Mementos Of Bridget Star

Henderson, Nevada

After arriving at the hotel in Henderson, a town that is about twenty minutes away from Las Vegas, after the two hour drive from St. George all Phoenix wanted to do is just collapse in bed and pass out from the previous day's events: breaking into her former home just to obtain her documents, clothes, and a few items of sentimental value, almost getting caught by Salem, and having to close her own missing person's report that had been filed on her. As soon as she, Jonah, and Lara walked into the hotel room Phoenix collapsed onto the nearest bed and fell asleep. They did not blame her after the day she went through. The next day she woke up and Jonah and Lara were not there. She was confused until she saw a post-it note on the nightstand that said "went to get food, we'll be back soon - LC and JM". Phoenix decides to take a look at the boxes she took with her from her former home.

First she opened the smaller box which contained a picture of her mother taken a year before she passed away. She was sitting on top of the hood of her car with a toolbox next to her. It had been Bridget's dream to be a mechanic. That dream was tossed aside when Salem forcefully got her pregnant. She did end up achieving that when she divorced Salem. For Phoenix her mother divorcing Salem was the best thing to ever happen to her mother. In the final years she was alive Phoenix was happy to see her mom fulfill her dream. A memory popped into Phoenix's mind. She was eleven years old, Phoenix got to see the garage her mom worked at for the first time and her mom was showing her how she fixes cars. Around the same time she got to meet another girl her age who became a childhood friend of hers, Darcy Davis and her father Tom. She and Darcy became friends very quickly alongside Tom and Bridget and they had a sleepover that same night. They watched Star Wars the Clone Wars, had snacks, and played Pokemon together. Phoenix smiled at that memory.

She opened the bigger box and pulled out the ds and 3ds both of which were given to her by her mother as Christmas presents alongside some Pokemon games. She turned on the ds which had Pokemon Heartgold in it to see if it still works and it does. She did the same with her 3ds and it also still works. Whenever her father and stepmother are not in the house she would play pokemon in secret. The last time she played was four months ago before the birthday fiasco and her escape. She took out her Pikachu plush toy and she remembered the day she got it. Her mother had taken her, Darcy, and another childhood friend of hers Otis Stanford to a fair. There was a ring toss booth and there was a Pikachu plush there and Phoenix wanted it. With help from her friends as well as her mother she was able to get it. It was Bridget who tossed the ring that won the Pikachu plush which she gladly gave to her daughter.

Next she took out the laptop and charging cable. She had gotten that laptop around the same time as her Skyrim cap and the Vault 111 jacket all on her fourteenth birthday. It was the only summer prior to her escape that she was able to get away from Salem and Ramona as they were trying out a timeshare at Hawaii at the time. Upon receiving her laptop Otis had helped Bridget set Phoenix up a Steam account complete with Skyrim, Fallout 3, New Vegas, Fallout 4, Lego Star Wars 3, and Star Wars: The Old Republic. She remembered staying up most of that night playing The Old Republic with her friends.

What she kept underneath the laptop were some more pictures. There were some of her mom with her and some with her friends. All of this was taken during the five years she had been able to partially get away from her father and stepmother and it has given her a taste of what a normal life should be like and a chance for her to be a kid. The last item, the sign that the life she had with her mother had come to an end. Bridget Star's death certificate. Phoenix shakily picked it up from the box and took a look at it and tears streamed down her face.

The hotel room door opening and Lara and Jonah walking in with some food interrupted her thoughts. They both rushed over to her to see if Phoenix was alright.

"Phoenix, what's wrong?" Lara was the first to ask

"I was just looking at the stuff I took from my old home." Phoenix wiped her eyes.

They both looked at the stuff Phoenix took out from both boxes.

"My mom gave me my laptop, plush, games, hat, and Jacket. These are photos of her and photos of my two childhood friends Otis and Darcy." Phoenix explained. "Did I ever tell you guys about them?"

"No you haven't." said Jonah

"I met Darcy when we were both eleven at the garage where my mom worked. Darcy's dad, Tom, was a mechanic who worked with her. When we got to know each other, I was nervous at first, but Darcy reassured me that it was okay and we hit it off and had a sleepover that same night and Tom was more of a Dad to me than my own ever was. Weeks later after Darcy and I met Otis. At the time he was a new kid at school, so Darcy and I wanted to be friends with him. We introduced ourselves and showed him around. Again we hit it off and soon the three of us did everything together. I never told them about the abuse I suffered at the hands of Dad and stepmonster even though they knew my mom was divorced. All they know is that I go to Dad's house during summer." Phoenix explained

"You never told them?" asked Jonah

"I never told them because I was worried that they would never believe me and I was planning to tell the judge that I want to stay with my mom. You both have heard my story to know that it never came to pass." Phoenix pointed at her mom's death certificate.

"I still remember the day 'everything' happened. I was having a sleepover at Darcy's house when I got woken up by Tom telling me that I need to come to the front door. There was a police officer there and he told me the worst news of my life. My mom was killed by a drunk driver. The cops arrested the guy and he got twenty years. Not long after that I received a call from my dad telling me to pack my stuff because now that my Mom's gone I'm moving with him and Ramona. On the day of the funeral, I was sobbing my eyes out and Ramona tapped my shoulder to get my attention and I looked and they both smiled. The most creepiest and smug smiles I have ever seen. They both told me that with mom gone I belong to them now to do with as they and God see fit and there was nothing I can do about it. At least they allowed me to say goodbye to Darcy and Otis and I never saw them again." Phoenix told them with her voice breaking

"It's true Jonah, when I was helping Phoenix get her stuff, I saw a photo of her mother's funeral. In it I saw Ramona and Salem smirking. If that is not something unsettling, then I don't know what is," said Lara

"Oh my God, that is disgusting," said Jonah

"What's worse about this, dad and stepmonster won't let me contact Otis and Darcy," said Phoenix "God, I miss them."

"You can contact them if you want," said Lara

"Huh?"

"Now that you're away from those horrid people, you can reach out to them if you'd like and it's your choice," said Lara

"Okay, I'm going to call them and tell them everything," said Phoenix

Author's Note: Well I came to find out that typing a fanfic on a laptop can be difficult if you got a kitten crawling and purring all over you trying to get your attention. I wonder if anyone else has that struggle?