FORGOT TO DO A DISCLAIMER.
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. Not the characters, most of them anyway, not the night world, not the notions, blah, blah, blah, I don't own the places where they go: Las Vegas, California, UC Davis or anything else. I just own the plot. If L.J.Smith or whoever does own Las Vegas, California and UC Davis wants to sue, feel free, but I'm only 15 – how much do you think you're gonna get!
Chapter 2.
Thea awoke hearing a girl's voice downstairs shouting 'Brandy!' at the top of her lungs. It may have sounded like a demand for underage alcohol to most people, but not to Thea. She instantly placed the voice as being Rosemund's – and she would be calling for their Cocker Spaniel puppy: Brandy. Hopefully not the drink. She closed her eyes again, trying to sleep, but failed now that she had come out of her unconsciousness.
She turned over in the bed, noticing Eric wasn't beside her, and glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table, the numbers glared out at her: 9:14, she breathed a sigh of relief, she'd thought it was going to be a lot later than that. Yawning, she pushed the covers off and sat up, stretching her arms above her head, she could see the cot on the other side of the room, but Blaise wasn't inside. Eric had probably taken her downstairs so that she wouldn't wake her, Thea smiled, sweet.
When she had first come to live with the Ross family, the few months where she and Eric finished school before heading to Circle Daybreak Headquarters for the summer, and intending to stay there through college, she had slept in Rosemund's room, which had been just fine with her and Eric – now, however, those sleeping arrangements seemed pretty stupid. They were instead sharing a bed that wasn't really big enough for two people until Mrs. Ross could get another one for them. The baby would sleep in their room until the nursery – formally the guest room – was decorated.
She stood, walking to the wardrobe and selecting very carefully a pair of beige jeans and a white off-the-shoulder sweater, she dressed quickly, pulling a brush then a comb swiftly through her hair – she didn't have time to straighten it, but it was almost naturally straight anyway – she dotted concealer under her eyes and brushed her lashes with brown mascara. She was ready ten minutes after she awoke, then she went downstairs.
The whole of the Ross family was sitting at the kitchen table. Eric had Blaise on his lap, a bottle poised at her mouth – she knew how lucky she had to have him, most guys, soulmated or not, wouldn't take to their kid that well – Rosemund was shovelling cereal into her mouth as she talked in animated tones about the new teacher at her school that she thought was sexist, Mrs. Ross was humming as she buttered toast.
Thea groaned. Why did the whole family have to be so energized first thing in the morning? She could barely force herself out of bed, felt like hell afterwards, and they could be talking and singing at this unholy hour. "Morning," she grunted, went to the kitchenette and opened a box of cereal, not aware of which one she'd picked up but not really caring, then took it to the table without any milk.
"Morning, Thea!" Cynthia Ross said, it was a little too happy for Thea. Her head hurt like hell, and this woman was yelling – excitedly – like she was going to do one of those things that drove Eric to insanity.
"You know, Thea," Rosemund stopped her rant to talk conversationally – and, even better, without her mouth full – "we do have milk, other than baby milk, in this house."
She glanced at the girl uncomprehendingly. Blinked. What is she on about? Milk? "What about it?"
"Your cereal, duh!" Rosemund laughed, rolling her eyes, "goddess, did you have too much to drink at that wedding last night?"
Actually…Thea wasn't completely sure she hadn't. She didn't normally feel like this at nine o'clock on a Saturday morning – possibly because she normally slept in until at least half ten.
"Leave Thea alone, Roz," Eric's mother laughed, handing Thea a mug of coffee, she accepted it gratefully with a smile; Rosemund didn't deflate her excitement though. She was about to say something when the phone rang "I'll get it!" she called, speeding towards the hall.
"What's her rush?" Thea asked softly, following the girl with her eyes, Eric glanced over and his own eyes crinkled into a smile, "you missed that bit of the conversation, Thea, but Roz has a boyfriend – apparently. She wont let me or mom talk to him. Not even to say 'hello, yes, she's right here.' We have a theory he doesn't exist."
The girl was only ten. Thea had to smile. "Thea, it's for you," the girl grinned, stuck her tongue out at Eric after she heard the last bit of the conversation, and then handed the phone over.
Oh no, no way. No one could make her talk to them at this hour. No chance. Against herself, she took the phone, "Hello."
"Hiya Thea!" an excited voice boomed down the phone, and Thea closed her eyes. Poppy. Poppy North with as much energy as the whole Ross family on a morning, they'd become close after a while, but she had better not be phoning just for a chat at that hour.
You're getting lazy, Thea, she told herself.
It's okay. I have an excuse. I'm a mother.
"Please, Poppy, I'm begging that you aren't calling just for a chat. If you are, couldn't it have waited until I'm half alive?" Rosemund snorted in the kitchen, Mrs. Ross put the plates down and Brandy climbed up her leg.
"Haha," Poppy's elated voice sang down the phone, "no, I am phoning on business," she rolled the last word out as far as it would go.
Brandy was on her lap and trying to chew the phone in his version of 'conversation' Thea knocked him back a little, "down boy, I'm on the phone."
"What's Eric doing?" Poppy cried out in surprise, "even Jamie leaves me alone when I'm on the phone!"
Thea felt the blood go to her face, probably making her go as red as the tablecloth, she lowered her voice, and muttered, "I wasn't talking about Eric, Poppy, I was talking to the dog," Mrs. Ross let out a giggle, Thea didn't turn, but she wouldn't have been surprised to see if Eric's face wasn't the exact shade of hers.
"Oh." There was a pause, "who's that laughing?"
"His mother."
"Oh goddess," Poppy was giggling like anything now, "I'm so sorry. Anyway, business, Jamie's trying to hurry me up."
"All this from the one who leaves you alone on the phone?" Thea mocked slightly.
"Exactly. Anyway, Thierry told us to call you. Actually, he told Jez and Morgead to phone you, but they haven't, I don't think, so I'll do it. He wants a meeting of all the soulmate couples – something urgent – except Keller and Galen of course, he's not going to bother them on their honeymoon, not after everything…anyway, he wants the rest of us there. The whole shabam, the Night World's dug up an old prophecy or something. Sounds interesting. Dangerous interesting."
"We'll be there," Thea said, looking sideways at Eric, "Or I will be, at least. I'll have to ask Eric," she said in a voice that told everyone in the room that she'd tell Eric and he would comply, "what about Blaise."
Poppy's voice rose three octaves, "oooh! Bring her too! She's such a cutey-wootey," Thea heard James groan, she did too, "save the baby talk until you see her, but seriously – is Thierry going to be happy about a screaming baby in his meeting?"
"Absolutely." Poppy agreed, "Hannah will make sure of it, besides…screaming baby! You can't tell me that kid is anything less than perfect. We're going to adopt, Jamie and me, he hasn't got around to agreeing yet – but he will if he knows what's good for him. That's it, I've gotta go now, maybe by tomorrow you'll be alive. The meeting's tomorrow, by the way – at ten. Bring the kid, or the rest of us will be forced to hurt you."
"Will do," Thea laughed, and then turned the cordless phone off with the flick of a button, Eric looked up at her, and she looked down, towards the cereal, which had magically developed milk.
"Who was that then?" Mrs. Ross asked cheerfully, biting into her toast, she raised an eyebrow delicately, her glasses going with it.
"Poppy, she's my cousin's girlfriend. They were at the same place as Eric and me over the summer." Which was true enough, only they always stayed there before Poppy had gotten in touch with her family; she had nowhere else to go.
With his eyes, Eric quizzed her, she mouthed the word 'meeting' at him, and he nodded slowly. She took a mouthful of her cereal, chewed, and lifted the spoon to her lips for a second time.
"Oh. So, Eric, when are you going to make Thea an honest woman and ask her to marry you?" this was such a change of subject that Thea didn't comprehend it for a few minutes. When she did, she spluttered, trying to keep her cereal and milk in her mouth, she glanced over Eric: he'd let the bottle drop to Blaise's bib and was paling. Mrs. Ross was a lot of good things, but subtle wasn't one of them.
While everyone else was silent: Mrs. Ross waiting for an answer, Thea just speechless, and Eric probably wishing he was anywhere but the kitchen table, Rosemund frowned, "you know, I hate that expression. Thea is an honest woman, marrying a man doesn't change that. So sexist…"
All Thea knew was that she had to get out of there, away from the kitchen. The atmosphere was so thick that you could cut it with a knife. This time, she wasn't going to run, leaving Eric to tail her in his jeep, instead she tried to think of an excuse.
"Erm…I think I'll go and…erm…" Thea made a cutting motion with her hand, she looked at Eric, then at Blaise. She was still in her sleep-suit, "Get Blaise an outfit!" she burst out, hurrying to the stairs.
Behind her, she could hear Mrs. Ross laughing and could feel Eric silently fuming at his mother.
Now she got what he meant when he said he was going insane living with his mother.
There'll be some action in a couple of chapters. I promise. This bit is kinda necessary, see why later :D