Operation G.R.O.W.U.P, P1:

Getting

Really

Old

Will

Upset

Plans

This episode will have two parts.

My Pov

I have had a really tough couple of days. After remembering everything, I had a nervous breakdown. It took Marty an hour to calm me down. He had tried to assure me that it wasn't my fault and that I did everything I could, but it didn't help. It had been my fault. Right now, I was in Marty's car. Ever since finding each other, he would pick me up and drop me off after school. Right now, he was driving home. Not to Numbuh 1's house. My home. Where our parents were. The parents who, from what Marty had said, have been wracked with sadness ever since me and David disappeared. I was nervous. I had told him it wasn't a good idea seeing as David was Delightfulized and probably had no memory of who he was and that I was still eight years old. I was shaking the whole time.

"Mel, calm down." Marty said. I looked at him and saw him looking at me through the rearview mirror. "I know this is a really stressful thing and I'm even worried how Mom and Dad are going to react to seeing you, but I can't take seeing them the way they are when I know where you both are. At least, one of you anyway." Marty said. From what Marty had told me, our parents were in bad shape. Our mom apparently isolated herself just to cry by herself for hours and barely smiled anymore while our dad had started drinking and was barely home. This was my fault too. Soon, Marty car screeched to a stop. I looked out the window and saw a house painted white with brown tiled roof and green shutters. I felt a warm feeling when I saw that house. Marty got out of the car, then came to my side and opened the door. He held out his hand. I nervously took it and we started walking toward the door. I noticed how dark storm clouds were approaching.

'That doesn't seem like a good sign.' I thought. Marty used his key to open the door and we stepped inside. All the smells and sights hit me at once and I felt so overwhelmed.

"Marty... is that you?" a tired voice asked. It was Mom.

"Yeah, Mom. It's me." Marty said, walking toward the living room. I slowly followed behind Marty and stopped at the doorway leading to the living room. I peered around a corner and saw my mom. Or at least, someone who looked like her. She looked so old now. Her strawberry blonde hair(that I inherited)seemed to have become so dull over time and her brown eyes(that Marty inherited)seemed so lifeless. Marty sat right across from her.

"You're late coming home." Mom said.

"Just by twenty minutes. Besides, I had to pick someone up." Marty said.

"Oh? Who?" Mom asked. Marty looked toward me and motioned for me to come in. I glupped and walked in. As I stepped closer, I saw Mom's eyes widen. "It can't be..." She sat up just as I got to where she was sitting. Her trembling hands reached out and touched my face. "Melody...?" I nodded and was immediately pulled into an almost bear-like hug. Then came the crying. From both of us. Marty just watched from his seat, smiling at the sight of his mom and sister being reunited. I felt Mom stroke my hair as I gripped onto her. I looked up at her and she looked down at me. She kissed all over my face before gingerly kissing me on the forehead. She pulled back and looked me over. "How?"

"It's... complicated Mom. I'm still not entirely sure myself." I said, nervous about how she'd take my answer.

"Oh, it doesn't matter. You and David are back safe." Mom said. Both Marty and I glupped when she said that. She noticed our nervous looks and then drew a conclusion. "David isn't with you."

"No, but I can tell you that he is alive." I said. I then mentally kicked myself. Why would you say that?!

"Really? Where?" Mom asked. Before I could stutter out an answer, I heard a beeping noise. I looked at my wrist and saw my alarm was flashing.

"I... I gotta go. I'll be right back." I said, running back out the door.

"Melody, wait!" Mom cried. I used my J.E.T.A.B.O.O.T.S and flew up into the air. I looked down at my mom, who was being held back by Marty.

"I promise, I'll be back!" I said, as I flew off toward Sector V's treehouse. The dark clouds that had formed before burst open, releasing a downpour of rain. As I approached the treehouse, I saw a large machine destroy it with one of its claws. "NO!" That's when the machine turned around.

"Well well well. If it isn't Melody Aurora, the girl who hasn't heard of the Kids Next Door." I heard the voices of the Delightful Children say. One of the claws of the machine they were in suddenly shot forward and grabbed me. I struggled and tried to get free.

"Let me go!" I demanded.

"Oh no. We believe Father can make use of you." the Delightful Children said, smiling. I felt my blood run cold at the mention of that name.

"No... No!" I screamed. A door opened in the machine and I was thrown in. It closed, leaving me in darkness. I started banging on the walls of wherever I was. "Let me out! Let me out of here!" I slammed my fists against the walls one final time before letting fall down to my side. Then I started to cry. Not from the throbbing pain I was feeling my hands, but the realization that I was going to be Delightfulized possibly as soon as we got back to the mansion. I was going to end up a prisoner in my own mind just like my team. I soon felt the machine stop and lower to the ground. Then a door opened, showing the Delightful Children.

"Please follow us." they said. I got up and followed. There was no point in fighting them. I was too broken to fight. Sector V had lost and they had finally won.