DISCLAIMER!!!!! If you recognize the person, someone else owns it. I own January and February! (Enter manical laughter here) I'm a poor not-yet-in-college-student so don't sue me 'cause you won't get anything. (Unless you like comic books and toy horses . . .)

Casting Shadows, chapter 2

January felt sick. Her H.F. was working too hard again. God, why her? She'd reather be dead. But she couldn't do that either.

**

"Hadj, she's a babe! But man, what an attitude." Jonny stopped and looked over as Jessie entered the room, a mischievous glint entering his blue eyes. "I mean, I thought Jessie was bad, but man!"

A pillow hit the back of his head.

"One of these days Quest, you're going to push me too far . . ."

Jonny smiled. "You couldn't hurt me if you tried."

"Ha! Not physically, but I could spread evil rumors about you and then all the girls would go away and poor Jonny would be all alone!"

"At least girls *like* me, I can get a date. Unlike some people in this room."

Jessie's face burned. "I can get a date, you doof! Just because I turned down the last guy who asked me out . . ."

"Who asked you out?!"

"Oho! Do I detect a slight note of jealousy?" Jess walked by him, pulling a soda out of the refrigerator.

Hadji considered running now before things got too violent.

"I'm not jealous of a dog-face like you."

Jessie turned bright red. "At least I don't look like a beach bum."

"You look like a bimbo!"

"Look! There goes Bandit with your portable radio, Jonny!" Hadji said with relief as the dog ran by. Distracted, Jonny ran out of the room, chasing the mongrel as fast as he could.

"Why must you always fight?" Hadji asked Jess.

"He started it." She flipped her hair out of her face and, picking up a book, walked out of the room.

"Dad?" She asked, entering the study where her father and Benton sat looking at something.

"Yeah, Jess?"

"You know that girl you drove home the other day? The one that was sick?"

"Oh yeah, the one that lived in the mansion."

"That's her. Could she spend the night tomorrow? I mean, she's new here, and it might do her some good . . ."

"Benton? Is that all right with you?"

"I don't see why not. It's Friday and as far as I know nothing's going on. One more kid in my house isn't going to hurt anything." The doctor smiled.

"Except your sanity." Race said dryly.

Jessie rolled her eyes. "Jeez Dad."

"Sure, honey."

"Thanks!" She walked out of the room, pulling another book from the shelves. If Jonny would stop taking her books and putting them elsewhere . . .

**

They giggled again and Jonny craned his neck to see in the family room.

"I thought you didn't care about what they were talking about in there." His father commented.

"I don't. I just . . . uh . . . wanted to make sure Bandit was okay."

"Bandit's over here."

"Right." Jonny went back to his book.

They giggled again.

He fought the urge to go see what was going on.

They giggled again.

"Man, how much do they have to laugh about?"

"They are women, Jonny. They will find much." Hadji said, and turned the page of the novel he held.

"Right." Jonny looked down and read the same sentence that he had read for the past half hour.

They giggled again.

He was going nuts! Two gorgeous girls in one room and he couldn't go see. "It's Jessie's sleep-over, if she doesn't want you there you can't go." His father had told him. Lately he and Jessie hadn't been on the best of terms. Hadji said he was jealous of January, but that didn't make any sense. So Jess spent every free minute with her, so what? It had only been a few days.

They giggled again.

"I'm thirsty." He said finally, getting up to go to the kitchen. Of course, the fact that he had to walk through the family room to get there didn't have anything to do with it . . .

"Hey."

The girls were both suddenly silent as they looked up at him.

"Whatcha talkin' about?"

January blinked and looked at him evenly. "You."

Jonny was a little non-plussed. "Uh . . . "

Jessie broke into laughter.

"Jess was just telling me how you-"

"Shhh! Don't say anything!" Jessie giggled.

"Oh. Okay. But it was really juicy." She smiled sweetly.

"Uh . . . I have to go." Jonny made a hasty exit into the kitchen. He got a drink and sat at the counter for a minute, wondering what Jess could be telling her. He didn't remember anything really embarrassing happening . . . recently . . . . Taking a deep breath he walked back into the family room and saw both girls sitting up listening to Hadji who sat on the couch.

Everyone was quiet the instant he entered the room.

"We're still talking about you." January said, her back to him.

Jessie broke into hysterics.

Jonny hurried across the room in the silence, stopping when January called out to him sharply.

"Jonathan! Stand straight!" Without thinking he turned to face them, straightening out his shoulders. Jessie giggled.

"Hm. I see what you mean Jess." January smiled at him. "Okay, that's all."

He almost turned to go, then got mad and whipped back around. "Just what are you saying about me?!?"

Jessie collapsed on the floor laughing, and even Hadji struggled to control it. January was the picture of calm.

"Oh, she was just saying some things about you and I wanted to see if it was true."

"Like what?!?! Jessie, I swear, if you mentioned the time Bandit took off with my clothes-"

Even January started to laugh at this, and Hadj couldn't help himself. "Jonny {gasp} my friend {pant} stop! {wheeze} Jessie said nothing! {laughter} Everything embarrassing January knows is by your own mouth!"

Jonny just stood there, blushing and mad.

Jessie hit January's arm lightly. "That was really mean!"

"All I have to say is T.M.I.!"

"TMI?" Jonny asked.

"TOO MUCH INFORMATION!" The two other J's called.

"Look, Jonny, I'm really sorry." January stood, put a hand on his shoulder and looked up at him through her eyelashes. "Jessie was just telling me about how popular you were, and how the girls were always chasing you. That's all. Really. Of course, now I know all about you and Bandit . . . ."

Jonny blushed again.

Jessie giggled.

"Come on, blondy. Come sit down. I won't tease you any more, I promise."

Jonny relented, though he wasn't sure why, and plopped down next to Jessie on the floor.

"Hey, we could grab some sleeping bags, lay them out on the floor and we could all sleep down here tonight! That way we don't have to bed!" All agreed it was a good idea (except for Benton and Race, who were finally convinced it would be okay when January pointed out that they could look over the stairs and see what they were doing. Benton and Race, of course, said they'd never do that.) and sleeping arrangements were soon made.

Whispers went on all through the night, and at some point the subject turned to parents, or lack of.

"So, my Mom's off at a dig somewhere, Egypt now I think, and I'm staying with my Dad."

Jess smiled. "Your turn Hadj." He smiled and told his story, then turned to January.

"I believe it's your turn."

"We're taking turns?" She laughed.

"Come on, Fiztgerald. Spill. Do you have perfect parents that gloat over you all the time?" Jessie said.

January looked down at the pillow. "You really don't want to hear my story."

"Yes we do!" Jessie insisted.

"We won't feel overly sorry, or laugh or anything." Jonny promised. Hadji nodded.

"It's gruesome." She warned them again.

"That's okay." Jonny said.

January bit her lip. "I'd rather not. I-I really don't want to talk about it."

An uncomfortable silence fell across the room. Jonny reached up over Jessie's back and put a hand on January's shoulder. "Did they die?"

January laughed bitterly. "No, ask the priest. They "passed away." People don't ever die." They laughed oddly, not sure of how to take her comment.

"How'd they die?" Jonny asked quietly, tilting his head.

She took a deep breath. "They were shot."

"When?"

"Eight months ago. I'm thirsty, I'll be right back."

January made a hasty exit, grabbing the closest bathrobe she could find and throwing it around her shoulders. "I'm borrowing this for a minute." She almost ran into the kitchen, taking deep breaths. Standing at the sink she tried desperately to keep the tears back. The void always seemed stronger at these times. Why her? Why in the world did They have to pick on her?! She heard footsteps behind her, and sniffed. Jonny. He smelled protective. Confused. Worried. Like a big brother. Not at all how he smelled toward Jess. She turned and looked at him, almost composed.

"You drew the short straw, huh?" She smiled.

Jonny just looked at her. "You okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Liar."

She looked at him for a minute, then couldn't hold his gaze and dropped her eyes to the floor.

"My mom died about five years ago. I felt the same way you did." He watched her closely for a reaction, and got one he didn't expect.

She never looked up, and she spoke very quietly. Venom dripped in her voice. "You will NEVER know what I'm going through. So don't pretend like you do." The counter where she had been gripping it shattered, and she jumped away, shocked.

"Omigosh!" Jonny rushed up, looking to see what had happened. Maybe a pipe or something had shattered . . . it was the only explanation he could think of.

January stepped back, looking down at her bloody hands. Damn. Damn damn damn DAMN. Why now?! Why did this have to happen now?! She was too worked up. She had to clam down. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, heard Hadji and Jessie coming down the hall. She looked back at her hands. Gone. It was over. She took some paper towels from the rack and quickly wiped the blood off, the little cuts on her hand healed. Hadji came in, followed by Jessie.

"What happened?" Jess asked.

"I dunno, the sink just shattered! January was standing there, what happened J?"

"I'm not sure. It just broke." She shrugged, not making eye contact. All this activity was sure to draw Their attention. She was going to have to leave again soon. Damn.

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