I came in from a run when Fallon and Mom were arguing outside. Dad was stood in the foyer.
"How are you dealing with all this?" Dad asked.
"I'm doing okay. I'm working out. My new business venture is all planned so I'm focusing on better things." I said.
"What about the not knowing who your dad is?" Dad asked.
"I didn't know who my mother was until about 6 months ago. Beside a wise person once told me that blood isn't what makes you family loyalty does. You were the one who stuck around and raised three kids while Alexis whored her way through Europe. We may all have something psychologically wrong with us but it makes us tighter." I said.
"So should I of been concerned about the sound of glass breaking I heard this morning?" Dad asked.
"Nope. My fist is fine however the same can't be said for Alexis' windows." I said. Dad laughed as I walked upstairs to change.
I got in my car and drove to the old home of CA.
"I'm sorry everyone is so late. It's complete pandemonium at our house." Fallon said as I walked in.
"Yeah. Kirby told me." Jeff said.
"Of course. I'm sure she sold the story to TMZ, too." Fallon said.
"Let's get this over with." Dad said walking in.
"So you're not gonna deny Steven his shares? Wow, you've really grown, Blake. I, for one, am looking forward to the multibillion-dollar payout. I think I'll buy some more toy cars." Jeff said.
"Okay, back off, Jeff. My dad's had a rough 24 hours." Fallon said.
"Save the hypocritical sympathy, Fallon. You destroyed my company, just like your cheating whore of a mother destroyed my family." Dad said.
"I saved your company to keep you from running it into the ground. And while you've been impotently
stewing, I've been purging: closing the deal, exiling Mom. It's called rising from the ashes. You should try it." Fallon said.
"Wait, you threw your own mother out?" Jeff asked.
"Yes. She did. Best thing she's ever done." I said. Kaitlyn laughed.
"She was clinging to her trash more desperately than a basic bitch at a Barneys warehouse sale.
Anyway, I think this could be good for Steven, you know? Once we both get our payout, then he and I can start our new legacy." Fallon said. "Seeing as Gabbie's beating us to it."
"Have you noticed that he's not here?" Dad asked.
"I can bring him his contract." Fallon told the lawyers.
"And Monica authorized me to sign for her. So let's bust this piñata." Jeff said.
"As per prior notice, the primary shareholders of Carrington Atlantic are here to finalize the sale of your company to Van Kirk Industries. Upon signing, your share of the payout will be directly deposited
into your bank accounts and C.A. will cease to exist." A woman said handing us all black folders. We signed.
"Oh. Every time a transaction rings, an angel gets her billions. Good-bye, C.A. Hello, new dynasty." Fallon said signing the iPad.
"I think you mean dynasties." I said signing the iPad.
"Sure." Fallon said. Fallon and I drove home to see Sam taking with a whole camera crew taking pictures.
"Sam, if this is for your Insta account, we need to have a little talk." Fallon said.
"I'm renewing my passport. Takes a village, right?" Sam asked. Steven walked in.
"Hey." Steven said to us.
"Hey. I was worried about you. You missed the shareholders meeting." Fallon said.
"Sorry, I was on the phone to some people from my foundation." Steven said.
"Don't worry. Just sign these. And once you do, you'll be free of the company, free of Dad, and we can finally start our new chapter." Fallon said.
"It's funny you should say that. I was actually on the
phone organizing a trip. See, Sam and I always talked about traveling after we got married." Steven said.
"You're not going on your honeymoon now." I said.
"No. This is going to be more extensive. I have to get back to doing what I love, so I've decided to invest my portion of the payout into my foundation. I want to get back to building houses and bringing clean water to developing countries." Steven said.
"We're starting our lives as the new activist power couple of the world. Someone has to fill that void now that the Jolie-Pitts split up." Sam said.
"Oh, God, you're running away." Fallon and I said.
"No. We're... moving." Steven said.
"To Paraguay." Sam said. Fallon and I looked between Steven and Sam.
"What?" We asked. We all walked our separate ways.
"Miss me." I heard Austin say walking in my room.
"I did. A lot." I said. Austin and I lay in bed cuddling.
"Sorry to ruin your romance but uh Gabbie come on." Fallon said walking in.
"What where are you going?" Austin asked.
"To think about how to invest our billions." Fallon said.
"That's her code for slap sense into my half brother." I said standing up.
"Time to go. We don't want to be late. " Fallon said to Steven as we walked downstairs.
"I thought we were having a "let's talk sense into Steven" lunch?" Steven said.
"Who has time to eat? I need your help figuring
out how to invest my new money before you go. The bonus? Bonding time with new half-brother and half-sister. Come on." Fallon said walking out. Steven and I followed. Fallon, Steven and I were sat in Fallon's office talking about how to invest their money.
"What can you tell me about this $72 million lot
located outside Cabbagetown? I mean, it looks like the perfect spot to convert to an eco-friendly park for Atlanta's youth." Fallon said.
"Sure. Kids need parks." Steven said.
"You heard the man. We'll take it." Fallon said.
"Wait! Go back." Fallon told the woman.
"Is that a horse sanctuary? "In the bucolic Georgia mountains, find the ideal location for race horses to retire." Steven, do you remember how much time we spent together riding horses when we were kids?
We should do more of that." Fallon said.
"There are horses in Paraguay..." Steven said.
"We'll take the sanctuary, too." Fallon said.
"Excellent choice." The woman said.
"See? There are good things we can do right here. Gabbie's doing it. You don't need to go all the way to South America." Fallon said.
"I do have a farmhouse in Paraguay..." The investor said.
"Your input is no longer needed. Thank you so much." Fallon said.
"Well, I didn't want to have to do this, but... do you remember this contract? From elementary school?" Fallon asked pulling out a sheet of paper.
"I hereby declare that Fallon and Steven are partners for life, and will go on all adventures together forever, even when we're old and fat. Sincerely, Steven and Fallon." I'm pretty sure this
isn't legally binding..." Steven said.
"Well, it is signed and dated." Fallon said.
"I don't remember this, but you know I love you both, so maybe we can postpone the move." Steven said.
"Yay!" Fallon and I said.
"Is that ink on your arm from this?" Steven asked looking at the glitter Fallon had on her arm.
"No." Fallon said.
"You made this today. And '95 was the year I changed my name to Sven." Steven said.
"Oh, God. Sven. I forgot." Fallon said.
"You are so self-serving." Steven said.
"No! No. Because we could have made a contract like this. I mean, you and I have definitely said those things to each other, at some point. Anyway, this is exactly why I need you here, so you can stop me from doing insane things like this." Fallon said.
"How have you managed to make my identity crisis all about you? The whole reason I can't stay here and do good things is because no one in my family
understands how to be good. Not even you. If that's what it means to be a Carrington, thank God I'm not one." Steven said walking out. Fallon looked over to me.
"This is a mess." Fallon said.
"Yep. All because Alexis couldn't keep her hands to herself." I said. Fallon looked at me.
"I'm worried about you. You haven't flipped out yet and I don't know if I should be running right now from it." Fallon said.
"I'm distracting myself although I broke Alexis' trailer windows on the way on my run this morning." I said.
"That explains your knuckles." Fallon said nodding her head at my cut knuckles. I nodded. "So how's your charity program turning out?" Fallon asked.
"I've got some investors, started hiring employees, and I met with the contractors this morning that are building the venue. They start on Monday. I've got meetings in school across Atlanta and I've even been in talks with Fulton County Women's Jail about starting an ex-con/ release program." I said.
"Wow." Fallon said.
"Kaitlyn's even helping me." I said.
"Hired her as legal counsel didn't you?" Fallon asked.
"Yep. Her and Nate." I said. We went home and Austin and I spent the rest of the night in bed cuddling. We fell asleep.
"Gabbie get up. Steven and Sam left already." Fallon yelled. Austin and I shot out of bed.
"Get dressed and packed we're going to Paraguay. Austin you can come too." Fallon said.
"Sure." Austin said. We both got changed and started throwing clothes into suitcases.
Gabbie's outfit
Austin's outfit
Our cars pulled up in Paraguay and we all got out.
"What are you doing? And how did you even get here?" Steven asked.
"Private planes. Plural. Just don't ask. We're here to prove that there's nothing you can do here that you can't do at home in Atlanta." Fallon said.
"Together, with us." I said.
"We're here for you, son. I'm not sure why he's here... taking advantage of a free vacation?" Dad asked nodding his head at Anders.
"Ah! This is not a vacation, this is work. It's fun work for Steven." Fallon said.
"I give you a week before you're back on that air-conditioned plane. Minus Gabbie and Austin." Steven said.
"A week? I thought the whole point of this group operation was to build something in, like, a day." Fallon said as a sand buggy pulled up with Mom in it.
"Thank you." Mom told the driver.
"This is a nightmare." Steven said.
"How did you even find us?" Steven, Fallon and I asked.
"Maternal instinct. And Sam's Instagram." Mom said. "Steven, you can't run away from me. No matter what it takes, I will be here for you in your time of need. Now, who's ready to build some houses?" Mom asked.
Fallon, Steven, Austin and I were stood talking.
"Look at them. They don't belong here." Steven said.
"But we belong with you. And you're here." I said.
"The foundation... this work... means a lot to me." Steven said.
"And we don't?" Fallon asked.
"No. Our family isn't exactly sensitive, and you brought them to a place where most people have less to their name than the Prada boots on your feet." Steven said.
"Thank you for noticing. But we're not here to embarrass you, Steven. We're here to be with you,
doing what you love. And if you seeing us in a different light changes your mind about coming home, then I won't say no. We'll stay as long as it takes." Fallon said.
"Bet they won't last a day." Steven said.
"Optimistic aren't you?" I asked. Steven laughed. Fallon changed and came back with a whistle.
"Attention, Team Carrington-Anders and Austin. Let's roll up our sleeves and build this house for a villager in need. Hard hats on, everyone. Except for me. I'm not doing that." Fallon said. Austin and I were climbing up ladders and drilling the frames together. We all sat down to eat together.
"Please, sir, may I have some gazpacho?" Mom mocked. "Is this what you normally eat when you come here?"
"Yeah, it's a local delicacy. Guinea pig." Steven said.
"Ew." Mom said.
"Well, it tastes just like guinea chicken to me." Fallon said. Steven smiled at her.
"Guinea pigs, I understand, are very environmentally friendly to raise." Anders informed.
"Just like the squirrels that you hunt and cook in your trailer, Alexis." Dad said.
"As much as I would love to discuss rodents all night, I think we should celebrate. No one was injured or backstabbed,so I consider today a wild success." Fallon said.
"No. I was injured. That dumb alpaca bit me." Sam said.
"I want to thank you for allowing us into your world. The people are warm. Countryside is lovely." Anders said.
"It's actually really nice to share it with family." Steven said.
"I need your help with something, Anders. It's urgent. Fetch me some water. Sweep my tent for any bugs." Dad said.
"Sir, if you're going to continue to punish me, I insist that we clear the air first." Anders said.
"Is there a problem here? Or can we pretend neither of you slept with my mother and get back to the meal?" I asked.
"I'm going to bed." Dad said walking out.
"I think I'm gonna retire, too. If someone could just point me in the direction of a hotel?" Mom asked.
"Yeah, there's one 30 miles north of here. You can take an alpaca." Steven said.
"Is there one without teeth?" Sam asked.
"We're all staying in the tents, just like Steven and the rest of the volunteers so we can wake up tomorrow together as a family." Fallon said. "Come on, Mother. I will show you to your lodgings." Fallon said. Mom and Fallon left.
"It's cool to actually be able to see the stars." Austin said.
"Yeah. The wonders of the countryside." Steven said.
"Hey Steven, Gabbie has a bigger 6 pack than you." Sam said.
"Manual labour works wonders Sam." Austin said. Austin and I went to sleep in the tent. We woke up and went for a run and did a workout with the bricks. We got back and Fallon was walking over to us.
"Where have you two been?" Fallon asked.
"For a run then we did a workout." I said. Fallon looked to Austin. He nodded.
"Okay." Fallon said. "Just don't go annoying the volunteers."
"Oh no the volunteers love them. Some of them went on a workout with them this morning." Steven said walking into the breakfast tent to see it had been done out.
"Oh, my God." Steven said.
"Morning." Dad said reading his newspaper.
"Now, this is a humanitarian relief effort I can get behind." Sam said.
"This has Carrington written all over it. You guys already wasted a tanker of fuel taking multiple private jets, and then..." Steven said. Fallon cut him off.
"I told everyone we were here to work and live modestly." Fallon said as we heard moans. We all looked at each other.
"Yes. Deeper. Oh, deeper." Mom said to the masseuse.
"Mom." Fallon said.
Oh, Fallon, Steven, Gabbie, Austin. You all need to do this, especially after spending that long, awful night on the hard ground." Mom said.
"Seriously? Is this a joke to all of you? You couldn't even last a day." Steven said.
"This is exactly why I left. And it's why I didn't want any of you here." Steven yelled at Fallon and I.
"Well, I don't even know who would do this." Fallon said.
"Steven Carrington?" A woman asked walking in with a handbag and a folder. "I need you to sign here, please, for the tent and for all the services we arranged." The woman said.
"No, I'm not paying for their order." Steven said looking at Fallon and I.
"This is your order. Your family assistant called and made an order on behalf of Steven Carrington. Your credit card was used to guarantee everything. And I have a special delivery for Alexis Carrington?" The woman said.
"Hmm?" Mom asked. The woman handed her the bag and walked off.
"Oh! How generous. Is this a thank-you for volunteering?" Mom asked.
"Oh, my God. You stole his credit card." I said.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Steven yelled grabbing Austin,Anders and Dad's attention.
"Oh, dear." Anders said.
"You think I ordered this?" Mom asked.
"Just like when you you ran up my credit line after the divorce. Don't try to deny it.I saw the desperation in your eyes when you didn't get a bigger insurance check." Fallon said.
"Oh, good. So you can pay for this." Steven said.
"I don't have the insurance money anymore. I had expenses. I mean, clearly there's been some misunderstanding. I will call the credit card company." Mom said.
"Don't bother. You're not talking your way out of this one." Fallon said grabbing Mom's phone and throwing it outside.
"What are you doing?" Mom asked.
"You act like you care, but all you do is use us. You used me from the day I was born when you lied about who my father was. You did the exact same with Gabbie but slept with so many people you don't know who her father is." Steven said. "It was just so that you could keep enjoying the perks of being a Carrington."
"No, Steven Gabbie, that's not true. I did it for you." Mom said. Steven and I scoffed. "I love you."
"Well, at least it puts everything else in perspective..." Anders said.
"Save your dollar-store advice, Anders. No wants to hear what you think." Dad said.
"I made a big mistake!" Anders said.
"Oh, ho." Dad said.
"My silence was my sacrifice. I saw how your life was falling apart and how Steven, the baby, was the glue holding it together." Anders said.
"I don't want to discuss this." Dad said.
"We'll never get past it if we don't talk about it!" Anders said. Fallon blew the whistle.
"Oh, that's it! Back to work. Everyone outside, now!" Fallon said walking outside. "I am the one trying to
keep the peace among these jackals."
"So, suddenly, you're the peacekeeper? Whenever you've needed me, I've dropped everything for you.
Just like last year when you called me back from Haiti because you didn't want to face Dad alone. Or when you made me sleep on the floor of your room
for six months after Mom left." Steven said.
"Well, that's why I'm here for you now!" Fallon said.
"You're here for you, Fallon!" Steven yelled but after the look Fallon gave him he soon changed his expression. Fallon grabbed a hardhat and a nail gun.
"Everyone, get on board. Austin, Gabbie no flirting, Dad, Anders, 50 feet apart at all times. Sam, no more breaks, and Mother..." Mom tried to run to the tent. Fallon grabbed her shawl. "No, no, no, no, no.
Mother, I see you trying to break for the tent!" Fallon pinned Mom to a wooden pole.
"Oh." Mom said.
"I am going to finish building this house if it kills me." Fallon said walking off. Steven and I looked at each other. We grabbed a hard hat each and walked over to Fallon who was trying to lift the frame by herself. We stood either side of her with Austin coming next to me. The others joined in. We pulled it up.
"I'm sorry. You were right." Steven put his arms around Fallon and I. "All adventures together, forever, even when we're old and fat." We hugged. The frame fell down causing us all to jump back. Steven took his hard hat off and threw it on the ground.
"Let's just go home." Steven said walking away upset. We were sat on the jet and Steven was drinking a lot.
"Another, please." Steven asked the staff.
"Of course. Here you are, sir." The staff said.
"Thank you." Steven said downing the glass. Fallon and I looked at him in concern.
"You're welcome." The waiter said. We got home and Steven was drunk. Fallon and I walked downstairs to hear Steven singing and playing piano.
♪ The thrill of being sheltered ♪
♪ In your arms ♪
♪ Of course I do ♪
♪ But I get along without
you very well... ♪
"You should sing more often." Fallon said.
"Yeah. I'm always accompanying you. Can't sleep?" Steven asked.
"I guess I miss that polyester sack." Fallon said.
"You mean a sleeping bag?" I asked.
"Yeah, sure. Whatever. Anders was right. The only thing that trip proved was that you are the glue that holds everyone in this family together." Fallon said.
"That trip proved that this family should stick to building dynasties, not houses." Steven said
"Not you. You could do anything." I said.
"So could you." Steven and Fallon said.
"And instead, you do everything for everyone else.And you can't do it anymore. We won't let you." Fallon said to Steven.
"Fallon. Gabbie." Steven said.
"You need to go. I don't want you to, but you know it's what you have to do." I said.
"Okay, please, can you say something before we take it back?" Fallon asked.
"Thank you, girls." Steven said putting his arms around us. "You are the strongest person I know. You don't need anyone, certainly not me. I hope you know that. While you're in a generous mood, there's something else I need you to do." Steven said.
"What?" Fallon and I asked.
"Reconcile with Mom." Steven said.
"No, no. I'd rather build an entire village." Fallon said.
"I know. Please. For me." Steven said.
"Okay, sure." I said.
"Fine, I'll do it. On one condition." Fallon said.
"What?" Steven asked.
"Finish the song." Fallon said.
"Well, fine. You take the harmonies. Gabbie you too." Steven said.
"Uh." I said. We sang and hugged each other.
♪ I've forgotten you
just like I should ♪
♪ What a guy ♪
♪ What a fool am I ♪
♪ To think my breaking heart ♪
♪ Could kid the moon ♪
♪ What's in store ♪
♪ Should I phone once more? ♪
♪ No, it's best that I stick ♪
♪ To my tune ♪
Fallon and I reconciled with Mom and I walked up to bed and Austin wrapped his arms around me kissing my head.