G III: Chapter 30

**Writers note: This post is a tiny bit longer than the past few have been. Just wanted to let you know.**

After school, Johanna came home and started readying herself for Prom. She didn't have a date, but she was going anyway. She redid her hair, blow drying and straightening with a small flip at the bottom. Lots of hairspray to hold it down. She looked beautiful, and older.

She was surprised still  her family wasn't home when she got back from school. That kind of upset her, but she wasn't going to let it get to her. She didn't want to cry and mess up her eyeliner.

Johanna walked downstairs and smiled.

They were back. Dylan, Brian, James and Mother Daphne were home. Johanna passed out hugs and hellos.

"I'm so glad you guys made it back today." Johanna looked at her shoes, "I thought you wouldn't make it to see my leave for prom."

"Oh honey, we wouldn't miss this for the world." James said. "Not a chance, and might I say you look very, very lovely. I might have to follow you and keep an eye on everyone!"

Johanna giggled. "Nah, I'll be fine don't worry."

"While we were gone, did you get all your homework done?" Daphne asked. "I was hoping some quiet time would help you concentrate."

Johanna blushed a little. "Uh, yeah. I did get a lot done in the quiet. It was quite lonely here without you guys. Anyway I have to go, my ride is here. I love you dad, and you too Mother Daphne."

"Alright, you go and have fun honey, but be safe okay?"  

Johanna left the house and got into the white limo waiting for her. She was very excited about Prom.

During the dance, Johanna asked someone to join her on the floor. They said no and that hurt her feelings for a while, but then Dallas showed up, took her hand and danced the night away. He never left her side. At the end of the night Dallas asked to go steady with Johanna, and she said yes.

Brian left right after seeing Johanna off. He went to see Rachel.

When he got there, it seemed like he had interrupted her workout. She was okay with that.

Without a word, Brian walked into Rachel's living room, took her right hand and looked at the floor. He waited. She took the bait, she thought something might be wrong so she turned her head to look at him better.

"Wha..." She started to ask what was wrong, but Brian looked up and pressed his lips to hers in their first kiss.

Rachel smiled, he did surprise her. As much as that little kiss pleased her, it made her want more. She put her hands on his cheeks and kissed him again, a long and lingering kiss.

Brian moaned very quietly. She felt good to him and so warm. He wanted more opportunities to do this.

"Hey. Do you want to go to a movie with me? Go out with me." He started it off as a question, but then he thought about not giving her the option to say no. So he framed it more like a gentle demand.

She agreed to go with him and went to change clothes. Brian heard her behind her bedroom door changing and his imagination went into overdrive. He tried to keep it under control, but he was still young after all and he couldn't help it.

They left for the movie when she came out, Brian's thoughts slightly chilled.

At the house, the rest of the family was in the basement. Daphne and Dylan were experimenting with the chemistry sets, Dylan wasn't so lucky mixing his ingredients. His blew up in front of him, he took a few minutes to meditate and get back into control of himself before he showering and going to bed.

James was working out his nervousness. He was worried about Johanna, he couldn't stop thinking about those teenage boys that were probably chasing her. He ran to try and keep his mind more occupied, but it didn't work.

Pretty soon James and Daphne gave up on waiting for Johanna to get home, and went to bed. James barely slept, it was more like he was dozing in and out of consciousness.

Brian and Rachel watched the movie holding hands the whole time.

After the show they said "I had a great time" with another heart-stopping kiss. Brian took Rachel home and walked her to her door. They embraced again and he went home.

Even though he was still running on some adrenaline from his evening with Rachel, Brian went straight to his room to settle in for the night. He saw Johanna slip into her own room just as he closed the door to his.

James felt uncomfortable. It seemed like there was nothing he could do to get settled down either. He stood up, thinking about getting something to eat. That's when it happened.

James had a heart attack. The pain only lasted a minute or two before he moved on and no longer felt any.

His family heard him cry out and rushed to his room as quickly as they could.

Daphne walked in just as James was shaking hands with the Angel of Death. He was going willingly. James's spirit looked at Johanna.

In a whisper he said "I am glad to see that you're safe my dear. I know you're young, but don't let this hold you back. Go into life smiling okay? Promise me."

Johanna couldn't say anything, she was too shocked and if she tried to vocalize all she would do was scream, and she knew it. She tried to nod but she didn't think it came across properly. She broke down into tears with the rest of her family.

Daphne was devastated, as were Brian and Dylan. The whole family was shaken by the tragic event.

One by one the family cried themselves out, it was hours before they started to get so tired they couldn't stand up anymore. Brian and Dylan fell first into their own beds, then Johanna. She cried more when she hit the pillow, cried until she passed out.

Daphne didn't make it to her bed, she fell onto James's and went to sleep there. Tears soaked the pillow.