Jody POV
The day was finally here. Kingsley was going to be released from prison, and I had to make sure that everything was perfect. I'd stolen a few more objects from the Dumping Ground, but they'd understand eventually.
I was making an effort; securing my future.
The doorbell rang sharply, and I allowed myself one final appreciation of the room before hurrying out to the door to open it.
And there he was. Unmistakably my brother. And he had a massive grin on his face, as he greeted me.
"Hello sis.." he chuckled, as I leapt into his arms in delight. I couldn't believe it!
We'd done it. We'd got him home and soon our family would be reunited once again.
I led him inside and he shrugged somewhat sadly as he examined the rooms, "It's not much better than prison is it?"
I ducked my head sadly as I carefully placed a smelly candle on the counter. I'd failed..
"Only messing with you, you monkey! You done good!" he teased before taking me by the shoulders. There was pride in his eyes. Genuine pride.
It was small steps, but we'd get there. Eventually.
Tyler POV
My head swarmed with the thought of Jody. She'd barely talked to me all week and every time I asked if she wanted to hang out, she seemed distracted. Maybe Carmen was right, and there was something going on with Jody but she wouldn't talk to me.
Besides with random objects going missing in the house, everyone else had their suspicions raised too.
"Jody's phone rang out so I called the dentist. She ain't been in there for months.." Bailey quietly informed us.
Great.
"That doesn't add up!" I exclaimed.
"Course it does, Jody keeps disappearing, things go missing, she lies about where she is... she's a thief!" Archie concluded. I bit back the frustration, he had no evidence!
"She has been acting really weird all week.." Bailey realised as we entered Mo's room.
"Even Carmen noticed!" Joseph exclaimed, sitting himself on a chair, "That must be why she asked Tyler to keep an eye on her mustn't it? She said she needed some looking after.."
"Hey!" I snapped, "That was a private conversation!"
Joseph quickly scurried out of the room. The little cheek, eavesdropping on other people!
Bailey and Mo both raised their eyebrows questioningly. Time to put things right.
"Look Jody's a mate; she's one of the good guys! Carmen was just worried.." I tried pathetically but I could barely convince myself.
"Carmen worried about Jody? She must be in really deep trouble then.." Bailey said, "We need to find her.."
"Where do we look?" I asked reluctantly.
Mo suddenly took out his tablet. Apparently Jody had asked him to keep a tracker on her phone, because she kept losing it. He showed us a map, and we soon discovered that she wasn't too far away from here.
I still didn't want to believe that Jody was the thief, but maybe finding her could give us some answers.
Jody POV
"Close your eyes and hold your hands out," Kingsley stated appearing suddenly at the doorway. I raised my eyebrows suspiciously.
"It's not another one of your tricks it it?"
"Trust me.." he sighed and I grudgingly accepted. I opened my eyes to find a worn box of Monopoly in my arms. Back when we were all together, the whole family played every Friday night. I was always the top hat and Kingsley was always the car. He usually won.
"Do you wanna play?" he asked.
"Really?!" I asked in disbelief. It'd been so long, I didn't think he still cared about family games. But he'd changed. Prison had given me back my brother again.
After a few minutes and laughs, I realised that I was winning for once. I was about to rub my money in Kingsley's face when he got a phone call. He answered it and left the board.
"Kingsley, it's your turn!" I chuckled, before pausing. His face had dropped. All the excitement from moving in, had turned into a stone cold rock, moulding his features back into those familiar expressions.
Something was wrong.
He ended the call before turning to me, "Sorry about that.."
"Who was it?" I asked, trying not to sound scared. If he'd gotten himself into trouble...
"No one," he replied quickly, "Hey don't feel like you have to stick around or anything, if you need to get back.."
"I'm happy here.. as long as you are.." I stated honestly. He smiled again.
"Where are we up to?" he asked.
"You're in jail.." I replied monotonously, holding back the de ja vu.
He chuckled, "That'd be right.."
I was kidding myself. All this planning, and stealing was to cover my guilt. The guilt that I had been the one to betray my family. I'd split us up. And here I was trying to recreate happy families.
All of which could have been avoided if I'd let things be. Kept my big mouth shut.
"I know you're probably beating yourself about me going to prison, but it wasn't your fault Jodes. It were mine.." Kingsley stated quietly trying to console me, "And in a funny kind of way, it were the best thing that ever happened to me.."
I looked up.
"You straightened me out. Thank you.." he smiled gratefully as I blinked back my tears. So maybe things wouldn't be perfect, but he understood why I did what I did.
I felt a burden lift from my shoulders. He wasn't mad at me; he was proud.
Just then a knock came at the door. Kingsley jumped up to open it, as I rearranged some of the cupboards.
"Jody" he called introducing me to a girl wearing denim, "Rosie, Rosie, Jody.."
"Hiya.." she smiled, "I live in the flat over there; looked out for your gran..."
I didn't immediately like the look of her. Or the way Kingsley kept his eyes looking everywhere but at her.
"Do the gang know I'm here..?" he asked anxiously as she nodded, "Right.. I owe 'em big time.."
I furrowed my brows in concern.
"Look could you have a word, smooth things over..?" Kingsley asked desperately.
Rosie sighed, "They want some cash.."
"I haven't got any, have I?"
Her eyes fixed on the silver clock that Kingsley had been staring at before.
"That might be worth something.." she said, gliding over to pick it up.
"Enough to keep the gang away?" Kingsley asked fearfully.
Rosie held it up against the light, "For now maybe.."
I could see worry etched all over Kingsley's face. I knew how it felt when you couldn't escape your past.
"Take it.." I heard myself saying.
"You sure?" he asked. Say no, say no, say...
"Yeah.." I concluded and just like that the smile went back onto his face.
"Thanks monkey!" he grinned before seeing Rosie out.
If I couldn't return all the objects back to the Dumping Ground, Mike would be so pissed. But it was a risk I had to take, if I wanted my brother to stay nearby.
Tyler POV
We walked closely in a huddled group of three, Bailey and Mo latching onto both my arms as we tried to figure out the stupid map. We walked into a fence. I cursed.
We tried again, speed walking round bends and corners, arguing the whole way. As we got lost. Again and again.
Eventually, we found the flats exhausted and hungry. I didn't get it; what was she doing in an estate?
A lady strolled past us, eyeing Mo's tablet.
"You wanna be careful; they'll have that off you in a heartbeat round here.." she advised but Bailey's eyes had latched onto the silver clock she was carrying. The one that Mike had lost earlier that morning.
Bailey tried to make a run for it, but I stopped him.
"No! We have to speak to Jody first.." I told him. We didn't know the whole story, but Jody did.
We skipped up the stairs two at a time, and then we found the door to the flat. I took a deep breath and knocked.
The door swung open as Jody gawped at us standing before her.
"We followed your phone tracker.." Mo explained.
"What?!" she freaked, before trying to slam the door on us, hitting Bailey's foot. He groaned and hissed.
"Well move it or lose it.." she stated coldly. What had happened to her? We were trying to help!
Some footsteps hammered down the stairs and a man joined Jody by the door.
Kingsley. I should have known.
"Alright One Direction.." he began.
"Hello Kingsley.." I glared, trying to calm my beating heart. What had he roped Jody into this time?!
He scoffed, "What do you want?"
"They were just going!" Jody informed him.
"Yeah who's he?" Bailey asked confused as I kept my eyes trained on Jody's brother. He might have scared me as a kid, but he wasn't getting rid of me now.
"He's my brother.." she replied.
"You have to come back with us to Ashdene Ridge!" I told her frustrated. Couldn't she see that history was repeating itself?
"I'll only go back to tell Mike I want to live here.." she replied stubbornly.
"You can't!"
"Watch me!"
"Where's the stuff, the stuff you pinched?" Mo asked disgusted as Bailey filled her in on the woman we saw with Mike's clock. I could see the doubt on Jody's face but she continued to defend her brother.
"You think you know everything don't you? Snooping about, digging your noses into other people's business. Well I don't need it and I don't need you, " she paused looking at me, "Any of you"
I ignored the hurt that was welling up inside of me. By now I knew Jody too well. She was trying to make us hate her, so we wouldn't get involved. But still, it stung a little when she said that.
"Leave me alone!" she said, slamming the door in our faces. I turned away slowly, and banged against the railings in frustration. Kingsley had got her wrapped around his little finger alright.
Why couldn't she see it?
Jody POV
I couldn't believe them. Did they want me to be happy or what? I'd finally got Kingsley back and all Tyler could do was look down his nose at us. Thinking it wouldn't last. I'd show them. I'd show them all.
I stomped up the stairs angrily.
"Tyler's right, you'll have to go back.." Kingsley muttered handing me the Peter Pan book.
"What?" I asked confused. But everything had been great!
"'Fraid so" he replied.
"No! I wanna be here with you!"
"I can't stay here!" Kingsley exclaimed.
"Why?"
"Look the gang's gonna turn up soon, wanting some cash Jodes. I've got to split before that happens.."
"I'll help!"
He paced about in the living room.
"Why don't you get some more stuff from the kid's home we can sell. Or better still, you leave the door on the latch and me and Rosie can strip the place! You're a star Jodes!" he exclaimed, ruffling my hair and leaving.
My heart sank. I thought prison had changed him. But he was still the same.
Still stealing, still after money and still roping me into stuff I didn't want anything to do with. But I'd messed things up with the others. They wouldn't want me now. Not ever.
Trying not to panic, I picked up the Peter Pan book and took it to my room. If anything, reading always helped calm me down. Maybe then, I could think straight.
As I settled down into my book, I found myself envisioning a Neverland where I could escape from all my troubles...
(A/N): Hi! So just wanted to say I'm so grateful for the support for this fiction and this is something I've been wanting to make for a while now... so enjoy!
