One That Got Away

Chapter 9

The door slammed with firm finality. The Twins peered out from under the table and the Boys exchanged looks. Andy covered her face as David stood still, shock rolling through his body. When they all moved in together they made an unspoken pact not to talk about their problems. Problems were dealt with outside the house because the house was a safe place. It may be crowded and expensive to rent, but it was a haven or them from the storm of reality. Mara had blown that pact apart. In front of outsiders no less.

"David," Andy said softly and he looked at her.

"What's a...transvestite?" said the blonde one. Fili, right?

"I'm not a transvestite. It's the wrong term," Andy said calmly, brushing her hair behind her ear. "I'm transgender."

"We're not from around here, you'll have to explain a bit more, sorry," Kili said gently and Andy nodded as the Twins slowly left the room, talking softly.

"A transgender identifies themselves as another sex than they were identified as when they were born. I was born a boy, but I identify as female. I always felt that deep down I was meant to be a girl. My gender identity was different than my birth assigned sex so a couple years ago I fixed that." The Boys shared a look of confusion and then looked back at her.

"And?" Andy could only stare

"And what?"

"Well the way Mara talked about it implied that that's a problem," Fili said rubbing his neck casually.

"Yeah, how is that a problem? Dwarves do that sometimes. That bloke Mim who lived down the way from us. He wasn't always a bloke." Kili glanced at Andy. "Is this world...different?" Andy smiled faintly and looked at her hands.

"Very. People have alway argued about transgender and gay rights and what not. It wasn't until a few years ago that people actively started being punished for their state of being. The LGBTQ community had it easiest. Eventually the churches broke and they got their rights. But for my type...the walls closed...We can't get real jobs, most businesses won't let us in, drag queens are arrested, even if they don't identify as transgender...We're not allowed to get married." She looked at David sadly. "Even to Cis people."

"But that's wrong," said Kili in disgust. Andy looked scared for a moment. "Stopping someone from doing things because they don't see themselves as what other people want them to be? That's just sick and awful! You should-I dunno-riot!" he said waving his hands around. "People shouldn't be judged or forced to do anything because of gender or-or sex or-or anything." He looked angry and just as disturbed as if someone had offended him personally. Andy smiled slightly and rubbed at a tear as it rolled down her cheek. David glanced at him in all his righteous fury.

"Maranda said the same thing when the passed the law," he said sitting down and folding his hands. "She wanted to storm the capitol and punch some sense into the president."

"Why didn't she?" asked Fili and the engaged couple stared at him. "I would have."

"He's...the president," Andy said in confusion.

"So? If the king did something like that the palace guards would turn around and stab him in the face. King or no king, president or not, he's an ass and shouldn't be trusted with his position," Fili said dispassionately.

"What kind of people are you?" David demanded and Kili shrugged.

"Princes." There was a racket in the hall and the Twins appeared with small sneaky smiles.

"Do either of you know how to play X-box?"

"What?" Kili asked in confusion. Ben (Ben was the one with white hair, right?) held up a controller and smiled benignly.

"Wanna learn?" asked Tom (is he was the one with black hair).

"I'm up for it," Fili shrugged and the Boys followed the Twins to the room with the book cases. The Twins pulled open a cabinet and turned on a their electronics.

"And these are devices, right?" Kili mumbled trying to remember what Mara told him of her world.

"No," laughed the Twins.

"Should we leave them alone?" David asked softly a Andy held his hand gently.

"They'll be fine, David. Are you alright?"

"Maranda has been acting funny since those three got here."

"Funny good or funny bad?" Andy asked as she leaned on his shoulder.

"Funny old. She's acting like she used to back when she was in school. Fierce and belligerent and stubborn."

"Wasn't she always that?"

"More so before the institute and hospitals. She changed after the week she disappeared. The doctors said she suffered a psychotic break and I believed them...Mom never really did, but I said she needed to help. I convinced the Twins and in the process managed to convince myself, but a part of me always knew. Maranda was a lot of things as a kid, but she was never a liar. She always told the truth. She wouldn't lie about something life changing like that, but the possibility was just so staggeringly...wrong. I couldn't handle the idea of a whole other world...I lied to myself to protect her."

"David, you and I both know Mara has always been troubled. From the moment her father died, back when you and I were still in highschool, she had issues. She stopped doing art and took up music, the one thing her father never had time to teach her,kept auditioning for musicals. She got in fights and was always causing mischief. Then after a week she's a different person. I thought she was crazy too, but lately...lately her depression had been returning and she kept telling me these weird things. About you and the Twins. Asking me to make sure you were taken care of. She was ready to kill herself, David. Those three have stopped her in her tracks and made her better. Just let her be happy and stop attacking them."

"I can't help it," David laughed. "Someone has to take care of that crazy kid."

"Now you and I both know she can take care of herself," Andy chuckled and David kissed her gently.

"Yeah...doesn't mean I have to stop trying, huh?"

"You know I think the only man Mara will ever let protect her, just left this house with her."

"I know, baby..."

"...Jealous?"

"Who the hell even is this guy?!"

"BAM BABY!" Kili crowed as Ben's character dropped dead.

"Knew we shouldn't have gotten out Smash Bros. 2," grumbled Tom as the Boys high fived.

"Oh, don't be sore. You beat us the first fifteen times, we beat you the past five. Nothing to-"

"Turn on the news," gasped Andy, dashing into the room, David hot on her tail.

"What? Why?" demanded Ben.

"NOW!" shouted David and the Twins both jumped. Tom smacked the remote and it switched from the X-box to the news. There was a group of po'bo's hovering around a bar and blaring for people to back away.

"Two rebels have been apprehended outside a bar after an innocent man was attacked. The rebels identities are being contained by the Protectors. Two rebels have been apprehended outside..." and it went on as the po'bo's forced two figures into a truck and it flew off.

"You...you don't think..." Tom was staring in shock and fear and Ben was shaking on the carpet next to him.

"She always bar hops when she's looking for a gig," Andy mumbled slumping into a chair, face taut. David was shaking his head slowly.

"Did anyone see their faces?" Silence. "Maybe it's not her...maybe..."

"Uncle Thorin was with her..." Kili mumbled in worry.

"We need to find them. Now."