Disclaimer: I don't own anything 'In A Heartbeat' related whatsoever. All I have is this story and the characters that I made up. They belong to Disney and Alliance Atlantis and so forth. Well, this is NOEbY # 4. Originally, this story was supposed to be two, but I decided to put them together to make a more interesting plot. Before you read this, I would suggest reading the previous story: "A Date to Remember" if you haven't yet. OK, now I'm done, so you can start…
Parent Trap
This is just the beginning
Ten…nine…eight…seven…six…five…four…three…two…one…The alarm goes off, accompanied but a wave of whines and groans. It was only a few more seconds before their shift will end.
"Less than a minute left," Jamie cried out in aggravation before heading towards the ambulance. "Whoever said 'saved by the bell' couldn't have been more wrong."
After Jamie got in the ambulance, the squad drove off. Tyler and Hank were the only others present.
"Injured adult male," informed Hank. "3427 Dried Earth Boulevard. Possible third degree burns."
"Let's get to it!" cried out Tyler as they headed for the location.
When the squad got there, they hurried for the door as fast as they could. A few doorbell rings later, a large man in a military uniform appeared.
"What do you want?" he asked. "Halloween's over young men. And aren't you too old for trick-or-treating?"
"No one's ever too old for trick-or-treating!" yelled Jamie as he got an elbow from Tyler.
"We are Emergency Medical Technicians," stated Hank. "We got a call to come to this place. It was reported that someone was injured."
"We never made such calls," he said.
"Well sir, we did get a call. Are there any people in the house who might have called without your knowledge about it?"
"If anyone was injured at my house, I think I would know. You have a serious attitude problem, young man."
"I was just taking my job seriously…"
"If you'll excuse me, I have some more important business to attend."
"Excuse me, sir…" called out Hank but was only met by the slam of the door.
"That was odd," Tyler said. "I feel sorry for his kids."
"That man was rude," Jamie said.
"Tell me about it," added Hank. "But who made the call anyway?"
As they returned to their ambulance, they heard a bunch of giggles from behind the bushes. The trio came over to investigate, and apparently, two boys were found.
"Aren't you two Brooke's friends?" asked Hank.
"Mark and Geoff, right?" said Tyler.
"Did you two little brats make that fake call?" asked an angered Jamie. "And you better tell me the truth or else?"
"No/Yes," Mark and Geoff said respectively. "Yes/No."
"That clears things up now," said Jamie as he approached them.
"Run Geoff!" cried Mark who was already 20 yards away from them. "Run!"
"I'm coming!" Geoff yelled out as he ran in record time.
"I'm going to get you two!" called out Jamie as he laughed. "Man, we've been hoodwinked."
"Hoodwinked?" asked Tyler as he raised one eyebrow.
"I have to stop reading those vocabulary books," Jamie said. "It's all my obtuse English teacher's blunder."
"You better stop for your own good before you turn into Webster," Hank said with a laugh. "Come on. Let's go."
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The halls in Kingsport High was one again filled with the ever-familiar faces of student and faculty. First period had just ended and followed abruptly by the next one. Val and Caitie stopped at their lockers for a while.
"So I take it that you and Jamie are doing well?" asked Val as she entered her locker combination. "You never really told me all the details about what happened. Even during the weekend."
"We're great," Caitie said with a smile on her face. "He gave me a memento of our first date. It was so romantic. And we had a candle lit dinner…"
"Where?" asked Val curiously.
"Under the bleachers."
"Aww…Caitie, I'm so happy for you. I never knew Jamie could be such a romantic."
"I know," she said with an uncharacteristic squeal. "Well, I better get to class. I'll talk to you later, OK?"
"Sure," said Val before putting her unneeded books in her locker.
Suddenly, she felt a pair of hands over her shoulders, causing her to give a small scream and drop her books. She turned around and the anger on her face quickly faded away.
"Sorry," said Tyler as he gave her a sheepish smile while picking her books up. "I didn't mean to scare you like that."
"Sure you didn't," she said before closing her locker and getting her books from Tyler. "Just don't do that again."
"I promise."
"What brings you here?"
"Do I need a reason just to see you?"
"That was a good one," she said as she began to walk away.
"There's no harm in trying," he said before taking out a bunch of papers from his notebook. "I have the homework you left at the station last night. I believe you have that class right now."
"I have been looking all over for this," she said as she gave him a quick hug. "Thank you."
"Anytime," he said. "Well, I got to go. I'll see you later at lunch. Bye."
"Bye," she said as she watched him disappear in the corner.
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The cafeteria was crowded as usual. Hank and Jamie were the first ones to arrive, followed by Val, Caitie, Marianne, and Tyler.
"You guys arrived here quick," commented Caitie.
"Starvation," replied Jamie as he moved over to give her some space.
"Do you guys have plans for tonight?" asked Hank. "I was hoping we could hang out or something."
"It's a school night, remember," Val told him.
"We're off-duty today," said Hank. "I'm pretty sure we have time to spare. Besides, we haven't done that since the dance."
"I'm have some stuff to do with Brianne," said Caitie.
"I'm free…" Jamie said before turning to Caitie. "Is it all right if I go?"
"You don't need my permission," said Caitie. "But thanks for asking."
"Tyler?" asked Hank.
"Actually…" he started but was interrupted by the intercom.
"TYLER CONNELL! PLEASE REPORT TO THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE IMMEDIATELY!"
"I have to go you guys," he said as he stood up. "Who wants the rest of my lunch?"
"I do," said Hank, not that anyone was surprised.
"I'll see you guys later," Tyler said before turning to Val. "And I'll meet you at the parking lot in front of the school."
"I'll see you then," she replied before getting a quick kiss from Tyler. "Bye."
With that, Tyler left the group.
"Do you guys have plans for tonight?" asked Hank.
"I'm having dinner at his house," Val replied.
"Why aren't you coming later on?" asked Caitie with in a prying tone.
"We just want to hang out with each other for a while. Talk. Watch some movies. You know."
"I guess it's just the three of us then," said Hank.
"Actually, make that two," said Marianne.
"Why?" asked Hank.
"My dad just came home from his trip yesterday. I really had no idea until I got home from the mall. He wants to spend as much time with us as possible. He's taking us out to dinner tonight. I hope that's OK."
"Well, I guess," said Hank as he tried to hide his disappointment.
"You're the best," Marianne said as she gave him a hug. "I need to talk to you later however. It's really important."
"All right," Hank said as he ate the last of his food. "Do you guys want the rest of your food?"
"HANK!" scolded Marianne. "You just had Tyler's lunch."
"Don't you know that the way to a man's heart is a good meal?" said Hank.
"I think you got the saying all wrong," said Caitie.
"Whatever."
"You meant 'the way to a man's stomach,' right?" said Marianne with a snicker.
Everyone at the table laughed.
"Ha ha…not funny," said Hank abruptly with a hint of annoyance in his voice.
"I discern that you are irate," said Jamie playfully. "Do you covet the remnants of my rations as well?"
"Are you Jamie?" asked Val in disbelief. "Or Daniel Webster?"
"Look what you overachievers have done to my Jamie," said Caitie without being serious.
"I think he's been reading that vocabulary book a little bit too much," said Hank.
"Did I do it again?" asked Jamie. "I don't know why but the terminology keeps cascading out of my orifice?"
"If you don't stop that, I'm never going to speak to you again," said Caitie.
"I'll endeavor not to utter them repetitively," Jamie said before bursting out into laughter.
The rest of the table chorused him in laughter.
"That is so not you at all," said Marianne. "It's like Steve Urkel is trapped in your body, sans the laugh."
"Even Val doesn't talk like that," said Caitie.
"Or Bill Gates," said Hank. "You need to lay off on that book."
"Yea," Val said. "I'm sure you'll pass with…flying colors."
"Yes indeed," said Jamie.
After a few more minutes of jokes and Jamie's unusual vocabulary, the bell rang, thus marking the end of the lunch period. As usual, everyone went off on his or her separate ways.
"Hank," Marianne called out before he was out of her sight. "I'll talk to you later."
"What is it about? You make it sound so serious."
"In your case, it might as well be."
"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Hank inquisitively. "Is there something wrong?"
"Nothing," Marianne said as she left for her class. "I'll tell you later."
"Yea…later," Hank said a he forced a laugh, but somewhere behind the back of his head is a voice telling him that the news wouldn't be something to laugh about
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This is just the beginning…or so the title says. I hope you guys liked it. I know it was rather short and not much of the plot is present yet. There will be more in the next chapters. You'll see : ) I'll be back! ~ Scarlet182
