Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom or any of the characters. Danny Phantom is the sole property of Butch Hartman, Nickelodeon and Viacom International.
Stuck
Chapter 26: Home At Last
It was now 7:05 on the dot and a limousine was on it's way to the Strong home. Inside was a smirking Colette and a very worried Stella Bevier.
This morning, Colette came rushing home in a frenzy, hurriedly telling her that Star was not home and she wanted to see if she had come here. Stella had been stunned and came with her here.
"Colette, are you sure that your sister is not home?...'Stella asked, still worried.
Thar's when Colette started acting once again.
"It is true Mama...I had been there for our sleepover but it seems, sometime into the night, she went missing and I do not know where...Oh, poor Estelle.."Colette fake cried as she embraced her step mother and Stella was even more worried as she hugged her step daughter, who unknown to her was smirking for all it's worth.
"She is so gullible..."Colette thought as she let go of her step mother.
Stella was on her way to Star's home. She wanted to speak to Georgia and see for herself.
Colette was still smirking, since he step mother was doing exactly as she wanted. As soon as she sees that Estelle isn't there, she will call the cops, then Estelle's father and once Estelle gets back home, everything will go according to her plan.
"I warned you Danny...I always get my way or else..."Colette thought bitterly, still mad that he didn't give into her simple, reasonable request of dumping her stupid step sister and being all hers.
Well, this way, Estelle would finally be out of her hair and Danny would be without a girlfriend and she can have him without having to deal with her pesky step sister anymore.
It's a win-win for her.
If she can't have Danny, no one will!
They soon arrived to the Strong residence and as soon as Georgia answered the door, Stella started talking all in a panic before running inside, to look for her daughter.
"Estelle! Estelle! STAR!..."Stella shouted as she ran though the house and to her daughter's bedroom, while Colette and a confused Georgia followed.
"Mrs. Bevier! What is this about?..."Georgia demanded but was ignored once Mrs. Bevier made it to her daughter's bedroom.
Once she opened the door and saw the empty bed, she panicked. She then turned to Georgia.
"CALL THE POLICE!..."Stella cried, looking positively horrified.
However, before Georgia could say anything, they suddenly heard the sound of a shower turning, getting all three women's attention. They then turned their attention to the door that leads to Star's private bathroom.
Suddenly it opened, revealing a recently showered Star Strong, dressed in nothing but her bathrobe and a towel in her hair.
Once Star noticed their presence, she screamed and looked embarrassed.
"AH! Can't a girl get some privacy?!..."Star shouted indignantly as she closed her bathrobe even tighter.
Colette's jaw dropped, while Georgia looked embarrassed and Stella looked apologetic and ultimately, relieved.
"Oh, I am so sorry, Star..."Stella apologized, but Colette looked flabbergasted.
"But...but...I...I...She wasn't here last night!..."Colette exclaimed to her step mother.
Star sent Colette a confused, annoyed look as she crossed her arms.
"What the heck are you talking about, Colette? And mom, why are you guys here?..."Star demanded, trying to sound angry and embarrassed.
"Well, you see dear...Colette says that you were not here when she came over for your sleep over..."Stella said, trying to make sense of this situation.
"Sleep over? What are you talking about? Colette wasn't here last night...'Star said in confusion.
"ONLY BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T!..."Colette said immediately, only to realize her slip up.
"What?!..."Stella exclaimed in shock.
That's when Georgia chose to speak up.
"Actually, I can say that Star here was home on time...I heard her and she spoke to her father upstairs on the phone on her room and I woke her up 20 minutes ago to get ready for school..."Georgia said, confirming Star but Colette looked outraged.
"SHE'S LYING! Estelle must have bribed her..."Colete shouted and Georgia glared at her.
"I already told you last night, you little brat, I can't be bought!..." Georgia said in disgust.
"Wait? What? Bribery?..."Stella asked in shock, while Colette turned to Star, who looked annoyed more than anything.
"Your stepdaughter tried to bribe me into saying where Star and her boyfriend went. My guess is she wanted to take the boy from her..."Georgia revealed, ignoring the glare Colette was sending her.
Stella, hearing this, sent a stunned and outrageous at the fake redhead.
"Is this true?..."Stella demanded.
"SHE TRICKED ME!..."Colette shouted in fury, while Star tried hard not to show a smug look.
"What the heck are you talking about, Colette?! I didn't even speak to you last night or see you!..."Star pointed out while Colette looked even angrier.
"I do believe that the only one who is trying to play tricks here, is you Colette..."Stella said in accusation and Colette looked horrified.
"BUT I'M NOT LYING THIS TIME!..."Colette shouted, only to realize her error too little too late.
"This time?!...'Stella exclaimed in shock and accusation.
Star watched the entire thing unfold and smirked for all it's worth as she watched her hated stepsister dig herself deeper and deeper.
"M-Mama..."Colette let out, trying to look all innocent.
"So you lied to me last night?..."Stella demanded.
"Mama..."Colette whispered, not liking this at all.
She then tried to save herself.
"But...Estelle...Estelle is the one who had boys in her room last night! Two of them!...'Colette shouted.
"What?..."Stella looked surprised.
"WHAT?! I DID NOT!..."Star shouted, looking offended.
"Yes, you did! I saw that famous ghostly boy Danny Phantom and Danny Fenton's unattractive friend being in your room, before flying off somewhere!..."Colette said.
"Oh please, if you are going to lie, at least make it believable..."Georgia scoffed, not buying it.
"No one was talking to you!..."Colette said rudely to the housekeeper.
"Hey, don't talk to Georgia like that, especially when you are in my house, in my room, interrupting my morning!..."Star shot at her step sister.
Suddenly, Stella got in between both girls, with a very serious look on her face.
More serious than Star could remember seeing on her, save for when she apologized a few weeks ago.
"Did Colette come here last night for a sleepover?...'Stella asked again.
"Nope..."Star said.
She then turned to Georgia.
"Did anyone else come here last night?..."Stella asked, emphasizing "anyone else"
"No, there was no one here last night but me and Star here..."Georgia confirmed.
Stella then looked to Colette in shock, who just tried to look innocent.
"Colette? Does this mean you were out all night and didn't tell me where?!..."Stella demanded.
"But why does it matter, Mama? I don't have a curfew and I have spent the night in hotels before..."Colette pointed out.
Stella didn't like hearing this, especially given these circumstances.
'Well, maybe it's time that you do, since it's obvious I can't trust you to tell me where you are spending the night..."Stella said with her arms crossed.
Colette looked horrified, while Star kept smirking a mile wide.
"W-What do you mean?..."Colette shouted, not liking this at all.
"Colette, you lied to me about where you were last time and lied just now to get your sister into trouble...I am sorry but for the next month, during your grounding, you will be home at exactly 8pm on the dot and I am reducing your shopping budget in half during that time..."Stella ordered and Colette gasped in horror.
"YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS?!..."Colette shouted but Stella grabbed her arm.
"I am and you're father will be too once he hears about this unacceptable behavior..."Stella said as she pulled her out, but not before turning to her other daughter.
"Star, I am very sorry to disturb your morning...maybe later, you and I can get some tea together...just you and me...'Stella said to her daughter.
Star just sent her a small smile.
"Sure, why not?..."Star said as she enjoyed watching Stella drag a whining Colette away.
"This isn't over Estelle! I don't know what you did but I will get even for this!..."Colette vowed before being dragged away by their mother while Georgia helped make sure they were out of the house.
Once done, the housekeeper went to Star
"So...anyway, get dressed, breakfast is waiting on the table and if you are fast, I can drop you off at school..."Georgia said to Star who nodded.
"Sure, thanks Georgia..."Star said appreciatively.
Once the housekeeper left her room, Star took her robe off, revealing that she was already dressed, having done so in the bathroom after a quick shower.
She then turned to a hidden camera in her room and went to her computer, revealing the faces of Danny, Sam and Tucker, who were now at home, but they saw the whole thing.
Once done, they all started laughing. Apparently, after they rushed Star home, just a few minutes before Georgia checked on her, Star set up this whole thing so they could witness her untangling Colette's entire evil plot.
They have all watched it and were relishing it.
"Oh man, did you see the look on her face when she got grounded!..."Tucker laughed.
"Priceless..."Danny laughed harder and harder.
"Sheesh, I think I found the one person in the world that's a bigger brat than Paulina..."Sam commented, still amused
"You have no idea..."Star said, happy that they managed to get away with this.
"NO!..."Was suddenly heard loudly outside, getting the quartet's attention.
Star got an idea as she grabbed the wireless webcam and went to her window and she got on tape the whole thing. Colette is still throwing her tantrum while their mom tries to force her into the limo to go home.
"THIS IZ SO NOT FAIR!...'Colette screamed loudly, before being forced into the limo and driving away.
Once Star got it on film, she turned back to her computer
Danny and the others then turned to Star, with smirks on their faces.
"She's right...'Danny said in a mocking tone.
"Yeah, it's not really fair..."Sam said in a meaningful way.
"Yeah, but it's a start...'Star said, pleased beyond belief.
After years of watching Colette get away scot free with all of her insults, lies, manipulation, bullying and "borrowing", this was glorious!
Once the group was done laughing, Star heard a knock on her door.
"Star?..."Georgia's voice was heard.
"Oh, uh...just talking with Danny..."Star said and that seemed to be enough to convince Georgia.
"Well, hurry up, breakfast is getting cold...you can coo with your boyfriend after school..."Georgia said on the other side of the door.
Star blushed at that, before turning to the rest of Team Phantom.
"I guess this can wait until school..."Star said, before yawning loudly.
"Only if we don't fall asleep before getting there..."Danny said before yawning himself.
"Darn Ember...anyone...gotta get ready..."Sam said before logging off.
Tucker then said goodbye before logging up to get ready for school.
Danny did the same, but not before blowing a kiss to his girlfriend.
Once they were done, Star yawned before she went downstairs to get her breakfast and asking for some of the strong coffee her dad usually drinks before a big case.
RING
Star heard her phone ringing, a phone which Foley put back together after she explained that she used it's remaining battery to power up the HAM radio to contact them.
Star quickly answered it.
"Hi again, Dad..."Star greeted.
"Hi princess...Sorry it took a while to call you, you will not believe the kind of morning I had..."Johnathan said in a tired voice.
"I think I got you topped..."Star thought but wisely kept quiet.
"So, anyway I got good news.. the reason it took me a while to call you is because I was speaking with the Senator...he and I had managed to reach an agreement and if all goes well today, I will be able to come home the day after tomorrow..."Johnathan said.
Star smiled widely, despite being so tired.
"Awesome, dad..."Star said as she kept eating and chatting with her father.
After a while, Georgia reminded her that she had a little thing called school that she really needs to get to. So, Star said goodbye to her father, finished the last of her breakfast and soon left with Georgia to get to school.
Despite all of the grief she went through last night and how tired she was right now, Star was just happy to be home.
-To be continued-
Next time on Stuck
Aftermath
A/N: Thanks again NeoMark for helping with the last few chapters.
REPLIES to my loyal and totally awesome reviewers:
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