A/N: So yeah, it's been a couple of months since I updated this fic... the truth is that I don't know if I'm gonna finish this or not... which is sad because it was almost done... and plus, I'm not really in to the color code parings anymore... (I'm not really into any of the PPG/RRB parings at the moment... I love my Prinack and other crack parings) yeah, so here's chapter 18... it's not finished, but I decided that it was better to show you guys it, than to let it rot on my computer... yeah... I'm sorry, but I kinda like writing one-shots more (Prinack related one-shots)... at least I finish them...
It was Sunday morning and the smell of freshly made eggs and bacon lingered in the air of the Utonium household. The Professor was sitting at the table sipping a hot cup of black coffee while he read the current issue of Science Weekly, while his wife Katherine was busy finishing breakfast. It was a pretty classic scene, but it was missing one important feature… the beloved children.
Mrs. Utonium placed the last of food on the kitchen table and started to lightly tap her foot in annoyance. Usually the four kids would have arrived by now, especially Buttercup and Bradley. They were expectably hungry in the morning. But that clearly wasn't the case today.
"Were ever could the children be?" She asked her husband. "Their breakfast is getting cold."
The Professor flipped a page in his magazine. "Don't worry about, Katherine. You know kids these days… they're probably checking their Spacebook or something…"
"It's Facebook, Dad…" Bradley stated while he took his place at the table. "And the other one is My Space, but that site is dead…"
The Professor smiled slightly. "Thanks for clearing that up, Bradley."
"Well, someone has to teach you old timers how the modern world works…" he replied.
He went in his pocket and took out his phone, but his Mother quickly snatched the device away from him.
"You know there are no phones at the table, Bradley."
"But, Mom!"
"No buts… now where are your sisters?"
"Well, BC left for volleyball practice or whatever, Bubbles locked herself in her room like a moron…"
"So what is Blossom doing-"
Blossom entered the kitchen, took a couple of strips of bacon and started her way out the back door.
"Okay, I'm leaving."
"Wait. Where are you going, dear?"
She stopped and turned to her step-mother. "To the hospital to visit Jack."
"Again? Didn't you see him yesterday?"
"Yeah, but-"
"Mom, it's clear that's her boyfriend. Just let her go see him…"
Blossom glared at her brother. "He's not my boyfriend. He's just a friend of mines and I want to keep him company. "
"Is that girl code for 'I gonna make-out with him'?"
"Oh shut up, Bradley."
"Can you two just get along?" their Mother sighed.
Bradley slouched down in his chair. "Well she started it…" he mumbled.
Blossom turned her attention back to the older woman. "So can I go?"
"I don't know, Blossom… I wanted to have breakfast as a family for once…"
"Please Mom," Blossom pleaded. "I'll make it up to you. We can have dinner together, I'll cook and everything!"
Mrs. Utonium sighed once again. "Alright… you can go, but please be back by seven."
Blossom reached over and hugged her. "Thanks, Mom." Then she looked over to her father. "You picked a good wife, you know."
The Professor looked up from his magazine and smiled. "Yes, I know."
Blossom returned the smile and grabbed her purse from the table. "Okay, I'll be back."
She ran back to the living room and decided to go out the front door instead of the back; it would be easier to walk to the bus stop that way. She turned the brass knob and swung the door open. There standing right in front of her was a familiar face.
"Boomer?" Blossom questioned.
She looked over the blond boy and she could immediately tell there was something wrong with him. His hair was dull and greasy and his eyes where blood shot red. His body began to wobble back and forth, and he was close to falling at any moment. Blossom took him by the shoulders and held him up steady.
"Boomer? What happened to you?"
Soon after she asked that, another figured appeared from behind him. She stepped into the doorway and looked down at her.
"Hey, baby. How ya doing?"
Blossom blinked in confusion. "Do I know you?"
The large dark skinned woman leaned in closer to her. "I'm Ms. Whales, but you can just call me Bubby, sugar."
"Oh, you're Boomer's foster parent." Blossom stated. Bubbles had mentioned her before, but this was her first time actually meeting the woman.
Bubby nodded. "Yes, I am."
"So…" Blossom started, trying to stir up a conversation. "How's your day been?"
But she quickly regretted asking such a question, when she noticed Bubby's face take on a sadden expression. She just remembered what happened to her other two foster kids. One was in custody, and the other, the one who she had deep feelings for, was missing. She felt so guilty for opening up any closed wounds that she had.
"It's been horrible, sugar. Just horrible… Boomer snuck out last night and gotten himself drunk-"
"Drunk?!" Blossom questioned loudly. "B-but that's so not like him!"
"I know, sugar. He's having a mental breakdown; he's never been without his brothers before."
Blossom nodded her head. She recalled that from yesterday, when Boomer passionately opened up to her.
"The little angel used to be so happy and cheerful… but lately he's been so depressed… I-I just think he's gonna hurt himself… or worse…"
Blossom could see tears forming in her eyes, something she never would expected from the strong independent woman. But even the strongest people can get emotional. That was something she was taught long ago, and she was now experiencing it in real life.
She took one her hands off Boomer and placed it on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Ms. Wha- I mean Bubby… I'm sure you can get some help for him."
"That's why I came here."
"W-what?!"
"I need you to watch Boomer for me while I get Butch's behind out of jail."
Blossom waved her hands in the air. "Oh no no no! I can't do that!"
She saw Boomer leaning off to the side and she quickly caught him. "I'm sorry but I really can't do that…"
Bubby grasped her hands together. "Please, baby. It will be really easy; he's been up all night, so he'll probably sleep the whole time."
"I-I think you should ask my sister, Bubbles instead!" Blossom stated nervously. "She is Boomer's girlfriend after all."
Bubby gave her a restless look. "Ain't nobody got the time for that! I have to go, baby. I'm depending on you to take care of him. He's too much of a danger to himself to be left alone."
"B-but…"
Bubby began to speed walk back to her station wagon; she turned around and faced Blossom for one last time.
"Oh, and I'll be at the court house, could you drop him off there? Thanks, sugar. I owe you one. Bye bye now."
"But I really don't have a mode of transportation-"
She got in her car and drove off before Blossom had a chance to finish her sentence.
An exaggerated grasp left Blossom's mouth. Now this is problematic, she thought.
She turned her attention back to the blond teen that was currently in his arms. His eyes widen up and he gave her a weary grin.
"Heeeeeey, Blossy…" he whispered drunkly.
Blossom covered her nose from the hot toxic cloud that was leaving Boomer's mouth. His breath absolutely reeked of alcohol. It wasn't a pleasant scent to intake, and it made her want to vomit.
"Dear god, Boomer! Bubby was right about you!" she whispered back to him.
"Blossom?" Her step-mother called from the kitchen. "You still haven't left yet, dear?"
Blossom tensed up. She had almost forgotten about her parents. They would kill her if they found out she had an uninvited boy in the house; especially one in Boomer's state.
"U-umm, no Mom. I changed my mind, I don't think I'm going after all." She stuttered.
There was a short pause. "Oh, well that's too bad… I'm sure Jack would have enjoyed your company…"
Boomer leaned closer to Blossom's face. "Yo… is that your mom?"
Blossom nodded. "Yes, Boomer, you know this… she's the principal of our school…"
"Oh … What's up, Mrs. U!" he tried yelling across the room.
Blossom quickly covered his mouth. "Have you gone delusional?!" she whispered loudly.
"Blossom? Is there someone there with you?" her mother asked.
Blossom could feel beads of sweat forming on her forehead. "U-umm, of course not Mom. I-it was just the TV, that's all."
"Well, alright then…" the woman replied.
With her hand still firmly placed over Boomer's mouth, she began to lead him through the living room to the stairs. She made she was extra careful not to make any unnecessary noise that could alert her parents in the kitchen.
"Now Boomer…" she began to whisper into the blond's ear. "Let's get you upstairs so can I think of a proper way to deal with you…"
Boomer nodded, and then suddenly licked the palm of her hand, causing Blossom to gasp sharply.
"Your hand tastes funny." He giggled.
"Blossom? Are you okay?" her mother called out once again, the tone in her voice getting anxious.
"I'm fine, Mother!" she snapped. It was bit too harsh for her liking, but she couldn't help it. She was getting irritated with Boomer's OOC behavior. And now she had the boy's saliva all over her hand. How indecent! She thought to herself as she began to push the boy up the stairs.
Mrs. Utonium raised an eyebrow. Whenever Blossom called her Mother like that, she knew there was something wrong. She got up from the kitchen table and started to walk into the living room.
Blossom heard the footsteps coming closer, and she quickly continued to push Boomer up the stairs and drag him down the hallway. She shoved him into her room and closed the door behind her. She gave a sigh of relief as she continued to lock the knob.
That was too close for comfort, she thought.
Three short knocks on the door rang through the air, almost giving Blossom a mini panic attack.
"Yes, w-what is it?" she replied.
"It's me, dear…" Her step-mother's warm calm voice entered Blossom's ears through the closed door.
Blossom gulped. "W-what do you want? I'm pretty busy at the moment…"
"I just wanted to see if you were okay… I'm worried about you…"
"I'm okay, Mom… really…" Blossom sighed. "I'm just stressing over the try-outs next week… I just don't think I'm prepared for it…"
"Oh, you'll do fine dear… I know you will… you and your friends have been practicing very hard. There's no doubt in my mind that you'll prevail."
A small smile made its way on Blossom's face. "Thanks, Mom… that really means a lot to me…"
"You're welcome, Blossom." Mrs. Utonium replied cheerfully. "I'll have dinner on the table by seven, so if you do decide to visit your friend, please be back by then…"
"Alright, I understand."
"Okay then… see you later, dear."
"Bye, Mom…"
Blossom waited until her Mother's footsteps faded away down the hallway before giving another sigh of relief.
Now THAT was a close one…, she thought.
She glanced over to her alarm clock sitting on the nightstand. It was close to one o'clock. She had plenty of time to take care of this little problem before dinner, and maybe she could even visit Jack. She turned around and noticed Boomer standing in the middle of the room, looking as clueless as ever. She had to admit, Boomer wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed to begin with, but now he was behaving like a total moron.
Blossom groaned then walked over to him. "Boomer, are you going to explain to me what has gotten in to you?" she asked.
Boomer continued to stare off into space, ignoring every word that just left her mouth. Blossom took him by the shoulders and shook him vigorously.
"Boomer, please snap out of it!"
He widen his eyes and smiled brightly. "Woah! That was so trippy!" Then he took a quick glance at his surroundings. "Yooo… this doesn't look like me and Butch's room…"
"Because it isn't, Boomer…" Blossom replied sternly. "You're in my room… you're at MY house…"
He raised his eyebrow. "Really? How did I get here then?"
"You're foster parent forcefully put you in my care…"
Boomer nodded. "That sounds like Bubby alright."
Blossom took his hand and brought him over to her bed.
"Sit down and tell me what happened last night."
He did what he was told and took a seat. "Man, I have nooo idea, it was so wild, I got so messed up."
Blossom slowly shook her head. "This is not like you, Boomer… you're beginning to sound like your brother…"
"That's what I wanted!" he yelled while quickly storming to the other side of the room.
Blossom was shocked with his sudden action. "What do you mean?"
He placed his hands over his eyes and sighed loudly. "I'm just so damn-"
"Language." Blossom interrupted.
"Sorry…" Boomer whispered. He paused for a moment before starting again. "I'm just so tired of crying…"
"Oh, Boomer." She got and went up to him. "There's nothing wrong with crying."
"Yeah right. Butch would be calling me a pussy if he was s here right now."
Blossom pouted. She hated that word; it was so filthy and degrading. But she hated the fact that Butch used the term toward Boomer before even more. He could so cruel toward his brothers sometimes. It was appalling.
"Forget about, Butch-"
"No I won't forget about Butch, he's the whole reason I did this!"
Blossom started calmly at the enraged boy. There was no use in arguing with him, so she decided the best thing to do was listen to him.
"Butch can do whatever the hell he wants to and the consequences don't matter to him! He just doesn't care! I wish I was like that