Author's Note: I really liked Tuck Everlasting and I thought up of a story to tell what would happen to the Tucks if they were living in modern time. This is one of my first movie FanFics, hopefully it's good. It's sort of both based off of Tuck Everlasting the book and the movie.
I hope you enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Tucks or the Everlasting Water. But I do own the characters that are the descendents of Winnie Foster.
"Jesse!" Mae Tuck yelled up the stairs. "Get off the computer. Dinner's ready."
The seventeen year old looking boy groaned and typed a quick sentence into the computer and pressed enter. A quick "bloop" sounded telling him his friend got the message.
Jesse headed down stairs and into the kitchen. "Sorry, ma. I was just talking to that relative of Winnie Foster again."
"It's alright." Mae said, "What generation are they again?"
Jesse thought for a second before sitting at the table. "I think she said she was her great-great-great granddaughter of Winnie Foster."
Tuck sighed sadly from the door way and said "Has it really been that long?"
"I can hardly believe it either." His wife said. She looked around the table to see that her oldest son was missing. "Where's Miles?"
"I think he said he was taking the horse out for a run." The older man said sitting down.
Almost as soon as the sentence was said, the sounds of hooves racing across their field came to their ears. Miles could be heard calming the chubby horse and sending it to the stable.
Miles came in and took of his wind-breaker and joined the family at the table. "Sorry I got home later than usual. The horse got spooked by something on the way here."
"Do you know what it was?" Tuck asked him.
"No. I got off to see what it was, but there was nothing there." Miles looked up at his father. "There is a highway just on the other side of those trees. It might have been just a car that drove too close the woods."
Mae nodded. "Alright. Enough with that. It's time to eat."
"Thank you, Ma." Jesse and Miles said, while Tuck said, "Thank you, Mae"
The meal went on with our interruption.
Jesse was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling that had had a window that had a small about of moonlight shining through it showing the navy blue sky.
There was a small chime that told him that someone had sent him a message.
He got up and went to the computer to see that the message box read,
AdventureGirl101: Hey : ) You still awake?
Jesse typed back and the conversation continued as followed.
EverlastingTuck: Yeah. What's up?
AdventureGirl101: Well. You know that small diner that's right in town? You know,
The Pet Place. The one you can bring your pets in with you?
EverlastingTuck: Yeah. What about it?
AdventureGirl101: Well. I'll bring my family ad you can bring yours. That way, we can finally meet each other face to face.
Jesse stared at the screen for a moment before typing back.
EverlastingTuck: Alright. When and how will I know it's you?
AdventureGirl101: How about…tomorrow night. And I have blackish hair, but it'll be
tied up And I'll have a blue dinner dress on. You can't miss me.
EverlastingTuck: Ok. We'll see you there.
AdventureGirl101: Ok. I'll see you later. For real.
Jesse watched the screen to see that she signed off after that last message. He jumped up and ran downstairs to where his mother was.
"Ma! Ma!" He said excited as he ran into the kitchen.
Mae jumped, causing the flour that she was holding to fall onto her pants and shirt. "My word, Jesse. What is it?"
He gave a sorry look and said, "Sorry ma. Didn't mean to stale you like that." He then beamed and excitedly said, "Winnie Foster's great-great-great granddaughter invited us to dinner at The Pet Place tomorrow. We need to go. I don't want them to feel bad."
Mae looked at her youngest son and said with a mix of happiness and sadness in her voice, "I'll go with you. I'm not too sure about your father of brother though."
"I'll go." Miles said as he appeared in the door. Tuck didn't say anything. "It'll be nice to finally meet Jesse's little girlfriend."
Jesse's emerald eyes flashed and said, "How can she be my girlfriend when I don't even know what her name is?"
"Now, now boys. Don't start a fight in the kitchen." Their mother said wiping off her pants. "I still don't understand why woman actually wanted to wear these. Skirts are so much more comfortable."
"Winnie Foster's relative said that there is a day in one of her friend's school that boys get to dress like girls and girls get to dress like boys." Jesse said chuckling to himself.
Tuck shook his head and said, "I could only imagine what some of those boys look like."
Jesse kicked the kick-stand out from his motorcycle. "Ma. I'll ride into town and meet you there. Is that alright?"
"That's fine." Mae said petting the horse's neck. "Miles and I can ride into town."
"I'll stay here." Tuck said standing near the front door. "You know I don't like going to town that much."
Miles was looking at his younger brother silently. Jesse noticed it and snapped, "What?"
"Do you really plan on wearing that to the dinner?" Miles questioned him about his 'suit'.
Jesse looked at the blue swordsmen outfit he had worn when his family and Winnie broke his mother out of jail. "What's wrong with this? I don't want to look like I'm from the 1800's anymore."
"Well. I'm wearing my suit. And Ma is wearing her old dress." Miles said through gritted teeth.
Jesse put his helmet on and started the bike. "Sorry. I can't hear you." He drove off leaving his brother to scowl about him not listening.
"Common Miles dear." Mae said quietly. She led him over to the horse. "We need to go soon are Jesse will start with out us.
"You're right, ma."
"Have a nice dinner." Tuck said walking out of the door way. "And don't worry about me. I'll be fine."
Mae ran over to him and gave him a kiss then ran back and got on the horse. They rode off in the same direction Jesse went.
Jesse jumped off the bike and replaced the kick-stand. He took off his helmet and attached it to the handle.
"The Pet Shoppe is…that way." He said looking down the street to see a group of people standing around something. "I wonder what that is." Jessie said.
Jesse ran off down the street only to slow down to a nervous walk. He began to chuckle in warned way when he saw his brother giving him the deadliest look.
Miles jumped down from his horse and walked to his brother. He bent down and whispered in his ear, "This is the last time; I'm doing this kind of favor.
Jesse looked his brother in the eyes and said, "OK, I understand".
"Good", Miles said, straightening up. "Now where can I put the horse"?
"There is a field out back. You can put him there," a teenage girl said, pointing behind the Pet Shoppe.
"Thank you, my dear", Mae said pulling the horse in the direction the girl was pointing, followed by Miles. "Jesse I'll be right back", said Mae. "Try to find your friend."
Jesse looked at the girl who helped his mother. Her blue dinner dress looked very pretty. He did a double take and nervously walked up to her. "Umm, are you Adventure Girl?"
The girl eyed Jesse cautiously. "Yes, and who might you be. Mr. Swordsman?"
Jesse's cheeks turned a little red and he said, "I'm everlasting Tuck. Well my real name is Jesse Tuck."
This time the girl's face turned red. She said, "Um, I'm sorry, I'm Jessica, Jessica Jackson."
Jesse smiles sadly and quietly said, "So you've had a boy ever since then".
"What", Jessica said confused.
Jesse snapped out of it, "Nothing. Just talking to myself." He looked around. "So why the Pet Shoppe. You have a pet or something?"
Jessica reached into her pocket and pulled out a very bored looking toad. "Yup, this is Kermit. He has been in my family forever. I don't remember when he wasn't here." The toad croaked as if in agreement.
Jesse smiled, "The only pet we have is the horse. We used to have a cat but he died a long time ago."
Jesse looked around. "Where are your parents?"
Jessica pointed behind her. "Inside. They got our seats for us." She then pointed towards the field. "Are they your parents?"
Jesse laughed. "The woman is my mother. The man, I would run away if he were my father." Jesse stopped speaking when he saw Miles watching him with hurt eyes.
"I. I didn't mean that Miles. You know I wouldn't say anything hurtful on purpose." Jesse said. "You know the last time I said something like that was when I was talking to…her."
Miles nodded and silently walked away to the nearest bench.
"Jess." A man said past the crowd. "Our seats are ready. Is your friend here?"
"Yeah Dad." Jessica said. "His mom and I think his brother is too."
Jesse turned to see a middle aged man pushing past the line. He had short brown-blonde hair and gray eyes. He came up to them with a big smile on his face.
Jesse smiled. "Hello. I'm Jesse Tuck." Jesse reached his hand out waiting for the man to take it. "Very nice to meet you."
Jessica's father took Jesse's hand. "I'm Tony Jackson, Jessica's father. Where are your parents, Son?"
Jesse looked over at Miles and said, "My brother, Miles is right over there, and my mother is putting the… Never mind. Here she comes."
The three of them looked up to see the aforementioned woman walking up. She saw the strangers standing around her son and asked, "Jesse? Did you find your friend?"
"Yeah ma, this here is Jessica and her pa, Tony." He ran up to Mae and whispered in her ear. "I think I hurt Miles' feeling. I said something I didn't mean."
"What did you say?" Inquired Mae.
"Something about, you know who." Jesse said in an undertone. "Or something that made him remember them."
Mae shook her head. "Jesse you should know not to say things like that. Now go apologize to your brother."
"All right, Ma."
Jesse walked to Miles. Their conversation could not be heard from the group.
Mae looked at Tony and Jessica. "So Jessica." The teen looked away from Jesse. "You're related to Winnie Foster?"
Jessica looked confused. "Yeah, I- I guess. Winifred was my great-great-great grandmother. I think I told that to Jesse a while ago."
Mae looked at Jessica for a moment, and then said, "I just wanted to hear it for myself."
"Jess, Tony!" a woman's voice broke the moment. "Our tables are ready. Are our guest here?"
"Yeah they're here." Jessica called back. Jesse and Miles had rejoined the rest of the group. Jessica ran ahead yelling, "Come on we're going in now."
Jesse ran through the crowd, his blue cape waving in the wind. They all stopped once they got inside.
The Pet Shoppe was a quiet place, considering that there were animals as well as the people who owned them. A family sitting near the entrance caught Jesse's eye.
A young girl with her mother and father were sitting at a booth attached to the wall. The young girl had what looked like a white and gray tiger cat sitting on her lap. Her father, sitting across the table, had a shiatsu lying by his feet. Every minute or so the man reached down and scratched the dog behind its ears.
Jesse smiled at the scene until he saw Jessica and everyone else walking in the opposite direction. Jesse ran after them and the group sat down at a large table.
"Thank you for joining us tonight Mrs. Jackson." Miles said after he finished his meal. Miles elbowed Jesse, who was looking bored.
"Yeah. Thank you ma'me." Jesse said jumping.
Jessica jumped up and practically pulled Jesse out of his chair, and tried to pull him away before her mother could respond.
Tony jumped up. "Jessica! What are you doing?"
"I need to tell Jesse something." Jessica pulled Jesse out of the diner.
Once outside, she pulled him over to the pasture and caught her breath. Jessica looked up at Jesse with pleading eyes.
Jesse noticed this and asked quietly, "What's the matter."
Jessica reached into the same pocket she pulled Kermit out of earlier. "My father gave this to me a little while ago. Before we met on the Internet. He told not to open it since it wasn't address to anyone in the family." She pulled out a light brown envelope with name "Jesse Tuck" written in big letters in the center. Jessica handed the envelope to Jesse. "This has been handed down since Grandma Winnie Foster. It's addressed to you, so you can open it."
Jesse opened the envelope carefully and not to tear it. He pulled out the now crinkly paper, touched only by the hand that wrote it, unfolded it and began to read it quietly.
Jesse Tuck,
I'm sorry I didn't come to you when I turned seventeen. You probably already know this, but I'm married. I never forgot you. I even named my son after you. My heart is tearing me in half writing this because I don't know if the story is true.
My son, who is almost 12, met someone who told him and me a story that might help you and your family. He told us that he in fact was only in his med twenties. He looked between forty and fifty. He told us he came upon a small spring. He drank from it to quench his thirst. As he drank from it, he noticed that there was a tree standing almost complete in it. He told us that there was something strange about the tree. He said that the tree looked like it was about to fall over from the weight of it's own branches, but when he carved a piece out, the tree looked younger.
After he left the tree he realized something was wrong. When he got home, his wife didn't recognize him and threw him out.
That's how he got to us. To me it sounded like almost the exact opposite of what happened to you and your family. I even asked where this spring was so that I could warn people here about it. Here are the directions:
North of Tree Gap, there is a small town the he lived in. I think the town was called Bush Hill. He said there was wooded area in the town. In this wood area was the spring.
I hope you find it and I hope it can help you and your family.
Yours truly,
Winnie Foster Jackson
P.S. I hope we will be able to see each other, if only for a moment.
Jesse was nearly crying by the time he finished the letter. He swallowed and asked Jessica quietly, "Is there a wooded area around here?"
Jessica noticed that Jesse was almost crying, but didn't ask what was wrong. She pointed to the woods near the pasture. "Those woods have been here ever since my family moved to Bush Hill, according to my father."
"Thanks Jessica." Jesse said. He swallowed hard and looked Jessica in the eye. "I need you to not tell my parents where I am. Please promise me."
Jessica nodded. "But what if you don't come back."
Jesse thought for a moment. "All right if I don't come back in an hour, then you can tell them where I went. Please promise me."
"I promise. I won't tell them unless you haven't returned in an hour." Jessica said almost not believing she was saying it.
Jessica watched for a few minutes as Jesse disappeared into the forest past the pasture.
Jesse dashed through the forest, ignoring the branches that were whipping his face. He kept pushing himself to get to his destination, knowing that exerting his body would not hut him. His lungs and legs were burning, but he ignored that as well. He almost tripped when he came to a clearing. Catching his breath, he gasped when he saw the scene before him.
The clearing was almost the exact replica of the springs his family had found years ago. The only difference was that the tree in the spring looked like it was ready to fall over from age.
Jesse began to walk slowly toward the gurgling spring. He could here the ground crunch beneath his feet. The grass stopped about a foot from the spring.
Jesse knelt down and scooped some of the water into his hand. He hesitated, then put the water in his hand into his mouth and swallowed.
At first it tasted like any other drink of water he had had before. Then about a minute later he had a tingling feeling in his throat that made him cough.
Jesse coughed again and began to feel dizzy. He fell backward and he could only hear the sound of the spring, then before he fell unconscious, he mumbled the words, "Ma…Miles… I think I found it."
A few minutes later, Miles came running into the clearing.
"And that is how I met your grandmother." Jesse told the young boy and girl sitting at his feet. They were both staring, mouths open at him. "You two Ok?"
The young girl nodded. "Yeah, Grandpa." She looked at the boy next to her, who also nodded in response to the question. Then the girl asked, "Grandpa how old were you then?"
Jesse thought for a moment "I've lost track by now Winnie. I 'd have to say about three hundred years old."
"But Papa?" The boy asked. "Where are your mamma and papa? Did they drink the water too?"
Jesse began to play with is still blonde hair, which mad him stand out for the other elderly men he knew. "The last time I saw my mamma and papa, they hadn't drank the water.
Jesse looked down as the boy asked, "Papa? Can I see your suit? The one you wore to the dinner. The one you wore to break your mamma out of jail?"
Jesse smiled. "Of course Troy. It's in the closet over there." He pointed to the wardrobe behind them.
Troy jumped up and opened the wardrobe. Looking at the swordsman's outfit, Troy said, "Grandpa, It looks brand new."
"Your grandma gets it refurbished every few years for me". Jesse said.
"Kids!" A woman's voice called from downstairs. "It's time to go. Tell your grandpa good night."
Winnie and Troy jumped up and hugged their grandfather simultaneously. "We'll see you soon Grandpa. Then you can tell us another story, right."
Jesse nodded. "Right." He whispered to them. "You'd better get downstairs so your mom doesn't have to come up after you."
"Bye Grandpa"
"Bye."
Once the house was quiet again Jessica came upstairs. After she gave Jesse a quick hug, she said "That was sweet to tell them the story."
Jesse smiled at her and said, "That's all it takes…to find a cure."
Author's Note: I really hope you enjoy it. I was trying to figure out how to end the FanFic when this scene came to my mind and I just added it in here.
Please review.