Once Upon A December, rated NC17 for violence, language, etc.

Yes, it's FINALLY here! Welcome to my long-awaited story, Once Upon A December. Thanks to all the girls who've signed up for it. Snaps to Monica (BruisesFade) and Jaime for being my wonderful betas.

Summary: Aidan's mum is insane. They live in Thousand Oaks, CA. Her mum murders her dad, and then mum has a complete breakdown, is taken to mental hospital. Saidie is going into her senior year of high school and her boyfriend is getting ready for his freshman year in college. But, her situation with her parents, gives her aunt and uncle full custody of her, the downside being that they live in NYC. Now, she's forced to go and live with her aunt and uncle and their naive daughter and prick of a son. What could happen under the tall skyscapers and hypnotizing lights?

Characters
Main Character – Aidan Monroe (Sammi)
Best Friend (CA) – Natalie Garcia , Fiona LeVoy (TearsHaveFallen)
Aunt – Evangeline Mortensen (CeruleanFlame)
Uncle – Viggo Mortensen
Cousins – Nicky (lovingtheblueeyedangel) and James Mortensen
Best Friend (NY) – Jessmyn Evans (Jaime_Girl)
Jessmyn’s Guy – Elijah Wood
Friends at NYC School:
Sarah Williams (Elijahisawesome)
Stacy Zanavich (Elijahfan14)
Tom Felton
Gang Members (girls):
Matilda Iris (Matt)
Jaquelina Tarr (DarkFairySarah)
Alana Grant (BruisesFade)
Amber Doucet (Ambrosia)
Raine Coleman (Raine)
TO Boyfriend – Ryan
Gang Leader - Johnny Depp
Gang Members (guys):
Orlando Bloom
Dominic Monaghan
Billy Boyd
Ville Valo
Heath Ledger
Shane West
Rupert Grint
Dom’s Girl – Andrea Coppola (WhiteAndie)
Andie’s Brother – Gavin Coppola
Detective – Kassidy Hilliard (Nefduliniel)

Soundtrack
Theme: Once Upon A December – Deanna Carter
Leaving On A Jet Plane – John Denver
Special – Wilshire
Dare You To Move – Switchfoot
So Happy Together – Simple Plan
My Immortal – Evanescense
My Song for the World – Tom Morley
It’s Been Awhile – Staind
The Voice Within – Christina Aguilera
Another One Bites the Dust – Queen
Numb – Linkin Park

Prologue

Aidan Monroe fell back into the Lazy Boy armchair that adorned her apartment’s living room. It was practically the only thing that decorated the bare New York City apartment. The only other things were bare dressers and shelves, and a lot of boxes, massively taped and labeled distinctively. She accidentally dropped her keys in one of the boxes she’d packed that day, and was now throwing things in every corner of the apartment, looking for them.

After about five minutes of scavenging, the techno-ized tune of Green Day’s ‘Good Riddance’ was heard over Disney’s ‘Anastasia’, her favorite movie, playing in the living room. She jumped, spilling the contents of the box she’d been emptying.

Damn it. She waved her hands through the air, brushing it off. I’ll get it later.

Aidan picked up her phone and checked the caller ID, smiling at the name, “Hello?”

“Hey Aidan. How’s the packing coming along?” a male voice asked from the other end of the line.

“It’s coming. I dropped my keys in one of the boxes, so I’m emptying the ones I packed today…”

A muffled laugh reached her ear, “I’m sorry…it’s just, how did you drop your keys? Don’t answer that…”

Aidan rolled her eyes, “Yeah, whatever.” While continuing the conversation, she started to fish through the large pile that was the remains of her box. When she finally found her keys, she started to put the belongings back into the proper box. Picking up a small, broken-in book, she quietly said, “Hey, can I call you back? Thanks.”

On the front of the book where many random scribbles and rants. Aidan’s entire body tensed when she realized what it was: her diary. The pages where filled with her feelings, emotions, rants, raves, everything. All her pains and joys had been jotted down in this notebook. And it was with great difficulty that she opened the front cover, reliving her last year in high school.

Dancing bears
Painted wings
Things I almost remember
And a song someone sings
Once upon a December.*


*Once Upon A December sung by Deanna Carter

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Yay! Its up its finally here!

God knows how many times i have done that when im not moving! That has to suck so bad.

Poor girl...I hope that reliving her high school times won't be too painful for her. She needs some good friends to come along

Post more soon hun!

Luvs

Sarah

Finally up! WHOOT!!!

Very very good start, hun!

LOL about losing the keys.....I lose keys (and well, everything else, but...) ALL the time.

Wonder who called her?

Anywho, can't wait for more!

<3333

Hehe, I know I already read this but I'm sooooo excited that it's up!!! Post quick, I want to know what this whole "gang" thing is about!!!!!! (Not really, I just wanna see Johnny...j/k!!!! lol)

Luv ya babe!!!!

Jaime

It's up!!!

Great start Sammi!

~Stacy~

You FINALLY posted it up! I forgot the release date was today and i got overexcited when i saw the thread. anyway, i read some of this previously but im so glad youre posting it up here. This story sounds so intriguing and promising! And of course, i am defintely looknig foward to reading more of it!

I'm so glad you posted! I can't wait to see where this all goes.

Yay!

I'm glad to be a part of this!

Oh, I love that part! Lol.

Someone holds me
Safe and warm
Horses prance through
A silver storm

Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory

Lol... Or something like that.

This sounds really good, and I like it so far. The title is great, that's what drew me in here because I love that song so much.

Sarah and Sarah: Yeah, I lose my stuff ALL the time. I lost my watch while I was umpiring for crying out loud. Now that I think about it, it wasn't me who lost it. Damn you Travis Fensterfucker! Heh. Heh.

Jaime: Lol. I'm so glad you like it! I feel so..proud to hear you say that. But then again...didn't I tell you? Teh Deppness es mio!!! You can have Elwood, ya know.

Amber and Stacy: Thanks so much! Again, I can't believe you like it! they REALLY love me!

Mel: That's funny, babe. intrigueing and promising. Well I hope your satisfied with it, cuz then all this hype would be for nothing, wouldn't it?

Nicky and Caution: Thanks girls! The song totally reminds me of this story and that's why I named it OUAD. Love that song to death! Also, Anastasia's like my favorite Disney movie, so...yah. Gotta love it.

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I'll post tomorrow with the first chapter. Or, as soon as I get it back from Monica. Finals are next week, so I wanna be able to post steadily through that time.

Till tomorrow!

Banners! Well, not all, but banners!!!

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LMAO! I'm sensing the beginning of a war here...lol Just kidding!!!! He was yours first and I have no claim...just please let me...borrow...him sometimes! lol

Jaime

I'm so glad it's up!!!


I'd been waiting for this soo long!

It was a great start!

keep going!

luvly
andie

This sounds really great so far I love my banner

PART ONE

Chapter One

Thursday, August 5

Okay…so this is the last few pages of you, diary, and I do believe that I’m going to use all of them for this entry. I can’t believe I’m almost done with you, and now it’s near time to buy a new one…but enough about that. The point of a diary is to write your feelings and the events of your day right? And to have something to rant into…My God, today was such a miserable day.

Daddy finally cracked. I love him so much…but I guess its been a while since I updated here, hasn’t it? You know how much I love him, with all my heart, soul and mind. He’s the one who let me stay the tomboy that I am, and now that I’m nearly seventeen, I’m glad he did. And I’m really glad he taught me in the ways of his work: as a mechanic. Three days ago, my engine stalled, and on the fucking freeway! The skills I acquired from the hours I spend in the garage with him really helped me out. But that’s not very important, and I’m missing the point.

He’s really a sweet guy…but I guess you could definitely say that Aramante isn’t. I won’t even refer to her as ‘Mother’ anymore. Calling her by her first name is so much more informal and it just makes it easier. She’s always fighting with him, hitting him, slapping him. If I didn’t know that she’d do the same to me, I swear I would’ve approached her a lot earlier. But on Tuesday, she went way too far. I don’t know why she’s always getting onto him. I think the doctor was right when he mentioned that she might be chemically unbalanced…I don’t even know what she’s mad about half the time, but its usually something extremely juvenile like he forgot to buy her lunch on their second date. How long ago was that anyways? But this time, their were in the kitchen when I got home and I heard her screaming at him, I couldn’t understand what she was saying, and he sounded like he was pleading with her, trying to console her.

I stepped into the kitchen and she’s got a knife at him. I was totally speechless until I heard him say, “I love you, baby.”

“That’s fucking bullshit and you know it!” she had a slight slur to her voice so I could tell she’d been drinking. Again. She did something then that I would never have thought their arguing would come to. They were constantly fighting, all the time. I’m sure she’d have divorced him by now, but he was too rich, and she didn’t want to admit she couldn’t live on her own. That and she knows I’d never choose to live with her over Daddy.

“Think about what you’re doing…”

“I have, Dan, and I know exactly what I’m doing.” Then she pulled the knife away from his throat and stabbed him in the heart. She heard my gasp, and dropped both the knife and Daddy, before advancing on me, “Welcome home, honey.”

Her smile made me want to throw up, so I quickly ran for the phone. She grabbed my arm, but then I don’t remember anything from that moment until I woke up in my bed. I saw my Aunt Evangeline sitting by my desk, and I sat up, “What are you doing here?” She jumped, “You’re awake.”

I told her yeah, but then I remembered the fight. She told me that Daddy had been rushed to the hospital but had been DOA…dead on arrival. My mother had been found cradling him, and was sent to the mental hospital in the next town over. I am now supposed to go live with my aunt and uncle in New York City. How could I do that? I mean, my whole life is here, in Thousand Oaks. To many people its just a not-so-small town half-way between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, but its so much more to me! What the hell am I supposed to do? My father is gone. My mother has been gone since before I can remember. And now I’m supposed to pick up and leave my best friends, my school, my life and move to New York City?!?

Under any other circumstances, I would be ecstatic to move there, but these aren’t the ones I was hoping for.

Saturday, August 7

Here we go again. I just opened a brand spanking new diary. But I guess it fits, doesn’t it? I mean…here I am, closing the TO chapter of my life and opening the NYC one. It just hurts so very much! I can’t believe that they’re making me leave! I mean, I know for a fact that almost everyone I know would open their arms wide and let me stay. Of course, I only have one year of high school left, but still. It breaks my heart to leave everyone behind. Especially Fiona, Natalie and Ryan. I will be able to speak to Nat and Fee without feeling uncomfortable, but I can’t say so much about Ryan. I mean, he’s my boyfriend for Christ’s sake! I can’t expect him to wait a whole year for me!

And the thought tears me up inside. I’ve seen a lot of girls eyeing him lately, and now he’s on the prowl. I promise here and now, that I have to tell him to get over me…to not wait until I come back, and it just aggravates me so much. I swear if I had the power to choose any super-natural ability and use it only once, I would rewind time and have not stood there and just watched her kill him! How could I have done that? I basically helped her murder him. It’s my fault that I have to leave. I didn’t do anything to stop her. In my book, that is just as bad as pushing the cold steel into his heart.

Aw, it's so sad about her mom killing her dad. And, now she has to move away. Well, off to new adventures, I guess. And, hopefully things will get better.

Oh, I love the song Once Upon a December. For some reason, I hadn't thought of it until I saw it posted here. Such a cute little tune.

I remember that one...it's so sad!!!!!! Poor Aidan... I already gave you a review when I beta'd it, so I won't repeat myself, but you know I adore this!!!!

*hugs*

Jaime

That's so sad about her parents

This is a wonderful story so far, can't wait for more

Ooo....kick-ass banner! *toodles off to place in sig*

Very good chapter....I love diary-form stories, although you don't find too many of them. Poor girl.....that'd be a REALLY traumatic experience. And now she feels guilty.....ugh...

Love it, Sammi.....amazing!

<3333

This story is so distressing so far! It makes me want to cry! But you know i absolutely love reading that kind if stuff, so its all good.

I am speculating when her self destruction will begin to kick in. That will be wonderful to read

She watched her mom kill her dad?!?!?

I think that girl needs a hug. I'd be scared for life!
I just hope she finds some comfort in New York, despite that fact that she doesn't even want to be going there.

I love the banner, by the way!

~Stacy~

Amazing so far, Sammi!

I love the prologue. She's just looking for her keys.... and finds her diary. Dun-dun-dun... LOL I love how you crafted that. It was great.

Post more soon!

Thanks, everyone! I really appreciate it.

Mel, that means a lot, especially considering you're the AngstQueen around here.

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Chapter Two

Tuesday, August 10

With the circumstances, a normal person would think today would be really hectic for me. Birthdays used to be a total time of joy for me. I’d go out with my friends…receive presents of course…Daddy would come home early…my day would be perfect. But with the events of the past week, I would have expected my seventeenth birthday to be anything but joyful…dreadful is more the word. But surprisingly, my day wasn’t totally unpleasant. It wasn’t really extremely fun and a happy time, but it still jump-started my heart for at least a little while.

This morning, I woke up to my radio blazing Britney Spears, so I was forced to get up and turn off the music-from-hell. Then I saw Fee laughing and Nat trying not to, one of them had purposely turned it to the local pop radio station. I could tell they wanted to get me up for some weird event they had planned for the day, so I told them to go downstairs and do something while I took a shower. That’s the thing I love most about summer, I not only sleep in, but take a long shower without being rushed. When I came downstairs, I saw Anna waiting for me by the garage door, “Come on. We’re going out.”

She took me out to a late breakfast at Krispy Kreme. (Not much for a breakfast, but who could resist donuts? Especially on her birthday.) But then, of course, came the awkward silence. I hated it so much. Neither of us knew what to talk about…but what could we have said? She broke the silence with, “So…when are you leaving?”

“I dunno. Soon…” There was not silences anymore, but awkward pauses. I hated it…why did I have to go live with them anyways? I’m seventeen for crying out loud! About, I’d say, fifteen minutes later, Nat drove me back to my house. When I walked in, I was showered by hugs and “Happy Birthday!”s by not only just my friends. I didn’t think that many people cared about me…I quickly hugged Fiona and Nat tight and whispered, “Thank you,” but they told me it wasn’t their idea. I only had to guess once who’s it was…

Ryan. When I turned around and saw him, I ran and hugged him. It was then that I was reminded why I fell so hard for him. I know it was his friendliness, his loyalty. The fact that I could tell him anything, confide everything in him, and simply have a very casual relationship with him. He’s my best friend, or at least one of my best friends. Our dates usually consisted of going bowling or skating with our friends or staying at one or the other’s house and watching some movie. I don’t know how long we’d been standing there, just hugging, but then I felt a tap on my shoulder and I turned to face a girl I’d never think would ever approach me. EVER.

It was Lyssa.

I don’t think we’ve spoken outside of educational obligations since the summer before we started high school, when Ryan and I started dating. Yeah, I know. Typical, eh? Lost “friends” over a guy. It was more like acquaintances anyways. I’m not even sure that she still has that thing for him anymore, since that’s what separated us…maybe it’s just that neither of us wants to tie ends, or rather, be the first to apologize. I don’t even see anything to apologize about. But it ended up us going outside and talking.

I honestly couldn’t tell you how much that girl has changed. She’s just totally different now. But I guess a person can change quite a bit after three years, can’t they? The great thing is that she’s definitely changed for the better. And I’m uber glad that she has. She’s much more…I don’t want to say mature, but that’s the word I’m looking for. Eventually, after a while of talking about the most random and pointless things, we went back inside. Everyone was glad to see me with a smile; I could tell by their satisfied gazes. So we did the whole party thing, cake and all. The good thing was that I was enjoying myself. The even better thing was that I had no part in the cleanup. Ha!

Ryan took me back to his house after the party basically died. Don’t worry. No clothes were removed whatsoever. A lot of people think it’s amazing that we haven’t. . . engaged yet. And we won’t, that is, unless we decide to get married. I’m not sure that’ll happen too soon. I think that’s the great thing about our relationship, that the most we’ve done is kissed. Okay, made out, but that’s it. =) We both had made a pact with ourselves before we even thought about dating that we’d remain abstinant until marriage, and we’ve stuck to that vow. The only reason I ever go over there is to eat.

My GOD his mom! That woman makes the best food ever to grace this planet. It’s like a little piece of heaven. I swear she’s an angel. First, she blessed me with such an amazing boyfriend. I mean, a lot of relationships that I hear about are really tense and they’re never really relaxed around each other, because they’re paranoid that the other will leave them. But with us, it’s we act more like friends than lovers, ya know? And I like it that way. I like it that he is my best friend, especially since guys are normally better friends than girls are with all the hype and materialistic stuff that goes along with us. Guys aren’t half as vicious as girls are.

This girl is just too innocent! Good that shes having a good birthday party. If I were her id be in my roon sulking and crying all day. I get really distressed when i get into a simple argument and we have a fallout. I wouldnt know how to deal with death!

Its so sad she has to move! Especially since everyone in her new school is what is going to force her out of inoncence.