Fragile Pathways

Chapter One

"Ariadne!" someone exclaimed from behind her. She turned around to see her mother standing there, her arms wide and inviting. Ariadne grinned, running at her and jumping into her arms. After going five years with nothing but webcam chats and phone calls with the woman who gave birth to her, she didn't care if she was upset with her at that moment.

"Mum," she murmured. "I missed you."

Her mum gave a little chuckle, rubbing her back slowly. "I've missed you, too, kid."

"Gosh, you sound so American."

"Living here can have that effect on you," she grinned, pulling away. "You sound so British."

"Yeah, well, living there can have that effect on you," Ariadne retorted with a small smile.

"Katherine!" a voice called. A man about the age of forty called out, pushing through the throng of people. He reached the two and looked at Ariadne. "You must be Ariadne."

"I must be? Why can I not be Penelope?"

"Because you're the girl that your mother always speaks of, and has shown me plenty of pictures," he laughed, placing his hand on her shoulder.

Ariadne rolled her eyes. "How do you know my mum wasn't lying? Because I'm Ari's twin."

"She also said you're sarcastic."

"Yes, Ariadne is. Penelope is not. I'm a very serious person."

The man, faltering ever so slightly, looked to Katherine for help. She shook her head and smiled. "You being here is going to be wonderful. You'll be fine, too."

"Well aren't you a bloody optimist."

"Bless you! I haven't heard a good 'bloody' in quite a while!"

Ariadne sighed. "Any normal mum in British would scold me for my language. You... live in the states."

Katherine giggled slightly, grabbing her daughter's hand. "Ari, this is Erich, my boyfriend of nearly three  years. You've been told about him."

"Pleasure to meet you," she nodded. "Talking of 'told about' things, I need to retrieve something. Would you mind waiting just a moment?"

Without waiting for an answer, Ariadne turned on the spot and raced towards the luggage pick up. She grabbed a cart and threw her seven bags on to it, and immediately ran to the pet pick up. She looked through the cages, cursing herself for getting a black cage. Just like every other person! She walked along the cages until she heard a familiar barking. She turned to see Regulus getting loaded off the plane, and ran towards his cage. "Gosh, Reg! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to take so long!"

The puppy just barked, prodding a paw through the bars of the crate. Ariadne laughed, carrying him back to her luggage, and setting off to find her mum again. Within two minutes she was successful, pushing the cart into Katherine's backside.

Katherine turned around with a smile, freezing when she heard a small barking. "Oh my! I forgot!"

"Don't worry," Ariadne shrugged, "I had a feeling you would. I packed the remainder of his food and left my formal wear with Liza."

Katherine laughed again. "I'm sorry, hun, you could've kept that."

"No worries. Would it be fine if we left, now? It's been a long day, and I'm going on a thirty hour day," Ariadne smiled. It would only be eleven once it hit five pm where they were, but she had slept on the plane.

"I forgot!" Katherine muttered. "Here I am all happy and joyful and there you are all jet-lagged and worn!"

"Mum, really, it's fine. I'm just looking to go."