This takes place years before most of the kids meet each other and their respective movies hasn't happened yet.

Why Coraline had to go to this family reunion, she didn't know.

What she did know was that it was going to be boring, all that is going to happen is a bunch of people that she didn't know, was going to go all "goo goo" over her.

She despised that idea.

She also despised this drive; stuffy, cramped, smelly, it is every travelers worst nightmare. Coraline just gazed out the window at the endless free trees, wishing for this torture to end.

"Coraline." She turned her gaze to her mother who was looking at her from the front passenger seat.

"You can at least act excited."

Coraline rolled her eyes. "For what exactly, meeting a bunch of people who supposedly know everything about me while I know nothing about them?"

"Well you get to meet your cousins, some I believe are your age." Her dad brought up.

"Perry and his family are supposed to be there, I haven't seen them in years."

Coraline sighed and slumped down in her seat, her mom was about to start talking about them again.

Uncle Perry was her brother so she was excited to see them again.

Coraline looked back out the window.

….

"Wait, is that a lake to swim in?!"

They were just now driving into the park the reunion was to be held at.

It was very…. green. Green grass, green trees, you know, a park. There was some picnic pavilions and a kiddie playground with a slide, some swings and a low see saw, but the most amazing thing to Coraline was the lake.

It was a bright shimmering blue and it had a tall slide, she knew swimming was allowed to happen in it because there was like, twenty people in it.

When they parked the car Coraline started digging around in the bags for her swimsuit. Maybe this reunion wouldn't be so bad.

"What are you doing?" Her mom asked.

"Getting my swimsuit."

"Don't worry about that right now, we will come back for it later."

"But mom, I want to swim!"

"Coraline we need to say hello to everyone first."

"But mom, can't I just swim for awhile first, I'll stay safe!"

"No Coraline."

"Listen to your mother Coraline." Dad now found it appropriate to step in.

"Ugh, fine!" Coraline closed the trunk and crossed her arms exasperated.

….

'Oh Coraline look how big you are! Oh Coraline I haven't seen you since you were a baby! Oh you look just like your father!' (how does that even work!?) Coraline was tired of all that, she was just about to sit down at a picnic table when her mom pulled her over to some other people, a bigger man with black hair and some stubble, a skinny woman with blond hair, and a very pink uninterested girl, also with blond hair.

"Coraline, this is uncle Perry, aunt Sandra, and your cousin Courtney, wait where is Norman?"

Courtney without looking up from her phone pointed over to a spiky haired boy who seemed to be talking to a, tree?

Her mom started talking, seemingly forgetting about Coraline so she thought 'why not,' And walked over to Norman.

As she got closer she could hear what he was saying.
"So you see, cats are actually very nice. I understand Mrs. Victoria but, they do catch mice. Yes I know."

He kept going on like this, was he practicing something? Was he crazy?

"Hey, Babcock!"

Norman flinched, straightening up while whipping his head towards Coraline. He looked a mixture of surprised and nervous.

After a moment he relaxed a bit, not too much though, and he slipped his hands into the pockets of his red jacket, avoiding eye contact. "Um, hey," he said nervously. "I'm Norman."

"I know." Coraline said crossing her arms.

Norman looked up at her confused. "Why did you call me Babcock then?"

"Cause' I felt like it; what was with the tree?"

Norman was silent for a moment looking down. "Um, cats?"

Coraline looked up at the tree seeing no cats, she gave Norman a annoyed glare and gestured up at the tree. "I see no cats."

Norman looked up at the tree with a sympathetic smile. "Looks like the cats are gone."

Coraline looked around her, still no cats. "So where are the cats then?"

Norman hesitated then pointed to the playground. "There is one under the see saw."

Guess what was not there; Coraline narrowed her eyes. "Babcock, you're lying aren't you."

Norman looked down and shoved his hands into his jacket. "No, I'm not."

Coraline crossed her arms. "Well, there seems to be a suspicious lack of cats for you not to be lying."

"I'm not lying."

Coraline rolled her eyes.

"I swear, I'm not."

Coraline gave Norman a annoyed look. "Look Babcock, you must be blind or something. There are no cats!"

Norman was about to say something when their parents came over.

"Come on Coraline, lets get your suit." Her mom said.

….

Their parents for some reason decided it was a good idea for them to go swimming together. Coraline figured it was so their parents wouldn't have to watch them so closely.
She stood by the lake in her blue one piece.
Norman nervously stood next to her in his red swim shorts.

"What, are you scared of water or something?" Coraline asked.

Norman stared at the far half of the water for a moment before realizing Coraline spoke to him. "Huh? Oh, um no."

"Then why are you all nervous Babcock?"

Norman shifted then pointed towards the far half of the lake. "I, I don't have a good feeling about that part of the lake."

To Coraline, it didn't seem that different, maybe a bit deeper, but nothing more. "If you can't swim that well, you can just say so."

"What? No, I can swim just fine."

"Then why are you so scared of the deep end?"

Norman shifted uneasily. "I never said I was scared of it, it's just, it looks unnerving."

Coraline sighed and started marching off to that part of the lake.

….

Norman called for Coraline to come back but she wouldn't listen.

He could see that many people died in that area but he didn't know why, he just hadn't had the chance to ask the spirits yet.

Norman wanted to say why he was so anxious about the lake, but this girl, that he was somehow related too, would make fun of him.

He just knew it.

Everyone makes fun of him so why wouldn't she?

Norman ran after Coraline, calling out to her. "Coraline! Stop! It's dangerous!"

Coraline wouldn't stop, apparently she is one of those people that when they have made up their minds they would stick to it, how inconvenient.

Coraline stopped at the edge of the water and after looking in for a second turned towards Norman. "There is nothing to be scared of here, it's just a lake."

Norman shook his head. "Can't we just swim on the other side of it?"

Coraline jumped in.

Norman ran to the edge and getting onto his knees, he looked into the lake.

Coraline swam up and poked her head out of the water. "See! There is nothing to worry about in here!"

Norman looked into the water to see the worried faces of ghosts telling them to get away.
The boy looked Coraline right into the eyes. "You need to get out of there."

Coraline looked exasperated. "Babcock! Just get in it's perfe-" She went under.

"Coraline!?" The spirits watched sympathetically as Coraline struggled under the water against what seemed to be dangerous seaweed wrapping itself around her legs and dragging her down.

Norman nervously watched for a second but steeled himself, held his breath, and dived in.

The water felt cold but he kept swimming past the spirits who were telling him to turn back.

When he reached Coraline her attempts were getting weaker to escape.

Norman swam farther down and started untangling her but Coraline was still kicking against the plants, and at one point his face.

He poked her and motioned for her to stop so she did after a second and he got the plants off.

But they were now grabbing Norman's arms.

Norman struggled and he tried to call out at one point but the plants held tight.

Coraline swam down and started tugging on the plants, freeing Norman.

The two of them swam up, the plants narrowly missing their feet.

When they dragged themselves onto the grass, they were gasping for air.

The cousins flopped down onto the grass, unmoving for a few minutes, just taking in what happened.

Coraline was the first to speak. "So… evil plants…"

Norman just nodded.

"I never thought that plants would have it out for me." Coraline turned her head to face Norman. "How did you know that that part of the lake was dangerous?"

Norman contemplated his answer; if he told her, she could make fun of him, possibly even worse than Alvin.

But, she could also accept him, she would eventually find out though, right?

"I, saw the ghosts in there…" Norman winced, waiting for the certain lash out.

But, he heard nothing.

He looked at Coraline who's face was just filled with confusion. "You saw the ghosts? Of dead people?"

Norman nodded. "They were all warning us to stay away, stay on the other side of the lake."

Coraline sat up. "Well Norman, I think that is pretty cool."

Norman followed suit. "You do?"

Coraline smiled. "Of course! Who wouldn't find that cool?"

Norman looked out at the lake. "No one. No one finds it cool."

Coraline's smile faltered. "Well, whether they are all idiots, or I am the idiot, I still find it cool."

Norman faced Coraline with a small smile gracing his face. "You used my actual name earlier."

"Of course, why wouldn't I?"

A/N: So apparently Fanfiction messed up this chapter and chapter 3. So sorry about that (though it was fine when I first uploaded it.) I do have a Tumblr and Wattpad also though so if something's messed up here you can find it there. Tumblr: E7y1 (Nerd trash) Wattpad: Spookcrew. Thanks for reading!