Disclaimed.

Chap. 6

He woke up early to a random pain in his side. Oh no, he knows what this pain is from. Great, Emilia is on her period and is having cramps. This is one side effect of twin superpowers that was not magical. The whole sharing physical pain was new to the twins, it started shortly after they entered puberty. Their pediatrician told them that they weren't actually feeling the others real physical pain, but that their brain was causing the pain as a form of empathy. Whatever the cause was, he was not feeling it this morning.

However, he decided to take it as a sign to get up and finish his assignment. So he made his way to the kitchen and started making coffee. It was barely 7 a.m. on a Saturday so he didn't think his family would be emerging from their beds for at least another hour. Hopefully by then he would have a solid idea for this assignment.

After he finished his first cup of coffee he made himself another and quietly padded to his dad's office. His parents decided after Charlotte was born that they would officially separate his office from their bedroom by adding some real walls. Allowing Ethan the perfect setting to complete his final high school assignment, at his father's desk. The same desk that finished Derek Storm, the same desk that created Nikki Heat, the same desk that his father used to create his children's novels after Em got sick and the same desk that eventually lead to his father's newest addiction: serious literature. The man was all about the next adventure and who knew that textbooks could have so much room for the dramatics.

Ethan sat down in his father's leather chair and placed his hands on the rich mahogany desk before he started writing.

[You've asked us to write about our futures. You've asked us to make a plan of what we want out of life. But you've also asked us to dream. To take what we think is important now and turn that into a lifestyle. And honestly, I think that was the hardest part of the assignment for me: the thinking about what's important to me now. It wasn't until I was assigned this prompt did I truly think about what I wanted. Ever since I was able to think about my future I've always followed a path lead by my parents. They are both successful in their careers and in their personal lives and all I ever wanted to do was make them proud. So when you ask me 'Where do you see yourself in 15 years?' I have to start at the beginning. At the point after graduation. I see myself attending Stanford and finding adventure. I see myself participating in every aspect of the college experience: girls, boys, courses, professors, finding my passion, changing my major 6 different times and even the occasionally STD/pregnancy scare. I see myself taking every moment in stride. I see myself finally figuring out my life's calling. I want to feel the same thing my mother feels when she puts that NYPD Captain's badge and gun on her hip. I want to feel that joy that my father gets after writing a bone chilling ending to a novel. I want to feel that pride. I see myself being and living honestly. In 15 years it won't matter if I'm a doctor or a lawyer, it won't matter if I become the next Steve Jobs or the next Donald Trump if I'm not proud of what I am doing. All that will matter to me in MY future life is that I did everything I could to be the same person I am today – a person my parents are proud of and a person that is proud of myself.

- Ethan James Rodgers Castle Beckett

Also here is the Cliff Notes version: In 15 years I see myself living in New York City with my wife and 2 children. I want to be an United States Senator on my way to a presidential campaign. I want to own a lake house near Canada and I want my parents, as well as my siblings to still be alive. I want to be happy.]

Well that was it. It was done. His high school assignments finally completed. And it only took 6 rough drafts for his assignment about his future to finally mean something to him. Thank goodness his AP Lit professor knew his writing and would be able to take that last part as a joke.

Ethan closed his eyes and finally let out a breath. He didn't even realize he was sobbing until he felt his mother's arms around him. And it was just like his father said at dinner, "another best seller" done and now it was time to start a new novel. A novel about the next part of his life.

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A/N: Ahhh. Sorry it took me a bit to update I was having some issues with this chapter, but I hope you guys like it somewhat. Gross twin thing in the beginning? 100% real. I have twin brother and this was a regular (aka: monthly) thing that happened between us during high school. Also sorry about the whole accidental angst with Ethan. I took some personal things into consideration when writing this story, but it'll get better I promise. Anyway, new graduation chapter next and then a couple more before this tale will be complete. Feedback is always appreciated. Y'all are amazing, -K.