A/N: Wow. It's been a busy week. And I want to apologize to all my Broomsticks on Fire readers...I promise, I'll try to update ASAP. But my main focus right now is this story. Anyway, this is a pretty long chapter. Hope you enjoy.

Choices

Chapter Forty-Three

"Mom," I said as I entered the house. "I think…it's time."

Mom looked at me in astonishment. "What—what happened out there?" she asked.

"That wacko was literally attacking Jake!" Dad said angrily, shaking his head.

"What?" said Mom, frown creasing her forehead. Man, I thought, she's like gonna have permanent frown lines on her head after all this is over. I almost laughed at the prospect.

Rose quickly made her way to my side. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, baby," I said quickly. I wanted to put her mind at ease as quickly as possible. It seemed to work. I couldn't help feeling a bit pleased that she cared so much—even about the little things.

Mom pulled me aside. "Um, Jake honey," she said in a hushed voice, casting a swift glance at Dad, "what's all this about…'it's time'?"

"Well…standing out there…on the porch and all…seeing Dad being so protective…I kinda felt closer to him than I had in a while…I liked it. But I know that things will get better if we just tell him. He needs to know. Please," I added, looking into my Mother's dark eyes, searching for any hint of emotion, anything that would signify the way she felt about my proposal.

"Well…Jake, this is a big thing…I don't know if he's ready."

"Mom, he punched Rotwood in the face!"

"He did what?" said Mom, a little too loudly. Her face reddened as Dad and Rose, who had been conversing quietly a few feet away, looked at us in surprise.

"Are you talking about me?" said Dad. "'Cause if you are, I know that you're thinking that I made the wrong decision, but when I saw that wacko professor attacking Jake…I couldn't help myself."

"I know," I said simply. "Thanks."

"Hon," my mom said, glancing at Dad. "Maybe some other time…I don't know…"

"Mom!" I exclaimed, exasperated. "Don't you think we owe it to him? Don't you think he deserves to know?"

"It's not that!" retorted my mother. I was getting on her nerves. I could tell. I could always tell. Every single time. "It would be a big shock, don't you think? Maybe we should gradually let him know! But just to dump it all on him at once!"

"Oh, I get it! You don't think he can handle it? Just like you didn't think I could handle anything?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, right. Okay. So now you don't know."

"Jacob Long, do not use that tone with me! I'm just doing it for his own good…and as for you, I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Well, you never trusted me! You yelled at me for being out late, and fussed when I was gone for over two hours."

"It's not that I didn't trust you! I wanted to protect you!"

"Well, I'm not a kid anymore!"

"You are getting way off subject!" my mom said, eyes flashing. "Listen, Jake," she said, "I love you. I hate fighting with you, but you've got to understand. I don't think he's ready."

"You've thought that for thirteen years!"

"Jake! Will you just consider what I'm saying?"

"Why should I? You're not listening to me!"

"Jake…" said my mom softly. I heard a warning sound in her voice.

"Okay, sorry," I muttered, not wanting to get grounded.

It was at that moment I realized something. Without our noticing, our voices had grown steadily louder. I turned and looked at Rose and Dad. They were staring at us as if they didn't know what to say. I'm guessing they didn't.

Dad had never seen Mom and I get into a big fight before. In fact, I rarely fought with my parents. And Rose…I suddenly felt embarrassed, ashamed to even look at Rose. I averted my eyes to the floor. Why had I acted so childish in front of her?

Dad recovered quickly. He cleared his throat uneasily, but then proceeded with more confidence. "I don't know what is going on here, but I want to know. Is there…is there anything you guys are keeping from me?" He walked over to us and put a gentle hand on Mom's shoulder. Looking into her eyes, I saw regret fill her eyes, then it was quickly replaced with something that I rarely saw in my mother: fear. I then realized to the full extent why she was so regretful to tell him. She was afraid; afraid of the consequences, afraid of his reaction.

She had kept this a secret from him for over thirteen years, since before they were married. How would he feel about finding out that his own wife had kept such a great secret from him for so many years? What would he do? What would he feel?

I suddenly felt sorry for my rash actions and hasty words. "Mom," I said softly, "I'm—I'm sorry. I know it's scary. But I think it'll be okay. And he does deserve to know, don't you think?"

"Yeah," another voice chimed in. It was Rose. She smiled encouragingly. "It's not good to keep secrets…trust me. He deserves to know what has really happened, and the cause of all this stuff that's bothered Jake…to know where we're really going…"

"What?" said Dad, openly flabbergasted.

"Honey," said Mom, tears brimming her eyes, "there is something we need to tell you…it's something really important…almost impossible…but true…"

"What?"

"Um, why don't we wait until Haley and Dad get back?" said Mom breathlessly. I knew why she was so nervous. She had took the plunge. She was going to have to tell him.

Haley and Gramps had went on a lunch outing, for although she wasn't in training yet, Mom and Gramps found it necessary for their relationship to remain on good and easy terms.

"Okay," said Dad uneasily.

"Wait for what?" came a chipper voice from the doorway. Haley and Gramps had returned.

"Dad…Haley…" said Mom slowly. "It's time…we've decided it…after a little controversy, I might add," she said, glancing sideways at me.

"Are you sure, dear?" said Gramps doubtfully.

"Yes. Jake and Rose leave tomorrow, and he needs to know why."

"Yay! Daddy can finally be in on our 'family secret!'" said Haley excitedly.

"Okay, what is this all about?" said Dad. I could tell that he was feeling a little upset by the prospect that we apparently had a secret that we had kept from him all these years.

We adjourned to the living room, where we all took a seat, save for Mom, who was pacing nervously across the floor. She took a deep breath, obviously trying to think of a way to best approach the situation.

She apparently decided to just let it out. "Okay, here's the thing: you know when you were hallucinating? That red 'alligator you saw?"

Dad nodded slowly. "Are you trying to tell me that I wasn't hallucinating?"

Mom nodded, then said, "But more than that…" I held my breath, waiting for the inevitable, hoping that his reaction wouldn't be too bad… "It was a dragon…it was Jake."

A/N: Well...how was it? What do you think the reaction will be? I hope you enjoyed, and I'll update asap! Please review! C-ya

~Emachinescat ^..^