Figuring out the truth (Fallon Tag Sebastian)

[Fallon Cotton]

Fallon would have found a way to Sebastian's house no matter what. She would have even begged her mother to bring her, but luckily they had taken the bus the day before and Fallon remembered the route. It had just been the day before so, it had not been too long. Fallon had been worried all day. Ever since she saw Thad at lunch, and then Sebastian's text about ruining everything. She had no idea what to think. Sebastian was her friend and she had to check on him, make sure he was okay, and to make sure that as bad as Thad was, he had good intentions.

Thad was only trying to help in his own way. Fallon ran to the bus stop after school. It might be stupid. You never know who was willing to kidnap a little girl while she rode the bus, but at this moment stupid escaped Fallon. She texted her mom saying she was going to Sebastian's, cause his mom was picking them up after school. Fallon rode the bus ride to Beverly hills. She was bouncing her leg all the way there. Fallon was feeling very antsy.

Once she got to the stop she pulled the string and almost ran to get off the bus. Then there was the gate problem. Crap, crap crap. Fallon pushed the button that looked like the talk button, "It's me Fal...I am here to see Sebastian." Well she was also there to see Shayne, but she did not want to say that in case Sebastian did not know. Once the doors to the gate swung open, the moment there was enough room for Fallon to fit she squeezed through and ran to the door pushing the doorbell waiting to be let in.

[Sebastian Flambert]

Swinging the wooden door open, Shayne Warren couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the sight of a very tired-looking and anxious Fallon Cotton standing at her front porch. From the looks of the poor girl, she had been worried sick for most of the day, and had hurried as quickly as possible to the Warren Residence after the end of school.

"Fallon." stated Shayne, taken slightly aback by the girl's sudden appearance.

"Please, do come in."

The older woman shifted out of the way to allow Fallon access into the villa, taking care to shut the wooden door after the girl entered. While smiling just as warmly as she had done the night prior, it was evident that the poor woman had been scared beyond comprehension at Sebastian's sudden disappearance, and shocked by the disturbing revelations that had taken place after his return.

"I don't suppose you'd like a cup of tea, Fallon?" asked Shayne, leading the younger girl to their kitchen.

A pot of tea boiled on the stove, whistling softly as steam escaped through the spout.

"Sebastian and I almost exclusively prefer apple-cinnamon.. home-made, mind you.. Not any of that packaged junk they sell at Wal-Mart."

Noticing the girl shift slightly at the mention of Sebastian, Shayne raised a hand in reassurance, motioning for the teen to sit down in a chair positioned next to the kitchen table.

"Sebastian's all right, Fallon.." quipped Shayne, sitting down next to the girl. "He came back home at two o'clock today.. More or less unharmed."

She paused momentarily, running a hand through her long blonde hair. The details of that particular confrontation had been burned deeply into her mind, along with Sebastian's confession of everything.. Absolutely everything.

"He.." spoke Shayne, her voice wavering slightly. "Has he told you about the orphanage he used to live in?"

"I first met him five years ago in 2003.. He was ten then, and I was.. Thirty-four. There was something about Sebastian that made me love him at the very first glance.. A certain 'air' of innocence and shyness."

She looked up slightly, examining the young girl with a careful set of eyes.

"I knew right away, that he was mine."

"Fallon.. He had a horrible childhood.. He was abandoned at the age of three on streets of Marseilles, and lived at that particular French orphanage for most of his life.. Can you imagine that? A three-year old boy left alone on the street?"

Shayne glanced back down to the table, shaking her head in disgust.

"He used to follow around an older girl, back then.. Fourteen, if I remember it, and very pretty even at that age.. Both of them were inseparable, and seemed.. so sad.." continued Shayne, "I can't believe that I didn't see it back then.."

The older woman stopped momentarily, rubbing her eyes in obvious discomfort.

"He told me everything today.. everything about his life and the orphanage.. From what I've heard, he and many of the orphans were abused on a regular basis for seven years at the 'Rose Garden'.. in more ways than one."

[Fallon Cotton]

After speaking with Thad, Fallon had an idea that things were not good, however, she did not expect what Shayne had said. Fal could only imagine what Sebastian endured in that so called Rose garden. Poor guy, but it explained so much. His childlike mannerisms, and the security blanket, the shyness. Fal could not blame him. It must have been awful, and here she thought her secret was bad, it was nothing compared to what Sebastian went through.

"Wow, I mean...I knew something was going on, but I did not know it was that...I mainly came here because Sebastian sent me a text that worried me. It said something about how he ruins everything, and I just wanted to talk to him." Fallon explained to Shayne. "I am glad you saved him from that awful place.

Fallon could not imagine what it would be like to live through something like that. She had just been sent away to an awful institution, but nothing like that happened, thank god. "Is he here...could I speak to him..." She sipped her teas, very anxious now. Would he even want to see her? Would he send her away and never look at her again. She just found a good friend. She did not want to lose him now.

[Sebastian Flambert]

"He's upstairs, in his room.." replied Shayne, looking up from the table.

The older woman seemed visibly distraught now, and clutched her cup of tea tightly in her hands. Beautiful as she was, Shayne nevertheless looked decades older in this single stressful instant, seemingly worn down by the gravity of Sebastian's revelation.

"F-Fallon.." she added, her voice wavering slightly. "He.. Sebastian.. He's damaged, and needs someone close for support other than me."

She paused for a brief instant, sipping at her tea.

"He likes you a lot, you know.." Shayne added, smiling slightly. "It's been a long time since I've seen him so excited about anyone, why, he practically talked about you for most of last night after you left."

"Believe me when I say, that he's a good boy.. Though life's been very cruel to him, he managed to keep that single solitary spark of innocence that's left us all a very long time ago.. But please understand, Fallon, that he is a very damaged individual.. and it'll require quite a bit of understanding on all of our parts on the few occasions he acts up."
============================
Upstairs, Sebastian's Room

A multitude of scattered papers littered the usually tidy bedroom floor, accompanied with an odd assortment of charcoal and graphite pencils. His journal, once cared for with the utmost reverance, now sat discarded in the trash bin, along with various different bits of rubbish thrown away.



For the past few hours, the boy had locked himself up in his study to wrestle with his feelings and emotions, waging this tumultous inner war through the mediums of white paper and charcoal pencil. Dozens of drawings, hastily scribbled out in rough (yet impressive sketches) filled Sebastian's work desk and floor, varying in content in every single one.

All of them, however, featured a single girl of around ten years old sitting down before a background of roses, an ominous shadow of a large building looming in the distance.

Sebastian Flambert lay curled pitifully atop his bed in a fetal position, wrapped tightly into a protective ball with his blue blanket forming the outermost shell. Thumb in his mouth, the boy's eyes were clasped tightly as if to block out the rest of the world.

A shifting noise immediately brought him back to reality, causing him to stir from his bed.

"Sh-Shayne?" he mumbled groggily, straining to see who this visitor was. "F-Fallon?"

[Fallon Cotton]

Fallon nodded. If anything she understood the need for understanding. Although Sebastian's situation was way different then her's.

"I understand Ms. Warren. Believe me, there is no one who will understand more about acting up. I am Bipolar and there are times when I have manic episodes and depressive episodes. They are not pretty to see. About a year ago my mother had me put into an institution, when I destroyed my room during a manic episode. So i understand about Sebastian being damaged. I understand, and I want to help him, to be his friend and support him."

This was the first time Fallon had every really told someone about the institution, but she felt she needed to explain, so Shayne would understand, that she knows what its like to act up. After all she does not always take her medication, and taking the meds was important for someone with Bipolar.

Fallon had acted up a few times when she forgot to take her meds for a few days. She herself felt damaged too. Although her damage was a different kind of damage, "I guess you could say us damaged individuals need to stick together." She gave a soft smile, in hopes Shayne would understand that comment was meant to mean that she wanted to be there for Sebastian, cause she felt she could relate to him in a way.

Fallon followed Shayne up to Sebastian room. When she saw his room she felt herself flashback almost to that summer before her freshmen year. her room had been trashed, except lamps had been broken, books ripped up, and many other things destroyed. "Hey Sebastian." Fallon slowly stepped into the room.

[Sebastian Flambert]

"Fallon."

Poking his head from beneath the covers, Sebastian smiled lightly at the girl's familiar form, delighted to see a friendly face. In a matter of moments, he rose up to a slightly less compromising sitting position, gray eyes flashing brightly. Almost immediately, though, a wave of guilt and embarrassment rushed through his body as he realized the very odd state his room was in; littered with a wealth of papers and pencils scattered about in his frantic drawing.

"I.. I.." he mumbled, burying his head into his chest. "I'm s-sorry.."

Sebastian turned slightly away from the girl, gazing towards one particularly large sketch posted against his cork board.

"Th-this isn't quite the way I wanted it to come out.." spoke Sebastian, a twinge of sadness detectable in his voice. "I.. I was actually kinda hoping that you wouldn't know.."

The boy stood up from his bed, sighing softly.

"But now.. I guess everyone knows." he continued, "and.. I don't know what to do.."

An immense swell of emotion gripped at his chest, squeezing tightly around his heart in a vice-like grip. Unsure of what to do, the boy abruptly did an about face into Fallon's direction, rushing pitifully towards the girl and burying his face deep into the crook of her neck. Tears, held back for the greater part of six years, now ran freely down his face and onto the exposed skin of Fallon's shoulder, leaving behind a trail of wetness on both teens.

"P-Please.. Don't l-leave.." he sputtered, clinging tightly to the girl. "I.. I'm s-sorry.."

Sniffling softly, he shifted uncertainly in Fallon's arms, frightened at the sudden exposure of his long-kept secret to this particular girl. For many years, he had borne the burden of the abuse on his shoulders, never telling a single soul about the events that had transpired at the orphanage. Now, with Thad Cotton's single act of curiosity, his entire world was shaken to its very roots -- turned upside-down -- and forcing him to confront a horrific monster that he had worked so hard at banishing away.

"They used.. to.. hurt us." sputtered Sebastian, no longer in control of the wild emotions bubbling within him. "All of us.. Make us do dirty things.."

The boy sobbed pitifully onto the girl's shoulder, shaking uncontrollably as a sudden anxiety attack racked through his body.

"I was too scared to tell them to stop... even when they did it to Clara.. I watched.. and I couldn't do anything.. Clara.. Taylor.. Diana.. Eleanor.."

"Wh-When they did it to me.. I w-would j-just... give up completely."

Sebastian let go of his tight embrace, sliding down to the floor next to his bed. Placing his head in his hands, he nudged Clara's picture with a bare foot, mewling sadly on the bedroom floor.

"I didn't fight back.. I didn't say a word.. I.. I.. just didn't do an-anything..."

"I'm so b-broken.. so dirty.."

[Fallon Cotton]

Fallon did not know what to do when she felt Sebastian's embrace. At first she was just so overwhelmed by all the information she was frozen for a moment. But when Sebastian said the part about leaving her tiny arms wrapped around his body and tightly embraced him. "I am not going anywhere." She said softly against the top of his head.

She let him continue on she just held him tight. Kind of like how Si would hold her when she needed her sister, or how her dad use to hold her or even Thad. That embrace where you knew everything would be okay. Fallon wanted Sebastian to know he was safe now. No more visit to the Rose Garden. Thank god she remembered her meds this time. She had a clear head now.

Fallon sat down next to Sebastian as he slide to the floor. She placed a hand on his and squeezed as she forced him to look at her. On hand on his cheek, she used her thumb to wipe away the tears that stained his face, "I am not going anywhere. You are not dirty. Trust me...you are not dirty." She told him softly.

"What happened to you was bad...horrible. It wont ever happen again. " She glanced at the picture of Clara. "She is very pretty." Fallon told him as she laid her head on his shoulder still holding his hand. Her free hand was holding his other free hand. "I am here for you now. Whenever you need me."

[Sebastian Flambert]

Sebastian sniffled in reply, squeezing firmly on Fallon's hand as a stream of tears continued to slide down his face. Feeling the girl's head against his shoulder, the boy slowly allowed his body to rest against hers, burying his own face deep within Fallon's hair.

Lilac.

Momentarily caught in the shelter of her soft locks of dark hair, Sebastian allowed himself to be carried away to fonder memories of the Hautes-Alpes, a beautiful region that was utterly mesmerizing in Springtime. With grand valleys and the pristine shape of the Swiss Alps in the background, he remembered the few occasions he and the other orphans were allowed to venture outside of the city and play in the open fields of the country.

Gradually, his violent shaking diminished into a faint quiver as the girl held him on the bedroom floor, comforting him with gentle words. Without a second thought, Sebastian slowly wrapped his own arms around Fallon neck in a tender embrace, shifting slightly to allow his forehead to rest against her own.

"Th-Thank y-you.." whispered Sebastian, rubbing his nose delicately against the girl's. A small smile flickered briefly against his face, bringing a small tint of childish charm.

Gently, he allowed his nose to slide lightly down the side of Fallon's cheek, simultaneously turning his head at an angle in the process. With characteristic hesitancy, Sebastian pressed his lips against the girl's in a grateful kiss, withdrawing shyly almost as soon as he began only to draw Fallon into a deeper, more mature one.

"Clara.." spoke Sebastian, curling up atop Fallon's lap. "She.. She was so good to me..."

"I can't even explain it.. but she was so special.. Even though she, like the others, suffered, she always seemed to keep that 'happy' spirit.. Always playful, always caring.."

"When I was nine, and she was thirteen.." he continued, "She changed.. That aura of invulnerability disappeared, and she seemed sadder all the time.."

He closed his eyes tightly, biting down on his lip as a painful memory surged through his mind.

"She got sick in the mornings.." added Sebastian, shaking his head sadly. "and didn't want to play anymore.. After a few weeks, Father Elois took her out of the orphanage.. somewhere..."

"When she came back.. She was sadder.. Sh-She was bleeding d-down th-there.." he continued, motioning towards his groin area. "an-and.."

*sniffle*

"She.. She.. She hurt so badly.. Had to stay in her room for months.. It's amazing she didn't die from the sickness."

At the time, Sebastian Flambert knew nothing about pregnancy or abortions. As time went on and his knowledge of the female physiology increased, he began to understand what exactly took place outside the walls of the Rose Garden.

"I sh-should've saved her, then.." he mumbled. "Then, maybe, she wouldn't have been so sad."

[Fallon Cotton]

Fallon just held Sebastian tightly. Letting him know she was there. It was kind of nice to feel so needed. Besides her siblings, she felt she had no real Friends. Sure there was Roxy and Ezzie, but they were more Thad's friends. And then Si had her friends. Usually Fal tagged along, but Fal was use to being isolated. Of course she did it more to herself cause she would spend hours in her room drawing, but this felt nice. To have a true friend.

She smiled when he gave her a butterfly kiss with his nose. The he kissed her. Fal kissed back of course. She was almost shocked at the more mature kiss. It was not like the first time, or the beginning of the second time. She smiled as the kiss ended. Fallon just continued to hold him, cradle him almost. He seemed to need that encompassing hug.

"You were her friend...that was enough...all you probably could have done....sometimes just being a friend is the only way we can help." She told him softly. "Poor Clara." Now Fal being a girl should have understood, but she didn't. She did not get that Clara was pregnant until Sebastian mentioned her being sick and in bed all day.

"Oh she must have been pregnant and they had to hide that...." She said in a soft voice. Fal knew about pregnancy, but she did not know about it. She knew the basics that her mother had told her about. Apparently Fal was in danger of getting pregnant in her mothers eyes, which was stupid in Fallon's mind cause doing that was far from her mind.

"I am sure that with you by her side, she was not so sad. How could anyone be sad with you in their life." He was so innocent and not innocent at the same time. He had this way of just making her feel like she wanted to protect him and be there for him at the same time.

[Sebastian Flambert]

He nodded in acknowledgment, lightly tracing over the bumpy skin of Fallon's knee with the tip of his little finger. The shaking had largely stopped now, and an odd feeling of serenity overcame him as the anxiety attack quickly passed away into nothingness.

A long time seemed to pass as the two sat upon the floor of Sebastian's bedroom, the boy wrapped in the girl's tight embrace, with neither one saying a single word. After what seemed like an eternity, the boy stirred slightly, raising his head slowly up from Fallon's lap. Still entwined in her arms, Sebastian let his own head rest in the crook of the girl's shoulder, lips a hair away from the inside of her ear.

"I'm hungry."

The simplicity of the statement was almost amusing, despite the situation. Due to his flight from the pier, Sebastian hadn't had the chance to eat anything since breakfast, and was positively ravenous given the state of his being. Pecking the girl's ear softly, he rose to his feet, and promptly offered a hand up to help Fallon from the ground.

=====================
Thirty Minutes Later
6:20 P.M.

Savory smells of fine cooking waifed through the air, filling the entire house with a pleasant aroma. Despite trying to keep a blank face, Shayne Warren could not help but grin at the absolute cuteness of the two teens hard at work preparing dinner, one of which donned a blue floral print apron around his waist.

"Then.. You need to add the cheese.." commented Sebastian, nudging Fallon towards a block of Parmigiano-Reggiano positioned next to a cheese grater.

While his handsome face still was a bit puffy from the episode, a look of undeniable happiness seemed to radiate from his smile. Gray eyes, stained with tears a short while ago, now flashed brightly as the boy bustled around the kitchen.

Spotting an unused cherry tomato lying idly atop the kitchen counter, Sebastian slyly palmed the tiny vegetable in his hand, approaching Fallon from the side. Making sure that the girl was indeed busy with the Parmigiano, the boy launched the tomato with near lethal force and was promptly rewarded with a satisfying explosion of warm fruit which splattered against the side of Fallon's head.

"You've got a little something there.. Fal."