"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!" whined Logan as Ashley was gently cleaning and examining his nose. They had come to Ashley's home and the girls first tended to the boys' injuries.

"For god's sake." said Ashley frustrated. "Were you whining like this when that guy was punching you?"

Logan puffed his chest and made a proud face. "That dude didn't find the time to act so much. I knocked him out so soon. I only get distracted for a moment." he then looked up at Ashley's angry face and cowered back a bit. "But you are cleaning my poor broken nose harshly." he pouted.

"Don't be a child." said Ashley and put aside a cotton ball soaked with alcohol. "You are so lucky that it's not broken."

"And we are done." said Alison as she put the last piece of steri strips on Ed's forehead. "I did it so clean. I'm great." she then walked to the kitchen and disposed of bloody pieces of cotton in the trash bin and washed her hands. Ashley did the same and then both girls went and sat in front of the boys.

Ed and Logan moved on their seats uneasy under the girls' death glares. "Well??" asked Ashley after a moment of silence. "Do you want to tell us WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?"

The boys gulped and looked away. "It was my fault." said Ed embarrassed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I insisted on going there."

"Why?" asked Ashley confused and sad. "You promised to never do club fighting again."

"It was because of your father, isn't it?" asked Alison. "Things have gone worse between you, aren't they?" Her eyes were glued on Ed who nodded.

Ashley took a shaky breath. "Damn!" she cursed under her breath. "What has he done again?"

Ed put his elbows on his legs and rubbed his face with his hands. No one pushed him to talk. They know what a sensitive topic it was for him. "He is using drugs recently," he whispered after a minute but everyone heard him because of a pin drop silent in the room.

Alison felt something fall at the pit of her stomach. "He is not himself anymore." said Ed as he clenched his fists angrily. "He has become a addicted beast. I think he has become a drug dealer himself."

Ashley stood and then sat beside him and hugged him sideways and rubbed his arm.

"I'm sorry, guys." said Ed sadly as he looked at them. "But I can't take it anymore. A few days ago he somehow had found my hidden saving in my room and took all of it. It was the money I had put aside for renting an apartment."

"Why you didn't tell us sooner?" asked Alison softly.

"You had enough on your plate already. I didn't want to add on it." he answered and pointed to Logan. "Logan was the only one who knew. His father kindly let me stay at their house for as long as I want until I find somewhere. I will turn 18 in one month and I can rent somewhere myself. The fight club was the only place that I knew to earn the money I had lost."

"I'm sorry, Edie." said Alison and sat on the edge of her seat, and grabbed his hands.

"No. It's me who disappointed all of you." said Ed.

Logan put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't get hard on yourself, mate." he said kindly. "We all understand. You are not alone at this."

"Okay," said Ashley as she stood and sniffed a bit and forced a smile. "Enough of sad news. Let's order pizza and watch a movie. Boys you are going to sleep here in the living room. Al will sleep in my bed. The extra mattress is in the attic, and the spare toothbrushes that you used last time are still in the bathroom cabinet." she yelled the last part as she walked into the kitchen and grabbed the phone to order pizza.

****************

Meanwhile in West Mansion ...

"FUCK!" shouted Alex as he punched the punching bag in the gym for the hundredth time and tore it apart. His knuckles were bloody and sweat was dripping from his face. He was panting hard as he stared at the sand that poured down from the torn puching bag. Why the hell had he let that slut sit on his lap? Why had he not pushed her away? Why had he not run after Alison sooner? He had run after her but it was too late and she had been lost in the crowd. He had called her phone a thousand times but she had turned it off after an hour. He had fucked up. He was afraid that he had lost her for sure. The look of hurt in her eyes the moment she had met his eyes was not leaving his mind and was driving him crazy. The fact that he was the one who had hurt her was killing him.

He roared in anger and frustration as he ripped what had remained from the punching bag from the ceiling and threw it aside. He was alone in the dim gym. No one had dared to come close to him since he had returned. He had become a wild beast.

"Alex!" called a soft voice from behind and he turned only to see his mother standing there watching him with worry. Her shoulder-length brown hair had been pulled into a bun and she had worn an azure dress. "Honey you are hurting yourself. you should calm down." she said worriedly and walked closer to him.

"I can't." panted Alex and looked away. "I can't calm down."

Juliet walked closer and put a delicate hand on his shoulder. His tensed muscles relaxed under her soothing touch and suddenly he couldn't take it anymore. He turned and hugged his mother and buried his face in her neck and inhaled in her scent like when he was a child. "I have screwed up big time, mum. I'm afraid to lose her before even tasting what it feels like to have her."

"Simon told me everything." said Juliet as he rubbed his back. "What you did was not acceptable. A man who claims to love a woman has no right to let other women throw themselves at him." she said sternly and Alex groaned in frustration. "I know!" he said.

"But I think she will forgive you." said Juliet and Alex pulled away and looked down at her with hopeful eyes.

"Really?" he asked.

Juliet giggled and shook her head. "Of course, you silly boy." she said. "You have hurt her feelings badly. But you can ask for her forgiveness and prove her how much she means to you and prove that you won't repeat what you did by your actions. And by the things Simon has told me, I'm sure she will forgive you."

"Simon and his big mouth." growled Alex under his breath.

"Uh uh, young man." scolded Juliet. "I'm really hurt to be the last one to know this great news. But you should soon introduce her to me. I want to see the girl who has finally captured my son's cold heart." She said and ruffled his hair.

"Mum, please." groaned Alex and pulled his head away.

"Do not give up on her, Alex." said Juliet. "Don't hurt yourself and give her time. Fight for her. I had not seen her, but I know she must be special and worth fighting for."

"Thank you, mum." said Alex as he once again hugged his mother and kissed her forehead. He was going to wait until tomorrow night and then he would go after Alison and find her even if she was hiding under a rock.

****************************

Meanwhile, King mansion...

Eva walked inside the house. She and Marisa both had one of the sleeping little twins in their arms. Albert had left the house the moment they had arrived and Eva and Marisa had decided to take the twins out. It was around 9 when they returned. Eva's nose scrunched in disgust as the familiar and dreadful smell of drugs hit her nose. The sound of loud laughter was coming from the living room.

"What's going on here?" asked Marisa.

"Thank goodness." said someone and they see one of the maids ran to them frantically. Her worried eyes calm down a bit as she spotted them. "It's good you are here, ma'am." She said to Eva and Marisa.

"Layla!" Called Eva. "What's this smell? Who's in the house?"

"It's master Xander," explained Layla frightened. Everyone in the house was afraid of Xander. "He arrived with a group of his friends an hour ago. They were drunk and now they are smoking drugs in the living room."

Eva quickly passed Jordan to Layla. "Take the twins upstairs and open any window you see." she ordered Marisa and Layla quickly.

"Eva, what are you going to do?" Asked Marisa worriedly.

"Take the twins to their room and stay with them until I say. Go." Said Eva sternly and then turned to Joe, her bodyguard. "Come with me."

Marisa and Layla ran upstairs while Eva and Joe went towards the living room. Eva was angry but kept her calm face.

The living room was a mess. The cloud of smoke could be easily seen in the dimly lit room. Xander and a group of his friends were sitting there, smoking drugs. Xander had lied down on a couch smoking a handmade cigarette made of weeds. One of his legs was on the ground while the other was on the couch. They were all high. A group of high plus drunk teenagers was nothing good.

Eva coughed disgusted and switched on the lights. Instantly, all of the boys groaned as the light hit their sensitive eyes. "What the fuck!" Growled Xander and sat and narrowed his eyes trying to see Eva. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I will count to three and then I want all of you out of this house." Said Eva with a calm but dangerous voice toward Xander's friends who were watching her. Albert's commanding attitude has rubbed off on her for sure. "Open the windows." She ordered Joe while opening one herself.

"Who the fuck do you think you are to throw my friends out?" Spat Xander as he stood angrily and glared at Eva. "No one goes anywhere." He said and glanced at his friends who had stood up after hearing the threat in Eva's words.

"I'm the lady of this house and my words go here." Said Eva firmly.

"Lady of the house." Laughed Xander bitterly. "So you are a gold digger I imagined."

Eva clenched her jaw but didn't say anything. To say she was hurt was an understatement.

"Watch your fucking mouth, Xander." Damien's growl made everyone turn and see him and Hunter standing at the living room's door. Damien and Hunter were fuming.

"Joe, if Xander's friends don't leave right now, you are allowed to use force." Said Eva firmly.

"Yes, ma'am." replied Joe and stepped forward dangerously. "Gentlemen, out."

Xander's friends didn't waste time to leave as Damien and Hunter stepped in as well. Hunter quickly walked to Eva and stood in front of her protectively. "This is fucking ridiculous." Yelled Xander angrily.

Damien grabbed his collar and pushed him to the door. "Get your sorry high ass to your room. You have fucked up enough for one day."

Xander stumbled a bit but managed to balance himself and pushed Damien back too. "Don't touch me, you fucker." He growled.

Both boys throw back their fists angrily ready to punch the other when Eva ran and stood between them and pushed them away from each other with all her might. "ENOUGH!" She yelled and turned to Xander. "Xander King, go to your room and take a cold shower to sober up. NOW!"

Xander cursed loudly, but turned on his heels and left the room.

Eva panted like she had run for miles. She was staring at the door. Her heart clenched at remembering Xander's words. Did all of them think the same?

She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around only to see Hunter looking down at her with worry. "You are fine?" He asked softly.

"Sorry for what he said and did." Said Damien.

Eva forced a smile. "It's alright." She said and gently grabbed Hunter's hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Thank you for standing by my side."

"Of course," smiled Hunter. "You are our mother now. Of course we will stand for you."

Tears blurred Eva's vision as she heard Hunter's sincere words and saw concern in Damien's always emotionless eyes. She hugged Hunter tightly and a tear ran on her face. "Thank you." She whispered as Hunter hugged her back tightly and rubbed her back soothingly.