Family, Choices, and Lies
Chapter 1: Emma's Ultimate Choice
Summary: Continuation of the series. Do we find out the truth about Thayer? Does Kristin accept Emma as part of the family? Does she forgive Sutton for working with Rebecca? Will Alec be okay? You can read my answers and theories for what happens after the series ending- when we saw Thayer with the murder weapon and his anger issues. Warning: There will be teenagers drinking. I make no apologies for it.
Disclaimer: I do not own The Lying Game, any of the characters, and I definitely do not own the setting…. Enjoy!
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Thayer was acting odd, but she couldn't blame him. He must have guessed her answer to his ultimatum. Him or Ethan. Of course, she chose Ethan, and had her heart broken. She had gone through the anger portion of the breakup stage- one million abused tennis balls the day after. She had already decided to back out of the family, and give Sutton and Ted time to come clean with Kristin about the search, about Rebecca, and about the twins, but talking to Laurel had cemented it and she was still vacillating between staying here in the cabin until then or just going back to Vegas and hope that Sutton and Ted would convince Kristin to accept her as part of the family.
She was scared. Her twelve foster homes had never prepared her for this… the last two had pervs for 'brothers' and in the home before Travis and Clarisse even the father had tried to grope her. She had never imagined that she had a sister out there, and she had certainly had never believed that it was possible that her biological mother and father were out there. Or that her biological mother, Rebecca, would be that last person she would want to talk to. She believed that somewhere deep down Rebecca loved them or had loved her and Sutton, but now Rebecca was on the run. And she wasn't sure if staying in Scottsdale was the smartest thing. She'd be stuck in the cabin until Ted and Sutton told her it was okay to officially meet Kristin, as Emma.
She remembered her talk with Ethan, and how he had chosen Dan over her, and she got that. Family should come first. But it made her regret telling Ethan the she would choose him. Because maybe her choice between Thayer and Ethan wasn't really a choice at all. Maybe she should choose neither, for now.
Her drawing of Ethan blurred in her vision as she blinked back tears. She flipped to a new page and her sketching soon revealed Ted, Kristin, Laurel and Sutton, with enough space to sketch herself in, someday.
She listened to the creaking of the cabin's aging wood, and sighed. She had plans to go talk to Thayer tonight, while the event was being held at the country club. She could sneak in easily, people seeing her would just see Sutton, and she could finally tell Thayer her choice. Her none choice.
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POV change: Ethan
It was like the third or fourth time he was in a nice suit, and he was surprised at how good it felt to wear it. He was sad. Theresa was going to be his sister-in-law and she was so perfect for Dan. His choice not to tell Dan what was going on, it was on him, but he knew the only person to blame for Theresa's murder, was the murderer. Rebecca Sewell Lyle Rybak.
Sutton walked up to him and he immediately realized it was her. "What happened, where's Emma?"
"We switched back. For the last time."
Dan came up and patted Ethan on the shoulder. He looked solemn and sad as he said, "Sorry, this is…." He had not figured out how to tell the twins apart yet.
"It's Sutton," Ethan said.
"Great. Um…listen. I just want to thank you for stepping up and helping us crack the case against Rebecca, even though it meant turning against your own mother."
"Of course," Sutton nodded, "But Kristin's my mother-"
"Okay," Dan kind of cut her off. "But whether or not we find Rebecca, I'll always remember what you did."
Sutton kind of quirked her lips a smile, and Ethan gave her a surprised look, like he didn't expect Dan to be so effusive (well, effusive for Dan) in his thanks.
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Pov change, Emma, outside of Thayer's door.
She hesitated for a moment, to get a bearing and then she pushed the door open.
"Hey, you alright?" She asked Thayer, who had his back to the open door.
"I've been better." His voice held a tone she didn't like so she tried to rushed through an explanation.
"I should've called or come sooner," she began, "I just..."
"It's fine. Kind of got my answer."
"Thayer, I'm I'm so sorry," Emma said, "I know I've been really unfair to you, and I owe you an explanation."
He finally turned to her, " don't you shut that door?"
She shut the door and turned to face him, "I just, I wanted to talk about it. I- I couldn't just let it go." She watched as Thayer fidgeted his hands and looked sad.
"Yeah, don't worry about it," Thayer sounded uncommunicative.
"But I am worried about it. After tonight, I have no idea what my life will look like. If I stay here, or or leave But I -I just, I don't want things to end badly between us. I still want to be friends. Okay?"
"I think you should go now." Thayer said, meeting her gaze.
"Thayer "
"I mean it."
"Could we please just talk about it?"
"You need to go. Go!" Thayer stood up and scared her, a little. His presence forced her back to the door, "Now."
"I'm- I'm sorry," she left, the door slammed behind her.
She ran down the stairs just as she heard the sound of glass crashing and screams from the banquet room. She ran into the banquet room, and saw Alec lying on a broken table, unconscious.
Kristin stood over Alec, saying, "Alec. Oh my God."
"What happened?" Emma reached Sutton's side, and Kristin turned to her, thinking it was Sutton asking. When she saw both girls, twins, standing side by side, she blinked and looked back and forth.
"Mom, I can explain," Sutton started.
"No, no, no." Kristin said, almost hysterical, and she backed away from everyone in the room and ran out of the club.
"Mom!" Sutton shouted. Emma followed Kristin, with Sutton, Ted, and Laurel on her heels.
Whispers started around the room as Dan directed some of the other men in the room to create a boundary, pushing everyone out of the reception room, and into the club's courtyard. He knelt and felt for a pulse. He said, "Someone call 911, Rybak is still alive." He looked Alec over, and it appeared that he was unconscious."
When Emma and Sutton reached Kristin, she was waiting for her car to be pulled around by the valet. "Mom, please, let me explain."
Kristin looked at each of the girls, and trembling, she said, "What? How? Who?"
"Twins, Mom. I found Emma when I was looking for my –our birth mother. And on the subject of our birth parents. It's Rebecca and Dad. Alec Rybak separated us, and Rebecca didn't know about Ted adopting me until recently. Please, Mom, let us explain it all at home."
"I need to go home. I need to think about all this," Kristin had tuned out about halfway through Sutton's babbled explanation.
Emma stepped forward, "Mom-," Sutton elbowed her, "I mean Mrs. Mercer, let me drive you home."
Kristin nodded, and the valet handed her keys to Emma and Sutton helped Kristin into the car.
A few minutes later they were on the way to the Mercer home. It was quiet in the car except for the hum of the tires and the shift of gears as they drove through the winding roads of Scottsdale. Kristin looked at Emma, Sutton's almost exact replica, and many thoughts swirled through her head, and finally one popped out, "You called me Mom."
Emma winced, and said, not meeting Kristin's glance, "Sutton and I switched places a few times. It started a few months ago. Sutton got a lead on our birth mother and she went to go look for her. I pretended to be her while she was looking in Los Angeles. You really did become like a mother to me." She looked at Kristin, finally, "We never meant to hurt you. Or for this to go on so long. We- I wanted to tell you. But we weren't sure how you would take it."
Kristin gave a slightly grim chuckle, "This explains a lot. Sutton's sudden enthusiasm for my cooking, Sutton's grades going up, Sutton getting a long better with all of us, especially Laurel." She was quiet for a moment. "So this was what Ted was hiding from me. For all these years."
"He didn't know about the twin thing until a couple weeks ago," Emma tried to explain, "But… he did know that Sutton was his. Biologically, I mean."
"I have a lot of questions for you and for Sutton. Where did you grow up?"
"Mrs. Mercer-"
"Mom." Emma glanced at Kristin, shocked. "You said it yourself; you are like a daughter to me. Besides, I like the sound of it. I guess I will have to learn how to tell you two apart. Where are you from?"
"I've been in foster care for last 14 years. And Sutton and Thayer found out that when I was three, I lived with a woman named Annie Hobbs. She and Rebecca had twins in the same hospital, the same day, and her twins were stillborn. When she found out that Rebecca was giving up two girls, she found my adoptive family and claimed she was my birth mother. The courts gave me to here and she disappeared with me before my adoptive family could fight for me. There was a fire and somehow I ended up in foster care and Annie Hobbs ended up in a psychiatric hospital. I am certain Alec Rybak had something to do with all of that."
"I wish I'd known that Sutton had a twin when you born. I – we would have taken both of you."
"I know. Mom, in the time I've spent with you, I really have come to think of you all as my family."
Kristin started to yawn, exhausted from the sudden stress of more truths coming to light.
Emma noticed and sighed with relief when she found the turn off for the Mercer home. "Mom, I know you have a lot of questions. And Sutton and I will be able to answer most of them. But I think you should save them for morning."
Kristin nodded and led Emma into the house. "Can you stay? At least until morning?"
Emma hesitated, still surprised to be welcomed so easily. "I'll need to go retrieve some of my, I mean, Sutton's things from the cabin. We've been taking turns staying out there during the switch."
Kristin was quiet, her expression showing that she was still thinking over her various questions. She finally voiced another, "Why did Alec keep the twin secret for so long? Does what happened to him have to do with the twin secret?"
"Alec will have to tell you that," Emma said, "Please, go to bed. Sutton and I will try to answer as much as we can in the morning."
"Okay, honey. Take the couch." Kristin still seemed to be in a daze as she walked to her room and shut the door.
Emma sank onto the couch, her forehead touching her knees as she slumped in relief. She jumped up when the door opened, and Ted, Laurel, and Sutton came in, chatting quietly.
"Is Kristin okay?" Ted said.
"Mom is fine. Dazed, full of questions, and probably will upset in the morning, but she was fine."
"Mom?" Sutton and Laurel asked.
"She said it was okay if I called her mom."
"Really?" Sutton tried to keep jealousy from her tone but vestiges of her old resentments toward Emma leaked through.
"Yes. I don't know why. I'm just as surprised as you are," Emma said, then trying to be accommodating, said, "If you guys feel uncomfortable with me calling her mom, I can just call her Kristin."
Sutton shook her head, "No. She is just as your mom as she is mine."
Laurel and Ted nodded in agreement.
"She said I could stay the night, if we could answer all her questions in the morning. Dad, I know you want to stay, but I think Mom might be more comfortable with you coming over in the morning. Breakfast?"
He nodded, his face still sad, knowing his marriage would still be on the rocks in the morning. Each of his daughters hugged him, Emma's hug lasting the longest.
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POV change: Sutton
Sutton watched jealousy as Laurel helped Emma make up the couch for Emma. All these changes in her life made her wish for Ethan, but she knew that he had finally told Emma that he just wanted to help Dan get through losing Theresa and that his final choice would be neither of them.
And besides, she had sort of had finally except that Ethan was in love with Emma. Even if it still hurt. A lot. She sighed, drawing her twin's attention. Emma hugged Laurel told her good night, and went into in the kitchen. She brought out the bottle of wine.
Emma said, "I don't want us to drink this whole bottle, but I think we need something to relax. And I think we should try playing "Never Have I." She poured them each what looked like six ounces and recorked the bottle.
Sutton looked at her, surprised.
Emma shrugged, "We both have things to get off our chests. What better way?"
"I don't want to play games, anymore."
"So no more lying games? No more switching games?"
Sutton shook her head, and said, "No more between us, okay?"
Emma smiled, surprised.
"Cheers?" Sutton picked up the cup and sipped the wine, "Okay. Honesty." Sutton took another sip, "I'm jealous that you fit into this family so quickly."
Emma shook her head, "For now. Kristin hasn't completely processed the whole thing yet. Anger and more tears could still come," she sipped her own wine, "I'm scared that Kristin will still end up rejecting me."
"Me too." Sutton took another sip, "What were you doing at the club?"
"I talked to Thayer," Emma gulped a huge sip, "Tried to, anyway. He was kind of scary actually."
"Thayer?" Sutton said, "Wait, I thought you chose Ethan."
"I did. Thayer's been acting weird and I wanted to have the whole "we can still be friends" conversation with him."
"Ouch," Sutton finished off her wine, and set her cup down. "What happened?"
"When I said we could still be friends, he basically kicked me out."
"I'm sorry, Emma."
"No, it's okay. Since I got here, I've been dating someone- Luke when I pretending to be you. Ethan, both as myself and you. Thayer." This was said with a sad smile, "I'm choosing me. I'm not going to date anyone until Theresa's killer is caught and I can make it up to Dan for making Ethan tell lies and keep secrets from him."
"But you love Ethan."
"Yes." Emma finished her wine.
"If you love Ethan, you should keep trying," Sutton said, "I don't want him anymore, if that is what you are thinking."
Emma shook her head, "Ethan wants nothing to do with either of us. I think both of us just need to give up on boys for a while."
Sutton smiled, "No way," she laughed. Emma yawned, ending their discussion early. Sutton said, "I'm going to bed."
"All right," Emma stood up, carrying the bottle back to the kitchen and putting it back in the fridge and rinsing their cups out. She walked back to the living room; Sutton was standing by the couch, running her hands over the quilt. She met Emma's eyes, and said, "Emma, I never completely apologized for everything- kissing Ethan, sleeping with him, working with Rebecca, and lying to you for so long. So here it is: I am sorry."
"Sutton," Emma said, "There is nothing to forgive."
Sutton smiled her self-deprecating smile and shook her head, "Good night."
"Good night," Emma sank onto the couch, covering herself with the throw blanket. Sutton walked out of the room and it became quiet.
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Sutton looked at her window as it opened as Ethan opened it. She raised her eyebrow. "Are you supposed to be here?"
"We needed to talk. Can you video call Emma? It's about Alec."
"Aww, even better, I'll go get her."
"She's here?" Ethan was surprised.
"Yes. She drove Kristin home. Kristin unofficially welcomed her to the family. She's sleeping on the couch until further notice," Sutton disappeared out her door and a few seconds later reentered with her twin.
"Ethan," Emma was surprised, "Why are you here?"
"Update on Alec. He's in a coma. The doctor's don't know when he'll wake up, but his brain is showing activity, his heartbeat is strong, and most of his wounds are superficial. His head wound was caused by glass from the skylight."
Emma and Sutton looked at each other. "What does Dan say?" Emma asked.
"We think Rebecca tried to kill him. Dan says there was a note in his pocket that said, "Meet me on the roof." It's her handwriting," Ethan said. There was a weird pause. "Okay. I'm gonna go."
"Right. Good night," Sutton and Emma watched Ethan leave again.
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Emma woke up to the smell of apples and cinnamon, and she rolled off the couch and joined her sisters and Kristin in the kitchen. Muffins were pulled out of the oven and Emma eagerly grabbed one already cooling while Sutton fixed herself a tofu scramble.
"Morning," Kristin said. She wasn't smiling, but her eyes held a twinkle. "So I called the Las Vegas PD and the social worker assigned to your case this morning to find out how Emma Becker could be fostered by a new family, here in Scottsdale. Ms. Dare said it was possible, and she would have her office transfer all your files to the social service offices here and they will assign you a new social worker. I called your school and had your files moved faxed to the registration office here and enrolled you at Arroyo."
"Wow, Mom. You didn't waste time," Sutton wasn't surprised, really, she knew that Kristin would welcome Emma this way, when she first found her twin.
Emma beamed, "Thank you so much, Mom."
"Now are you ready for those questions?" Kristin pinned them all with her steel grey eyes.
Ted chose to walk in at that moment, "Yes, we are."
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Author's note: Wow! This chapter ended up being far longer than I meant for it. A little over 8 pages in a word document, and a total of 3,312 words. Anyway, I would like think that Kristin would welcome Emma into the family. She seems like she would, but would want answers. And Alec will be fine, because even though he lied for so long, I sense that he has a high protective instinct- he protected Ted, the twins and his children, so he cannot be all bad. His motives behind not letting Ted know that there were twins were spurious, but he was trying to help Ted, I think.
Okay, you know what to do. Review, favorite, follow and thank you everyone!