I found away
Over the fear and through the flames, I'm diving in
Don't follow me, stay right here I'll be back for you some day
I found away, it'd be best if you just stayed
It's not safe, don't follow me
I found away, I found away
-Alkaline Trio "I found a way"
Ellie brought her head to the kitchen table as she struggled through her review sheets. Final Exams started in eight hours and she was no where near being prepared for them. "Come to bed," Sean said straining to not sound as tired as he felt. He squinted his eyes to see through the bright lights of the kitchen to see his girlfriend. Ellie looked up and smirked at his obvious bed head. "It's cold," he whined.
Ellie smirked, "few more minutes," she muttered as she looked over her notes. Sean shuffled his feet as he walked over and stood behind her and began to knead his finger tips into her shoulders. Ellie moaned and closed her eyes and tried her hardest to not give into Sean's massaging fingertips, "I've just got to look over my Lit. notes," she said falling towards him, instead of towards her notebook. "Mmm," she moaned, "fine," she gave in, "but I'm still waking up early."
"That's what you think," Sean grumbled as he shuffled her out of the kitchen and up to her bedroom. Ellie smirked.
"I'm sorry," she muttered as she crawled into her bed and Sean fit himself beside her under the covers.
"For what?" he asked in confusion.
" For being out of touch lately," she said quietly, "There's just lots going on."
"It's the same on my plate El…Summer's almost here, and I'm sure we'll have more time to make plans."
Ellie smiled and nestled closer to him, "I like sleep plans," she said as she closed her eyes and breathed in the soft musky scent of his t-shirt.
Sean laughed softly. Sean wrapped his arm around her and held her close as they slowly fell asleep. It was only a few hours later that they were awoken by the screams and shouts of Ellie's alarm clock. Sean groaned and rolled into the pillow and pulled Ellie closer as she slapped at her alarm clock. "Turn it off," he murmured into the pillow.
Ellie struggled against him, "I'm trying, you won't let me," she laughed as he moaned and groaned like a bratty child. She peeled his hands away from her and reached over to her night stand and hit the snooze button. She rolled back under the covers and giggled as Sean grabbed onto her again, "we've got fifteen minutes before the alarm goes off again."
Sean peaked open an eye and looked at her, "What are you saying?" he grumbled.
"I'm saying you've got fifteen minutes to do what ever you're thinking about doing before the alarm goes off and we actually have to get up," she explained coyly.
"Mmm," he moaned, and rolled himself on top of her, "I like the way you think." He learned down and kissed her softly on the lips.
-X-
Sean wiped the sweat from his brow as he rolled out from under the car he'd been working on and looked over at Jay who seemed to be fully enjoying himself and his extensive workload, Sean however, not so much. Sure the pay was adequate enough to keep anyone satisfied, but he wasn't home as much as he wanted to be, and he still had exams to finish up at school. He couldn't imagine how much more his workload would increase by when he had more free time to spend.
It wasn't that the work was hard. Jay and himself had moved on from the oil changes and the tire rotations to more in-depth work. At the moment he found himself doing an inspection for the vehicle. Not the most demanding job in the shop, but definitely time consuming and something he could throw all his weight into, even if he wasn't technically working on the car, just making sure it was safe enough to be on the rode. He looked over at Jay who seemed to be having the time of his life flirting with a female customer and trying to talk her into some body work.
"I think I nice shade of blue would really bring out the color of your eyes," Jay said with a smirk as he finally found himself looking at them.
"Jay, I didn't come here for you to flirt your way into me getting a paint job on my car," murmured the blonde.
"Oh come on Mel…I'll do the labor for free," He begged coyly, whilst trying not to look like he was begging at all.
Mel rolled her eyes, "I'll think about it, in the mean time can you please figure out what that tinkering noise is when I'm driving, I'd hate to die before our date."
Jay smirked, "so you're taking me up on that offer?" he asked.
Mel flicked her hair back over her shoulder, "not if I die…" she said smiling, "unless of course you're into that sort of thing."
"Hell, I'll take what I can get," Jay said leaning against her tiny beat up Mazda.
Mel laughed, "I can see that…" she dropped the keys to her car into his open hand, "do you need me to pay you upfront if you're going to bring my car by the club tonight?"
"I can't really do anything to it, until I know what's wrong with it babe," Jay answered. And it was the truth, until he knew what was wrong with her car, he couldn't give her an accurate estimate, which seemed to sound like an oxymoron if Sean had ever heard one. He saw the blonde grind her teeth, and Jay expertly rest a hand on her shoulder, "look, how about I pick you up from the club tonight, and take you out, and drop you off?"
Mel sighed, and shrugged the issue off her shoulder, "sounds fine."
-X-
Jay walked in through his front door, carrying a paper bag of Chinese take out. "Alright," he said looking into the bag and not at his guest. "I got some Lo Mein, some pork fried rice, some sweet and sour chicken, and those stupid egg rolls you like…did I ---" Jay finally looked up and saw Paige and Alex sitting on the couch watching the end of One Life to Live, waiting for General Hospital to come on.
Paige looked over at Jay, "you forgot my Generals Tsos and steamed veggies"
"Actually I didn't…cause you didn't order anything."
Alex rolled her eyes, "just be nice please," she begged and patted the empty space on the couch next to her, "now come sit and watch Sonny and Jason do mob stuff."
Jay laughed and walked over, setting down the large paper bag on the coffee table and plopping down on the empty seat, "so what's on the menu with Port Charles today?" he asked.
"Lets see…" Alex began.
"Sam is pregnant," Paige interrupted.
"Sam is pregnant?" Jay asked, "NO!" and buried his face in his hands.
Alex turned to Paige, "Sam is Jay's girl."
"Who's her babydaddy?"
"We don't know yet."
"It's either Jax or Sonny."
"Oh man, please let it be Jax, I keep getting this weird vibe about Sam being pregnant with Sonny's baby."
"I know, it just feels so…"
"wrong?"
"I think it should be Jason's"
"Why Jason's?"
"He's wanted a mini-bot since Carly told him that Michael was AJ's, it's just not fair to let him being fatherless."
"Jay…stop being a soap whore."
Jay rolled his eyes and passed around the small pints of white rice and some chop sticks, "I'm just saying, he's entitled, that's all," he popped a piece of sweet and sour chicken into his mouth, "besides, can you imagine how much more intense things would be if he had a kid?"
"Carly would flip shit."
"wait…who's Carly?" Paige asked, as she stole one of Alex's egg rolls.
"married to Sonny."
"Wait…"Paige paused, "confused…then what does that make Sam?"
"Mobster Mistress" Alex and Jay both said at the same time.
Paige laughed awkwardly. She'd never experienced a moment like that with any of her friends, let alone an ex-boyfriend. And now she felt like she was intruding on Jay's territory. She frowned.
"Why the upside down smile princess?" Jay asked between bites of his sweet and sour chicken. And there was something in the way that he asked it that made her uncomfortable. Alex elbowed Jay.
"Oh…it just looks like Ric isn't in this episode," she lied between her teeth. "You know what, I'm gunna head home, I've got a study date with Hazel for exams tomorrow."
"Oh," Alex muttered, "well I'll see you tomorrow then."
"Yea," Paige said grabbing her purse, "thanks for the Chinese," and walked out the door.
Just as soon as Paige shut the door Alex turned to Jay and smacked him upside the head, "what the hell was that for?" he asked while trying to not choke on his dinner.
"Why'd you have to go and do that?"
"Do what?" he asked innocently, knowing fully well the bonding session between him and Alex would make Paige uncomfortable.
"You know what," Alex argued and turned off the television set.
"HEY! What are you doing! Sam was about to get the paternity results."
Alex glared. And Jay knew when Alex glared there would be hell to pay. "You know I put up with your stupid Montreal Crew, the least you could do is not pull your shit with one of my few friends."
"Oh so you and the princess are friends now?" he asked, snatching the remote from her, and turning the television back on, "since when?"
"Since the day I found I was definitely pregnant and you became the deadbeat dad."
"Harsh Lexxi, very harsh."
"Well so is the way that you treat her when she's here."
Jay sighed as he watched Kelly Monaco prance around on the screen. "Look Lex, I don't mind you having a friend, I just mind that it's…well that it's her."
"And what's wrong with her?"
"Nothing it's just…not too long ago she was the girl you were making fun of."
"People change." Alex was getting aggravated by his behavior. "Could you seriously just listen to me for two seconds?"
"I'm listening," Jay muttered, "but I just don't get it, Princess Paige slumming it? For what? You? People like the Princess do not slum it for people like us. And frankly I don't like her hanging around."
"You don't even know her!" Alex argued.
"What I don't get is why you seem to enjoy spending your time with her when you have me?"
Alex groaned, "so this is all about you?"
"No…it's about us, instead of us trying to deal with everything, you're just playing happy family with Princess," he said angrily pointing to the door. "It's not fair!" he whined, "Because just when I can finally get the chance to be show you what I'm really made of, you let her take my spot." His eyes were glistening and he wiped them quickly before she could catch sight of his emotions getting the upper hand.
"Paige didn't take your spot," Alex said simply.
"Didn't…"Jay laughed, "didn't take my spot?"
"She didn't, you've been my best friend since we were nine years old, and no one will change that, not even you with your pathetic attempts at self destruction."
Jay rolled his eyes, "it doesn't even matter anymore."
Alex lessened the glare she was shooting at him and sighed, "whatever Jay…"
"Oh shit! Sonny's the father!"
Alex rolled her eyes and grabbed one of Jay's zip up hoodies from the pile of scattered clothes and walked out the door while sputtering a simple "going out."
Jay turned back to the television and groaned as the commercial break started. He as not pleased with the timing of it all, his best friend just walked out on him and in all honesty he didn't feel the need to sit in front of the television any longer. If Alex was going out, he paused in his thoughts, he was going out. And he had only one place he was interested in spending the rest of his day…Zanzibar.
-X-
"Mellllody," Jay crooned as he slumped over the bar at Zanzibar.
Mel stalked up to him carrying a tray of drinks, "Go home Jay," she said, "and give me your keys while you're at it."
"Are you going to drive me home and put me to bed with them?" he asked jingling the keys in front of her.
She set down the tray of drinks, "No, I'm just not going to let you drive home drunk."
"Aw, you don't want me to die…" he slurred.
"No," she said snatching the keys away from him, "I don't want anyone else to."
He spun around and leaned back against the bar, "Mellll," he slurred, "when are you going to go out with me?"
"When hell freezes over," she answered as she wiped up the bar top and put his keys in the key bowl under the bar.
"So next week then?"
Mel rolled her eyes and smiled. His consistent attempts were adorable, she had to admit that. And he was clearly better than half, if not more than two thirds of the men that visit the strip club. "What ever you say Jay," she said and patted his head before grabbing him a glass of water. "Sober up…please." He'd been there nearly twice a week since the day he pulled his first line on her. The persistence was something new to her, and it didn't hurt that he was kind of cute. Not many guys would continue to try and get a date with her after the third shut down. Jay Hogart was on his fifteenth shut down. Apparently he didn't take no for an answer.
-X-
"Can I lick the bowl?" Toby asked walking into the kitchen. Ashley looked up, and then around the kitchen. She's blanked out for a moment, and in the middle of baking. There was flour all over the counter top and table and runny messes of batter from this and that.
"Yea sure," she drawled.
Toby grabbed the emptied brownie batter mixing bowl and sat down at the island counter across from his step sister, while running his finger along the inside of the bowl and licking the batter from his finger. "What's wrong?"
Ashley shook her head and focused her attention on cleaning up her mess. She began piling and stacking all the mixing bowls and carrying them to the sink.
"These are your best brownies ever," Toby muttered, "something's wrong."
Ashley dropped the bowls in the sink and spun around, "NOTHING IS WRONG."
"Point taken," he said, trying to take a hint, but the familial part of him would not drop the subject. "Whatever…if you don't want to talk about it fine, but I know you and I know something's up…cause…" he looked around the kitchen and took a big sniff the overwhelming aromas coming from the oven, "because you made muffins, brownies, and I think that's cake in it's infancy."
Ashley laughed at his remark, "look Tobes…I love that you're taking an interest in my well being, but nothing is wrong." Liar. She was a complete and utter liar. But what was she supposed to tell her step brother? I'm depressed and have no idea why…but baking sometimes makes me feel better because it makes other people happy.
"Seriously, Ash…what did you put in this stuff," he said licking the bowl. Ashley smiled. He laughed, and pointed at her with his chocolate-covered finger, "made you smile!"
Ashley rolled her eyes, "thanks Toby…" she said and leaned over the counter and kissed him on the forehead.
Toby blushed red, "what was that for?"
"For making me smile…" Ashley walked out of the kitchen and upstairs before calling back down the stairs, "can you take the muffins out in ten and the brownies out in fifteen and pop the cake in?"
Toby groaned. "Fine…just make more!" he called back up.
Ashley laughed to herself. Suddenly things felt a little warm and she hated it. She hated it because it made absolutely no sense to her to go from happy to sad and sad to happy randomly and without warning. There may not be any warnings, but there surely were things triggering her, now if only she could figure them out, and perhaps she could avoid them.
She slumped down into the chair at her computer and found herself surfing around on the internet. Research. It had always been something she felt she was good at, researching and learning and trying to figure something she didn't understand out. In the middle of a google search another window popped up.
badChicken: Yo!
Ashley laughed.
pictureperfect: hey Jimmy
badChicken: what are u up to 2day?
pictureperfect: in the middle of baking…brownies, muffins, the whole lot.
badChicken: sounds delish.
pictureperfect: Toby thinks so
badChicken: well if he didn't, then there's gunna be a prob.
pictureperfect: y is that?
badChicken: cuz ur baking rox Ash
pictureperfect: well ur welcome to come over for some sweets
badChicken: sounds like a plan
Ashley smiled. It had been a while since her and Jimmy had hung out. It had nothing to do with each being attached at the hip to someone else, it had everything to do with their first break up ending out of her control, and the second out of Jimmy's. They just weren't as compatible as they'd thought. Then again, high school relationships weren't always meant to last. Key word being always, and there were some relationships that were made the exception.
Jimmy and Ashley hadn't been that exception.
pictureperfect: how's things with Hazel + U?
badChicken: O U kno
badChicken: easystreet
badChicken: U+Mark?
pictureperfect: better, now that he's out of the hospital.
Ashley tapped her fingers lightly on the keys, hearing the click and clack of the taps without the typing. She wasn't sure how this hanging out was going to turn out.
pictureperfect: so when did u plan on coming over?
badChicken: iunno, did u wanna do double duty and study? Haze has plans w/Paige
Ashley curled into a smile. She did need to study. Perhaps this would make things less awkward.
pictureperfect: sound good.
pictureperfect: gunna go clean up the kitchen and grab a quick shower, come over whenever.
badChicken: alright. Cya!
Ashley smiled and pushed her rolling chair away from her computer and she scooted across her room before hopping down the stairs and quickly cleaning up the mess she made in the chicken, and to keep Toby from eating all the goodies. She quickly popped in the cake that Toby hadn't managed to get to, while he was finishing off the bowl.
Looking around the now clean kitchen, finding it satisfactory, she headed back upstairs to jump in the shower for a few minutes before Jimmy came over.
A good shower could make any bad day just slip away unnoticed. A good shower can erase any negative thoughts and just wash a no good very bad afternoon down the drain. Jimmy was in the living room with Toby playing a video game when she finally came joined them downstairs, her wet hair pulled back messily with bobby pins, in a sorry attempt to tame her curls on her terms.
"Ash!" Jimmy said setting aside the controller.
"Oh come on…five more minutes," Toby whined, "I'm winning."
Ashley laughed, "go ahead finish the game, I'm gunna take out the cake." Ashley walked into the kitchen and the aroma of chocolate cake filled her nose as she snatched up her oven mitts and pulled open the oven door. She smiled as she reached in and pulled out the piping hot cake pan and rested it on the counter top as she gently kicked closed the oven and turned it off as she tossed off the oven mitts on top of the stove.
"Smells good in here," Jimmy said walking into the kitchen and dropping his book bag down on the kitchen table.
Ashley smiled, "I would hope so," and walked to the back door and grabbed her canvas messenger bag and brought it over to the table, "so who won?" she asked.
"Toby…he's getting better."
"I wouldn't know," she answered pulling out her science text book.
Jimmy smirked, "they need to come out with a video game for you…something musical."
"They're working on it," Toby interrupted walking to the fridge.
"Good to know," Ashley answered as she shuffled through her bag for her notebook.
"So? Science then?"
"Looks like it, having some trouble with chemistry."
"You? Having trouble with chemistry?" Jimmy asked, "I always thought you had wonderful chemistry."
Ashley blushed, "turn down your flirt dial Jimmy, we're studying here."
Jimmy laughed, "alright…" he flipped open his text book and smiled at Ashley, "shall we get started?"
-X-
Ashley's lips were fused to Mark's as they got hot and heavy in the front seat of Mark's beat up Volkswagon. She moaned into his lips and the moan she let out made Mark even more excited as he released the driver's seat and it slid back as far as it could go. He pulled Ashley into his lap and she straddled him while trying to find a comfortable position. She groaned as her knees kept bumping into the middle console and the door, "this isn't working," she groaned.
"Wanna go up to my place?" Mark said breathily, referring to his off campus housing he split with a room mate, he nodded in the direction of the apartment from their parked car on the street.
Ashley bit her lip for a moment and thought about it, "Yes," she said simply as she nodded her head.
Mark opened the door and Ashley slipped off his lap before reaching back across to grab her purse and they both walked up the three floors to his apartment. Mark began to frantically kiss her again while fumbling for his keys.
"Open," Mark groaned as he jiggled the key into the lock. The lock clicked and he pushed the door open, grabbing Ashley's hand gently and pulling her inside.
"Where's Kyle?" Ashley asked noticing the lights off and the apartment virtually empty.
"Out…" Mark shrugged as he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her closer, his hand slipping down to the back of her jeans as he squeezed a cheek while kissing her with a furious need.
Ashley smiled into his lips and grabbed onto his belt buckle as he backed towards his room. She ran her hands up the underside of his shirt and pulled it up over his head as he pushed open his door and she kicked it shut behind them. Mark tossed his shirt aside and grabbed Ashley close as they fell onto his bed, their lips fused together tightly, as if no one were going to break them apart.
Ashley sat straddled on top of him as his hands roamed up her shirt and gently fondled her breasts, she moaned and pulled away from the kiss and Mark smiled up at her before moving for the button of her jeans. And t hen the smile slowly faded. And Mark noticed.
"You all right?" he asked removing his fingers from her button and zipper and resting them carefully on her hips.
Ashley nodded, "just not…" she took a breath, "sure I'm ready."
Mark sighed, "it's fine," he said, and motioned for her to come closer and kissed her chastely on the lips.
She pulled away and smiled at him before lowering herself again and kissing him gently. And it was that simple kiss and that simple declaration of his willingness to wait that drove her over the edge. Jimmy and Craig had both professed their willingness to wait until she was ready and Jimmy she truly believed, but Craig, Craig never seemed truthful in his pledge to wait until she was ready, even more so after she found out he'd gotten his rocks off with someone else.
But Mark? His words seemed to sing to her heart like no other. Out of either of her past boyfriends, his words seemed most true, and most honest. And she kissed him deeply and tug gently on his bottom lip with her teeth. And right now seemed like the perfect opportunity to put everything out on the table.
As Ashley pulled away giving back Mark his bottom lip, he looked at her credulously, "really?" he asked, knowing fully well that her tugging on his bottom lip in such a way was a message to him that she'd changed her mind. Ashley nodded. And Mark's face went from that of contentment to that of someone about ready to sample their favorite dessert and sat up and Ashley fell into his lap as he ran his hands up the underside of her shirt, gently kneading his fingers into her soft skin and fumbling for her bra strap.
His lips moved to her neck and sucked gently as her head fell back and a moan escaped the confines of her lips and she ran her fingers nimbly up the back up his neck and into his hair. She pushed him back and tugged her shirt up over her head and tossed it aside along with her now unhooked bra. Ashley leaned forward and kissed Mark softly, and together they eased down into the bed.
A few hours had passed when Ashley woke up in Mark's bed, tangled in his cotton sheets with her hair a drastic mess. She sat up slowly pulling up the sheets to cover her naked body and looked next to her to see Mark sleeping soundly beside her before rousing awake with her slight movements. She bit her lip as the whole scene was becoming rather poignant. She had finally succumbed to her sexual desires and given herself to someone. Her eyes watered emotionally but no tears fell as the smile on her face dammed them up and created a sparkle. Mark opened his eyes and smiled sleepily, "hey Sweets," he said softly and gently grazed her leg under the sheets and she lowered herself to kiss him softly on the lips. "What time is it?" he asked.
Ashley looked to the alarm clock, "past my curfew," she said suddenly becoming frantic as she reached to the floor and tugged on her shirt and underwear before sifting through her purse for her cell phone. "Three missed calls," she said groaning, "I'm screwed."
She dialed her mother's number and quickly got dressed as she listened to the dial tone. "Where have you been!" Kate voice echoed through the quiet room, signaling Mark to jump out of bed and get dressed.
"I'm sorry, we just lost track of time watching a movie and I fell asleep."
"That's no excuse, you're two hours late, when I say eleven thirty I don't mean one thirty, Ashley, when you get home you're grounded."
Ashley looked over at Mark who looked back at her sympathetically as she begged her Mom to reconsider. "I'll talk to you when I get home," she answered finally as she slipped on her shoes.
She turned off her phone and tossed it into her purse. "This was a bad idea," she admitted.
Mark frowned and hugged her tightly, "it was not a bad idea, just bad timing."
Ashley leaned into his frame as he rubbed her back soothingly.
The ride back to the Kerwin/ Isaacs house was quiet, and when the pulled up into the driveway Kate was standing there ready to unleash her Mom-itude. Before Ashley could say a word Mark walked up to her mother, "Mrs. Kerwin I'd like to apologize. After we got done at the library we went back to my place and took in a movie. I recommend that you never watch the Never Ending Story as it clearly is never-ending. Waiting for the movie to end both of us could no longer fight fatigue and fell asleep on my couch. We really only just woke up not to long ago and I'm truly sorry for any distress this might've cause you and Mr. Isaacs…"
"Mark…enough," Kate said and looked to her daughter, "go to bed, we'll talk about this in the morning." She turned back to her daughter's boyfriend and smiled warmly, "strike one Mark…Ashley's grounded for three weeks. You're welcome to come over but she's not allowed to leave the house."
Mark smiled, "thank you Mrs. Kerwin."
"Go home Mark…" and on that last note Kate followed her daughter inside.
-X-
Marco and Spinner walked to the Dot together, after Spinner found it easier to meet up with Danielle and then go from there. The entire five minute walk was filled with Spinners thoughts on the new girl in his life. They were sitting on the bench outside when Danielle walked up with Scotty carefully leading the way from his special harness. "You have company," Danielle said simply.
"How'd you…"
"his cologne, it doesn't even remotely smell like something you would wear," he said simply.
"I'm Marco…Spinner's friend," Marco said about ready to reach out to shake a hand she wasn't quite prepared for. Instead he leaned forward and rested his hands gently on her shoulders and kissed her on the cheek. "You're much prettier than Spinner said you were."
Danielle laughed, "Taz talks about me?"
"Taz?" Marco said looking at Spinner who just shrugged it off. Marco shook his head, and looked to his watch, "I'm off…Mama's making fresh ravioli's tonight," he muttered, "it was nice meeting you Danielle, you kids behave," he said before shoving his hands into the pockets of his designer jeans and walking home, casually looking over his shoulder and watching Spinner's body language that was giving off signs of nervousness. He smirked, perhaps it was a good thing Danielle was blind, it gave Spinner an advantage. "So…" Spinner said nervously, "what do you want to do?"
Danielle shrugged, "did you have anything in mind?"
"Not really," he mumbled, "not really good at planning stuff."
Danielle smiled in his direction, "I'm sure you can think of something."
Spinner looked across the street, "wanna go to the park?"
Danielle looked at Spinner, "where's there a park?"
"Across the street," he said reaching for her hand and finding it ready to grasp his.
"I haven't been to the park since I was six," Danielle confessed.
"Really?" Spinner asked, "you've been missing out," he told her as he led her to the swings and eased onto the rubber seat and bent down to take off Scottie's harness. "Is he gunna be alright like that?" he asked as she set the harness off to the side.
"He'll be alright, he just wants to be a dog sometimes," she answered and grasped the chains of the swing and pushed off with her feet, pumping her legs back and forth and propelling herself into the air.
Spinner watched her carefully as she smiled as the air breezed passed her, she was so content with just the simplicity of swinging back and forth on the swing that it was just as refreshing for him. "So…is there anything else you like to do at the park?" he asked.
"Well I used to play tag."
"Tag?"
"Before I lost my eyesight."
"How'd…" Spinner changed his mind, "I'm sorry, forget I asked."
Danielle's smile faded, "it's fine," she said softly, "retinoblastoma."
"Rhinoblastedtomato?"
Danielle laughed, "retinoblastoma, it's an eye cancer…"
Spinner shuddered at the word cancer. "well you're alive," he said bluntly.
"yes, and very lucky to be," Danielle answered, not happy with the tone in his voice.
"My dad died of cancer…"
"I'm sorry," she said reaching her hand out in the direction of his voice.
"don't be," he answered hooking her fingers with his and swinging in sync with her. "I mean it sucks, but shit happens," he answered.
Danielle could tell by the sound of his voice that the conversation needed to be directed in another direction. "Are you hungry?" she asked.
Spinner smiled, "starving."
"Have anywhere in mind?" she asked as she drug her feet in an attempt to stop the swing.
"Um…"Spinner thought for a moment as he hopped off his swing midflight and assisted Danielle in stopping hers. "there's a nice pizza place a couple of blocks down…Luigi's"
"their pizza is good."
"food is good," she said with a smile.
Spinner's eyes got bright and smiled wider than he could possibly imagine himself smiling. He'd met a cute girl…with an appetite and love for food. He was almost positive in that moment that he'd met his soul mate.
-X-
Spinner walked into his home with a smile on his face, and it probably would have continued to stay that way if he hadn't walked past Kendra's room and heard a sob. Spinner backed up quietly and found himself standing outside his sister's room patiently listening for what he'd thought he'd heard the first time by.
He pushed open the door and found Kendra laying on her bed, face down. "What do you want?" she sobbed into her duvet cover.
Spinner walked in, "why are you crying?"
Kendra sat up quickly, enraged by Spinner inability to comprehend the situation. "Are you really that dense?" she asked.
Spinner looked at Kendra, her eyes puffy and red from crying, and then he looked at the framed picture of her and their father, it was probably the last picture of him before his diagnosis, before the chemo, before the viewing.
He walked over to her bed and sat down silently and picked up the picture, resting it in his lap. "I miss him too you know."
"It really shows," Kendra said wiping her eyes.
"Just because I don't sit in my room and cry over him doesn't mean I don't miss him," he snapped.
Kendra paled and her face went from one of sorry to one of anger as she glared at her brother, "out," she said and pointed to the door.
"No…you can't just tell me to leave, I'm older than you!" he argued.
"but it's my room," she argued.
"It doesn't matter, I'm older and what I say goes."
"Spinner…please leave."
"No…"
Spinner looked around the room. It had been a while since he'd spent any time with his sister at all, let alone in her room. Her walls were bright and cheerful shades of blues, and her posters littered nearly all of them. Kendra's clean and meticulous room was the complete opposite of Spinner's sty, just as they were complete opposites of siblings in looks and personality.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"Apology not accepted," she muttered.
"It's just it really pissed me off to hear you say that I don't care that he's gone, that I don't miss him at all, just because I don't act like you or Mom."
"And I never said you had to…" Kendra said, "but you don't come with us when we go to visit him, you don't want to talk about him, you didn't even cry at the funeral."
"Maybe because I didn't want to cry."
Kendra stared at her brother, it had never occurred to her that perhaps he was playing the strong tree keeping her and their mother grounded through all of it. Suddenly she felt overly emotional, and wondered if she could blame it on teenage hormones, "I'm sorry," she said. "I just assumed…"
"Just assumed that I'm breezing through life without a care in the world?" he asked, "that I don't wish Dad was there in the stands during soccer matches or to see me graduate."
Kendra cracked a smile, "you? Graduate?"
Spinner found his lip curling up into a smile, "that's my little sister," he said ruffling her dark head of hair. "Look…if you want, I'll go with you tomorrow."
Kendra smiled wider, "thanks…" she said as she pushed away his still ruffling hand from her head, "are we still on for Fullmetal Alchemist night?" she asked him quietly.
Spinner laughed, "if you still want to translate all the Japanese for me."
Kendra relented, "we can watch the dubbed version," she said with such a tone that it sounded like the thought of watching anime dubbed left a nasty taste in her mouth.
Spinner laughed and pulled her into a headlock, "it wouldn't kill you to do it just once."
She smiled and pushed him away as he jumped to his feet and headed to his room. Kendra climbed off her bed and walked to the door frame and peered down the hall into his room. Having a brother was something she nearly didn't have the privilege of having, she was lucky to have been adopted by the Masons, and though she couldn't stand Spinner sometimes, like any normal sibling would, she couldn't help but love him. Family was something you could always count on.
-X-
"Soo?" Marco drawled out as he and Spinner sat down on the steps outside the school. Spinner looked at him with confusion. "The date," Marco clarified, "with that girl…"
Spinner's eyes widened, "oh it went good."
"Well Spin, it went well…please tell me you at least studied for Kwan's exam?"
"I looked at the study guide?" Spinner answered with an innocent shrug of his shoulder and his trademark goofy smile.
Marco gently patted his friend on the back at the bell rang and they walked to their homeroom, "I'm sure you'll pass somehow." Marco adjusted his bag as it rested on his shoulder, "so what did you do with the lovely Danielle?"
"Oh..Dani and I went to the park and then grabbed a bite to it at Luigi's" he answered simply.
"That's it?"
"What else is there to tell?"
"no dirt?"
Spinner furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, "was there supposed to be?"
"Not necessarily, but I mean you two did nothing but go to the park and eat?" Marco inquired. For some odd reason he had expected to hear more details about the date. Part of him was hoping there was enough of a physical attraction between the two to make the pair something a little less temporary.
"Well I mean we talked and stuff," he answered, "but other than that it was a pretty normal first date."
"Oh," Marco responded, the tone of disappointment in his voice.
"You disappointed?"
"Just a little"
"Dude…I'm a gentleman," Spinner responded.
"That you are pookie-bear," Paige said coming up from behind, and pinching his cheek before passing by on the way to her locker. Marco watched as she sashayed her hips from side to side to garner Spinner's attention.
"Yea, we talked about lots of stuff," Spinner continued, unfazed by Paige's interaction with him. "She wasn't always blind, apparently she suffered from rhinoblastedtomatoes…it's an eye cancer," he said proudly, having the knowledge of what it was, but not necessarily how to pronounce it.
Marco stifled a laugh at his pronunciation, "any other fun facts about the mystery lady?"
"She likes chili-cheese fries, listening to rugby matches, her favorite color is yellow…or was yellow, I guess it's still yellow, and her favorite band is some group called Funeral for a Friend."
"Ooh Elton John," Marco muttered.
"No man, Funeral for a Friend."
"I heard you Spinner…but Funeral for a Friend is an Elton John song. It transitions into the song Love Lies Bleeding?"
Spinner shrugged, "sorry man…but hey!" he pointed out, "didn't he do some stuff for the Lion King?" Spinner pondered for a moment, "I love that movie."
Marco rolled his eyes, "yes he did the soundtrack for the Lion King."
"score…two points for the Taz-man."
"the what now?"
"Taz…that's what…"
"Danielle calls you," Marco answered for himself, "why exactly?"
Spinner shrugged as the walked into Kwan's class, "no idea, but I kinda like it."
Marco just laughed as he slid into his seat.
The smile on Spinner's face seemed to disappear as Ms. Kwan handled the stack of exams on her desk, and then moving on smoothly to the stack of answer sheets. He groaned and slammed his head against the table, he definitely should have studied. The bell rang and she handed out the tests, the test and answer booklet seemed to be heavier than his book bag as he was sure it sounded like a weight hitting the table top. He was mortified. Spinner turned to Marco who gave him a reassuring smile before turning to Ms. Kwan, whose glare reminded him that he needed to get at least a B on this final to pass for the year.
Sighing he looked down at the test and opened his answer booklet. He took a deep breath and carefully worked through his test, hoping he knew as much as he thought he knew. But he barely made it through the first page as the anxiety of testing in the capacity filled room got to him. He just wanted to relax and he couldn't do it in a room full of testers. He raised his hand and Ms. Kwan walked up to his table, "Ms. Kwan…would it be alright if I took the test in the hall? Or another room?"
She eyed him carefully. Over the years of having Spinner as a student she learned that he often did better when making up a test, when the room was empty and he was the only one in it. "Take your test down to Mr. Simpson's room, it should be empty this period, I'll write you a pass."
Spinner smiled. He just might pass this year after all.
-X-
"Okay," Manny said walking into the Nelson-Simpson home. "I've got 10 Things I Hate About You, Drive Me Crazy, and Legally Blonde," she said shuffling through the videos she'd brought over, "did you make the popcorn?"
Emma narrowed her eyes, "popcorn?"
"Girls night in…movies, popcorn…gossip?" Manny said plopping down on the couch next to Emma who sat curled up under a blanket.
Emma stared blankly at her friend, "I'm not really in the mood for --- " and the door bell rang, interrupting her, "who's at the door?"
"Just Liberty... with the Pizza…" Manny answered, making her please don't hit me I'm only trying to help face.
Emma sighed, "fine whatever…"
"It's veggie pizza?" Manny said questioning her self, wondering if it would help the situation at all. It had been at least a week since the intervention, and Manny had given up her entire social life and dedicated the time and energy to Emma, to their friendship. Emma smiled softly at Manny…she was trying. Manny smiled back and rushed to the door.
"Sorry I'm late," Liberty said passing off the two large pizzas as she rushed past her unbuttoning her suit jacket, "debate club ran a little long."
"It's alright," Manny said as she carried the pizza to the kitchen as Liberty trailed behind, casually catching a glimpse of Emma curled up, all melancholy with the remote attached to her hand.
"How is she doing?" Liberty asked.
Manny shrugged, "better than she was," she said trying to keep her voice low.
Liberty sighed and nodded to Emma's basement bedroom, "just gunna change real quick," Liberty muttered.
"Hurry up," Manny said pulling out some paper plates from the cabinet and portioning out some pizza.
"I want a smaller piece," Emma said standing in the kitchen wrapped up in the throw from the couch. Manny frowned. "Please…"
Manny sighed, "fine, but you better eat lots of smaller pieces," she said cutting the slice in half.
"Emma," Liberty said coming up from the basement, "you ready for some girls night fun?"
Emma tried her hardest to not to roll her eyes. It wasn't very often that Liberty and fun could be intertwined. But she had to admit, perhaps the girls night out may be just the thing she needed. "So what movie are we watching first?" Emma asked.
"I vote for Legally Blonde," Liberty answered as she curled up on the couch next to Emma.
"You would…wouldn't you," Emma sneered playfully.
"What?" Liberty question, "what's wrong with liking a movie with a strong female lead?"
"Absolutely nothing," Manny interrupted, popping in the movie.
"Thank you," Liberty said and reached for a slice of pizza from the box Manny set on the coffee table. She casually looked over at Emma was nibbled at her half-slice. The opening credits rolled and Manny squealed in excitement as she jumped onto the last seat on the couch with her slice of pizza.
"I love girls night in," Manny confessed and looked to Emma, who was completely focused on her half-slice of pizza. "Em…" Manny said trying to grab her best friend's attention. Emma turned to the brunette, "just let go tonight," she pleaded.
Emma smiled weakly. She would try. If not for herself, then for Manny; because her best friend had sacrificed more than just a Friday night for her sake, she'd been there every night that past week and had bailed on Craig on at least three different occasions since the intervention. Despite Manny's current demeanor of smiles and laughs her devotion to her was creating a rift in Manny and Craig's relationship. If this had been a year earlier, when Craig stumbled into town with his camera draped around his neck Emma couldn't have been happier. But this was different. Because Emma no longer had a puppy love crush on Craig, and the pair had already been through more than anyone would have wished on their worst enemy to want them to break apart.
Three movies, a box of pizza, three bowls of popcorn, and various liters of soda later the three girls laid curled up under the covers on the couch of the Simpson-Nelson house. "Truth or Dare, Manny," Liberty smirked.
"Truth…" she muttered, knowing fully well, a sugared up Liberty playing truth or dare could lead to some colorful dares. Truth was the safest choice.
"How big is Craig…really?"
Manny blushed, "big enough?"
"come on Manny…you picked truth," Emma urged.
Manny sighed, "well I mean I don't really have anything to compare it to except JT's stack of dimes…" she answered referencing a moment in time where she and Liberty had been hot-tubbing with Toby and the aforementioned. "I guess it's gotta be like a roll and a half of quarters?" she said shrugging her shoulders, unsure of her answer.
The girls giggled.
"Alright…" Manny said quieting them, "Emma…truth or dare."
"Dare," she answered without a second thought.
"I dare you to call Toby and tell him you want to go out on a date."
"Ew? Toby, no way."
"You picked dare Emma."
"But Toby?"
"Fine…um," Manny struggled to think of someone.
"Jay Hogart," Liberty piped up. Manny's jaw just dropped to the floor.
"No. Way. In. Hell."
"Well it's either Toby or Jay," Manny argued.
Emma frowned, "give me my phone."
Manny squealed and giggled as she passed the Emma's cell phone to her. She watched as Emma scanned through her contacts, and dialed. The phone rang…and the two other girls on the couch waited with anticipation to find out who she was calling.
"Hello…Jay?"
Liberty almost let out a scream of disbelief as a stunned silent Manny clamped her hand over her friend's mouth.
"it's Emma…" Emma frowned, "Yes GreenPeace…I was just wondering if you wanted to go out sometime."
Manny and Liberty watched in silence as the heard Emma's side of the conversation.
"I don't know if I'd be down for seal clubbing," Emma answered rolling her eyes, not stunned at all by Jay's demeanor, "Sunday? Oh I'm squeezed in between two other dates? How wonderful Jayson," her eyes continued to roll. "Seven…got it." She hung up.
"Are you serious?" Manny asked.
"Yea, Emma… I wasn't expecting you to pick Jay…it was just a joke," Liberty added.
Emma smirked, "it's just Jay Hogart…how bad could it be?"
-X-
Sean slumped down into a chair in the break room at the garage. The week was getting harder. He never thought the job he always wanted would be so tough. Jay had powered through three clients in five hours, while Sean was struggling with his first. Jay was definitely in his element, Sean however…was floundering. And it was obvious. Looking up at the snack machine he got up and dug his hands into his pockets looking for spare change. He smirked to himself. It hadn't been to long ago that he had joined up with the Candy Bandits. Dropping the change into the coin slot he watched the numbers add up as he tried to decide on a snack.
"Go for 4-D," Jay muttered as he walked into the break room and pulled up a chair.
"Twix?" Sean asked.
"One for me, one for you," Jay said, "I'm starving."
Sean rolled his eyes and punched in 4 and then D and watched as the Twix bar fell to the bottom of the snack machine. Snatching up the candy he walked over to the table, ripping open the packaging and tossing the other piece of candy at his friend. "So how's Mel's car coming along?" Sean asked. "That is her name right? Mel?"
Jay nodded, "it's alright, I'm still having trouble trying to figure out what's up with her check engine light. I can honestly say there's about a dozen things that came up as possibilities but I think it's her transmission."
"Ouch."
"Oh I know…and she ain't gunna be happy to hear how much it's gunna cost her." Jay took a large bite out of the candy bar and through his mouth full of food managed to mutter out, "what about you and vampy? Any plans for this weekend?"
Sean shrugged, "I have to finish up the Peterson's car and then the Frankenwelder's SUV before I can even think about plans with Ellie."
Suddenly Jay's phone rang, "Yullo…" he muttered into it. "Green Peace?" he asked. Sean's ears perked up as he muttered "Emma?"
Jay nodded, and held up a finger, "a date? Well lets see, I'm doing some seal clubbing later on this weekend if you'd like to come…oh no seal clubbing? Eh how does Sunday sound?" Sean looked confused while Jay looked as though he couldn't hold in a laugh. "See then Green Peace."
"What the hell was that about?" Sean asked.
"Well I thought I heard giggling in the background so I'm pretty sure it was a dare," Jay said as he closed his phone, "You don't mind do you?"
"Nah," Sean said casually while trying to fathom if Jay were telling the truth about it probably being a dare or if Emma really wanted to date him. "She's all yours…just be nice."
Jay laughed his typical devilish laugh and pocketed his phone. "I'll catch you later, I gotta finish up and get home, I may have the parental units returning home this evening and I'd hate to find it a sty and have to deal with Mother's rants about the state of the house."
Sean nodded understandingly. He too had to finish up a few things for the night before he could return home. In the back of his mind all he wanted to do was curl up on the couch with Ellie and watch some horrible movie she picked out. But he had to focus on the work at hand.
-X-
Jay put his key into the lock of his front door and walked into the house, "Hey Lex---" he started to call out but stopped midway as he caught sight of Alex and Paige in close proximity on the couch. He could have sworn for a moment they were about to kiss but he shook his head as though he'd been blinded by the sight of something horrible. They turned to see him standing in the doorway, "Um…" he muttered. "My parents are coming home tomorrow, we gotta get this place cleaned up."
"Oh…" Alex said, her heart racing from the anxiety of Jay walking in at precisely the right moment. She was sure for a second that she and Paige were about to cross the platonic line and slip somewhere off into possibly attracted land. She glanced at Paige who looked horrified and busted at the same time. "Um, I guess I gotta clean up."
"Yea, I uh…" Paige paused trying to find an excuse to leave, "I gotta go…dinner."
"Yea…dinner…gotta eat and all." Alex watched as Paige grabbed her purse and hurried out the door.
As the door slammed shut Alex jumped off the couch and quickly began to tidy up. "What the hell was that?" Jay asked.
"What?" Alex asked, trying to sound as clueless as possible.
"Did you like kiss her or something?"
"What are you talking about Jay?"
"Man…you two looked like you got caught with your hands in the cookie jar."
Alex rolled her eyes as he just stood by the door, "I thought we had to get this place cleaned up."
"Yea we do…but I wanna know what's up with the lesbian hanky panky going on on my couch."
"Lesbian…hanky panky?" Alex asked trying to suppress a laugh. "There was nothing of the sort…she had an stray eye lash and I was just taking care of it for her."
"Looked like you were taking care of something else if you ask me."
"Will you quit acting like a douche bag and help me clean up your house."
Jay rolled his eyes. He knew what he'd seen, and he knew what would have happened if he had walked in just a few seconds later. And that bothered the hell out of him, because he'd always prided himself on the fact that he could get any pair of legs he wanted, and the one that had put up with him the longest was playing for the other team. It was a major blow to the balls.
He tossed his keys on the kitchen table and started to throw the sink full of dirty dishes into the dishwasher while trying to wash the image of Paige and Alex looking way too cozy on his favorite piece of furniture in the house. He groaned, he needed to twist this and decided the only way to fix the image in his head was turn it into a fantasy and seat himself on the couch between the two and turn the twosome into a threesome.
-X-
Tracker slowly filed through the mail as he walked from the mail box just outside the door. Since moving in with Ellie the sight of bills no longer gave him the stress headache he was so used to getting. But there was one envelope that he knew would give Ellie her very own stress headache as he looked at the return address and the sender. Judy Nash. "El…mail," Tracker said as he shoved that specific envelope to the bottom of her pile.
Ellie smiled and reached for the pile as she walked towards the couch where she planned on spending the last night before the last day of school before summer. "Credit applications, college brochure…Mom…"
Ellie nervously tore open the envelope and looked over the delicate scrawl of her mother's handwriting. Tracker watched her carefully, worried about the purpose of the letter and what it could possibly do to Ellie.
"Well…?" He asked as she folded up the letter and walked to the kitchen where she tossed it in the trash.
"She was just writing to let me know when her court date was and that she wants me to be there."
"Will you?"
"No…" she answered, the sound of assurance in her voice.
"Not even taking a second to think about it?" Tracker asked.
Ellie shrugged her shoulders, "don't need to…" she turned to walk up to her room.
"Ellie…"
"…she wants me to help her out, wants me to testify," she answered angrily as she spun on her heels to face him.
"you don't even want to go to see the outcome?"
"I don't want to go period, she only cares about herself and I'm not about to help her save her hide."
"Fine…I get it…conversation is over," Tracker said backing off.
"I'm sorry," Ellie apologized for her defensiveness.
"It's fine Ellie." Tracker drummed his fingers on the table for a moment, "I wanted to turn my parents in once."
Ellie looked at him funny, "they had been drinking all day," he explained, "and Sean was maybe six years old and did something to set them off, I still to this day don't know what he did, and I'll probably never know considering he doesn't remember it happening."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I came home from school and Sean was unconscious lying in the corner…they'd roughed him up a bit more than someone should rough up a six year old boy."
"Why didn't you turn them in?"
"I was scared…there was no proof of which one of them had done it, and I wasn't prepared to grow up through the foster care system, let alone to be separated from Sean."
Ellie hung her head, "it doesn't seem fair."
"Life isn't fair," he answered, "but if you want to do what you think is right, go right on and do it. You don't deserve to have the guilty feeling of letting her get away with her decision to drink, drive, and have no guilt for what she did what so ever."
Ellie smiled weakly, "thanks…"
Tracker ruffled her hair lightly before returning to the table as Ellie pulled the letter from the trash and shuffled her feet up to her room before she flopped down on her bed, the letter grasped lightly in her hand.
Unfolding the piece of paper she reread over the letter:
Eleanor,
I know you're not pleased with me, nor is your father. As I'm sure he's told you, we're in the beginnings of a divorce. I just want you to know that I'll still love you, even though you haven't been to visit since you came with your father. When this is all over, I'm sure I can clear everything up, and we can be a happy family again.
I am just writing to you to let you know that I need your help. My lawyer says I should present a character witness to help me with my defense. Someone who can give the judge a clear view of the kind of person I am. I know I can trust you to do what is right.
I'll see you in court. I love you.
Mom.
Ellie tried her hardest not to laugh. "I know I can trust you to do what is right?" she said to herself. "Is she kidding herself?" Ellie and her mother had been on the road to nowhere since the day she moved out. It had been her last straw when she moved in with Tracker and Sean, it had been the last time she still held any respect for her. This letter only proved how distorted Judy Nash's view of the world was. Never in a million years would Ellie have expected this from anyone else.
But this hadn't been anyone else, it was her mother; the woman who, as long as her father was around, was a model mother and housewife. Ellie thought about her childhood and couldn't remember a single moment when her mother didn't fall apart the second her father was shipped out over seas. Things had always been easier when he was a Commanding Officer on post, mostly dealing with new recruits, he would be home for dinner and able to go to parent's night at school. Back when one could consider them a traditional family.
Ellie wouldn't budge on this though. In situations such as this, Ellie would turn to her father for advice. She looked back at the photo of him and her on her bedside table and new exactly what her father would want her to do. Be true to herself and to help her mother. And the only way to help Judy Nash now was to introduce her to the harshness that is…reality.
'What's that expression?' Ellie thought to herself as she crumpled up the letter, 'the truth will set you free?' She shook her head with a disappointed smile, "Well the truth will most certainly set you free Mom…just not in the way that you're hoping."
And with that Ellie's decision was made.
A/N: Okay, I know it's been FOREVER. I apologize but when you get busy/uninspired you really can't write as much no matter how much you want to. But anyways Happy Holidays to all you readers still sticking through it. For those that celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas here's your present. (Not sure about when Festivus or Kwanzaa are celebrated or if you get presents but either way...you get a gift of my unedited version of this chapter). As for the song choice for the chapter. It's for Jay...and as I finish up the next chapter you'll understand why...lets just say he's learning to let go and move on...
And if any of you haven't seen or heard while floating around on YouTube Firetears made me a wonderful trailer that features some of the lovely OCs in the story you can find a link for it in my profile (I was sure I put one there as soon as it went up, but it didn't stick so I'm doing it again.)
Thanks for reading everyone and have a wonderful holiday and a happy new year to all.
MJ