A/N- Thanks to Tongue in Cheek Scribe (I'm glad you're alright. Now hurry up and e-mail me so that I know that everything's okay.)Nienna, and evil-demon2. Well, this is the second chapter of the sequel. So here it goes. And remember starving artists survive off of reviews. Flames are just used to make them all toasty and warm.
Disclaimer- I don't own it. I have nothing witty to put here today.
Treading Water in Rough Seas
SPLASH !!!!
The water's so cold. I can't breathe. I can't get back to the surface. The light of the surface is getting darker.
Matt's POV Almost Nine Years Later
I was rudely awakened by what sounded like an army banging on my door. If they kept it up they door just might come off of its hinges and then they could just walk in. I decided I didn't feel like replacing a door today. I got out of bed and quickly threw on a pair of jeans. I didn't think whoever was at the door would want to see me in my boxers. I sleepily made my way to the front door of my house. I could hear the intruders yelling from the other side ",We know you're in there Mister Forman. We're not leaving until you give us an interview."
Jeez, damn reporters. The war's over. It ended almost as quickly as it began. Why do these people keep hounding me ? I threw the door open letting it bang against the wall as I scowled at the people on my front porch. "Listen, the war ended almost eight years ago. This story is cold. Why keep coming back here ?"
The overly blond reporter didn't blink at my barked response. She just looked to her photographer ",Mister Forman, we're from People magazine. I'm Reanna and this is James. As far as the war being over it is but there are still many things left unanswered. May we come in ?"
"If I just close the door will you go away ?"
"No," Reanna stated simply still not bothering to blink at my rudeness.
I stepped away from the door to give them room ",Well then, come in."
I hate reporters. They always bring up the things you don't want to remember. I was still trying to forget what had happed to all of us during the time that Sauron's army had invaded. I didn't even really want to remember what had happened afterward. I was perfectly happy working and looking forward to tomorrow. But these damn reporters had other things in mind. I had at least one reporter banging on my door at ungodly hours at least once a month. Reanna should feel special. She's the first one I've let in. By the time I walked back into the living room they were already setting up. I decided I should at least make myself look decent and not look like some bum with bad dreams. I went back to my room and pulled on a shirt and a pair of sneakers. I made a quick pit stop in the kitchen and returned with three cans of soda. I sat on the couch while Reanna sat on the worn Laz-y-boy. "Now Mister Forman..."
"Mister Forman is my dad. You can call me Matt."
"Matt, like I said outside there are still several things that are left unexplained."
I could see the red light on her voice recorder so I knew we had already started ",Did you stop to think that maybe those things should be left that way ?"
"Others don't see it that way."
"Just get on with it."
"Why don't you begin with what happened when you and your friends were rescued from the warehouse."
"We didn't need to be rescued. It just happened to come in handy at the moment."
"Well, why don't we start from there."
Flashback
"SHIT ! She fell in," O.C. screamed over his shoulder as we all watched Tina fall into the water.
I was just about to jump in after my best friend when I realized that O.C. had beaten me to it. When the hell did he become a knight in shining armor ? It seemed like forever before the pair surface and by that time the Watcher in the Water realized that its meal was trying to escape. Curtis dropped one of those lifeline things down to them and O.C. wrapped it around the both of them. That's when I noticed that Tina wasn't moving. She had an arrow going through the back of her shoulder with the tip sticking out of the front. She had to have a broken collar bone from that. The pilots took off just in time. The Watcher let out what I think was a howl of anger before going back beneath the surface. Tina and O.C. were lifted into the chopper where Curtis and Danny began working on Tina. The rest of us just huddled in the back staying as far away as we could from the open doors.
I don't know how long we stayed in the air but it wasn't long enough. We ended up landing on a make-shift base in what the military guys called a hot zone. So we still had to be in occupied territory. Tina was taken to a Red Cross tent while the rest of us were taken to another tent to tell the guys in charge everything. And that's what we did. We told them almost everything. We left out the Fellowship guys and why the orcs were here to begin with. After two days they still weren't satisfied but we weren't going to tell them about the Fellowship. That's when Tina joined us. Her injured shoulder had been immobilized and she looked pale. But she was alive and that was all that mattered. O.C. wouldn't leave her side once she had been released from medical care. I knew he was in love with her. But she didn't feel the same. Maybe things would've been different if Haldir had of never showed up. Tina would always care for Haldir and O.C. would always care for Tina. Little did I know how badly this would affect Tina later.
The President was busy feeding the public (who weren't in hot zones mind you) the B.S. line that we had been invaded by one of our many faceless enemies. The public ate it up. Meanwhile, we were busy fighting off orcs. We hadn't been at the base long before we were attacked. The military guys (who turned out to be a mix of Air Force, Marine, and Special Forces) all tried to get us to take shelter but we wouldn't do it. We had been fighting the orcs since they first appeared. So we fought along side of those who had been trained to do it. Tina fought with us until she began to show too much and the Red Cross workers tied her to a bed to keep her from sneaking out to fight. That was one of the lighter moments. The other lighter moment came from Mandy. Mandy walked up to Tina who was sitting at a table with O.C., Nienna, some special forces troops, and me in the mess hall. She still was pissed at Tina for some reason and made every effort to hurt her feelings. "Jeez, Tina, you're huge. I thought unmarried, knocked up women are suppose to have this glow. You just look dry. You should moisturize more."
This came from the girl who stayed as far away from the fight as she could while the rest of us ran head first into battle. The Special Forces guys (who had taken us under their wings and treated us like younger brothers and sisters) stood up, ready to take Mandy out if she opened her mouth again. Tina stood up right behind them ",Finish eating guys. I can handle her. Listen up, Mandy. Go back to your table and keep to yourself. Or the next time you might find a nice boot print on your ass."
Well, okay, so that wasn't a lighter moment but you should have seen the look on Mandy's face when Tina finally stood up to her. It was priceless. The war went on until Tina was about five months pregnant. All of the orcs had been terminated. The Nazgul had disappeared which meant to us that they had went back to Middle Earth. The President declared the war to only have been a conflict. He visited all of the formerly occupied states and declared them disaster areas. Money was filtered in to repair all of the damage. We were taken back home. O.C., Joel, Jonothan, Faber and I lost our entire family. Nienna and Mandy were reunited with theirs. Tina found that her mother hadn't been eaten by a warg but her mom wouldn't have anything to do with her.
There was a memorial concert. The remaining members of A Pocket Full of Strange performed with O.C. as their new guitarist and no one filled Steven's place. They performed only one song. A very guitar heavy version of Lost Prophets' "Wake Up (Make A Move)". It was the last time that the band ever performed or spoke to each other.
End Flashback
Reanna just stared at me with one eyebrow quirked up extremely high. She was reminding me of Lord Elrond. I shuddered at the thought. "That was the last time that they ever spoke?"
"That's what I said."
"In Rolling Stone Tina was quoted as say ',I was a rock goddess now I'm just a peasant,' what did she mean by that ?"
I rolled my eyes ",Where the hell have you been ? Under a rock ? In a cave ? She was referring to Jacob. The guitarist for the band and her soul mate. He was killed in the initial attacks in Hammond. With him dead she knew there was no more music for her."
"There's no need to get upset, Matt. Now tell me why weren't the others involved in the Rolling Stone interview ?"
"They were invited but they never showed. So it was Nienna, O.C., Tina and me on the cover and in the interview. The others never returned calls for comments or to fill in gaps in the story."
"Now," Reanna smiled ",here's the one thing that's been bugging me. Why was Tina committed by her mother ?"
"We won't talk about that. That subject is off limits."
Too bad my mind doesn't know that.
Flashback
I stood in the courtroom beside Tina. Nienna and O.C. were sitting behind us. Tina's mother (who I wish had been eaten by a warg) was suing for the right to place Tina in an institution for the mentally insane. Her mother was saying that Tina didn't possess all of her mental faculties. That was true but she wasn't insane. The judge walked into the room and we all sat down. Tina's mother never took her eyes off of us. The judge cleared his throat to turn our attention to him ",Now, Tina, your mother says that you have had a nervous breakdown. She wishes this court to give her the right to place you into an institution of her choice until the doctors say that you can be released. What do you have to say on this matter."
"I'm not crazy. I haven't had a breakdown. My mother only wants me committed so that I don't ruin her name because I'm pregnant and not married."
"Your mother argues otherwise. She says that you told her you were impregnated by a Keebler Elf."
"My mother has no sense of humor."
The judge cleared his throat again ",She also says that she has documented proof of you discussing fictional characters visiting you."
"My mother is the one that should be committed."
"You, little girl, are not helping your case. I will listen to the tapes in my chambers and make my decision. Court is in session for thirty minutes."
We all knew which way he was going to decide. Tina's mom was held in high regards in their parish even though they didn't have money anymore. The judge came back and determined that Tina's mother was in the right and that she could place her anywhere she wished until Tina was well medicated and healed.
Tina's mom put her in one of the worse state-run hospitals in the state. Once there, Tina not having anything to keep her busy but her thoughts, did have a breakdown. Unfortunately, her mother didn't put her there in time. The Rolling Stone was published revealing to everyone a very pregnant Tina. Nienna soon joined Tina in the nut house. Nienna faked being crazy just so she could keep Tina company. For two months they did the Thorazine shuffle before they were released. Tina was released on the condition that she married the guy who knocked her up. I stepped forward but Tina's mom just laughed at me. Turns out she knew me a little too well. O.C. came forward and they were married a few days later.
End Flashback
"We know that O.C. married Tina," Reanna sighed ",but we can't find any records of her after that. How did she managed to just fall off of the face of the earth ?"
"The world would have to be flat for her to do that."
"Do you still talk to her ?"
"Yes."
"Could you arrange and interview for us ?"
"No. Tina deserves her privacy just like I deserve mine."
My phone rang and I didn't even bother to excuse myself as I went to answer it. "Hello," I asked roughly.
"Its me. I need you to fly out. The plane tickets are already at the airport."
"I'll leave in five minutes." I walked back into the living room not bothering to sit back down ",You guys have to leave now. I have other things to take care of."
"Was that Tina on the phone ? Or Nienna ? We've been trying to find them."
"Its none of your business. Now leave."
I shoved the pair out of my house and slammed the door on Reanna yelling ",We know where O.C. is. We'll just ask him."
Go for it. I doubt he'll give you the answers you want.
Nienna's POV
Nienna's Home, Undisclosed non-U.S. location
The phone had continuously rang for an hour. After nearly throwing it out of the window I finally decided to answer it ",Hello. This had better be good or I'll find you and kick the crap out of you."
"I need you to fly out. I have the tickets at the airport for you."
"Tina ? Where the hell are you ?"
"You'll find out soon enough. The twins want answers and they don't believe me so I'm calling in reinforcements."
"I'm leaving now."
Mandy's POV
Mandy's home, New York
"Hello."
"I know we said that we wouldn't talk to one another again but I need you to answer some questions for my kids."
"You can do it yourself. You were there too."
"You can fill in the gaps. The plane ticket is waiting for you. I know you won't turn down a free trip so just take the trip. A car will be waiting to pick you up."
The other line clicked and I knew that Tina had hung up. I didn't want to go and help her. I don't care if it was for the kids or not. I had left that part of my life behind but I still held a nasty grudge against Tina.
Joel, Faber, and Jonothan's POV
Their shared home, Los Angeles
The answering machine light was flashing showing one new message. We all hoped it was a new gig but it was just Tina. She wanted us to fly out to her home. All expenses paid. We didn't want to see her since it brought back too many painful memories of Jacob and Steven but we decided to go anyway.
A/N- Next Time
The Earth is Flat- Reanna tracks down O.C. Will she get the answers she wants ? And why does Tina need to see everyone ? Where the hell is she anyway ? And don't worry. A twist in the plot will bring back some much loved characters.
Disclaimer- I don't own it. I have nothing witty to put here today.
Treading Water in Rough Seas
SPLASH !!!!
The water's so cold. I can't breathe. I can't get back to the surface. The light of the surface is getting darker.
Matt's POV Almost Nine Years Later
I was rudely awakened by what sounded like an army banging on my door. If they kept it up they door just might come off of its hinges and then they could just walk in. I decided I didn't feel like replacing a door today. I got out of bed and quickly threw on a pair of jeans. I didn't think whoever was at the door would want to see me in my boxers. I sleepily made my way to the front door of my house. I could hear the intruders yelling from the other side ",We know you're in there Mister Forman. We're not leaving until you give us an interview."
Jeez, damn reporters. The war's over. It ended almost as quickly as it began. Why do these people keep hounding me ? I threw the door open letting it bang against the wall as I scowled at the people on my front porch. "Listen, the war ended almost eight years ago. This story is cold. Why keep coming back here ?"
The overly blond reporter didn't blink at my barked response. She just looked to her photographer ",Mister Forman, we're from People magazine. I'm Reanna and this is James. As far as the war being over it is but there are still many things left unanswered. May we come in ?"
"If I just close the door will you go away ?"
"No," Reanna stated simply still not bothering to blink at my rudeness.
I stepped away from the door to give them room ",Well then, come in."
I hate reporters. They always bring up the things you don't want to remember. I was still trying to forget what had happed to all of us during the time that Sauron's army had invaded. I didn't even really want to remember what had happened afterward. I was perfectly happy working and looking forward to tomorrow. But these damn reporters had other things in mind. I had at least one reporter banging on my door at ungodly hours at least once a month. Reanna should feel special. She's the first one I've let in. By the time I walked back into the living room they were already setting up. I decided I should at least make myself look decent and not look like some bum with bad dreams. I went back to my room and pulled on a shirt and a pair of sneakers. I made a quick pit stop in the kitchen and returned with three cans of soda. I sat on the couch while Reanna sat on the worn Laz-y-boy. "Now Mister Forman..."
"Mister Forman is my dad. You can call me Matt."
"Matt, like I said outside there are still several things that are left unexplained."
I could see the red light on her voice recorder so I knew we had already started ",Did you stop to think that maybe those things should be left that way ?"
"Others don't see it that way."
"Just get on with it."
"Why don't you begin with what happened when you and your friends were rescued from the warehouse."
"We didn't need to be rescued. It just happened to come in handy at the moment."
"Well, why don't we start from there."
Flashback
"SHIT ! She fell in," O.C. screamed over his shoulder as we all watched Tina fall into the water.
I was just about to jump in after my best friend when I realized that O.C. had beaten me to it. When the hell did he become a knight in shining armor ? It seemed like forever before the pair surface and by that time the Watcher in the Water realized that its meal was trying to escape. Curtis dropped one of those lifeline things down to them and O.C. wrapped it around the both of them. That's when I noticed that Tina wasn't moving. She had an arrow going through the back of her shoulder with the tip sticking out of the front. She had to have a broken collar bone from that. The pilots took off just in time. The Watcher let out what I think was a howl of anger before going back beneath the surface. Tina and O.C. were lifted into the chopper where Curtis and Danny began working on Tina. The rest of us just huddled in the back staying as far away as we could from the open doors.
I don't know how long we stayed in the air but it wasn't long enough. We ended up landing on a make-shift base in what the military guys called a hot zone. So we still had to be in occupied territory. Tina was taken to a Red Cross tent while the rest of us were taken to another tent to tell the guys in charge everything. And that's what we did. We told them almost everything. We left out the Fellowship guys and why the orcs were here to begin with. After two days they still weren't satisfied but we weren't going to tell them about the Fellowship. That's when Tina joined us. Her injured shoulder had been immobilized and she looked pale. But she was alive and that was all that mattered. O.C. wouldn't leave her side once she had been released from medical care. I knew he was in love with her. But she didn't feel the same. Maybe things would've been different if Haldir had of never showed up. Tina would always care for Haldir and O.C. would always care for Tina. Little did I know how badly this would affect Tina later.
The President was busy feeding the public (who weren't in hot zones mind you) the B.S. line that we had been invaded by one of our many faceless enemies. The public ate it up. Meanwhile, we were busy fighting off orcs. We hadn't been at the base long before we were attacked. The military guys (who turned out to be a mix of Air Force, Marine, and Special Forces) all tried to get us to take shelter but we wouldn't do it. We had been fighting the orcs since they first appeared. So we fought along side of those who had been trained to do it. Tina fought with us until she began to show too much and the Red Cross workers tied her to a bed to keep her from sneaking out to fight. That was one of the lighter moments. The other lighter moment came from Mandy. Mandy walked up to Tina who was sitting at a table with O.C., Nienna, some special forces troops, and me in the mess hall. She still was pissed at Tina for some reason and made every effort to hurt her feelings. "Jeez, Tina, you're huge. I thought unmarried, knocked up women are suppose to have this glow. You just look dry. You should moisturize more."
This came from the girl who stayed as far away from the fight as she could while the rest of us ran head first into battle. The Special Forces guys (who had taken us under their wings and treated us like younger brothers and sisters) stood up, ready to take Mandy out if she opened her mouth again. Tina stood up right behind them ",Finish eating guys. I can handle her. Listen up, Mandy. Go back to your table and keep to yourself. Or the next time you might find a nice boot print on your ass."
Well, okay, so that wasn't a lighter moment but you should have seen the look on Mandy's face when Tina finally stood up to her. It was priceless. The war went on until Tina was about five months pregnant. All of the orcs had been terminated. The Nazgul had disappeared which meant to us that they had went back to Middle Earth. The President declared the war to only have been a conflict. He visited all of the formerly occupied states and declared them disaster areas. Money was filtered in to repair all of the damage. We were taken back home. O.C., Joel, Jonothan, Faber and I lost our entire family. Nienna and Mandy were reunited with theirs. Tina found that her mother hadn't been eaten by a warg but her mom wouldn't have anything to do with her.
There was a memorial concert. The remaining members of A Pocket Full of Strange performed with O.C. as their new guitarist and no one filled Steven's place. They performed only one song. A very guitar heavy version of Lost Prophets' "Wake Up (Make A Move)". It was the last time that the band ever performed or spoke to each other.
End Flashback
Reanna just stared at me with one eyebrow quirked up extremely high. She was reminding me of Lord Elrond. I shuddered at the thought. "That was the last time that they ever spoke?"
"That's what I said."
"In Rolling Stone Tina was quoted as say ',I was a rock goddess now I'm just a peasant,' what did she mean by that ?"
I rolled my eyes ",Where the hell have you been ? Under a rock ? In a cave ? She was referring to Jacob. The guitarist for the band and her soul mate. He was killed in the initial attacks in Hammond. With him dead she knew there was no more music for her."
"There's no need to get upset, Matt. Now tell me why weren't the others involved in the Rolling Stone interview ?"
"They were invited but they never showed. So it was Nienna, O.C., Tina and me on the cover and in the interview. The others never returned calls for comments or to fill in gaps in the story."
"Now," Reanna smiled ",here's the one thing that's been bugging me. Why was Tina committed by her mother ?"
"We won't talk about that. That subject is off limits."
Too bad my mind doesn't know that.
Flashback
I stood in the courtroom beside Tina. Nienna and O.C. were sitting behind us. Tina's mother (who I wish had been eaten by a warg) was suing for the right to place Tina in an institution for the mentally insane. Her mother was saying that Tina didn't possess all of her mental faculties. That was true but she wasn't insane. The judge walked into the room and we all sat down. Tina's mother never took her eyes off of us. The judge cleared his throat to turn our attention to him ",Now, Tina, your mother says that you have had a nervous breakdown. She wishes this court to give her the right to place you into an institution of her choice until the doctors say that you can be released. What do you have to say on this matter."
"I'm not crazy. I haven't had a breakdown. My mother only wants me committed so that I don't ruin her name because I'm pregnant and not married."
"Your mother argues otherwise. She says that you told her you were impregnated by a Keebler Elf."
"My mother has no sense of humor."
The judge cleared his throat again ",She also says that she has documented proof of you discussing fictional characters visiting you."
"My mother is the one that should be committed."
"You, little girl, are not helping your case. I will listen to the tapes in my chambers and make my decision. Court is in session for thirty minutes."
We all knew which way he was going to decide. Tina's mom was held in high regards in their parish even though they didn't have money anymore. The judge came back and determined that Tina's mother was in the right and that she could place her anywhere she wished until Tina was well medicated and healed.
Tina's mom put her in one of the worse state-run hospitals in the state. Once there, Tina not having anything to keep her busy but her thoughts, did have a breakdown. Unfortunately, her mother didn't put her there in time. The Rolling Stone was published revealing to everyone a very pregnant Tina. Nienna soon joined Tina in the nut house. Nienna faked being crazy just so she could keep Tina company. For two months they did the Thorazine shuffle before they were released. Tina was released on the condition that she married the guy who knocked her up. I stepped forward but Tina's mom just laughed at me. Turns out she knew me a little too well. O.C. came forward and they were married a few days later.
End Flashback
"We know that O.C. married Tina," Reanna sighed ",but we can't find any records of her after that. How did she managed to just fall off of the face of the earth ?"
"The world would have to be flat for her to do that."
"Do you still talk to her ?"
"Yes."
"Could you arrange and interview for us ?"
"No. Tina deserves her privacy just like I deserve mine."
My phone rang and I didn't even bother to excuse myself as I went to answer it. "Hello," I asked roughly.
"Its me. I need you to fly out. The plane tickets are already at the airport."
"I'll leave in five minutes." I walked back into the living room not bothering to sit back down ",You guys have to leave now. I have other things to take care of."
"Was that Tina on the phone ? Or Nienna ? We've been trying to find them."
"Its none of your business. Now leave."
I shoved the pair out of my house and slammed the door on Reanna yelling ",We know where O.C. is. We'll just ask him."
Go for it. I doubt he'll give you the answers you want.
Nienna's POV
Nienna's Home, Undisclosed non-U.S. location
The phone had continuously rang for an hour. After nearly throwing it out of the window I finally decided to answer it ",Hello. This had better be good or I'll find you and kick the crap out of you."
"I need you to fly out. I have the tickets at the airport for you."
"Tina ? Where the hell are you ?"
"You'll find out soon enough. The twins want answers and they don't believe me so I'm calling in reinforcements."
"I'm leaving now."
Mandy's POV
Mandy's home, New York
"Hello."
"I know we said that we wouldn't talk to one another again but I need you to answer some questions for my kids."
"You can do it yourself. You were there too."
"You can fill in the gaps. The plane ticket is waiting for you. I know you won't turn down a free trip so just take the trip. A car will be waiting to pick you up."
The other line clicked and I knew that Tina had hung up. I didn't want to go and help her. I don't care if it was for the kids or not. I had left that part of my life behind but I still held a nasty grudge against Tina.
Joel, Faber, and Jonothan's POV
Their shared home, Los Angeles
The answering machine light was flashing showing one new message. We all hoped it was a new gig but it was just Tina. She wanted us to fly out to her home. All expenses paid. We didn't want to see her since it brought back too many painful memories of Jacob and Steven but we decided to go anyway.
A/N- Next Time
The Earth is Flat- Reanna tracks down O.C. Will she get the answers she wants ? And why does Tina need to see everyone ? Where the hell is she anyway ? And don't worry. A twist in the plot will bring back some much loved characters.