Bare bones
Disclaimer, I don't own High School Musical or any of the characters associated with it.
Author's Notes: this will be a cross with Bones, so if I don't get any reviews here I'll post it there. Enjoy.
Prologue
Deanna POV
I hate my birthday.
Most people when I say that look at me like I'm nuts. Even my family. I can't help it. It's...not a good time of year.
My Mum's brother, Jonny, died in Vietnam the day after in 1968. If I'd been a boy, I'd have been called John, all mum's family have told me that at least once. Dad cleared off 2 days after it when I was 10. And it was on the day itself that...
Aah! There's another reason I hate my birthdays. They start way too early.
"Get off!" I mutter, flapping infectively at them.
"NO!" Sam, my youngest brother says, bouncing even harder.
"Raise and shine Birthday girl!" Jake my other brother says, pulling at the covers. I sit up and catch sight of my final and oldest brother Troy, leaning against my doorframe, already dressed for school.
"I suppose you're the one I have to thank for this dawn chorus?"
Troy shrugs the grin on his face widening if possible.
"You love it!" he says.
"Mum made Pancakes!" Jake says yanking more at the covers, nearly pulling Sam off.
"o.k. o.k.!" I mutter. "Come on guys. Out! I need to get dressed."
"Happy birthday sweetheart." Dad says as I entered the kitchen, 10 minutes later. Lucille, mum as we all call her, smiles at me as she finishes laying the table. She knows this is rough time in dad and mine relationship, and her smile is an attempt to keep the peace. She needn't worry. There's no way I'd do anything to spoil this day for Sam or Jake. It's like the pancakes. I can't stand them, but Jake and, Sam to be honest, love them. Today is really about keeping them distracted.
"Me first." Sam says as soon as I've take my seat. He pushes a wrapped box towards me. It's evident he had help, and judging from the curious looks on dad, Troy and Jake's faces, he must have got it at school. Sam's twelve, but due to his special needs he can seem much younger.
I unwrap it, curious. A small pink bottle lands on my lap.
"Perfume for your date with Dave." Sam says smiling.
I smile too; pleased he remembered and seems O.K. about it. I lift his hands up to my face so he can feel it.
His grin widens.
"It's a proper smile." He says, making everyone laugh. What Sam lacks in his head, he more than makes up in his heart.
"Now me." Jake says, pushing a large, brown package towards me with syrupy hands.
"It's...it's very um." I say, gazing at the painting.
"You've got it upside down!" Jake says, turning upside down. I can see now what the subject is and understand its significance.
"It's beautiful!" I say, giving him a hug, which he struggles free from and returns to his pancakes.
Troy leans in with his present. We both know what it is; he's given me the same thing since I was 7. Still I have to admit this year's isn't bad, as I examine the silver metal tag with the orange cat's paw imprinted in it. I thread it on its chain with the others.
Next come the presents from dad and Lucille. Good, but boring and with none of the thoughts that come from the boys. Dave had agreed to give me my presents from him and his family on our date, and the girls gave me theirs last night. That just leaves one present left, in a large plastic box.
"That's from the Wildcats." Troy says as I yank it towards me.
"I think," I say as I lift the lid, "that this counts as a mercenary gift."
A huge cake in the shape of wildcat paw sits on a plastic tray. The wildcats know that I'll share it with them after practice. An unnerving thought suddenly occurs to me.
"Chad didn't make it did he?" I ask, remembering the Christmas Cookie Incident the first year we moved here. If anything makes me certain of the strength of Troy and Chad's friendship, it's them both lying groaning after been determined to prove they could cook.
"No. Zeke."
I put the cake to one side grinning. Zeke's an amazing chef, especially since he came out about his baking.
"You'd best hurry or you'll be late." Lucille says, glancing at the clock, as the door bell rings...
TBC
