Chapter 16

Peculiarities

Hey everyone so I'm kind of baaaaaack… thanks to the amazing reviews and ideas! My brain has now started pumping some good plots!

Huge huge thanks to my theory-bud, salty nap princess, who has pulled me back into the Ever After High fandom. If you love angst, definetely read her stories! They will either make you spontaneously combust or ache your heart…maybe both?

Here's to reviewers:

Ciel: Wow! Your review was long, but I love long reviews so good for us all! Having really nice and supportive reviews like that really help people, so thank you so much for all your kind words. For someone who doesn¡t really know english, your writing was very good and clear…that sounds so strange haha. I really like your ideas, especially about Raven having amnesia and Cupid finding someone who loves her. In fact, I will use both of those ideas. I don't think your comments are too critical at all! I do think that my stories are dramatic, and I had writer's block for the last few chapter so they were kind of bad. I have never been to Versailles, but I would love to go one day! Glad to know it's beautiful.

Guest: Again, I have no idea how many Guests there are…anyway, I also adore the fairy godmther idea, however you must remember this is a Modern AU! No magic allowed! Nevertheless, I have managed to Modernise it and I will be using that idea.

And here's the story, guys!

P.S. And disclaimer - I know absolutely nothing about medical stuff and adoption. So I just winged it and this is the most inaccurate thing I've ever written, probs.

—

Call Dexter a geek, but he thought today would be perfect. The birds were chirping, the sky was almost insanely blue, and the sun was shining a warm glow on the city. It was also the day that Raven would finally be able to leave the hospital, which made it even more perfect than it already was.

He stopped himself from skipping and dancing down the street before he could make a fool of himself. He felt very calm and happy. If Darling had seen him, she would have laughed. Dexter remembered that his twin was halfway across the world from him, but he had his wife and his friends here in Everafter, so it was alright.

Being ridiculous, he decided to walk to the hospital because of what a beautiful day it was (apparantly). It wasn't extremely stupid, but just not what Dexter usually did.

He walked in the sliding doors of the medical centre and into the elevator, until he reached the floor desired and got off. He turned down a hallway and saw a throng of his friends - Maddie holding balloons, Cerise looking like she had won the lottery, and Briar with an ice tub full of champagne. Ashlynn and Hunter were there, but looking very awkward with each other.

"Hereth lie the day that He, the LORD hath made. We shall all rejoice according, and be grateful," Maddie said solemnly.

"Hear, hear," Briar and Cerise chorused.

Dexter wasn't quite sure what was going on, but he didn't mind because today was the day of days. The glorious day when heaven descended upon his humble abode! Feeling very lucky and sappy, he sat himself down beside Hunter, waiting patiently.

Almost two minutes after he sat down, the doors open and a nurse walked out, wheeling a back-braced Raven.

The waiting room descended into chaos. Briar started singing an off-tune version of 'Hallelujah'. Maddie scattered painted tea leaves around the bewildered Raven like it was confetti, and draped streamers and bunting across her shoulders and lap. Cerise promptly burst into tears and dampered Raven's shoulder. Ashlynn and Hunter, unsure what to do, just watched, looking slightly amused. Dexter was grabbed by an off-tune-singing Briar to initiate the Can-can.

When Briar, Maddie and Cerise had considerably sobered, they thanked an eternally-scarred nurse, offered Raven their congratulations, and asked nonstop about how she was feeling. The nurse left in a hurry, probably looking for someone sane she could tend to.

"How are you, Raven? Not too hurt?" Cerise flustered.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. You know, my back aches a little and…" Raven stopped as Briar thrust a bottle of champagne into her hands. "Oh, alright. Um, yeah, I'm fine. A little sore, kind of uncomfortable in my leg."

"You made it! You're alive!" Maddie exclaimed, hugging her friend joyously. She tied several of the balloons to the arms of the wheelchair. What with the balloons, bunting, streamers, champagne, and slightly deranged entourage, Raven feared the amount of stares she would recieve when she was wheeled back.

"There's nothing wrong except for her back. What a miracle! WHAT JOY!" Briar cried.

Raven was wheeled down to the street outside.

"Au revoir!" Maddie called to the hospital. "Thank you for nursing our Raven." She bowed like a Japanese warrior and skipped alongside Raven, who was being wheeled by Dexter, who was flanked by Briar and Hunter on either side. Cerise stood holding Raven's hand and Ashlynn sort of hung out near the back.

They walked silently like this for some time. Suddenly, Raven gave a sharp cry.

"Raven?" four voices said simultaneously. Briar, Maddie, Cerise and Dexter knelt in front of the pained woman.

"Aah…" she held her head and winced. After a while, she stopped and looked up, blinking.

Dexter sighed in relief, grateful her head didn't…implode or something.

"Wait…" Raven's eyes widened as she studied each of their faces. "Wh-Who are you all?"

—

Blondie woke up to a bright morning and the smell of a honey mocha latte on her bedside table. Early to rise, she sat up straight away and took a sip of the beverage placed there by her housemate, Cedar.

She slipped into a pair of high-waisted denim shorts and a frilly cream-coloured tee. Pulling her hair into a high ponytail, she walked down the stairs, checking her schedule of her laptop balanced on her arm. Tucked under the other arm was paperwork for her journalist and reporter job. She held her mug, sipping at it. Today was her day off - once in a fortnight.

Downstairs, Cedar was in the kitchen at the counter with her cinnamon and apple smoothie, sipping while writing down paperwork. Her hair was messily piled on top of her head.

"Morning, Dee," the therapist greeted.

"Hey, Cedar, how's it going?"

"Don't know. Marie's coming in for another session after her eating disorder has generally subsided - don't want to test it though. I was thinking about offering some more help to Marlo, his pyrophobia is shocking…"

"You work too hard."

"I'm helping people, I might as well work hard while I'm at it."

"You're too good for the world," Blondie said, sitting down on the tall bar chair beside Cedar.

"No, I'm just too practical for people to manage. Gotta be there at eight. I need to go."

Bundling up her belongings, Blondie's housemate left, making said blonde chuckle. After making herself some bacon, honey on toast and eggs, she sat down in front of the flatscreen and turned it on. She switched to the news channel to see Michelle, her stand-in on off days, doing a poor excuse of a job with her snotty voice and equally annoying face.

Usually at seven thirty, Michelle was replaced with a much easier to tolerate Stephen. Blondie awaited the latest dramatic gossip. As the brunette started talking, the news he had to deliver made the breakfasting head reporter freeze.

Blondie gasped, dropped her fork with a clatter, and immediately started to cry.

—

"Who are you all?" Raven repeated, blinking up at four astonished faces. "Why am I in a wheelchair?"

She looked around at the people around her. She saw a man, a brunette woman, another red-dressed one and one more that looked cute and quite strange.

"You don't know me?" the man asked. He looked quite hurt, on the brink of tears.

"I'm sorry, no. I don't mean to make you all upset," they seemed like nice fellows, from their looks, Raven thought. She did feel guilty, although she did not know these people. The brunette girl who was wearing the red dress burst into tears.

"Oh! Please don't cry! I'm sorry if I've said something bad," Raven apologised. "I'm not intending to offend you. But please, tell me who you all are. I assume you are my…helpers?" She looked around again. All of them looked terrified and upset.

"Briar Beauty?" the tallest woman said slowly.

"Is that your name?"

"Yes, it is."

Raven nodded. The others introduced themselves as Cerise Hood (the crying girl), Madeline (the short one), and Dexter Charming.

"Dexter Charming," Raven repeated. "What a familiar name…oh!"

Another pained yell came from the wheelchaired woman as she winced. "Oh, my head…"

Raven shook her aching head and looked up to see the miserable faces of her closest friends.

"Hey, is everyone okay? You guys all look like someone got hit by a meteor or something," she laughed before turning to her husband, whose eyes were filled with tears. "Dex, honey, you alright?"

There was a long period of silence that made Raven uncomfortable. Out of the blue, Dexter embraced her tightly. While she enjoyed the sudden hug immensely, she could not think of why she deserved such an act, nor why everyone looked relieved and disappointed at the same time. She returned the gesture, yet could not remember what happened that seemed to have scarred the four friends. She only remembered head pain, some confusion and little dialogue. Some questions she asked? She hoped she hadn't asked anything rude.

"You know who I am, right?" Briar asked after Dexter had let go.

The question's oddness startled Raven. "Briar Cadice Beauty, party thrower, lover of naps and champagne, loves pink and roses and black onyx, married to Hopper Croakington, led a group of vengeful prostitutes to abuse perverts?" Raven recounted, a query in her voice.

"Thank the croquet!" Maddie said, who had been speechless since Raven had asked what was wrong. Cerise, who still had tears streaming thickly down her cheeks, seemed too overwhelmed to talk.

"I-I have to go. I can't take this…"

Raven watched, concerned, as her best friend left, sniffling. "What did I say? Did I say something terrible? Dex, what did I say?"

He rubbed her arm soothingly. "It's alright, Rae. She's just overwhelmed with all the hospital stuff…you know…"

Raven doubted it as Dexter continued wheeling her through. She looked around to see Briar chewing her lip, Maddie occassionally glancing at Dexter pitifully, and noticed that all the happiness had gone. And yet she could not figure out why.

—

Cerise arrived home sobbing hysterically. Red, upon seeing her daughter's distressed state, offered her a bowl of bacon and a blanket. Cerise was grateful that her mother asked nothing about what had happened, in case she offended her daughter - her father would have interrogated her until he couldn't think of any more questions.

Cerise sat on the couch stuffing bacon in her mouth. Red only approached to refill the bowl and stroke her hair.

Fat chance for Raven to arrive out of hospital with no brain damage! It was all that blasted Cupid's fault. If Dex hadn't fallen for her, Raven wouldn't have gotten drunk and attempted to suicide!

"No, it's my fault!" Cerise muttered to herself. "I couldn't stop her, I didn't run fast enough…I didn't try to help her and Dexter's relationship…"

Red could no longer contain her concern. "Oh sweetie, what's wrong?"

"Raven doesn't remember me! She probably does, but who's to say it won't happen again…" sobbing remorsefully into her mother's lap, Cerise felt pathetic. No, she was pathetic, for not supporting her amnesia-ridden friend instead of running back home and having an idiotic self pity party.

Anyone else would have found Cerise's blubbering incomprehensive, but Red seemed to understand almost immediately.

"Sweetie, there are some things in life you can't change. It's no one's fault that Raven decided to take her life but her own. And she must suffer her own consequences, and there's nothing anyone can do about it," she soothed.

"Well, there's - there's always something you can do!" Cerise scoffed. "But-but I didn't freaking do anything! Godmother! Why does she have to be so…so selfish!"

"Who? Raven or Cupid?"

"I don't even know at this point! I'm just…blabbering nonsense…until I…I can find someone t-to blame…" her voice became softer with every word.

"What you need is a nice warm bubble bath."

Cerise sighed. "Yeah. That sounds good."

—

Cedar sat down at her table. Marie seemed very stable, plump even. It was good to see some meat around those bones. She had looked very healthy, pink cheeks and pretty curls. Marie was one of Cedar's successes.

It was a little late for anyone else to come - lunch hour. Cedar took out her pasta, microwaved it with the microwave in the waiting room, and returned to her office to eat while sorting through some digital files.

A knock came at her door. Before she could answer, a head of curly pink highlights protuded from the door, followed by a curvy body.

"Briar," Cedar greeted. "Hi, what brings you here?"

"I have something to talk about that's been bugging me since I got married," Briar said, always to the point.

Cedar perked up, interested. She pulled up a blank file and started typing Briar's name and details. "Go ahead."

"Well, it all started when Hopper asked me a question…"

—

Cerise emerged from the bathroom feeling refreshed. She internally thanked her mother for suggesting the bubble bath. She changed into black denim shorts, a white t-shirt and a plaid hoodie.

She sat on her bed and scanned her laptop to see if she had gotten any emails. She had gotten one from her boss: asking if she could take a shift tomorrow from six to nine in the evening.

Cerise immediately answered that she didn't mind. A distraction to return working as a waitress was exactly what she needed.

The doorbell rang. The brunette heard her mother open the door and some muffled dialogue.

"Cerise?" Red knocked gently on her daughter's bedroom door. "There's a handsome young man here to see you."

Reece! she thought immediately. Exactly who I want to talk to.

She scurried down the hall to open the front door, smiling. However, her grin dropped as soon as she let eyes on the man.

"Daring?!" Cerise spluttered. "What the hell are you doing here?"

The blonde looked dashing as always - naturally perfect golden hair, wearing a business suit.

"Cerise, I have broken up with Victoria," he announced.

"Who?"

"You know, the, uh…"

"The slut you cheated on me with?" Cerise deadpanned, raising an eyebrow. "Why are you dressed like a businessman instead of a stripper?" The question was offensive, but she couldn't care less.

"I've changed jobs as well as my heart," Daring said, flashing a grin. "And all for one reason, my love…"

"Better publicity?" she guessed.

"…You!" the cocky man shouted. "I love you, Cerise, and I can't believe I was stupid enough to give up what I had with you, a beautiful relationship, to pursue a disgusting stripper."

The brunette, afte holding back for so long, finally let hell break loose.

"Our relationship? Beautiful? Daring, the only thing fucking beautiful was your face. Which was why I was drawn in! I thought you were a good, kind, sincere person. The way you talked to me at the first date we ever had made me think you were a-a great guy! But then you still flirt with other girls. Do you think I don't notice! Well, I do! It fucking hurts, you know, to see your boyfriend who you dedicate all your love and attention to chase after a prettier girl! I was the lowest rung on the popularity ladder, and yet you still chose me…"

"Cerise-"

"JUST LET ME TALK! And when you did choose me over all the girls fighting over each other to freaking see you, I felt like somebody actually cared about me, like I actually belonged in this crazy mess! You took me to meet all your popular friends, and I actually felt privileged! You know, everyone wants to be Daring Charming's girlfriend! You know what, Charming? Briar told me that she had never seen you be so faithful to someone, which meant I was made by the heavens for you. Let me tell you that your cousin was wrong. She may be the smartest girl I've known but for some reason no one can see past your egotistical ways!"

At this point, angry tears were streaming down Cerise's face. But she wasn't done.

"When I saw you flirt with other girls with better backgrounds than me, I felt like trash again! You never knew, but I relied on you to feel special. The fact that I can't believe in myself without having someone else is ridiculous! Which is why I always followed you around like a dog! Do you know what fucking hurts more than you loving someone higher than me? Someone lower than me! That - that Victoria chick, she's a disgusting woman who is looked down upon by everyone! I have a good job! I'm a waitress, I run marathons to earn money for charity! I'm in a higher position than her! But you choosing her over me means that you believe I'm worse than her. And trust me, that just destroyed my self esteem!"

"Cerise, please…"

"The fact that you can turn up at my door and pretend you did nothing that hurt me just because you dumped a girlfriend and got a new job isn't going to erase what happened! I know you had a picture perfect life, but that doesn't mean every mistake you did can be rubbed out and forgotten. Everything perfect is filled with flaws, and let me tell you, you are the most flawed object of perfection on this planet!"

Cerise slammed the door and curled up into a ball, crying silently, wondering how much worse her life could possibly get.

—

"Are you sure about this?" Hunter whispered gently. Ashlynn, staring at the orphanage in front of them, nodded and took a deep breath.

"Good afternoon," the lady at the front desk greeted. The two echoed the greeting and looked around the lobby. The walls were covered in drawings made by children and photographs, and a box of toys was sitting in the corner beside a couch.

Hunter explained that they wanted to have a look at the children because they were considering adoption. The lady (whose name was Maureen) led them to a room full of children.

"Have fun!" she smiled, before pushing them in and closing the door.

"I guess we'll just look around, then," Hunter mumbled, unsure of what to do. The couple strolled around the room.

"Hii!" a little boy greeted, staring up at them.

"Oh, hey there," Hunter smiled. "What's your name?"

The little boy scratched his head. "My name is…is…Batman!" He jumped around, singing, "nananananananananananana BATMAN!" at the top of his lungs. Hunter chuckled and Ashlynn supressed a smile.

They continued looking at the children. Ashlynn felt something pull at her skirt. She looked down to two little girls who seemed very young, maybe three.

"Are you gonna addop us?" one of them asked. "Coz I'm Emmie and this is Samaffa and we are very good girls."

Ashlynn and Hunter knelt down. "Very good girls?" Ashlynn repeated, smiling. "That's good, because I was a very bad girl when I was a kid."

"Really?" Samantha questioned, wide eyed. "Did you steal cookies?"

"Yes, I stole lots of cookies," Ashlynn smiled.

"Oh," Emmie whispered. "Effyone, this lady stealed lots of cookies!"

The room erupted in laughter for no reason, but the couple felt happy seeing these children.

"What's your name?" Samantha asked.

"Ashlynn," the strawberry-blonde replied.

"Ohhhh…that's a pretty name. What's the big man called?"

"I'm Hunter," the brunette chuckled.

"I don't like that name," Emmie said. "But I like Ashlynn." The two girls laughed again and ran off. Ashlynn stared after them wistfully.

After an afternoon of playing, talking, and hanging out with the kids, Maureen finally let them leave. The two walked towards Hunter's car.

"Any thoughts?" Hunter asked his wife.

Ashlynn sighed. "Oh, I love all of them. So hyper, so happy…one would never guess they were orphans."

He smiled, seeing his spouse happy for once. "I have to say, I really loved Emmie and Samantha."

Ashlynn nodded in agreement. "Yes, but I feel we can't really adopt one without the other, can we? I don't really want two children…it may get a little noisy and messy. Perhaps when one of them is older we can adopt a second."

"We'll see, won't we? Tomorrow we'll go back to the orphanage and see who we like best. You can take as long as you like to decide, as long you're happy."

—

Maddie, after having walked Raven and Dexter back to their house, immediately walked back to her house, marched in, and made herself a cup of strong peppermint-daffodil-ginger-clover-sausage-corn bread-bauguette-maple syrup tea, and sat in the kitchen solemnly drinking it. She thought for a few minutes about Dexter's situation, then picked up the 80's telephone (which was once shattered to pieces and was now being held up by washi tape) and called the White Rabbit Hospital.

"Good morning, this is the White—"

"Do you happen to know the doctor who tended to Mrs Raven Charming?" Maddie interrupted.

"Oh, yes, I-I can look through the files," the woman stammered. "Yes, here we are…Dr. Lindsay Sial…"

"I want to talk to him," said Maddie.

"Um, okay. Sure."

There was a series of clicks.

"Good morning," a man's voice came. Maddie returned the greeting then inquired about Raven.

"She's got amnesia or something," she explained, and recounted the details to him.

"Well, this is very upsetting, but not unexpected," Dr Sial answered. "She had some serious damage to brain cells. They can regenerate, of course, but perhaps they aren't as strong as before, which means she might get some shocks of amnesia. They can wear off over time, but further damage to the head area can make it permanent."

If Maddie told this to Dexter, he would probably wrap bubblewrap and cushions around Raven's head.

"Is there any way to fix it?" she inquired.

"Not that we know of," responded the surgeon. "Her body is still very weak. Surgery could make it worse because of her delicate immune system. Medicine can backfire, so any kind of medication could be potentially fatal. The best solution is time. Her body needs to heal herself to get her immune system kicking back into gear, or else it might slowly vanish."

Maddie knew nothing about medical science, but she listened carefully.

"Thank you for your time, Doctor," she said. "Have a good weekend."

"You too…"

"Maddie."

"…Miss Maddie."

Madeline put down the reciever and sighed. She knew happiness wouldn't last for long.

Here, guys. Hope you're happy…

I'm sorry I haven't been here for so long, but if you guys have more ideas please please pump them in!

Thanks!