Legacy
show: Young and the Restless
central character: Reed Hellstrom
summary: He hears his grandfather's voice loud like a snare drum and as forceful as an earthquake cracking the ground under his feet: "You're a Newman."/ Or, Reed Hellstrom having an existential crisis. [Reed-centric, mentions ReedMattie, shades of ReedKendall]
notes: This Reed is more of a smartass than the one we see on our screens. But he's still the sweet kid here as he is on there. He's just edgier and more aware of things here. At least, in my mind…he should be. This is just something I put together in two days. Forgive any typos.
disclaimer: Not a damn thing is more. Just the plot and the shitload of artistic license I took.

Reed remembers the night his mom hits her head.

He remembers it for two reasons: he's standing right there when Aunt Abby throws a drink in her face and he can quite get the sound out of his head. It's a heavy one, ugly sounding and when he thinks it's gone away, he hears it. Sometimes, it's an echo and that makes him cringe when he looks at her and swears to him that she's fine. So, he has to believe her. It's not hard for Reed to do that when of course, he's Victoria Newman's kid. She bounces back.

Even when he sits on the high part of the stairs and can see her stressed out and sometimes cry, Reed has to believe her to believe that for himself. She's fine.

She's…always fine.

—

Today is a weird day. Not the actual day, but the way GC High builds the school day. The sophomores have some weird standard testing shit going on so it's a half day. But for him, it feels like a full day of prepping and rehearsing for the school's arts festival. Reed is of course, involved, so he doesn't have to be in class. He's excited to perform a couple of his new songs but it's fucking exhausting. At the same time, it's a rush but he needs a break.

"Okay!" Annie yells, her voice rough and loud, and whistles. It's amazing how she can only hear with one ear and can still feel the music the way she does. "Thank you for kicking ass today! However, if you thought you were free, you thought wrong! Take fifteen!"

Reed exhales, combing his hair back and walks away to go have a smoke. It's fifteen minutes to go smoke, stop this messed up feeling in his gut and tell himself that yeah, Mom is okay. The wind is biting against his skin even though he's in his favourite hoodie.

He's almost near the student parking lot when he hears his name.

The voice is familiar. Whether it's one he wants to hear is debatable. It's not that he's still mad at her. It means Reed still cares about her – and on some level, he does. She's an awful person but Reed knows her in a way most people don't. As a performer. As two people who actually take their musical stuff seriously. Kendall's kind of her performances aren't his thing but he respects her talent. She can actually sing and her talent is beyond what everyone else sees.

Still, Reed keeps walking. It's not like he's mad at her for setting him up with Zoey and Charlie. He's over it, so is Charlie and last Reed hears, Zoey transfers to another school. More than anything, it's that Kendall James comes from a lot of drama. He is surrounded by drama because of his Newman family is a freak show with a nice ranch house.

"You're really going to make me chase you in these heels?" that voice says with new edges and a heeled foot closes his car door hard than he opens it. Reed rolls his eyes and turns around to meet Kendall, face-to-face and really about to talk for the first time since the school years starts.

He really needs to check his phone and finally, have that cigarette he craves since leaving the house this morning.

"Don't…wear them?"

Kendall blinks and looks at him in surprise. Reed notices her hair. It's not as long as he remembers it. It's shorter but she has bags now and it's looks nice.

"Who pissed you off today?"

"Nobody," Reed replies, but it's a lie. Nobody does anything to irritate him. It's life coming at him quicker than he can manage even with GPA at about a 3.5 now, his music flowing out of him, and having a girlfriend like Mattie. Having Mattie in his life period. As he looks at Kendall, Reed is realizing how much he misses her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I don't mean to be irritated at all. Just," he rubs the neck of his neck, "stuff…"

"Yeah. Stuff," Kendall says and a smile is on her glossed lips. He notices she isn't flirting, and or being mean. Reed looks her in the eyes and she turns away from him, a blush on her cheeks. "Listen, Reed. I didn't watch you kill it all day and then run in these expensive boots. I came to talk to you because of my therapist says I have to make amends."

"Amends?"

"Mhm," Kendall says, and unzips part of her boots to reveal a pack of Belmont cigarettes and a lighter. She grins, and yeah, Reed recognizes that glint in his eyes. "C'mon Reed. For old time sake?"

Ah, old times sake.

Sex in his bed when nobody's home, sex in her guest house's hot tub and there's that one time a bet turns into a hand job. That's all Reed will say on the matter because of reasons, but that's what being around Kendall does. She irritates him, makes him roll his eyes and her group of followers are empty headed losers but she's a good person. Deep down. Way deep down. If Hilary Curtis can help him and Mattie out even though she clearly gets wet when any Newman-related dirt comes her way, then maybe there's hope for Kendall yet.

She bends to unzip her boot, zips it back up again and then pulls a sparkly lighter out of her bra, he knows.

"Have a smoke with me, Reed?" she says, again with that bright smile of hers and nods towards that picnic table, a few feet from the school's student parking lot at the back of GC High. "We need to talk and you're not lame company. You never were."

"Yeah," Reed agrees, with a nod and smiles back. "Okay."

—

Reed finds himself not at that wooden picnic table but laying on his back, grass rough against it. When he brings the cigarette to his lips, he lets the smoke rest in his chest because he wants to feel the nicotine. He wants the ash, and sharpness on his tongue and the smoke to be released as art. He doesn't know how long he and Kendall are smoking there until she speaks the silence first. She takes another drag and then kills the glowing orange end but putting it in the dirt. He does the same thing. It's enough to mellow him out and keep him sane until he and Mattie text until like two in the morning.

"Nobody knows, you know," Kendall says, pointing upwards. "Isn't it crazy? Nobody knows where the sky starts and stops. We…just don't."

Reed furrows his brow and looks at her with concern.

"Hey, you okay?"

"Of course," Kendall chirps and laughs to herself. "I just wanted to say that your uncle making that massive donation to charity was insane, but it made me want to donate to something closer to me," she raises herself up and sits, cross-legged. Reed pulls himself up too, head spinning from Uncle Nick doing that. Noah isn't the swearing type but he remembers hearing a whole lot of it from him when they hang at the Underground while preparing for Open Mic Night. Reed doesn't choke on his coffee until he hears the amount. It's still a WTF vibe where that is concerned but gold star for Uncle Nick then. "I donated my hair to Locks of Love. My mom was diagnosed and she'll die pretty soon. By Thanksgiving at least. But I'm always okay. It's easy when you're the school slut."

"Nobody thinks that."

Kendall looks at him and deadpans, "Everyone thinks that," and then she breaks into an easy smile, whipping away tears that form at the corner of her eyes. "I don't care. There's nothing wrong with having sex with someone if there's a vibe."

"You still hitting on me?"

"Of course," Kendall giggles. "I'm always going to hit on you."

"I'm with someone, and I'm really into her."

She glances down and wraps a blade of grass around her slender finger, her nails painted a soft purple colour. She gazes at him through long eyelashes and quietly laughs.

"Then Mattie Ashby better hold on to you tight enough. Look, what I did to you. Setting you up to have you see Zoey making out with her brother," Kendall starts, tucking a lock of her hair behind her eyes. There's a kind of honesty in her face Reed never sees before. He knows sometimes life gets intense – well, all the time – and it makes a person re-think everything. He doesn't know Kendall to be an intense kind of girl and feels awful for her, but it makes him think about his mom right now. "It was wrong. I'm sorry. I thought it was funny at the time and it was for a while, then it wasn't."

He shrugs, despite feeling the distant sting. He and Zoey don't talk anymore. Charlie is a dick but has moments where he's cool and easier to tolerate now.

"S'okay. Bygones, right? And I'm sorry, too about your mom."

Kendall touches his arm. "Thanks," she returns with one of her brightest smiles. "I hope your mom gets better with Brash & Sassy and everything. It can't be easy when you're not above it."

Reed gets confused. It just may be him being stupid and naïve for his own sanity.

Honestly, he's just waiting for the Newman Hunting Season to be over. Reed respects Hilary for her help. Really, he does. Matte trusts her because well, they are family and he knows first hand that divorce doesn't make the sentiment go away. But he doesn't trust her and never will. At least when he posts his cover and original music videos, he knows what's happening. If he's on FacePlace and Twitter, Reed is pretty sure no one is doing it for him.

"Above what?" he questions, stupidly. The question sounds better in his head.

"Thinking your family's reach can't touch you. It's an illusion, Reed and people like us choose public school to stay there. Our families are dirty. Skeletons in the closet. I think you know that but it's better to not rattle any shit, no?"

"My last name is Hellstrom anyway."

"Just like my last name is James. My blood is Parker," Kendall answers, with a frown. The way Kendall stares at him isn't the way she does. She isn't flirting with him, or even being friendly anymore. She exhales and twists a ring around her finger. "Mom's dying and he's giving her entire life's work away because money for us. Hate that spineless bastard. Just…tell your mom to watch her back."

"Why?"

"Because," Kendall starts to say and pauses to look around, "I'm so fucked if this get out. Anywhere. I'm only telling you because I really like you and it goes beyond us messing us around a few times. Parker Beauty was my mom's company. She started it the way your mom started Brash & Sassy. It was never supposed to go anywhere. I've been wanting to run it when I'm old enough and keep it in the family. That's what I truly want to do. Just as much as music. I love Parker Beauty but I'd rather have it die with my mom."

Right. Kendall's older sister. Reed meets a handful of times and she lives in New York. She has an older brother too. Evan.

He nods, trying to follow along. Music is easy. The arts aren't as irritating as having one company knife another in the back for profit.

"Okay. What does this have to do with B & S?"

Kendall looks him directly in the face. "Because Brash & Sassy isn't doing great but Jabot Cosmetics…. They're liars. I'm a liar, Reed. I would know. The Abbotts are liars. That whole family is—"

"Chill, Kendall," he snaps without meaning to. "My little brother and sister are Abbotts."

"And they're adorable," Kendall snaps back and then apologizes. That's not like her. "Jabot's CEO – Jack Abbott – is pushing this collaboration when my father is clearly messed up about my mom, drinking and can't see how bad this is. Financially, it's great, but it would mean giving up a big piece of my mother. First, it will be the line. Then, it will be the whole company. Nothing has been truly signed but it's pretty much done when my dad does eventually does sign unless Camille files an injunction to halt everything before the Christmas season."

Reed understands. He catches Parker Beauty in his mother's conservations. He hears the name of that company in between Hendrix's chords flowing from his earbuds. He knows enough to know that Mom is on Abbott turf and Billy being there doesn't help much. Jabot is teamed up with Fenmore's and he only knows that because he has the shity luck of being on an elevator with Billy's girlfriend at least four times. If Jabot Cosmetic gets a real lock on Kendall's family company, it's over for Brash & Sassy.

"Oh my God…."

"Now, you get it."

Reed tousles his hair, panic gripping him. He's not into the corporate stuff. He makes the choice to stay far away from it because it's not his thing. It's in his blood, of course. Reed knows that Grandpa starts from nothing to give them the opportunities he has. The name Newman means something and it's very powerful, but it's not something that defines him. Reed does understand family and as messed up as they are, the Newmans are his. He only has one mom and it means everything to him that she hasn't come down on him with this Mattie thing. Not once. She understands, tries not to judge and tells him stories of when she is sixteen and thinks it's enough. Sixteen is a scary age. I was a child who did adult things before I was ready to understand and process. It's fine you like Mattie. You're really sweet with her and she's a lovely girl. I just ask while you're in this relationship that you take time to focus on yourself too and make smart choices.

"Evan's fighting Dad and won't let him sell. He swears he may have a way but I don't believe him. Mr. Abbott's been making it look like if Parker Beauty pulls out, he'll sue us but no contract has been signed," Kendall explains seriously, standing and dusting her jeans off. He stands and holy crap, Annie will kill them both.

"What if you have no choice but let someone take the company?"

Kendall rolls her eyes, "Wow."

"Wait, stop. Just hear me out. I'm not done. Remember when it was rumored that Eminem dissed Michael Jackson so he turned around and bought the rights to Eminem's music?"

Kendall makes a thoughtful face. "I heard," she answers and then smirks. "True or not, it was a boss move. Genius."

"Exactly. Just because Jabot doesn't have a true lock of Parker Beauty, it doesn't mean another company can't while they think everything's cool."

Kendall shakes her head, "My brother won't sell to Brash & Sassy. Babe, I love you but no. It's too broken."

"He doesn't have to," Reed says, not even the least bit offended. He kinda makes the decision to punch that Benjamin Hochman piece of shit on sight at any point and time. Part of him cringes at why Mom has to hook up with that and why the world hears about it. He almost punches Stevie Lancer in the face for making a crack about that. A kid with that stupid of name deserves it. An idea lands in his head. He sighs. He knows this war is there before he's born and will be there long after people listen to the extensive catalogue of music he will leave behind. Right now, Reed wants his mom okay and it goes beyond whatever gut feeling he has about her head. He doesn't like listening to her sobs at night and having to explain to Johnny and Katie when he can't understand himself. "My mom will bounce back but I…think I know who to call."

"Who?"

Reed glances at his car, his phone in the passenger seat. He remembers dropping it off there so he's distracted during rehearsal. He really needs this set to go smoothly.

"Would your brother be okay with meeting up with my grandfather?"

Kendall gasps, eyes wide, "Victor Newman?"

Reed nods, "Yeah."

"That would be…" Kendall says, excitedly, and then stops, placing her hands on her hips. "Your grandfather is a legend and it would be iconic to have Parker Beauty work with Newman Enterprises but would he care?"

"Yes. Because he hates Mr. Abbott. It's been a Newman versus Abbott thing for years."

"Ooh! Your grandfather's a petty man. I like him already."

"Once I talk to my grandpa and explain why, he'll understand," he softly smiles at Kendall and gets why he still chooses to hang out with her, despite being well, a bitch. She's a good person and Reed understands her fully now. "You're doing it for your mom, just like I'm doing this for mine."

Kendall jumps into his arms and throws her arms around his neck. She stops surprising him as he catches her by the waist and hugs her back.

"Thank you, Reed," she says, quietly into his shoulder. She's staring into his face, her perfume smelling like something flowery. He can't recall the name of it and it's disturbing as hell if he can. Reed doesn't care about perfume. He's not that kind of guy but isn't the kind of guy to recall it's the same perfume she wears when he loses it to her last year. "You saved me. You saved my family, and I'll never, ever forget it. I'll call him right away."

There are flecks of hazel in her brown eyes.

"Don't, uh, mention it," he replies, and gently takes her hands away. "I told you. I'm with Mattie."

"You care about her. You're not just saying it. I know you well enough. I already hate her because you're one of the good ones," Kendall winks at him and smiles. There she is. Kendall's back to her flirty self and it's like he has this weird circumstance to bond them together. Probably for life. Or not. Like Kendall says, he can never know the start and the beginning. "Come on. Let's appease Annie by being the reason this festival is even happening. We always make a good team."

Reed laughs to himself, and starts walking in step with her back to the festival rehearsal.

He stuffs his hands in his pockets. "Yeah," he agrees, "we do."

"Relax," Kendall chides, nudging him. "Our impromptu performance of Pour Some Sugar on Me should chill Annie out and set the bar high enough so the lack of talent goes home."

He looks at her surprised. "Our…what?"

Kendall throws her head back, grabs his hand and pulls him into a run back to rehearsal and back to where he can tell him Mom is fine and will be fine.

—

"You know, I think you're a sweet guy, but you proved me wrong today. Sort of."

Reed keeps in stage, the stage in his line of vision. Annie actually looks annoyed.

"How?"

"You're a schemer and you've been holding back. Does Mattie know how diabolical you are?" Kendall questions, with a smile and touches his arm again. There's a slow warmth on his skin. She presses a slow kiss to his cheek and moving her mouth to his ear, whispers thank you in that husky tone he hears so many time, he can't quite erase it that sound either. Kendall steps back, throwing her hand back. "I know, I know. Your girlfriend. Mattie, but you know what? Janie Farber had a girlfriend too, sweetie."

Kendall winks at him, and flounces off.

You're a schemer and you've been holding back.

Never forget that you're a Newman, Reed, he hears his grandfather's voice loud like a snare drum and as forceful as an earthquake cracking the ground under his feet. You're a Newman.

Reed is rattled by that and doesn't want to unravel why.

—

Usually, Reed has Steph on speed dial for this kind of thing but he can't call her for three reasons: it's a re-election year for her dad and even she cannot piss off any important people, she's with Jensen for some weird anniversary shit he isn't questioning, and he needs somebody with worse lack of chill than her. It's exhausting lying, and he's not a schemer. It's not in his design to play in the dirt but it's nothing is normal.

As his phone rings on speakerphone, he's driving the long way to Newman Enterprises, he's cursing himself. Lou is his best friend, hilarious borderline on idiot, but Reed respects that he has this ability to get information out of people and almost envies that he can do a bunch of illegal things and be quiet. Like ghost quiet. He only has really dangerous relatives in jail for different things. He asks Lou not to tell him.

"What the hell are you doing, Hellstrom?"

Lou answers.

"Dude!"

"Lou, listen. I need you."

"Awww. Bro, you're the wind beneath my wings. I love you and because I do, I gotta tell you honestly that your mom can't season her food," Lou admits, and Reed nearly curses at another car for cutting him off. "Her curry rice wasn't trash but the seasoning was ghost, I swear—"

"Oh my God. Shut up!" he yells, and exhales. "Man, listen. I'd call Steph but she's off doing her thing and I think, she may be trying to be a decent person. I don't know. But something's going down," he admits quietly. "I kinda started it. I don't feel great about it, but I'm doing it for a good reason. Just listen to me."

Reed tells him everything. Everything he can without screwing Kendall over. There's so much he is still trying to untangle and figure out and still so much, he's piecing together. The more he does, the more fucked up it is. He stops at a red light and rubs at a blooming headache. Lou is unusually quiet and it makes Reed even more anxious.

"So…that's it. How quickly can you do your thing?"

"Damn, I…" Lou starts and then sighs. "Reed, I can do this in a few hours. But you're asking me to destroy Jabot. The products are fire. The company is massive. You told me they just got over a hack, meaning everything's gonna be harder for anyone to break in. Even me with my waves on point and your boy is always stuntin'."

"Hard," Reed rebuts. "Not totally impossible. I mean, it's not, right?"

"No. I said I was out of this. You moved to DC. We both grew up. I got people in jail who will not come home because of underground shit that hurt people. You're my best friend but I'm risking a whole lot here. This isn't a game."

"You think I know it's not third grade. None of this is easy for me. Kendall is going through things and hey, I'm going through the same shit. You don't know what it's like at my house when my mom comes home and she looks like she's been to war. She's going through it. Katie and Johnny know Mom isn't okay. I know she's not okay," Reed vents, and finds himself having a white knuckled grasp on the steering wheel. It almost hurts. "I don't care about this business stuff. I care about my mom when she's the target, but she's not the target. She's collateral. Which is worse."

A few beats go by.

He hears some shuffling, metal clinging together and the whirring of a computer starting up and shuffling on the other end.

"Hang up. Don't call me. Tomorrow."

"Thank you."

"Reed," Lou says, again, usual light tone gone. It's hard and full of edges. Part of him wonder where his best friend goes, and another part doesn't care to know. "Hang up. Now."

So, he does. Reed lets the call cut out as he turns Newman Tower's parking garbage. His hands are shaking – whether from anger, anxiety or both – but he manages to park without hitting someone Mercedes. He lets his blue eyes wander to the little space under the center console where his favourite menthol cigarettes are.

Just one more. Just one for right now. Just one for right this second.

He sighs, combing a hand through his hair. He'll have one when he's done and he can get the hell to sleep, text Mattie because he really misses her and go see his grandfather.

Maybe he's not above it. Maybe Kendall's right.

Maybe Reed isn't above letting the dark currents of his Newman bloodline seem to sweep him underneath to somewhere murky.

It's terrifying and amazing all at once.

—

fin.