A/N: So basically I just wanted to apologize again immensely and whole-ly for the neglect to this story that's obviously well-loved. I have the beginning of a clear cut plot written down, and having taken some time from my winter holidays to write and tend to it and do some general housekeeping, I think I will be able to commit to updating about biweekly, if I am giving appropriate heed to all my other commitment. In closing, I feel extremely guilty still, and that is most definitely well deserved considering the amount of neglect so yeah, I am hella super duper sorry about such a lengthy wait and I understand completely if no one decides to read it. But either way, here goes.

"Um, miss? We're beginning our approach...?"

I'm woken by the kindly flight attendant shaking me gently. Huh. The time passed so quickly. I wonder...No time to think about it now. I nod, and the attendant leaves me. I look out the window curiously, and I see the beautiful Irish landscape sprawling underneath the plane. It's such a pretty picture, I can't help but smile. "I'm home." I think. I begin putting my things back into my rucksack - magazine, leftovers from lunch, my mobile phone, and GameBoy. All are returned to my bag as we're told to fasten our seatbelts, and eventually our plane lands.

I carefully find my way off of the plane, and to baggage claim. This time, the second I see my bag, I drag it off the carousel. No time to keep Dad and Clare waiting, not to mention Holly and Hazel. I've missed them so much. There is nothing quite like having sisters, even if they aren't wholly my sisters.

Wandering towards the gate, my thoughts wander away from my step family awaiting me, and towards my mum. How she can walk away so easily, let me go in favor of her new life. At least with Dad, I had to all but scream it in his face for him to get I didn't want to see him or hear him or talk to him. Granted, I'd been hostile for lots of dumb reasons, but he still made every effort to get me to come around, up until I'd made it as plain as possible I didn't want him in my life. And as soon as I'd come to Ireland, he'd worked at it again. I'd come home to Mum after the summer and she'd gotten a boyfriend rather quickly. It hadn't lasted long, but since then she'd worked on it, and eventually she'd found Mark...

"SCARLETT! OVER HEERE!"

And like that, my thoughts snapped back to the present. I looked up, and there was Dad, with a little hangers-on in the form of Holly, my step-sister. I grinned as soon as I saw Holly, and nearly dropped my bags. As it was, I hurried to her, and as soon as I was close enough, I did drop my luggage and pulled Holly in for a huge hug. God, I'd missed her. When she pulled back a moment later, she was grinning even wider than me, if that was possible. And then I looked up, and saw my dad's face. And remembered my hair, which led to me giggling.

"Hello Dad." I said with a smile, fighting back the giggles. He nods, grabbing at my suitcase and then finally deciding to say something.

"So, erm, when did you, eh..."

"I coloured it pink a few weeks ago Dad. It's temporary, and it'll go faster than my red did, I promise."

"Ah. Well it looks nice, Scarlett." He finally smiles, swinging my suitcase up off the floor, and turning, heading toward the door. Holy catches my hand, swinging my arm with hers, as we follow Dad. He chucks my luggage into the wayback of the Morris Traveller, and Holly climbs into the back, letting me take the passenger seat. And only a moment later we're driving towards Kilimoor in Dad's silly old car, with Holly bouncing in the back, and me reflecting on my journey 3 years ago, in this same car. Except then, I'd hated the car and everything it stood for and reminded me of, and I'd hated the entire journey. This time, I see the landscape and the odd houses with their entirely unique, if odd, yard decorations, and I feel as if I'm coming home after the longest journey I've been on. I relax and listen to the pop songs playing on the radio, something I suppose Holly chose on the way to the airport, though I don't much mind them. And I think how different things are now. How different I am this time around.

Even for my not having been ready, even for my wanting to stay in London with Mum just a bit longer, I feel so happy to be back in Ireland, travelling toward Connemara with my father and step-sister, soaking in every bit of the trip. So maybe I wasn't entirely ready... I stop myself from following that thought. I'm definitely not going to be bitter about this. I was bitter the last time, and I don't want to continue to be. It'd be just stupid to let that get in the way of this particular homecoming. I've had enough bittersweet homecomings to last me a lifetime, if I say so myself.

So I relax back and let my thoughts drift lazily like the landscape we pass by, and I mark the slight changes in the land, and I smile and look forward to the future. To moving here, living here, being a part of this family again, properly and for real this time.

Maybe I'll graduate here, and go off to uni. I'd like that. I've heard the universities here are really nice as well, and well who knows, maybe Kian and I will even -

I don't let that thought continue either. Kian is someone to think about another time, when I think I can better process everything. When I'm not dealing with the I-just-moved feelings. I let it go, and finally see the Lough. I grin, thinking of possibilities, and I'm distracted once again, back to admiring the landscape and the lake, wondering if I'll have enough time to go swimming and if I might make some friends this time round.

Possibilities float through my head as we drive through Kilimoor and on towards the cottage. And when we pull into the lane, finally, I light up once more upon seeing the gorgeous woman standing barefoot in the garden feeding the chickens, and I'm out of the car and into Clare's arms in a heartbeat. I've missed Clare, oddly enough, and once again the feeling of coming home washes over me as we pull away and I scan over the familiar but different cottage, and then the garden.

Coming home is the best feeling in the world, I decide firmly.

I would just like to add that I'm sorry about the filler, but I left this entire story in the middle of a filler-kind-of place, so here's my attempt at getting back on track. Hopefully future updates will live up to expectations a bit more. And of course, much thanks for all of your comments and concern in regards to this story.