Chapter 12: Old Friends

"Hey honey, we're home." Sonny Blackbones called out when he and Tia had entered the house. Tia still felt totally embarrassed about getting all emotional back at the agency. They had tried to tell her it was natural but it didn't stop her for being mad at herself for being such a cry baby. However, the smell of fresh brownies coming from the kitchen cheered her up a bit. A woman with light ginger hair, and green eyes popped her head out of the room and smiled.

"Hello you two, I've just finished cooking some of my famous Chocó chip brownies, would you like some?" She asked. Both Tia and Sonny instantly said yes and followed Sonny's wife into the bright yellow kitchen and sat around the counter. Mary had been so nice and understanding ever since Tia had arrived, she had the spare bedroom all made up for Tia and tried to make her feel part of the family. "Tia, me and Mei are going shopping today, would you like to come with us." She questioned, dishing up freshly cook brownies onto two plates and placed them into front of Tia and her husband.

"I would love to Mary." Tia smiled back at her new aunt. Gently blowing on the brownie and placed it in her mouth. The chocolate melted on her mouth. She wondered if it was possible to marry one of Mary's brownies, if it made her feel like this. Looking over to Sonny, she could see Sonny thinking the same thing but knew he could never marry it since he was married to the almighty brownie maker. She couldn't stop giggle to herself when she saw a weird expression pass over Sonny's face. Sonny heard Tia's giggle and turned to look at her with a questionable look. Using hand signals to indicate Sonny falling in love with the brownie. He nearly choked on his brownie, as he began laughing at Tia suggestion. The doorbell sounded and Mary went to answer it. Tia and Sonny continue to finish off their brownies when voices erupted from the hall. She recognised one of the voices as Mei's and she could hear a baby's voice. Even though she could only hear Mei, Mary and little sounds from Rosie (she guessed, since she didn't really think that Mei would bring a strangers baby with her) she couldn't help but feel that there was another person there from some of the things the woman where saying. Her suspicions were proven right from what she heard next.

"How was Rosie today Stella?" Mary asked, making Tia stop eating and sharpen her ears to try and hear what was being said in the hallway but then relaxed when she told herself she was over reacting and was about to eat the last piece of brownie until...

"She's been very good today; she ate all her fruit for breakfast this morning." The extra voice replied. Tia dropped her brownie in complete shock. I know that voice but it couldn't be; could it, Tia's mind froze as she processed this thought through her head. She must have been sitting there shocked for a long time because Sonny finally noticed.

"Tia, are you alright?" He questioned, pacing his hand on Tia's shoulder. Bringing Tia back to reality, she ran out of the kitchen and in to the hall. She could only stand and stare at the small women with shoulder length brown hair and small glasses on her face. Reality suddenly cut off as she stood there frozen to the spot. Even when Sonny started shaking her, after saying her name had failed. The women turned to stare at her when they heard Sonny repeat her name and ask what was wrong.

"Tia?" The small woman uttered out in surprise. Everyone turned to stare at the small woman and then back at Tia again. The stress and shock of seeing her old governess finally caught up to her, as she passed out.

Rocket tossed his keys on the table and pressed the button to hear the voicemails left on his telephone. There was one from his mum, asking if he was coming over for dinner any time soon. Another was from his Auntie Aduim, saying that Jamie had a football game coming up and Jamie was hoping he would come and see it. The last one was from one of the guys asking if he wanted to go to the pub and get a few drinks. He decided to phone his mum first, since she would never forgive him if he didn't. Picking up the phone and dialling in his parent's phone number. He was surprise to hear his cousin pick up the phone instead.

"Hey Rocket, how are you man?" Jamie yelled down the phone excitedly, nearly bursting Rockets ear drum.

"I'm good thanks Jamie; I hear you've got a football game coming up." Rocket exclaimed. For the next hour Rocket listened to Jamie go on about how excited he was about his upcoming football match and asked Rocket for some advice. Rocket tried to remember his young days playing in his uncle's football club along with his mates and from his experience tried to give his young cousin some advice. Just as the conversation was coming to an end Jamie asked,

"Are you going to bring your girlfriend?" Rocket took a deep breath and shook his head at his young cousin's accusations.

"She's not my girlfriend Jamie and I'll ask." He answered, listening to his cousin deny what Rocket just said. After his cousin had calmed down they both said good bye and hang up. He then dialled one of the guys number to see if they were still at the pub.

"Hey man! Haven't heard from you in a while." Thran cheerfully sang on the other side of the phone.

"Yeah just wanted to know if we were still up for drinks?" Rocket requested. After making plans with his mates, he grabbed his coat and locket his house up.

Tia had just had the weirdest dream. She had come home from the protection agency and was eating some of Mary's famous Chocó chip Brownies when she saw her old governess in the hallway. Rubbing her eyes open, she learnt up to stretch her ligaments but stopped when she saw the woman sitting on the end of the bed next to her. Oh! It wasn't a dream, Tia realised, after staring at the woman for a while.

"How are you feeling sweet heart? Any better?" Stella commented, observing Tia's every move carefully. Slowly, Tia put her arms back down. She honestly didn't how to react, she was completely in shock. "Tia, are you ok?" Stella reached over and held Tia's hand. It was then that the real world seemed to come crashing down on top of her head. Tears began to fall from her eyes, as she leaned forward to hug the only person that had acted like a mother to when she was little.

"Oh Stella, I'm so sorry I should of listen to you, I was such a idiot and the things I said to your face I didn't mean them, honest, I just was being an idiot I wish I could of taken them back. God I'm such an idiot. Please, please Stella, forgive me" I cried into her shoulder ,as I felt her making hushing noises in my ear and rubbed my back gently, like she used to do when I came home from another bulling session at school or when mum and dad had said something mean to me. We hadn't parted on good terms because when I told her Jonathan had asked me to marry him she was totally against it, saying I should build myself a future first and that she didn't have a good feeling about him. Tia on the other had disagreed completely and after an exchanged of hard words, Stella left and never came back. After Tia calmed down a bit, she learnt back to look at the mother figure that sat in front of her. Nothing had changed except for a few grey strands that she hadn't recognised before dangling in her hair. "Oh Stella can you ever forgive me." Tia begged, placing her disgraced head into her hands.

"Oh sweetie I forgave you years ago. Can you forgive me?" She pleaded. Tia's head zoomed up faster than you could say 'look its free chocolate'.

"Forgive you, for what?" Tia questioned confused. Stella began to explain that she had tried to get back in touch with Tia after their argument but was cut off whenever Jonathan answered the phone. When she got married, Stella thought she had simply forgot about her and tried to move with her life. Anger swelled up inside her when she heard about Jon's evil deeds.

"I swear Tia, if I knew what was really going on I would have come and got you." Stella told Tia firmly, wiping the tears away from Tia's pale cheeks. Tia nodded, not able to trust her numb tongue to say anything else. They talked for a bit more as they tried to catch up on each other's past, when Sonny knocked on the door and walked in.

"You two alright?" He asked, leaning against the door frame. Both Stella and Tia nodded their heads with big smiles on both their faces.

Rocket downed another beer with his mates. Micro-Ice had finally been let out of hospital and at the moment Thran , Ahito and D'jok were busy taunting Micro-Ice about being knocked out by Sinedd. He was happy he hadn't taken his car otherwise he would have been crashing into things on the way home. He felt a bit sorry for Micro-Ice and all the teasing he got from the guys; he was the one always getting tease.

"So doing anything special for Mei on Valentine's day?" Micro-Ice asked D'jok, trying to change the subject around.

"I was planning on getting a diamond bracelet she has been hinting at me for the past few weeks, then I was going to take her to The Red Lounge." All of the guys wolf whistled at D'joks plans. Everyone knew that The Red Lounge was one of the most expensive restaurants in the city and everyone who wanted to impress someone went there. "What about you guys?" He asked his mates. Micro-Ice said he was taking Yuji to another restaurant that Rocket had heard was quite nice and brought her tickets to see a rock band that she had been wanting to see for a long time. The twins had similar plans with girls they had meant when they had been away. "So, Rocket. Do you have any plans to take Tia out anywhere?" D'jok joked. Rocket could feel his cheeks warming up when Thran turned to look at him in shocked disbelief, even Ahito who was always asleep seemed to catch what was being said. They probably thought Rocket was gay because he had a lot of good looking girls come up to him and try to ask them out but Rocket always turned them down. To be honest he never really understood while other guys went crazy over girls, until Tia entered his life.

"Woah! Rocket got himself a girl, about time mate." Thran cheered, as Rocket sank lower and lower into the chair. He was going to kill D'jok, not only Jamie was going to be nagging him about Tia being his girlfriend but now the twins as well.

"Tia's just a friend." Rocket finally spoke after getting over his embarrassment. D'jok just shot him a look (something that would have said 'yeah right' if he could speak out loud) but didn't say anything else.

"Who is this Tia anyway?" Thran inquired, it seemed he believed more in what D'jok said then what Rocket has said.

"She's my cousin." D'jok stated, it seemed that Mei had already told him about Tia' new identity. Thran was about to say something but D'jok spoke first. "She's a long lost cousin." The expression that was left on Thran's and Ahito's face made Rocket that they didn't believe him.