FicWad

A few weeks later Molly was sitting on the floor leaning against her couch surrounded by boxes.
"Ready to go home Sunny?" she asked her cat who was perched on the now empty bookshelf on the other side of the room.
"Merow!"
"Yea me too." Molly stood up and threw out her now empty beer bottle and the paper plate she had had pizza on. Coming back out of the kitchen she leaned against the door frame and slowly let her eyes drift around the main room of the apartment. She let the memories wash over her. Moving in here with Rick, the subsequent abuse, loosing her Mom, kicking Rick out, getting her life back on track, and now graduating college. The ringing of the phone a few minutes later broke her reverie.
"Hello?" She grabbed the portable from where it was hanging next to her.
"Hey hun."
"Oh hey Dad. Whatsup?"
"I just wanted to let you know Sean, Jamie and I will be getting in tomorrow morning at ten-thirty."
"Sean came?"
"Yea, he finished his finals yesterday so he decided to fly in for your graduation earlier then planned."
"Cool." Molly said with a grin.
"And don't worry, we're staying in a hotel." Molly laughed at her father's reassurance.
"Not that I wouldn't love having you guys here. It's just that I have no room, esspecially not now that everything is packed."
"I figured."
"So what did you get?"
"I made arrangements for a UHaul, I'll drive that back and switch off with Sean on the way home. You take Jamie with you in the car."
"That'll work. I'll see you guys tomorrow then. I was actually going to go to bed. I'm exhausted."
"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow. Love you."
"Love you too Dad." Molly hung the phone up and turned off the living room lights before heading to her bedroom to sleep.

The next morning Molly woke up and got ready for the day. At eleven-thirty she heard a knock at the door and hurried over to open it. The door swung open to reveal Pete and Ashlee, Molly frowned in response.
"Hi?"
"Hey, We...I...we...came by to see if you needed any help with anything."
"Yes, I'm sure that's why both of you are here." Molly said rolling her eyes. 'This girl needs to get over her paranoia. I want them to break up, but not so I can get Pete. Jeez.' "Come on in. My dad and brothers will be here in a little bit. I figured that was who was at the door already."
"Ooo...cool. I can't wait to see the kiddo."
"He's not exactly a kiddo anymore you know. He's tweleve."
"He is NOT! It feels like yesterday he was in my basement coloring."
"I know. But he's tweleve. It's scary. We got old."
"Pettteeeeee. What are we doing here?" Ashlee suddenly interjected.
"Being helpful?" He answered in a questioning tone.
"But she's obviously all packed. Look." Ashlee responded pointing around the living room.
"I hate to say this but blondie is right. I'm leaving day after tomorrow. I'm good to go."
"Oh. Ok. Well then I'm gonna peace out so not to make things all crowded."
"Ok. I'll talk to you soon. You coming home for Christmas?"
"Yea. I'll see you at home then."
"You're not coming tomorrow?!"
"I can't. I've got some stuff to do for the label."
"Oh...Ok. Then I'll see you around Christmas."
"Yea. Bye Mol."
"Bye Pete....umm...I guess Bye Ashlee, or whatever."
Molly frowned as she closed the door behind them and glanced over at the envelope containing the extra graduation ticket she had managed to con out of the registrar's office for Pete.

An hour later there was another knock on her door and Molly once again hurried to answer it. This time when she opened the door her family was standing there. Molly squealed as she threw herself at her Dad for a hug.
"Hi to you too. I feel like I should say 'wow. Look how big you've gotten' It's been so long since I saw you. But I won't."
"Nice Dad." Molly mumbled as she let go of him and hugged Jamie who know came up to her shoulder. "Kid. Stop growing."
"Sorry Mol. Not my fault you're a freaking midget." Molly rolled her eyes as he walked past her into the apartment. Turning back to her father and other brother she asked, "When did he become a teenager?"
"Sometime in the last two months. He's worse then Sean was already. Beware the next four years."
"Oh god..." Molly muttered and put her hands over her face at the same time her other brother let out an indignant "hey!"
"Sooooooo...." Jack started as he looked around the living room. "I guess we should just get to it and start loading stuff into the truck. When do you have to be out of here?"
"Lease is up tomorrow."
"Ok, yea. I want to be packed up tonight except for the stuff you need for the morning. You'll stay at the hotel with us tomorrow night?"
"That's the plan." Molly nodded in agreement and grabbed a box off the floor.
"Ok kids. Load it up." Jack said pointing to the boxes and suitcases around the apartment.

Five hours later and the small family was sitting picnic style in the empty living room surrounded by take out.
"I forgot how big this place is without all my crap in it." Molly said glancing around the positively barren room. Everything she had left was in her bedroom and bathroom.
"So what's your plan for when you get home? We never really discussed this." Jack finally asked.
"Well...I'm moving in with Elyse and James. They found this huge apartment in the city and it'll be perfect for me."
"You sure they want you moving in with them?" Sean asked.
"Why wouldn't they?"
"Aren't you going to be infringing on their privacy."
"Normally I'd say yes. But this place is huge. Seriously, ginormous."
"is that even a word?" Jamie asked looking up from his comic book.
"Shush." Molly said poking him.
"You really don't want to come home?" Jack asked almost sadly.
"It's not that I don't want to Dad. It's just that I've been living on my own for so long now that it would be weird. Jamie is old enough to not have to worry about a babysitter anymore. It's just time."
"Yea I guess." He said quietly.
"Hey, I've been living in LA for years. Now I'll only be a half hour drive. Instead of a five hour flight."
"Is Elyse really moving in with this guy?" Jack asked a few minutes later. Molly laughed and replied,
"They are perfect for each other. It's actually a little creepy how well they compliment each other. Opposites attract and all that. He's a lawyer with full sleeve tattoos and she's a radio DJ with crazy colored hair."
"How is that opposites attract?" Sean asked raising an eyebrow.
"He's straightedge, she's Elyse. He's actually toned her down a LOT Matt said since they got back to Chicago."
"Hmm....that's good." Jack said.
"Yea. She was starting to need it. I don't think I ever got that consistantly bad."
"I don't want to know details Molly Anne."
"Yes Daddy." Molly said with an innocent smile that Sean scoffed at.
"Alright. We're going to get going. I want to get as much sleep as possible. Before we have to drive back to Illinois."
"It's only five-thirty."
"I've been up since three."
"Oh. Ok. I'll see you tomorrow after the ceremony."
"Yes you will." Jack said standing up and everyone began gathering garbage to take out with them.

The next day Molly sat in the auditorium in her cap and gown listening to specialized speeches. Earlier that morning she had sat through the incredibly long, nap inducing speeches on the football field for the ceremony for all graduates. Now she listened much more attentively during her department ceremony. Here is where she would recieve her diploma. 'or at least the piece of paper they pretend is my diploma until they mail it out.' Molly thought cynically.
Finally it was time for her row to stand. Moving as one they walked out of the row and down the isle to the side of the stage. Molly deepend her breath and couldn't help but look at the boy in front of her and remember the last time she had done something like this. 'They should all be here.' She thought to herself with more then a little sadness for everything that had happened since that ceremony at a small Chicago-area high school. While Molly waited she let her eyes wander over the rows and finally spotted her brothers and father sitting in the middle. Sitting next to them was a surprising figure--Pete. 'Asshole lied to me on purpose I bet.' Molly came to that realization as he waved cheekily at her and then gave Sean a high five.
Molly finally reached the announcer and handed over the card with her information on it. As the woman read her name Molly started walking across the stage. Camera flashes went off. Somewhere in the distance through the tunnel she thought she heard "YEA MOLLY!" and "GO TINK!" 'Shake hand. Don't trip. Shake hand. Don't trip' She kept repeating in her head as she reached out to take the paper with her left hand and shake with her right once she reached the Dean of the Communications Department. She felt him grip her hand and literally force her to stop walking as she suddenly remembered they take a picture here. 'CRAP!' Smiling brightly, and obviously faked Molly was blinded by the camera flash. Once the Dean released her hand Molly quickened her steps and left the stage to return to her seat.
"Forget you had to stop?" The kid in front of her asked as she sat back down.
"Something like that." She mumbled back.
Forty more minutes of annoying speeches and the like and the Dean finally stepped up to the microphone. He asked the graduating class to stand and then proudly told them to move their tassels and "Graduates Graduate!" A cheer rose from everyone in the auditorium and Molly found herself hugged by people she didn't even know.

"Well it's about time." Pete's voice said to Molly as he hugged her. "I didn't think I was going to find out in this mess."
"How many autographs have you had to sign?"
"Only three."
"Really? Even with all the little sisters that are probably here."
"Yea. Not everything is about me you know."
"I did not know that. I'm glad you've enlightened me to this fact."
"Bitch."
"Hey be nice. I have to go be a grownup now. I'm all graduated and everything."
"I know. I'm quite proud of you."
"So what's your plan now? Coming to lunch with us?"
"I can't. I didn't lie. I really do need to do stuff today. I really will see you at Christmas though."
"Oh alright. Thanks for coming though. It means a lot to me."
"Hey, I wouldn't miss this for the world. Oh. Here, before I forget." Pete added holding out a box to Molly.
Raising one eyebrow Molly opened the box and gasped at the small silver necklace that was lying there. A silver chain with a trinity knot.
"Pete, it's gorgeous."
"I saw it and I thought of you. My Irish Banshee. Ow."
"Ruin a perfectly sweet moment with a crack like that why don't you."
"It's what I'm good at. I gotta peace out though. I'll talk to you soon."
"Bye. Gimme hugs first." Pete laughed and did just that before heading off into the crowd after pointing Molly in the direction of her brothers and father.
Waving Molly headed off to join them.

"Wow." Sean started as he walked in holding a box, "this place really is huge."
"I told you." Molly said sticking her tounge out. The two siblings were standing in the middle of a large apartment. The main room was one giant living room, dining room, kitchen type area with multiple doors off of it. The best feature being the huge picture windows with a view of Chicago. "I'm guessing I'm in the room with the note on it." Molly said pointing towards one of the doors across the room.
"Logically. Yes. But this is Elyse so logic may not work."
"So did you ever get over your crush on my best friend. Should she know about it."
"Good threat, but I wasn't the most subtle of teenagers. I'm pretty sure she knows already. Oh and good thing you didn't need to bring furniture. You're good will stuff would have clashed badly here. What does this dude do anyway?"
"He has very nice parents."
"Yea, I think he's more set then we are." Sean muttered as they walked past a big flat screen TV. Molly opened the door and stepped into a fairly large bedroom with lots of closet and drawer space.
"I feel like squealing. This is too perfect."
Sean placed the box he was holding down on the floor and said "yea, this is pretty choice."
"Well...let's get me settled in." Molly responded by pushing up her sleeves and gesturing around. With that the siblings spent the rest of the afternoon unloading the things Molly had brought with her into the apartment and her bedroom.

A few hours later Molly was settled comfortably on the couch in pajamas. The majority of her things had been unpacked in her bedroom and she was trying to relax in her new home. The door opened and Elyse and James walked in carrying bags of food.
"You didn't eat did you?" Was the first words out of Elyse's mouth as though Molly had been living with them for months instead of hours.
"Nope. What'd you bring home?"
"Chinese."
"Sweet."
"So how do you like it?" James asked from the kitchen area.
"If by it you mean the apartment, then it's amazing. If you mean the Chinese food, it depends on where it's from."
"Da Hang. As though I would order from anywhere else."
"Of course. Amazing to both then James." Elyse's boyfriend just laughed at the girls back and forth commentary as they started discussing something they had both happened to read in the paper that day.
Soon all three of them were settled on the couch with food and conversation.
"This was a good idea." Elyse suddenly said.
"Yea it was." Molly responded with a sad smile. "It could be better. But this is a good start."
"It'll get there." Elyse replied with a smile.

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A/N: Title is from "Magnolia" by The Hush Sound. swoonage
I definitely didn't proof this one at all (in fact I dozed off in the middle--its been a long day) so it might be messy. lol

---2 more chapters left. This will probably be totally done by Tuesday (at the latest) unless something happens.