Well, lets just see where I can uh… take this, shall I?
Hope this doesn't disappoint…
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Desiree
I was standing on a basketball court. Where? I had no idea.
I heard a steady thump-thump of a basketball being dribbled, and I looked to see two brown-haired girls playing a game. One seemed just that little bit taller than the other, but both were around my height. Well, I guessed. I was at the other end…and was still disorientated… where was James when you needed him?
The taller girl took the ball, dribbled, then shoot. It sailed clean through the net, and she gave a whoop of joy.
"Gotcha there B.B!"
"Whatever Lil H!"
"That's a dumb nickname!"
"Not much dumber than B.B for my nickname" the shorter one replied smugly. I then realised she sounded a little older than the tall girl. Two… maybe even three years? I couldn't tell. Sisters?
No.
There was that strange feeling again. Like the one that drew me to James and my real mom… only… neither were my mom… one sure looked like it though…
I think it was only then that I realised I was even there. I tried to smile, waving at them.
"Hi"
"Can we help you?" The taller one asked, although not rudely. Then… the other one seemed to kneel down, grabbing the sides of her head.
"Aunt Phoebe! Are you ok?" the other cried, instantly at her side.
Phoebe? Could this be… no, it couldn't… no way…
I stood there and just stared, my heart feeling like it was just about to explode out of my chest. Then something else hit me.
Aunt Phoebe?
No. It couldn't be…
"Hannah?" I wondered out loud, staring at her. Her head jerked up to look at me.
"How do you know my name?"
I stumbled back a little, managing to catch myself before I could. Wow… this was wild… it must have been what the HBs meant…
"Because she's Desiree" the other one said… Phoebe…
It was Phoebe!
She got up, then came over and took my hands in hers.
"Oh my dear, your mother thought you were dead, or… taken away for good" she said softly. I looked into her eyes… she almost looked like Jade… mom… so simular…
"Um… well… I ah… thought that way too. Well, I thought I'd never… Phoebe, right?"
She smiled, "Shouldn't you know that by now, Desiree Berenson?"
"Say what!" Hannah cried. She looked about ready to faint. Well, either that or explode.
"Hannah, she's your sister. You were one of triplets"
"How did you…"
Phoebe smiled again, looking so much older than nineteen years old "My dear, sometimes I just know these things"
I nodded slowly.
"Do you know where James is?"
"Hang on, triplets? Wait, wait a second? What the hell are you… and why didn't mom or dad say anything about this to me?-!-!" She seemed furious. I looked around Phoebe, at her, and grinned.
"Hey Hannah. It's been a while"
"Do I know you?"
"Yah-huh. You do. Or haven't you been listening?"
"I think I'm gonna faint" she groaned, tilting her head back to look up at the sky… it was such a perfect day…
"Come on" Phoebe pulled me forward "Let's go find James and your parents"
"This is a nightmare"
"Funny" I said, grinning at my triplet "To me, this seems like the best dream I've ever had"
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James
"Hey, kid!"
Something was kicking my foot. I groaned and opened my eyes.
"Kid, you can't sleep here. Go home" some old guy with a beer-belly and who looked like he'd never heard of the word shirt before was standing above me. I immediately bolted up, feeling a little dizzy for a second.
"Sorry dude" I muttered, looking around. Anywhere but at that grotesque gut.
It was a street, in a normal enough neighbourhood, and I'd just been… asleep… on someone's lawn.
"Go get a job you bum" he muttered, then sauntered back inside his own house. Bum? Whoa…
I looked at my clothes, and realised I was still in my Hercules clothes. Needed better clothes…
Well, twenty minutes later I had them. Thanks to a clothesline and no-one being home. Jeans and a comfortable tee… then I was off again.
I wandered the streets for a bit, not sure where to go or what to do… wondered where Desiree was, and what had happened to Jade after then…
I ran into someone then. Muttered an apology and went on my way…
Then I spun around. Wait a second… wasn't that…
No. Couldn't be Robert. Could it?
I walked silently behind him, watching as he went to the door of a house… pulled out keys…
And the door swung open, and out stepped an Asian woman, greeting him with a hug and a kiss. He kissed her back. Then… a little someone ran out… she was gorgeous… and tangled herself in their legs. Then… someone crawling…
They broke apart, laughing, and the woman I was almost certain was Sakura picked the little girl up, taking her inside. Robert… or his damn double… picked up the little baby I now saw, who was dressed all in blue, and went inside as well. The door shut…
And I grinned. So, Robert finally settled down. Didn't think I'd ever see the day… I mean, after knowing Robert, I never thought he'd… he was always such a free spirit…
I laughed a little, turning and walking away.
Somewhere, I think I got turned around… I was suddenly in a completely different street…
Far off, I saw a car pull into a driveway, and as I got closer I saw a woman get out of it. She had brown hair that was cut just below her ears, and as I watched, she pulled sunglasses up to the top of her head. She was wearing jeans, and a white skivvy under a blue jacket.
I knew who she was… how could I not…
As I got closer, my suspicions were confirmed. She moved around to the trunk, opening it and pulling out groceries. She grabbed too many bags, and held the keys between her teeth…
"May I help you ma'am?" I asked, jogging up to her, my heart thudding madly in my chest. She turned to me… and dropped everything. Literally. I thought I heard eggs cracking… barely noticed it… just started at her.
She knew who I was, and I knew who she was.
There was a second of utter silence… like time had stopped, then…
"James!"
"Mom!" I ran and hugged her, and she returned the hug just as tightly.
"I thought they'd taken you away again!" She sobbed, digging her head into my shoulder.
"No way I'd let them… not again… not now… mom I love you and I…"
Then it was like a bolt of electricity. Like suddenly I remembered something I'd forgotten, only…
This was years of memories, not just the answer to a math question or whatever.
"What… huh…"
"New memories… I remember your first steps… but not really…"
"HBs?" I asked from her shoulder.
"No. Ellimist"
"What?"
She pulled away, sniffling and wiping tears from her eyes, then wiping just under my eyes with her thumb… making me realise I'd been crying as well.
"Come inside. I'll tell you everything"
I did (helping her bring in the groceries), and was greeted by a house so warm and inviting… it was almost home to me. I was still confused by all these other memories…
Not even five minutes later, there was a knock on the door. There, we found Desiree, who greeted our mom in the same fashion I had. Then I saw Hannah…
"You're James, aren't you?" she stared at me, and I realised she had the same freaky memory thing I just got.
"Yeah. Hey sis" She came and hugged me, then I went and hugged Desiree. Hugged Phoebe too… it was all just hugs and good feelings…
And then dad came home. With Evan. My ten year old brother. I knew, because something… in my head… told me just that.
"Dad!" Desiree and I cried in unison, and nearly knocked him over, hugging him tightly. He hugged us back, and I was surprised how different he looked from when I'd last seen him… that frown…
"Gee, what's your problem…" Evan muttered, going around us all. I grabbed him around the waist, swinging him around. He squealed at me to put him down.
"Mooooooom! James is acting funny!" he yelled, then ran into the kitchen where mom had gone.
I stared at Ja-dad. He smiled.
"He's still too young to understand what's happened. Hannah, however…"
He smiled at Hannah, who smiled back at him.
"She's too smart for her own good"
"DAAAAD!" She screeched, then went and tackled him while Desiree and I watched.
So this was what it was like to have a family… and to feel whole.
I could get used to it.
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Taaaaadaaaaa! This is it folks! The END of this fic!
Hope you all liked it, and hope it wasn't too disappointing for anyone!
Now… off to keep some other people happy…
