From; OC x reader

The Choosing Ceremony

Everyone was at the choosing ceremony for the new additions. "Thank you all for coming." Father Khatri starts, "today, our newcomers will choose how they would like to spend their time with us. Should you choose to spend your time with the people of the town, to live by our rules for the good of the community until we find our way back home, you will select the rock. Should you choose to join with the people of colony house, to live for today, because tomorrow is not guaranteed, you will select the flower. Now, once you have chosen this choice will be final. Like many of us here--"

"Father Khatri." Boyd interrupts, "sorry do you mind if I.." he gestures for Boyd to continue. Boyd steps forward, "since we are all gathered here. I was thinking I should address the elephant in the room. There were a lot of questions today about Frank, the box and rules. There is a fine line between savagery and consequence. And if we're not willing..." Boyd trailers off seeing Frank walk towards everyone with the talisman the Boyd gave him in his hands. Everyone turns to look at him. "Frank?"

"I'd like to say a few things, if that's alright." he walks closer to the middle. "You know what I've been thinking about these last couple of days, sitting in my cell? Christmas. The last one me, Lauren and Megan had before we... I was a good dad, you know. I wasn't perfect but I wasn't like this. That last Christmas we got Megan her first dollhouse. And when she saw it, the look on his face. I let this town, those things in the woods. I let them get to my head. I forgot what really mattered. I forgot that if I'd just been, a little stronger. There might have still been a Christmas morning waiting for us when we all got home." he turns to everyone, "don't let this town take that from you. Look after each other, take care of each other. Remember what you're living for." he walks towards Boyd, "i appreciate everything you're doing for me sheriff, I really do. But the only 2 things I love in this world, are gone. I just, I wanna see my girls again." he explains handing the talisman.

"Wait! No, don't go, Frank." Jade says standing behind people. This causes lots of people to groan and roll their eyes as he starts laughing, "oh my god I love this. It's scary, it's dramatic, it's uh... okay, woah, big fella." Jade says as Boyd walks towards him. He starts dragging him to the middle where the flower and rock is set up for choosing.

"Pick one."

"You need to fucking let me go." Jade says he starts groaning and complaining as Boyd shoves his head down to the rock slab.

"Pick one." he says more sternly

"I'm gonna fucking sue you." Jade says, but Boyd shoves his head harder. "Okay, okay." he says, picking up the rock. Boyd then shoves Jade out of the circle while he continues to yell at him. "Oh, you have no idea how badly you just fucked up, okay? No idea! I'm gonna.. I'm gonna fucking ruin you. I'm gonna ruin all of you." Kenny then approaches Jade

"Jade!" Jade turns, "I wanna show you something. Come on." Kenny then starts leading Jade away from the choosing ceremony.

Back at the ceremony a lady turns to Frank, "Frank you don't have to do this. You shouldn't have to make decisions while you're hurting." she explanations

"No. look. I'm the most clear minded I've been in a long time."

Boyd, who was getting annoyed at the ceremony, grabs a flower and a rock and walks to the new family. "Okay let's get this done. Are you living in town, or Colony house?" he asks

"Town." Jim replies, taking the rock.

"Sorry, you each have to say it." Boyd explains moving to Tabitha

"Town." he then moves to Ethan

"Town." He then moves to Julie.

"Colony house." Everyone looks shocked at this.

"Yeah me too, Colony house." Noah says.

"What? No, no." Tabitha says as Julie moves forward and takes the flower and then stands next to Noah.

"They don't mean that." Jim says

"Kids made their choice." Donna says as Noah and Julie make their way over to the direction of Fatima, Ellis and Y/N.

"Hold on a second-" Boyd tries to intervene

"Ceremonies over." Donna determines

"I'm sorry, she can't make that decision. She's underage." Tabitha says

"Mum, it's fine." Julie says

"No it's not fine. Both of you, come and stay with your family." she says to her kids.

"You don't have to do that." Donna announces.

"She might be underage but I'm not." Noah says sternly. "I made my decision and she can come with me." he announces backing up her sister, he then turns to his Dad, "you told me to look out for her. And I intend to do that."

"No, there's no way that I can accept this," Jim intervenes and then turns to Boyd, "are you gonna do something?" he asks

"Okay. everyone just hold on, take a breath. Julie? Noah? Do you wanna live in Colony house?" Boyd asks. The siblings look over to Fatima, Ellis and Y/N then at each other.

"Yeah." Noah says sternly and Julie nods in agreement.

"Why are you doing this?" Tabitha scoffs at her eldest children.

"Your rules, not mine Boyd." Donna determines as Julie goes to stand next to Fatima and Noah stands next to her.

Tabitha is still not happy though. "You know what, I change my answer. I choose Colony house." Jim tries to calm her down while she is still not happy.

"We're gonna fix this." Boyd announces

"There's nothing to fix." Donna yells

"Will you shut the fuck up?!" Boyd yells back, causing a little flinch to come from the Y/N next to Ellis which Noah notices. "Please, please, don't do this now. My son will be up there, okay I promise you, they will be fine." Boyd says to Jim and Tabitha.

"Alright." Father Khatri announces. "Uh, everybody, the sun will be going down soon. So, uh, thank you for coming." everybody separates after that.

Jim turns to Tabitha, "he's right you know." This causes Tabitha to look at him slightly annoyed. "He's nearly nineteen. He can take care of himself."

"What about Julie?" she asks worriedly

"Noah has got her, and so does Donna. They will be fine." he tells her as they follow everyone to walk away towards their new house. 

-----

Throughout the town everybody was getting ready for the night. Jade goes to live with Kenny for a few days, Frank being put in the box and Jim, Tabitha and Ethan settling into their new home. Ethan suddenly asks after they have him settled in bed, "are Noah and Julie ever coming back?"

"They are right up the hill, you can see them whenever you want." Tabitha replies as she crawls into the bed next to him. Jim then gets out a book and starts reading it to him.

-----

At colony house they were welcoming the new arrivals, "as always we welcome the new members to Colony house." Donna yells out raising her glass as everyone cheers for the new arrivals. The siblings get a hug from Donna and Fatima as a celebration erupts. Noah's eyes wander to the staircase seeing a familiar girl sitting there.

"You're staring." Fatima says next to him. He looks at her for a second and shakes his head.

"No I'm not." Looking back at Y/N. Said girl looks up from the floor and makes eye contact with him. She quickly looks away though and makes her way up stairs to her room. He looks a bit deflated by this, "she really isn't a people person, huh." he states, turning back to look at Fatima. Fatima looked at the ground at that statement, trying to think of a response. Ellis, who had heard the conversation, quickly goes over to the two.

"Here ya go mate," handing Noah a drink. Noah takes the drink from him, nods at him in thanks and starts drinking it.

Short chapter, sorry.