Chapter Twenty-Six: No Place Like Home On The Yellow Brick Road

HICCUP (P.O.V)

My dream is to travel the world. I had voiced this to Merida one evening. It had slipped out in the middle of a conversation about baby names. I wasn't sure how I had managed to convince Merida to come to the library with me but here we were.

It was a late Saturday afternoon, the place was nearly empty. On the table before us was a handful of one anothers favorite books, along with parenting guides. Both of which had to do with the babies in some way.

Our favorite books we skimmed for names, an idea given by Rapunzel. We'd have little to no luck at agreeing on a single name. The redhead had her casted leg propped up on my lap. I had gotten bored and asked if I could draw on it.

"Ay swear if its something offense or stupid, ima break yer leg and draw life ruinin' pictures on it!" She had threatened. Knowing that she was completely serious I decided to draw dragons.

Her cast was covered in names, along with some painted pictures from Rapunzel. In the empty spaces I drew dragons. Some big and some small. The smell of sharpies was intoxicating making me a little dizzy.

Merida's eyes were tired from little to no sleep. I'd pointed out that she need to get rest for the sake of the unborn children. An all she did was tell me to, 'Shut up!' In her hands she gripped a Harry Potter book skimming for any name that jumped out. Her eyes had been glued to it for the last half and hour and I could only assume she had been rereading instead of skimming.

Her reaction to my dream was a soft snort and a yawn before she spoke. "Aye," she said in acknowledgement, "And ay dream of a nice warm apple pie."

It wasn't a surprise that food was absolutely the only thing she was thinking about. Her cravings were something I found easy to ignore although they made up most our conversations. Such as her recent desire to put hot sauce on everything. She did demand me to bring her food all the time said it was least I could do after putting her in this state.

I however simple rolled my eyes and said, 'It takes two to tango' in order to remind her it wasn't just my fault. If anything it wasn't either of ours atleast we think. We had little memory of anything that happened on the 'forgotten night'.

However I'm sure I wouldn't has slept with Merida expecially without protection if I was able to think at all. I wasn't one for drinking but I know that intoxicated or not I had enough since to not sleep with the enemy.

Besides from what I do remember I hadn't drank more than two beers. Jack on the other hand had a few more than that but he had a high alcohol tolerance. Anyway we had spent a lot of time meeting up. Not just me and Jack but alomg with Merida, Elsa and Rapunzel (when she was avaliable).

If we remembered something we'd all get together. And share our memories adding them to a rather large board of sticky notes, index cards, and whatever else we could pin. Which currently hung in my own work area at Gobber Garage and Junk Yard. The only one of the group who had absolutely no memory or even a slight glimpse of the past was Rapunzel.

It had come to conclusion that maybe she wasn't apart of the whole thing or she was lying. Me and Jack had brought up the second one to Elsa and Merida. The two quickly attempted to push the idea out and tried to give another reasonable explanation.

When coming up with nothing Merida had sighed and agreed that it was possible but Elsa won't even consider it. Who could blame her though? Rapunzel was the last person you'd think to be carrying a dark secret. Then again the least expected are the guilty ones.

"I was just trying to start a meaningful conversation which you ruined with you cravings," I said trying to seem annoyed but couldn't help but crack a smile. Her blue eyes locked with mine as if reading my soul or trying to scare it out of my chest.

"Travelin' the world," she said bitting her lip, "Ay won't lie but that sounds amazin' right about now."

She closed her eyes and sneezed crunching her nose. My lips switched slightly, "It would won't it," I spoke softly, "However its not a good idea heard of Zika?"

She just rolled her eyes, "An look whos ruinin the moment now," she says, "Okay, Haddock, weres the first place ye go?"

"Somewhere north, maybe catch a glimpse of the northern lights," I replied, "You?"

"I'd go home, ta Scotland, ay was young when we moved 'ere but aye still feel like its home," she spoke with a smile until then end when she began to frown, "Home?" She repeated, "Hiccup the babies what kind of home is waitin' fer them 'ere?"

Her eyes widen and I wasn't sure what to say. She looked like she was gonna cry and I wasn't sure if it was hormones or if she was actually really upset. I'd rarely seen Merida cry if not ever.

The first tear fell and I freaked. I wasn't good at this thing. "Oh gods! Don't cry!" I squeaked. Going against my wishes she burst. A sob escaped her lips as people began to look our way.

I opened my mouth to say something comforting however nothing came out. Slightly panicked I stand up to move towards her. Of course by doing this I caused her casted leg to fall to the floor.

"Ow!" She groaned this causing her to cry harder.

"Sorry!" I say a little to loud earning even more glares. Making my way around her I take a seat next to her. Unsure what to do I take the book from her hands setting it on the table, "Hey...uh...its okay?" I take one of her hands.

She snorted pulling her hand out of my grasp. Wiping her tears she hiccup slightly, "Nothin' is 'okay' anymore Haddock, I'm pregnant...we're pregnant, not to mention ay hate you."

"Aw well thanks feelings mutual," I murmured she ignored me.

"And our parents hate each other, Oh and yer date my sister which really has nothin ta do with this conversation," she rambled through fresh tears, "Oh not ta mention ima not mother material frankly yer not father material, and then ta top it off someone wants our babies."

By the time she was finished her breath was ragged. She sniffed eyes wide with panic. It was like she was bipolar the next few second happened fast. Her fingers dug into my clothes and she began shaking me violently.

Anger or was it rage? Filled her and she growled lowly, "Ay don't want this!" She exclaimed, her eyes were puffy and her cheeks were red. I wasn't sure why but I found myself admiring the fact she still looked beautiful.

"What do you want Mer?" I asked softly. The tension in her body fade and she slumped. Her fingers slowly released my now crinkled shirt. The anger faded and she looked at me confused as if she wasn't expected me to even care enough to ask.

"Ay wanna a home," she whispered.

"Okay," I shrugged, "Let me put theses books up and I'll take you back to the cafe."

I went to stand but she grabbed my shirt again, "No," she says, "Ye don't get it ay don't wanna go home, ay want a home."

I open my mouth but she shushes me and leans back slightly letting me go. She ran a hand through her curls and laughed humorously.

"Ay want a home for these babies," she tells me.

"I thought you didn't want them,"

"Ay want them just not this soon...not with all these problems!" She huffed, "Were in some deep shit Hic...and were in it with some bad people..."

Thats all that was said before my phone rang loudly. Astrids name flashes and I looked back up to Merida. She wasn't looking at me but I could clearly see she was scared. I ended it quickly leaning against the table taking the Harry Potter book.

"How about Hermione?" I asked in attempt to distracted her.

She smiled slightly, "Hell no Haddock."

"Harry?"
___________________________________________

At some point we had given up on names and left the library. After a thirty minutes of arguing where to go we sat silently on a park bench. Children played on the swings and monkey bars. Not many however for it was getting colder by the day.

Leaves were slowly falling leaving the air smelling crisp. The trees where becoming bare making the world look as if it were dying. The scratching of my pencil was one of the only sounds filling the air next to the giggling and shirking of children. In the distance a boy pulled his sisters hair and a young toddler scrapped his knee. I attempted to ignore the thought that one day a child of mine would be one of them.

It was a weird thought. One that terrified me but gave me a sort of warm feeling. I looked at Merida who stared blankly at the children. After awhile she narrowed her eyes.

"Wee devils they are," she murmured just as a young girl in pink through a tantrum. I chuckled and she huffed.

Despite the frown on her face her eyes revealed a softness to them. I couldn't be sure but I think she was feeling the same warmth as me. It all faded when I remembered our topic only hours before.

"Home," I whispered.

"Huh?" She murmured. Her blue eyes locked with mine and she raised a eyebrow.

"You said at the library you wanted a home for the babies...with them," I paused, "I do to...how is that supposed to work? I mean the fact our families hate each other thats not the problem, we had the issue that we despise each other! Its not like we got the mental stability to stand each other as friends much less a couple."

"Yer right," Merida said and I couldn't help but wish she had disagreed.

"Well there twins maybe one can live with me and the other you-" I started.

She snorted, "Ay ain't about ta get Parent Trapped."

I couldn't help but laugh a little. After a moment I sighed looking back at the playground, "Hendrick," I offered.

"No."

"Heidi?"

"Great now yer goin fer Shirley Temple," she murmured. I raised a eyebrow, "No!" She clarified.

"Hercules?"

"Greek Gods seriously Hiccup!"

"Honor!"

"Whats with the 'H' names?" She growled.

"Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third," I recited.

"Well triple 'H' yer name describes yer name selections perfectly..." She smirked, "Horrendous!"

I huffed, "I sure hope our children don't take after you with the Bitch department!"

"Ay say its impossible to pop out a couple dogs but they are half yers so who know," she snarled.

I opened my mouth to shoot a comeback but I was saved the embarrassment of such attempts by Jack. He hopped up Sophie on his shoulders and two devils by his sides. He seemed tired he must have stopped taking his medicine.

"Aw! Look at Mericcup bonding!" The twins said through Cheshire Cat grins. Merida glared and I frowned. Sophie squealed in delight.

"Babies!" She squeaked. Jack took her off his shoulders and set her down. The small blonde with dirty overalls and fairy wings runshed to the blushing redhead pressing her ear to the teens stomach.

"Yer told her!" Merida frowned.

"Not me observation of deducing evil masterminds," Jack said nearly humming. That made the twins smiles widen reminding me of The Grinch who stole Christmas. I'll definitely be hiding my presents this year.

"Sssshhhhh!" Sophie hushed him, "I think I hear somethin'...hmm...my diet-nose-stick is definitely baby-baker I can hear 'em growlin' in there!"

Merida laughed a cute snort escaping as she did so, "Thats just hunger I'm afraid but I'm very much a 'baby-baker' ye 'diet-nose' right."

Sophie smiled, "Can I be there fairy godmother?"

"Of course!"

"Can I be there godfather?" Jack asked.

"No!"

------------
I took Merida to get her something to eat after a fairly long argument between restaurants. We eventually decided to simply go to Luck Cat Cafe because it was close and Merida was growing tired.

Instead of sitting at a table we sat on Meridas bed eating pie. Well Merida was eating pie, I didn't attempt to try afraid she'd bite my fingers off. Cas Hamada had nearly objected to me entering Meridas room alone but shut her lips when Merida said and I quote.

"Ay can't get anymore pregnant!" And left me in the eyes of the customers that surrounded. Lets just say being the center of attention isn't fun for some people.

"Valenor? Storgus?" Merida frowned as she spoke.

"What the hell are you doing?" I question popping a grape off the plate Merida refused to touch. Her reason being her (our) children wouldn't appreciate healthy food when pie and Daritos were so good.

"Combining our parents name."

"That stupid!"

"Bella did it!"

"Yeah, well she also did a vampire!"

"Ye might as well be because ye suck!"

We both cringed shaking are heads, "Not your best comeback," I commented as she said, "That was horrible."

We both chuckled and I threw a grape hitting her nose. It bounced off disappearing into the unknown. She narrowed her eyes a smile twitched upone her lips.

"Merlin," she spoke suddenly.

"Hyde," I suggested.

"Melissa,"

"Harper,"

We both chuckled we weren't making any progress. A smile spread across her lips implanting itself in my head. When I finally left it was all I could think about. An deep inside although I wouldn't admit it, her smile felt like home.

RAPUNZEL (P.O.V)

Home for me had been a big house full of life. The loud thumps of footsteps in the morning, the arguments over the television remote, the constant movement of everyone stumbling around each other. All the commotion and disasters that entwined into everyday life. Thats what home has always been.

Living the way for so long I didn't notice the strange things others did. Such as the surveillance inside and out. A camera in nearly every corner the red light always flashing. Or how half of the house hold took a special vitamin. A stanger clear pill that left those who taken it with what felt like a hangover.

That side effect lasted only a hour on normal dosage. I know because it was something I took regularly. They helped with the dreams and flashing images. It was hard to describe either of them but they left me confused and scared.

Another strange thing was the locked draws and cabinets. Which I would usual have over looked if it hadn't been for Raven. We had slowly began to talk and by that I mean I spoke and she pretended to listen.

However on rare occasions such as today she spoke. Her voice hushed and emotionless. It was as if she were a robot nothing showed on her face. She stood stiff and on edge. An for a troubled looking teen she behaved like Elsa.

"Don't you think its strange?" She had asked me. She dipped her multi colored long nails into a grape raising it to her lips.

"What?" I looked at her confused as I continued icing cupcakes. I did this when something was troubling me. I baked, and I painted then I baked some more. As if the two pies, a couple dozen cookies, and three cakes weren't enough already I had another batch of cupcakes in the oven.

"Your 'parents' they have this big house and all these mouths to feed, and are able to afford it while donating tons of dollars to anonymous 'charities'," she says.

I frown and shrug, "Yeah they have well paying careers."

"Oh really what do they do for a living?"

"PUNZIE!" Jeremy yelled. He slid into the kitchen his clothes dripping wet. Behind him was the steps of Mika and Mike holding water guns. Before I could react I myself had became drenched in ice cold water.

"NO WATERGUNS IN THE HOUSE!" I cried out in shock. The twins shrieked and sped away. Before I could go after them Raven stopped me.

"You didn't answer my question!" She exclaimed. Her eyes darkened as she narrowed her multicolored hair falling slightly in her face. She was pretty she'd been even more if she laid off the rainbows vomit she was supporting.

"They own some successful company, does it matter?" I asked amused, "This some interrogation?"

"No I'm just curious thats all!" She says slumping against the counter, "listen I just find it weird."

"Every household is different Raven," I tell her, "What is considered weird or normal for a person is different among every individual."

"I guess but do you really not fine anything strange?" She questioned.

I replied with a simple, "No."

However as I walked around in the empty house everyone gone for the day I began to rethink my answer. Was all this supposed to be abnormal? My parents were gone a lot, Gothel basically ran the house to the point we called her mother.

She always been there, and despite her stricked rules and speaking basically one sided conversations she was a nice women. Frowning at another blinking camrea I pulled out my phone at another attempt to contect Eugene.

He'd been ignoring me and it wasn't like his usual 'need to be alone' periods. It was more like 'something is extremely wrong and I don't wanna drag you into it'. An despite seeming like Im being to clingy I need to make sure he's alright. I loved him more than I thought possible. The last timehe ignored me like this was when I admitted my feelings.

I remember the day "I love you," I said softly. It had slipped out my mouth after one of his stupid corny jokes. We were walking through the park the summer festival had started bright lanterns where strung up from tree to tree.

Everything was casted in a warm glow and the scenery was perfect. I almost didn't regret admitting my feelings. Everything was perfect, almost like my fantasies of the moment except he wasn't admitting his feelings first. I guess a woman needs to take the next step expecially when there partner wasn't getting the hint.

His eyes avoid mine as he played with my fingers. He was taking to long. I tried to catch his gaze. I remember my stomach dropping. Panicked I tried to get him to reply, "Eugene!"

He murmured something lowly. And I frowned pulling my hand free from his grasp. With the same hand I laid it on the side his face. He looked up at me his lips pressed together. His eyes were tired and sad. This was the first time we'd been alone together in weeks. We both had been busy with our own thing.

"Whats wrong?" I asked worried. He brushed my hand away looking away from me, "Rider!"

This was getting ridiculous. I huffed in annoyance. Why were boys so damn frustrating? If he was going to reject me he should just do it. I could feel tears but I pushed them down. I sighed softly brushing back his hair with my fingers. He moved away from my touch.

"Listen blondie," he started. Then his bit his lip and I froze, "Rapunzel I...I have to go."

An he left me standing there and I felt like I'd been stabbed in the stomach. He ignored me after that for what felt like eternity. When he did pop back up he delivered me flowers and told me three words.

"I'm not ready," he spoke softly.

I blinked at him and sighed with a soft smile I replied, "You want watched a movie?"

I never seen him smile at me that bright before. It took an extra three months for him to confesses his feelings. When he did I smiled brighter than I ever did before.

Glancing at my phone I scrolled through my contacts to Eugenes name. Silence echoed through my home. It was thick, suffocating almost. "You okay Rapunzel?" Ravens voice suddenly spoke.

I nearly forgot she was in the house, "Yeah, I'm fine," putting my phone away I turned to her, "Your right."

"Huh?" She raised her eyebrow confused.

"It is werid," I agreed, "The cameras and what not." She stayed quiet waiting for me to continue, "Its not normal...but normal is an opinion, so its not common but there are some things your born into and you have to deal."

I sighed and started to the kitchen to bake some more. It might have been my imagination but just above a whisper I heard Raven mutter, "Forced is more like it."

The front door opened and in stormed children. There feet thumped and voice rang and once again it was home.

(A/N: Sorry its so bad and boring and took forever. My tablet charger is broken and my Internet sucks so updatings like impossible but im trying! So sorry for everything.)

Adiós cornflakes

-Skye