Team8s and Counting Onwards

Before you read...I just wanna give you all a heads up that this chapter does cover some heavy topics. I tried my best to make sure everything in here was as realistic as possible. I can't really explain everything without giving away the chapter...but you'll see what I mean as you start reading.

________________________________________

Price Tag was up in their room, organizing the site for the warehouse. There were some glitches that needed to be fixed, and Taggy was hard at work. Suddenly, they heard a voice from downstairs.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?"

Sensing urgency, Price Tag slammed their computer shut and ran downstairs. She saw Book, who had apparently slammed her phone on the ground, clearly looking distressed.

"Whoa, what happened here, is everything alright?" Price Tag asked, slowly approaching Book.

Book's tried to steady their breath, but it felt impossible. "No, it's not alright, it's not fucking alright!"

"Okay, okay." Taggy wrapped their string around her, trying to calm her down. They picked up her phone, and handed it back over to Book.

Book took the phone with shaky hands, gripping it like it might slip through her fingers again. Her knuckles were pale. Her whole body felt like it was buzzing with heat and panic.

"It was Match," she said finally, voice low and hoarse.

Price Tag blinked. "What about her?"

"She just got off the phone with Pencil's lawyer," Book said.

"Her what!?" Taggy said in shock. Then it hit them what this could mean. "Oh no..."

Book sighed, knowing that Price Tag had just figured it out. "Pencil wants custody. Partial custody. Of Flare. After the divorce is finalized."

Price Tag's eyes widened. "Are you kidding me?"

Book shook her head, like the motion itself hurt. "Match said she didn't see it coming. She thought Pencil would just sign everything and leave. She hasn't cared about Flare for years. And now she wants weekends? Holidays? Like she gets to just drop in and play mom?"

Price Tag inhaled through her nose, trying to stay grounded. "Did Match say what she's going to do?"

"She's going for full custody. No visitation," Book said.

"As she should." Price Tag said firmly, their voice gaining strength. "Pencil doesn't get to just walk back in and pretend she's been here. She doesn't get to confuse Flare more than she already has."

Book grunted, trying not to punch a wall. "It's like she can't let it go. Unfortunately it's nothing new from her...but now poor Flare has to be in the middle of all this."

"It's not fair." Taggy said in frustration. "Now we have to tell the poor kid, who's been through enough shit as it is, that now we have to take this to the court."

Book shook her head bitterly. "She was finally doing better. Finally starting to sleep through the night again without waking up screaming. Her drawings are happy again. She's been laughing more. And now—now we have to throw her right back into the stress just because Pencil wants to save her ass."

Taggy's clenched their string "She doesn't even want Flare. She wants control. She wants to win. That's all this is."

"Exactly," Book said, her voice breaking. "And it makes me sick. Match is the one who stayed. The one who held everything together. And Flare knows that. She knows who's been there."