Forbidden Duet: Chapter 1
Title: Forbidden Duet
Rating: T but the occasional M
Category: Batman Beyond
Pairing: Unknown
Disclaimer: I do not own Batman Beyond.
Summary: A long missing twin has returned to the McGinnis family after the death of the father. Being back in the city that had pushed her away, Tracey must find her place within the dark city, for her sake and for Terry's sake.
Chapter 1: I'm Home
Mary McGinnis was not having a good week. After the news of her ex-husband's argument with her oldest son, she returned to her humble three bedroom apartment to find police waiting on her doorstep. The news of Warren's death was a painful blow to her sense of reality. Even during the tensed period before their divorce, Warren was a source of reality for Mary. He was always there, her friend to the bitter end, they had once joked about. They had joked about with the idea of death, what should happen after one of them died. It was all supposed to be a joke. Now, after three years of being divorced, he's dead. It took a moment before it was fully registered into Mary's mind what this mean. Mary was the single mother of two sons and a missing daughter.
Well, not missing so much as avoiding. Mary knew where her only daughter was. Even though Tracey was always a Daddy's Girl, she was Mommy's little helper. She knew her daughter was smart, she knew that she was the type to run then to confront. Mary never condemned Tracey. She's kept a close track of where she was, in case anything of serious importance happened. The death of her father would count as something of serious importance.
The thought of her little girl reminded her of her twin brother, Terry, her oldest son. He had been living with his father. Where was Terry?!
The police guided her to the little apartment that housed her ex-husband and their oldest son. The corridor was vandalized with paint. The image will haunt Mary McGinnis forever, the subtle fear of anything relating to the Jokerz has been planted within her soul. The time and questioning went by quickly, Mary barely remembered what she said. She was told later that the area surrounding the apartment was blocked off and that Terry had sneaked his way into the apartment.
The moment she heard his voice, she was relieved. She was so worried about where Terry might have been. She knew he had a temper problem, something that got him into trouble many times in the past but she also knew Terry loved his family, no matter how dysfunctional it might be.
Breaking the news to Terry was heartbreaking for Mary. Hearing Terry cry for his father was enough to send Mary crying. That night, Mary had Terry stay over at her apartment. Matt was planning to stay at a friend's place before the news of Warren's death. He was brought back later that night. Matt didn't say much, he just went to bed. But the quiet whimpers could be heard from the living room. Terry didn't say a word after he entered the apartment. He was lifeless. The sight felt so wrong to Mary, she decided to give a call to her wayward daughter. It was only right. She needed the help and support Tracey's presence would give her. Digging through her contact list on her phone, Mary found the one number she swore she would never call unless it was an emergency.
"Tracey McGinnis speaking."
It has been years since she last heard her daughter's voice, it was enough to trigger her erratic emotions again.
"Hello? Are you alright?"
"T-Tracey, it's Mom."
There was a pause where only the sound of a inhale was heard over the line.
Tracey was hesitant in asking, "Mama? Did something happen?"
"It's your father sweetie. He...he's...." Mary couldn't say it. Even seeing his body, even after everything, she still wasn't able to accept it.
"What happened? What's wrong with Dad? Mom?" Now there was the urgency that was missing moments ago. Tracey was starting to become worried.
"Tracey, dear, you need to come home. You need to come home tonight." Mary slid onto the couch, her weary legs could not hold her for much longer. "I know you're still in university, but -"
"I'm not in university anymore mom. I graduated just last semester. I have a job now but I can call my boss and tell him it's an emergency. What happened to Dad, Mom?"
Graduated? Her little girl's graduated from university in only three years? And she wasn't there to see it. Mary felt another wave of tears fall from her eyes. "Baby, your father, there was a robbery at his place......He didn't make it." She whispered out. It was almost too hard for her to even whisper out.
Mary heard a loud crash coming from the other end, probably the sound of something breaking. Tracey didn't say anything for a long time before she got back on the phone. "I'll pack my bags now. I'll call my boss and tell him it's an emergency. I'll be on the next train back." The sound of the dial tone came up and Mary closed her phone. It felt like a weight was lifted from her shoulders. Just the thought of having Tracey close by again, it made Mary happy.
Mary kept Terry and Matt from going to school the next day. Terry holed himself in his new room while Matt just sat in the living room, watching the TV. Mary was handling the funeral arrangements when the doorbell rang.
With a hopeful face, Mary quickly opened the door, not checking through the peephole. The moment the door opened, the flash of the camera was the only thing Mary saw before she slammed the door shut again. Due to the murder, reporters have been hounding after her family nonstop. The rush did die down but there were still the reporters that would not give up until they found their story.
The slamming of the front door caught the attention of both sons. Matt turned the TV off and Terry opened his bedroom door. Mary molded her face into something that would hopefully reassure them that everything would be fine.
"Just reporters." She told them as she locked the door again. She knew her daughter was on her way, but she should have known to check the peephole. She was too excited to see her again. She made her way over to the dining room table and continued to make the arrangements. Mary didn't even know where Tracey was coming from. She thought it might be in a nearby city but from the time she called and currently, Tracey might have been living in a further city then she had guessed.
"You're waiting for someone." It was a statement, not a question. That was the first sentence Terry said all morning. Matt looked between the two, confused in his own rights. "You're waiting for her." Again, a statement.
Mary didn't look at Terry. She knew of the pain, of the betrayal Terry felt when Tracey ran away to protect herself. She knew he felt a pain that only a twin could feel. As a mother, it was expected for her to see her children leave the nest when they reached a certain age. She was not prepared for it, but she did expected it. Terry was not prepared for the separation of twins. He was still in the age where he thought they would be together, maybe not forever, but for a while longer. He wasn't annoyed with his sister. He loved her, Mary could see it as clear as day. To have his other half decide for herself to leave, not warning him at all was a blow to his trust and heart.
"How did you manage to find her?" Terry was staring directly at his mother. Matt was still confused, sitting on the couch. Mary didn't say anything for the time being. She knew Terry wasn't finish. "After all this time, after three years, now she's coming back?" His hands clenched into fists, his anger starting to grow. "Did you know? Did you know where she was all this time?" The anger took over for a second, his fist landed on the door frame. Mary and Matt, both surprised by the sudden sound, jumped.
"I called her last night. She never changed her number, so it was easy for me to call. I don't know where she is, I only know that she was in university before I called her. She's coming here." Mary answered the best she could to her son. As much as she didn't want to admit it, there were times when she would be afraid of her son. He was taller then her and much stronger as well. She knew he wouldn't hurt her on purpose but accidents happens.
"Who is she?" The sudden question from Matt was enough to shock both Terry and Mary out of their states of mind. Terry went back into his room, however the door was left open. Mary moved to sit next to her youngest son. She wished she had some pictures to show to him just who they were talking about, but all the pictures of Tracey was placed in storage.
"She is your oldest sister and Terry's twin. You were only around six when she left." Matt moved closer to his mother, just like Tracey would. "She was a child genius. She loved to keep her hair long, usually pass her shoulders. She loved to play music and read. She would help out around the house whenever she could. A darling little angel." A single tear trailed down her face. The memories of her little girl was always a bittersweet.
"Then where is she now?" An innocent question that brought up memories of yelling and fights.
"She went away. When your father and I decided to get divorced, Tracey was just about to graduate from high school. She managed to skip a few years. When we told you three that we were separating the three of you, Tracey didn't want to stay. She's normally very quiet, never speaking out. So it was surprise to us all when she announced she was going to university outside of Gotham." Matt's eyes widened with awe. Mary giggled a bit as the memory of how Warren looked and her own expression passed through her mind.
"Your father and I were both against it. Terry was speechless at that time. He was very shocked. Tracey was so determined, more determined then she had ever been. We tried to convince her to stay, using everything we can against her." Mary raised her voice to match how she sounded back then. "How are you going to pay for tuition? How are you going to feed yourself?" Her eyes were staring into the past. "We really didn't want her to go. But she was all set, packed, and ready to leave. She's even had a ride come and get her. She didn't want to stay." She tightened her hold over Matt. "She really does love us. It's just, Tracey hates confrontations more then anything. She rather run away, be all alone then to face a confrontation between us." Mary just let the conversation die, slowly and quietly.
There was a knock on the front door. Mary and Matt turned to look towards the door when Terry moved to open it. He peeped quickly through the peephole before quickly opening the door. Mary heard a gasp before the slamming of the front door. She and Matt shared a look before both got up to see just who it was that gasped.
"Terry." A soft voice whispered out causing Mary to rush over to the door. There locked in Terry's arms was a young girl. Her hair was down to her mid back, black as obsidian and straight as ever. Her naturally tanned skin contrasted nicely with the light blue blazer she wore. She wasn't very tall, standing only to Terry's chin. Her small hands with musician's fingers were clutching tightly to Terry's black tee shirt.
"Tracey." Mary's voice was just as soft as the girl's. The body encased in Terry's arms tensed before gently and slowly moving apart from him. Dark blue eyes gazed at Mary's green ones. A small nose and full lips on a heart-shaped face. The only thing that marred that face was the creased eyebrows above worried and frightened eyes.
"Welcome home, sweetie." Mary opened her arms, hoping, praying to hold her daughter once more.
Creased eyebrows smoothed out and blue eyes moistened. Terry's arms loosened from her as she broke free from his embrace just to run into another. The scent of apples and cinnamon came from the girl as Mary tightened her hold on her little girl.
"I'm home, Mama." Her broken voice was enough to send both mother and daughter to their knees. "I'm home."
Well, I did not know what came over me to start this story, but it's better to have something to write about and this is all I have been doing since my persona fic on fanfiction which I really do need to go back on but this has been on my mind for a while, so I might has well just finish typing out what I can before I go back to doing whatever it is I feel like doing.