i have some news ;; marisol, skylar

After an hour or so in the uncomfortable basket of a hot air balloon, Carter had finally made it to Dian. Now that the war was finally over, it was safe for citizens to travel again. It had been forever since she had seen her best friends. Actually, the last time she saw them was when Skylar had been kidnapped from their school. Nobody was really sure when Redfern was going to reopen, but Carter didn't really think she was ready to go back yet anyway.

As Carter walked the streets of Dian, she wondered how Skylar was doing. Based off of what Mar had been writing her, Skylar didn't remember much from that night at Redfern, and had endured something terrible while being imprisoned at Deilig. Now that Skylar was home and no longer in the hospital, Carter thought it was a good idea for the three of them to get together again, and have what was once one of their traditional weekend sleepovers.

During the war, Carter had been spending a lot of time with Caleb. Her parents had actually encouraged it, especially after the attack on Earalas. Luckily, nobody from her family was harmed. Even her unsettled siblings had escaped the initial attack on Redfern. However, something had happen during those few months of the war, while she somewhat lived with her boyfriend, something scary and life changing.

Finally, Carter had made it to her friends house. She sucked in a nervous breath before walking to the front door and knocking. Catching up and having a sleepover wasn't the only reason why she wanted to come today.

Mar went to answer the door when she heard the knock. Their parents weren't home, and Skye was upstairs painting. Mar hadn't stopped worrying about her sister since they'd rescued her, but Skye seemed to be doing okay lately. Her body was on the mend, and mentally she still seemed mostly like the same old Skye. She didn't talk much about how she felt about settling, or the whole incident at all really, and Mar didn't want to push her. Skye would talk about it when she was ready, and Mar would be there to listen.

"Carter!" she exclaimed when she saw her best friend at the door. She pulled her into a hug. "I totally forgot you were coming. Things have just been insane, you know?" She let go of Carter and smiled. "Come in, come in! Skye's upstairs."

The last month had been a long one. Skye had spent a lot of time in her artwork, focusing on the abstract instead of the real world. It was easier for her, that way. Try as she might, she still wasn't able to remember too clearly what had happened in Deilig, something her therapist told her was probably her mind's way of protecting itself. The distance that had sprung up between her and Pen was probably a result of that, as well.

They had settled while in Deilig (Pen was now frozen in the shape of a Sora), and ever since waking up in the hospital the relationship they'd once shared had not been the same. It was frightening, though Skye spent a lot of time pretending that wasn't the case. Hence the art, hence the acting as if Deilig hadn't changed everything.

She could tell that her parents and Marisol wanted to talk, but Skye just didn't feel up to it. If she couldn't talk to Pen, how could she talk to them? Instead, when she was around the house she pretended like old Skylar so that they wouldn't bring any of it up. Eventually, she hoped that she wouldn't just be going through the motions and would actually feel like old Skylar.

Currently she sat locked away in her room painting. She was trying really hard to paint something that channeled happy, but, like what happened so often recently, it was throwing off a doom and gloom vibe. Sigh.

The last month had been a long one. Skye had spent a lot of time in her artwork, focusing on the abstract instead of the real world. It was easier for her, that way. Try as she might, she still wasn't able to remember too clearly what had happened in Deilig, something her therapist told her was probably her mind's way of protecting itself. The distance that had sprung up between her and Pen was probably a result of that, as well.

They had settled while in Deilig (Pen was now frozen in the shape of a Sora), and ever since waking up in the hospital the relationship they'd once shared had not been the same. It was frightening, though Skye spent a lot of time pretending that wasn't the case. Hence the art, hence the acting as if Deilig hadn't changed everything.

She could tell that her parents and Marisol wanted to talk, but Skye just didn't feel up to it. If she couldn't talk to Pen, how could she talk to them? Instead, when she was around the house she pretended like old Skylar so that they wouldn't bring any of it up. Eventually, she hoped that she wouldn't just be going through the motions and would actually feel like old Skylar.

Currently she sat locked away in her room painting. She was trying really hard to paint something that channeled happy, but, like what happened so often recently, it was throwing off a doom and gloom vibe. Sigh.

It felt so nice to be pulled into a hug by her best friend, and Carter gladly returned it.

Mar wrote:"I totally forgot you were coming. Things have just been insane, you know?"

Carter scoffed, a look of dramatic outrage on her face. "How dare you forget about me!" She said, all dramatic-like. She could barely keep her giggle inside of her tummy before continuing her fake outrage. "I am so appalled!"

She grinned goofily at Mar, and followed her up to Skye's room.

"I brought lots of snacks and stuff," Carter said, while adjusting the bag on her shoulder. "I want this weekend to be just like all the others, ya know...normal."

Just how normal could the trio, once foursome, be though? After the death of their friend, the war, the kidnapping, and now this secret that Carter was carrying inside of her? They were all growing up, and fast.

Once they reached Skye's bedroom door, Carter decided she wanted to go in first, and knocked somewhat timidly on her door. She wasn't sure how fragile her best friend had become, and didn't want to disturb her.

Mar gave Carter a sideways sort of smile. "I would love one night of normal," she said. Unfortunately, she didn't think things would ever be "normal" again. They could get back into a routine, get to a point where they didn't think about the events at Deilig anymore, but it would never be undone. Like Jeanine's death, it would be with them forever. There would have to be a new normal, now.

Unlike Carter, Mar knew they Skye wasn't especially fragile after the kidnapping, at least not outwardly. She didn't want to walk on eggshells around her, and was pretty sure Skye would be unhappy with her if she did. So after Carter knocked, Mar bypassed her and opened the door. "Psst. Hey Skye, Carter's here."

Skye looked up from her painting and over at her sister and best friend. She'd completely forgotten that Carter was even supposed to be coming over, and she felt a pang of guilt. She hadn't seen Carter since the night at Redfern (which Marisol had finally told Skye about in detail after much prodding). Things from that night were hazy, but Skye did finally remember how the three girls had tried to escape together.

"Hey, Carter," she said, standing up quickly and pulling a smile on her face. She was happy to see Carter, but the smile still felt fake on her lips as if she was smiling for a photo. "You finally decided to visit, huh?"

It hadn't been possible for Carter to visit before this, so Skye hoped she knew she was just joking. Maybe she shouldn't have said that, though. Carter looked uneasy, already, and she didn't want to make her feel bad.

"I was just, uh, painting a picture," she added quickly to make conversation.

Carter glanced behind Skye at the painting she was working on. It was some weird, abstract, dark thing. Not like the stuff Skye use to paint at all.

"Oh.." she said, smiling. "It's nice...I like it!"

However Skye wanted to express herself and help herself heal didn't matter to Carter. As long as it helped, and it wasn't harming herself or others. It just scared Carter. Everything was so different and strange between the three of them now.

"So..." she said, clapping her hands together. "What should we do first?"

She decided that she didn't want to tell her friends about her big news just yet.

Usually this would be the moment that Mar would come up with some kind of grand adventure that the four three of them should go on, but this didn't seem like a good day for one. Carter seemed really awkward and nervous, and Mar wasn't sure if it was because of Skye, or something else. Skye was acting slightly more normal, but it was clear that beneath the surface she was still (totally understandably) dealing with some really heavy stuff. An adventure should wait until all was well between them. It wasn't as though they hadn't had chill weekends together before too.

"I dunno about you guys, but I'm pretty hungry," she said. "I wouldn't say no to some of those snacks you mentioned."

"Eating sounds like a good idea," Skye said.

Skye let Mar and Carter lead the conversation as they all descended upon the snacks that Carter had brought. She kept up with what they were saying, and smiled or laughed where appropriate, but she didn't offer any input unless it was required.

As the three of them sat together, enjoying their snacks and catching up, Carter could tell that Skye wasn't one hundred percent apart of their conversation. Sure, she made small comments when necessary, but she definitely wasn't like her old self. It broke Carter's heart. She wished she could take all of the pain away that her best friend was suffering from and make it all better, but she knew she couldn't. She just needed time and the love and support from her friends and family.

"So..." Carter said sometime later. "Catching up with you guys wasn't the only reason why I wanted to come out here this weekend..."

She paused then, afraid to continue. What would her friends think of her when she told them? What were they going to say?

"Um...well, I've been spending a lot of time with Caleb lately and..." Carter bit her bottom lip. "Well...I'm pregnant."

Finally, she said it. Skye and Mar were the only clio besides herself that knew now. Not even Caleb or her parents knew yet, but she wanted her best friends to be the first to know.

Marisol had never been the most tactful clio in the world, so she did nothing to disguise the look of horror on her face when Carter told her she was pregnant. "You are?" she asked, sadness in her voice. "Oh, Carter..."

Carter's boyfriend, Caleb, treated her like shit. Mar knew it, Skye knew it, everyone knew it. Carter had probably had to lie to him about even coming here to hang out with them. Mar had tried to convince her to leave him, but eventually was forced to accept the fact that Carter was going to have to get to that point on her own. But now, pregnant with his baby...would she ever leave him?

Sooooo that was definitely not what Skye was expecting to hear today. She watched as Mar gasped and looked at Carter with both horror and sadness plain on her face. Skylar was more practiced in hiding her feelings, especially as of late, so she didn't let her fright appear outwardly.

It took her a moment to process the situation, but then she leaned forward and hugged Carter without saying a word. It wasn't so much that Skylar thought Carter couldn't handle a pregnancy or a baby or even an abortion (if that was what she chose), but Skye was just terrified about the baby's father. Caleb. Skye could not count the amount of times Carter had come back to the dorm crying after being with him. She'd always make up some stupid excuse, but Skye, Mar, and Jeanine could never be fooled. Caleb was a manipulative, controlling jerk who got off on making Carter feel bad about herself.

Right now Carter looked perilously close to crying, with her teeth sunk into her lower lip, and Skye knew sometimes you just needed to fall apart. "It's going to be okay," she said quietly, still holding Carter close. No matter what happened, Skye and Mar would be here for Carter.

"But you have to leave that asshole."

Carter in all honesty was not surprised that her friends reacted the way they did. She knew that they didn't like Caleb, but she loved him. The heart wants what it wants, after all. However, when Skye wrapped her arms around her, all the boxed up fear and emotions poured out of her and she started to cry quietly into Skye's shoulder. Carter knew she was in a bad situation. A young mother, no job, a boyfriend that didn't treat her the best. She was terrified.

Skye wrote:"But you have to leave that asshole."

Carter knew that she was right, but she didn't want to admit it. Immediately she got defensive.

"He's not that bad," she said. "Sure we have our fights but...we love each other." When the hug ended she wiped the tears from her eyes. "All couples have their fights, ya know?"

Subconsciously, she rested her hands on her tummy before continuing, "Besides, he came from a really fucked up family, so of course he has some problems."

It took all of Mar's willpower to not role her eyes at Carter's excuses. She'd heard them all before, and had never bought any of it for a second. "Coming from a messed up family doesn't give him the right to treat you like shit," she said bluntly. She didn't mean to be so blunt when her friend was crying and in such a bad situation, but she felt like it had to be said. "And don't say he doesn't, cuz he does. What will you do if you have this baby, and he treats him or her the way he treats you?"

She reached out and put her hands on Carter's shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "I'm not saying any of this to make you feel bad. I promise. But you're my best friend, and you deserve so much better."

Skye nodded at everything Mar said.

"Nothing he went through gives him the right to control you, ever, but especially now. Did you tell him yet?"

Carter never thought about that, Caleb treating their child badly, but then she decided that he'd never harm their baby. He always said that he never wanted to be like his father.

And hurting you isn't? Warren remarked.

She chose to ignore her daemon.

Skye wrote:Did you tell him yet?"

"No," Carter replied. "But I was going to tell him the next time I saw him."

Which would probably be as soon as this weekend was over. Carter wouldn't be surprised if she left Skye and Mar's house and saw him waiting at the front door for her. She wondered how he was going to respond. It made her really nervous.

Mar could tell Carter was nervous. It made her mad, no girl should ever have to feel nervous telling her boyfriend she was pregnant. Especially not Carter! "Listen, Carter," she said, desperately hoping she would listen. It didn't seem like she had been so far. "Please don't feel like you have to stay with him because of this. That baby is going to be so lucky just to have you as a mom, you don't need that jerk in your life too."

"So lucky," Skylar reiterated. "You'd be the best mom. You already act like our mom half the time!" She could tell that Carter was uncomfortable talking about Caleb like this, and it made Skye feel sick.

"Just know that we're here, okay?" she told her. Maybe the best thing wasn't to keep talking about the douchebag father. Carter had heard what they'd said, but she was emotional enough already. She had a baby inside her belly. Despite only saying it a few seconds ago, it finally hit Skye that her best friend was going to be a mom.

She and Mar would have plenty of time to talk Carter out of staying with him, right now maybe all Carter needed was support.

Carter didn't respond right away. She wanted her baby to grow up having a normal family. With a mom and a dad, just like she and her siblings did, but her dad had never laid a finger on her mother, and they barely ever fought. Maybe somehow a baby could fix their relationship.

She did however, smile when her friends started saying things that were more supportive. She hoped they were right. Carter wanted to so badly be a good mom.

"I love you guys," she said. "I don't know what I would do without you."

I just wish Jeanine was here too, she thought to herself. She wanted to say it outloud, but she wasn't sure if it was the right time.

"Oh...come here! Both of you!" Mar said, holding her arms out. If this moment didn't call for a group hug, she didn't know what did. Carter needed one, Skye had needed one for weeks, and Mar needed one too. "I love both you guys too. And Carter, I'm gonna love the hell out of your baby."

Skye closed her eyes as the three friends hugged. She didn't let herself think about Jeanine often, but it was hard not to right now. She should be here. Life kept going on without her, and every day they were further away from where they had been the night she'd been taken from them. Carter's baby would never know someone who should have been an like an aunt.

But that just meant Skye and Mar would have to love the baby extra to make up for her.

---

The girls enjoyed the rest of their weekend together, the three best friends and their baby.