A/N: I don't know what got into me. One moment I was watching Little Einsteins (I know, I know!) with my little brother (See? I have an excuse), next moment I was scribbling in my notebook about Suze being a kid. And poof. I present to you my first fanfiction everybody (Yay!). I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. :) Oh and yeah MiniSuze is still a mediator slash shifter.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
~ xXx ~
"Suze! You forgot your boots!"
That almost rhymed. Turning around Suze found her mother hurrying toward her with her blue boots and a matching raincoat.
"But didn't you say you never need boots or raincoats in California?" she asked curiously.
"In California dear. But we're not in California right now. We're still in New York and it's raining," her mother explained patiently.
"Do I need to wear them right now?"
"Yes if you want to see Gina," her mother answered,
Suze grabbed the boots and put them on her feet. Her mother helped her with her raincoat. "Mom didn't I tell you I can dress myself now?"
"There's nothing wrong with a little help," her mother said lovingly.
Kissing her mother on the cheek, she grabbed her handbag – a bag that contained almost nothing save for Mr. Snuffles, her bunny.
"Hug?" her mother inquired.
Suze responded by giving her a warm hug. Helen hugged her savoring her daughter's warmth, knowing that when she grow older there would be less hugs for sure.
"Now you come back before dinner starts okay?"
"But you never do start dinner until I'm home," Suze reasoned.
"Come home before six o'clock then," her mom replied shaking her head. What a cheeky daughter she's got.
"Will do," Suze said as she disappeared at the doorway.
Suze splashed on puddles of water with her boots as she trekked towards her best friend's house. It was only seven blocks from their apartment which Suze silently thanked for. If it was more than ten blocks her mother surely wouldn't have allowed her to go out. She's gone paranoid especially since...
Don't go there, she scolded herself as she felt a pang in her chest.
"It hurts so much," she whispered to nobody in particular.
She sighed and continued to walk, her cheerfulness already replaced by a sullen mood.
It happens to everybody including you. It just happens he'd gone sooner than you'd expected.
She pouted as she kicked the puddle of water in front of her resulting to splashing somebody with water.
Oh no!
She frantically looked at her victim and gave a squeak of surprise when she saw a little girl. She was older than her but just a few years. The girl was probably ten or nine years old. But compared to her – she was seven years old – she was really tiny for her age. And she was carrying a bear.
She looked surprise too – Suze couldn't blame her, if it happened to her she'd already have a fit by now. But the odd thing was the splash of water didn't seem to make her wet. It didn't affect her. It was as if the droplets just had just gone through her.
Suze shivered and she understood.
The girl wasn't human.
"Earth to Suze?"
Suze's eyes widened as she turned around to face the person who spoke and was surprised to see Gina standing behind her.
She quickly looked around for the girl but she had already gone.
"Gina!" she exclaimed breathlessly to her friend.
"What is the matter with you? You looked pale all of a sudden. Aw! Don't tell me you're sick," Gina said as she felt for Suze's forehead checking for her temperature.
"I just felt weird for a moment but I'm fine now," she said hurriedly. No way would she tell Gina about the girl. They might have gone through a lot together but it was okay to have a few secrets of your own wasn't it?
"You sure?"
She nodded quickly.
"Okaay. I just can't believe that you're wearing a raincoat," Gina said as she wrinkled her nose.
"You have a raincoat too," Suze pointed out.
"Yes but I'm not wearing it," Gina countered.
"You wear it other times," Suze said nodding.
Gina rolled her eyes. "Oh forget it. It's just that where we're going your raincoat might be a little conspicuous my friend."
"Where are we going? I thought you said you were throwing me a despedada thing?"
"It's despedida. A goodbye party seeing as you're leaving me here in Brooklyn all alone."
"You'd have your family with you."
"True. But you'd be gone somewhere else."
"I can always visit right? You too. You can visit me anytime."
"Suze."
"What?"
"You'd be in California. Another state. Another world."
"I'm not sure about the world thing but it's just a few places apart. If we really want to, we'd still see each other 'cause we're best friends right?" Suze asked.
"Of course Suze," Gina answered.
"Then no more arguments. Where are we going?"
"To the carnival," Gina replied with enthusiasm.
"I thought we'd be staying home and watching movies?" Suze asked. She was confused.
"But before that, we'd be going to the carnival," Gina said brightly.
They walked down roads talking about how they'd missed each other and that they'd still have to have open communications.
"I'll write you letters!" Gina exclaimed.
"You can always call me. That way I won't miss your voice."
"Where's the fun in that? I'll write you and that's that. You'd have to answer okay?"
"Fine," Suze agreed.
"Woah friend! Stop! HALT!" Gina thrilled.
Suze stopped but was bewildered to find nothing. They were still passsing houses and stuff.
"What's the matter Gina?"
"We're here!" she said excitedly.
"Where exactly is here?"
"Here," Gina tapped the wooden fence and the most magical thing happened. A portion of the fence opened and Gina ushered Suze in. Her mouth opened as she saw the carnival unfold before her eyes.
"That was the entrance?" she gaped at the sight before her.
"Nope. That was just the shortcut. Thanks Steven!" she called out to the person behind the fence who seemed to be in charge of the opening and closing of the fence they just crossed.
"Anytime Gina!" Steven called back.
"Who's he?" Suze asked curiously.
"A friend," Gina replied mysteriously.
Suze didn't question her any further because of the scene she saw before her. There were lots of things she could look at without geeting tired. The House of Mirrors, the OddBalls show, the many rides she was dying to try. And the food. Ah! The food! Her eyes feasted on the Carnival's ttreats for her and Gina.
"Well? Are we going to stand all day Simon?" Gina asked with her eyebrow raised.
"Heck no!" Suze admonished.
"That's the spirirt Simon!" Gina yelled joyfully. "Now which do you want to try out first? The OddBalls Show? The House of Reflections - "
"Mirrors."
"Whichever," Gina smiled. "So which first?"
Suze casted her head around the carnival, sweeping each place carefully as to not miss anything. Finally, her eyes rested on a giant octopus which had seats on each of its eight tentacles.
"I wanna go there first," Suze said plainly.
Gina looked at the ride where Suze desired to go on and smiled appreciatively. "Good choice."
The two skipped over to the ride. "But wait Gina? Isn't this ride supposed to be for people taller than us?"
Suze pointed over to the giraffe which said that you had to be at least four feet tall to be qualified for the ride.
Gina only smirked. "I have connections Suze. I use them well."
Suze made a confused face but followed Gina over to the guy giving out the tickets.
"Oh Gina! Nice to have you here! You ready to check out The Octopus?" the guy smiled cheekily at Gina and handed her a ticket.
"Oh no Chris. Add one more ticket. I'm with someone."
Chris peered below the ticket booth to see a girl of no more than eight. "Well well well little lady. Are you sure you can take The Octopus?"
Suze defiantly nodded. "I wouldn't be here if I wasn't sir."
Chris smiled. "Call me Chris."
And then he handed her a ticket.
"He must have liked your guts then 'cause he gave you a ticket. Usually when I'm with my cousins, he doesn't hand out a ticket," Gina said to her.
Suze smiled. "How old are your cousins then?"
"Usually below five," Gina replied.
"Oh. That's why he wouldn't give them any ticket Gina. They're probably not even old enough to feed themselves," Suze answered.
They reached the octopus ride and some maintenance guy strapped them on their seats. "Hey Gina you gotta tell me more of these connections when we get off the ride."
"Sure thing Simon," Gina answered.
Suze braced herself for the ride and was grateful for the antipication. Her stomach seemed to roll inside her body. One moment it was in her head, then the next moment it already rolled somewhere in her feet.
The eight tentacles juggled the passengers around and around. It lasted for ten thrilling minutes.
Some passengers were already greeen when they got off the ride.
"That was the sickest thing ever," Gina whispered to Suze as she leaned into her for support.
"Yeah. It really made me sick," Suze agreed.
"No. I meant sick in a good way," Gina explained.
"How can sick be viewed in a good way?" Suze asked.
"Like, that raincoat you're wearing is totally sick," Gina said.
"But you said you didn't like it," Suze said.
"I changed my mind," Gina said.
Suze laughed. "Then that changes everything."
"It's a good thing that you made us try out the rides first. If we, like, ate first do you know what the outcome would've been?"Gina asked wrinkling her nose.
"We'd have been sick. In a bad way," Suze said.
They saw the OddBalls next while munching corn along the way. They saw the Bearded Lady and the Mermaid Man.
"That was a waste of five bucks wasn't it?" Gina asked.
"Not exactly. We did get to enjoy knowing that ladies can get beards too."
"You might have enjoyed that. I did not," Gina said.
The House of Mirrors was next on their list.
"You look fat here Simon," Gina said while pointing to the mirror on the left of Suze.
"Well you look like a bobblehead here," Suze countered.
"Touche," Gina siad.
The Arcade was next in which Gina won a bunny like Suze's Mr. Snuffles.
"Are you going to call her Mrs. Snuffles?" Suze asked innocently.
"No. I'm going to call him Troy. He's a guy. Can't you tell?"
"I guess I can't."
The last on Gina's list was to go to a fortune teller's place.
"Why a fortune teller?" Suze asked.
"Because I want her to tell me my fortune," Gina explained.
"I know what a fortune teller does," Suze pouted.
"I'm curious about my fortunes. And yours."
"'I'd have to lie my palm down in front of her?"
"You should. You won't lose anything right?"
"Okay. But you go first," Suze pleaded.
"No problem. I'm excited about it anyway."
Together, they entered the threshold and found a woman with shawls wrapped around her shoulders and bracelets dangling from her wrists.
"Hello dears. Sit sit," she cried out.
Suze sat cautiously as she watched Gina stretched out her arm and placed her palm in front of the fortune teller.
"Now what do you want to know?" she asked Gina mysteriously.
"Anything about the future," Gina simply said.
"Anything?" she frowned.
She pored over Gina's pal for a moment before finally looking at her.
"All I can say is your fate and that other girl's fate is connected."
Gina's eyebrows contracted. "What other girl?"
"The one beside you dear," the fortune teller said. Suze and Gina looked at each other. "Yes. Your lives are closely intertwined. Nothing can break them apart because the connection is bound by fate not like the others who came here before you."
Gina exchanged another quick confused glance at Suze.
"To put it simply, you would never lose touch with each other," the fortune teller exasparatedly said.
"But how can that be? Suze is going to California. She's staying there permanently and my 'rents would never let me live there," Gina explained. She was beginning to doubt if it was worth it to give this woman ten bucks.
"Don't you believe darling?" she said as she gave Gina her most piercing stare.
"I do! I do belive but - "
"Then there would be no need for buts."
Gina scowled. "Fine. What else is going to happen?"
"You are going to be a millionaire someday," she solemnly said.
"WHAT?" Gina exclaimed. She turned to look at Suze who also looked shocked.
"Calm down child. I was only pulling your leg," the fortune teller said dully.
Gina frowned at the fortune teller. "Madame Zara, I am seven years old and I don't want to play any games."
It was Madame Zara's turn to frown and after a few moments of talking with herself (quietly of course), she finally looked at Gina's outstretched palm again. "Very well dear. You would live well and you will be content in your life but before you get to that sunshine of a situation you must first maneuver through storms and rocks. These of course are natural circumstances that all people should undergo."
And on it went.
Finally, it was Suze's turn with Madame Zara.
She tentatively opened her palm and laid it on the table for the fortune teller to read.
Madame Zara''s expressionless face suddenly became intrigued.
"You speak to the dead my child."
Gina gasped and looked at Suze who thought it was rather obvious for her.
"It seems you're not surprised withthis revelation?" Madame Zara asked curiously.
"Well yes. If I can speak to the dead, surely I might have seen them first. And if I can see and speak with them, then that wouldn't be much of a surprise to me would it?" Suze asked.
Madame Zara contemplated for a moment. "Well, I can't argue with that logic huh Miss Simon?"
Suze blinked. "I haven't even told you my name yet."
"I am a psychic after all."
Suze blinked again. "True."
"Wow Suze. I didn't know you can talk to the dead?" Gina finally said after she was shocked with Madame Z's revelation.
Suze looked uncomfortable. There were things best left unsaid right? Wouldn't it count as one of those things? And she couldn't very well tell Gina aboout it because she was afraid that Gina might think of her as a weirdo.
"Uh. You never asked?"
Gina looked baffled. "I guess. But that is not a good enough reason missy."
Suze looked at Madame Zara who tactfully helped her. "You would have an everlasting love."
"She would?" Gina asked.
Madame Zara nodded. "It says here." She pointd back at Suze's palm.
Gina stood up from her seat and squinted at Suze's palm. "I don't see anything."
"I don't think you're a fortune teller dear," Madame Zara said.
"But I'm too young for that stuff," Suze protested.
"Did I give a definite time? But surely you know that you're never too old or too young to find love right?"
Suze slid from her chair. "I'm definitely too young for this. Come on Gina."
She fixed Gina her "Get-me-out-of-here" stare and Gina quickly relented. She paid Madame Zara and got out the way they got in after thanking Steven.
"That was way bizarre," Gina commented. "But she's for real Suze. Otherwise she wouldn't have known about your ability to talk to the dead."
"She is for real. She even knew we how we met."
"Yeah. When I was starving and you gave me sushi. Which I didn't like one bit."
"You weren't picky then."
"Yes I was. I just didn't want to hurt your feelings."
They chatted for a while and ended up not watching movies. They just talked. And then it was farewell.
"Goodbye Suze. I'll miss you. Don't forget to write back okay? And swim those Califronian waves for me huh?"
"Bye Gina. I''ll miss you too. Don't YOU forget to write. "
They hugged and promised to keep in touch. It wasn't too sad since they know they'll see each other again sooner or later.
Suze walked slowly bak to her house.
Then, she was reminscing about her mother's wedding to Andy – the guy who would be her stepfather from now on. He was a great guy. She remembered the time when he talked to her before the wedding – he told her that he would be her father and would take care of her.
She was a flower girl. She was wearing a lilac dress which made her uncomfortable which her mom told her looked adorable on her. Andy suddenly appeared on her elbow. He was on one knee so that his face was level with hers.
"Suze you look beautiful," he cooed.
"Thank you," she whispered a bit embarrassed about his compliment.
"I'd like you to know that I would take care of your mother and of course you from now on," he promised.
"I know that. Mom picked you because she trusted you," she told him.
"And do you too? Trust me?" he asked.
"I trust you Andy. I trust that you'd be a good husband to mom and a good father to me. So please don't break that trust," she pleaded.
He was surprised that she could be so straight-forward. "Of course Suze. Thank you for your trust."
Then the organizer was calling for the flowewr girls. She hurried to her. The wedding started. Her mom was last. She looked beautiful as usual. AS Suze looked at Andy, she knew she could trust him. Because the look in his eyes was just like his father's whenever he would look at her mom.
That look said it all.
She wondered if there would be a man that would look at her that way too.
Shaking her head, she ambled towards the front door. Her mom was watching tv on the coouch. She came up behind her and hugged her.
"You're home," her mom whispered.
"I am," she whispered back.
"Let's eat," her mom said.
She nodded.
That night she dreamt of being taken away from home. As her mom woke her up, she realized she never could take being away from home. But if they were going far away, wouldn't her home be gone?
She looked at her mom who was flagging a cab and thought sleepily, No. Wherever mom is, that's where my home is.
She slept in the cab and didn't wake up until theywere in the plane; her mom carried her.
She looked outside the plane and asked her mother quietly, "What are those?"
Her mom looked outside too and smiled. "Palm trees."
When they got off the plane, Andy and his sons were waiting for them. They were holding a banner which said, "Welcome home Susannah and Helen."
Helen smiled and Suze grimaced. She didn't like being called by her whole name. She stand on her toes to ask her mom something. "Are we in California now?"
"Yes. We're in California."
~ xXx ~
A/N: Voila! It is done. It's boring I know but stil I want to hear it from you. Advices and suggestions would be appreciated. I have a question though. How many sisters does Jesse have? And their names and ages too please. I've got a pickle here. And no. I'm not giving it to you. I'd gladly send cyber hugs and kisses though.
What do you mean you DON'T WANT them?
I feel a tad hyper today. :)))))
You're my key and YOU unlock me. :) Oh noodles.