Sibling Affection

"So, you guys got here by chopper?" asked Darry.

"Sure did," answered Rigel. "Dad nearly killed us in his hurry."

"Hey, we were all anxious to get here as fast as possible, OK?" said Sirius, his face reddening slightly. Antares laughed freely.

"Aw, that's sweet in a weird kind of way," she said.

"Are you guys famous or something?" asked Darry.

"Not really," Antares replied with a casual shrug. "We're just kinda filthy stinking rich is all. Did I forget to mention?"

"Yeah," said Darry, dazed. "Yeah, you did."

"My bad," said Antares sweetly. "I do make a notable amount singing, but I'm not exactly going on a world tour. My friend Courtney and I made a website, and just for giggles we put sound clips of us singing, together and solo, on the site. Turns out some hotshot record company guy heard us and liked what he heard. He contacted us, and we made an album that sold reasonably well. We started getting offers from producers and music companies that were looking for fresh, new singers, and we did stuff like the Easton State Theatre gig. We had another gig set up for the week after I was taken, but I don't know what happened with that."

"Courtney couldn't do it," said Mira gently. "She didn't have the heart. She hasn't sung and has barely spoken since you disappeared. Same with Caitlin, though she wasn't much of a singer in the first place." Antares gave her a look. "Oh, I'm not saying Caitlin's a bad singer! I'm just saying that she didn't sing as much as you and Courtney did as far as I know." Antares smiled.

"I knew that." She turned back to Darry. "Sorry I didn't mention this before, but I was kinda preoccupied." Darry nodded understandingly.

"So, how'd you get your fortune?" he asked, looking fro m Antares to her family members.

"My father and grandfather were treasure hunters of a sort," explained Mira. "They worked with Sirius's father, which is how we met. They found a lot of ancient ruins and priceless artifacts, and Daddy built his fortune on the ten percent finder's fee he received and split with his companions. Trust me, even after a three-way split there was still a fair amount, especially considering what some of the relics they found were worth. Eventually he settled down as age began to get to him, and spent his time with his family and his inventions. Daddy's always inventing something, though he'll drop everything to play with his grandchildren. For my wedding, he invented some bizarre sort of unicycle that plays music from metal disks when you pedal. He did a routine with it, and someone made him a fabulous offer that he couldn't ignore. I told him it was all right and that he should sell the invention, so he did and invested with the company who reproduced it. It was a huge success, particularly with circus people."

"Wait a second," said Darry, turning to Antares, "you're the MusiCycle heiress?"

"Yah," said Antares with a sheepish grin. "Grampa was very proud of that one. He'd like you. Maybe you'll get to meet him some time."

"Yeah, maybe," said Darry distantly. He looked at the door and sighed. "How long has it been since I called my family, d'you know?"

"A few hours," Antares said, glancing at the clock. "Two and a half, maybe three. We've been talking for a while." She looked at Darry. "They're coming, Dare. They're on their way. Don't worry."

"I just can't help thinking about the last time Trish and I were here together," Darry sighed. "I can still hear her screaming, that thing sniffing us both, the glass shattering…"

"Talk to me," said Antares gently, sitting down on the bench once more. "Tell me what you see." Darry sat next to her but didn't look at her.

"Jezelle told us to run upstairs," he said dispassionately. "That psychic I told you about. Her name was Jezelle. She said she had dreamed about everything that had happened to me and Trish that day. She said the Creeper would find us hiding in a room. Well, he did. There was a blackout, and we couldn't get out. We ran and hid like she said, but there was no way out still. I tried to get Trish to come with me and find a window that would open, but she tried to get me to stay where we were. The Creeper burst through the two-way mirror and grabbed us both. He sniffed us each a couple times and threw Trish aside. He held me tightly, choking me, one arm around my throat, one around my chest. The police burst in, but didn't do anything. What could they do? Trish pleaded with the Creeper to let me go and take her. I told her not to be a hero, like I said the other night, remember? I was afraid the Creeper would do as she said for a second, until he jerked me around and smashed through the window. Trish ran after us as far as she could, screaming my name as he carried me away through the air. Then, well…you know the rest." Antares was silent, her eyes narrowed in compassion. Slowly she put her arms around him in a gentle embrace. After a moment's pause, Darry reciprocated. The two just sat thus for a time, neither speaking. Nothing needed to be said that could be said with words. All that they needed to express was there in their arms.

"I did the same thing," said Mira softly. The kids looked up at her, slightly startled. "I ran after that monster when he took Ana as far as I could follow."

"I didn't hear you," said Antares softly, wonderingly. "I didn't see you."

"You weren't looking down, sweetheart," Mira replied gently. "You're too scared of heights."

"No," said Antares softly, smiling at Darry. "I was too scared of heights. Now there's one thing for sure: I'm not afraid anymore." Darry smiled at her approvingly. A bell chimed as the front door opened. Darry's head snapped up hopefully as a blond-haired young woman hurried through the door. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Darry sitting on the bench. Darry slowly rose from his seat, staring at the girl."Trish?" he croaked. "Trisha?"

"D-dar-ry?" stuttered Trish, hardly able to believe her eyes. "Is it really you?"

"What's Poly-Psi-Guy been doin' to you, anyway?" Darry asked quietly. Trish gave an unintelligible cry and rushed to her brother's arms. He caught her up and swung her around, both of them laughing and crying for joy. A brown-eyed blond woman and a hazel-eyed brown-haired man rushed in and joined the hug, surprising Trish and Darry both. Darry's eyes grew wider with joy at the sight of his parents and he hugged them both. His sobbing mother kissed him repeatedly on both cheeks, holding him as though she'd never let him go. Darius Sr. held his entire family in his arms with a look in his eyes as if he feared he'd never hold them again.

Antares stood back in her own family's arms, watching her friend's tearful reunion with a dreamy sort of smile. Rigel noticed and whispered, "What's up, Super Starr?"

"Hmm?" asked Antares, glancing up at him. "Oh nothing. I'm just happy." She smiled and tears leaked from her eyes down her face. "I'm so happy." Her voice broke as she spoke and she started crying again softly. Darry turned and saw her as she was drying her eyes.

"Oh," he said, wriggling gently out of his family's slightly-suffocating-but-loving-nonetheless embrace and going over to Antares. "Guys, this is Antares Starr and her family. Ana's the one who saved me. Twice, in fact. She stopped the Creeper from killing me, and she showed me the way out."

"I wouldn't've had the courage to follow that way if not for you," said Antares, blushing. "Darry, what I was whispering to my family before, you want to know?" Darry nodded. "I thought it might be nice, if you wanted, for you and your family to spend the week at our beach house in North Carolina. It's really beautiful, and so peaceful and quiet. We own our own private section of beach, too."

"It sounds great," said Darry with perfect honesty. He turned to his family. "What do you think?"

"It sounds absolutely wonderful, and it's just what you two need after an ordeal like this," declared Selene with finality. "Oh, I'm so rude, my dear, I'm Selene, Darry's mother. This is his father, Darius Senior, and his older sister, Patricia."

"Hi, it's really nice to meet you," said Trish, extending her hand to Antares.

"Nice to meet you too," said Antares. "I've heard a lot of nice things about you." Trish smiled at Darry. "This is my mother, Mira, my father, Sirius, and my older brother, Rigel." Introductions and how-do-you-dos were made all around for a few minutes. At length, Antares and Darry both yawned as one. Their respective families smiled.

"Maybe it's time we were on our way," Mira suggested gently. Everyone agreed. Antares and Darry turned to Jack Sr., who was still there watching over them.

"Thank you," said Antares. "For everything. For stopping for me, for getting us here, for watching over us until our families came, everything." Smiling, she hugged him lightly.

"Thank you so much," said Darry. "I don't want to think about what might've happened to either of us if you hadn't come."

"No problem, kids," Jack replied with a smile. "You need me, I'm here." He handed them each a business card with his phone and address.

"And here-" said Jack Jr., taking the cards briefly and writing on the backs before handing them back "-here's where I'm at." He had written an AIM screen name on each card.

"And you take care of that monster's carcass," Antares added. "Because I'm coming back for it some day. Do what you want with it, make what you can off it for the next twenty-two years and 360-some-odd days, but keep it for me. I'm going to destroy it. I will dismember it, burn it's pieces to ashes, and bury them across the continent and see if it can live and terrorize that way." Jack nodded.

"I'll be waiting for you," he said. He hugged both kids briefly, and his son did likewise.

"Thanks for Billy," Jack Jr. whispered to Antares. She smiled at him and squeezed his hand. Jack Jr. smiled back and headed out with his father.

"C'mon," said Sirius gently, putting one hand on each teen's shoulder. "Let's go home."

A/N: Oh, don't think it ends there! There's still lots more to come; I just wanted to add some lighter chapters in there with all the horror and gore. But the horror and gore will make a comeback, I promise!