{ T W E L V E } : A U B R E Y A G A I N?

Jazz brown had never been this excited about Aubrey Simon.

Her mom, however, had refused to return home since she left for Hawaii. Instead her getaway trip had turned to a world tour and currently she was somewhere in Vienna Austria, riding on the orient express.

Of course, Jazz was most grateful because she kept stabbing garden duty and was using her free time to sleep her heart out. Suspension was fun. It brought out her nonchalant side plus at home, almost everything was done for her.

The maids had resumed helping her, thanks to her Dad.

But today, she was feeling rather graceful and for the sake of her jetlagged dignity, she did her garden duty.

Aubrey was awake and doing better.

She was finally going to visit her and maybe just maybe get some answers.

It's not like Purple could pull any strings outside Bubble Academy.

Holed up like a mole in a mine in her family's Green House, She wiped beads of perspiration off her forehead with her rubber gloved hands. The morning sun so called vitamin D, to Jazz the D stood for Death.

Vitamin Death.

Thirsty and dizzy, she tried to finish pruning the white rose bush and that's when she noticed the coiling sesame oil.

The garden was a wash of bright colors as a result of constant photosynthesis. And sure as hell Jazz could hardly name any of the flowers present apart from the roses, lilies, lavenders, hibiscuses, tulips and three maturing sunflowers.

She planned to pick out one of each for Aubrey except the sunflower of course. Her mom will have her head.

"Jacqueline!" Max's voice echoed from outside the green house.

Jazz rolled her doe eyes behind those glass frames, of course he would call her by her full name.

"In here, Daddy!" She shouted back, scrambling to her feet, her buckled knees felt weak.

He screamed, "There's worm on your shirt."

Her soiled red t-shirt. Looking down at herself in quick fright, she realized...

"There's nothing on my shirt, old man." She replied with a weak teasing smile.

Equally teasing, He replied, "Oh but there is."

Jazz chuckled, "You're leaving already?"

He looked expensive in his all black tuxedo and white inner shirt, his well oiled waves glowed under the ray of sunshine streaming in through the roof glass. A black briefcase dangling at his side.

He nodded, "The chauffeur is ready when you are. Take good care of yourself and say hi to Aunty Gwen for me, okay?"

"Aye captain."

Maxwell Brown kissed his daughter's sweaty forehead. "Alright, Darling."

There was no way in green galaxy she was returning to gardening now so she dipped.

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Jazz liked the smell of hospitals.

The small bouquet she had put together herself cradled close to her chest as she strolled through the hallway, her Chuck Taylor's squeaking against the shiny tiled surface of Seattle General.

Her pulse was faster than that of a race horse.

Unhappy thoughts clouded her mind and fright creeped into her soul. What if the electrocution had changed Aubrey Simon forever? She wouldn't be able to live with that.

She loved the sassy and bossy female head prefect.

Room 189.

It was the moment of truth.

Peaking into the hospital room, Jazz felt her heart swell at the sight of Aubrey sitting up on her hospital bed, watching Looney tunes while her Mom curled herself on the couch, napping.

Jazz knocked reluctantly.

"Come in." Aubrey called out, expecting to see the nurse.

Their eyes met and Jazz lost her two brain cells, running to immerse Aubrey in a bear hug.

Aubrey groaned and tapped on Jazz's hand.

Jazz pulled back in dismay, "Still not a hugger? Thought you'll be a little happier to see me."

Aubrey's once butter skin was pale and almost gray, her face drawn and her golden curls were frizzy and lacked their usual glow. She looked different. The hospital uniform wasn't helping matters either.

Aubrey rolled her eyes with a disappointed sigh, "You're still a freak."

"And you're still annoying." Jazz retorted.

That's when Aubrey noticed the bouquet hanging loosely on Jazz's thighs as she sat on the hospital bed.

"There's a water vase on the wooden ledge by the door, thank you for the flowers. With the amount of flowers I've received in the last few weeks, I could start a plant conservatory." She joked.

Jazz laughed lowly as she added her choice flowers to the bunch.

"How do you feel? Everyone misses you. When you left, the bubble left Bubble Academy."

"I feel like someone who french kissed the devil. I guess it's an Aubrey Simon thing. How is Allen?"

"He's stressed but I wouldn't know either, I haven't seen him in a while."

Aubrey eyed her with skepticism, "What do you mean?"

"If you must know, cuzzo, Jazz the journalist was suspended indefinitely from Bubble Academy!" Jazz cooed with so much drama.

"Jacqueline Brown!" Aubrey exclaimed in excitement, "I didn't think you had it in you, gimme a high five."

"You're insane!" Jazz laughed heartily as they high-fived on it.

"Seriously though, how did it happen?"

"Let's just say your purple friend got to me."

Aubrey's previously bright phiz soured instantly and her eyes grew distant, "Oh."

Seemingly triggered, Aubrey recoiled into her shell. She sank low, coiled on her side and pulled the covers over her body.

The electrocution was a humbling experience.

It was one thing to see her lively-on-top-of-the-world cousin on a gurney twitching and hanging on to dear life and hearing she was in a six weeks coma. And a totally different thing to bear witness to the trauma for herself. Jazz understood the gravity of the experience a little better now.

Up until the incident, nothing could faze Aubrey Simon, no one could get a reaction out of her. Bubble Academy revolved around her and for the first time in her seventeen years she was bested.

Maybe someday she would be that Aubrey Simon again but for now she wasn't sure she could show her face in Bubble Academy again.

Jazz's eyes watered unconsciously.

"Aubrey hey, I am so sorry, I didn't mean-" A shaky breath escaped her glossed lips, "But that's another reason I came, I promise after the incident, I took it serious and tried to dig--"

Aubrey piped in lowly, her voice breaking, "I... I- I don't remember anything, just showers and jolts of electricity and glass shattering."

Someone cleared their throat.

Jazz jerked in fear at the unexpected sound and her glasses almost fell off her brown nose.

"Aunty Gwen!"

Aubrey's mom had awakened during their conversation. With how she looked one would think it was her in the coma and not Aubrey. Her expression was strained, worried, helplessly concerned and maybe even annoyed.

Gwen Simon reminded Jazz all too well of her own mother. Although Gwen was older most people thought the sisters were twins.

"Can I speak to you outside?" She asked politely, wrapping the big blanket around her body.

Jazz noticed she'd lost some weight.

One look between Aubrey and Gwen and Jazz knew the moment she walked out that door, she wasn't coming back in again.

Covering Aubrey's body with hers momentarily, she muttered goodbye. Thankfully she hadn't made herself comfortable and her purse was still hanging on her shoulder.

Once they were out the door, Mrs Gwen gushed out like a broken roadside fire hydrant, "Look Jackie, I appreciate you coming her to check on Aubrey and I know you're only trying to dig into the incident for genuine reasons but it was an accident. The vending machine was faulty, nothing more. Aubrey doesn't need reminding. Forcing her to remember could damage her brain, she isn't fully recovered, she cries in her sleep and screams out of her sleep every night since she awakened, so please..." She pleaded taking Jazz's hands in hers.

Jazz nodded in understanding.

"I'll call the driver to take you home." She offered with a weak smile.

"It's fine, the chauffeur is waiting outside."

"Aunty Gwen," Jazz crowed softly as she began to turn away, "Will Aubrey ever be Aubrey again?"

Unwelcomed tears brimmed in her eyes and she tried desperately to blink them back, "Aubrey has always been and will always be."

She turned away briskly this time not awaiting any more questions.

Tears prickled Jazz's vision and her eyes burned.

She needed to find a way to get back into Bubble Academy before the week ran out. But how?

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A/N: do you think Aubrey would ever be Aubrey again?
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Thank you.