Sorry that it's taking me so long to update, only I've been really distracted with mocks, revision, family issues and other whatnots... I still hope you guys like this new chapter nonetheless! ; )

A Familiar Face

Amy met Tom outside the church at twelve o'clock the next day. The little boy who had introduced himself as 'Alan' the previous day wasn't there, but there were instead two identical little boys. Tom glanced bitterly at them as Amy approached, then shouted out loudly, "Meet the rest of my family. I call them the Tweeds, or Thumb and Weed, but for your benefit this is Billy and Rodney, the adorable twins. Alan isn't here at the moment 'cos he's got a footie match."

"Why do you call them Thumb and Weed?" Amy asked, hiding a laugh as she stared at the twins. "Why not just Billy and Rodney?"

Tom sighed, as though this was the third time he had explained this to her and she really wasn't understanding. "It stands for Tweedledum and Tweedledee, from 'Alice In Wonderland'. Tweedledum sounds like "thumb", and Tweedledee sounds like "Weed". Git it?"

Amy nodded and grinned. Tom handed her a bucket, then rounded on the Weeds and pointed to the picnic basket. "Carry that, you two, and don't drop it. And if either of you even think about snuffling any of the biscuits you'll be eating mouse droppings for a week." Tom turned back to Amy and shrugged. "They have to be kept on a short tether, I say. So, have you ever been blackberrying before?"

It started raining half an hour later. Tom, Amy and the Weeds ran back towards the village as fast as they could, staggering under the weight of so many blackberries. Amy and Tom herded the Weeds ahead of them, shouting and laughing as they rushed down the roads towards the village, diving in and out from under the canopies of the trees. Amy hadn't felt so alive and free in years, and she scarcely had time to pause and smell the air around her. She had never smelt such a fresh dampness from trees before, nor seen true mud forming in the green fields before – London just didn't have that, save for in the parks, but it was hardly the same. Amy even had to smile as she remembered her amazement of seeing real sheep before, and her embarrassment as Tom had to explain the differences between the bull and the cow, and pointed out the different yet identical cows in some of the fields, naming them easily from his summer job as a farm hand.

Amy suddenly jumped, realising Tom had spoken to her. His hand was on her shoulder as he asked her the question again, but Amy barely heard it. She leapt back away from him, terror in her eyes.

"Don't touch me!"

"Hey!" Tom retorted, holding up his hands as though in surrender. "Don' freak out on me! I jus' asked if you'd be wantin' a cup of tea? Mum'll be puttin' the kettle on 'bout now."

Amy hung her head, letting her blonde hair hide the shamed reddening of her cheeks. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get so...worked up. I...I don't know what came over me."

"Don' worry, Amy." Tom suddenly grinned wolfishly, nudging her and nodding towards his house as they past the church. The Tweeds ran ahead, past the gates and through the graveyard, shouting and one another in their boyish manner, Amy and Tom following along slowly behind. "My Mum's laid down the house rules already like. Yeh don' kiss on first dates."

Amy stopped dead in her tracks, mind numb with fright. "I'm sorry? Tom, y-you c-c-can't---"

He rolled his eyes. "I'm jokin', lass. C'mon, I'll introduce to my mum." He pushed open the door, letting out a loud shout: "Mum! Got a visitor!"

A tall, striking woman with red hair and brown eyes appeared in the doorway that lead into what Amy could only guess was the kitchen. "Ooh, is tha' Amy? Ah, my dear, come an' sit yourself down like, make yourself at home! Hope my Tom's been lookin' after you like."

Amy nodded, throat suddenly dry and too tight to speak. Tom saw the nervousness about her, and stuffed his bucket of blackberries into his mother's arms. "Thanks, Mum, jus' embarrass the poor girl, why don't you? We got your blackberries."

"Bes' don' let your granddad hear that we're making jam with it," his mother laughed. "You know how much he likes it."

"Wha do I like?" Amy looked up as an old man entered the room. She started as she recognised the old man who had given her such a surprise in the graveyard the day before, but felt herself smiling as he met her gaze and grinned. "Oh, hello, young lady. You must be Father Mayne's evacuee – Tom's been talking about you so much, I think I may need to muzzle him soon, if I want to get a bit of piece and quiet in my own home."

Tom turned beetroot and glared at the old man. "You could always ask me to shut up."

"Too kind for that," the man replied, then held his hand out to Amy. "Poor child, I feel sorry that you have been introduced to our crazy family! That's very heavy make-up, I must say."

Amy grinned slightly. "It's Emo, sir."

"London must have changed," the man noted, then smiled again. "I was an evacuee once, myself. Will Oakley, at your service."

The girl froze once more, staring at the old man as though someone had just given her an electric shock. Tom hid a laugh behind a fake cough, making Will look at him. "I take it she doesn't know?"

"Nope," Tom said wickedly, pushing his sandy hair back out of his face. "She's read Good Night Mr Tom. We were talking about it last night."

"What my grandson has obviously failed to tell you is that Thomas Oakley is his adoptive great-granddad," Will explained to Amy gently, as the girl tried and failed not to gape, scarcely able to believe what she was hearing. "I was Willie Beech, a long, long time ago...but then Tom adopted me. I'm sorry my Tom failed to warn you – are you all right?"

"I'm...I'm sorry!" Amy gasped, fighting herself out of her shock. You're being rude! "I was reading... You are one of the greatest actors of the twentieth century! You've been an inspiration to actors world wide! I didn't think you'd...still be in Little Weirwold."

Will laughed, motioning to a chair as Tom draped himself lazily in an armchair by the fire, legs hanging off the arms. "Why, thank you...Amy? A nice name, Amy. Well, my acting days are long over, and Little Weirwold is and always will be my home. I brought my wife back to live here, our children were born and raised here, and this is where my father died. There are too many memories for me here to uproot, especially not now." He looked at Tom and winked. "Besides, I have to keep my eye on these unruly descendants of mine! So, evacuee to evacuee, what do you think of this place?"

"It's...different," Amy replied cautiously. "London seems a world away, and...and it's hard to think what might be happening there. The country seems a lot more relaxed, yet far closer to each other. Everyone seems to know everyone."

"Bigger villages and towns are less connected," Tom spoke up. "Little Weirwold has always been a close community like, and it can be a pain."

Will glanced at his grandson, then rolled his eyes at Amy, who smiled slightly. "Don't listen to our Tom. Look, child, if you ever have any questions or need any help, don't hesitate in coming to find me. You'll usually find me helping out down at the local community centre, and...and you should join in the acting group here! Tom's a member."

"He didn't stop pesterin' me for a month," Tom muttered, pulling a face. "I had to give in, in the end, or else I'd've never heard the end of it."

Tom's mother suddenly appeared in the doorway, an apron tied around her waist. "So, you two, do you want to help us make the jam?"

Tom's granddad leant forwards in his chair, eyes dancing. "Jam, I hear you say? We're in for a treat tonight! Go on, Thomas, go and help your mother."

Tom grumbled as he rolled out of the chair, beckoning to Amy. "C'mon, townie. Bet you ent tasted real jam before – Granddad always says 'if it ent homemade, it ent worth eatin''."

Amy nodded as she followed Tom into the kitchen, where the two eager-faced twins were leaping up and down on their knees on their seats at the table. They'd obviously been snuffling the odd blackberry while their mother had been out of the room, because their mouths were stained with the glossy red juice of the berries. Tom's mum threw the two teenagers an apron each, then gave her two youngest a light-hearted scolding for being greedy. Amy couldn't help thinking that Andrew would probably have given them a good hour's lecture on the sin of gluttony, and envy struck at her heart: she wished she had a mother like Tom's; so carefree, so cheerful. Her mother had been like that, but she'd been a business woman, far too busy to make jam with her children.

Tom was still grumbling under his breath, eyeing a pile of blackberries. "We always managed to eat more blackberries than we put into the jam," he muttered, then his hand darted out and snared two blackberries. He nudged Amy, pressing one gently into her hand. "C'mon, I'll challenge you to a game: first person to nick fifteen blackberries wins."

Amy hesitated, closing her hand carefully around the berry as Tom popped his into his mouth. "What happens if we get caught?"

"Mum usually flicks water at us," Tom replied, then grinned as he saw the uncertainty in Amy's eyes. "Honestly, anyone would think you were expecting her to beat us with the rolling-pin!"

---

There are two members in the chatroom: Tom/Amy

Tom: I think I'll scream if I see another blackberry! Honestly, if I never see another one for the rest of my life, it'll be too soon!

Amy: I've didn't manage to finish my supper, and Aunt Tilly thinks I'm sick. So embarrassing trying to explain to her that I'd just stuffed myself on jam.

Tom: Haha! Poor you! P Did you like my granddad?

Amy: I can't BELIEVE you didn't tell me, you meanie! I still can't quite believe you're related to THE William Oakley! I'm still waiting for you to tell me that it's just a big joke!

Tom: I'm not THAT mean, Amy. Well... No, the fact just kinda...slipped my mind?

Amy: Is he your dad's dad?

Tom: Yeh. Granddad had three kids: Zach, Michael and Trudy. Zach was my dad, but he was killed in a car accident when the twins were still squealers. Granddad hasn't heard from Uncle Mike in like a decade, and Trudy moved out to Australia with her husband. She sends Christmas cards and stuff, but it isn't the same, and Granddad hates it. (

Amy: Gosh, that's sad! My Mum died a month or so back. I haven't seen my brother since the funeral.

Tom: You get on well with your brother, don't you? Mum said Mrs Mayne says he's in a boarding school of some sorts.

Amy: Barrings Estate. My stepfather thought he was being too naughty. Liam was into drugs and booze, and he was always being picked up by the police, so Andrew sent him to his brother's boarding school for teenage delinquents – really religious. Andrew and his brother were brought up in a orphanage run by nuns or something piratically since birth, so they're really into that sort of thing.

Tom: Eeek! And I thought Father Mayne was bad enough! You heard there's going to be a special programme on TV tonight about evacuees? Gonna watch?

Amy: Living it. Don't need to see it.

Tom: Soz! Granddad wants to watch it – says he wants to see if the kids of this generation are being treated better than his.

Amy suddenly jumped as Aunt Tilly suddenly came into the living room, the telephone in her hands. "Amy, your stepfather's on the phone for you. Would you like to take it?"

Feeling cold inside, Amy nodded and quickly typed:

Amy: Phone call from Andrew. Talk to you soon?

Tom has signed off.

"Amy, is that you, love?" Andrew's voice asked gently, as Aunt Tilly handed her the phone and left the room. "I just thought I'd drop a line to see how you're getting along out there."

"Oh, thanks," Amy said quickly, ignoring her trembling hand on the phone. "Are...are you all right?"

"Well enough. I'm missing you – the house is quiet without you. I hear your with a nice family. Are you helping them? Not giving them any trouble, are you?"

"No, Andrew."

"Saying your prayers? Do you read the Bible at six?"

Amy cursed herself inwardly – no, she hadn't. She'd had other things to think about, and it was half seven now. "Yes, Andrew. I get in half an hour, but there's a lot that I have to do. I need to help with the blackouts, make sure the fire's out. Mrs Mayne lets me feed her goldfish."

"That's very nice of her," Andrew's voice commented dryly. Amy could almost feel his irritation in her ear. "When does school start? Tomorrow?" Amy confirmed that it did. "Are the children there nice?"

The screen saver on her laptop dissolved, and a flashing sign on her screen announced: Liam has just signed in.

Liam: Haha! I see you've been talking to Lover Boy again! How is Tommy?

Answer Andrew! "Yes, the kids are nice enough." Amy didn't want to mention Tom, or risk a furious lecture over the phone or, worse still, Andrew might come down if he thought... No, Amy didn't want to think of it! "Have you heard from...Liam?"

Amy: Talking to Andrew!

Liam: Give the old goat my 'kind' regards: I vomit in his face ... Ooops!

Andrew snorted over the line. "That boy? He hates me, Amy; he wouldn't tell me the time of day, not even if his life depended on it. Look, love, I have a report due in tomorrow, so I have to hang up now. You'll be all right, promise? And be good."

"I promise." Amy jumped as the phone buzzed in her ear: Andrew had hung up on her. Not that she was sorry for it; she was glad he was gone. Just hearing his voice made her feel sick with fear. She ran the phone back out to its stand, then raced back to her laptop.

Amy: LIAM! I can't escape him! Even when I'm not at home, he still manages to scare me lifeless! He says he misses me, and that the house is quiet without me.

Liam: He's just sore 'cos he's got no one to pick on. It's no fun shouting at your own reflection, and it's hard to make a plant scream in pain. You feeling OK?

Amy: You'll laugh – I feel really shaky.

Liam: Eat some chocolate. And I'm not laughing, not when HE'S concerned. Hugs from afar . Feeling better?

Amy: Thanks. ... I made jam today!

Liam: I made a mess in the common room. Mr Barrings weren't too impressed. Oh well, hopefully he'll throw me out.

Amy: I met Will Oakley today! THE one and only!

Liam: Groans, rolls his eyes, dials shrink's number Amsie, you NEED help! Didn't Andy tell you not to lie?

Amy: But I'm not. Honestly! He's really nice – you'd like him.

Liam: Sure! Hey, I might be getting out of here soon. Maybe I could come and visit you? I'd like to see my baby sister again.

Amy: OMG! Seriously? Liam, I'm DYING to see you again! When? Why? How?

Liam: I said 'maybe', so don't get too excited. And don't tell Andrew. He doesn't like us seeing each other.

Amy: You're not planning to run away, are you?

Liam: I'm not an idiot – I don't want the law on my heels. Then again, I don't want to stay here either! Don't start turning into Mum!

Amy: When can we talk about her? I want to talk about what happened. It's not fair. Tom's mum's so nice, and it hurts, you know? I wish she were here.

Liam: We're better off without. Mum and Dad weren't any good for us. And there's nothing to talk about with Mum – she's dead. That's all there is to it.

Amy: She committed suicide. It's not the same.

Liam: We BURRIED her, didn't we? Anyway, what do you care? She bailed out on us; left me in Hell, and you with the Devil! I don't talk about traitors, and you shouldn't care so much! And Dad left HER, she turned to Andrew for help, and look where THAT led! Amy, the past sucks eggs, all right! Don't go snooping! Some things are better left forgotten.

Amy: What's you're problem? Liam, we can't ignore what happened!

Liam has signed off.

Amy stared at the screen, feeling anger flaring within her chest. Slowly, she signed out the chatroom, logged off the computer, and unplugged the laptop. She started school tomorrow, which would require brain power on her part, so an early night might help her get her thoughts in order. Why was Liam such a pig!

"Don't forget the blackouts, Amy," Aunt Tilly called cheerfully, as Amy passed the kitchen. "Sleep well!"

Almost half an hour later, Amy was turning out her light, make-up removed and blackouts secure, but she didn't want to sleep. Creeping to her bedroom window, Amy pulled back the heavy material and peered out across the graveyard towards Tom's house. She smiled as she saw Tom outside in the garden, calling back inside the house when no more lights showed through the glass behind the blackouts. Her heart did a funny kind of somersault as Tom turned and looked over to her house. His arm waved, and Amy leapt back from the window, hastily pressing the blackout back in place. He'd seen her!

Next you'll be flirting with him! she scolded herself, then found herself smiling slightly. Tom was very good looking, she knew, and she'd always envied the other girls at school who had whispered and cuddled with the boys in her year at school back in London, but no boy had ever shown any interest in Andrew Barring's evil stepdaughter. As he said, how would want to? But Tom... Amy grinned again as she remembered Tom's words: "My Mum's laid down the house rules already like. Yeh don' kiss on first dates".

I'm just embarrassed for him, Amy told herself sternly. He wouldn't flirt with someone like me. He's probably chased by all the girls anyway, so what would he want with me? He's a good friend. He's probably like that around everyone.

But Liam was up to something, Amy knew. That was what she should be thinking about! If he ran away again, he'd just be taken back into Barring's custody. Amy couldn't bear the thought of Liam being in trouble – he wasn't a bad person, he was just misunderstood! He just wanted his freedom back! He just wanted to be his own problem! The only reason he'd started hanging out with those bad guys in the first place was because he wanted to get as far away from Andrew as he possibly could, and it had worked in the end, only not as her brother had intended.

Don't be an idiot, Liam, Amy wished she could tell her brother, as she clambered into bed. Don't do anything you'll regret! Please, Liam! Her eyelids fluttered and closed. I want you to visit, but not if you're being hunted! I don't want to lose you!

The next thing Amy knew, she was opening her eyes as Aunt Tilly pulled the blackout away from her window, letting dazzling sunlight come streaming into the room. School! Amy groaned and pulled the duvet up over her head.

"Amy, love, come on! You need to get dressed!" the woman was saying kindly. "I've got you're breakfast on the table, and Tom will be round soon to take you to the bus. Amy Wilson, get up!"

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There we are! Again, sorry for the delay! Please review! Thanks to all my reviewers – I love your support! Cookies for all! Llamas, Ginger-Bizkit!