Author's Note: It took me at least a month to get up the nerve to write this, let alone submit it to any kind of fan-fiction website. This is my first go at this kind of thing, so while criticism is welcome, please be kind ;p. It is also a long WIP, and I am editing the rest of the story and posting as each chapter meets my satisfaction. My world is pretty true to the Jem world, although I may inject a song here or there that is contemporary because I feel that it fits the situation that I am writing about. I hope that my characterization in this story (which is quickly becoming a novel ;p) is right on, and I have tried to stay pretty true to the character's personalities. I hope you all enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. I have never shared this kind of thing with anyone before, so what the hell, here goes nothing.

Disclaimer: I know it starts in the summer, but I decided to extend it to December, trying to stay true to some Jem-World things. Also, as far as the injuries and medical stuff- they are all very possible (having suffered similar injuries of my own) and true to life. If I owned Jem and the Holograms, they would still be on TV. I also don't own any of the song lyrics I use in this story.

As Jerrica watched the love of her life stalk off, temper flaring, she couldn't hold back the tears that were threatening to fall down her pretty face. Part of her wanted to run after him, but she knew Rio too well for that. He needed a while to cool down, and he needed to be alone. 'Who knows if he'll ever even speak to me again?' she thought as she watched him stomp across the front yard. She needed to be alone too, so she turned and started off toward the front yard, not sure where she was going to go once she left Starlight Mansion, and not really caring either. By the time Jerrica reached the sidewalk, her petite body was shaking from the deep sobs escaping her in huge, gasping breaths; she made it onto the street just as Rio reached his van. She just wanted to get away, and when she heard Aja yell out her name she began to sprint, running wherever she could just to escape the pain that hovered over her like a dark cloud in a rainstorm.

Just as Rio was about turn the key to start his van a hand clamped onto his arm and yanked him back half a step toward Starlight Mansion.

"Rio!" Aja said angrily as she pulled him back to face her. She had secretly stood out of sight inside near the broken window, witnessing the entire scene between her best friend and her almost brother with mounting furiousness. 'Rio might not have stayed to hear Jerrica out, but damned if he's gonna get out of this one scott free' thought Aja.

"But out Aja!" said Rio as he jabbed the keys at the ignition, only to miss when she snatched them out of his hand with a deftness that surprised them both.

"Listen up, Mr. Pacheco! You might have walked out on Jerrica, but I have your keys, so you're gonna hear what I have to say" she spat as Rio cursed giving Jerrica his other set of keys, as she was long gone by now.

"You hate deception and you despise liars, is that right? Well, that's news to me Rio, because last I checked you were making it with JEM AND JERRICA! Do you have any idea what she wanted to say to you? How important it was, and how much it broke her heart every day to have to keep it from you? NO Rio, you have no idea because instead of noticing that something has been WRONG with Jerrica for a long time, you were too busy noticing JEM! For the past month alone I have listened to MY SISTER cry herself to sleep at night because she couldn't forgive herself for deceiving you. You promised to hear her out? You didn't even give her a chance to say ONE WORD! What would you do if Jerrica found out about your little affair with Jem? If she found out she has been beating herself up all of this time about keeping one secret from you, when you have lied right to her face? I thought you were a better man than that, Mr. Pacheco," Aja paused, looking him right in the eye, and if looks could kill, Rio would have been down for the count way before now.

"So you know what she wanted to tell me Aja?" Rio asked, through clenched teeth.

"I'm her sister Rio, she was keeping it from you because she felt she had no choice, not to mention your track record for forgiveness" Aja said, continuing to stare Rio down.

"There shouldn't be ANY REASON for her to keep ANYTHING from me!" he shouted, finally exploding from the thought that he was the only one that didn't know Jerrica's big secret.

"Do you really want to know Rio, is the suspense just killing you? Well you know what, since you told Jerrica you're through with her, I guess it doesn't matter if I tell you anyway. SHE'S JEM!" with those last words Aja and Rio were nose to nose, looking for all intensive purposes as if they were about to throw punches right there in the front yard of Starlight Mansion.

Rio just stood there, in shock, not knowing what to say, not sure he really believed it. At the same time a voice in his head was berating him for the obvious 'HOW DID YOU NOT KNOW JEM AND JERRICA WERE THE SAME WOMAN?' He couldn't believe that he had been so close to both of them, but no, it wasn't possible, he had seen them together.

"No way Aja! I've seen Jem and Jerrica standing RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER! No way are they the same person! Besides the fact that I would know my own girlfriend in a costume!"

Aja shook her head in disgust. What a dumb ass.

"Fine Rio, you don't have to believe it. Why I would make something up like that is beyond me, but you're right on one account- you SHOULD know your own girlfriend in a costume!" She spat bitterly, shaking her head and crossing her arms tightly under her chest.

"I guess there's really only one way for you to know the truth. Go find Jerrica and ask her yourself! That's if she thinks it's a good idea to talk to you again" continued Aja, infuriated as she turned back toward Starlight Mansion, totally disgusted by Rio's asinine behavior. She turned around just as Rio was starting up the van, a frantic look taking over his face.

"Oh and Rio?" she yelled, and he turned his head toward her, now looking slightly panicked "you might want to GROW UP before you set foot at Starlight anytime soon!" with that Aja walked up and slammed the front door, hearing Rio's tires peel out of the driveway and race in the direction Jerrica had been seen running earlier. 'Jerr, please forgive me for telling him, but I didn't know what else to say to make him see. I wish there was another way.' Aja was worried about her sister, and went to find Kimber and Shana, hoping they would understand everything, like always.

Jerrica walked briskly down the street leading to the park, the one her father used to take her and Kimber to when they were little girls. 'Swings, rings, slides, and rope bridges made everything seem wonderful when you had yet to experience the world' she thought ruefully, as tears continued to stream down her face. It was a bit cold, even for March, and in her haste she had forgone a coat. She couldn't believe the things that Rio had said to her. No matter what kind of things had befallen them in the past, they had always managed to work it out. 'Our past didn't involve me masquerading as an international superstar' Jerrica chided herself, 'and I am the only one to blame, I even made him want to cheat on me!' That thought just made her cry harder, fresh tears she didn't think she had left. At that moment, just as Jerrica stepped off of the sidewalk into the street, the black van barreled toward her, its occupants arguing as usual; not even giving the stray pedestrian a glance.

"Pizazz watch out!" screamed Roxy, just as the van came flying through the intersection, other cars honking at them, warning them to stop.

"Oh shit!" she exclaimed, swerving and slamming on the brakes, but it was too little too late, and she hit the young woman; flinging her lithe body into the park's lawn. Jerrica never knew what hit her.