A/N - this story is set after the events of How Can it be a Reunion if We Never Said Goodbye. You can find that story on my profile page. Please read it first or some events of this story won't make sense.
"I thought you liked me" Andrea Zuckerman wielded the chainsaw and brandished it against her classmates. Steve, Dylan and Brandon scattered, leaving the girls to fend for themselves.
Kelly shrieked as Andrea followed her around the auditorium with the chainsaw.
"Good morning, sunshine" Brandon crept up behind Andrea and hugged her. Andrea dropped the chainsaw.
"Brandon?" Andrea squinted against not the sunlight, but the overhead lights from the room.
"I see you're in a good mood" he smiled and pulled on the Peach Pit uniform shirt.
"What time is it?" she pulled herself from the bed.
"Almost seven" Brandon glanced at his wristwatch, "Don't forget, you've got to drop the kids off at school"
"Right" she nodded sleepily.
"I'll see you at work" he kissed her softly, his beard tickled her face.
"Love you" she smiled
"Love you, too" and he was out the door.
Andrea had showered, dressed, and now pulled up in front of her sister in law's house
"Ok kiddo, let's get a move on!" she called
Twelve year old Robert Dylan McKay bounded down the driveway, his backpack bounced behind him
"Yeah yeah, I'm coming" he pulled open the back door and sat down. Only then, did he notice his riding companion.
"What's he doing here?"
"Come on, Rob" Andrea tried to reassure the boy, "you know that I've got to get you both to school"
"I'm not going anywhere he is" Rob stared at fourteen year old Samuel Dylan Taylor
"Good" Sam sneered, "I didn't want to be seen with you anyway. Your mom's the reason that mine's in jail!"
"Both of you" Andrea turned around in the driver's seat, "That's enough. Rob, get in the car and I want the two of you to keep quiet until you get to school"
"Jerk" Sam muttered under his breath
"Double jerk" Rob gave his seatmate some side eye, "If Dad was here, he'd beat you up"
"But my mom didn't kill him" Sam growled
"Ok" Andrea slammed on the brakes. Thankfully, nobody was behind their vehicle, "Out with it" she unbuckled her seat belt and turned so she was eye to eye with the boys.
"I don't want to live with Zack and Valerie" Sam began, "I don't care if he really is my dad, but it's not the same. I want my mom back home, where she's supposed to be"
"Even if that happens, it won't bring my dad back" Rob sighed
Andrea squeezed her eyes shut. "This cannot be happening, not now" she sighed, "I've got to get to work, and you two have school. Sam, I wish that what you're saying was true. I really do, but right now, there's not much that can be done"
"Sure there is" Sam retorted, "She didn't kill anyone and she's innocent. Why won't anyone believe me?"
"Your mom killed my dad because he didn't love her and nothing you say can bring him back!" Rob shouted
"Guys, please" Andrea sighed. This morning was not shaping up to be easy in the slightest, "Just keep it together. I'll look into things. Ok?" she glanced from one boy to the other, "It's hard on all of us. She was my friend, too. They both were"
Rob and Sam looked warily at each other.
Andrea went on, "just like you two used to be friends. I don't expect either of you to understand this now, not with everything going on, but just – just-" she sighed, "I don't know what else to say here" she turned back around and continued driving towards the school.
"Somebody killed my dad" Rob stared at his sneakers, "I remember how your mom and my mom used to be friends"
"Yeah" Sam nodded, "Me, too" he looked up at Andrea, seeing the back of her head, "Can't you do anything? You were friends with my mom, and his dad, and she can't be guilty. She just can't!"
"You're a journalist" Rob chimed in, "Don't they go search for the truth?"
"I'll- I'll look into things" Andrea stared at the traffic ahead of her. How could she ever explain the criminal justice system to the young teens in the backseat?
That seemed to quiet the boys, for now at least. Andrea dropped them off at school and was left with her thoughts.
"How am I supposed to explain this to Brandon, let alone Brenda?"