OK I am so sorry about the lack of updates lately, but thank you to everyone who has been reading this! My hits for last month completly stunned me and have given me so much more confidence in my writing and I am going to re-start writing this and all my other fics! Will also be trying to post some of my other work as well at some point to. Thanks for reading, love you all!

LucyMaxine xxxxxxxxx

Outcasts Fic: Part Nine:

The sun was now setting over Forthaven and Cass and Fleur were sat just outside the gates.

"Wonder where Hattie wandered off to?" Fleur asked, "She so just wanted to get off on her own."

"Yeah. Maybe she just wanted to be on her own for a bit," Cass replied.

"Yeah I guess."

Jack stirred and felt someone's legs tangled with his and he looked down and saw Hattie asleep, her head and hand resting on his chest He smiled and pulled Hattie closer to him before kissing the top of her head, causing her to stir.

"Shush Hattie. It's ok. I'm here." Hattie's eyes began to open and soon she was looking up at him,

"Hey," she said before moving around, making herself comfortable again.

Stella was still at Richard's house and they were talking away.

"They will find out eventually," Stella said.

"Yes I know they will but, until then, I don't want them to find out before I'm ready to tell them."

Jack was stroking Hattie's hair when she caught sight of the time,

"Crap! I need to go."

"No, stay a bit longer, please." Hattie looked up and saw a bit of pleading in Jack's eyes and she relented and then she kissed him, her hand resting on his chest.

"I love you Hattie and I want more of this."

"Well you know what you have to do."

"For you, I'd do anything." He then went back to kissing her.

Stella and Richard were having a meal prepared by Stella and they were just sat talking when Lily and Tipper walked in.

"Oh sorry. We'll just head upstairs," Lily said, before she and Tipper took refuge upstairs. Stella and Richard laughed and then they caught each other's eyes and the laughing stopped.

Hattie was now up and dressed. She looked down at Jack asleep before she kissed him on the lips. She then wrote him a note before leaving and heading home.

Cass and Fleur had reached the sycamore tree when they came across Julius.

"Well if it isn't the pin-up PAS couple," he smirked seeing Cass behind Fleur.

"What are you doing?" Fleur asked.

"Just enjoying the night air. Not a PAS offence is it?"

"No it's not," Cass said, "I just don't trust you."

Julius laughed at that before turning to Fleur,

"I know where your sister is."

"Yeah right here," Hattie said from behind Julius, "now stop winding them up. It's not clever and it shows you to be a bad person."

Fleur coughed as she tried to hide a laugh. Julius looked around before looking at Hattie,

"Jack hates you."

"Oh really now? Why would I care?"

"Because he has told you her loves you."

"And what has all this got to do with you?"

"Nothing."

"So why bother telling me this?"

"No reason," Julius replied before walking off.

Fleur looked at Hattie,

"Where have you been?"

"Just for a walk. Nothing big."

"Hattie you know what I mean."

"I didn't see him. Honest."

"Are you sure about that?" Cass asked.

"Yes I am," Hattie said.

Fleur looked at Hattie before finally saying,

"I believe you."

Stella and Richard were sat on the sofa drinking beer.

"Well this is nice," Richard said.

"What is?" Stella asked.

"Us just sat relaxing and unwinding." Stella smiled,

"Yes it is. It's nice not to feel pressure for once."

"What do you think of Tipper?"

"He's ok, annoying at times. Why do you ask that?"

"Because it seems he's into your Lily."

Stella looked at him,

"I think you're right."

Karina and Linus had found Cass, Fleur and Hattie in the bar and Karina got everyone a drink. They were sat talking when Jack and the XPs walked in. Hattie looked up and saw Jack before he'd even noticed her. He soon noticed her and made his way over to them.

Cass looked ready for a fight and Jack could see this but he chose to ignore that.

"So the clean up is going well," Jack said.

"Yes another couple of days and it should be done," Fleur said, "it has been pretty smooth running so far and I think that has helped."

Hattie was sat stirring her drink with her straw, keeping her head down and not saying anything.

"How are you Hattie?" jack asked.

"Fine thanks. Just glad today is over."

"I bet. Well I'd best get back to the XPs." He walked over and shook Hattie's hand.

"Leave her alone," Fleur said," Cass sit," she added as she saw Cass on his feet. Fleur looked directly at Jack,

"Leave Hattie alone. Or else."

Jack walked back over to the XPs and Hattie noticed a piece of paper in her hand. She looked at it before smiling and looking at the picture behind Jack and nodding slightly.

"Mummy, can I have another drink?" Linus asked.

"No Linus," Karina said, "it's time for you to go to bed." Linus moaned before saying goodnight to everyone and being led away by Karina.

Lily and Tipper were sat on Lily's bed just talking away.

"I miss my dad," Lily said, "I wonder if he's still alive."

"He will be, if he's anything like your mum." Lily laughed at this before agreeing with him.

"I miss my sisters," Tipper said smiling sadly as he thought of them.

"You never know," Lily said.

"I know deep down and that's enough."

Richard and Stella were sat downstairs still and were listening to some good old Earth songs when Richard pulled Stella onto her feet and soon the two were waltzing around the room.

Cass had walked Fleur and Hattie home. They stood outside and Hattie said her goodbyes before heading inside.

"You have done a good job with her," Cass said.

"You think so?"

"You know I do." Cass grabbed Fleur's hands,

"You have always done a good job with everything."

Fleur looked at Cass,

"Thanks. I guess I sometimes need reminding of that."

The wind blew around them, making them both realise the lateness of the hour.

"Well I'd best go," Fleur said, "night Cass."

"Goodnight Fleur," Cass said fore kissing Fleur on the cheek and then hurrying off home.

Richard decided it was time to head home and he gave Stella a goodnight kiss on the cheek before setting off home.

Fleur had headed inside and she saw that Hattie had fallen asleep on the sofa. She smiled as she pulled the blanket over Hattie before heading upstairs to bed.

Hattie felt her radio vibrate and she woke up and crept out of the house and made her way to the perimeter, smiling away to herself as the moon shone down on Forthaven.

Jack was already there and he heard the sand shuffle and he turned around and saw Hattie,

"Hey," she said leaning up against one of the creates, "you ok?"

"Better now you're here," he replied as he walked up to her. His hand was soon resting on her cheek and his other hand entwined in hers.

"Kiss me Jack." Jack looked directly into Hattie's eyes before forcing his lips onto hers.

Stella knew that Lily was still upstairs with Tipper but she trusted them. Her hand rested on the spot where Richard had kissed her. She thought for a second before grabbing her coat and racing into the night.

Karina was out on night patrol when she heard giggling from somewhere near her and she made her way over. Jack heard someone coming and pushed Hattie out of sight before straightening himself up and ready to face whoever was coming his way.

Karina came round a corner and came face to face with Jack.

"What are you doing out so late?"

"Having a night stroll. No problems with that is there?"

"No not really, but you shouldn't be out."

"PAS is not the boss of me."

"No but Richard Tate is."

Fleur couldn't sleep. She couldn't think why. She decided to go out for a walk to see if she could clear her head. She was already outside, passed the sofa that Hattie was supposed to be asleep on and stood thinking where she could go. She had an idea and then she was off.

Cass was asleep on the sofa when a glass in his hand when there was a knock on the door and he woke with a start. He looked down and saw the glass on the floor and swore before going to answer the door. He looked shocked to see Fleur stood at the door.

"Fleur? Everything ok?"

"Yeah I just couldn't sleep and decided to go for a walk, which led me here."

"Well you'd best come in then," Cass said before letting Fleur into his house.

Jack waited until Karina was out of sight before pulling an annoyed Hattie to her feet.

"Sorry darling. I didn't want Karina to see you."

"Fair point, but did you have to push me so hard?"

"Sorry, didn't mean to."

Hattie sighed,

"I'd best get home before Fleur decides to get a drink and finds me not there."

Jack looked disappointed but he understood and passionately kissed Hattie goodbye before watching her head home. He turned and headed home himself. Hattie arrived home and spotted Fleur's shoes and jacket were missing…