A/N: Do not read if you suffer from nightmares or are sick or faint at the mere thought of blood. Rated M for a reason, people.
Amber said "Well, what can we do? Trudy loves babies. If she does get pregnant, she's not likely to get rid of it. She'll probably die for a baby."
It was Patricia who spoke next. "Well, I don't want that. I'm gonna talk to her in the morning and tell her."
"Tell me what about who, darling?" Trudy sounded surprised.
Patricia ran to her and hugged her.
"My Trudy. You don't go anywhere, ever." Patricia spoke like a baby, making everyone wonder what was going on. Trudy held her tightly and rubbed her back.
"What, you don't even want me to go to the shops and get your food?" Trudy asked her.
"No I want you here, forever and ever." Patricia used that baby voice on Trudy. She hugged the girl more.
Jerome knew what Patricia was doing. This was trick that she'd always used on her, just to keep her in the house.
"Aw, sweetie, you know I can't stay in here forever." Trudy told her, lovingly.
"Yes, you can. You stay here forever." Patricia used that baby tone. "You my Trudy, me never let go."
"Darling, is there something you need to talk about? If there is, come with me. We'll go and talk about it." Trudy said helpfully.
She and Patricia walked into the hall. Everyone looked questioningly at Jerome.
"Trisha does that when she wants Trudy to talk to her properly. She's been doing it for years, when it's too important to her to do like a teen, she has to use the child-like tone. Trudy knows when something big is wrong, because Patricia does her baby voice and holds onto her like that." Jerome explained.
They all looked into the hall. Patricia was crying on Trudy's shoulder. Sobbing quietly and Trudy was patting her back.
"It's all going to be alright, my lovely. You know that I'm not able to have babies, I won't ever get to that stage." Trudy soothed.
"But if you do, you might die. You're too... Trudy to die!" Patricia sobbed.
Trudy smiled a little. "What on earth do you mean?"
"I mean, you're you. You're always so strong and sweet and kind. You're too good to die, Trudy." Patricia told her. She sobbed hard.
"Hey, now. Is that the problem? That's what made you cry so much, darling?" She asked her.
"Yes." That one sob made Trudy want to melt down and cry too. She didn't cry, though, she stayed rock-strong.
"Sweetie, come on. I'll make you some hot chocolate and we'll talk this through." Trudy stroked Patricia's dark red hair and took her to the kitchen.
Trudy made hot chocolate and sat on the island counter next to Patricia.
"OK, so explain what you mean when you said that." Trudy told her, nicely and gently.
"You're such a wonderful woman, Trudy. You're a better mum than my own. If you died, this whole house would fall to bits. The universe would shatter. Because of you, everybody's the way they are now. Jerome would be dead, I probably would be too. Mara would be a psychotic Goth changing to impress boys. Mick would never have gone on that scholarship, he wouldn't even have stayed at this school. Nina would never be Nina here, she'd always be uncomfortable.
Fabian wouldn't be like he is now, with his guitars and books and internet. Alfie wouldn't be as well-fed and healthy and happy. Victor would be a complete stampede without you. Amber would be a shallow, self-obsessed idiot. Jasper wouldn't have someone he loves so much. Joy would be a ruin over Fabian. Eddie would be a worse rebel than he is now."
Tears had come to Trudy's eyes, but she bravely refused to let them spill over. She put her cup down and grabbed Patricia's shoulders gently.
"Listen to me, pet. That was true then. But now, you're all grown up. You sweet children don't need me now. If I died, you'd get over it. You probably wouldn't even remember me after about a week."
"Jasper? He needs you. Jerome and I definitely do. You're the universe to us." Patricia sobbed.
"You and Jerome and Jasper would get over it. Jerome would find comfort with his mother or father and his sister. You'll find comfort with your mum and dad and sister. Jasper has his friends and family. He'll find a woman who might actually be his true love. You see? You have it easier than I do. Because I have no family."
"You have us." Patricia said thickly.
"I meant in the blood sense. I have no blood relatives. In the emotional sense, you children are my own, Jasper is my husband in my mind, Victor is my father. You see? But in the blood relation sense, they're all dead. I love all of you, you're wonderful. And you, my little Trisha, are already becoming such a shining star. And anyway, what brought all this on? I'm not dying. I hopefully won't be for a long while. I'll be here to see you all leave high school and go on to college.
Now that really will be a time for tears, you kids moving on. I'd hate that." Trudy spoke calmly, though she felt as if her heart was breaking at the simple mention of them leaving.
"But this all boils down to one thing, Trudy. That ghost meant that when you're... um, sorry, shouldn't say it, with Jasper, she'll come and help you along a little bit. And you'll end up... well... pregnant."
Trudy smiled. "But that ghost has the opportunity. And if God wants me to bring a child into the world, then He will allow me to." She gave Patricia a hug. "God won't hurt me if He wants me to give the world a baby."
"God won't hurt you, Trudy. You're too good for that. You've never gone against His will. The worst you've ever said was heavens above when you got hurt and even then, you went to your room and prayed. You're angelic."
"OK, that isn't true. One of the sins was jealousy. I've had that. I was jealous of Vera, coming here and in five minutes, winning your respect and everything I'd slaved over for years. I was jealous that she could do it all. And if that wasn't bad enough, she made me more envious by talking her way around Jasper and getting everything she wanted. I'm not angelic. I did ask for forgiveness and the power of ridding myself of it, but it was so deep. It wasn't true hatred, but the pain of knowing I envied her really went deep."
Patricia saw how Trudy felt by looking into her eyes. She saw torture and guilt. She put her cup down and gave her a massive hug.
"That's nothing! You never act out of greed or spite or pride or anger or hate. You didn't even act on your jealousy. You're still pure, Trudy, you always will be."
A tear fell onto Trudy's cheek. She hated getting so many compliments, thinking that it made her horrible.
"Patricia, you're the pure one. I never see torture or guilt or remorse in your eyes. I never feel bad vibes from you. And you're still young, still so lovely. He won't be making you repent for any sin just yet, my love. But you're free to grow however you like. Look at me, I grew up like this. I knew when I was told I couldn't have children that I was going to care for other peoples' children. It made me feel like I was some use instead of no use at all." Trudy told her sweetly.
Little did those two know, Jasper was listening. He felt bad for Trudy, hearing that she wanted children and she couldn't and she thought she was useless unless she had someone or something to take care of, and even then, she thought she only had small use.
"Trudy, you're the most sweet, kind, loving and useful person I know."
Meanwhile, Nina's old friend, Indiana, was sneaking into the attic. Nina didn't know she was there. Nobody did.
Indiana crept into the attic. It was dark and stormy and wind whistled through. Two beautiful children sat playing in a corner before Indiana. They turned.
"Come play with us, Miss." The two children smiled and spoke sweetly, but there was something Indiana didn't trust. "Come play with us."
The two sweet-looking children came to Indiana and took her hands. She winced at the cold.
"Come play with us, Miss. Come play with us." They repeated. They pinned her to the floor and right above her, their faces peeled away. Their lovely blue eyes fell out and disappeared, replaced by empty sockets. Their clothes were stained and bodies mangled right in front of Indiana, but because it scared her, she couldn't even shriek for help.
"We'll play a lovely game of doctors." The girl child said sweetly, but there was a demonic undertone.
The boy child said "Let's find out what a lady has inside her." He had the demonic undertone, too.
Their empty eye sockets turned red. The small mangled girl pushed her finger nails under Indiana's facial skin. She pulled it up and lifted her face off.
The small boy bit into her flesh with sharp little teeth and started ripping her apart inside. He found her spine and snapped it. They pulled out her heart and hid it. She was mangled, too. The two children disappeared once her eyes were out.
Downstairs, Patricia was lying in Trudy's arms, snuggling up to her.
"Are you OK, my love?" Trudy asked her.
"Trudy, I don't know why, but I think someone's died. Now. Here in Anubis house." Patricia told Trudy. Everyone else came in at that point.
"Well, I'm thinking different. Everyone's alive and well. Look. Nina, Amber, Joy, Mara, Alfie, Jerome, Eddie, Fabian, Mick. Jasper and Victor." Trudy told her.
Nina said "Trudy, did I ever mention someone called Indiana to you?"
"Yes, I think you did." Trudy replied.
"Well, she usually updates her status every hour. She hasn't updated it in twelve hours. That's twelve statuses missing." Nina told her, worried.
"Has it occurred that she might be sleeping?" Trudy asked Nina.
"Her last status said she was coming to see me, but she hasn't turned up." Nina freaked.
"I think I heard someone come in and sneak upstairs. Is she not in your room, Nina?" Trudy asked calmly.
"No, that's why I'm worried." Nina gasped.
Mara said "I thought I heard someone going into the attic. I thought it was one of you guys or Victor." She was just as calm.
Nina gasped. "Indiana!" They all went to the attic. A horrible sight met their eyes.
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If you have read this, you'll have ignored the warning. Or you're very strong when it's like that. But anyway, if you have ideas, PM me. If you liked it, review. Until next time, Random Dizzy. :)