Forgive or die trying

RAGE

(A/n: I apologize if this isn't as well written as past chapters, I was just released from the hospital today so I had to write this there! Hope you enjoy!)

She stared in shock

There he stood.

He was still the same height she remembered, maybe slightly taller, and still had that messy hair he always had as a kid.

Immediately, she took a defensive stance and gripped her bat tightly.

With Basil, she knew she could trust him. But Hero had abandoned her. Hero had left her to cope on her own without even a warning as to his departure.

Kim and Vance stood beside her, Vance cracking his fists and Kim glaring down the man who had now turned to face him. The shock was evident in his face as he noticed who it was but she swung before he could speak. Her bat connected with the side of his head as he fell to the ground, Aubrey's harsh glare beaming down at him.

"Want me to get the others?", Kim's voice whispered in her ear as she nodded, knowing having the others would not only scare off any on lookers but would show Hero that she didn't need him or anyone anymore. That she could survive just fine without them. Vance stood menacingly at her side as Kim quickly went to alert the rest, making sure Polly knew to keep Basil busy and to not tell him the truth as to why they had left the house.

Hero backed up nervously against the ground, his head burning and his eyes darting between each of the teens stood before him. He barely recognized Aubrey, the hatred stewing in her eyes burning him more than the pits of hell ever could.

He seriously fucked up.

"A-aubrey wait I-"

"SHUT UP!",

People nearby froze in fear, everyone knew the sound of her rage all too well but had never heard it this loud. Her hand gripped the bat so tightly her knuckles turned white and her glare could make even the most brave of men cower in that moment. Hero's eyes desperately looked to any of the others for help, but he found all of them to hold the same stark hatred to him.

They'd heard from Aubrey about how he up and left, how her only other parental figure made her have to move on alone. Vance was the most protective in that moment. He'd taken up the role Hero abandoned, and in that moment he did something none of the others had ever seen.

Not even Kim.

He swung his fists too quick for any of them to react as he punched at the college student over and over, grunts of anger occasionally coming out before Charlie pulled him off. She didn't do it out of concern for Hero, god no, she did it as she saw Aubrey was beginning to break down and knew they had to get out of there soon.

With one last grunt, Vance spit on the now bloodied and bruises man,

"That's for Aubrey, you fucking worthless excuse for an older brother. Go run off again Henry, you already did it once."

As the group walked away, bystanders rushed to help Hero but all he could think about was how bad he messed up.

He deserved every second of the seering pain he was in, he hurt Aubrey far worse. Vance was right. All he did was hurt everyone, he couldn't even cry because that would just be allowing himself to gain sympathy.

Eventually, Kel's voice broke through the crowd,

"Fuck! Damnit I thought she'd be inside today! Sunny! We gotta get him to my house now!"

Aubrey shook with anger, but also with sorrow. How could he just come back now?! The group noticed her and looked to each other, unsure how to react, before Vance took it upon himself to try and help. He slowly wrapped his arms around her, feeling her tense for a second before almost instantly melting into sobs in his arms. He just moved to a sitting position, holding her and letting her cry as much as she needed onto him, Angel coming over to help by playing with her hair in a way only he could do to help. The others joined, Charlie whispering comforting words to her with the Maverick as Kim held her hand gently.

After a few minutes, her sobs reduced to sniffles and she wiped her remaining tears. She looked to Vance and he sighed but handed her her cigarette box. Sure it was awful for her health, but in that moment she needed as much comfort as possible. Angel looked like he was about to ask for one too but was shot down with a simple stare from the Maverick (not a mean stare, more of a protective one). Kim helped her light the cigarette and, as smoke filled her lungs, she felt herself calm fully.

"We don't speak to Basil of this, got it? He doesn't get told Henry is back. He doesn't deserve that heartbreak". The others nodded as she crushed the cigarette beneath her foot, all walking together back to Polly's house.

Arriving inside, Basil was pleased to see them back and Angel quickly made an excuse of forgetting he needed something from fixit, luckily for them Polly helped cover as well by saying she had told them to get it. When she saw Vance's very bruised hands, she frowned a bit but simply beckoned him over. He was hesitant, yet approached and was surprised as she simply cleaned the wounds and wrapped them in bandage,

"There, now try to be more careful alright?" Her voice was sweet as honey and comforted him as he nodded, subconsciously rubbing the bandages and smiling a bit. She smiled back and hugged him gently before speaking to everyone,

"All of you should go shower, Basil and I prepared dinner already so don't worry about that! Oh and Aubrey hun, happy birthday".

Aubrey teared up and ran to her, hugging her tightly. Even the group didn't know her birthday as she had never told them. She turned to Basil and in a flash, had him tightly wrapped in her arms.

After all these years.

After everything.

He remembered.

He didn't forget about her