Thanks to my beta reader Scarlet Moon for living up the story.
"I'm not giving up on you." Brittany said.
"Then why is it so hard to make a decision?" Simon asked, gripping her hand firmly.
"It's not that. I just don't know if I want to go back to that life style."
"Brittany, I'm not asking you to retake your place. I'm only asking you to save us." Simon pleaded as Brittany shook her head. "I seriously doubt that you are going to let something that you worked so hard for be destroyed by someone who could care less about it. This isn't just your life we're talking about, Britt. We're talking about your sister's lives and my brother's lives. MY life. Our reputation."
"Even if I do go back and help, what am I supposed to do?" Brittany groaned, shaking her head helplessly.
"You're Brittany Sage Miller and my brother is Alvin Rex Seville. The two of you are bond to come up with something." Simon smirked as his phone starting to ring in his pocket.
-New York-
-A Few Moments Before-
"If Brittany doesn't come back… We won't exist anymore."
"What are you saying?"
"We're nothing without her. Sure my brothers and I did fine without them but….they're family now and without them…there is no us."
"You better pray she does come home."
"We all are." Alvin said as his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and put it to his ear. "Hello?" There was no reply. He looked at the caller I.D. "Jean, are you there? Hello?" Alvin gulped; worry starting to swell in his chest. "Jeanette?!" He yelled, this time more desperate. He heard a faint moan and then a voice but it wasn't Jeanette's.
"No one tells me what to do Seville."
Alvin's eyes widened. He knew that voice.
"Charlene! What did you do!?"
"Don't you worry, Alvin. It'll only get worse." Charlene said, voice laced thickly with malice, before ending the call.
Panicked, Alvin shoved his phone into his pocket before rushing out of the building. Ron was left mouth agape, a question hanging on the tip of his tongue.
Alvin jumped into his car and floored the gas pedal. He sped down the street to the Miller's house, all the way praying that Jeanette wasn't hurt. He pulled out his phone and quickly called his brother.
-London-
Brittany's eyes widened at the news they had just received. "She did what?! Is she alright? Is Jeanette hurt!?"
"The doctor said she'll be fine. She just has a small bump on the head from being hit, nothing major. As soon as they release her I'm going to bring her and El over to our place, just to be safe." Alvin spoke through the speaker.
"Alvin," Brittany rubbed her chin. "Is Ron still your agent?"
"Yeah, why? You planning something?" Alvin asked as Simon grinned towards Brittany.
"Tell him to make some noise." A smirk appeared on her face. "Brittany Miller is coming back and I want Charlene to know all about it."
"You got it!" Alvin laughed. "I'll see you guys soon."
Simon grinned and turned to face her. "Welcome back."
"Thanks. It's good to be back."
-New York-
"You lied to her." Jeanette accused as Alvin hung up from the call.
"Lying and answering the questions she asked are two different things, Jean. You of all people should know that." Alvin smirked, sliding his cell in his pocket. "No one needs to know. It stay's between you and me, okay?" He said taking hold of her hands.
Jeanette tilted her head. "What happened to the you that was a jerk?"
"Let's just say these last few months changed my perspective on things. This is the new me."
"Well I like the new you." She said with a soft smile.
-London-
"Are you sure that's the only flight available? Isn't there one a bit sooner?" Brittany asked, looking over Simon's shoulder.
"This is the soonest flight I could get us Britt." Simon sighed, booking their tickets. "Why don't you pack and then get some sleep."
"I'm already packed and I'm not tired." Brittany growled before walking into the kitchen. "You're the one who should really get some sleep. You've got to be tired."
"I've done worse Britt, you know this." He closed his laptop then rubbed his eye.
"Doesn't matter, you're tired and need to rest." Brittany said, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.
"Tell you what. I'll rest if you rest." He smiled.
"If I fall asleep now, I'll be up for hours." Brittany told Simon as he got up from the chair and walked towards her.
"That's the point. You'll be awake enough by the time we get to New York." He said running his hand through her hair.
"Would you just kiss me already? I know you want to, and playing with my hair isn't going to make it happen." Brittany stated.
Simon couldn't help but chuckled. He stared into her crystal blue eyes with a big smile on his face. Before he knew, it Brittany grasped the front of his shirt and pressed her lips against his. They ended their afternoon in sweet bliss.
-New York-
"I thought you were resting." Alvin said looking away from his lyrics to see Jeanette standing by his desk.
She looked at the ground. "I was…"
"Jean," Alvin stood from the desk. He placed his hand on Jeanette's cheek and gently caressed it. "You know that I don't think any differently of you, right?"
"You and I might not say anything about it but what if Charlene does? Then what will we do?" Crystal tears formed in her eyes and she bowed her head. "I don't think I can live with that."
"Yes you can." Alvin placed both of his hands on her cheeks and moved her to look him in the eyes. "I know you can. You're stronger then what Charlene has you believing, I promise. If she does say something about it then we deal with it and move on."
"What did Charlene do to you?"
"I realized how much she was hurting my family and trying to control what we worked so hard to get. It got me thinking about how I was acting towards my family… We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me being a jerk." Alvin admitted.
"You were still recovering from dealing with the loss of Dave. I don't know about anyone else, but I saw that." Jeanette whispered softly, raising a hand to grasp his.
"It doesn't excuse anything though. I shouldn't have been acting like that a year and a half later." He sighed, pulling away.
"He died right in front of you. You'll never be able to forget that."
"It's not just that Jean." He said facing her. "I… I said things that I wish I didn't and there's no way to take them back."
"Nobody's perfect Alvin and I'm sure Dave knew you didn't mean it." She tried to comfort him.
"He probably did, but telling him myself would make me feel so much better."
Jeanette gave Alvin a hug. "I know it would, but you need to move on. Dwelling on that won't bring him back. Nothing will. But he will be in your heart…forever."
Jeanette started to walk away but Alvin pulled her close to him and kissed her. This time he meant what he did. This wasn't just another girl. To him…it was THE girl.