AUTHOR: mellifluous cloud
DISCLAIMER: I don't own So Weird or any of its characters, and, despite recent confusion/controversy, I do not own Jack. It was ridiculous of me to think that I own a made-up character from a TV show. Therefore, I would like to correct myself: I own Patrick Levis.:) I also do not own "Drops Of Jupiter" by Train.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I just wanted to say to Tabetha—your fics inspired me to write this, so thanks. :D
Chapter One
Now that she's back in the atmosphere
With drops of Jupiter in her hair, hey, hey
She acts like summer and walks like rain
Reminds me that there's time to change, hey, hey
Since the return of her stay on the moon
She listens like spring and she talks like June, hey, hey
"I love this song."
I only nodded as Carey leaned over from the driver's seat and turned the volume knob of the car's radio to the right. Through the window, people could be seen hurrying through the streets, gripping their umbrellas as they sloshed through the puddles. It was the gloomiest day by far in all of August, at least as far as the weather was concerned. But even the dark looming clouds above held a silver lining. Today, Fi was coming home—to stay.
Tell me, did you sail across the sun
Did you make it to the Milky Way to see the lights all faded
And that heaven is overrated
Tell me, did you fall for a shooting star
One without a permanent scar
And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there
God, I had missed her. It's no secret that I hate losing people, and I'm a magnet for it. Only with Fi, it was different. She had left me almost willingly—Annie's arrival did influence her decision, but in a way, I still resented her for that.
Annie tried too hard to take Fi's place. It was probably the worst thing she could have done, even though I doubt she was aware of it. She wanted so badly to be my daughter—but who could blame her? Her parents literally dumped her off with me because they didn't know how to handle their own child. It's a shame, really. I know that all she wanted was to feel like she was a part of the family, and I tried the best I could to make her feel that way. She practically became my sidekick—always hanging around me, trying to keep me company or make me feel better. And she only succeeded in making me miss Fi more.
Only, Fi could have stayed. I begged her to stay, but she still left me. I know it would have been hard for her with Annie around, to have to "share" me, but Fi will always be my daughter. Now a year has gone by and it's easier for her to accept it. I wish I could say the same for myself.
Now that she's back from that soul vacation
Tracing her way through the constellation, hey, hey
She checks out Mozart while she does tae-bo
Reminds me that there's room to grow, hey, hey
Now that she's back in the atmosphere
I'm afraid she might think of me as plain ol' Jane
Told a story 'bout a man who was too afraid to fly so he never did land
And as I looked over to Carey, with his eyes fixed on the road, determined to get us to the airport through this storm no matter what—this should be the happiest day of my life, I thought. My baby's coming home. But it was lacking in so much and I didn't even know what it was that was missing. Somehow, everything was.
Where's Jack? Doesn't he even care about his own sister any more? He, Annie, and Clu had some "important plans" that they just couldn't break. Not even to see Fi, not even to see his own sister, who had been gone for an entire year. His sister—who we hadn't seen since New Year's Day.
Tell me, did the wind sweep you off your feet
Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day
And head back to the Milky Way
And tell me, did Venus blow your mind
Was it everything you wanted to find
And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there
If it weren't for Carey, I'd be making this trip by myself. I watched him now, as he moved his lips soundlessly to the lyrics of the song. "Thanks for doing this."
He jumped a little, startled by a voice other than the ones singing the song by which he was so entranced. "It was nothing, Molly," he replied quickly.
"No. It was everything. Carey, you're the only person who was there for me today. And I want to let you know that I appreciate that so much."
Can you imagine no love, pride, deep-fried chicken
Your best friend always sticking up for you
Even when I know you're wrong
Can you imagine no first dance, freeze-dried romance
Five-hour phone conversation
The best soy latte that you ever had… and me
"Is that what's bothering you?" Carey asked.
I was shocked by his question. "What? Nothing's bothering me," I lied.
"It has to be. That's why you look so heartbroken."
Heartbroken? I was definitely not heartbroken. "I am not," I said, the sentence coming out as though I were three years old. Yes, you are. Damnit! Why did he have to be right? How did Carey know me so well? I guess it could have been because he's known me all twenty-and-a-half years of his life. I heaved a heavy sigh. "You're right. I'm upset that everybody let me down. And…" I couldn't believe I was about to tell him this. "I hate how Fi just left me last year. Did she even miss me in all that time?"
I knew exactly what he would do now. Tell me that I'm being silly. That Jack and Clu and Annie really do care, which they do, of course. That they just couldn't make it. That I had nothing to worry about, and just to focus on being happy about finally seeing my daughter again. And that she wouldn't let me down anymore, that she certainly did miss me, and that she was here to stay.
Tell me, did the wind sweep you off your feet
Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day
And head back toward the Milky Way
Tell me, did you sail across the sun
Did you make it to the Milky Way to see the lights all faded
And that heaven is overrated
Tell me, did you fall for a shooting star
One without a permanent scar
And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself
And did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day
And did you fall from a shooting star, fall from a shooting star
And were you lonely looking for yourself out there
The airport came into view, and Carey pulled into the parking lot smoothly, just as the song faded away. He still hadn't spoken when he stopped the car in a spot near the entrance and turned off the engine. Then he faced me and said, "I don't blame you."