Disclaimer – I own nothing familiar

AN – Sorry I know its another new story but if I don't get it down I'll forget about it. I am in the middle of writing the next chapter to the voice within so that will be with you very soon. This is set when Lizzie is in high school at 16 years old. I can't remember how old Matt is so he's 13 in this Fic.

"Lizzie are you up yet?" Lizzie groaned and buried her head beneath her soft pillows trying to drown out the early morning sounds.

"LIZZIE?" she retreated further beneath her covers. Willing them to forget about her

"Lizzie mom says if your not up in 5 minutes she's gonna come up and get you up herself" No such luck they sent in the little brother.

"Ok, ok I'm getting up" her muffled voice replied

"I've been instructed not to leave until you do" Matt said sounding apologetic.

He had grown up a lot since starting middle school Lizzie was still amazed to think this was the brother who used to cake her phone in honey and embarrass her at any opportune moment. She never thought she'd ever have to say this but she considered him a friend now rather than a nuisance. Weird!

Stretching her arms she took the pillow from her face and threw it at her brother who was sitting at the bottom of her double bed. Standing on her bed she jumped along it causing him to fall of the edge laughing she jumped from the bed and ran in to her bathroom.

"Sisters" Matt muttered throwing her pillow back on her bed and heading back downstairs.

Lizzie stood in front of her bathroom mirror. Towel wrapped around her freshly washed body. Drying her long blonde locks. Returning to her bedroom she headed to the wardrobe. Glancing at the clock on her wall as she went. 7:45. The bus would be here and gone in 15 minutes. With or without her. She better make it quick.

Looking at her clothes she decided on a pair of hip hugging dark blue jeans and a white vest top with a butterfly imprint on the front. She dressed as quickly as she could.

Leaving her towel on the floor she raced to the mirror on her desk a slick of lipgloss and a clip in her hair finished off her look. Grabbing her bag and boots from beside her bedroom door she ran down the stairs.

When I'm good she thought to herself I'm good

Joining her family in the kitchen she sat down at the table and zipped up her boots. Grabbing a glass of O.J she drank quickly.

"No time for breakfast" she told her mom wiping her mouth and standing to leave. "Matt shoes bag now we have to go"

She'd raced in, in such a hurry she hadn't had the time to take in her surroundings. Her mom was standing by the cooker reading a letter. Her dad was sitting at the worktop table staring in to his mug of coffee. Matt was stirring his cereal not looking at anyone. It was deadly quiet. Lizzie was sure that if a pin dropped she'd hear it.

In fact she did hear something drop. A little splash in Matt's cereal bowl. She looked at him more closely. He was crying. Matt never cried.

"Matt what's wrong?" she asked the big sister in her taking over the late teenager. He'd appeared to be happy enough when he invaded her room earlier. What had changed?

A lot apparently.

"Lizzie" her mom said to her. Lizzie was getting worried her moms voice was small and strained like she was trying not to cry. "Maybe you should sit down"

"I can't mom Bus 5 minutes I'm gonna be late for homeroom"

"Lizzie your father will drop you off you need to sit down I have something to tell you"

Matt pushed his chair back and hurried himself in to the hallway and up the stairs. He clearly had no desire to hear what it was his mother had to say. This must be bad.

Lizzie sat herself down in Matt's recently vacated chair. "What's up?" she asked not sure she wanted to know.

"I'm gonna bring the car around" her dad announced leaving the room the same way Matt had.

"Mom?" Lizzie asked

Her mom took a deep breath and handed her the letter she had been reading.

Lizzie looked over it.

Dear Jo

I hate to be the one to have to tell you this but someone has to. Yesterday (Mon. 15th may) your Niece Heather was performing in a show at school. Your sister Anne Marie had to work late and she told us she'd meet us when she could. She left the office as soon as possible and rushed to meet us. The rain on the roads made them slippery and a hazard to even the most careful of drivers. Anne Marie's car was hit when another swerved off the road and in to her own. She was rushed to hospital but died on arrival. Jo I'm so incredibly sorry. I can only imagine what you're going through. Anne Marie and I were so close but you were so much more. All I can offer you is my condolences and an invitation to her funeral this weekend. I know it seems short notice and believe me we all understand if you are unable to attend. But Anne Marie wanted to be buried in the church she and William were married in and William was later buried in and this was the only opening they could offer us. Once again I am so sorry for your loss.

Love to you and your family

Helen Simmons

Lizzie looked up from the letter tears streaming down her face. She couldn't believe her only Aunt was dead. Anne Marie was her mothers' younger sister and her father had no brothers or sisters. She looked at her mom she couldn't imagine what this must have been doing to her. What would she feel like if she lost Matt? She was suddenly more glad than ever they had found friendship.

"Mom?" she asked "Are you ok?"

Jo nodded at her daughter but she couldn't stop the tears streaming down her face. Lizzie rushed to hug her. Jo hugged her back holding her closely, as if scared she'd lose her to.

Matt coughed from the doorway. Lizzie looked up and saw he was still crying she beckoned him over and held him like her mother held her. She didn't want to let him go but they had to get to school.

"You can stay home if you don't think you can manage it" Jo told them releasing her children

They both shook their heads. Being home would leave them with too much time to think about it. At school they would be to busy to dwell on their pain.

They hugged their mother and went out to join their father in the car.

He smiled at them. They weakly returned it.

They drove to their separate schools in silence.

Once Lizzie had been dropped off she wandered slowly to her next lesson. Homeroom was almost over and her mom said she'd phone in to let them know why she'd been late.

Once outside her social studies class she leaned against the wall trying to clear her head. All she could think about was her Aunt and all the things they'd done together.

Anne Marie had gone to college in England studying to be a doctor. There she'd met her Husband William. They married and settled down in England where they raised their daughter, Heather. Lizzie didn't get to see them as much as she'd have liked what with them living so far away. But they did come up during the summer and winter breaks and they had been to stay in England once or twice during the years as well.

Lizzie felt the tears trickle down her cheeks. I've lost the only aunt I ever had she thought to herself sliding down the wall she sat on the cold hard floor. What must her mother be feeling she wondered to lose her only sister? What must Heather be feeling Lizzie suddenly wondered she hadn't even considered what this must have been doing to her cousin she'd lost her father and now her mother to. She was all alone. Her father had no family and now the only family she did have was in America.

Lizzie was so lost in her thoughts she didn't even notice the bell had rung for second lesson. She hadn't heard the students filling the halls to get to their next class. She hadn't realized there was someone sitting on either side of her until she felt a strong arm around her shoulders pulling her towards him and soft words whispered to her.

Gordo and Miranda her two best friends in the whole world were sitting on the cold hard floor beside her. They didn't need to know what was wrong they didn't push her to tell them. They just sat with her knowing that she would tell them when she was ready. She was upset and that was all they needed to know.

I hope you have friends like I do Heather she thought to herself I don't know what I'd do without them.

AN – Well let me know what y'all thought. Must get back to working on my other story but this will be updated soon. I promise :D