They Put Us Far Apart

My Life Had Stood AU

Summary: A My Life Had Stood AU where the Crawfords took Spencer rather than Alsie from the Reids. Alsie's name will be written Elsie since her birth name is Elsie Diana Reid. Spencer will be referred to by the name the Crawfords named him, which I'm thinking will be Adrian Lee, which is the masculine form of Adrienne Leigh. (Unless you guys think it'd be better/easier to have him be called Spencer Lee or something similar.)

1987:

(Spencer):

He grimaced. His hazel eyes, heavily shadowed beneath the porch canopy, seemed more of a burnt umber as he glowered at the door. His burnt sienna hair, more of a dull brown beneath the unlit porch, was drenched.

'Of all the times...' He frowned, trying the door handle again despite knowing it was useless. It was locked, and would remain so until after the family came back. Whenever that would be. Behind him the crack of thunder boomed, and he flinched. '...This sucks. I knew I should've gotten my key before school.'

He crossed his arms and sat down abruptly, his lips pursed as he considered his options. Usually he would go across the street to Ms. Walters', but none of the lights were on that he could tell. Nor was her car in the driveway. Most likely she was visiting her son and grandchildren, and would be gone until tomorrow or Sunday.

He pulled his knees to his chest and laid his chin upon them. He was cold and hungry, not that either was new. Though that was usually because the family was punishing him for something. Or couldn't be bothered to fix him lunch or dinner. Or breakfast.

Though the family never forgot Vinnie's lunch or dinner. Vinnie was their favorite. Despite the other grown-ups trying to convince him that parents didn't play favorites when it came to their children, he knew the truth. Vinnie was the son their parents wanted. Vinnie got everything he asked for, be it toys or candy or even a trip to the carnival. His little brother got everything.

While he...he got left behind on an unlit porch during a thunderstorm.

'They could've at least left the door unlocked when they noticed my key was still on the hook. It's right by the frickin door, they couldn't have missed it.' He grumbled, as did his stomach. His eyes teared up as he thought about food. The family hadn't packed him a lunch, and he had no time to make one that morning, so he ended up only having a small milk and apple that a sympathetic teacher gave him. His stomach was so empty.

It wouldn't be so bad if he knew they would be back tonight or the morning, as was the case during the week. But tomorrow was Saturday, and the last time the family left on a Friday, they didn't return until Sunday night.

He couldn't last longer than a night without something to eat. Not with his stomach so empty. Not to mention he was freezing with his hair and shirt drenched. Why - why did his school have to be so far away yet not far enough to require him to take the bus? If he was one of the bused students, then he'd have been brought back to the school since a parent or guardian was required by the school to be at the bus drop off for students younger than ten.

He could've been dry and gotten another apple, maybe a sandwich, while waiting for the family to pick him up.

'Maybe that's why we live this distance from the school. So I'll have to walk home and they don't have to worry about the school knowing they don't care about me.' He mumbled, bitter and shivering. His eyes teared up more, blurring his vision. He knew he wasn't their parents' favorite, but did they really hate him that much?

What made Vinnie so much better than him? Vinnie couldn't even speak properly, always mixing up his r sound with a w sound, and the th sound with a d sound. Plus Vinnie was always getting into stuff and couldn't read properly. Nor was the brat any better at math.

He on the other hand was able to do ninth grade work and he was only in the first grade! All the teachers at the school loved him and were always sending home notes for his parents to enroll him in a gifted school or allowed him to advance a few grades. Those notes were always just glanced over and tossed out though.

'Why did they even have me if they didn't want me?' He mumbled, hiding his tear-stained face against his knees, his arms cradled around. He shivered. '...maybe...maybe I'm not theirs...maybe I'm a changeling, swapped out with their real son, and they know it subconsciously...but they can't prove it, so they have to keep me?'

His lips twitched as he mulled the idea over. It wasn't the first time he'd considered it. He'd at one time thought he'd been adopted and had scoured the house searching for the paperwork proving such. His kindergarten teacher had told him that there would be paperwork saying he was adopted if he wasn't the Crawfords' biological son, and he had no reason to think his teacher would lie.

Though if he was some sort of changeling, like how certain species of bird would lay eggs in other bird species' nests and force the mother to hatch them. Apparently those bird species who lay their eggs in other nests would break the mother bird's real eggs if that mother tried to get rid of the foreign egg. Forcing the poor mother to care for the often greedy offspring of the other parasitic species who couldn't be bothered to care for their own babies.

He'd been tempted to find some of those parasitic birds and throttle them. Perhaps break their eggs in front if them and see how they liked it. But he decided against that, it would be too much effort looking for nests, and besides his teacher said it was mean. Animals couldn't help how they act, it was instinct, unlike with people.

People had reason. Logic. Even if sometimes it seemed like they didn't use it. Though there were times when he thought some animals had more sense than people. Ms. Walter's cat was one. That pussy cat always knew when dinner was being brought out for her and could tell if someone was trying to trick her. He'd gotten hissed at the first time he'd tried tricking her and scratched the second.

He quickly learned not to tease her. Unlike Vinnie who was no longer allowed in Ms. Walter's house because he kept pulling her pussy cat's tail. Vinnie also hadn't figured out that saying that word 'pussy' out loud was not polite. Though it was confusing to him as well why that word was impolite while the word fanny was not. They both pretty much were slang for the same thing, albeit the latter only meant that in British English.

It was really confusing why people needed to have two versions of the same language. Though it did make it fun to learn and he got a kick out of using foreign or archaic words that meant the same things as those that would get him in trouble. He just had to be careful about using certain foreign non-slang words that were slang here.

He shivered again. The sudden gust of wind drew his focus back to his current predicament. It wasn't raining anymore, but it was cold. His hair and shirt were still wet. His empty stomach grumbled. Perhaps he should go to the library or to the coffee and bake shop down the street? The people there knew him and would give him something to eat. Even if he did get punished later on for forgetting his key, he needed something to eat.

'I wonder if they have any pumpkin or apple pie? I hope so...' He lifted himself to his feet and started walking, still shivering though the thought of delicious baked goods to eat pushed him forward.

0

(Alsie):

"I'm sorry! Okay?! Why do you always bring that up? Every time something happens, you always bring that up." Momma shouted at Poppa, her cheeks glistening with angry tears.

"Why?! Perhaps if you paid better attention to Elsie, I wouldn't have to keep reminding you about what happened three years ago!" Poppa yelled back, his normally calm voice harsh.

Elsie sniffled, trembling in her covers as she listened to her parents arguing. Her eyes stung as did her throat, both from crying and her fever. That was why her momma and poppa were fighting. Momma hadn't noticed her fever that day and it wasn't until the school nurse called to ask someone to pick her up that either momma or poppa knew she was sick.

Poppa had immediately rounded on momma when he came home from work, and the two had been arguing for the past forty-five minutes. Forty-five minutes and fifty-two seconds.

She hated it when her parents fought, she didn't like her poppa yelling or her momma crying. It wasn't momma's fault that she had pretended to be well so that neither her parents would worry. She hated the fuss they made more than being sick, and it never seemed fair that momma was always blamed by poppa for her being sick or getting hurt.

"It wasn't just a cold that time! Or chicken pox or whatnot. It was appendicitis! And because you had stopped taking your medication you didn't notice the pain Elsie was in!" Poppa growled, his words the same as in every argument. Though that didn't make them any less painful for momma. "We almost lost her!"

"I know. And I'm sorry!" Momma sobbed, no longer able to yell. Poppa's words rung too true and painful for momma to continue the fight.

"...Diana, look...I..." Poppa sighed, his voice no longer angry. "I'm sorry too. I know I shouldn't keep bringing it up, but..."

Elsie tried to make out what he said next, but couldn't. The sudden lack of yelling, though reassuring to her, made it impossible to hear what her parents were saying down the hall. She could still hear her momma crying though. Though that too soon faded.

She sniffled and hiccuped, trying to stop her own tears before leaving her room. It sounded like the worst of the argument was over and she didn't want her being upset to reignite it. Before she could dry her cheeks or unwrap herself from her blanket, her poppa knocked on her door.

"Hey, bunny-bear, how are you feeling?" Poppa asked after opening her door. He paused and drew in a breath before sighing. He quickly approached the bed where Elsie was huddled into a ball and sat down. "I'm sorry if all that telling upset you."

"It's...it's not momma's fault." Elsie hiccuped. "I told her I was fine. That I could go to school. I didn't let her take my temperature."

Poppa drew in a breath then exhaled, more regret poured into that one sound than any of his apologies. He picked up Elsie and hugged her tightly. "You know you need to stay in bed if you're sick. You should've said you didn't feel good. Bunny-bear."

"But I don't wanna worry you. And you need to go to work." Elsie mumbled, her large hazel-sienna eyes gazing up at her poppa's. "You can't stay home to take care of me."

"Lil' bunny-bear, why..." Poppa started only to be interrupted by Elsie continuing.

"We can't afford you missing work. We'll have to move again."

Poppa opened his mouth to speak, to refute his daughter's words, but stopped. He sighed and hugged Elsie tighter, kissing her forehead. He couldn't respond because it was true, she had seen the letters and overheard her parents talking a few times. About a mortgage, about bills, medical expenses.

"You shouldn't worry about that. Just focus on resting and getting better." Poppa kissed her forehead again. "I'll make you that oatmeal you like in the morning, with lots of strawberries and blueberries. And then we'll go see the doctor and she'll prescribe some medicine to make you well."

Elsie shook her head. Her eyes teary again. "I don't wanna have to move. You need to go to work. I'll be fine. Momma can watch me."

"No...hh..." William scowled, hesitated and then sighed. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes, thinking.

Elsie was right, he couldn't afford to take time off to care for her. But he just couldn't...the last time he trusted Diana to watch Elsie when she was sick, Diana had had one of her episodes and failed to notice how much worse their daughter had gotten. What had seemed to be a bad stomach-ache had turned out to be much worse, and he'd had found Elsie crippled with pain when he'd gotten home that day. He'd taken her straight to the hospital where Elsie was diagnosed with appendicitis, a severe case that nearly proved fatal. Their daughter was in the hospital for a month recovering.

Three years had passed and he still hadn't forgiven Diana. The worst part was it had been on Elsie's birthday and he'd nearly had to work overtime. And if he had...

"Poppa, I wanna stay here. Mr. and Mrs. Mayford are nice and so is their dog, Leonard. I don't wanna have to move cause we can't pay the mortgage. I don't wanna move cause I get sick too often."

"Aw, Bunny-bear, it's not your fault. You're young and your immune system is still developing, so of course you get sick more than your mom or me. It's not something you can control so it's not your fault. Okay?" William smiled at Elsie, trying to reassure her. Sometimes it felt like his daughter could see through all his reassurances, and only pretended to be reassured to reassure him.

Like how she knew about things like the mortgage and bills. Or what it meant when her momma was having a bad day and couldn't get out of bed. Or how she always tried to be the perfect child and not cause any problems - even if it meant going to school with a 102 degree fever.

"Bunny-bear, you need to rest. Look...If your fever is lower in the morning and momma isn't having one of her bad days, then I'll consider not taking a day off. Okay?" William gazed down at his daughter while she mulled his offer over. Understanding that that was his best offer, Elsie nodded and lied down allowing the exhaustion from her fever to show. He tried not to show any alarm until he saw her eyes began to flutter shut.

"Wait...momma." Elsie opened her eyes and pouted, her gaze lingering on her bedroom door. "Have to say goodnight to her."

William sighed, and gave Elsie another kiss on her forehead. He then tucked her in and stood up. "All right. I'll go get her. Just promise to sleep and to not lie again about not being sick."

Elsie nodded and whispered 'I promise.'

William smiled sadly at his daughter, and left the room to get Diana. He found her in their bedroom, sitting on the floor with a manila folder grasped tightly to her breast.

"Diana..." He gaped then sighed, recognizing the folder. It was the same folder she always found no matter where he put it. The folder containing the birth and death records of Elsie's twin brother. The child his wife had mercifully forgot losing soon after birth.

Diana had found that folder the day after Elsie's emergency appendectomy three years ago, and those painful memories had resurfaced.

"...you must hate me." Diana muttered, holding the folder tighter. "First our son...and then I almost let Elsie..." She shut her eyes, swallowing back the guilt she felt creeping in her stomach. "You blame me. Don't you? Because I am...what I am. The voices...the hallucinations..."

"Diana..."

"It's just a living nightmare. A nightmare neither of us can escape. You probably think it'd be so much better if I left. If I wasn't here." Diana spat, her tone bitter and filled with spite. She glared at her husband. "Admit it."

William shook his head and knelt down next to his wife. "Diana, please. I wouldn't have married you, wouldn't have started a family with you if I thought that."

"Then why...why don't you believe..." Diana glanced down at the folder she held. She held it out slightly so William could tell what she meant. "He can't be gone. He's out there. I know it. A mother knows."

"Diana. We've been through this. Spencer..."

"No, no, he didn't. The hospital...the doctor was wrong, that wasn't my baby...it wasn't..." Diana scowled even as tears streamed down her cheeks. "...he wasn't the child we buried. It was someone else's. I know it. I...I'm not crazy. I'm not."

William sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, a headache forming. "Look. Elsie needs you to go say goodnight to her. Please, can we talk about this later? She won't sleep otherwise."

Diana's eyes widened and she seemed struck, as though having forgotten about Elsie. Something that didn't escape William's notice, and he made a snide remark about Diana's 'a mother knows' refrain. Diana immediately stiffened at his remark, her expression angry, hurt, and vehement. It was also guilt-ridden and self-chastising.

"I know. I kno..." Diana seethed at her husband while getting to her feet. Catching sight of movement out of the corner of her eye, she turned toward the door. She immediately rushed past William and to the doorway, having noticed Elsie leaning against the frame. The poor girl could barely stand. "Are you all right?! Elsie! Elsie!"

"Momma...?" Elsie mumbled before collapsing into Diana's arms. Arms that wrapped tightly around her, soothing and protective. A cool hand touched her forehead.

Diana gasped, feeling how hot her daughter's forehead was. "God, William, why didn't you say her fever was this high?!"

"I...she didn't feel warm to me..." William mumbled, lifting himself off the floor, alarmed by his wife's alarm. He quickly lowered himself back down, touching his forehead as a sense of vertigo threatened to overwhelm him. He jerked his head, trying to push it away.

"William?" Diana approached her husband, while holding Elsie close to her breast. She knelt down and placed her hand on his forehead. Her eyes widened and she groaned. "You're running a fever too. Damn it."

"Di..." William mumbled at his wife's swear.

"To hell with language. You get in bed, I'll call Dr. Mortimer, see if he'll make a home visit." Diana insisted, glowering at her husband but more with exasperation at the timing rather than anger. She still held Elsie snugly against her, and only let worry fill her eyes when she glanced down at her daughter.

Just a touch of Elsie's forehead was enough to tell her she needed to bring Elsie to the hospital. She glanced out the window at the storm clouds. It was no longer raining, but was cold. She chewed on her lip, debating whether it was safe to bring Elsie outside. The hospital wasn't that far away, but with her daughter's fever so high...

"Diana, go bundle yourself and Elsie up. I'll drive us to the hospital. I'm not that sick." William spoke, glaring at his wife who started to disagree.

"...All right." Diana conceded, and left to bundle Elsie is a warm jacket.

A/N: What do you think so far? Should I continue the storyline with Spencer and Alsie/Elsie being children or should I skip to them being adults? (I have quite a few ideas for them as children, though I probably should warn you that I seldom manage to write 'happy ending' stories.)