Just A Dream...
Family Feud

Chapter Thirteen: A Family For Taylor

"Mom!"
Nancy flew across the front lobby of the hotel, flinging herself on her mother with a delighted exclamation. "Mom! You're safe, I was so afraid..."
"I thought you trusted my word, kid." Taylor winked at her. "I said I'd see her all right, didn't I?"
"You did." Nancy admitted. "Oh, I was so scared..."
"I'm glad you're safe. I've been goin' nuts worryin' about you." Jetta told her, holding her at arm's length. "You look cleaner...you're not hurt?"
"No. Just a bit shook up, and I took a shower soon as the police were done questioning me." Nancy replied. "Did they get him? Is he in jail?"
"No, Nancy." Jetta said quietly. "He's not."
"He got away?" Fear sparked into Nancy's eyes.
"Not this time." Taylor spoke gravely.
"But..." Nancy looked confused, but then a light dawned in her brown eyes. "Oh, I see...Mom, are you all right?"
"Relieved." Jetta nodded. "It's over and you don't know 'ow glad I am of that. I love me 'omeland and I've 'ated not bringin' you guys 'ere more...well, now we can come 'ere whenever."
"Can Jewel do a UK tour now?" Sylva's voice came from the doorway and the three turned, seeing the remaining members of the band, with Aaron, Cameron and Justin in tow. Jetta laughed.
"Guess so." She agreed.
Justin came to join his wife, casting her a frown.
"Don't you ever do that again." He told her firmly. "I was worried about you...even more worried when Nancy turned up here and told me what you'd done. There's no sense in stupid risks, Jetta."
"Whatever." Jetta was clearly feeling far more her usual self. "It worked out in the end, anyway." She indicated her rescuer. "Thanks to Taylor."
"Oh, so you're Taylor." Justin eyed him with some interest. "Pleased to meet you. I'm your long suffering uncle by marriage."
"And this is Aaron." Nancy grabbed her brother's hand. "So now you know us all. Mom, you're not going to stop Taylor seeing us now, are you?"
"No, of course I ain't." Jetta replied. "I owe 'im me life."
"I'm glad you're all safe." Copper said, relief clear in her tone. "God, Nance, you have no idea what last night was like for us!"
"Yeah, she and Aaron spent the night together and they were so worried nothing happened!" Sylva teased. Nancy laughed, able to do so now the nightmare was over, and Copper and Aaron both looked embarrassed.
"Speaking of spending time together, Aurora owes me a date still." Cameron cast Topaz a grin, and the blond nodded her head.
"I sure do." She agreed. "I don't think tonight's a great night to do it, though."
"Well, will tomorrow do better?" Cameron asked. "Unless...unless you guys are leaving."
"We can't really." Jetta said matter-of-factly. "The police want to cross-reference Nancy an' my stories an' they need us for the inquest into Jeremy's death...so I guess we're stayin' on 'ere a while longer than I thought. Pizzazz will 'ave kittens, but that's 'ow it is."
"Cool." Sylva dimpled. "Then Cameron and Topaz have a chance to really fall in love with each other!"
"Syl, one of these days I'm going to staple your mouth together!" Topaz exclaimed. Sylva shrugged, seemingly unperturbed.
"Well, I only speak the truth." She said, matter-of-factly. "You fancy the pants off each other anyway."
"Syl!" Topaz cast her a despairing look, but Cameron laughed.
"Not much I can say to that." He said good-naturedly. "I am glad you're stoppin' over in England a while though. I want to get to know you properly, Aurora."
"It's weird you call her that when we all say Topaz." Nancy remarked.
"My friends back home abbreviated me to Rora, if it's easier." Topaz offered. "Aurora is kinda formal."
"Rora it is. I think it's cute." Cameron grinned, causing Topaz to go pink.
"Romance every which way." Jetta rolled her eyes. "Adolescents, the lot of you."
"What about you, Taylor? Have you got a girlfriend, or are you gonna submit to Sylva's matchmaking charms whilst we're here?" Nancy linked arms with her cousin. Taylor grinned.
"Well, there's a girl I kinda like, so I guess I'm taken." He said with a smile. "Her name's Veronica and we met online...I've not met her face to face yet, but I've seen her picture and I'm dying to meet her. I don't think you could say she was my girlfriend...but I definitely like her a whole lot."
"You fell in love with a girl online?" Sylva stared at him as if he was mad.
"Why not? Sounds efficient to me." Aaron grinned. "You get to know your date thoroughly before you meet face to face. Hell, if I wasn't spoken for I might try it!"
"Stop winding me up." Sylva scolded him. "In any case, you got Copper."
"Things are back to normal." Justin remarked idly, slipping his arm around his wife's waist, a look of amusement on his face as she cast him a disparaging look. Public affection had never been high on Jetta's agenda, and it was one of the little foibles he liked teasing most.
"Guess they are." Nancy nodded. "And if we're staying here longer, Syl can max out another credit card!"
"Oh, haha." Sylva pulled a face. "I'm beginning to wish you hadn't bothered coming back!"
"Aw, you missed her really." Copper dimpled.
"Did I?" Sylva raised an eyebrow.
"Well, Topaz and I missed you, Nance." Copper grinned. Nancy returned the grin.
"I missed you guys too." She admitted. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again."
"Are you sure you're all right?" Aaron cast his sister a concerned look. Nancy nodded.
"I know he can't get me again, so I think I am." She agreed. "Like Mom said, it is over...and over for good this time. I love England and I'm glad we can come back here anytime now."
"Well, you're always welcome to come see me." Taylor winked. "And if I work super hard I might scrape together the airfare to America once or twice, too."
"You'd love Los Angeles." Sylva told him with a grin. "There's a ton of stuff to do there."
"And our house has a pool." Nancy nodded. Taylor laughed.
"Sounds neat." He replied. "I'll have to see what I can do."
"Well, either way, you can always come stay with us." Justin said quietly. "Right, Jetta?"
"Right." Jetta nodded her head. "You're one of the family, Taylor...you're always welcome."
"Thanks." Taylor grinned. "It's kinda nice to know that I did get a family out of all this, after all. Say, you guys online?"
"Sure." Copper nodded.
"Cool, then maybe we can chat online too. It's cheaper than international phoning."
"I'll get Aaron or Copper to show me how the chat machine works." Nancy dimpled. "It'd be cool to talk across the net."
"Looks like you got yourself a fan, Taylor." Justin looked amused.
"He's my cousin." Nancy glared at her father crossly. "He's family."
"Did I miss something?" Taylor looked blank.
"Nancy's a recluse and she's scared of men." Sylva said matter-of-factly.
"I am not!" Nancy reacted to this. "I'd hardly call playing lead guitar and singing in a rock band being a recluse! And I'm not scared of men! Just because I don't throw myself at them like you do!"
"Yep, things are definitely back to normal." Copper exchanged looks with Topaz, rolling her eyes. "Guess some things just never change!"

 PART FIVE: FAMILY FEUD
Chapter One: Invitation To England
Chapter Two: Exploring London
Chapter Three: Taylor
Chapter Four: A Surprise For Nancy
Chapter Five: Jetta Explains
Chapter Six: To Ruislip
Chapter Seven: Romance
Chapter Eight: The Stranger
Chapter Nine: Kidnap!
Chapter Ten: The Aftermath
Chapter Eleven: Bad Blood
Chapter Twelve: An Unlikely Hero
Chapter Thirteen: A Family For Taylor

JEWELFIC MAIN PAGE:
Copper, Nancy, Sylvie, Anna, Blade, Sirena, Topaz, Aaron, Sophie, Justin, Elliot, Rosita, Luis and any other characters in this fiction which do not appear in the animated Jem series are copyrighted to me (E.A Woolley) as of January 2002 <unless otherwise specified> and are not to be reproduced without permission ANYWHERE. Jetta, Pizzazz, Stormer, Roxy, Raya and all other original Jem characters are the copyright of Hasbro Inc, Sunbow, Christy Marx and the other writers of the Jem series.