Disclaimer: Dark Angel is the property of 20th Century Fox and Cameron/Eglee productions. No copyright infringement is intended.

Jondy the Abandoner five: Dark Angel

Chapter One: The Rooftop

March 5, 2020

It was Aldrea's last day of her first week as a third grader. She liked third grade because she got to do multiplication, which was faster than addition so Aldrea thought it was fun. In third grade they also got to read chapter books for book projects. Aldrea was looking for her book.

"Come on Aldrea," shouted Charlene, Aldrea and her mother's new roommate. She had a daughter named Amy, who Aldrea had made fast friends with.

"I'm looking for my book! Hold on a sec!" Aldrea yelled, and went back to dismantling she and Amy's tiny bedroom. The room was hardly more than a glorified closet, and it came as somewhat of a surprise that two beds could actually fit inside and have three inches to spare, but they did.

Rachel stood fanning herself in the kitchen. "You'll have plenty of time to look for it this weekend Aldrea, but now you're running late for school."

"Yes, c'mon. Let's go!" urged Charlene.

"Okay, okay!" said Aldrea, rushing from her room, slinging her backpack over her shoulder. "I'll see you after school mom! Bye!"

"Bye Kiddo," Rachel sighed. The door closed behind them and all was silent in the apartment. Oh boredom. In an interesting change for Rachel since she had moved to Seattle, she didn't have anything to do. Since she was feeling a bit pensive, she decided to visit the roof. It wasn't as good a spot as the Golden Gate Bridge, but it worked okay.

Rachel stared into the light rain that misted over the Seattle morning. The sunrise appeared hazy through the misty air, and the sight relaxed the dark haired woman. Thoughts were turning over willy-nilly in her mind, so as she sat in her new perch, she began to reflect upon her life and its changes. The changes of her names. She was Rachel, but it was different, because she was Rachel again. She had been Jondy for seven years, and then suddenly, she was Aldrea...

"Aldrea! Aldrea! Where did you go?" Stephanie called.

Jondy poked her head out of a large bush, "Stephanie, the point of me hiding from Kyle is that you don't get him started looking for me."

"Well I wanted him to know that I didn't know where you were either," the tall, but gawky blonde explained.

"Well, just cut out the yelling, 'kay?" the ten year old Jondy requested. Receiving a thumbs up from Stephanie, she buried herself back in her hiding spot.

She had been Aldrea for three years, and then she ran away, and then became Rachel. She had been Rachel for a year already. Then Eloise for six years. But the names had an irrational worry over Rachel, because they were someone else. Or at least they were supposed to be.

So far Jondy was the longest lived name, at seven years. But what happened if Rachel Madison became the longest lived? That would take awhile, but Eloise was around for a long time. Could that kill the little girl Jondy?

It was a worrisome thought, as irrational as it was. As much as she loathed her past, she loved it. It was who she was, and some part of her still wanted Jondy to dominate. The little girl Jondy was the one who knew Max and the others. The best people that she had ever known.

Rachel knew good people too, and Rachel was by far the most mature person she had ever been. Rachel had given birth to a beautiful little girl, and she had been too high minded to give her away. Rachel was a much better person than Jondy was. When forced with reality, Jondy would just run away. Rachel, and Eloise too, would stand their ground and do what was right. But even Eloise ran away in the end…

Cold snow melted between Jondy's toes as she stopped and yelled, "Max!" The water in the jagged hole remained still. No movement. No sign of the girl who had just fallen though. Jondy's feet felt icy and numb. Max's entire body felt icy and numb.

And Jondy ran.

Tears pricked the edges of Rachel's eyes. She was so weak! Always being sucker to that stupid memory! She would always be Jondy so long as she remembered Max. She didn't know what she had been thinking. Only Jondy would've run away from San Francisco and Brian the way she had done.

Jondy was the abandoner, not Eloise. Eloise was just a lie to keep Jondy safe. A stupid lie that broke a man's heart. And Rachel didn't even get to see that gorgeous man's pain. She could only imagine it. She had never even said goodbye.

Tears gushed from Rachel's eyes, and she struggled to think of something good. She shouldn't still be missing Brian, he was long gone. Today was supposed to be a good day! She was starting her new job today, and she was grateful for it.

March 4, 2020

BRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNG! The telephone ring shrilled throughout the basement. "Who on Earth calls at this hour?" Rachel muttered as she stalked across the room for the phone. Her roommate, Charlene chuckled in her direction. BRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNG!

"Well, it is 8:30," she pointed out. "A lot of people consider that to be daytime."

BRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNG! "That doesn't matter," Rachel said irritably, picking up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hi, can I speak to Rachel Madison?" a male voice inquired.

"This is."

"This is Jake from Crash. I'm calling to say that we are impressed with your resume and experience. If you're still available we'd like you to come work for us."

"Really?" Rachel grinned. "That is awesome. Thank you! Um, when would you like me to come in?"

"Are you busy tomorrow?" asked Jake.

"Free."

"Come by at seven, we'll get you familiar with our operation."

"Sounds great, thank you so much," Rachel gushed gratefully.

"Okay, see you tomorrow," Jake hung up the phone.

"Still angry?" Aldrea asked her mother.

"Your mom just got a job Kiddo," Rachel said, hugging her daughters head. "Maybe I can get you a late birthday present in a couple of weeks."

Rachel sighed and stood up. She was starting to feel antsy, and there was a bit of cleaning to be done in the kitchen. The kids' cereal bowls from breakfast were still out, and caked with the remains of milk and corn flakes. Aldrea was had already asked when Zack would be coming this morning, because Zack often brought her sugary cereal. Aldrea wasn't a big fan of the plain corn flakes, and that was evident by her only half finished bowl.

Rachel grumbled. "You'd think in a depression kids could at least appreciate the food that is set in front of them. Just because her stupid uncle goes through criminal means to get her treats." Rachel dumped the dishes in the sink and began to rinse them out, Aldrea's corn flakes swirling in the water that began to fill the sink. Rachel grumbled some more. She hated doing the dishes.

Later, dishes finally done, Rachel straightened things out a bit, and looked around the slightly grimy, basement apartment pleased. She'd done a pretty good job cleaning up the place. Well, for a girl who doesn't do much cleaning anyway. She shifted on her feet and fanned herself.

"Ah, what a workout. I'd think I'd rather run than do all this cleaning. It's exercise in a clever disguise. Trickery," Rachel said to herself out loud, yawning. Perhaps she should be taking a nap before she started her shift at work.

Rachel woke up and looked at her clock. Quarter after six. Just enough time for a shower before setting out to Crash. Excellent.

"Mom you're awake," said Aldrea, as Rachel stepped from her bedroom. "I was just about to come wake you. You want some pizza?"

"That's okay Kiddo, thanks. I'm gonna have a shower first, and then maybe I'll grab a slice on my way out."

"Okay, I'll save you one. It's sausage," Aldrea said, setting a piece aside.

Twenty minutes later, Rachel was out the door, munching on a slice of pizza and grinning. Finally, work! Now she didn't have to feel so inadequate about her life.

"Ah, and here's our new bartender," Jake smiled as Rachel entered the bar. The familiar smells of beer, snacks and barstools lingered in her nostrils, along with the unfamiliar smells of the Seattle patrons.

She looked back over at Jake, and he started to explain the system at Crash. Rachel could barely pay attention. She had never noticed before how gorgeous Jake's muscles were. She'd thought he was a bit scrawny before, but she had been wrong.

Before Rachel knew it, she had Jake's shirt off, along with her own. Jake's pants had been unbuttoned, and Rachel was straddling him on the bar counter. She looked down on him ravenously.

"Rachel?" he asked surprised. He sounded confused. "Rachel?"

A hot sheen of sweat blanketed Jondy's body. "Mom?" Aldrea inquired.

Jondy rolled over and looked at her clock. Fifteen after six. Great, just enough time for a cold shower before heading out to her first night at work.

TBC…