Aqua's POV
I went along with Mommy to her doctor's appointment because Griffon had to work and Flannery was looking for a job. We walked in the doctor's office and mommy laid down on the operating table while I pulled up a chair beside her. A few moments later the doctor walked in.
"Hello Mrs. Mustang I understand you're here for a sonogram" Doctor Richards said looking at his chart.
"Yes I haven't been feeling well lately" Mommy said rubbing her belly.
"Well don't worry we'll get to the bottom of this" Doctor Richards said starting to squirt that weird blue gel on mommy's belly before putting sensor on her belly so her insides were on the screen. "Well there is defiantly something in there." Doctor Richards said. There was a white-ish mass on the screen and it was thumping. "Congratulations Ms. Mustang you are indeed pregnant" Doctor Richards said.
"Really?" Mommy said starting to tear up.
"Yes I would say about 6 or 7 weeks. Everything seems fine here when the fetus is about 12 weeks we'll be able to tell if it's a boy or a girl" Doctor Richards said.
"Hey Doc is it possible we can a picture of the little one? It's for my Dad it's going to be a surprise" I said.
"Of course just give me a moment" Doctor Richards said pressing a couple buttons before a little picture popped out. "Here you are" Doctor Richards said handing the picture to Mommy said.
"Look Aquanette your little brother's first baby picture" Mommy said handing the picture to me.
We walked into the house and Griffon was reading a book and Flannery was knitting a baby blanket.
"Check out it ladies" I said flopping down in between them. "Little Roy's first baby picture" I said holding up the sonogram picture.
"Let me see!" Flannery said putting her blanket down. I put the picture in my lap so they could see. "Aww he's so cute!"
"How old is he now?" Griffon asked.
"The doctor said about 7 weeks" Mommy said.
"So are we going to tell Uncle Roy now?" Griffon asked.
"Yes after dinner we're all going to sit him down and tell him" Mommy said. "Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go lie down" Mommy said walking upstairs.
"Amazing someone's lazier than Aquanette" Griffon said picking up her book again.
"Hey!" I said.
Later that day after dinner Daddy went to go sit in his chair so we took this chance to tell him about the baby.
"Roy honey we have something to tell you" Mommy said sitting down in Daddy's lap.
"What's wrong Riza?" Daddy said putting his book away.
"Well you know how I haven't been feeling so well lately?" Mommy said.
"Yea?" Daddy said.
"Well Aquanette took me to the doctor and" Mommy said taking Daddy's hand. "Roy I'm pregnant" She said quietly.
"Wha-What?" Daddy said in shock
"Mommy's pregnant she's going to have a baby" Flannery said smiling.
"Yea see" I said pulling the picture out and handing it to him.
"Is this?" Daddy said speechless.
"Yes Roy this is our baby" Mommy said smiling before Daddy gave her a big hug
Flannery's POV
I was playing cards with Aqua and Griffon when my phone rang.
"Hello?" I asked as I answered the phone.
"Hey Flannery where are you now?" Oracle said excited.
"Oh hey Oracle the girls and I decided to take an 'us' day so we've been home all day" I said putting a card down.
"Listen how fast can you be at the train station?" Oracle said.
"From our house? About 20 minutes" I said looking at my watch. "Why?"
"Because my mom and dad are coming home and I want you guys to be here so bring your butts down here!" Oracle said.
"You got it we'll be there soon" I said before hanging up. "Guys we've got to meet Oracle at the train station" I said standing up.
"Is Uncle Kenshin coming in?" Aqua asked.
"Yep" I said.
"Great who's driving?" Griffon asked. We all recently got our licensees and it's become a daily thing of who's driving the car?
"I will!" Aqua and I said.
"C'mon guys someone just pick" Griffon said. "Why don't you flip a coin?" Griffon said handing me a quarter.
"Okay Aquanette heads I win tails you lose" I said. I always got her with that one.
"No I don't like flipping coins I always lose. This time I pick" Aqua said.
"Fine" I said with a shrug.
"Okay I'm thinking of a number between 1 and a million what is it?" Aqua asked.
"6" I said without a thought.
"Dang it!" Aqua said.
"Alright then Griffon's got shotgun" I said picking up the car keys.
"Sweet" Griffon said standing up.
"Aww man I never get shotgun" Aqua said following us arrived at the train station and saw Oracle sitting on of the benches. She teal streaks in her hair instead of blue.
"Hey Oracle is his train here yet?" I said sitting down next to her.
"Not yet. I can't wait Mommy and Daddy said they have something very important to show me." Oracle said excited.
"I thought you said Oracle's mother died in child birth" Griffon whispered to Aqua.
"She did but shortly after she died Uncle Kenshin hired this lady named Mae-Lynn to help him get around because the Retinitis Pigmentosa finally set in they eventually fell in love and got married and she's been known as Oracle's mother" Aqua explained with a the train pulled in to a screeching halt and Oracle and I quickly stood up.
"Oh that's their train!" Oracle said.
A few moments later my Uncle Kenshin stepped off the train and then helped Mae-Lynn who was holding a little bundle plus her luggage. Uncle Kenshin has spiky brown hair and light grey eyes due to his blindness and Mae-Lynn has black hair and hazel eyes
"Daddy!" Oracle said.
"Oracle!" Uncle Kenshin said as Oracle jumped into his arms. "How are you?"
"Much better now that I'm back with my daughter" Uncle Kenshin said placing Oracle back on the ground. "We have someone very special for you to meet"
"Oracle this is your little brother Kenshin Jr." Aunt Mae-Lynn said showing the baby boy to Oracle. He had dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes.
"Kenshin Jr." Oracle said looking at the baby boy in awe.
"Yes that's why we named him that it'll make him strong just like your name make's you strong. An Oracle is all knowing person don't you remember?" Uncle Kenshin said.
"Yes oh I can't believe I forgot" Oracle said running over to us and taking our hands and I quickly grabbed Griffon's hand to pull her over. "I bought the twins with me."
"My nieces! Emelina Jr. and Maria!" Uncle Kenshin said giving us a hug.
"Don't call me that!" I said folding my arms across my chest. I really liked having my grandmother's name why did people have to ruin it by having the Jr. part?
"I'm just kidding EJ" Uncle Kenshin said rubbing my head.
"That's not funny!" I said.
"I'm just funning with ya." Uncle Kenshin said.
"Uncle K this is Griffon she's our cousin" Aqua said.
"Nice to meet you Griffon" Uncle Kenshin said shaking her hand with both hands because he was blind.
"Nice to meet you too Colonel Tusinko" Griffon said.
"Girls please come meet your cousin" Uncle Kenshin said pulling us over to Auntie Mae-Lynn and the baby.
"Aww he's so cute!" I said. I loved little babies that's why I couldn't wait for my little brother to come.
"Yea he's way too cute to be your kid" Aqua said shaking her head.
"Hey!" Kenshin said which made me and Griffon giggle. I looked over and saw Oracle and she had a huge smile on her face. I was glad that my cousin finally got her cousin back and a new baby brother
Pepper's POV
Griffon & I were waiting outside the band room to talk to Mr. Lincoln. Seth was standing directly in front of the door, staring straight ahead. I waved a hand in front of his face.
"Seth, what are you doing?" I asked.
He didn't answer. The door opened & C.J. Maynard, from choir, stopped when he realized he couldn't get out. "C.J.!" Seth yelled happily, wrapping his arms around the other boy.
C.J. returned the gesture. He noticed us & said, "He's my gay buddy." Then he shrugged & the two walked away with their arms around the others' shoulders.
"Homo." Griffon sang. She walked in, then right back out. "I just remembered. It's a sub. We have to wait for tomorrow."
"I thought Seth was dating Jesse Myers. You know, the guy who plays viola." I said.
"Even guys cheat on each other. They're no different from anyone else." Griffon said in a taunting voice. The two of us laughed & headed out of the school. I had gotten a job at the stables with Griffon as their website designer. I also taught a snot-nosed brat named Melanie. She would be dead by now if Griffon weren't there to take her off my hands every now & then.
"Hey, I left something at my house. Jimmy Lee won't mind if we're a few minutes late." Griffon sighed.
"Okay, we'll stop by your house on the way." I told her. We ran over to the Mustangs' house & hurried upstairs.
Griffon picked up a black sign & ran back out. I followed behind her, only I took the stairs down instead of sliding down the banister.
"Let's bolt." I said.
Griffon stopped when the phone rang. "Hello? Wrong number, sorry." After she hung up, she bolted outside.
Let's just say, Jimmy Lee is way nice. He didn't say a thing about us being late. "So, who was that on the phone?" I asked while Griffon groomed Wildfire.
"No one. I said wrong number." Griffon stated.
I nodded & pulled my hair back in a ponytail. "Yeah, but what did they want?"
"Nothing. Don't you have to watch Hunter?" Griffon snapped.
"Oh, you mean 'Veronica?' Melanie renamed him since her dad's paying extra to have her ride a thoroughbred horse." I groaned.
Hunter was the horse I used to ride before Melanie came along & whined to her daddy about how she wanted to ride a thoroughbred. God, I hate her.
"Relax. She'll give up in a week. That, or Hunter is gonna trample her." Griffon laughed.
I played around with my camera & flipped through the pictures to post on the site. "Stop right there." I told Griffon. She turned her head to look at me & I snapped the picture. "Perfection."
"Must you take pictures of Wildfire every chance you get?" Griffon wondered.
I shrugged. "You don't see a Caspian around here very often."
"You don't see horses around here very often." Griffon countered.
"Shut up, Griff." I frowned. "Point is, your horse is amazing & if we have horses like her & Hunter on the sight, students will be rolling in."
"Yeah, well. Oracle's parents came yesterday. Anything new happen while we were away?" Griffon began.
"New student in photography." I told her.
Griffon set the horse brush down & leaned against the stall gate. "What's their name?"
"His name's Zach Brahler." I informed.
The gate swung open & Griffon fell to the ground. "No way!"
"You know him?" I asked.
I pulled Griffon up. "Dude's a freak."
"I sure hope not. He's cute." I sighed dreamily.
"What is it with you & blondes?" Griffon questioned my tastes.
We walked over to my office - the room I used for website editing - & I hooked my camera up to the computer & sat down in the chair. "I know it's shallow, but I just seem to think of them more highly than others."
"You're so nice." Griffon replied sarcastically.
Jimmy Lee stuck his head in the doorway. "Girls, Twilly & I have to get to a meeting. We want you to go ahead & take off after feeding the horses. That alright with you?"
"You got it, J.L." We answered, saluting.
Next day, Taylor Wilcox kept elbowing me in the side to help me stay awake in photography while Mrs. Tatum droned on. "Now, who wants to volunteer for the nature photography project."
I pushed my seat back so fast it tipped over, stood up straight with one hand in the air & the other slammed against the table, & called, "I'll do it!"
Unfortunately, the guy on the other side of the room did the exact same thing at the exact same time. Zach Brahler.
"Okay, since you two seem so eager, you will work together." Mrs. Tatum smiled. "Glad you two take so much interest. Get the project outline from me at the end of class."
She went back to talking & handed out more assignments to groups of three. I looked over at Zach, who looked back & winked.
At lunch, he sat with us, much to Griffon's disgust. "I'll see you at work, Pepper." She said, standing up with Thatch & walking over to join another table.
"Don't worry about her." Zach rolled his eyes & opened up his binder. "Look, I know we have a few weeks to get the project done, but today & tomorrow are the only nights with a full moon, which means we'll have a perfect setting for nighttime shots."
I nodded. "You're getting somewhere with that. It gives it a sort of gothic undertone. Why don't we head out to the woods by the cemetery tonight?"
"Exactly what I was thinking." Zach chuckled & stood up. "I'll see you tonight. Meet me at nine by the diner."
"Okay. Bye Zach." I waved as he stood up & walked away, snapping a picture of us with his camera.
Flannery frowned. "What's with Griffon?"
"She doesn't like Zach. Says his brother's okay though." I shrugged.
"Hey, yeah." Aqua snapped her fingers. "Zane's parents adopted Zach when his parents abandoned him. Shouldn't he be here too."
"And what about Aria? Zane wouldn't leave her in Barcelona. They just got together." Marth continued.
I twirled a curl of hair around my fingers. "Zach said they were attending that one school. Uh, the Central School of Performing Arts?"
Flannery nodded. "A few famous actors & actresses came from that school. It's really hard to get in."
"They must be pretty good then." Alex commented.
I shrugged & held up my camera, taking a picture of him & Flannery. "I know the next person to become famous for one thing." I turned to Aqua, pressed the button on the camera & listened to the shutter click. "I also know the descendant of Da Vinci."
"Whoa that's hardcore" Aqua said. "As you know I happen to be quite the artist myself and once I turn in this master piece Ms. Robins will bump my final grade up. It's going to be great!" Aqua said holding up her painted easel
"And I was talking about you, smart one. Do you mind?" I said holding up my camera.
"Sure go ahead" Aqua said with a shrug. I quickly took a picture before standing up.
"Well I better get a look at these before I turn them into the school newspaper" I said.
Griffon's POV
Since Aunt Riza was now pregnant Uncle Roy wanted her to stay home and rest more even though she was only about 2 months along so the twins and I helped to pick up the slack. Flannery made dinner, Aqua cleaned the house, and I picked Megan up and dropped her off. We also helped at Central headquarters Flannery acted as secretary and the errands and Aqua and I were body guards of course nothing happen that Aquanette and I couldn't handle.
We were currently sitting in Uncle Roy's office. Flannery was helping Uncle Roy with some paperwork and Aqua and I were just sitting around do nothing.
"Aqua, Griffon can you guys do me a favor" Uncle Roy said.
"Sure" I said as Aqua and I stood up.
"I need you to go pick up your sister and then the Elric brothers because they have a meeting soon" Uncle Roy said.
"You got it Pop" Aqua said.
"Yep I'm driving!" I said pulling out the car keys and running out.
"Aww I was going to say that!" Aqua said coming up behind me.
After we picked up Megan we made our way to the train station.
"Where are we going?" Megan asked.
"Just some work baby girl you're going to meet some very interesting people but I want you to be nice okay" I said as we came to a stop.
"Okay Gigi" Megan said.
"Then again we won't hate you if you're a little mean" Aqua added.
"Aquanette" I scolded
"What I don't like Ed's attitude" Aqua said.
"Who's Ed?" Megan asked.
"You'll see" I said parking the car at the train station. We waited on the bench and Ed and Al were the first to get off the train.
"Ah hell" Ed said putting his knuckle on his hip.
"Don't blame us Uncle Roy sent us" I said with a shrug.
"Uncle Roy?" Ed said
"So the Colonel is your Uncle?" Al asked.
"Yea I gotta say it's not all that bad" I said with a small smile.
"Yea and he's my Uncle too!" Megan said.
"Ed, Al this is my little sister Megan. Meg this Edward and Alphonse Elric" I introduced.
"Nice to meet you Megan" Al said.
"Yea nice to meet you" Ed said mumbling. "Can we just go to headquarters?"
"Keep your little boy pants on" Aqua said.
"Don't start with me Aquanette!" Ed said.
"Just get in the car" Aqua said.
Megan sat on Aqua's lap so the boys wouldn't crush her.
"Where are we going?" Ed said as I made a different turn.
"I don't want to take Megan to headquarters I need to drop her off just calm down Edward" I said.
"Fine" Edward said with a sigh.
We all walked into the house and were greeted by all three of the puppies.
"Look brother puppies" Al said kneeling down to pet the puppies.
"Oh Edward, Alphonse it's nice to see you again" Aunt Riza said as she slowly made her way down the stairs.
"Oh hello Lieutenant Hawkeye." Al said stand up.
"Lieutenant Hawkeye how come you're not at work?" Ed asked
"Well Roy and I have a little one on the way so he's making me stay home more" Aunt Riza said rubbing her stomach.
"You mean you and the Colonel are going to have a baby?" Al asked.
"Yes we find out next week if it's going to be a boy or a girl" Aunt Riza said.
"Well good for you I knew you would get tired of the twins eventually" Ed said which caused Aqua to punch him in the back of the head. "Ah!"
"So what do you want?" Al asked.
"Well we're going to love the baby no matter what it is but with four girls in the house Roy is really hoping for a boy you know for a little Roy Jr." Aunt Riza said with a shrug.
"Great another thing to boost the Colonel's ego" Ed said with a roll of his eyes.
"Guys we should get back to headquarters. Megan you stay here and keep Aunt Riza company" I said.
"Can do!" Megan arrived at Central Headquarters and escorted the boys to Uncle Roy's office.
"Uncle Roy we bought you the Elric brothers." I said.
"Thank you" Uncle Roy said handing us each 10 dollars.
"Sweetness" Aqua said.
About 3 hours later we were able to go home. With Flannery's help Uncle Roy was able to get his work done faster but he as going fast anyway because he wanted to get home and be with Aunt Riza. We arrived home and Aunt Riza and Megan were sitting in the living room.
"We're home!" Flannery said.
"Hey you're home early" Aunt Riza said standing up and giving Uncle Roy a hug and a kiss.
"Yea I wanted to get home to be with you a little guy" Uncle Roy said rubbing Aunt Riza stomach.
"And me too right?" Megan said before Roy picked her up.
"Of course Megan" Roy said which made Megan smile.
The phone rang, so Flannery went to go get it. A minute later, Flannery was standing in the doorway. "Griffon, it's for you."
"Really?" I asked. "Okay." I walked out & took the phone. "Hello?"
"Are you Hadrea?" The voice asked. It was the same woman from before, when Pepper was here.
"No. My name is Griffon." I answered coldly.
"I'm trying to give you a family." The voice snapped. "You should be happy."
I scoffed, "You must have me mistaken. First off, most of my family is either dead, or they hate me. And secondly, I'm perfectly happy here. This is where my family is."
"I-" The voice was cut off when I hung up.
"Wrong number." I said, walking back in. "Look, I have to go. I'm scheduled for a checkup at the hospital."
Ever since I got out of my little coma, I had to have biweekly checkups. It was long & boring. I patted my pocket, car keys were there. "Do you need anyone to take you?" Flannery asked.
"No, want to walk there." I answered, walking out the door.
I stopped at the alley I always took. Instead of going through it I started around to take the long way.
"Hey, Thatch." I called, racing up to the door where he was waiting. "I'm late, aren't I?"
He nodded. "Yeah, by five minutes. Where were you?"
"Took the long way. Sorry." I rubbed the back of my head. "Can we just get this over with?"
Pepper's POV
I sighed. "Really? Ugh, forget it. I'm going by myself." I grumbled to myself & started toward the cemetery.
Zach was really gonna pay tomorrow for not showing up. It was his idea in the first place. I walked up to the woods & turned on my camera. Dad was picking me up in a couple hours so I had plenty of time to scope out the best shots.
"Let's see." I got some shots of the sky as the sun set & pulled out a flashlight.
Soon, I had found my way out to the cemetery & had taken a break. Ten pictures & I would be done. As I stepped back to get the shot I wanted, my foot caught on something & I fell back.
"Whoa there." A boy exclaimed, catching me.
I stood up, & picked up my camera. Then, I turned around & punched Zach in the shoulder. "You are way late." I yelled at him. "Where the hell were you?"
"I thought you didn't like to curse." Zach mentioned.
I held my arms akimbo & tapped my foot on the ground. "If I'm angry enough, I'll let a few words slip. Now, why are you late?"
"Aria decided to use me as a punching bag for walking in on her & Zane." Zach explained. "And no, not in that way."
"How'd you know that's what I was thinking?" I asked.
Zach snapped a picture with his camera. "You're Pepper. It's not that hard. You hang out with Jessi Hunter & Sarah Mace."
"What's your point?"
"They're known for having dirty minds." He countered.
I sighed & turned to get a shot of the moon over the treetops. "Whatever. But, hey, isn't it beautiful out tonight. Perfect weather, too."
"Yeah, you're right." Zach put an arm around my shoulders & held the camera out. "Smile."
Alex's POV
I was riding my skateboard towards my girlfriend's house to see if she wanted to do anything today. Flannery was the best girl ever. I took one look at her and all other girls didn't seem to matter. We've been dating for about 3 years and each day just gets better. We met when she 12 and I was 13.
~FLASHBACK~
I was riding down the sidewalk of our new neighbor hood since my Uncle was in the military we moved around a lot but my Uncle promised this was our last move. I was just riding alone when I hit the bench and went flying I landed in front of stoop and saw a girl sitting on the steps. She saw me and quickly came running down.
"Oh my gosh are you okay?" She asked kneeling down next to me
"It's nothing it's just a scratch" I said looking at my bleeding knee.
"Here let me see" She said digging into her pocket she pulled out a band-aid a placed it on my knee. "There you go all better" She said.
"Uh thanks" I said with a shrug. "Who are you?"
"I'm Flannery and you are?" Flannery asked.
"Alexander or just Alex" I said with a shrug.
"Flannery it's time for dinner" Her mom said coming outside.
"Okay Mom I guess I'll see you later then" Flannery said standing up.
"Yea see ya" I said standing up.
~END FLASHBACK~
I walked into her house and saw her sister and her cousin sitting on the couch.
"Hey people" I said as I walked in.
"Ever heard of this new thing called knocking Alexander?" Aqua said.
"Oh c'mon you don't seem to mind that much" I said sitting down in the rocking chair.
"You do it every time you're over here" Griffon said.
"Yea and get out of my dad's chair" Aqua said.
"Well is he here now?" I asked.
"No he and my mom went to lunch with my grandfather" Aqua said.
"Then I have nothing to worry about. So where's Flannery?" I asked.
"She went to the park for some skateboarding and some meditation" Griffon said.
"Fine I'll see you guys later" I said picking up my skateboard and walking out.
I rode all the way over to Central City park. There was a lot of people here today but I needed to find Flannery so I just started riding around looking for her. I wasn't looking where I was going as I always did and I bumped into someone and fell backwards.
"What the hell" I said rubbing my head. I looked up and saw Flannery lying on the ground. She slowly sat up and a smile came to her face.
"Alexander!" Flannery said with a big smile on her face.
"Hey gorgeous" I said standing up to help her up. "I was looking for you"
"Really? Because I was looking for you too" She said holding my hands. "Marth told me you were out skateboarding so I hopped on and came looking for you"
"Great minds think a like" I said giving her a small kiss which made her giggle.
"You want to sit down?" She asked.
"Sure" I said. We picked up our skateboards and sat down on the bench. "So you're going to be 17 soon how does it feel?" I asked
"Honestly not any different I'll still be the same Flannery just a year older" She said with a shrug. "But you're going to be a senior and captain next year" She said taking my hand.
"Yea no more co-captain it's going to be great" I said with a smile. "So do you want to maybe go to the junior/senior dance with me?"
"I'd love to Alex" She said smiling. "And remember you have to go baby shopping with me" Flannery said waving her finger.
"Oh yea did your mom ever figure out what she was having?" I asked.
"She's going to have a boy and my dad was so happy!" She said.
"Yea for once" I said rolling my eyes.
"Hey be nice this is a joyous occasion a new life is coming" Flannery said. "For my benefit will you try to get alone with my dad a little better?" She asked taking my hands. I couldn't say no to her.
"Fine I'll try but if he starts something I'm going off!" I said jokingly which made her giggle.
"I love you, you know that?" She said looking at me with loving eyes.
"I know I love you too" I said before giving her a kiss. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her closer to me. She broke away and rested her forehead against mine.
"You ready to go?" She asked.
"Sure" I said with a shrug as she stood up.
"You want to race to my house? I bet I'd win" She said picking up her skateboard.
"Oh you wish babe" I said standing up
