Siblings Unite

Rebuilding Trust

Chapter 23: Rebuilding Trust

The next day after Fidget's exile, Fidget started to feel bad, but knew he had to earn people's trust in order for him to be let in again. He knew now Eve's reason for breaking up with him: His criminal activity and his refusal to listen to reason.

...

Ever since Eve banished Fidget, she felt better knowing she could be independent and strong, even without him.

"Eve," a female voice said.

Eve turned to see who it was. "Yes, Clover?" Eve said, recognizing the eldest Flaversham girl.

"I just came to check on you," Clover said, "That jerk, Fidget deserved to see what it was like to suffer everything we'd been through and be banished."

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Eve agreed, "I hope he really learns his lesson."

"Me, too."

...

When Eve and her family along with the Flavershams arrived at Basil's, Eve explained her run-in with her ex, Fidget. First, she made him suffer the hardships she and the others had been through such as throwing him in a bottle, surrounded by traps, just to see how he liked it. Next, she assured them that she didn't set the traps because they've been laying there ever since their escape. Then, she told them that they exiled Fidget until further notice.

Basil, Dawson, and Mrs. Judson were shocked, but they saw where Eve was coming from. "From what I heard," Basil said, "He needed to know what it felt like to be in our shoes."

"Yes, sir," Eve replied with a nod, "I didn't set those traps."

"Right. They've been laying on the floor ever since our departure. Besides, it wouldn't be like you to set them."

"Indeed."

"She would never do such a thing," Clover said.

"That rascal needed to be taught a lesson and banished," Mrs. Judson pointed out.

"Agreed," Dawson said.

"Either the traps were lying there since we left or someone pointed them toward the bottle," Eve hypothesized.

"Sounds very likely," Basil agreed, "Whoever set those traps and surrounded the bottle with them should be punished."

Eve nodded.

...

A week later, Basil, Dawson, Toby, Eve and her bat family, and the Flavershams revisited on their walk. Toby lifted one ear up, since he heard footsteps drawing near them. The dog growled.

"What is it, Toby?" Basil asked. Then, he looked at the sight that upset Toby. "Oh, I see." Basil glared at the person.

"Well, how was your banishment, jerk?" Eve demanded, "I hope you're here to apologize."

"Are you serious?" Fidget retorted, "That's exactly what I came for and this is what I get?"

"Don't you start! If you want us to accept you, you'll have to earn our trust."

"If you wouldn't have left me, none of this would've happened!"

"If you wouldn't have mocked my friends and threatened to throw them overboard, I wouldn't have left!" Eve raged, since she could no longer handle his attitude, although she knew she had one, too.

In loss of words, Fidget stopped himself to think of a good line. "Now, tell me truly, is it because you care about your friends more than me?"

"You don't seem to care about anyone but yourself! You mocked me once, never do it again, I died that day!" This comment silenced Fidget, but she had more to say, "And you can die, too, for all I care!" The last word was used through clenched teeth and she pushed him.

"As youuu wiiiish!" Fidget said, out of regret, as he rolled down. Then he added, recomposing himself, "Well, YOU should've saved me from drowning!"

"Well, YOU should learn to control your temper and stop being mean to me and my friends!"

Speechless, Fidget realized there was no point in arguing with Eve, knowing she had every right to be mad and he gave her a reason to part ways from him. He admitted that he was ill-tempered and had no excuse for it, let alone his criminal deeds and failure to listen to reason.

"No sense expecting us to treat you respectfully if you can't," Olivia said with crossed arms.

Fidget didn't argue with her, either.

"The way you behaved towards me and my family reminded me of my ex-boyfriend," Clover pointed out.

Fidget gasped, but was interested in listening to her sad tale.

"His name was Jax. First, he started off and loving and caring, until I learned his true nature: He was an alcoholic and started saying nasty things to me and my family, treating us like we're stupid and no good after he lost his job at the supermarket. Thus, he hit me, but my younger siblings defended me and Daddy came to stop him. That motivated me to get up and put my foot down with him and tell him to get out. Daddy called the police and a couple weeks later, Jax came back for revenge. Jax tried to kill me with a knife as he jumped, but I shot him in self-defense."

Clover paused, just to let it sink into Fidget before she went on. "To make matters worse, two weeks after Jax's death, his men avenged him against us while we were out for a walk. They shot my mother."

Fidget shed tears over the death of a loving mother.

"She sacrificed herself for me, so I don't get shot," Hiram said.

Andrew had another sad story to tell. "Since I was three, I lived in an orphanage and no one adopted me until a toymaker took me in at the age of ten. From what I heard, he wanted a son and I was the one he chose."

This brought more guilt in Fidget's eyes. "I should've been nicer," Fidget said regretfully, "I had no excuse for what I did and I don't deserve to have any friends. You're right, I don't care about anyone but myself. I realize now that being mean is no way to make friends."

"That's what I learned, myself," Basil said, knowing he was just as guilty as Fidget was for disrespecting others, "Especially when I met Clover, Andrew, Olivia, Dawson, and Eve."

"My parents were killed by Ratigan," Fidget pointed out, "But that didn't give me the right to kidnap or be nasty."

"I've taken people for granted when I was younger, since I was spoiled, but as I grew older, I realized I couldn't get my way by acting that way. I learned to appreciate others more and thanks to Dawson, Eve, and the Flaversham siblings."

"Looks like we have some things in common," Fidget mused, "Both of us were mean until we learned to be nicer."

"That's right." Then, Basil owed him an apology, "Oh, and I'd like to apologize for casting you and other bats out of society, thinking your kind was evil as well as rats and other different species. I know now that not all of them are like that. As long as you do good deeds, we'll let you in."

"I promise. Oh, and I'll have you know that, if you want me in, be patient with me, be nice, and don't force me to do things I'm not comfortable with. Another important rule is do not feed me or anyone to your pets. Deal?"

"Deal," Basil agreed.

Eve and the others smiled, seeing the two have reached an agreement.

"Fidget, meet my little brother, Flappy," Eve said, picking up Flappy.

"Fidget!" Flappy cried.

"Hi, Flappy!" Fidget exclaimed, "Your sister told me so much about you!"

"See? He likes you!"

Toby sniffed the peg legged bat to see if he could trust him and licked him, making him giggle. That was the moment Toby knew he could rely on the creature.

After sharing Fidget their life stories and him listening, he was brought back in again. Eve gave him a peck on his cheek, his face turning red as he blushed.

AN: Looks like Fidget's earning their trust as well as Basil decides to earn Fidget's trust.