Anchor (lxngdon and MaryGoldRound)

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Anders took his hands off of Eden only after the teacher appeared. He clenched his teeth tightly and balled his fist into his pockets, knowing what would come next. Obviously, he couldn't be more upset and miserable with it. Because it felt unfair, it was unfair.

And Lucas felt the same as Anders. Sure, he believed beating the shit out of Ryan was not the best way to go about it, but leaving the asshole to go on unpunished for all the pain and hardships he inflicted on people was wrong and disgusting. Especially considering he never repented for his actions and went on doing and saying harmful things to them, to others.

But the police was called, and Eden was taken away and there was nothing they could do about it. And it made Lucas sick to his stomach and sad to his core. He was glad the ambulance came along to take Ryan too, he hated the guy with a fiery passion, but he didn't want him to die. It would only make things worse in many ways.

"This is fucked up." Lucas mumbled, watching the police cars.

"Do you - do you think he'll be okay?" Jenna asked fearfully, arms over her chest. Her sad blue eyes looking at the cars as well, though she glanced to Anders.

"Maybe if his asshole older brother helps somehow. Honestly, I'm really not sure." Anders grumbled.
 
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Claudia stood beside Lucas, her arms around his arm and her face in his shoulder as she watched the police cars. They stood outside the front of the school, watching the small cluster of police cars and the single ambulance. There was also a glossy red BMW, Ryan's parents' car. His mother got out and directly approached Claudia.

"What happened to my son?" she asked meekly. Tiffany Bronson was a weak woman. In the time Claudia had known her, she had only been lovely and kind to her son's girlfriend, but she had been beaten for years by her husband, and unappreciated by her son. Claudia pitied her, because despite how much Ryan used his mother to get what he wanted, like he did everyone else, she loved him unconditionally.

"He ..." Claudia swallowed and took a shaky breath. "He told me to kill myself and our friend beat him up."

Tiffany flinched. "I'm sorry," she said weakly. "I ... your brother told me what he did to you before but Stefan wouldn't let me do anything. He was proud of him."

Claudia almost gagged. "Of course he was."

Tiffany left and Claudia turned back to Lucas and the Hickory twins. "What do we do?"​
 
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Lucas put the hand of his free arm over hers and wrapped his fingers around her hand, squeezing it softly. Not only to comfort her but himself too. He ripped his gaze away grow the police cars that began to pull away and looked to Anders as if he was the one with answers.

Though, out of them all, he looked the most upset and Jenna the most emotional. He sighed, rubbing his eyes."I wish - I wish we could do something to help. Anything really."
It somehow felt wrong to walk away despite knowing there was nothing they could do to be of assistance. And was upsetting in itself.

"Let's just go home. They probably won't let us see him today." Considering all of the paperwork and phone calls to be. And Anders had the most tired expression and body language Lucas had seen on him.

"Then we'll go and -"

"I meant my house, all of us. Please?

Lucas was a little more than a bit surprised at Ander's words.
 
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Claudia was also surprised at Anders' suggestion. Anders, who Claudia and Lucas both had hurt beyond comprehension. Anders, whose best friend had just been arrested and taken into custody because he had lost control. At this point, all Claudia wanted was for poor Anderson to stop hurting. Ryan would have 'lent' her to his hurting friend, but she knew Lucas wouldn't do that.

"Okay," Claudia said softly, reaching out to pat Anders' arm in a soothing, friendly gesture. "We'll come to your place." The last thing Anders or Jenna needed in this situation was to be alone.

And hopefully, the boys could patch up the friendship they had lost.

They made their way to the twins' car and Claudia reached out to squeeze Jenna's hand. They had become friends over the last week or so, due to Claudia's need to speak to someone about her illness. The illness she needed to hide from Lucas. She couldn't worry him, not now.​
 
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Lucas quietly followed the twins to their car, not making a peep as he did so. Even if he wanted to say something, he wasn't sure what it would be. He also was unsure if Anders was still angry with him, he wouldn't blame him if he was. But at the moment, he supposed, he just needed someone he knew. A friend or two.

The blonde also made sure to brush that away for now with the possibility that Anders still was angry with them. He wasn't going to push it. Jenna however never seemed angry with him, though, he thought her to be. When glancing at the girls and noticing their held hands, he quirked a brow. When had they gotten so close?

For the ride, he sat in the front seat with a quiet Anderson. A quiet Anders was not a very comfortable person to be around. It was strange and foreign, but by the time they were at the house, he began speaking up.

"If you're keeping your shoes on, wipe them on the doormat." He mumbled placing his keys on the hook beside the door and walked ahead. "Don't want any nasty bacteria." He mumbled.

Lucas slipped his shoes off before stepping onto the carpet floor and following him into the kitchen."Are you okay?"

"No, not really, but what's changed?" He shrugged his shoulders and went on to roaming through the fridge.

Jenna sighed and led Claudia to the sofa.
 
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Claudia slipped her own shoes off and followed Jenna into the living room, her feet padding against the soft carpet. She had never been to the twins' house before, obviously, and she felt a little out of place. But Jenna and Anderson were her friends -- their friends, hers and Lucas's. And they needed to be there for them, since they had all lost Eden.

No, Claudia mentally scolded herself. No one had lost Eden -- he would be alright. He had to be. There was no way he could stay in prison ... right?

Then an idea came to her.

"My parents," she said to no one in particular, her fingers still laced through Jenna's reassuringly. She hadn't had a true female friend in the longest time -- Crystal was such a bitch to her through those years, she couldn't even be considered a friendly acquaintance anymore -- so Claudia was holding onto Jenna, both figuratively and physically.

She looked up at the boys when they came back. "My parents. They're lawyers," she reminded them. "And really fucking good ones. So they can help Eden if his brother won't."​
 
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"They can, but will they?" Anders asked, reentering the living room with Lucas by his side. He set down a tray containing stacked glasses, a pitcher of strawberry lemonade, real strawberries inside, and oatmeal raisin cookies. He poured himself a glass and crossed the room to sat at the grand piano.

Lucas ran a hand through his hair stressfully. "I'm sure her mother would if knowing who the bastard was." He grumbled underneath his breath. And why wouldn't she? He would if he was in Daphne Lightwood's shoes. It was too bad her father wasn't made aware, which was sad in many senses.

"Maybe." He answered Anders aloud.

"At least, it's an idea."

"I'm not sure." He snorted, sipping from his drink. "Let's be real. Claudia's parents may be good fucking lawyers, no doubt. But they are costly too. We've all seen their house. Eden's aunt isn't the wealthiest lady either. And if Ethan doesn;t help, why would he send money for lawyers? On top of that, your folks always seem very busy."

Anders set down his glass and cracked his knuckles before playing Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.​
 
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Claudia stood up and wrapped her arms around Lucas's waist, holding him closely. She hated everything that was happening right now but there was nothing any of them could do to fix the situation other than hope that Eden's brother would pull through for him.

Claudia poured herself, Lucas and Jenna glasses of lemonade and sat down beside the girl, pulling Lucas down onto the couch, too. "My mother is working on some big case in Miami," Claudia remembered. Her parents were so prestigious in their area of work that they were called to cases all across the country, and sometimes the world.

"My dad is free. He'd do it, if he knew ..." She swallowed some lemonade and leaned into Lucas for support. "If he knew what Ryan did to me."

But Claudia would rather drown herself in a river than tell her father all the horrible things that her ex had done to her. Of course, she could get Tate to tell him, but that would just further enrage Charles than if Claudia told him herself.

"I could try and get the money for bail but they'd notice."​
 
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In the end, there wasn't anything any of them could do to get him out. And it was upsetting because if they could, they would help him in anyway possible. But seeing how that there was nothing to do, they could only sit back, watch and for the best. The best being that Eden's brother would pull through.

So, the next day, since school was out, all four of them headed to the police station. Anders drove their car pool to the station and they checked in to see Eden. The officer at the front counter had them wait in the seats. And Lucas wasn't sure they'd actually get to see him or not. It probably would have been easier if they had brought an adult.

Lucas was sitting in a seat between Claudia and Anders, who was tapping his foot impatiently, with Jenna on Claudia's other side. He sighed, watching the partially busy lobby intently, so much so he didn't notice the newcomers walk through the front door and to the front counter.

"Excuse me, we're here to see Eden Carstairs,"

Lucas perked up at the mention of their friends and quickly landed his gaze on the source of the light and feminine Spanish voice. A dainty and beautiful woman who looked unbelievably familiar. He couldn't put his tongue on who she was, though.

She opened her mouth to say more to the officer, but Anders completely cut her off.

"How do you know Eden?" A question he himself had in mind too.

She turned to face them and just then they both came to notice the man she was with. Ethan Carstairs, famed millionaire actor, but most importantly, Eden's older brother. He was here in Charmaine Vermont.

"Well, shit."
 
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Claudia was a little starstruck. How could she not be? Ethan Carstairs, her favourite actor, Tate Fucking Langdon, was standing so close to her she could just stand up and touch him. But she would not do that, because he looked like he was about to explode from the stress he was under.

Claudia gripped Lucas's hand as the constable behind the desk looked up at the two actors with a bored expression. "And who are you?"

"His brother," Ethan said irritably. "I want to see him."

"And why should I let you? These kids came in first." He gestured to the teens. Ethan looked over at them, making eye contact with Claudia for a moment, and Claudia's heart sped up rapidly.

"Because I'm going to post his bail," Ethan said. Claudia's eyebrows rose. He had come to help?

The constable sighed. "Take a seat."

Ethan lead his girlfriend over to the chairs and sat down with one space between him and Anderson. Claudia didn't know what to do or what to say. Ethan looked incredibly stressed.

"You're Eden's friends?" he asked the group of teenagers, looking between each of them. "What ... what did he do?"​
 
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Lucas watched the famed thespian take a seat only two chairs away from him and one from Anders. He became aware of Claudia's hand on his own and he knew what she was feeling. Her favorite actor was literally in the same room as her and he knew that she would love to do nothing more than to talk with him or anything.

But now was not a good time for her to chill out with him or anything. It was written all over there faces and in the mood.

"Yeah, we're Eden's friends," Anders didn't bother to hide the full on glare he had directed at Ethan in specific. "He often told us how much of an asshole you are."

Lucas kicked Anders foot warningly. Anders crossed his arms and snorted. He continued to glare at Ethan.

"He beat up a kid at school ... Badly." That was putting if lightly and how his voice went quiet anyone could take the hint.

The woman, who he came to recognize as Isabelle King as soon as he saw Ethan , winced slightly upon hearing that.

"He was a major asshole, though. A bully." Jenna added as a matter of fact. "He was always tormenting our friends, told one of them to go and kill themselves." She place a hand on Claudia's arm softly.

"He got triggered, because, well, you know what happened with Cassidy."

"Not that you were there for him during that time."
 
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Claudia watched Ethan wince at Anderson's comments, and she was tempted to tell Anders off simply because she didn't want her favourite actor to be upset. But she knew the Hickory boy was correct. Ethan was in the wrong here, and he had been a total asshole to his brother and Anders had every right to defend his best friend.

"Look, I know I haven't been a spectacular brother to him," Ethan said quietly, mainly addressing Anders, since he was the main aggressor in this situation.

"But I'm here now, I want to post his bail and I want to see him. And I want to fix things with him."

That was good. Claudia was pleased. Though she nearly fainted at his next comment.

"Who ... who gave him their phone to call Bianca?"

Claudia tentatively raised her hand. Was she in trouble? Had she done the wrong thing? Was Ethan Freaking Carstairs mad at her?

"What's your name?"

"Cl - Claudia," Claudia stammered. "Claudia Lightwood."

Ethan gave her a small nod and a smile. "Thank you."

Claudia flushed bright red and smiled back, though awkwardly, and leaned her forehead against Lucas's shoulder.​
 
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Lucas smiled softly and endearingly at his girlfriend. Anders however rolled his eyes at Claudia's reaction to the actor's words, but he didn't comment on it. There was nothing to say about that. And obviously, he was more focused on what was going on around and for Eden. Lucas could tell.

"Whatever," Anders grumbled. "Just don't hurt him again. He's had enough of that shit. We all have."

Lucas looked to the floor in the short silence that followed.

"So, how do you guys know Eden?" Isabelle asked, hoping to make a more pleasant conversation.

"Mental hospital."

"That about sums it up."

"Except Claudia, we all met her after the hospital."

"Ah, I see." Isabelle nodded slowly and a tiny smile came to her face. "Well, he's lucky to have such good friends to come out see him here."

"Yeah, especially when his only immediate family member sucks ass."

Lucas was about to Anders to knock it off quietly, but the Spanish woman beat him to it with a different approach.

"Hey, stop being a little shit. He gets it, okay?" She frowned at Anders. Her tone was harsh, but it had a somewhat warm sisterly feel to it. Like being scolded by your older sister.

Ander's glare disappeared and he blinked, surprised. "Sorry," He apologized, but he was looking more at Isabelle when he did.
 
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Claudia was tempted to scold Anders for scolding Ethan, but Isabelle King got there first and Anders apologised so Claudia assumed he had calmed down a little. That was good. They didn't need to be fighting -- no, they all needed to be working together. For Eden's sake, because he needed the support.

Ethan and Isabelle were called into an interview to see Eden, before Claudia and her friends, but she didn't mind because it was important they bail Eden out. He needed to be back with them.

About half an hour later, Ethan and Isabelle walked out with Eden in tow, who was uncuffed and being told by a deputy to keep himself out of trouble. Claudia and the others stood up, but she didn't approach Eden because he seemed to be in shock, staring at the back of Ethan's head as if he didn't know who his own brother was.

Ethan turned around to face his brother. "Are you --"

Eden ignored him and went to stand right beside Anders, his best friend. He leaned his forehead against the other's shoulder for a moment and sighed, clearly tired and glad to be back with his friends.

"Next time I try and do something retarded, can you stop me?" he requested quietly. "My cellmate was scary."

Ethan bit his lip awkwardly as he received a phone call. A few minutes later, he looked up and addressed everyone. "My Aunt Ingrid invited everyone over for dinner."​
 
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Lucas watched quietly as Anders put an arm around Eden's shoulder and smirked poignantly. "Sure," He said softly his voice dropping to a whisper. "Also, Claudia and Lucas are our friends again. So, make nice, even Claudia annoys you by her obvious awe of your brother." He glanced her once more with a slight shake of his head, but it was evident he was so relieved and happy to have Eden back that she was the last thing on his mind.

"I guess we should be heading out then?" Lucas smiled slightly just as happy to see Eden out. He took Claudia's hand and Jenna went to Anders other side, hooking arms with her twin. "To Eden's aunt's then?"

"Do you maybe want to ride with your brother?" Jenna asked, keeping her voice low. "He did come for you."

The rest of them had came in Anders car and he obviously wasn't going to leave it behind. So, they'd be driving there in his vehicle again, but now that Ethan was here ... Lucas and apparently Jenna too, thought that he should go back with h. Give them a small chance to talk alone before dinner.

"You haven't seen him in a long time .
.." Lucas added, joining in on their little half circle.
 
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Claudia blushed violently at Anderson's statement and glared at him intensely. Ethan blinked a couple of times, but, thankfully, didn't say anything else on the matter. Claudia hid her face in Lucas's shoulder blade and waited for Eden's answer.

Eden looked confused, and he forced himself to look at his older, taller brother. The resemblance between the two Carstairs males was uncanny. Claudia could see so much of each other in their faces.

"Why ... why did you come?" Eden asked his brother. "You could have just posted the bail from LA."

Ethan shook his head. "No, that didn't feel right. I ... I want to fix things."

Eden blinked. He was still and silent for a few moments, before he slowly pulled away from Anderson and followed his brother out of the door.

"Well, that went better than expected," Claudia murmured.​
 
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"It could have gone worse," Lucas agreed, mumbling to himself more than the others. He pulled Claudia along as he followed the Hickory twins out the doors and to their vehicle. This time around, he buckled in the back seat with his girlfriend.

"Honestly, I don't see any other way it could have gone." Anders said quietly and started the car, breathing out a sigh."It'd not like he would start another fight or argument in the police station after only just being released."

He started the drive to the Carstairs resident, glancing st the two through the rearview mirror. "And despite his brother being an ass, I don't think he's an ass as a person and that's his only brother. So, I get that."

He frowned slightly, "And why the hell do people whose been an ass get a girlfriend."

Jenna snorted a laugh and Lucas blinked. "Um, what?

"I mean, Lucas, you were a total dick to me and you get Claudia still. And then Ethan, a total ass to Eden, gets Isabelle King. And she's fucking hot. I didn't even know they were dating!"

"Sorry?" Lucas chuckled, slightly awkward. He still felt awful about the whole ordeal that went down between them and this was the first Anders brought it up with no issue at all.
 
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Claudia licked her lips, unsure of what to say. She knew Anders had really liked her and she had probably broken his heart with her rejection of him, but there was nothing she could do about it. She loved Lucas. She would always love Lucas, and Anders just had to move on.

"You'll find someone who loves you even when you're being a dick," Claudia assured Anders with a small chuckle. She didn't know the specifications of Ethan's and Isabelle's relationship and frankly, it wasn't her business and she wasn't going to pry.

But she knew why she had forgiven Lucas. Because she loved him.

"And anyway, we wouldn't have worked out. We'd constantly be trying to outdo each other at the piano." Claudia gave a proper chuckle this time, because it was true.​
 
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"Ugh, apparently the only girl who hasn't hurt me is my mother and sister. So, relationships is the last thing on my mind now." Anders snorted and though he mumbled the words to himself, he was still loud enough for them all to hear.

"Also, I'm one hundred percent sure I already outdo you in piano, so you would be the only one trying."

"Well, there you have it," Lucas uttered, seeing how Claudia's point had only been proven. Anders didn't really looked amused. His face hadn't changed when hearing Claudia or Lucas talk. And the blonde couldn't read his emotions, but at the least there was no animosity of the sort. "You probably shouldn't joke like that unless you want a real competition between you."

"Actually, I'm very serious. Oh! Which reminds me! I'll have to tell you all when we're with Eden so I don't have to repeat myself."

They were soon parking in front of the Ingrid Carstairs house seeing how the driveway was already taken. Lucas hopped out after Anderson and closed the door after Claudia exited. He couldn't remember the last the he had been at this house. The only other house besides his own he'd been to multiple timed in the past was the Hickory household.
 
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Inside the Carstairs household, Ingrid, the boys' aunt, was fussing over Ethan and Isabelle and Eden, making sure they were all fed and watered and comfortable. When the other teens arrived, she did the same, ushering everyone into the living room where the Carstairs and Isabelle sat with drinks.

"Aunt Ingrid, this is Claudia," Eden said, gesturing to the blonde female. "You already know the others."

"Oh yes, of course. Welcome back, all of you."

Claudia was hyperaware of Ethan but tried not to fangirl too hard as she sipped her juice and noticed how Eden seemed to be also hyperaware of his brother's presence. They were sitting next to each other and talking quietly about mundane things like school and work -- like they were strangers just getting to know each other. Claudia was pleased.

Soon they were called to dinner which consisted of a delicious roast lamb and roasted vegetables. Somehow, Claudia found herself across from Ethan, between Lucas and Jenna. She couldn't make eye contact with him.
 
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