OMG. I could not believe when I saw so many reviews from one person. Major thank you to the anonymous "Me". 200 reviews. I never thought that I would get so much response. Thank you all. And I always say that reviews motivate me...so here it goes. I started writing immediately because of YOU!
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Brooke and Julian sat in front of the kids and did not say anything at first. They could not believe that they wanted to trick them and were very furious. While Ben looked to the ground, Sam blushed a little and Phoebe just smiled back and waved at them, "Are you going to tell us why you woke us in the middle of the night? It's 11.45", she pointed at the clock and was very proud of her own idea.
"Whose idea was it?", Julian just asked although he already believed to know. There was just one kid in front of him that loved doing such things and lately playing detective and doing pranks was very high on her list.
"What idea?", Phoebe acted the innocent while the teenagers stayed mute.
"Okay, we are sorry dad. We forgot the time and…well we just forgot it.", Sam decided to tell the truth and did not want to get into any bigger trouble. She thought that they were overreacting but did not want to make it any worse.
"What did I tell you two?"
"One minute later and it means trouble.", Ben had never had such a situation.
"Right. So how could you forget the time?", Julian asked again while Brooke just looked at the kids with a very, very mad face.
"I don't know, we just…oh c'mon, we were the only ones who had to go that early. It's not a big deal.", Sam finally lost her patience and started to get annoyed by them.
"It is Samantha. We let you go to the party and you two just did not care about your curfew.", Brooke now spoke to her oldest daughter who crossed her arms in front of her and rolled her eyes.
"But they weren't late mom. I looked at the clock and it was eleven.", Phoebe tried to safe them but Brooke immediately looked at her youngest girl. Phoebe hated any clocks in her room because of the noise that it was making and the only way to tell the time was looking at her laptop or leaving her room. And of course she was supposed to sleep at that time. Brooke stood up and went into Phoebe's room and took her laptop. It was still turned on and she pulled out the DVD "The Hitcher." and held it up into the air.
"I watched it on her computer the last time.", Sam tried to defend Phoebe when she did not know what to say, "Could you please stop making such a big deal out of everything?"
Brooke and Julian could not believe Sam's statement, "You two have a curfew and did not come in time. That IS a big deal Samantha and you stayed awake again and watched a horror movie. You don't have that many rules and we can surely make up more but as long as you two live under our roof, you have to follow them.", Brooke was really getting mad and looked down at them while Julian held her hand because he knew that the three of them could get really hysterical in a fight. "Your mobile, your computer, your car, everything are just privilege and we can take them away from you. Do you want that?"
"Jeez! We are sorry but it was just one hour later and nothing happened.", Sam almost screamed back.
"I don't care if it's one hour, ten minutes or two. You have a curfew. No one of you is an adult and as long as you aren't we get to decide what is good for you.", Brooke was fuming now.
"So you did not party and drink when you were sixteen?", Sam answered madly and received a very mean look from her mother.
"Samantha. If I were you I would not go there.", Brooke pointed at her and Sam just rolled her eyes and leaned back at the couch while Ben did not know what to say at all.
He felt very uncomfortable while Phoebe just looked up from Sam to Brooke, "She did not do it on purpose. It was just…"
"Phoebe!", Brooke screamed with such a force that Phoebe jumped up, "the same goes for you. You have a bedtime too and it's not okay to always watch horror movies and stay awake that long."
"But I am not even tired when I watch them.", Phoebe whined and knew that she did not stand a chance against a mad Brooke.
"So you admit that you watched it?"
"No…I…"
"The Hitcher is not that scary.", Sam defended Phoebe again. It was sweet that they always did this but in the mean time it could be very annoying.
"How old are you Sam?"
"You know how old I am! Could you please stop yelling at me or do it in the morning. I am tired.", Sam stood up and wanted to go to her room but of course Brooke walked after her and blocked the door.
"Don't you dare leave this room.", Sam knew that Brooke meant business and sat down on the couch again. "Ben. I am sorry but you cannot sleep at our house today."
"What?", Sam and Phoebe asked shocked in unison.
"It's a privilege too that your boyfriend and your cousin lives with us. Go pack your stuff and I drive you to the Scotts.", Julian answered this time.
"No. No. No. You are overreacting. Okay yes, we were late but just one hour. Nothing more.", Sam stood up frustrated and did not understand why Brooke and Julian were so mad at them. She crossed her arms in front of her when Ben left the house with Julian.
"It's not fair. You two totally overreact.", Sam complained with mad tears in her eyes.
"Yes. And sending Ben away was very mean.", Phoebe crossed her arms as well and looked madly at Brooke.
"Phoebe. I want to talk to Sam alone.", Brooke said firmly but Sam shook her head.
"But I don't want to talk to you right now.", Sam stood up but sat down again when Brooke called her name in a tone she knew to well.
"Phoebe. Now."
"That's mean. She did not…",
"Phoebe!"
Phoebe stormed into her room loudly and closed the door with a big Bang. Then she heard Brooke and Sam arguing outside and finally Sam closed her door loudly as well.
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"Don't kill the child. Don't kill the child.", Brooke whispered to herself and opened the door for Julian. "I cannot believe it.", she fumed and then opened Phoebe's door again. "Come into the living room.", she said coldly.
Phoebe hesitated a second and then sat down on the couch. She hated that Sam was in her room.
"Did you do it?"
"What?", she acted the innocent again but could not look into their eyes. Brooke and Julian knew that it was easy to break through Phoebe's façade-especially when she was overly tired. Brooke and Julian did not say anything but just looked at Phoebe.
"You can stay up as long as you want.", Brooke talked through the silent. Phoebe looked confused at her. "Obviously we were wrong and you don't need any bedtime at all, right?"
Julian suddenly knew what Brooke was doing and did not know whether he liked it or not, "Right Phoebe?"
"Um…I…"
"We forbid you too much, right?", Julian played the game with her and could see that Phoebe was not really getting it. "I thought we give you pretty much freedom but maybe we were wrong."
"Well, we have curfews that are way to early and we have to eat breakfast together at a specific time and we cannot watch the TV as long as we want or stay up the whole night or…"
"Stay up the whole night? Don't you need any sleep Phoebe?"
"Not really", Phoebe looked suspiciously at the two grown-ups and wished that Sam was by her side.
"So Phoebe you are telling us that you don't need any sleep and don't need a bedtime?",
"Well, I…"
"Yes or no Phoebe?", Julian asked softly.
"Yes, I don't need sleep but…"
"Well, we are sorry. Maybe we really did overreact. It's the first time for us as parents and maybe we did not really know what parents are there for. Of course you don't need a bedtime or any sleep at all. How about you just show us that we totally overreacted and that you manage to stay awake for a week and can do anything on your own. Maybe we really mistreated you.", Brooke answered and pretended to be calm. Sam walked out of her room again and sat down on the couch with wet eyes. "It's not fair. Ben leaves tomorrow anyways and I wanted to spend a little more time with him."
"You would have to sleep any way and you won't spend any time with him in one bed.", Julian answered promptly. "We just told Phoebe that she can be her own parent and she told us that she does not need any sleep anyways. So the same goes for you Sam. Obviously we overreacted and mistreated you. We won't do that again. Just show us that you can be your own parent without getting worse in school and then we are off your butts."
Sam looked shocked at Julian and Brooke, "That's nonsen…", Sam knew that no one could stay up for a week and that there was a plan behind everything.
"Deal.", Phoebe interrupted her and shook hands with Julian. Of course she knew that she could not stay up forever neither but they could not check on her all the time.
"I know you want to see us failing but you won't.", Sam took Phoebe's hand and pulled her into her room. "Are you nuts? How are you supposed to stay awake for a week? That's the stupidest deal ever."
"I know, I know. But they cannot control it anyway and if we win then they won't give us any rules any more. That's perfect Sam.", Phoebe smiled but Sam rolled her eyes. She knew that they were doomed to loose the game, "I watch a movie.", Phoebe turned on the TV while Brooke and Julian went into their room.
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"Shit a Phoebe without sleep is torture for everyone and Sam will definitely use the situation", Brooke cuddled closer to Julian.
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"Jeez. They make such a big deal out of everything. I cannot believe it.", Sam talked to Ben on the phone.
"Well we were one hour late.", Ben said back and Sam immediately looked shocked at phone.
"Are you on their site or what?"
"I am on nobody's site. All I want to say is that we were really late and although I think that 11 o'clock as curfew is too early as well we knew that we had to be at home at this time."
"Well, whose fault is it anyways that we were late. You could not get your fingers away from me."
"Well, look at you. Who could?", he smirked and wished that he could touch her now.
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Meanwhile Phoebe watched "The ring" on TV and screamed when she saw the girl. She ran into Brooke and Julian's room. "Mom. Dad. I am scared." Julian turned on the light and went over to her. They were prepared for that incidence and Julian pushed her outside the door and knocked on Sam's door.
"Yeah.", Sam said while she was still talking to Ben. She saw Julian pushing Phoebe to her bed and looking down at her.
"Your baby sister is scared. We have no parental rights or duties. So take care of her but remember Phoebe. Don't sleep!"
"What?", Phoebe looked up at him in disbelief. They had never pushed her away at night.
"No problem.", Sam said and pretended not to be annoyed and pulled her baby sister onto her bed and continued talking to Ben.
"I already miss you Ben.", Sam smiled into the phone and listened to his voice, "Jeez Phoebe. Gimme some space.", Phoebe was almost on top of Sam and held her close. She was still afraid of the weird girl and just needed someone to hold her tight.
"But I am scared Sammy.", Phoebe whispered.
"Then don't watch those movies if they scare you that much.", Sam rolled her eyes and did not feel any pity at all and wanted to talk to Ben again but Phoebe always interrupted her.
"But they are exciting.", Phoebe said and tried not to close her eyes. "Can't you stop talking to Ben? You see each other every minute."
"It's none of your business.", Sam pushed Phoebe a little who accidently fell out of the bed.
"Oww…", she whined, "What am I supposed to do the whole night?" but Sam did not listen to her at all and smiled into the phone.
"Sam? Sam?", Phoebe shook her a little after a while.
"What is it?"
"I need to pee but it's scary."
"Oh god! We talk tomorrow Ben. Yeah. Me too.", Sam jumped out of her bed and walked with Phoebe to the toilet.
"So what am I supposed to do the whole night?", Phoebe asked Sam who shrugged her shoulders.
"I have no clue and it was stupid to make that deal. You cannot stay up for that long but don't fail before the weekend."
"Why?"
"Because there is a party I wanna go to."
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"Sam! Sam!", Phoebe shook Sam the next morning but only received a moan.
"Leave me alone Phoebe. Get out.", Sam took her pillow over her head but Phoebe pulled it away.
"We are already one hour late. Mom and dad did not wake us up for school."
"What? You slept?", Sam looked at the clock and cursed, "Great. That's what they want to see. They want to see us failing.", she jumped up and got under the shower. Brooke and Julian sat on the table and pretended not to care. They read the paper and ate their breakfast. They suppressed their laughs when Sam ran into the living room and pulled Phoebe outside at her bag.
"Okay Phoebe. They want to see us suffer. We don't let them win this game.", Sam gave Phoebe a bottle of coffee.
"I am not allowed to drink coffee."
"Well, there are no rules any more, right?", Sam smiled and so Phoebe took the first sip.
"We can be our own parents. We were foster kids and we lived on the streets. So nothing easier than that.", Sam talked more to herself than to Phoebe.
"Shit.", Phoebe cursed.
"What?"
"I've forgotten my sport's bag. I need it.", Phoebe whined and hoped that Sam would turn around.
"Well, we are already late. I won't turn around now."
"But mom always turns around. I really need it. I have practice after school."
"No. We are already late. There is no way that I'll turn around. You should have just thought about it earlier."
"No. I need it. You turn around now.", Phoebe demanded but there was no way that Sam would give in. Finally they were at the school and Jamie and Haley came out of the car in the meantime. Haley laughed when she saw the two girls yelling at each other.
"But I need it. I cannot do cheerleading in my underwear."
"Well, you have nothing to hide.", Sam answered very cranky and received a kick from Phoebe against her leg.
"Everything okay?", Haley came towards them and Sam promptly pulled her arm around Phoebe and pretended that they did not have a fight.
"Sure it is. Why shouldn't it be?", Sam and Phoebe faked a smile and walked into the school. They knew that Haley knew about their game and that she would probably tell Brooke and Julian if they fought.
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Sam came home after school with a mad face. The teacher had given her detention for missing a class and she was still mad at Julian and Brooke. She opened the door and saw them eating dinner at the table. She saw that there were only two plates and just opened the refrigerator and was shocked that there were names in there. Phoebe's and her compartment was empty: Nothing to eat at all. "You are kidding, right?", Sam turned around and looked madly at Julian and Brooke.
"What?", this time they acted the innocent when Sam pointed at the empty refrigerator.
"Well, you have pocket money. You are your own parents, so you can buy your own food.", Sam closed the refrigerator loudly. "I hope you did not forget your little sister."
"What?", Sam asked confused and then looked at the watch and ran to her car. "Shit."
Phoebe was waiting for Sam for one hour now and was past fury. Finally she saw Sam's car and went into it and crossed her arms in front of her.
"I am sorry okay. You could have just taken the bus."
"I am not allowed to take it."
"Well there are no rules any more. But let's not fight. That's what they want. Let's go somewhere to eat.", Sam explained the refrigerator situation.
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"Julian. Where are they?", it was past Phoebe's bedtime and the two girls were still outside. But finally they went into the house and giggled happily.
"Where the hell were you?", Brooke screamed at them but the two just knew how to make her madder.
"Sorry. We are our own parents, so it's none of your business.", Sam answered and took her arm around Phoebe and finally they walked into their rooms.
"I cannot believe it.", Brooke walked madly around while Julian hoped that this was not going out of control.
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Normally they always asked how school was but the next day they did not. "Hey moooom, hey daaaad.", Phoebe sat down at the table and could not stop bouncing around. She had drunk so much coffee that her heart was beating fast, "It was really great toda…"
"Phoebe, we are eating.", Brooke pointed at the food and Phoebe looked confused at them when they started talking to each other without paying attention to them.
"Phoebe. How about McDonalds?", Sam asked and grinned at Brooke and Julian.
"Sweet. Mom and Dad normally say no but wait…we can do whatever we want.", Phoebe laughed and followed Sam to the car.
"This was the dumbest idea ever.", Brooke said while the girls were out.
"No, just wait. They will annoy each other soon.", Julian smiled.
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Sam was getting ready for a party while Phoebe sat on a chair besides her and drank coffee. "Why can't I go with you?"
"Phoebe! You are eleven. Stop behaving like you already want to party.", Sam was annoyed by Phoebe's whiny state. Her lack of sleep made her whine about anything and this time neither Brooke nor Julian were there to take care of her.
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"I cannot believe that she's doing that. I will follow her.", Julian took the car keys and followed Sam to the party. He parked the car and went outside and hid in some bushes to see what his oldest girl was doing. He could see her talking to many boys and laughing and even drinking beer. He wanted to run inside and take her home but he knew that he had to act according to their little stupid plan. This time he cursed that this had been their idea.
"Hey Mr.! What are you doing in the bush?", a teenager asked Julian who jumped up.
"Um…I was just looking for…for my cat. A black one…did you see it?", he pretended to look for it. Little did Sam know that her father would be staying outside until she would come home in a drunken state.
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"What?", Brooke asked Julian in bed with a shocked face.
"Yes. She drank beer but fortunately she was wise enough not to drive.", Julian fumed in bed and could not close one eye.
"I cannot believe it. What has gotten into her? This has to stop. The stupid game is over.", Brooke walked to the door but Julian held her hand.
"Just wait a little longer. I have a plan."
"Julian. Our girls are out of control."
"Just wait."
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Phoebe looked shocked at Sam, "Did you drink?"
"Yes sis. It was aaawwwesum.", she slung her arms around Phoebe and kissed her cheek.
"You stink like alcohol.", Phoebe complained and pushed her away. She had hated that smell on her biological father.
"Shit.", Sam mumbled and ran to the toilet and puked. Phoebe ran after her and gave her a glass of water and helped her go to bed.
"You are sweeeeet.", Sam pinched her cheek.
"Yeah. Yeah. Right, and you are dumb.", Phoebe rolled her eyes and went out of Sam's room. She could not believe that Sam drank that much. Of course Brooke and Julian were worried sick and watched into Sam's room again and again. They could not believe that Sam was acting so careless.
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The next morning Brooke and Julian could not believe how much energy Phoebe had left. She was dancing in her room and sang into a banana."Phoeeeeebeee.", Sam screamed with a big headache, "Turn it down."
"Noo, I like it." Sam went into her room and turned it off. She had a major hangover and just wanted to sleep in peace, "Heeey.", Phoebe immediately protested and turned it on again.
Sam let out a scream of frustration and closed the door and looked up at a smiling Brooke and Julian. "Everything all right honey?"
"Perfect.", she went into her room and closed her door loudly.
Julian and Brooke smiled at each other and then went into Phoebe's room. Phoebe waved at them and jumped down the bed and looked up to them, "If you think that I am tired after two nights, then you are wrong.", she went out of the room and got something to drink and then put on her rollerblades.
"Aaaaaaaaaa",Phoebe drove around in the house with them a little later. She had too much energy because she drunk too much caffeine. She was forbidden to do it but now there was no one to say no. Brooke and Julian pretended not to care. Of course they cared and were exploding inside. While Sam did what she wanted, Phoebe tried to catch their attention with anything. She accidently bumped into Sam when she was leaving the room and fell to the floor with her.
"Phoebe!", Sam screamed with her hangover, "Stop making so much noise and don't drive in here."
"You are not my mom.", Phoebe argued and wanted to stand up again and continue driving in the house but Sam had enough. She jumped on top of her and pinned her under her. Phoebe did not expect that and fell flat on her stomach. "Owwww."
Sam sat on her back and took her rollerblades off her feet. "Nooo. Those are mine." Finally Sam managed to get them and ran into her room to hide them. Of course Phoebe followed her and Brooke and Julian smiled when they heard the two of them fighting. Their plan was working.
"Get off of me.", Sam and Phoebe were wrestling around in the room and Brooke and Julian saw how Sam threw Phoebe out of the room and then Sam closed the door. Phoebe knocked loudly at it, "Let me in you asshole. Those are mine."
Finally Phoebe went to Brooke and sat down on her lap and whined, "She won't give me my rollerblades back.", but Brooke just pulled her down and did not act on it at all. Phoebe was shocked and slumped onto the couch with a loud moan.
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"Okay, I just wanted to get your money.", Brooke went into Sam's room with a smirk on her face.
"For what?", Sam knew that this was just another trick.
"Well, you live under our roof, you use everything, so you have to pay for it."
"How much?", Sam could not believe that they made them pay.
"Half of your pocket money.", Sam immediately got her money and gave it to Brooke while Phoebe shrugged her shoulders, "I don't have anything left for this month."
"What did you do with it?", Sam immediately asked annoyed. It was not the best time of the month. She was having her period and usually was very cranky then.
"I bought horror DVD'S", Phoebe showed them to Brooke with a smile. Brooke was shocked that Phoebe managed to buy them. Some of them were not even for people under eighteen. Brooke pretended not to care.
"Okay, then you have to pay for her too.", Sam looked furiously up at Brooke and then gave her the money.
"Do I have to safe our butt every time?", Sam yelled at Phoebe who looked shocked at her.
"Huh? You do know that I changed all the clocks to get you out of trouble. Again. Is it your cranky time of month again or why are you such a bitch?" Brooke and Julian listened from the outside and high fived.
"Okay, we must not fight. That's what they want.", Sam took a deep breath, "We don't have money left, so we cannot buy anything to eat. So we need a job."
"I am not even allowed to have one."
"Do you still model for mom?"
"Sometimes."
"Great.", she went outside to Brooke, "You have to pay Phoebe if she models for you. Ten bucks an hour."
"Okay.", Brooke said, "You are booked today kiddo.", Phoebe nodded and stood up in slow motion. It was like there was no energy left right now.
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Brooke and Phoebe walked into the store. Millicent was shocked to look at a very tired Phoebe and hugged her, "Hey, everything all right?"
"Phoebe does not need any sleep Millie.", Brooke explained to her and Millicent went through Phoebe's hair and laughed.
"Oooh. I understand."
"I need to measure your sizes again, so get undressed.", Phoebe took of her clothes except of the underwear and Brooke just watched her. She did it in real slow motion and almost fell backwards when she tried to get her jeans off. "Okay, you did not grow. Not even a bit."
At the moment Phoebe did not really care and when the phone rang, she closed her eyes. Just for a minute. Brooke came back into the room laughed when she saw her standing in her underwear in front of her with her eyes closed, "Are you sleeping?"
Phoebe immediately opened her eyes and shook her head, "No. Of course not."
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"I wanna sleep Sammy.", Phoebe sobbed into her hands and tried to stay awake but after over 50 hours without sleep, she was totally exhausted. Of course Sam felt pity but she wanted to win that stupid competition.
"Dinner is ready.", Brooke screamed from the outside and they came. Brooke had said that she would pay Phoebe with food instead of money. She wanted her girls to stop going to McDonalds all the time. The four of them sat down on the table and Sam had to kick Phoebe again and again to continue eating and to open her eyes. She almost fell asleep with the fork in her mouth.
"Are you tired Phoebe?", Julian grinned, "Just go to bed and let us win."
Phoebe immediately shook her head and looked up at him with tired eyes and shook her head again. She was totally exhausted and wanted to cry but managed to stay awake.
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Sam went to friends this evening again, she used the situation but had promised Phoebe to come back early to help her stay awake. Phoebe sat in front of the TV and had to jump up again and again to stay awake. Brooke and Julian smiled at each other and walked outside their room and sat down besides Phoebe.
"What is it?", she asked confused and Brooke went through her hair with her hand.
"Nothing honey. We just want to watch the movie with you."
Phoebe did not even flinch when something scary happened and only Brooke screamed. Although her eyes were open, it looked like she was sleeping, "Are you still awake?"
"My eyes are open.", she pointed at them and stared at the screen with her head in her hands. Brooke and Julian looked at each other and nodded. Then Brooke took her arm around Phoebe and pulled her a little closer to her body. She started to go up and down on Phoebe's arm, very slowly and softly like she often did to calm her down. Julian put his arm around her as well and went through her hair with his hands. They could tell that Phoebe was loosing the fight and soon her eyes would be closed. It was sweet watching her fighting it. But suddenly the door opened and Sam screamed "Phoebe!"
Phoebe immediately jumped up and realized what they wanted to do and pointed at them, "You are mean."
"You are cheaters.", Sam took Phoebe's hand and went with her into her room, "Don't let them hug you or anything. They are like sleeping pills for you." Phoebe nodded and sobbed into her hands, "I am so tired Sammy. I am so tired."
"I know pumpkin. I stay awake with you okay?"
"Okay.", they played games the whole night.
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The next day they were at the Scotts. "Let's play basketball.", Nathan threw the ball to Phoebe but her reaction was that slow that it landed in her face. "Shit. Sorry Phoebe."
Phoebe touched her face while yawning. Everything she did was in slow motion and the adults had to laugh how Sam tried to keep her awake. It looked a bit like torture because she almost fell asleep in every position and Sam immediately shook her.
"Poor baby.", Haley said while she watched the kids. "She will loose the fight today."
"I cannot believe that she managed three nights. She must have slept a little bit.", Julian whispered and could see that Phoebe did not even have the strength to throw the ball.
"I help you.", Haley said and called Sam to her. "Sam, my colleague told me that you have some troubles in calculus. Is that right?"
Sam looked suspiciously at her but knew that she must not get bad grades. "You have a test tomorrow right, I thought I could help you a little now?"
Sam sat down and nodded, "That would be awesome.", she really hoped to pass the test tomorrow but with all her partying, she forgot to learn.
"Okay, then let's go inside. It's a little less loud there.", Haley helped her often and Sam nodded happily and did not see that Haley pointed at Phoebe and Julian and Brooke immediately nodded.
They went over to Lisa and smiled down at her. "Lisa, I would love to see how my clothes fit you.", Brooke had made the little one some dresses because she grew so fast, unlike Phoebe, and wished for pretty ones.
"I can show you right now in my room."
Brooke and Julian looked at Nathan who laughed because he knew what they were about to do, "But only if Phoebe comes too. Pleeeeease Phoebe." Phoebe could never say no to her little friend and nodded. Lisa took her hand and ran inside her room, "You can sit on my bed and I wear them and show you."
Phoebe sat down in the middle and Brooke and Julian right besides her. "Look, how beautiful it is Phoebe.", Phoebe looked at it and did not realize that they were just distracting her again and went closer to her until her head was even lying on Brooke's arm. She obviously had to fight to stay awake; her head fell forwards a few times.
"You look beautiful Lisa.", Brooke whispered and lay her head on Phoebe's and started to stroke her arm softly while Julian did the same with her other one. They definitely knew what they were doing and smiled at each other that Phoebe was not even realizing it and then Brooke could feel that Phoebe's weight leaned against her and she knew what that meant.
"Why is she sleeping?", Lisa asked confused but Brooke and Julian just continued, "Just go on honey.", they kissed over Phoebe's head and high fived proudly. Finally the game was over.
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A little later Julian had the sleeping Phoebe in his arm and could tell that she was sleeping like a stone. When Sam came out of the room with Haley, she looked shocked from Haley to Brooke and took her bag to go to the car with her family.
"Good luck with your girls.", the Scotts laughed.
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Phoebe did not even wake up when Julian put her onto her seat or out of the car and onto the couch. He shook Phoebe awake, who immediately jumped up in shock, "I am awake, I am awake.", she said but realized that they had lost the bet. "Sorry Sammy."
"It's okay. They cheated any ways.", Phoebe fell back to the couch and looked at Brooke and Julian with very tired eyes. She could not let them stay open any more.
"Phoebe, don't sleep. You said that you need no sleep and no curfew. So don't sleep now.", Julian teased her and could see that she was starting to get pissed when he shook her every time she closed her eyes.
"Daaaad. Leave me alone.", she whined and slapped back his hands.
"Okay, we start again. Who changed all the clocks in the house?", he looked at Phoebe whose eyes were closed again, "Phoebe!"
"What?", she opened her eyes.
"Did you change the clocks?"
"Fine. Yes I did. It was me.", she lay her head in her hands and tried to stay awake but it was definitely a fight.
"Are you tired?", Brooke smiled at Phoebe whose eyes were not even really open.
"No.", Phoebe said back immediately and made Brooke and Julian smile. They realized again how childish she could be; well she was still a child.
"Why did you come home after your curfew Sam? Stay awake Phoebe"
"Because I forgot the time, like I said."
"Phoebe, did you watch the Hitcher at night?", Julian shook her again to open her eyes.
"Let me sleeeeeep.", she complained and lay down on the couch and cuddled closer to Sam, who took her arm around her.
"No Phoebe. You said you don't need a bedtime or sleep, right?"
Phoebe pushed Julian's hand away when he told her to open her eyes again. She fell to the floor and kicked around while crying totally exhausted.
"Jeez. Leave her alone.", Sam defended Phoebe who just needed to sleep.
"So Phoebe. Do you need sleep?", Brooke looked down at her and Phoebe sobbed.
"Yes.", she sounded like a small child who hated to admit something.
"And do you need a bedtime?" Phoebe did not say anything but then looked up at Julian and Brooke and nodded with wet eyes. She hated to admit it and sobbed even more and tried to wipe her own tears. "Okay then listen now. We realize that we give you two still too much freedom and that you obviously cannot deal with that. Especially you don't listen to any curfew.", Brooke looked down with a mad face at Phoebe but felt pity when she saw her wet face.
"First of all. Sam is older. She gets to do more than you do Phoebe and that will never change until you're grown-up."
Phoebe took a deep breath and just nodded while she sobbed. There was no energy left to protest.
"Sam lights are out at eleven. Phoebe at nine and you go to bed at eight and then you can read a little to calm down."
"Sam, no boy in your bed and I mean it. Ben has his own bed and sleeps in there. You have to be at home at half past nine during a school week and eleven on the weekend. Not a minute longer. And Sam, we really mean it!"
Sam looked up at Brooke and Julian and just nodded, "We will reduce your pocket money Phoebe and we want to know what you buy with it because obviously you buy horror movies that are not appropriate for you.", Brooke continued.
"Sam no car for two weeks and you are grounded for the next weekend."
"But…", she wanted to protest but Brooke pointed at her with a mad face and told her with it to be quiet.
"Phoebe.", Julian addressed the younger one, "No pocket money for a month and no computer."
"Why are you so overreacting? It was just an hour and Phoebe only changed the clocks. It's not like we did something horrible.", Sam needed to say that.
"Well Sam. We saw how well you handled it the few days without parental supervision. Drunken Sam? Partying all night? That's not what we will allow you ever until you are old enough.", Brooke answered, "Your room, your pocket money, your computer, your car, all of these things are privileges and we can take them away from you. We give you enough freedom but we won't let you lie to us. It hurts us and shows us that neither one of you is mature enough to know her limit. You can go to your room now."
Sam jumped up but Brooke said, "Car keys Sam.", she gave them to her and walked into her room and closed the door loudly.
"And you Phoebe."
"I wanna sleep. Let me sleep.", Phoebe cried from the floor and kicked the couch in protest.
"So you really admit that you need sleep and a bedtime?", Julian teased her and she nodded and screamed, "Yes I do."
Brooke could tell that she was totally exhausted, "You can go to bed now." But Phoebe did not stand up but cried into her hands. "Phoebe. Just go to bed."
"I can't. I can't.", Brooke and Julian realized that Phoebe was totally exhausted, "I feel so weird. And my head hurts. Please let me sleep with you. I am sorry. I am sorry what I did."
"Calm down.", Julian took her on his lap and stroked her back.
"I hate coffee.", Phoebe whispered and felt really nervous.
"What? How much did you drink?", Brooke asked concerned and knew that this was one reason why Phoebe was so hyperactive and acting the way she did now.
"Some glasses.", Phoebe whispered and could not stop crying. Brooke went into her bedroom and lay down with her.
"I cannot sleep. I just can't.", Phoebe whined but Brooke just held her in her arms.
"Just close your eyes and try it."
"But I can't.", Phoebe closed her eyes and seconds later she was asleep.
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Brooke came out of Phoebe's room and kissed her husband. "We won.", he whispered and cuddled a little closer to his wife. Both of them were exhausted as well and it did not take long that they fell asleep in each other's arms. The next morning they ate breakfast with a stubborn Sam and a Phoebe that could still not keep her eyes open and fell asleep on the table with the spoon in her mouth. "We should let her stay up more often. It's so calm in the morning now.", Julian joked and carried her back to bed.
"You know that we love you Sam.", Brooke took Sam's hand, who nodded and hugged her mom and then went to school.
Phoebe stayed at home and when Brooke decided to wake her up at 2pm, she still did not want to go out of the bed but Brooke knew that she would not sleep at night otherwise. But it was no use, Phoebe wanted to sleep and did not care that she was now lying on the kitchen floor. Brooke and Julian laughed at that view. Their kids were definitely something.
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