Here's the last Chapter in this story. I hope you like it.
I might take a couple months of writing to work on an original story (nothing to do with fan fiction), but knowing me, I probably won't do that.
For those who haven't seen, I changed the DOB and name of Jodie. She's still called Jodie, but I took out her middle name, the spelling of her last name is now Greene, and her DOB is July 24th 2039.
Anyway, please R&R and enjoy.
T.C
~oOo~
Chapter 3
First Night
After the excitement of the news that Jodie coming was coming to live with us, dinner - guess who started the food fight - and watching Monsters Inc., everybody went to bed.
The silence in the house lasted for a couple of hours before the padding of feet disrupted the quiet. I probably wouldn't have noticed it if I hadn't already been awake, tossing and turning, worrying over what was probably nothing.
It was quiet for a while after that, until I could just about make out somebody talking. I couldn't tell you what they were saying, but I could hear it.
And then it stopped again. There was no sound what so ever.
Who is it? And what are they doing? Is the first thought that went through my head, as I got up and out into the hall. It couldn't be the Terrible Two, cause they would be making a hell of a lot more noise then what I heard. Virgil would still be asleep. When he got to sleep, trying to wake him was like trying to wake up a hibernating bear. And Scott would just sit in his room and play games. John was the only one who would get up, but he'd normally go to the roof to stargaze.
But there was Jodie to think about now as well. I didn't know about her sleeping habits. And she was in a new place, which might mess with everything she knows.
Ever so slowly, I made my way down the stairs. I'd eliminate every room in this damn house to find the source of the noise, if I had to. I didn't care about the time, I'd do what I had to, to protect this family, dysfunctional as it was at the moment.
The closer I got to the den, the clearer the voices got. They weren't the muffled talking's of anybody anymore. I could actually hear what was being said.
"There's no way I'm Lydia. I read the basics of her character before we started, and just cause I'm a red-head, doesn't mean I'm her." The first voice said indignantly, "You're more like Lydia if anything."
"What? How am I like her? And if you're not her, then who are you?" The second replied.
Well there answers my earlier question of who did the voice belong to, or rather voices. John and Jodie were the culprits.
"I'm Stiles, obviously. And Lydia is the smart one. Granted, you're not Queen Bee and all that, but you have her smarts." Jodie told John, "Now shush. I haven't seen this, and obviously you have."
"But…"
"I'm pressing play now, and if you don't want to watch the whole thing with subs, then you better be quiet. And don't ruin it for me."
More sounds started coming through the closed door. I could hear barking, some chattering, and then some type of music.
That's when I opened the door on the two friends; who were sitting on the couch, hugging and eating ice cream.
And it was probably the worst time to do it.
On the screen, there was a boy holding a baseball bat before, all of a sudden, somebody suddenly appeared, hanging upside down from the roof, in front of the boy, and they started screaming.
It made me jump, which alerted them to my presence. I think it took all their will power not to scream like the two boys on screen.
"What the hell, dad?"
"I heard noises, so I came to investigate." I replied, watching as Jodie hit the pause button for the TV, "And I guessed that it might be you two, given the insomnia and how you stargaze, John. Figured that you would wake Jodie if you couldn't sleep, given how you acted at the hospital."
"Give me a minute to let my heart restart." Jodie joked, putting one of her small hands over her heart.
"So, why are you guys up? I want to know if I'm right or not."
They looked at each other briefly before answering the question. Whether it was because they didn't want to tell me or not, I had no idea.
"It's weird being here." Jodie finally answered, "Not in a bad way, but seeming as the last eight years of my life, give or take, haven't been the best, and that I can only remember bits and pieces of having a loving family, it's a bit strange to be back living with one. Does that make any sense, cause it feels like it didn't."
I smiled.
"Yeah, it does make sense. I guess you could say you're wary of what might happen in your new environment." I told her, before looking back at the TV screen, "So, what are you guys watching?"
"Teen Wolf. This is the very first episode, and we're going to see how many episodes we can watch before we either fall asleep or everybody wakes up."
"Alright. Well, I better leave you guys to watch it then. Just make sure not to leave too much of a mess." I said, motioning to the leftover pizza, potato wedges, and everything else that they couldn't eat at dinner.
"Don't worry. We will."
As I left, I smiled again, leaving them to continue playing the old TV series they were watching before I came in.
~oOo~
It seemed like only a few minutes after I made it back to bed, before I was waking up again. I knew that that wasn't the case, as the sun was starting the stream through my curtains, but it felt like it.
And no matter how much I didn't want to get up, I knew I had to. I couldn't miss out on what they had planned for Jodie's birthday.
So I pulled my semi-tired body from my nice, warm, comfy bed, and made my way to the bathroom to get showered, dressed. Hopefully I could wake myself up some more in the time it took me to get ready.
When I got downstairs, it turned out that I was the first person up. Or at least the first one to actually get out of bed and go downstairs.
I decided that I could see whether John and Jodie had actually made it back to their respective bedrooms, or actually just fallen asleep on the couch. Turns out the latter was the true one.
They were fast asleep, spooning each other; a blanket pulled over to keep them warm, and what I guessed was another episode of Teen Wolf playing in the background. And while the take out boxes were still on the table, it was actually tidier then I was expecting it to be.
"Come on. It's time to get up." I said quietly, kneeling on the floor next to them and gently shaking both their arms, "I was thinking about making pancakes, what do you think?"
All I got was a couple of tired grunts, and a murmur of 'we're currently out of service, please try again later.'
"I'll do that then." I chuckled, getting up and walking back to the kitchen, pausing the TV on my way out, "Is half an hour enough, or do you want an hour?"
That got no response from them, but I did get one from somebody else.
"I'll take some extra time in bed, but I'm up now. There's no way I'm getting back to sleep." A tired voice came from behind me.
"Morning, Scott." I didn't even have to turn around to know who it was, "Pancakes alright with you?"
He nodded sleepily, and made his way to the coffee machine to turn it on.
"I really should remember to turn the timer on, on this. Make sure the coffee is ready by the time I get up."
"Are you normally up this early?"
"For school, yes. But I forgot to turn my alarm off for this morning, and I was up till about midnight trying to finish Jodie's present. I think Virg was up even later than me trying to finish his."
"And he's like a hibernating bear when he goes to sleep. We probably won't be seeing him till about ten, if not later."
"Oh no, he isn't." He said, pouring himself a cup of coffee, "I'm waking him up at normal school time, cause he has to get up early for everything John has planned. I'm pretty sure he would've bought tickets for the Kennedy Space Centre and flights if he could."
I went and poured myself my own cup of coffee, before going back to making the pancake batter. Might as well get it done now and have something to eat before it becomes crowded, noisy and busy.
About an hour, and a lot of coffee, later, my three remaining boys from upstairs came down; Virgil being pulled by two very excitable under ten's.
"It's too early!" Virgil complained, looking into the den at the still sleeping forms of John and Jodie, "Why do they get to remain sleeping? I'm going to join them."
And with that, he sleepily walked towards them, sat down on the couch and laid down; his arms wrapped loosely round one of Jodie's legs, and his head resting on her bum. He mumbled something before promptly falling asleep.
"I'll never understand how he does that." Scott said, taking another gulp of coffee, "Oh how I'm jealous of his ability to do it."
"Well maybe if you didn't drink ten gallons of coffee when you wake up, you might be able to do it." I told him, clocking Gordon and Alan slowly making their towards the den door, "And don't even think about it, you two. Let them sleep a little longer."
They stopped dead in their tracks, and looked at each other before they made their way towards two empty seats at the table.
"But we want to give Jodie her presents."
"Later. It's only a little after seven thirty, and I'm sure John has all the times we need for the museum. Once you've eaten and washed up your plates, you can wake them up."
"Okay." They said in unison, after looking at each other for a few seconds.
"Right." I whispered, getting the batter and heating up the pan.
A lot of pancakes later, I finally let the Terrible Two loose on the defenseless sleepers in the den.
There were a few moments of silence, and then a lot of grumbled moaning and complaining.
"What the hell is on my butt?" I heard a sleepy voice ask, as I made my way towards them, "Virg, mind moving your head?"
"But your butt is so comfy." Came the reply, and I saw him hug her leg a little tighter.
"My foot is at just the right level to kick you in the balls. Don't give me do it, cause I can and I will."
"Alright, alright." With that, he slowly let go of her leg and sat up, "I would like to not be in pain when we go out."
It was at this point that Gordon and Alan decided to jump into the conversation.
"Jodie! Jodie! Jodie!"
"That's my name, don't wear it out." She yawned, sitting up as well.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" They yelled, holding something out to her. I guessed it was the card they were making her yesterday.
Their yell forced all of us to cover our ears, and causing John to finally startle awake.
"Are they always this loud?" Jodie asked.
There were some muffled answers, before another voice came from the den door.
"I'm still trying to figure out if they have an off button." My mother said, making her way into the room with a few wrapped presents, and handed them to Jodie, "But I now have a granddaughter, even if it isn't by blood, and I'll be damned if I can't spoil you; so Happy Birthday."
That's when the three oldest boys ran from the room. I could hear them on the stairs, so I was going to take a guess at them running to get their presents. They returned a couple of minutes later; Scott with his model Space Shuttle, and Virgil with his painting; which happened to be the Andromeda Galaxy.
After a hug pile and some crying, I knew worries about what might happen, were just stupid thoughts. I should've known that nothing bad would come from this, given how they all acted around her. And I knew the only trouble she'd probably get into, was when she decided to join forces with either the Terrible Two, or John.