Roaring Thunder

Well, the club was awesome. Other than the insane amount of girls flirting with Josh. I mean, I was about to pull him out of there.

Martin was beyond any normal jealousy with Justin Bieber. Which was totally hilarious! Alison’s still trying to calm him down. In any way that won’t involve her kissing him. Which she did about five seconds ago to get him to SHUT UP. He was annoying all of us, okay?

“Alison likes Martin! Alison likes Martin!”, Sophie sings in her childlike voice.

“Shut up!”, Alison yells, frustrated.

“Alison and Martin sitting in a tree! K I S S I N G!!!!”, Sophie sings, smiling hugely, skipping around.

“SHUT UP!!!!!!”, and began a fun game of chase.

“Alison likes Martin! Alison likes Martin!”

“Sophie, shut up!!”

“Alison and Martin in love forever!”

“Gotcha!”, Alison growls, holding Sophie down on the ground.

“Alison likes Martin! Alison likes Martin!”

“Will you frickin’ shut up?!”

“No!”, Sophie giggles, as Alison starts tickling her. “Stop!”

“Will you?”, Alison laughs, smiling.

“Yes!”, and Alison stands up, smirking as she helps Sophie up.

“Was all that really nessecary?”, Duncan asks, frowning disapprovingly.

“Yes, yes it was.”, Alison says smugly. “I’ve had enough teasing from school. I don’t want it at home.”

“You get teased at school?”

“Yep. Pick any one of my guy-friends. Lemme think … there was Tyler, Martin, Max, David, and that one time I was helping Kurt study …”, Alison says, shaking her head. “They eventually shut up.”

“What do you do?”, Barbara asks, looking up from her book.

“Nothing. They eventually shut up. Gosh, am I that much like Kevin?”

“Hey, don’t be insulted! Okay, yeah be insulted. Because then you’re basically like him.”, Kevin stabs a finger toward Josh, who was stuffing his face full of pancakes.

“Hey! Some girl cornered me outside of the club! I’m trying to get the taste out of my mouth!”, Josh says defensively, holding his hands up, only to quickly go back to his pancakes. Alison sits down, lying her head down on the table and sleeping right there.

“She spends more time sleeping here than anywhere else,” I mutter.

“She was up all night,” Kevin shrugs.

“Wow,” Martin breathes, finally coming out of his daze. “Damn!”

“Were you like that when she kissed you?”, Josh asks, gulping down his pancakes.

“Nope. I did what you told me to do if she ever kissed me. Don’t think, just kiss back.”, Martin says, smiling smugly.

“You’re giving Martin dating-tips?”, I ask, rolling my eyes.

“They worked for me,” and he smirks directly at me, making my cheeks heat up.

“Sophie, shut up,” Alison growls, snapping her head in Sophie’s direction. “Thanks,” and she’s out. This is starting to happen way too often.

“Alison! Ohmyfinggod, there’s a tiger!!”, I yell in her ear.

“Huh? Where? Is it hurt? What did Kevin do to it? I’M COMING KITTY!!!!”, and she’s off.

“How’d you know?”, Kevin asks, staring after her oddly.

“Alison wants to be a vet. And she likes tigers.”, I say, shrugging.

“I want a tiger now!”, Alison whines childishly, looking around.

“Sorry! Sunday’s my day off. And I’m not bringing you some damn tiger!”, Josh says, glaring.

“Awwww,” Alison whines, plopping down next to me. “Kevin?”

“I completely disapprove,” Kevin says automatically, glaring.

“Man! Now I have to go wrestle a tiger all by myself!”

“I’ll tie you to that fucking chair!!!”, Kevin yells, standing up.

“Okay, okay! I get it!”, Alison says defensively, holding her hands up. “No big cats!”

♠ ♣ ♠

“So, Alison, what’s up?”, I ask, plopping down on the dining room chair, only to see that Alison had fallen asleep again.

“She’s been asleep all day, Melody.”, Martin says, staring at Alison adoringly.

“Well, she needs to wake up.”

Alison’s cell-phone started ringing, and she jerks awake, not bothering to check the collar ID.

“Hello?” “Oh, okay.” “Cool.” “Yeah, sure.” “Maybe. I’ll ask my dad.” “Oh, you know how he gets.” “I can try.” “’Kay. I’ll tell him. Thanks.”

“What was that all about?”, I ask teasingly.

“Oh, I got some free tickets to the night club. I can bring everyone.”, she shrugs.

“Who was that?”, Martin asks through his teeth.

“Not important,” Alison says, rolling her eyes.

“Was it that —,” and she kisses him to get him to shut up. I walk away quickly, feeling uncomfortable. I bump into someone, feeling my cheeks heat up automatically.

“Oh, hey, baby,” Josh says, spinning me around and kissing me.

“Baby?”

“What? You don’t like it?”

“No, I like it.”, I say, smiling. “We just gotta be careful. Remember? I wanna stay a Lightning.”

“But, c’mon, being a Thunder isn’t that bad! I mean, T and Joan are the worst.”

“T?”

“Tacey. Everyone calls her T for short.”

“Yeah, well, that stops now,” I say, standing on my tiptoes as Josh leans down, my arms wrapping his neck as his wrap around my waist.

“I never thought you could ever get hotter. But it’s just sexy when you’re jealous.”, Josh says, smiling at me.

“Sexy enough to go to the club tonight?”

“Why?”

“Alison got free tickets. She can bring everyone.”

“That explains why Martin’s tongue is halfway down her throat. And the fact that he’s trying to get lucky.”, Josh says, smirking behind me. “I didn’t tell him to try and get lucky!”

“What?!”, I yell, spinning around. “Alison!!”

She pulls apart, blushing a dark red, sitting on Martin’s lap. He smirks, setting his chin on her shoulder, grabbing her hand.

“What’s going on?”

“Umm … I’m going out with Martin …”

“And when exactly did this happen?”

“The night of the party,” Martin says, grinning.

“Is Kevin aware of this?”

“No … but please don’t tell him! He’d completely freak out! Remember? Die, rise, kill, lock? Birthday party conversation?”

“Ooh, yeah … even with him and Josh getting along … Martin wouldn’t live.”

“Exactly! So, please, don’t tell anyone.”, Alison begs, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Fine. But only if you keep Josh and me a secret.”, I say, as Josh wraps his arms around my waist. They look at each other, nodding in unison.

“Deal,” we all say together.

“So, have you gotten lucky yet?”, Josh asks sarcastically, making Alison snort.

“Does that answer your question. Besides, I’m thirteen!”

“I like him,” I say, nodding in approval. “He’s smart.”

“Yep,” Alison sighs happily. “Umm … sooo, are we heading to the club tonight?”

“Yeah, that sounds good …”, I say, smiling.

“Good, I was hoping for that. Because I’ll need something to use to distract Kevin when I break the news.”

“What?!”

“I’m kidding. Like as if I’d murder Martin.”, Alison says, smiling at him. “See y’all at eight tonight. Come on, Martin.”

“What are you two going to do?!”

“We’re thirteen! Why does everyone keep thinking we’re sleeping together?”

“Because we’re dead. Nothing could happen. And hardly anyone would know if we did.”, Alison says, rolling her eyes.

Josh and I look at each other, shaking our heads as we yell after them, “Don’t get any ideas!” — or at least I yell that. Josh yelled, “Use protection!” — and I wanted to slap him.

“Hey, we can’t hide it from them forever.”, Josh says defensively. “Alison will definately find out if Martin doesn’t.”

“Yeah, and your right. But that’s just a scary thought. Alison’s like my sister …”

“Hey, Martin’s like the brother I don’t wanna kill!”

“It’s just kinda … nerve-racking. Martin’s already got the hormones, Alison’s a love-struck idiot with just the right hormones to make something happen! And we all know what happens when Alison gets pregnant.”

“Kevin murders the sorry-ass who did it.”

“No matter how much Alison begs.”

“Kevin’s not that heartless!”

“Yeah, but he is when his only niece is pregnant.”

“Not unless she was like a hundred years old.”

“He’d still be ticked.”

“Yeah, no denying that. Hell, she could be a thousand years old and he’d still be fighting the impulse to murder the sorry-ass.”

“Because she’s thirteen forever …”

“Sadly,” Josh sighs. “It does kinda suck after awhile. You sometimes wish that you could get older. Martin told me Max was thinking about it while Alison was alive. Martin was wishing, too. But, there’s no cure for death like us. Mirabelle can’t even do that.”

“Yeah, I get what you’re saying. But, we all have to die eventually.”

“Not Elijah, Sebastian, and Elaine. Kevin, Raine, and I think that they were just sort of like that.”, he shrugs. “We were the first group of Riddles. We all died at sixteen. Over five hundred years ago.”

“Really?”

“Yep. But Kevin and me kept fighting. Eventually Raine knocked enough sense into us to split up, and by that point we had enough to start little groups.”, Josh says, shrugging. “Kevin’s version is, ‘Eventually I had had enough of Josh’s sorry-ass and kicked him out.’”, he mimicked Kevin’s voice pretty well. I giggle, finding this oddly funny.

“That does sound like Kevin.”

“Yep. And then Raine left us because we were still her two fighting brothers that couldn’t agree on the simplest things.”, Josh says, shrugging.

“Then what about the names? Thunder, Lightning, and Rain?”

“Oh, because Kevin’s really the impulsive brother. He strikes like Lightning. And then because I’m usually his target, the noise we make is like Thunder. And because Raine and her group always travel like the Rain itself. And because it’s always in the middle of the two without getting itself in trouble.”

“Hmm … that does sorta make sense.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty simple. Like I said back during the war, ‘Lightning anger.’”

“Yeah, I remember. Alison is so much like Kevin, now that you reminded me.”, I say, giggling slightly. “I mean they’re both psycho, messed-up, and impulsive.”

“And they also know how to fight, naturally. Except, Alison sort of regrets it afterward.”

“And she’s more modern.”

“And immature. You know Kevin, always has to be Mr. Mature.”

“Yeah, I noticed. And they’re both very serious at the same times.”

“And they’ve just recently stopped hating my guts.”

“And trying to kill you.”

“Right. Oh, and they both hate Raine!”

“That doesn’t count. Everyone hates Raine. And Alison’s matured since she died, too. Remember? Ever since the war she hasn’t been the same.”

“Oh, good! I’m not the only one who noticed that!”, Josh says sarcastically. “Everyone’s seen it. Even Martin and Max.”

“The two love-struck idiots.”

“Hey guys! Where’s Alison?”, David asks, smiling at us.

“At her house.”

“With Martin?”

“Yep.”

“Okay, thanks!”, and David was off.

“He’s not a half-bad kid. What is he? Thirteen?”

“Yeah, I think,” I say, shrugging.

♠ ♣ ♠

We were all headed to the club. Duncan and Sophie were really the only ones staying home this time. Alison was dancing on stage with Justin Bieber … again. I got to admit, that looks like fun! Martin was insanely jealous. He was beat-red, glaring, and looking close to murdering Justin Bieber. Which was totally hilarious!

“Ohmyfinggod! Look at Martin!”, I burst out laughing.

“Oh, I see! That dude’s close to murdering Justin!”, Josh laughs beside me. “Ooh, I hope Justin can fight.”

“You’re not the only one there.”, I giggle. “Oh, look! Usher!”

“You think there’s something going on with Justin and Alison?”

“Probably not. I mean, think about it. He’s sixteen, and alive. She’s thirteen, a witch, and dead.”, I say, shrugging.

“Yeah, good point.”

“She’s probably just a last-minute dancer or something. Maybe she won some kind of contest.”, I say, shrugging.

“Maybe,” Josh says, leaning down and kissing me. I smile, enjoying everything.

“Hey, Josh, I need some advice.”, Martin grumbles. Josh reluctantly pulls away, glaring at him.

“What?”

“What do you do when your girlfriend is falling for some superstar pop singer.”

“Alison’s not falling for Justin, Martin. She’s just having some fan.”, I say, laughing. “She wouldn’t do a celebrity relationship.”

“’Kay, thanks, Mel!”, Martin says, running back toward the stage happily.

“He idealizes you,” I giggle.

“Yeah, it’s annoying sometimes. And, hey, Alison idealizes you.”

“Really?”, I say, rolling my eyes. If she does, then where have I been?

“Yeah, completely. I mean, she trusts you more than anyone, if anything. And you act like a mom around her.”

“She idealizes her real mom,” I say, rolling my eyes.

“Exactly!”

Now, I finally caught on. “Ohh, I get it! You think Alison idealizes me because I’m like a mom to her!”

“It makes perfect sense.”

“Yeah, it does. But Alison’s independant. She told me she always crushes on her friends for like five-seconds. Then she went on lecturing me about how it’s just because she trusts them and yadda yadda. I zoned out.”

“Understandable. Alison does tend to go to extremes whenever trying to get her point across.”

I smile at him, leaning closer as he kisses me. Alison voice booms through the speakers with Justin’s, forcing us to break apart to stare with gaping mouths at them. It was a love-song — like most of Justin Bieber’s — which was probably the most shocking part.

“I see it, but I don’t believe it.”, I breathe, my eyes wide.

“Josh! I need your advice again!”, Martin says, walking back over to us.

“Whatcha need, Martin?”

“What do I do now?”

“Make-out with her as soon as you get home.”, — and that earned him a whack on the back of the head. “What?”

“That’s not what you do with Alison! That’s what gets you a slap in the face!”, I say, glaring at him. “You just ask her what’s up. Then you make-out with her.”

“’Kay, thanks!”, and he’s off.

“That kid is completely hopeless.”, Josh grumbles.

“He’s only thirteen, Josh. Don’t blame him because he’s never been in love before!”

“What about Alison?”

“She’s as lost as a dog that just got ran over.”, I say automatically. “Damn, I’ve been talking to her too much.”

“Nah, it was cute.”, Josh says, kissing me.

♠ ♣ ♠

“So, how was it yesterday?”, I ask, smiling at her.

“Martin thinks I’ve got a thing for Justin. Then he made-out with me. Would you happen to know anything about that, Mel?”

“Hmm … maybe a little,” I admit sheepishly. “He wouldn’t leave without a straight answer.”

“Yeah, I know,” Alison yawns, lying her head on the table-top, as everyone starts waking up.

“Where’s Duncan?”, Sophie asks, frowning as everyone starts coming.

“He’ll be here in a minute, Soph.”, Alison says tiredly, just as Duncan shows up.

“Hey, Sophie!”, Duncan says, smiling at her.

“Duncan!”

“Ohmyfinggod! Shut up!!”, Alison yells, glaring. “Can’t I ever have some sleep anymore?!!”

“Alison’s grouchy,” Sophie giggles.

“Damn right,” Alison growls, glaring. “She’s moving in with you, Duncan! I can’t sleep anymore when all she says is ‘Dun-Dun.’”

“Yay!”, Sophie squeals, bouncing excitedly.

“Alright!”, Duncan yells, grinning. Alison snaps her fingers, and they shut up.

“Ah, peace and quiet,” Alison sighs happily. Duncan opens his mouth to start yelling, but nothing came out.

“Ohmyfinggod, Alison,” I breathe, disbelieving.

“Don’t worry. It’ll wear off.”

“Okay,” I say, shrugging as I plop down in a chair.

“What’s up her ass?”, Kevin asks casually, sitting down with his cup of coffee.

“The two love-birds,” Alison grumbles quietly.

“Oh, the two that can’t talk.”

“Ahuh,” Alison says, snapping her fingers as her outfit changes and Duncan’s furious yelling fills the air. “Oh, shut up! I’m not in the mood!”, Alison yells, glaring. “I’ll be at school. Duncan, take Sophie to the elementrary. And remember, I’m always watching.”

♠ ♣ ♠

Alison was able to completely get everything done. While sleeping. Kind of. She kept mumbling stuff, and eventually the teachers got suspicious.

It’s lunch now, we’re all sitting and eating. While Alison’s asleep.

“Alison, wake up,” I mumble quietly, shaking her.

“I’m up, momma, I’m up!”, Alison yells, sitting up. “Oh, sorry, Mel,” Alison says tiredly, poking her food sadly.

“What’s up?”

“Hmm? Oh, nothing,” she sighs, standing up. “I’m just not really hungry.”

“Something’s up,” I sigh, as Alison walks out of the cafeteria.

“It’s none of our business, Melody. Just let her be.”, Kevin says, shrugging.

“No, I won’t,” I say, standing up. “We all know the possibilities.”

“Melody, just leave it.”, Dylan says, shrugging. “Alison always tells us.”

“Did she tell us she was gonna kill herself? Nope.”

“Alison does what she thinks is right.”, David says, shrugging. “And right now she misses home, right Martin?”

“Huh? Yeah,” Martin says, nodding in agreement. “She misses Kentucky. She keeps thinking about her house, her friends, her family. She even misses her dad.”

“Well … why don’t we all go to Kentucky for a little bit?”, I say, smiling.

“Melody, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”, Dylan says, frowning.

“Why not? Alison’s a little home sick. What’s just a quick visit to Kentucky gonna do to anybody?”

“How about possibly exposing us?”, Kevin growls, glaring at me. “We all miss home, Melody. But we don’t go back.”

“She saved all of us with her own life. I think we owe her at least that much.”, I say, glaring around. “None of us can say she did it for only one of us. She did it for all. Even the ones who hated her guts.”

“I think it wouldn’t be a half bad idea.”, Tacey says, shrugging. “Doesn’t she say Kentucky’s like where the country-farms meet the big cities?”

“Yep,” Max says, nodding. “Her exact words.”

“Then lets go see that country-style city.”, I say, smiling.

“Absolutely not!”, Kevin yells, standing up.

“Why can’t we just take her to Kentucky, Kevin? There’s nothing going on anymore. And it’s not like Alison would expose us.”

“No, but we might.”

“Tell us really why you won’t let your niece go to Kentucky.”

“Because it’s just a waste of time!”

“She’s home-sick, Kevin. You can’t just make her wait a hundred years!”

“What about school?”

“Fall break is coming up.”

“Umm … what about Rain?”

“Alison would tell us ahead of time.”

“Demons?”

“Alison spent her time in hell. There’s no reason for any demons to be coming after her.”

“Well, does anyone know why they were after her to begin with?”, Kevin growls, glowering at me. We all stay silent. Even Martin looked lost. “Exactly. It’s still too risky.”

“It was probably because of the Rebel Demons.”, I growl, glowering back at him. “Remember? They’re outlaws.”

“What? Oh, that’s rich!”, David laughs, clutching his stomach. “We’re not outlaws. If anything, the King enjoys our company. We follow all the rules.”

“But Alison said that —,” I say, glaring at the door. “That little —”

“There’s my point, Melody. We don’t have any idea what kind of trouble she got into!”, Kevin growls. “For all we know, she could be starting another war.”

“Oh, that’s just great, Kevin! She just starts seeing you as an authority, and you choose to stop trusting her! Yeah, wait till she hears about it.”, I growl, glowering across the table. “You should seriously try realizing that Alison will tell us when she’s ready.”

“What if she never does?”

“Then it’s probably not that big a deal.”

“She spent twenty-nine days in hell.”, Martin mutters, stuffing his face with food uncomfortably.

“Twenty nine days.”, Kevin growls.

“Then she obviously got out early on good behavior or something. Most of the time you get up to a hundred years.”, David says, shrugging.

“Do you know what she did?”, Kevin growls.

“’Course I do. I was there was day of her trial.”, David says, shrugging. “But I’m not saying what she did! She’ll tell you eventually!”

♠ ♣ ♠

I couldn’t stop wondering about what Alison did to be sent to hell and put into a trial. I mean, what could’ve been so bad?

“Hey, guys,” Alison says, smiling as she plops down in a chair by the dining table.

“Hey, Alison,” Kevin says absentmindedly. “Umm … hey, what were you trialed for back in hell?”

Alison tensed, frozen completely as her eyes went visibly wide. She narrowed her eyes at Kevin quickly, to where the pupils were just thin slits.

“Why?”, Alison asks cautiously. She was on red-alert. Everyone could see it.

“Oh, just wondering.”

“Well, stop wondering. It’s not important. And why don’t you just mind your own frickin’ business.”, she stood up, walking away quickly.

“You really shouldn’t have done that, Kevin.”, David says disapprovingly, glaring at him.

“Then what did she do?”

“I’m not telling you. And the rest of us are keeping our mouths shut, too.”

“What did she fucking do?!!”

“Kevin, let it go. That happened over a month ago. She fixed it! There’s no frickin’ reason for you to be such a damn bastard about it!!”, I yell, standing up.

“She should’ve gotten a hundred years for whatever she did!!!”

“So. What. She payed for whatever!! And now she’s back!!! You should just be happy!!! Because we all know that you took it the worst!!”, I yell, glowering at him one final time, before stomping away.