A/N: Here's the sequel to What It's Like To Really Cry.
Disclaimer: I do not own the two songs that appear in this fan fiction. They belong to Taylor Swift.
Kaylee walked in her sister's house, still angry about being left alone on the fourth anniversary of her parents' death. Tori had never phoned that day, so Kaylee waited, sitting by the phone, with Ronny and Spencer by her side all through the night and well into the morning. Her two best friends, who she now considered family (with Spencer being her father, and Ronny being the twin sister she never had), had finally pulled her away and stuffed her breakfast down her throat, only to watch as Kaylee sat down by the phone, waiting for days for the phone call, with nothing more than a call from a telemarketer.
All this time I was wasting
Hoping you would come around.
I've been giving chances every time
And all you do is let me down.
"Kaylee, what are you doing here?" Tori asked as the smaller blonde walked into the kitchen, slamming her car keys on the counter and glaring at her sister and brother in-law.
"You remember what happened a week ago?" Kaylee frowned, noticing the picture of her parents on the fridge, being held up by a magnet that said "Family".
"Of course I remember," Tori nodded, walking around Blake and putting her hands on her sister's shoulder.
"Then why didn't you call?" Kaylee yelled, pushing her sister away as the tears started forming around her eyes, burning as she tried to hold them back. "Where the hell was my sister when I needed her?"
And it's taking me this long
Baby but I figured you out.
And you're thinking we'll be fine again
But not this time around.
"Kaylee, I'm sorry I didn't call... but I was taking it hard... I could barely get my words straight... I had no appetite, even for ice cream... I would have..."
"Tor... you couldn't have been as bad as me," Kaylee interrupted her. "I watched them die! I was in the same room as them when they sacrificed themselves... for me! If I had gotten to them faster..."
"I'm sorry you're suffering," Tori said sincerely, knowing Kaylee had been hurting. She regretted not calling her sister at all during the week between the anniversary and now, but she had taken a harder blow from the day than she had expected. "I'll make it up to you... I swear! You and I can go to the cemetery this afternoon and..."
"Forget it," Kaylee sighed, grabbing her keys and walking out of the kitchen. "I don't care... just like you don't."
You don't have to call anymore
I won't pick up the phone.
This is the last straw
Don't wanna hurt anymore
And you can tell me that you're sorry
But I don't believe you baby
Like I did before
You're not sorry
No, no, no, no
Kaylee turned to her sister, seeing the look of sadness on her face as she walked out. It killed Kaylee to be so mean to her sister, especially when she was upset as well, but Kaylee needed Tori during the last week and she didn't even bother to call.
Kaylee had sunk into a depression waiting for a call. She heard nothing from any of the people she considered a sister. Leanne didn't phone, Kelly didn't phone, Kira didn't phone, and Tori, who Kaylee expected to call, didn't.
Looking so innocent
I might believe you if I didn't know.
Could've loved you all my life
If you hadn't left me waiting in the cold.
"Kaylee, don't you dare leave this fucking house without hearing my side of the story!" Tori yelled just as Kaylee reached for the doorknob.
Tori walked up to her sister, standing over the smaller girl as Blake took a seat on the stairs, holding a beer in his hand as he watched Kaylee be intimidated by Tori. Revenge was sweet.
"I had to call you, right?" Tori asked. "I was supposed to be the one to take initiative and call you. I was supposed to be the one to make sure you were okay in our time of suffering!"
Kaylee nodded, feeling a little closed in between her sister, the wall and the door.
"We lost our parents. Our mom and dad passed away, leaving us alone," Tori yelled. "They didn't leave you. You're not the only one suffering. I've been calling you for three years. It's about damn time you call me!"
And you got your share of secrets
And I'm tired of being last to know.
And now you're asking me to listen
Cause it's worked each time before.
"I'm sorry," Kaylee caved, wanting to get out of the small space Tori had closed her in. "But you promised you would phone! You told me you would try your best to keep in touch, because my schedule was hectic! So sorry if I expected a phone call when you told me you would phone!"
But you don't have to call anymore
I won't pick up the phone.
This is the last straw
Don't wanna hurt anymore.
And you can tell me that you're sorry
But I don't believe you baby
Like I did before
You're not sorry
No, no, oh.
You're not sorry
No, no, oh.
"Girls," Blake called, getting up from the stairs and standing between the two women, who at this point were both crying. He separated them, hoping to dear God that neither one would kill him for cutting in. "Listen to yourselves. You're getting at each other's throats for not doing something you should have done."
Blake sat Tori down on the stairs and locked the front door so Kaylee wouldn't be tempted to leave.
"Tori, if you promised Kaylee you would be the one calling, then you should have," Blake started, looking over at his wife as he wrapped his arm around Kaylee's shoulder, offering her some comfort. "Now I know how upset you were, so you didn't have to call on the day, but maybe the following day, when you were feeling better... or the day after that. You should have done something to let Kaylee know she wasn't alone."
Tori nodded as she slowly looked up at Kaylee, realising her husband was right, and that for once, she was wrong.
Blake turned to Kaylee, catching the strange look she was giving him for touching her. He pulled his arm away as he continued to talk.
"Kaylee... just because Tori promised to call didn't mean you couldn't pick up the phone and call her. Sure, you were upset, but I'm sure she would have listened to you. And you could have helped each other out! She's not completely at fault here. It takes two people to have a conversation."
Kaylee looked down in shame, realising he was right. She could have phone. Hell, Ronny had even suggested it, but she turned that option down before Ronny could finish the proposal.
"And I was wrong," Blake finished, walking over to the stairs, taking Tori's hand, then reaching over and taking Kaylee's hand. "I should have encouraged you two to phone each other. I thought about it, but pushed it back, thinking it was stupid for you two to talk about something that would hurt you so much. It's what Hunter and I did... But everyone deals with pain differently. And I'm sorry I didn't help when I could."
Tori and Kaylee looked over at each other and smiled as they wiped away tears. Tori stood up and opened her arms, silently asking Kaylee for a hug. Kaylee accepted, burying her face in Tori's chest as the two stood in the hall, crying.
I'm five years old, it's getting cold, I've got my big coat on.
I hear you laugh and look up smiling at you, I run and run.
Past the pumpkin patch and the tractor rides, look now the sky is gold.
I hug your legs and fall asleep on the way home.
Five year old Kaylee, and six year old Tori jumped down from the pony ride, hugging themselves to keep warm as their parents picked them both up, carrying them to the car after a long day at the farm.
I don't know why all the trees change in the fall.
But I know you're not scared of anything at all.
Don't know if Snow White's house is near or far away.
But I know I had the best day with you today.
On the car ride home, Kaylee and Tori were both staring out the same window, watching as the red, yellow, and orange trees passed by the window. Kaylee remembered going into the haunted house with her big sister, and Tori wasn't afraid when the monsters jumped out, but Kaylee was.
"It's okay, Kaylee," the six year old laughed, taking her little sister's hand. "They're not real."
I'm thirteen now and don't know how my friends could be so mean.
I come home crying and you hold me tight and grab the keys.
And we drive and drive until we found a town far enough away.
And we talk and window shop 'til I've forgotten all their names.
Twelve year old Kaylee watched as her older sister rode the waves like a pro and laughed when she heard Tori scream her name.
"C'mon you big baby!" the blonde yelled from the water. "It was your idea to come here!"
Kaylee shook her head, grabbing her board as she ran for the water. Thankfully, Tori had forgotten all about her day at school and was finally enjoying the last day of exams. Middle school had been tough for her, but she had made it.
I don't know who I'm gonna talk to now at school.
But I know I'm laughing on the car ride home with you.
Don't know how long it's gonna take to feel okay.
But I know I had the best day with you today.
I have an excellent father, his strength is making me stronger
God smiles on my little sister, inside and out, she's better than I am.
I grew up in a pretty house and I had space to run.
And I had the best days with you.
"Kayl! Catch!" Tori yelled, tossing a football across the lawn as Kaylee ran away. The younger blonde turned around and jumped up, catching the oddly shaped ball in mid air before landing on her feet.
"Touchdown!" Kaylee exclaimed, throwing the ball down and dancing around the stick she had placed to mark the end zone.
"Go Kaylee, go Kaylee!" Tori cheered.
There's a video I found from back when I was three.
You set up a pain set in the kitchen and you're talking to me.
It's the age of princesses and pirate ships and the seven dwarfs.
And daddy's smart and you're the prettiest lady in the whole wide world.
And now I know why all the threes change in the fall.
I know you were on my side even when I was wrong.
And I love you for giving me your eyes,
For staying back and watching me shone.
And I didn't know if you knew, so I'm takin' this chance to say,
That I had the best day with you today
Kaylee rested her head on Tori's shoulder as she held her older sister's arm while the two girls stood outside their old home, remembering their parents, their family, and their past life.
But most of all, they remembered the days they spent together when their parents were at the Academy, or rather "at work". They had been left to comfort each other many times, and had always found a way to turn their bad days around.
Pony rides when Kaylee dropped her ice cream.
Surfing when Tori thought she flunked her final exam in school.
Backyard football when their parent's flight home from Mexico was cancelled.
Standing outside their old home, holding each other close as memories of their childhood flooded their mind, reminding them that they didn't lose everything in their last fight with Lothor.
"Ready to go?" Tori asked, pulling out of her sister's grip and walking over to the old van.
"Yeah," Kaylee smiled, hopping into the passenger's seat. "But, um, promise me something."
"What's that?" Tori asked.
"Next time we fight, Blake's not allowed to knock sense into me," Kaylee laughed. "I hate that guy... it's weird when he tells me I'm wrong, and he's right."
"Deal," Tori smiled. "It was weird for me too."
"Oh, and while I'm at it..." Kaylee smirked. "He's never allowed to touch me again."
"I can work with that," Tori laughed, driving off down the road.
"And while you're in a good mood," Kaylee said, reaching into her bag and pulling out a few papers. "I need you to sign this itsy bitsy piece of paper. You don't have to read it or anything... just put your name down right here."
Tori looked over at the paper and frowned.
"Kayl, those are divorce papers," she said.
"I know. All you have to do is sign on this little line, and you will un-ruin my life by ditching that sad excuse of a husband. I never liked him anyways."
"You're impossible, you know that," Tori laughed.
