Glitter Reunion

by Lady-Solita

20 years after Jem and the Holograms disbanded, Jerrica plans a reunion of all her friends. But between the antics of her former rivals, and even her own children, it's bound to not go smoothly.

Glitter Reunion

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I don't own the series Jem or its characters, Hasbro does, but I do own all of the characters' children and the new generation of Starlight Girls. As a child of the eighties I grew up watching this show and I've just come off of a massive marathon of watching every single episode. This idea came to me while watching and has developed as such. I hope you enjoy!

---

1990

Shana Elmsford drew back the curtain slightly, staring at the overcrowded press room with a deep frown. "They almost look like a pack of vultures."

"It's only natural." Aja Leith shrugged her shoulders slightly and leaned against the wall. "We haven't released a new single in quite a while. Not since 'Turning Point'."

"Which played on the radio for less than a week." Kimber Benton huffed in disgust, but there was pain evident in her face. "Do we really need to do this? We still have our fans."

"The music scene is changing drastically, as it always does," said Shana, pulling the curtain closed. "We've tried to keep our sound fresh, but people want something new. We had a good run while it lasted."

"Where's Jerrica?" Raya Alonso looked over her shoulder towards the exit. "She's late, and she's the one who called for this press conference."

"Give her some time," said Aja, though she looked worried as well. "I have a sinking feeling as to why she's late…"

Sure enough, Jerrica Benton rushed through the door towards them hurriedly, keeping her head hung low. "I-I'm sorry I'm late."

"Jerrica, you look terrible!" cried Kimber, rushing to her sister's side. "Are you all right?"

"Y-Yes, I'm fine." Jerrica finally looked up and forced a smile at her band mates. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Shana saw the redness around her eyes and knitted her eyebrows together. "You told him?"

Jerrica's smile quickly disappeared and she dipped her head again. "I told him."

"W-What did Rio say?" asked Kimber, though she had a horrible sinking feeling as to what it was.

"H-He…I wanted to tell him before this press conference so he wouldn't find out vicariously. But he…" Jerrica choked on a sob and threw her arms around her sister. "He broke up with me!"

Her band mates immediately crowded around her, trying to offer reassurances. It'd been one of the heaviest burdens Jerrica had to carry; in addition to her duel-life as rock star Jem, she had to deal with a love triangle with Rio loving both her and Jem without ever knowing they were in fact the same person. The fact that he ultimately chose Jerrica over Jem gave Jerrica a measure of peace.

Still, Rio was a proud man who despised liars. It had to be a fierce blow to him to find out that the woman he'd been attracted to for years was really his longtime girlfriend all along.

"He'll come around," said Shana, rubbing Jerrica's back. "You've known each other since you were kids. Rio will understand."

"But he was so angry," sobbed Jerrica, trying desperately to wipe the tears from her face. "We said a lot of ugly things to each other, and he…he thinks I did it all as a game! That I made him love Jem and me just to toy with him!"

"But it wasn't like that!" cried Kimber. "Things just…well, they just happened as they did!"

"He's probably upset about the guilt he's felt all these years," said Aja. "He'd felt like he was cheating on you, but as it turns out he'd been with you this whole time! It's a lot to take in!"

Jerrica sniffled, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket and wiping at her face. Her makeup began to smear, but she didn't seem to notice. "I'm sorry, guys. Just give me a moment, and I'll be ready."

"We don't have to do this right now," said Shana. "Especially since you just told Rio. We can tell them to come back tomorrow."

"No, no. I called this meeting, I can make it." She took several deep breaths, forcing herself to calm down. She looked at her band mates. "How do I look?"

"Just your makeup, but that's a quick fix," said Raya.

Jerrica hurriedly fixed her makeup, and soon they were back in front of the curtain. They could hear the reporters becoming openly impatient. "All right, let's get this over with," she said. She turned away from the curtain and looked at each of her band mates closely. "I want to let you guys know that I've cherished these past few years we've had together. It's been so much fun and despite the pain I've caused Rio—and this pain this conference might cause—there's very little I would change about this."

"Except maybe giving the Misfits a few kicks in the rear!" laughed Shana.

"Maybe even knocking the Stingers down a few more times!" added Aja.

Jerrica laughed and gave everyone a hug. "I love you guys."

"We love you too." Kimber smiled brightly, the pain less evident in her face. "Well…let's go."

One by one, the ladies filed out into the conference room, taking seats at the long table. Flashbulbs lit up and reporters shouted questions. Jerrica remained behind the curtain a few moments longer, touching a hand to her right red star earring. "This is it, Synergy."

"Are you sure about this, Jerrica?" Synergy asked her.

"Yes, I'm positive this is the right decision. But don't worry; I won't tell anyone about you."

"It is vital that you keep me a secret. However, I don't exactly know how you plan on telling the world without revealing me."

"Trust me, Synergy. I can take care of it." Jerrica dropped her hand and walked out from behind the curtain. More flashbulbs illuminated the room and the reporters shouted more indistinguishable questions. Jerrica took her place behind the podium sandwiched between the two tables. The reporters slowly silenced.

"Thank you all for coming and I apologize for keeping you waiting," Jerrica began. She looked out over the crowd of reporters. Rio wasn't there, and she didn't expect him to be. But she recognized Vivian Montgomery, aka Video, front and center with her camera. And she saw Lindsay Pierce ready with her microphone and cameraman. Various other people she recognized littered the room. What few facial expressions she could see showed that they all knew partially what this conference was about…and they were upset about it.

"I called forth this meeting today to make an important announcement," she continued. The words were suddenly heavy, and her throat tightened. Jerrica forced down the unease and continued without revealing her emotions. "As of 2:30 this afternoon, Jem and the Holograms have officially disbanded."

A collective gasp overtook the assembly, and reporters began shouting more questions. But Jerrica continued. "In the thirteen years of Starlight Music's existence, Jem and the Holograms is this company's greatest financial achievement. International recognition and network profits of well into the millions, this band will always be our most treasured asset. However, the music scene is always changing, and there's no denying the fact that Jem and the Holograms embody a style of music that is drastically growing outdated. Based upon failing sales of their latest singles, it would be in the better interests of Starlight Music to focus on up-and-coming bands and so that the members of Jem and the Holograms may pursue their own interests.

"I will now accept any questions you may have."

The firestorm of shouting started once more, but Jerrica narrowed in on Lindsay, who was frantically waving her hand. "Yes, Lindsay Pierce."

"Jerrica." Lindsay stood up, apprehension clear on her face. "While it's disheartening to hear this news, where is Jem? Why isn't she speaking on behalf of the Holograms?"

It was an inevitable question. Rio wasn't the only one who was deceived by all this; most everyone was. Jerrica looked at her various friends in this assembly, most of whom didn't know the truth. She thought of her Starlight Girls, current and former ones, who didn't know and how they might feel about all this, watching this conference at home live.

Maybe…she should've spoken to her friends privately. But no; it was too late for that. Besides, she had fans that loved and depended upon her. They meant just as much. All of them needed to know now, even if it was at the same time.

"…I speak only for myself," said Jerrica. She took a very deep breath and let it out slowly. Her nerves were shot, and her heart rate accelerated, but she remained visibly calm. "And now, there is something else I must reveal to all of you. Something that will shock you, and most likely hurt all of you."

"I am with you, Jerrica, and I will trust you," Synergy hummed soothingly in her ear.

I know, thought Jerrica. Bracing her hands on the podium, she forced the words out before she lost her nerve.

"The truth of the matter is…I am Jem."

---

Present

"The truth of the matter is…I am Jem."

In the head office of Starlight Music, a television in the far left wall was turned on to VH1, showing an episode of the music documentary show Then and Now. The latest episodes were highlighting popular bands of the eighties.

This episode was devoted to Jem and the Holograms.

"And with that said, Jerrica ended the illustrious career of Jem. International sensation, Oscar-nominated actress and the winner of countless, countless awards…and it was Jerrica Benton at the mantel, the whole time." The narrator droned on in a rather soothing tone, each sentence punctuated by a photograph of Jem, Jerrica, and the band members themselves. "Using an unnamed body double to give the illusion they were different people, Jerrica kept her secret identity from the entire world…and from very close friends."

"I was shocked." Video's face filled the screen. She'd worn her dark blonde hair short for several years, but had recently started growing it out to her shoulders. Her deep blue eyes were fixed on the interviewer just off-camera, and her hands wrung a little in her lap. "I-It was really…even now it gives me chills. Never would I have expected such a revelation. I mean…I worked with Jerrica and Jem, and they seemed like two separate people."

"I think what was most shocking about this is that I knew both women personally." Lindsay Pierce was next. She was more punctual with her comments, her experience in front of the camera shining through, and her demeanor calm. Yellow blonde hair hung long and in a loose, stylish ponytail, but her blue eyes showed nothing but finesse and professionalism. "I'd spoken with both, I interviewed both. I can honestly say that I suspected nothing. They…rather, Jerrica herself was a completely different person as Jem."

The scene changed to show a live Jem and the Holograms concert from 1987, but Lindsay's voice carried over the footage. "It's hard to even imagine that such a secret could be kept, when we have so much technology on our hands today. If Jerrica had tried this now, I can't imagine that she would've yielded the same successful results. But she lived in the performance…we all did."

"Ah-HA! I knew you would be watching it!"

Jerrica looked up from her computer screen. She narrowed her blue eyes at the intruder, though a smile was on her lips. "Zoie, what have I told you about knocking before entering?"

"Ah, ah, don't change the subject." Zoie Pacheco waggled a finger at Jerrica as she stepped further into the office, her light blue eyes shining mischievously. "You've been saying all week that this documentary wasn't worth your time, but here you are! Watching it in the comfort of your office!"

Jerrica sighed softly, rubbing a hand through her short blonde hair. "Don't condescend your mother like that, young lady."

Zoie raised a dark eyebrow at her slightly, but said nothing. She could point out that she was seventeen years old and was by no means a 'young lady', but she didn't. She turned away from Jerrica, folding her arms over her chest as she watched the television.

"—proved to be costly," the narrator continued. "Fans were outraged. Friends and family-like individuals were outraged. Not even Jerrica Benton could predict the complete backlash of her revelation."

"Who does she think she is?" it was an archived street interview with a fan from back in 1990. Tears were spilling down her cheeks. "I loved Jem and I've been her fan for years! Now it's out that it's all been some GAME by Starlight Music?"

"If she's so desperate to sell records, why not just make music yourself?" another snapped. "Why deceive the entire world into loving you with some hokey-pokey disguise?"

"I'll never buy a Starlight album again! NEVER!"

"Of the entire backlash, none hit Jerrica as fiercely as it did at home." An old photograph of Jerrica and Rio was shown, in junction with a photograph of Jem and Rio. "Jerrica's longtime boyfriend, Rio Pacheco, with whom she carried on an affair with as Jem, met his final straw in Jerrica and called to an end their longtime relationship."

"What most people need to understand is that Jerrica knowingly carried on a relationship with Rio as Jem." The interviewee was some hack music historian, looking at the off-camera interviewer very intensely. "When Jem first "arrived" on the scene, you can clearly see in photos that Rio had no interest in her. It was Jem who initiated contact with Rio, and it was Jem who encouraged a relationship with Rio. If Jerrica hadn't made her move on Rio as Jem, he might've never noticed her."

"What does he know?" fumed Zoie in disgust. She looked at Jerrica. "Do you even know this guy, Mom?"

"No." Jerrica's voice was coolly calm as she turned back to her computer.

"Single, lost, and a company crumbling under the strain of the scandal she created, Jerrica Benton herself was ready to crumble under the pressure."

"Oh, this is too depressing!" Zoie snatched the remote from Jerrica's desk and snapped the television off. "Why not just cut to the chase and reveal that Dad and you got back together a year later, and NOBODY crumbled!"

"Because that's the cliffhanger before a commercial break, sweetheart."

Zoie shook her head, tucking dark purple strands of shoulder-length hair behind her ears. "Maybe. I guess you don't need to see it when you lived it, huh Mom?"

"Hmm." Jerrica finished up her report and hit save. "All right, I'm done. Is there anything you need, Zoie?"

"Actually, I'm running an errand for Dad." Zoie took a seat on the edge of the desk. "The reunion's in two days and he wanted to make sure you're ready for it."

Jerrica had called forth a massive reunion of all her friends. She'd invited everyone to this party, including business associates and all of the former Starlight Girls. Much to her pleasure and surprise, everyone she'd invited had R.S.V.P.'d the event. "I'm ready for it. I wouldn't have brought this party together if I wasn't." Still, Jerrica shuffled her papers awkwardly as she said these words.

Zoie pretended not to notice this. "There's going to be a lot of people there, including Lindsay and Video. You aren't mad at them about the documentary, are you?"

"How could I be when I was the one who encouraged them to give the interviews?"

"Hmm, that's true. Everyone's going to ask if you're reuniting the Holograms. After all, look what these documentaries did for the Misfits and the Stingers."

Both bands, which had been fierce rivals of the Holograms, regained recognition with the release of their respective documentaries, and both bands had reformed in the wake of their newfound popularity. "It's a possibility, but you know I'm not one for traveling anymore. I mean, the Misfits have only been back together a few months and they're already on their world tour."

"They were in Paris last week," said Zoie wistfully. She looked up at the ceiling. "Imagine going to Paris…"

"You were in Paris last month modeling Shana's clothes," pointed out Jerrica.

"That's true. And I guess I don't need to see your documentary when we know what happened with your band mates. Shana—married Anthony Julian and opened her own fashion company. Aja—married Craig Philips and became senior vice president for Starlight Music."

"After touring Europe with him for two years," Jerrica added good-naturedly.

"Raya—married Luis Geraldo, and jointly heads a charity foundation in Mexico in addition to being your executive promoter. Aunt Kimber—"

"Let's not go there with Kimber," interrupted Jerrica. "I lived through enough of her antics to not need a reminder."

"…Married Sean Harrison and is your chief music coordinator," Zoie finished playfully. "Aunt Kimber isn't too bad."

"Sweetheart, Kimber went through boyfriends on a whim and nearly got married on a whim. Why do you think she was the last of us to settle down?"

But Zoie simply shrugged. "Wasn't she just fresh out of high school when you formed the Holograms?"

"Speaking of high school," said Jerrica, looking at her daughter intently. "I seem to recall that you still have a twenty-minute presentation to work on for your sociology class."

Zoie scoffed, but she hopped off Jerrica's desk. "I don't why I bother finishing high school anyways. I already have a job—"

"Modeling for Shana won't hold up forever. You always need something to fall back on, Zoie."

"Like a high school diploma? But all right, Mom." She gave her mother a playful glare. "I don't ever see you ragging on Michel like this."

You have no idea, thought Jerrica wryly. "Let me worry about your brother, Zoie."

Zoie waved a hand and started to leave the office. At the door though, she spun around on her heel. "I forgot to tell you I have a date for the reunion."

"Oh, really?" Jerrica looked up. "Did one of the boys at your school ask you? Or did Esteban?"

She was referring to Raya and Luis's oldest son, who was the same age as Zoie. But Zoie shook her head. "No, Esteban's into Amber. I met my guy while I was in Paris. You'll like him, he's nice."

"In Paris?" Jerrica leaned her chin into her palm. "What's his name?"

"Raoul Llewelyn. He's flying in late tomorrow night."

"I look forward to meeting him. Now, go work on your presentation."

"Yes, Mother." Zoie coyly slipped out of the office.

Jerrica turned back to her computer, ready to envelope herself in work for just one more hour. Then, she froze. "…Llewelyn?"

She jumped up from the desk and ran for the door. "ZOIE!"

Zoie was just down the hall, stepping into the elevator. Jerrica didn't feel it necessary to chase her. "Zoie! Raoul…did you say his name was Llewelyn?"

Zoie turned to face her in the elevator, smiling brightly. "Yeah, Mom. Llewelyn…as in Riot's son."

Jerrica was still gaping in horror even after the elevator doors closed.

---

"Winning is everything! Winning is everything! It isn't how you play the game!"

Jerrica stilled as she stepped into the house, hearing that song being belted out from the living room. Cory's playing Rock Band again… she tried not to roll her eyes as she took off her jacket.

"Hard day, Jerrica?" Lela rushed over to take Jerrica's jacket from her.

Jerrica managed a smile and shook her head. "Not really. I'm glad to be home."

"Is the music bothering you? I can tell Cory—"

"No, no, I'm not going to police the girls. As long as they don't cause trouble, I'm okay with their activities." Lela had been a Starlight Girl back when Jem and the Holograms first formed, though now she was the housekeeper for the mansion. She had seen firsthand the antics of the Misfits. That Cory was bellowing out a Misfits song was bothersome, but Jerrica dealt with it.

She walked over to stand in the doorway of the living room. All nine of the current Starlight Girls were huddled in there. Cory monopolized the television with Rock Band, with Mikayla and Addison on plastic guitars and Teddi beating on the drums. Johanna, Elly, and Zea were sitting in a circle on the floor together making fashion sketches. And at the nearby table Porsha and Gayle had a laptop opened and it sounded like they were watching a music video. They were all between the ages of six and fourteen, with Addison being the oldest and Zea the youngest of them.

Handling all of them, including her own children, proved to be challenging. It still amazed Jerrica how she could make time for them all, especially since she had twelve girls to take care of at the height of her career.

"I don't know if you've heard," said Lela, coming to stand beside Jerrica. "But Ba Nee will be coming for the reunion. She's bringing her husband and daughter, too."

"Oh, that's wonderful!" cried Jerrica, even as she felt a slight headache from the latter part of Lela's statement. Husband. Ba Nee's married? And has a child? But of course Ba Nee would be married. Krissie was married, and so were Deirdre and Ashley and most of the former Starlight Girls. But every time Jerrica pictured Ba Nee, she always thought of the eight-year-old who'd needed an eye operation and desperately missed her father.

Time sure has passed.

"Ack!"

Even though Jerrica was momentarily lost in thought, her outburst alerted the attention of Cory and the others. Now the thirteen-year-old looked horrified to be caught singing a Misfits song.

"I-I'm sorry, Jerrica!" she spurted out. She grabbed the game controller and tried to exit out of the song. "I-I shouldn't have picked that song!"

"It's quite all right, Cory." Jerrica waved a dismissive hand. "I don't care what songs you sing, just as long as they don't have swear words in them."

"O-Okay." Cory still looked embarrassed though as Mikayla and her looked through the menu for a new song.

"Jerrica!" Zea jumped up and ran over to her, shining eyes relaying her six year age. "I designed a new dress! Isn't it pretty?"

"Oh, it's very pretty!" the dress was all the colors of the rainbow and the skirt looked gigantic, but Jerrica positively smiled at it. "I'll show this to Shana sometime!"

"Oh, really? Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome." Jerrica gaze lifted towards the back of the living room. She hadn't noticed one more person seated on a purple bean bag. Michel.

Her nineteen-year-old son was faced away from the girls but his dark-blonde head was bent over his laptop, typing furiously on it. He didn't even notice the commotion around him; headphones were fitted over his ears. His glasses had slipped down his nose and he was still in his work-suit. It was hard to tell if he'd just gotten home or not.

"Have the girls eaten dinner?" Jerrica asked Lela, though her eyes were on Michel.

"It's almost time," said Lela. "I'll let everyone know when it's ready. Oh, and I forgot to tell you but Rio came home a little while ago."

"Thank you, Lela." But Jerrica's eyes were on her son. She left the doorway and entered the room, smiling at each of the girls. They all seemed to understand what she was doing though and didn't interrupt her trek over to Michel. He was still typing away and didn't notice her approach.

Jerrica calmly pushed the headphones away from one ear. "Hello, Michel."

"Hi, Mom." Michel's dark eyes glanced at her briefly before looking back at his screen. "I just have to finish this report and I'll be all set."

"You're already further ahead in your work than a few veterans at Starlight. I wouldn't worry about your progress." Music was Michel's dream, but not on a vocal level. He wanted to compose and produce music, and he wanted to do it for Starlight Music. Jerrica's heart always swelled with pride over him, knowing that when she retired she could honestly leave her company in his hands. Still, she couldn't award exceptions to him. Michel was still just a high-school graduate and in undergrad school. He would certainly have to earn his place in Starlight Music. But considering he was currently managing five musicians in Starlight Music, he certainly had enough credibility.

And speaking of which…"There was something I wanted to talk to you about though," she said.

Michel pulled the headphones off completely and looked at Jerrica fully. "About what?"

"I thought it was agreed upon that Dinah's next single would be 'Love Me Tomorrow, Tonight' and not 'Ready to Go'."

"Uh-huh." Michel suddenly turned back to his laptop.

"So why did Raya send me promotional information this morning for 'Ready to Go'?"

"Dinah doesn't like 'Love Me Tomorrow, Tonight'," said Michel simply. "She rewrote the chorus and I agreed the new lyrics flowed better. We're still redoing the song and it's not ready, so we thought 'Ready to Go' would fit the bill."

"And when were you planning on telling me, you boss, about this?" demanded Jerrica.

Michel shrugged unapologetically. "You would've shot the idea down, Mom."

"No, I wouldn't have! I would've listened to you two if you came to me honestly! Oh…" Jerrica shook her head in exasperation and planted her hands on her hips. "You both are only so lucky that Dinah happens to be Shana's daughter, and you happen to be my son! I wouldn't tolerate this otherwise!"

"Dinah's your biggest rising star," countered Michel. "You wouldn't fire her anyways. It's not really her fault, though. She has a natural talent for singing." He sighed quietly. "Her voice just sucks you in. You almost don't hear the music that accompanies it. Is it any wonder her previous two singles went straight to number one?"

Jerrica couldn't deny the talent that Dinah Julian possessed. Nineteen-years-old and already a strong asset to Starlight Music. Jerrica was incredibly proud of her for it, and both Anthony and Shana were also proud of her for it. She was one of Michel's five talents that he managed, but the two were currently carrying on a relationship that was less than professional. Though Jerrica was happy in Michel's taste in women—especially since the woman was the daughter of one of her closest friends—she also felt Michel was incredibly biased in how he handled Dinah.

But there was little she could do about it, especially if the song they argued over truly wasn't done. She threw her hands up in the air. "Fine, Michel. We'll put out 'Ready to Go' since the other song isn't done. But 'Ready to Go' had better reach number one or there'll be repercussions!"

Michel smiled at Jerrica. He looked every bit like his father in that moment. "It will, Mom." He slid the headphones back over his ears, but looked at Jerrica briefly again. "Is it true that Zoie's dating the—"

"I'm not discussing this," said Jerrica. She kissed Michel on the head and turned to leave. "I'm going to lie down for a little bit until dinner."

"Manipulation, is the name of the game! Manipulation, makes other games look tame! The goal is control of your SOUL!"

And Cory chose that moment to play a Stingers song. Michel pointedly turned the volume on his headphones higher and Jerrica left the room with a loud 'huff'. She suddenly felt more tired than ever.

As if I don't have enough stress as it is! Work, this reunion…and now my own children are undermining me!

Jerrica could hear Zoie talking loudly from her room, and she knew her daughter wasn't rehearsing her final presentation. She didn't want to get into an argument and simply walked into her bedroom.

"—minds games, mind games! Twistin' your head outta shape! We like to play mind games, mind games, mind games! There's no way to escape!"

"Is there an echo in here?" she announced loudly. She rubbed her head as she approached the bed. Rio was sitting straight up, holding the remote in his hand. The television in front of their bed showed a Stinger's live concert, and Riot was singing 'Mind Games'. Jerrica calmed down a little, and willed herself not to fall under the influence of that seductive voice as she sat down beside Rio. "I take it you heard the news?"

"This is from their concert in Frankfurt yesterday," said Rio tersely. "Raoul plays bass for them."

"Wait, this is new?" now Jerrica couldn't help but look at the television. Riot's singing voice hadn't changed much since the eighties. For that matter, his appeal hadn't changed at all either. He had aged, that was certain, and his blonde hair wasn't as long as it use to be. But he still looked good…and Jerrica looked away once more.

Rio glanced at her briefly, but he said nothing. For his part he still looked very handsome for his age, too, even though his age had started to show in recent years. But Michel and him were often confused for being brothers, which amused Jerrica somewhat. But despite the love triangle…mess that had existed between the three of them (through Jem mostly), Jerrica had chosen Rio, as Rio had chosen Jerrica.

It was credit to his age, and his relationship with Jerrica that his trust issues were not so strong anymore…although they were still there.

"Do you think Zoie will really bring Raoul to the reunion?" she looked at the television once more, just in time to see the boy in question appear briefly on screen. She gasped loudly. "My GOD!"

Raoul wasn't just Riot's spitting image. At eighteen he looked positively perfect. His blonde hair was much shorter than his father's, but it fell into his face and seemed to 'swoosh' around his head anyways. Girls and boys seemed to scream over him as he ripped out a solo on his bass. Onstage he seemed to accept the attention quietly, though he gave a slight smile…and Jerrica's heart skipped a few beats. "Oh, Rio…Zoie can't date him! A guy like that will engulf her!"

"I think it's too late to stop him though," said Rio. "He's on a plane coming here and will be here tomorrow night."

"Oh…" Jerrica fell back against the bed. "He's flying here straight after the concert?" her worry dimmed a little, but not by much. "Then we must accommodate him. It'd be rude to turn him out after traveling so far…"

"We'll just have to keep an eye on them." Rio turned off the television and stretched out beside Jerrica. "At least we only have Zoie to worry about. Dinah's a good girl and she won't get into trouble much with Michel."

"Much," sighed Jerrica. "They went behind my back and pushed through a song I didn't approve of! But, you're right. If that's all I have to worry about from those two, then it should be fine." Her hand entwined with his and she stared at the ceiling. "Maybe…it won't be so bad?"

"…Really?" asked Rip unconvincingly.

"Well…yeah. I mean, Raoul must be exhausted from his European tour, and yet he hopped on a plane not long after his concert to come here and be with Zoie. Maybe…maybe we're worrying over nothing."

Rio was silent for a long time before he spoke again. "I think you forgot one important thing, Jerrica."

"What?"

"Raoul isn't just Riot's son. He's Rapture's son as well."

Jerrica lay very still for a moment. She suddenly sprung from the bed and ran for the room. "I have to talk to Synergy!"

"Will we still invite him then?" asked Rio.

"Of course! B-But…oh, let me look into it!" Jerrica left the bedroom and ran back down the stairs. Despite her apprehension, she felt a twinge of pride. She'd told Rio about Synergy when she told him the truth. When they reconciled, she introduced him to Synergy. She was surprised and pleased to see them get along very well. Even now, years later, she felt glad she told him the truth.

"Like a dream—I'll appear to you! Like a dream—That is coming true! Like a dream—I will lead you to a place you've never seen before!"

Jem and the Holograms, but it sounded like Gayle was singing. She must've kicked Cory off the television, Jerrica thought amusingly.

Jerrica walked down the short hall to where Synergy's secret room was. Even though Rio knew of her now, as did Michel and Zoie, Jerrica still kept the holographic machine secret from the Starlight Girls and the rest of the world. "I need to talk to you, Synergy."

"I am here to help," answered Synergy. Even after all these years, Synergy's voice had a soothing effect on Jerrica. She stood in front of the massive machine and watched as that familiar face appeared on the screen. It was the face of her dead mother, but on a physical level Synergy hadn't changed much in appearance since the eighties. Jerrica knew she could update the software and modernize Synergy's look, but seeing the eighties style reflected in the computer always gave Jerrica a warm feeling of nostalgia. It reminded her of when she would stand in front of Synergy with her fellow band mates, with big eighties hair and eighties style.

Those were fun times, but that's over and done with, she reminded herself. Taking a deep breath, she addressed Synergy. "Do you know of Riot's son Raoul?"

"Rory Llewelyn, aka Riot, lead singer of the Stingers," said Synergy. Her tone had an odd note of humor to it. "Raoul Llewelyn, the only child of Riot and Phoebe Ashe, aka Rapture."

Synergy suddenly projected a holographic image of Raoul right in front of Jerrica. "Raoul has inherited his parents' musical abilities. He can play thirteen different instruments, and won a college scholarship last year for sheet music he composed. Currently he plays with the Stingers as part of their European tour."

The Raoul-hologram winked at Jerrica. She looked at Synergy warily. "What about his personality?"

"Riot and Rapture have an uncanny ability to draw people to them and to manipulate people into doing their bidding. This you have witnessed firsthand, Jerrica."

"I have," she said dryly, trying not to think of the compromising positions she was caught in with Riot. "But has Raoul inherited this ability from them?"

"Judging from recent concert footage," said Synergy. "It would be sufficient to say that this is correct."

Jerrica groaned, and rubbed her hand over her face. "And my daughter is caught up in him! Synergy, have you seen enough of Raoul that I could gage an honest answer from his hologram?"

"I have followed the Stingers since the band regrouped," said Synergy. "I am certain this hologram will create an honest answer based on Raoul's personality."

That's what I'm afraid of. Jerrica jabbed a finger at the Raoul-hologram. "What do you intend to do with Zoie?"

The Raoul-hologram smiled at her. "Zoie is a very beautiful and charming girl. I would like to have fun with her, and if she proves to be useful to me, I might pursue a relationship with her. Although, I can't guarantee it will be long-term, especially since she is still very much a child."

"You—!" Jerrica punched at the hologram, but her fist passed through the transparent face. The Raoul-hologram looked highly amused by it. "Synergy, get rid of it!"

The hologram abruptly disappeared. "There is a chance that Raoul feels differently about Zoie," Synergy tried to reassure her. "Having not met him personally, his response was created based upon his public conduct, and a combination of Riot and Rapture's personalities."

Jerrica shook her head in despair. "I don't want him to hurt her. I appreciate he's flying half-way around the world to come to my party and to see her, but Riot also went to extremes to get what he wants. If he…" she clenched her fists at her sides.

"If Raoul were to take advantage of Zoie in any way, there is little doubt Rio and Michel wouldn't leave it alone," said Synergy. "And you certainly wouldn't allow it."

"Of course not! I just wish that girl would have a little more sense! She's more and more like Kimber everyday!"

"But at least Zoie hasn't gotten married on impulse yet."

"Don't speak so loud, or she might get ideas." Jerrica stroked the side of the panel. "But thank you, Synergy. Anything could happen with these two. I guess I'll just have to have an open mind about it."

"Speaking of Zoie," said Synergy suddenly. "She visited me before you came home. She spoke of wanting me to help her with her sociology presentation."

"That won't happen, and don't help her with it. She dug this hole for herself; she needs to dig herself out of it."

Jerrica parted with Synergy a few moments later, and tried to take deep calming breaths. There was no real guarantee that Raoul was exactly like his parents. And maybe he would take Zoie seriously, considering she was Jerrica's daughter?

"I can't guarantee it will be long-term, especially since she is still very much a child."

"I need to stop thinking about this," she complained aloud, rubbing her temples. "Oh, just let me focus on the party…"

"My life is a garbage heap! My life's full of choking cats! Since you left, my world's like BROKEN GLASS!"

Now Teddi was singing. Jerrica paused in the hallway and craned her head as she dropped her hands to her sides. "The Limp Lizards are on Rock Band?"

---

Jerrica's former band mates began converging upon the mansion by the following afternoon. She was busy making all of the necessary preparations for the party hall. There were going to be at least two hundred people attending the reunion, and so it was necessary for everything to be in order.

"Jerrica!" Rio knocked on her office door. "Shana's arrived with her family!"

"I'm coming!" she finished her phone call and quickly left the office to go downstairs. Shana and Anthony were in the entryway, greeting the Starlight Girls and setting aside their things. Jerrica was pleased to see that a lot of the tension that had always plagued Shana had eased considerably through the years, even with three children to take care of. Jerrica didn't immediately see Dinah, but as she reached the first floor she spied the girl hugging Michel and talking to him excitedly. They'd spoke yesterday, and yet the couple acted as though they hadn't seen each other for awhile.

I guess being in love does that to you. "Shana!" Jerrica threw her arms around her longtime friend. "Oh, it's so good to see you!"

"It's good to see you too!" Shana positively beamed at Jerrica, and looked at Anthony briefly. "I've been looking forward to this for the longest time!"

"I've been meaning to thank you," said Anthony, reaching out to shake Jerrica's hand. "For signing Dinah. She's having an absolute blast singing. And Michel…" he laughed a little. "He's working really hard to make her succeed!"

Jerrica didn't bother telling them of the trouble both Michel and Dinah were causing her and smiled in return. "Dinah's a beautiful singer, and she's proving to be a valuable asset to Starlight Music." She craned her head around. "Where are the other little ones?"

The words were no sooner out of her mouth when she spied Maureen and Anton, Shana and Anthony's other two children. Dinah and Maureen had inherited most of Shana's looks, including her lavender hair, but Dinah's hair was stylized in a bob-cut style, while Maureen's was longer and crimped. Maureen was their middle child at fifteen, and she was talking excitedly with Zoie. Jerrica heard Raoul's name very blatantly in their conversation and Maureen shrieked. Both girls grabbed each other's hands and hopped up and down screaming. Both Maureen and Zoie worked as teen models for Shana's company, though Maureen was starting to lean more towards designing rather than modeling. But they got along very well, as their mothers had.

Anton was seated on a bench in the entryway, looking bored by all the girls milling about. He was fourteen and definitely looked like his father, and he was very keen on Anthony's talent of video and filmmaking. Jerrica almost never saw him without his handheld camcorder, and he seemed to be recording everything around him. He idly recorded each of the Starlight Girls who walked by him, but his camera panned on and remained fixed on Addison for an extended period of time, and it only left her when she rounded the corner and disappeared out of sight. Jerrica smiled at this, but quickly looked away before Anton caught her looking at him.

"Are we the first to arrive?" Shana asked. But behind her through the open front door, another car pulled up.

"Kana!" cried Zoie. Both Maureen and her immediately ran outside.

"Well!" said Shana, smiling at Jerrica. "Aja's arrived, too."

Aja and Craig's firstborn was the first out of the car, her shoulder-length blue hair pulled into a ponytail. Seventeen-year-old Kana Philips threw her arms around Zoie and Maureen, and all of them started talking very excitedly. Another whoop of screams emitted from the girls, and Jerrica knew Zoie had just talked about Raoul again.

Aja and Craig quickly emerged from the car, and Aja ran over to Jerrica, her arms outstretched. "Jerrica! Shana!"

The three enveloped each other in a group hug similar to the one their daughters had just shared. "It's so great to see you guys!" said Jerrica. She pulled back to look at Aja. "How is everything?"

To her surprise, Aja winced slightly. "Kana's fine; she got a gig to appear in five episodes of Watchers—"

"That's wonderful! Congratulations!" Jerrica hugged Aja again. Kana's aspiration had always been acting, and Watchers was one of the most popular soap operas in America. It would definitely get the exposure she needed.

"Why look so glum then?" asked Shana. She craned her head around. "Hey, where's Liam?"

"He's still in the car." Craig holstered his guitar over his shoulder. He smiled at the women, but his expression was strained. "He's still angry with us."

"Angry?" Jerrica looked towards the car. Sure enough, Liam was still sitting in the backseat, appearing to be texting someone on his cell phone. The sixteen-year-old boy didn't even look at them. "What happened?"

"We got into an argument this morning," said Aja, her voice full of embarrassment. "And he hasn't spoken to us since."

"But didn't he want to come to the reunion?" asked Rio. It would seem odd for Liam to want to be left out of the festivities. Like Dinah, he was a musician for Starlight Music, although he was the bass player for an alternative rock band, Nescient. Raya's son Esteban played the drums in the band and two other boys from school, Jerome and Bryson, for guitar and vocals respectively. To this day Jerrica wondered why they chose a word that was a variant for "ignorant" for their band name, but the boys has said the word sounded "cool".

"Of course he did," Aja said finally. "Our concern is whom he's chosen as his date for the reunion."

Jerrica had a terrible sinking feeling about this…along with some déjà vu. "Don't tell me…"

"Delphina Stone," said Craig. "He invited Pizzazz's daughter to the party!"

Jerrica felt a very strong headache come on and rubbed at her forehead. "…Pizzazz's daughter?"

"It's as bad as you think it is! Pizzazz has spoiled that girl rotten! She's rude and completely selfish! Fifteen years old and she acts like she's five!" Craig huffed in disgust. "And Terry doesn't do much better parenting her!"

Jerrica would've thought Pizzazz learned from experience when it came to how her own father raised her. Harvey Gabor overindulged Pizzazz to the way extreme, so he would never have to deal with her. Couldn't she have done better with her own daughter?

"Don't talk about Delphi like that!"

Liam finally emerged from the car and was glaring at his parents. "You said I could invite anyone and that's what I did!"

"We didn't expect you to invite that little monster!" snapped Craig.

"I told you not to talk about her like that! Delphi only treats you like that because you don't like her mother! Aunt Mary'll tell you she's great! And if you keep treating her this way, then I'll encourage her behavior!" with that said, Liam stormed past everyone and into the house.

Jerrica watched him leave. "He seems to feel strongly about her."

"I don't want my son associating with trash like that! I mean, look what those succubus's did to my sister!" Craig gave another huff and rubbed his forehead as though he were in pain. "At least Mary can raise her son right! Those other women…they all had daughters and they all act like their mothers!"

Jerrica hadn't been quite so sure of how to take to Craig when she found out he was the older brother of Mary Philips, aka Stormer of the Misfits. She knew he was talented musically, considering he was a finalist in their contest to find the newest Hologram, but it'd felt odd to her that he'd never disclosed such an important aspect of his life to them.

Of course, the fact that he despised the Misfits for how they treated Stormer, and the fact that he'd been blackmailed into doing their bidding at the risk of Stomer's career, helped all of them to forgive his secrets.

"Delphina definitely didn't make the best impression with us," said Aja, smiling a little. "But compared to Pizzazz, the girl's very tame."

"I can imagine though a combination of the Misfits daughters can induce headaches," joked Rio.

Craig only groaned. "Would it be all right if I jam a little while I'm here? This whole mess is tiring me."

Jerrica smiled a little. "We got Rock Band for the girls. Try playing that."

---

By the time Raya and Luis arrived a few hours later with their children, the Starlight Mansion was a kaleidoscope of sound and music.

"Go, go, go—finish the game! Go, go, go—you'll never be the same! Rolling on a speeding track—life will take off! And I'm READY TO GO!"

Dinah had inherited Shana's kind nature, but after the sixth time of singing "Ready to Go" throughout the mansion, Jerrica had a sinking feeling the girl wanted to make a point with her. Most of the girls sat around and gossiped together loudly, while the younger ones took advantage of the available television to play Rock Band, with Craig beating the drums. All of it reminded Jerrica of the massive parties that the mansion harbored, and of the celebrities who would visit for a few days.

Well, it's a reunion. Of course you're going to be nostalgic.

"Am I the last to arrive?" was the first thing Raya asked as she swept through the doors. She gave Jerrica a hug and winced. "I lost some paperwork on a thumb drive and only found it an hour ago."

"You could've called one of us, we could've helped you," said Jerrica. She smiled briefly at Luis, who was writing in his digital assistant. "What was the paperwork about?"

"Laura's Greatest Hits album." Raya shook her head in apprehension. "There's no way I could've faced the girl if I'd lost her promotional information."

Laura Holloway-Cagen had been a temporary Starlight Girl when she was fourteen, and had proven herself to be an amazing idol singer for Starlight Music. Her greatest hits album highlighted five albums she released through her career, including four number-one hits. She'd taken a hiatus from music to focus on her newborn baby. "Well, you found it so all is well."

"But man, new technology has my head spinning! I'm losing thumb drives all over the place! Oh, why did floppy discs have to become outdated? I never lost one of those!"

"Don't worry, I lose them too. But you have to keep backups on computers, Raya."

"Everything's all set." Luis pocketed his digital assistant and walked over. "Excavation's running on schedule."

"Another ruin?" asked Jerrica, knowing of Luis's archeological work in Mexico.

"We believe it might be an Aztec sacrificial alter. But never mind that, is everyone else here?"

"Kimber called almost an hour ago. She's flying in with Sean and the girls and won't be here 'till tonight." Jerrica led them into the quickly overcrowding living room. "We're going to the airport anyway to pick up Raoul, so we might catch her there."

"Raoul? As in Riot's son?" asked Raya. Her children had already gotten settled in before the parents. Esteban quickly met up with Liam and the two seemed to be talking over some song lyrics. At least Liam didn't look so miserable anymore. But it was Raya's thirteen-year-old daughter who caught Jerrica's attention. Rebekah quickly joined with the other girls excitedly. Her hair color was a few shades darker than Raya's pale pink, but it was a good identifier of her parentage. And Jerrica didn't miss the book tucked under Rebekah's arm; highlights of worldwide archeological excavations. Unlike Esteban, Rebekah's interests followed her father's work, and she didn't seem inclined towards music at all. Raya had mentioned she had a beautiful voice, but Rebekah always refused to sing for them.

Oh well. She will if she wants to. "Yes," Jerrica said finally. "It's the same Raoul."

Raya laughed a little. "Well…Zoie is your daughter, Jerrica. She has a good head on her shoulders."

"I sure hope so. I've never met Raoul, but Synergy seems to think he's too similar to his parents."

Raya stopped laughing. "Then…maybe this isn't a good idea…"

Jerrica had a feeling it wasn't. But she saw how happy the whole thing made Zoie, and so she couldn't really say anything. I just hope she doesn't get hurt…

"But you will be there to mind her broken heart if something does happen," said Synergy.

This was also true. But Jerrica didn't know which thought scared her more.

The whole day went by too quickly. All of them were now so busy with their own separate lives that it wasn't very often they could get together and just talk and have fun. It reminded Jerrica of the old days, because they all had lived together in that big house and they all always talked together.

It once again made Jerrica wistful. It would be a lie to say that she didn't miss those days. There were times when she sat up in her office at Starlight Music and envisioned herself on stage once more, surrounded by her dearest friends and her precious fans.

No. Those days are over with. I have a family now, and company responsibilities. I am Jerrica Benton-Pacheco. I'm not Jem anymore.

But she was still having fun, and she didn't notice the time go by. It was only when she saw Zoie and the other girls getting ready to go out that she looked at the clock. It was almost nine o'clock at night!

"Kimber's flying in!" she burst out, jumping to her feet. "Quick, we have to get to the airport!"

"Raoul's flying in, too," said Zoie smugly. "We're meeting them all, right?"

Jerrica tried not to roll her eyes. "Of course we are."

"Then why don't we all go together?" asked Shana.

So all of them piled into their respective cars and drove out to LAX. As excited as she was, Jerrica found it very unlikely that security would allow all of them through. Still, she was very excited about all of it.

What she didn't expect though, was the reaction they received once they walked through the doors.

"The HOLOGRAMS!"

She jumped in alarm, and looked over her shoulder. All around them she could see heads turning, and faces lighting up. She grabbed for Rio's arm and made sure that Michel and Zoie were standing close to her, even as her children seemed amused by the sudden scrutiny.

"Oh, my God!"

"Is it a reunion?"

"Where's Kimber?"

"Hey, that's Dinah!"

"And Nescient? Are they putting on a concert?"

"Are they filming a movie?"

"This is awesome!"

Because of the potential chaos permeating the check-in area, security thankfully hurried all of them through to meet Kimber's family and Raoul. However, this only brought more attention to their party.

"This wasn't such a good idea, was it?" Jerrica asked Rio amusedly.

"Nah," said Rio. "It just brings back a few memories."

Jerrica didn't really mind the attention, but she didn't like all the pictures being taken, or the kids following them with video cameras and cell phones to record their simple walk to the designated gates.

"Kimber should be landing any minute, right?" asked Aja. She looked at her watch. "And then Raoul's just a half-hour later?"

"With any luck," said Jerrica dryly.

Thankfully, fans started leaving them alone when they arrived at Kimber's gate. And not a moment too soon because then the door swung open and the first-class passengers spilled out into the airport.

"JERRICA!" screamed Kimber. Despite being on a plane from England for several hours, the younger Benton sister mustered the energy to run straight at her older sister and throw her arms around her. "Oh, it's so great to see you!"

"It's great to see you too!" They all went through another round of greetings as Sean slowly came up to them. But Jerrica quickly looked for the couple's fifteen-year-old twins, Amber and Selene. They were fraternal twins, with Selene having Kimber's dark red hair and Amber having Sean's hair color. Both were making quite a splash in Europe with solo singing careers, each with a different genre of music; Amber sang standard pop while Selene was into industrial tech music. Unsurprisingly the two ran right over to Zoie, who excitedly told the news of Raoul, to yet another bout of screaming.

"Looks like the party's arrived already," said Sean bemusedly, shaking his head. "How many people are attending again?"

"Over two hundred," said Jerrica. "We had to rent the biggest party hall in the city."

"HO my God!" cried Zoie suddenly, looking at her watch. "Raoul's going to land any minute! Will you guys come with me?"

Amber gave a toss of her dark hair. "Of course we will! We can't miss seeing Raoul Llewelyn of all people arriving!"

"I want to see if he's really your boyfriend!" said Selene. Both girls spoke with an interesting combination of British and American accents.

"I'd rather sit down and catch my breath for the moment," said Kimber, taking a seat at the terminal. "We still have a lot to do, and I don't even want to think about jet-lag…"

"Jet-lag? You?" teased Jerrica. "I've seen you hop off planes after thirteen hour flights as though you'd just hopped out of bed!"

Kimber waved a hand. "Just give me a minute and I might muster that up."

"We'll follow shortly," said Sean, taking a seat beside his wife. "For what it's worth, you'll definitely make Raoul more welcome with such a welcoming party!"

Most of the girls had already run off to Raoul's gate. Jerrica quickly noticed that Amber hung back a little to walk alongside Esteban. Zoie did mention that they were "into" each other, and it pleased Jerrica to see her niece in a relationship with the son of her band mate. The rest of them took their time though to follow the more hyperactive girls.

"—not a good idea."

She caught the tail-end of Michel's sentence and glanced at her son out of the corner of her eye. But he was to Dinah, and not to her.

"Raoul seems like a nice guy," said Dinah, linking her arm in his. "He's very courteous to reporters in interviews, and he always signs autographs to fans, even if he's sitting in a restaurant eating."

"But his dad was the biggest playboy in the world back when the Stingers first broke through to mainstream. Raoul doesn't have the same amount of fame his parents do yet, but I don't doubt he's just as "popular"."

"But Riot managed to settle down, didn't he?"

"Yeah…after his band disbanded. But look at who he shacked up with? Mom." Michel finally glanced at Jerrica. "Didn't Rapture try to con some old woman out of money by pretending to be Houdini? For that matter, didn't she con a whole town in Greece out of money by pretending to be a fortune teller?"

"Where did you hear these stories?" she wondered aloud.

Michel shrugged. "Dad told me."

Rio gave him a look before he forced a smile at Jerrica. "I told him plenty of "horror stories" about the Misfits, too."

"But I don't want anyone mentioning these stories while Raoul is here. He's come a long way and we're going to make him feel welcome!"

"You have no worries from us," assured Aja. "We wouldn't do anything to ruin Zoie's fun."

They reached the gate in time for the first-class passengers to unload. Zoie was hopping up and down where she stood, and the other girls seemed to hum with excitement.

Then…Raoul emerged from the gate, bass strapped to his back. It didn't seem like the long flight had fazed him in any way. Jerrica was taken aback a little by the charm he held just by standing there and not even saying anything.

Despite her earlier enthusiasm, Zoie looked incredibly meek to see him. Amber and Selene had to shove her towards Raoul in order for her to address him. "H-Hi!"

"Hello," he said easily enough. He smiled slightly, and all of the girls gasped. Jerrica could've sworn that Dinah gasped too, and she saw Michel shift slightly with annoyance. "I hope I haven't arrived too late in the evening…"

"Nonsense, you're just in time!" Zoie hesitantly took hold of his hand. "Thank you so much for coming out here!"

"It's my pleasure," said Raoul.

"Say," said Kana suddenly. "Who're they?"

Jerrica looked beyond Raoul and saw two teenagers standing near the gate. Both of them had blonde hair, but it was the girl that particular that caught her attention. She had a very strange allure about her that was unexpected for her young age.

A sinking feeling consumed Jerrica. Wait a minute…

"Allow me to introduce," said Raoul. He waved the teenagers over. "This is Christoph and Therese. They're my friends, but more so Minx is their mom. Since neither of our parents could come to the reunion, I invited them with me."

Zoie looked disappointed by the extra guests, but forced a smile. "I'm glad to have you guys here!"

Therese gave Zoie a measuring look tossed aside her hair. "…Thanks."

Yes, that's definitely Minx's daughter. But this seemed so odd to Jerrica. It didn't seem like Zoie knew these two were coming. So why did Raoul keep this information from them?

"It's two extra kids," Rio hissed to her. "But it should be okay."

Jerrica forced a smile. "I hope so…"

The kids were trying to mingle with Raoul, Christoph, and Therese, but there wasn't much success. Raoul was very engaging, particularly with Zoie, but the other two were surprisingly anti-social. Therese treated the whole situation like it was a waste of time, and didn't talk very much. Christoph didn't even talk at all, even though Kana seemed to have taken an immediate interest in him. When she offered her hand for a handshake he visibly stepped away from her, as if avoiding any physical contact whatsoever.

"On second thought…" Rio trailed off.

"Ah." Raoul was suddenly looking at Jerrica. He hurried over to her and shook her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Jerrica Benton."

"Pacheco," corrected Rio.

"My father's mentioned so much about you," said Raoul, pointedly ignoring Rio. "And Zoie talks about you all the time. I feel like I know you already!"

"T-Thanks," Jerrica stammered, looking towards Rio. She found it odd that Riot would talk about an old flame to his own child, but she shrugged it off. "Well, you're all welcome at the Starlight Mansion as long as you need to be."

"Do you have a hot tub?" Therese asked bluntly.

Jerrica stared at her blankly. "Um…we have one in the pool…"

Therese seemed genuinely pleased for the first time. "Cool…"

"This will certainly be a…interesting party tomorrow," said Shana.

"…Yes," said Jerrica, though she still felt uneasy. She didn't understand why Raoul didn't mention his friends at all to them, but Zoie seemed more happy with Raoul just being there than upset about the extra guests.

---

Jerrica got no sleep that night. In between the noise the girls created and her own anxiety over the reunion, it was an incredibly restless night. And it didn't help that she had to lay down the law on Zoie to stay specifically in her own bedroom that night.

But, it was all fun. The day went by so quickly, and the Starlight Mansion became flooded with people like it once did. Jerrica couldn't stop smiling the whole day.

"We have a package from Moravia," announced Rio, carefully setting the box on the dining room table.

"Oh, is it from her Majesty herself?" asked Jerrica.

"Wait, let me see!" cried Kimber. She rushed over and inspected the box. "Yes, yes, look! It has the royal seal on it!"

"Looks like you have a lot of fond memories of Moravia, Kimber," teased Shana.

Kimber huffed. "Hardly. I spent most of that trip locked up in some tower!"

"Well, it didn't help matters that you were a dead ringer for the crowned princess," said Jerrica. She opened the package and carefully pulled out a music box that appeared to be made from glass. "Oh!"

"That's beautiful!" gasped Aja. "I wonder if that's from the Queen's own collection?"

Raya picked up a note from the box. "She even wrote a personal note!"

Jerrica took the note and quickly read it. She knew sending the invitation to Queen Adriana had been a long shot, as she had her country's needs to attend first and foremost before a party. But, she was nice enough to send an apology letter and a gift in her place.

Most of the guest would be arriving at the party hall, and Jerrica would see them there. But the people who'd been closest to them showed up at the house first. It was an absolute delight to see the Starlight Girls of all the generations show up, even as it felt strange to Jerrica to see them as adult women. Lela converged upon all of her old friends, and introduced her husband to them. Jerrica knew she could save the introductions for the party itself, but she was very particular about seeing these girls right then. Especially since she helped raise them.

"Jerrica!" Ashley immediately rushed over to her. Jerrica had visions of a thirteen-year-old tomboy as the adult version of her grabbed her hands. "Oh, it's been so long! You look wonderful!"

"Thank you, Ashley. You look wonderful, too." Despite her tomboy past, Ashley was dressed very fashionably. It helped that she was one of Shana's chief designers in her company.

"Have you met my husband? Oh, and you've met my daughter Valerie, right?"

Jerrica tried not to laugh. Despite Ashley's assertiveness that they hadn't seen each other in a long time, she saw more of Ashley than most of the other girls thanks to her job. And of course she'd met Valerie; the little ten-year-old looked every bit like a young Ashley, including the tomboy style.

As she made her way through the girls, Jerrica quickly came upon Krissie, who quickly enveloped her in a hug. "It's been years, Jerrica!" This was a true statement, mostly because Krissie was constantly on the road touring with her husband.

And speaking of her husband…"Congratulations on a successful album, Dominic," she greeted him.

Dominic Lerner puffed out his chest, but not in a completely arrogant way. "It's my eighth album, so it's no big."

"It might be your eighth, but it's only your third to go straight to number one," pointed out Krissie, but she had a smile on her face.

"Did you bring your son?" asked Jerrica. She quickly saw the ten-year-old looking at all the people around him. She noticed his gaze found Gayle and it remained fixated upon her for several moments. "Hello, Sonny."

Sonny jumped, and looked embarrassed by being caught staring. "H-Hello."

"Mom should be at the party later," said Dominic, oblivious to what just happened.. "She's making an appearance at that children's hospital that just opened. She might want to sing at the party, too."

"I definitely look forward to it," said Jerrica, straightening up. "And you can tell Lena that the hall has a stage that she can definitely sing on." She couldn't help but admire Lena Lerner's tenacity to keep touring even after having such an illustrious career spanning from the sixties until now.

She continued to say hello to each of the girls, and greet their children. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Laura with Raya. "—thanks again for handling my greatest hits album," finished Laura. Her newborn daughter was chewing on strands of her brown hair, and her older daughter clung to her leg.

Raya looked very embarrassed, but she laughed. "Anytime, Laura."

As Jerrica scanned the happy faces around her, she immediately noticed an omission. She found Aja quickly. "Has Ba Nee arrived yet?"

Aja looked around as well. "I…haven't seen her. But she said she was coming, didn't she?"

"Yes, Lela relayed the message to me." Jerrica had been hoping to see Ba Nee before the party started. Her father Martin had been very good about bringing Ba Nee around to visit them when the girl was younger, but contact with Ba Nee became scarce once the girl decided to go to college in Vietnam. But that was just how life worked, and Jerrica was just too happy to be able to see her now.

She hoped.

The children were lapping up all the attention, too. Zoie kept jumping between talking with the girls and talking with Raoul. Raoul didn't ever seem to say much; just quietly taking in his surroundings whenever Zoie ran off, and listening attentively whenever she was near. Michel was off in his own corner with Dinah, the two of them whispering together like a pair of lovebirds. It warmed Jerrica's heart, even as she wished the two of them would take their respective jobs seriously and act more like adults. She noticed though that Maureen was constantly looking out the window, and that Anton seemed to exclusively be filming Addison now without the other girl noticing.

Liam was constantly on his cell phone. If he wasn't talking to Delphina he was texting her. Kana was trying and failing to engage Christoph in conversation, and he was ignoring her. Therese was equally stoic, though Jerrica noted that the girl had enjoyed the hot tub last night. She was also noticing that Amber was glued to Esteban's side; her arm was linked rather tightly with his. Selene was calmly talking with the other Starlight Girls, though a few of the original Girls' children ran over to get her autograph. And Rebekah was seated on the couch flipping through her book.

Jerrica noticed that the tide changed slightly when the remaining members of Nescient made a surprise visit. The girls started screaming, and Maureen stopped looking out the window. She quickly ran over to Jerome and gave him a hug. The mansion now seemed like the center of the party, overrun with people. But Jerrica didn't mind. She took some enjoyment in seeing the children running around together. As Jerome and Bryson went into the living room, she saw Rebekah freeze when she saw Bryson. Jerrica smiled a little at this, even as Bryson walked past Rebekah without really looking at her.

Rio made his way over to Jerrica. "I think," he began, "That we might need to move out to the party hall soon before this place gets stampeded upon."

Jerrica laughed loudly. "These walls have seen plenty of people pass through. But, you're right."

---

It was time. The reunion that Jerrica heavily anticipated was starting.

Outside of the hall was swamped with people. Reporters and fans were held back by velvet rope, screaming and cheering at all the people who showed up, whether they were celebrities or not. Jerrica arrived alone with Rio, because Michel and Zoie had wanted to make 'dramatic' entrances with their respective dates.

Jerrica couldn't help but be a little worried though when they arrived. Even though twenty years had passed since the breakup of the band, and Starlight Music was as popular as ever, she had unpleasant flashbacks of the backlash of her revelation of being Jem. She saw the cheering fans outside the car. How would they take to her?

"Jerrica." Rio took hold of her hand. He smiled at her. "Everything will be all right. Just you see."

She forced a smile at him and nodded. "Well, let's go then."

They exited the car. People erupted all around them in loud screams and cheers. Jerrica held onto her smile as thousands of flashbulbs went off. Fans started chanting, "Jem! Jem!" and nobody was booing or jeering. A few people even chanted Rio's name. It definitely forced away her worry as they headed into the party hall.

They were amongst the first arrivals, but the other members of the band beat her to the punch. As she scanned the faces of her friends, something caught her eye and made her stop dead in her tracks.

"What kind of food is this?"

Delphina Stone had her arm around Liam's waist as she surveyed the massive buffet line. She was Pizzazz's spitting image, including having dark green hair that was surprisingly poofy. But it wasn't Delphina that startled Jerrica, but the entourage alongside her. Standing beside the couple at the line were most noticeably Roxy and Jetta's daughters, Kylie and Simone respectively. Both of them looked very much like their mothers, and both looked equally unimpressed with the food. Jerrica quickly looked for Holden Bean, and she found Stormer's son thankfully standing far away from the girls. Selene seemed to be engaging him in friendly conversation, and he was smiling shyly.

Rio noticed all of this too, and frowned in disapproval. "Why are they here?"

"Rio—" began Jerrica.

"No, no, something fishy is going on Jerrica! We knew Delphina was going to be here, but the rest of the Misfits' kids?" he gave her a suspicious glance. "This isn't some coincidence, especially since Minx's kids came here as a surprise too."

Jerrica knew he was right. It was very odd for all the children of the Misfits and the Stingers to show up out of the blue. But they were there now, and they would have to accommodate them. "They—"

"Jerrica Pacheco!"

Both Jerrica and Rio jumped at this voice. Jerrica snapped a smile on as Eric Raymond sauntered over to them. He had an arm around his wife, and his two sons were trailing behind. "Hello, Eric."

"Thank you for inviting me to this reunion!" he held onto a smile, but it did seem a bit slimy. Then again, Eric Raymond was never known for sincerity. "And I wanted to thank you once again for letting bygones be bygones."

"It's hardly bygones be bygones when your scheming almost killed Jerrica and the others," pointed out Rio.

"But that's in the past," Jerrica cut in quickly. "Thank you for coming. And congratulations on the renewed success of the Misfits."

"Yes, regrouping them has been profitable for Raymond Music," said Eric rather haughtily. "But then again, my company has always managed to flourish."

Jerrica bit her lip to prevent a retort. It was undeniable, though, that his company didn't suffer when hair metal went out of fashion. After changing the name of his company from Stingers Music, after the aforementioned band disbanded, Raymond Music exploded in popularity in the nineties when Eric signed several grunge and alternative rock bands that instantly made it big. Though Starlight Music recovered, Eric's label continued to be her biggest competition.

"But never mind that," said Eric, apparently finished with his gloating. "You've met my wife Jerrica, but have I introduced my sons?"

Jerrica was glad for the change of subject. "I believe I've met E.J., but—"

"We've met," said Eric Jr, otherwise known as E.J. As Michel was with Jerrica, the twenty-year-old was following closely in his parents' footsteps with the company. "Hello, again."

"Hello." Jerrica focused on Eric's younger son. "And you—"

"Malcolm Raymond." He shook Jerrica's hand. "A pleasure to meet you." she couldn't help but notice he had a twinge of arrogance in his voice, very much like his older brother and father. As she pulled away from the handshake, she quickly noticed Therese standing with her brother. She was looking at Malcolm's back with mild interest. Well, at least she didn't look bored anymore, although Jerrica felt a little dread at recognizing Minx's predatory stare in her daughter.

"Jerrica!"

"Excuse me," Jerrica said good-naturedly, very glad for the interruption. She followed the voice and immediately lit up. "Danse!" she ran over and threw her arms around her longtime friend. "Oh, I'm so happy to see you!"

"Likewise!" Danse pulled away and smiled at her. "You look wonderful!"

"Yes, you too!" Jerrica held onto her hand and smiled brightly. "Are Stefan and Serge here?"

"Of course." No sooner did Danse say this did Stefan walk up, sliding an arm around his wife's slim waist. "Oh, we've had a blast, Jerrica! Did you see the reviews for Hallowed Walls? It brought in so much funding for my children's home!"

Hallowed Walls was an off-Broadway production that Danse and Stefan both choreographed that was picking up tons of steam on the East Coast. It helped that both were exceptionally talented dancers, a trait they readily passed onto their teenage son Serge, who'd just received a place in the Las Vegas unit of Cirque du Soleil.

"Serge is so happy," gushed Danse, nodding her head in the direction of a tall blonde-haired boy nearby. "Not only did he get into the troupe he wanted, but he's so in love, too!"

"In love?" Jerrica gave Serge a closer look and did indeed see a teenage girl on his arm. She looked very fashionably dressed, and she wore her brunette hair stylized to a European scarf-hat. Within seconds she recognized the girl, and further recognized her parents who were standing nearby with the other Holograms.

"Countess!" she rushed over to Danielle Sands. The former French Countess was standing with her husband and longtime movie director Howards Sands. Jerrica gave both of them a hug. "How wonderful to see you!"

"It is a pleasure, Jerrica!" laughed Danielle, kissing her on each cheek.

Jerrica turned to the girl at Serge's arm. "You must be Adella, right? You might not remember me—"

But Adella Sands shook her head. "Thank you for sending me a birthday present." She spoke with a light French accent.

"Oh, you're welcome. And Serge." She shook the boy's hand. "Congratulations on your job."

"Thank you," he said sincerely.

"Jerrica, you've met Peter haven't you?" asked Howard, introducing his oldest child. Adella looked very much like her father, but Peter inherited his mother's good looks, including her blonde hair.

"Oh, I remember you!" said Jerrica. "Your short film was nominated for a Spirit Award! That's quite an honor!"

"Thanks," said Peter, smiling at her. He handed Jerrica a business card. "I was thinking of doing a documentary about Jem and the Holograms. If you would—"

"You still have a film to finish for college, don't you?" asked Howard. He was smiling proudly, though. "It's still hard to believe Peter graduated high school at sixteen. Just a year later and he's already in film school!"

"That's incredible!" she shook his hand again. "Best of luck to you!"

Once the party really took off, it was hard to keep track of people. Guests from all over the world showed up for the reunion, many of whom Jerrica hadn't seen in over twenty years. China, Hawaii, Greece, Mexico and just from all over. Astral dazzled the children with a few parlor tricks. Regine Césaire shyly stood out, though many people were praising the beautiful she wore, and happened to design. Ellen-Sue Tanner was telling a large audience a story about another successful charity she pulled off. Elzer Marcus quietly engaged the other party-goers, whilst praising the popularity of the KJEM radio station even in the digital age.

The celebrities milling around also lightened Jerrica's heart, especially with how sincere they'd always been to her. Of course, the highlight of it was when Lena Lerner showed up and hijacked the stage away from Nescient, who'd been playing a set for the partiers. Bryson apparently very bluntly told her to get off the stage, and she tossed him off the stage like a sack of rice. The other members of the band quickly hurried off, and Lena broke out into song, much to the amusement of everyone.

"Wow, this party is an amazing hit!" Lindsay Pierce hurried over to Jerrica and gave her a hug. "Thank you for inviting me!"

"Of course, Lindsay!" said Jerrica. "Why wouldn't I?"

Lindsay looked a little uncomfortable. "Well, I'd thought you'd be angry at me about Then and Now—"

"But I told you and Video to do it, didn't I? What right would I have to be mad?"

Lindsay rubbed at her forehead with the back of her hand and forced a smile. "Thank you, Jerrica. I guess I'm a nervous wreck as it is from my end…"

"Is everything okay at your station?" Lindsay was now one of the heads of the channel she'd been the vee-jay for, but from Jerrica's understanding Lindsay kept butting heads with executives and other suits over the channel's content.

Sure enough…"I wish it could be better, to be honest. I mean, we're supposed to be a music channel. Back when I was on TV we played music videos nonstop. Now I'm lucky if they devote two hours to music videos. All we show are hollowed reality shows with a bunch of idiots looking to get rich and famous quick." Lindsay sighed heavily and forced a smile. "But that's not something you have to worry about."

Jerrica laughed a little. "I guess I'm lucky we never had to compete with reality dating shows."

"I swear I'm doing everything in my power to get this trash off the channel. Even if I must take over the company in a coup, I'll turn my channel back into a music channel!"

"Good luck to you." Jerrica left her alone and looked for her children. She saw Michel and Dinah dancing to Lena's improv performance, and Zoie was still proudly hanging off of Raoul's arm. Raoul still didn't look like he was saying much, but he'd captivated every woman standing within fifteen feet of him, no matter what the ages were. She also caught sight of Video, but the other woman was filming the party very intently, and Jerrica didn't want to interrupt her at the moment.

"Jerrica."

At this simple voice, Jerrica's heart skipped a beat. She quickly turned around and came face-to-face with a very beautiful Vietnamese women. "…Ba Nee?"

Ba Nee smiled brightly at her. "It's been a long time."

"Oh, Ba Nee!" Jerrica crushed the other woman in a tight hug. Tears leapt into her eyes but she blinked them away. "Oh, it's so wonderful to see you! Let me take a look at you!" she pulled back and looked her over. "You look terrific!" she hugged her once again. "How are you?"

"Oh, I'm doing great. I'm sorry I haven't been in contact—"

"Nonsense, don't worry about it." Jerrica noticed the Vietnamese man at Ba Nee's side. "Is this your husband?"

"Yes, let me introduce you. This is Sinh, my husband. We met while we were in college."

Sinh bowed slightly. "Ba Nee's told me so much about you, Jerrica Benton. It's truly a pleasure."

"And…" Ba Nee reached behind her and slowly brought a little girl forward. "This is Hien, our daughter."

Jerrica sucked in a breath. Hien looked like a miniature Ba Nee. She even had Ba Nee's shy smile. "Chào bạn!" she greeted in Vietnamese.

Jerrica held onto her smile and touched Ba Nee on the shoulder. "All of you enjoy yourselves. The Starlight Mansion is also open to you, as always. Go greet the Starlight Girls. They all miss you so much, Ba Nee."

"Wow," was all Rio could say when Jerrica found him. "This is one amazing party, Jerrica!" he pulled her close and gave her a kiss. "You really pulled it off."

"Thank you." Jerrica took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I never would've anticipated this turnout. Or how well this all went!"

"Oh, I hear you. In between having Eric Raymond here and all the Misfits children, I thought it would blow up."

Jerrica looked over at the girls. They were no longer complaining about the food or about the party itself, but they were definitely acting odd. They were crowded together whispering amongst themselves. It almost seemed like they were plotting something. At least Christoph seemed to be finally engaging Kana, and Therese was speaking to Malcolm.

But…something definitely seemed odd. "Ri—"

Suddenly, all the lights went out. Conversations ceased and everyone began voicing confusion. Jerrica grabbed Rio's hand and scanned the darkness. "Michel! Zoie!" her cries were drowned out in the confusion.

The lights abruptly came back on, and Jerrica heaved out a sigh of relief. Nobody had panicked in such a crowded room and so there wasn't a sudden stampede.

"HEY!"

Jerrica jumped at this shout, and her heart sank. "Oh no…"

Heads turned and looked straight up at the overhead balcony. Pizzazz was standing on top of the rail, her hands on her hips. She was surveying the party with extreme boredom. On both sides of her stood her fellow Misfits, Roxy, Jetta, and Stormer.

"Well, well, well!" shouted Pizzazz. "This is Jerrica Benton's little party? More like a snooze fest!"

"Hi, Mom!" yelled Delphina, waving to her mother.

"What took you guys so long?" demanded Kylie.

"Yeah, we're bloody bored!" shouted Simone.

"Oh, dammit!' fumed Rio, slapping a hand over his face. "I knew those brats were here for ulterior motives!"

"What are you doing, Pizzazz?" Jerrica shouted up to her. "You did have an invitation to this party!"

"Huh!" Pizzazz gave a toss of her hair. "Excuse me if we have better things to do! You know, like dazzle the world with our sound! You must understand this too! After all, Jem, your music is surprisingly popular again and yet you're still hiding behind your corporate desk!"

Jerrica bristled. "I happen to be very busy, Pizzazz, and I don't have time to—"

"You're scared!" shouted Roxy. "You know we're going to beat you like we ALWAYS do! That's why you won't reunite with your pathetic Holograms! Isn't that right, Stormer?"

"R-Right!" said Stormer, ever trying to look tough.

Jerrica glared in Eric's direction, but the man was hiding his face in his hands in open embarrassment. He didn't seem to know about this.

"Hey Jerrica!" Pizzazz shouted down to her. "Why don't I refresh your memory on why we're the best? After all, our concert sales and download power proves only that the Winner Takes All!"

"Winner Takes All". Jerrica cringed a little outwardly. It was the Misfits latest single, and the top selling one with Raymond Music. And she knew to throw their weight around the Misfits would surely sing it.

She wasn't disappointed.

"Shot! Out of the pan like a spark igniting the sky! Crisp! Burning the bridges as we accelerate for the sky!"

To Jerrica's growing horror, the Misfits descended upon the party with the same violent flare they used to ruin every other party Jerrica held in the past. Tussling carefully stylized hair, stealing drinks, and tripping waiters, the four wasted no time leaving a mark. And it didn't help to see Delphina, Kylie, and Simone quickly joining their mothers. Holden at least had the grace to look incredibly embarrassed.

"Winner takes all—and we want it all! Everythin' that you need is ours for the taking! Winner takes all—is all to achieve! No one can stop us! No one can take us! We're back on the ride and we can't be beat!"

"Stop it right now!" cried Kimber. She tried to grab Roxy's arm, but the singer jumped out of reach. "This is crazy! Just STOP IT!"

They weren't stopping, of course. The Misfits and their children continued to wreck havoc on the party hall, whilst singing their horrible song.

Jerrica grasped for her earring. "Synergy! I need your help!"

"I will drive these women away," said Synergy.

Her earring suddenly began to vibrate. The air itself seemed to vibrate. It was as though an electronic pulse reverberated the party hall, but most of the attendees didn't even notice. Then, the pulse struck Pizzazz. She cried out and clamped her hands over her ears, and quickly fell to her knees. The other Misfits quickly crumbled as well. Jerrica was horrified to see this same pulse of energy affecting their daughters, but she trusted in Synergy. This was surely harmless.

"I have merely altered their state of equilibrium with a vibrating sound," Synergy assured her. "I have concentrated the sounds onto them so that no one else can hear or be affected by it."

Moments later, the vibrating energy abruptly ceased. Liam had run over to check on Delphina, and Holden and Craig were checking on Stormer. Various party-goers checked each of the Misfits and their daughters to make sure they were all right, despite the chaos they'd created.

"You seem to have quite a mess on your hands."

Jerrica stiffened, and she felt a chill go up her spine. She quickly spun around, even as Rio ran over to her. Inwardly, she couldn't have been very surprised by it, but it was truly shocking.

"It's been a long time, Jerrica Benton," greeted Riot, giving her a slight salute. "Or rather, Jerrica Pacheco. I would've preferred to see…Jem, but you are certainly a sight for sore eyes."

Rapture and Minx flanked him on both sides, though Rapture was standing obviously closer to him. Christoph and Therese sauntered over to their mother's side, and Jerrica saw Raoul walking slowly forward from the door behind the Stingers. He had to have been the one to let them in.

"What is the meaning of this?" Rio snapped angrily. He glared at the Misfits, and glared at Riot. "Why have you ruined Jerrica's reunion party?"

"Oh, we did?" Minx gave a playful toss of her hair and winked at Rio. "But I thought Jerrica sent us invitations."

"I-I did," said Jerrica numbly. "But…but you guys—"

"Were on tour, I know," said Riot. He smiled invitingly at Jerrica. "Are you disappointed we came? I always thought we had a good relationship. All three of us." He chuckled to himself.

"Riot," said Rapture, though she was smiling. "We came here for a reason, didn't we?"

"Of course we did." He smiled at her and turned back to Jerrica. "We couldn't help but want to share in the appreciation of your hard work, Jerrica. After all, it does appear to be a thing of the past."

Jerrica's temper suddenly flared very quickly. It didn't help when Pizzazz ran over to her.

"You're not so tough!" she shouted, jabbing a finger at Jerrica. "If you were, then you would be back in the mix making music! But you're so afraid of failure and you're afraid of facing your fans after all the lies you've told! You know you'll never capture the hearts of millions again! And you'll never, EVER beat us!"

Jerrica gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. Rio put a hand on her arm, but that wasn't enough.

"You think I'm a failure?" shouted Jerrica. "You think I'll never be as successful as I once was! Well, why don't we see that for ourselves, huh? Why don't we truly see if I have what it takes before you jump to conclusions? Maybe what we'd truly see is that Jem and the Holograms have ALWAYS been BETTER than you!"

Silence followed her outburst. The Misfits stared at Jerrica in silence, as did the Stingers.

Then…Pizzazz let out a violent cheer.

"We did it!" cried Roxy.

"Jem and the Holograms are back!" cheered Stormer.

"We finally have our competition back!" said Jetta.

Jerrica gaped at them. "What?"

Riot calmly clapped his hands. "What a beginning, isn't it? After twenty years, Jem and the Holograms are back together."

"W-We are?" asked Shana.

The party hall erupted in cheers. Patrons hugged various members of the band and congratulated them on their comeback. The ladies in question looked stunned beyond belief. That is, except for Kimber, who immediately began screaming. "We're back! We're BACK! We're making music again! This is outrageous!"

"W-W-Wait a minute—" said Jerrica, stunned.

"Don't think we'll let up on you for a minute," teased Minx.

Pizzazz abruptly shook Jerrica's hand. "May the best woman win, eh?"

"So the band's back together?" asked Rio.

"I-I-I didn't—"

"Just promise not to try and kill us this time around!" laughed Aja. "I don't think I can handle that at my age!"

Before Jerrica could even think of a rebuttal, the Misfits and Stingers left the party hall, leaving excited chatter in their wake.

"Jerrica!" Video rushed over with her camera ready. "Jem and the Holograms are back! How does that make you feel?"

"Uh…" Jerrica floundered for several long minutes. "C-Confused…"

"You JERK!"

A loud smack echoed loudly in the party hall. Jerrica started, and looked over her shoulder. Zoie was standing in front of Raoul, hugging her hand to her chest. Raoul had his head turned slightly, and his cheek was red. Zoie had smacked him in the face.

Jerrica bristled at her behavior and started towards her. "Zo—"

Rio grabbed her arm, stopping her in her tracks. "Hold on, Jerrica."

"But—"

"I can't believe it!" cried Zoie. Her blue eyes were filled with tears…and betrayal. "I thought you liked me! I thought you wanted to be my boyfriend! But you…" she closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. "You were only using me! You only came to my mother's party with me to SABOTAGE it!"

The anger faded and Jerrica's heart ached with pain for her daughter. She hadn't thought of that scenario. Zoie had been so proud of being Raoul to the party, and she had a feeling her daughter genuinely had feelings for Raoul. Now that it'd seemed apparent that Raoul was helping his parents' band, it had to hurt Zoie terribly.

The party hall had fallen completely silent, except for Zoie's ragged breathing. Raoul slowly reached up to nurse his smarting cheek with his hand before he looked at her fully.

"What you've said…is the truth," he said slowly. "I did agree to go with you to help my parents. But I—"

"Oh, I hate you!" screamed Zoie. Her hands clenched into fists and they trembled, but she didn't hit him again. "I never want to see you again!"

Zoie turned and ran straight out of the party hall. Jerrica didn't know where she was going, considering they lived twenty minutes away from here. All around the area the other girls broke from their dates to quickly follow Zoie.

"I…guess the party's over," said Aja.

Jerrica groaned, and collapsed into a chair. "I should've known it would end like this…"

It was so hard to say goodbye to her lifelong friends, especially since the reunion turned out to be so sour. But everyone left in very high spirits, and seemingly not bothering by the disruptive interruptions.

After all, Jem and the Holograms had reunited.

She made sure to hug and kiss everyone goodbye, even as she carried a heavy heart. The last person she saw was Ba Nee and her family. Little Hien ran over and hugged Jerrica around the waist. It reminded her so much of how Ba Nee was at that same age that she almost felt tears come to her eyes.

"We'll try to visit you guys a lot more often," said Ba Nee, gently pulling her daughter away. "Hien made quite a few friends with the Starlight Girls."

"You're welcome anytime, as always," said Jerrica, forcing a smile. Everything seemed too surreal to her.

Everyone retreated back to the Starlight Mansion in silence. Jerrica knew that Zoie had to be so upset, and she wanted to do everything she could to make her daughter feel better. She could tell that Zoie had real feelings for Raoul, so this betrayal had to hurt so much.

Jerrica could hear Zoie sobbing from her bedroom right from the entryway. Rio and Michel said nothing, knowing that Jerrica could handle consoling her daughter's broken heart.

"—easy, Zoie." Jerrica stopped on the top step when she caught Dinah's voice coming from Zoie's room. "Don't let it get to you."

"I feel like an idiot!" wailed Zoie. Jerrica approached the partially ajar door and peered inside. "I LOOK like an idiot too!"

Zoie was curled up face down on the bed. Dinah and Selene were sitting beside her, and Selene was rubbing her back. The rest of the girls, including all of the Starlight Girls, were scattered around the room.

"You don't look stupid," said Amber, though she paced the room awkwardly. "It wasn't like his intentions were obvious. He seemed interested in you to me."

"Maybe it's not as bad as you think," said Kana, sitting on the bed bench. "Raoul could've just invaded the party like the Misfits and Stingers did. But he didn't. Maybe he does like you, Zoie?"

"He doesn't like me! He used me! He used my feelings for him and made it all a game!" Zoie's hands curled into fists into the covers. "I never want to see him again! He lied to me and I HATE LIARS!"

She sounds like Rio, thought Jerrica, shaking her head. There was little doubt Zoie inherited this attribute from her father. And if Rio was any indicator of the reaction of deception, Zoie wouldn't forgive Raoul for a long time.

Still, Jerrica slowly moved away from the door. Zoie was inconsolable at the moment, but she was surrounded by a legion of friends who all loved her and wanted the best of her. She could see the fear and apprehension in the faces of the younger Starlight Girls for Zoie, and how upset they were at her grief.

It reminded Jerrica of herself, and how when times were tough that all she could rely for a shoulder to lean on were her closest friends…and Synergy.

She'll be all right. Jerrica sighed and walked past the door to her own bedroom. It was hard to gage what Raoul had been thinking. Kana did have a point in that he went to an unnecessary amount of trouble to aid his parents. Maybe he had sincere intentions for Zoie? But…that didn't matter. Her daughter had a broken heart, and Jerrica herself knew she had to focus on the task at hand.

Jem and the Holograms were officially back together. As exciting as it was to her, she didn't quite know how to make of it.

---

Two months later…

"How'd we do?" asked Esteban, though he was still trying to catch his breath. As were the other members of Nescient. Jerome collapsed into a chair still holding his guitar, and Bryson was chugging down a whole bottle of water. Liam looked the most composed, even as he flipped out his phone and started dialing—most likely to call Delphina.

Raya gave her son a quick hug, even though he was sweaty. "How'd you do? You were absolutely wonderful! Just listen to the fans!"

They were all the way back in one of the waiting rooms of the stadium and they could hear the fans cheering all the way from there. Working three songs as one of the opening acts, Nescient certainly put on a show.

"They're certainly ready," said Dinah, still fanning herself. She'd been the first opening act of the night and had equally rocked the place. It helped that "Ready to Go" had reached number one, and was still there after seven weeks. Now the blood was pumping and everyone was ready…and impatient.

"Then it's time," said Aja. She looked at the other Holograms in the room. "Are we ready?"

"I think so," said Shana, pressing a hand over her heart. "It's been a long time since I've performed. I hope I'm not rusty."

"This is going to be outrageous!" cried Kimber. She looked at the partially open door on the other side of the room. "Jerrica! Is Jem ready?"

Jerrica's fingers were curled around the bathroom sink and she forced herself to take several deep breaths. It's time…It's time.

She looked at her reflection and at the nervousness in her eyes. But behind her anxiety…she also saw excitement. She hadn't performed as Jem—or at all for that matter—in twenty years. And now…now they had a stadium packed full of fans, old and new. She'd seen the fans as they'd come in. Many had been dressed to suit the scorching heat, but several were dressed as though they'd stepped out of 1985. Big hair, glamour glittery makeup, and weird clothing styles. It brought back a lot of memories for her, but they'd all been good.

She raised a trembling hand and fingered her earring. "Are you ready?" she asked. Even as Synergy still looked the same, she'd modified the style of Jem to suit the modern audience and style. She hoped it would turn out okay.

"I am ready if you are, Jerrica," Synergy told her.

Jerrica smiled, and felt butterflies in her stomach. "Then…it's showtime, Synergy!"

Her image in the mirror fluttered and morphed right before her eyes. Seconds later, she was decked out in a stylish rock outfit to suit the warm weather and the style. But she knew this person more than anything. The pink hair was no longer permed and poofy, but it was definitely her.

Jem was back.

She left the bathroom and was taken off-guard by the cheers that met her from her band mates. Kimber and Aja hugged her and everyone came close to greet her. Jerrica realized it was a wonderful feeling to be standing there.

"Jem?" Bryson jumped to his feet. The usually stoic teenager suddenly ran over to her. "Oh my God, it is you! You're my idol! Can I get an autograph?"

Jerrica stared at him blankly. She'd thought the whole world knew about her, but it seemed this boy was oblivious. She caught Raya fighting back laughter out of the corner of her eye and she smiled blithely. Raya's humor was mostly in part to the fact that her ever-serious daughter Rebekah had an ever-serious crush on Bryson, even though both Bryson and Esteban didn't know about it.

But Jerrica decided to humor the boy. "Of course I'll give you an autograph."

The door leading into the hallway suddenly swung open. "Dad's wondering if you guys are ready."

"Zoie!" cried Jerrica when she saw her. "I thought I told you to change!"

Zoie was dressed in head to toe in black. A very thick black dress with long sleeves. But she shrugged disinterestedly. "For the zillionth time, Mom, I'm in mourning. I'll never love again, and I want everyone to know that."

"Zoie, this is Nevada in the middle of August! Do you want to get heatstroke?"

"I don't care," she said stubbornly. "This is the choice I made, and I want HIM to know it!"

Jerrica slapped a hand against her forehead. This was Zoie's response to the humiliation she suffered at Raoul's hands. She swore off love forever and began to dress in black all the time. The only times she wore colors was to wear Shana's fashions. Though Jerrica was thankful that this turn allowed Zoie to actually finish her Sociology class and scrape by with a B-, she knew this wasn't a wise choice for her daughter.

"She won't listen," said Michel, moving over to slide an arm around Dinah's waist. "And it doesn't seem to matter that Raoul is in Europe and can't see what you're doing to yourself."

"Why don't you just SHUT UP?" snapped Zoie, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Zoie, change into something lighter," Jerrica cut in. "And I won't tell you again!"

Zoie waved a dismissive hand. "I'm fine."

"Jem, everything's good to go," said Rio as he came into the room. His brow raised when he caught sight of his daughter, but he focused on Jerrica. "You girls ready?"

Jerrica looked at her other four band mates. All of them were smiling. "I'd say we are. Let's give them a show they'll never forget!"

"Right!" cried Aja, pumping a fist into the air. "Jem and the Holograms are back! And our first show of our tour is sold out!"

"Outrageous!" exclaimed Kimber.

Bryson was looking at all of them in confusion. "Wait…if you're Zoie's Mom, then…Jem's my BOSS?"

Jerrica could hear the other members of Nescient laughing at him all the way down the hall as they headed towards the stage. Before they went on though, Rio quickly pulled her aside. He cupped her face in his hands and looked at her closely. "Jerrica, I want you to know no matter what we've been through in the past, I still love you. And when I look back on those times, even with all the…confusion, it was a lot of fun for me."

Tears stun her eyes and she leaned forward to kiss him. "You have no idea how good it feels to stand here as Jem and to have you call me Jerrica, and to love me as Jerrica!"

Rio hugged her tightly. "I can understand. And I'm proud to be a part of this with you. And I'm proud our children can share in this too."

"Me too." They shared one final kiss before she broke away. It was time to go onstage.

All of the Holograms huddled together in nervousness and excitement, hearing the excited buzz of the fans. "This is it," said Raya. "Are we ready?"

"Yes!" squealed Kimber. "Let's go out there and rock their socks off!"

"I keep expecting the Misfits to show up and ruin everything, as usual," joked Shana.

"Luckily they're in Miami for a concert and not here," laughed Aja.

They rushed onto the stage in one fell swoop. The girls took their positions at their respectively instruments as the fans screamed for them. Jerrica stepped in front of the mic, and the 'Jem' chants were almost deafening. Tears leapt into her eyes once more as she touched a hand to the microphone. It reminded her too much of their breakup, and the backlash they received. But all of that seemed to have faded. Now they were surrounded by people who loved them, who loved their music, and who brave the sweltering weather of the Nevada desert just to see them.

"Long time no see!" she greeted the fans. "I'm Jem, and these are the Holograms!' people continued to cheer. "Are you ready to rock?"

The fans screamed their approval, and Jerrica gave the signal to her band mates. She wanted to get the blood pumping and so they started the show with 'Too Close for Comfort'. "We're livin' real close to the edge, babe! Almost right on the brink! Judgment day's only moments away, Baby you know what I think? We're getting' too close, too close! We're livin' in a danger zone! Oh, whoa!"

Jerrica didn't quite know how to feel about the kids moshing very fiercely in front of her, but it felt good to see everyone on their feet enjoying the song.

She became lost in it all. It was such a wonderful feeling. Their second song was 'I Got My Eye on You', and she was relieved to see the mosh pit tone down considerably and everyone was just dancing normally. "You think you're hot and your star is due (ooh ooh)! You think you've got somethin' different and new! Well babe, I've got my eye on you! And babe, oh babe, I think so too!"

It was really turning into such a success. Jerrica barely noticed the heat or the exhaustion of playing. However, by the time they moved onto 'Like a Dream' the third song in their set, she noticed rapid movement from the side of the stage.

It was Rio. And he was signaling to her very frantically. It was too soon to take a break, but Jerrica knew Rio wouldn't interrupt the show unless it was an absolute emergency. It twisted Jerrica's insides into knots, but she forced herself to keep focused.

"Like a dream—life will be! Like a dream—Mmmm! Like a dream!"

Jerrica quickly signaled to her band mates to halt before they launched into 'Freedom', their fourth song. "Ladies and gentlemen, I've just been notified of a technical issue," she addressed the fans. "If you would give us fifteen minutes, we'll be right back after this is sorted out."

The fans were understandably upset, but thankfully many of them cheer for them as they ran off stage. "What's wrong?" asked Aja. "I thought everything sounded fine!"

"It's Rio," said Jerrica, and rushed over to him. She didn't like the fear in his face. "What's wrong?"

"Zoie's collapsed!" gasped Rio. "Heatstroke, just like we warned her! Paramedics are attending to her, but she was still unconscious when I left her!"

"Show me where she is!" cried Jerrica. She was consumed with panic and they all ran after Rio. She couldn't help but fear for the worst, especially with what Zoie had been wearing. You little fool! Oh, please be all right!

The Starlight Girls and all the band mates' children were crowed in a circle. Jerrica apologetically shoved them all aside. "Zoie! Is she all right? She—"

She stopped when she got to the front of the group. Zoie was lying on a stretcher, her eyes closed. She was soaked; it seemed they all tried to cool her down with water. Her heavy dress was gone, even if it meant she was lying there in a simple slip for everyone to see. She still seemed to be unconscious; the only indicator of her well-being was the puffs of air she made through the oxygen mask over her face.

And…kneeling beside her, holding her limp hand, was Raoul. Jerrica was completely taken off-guard by his presence, and more so by his demeanor. He was looking at Zoie, and his face was full of fear and worry. His free hand was rubbing her knuckles comfortingly, even though she wasn't awake.

Rio made his way to Jerrica and balked when he saw the boy. "Why are you here?" he bellowed out. He nearly stormed over to Raoul, but Jerrica quickly grabbed his arm. "Haven't you done enough damage? Look what you've driven my daughter to do!"

"Rio, that's enough!" snapped Jerrica.

"I told him to leave," said Michel sourly. "But he won't."

Raoul slowly looked at Jerrica and Rio. "I came here to speak to Zoie," he said quietly. "To…apologize."

"It's a little late, isn't it?" snapped Maureen.

Raoul shrugged. "I would rather do the explaining to Zoie. I feel terrible that she has done this to herself. None of you may believe me, but I didn't intend to hurt her."

Rio scoffed, but Jerrica still held onto him. She scanned the faces surrounding them and she didn't see Riot. She couldn't have imagined he allowed his son to enter what was possibly a hostile environment, but seeing him there alone didn't cause her to be angry. "Did you fly here all the way from Sicily? Isn't that where the Stingers are performing tonight?"

Raoul shrugged stiffly. "I knew I had to come here. Unfortunately, it meant my dad had to cancel the concert, though."

"Cancel?" cried Dinah. The other kids around them looked equally shocked.

Jerrica for her part was relieved he'd gone to this much trouble for Zoie, but… "While I'm sorry you put yourself to this trouble to get here, I must say that Zoie will probably not be happy to see you when she wakes up."

"No, she won't," said Raoul. "But I'm not leaving until I speak to her."

Zoie moaned, and shifted a little on the stretcher. Everyone began to converge forward to see her, but the paramedics shooed them away to give Zoie breathing space.

Jerrica still rushed to her daughter's side. "Zoie? Can you hear me?"

Zoie's eyes fluttered a few times before they opened partially. "W-Wha…"

"Heatstroke," said Jerrica. "You past out."

"I-I don't…" Zoie seemed very confused by it all. She raised a hand to her forehead and took in her surroundings. That was when she saw Raoul at her side.

And her reaction to his presence shocked everyone. "RAOUL!" she quickly sat up and grabbed the front of his shirt. She swooned slightly from the sudden movement but he held her steady. "You're here! You're really here! D-Did…you came to see me?"

"Yes," he answered awkwardly.

Zoie looked pleased beyond measure. "Oh…I'm so happy to see you! Were you worried about me?"

"Of course I was. I hurt you terribly and it's been weighing on my mind. I've wanted to apologize to you—"

"No, no, don't apologize!" Zoie leaned her head into his chest. "I'm just so glad you're here!"

It was as though the last two months of "mourning" and "I'll never love again!" had never happened. Jerrica tried very hard not to sigh in exasperation, although she could see that Rio and Michel were equally frustrated with Zoie's behavior. What can you expect? thought Jerrica. She's a teenager, after all.

"She seems to be fine now, but I think we should take her in for observation," said one of the paramedics. "Can someone…"

"I'll accompany her," said Michel, stepping forward. "And I'll fill out the necessary paperwork."

"I'll go too," said Raoul, still unfazed by the hostility around him.

"That isn't—" began Rio.

"Just be careful, all of you," Jerrica interrupted. She ignored the look Rio gave her as they started loading Zoie into the ambulance. She wouldn't let go of Raoul and hardly seemed to acknowledge her brother as he climbed in after them.

"Do you want me to go with you?" asked Dinah.

"Well, it's a little crowded in here, but you can meet us there," offered Michel. He obviously didn't forward to sharing the ambulance with Raoul.

Dinah nodded to this. "Right. I'll follow in my car."

"Kids," Rio huffed in disgust. "All I've had to hear about for months is what a liar Raoul is and how much Zoie hates liars!" he shook his head in disbelief. "That girl is just so crazy…"

"Well…she didn't necessarily inherit her hatred of liars out of nowhere," teased Jerrica. She caught movement behind the wall across the area and stood. "Can you excuse me for a moment?"

As the ambulance pulled away, Jerrica hurried over to the person waiting behind the wall. "Did you follow your son, Riot?"

"Of course I did." He shrugged as though nothing were out of the ordinary."Once he gets these fool notions in his head, he just follows through with them."

"Zoie really likes him. And I have a feeling he feels the same way."

"…Perhaps." Riot leaned against the wall and gave Jerrica a searching look. "He's extremely smart for his age, and he's inherited a lot from Phoebe and me. But of course, that might be to his advantage as well."

"As in…?"

"He knows what he can do to people, and he knows then how to treat you sincerely." He smiled a little. "Although, I did treat you sincerely, Jerrica Benton. I'm pleased to finally see Jem, though."

It was hard to deny that even after all this time; Riot still had that alluring quality to him. Jerrica looked away briefly. "Well, for what it's worth I'm glad the air's cleared between our children. I'm sorry it cost your band a concert."

"We'll have other concerts. It is our children that matter most." He looked at his watch. "Speaking of concerts, don't you need to be back onstage?"

"Yes, I do! Thank you, and good luck!" As Jerrica hurried away from him, she felt a measure of relief. There was no denying the history between the two of them, and she'd been anxious of how he would take to her in private. But he'd been very civil, and friendly. It truly seemed like he'd grown up, and was happy with the life he had as a Stinger and as a father.

At least he can keep his child on the somewhat straight and narrow, unlike certain other people.

Rio didn't look happy when Jerrica came over to him. "Was that Riot?"

"He followed Raoul here to make sure nothing happened to him," said Jerrica. She started feeling annoyed. "We just talked, Rio, that's all."

Surprisingly, Rio didn't get any angrier. He relaxed visibly. "I was afraid he was here to sabotage something, but I'm glad to see him looking after his son. After all, he got Raoul into this whole mess with Zoie!"

"And now it's amended." Jerrica kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for not being angry."

"What's to be angry over? You both have your separate lives now, and you chose me when you could've had…" he waved a dismissive hand. "In any case, the fans are waiting for you."

"I know." She gave him another kiss before she hurried over to her band mates. "Ready to go back onstage?"

"Absolutely!" cried Kimber.

"Then, what are we waiting for?" asked Aja.

They hurried back to the stage, even though they'd been gone longer than the promised fifteen minutes. Still, the fans cheered heartily when they came back onstage.

"Sorry for the wait!" said Jerrica. "But here we are again! And, as we always say…music is magic!" It wasn't the next song in the set, but Jerrica was in the mood for it and thankfully her band mates quickly launched into "Music is Magic".

"Music is Magic! Nothing can compare! Everybody starts to rock When music's in the air!"

It was returning to her; the swell of love and excitement she'd always felt when she sang and performed for a large audience. And the fans loved her even more for it, despite the secrecy of her identity as Jem.

They embraced her as she was. They cheered for both Jem and Jerrica, and that gave her a great sense of fulfillment.

More so…she looked at her friends, and she saw Rio watching from the wings. And she thought of her children. Even if the road up to this point had been incredibly rocky, she didn't regret a minute of it. She loved it all. She wouldn't trade it for the world.

We're back. Jem is back. And I don't think this excitement will ever fade.

---

The End!