A/N: The prologue is actually the epilogue of Hidden Deliverance, the first chapter really takes off after this snippet. So I wanted to re-post it. Chapter 1 will be posted tomorrow.


Crack in the Mirror
Written by Skyy Ryder

Prologue

Penelope held the fresh flowers to her nose and inhaled deeply. The scent of the stargazer lilies intoxicated her senses, a small smile formed on her lips as she placed them in the vase on the dining room table.

The beautiful flowers brightened up the room and made it feel homier. Pulling her dark brown hair out of her face she tied it loosely at the nape of her neck before entering the kitchen, two familiar faces stared back at her with smiles mirroring hers.

"I just finished putting the burgers on, they should be done in about five to ten minutes…" The blonde stated, large blue eyes staring back at her.

"I'm glad you know how to work one of those things…" The dark haired girl replied with a twisted grin.

"Yeah, Penelope would probably light the entire joint on fire…" The brunette across from the blonde smirked.

Penelope cocked an eyebrow and smirked, "She's probably right…" The blonde laughed openly and the group of three finished setting up for lunch.

"The guys should be home in about six minutes…" The blonde stated looking up at the clock.

"Sarah, do you keep them on a schedule or what?" Penelope questioned pulling out four bottles of Gatorade from the fridge.

"I just like to know when I'm going to see Caleb, he's very precise…"

"Down to the carats in the ring…" The other girl stated with a wicked grin.

"And what a mighty fine ring it is…" Penelope complimented and glanced back over at the other girl. "I can't say that yours is too shabby looking itself there Kate…"

The dark haired, mocha skinned beauty admired the three carat ring on her finger and sighed hopelessly. Penelope grinned and set the plates down for Kate to sort around the table.

Kate and Pogue had gotten back together shortly after the second Chase incident. Kate had grown too really like Penelope as soon as she found out she was in fact not after her man. Things in Ipswich seemed to have gone right for once.

Tyler and Penelope were going pretty strong, Sarah and Caleb were planning for a fall wedding, and Kate and Pogue decided on one in the spring. Kate's brown eyes caught Penelope's blue ones they were full of intrigue.

"When do you think Tyler's going to pop the question?"

Penelope's brows slammed together and she turned to look at her two best friends, "Who said anything about Tyler popping the question?"

"C'mon you guys have been on top of each other for over a year now… it's about time…" Sarah encouraged Kate's statement.

"We're I'm only nineteen, and Tyler's not even nineteen yet…" She shrugged her shoulders. "We're not in some huge rush to get to the alter, I'm enjoying where we're at…" She confessed.

"We could have a triple wedding…" Kate offered with a spastic grin.

"Oh my God, Nelly! That would be awesome!" Sarah yelled as she tossed the salad in her hands.

Penelope rolled her eyes; the two girls in her kitchen were hopeless. She rolled her eyes and went out to check on the hamburgers. She waited a few more minutes before checking them again and pulling them off.

At least you know how to turn it off, she thought to herself with a small grin.

"Honey I'm home…" She heard her boyfriend's voice and smiled to herself.

Grabbing the plate of burgers she slipped back in to the kitchen and saw Sarah and Kate flinging themselves at their respective fiancés. She smiled placing the plate in the middle of the table, she noticed Tyler swiping a Gatorade off of the counter and opening it, tossing her a small grin.

She walked over to him and placed a sweet kiss on his lips, "You like the flowers?" He asked her.

Wrapping her arms around his sweaty shoulders she grinned, "Loved them,"

He hadn't been speaking of the stargazers he had left for her on the counter this morning; no he was talking about the flowers he had sent to a grave site. When she saw the flowers there she nearly started to wail, but she held her composure.

Not for herself, but for the four month old baby that she had brought with her. She sighed heavily thinking about the emotional morning she had. Tyler had gone off to hit the gym with his three best friends, Sarah and Kate were on their way in from Boston and she had to make the stop before everything got too hectic.

After Chase died, she found out that she was pregnant; it came as a complete shock to her; even more so to Tyler and the other Sons. When the news finally settled in she was actually very excited.

"You guys have a good time?" Sarah asked in her usual bubbly tone.

The guys mumbled and an arm slipped around Penelope's shoulders, "What're you cookin' good lookin'?"

Penelope glanced up at the blonde and smirked, "You're a riot, do you know that?" She asked him.

He lifted his shoulder, "Who's to say?" He pressed his lips to her temple and she smirked. Tyler gave his best friend a playful glare and pulled her closer to him.

"Don't get jealous, Baby Boy…" Reid snickered taking a seat at the kitchen table.

The group laughed and they all took a seat, just as Penelope was about to start eating the sound of crying pulled her away from the table. Tyler offered to get up, but she placed her hand on his and shook her head.

She entered the bedroom and her eyes looked around the brightly colored room. She saw the four month old baby boy wiggling carelessly in his crib. She smiled leaning down to pick him up and held him in her arms.

"Hello my baby…" She smiled nuzzling her nose in to his neck. The boy cooed and she grinned holding him close to her.

Tyler had taken on the role of Dad, and quite nicely she must add. He cared for the young boy as if he was his own, and that made Penelope love the brunette boy even more than she already had.

She looked around the room, his pictures littered the room. More importantly pictures of her family were around the room, Penelope, Tyler and the baby. Along with those pictures were pictures of each of his Uncles holding him, and his Aunts. She smiled seeing them.

This was her family now, and she couldn't be happier.

"Hey, you two ok in here?" His voice pulled her out of her thoughts, she looked up and smiled.

"Yeah, he just woke up… he's probably starving…" She laughed, her eyes never leaving him as he walked over to her, a look of appreciation on his face.

"I love you," He smiled pushing her hair out of her face. Penelope felt the goose bumps on her arm, just like the first time he had said it to her a little over six months ago. She blushed and kissed his cheek lovingly.

"I love you too…" She rocked the boy in her arms.

"Let me see that little rascal," He took the boy in to his arms and Penelope laughed.

She watched Tyler walk out of the boy's room and towards the kitchen. A small sigh escaped her lips and she was actually content with her life. She had never expected to be a mother at a young age, hell she hadn't expected to find the one guy in this world that she was sure she would spend the rest of her life with.

Grabbing the boy's pacifier she headed back in to the kitchen to see Pogue sitting holding the young boy. Penelope smiled and looked at them carefully.

"You look good with a baby in your arms Pogo…" Penelope grinned.

"Don't give him any ideas Nel…" Kate stated with a small a laugh, her long slender finger shooting out to tickle the boys exposed toes.

"I'm just saying…" The dark haired girl laughed making a bottle for the young boy.

By the time she finished making the bottle Reid was holding his nephew and Godson in his arms. Penelope laughed and couldn't understand how gentle Reid was with the baby, it was quite surprising.

"Is being a good dad like in your genes or something… attached to the power?" She asked looking around the table.

"Maybe," Caleb laughed.

She handed the bottle to Reid who gladly fed the small boy; the blonde leaned down and started talking to the boy and glancing at Tyler and Penelope.

"You like your uncle Reid don't you…" He stated with a wicked grin. "You're going to grow up to be just like him… aren't you Christopher?"

Penelope groaned, "Lord help us all if that's the case…"

Tyler chuckled and rested easier in his chair, his ears perked up when the phone rang. Penelope got up to answer it but Tyler shook his head getting up. He walked in to the other room and picked up the cordless phone, his blue eyes resting on the stargazers that he had bought for his girlfriend.

He pressed the talk button, "Hello?"

There was a pause and Tyler repeated himself, "Uh, I'm looking for Penelope Simon…" The voice on the other line asked.

The brunette's jaw clenched tightly, he didn't recognize the voice as anyone he knew, or Penelope might know. Holding the phone with one hand, he crossed his other over his broad chest.

"Who's calling?" He asked his tone a bit rude.

Penelope heard Tyler's tone; the entire table heard his tone and stopped joking around about Reid's love life. Penelope got up from the table and walked in to the other room, her arms crossed over her chest. She gave him a worried glance and Tyler swallowed hard when the person on the other line responded.

"Tyler, what's wrong?" Penelope questioned her lips pursed together tightly.

He held the phone in his hand, his fingers cupped over the receiver, "It's for you," He breathed his eyes wide in a state of shock.

Blue eyes met his and she held her hand out, "Who is it?" She asked wondering if someone at the shop needed her to come in to cover their shift.

That couldn't be it she realized, Tyler wouldn't have this kind of reaction to that, she was sure. His brows furrowed together and he swallowed hard.

"It's your mother,"

Penelope's eyes grew wide and she stared at the phone in her boyfriend's hands. She could feel her heart weigh down, her stomach tied tightly in knots. She hadn't talked to her mother in a year and a half. What could that woman possible want from her?

How had she found her?

Tyler took her hand in his giving it a tight squeeze; she hesitantly put the phone up to her ear. She breathed and decided she had to get answers.

"Hello?" She called in to the phone, the world nearly stopped around her when she heard the voice on the other line.

"Penelope," Her mother's voice pierced her ears unevenly. A hopeful tone swarmed in her name and she didn't know how she should react to this. She wanted to be angry, she wanted to yell at her mother, but she couldn't find it in her.

"Grace," She used her mother's first name, not wanting to call her anything endearing. Tyler stared at her, and Penelope gave him a reassured smile. "What do you want, how did you get this number?"

"Penelope, I need you…"

The dark haired girl stared straight ahead at her boyfriend in complete bewilderment, what in the world could her mother need her for? She had kicked her out, she had been comatose most of her teenage life, she had let that man molest her… she shuddered at the thought.

"It's Neil…" She murmured her voice laced with fear.

His name made Penelope angry. She squeezed Tyler's hand tighter and the young man looked at her worried. Penelope had a terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"I… I think he's hurting Geneva… I need you to come home…"

Penelope licked her lips angrily and her eyes flashed with remorse, Tyler mouthed to her asking her what's wrong. She shook her head and wondered what was going on at home, what happened after she left?

Had Geneva become Neil's next victim? What about Lucy? She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth; she made a hasty decision but couldn't stop her mouth from moving.

"Ok…"


I've had a couple of request to post this one, so that's why I've started it. Hope you enjoy!