BSC 10 Years Later-a BSC FanFic

[Deleted]

A/N: This is basically a Super Special about the BSC ten years after the series' end.

PROLOGUE: Kristy[

I lay on the examining table in Dr. Wright's office, and my husband, Jason, held my hand while the doctor measured my stomach with his hands. Normally, cold doesn't really bother me too much, but today, I was freezing, mostly because of the air conditioner. I'm just glad I spent the entire time looking at the amethyst ring on Jason's right ring finger, which I'd given to him on our wedding night. Otherwise, I never would've gotten through this.

After a minute, the doctor looked up. "Well, congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Everett," he said. "You're having a baby."

Jason and I smiled at each other, and he squeezed my hand. "How far along is she?" Jason asked the doctor.

Dr. Wright measured my stomach again and said, "Well, judging by the size of her uterus, I'd say about eight weeks, which is roughly about two months."

Jason shook hands with the doctor, then helped me sit up. "I'll be out in the waiting room, Kristy," he said, then left me alone to get dressed.

Before I go any farther, I should probably tell you more about me and Jason, and how we met. My name's Kristy Thomas-Everett. I'm twenty-three years old, and Jason's twenty-five. I met Jason when we were in eighth grade. He'd moved into the apartment complex at the end of the block where my mother and stepfather live, which was brand-new at the time.

We'd started dating just before our senior year of high school. After graduation, we attended Ohio University in Athens, and soon became elementary school teachers: I teach PE, and Jason teaches music.

We moved to Hartford, Connecticut, soon after our college graduation, got engaged, and married within a year after that. Hartford is not only the capital of our state, but it's also an hour and a half away from Stoneybrook, which is where our families are, and also where I was born and raised. Jason, on the other hand, was born in Scotland, in a little town just an hour and a half outside of Glasgow. He came to the United States with his mom when he was four, and they settled in Manhattan. According to Jason, his real dad died about a month before he was born, and about a year and a half after they arrived in America, his mom married Steve, and Jason not only acquired a stepfather, but also a stepsister, Bebe, and he even agreed to take his stepfather's last name. The Everetts moved to Long Island soon after that.

Jason also has a scar on his right cheekbone, which he says he got in a fight when he was ten. He told me the other kid hit him in the face with a board that had a little nail sticking out of it.

Sometime after Jason started eighth grade, he and his family moved to Stoneybrook, and he almost got into a fight on his first day at SMS, which was when I learned about his bad temper. (Jason once told me that his real father had a bad temper, too.) The one thing that's always fascinated me about him is the fact that even though he came to America at such a young age, his accent never went away completely. Nowadays, he sounds like the present-day Ewan McGregor. My best friend, Mary Anne, is a movie freak, and Ewan McGregor happens to be one of her favorite actors.

Jason and I recently celebrated our first anniversary. He had taken me to Scotland for our honeymoon, and one of the places he took me was the Firth of Clyde, where his granny's ashes are scattered.

Anyway, back to me. I finished changing my clothes, and met Jason in the waiting room. We got into our red pick-up truck, and Jason started the ignition. During the ride home, we talked about our news, which I couldn't wait to share with my old friends in the Baby-sitters Club.

What is the Baby-sitters Club, you ask? Well, it's a business that my friends and I had all through middle school and high school. I was the president, but turned the presidential duties over to my stepsister, Karen, before I went away to college.

They meet every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 5:30 to 6:00, and parents can call them to line up baby-sitters. It saves the parents time, because that way, they don't have to call all over town just to find a baby-sitter. (I actually got the idea when I was in seventh grade, and I saw Mom having that problem, finding a baby-sitter for my little brother, David Michael.) When I was the president, Claudia Kishi was the vice-president, and we held our meetings in her room, because she had her own phone and phone number. Nancy Dawes is now the vice-president, and her little brother, Danny, as well as Laura Perkins, Lucy Newton, and Lynn Benedict, Claudia's cousin, are all in the Stoneybrook Kids show choir. It was started seven years ago by Jason and Mr. Drubek, who's getting ready to retire from SMS. Mr. Drubek still runs it, but now he's assisted by Nina Marshall, a Stoneybrook Kids alumnus, and my stepbrother Andrew's girlfriend.

Here are more essentials about Claudia. She lives in Chicago, where she teaches art at one of the local high schools. In her spare time, she does art work and submits it to local galleries. I was impressed that Claudia could actually get into college, because she wasn't the best student in the world when we were in school. Recently, Claud was diagnosed with ADD, not to be confused with ADHD. She had to repeat some of seventh grade, but she was able to catch up, go to high school, and graduate with the rest of us.

Mary Anne Spier-Bruno, my best friend since we were toddlers, was the BSC secretary. She married Logan Bruno, one of our former associate members. (Jason's another one, we made him one soon after SMS finished their production of Carnival.) They live in Auburn, a little town in upstate New York, where Mary Anne works as a receptionist at the local sheltered workshop, and her husband is the PE teacher and football coach at one of the local high schools. Mary Anne was recently diagnosed with social phobia/social anxiety disorder, and sought treatment about three months ago. Now Hannah, formerly Hannie, Papadakis is the secretary.

Stacey McGill-Thomas, who's now married to my brother, Sam, was the treasurer. Stacey has diabetes, and even though she could get pregnant if she wanted to, chose not to, because of health risks, so she and Sam are in the process of adopting a baby. Stacey also lives in NYC, where she was born. She's a nurse's aide, and my brother is a sportswriter, like our father had been. Now, Claire Pike, the youngest in the Pike family, is the treasurer.

Back then, Dawn Schafer and Abby Stevenson had been our alternate officers, which meant that one of them took over if someone had to miss a meeting. Dawn also happens to be Mary Anne's stepsister (her mom is married to Mary Anne's dad), and is originally from California. She went back there to stay the summer after we finished our sophomore year of high school. She now lives in Zuni, New Mexico, where she works two jobs. During the school year, she works in the elementary school cafeteria, and the rest of the time, she runs a health-food store with her childhood friend, Sunny Winslow. Also, she and Sunny were members of the We Love Kids Club, a sort of Calfornia-based BSC.

Oh, that reminds me. Zuni Elementary and Stoneybrook Elementary are involved in a pen-pal program called Pens Across America, which is for students in second through fifth grades. When the school in Zuni burned down, Dawn organized a fundraiser. In fact, Dawn loved the people there so much, she decided to settle there.

Abby lives in Stoneybrook, and also works two jobs. During the day, she's an advertising executive, and in the evenings, she does a stand-up comedy act. (She kind of reminds me of Joey Gladstone from Full House, only she doesn't do the funny voices, and she's nowhere near as dim-witted as he is.) In fact, Abby, Mary Anne, and I all have something important in common: we each have lost one of our parents. Mary Anne was just a baby when her mother died, and she was thirteen when her father remarried. Abby has a twin sister named Anna, and they were only nine when their father was killed in a car accident. I was only six when my father walked out on us, and sixteen when he was killed in a plane crash. Nowadays, Natalie Springer is the alternate officer.

Like me, the above-mentioned memebers are all twenty-three years old. We also had two junior members who weren't allowed to baby-sit at night, unless it was for their own siblings. Mallory Pike married Ben Hobart, whose brothers we used to baby-sit for. Ben is originally from Australia, and came to the United States when he was eleven. Unlike Jason, though, his accent never went away, mostly because he was older when he came to America. Mallory and Ben live, and have recently graduated from college, in Cleveland. She's going to be a high school English Lit. teacher, and he's going to be an accountant.

Jessi Ramsey lives in New York with her boyfriend, Manette Hughes. They met during our trip to Washington, DC, with the Stoneybrook Kids. (While we were there, they exchanged e-mail addresses, then they ended up at Julliard together about four years ago.) They're also professional dancers. In fact, they're currently rehearsing for an '80s revue that opens off-Broadway next month. Now, Gabbie Perkins and my sister, Emily, are the junior officers.

Logan and Jason, along with Shannon Kilbourne, were the associate members, which meant that they took on the jobs no one else could. Now, Mathew and John Hobart, as well as Myriah Perkins, are the associate members.

Anyway, Jason and I pulled into the driveway of our house and got out of the truck. Our house is really cute. It's actually the upstairs of a duplex. All you do is unlock the door and go upstairs to the apartment. And best of all, you don't have to go up six flights of stairs, there's no hole in the skylight (if we had one), and our landlord, who lives downstairs, is relatively sane, even though he's not the nicest guy in the world.

Anyway, as soon as I came inside, I sat down on the couch and cried, which is something that I rarely do. Honestly, I don't think I've cried this much since Nannie's funeral, which was last fall.

Jason was beside me in an instant. "Shh, Kristy, it's okay," he said, putting his arm across my shoulders. I laid my head on his chest, continuing to cry, and listening to his heartbeat. I knew that's what the next couple of months or so would be like for me, in addition to morning sickness, and eventually, wild food cravings. Mom once told me that when she was expecting David Michael, she practically lived off peanut butter and banana sandwiches, seedless watermelon (I'm just glad that David Michael's a spring baby, because otherwise, Mom would've sent Dad to Mexico for the seedless watermelon), and German chocolate, the really dark kind. And isn't it a coincidence that chocolate is something that David Michael's allergic to? On the upside, Jason doesn't play or sing "I Get Around" while I'm hurling!

[Deleted]

CHAPTER 1: Kristy

After I'd calmed down, Jason went to start dinner as I reached for the phone, which was on the end table beside the couch, and dialed Mom and Watson's number. "Hi, Watson. It's Kristy," I said when he answered the phone. "Is Mom home?"

"Yes, she is," he answered. "Just a minute."

"Hi, Kristy," Mom said a minute later. "How are you?"

"Well, I went to the doctor today, and found out that I'm two months pregnant."

"That's great!"

"Yeah, but I'm not exactly looking forward to the rest of the pregnancy," I told her. And believe me, I sure as hell wasn't.

Mom laughed gently. "That's all right," she said. "When it's all over, you'll end up with a special prize."

I smiled. "Thanks, Mom," I said. "You know, just between the two of us, no matter how much I'm pain I'm in during either labor or delivery, I'll try not to cause Jason too much physical pain or harm, but if he does start singing 'Having My Baby', I'll make him start wishing he had his two front teeth!" I was, of course, referring to the Natural Childbirth story from Bill Cosby, Himself.

Both of us laughed. "You'll do just fine, sweetheart," Mom reassured me.

At that moment, Jason called out, "Kristy, dinner's ready!"

"Well, I've got to go," I told Mom. "Hey, say hi to the kids for me, okay?"

"Okay. 'Bye."

"'Bye, Mom." And we hung up.

Jason and I sat down to eat. He had fixed hamburgers and mixed vegetables, and poured us each a glass of iced tea. One of the reasons I fell in love with him is because he's a really good cook, whereas I'm one of those people who worries that if I pour milk on cereal, it'd burst into flames. It still amazes me that with all my baby-sitting experience, the one thing I have trouble with is cooking.

"You know," Jason said, taking a bite of his burger, "we got an invitation in the mail today for the Stoneybrook High School graduation."

I wasn't surprised, because this year, my brother, David Michael (Jason has always called him "DM") and stepsister, Karen, were both going to graduate. "When is it?" I asked.

"Next Sunday," he said. "I thought that we could leave as soon as we got off work Friday, then stay for the graduation, and go back on Monday, unless something happens."

"Okay, sounds like a plan," I said. I started to get up from the table to put my dishes in the dishwasher, but I started to feel a little dizzy, and had to sit back down.

"Here, allow me," Jason said. He picked up my dishes and put them in the dishwasher.

When I got up again, I immediately fell to the floor and passed out.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself lying on the bed. Jason was wiping my face with a cool washcloth. "Wh...what happened?" I slurred.

"You passed out," he explained as he put the thermometer in my mouth. "Don't worry, I brought you in here." A few seconds later, I heard a beep, and Jason removed the thermometer. "99.8."

I looked down. Jason had apparently undressed me down to my underwear, and was wiping my face, hands, and stomach with the washcloth.

"Feeling better?" he asked. I nodded. I also wondered why I'd gotten dizzy and passed out after dinner.

Later that night, I lay in bed with Jason's arm across me. He'd pulled me closer to him, but I still couldn't sleep. In the darkness, while I played with his real father's ID tags, I studied his features: short black hair, moustache and goatee, little scar on right cheekbone, Union Jack tattoo on right bicep, and when he's awake, green eyes. When his pajama top is off, I can see his appendix scar. I, on the other hand, hide mine at night, not that I'm ashamed of it, of course. All through the night, I thought about the Baby-sitters Club, and remembered that we hadn't had a reunion since we'd passed the torch to Karen and her friends.

The next morning, Jason went to run some errands. I got out my address book, and the first person I called was Claudia. Claud may have been a dud when it came to schoolwork, but her older sister, Janine, is a true genius. In fact, Janine was taking college courses while she was still in high school. She's now started her residency at Stoneybrook General Hospital. Throughout our school years, it always seemed like teachers were comparing the two, and were disappointed when Claudia turned out to be the opposite of Janine.

"Hello?" Claud said when she answered the phone.

"Hi, it's Kristy," I said.

"Kristy! Hi! How are you and Jason doing?" Claud had dated Jason for about three years before they broke up, and soon after that, Jason and I started dating.

"Oh, I'm fine, considering," I said.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I went to the doctor yesterday, and found out that I'm two months pregnant."

"Congratulations," Claudia said.

"Thanks. Anyway, the reason I'm calling is because last night, I was thinking that the original members of the Baby-sitters Club haven't had a reunion in a long time."

"Sounds great. When?"

"Well, Karen and David Michael's high school graduation is next weekend, so why not then?"

"Sure."

"Well, I'll call Mary Anne and Logan, Dawn, Mallory, and Shannon, and you call Stacey, Abby, and Jessi," I said.

"Okay. Thanks for calling. 'Bye."

"'Bye, Claud."

One down, four to go. The next call was to Mary Anne and Logan. They weren't home, so I left a message on their answering machine. I gave them my name and phone number, and asked them to call me.

Next, I called Dawn Schafer. I told her about the BSC reunion, and when it was. "Great! I'll be there!" she said. "Can I bring a friend?"

"Sure," I said. "Oh, and can you call Mary Anne and Logan and remind them?"

"Sure," she said. "'Bye."

Three down, two to go. The next call was to Mallory Pike-Hobart. (Of all of us, she's been married the longest, almost two years; Mary Anne and Logan have been married for a year and a half; and Sam and Stacey have been married for nine months.) Mallory also happens to be almost eight months pregnant, and the best part is, she's having twins. We were so surprised when we found out.

"Hi, Mal," I said when she answered the phone.

"Kristy! Hi! What's up with you?"

"Well, I went to the doctor yesterday, and he told me that I'm two months pregnant," I told her.

"Hey, great!" she said. "I know exactly what you're going through. I'm entering my eighth month."

"So, I take it this means that you won't be able to attend the BSC reunion?"

"No, I'm afraid not," she answered glumly. "Sorry."

"That's all right," I said. "We're having it at Mom and Watson's, so we can set up their WebCam. That reminds me, I should call them this evening to clear it." I'd given Mom and Watson the WebCam for their tenth anniversary.

"Great! Well, tell everybody that Ben and I said hi, and sorry we couldn't make it."

"Sure. Well, you guys take care of yourselves, okay?"

"Okay. 'Bye, Kristy."

"'Bye."

The last person I called was Shannon Kilbourne. She now teaches French at Stoneybrook High, and is engaged to Bart Taylor, my ex-boyfriend from eighth grade. She wasn't home, either, so I left a message on her answering machine, telling her about the BSC reunion, and asked her to call me.

When I hung up, I felt really excited, and hoped that the next weekend would hurry up and come, because I couldn't wait to see everybody again.

When Jason returned, he handed me a book, What To Expect When You're Expecting. I looked through it, and found that the dizzy and fainting spells I'd had the previous evening were normal for pregnancy.

I was also looking forward to seeing my friends again.

The following Friday morning, we loaded our suitcases into the truck. Our plan was to leave for Stoneybrook as soon as we got off work that day.

When we arrived in Stoneybrook and pulled into Mom and Watson's driveway, we saw Bebe Everett's little red Miata. The one thing that's impossible to miss about her car is the Rush bumper sticker on the back bumper. She says it's a travesty that they haven't been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame yet.

We rang the doorbell, which was answered by Karen. She looked great. Her blond hair was cut to her shoulders, and curled. "Hi, Karen," I said.

"Hi," she answered as she wrapped both of us in a hug and rested her head on Jason's shoulder, like she'd done since she was seven. You see, soon after Jason first moved to Stoneybrook, Andrew got his first bike with training wheels, and one day, I took him, Karen, and David Michael on a bike ride. Andrew was so excited to have his first bike that he started pedaling faster than the rest of us. Before Karen could catch up to him, Andrew saw a little squirrel and tried to miss it, but in the process, he fell and hit his head on a little brick wall that happened to be nearby. (He ended up having whiplash as a result of that, and was in a neck brace for nearly two months.) I sent David Michael to get Watson, and Karen got Jason to stop and help. After Jason called the ambulance, he saw Karen crying on the curb. Since then, Karen has basically idolized him. "Come on in."

We walked into the house, where we saw everyone else, including Jason's family. His stepsister, Bebe, was home from college, where, like Jessi, she was studying to be a professional dancer. Bebe sure didn't look the same way she did when we first met. Not only were her braces long gone, but her formerly strawberry-blonde hair was now dyed brown and cut and styled like Mary Anne's. The others looked pretty different, too. David Michael's dark brown hair now had platinum blond highlights in it, and he had a little diamond earring in his left ear. Emily's rainbow-streaked hair was down to her waist, and she had braces and pierced ears. Andrew was not only taller than all of them, but he was almost as muscular as Jason, and his hair was down to his shoulders and styled like Andy Gibb. Definitely not the painfully shy little boy I met when he was three. Still, it was great to see them.

"Hi, how are you?" Diann asked as we finished hugging everybody and sat down on the couch.

"Do you want to tell them, or should I?" Jason asked.

"You tell them," I said.

"Well," Jason began, clearing his throat, "I went to the doctor with Kristy last week, and he says that she's going to have a baby."

"Hey, great!" Steve said. "How soon?"

"Well, the doctor says that I'm two months pregnant, so it'll be at least the middle of January before the baby's born, but the doctor says that I could even have it in time for Christmas," I answered.

"Right now, Kristy's at a very vulnerable stage," Jason said. "She's very emotional, and sometimes throws up in the morning after breakfast."

The boys made faces when Jason said that. I couldn't blame them. I was also hoping that I'd be able to keep food down while we were there.

"Aaanywaaay..." we all said together. I know, it sounds dorky, not to mention immature, at this age, but it still cracked us up.

"I thought that since we were here, I'd have a reunion with my old friends in the Baby-sitters Club," I said.

"That's nice," Watson said. "When?"

"This weekend," I told him.

"Okay, that's fine."

"I hope you don't mind me having the reunion here," I said.

"Not at all," Mom said.

At that moment, Jason's family stood up. "Do you two know where you're staying?" Bebe asked.

"We were planning to stay here, if that's all right with you," Jason said to Mom and Watson.

"It's great!" Andrew exclaimed.

"Where will they sleep?" Emily asked.

"Well, they can sleep in Kristy's old room," Watson said.

"Let's clean it up!" Karen said, and the four youngsters ran off as Jason's family walked out the door. I could tell my take-charge personality still lived on.

A few minutes later, the doorbell rang again. I went to answer it. There stood my oldest brother, Charlie, his wife, Kathy, and their two kids: five-year-old Marissa, and two-year-old Charlie Jr. They can be a handful, but they're still really sweet. "Come on in," I said.

"Thanks, Sis," Charlie said. They came in and sat down. At that moment, the phone rang. Mom went to answer it.

"Hello?" I heard her say. "Oh, hi, Sam...You're coming tomorrow?...Okay. Don't forget to remind Stacey about the Baby-sitters Club reunion. Do you want to put her on, and I'll put Kristy on?...Okay." Then she said, "Kristy, could you get on the other line, please?"

"Sure," I said. "Hello?"

"Hi, Kristy. It's Stacey." I heard Mom hang up the other extension just then. "When is the reunion?"

"Tomorrow night," I told her. "The only thing is, we'll have to set up Watson's WebCam so Mallory can see us."

"That's fine," she said.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow."

"'Bye, Kristy."

"'Bye."

As I hung up, I was really looking forward to all my friends being there the next night.

[Deleted]

CHAPTER 2: Dawn

The next day after Kristy's phone call, Sunny and I closed up the store at 5:00. Our plan was to drive to Albuquerque, get a bite to eat, and get a hotel room for the night. We would check out the next morning, get to the airport, eat breakfast, change planes in Denver, and fly to New York. Mom and Richard would meet us at the airport, take us back to their house, then we'd return home a week later, or so the plan was.

"All set?" I asked Sunny.

"Yup," she answered as she locked the door. "Let's hit the road."

We didn't have to stop at the apartment, because we'd already loaded our suitcases into the trunk of my black convertible. We rode with the top down, all the way to Albuquerque, singing along with Pat Benatar's "Invincible", which was playing on the radio.

"Oh, before I forget," Sunny said after the song ended, "last night after you went to bed, I made dandelion necklaces for all your friends."

"Really?" I asked. "Wow, you didn't have to do that."

"I know, but I just felt like it."

"Thanks."

We arrived in Albuquerque about two hours later, and pulled into Burger King. As we got out of the car, I couldn't help remembering the cast party we'd had after the opening night performance of Carnival. In fact, if you looked up "Kodak moment" in the dictionary, you definitely would've seen what happened that night.

"Oh, did I ever tell you about the cast party we'd had after Carnival opened?" I asked.

Sunny shook her head. "I don't think so," she answered.

"Oh, you should've been there!" I said. "You see, the little kids were running toward the condiments counter with their eyes on the sugar, sweeteners, and basically anything to keep them awake all night. When Kristy's stepfather, Watson, saw them, he said--" I cupped my hands around my mouth, just like he'd done. "STEP AWAY FROM THE SUGAR."

Sunny burst out laughing. "I would've, if I were him," she said. "It seems like he knew what they were up to."

After we got our food and sat down, I saw Sunny smiling, and I knew she was not only thinking of the story I'd just told her, but she was also wishing she could've been there.

Later that evening, we arrived at Motel 6, and checked in. Despite the fact that it was built right beside the highway, and right next to a construction site as well, it still looked nice. I just felt bad for all the guests who would be waking up to all that noise tomorrow morning. The hills are alive with the sounds of jackhammers, trucks, and dirty jokes, I thought.

When we got to our room, the first thing we did was turn on the TV, and saw that the featured movie was Anger Management. The movie was up to the part where Jack Nicholson throws the eggs at Adam Sandler. The last time we'd seen it was in the movie theater, and we still laughed ourselves sick.

After the movie was over, we got up and Sunny asked, "Did you want to shower separately or together?"

I guess I should probably explain something here. You see, after I'd returned to California the summer after I finished my sophomore year of high school, I noticed that my relationship with Sunny was changing. We were still good friends, but I saw a new side of her, one I'd never seen before. She was more touchy-feely than usual, so I didn't think anything of it at first, especially since her mom had just died. I just assumed Sunny needed someone to be there for her. That was until the next year, though, which was when we went swimming in the lake near the Caters' house (their daughter, Whitney, has Down's syndrome, and I was hired to be a baby-sitter/companion to her for a short time). That was when Sunny first kissed me. And on the lips, too. I won't lie to you, I was shocked. That was when I finally realized that Sunny was a lesbian. Eventually, I started discovering that I had the same feelings for her that she had for me. The only difference was, unlike her, I was bi. Well, after a while, our families got used to the whole situation, and thank God, they still love us the same way they always did.

Anyway, we took a good look at the shower stall, and it looked like it was big enough for the two of us. "Together," we decided, and took off our clothes and got in the shower.

We were washing each other's hair, kissing, and soaping each other up, and all was going well until I started rinsing the shampoo out of my hair. I guess I wasn't watching what I was doing, because I accidentally flipped my hair in Sunny's face. No, she didn't get any suds in her eyes or mouth, but just the same, she got a big mouthful of water from the shower head and spit it right back at me. Before too long, we were splashing each other, laughing, and squealing like we were six years old again. I'm pretty sure the guy in the next room was pounding on the wall and telling us to shut up. If he was, there was no way we could've heard him.

After our shower, we finished drying ourselves off, and I went to the phone to ask the front desk for a wake-up call. "5 a.m.," I told him. I wasn't about to wake up to a chorus of jackhammers, cement mixers, and who knows what else.

"Sure," the desk clerk said, and we hung up.

Sunny came out of the bathroom, and just as I'd predicted, she hadn't brought anything to sleep in. You see, Sunny likes to run around the apartment naked. The only times she'll ever wear any clothes are when we have company, or when she's on her period. It drove me crazy at first, but I got used to it when I saw how comfortable she was about it.

I took off my towel and got into bed. "Good night, Dawn," Sunny whispered, kissing me on the forehead and climbing into bed beside me.

"'Night, Sunshine," I said, not only using her birth name, but it's also the nickname that Dad had given me when I was really little. I turned off the light and settled myself on Sunny's shoulder. As I drifted off to sleep, I couldn't help wondering what my old BSC friends had been up to.

"Go-o-od morning, Albuquerque! It's 5 a.m. on a Monday morning, and it's going to be a beautiful day today, so get out of bed and face another day!"

That was the first thing I heard when I woke up. I opened my eyes and saw that it was a pretty good day, even though the sun was barely up. If you ask me, that deejay had way too much coffee! And speaking of which, I decided I could also use some.

I got out of bed, and through my bleary eyes, I saw Sunny coming out of the bathroom. "'Morning," she said cheerfully.

"Hey," I said, grabbing my outfit for the day. "I hear it's going to be a great day for travelling."

"Yeah, so did everybody else on this floor, I'll bet," Sunny commented. "Is it just me, or does the volume control on that radio have a mind of its own?"

I shrugged as I finished brushing my teeth. Then, while I was packing, I noticed Sunny wasn't wearing any shoes. I didn't say anything about it, since she hardly ever wears them. I also knew her wicker sandals were in her suitcase.

"You ready?" Sunny asked as I slipped my feet into my white Crocs.

"Yup," I answered as I stood up. We carried our suitcases (well, actually, Sunny carried hers and I rolled mine) to the car, locked the room door, returned the key, and were soon on our way.

When we arrived at the airport, after making our brief stop to drop the car off at the long-term parking garage, we grabbed a quick breakfast, which consisted of a granola bar from a vending machine and a bottle of juice, then we headed to the gate.

As soon as we got to the gate, I saw a little girl, maybe six or seven years old, standing near one of the trash cans. She was wearing a Disney Princess tank top and pink shorts, and she was also crying. "Wait right here," I told Sunny. I unwrapped my granola bar, and started toward the little girl. "What's wrong, sweetie?" I asked.

She looked up. "I can't find my daddy," she sniffled.

"Where did you last see him?" I asked as I threw the wrapper in the trash can.

"I think it was over where they have those TV screens that tell you where the planes are coming from and going to," she answered.

"The destination charts?"

"Yeah, that's it."

"Well, let's start there, okay?"

"Okay." She slipped her hand in mine, and we walked back to Sunny.

"This little girl can't find her daddy," I said. "We're going to look for him, starting at the destination charts."

"Good thinking. I'm right behind you," she said.

The three of us headed in the direction of those charts, but we didn't get very far when we saw a tall brown-haired man with a moustache coming our way. He was wearing light blue scrubs and black running shoes. "Destiny!" he called out.

"Daddy!" the little girl exclaimed. She let go of my hand, and ran to him.

"Oh, thank God, you're safe," he said, kneeling down to pick her up. "Where were you?"

"I dropped my boarding pass near the trash can," she answered. "And when I picked it up, I couldn't find you."

"Oh. Well, I'm glad you found your boarding pass, but next time, please let me know so it doesn't happen again, okay?"

"Okay, Daddy," she promised. "Oh, this nice lady found me."

The man picked up his daughter and walked over to me. "Thank you so, so much," he said, shaking my hand.

"No problem," I smiled. Then after they left, I turned to Sunny and said, "Well, let's get to our gate."

"Yup," Suny agreed, slipping her hand into mine. "I'll bet you're glad that our baby-sitting experience came in handy, huh?"

I nodded in agreement, and I also knew we'd definitely have something to tell our friends.

[Deleted]

CHAPTER 3: Logan

"Wake up, Maggie, I think I got somethin' to say to you; it's late September, and I really should be back at school..."

Of all the songs to be playing on the radio when Mary Anne woke up from her nap, the one song that happened to be playing was Rod Stewart's "Maggie May". Now that I think about it, I wonder if my singing along also woke her.

Anyway, we were just entering the city limits of Stoneybrook as the sun was setting. "Have a nice nap, honey?" I asked Mary Anne.

"Mm-hm," she answered, yawning and stretching. She didn't have much room to stretch, though, because we were in my Jeep. You know the kind with the plastic windows that have the zippers. Fortunately, both windows were open, so it wasn't too unbearable. She also made sure she didn't hit me in the face when she stretched.

We pulled into BP, which was on the edge of town, to get some gas. And that's when I realized how cheap gas was in Stoneybrook, as opposed to Auburn. My dad told me one time that by the end of the decade, gas will be so expensive no one will be able to afford it, which is why he traded in his Oldsmobile for a Hybrid.

Anyway, just as I was putting the nozzle in the gas tank, I happened to look toward the store, and saw Sam and Stacey coming out of the exit. Sam was carrying a twelve-pack of Diet Coke. "Hi, you guys!" I shouted, waving.

"Logan, hi!" Stacey exclaimed. The two of them came running over just as Mary Anne was getting out of the Jeep.

"Hi!" she cried. I thought for sure that she was going to start crying for real. After all, this was Mary Anne, the same girl who cried over literally every little thing, even if it's good news. All you had to do was tell her that the Cubs finally made it to the World Series and that we've seen our last Shrek movie, and boom, Faucet-City. This time, though, she didn't shed one tear.

"Hi, Mary Anne," Stacey said as they hugged. "Are you looking forward to the reunion?"
"Oh, absolutely," Mary Anne smiled. "I can't wait to see everyone again."

"Well, we're staying at my mom's tonight," Stacey continued, "then we're going over to the Thomas-Brewer mansion tomorrow after lunch, so we'll be there for the reunion."

I nodded. "Sounds like a plan," I said.

"I'm looking forward to the graduation," Sam said. "Wow, I can't believe it's finally Karen and David Michael's turn to graduate."

"I know," Mary Anne agreed. "It seems like only yesterday that Karen thought that the old lady who lived next door was a witch."

"Yeah," Sam answered.

While I put the nozzle back, I remembered the story Kristy had told us about how Karen and her friend, Hannah (formerly Hannie) Papadakis, had showed up unannounced at a garden club meeting that this woman was hosting, and how Karen had actually called everyone there witches, including her grandma! Kristy also told me she remembers how upset her mom and stepdad were when they found out. I can only imagine how my folks would've reacted if I'd done something like that.

"Those were the days, huh?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"Is that all you can say?"

"Yeah," Sam repeated. Apparently, he was having trouble shedding his Hawkeye character from SHS' production of M.A.S.H. Then, he changed his voice to a stuffy British accent. "Will it rain, do you think?" he asked, rolling the r's and the whole bit. It reminded me s little of the last day of school before Christmas vacation when I was a junior in high school, and I'd just told some of my friends that I was going to Shea Rodowsky's piano recital. I remembered how King (to this day, I still don't think he'd answer to Clarence) and some of his friends had acted out that one bit from Amadeus. Anyway, if you've ever wondered if Sam thought that it was his duty to be such a clown, you're not alone.

We got a good laugh for a minute or two, then they turned around and started toward their car.

"See you," I called.

"You, too," Stacey called back.

"Well, I'll go pay, and then I think I'll get something to drink," I said. "Do you want anything?"

"Sure," Mary Anne said. "A Tab would be fine."

"Sure," I said, and made my way inside the store. I got the drinks out of the cooler: a Tab for her and a Cherry Coke for me. When I turned around and headed to the checkout, I saw a pretty young girl with dark hair pulled into a French braid. She was wearing a red short-sleeved top, a blue denim miniskirt, and neon yellow jelly shoes. When she saw me, she had the world's biggest grin on her face. "Hi, Logan!" she exclaimed.

"Hi," I said. "Um, do I know you?"

She giggled. "Duh!" she said. "I'd know you and your wife anywhere! She was the only baby-sitter who could handle me."

"Really?" I asked, then it started to click with me. "Jenny Prezzioso?"

"Yup," she grinned.

I just stared at her. She was definitely taller than the Jenny I remembered, and nowhere near the brat she'd been when she was four. Still, it was nice to see her.

"Well, I'll be damned! What's up with you?"

"Well, Mom and I are two of the chaperones on the trip that the Stoneybrook Kids are taking to San Francisco," she answered. "I just came in to get something to drink while Mom and Dad were filling up the car."

"Oh, okay," I said. "Would you like to come out to the Jeep with me? I'm sure that Mary Anne would be happy to see you."

"Sure," Jenny said. The two of us headed out to the Jeep, and got there just as Mary Anne was getting ready to get back in.

"Hey, honey, look who it is," I said.

"Hi, Mary Anne," Jenny said.

It took Mary Anne a few seconds to size Jenny up. "Jen!" she exclaimed, hugging her.

Jenny rolled her eyes. "You know I hate that nickname," she said, but she was still smiling.

"Sorry," Mary Anne apologized as she held Jenny at arm's-length. "How have you been?"

"Oh, pretty good," Jenny answered. "I was just telling Logan about the Stoneybrook Kids going to San Francisco."

"Really? That's great!" Mary Anne smiled. "I'll have to tell Dawn when I see her, so she can let Jeff know. I'll bet he'd love to see them perform."

"I'm sure he would," Jenny agreed. "Well, I'd better get back to my parents, okay?"

"Sure," I said as both of us hugged her. "Well, nice seeing you."

"Tell your parents and Andrea we said hi, okay?" Mary Anne added.

"You got it. Nice seeing you," Jenny added. With that, she was gone.

As I got back in the Jeep, handed Mary Anne her drink, and started the ignition, I couldn't help thinking that it was a little odd to see our former baby-sitting charges all grown up, and it made me feel really old. I was also looking forward to the reunion, even though I knew Jason and I would be the only guys there. Still, it was going to be great to see everyone eagain.

[bsclover18]

I love the story but just a bit of advice...I'm an author as well so I know what some advice can mean. If I were you, I'd put a little bit more emotion into people words and such...but that's just my opinion
Love it though

[Deleted]

CHAPTER 4: Stacey

After Mary Anne and Logan went back to their Jeep, Sam and I were also getting ready to leave when we saw a tall, sandy-haired kid on a dirt bike pull into the parking lot. After he chained up his bike, he looked in our direction, and waved excitedly. "Hi, Sam! Hi, Stacey!" he shouted.

"Hi," I said as he came over to us. "Do we know you?"

"Well, see if this sounds familiar," he said. "Hi-hi!"

Suddenly, my eyes widened. "Jamie Newton? Is that you?" I exclaimed.

"I'll say it is!" he grinned as I threw my arms around him. Sam playfully punched his shoulder. I couldn't believe this kid was actually little Jamie! Where did the time go?

"How are you, kiddo?" Sam asked.

"Oh, I've been doing all right," Jamie answered. "I'll be starting high school this fall."

"Really? That's great!" I said. "Oh, how's little Lucy?"

"She's doing all right," Jamie said. "She loves the Stoneybrook Kids, and she'll be in fifth grade at Stoneybrook Elementary. Oh, and get this: the Stoneybrook Kids are going to San Francisco!"

"Awesome!" Sam smiled. "When are they leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning," Jamie answered. "They're taking a bus to St. Louis, and flying the rest of the way. Oh, Mom's one of the chaperones, and the Hobarts and I are the roadies."

"That's wonderful, Jamie," I said. "I hope that they all stay well."

"Yeah, I know," Jamie agreed. "I still remember when Jason had his appendix out while we were in Washington."

"Well, at least you guys got home in one piece," Sam commented.

Jamie nodded in agreement. "Well, I was just getting some snacks for the bus trip," he said. "I've been told it's going to be long and boring as hell. I just hope they don't start singing that God-awful '99 Bottles of Beer' song thirty-five times in a row!"

"If they do, you can start singing 'Henry the Eighth'," Sam suggested. Jamie got a good laugh, and I rolled my eyes. In case you're wondering, that was how Sam had gotten me to go to his senior prom with him.

"Well, I'd better get going now," Jamie said as soon as he'd calmed down.

"Okay," I said. "Well, it was great to see you, Jamie. Tell your parents and Lucy we said hi, okay?"

"Okay, Stacey," Jamie called over his shoulder as we headed back to the car. It was nice to see how much he'd grown.

We arrived at Mom's house a few minutes later. "I haven't been to your neck of the woods in a while," Sam commented as we pulled into the driveway.

"Yeah, I know," I said, trying to hide the fact that I was two seconds away from laughing. You see, the last time we were here was when Sam and I were still engaged, and Mom and I had him over for dinner. It was a pretty good meal, up until we took our dishes to the kitchen. Sam had realized he'd left his glass on the table, and when he turned around to get it, he bumped into me, causing me to spill what was left of my filet mignon all over the blue silk blouse that Dad had gotten me for Christmas a couple of years ago. And if that wasn't bad enough, when Sam headed to the kitchen to get a paper towel, Mom chose that exact moment to open the kitchen door, and smacked him right in the middle of the forehead with it! As I stood there, not knowing whether to run upstairs in humiliaton or laugh, I remembered that this was something I would've expected to happen at either Mal's house or the Rodowskys'. On the upside, Sam didn't mispronounce "fliet mignon" (sorry, Kristy!). Hopefully, this wasn't what was going to be in store for us tonight, otherwise, we'd have to spend the evening just cleaning up the mess!

Anyway, we got to the front porch, and I rang the doorbell. "Don't worry, Stace," Sam said. "I'll be on my best behavior tonight."

"Okay, honey," I smiled. Just then, Mom opened the door.

"Hi, kids," she said warmly. "Come on in."

"Hi, Maureen," Sam said as we stepped inside. After Sam took our twelve-pack of Diet Coke to the kitchen, the three of us went into the living room and sat down: Sam and I on the couch, and Mom in the armchair.

"So, what's the plan?" Mom asked after we'd gotten done with the small talk (and no, none of us said "done her in".)

"Well, we're going to stay here tonight, then we're going to Sam's parents' tomorrow after lunch," I said, "and we'll spend the rest of our vacation there."

"That's fine," Mom said. "Well, shall we have dinner now?"

"Sure," Sam answered. "And I promise not to spill any of it on Stacey. Just in case, though, I've got a whole boxful of Shout-wipes in the glove compartment."

"And I promise not to hit you with the door again," Mom laughed. "Unless you insult my cooking, then you'll have to watch out."

"Insult your cooking? Me?" Sam exclaimed, obviously faking being offended. "Perish the thought!" (By the way, I should mention that he said "Perish the thought!" in the same stuffy, falsetto British accent that he'd used when we saw Mary Anne and Logan at the gas station.) I'm just glad he didn't pretend to adjust a monocle, because if he did, then he'd have to go somewhere else for his dinner!

We all got a good laugh as we went into the dining room. As we sat down at the table, I wondered what my old BSC friends were up to, and I also knew they felt the same way.

[Deleted]

CHAPTER 5: Mallory

"I'll be at the computer this afternoon, so we'll do our errands after the reunion, okay?" I called to Ben from the office, which was across the hall from the kitchen.

"All right, Mal," he answered. Then, I heard him groan, "Aw, nuts!"

"What happened?"

"Oh, nothing, just spilled Mr. Clean all over the floor," he answered. I shook my head. Don't get me wrong, I love Ben more than anything in the world, but when it comes to cleaning, he's all thumbs, as my mom would say.

I took a sip of my root-beer float as I sat down at the desk and turned on the computer and WebCam, which Ben's parents had gotten us for Christmas last year. That's all I've been craving during my pregnancy, and not the usual stuff, like pickles and ice-cream, or peanut butter, bacon, and banana sandwiches. It's a good thing Claudia isn't here, I thought as I waited for the computer to boot up. If I know her, she'll be drinking them like there was no tomorrow. In case you're wondering, Claud's still the same junk-food addict she's been since I've known her. Why she's never gained tons of weight or suffered terminal acne, search me.

Anyway, within minutes, I saw everyone else. Kristy was sitting directly across from me. I half-expected her to be wearing her green visor. "Hi, you guys!" I said ecstatically.

"Hi, Mal!" Jessi called.

"Okay, this meeting of the Baby-sitters Club is now in session," Kristy announced in that professional, let's-get-down-to-business voice that we all knew too well. Needless to say, we all practically killed ourselves laughing. I even heard a rumor that those were her first words when she woke up after having her appendix out. That's Kristy for you!

"So, how are you guys?" Mary Anne asked as soon as we'd calmed down.

"Oh, we're doing all right," I said, wiping some foam off my lip. "We just can't wait for the twins to be born."

"That's wonderful," Dawn said. "When are you due?"

"In a few weeks, but the doctor says that since I'm having twins, it could be any time now," I answered. "By the way, do me a favor: if you ever consider having a baby, make sure it's the middle of winter, because summer is the worst time of year to be expecting. I'm just glad I can have all the root-beer floats I want."

"Save one for me, okay, Mal?" Claud requested, and another round of laughter ensued.

"Boy, you're lucky," Kristy commented. "I couldn't even keep one down if I tried."

All of a sudden, there was dead silence. We were all just sitting there, pondering what Kristy had just said. Then it hit us: Kristy was pregnant!

To no one's surprise, Mary Anne burst into tears. I swear, she must have a hidden switch somewhere. All you do is just flip it, and the next thing you know, trees everywhere are being made into Kleenex.

"How far along?" I asked.

"Two months," Kristy answered. Then she started to cry, too. That was a big surprise, because if there's one thing Kristy almost never does, it's cry. Claud excused herself and left the room. I assumed she was going to get Jason.

"I'm sorry, you guys," I said, concerned. "I didn't mean to upset anyone."

"No, that's okay," Kristy sniffled. "I'm just so, so happy for us, that's all. And don't worry, the doctor says these mood swings I've been having are only temporary. I can't wait until they're over. I feel like I'm on a yo-yo with my emotions here."

Within minutes, Jason came into the room and put his arms around Kristy. "Shh," heard him say. "It's okay, love."

"Love". That one word really brought a smile to my face. You see, Kristy once told us that when Jason was consoling Karen after Andrew's bike accident, that's what he called her. That's one of several reasons why we made him an associate member.

The next thing I saw was Abby putting four fingers over her mouth and fanning herself with her other hand. "Oh, d**n, why do I always cry?" she whimpered. She reminded me a little of Sandra Bullock's character in Miss Congeniality, and also when Kelly Clarkson won American Idol. Call me crazy, but I still think she should've done that. Naturally, it got a big laugh. That's Abby for you! I also remembered that One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest had been my senior class play (Ben and I had worked backstage), and the kid who played Harding actually did that during a rehearsal. I'm just glad it didn't happen during a performance, because if it had, the director and his assistant would've had to play "rock-paper-scissors" to figure out who would get to wring his neck!

"Well, I should go now," I said as soon as I'd calmed down. "Ben and I have some errands to run."

"Okay," Jessi said. "'Bye, Mal."

"'Bye, you guys." After a seemingly endless round of good-byes, I turned off the WebCam and computer, finished my drink, and put the glass in the dishwasher.

It was great to see my old BSC friends again. I also knew Kristy was going to be just fine. After all, if I got through her stage of the pregnancy, so would she.

After we left Lowe's with our wallpaper, we stopped at Babies "R" Us to pick up some formula and the mobiles. The mobiles that we'd picked out had all sorts of animals on them, namely koalas and kangaroos. I guessed they not only reminded Ben of Australia, but they'd give the twins some insight of where their father came from.

That evening, we finished putting up the wallpaper, and hung the mobiles over the cribs. "Well, that should do it," Ben said.

I nodded in agreement. "Well, I think I'm going to call it a night," I said.

"Okay, Mal. I'll be up in a few minutes."

"Good night sleeping keep bedbugs weeping," I said.

"What?"

"Claudia once told us that's what her grandmother, Mimi, used to say. I don't know what it means, though."

"Oh, okay. 'Night."

"'Night."

As I climbed into bed and drifted off to sleep, I hoped the twins would come soon.

At the crack of dawn, I went to the bathroom, which was right next to our room, and as soon as I got there, I saw a trickle of blood and water on the floor. "BEN!" I shouted.

He was in the bathroom doorway in a flash. "It's time?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

Ben rushed back into our room to get dressed. "Your bag is on the floor," I heard him call as I hurried back into the bedroom. I got there just in time to see him fling the closet door open and grab the bag. He tossed it onto the bed as he reached for a pair of pants. Now that I think about it, I'm surprised he didn't fall headfirst into the closet.

A few minutes later, after Ben called our parents and the doctor, we were on our way to the hospital. Ben was driving pretty safely for someone who was about to become a father. I guess all those years of being in charge of three rowdy brothers paid off.

We pulled into the hospital, where an orderly was waiting with a wheelchair. (I'm really glad Ben wasn't so nervous that he distracted the orderly.) Ben and the orderly helped me out of the minivan and into the chair, and then I was wheeled down to the labor and delivery room. The nurses helped me change clothes, then helped me into the bed, and hooked me up to an IV and fetal monitor. Dr. Weber came in to check on me and said, "Well, Mallory, you're two centimeters dilated. Also, since you're having twins, and it's still this early, we may have to do a C-section.

"That's okay. I understand," I said.

Around noon, I was being taken to the OR. "Now, don't pass out when she delivers the first baby," I told Ben. I was, of course, referring to the scene in Look Who's Talking, Too, when Julie is born, by way of C-section, of course, and James passes out when he sees the blood. What a wuss!

"I won't," Ben laughed, giving me a kiss. "See you later."

Finally, I was lying on the table, surrounded by sterile drapes, so I couldn't see what they were doing. It wouldn't have mattered anyway, considering how loopy I was from the anesthetic they'd just given me.

About twenty minutes later, I heard a baby's cry. "Here she comes," Dr. Weber said.

"Andrea!" Ben cried.

Then about two minutes after that, another baby cried. "Here he is," the doctor announced.

"Justin!" Ben exclaimed. I couldn't really hear him, because I was getting really dizzy. "Mal?" he asked uneasily. "Mal?"

"She's losing blood!" I faintly heard a voice yell as I blacked out.

[bsclover18]

I LOVE it!!

[Deleted]

CHAPTER 6: Claudia

The next day, I arrived at SHS for the graduation. It was a beautiful, sunny day. That was a good thing, because the ceremony was going to be held on the football field, since the auditorium was being renovated over the summer. As I headed in the direction of the football field, Margo Pike caught up with me. "Hi, Claudia," she said.

"Hi, Margo," I answered. It just didn't seem possible that only yesterday, she was peeling a banana with her feet and reciting "The House That Jack Built", and here she was, graduating from high school. "Are you ready?"

"I believe so," she said. "Oh, we got a phone call from Ben this morning. Mallory just went into labor with the twins."

"That's great!" I exclaimed. "I just hope when she's doing the Lamaze breathing, Ben doesn't start singing 'We Will Rock You' or even 'Having My Baby' during the delivery. On the upside, he shouldn't be coming back after having his appendix out." Mal once told me that when her mom was in labor with Claire, her dad started singing "Having My Baby", and Mrs. Pike punched him dead in the face!

Margo laughed, then checked her watch. "Well, I have to run," she said. "I gotta get ready for the ceremony."

I squeezed her hand. "Good luck," I said.

"Thanks."

I found a seat behind Jason and Kristy, and soon the ceremony got underway. I think my favorite part was when Jackie Rodowsky, our beloved Walking Disaster, tripped over his own foot on his way up to get his diploma. That was memorable, but I don't think that any of us were expecting Kristy's own brother to do a jazz split after he got his.

After the ceremony, I walked around and talked to the kids I knew, then I got in my car to return to Kristy's.

Later, back at Kristy's, she apologized for her breakdown the day before. "Oh, that's all right," I reassured her as I patted her arm. "We understand. Hey, if it makes you feel any better, I've been told that when Mom was expecting me, the tiniest request had her yelling in Japanese at the top of her lungs." I'd always found that a little odd, considering the fact that Mom once told me that she came to the United States when she was a kid.

We all got a good laugh. Just thinking about that made me wonder what kind of person I'd be if I was ever pregnant. Hopefully, I wouldn't be that much of a wacko, and if I craved anything else besides junk food, all bets were off.

A few minutes later, I got up from the table. "Well, I really should be going," I said after I'd thrown my plate and cup in the trash. "I have to get ready to go back to Chicago."

"Oh, that's right," Stacey remembered. "By the way, how's that new art exhibit coming along?"

"Well, I'm almost done," I answered as I put my purse on my shoulder. "I've just got a painting and a sculpture to do, and that should be it. Oh, and it opens November first."

"Great," Stacey said. "We'll try to be there."

"See you later." After a quick round of hugs and good-byes, I was out the door.

Later on, I was heading to McDonald's for a bite to eat. I don't know why, but I'd had the strongest craving for a McRib for quite a while. That's the one thing that Dawn hates the most about McDonald's, and the rest of us used to give her a hard time about it.

When I got out into the restaurant district, I saw a horrible sight. A car was coming out of the McDonald's parking lot, and another car, going very fast and driving erratically, ran the stop sign, plowed into it from the passenger side, and sent it into the guard rail!

"Oh, my God!" I cried. I reached for my cell phone and called 911. I gave them my name, my location, and what happened. Next, still keeping my cell phone with me, I went to check the car for passengers.

I couldn't believe who it was! In the front seat were Kristy's stepsister, Karen, and her friend, Hannah. In the back seat was Nancy. Their caps and gowns looked like they had been thrown all over the place, because I saw a gown covering Nancy's legs and a cap resting on her left arm. I just couldn't believe that one minute, they were celebrating graduation, and now this. "Are you guys okay?" I asked.

"Who's that?" Hannah asked.

"It's Claudia," I said.

"Claudia? Oh, thank God! I don't know what happened, but my arm hurts."

"Nancy?" I asked.

"My leg," she moaned.

"Karen?" I asked. "Karen?"

There was no response. She had apparently been knocked unconscious. Just then I heard another car pull up. I looked up to see who it was. It was Abby! "ABBY!" I shouted.

She ran over just as I jumped onto the trunk. "What can I do?" she asked.

"I'll let you know in just a minute," I said as I tore the sunroof off its hinges and stuck my head inside. "Hannah, listen to me very carefully. What I need for you to do is get up. Can you do that for me, honey?"

"I-I think so," she said, struggling to her feet.

"Now," I continued as Abby kicked in the back window, slid into the car, and very gently brushed the cap and gown off Nancy's lap. "I need you to put your good arm around my neck, and Abby will push you up from behind, okay?"

"Okay," Abby said. "Very gently, on my count. One...two...three!" She pushed Hannah up from behind, and I eased her out by holding onto her skirt. Unfortunately, in the process, she stepped on Nancy's broken leg.

"AAAH, JESUS CHRIST!" Nancy shouted. It was so shrill that it made our ears ring for a good three minutes.

Well, that just took three years off my life, I thought. Abby helped Hannah sit on on the curb, and started talking to her in a low, soothing voice, in Yiddish, I might add, as the ambulances, fire trucks, and police cars pulled up.

"There's two more in the car!" I shouted to the firemen. "Be careful, one of them has a broken leg!" Using the Jaws of Life, they were able to take both passenger doors off the car and free the other two from the steaming, mangled wreck.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a cop run over to the other car. The front bumper was folded in on itself like an accordion. Even though it was dark out, I clearly remember seeing a puddle of gasoline forming on the pavement behind the right bumper. That could only mean one thing: the fuel tank had been damaged. I wanted to scream at the cop not to get any closer, because one little spark could blow both the cop and the driver to Kingdom Come, but I was in such a state of shock by what I'd just witnessed that I couldn't say a word. Fortunately, a fireman was close behind, just in case.

The cop and the fireman struggled with the driver's side door. When they finally got it open, they started to pull the driver out, then stopped. "He's drunk!" the cop shouted.

Oh, dear God, no, I thought in dismay. As a cop walked over to me to get my report, I thought of Amelia Freeman, and prayed that these girls wouldn't suffer the same fate.

[Deleted]

CHAPTER 7: Shannon

After the graduation, I approached Kristy. "Look," I said. "My shoulder's really killing me, so I'm afraid I won't be able to stop by your folks' today."

"That's okay," she said. "Listen, I'm sorry about yesterday. I just can't wait until I don't have to deal with these d**n mood swings anymore."

"Yeah, I hear you," I said sympathetically. "Next come the food cravings."

"Ugh, don't remind me," she groaned. "Oh, and if you see me trying to break into the SMS cafeteria, I'm ordering you to wrestle me to the ground and hog-tie me, and if I start yelling and swearing at you, you have my permission to pour hot sauce down my throat."

"How about cod-liver oil?" I suggested, smiling.

"Deal," Kristy agreed. The two of us got a good laugh. When we'd calmed down, Kristy said, "Well, see you later, okay?"

"Okay," I said, giving her a hug. As I walked back to Bart, I rubbed my shoulder.

"Do you need to go to the hospital?" he asked.

I guess I should probably explain why he asked me that. You see, my shoulder had really been bothering me lately. I thought if I just took Ibuprofen, rubbed Icy-Hot on it, exercised more, and went to the chiropractor once a week, the pain would just go away. Well, naturally, it didn't, so I finally went to the doctor a few days ago. That's when I found out that I have a mild form of something called ankylosing spondylitis. I'm told it's a degenerative bone disease that's inherited, although there's no record of it in my family medical history, for some reason. It's as if your bones and joints are slowly filling up with hot, quick-drying cement, and very gradually forcing your spine forward and pushing you down to the ground. If the doctor tries to operate on any open spot between or inside your bones, or ligaments, it'll just grow back, like a cut-off fingernail. When the doctor first told me this, I was beyond horrified. I was ultimately convinced that I was going to have to spend the rest of my life walking around like a hunchback, but that was until I found out that I have a mild--and I stress mild--form of the disease that would most likely stop in my mid-thirties, and if I was lucky, I probably wouldn't have any long-term problems at all. In the meantime, however, I was told to exercise as often as possible, and I was also given some Vicodin. Now that I think about it, maybe my diagnosis was some sort of retribution for being such a stuck-up b*tch when I first met Kristy, and also for making fun of Louie, who had been the Thomas' old collie. He had to be put down soon after we'd started eighth grade. In fact, I still remember when Karen, Kristy's little stepsister, invited me and my friends to Louie's funeral, and let me tell you, on that day, being with Kristy's family, and seeing them grieving for that poor dog, I literally felt an inch tall.

"Wouldn't hurt," I said, "but I want to go home, change my clothes, and pack a few things. We can leave my car at the apartment and take yours."

"Okay," he said. We got in our cars and returned home.

When we got home, I changed my clothes and called Kristy's. I left a message on the answering machine, telling them I was on my way to the hospital. I gathered up a few things (namely a toothbrush, some toothpaste, a clean outfit to wear home, some deoderant, my copy of The Silver Chair, and a hair brush) and put them in a bag.

"Ready?" Bart asked.

"Yeah," I said.

"Let's go."

As we drove to the hospital, I was practically wishing away my pain.

When we arrived at the hospital, I signed in at the emergency room, then Bart and I sat down to wait. A few minutes later, the nurse called my name, and led me to Exam One, where she checked my vital signs and told me to take my shoes and socks off, and the doctor would be with me shortly.

A few minutes later, Dr. Owens came in. She looks like Laura Innes, who played Dr. Kerry Weaver on ER. "Well, Shannon, what seems to be the trouble?" she asked.

"The pain in my shoulder has gotten worse. I took the last pill yesterday, and haven't had time to get down to the drug store," I answered.

The doctor nodded, then did a brief examination. The first thing she did was attach a couple of electrodes to my chest, under my top. "What...what are you doing? My heart's fine," I said. This wasn't part of the procedure, was it?

"We're just taking a brief measurement to be sure," she told me. A few minutes later, she detached the electrodes. "Well, we'll have to admit you for a couple of days. We'll see how you do with medication dripping into your veins. In the meantime, I'll write a new prescription and have ten refills on it, so you won't have to keep coming back every few days."

"Okay, sounds like a plan," I said.

After Dr. Owens left, the nurse returned with a hospital gown, put the little plastic ID bracelet around my right wrist, and left. After I changed my clothes, I laid on the bed, and covered up to my waist with the blanket that had been provided.

A few minutes later, the nurse returned with a large paper bag. "I'm going to put your clothes in here, okay?" she said.

"Okay," I said. "Could you also give it to my fiance to take home?"

"Sure," she answered, then left the room again.

While she was gone, Dr. Owens returned with some paperwork. I sat up just long enough to fill it out and hand it back to her as the nurse returned with an IV pole. I laid back down and she wiped my left arm with a cotton ball and stuck a needle into the vein, then the doctor and nurse left.

A few minutes later, the doctor returned. "We've got a room ready, Shannon," she said. "The nurses will be back in a few minutes to take you."

"Okay," I said. "Is Bart still here."

"Would you like me to have a nurse get him?"

"Yes, please."

"Okay." Dr. Owens left again, and a few minutes later, Bart and the nurse came in.

"Got the bag?" I asked.

"Yeah. I'll take these home and wash them for you."

"Thanks."

Bart stroked my hair. "Don't worry, it's going to be all right, honey," he said.

At that moment, the nurses returned with a gurney. Bart and the nurses helped me onto it, and we headed for the elevators. All the while, I was hoping everything would work out all right.

[bsclover18]

I like it but there's an awful lot of action in it.

[Deleted]

I like it! Keep writing!!!! Please!

[Deleted]

CHAPTER 8: Stacey

When Sam and I arrived at the hospital, we saw everyone else sitting in the waiting room, and they were just in shock by the events of the evening. "Any word yet?" I asked.

Elizabeth shook her head. "Are you all right, Kristy?" she asked. I could tell she was worried about the possibility of the stress causing Kristy to lose the baby, and that was the last thing she needed.

"Mom, I'm fine," Kristy said. "I'm far enough along that I don't have to worry about a miscarriage, so stop worrying, okay?"

"Okay, honey," Elizabeth said.

A few minutes later, two doctors came out. One of them, of course, was Claudia's sister, Janine. She introduced the other one as Dr. Kendall, who told us to sit down.

At that moment, I saw Hannah and her parents coming toward us. Hannah's right arm was in a cast. "How did this happen?" I asked as they sat down across from me, Sam, and Andrew.

"I broke it," Hannah explained. "I was leaning against the car door when we were hit, and broke my wrist. I'll have to be in a cast for the next six weeks. I'm just glad I'm left-handed." I patted Hannah's shoulder. "How are Karen and Nancy?"

"Well, Nancy has a broken leg, and possibly a concussion, so we're keeping her overnight for observation," Dr. Kendall answered, "but sadly, Karen's in a coma."

"Oh, no," Hannah said. With her good hand, she gripped her mother's.

"We won't know anything more until Karen comes out of the coma," Janine told us.

"How long...?" David Michael asked. He wasn't crying, but I could see two faint streaks running down the sides of his face. Janine shook her head as if to say, "I don't know."

"Would it be all right if Stacey and I saw her?" Sam asked, fighting the tears.

"Yes," Janine answered. "You certainly may, but you don't have to if you don't feel up to it."

"She's my stepsister," Sam answered. "I have to see her."

"This way," Janine said gently, and led us down the hall to Karen's room.

Nothing could've prepared us for what we saw in that room: this beautiful young girl was lying on her back, hooked up to an IV, a heart monitor, and a respirator. Her face was a mess of scabs and bruises, her nose was broken, her forehead had a big white bandage plastered across it, and her right index finger was completely taped up. I was so shocked, because I just couldn't believe that this badly damaged little body was Karen Brewer. Neither of us could.

I looked at Sam. His jaw and fists were tightly clenched, his blue eyes were blazing, his body was shaking, and a tear was cascading down his face. In all the years I'd known him, I'd never seen him like that before.

"Sam--" I started to whisper, but suddenly, and without warning, he grabbed a silver basin from a nearby table and flung it across the room.

"YOU SON OF A b*tch!" he screamed as he threw it. Like a guided missile, it struck a little glass picture frame on the wall, shattering it, and knocking it to the floor. His scream was so loud that it could've woken the dead, but when I glanced at Karen, she never moved or blinked an eyelash. Sam slumped down into the chair beside the bed, and the next thing I knew, he was bawling in hysterics. I hadn't seen anyone cry this much since that one time at the playground when Taylor DeWitt fell off the monkey bars and broke his collarbone.

"How could this be happening, Stacey?" he sobbed. "And why Karen? Why, dammit? How can anyone on this planet be so irresponsible?"

"Oh, honey, honey," I said, sitting on his lap and wrapping my arms around his neck. I was also crying by now, and not just for Karen, but also for the rest of the family. I was also remembering the day I'd found out that my former best friend, Laine Cummings, was in a hit-and-run while she was crossing the street at Park and 73rd. (We were getting ready to start our senior year of high school at the time.) She'd survived, but was paralyzed from the waist down, and suffered permanent brain damage, namely losing half of her senses of taste and smell, not to mention color blindness. Nowadays, she lives in a group home on West 81st Street, and has an assisted-living provider. Since then, she and I have been in the process of burying the hatchet, or at least trying to.

You see, we'd had a big falling-out when we were in eighth grade. Laine had come to Stoneybrook for a visit, and acted like a snob the whole time. She insisted on calling me "Anastasia" (which is my given name on my birth and marriage certificates, and also, nobody ever calls me that unless they're really mad at me) when she knew perfectly well that my name was Stacey. After she returned to New York, we broke up our friendship, and started rekindling it shortly after her accident.

I spent a very long time in that room, trying to comfort Sam, worrying about Karen, and wondering how Laine was doing. I also said a prayer for Karen, hoping she'd be spared from a fate similar to Laine's, or God knows what else.

[Deleted]

CHAPTER 9: Shannon

When we arrived at the room, Bart and the nurses helped me transfer to the bed. It was a fairly nerve-wracking experience, because I thought for sure they were going to drop me. Then again, I know the nurses are trained to be careful, but even so, I grabbed their arms as tightly as possible during the transfer. Let's just say that for the first time in my life, I knew exactly how Denise Nickerson (better known as Violet Beauregarde in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory) felt when the Oompa-Loompas were rolling her down the hall. Thank God those nurses knew what the hell they were doing!

After they left, Bart said, "Well, I've got to get home, so I'll drop your clothes off, okay?"

I nodded. In case you're wondering, yes, Bart does have a key to my apartment. "See you later," I said. Bart gave me a kiss on the cheek, and left, taking the bag with him.

As soon as he left, a nurse came in. She had long brown hair with gray streaks in it, and her name tag read "Elaine".

"Hi," I said. Elaine checked my vital signs, then left the room.

After she left, I fell asleep, wondering what the next couple of days would bring.

The next morning, I was awakened early when another nurse came in. He had blond shoulder-length hair and a moustache, and his name tag read "Joe". He checked my vital signs, checked the IV, and left the room.

Mom came after lunch. I could tell that something was wrong when I saw her face. "What is it, Mom?" I asked.

"I got a phone call from Watson Brewer last night," she told me. "Karen and her friends were in a serious car accident."

"Oh, no," I said in disbelief. "Are they all right?"

"Well, he said that Hannah suffered a broken wrist, but was treated and released. Nancy suffered a broken leg, spent the night in the hospital, and was released this morning, but Karen's in a coma."

"How's Kristy taking it?" I asked. Since I knew Kristy was two months pregnant, I figured she'd lose either her mind, or the baby.

"She's doing pretty well," Mom answered. "In fact, I told her about you, and she said that she and Jason would try to come and visit."

"Thanks," I said.

"Well, I'll see you later, okay?"

I nodded. "'Bye, Mom. Thanks for coming."

After Mom left, I took a nap. I knew that Karen was a fighter, and she'd pull through this.

That night, I had just finished dinner, and was ready to pick up my book (I'd already reached the part where Jill, Scrubb, and Puddleglum meet the mysterious Black Knight in the Underworld) when a third nurse came in. She had long black hair, and her name tag read "Beth". I wonder how many times she's heard that song by KISS?

"Hi," I said. She checked my vital signs and left the room. Later that night, as I drifted off to sleep, I wondered how Karen was doing, and how Kristy was holding up.

Early the next morning, yet another nurse came in (four in all!). She had red hair that was pulled back into a bun, and her name tag read "Sue". "I'll be your nurse until you leave today," she told me. "In fact, when I get done here, I'm going to disconnect the IV."

"Okay," I said, but at the same time, I thought, Hallelujah! There are very few things that are worse than having an IV in your arm.

When she was finished, as promised, she took the needle out of my arm. "The doctor will be here this afternoon, and you may get to go home then," she said as she wrapped the tubing around the pole.

"Thanks," I said. The nurse left, taking the pole with her. That's when Bart came in. "I may get to come home this afternoon."

"That's nice to know," he said as he laid my clean outfit on a chair.

"We'll need to stop by the drugstore to pick up my prescription, though."

"No problem."

The nurse had just left with my empty lunch tray when Dr. Owens came in. "Well, Shannon, you're free to go," she said.

"Thank you," I said. After she left, I slipped into the bathroom and changed into the clean outfit that I'd brought.

I couldn't wait to get home.

[Deleted]

A/N: This contains spoilers from my story, "Don't Take The Girl".

CHAPTER 10: Mallory

I was having the most wonderful dream. In it, I was wearing a pink sundress and running barefoot through this endless field of daisies. The birds were singing, the sun was shining on my face and there wasn't a cloud in sight. My hair was fluttering in the breeze like a banner, and the wind was blowing directly into my eyes. There was no one else for miles around, only me. Then I heard a voice calling my name: "Mal!"

In one second flat, I stopped running and looked around to see where it was coming from. There, right in front of me, was a giant marble swimming pool, and Ben was standing beside it. I ran up and threw my arms and legs around him, and held on with all my strength. "Oh, Ben, I'm so glad to see you," I whispered into his ear as I covered him with kisses.

"I'm glad to see you, too, honey," he said softly. That's when I noticed an unusual smell: bleach, baby lotion, and antiseptic all mixed together. I looked at him in confusion.

"It's all right, Mal," Ben reassured me as he ran his fingertips down my face. "The babies are fine, and they can't wait to see you."

"They are?"

Ben nodded. "Now, I suggest we get going so you can see them." With that, he gently took my hand, and led me to the edge of the pool. I immediately got the picture as I looked into the water and saw myself lying in the hospital bed.

"It's all right now, kids," I said, my voice breaking. "I'm coming." We gripped each other's hands, then jumped headfirst into the water. In an instant, there was a blinding flash of light in every color of the rainbow, and then everything went dark again.

"Mal? It's Ben. Can you open your eyes for me?"

That was the first thing I heard as I was coming out of the blackness. I opened my eyes and looked over in his direction.

"What--?" I started to ask. I had no idea how long I'd been out. I also noticed that my voice was slightly muffled behind an oxygen mask.

"It's 9:00 on Monday morning. You've been out cold since 12:45 yesterday afternoon," he told me.

"I have?" I exclaimed. Wow. I hadn't slept that much since I was eleven and about to be diagnosed with mono (which I didn't even get from Ben, or so I've tried to tell my siblings, but they didn't believe me). And considering how the Pike household is known for its rowdiness, I was surprised I was able to sleep as well as I did. "How are the babies?"

"They're fine," the doctor answered. "You had twins, a boy and a girl, Justin and Andrea."

"I know that! I was awake when they were born!"

"How are you?" Ben asked, stroking my hair.

"Still confused," I told him. "How long have I been out?"

"A little over twenty hours," he answered. "Oh, I called Jessi a little while ago."

"Oh, okay. How is she?"

"Fine. She told me to tell you that she and her boyfriend...what's his name?"

"Manette."

"Right. Anyway, she told me to tell you that she got us comp tickets for that '80s show they're doing next month. They should be in the mail when we get home."

"Oh, that's great," I smiled, weak, but excited. "Oh, by the way, where am I?"

The nurse came in just in time to hear my question. "You're in the recovery room," she answered as she filled a basin with water and applied it to my face with a wet washcloth. I remembered when Kristy's husband, Jason, told us the story of how he'd gotten the scar on his face, and that was what brought him around in the emergency room.

"Oh, I got an e-mail on my laptop from Kristy this morning," Ben said. "Karen and her friends were in a serious car accident last night."

"Oh, no, that's awful," I said. "As soon as I can get some strength back, I'll send her a reply."

"How does that feel, dear?" the nurse asked as she put the washcloth in the basin of water and removed the oxygen mask.

"Much better," I answered. "Uh, I was just wondering if I...well, you know--"

"A hysterectomy?" the nurse asked. I nodded. "No, you didn't need to have one, Mallory. However, I would suggest you wait a good long while before thinking about having any more kids."

"Good idea," I agreed, and just then, the nurses came to take me back to my room. All the while, I was worrying about Karen, and wondering how Kristy was holding up. I was also thankful I'd gotten through my first pregnancy. And as for what the nurse told me about waiting to have any more kids, you'd better believe I planned to!