On the Horizon
Part 2: Cliffhangers
Notes: This isn't really that exciting but its necessary to set the scene to tell a half decent story. Am I right? If you would like to submit your fan fiction to my new Higher Ground archive – coming very soon, let me know at sarah@gracepark.tk Thanks to my beta, Jen11. And I forgot to mention by Beta for chapter one, Hathor. Both ladies are very good writers!
Cassy woke up in a cold sweat. Juliette was awake, facing her. "Are you okay?" She whispered.
"Yeah, bad dream," Cassy kicked off the covers and went in to the bathroom, looking at herself in the mirror and sighing. She wiped her face with a dry flannel, and rested against the wall for a moment, and then slid down so that she was sitting on the floor. Juliette joined her on the carpet.
"That isn't the first, is it?" Juliette knew.
"No."
"Can you tell Sophie? I mean, you've been here three weeks and you haven't opened up at all," Juliette suggested, worriedly. "It takes everyone different amounts of time but usually they take small steps, even tiny ones. Just let something out...more and more as time goes by. They let something go. Nearly everyone."
"What can I say? Always been a late bloomer," Cass shrugged. Juliette rolled her eyes and then looked at Cassy seriously. "Okay...no, no. I can't. I just can't. Not yet."
"Can you tell me?"
"Thanks, but...I really can't. I'll tell someone when the time is ready, but..." She paused, just for a second, but Juliette was already finishing her sentence.
"...This isn't the time. All right. But I'm here, remember that." Jules reminded her.
"How could I forget?" She smiled, just slightly. "Thanks."
"You need a good friend in this place. I haven't really had a good friend since Kate left. It's bad to say, but I'm glad you're here," Juliette admitted.
"Ditto, but about you being here," Cass nodded. "I'm hearing a lot about Kate. She sounds pretty hard to live up to."
"She had her moments; we all do. But she's a great person. I kept letting her down and it made me feel terrible. But she always gave me more chances. Most people would have thrown me away. Maybe that's the problem. People are too busy to help, too busy to care. These people here...they're rare."
"If only there were more Peters, Rogers and Sophies in the world. It would be an all singing, hand holding, sensitive and...." She paused, "Very very scary world...." She realised, grinning.
"Morning honey!" Ezra greeted his girlfriend merrily, as he walked in to the classroom. He was the happiest the guys had seen him in a while. He was normally bright and full of jokes, but they all knew it was an act. He was truly happy now, and they could tell, although not all of them realised why.
"Honey? Cassandra, dear, please tell me he's deluded!" Shelby frowned in disgust.
"Nope. I like Ezra. He's cute, funny, smart...." Cass replied, putting her arm around him.
"Creepy..." Shelby added.
"Slutty," Ezra grinned, looking at, and meaning Shelby. All of the Cliffhangers tried to hide their grins. Even Scott, Merrick's boyfriend, was smiling.
Shelby ignored him, still looking disgusted. She looked Cassandra up and down, and then did the same for Ezra. "I don't get it. You, a Barbie type, and him, a circus act."
"Okay, good morning Cliffhangers. This morning why don't we finish off our project introductions and move on to auto-biographies?" Sophie beamed, dumping a load of files onto her desk and wiping the previous day's information from the board.
"You say we, and you also say it like we have a choice. You aren't going to be doing one, and we all know you're going to force us to do it," Daisy stated grimly.
"Very true, Daisy. So why fight it if you have to do it?" Sophie replied, handing her a pink file folder. "You can store your work in these."
"Can I get a black one please? Pink is not for me. It's for Juliette, or maybe David!" Daisy requested.
"Hey!" David exclaimed, sitting up.
"How's red? Or purple?" Sophie asked.
"Please?"
"Fine, but I expect lots of colour inside," Sophie caved in, and swapped the folder. "Cassy?"
"Umm, can I get the purple one? Next best thing to black." She shrugged.
"Hey, how come she gets to choose?" Daisy protested.
"She didn't reply to things that didn't need replies. Are you feeling all right Daisy? You're in a weird mood today." Soph noticed.
"She's fine, wrong time that's all," Juliette informed her, trying to help.
"Thank you so much for sharing that Juliette," Daisy glared.
"Would you guys please be quiet before I put you on shuns for an hour?" Sophie threatened. They all shut up very quickly. She handed the folders out to them, without the colour debate. "Juliette – pink, Shelby – yellow, Cassy – purple, Ezra – green, David – blue, Scott – white, Auggie – brown. Keep your work safe. In fact, keep them on your shelf here. Now get going. You've just lost five minutes of your work time." Sophie sat down behind her desk and started to mark papers.
An hour later, the group put their folders on the Cliffhanger shelf and headed off to their next lesson. Cassandra and Juliette were the last to reach the door. "Cassandra!" Sophie called. "May I have a word?"
"Okay...Juliette can you tell the teacher I'll be there in a minute please?" Cass asked. Juliette nodded and left to go to Art.
"What is it?" Cassy asked, perching on the desk, knowing full well you usually got in trouble. Sophie overlooked it.
"I signed for two packages for you earlier," She informed her, clearing up her desk.
"I'm a popular girl," Cass smiled.
"They're from Samantha Carter. Even so, I need to be there when you open them and check the contents."
"Wonderful."
"Sorry sweetie, but it's the rules," Sophie said, genuinely sympathetic. "Skip the beginning of Art. I'm leaving early today, and I'm free now. Let's go."
"Fine with me," Cassy nodded, following Sophie out to her office. It was a silent walk. "Oh, my bellybutton is healing up nicely. Thanks for that. It's stopped oozing."
"Thank the husband. I don't see how it can hurt. Well I do, but I wouldn't ban them outright. Unless there's like twenty-seven of them. One or two is okay with me," Sophie admitted. "Don't get me wrong though, try and get it back and I will kill you."
After what seemed like ages, but was in fact only three minutes, they arrived in Sophie's office and closed the door. Two huge cardboard boxes were stacked in the corner. Sophie pulled the top one off and placed it beside the first.
"Didn't open it already?" Cassy was surprised. They didn't allow any privacy.
"Takes away some of the good of the surprise," she answered, cautiously handing her a knife to open the boxes.
"Don't worry. I won't stab you. David, maybe. Or Shelby, but you! You're safe." Cassy laughed. Sophie paused for a minute, which worried Cass. "You actually believe I would?"
"Judging by your class mates...are you surprised I'm cautious?" Sophie frowned. "Some of them are capable."
"They're harmless. Except for David, I understand he beat the crap out of a kid. But other groups, yeah. I guess I can see what you mean," she said, shaking her head. She took the knife to the first box and opened it, and then the second. She smiled and handed it back to Sophie. "See. Not dead."
"I noticed," Sophie laughed, putting the knife back in the drawer and locking it.
"In the words of my beloved uncle Jack, 'let's see what's in box number A!' shall we?" Cassy opened the box and discovered it was full of clothes. "Wow. These are brand new. I didn't get stuff this nice when I was at home! I can't accept these can I?"
"Your family obviously loves you very much. I could tell Sam and Jack did straight away. They obviously thought you deserved them," Scarbrow said, stating the obvious as she usually did. Cassandra picked up a note and read it in her head, and then aloud.
Dear Cassandra,
You couldn't come to the mall so we bought the mall for you! (Almost.) Seriously, we really miss you. We all send our love, and hope you're doing okay. We'll talk to you soon. Sam reckons this lot will do, but if there is
anything else you need, just call. Our love always: Jack, Sam, Janet, Daniel, Murray, Walt, Sly, the entire staff of the base and last but not least, General Hammond - pardon me - George. Phew. Think that's everyone, you're more popular than me around here, kiddo! PS huge shout out from Mr
Bonkers! Xxxx
"Mr Bonkers? Is that a teacher or something? A teacher with a weird name?" Sophie wondered.
"Mr Bonkers, is my lovely little cat that I miss like hell," Cass replied, finding a picture of him where the note had been.
"Oh how sweet. I didn't think you were a cat type."
"What just 'cause I'm a tom boyish sarcastic freak, I can't have a cat?" She exclaimed. She smiled and then continued, "I used to dress him up in little occult and goth outfits and give him highlights and spiky hair...."
"Very funny," Sophie frowned – she also did a lot of frowning.
"Ooookay," Cass frowned back, and took some of the clothes out of the box.
"That's a long list of names as well. Spend a lot of time on the base? Anyone would think you worked there! Oh...I have to check the pockets of those clothes by the way..."
"Can I look at them first?" Cassandra growled. "And I guess you could say I'm a regular at the base."
"Fine. But I'm watching. Wow...I saw that top the other day. Its like $30 here." Sophie recalled.
"Its that much everywhere. It's cool." She said as she pulled out a couple of pairs of jeans, combat gear which was obviously stolen from the base, and a few more new shirts. All in black except for one blue shirt reading 'Rock Star,' and the army gear.
"That's more than enough clothes. You only really needed another pair of trousers." Sophie was surprised. Most kids got their old clothes.
"I know!" Cass grinned. She put the picture of her cat into her book bag.
"You have a wardrobe rivalling that of even Juliette's," Sophie laughed.
"I think I do, except the less pink version."
"What's in 'Box number B' then?" Sophie asked, looking at her watch.
"You got somewhere you need to be?" Cass asked, hoping she didn't.
"No, I'm okay for half an hour." Sophie decided, looking at the second box. "Go on then. Let's look in the second."
"CDs...videotapes...and books. Oh they must be from Danny, the books I mean. A couple of these CDs must be from Walter Davis, he's my computer nerd. He's lovely. He loves the old rock music, like me! And tapes of Friends and The Simpsons from Sam and Jack! Jack is a Simpsons nut, he compares everything to them! I think he thinks of himself as Bart, troublesome. And he calls Uncle George, Homer," Sophie was smiling as she listened to Cassandra talking. She hadn't said this much to any of the staff yet. "Don't tell me Simpsons can be classified as 'hurtful!'"
"No. We're not quite that bad. That's nice stuff, I'll start searching this stuff then you can take it and put it in the dorm. Back to class, you'll have plenty of time to unpack this evening," Sophie instructed, picking up a pair of purple jeans.
"Cooly, thanks," Cass nodded.
"What kind of music then?" Sophie inquired as she searched the VHS boxes.
"Modern, punk and the classic rock. Basically anything from Zeppelin to Evanescence," she replied, grinning as she saw Linkin Park and Good Charlotte in the pile.
"I'm going to have to take these, let Peter review them. We don't allow depressing music."
"Rock isn't depressing. Even something with dark lyrics is a good thing if it helps you feel better, not worse, man!" Cass said, shaking her head.
"It's not just rock, believe me. I like rock," Sophie replied. "You'll probably get GC back but I don't know about Linkin Park."
"I can live with that. Oh god." She suddenly stopped dead.
"What?"
"August 5th, 5 years. That's why with the big fuss," Cassy replied grimly. She really missed her family now. Every year they would have a huge party at Jack's house to celebrate. It was like another birthday or Christmas.
"Since they adopted you?" Sophie guessed.
"Yes."
Part 2: Cliffhangers
Notes: This isn't really that exciting but its necessary to set the scene to tell a half decent story. Am I right? If you would like to submit your fan fiction to my new Higher Ground archive – coming very soon, let me know at sarah@gracepark.tk Thanks to my beta, Jen11. And I forgot to mention by Beta for chapter one, Hathor. Both ladies are very good writers!
Cassy woke up in a cold sweat. Juliette was awake, facing her. "Are you okay?" She whispered.
"Yeah, bad dream," Cassy kicked off the covers and went in to the bathroom, looking at herself in the mirror and sighing. She wiped her face with a dry flannel, and rested against the wall for a moment, and then slid down so that she was sitting on the floor. Juliette joined her on the carpet.
"That isn't the first, is it?" Juliette knew.
"No."
"Can you tell Sophie? I mean, you've been here three weeks and you haven't opened up at all," Juliette suggested, worriedly. "It takes everyone different amounts of time but usually they take small steps, even tiny ones. Just let something out...more and more as time goes by. They let something go. Nearly everyone."
"What can I say? Always been a late bloomer," Cass shrugged. Juliette rolled her eyes and then looked at Cassy seriously. "Okay...no, no. I can't. I just can't. Not yet."
"Can you tell me?"
"Thanks, but...I really can't. I'll tell someone when the time is ready, but..." She paused, just for a second, but Juliette was already finishing her sentence.
"...This isn't the time. All right. But I'm here, remember that." Jules reminded her.
"How could I forget?" She smiled, just slightly. "Thanks."
"You need a good friend in this place. I haven't really had a good friend since Kate left. It's bad to say, but I'm glad you're here," Juliette admitted.
"Ditto, but about you being here," Cass nodded. "I'm hearing a lot about Kate. She sounds pretty hard to live up to."
"She had her moments; we all do. But she's a great person. I kept letting her down and it made me feel terrible. But she always gave me more chances. Most people would have thrown me away. Maybe that's the problem. People are too busy to help, too busy to care. These people here...they're rare."
"If only there were more Peters, Rogers and Sophies in the world. It would be an all singing, hand holding, sensitive and...." She paused, "Very very scary world...." She realised, grinning.
"Morning honey!" Ezra greeted his girlfriend merrily, as he walked in to the classroom. He was the happiest the guys had seen him in a while. He was normally bright and full of jokes, but they all knew it was an act. He was truly happy now, and they could tell, although not all of them realised why.
"Honey? Cassandra, dear, please tell me he's deluded!" Shelby frowned in disgust.
"Nope. I like Ezra. He's cute, funny, smart...." Cass replied, putting her arm around him.
"Creepy..." Shelby added.
"Slutty," Ezra grinned, looking at, and meaning Shelby. All of the Cliffhangers tried to hide their grins. Even Scott, Merrick's boyfriend, was smiling.
Shelby ignored him, still looking disgusted. She looked Cassandra up and down, and then did the same for Ezra. "I don't get it. You, a Barbie type, and him, a circus act."
"Okay, good morning Cliffhangers. This morning why don't we finish off our project introductions and move on to auto-biographies?" Sophie beamed, dumping a load of files onto her desk and wiping the previous day's information from the board.
"You say we, and you also say it like we have a choice. You aren't going to be doing one, and we all know you're going to force us to do it," Daisy stated grimly.
"Very true, Daisy. So why fight it if you have to do it?" Sophie replied, handing her a pink file folder. "You can store your work in these."
"Can I get a black one please? Pink is not for me. It's for Juliette, or maybe David!" Daisy requested.
"Hey!" David exclaimed, sitting up.
"How's red? Or purple?" Sophie asked.
"Please?"
"Fine, but I expect lots of colour inside," Sophie caved in, and swapped the folder. "Cassy?"
"Umm, can I get the purple one? Next best thing to black." She shrugged.
"Hey, how come she gets to choose?" Daisy protested.
"She didn't reply to things that didn't need replies. Are you feeling all right Daisy? You're in a weird mood today." Soph noticed.
"She's fine, wrong time that's all," Juliette informed her, trying to help.
"Thank you so much for sharing that Juliette," Daisy glared.
"Would you guys please be quiet before I put you on shuns for an hour?" Sophie threatened. They all shut up very quickly. She handed the folders out to them, without the colour debate. "Juliette – pink, Shelby – yellow, Cassy – purple, Ezra – green, David – blue, Scott – white, Auggie – brown. Keep your work safe. In fact, keep them on your shelf here. Now get going. You've just lost five minutes of your work time." Sophie sat down behind her desk and started to mark papers.
An hour later, the group put their folders on the Cliffhanger shelf and headed off to their next lesson. Cassandra and Juliette were the last to reach the door. "Cassandra!" Sophie called. "May I have a word?"
"Okay...Juliette can you tell the teacher I'll be there in a minute please?" Cass asked. Juliette nodded and left to go to Art.
"What is it?" Cassy asked, perching on the desk, knowing full well you usually got in trouble. Sophie overlooked it.
"I signed for two packages for you earlier," She informed her, clearing up her desk.
"I'm a popular girl," Cass smiled.
"They're from Samantha Carter. Even so, I need to be there when you open them and check the contents."
"Wonderful."
"Sorry sweetie, but it's the rules," Sophie said, genuinely sympathetic. "Skip the beginning of Art. I'm leaving early today, and I'm free now. Let's go."
"Fine with me," Cassy nodded, following Sophie out to her office. It was a silent walk. "Oh, my bellybutton is healing up nicely. Thanks for that. It's stopped oozing."
"Thank the husband. I don't see how it can hurt. Well I do, but I wouldn't ban them outright. Unless there's like twenty-seven of them. One or two is okay with me," Sophie admitted. "Don't get me wrong though, try and get it back and I will kill you."
After what seemed like ages, but was in fact only three minutes, they arrived in Sophie's office and closed the door. Two huge cardboard boxes were stacked in the corner. Sophie pulled the top one off and placed it beside the first.
"Didn't open it already?" Cassy was surprised. They didn't allow any privacy.
"Takes away some of the good of the surprise," she answered, cautiously handing her a knife to open the boxes.
"Don't worry. I won't stab you. David, maybe. Or Shelby, but you! You're safe." Cassy laughed. Sophie paused for a minute, which worried Cass. "You actually believe I would?"
"Judging by your class mates...are you surprised I'm cautious?" Sophie frowned. "Some of them are capable."
"They're harmless. Except for David, I understand he beat the crap out of a kid. But other groups, yeah. I guess I can see what you mean," she said, shaking her head. She took the knife to the first box and opened it, and then the second. She smiled and handed it back to Sophie. "See. Not dead."
"I noticed," Sophie laughed, putting the knife back in the drawer and locking it.
"In the words of my beloved uncle Jack, 'let's see what's in box number A!' shall we?" Cassy opened the box and discovered it was full of clothes. "Wow. These are brand new. I didn't get stuff this nice when I was at home! I can't accept these can I?"
"Your family obviously loves you very much. I could tell Sam and Jack did straight away. They obviously thought you deserved them," Scarbrow said, stating the obvious as she usually did. Cassandra picked up a note and read it in her head, and then aloud.
Dear Cassandra,
You couldn't come to the mall so we bought the mall for you! (Almost.) Seriously, we really miss you. We all send our love, and hope you're doing okay. We'll talk to you soon. Sam reckons this lot will do, but if there is
anything else you need, just call. Our love always: Jack, Sam, Janet, Daniel, Murray, Walt, Sly, the entire staff of the base and last but not least, General Hammond - pardon me - George. Phew. Think that's everyone, you're more popular than me around here, kiddo! PS huge shout out from Mr
Bonkers! Xxxx
"Mr Bonkers? Is that a teacher or something? A teacher with a weird name?" Sophie wondered.
"Mr Bonkers, is my lovely little cat that I miss like hell," Cass replied, finding a picture of him where the note had been.
"Oh how sweet. I didn't think you were a cat type."
"What just 'cause I'm a tom boyish sarcastic freak, I can't have a cat?" She exclaimed. She smiled and then continued, "I used to dress him up in little occult and goth outfits and give him highlights and spiky hair...."
"Very funny," Sophie frowned – she also did a lot of frowning.
"Ooookay," Cass frowned back, and took some of the clothes out of the box.
"That's a long list of names as well. Spend a lot of time on the base? Anyone would think you worked there! Oh...I have to check the pockets of those clothes by the way..."
"Can I look at them first?" Cassandra growled. "And I guess you could say I'm a regular at the base."
"Fine. But I'm watching. Wow...I saw that top the other day. Its like $30 here." Sophie recalled.
"Its that much everywhere. It's cool." She said as she pulled out a couple of pairs of jeans, combat gear which was obviously stolen from the base, and a few more new shirts. All in black except for one blue shirt reading 'Rock Star,' and the army gear.
"That's more than enough clothes. You only really needed another pair of trousers." Sophie was surprised. Most kids got their old clothes.
"I know!" Cass grinned. She put the picture of her cat into her book bag.
"You have a wardrobe rivalling that of even Juliette's," Sophie laughed.
"I think I do, except the less pink version."
"What's in 'Box number B' then?" Sophie asked, looking at her watch.
"You got somewhere you need to be?" Cass asked, hoping she didn't.
"No, I'm okay for half an hour." Sophie decided, looking at the second box. "Go on then. Let's look in the second."
"CDs...videotapes...and books. Oh they must be from Danny, the books I mean. A couple of these CDs must be from Walter Davis, he's my computer nerd. He's lovely. He loves the old rock music, like me! And tapes of Friends and The Simpsons from Sam and Jack! Jack is a Simpsons nut, he compares everything to them! I think he thinks of himself as Bart, troublesome. And he calls Uncle George, Homer," Sophie was smiling as she listened to Cassandra talking. She hadn't said this much to any of the staff yet. "Don't tell me Simpsons can be classified as 'hurtful!'"
"No. We're not quite that bad. That's nice stuff, I'll start searching this stuff then you can take it and put it in the dorm. Back to class, you'll have plenty of time to unpack this evening," Sophie instructed, picking up a pair of purple jeans.
"Cooly, thanks," Cass nodded.
"What kind of music then?" Sophie inquired as she searched the VHS boxes.
"Modern, punk and the classic rock. Basically anything from Zeppelin to Evanescence," she replied, grinning as she saw Linkin Park and Good Charlotte in the pile.
"I'm going to have to take these, let Peter review them. We don't allow depressing music."
"Rock isn't depressing. Even something with dark lyrics is a good thing if it helps you feel better, not worse, man!" Cass said, shaking her head.
"It's not just rock, believe me. I like rock," Sophie replied. "You'll probably get GC back but I don't know about Linkin Park."
"I can live with that. Oh god." She suddenly stopped dead.
"What?"
"August 5th, 5 years. That's why with the big fuss," Cassy replied grimly. She really missed her family now. Every year they would have a huge party at Jack's house to celebrate. It was like another birthday or Christmas.
"Since they adopted you?" Sophie guessed.
"Yes."