From now on, non-constructive criticism and/or criticism that does not benefit me as a writer will be removed. There's a plethora of more palatable fics on this site. I do not write to appease those bothered by strong POVs in a fictional story about fictional characters. If certain parts of a full story offend you, I'm unfortunately not the author for you.

For those who do enjoy this series, ranty PSA over.

Purple skies twinkled turquoise and gold above towering valleys of purple mountain tops capped in white. Purple stone structured the grand castle built within the mountains near the highest peak, surrounded by Angel oak and passion flowers. Four children currently occupied the circular common room bricked in amethyst, sectioned along the deep-plum furniture.

A gothic girl whose right eye was ringed in purplish blue sat with arm's crossed in one of the armchairs, a little girl with a curly fro and dark-chocolate complexion seated quietly across her lap. A ginger with glasses sat next to the bucktoothed boy with greased black hair along the couch, facing the fireplace with unburned wood engulfed in a heatless blaze.

"So you don't know why your grandparents won't let you see your cousin?" Dwight asked his best friend. Due to the recent intensity of his seizures, majority of his Christmas Break had been spent at Fairy Fort. With a wished clone to take his place on Earth, coming to Fairy Fort seemed to make his seizures less frequent and more manageable. At least, for now, it was the best plausible solution all while his fathers' insurance took their sweet time on whether to uphold or overturn their decision to deny paying for his medication.

Gary slouched in his seat with chin propped with glum palms. "I mean, they told me why, but…"

"But what, Gare-bear?" Hazel's jutted lip squeaked. Scrunching her striped sweater in her dislike seeing her friend so sad. Aside from Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, her parents had taken little time off from managing their booming marketing firm. The new nanny had been in charge, and from her observation, he favored her brother more than her and her sister. He'd spend a lot of time in Anthony's room…which was weird, because Anthony usually hated other people invading his private sanctuary. Not when it came to Fenwick, for some reason.

With downcast eyes, Gary puckered his brow "…I-I hate it."

Molly pressed her lips with the slightest frown, swiping her swooped bang from the dull throb in her right eye. Throughout the break, her mom and poor choice of a partner had been fighting more than getting along. While her mom's excessive drinking wavered her respect for her, the one thing Molly did not stand for is a man putting his hands on a woman. Francis was too pussy to stand up to his own father, and Molly would rather suffer a black eye than let her mom get sucker punched.

"The fact that you freaked out on Tim-bucktooth, or that your grandparents don't want you around him?" she guessed coolly.

Shaking his head, Gary sighed "…the fact that I just can't remember…"

His grandparents did explain the events that took place after LeRoi and his goons jumped him in the boy's bathroom. How his mental instability mistook his cousin for the man that caused him great torture in his formative years, thus, his grandparents thought it best that Gary keep his distance from Timmy. Gary remembered LeRoi and Bradley pounding on him around lunch, then in a blink, he woke up later that evening, tucked in his bed after what felt like a dreamless sleep.

To his horror, Gary had no recollection of anything in between the boy's bathroom and waking up in bed. His past experiences had taught him that lost memories of a traumatic episode was borderline psych ward admission. To his surprise, his grandparents had opted out of another admission. Instead, they took him back to Ustinkistan for the duration of Christmas Break. Visiting the homeland of his grandparents was their last resort before resorting to psychiatric means.

Gary did remember what prompted the last visit, sometime around Thanksgiving. Coincidentally, the culprits were LeRoi and crew. His 8th grade bullies had randomly cornered him behind the school building after school. When Frankie pinned him by the throat against the wall, a flash of Marsden snarling with a forceful grip around his tiny neck against the wall of a dark closet had sent Gary into another panicked frenzy.

He remembered screaming and flailing his arms, catching snapshots of Dwight attempting to assist. Of course, Bradley had to be a giant jerk and bang Dwight's head against the brick wall, triggering a frightening tonic-clonic. When they heard sneakers flee, both Alondro and Irving had to magically transport their godchildren to a safe location, somewhere underneath the football bleachers. Irving used his wand to administer Ativan when Dwight's seizure lasted longer than five minutes, and Alondro did what he could to bring Gary back to present reality.

When Gary had come home that day, he'd reported what he could to his grandparents, and his grandparents dipped into their travel funds for an impromptu trip to Ustinkistan. Sure, it sucked that Alondro could only grant turnip-related wishes while in said country, but something about the gray and colorless lands of the desolate country always helped Gary 'reset.' Nearly as well as coming to Fairy Fort.

When they'd returned from their trip, the Turners had given them a ride from the airport, and that was the very day that changed everything. The day Gary saw from his cousin's green jacket that he too was a godchild.

"Does that mean Timmy can't come here anymore?" Hazel pouted.

"…I'm not sure." Gary answered truthfully. He didn't think that far ahead. "I can try to find out."

"How?" Dwight arched a brow. "You're not allowed to see him."

"…doesn't mean Alondro can't see Cosmo and Wanda." Gary excused. Yet to disclose the spiritual link that he still had to his cousin.

Dwight readjusted his glasses. "Your birthday's coming up, right?"

"…yeah?"

"You'd mentioned something about a sleepover here at the fort."

"Ooooooooh!" Hazel perked. "You could invite Timmy!"

That's if he even agrees to come…Gary sulked to himself. He'd also been told that the Turners were fully on board with separating Timmy from Gary. Knowing them, they probably drilled it in Timmy's head that Gary blamed him for causing so much distress, or that Gary hated him. Something ridiculously far from the truth. It could explain why every time he'd asked Sophia if she can relay a message, Sophia would come back saying Timmy wasn't trying to hear him.

"I'll go ask Londro…" Gary rose from the couch, walking over Dwight's feet.

"Hopefully he says 'yes!'" Dwight offered encouragement as Gary made his way towards the rightwing of the castle where the godparents would be.

Once he turned the corner into the hollow corridor, Gary ventured as far as he assumed was safe before he stopped to lean against the nearest wall, opting for a 'quicker method' to reach his cousin. "…Soph?"

[I can try, but no guarantees...] Sophia already knew what Gary needed her for.

And Gary was appreciative just for the effort. "That's all I can ask for."

. . . . . .

The bucktooth brunette drearily stirred the leftover stir-fried chicken over fried rice it its Styrofoam container, stirring with one hand while the other dully propped his chin on the kitchen table. His mother threw away her emptied Styrofoam container in the trash, and her husband (as the first to finish his leftovers) lounged on the couch as the broadcast of the evening news lit the television screen.

Closing the bin's lid, Susanne looked straight ahead, walking across the kitchen behind Timmy's chair. Giving no effort to interact with the morose child as she entered into the living room to join her husband's. Eyes fixed on the screen, Daran welcomed his wife with a slung arm over her shoulders as she settled beside him, kicking up her white Parigi pumps on the coffee table next to Daran's black button-toes. She reached for the hand of the arm slung over her, rubbing his fingers with her own. He reciprocated by temporarily distracting himself from the tv, smooching her cheek.

The Turners had taken the time mending their bond once damaged by the death of their beloved daughter. They realized that their broken hearts needed to reconnect, to lean on each other, starting the day Susanne's mother had accused their son of being equally disrespectful as her twin brother. Daran could visibly see the memories flooding Susanne's mind, sinking her heart in a darkness all too familiar.

Memories of the brother that was cut from her life twenty-four years ago.

Marsden entered the world a minute after Susanne, named after Vlad's own twin sister Mardie Vladislapov who had tragically passed at the young age of eight from untreated malaria. Vlad and Gladys strongly believed that Susanne was a reincarnation of the sister that Vlad deeply cherished, so they practically worshiped the ground Susanne walked on. She received more gifts for special occasions and was treated like a saint. Her brother was punished more for doing less, isolated in a single room for hours as 'timeout.' As he'd gotten older, corporal punishment became a breath of fresh air. It was the only time his parents gave him the most attention he'd ever get otherwise.

When the Vladislapov twins reached school age, Marsden was deemed academically inept. Often compared to Susanne's Honor Roll performance with her successes praised as much as his failures were criticized. Friends always flocked to Susanne's sociable personality, magnetized to her infectiously bright smile. Leaving Marsden outcasted in a dark corner because everyone wanted to be Susanne's friend, never his.

Susanne was clearly the favorite twin. All the kids at school, all of their teachers, and everyone in their community adored her. Marsden may not have performed well in school, but he wasn't dumb. He knew their parents loved her more. Not like they were shy about it.

Susanne only knew love and affection. Marsden only knew hate and aversion. And this spiraled Marsden into a path of darkness…

Age seven was when Marsden started to harass Susanne, finding every excuse to insult her or say mean things, finding every excuse to smack or punch her and laugh at her pain. It'd reached the point wherein Marsden was banished from his own bed, forced to sleep on the couch. Giving Susanne the entire room that they once shared, the same room that would become Gary's future bedroom. This did little to cease Marsden's reign of retaliation, going out of his way to pick senseless arguments with his twin. Arguments that would get physically violent, from throwing sucker punches to pinning her face first on the floor.

In spite of this, Susanne did not veer from the light; she continued to be the angelic ball of sunshine that everyone loved, because she vowed to never be like her devilish brother.

One day, Susanne had seen a particular car advertised in a commercial and had gushed over it ever since. She did her best week after week to save every penny working part-time at her parents up and coming Yak shop. Marsden was not allowed to work at the Yak shop in efforts to keep him separate from Susanne, so his part-time job was cleaning behind barbers at the local barber shop, working longer hours for less pay.

In twin telepathy fashion, Marsden sought after this exact same car. And like Susanne, he devoted each paycheck to save for it because their parents wouldn't dare buy it for him. This was the one thing he didn't mind; working for this car would give his worthless life value. He had no one to be proud of him, so he had to be proud of himself…somehow.

What Susanne nor Marsden knew was that their parents knew about Susanne's pressing desire for this car. Not hard to figure out since it was the top subject of conversation to all of her friends. Could they have just let her save her own money and buy the car herself? Probably. But her hard work and commitment to elevating the family business proved that she was more than deserving of this special gift. From loving parents to their beloved daughter.

So, with the little extra funds in their account, they'd purchased her dream car just in time for her sweet sixteen. A white 1978 Ford Landau, fresh off the lot.

It was the only present the Vladislapovs could afford that year, but they already knew that. It was worth the brightest, most infectious smile on their daughter's face as she squealed at the Ford Landau sitting in the driveway with a big red bow. Would she have liked to afford the car on her own? Absolutely. With the agreement that she would pay her parents back majority of the car note, she could set independence aside for the best gift ever.

A gift that wouldn't last.

Seething, Marsden marched back through the front door, fingers fuming for something to grab. Marsden didn't expect any different, yet rage popped veins in his neck. He was working his ass off for a car that their parents willingly risked debt for just for his stupid sister. Why? Cuz she was the favorite! She was the better twin! She was the only child they ever loved!

Marsden swiped one of the wooden chairs from the kitchen table. Storming back through the front door and past his parents and his sister before he lifted the chair and swung. Furious grunts rang out as the windshield shattered from glassy spiderwebs. White metal was repeatedly tarnished with large, angered dents. Sidemirrors hung by an electric wire, and the concaved hood triggered the car alarm that echo loudly throughout the relatively quiet neighborhood.

Susanne's smile disappeared as Marsden continued to bash the car, snapping two of the chair's legs with the sheer force of his attacks. There goes her brother, running everything again! He just can't stand to see her happy! Yelling at Marsden to stop, she stomped towards his direction. Her screams were the last vivid memory of her sixteenth birthday before the sudden, irate swing of a chair whirled in the direction of her head…

A deafening thud hit the pavement, and red blinked from his vision. Fingers clawed through his brunette bro flow, matching elm eyes horrified by the strings of scarlet oozing from brunette bangs, trailing across her face into a pool around her right cheek. Shock dropped the broken chair before her, her lifeless body crumpled in a ragdoll heap. Wide eyes stared, rigid breaths freezing his mouth in a hushed gasp. For the first time, the target of his rage was not his sister. And for the first time…he feared he might have ended her life.

Vlad and Gladys had never shouted at him so harshly in his entire sixteen years. He pleaded to them that he didn't mean to hurt Susanne, that he blacked out until he realized that she'd hit the ground. They weren't hearing his excuses. Completely done dealing with his hellish terror, the Vladislapovs threw their sixteen-year-old son out on the streets with nowhere to go, threatening to lock him away if he ever stepped foot on their property ever again…

Timmy had given up, dropping the fork into the fried rice. His empty stomach just couldn't work up an appetite. The same day that Gary lost his crap on him, his mother had explained her strained relationship with her twin brother Marsden. Their life growing up sounded uncannily similar to his and Sophia's, except Marsden and Susanne were oil and water. His mom's account of her sixteenth birthday was more or less her parents' account of what had happened after she'd hit the ground, and they're all convinced that Marsden was lying. They all believed Marsden had struck her on purpose, just like they were all convinced that Timmy purposefully pushed Sophia down those steps…

If it wasn't an accident, then why didn't Marsden finish the job? Guess he'll never know, considering he'd never met the guy that everyone compares him to…

[Bubba-]

"I don't wanna hear it…" Timmy grumpily scooted away from the table, already annoyed.

[Can you just let me-]

"Whatever Gary wants, I don't wanna hear it…"

He stormed from the table, carrying his full container to sit as leftovers for another night. His appetite was already shot. Now he was too irritated to even think about eating. He had nothing to say to Gary! Why can't he leave him alone!?

[…Timmy…]

"I know, Sophia, I'm sorry…" he could hear his sister's saddened sigh, only softening his hardened shell by a feather. He could never be angry at her, but he could not abate his agitation towards the situation as a whole. "…just…don't, okay?" sadness seeped in his tone, pouting his brow. "I can't…"

Floating freely within the blue walls of their godson's room, the green fairy massaged tender circles with his palm along the six-week bump of his beautifully pink wife. Paying closer attention to her stomach's size, he scrunched a curious brow, believing it to be that of grapefruit than an orange. Somehow, that didn't seem normal "…is your belly supposed to be this big?"

Feeling slighted, Wanda folded fists onto widened hips. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Wait…I-I'm not calling you fat or anything!" Cosmo backed away, waving frantic hands in his defense. Sometimes, it was easy to forget how overly sensitive Wanda had gotten. "I-I'd never do that!"

"You just called my belly big!" Wanda frowned, cradling her protruding stomach. She couldn't help it; there's literal life growing inside of her!

"I-I just meant that Susie's belly wasn't this big when she was this far along, that's all!" he faltered, not fully trusting his own memory "…a-at least, I don't think it was."

"Actually…" Wanda observed her stomach, seeing what Cosmo was talking about. "…you have a point."

Stunned that he wasn't wrong, Cosmo blinked "…I do?"

"Yes." Wanda's thoughtful fingers stroked her stomach. She clearly remembered how little Susie had shown at six weeks when she'd been pregnant. While she did start showing symptoms very early after Timmy had made the wish, this was her and Cosmo's first child. Was their baby growing faster than expected?

Hearing the bedroom door open, the fairy couple redirected their attention to the morose child shutting the door behind him. He seemed to avoid their eye contact as he dragged himself to sit somberly atop his duvet, arms folded over his lap in a frowning slouch.

"…how was dinner, sport?" Wanda tried making conversation.

"Same as usual…" Timmy grumbled, referring to his parents going out of their way to ignore him. And they made certain that he knew it, too.

When a low gurgle rumbled, Cosmo and Wanda shared worried looks. That growl certainly didn't come from one of their stomachs, even if one of them was technically 'eating for two.'

"…still hungry?" Cosmo questioned.

Timmy fixed his gaze to the wooden floor below "…didn't eat."

"You haven't eaten all day…" Wanda frowned.

The boy remained silent with nothing to refute.

Doing so out of their own volition, the fairy godparents sparked their wands. Timmy continued to stare until he felt something press down on his lap near his knees, spotting a single apple and similarly flavored juice box.

"It's not much, but you need to eat something." Wanda gently remarked.

"With some juice to wash it down." Cosmo added.

Blue looked up, seeing green and pink filled with the concern for a child that elm and blumine severely lacked. When a fist of melancholy punched him chest, it took much of his will to bite back a sob. The more his godparents loved him, the more he hated himself. How did someone so worthless deserve souls so loving?

Reluctantly, Timmy detached the plastic straw from the juice box and tore the wrapper with his teeth. Tossing the wrapper aside on his bed as he then punctured the straw into its designated hole. He then took the apple in his other hand, giving it a dejected stare before his teeth bit down. Forcing himself to consume his small meal as he did so without a word.

Steady patters of soft showers melted into lingering snow along lawns and sides of sidewalks, the rising sun delayed by thick, smoky clouds asserting their presence. The green umbrella shivered from the chilling breeze sending cold rain in his direction, held in place by his godson's grip. Standing with his other hand tucked into the warmth of his winter coat pocket where his pink wristband would be protected from the elements as much as possible.

Beneath the nearest streetlamp, Timmy stood at the edge of his parents' driveway. His parents had already left in their station wagon for their respective work shifts, and he'd normally keep himself warm by beginning his stroll towards the bus stop if he wasn't waiting on a certain platinum blonde across the street.

Retrieving her Terry Totter lunchbox off the kitchen counter packed with her post-Christmas Break lunch, Chloe traveled towards the front door as the last Carmichael to leave for the day. Both parents had left shortly after starting their day (their morning jog was canceled due to the rainy weather,) but even with her godmother as her sole company, Chloe kept her apathetic mask.

Emotions are illogical. An impractical weakness. They only get in the way of reason and handling business. Letting them control you does no good. Headache hurting you? Stop crying and deal with it. Sick to your stomach? Suck it up. Tired and can't sleep? Too bad. Stop being a whiney brat. No one cares. Never show weakness. That's just ammunition to use against you.

"This oughta be a nice change of pace, huh, Chloe?" her indigo necklace spoke cheerfully to lighten the dull mood. Granting Chloe more independence was the least her mother could do.

"Sure." Chloe murmured, blue eyes stoic as she took her winter coat from the rack.

Disgruntled by this terse response, Susie jutted her lower lip. "Chloeeeee!"

Shoving arms through the sleeves, Chloe arched a brow "…yes?"

"Talk to meeee!"

"About?"

"What's wrong!"

"I already told you, Susie." Chloe adjusted her coat, aligning the zipper. "Nothing's wrong with me."

Such robotic speech flattened Susie's frown. Two weeks came and went, yet Chloe's piercing screams rang in Susie's ears like it was just last night. Those wretched cries of distress were the last Susie saw of any life in Chloe. When her vocal cords had officially strained beyond their limits, her lips clamped, her tears dried. Empty pools of blue did not blink, unresponsive to her name called…

Chloe cried herself numb.

In the days that followed, cold eyes showed nothing behind them. Most of her energy was put into completing chores. She'd replaced her Terry Totter novel with whatever academic textbook she put her hands on, feeding her brain instead of her spirit. She would assist her mother with dinner, ensuring every intricate detail was fulfilled with little criticism. 'Yes ma'am' and 'no ma'am,' 'yes sir' and 'no sir.' Outside of that, she didn't dare speak out of term. Presenting as the perfect little robot that she was born to be.

Worst of all, she'd willingly flushed her Lexapro down the toilet…under her mother's direction.

Clark was floored, of course, but this only proved Connie right all along. From what Connie observed, their daughter seemed to fair fine without those godforsaken pills, and if there were side effects, there were no complaints. Who knows. Maybe that loud outburst of hers let her get it all out so she can finally think with a level head.

Obviously, Susie would have to disagree with that she-devil; Chloe didn't smile, didn't laugh. Didn't frown, didn't cry. Apathy had carved her face in stoic stone, troubling Susie's heart. Children are meant to be free spirits, not lifeless statues.

Slinging her backpack over the shoulders of her coat, Chloe looked down to realize her indigo necklace had given her a discontented look. "I really wish you'd stop worrying…"

"Too bad I can't grant that."

In a brief fold of her lips, Chloe killed the conversation by unlocking the bolt and turning the knob to the front door, closing it on her way out.

After reinforcing the bolt lock and covering her hair with her lavender hood, the first thing Chloe saw was the pink-hatted boy holding a green umbrella, waiting across the street for her. Because of her 'good behavior' all break, her mother had agreed with her father to start taking the bus to school. She'd be more excited to have a designated bus partner if she were in the mood for company…but, Timmy had wanted to walk her to the bus stop, at least to show her where to go on her first day. It'd be rude to reject the friendly offer.

Looking both ways, Chloe waited for an oncoming car to pass with emergency flashers along the salted road before she crossed.

"Hey Timmy." her flatness greeted, stepping onto the sidewalk.

"Hey..." he returned. His eyelids seemed weighed down by whatever disheartened his tone. "Ready?"

"Sure."

And so, the duo set off on foot. Using the streetlamps as their light with the sun hidden behind rain-gorged clouds. Wanting to be a gentleman, Timmy held his Cosmo umbrella to where he and Chloe were underneath, making Chloe quietly thank him for the gesture.

"Is Wanda with you?" Chloe wanted to be thoughtful of others present besides Timmy and Cosmo.

"She's right here." Timmy shortly raised his right elbow, though his hand remained in his pocket so his sleeping wristband would stay warm. "I'd told her I'd let her come along only if she lets herself rest."

"Aww, another rough night?" the indigo necklace assumed.

"Half the night was back pain." the green umbrella sighed, still reeling from the draining effects of said rough night. "The other half had her face in a trashcan…"

"Yikes." Susie empathized from her own experience. "Sounds like she goin' through it..."

"Why didn't she just stay home?" Chloe loosely inquired. It made no sense for Wanda to exhort herself like this, but it'd be rude to voice that opinion.

"She didn't want to. Not yet anyway." The truth was, his signs of major depression shot Wanda's worry for him off the charts, and it's calm her already stressed nerves being near him. But Chloe didn't need to worry about that. It'd might freak her out if she heard the thoughts in his head…

Awkward silence fell upon them. Timmy glanced at Chloe's cold eyes towards every step her boots took. "…how…was your break?" he spoke up.

"Good." Chloe ignored the critical look her necklace had given her. What happened was over and done with. There's nothing to complain about. Nothing's wrong. "What about you?"

"Eh…" Timmy shrugged "…could've been better."

Conversation ceased with the godchildren found themselves consumed in their own heads.

A blond with braces and his bald African-American best friend huddled next to each other on the street corner near the train tracks, drawing on each other's body heat as Alvin Jr's Crash Nebula umbrella shielded them from rainfall. Chester's father could not afford a heavyweight jacket, and a blue-fleece beanie could only keep AJ's hairless head but so warm.

"And we couldn't wait for the bus in your mom's car because…?" Chester groaned, arms linked around himself.

"They have lives, y'know." AJ grumbled in return. Alvin Everett Sr was a scientist for the city, and Michonne Everett was head of Human Resources for Dimmsdale Tech. Brain-A-Thons and academic competitions showcasing their son's intelligence were more important than their tight schedules. Wasting time and gas waiting for a school bus as slow as malaises? Absolutely not.

Blowing hot air into his mittens, Chester rubbed them together as he looked around, scanning for any sign of anything yellow on wheels. Only to pause when a green umbrella appeared in his peripheral, turning to the familiar pink-hatted brunette approaching from down the sidewalk with a platinum blonde sidekick.

"Dude, look!"

AJ turned in the direction of Chester's point as Timmy and Chloe slowed their steps. Normally, Timmy would look straight ahead without acknowledging the two boys. But what was the point? There's been enough distance between them to settle rocky waters.

"Hey, guys." he addressed them cordially.

"Hey, dude." Chester gave an apprehensive wave. Timmy speaking first? If at all? That was a first in what seemed like forever.

"Hey…" AJ was wary to reciprocate, considering he and Timmy had yet to patch things up. Putting the awkwardness away in his mind for a bit, he looked to Chloe, noting the dulled bulb in blue orbs once as bright as the blue sky "…h-hi Chloe."

"Hi." came her impassive greeting.

"Since when did you start riding the bus?" Chester had to ask since he'd never seen Chloe at the bus stop before.

Flat eyes blinked once. "Today."

"Ah." Chester's chin nodded in a gawky manner "…cool."

AJ looked to Timmy, blue orbs matching each other's grave stare. An annoying needle pricked the back of AJ's mind throughout the break; whatever tension this was between them, it needed to stop. It was a new year, and they've known each other for far too long. Whether AJ felt that he was in the wrong or if Timmy overreacted. That shouldn't matter anymore. They can't start the new semester on bad terms, and despite his difficulty expression certain emotions…AJ missed his best friend.

Taking the initiative, AJ took a few steps forward, causing Chester to follow him to stay protected by AJ's umbrella. Stopping face to face with Timmy, mustering the nerve to ask "…are you still made at me?"

From his serious glare, AJ half expected Timmy to say 'yes.' Instead, Timmy shook his head.

Good sign so far. "…so…does that mean we're cool again?"

Chester tilted a cocked brow towards AJ, surprised that AJ was the initiator of mending the fences. Some of the smartest people tended to be the most stubborn. Simultaneously, Chloe glanced sideways at Timmy who made no sudden movements, or any movements for that matter. He simply held AJ's gaze, and the only sounds in the air were low rumbles of rain and the softness of winter breeze whispering through the kids with visible hair.

Time might as well have stopped from the drawn-out length of this staring battle. Alas, Timmy glanced at Chloe, holding out his green umbrella as a gesture for her to hold it for him. He'd use his other hand, but he didn't want to risk disturbing his pregnant godmother.

Taking this signal, Chloe grabbed Cosmo by his handle, ruffling some ticklish giggles that Chloe flashed a quizzical brow to. Inhaling a bated breath, Timmy steadily extended his hand. AJ looked at Timmy's hand, then to Timmy. And with his fixed gaze, AJ extended his own. Joining both of their hands to shake for a non-verbal truce.

"…I'm sorry…" AJ needed to admit. After all, he played a huge part in Timmy excluding himself from their friend group.

"…I'm sorry, too…" Timmy reciprocated an apology. Could he have handled things better? Sure. Nevertheless, just as with Tootie and his qualms over Sophia's death, it took entirely too much energy to be angry at AJ over misguided words.

There were more pertinent things to be angry about…

When reunited best friends released their shake, Chester's glee jumped to sling arms around each of their shoulders. "Yes!" his prepubescent voice cracked in his cheer. Squeezing their cheeks to his chest as AJ's umbrella nearly blew with the wind. "We can all finally be boys again!"

AJ and Timmy gasped for air once Chester's monster grip relieved them to breathe. All the while, the lone girl stood silently to the side. Her grasp subconsciously tightening around the green umbrella's handle. Firm in her glare towards the 1st chair Brain-A-Thon contender.

At some point in her building friendship with Timmy, she felt inclined to question his separation from Chester and AJ. Two boys that she'd normally hardly see him without. She could tell that it was difficult to talk about, and at first, she'd dropped the subject. Then, one day after after-school detention, he'd asked if she was walking or poofing home. Since her parents had been working and she needed to clear her head, she opted to walk. On that walk was when he'd revealed his reasoning in confidence.

He'd skipped over certain details to spare her, but he had given her all the relevant bullet points. Remy and Tootie, more than likely, were still out of the loop, but Chloe had wrangled herself in. Part of her regretted this, because her lens of AJ had darkened, casting a negative light. Yeah, at first, she'd viewed AJ as arrogant. Cocky, even. Then, when she'd reached rock bottom…a gentler, caring side of him had come out. He'd transformed her emotional weakness into a strength, and he had humbled himself to share in the school's victory.

He'd made considerable efforts to show her kindness, and though she'd not fully cracked her shell…she'd opened up to him. She'd opened up to him about parental pressures, about her anxiety, about certain thoughts that not even her godmother knew of…

…he was considered a confidant.

…now he couldn't be anything.

As the one who knew him longer, Timmy had every right to forgive but not forget. Unfortunately, Chloe couldn't find the heart to do the same. Even if she wasn't the target. Telling someone that they would have succeeded in ending their misery if they were serious about it? When they're already in so much pain? That's nearly equivalent to comparing panic attacks to seizures…

…actually…maybe it's not the same. Dwight has a legit medical condition, and there's nothing wrong with her. It was all in her head all along. And yet…there was a sting in her chest that felt the same. Felt just as debilitating, just as degrading. Just as soul crushing…

Either way, she can no longer afford to be weak around anyone. Especially AJ. He'd spoken his truth, and now, she must watch her tongue.

AN: I liked the idea of twins being prominent in Mrs. Turner's lineage. I always thought Timmy took more after his mom's side (as the case in Timmy Turnip when we see the younger version of Vlad,) so why not.

Anywho, see y'all in 2024.