Previous Notes:

In this alternate version, Tricia (Orphan: First Kill (2022)) would be Gemma's (M3GAN (2023)) older sister, in a way taking the role that Gemma's sister had in the original film. In turn, Esther/Leena (Orphan (2009) and Orphan: First Kill (2022)) would be Gemma's "niece," taking the role of Cady from the original film. This will bring significant changes to the already known story, including some adjustments to Gemma's background that will be explored as the story progresses.

The plot begins and is set in the world and time of M3GAN (2023), assuming the events of Orphan: First Kill (2022) take place shortly before the beginning of this one. The events in Orphan: First Kill (2022) will be based on those in the original film, except for some minor adjustments that will be described as the chapters progress.

I will add any additional notes that I feel are important to clarify at the end of their respective chapter.

Without further ado, enjoy this interesting and hopefully fun crossover…

A Girl and Her Doll

By
WingzemonX

Chapter 01.
Aunt Gemma

Gemma hated Connecticut; she'd never say it outright, but she hated it with every fiber of her being. It's no wonder she literally moved to the other side of the country as soon as the right job opportunity came along. And there is no day in which she wasn't convinced it had been the right decision.

Although perhaps she was a little harsh with the poor Constitution State. It wasn't the culprit for all her personal and family problems that brought her close to an anxiety attack every time she had to go there. Fortunately, that didn't happen so often since her mother's death, and that made her feel happier than she could have imagined; another thing she wouldn't dare say out loud.

But when her niece Esther, her sister's youngest daughter, returned after four years of disappearance, Gemma knew she couldn't put off for much longer a trip to visit the only family she had left... if family was the right way to describe it. Because Tricia, Allen, Gunnar, and Esther the four of them were a family. Gemma was someone alien and separate from them, who didn't fit in at all with that small, perfect circle.

Again, maybe Gemma was being unfair. Allen had always been kind to her, after all, or at least he tried. And she hadn't gotten to know Esther well enough to learn whether she liked her or not.

The circumstances of her niece's disappearance always seemed strange to Gemma. Esther was barely six years old then; she must be ten now. There was no ransom call or note, no demand for money, no traces of blood or signs of violence, and, of course, no body was ever found.

Gemma was well aware that Allen was devastated back then. But Tricia, despite everything, always remained calm and collected enough to keep her family together and lead the search for her daughter herself. Gemma didn't judge her, nor was she surprised by her actions. She knew perfectly well that Tricia was the kind of person who would never allow people to see her down, tired, or out of control; anything less than perfect in her eyes. But she was also the type of person who cried in private when she thought no one was looking. In that, perhaps, the two were similar, but little else.

When Esther disappeared, Gemma tried to be there for them, even despite her dislike of Connecticut or the cold hostility that existed between Tricia and her. But it didn't take long for her to realize that Tricia not only didn't need her, but she didn't want her there with her at all. So, with a mixture of conflicting emotions, she packed her suitcase and returned to Seattle as quickly as the airlines would allow.

And that had been her last time in Connecticut. And in the blink of an eye, four years had passed…

Now Esther had appeared under equally strange circumstances. The facts were unclear to Gemma, but it seemed someone had kidnapped her and taken her to a foreign country; Russia, Romania, Estonia… she wasn't sure. The news quickly went viral, and everyone was talking about it. And, of course, half of her acquaintances knew about her connection to the case, and the other half soon found out as well. So, the questions were quickly raised:

"Have you talked to your sister yet?"

"Is your niece okay?"

"Do you know how they found her?"

"Is she recovering?"

"Have you been to see her yet?"

"When are you going there?"

Gemma tried her best to avoid all of these issues, especially the somewhat humiliating fact that she had to find out what had happened on the news like everyone else since Tricia hadn't bothered to tell her.

Additionally, although she knew that she would have to go and offer her congratulations and joy to her sister and her family due to social pressure, she also knew in advance that Tricia wouldn't need or want her there again. She had raised the possibility in a couple of texts, which Tricia rarely bothered to read, much less reply to. And those responses always ended up oscillating between "no need" and "we're fine." Ultimately, the most positive message she received regarding the idea of going to see them was: "do whatever you want."

Gemma would have been more than happy to take her at her word if it weren't for the fact that "what she wanted" was to stay in Seattle, focus on her work, and not set foot in Connecticut. She had been able to use the work excuse among her acquaintances and on herself until David Lin, her company's CEO and boss, directly questioned her about why she hadn't gone to see her sister yet.

"You said the new PurrPetual Petz prototype is very, very important, remember?" Gemma pointed out through gritted teeth at that moment.

"Oh yeah, so you can tell the press later that your heartless boss didn't even give you a day to go see your niece, who's been missing for four years, right?" David exclaimed ironically.

"I wasn't going to say that at all."

"Anyway, the case draws much attention to your family. Consequently, it's drawing attention to you. Consequently, it's drawing attention to the company. And that attention can quickly turn into bad publicity on social media. Do you understand what I'm getting at?"

"I guess so. But I don't think it's really that way."

"Well, before that happens, put some effort into teamwork and do your part, will you? Take two days off, fly to Connecticut, hug your niece on behalf of everyone at Funki, and give her one of our newest PurrPetual Petz models from us, and preferably have a couple of pictures taken of you doing it. And then bring your damn ass back and finally hand me that prototype you should have delivered three weeks ago, and if you had, we wouldn't even have to have this conversation. So, are we in agreement?"

As if I had a choice to say no, Gemma thought ironically, but what came out of her mouth was:

"Of course, boss. I'm going to put my damn ass on that plane tomorrow without fail…"

And, unfortunately for her, she wasn't joking.

Her plane landed the next afternoon at Westchester County Airport in New York, and from there, she had to hire a private car to take her to Darien. The trip wasn't exactly the most comfortable, but it wasn't long enough for her liking either. Not wanting to be, she quickly stood in front of the imposing Albright mansion on the outskirts of Darien, Connecticut. Ostentatious, secluded, and over-the-top; just the way Tricia liked it.

As soon as her vehicle approached the property, she was a little surprised to see several vehicles parked in front of the house; about five, or maybe a couple more. This made her even more nervous than she already was.

"Looks like you're just in time for the party," her driver joked as he parked the vehicle at the front door. Gemma simply smiled in response.

A few minutes later, she was standing in front of the door, holding the handle of her rolling suitcase in her right hand, and tucked under her left arm was her gift wrapped in bright pink and white paper and a matching bow; the nicest thing they had at that airport gift shop, which luckily had just opened when she arrived.

From her position, she could hear the murmurs of the many people inside, accompanied by music. It really seemed to be a party, one to which she wasn't directly invited.

She took a deep breath and summoned the courage to ring the doorbell, hoping for a moment that amidst all the noise of the party or gathering, no one would hear her, and no one would open, giving her an excuse to just leave the gift at the door and leave. But, of course, that didn't happen. And not only did someone answer her call, but it was the person she least wanted to do so.

Tricia opened the door with a radiant, friendly smile, which quickly faded as soon as her eyes fell on her and she realized who it really was.

"Gemma," her sister muttered with a mixture of confusion and coldness. "What are you doing here?"

Well, we're off to a good start, Gemma thought ironically.

"I told you I'd be here today," Gemma explained, trying her best to keep her voice steady. "I texted you yesterday."

"I didn't think you were serious," her sister said tersely, not shying away from scanning her outfit: faded jeans, sneakers, and a loose-fitting denim jacket, and a slightly worn MIT T-shirt— comfortable clothes for a long trip.

Of course, Tricia was wearing the complete opposite. Her sister wore a light pink cocktail dress, high heels, pearl studs, and subtle makeup. In her hand, she held a tall glass of champagne or some other similarly tinged alcohol.

So it wasn't just a party, but one with a certain etiquette in its dress.

"I didn't know you were having guests," Gemma apologized, embarrassed.

"Why would you know?"

"That's true…"

"What exactly did you come for?"

"Well… I told you in my messages, remember? I wanted to check on you, make sure everyone was okay, and… give Esther a little gift."

She lifted the pink box he was carrying under her arm as best she could for her to see.

"You flew six hours from Seattle just to give Esther a little gift?" Tricia muttered skeptically.

"It was like five and a half hours, actually. Wind in our favor," was Gemma's witty reply, or at least she thought it was.

Her sister's stony expression didn't budge an inch. She stared silently at her for several seconds, and Gemma thought she was considering what excuse she could come up with to slam the door in her face without making herself look like the rude girl in the story. Gemma didn't know what her train of thought was in the end, but perhaps she hadn't come up with any good excuse. Instead, Tricia sighed with marked resignation and slowly stepped aside.

"I guess you can come in," she whispered reluctantly, clearing the way for her to move forward.

"Thanks," Gemma replied, practically forced to do so, and then entered the house dragging her suitcase behind her.

The epicenter of that gathering was clearly in the living room to the right of the foyer, if she remembered correctly. The strongest indicator was the beautiful piano music, which drew her in like a siren's song. However, for Gemma, piano music always brought different sensations, depending on the occasion. In this case, what she felt was a little tricky to describe in words.

As Tricia led her into the living room, Gemma wondered who was playing so splendidly. It had to be Gunnar, though she vaguely remembered he'd left piano years ago to dedicate himself more to fencing.

There were about seven or eight people in the room, all standing around the elegant black piano, all as well-dressed as Tricia and also holding their respective glasses. But the one who immediately caught the newcomer's attention was the person sitting at the piano. It wasn't Gunnar, but a small, slender girl wearing a pretty pink party dress, with her black hair tied in two braids behind her head. She moved her fingers gracefully over the piano keys, perfectly executing the piece before her audience's astonished and jubilant eyes.

"Esther?" Gemma thought, bewildered.

She stood in the living room doorway, Tricia standing at her side, silently joining the rest of the audience. She didn't recognize anyone else except Allen standing by the piano with a broad, proud smile, and Gunnar sitting in one of the armchairs with a bored expression that looked ready to fall to the floor.

Just as the piece ended and the little girl's fingers stopped playing, Allen immediately began clapping enthusiastically, and everyone else joined in, including Tricia. The little girl turned to them on the bench, acknowledging their applause with a shy little smile and a slight nod. Gemma could see her face at that moment, and...

Her immediate thought was that she'd been mistaken, and it wasn't Esther, but another little girl, perhaps the daughter of another guest. This deduction was mainly due to the fact that, at first glance, she couldn't see anything familiar about that child's face. But when she saw Allen approaching the girl, congratulated her by saying, "Well done, my dear," and then hugged and kissed her... well, that made it even clearer.

"When did she learn to play like that?" Gemma asked curiously.

Tricia glanced at her sideways, a hint of disapproval radiating from her features.

"It's in her blood, after all."

"Gemma!" they heard Allen say with genuine enthusiasm as soon as he noticed her. He quickly approached her and gave her a gentle hug and a kiss on the cheek; his beard tickled her skin. "Tricia didn't tell me you were coming," he said.

"Didn't I?" Tricia muttered with a false uncertainty that only Gemma could detect.

"It was a bit sudden," Gemma apologized, trying to muster her most genuine smile.

"Do you want a drink? Some snacks?" Allen offered immediately.

"No, thanks. I honestly didn't know you were having guests today. If I had known, I would have worn something nicer…"

"Nonsense, it's just a casual get-together," Tricia said, casually waving a hand in the air, which she then used to grab her arm and tug Gemma a bit roughly into the people before she could do anything to stop her. "Girls, remember my sister Gemma? She decided to join us from Seattle this afternoon to celebrate the return of our little girl."

Gemma stood frozen in place as all those elegant and sophisticated people fixed their gazes on her, flashing their rehearsed friendly smiles and raising their glasses of expensive alcohol in greeting. Meanwhile, she was disheveled, unkempt, sweaty, tired from a long journey, and without a single ounce of makeup or perfume to hide any of those things. Tricia knew it well; she did it on purpose to humiliate her. The worst part was that neither Allen nor anyone else noticed. They only appreciated her gaze and gentle smile, listened to her pained yet sweet voice, and melted before her. That's how it had always been.

"Esther, come here for a moment," Allen called, waving a hand. Gemma turned over her shoulder, just in time to see the little girl in the pink dress cautiously approaching them. "Do you remember your Aunt Gemma?"

The little girl stood in front of them. She looked at her father for a moment, then turned her attention to Gemma, who was immediately overcome by a strange feeling. Amidst that childlike, innocent face, those pairs of gray eyes bulged out peculiarly, as if they didn't match the rest. Whatever that was, it softened a little when the little girl smiled broadly at her in the sweetest, most adorable way Gemma had ever seen on a child, which wasn't really saying much.

"Hi, Aunt Gemma!" the little girl enthusiastically greeted her. "Do you remember me?"

"Sure," she replied hesitantly, and she was partly lying.

She hoped the feeling of strangeness she'd felt earlier would dissipate upon closer inspection, but it didn't. She still felt like she wasn't talking to the Esther she remembered, but to any other girl she'd passed on the street.

Although it wasn't as if he'd actually spent much time with little Esther before her disappearance. The girl was born just four years before Gemma and Tricia's mother died when their relationship was already frayed. And it had been four years since the last time she saw her, too; children change a lot in four years... or don't they?

Some believed that someone in her profession should know more about children, but that was certainly not the case.

"You're so big," Gemma exclaimed in a festive voice, trying to recover. "I hardly recognize you."

"Thank you," the little girl mumbled, blushing a little. She rocked her body sideways, twirling the skirt of her dress.

"I'm so glad you're back... and that you're okay... and..."

Gemma tried to think of something else to say, but nothing good came to mind. What were people really supposed to say in those situations?

"Thank you, Aunt Gemma," Esther mumbled softly. "I missed my family so much. It's… lovely to be back."

Tricia let out a small, tender moan, and placed a loving hand on her daughter's back.

"And it's wonderful for us to have you, darling," Tricia whispered, her voice almost like she was on the verge of tears.

Only then did Gemma realize Esther's thick accent she used when she spoke. It reminded her a bit of the foreign shareholders from Eastern Europe who sometimes came to the office. Had she spent so much time in… wherever she had been that the accent had become so attached to her?

It was best not to overthink it. Who was she to judge that? A linguistics expert? Better to stick to what she knew was her expertise.

"I brought you a gift," Gemma said at that moment, bending down on her knees in front of her so they were eye-to-eye, and handed her the pink box. The girl's face lit up massively when she laid eyes on it.

"For me?"

"What do you say?" Allen commented, leaning down a little toward his daughter's ear.

"Thank you, Aunt Gemma," Esther muttered mechanically, as children often did when repeating something their parents taught them.

Esther took the box and began to remove the bow and wrapping paper, with quite a bit of patience… Ten-year-old Gemma would have ripped and shredded the paper without so much consideration.

Of course, hidden in that pretty pink wrapper was the box of one of her PurrPetuals Petz—the newest model, just as David had said, although he'd be sorry to know no one was taking pictures of it. On the front of the box was a picture of the pet, with a pink-furred and upright hairstyle, huge eyes, a tiny mouth, and tiny arms and feet.

Esther held the box in front of her, staring at the image on the box with an expression Gemma couldn't quite decipher. She tilted her head slightly, as did the box as if trying to understand the image's shape.

Most people thought the design was adorable, especially the kids, but Gemma always thought they were a little... ugly. Of course, that wasn't her initial design, but the one ultimately approved by marketing and manufacturing stripped down to the most basic of basics. And yet they still expected her to come up with an even more affordable and simple design than that...

"What is it?" Esther asked curiously, looking up at her aunt.

"It's a PurrPetual Petz," she explained. "Haven't you seen the ads? It's the hot toy these days."

Esther frowned and looked at her, seemingly a little lost.

"Your Aunt Gemma makes toys, remember?" Allen told his daughter, placing a hand on her shoulder.

I design the engineering behind the toys, Gemma thought to herself, reluctant to say it out loud.

A not-so-discreet snort of disdain from Tricia was not long in coming.

"Gemma and her toys," she muttered before taking a small sip from her cup. "Did you know my parents spent a fortune paying for her multiple degrees in robotics at MIT?" she added, addressing her guests. "And all so she could end up building things like this."

"Tris, please," Allen muttered.

"Oh, I'm just kidding. It's…" Tricia looked at the box, finding it hard to hide her distaste. "Adorable…"

Gemma clenched her fists and jaw, again resisting the urge to say or do something she didn't want to. Although, who was she kidding? Even if she didn't resist, it was unlikely she'd be able to say anything to her sister. She never managed to do that…

"How does it work?" Esther's small voice suddenly asked, bringing her back to the present.

"It's very simple," Gemma said, immediately taking the box and turning it over to show her the instructions on the back. "First, download the free app on your smartphone or tablet by scanning this QR code..."

"I don't have a phone or a tablet," Esther said quickly.

Gemma froze a little at that response. She turned to Tricia for confirmation. She shrugged and took another sip from her drink.

"She's just a ten-year-old girl, Gemma."

"What are you saying?" she exclaimed back, laughing a little. "Children are practically born with a device attached to them..."

She knew her comment had been ill-advised when Tricia fixed her with a murderous, razor-sharp glare that sent a chill down her spine. Luckily, there were other people present, including Allen. That made her just smile in a friendly way instead of what she really wanted to do.

"Of course... But we also want to be careful with what our little one is exposed to right now," she explained, placing a protective hand on Esther's back again. "Her recovery and adjustment to home will be a slow process."

"Yeah, I get it," Gemma whispered, still a little hesitant. "Well, this is a new model," she explained to Esther. "We haven't released it yet. When the other kids at school see it, you'll be the envy of everyone."

"I'm not going to school yet," Esther explained.

"Are you planning on enrolling her next semester, Tricia? Or what's the plan?" asked one of the guests, a woman with long blond hair.

"Yes, Mommy," Esther mumbled, looking at her mother, who was still holding her. "What are my plans?"

Tricia looked down at her, looking a little lost at first, but she quickly recovered and smiled again with the same confidence as before.

"I haven't thought about that yet," she explained eloquently. "As I said, her adjustment will be slow. For now, I don't want to be away from her for even a moment."

She concluded her words by hugging the little girl even tighter, pressing her almost entirely against her body, perhaps more than necessary.

Gemma watched the interaction, somewhat puzzled, especially by the glances and smiles Tricia gave Esther from time to time.

Again, no one else noticed, but Gemma was quite experienced at reading her older sister's fake attitudes. She was lying; Gemma didn't know exactly what, but she was.

She then noticed Esther, who was clinging to her mother, smiling at everyone else—a smile that was too similar to Tricia's, actually…