Title: A Chance at happiness 64/?
Author: Christen (purplehaysc@netscape.net)
Disclaimer: these characters belong to once and again except any characters you don't recognize
Distribution: Take it, but let me know. If you have any of my other fics, go ahead.
Comments: email me all you comments and suggestions. This is my first once and again fan fic so any ideas or comments you have would be great. So please email me with them. J oh people I have been reading the reviews and the very least I can see if first OMG! I am so shocked I have gotten so many reviews. If you have any other questions then email me at purplehaysc@netscape.net Oh and after finding out about the cancellation of the show I've found it harder to write some reason because when I watch the show inspiration comes so if you have any suggestions email me purplehaysc@netscape.net or im me at purplehays10 (ok I'm going to use the kiss that happened on the last eps with Karen and Henry as if it did already happen but that's the only thing I'm actually keeping) (oh and I'm keeping Miriam and Aaron together)
Grace woke up and was shocked not to see Eli there. She grabbed her robe and stepped over one of her boxes. She slipped on her slippers and headed to the kitchen. When she opened the door, no one was there. "Ok, this is a little strange." She said as she headed upstairs to see what was going on. She passed Zoe's room, who was sleeping, then her room where B was still sleeping. She head up to the attic to see if Jessie had woken up. She was shocked to see Jessie sitting on her bed staring in to space. "Jessie, what's going on around here?" Grace whispered.
Jessie shocked to hear some else's voice turned around. "Oh Grace, you sacred me. What are you doing up?" Jessie asked.
Grace came further in. "I was planning on going to school to day. What about you?" Grace asked confused.
Jessie laughed. "Actually I was thinking about skipping, you want to join me?"
"I would love to but I don't think our parents would allow it. Speaking of, why is everyone still asleep?" She asked with a smile as she sat down on Jessie's bed.
"Grace, we've got about an hour before this house usually wakes up. So I'm wondering what are you doing up?" She asked confused.
Grace looked at the clock in Jessie's room. "You know I really need to put my clock in Eli's room, he took his. I mean I really could have sworn that I was late getting up."
Jessie laughed. "It happens to the best of us."
"Ok I know what I'm doing up, but what are you doing up?" Grace asked.
"I'm thinking, I've got to tell Tad today about Katie and I." She said sadly.
"And you're worried about how he'll take it?" Grace asked.
"Exactly, and how I'm going to tell him, if what Katie and I have is real, if this is the right thing to do…"
"Wow, slow down. I just woke up. I can only take so many things at once." She said putting her hands up.
"Sorry." Jessie said.
"You know what how about you come down stairs with me and we eat breakfast and we can talk about this, because until I get something in my stomach I'm not much of a help to anyone." She said getting up.
"Deal." Jessie said getting up also. "Plus I've been starving since I woke up and that was a few hours ago."
Judy knocked on Sam's door. She waited a few seconds and then tired again. Finally Jamie opened the door.
When he saw Judy and what she had he smiled, "Dad, Judy brought breakfast, so stop trying to salvage some food!" He said as he headed inside and Judy followed him.
Sam came up to her and gave her a kiss. "My savior!" He said as he took the donuts. He turned to Jamie. "Ok, eat up and then it's off to school."
Jamie grabbed a donut and started to head off but Sam stopped him and nodded to Judy. "Thank you very much, Judy." Jamie said through clenched teeth.
"You're welcome." Judy said.
"Can I go now?" Jamie asked Sam annoyed.
"Yes, and please hurry up." Sam said as he ran off. "Sorry about that, he just…." Sam started to say to Judy.
"He's just not ok seeing another women with his father, it's ok. He has always been like this. So are you glad to see for reasons another than that I brought food?" She asked.
"Of course." Sam said as he kissed her. "You also brought a car which goes right by Jamie's school."
Judy hit him with her purse. "I don't think so. If that's all I'm useful for then I'm leaving." Judy said as she started leave.
Sam grabbed her arm. "Stay and we'll both take him to school. I was only joking you know?" He asked hoping.
She turned around smiling. "I knew you were, I was just playing with you." Judy said but she was not so sure she believed him.
"We're off. Oh Mom, Rick do not forget you have a meeting with Faith today at lunch. Please do not be late. And mom if you could call dad and Tiffany and reminded them they had an appointment at 4, ok? Oh and Rick call Karen and tell her appointment is in a hour." She asked as she grabbed her books.
"Come on, Grace. We need to go." Eli said as he came in again for the third time.
"I will not forget bye, Grace." Lily said as she left.
"Ok, what exactly is that women going to say to us?" Rick asked as she sat down on the stool.
"I thought you went to one with Jessie?" Lily asked sitting down next to him.
"That was for eating disorders not for rape. I think this is a little different." He said as he took a sip of his orange juice.
"You're probably right. Well I guess we will see. I mean this lady can't be that bad can she when Grace's isn't there?" Lily asked worried.
"I'll protect you." Rick said smiling and kissed her.
Barbara cleared her throat and they stopped. "I swear you two act like you're still on your honeymoon."
"We're are in a way, we haven't even been married a year yet, Mom." Lily said.
"Almost a year though next week and it'll be a year." Barbara said a she grabbed a bagel.
"Next week?" Lily asked Rick.
Rick took out his calendar. "Yes, we've been so busy we almost forgot." He said smiling.
"That's not a good sign." Barbara said as she left the room.
"No it's isn't. If my mother with Altimeter's can remember our anniversary and we can't, that's a bad sign." Lily said.
"There are calendars all around this house, she probably just read one." Rick suggested.
"Well speaking of calendars I scheduled another appointment for us." Lily said.
"With the same doctor?" Rick asked.
"No, some one he recommended. I think we drove him nuts." Lily said smiling.
"I think that's defiantly true." Rick said.
Grace and Jessie walked into the school. "I'm going to go find Tad." Jessie said.
"Good luck." Grace said as she headed off. Grace headed to her locker and opened it.
Riley came up. "I came to warn you, Joey's friends are looking for you and they aren't happy."
"What would Joey's friends what we me?" Grace asked confused of why the most popular group in her school would want to talk to her.
"You didn't hear?" Riley asked shocked.
"Didn't hear what?" Grace asked.
"Joey was the girl who Dimitri tired to rape." Riley said.
"And how is that my fault?" Grace asked annoyed.
"I don't know but what I do know is they are pissed." Riley said as they came up.
"Grace Manning, we need to talk to you." Jen said.
"Well sorry to tell but I don't want to talk to you." Grace said as she started to head off.
Jackie came after her and grabbed her arm. "You have some explaining to do." She said.
"Look I'm sorry about what happened to Joey, if I could talk to her and apologize I would."
"You can't she's in the hospital." Jen said. "Because of you."
"Wait, is she ok? I mean is she like seriously hurt?" Grace asked concerned.
"No, she just got bruised up badly but you don't care." Jason said.
"That's not true, I do. I didn't want this to happen." Grace said defensively.
"Yeah right, if you really wanted to put a stop to this, all you had to do was bring him to trial but no you didn't. So instead Joey ends up in the hospital." Jan said.
"Look I didn't meant to… I promise you I didn't." Grace said.
"Yeah right, you know what Manning, this is all your fault and sooner or later, when Joey gets back you'll pay." Jen said as they started to leave.
Grace ran into the bathroom. Riley was in there. "I need your cell phone now."
Riley handed in to her. "Grace are you ok?" She asked concerned.
"No." She dialed the restaurant. Some worker answered. "I need to speak to Eli Sammler." She said quickly.
Eli finally came to the phone.
"Eli, I need to leave school now. Please come and pick me up. Please." Grace said crying.
"Sure, I'll be right there." Eli said as he put down the phone and told Judy was what going on.
"Good morning?" Jake asked as Tiffany came into the kitchen.
"Why aren't you at work?" She asked
"I'm about to go. Not that they really need me. They seem to work fine with out me." He said.
"I doubt that. Maybe they just want you to think they can do it on their own so you will trust them more." Tiffany suggested.
"Well in that case then it's working. But let's forget about work for a second. What exactly are you doing today?" Jake asked.
"Well I'm going to go look for a job actually. I feel like I need to be working again." She said as she sat down.
"But what about Maddie?" Jake asked concerned.
"Well I can probably get a really good day care center or a good babysitter for her. I mean you work, Jake. Why can't I?" Tiffany asked.
"You mean you want to start working now?" Jake asked.
"No, I'm looking for a job that doesn't start immediately, I want to make sure that Maddie's taken care of first. Jake, why is this such a problem for you?" She asked worried.
"It's not a problem, I just assumed that you were planning on staying with Maddie…."
"You didn't expect that to last forever did you?" Tiffany asked.
Jake did not say anything.
"Oh you did think I was. I cannot believe this! Jake, I love our daughter to death but you can't possibly expect me to do something that you wouldn't even consider." She said getting up. "I'm getting a job, and there's nothing more to say about it."
"Hey Jessie." Tad said as he came up behind her. "You know I can't wait to take you to Prom."
"Tad, we need to talk." Jessie said.
"I agree, we need to make plans." He said smiling.
"Tad, I'm not going to prom with you." Jessie said.
"What? Who are you going with? What guy asked you?" Tad asked mad.
"Tad, please… let's go some where's else." She said as she dragged him into her Spanish classroom.
"Ok, Jessie tell me what's going on. Please?" He begged.
"I'm going to prom with Katie." She said and waited for his response.
He just laughed at first and then said. "Is this because of what happened to your sister? Are you just scared to be with me now?" He asked hoping.
"Stepsister and no Tad, Katie and I are dating and I know I should have told you…." Jessie started to say.
"You're dating? You and Katie?" He said as he started to pace the room. "They weren't lying. Everyone told me, something is going on with your girlfriend. Her and Katie are becoming close. But did I believe them? No, I stood up for you time and time again." Tad said mad.
"Tad, I'm sorry. I really am." Jessie said meaning it.
"So how long as this been going on?" He asked.
"Not long, really." Jessie said.
He laughed again. "What a fool I was! God, you could have fallen for another guy? See that I could take but no, you fell for a girl!"
"Tad, please calm down."
"Calm down, yeah I guess I should. I would not people to think that you had been cheating on me. That would just be plain pitiful. I'll tell them that I broke it off a while ago and then you decided to tell me about this."
"If that's what you want but Tad we haven't told anyone else." Jessie said.
"Fine, don't worry I won't spread your little secret. But Jessie I hope this is really what you want because you just really caused a lot of pain for Katie." He said as he started to leave.
"It is Tad and I'm really sorry, I hope you believe me." She said as she closed the door.
"Where exactly are we?" Henry asked as Karen and he got out of the car.
"This is where's Grace's doctor's office is. She said she wanted to see me." Karen said as she grabbed her cane.
"And why am I here?" Henry asked.
"Because I didn't feel like driving and plus I don't really want to be alone with her." She said.
He smiled. "I really don't think she's going to attack you if that's what you're worried about. But I'll protect you if she does." He said almost laughing.
"You're not taking me seriously, and I don't appreciate that." She said sadly.
"Come on Karen, think about this you're sacred of a women who councils rape victims for a living."
"I know I know. It's ridicules but can you play along please?" She asked smiling.
"Ok deal, we'll go very careful and I'll make sure to always stand in front of you." He said smiling.