Here is the third installment in the series, which actually occurs between the first two installments (time wise)

[x]Story: Keep Me Safe
[x]Chapter Title: Cause and Effect
[x]Rating: PG
[x]Characters: Beth Turner, OC - Annie (Beth's best friend), OC - Meredith (Beth's mother, also in part 1), OC - Alicia Clarkson (Beth's school principal), Passing mentions of Coraline and Mick, and if you catch it a slight current mention of Mick =P
[x]Words: 6246
[x]Summary: Set when Beth is 9 years old and gets into a fight with her best friend in school, over a trusty stuffed vampire. This incident causes Beth to relive her kidnapping.
[x]Disclaimer: Not my toys, im just borrowing them =D

AN - This turned out completely differently from how i intended when i sat down to write it, but i REALLY like this piece =D So i hope you all do too!!




9-year-old Beth turner was a bag of mixed emotions as she sat outside the principals’ office.

Her cheeks were red from both embarrassment and anger, and they were streaked with tears born from frustration and painful memories. She clutched her stuffed vampire like a lifeline and ignored the whispers of the passing older students.

Beth didn’t dare look at the girl sitting across from her, a girl she had considered her best friend until about 30 minutes prior. A girl whose cheeks were also streaked with tears, but for completely different reasons then Beth’s. Her ‘friends’ cheeks were wet from tears of pain, caused when Beth had attacked her, kicking and screaming, pulling her hair and scratching her neck.

Beth felt no remorse for her actions, and refused to apologise to her ‘friend’ when the teacher had told her to, her so called friend wouldn’t apologize either, ending up with them both seated outside the principals office awaiting punishment for their actions.

Beth was trying to think about anything other then the reason for her momentary snap, but she was finding it hard not to think about the incident, it was always in the back of her mind, haunting her but she could normally ignore it, but as she sat with her stuffed vampire clutched to her chest, she couldn’t help but let the fear of years ago fall over her like a bucket of iced water.

Her eyes flicked around the room rapidly, not taking in anything they were seeing, instead the walls morphed into the of another room, a students art piece that was on the wall morphed into Beth’s worst nightmare, and she screamed a bloodcurdling scream as the principal put a hand on her shoulder, before scuttling across the room to hide in the corner.

Beth’s heart was racing and she made her body as small as she could, clutching her knees to her chest, trapping her stuffed vampire close to her body, her head lowered on her forearms and her eyes closed tightly as she tried to block out the nightmare.

Slowly she heard a noise winding its way through the air and past her defences before settling itself in her ear, a noise that became a word, which became her name in a very worried tone.

She looked up slowly, trying to find the source of her name and saw the overly concerned face of the school principal, Miss Clarkson, standing close, but not too close, offering a hand.

Beth eyed the woman up and down, dark brown eyes, not ice blue, shiny white teeth, all straight and none over hanging her dark red lips, a classic dark grey pencil skirt and white shirt, no flowing white dress. The face of her principal surrounded by blonde hair, not that of the scary woman hidden behind a curtain of black hair.

Beth blinked, and let out a relieved breath, she stood of her own accord, ignoring the offered hand, and straightening herself, loosening her hold on her vampire, but not relinquishing the grasp.

“Bethany, are you ok?” Miss Clarkson asked in a kind, warm voice.

“Beth” Beth interrupted, a matter of course, she hated being called Bethany, it made her sound like an old grandma.

“Sorry, Beth, are you ok?” Miss Clarkson repeated, a worried look on her face.

Beth sized up the woman and decided she was genuinely concerned for her wellbeing; she softened her posture and replied, “not really” before avoiding eye contact.

Beth eyes fell upon the other girl sitting in the hallway, she saw a look of terror on the girls face and wondered what she was so scared of, her lip was quivering and fresh tears were threatening to spill from her eyes, Beth tilted her head and bit her bottom lip, trying to figure out what was the cause of her ‘friends’ renewed watery eyes.

Beth’s thoughts were interrupted by Miss Clarkson’s soft voice, “girls would you please both step into my office?” she asked, in a way that was obvious that ‘no’ was not an option.

Beth headed for the door without another word, but Annie, her friend, needed to be asked twice, before following Beth into the room.

Beth had never been into the principals office before, and was rather impressed by its size, a large leather chair sat proudly behind a dark wooden desk, on which a gold nameplate sat pride of place in the centre of it, it read “PRINCIPAL” and Beth rolled her eyes. Three smaller seats sat across the desk facing the principals’ seat, Beth took the one closest to the window, and nearly let a chuckle slip as Annie quickly chose the one furthest away from Beth as her place to sit.

Miss Clarkson said something out of ear shot to the school receptionist, Beth guessed it was something along the lines of “no interruptions,” before she closed the door and quickly crossed the room to take her seat.

“Now girls, Miss Palmer has sent you to my office for a reason, she has told me of an incident that happened in class, one that I must say if reported correctly is completely unacceptable in my school” Miss Clarkson began, her tone serious.

“Beth started it” Annie blurted out, before being shushed by a simple hand from the elder woman.

“Before we play the blame game girls, I want to hear what happened,” Miss Clarkson began and was nearly interrupted again by Annie, whose mouth had opened in preparation to blurt out her side of the story, but she was cut off by a look from Miss Clarkson and her continued speech, “from both of you, one at a time, without interrupting each other.”

Miss Clarkson looked between Beth and Annie, silently questioning wether the girls could follow the simple instructions, Beth, while still looking out the window, nodded her head, and Annie followed suit.

“Good, now, who wants to go first?” Miss Clarkson asked, and wasn’t surprised when Annie immediately raised her hand, and Beth made no move to speak.

“Ok then, Annie, what happened?” Miss Clarkson asked.

Beth tied really hard not to snort at Annie’s description of the incident, according to her friend, Beth had lunged at her, completely unprovoked and attacked her, Beth had been doing well keeping her thoughts about Annie’s blatant lie to herself, but she let a loud snort slip through when Annie declared that Beth “was trying to kill me.”

“Beth” Miss Clarkson chastised, to which Beth quickly apologised half-heartedly.

“Annie, I hardly believe Beth is the type of girl to lash out unprovoked” Miss Clarkson said when she could finally get a word in.

“But it’s true, I didn’t do anything” Annie whined.

“Beth, would you like to tell me what happened?” Miss Clarkson asked, turning her attention towards Beth.

“Annie laughed at my vampire” Beth said simply, still staring out the window.

“Beth please face me, and then speak, it is rude not to look at someone when you are speaking to them” Miss Clarkson said calmly.

Beth made a little huff before turning in her seat to face Miss Clarkson and repeating herself, “Annie laughed at my vampire.”

“While that may not be a nice thing to do, it certainly doesn’t warrant you attacking her Bethany” Miss Clarkson spoke, quickly correcting herself, “sorry, Beth” as Beth opened her mouth to retort.

“She said that I was a baby because I had a stuffed toy in my school bag, even though I’ve been to her house and know she has like a million stuffed toys” Beth said turning to face Annie for a moment.

“I do not” Annie replied.

“Do too” Beth replied quickly.

“Girls” Miss Clarkson chastised.

“You are both 9 years old, there is nothing wrong with having stuffed toys, but it is no reason to fight” she continued.

“She said that I was a baby because I had to bring him to school, but she doesn’t understand it, she never would, no one would” Beth said getting frustrated as she hugged said vampire to her chest.

“Why don’t you help us to understand then Beth?” Miss Clarkson offered.

“No” Beth shot down the idea with blinding speed.

“Baby” Annie said quietly, but not quietly enough as Beth heard it.

“I’m not a baby!” Beth yelled, causing Miss Clarkson to jump.

“GIRLS” Miss Clarkson yelled back, immediately quietening the both of them with her volume.

“Then why do you bring your stuffed toy to school?” Annie asked, turning to face Beth.

“Because” Beth replied, turning to face Annie.

Miss Clarkson bit her tongue, hoping the girls could sort this out for themselves, what she didn’t expect was what happened next.

“Because why?” Annie prodded

“Because he keeps me safe” Beth replied.

“Safe from what?” Annie asked smirking slightly.

“The woman” Beth all but whispered.

“What woman?” Annie asked, going from smug to genuinely interested.

“The scary woman” Beth replied softly, her eyes clouding over with tears.

Annie didn’t know what to say, she was the look on Beth’s face and realised that Beth was completely terrified of whoever the scary woman was.

Miss Clarkson noticed the look too, “Beth, who is the scary woman?” she asked, wondering if someone was hurting Beth.

“I’m not allowed to tell” Beth said, knowing that it was the truth.

“Beth if someone is hurting you, you have to tell me” Miss Clarkson said, genuine concern filtering into her voice.

“Not anymore she isn’t, she did, but he rescued me, he keeps me safe” Beth said, a blank look falling over her face as she spoke in a voice that sounded foreign to her own ears.

“What did the scary woman do Beth?” Miss Clarkson asked softly.

Beth turned to once more face out the window, a tear falling from her eye. She stared out across the oval and took a deep breath, her mouth opened to speak but no sound came out except for a soft whimper. Her eyes scanned up and down the line of trees running along the back fence of the school, it was as if she was looking for something but she didn’t know what, she tried to speak once more but again her voice faltered her.

The room was silent as Beth continued to stare blindly out of the window, Beth heard one of the two occupants speak, and then movement but it was like it was coming from a long way away, she couldn’t make out what was doing or saying what, because she was falling back once again into her memories.

The trees turned into a wall of flame as Beth began to shake with fear, as the sun went behind a cloud the world seemed to fall into night as Beth was thrown back once more into her past. The shadows of the trees danced like licks of flame, a sweat formed on Beth’s brow, she heard footsteps behind her and waited for the scary woman to once more.

Beth continued to shake with fear, curling up in her chair, waiting for the promises of “a new daddy, and a better life” to be whispered in her ear, but they never came.

All of a sudden Beth’s eyes focused on something in the distance, it was there for a second and then gone the next, but suddenly the fear went away. He was there, he had come for her again, he had come to save her and take her home.

Beth was brought back to the present; she was back in the principals’ office staring out the window over the school over. The flames vanished and the trees were once more standing proud along the line of the school fence, the sun returned from behind the cloud and the night was blown away, she was once more safe.

He had saved her again.

“I was so cold, she was also in a nightgown but she didn’t seem to mind the cold, I was shivering, shaking with fear, she tried to sooth it but only made it worse. She was what I was afraid of, she was the one who took me, she tried to make it better but she couldn’t, because she was the cause”

Beth didn’t realise she was speaking until she found her mouth getting dry; she swallowed and continued to speak. She spoke in riddles, but they made sense to her.

“There were growls and teeth, a fight between animals, like tigers with teeth and claws, there was blood, and then they were gone. He was there, he saved me, I clung to him and he took me away. I remember flames and then warmth, but I wasn’t burning, she was.”

Beth continued to ramble, under the concerned eye of Miss Clarkson. Beth was no longer shaking, she had a blank look on her face, and was holding her vampire in her lap, she looked neither scared nor sad, but she didn’t look happy or relieved either, she looks completely blank, like she didn’t know who she was.

Miss Clarkson wanted to interrupt to clarify what it was that Beth was telling her, but had a suspicion that Beth herself didn’t know what she was saying, she suspected that if she interuped Beth now, that the door on whatever it was that she was thinking would slam shut and never again open.

So she stayed silent and just listened.

“I woke up with the wind in my hair, the top was down, but I was warm, I was wrapped in something warm, I saw blood on it but I didn’t care, it was my cocoon. I knew as soon as it was gone I would be different, so I stayed as long as I could, he picked me up, carried me and soon I was enveloped in familiar arms, comforting arms that felt only a minute amount more like home then the man’s arms.”

Miss Clarkson pondered Beth’s words, she could tell that Beth was reliving some kind of terrifying event, and she suspected it was something along the lines of a kidnapping, she hoped she was wrong.

Beth continued to speak without emotion, “then the cocoon was taken, ripped off me and I was once again bare and scared. I was different, I had changed. He felt like home and safety, and then he was gone and all that was left was home. I was lost, and then suddenly the safety blanket was back. He was back, somewhere near, I could never see him, but he was there, I knew because I could feel him. He is there.”

Miss Clarkson noticed that the whole time Beth spoke her eyes never moved, they were looking in the exact same direction the entire time, she looked over the girls head and out the window, following her line of sight, but she saw nothing but trees and grass.

There was silence and Miss Clarkson wondered if she should speak, she waited to see if Beth was going to continue, but she didn’t say a word. Another minute later Miss Clarkson was about to speak when Beth spoke again.

“And I am safe” she said in almost a whisper, her words trailing off into silence.

Miss Clarkson waited again to see if Beth was going to continue, and after a few minutes decided to speak, she moved from her position by the door and silently moved to take her seat behind her desk, she was surprised when she looked to see Beth.

Beth was fast asleep in the chair, a smile on her face, her vampire clutched to her chest. Miss Clarkson stunned, she didn’t know what to do. She knew that something major had just happened and knew that she needed to do something about it, but she didn’t know what. She didn’t know what to do with the sleeping child in her office, she didn’t want to disturb her, but she also didn’t want to leave her asleep in the chair.

Miss Clarkson needed to sort out what on earth had just happened, she needed to speak to Annie, who was still waiting outside after being excused earlier, and she needed to speak to Beth’s mother, immediately.

Deciding that she couldn’t leave Beth alone and asleep in her office, Miss Clarkson picked up the phone and pressed the button for the receptionist, upon connection she gave quiet instructions to have Annie returned to class, with the promise of speaking to her later, and requested to be given Mrs Turners home phone number, before hanging up the phone.

Beth didn’t stir when the receptionist quietly knocked on the adjoining door from the school office to the principals’ office, nor when Miss Clarkson dialled Beth’s home phone number and spoke silently to her mother.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Meredith Turner was out in the garden on her already filthy knees, with trowel in hand, when she heard the phone ring from inside the kitchen. Standing up and wiping the sweat from her brow, she quickly made her way to the kitchen door, keeping her mud clogged shoes outside, she reached a hand around to pick up the ringing phone from the kitchen bench.

“This is Meredith,” she spoke into the phone as she turned and walked back into the middle of the garden.

“Hi, Meredith, this is Alicia Clarkson from Beth’s school” Alicia spoke from her desk.

A momentary flash of panic surged through Meredith, she had never got a call from Beth’s school before, “is Beth ok?” she asked quickly.

“Physically she is fine yes, but something strange happened, I don’t want to worry you Mrs Turner, but there was an incident between Beth and her friend Annie, and then things escalated in my office. Beth sort of zoned out and began talking in riddles, she was unresponsive and then fell asleep in my office.” Alicia continued.

Meredith had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, her mind immediately flashed to the panic she felt when Beth was taken, and then to the relief she felt when she was brought back. Also she remembered a few concerns the psychiatrist had aired.

Alicia took a breath and continued to speak, “I put together some of the pieces of what she was saying, but I think you and I need to have a conversation about just what happened, I want to give you details, but I must admit I also have some questions too”

Meredith took a deep breath before speaking, “I understand, would you like me to come in now to speak with you?”

“If that is possible that would be great,” Alicia replied.

“Ok, I can be there in about 30 minutes, do you need me to speak to Beth first to calm her down?” Meredith asked, concern evident in her tone.

“No, she is still asleep” Alicia replied softly.

“Ok, well, if she wakes up before I get there, tell her she can call me on my mobile” Meredith replied, “she knows the number.”

“Ok, and Mrs Turner” Alicia began but was cut off by Meredith.

“Please, call me Meredith” Meredith replied.

“Sorry, Meredith, thank you for coming in at such short notice” Alicia replied.

“It’s no problem, I’m just sorry I wasn’t there for Beth when this happened, I have a pretty good idea of what happened” Meredith replied ashamedly.

“You couldn’t have known Meredith” Alicia replied.

“I know, but I still can’t help but feel guilty about it, thank you for calling though, I will be at the school as soon as I can” Meredith replied.

“Ok thank you, and I will see you soon” Alicia replied.

“You too” Meredith replied before walking back to hang up the phone.

Sitting on the doorstep, she hastily removed her dirty boots before racing inside to get changed. She was out the door and on the way to Beth’s school in record time.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Meredith wore a worried look as she walked up the front steps to Beth’s school, slipping her car keys into her bag she opened the front door and made her way to the office window.

The receptionist looked up and smiled, “hello, I’m Meredith Turner, Alicia Clarkson is expecting me” Meredith said to the cheery faced woman.

“Ah yes, I’ll let her know you are here” the receptionist said before picking up the phone in front of her.

Meredith stood back from the window and looked around the school hall, she noted that the artwork had changed since the last time she was here, for parent and teacher interviews, and was looking at some of the new pieces when she heard a familiar voice calling her name.

“Meredith turner?” Alicia Clarkson questioned, holding her hand out.

“In the flesh” Meredith replied as she took the offered hand and shook it gently.

“I’d offer my office as a place to talk, but Beth is still asleep and I don’t want to wake her just yet,” Alicia said.

At the mention of Beth’s name Meredith’s guilt doubled.

“I understand, but would it be ok if I see her before we talk, just to reassure myself that she is ok?” Meredith asked.

“Certainly, she is just in here” Alicia spoke as she walked over to and opened the door to her office.

“Thank you” Meredith spoke before stepping into the office and taking in the sleeping sight of her daughter.

Another pang of guilt struck Meredith as she walked over to Beth and tucked a loose strange of hair behind her ear, she leant down and pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead before straightening herself and walking back out of the office.

“We can speak in the staff room if you wish?” Alicia offered.

“That’s fine by me” Meredith replied, before following Alicia to the aforementioned room.

Once inside Alicia offered Meredith a drink, to which she politely declined.

“So what exactly, happened?” Meredith asked

“As I said on the phone there was an incident between Beth and her friend Annie, from what I have gathered Annie said something about Beth being a baby because she had her stuffed vampire in her schoolbag, and then Beth snapped and attacked her. It wasn’t much but it was very out of character. Miss Palmer tried to get the girls to apologize to each other but both refused, so she sent them to my office.” Alicia spoke, nodding her head in greeting to a fellow teacher who walked into the staff room and headed for the sink.

Alicia continued to speak, “the girls both told different views of the event, as you would expect, and began, for lack of a better word, bitching, but then things got serious. Annie managed to somehow get Beth talking about why she had her stuffed toy with her, Beth refused to talk to begin with but then slowly she opened up. She then fell silent, and I excused Annie, sensing there was something rather important brewing inside your daughter.”

Meredith smiled slightly, urging Alicia to continue, she did, “she began speaking about a scary woman, she spoke in disjointed form, seemingly skipping from one train of thought, or memory, to another, she spoke with little to no emotion and her face was blank, I figured that she must have been reliving whatever it is that happened to her, and I thought it best not to intervene. I let her get it all out, and when she became silent I went to talk to her and noted she was asleep, that is when I called you.”

“Thank you for not interrupting her, her psychiatrist said something like this would happen, and that when it did it was important to let her get it out, so that she could get it out of her system,” Meredith spoke.

Meredith shifted slightly in her seat before taking a deep breath and continuing, “when Beth was 4 she was kidnapped. She was taken from her bed in the middle of the night. The police wouldn’t help me, but I found a private investigator who took on the case, and lord thank him, found Beth and brought her back home safely. She has never spoken of what happened, to her psychiatrist or me; apparently she may not even consciously remember what happened to her.”

Alicia listened closely to what she was being told, and more pieces of the puzzle fell into place, she remained silent and gave Meredith time.

“Beth’s psychiatrist said that more then likely at some point in time, after something happened to trigger it, that Beth would fall back into her kidnapping, and almost relive it aloud. Being transported back to the place she was kept, and seeing and hearing everything as if it was currently happening. She said that she would most likely verbalise what she could see, as if trying to make sense of it” Meredith continued, her eyes becoming teary.

Alicia felt Meredith’s pain, and handed her a box of tissues, which she gratefully accepted.

Meredith wiped her eyes before continuing, “I think that is what happened today, and I’m thankful that you let Beth get it all out. Her psychiatrist said that if and when Beth relieved the event that it was best to let her get it all out so that she could subconsciously process what happened to her. It would be quite normal for Beth not to remember any of what happened, but to feel a lot lighter after the event. So I wouldn’t be surprised if when Beth wakes up she has little to no recollection of what has happened.”

“She has been through a lot” Alicia replied softly.

“Yes” Meredith replied smiling proudly.

“I think it will be best if you wake Beth up, if as you say she doesn’t remember what happened, she may be a little scared upon waking up” Alicia responded.

“I agree” Meredith replied, “I know this is a lot to ask, but would it be possible for you to recall as much of what Beth said as possible and let me know, either tell me or write it down for me? It’s just that I don’t know anything about what happened to my little girl, and it is quite scary not knowing.”

“Of course, I can’t promise it will be exact, but I will try to recall and write down as much as I can and in as much detail” Alicia replied, placing a comforting hand on Meredith’s shaking ones.

“Thank you” Meredith replied.

“How about I get started on that and you go wake Beth up, I’m thinking it would be best to take her home for the day, there is only a few hours of school left and I think someone needs to explain to Annie, as well as Beth’s teacher, what happened today” Alicia replied.

“I agree, would you mind if I spoke to Annie? She knows me well, and I think it may be easier for her to hear and understand if I tell her?” Meredith questioned as both woman stood.

“That’s fine by me” Alicia spoke.

“Thank you” Meredith replied sincerely.

“I can get Annie from class whenever you are ready, but I think you may want to speak to Beth first” Alicia replied as the woman made their way out of the staff room.

“Thank you, I will go wake and speak to Beth first, then I will find you,” Meredith replied.

“Ok, I’ll be back in the staffroom when you need me” Alicia replied as she opened her office door for Meredith.

“Okay” Meredith replied before stepping into the office and shutting the door behind her.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Beth heard her mothers’ soft voice calling her; she opened her eyes and blinked away the harsh light that was beaming upon her face. She was confused as she looked around he strange room trying to find her bearings through her sleepy mind, finally awakening enough to recognize that she was still in Miss Clarkson’s office, she became even more confused.

Why was she still there? Why had she been asleep? And what on earth had happened after her and Annie had been sent to the principal’s office? She couldn’t remember anything after a rather unproductive pissing contest with Annie in the same office that she was still sitting in.

“Mummy?” Beth questioned, letting out a yawn and looking around to see her mother sitting in the chair next to her wearing a concerned expression.

“I’m here baby,” Meredith said before enveloping her daughter in a hug.

“What’s going on?” Beth asked quietly as she pulled back from her mothers embrace.

Beth looked over her mothers shoulder and noted that they were alone in the room, “where is Miss Clarkson?”

“She’s just giving us some time alone darling. Beth, do you remember what the psychiatrist said about you at some point in time most likely reliving what happened to you when you were taken?” Meredith asked, taking her daughters’ free hand, the other still clutching the stuffed vampire.

“Yes” Beth replied, “did that happen?”

“I think so honey, I’m just sorry I wasn’t here to support you when it happened,” Meredith replied with an air of shame in her tone.

“But you are here now” Beth replied, still a little confused, trying to remember what happened but finding nothing but a blank.

“Yes, I’m here now” Meredith repeated sadly.

“Did Miss Clarkson call you?” Beth asked, beginning to put together the pieces.

“Yes, she said that you and Annie had had a fight about something and then that you, well, kind of zoned out” Meredith spoke, trying not to freak Beth out.

“Oh my god, Annie, I attacked her, I didn’t mean to mummy, I’m so sorry, I just freaked out, she said something about my vampire and I just snapped, it was like it wasn’t me, I’m so sorry, does she hate me?” Beth said becoming near hysterical by the end.

“No sweetie, she doesn’t hate you, she is just scared, she doesn’t understand what is going on” Meredith replied.

“Neither do I” Beth spoke, the words shattering her mothers’ heart.

“Oh baby, I’m so sorry” Meredith replied before embracing Beth once more and running her hand up and down her daughters back.

Beth got up from her seat, still clutching the vampire, and settled herself in her mothers lap, as she snuggled into the warm, familiar and safe embrace she began to cry once more.

After a few minuted Beth sniffled and wiped her eyes, smiling softly at her mother, she pulled her head back to look at her mother and spoke, “mummy can I apologize to Annie?”

“Of course you can, in fact I was going to have a talk with her to try and explain what happened today, do you want to do that with me?” Meredith asked.

“Yes” Beth replied smiling.

“Ok, well how about I go get Miss Clarkson and ask her to get Annie out of class?” Meredith replied.

“Ok, but can I come with you?” Beth asked, a hint of panic in her voice.

“Of course you can sweetie” Meredith replied.

“Ok, lets go” Beth said standing; holding her vampire in one hand and taking her mothers hand in the other.

“Lets go indeed” Meredith said with a smile as the pair headed for the door.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Beth sat in the principals’ office with her mother, picking at her stuffed vampire’s hands, waiting for Annie to be brought from class. Beth’s head shot up as there was a soft knock at the door and Miss Clarkson entered, closely followed by Annie, who looked a little scared of Beth if truth be told.

“I’m sorry” Beth blurted out before Annie was half way into the room.

“Me too” Annie said softly as she fully entered the room.

“I’ll be in the staff room,” Alicia said to Meredith before smiling and exiting the room, closing the door behind her.

“Annie, would Beth and I be able to talk to you about what happened today?” Meredith asked softly.

“Yes miss turner” Annie said, smiling softly, she knew Meredith hated being called miss turner.

“Annie, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Meredith?” Meredith replied smiling.

“Sorry” Annie said sheepishly, before sitting in the chair next to Beth.

“Now Annie, I know you were probably a little freaked out by Beth’s behaviour today, and that’s completely understandable” Meredith began but was cut off by Beth once again.

“I’m so sorry Annie, I didn’t’ mean it, I just snapped, I’m really sorry, please don’t hate me” Beth said all in one breath rather fast.

“I’m sorry too, I didn’t mean to call you a baby coz you have a stuffed toy, coz I have lots of them too, it just kind of came out and I’m really sorry” Annie replied softly.

Meredith smiled as Annie continued, “and I don’t hate you, you’re my best friend, I could never hate you.”

“You’re my best friend too,” Beth said smiling.

“Well, I’m glad you two have sorted that out, but I still think I need to explain to you Annie just what happened” Meredith interrupted.

“Ok” Annie said, turning her full attention to Meredith.

“Now I don’t want to scare you or anything Annie, but what I’m going to tell you might be a little shocking, ok?” Meredith asked, trying to lessen the blow she was about to land on her daughters’ best friend.

“Ok…” Annie replied, a little wary

“When Beth was 4, she was, um, well” Meredith started, not sure how to tell a 9 year old that her best friend was kidnapped as a child.

“I was kidnapped” Beth butted in, causing Meredith to smile; she always did prefer to be blunt.

“Oh” Annie replied, rather stunned.

“And I got my vampire after I was rescued and taken back home, and he kinda just makes me feel safe, and when you said what you said about him I kinda just snapped, and I’m really sorry” Beth blurted out, cutting off her mothers attempts to explain to Annie what happened.

“I had no idea,” Annie said shocked, “are you, um, ok now though? You kinda like freaked out earlier, well after the fight I mean,” Annie continued.

“Yeah apparently I um, mum what was it again?” Beth replied, seeing her mothers help in explaining the second part.

“The incident involving Beth’s vampire acted as a trigger and Beth’s mind was sort of taken back to when she was taken, and she began to relive it again,” Meredith explained to Annie.

“And that was m fault?” Annie asked softly.

“No, it was no one’s fault Annie, it just happened” Meredith replied quickly.

“But it happened coz of what I said?” Annie asked.

“No, it happened coz of how I reacted” Beth retorted, her response surprising her mother.

“So it’s both of our faults?” Annie asked, smiling with her friend.

“Yeah” Beth said returning the smile.

“Its no one’s fault” Meredith replied, also smiling.

“If you say so, Miss Turner” Annie replied, locking her eyes with Beth as she said ‘Miss turner’ and casing both girls to giggle as Meredith rolled her eyes.

“Well, I’m glad everything is back to normal” Meredith spoke as she turned to the door, and placed her hand on the handle.

Meredith and the two girls walked to find Miss Clarkson in the staffroom, Meredith leading the way, with the two girls falling back to chat quietly behind her. Meredith knocked quietly on the staffroom door as she poked her head in, quickly finding Alicia who ushered her inside; Meredith entered and was amused when both girls stayed out in the hallway (students aren’t allowed in the staff room).

Alicia also smirked before speaking to the girls, “you can come in girls” she said, grinning with Meredith when both girls smiled broadly before taking their first step inside the teachers only space.

“So, everything is okay now?” Alicia asked Meredith as the girls joined them.

“Yes” Beth and Annie said in unison, causing both the older women to smile.

“Well then, Annie I can take you back to class now, and Beth you can go home with you mother” Miss Clarkson said as she stood.

“Home? Can’t I stay and go back to class with Annie?” Beth asked, surprised that she was being excused from school.

“Ah, I guess, if you want to” Miss Clarkson replied rather surprised, Meredith however was not.

“Cool, ok, bye mum I’ll see you later” Beth said before turning with Annie to leave the room and head back to class.

“Well, that was unexpected” Alicia said shaking her head slightly as the girls left.

“That’s my Beth” Meredith said proudly.

“Thank you for coming in and sorting everything out, things seem to have been fixed a lot easier then I expected” Alicia spoke, as the two women exited the staff room.

“Oh, I didn’t do much of anything, it was all them” Meredith replied, referring to the girls.

“Yet another surprise” Alicia replied.

“You’ll get used to it” Meredith said smiling, before saying goodbye and leaving for the front door.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


As Beth and Annie walked down the corridor back to class, Beth still holding her vampire in one hand, Annie spoke.

“Can I ah, see him?” Annie asked, pointing to the stuffed toy in Beth’s hand.

“Sure” Beth said handing the toy to her friend and smiling.

Annie looked him over before turning to Beth and smiling, “he is kinda cute.”


---FIN---


Comments really make my day, hardly anyone commented on part two =( so i'd love to know what you all thought about this one (and that one if you haven't read it yet)

*beggs* hehe





The parts of this story may not be posted in chronological order, but i will let you know when all are set and what not =P

ALL PARTS - In Chronological order:
Out with the old, In with the new Beth is 4 years old
Cause and Effect (this part) Beth is 9 years old
Too old for this Beth is 16 years old