Mattie Emerson had never considered herself a beach person and, as her eyes scanned the beach that was currently running alongside the road, she realized that she was probably never going to be a beach person. It looked uncomfortably hot and she could easily imagine all that gritty sand getting into places gritty sand should never be. She shuddered at the thought and turned her face away from the water.

"You're awfully quiet back there, sweetie." Her mother commented, her eyes darting briefly to the rearview mirror. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah." Mattie replied, forcing her lips into a smile.

This move was hard enough on her mother without her bitching about how much she hated the beach and missed Phoenix. Mattie glanced at her twin who was also taking in the beach scene, though clearly with more interest. The two didn't look as much alike as they used to; that was mostly because Mattie had decided to start straightening her hair and had dyed it a reddish brown. She had wanted to go blonde, but the look of horror on her mother's face had convinced her to hold off until she was at least out of the house. The reddish brown was a compromise. Nanook barked - in Mattie's ear - at another dog in a passing car. Mattie glared at the husky before turning the glare on her younger brother.

"Blondie, your dog has no manners."

Sam turned around in his seat just long enough to share his eye roll with his sister. "That's because he's a dog. And don't call me Blondie."

"Hey, it's not my fault you take after mom." She teased.

"Hey!" Lucy and Sam exclaimed at the same time.

Michael and Mattie shared a grin.

"We're getting close..." Lucy commented several minutes later, bouncing a little in her seat.

"What's that smell?" Sam asked, wrinkling his nose.

Lucy took a deep breath and a grin spread over her face. "Ocean air!"

Sam was not impressed. "Smells like something died." He grumbled.

Michael and Mattie were inclined to agree and their faces gave them away even if they didn't voice their thoughts.

"Guys," Lucy sighed, "I know it hasn't been easy...the divorce and now the move...but I think you're really going to like living in Santa Carla." The Emerson siblings shared a skeptical look. Lucy sighed again. "How 'bout some music?"

She reached forward and twisted the dial. Country music started to blare and the teenagers grimaced.

"Keep going."

The next station was easy listening and even worse. Lucy twisted the dial again; her face lit up as she recognized the song 'Groovin'. Mattie groaned; Michael and Sam shared a look.

"Keep going!" They all laughed.

The next station was finally something bearable and Lucy sat back in her seat as they passed the 'Welcome to Santa Carla' billboard. Mattie and Michael both turned in time to see what was written on the back of the billboard: the murder capital of the world. They shared an 'oh great' look.

"Oh shoot." Lucy muttered.

"What is it, mom? Finally realized that we shouldn't have left Phoenix?" Sam asked hopefully. Mattie smacked him upside the head. "Hey! Watch the hair!"

"Matilda, don't hit your brother." At the full use of her name, Mattie glowered and Sam snickered. "And no, Sam, I didn't change my mind. The gas tank is almost empty." Lucy flicked on the turn signal to turn abruptly into a fast approaching gas station; she cut off several drivers who all honked in protest. She waved. "Sorry, sorry."

"Hey mom," Mattie began.

"Yeah?"

"Mind if I drive the rest of the way?"

Michael and Sam chuckled as Lucy rolled her eyes, but didn't respond.

The gas stop allowed all four Emerson's to stretch their legs. Michael also took the opportunity to pull his bike down from the trailer; Mattie watched him do so jealously. She didn't begrudge her brother his bike, but she wanted one too. Her father had promised to get her one, but he apparently no longer thought promises to his children mattered. Michael caught her look and sent her an apologetic smile.

"You can ride with me if you want." He offered.

Mattie shook her head and forced a smile onto her face. "Nah, I'm good."

Michael didn't look like he believed her, but he was relieved that she had said no so he didn't press his offer.

"You can drive the rest of the way to grandpa's." Lucy said. A genuine smile spread over Mattie's face which is exactly what Lucy had hoped for. "Here, finish filling her up." Mattie gladly took over the pumping off the gas while Lucy dug through her purse. "Here, Sam," She pulled out some cash and the youngest Emerson jogged over to grab it. "Tell them to get something to eat." She motioned towards a couple of young runaways who were digging through the trash.

"I thought we were poor." Mattie asked as she shielded her eyes from the sun.

Lucy sent her a look. "We're not that poor."

"Can we go to the Boardwalk?" Sam asked, his eyes scanning the nearby attraction with interest, but Lucy shook her head.

"Maybe later. Grandpa's expecting us."

Sam grumbled a complaint under his breath, but otherwise didn't argue. The gas came to a stop and Mattie removed the pump from the gas tank and replaced the gas cap.

"Keys?" She asked, holding out her hand expectantly and waving her fingers.

Lucy laughed and tossed her the keys. Mattie caught them easily and waved to Mike who was climbing onto his bike.

"I'll follow you." Mike said as he revved the engine.

"Okay. Sam! Get Nanook in the car!"

As the car pulled around the bend in the road and their new house came into view, Mattie's first impression came out as a groan. For all intents and purposes, it was basically a large log cabin. There was certainly no comparison between this raggedy ranch house and their former suburban home in Phoenix. Mattie chewed at her bottom lip in apprehension as her anxiety levels rose. Realizing that she was being overly negative, Mattie forced herself to change her pattern of thought. With this new forced positivity, Mattie took in the wooden house again. With this second glance, she had to admit that the ranch house had character.

"I can't picture you living here, mom." Sam remarked.

"It's changed a bit." Lucy admitted.

Mattie pulled the car to a stop and killed the engine. Behind them, Mike did the same for his bike. All the Emerson's left their vehicles slowly. They could make out the form of their grandpa lying on the porch.

"He looks dead." Michael commented as they approached the porch.

"He's just a deep sleeper." Lucy replied.

"And he sleeps on the porch like a dead person often?" Mattie asked, her concern growing.

"He's not breathing, mom." Michael pointed out.

Frowning in concern, Lucy bent down to feel her father's head. "Dad?"

"If he's dead, can we move back to Phoenix?" Sam asked hopefully.

Mattie raised her hand to smack her brother upside the head, but grandpa's eyes suddenly opened.

He grinned. "Playin' dead and from what I hear, doin' a damn good job of it too."

"Oh dad!" Lucy laughed as they hugged.

Mattie shook her head and headed into the house. The inside of the house was as weird as the outside; it looked like a hunting lodge. Mattie grimaced at the animal heads.

"This is kind of a cool place." Michael commented as he and Sam walked by her, carrying their most precious possessions. The compliment sounded forced to Mattie's ears.

"Yeah, for the Texas Chainsaw Massacre." Sam muttered.

"Will you give mom a break?" Mattie snapped. Sam flicked her off. Mattie rolled her eyes. "Oh, you're so cool."

They walked a little bit further into the house, their eyes trying to take in everything at once.

"What's wrong with this picture?" Sam asked, his voice raised in panic. "Have you seen a TV? I haven't seen a TV! There's no TV! You know what means? No MTV."

"Sammie, we're flat broke." Michael reminded him.

Sam rolled his eyes. "Even poor people have TVs."

Mattie left her brothers to argue and headed upstairs to find a room. It ended up being a no brainer; she took the room that was connected to a bathroom. She figured her mom would take the other room that the bathroom was connected to and she was fine with that. Let the boys fight over the other bathroom. At least this way there'd be no bitching from Michael and Sam about all her girly stuff taking over the bathroom.

"Oh good," Lucy said as she entered the other room with a box, "I was hoping we'd be bathmates." Mattie gave her mom a smile. "Where are Sam and Michael?"

"Downstairs. Sam is complaining about there not being a TV." Lucy looked guilty and Mattie grimaced, immediately feeling bad about mentioning the TV complaint. "We don't need a TV."

"As soon as I can afford one, I'll buy one." Lucy promised, though it seemed like she was talking more to the idea of Sam than Mattie who was standing in front of her.

"I'm gonna go grab some boxes." Mattie announced before jogging out of the room. She passed grandpa, who was carrying a box, on the way down the stairs. "Hey, grandpa."

He shook his head as though in disbelief. "Matilda."

"I prefer Mattie and what? Is there something on my face?"

"You look more like your grandmother every day."

Mattie blinked in surprise. "I do?" Grandpa nodded. "Mom's never told me that."

"Your mother didn't know your grandma when she was young and there aren't many pictures." Grandpa narrowed his eyes. "I'm going to have to tell your brothers to keep an eye on you when you go to the Boardwalk."

Mattie laughed. "I can take care of creeps by myself."

"This isn't Phoenix. There are more than just your average creeps here in Santa Clara. Yup, I'll definitely have to warn your brothers."

He started up the stairs again and Mattie took the opportunity to run away.

"Okay, so grandpa and mom are being weird." She announced when she came across Michael and Sam at the car.

"What else is new?" Her brothers asked in sync.

Mattie had to admit they had a point.

"Anyway, just a heads up, grandpa's gonna tell you to keep an eye out for me when we go to the Boardwalk."

"Why?" Michael asked.

"Because we moved to the murder capital of the world Mike," Mattie replied sarcastically, "that's why."

After a dinner of delivery pizza, the Emerson's dispersed to set up their new living quarters. The first thing Mattie did was locate her record player and the few records she owned. Once Sid Vicious was screaming My Way, Mattie turned to the other boxes. She didn't have much: her record collection (which consisted of the Sex Pistols, Siouxsie and the Banshees, the Runaways, and other similar artists), a handful of posters of the same bands, and an old teddy bear (whose name was – and always had been – Webster although none of the Emerson's could remember why) that was ratty but still held a lot of sentimental value for the teenage Mattie. Mattie's wardrobe pretty much consisted of jeans and random band t-shirts, some of which she had cut up to make them more feminine. She owned one dress which had never been worn. It was supposed to be her prom dress, but once she learned of her parent's divorce, Mattie had decided to boycott the prom as a protest; the act had disappointed her mother and the price of the now unworn dress had angered her father. Mattie found herself grateful for her lack of possessions because setting up her new room was quick and easy.

"I don't get how you can listen to that crap."

Mattie yelped in surprise at the sudden appearance of her younger brother at her side as she stood precariously on the bed trying to pin up a Joan Jett poster.

"Jesus Christ Sam, you nearly gave me a friggin' heart attack."

Sam rolled his eyes. "I knocked on your door like twelve times, but I guess you couldn't hear me over the sound of that screeching."

"It's not screeching," Mattie growled, "It's music."

"It's crap."

Done with the poster, Mattie jumped down from her bed and put her hands on her hips. "What do you want?"

"Mom wants to know if you want to go to the Boardwalk with us."

"Hell yes! When are we leaving?"

"Now." Sam replied.

"Now?!" Sam nodded. "Ugh, okay. I'll be right down."

Mattie shooed Sam from the room before slamming the door shut and rushing to her closet. She shimmied out of her jeans and pulled on a lighter pair that had several rips. For a top, she went with her latest Ramones t-shirt with her leather jacket (a 16th birthday present from Michael who solidified himself as the best brother ever with the present) over it. She slipped into her black ankle boots before jumping over the bed to twist of the record player before rushing into the bathroom to apply some mascara and a bit of dark pink lipstick.

"Mattie!" Sam shouted from the bottom of the stairs. "Let's go!"

"I'm coming!" She snapped back loudly.

Having finished her make-up, Mattie ran a hand through her hair and left both the bathroom and her bedroom. Her mother, Sam, and Michael were all waiting impatiently by the door. Lucy cast a disapproving glare upon her daughter's choice of clothes.

"Really, Mattie?"

"What?" Mattie asked, glancing down at her clothes.

Lucy shook her head. "Never mind. Let's just go."


Reviews and constructive criticism welcome! Thanks for reading!