Disclaimers : Please…get real...it's fanfiction.
A/N : Paragraphs in italics are flashback
Betrayals
By aniki19
Chapter 4 - The Journey Home
Driving alone, on the long journey back home; he had hours to think. Home is about a 6 hour long drive. His father had provided him an air ticket but he needed the time to contemplate and compose himself for what lay ahead of him.
"Nana's dying…." he couldn't believe it. His gran is dying. He remembered going over to his grandparents house over the weekends or whenever his parents couldn't stand quarrelling over him. Nana was always there. To give a hug and a kiss to melt all his fears and hurt away. She was the one who always made the effort to come for all of his recitals, sports events and even his parents-teacher 's meetings. He always knew that he could count on her to be…there…and now that the thought that she could not be there for him anymore…terrified him.
He couldn't believe that he hardly kept in contact with her the past eight years or so but…she couldn't really blame him, could she? He frowned. Would she? The thought that she would blame him…sadden him. "No…Nana won't do that…that's just not her" he refused to think of Nana in that way.
"Is she still the same?" he wondered. He sighed. "I know I'm not …". He has so many things to do…so many things yet to say to her. Unconsciously, he stepped harder on the accelerator.
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"How could you let him get away with this!" an exasperated Adam ask Shalimar. He had upset his experiment when Shalimar gave him the bad news and now, he has to start from scratch.
"Well, for starters…he knew exactly how you'll react; look what you did!". She pointed to the mess on the table. Sighing, she walked over to him and laid a hand on his shoulder. "He knows it's no use talking to you because you just won't understand and he doesn't have the time to argue with you. Come on Adam…cut him some slack; he'll be back soon." She tried to reassure him.
Adam tilted his head her way and as if resolved, "You saying he'll be back in three days, right?"
"Sure…" Shalimar made her way to the sliding door "Oh, and don't bother to track him through his com-link. He left it with me for safekeeping". She popped back in just as the door was closing and flashed him a cheeky grin. "And he said he wouldn't be gone for three days…he said he'll call in three days."
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Coming around a bent he began to drive pass familiar landmarks; all of which were under his grandparents' estate management. The house was situated further in; another half an hour drive from the main road.
He saw the temperate forest and he chuckled quietly. He had once gotten lost in there when he was about six or so and he remembered the mayhem he had caused back at the main house.
He was chasing after Mr Whiskers, his grandfather's cat and had ventured a little too far from the backyard and had somehow ended up in the woods. He was about to give up on the cat --- he remembered he had an experiment he wanted to do to the poorfeline --- and walked back when a small green thing that he thought was a leaf hopped out of his way. His first encountered with a frog and he was fascinated by the odd little fellow ---with its long legs, bulging eyes and seemingly boundless energy --- and wanted desperately to show it to his Nana. Try as he might, he couldn't get his grubby little fingers around the creature. So he followed the frog and got deeper into the forest.
By the time his grandparents found him --- an army of search party including the maid, the butler, even the cook --- it was almost dark and he was curled up in between the buttress roots of a giant sequoia tree, fast asleep. He didn't get a scolding though, his Nana was just happy to see him alive and after a light supper ---he had missed his lunch and tea--- and a quick bath, he was on his way to bed.
"But Nana," he spoke quietly as his grandmother walked him to his room. "It was a little green thing that kept slipping through my fingers. I wanted to show it to you but it kept on running away. It had these really big bulging eyes and some sort of stuff on it's back. I really wanted to show it to you but I…" he yawned. "I just can't catch it". His grandmother pulled off the covers to his bed and lifted him, tucking him snugly into bed. He looked up at her as she bent down to give him a kiss goodnight. "Yes sweetheart, you had a big day today, you can tell me everything about it tomorrow, alright?". She gave him a sad smile and switch off the lights. "Night Jesse".
He didn't get to tell her what happened. He woke up in the middle of the night with a cold which developed into hypothermia and spent the remaining weekend in the hospital.
He sighed heavily. He missed her so much. Again, he stepped harder on the accelerator.
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It was late at night by the time he arrive at the manor gates. That's odd, he doesn't remember the house ever had a gate; it was purposely situated so far inland in the middle of nowhere there was never any need for a gate to have privacy. The closest neighbour was miles away. If his memory serves him right, he doesn't think they even had any neighbours.
Driving a little closer, he saw the security cameras fixed on him. Suddenly, a loud crackle startled him. "Master Jesse? We've been expecting you." The voice paused. "You're late. Please, proceed through the gates. The Master has been waiting for your arrival."
With that, the gates opened automatically with a loud mechanical grind. He winced and took a deep breath. Well, Jesse; this is it. He looked up at the menacing mansion.
I'm home.
---end of chpt 4---
YES! I did it…this is the longest chapter so far and boy am I exhausted. O.k…before I get some sleep…gotta thank e kind folks who reviewed…so here it goes :
Feral's Revenge : I'm gonna get the cake, right? (thinks) hey, I deserve the cake. Otherwise you promisedsomething precious of theirs and you wanted to give me the lame guitar and a silly laptop! Come on, u can do better than that! (evil grin) I was thinking of something else (giggles in the background) ooohhh…behave! Lol! I'm glad u love the previous chapter…I hope this chpt satisfy ur curiosity a bit and keep u at e edge of ur seat! As for what Noah has planned, all in good time, my dear; all in good time. (evil laugher) Stay tune!
KatKnits00 : Well…u could guess what Adam's reaction was, right? (laughs) that little snippet was written especially for u! Thanks for the inspiration.
Molecular 12 : well…I hope this was soon enough for you! It's gotta be a record..I actually finish this chpt under a month! Hahaha…what's my reward? Coz I need encouragement for the next one definitely.
Marie Crosby : Aha! A new victim! (rubs hands with glee) So u liked my chapter, huh? I quite like 'Unexplained' though I must stressed that I am a Jesse fan…any Jesse-centrics on the way? (looks hopeful) I hope so…there's too little of them around. Anyway…keep up e excellent wrk,k?
Falconwolf3 : I've racked my brain and managed to squeeze out this chpt…sorry bren..this is e longest I could come out short of feeling exasperated! Hopefully it will get longer or at least maintain this length for the nxt chpt too…I have no idea how this fic is gonna end..so bear wif me..k? the poor artist has to have time to come up withe crappy ideas…lol! I 'll email u soon…just as soon as I remember my password…lol!
Joslin : Delighted that u r up for the ride. Now all u got to do is hold on tight! (hey…it rhymes! )and hopefully enjoy it too…keep e review coming.
Raquelle2 : oh my god! Ur alive! (throws out the order of wreath) When r u gonna update, update, UPDATE! What happened to 'Identity Crisis'? huh! Don't tell me u have a life? (looks skeptical) So please…remove e pathetic thing u call 'a life' and get back to ur REAL life…which is to torment me wif ur stories! Pretty please!I'm begging here….oh yeah…glad u like e story so far…
Finally…pple…review! If ur reading this.,..n u like/hate or whatever…please..review…I don get paid to write tis n neither do u guys so…unless e counter-checker tt f.f says I had 'so-n so no. of hits' is wrong…review pple review..oh n sharky/ vampire azizah, if ur reading tis…leave a review too! I want to add u to my miserable collection of review…lol!
Signing off!
18/07/05
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