Life After High School. Is It Scary? You Bet.

By Risty Maskell and Silver15

Disclaimer: If we did own them, we would tell you, you know.

Summary: Crikey, I dunno.

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(Damon's POV)

I slept in the next morning, and woke up to find Benny pacing up and down the room, reading a leaflet of some sort. He was muttering under his breath and that was what woke me. I rolled onto my side and reached for my shirt.

"Can't you be a little quieter?" I mumbled, still half asleep. "What are you doing anyway?"

Benny threw the leaflet at me and I just managed to catch it before it hit me in the head. Quickly I read it through and felt my heart sink. It seemed as though it was more bad news for Emma.

"We'll have to tell her," I said sadly. "This isn't good. Just when things seemed to be going right for her too"

"I know" Benny said with a sigh, sitting down to put his riding boots on. It was a warm day so he didn't bother with a shirt; he's way more relaxed about that kind of thing than me. I put on my jeans and together we walked to the kitchen.

It was a complete uproar when we walked in, just at the same time that Frodo, Billee, Boromir and Legolas came in too. Jaime was trying to tell us something, but her siblings kept butting in, so that no one could make out what she was saying. Finally, Benny took charge.

"Shut up!" he yelled. Casper gave a yelp and shot under the table. Everyone shut up immediately and turned to look at him. I noticed Julia's eyes widen as she realised that he was wearing no shirt and I couldn't help smirking to myself. Benny slumped down in a chair and looked at Jaime.

"Go on Jaime" he encouraged. "And everyone else stay quiet"

Jaime told us about her mother turning up wanting to see little Ria. I shook my head in despair. Parents!

"Well that is bad news" Legolas said with a sigh. "And it seems it gets worse"

"Jaime" Billee said slowly. "I just saw your mother. She was with Emma's father. They seemed rather friendly."

"Crap" Benny said, just a little too loudly. "Sorry" he added quickly, looking around. "I was just thinking out loud"

"This is bad" Elrond said quietly. "Where is your mother, Emma?"

"Didn't I tell you?" Emma asked, surprised. "She left my father and moved across the sea to live with her sister. But I don't know exactly where. Still I'd rather deal with her than…" she broke off and shivered. Boromir put his arm around her and whispered in her ear. Emma nodded at his words, but she still didn't look happy.

"So now we have Jaime's mother and Emma's father to deal with," Elrond mused. "I wouldn't be surprised if Jaime's father showed up next"

"Probably" Billee said softly. "They always say that bad news comes in threes"

"Actually" Benny said softly. "I think in this case it's true. I…we have some bad news for Emma"

"What about?" Emma looked pale. The poor girl had been though too much already. I could only hope that this wouldn't destroy her.

"You know you said you were thinking of adopting" Benny said gently. "Well, I've been reading up about it and…and the fact that you have been in hospital and everything…"

"What Benny is trying to say" I said sadly. "Is that you have been in hospital twice because you have tried to kill yourself and that is going to show up on your medical records. If you try and adopt, they are just going to look at that and say that you aren't fit to take care of a baby"

"You mean…?" her voice was barely more than a whisper. "We can't adopt?"

"I'm sorry" Benny said gently. "It's out of the question"

Emma looked completely devastated, her last hopes dashed. She pulled away from Boromir and ran from the room. We all looked at each other sadly. Boromir started to go after her, but Jaime put a hand on his arm.

"I'll go," she said. "Maybe she will talk to me"

"Well" Frodo said sadly, as Jaime left the room. "I guess you were right Billee. Bad news really does come in threes"