Author's Note: Ah, finally it's out. I appreciate everyone's reviews thank you all so very much. And I hope you enjoy this one. The next chapter will be more exciting. I'll make sure of that. I think this is actually boring. But hey that only my opinion. You might think otherwise. Anyway, I hope to have the following chapter up soon. So in the meantime enjoy this chapter and prepare yourselves for the next. Lol!

Jimmy awoke with a start. He had the sudden feeling that his sister was not in the room anymore. He looked up toward the bed. The sheets were tossed about.

She was not there. . .

He stood quickly, suddenly panicking. He searched the room in vain. She was no where and he was crazy if he thought she had actually been hiding in his sock drawer. He knew he wouldn't find her there and yet, he could not resist.

"Morning, Jimmy," Rebecca's small voice came. She walked into the room and a feeling of relief washed over him as he turned to face her. He hugged her and then patted her on the head with a smile. "Hmm." She smiled up at him. "I made you breakfast."

Jimmy became speechless, the smile slowly fading. The last time she had made him breakfast, the toast was completely burnt and his scrambled eggs were full of chunks of the shells. The pancakes were soggy and not completely cooked. He ate it, just to show her his appreciation and not to hurt her feelings. He could taste the pancake mixture slid down his throat. It had been think and warm and not very good. She had even attempted to make home-made orange juice. The problem with that was that she had left the seeds in the juice and added way to much water and not enough oranges. And apparently she had not used the juicer, but she had been used her hands to squeeze the juice from the oranges. She had called it Rebecca's Hand-made Orangeade. A smile surfaced on his lips as he thought back on the silly name.

Rebecca returned his smile, obviously thinking that he liked her making him breakfast, which just wasn't the case. "I made you some of my Home-made Orangeade," she said, his smile grew. She turned around and pulled her brother along. Jimmy allowed her to drag him down the stairs. "Mom and. . .that. . .man are downstairs."

Jimmy's anger grew, but it was soon subsided when his heart sank. His sister didn't sound very happy and he could certainly understand why. She was so torn. She wasn't sure how to think of this "father" who just suddenly come into her life out of no where. She was confused and Jimmy wanted so much to help her, but he knew that this was one thing that he could not help her much with. Rebecca had to sort it out herself and he knew she wanted to. If she wanted his help then she'd ask for it, but for now he wouldn't question her about the situation or try to get any information. . .much. He still wanted to protect her and that's what he was going to do. No matter what.

"Morning, Jimmy!" his mother said brightly as she came out of the kitchen, a little too brightly. Jimmy could sense that she was trying too hard to be nice. He scowled in disgust as he looked away. He heard his mother sigh. He knew that the emptiness of sadness had filled her, but he didn't care. He too was just as depressed as she was, the only difference was that they were both deeply upset about different things.

"Morning, kids!" Hugh said. He too was trying too hard. Rebecca immediately hid behind her brother's shadow after seeing the man. She now walked beside Jimmy, taking a hold of his other hand and squeezing it. She gripped his T-shirt with her other hand as she buried her face in it. He protectively and instinctively placed a hand on her head. He sent Hugh a warning glance and walked into the kitchen.

Once in the kitchen, Jimmy took Rebecca's small hands in his and crouched down in front of her. Tears had pushed themselves to the surface and now the streamed down her delicate features. He wiped them away with his thumb. He looked her in the eyes and with compassion and genuine, honesty in his voice he said, "You can talk to me about anything. It doesn't matter what it is. Come to me and I will help you. I love you and I want to see you happy. I want you to talk to me when there's something bothering you. We don't have to talk about it now or later. It doesn't even have to be tomorrow or the day after that. Whenever it is that you want. I'm here. I'm always here for you, okay?" The small girl nodded as she wiped away the remaining tears. "Okay, then. Let me have some of that Home-made Orangeade." Rebecca smiled as she walked to the counter. A cup filled to the brim, sat there.

He took a deep breath as he watched Rebecca carefully walk to him with the drink in hand. He sat down. Oh, he groaned mentally. I hope this doesn't kill me.

The rest of the day had been nice and simple. Neither Mr. or Mrs. Neutron had bothered Jimmy or Rebecca. They had gone to the lab. While Jimmy worked on something new, Rebecca played tag with Goddard. Knowing very well about Rebecca's health, Goddard had slowed his pace down enough so she could catch him a lot faster than usual. There had been few occasions when Rebecca had coughed. When Jimmy asked her if her chest hurt again, she had denied it and then changed the subject.

Jimmy looked down at his new creation. It wasn't finished yet. It was made of some elastic metal type of thing he had created on his own two years ago. It was painted red and it was shaped like a human heart. A real heart, not one of those cartoon ones that girl's drew in their notebooks with some guys name inside or vis versa, but a real human heart. It could've passed a the real thing if it was completed, which was a good thing because that was how he wanted it to look. Organic and real. It seemed to be sliced in half as Jimmy worked on the inside.

A sound from behind him made him stop. He turned around in time to see Rebecca stepping in the time machine, Goddard following close behind. Jimmy's mouth opened wide. Rebecca looked back at him with a smug smile on her face. "You're it," she said before disappearing. Jimmy had jumped just a little to late. He fell on his face unable to catch her before she left. Quickly, he shot up and clumsily followed her. Throughout the afternoon, that's how it had been. Rebecca jumped from date to date, with Jimmy following her, chasing her. It was a game to her and soon to Jimmy too. He was glad that they hadn't gotten stuck like he had with Carl and Sheen so many years before.

When they returned to their own time, Rebecca happily proclaimed her position as the winner.

"Yeah, yeah," Jimmy said, sarcastically. He smiled at her.

"Now, bow down to my awesome power!" Rebecca shouted.

Jimmy laughed. "Not in this lifetime, squirt." And he patted her lightly on the head.

"Hey!" she protested as she tackled him. Goddard barked and soon joined them. They were like a small happy family on their own.

Rebecca suddenly coughed. She sat up. Jimmy's smile fell and it was soon replaced by concern.

The small girl shook her head and quickly, before Jimmy could ask she said, "I'm fine."

"Are you sure? I can take you to see Aunt Meryl right now," he said, standing. He helped her to her feet. Goddard whimpered.

"I'm fine," she repeated before coughing once more. "I just need some fresh air."

To Jimmy it seemed as if Rebecca was forcing herself to appear "fine", but he sensed that she was not. But he couldn't take her to see their aunt against her will. His aunt wouldn't be able to do much for her if she continued to deny that something was wrong. She wouldn't know how to treat her if she didn't have the specifics.

Rebecca walked outside and she got the fresh air which she claimed to had needed. In about a half hour she looked better. By this time the sun was beginning to fall and their nice, simple day turned complicated.

He could see Sheen walking up toward the house. His parents behind him. They were soon met by Carl and his own parents. They greeted each other and Jimmy wondered what was going on. Confusion struck him.

"What's happening, Jimmy?" Rebecca asked. Jimmy didn't reply. He didn't know how. He pulled her toward the house.

"What's going on?" Jimmy demanded as he approached the group on his porch. They looked at him. Neither one wanted to say anything, but Sheen stepped up.

"We were invited," he replied.

"By who?" Jimmy inquired, but before Sheen or anyone else could answer, the door opened and Jimmy's mother opened the door with a sunny smile plastered on her face.

"Hello, come on in!" she greeted. Everyone smiled and stepped inside. Rebecca gave Jimmy a quizzical stare, but he shrugged too dumbfounded by it all. He gently shoved Rebecca inside. Before he walked in himself, someone tapped his shoulder.

"Libby?!" he shouted after discovering who it had been, taken aback. "Mr. and Mrs. Folfax?!"

"Hello, Jimmy," Mrs. Folfax greeted.

"Your mother invited us over. She said it was important," Mr. Folfax said. "I didn't even know we were friends until she told me."

Mrs. Folfax elbowed her husband in the ribs, giving him a deadly glare before she smiled, brightly at Jimmy. "Where's your mother, Jimmy?"

Before he could answer, Mrs. Neutron greeted them joyously. She led them inside and Libby gave Jimmy a look that just told him she was sorry. Jimmy folded his arms over his chest. Rebecca walked to him and led him inside. He closed the door behind him.

"Ouch!"

He quickly turned. An expression of complete and utter shock crossed his face. Mr. and Mrs. Vortex stood behind Cindy who just happened to be rubbing he forehead. Her little brother laughed.

"Shut up you little punk!" she yelled. "That hurt."

"Cindy!" Jimmy shouted.

She looked up. Their eyes locked for a split second before he looked away.

"Your mother told us to come," Mrs. Vortex offered, politely.

"What is this?! What is that woman planning?!" Jimmy shouted.

"What are you doing here, Benjamin?" Rebecca asked. She now stood beside Jimmy. A look of disgust crossed her face as she looked at the small boy beside Cindy. There was yet another Neutron/Vortex feud. This one was between Rebecca and Cindy's little brother, Benjamin.

"Well, Rebecca," the boy answered, his emerald eyes gleamed with mischief. "I was invited." A smug smile crossed his face. "By your mother."

Becca gasped.

"You made it!" Mrs. Neutron shouted with glee as she ushered her new guests in the livingroom with the rest. She waited for them to sit down. Rebecca stood beside Jimmy. Carl, Sheen, Libby, and even Cindy stayed close to him as well. "As you all know I've asked you here. This is because a member of the family has joined us and we are complete again." That's what this was all about? His mother was celebrating the return of his father?! He wasn't going to stick around for that! A growl could be heard from deep inside his throat. He turned toward the door, but Rebecca grabbed his arm. Their mother continued, "Hugh has returned to us and he's going to stay with us. We're gonna be a happy family." She said it more to herself than to anyone else. Jimmy could hear some dull mumbles. They were all skeptical.

Jimmy watched his mother as she stared out at something unseen to everyone but herself and her eyes were dreamy and her smile was a happy one. Jimmy sighed as he shook his head in disapproval. No matter how good she thought things were going to be from now on, Jimmy knew they were not. If anything, things had gotten worse and would only continue that to be that way. The family was separated in half. One half wasn't talking to the other. He watched his mother as she continued to talk. "Hugh came back to us yesterday. Even though Jimmy and Rebecca have not yet accepted him, they will." She smiled as she turned. "Hugh, honey, please come out."

The door opened and Hugh walked out. "Holy crap!" Benjamin shouted. "That's Rebecca's father?! He's goofy lookin'!"

"Benjamin Alexander!" Mrs. Vortex scolded.

Jimmy held back from laughing, though he hadn't exactly known why. He should've done so, but the time didn't seem right to laugh. From the corner of his eye he could see Rebecca holding back a giggle. Jimmy guessed that it had been the first time his sister ever agreed with anything that little Ben had said.

Mrs. Estevez fainted on the spot as if on command. Her husband held her in his arms as he fanned her with a magazine he had found on the coffee table. No one spoke after that. It fell deadly silent. Not even his mother who was all "cheery" could deny the silence and sudden shock which filled around them. Rebecca, caught up in the moment, slipped her hand from Jimmy's arm and stood still. Taking in everything who knows after how many times. He suddenly felt a hand brush against his, at first he thought it was Becca's, but then as a warm sensation came upon his back, he realized it had been Cindy. She was attempting to embrace him from behind. For comfort, he guessed. But his body stiffened with tension and as soon as Cindy sensed it, she backed off and Jimmy relaxed a bit and stepped aside. He rubbed his arm suddenly feeling uncomfortable.

His mother continued, despite everyone's reaction. "I cooked a great feast! Let's eat!"

Everyone sat quietly sat quietly at the table. No words had been exchanged.

"So how is everyone doing? It's been a while since I last saw you all," Hugh said.

No words had been exchanged up to that moment. The tension and uncertainty in the air was unmistakable and very unavoidable, but Mr. Vortex was brave enough to venture deeper into the conversation which Hugh had plainly begun.

"I think everyone is better. My wife and I are closer than ever," he said with an uncertain smile. He looked at her and she smiled weakly. "It was thanks to -" he stopped himself, not wanting to finish.

It was thanks to you. That's what he wanted to say and Jimmy knew it, everyone knew, even Hugh knew it. The man nodded, understand perfectly with a smile. A hint of sadness could be seen on that smile he gave, but the sadness showed more in his eyes as he eyed his wife beside him. Jimmy turned away. Because of dad their marriage was saved, but mom's marriage was a void for those years he had left, Jimmy ventured.

Indeed their marriage had been saved. Four years ago Mr. and Mrs. Vortex were on the verge of a divorce, but when the news of Hugh rolled around, Mrs. Vortex had put herself in Jimmy's mother's position and apparently did not like the sudden feeling that overtook her. It was something that she did not want to go through. Distraught, she went to her husband wanting nothing more than to forgive him and be forgiven by him. Both of Cindy's parents felt the same and their love seemed to be reborn into something new. They both came to realize that they never wanted to be without the other, so Jimmy had heard. The story went on to say that they had spent the night in each other's arms, comforting one another, telling the other of their love. By the next day, the lawyers who had been called for their divorce, were both informed of the change of plan.

"Because of me?" Hugh asked, looking over at Mr. Vortex. The other man nodded as he cast his eyes down. "It's alright. At least I can say I saved a marriage!"

There were slight chuckles, but not very many certain ones. More silence followed as a result.

Jimmy looked up, having the sudden feeling that someone was watching him. Across from him Libby and Cindy looked over at him. Carl and Sheen were looking at him as well. He rested his elbow on the table and placed his hand on his forehead, casting a shadow over his eyes.

"So, Jimmy, how are you?" Mrs. Vortex asked as she looked at him. Jimmy looked up at her. He knew what she meant by her question. Her voice had given it away to him and her eyes were full over concern. He managed a slight smile.

"Fine," he lied. "Just fine."

She eyed him, skeptically, but did not probe any further with the subject.

"And you, Becca?" she questioned.

"Mm-hm," she answered without looking up. She poked the food on her plate.

"Becca, eat your food, sweetheart," Mrs. Neutron said, sweetly and encouragingly. Rebecca did not make a move to obey her, instead she continued to play with her food.

Jimmy looked over at her. She seemed a bit distant. He could see it in her eyes and a tremor went through his heart as he say her. This was ruining her young, delicate life. It was too late for him, but she was too young to go through so much. He could feel the hate for his father growing. "Go on, Becca, eat your food. Don't play with it," Jimmy said lightly. She nodded and put a fork full of mashed potatoes in her mouth. "That's a good girl."

She smiled at him. From the corner of his eye, Jimmy could see his mother's expression fall.

"Uh, so are you guys planning on watching that special on - " Mr. Folfax began.

"Ultra Lord!" Sheen interrupted. "It's on! It's an Ultra Ultra Lord special on the beginning of the Ultra Lord craze. It's gonna have interviews with the creator and the show's producers and editors and cast and crew. And they're gonna have a fund raiser to raise money for the poor all while selling off Ultra Lord shirts, cups, lunch boxes, book bags, and - "

"Dolls?" Libby finished, teasingly.

"Ultra Lord is not a doll! He's an action figure and yes, they will be selling the action figures and the special Ultra Edition of the Ultra Lord comic books. Volumes 1 to 25. Very rare," Sheen finished. He was obviously very proud of this knowledge, though Jimmy found no reason to boast.

"Uh, no," Mr. Folfax said. "I was gonna say that special on that Dan Brown and his novel The Da Vinci Code. Some people can't quit grasp that it's fiction."

"I read that book, very sophisticated and very exciting," Mrs. Estevez said. "I couldn't put the book down."

Jimmy sighed. He didn't want to be part of this. He got up and smiled slightly at the guests and excused himself. He walked out of the kitchen and out on the porch. He stood gazing out at the stars. Rebecca soon joined him. "I don't want to be alone in there," she said. She took his hand. "A shooting star." She pointed into the sky. She gasped as her eyes widened.

"Make a wish," Jimmy said. She closed her eyes and Jimmy knew that she was wishing for something more dear to her then life itself.

Jimmy looked up at the sky and watched the burning ball of fire soar through the night sky. I wish Rebecca good health, he said. Take this disease from her life. . .and from mine.

Cindy came out on the porch not to long after. "A shooting star," she said, looking up. She looked over at him and he looked away. After some time she asked, "Rebecca, do you think you ca keep an eye on my brother for me. He's being a huge pain right now and he won't give up the remote. You can beat him all you want. I really don't mind."

Rebecca practically jumped at the offer. She quickly ran inside. "Oh, Benjamin!" she said in a sing-song voice as she ran inside. "Look what I've got for you." She held up her fist for the world to see and then the door shut behind her.

Cindy approached him. "I wanted to talk to you."

Jimmy had no doubt that she wanted to talk about their "relationship", if either one of them could call it that. He knew that there was something there. She knew it too. But Jimmy didn't want to go there. He didn't want to bring it up. But he could not deny the fact that something between them had grown over the last couple of days. "What is it that you want to talk about?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.

She stopped. An expression of uncertainty and slight fear flashed in her eyes. "I - well, I - just wanted to say that. . .everyone loved your little. . .thing. And I told Mr. Wilmington to give you all the credit for it, since it was your creation and I convinced him to give you credit for the presentation. He knew you'd be, uh, unable to return for a while and he didn't disagree with my proposal," she explained.

"Great," Jimmy replied simply. "What do you want? An award?"

"No," Cindy said slowly. "I - just thought I'd let you know. And Jimmy about yesterday - "

"It was nothing," he said, quickly. He suddenly had a sense of deja vu. This had happened before. Or something very similar to it.

"But, Jimmy, please, don't shut me out. I wanna help," she insisted. He turned to her and looked at her carefully not quite sure if he should actually believed her.

"You want to help me?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Fine. Then help me by staying out of my business! This has nothing to do with you, Vortex! Nothing! So just stay out and keep it that way!" he ordered. He turned to walk away. Somewhere far away from the house, but Cindy pulled him to her.

"What happened to you? Yesterday you let me hold you! You let me comfort you! I thought you were actually letting me in, but now your shutting me out! Again! Don't shut me out, Jimmy!" she protested.

"Look, yesterday was a blur!" he lied. "I didn't even know you were holding me!" He violently pulled away from her. "Just keep your nose out of my business!" And with that he left the confines of his house.