I just went through and re-read my last five chapters. I put in some subtle things there that I kind of need to touch on, or else they seem really out of place. I have use for them, I just forgot that I wrote about them. No loose ends. Thanks for all the support in this story. I do appreciate it, like always. Well, onwards!

Brittany leaned over the sink, carefully positioning her eyeliner and drawing it across her lid carefully. She had already primed her face, applied her toner, applied blush, and her eye shadow. She was nearing the end of her primping process, and from the sounds of her sisters, she was also nearing the end of her time to do so. They were getting close to having to go to school.

Normally, Brittany wouldn't be running as late as she was. But the incidents from last night kept the girls up late with worry after the boys went home. But there was no time for discussion last night. All that they really had time for was for Eleanor to hand over the needle with a brief explanation and the team all agreeing to meet with each other to talk about the whole thing very soon.

She huffed out angrily and dropped her arms to the counter, staring into the sink and ignoring the mascara that she was applying. Brittany was dreading being in the same room as Alvin again. Especially since things just kept on going back and forth between them. His actions last night had to have been jealousy. There were just no other explanations for it, even though he put her up to infiltrating the place with him. And they agreed to keep things platonic.

Fed up with just thinking about that stupid boy, Brittany finished getting ready and went back to her room to gather her school things. Her hand hovered over a book that was on her nightstand. Jeanette had borrowed it from the library for her and Brittany had been glancing through it whenever she had a chance. Brittany shook her head. She wasn't going to be seen reading it in school. Brittany Miller wasn't known for her good grades, although she wasn't failing any classes, and she wasn't known for reading. Plus, reading about war strategies in school would be very suspicious.

She walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. Jeanette and Eleanor were at the table and Miss Miller was busying herself with cleaning the kitchen. It was the first day off that Miss Miller had for a while and the woman was dead set on making sure the house was back in order. "Morning, Brittany!" Miss Miller's screeching voice greeted as Brittany sat down at the table. The woman mumbled to herself about what Brittany usually liked eating before preparing some toast.

"Good morning, Miss Miller," Brittany smiled before slouching into her chair. She glanced over at Jeanette and Eleanor. Eleanor looked like she was in a great mood. She must have been, since Theodore was safe and had come out unscathed from his ordeal last night. Brittany was concerned with Eleanor occasionally shifting a bit in her chair, but that may have been because of what happened last night. The girl might have strained herself a little too much in getting Theodore back. Brittany moved her eyes to Jeanette.

Jeanette was sitting, staring at her plate but obviously lost in thought. In her hand, she was holding something, fiddling with it with her fingers. Brittany couldn't even begin to understand why Jeanette was so lost in thought, but she was sure that things would be out in the open with the next meeting that they all would be attending with each other. But then, Brittany noticed something about the object Jeanette was fooling around with. It had a chain.

Her eyes grew wide and she sat up straight, moving a little closer to Jeanette and leaning across the table. Jeanette did not wear necklaces. "What's that?" she pointed to what Jeanette was holding.

Jeanette started and looked with wide eyes around her before finally realizing that Brittany was talking to her. She adjusted her glasses with one hand and then followed to where Brittany was pointing. Jeanette took a breath and opened her hand to show Brittany the locket.

"Where did you get that?" Brittany leaned across the table to get a better look at it. Brittany didn't care much for lockets, but she could recognize a good and expensive piece of jewelry. She directed her ice blue eyes back up at Jeanette expectantly.

"Simon…g-gave it t-t-to me," Jeanette stuttered out sheepishly, looking down at the locket before storing it away under her shirt.

Before Brittany could say anything, Miss Miller came over with Brittany's breakfast. "Wasn't that nice? Is this Simon going to be a gentleman caller for my little Netta?"

Both Brittany and Eleanor nearly laughed out loud. It wasn't as if they weren't concerned that Simon could be, if he really wasn't gay, but those two were shy with each other in their own ways. Yet, although Brittany was biting her tongue to keep from laughing, she was trying to keep her own concern under control. Simon did save those little girls in the fire and he did make the choice himself to try and avoid conflicts. He also risked getting into more trouble at home by sneaking over to help Eleanor. But still, she didn't want to see anything bloom in terms of a relationship between him and Jeanette. Simon was gaining her trust, but it wasn't at that high of a level yet. His sexuality would hopefully be her saving grace.

"You got it wrong, Miss Miller!" Jeanette put out quickly before getting quiet again, her face a bright red. She whispered. "It's a thank you present."

"So what's inside it?" Brittany asked, taking a deep breath to calm herself before biting into her toast.

"An inscription."

"You haven't put a picture in it yet?" Eleanor asked, understanding what Brittany was asking. Jeanette shook her head.

"Why don't you invite him over for dinner tonight, Netta? I would love to meet this friend of yours." Miss Miller had finally sat down for her own breakfast.

Brittany opened her mouth to protest when she was interrupted by Eleanor. "We're friends with his brothers, Miss Miller. Can we invite them, too?"

"It's been so long since I've had a little dinner party. Of course, dears. Invite your friends over for dinner tonight."

Jeanette and Eleanor exclaimed in delight, but Brittany just groaned. The girls were going to introduce the Seville's to Miss Miller. And Miss Miller was probably going to embarrass them to no end with stories of when they were younger. Alvin was going to hear all of it, and he was probably going to laugh at her. She did not want him any closer to her than what he already was. Especially if she meant nothing to him.

Once they were at school, Brittany's torment seemed to continue. The halls were decked out in red, pink, and white. She would have turned to ask Jeanette to verify the date, but she had ran off into the school as soon as they entered into it. Brittany had been spending way too much time with her sisters in school and her reputation was going to take a hit if it continued for much longer. But Brittany didn't need to ask anyone. Valentine's Day was this week. And she wouldn't be able to have a date.

She moved quickly, smiling at friends and making little flirts to the cute boys. She didn't know where she was going, but she just couldn't stay still and listen to couples talk about Valentine's Day. She passed a bulletin board outside of the student council room and stopped short. She looked at it with wide eyes.

Three photos of the Vigilante were posted on it. Around the photos were letters and notes that students had made. She read one to find that it was a thank you. The others were the same. In the exact center of the board were the pictures of the students who were kidnapped. The student body were showing their gratitude to the Vigilante. But what made her worried, however, was that all the notes were referring to them as a group and not as an individual. The police must have leaked the information. She did take solace in the fact that it seemed as if they all thought that the Vigilantes were male. She and her sisters were still not under suspicion remarkably.

"I like that one the best," Alvin's obnoxious voice sounded next to her and he pointed to a picture that was clearly himself due to the decal.

Brittany eyed him and set her face. He glanced down at her and gave her a charming smirk. She turned and went to walk away. "Where are you going, Britt?"

"Away from here, Alvie."

She heard him groan. He really did hate that nickname. "Wait up. I need to talk with you." Alvin jogged up alongside of her.

"Whatever it is, I don't want to hear it. Go hound some other girl."

"But I want to hound you!" Alvin whined, moving in front of her. She stopped and glared at him. What reason could there be that he would want to talk with her in school? They didn't talk with each other in school anymore, a fact that Madison was constantly cluing Brittany in on. It was so frustrating, feeling as if she was being pulled by strings with the guy. She rolled her eyes after seeing he wasn't going to move. But then she stopped her sight on something else.

"Okay, so here's the thing," Alvin started slowly and softly, taking a deep breath. "I was thinking that…um, Brittany?"

"Oh my God," she murmured out, turning her body to look down the hall that they were passing. She couldn't believe her eyes. There was no way that this was happening.

Alvin huffed, but then looked in the direction that caught her attention. "Oh shit," he voiced out.

Jeanette was standing a little ways down the hallway, holding and rubbing her arm nervously and shifting her weight from foot to foot as Darren Watkins, free from his bandages, leaned over her with his flirty smile. He kept on trying to draw her face to him, obviously talking to her and making little caresses to her hands. Her face was beat red and she was trying to avoid looking at him.

"What the hell is that bastard doing?" Brittany grit her teeth and narrowed her eyes.

"Flirting with Jeanette," Alvin mumbled back to her.

"I'm going to give that guy a piece of my mind!" Brittany made to storm over to the two. Darren Watkins was a completely sexist jerk and he had threatened to go over Alvin with a gang before, which his involvement in a gang was completely new information to Brittany. He was also more popular than Jeanette and he would never have flirted with Jeanette before. Something was up.

"Hold up a minute," Alvin grabbed her wrist to keep her from moving forward. Brittany spun around on him and he tensed, readying himself for whatever hit she decided to do to him.

"He's up to something, Alvin! With my little sister. Your team member! I'm going to put a stop to it right now."

"We don't know what he's up to. That could be innocent, Brittany. Possible, but not likely, I'll admit. But why don't we just talk with Jeanette first about it. She doesn't know why you broke his nose. She just know that you did it. And maybe this could be useful to us."

"He's trying to get to me, Alvin. I just know it." Brittany turned around and watched as Jeanette tried to slink away out of her shy behavior. Darren wouldn't let her and then said something to make Jeanette give out her nervous giggle. "And I will not use my sister as bait for anything!"

"If he does anything to Jeanette, then he better be prepared," Alvin assured Brittany, putting his hands on her shoulders. He was standing behind her, watching the two talk. "I'm not just talking about what you or I would do to him. I'm talking about Simon."

She took a deep breath. She was just assuring herself this morning of how trustworthy Simon was. Now Alvin was putting it in her head that he was still just as dangerous. "They are good friends." Brittany eventually breathed out.

"Oh, c'mon Britt. You don't see the way he looks at her!?"

"Simon is gay, Alvin. You told me yourself."

Alvin chuckled and she turned around, readying to deck him. Everything she was trying to tell herself about Simon was just falling to pieces. And Alvin was having a fun time with it. "I told people that because it would piss him off. He doesn't deny it because he 'doesn't want to waste his time on foolishness'," Alvin mimicked Simon's voice. "He loves Jeanette. He denies it, but he does. He won't tolerate anyone hurting her. Besides, I'm the one who should be worried about this. I don't want Si to go to jail for beating the ass off Darren."

"Just let me go and kick his ass now!" Brittany tried to pull away.

"Talk with her later, Brittany. We don't need you suspended. And she could be saying no. Looks to me like she's trying to get away."

Brittany didn't think of that. Jeanette could say no. And that was probably why Darren was trying so hard. But it wasn't certain. And talking with her would help. Brittany sighed and relaxed. "We'll all talk tonight. Alvin," Brittany turned to look at him and gave him a wry smile. "My mother has invited you all over for dinner."

Alvin took a moment to understand what she had said before he smiled back at her. "It's a date."

Brittany frowned and pushed him away before walking to her classroom. He was just so confusing! And what was with needing to talk with her? He made no sense. Darren also.

Page Break :)

Her afternoon classes were rolling by. Eleanor was constantly hearing about how the Vigilante saved those students from being kidnapped and the praise made her feel great. She finally understood the feeling that Brittany and Alvin got from their afterschool hobby. Of course, Eleanor really didn't feel the need to go out and do it again just for the praise. It was actually kind of similar to shooting the winning goal in soccer.

A book popped up in front of her face and she blinked and backed away from it. "Look at this one! It sounds great, doesn't it?" Theodore pulled the recipe book back to him and scanned the list of ingredients again. "It doesn't sound too complicated either. I think we could do it for the next time we bake. What do you think?"

Eleanor was forced to try and catch up with the conversation with Theodore and she looked at him. He was smiling as if everything was right as rain. It was almost as if nothing had happened last night, especially to him. Yet it was very real, what had happened. Theodore was almost drugged and whatever that was in that concoction was meant specifically for him and no one else.

During lunch, Brittany had found her and told Eleanor that Darren Watkins was flirting with Jeanette. Brittany then clued Eleanor in that Darren had been searching for the Vigilante's identities with a gang and both Brittany and Alvin made him mad. If Darren was after revenge, then going after Theodore and Jeanette would probably be where she would start. She really would start with them in school if she knew that they were the Vigilante.

It could be, however, that Darren had nothing to do with that gang last night. It could be someone else. There had been plenty of times in which the Vigilante's came close to getting caught by the cops, so that really didn't mean that the various gangs in the area weren't closing in on them. And Darren's behavior could just be to get back at Brittany, with Brittany being Brittany and not Queen Bee.

She felt like the world was closing in on them. Every wall had eyes and ears now. There were no safe places for them. All she could do was try and keep Theodore safe from harm. Simon and Alvin could very well take care of themselves, but Eleanor never wanted to see Theodore look like that again, devoid of life and energy. She would keep him safe.

"So how 'bout it?" Theodore looked into Eleanor's brown eyes and smiled, his green ones twinkling in the light.

Eleanor smiled back at him and nodded, realizing that she had no idea what they were going to make for the next class, but certain that it wasn't anything that they couldn't handle together. They did make a great team. That's why it was such a shame that every time they tried to go on a date, they were prevented by something. It was either Alvin's search for revenge or Theodore getting kidnapped. They really had no luck for this type of thing.

"Eleanor, are you okay?" Theodore moved his head in a little closer, his eyes wide with concern as he searched her face.

Eleanor nodded. "Just thinking about luck, that's all."

Theodore nodded, but didn't move away from her. "I think we've been having nothing but bad luck. I'm really frustrated about it," Theodore chuckled and stood back up to his full height, picking at the edge of the recipe book.

Eleanor rubbed Theodore's back warmly. "It's okay, Theodore. Everything will work out soon."

Theodore nodded and then swallowed. He turned his body to face Eleanor. "How about Thursday?"

"What?" What were they talking about? She thought he was talking about the gangs and the attacks and the whole Vigilante thing and the cops. Apparently she was wrong. So what was he so frustrated about?

"Going on a date Thursday. It's Valentine's Day and I just thought that…you know…." Theodore trailed off and lost eye contact with her. He was getting shy again.

Suddenly, it became apparent what Theodore was trying to say and why he was frustrated. He was sharing the same emotions as her about their bad luck with dates and not anything else. Sure, everything else was a worry, but she was really thinking it was unfair that they just wanted one date and they weren't getting it. "What about our hobby afterschool?"

She could see the determination in his eyes. "I will have that date with you, even if I have to stay in for a night to do it. Is that okay?" Theodore looked a little concern with being so assertive. Eleanor gave him a small smile and looked away from him. He was starting to make her feel a little shy. She nodded.

Theodore moved in and gave Eleanor a kiss, taking Eleanor by surprise. This one was more solid than any of the ones they had before. He was more comfortable with the action and she was more than willing to receive it. She returned it and they drew apart a few second later, each blushing and smiling.

"So," Eleanor began after a moment. "What are we making tomorrow?" Theodore laughed. "Oh! I nearly forgot. Our mother wants to meet you and your brothers tonight." He smiled at her.

Another Page Break

The boys were coming over. They all had accepted the invitation and they were all going to be arriving shortly. As soon as the girls arrived home, they found that Miss Miller had spent the afternoon making a pot roast. She was in the kitchen at that moment mashing up potatoes and draining the corn. Brittany was a little put off with the idea of having a pot roast, since that was a fatty piece of meat, but Jeanette could understand it perfectly. It was one of the best dishes that Miss Miller could cook. Although it was still painfully dry.

Jeanette sat on the couch with a book in hand, sitting sideways so she could see the street. She kept glancing up from her book to see if the boys were walking up the walkway. She was so nervous to be having them in the house. Granted, they've been in the house plenty of times already, but not as normal high school friends. Also, from what Miss Miller kept on muttering, not as gentlemen callers.

The idea made Jeanette blush, referring to Simon as a gentleman caller. She wished with all her heart that she could call him that, but he seemed to think of her only as a friend and the only reason she could give for that was that he really was gay. Well, she did have other reasons. Maybe, if Simon wasn't gay, he didn't think she was pretty or smart or kind or any of those qualities that lovers use to describe each other. She was just a plain jane book-worm that had superhuman observation powers.

If she was all that, though, then why was that popular boy talking with her today? He said his name was Darren and Jeanette recognized him as a guy who normally made fun of girls like her. Also as the guy that Brittany hit in the face. But his actions could be nothing short of flirting. She was familiar by observing others what flirting was. And he was doing that.

Jeanette hadn't brought up their conversation to Brittany yet. She wasn't sure if she wanted to. Brittany would probably go ballistic if she knew what they were talking about. Also, if Brittany knew that Jeanette had agreed to. Jeanette was having doubts about it, but at the time it seemed like the correct course of action and it did make her feel good.

Three figures were out on the street and starting to turn to walk to the house. Jeanette smiled happily and stood up from the couch and walked over to the front door, stumbling a little on a bunched up patch of carpet. By the time she regained her footing and balance, the boys had knocked on the door.

"I got it," Jeanette called and she turned the knob of the door and pulled it open. She smiled at the three boys who were all looking at her. She chanced a glance at Simon to see that he was giving her a crooked smirk. "C'mon in," she moved aside and watched them as they all came inside. She then shut the door. "Can I take your jackets?"

"Why are you acting like we've never been here before?" Alvin asked, shrugging his off.

"Pretend we haven't, Al-vin," Simon shot out quietly. Alvin muttered an 'Oh yea' and put his hands in his pockets and looked around.

"Theodore!" Eleanor's voice called happily from the kitchen.

Theodore was shimmying out of his jacket and handing it to Jeanette when Eleanor had bounded to him. She reached out and took his hand in hers, both ignoring the looks that they got. "I'm really glad you're here!"

"Speaking of who's here, where's Brittany?" Alvin pointedly looked at Jeanette. Jeanette looked back over and began to falter with the jackets. Simon moved in and steadied her and she adjusted her glasses.

"Pretending I'm somewhere else," Brittany said, coming down the stairs in another form-fitting and very well put-together outfit.

"Girls! I think the boys might be late," Miss Miller's voice reached them as she bustled out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron.

The boys looked at her in confusion. Jeanette and her sisters nearly smiled and shook their heads. Miss Miller really was starting to go deaf. And maybe they could have given the boys warning that Miss Miller was a little bit past her prime in life.

"Miss Miller!" Eleanor said, releasing Theodore's hand and moving to her adoptive mother. "These are the boys. That's Alvin, Simon, and Theodore Seville." Eleanor pointed to each other them as she named them off.

"My heavens! Such strong and sweet gentlemen," Miss Miller could not be stopped. She went from each boy, starting with Theodore, and gave them a smothering hug and a pinched cheek. Alvin managed to avoid it. He took her hand in his and patted it.

"What a fine house you have, Miss Miller. And your daughters are such good friends of ours. It is a delight to have been invited over for dinner tonight."

"Yea," Theodore piped in, reaching into his pocket for something. "We brought you this." He handed Miss Miller a little envelope.

"Our father, Dave, wanted to express his gratitude to you, ma'am. He thought you would enjoy this. We do apologize if it's not something you like, but we had very little time to get a gift together." Simon was standing next to Jeanette, speaking and moving his head to see if Miss Miller liked the gift.

She opened it and read the little paper inside. She gasped and put her hand over her heart. "Oh what a kind man! Four passes to a day spa! Dearies, this is so wonderful. Tell your father that we said thank you."

"Um…Miss Miller?" Eleanor popped up and tapped on her mother. Miss Miller looked at her youngest daughter. "I think the pot roast is burning."

"The wha…? Oh! Mercy me, the pot roast!" And the bustled away from them all in a flurry of talcum powder and frills.

The six were left standing with each other, the boys obviously having no idea what they just went up against. But Jeanette had to admit that they did just fine in their first encounter with their crazy guardian. Yet, the night wasn't over yet. Jeanette looked over at Simon and caught his attention before leading him into the kitchen and to the small table. Eleanor and Theodore followed.

Brittany made to go as well, but she felt a tug at her hand. She turned to see Alvin holding it and looking at her seriously. "What?" she hissed out.

Alvin moved in a little closer, still holding her hand in his and never taking his eyes away from hers. She decided to stand her ground and not back away, but she really didn't want to hear what Alvin had to say.

"I've been thinking," Alvin started to say. Brittany kind of remembered this from earlier in the day. What did he have to tell her so badly? "And I'm going to level with you, alright? All cards on the table. No tricks and no shams. Pure and straight truth. From me to you."

"Just get on with it Alvin. There's some dry pot roast that we need to eat."

"Okay, okay. I don't want to fight with you anymore. With everything going on, we need to be a cemented team. We need to work together. And as the leaders, we really need to be on the same page about everything. But we keep on pushing each other. And when we decide on things, we're angry."

"I agree with you. But you just won't stop playing games!"

"I haven't played a stupid game with you recently."

"You're just setting up for the next one. We decided to keep things business between us." Brittany wrenched her hand free and turned around.

"But I don't want that."

She stopped.

Brittany couldn't decide if she heard right. She couldn't decide if she heard the right tone in his voice. And here he was, trying to confuse her again. Brittany just wanted the carousel to stop so she could just get off the stupid ride. Yet Alvin just kept on putting in another quarter. She sighed. She was going to get off of the stupid ride. "I'm sorry Alvin," she said softly.

She looked over her shoulder. He was keeping a straight face, but his moving eyes and twitching eyebrows said that he was going through some sort of emotion. She walked over to him. "There is too much going on between us and the group. I don't want to fight, either. I really don't. But that's all we do."

"Brittany, I l-l-lo…I don't hate you," he whispered out.

Brittany smiled, her heart wrenching. She walked to him and wrapped her arms around him. "I don't hate you, too, Alvin. But it's not going to work right now." Brittany stood on her tip-toes and placed a bittersweet kiss on his lips before moving back on her heels. "If we ever meet again, in a different life, I hope things can be different."

She left him to go into the kitchen, feeling her heart breaking. But she made her choice and it was the right one. She wanted to stop the ride and the endless bickering. This would and should help that. But at what cost? Her heart.

"Who's pulling all the strings, now?" she heard Alvin mutter to himself just as she stepped into the kitchen. 'You, Alvin. You have always had the strings in your hands,' she thought, straightening up and moving further away from him and into the kitchen, just wanting to collapse and cry.

Unfortunately, she couldn't be alone with herself and her sorrow. They had a dinner to 'enjoy' and a meeting afterwards. Why did Alvin wait until now to do this!?

I don't know what happened throughout this whole chapter. I wanted to do some other things and then I just wrote it very differently. Another example of stories writing themselves, I guess. Anyway, time to respond to recent reviews!

Guest no.1-I know. I like Simonettes too. But they all are cute in their own ways.

ChipmunkfunNo1-I guess it's out in the open, at least to Brittany, how Simon feels. I just want to know how Simon is going to feel about the Jeanette/Darren thing. And Eleanor is completely a badass in my mind. Sure she can be sweet, but I wouldn't want to make her mad.

Polina-Believe it or not, I tried to put in a Simonette moment at the end of this chapter. It turned into Alvittany. But I think some good Simonettes are coming. Especially since Miss Miller likes saying "gentlemen caller". And thanks for the support for my personal life. I'm working that new position, so at least I have a job.

Guest no.2-I wouldn't say it's the best ever, but I would say it's decent. Thank you so much for thinking so, however. I appreciate it! It's always nice to hear that when you have such a fun time writing it! Thank you again!