Everyone's reviews have really kept me motivated to keep writing. (especially Atomos, Fairie-kittie, and RavenChild!) Thank you all so much for the compliments!

Chapter 12

"This'll do, I suppose." Brittany said critically.

Simon agreed with her. It would definitely do. If he ever got it in his head to go on an extensive vacation, he would have Brittany plan it, because he thought that the Palace Hotel was probably the most opulent place he had ever been. "I have to admit, this is great, Brittany."

"And you doubted me?" Simon thought briefly about answering, but thought Brittany probably wouldn't really want to hear it – and he didn't want to be on the receiving end of one of Jeannette's scathing looks. "Here's your key, Simon. You have the room next to us. If the hotel staff got our reservations right, we should have a door connecting our rooms."

"Thanks." Simon took the punch card gratefully. "Come on, Theodore, let's go check out our room."
Both he and Theodore stopped dead as they entered their room. "Wow." Theodore said in awe.

"Yeah. Wow." Simon put down the suitcases. "Wow, indeed."

The room was more than just a room – it was practically an apartment. From the look of it, it was Donald Trump's apartment. There was a huge fireplace in the main room, and the vaulted ceilings made the already large area seem even larger. The décor was done in tasteful beiges and blues, with brass accents glinting everywhere. A kitchenette sat off to one side, and a spiral staircase soared up to a second story. All in all, it was the most impressive hotel room Simon had ever been in. "Well, it's not the Holiday Inn, that's for sure."

"No, it's not." Theodore seemed to just notice the staircase, and his expression changed to one of dismay. "Oh, no. I hope the bedroom's not up those stairs."

Simon did a quick exploration of the suite. "There's one up there, but one down here, too. We can use that one."

"Oh, good." Theodore said with relief. "Then, do you mind I lay down, Simon? I've been in this chair for hours."

"Of course not." Simon said. They hadn't delivered the hoyer yet, but Simon didn't need it. "It's time for meds, anyways."

Theodore seemed even more withdrawn than usual as Simon got him settled into the bed. It wasn't as good as Theodore's bed at home, but Simon used all the pillows available to make it as comfortable as possible. After he had Theodore settled, he looked at it critically.

"This will have to do, I suppose."

"It's fine, Simon."
"You're sure you're comfortable? Because I could probably find a hospital supply store and-"

"I said, its fine!"

Simon stared at Theodore, surprised at the irritation in his brother's voice. Theodore sighed.

"I'm sorry, Simon. I'm just in a bad mood."

"I noticed." Simon had also noticed the strain between Theodore and Eleanor earlier when they had finally disembarked from the plane. "Did you and Eleanor have a fight?"

Theodore looked at him, astonished. "How did you know?"
Simon shrugged. "I pay attention." He waited a moment. "So…?"
Theodore shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it."

He didn't want to press the matter. "Okay. I'll-"
They were interrupted by a knock on the door. "I'll be right back." Simon promised.

"No hurry," Theodore said, yawning. He took off his glasses and laid them on the bedside table. "I think I'm going to take a nap."

"All right."

Jeannette was waiting just outside the door. "How's Theodore?" She asked in a loud stage whisper.

"He's taking a nap," Simon said in his normal voice, shutting the door behind him. "
"Oh." Jeannette paused. "Is everything okay? Eleanor seems pretty upset about something, but she won't tell me about what."
"I'm not sure. Theodore said they'd had a fight, but he wouldn't give me any details."

"Eleanor won't either." Jeannette bit her lip. "I'm a little worried about them."

"Me, too."

Jeannette shook her head as if to clear it. "But that's not why I came over here. I came over to give you this."

"What is it?" He unfolded the paper. Six addresses were listed on it. Simon looked at Jeannette quizzically.

"Those are all the addresses in the London area that are registered to either Theodore Miller or T. Miller." She told him.

Simon looked at her, stunned. "But when did you have time…?"
Jeannette shrugged. "On the plane, when you were napping. I had my laptop and this portable high-speed wireless modem I cobbled together, so I did a little snooping."
"But on the plane? How'd you even connect? I thought you couldn't at thirty thousand feet. I didn't think…never mind." He kissed her cheek. "You never cease to amaze me."

"Thanks." Jeannette blushed and smiled at him. "So when do you want to check these out?"

Simon glanced back to the bedroom, where his brother was already asleep, no doubt. "No time like the present."

"But you've been on a plane for over twenty hours, Simon!" Jeannette protested. "Don't you think you should get some sleep?"

Simon shook his head. He had gotten very, very good at functioning with little to no sleep. "No, I'll sleep when I come back."

Jeannette watched him doubtfully. "Okay. Do you want me to come with you?"
He paused a moment. "No. Could you stay here and keep an eye on Theodore? If he needs anything, just ask Eleanor for help. I've been giving her the run-down."

"Sure."

And don't tell Theodore where I went." Simon reflected a moment. "In fact, don't tell Brittany or Eleanor, either."

Jeannette frowned. "Why not?"

"Alvin ran away, remember." Simon said grimly. "We might have come all this way, but we can't forget that. I'm not so sure he's going to be glad to be found."

OoooOoooO

Alvin realized how few possessions he really had while packing. "I can't believe I survived without a few Bruce Springsteen cds and a basketball." He chuckled to himself. Talking to himself was a childhood habit he just didn't seem to be able to break. "Or even a spare cap or two."

His smile faded. He hadn't worn a cap since the night he had lost his after Theodore's accident. He'd never bothered to replace it.

Alvin tried to shake off the memories. He was moving on, he reminded himself. He and Isabelle were getting together in a few hours to discuss the particulars of their move. He pushed the thoughts out of his mind.

It was good feeling as if he might actually get to make a fresh start. Isabelle had infected him with her enthusiasm, and for the first time in what seemed like forever he felt a little like his old self. He was actually excited about going to Paris. Sure, he didn't have a job, or an apartment, or even the faintest idea of how to speak French, but that's what made it fun.

There was a knock on the door, and Alvin grinned. It was just like Isabelle to be so impatient. "Belle, we weren't supposed to meet up until-"

Alvin's words halted dead as he opened the door, and it felt as if his very heart had stopped. "Simon?"
"Alvin!" Simon shoved the paper he was holding in his pocket, heedless of how he crumpled it, and grabbed his brother roughly. Alvin found himself encased in a bear hug that threatened to cut off his breathing. "I can't believe it! This was the last address on the list – I thought Jeannette must have come up with a bust!"

Alvin just stood there stiffly, hands at his side. He didn't know what Simon was talking about – he couldn't even really believe his brother was actually here. "Simon?" He just repeated his brother's name dumbly. "I...I can't breathe."

"Oh, sorry." Simon released him so suddenly that Alvin actually stumbled a few steps back. "I just can't believe I actually found you. I mean, that is why we came here, to find you, I mean, but I think a part of me thought Dave was right and it was just a wild goose chase – but it's not, you're here." Simon looked as if he was going to hug Alvin again, and Alvin backed away a few steps.

"Whoa, whoa. Enough with the lethal hugging." Alvin held up his hands as if to ward off his brother. "What are you doing here?"

That seemed to bring his brother back to earth a little bit. "What do you think I'm here for? To bring you home!"

"Home?" Alvin said incredulously.

"Really, Alvin," Simon said, sounding exactly like Alvin remembered – perpetually irritated and older than his years. "Everyone's been so worried about you. Dave's been out of his mind, and Theodore…well, Theodore really misses you."

Theodore. "Theodore's not here, is he?" A panic gripped Alvin. He didn't think he could face his little brother.

"Yes. Well, not here, obviously, but in London, at the hotel. He's going to be so excited –" Simon finally seemed to notice the open suitcase, and his buoyant speech stopped. He looked from Alvin to the suitcase and back to Alvin again, and cocked his eyebrow. "Going somewhere?"

Alvin slammed the suitcase shut, trying to ignore the unexpected feeling of guilt that he felt. "No."

"It sure looks like it." Instead of looking angry, Simon looked strangely pleased with himself. "I knew it! Dave-"

"Dave? Is Dave here too?" Alvin's voice climbed a notch.

"Uh, no." For some reason, Simon looked suddenly guilty. "He's in New York."

"New York? What's he doing in New York?"
Simon gave him a piercing gaze. "Looking for you."

"Oh."

"But its good you're packed. We can leave right away then, before Dave even knows we were gone, and-"

"Leave?" Alvin asked, starting to get angry. Simon could be so presumptuous! "I'm not leaving, Simon."

Simon sighed as if he had been expecting this. "Please, Alvin. You have to come home."

"I don't 'have to' do anything, Simon." Alvin let the welcome anger subsume the panic and guilt gratefully. "Has it ever occurred to you that I've known where 'home' was all along? I don't want to go home."

"Alvin," Simon's face tightened in its own anger. "Don't be an idiot."

"An idiot? Thanks so much, with encouragement like that I'm sure going to want to leave with you."

"Can the sarcasm, Alvin." Simon glared at him. "We need you back at home. Theodore needs you."

A pang stung Alvin's heart. "He doesn't need me."

"No?" Simon's hands balled into fists, and suddenly Alvin felt as if he had been transported back in time to seven months ago, and he and Simon had never ended their fight in the hospital cafeteria. "Don't you even care about Theodore, Alvin? Aren't you even going to ask about him?"

There was nothing in the world that Alvin wanted more than to see his baby brother again, but to protect him, he had to resist the selfish urge to do so. Still, Simon's words brought back the memory of a promise he had made to his brother as he lay still in a hospital bed. Keeping with the spirit of that promise rather than the letter, Alvin knew the best way he could help his brother was to make sure he never hurt him again. "I-"

But Simon wasn't done. "Because he's not doing well, Alvin. He's lost so much weight that his doctor's considering putting him back into long-term care at the hospital unless we can get his stomach working again. He still can't eat. He's always in pain. And he asks about you every…single…day." Simon took a step forward, and unconsciously Alvin took a step back. "The first thing he did when he woke up was ask for you, Alvin. And I promised him I'd find you!" Simon stared at him with fury in his eyes. "Don't you dare make me break my promise, Alvin."

"You didn't break it. You did find me." Alvin pointed out weakly.

"I said to can the sarcasm, Alvin."

"I know, I know." Alvin sighed, his anger evaporating. "But I can't go home, Simon."

"Why on earth not?"

"I just can't." Alvin wished he could explain, but he didn't have the words. He could risk hurting anyone he loved again…not Simon, not Brittany, and certainly not Theodore.

"Damn it, Alvin!" Simon threw his hands up in frustration. "Can you stop thinking of yourself just this once!"

Alvin's anger rekindled. He wasn't thinking only of himself, not this time. Couldn't Simon see that they were better off without him? "Get out, Simon. You're wasting your time."

"Alvin-"

"I mean it!" Alvin shouted, hoping he had the courage to face his brother down this one last time. "Get out! I'm not leaving! Hollywood isn't my home anymore – and you are not a part of my life."

Simon stared at him in shock. "Who are you? How can you be so selfish?"

Alvin tried not to let Simon see just how his words cut him. It was for the best. "You don't know me anymore, Simon. And if you won't leave…"He grabbed his coat off the hook, "then I will."

Alvin left Simon standing in the middle of his apartment, mouth agape, and walked away from his old life forever.

OoooOoooO

Brittany stared at her nails critically. "Do you think I should use a darker pink?"

Jeannette didn't answer. She was staring at the clock as if it were the most entertaining thing in the world. "Jeannette?"
"What? Oh, no, that color's lovely, Brittany."

Brittany rolled her eyes. Sometimes it seemed as if Jeannette only had one foot planted on this planet. "I'm not so sure." She didn't want to admit she was worried about how she'd look when she first saw Alvin again. It wasn't like that between them anymore. She had a boyfriend – sort of.

She still thought she needed a darker pink polish.

"Simon's been gone a long time." Jeannette said suddenly. "I'm starting to get worried."

"Where did he go, anyways?" Brittany hadn't thought to ask earlier – when he had left she had been trying to select just the right outfit to wear later – not that it mattered.

"He, uh, well…" Oh, no. Brittany knew that stutter. Jeannette was hiding something.

"Jeannette?"

"Yes?" Jeannette looked at her guiltily.

"Spill it."

"Uh, spill what?"

"Jeannette, I know you're keeping something from me." Brittany narrowed her eyes. "It's about Simon, isn't it? Where did he go?"
"I don't-"

"Jeannette!"

Jeannette sighed in defeat. "Okay, okay!"

"So…?"
"He went out to check out a few addresses I found that might be where Alvin's been staying."

Brittany sat up sharply, nails forgotten. "What? Without us?"
"He didn't want to get Theodore's hopes up." Jeannette tried to explain, but Brittany waved her away. "Yeah, but-"

The door slammed open and both Chippettes jumped. "Don't bother unpacking." Simon said, storming into the room. "We're leaving first thing in the morning."

"What?!" Brittany said incredulously. Simon didn't answer, he just stomped off to the door that adjoined their rooms.

"Simon!" Jeannette was up and following him in a flash. "What happened? Did you find Alvin?"

"Oh, I found him all right." Brittany thought she had never seen Simon so angry. "Found him and lost him." He threw a piece of crumpled paper in the trash. "It would have been better if you had never found him, Jeannette."

"Lost him?" Brittany asked, her heart sinking. "What do you mean, lost him?"

"I mean he's refusing to come home, Brittany." Simon seemed to be actually shaking with rage. "He hasn't changed at all. He's still the same egotistical, selfish, bratty-"

"Simon, calm down." As Jeannette tried to soothe her boyfriend, Brittany inched towards the wastebasket. They didn't seem to notice.

"Calm down?" Simon said. "How on earth am I supposed to calm down?"

Brittany snatched the crumpled paper out of the wastebasket.

"Just breathe." Jeannette said.

Simon looked at her, the anger draining from his face, only to be replaced by a look of intense worry. "Oh, Jeannette. What am I going to tell Theodore?"

Neither of them noticed Brittany slipping out the door. Once safely out, she uncrumpled the slip of paper and looked at it. Six addresses were listed on it, all of them crossed out with pen except the last one. Brittany felt determination fill her.

She hadn't come all this way just to leave without Alvin.

End of part 12