TOYLB: Growing Pains - Season 5-4

[meanwhile, Loki had outrun Rouge, n he was nowhere in sight]

Rouge; 8looked round8 Loki

[he was nowhere to be found, tho at a turn of a corner, one of Crystal's shoe was on the ground]

Rouge; 8picked it up n looked round in fear8

[A baby whimper was heard abt 5 miles southward, caught by Rouge's sharp hearing]

Rouge; 8took off like a shot8

[Loki was soon seen up ahead, standing at the back of a building tht looked like a hospital or a hospice or something, n he was prepared to put Crystal dwn at the backdoor steps]

Rouge; LOKI!! 8ran up8

Loki: [gasped n backed away] R-Rouge... Pls... I...

Rouge; What are you doing?

Loki: I... [was speechless, not knwing how to answer tht as he held Crystal tight, looking dwn n biting his lip guiltily]

Rouge; 8wrapped his arms round them8

Loki: [starts sobbing] I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I just... thought... If... If I gave Crystal away... Mommy will take me bk...

Rouge; To hell with her, she's not in control of your life

Loki: Bt my siblings need me! U've seen her! U've seen wat happened to her legs! She can't work! I'M the one bringing in the money to raise all my sibs, they're all too young to find work, they all hv schools to go to! If I'm disowned, who's gonna raise them? Certainly not Mommy! All my uncles except Uncle Mars hv died! I'm the only one they've got!

Rouge; You mean we're my love, you think we would leave ya on ya own

Loki: But u heard my mom... She doesn't want ur money... She made it clear that the only way my sibs will ever survive n go to school n not starve is for me to come bk... If I don't leave u or Crystal... She won't even accept my money... My sibs will starve... She will starve... Uncle Mars can't help them either, he's just as broke as we are...

Rouge; Yet she hasn't tried benefits, charities n the like instead relying on you to get some high-end job

Loki: She IS on benefits, but it can only help so much. Excluding me, she has 5 kids to look after, n the benefits can only feed at least 2 of us. She doesn't believe in charities, she thinks they're a hoax, n that they pocket the donation money instead of actually giving it to the needy

Rouge; 8massaged his forehead8 What about part time jobs fr your sibs they're old enough

Loki: [shook his head] They're still too young. They should be focusing on school. I don't want them to end up like me, having to quit school to feed the family. They should hv the education I never got... That n Mommy won't let them. School comes first for them... She said one drop out in the family is enough...

Rouge; 8pinched his brow8 That selfish cow

Loki: [looked dwn sadly] W... Wat am I to do...? She's leaving me with no choice... Unless...

Rouge; Unless?

[before Loki could answer, a car honk was heard]

Klepta: There u guys are! Evrything good?

Loki: Umm, yeah! We're good, sorta [held Crystal close as he made his way to the car, strapped Crystal in n hopped into the car]

Rouge; 8followed him8

[the gang drove out of the district n made their way bk home, driving in silence, all of them trying to process wat just happened]

Rouge; 8looked at Loki8

Loki: [was letting Crystal nom his fingers, his gaze out in the window in deep thought]

Rouge; 8sighed8