AN: Hey. Sorry that this chapter took a while. But now we're back. Please read and review. We love you guys.

Chapter 5: Elisabeth

"Lizzie?" my mother's light voice reached my ears as I woke up on the floor. I opened my eyes to see my mom and Gabby hunched over me.

"Mom? What happened?" I asked, sitting up as she pulled me into her arms.

"Lizzie, honey, you went vasovagal, and in other words, you fainted." Mom told me

. "I did?" I asked.

"Yup, right after I told her you wanted to be an ME." Gabriella said.

"You. Did. What?" I asked through clenched teeth.

"I told her…you wanted to be an ME." she repeated slowly.

"Mom, uh, I'm gonna go lie down." I told her hastily, getting up from the floor and hurrying into my room, slamming the door.

A couple of hours later, I came out to watch TV while mom cleaned. The loud hum of the vacuum stopped after a few minutes and Mom came out, holding a brown box and wearing a frown. Dad looked over from the kitchen table and quickly opened a newspaper. "Care to explain?" she asked me.

"Um…not particularly. Can I pass on that?" I asked hopefully.

"No. Why do these report cards say "Medical Technique 1" but the ones we've been getting say "Gym", hmm?" she asked.

Well, crap. "Ok, look. I want to be an ME, I didn't tell you because I thought if you found out I lied to you, it would break your heart. I'm sorry, Mom. For the record, Dad knew and he signed the medical class forms. Just saying." I said. Sorry, Dad. I'm not gonna be the only one caught in Hurricane Maura.

She turned to him, and he put down his paper. "You knew? Why didn't you tell me? Didn't you trust me? I would've let her sign up, I would've been proud! What the hell were you two thinking? Faking report cards, not telling me things!" she yelled.

"Maura, honey…" Dad started.

"I'm so disappointed in you, Elisabeth. Lying to me twice, how could you?" she said, tearing up.

Oh, geez. Perfect. I am such a good person, not. "Mom, oh, mom, don't cry." I said, jumping up to hug her.

She wiped her tears and put down the box, bending down to my level. "Honey, I'm so proud that you want to be like me. Please don't lie to me. Remember that you can always tell me anything. I'll be here for you." she said, pulling me in for a tight hug.

"I know, Mom. I know." I said, still feeling like crap.

"Now, you girls go on upstairs and do your homework. Gabriella, remember that your mother's surprise party for her promotion is tonight, ok?" Mom said to Gabby as we grabbed our bags and thudded up the stairs.

We opened our Algebra textbooks and began completing the problems we'd been assigned. Gabriella looked up at me a few hours later as we finished up the last few problems. "My mom was promoted?" she asked me, shock painting her features.

"Yeah, to head of the homicide unit, didn't she tell you? My mom told me." I replied, writing my name, Elisabeth Dean, on my notebook paper.

"No she didn't." She snapped her book shut. "I wonder why. Maybe she just didn't want us all making a big deal over it. Mom's gonna flip when she realizes what your mom planned. She hates parties. I bet Maura's in cahoots with my grandma. I really don't want to be here when they yell "Surprise." She might start shooting and then where would we be?" She asked me, stuffing the large book in her backpack as I followed suit.

"Oh, come on, I'm sure she'll love it." I answered. "Lizzie, my mom hates surprises. If you think she'll like it, you obviously don't know her very well." Gabriella replied.

At around six, we heard people starting to hide downstairs so we quickly clambered down and jumped under the wooden dining table as my mom shut off the lights.

We heard footsteps approach the front door and the knob turn.

"Hello? Maura? Gabriel? Joe? Lizzie? Gabby?" Jane's husky voice called out as she entered. She felt around for the light switch and flicked it on.

Everyone jumped up as Gabriella and I scrambled out from under the table, joining in the cheer of, "Surprise!"

Not two seconds later, it went pitch dark again. Gabriella and I screamed. When my dad finally got the lights working, we stopped.

"Is everyone ok?" Uncle Joe yelled.

"Not everyone," I replied, "where's my mom and Jane?"