Title: Letters to Me

Summary: The Older Generation writes letters to themselves at seventeen. Inspired by Letter to Me by Brad Paisley.

Rating: K+

A/N: Veronica's got a lot to say...I personally love her letter the most, though.

Disclaimer: Don't own the Sisters Grimm, thanks for suggesting it, though.

Dear Veronica,

Wow. You're seventeen now. I gotta say—seventeen was a rough year. I would know because well, I'm you. It's about twenty-two years into the future—I'm thirty-nine years old.

I'll prove it. On your left hip, you have a star-shaped birthmark that you've never shown anyone because you think it looks like a wart. That, and no one wants to see Ronnie Fisher's hip. If that's not proof (because our parents know that), your first kiss was in tenth grade with a cute boy named Beck Twain. You kissed him on a dare and never told anyone, and never saw him again. Not even Kathy knows—and she's the one who dared you. You told her you chickened out because you didn't want her to not respect you. Your greatest shame is that you're only average at everything—solid Bs, nothing exceptional in any area.

But you're more talented than you know. You're right, academically, you're nothing special—actually, you are, considering that over half the world's population never gets to go to school and you've got a great education at a wonderful school. Athletically, you're capable of holding your own, but nothing to stare at. But socially…Ronnie, you're a social butterfly. You make friends with everyone, can understand anyone…you'd be a great politician, if you hadn't fallen in love with the most amazing guy.

That's right. You, Ronnie Fisher, fall in love with a perfectly amazing guy, and he loves you back. And he'll change your life, for the better.

You'll do things you never imagined you'd do—you'll help people, and you'll love it. People can't hate you—they want to love you, want to trust you, all because you're Ronnie…all because you're Veronica, and they know you can fix everything.

You'll have three perfect children, S, D and B. (I would tell you their names, but my mother-in-law forbids it, saying that it could influence the future-past and that if I like my life, I can't say too much.)

S is seventeen right now, and that's why I'm writing this letter. Seeing her reminds me of…well, me. She's a blonde version of you, but her personality is all her dad's. Fiercely protective, loving…it makes sense that she's the eldest. You're going to make so many mistakes with her, and she might resent you for a while, but you'll get through it, and she'll thank you for it someday.

D is thirteen—the middle daughter. You'll get through her childhood a tad more smoothly—still not perfectly—but since S is there, and D looks up to her so much, things are just a bit easier because you've been there, done that. She's an artsy dreamer…unlike S and B. If she didn't look like her daddy, I'd swear someone cloned us. She gets people, just like we do. She's got a small town heart but big town dreams, and all we can do is hope they don't get broke.

B is seven. He's a redhead with a fiery temper, and we can already tell he'll be a ladies' man when he's in his teens. You make a lot of mistakes with him, but he's your only son, and his personality is so much like Shane's that you want to laugh and cry at the same time because you just know that having another Shane around isn't going to be a good thing. AND his sisters spoil him shamelessly…

Advice for younger me…hm…first off, I'd say get your permit before you turn eighteen, it might come in handy. When I say "permit" I mean your driver's permit. When you turn eighteen, learn to use a gun, get a gun permit and actually own one—personally, I recommend the Beretta 3032 Tomcat pistol, any version, but the Bersa Thunder 9 is a good gun as well. Never go anywhere without one. Believe me, it will come in handy. Smiles are not always the best thing. Just don't go and get all trigger happy. It's only for emergencies.

Learn to ride a subway without having a panic attack. You might live someplace where knowing how to navigate a subway is very important.

Never, ever go more than five feet away from your asthma inhaler or allergy medication. EVER.

Invest in an etiquette class. The ancient literature class will really help, and I'd highly recommend studying up on classic and modern literature. Latin would probably be a big help, and if there's a detective reasoning seminar in town, attend it. I cannot stress that enough.

Wear sunscreen every day and hoodies and jeans are very practical to wear. But make sure you have some pretty clothes too—you don't want to look bad on dates.

Speaking of dates—don't date anyone who only likes you for your looks—go for the guys who love you and your quirks and your personality. "If you can't handle me at my absolute worst, you don't deserve me at my absolute best," should be your motto. It'll save you a lot of pain.

Oh, and don't date anyone whose name begins with the letter N. Every relationship you'll ever have with any dude with a name beginning with N has been horrible to you. I'm sure there's a nice Nick or Nate or Nolan or someone like that out there, you just haven't found one. So just avoid guys who have names beginning with N, at least until you've found The One. Then you can make friends with them.

This is important: Believe in yourself. I learned this only recently, and I repeat it to my children at every chance I get. Yesterday is history; tomorrow is a mystery; but today is a gift, and that's why it's called the present.

Ronnie, I want you to live like there's no tomorrow, because all that's for certain is right here and right now. It's your fatal flaw—you'll never know when time will be taken away from you, and you have a hard time living in the present.

Don't let life pass you by. I know you're planning on having a calm, plain life, but I can tell you right now that it's just not possible for that to happen with you.

Speak your mind; there's too little time left to leave anything unsaid.

Take a risk, and if you lose, then at least you've tried, which is more than so many people can say. You can do anything if you try.

Veronica Fisher. Love with all your heart, dream with all your might. Live like there's no tomorrow, but dream as if you'll live forever.

I hate to tell you this, but you'll suffer from heartbreak so many times. Boyfriends will dump you, family members will die, people you love and think love you will betray you. Your heart will crack, but you'll manage to put yourself back together. Heartbreak will be a constant friend to you—but that doesn't mean you can't live your life.

What's life without the pain of living? Without pain, there would be no joy, and while the road will be marked with suffering for you, tremendous joy will fill every fiber of your being.

You and S are alike in that regard—you'll hurt so much, but it'll make the joy that much more beautiful.

Look at me—being all sentimental at thirty-nine. I'll be forty next month, and that kind of scares me. But you know what? I've learned to live, and while I know things very definitely aren't the way I planned them, they're still absolutely amazing, and I wouldn't change a thing.

So I'll see you in the mirror when you're all grown up—and you know, I think you'll like being an adult.

The best years of your life are still ahead of you…

Love,

Ronnie.

.

R&R