3-10: Vacancy

-----------------------------

Harpia leaned her head around the corner of Blake's room, surveying the room with a contemptuous gaze.

"Have you seen Apollo?"

Blake looked up from his guitar, shaking his head.

"He and Hale and Paige went somewhere."

Harpia tilted her head, raising an eyebrow.

"Apollo... and Hale... went somewhere with Paige?"

Blake shrugged a shoulder, looking back down at the strings he was tuning.

"She wanted to get drunk, and I didn't. So I told them to take her since they seem to want to do nothing but drink."

Harpia let out a slow sigh, looking behind her at the stairs.

"Usually it's Apollo sleeping all day. Not me. But I guess I get why he didn't ask me to go."

She glanced back at Blake, pausing.

"What are you doing?"

Blake looked up from his guitar, his expression cool.

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

He held the guitar up, laughing under his breath.

Harpia crossed her arms over her chest, rolling her eyes.

"No, I mean, everyone is gone. Do you want to go do something with me?"

Blake stared at her for a few seconds.

"You're Paige's friend."

"And Apollo and Hale are your friends, what's your point?"

Blake hesitated, finally placing the guitar back into the case at his feet.

"Fine. What are we doing?"

Harpia kicked aside a book sitting in the doorway, pushing the door all the way open.

"Food. Boardwalk. Something other than sitting in this house while they're out having fun."

She put her hands on her hips, a small smile on her face.

"Do you like Ferris wheels?"

Blake got to his feet, putting on a pair of shoes and walking over to her.

"I like food."

Harpia rolled her eyes, shutting the door once he was out of it.

"You're such a guy."

-------------------------

Paige leaned against the front door, half supporting the weight of her new found friend.

"Do you always get this drunk when you go out?"

Her voice was loud, echoing in the night sky.

Caelum laughed, her hip hitting the door and knocking it farther open.

"Not always! But you kept buying me drinks, so, I couldn't say no!"

Apollo shoved his hands in his pockets, looking at Hale.

"Yeah. You could've."

He mumbled the words under his breath, and the smirk that crossed Hale's lips made Apollo want to punch him.

Paige led Caelum over to the stairs, sitting her down on the bottom step. She teetered in her heels back through the front door, standing in front of Hale and Apollo. She was wasted. But nothing like the girl she had decided was her newest best friend and had to come home with her.

"What do I do with her?"

Apollo scoffed, glancing over the top of Paige's head at the drunk girl sitting on his steps. She waved at him when they made eye contact, a bright smile on her face.

"This was your idea, midget. You share your fucking bed with her."

Paige shook her head vehemently, her hands finding her hips.

"Blake would not like that."

She glanced at Hale and he held his hands up, his eyes wide.

"Nah. Don't look at me like that. My bed is mine."

Apollo and Paige exchanged a look. 

"Please, Apollo? She'll go home first thing in the morning."

Apollo groaned, pulling out his phone. Harpia hadn't answered any of his calls all night. He didn't know what she was doing, but whatever it was, she was obviously busy.

"Whatever. But if Harpia gets pissed, this is on you."

Paige's face brightened, and she turned back around, helping Caelum up the stairs.

Hale was staring at Apollo when he finally looked at him.

"You know Harpia won't like that."

Apollo shrugged, the sound of the two girls giggling drifting downstairs to them.

"She'll know it's just Paige's friend. It's not like she's Paige. She listens to reason."

Hale ran his hand through his hair, watching Paige teeter back down the stairs.

"I don't know if I believe that."

Paige shut the front door with a loud bang, pulling her heels off and tossing them in the bush next to it.

"Where the fuck is my boyfriend?"

Her phone had been just as silent as Apollo's all night. And if anything was weird about the situation, it was that. If Blake ignored Paige's texts, she freaked. Apollo had witnessed it many times.

They all looked at each other for a minute, and then simultaneously at the spot where Blake's Jeep was usually parked.

Hale's voice, when it sounded, contained the uneasiness in the air.

"Well... shit."

------------------------------

Paige blew another bubble gum bubble through her lips staring at the door from her position on the couch. She was laying over the arm, and her annoyance was thick in the atmosphere.

"Paige. It's not like they were doing anything. Blake isn't stupid."

Paige froze mid-bubble, turning her head to glare at Hale. The gum disappeared back into her mouth and the words flew out of it.

"He's obviously stupid enough to be out all night with my best friend without telling me when he's coming back or where he's going."

Apollo tossed a pillow at the back of her head, putting his feet up on the coffee table.

"And you were out with us. Calm the fuck down. We've been home half an hour, and it's only like ten o'clock. Give them time. Blake isn't going to do anything with Harpia."

The sound of Blake's engine sounded outside of the house and Paige was instantly on her feet and to the door. She pulled it open and crossed her arms over her chest, waiting.

Blake came through the door first, followed by Harpia. Her face was lit up, and she looked ecstatic. Until she caught sight of Paige's expression.

"Paige? Are you okay?"

Paige backed away from Harpia when she tried to touch her.



"No! What have you guys been doing?"

Harpia looked confused, looking over at Apollo. Apollo shrugged one shoulder, moving his finger in circles around his temple.

She's insane.

He mouthed the words at Harpia, but it didn't make her laugh. She just glanced back at Paige, her voice tilted as she spoke.

 "We just went to the boardwalk. You guys were at a bar, and I was bored. I asked him to go with me."

"I wasn't asking you!"

Blake had been quiet up until this point, but when he actually said something, it was concrete. Reassuring. 

"Nothing happened, Paige.

Harpia is like my sister."

Harpia looked at Blake in shock, but she didn't get to for long.

"Whatever, Blake.

You could have at least called me."

She turned for the stairs, her steps loud as she ascended.

He sighed, following behind her in seconds.

"My phone died. I would never ignore you."

Apollo watched them disappear, their voices getting louder the farther up they got.

He knew the two of them. He knew they would fight for an hour, have sex, and be fine. It was just waiting for them to stop yelling at each other.

It got obnoxious. Fast.

Harpia stared after them for a moment, finally looking over at Apollo.

She looked upset. And he knew there was nothing he could do about it. Paige would have to fix this.

"You okay, Sage?"

Hale's look said that Apollo was an idiot, but he ignored him.

Harpia shook her head in response, shutting the door to the house quietly.

"I think I'm just going to go to sleep."

She took the steps up to the second floor, and at the last second, Apollo remembered the girl in his bed. The random girl he didn't even know.

He looked at Hale, and Hale looked back, and the sound of Harpia's incensed voice echoed from the second floor at the exact same time.

"Who the fuck is that?"

Apollo squeezed his eyes shut, jumping over the couch to the stairs. He climbed them, just as Harpia slammed his bedroom door shut.

"She's Paige's friend. She brought her home from the bar, Harpia."

Harpia already had tears rolling down her face by the time Apollo reached her.

"Then why the fuck is she in your bed? Half naked?"

Apollo sighed, reaching out to touch her. She shoved his hands away from her so roughly, he moved back a step.

"Harpia-"

She opened the door to the closet outside of Apollo's room, grabbing her suitcase from the floor.

"Don't bother, Apollo. I'm going home."

Apollo froze in place, watching her shuffle through the clothes on the top rack that were hers.

"What? Why?"

She pushed him out of the way, pulling her phone out of her pocket.

"You fucking know why!"

Apollo grabbed the top of her arm, pulling her back out of the bathroom she'd just taken her bag into.

"I didn't do anything, Harpia."

Harpia stilled, bringing her deep green eyes onto his face. She still had tears there, and they were coming harder now. But she didn't falter. Her voice didn't even break.

"If you don't let go of me, I will make sure that my brothers find out what happened."

As a rule, Apollo was afraid of no one.

And he wasn't afraid of Harpia's brothers. What he was, was reverent of them. Of her entire family.

He released her arm and she went back into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. 

Her voice finally broke now, as she spoke to whoever was on the other end of her cell phone.

"I need a plane ticket home.

Yes, tonight."

Apollo sighed, sitting down on the top step of the staircase, listening.

"I'm fine.

Mom, I'm fine."

She paused, and Apollo caught the sound of her breath catching in her chest. He'd recognize it anywhere. Sparrow had said something Harpia didn't want to hear.

"No. It's over."

Apollo put his head in his hands, staring at the dark wood of his staircase.

This was a major overreaction. To something he hadn't even done. And Harpia was losing her mind.

He didn't touch Caelum. He didn't even talk to her at the bar, even when she'd hit on him.

He didn't want Caelum. He wanted Harpia.

And she wouldn't listen to a single word he said.

"Okay. I'll see you in a few hours.

I love you too, Mom."

Apollo glanced up at the bathroom door as it opened, and Harpia exited. Her face was red, but she'd attempted to clean the mascara off of it.

She pulled something out of her pocket, dropping it on the top of the staircase next to him. He was too busy watching her to even glance at what it was.

The wheels of her luggage clicked down the stairs all the way to the front door. She looked at Hale still sitting, bewildered, in his chair, her voice cracking as she spoke.

"Can you give me a ride to the airport?"

Hale got to his feet, glancing up the stairs at Apollo. He nodded, once, looking back at Harpia.

"I can do that."

He moved past her out of the door, the engine of his Ferrari roaring in the air before Harpia spoke again. Apollo hadn't even realized she was still standing there.

"I really fucking loved you, idiot."

The force of her slamming the door shook the stairs and the walls, and he realized what she had dropped beside him. It rolled down the stairs, coming to a stop against the front door.

The red car.

-----------------------

Well time sometimes time gets away from me

And I lost myself tryin' to make you see

Every time you cry I lose my mind

And I can't be who you need me to be

When you're lost as well in your vacancy

Locked up and waiting for the sun

3-9: The Fighter

-----------------------

"I never pictured you growing up as a real estate agent..."

Variance snapped her eyes onto Hale, raising an eyebrow.

"What exactly did you picture me growing up as, then?"

Her hair was bright purple, tied high on top of her head. She crossed her arms over her chest, standing in the middle of what was potentially the band's new place in Los Angeles. 

"A stripper?"

Apollo squeezed his eyes shut as Variance scoffed, turning around and heading toward the stairs that led to the bedrooms that would belong to Apollo and Blake.

"I only do that in private settings. This is my day job.

And I'm not even an agent. I just own this place."

"You could always show me sometime. At night, of course."

Hale's lips went up in a smirk, and Apollo groaned, shoving him.

"That's my cousin, dude. Knock it off."

Hale shrugged, rubbing the spot on his arm where Apollo's hands had collided.

"Not my fault your cousin is really hot."

Blake put his arm around Paige's shoulder, touching a kiss to her forehead.

"You two are like teenage boys. All the fucking time."

Paige and Harpia nodded in agreement, but neither of them seemed very amused. Maybe because Variance was dressed far more like a stripper than a real estate agent.

Variance turned around, her hands on her hips.

"So do you guys want this place, or am I wasting my time here?

My mom said you needed a place, but she didn't inform me that one of your gross ass friends was going to be hitting on me. Again."

She directed her eyes back onto Hale, but when he winked at her, her cheeks went noticeably red.

"I like it."

Apollo glanced at Paige, and then at Blake.

"It's pretty big, but I guess it's fitting for all of us."

Variance reached into the pocket of her tiny skirt, pulling a set of keys that didn't even look like they'd fit out of it. 

She tossed them to Apollo, walking back toward the way that she had come. As she passed by Hale, he stopped her, slipping something into the palm of her hand.

Apollo didn't see what it was, but he didn't want to.

Variance, however, glanced at her hand, and back at Hale. Her cheeks went red again and she rushed away from the group of them and down the stairs.

"I think she likes me!"

Apollo snorted at the tone of Hale's voice, looking around the massive room.

"I think that if you knock her up, I'll cut your nuts off."

He turned to Harpia, taking her hand in his as the others dispersed to their own areas of the house.

"Not so bad here, yeah?"

Harpia looked around, shrugging a shoulder.

"It's busy. Sunny and hot as hell. But you're here. I think I can deal."

Apollo touched his lips to her cheek, running his thumb over the top of her hand.

"Something else is hot as hell..."

Harpia tilted her head to look up at him, rolling her eyes.

"Your anger problems?"

She pushed him away from her, watching the moving guys bring in the boxes.

"Also, you're lame as fuck, Hunter."

Apollo grabbed a box, tearing through the tape on the top.

"Always gonna be. And yet you're still here."

Harpia sat on top of one of the other boxes as Apollo told the guys where to put the frame to his bed.

"I am. I blame the fact that I'm obviously insane."

"Maybe a little."

He began shuffling through the boxes, glancing up at her periodically.

"The answer was actually you, by the way."

Harpia laughed, getting to her feet and going to the door.

"And you're still lame as fuck. By the way."

------------------------

Apollo leaned against the counter in their new kitchen, pulling bottles of alcohol out of a box. Why any of them needed thirty bottles of booze, he didn't know. But his guess was that it was Hale's box.

"Are you having a party, or trying your hand at liver cancer?"

Apollo slid the bottles into a cabinet, throwing a dirty look at Paige as she spoke.

"I'm sure you'd be informed of a party. Blake doesn't keep anything from you."

Paige dropped something onto the counter with a clatter. As soon as Apollo realized what it was, he threw another dirty look at her, reaching for it.

"That phone was expensive as fuck, midget."

Paige turned back for the door, shrugging a shoulder.

"Then maybe you shouldn't leave it in the bathroom, where it vibrates so hard, it almost falls in the fucking sink.

Bat boy."

The door slammed shut behind her and Apollo almost felt guilty for being an asshole to her. She was doing him a favor in a sense. But that didn't make her any less annoying.

He had three missed calls. All from his twin sister.

It was the first time she had even attempted to talk to him since finding out that he was moving. She had been more angry than he could ever imagine coming from her.

She was much like their mother, never angry about anything.

But this had been an exception. They'd never been apart in the nineteen years they'd been alive.

And now they were.

And it marred him just as much as her.

The line rang three times before her voice clicked on the other end.

"Hey, A."

She paused, and her voice was soft, like it always was.

"Hey, Apollo. How's Hollywood?"

Apollo took a seat on the barstool, looking out the window at the busy city streets.

"Different."

Her laugh sounded like their mother's, and a small piece of him felt homesick at the sound of it.

"I miss you. It's a lot quieter without your guitar being loud in the middle of the night."

Apollo laughed too, but he could tell by her voice that there was a legitimate reason for this call. Something was either wrong, or important.

"So... what's going on? Are you okay?"

Artemis paused.

"The only thing you got from our mother gets really difficult to deal with sometimes. But I guess your empathy makes you good at what you do, right?

It's the reason that you're out there in that big city, and I'm still here at home."

Apollo couldn't tell where this conversation was going. And he had no idea what she was trying to say.

But it didn't sound like it was anything good.

"You didn't answer either of my questions, Artemis."

She sighed, and the next pause was significantly longer than the previous.

"I'm okay. I'm just... I have some news.

I wanted to tell you before you left, but I didn't get a chance. I was busy at school and you were... distracted."

Apollo waited, reaching for a bottle in the box next to him. He pulled the top off, bringing it to his lips. Hale wouldn't miss one bottle, and they weren't recording until the next day anyway.

"What kind of news?"

"I'm having a baby."

Apollo choked on his next drink, his eyes burning.

"You're fucking what? I didn't even know you had a boyfriend.

Who is he?"

Artemis laughed, and Apollo could feel the anger burning in his veins. The fact that anyone had touched his sister, period, made him want to smash the bottle in his hand into pieces.

"Calm down, Apollo. He's a good guy. His name is Kenton.

We've been together for a while now, but like I said, you've been distracted. Getting ready for your new life change.

We're getting married in April. A little after the baby is due."

Something heavy dropped into his stomach at the mention of the dates.

Their tour was scheduled to start in January. It was the end of August, right after their birthdays.

"Will you be able to come home? I'd like you to be the best man."

Apollo took a long drink out of the bottle, spinning the cap on the counter's surface.

"I'll be there. And I want to meet this guy.

Bring him out here."

Her hesitation was obvious.

"I... I want to. But Apollo, Kenton is the Army. He's being deployed in September. I won't even see him for months.

Our time frame is small."

Apollo raised an eyebrow, letting out a long slow breath.

"September is fine. You two can have my room."

Her smile was clear in her voice.

"Okay! I'll see you in a few weeks, then?"

Apollo nodded, even though she couldn't see him.

Her goodbye was full of an emotion he couldn't seem to reciprocate.

He grabbed the bottle, taking it upstairs with him to his room after they hung up.

He was going to need it tonight.

--------------------------

"How drunk are you?"

Apollo looked over at Harpia, swirling the remnants of the vodka in the bottom of the bottle.

"Not drunk enough."

Harpia rolled her eyes, knocking the ash off of her cigarette into the ashtray on his table.

"She's happy. Shouldn't you be happy for her?"

Apollo tipped his head back, draining the rest.

"Maybe. But that doesn't mean that I am."

He tossed the bottle at the trashcan, but it hit the wall, shattering into pieces on his floor. Harpia's reaction, the way she jumped, was noticeable.

"Shit. I'm sorry."

He walked over to the shattered glass, picking the pieces up and dropping them into the bin. Harpia was next to him in seconds, picking up the pieces too.

"You're fine, Apollo. You just... sometimes you drink way too much, you know?

I don't want it to become a problem."

He glanced at her, dropping in another piece.

"It's not a problem. I'm fine."

He reached out, twisting a piece of her sandy brown hair around his finger. The smile on her face seemed distant though. Like she didn't quite believe him.

But she didn't move away from him.

She dropped the last few pieces on top of the mess, sighing and leaning back on her heels.

"Can I ask you a question, Polly?"

He sat on the floor, his elbows on his knees.

"Go for it."

"Why am I here?"

Apollo stared at her. 

"What kind of question is that?"

Harpia mimicked his actions, sitting down on the ground flat.

"A serious one. So answer it."

Apollo blamed the alcohol for the lack of hesitation in his response.

"Because you're my home. This place wouldn't have been the same without you here."

Harpia seemed lost in thought for a moment, dropping her eyes to the floor between them. When she finally spoke, her eyes remained there.

"And... yet. You say that you don't know if you love me.

You know what what you're saying sounds like, right?"

Apollo shook his head.

"No. Apparently I don't. Because I already told you how I felt, Harpia."

Harpia bit her lip, finally looking up at him.

"Maybe you'll figure it out one day."

Apollo thought back to what Blake had said on the fourth of July. About how someday it could be too late. She'd be with someone else.

And the thought of that made him nauseous.

He didn't want her with anyone else. He didn't know if he loved her, but he knew that she was different. He knew that this was.

And different meant something, right?

"I will."

He reached out, pulling her onto his lap. He pressed a kiss to her jaw, her cheek, and finally her lips.

"I do love you."

Harpia nodded, looking up at him.

"I know that you do."

Her voice contained a definiteness. Like she knew something that he didn't.

And maybe she did.

Maybe they all did.

But he was still convinced that he would know, not them.

His fingertips found the hem of her shirt, and he pulled it up, over her head.

He traced his lips over the shape of her collarbone, her pulse beating against the heat of his touch.

Once, should have been enough. Once, should have been a stopping point.

But, then again, he couldn't take that back.

So, what was wrong with once more?

Her voice was gravelly, but coherent when he touched his lips to her neck.

"I love you, Apollo."

She got to her feet and he followed her to his bed. 

The only thing clear in his vision, was her.

"I still can't give you an answer."

She sat down on his bed, pulling him closer by his hand.

"It still doesn't matter."

He knelt to kiss her, his mind trying to focus on the task at hand.

He had a feeling that it did matter. That it was always going to matter.

That she brought it up again for a reason.

But that still didn't stop him.

When it came to Harpia O'Conner, next to nothing did.

-----------------------------

The fighter goes inside,
The doubt is creepin' in,
He swings with all his might,
At all that might've been,
And she's in love with him,
But lovers don't always win.

3-8: Only Place I Call Home

-------------------------

The sounds of Apollo's vocals faded out as Blake finished the song with one final note. Apollo's heart was beating so hard in his chest, he barely heard the sound of the agent's voice. The affirmation that they would definitely be signed. 

To an actual label. 

It dropped heavily into his stomach and he looked at the guys behind him. They were all bright eyed and sweaty from playing.

Elated.

It was the best news Apollo had ever received in his life. His entire musical career had led up to those words leaving someone's lips.

He set his guitar against the amp in front of him, turning around to hug Hale. And to his surprise, Blake joined the hug. And Vega too.

They hadn't all hugged as a group since they were kids.

But this moment seemed to call for it.

"Alright guys, come into my office. We have details to discuss."

Apollo followed behind the agent, the sounds around him almost muffled inside his head.

The guy began speaking, and it was a good thing that Hale was so good at this stuff. That he paid so much attention, because Apollo barely focused enough to get in half of his words.

"And then a tour, for about eight months. Thirty two cities."

Apollo looked up at that, raising an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

The agent looked at him, tilting his head.

"I said you'll be recording for a couple of months, starting toward the end of July. The album will release in October and then we will plan a tour. To get your band out there.

You'll finish around the end of August.

Is that a problem?"

Hale put a hand on Apollo's shoulder, his voice calm.

"It's not a problem, Mr. Rovain."

Hale continued talking to the agent, and all of them signed the papers, with the promise to return less than a week later to begin recording.

As they were leaving, Apollo pulled Hale to the side, clearing his throat.

"Doesn't that mean we won't be in Riverview for that long?"

Hale sighed, rubbing his forehead with his fingers.

"Dude. She kicked you out of her house. She won't talk to you.

Let it go. This is your dream.

This is what you've always wanted.

Stop letting this girl fuck with your head."

Apollo felt anger leak into his veins.

"I promised her that I'd come back to her."

Hale nodded, starting to walk away.

"And you will. In thirteen months."

Apollo had to gather every piece of self control he contained not to put his fist through the wall outside their new agent's office.

What the fuck was he supposed to do now?

---------------------

Rain sat on the edge of Apollo's bed, watching him put his clothes into another box. He was so quiet. Always had been, unless he was singing. And then his voice rang out louder and clearer than any she'd ever heard.

He glanced around the room, looking on the bed next to his mom. She realized in a few seconds that she had been sitting on one of his hoodies. She pulled it out from under her, holding it out to him.

"I'm going to miss you, Apollo.

We all are."

Apollo stilled for a moment, just holding the jacket in his hand above the box.

"I'll miss you too, Mom."

He stuffed the hoodie into the box, turning back to his dresser for more.

"I mean it when I say that we all will. I know Artemis isn't talking to you right now, but she'll come around. She hasn't ever had to be without you."


Apollo's shoulders stiffened and then relaxed. He turned back to the box, tucking several more shirts inside.

"She's not the only person pissed off that I'm leaving. Trust me."

Rain smiled at her youngest son, getting to her feet and walking over to the dresser. She stood beside him, and it was comical how much taller he was. He was taller than Ryan.

They had a nineteen inch height difference.

"I'm not angry with you. I could never be angry with you for following your dreams."

Apollo looked down at his mom. He dropped the shirt he had been retrieving from the drawer and pulled her into a hug.

"I love you, mom.

You're too sweet for your own good."

Her cheeks turned pink, but she nodded.

"I've heard that a lot."

He grinned at her, shoving the last of his shirts into the box and folding it shut.

"Well it's true."

Rain ran her fingers along a picture that Apollo had stuck in the cork board behind his couch. It was one of himself and Harpia as kids. Around twelve, maybe. One of very few she was able to force him to keep. It was the only one he hadn't packed.

She glanced at him, pulling it off.

"Do you not want this?"

Apollo looked at it, something behind his eyes.

"Nah."

She stared at him curiously.

"Did something happen with her?"

Apollo took the picture out of her hands, putting it face down on the top of his dresser.

"I told you that Artemis wasn't the only one who was pissed at me for leaving."

Rain's face fell, her eyes instantly saddening.

"Oh. That's unfortunate.

Have you tried talking to her about it?"

Apollo set the packed box on top of the others next to his door, throwing a pair of Converse in a new one.

"There's no talking to her right now. She doesn't want to listen."

Rain sat back down on the edge of the bed, watching Apollo again.

"Do you want me to?"

Apollo threw her a quick glance, laughing under his breath.

"No. I'm a big boy. I can handle Harpia O'Conner."

"I think you just forget that not everyone sees the world the way you do. Or has the big dreams that you do.

You're not just leaving this place, Apollo. You're leaving people. 

Memories. An entire life.

It's big. A major adjustment.

And Harpia has been through a lot. She probably didn't plan on losing you so soon any more than I did."

Apollo stopped what he was doing, staring at his mom. He walked over to the bed, sitting next to her.

"You aren't losing me, mom. I'll be back."

Rain shook her head, smiling softly at him.

"I know. But that's not what I meant. 

I didn't mean losing you for good. I meant losing the Apollo I've always known.

And the same goes for her.

People all over the world are going to know who you are.

This is going to change you. For better or for worse, no one can know for sure.

But it will change you."

Apollo pulled his mom into another hug, poking the tip of her nose.

"I'm always going to be me."

Rain smiled again, squeezing her son's hand.

"You will. Just a different you. 

And that's okay. I've accepted that.

Maybe she hasn't. Or doesn't want to.

Just... don't lose sight of the things that matter, okay?

I got that advice a long time ago. And I didn't listen.

Promise me that you will."

She pressed a kiss to his cheek, getting to her feet. She walked over to the door and gave him one more smile before shutting it softly behind her.

He walked over to the dresser, picking up the picture his mother had taken off of the cork board. He stared at it for a few minutes, letting out a sigh.

And then, he walked over, sliding it into the box full of his shirts.

"I'll fucking try."

------------------------------

He knocked so hard on Harpia's door, it bowed slightly.

"Oops."

He muttered the words under his breath, taking a step back. He wasn't even pissed, just ready to get whatever answer she was going to give him out of the way.

He heard footsteps from the other side, and they were definitely Harpia's. He'd know the sound of her breathing in a crowded room by this point in his life.

She swung the door open, crossing her arms over her chest the moment she saw him.

She raised an eyebrow, but didn't say a single word.

Apollo nodded, glancing over her shoulder. As far as he could hear, her house was empty.

He stepped close to her, pulling her against his chest. He tilted her chin up with his fingers, taking her lips with his. He held it for as long as he could manage before he thought he entered her punching him territory.

When he pulled away, her breath was heavier, brushing his skin.

"Come with me? To LA?

I don't want to leave you behind, Sage.

So just say yes."

She blinked up at him. She still looked extremely caught off guard.

"I... Okay."

He kissed her again, but she pushed against his chest. She was laughing as she looked up at him this time, pushing her elbow into his stomach.

"Are you going to help me pack?"

He released her, his eyes bright as he responded.

"That was... easy. But alright. 

I'll do it whatever it takes to get you on that plane in two hours."

She had turned for her room, but turned back at his words, her eyes disbelieving.

"Two hours?!"

She crossed her arms over her chest.

"My dad will be home in thirty minutes. He'll never let me go."

Apollo grinned, crossing her threshold. He pushed the door shut behind him, ushering her towards the stairs.

"I'll talk to him, too. But right now, you need to pack. Onward, bird girl. Up those stairs."

Harpia scowled at him, taking the stairs as he ran his hands up her side, tickling her.

"I'm going to punch you in the teeth, Hunter."

Apollo shrugged, pushing her door open when they reached it.

"Don't care. Plane. Two hours. Hop to it."

She looked around her room, turning back to face him with her hands on her hips.

"I don't like you."

Apollo smirked.

"Yeah, that's what you keep saying. I'm never going to believe you."

Her face turned red and she looked away from him. She walked over to her closet, pulling a suitcase off of the top shelf.

When she did, a small red car fell to the ground. It rolled across the carpet, stopping next to Apollo's shoe.

"Is that... is that what I think it is?"

He went for it, but she did at the same time. He was faster, and held it up out of her reach. he brought it to his eye level, looking at her with amusement.

"You still have this?"

Harpia's face had grown even more red. She went back to her suitcase, unzipping it.

"Why wouldn't I?"

He walked over to her, running it across the curve of her shoulders.

"And you don't like me."

She reached behind her, taking it out of his hands. She did it so quickly, he didn't even have a chance to stop her.

She dropped it in her suitcase, piling a stack of jeans on top of it. 

"It's mine now. You gave it to me fourteen years ago. You can't take it back now."

Apollo could hear the sentiment in her voice. 

"You can keep it. I didn't think it meant that much to you."

She glanced at him as she pulled clothes off of her hangers.

"Well. It came from the asshole who I grew up with. And it was his favorite.

And he happened to be mine."

She shoved the stuff in her suitcase, and he placed a hand on her hip, bending down to whisper in her ear.

"And she's mine."

She froze, but it was brief. She pushed his hand off of her, walking back into her closet.

"Shut up, Apollo."

He leaned against her bed as she continued packing. She was quick about it. More so than even he had been. She was done in under an hour, and the sounds of her father downstairs carried up to them.

She looked at him, panic clear in her eyes.

"Don't worry. I think Lucian will listen. Just this once."

She walked over to him, putting her arms around his waist. She leaned her head against his chest, nodding.

"I hope for your sake, you're right. 

Just this once."
-----------------------------

You may be unsure,
But I know 
I'm always coming back
You can bet on that,
You're the only place I call home