Sorry it's been so long. Over 4 months . . . wow. Didn't realize it was that long ago. Anyway, I'm hoping to finish this soon. Without another long break. Sorry about that.

Mudd1: In one episode, I can't remember which one at the moment, Eric and Annie were having a fight. It was when the twins were still babies and he said something derogatory to Annie. If that hadn't happened I never would have written Eric saying Annie was infuriating.

Chapter 7-

Ruthie needed a brilliant plan. One that would get rid of Bethany but wouldn't upset her father. She didn't want to hurt him, she just wanted things like they were before. So she had to call in reinforcments. She called up Peter and asked him to come over. It was probably stupid having him know first. He'd try to talk her out of it, she knew. But he probably wouldn't push too hard. He knew what it was like having your parents divorced. She knew he'd help.

When he arrived at the Camden's front door Ruthie pulled him in and they ran up to her attic bedroom. "What's going on?" Peter asked bewildered.

"Bethany has to go! She's ruining the family. Mom hates her and is mad at dad and dad is mad at mom. It's a mess. So, will you help me or not?" Ruthie practically screamed at him.

"Woah. Ruthie, what do you mean she has to go?"

Ruthie shrugged her shoulders and sat on the bed, "I don't know, yet. I need your help working out a plan so she won't move in with us."

"But won't your dad be upset if she doesn't move in?"

Ruthie rolled her eyes, "Peter, come on! That's not important. He'll be miserable for the rest of his life if Bethany does move in. She could break up my parents. We could move far away. Do you really want to see that happen? How would you feel if my family and I moved thousands of miles away knowing you could have stopped it."

Peter sighed and sat down next to her, "I'd feel horrible." Ruthie stared at him and he stared at the wall, "So, what ideas do you have so far?"

"Yes! Thank you, Peter!" She hugged him tight. When she let go she said, "We're going to need more than just you and me if we're going to really do this. So I was narrowing down the list of helpers while I waited for you to ge here. Kevin won't help because he's a cop and too moral. Lucy won't help because she doesn't know how really bad things are between my parents. Then there's Simon. I think we could get him to help if we use the right tactic."

"Like what?" Peter asked. Ruthie smiled at him then got up and ran from the room, Peter followed. They ran downstairs and into Simon's room but he wasn't there. So they searched the second floor, then the first. In the kitchen they saw Martin who, after they asked if he knew Simon was, said he was on the back porch. They ran outside and found Simon sitting on the side of the porch with Eric.

"Dad? Can we talk to Simon alone?" Ruthie asked.

Eric stood up and said in the flat tone he'd been using all day, "Yeah, sure. I'll go inside and avoid your mother."

Once Eric was inside Ruthie sat next to Simon and Peter sat next to Ruthie, "What do you two want?"

"Do you like Bethany?" Ruthie asked.

"She's okay. Mom's really mad at her and dad, though."

"Exactly. You don't like that, do you? Having the reality of divorce hanging right in front of your face." Ruthie said dramatically.

Simon rolled his eyes and smiled a little, "Ruthie, what are you up to?"

Ruthie hunched over a little, "Okay, here's the thing. If Bethany hadn't come along mom and dad wouldn't be fighting. And if she leaves they won't be figting. So Peter and I want to come up with a plan that will get her to not move in."

"Yeah, right." Simon said getting up, "I'm not helping with your stupid little plan." He walked to the door.

"Fine. But when Mom kicks out Dad and your dorm is the only place for him to stay remember you couldv'e stopped it."

Simon stopped, put his head in his hand and turned around. Hesat back down next to Ruthie and Peter, "Fine. I'm in." Ruthie put her arm around his shoulders and smiled at him. The plan was coming together. Soon they'd have it all worked out and Bethany would be gone forever. The thought made Ruthe smile even more. Simon rolled his eyes and pushed her arm off him.

By dinner time they had the plan all worked out. They're family was really gullible so they figured out the perfect lie and they were going to tell everyone, even Eric, about it. They'd all get so mad they'd practically shun Bethany and Eric would tell her he didn't want her living with them. The lie was simple, Bethany was lieing about Eric being her father. She was just saying he was so she could break up the family because Simon broke up with her. Ruthie thought it was genius but Simon felt a little bit guilty. So did Peter but neither of them said anything. They didn't want Eric and Annie to get divorced. Peter didn't want Ruthie moving away, and Simon didn't want Eric moving in with him.. They both knew those two things could very possibly happen. So they shrugged off the guilt and went along with the plan.

Bethany walked into her mom's room very excited the next day. She was going to ask the doctors if she and her mom could go for a walk in the hospital garden. She walked around the curtain and saw her mom, laying still, looking incredibly pale. Bethany got concerned and sat down next to her mom on the bed, "Mom? Are you okay?"

"No. Bethy, I'm dying." Her mom whispered.

Bethany felt tears coming to her eyes, "No, you're not, mom. You're going to be fine.You can walk, remember."

"Beth, don't. You know as well as I do that I'm not going to live much longer. I think today's the day." Her mom sounded so weak. So feeble. Not at all like her real self.

"Don't say that mom. Don't. You have to believe you're going to get better. You can. You will." Tears started coming from her eyes slowly. Laura closed her eyes, "Mom?!"

"I'm okay, sweetheart." Laura said, "I love you."

Bethany started crying harder, "I love you, too." Right then she felt her mom go limp. Her chest stopped going up and down in the slow pattern it had been doing. There was a long buzzing sound coming from her mom's heart monitor. Bethany didn't move. She just sat there crying. She felt someone pulling her up by the shoulders and she moved into the corner of the room. She watched as doctors tried to shock her mothers heart. But her body lay still on bed.