A/N: Thank you all who still read this and are dealing with my spastic updates. Sorry about that. I haven't heard from my beta in a few months, and I'm really missing her. :( And college gets in the way. Nonetheless, against my better judgement, I suppose, I'm adding chapter 21. I hope it's good enough and I hope you enjoy! Reviews are always welcome and they help make writers happy! (Virtual cookies or cake for whoever reviews!)

BRTxoxo

Pippin's POV

Lexy stared at me in horror, her pastel blue eyes flashing. "They aren't there now are they?!"

"I don't know, Bruce just said that they were home." I bit my lip and stared at the ground. Now that they were home, I didn't know if I really wanted them home. My phone started to vibrate again and I answered hesitantly. "Yeah?"

"Pippin, I swear if you or Lexy hangs up again I will snap your phone in half."

I nearly sighed in relief, realizing that it was Bruce on the other line. "Sorry bro, but uh, I think we beat you to it. My phone's barely surviving as it is. Anyway, they aren't home home, right? Like, they're not at the house?" I bit my thumb nail.

"No, they're on a plane from New York right now. They won't be at the house for a few hours. Kevin is going to pick them up I think. Sophia will be here soon, as will Jacque."

"Oh thank goodness." I sighed in relief. I thought when I told our 'maid' and 'chef', Sophia and Jacque respectively, to take some time off about two months ago I could deal with being alone with only Frou Frou and every so often Bruce, Dave and Lexy as company. But now that I knew they were coming back, and had Lexy, Bruce, Dave, Legolas, and James with me, I realized how lonely I had been and how ornery I had really gotten. I was so mean to James and Legolas. I felt absolutely horrible. "Lexy and I will be back soon. Just… try to make sure that no one will really recognize James or Legolas." It felt weird to say his name. "If worse comes to worse, tell Kevin. I gotta go. Bye!" I snapped the phone shut before my brother could say anything else. Thankfully the mall opened shortly after and Lexy and I nearly booked it to the nearest clothing outlet that carried men's sleepwear.

Without thinking, in the midst of talking about and laughing at our misunderstanding earlier, we grabbed the first garments our hands touched.

Which happened to be designer silk pajamas. I didn't realize until we were at the register and the clerk was watching us weirdly.

"Wait what? Excuse me, so sorry." I picked up the top that I had chosen for Legolas. It was a solid silvery green color with what looked like a tuxedo jacket collar.

Lexy looked at the one for James that looked like a pin striped tuxedo jacket.

"Wow. We can obviously not chew gum and walk at the same time." I set the shirt down and the clerk continued to ring up the clothes.

My best friend looked at me, and I knew what she was thinking about, just like she knew what I was thinking about. We waggled our eyebrows at each other at the same time and started laughing again.

With some difficulty I fished out my card, swiped it, thanked the very bothered clerk and took the bag and receipt. From there, we went to the food court, Lexy got some large pretzels, and I found a kiosk selling the phones from the service I had. I bought the first one I saw, which was one of the new freaking god phones, like the one Bruce had that he got for work. As soon as that was paid for, we ran out to the parking lot, hopped into the car, and I pulled out of the parking space.

Now that the mall was open, it was a lot harder to get out and onto sixth avenue than it had been getting from the highway to the parking lot. I drove as quickly as possible to the side streets I lived on, eating my pretzel on the way, and from there, drove as fast as I dared so I didn't slide right off the road.

"Sunshine, I really love you, and I trust you a lot, but can we please not land in the ditch the next time we go up onto two wheels?"

I looked at the brunette, and then up at the white knuckled grip she had on the support handle.

"Sorry love. I just really really really want to get home." I still slowed down on the curves, and then nearly had a heart attack when I saw Jacque's unmistakable purple with orange and yellow pinstriped flames 1998 Stingray fastback corvette pull up behind me as I turned onto another side street.

The man I came to know as more of a father than my actual father smiled and gave the little finger kiss that stereotypical French chefs give, knowing that I was in front of him.

I almost missed my own drive way because of him. At least we had a roundabout and a second entrance.

"Maybe you shouldn't drive when you're emotionally compromised," Lexy commented. I could hear the smirk in her voice.

"Thank you, Kirk," I retorted, and stopped the car next to Jacque's as he parked in his usual spot next to the garage.

In the meantime, Jacque got out of his car and deftly smoothed back his dark hair-which did absolutely nothing to his mussed up hair-and shrugged his shoulders to straighten out his leather jacket. He grinned as he turned to us, his grey eyes sparkling, and sauntered around the back of his car.

I got out as fast as I could fumble the door open and practically jumped into his arms. The smell of his leather jacket, as if he had just bought it, and cologne, Old Spice Swagger, was so familiar and comforting. I can't remember how many times he made fresh French bread and spaghetti for me if he knew I was having a bad day or if Lexy was coming over. And now I really missed his French bread. He wasn't totally French, only half, but you would never tell. He even had the stereotypical mustache.

"Haha, bonjour to you too mademoiselle." He squeezed me tightly and then let me go so he could hug Lexy as well. "Now zen," he clapped his hands together as he faked a French accent, "Is it true zat we have some new guests wiz us today?"

I giggled and nodded. "I think they should be inside." I popped the trunk of my car and was about to get the bags of clothes out when I heard another car approaching and nearly hit my head from jumping around, knowing that it was Kevin, our elderly British butler that reminded me of Alfred Pennyworth from Batman. "Kevin!" I didn't notice Legolas and James come out of the house, followed by Bruce.

As Kevin got out of his black SUV, I ran to him.

"Hello, my dear." I heard the smile in his soothing British voice as he enveloped me in his embrace.

"I'm so happy you guys are back. Are you going to leave again to pick up Mel-mom and dad?" I pulled back to look at him which was a mistake. I mean, yeah Legolas is great and everything, (I can't believe I just said that) but his super micro vision is not so great sometimes.

"Pippin what happened to your arms?"

Everyone stopped talking and looked at the elf. He had to be at least 20 feet away. I saw what he was wearing, a slightly v-necked blue t-shirt and jeans, along with a hat that covered his ear tips, and his hair was probably pulled back into a low ponytail. Then everyone looked at me and I shrugged.

"Nothing, why? They're the same as they've always been." My question forgotten, I introduced them all. "Anyway, Jacque, Kevin, this is Jeffery," I motioned to James, "and Lllllllllluke," I gestured to Legolas, who was still staring at my arms. I hoped none of them noticed my hesitation. "Luke, Jeffery, this is Jacque, our chef, and Kevin our butler."

James came over and shook hands with the Frenchman and the Englishman, and his face brightened significantly when he realized that Kevin was also English. Legolas came over after a few more moments and also greeted the two men, continually glancing at me.

I got the bags out of the back of my car and shut the trunk, just in time to be nearly knocked over by a very chatty and excited Sophia.

"Oh Pippin you're finally home! I was so worried about you over the past two months with no one but the cat and your brother and Lexy to keep you company! I don't know why I ever agreed to let you live alone for so long! I hope you didn't do anything bad and that nothing happened to you and that every is okay and I hope you didn't get too lonely…" she babbled on and on like there was no tomorrow-which it really seemed like there wasn't at this point-and kept stroking my hair and hugging me.

"I'm fine Sophie." I maneuvered out of her hold and smiled and the blond woman before me. Her nearly golden eyes softened and she smiled. "I promise. Let's go inside." I walked into the house while Kevin got his stuff from his SUV and Sophia wrapped her apron around her waist. Bruce took the bag out of my hands and looked through it, trying not to laugh at our selection.

I watched James animatedly talk to Kevin, and wondered when his hair had gotten so brown. He was wearing a t-shirt with the British flag on it, and some dark jeans along with some of Bruce's sneakers. Lexy stood next to them, listening and continually glancing at James. She blushed when she found me looking at her and I grinned. Legolas was busy talking to Bruce and Sophia, watching me from the corner of his eyes, when once again, everyone went silent from someone's outburst.

"That's it!" Jacque snapped his fingers, a triumphant grin spreading across his face. Everyone turned to stare at him. He was staring at me. My cheeks started to burn. "You, mon cher, are not the same."

A highly attractive "Huh?" was chorused through the rest of us as we looked at the chef with confused stares. James' hands were frozen, still in the position he had them in to describe something, and Legolas looked at us expectantly.

"Observe." He pulled out his wallet from a pocket inside his leather jacket, and from there took out the copy of my senior picture. Sometimes I think he's Sherlock Holmes, you know the one played by Robert Downy Jr.? "The darling girl is not wearing make-up, nor the multitude of jewelry usually found on her person, and her clothes! I don't think I've ever seen her wear a Star Wars shirt with jeans and ballet flats. And look at her hair! It is in much need of a trim if she wants to keep it as short as she usually has."

I blinked rapidly at him, trying to figure out if it really was that big of a deal.

"Jacque, I hardly think the two can be compared. That picture was taken almost a year ago. People change." She seemed to blush slightly as she said his name, but covered it with a roll of her eyes and wave of her porcelain hand.

"I dare to differ." Legolas' voice was different, almost cold. In one movement, he reached my side and took one of my wrists, stretching my arm out. "I find this to be very different from when we first met not too long ago, don't you think?"

I looked away from his worried, piercing sapphire eyes and down at my bare arm, my eyes tracing the parallel and crisscrossed lines marring my soft skin. Roughly I pulled my arm back and hid my wrists by crossing my arms. "It's nothing." I tried to move past him, but him being an elf and really strong, he quickly grabbed me and pulled my arms out, showing off to everyone the part of my past that I really loathed about myself and tried to forget about.

"I don't think this," he ran his long fingers over the scars, "is nothing, Penelope."

Once again I winced at the tone he used to say my name.

"Merde… Pippin you haven't started again, have you?" Jacque's grey eyes were worried and Sophia covered her quivering mouth with her hands, trying to hold off the tears.

I shook my head fiercely. "No." I tried to pull my arms free again, but the elf had a vice like grip on my thin wrists.

"Penelope." Legolas' voice was quiet and soft, the way I thought black velvet would sound. "What happened? Why did you do this to yourself?" his soft hands loosened around my wrists, but I didn't try to take them back.

"I had depression. After my parents left me the second time, when they didn't stay around after their first trip, I cut my hair and tried to rebel. But you can't really be a rebel if there's no one to try and stop you. When I realized that, I started cutting myself and wearing my bracelets to cover up the bandages." I took a deep, shaky breath, uncomfortable with telling him and James this part of my past. "I stopped when I started going out with Lance, but when I found out he was cheating on me with one of my best friends, I started again, but this time it was so much worse. I only stopped when Lexy found out and when they confronted me with bloody bandages Sophie found in my room." I gestured to the three people who were more like a family to me than my actual parents.

Legolas released my wrists and I left the group to go to my room and be alone. I never told anyone that, and I had just told three people. Bruce never knew, he had gone to a boarding school so he was away most of the school year, and worked most of the summer.

With a shaky sigh, I sat on my bed and silently started to cry. I covered my face with my hands, ashamed of myself. I've been crying so much lately; ever since James and Legolas got here. My head hurt and my throat ached. After a few minutes my tears stopped and I got up to fix my face.

"Pippin?" My brother came into my room slowly. "Why have you never told me about that?"

"I didn't want you to think I needed to go see a shrink."

"But, why? Why cut yourself? You have us, all of us. You're not alone."

"That's just the thing Bruce, you had everyone, Dave, Jacque, Sophie, Kevin, Melody and Derek, all your life. I only had mom and dad for a few years. And then you went to school, and two people betrayed me. It was just… hard." I hung my head, unable to look at my brother.

"Jacque says he's preparing a special dinner for tonight, when mom and dad get back. He wants you, Lexy, and Sophia to help in a little bit." He was by the door again. "He won't tell us what it is, but he says he'll need your help in just a few hours."

I didn't say anything and Frou Frou came in, rubbing along my shins and purring loudly.

"Pippin?"

"H-how did you know my name?"

We both looked in the direction of my huge walk in closet and saw a small, curly head of auburn hair a few shades lighter than mine and pale green eyes poke around the edge of the door.

I screamed.