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31_days2010-10-18 12:32 am
eldarwannabe.livejournal.com) wrote in 31_days2010-10-18 12:32 am
[October 18] [Animorphs] Second Chances
Title: Second Chances
Day/Theme: October 18/that's magic too
Series: Animorphs.
Character/Pairing: Cassie
Rating: G
I wasn't expecting the phone call. I haven't spoken to her in, oh years now. Not since she was a tween, awkward and angry in the Hork-Bajir valley. I must have said something to her at the funeral, but we were all so aware of Jake, tearing pieces out of himself, that I honestly can't recall anything else.
"Cassie?"
"Speaking." I was compiling forms for expansion of the Taxxon territory. It was a little tricky, because the space was being highly contested by a local government, and we might have to bring in inter-species treaty declarations, which would be messy.
"Hi. It's, um, it's Jordan. Berenson. Um. Ra-Jack's cousin."
My hand froze. She didn't sound like Rachel, not really, but she was older than Rachel ever was, now.
"Hello, Jordan." I said, carefully. I forced a smile into my voice. "Of course I remember you."
"Oh, good." she sounded relived. "I got put on phone duty because everyone is busy, but I didn't even..."
"What's up?" I said smoothly. A little dated, now, maybe, but I wanted to know why she was calling. It shouldn't have anything to do with Jake, that would have been breaking news. With a moment of panic, I started digging around a newspaper.
"Well I don't know how - It's Sara. Y'know, my sister?"
"Mmmhmmm." I said, switching the phone to my other ear.
"Well, she just gave birth two hours ago, and it's a girl, so-"
"Congratulations!" I spoke before I could think about it. Two hours? How did I get on the call list? Sara had been a little kid last time I saw her. My most vivid memory was her sitting on Axe, trying to train him to be her Pokeman.
The emotions hit me hard, before I could brace for it.
"Oh. Thanks. It's been a little crazy here, but Sara wanted me to call you especially if it was a girl."
I couldn't even give her sounds of encouragement, the sound of "Buuun-zuh!" spinning around my head. Laughing in the face of death, that was us. So young. And now Rachel's little sister was having babies.
"Right, so, we're naming her Rachel. Rachel Janet, I think, after Ben's grandmother, but Sara might just forget to put it on the forms if he doesn't get his act together..."
Jordan babbled for a bit, and I clutched the phone and tried to follow the conversation, nodding as if she could see me.
"So, I guess, you're invited." Jordan concluded.
"Huh?"
"We're having a ceremony, a little thing. Sara wanted everyone to come, but well, you know..."
I know. I looked at the newspaper I managed to unearth. No mention of Jake.
"I'll...try to be there." I said lamey.
"Great! I'll just send you the information then?"
I gave her my email, and my cell number. She gave me an address in California, and I checked a map online. Same country, different town. Part of me didn't want to go at all - I had no idea what I could possibly say to Jordan or Sara. Or Naomi. God, I haven't thought about them in forever.
But...another baby named Rachel. Born into a new world, with aliens and space travel and intergalactic treaties of peace. Maybe we could get it right this time.
Day/Theme: October 18/that's magic too
Series: Animorphs.
Character/Pairing: Cassie
Rating: G
I wasn't expecting the phone call. I haven't spoken to her in, oh years now. Not since she was a tween, awkward and angry in the Hork-Bajir valley. I must have said something to her at the funeral, but we were all so aware of Jake, tearing pieces out of himself, that I honestly can't recall anything else.
"Cassie?"
"Speaking." I was compiling forms for expansion of the Taxxon territory. It was a little tricky, because the space was being highly contested by a local government, and we might have to bring in inter-species treaty declarations, which would be messy.
"Hi. It's, um, it's Jordan. Berenson. Um. Ra-Jack's cousin."
My hand froze. She didn't sound like Rachel, not really, but she was older than Rachel ever was, now.
"Hello, Jordan." I said, carefully. I forced a smile into my voice. "Of course I remember you."
"Oh, good." she sounded relived. "I got put on phone duty because everyone is busy, but I didn't even..."
"What's up?" I said smoothly. A little dated, now, maybe, but I wanted to know why she was calling. It shouldn't have anything to do with Jake, that would have been breaking news. With a moment of panic, I started digging around a newspaper.
"Well I don't know how - It's Sara. Y'know, my sister?"
"Mmmhmmm." I said, switching the phone to my other ear.
"Well, she just gave birth two hours ago, and it's a girl, so-"
"Congratulations!" I spoke before I could think about it. Two hours? How did I get on the call list? Sara had been a little kid last time I saw her. My most vivid memory was her sitting on Axe, trying to train him to be her Pokeman.
The emotions hit me hard, before I could brace for it.
"Oh. Thanks. It's been a little crazy here, but Sara wanted me to call you especially if it was a girl."
I couldn't even give her sounds of encouragement, the sound of "Buuun-zuh!" spinning around my head. Laughing in the face of death, that was us. So young. And now Rachel's little sister was having babies.
"Right, so, we're naming her Rachel. Rachel Janet, I think, after Ben's grandmother, but Sara might just forget to put it on the forms if he doesn't get his act together..."
Jordan babbled for a bit, and I clutched the phone and tried to follow the conversation, nodding as if she could see me.
"So, I guess, you're invited." Jordan concluded.
"Huh?"
"We're having a ceremony, a little thing. Sara wanted everyone to come, but well, you know..."
I know. I looked at the newspaper I managed to unearth. No mention of Jake.
"I'll...try to be there." I said lamey.
"Great! I'll just send you the information then?"
I gave her my email, and my cell number. She gave me an address in California, and I checked a map online. Same country, different town. Part of me didn't want to go at all - I had no idea what I could possibly say to Jordan or Sara. Or Naomi. God, I haven't thought about them in forever.
But...another baby named Rachel. Born into a new world, with aliens and space travel and intergalactic treaties of peace. Maybe we could get it right this time.