Hi everybody!
I was SO busy the last few days. I had so much homework and everything. Because teachers live to personally make students' lives miserable. They think its fun to have this game where who can assign the most homework so students can come back the next day with back problems and incomplete homework. And then you get slapped with a big fat F. But nevermind all that crap. I'll still be updating till the very end of this story.
Reply to Reviews!
Flying By Wire: Your reviews are just AWESOME. Thank you so much for them. They make my day when I find them in my email inbox.
Avril Lambert: Yeah, the Bimbettes are freaking annoying.
Lalita: Thx! I don't even know how to humanely thank you with words. Because your review was just so inspiring. It was a drop of sunshine into my day. So thank you.
CalzonaMerDer: YOU'RE BACK! Armed with your GA fandom! Yay, we have like the same fandom. April and Jackson after the wedding! I SAW THAT! Yeah, Sandra Oh is my favorite character on the whole show. Cristina Yang forever!
Gahahaga: Thank you so much! And here's the update!
EsmeraldaFrollo: Awww, thanks. Yes, Dani Spark is the . Sorry, one of my friends, Karly, keeps saying that and it's stuck in my head. Does anybody else have those friends that keep repeating this? Or am I the only one?
Morning is supposed to come with hope. This morning came with fear.
-Flynn
He woke up and saw Dani lying next to him. Her eyes were open, puffy, and red.
"Did you sleep?!" Flynn demanded incredulously. "God, Dani, you look hungover!"
"I swallowed sleeping pills, but I couldn't sleep." Dani stared straight at the ceiling. "I can't believe that they're gonna kill Jim today."
Flynn cracked his neck. "Yeah, well. Some people are unlucky?"
Dani glared daggers at him. " 'Some people are unlucky?' Are you out of your mind? He's your friend, Flynn! Show a little compassion."
Flynn closed his eyes and laid back down.
"You're keeping the rest of the story from me. But I want to hear it."
Flynn turned. "Huh?"
"The rest of the story. Besides Peter stealing the Crystal. What's your part in this scheme?"
Flynn blushed. "I don't have a part."
"The guilt's written all over your smug little face." Dani frowned.
Flynn shrugged. "I didn't do anything."
"No, you're a saint!" Dani slid out of bed. "Flynn Rider, you tell me this instant!"
Flynn ran his hands through his hair again. "I'd rather just lie here and kiss you."
Dani softened, then shoved him playfully. "No. I won't fall for that. You tell me the story, and then you can keep me for as long as you like."
"Hmmm." Flynn stroked his chin. "As long as I like?"
"Yes."
Flynn grabbed her around the waist. "You're my prisoner then."
Dani wrapped her arms around his neck. "First things first. The story, Flynn."
Flynn sighed and Dani flopped on the floor. "Well," he began. "Peter told me he stole the Crystal, and wanted to sell it. He didn't tell me why, but he wanted to sell it. So I told him where he could illegally pawn the Crystal, with one of my friends. Pigeon."
"Pigeon?" Dani wrinkled her nose.
"He's homeless," Flynn explained. "And he bartends sometimes down at the Snuggly Duckling. He's a regular at Bronson, too."
"I've never been to those places."
"That's good," Flynn assured her. "You're not supposed to be. Anyways," he added hastily, seeing Dani's concerned face. "so Peter had me take him down, and Pigeon told Peter to come back that night with the Crystal—the night of the Triton Girls' party."
Dani's eyes widened.
Flynn lowered his gaze. "And I told him in the middle of the party that we should probably go sell the Crystal now, but he said he lost it. And he seemed all angry."
"Why?"
"I dunno. But he left in a big hurry."
Dani shook her head. "He probably framed Jim. But I have no clue why he would do that. Jim usually keeps to himself."
"He gets into millions of fights."
"Yes, but has he ever gotten into one with Peter?"
Flynn was thinking. "I don't think so. Peter tends to stay away from Gaston's entire group. And Jim belongs to that group...so, no. I don't think Peter and Jim ever scuffled."
Dani leaned back against the pillow. "Do you think he'll stop the execution to save Jim?"
Flynn snorted. "Peter is selfish and arrogant and cocky. I don't think so."
"Are you the only one that knows?"
Flynn glanced at her. "Yeah. Well, besides you."
"So you played a part in this."
Flynn looked uncomfortable. "Eh. Not really a part. I'm not the Crystal Thief. Peter is."
"So Peter must've framed Jim."
That was a new path to take. Flynn furrowed his eyebrows. "Why would Peter have a bone to pick with Jim?"
"Well." Dani scratched her head. "Does...Peter like anyone that you know about?"
Flynn shook his head. "No."
"Let me ask Wendy." Dani reached for the phone. "I think they're friends..."
Flynn pulled her hand away. "No!"
Dani yanked away. "Why not?"
"I don't want you to tell—"
Dani was cross. "I'm not telling, Flynn. I'm just gonna ask Wendy if Peter likes anyone."
"Don't you think that'll be a bit suspicious?" Flynn hissed. "How's that conversation gonna go?" He switched to a falsetto voice. " 'Oh, hey, Wendy, sorry about your boyfriend. By the way, on a sidenote, does Peter Tremaine like anybody?' And then she'll say, 'Why, Dani?' And you'll say, 'Just curious!' How the HELL would that make ANY SENSE?"
Dani looked taken aback. "I'll be subtle, I promise."
Flynn released the phone, and Dani dialed Wendy's number.
Wendy picked up. "Dani?" Her voice was all stuffed up from crying.
"Hey, honey." Dani bit her lip. "How're you doing?"
"I don't know."
Flynn raised an eyebrow. Dani swallowed. "Just a quick question. Does Peter Tremaine like anybody, as far as you know?"
"That. Was. Not. Subtle." Flynn glowered at Dani.
"Why?" Wendy asked curiously.
"No reason," Dani shrugged. "Wondering. Maybe if he liked me?"
Flynn gasped. Dani rolled her eyes. "Relax, Flynn, I'm making this up as I go."
"No, Dani," Wendy sniffled on the other end. "He used to like me, I think. He left me this secret love note in my locker. And I confronted him about it, but then Jim asked me out. So..." Dani heard a sob.
"I'm sorry, Wendy." Dani sniffed. "I really am."
Wendy had already hung up the phone.
"He likes Wendy," Dani reported.
Flynn gasped, pointing. "That's IT! Don't you SEE? Peter framed Jim to get rid of him. So he'd be out of the picture and Wendy would be his."
Dani's mouth fell open. "So Peter is the Crystal Thief...AND he framed Jim. He's a frickin' murderer!"
Flynn shook his head. "Well, you promised. You can't tell anybody."
Dani buried her face in her hands. "I don't see why you're protecting that JERK! It's horrible, trying to get rid of Jim when clearly, Wendy loves him too much to describe."
Flynn stood. "I don't know. I'm torn between the authorities and protecting my friend and pleasing my girlfriend."
"Life is full of choices..." Dani began.
"Don't preach, please." Flynn leaned out the window. Suddenly he gasped. "What's going on near St. Peter's cathedral?"
Dani rushed to the window. "There are so many ambulances and cop cars! What do you think—"
"I don't know. Come on!"
Flynn threw on his coat, tossed Dani's jacket at her, and they left Flynn's apartment. They charged onto the street, but the whole place was marked off with Caution! yellow tape.
Flynn charges forward. "Excuse me!" he yelled at a cop.
"Listen, kid, this is a crime scene—" the cop began.
Flynn stared at the girl on the ground, bleeding from the head. "I KNOW HER! That's Esmeralda—she's from Bronson."
The cop looked at him, confused. "You a relative?"
Flynn hesitated, then nodded. "I'm her brother. I'm...er...Emmett. What happened to her?"
"Fell. From up there. Attempted suicide."
"No," Flynn said, shaking his head. "She wouldn't."
"Do you mind if we asked you a question?"
"Ask away."
"Is there any abuse going on at home? Is she in an abusive relationship? Was she sad or depressed in any way?"
Flynn blinked. "No. No abuse. She has a nice boyfriend—he's my friend." It was the truth.
Dani grabbed Flynn's arm. Why was he lying?
Flynn swallowed. "Ask someone. Anyone. Anyone that was here. Ask that guy!" Flynn pointed at the priest in black robes, gliding out from the church doors.
"Reverend Frollo!" the cop took off, and Flynn stared at Esmeralda. She let out moans, her head bleeding severely. Her fingers were bent. Obviously broken.
Dani turned away, disgusted. "Do you think she wanted to kill herself, Flynn?" she asked.
Flynn shook his head no. "Esmeralda never had a good life, but she was content with it," he replied. "Unless...something happened to change her mind today. With Phoebus?"
Dani looked away, fearfully. "Will she make it?"
Flynn shrugged. "I don't know. I hope she will. But—she has to go to the hospital."
"Hospital's closed!" A surgeon yelled from the ambulance. "Due to the execution!"
"Damn," swore the nearest police officer. "What will we do with this girl?"
The surgeon shrugged. "Is she in a life-or-death situation?"
"YES!" Flynn hollered. "Look, you have to do something! She needs help! She's—she's bleeding from the head!"
The surgeon glared, then gestured. "I can open one wing at the hospital, I suppose. Bend a few rules, but only because she's near death."
"She's not gonna die," Flynn snarled. "She's gonna be alright."
"Flynn," Dani clung to his arm. "Is she—"
"She's unconscious!" yelled an officer. "Would you get that damn ambulance ready, McRooney?"
The surgeon, McRooney, quickly prepared the ambulance, and once Esmeralda's body was loaded in, Flynn strode over to Reverend Frollo. "Sorry to disturb you, Reverend," he grimaced. "I just want to know if you saw what happened to that girl who fell."
Frollo nodded. "I do know. What a shame. She came to me for counciling. She asked me to help her atone for all her sins, and for me to read the Bible aloud for her to pray to God. But I took her upstairs to give her something to drink when she grew faint. Upstairs, I left the room for one second to go fetch my Bible and read a Psalm to her, and once I left the room, and I returned, the girl was gone. I looked everywhere, and out the window to my balcony, and I saw her there, dangling. I let out a cry. I said to her, 'You commit suicide, and your soul will burn in hell.' She didn't care, and let go before I could grab her hand and pull her to safety."
Flynn looked down. "So it was a suicide attempt, like the officers said."
"Indeed, a suicide attempt." Frollo nodded. "My sincere regrets to the family of the girl." He looked up at Flynn. "Are you family?"
"I'm her...brother," Flynn said, scratching his head. "She had a rough life, I guess. Prostitution and all that."
"She did mention it." Frollo nodded. "Well. Good day. I'll pray for her soul."
Flynn dipped his head and resumed walking back to Dani.
But Dani had the feeling Reverend Frollo was lying.
She was thinking maybe he had more to do with Esmeralda's injury then he had just testified.
I should never have lied—see where it got me?
-Cindy
When Cindy had arrived home late last night after her pretending to be Anastasia Tremaine, she had opened the door and had seen Peter making out with a blonde girl about his age in the dark. A big clay bowl of popcorn was overturned on the floor, and the end credits of the Sound of Music was playing on TV...
"What the hell?!" Cindy demanded, switching on the light in the den.
Peter and Blondie broke apart, and Cindy gasped, seeing who the girl was. "Alice?"
Alice scrambled up. "Cindy! How are you?"
"Alice, what are you doing?" Cindy glared at Peter. "Kissfest?"
"Like you weren't doing the same thing with Mr. McDreamy!" Peter shot back. "On your daaaaate."
"Peter told me you were out on a date, and I wanted to visit you," Alice said, with a tiny smile. "We made popcorn and were watching pointless movies," Peter chimed in.
"How did it escalate from popcorn and pointless movies?" demanded Cindy, glaring at Peter.
Peter shrugged. "We've kissed before."
"Excuse me, are you high?" cried Cindy. "You've kissed before?"
"We had a thing," Alice answered. "But we were young though. It was back in fifth and eighth grade. In the backyard. Peter used to laugh when I went on your old swing, and he used to hold me and kiss me under that giant tree."
Cindy rolled her eyes. "And you never thought to tell your favorite and awesomest cousin, Alice?"
Alice looked sheepish. "Sorry."
"So you two have a thing now?"
Peter looked at Alice questioningly, and Alice pecked him on the mouth. Peter kissed back with full force, feeling her up and pressing his mouth over hers. He didn't want people to know he actually felt grown up feelings such as love, but here, with Alice, he didn't actually care. She was just as childish as him—to him—and he liked her a lot. He wasn't afraid to kiss her and be childish and immature with her.
"God." Cindy collapsed on to the sofa. "Get a room."
They both grinned.
Cindy gestured at the popcorn mess. "Clean this up. I don't want to see this here, do you understand? Alice, tomorrow morning, you're leaving. Understand?"
"Yeah, Cindy."
Then they had all went to bed, and forgotten about last night's events, and the next morning, Peter and Alice had kissed intensely, and then Alice had gone home—before the Wicked Witch of the West and the two Stepmonkeys got home. But they did...and disaster struck.
Cindy was sweeping up the floor when the doorbell rang.
Drisella, who was reading on the couch got up and checked the window, which was unnatural of her to help Cindy out. She gasped. "It's the dreamiest guy I ever saw in my life! ANASTASIA! MOTHER! There's a beautiful boy outside on the steps."
Char.
Cindy's heart started beating. "Here, Drisella," she said evenly, standing up. "Let me get the door, please."
Drisella scowled. "He wouldn't want to see your ugly-ass face. Or your ugly tattered gown or your ugly messed up hands. He wants to see me and Anastasia."
Cindy was too afraid to make a comeback. Within seconds, Lady Tremaine had glided down the stairs. "You girls go make yourselves presentable," she told them. "I'll see who this boy is."
She opened the door, and Cindy quickly retreated into the kitchen at the wave of Lady Tremaine's hand.
That didn't stop her from listening.
"Hello ma'am, very sorry to bother you," Char's voice said.
"No trouble at all," replied Lady Tremaine. Her voice was all milk and honey and smoothness, unlike the harsh prickly cactus tone she used with Cindy.
"I was looking for an...Anastasia Tremaine. Ana. If that's no trouble."
She heard Lady Tremaine gasp in delight. "Anastasia Tremaine? Oh, that's my daughter."
"She is very beautiful, and smart, and kind," Cindy heard Char say. "I'd like to get to know her more. Please, could you ask her to come and see me?"
"Absolutely!" Lady Tremaine beamed. "I'll call her. Anastasia? Darling, there is a lovely young man here to see you."
Not her, Cindy wanted to say. Me. He wants to see me.
Anastasia came running down the stairs. She rushed to the door, beaming like a chimpanzee. Cindy saw Char take a step back. "Um," he said.
"Um what?" Lady Tremaine demanded.
"Sorry," said Char embarrassed. "This is not the girl I was looking for."
"Does the girl you were looking for have short black hair?" Anastasia asked. "That's my sister."
"The girl I'm looking for is named Ana Tremaine," said Char evenly. "She has golden hair and eyes that shine like stars. Sorry if that got too corny, ma'am. She is beautiful and I want to have another date with her tonight after the execution."
Lady Tremaine narrowed her eyes. "Golden hair, you say?" she asked in a soft voice. "A beautiful girl."
"In a lovely dress," Char added. "We met last night."
"My daughters and I," said Lady Tremaine with a snide smile. "were out of town last night. I'm wondering who you could have seen."
Cindy saw Lady Tremaine hold up a finger to Char and stride back into the kitchen to Cindy. She grabbed a handful of black soot and pasted it onto Cindy's face and cheeks and dress.
"Stepmother, let go!" Cindy protested.
But to no avail. Cindy was dragged out of the kitchen. Lady Tremaine flung Cindy forward against Char, who caught her. He looked down at the girl, and recognition lit up his eyes, then shock. "Ana?"
By now Cindy had begun crying, tears making crystalline tracks down her face. She pushed away and stumbled back against Lady Tremaine, who pressed her thin wine-colored lips together.
"This is not Anastasia Tremaine," she hissed.
"Yes, it is!" Char yelled back. "Why is she dressed like a servant? Why are you treating her this way?"
"This is a servant girl!" shrieked Lady Tremaine. "Her name is Cinderella and she is in no way related to me and my daughters! If it is one of my daughters you want, take them."
Char was glaring. He turned to Cindy. "Why did you lie to me?"
Cindy was sobbing. She looked away and didn't reply. "I'm sorry," was all she could say before breaking down again.
Char turned back to Lady Tremaine. "Your daughters—I'm sure they're great. But—I was expecting another girl, who turned out to be your freaking servant. So I'm just gonna go now."
"Ch-char!" Cindy looked up. "Ch-char, don't l-leave me h-here. I w-won't be able t-to—"
"Shut the hell up!" screamed Drisella. "Cinderella, haven't you done enough?"
"P-p-please, Char!" Cindy cried. "Char, t-take me with you!"
Char kept walking, slowly, tediously, down towards his car.
"Please don't do this," Cindy whispered.
Suddenly, Char turned around and ran back to Cindy. Before anyone could do anything, Char wrapped his arm around Cindy and led her to his car.
Without a word, he slipped out of his jacket and draped it around his shoulders. He gave her a box of Kleenex. She blew her nose and buried her face between her knees in a sad attempt to try and brush off the soot.
Char stopped the car in a little while in front of a house. It was nice, and Cindy blew her nose again, too afraid to look at the friendly boy she had enjoyed her time with last night at Yellow Stars.
"Ana," he said evenly. "or should I call you something else?"
Cindy swallowed, trying not to bawl. "My name is Cindy."
"I don't know," Char began. "why you wouldn't tell me that right at the Triton Girls' party."
"I was ashamed," Cindy whispered. "of who I was."
"Who exactly is that?"
"A servant." Cindy wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry I put this all on you."
Char laughed. "No problem. Just a little bit of weirdness is always good."
"I'll have to go back eventually," Cindy reminded him.
"Naw, Cindy!" Char grabbed her hand. "You don't understand. I want you. All of you. I wouldn't care if you were a demon, I love you. I fell in love with you last night with your witty puns and your absolute sweetness, and I want you to stay with me." He blushed and backed up. "I mean—do you want to?"
Cindy considered.
All her life she had spent in servitude, scrounging after her stepfamily. Her father and mother had both died, no one besides Peter had ever been her friend. And here was Char, offering to love her and care for her. It was like a dream come true.
"Is there a downside?" Cindy asked cautiously.
Char looked very serious. "I will love you to death. If you can't stand that, say no."
Cindy took a deep breath.
"I love you and I will stay with you as long as I am alive. I just ask you to please never leave me alone and do to me what my stepfamily did."
Char stared at her and finally nodded. "I will never leave you. You're all I need."
I'm sorry, guys. That was just so corny I almost barfed.
But I think Char is sweet. But still. Yuck. Anyways. I'm glad Cindy is finally out of that damn hellhole into a world of happiness and all that. Next chapter is the Execution. Just one big chapter, with a bunch of POVs to show different perspectives and all that.
SO PREPARE FOR THE CLIMAX IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!
And then we'll settle the little problems. Like Arista's pregnancy, and Ariel/Adrian fluff, and Cindy/Char. And Peter/Alice, of course.
I better start working.