Welcome to generation four, part eight of the Wrongway legacy!

Last time, we saw Maddie scare her younger brother and sister, Lance and Leda, by telling them a story about the family antagonist, The song Maddie's father wrote for her, Madeline, became so popular Maddie was sick of hearing it. Tina's birthday party took place, at which a boy tried to be nice to her, before placing a hand on her hip. She punched him and left the party. At the same time, Robin and Austin were heading to bed together just as Lavender and Mark broke up. Hex felt the resulting powershift, while Lee met his twin's boyfriend, Gary. Lee got a phonecall from Maddie, and arranged to pick her up – she had run into the city while fleeing from Tina's party. Elsewhere, Lance comforted Leda over their parents separating, while Hex arrived in time to comfort Lavender. Maddie and Lee, meanwhile, drove past an abandoned radio station, giving Maddie the idea to start a pirate radio station...

If it's not familiar, I recommend looking back. :)

Hex opened his eyes, woken by a nightmare. The terrifying images of the future disappeared from view, but were still printed on his memory. Lavender looked down at him.

“You had another nightmare,” She told him.

“It's always the same one,” Hex replied, quietly, “I still wasn't aging. And then Henry was old. His kids got old. Everyone got old and died, except me.”

“But you're not even on elixir anymore. I don't understand why you're not aging like the rest of us,” Lavender touched his face, gently.

“Maybe I took it for too long in the first place,” Hex sighed, “I guess I'll just be this age forever.”

Lavender paused, watching him for a moment, “There are upsides to that. No wrinkles. No grey hairs.”

“But that doesn't outweigh what I lose when I live forever,” Hex argued, in a calm voice..

“I'm prepared to start taking elixir, if you want company, for eternity,” Lavender said, as she laid down next to Hex, “But you keep telling me to stop saying that.”

“With good reason,” Hex smiled, “You might decide that I am not what you want in life. That there's some other guy who is just better than me.”

Hex pulled her closer, and Lavender reached a hand out, “Alright. One day at a time, then.”

“Perfect,” Hex said, as he closed his eyes, ready to try sleeping again.

* * *

“So then Dylan said she punched him and walked out,” Gabriella concluded, with a slight frown.

“Why would she do that?” Tina asked, “Why would she just walk out? We're her best friends and she left without a word.”

Sharla shrugged, “She's been acting weird lately.”

Gabriella scowled, “Abandoning your friends is more that a little weird, Sharla.”

I can't wait to tell the others about the radio station! They'll be so excited... Maddie thought, cheerfully, as she wandered up the corridor towards her friends.

Then she caught sight of their expressions, Oh man, Tina's upset. I wonder what's going on this time.

“Hey guys, I've got great news!” Maddie called, as she approached her friends. Three sets of eyes focused on her.

Maddie swallowed, feeling uneasy, “Is everything okay?”

“Does it look okay?” Sharla snarled back, folding her arms. Maddie raised an eyebrow.

“Let me guess,” Gabriella said, “You have no idea what's going on here.”

“True,” Maddie replied, coolly.

“You walked out of Tina's party after punching the guy she likes in the jaw,” Sharla explained, “Sound familiar?”

“That's what this is about?” Maddie rolled her eyes, “Get over it. Jeez.”

Tina stood up, and stared straight at Maddie, “You punch someone and walk out, and now you want to pretend that it was a normal reaction to do that?”

Maddie shrugged, “I'm really not seeing a problem here.”

“That is the problem,” Gabriella remarked, “You have anger issues, and you can't even see it.”

“We don't want anything to do with you until you control your temper,” Sharla explained. Maddie looked at Tina, desperately.

“Tina?” She pleaded, “You're my best friend. You can't leave me.”

Tina shook her head, “Maddie, you left us. Friday night, in a blind rage. You made this choice,”

“Don't say that,” Maddie replied, urgently, as her friends turned their backs on her, and wandered away. Maddie threw her books to the floor and started walking down the corridor in the opposite direction.

“Fine!” She yelled, “I don't need you, anyway! I don't need ANYONE!”

Gabriella and Sharla frowned, shaking their heads. Tina, however, watched her best friend leave, worried about her more now than before.

* * *

The Shadow Queen drew her sword, stood over the crumpled body of the last warrior, raised her blade and...

“And what?” Rose asked herself, mind going blank, “What is the Shadow Queen about to do?”

“Should the last warrior even be in this chapter?” Rose rolled her eyes, and collapsed the document temporarily, “I need a break. I can't think straight.”

Behind her, the door opened.

“Mama! Mama!” Cried a toddler, crawling along the floorboards to his mother's desk. Rose looked over her shoulder briefly.

“Zeke, how did you get up here?” She asked him, with a smile.

Zeke sat up and clapped his hands, “I climb!”

The door opened again, and Sullivan entered, looking stressed and out of breath.

“Rose, I am sorry he got in here,” Sullivan apologised, “I know you don't like to be disturbed when you're writing.”

“It's fine,” Rose smiled, “I'm stuck anyway. I might call Will and ask for his help. Anyway, how about we take our Prince of Chaos out to the park for a bit?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Sullivan smiled, looking down at his son.

“Zeke Prince!” He announced, cheerfully, before crawling for the door, both of his parents following him.

* * *

By night fall, Maddie's mood had sunk into depression, as she detailed the events of the day to Lee. He hadn't spoken for a while, merely sat on his bed and listened carefully while she told him the story.

“They didn't even show up to martial arts tonight. It's like they don't want to know me anymore.”

Lee didn't look up, or try to offer any sympathy. He wasn't sure what to say, so he kept his eyes on his knees.

Maddie looked up with him, “You think they're right, don't you?”

Lee didn't want to admit it, “I do think you have a temper, Maddie.”

He knew teenagers were supposed to be reckless and stupid, from experience as well as stories, but he was sure punching a guy at a party in the face wasn't normal teenage behaviour.

In a small voice, Lee added, “I'm worried it's my fault. I taught you to channel your rage into your martial arts.”

“I don't blame you,” Maddie said, leaning against the bed and looking up at him. Lee couldn't help but smile.

“You don't?”

“No. You didn't tell me to punch a guy and walk out. You didn't tell me that fighting would always be the answer,” Maddie sighed.

Maddie continued, quietly, “I don't know how to fix it.”

“I don't know, either,” Lee admitted, watching her, “but we'll find a way.”

* * *

The following morning, Robin and Austin gathered in the kitchen, smiling as Robin cradled her new baby bump.

“Are you happier now?” Austin asked, grinning. Truth was, he was delighted he was able to get Robin pregnant.

Robin didn't answer him – she just grinned.

Hex and Lavender stood smiling, opposite the beaming couple.

“I'm sorry to hear about Mark,” Robin said, “but I'm so excited about being a mother!”

“Don't worry about it,” Lavender smiled, “I understand your excitement.”

And it was the truth. Even though Mark originally leaving hurt and upset her, Lavender was slowly getting over the end of her marriage. Hex had helped a lot, simply by just being there.

As Robin and Austin cooed over their bump, Lavender looked up at Hex.

“It's nice to see them so happy, isn't it?” Lavender said.

“I wouldn't change the way things are now.” Hex replied, smiling.

* * *

“So you'll be a pirate?” Lance asked, “That's so cool!”

“A radio pirate, Lance, not any other kind of pirate,” Maddie told him, firmly. Since losing her friends to her temper, Maddie had spent a lot more time with her much younger cousins.

“It sounds awesome,” Ophelia commented, “like something Daddy would have done just because he could.”

Leda bit her lip, “It's against the rules.”

“Don't worry, Leda,” Lance said, “we're not going to be there.”

“Yes we are!” Ophelia decided, “If Maddie gets to break the rules, I want in.”

Lance opened his mouth to reply, something to stop Leda from panicking over it, when he saw someone across the playground.

“Who's that?” He questioned.

“Her?” Ophelia said, raising an eyebrow, “That's Gold Wheeler. She's a distant cousin or something. She's in my art class.”

“She looks lonely,” Lance commented. He wasn't lying – for some reason, Gold was sitting all by herself.

“So go talk to her,” Ophelia replied, dismissively, turning her attention back to Maddie, “tell me more about the radio station idea.”

Lance went over to the girl, startling her from her train of thought. She climbed to her feet and offered a smile.

“Hi,” She said, in a pleasant tone.

“Hi,” Lance waved a little, “I'm Lance. You aren't with anyone would you like to play?”

The girl considered this for a moment, “No.”

“Why not?” Lance demanded, “I'm more awesome than these other guys playing here.”

Gold laughed, “I can't stay here, my Daddy's coming to pick me up soon.”

“Oh,” Lance frowned.

“But we can play for a little while, if you want,” she offered.

“That would be great!” Lance cried, cheerfully, “Why did you change your mind?”

“You seemed really upset when I said no,” Gold replied, truthfully.

Lance blushed a little, even though he was convinced he was never shy and never embarrassed. That was more of a Leda thing.

Lance and Gold started planning out a game to play, choosing roles and pretending they were in a magical land, while Leda wandered up behind them, optimistic.

She'd heard her twin mention princesses, and wondered if there was room in the game for her.

Neither Gold nor Lance noticed she was there, and the pair of them ran off, lost in their game.

“Of course he's not going to want to play with me all the time,” Leda told herself.

With a sigh, she turned around, and headed back to Maddie and Ophelia, to join a conversation she wasn't interested in.

* * *

To anyone driving past, the Wheeler family home looked like an incredibly normal place to live, filled with a happy and normal family.

A grandfather, gardening with his granddaughter, while his wife and daughter relaxed in the shade of the house.

Of course, there was more to the family than appearances. Hex knew that.

“Why did you wait so long to tell me I was going to be a grandfather?” Hex asked, quietly. The pair of them were separate from the rest of the family, trying to be civil.

Henry had never acknowledged Hex to be his father, but he was trying his best, “How do I explain that to Gold? That her grandfather is the same age as her father, and always will be?”

“I understand why it would be difficult to talk about it.”

“You have no idea,” Henry rolled his eyes, “she's already worried about her grandmother.”

“That's another reason why I'm here...” Hex shifted, uncomfortably, “how is Elizabeth?”

Henry raised an eyebrow, “Really? My mother-in-law is dying at a faster rate than most of the people in this desert, and you want to know how she is?”

“Henry, don't get difficult with me,” Hex squared his shoulders, taking a deep breath, “I can't fix Elizabeth's declining health.”

“I know,” Henry replied, placing a hand on his forehead, “I'm sorry. I just...I hate seeing Meadow and Gold so worried.”

Hex looked over at Elizabeth, who was resting peacefully in the sunshine. She didn't look any weaker than the other elders in Mirage, but Hex knew there was more than met the eye.

“Do you mind if I talk to her?” Hex questioned, in a small voice.

“Go ahead,” Henry replied, folding his arms, “I can trust you to be nice.”

“Hey Daddy, who was that man you were talking to?” Gold Wheeler asked her father, as he wandered over to help with the gardening.

Henry watched Hex as he took a seat next to Elizabeth before answering his daughter, “Gold, that's your grandfather Hex.”

Gold frowned as she stared over her shoulder at the stranger, “But if he's my Grandpa...why isn't he old?”

Over by the desk chairs, Elizabeth was smiling, “Hex, let's save time. I'm fine, or as fine as I can be. I have no regrets and no, I don't want you to search for a cure.”

“Well that saves me time,” Hex looked up at the sky, “is there anything I can do for you?”

“Just make sure my family is safe,” Elizabeth requested, calmly, “make sure Gold doesn't get involved with Ralph. That's my main worry right now.”

“He'll be back soon,” Hex said, bitterly, “but I'm not going to let him get at the kids.”

Elizabeth watched Gold enjoying the sunshine, “I hope they're all smart enough to stay away from him.”

“I'll get them taught,” Hex replied, looking at his granddaughter, “we'll make sure they all know exactly what they will be up against.”

“Thank you, Hex. Not just for keeping my family safe, but keeping all of the families here safe.” Elizabeth murmured.

“It's more than just a job,” Hex told her, “do you think I should introduce myself to her?”

Elizabeth smiled, “Yes. She needs to know exactly who her family is.”

Hex wandered over to the little girl playing in the garden, “You must be Gold.”

“Daddy says you're my granddaddy. Why aren't you old?” Gold asked, bluntly. He smiled – kids knew nothing about subtly.

“It's a really long and complicated story, one I will tell you soon,” Hex said, pleasantly, “so tell me something about you, Gold.”

“I love singing, painting, dressing up...” Gold looked up at Hex, “Did you like dressing up when you were my age?”

Hex gave her an amused smile, “Sure.”

Gold look delighted, and continued to chat to Hex, telling him anything and everything that popped into her head. Hex was pleased that his granddaughter was an intelligent and bold young lady.

* * *

Lee and Maddie stood in the old radio station, which they had slowly redecorated for Maddie's pirate-radio.

“I'm going to tell you one last time,” Lee said, carefully, “this could get you into a LOT of trouble.”

“I don't care,” Maddie replied, dismissively, “if there's no risk, it's not worth doing.”

Maddie wandered over to the microphone she had set up earlier that day, and tapped it, experimentally.

“I talk into this once I've set up all the tech stuff, right?”

Lee nodded, and Maddie gave a delighted grin, before adjusting the height of the microphone.

“You have no idea how much of a risk this is, do you?” Lee asked, quietly, as he moved closer to the microphone.

Maddie frowned at him. She hadn't expected Lee to turn into a responsible adult about the situation.

“I don't care,” Maddie said, grinning, “with a radio show I can make sure there is at least one radio-wave that isn't playing Madeline. And I'll have something I can finally call my own.”

Lee continued to give Maddie a disapproving look, “Punching an over-friendly guy at a party is one thing, Maddie, but breaking the law and not even thinking about the consequences is another.

“When did you lose your ability to have fun?” Maddie asked him. Lee narrowed his eyes.

“Besides,” she said, with a smirk, “I'm not making you stay here.”

Lee gritted his teeth, “You know what? Fine.”

“You must love being on your own, Maddie, because you know exactly how to push people away from you,” Lee snapped, he turned on his heel and started to walk out.

“Lee-”

“No. You don't need me anymore.”

Maddie watched him go, and heard the door slam behind him. She knew he would be outside, trying to calm himself down, but she didn't dare go talk to him.

“How do I keep pushing people away?” She asked herself, in the uncomfortable loneliness of the empty radio station.

* * *

At the Wrongway home, Lance and Leda were hanging out in their bedroom on the night of their birthday.

“What are you painting?” Lance asked. When Leda didn't respond, he frowned a little, “Are you ignoring me?”

“Yes.” Leda said, simply.

“Liar, you just spoke to me,” Lance paused, “what did I do wrong?”

Leda put down her paintbrush, carefully.

“Why would you want to talk to me when you have new friends to hang out with?” Leda demanded, raising an eyebrow.

“Leda, you're my twin, we'll always talk. Right? Friends aren't forever, twins are,” Lance shrugged, “I bet you'll have tons of new friends when we're teenagers, anyway.”

Leda smiled a little, “Do you think being a teenager is going to be cool?”

“We're awesome now,” Lance grinned, “we're only going to get more awesome from here!”

He pulled his twin into a hug, the pair of them smiling.

“I love you, Lance. You're the best twin ever.”

When Maddie didn't show up at home in time for cake, Lavender was a little worried, but couldn't really keep the twins waiting any longer.

“Make a wish, you two,” Lavender smiled, watching her youngest two reach forward for their cakes.

“How cool is this?” Leda asked, grinning at her twin. She had grown into a beautiful young lady of the family aspiration.

“It's amazing!” Lance agreed, “We're going to be the coolest teenagers at the high school tomorrow.”

“I wish Maddie was here to celebrate with us,” Leda admitted, “where could she have gone, anyway?”

Lance shrugged, “Teenage stuff. I'm sure we'll be just as busy.”

“I hope so,” Leda grinned, “I think we need more cake.”

* * *

Hex was worried, “Lavender just phoned, do you know where Maddie is?”

“Nope,” Lee replied, sourly, concentrating on his book.

“You know why the curfew for the kids is in place, right?” Hex asked, as Lee shook his head, “because Ralph is coming back soon.”

Lee looked up, surprised.

“I don't know when exactly, but I do know that it took the power of two heiresses to banish him and Ariel,” Hex said, “and it's going to take that kind of power to bring him back.”

“Are you saying Maddie is the heir?” Lee questioned, quietly.

“It's a possibility,” Hex shrugged, “we're at the point where fate is choosing the heirs, not the parents. Ralph and Ariel are going to return when there are two heirs to take over.”

“So when might that be?”

“I don't know,” Hex replied, “but I want Maddie to get home safely, while I check in on Robin and Austin.”

“I'll go out and look for Maddie,” Lee offered. Hex smiled, and the pair of them got ready to go out.

* * *

Elsewhere in Mirage, Robin was going into labour.

“Austin!” She yelled, “Where are you?!”

“I'm coming, sweetheart!”

Austin arrived at the foot of the stairs, “Okay, we both need to stay calm.”

Robin frowned a little, preparing to snap at him, when her sarcastic remark was replaced with a scream and their child came into the world.

“Austin, we've got a beautiful baby girl,” Robin smiled, “come and see her!”

“Our little Fiona!” Austin grinned, using the name the couple had picked out a few days before.

“She's got my hair colour,” Austin said, proudly. Neither of them noticed a figure appearing in their kitchen.

“Well,” interrupted a voice, “you've got quite a welcome for me.”

Both Robin and Austin looked up in surprise to find Ariel standing in the room with them.

* * *

Maddie had stayed at the radio station when Lee left, but she hadn't done anything productive. Unless sitting in the corner, full of worry and guilt was considered to be productive.

Maybe there's something wrong with me. I couldn't be close with my Dad, or my best friends, or even Lee, now...

The light snapped on.

“Lee?” Maddie called out, hopefully, voice croaky after being neglected for a few hours.

Maddie climbed to her feet, and called out again, “Lee?”

Maddie was about to call out Lee's name for a third time, when any voice she possessed disappeared in surprise.

Staring blankly at the figure in front of her, Maddie's jaw dropped.

Eventually, she gasped, “You're not here! You're not real!”

“I can assure you, I am more than just a story.”

* * *

That's it for this time! And because of the mean cliffhanger, have a cheerful picture of Hex juggling :P

Thanks for reading!