Everybody~3

The house was still spinning in her mind.

The police, the voices, the slammed door, the sound of his feet hitting the pavement — gone.

Tess left without even tying her laces properly. She just ran, because there was only one place that made sense.

Freddie's.

When she turned the corner onto Freddie's street, she stopped dead.

Standing across the road from Freddie's house, hands stuffed into her coat pockets, eyes locked on the empty driveway- was Effy.

Tess hesitated before stepping forward.

"When did you get out?" she asked gently.

Effy didn't even jump. She just looked over, like she'd known she was there the whole time. "This morning."

"And you came here?"

Effy's jaw tensed, then she nodded. "I just wanted to see... if there was any sign of him."

Tess moved closer, slowly. "You been standing here long?"

Effy gave a half-shrug. "About twenty minutes. Maybe more. I've been meaning to go in but... I can't."

Tess looked at the house. Then at her.

She reached out her hand.

Effy stared at it for a beat too long, like it was unfamiliar. Then, carefully, she took it.

"Come on," Tess said softly.

They crossed the road together, quiet but in sync. The gate creaked, just like it always did, and the grass was damp underfoot as they moved toward the shed.

The closer they got, the heavier the air felt — like something was holding its breath.

Tess let go of Effy's hand to push open the door.

The smell hit first. Damp wood, stale smoke, something old and warm and familiar.

The shed was still full of Freddie — mismatched cushions, half-used notebooks, that dented guitar in the corner. Like he might've just gone out for a second and forgotten to lock up.

Effy stepped inside slowly, her fingers brushing the edge of a tattered poster as she passed.

Tess followed, heart thudding in her chest, half-expecting Cook to be hunched in the corner.

But it was just them.

Effy sat down on the old couch. Tess lowered herself beside her.

Finally, Effy whispered, "I thought he'd be here."

Tess nodded.

"Me too."

"It's his birthday today." Effy said, staring at a blank space on the wall.

"Yeah,"

Effy sunk lower into the couch, "Freds probably got scared...I'm pretty scary."

Tess turned to face her, "You're not scary Eff, you didn't do anything wrong."

"I can't not know. If he couldn't bear it I can handle it. I think I can handle it."

She wrapped her arms tighter around herself, sleeves clenched in her fists.

Tess thought of the notebook Cook had shown her. The messy confessions. The frantic warning.

"He really loves you, you know?"

Effy didn't look at her. Just said, quietly, "Then where is he?"

"I... I don't know." Tess didn't have an answer. No one did.

Effy's eyes started to gloss over, tears creeping up slowly like a tide she couldn't fight.Tess reached out, gently placing her hand on her arm.

"But we're gonna find him. Alright?"

Effy nodded — barely, but she did.

Then a sharp noise jolted them both — the creak of the shed door.

Tess straightened instantly, eyes flicking toward the entrance.

But it was Cook.

Out of breath, still shirtless and freezing.

She didn't hesitate. She crossed the room and wrapped her arms around him so tight it almost knocked him back."What the fuck, Cook?" she muttered, her voice cracking. "What the actual fuck?"

He held her just as tightly, his hand cradling the back of her head."I'm alright. I got out."

"I thought—" she pulled back to look at him, eyes sharp, wet. "I thought they'd catch you going out the back. I thought—fuck—I didn't know what was gonna happen. You just left."

"I had to," he said, not harshly. Just honest. "They knew where I was, Tess."

She let go of him, pacing a few steps like she didn't trust herself to stay still.Effy was still sitting on the couch, her face unreadable, arms wrapped around her knees.

"Did you fuck it all up again?" she asked, quietly.

Cook turned to her, gave a one-shouldered shrug. "Pretty much."

He looked exhausted.

He crossed to an old wooden box in the corner of the shed, knelt, and rummaged through it. He pulled out a battered top—one of Freddie's—and held it up.

"Think he'd mind?" he asked, almost sheepish.

Effy shook her head.

Tess rubbed her eyes with the palm of her hand, trying to keep it together. Her head felt too full, her chest too tight.

Cook must've seen it in her. He stood, stepped closer again."Hey. I'll be fine alright?" His voice dropped low, like he was trying to anchor her with it. "I promise."

She looked at him, angry and scared and something softer underneath.

"I just—" she started, then shook her head. "You can't promise me that can you? Who knows how long it'll take them to find you again!?"

"Yeah, well. Doesn't mean I won't try."

Suddenly, the door swung open again, Cook immediately crouched behind the couch but it was only JJ.

"Ah, my powers of deductive reasoning are unparalleled!" He said proudly

"My deductive reasoning found him first," Tess joked, under her breath.

JJ started pacing round the room, "They're actually hunting you with dogs! Impressive."

Tess scoffed, "No, not impressive J! This is really bad."

"Anyway we weren't sure if the coast was clear," JJ said

"What d'ya mean we?" Cook asked

JJ creeped back to the door and opened it a crack, "The sea eagles are roosting." He whispered out into the garden

Tess gave Effy a bewildered look and she looked just as amused.

Pandora quickly snuck into the room, pulling the door shut behind her like she was in a spy film.

"This is proper mental. Is everyone alive?" she whispered dramatically, hair slightly damp and wild from the rain. She paused. Spotted Cook crouched behind the couch in Freddie's hoodie. "Oh, good. You're not dead."

Cook gave her a look. "Cheers, Panda."

Pandora clutched her chest like she'd just run a marathon. "I swear I nearly got arrested for loitering in Naomi's front garden. And I wasn't even doing the loitering they were!"

"I brought reinforcements." She smiled

Effy raised her eyebrows. "Reinforcements for what?"

"To calm the bloomin' chaos," Panda declared.

Cook stood up from behind the couch fully now, no longer hiding. "They'll be back though. Won't stop till they get me."

"We'll figure it out," Pandora said quickly, though his eyes darted to Tess for backup.

"How are we meant to figure it out? They came to Naomi's. They know where you've been sleeping. They could show up anywhere." Tess said, voice panicked

JJ clapped his hands loudly, startling everyone. "Okay! You're not in jail yet, and we're all in one piece. That's not nothing. Well lay low for a bit and then figure out what to do with the stowaway."

"You got any more of that 'emotional baking' on standby?" he asked Pandora, voice rough.

"I've got a lemon drizzle in my bag," she said proudly. "Still warm."

Effy blinked. "Why do you have a lemon drizzle in your bag?"

"I've been baking, you know to become a better person or whatever," Pandora said matter-of-factly. "And you never fight or panic while holding cake."

JJ nodded solemnly. "She's got a point."

Tess, despite everything, let out a shaky breath and finally sat down again, dragging her fingers through her hair.

Pandora had unzipped her tote and was passing out slices of lemon drizzle generously.

Tess looked over at Cook, now grinning faintly as JJ made some joke about sugar content and fugitives. For a second, he looked like a kid again. But Tess couldn't forget the door. The police. The split-second it took to lose everything

The chaos would return. The cops weren't done.

But for now they'd just have cake.

----

After the lemon drizzle, something shifted.

It started small — JJ turning on the radio. Then a song started. Something light, stupid, familiar. They didn't even decide on it, really. It just happened.

"We should... do something," Pandora had said, perched on the arm of the couch. "For Freds. It's his birthday."

"A party?" JJ offered, like it wasn't the most unhinged idea given the circumstances.

"Yeah," Cook nodded his head, "A party."

It was JJ who cranked the volume. Tess didn't even know where he found it, but Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get You Out of My Head" started blaring through the little shed speakers.

Which was, of course, the exact moment Karen appeared in the doorway, looking completely baffled.

"What the fuck are you doing?" she asked, arms crossed, tone flat.

JJ turned to her mid-spin. "We're having a party. Freds would like it, don't you think?"

Karen's mouth opened to protest... then paused. Her gaze flicked across the room and sighed.

"Yeah... yeah, I guess he would."

By the time the second chorus hit, Karen had kicked off her boots and was dancing with JJ and Cook in front of the dance mirrors on the back wall.

Cook and JJ followed Karen's movements. Moving their hips like idiots, over-exaggerated and shameless, copying Karen's every move with such commitment it made Effy choke on her cake.

Pandora snorted. "You're gonna throw your back out!"

Effy, doubled over, was laughing so hard she couldn't breathe. Even Tess had to cover her mouth.

Effy got out her phone and texted Thomas, Naomi, Emily and even Katie to come over.

Tess looked up just in time to see JJ attempt a high kick, miss, and collapse into Cook, who went down like a sack of bricks. Karen didn't even flinch — just kept shimmying in front of the mirror like it was a full-blown Kylie concert. Tess bit back a laugh. It was ridiculous. Unhinged. Kind of perfect.

—---

Eventually the dancing stopped. The music had dipped into something slower.

Now they were gathered in a lopsided circle around a battered milk crate, using it as a table. Half-empty bottles of cider and cheap vodka clustered around a deck of sticky cards playing ace of truth,

Effy and Pandora were curled up on the couch behind them, not playing, just passing a cigarette back and forth, occasionally muttering commentary.

Cook was on the floor, leaned against the base of the couch, legs sprawled and cigarette hanging from his mouth. Tess was beside him, leaning into his side without really thinking about it.

JJ and Karen sat cross-legged opposite, whispering conspiratorially over their hands of cards.

The shed door creaked again.

Thomas stepped in first, ducking slightly under the frame, followed by Katie and Emily, each one immediately clocking the bizarre scene.

Katie glanced around and raised a perfectly arched brow. "What the fuck kind of lame-o rave is this?"

Cook didn't miss a beat. "Well pardon me for farting. Took you long enough getting here."

"I dressed up!" Katie complained gesturing to her flashy outfit.

"We're playing Ace of Truth," JJ announced with his usual enthusiasm, holding up the deck.

Tess gave a dry smile. "We've learned a few things tonight."

"Haven't we, Karen?" JJ added, elbowing her.

Karen sipped her drink. "You said it had to be shocking, and I-"

"Please," JJ groaned. "Don't say it again. I'm still feeling queasy."

He shuffled the cards with theatrical flair. "Right then. Who's gonna start?"

But before anyone could speak, the door creaked one more time.

Naomi stood in the doorway, rained on and hesitant, but with a strange steadiness in her eyes. The chatter quieted instantly.

"I will," she said simply, eyes locking on Emily.

She stepped forward slowly. Emily didn't move, but her expression faltered.

Naomi took a breath. Her voice shook at first, then steadied.

"I knew you were special since the moment I saw you. I think I was twelve. It took me three years to pluck up the courage to speak to you."

Emily blinked, completely still.

Naomi kept going. "But I was so scared of the way I felt — loving a girl. I learned how to become a sarcastic bitch just to make it feel normal. I screwed guys to make it go away, but it didn't work."

Tess leaned slightly into Cook's side. He didn't say anything, but his hand drifted close to hers on the floor.

Naomi's voice cracked. "When we got together, it scared the shit out of me because you were the one person who could ruin my life. I pushed you away. I made you think things were your fault. I screwed that girl Sophia to kinda spite you for having that hold on me. I'm a total fucking coward because,"

She reached into her bag, pulling out two slightly creased plane tickets.

"I bought these. For us. Three months ago to Goa. But I, but I couldn't stand... I didn't want to be a slave for the way I feel about you."

By now, tears were streaking down her face. Emily's lips were parted, her hands trembling.

"Can you understand? You were trying to punish me back and it's horrible. It's so horrible because, really, I'd die for you. I love you. I love you so much and it's killing me."

Silence fell.

A moment passed. Still and swollen.

Then Emily walked across the shed, and kissed Naomi like it was the last safe thing in the world.

The room exhaled.

JJ raised his hands.

 "Can I just say: Ace of Truth is undefeated."

----

The shed lit up in a way Tess hadn't seen in a long time. From the noise, the laughter, the way people actually seemed happy for the first time in weeks.

Karen was shouting the lyrics to a Madonna song, dragging JJ around by the arm as he dramatically twirled her like they were on Strictly. Naomi and Emily were still wrapped around each other in a quiet corner of the chaos, laughing at something only they could hear. Even Effy had stood up now, half-dancing in that slow, stoned way she always did.

Tess stood near the drinks table — which was really just an upturned crate — holding a Coke and smiling into the rim of the cup.

Across the room, Katie and Cook were at it. Bickering, fighting over drinks– Who knows.

"I still hate your guts," Katie yelled over the music, slamming down a shot glass.

Cook grinned. "Yeah? Then stop drinking my vodka!"

They clinked anyway, downing another shot and laughing like old enemies who'd forgotten why they were fighting.

In the corner, she caught a glimpse of Thomas deep in conversation with Pandora. His voice was animated, his hands moving like he was explaining something big. Pandora was nodding enthusiastically, eyes wide, grinning. The scholarship, Tess thought. He must be telling her about it. 

She turned back to grab her drink just as Cook collapsed beside her on the couch with a thud, eyes glassy, grin lopsided.

"Rate this party outta ten," he said, leaning back so far he nearly fell off.

Tess smirked. "You're pissed."

"And you're not," he pointed out, mock offence on his face. "Someone has to remember this chaos."

They sat there for a moment — just breathing, watching the madness unfold around them.

Cook nudged Tess with his knee. "We'll be alright Tessy."

Tess didn't say anything at first, just looked at him.

"I know," she finally said.

He nodded like that meant more than he'd admit and planted a kiss on her forehead.

Then: "I gotta piss," Cook announced, dragging himself upright and stumbling toward the shed door.

"Romantic," Tess muttered, watching him go.

As soon as he left, Tess sank back into the couch, watching the party unfold again. The music had shifted to a trashy remix of something that probably shouldn't have been remixed.

Across the room, Karen was attempting to teach Thomas how to do a body roll. It was... not going well.

Pandora was shouting, "No, no, you have to engage your core, Thomas!" while waving a lemon drizzle in the air.

Tess laughed and stood up, heading for the door. Cook was taking a while.

"Cook!" she called over the music. "You've got to see this, Thomas looks like he's dislocating something—"

She stepped out into the garden, a grin still on her face — but the smile slipped quickly.

"Cook?" she called into the dark garden, half-expecting to see him leaned against the fence, pissing into a bush.

But nothing. The garden was still. Silent.

She stepped down onto the damp grass, peering around. The back gate was shut. The stars were out. The air was cooler now, sharp against her skin.

"Cook!?" she called again, a bit louder.

Then she saw something — a flicker of movement down the side of the house. A shape slipping between shadows.

She froze.

"Hello?" Her voice didn't sound so steady this time.

But no answer.

Just the dull beat of the shed music behind her. Just her breath and the cold.

Weird.

Eventually, she backed toward the door, glancing over her shoulder once more before slipping inside.

Maybe he'd already come back and she hadn't noticed.

Or maybe he'd gone for a smoke. Or maybe—

She shook it off.

But even as the party whirled around her again, bright and loud and messy — something in her chest stayed tight.

Things were beginning to feel off again. 

-----

The house was too quiet when she got home. Too still.

Tess chucked her shoes off in the hallway, trying not to make any noise. The silence just made it worse, like someone had turned the volume off on the world.

She hadn't seen Cook since he went outside.

She'd told herself not to panic, but the longer it dragged on, the more her stomach twisted.

The police had been after him. Actually after him. Dogs and everything. They'd raided Naomi's. Stormed the house just earlier today. And Cook had just... disappeared into the night, drunk and on the run. And what had she done? Gone back inside. Gone back to dancing, laughing — like nothing might be happening to him out there.

She grabbed a glass of water from the kitchen, but her hand was shaking. The guilt sat heavy in her chest.

What if something had happened to him?

What if he was bleeding out in some alley or in a prison cell, and she'd just laughed at JJ's bad body rolls and let herself feel okay for one fucking second—

Eventually, exhausted, she climbed into bed, still half-dressed from earlier. Her limbs ached. Her mind raced. She lay staring at the ceiling for what felt like hours, thoughts spiralling through every worst-case scenario.

God, where the fuck are you, Cook?

And just as her eyes started to close, there was a loud, desperate thunk against her window.

—---

COOKS POV:

He didn't know how long he'd been running. Just that the blood on his hands wasn't his. And that he couldn't stop now.

The night stretched out ahead of him in harsh streetlights and alley shadows, the cold biting into his chest with every breath. His knuckles stung — split somewhere along the way — but he barely noticed.

All he could think about was her.

Tess.

He just wanted to hold her.Tell her it was all gonna be alright. Bury his face in her neck and pretend they still had time.

The ache in his chest had nothing to do with the running. It was everything else. It was the weight of what he'd done — what he'd had to do —The way Foster looked at him, the way his hands had closed around Cook's throat like he was next. Like Freddie hadn't been enough. There'd been no other way. Not after what he'd said. Not after what he took from them.

He turned the last corner, her street finally coming into view. Every step heavier. Like his body knew what his mind was trying not to admit.

He couldn't tell her what happened. Not properly. Not the full truth.

If I told her... would she still look at me the same?

He didn't think he could bear the answer. Tess — the girl who knew him better than anyone, who'd seen him high, low, reckless, real. Would she still see something worth loving?Or would she finally see him for who he really was? Something even he couldn't admit out loud.

And what about the baby? Fuck. That still sat in his chest like a ticking time bomb. He didn't even know what was happening there anymore — whether they were keeping it, whether it was already too late — but it was part of everything now. Twisted into the mess of what they were and weren't.

He reached the garden gate, jumped it without thinking. His breath was ragged now, clouds of steam billowing out with each exhale. His shirt clung to him, soaked in sweat and rain and something else.

He looked up at her window and paused.

Felt the last shred of strength leave him.

I promised her.

I promised we wouldn't do this again. I wouldn't leave her. Not like before.

But deep down, he knew—This was the moment he'd lose her.

He was already running out of time. Running out of chances. On the edge of breaking every promise he'd ever made.

Because what else could he do? How could he stay when the whole world was coming down on him?

But he needed to see her. He needed to know if there was still something in her eyes that looked like love.

So he began to climb and climb until he reached the window sill with a loud thunk.

-----

She shot up in bed.

Heart hammering. Breath caught.

"...What the fuck?" she whispered.

She scrambled up, crossing the room on bare feet, pulling back the curtain in one sharp motion—

It was Cook. Of course it was Cook.

She started unlocking the window, ready to say what the actual fuck?Ready to be furious at him for vanishing. For scaring her. For being such a complete idiot.

But then she saw him.

He was crouched on the sill, shaking like he'd been pulled out of a war zone. His eyes were wide, hollow. His face ghost-pale, soaked in sweat and rain. He looked like he'd run halfway across the city and hadn't stopped to breathe. There was something... wrong. Deeply, deeply wrong.

"Jesus, Cook—" she opened the window fully, reaching out for him, voice softening. "Come on."

He climbed in, legs dragging like they'd stopped working properly. He didn't say anything at first. Just stood there in her room, dripping and shaking, completely silent.

Tess stepped closer, reaching for his arms.

"What the fuck happened to you?"

He flinched at her voice like it hurt. His mouth opened — then closed. His eyes filled. Tears balanced on the edges, threatening to fall but not quite doing it.

"I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry."he choked out suddenly, voice cracking. "I—I love you, you know that right?"

"Cook," she whispered, stunned, "what are you talking about?"

But he was already unraveling.

His breathing got sharp, panicked. He staggered a few steps back, ran a hand through his drenched hair, pacing like the walls were closing in. "I followed him. I—I..."

"Followed who?" she asked gently, moving with him, trying to meet his eyes.

But he wasn't looking at her anymore.

"I was next," he muttered. "You were next—fuck—I didn't know what else to do—I couldn't let him—he said—he said—"

He was falling apart right in front of her, and none of it made sense. It was like watching someone try to speak through a nightmare.

"Cook," she said gently, "slow down—breathe. You're not making sense."

He was fully crying now. His hands tangled in his hair, fingers clutching at his scalp like he was trying to rip the thoughts out.

"I thought I could—fix it—I just wanted to fix it—It should've been me not-" he muttered, spinning, stumbling into her dresser. "But it's all fucked—it's all fucking gone—"

Tess reached out, caught his wrist. "Hey—hey, look at me."

He did. And for one terrifying second, she didn't recognise the look in his eyes.

He was terrified. Not of her. Of something else. Of everything. There was so much pain in his face it made her chest ache.

"I love you," he said, voice hoarse and shaking. "You're the only thing, Tess. You're the only thing that matters. You—you—you're—"

"Cook," she whispered, barely able to breathe.

"You're scaring me," Tess said softly, reaching for his face, trying to anchor him. "Whatever's happened, it's gonna be okay, alright? You're here. I'm here. You're safe."

But the way his whole body flinched, the way his breath hitched, told her everything.

He didn't feel safe. Not even close.

Then the sobs came — sudden and raw, racking through him like they hurt.Cook crumpled, falling to his knees like his body had finally given out. His shoulders shook, breath choking in his throat as he pressed his face into her stomach like he was trying to disappear.

"I don't want to leave," he cried, voice wrecked and broken. "I need you—I fucking need you, Tess, I—"

She was already sinking down with him, kneeling on the floor, her hands cupping his cheeks, his jaw, trying to hold him still, trying to hold him.

"I'm right here," she whispered, her own eyes wet now, voice trembling. "Cook, please, just—just breathe, alright? You're okay, you're okay—please..."

But he was spiralling again, shaking his head in frantic denial, fingers clutching the hem of her shirt like a lifeline. "I'm sorry—I'm so sorry, I love you—I love you, Tess—I didn't mean—fuck—I didn't mean for any of it—"

Tess swallowed hard, forcing herself to stay steady as he unravelled in her arms.

"Come on," she said gently, brushing his hair back from his damp forehead. "Let's just lie down, okay? Come on."

She led him to the bed, helping him climb in beside her like she was guiding a ghost. He moved in silence now, tears still falling, but his voice gone, lost somewhere in the hollow behind his ribs.

He curled into her, head on her chest, still murmuring apologies over and over like a child caught in a storm.

"I love you," he whispered again, barely audible now. "I love you. I love you more than you'll ever know. I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry."

Tess lay beside him, one arm slung over his chest, the other brushing softly through his hair.

"I love you too," she said finally, her voice breaking in the quiet."And I'm not leaving Cook."

Because whatever had happened — whatever the fuck had really happened out there — she knew he needed this. To be held. To be forgiven. To be close to something that still felt real.

She stayed awake long after his breathing slowed, her hand still resting on his back.

Her eyes on the ceiling.

She'd never seen him that distraught. Crying and clinging to her like it was the only thing keeping him alive.

Something had happened. Something big. It had wrecked him.

And she didn't know what it was.

But she had a feeling it would change everything.

And when she finally fell asleep beside him, she didn't know it'd be the last time.