"Dad!" Hannah called from the top of the stairs. "Look what I found!" She called appearing a few moments later with Jackson trailing behind her.
"Well look what the cat dragged in." He said when he saw his son. "Life finally to hard for you? Ready to come back?" He taunted.
"Actually dad, I asked him to come back." Hannah said.
"Why on earth would you do that? It was his decision to leave. Let him come back when he wants to."
"Dad, come on. He had no where to go. I couldn't leave him." She gave him a desperate look, wanting him to understand. He did.
"Well shoot darlin'." He drawled. "I don't think he wants to come back. You remember why he left, don't you?" She pouted.
"I know dad, but he can stay, right?"
"He's not gonna want to." He relented.
"But like I told Jackson a few minutes ago we could send him-" Hannah was cut off by said boy.
"Hey! I'm right here!" Jackson said.
"Oh right, sorry Jackson" She said, unabashed. "Like I was saying, we could send him to another school. If we did that, he would stay, wouldn't he?" Her dad sighed softly.
"Hannah, it's not that simple. Everyone here will know who he is! I'm afraid it's not gonna work out." He stated, looking slightly sad himself. Next thing he knew, she had gotten down on her knees and crawled up to him.
"Oh please, daddy!" She cried. "We'll send him farther away if we have to, out of the country even! Just don't let him ruin his life!" She was sobbing now, attached to her fathers leg.
"Okay! Okay! I didn't know you wanted it this bad." He said quickly. Hannah's tears turned into those of joy.
"Oh thank you daddy, thank you!" She yelled thankfully and stood up. She grabbed Jacksons arm,
leading him upstairs.
"You'll stay in my room." She said, to distracted with her brother being back to focus much.
"What's wrong with my room?" He asked. Hannah snapped back.
"Oh, well you did say you were never coming back." She said nervously.
"Sweet Nibblets." Said Jackson.
* * * * * * * * * *
It was late in the night and Jackson couldn't sleep. There was yelling, presumably coming from his dad's room, muffled through the walls. He assumed his father and new wife were fighting. He had met her earlier and sensed a wickedness from her. This, however, was not why Jackson couldn't sleep. His mind was to occupied with thoughts of the critically acclaimed Hannah Montana. It was so out of character for his sister to be so wrapped up in his well being. He didn't understand it. When he found out his old bedroom had been turned into a home gym (Hannah has to keep her figure!) he knew he couldn't go back to living in that house. Which meant the next school he went to would have to be far away. Very far away.
Turning around impatiently in the sleeping bag he was given, he sighed heavily.
"Jackson." A voice hissed from the general direction of the bed.
"What?" He hissed back. He thought she had been asleep.
"Stop turning! I can't go to sleep!" She wanted him back, but if she was going to have to lose sleep...
"Maybe you should have thought about that before you turned my room into a gym!" He snapped.
There was a loud 'huff' as the bed creaked. Then silence. Jackson went back to his mulling.
He missed sheltered life, it was true. Nothing could compare to a roof over your head and a promised meal every night. When Hannah had brought up the leftovers he had devoured the whole tray in under thirty seconds. With a look of utter disgust on her face, she had taken the tray from him and went back downstairs. That's when he heard her talking. The door to the next room opened and the voices flowed into the slightly cracked one of this room.
"How could you let him back in the house Robby! You should have turned him out!" The woman sounded furious.
"I know, I know honey, but he's leavin' in a couple of days." Robby Ray said soothingly.
"Well he better be, or I'll kick him out myself." The door had slammed then, causing Jackson to cringe just as his sister came up the stairs.
"What's wrong daddy?" Robby sighed.
"Nothin' darlin'."
Jackson closed his eyes at the memory. A nasty thought struck his head. Maybe Hannah only wants me here to suffer with her...
But that made no sense because she was willing to let him go away. He suddenly asked,
"Hannah?"
"Yeah Jackson?"
"Why are you doing all this?" The bed creaked as she sat up.
"Because," She whispered, almost to quiet for even him to hear. "Your the only one left from my old life."
" Huh? What are you talking about Hannah?" The bed creaked again as her head plopped down.
"Nothing Jackson. Go to sleep." He settled into a restless sleep.
* * * * * * * * * *
Hours later came to find the sun high in the sky shining through the window on a single bed and an empty sleeping bag. The girl laying on the bed shifted and then slowly rose, stretching and yawning as she did so. Looking at the sleeping bag and realizing no one was in it she called out, "Jackson?" When there was no reply she walked to the door and opened it. Standing just before her, stood the boy she had called out to, no facial hair evident on his face. She broke into a smile on seeing him cleanly shaved.
"Hey there sis." He said casually. "I just thought..." He continued, motioning towards his face.
"You look nice." His sister complimented.
"Well thank you." He said, evidently proud of himself. Hannah rolled her eyes and strode past him, into the bathroom. Before closing the door she poked her head out calling out to Jackson.
"You better not do anything to my room." She said seriously, not for one second thinking any differently of her brother, before she shut the door.
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