Someone Else's Happy Ending, Chapter 11

Friday December 19th [31 w 4 d]

Draco;

I'm going uber crazy locked up here. I haven't been outside in days. I almost miss Potions. At least I get to see you then. See how crazy I'm going though? Missing Potions! Help me!

-Bella

I seal it up and get my owl, Caramel, to send it to Draco. I've only been on bed rest for 10 days (3 of them spent in the hospital wing) and I'm already going stir crazy. I can't believe I have to spend two more months like this. I'm only allowed to be on my feet to pee so I can't even go down to the common room. House Elves bring me food for meals. If Draco and I weren't sending letters back and forth I'd already have gone crazy. Caramel flies back in the window and drops the letter on my lap.

Bella,

You're not missing much. Potions is dreadfully boring without you. It's cold outside and there's lots of snow. I know how you hate snow. I'll send away for some books for you to read. What would you like? Do you know what you're doing for holidays yet? I'll mail you back after I come back from dinner.

Draco

I grab my quill and scribble on the back of the paper.

I don't hate snow, I just don't like the cold. I'll get back to you on what books I'd like after I'm done reading my current one. Unfortunately, I'm going home for the holidays. My mom insists I go home. If you wanna visit me you can. Infact, I demand you visit me!

I send it off and get up, intent on getting to the bathrooms. I'm about half way to my feet when Leona walks in the door. "Help me up." She grabs my arm and I stand up, using her for support. I feel like I haven't used my legs in months. Even though the last time I peed was about 20 minutes ago.

"How are you doing, sweetie?" I grunt as I waddle over to the bathrooms. I can no longer deny that I don't walk, I waddle. Draco makes fun of me.

"Just fabulous, you know. Sitting up here all day long."

"Don't get snippy with me, preggy. It's not my fault you're huge and stuck in bed." I hold in some choice words while I do my business. It seems to take longer every time even though I have to pee about 20 times a day. I shuffle back to my bed and plop down, kicking my slippers off and sliding back under the covers.

"Don't you have a dinner to go to?"

"Naw, I thought I'd come visit you. Some little girls gave me a hard time about coming up here, but I won." I watch as she rifles through my side table. A habit that I find kind of annoying. She finds the stack of letters between Draco and I and shakes her head. "Man, you guys are too obvious." I roll my eyes.

"It's nothing, Leona. He's just being a good friend, that's all."

"Mhmm, really convincing." She gives me a smug smile like she knows something I don't. I don't like Draco. He's just a friend. Right?

**

Wednesday December 24th [32 w 2 d]

"Bell, can you come here?" I groan and toss the remote on the couch. Don't these people know I'm supposed to be on bed rest?

"I'm not supposed to do anything, mom." She ignores me, which is getting really irritating. The whole time I've been home she's barely said anything civil to me. She only speaks to me if she has to, and usually it's only about her work.

"Annabel, come here a second." As I get up I make it obvious that I'm annoyed. I walk over to her and sit on a kitchen chair.

"What?"

"Charlie and I have to go out of town and won't be back until after you're gone. Phoebe's mother has agreed to let you stay at their house until you leave. Maybe she can drive you since we'll have the car." I roll my eyes and exhale loudly.

"I can't stay home?"

"No. You're in no condition to be by yourself. Your brothers wouldn't know what to do if you stayed here. Besides, this will give you a chance to see Phoebe before you go."

"Yeah, since I can't talk to her." I came home to find that my mom had cut off my cell phone and since she's on the phone all day long I haven't had a chance to call Phoebe. Who has been busy with family stuff since it's the holiday's. I can't even use the phone after she's done because I have 5 brothers and they're always talking to their friends. Being home is worse than being stuck up in my dorm at Hogwarts. At least there I had Draco to write to.

"Phoebe's coming over tomorrow to help you pack and I'll drive you both over to her house."

"Sounds like great fun. Can't wait to be carted off by my family." I get up and open the fridge, looking for a snack.

"Don't get smart with me. If you weren't pregnant you could stay home and would still have your phone."

"Punish me because I'm carrying your grandchild. Very motherly of you, mom."

"I'm not getting into this right now, Annabel. And I'm not punishing you."

"Funny way of showing it." I grab a block of cheese and a big carton of yogourt and head back to my spot on the couch. My mom gathers up her papers and leaves the kitchen in a huff. I flip through the channels as I eat my cheese and yogourt.

"Oh Bell, that's gross." I smile up at Nate as he sits down beside me. "I heard you talking to mom." My smile falters and my attention goes back to the t.v. "Don't be so hard on her. She's having a hard time accepting that you're pregnant." I ignore him, flipping channels. Nate sighs. "Have you picked any names yet?"

"Nope."

"Do you know what you're having?"

"Yeah, but I'm not telling anyone."

"Aw come on. You can tell your most favourite brother." I laugh.

"Naw, I think I like Leon best."

"The little scrawny one?"

"Yep, he doesn't make fun of me as much as everyone else does."

"That's just because he's the smallest and knows you could kick his ass." I nod.

"Damn right I could." We talk and joke for a bit longer. I learn that Nate's been dating a girl for a few months and he teases me about Draco. A couple of my brothers join us in the living room as he's teasing me and I end up having to explain who Draco is. Which just results in more teasing. "You guys are so mean." I pretend to sulk and cross my arms. Nate gives me a one armed hug.

"Aw, poor anny-belly."

"Dinner's ready guys." Nate helps me up off the couch and over to the table. Even though I'm not supposed to be moving around my mom insists I sit at the table with everyone.

After dinner I crawl my way upstairs and flop down in bed. I consider writing Draco a note and having Caramel deliver it, despite what my mom says, but end up not doing it. I don't need her complaining about that, too.

Mind Over Matter, Chapter 15

I keep to myself that morning and join everyone for lunch in the kitchen. I avoid contact with Zee, instead sitting with Tessa. She's quiet and calm and doesn't ask questions. Zee looks kind of offended, but doesn't ask me to sit with him. I really hope Will's little speech didn't affect him that much. I like Zee.

After lunch Liz takes us to the door at the end of the hall, which leads to the north wing of the house. I'm not sure what I expected, but this isn't it. There's a couch in the middle of the room across from two sofa chairs, a coffee table between them. There are three doors leading from the room, which I'm assuming to be the "study rooms".

"Well, this is the main room and those three rooms are the labs. Since none of your abilities are the same, testing will be done separately and on different days. I'll give you each a schedule and it will be your job to be on time. You're all adults, or soon to be, so you can't expect us to chase after you." Liz hands us each a piece of paper.

Gemma Nadine Slate - Telepathy

I glance over at Tessa's sheet. Precognition through Automatic Writing? She catches me looking at her page and shrugs, then smiles. Precognition.. Seeing the future?

"As you see, there isn't any testing today, so you guys are free until dinner. During which we'll work out a chores schedule." Groans of displeasure, me along with them. "Oh come on, you can't expect to live in a house and not have to contribute. Now, let's get out of here." She ushers us back into the main hall of the house. I'm about to ask Tessa if she wants to go for a walk when Liz interrupts me. "Gemma? Could I talk to you, privately?" Tessa smiles in that quiet way of hers.

"I'll catch you later Tessa." She waves and I turn to Liz. "What's up?"

"Let's go back in here where no one can eavesdrop." I nod and follow her. She closes the door behind us and motions for me to sit down. I pick one of the chairs and she sits on the couch. "Now, this isn't meant to alarm you, but Jackson Forte knows that you're here. Yesterday after you'd arrived he asked, more like demanded, to see you."

"I still don't understand why he wants to meet me." Liz shakes her head.

"We have no idea." The way she says we all the time prickles, but I can't explain why. "We're willing to make him wait as long as possible.."

"But?"

"But.. He's got some telepathic ability of his own. He's making his guards go crazy. One almost released him last night. Since then we've taken extra precautions to ensure he stays where he's meant to." I lean back in my chair. Some killer that I've never met wants to meet me and they can't restrain him properly?

"Can I go now?" She nods. Without looking back at her I shut the door behind me and stalk down the hallway. Instead of going to my own room, I go to Zee's. To hell with what Will told him. I stop outside his closed door and knock loudly. A few seconds later Zee opens the door, surprised to see me. I brush past him and sit heavily on his bed. He closes the door slowly and turns to look at me. "I don't care what Will told you, I'm not like that, okay?"

"How'd you.. Oh, right, you can read minds."

"Actually, I was eating breakfast when you guys walked in. I was hidden. I didn't mean to overhear, but it was kind of unavoidable." Zee doesn't seem mad, which I'm thankful for. He crosses the small room and sits beside me.

"Hey, it's all right. So, what's wrong? You look like someone told you'll never walk for the rest of your life." I sigh a little, my anger ebbing with each passing second.

"Have you heard of Jackson Forte?"

"Yeah, sure, he's been on the news for... Oh God, don't tell me he's your boyfriend or something." I laugh a little.

"Hardly. I don't even know him."

"So, what about him?"

"Apparently he's been looking for me. Cops arrested him in Colorado, which is only two states away from where I live. They have him somewhere, but Liz just told me that he almost got away last night. To come here, I guess."

"Hold on.. Jackson Forte, the guy that's killed a couple people, is going across the country to look for you?" I nod.

"I guess."

"How creepy."

"Liz told me he's a Telepath too, so he's making all of his guards crazy." Zee swears under his breath.

"So what happens then?" I shake my head.

"I don't know. They want him here, but not if he's going to kill me or something. They want me to meet him."

"Are you going to?"

"Well, yeah, I guess so. I mean, If he almost escaped last night then who knows how long it'll take before he actually does get out. But if he wants to meet me, then I'd rather do it under my terms and not his."

"It sucks, but I guess you're right. When do you meet him?"

"I don't know. I kind of left Liz before she could tell me."

"Well, why don't we go down and ask her?" I sigh and look at Zee. There's nothing but brotherly protectiveness in his eyes. No matter who Crystal was, I think Will was wrong. I stand up and take Zee's arm.

"All right, let's go."

Someone Else's Happy Ending, Chapter 10

Monday December 8th [30 w 0 d]

"I can't believe she even came back this year."

"I know. I almost even feel kinda sorry for her, though."

"Why? She's just trying to pin this baby on Keelan. It's probably not even his."

"I dunno. He was the one cheating on her."

"True, but I don't believe it's really his." I walk out of the stall to see three girls gathered around the sinks. I recognize them as my fellow 7th year Ravenclaws. They fall silent as they see me approach them. I cross my arms and just stare at them.

"Um, hi, Annabel."

"Does one of you want to tell me exactly what you were talking about." They all look at eachother.

"Well, um.."

"Today? Things to do, people to see, classes to attend, you know." They still don't answer me. "Keelan was cheating on me?" They look at eachother again.

"Uh, yeah." I just shake my head, rubbing my temples. Suddenly this weird pain goes from my lower back to my belly button. It takes my breath away for a second so I grab the sink for support, my other hand going to my stomach.

"Annabel, are you okay?" Another pain shoots through my back and I sink down to my knees.

"Noo.. this is too early." I stifle a moan as another pain shoots through me. I glare up at who I thought were my friends. "Don't just stand there staring at me. Get me to the damn hospital wing!" They gather me up in their arms and help me up to the hospital wing. It's slow going as we have to stop every few minutes as another wave of pain goes through my body, each one more painful than the last. No, please. This isn't right. This is way too early. Please...

"Madame Promfrey! Come quickly." She hurries out of her office as Jill and Brittany help me on to a bed.

"This isn't right, she's too early! You said I'm not due for two more months!"

"Dears, can you leave the room please? We need some privacy." Jill, Brittany and Alexandria leave the hospital wing and I'm left alone.

"Stop this, this isn't supposed to be happening. Make it stop!"

"Miss Leed, please calm down. I can't help you if you're in hysterics."

"I don't care! Do something to fix this!" She rushes away from the bed and disappears into her office. "Don't leave me!" More tears fall down my face as another wave of pain goes through me. Don't leave me... She comes back with a small vial of a yellow looking potion.

"Drink this slowly. Take small sips. Do it in between contractions." I take the vial from her and take a small sip of the stuff. It's absolutely disgusting. I gasp as another wave of pain hits my body, but am relieved to notice that it's not as strong as the previous ones.

I spend the next 15 minutes sipping the yellow stuff in between contractions while Madame Pomfrey bustles about her office. She comes out with a larger cup. I give her the vial as she hands me the cup.

"Drink this as well. It will help make sure that your baby develops just incase you deliver prematurely." I drink down the contents of the cup, which tastes a little better than the last one, and hand it back to her. "I'll want you to stay here for a few days. I'll also want you to remain on bed rest until you deliver. Premature labour is not something to mess around with, dear."

"Is she going to be okay?" Madame Pomfrey smiles sympathetically.

"Yes, I expect she'll be just fine. I just want to take precautions to ensure she comes out healthy. And at the right time." I nod, rubbing a hand over my enormous belly.

"Can I go back to my dorm and get a few things?" She nods.

"I'd prefer someone go with you, just so if anything happens you won't be alone. I would like you to rest first as the potion you just drank makes you sleepy." I nod again, making myself comfy, feeling sleep already draw me in.

Mind Over Matter, Chapter 14

I wake up to an alarm buzzing in my room. I look around tiredly to see that it's 7 in the morning. I mentally shake my head, mutter a few curses, and throw the blanket off while contemplating throwing the alarm clock out the window. Instead I grab my toothbrush, open my door and turn to see Tessa waiting at the bathroom. I walk up to her and she turns to me.

"Sam can take a while, you're in for a long wait." I look over at the door and then knock at it.

"Uh, someone's in here."

"I'm well aware. There are two people out here that need to use the bathroom, so hurry it up."

"I'll take as long as I damn well please." I roll my eyes and turn away from the door.

"There's another bathroom on the main floor, right?" Tessa nods. "Why don't you go use that one? I'll use the guy's." She looks at me oddly for a second before walking down the hall and down the stairs. I think about telling Sam where she can stuff it, but I don't have the energy. I'm still exhausted even though I slept almost 12 hours lastnight.

Instead, I head down the stairs to the guy's floor. I spy the open bathroom door and make a run for it, beating Will by only a second or two. "Don't you have a bathroom up there?" I lock the door and smile.

"Yeah but it's out of order at the moment, so I'm using yours. I won't be long." I hear grumbling from the other side of the door but ignore it, taking my time as I brush my teeth. I open the door to see Will glaring at me.

"'Bout damn time, jeez. Move." He shoves past me and slams the door in my face. I roll my eyes and turn as I hear an alarm still going off. I investigate and come to a closed door. I assume it's Zee's and knock loudly. When no one answers I open it and peek my head in. I snicker when my eyes come to Zee laying on his bed, the blanket and pillow on the floor. I shut the alarm off and walk over to his bed, pondering how to wake him up.

I catch his arm moving just a second before it grabs my leg. I jump so I don't land on the floor on my ass, and land directly on his stomach. It knocks the wind out of him and I take advantage, rolling him over and pinning his arms behind his back. It doesn't take him long to wiggle out from under me and pin me to the floor.

"Give?" We're both breathing heavy from the impromptu wrestling match.

"Yeah, give." He lets me go and sits beside me, leaning back against the bed.

"You're a tough little thing." I glare up at him.

"I'm not that little."

"You're what.. 5 foot?" I stick my nose in the air.

"Yes, if you must know." He reaches down to ruffle my hair, but doesn't have much success since it's still in the braid from lastnight. I bat his hand away anyway. I hate it when people touch my head.

"That's pretty little, compared to me." I size him up.

"I'll beat you next time. You won't see me coming."

"I'm a ninja, dear. You're lucky you caught me this time." I roll my eyes and use him to push myself to my feet. I don't have a brother, but this is what I'd always imagined having one would be like. This makes me think of Sophie back home. She's the only thing I regret leaving, especially with my parents. The thought makes me sad. "You okay?" I look up at Zee, which I still think is a stupid name.

"Yeah, just thinking of my sister back home." He pats my shoulder.

"How old is she?" I follow him out of his room and he leans against the wall near the bathroom. Will is still in there.

"Seven, but she has a few problems that hold her back a lot. Mentally she's about four." Zee smiles sympathetically.

"I have an Autistic step-brother, so I know all about that." Just then the bathroom door opens, allowing Zee his morning time. I'm thankful for that, since this conversation was going down a dangerous road, one I don't like to talk about. Even Jarrod doesn't know all of the details.

I walk down the stairs and head to the kitchen, grabbing a bowl and spoon from the middle of the table. I survey my options. Oatmeal or cereal. I've never been a fan of oatmeal, so I pick Shredded Wheat and fill my bowl, adding milk and taking a seat at the counter instead of the table. I'm the only one in here so I think quietly to myself for a few minutes.

I don't know how I'm so comfortable with Zee already. Letting him massage my feet and wrestling him this morning? Not my typical behaviour with a guy I hardly know. I only did that stuff with Jarrod because I liked him, and I definitely don't like Zee that way. Speaking of Jarrod, he didn't even come to say goodbye to me before I left. Becca came by once everyday for an hour or two. But Jarrod, nothing. I still don't know what happened with him. I'd like to get some phone service and text him, but who knows if he'd text me back.

Just then Zee and Will walk into the kitchen, seeming to be in a serious discussion. I'm sitting in the corner of the kitchen, kind of hidden behind the pantry door, so they don't see me when they walk in, and I can't help but listen.

"What is wrong with you, man? She isn't even here for 24 hours and you're already all over her?"

"It's not like that, and you know it."

"Look, I know she reminds you of Crystal, but she's not her, okay?" Will grabs a banana from the table and almost sees me. "She's probably got a boyfriend at home anyway. All girls like her do." I narrow my eyes.

"Girls like her?" I hear Will sigh.

"Yeah, you know, pretty little girls like her. They all get guys like you to fall for them and then shove it in your face. Just watch yourself, is all I'm saying." Will leaves the kitchen and Zee sits at the table, his back to me. I don't know what to do. If I move now he'll know I heard everything, but if I don't he or someone else will find me here and I'll be accused of eavesdropping.

Turns out I don't have to make the decision because he gets up and leaves the kitchen. I sigh and bring my bowl to the sink, rinsing it out and setting it on the counter. Well, what the hell was that about?