Take It As It Comes ((Closed))

[Mackenzie Holden]

"We should really get back to work." "No, I don't think so." "Yes, I think so." "Mmm...nope." "Mackenzie." "Fine. You fun ruiner." Mack threw the ball at her director before sitting up tall in her chair. She grabbed her notebook and pen. They were trying to write a song. They had finished How Strong Do You Think I Am? about a week ago, and Mack had wanted to go straight into recording it - but Tommy thought it would be better to finish the rest of the songs, or at least a few more, and then record. The studio wanted at least ten songs on the album, and that should have been easy. Except, Mack had been out of the business so long she felt she was losing her edge. Tommy said that wasn't possible with someone like her that has so much talent, and Mack had smirked at the compliment knowing perfectly well that it was possible.

"OK, where were we?" Tommy asked, leaning over to look down at the pad of paper. It had one line on it, "Sick of the line that's fading me." Tommy bit the inside of his cheek and looked at Mack with a grin on his face. She knew that meant they had work ahead of them, and Mack was ready - though she wasn't sure where she was going to summon the inspiration to finish the song. She sank back into her chair as Tommy stood and paced the studio. For a few minutes there was a silence that was so thick, Mack was almost afraid of what Tommy was thinking. He then turned to her and smiled again; "How are things with you and Jack?" Mack looked up so sharply she was certain it had frightened him. How were things with her and Jack? That was a good question.

She shrugged; "Fine, I suppose. We're both really busy and all..." Mack trailed off and narrowed her eyes at Tommy. What was he getting at? Like a boy in a candy shop, Tommy sat back down and took the pad of paper from her - writing out another line or so before handing it back to her. Mack looked it over and shook her head, she wasn't sure if this was something that would work. She found a melody in her head and hummed it before adding the lyrics.

"I don't change my mind for anybody. I don't waste my time on just anybody. I won't share my life, with anyone but you. It's such a long way, with anyone but you. I couldn't follow, with anyone but you. Never anyone but you." Mack bit her bottom lip and then looked up at Tommy, "Chorus, possibly? It doesn't seem like a verse, and it has that rhythm that can be sung over and over and tied into everything else." Tommy smirked, "Well, at least we know you know the definition of 'chorus.'" Mack scoffed and threw another nurf ball at him. Tommy smiled and caught it before tossing it into the basket that hung over the bin, and luckily it made it.

"Stop playing around. I think I'm onto something." She snatched the pen back, and underneath the first line they had written she added; "I never know what to believe. In a world that's crushing me, you're the only I see." She grinned and wrote a one and circled it next to it. Then a C and circled that next to the chorus. "Then, the chorus is after that. So we have..." Mack cleared her throat, "Sick of the line that's fading me. I never know what to believe. In a world that's crushing me, you're the only one I see. I don't change my mind for anybody. I don't waste my time on just anybody. I won't share my life with anyone but you. It's such a long way, with anyone but you. I couldn't follow, with anyone but you. Never anyone but you." She looked up at Tommy expectantly. He nodded his approval, "Good. Coffee break!"

[Mackenzie Holden]

"Mack! Phone call!" She groaned in response. Why? Why? Why, why why?! She had just gotten to sleep. And they only had ten minutes of a break before they went back to work. Why couldn't Tommy let her rest her eyes? She sighed and opened her eyes to see Tommy standing over her, holding the black cordless phone above her head. Mack grabbed at it and pressed it to her ear, "Hullo?" She sounded tired. There was a moment's pause before a familiar voice spoke into her ear. "Thank God you're there. Mack, I need to see you." Jamie sounded frantic, even more so than usual. Mack had never heard so much panic in his voice before. She sat up in slight alarm and pressed the phone to ear a bit harder than before, "Is everything ok?" When he didn't reply, Mack pressed further, "Jamie?" She heard him sigh, and as he was doing that - she swung her legs over the couch and slipped her feet into her shoes.

"It's your step-brother, Trevor." He finally replied. Mack's fingers stopped mid reach for her light jacket. Trevor? What could possibly be wrong with him? Before she could ask, Jamie continued; "There's been an accident. Your mum and Hank don't know it yet, I haven't called them just yet. I thought you could help before we broke the news to them." Huh? If there was an accident how could Jamie know before her parents? Wouldn't the police call the legal guardians? Now, Mack was even more confused. She slipped her jacket on and looked over at Tommy, hoping he could see the anxiety in her eyes. Jamie had stopped talking and Mack was nearly out the door, "Jamie? Listen to me. Where are you? I'll come to you." He rattled off an address and said his goodbyes. She clicked off the phone and handed it to Tommy who was watching with worried eyes.

She quickly told Tommy all she knew and ran her fingers through her hair nervously, "Can you take me to him, Tommy? I can't drive yet." She wasn't seventeen. Which was, oddly enough, a coincidence between the muggle world and the wizarding world. Seventeen was the legal age to do most anything. He nodded and grabbed his leather jacket before they rushed out of the studio toward his car. It was a silver volkswagon something or other. Mack wasn't good with car names, all she knew about them were that they drove you from point A to point B and they went, 'vroom vroom!' They were settled into the car, Mack in the passenger seat and Tommy in the driver's. She told him the address of where Trevor and Jamie were, and they were off. The ride took longer than Mack would have liked. She had too much time to think, to let her mind explore. What kind of accident could Trevor get himself into without the police being notified, along with their parents? Mack bit her bottom lip, and watched the lines in the road as they drove. Her stomach was in knots. Sure, she despised Trevor, but he was still...family. Thankfully, not by blood.

They finally arrived there, and Mack nearly launched out of the car. Tommy went to follow her, but she turned on her heel and shook her head; "No. I don't know what it is, and I don't want you to get yourself caught into something that you shouldn't be. Wait out here, if I need you I'll call for you, ok?" Tommy stopped, blinked and then nodded. When she had turned back to walk into the broken down building, she could feel his eyes on her. She breathed in and pushed open the boarded up door; "What have you gotten yourself into this time, Trevor Laurie?" She would soon find out, and wish she hadn't.

[Mackenzie Holden]

Mack stepped into the building, her breath being held without her realizing it. It wasn't clean, it looked like no one had lived in it for years. There were furniture covered in white sheets which in turn were coated in dust, they looked brown. The flooring was wooden, and also very dusty. It would have been a nice place to live if it had been well kept. Realizing she had been holding her breath, Mack let it out and then breathed in again - trying to calm her fluttery stomach. The building creaked as she stepped into an adjoining parlor. No one was there, and Mack was starting to wonder if Jamie was just pulling a cruel joke on her with Trevor and her sister. She wouldn't be surprised. With a sigh, Mack put her hands on her hips; "Jamie Andrews, you better appear before I assume you are just a cruel heartless boy." She crossed her arms and smirked, "Not that you aren't that anyway."

"You were always threatening, Mackenzie." She twirled around and saw Jamie leaning on the railing of a large staircase. He had changed a lot since the last time Mack had bothered to look at him. His hair was longer and he styled it to the right. He had gotten contacts so his brown eyes could penetrate you without having to take off his glasses. He was taller than before, Mack was sure - but then again Jamie was always extremely tall. "Always telling me that if I didn't do what you would say, you wouldn't be my friend any longer." He descended the stairs and when he reached her, he grinned; "But I suppose you can't use that threat anymore, considering we aren't friends." He reached out to hug her, but Mack shrugged him off and grimaced as if the thought of him touching her seared her skin. Jamie looked hurt for a moment, but regained his composure and crossed his arms. They stood there, glaring at each other until Mack remembered why she was even there.

Her eyes grew dark, as if a storm was passing over them, and she uncrossed her arms, but her fists were clenched. "Did you call me here because of Trevor, or were you just hoping to insult me and make me feel like a bad friend?" Jamie chuckled and turned around, heading back up the stairs. Mack stood there for a moment, contemplating whether or not she should follow him. But her curiousity got the best of her and she followed him slowly up the red carpeted staircase. When she reached the landing, Jamie was just going into a room down the hall on the right. The hallway wasn't well lit and there were cobwebs everywhere, Mack swore she saw a rat scuttle by as well. This place reminded her too much of the Shrieking Shack. Actually, it was a bit nicer than the Shrieking Shack. Mack shuddered and entered the room Jamie had gone into. It wasn't a big room, but it had lots of furniture. There was a brass bed in the corner, where Trevor was lying, a dresser against the opposite wall. The windows were heavily draped and tables and chairs were set up in perfect lines. As if they were watching the bed, as if there was something exciting or thrilling going on there.

"Well, darling, there he is. Your step-brother, all bloodied up." Jamie was sitting in an overstuffed red armchair that looked like it had been used many times. Mack glared at Jamie and made her way over to the bed. As much of an arse Jamie was, he wasn't a liar. Trevor was pretty bad. His nose looked like it was broken and he looked as if he were having trouble breathing. When he opened his eyes, he winced. Mack would have winced too, they were both pretty swollen. She reached up and brushed his hair back away from a cut and turned to Jamie angrily, "What happened to him?! What did you do?!" Jamie chuckled and held up both hands, "Down girl. I didn't do anything. If it weren't for me he would be worse, much worse." Mack snorted and turned back to Trevor. He really did look bad. She bit her lip and sat down on the bed, careful not to hurt him. She snapped back to Jamie, "Get me a bowl of warm water and a washcloth. Also, scrounge up any clean bandages you can. We have to keep the swelling down and he's bleeding from a lot of places." Jamie looked shocked. He stood and gazed down at her.

"You mean you want to help him?" He asked, clearly astounded. Mack's eyes widened and she stood up from the bed. She could feel Trevor's eyes trying to watch them - but she knew he could hear every word they were saying. "Of course I want to help him, Andrews! I'm not like you! I'm loyal to my family and I help them when they need me. You might not understand the value of loyalty or family, but I do. And look at where I come from. Trevor Laurie may be a self centered pig, but he's my step-brother and my mum is in love with his dad and if he dies, I could never live with myself! So God dammit! Go get the washcloth, bandages, and water!" Jamie ran out, quite afraid, and Mack sat down again. She started to peel away his shirt so she could get a better look and Trevor winced. She grimaced and sighed, "What have you gotten yourself into, Trevor? What?"

[Mackenzie Holden]

"C'mon Trevor, don't pull out of life just yet. You can stay with me, please stay with me. That's it." Mack voiced softly as she dipped the washcloth into the bowl of warm water and then wiped away the blood from his chest. She rinsed it out and then started dabbing around all the cuts and swollen areas. She felt her eyes start to water, but she pushed the tears back inside. She wouldn't cry, Trevor needed her to be strong. Slowly, Mack picked up the large roll of gauze Jamie had found in a medicine cabinet, along with neosporin and some peroxide. She had already applied the neosporin and peroxide to the cuts and now she gently lifted Trevor up, with the reluctant help of Jamie, and wrapped the bandages around his torso where most of the bleeding was coming from. When that was finished, they layed him back on the bed gently and Mack tended to his head wounds. She cleaned his cuts and put warm bandages around his eyes, and then she looked at his nose.

It was definitely broken, Mack didn't know how to fix broken noses. She let her eyes trail to Jamie, who was leaning against a wall with a look of shock on his face. "Jamie, you're of legal age. You need to set his bones back, by means of magic. Please," Mack's eyes danced with pleading and Jamie watched silently for a moment and then sighed. He took out his wand and pointed it at a table next to the bed, moments a bottle of the formula used to fix broken bones appeared. Mack grinned at Jamie and poured Trevor a small cupfull. He drank it slowly, grimacing from not only the pain - but the taste as well. Nonetheless he swallowed it, and sighed. Without turning toward Jamie, Mack continued to nurse Trevor, "Thanks." She told him as she dipped the rag into the bowl of water and dabbed at Trevor's face. Trevor groaned, and his breathing fell into an irregular pattern of sleep. Mack put the rag in the bowl of water, and placed that beside the bed before standing up. She wiped her hands on her jeans and crossed her arms, her eyes boring into Jamie's.

"I think," she started, stuttering on the 'I', "that it would be smart for me to stay here for the night. You don't have to, I'll just crash in one of the other rooms. Or maybe, possibly, even on the floor of Trevor's room, just in case he needs me." Jamie narrowed his eyes at her and started to shake his head but Mack sighed a lengthy sigh, "Jamie, you know as well as I do we can't leave him here for the night. And you won't be of any bloody help, you would just let him cry out in pain. I think it's best if I stay here, Tommy can stay as well, but either way - I'm staying." Jamie looked at her, scrutinizing her. Mack started to feel uncomfortable under his gaze, but she held her ground and kept her gaze on his, she didn't want to show him that she was frightened of staying in the broken down building alone. He lowered his head and nodded, but then he asked something Mack had already thought out.

"What about your parents? Won't they wonder where Trevor and you are? And why don't we just take him there? Won't he get better care at his own home?" He asked all these questions in one breath, Mack was using all her strength to stop from laughing at how fast he fired questions at her. She ran her fingers through her blonde hair and closed her eyes, relaxing a bit before opening them again and nodding slowly. "Trust me, I've thought of that. They won't wonder where we are, they never have before. Trevor's known to stay out late, and they'll just assume I'm with Tommy. We can't take him home because they won't do anything, they'll press him for why he's so beat up - and he won't be able to get well with them like that. No, it's better if we keep him here. I can have a doctor come tomorrow, check him over and things. But tonight it's best if he stays here."

"Are you su-" "Yes, Jamie, just trust me okay? I might be young, but I know what I'm doing. I just need you to get me a few things from the house, if Mum asks tell her I'm staying the night at the studio - she won't question that. I need clothes, pajamas, toothbrush, hairbrush, bath things, you know the essentials. While you're out, I'm going to see if any phones work. If not, I'll just use Tommy's car phone, I need to be able to call the doctor and schedule a house call." Mack bit her bottom lip and put her hands over her hears, trying to keep out the screaming that she had crawling from inside her. Jamie nodded again and then left, leaving Mack alone with Trevor. He looked at her with his now less swollen eyes, and tried to smile - only grimacing in pain instead. "When you're better enough to talk, Trevor, you're going to tell me what happened to you. And then, when you do, I'm going to tease you for it. You can count on that."

[Mackenzie Holden]

Her eyes fluttered open to the sound of the house. She put her hand to her forehead and moaned, turning on her side to see Tommy asleep near her. There was another groan and Mack sat up, her blond hair falling down her back. Tommy was snoring loudly, but Mack hardly heard it over the groaning that would be completely unable to be heard if she wasn’t sleeping on pins and needles. Mack pushed herself to her feet and made her way to Trevor’s room. She and Tommy had decided to sleep in the guest room not far down the hall, that way they could give Trevor his privacy but close enough to get to him if need be. They had called the doctor for a visit tomorrow morning and he said he would be there by ten. Mack looked at her watch and saw it was a quarter past three in the morning. She opened the door and made her way down the corridor, her bare feet hitting against the cold wood flooring.

She pushed open the door to Trevor’s room and walked in. He was on the bed, tossing and turning. Mack sighed and ran her fingers through her hair as she sat down beside him on the bed. He stopped tossing and turning and looked up at her. The swelling in his eyes had gone down considerably so she knew he could see her. “Are you alright? Well, that’s a stupid question. Of course you aren’t alright. Trevor, what did you do? What did you get yourself into?” She ran her fingers along his cuts and then shook her head, bending down to get the washcloth. She wiped at his cuts and then shook her head, “I don’t understand you, Trevor. I don’t understand anything you do. But I’m going to help you, and then you can explain this all to me and to Mum and to Hank.” She threatened. Trevor smiled softly and shook his head.

“I don’t expect you to understand, Mackenzie.” Mack looked up quickly. He had just spoken. Of course, he had spoken gruffly and with some pain in his voice; but there were still the arrogant Trevor remarks in there. “I take it Jamie, didn’t –..” he coughed and Mack held the washcloth to his forehead, “didn’t tell you what happened, then? Figures. I don’t think he’s good for anything except perhaps looking like a complete git.” He coughed again and smirked as he tried to sit up. Mack pushed him back down and shook her head at him. Trevor smirked, “I suppose those threats you’ve been issuing me then are real as well, and you would like to know what it is that has me all banged up and pretty with blue and black spots, would you?”

“I don’t really care. Whoever did this to you did quite a number. Actually, I like this look better than your actual one.” Mack smirked at him and then stood up from the bed, crossing her arms under her breasts and walking around the room. There wasn’t much to look at, but she didn’t want to appear to be overly eager to hear his story. But Trevor saw through her disguise and stretched out slowly on the bed, making her anticipate it even more. He was about to begin when the door opened and in stepped Tommy. He ran his hands through his brown hair and then smiled lopsidedly at the two. “Oh, hey, did I wake you?” Tommy shook his head and sat down in one of the chairs that wasn’t too dusty. “Good. Well, Trevor darling was about to tell his sob story.”

“Hey! Hey! It isn’t a sob story! It actually happened and it hurts, alright? See the bruises and the blood and I think my nose is broken.” Trevor winced again but kept that smug look on his face. Mack didn’t say anything; she had turned her back on the two guys and was staring at a painting on the wall. There was silence for a moment and then Trevor spoke again, “Right then. So, anyway, I’m completely innocent, right? I do everything innocently. So I’m walking down the street and I get jumped, right? By these big hairy men, with scars all around their face; claiming that I owed lots of money to their gambling organization.” Mack turned to face Trevor, her lips pursed.

“Somehow, I find that hard to believe. Why don’t you try again? With the truth this time?” “Fine, pet, don’t get your panties in a bunch. I did get jumped. But not out of nowhere. I had reason to, I suppose. I am in a gambling debt. A small one. Not a large one, well, not large to my father’s standards. It’s not anything daddy darling can’t handle.” Mack rolled her eyes and scoffed, “Well that completely figures. Why am I not surprised? And here you are now, all beat up and bloody and you expect me to clean up the mess.” “I never said you had to clean up the me-“ “Who would then, Trevor?! Besides me, who else? My mum wouldn’t know what to do, and your father sure as hell wouldn’t do it. I’m stuck with your debt.” She headed toward the door, “Are you anything but selfish?” And she was out of the room. Trevor sighed and lay back on his pillow, looking at Tommy; “She’ll come around,” he said smugly.