Adopted by Heathers Cast

We Can Start and Finish Wars

I woke up on a subway, in between Elle and Jessica. I looked down at my arm, and there was a Band-Aid where the IV straw had been.

"I want to see Alice and Evan." I said. Elle nudged me and said, "Hello to you too." and her and Jessica giggled. I just rolled my eyes.

"I'll text them and have them meet us at home." Jessica said, pulling out her phone.

I sighed, and said, "That was the scariest thing I've ever been through." looking at the scab on my elbow.

"You did wonderfully. And, we don't have to go back for another ten years." Elle said.

"But we're going to have to go back for something, I just know it." I said.

"I hope not." Elle said, giggling. I looked at her and said, "That's not funny, Elle. I'm scared."

"You can go back to sleep, if you want. I'll wake you up when Evan and Alice arrive." Elle said. I snuggled into Elle while Jessica hummed Kindergarten Boyfriend to me until I fell asleep.

______________

I woke up in my own room, and then heard a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"It's Evan. I just got here, can I come in?" I heard. I said, "Sure" and Evan came in, hugging me.

"I heard you were really, really brave today." Evan said, and I sighed. "More like terrified." I said.

Evan sat on my bed and said, "Cat, what do you think the definition of 'bravery' is?"

"Fighting something. Alice told me I had to fight my battles on my own... I let her down, I let Elle down, I let Jess down." I said.

Evan sighed, and said, "You did not let them down, Cat, and Alice and I are going to have a little chat later today."

"About what? I let you down, Evan..." I said.

"Oh, Cat, you could never let me down. I'd be proud of you even if you were a murderer. However, please don't become a murderer." Evan said, and I giggled. "What are you and Alice going to talk about? Please don't make Alice mad at me...I love her." I said.

Evan hugged me and said, "Alice could never be mad at you. I don't even think Alice can get mad. We're just going to talk about what certain phrases can be heard and taken in because I highly doubt that Alice meant to tell you that you have to fight your own battles."

"She told me I had to be strong and fight it on my own..." I said, hoping it was just a misunderstanding.

"I am so sorry, Cat. But, listen to me - you never, never, never never have to fight your battles on your own. I will be right beside you 100%" Evan said.

"You're just my brother...and not even legally. Violet Gardner's always gonna call me a pathetic liar, and what can my family do for me then?" I said.

"Never underestimate a brother's love, Cat. And about this Violet idiot, we will do whatever you want us to do. If you want us to show up and give Violet a talking-to, we will. If you want us to take boxing with you so you can punch something, we will. If you just want us to be there for you when you get home, we will." Evan said.

"I just want people to realize that I have a family...I don't want to be considered an orphan anymore. I want to wear my last name with pride and not have to worry about being called a liar." I said.

"So what do you want to do about it?" Evan asked.

I started to break, and said, "I don't know!" and started sobbing.

"Hey, hey, hey, it's okay, Cat. These things are hard to deal with and take a lot of time to figure out." Evan said.

"I just want the worst to be over, Evan... I met you later than everyone else. I met you in the hospital of all places." I said.

"And look how far we've come." he said. He took my hands and said, "Do you know redwood trees?"

I nodded, and Evan said, "Do you know how beautiful they are, how tall they get?"

I said, "What does this have to do with me?" and Evan said, "Redwood trees need fires to open the seed pods so new trees can grow. What destroys so many others, allows the redwood to flourish and thrive. That's like you. You, Catlynn Sunshine McLemore, are incredibly incredible."

"Incredibly incredible?" I asked.

"Stupendously stupendous. Remarkably remarkable." Evan said.

"Hold up. What does this have to do with the fact that I introduce myself as Catlynn Reeve because I'm scared people are going to compare me to Elle if I say I'm a McLemore?"

"You're in a very tough situation." Evan said.

"Answer my question." I said, starting to snap.

"Yes, ma'am. Have you ever tried introducing yourself as Catlynn McLemore?" Evan asked.

"Yeah. It never ends well. The first time I tried to introduce myself as Catlynn McLemore, Violet ranted about the...the crash, then said I needed to live up to Elle." I said.

"Do you want to "live up to Elle?" Whatever that means." Evan said.

"Yeah, it's the only way I won't get bullied." I said.

"If you weren't getting bullied, do you, Catlynn, want to be like Elle?" Evan said, smiling at me.

"Not really..." I said. Which was true. I did want to be my own person.

"Then why try now?" he asked.

"Evan, you know I'm insecure about myself." I said.

"Well, for whatever it's worth, I think you're gorgeous." Evan said.

"It's not worth anything. Every morning I look in the mirror and think I'm a disappointment because I look nothing like Elle. I'm not an actor, I'm a dancer and musician. Everyone expects me to act and sing" I said.

"You're not a disappointment." Evan said.

"The whole world expects me to sing. It felt like it was me and Elle against the world for a while. Now, it's just me against the world. I feel alone in the universe." I said, starting to go on a rant.

"For whatever it's worth, you're not alone." Evan said.

"But I feel like that. When Violet insults me for being a part of this family, I don't know where to turn. Evan...I feel alone. When Violet teases me, all the relationships I've had with you, with Elle, with Jess, with Alice, with Ryan, with everyone just go down the drain and I feel worthless." I said.

"How are our relationships going down the drain?" Evan said.

"When Violet says I'm a pathetic fangirl and you guys don't love me, I kind of believe it." I said.

Evan hugged me and said, "Look me in the eye, Cat.  It is very important that you understand what I am about to tell you - There is nothing that you could ever do that could ever make us not love you."

"What about when Violet bullies me for my last name and I can't even call you guys because I'll get teased for it?" I ranted.

"We will still love you and we will always be there if you need us." Evan said.

I started to sob, and I fell into Evan. He put his arms around me and said, "I got you, kid."

"Evan..." I said.

"I'm going to protect you. I promise. You're not going to lose me, Catlynn. Not ever. I love you" Evan said.

"I love you too."

AN: Whoo hoo! Another sad chapter by me! Also, I just wanted to thank @Spaceheater1 for the dialogue in the past few chapters, including this one. Your dialogue is way better than anything I could ever come up with. Hope you enjoyed! Catch ya later!