Thanks so much for the review, zeusfluff, a.k.a. Melissa! :)


Kate - December 18, 2001
Rick stood up and looked around the lodge. It's so peaceful, he thought. Just then he realized why it was so peaceful. Alex hadn't come in with their suitcases yet. He went outside to check on his son, but Alex was no where to be found.

"Alex?!" Rick cried as he hurried into the woods to find him.

He called his name over and over as he ran deeper into the woods. He soon came upon a clearing, where, in the middle of it, was his son, Alex. He was hunched over, as if examining something on the ground.

"Alex!" Rick hurried toward him.

Alex straightened up hurriedly, his hands behind his back.

"What are you doing? Where have you been?? I've been so worried!!!"

"Don't worry Dad, I was just having a look around," Alex replied.

"Yeah, well that's enough looking for one night," said Rick, and he ushered Alex into the lodge. He didn't see what Alex had clutched tightly in his hand, and Alex didn't show him. He ran upstairs to examine it instead.

Milo (pen name milo-n-vaughn) December 18, 2001
The next morning Evelyn awoke to the sound of a telephone ringing in her ear. Lifting her head off of Rick's chest, she peered around with half open eyes. She hadn't remembered there being any phone in the room, although she'd only opened her eyes for about five minutes, being tired from the trip the night before.

Before she could find the phone, Alex made a flying leap into the room, slid across the floor and with a loud "I'LL GET IT!" answered the phone.

"Hello, O'Connell vacation!" He said, and Evelyn was astonished at how alive he could be at six in the morning.

When her son's eyes widened, Evelyn frowned and hissed, "Who is it?"

"You're joking..." Alex said, with huge eyes into the phone, "Yes, mum's here...when did this-"

And with that Evelyn grabbed away the phone. She held it up to her ear. "Hallo?"

"Evie? It's Jonathan!" The voice on the phone said, also cheery for six in the morning.

"Jonathan, how did you get this number?" Evelyn snapped.

"Sorry to call you so early old mum," Jonathan told her, avoiding her previous question, "But I have wonderful news!"

Evelyn sighed, "Alright Jonathan, what did you do now?"

"I'm getting married!" Jonathan exclaimed into the phone.

"What?!" Evelyn almost yelled, "Married!? To who, Jonathan! When did this happen?! Why wasn't I told? Who is she?! Not the club dancer girl, Jonathan.... if you marry her I swear Alex will never-"

"It's not the club dancer girl, her name was Cupcake by the way-but it's not her anyway." Jonathan said.

By this time, Rick had opened his eyes and was sitting up on one arm in the bed. "What happened?"

Evelyn waved him off, "Jonathan, I want to know exactly what happened, how drunk you were and who you were with do you understand?"

Tara - December 18, 2001
On the other end of the line Jonathan held the phone out at an arms length as Evie showered him with questions. He laughed slightly and brought the phone back to his ear, already have predicted how she would react.

"Calm down sis, I was fully aware of what I was doing." He said truthfully. Evelyn did anything but remain calm, she wanted to know what happened.

"Jonathan just tell me what happened!" She said urging him on.

"Well I met her when I was at the market picking up something for myself actually, funny story really." Said Jonathan trailing off.

Both Rick and Alex noticed that Evie was practically bobbing up and down waiting for the news, and wanted in on the conversation too.

"And you'll never guess who it is!" He said playing with her, he knew it was the last person she would ever think.

"Just tell me!" She said loudly, not angry with him but just out of frustration.

"I'll give you a hint ... you've known her since you were four."

Shell (pen name Eviefan) December 19, 2001
While Evie thought of who it could be that she had known since she had been four, Alex and Rick were sitting, one on each side of her, trying to get information. Finally frustrated by the two of them, she put her hand over the phone.

"You two go start breakfast, when I know more you will also know more, now off with you," she said. Alex grumbled something, as did Rick, but both of them left her alone, knowing she wouldn't say anything until she was ready. Once they were out of the room, her eyes got very, very big.

"You don't mean to tell me you're going to marry Bonnie Ashe?" Evelyn asked, suddenly realizing that she and Bonnie were the only one's who had kept in touch over the years, and the two of them had been very good friends until Boarding School, and the whole Bert Jennings episode. Hearing him confirm her guess made her stomach turn.

"Oh Jonathan you could do so much better than Bonnie," she said, not really able to fathom him with such a woman.

"Evie it's been almost 15 years since that time, and trust me she has changed. She has been through a lot, and well there is more than just her coming in to this marriage," Jonathan said. Now Evelyn was more awake than ever. Was he really saying what she thought he was?

Heidi Rittner (pen name JasmineHR) December 20, 2001
"Jonathan, if what you're implying is what I think you're implying…" Lectured Evie as her voice was growing louder and her talking growing more and more rapid by the second.

"Evie, calm down," Jonathan interrupted. "Really, sis, I'm a grown man, not a twit."

"Well, looking at your past, you're living proof that a grown man can also be a twit!" stated Evie in a half-serious, half joking tone. "Explain everything!"

"Listen old mum, this is a matter that Bonnie and I feel shouldn't be discussed over the phone, but face to face. That's why Bonnie decided…I.. I mean we've decided that we will be driving down to join you all for the rest of your holiday."

Evie was stunned into silence with her eyes wide and jaw to the floor. "Jonathan! Don't you even think of bringing her here! She'll ruin our holiday!" Evie quickly shut her mouth realizing too late that she was exposing her feelings of fear and anger at what havoc Bonnie could cause.

"Well I'll be!" Said Jonathan with a bit of a surprise. "I do believe you're afraid she'll try and steal Rick away from you, just as she snatched away Bert Jennings' affections!"

"I beg your pardon?!"

"Really, old mum. You needn't worry. Rick is your husband, not just a boyfriend as Bert was, and she's engaged to me, remember?"

"Yes, well, that won't make a difference to her, but if you say that she's changed, then I'll have to take your word for it. It's time I let go of this grudge anyway."

"Thank you sis. I knew you'd be understanding! We should be there by tomorrow evening."

They said their good-byes and ended the call. Evie sat on the edge of the bed staring off at nothing in particular, with an uneasy feeling that Bonnie hadn't changed but had instead perfected her act and was using her brother for something, but what?

Rachel (pen name Evie of the Nile) December 21, 2001
Down in the kitchen, Rick had started to get some toast ready. When he turned his back for a moment Alex took a piece of bread and ran upstairs.

He went into his room and shut and locked the door.

"Where are you?" Alex asked softly as he checked the perimeter of the room for his little friend.

After a few rounds of looking under his bed and on his desk and windowsill he finally found who he was looking for.

"Ah, there you are! I was worried about you. Here, I brought you some-" Just then, his little friend flew for it.

When the sparrow got to the door it landed on the ground, and scurried under the door into the hallway.

After thinking things through, Evie finally got up off of her bed. She knew that Rick and Alex would want to know what was going on. So she headed straight for the stairs to go down to the kitchen where they were supposed to be to tell them.

She turned down the hallway and around the corner to where the staircase was. When she got around the corner she paused for a moment. Then continued, only to be intercepted by a pair of frantic flapping wings.

Jean - December 22, 2001
"Rick!" she cried, hoping to get someone's attention. After the bird flew off, Evie grumbled into Alex room, who was still trying to find the bird.

"Alex, did you bring an animal into the house again?"

"No." he hid his hand behind his back, hoping not to show the food for his new found "pet".

"Alex, help me find it please." she mumbled, taking him by the back of the shirt and out of the room into the hallway where Rick was walking up the steps.

"What happened?" he asked, looking for any walking dead things after hearing her scream.

Alex sighed, stepping up to look at his father. "I brought a bird into the house, I thought that it was injured because it let me hold it, but I guess it wasn't. Now it's loose in the house." he looked at the ground in front of him, hoping his dad wouldn't be too mad.

Tara - December 30, 2001
Rick looked at Alex feeling bad for him. He sighed, not wanting to punish Alex for breaking a well-known rule. "It's alright." He said lifting up Alex's chin to look at him. "Just don't do it again got it?" He said seriously, then brought out a smile.

"Sure thing Dad." Said Alex, relieved that he wasn't going to be punished.

Evie saw how Rick handled things and loosened her grip on Alex. "Well let's go find the little thing before it makes a mess of things." But it was too late, they all heard the sound of glass breaking not far from where they were. "Oh now what?" She said following where the crash had come from.

Shell (pen name Eviefan) December 30, 2001
In the small Parlor, Alex's new friend had been perched comfortable on the couch minding its own business when Cleo, the family's cat had taken notice. Stealthily she had moved up to the couch, her tail wagging, and just as she was about to jump the bird took to flight. Cleo chased after it jumping up on one of the bookcases, knocking off several of the books, and a vase that had belonged to Evelyn's mother.

"Cleo no," Alex yelled running over to her. Not wanting to be caught, she ran from him and hid under the couch. The bird, in the mean time, had flown into the dining room and was perched on top of the Chandelier.

"Evie get my gun," Rick said in a light tone. For that comment both Alex and Evelyn glared at him.

"What I was just kidding," he defended.

In his car, Jonathan and Bonnie were having a nice chat, though she was bent on talking about the time she had stolen Evelyn's date for the dance in high school, and was trying to defend herself.

"Honestly Jonathan I love you, but I'm so worried that Evelyn won't accept me because of James," she said resting her head against his shoulder.

"Don't you worry my little buttercup. My sister probably has forgotten all about that time," Jonathan said, though he knew she had not and had no idea how this trip was going to turn out.

Heidi Rittner (pen name JasmineHR) December 30, 2001
Jonathan sat there pondering what Bonnie had been chattering away about. He could barely recall that bit of drama between Evie, Bonnie, and James.

"I know that Evie had gotten over that James fellow right off; barely spoke of it, actually. After all, she had only just met him." Jonathan looked over at Bonnie, who had her eyebrows drawn together and he could tell she wasn't sure what else Evie could be upset at her about.

"However, my buttercup, I don't think she's ever gotten over what happened after high school with that Bert Jennings fellow."

"Ah, yes!" Bonnie said with a wide mischievous grin and evil look that flickered over her face. Bonnie smiled sweetly and mentally reprimanded herself for almost blowing her cover.

"Yes, I remember what happened." Bonnie said in a more serious and somewhat sad tone. "The whole thing was Bert's doing. He came to me and said that he'd only been dating Evie to get to meet me and that he'd already told Evie how he felt and he said she was fine with us dating."

"But Bert had been courting Evie for almost a year and they were engaged to be married…" Jonathan got distracted from his thoughts as Bonnie leaned over and started kissing his neck.

"Let's not talk about the past, my dear." Bonnie said in a husky voice. She was glad that Jonathan was a bit of a simpleton and very gullible. It was going to make her scheme a lot easier. "So, tell me about Evie's family, especially this legionnaire husband of hers and how they met and came to their good fortune."

Jonathan started from the beginning, telling everything from the time he stole the key from Rick's pocket at the bar, to the phone conversation he had with Evie the day before.

Rachel (pen name Evie of the Nile) December 30, 2001
Alex was cuddling with his new founded friend and Rick was having a nap. Therefore Evie was the only one who greeted Jonathan and Bonnie when they pulled up to the cottage.

"Evie! Baby sister! Hello! How are you?" Jonathan asked in a cheery voice as he gave Evelyn a choking hug. "And you know Bonnie, of course, and Bonnie knows Evie!" He said when he pulled away.

"Hello Bonnie, it's been a while." Evie said politely as she extended her hand.

"Yes, too long." Bonnie said as she shook it.

"Well, why don't we go in for a drink or something?" Jonathan asked as he wrapped his arm around Bonnie's shoulders and guided her to the door.

"Where's Rick?" Bonnie asked, she caught Evie by surprise.

"Why? Why do you want to know?" She snapped, she covered her mouth with her hands and gasped. "I mean, he's in the bedroom." She muffled out.

"Do you mind if I go get him?" Bonnie asked.

"No go ahead!" Jonathan said. Before Evie could stop her, Bonnie was gone.

"So? What do you think?" Jonathan asked.

Evie didn't answer, she just walked away.

"Alex!" She called out, "Your Uncle Jon's here!"

Alex came running in.

"Uncle Jon! Look what I have!" He held out the bird that was wrapped up in a towel to keep it from flying away.

Bonnie found the door a crack open. She slipped inside and shut the door then tip toed to the bed.