a very needed reunion[zachery]

[aimee]

Belle hadn't been happy the last few days, no one wanted to hear her side of the story. They all assumed that whatever max said was right. But it was wrong. She didn't want all of this to happen she didn't go searching for Max. She didn't go out of her way to see that kid. Actually she wanted to avoid the kid. Yes he was hot but she didn't want to upset Jeffree. But he found her. That fucker found her and she wasn't rude enough not to say Hi.

So she went and they talked and she had been lonely. Hell he made the move not her. She was just stuck there and couldn't help herself. And that was what she hated, that she let her addiction get the better of. It was why she wasn't happy, it wasn't all just because Jeffree hated her guts. Hell that was gonna happen sooner or later anyway. She didn't know she didn't want to know. All she knew is no one cared about her side.

She had thought about her brother one of these nights and had to push it back. She hated being away from him and her family. It was like she comes home and the minute they here addiction they think she belongs far away from them. Its like they didn't really care about her but she never wanted to think about that. She just kept the happy things, like all the times she hung out with Zach. She wanted to confide in him, but she was afraid he'd judge.

So instead she through on her old cheerleading practice stuff she brought with her so she could do some of her favorite thing of all time and headed out to the fitness center. It seemed like the logical place to cheer and calm down. She walked in to the center and sighed when it seemed to be empty. Good no one to judge her. It was much better this way.

[zachery jase beecher]

Zachery couldn't remember the last time he had been happy, at least by society's standards of the word. Maybe it was his last football game, where he scored the winning touchdown and basically made it for the team. Of course, that was dampened considerably by the fact that they found the drugs in his urine sample shortly afterwards, before publicly humiliating him and kicking him off the team... so everything that he had worked so hard for had been ripped away from him in the blink of an eye. Just for one stupid, careless mistake.

Yeah, that sounded about right.

It had been hard growing up without his sister around. The bathroom was always available, yes, but no one was around when he needed to talk about something. His parents wouldn't really pay attention when he spoke, unless it had the words "championship," "football," or "award" in it. It wasn't that he wasn't intelligent, he didn't talk out of his ass, it was just that they weren't interested in what he had to say.

Anna had always listened. She always let him sleep in her room if he had a bad dream, promising not to tell anyone and ruin his cherished twelve year old 'image.' They were best friends, and even though they were siblings, they rarely fought. Now Zach felt angry and even guilty about the fact that... well, he didn't know her anymore. He didn't know Belle, or what made her smile on a rainy day, or what famous actor she was gushing about now. It was neither of their fault, but as a brother, he just felt like he should know these things.

After unpacking his things, Zach felt the tension in his shoulders and his back. Without football practice, his body was starting to ache for his daily routine again. He needed to do something, or he was going to end up punching a hole in the wall and using it as a basket. Grabbing a loose basketball jersey and some shorts, he slipped them on and headed towards the fitness center. He had reason to believe that he'd practically be living there from now on.

Jogging there so that he'd get the blood pumping in his veins again, Zach went into the bathroom first to take a hit. His sister was outside when he returned to his usual trendmill, quirking a brow on his head. "It's now or never," he whispered to himself, before putting on his charming smile and walking up behind her. "Got something on your mind, sis?" He still wasn't used to calling her Belle, so he settled for sis.

[aimee]

Belle turned to the sound of a voice, it sounded like her brother. But why would he be here? No one told her this would be happening anytime soon. No one gave her any clue that her brother would be visiting. And is that even allowed? She didn't have a clue, but Zach shouldn't of been here of all places. Not in this specific place anyway. But for all truths at the moment she cared not why he was here but more the fact that she was glad he was here.

So she turned around and through her arms around his neck and stood on her tippy toes. No one would suspect he was her younger brother. Not with how big he was compared to her. But she wasn't sure he was this big when she left home the second time. But she didn't care, she knew it was her Zach and she gave a loud squeal. "Oh Zach I love you," she gushed in her happiest voice. She kissed his cheek and dropped back down to the balls of her feet and looked up at him. "Oh God I missed you."

She gave him a bright smile and forgot all about her problems, then she remembered her location and the first thoughts that ran through her head. Why the hell was he here to begin with? So she stared up at him with her best concerned sister look. "Zach. Why are you here?" She gave a slight tilt of her head, she knew her knew hair color made her look fiercer then the old blonde that always seemed to make her seem so sweet and innocent. She hoped this worked, though she quickly did a glance around. "Is Mom here? Oh she'll kill me if she sees my hair." Yes this girl was afraid of her mother, she didn't like it when she did the red before she got kidnapped. Why would she like it now? Hell she didn't even seem to like Belle much to begin with. Not after she returned anyway.

[zachery jase beecher]

It took Zach a few moments and an "umph" to slip passed his full lips, before he noticed the new changes in his sister. Chuckling as his strong arms wrapped around her lithe frame and lifted her off of the floor, he quickly set her back down and gave her a cheeky grin at her words. "I love you too, you sap," he said, before reaching over to ruffle her red tresses affectionately. It was another thing to get used to, but she looked nice. Of course, he was her brother, so... he was a little biased. "Not as much as I missed you, I'm sure."

He knew that the questions would come pouring out of her mouth at any moment, and instead of trying to think of a way to distract her, Zach merely cherished the moment. Then, of course, her face fell and her emotions betrayed her as they displayed across her face. He still knew her well enough to recognize each and every one of them. Confusion, a little anger, maybe even fear?

"Woah, woah, woah," he said as he lifted his hands in a surrender motion. "Slow down, tiger. Breathe. Everything's fine." It really wasn't, but the younger blonde had learned to lie over the years. He was quite good at it too. "Your hair looks different," he noted aloud, trying to change the subject. Yeah, so it was a lame attempt, but oh well. Zach chuckled at her concern over their mother's opinion. "Nah, don't worry. It's just me. And I like it. It looks nice on you, kiddo." Giving her his trademark charming smile, he hoped she would feel better and forget all about the fact that they had both been thrown headfirst in here; for different reasons, of course.

[aimee]

Belle gave her brother a bright smile and laughed slightly. God she seriously loved her brother with all her small heart. “I’m not a sap you loser,” she said playfully shoving him away from her. God he was such a flipping moron but she was her flipping moron. Or that was how she saw it anyway. She shook her head, “I’m not sure that’s true.” She didn’t want to believe anything either way. So she was happy to be near him.

Though she looked up at him in slight shock, “Who are you calling tiger?” She tilted her head to the side. She hadn’t changed much since she was Anna, maybe more afraid of certain things. Less worried about being in charge and on top like before and just going through life sweet. She also had less of an attitude then she did when she was ‘Anna.’ But she still felt the same and she shook her head at him. “Well I’m glad you like it. And she’s not here.” She couldn’t dare have her mom upset with her again. She was always upset with her lately. And it all sucked.

She shoved him again, “May I remind you that I’m older then you.” She frowned at him again, “And if it’s you.” She still was slightly confused and she groaned. “Why are you even here then? Please don’t lie to me Zach.” She crossed her arms across her chest and stared up at him. “I wouldn’t be able to stand it if you lied to me. So the truth please.”

[zachery jase beecher]

Zach grunted mockingly when she pushed him away, though he could have kept his balance if he really wanted to. But sometimes it was fun to play along, just for a little while, so he leaned to the side a little. "Hey! Need I remind you that we share the same genes... so if I'm a loser, so are you," he said with his arms crossed over his chest and a little smug look on his face, before the tip of his tongue slipped out between his parted lips. "Loser." Then she played to his competitive side, to which he added a firm nod of his head. "Yeah, it is."

He had to keep himself from laughing at her shocked look. "Chill out, I was kidding," he shrugged with a smile, "You're more like a ginger Hello Kitty." Zach could sense her tension about their mother still, one that he recognized in himself towards their father, so he could relate. It wasn't something he talked about though, so he let it be.

"Pfft, by what, like two years? That doesn't even count," he added with a shake of his head, before she started 50 questions again. Looks like there was no turning back now. "I wanted to see you," Zach stated genuinely, and hey, that might actually be the truth. It had been speculated that he was caught on purpose, after all. "I'm not lying to you. But okay, okay... so I wanted to get some exercise done." Moving away from her a bit, he hopped up on to the trendmill and turned it on, still not wanting to spill the beans yet. He didn't want her to be disappointed in him. He hated that.

[aimee]

Belle looked at him and rolled her eyes, “I’m far from a loser Zach. Have you yet to realize this?” She gave a faint smile, “I was cheerleading captain before I could even walk.” She laughed, it was what her parents had always said anyway. That they just knew she’d be the captain of the squad, and she was. For a few months, then well kidnapped she was. So it’s not like she really cared much about the sport anyway. It wasn’t as big of a deal as she used to think it was. “You are the loser,” she said and laughed again sitting down on the floor, she had no need to cheer anymore. She was only doing it to calm down but she had Zach now. No more need for that. “Nope. Because I’ve needed to talk to you about stuff that has happened here,” she said with a frown.

“Good,” she said and shook her head. Frowning again she glared up at him, “I’m a princess thank you.” She laughed like she seemed to do when she used the nickname she got on the chat. “Soon you’ll have one too if you ever go on the school chat thing. It’s actually pretty fun.” She shrugged and smirked again, finally over the tension of her mom when she was sure she wasn’t going to show up.

“It counts plenty. I was in this world two years before you were,” she said with a smirk. “Which makes me your boss. Now go get me chocolate,” she said with a wink to show she was playing. But then he denied everything and she sighed, she didn’t want to push him away and him just storm off and leave her. She couldn’t have that so she just looked up at him. “That isn’t what I meant and you know it.” She frowned, “I don’t like you not telling me the truth Zachy. I’m not gonna judge or anything. I love you remember.”

[zachery jase beecher]

Now there's the sister he knew and loved. That one right there, bickering with him now. He felt a smile creeping across his lips, raising a brow when she stated her title. "Yeah, and I was crashing your sleepovers with tag-team football. Good times," Zachery said with a bit of a sheepish smile, lowering his gaze as he remembered spilling a few punch bowls and stealing a few cookies. At her next words, he tossed his head back a little and moved his fingers against an air guitar while calling out, "I'm a loser, baby! So why don't you kill me?" It echoed a little in the otherwise empty center.

But the light in his eyes seemed to dim a little as she admitted needing his support. "Well, you've got me. So, what's up?" His gaze followed her as she moved to sit on the floor, before calling herself a princess? "I'm sorry, a what? Who said that?" he asked curiously, suddenly going into protective big brother mode. "Oh... yeah, I don't know about that." He reached up to rub the back of his neck with a chuckle.

Zach just raised his brows and stared at her when she told him to go get her some chocolate. "My boss? And as my boss, you'd ask for... chocolate? That's it? That's not hardcore at all." But he laughed despite himself, before adjusting the level on the treadmill. When she asked him again, he narrowed his blue eyes slightly down at the small screen, trying to look everywhere but at her, before sighing. "It was after a football game. I got us the winning touchdown... and then they, uhh, asked for a urine sample... look, can we not talk about this?"

[aimee]

She scowled, but it was obviously fake, “Yeah spilling things everywhere and ruining everything.” She laughed, she missed all of this, her brother and her all happy and fun loving together. When she came back it was all different, she wished it would all be back to normal. Then again, refusing to use her old name would cause a lot of changes. Though she was so used to Belle, she didn’t want to be Anna anymore. No it wasn’t that she didn’t want to be Anna, she did. She just wasn’t used to be called that, and it confused her, which wasn’t good at all. So she tried to get her family to call her Belle. They usually tried and did most times, but sometimes they spilled. She didn’t mind though, she liked thinking her family cared enough to remember her all that time she was gone.

Belle frowned slightly, she didn’t know how to bring up Jeffree, or Max. Hell or any of the shit that went down in this crappy place. “Uh Well it’s kind of a long story. I’ve done some stupid shit in this place.” She gave a half smile and laughed, “Leo did. He’s a weird kid to say the least. He gives everyone the names. I like mine.” She shrugged and laughed, “Well you are a loser.” She stuck her tongue out at him and shook her head slightly. “But I love you either way.”

She smiled, “Well what would you want me to ask you for? Alcohol? Drugs?” She shook her head, she had never done those things, not that she discriminated against people who did. But she just herself found them the devils play things. Maybe it was all the Bible her parents threw at her when she got home. Oh well, it kept her out of trouble. Usually. “And hell chocolate is good.” She smirked and then when he began to speak he frowned slightly. “Okay we don’t have to.” She just got her brother back, she didn’t want to lose him. So she’d drop it, she didn’t want him farther away from her then she already thought he was. So she smirked and blew him a kiss, “I still love you zach.”

[zachery jase beecher]

"Hey, that's what brothers are for," Zachery said with a proud grin and a shrug of his broad shoulders, before chuckling at the memory. Man, what he would give to be a kid again sometimes. Not having any worries, or responsibilities, or high expectations to meet. Then Anna (Belle) was taken and their tight-knit foundation fell apart at the seams. He still found himself thinking of her as Anna, though the distinction might be a little easier to make now that she had gone ginger and he had some old tracks on his body from the needles. It was just another reminder that they weren't the people they used to be.

"I'm sure it's not that bad," Zach tried to reassure her when she dodged her problems. He didn't want to push her into confessing what was wrong, but another part of him wanted her to confide in him, like they used to. He wanted her to let him be there, to help her pick up the pieces. But he knew better than to rush it. "Leo? Sounds like a Zodiac sign... or a trained circus animal. Niiice." The blonde gave her a big smile when she laughed at him. "Aww, you love a loser? How sweet."

When she started asking him about her boss duties, Zach quirked a brow. "Uhh, how am I supposed to know? You're the boss." He crossed his arms over his chest as he thought back to his religious upbringing, his mind flashing back to the looks on his parents' faces when they found out about his little problem. They didn't even listen to his side of the story, or stick up for him, they just gave up. That hurt him more than anything. At the chocolate remark, he added, "True. Especially when they have a caramel center."

He knew that he was pushing her away. He knew that he was expecting her to tell him about her problems, when he wasn't really willing to do the same. Zach didn't want to be a hypocrite. But he didn't want her to reject him, even if she promised that she wouldn't. "Okay." Then she blew him a kiss and he laughed, reaching up to pretend to catch it with his right hand. "I love you too," he paused for a moment, letting it roll around in his mouth a little, before adding, "Belle."

[aimee]

Belle gave him a slight smile,"Yeah well maybe little brother's should just be nice and not crash things." She shook her head, she actually thought her sleepovers were more fun when Zach crashed them. She stood up and kissed his cheeks,"Though when you were there the parties were way interesting." She shook her head and tilted her head to the side as she stared at him.

"No it is," she said looking down again. She had to urge to tell him and finally she looked up at him. "I had a thing with this guy..um..and i did something horrible and distroyed his trust and now I feel so bad," she admitted softly. "But it's gotten better, i'm less sad lately." She kissed his cheek again,"It's better now that you are here."

She nodded, "Yup I love a loser. What can i say? He's such a cutie." She shook her head and laughed softly, and even more as he made fun of Leo. She rolled her eyes at him and looked down slightly, she was seriously proud and happy to have Zachy with her. Life was gonna be better now.

She stuck out her tongue at him and shook her head, "Then don't complain what I ask you for. Chocolate is what i want." She frowned slightly at him but nodded. She was glad to drop it, she didn't need to push Zach away from her anymore then she already had. "Good. If you didn't I'd so sue you for being the worst little brother of all time." Her smile faltered when he used Belle, but then she threw her arms around him and felt tears fall down her cheek. "Oh Zach."

[zachery jase beecher]

Zachery could remember the sleepovers pretty clearly, mostly because he would linger in the hallway or the stairs, straining to listen in to their conversations. He was a sweet guy, but that didn't mean that he hadn't been pretty mischievous once upon a time. Besides, it always made him smile sheepishly when he overheard one of her friends say that she thought he was cute. Not so much out of mutual attraction on his part, but because he liked attention and praise coming from anyone.

"I was pretty nice. I even let whatsername paint my toenails once. Orange nail polish caught on pretty quickly in the locker room," he joked with a playful wink, his smile beaming when she kissed his cheeks. "No party is complete without Zach-Attack."

He could feel the mood shift into something more serious and he immediately fell into protective little brother mode. The blonde listened carefully as she finally opened up, and although it was a pretty vague description, Zach could put together the pieces pretty easily. Resting an arm around her shoulders as a sign of comfort and acceptance, he sighed gently. "Well, coming from a dude," he paused, pointing back at himself for emphasis and a little comedic effect, "If he really cares about you, he'll come around. It's okay to feel sad. Just remember that you'll always have me on your side, no matter what, okay? And as horrible as this sounds, I'm glad to be here. With you."

At least he managed to cheer her up a bit, so that made Zach happy. It was the easiest kind of high to have. "Then chocolate is what you'll get, boss lady," he said with a firm nod of his head, before chuckling again. "Isn't there a law against suing your own brother? That would make you the worst sister of all time." Then her arms were around him, almost cutting off his air supply, but he didn't mind. "Hey, it's alright now, sis. I'm here for you."