Anywhere But Here - (open)

[Rachel Murphy]

Rachel could only hope to be as happy as Jason. It was why much like their father she looked up to him so much, in her eyes he was always her big brother. The only one who had managed to do things right out of the three McGuire children so far, Rachel was still figuring things out though she was happy there were still those times where she hadn’t a clue how Jason did things. It didnt seem like there was much effort to it and yet sometimes between a marriage, a child, job and a house things seemed to feel like they were crumbling.

Rachel looked between the family members trying to read their faces, some were easy while others a little more complicated but mostly everyone was happy and she couldnt have wanted more than that.

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Phoebe looked over to her at the same time. "Aunt Rachel, are you okay?" she asked gently while sitting there. Jason looked over when she said that, first at Phoebe, then at Rachel, getting the feeling that something was up. Their parents looked over to their daughter as well. Mrs. McGuire had a look of concern in her eyes at the same time. "Rachel?" she said softly while watching her daughter as she held her husband's hand.

Mr. McGuire looked over to Rachel and Jason as well, wondering what was on his daughter's mind as he watched them.

[Rachel Murphy]

Rachel plastered a smile onto her face immediately when Phoebe asked her if she was okay. “I’m great Phoebe, just a little full after this fantastic dinner.” She said with a wink toward the girl. Rachel wanted to sink into her chair as she looked between her parents and Jason; uh oh this wasn’t exactly what she had planned on she thought as their mum spoke. “Urm yeah, was just wondering if I could get a quick word with Jason about something?” She asked still keeping the smile on her face.

She was really trying to act normal though in her trying she wasn’t entire sure if she was over compensating for it and making the whole thing see awkward. “May we be excused?” She asked looking toward their parents and then to Jason. She had something she had wanted to explain but she didnt know how and above all she had no clue if she was doing the right thing.

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"Yes you can" Mr. McGuire said gently while watching his son and daughter. Jason nodded a bit, then went outside and onto the front porch, waiting for his sister to show up. Their mom and dad watched them leave, then helped clean up after dinner, knowing that Jason would be able to help Rachel out. Ice got out of their way at the same time and went over to his bed in the front room, laying down once there. After he did, Connor went over sat with him, which made Ice wag his tail while looking over to the boy.

Outside, Jason leaned on the post that was there and looked over to his sister, wondering what was on her mind at this time or what she wanted to talk about.

[Rachel Murphy]

Rachel smiled and nodded to their father as she left the table and followed Jason out onto the front porch. She had no idea how to say it or where to start or even if she had done the right thing. It was why she wanted to speak to her brother, her parents she didnt want them to worry and she didnt want Jason to worry either but it was more a checking she had done right by family more than anything.

Seeing Jason look over she started to pace on the porch, where to start she thought as she stopped pacing for a moment before she picked it back up. “Well, it’s Sam and I just want to know if you think I’ve done right or wrong or what do you think about it all.” She rambled as she took a breath as she paced. “He told me something a few nights ago, he said he’d killed people but he hadn’t and we cleared that up but he hasn’t said much about his past and now I find this out and I might change my name and he was going to let me throw him out but I didnt and I just don’t know if i’ve done the right thing.” She spluttered without taking as much as a breath as she looked toward Jason.

“You and Shani you guys have it all worked out, has she ever kept anything from you or you from her and then told the other and... I just don’t know Jason. He would have gone if i’d have said so and that scares me.” Rachel admitted, “What do you think?” She asked knowing she had just landed a whole load of information and questions on him all at once but she wasn’t sure how else to explain things.

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“Well, it’s Sam and I just want to know if you think I’ve done right or wrong or what do you think about it all.” She rambled as she took a breath as she paced. “He told me something a few nights ago, he said he’d killed people but he hadn’t and we cleared that up but he hasn’t said much about his past and now I find this out and I might change my name and he was going to let me throw him out but I didn't and I just don’t know if i’ve done the right thing.....You and Shani you guys have it all worked out, has she ever kept anything from you or you from her and then told the other and... I just don’t know Jason. He would have gone if i’d have said so and that scares me...What do you think?”

Jason listened to his sister as she said that to him. "No she hasn't: we both made a deal to be honest with each other." he replied. "And given that Shani is Israeli, honesty is no problem for her." he added gently while watching her. Jason knew how honest Shani was, if he was honest he was the same way. Some have said that the two of them were as subtle as a sledgehammer, but that one would always get the truth from them. "As for what you told me, it looks like your between a rock and a hard place."

[Rachel Murphy]

Honesty, it was what she wanted but Sam had kept that from her for years. Even after they were married she didnt know and now, now he told her she couldnt stop her mind from wondering what else he had hidden from her. Rachel smiled and nodded as Jason spoke about Shani and her honesty and his own too. If there was anyone in the family that she could count on for an honest answer it was Jason. Rachel knew that between the pair of them subtle didnt really have space and she appreciated that.

It was nice to be told the truth because as a cop it wasn’t something she heard a lot of. “See that’s what I mean, I don’t want to leave him and I love him but how can I know that he isn’t hiding something else?” She asked, “If I do a background check he’ll know but I cant lie to him like that. What would you do Jason? If Shani kept something from you, would you wonder if there was anything else? You’ve got Phoebe and Connor and walking away isn’t an option. I cant do that to him anyway.” She said decidedly knowing that she loved him too much to leave.

“I just don’t know what to think Jason, if I didnt know it would be a lie and now I know I wonder if there’s anything else.” Rachel tried to explain but she knew it was difficult as she glanced off to the street. Why were things so complicated at times, what happened to just being a kid and having fun.

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Jason watched his sister as she said that to him. "If Shani was hiding something from me would confront her about it." he replied honestly. "What I will say is this: go to church and pray about it....it helps me out." he added in kind, hearing the kids, Shani and his and Rachel's parents. He glanced over to see them heading into the front room of the home before looking back to his sister.

"For now, lets get back inside and rejoin the family." he said to her, knowing that it wouldn't be long before their mom came out and heared them back inside.

[Rachel Murphy]

Rachel nodded as she listened to her brother, confrontation was what it had to be then she was sure to have a long talk with Sam about it. She knew what she wanted to do but she just wanted to make sure they were all on the same page about it. “Oh I will be at church every day this week I promise.” She said, it was a place where problems and solutions seemed to come out of nowhere at times. If there was one thing for sure she would pray until things settled.

“Thanks for the advice, I can always count on you for that.” She said as she nodded, “Yeah better go before mom sends out a search party for us both.” It was the one thing she found funny. If there was ever anything to know or find their mother would have made a great cop. She was skilled at hide and seek and also dragging people back into dinner.

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"You're welcome Rachel" Jason said to her in reply while looking over to her, smiling a bit when she made the comment about their mom. He felt the same way Rachel did about their mom, that she would have been a great cop. Jason remembered all the times she had gotten on him for different things when he was younger. There was no way he would forget his mom uncanny ability to know about the things he had done, mainly the time she found out that Jason had a few friends over when her and her husband were gone.

Jason smiled a bit at the memory as he looked back to Connor and Phoebe. Ice was sitting off the corner at the same time, watching the others as they interacted with each other.

[Rachel Murphy]

Rachel smiled and nodded, their mum was one of those people that knew when her kids were bothered by something. A cop she would have been great, she had even been surprised when she found out that Jason had friends over when their parents were out. Rachel was still convinced the house had been bugged but ever since then she tried her best to be on best behaviour but that lasted all of five minutes.

“So when are you and Shani planning on the third child?” Rachel asked grinning, “Just curious if you had thought that far yet?” She teased, two was a lot and even one for her was like juggling plates but much like that day when Savannah was away she felt lost. It was nice to have five minutes to herself but then the five minutes turned to five hours and she was fretting about everything.

[Deleted]

Jason looked over to Rachel when he asked that. "Its come up in conversation" he said to her in reply before looking over to his wife and the kids. As he did, Ice looked over to them and barked softly, as if he heard Rachel's question and was opposing to an other kid running around the house. Jason looked over to Ice when he he did that, then smiled a bit while shaking his head a little.

His and Rachel's mom looked over to Ice at the same time. "Ice, no need to worry." she said to the big dog. Ice looked over to Ms. McGuire when she said that, then laid down and covered his face with his paws. Jason shook his head a bit while Phoebe giggled at the same time when she saw Ice do that.

[Rachel Murphy]

Rachel raised her brow wondering if she had entirely missed out on something. “You’re already are you?” She asked with a wide grin, oh please let her have found something out before her mother had. To her Jason and Shani made kids look easy, everything did made it look like they were old hands at it where as she felt like she was a mess when it came to Savannah. If her daughter had a cold then she was only two beats away from a hospital.

Hearing Ice Rachel laughed lightly though she laughed more when she saw Ice cover his face with his paws. “Looks like you’ve got someone to win around on the idea.” She said thinking it would have been Connor or Phoebe that he would have had to win over.

[Deleted]

Jason looked at Rachel when she said that. "Looks like it....and Shani and I have been trying for a third child." he said to his sister in reply. Their mom smiled when Jason said that, knowing how much her son wanted a large family. Jason noticed the look on his mom's face as he stood there. Ice soon stood and looked at him before walking over to Jason and Rachel's mother, sitting in front of her as he wagged his tail.

Mrs. McGuire looked at Ice and smiled a little before petting him. Jason watched as she did, noticing the look on his mom's face. Ice wagged his tail before getting onto the couch and laying next to Mrs. McGuire.

[Rachel Murphy]

Rachel smiled and nodded to Jason as he spoke about the possibility of them adding a third child. “You’ll get the name super dad and super mum with three children. I still don’t know how you do it but three is a magic number somewhere.” She said grinning as she watched Ice and their mother. Three children, a wife and a dog well if it was a big family her brother wanted it was certainly heading that way.

“So boy or girl or don’t mind?” She asked Jason as she nudged him playfully. “I mean you’re even in girls and boys at the moment so do you want to tip that scale and play princess at least five days a week or football?” She joked.