bullseye • ftwd

3.14 - el matadero

alicia shot one of the metal rafters "get in your car and get out of here! or i will kill you!"

ivy peeked her head around the corner, nick and troy doing the same

"we saw your car" she said sweetly

alicia's eyebrows furrowed together as she put everything together. she then smiled to herself "sit down."

nick sat down first, sitting on one of the two chairs in the garage. ivy and troy sat next to each other on a desk, sitting so close that their shoulders were pressed together. nick had gotten used to it by now.

alicia came back with four little cans, handing them with a fork to the three. she then sat down in the chair across from nick and peeled hers open.

for a moment, they all quietly ate whatever she had given them. it wasn't good at all, it honestly tasted like dog food. in fact, it probably was. but it was something to eat, so they just sucked it up and took a bite at a time.

"alicia, this is crazy" nick said as he looked around the mechanics garage

"i've seen crazy. this is kind of nice." she replied before raising her dog food "this is disgusting, though."

"you have no idea what it's like being out here."

"you seemed to manage alright"

"there's safety in numbers, alicia. you know that"

she shook her head "i don't know that. i almost died yesterday, surrounded by people." alicia stared at him "nick, is this you talking or is it mom?"

ivy set her can down beside her on the table, making troy give her a questioning look. she quickly stuck out her tongue and made a disgusted face, which made troy smile a little.

"she's gonna lose her shit, i come back without you."

"i know what you're trying to do" alicia said and looked down "it's been riding you ever since you got to the ranch. you're trying to atone...don't. i forgive you. you don't owe me. you don't owe mom. and you might feel like that, but you don't. you deserve to carve what you can out of this life."