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!
Raven Child, thanks for recommending me to others. I appreciate it more than you know. I don't have a lot of fanfic buddies yet, but as soon as I do, I will definitely point them towards your fics.
SilverRider, I am just starting to read your stuff too. Thanks so much for taking the time to read mine!
One last thing…I've updated my profile page, so if anyone wants to see it or see a picture of me, that's the page to check out!
So (finally) to the story….
This has a little mild profanity (not much) but be forewarned.
Chapter 14
"Just let's give it a few more days."
Simon shook his head at Theodore, wincing at the despondent look on his brother's face. "It's no use, Theodore. He doesn't want to come home."
"Maybe if I talked to him…" Theodore looked at him hopefully. "I might be able to change his mind."
Simon wished he could believe that. But he didn't want for Theodore to have to be hurt the way he himself had when he had confronted Alvin. "It's not going to help. At least this way we might be able to get home before Dave even realizes we've been gone."
"We can't just give up!" Theodore said, and Simon wished there wasn't such desperation in the younger Chipmunk's voice. Damn Alvin for putting them through this.
"We don't have much choice." Simon said. Brittany's return and subsequent retelling of what had transpired between her and Alvin clinched it. Alvin had put all of them behind him, that much was clear. "He's not who he used to be, Theodore. I don't even know who he is anymore."
"He's still our brother." Theodore said.
"He's the world's biggest jerk, that's what he is." Brittany said. She had been seething ever since her return. "He's a piece of two-timing sea scum that just happens to walk and talk and look a little like someone we used to know."
"Brittany, please." Jeannette said. "That's enough."
"But, Simon, we can't just leave him here. Not after searching for him for so long." Theodore said.
"He'll come home if he wants to, Theodore. We can't force him."
Simon's heart ached to see Theodore virtually deflate. "Then it was all for nothing."
"Not for nothing, Theodore." Eleanor held his hand gently. "He knows we still care, now. Maybe he just needs some time."
"He's been gone for months, Eleanor. I don't think time is going to help."
Simon wished he had some encouraging words for Theodore and the others, but he didn't. He honestly couldn't think of anything he could do that might make things better. He just wanted to get home. "Brittany?"
"What?"
"How long will it take to get another plane?"
Brittany shrugged. "I reserved the one we used before for a week. We can leave anytime we want."
Simon grimaced at the thought of what that would be costing them, but Brittany had been right earlier – they could afford it. "Then I suggest we all take a bit of a nap, and then lets head home."
"But what about Alvin?" Theodore tried one last time.
Simon sighed. "He knows where we live, Theodore. When he's ready to come home, he will."
In his heart of hearts, though, Simon doubted he would.
OoooOoooO
"I think you have some explaining to do…Alvin."
Alvin looked at Isabelle sickly. "I do?"
"Oh, you most certainly do, luv." Isabelle crossed her arms in front of her and stared at him. "And no more evasiveness. I knew you had secrets, but this goes far, far beyond that."
"I…" Alvin sat on his bed. "I don't know where to start."
"Try at the beginning." Isabelle told him. "That's usually the best place to start."
And so that's what Alvin did. He started when Dave had first found them on his doorstep in the middle of the biting cold of winter, and how his surrogate father took them in and raised them as his own sons. He spoke of the crazy escapades he, his brothers, and occasionally the Chippettes would get involved in, fully admitting that ninety percent of the time it was his fault that those things would happen. He remembered some memories fondly, such as the time that they had made a disastrous attempt at selling cookies to earn money for Dave's birthday presents. Others weren't as pleasing – such as the time that Theodore had been turned into a werewolf and for a short time he had thought he would have to possibly even kill his little brother.
It was as if some invisible barrier had come crashing down, and the stories flowed until the early hours of the morning. Isabelle listened attentively but didn't make more than a few comments here and there. He got to the part where Theodore had been struck by the car, and while describing his own involvement his voice cracked more than once. When he at last finished, she sat there with him in silence for a few moments.
"Wow." She said. "When you had said you'd had enough adventure, I didn't believe you. Now I can't believe I didn't."
"I wasn't lying."
"I see that." Isabelle was quiet for a moment. "Theo…I mean, Alvin…do you think that Theodore blames you for the accident?"
"Honestly?" Alvin shook his head. "No. Theodore has the biggest heart of anyone I've ever known."
"I heard what Brittany said…about how much he misses you." Isabelle said quietly. "Is it possible that you are the only thing holding you back from going home?"
"It doesn't matter if Theodore forgives me, Belle." Alvin told her. "I can't forgive myself."
"At the risk of stepping outside my bounds, but you're full of shit, Theo."
Alvin was so surprised that he didn't even correct her on the name. "What?"
"Maybe what Simon said was true. It seems to me that this whole 'running away' business has been so that you would feel better, and so you wouldn't have to deal with the consequences of your actions." She looked at him critically. "I'd have to say that Simon was right – you're being awfully selfish."
"Belle, I can't risk hurting them again!" Alvin desperately wanted her to understand, but she just shook her head.
"No, I think you don't want to risk hurting you. They want you back in their lives, Theo…Alvin. It won't be easy. But they need you. How can you deny your family that?"
"They don't need me. They're better off without me."
"I'm going to hit you if you don't stop doing the doomsayer bit." Isabelle warned. "Your family obviously loves and misses you. Why else would they have come all the way to London? Its not that short a hop across the pond, you know." She reached over and held his hand. "If they were so much better off without you, why did they cross half the earth to find you?"
"I…I don't know."
"And then…. Brittany." It was obvious that this was a sore subject for Isabelle. "She's the girl you loved, isn't she? Of course she is." Isabelle answered her own question. "As pathetic as it sounds, I've been following your relationship for years. Ever since your first duet and appearance on MTV."
Alvin didn't know quite what to say to that. He had gotten used to a life without being a superstar. "Yes, she's 'the girl.'"
"You're just going to let her go? It took courage to come here looking for you. She loves you, Alvin." Isabelle smiled at her, but there were tears in her eyes. "And you love her. I know that better than anyone."
"Belle, I care about you a lot, too." Alvin tried to reassure her, but the British Chipmunk just shook her head.
"No, not the way you care about Brittany. You said it yourself. You're soul-mates." She kissed him then, softly on the lips, a chaste kiss that spoke of friendship and nothing more. "Don't throw that away. Do you know how rare it is for two people to love each other in that way? How very special it is?"
Alvin thought. He had spent the last seven months running, not thinking about his life or where he was headed to. Maybe it was because he couldn't imagine life without Simon, Theodore, or Brittany…maybe he was running because a future without them was too frightening to contemplate. He sighed. "Belle, even if I wanted to, she wouldn't have me now. Not after the way I treated her."
"You'd be surprised. If you handled it the right way…she feels the same way, Alvin. I'm sure of it."
"I don't even know where to find her, Belle. She could be anywhere in London."
"Weren't you listening?" Belle said. "She said they were at the Palace."
Alvin frowned. "Buckingham Palace?"
Isabelle actually laughed. "No, knucklehead. The Palace Hotel, I'm sure."
Alvin glanced at the clock. 6:13 A.M. "Don't you think its too early to-?"
Isabelle laughed. "Trust me, its never to early to declare your undying love for someone." She reached over and grabbed the red cap that lay forgotten on his bed. "And it's never too late to realize who you really are."
Alvin stared at the cap for a moment, the memories threatening to bowl him over. He had never gone anywhere without that cap until the accident. It had been a part of his identity – a part that since then he had denied.
Maybe it was time to stop denying his past and time to finally start dealing with it.
He crammed the hat on his head, a familiar look of mischievousness spreading on his features. "You're right, Belle."
"Of course I'm right." Isabelle smiled, but there was sadness to it. "Haven't you figured out that the woman is always right?"
Alvin chose to ignore a few choice comments that came to mind. "I have one more favor to ask of you."
"Anything."
"Could you tell me where I could find the Palace Hotel?"
OoooOoooO
"Are you sure we can't wait a few more minutes?"
Simon sighed. "Theodore, our plane leaves at 7 am sharp. We don't have time."
"I know, but I just have this hunch…"
"Hunches have got us nowhere." Simon said a bit more harshly than he meant to. Theodore flinched. "I'm sorry, Theodore. But we really don't have the time."
"But-"
"If we wait any longer, we'll miss our flight."
"I thought we chartered a plane." Theodore pointed out.
"We did, but we still have to listen to air traffic control." Eleanor reminded him.
"Oh."
"Listen, I know you want to wait until Alvin miraculously shows up, but it ain't gonna happen." Brittany said roughly. "He's left us, ok? He doesn't care anymore."
"Brittany!" Jeannette sounded shocked.
Theodore sighed. "It's okay, Jeannette. I understand why she's angry. I just can't believe he'd really desert us."
"People change, Theodore." Eleanor told him tenderly. "We can't always control that."
"I know." Theodore steeled himself. "All right, then, we don't want to miss our flight."
"You sure?" Despite his earlier insistence on leaving, now that Theodore seemed to be relinquishing all hope Simon wasn't so certain any more.
"Yes." Theodore said, his voice firm. "We've done everything we can. It's up to Alvin now."
Simon took every bit of courage he had and put it into three words. "Let's go, then."
OoooOoooO
Alvin and Isabelle must have set a world record running from the slums to the ritzy Palace hotel. When they got there, they weren't exactly welcomed by the most hospitable committee.
The Palace Hotel barely gave Alvin pause, but Isabelle stopped dead in her tracks in awe as they entered. "Bloody hell, they really stayed here? It must have cost a fortune."
"I guess so." Alvin agreed, but his attention stayed on the clerk he practically ran to. He had been used to a certain amount of richness to his surroundings during his tours.
"Excuse me?" He said to the slim man behind the counter, his voice frantic. "I need to know the rooms that the Seville brothers and the Miller sisters are staying in."
"And you are?"
"A friend." Alvin was so used to using an alias that it never even occurred to him to try and use his real name.
"I'm sorry, but I am only authorized to give that information to family members or authorized personnel. If you would like to leave a fan letter-"
"No, I do not want to leave a fan letter! I'm Al-"
"He's Theo Miller." Belle interrupted, giving Alvin a warning look. "Brittany's cousin."
"Really." The clerk said haughtily, looking at Alvin's black turtleneck and dark blue ripped jeans with the same disdain as he did Isabelle's blue hair and day-glo orange mesh tank top. "Do you have I.D.?"
Thank goodness Isabelle had been a quick thinker…he no longer had any identification proving him to be Alvin Seville, but he did have a visa in the name of Theo Miller. The clerk inspected it for a moment critically, and then handed it back. "I'm sorry, Mr. Miller. They left for the airport only moments ago. I'm afraid you missed them. I believe they're heading back to America."
"America?" Alvin visibly deflated. "How long ago?"
"Their limo left about fifteen minutes ago, I believe."
Alvin looked utterly defeated. "I'm too late."
Isabelle appeared about ready to slap him. "You're kidding, right? It was only fifteen minutes ago, Theo…I mean, Alvin." She sounded frustrated. "That's going to take some getting used to. Anyways –"
"You're right!" Alvin said excitedly. "If we hurry, we might be able to meet them at the airport!" He ran out the door, shouting behind him, "Thank you!"
Isabelle was quickly after him. "Thanks, sir!" She yelled as politely as she could, considering she was screaming it over her shoulder.
Coming to a skidding stop on the streets outside, Alvin looked around wildly for a cab. He saw none. "Great." He said in frustration. "Maybe if we go inside, we can ask the host-"
"No time." Isabelle opened the door to a small convertible that was parked just a few feet away. "This'll get us there."
He looked at her in confusion. "But, Belle, that's not our car, and besides, we don't have any keys-"
The engine revved into life. "I don't need keys." Isabelle said with a grin. Alvin just looked at her in astonishment. "Hey, you're not the only one who's kept secrets."
"Oh, yeah?" Alvin said as he hopped into the black convertible. "Whatever happened to 'I've told you everything about myself?'"
Isabelle took off, tires squealing. "You're not the only one who lied about a few things, either."
OoooOoooO
"All strapped in, Theodore?"
"Yes, Simon, I'm fine." Theodore was a little drowsy again, as both Eleanor and Simon had insisted he take his pain meds before the flight. This time he hadn't fought them on it. "Everyone else strapped…I mean settled?"
Simon glanced at Brittany, struggling with her last carry on bag. "Almost. The plane should be taking off in about ten minutes." He paused. "If Brittany can get all her things on by then."
"Well, if someone would help me, it wouldn't be taking so long." Brittany shot back at him. "I packed for two weeks…not two days."
"It looks like she packed for two months." Simon said quietly to Theodore so that Brittany couldn't hear. Theodore laughed softly, and Simon sighed. "But, if we want to make it on time, I'd better help her."
Theodore watched his brother assist the Chippette with her many heavy pink carry-on bags. Brittany had been even more snappish than usual since her run-in with Alvin, and honestly, Theodore couldn't blame her. He didn't know how he would have handled it if his brother had treated him that way, either. But Theodore still believed that he might have been able to talk Alvin into coming home…however unlikely Simon thought that might have been. And he still had this hunch…if they could just wait a little longer…maybe Alvin would come to his senses. Maybe Alvin would come home.
But Simon was through with hunches, and honestly, after hearing how Alvin had treated his older brother, Theodore's faith in him was wavering. It wasn't gone – no matter what, he would never give up on his brothers – but there was a seed of doubt that he couldn't deny.
No matter how much he wished it not to be so, in the deepest darkest recesses of his heart, he was beginning to think that he would never see brother Alvin again.
OoooOoooO
The ticket lady was less than helpful.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Miller, but those records are restricted." She told him primly. She was an elderly lady who had her stone-gray hair pulled back so tightly it actually gave the illusion of a facelift. "I am not allowed to release any information on the passenger lists for any flight – no matter who you claim to be."
Alvin had to restrain a scream. "Okay, okay. Can you just tell me what flights are leaving for the states anytime soon? Maybe I can just meet them at the gate…if I can find them."
"I can't-"
"Please, Miss Underwood, is it?" Isabelle smiled prettily at her. "We're not asking for confidential information. Just a list of current flights."
Miss Underwood wavered for a moment. "All right." She finally said. She began to list off a staggering number of flights heading out of the London area to the United States. When she had finished, both Alvin and Isabelle looked totally dejected.
"Oh, great, we're never going to find my brothers – or Brittany – now." Alvin said. "There's no way we can check all those out before they leave."
Miss Underwood seemed to be struggling with something. "Well…"she said, tapping her fingers nervously and glancing around. "There is one more flight leaving for the U.S., but it's a chartered flight and I don't know too much about it."
Chartered? That would be just like Brittany! Even first class seats wouldn't be good enough for her. "What gate? I promise, I won't ask any more questions, if you'll only tell me what gate."
Miss Underwood looked around again, furtively. "I will, on one condition."
"Anything." Alvin promised.
She handed him a blank sheet of paper. "Sign this. I know who you are, and why you need to use aliases, but it would mean the world to my, uh, niece…"
"No problem." Alvin signed his name with a flourish. "And if you give me your name, I'll make sure Simon and Theodore send you signed photos, too. The Chippettes will too, if I can get them to."
"Really?" The ticket lady wrote down her address quickly, and below it added the words Gate 57. "Just don't let anyone know where you learned that. Please."
Isabelle mimed zipping her lips shut. "You're secret's safe with us."
Miss Underwood glanced at the clock. "You better hurry. Their plane is scheduled to leave in only five minutes."
"Then we'll hurry." Alvin assured her, grabbing Isabelle's hand and running off towards Gate 57 at a frantic speed. "Thank you!"
"It was lovely meeting you!' Miss Underwood shouted after them, clutching her signed paper to her breast.
Alvin barely heard her. At one time a fan would have captivated his attention for hours, but now there were more important things on his mind.
He had to find that plane. This could be his last chance to be reunited with Simon, Theodore, and…. and Brittany.
OoooOoooO
"All systems ready to go. Please fasten your seatbelts during takeoff." The pilot said over the loudspeaker.
"Like we didn't already think of that." Brittany said bitterly as she double-checked her harness. " I do not plan to die like some music starlet who crashed in some stupid flight for no good reason at all."
"We wouldn't want that to happen." Simon muttered. Brittany had always gotten on his nerves, but the last day or so Simon had daydreamed about throttling her more than once. Only his own sympathetic frustration kept him from doing so. He knew only too well what she was going through. Alvin had upset him just as much, and a strange as it seemed, he felt an odd sort of kinship with the self-centered Chippette. "I'm sure everything is going to be fine."
"Fine? After this wasted trip that will probably get me banned from prom?" Brittany seemed unable to get a hold of herself. "The thought of Miss Miller killing me was bad enough, but for her to kill me when I come home empty-handed is almost more than I can bear."
"Uh, Brittany." Jeannette said then, worry in her voice. "You did leave her a note saying that we were at the Brown sisters for a few nights, didn't you?"
"Am I expected to do everything around here?" Brittany asked, exasperated. "I thought Eleanor was going to take care of Miss Miller."
"Brittany, I was with Simon." Eleanor reminded her. "I was getting a quick course on how to care for Theodore.. When was I supposed to call?"
"I don't know…it'd couldn't have been that complicated.. "Brittany looked from Eleanor to Jeannette, the to Eleanor again.. "Okay, Eleanor, you're off the hook. Jeanette must have left a letter."
"Uh, Brittany, I wasn't really thinking about getting in trouble." Jeannette admitted. "I just wanted to find Alvin."
"Oh, wonderful." Brittany said sarcastically. "So now we're going home to be grounded for the rest of our lives."
"The plane will be taking off in one minute, passengers. Enjoy your flight."
"It's too late now, " Eleanor said. "We did what we came here to do. We failed."
"But how can we give up hope?" Theodore asked.
Simon hated to say it, but he had to. "On the night you had your accident, I was sure I had lost a brother. They gave you a two percent chance of survival. A miracle happened – you survived."
Simon looked down. "But we lost a brother all the same."
OoooOoooO
Gate 57 seemed to be miles away, but Alvin and Isabelle reached it in just minutes. Alvin thought his lungs were going to burst – he had never run so fast in his life.
"Miss…Miss!" He managed to gasp out when they reached the counter. "Can you help me, please?"
"Yes, sir?" The young blonde nodded, that perpetually false smile that all stewardesses seemed to have locked on her face. "How can I help you?"
"The plane leaving Gate 57…the one that the Sevilles and Millers chartered…"Alvin was having trouble catching his breath, much less keeping his voice calm. "Where's the boarding area?"
"I'm sorry, sir." The blonde put on a carefully rehearsed expression of regret. "You just missed it. See?" She pointed to the large wall-window. Beyond it, a small but obviously expensive jet was pulling away.
Alvin watched as his life taxied away on the runway. "I'm too late." He whispered. He felt a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"You're still thinking like Theo Miller, Alvin." Isabelle said. "I thought Theo was gone now. And believe it or not, I remember enough about what Alvin Seville was like to know that he would never let something so minor as this stop him from getting what he wanted. Alvin Seville would never give up so easily."
"He wouldn't, would he?" Alvin said, smiling slowly. "I wouldn't." A mischievous twinkle appeared in his eye. "Come on, Belle, I have an idea."
"Idea?" Isabelle looked wary. "What kind of an idea?"
Alvin grinned and said three words that had once been a sure indicative that he had some sort of scheme brewing.
"Just trust me."
End of Part 14Reviews still appreciated!