Loved this new chapter, Liv!

I'm kinda curious why Stephen Jr and family would move to Cocoville.  There is no proof that Stephen Jr has ever been there.

How about the island that he, kristen, and lobo went to when they were little?  Even though the Harris's fame is known there, there is no reason why Cocoville wouldn't know about it either.  It is just another county from what the story mentioned.

Also, I predict that Bree will end up there too.  She's in the process of moving, and that's how plots work.

Kaylee- Thank you!

Julie- Island...oh! God, you remember that?

I find myself thoroughly surprised at the span of my readers' memories sometimes. =P

The reason I chose Cocoville was because it seems like the name of a really generic town. Plus it's getting the family back to its normal roots. I'm also trying to re-introduce original Animal Crossing elements. The island would be nice, but it's not practical. It's a vacation island off the coast of a busy tourist area. The family would receive too much attention there.

While Cocoville would know about Steven's fame obviously, since Steve Harris lived there, it's a very small town so not too many will be able to bombard the family. Plus the Harris and Howlerson Family Safety and Security Committee will be at hard work.

While you have a viable prediction about Bree, she wouldn't move to the town where the father of the girl she basically killed grew up in. I have bigger plans for her. ;D

I have especially good memory.  I'm told that a lot.

I figured Bree wouldn't know where Stephen grew up.  I doubt she would have read Wolfgang's book because of her issues with the family.  That is the only point where it would have been mentioned.

Unless Cocoville was ret-coned into existence.  I'll go and check real quick.

EDIT: Nope, it's been canon all along.  I still don't think that Bree has read that book.  Neither as a kid or an adult.

It's not that she read Wolfgang's book. It's the fact that pretty much everyone in the land knows about the Harris family and every single fact about them. Bree found out through other people, not from reading.

And ret-coned...canon? Sorry I don't really know what they mean...*quick Google search* Oh, I see! =D Yeah, you're right. Cocoville has been existent all along.

Chapter 6
-------x------

Rodney's POV

So, I bought the generator.

I'm not sure if this is the most stupid decision I've ever made, or the most practical. The thing is basically a piece of junk. I believe it's a generator because it's really old. Like antique old. However, it doesn't seem to work. It's been a few days, and I've tried working on this thing as much as I can. It's been rough at home lately. I've been by myself a lot. Dad's barely around (who's not surprised) and I think Mom moved out. She didn't leave like an emotional letter or anything but she's gone. I assumed she moved out. I found divorce papers on the kitchen table one morning. To be honest, I'm kind of grateful. All they really do is fight. Now, everyone will be more happy this way. For the past few days, I've been out in the garage tinkering out with this generator. I know nothing about this crap and can't ask anyone to help me. This is something I have to do alone, but the problem is that I have no idea where to start or what to do. I had to do research online. There were a few websites, run by geeks, who were fascinated with the book Perfection and the Hacker and what happened. They explained that the mechanisms of AR generators were really complex. It's too boring for me to delve into. It's really boring, trust me. Basically, what it says is that, in this modern age, you have to tinker and chizz to experiment with the generator to make it work.

I've been trying to do that with the generator but it's difficult. I have no knowledge about these stupid old pieces of metal. I don't trust taking it to a professional. He might botch it up. Now, I was in my regular spot in the garage, kneeling over the generator. It had no manual so I was basically winging everything. A can of soda sat on the cement floor. I sipped some caffeinated liquid out of it and stared at the generator. I got disgusted and kicked it. The wheeled generator flew across the garage and hit the wall. I groaned in frustration and threw my empty soda can too. It wasn't exactly empty though. Soda spewed out and sprayed onto the floor, leaving a sticky stain. I sighed and placed my head on my hands. That's when I heard the whirring noise. I picked up my head and stared at the generator. A light was on on the generator, a green one in fact. I stepped closer and it suddenly spoke.

"Greetings. I am the Gecko 5000." My mouth formed an 'o'. The geeks were talking about how the Gecko 5000 combined the AC Tool Kit, NPC Tool Kit, Homebrew and Gecko in one amazing AR generator. Also, the generator spoke to the person. The person could speak its commands or input them into the digital input panel on the side. I looked at the generator in awe. "How may I assist you today?" it asked in a robotic voice. I pressed the microphone button at the side near the input panel. The geeks had said if you press this, you can talk and tell the Gecko what to do.

"Yes. I want to uh...what are my options?" I asked. The generator beeped loudly and I thought something bad had happened. Before I knew it, a hologramic panel showed up in front of me. Wow. These people were ahead of their time. First some rare furniture I had never seen before appeared.

"You can obtain rare furniture." The furniture blinked off and bags of Bells popped up. "You can obtain Bells." The Bells disappeared and regular furniture, wallpaper and flooring appeared. "You can obtain normal furniture." That disappeared and Nook's shops appeared. "You can customise Tom Nook's stores." The stores disappeared and a map showed up. "You can edit the map of the general area around you, up to a ten miles radius." The map clicked off and different animals and humans appeared. "Finally you can customise your or other animal villagers' appearances." That hologram blinked off and all was silent for several seconds. My mind was spinning. I had no idea what to tackle first. The awesome thing was, there was no limit. I could do basically whatever I wanted without consequence. "What would you like to do?" she asked, now expecting an answer. I grinned mischieviously and pressed the microphone button.

"Gecko 5000, get me one million bells."

---

Steven's POV

I fnished packing my suitcases and closed the luggage happily. My wife was still in her closet, trying to pick out shoes. She was standing in the walk-in area, staring around. I sighed to myself. She was doing this all to support me, however I could tell she wasn't enthusiastic. She had been used to this lifestyle for so long. The glamour, the money, the luxury. She was used to it so much. It hurt me and prided me to see how devoted my wife was to me. She was willing to uproot the entire family and her lifestyle just so we can be a better family. She stuffed some practical shoes in her suitcase while I was doing all this contemplating. Lobo appeared in the doorway, pulling three suitcases. He wore a pink polo and khaki shorts. A white hat sat on top of his head. He smiled and asked if I was ready to hit the road. I said yes but told him that we'd never get going if Jackie kept packing. She walked out of the closet and looked at the two of us slyly.

"Very funny, boys. You know, packing clothes is easier for guys. All you have are shirts, shorts, and pants."

"Yes. Exactly what you have." Lobo quipped with a grin. She put one of her suitcases near the door.

"That's not the case with women at all. We have t-shirts, v-necks, sleeveless, haltertops, long sleeve shirts, blouses, shorts, Bermudas, khakis, capris, jeans and dress pants." Jackie said, listing off a bunch of clothes. I laughed and rolled my eyes. My wife could be so materialistic at times, not nearly as materialistic as Aunt Whitney was though. Lobo scoffed and told her those things didn't matter. I rested an arm on her shoulder, telling her he was right. She shrugged. "I know. This is probably temporary and I don't need much but still...I feel that if I don't bring something, I'll need it." I smiled and began massaging her shoulders, telling her we can just send someone to get it. "True...but it's an awfully long trip just to grab some woman's clothes."

"Well, you're not just some woman." I said sweetly, kissing her on the lips. She smiled with surprise and blushed a little. Without saying a word, she turned away and continued packing. I looked at Lobo and nodded towards him. "You check if the kids are ready to go?" I asked. He nodded. "Great. You think they'll be excited?" I asked again. I hoped they would be excited .Ryan seemed excited anyways. He had a great bond with my dad; going to Dad's old town would be a great learning experience. Look at me, only thinking about learning. I thought about other things too. Dad...Bob...Troy...Dad's twin sister Samantha that passed away...my grandparents. Gosh, were my grandparents alive? They might be, but it's highly doubtful. Actually, that's right. My grandparents Bill and Kim were in their nineties, living in a nursing home in Cocoville. Maybe I should go visit them. They probably wouldn't remember me... I looked up when I heard running down the hallway. Ryan was heading downstairs pulling his suitcases. Mel was trotting behind him.

Sigh. Poor Mel. I'm doing this for her though. Well, for everyone really. This is for the whole family's best interests. I looked up and saw Lobo wasn't there anymore. However it sounded like someone was down in the foyer. I rushed down the stairs and breathed a sigh of relief. It was just Brian and Jason. Brian was our agent. Jason was the new head of the Harris-Howlerson Family Safety and Security Committee my dad had created about twenty-five years ago. It was still going strong. Jason was a nice guy, used to be in the Marines, now he worked for us. Brian didn't look happy. Lobo was talking to Jason, informing him about what was going to happen. Brian stormed over to me and grabbed my arm roughly. For a short guy, Brian had a lot of nerve. I sighed and looked at him, asking him what he wanted. He furrowed his bushy eyebrows.

"Why didn't you tell me you were moving?" he sneered. I said nothing and pursed my lips. He massaged his bald head and continued. "This is bad...bad, bad, bad all around, Steven. You need to stay in the limelight. Or you'll fade out faster than carpet by a screen door." he said worriedly. I sighed and told him I didn't want to be in the limelight. Moving to Cocoville would get us out of the limelight. "Why don't you want to-arrgggghh! You're an idiot!" he paced around in front of me. I just stood there and said nothing. Brian usually had antics like this. I just had to be quiet and wait for the storm to pass. However, he seemed really angry. "If you move to Cocoville, you might as well just say goodbye to your luxurious life!" he yelled. His voice echoed off of the walls. I grabbed his shoulder firmly and led him towards the door, asking to speak with him outside. Once we got on the porch, we shut the door. He shook his head and his eyes fell. "I-I'm sorry. I flew off the handle back there."

"Yes, you did." I said firmly. "Jackie and I have discussed this. Cocoville will probably be a temporary thing, until you know, we get our lives on track. There's fighting just a county over, in 3DS County. Going to Wild World County...Dad's old town...will just...be so peaceful." I explained. "We can try to fix our family while we can." Brian said nothing; I felt victorious. I continued. "You wouldn't understand because you live your life vicariously through us. You want me to do a reality show, you want Jackie to have a fragrance line, and you want the kids to go to school. But I don't see you trying to start a family and do these things." I snapped. Ooh. That was probably a below-the-belt remark. A vein popped out in Brian's neck and he looked ready to punch me. However he just clenched his fists and growled.

"I'm doing that for you! I'm doing all of that for you! You will benefit out of this!" he yelled. He stopped for a moment, panting. He apparently got himself all worked up. He glared at me. "You are an idiot. Terry was right." I raised my eyes. I asked who Terry was. Brian blushed at his blunder but shook his head. I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

"Who...is...Terry?!" I growled. Brian wrestled out of my grip and looked at me with genuine fear.

"Nobody! Just...just forget I even said anything!" he turned on his heel and ran down the walkway. "I quit!" he bellowed, before clambering into his BMW convertible and squealing away. I stood on the porch and shook my head with awe. I couldn't belive it. Brian was gone and he wasn't coming back. The door opened and Jason and Lobo were standing there. Jason asked me if I was okay. I nodded and trudged into the house. Lobo turned to Jason and thanked him for coming out. Jason nodded curtly and smiled.

"No problem. I got guys right around the corner that'll be ready to jump in as you've described." Lobo nodded and followed me into the house. I could tell he was dying to ask me what was going on. However he contained himself. I told Jackie and the kids to go sit in the Yukon. I would be there in a minute. While we were alone, Lobo asked me what happened outside. I shook my head and brushed a hand through my hair.

"Brian quit." I mumbled. Lobo bit his lip. He admitted he knew why. He and Jason could hear the conversation from the other side of the door. I sighed and felt terrible. Brian had been such a part of my and my family's lives. He was there for my kids and he was there for me. He helped us and guided us to be the power family (sounds terrible, I know) that we are today. However, I didn't regret anything. Brian had been getting considerably worse and pushy in attitude. If we didn't do anything his way, he got angry and disgruntled. This was happening more and more often; and it didn't seem like Brian would change any time soon. This was for the best. Lobo clapped my shoulder and grinned, telling me going to Cocoville will make everyone feel better. I straightened up from my slump and smiled. "Hopefully, Lobo...hopefully."

Great Chapter, Liv!

I think Rodney is going to have fun with his generator.

Great chapter! I'll be waiting to see what will happen in the next chapter!

Thanks, you three! =D

I really appreciate it. I hope you guys didn't fizzle out on me. I really need your support to get in the semi-finals of Dougieowner's competition. It's no Computerfan creation but it's still important to me. I feel I deserve to be through, unlike what other people think.

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Chapter 7
---------x-------

Melody's POV

Today was the day. The day we were moving to Cocoville. The limited friends we had and our family came over to say goodbye. I think Grandma was the most emotional. Grandpa seemed happy. I think he was pleased that we were moving back to Cocoville. Pop-Pop Wolfgang lokoed quiet and Melba was wishing us luck. Uncle Lobo didn't really speak to them. Mom and Dad were packing the Yukon. Ryan was playing video games and saying goodbye to one of his only friends: Thomas. Thomas and he always played Pokemon together. I had texted Kayla to come over and say goodbye but so far, she wasn't here. I was a little disappointed, to be honest. We didn't have much in common but we had each other. We were just about ready to leave when I saw Kayla's minivan pull up. Kayla came running out of the car, tears streaming down her face. Her curly brown hair bobbed in the wind and she embraced me. We hugged for a brief moment, until I pulled away. I looked towards the car. Everyone was in there, ready to roll. Dad's window was down, talking to Jason. He seemed really nice. He was the dude that would be making sure no one hurt us and that the house would be okay. Kayla sniffled and I wiped her face with a part of my shirt.

"I'm-I'm going to miss you." she stammered. My face fell and I didn't say anything. She looked into my eyes. "Promise me you'll write. Cocoville is far away. My mom says we can only afford to visit once a month. But please, Mel! Promise me you'll keep in touch! I'll even write the first letter!" she exclaimed. I pursed my lips. Poor Kayla...she looked so desperate. I placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled.

"Of course I will. Promise me you won't be too upset. Hey, look, I even encourage you to make new friends. Don't be depressed on my behalf. If you find someone else that has more in common with you, you can make her your best friend." I said soulfully. This was the truth. I didn't want to hold Kayla back. She seemed desperate. My leaving was already crushing her. If my over-emotional Kayla didn't move on, this could ruin her social life forever. I couldn't be responsible for that. My conscience would quiver with guilt. Her face fell and she insisted that she wouldn't abandon me. I sighed and brushed a hand through my hair. "Come on, Kayla. Don't make this more difficult than this has to be..." I trailed. She doesn't say anything. She wiped some tears out of her eyes and shrugged.

"You're right. I won't get too upset. But I'll still miss you!" she exclaimed. Suddenly, Kayla lunged forward and wrapped her arms around me into a hug. "I'll miss you, Mel!" she said. I smiled and hugged her back, saying I would miss her too. I meant it this time. I doubted that Cocoville would be any fun, or I would meet any people. My family was huddled near the car, waiting for me. I pulled away from Kayla and smiled. She smiled a little and waved. "Don't forget me. Write often!" she reminded. I mouthed I would and walked towards the car. Clambering into the SUV, I shut the door behind me. I got into the back-back row and looked out the window. Kayla and Thomas stood in our driveway. They watched as my dad started the car and drove down the road. I looked back and didn't tear my eyes away from Kayla until she was a dot in the distance.

I sat in the car for about two hours. The ride was grueling. Sitting in the back row with barely anything to do, and an annoying family is terrible. I wished that fate upon no one. My aniPod had died halfway through the trip and my charger was tucked away in one of the suitcases. At this point, I was just looking out the window and sightseeing. Honestly, I was so bored, up until I saw the small sign welcoming us to Cocoville's borders. Abruptly, Dad stopped the car and pulled over. He made us take pictures and pose in front of it. It was embarassing. The sign read "Welcome to Cocoville, the quaint little town where Steve Harris grew up." Ugh. Talk about advertising. Dad wouldn't stop going on and on about how Cocoville was a part of our family heritage and how we would learn so much. Mom. as usual, nodded and went along with everything. I loved her, but I swore she was SO dumb sometimes. Uncle Lobo said nothing. He just had his head in a green book, actually Pop Pop Wolfgang's book Perfection and the Hacker 1. I had no idea why he was reading it and I didn't ask. As we got closer to town, I began to get the true feeling of how small this place was.

There were barely any homes. The homes we did see were tiny and poorly landscaped. We were probably five miles away from the welcome sign, and I only saw two homes. TWO. At home, one would've counted probably 100 homes. I didn't see any animals yet. It was hard to concentrate on this bumpy road. Yes, the road was actually no better or wider than a dirt path. Our GMC Yukon bounced around wildly. Dad was forced to put the truck in four-wheel drive. As we went down the road, I saw a brown shack in the distance. I had no idea what it even was. I asked Dad. He chuckled and said nothing. We got closer and I saw the sign. It read Nook's Cranny. It was a rather crue sign actually. The black words were painted on; and the red leaf barely looked like a leaf. Dad parked the car and told us to get out. Grudgingly, I hopped out. Accidentally, I landed on a red pansy. Leaves went flying everywhere. Whoops. The only flower around here, I had to kill. The door to the shack opened and a raccoon came out. It looked like Nook from home! But it couldn't be...

"Toby!" exclaimed Dad, walking forward and hugging the raccoon. Dad and this Toby guy seemed too close to have just met each other.

"Steven!" exclaimed the raccoon. Okay. I guess they knew each other. It was a strong possibility. Uncle Lobo came forward too and the men shook hands. "Lobie! Man, I can't believe you guys are really here. I had heard the rumors but it's surreal to see you guys again." the raccoon said. I was lost. Apparently, Dad and Uncle Lobo were having a reunion while Mom, Ryan and I were left in the dark about it. The raccoon went 'oh' and turned to face us. "You must be Steven's family! Nice to meet you! I'm Tobin Nook, Tom's brother. Call me Toby!" he squeaked. Toby was awful peppy and happy. Dad laughed and faced us, his hand on Toby's shoulder.

"Sometimes, Grandpa Steve took me and Lobo back here when we were kids. Toby hung out with us a lot." he explained. Thanks for the clarification now. I studied the outside of this shack. If Toby was Tom's brother, then this must be one of Tom Nook's stores. It was just that...it was smaller and never updated. You figured that it had to be updated. Maybe they couldn't afford it, or didn't want to. However I don't know why a town wouldn't want to upgrade their local store. One obtains more variety and hours this way. Whatever. Dad continued. "I figured we could stop and say hi. Plus, you kids can have a tour of what Nook's beginner shops look like. Come on over!" Mom, Ryan and I slowly walked over. Toby shook our hands and kissed Mom on the cheek. He greeted us by name. It was strange that he knew about us, but I didn't know really one thing about him. I dreaded our meeting. I finished shaking his hand and almost thought I could get away with not having to say anything, when he said something.

"Melody! Can I call you Mel? You're a very pretty young lady. You take after your mother." he said. Most people would be flattered. I was a little embarassed but I didn't say anything. I thanked the raccoon bashfully and hid behind my mother like a child. Toby laughed. He had one of those annoying laughs that just sounded so fake. "Ho ho ho ho! Come on in to the shop. It's small but I think you'll all fit. Come on!" he walked towards the shack. Dad smiled and gestured for us to follow him. I was cautious. I was nervous that the roof would collapse on us if Toby shut the door too hard. Nonetheless, we went inside the shop. It was a lot smaller than it looked on the outside. There were a few items, but most of the room was taken up by a giant green and white machine. I wasn't listening to Toby's babble but apparently, it was some kind of point tracking machine or something for the shop. It was Nook's way of giving the shoppers beneifts or something. I wasn't paying attention. I was just too shocked at the small, dusty space. A small rabbit hovered in the corner of the shop, behind a ranch table. She had white fur and red eyes. What is that called? Albino? She looked shyly at us but didn't say a word. Poor girl was probably starstruck or something. Dad, Uncle Lobo and Toby were just talking while Mom, Ryan and I were browsing the small store and being patient.

Of course, it's difficult to browse a small store for a long time. Toby Nook only had limited items in this shop. After a bit, we got bored. Mom tried making small talk with the employee in the back, but she either couldn't be bothered or was just really really afraid to talk to us. After a few seconds, Dad faced us again. He began telling us about how the people of Cocoville had to live with this small Nook's Cranny for years. They had the opportunity to upgrade the shop but chose not too. Interrupting the flow of his explanation, I asked Dad why. He folded his arms and said that the people wanted to stay modest and enjoyed the homey feel of the tiny shop. I sighed and shook my head. I could never understand these people. I asked Dad if Ryan and I could go outside. He nodded and my brother and I happily exited the shop. In all fairness, it was a nice day. The sun shone in the sky and tiny yellow birds chirped and flew around. Ryan laughed. I pursed my lips and looked around. It seemed like a quaint little town. However it just looked very boring. I walked away from my brother and wandered down the dirt road, away from the Nook's Cranny place. Ryan followed me.

"Mel!" he called out. "Where are you going?" he yelled. I turned around but didn't say anything. He continued to follow me. "Mel! Don't go far!" I yelled at him to shut up and entered the small forest. My shoulders hit pine trees and fruit trees. I didn't care at this point, even if my clothes ripped. Anything to get away from my annoying family and little brother. I was sickened already. Everyone seemed to love it already. I walked through the woods, admiring the nature and listening to the musical bugs. It was rather entertaining, until I nearly tripped over a young girl. She looked a little older than me, maybe around 19. I couldn't tell. She was short but looked mature. She had brown hair and brown eyes. She was actually very pretty. A green journal was in her hands. She closed it quickly. I stepped backwards, apologizing profusely for intruding and went to turn around. She stood up and waved my polite gestures away.

"It's fine. Don't worry about it. I was done anyways." she studied my appearance. You could just tell when someone's watching you or trying to read your expression. She held out her hand for me to shake. "I'm Sam. You?" she asked. I contemplated my thoughts for a moment, but acquiesced. I shook Sam's hand.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Melody. Call me Mel." Sam smiled. Her smile was very straight and perfect. She must not have needed braces.

"Pleasure's mine. Nice to see another human around this small town, know what I mean? Brings about some variety." I nodded, complimenting the small town. Sam scoffed. "Ah, who are you kidding? You hate it here." I blushed, asking how she knew. She smirked. That smile looked oddly familiar but I couldn't quite place it. "It's not hard to tell. I can just tell you're a city girl. You come from over in City Folk County?" she asked. I nodded. How did this girl not know who I was? Huh. Oh well. Maybe not knowing my identity (or pretending to not know my identity) is for the better. She shrugged. "See. City people aren't meant for Cocoville." she turned on her heel to walk away. Before she walked away, she stopped and turned back around. "Hey. Want to hang out sometime?" I looked dumbly but nodded.

"Cool." she grunted. "Meet up under the old oak tree by the lake. I'll be there." In a flash--not literally a flash--this Sam character disappeared. I didn't know much about her but she seemed like a cool girl to hang out with. I could hear my brother running through the forest, his shoes kicking leaves aside. He finally came up to me and asked who I was talking to. I said no one and hurried away from him, wanting to explore more of this town. Sam...Sam was a girl that could be my friend here.

---

Steven Junior's POV

I can't even describe how calm and peaceful I feel. To be away from the hustle and bustle of my normal life is a blessing. I'm grateful to have this small break. My kids don't appreciate it however. They just feel this is a giant waste of time. I never grew up in Cocoville but being here just makes me feel so happy, it's unbelievable. I'm back to my roots. My father grew up here. The first thing to do is to go to the local cemetery. My grandparents are here. So is the grave of Bob. Oh, Bob...I have no idea why Dad had him buried here. I mean, technically he is our family but he caused him and Mom so much pain and suffering. People died because of him in a way. I came to the small cemetery alone. I needed this time. Jackie was with Lobo..somewhere. I had to sneak away. Normally I wouldn't do something like that, but as I said, I needed this time to myself. I approached the cemetery. It was obvious by the small iron fence and little brick wall. I pushed open the gate and came in. I knew where my grandparents' graves were. This wasn't the first time I visited. The two gray tombstones stuck out like sore thumbs to me. Colorful bouquets of lowers were placed neatly in front of the monument. I walked up to the gravestones, tears flowing down my face.

Charles Harris was my grandfather. He was a staunch businessman who earned money the hard way. He never took a day off of work until he retired. Even when he retired, he was always doing something he shouldn't be. Our family kept telling him to take it easy. Even after the stroke, he kept working, doing various things. He never listened and it ended up being the death of him. Literally. My grandmother Jeanne was heartbroken. Even though my grandfather always worked, he supported her and never left her side for over fifty years. She died, the doctor said, of a broken heart. I knelt down on the ground and stared at what the epitaphs said. Grandpa's was short but meaningful.

"Charles Harris
Loving father, grandfather and husband.
A hard worker who never stopped providing for his family."

Pretty touching, right? Grandma's was longer, since--because she was a housewife basically--she was more influential in the community.

"Jeanne Harris.
Loving mother, wife and grandmother.
She always gave to others and never asked for a dime in return. She was an influential woman in the local politics of Cocoville and always helped out at the community center."

The epitaphs made Grandpa and Grandma look like spectacular people. They were, sometimes. I knew the truth. They weren't perfect. Well, nobody was. But they most certainly were not perfect. I remembered Uncle Wolfgang and Dad talking years ago about a flashback that Bob wrote in a diary once. I think I know what diary they were talking about. Bob had wrote that he had found Grandpa and Grandma and was going to visit him. When he told them he was their son, they kicked him out and wanted nothing to do with him. I never got out if that was the truth. No one would tell me; but I'm pretty sure it was. Whenever the subject was mentioned, a brief answer was given and the topic was changed. You only hide and sneak, if you're concealing something. I always used to think about what if Grandpa and Grandma hadn't given Bob up for adoption. What would my life be? Would my parents be married? Would they even know each other? How would things be different? Of course, when my mind comes to realize the dark probabilities of that outcome, I like to think of something different. It's eerie to think that if Grandpa and Grandma didn't give Bob up for adoption, I wouldn't be born.

Plus the whole situation with Troy would be different. Kristen would be alive! You know...if Mom and Dad even got together. Even though my past is hectic and crazy, changing it wouldn't better it either. It would affect the future in an unknown way. I don't want to know that way. I'm happy with the life I have now. Even though certain people aren't with us, everything is perfect the way it is right now. I heard a twig crack behind me. I twirled around and saw a blue wolf standing there. He gave me a funny grin. It was my cousin Lobo. I greeted him and he knelt besides me, asking me what's up. I shrugged and said nothing. I had my alone moment. I thought I was okay, but I still couldn't find words. He clapped a paw on my shoulder.

"Everything will be okay."

I wondered if he was right.

---

Sorry for the super long chapter.

I liked it! Can't wait tosee what happens next!

Happy Birthday!

Finally, a new chapter!

It is very nice.

And Happy Birthday Liv!

That was beautiful! Awesome chapter! Can't wait for more. (as always, you keep me on the edge of my seat)

Thanks so much, you three! =D

Liv, you are an AMAZING writer. Last night I stumbled upon PATH 1. I got hooked and read the whole story ( not counting the specials ). This is an amazing series, and you are like one of the best ACC writers ever.

Thank you so much! =D I'm very flattered and happy you enjoy the series.

You read PATH 1, 2, and 3, excluding the specials, that quickly?

I read PATH 1 main story, I'm a few pages into PATH 2, and I read PATH 3 it is still in progress so it didn't take long. I stayed up nearly all night reading it so that's how. I love Bree's and Rod's POV in here, the main people are rich and famous so it's nice to see what it's like for people who are different. Also I know I'm not an old fan but I'm glad the AR thing is back. I loved the original plot in PATH 1.

I see. Well, thank you! It's great to see that you really loved the story and I can't believe you stayed up to read it. =O My story must be that good. ;D *shot* I'm just playing with you. You don't have to be an old fan. New fans and silent fans are welcome too! =D

Chapter 8
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Brian's POV

I was the Harris's agent for many years. I supported the family through their ups and downs. I helped them and advised them. I was there for Melody and Ryan. However it was no surprise when I parted my way from the family. It was a matter of time. Inevitable, as one would put it. I guess I'm just a very opinionated, pushy man. I guess one would say I forced the Harrises to do many things that they weren't exactly comfortable with. When Steven decided to uproot his family and leave, I was upset. I guess that crossed the line for him. Steven finally stood up for himself and told me off. However, I think I had the last laugh in the end. Instead of waiting around for Steven to fire me, I decided to just quit. That way, I had made the last move. One mistake was that I slipped up and mentioned a 'Terry.' Steven didn't know who Terry was. Terry was my close friend and co-worker. Terry helped me do certain things, pertaining to the family. When I slipped up, I was referring to an incident where we were talking about Steven alone. I remember that conversation well.

"Two men were standing in a large, spacious office. A large glass window took up almost the whole back wall, looking down onto the city streets. It was quite frightening and intimidating if someone was afraid of heights. The first man was short and bald. He seemed very stern and down to business. Despite the other man's insistence, the first man was smoking a cigarette in the nice office. The second man was frowning and breathing oddly. He had asthma, which explained his aversion to smoke. He tried to tell Brian not to smoke in his office, but Brian was so darn ignorant and rude. Terry Ropain coughed a bit and glared at his co-worker. Brian could just be impossible sometimes.

"How did everything go with Steven?" Terry asked. Brian shook his head.

"Terrible. I tried to explain everything to the idiot but he wouldn't listen." Brian scratched his bald head. "I want him to do the reality show. It'll help him out so much. He's too darn stubborn to listen to anyone but himself." the agent vented. Terry pursed his lips. He liked the family and he felt bad. However Brian was his friend and helped him get the job at this place. He couldn't take sides without hurting the other.

"He can be paranoid sometimes." Terry stated. Brian scoffed.

"Sometimes? How about every freaking minute of his life?!" Brian yelled. "The man is crazy. He milks this crap about his sister dying and people out to get him. When will the man just live his life?" Terry said nothing and let the agent storm around in the office. Terry shrugged. Brian was obviously just angry in the heat of the moment. He wasn't always like this; he was just angry right now. Terry figured that if the man got it all out, he would be fine later. It wasn't looking that way though. Brian was really heated. Terry couldn't figure out why. He kept babbling on and on about how Steven was dumb and only cheating himself and his family out of a luxurious lifestyle. Terry clicked his tongue. He was getting annoyed and Brian wouldn't shut up. "Don't you think Steven's an idiot?" Terry wasn't really paying attention.

"Yes, yes he is." he stated with a nod.

"Thank you!" Brian knew that Terry wasn't paying attention. He was actually happy that the man wasn't listening. He could use the lack of attention to his benefit later."

And that's exactly what I was planning. My slip up could be considered a Freudian slip. I consider it a red herring. I knew how Steven's mind worked. He would enjoy himself in Cocoville for the first few days but then, he'd start thinking about our argument and how I said Terry thought he was stupid. He'll be so busy focusing on Terry that he won't notice me in the shadows, with my grand master plan. What was my grand master plan? I don't know. But I was going to do something. Steven got me very angry. I helped them out through so much and he just threw me out to the curb like that. It was very humiliating.

---

Bree's POV

It slowly started to rain. Perfect. Perfect timing, Mother Nature. Here I am with no place to stay and no belongings except the clothes on my back and my purse. I just loved these cliche little obstacles. No one would sell me a house. It was no use. I had tried looking at practically every house, condominium and apartment for sale in the city within my budget. Those were the key three words. We were dirt poor anyways, Moose and I. Add in the fact that I'm alone and you get positives and negatives. The positives are that I'm by myself. The negative is that I'm by myself. No matter what, I lose. And all because of my "reputation." Everyone's a huge fan of the Harris family and no one will sell me anything. I wandered back down the sidewalk and dove behind a metal dumpster. I didn't have a blanket or anything. The smell reeked back there. I sighed and lay down on the dirty asphalt road. I didn't have a choice. I drifted off to sleep.

I wove in and out of consciousness. I barely got three hours of sleep. When I woke up from my nap, I looked around. The alleyway was darker. Great. I had no flashlight either. Oh wait. I dug through my purse and pulled out one. It had a new battery too. Yay. I flickered the flashlight on and surveyed where I was. Ugh, disgusting. Flies were everywhere. I walked slowly around, examining everything. Not there was much to examine. Dumpsters lined the brick walls of the alleyways. I noticed something scratched on the brick wall. I neared it to read it. They were some words reading: "Kristen Harris Got Shot Here." My face paled and my stomach pitted. Without realizing it, I dropped the flashlight. Light rolled on the ground. I backed away slowly. I couldn't stay back here. Too many memories. Voices were speaking in my head. I yelled for them to get out. In my trance, I turned on my heel and darted out of the alley. I found myself in a cop's arms. He was a blue frog wearing a darker blue uniform. Something about the man was strangely familiar. I gazed up at him. He gazed at me. Slowly, a smile crept onto his face.

"Bree Crepeau...it's been too long." he said smoothly. I tried to wrestle out of his grip. Man, was he strong.

'Who are you?" I asked. He smiled and cocked his head.

"You don't know who I am?" No. I'm baffled. Confused. Mystified. Just tell me your darn name. The frog laughed again. "I'm Jeremiah. Remember? Years ago, we worked together." Oh God, yes. Now I remembered him. He was the frog that helped us bust Dale that time. Dale...I missed him. He shouldn't have died. He shouldn't have thrown himself out that window. Oh well. It's the past now. Got to move on...Jeremiah continued talking, unaware I wasn't really paying any attention to him. He was blabbing about his new life, his family, his job. He asked how my family was. If I had one. If I was married. I put my head down sorrowfully. Jeremiah realized he said something wrong and let go of me. "I'm sorry. Did they...did they pass away?" he asked. I smiled a bit.

"No. Everyone's fine. It's just...I recently got in an argument with my husband and we're going to be getting a divorce. I have no place to go." I explained. Jeremiah's face curled into a frown.

"I'm so sorry." he reached a hand out to console me but I turned away. "Hey...would you like to get out of this rain and away from this place?" he asked, pointing to the etching on the brick wall. I knew exactly what he meant. I did want to get out of here; however I wasn't sure if I wanted to go with him. He sensed my hesitation and grabbed my hand. "Come on. A young woman like you shouldn't be out here. Let's go. I'll  take you back to my house and introduce you to my family. We can eat dinner together." I don't want to go, but I don't refuse at the same time. He dragged me out to his police car. I clambered in the back and he got in the front. As we were driving, he pulled out his cell phone and seemingly called his wife. "Hey Lils. It's me Jeremiah. Yeah...yeah I'll be home soon. Just so you know, I'm bringing home a guest for dinner." Awkward pause. The wife was probably reeming her husband out for bringing home some random person off the streets. "No, honey. It's an old friend." Friend? I was Jeremiah's friend? I was wary to trust him though, but I'll let him feed me. "Okay, honey. Thank you. Goodbye."

There was an awkward ride home. I noticed we were going to the outskirts of the city. We were in a typical suburban neighborhood with older ranch homes. We pulled into a concrete driveway. The door opened and a homey light shone through. Two greenish-light blue frogs stood in the doorway and watched us get out of the car. I presumed this was Jeremiah's wife and child. The little boy looked like he wanted to run to his dad, but the woman kept him back. When we approached the door, I could tell the woman was looking me up and down. I smiled a tiny bit. "Hello. I'm Bree, an old friend of yours husband's." she nodded a little.

"I'm Lily and this is our son Frobert." I looked down at the little frog. His buck teeth were so cute. Frobert was shy and didn't say anything. I greeted the two, saying it was nice to meet them. You know, the whole niceties when you first meet someone. I told the woman I had a husband and son too. You know, that way she might feel more comfortable. I know how women work. If they know another girl has a husband and family, she won't think you're trying to destroy hers. It seemed to work. Lily lightened up a little bit and was nicer. We sat down to dinner at the table and had an intriguing conversation. The only thing was, they were vegetarians. That's not bad, I mean...after all you don't want to eat other animals seeing as how we're animals. Ooh I was rambling there. I just wasn't used to the stuff they're used to. My son ate fried foods and stuff as a kid. Frobert was eating tofu and healthy crap like that. We three adults upheld a stimulating conversation for the two hours I was sitting at their table. When dinner was finished and our conversation was winding to a close, I stood up abruptly and stretched.

"Lily, that meal was delicious. Thank you so much." I said. The tofu was delicious, I just wasn't used to it. It took me a few minutes to get accustomed to the taste. After all, I believe all that stuff is an acquired interest. Lily blushed, her pink cheeks glowing in the dining room.

"Thank you, Bree. And no problem. Anything for a friend. We would love to have you over again sometimes." she said. I chuckled.

"Thank you, but I wouldn't want to intrude on your family meals. I feel awkward." I admitted. She smiled.

"Don't be! Jeremiah and I enjoy your company. And Frobert likes you too." she said. Frobert had went upstairs to do his homework. The kid was shy and quiet, but very nice and polite. I turned towards the door and Jeremiah and Lily followed me. We walked into the foyer and I put on my dirty jacket. Jeremiah had tried to offer me an old one they had, but I refused. I don't need to be accepting their charity. We exchanged more niceties and I was ready to leave when Jeremiah asked me a question.

"Where will you go? You said your husband kicked you out of the house." he inquired. A crackle of lightning flashed dangerously close to the house. Thunder boomed shortly after. We all winced and the lights flickered in the house. "Hopefully we won't have an outage..." he mumbled to himself. I could tell the two were staring at me intently, waiting for my answer. Well, I didn't have one. I didn't know where I wanted to go. I had no place to go, in all honesty. I wasn't going to admit that to them. I sighed and shuffled my feet awkwardly. Lily gave a knowing glance towards her husband. Jeremiah smiled warmly. "Bree, if you need a place to stay, you're more than welcome to have our guest bedroom." I refused modestly and stumbled backwards.

"I couldn't..." I trailed. He cocked his head and asked why. I said nothing and opened the door. Rain poured down like a waiter pours soda into an empty glass. I winced and blinked away tears. I couldn't let the family see my weaknes. They would take advantage of it and reel me back in. I wasn't going to live with them. They were too nice, too perfect. I abruptly left and ran out into the storm, I didn't look back, but I knew that Jeremiah and Lily were watching me sadly from the safety of their own home. I probably just blew the biggest, best opportunity to be with people that care about me. Oh well. I couldn't bring myself to do it. To live with them. Even it was just temporary, I would feel so guilty and awkward. I wouldn't fit in. They didn't need me bearing down on them.