Living A Nightmare

A/N: First of all, though this is a sequel, you do not need to read "Living A Dream" first (though it would be awesome if you did). You just might be a little confused when you read the Prologue, lol.

To all those who reviewed "Living A Dream" - Thank you for all your great and flattering reviews! You all made writing "Living A Dream" much more enjoyable!

I've decided to make this somewhat of a trilogy. Someone suggested using Cheyenne as a main character, but honestly…I never liked her that much, lol. So all stories will center around Reba, and different ways Terry intervenes and drives her crazy. Connects the stories better, IMHO.

And I realize that my first plot idea for Living A Dream wasn't original, and anyone who's seen "Disney's The Kid" knows that this one isn't completely original either. But hopefully the incorporation of "Reba" characters and my personal twists make up for that.

Again, I'm going to put somewhat of a disclaimer. Most of the facts about Reba's life in the past are of pure imagination.

April 2007

Her hands on her hips, Reba glared at her teenaged daughter with as much authority as she could muster. "I'm sorry, I must not be hearing right. You said you did what now?

The way her eyes were narrowed would have made any member of her family squirm. All except iron-willed Kyra. "No, you heard me," the singer retorted, crossing her arms and wearing her usual smirk. "Let me say it slowly. I. Did Not. Apply. To College. 'Kay, glad we could chat, I'll be in my room…"

"Hold on there, missy…" Reba ordered, grabbing Kyra's arm before she could run up the stairs.

Kyra managed to get out of her mother's hold, but not without some effort. "Jeez, watch that grip, Mom. Don't want your blood pressure to spike up again."

"I've been feeling fine," Reba huffed, then leaned in and whispered, "Besides, if anything does happen…you of all people should know that I've got connections."

"Figures. My mother has to be the one person on Earth who can call up her guardian angel and turn back time," Kyra snapped.

Casting a worried look to the kitchen, Reba warned, "Hey, keep it down about that, will you? Cheyenne and Barbara Jean are in the kitchen." It had been about two months since she woke up from her coma, but the Hart household, both of them, were still as busy as ever. Barbara Jean and Brock, after being on the verge of signing the divorce papers, were on the long road back to a loving marriage. Cheyenne (growing increasingly pregnant), Van and Elizabeth, though they had experienced some difficulty, were adjusting to life in their new house.

Reba, however, was the same – trying to keep the peace amidst pure chaos. Though sometime during the fights and the intense conversations, she'd somehow admitted that Barbara Jean was her best friend. She was still paying for that.

And there was the little matter that her guardian angel, Terry, kept popping in on her every once in a while. Amazingly enough, she was getting used to that too.

"You know, this is kinda cool," Kyra remarked, startling Reba out of her reverie. "Having our own family secret and everything. We really should tell everyone eventually."

"Hah, yeah right. They think I'm crazy enough," Reba huffed.

Kyra chuckled, then once again headed for the stairs. She stopped when she felt her mother's hand once again on her arm. "Mom, let go."

"We're not finished discussing this yet," Reba insisted. "Now I realize that you plan on taking a year off, and that I can't do anything about it because you're a 'legal adult' and all that business. But, Kyra, this was months ago. I saw you filling out applications."

Sighing, Kyra walked back down the two steps she'd managed to climb and crossed her arms across her middle. "Look, don't freak out or anything, but…I did that to fake you out. My band and I were actually in the process of deciding to go on tour, and I didn't want to show any disloyalty by applying to college. Kind of a politics thing, you understand?"

"No," Reba said without hesitation. Her hand on her head, she groaned. "Kyra, Kyra, Kyra. I don't appreciate you deceiving me like that. We could've talked. Look how good I was about you deciding not to go to college…yes, I realize what I just said…"

"See? And I was seventeen then, not part of the 'legal adult thing.' You would've shipped me off to go live with Grandma or something like that," Kyra pointed out.

She has a point, Reba admitted to herself. She could deny all she wanted to, but Reba knew that she would not have been a "cool parent" about it. "Alright. And it's all water under the bridge now, I suppose."

"Yeah, I mean, what does it matter? By the way, why'd you even ask?" Kyra questioned.

Reba gave a sheepish grin. "One of the mothers at your school was going on and on about how her son had gotten into some good colleges. I wanted to know what colleges you got accepted to so I could brag right back."

"Sorry I couldn't do that for you," Kyra replied, a note of sincerity in her tone. "But you can tell her that my band got a record contract."

It took a minute for the information to register. When it did, Reba's eyes widened. "What? A record contract? When did this happen?"

"Some executive from Virgin records heard about us and gave us his card after a gig," Kyra almost squealed. "It was so cool! He said he really thinks we could make it big! I've been waiting for the right time to tell everyone all week!"

"That's great, honey! I'm so proud of you!" Reba exclaimed, wrapping Kyra in a hug. She meant it too. Though she would never confess it, she admired Kyra for sticking to her guns and making a real effort to achieve her dreams. In fact, the way Kyra was so excited about a music career made Reba remember herself at that age, so hopeful that she'd make it big one day.

Returning the hug, Kyra broke away and dashed to the kitchen. "Thanks Mom!" she called. "I'm going to go tell Cheyenne and Barbara Jean! I can't wait until Dad and Van get here!"

Reba laughed, watching Kyra nearly skip into the kitchen. Skipping and squealing. Kyra really becomes another person when she's happy, doesn't she?

Turning around, she chuckled to herself as she went back up to the attic. She'd been clearing it out for Spring cleaning all week long, and since Kyra was keeping her guests occupied she figured she could squeeze in a few more minutes of going through junk.

She reached the attic and returned to the pile she'd be working through before the doorbell rang earlier that afternoon. It was box' of Jake's Spring and Summer clothes, and she guessed she would have to bring it downstairs sooner or later.

Deciding that "later" would be the better option, she gently kicked them to the side, near the stairs. Reba paused, something sparkly moving in the corner of her eye.

What the heck? Reba wondered, bending down and picking the object up. She sat down on a sturdy box, twirling the object in her hands.

It was the Christmas star, the one that had gotten her into the whole coma mess. Funny, she could've sworn she'd packed it away when she finally did get around to taking down and properly storing the rest of the decorations.

Shrugging, Reba held the star in both her hands. One measly wish couldn't hurt, if she phrased it right.

I wish…boy, what do I wish for? Shaking her head in amazement, she realized that for once in her life, she didn't need anything. Her career was going well, and her family was always around her. And she meant always.

Kyra.

Reba sighed. Though the teen wouldn't be going to college, she would be going on tour. Still far, far away from home.

"I wish that Kyra and I stay close," she began, "that's what I'll wish. But at this age…it's going to be very easy for us to drift apart. I wish I understood her a little better, got why she was so intent on giving up on college all together and risking her life on a music career that may or may not happen."

She paused, giving the star one more thoughtful glance before placing it on the attic's windowsill.

"Oh, and Terry, if you pull anything like that coma stuff again I swear to God I'll kick the crap out of you."

April 1973

"I love being eighteen!" Reba exclaimed, tossing her long, curly red hair over her shoulder and accepting a beer from her boyfriend. It was a Friday night, and she was doing what she usually did on weekends. Hanging out at the love of her life Terry's bar (how cool was it that her boyfriend owned his own bar) with her best friend in the whole wide world, Lori Ann.

Rolling her eyes at her immature friend's excitement, Lori Ann unbuttoned the top button of her blouse and remarked, "Calm it down, will you? I don't want every available guy in here to know I hang out with high school kids."

"Well, technically I won't be a high school kid in two months," Reba pointed out, taking a long sip of her drink. Her eighteenth birthday had only been a month ago, but in her eyes that now made her just as much as an adult as Lori Ann, who was twenty. However, the blonde didn't quite share that belief yet.

Lori Ann cast a flirtatious glance at a hot man who had to be at least twenty-five in the corner, then turned back to the bar. "And thank God for that. Do you realize how annoying it is to have to wait for you to get out of school? Especially on a Friday. If you'd just skip class once we could be at the mall so much sooner…"

"Lori Ann…" Reba sighed. "I told you, I just can't. Unfortunately I have too much of a conscience. Plus it helps that my mama would box my ears if she found out."

"Oh, right, I forgot I was talking to Miss Goody-Goody, the queen of all goody-goodies in the world," Lori Ann drawled.

Reba pouted. "I am not! Didn't I stay out past curfew last weekend?"

"It was for a singing gig, and you were only an hour late," Lori Ann retorted.

"Well, yeah, but that doesn't matter," Reba replied, then paused as a dreamy look came over her face. "Wasn't I great last weekend? The way everyone stood up and clapped at the end…I can't wait to sing again!"

Snapping her fingers in front of Reba's face, Lori Ann called, "Earth to Reba, come back to planet Reality."

"What? Oh, sorry. I just can't help it," Reba said, still imagining the applause she would get when she performed again. Which would hopefully be soon. Terry said the bar had an open night that weekend she could get.

As if he knew she was thinking about him, Terry took a break from bartending and joined them. "Hey Lori Ann, you picking on my girl?"

"So what if I was?" Lori Ann retorted.

Terry raised an eyebrow. "Then I'd have to kick you out."

"You wouldn't dare. You'd lose your star singer, isn't that right, Reba?" Lori Ann teased back, smirking.

Making eye contact with Reba, Terry pleaded, "Now, you wouldn't do that to me, would you honey?"

"Sorry, Lori Ann," Reba joked, leaning across the bar to kiss him.

Lori Ann shook her head. "You two are so cute it's disgusting. Oh, speaking of cute, will you excuse me?"

"There she goes," Reba chuckled, watching her best friend corner a cute guy who'd just walked in. Turning back to Terry, Reba asked, "So, seriously now. Can I…"

"Well, sure. As long as you keep the owner happy," Terry joked.

Feeling her excitement level rising to its peak, Reba exclaimed, "Oh my God, really?"

"Yup. I've already got fliers printed," Terry answered.

Reba couldn't help herself. She reached across the bar, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Thank you! I love you so much!"

"I love you too. And I'm sure you're going to blow the roof off this joint Saturday night," Terry assured her.

Thinking for a moment, Reba smiled. "That's perfect. Mama and Daddy are going out and won't be back 'til late."

"Are you ever gonna tell them about this singing thing?" Terry asked. "I think they'd be supportive. They're going to have to find out when you get that big contract you've been talking about."

Reba gave a short laugh. "Yeah, right, like my mama would understand. She'd tell me that I'm just wasting my time and that I should focus on my studies."

"You never know. She might surprise you," Terry suggested.

"I doubt it," Reba replied, paused, then glanced down to realize her glass was empty. "Hey, I'm gonna go to the little girls' room. I think I've been abusing my new drinking privileges."

"'Kay. I'll be right here when you get back," Terry replied, going back to his customers.

Making eye contact with Lori Ann and smiling, Reba went down the side hallway that led to the restrooms. She reached the girls' room and pulled on the door, but found it locked. "Hey, anyone in there?"

When there wasn't a response, she turned around to get Terry. The latch was loose, and sometimes the eye fell into the hook if the door was slammed too hard.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when she found him standing in front of her. "Terry…what, did you follow me or something? What's with the white vest?"

"Reba, come with me," Terry said, holding out his hand.

Looking at his face, she grew more confused when she saw that he appeared…different, older somehow. What's going on? Where does he want to go?

Well, she'd find out when she got there. She put her hand in his.