they came from. She looked towards Landon as he welcomed her home, her eyes glistened and there was a wide smile on her face. “I’ve missed home,” she spoke softly and let the palm of her hand dry one of her eyes a little. Her dark eyes then looked towards the bar and a short flash of her last day there popped to her mind, reminding her of how she lost her fucking middle finger. He let one hand hold the other. She looked towards Landon once more as he assured her that there was new leadership and told her not to worry. It was simply just not that easy not to worry when you had lost your finger. “I uh-” she licked her lips a little looking at the building, swallowing the lump of anxiety that spread in her throat, stopping her from replying fully, “We can go,” she said nodding a little, “Yeah, let’s do that,” she said and looked toward Landon this time before she got off her bike. She looked a little at her gloves, how she couldn’t fill the left glove completely. Maybe she should fill it with something? Maybe get some costume made gloves so she didn’t accidentally put one of her fingers in the wrong finger hole? Her gloves ended up in her helmet and she walked away from her bike so she could follow Landon inside.
“Oh wauw,” she said quite surprised about how it looked, “Did the fuckhead do this or the new leadership?” she wondered and pointed towards the bar.

Landon smiled as they got inside, now old and new faces, he looked around to see who was present. "New leadership," a voice came from one of the people who sat by the bar, and Francis turned his front to the werewolf with a small smile playing on his lips. "This must be," Francis looked towards the bar behind him where Victoria nodded," yup, this is my cousin Lauren," she nodded giving her cousin a brighter smile. "Welcome back," she looked at Lauren giving her a small nod, knowing just how good yet odd it was to be back after what had happened. "Well ladies, and Landon - my presence is required elsewhere, enjoy yourselves," he kicked back his drink and placed the empty glass on the counter. Landon gave a salute to Francis then turning his attention towards Lauren and Victoria. "Can I get you anything?" Victoria asked Lauren, then looking at Landon with the same question, and quickly grabbed Landon a beer which was usually what he got anyways. "It's like you can read my mind," he joked and shook his head a little bit.

Lauren looked towards the voice who spoke. Her brow raised at the man. Was that? Her eyes found Victoria who seemingly had been serving today. She was being presented to him, and she made a short lazy wave to him as a greeting. “Thanks,” Lauren said and put her hands in her back pockets. She truly didn’t know how to feel, because her emotions were constantly pulling her either up the happy hill or down the slippery slope of sadness.  All of a sudden, they were excused. “Cya,” she said to the man who left, and as they got closer to the bar, she put the palm of her hand against her forehead. When they sat down by the bar, she looked at her cousin who asked if they needed anything. She raised her hand a little bit to gesture a no thank you, “I better not,” she said, before she looked at the fridge, “Wait-” she stood up from her stool to look over the bar, “Can you give me that boring lemonade?” she said pointing towards the flask. “We had been out of these for weeks last I was here,” she almost mused. She knew she wasn’t no Alcoholics Anonymous, but she wouldn’t want to accidentally get drunk and find her stash. Even though she wasn’t fully clean, it still meant something that she had cut down on how much she had used it. It was just like smoking cigarettes, right? One had to slowly tap out of it. Or at least that was what she convinced herself with.

Victoria nodded a little, letting her cousin decide on what she wanted and didn't want. Then watching her stand op to see over the bar, "I sure can," she replied and found one of the lemonades and opened it for Lauren, pushing the bottle towards her. "There you are," she smiled before opening a beer for herself. "How does it feel to be back?" Victoria wondered, yet knowing the answer to that question very well herself. Landon smiled and looked around, "the place has never been better, no offence to Jack or Veronica when they were in charge - But Linus and Francis knows that we need to move forward, and getting Vic back behind the bar, reminds the serpents that we don't shred our skin - that we are still here," Landon looked back at Victoria who just shook her head. But knowing there was some truth in it. "It's going to be good, I promise you that," Victoria chuckled a little then walking over to help a few other costumers out with their orders. Landon smiled and looked around. "I'm just happy to have my girls back in their rightful place," he nodded very satisfied.

Lauren took the lemonade, and for a second, she felt like such a child. Of course, she was only twenty two, and everyone else were older than her. Fuck, should she just have taken a beer. It was just one anyway, right? She looked up as Victoria asked her something, feeling a little confused at first. “It’s… It’s odd,” she replied exhaling a little slow, nodding. “But it’s home,” she said and pulled a greater smile, even though some of it might have been a little forced. She looked over at Landon as he started speaking about the place. She folded her lips, laughing a little as he spoke about how things had changed for the better. She nodded as Victoria added to it, “I bet,” she said and looked at her lemonade before she took a short sip of it. She could feel how her heart picked up a little speed as he spoke about his girls were back in their rightful place. It did bring up old feelings, even if it wasn’t something he had aimed for. She swallowed it and nodded, “One to fill your glass and one to keep you company?” she teased him, laughing a little. It took a little moment before she looked towards Victoria, “Wait, you were out too? I know it’s old news and all, but I’ve honestly… I’ve been living under a rock ever since I ended up in the hospital,” she wondered, explaining her lack of knowledge.

One to fill your glass and one to keep you company? Landon laughed but nodded, "It's almost like yer can read me mind, i'n it?" He obviously joked, not that he recalled her having powers like that. Victoria turned her head towards Lauren, realizing just how long it had been since they had spoken. "Yeah, I got out later that night. It was one insane mess, I'm sorry that I didn't reach out to you. I just think everything was all over the place to be honest," not that it was an excuse, yet Victoria had no real idea what Lauren had been up to all these months after getting out. "And was quite staying at Rafael's till last month, I broke it off with him. Then, I joined a new crew - but well, now I'm hee," Victoria made a small shrug, just wanting to get it out of the way so Lauren didn't ask about it later. "Wich were about fuckin' time I may add," Landon pointed out and took a few sips more of his beer. "Fen if I should say sumfink," he lifted a finger in the air, "you really shouldn't," Victoria let out a sigh, knowing that Landon - very well would say something. "Straight up, I just think yer should make a move 'ere, right, okay, isit?" He then downed the beer, luckily Victoria had another one ready for him, and pushed it to him. "Oh you reckon that is what I should do? Has anyone ever told you to stay out of other people's stuff?" Victoria raised her brow a bit, making Landon chuckle. "I 'it a nerve, right, well, right, maybe we should cop out o' 'ere again before she comes for me 'ead. 'ow about that, squire?"

Lauren pulled a small smile as he said she could read her mind. Even if it wasn’t on purpose, it kept the feelings stirring. But Victoria made sure to put a little lid on them as she replied. Lauren waved her hand, as if it didn’t matter too much. “It’s okay, we were all busy,” she said with closed eyes before she looked at her with a little smile. She wasn’t even sure if she wanted to share her experience in jail, and how it had been her motivation to get clean. As clean as she believed she could go. The defined brows raised as she mentioned how she broke it off with. She certainly hadn’t expected that. She nodded, clearly amazed about the news. A short laugh burst her amazed nodding as Landon explained how he had believed it was about time. Her eyes traveled between Landon and Victoria as Landon wanted to say more. A brow was raised as Landon told her to make a move. Lauren was left wondering who she had to make a move on, but maybe it wouldn’t be a secret for long. She might just need a little more confidence to do as Landon had told. Laugh escaped her shortly as he asked if they should leave, “You just got a new beer,” she laughed and pointed at the one that Victoria only just had pushed toward him. She got up from her seat, “We can go if you fear her,” she teased and took a sip of her lemonade.

"Fen it's lucky that I 'ave two 'ands, right, so I can just bring it wiv me," Landon pointed out with a delighted chuckle, "'ave a good one Vic." Landon took a sip of his beer before he took off with Lauren, out to see some of the places she hadn't come around to see in a long time.


It was nice feeling like things were getting back to a somewhat normal. Sitting here this fine afternoon just talking in the bar while Victoria served them the last round before her shift was over for the day. Then she could at least just talk to her friends without having to focus on the other costumers. "We should call Eric, 'e can even bring Noa," Landon suggested Victoria, before looking over at Lauren, then letting his eyes drop towards Reina. Victoria nodded a little, "I can give them a text to see if they want to drop by." By that Victoria took her phone out and send a text to Eric about if him and Noa wanted to join them for a beer or two. "I wish we could ask Jack for a drink too, It's been a wile since I've seen 'im," Landon confessed with a small sigh. "It's not like Jack is banished from the place, we can call him you know?" Victoria pointed out with a light chuckle, making Landon's face light a little bit up.  

Lauren chuckled a little as she mentioned that he could simply bring his beer. He could do that with one hand, so what was he going to use the other hand for? She couldn’t help but feel a little tingle in her fingers, almost as if her subconsciousness wished for something. She was simply thankful that he had contacted her. He had been the first to really contact her after she had lost her finger. Sometimes she wondered if Taylor had been a fool and informed the others of her absence, but she doubted it. Taylor wasn’t that dumb.

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Lauren smiled by the mention that Noa could be brought, while Reina simply licked her lips by the thought of the company. Reina sat confidently leaned against the bar while she sipped her sweet cocktail, following along in the conversation, while Lauren hung a little more, having her glass of lemonade in her hand, swirling it around to get any sediment somewhat mixed with the drink. “I think he might enjoy a relaxing evening here,” Lauren butted in with a little smile. “It’s not like I’ve seen him ever since he was kicked out,” she mumbled and looked from one person to another. “I don’t even know where the man lives,” she laughed a little and looked into her drink.
“Let’s try to convince him that he should be here,” Reina said, straightening a bit more up. “It’s been years since I’ve seen him. Tell him I’m here and we can arm wrestle,” she laughed a little teasingly. Reina was used to spotlight, and might have commented on how long it had been since she had seen Jack, simply to compete against Lauren.

Eric had just surrendered a tickle fight and laid down on the couch exhausted and with a laughter. It was funny how one could get exhausted from something like that. “Okay, give me a moment,” he laughed a little as he found his phone that had beeped not that long ago on the coffee table. A message from Victoria. He was quick to read it and locked his phone to turn his eyes towards Noa. “Are we in the mood for The Serpents?” he asked her, a little out of breath form laughing so much.

"I will call Jack then," Victoria replied back and walked a little away to call Jack. Leaving Landon looking shortly over at Vic, before then looking at the rest. It didn't take long before Victoria returned that Jack hadn't been able to resist the offer, it was something he missed too at times, even if he tried, he couldn't deny that this was his world too. Even if he didn't aim to be leader anymore, it didn't mean you lost your roots. "Jack is on his way here, and I haven't heard from Eric yet," she announced making Landon not a little bit then smile brightly - it had been way too long since he had spoken to Jack. Only a few messages but overall his main contact had always been Victoria.

Noa laughed and let herself fall back onto the couch, letting him check his phone as she reached out to grab some strawberries from the ball on the table next to her, then taking a bite of it while he looked at her. Was she in the mood for The Serpents? "We can go, might just change into something a bit more - serpent like then?" Noa suggested, while she had jumped into her comfy clothing the second she had gotten home, but no Noa didn't mind dressing her part. Besides since Kailani had made everyone take a disliking to Lucas, she felt like she had to at least put up a bit more of an effort, also since some had found out that she was Lucas' younger sister.

Reina smiled brightly, and Lauren pulled a softer smile. “He might just be in the middle of something-something,” Reina laughed a little before she took a sip of her cocktail, it only made Lauren roll her eyes and pay more attention to Landon and Victoria.
___

He smiled a little as she replied. “Yeah,” he exhaled and sat up, leaning over to take a bite of her strawberry, even though there were plenty in the bowl. “I might want to change too,” he said before he picked his phone up and sent Victoria a thumbs up followed by a girl, so she knew that he brought company. He got up, taking the bowl with the intention of putting the bowl into the fridge, “Come on,” he said and reached his hand down to her, having put his phone away.

Noa chuckled a little bit as he took a bite of her strawberry, "you just need all the things I have huh?" She teased him shaking her head a little bit before eating the rest. Then getting up so she could get dressed into something more fitted to a trip to Southside. Making herself ready once he had gotten himself dress too, so they could join the others. "Come on then, let's get going." She chuckled before letting Eric take them to Southside.

They didn’t use long time at changing, their outfits, and soon they matched quite well, with their dark outfits. He had even put on his serpent jacket. It didn’t take more than a moment before Eric had transported them to the headquater, stopping right outside. He always made sure that people who he transported for longer distances didn’t feel sick after such a quick travel. People could get nauseous and get clogs in their ears. As soon as he was certain that she was alright, he let his hand interlock with hers before he opened the door for them, and they entered. Lauren and Landon, Victoria and Reina, and Cyrus were there. He almost wondered if they had asked if Jack was coming, because then the whole shebang would be there.

“Oi, yer maide it!” Reina announced as soon as the serpent and his fine mate entered. She put her cocktail on the bartop and got up from her seat, approaching them with her arms open and pulling them into a tight hug. She then let go of them and looked at them for a second, “Wot would ya loike?” Yes, just a few days back in Landon’s company was enough to bring back some of the cockney accent. She started backing away from them, hoping they would follow to get closer to the bar.
“A beer for me,” he replied, if there stood someone behind the bar, he would say it loud enough for the person to hear, and if not, Reina could handle a beer or two herself.

Cyrus shook his head a little as he watched how Reina approached Eric and Noa, before he looked over at Landon, “Your sister has quite the energy,” he laughed a little before he turned his attention towards Victoria.

Luckily for Noa her vestibular sense wasn't the worst, and having been on a few quick trips with Eric over the last year, so she had gotten pretty much used to it, also with her ability to manipulate blood it kept her from feeling too sick. Walking inside the Serpent's headquarters with her hands interlocked with his. Noa had gotten very used to his friends at his point, at least Vic, Landon, Cyrus and Lauren - Reina was still new. Even so, Reina was still the one of them all to give Eric and her the warmest welcome, pulling them into a tight hug they couldn't escape.

Victoria chuckled a little bit, she had always enjoyed the community, and this was why. She snapped her finger a little as Clint didn't seem to notice Eric wanting a drink, making him react fast, Noa ordered a beer as well. Landon chuckled a little bit at Cyrus comment. "Quite the bloomin' energy, right, don't even begin ter describe it," Landon chuckled a little while taking a sip of his beer. Victoria made a smaller shrug, "at least Noa is comfortable with it," she mused a little bit before waving Eric over so she could give him a short hug. "We called Jack as well, he is on his way - just like old times," knowing it would be weird for Jack to come back inside knowing this wasn't his anymore. It was weird for her too, being used to have so much to say, and now feeling like you need to trade a bit more careful - or at least earn the trust fully first, which she understood.

But everything was doomed to change as a scent his Victoria's nose, making her turn her head towards the door. Her father. Not by blood, but he was still her father. After all, he had done damage only a father could. His gaze landed on hers, then on Eric's clearly hadn't expected them to be here.

Cyrus chuckled a little by Landon’s point of how they shouldn’t even start with descriping Reina’s energy. He wondered, if it was because that deep down, Landon knew that they had to have some similarities since they were twins? His eyes looked towards Lauren who simply sat with her lemonade, thinking about how it might be Lauren or Reina who knew the best how Landon acted, since they might be some of the people who had spent the most time with him, even though it was a difficult place to waddle around. One didn’t act the same around one’s siblings, significant other, as they did to everyone else. There were simply situations where one didn’t think clearly.
As soon as Reina stepped away from the couple Eric could see how Victoria waved him closer, which made him slowly let go of Noa’s hand to give her a hug. When they pulled out of the hug he smiled at her, “That’s amazing,” he said and patted her on the shoulder, squeezing it shortly. “Everyone’s going to be here. Just like old times,” he said, even though old times weren’t that long ago. He would make sure that Jack wouldn’t regret coming back, even though he would understand very well if it would be difficult for him.

“Landon-” Lauren whispered as she could smell, before everyone else, the appearance of someone she truly didn’t want to see right now. But she didn’t get to say much else. Her voice had had hint’s of both fear of herself and anger towards the ‘intruder’. She knew that she was not going to handle this well, and simply wanted to warn him. Maybe she hoped for help, but she was uncertain if that would even be enough.
“You got to be kidding me,” Eric mumbled, having only just received his beer. He turned his head a little and looked towards where his father entered. Reina, mostly reacting to the others looked towards the father. Now, if she had known just how passive he had been, she would probably be the one with the worst temper in the room who would have tried to make him regret his life decisions. Cyrus simply looked up, clenching his jaw by the sight.
Lauren put her lemonade down and got up from her seat. “You really got some gut’s to show your face here,” she spoke with a low voice. The only thing that really kept her in check right now was the thought of her probation. She couldn’t get arrested for anything at all. Any bad behavior, and she would be put back behind bars. On the other hand, she would react to the simple sound of his voice and approach him, gripping onto his shirt or jacket, shaking him aggressively . “How could you just sit there!” she yelled at him.
Eric could certainly have prevented that Lauren ever got near his father, but as of right now, he knew his father had it coming. He also wished to see where this was going.

Victoria got up from her seat when she watched how Lauren got up, "Lauren..." she tried to reach out for her cousin but it was too late Lauren was already up in her uncles face. But then Lauren also asked the burning question, how could have just have been sitting there doing nothing. His daughter. His niece had been locked in the bloody basement, tortured by Anthony and he had done nothing. Not that Victoria knew there was nothing he could have done, but at least the attempt of something would have been nice. Landon took a sharper breath in watching how Lauren grabbed onto Mr. Fogerty's shirt and started to shake him. Not that James Fogerty did much other than just stare at his niece, before then grabbing her wrists with both hands a bit tight. Which made Victoria react just a second faster than Landon, but Victoria walked up there and before she knew how to contain her temper she pushed him so hard he let go of Lauren. "You got some nerve," she sneered at him.

"Hey, don't you fucking push me like that -" he hissed at Victoria raising his hand towards her, but someone took a tight grip around James' wrist, "wow wow easy there fella," Scorpio spoke, stepping between the man and Victoria. He burned the man's wrist a bit making him hiss. "What seems to be the issue here?" Scorpio wondered, looking back at Victoria and Lauren to know the answer.

Lauren was not putting a lid on her boiling temper, she almost growled at her uncle as he placed his filthy uncaring hands on her wrists. Before he managed to do anything, Victoria pushed him away. Lauren had been ready enough to jump onto him when she saw how he was about to try and hit Victoria. If anyone Lauren believed she would be the one who wanted to fight him the most. Her eyes had even changed from her brown eyes to the golden ones her werewolf carried. However, she stopped as she saw one of the newer members intrude. Now, it wasn’t because she didn’t appreciate the intrusion, but she would appreciate that it was herself or Victoria who took this… Discussion. She hadn’t even realized how Eric now stood in front of Victoria, ready to take the hit or whatever was coming.

Cyrus was about to get up to help the situation to calm down, but Reina pushed him back in his seat and got up from her own. She shortly looked toward her brother with a smile before she headed towards the family drama.
“He’s here to get everything that The Serpents can give, and not give anything in return,” Lauren hissed, quickly looking over her shoulder as Reina placed her hand on it. Lauren however moved away from it, turned towards her uncle once again, and went to push him, but was now held back by Eric. “How could you!” she screamed at him with a gentle shove, Lauren took a few steps away. Tears were streaming down her eyes, both from all the trauma she had experienced from those days that revoke in her and from phantom pains that evolved. She hissed and actually walked back towards the bar, holding onto the small stump that was left of her finger.
“Victoria, would you care to enlighten us on what’s going on?” Reina wondered, looking from one face to another.

Scorpio looked towards the man with a you serous man expression, but let go of his wrist. Now it would be easy to just kick him out, but since he was a member he would have to run it by his father and uncle first - not that he could see anything in the man that would make them want him to stay. Scorpio listened very much to how Lauren expressed herself, "dude, that is not how we work here," he reminded the man shaking his head a little. Then the werewolf lashed forwards again in a scream, pushed James. It however didn't seem like he needed to stop Lauren, she did so herself.

Landon walked up from his chair and walked behind Lauren to give her a warm comforting hug as she sat down again, just letting her by in his embrace without saying a word, he looked towards the scene instead, wanting to know how it would unfold.

Victoria looked towards Reina. "Glady," she cleared her throat, "my beloved father here was here the night when Anthony came, when we were all attacked, but he didn't even move a finger, a muscle while he witnessed what was done to us," she looked into the eyes of her step-father's eyes shaking her head a little bit. "But not that I'm surprised, you haven't been able to look me in the eyes since mum died," Victoria clicked her tongue a little bit.