Chapter Twenty-Four:

Welcome to chapter Twenty Four! This chapter begins just a few days before Niki's birthday. When we last saw our family, Nora was working part time at the bookstore and raising the three teenagers alone, Niki had found a way to finally let go of all her grief through her music and Petra and her imaginary friend turned boyfriend Ziggy were as happy as ever together.

 

Nora was pretty content with the life she had managed to build. She had thought that her husband Alvin would be there with her, but fate had other ideas. She coped with the loss most days, but sometimes she would think back to the day she lost nearly everything.

Work carried on for Nora. She worked most afternoons during the week at the bookstore and although the money wasn't good she loved every minute.

Niki was always bringing home a new sheet of music to try. And it didn't matter what instrument it was for, anything worked at her hands. She couldn't wait for the day she graduated and could join the music industry.

Petra made sure to work hard on her homework each night. She had study club a few nights a week and on the days she wasn't staying back at school with her other quiet, geeky friends she made sure there was time to do her homework before anything else. Like sucking face with her boyfriend out the back.

Pretty soon it was Niki's birthday. Even though she was quite excited to be growing up, she was still saddened that her twin sister and her mother were missing this.

Nora was so very proud of her young niece. While Petra was quite young when she'd lost her father, aunty and cousin, Niki had been old enough to know the meaning of loss. And Nora was so very happy that Niki had turned into such a beautiful young woman.

Niki added some nice pink tips to her blonde hair. She looked more like her father than ever before. And once again, Niki wished he had stayed.

Her first stop was the theatre to make good on her job offer. Pretty soon Niki was walking out of the theatre on the first step up the music instustry.

Next stop Niki took before she headed home again was to the tattoo parlour.

Niki decided to add some ink to her skin. Each tattoo she got was a symbol of the things she lost. On her back she had her mother's name scrolled down her spine, on her arm she had a dagger to symbolise her uncle's brave sacrifice and on her other shoulder she got her sister's name in chinese calligraphy.

Nora was soon celebrating her birthday too.

Nora had mixed emotions about entering the next stage of her life. But she was determined to keep happy in her golden years and she was looking forward to watching the kids make the most of their lives.

Niki decided against moving out of the family house right away. She knew she wanted to travel around and see the world as part of her career, but for now she would enjoy her time in this home with her family.

Niki was as popular with the guys as a young adult as she had been as a teenager. Her on again off again flame Shelby Beltran was still around and they were both pretty happy to pick up their steamy relationship.

Nora and Petra were close. They always had been. Petra would ask her mum about what Alvin had been like and Nora would ask her daughter what she wanted from her life and what Ziggy meant to her.

Niki loved her new lifestyle. Her bedroom remained the same, only now she spent less and less time in it. She found herself sneaking home at various un-godly hours in the morning, usually with her knickers in her back pocket.

Talking to her mum helped Petra a lot. She often found herself worrying about what her ghostly appearance would mean for her own kids. If only they knew more about how exactly she ended up like this, and if there was a way to cure it.

The morning of Niki's graduation Nora and Niki had a rare breakfast together. Nora told her neice just how proud she was. Niki took this moment to tell her aunt how much it meant to her that there was still someone who loved her. Both women pretended that they had allergies, and they weren't crying.

Niki was actually excited to don her graduation robes and race to the taxi.

The family all got dolled up and joined Niki in celebrating her graduation.

Niki graduated with high honours and was voted most likely to be mediocre.

Ziggy and Petra enjoyed the day off school and made the most of the sunny afternoon out in town.

The family went back to normal. Like his girlfriend, Ziggy thought often about their future kids. But he was more worried about whether or not he could actually have kids. After all he started out as a children's toy.

In addition to having something going on with Shelby, Niki also had something on the side with one of the local paparazzi, Rolando St John. It was nothing serious, just some innocent flirting and a couple of hook-ups behind the music studio.

But Niki still made time for her main toy boy Shelby.

Neither of these two amitious people had any plans for a future together, but they both enjoyed these steamy moments, knowing there weren't any further expectations.

Niki's late night escapades ended up saving the family one night. Over the years the locals forgot what happens to theives who invade the old Summer-Moon residence, and lucky for our family Niki was awake when this one brave soul decided to break in.

The fight brought the rest of the house running and unlucky for the robber, Niki was quite the fighter.

The cops were grateful for the help from Niki and she was just glad the house was safe.

The break in really got to Petra. She was suddenly reminded of how fragile life was. Luckily she had Ziggy to comfort her, like always.

 Nora thought about the stories she heard from her mothers about the house being protected by their vampire relatives. But she guessed that it was finally time that their vampire ancestors let them be.

Nora took to visiting the graveyard more and more often as the months went by. Now she was closer than ever to joining her husband, Nora thought more about what her life would have been like if Alvin was still with her. They could have had more kids, they could have retired and watched on for years together as their kids grew up and they were given grandkids. But dwelling on what might have been would never be healthy.

Niki was slowly getting used to being a part of the ever changing music world. She was still at the bottom of the food chain, but she was getting closer every day to being the rock star she wanted to become.

Nora was aging day by day, and it helped her to rely more and more on an old cane. She tried to use it when the kids weren't around, but she found it harder and harder to make it around with out it.

They wouldn't admit it to Nora, but Petra and Ziggy noticed the cane. Without a discussion they picked up more work around the house and made sure life was a little easier for their matriach.

Niki also noticed Nora's ailing health. Nora felt fine, she was just a little slower than usual, but she was touched by Niki's worried looks and her offer of help.

Despite the cane, Nora still continued to work at the bookstore. Her regular customers loved her so much that they didn't mind the extra time it took for her to get to work each afternoon.

Soon it was Petra's birthday. She had been waiting for this day since she first kissed Ziggy and now she was one step closer to starting her life with the man she loved.

Petra took after her mother's family.

Ziggy was celebrating his birthday then too.

All the working out during his teen years paid off and Ziggy cut quite the intimidating figure. Those blue eyes were as bright as ever and he couldn't wait to ask Petra the question he had been burning to ask her for years.

Niki was quite proud of her little cousin. These two were quite different, but they still got along very well.

After the birthday cakes were cleared away and the family finished celebrating the birthdays, Ziggy took Petra out to the front driveway to watch the stars. Just like they did when they were teenagers.

Petra was reminded of the night she and Ziggy had first watched the stars, after he had finally been changed into the man he was.

Petra hoped she knew where this evening was leading, Ziggy couldn't keep a small secret smile off his face as he told Petra just what she meant to him.

As Petra had hoped Ziggy was soon down on bended knee, pulling that much anticipated box from his back pocket.

Even though she had been expecting it, Petra was still surprised as Ziggy proposed. She barely let him finish uttering those words before she excitedly shouted yes!

The ring just seemed to fit perfectly on Petra's cold ghostly hand.

And here we leave Chapter 24. Thanks for reading, leave me a comment to let me know what you think. Here's a sneak peek for Chapter 25...

Petra and Ziggy are completely and totally in love with eachother.

Nora and Niki help the happy couple celebrate their graduation.

And as Nora gets ever closer to the end of her reign as Matriach of the family, she prepares to hand over this long standing family to her ghostly daughter.