Two Sides of the Same Coin

Chapter 4: Compromise

After we explained what happened to my parents, they just sat on the couch, speechless. Finally, Dad spoke.

"What are you going to do if Yzarc can't fix the machine?"

"I don't-"

"I guess I'll have to grow up alongside this guy like his sister. Is that cool with you two?" my female self replied, cutting me off.

"I've always wanted to have another kid!" Mom exclaimed happily. "What should we call you though? Alex would be too confusing."

"I don't care. Pick any name you like."

"What about Alexa? It's the perfect name!"

"Would you stop acting so nonchalant about this? This is serious! I've been split into two different people!" I shouted, frustrated with everyone and everything.

"Now you say I'm different than you. Funny how that works," Alexa mumbled under her breath.

That was the last straw. I've had it with this girl! She may be a part of me, but she was driving me absolutely crazy!

As I walked away from everyone, I heard a rustling in the room where we put the other Doc. I quickly opened the door to see the Doc escape through the emergency exit. I ran after him, but by the time I got to the door, he was long gone.

"Alex, what happened?" Mom asked as she and the others walked to the open doorway.

"The Doc got away," I replied numbly, not believing my bad luck.

"Darn. We'll get him next time, won't we Alex?" Alex asked, her voice full of faux concern.

"Can you at least act a little more concerned? He's a dangerous criminal and with his insanity separate from him, who knows what he'll do!" I shouted angrily, tired of Alexa and her snide comments.

"That's enough. Both of you," Dad said seriously. "Now that you're separate, you both need to work together to figure something out. Either you become one again or you don't. The choice is up to the both of you. Until then, you need to get along."

As much as I hated to admit it, Dad was right. We couldn't keep arguing with each other. After all, we're basically the same person. We need each other.

"Alexa, I'm... sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you before. I'm just frustrated. I promise that if we become one again, I won't suppress you anymore. Is that a deal?"

"Yeah, that sounds ok. I guess I should apologize for my comments. As accurate as they were, it was still rude of me to point them out. Sorry."

Although she didn't sound sorry, the look in her eyes did so I accepted her "apology".

"I'm glad you two made up. Now, why don't we get Alexa here registered for school? What would be a good cover story? Cousin sounds good, right?" Mom asked nobody in particular.

After the girls went upstairs to register Alexa, Dad asked me a tough question.

"Are you ok? I mean, it must be tough, being split and everything."

"Yeah. I'm fine. I just hope we can become one again soon and that she doesn't blab at school."

"I'm sure she'll be fine. After all, she is you."

Somehow, I wasn't so sure about that.