I Won't Say

Young River Fee Remington (*Friday, 15 August 2014; therefore 11 nearly 12 going on 40) is best friends with Edward Xavier Smith-Wesson (*Friday, 12 October 2012; therefore 13) until one day in early summer 2026, school is nearly over and it all happened so fast. Yesterday they were best friends and today...

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Early summer 2026 Boston



“Auntie Georgie I’m here!” River shouted as she walked in through the front door, she had a key to the large mansion. “Hello? Xavier? Anybody here?”

“River! I was going to pick you up how did you get here?” Georgie hurried downstairs dressed to drive to pick up the girl that was standing at the bottom of the stairs.

“Oh I finished my homework so I decided it is pointless to wait for you, so I hitch hiked. It wasn’t that far, we live 10 miles apart that is nothing. I was thinking to take the bus but I had no change. I forgot my water bottle so stupid of me can I have a drink?” River smiled, she had a charming smile even pretty but she was by far not a girl that bothered if she was pretty. Her brother were staying with their friends while her parents went to Seattle for the next week to meet Rome’s family for some event, River could have gone with Rome and Lenna but she refused and to be honest she was the weird kid with a knife collection there was a reason why she was homeschooled where no one seemed to think of it as weird. Ever since the two year old River explained to all the children in her day care group how to kill a vampire very detailed Elenna and Rome Remington knew their daughter was different.

“Yes come on I’ve got some lemonade. You should not have hitch hiked.” Georgie smiled, pointed at the girl’s boots. River dropped her duffle bag, took off her shoes and followed her Auntie Georgie.

“I’m sorry but I was very safe. I have my knife in my shorts pocket, any fishy move and I had stepped him in the balls.” Her hair was well the way it dropped after she got up. Her shirt said ‘Monster Hunter’ and her shorts were… short. “Where is Xavier?” River asked, sounding… odd -at least in Auntie Georgie's ears?

„He just got home and is taking a shower,“ Georgie said while they went into the enormous kitchen that consisted of the most exquisite white marble. “He’s had his tennis lesson.”

“Oh, right, I forgot.”

Georgie handed her a glass of freshly squeezed lemonade. Obviously their maid squeezed it, not Georgie. As if Georgie had ever made lemonade from scratch!

“I kind of lost track of all his sport stuff. It’s so much.”

“Well, not that much, really.” Georgie poured herself a glass of lemonade. “It is only tennis, water polo, golf, fencing and a few times a year he and his father go skiing.”

“That is a lot of sport,” the young girl remarked dryly. “And all that weird rich people sport…”

“River, you’re rich, too.”

“Yeah, but a different rich. You’re old money, whatever that means. Dad tried to explain the difference between your and my family. He said the Remingtons are new money, and people with old money apparently hate new money people. Is that true?”

Georgie pursed her lips. “Well, ‘hate’ is maybe a bit too strong…”

River chuckled. “You and Dad have the funniest arguments. You should be in a reality TV show.”

“Oh God, no!”

“What are you two talking about?” Georgie’s youngest son showed up in the doorframe of the kitchen, looking curiously at them. “Oh, hey, River. You’re already here.”

River’s cheeks turned bright red, and she had no idea why. Edward was wearing a blue polo shirt, beige shorts, and his hair was still wet. It looked like he just rubbed it with a towel because it was a little messy, and for some reason it looked kind of…cute?!

Georgie watch River with amusement, something has changed.
 
“Hey Xavier.” River mumbled. “Hey can I bring my things upstairs?”

“Yes of course River, you sleep in your usual guest room.” Georgie said she looked at the table the maid was preparing a sandwich and soup lunch.

“I’ll help you.” Edward picked up her duffle and let the way.

“Edward I think you should tell River.” Georgie called after her son.

River looked at her best friend. “What should you tell me? You started another sport?”

“No, I got a photo shoot with Ralph Lauren tomorrow. I was hoping you tag along, it is going to be a long day but I bet we can make it fun day. Mom will be there and you and Hercules will make the day perfect.” Edward put her duffle on the ottoman and took her hand. He smelled really good after his shower. River grinned. “Sure I tag along. I will take pictures for Dad so he can mock you a little bit more. What time do we have to get up?”

“It’s not far from here but we need to be there by six in the morning.”

“Urgh! I hope there will be a good breakfast in planning. Oatmeal is not a meal.” River laughed as she pushed Edward playfully away before she let him hug her.

“You okay?” He asked gentle.

“Yeah I think I am getting ill or something I get all the sudden hot and stuff. But I’ll be alright. What time is lunch?”

Xavier laughed. “Mom made pizza, well the cook made pizza. I thought you like that.”

River looked skeptical at Xavier while she took out her t-shirts to put them away, she knew how much Georgie hated it if she didn’t unpack her clothes. “Pizza? Really?!”

“Yes, pizza and no it is not one with rocket salad on it, well not on yours. You will even have cheese on your pizza and Mom will only expect you to eat a small side salad.”

River rolled her eyes but nodded. “Where is Hercules’ bed?”

“Oh it got washed it’s in the tumble dryer at the moment.” He said while he helped her put her clothes away. Suddenly River went bright pink, she wanted to tell him that Hercules’ bed did not need washing but when Xavier without even noticing it took her panties to put them in the drawer. She never cared if Xavier saw her underwear or even saw her in just underwear. “Give me that!” River snapped sounding angry as she jumped forward and pulled the pile of panties out of his hands. River was breathing quickly while her face was bright red. Something was really wrong, she never felt like this before.

River looked at her simple cotton panties. She felt stupid. “Sorry. I don’t know maybe I am getting sick or I don’t now maybe I have powers but somehow I feel different.”


Xavier looked at his best friend. “Don’t worry whatever it is you are still my best friend.”


When River and Xavier came downstairs in the kitchen Georgie looked up she was on the phone with Lenna, but the moment the two teenagers walked in the room. “Yes she arrived here safely apparently I took too long for her to wait for us.” Georgie turned around and said quieter so that just Lenna heard her. “Listen Brownie my spidey senses are tingling I call you later.”


Lenna on the phone was surprised but understood that Georgie had felt the feelings of the teenagers and told her that something was up. “Okay talk to you later, let River know we love her and she can call anytime.”


“Is everything alright?” Georgie looked from one child to the other. It took her only a second to figure out that her son was not the one she felt. River seemed well her feelings seemed sort of scrambled up. “Did Edward tell you that we are having pizza?” Georgie smiled.


“Yes all is fine.” River snapped but took a deep breath. “Yes, I just feel a bit funny.”


…


“I know it is early but we got to go. I got waffles for you that you can eat in the car this once and you can even stay in your jammies well put some trousers on. We got to drive nearly an hour and you can get dressed there.” Georgie gentle brushed the hair out of River’s face. River moaned but nodded. She dragged herself out of bed, found her sweat pants on the floor and followed Georgie downstairs. Not surprising to find Edward sitting fully dressed, shower and awake in car. River put Hercules in his car seat and clipped him in.


“Rive-“


River lifted her hand and quiet Edward with only that. Edward laughed and drank his oat-breakfast-shake. River was more or less still sleeping while she ate her chocolate waffles. Georgie watched the girl closely in the rearview mirror, she still felt the girl’s confusion and feelings go haywire she did all last night but for the moment she would not mention it to River. She would stay back and watch.
By the time Edward was in make-up and got dressed River was awake as well and kind of enjoyed watching Edward. She was pulling faces at him and enjoyed herself. It was the first break the models took when the representative of Ralph Lauren watch River, Edward and Hercules interact.


“Who is this girl?” She asked the photographer.


“I am not sure I think she came along with Edward.”


The middle aged woman made a quick call and then walked over to the three. “Excuse me, Mrs. Gilmore-Smith-Wesson may I have a word?”


“Yes of course is something the matter?” Georgie looked at the two children and then followed the other woman.


“Oh no everything is fine, actually I was wondering something I watched your son and daughter-“


“Who River? She is not my daughter, I am her godmother.” Georgie corrected her.


“I see. I watched the children together, would River be interested in taking part in the photo shoot? I have the legal papers here and as her godmother you have the right to sign those.”


Georgie took the papers and read them through, it was the same contract she had signed for her own son.  “I don’t know River just came long to hang out with during breaks, I am not sure she would be interested in shooting herself. She never has done any modeling. I know her father finds it rather funny that Edward is modeling. River, honey? Would you be interested in taking part in the photo shoot?” Georgie smiled at the young girl. “Only if you want.”


River looked from Georgie, to the unknown woman next to her and then to Edward. “What do you think Xavier?”


“I’d love to shoot with you together.” Edward grinned widely. River thought about it and then nodded. “Okay. But only with Xavier together, I don’t wanna be on any photos alone.”


It was a fun afternoon and River actually enjoyed shooting with her best friend together. When she texted her parents Rome was laughing but she could handle his mockery. It had been a long day she was surprised when Georgie bought them burgers for dinner.


“Tell me who is texting you all day long.” River snatched Xavier’s phone and read the text. She thought it was Logan but her face fell when she read Caitlin as sender and then the text:


Pooh Bear, I hope you had a good shoot. I missed you so much today, Mother took me dress shopping for my Little Miss Twirl pageant. You promised you’d be there. I know your little friend is visiting but she won’t mind will she? She could bring a book, you said she likes to read. XOXO CaiCai


River chucked his phone back at her best friend and turned away from him. The hit Georgie felt nearly made her crash the car. Georgie knew the feeling just too well. River was jealous but not the normal jealousy of the best friend. No! River’s heart was breaking of jealousy and Georgie had to take all her strength together not to stop the car right here and now.


“I was going to tell you about her, she is my girlfriend… She is into this pageantry thing and has loads of those at the weekend. I told her a lot about you and she invited me to go see her this weekend. She is in my school.”


“Yeah whatever.  It’s not like I don’t allow you to have a girlfriend. I have nothing to do with that, but don’t think I gonna go to that miss shit. No fucking way.  I just stay home, actually maybe I should just go home. You know I don’t wanna be in your way, I don’t wanna be your cock block.”


Georgie hadn’t even parked the car in the drive and River was already in the house. Georgie sighed, somehow she was glad that River was just a normal girl and not one with powers, this outburst of heartbroken jealousy could take a house down. “I thought you told her about Caitlin? You are together since three weeks.”


“I just didn’t find the right moment.” Edward mumbled miserable. This was going to be a long summer. One week of school left and his best friend who was staying in his house was mad at him.
River felt betrayed, confused and so hurt. When she was curled up on her bed she didn’t understand why she felt physical sick, she couldn’t breathe and her chest hurt so much. She felt on fire but at the same time freezing cold. What was wrong with her? She felt so... fragile!

River refused to come out for dinner and Georgie was worried, she felt the hurt feelings of the young girl all the way downstairs. She knew there was one person her Goddaughter would talk to so she texted her oldest son Logan, the short story.

River’s phone was ringing with the song of her oldest brother. “’lo.” River mumbled.

“Hey Chica! So Edward has a girlfriend.” Logan stated, Logan had the same powers of his mother and father, he was able to read and manipulate minds and feelings though he needed a physical connection.

River sighed deeply. “Yeah. I don’t know why it bugs me so much but... I think I don’t know. I know Edward is posh and not like you and me but a pageant girl? She called him Pooh Bear in her text. She sounds... not even posh and lady-like like Auntie Georgie. And he kept it from me?! I thought we are best friend, we always talk and be never said anything about her.”

“Listen, I am on my way home. I won’t be there until late at night. I think he felt embarrassed it is his first girlfriend and well as far as I noticed well I would say it is not the perfect relationship. Because yes you are right she is different and not even I thought he would pick this kind of girl. I don’t think you need to worry about it. He is still you best friend. Actually he kept texting me of ideas what you two can do. You know he has another week of school and he knows you got your own school work to do but he is so excited that you are staying with him this summer. It will be fine, trust your big wise brother. Did you have dinner?”

“No, I didn’t want to go downstairs.” River was sitting by now and seemed to have calmed down a little bit.

“Good. I order you pizza it should be there in a few minutes. So go downstairs and then try to get some sleep, I know you were up early this morning. You are tired. I’ll pop in tonight when I am there, don’t kill me.” Logan laughed, he knew that his little baby sister was grinning widely now.

“You do know that you are amazing right?”

“Yup. I am incredible stunning and if I were not your brother you would totally want me.”

“URGH! Logan you are gross! Luv ya.”

“Love ya too, Chica.”

River went downstairs, since it was a school night Edward was already in bed or at least in his room. Georgie and Adam were watching TV.

“Hey Auntie Georgie, Uncle Adam? I am sorry I was rude and didn’t join you for dinner.”

Adam nodded silently while Georgie got up. Very gentle she was using her powers to find out what River was feeling, the girl seemed to have calmed down but she was still hurt and hungry.

“It’s okay. I thought Edward had told you about Caitlin weeks ago. He should have. Shall I make you some food?”

River giggled. “Logan ordered me pizza.”

“What a good big brother he is.” Georgie kissed River on top of her head as the doorbell rang.

River put her pizza and warm cookie with ice cream on plates; she knew Georgie doesn’t like it if anyone eats out of the box.

“Honey, can I ask you something?”

“Uh-huh.” River mumbled with her mouth full.

“Do you like Edward more than a friend?”

River starred at Georgie. “What?! No! He is my best friend. That is just...!”

Georgie laughed, her powers told her the truth. “Okay, if you say so.”

River shook her head in shock and disbelieve. As if she would like, like her best friend like this.

It was Monday morning of the last week before the summer holidays; Edward had left for school while River was sitting in Georgie’s study working on her own homework. She had to write a descriptive essay of a topic of her choice. She was looking through her reference books, her topic was how airplanes can fly despite their weight. She was concentrating on her work and didn’t notice Logan standing in the door watching his little sister a while.

“Do you ever take a break?” He said calmly, Hercules next to River looked up but decided that Logan wasn’t a threat.

“No. You know I have school just like the boys only difference is that I don’t go to a school.” River smiled she was a little bit tired but other than that herself again.

“I know and I am proud of your work. Not many kids your age would sit down and do their school work without being asked.” Logan smiled at his little sister proudly. River shook her head, for her it seemed so normal to do her school work without being asked.

“Do you need the study? Auntie Georgie said I can study here.”

“Nope you are good, Mom left for the firm and Adam went to the hospital. I was going to chill in the garden a little bit give me a shout when you want lunch or need anything.” Logan gave his sister a kiss on top of her head and then let her do her school work. He did it for two reasons, once to make sure she knew how proud he is of her and the other to... tap into her mind and her feelings. She was still pondering over the Caitlin situation and her feelings were all over the place. He would stay a while to make sure his little sister was okay.

 
Meanwhile at school.

“Pooh Bear!” Caitlin took Edward’s hand and kissed him on the cheek; making sure people heard her and saw the two together. “I missed you so much over the weekend; I cannot wait to see your campaign in print. Did you little friend arrive? It is a shame that she is not going to school, does she have like a mental issue?”

Edward looked a moment at his girlfriend considering what to answer. When suddenly the popular clique of the school passed them and Caitlin took Edward’s hand again giggling stupidly as if he just said something incredible funny. “I want you to know that whatever mental problem she has I accept her, those souls need help not judgment. I will see you at lunch; I planned that we will eat together.”

Lunch came too quickly in everyone’s opinion; at least since the last weeks. Lunch meant the Caitlin show and no one enjoyed that.  

“I got you your lunch Pooh Bear. Come sit here with me. I have to tell you about my weekend. I went to Madame Bretelles to work on posture it was appalling. I looked like the hunchback. Maybe next time I can take your little friend with me. I saw the pictures her postures is even worse. Though her classes are pretty much booked out, but I am sure I can put in a good word for her. I also had my articulate class. I really need to work on my Rs it is shocking how poorly I pronounce those. Oh Pooh Bear you have a bit of gravy on your cheek, here let me wipe it.”

Usually Remus, Raws and Ryan said at some point hi to him during the day but first of all they were in Seattle and secondly since he was Caitlin’s boyfriend they stopped that.

“Are you coming to watch my etiquette club we have our performance today. Good table manners are so important and we plan to demonstrate good and poor table manners...” Caitlin kept on going and going not letting Edward a second to answer any of her questions.

“You know I have to say you are rather rude today you didn’t answer any of my questions. What does your little friend do while you are in school?” Caitlin looked expecting at Edward.




((Tag for MissA to write her preppy Edward son))

„Are you listening at all?“ Caitlin asked again. “You need to pay attention to me, Pooh Bear. I’ve read in various guides that communication is the most important part of a long-lasting relationship.”

Edward cleared his throat. “Um, yeah, sorry. I know. I was listening to you. You just…you asked quite a lot of questions and didn’t really give me the chance to answer.”

She pursed her lips, which she always did when she wasn’t happy about something he said or did. “So what does your little friend do when we’re in school? Is she getting an education at all?”

“River is getting an education, yes,” he said, emphasis on his best friend’s name. He didn’t like that Caitlin kept referring to River as his ‘little friend.’ She wasn’t a kid. “She’s very smart actually. She loves to read.”

“Oh, I love to read, too.”

“She doesn’t read magazines.”

“I don’t just read magazines.” Caitlin took a sip of her water. “I read plenty of books. My favourite one is Twilight.”

Edward couldn’t hold back a chuckle. She looked displeased.

“What?”

“Nothing.”
Only that vampires are real, and they sure as hell are not like those in Twilight. And my best friend River happens to know all about them.  

“Honestly, Pooh Bear, you’re acting really strange today.” She moved a little closer and took his hand. She squeezed a little too hard, like she didn’t want to let go – ever.
“So are you coming to watch me in my etiquette club later?” She looked expectantly at him. She was very pretty, and her eyes were a lovely blue, but he would definitely enjoy all of that a little more if she wouldn’t be squeezing his hand until he nearly stopped feeling it.

“Sure,” he said.

“And I thought…well…” she played nervously with her blonde hair. “It won’t be that long anymore until I’m finally coming out.”

He looked a bit confused. “Coming out?”

“My coming out ceremony. As a debutant, silly!” She giggled. “What did you think?”

“Um…”

“I mean it’s not for another year or so, but I’d really love you to be my partner.”

“For the coming out…party…debutant ceremony...thing?”

“Yes! I’ll be wearing white and look like a bride, and you will be all handsome in your tuxedo, and gloves-“

“And gloves?” he repeated. He didn’t mind wearing a suit for finer occasions but gloves seemed to go a little too far.

She nodded, all excited.

“And you said it won’t be for at least another year, right?” Edward asked.

She smiled widely at him. “Exactly. Gives us plenty of time to prepare.”

As Edward had promised Caitlin went into the auditorium after school to watch the demonstration of good manners and not surprisingly he was the only one there... well the only one there as audience.

“I think there is no point in the demonstration, just go home.” The teacher looked oddly pleased and hurried out rather quickly.

“It is a shame that our school is so low that no one wants to see what good manners look like. Sometimes I feel like I am in a ghetto school in Detroit. This school is spiralling down very quickly.” Caitlin whined taking Edward’s hand very calculated making sure people saw that they were holding hands. What Caitlin didn’t understand that because if the calculation in her action it looked so awkward and forced to everyone else, it did not look at all as loving and spontaneous as she thought. “I can go home with you. I would love to meet your little friend and last time your father was so busy he said he was preparing for this medical conference.”

Edward stared blankly at her for a second at her before he remembered that his father said he can’t deal with Caitlin so he hid in his study pretending to prepare for a medical conference on ingrown toe nails -a smart move Caitlin pulled a face and did not ask any further-. “Yes I remember. I don’t know if River is finished with her homework. She likes school work.”

“But she is not going to school? I find that rather peculiar. A child her age should attend school, people will look at her oddly. Homeschooling is never a smart solution. I watch this old rerun of a show from over ten years ago it was a modelling competition and there was this one girl she was homeschooled all her life even her college was a one she could attend from home and she was... she had problems. A lot of problems, she had no idea how social interaction worked. You don’t want your little friend to turn out like that do you? Why do her parents even allow this? Do her parents want to have an odd child?”

“River is not an odd child. Let’s just go. Mom dropped me off this morning so we got to take the bus.”

Caitlin stopped dead cold. “Are you insane!? I cannot go on a bus! Let me call an Uber. It will only take a few minutes.” Caitlin pulled out a little seat cover and sat down on the bench waiting for the Uber she just texted. Edward shook his head barely visible but he sat down next to Caitlin. She was right the car showed up a few minutes later and not even half an hour after that Edward walked with Caitlin through the front door.

“Hello? I am home!” He called out and it did not surprise him to see River coming smiling out of his Mom’s study and then she stopped cold staring at Caitlin... a girl in her school uniform perfectly ironed, collar, tie and even her knee socks were perfectly straight. “Hey, River this is Caitlin my... girlfriend. Caitlin this is River my best friend.”

Caitlin noticed the pause before he said girlfriend and the missing pause before he said best friend but she decided not to say anything... the looks of the River were appalling. The jeans shorts she was wearing more ripped than whole, the t-shirt had some obscene picture of gory bloody monster being killed and the phrase ‘Who you gonna call’ around it. She was barefoot and her hair... looked as if it hadn’t seen a brush in a month. However much the appearance of River shocked Caitlin she put on her biggest and most perfect pageant smile on her face and offered River her perfectly manicured hand. “It is a pleasure to meet you. Edward is talking so much about his little friend. Do you need time to get dressed?”

River looked down at herself and then back at Caitlin in her turquoise and navy school uniform. “What do I look naked to you? I’m good and I am not anyones little friend. I thought you have a show or something after school? I was going to watch Autopsy it’s a movie from a couple of years ago.”

“May I have some water Edward?” Caitlin chirped with her perfect little voice.

“Eh, sure. River do you want anything from the kitchen?” Edward smiled at his best friend, despite her rough reaction he knew that she was nervous; she kept playing with her back pocket something she always did when she was nervous and unsure about a situation.

“No I’m good, I got snacks and stuff.” She said not being able to look at him, River did however turn around when Hercules came running towards her and grinned when he started growling at Caitlin just as she squealed in delight by the sight of the little dog.

“He doesn’t like it when people squeal.” River said dryly.

“I see, listen. I know you have been Edward’s little friend for years but he has me now and he doesn’t need a little child as friend anymore so back off. I have plans with him if we play it right he and I can be senior prom queen and king. So it is time you find your own friends.” Caitlin sounded sickly sweet but she had a glimmer in her eyes that said not to mess with her. River took a step back and looked at Caitlin, the girl was so sweet and such a darling but suddenly River saw that Caitlin would backstab any girl in her way. Logan was standing in the doorframe watching his little sister crumble and for once lose her confidence. He hated it to see this confident kick ass girl was grumbling like an old cookie.

“Hey! I’m Logan. So you are Caitlin. River I got some sour apple rings are you ready for the movie?” Logan grinned widely and wrapped his arm protective around his little sister. ‘She is a selfish little girl and doesn’t deserve a second of you time. Don’t let her dull your shine!’

River smiled a little bit, glad that her brother could not just read minds but also talk with her without words. “Do you wanna watch the movie with us?”

“No thank you. Edward and I will look through my set cards to decide which one I will send in for the Miss Strawberry Pie Pageant in three weeks. I wouldn’t ask you for that, I don’t think you know what to look for.” Caitlin chirped at River. “But if you want I’d love to give you a makeover I am sure there is somehow a pretty little girl underneath all of this, you can look lovely like I do.”

River’s mouth dropped and of course right in that moment Xavier came back. River picked up Hercules and ran off, it just needed this second of touch for Logan to know that River was upset and actually crying. Logan looked at his little brother. “You know what I am always on your side, I’m your brother but you didn’t think this through.” He turned around and followed River. She was hugging Hercules.

“He has no idea what he is ruining. Now lets’ watch some gore and horror. I dare you to know what to monsters is before we see it proper the first time.” Logan fell on the couch and hugged his little sister. “And stop thinking about how you can kill Caitlin.”

River giggle quietly. “It’s stupid that she makes me feel so... insecure. I feel like I am losing Xavier.”

“River, Edward could you quickly help me?” Georgie called from the kitchen, she and the maid just did the food shopping and Georgie hoped for some help to put away the groceries.
River had been sitting in the hallway comfy chair reading, while Edward had been somewhere. River got in the kitchen to help, she stopped ice cold in the door frame. Caitlin was standing next to Georgie chatting discussing the ingredients in the spray cheese can Georgie had bought for River. Georgie did not agree with but they had the deal that River ate it on healthy wholemeal bread and then she could have it. But Caitlin…

“… This is really just chemicals, there is nothing healthy in it…”

Edward tried to say something but Caitlin just dismissed him with a shake of her head, the blonde girl didn’t even let Georgie say anything. River starred icy at Caitlin and then Edward and even Georgie.

“I see you don’t need, I just go then!” River snapped and turned on her heel. Georgie felt the hurt and bitterness in the young girls heart but there was more, confusion and anger of herself. River slammed the kitchen door shut that the glass was shaking dangerously in it.

“I’ll talk to her.” Edward whispered as he went to follow River.

“I think your little friend is having some kind of problem. Is that the reason why she is being homeschooled, because she has a mental issue?” Caitlin asked in her sickly sweet perfectly annoying voice, just loud enough for River to hear her as Edward opened the kitchen door.
River kicked a chair across the dining room, tears stinging in her eyes.

“Hey River, so Mom went shopping and she got most of the stuff to like. She tried get healthy options at least organic-“

“Yeah whatever! Just go back to you CayCay!” River snapped not looking at Edward.

“River-“

“No don’t. You know I thought you and I are friends, actually best friends. I guess I was wrong. I am just this stupid homeschooled little girl that is weird. You are not any better than the kids that bullied me when I was in elementary school and they laughed at me for believing in well the shit that’s out there. Just fuck off! I called Mom she said if I want I can fly out to Seattle or Logan can watch me in my house. I’ll be out of your way so you and fucking CayCay can just hang out without your weird little friend.” River screamed from the top of her lungs. Georgie walked in calmly.

“River I am not taking sides but I will not let Logan watch you or you fly to Seattle that angry.”

“Well tough that means you have to watch my mopey little sorry ass for another few weeks. I can just sit with Uncle Adam in a dark room.” River yelled, as she stormed off in her room. Edward looked helpless at his mother when River stormed off.

“I don’t understand what I did wrong Mom.”

Georgie hugged her son despite him being a teenager, but his best friend was… well she was on the edge to puberty and didn’t know how to deal with the new feelings she has except to lash out against the ones she knew that would not leave her.

“You did nothing wrong, River is just a little bit overwhelmed at the moment. Hang in there, don’t let her push you away.”  Georgie whispered.

“I just want to help her.” Edward mumbled back. 
 


Meanwhile upstairs in River’s room

Caitlin opened the door without knocking, definitely being less disgustingly sweet and perky. “You know you are very selfish. Edward and his family took you in when your own family preferred to travel without you for the summer. It makes sense you clearly have some kind of issues. I think it would be best if you just go with your oldest brother and leave Edward and his parents alone. After all Logan is an odd one just like you.” Caitlin chirped in her calculated rather cold voice.
River looked at Caitlin; tears had been running down her cheeks.

“What the fuck!? You have no idea what verbal diarrhoea is coming out of your mouth. You little bitch, you have no idea what you are talking about. I am homeschooled because of stupid girls like you! Just fuck off, I cannot stand your face.” River yelled, pushing Caitlin aggressively out of her room. Caitlin was squealing hysterically. Georgie hurried along the corridor as Georgie ran away.

“She lost her mind! She is socially dangerous and needs to be locked up!” The blonde girl was squealing.
Georgie let the other girl run downstairs she went into River’s room. “Okay, I think that was a little bit harsh and enough is enough. I more than anyone else understands what you are going through but that does not give you the right to be so aggressive. We are your family now pull yourself together! I expect you to apologise in due time but this is enough.” Georgie looked firmly at the young girl and her heart did break for her but she had to be firm, being confused or not it did not justify the way she acted.

“Fine!” River snapped but turned her back towards Georgie and looked out of the window.

Outside Edward was calming down Caitlin, explain that River was just confused and overwhelmed with puberty.
River felt more alone than ever but she couldn’t change the way she was acting, she just felt so… angry seeing Edward her best friend with this other girl.

… “Hey Riv, what’s up?” Logan grinned lovingly at his little sister, he knew she wasn’t alright but he didn’t want to tell her that he knew.
River sighed angry. “Just leave me alone, okay? I don’t need another prep talk, I had enough of that from Auntie G.”…

… “Hey Sweetpea, you Mom just dragged me in this bookstore and I had to think of you.”
“Dad just safe it, I’m not this sweet little girl. I never was and I know that Auntie G and Logan told you that I am angry…”

No one got River to talk, no one, she point blank refused help. She pulled further and further away from everyone but the most from Edward. When he entered the room she left, when he spoke to her she either ignored or yelled at him. But deep down she wasn’t angry with anyone but herself, why did she have to change? Why did everything have to change, it could just have stayed the same.

It was late when Rome and Lenna arrived at the Gilmore-Smith-Wesson house. “I understand she is angry and overwhelmed but she is okay right?” Lenna looked helpless at her best friend.

“Yes, she is okay. She did however pick up your ability to block me. I can’t read her feelings, not with my powers at least.” Georgie hugged Lenna, the younger of the two looked tired.

“Is she asleep?” Rome asked, but he looked at the kitchen door, clearly trying to find his daughter’s mind in the house.

“She is in bed, she doesn’t sleep very well the past two weeks. Logan told her that Caitlin broke up with Edward -thank god for that she was getting on my nerves- but she just shrugged and pushed him out of her room.


‘I just want to be normal again.’ “No she is not asleep yet. She wishes to be normal. So far none of our kids showed any signs of inheriting one of our powers but could River? She is young, but wishing to be normal?” Rome looked at Lenna his go to girl when he needed an answer of a supernatural thing.

“I don’t think it is anything like that. I think she… she has a crush on Edward but it feels complicated they did grow up together and she is still so young and then there is the whole thing of that they share a half brother. It is a weird situation. She was clearly jealous of Caitlin.” Georgie answered instead of Lenna.

While downstairs her parents and aunt discussed her outbursts, River was hugging a very old stuffed Tigger crying herself to sleep, trying really hard not to think about the last time she and Edward did anything together. Why did he have to have a Caitlin? Because of her I feel all… sick to my stomach.

River knew her parent were there. Georgie had called them, because she -no not her Aunt but she River herself- was out of control. She felt her Aunt trying to look into her heart and she felt her dad look into her head. It was late and she knew she should sleep, and more she knew she should apologize to everyone. To Auntie G and Adam for being so rude when they took her in, to her parents to forcing them to fly back when they wanted to spend some time with the Remington family in Seattle, to Logan for constantly yelling and hitting him… to Xavier… for… hating him, wishing he would disappear, wishing Caitlin dead, wanting to punch him until he hurt as much as she hurt, loving him, for not being the friend he deserved? She really wanted to, but she couldn’t. For a while now had she been lying to everyone she loved and she had no idea how to change that. How to stop lying.
Rome slowly opened the door to his daughter’s room, a very long time ago he was so scared to have a daughter because he knew how much he would love her and a part of him was so scared that she would be a princess, a little girl that was helpless, thank god (not the Greek Fucktarts maybe one they haven’t met yet) she was as tough as his wife. Though that didn’t stop him from worrying about her, since even never stopped worrying about his Lennie either. He knew what she wanted to be when she was grown up, a friggin hero just like her Mom. And it was hard for him to let her go that way, a while ago he told Lenna that in a way her dad had it better. He only had to imagine it and never had to witness it. She was a little bit sad but knew what he meant. Rome looked at the dark blonde hair of his daughter, when she was born she had black hair and the older she got it got light but he is noticing that it is changing again from the dark blonde back to a brown. River had buried her face in her pillow, sleeping just like her Mom on her stomach, she was so much like her mom. He knew she was not sleeping, and he knew that she was aware of him being in her room, but it was as if the two had a mutual understanding neither of them is going to say anything to the other.


“Rio I know you are angry with everyone but I want you to know that if you want to talk I am here. We are all on your side but unless you tell us what we are dealing with I don’t know who to punch to make you feel better.” Rome bent down and kissed on her top of her head. He felt an ever so slightly nod anyone else would have missed it but Rome paid way too much attention to his family. Rome sighed as he left his daughter’s room. Lenna was waiting rather impatiently outside the room.

“And?”

Rome bent down and kissed her gently. “She is refusing to talk. I don’t know why, Georgie is right she can shut me out.” Lenna looked at her daughter’s room door. Something wasn’t right here.

“Rome she couldn’t be possessed or anything could she?”

“No it is just her in her mind. I cannot see into her mind but it is just her in there.” Rome assured her as he led her into another guest room. They couldn’t do anything until morning.


Inside her room River was crying, she didn’t understand what was happening to her. She knew her parents would be coming, she knew a lot of things lately. The whole thing with Xavier, she knew stuff about that too…


“Good morning Rio.” Rome smiled at his daughter as she walked into the breakfast room. Everyone was there, apart from her three brothers that stayed in Seattle - her dad and mom, Logan, Xavier, Auntie G and Adam were all sitting at the breakfast table. River looked from one to the other. “What the fuck is this? An intervention for the rogue pre-teen? What do you want me to do? Join a convent, agree to move into a mental institution? I am not insane. I just want you all to let me be!”


“River! Watch your language.” Rome started but stopped. River his so beautiful daughter looked so angry that he didn’t recognize her.


“Christo!” Lenna said with a pained expression, she had to be sure.


“Seriously Mom? You think I am fucking possessed? Thanks for giving me the boost of confidence! You know what screw you all! You don’t want me so I gonna do you a favor! I will do exactly that.” River took the pan and smashed with it everything on the counter showering the kitchen floor with shards and then ran door banging out of the front door. She had no idea where she was going but she knew she was done, done with her family if they wanted to act as if she was insane they would get insane and irresponsible.


“FUCK!” Lenna yelled and was half out the kitchen when Rome grabbed her around the waist.


“Listen to me Lennie! I know Remington girls if they want to run and hide they will run and hide. She is your daughter and you would do exactly the same! Heck you did so many times, when you get overwhelmed you run. She is a smart girl. She will be safe! As hard as it is we got to let her have time to cool down and think. I learned that the hard way. Sometimes a Remington girl has to run to understand what she feels, let’s just hope she doesn’t find a hunt or a town called any ridiculous names like Happy.”

Lenna sighed and fell into Rome’s arms. This was the hardest part of parenting. Letting her children do mistakes and fall, it was part of growing up. The adults waited a few hours, cleaning up the kitchen before they went out looking. Logan took his brother Edward along, Adam stayed in the house in case River came back, Rome and Lenna would also be driving around and Georgie checked the Remington house. 


She heard his footsteps before she saw him and she felt her dad trying to speak to her in her mind, but she wouldn’t let anyone in. Never again.


“It took you a long time to find me, Daddy.” River said as Rome was standing behind her. He smiled hearing her call him still Daddy. That was a good sign, his Rio was still not completely gone.


“Well I thought you would like some time to yourself. So do you wanna talk about it?”


“You and Mom, in the beginning you… weren’t always together right?”


“No, well I knew she was cute from the very beginning and that I wanted her to stay with us, I think deep down I was in love the moment I saw her the first time but I didn’t understand it. I didn’t know what it meant to love another person as much as I love your Mom.” He sat down next to her. “Quincy Market huh, nice choice for a hide out. Have you eaten?”


“Yeah, I was clever and took my backpack with me…” River watched the people passing by; the market was another two hours open. “When did you know?”


“I don’t really know there wasn’t one moment, it were loads of little moments and then the whole stories when SWORD took us and mind raped us into oblivium or when the gods took Logan and tried to use us as their chess pieces in their apocalypse. Afterwards Georgie decided it was time for her to come back here to Boston and I was still trying to proof to your Mom that I was good enough for her, it took some time but eventually she believed me… more details on that moment when you are about 35.”


“Dad!” River rolled her eyes. “I know about sex and that you and Mom do it like the rabbits!”


Rome chuckled nervously.


“What if Auntie is right… what if I really do like Xavier that way?”


“Well you are young I am not saying it won’t work out but not many first loves are forever.”


“And then… I lose my best friend.” River whispered sad.


Rome suddenly had a feeling that she was not just angry because of her blossoming feelings. He couldn’t explain it, it wasn’t a real vision but he knew there was more.


“You won’t lose him, Edward is the most proper boy I ever met. And if he breaks your heart no worries you can keep your best friend in a very dear memory, because I will kill him.”


River was quiet for a long time but her posture relaxed, she leaned against Rome and didn’t look so tense anymore.


“So you think I should tell him?”


Rome took his time to answer. “I think if you really feel that way he has the right to know that and then make a decision and even if this means for a few weeks it gets a bit awkward because he doesn’t feel that way. But isn’t that better than always wondering and watching him have girlfriends because he has no idea that you might feel the same like him? And let’s face it he is a guy he might not know yet how he feels for you.”


River nodded slowly. “Yeah I guess.” But she didn’t move. Rome was right there was more.
Rome wrapped his arm around his daughter’s shoulders. He didn’t do it to spy on her but he made sure Lenna heard what he and River were talking about. Lenna was sitting still in the truck waiting for them.


“Dad?”


“River?” He imitated River’s tone of voice. River rolled her eyes at him, she hated when he did that.


“I am not just angry because of that.”


“Do you wanna talk about it?”  He asked a lot gentler.


River sighed deeply. “Dad I… I see things before they happen, nothing big just little things… I don’t think it is as strong as your powers, but it is like when I am looking for information in a book I touch the book and I know what page I will find it even when I never read the book before.”


Rome looked surprised at his daughter. For a while they thought Remus inherited his powers but that wasn’t the case, neither of the boys have any powers but Lenna often thought that River possibly could have inherited her fire powers or possibly her natural witch abilities but precognition. He did not see that one coming.


“That’s why you can keep me and Auntie G out?” He said slowly. “Is it just precognition?”


“No, I… know when people are lying to me and sometimes I think I can read minds. Kind of at least. I don’t know it’s really hard.”


“Is that why you wanted to be normal?”


River looked up with big brown eyes at her dad.


“I’m sorry when we came last night I checked if you are okay and heard you think it.” He wiped the tears of his daughter’s face. “You are normal!”


“Dad I am not, if other hunters would hear about my abilities they would hunt me down and kill me. SWORD kidnapped you for exactly those ability and I am not even 12 if I have abilities now what do you think my abilities will be like in 8 nine years when I am the same age as you were when they took you?”


“No one will ever take you! DO you hear me? And if they bother you that much your powers…”


“I can find a spell to block them.” Lenna said inside of Rome’s head.


“… I am sure your Mom can find a way to block them.”


“Oh. My. God. I thought I am talking to you and not Mom too!” River stood up ready to run again.


“Sorry Babe, I got to keep her from running.”


“I know!”


Rome quickly took his daughter’s hand before she bolted. “I am sorry your Mom is very scared that… she did a wrong decision when she said to keep you home. She loves spending time with you and teaching you but… Georgie never saw you that angry and it scared Lenna that it was her fault.”


River looked at her dad. “Tell her I am not angry at her, I am jealous of her. I wanted her powers. I wanted to be a witch like her instead I am…”


“Like your freak dad.” Rome finished for her.


“I never called you a freak.”


“But my powers make you feel not normal.”


River looked around wondering if she should still run away a second time, but she decided against it. “I know every summer you ask me if I still wanna be homeschooled and you can ask me now, I do not want to go to school. I love being homeschooled. I… shit ...”
Rome got up and wrapped his arms around his daughter. “When I started having visions I had horrible headaches and I avoided sleep.”


“I am sleeping normal and I don’t have headaches.” She whispered into his shirt but she was slightly shaking.


“If you want we can train, I helped your Mom to have her powers under control and after the whole apocalypse she was terrified of herself or maybe it was after SWORD when they manipulated her that she was scared to have seen what her powers really could do. I am a great Professor X just with hair and still walking.”


“Can we go see Mom? I wanna apologize.”


“Sure.” Rome grinned. “Tell me where she is.”


River looked at her father and realized he was trying to teach her or to see how her powers worked.


“If you let me in I might be more able to help and guide you.” He said calmly. River nodded and took down the barrier she put up around her mind. Rome was surprised to have full access to his daughter’s mind, he was careful where he looked into. River touched his wedding ring, she felt a warmth spread from it through her. He saw her mind being flooded by a warm light and he realized that she saw a lot of things but not where Lenna had parked the car, a fact he also didn’t know. Very carefully he pushed pictures away sieving through the things she saw.


“Stop!” River pushed Rome out within a second. “I’m sorry. I don’t wanna use my powers to find Mom can we just call her?” River was breathing heavily as if she just had been running.


“Yep we can do that.” Rome smiled wondering what he did to make her feel that way all the sudden. “Are you alright?”


River didn’t say anything and just watched him text Lenna. “You didn’t do anything, but I never used my powers willingly and… I don’t want to try yet.”


“Okay. Come on your Mom will pick us up at the corner.”

River held Rome’s hand tightly, despite being nearly 12 years old, overly independent and too smart for her own good deep down she was still a little girl and needed her dad to keep her safe. She had a big decision to make before she would reach her best friend’s house… one that would change everything. And even though she always played cool and tough she was scared to lose her best friend forever, what If he didn’t feel the same? After all she was just a weird freak homeschooled little girl.

“River, I am sorry if I did anything to make you angry. I promised I would always be on your side and…” Lenna broke off.

River hugged her Mom from behind. “I am not angry with you! I never could. You are my amazing witch Mom and I am so sorry I am not… a witch. I so badly wanted to be. I didn’t mean to scare you by running away.” She whispered only for her mom’s ears. Rome started the car.

“Seatbelt, Rio. Unless you develop Wolverine’s healing powers… actually even then seatbelt!” Rome didn’t move until his daughter was safely strapped in.

They were all back at Georgie’s house when Rome, Lenna and River arrived but no second intervention it was only Georgie at the door.

“I’m sorry for the way I behaved Auntie G.” River whispered without looking at her. Georgie hug her goddaughter briefly feeling that she wanted not to be hugged. 

“Thanks. Don’t worry about it, okay?” She wanted to say so much more but Rome stopped her in her mind.

River nodded. The second person she ran into on her way to her room was her biggest brother. Logan pulled her into a bone crushing hug. “If you want I could help you with your powers.” He projected into her mind.

“Not at the minute. For now I just want to ignore that I am like you and Dad.”

“If you need me-“

“I know!” She tiptoed and kissed him on the cheek clearly not wanting to talk about her powers. “I got to break my heart now.”

Logan didn’t want to let her go but he knew he had to. River knew where to find Xavier, in the conservatory.

“Hi Xavier… Edward.” She never called him Edward, it was weird and foreign but she didn’t know if she should still call him Xavier, if she should still have a special name for him. “I am sorry I… I am sorry I was such a bitch these past weeks… There is a lot… you are my best friend! I need you to know that. Whatever I am going to say you are my best friend! I was angry with you because you… you had a Caitlin and even though Caitlin was an awful pain in the butt it wasn’t her. Xa- Edward, I… I don’t know when it started but… I, I think I li- like you, like like you…” River was standing next to him but she was ready to run. She was her mother’s daughter after all and a Fee would run when things got too much. And this, definitely counted as too much!

“I know I am not even 12 years old and I am just a little girl and not as pretty as Caycay and… you know what this is just stupid. Never mind I said anything, just forget the past weeks and especially this moment and tomorrow morning when we wake up we are back to normal. I promise I won’t be such a bitch anymore.” River was speaking faster than lightning and turned around on the spot, wanting nothing more than run away.

Edward frowned. River was rambling and he caught a few words in between but he didn’t really hear what she just said, she just spoke way too fast. She seemed to be upset. He could tell without having heard everything she just said.

“Ehm…I’m sorry, what was that?”

River had just turned her back on him but then she froze in the doorframe.

“I didn’t quite catch that.” He smiled awkwardly at her when she turned back around, her cheeks flushed.

“You didn’t catch what exactly?” Her voice was off. It almost sounded a bit shaky.

“You said something about us being friends and Caitlin, but you were talking so fast that I didn’t quite hear what you were saying,” Edward replied calmly. “You’re not saying that this thing between me and Caitlin…well, it didn’t ruin our friendship, did it? I really hope it didn’t. River, you’re my oldest friend. Nothing is ever going to change that, okay?” He thought he sounded encouraging and genuine but River’s face dropped as if he had offended her. “I…um…did I do something wrong?”

River starred at her best friend with open mouth. “What is wrong with you? I just poured out my entire heart and you didn’t catch any of it and make me say it all again?”

River stomped her foot in annoyance. “I have feelings for you, you idiot and not just best friends feelings but you made it very clear that I am just your oldest friend. So yeah that’s fine. Nothing better than a broken heart. So yeah good that you haven’t understood what I have said it was shit anyway. Just… I know I said let’s just forget about it but I think you got to give me some time to… get over those stupid feelings.” River forced herself to speak a normal speed and not supersonic to make sure she would not have to say it a third time.

“Or are you messing with me and you heard everything but want me to say it again to… oh gosh you think I am ridiculous and you want me to repeat everything to laugh about it. This is even worse!” River wanted to run but this time when she turned around she ran against the half closed door and fell backwards on the ground tears running down her cheeks without ever seeming to stop. “I wish I could just go to Neverland like Peter did and I never have to deal with those stupid grownup feelings!”

Lenna couldn’t stay in the house any longer, she was 40 year old, seen some horrible things, gone through hell literary but seeing her beloved daughter so hurt, seeing her daughter struggle with who she was, was breaking her. She felt overwhelmed and the moment River left them to speak to Edward, Lenna couldn’t stay anymore in this house, with her family. River was just like her mother, now it was Lenna’s turn to run and boy did she want to run. She wanted to run until her feet couldn’t carry her anymore and then she wanted to crawl, heck drag herself even further away. She made it all the way into Georgie’s perfect garden -Georgie had a gardener of course, Georgie just tended the roses; the white roses- ; sure she wanted to run as far away as possible but her motherly instincts and history wouldn’t let her. Small flames were dancing around the garden.

“You are so predictable.” Rome mumbled as he sat down behind Lenna on the sun lounger, pulling her close to him.

“Well you said it, us Remington girls like to run when it gets too much.” Lenna mumbled.

“I am glad you stayed a lot closer than you used to.” He kissed her on the cheek. Lenna nodded and leaned into her husband’s embrace, the safest place on earth.

“We have changed so much. Do you remember us like twenty years ago?”

Rome laughed. “Yeah we were… reckless and pretty stupid.”

It was Lenna's turn to laughed. “Yeah something like that. I never thought we had this, fuck I never thought I would have a college degree.”

Rome chuckled. “I knew you would.” The two were quiet for a while.

“Do you think Edward will break her heart?” Rome whispered. “If he does I will break him, kill him and let you all forget he ever existed.”

“I think they will be good together, but he is a boy and they often need longer to know what they feel.” Lenna grinned at Rome.

“Hey! If I remember right I knew since the moment I saw you that you need to stick around because you are cute.”

“Ha! As if. Sure you wanted me around but back then you were convinced I would be the perfect girl for your brother and look how that turned out…”

“Yeah he went crazy, decided to switch to the dark side and then your dark side killed him. I am not even sure my stupid brother would have known how to do it.”

Lenna turned around and kissed him. “I still wish we could have made sure he never would have ended up on the wrong side.”

“It took him too long to run into you on a dark road in the middle of nowhere.” Rome said, sure he missed his brother but knowing that his brother in the end was the one that actually did sell them for money to monster hunters kind of put a damper on the relationship, even with your twin brother. “So does your pretty head found anything that can help Rio having those powers?”

“Well she hasn’t told me a lot of details. There are spells that would block her powers until she is ready for them. I think in the long run she might have more powers than you. She is not even 12 yet and has powers. You were what twenty.”

“Good that we destroyed SWORD they would totally want our super daughter.”

“Since she is a lot like me I to hope she will be sensible and not you know ignore her powers and go all Dark Phoenix on us. I was on the dark side, no need to see it from the good side.”

“We won’t let her. Logan and I will help her train, Georgie can guide her feelings through it. And you my gorgeous amazing witch will exactly know how to help her with some magic.”

“I had no idea how to fix my own powers.”

“Of course you did but you also knew how horrible wrong it can go if given in to the dark side of the force.”

“Tell me about it.” Lenna closed her eyes, for a moment remembering the darkest time of her life when she felt Rome gently push the memories away as if he took the book out of her hands and put them back on the shelf. “You promised not to poke around in my head.”

“I don’t need to do that to know what you think, especially when I know you remember that horrible time again. I am sorry it took me so long to see that you weren’t dead or a hallucination but that you were trapped in your own mind.”

“I know. You said that before…”

They were quiet for a while again watching the garden in its summer bloom.

“Our garden looks like shit compared to Blondie’s” Lenna giggled.

“Well your freaky witchy plants aren’t the prettiest, and the boys well they are not as well behaved as Edward. He is like a freak of nature but then his father is… an odd one. And besides, I like our garden. I like watching you and River sit on the big swing reading and the boys playing sports even when they say they are too old to play. Our garden is perfect. You are perfect. Gosh I wish you would let me read Edward’s mind so I can tell River if he likes her more than a friend. At the moment he is doing a pretty shitty job.”

“ROME! Stop listening in to their conversation.”

“I cannot help it, she is my little baby girl, I got to make sure she is alright. Besides she isn’t better, she has your freak ability to speak in lightning speed. The poor boy cannot even hear her that’s how fast she is speaking, it’s like a humming bird heart beat to our ears it is just a humming and not individual beats.”

Lenna grinned. “Look at you all smart.”

“Dad! This is shit! I know he is my brother but… she is my only baby sister, my River-Fee. If he dares to hurt her, I will kill him and let you all forget he ever existed.”

Lenna laughed out loud. “Logan you sound way too much like your Dad. You do realize that River is not this little helpless fairy.”

“Yeah I know she is like the kick ass Tinker Bell.” Logan grinned and sat down on the sun lounger next to his dad and Lenna. “… but I’m a Remington, we protect our girls.”

“Oh I know! I remember Gay Transvestite Midget porn that poor Adam thought about for months.”

Logan grinned cheeky. “What can I say I only got one kick ass mom and I was a silly little boy, I didn’t understand that she was kind of lonely.”

Logan looked at the white roses. “Is she doing okay?”

“Yeah, your brother on the other hand is a bit of an idiot.” Rome said quietly.

“This is why I never gonna have a daughter.” Logan said rather serious, neither of them really knew what to do, all three of them wanted to protect a young girl that was feisty as heck waiting for the boy she loved with all her little pre-teen heart to answer.

River got up rather clumsily and looked still crying at Xavier. He looked confused but so adorable and perfect… River took three quick steps and kissed him, not like a brother or friend but the boy she was in love with. She did more collide with him than lovingly embrace him but she meant it wholeheartedly.

“… This is so wrong… but it feels so right… it feels like coming home. His lips are so soft and he smells… so good!”[/size][size=15] River thought in the whole three seconds her lips were on his. She knew the story how her Mom kissed her Dad in certain death and to be honest she felt very much in the same situation. She either would lose her best friend and that pretty much meant she was dead or… that is pretty much as if someone took down the warehouse with psychic powers to protect the girl he loved. She wished she could read Xavier’s mind but she didn’t know how to flex that muscle. But for three second she could tell herself that everything would turn out okay.

Edward hadn’t seen it coming. None of it.
His mind was racing like crazy, and as much as he tried, he just couldn’t get one simple sentence together.
First, River was talking so fast and confusing that he didn’t catch anything she said. Then she started crying. It slowly became clearer what was going on, but before he even had the chance to get a word out she walked up to him and… she actually… she kissed him. It was very short, just a fleeting moment, but it had happened. It had actually happened. He had been kissed before but this time it felt completely different. This was River…. His best friend, the person he loved to spend every minute of the day with. The person he could always be himself with, and felt most comfortable with. His River…
He was too dumbfounded for words. He was generally not that great in expressing his feelings in the first place, he kind of took after his dad when it came to that, but right now he couldn’t even get a word out. He needed more time to digest all of this, but judging from River’s expression he didn’t have that time. She was waiting for him to react, to say something. She had just poured her heart out to him (Apparently. He had missed a lot of that after all, since she had been talking too fast), and then she had kissed him, which must have taken her all the courage in the world… but he needed to let all of this sink in first. Her face was red from crying and she seemed shocked about her own actions. Maybe she was regretting what she just did…
Jeez, just say something already! he thought.
“Um….eh…thank you….?”
The words came out before he had time to think. Edward could have punched himself. After everything River just did, that’s all he could come up with?
“I…I’m sorry.” Before he could make it any worse, he jumped up, ran past her and stormed out of the room.

River stood in the conservatory kind of shell shock.


“Um….eh…thank you….?” … “I…I’m sorry.”…

This was worse than she ever imagined, she not just made it weird between her and her best friend no she made him run away. The boy that was so fucking polite he would never walk out of a room if he wasn’t excused and there he was just walking out on her… no actually running out on her. River kicked one of the chairs, hurt her toe in the process and walked out of the conservatory but she went out into the garden only to be met by… her parents.


“Wonderful!” She considered going back inside but what if he came back and said more stupid polite things. This was turning into the worst day of her entire life!

“Don’t! Just don’t say anything. I know you have been spying on us anyway, Dad and you know that Edward run out on me because he doesn’t like me that way and realises I am nothing but a stupid little girl that following him like a delusional duck that mistook him as it’s primary carer. Just…”

“Hase, boys not always know what they feel. Your Dad didn’t know that he was head over heels in love with me the moment he saw me, possessed or not.” Lenna offered, she didn’t get up trying to make this not a big deal. Even though she saw that her daughter’s heart was broken, despite not having empathic powers.

“Well, fine than. I let him be a moron and become a nun! I am sure they can hunt monsters too! You know in the name of God and shit. I will never fall in love again, it is a stupid feeling anyway, totally pointless and does nothing but hurt you. I am done with boys! All I need is the road and the next son of a bitch to kill!” River looked angry and hurt as she turned around to hide in her room and start her studies of monsters to be prepared for a lonely life as hunter. Lenna looked for help at her husband hoping he could… say something to sooth his precious’ daughter’s broken heart.

Rome looked at his wife. “What?” He said without his daughter being able to hear it in Lenna’s head.


“Do something, she is heartbroken!”

Rome got up and pulled his little girl into a tight hug despite her trying to push him away, unsuccessfully. “Maybe being a nun is a bit drastic. But let me tell you something Rio! All men are scum so don’t even bother. They are dirty pigs, I mean look at your brothers.”

“You are no help Dad.” River kind of wailed and accepted his hug, she could hide her tears and knew he would make it all better. He was her hero and always did.

“I would say nothing against you being gay, you know have a pretty girlfriend.” He said chuckling.

“Dad! You are gross! I am pretty sure you like the idea for very wrong reasons!”

“What no never.”

“Dad? I know when people lie and you… at last kind of lie there is the fact that I am your daughter which makes it wrong.” River mumbled knowing his ears would prick up the moment she mentioned her powers.

“Okay not being a lesbian, that would totally be fine with me. No need for you to think about boys before you are about 35 at least. And I hope you know that I am totally considering to give Edward a piece of my mind… with my fists or my gun.”

“Dad, he is thirteen.”

“Old enough to act like a man and be treated like one if he dares to hurt my precious!”

River rolled her eyes. “I am still not a ring that you can hide away in the depth of a mountain cave in the dark so no one ever finds me.”

“Totally worth trying! Now I got to speak to a certain young Mister Smith-Wesson.” Rome kissed River on top of her head. “Go to your Mom, she is very much on your side and will give you more… different advice.”

River smiled when she heard him in her mind gentle and carefully to make sure he stayed outside sort of speak.


“She is rather clever when it comes to advice. I bet she already found me a nunnery to join.” River said in her mind back letting him in a little bit more before she went to find her mom.

In the meantime Lenna found Georgie in the kitchen and before River found them she asked her sister-by-choice. “You know what he really feels. Tell me is it just a misunderstanding, or is he actually breaking her heart and I got to consider our friendship? I don’t know what to say to River, whatever I say is wrong… I am not sure how to tell you this but she is developing powers like Rome’s, a weaker version of it at least at the moment they are weaker. I feel like whatever I say she is reading my mind trying to find the bits that I didn’t say and should have or the stuff I just hink because… I am still me. What the fuck am I supposed to say or do? I don’t know teenager girls. The boys are easier.”

Georgie leaned against the cupboard, her arms crossed. She let Lenna talk without interrupting. When Lenna finally finished, Georgie opened the fridge, got out a wine bottle that was worth a normal person’s yearly salary, and poured herself an entire glass full, which she then chucked down like it was lemonade. Lenna just stared at her, her mouth slightly opened.
Georgie put the glass back down and took a deep breath, considering if she should have another.

“Can you people just for God’s sake give me a second here?” She turned to face Lenna.

“What?” Her friend seemed confused.

“For the last hour I felt this freaking flood of hormones coming from all sorts of directions. I haven’t felt that hormonal since I was pregnant with Logan. This is almost worse, though. These are annoying, irrational pre-teen hormones that I have to put up with! I can’t help it! I can’t control the fact that the combined force of your daughter’s crazy hormones and my son’s utter confusion is transferred onto me right now! Can you just give me a break here?!” Georgie gasped for air, then poured herself another drink. “My head’s going to explode any second. Jesus Christ!”

A brief silence settled in the room.

“You’ve got a beer or something?” Lenna asked.

Georgie opened the fridge again and handed her a bottle. Neither she nor Adam drank beer but Logan kept some bottles in there.

“Thanks,” Lenna said, drinking straight out of the bottle.

“To come back to your question…” Georgie cleared her throat. “No, let me ask you. Do you really think Edward is hurting River on purpose?”

“Well…”

“What is it with you guys acting like he’s the devil in disguise? This is Edward we’re talking about! He wouldn’t hurt a fly, especially not his best friend.”

“But she’s crying.”

“She didn’t even give him the chance to digest any of this,” Georgie said. “He’s thirteen, for God’s sake. And he’s not like Logan, who was pretty experienced at that age already. It’s too much for him right now, he needs to digest all of this first.”

“He’s had a girlfriend though,” Lenna remarked. “So it’s not completely new.”

Georgie rolled her eyes. “You mean CayCay-Sun-Shines-Out-Of-Her-Ass? That was hardly a proper relationship. He’s not a player, Lenna. He’s awkward with feelings and doesn’t know how express himself. He’s borderline autistic when it comes to that, a lot like his dad. Don’t confuse his behaviour with brattiness. Everyone is always like ‘poor little River’ but can you possibly imagine how he’s feeling? River is his best friend, ever since she was born. And then she drops that bomb on him. I get that she’s upset, believe me, I know how it is to be a girl that age and you know that I would never want her to get hurt, but please don’t say that you and Rome are going to teach my son a lesson and punish him or whatever. He’s really confused and upset and hasn’t been given the time to think about any of this. So if you’ll excuse me, I have to find my son and check if he’s alright, since nobody else seems to care about that.” Georgie took one more sip of her drink, then she walked past Lenna and left the kitchen.

River wanted to see her mom, but somehow she felt she rather wanted to be alone… she walked a little aimlessly through the house. She actually wished she would be home, in the Remington house, her refuge. Here she always felt like she had to look a certain way, talk a certain way, act a certain way and even think a certain way. She loved the Gilmore-Smith-Wesson house and it was as much her home as her actual home. She had her own room in here, which had a wardrobe that had her clothes in it, admittedly not clothes she would wear at the Remington house, but still her things.

Why did everything have to change? If I could have just stayed the way I was I would have not ruined everything.

River didn’t pay attention where she was walking into rooms out, of them and through them when all the sudden she ran into someone.

“Auntie G?!” River looked worried at her beloved aunt, her slightly disheveled looking aunt. “I am sorry, I am trying to shield you from my silly pre-teen feelings it is not as easy as I thought. I know Xa-Edward is not really trying to hurt me, I am not stupid. But… knowing is one thing and feeling another. Just tell me… I know how this is going to play out, I saw it. I am losing my best friend, aren’t I? And then who do I have left? I will just be the… freak everyone -that didn’t fight gods- thinks. I broke our friendship, the bond I thought could never break, he promised me when he read Peter Pan to me he would never be like Peter and forget Wendy… I was his Wendy... I just didn’t know that those two weren’t just friends.”

River hugged a small frame tightly. She never felt so much like a little girl than she did in this moment. She never felt this helpless.

River took her phone out -having Rome as a dad meant her phone was the newest of the newest- and searched this song just to play it on a loop.

Georgie wanted to squeeze this little girl so much and tell her that everything was going to be fine, but she also felt reluctance coming from River. The young girl had her arms crossed, almost as if she was shivering and trying to stay warm, and she even took a step away from her.
“River, sweetie, you need to listen to me-“

“It’s all wrong,” River muttered. “I lost my best friend! And you know that I don’t have friends to begin with. He’s always been there for me, since I was born, and now I messed it all up. I hate myself!”

“River, don’t say that.” Georgie reached her hands out and touched River’s shoulders. She tried not to flinch when a massive wave of mixed, chaotic feelings were flooding through her, all exuding from that little girl. “You didn’t mess it up. And you certainly haven’t lost Edward. I’m going to be honest; I don’t know how Edward feels about all of this, but however this ends, there is no way that he’s going to give up a friendship with you. You mean the world to him.”

River was biting her lip. “I’m not even sure I can be his friend anymore after this. I totally embarrassed myself in front of him, I can never face him again, and in case he doesn’t feel the same way about me that I feel about him, I really don’t know if I can bear being friends with him, always being around him, and he only ever sees me as his friend. That would… that would seriously mess me up at one point or another.” She looked up at Georgie. “Am I selfish? I’m totally sounding selfish now!”

“No, that has nothing to do with selfishness,” Georgie said calmly. “Everyone in your position would feel the same way. The idea of loving someone who doesn’t love you back, and then still pretending that everything is okay and remaining friends is going to hurt you eventually.” She noticed how River’s facial expression changed when she said the whole ‘doesn’t love you back’ part, so she quickly added: “But let’s not cross that bridge before we get there. I don’t know how my son feels, and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t even know how he feels himself. But I can tell you one thing; Edward will never be able to hate you or want nothing to do with you. Even if you hit a rough patch, you’ll always be his Riri, okay?”

River took a deep breath. She looked like she was close to tears again, and it was breaking Georgie’s heart.
“If you go back downstairs, the cook will fix you something to eat. And she makes the best milkshakes. Not that I ever take advantage of that, since one shake has like gazillion calories, but you would definitely enjoy them.” She smiled at the young girl. “She’ll make you one with Oreos and chocolate chip, does that sound good?”

River nodded slightly.

“Okay, and I’m going to talk to Edward, even though he’s a tough nut to crack when it comes to talking. Doesn’t like to talk about his feelings at all,” Georgie said. “Good thing though that he doesn’t have to say a thing, I can literally feel what he feels. Even though that’s a bit of invading his privacy, but this is kind of important…”

“Please don’t make a fuss, Auntie G. I don’t want him to feel even worse.”

“Don’t worry, River, I’ll be approaching all of this really carefully. But I need to talk to him regardless.”

“Okay.” River hugged Georgie briefly. “Thanks, Auntie G.”

“No problem.” Georgie watched her walk away, then she turned around as well, trying to find her son.

For a moment she didn't know what to do but then her Fee head won. Food could fix everything and how could she say no to milkshakes.

"Hey. DO you think I could have oreos, chocolate and peanut butter in a milkshake?" River asked rather shy the cook who seemed to be cleaning the kitchen.

"Of course honey, we'll add some whipping cream. And I just made a fresh batch of brownies." The cook smiled she let River sit and the big kitchen table and play on her phone. 

Hey Ri, Logan kind of told us what is going down. Do you want us to come home? R³ It was Remus' phone that sent the message but River knew all three of her big brothers would come back in a heartbeat. Sure they were jerks and most of the time annoyed her but she knew they loved her and she loved them.

No. It is all messed up but don't. I'm fine.


Of course you are, you are a Remington.


River shook her head, her brothers could be so stupid at times.

"That are big brothers for you Rio." Logan said as he sat down and wrapped his arm around her little frame. 

"Tell me about it. Sometime sit sucks being the youngest." She didn't complain when he helped himself to some of her milkshake. 

"Tell me about it sometimes it sucks being the smartest." Logan grinned, River shoved him and took her milkshake back. 

"Idiot."

"I love you too." Logan kissed her on top of her head.

Georgie went to her son’s room first but he wasn’t in there. There was one more room where she could almost always count on finding him; the library. She wasn’t spending too much time in there but Edward loved to read and preferred to do his homework in the library as well.
She opened the door carefully and peaked in. They had a lot of comfortable sofas and armchairs in the library but Edward often sat in the little reading nook next to the large window. She spotted him right there, his face turned to the window. He didn’t notice her coming in.

“Sweetie?”

He startled at the sound of his mom’s voice and turned to face her.

“Are you okay?”

“I don’t want to talk, Mom.”

“I figured you wouldn’t.”

“So why did you come then?”

Georgie stepped a little closer. God, he was still so young. So different to how Logan was at that age. He was very much still a boy, even though he seemed to grow a couple of inches every day these days. He was looking at her with Adam’s very blue, beautiful eyes. Even though her youngest son was certainly not a lady’s man like Logan, it was easy to tell why girls still liked him. He was too damn cute. If it wouldn’t have been for his awkward and geeky personality, which she loved of course, he’d definitely have more girls lined up at the door. But for now he had one girl in his life, and that girl was more important than any other girl could ever be, only Georgie knew too well that he’d struggle to come to terms with that.
“I just wanted to check on you,” she said calmly. “And see how you’re dealing with…eh…well, everything that happened.”  

“I can deal with things best if I’m left alone,” he said matter-of-factly.

Georgie rolled her eyes. “You do sound like your father.”

“Well, I don’t like to be left in a midst of chaos, with people attacking me and threatening me and telling me that I should go to hell, just because their little sister or daughter came to me and…and confessed her…feelings…and…kissed me…” He had lowered his voice as he spoke the last words.

“Who’s threatening you?”

“The Remingstons. All of them! I haven’t even done anything, Mom. All I’m guilty of his trying to process what just happened, and I get people telling me that they’re going to kick my ass and whatnot. Can I just get a break, please?” Edward glanced out of the window again. “Just because I’m the boy it’s all my fault. It’s so sexist. River is tougher than any guy out there, but the second she’s upset her entire family loses it and all go after the person that upset her, which, in this case, is me, but I didn’t do it voluntarily. I haven’t had any time to even understand what’s going on, and they already threaten me. I just don’t want to see anyone right now.”

“Not even Logan?”

“No, because Logan is just like the rest of them. He’s automatically siding with her because she’s a girl, and he’s always acted like the Remingtons are his true family and he barely tolerates us because we’re too different from him. I’m sorry I don’t end up in fights like the twins every day. I’m sorry I’m not as cool as all his other brothers.”

“I don’t think that’s true, Edward,” Georgie said.

“Yes, Mom, it is. If River would only look in my direction with an upset expression, he’d beat me up and completely forget about the fact that we’re bothers, too.” He ran is fingers through his hair. “And now I’m sounding like I’m mad at River, which isn’t the case at all. I’m only upset about the fact that everyone in the Remington family is so quick to judge and attack when they don’t even know the whole story. And all of it because River is a girl…”

Georgie sat down on the arm chair across from him. “You never told me that you’re feeling that way about Logan.”

Edward bit his lip. “It’s so obvious, though. That his other brothers and sister are his family, and I’m just… a distant cousin, if anything. I don’t have any siblings. He’s the only brother I have, but since I’m not like the Remingtons he doesn’t really care to spend time with me. It’s all about River first and foremost, and then he even prefers spending time with those idiot twins who always get into trouble.”

“Why don’t you ever mention that to him?”

“Because I don’t want to talk about it,” Edward muttered. “I don’t even know why I’ve said any of this to you. It’s just… I’m really confused about everything right now and…I just need some time alone.”

Georgie scrutinised him quietly. “I ran into River on the way to find you,” she started. “She’s very upset. She thinks she’s messed everything up and that she’s lost you because of it.”

Edward didn’t look at her. “I don’t want her to be upset.”

“Well, she’s freaking out about her own feelings and worries that she’s pushed you away. She doesn’t want lose her best friend.”

“Maybe I…” He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. “Maybe we should… spend some time apart.”

A frown settled on Georgie’s forehead. “Why? She’s still your best friend, isn’t she?”

“Yes, she is. But I’m sick and tired of her family making me out to be a villain because I couldn’t immediately tell her that I love her and want to marry her and want to spend the rest of my life with her.” Edward’s eyes met Georgie’s. “I’m a thinker, Mom. You know that I need time to think and process things. You know how long it takes me to choose something from the restaurant’s menu or pick out a new shirt… So of course it’s going to take me some time to think about… my best friend, who I have known my entire life, coming up to me and confessing her feelings to me and kissing me. I just want time to process, is that so difficult? I want time without being threatened by her entire family, and all this pressure on me is making it worse.”

Georgie felt her son’s sadness and pain, and she wanted nothing more but to pull him into a tight hug. He wouldn’t want her to, though. When he was in a state like this he didn’t want anyone to come close to him.

“You need time, I get it.” Georgie nodded. “And I’m going to tell everyone to back off. But you do realise that River is going to really worry that she’s losing you now, right?”

Edward looked down. “I don’t want to lose her, I really don’t… but maybe she’s better off not having her hopes up. Her family has made it very clear that I’m not good enough for her, so maybe we shouldn’t be spending so much time together.”

Until this point Georgie was calm, but her feelings started to change, and her calmness was replaced by anger. She was just as protective of her youngest son than Rome and Lenna were of their daughter, and she was not happy seeing everyone ganging up on a 13-year old who had done nothing wrong except taken some time to think. And she would not watch a friendship destroyed over hot-headed alpha males who treated their sister and daughter as if she was some helpless princess. That was just ridiculous, especially since River was anything but a princess. She was some tough little kick-ass lady, that one. Just a little emotionally confused at the moment…

“I’ll tell River that you need some time to think,” Georgie said. “But I’m not going to say that she needs to stay away from you because you’re not good enough for her. That is total, utter bullshit! As if you’re not good enough for her! You! Out of all people! The most well-behaved young man I know.”

“Mom, please don’t make a scene.”

“I’m not going to. But I’m not happy about this, okay? And I should have a word with Logan.”

“Please don’t.”

“You just want to keep it all in?”

“As a matter of fact, yes,” Edward said. “I don’t want to cause any more trouble.”

“You haven’t caused any trouble, sweetie.”

“Not according to River’s family…”

Georgie took another deep breath. “I’m going to ask everyone to go home. Enough drama for today, I just want my peace and quiet.” She looked at her son. “If your father would be here, he’d be hiding in his office with the door locked right now. And for once I can’t even blame him.”

Lenna walked in the kitchen and watched smiling her daughter for a moment with her oldest brother.

“Hey River, Rome and I talked and we are going to go home. Not back to Seattle but back home. If you want you can stay here, Georgie does not object to that. Whatever you prefer.” Lenna kissed her daughter on top of her head and smiled at Logan.

“I am going to say bye to Xa… Edward and then go and pack.” River mumbled. “He needs his brother I will be fine, stay with him. Please I need to know that he is alright.”
“Anything Rio.” Logan nodded and River went to see Edward. She knew where he was, she knew he was in the library. She stood outside the door waiting, she didn’t even know for what. She wished he would open the door, tell her everything was fine but… nothing was.


Dear Edward, I guess I am not that special anymore I should just call you what everyone else calls you. I am sorry I fucked up everything. I am sorry I fucked up us. I am sorry I had to grow up, I’m sorry I had to have feelings, I am so sorry for… everything. I am sorry Peter. I will leave, I go home and never bother you again. I am sorry I had to change. I just wish Neverland wouldn't make you forget the time we had, the adventures we had... I wish you wouldn't forget me. I know I won't forget a single second.
Yours

She couldn’t even sign it; she didn’t know anymore who she was for him or anyone. River slipped the note under the door and left her watch next to it and walked away as quickly as she could to the room she used. She had loads to pack, this used to be her second home now she would leave it all behind.
Suddenly there was a beeping outside the library door loud enough for Edward to hear inside..