Remember Me?

Vanessa settled down on the piano bench on the stage at the center of the park. The Annual Winter Winter Music Festival had come around again. This year Vanessa was lined up to be their main preformer. She sat down with a sigh. This was her first time in an event like this and it wasn't much of a stretch to say she was nervous. Her slight lisp sometimes made her lyrics sound a little funny when she sang them, but she didn't really care, that lisp was a part of her, and the only connection she had to the twin brother she'd never see again.

Or so she thought.

Randy didn't know why he was wandering around a music festival, the club scene was usually more to his tastes, but tonight...he just couldn't stop lingering by the stage, it was almost like he was waiting for something, although what he had no idea. When the band that had been playing went off stage, he went to leave, but then a girl came out and Randy froze. There was something about this girl that was so familiar, it was on the tip of his tongue. And then she started to sing, and Randy nearly cried out when he heard the faint lisp in her voice. He'd heard Cody talk for years about his missing twin, but he'd never believed him...until now.

say you would, say you could
say you'd come and stop the rain
say you'd try and hold me tight
and you just give me away
make me high on lullabies
a melody for me to sway
say you would, say you could
and you don't do anything

Vanessa worked her way into her next song cursing the way her lisp made it sound in her head.

come down heavy, try and steady
precious ladies, love you, love me...

say you would, say you could
say you'd come and stop the rain
say you'd try and hold me tight
and you just give me away
make me high on lullabies
a melody for me to sway
say you would, say you could
and you don't do anything

hold my head up to the lies that you feed me
I'll fall under the spell you cast as you let me down

say you would, say you could
say you'd come and stop the rain
say you'd try and hold me tight
and you just give me away
make me high on lullabies
a melody for me to sway
make me high on lullabies a melody for me to sway

say you'd come and stop the rain...

Randy impatiently waited until the set was over before rushing backstage, coming up just as the girl was coming out of the staging area,

"Excuse me" he called breathlessly "Is your name by any chance Vanessa?"

"Yes," Vanessa answered. "Why, who's asking?"

"My name's Randy" the Viper instinctively lowered his voice "I know your brother, Cody."

Vanessa teared up instantly at the sound of her twin brother's name.

"Cody?" she asked again, not sure if she'd heard him right.

"Yes" Randy stepped closer "Cody Garrett Rhodes, we've worked together for a couple of years now."

"Take me......take me to him, please?" Vanessa nearly pleaded. "I NEED to see him."

Randy nodded "He's right up the street, come on, I can take you to him."

Vanessa nodded.

"Thank you," Vanessa whispered.

Cody had just left the hotel to grab some lunch when he heard Randy shouting his name. He turned and saw his leader approaching with a beautiful brunette walking beside him. When they got closer, Cody saw a face that mirrored his own and nearly fell over as he started to cry,

"V-Vanessa?" he whispered in disbelief as she came running up to him "Sis is it really you?"

Vanessa nodded.

"Yes Cody, it's really me," Vanessa said. "I'm back, Cody I got out, I ran."

"I always knew you'd come back" Cody murmured, wrapping his twin up in a big hug "No one else believed me, but I always knew I'd see you again."

"Cody, they're...they're looking for me, and I know if they find me they'll kill me," Vanessa said, she was crying now, shaking and clinging to Cody for dear life. "Please Cody, please don't let them take me away again."

"I won't sweetie, I won't" Cody looked around and focused on Randy "I'm taking her inside" he murmured "You see any and I mean ANY guys asking about my sister, you let me know ASAP, okay?"

"Alright" Randy nodded "I'll call Ted and have him stay with you two, will you be alright?"

Cody hesitated before murmuring "It would probably be best if we left tonight."

Vanessa sighed softly, hoping her makeup would hide how pale she was. She hadn't eaten in days and she could feel a fever coming on.

Coming into the hotel room, Cody heard his sister sigh and he looked back at her in concern,

"Vanessa?" he looked at her closely and suddenly noticed how pale she was "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Vanessa lied, staring at the wall. Even as a child she could never look someone in the eye and lie to them.

"Nessie...." Cody sighed, turning his sister's head so she would look at him "I've spent most of my life hoping you would come back, please don't lie to me. Now tell me the truth, are you feeling sick?"

"Just...just a little," Vanessa stammered. "No doctors, I....I don't like them."

Cody shook his head "I don't think a doctor's needed right now, you hungry?"

"Starving," Vanessa admitted.

"Lay down on the bed" Cody murmured "I'll order us some room service, alright?"

"Yes Dad," Vanessa teased, lying down on the bed.