A what?!

[Mackenzie Holden]

((Just for me))

"Flight 246 is now boarding for London, England. Flight 246 is now boarding for London, England." The announcer said over the intercom. Mack bit her lip and stood up, grabbed her carry on bag and headed towards the gate. She handed the flight attendant her boarding pass, and then headed down the airwalk towards the plane. Her red hair blew behind her and became unruly- she pulled it back into a pony tail before stepping onto the stairs up to the plane. She let her blue eyes scan Ireland for one last time before heading back to London. She was being sent to London, again, after being sent to Ireland to live with her aunt. Gine passed away though- so Mack was being sent back to her hell. Her parents hadn't seen what she had done to her hair, and she was sure they would flip. A satisfied smile crossed her lips at the thought of this.

Three hours later the plane had landed in the airport in London and Mack was stepping out of the flying contraption and walking into the airport. Her eyes looked around for a familiar face and she dropped her bag at the sight she saw, "Jamie!" She screamed with delight. She ran up to her best-friend and jumped on him. Jamie laughed and spun her around, holding onto her and kissing her lightly on the lips. Mack giggled and slapped him playfully, Jamie pulled away with a smile. Mack jumped down and looked at him, "What are you doing here?!" She asked with so much happiness in her voice she nearly burst. Jamie picked up her bag and took her hand as they walked to baggage claim, "Your father sent me to get you, I find it really weird that he likes me more than you." Jamie teased lightly. Mack slapped him again, this time harder, and sent him a warning look. Jamie smiled again before putting his arm around her, "It's good to have you back, Mack." He said after he kissed her on the forehead. Mack smiled up at him, "It's good to be back..."

[Mackenzie Holden]

"I really like your hair, Mack, what did you do?" Jamie asked- looking at her and not the road. Mack grabbed Jamie's chin and turned him to look at the road while giggling, "Watch the road or else I won't go home in one piece. I'd rather arrive in one piece- God knows I won't leave in one." She sat back in her seat and sighed, looking out the window, "Jamie?" She asked- looking at him. Mack stared at him a moment before shaking her head, "Nevermind." She had changed her mind. She had changed her mind from asking him the one question that was burning in the back of her mind. But she wouldn't dare ask him. Jamie narrowed his eyebrows and said, "You know you can tell me anything." Mack sighed and tapped her fingers on her lap, Jamie was so wise for his age of 16. She knew she could tell him anything- but she wasn't sure if she could ask him anything.

"I know, it's just that, this is personal.." She told him with a look that said it dealt with him. Jamie narrowed his eyebrows again and turned onto the exit. Mack took a good look at Jamie, he had grown up a lot since she had last seen him. His brown hair was spiked and he wore black framed glasses that made his green eyes stand out. It was as if he had changed so much. As did Mack, but she changed for her own good- he probably changed for some girl. Jamie smiled, "See something you like?" He asked. Mack smiled back, "No. Something I adore. What's with the change, eh, Jamie?" She asked lightly- wincing at the thought of him changing for a girlfriend. Jamie shrugged and kept his eyes on the road. Mack blinked and looked back out the window. Home sweet home... She thought.

I always thought that reuniting with Jamie would be so much more, I guess I was wrong. Jamie and I were so close before I went off to Hogwarts- then when we broke up we kind of drew apart. I moved to Ireland and he just gave me a pick, sure it was an almost famous pick- but I mean; nothing more. I just don't know what went wrong with us. Mack thought with another sigh. Jamie looked at her and said, "Hey, um, Mack? I wanted to know- if- well- if you were with someone..." Mack closed her eyes, "Yeah. I'm with someone." She said tiredly. Jamie sighed and lowered his head- "Who?" Mack shrugged and buried her head in her arm as she started to doze off, "Jack." But I'm not... That was the last thing she remembered until the next morning.

[Mackenzie Holden]

"Bloody hell!" Mack woke up with a start. She hit her head on the roof of the car and looked to her right. She snickered and nudged Jamie who was snoring, he kicked his legs and sat up- hitting his head on the roof of the car too. Mack giggled and sat back in her seat, looking at the house to her left. She sighed, "In there lies my hell. In that quaint looking house, there in lies my death." She whispered. Jamie put his arm around her and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, "It can't be that bad, Mack." He said. Oh, how naive you are, dear Jamie. Mack sighed and lowered her head, "It's so much worse, Jamie, so much worse." She whispered- tears stinging her eyes. Jamie looked at her, completely shocked, he didn't know what her life was like. He had never seen her alone with her parents. Everytime he was with Mack and her parents they were parent like- they adored Jamie, so they were cool around him. She even considered keeping him around all the time for protection.

Mack looked at Jamie and shook her head, "You just don't see it." She lifted up the side of her shirt to show him the scar from the wine bottle, "This is from me asking where my mother was. Wine bottle. Bled for hours. Couldn't go to the hospital. No way of getting there. This is what I used to go through every day, until I moved to Ireland, Jamie. This, is what you don't see." Mack told him sharply, tears falling down her cheeks now. "My parents are perfect when you are around, my parents love me when you are around. But the moment you step out that door, I am a savvy. I am used. I am abused. You have everything that keeps me from this hell, and there is not a day when I wouldn't think how much I would kill to have you by my side at those moments. But you weren't there. No one was there. It wasn't until recently that when I found I am not a Holden, that Dix started to accept me. It wasn't until recently I was a human being according to my sister. You have no idea what I go through when you aren't there, Jamie. So don't sit there and tell me it's not that bad when you haven't lived in my house as me." Mack looked at the 16 year old, waiting for his reaction- and all he did was turn the ignition and drive out of the driveway.

"I didn't know, Mack. I didn't know that was how they treated you. And if I had known, I would've gotten you out of there sooner. I am sorry I thought your parents were always like that- I just, this was the furthest thing from what I thought you guys were like when I wasn't around. Have you filed a report?" Jamie looked at Mack with concern in his eyes. Mack scoffed and rolled her eyes before leaning her head against the window pane; "And say what exactly? Yeah, my dad is abusing me but you can't see any bruises because I heal them with magic? Yeah, they'll bite into that real sweet Jamie." Mack told him with a sigh. Jamie looked at her and smiled reassuringly. Jamie knew about Hogwarts- considering he went to Durmstrang. Which was the only reason Derreck Holden ever let him set foot in their house. "You never know, there are some real whackos out there." He told her with another smile. Mack looked at him and grinned, "Yeah; and you're the lead whacko of them all." She retorted. Jamie laughed and nodded in agreement- "And you are my queen, kind lady." He took her hand kissed it gently, Mack giggled but she felt no emotion towards him.

[Mackenzie Holden]

"You never told me where we are going..." Mack said sleepily. They had been driving for hours, the sun had set, and Mack was starting to get tired again. Jamie was force-feeding her tea and honey, saying she needed to keep her throat in perfect health. Mack didn't ask him what for, she drank the tea and honey- letting the warmth of the drink consume her. She didn't argue with Jamie about things that might take part in his plan. The moon was out now, and the stars were shining brightly- they had been driving all day, Jamie driving and Mack writing and singing music. Mack took a sip of her tea and looked at Jamie out of the corner of her eye. He smiled and shook his head, "It's a surprise." Mack sighed and sank down in her seat- putting a pretzel in her mouth and wondering where they could be going.

"You have a song written and ready to sing?" Jamie asked as he turned onto an entrance ramp. Mack nodded with a raised eyebrow and sifted through some papers for her newly written song. She pulled it to the top of the pile and began to sing, "Why ya always trying to make me something that I don't want to be. Push me over. Make me over. Try to make a joke out of me. There's something you should know. I won't change and I'm not letting go. Something you will see. You can't turn down. 'Cause I'm breaking free, yeah. You can't just take me out of me. 'Cause that's what I need the world to see. You can't just take me out of me. Oh, there's no one else I'd rather be." She finished singing the first two verses and the chorus, and looked at Jamie. He smiled and nodded as he parked the car, "Good. You're going to sing that, 24 Hours, and Let Me Fall." He told her. Mack got out of the car, guitar in hand- confusion clearly in her face.

She caught up with Jamie and walked at the same speed he was, "What? What are you talking about?" She asked as she put her guitar on over her head with the strap. She swung it around so it could rest against her back. Jamie opened the glass doors and pushed Mack into the building. Mack sighed, giving in and entered. The whole building was made of glass, or so it seemed. The desks were glass the chairs were semi-glass and the flooring was a thick type of glass that looked like ice. Mack breathed in, "Shake-a-do." She muttered in awe. Jamie looked around as well, shocked and overwhelmed. Fright flooded through Mack when she realised they were at a recording studio. She reached for Jamie's hand and squeezed it, she wanted reassurance. Jamie laced his fingers with hers and led her to the front desk. The secretary looked up from her papers and raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow, "May I help you?" She asked with an annoyed voice. Jamie smiled, "We have an appointment with Julian Dice? Jamie Andrews and Mack Holden?" The secretary took a moment to look through her book and nodded before pushing a button and speaking into the headset she was wearing. When she was through she pointed down the hall and told them to take a left. Jamie thanked her and they walked towards the door that said, "Recording booth 5."

The door swung open to reveal a young man, with blonde hair and brown eyes. The man stood up and held out a hand, Jamie shook it first then Mack, "I'm Julian Dice, your producer. Jamie says you have an incredible voice, Mack. I am looking forward to listening. Would you mind singing a few songs?" Julian smiled a dimpled smile. Mack smiled, but not the same smile- more of a 'ok, yeah, i will sing but i dont know if it will work' smile. She walked into the booth and took a seat on the stool in front of the microphone. She placed the music on the lyre in front of her- headphones on her ears. And guitar on her lap.