Payback's a bitch [Harry, Angela and others with reason]

[gattaca_boy]

Julian's not at home when the paper hit the shelves. Which means he isn't at home when the paper arrives at his house and is collected by his father, who opens the front page to the headline 'Osborn lover revealed! Teenaged assistant caught out!'

While the media starts to gather outside the Bashir residence,

Comments

[angela_love]

Angela has just woken up, and she pushes her hair out of her face as she listens. She's always been polite and nice but if the truth were told, she's...rather scared of Richard, really.

Not that she thinks he'll hurt her, but she's trembling like a leaf anyway, and all the color has drained from her face. No yelling. Angela doesn't like yelling at all.

[gattaca_boy]

There's a light knock on the door and it cracks open a bit, but no one comes in or looks in.

"Angela?" It's Amsha. Definitely. "Are you all right? Can I come in?"

[angela_love]

Angela sits up in bed more. "Yes. Please?" Her voice is wavering a little.

[gattaca_boy]

Amsha steps in and closes the door. Her face is wet, one hand is holding her hijab half over her face, hiding from view.

She comes over to the bed and sits down, gathering Angela to her. "It will be all right. He's just hurt and angry."

[didnt_fall_far]

It had been Gwen that broke the news to Harry. Calling him the moment she heard about the article, trying to warn him before the reporters turned up.

She was too late. Barring the gates, extra security called in, he demanded the same thing of each of them. Where the hell was Julian?

And then the phone rang. Snatching it up, he answered without looking.

"Osborn."

[gattaca_boy]

There's a moment of silence. Not breathing just silence, as Julian tries to work out if Harry's just angry or angry at him in particular.

"Harry?"

[didnt_fall_far]

"Where are you?" Relief flooded his tones, panicked. "PLease tell me you're home and safe. You... Julian, they know."

[gattaca_boy]

"I was at the shops. I'm not at home. I can't get back to your place either. I'm going to book the car in somewhere and leave it, I'll find somewhere to lay low, okay?"

[teenagedfire]

Julian isn't the only one getting on the phone with the newspaper in his lap. Mrs. Jamieson's decided this calls for the big guns.

The Bashirs have been there for them in the past, time and again, and Nuri cares so much about Julian, how could she just stand by and do nothing?

She picks up the phone and dials the number, hoping to reach Amsha. She doesn't have anything against Richard, but he isn't a mother. That's all there is to it.

[gattaca_boy]

"Bashir residence. We have no comment to make."

It's Richard. But he doesn't just hang up.

[teenagedfire]

Kudos to him, then. "Hi, Richard. It's Laura, Nuri's mother. May I speak to Amsha, please?"

[gattaca_boy]

"Oh. I'm sorry, Laura, it's been a trying morning. I'll pass you to Amsha."

There's some soft noise and then a soft, croaky, "Hello, Laura."

[alien_in_ma]

Sometime later in the day, Garak picks up the phone and calls the Bashir household. If Julian were turning to him, he would've come by now.

He doesn't like the way his guts are knotting up. Must be something he ate.

[gattaca_boy]

"Bashir residence."

The soft tones are Amsha. She's refused to give the phone back since Laura called. Waiting to see if Julian would call again.

[alien_in_ma]

"Amsha, it's Garak. I saw the newspapers... Asking if everything is all right would not only be a moot point, but unforgivably rude, so I won't.

"How are you holding up?" Having your only child paraded on every last newspaper and tabloid stand is a hard blow to any family. Of course that's why he's calling.

[gattaca_boy]

Amsha does the only thing she can.

She bursts into tears.

Somewhere in the stream of tears, there's a harsh whiser of, "I don't know where he is, Richard threw him out and he's not with Harry. I don't know where he is."