Over the Hedge: Soul Mates

Disclaimer: I do not own Over the Hedge in any way; DreamWorks owns the movie and the comic strip characters belong to Michael Fry and T. Lewis. Only the original characters belong to me.

Note: Hello again Over the Hedge fans and all readers. I would normally update a chapter or do a whole different story during the Holidays, but have been really busy doing another Fan Fiction activity: Updating and editing my whole Soul Mates Trilogy. The main reason for the updates is because, under the encouragement of a loyal fan, I sent my entire Soul Mates Trilogy to DreamWorks Animation for them to hopefully consider using as the script for an Over the Hedge sequel. That required me to correct all typos and add minor new things because it had to be flawless; any misspelled words and BAM! All credibility is lost. I did my best to convince them, but haven't heard back from them yet. Even if they don't want to use my story or even a second movie, at least I know that somewhere in this world, there are people who can enjoy my Soul Mates Trilogy ;) Thanks in advance!

Having said that, the updates to the Soul Mates Trilogy will only be minor, such as added dialogue and correcting grammar and typos. So the core of the story will not be modified because you know the old saying, "If it's not broken, don't fix it." Words to live by when writing stories.

Chapter 1: Inner Demons (Spring 2006)

RJ was making great progress on getting the food he needed to give to Vincent. With every raid he led, the more food he obtained. He was actually beginning to grow affectionate for this family of forgers and wondered if he should fill them in on the real deal going on. He pondered and pondered, trying to keep his focus on his goal of getting Vincent's food back—he only had one more day left.

RJ is sitting on his bag in a secluded area behind the hedge a little ways off from the log the forest family lived in, talking to himself.

RJ: "Sure, they're a nice bunch of people. Definitely worth telling your secret to…NO! If you tell 'em now, they'll be devastated. But it's the right thing to do. No it's not. Yes it is. No it's not…Yes it is—"

Voice: "What do you mean, 'yes it is'?''

RJ (Turns head to see Heather walking towards him): "Whoa! Heather…Give me a little warning next time."

Heather: "Oh, sorry."

RJ: "Don't worry about it."

RJ looks into Heather's beautiful sky-blue eyes. They seemed to glow in the serene moonlight. The first time he noticed was when he danced with her three nights ago while listening to Sum 41 on a CD player. This time however, her eyes seem even more beautiful. He was actually beginning to think he may be falling in love with her…Then again, she was a possum and he was a raccoon. It wouldn't—no, couldn't—work out. He shakes his head to keep his focus on what's going on around him.

Heather: "So what were you talking about?"

RJ: "Oh…Um…I was just, uh, confirming to myself what a wonderful night it is."

Heather: "Yeah! It's very beautiful and peaceful. Mind if I join you?"

RJ: "Not at all."

RJ pats the vacant left side of his bag to invite Heather to sit next to him. While she's sitting down, her fur brushes against RJ's. It was so soft, gentle, and even had a natural warmth to it. It took a lot for RJ not to say any of that out loud.

Heather: "So, what's on your mind?"

RJ: "Nothin' much. Just enjoying the evening…It clears my head…Helps me forget about the hectic things going on around me too."

Heather: "Yeah…I hear ya."

Heather looked at RJ while he was taking a relaxing deep breath with his eyes closed. She observed him quickly. His mask was brown during the day but seemed to be black at night. The white fur covering the majority of his ventral side made him attracting to her eyes…She got a grip on herself. How could she start falling in love with someone she hardly knew and of a different species? She didn't even know how old he was…

RJ: "Heather?"

Heather (Snaps back into reality): "Yeah?"

RJ: "Can you tell me about your mother?"

Heather let out a long, sorrow-filled sigh and RJ was afraid he'd asked too much from her.

RJ: "I-I'm sorry. I didn't—"

Heather: "—Know? It's okay, I'll tell you. My mom's name was Mary. She was very kind, caring, beautiful, and always had a smile ready. My dad says I'm like her in every way from voice, to personality, to beliefs, to appearance; except for one thing."

RJ: "What?"

Heather: "My eyes…they're my father's." (Takes a deep breath and lets it out) "When I was 3 years old, my parents decided to have another baby or two. My mother…she died while giving birth a stillborn baby that would have been *sniff* my little brother…"

RJ is completely speechless.

Heather: "My dad always said that even if my little brother survived, he wouldn't hate or blame him for causing my mom to die because he would be all that there was left of her…Of course I think the same way. After all, he was still my brother."

Heather wipes the tears from her eyes and RJ feel a lump in his throat from Heather's tragic story.

RJ: "I…I…I don't know what to say…Except that I'm sorry for you and your father's loss…"

Heather (Pats RJ's hand): "Thank you…"

There's a moment of silence as Heather's tears dry up.

Heather: "What about you? What were your parents like?

RJ (Outraged): "NO! That's not a good topic for me! I don't wanna talk about it!"

Heather is caught completely off guard. She didn't think RJ would react in such a way. RJ quickly sees the errors of his response and his ears droop down in sadness.

RJ (In a more soft tone): "Oh…Please forgive me…I just…" (Normal voice volume and sad) "It's a complicated thing where I have a variety of feelings about them. I don't know whether to love them or hate them, want them or not want them, see them or never see them, welcome them or reject them, hug them or just slap them upside the head, and…whether to forgive them or never forgive them…I just…can't forget all that's happened to me ever since they abandoned me—!" (Immediately covers his mouth with his hands—he did not want to say that)

Heather (Shocked): "They abandoned you…? Their own son…?!"

RJ (Looks down at the ground): "….Yes…."

Heather: "Why…?"

RJ: "That's the thing…I don't know why…I was two years old."

Heather (Gasps): "Two?"

RJ (Fighting to hold back his tears): "Yeah." (Sighs) "I don't know their names, faces, or anything else about them…All can remember about them was them saying my name 'RJ' out loud…That's it. I just woke up one morning and they were gone…Just…Gone…All I had left was this." (Pats his bag) "I don't even know if they're still alive. If got hurt, I had to try my best not to cry because one time it attracted a fox that tried to kill me…"

Heather can't believe what she is hearing. It even makes her feel humbled. She had heartache for 8 years after her mother and baby brother died, but she still had her dad to look after her; to feed her; to love her; to take care of her; to raise her; to comfort—and cry—with her. But RJ…He didn't have either of his parents. She couldn't (or even wanted to) imagine how awful it must have been to grow up truly all alone.

Heather: "You can stop there…I've heard enough."

RJ: "Thanks…And thanks for telling me about your mother. Now that I've found someone to talk to I just wanted to know what it's like because I have no memory of my own."

Heather: "You wanna come in the log and sleep with the rest of the family tonight?"

RJ: "No…Not tonight."

Heather: "Okay. Thank you for tonight. And for all that you've done for me and my family this week."

RJ: "No problemo. I'll see ya in the morning."

Heather: "'Night!"

RJ: "Goodnight…"

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As Heather walks away she finds herself disappointed with RJ's answer. He never wanted to open up to the family who would be more than happy to accept him if he simply asked. Even though he and Verne weren't really on the same page, they could see eye-to-eye in time. But, no…RJ only wanted to sleep alone in his tree which looked really uncomfortable to sleep in.

Suddenly, a lightning bug flashes over her head as she gets a wonderful idea that she and the family could do to show their appreciation! On the raid yesterday they had obtained all sorts of home-style appliances: A welcome mat, TV, lawn flamingo, cushions, and small car seat human babies often sat in while riding in the car. She hurries back to the log. Verne is asleep but everyone else is awake. She tells them her plan; they all smile and nod yes in agreement. They were going to make him feel right at home!

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Unbeknown to her, RJ was carefully watching Heather, waiting until she was out of site. When she is gone RJ gets up, sprinting further away while his inner sorrow built up tremendously inside him. It threatened to escape every passing moment, but he had to hold it in just a little longer…Long enough to get somewhere he wouldn't be heard. He reaches a stopping point and begins to cry like he had when he was a baby. He squalls and bawls as a river of tears flow from his eyes. He interchanges between crying and yelling in rage, but the tears refuse to let up.

RJ (Crying out of controllably and beating his fists on the ground): "WHY?! MOM! DAD! WHY?! ALL I WANNA KNOW IS WHY! WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME?! YOU WERE NEVER THERE FOR ME! WHY?!"

RJ continues to cry for the next half hour. When he's done he goes back to pick up his bag and heads over to the log. He climbs up his tree and lies down.

RJ (Whispering to himself): "All I wanna know is why…."

A final tear runs down his cheek and he falls asleep.

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Note: Yep so the "Pad" that the animals showed to RJ in the movie was Heather's idea in this story. I admit this chapter's ending is depressing, but things will be better from here on out.