(TW: Panic attacks, abandonment, running away, slight drugs, i think? if you consider tranquilizers drugs. Proceed with caution!)
We all sat in the limo with Uncle Donald to see him off. Uncle Scrooge actually paid for a cell-phone free, 3 month cruise. For Donald! I'm not entirely sure how this happened, since I was at work, but hey, he deserves it, more than anyone else I can think of, so I'm happy for him.
Huey was quizzing Uncle Donald to make sure he packed everything, and Louie and Webby were playing a game on Louie's phone. Uncle Scrooge was reading the Newspaper, and Launchpad and Dewey were in the front seats, and I can only hope Launchpad was driving.
So that left me to my own thoughts. Tomorrow was my birthday, which meant I would be 18 years old. Which was absolutely crazy. It sucks that Uncle Donald has to miss it, but we could always celebrate when he gets back, so no harm done.
We got to the bus stop on Killmotor Hill, and Launchpad actually didn't crash. We all got out to say our Goodbyes and help Uncle Donald unload his luggage.
Once we got all of his stuff unloaded, and it was my turn for a goodbye, I wrapped him in a huge hug.
"I'm gonna miss you, Uncle Donald," I told him.
"You'll be fine, toots. It's just 3 months," He told me. He began sputtering as I continued hugging him. "Marina... You can let go now," He coughed.
I quickly backed up. "Sorry. Personal space," I chuckled, sheepishly. Sometimes I don't know my own strength.
He pulled me into one more hug. "Happy early birthday," He told me, handing me a small box. "Don't open it until tomorrow."
I grinned, squeezing him once more. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
He laughed.
We all got back into the limo, and headed back up to the mansion. The kids stuck their heads out of the windows and sunroof, and waved at Uncle Donald and he waved back.
I sat in my seat next to Uncle Scrooge, twiddling my thumbs.
He scoffed. "Och, you'll be fine, lass," He nudged me.
I nodded, giving a small smile. "Right," I said, more to myself than him. It's not like he'll disappear after this, or decide not to come back. Maybe he'll enjoy the bachelor life too much. Or-
I was interrupted out of my thoughts by Launchpad swerving. And of course, I wasn't wearing my seatbelt, so I fell out of my seat.
I groaned, getting back in the seat. We'll be fine. Uncle Donald is the one constant I've had my entire life. Everything will be okay.
~~~
Once we got back to the mansion, I lounged on the couch, and put on some music whilst I studied for an exam I had coming up. I loved this couch because it was so large, you couldn't see if anyone was on the couch from behind it.
Scrooge and the kids were in the foyer, Scrooge giving an inspiring speech about whatever adventure they were headed on.
I saw something move outside the window from my peripheral, and I looked up. Standing at the door was an average sized duck in-
No.
I nearly fell off the couch, then remembered the kids in the next room, and quietly rolled off the couch, onto the floor.
I looked back out the window again, to see none other than Della Duck bounding down the driveway to the mansion entrance. My breath quickened.
No. Absolutely not, I will not be dealing with this today.
I quickly grabbed my phone, pausing my music, grabbed my textbook and my headphones and frantically crawled to the side of the room. I aggressively started pulling out books until I triggered the secret passage. I rushed into the passage way, just as I heard the door open, and someone drop something that was glass.
I listened to the muffled voices, trying to get ahold of my breathing. I heard one of the boys crying, probably Louie. I then heard Della ask an especially terrifying question.
"Where's Marina?"
All of a sudden, my breathing picked right back up. It took everything for me not to be audibly breathing. I felt hot, shaky tears rolling down my face, as I heard footsteps come closer and closer.
"Marina?" Louie asked.
"Och, she probably left whilst we were getting ready, she'll be fine," Scrooge answrred. "She really has missed you, Lass," I heard him tell Della as they all walked away.
I almost laughed at that bitter statement. I turned back around, still visibly shaking, and made my way towards the end of the passage.
~~~
I finally got into my room, only to be greeted with a clearly unamused apparition.
"Running from your problems won't help anyone," Duckworth told me.
I laughed bitterly. "Oh-ho! That's rich. Tell that to Della, why don't you?" I said sarcastically.
I pushed past him, setting the stuff in my hands on my bed. I grabbed my go-bag, filled with essentials that can last me up to a week.
It was full, but there was still room for some things. I threw my charger, wallet, keys and headphones in there, along with an extra pair of undergarments and the little bit of makeup I wear. I put some extra hair products in there.
"Where will you go?" Duckworth asked.
I wiped some excess tears off my cheeks, putting on socks and shoes. I grabbed a light jacket with a hood, and quickly braided my ponytail.
"Anywhere that isn't here," I told him.
I slung my backpack over my shoulder.
"When will you be back?"
"A week. Or maybe. I don't know," I answered, still trying to get my tears under control.
He sighed. "I won't cover for you for long."
I nodded. "That's fair. I'll be gone for 3 days."
"Fine then. I'll cover you for 1 day," and with that he left.
I sighed. That's more than I can ask for.
I opened my window, kicking the screen out of it. I quickly grabbed it before it rolled down the rooftop, and set it on the floor of my room.
I stepped out the window, onto the roof, and quickly closed the window back.
I slid down to the bottom of the roof, and hopped onto the lower roofing. I looked over the horizon.
If I jump from here, I can make it onto one of the apple trees, and then I can hop the fence.
I readied myself, stepped back, and got a running start before propelling myself off the roof. I flailed a bit, before landing in one of the trees.
My foot slipped off a branch, but I was able to steady myself, grabbing another branch.
I climbed down the tree, shaking the leaves out of my hair.
I put the hood up on my jacket and quickly made my way to the fence. I climbed up the fence, almost slipping, before tossing a leg up over it. I hissed as I cut my leg on the fence's spikes. I got my other leg over and hopped off of the structure, successfully avoiding another injury.
I hurried down Killmotor Hill, praying that Uncle Donald's bus had already came. I passed the bus stop, and no one was to be seen. So I'd say I was in the clear. I ran down the rest of the hill, twilight overtaking the city. How did this day go so wrong so fast?
~~~
I ended up in Downtown Duckburg, near a hotdog stand I liked. It was still pretty light outside, and I had a corndog, so I was doing good at ignoring my feelings.
I heard the beep of a car, and I looked up to see Mamá across the street. I waved, and she got out to come sit on the bench with me.
"¿Adonde vas?" She asked, seeing my bag.
I shrugged, taking a bite of my corndog to give me time to think. If I tell the truth, she'll take me home, if I lie, she'll see right through me.
I swallowed. "Nowhere. Just got back from a sleepover."
She squinted at me. "¿Dónde está tu Tío?"
"Scrooge or Donald?"
She thought for a moment. "Donald."
"Está de vacaciones," I answered truthfully.
"¿Y tus hermanos?"
"A la casa."
She sat next to me for a bit. She seemed to be pondering. "Would you like to stay at my house for a bit?" She asked.
I shook my head, not giving an explanation.
She nodded. "Alright, Marí, be safe then. Get inside before it gets dark."
She stood up, and pulled me in for a hug, kissing my forehead. I accepted the affection. After today, I needed it.
She drove off in her patrol car, and I noticed the hotdog stand guy was packing up. I unlocked my phone to see a couple of missed calls from Louie. I ignored them, scrolling through my contacts.
The first person I saw was Antonio and I pressed call. The phone rung 2 times before he picked up.
"Hello? Everything okay?" He answered.
I did everything in my power not to break down. I steadied myself with a breath, and asked shakily. "Can I come stay at your house?"
~~~
It was dark by the time Antonio and I got to his house. His mom wasn't there, nor was his sister, so it was just us.
We entered his house, and he immediately got to work.
"We have a pull out, so you can sleep there for tonight and tomorrow night, if you need to," He told me, pulling out the bed. I sat my bag by the pullout, and he went and grabbed a few blankets, setting them on the bed.
He grabbed my hand and gave me a small tour of the house.
"There's the bathroom," He pointed towards the bathroom. "Take your shower whenever, I don't mind, just be careful not to fall." He paused, "I think that's everything."
I nodded. "Thanks."
He looked at me. "...I know I said 'no questions asked,' but... What happened?"
I went back into the living room, and he followed, sitting on the couch with me. I started shaking again, and I took a couple of breaths. "She's back..." I said, after a while.
He squinted in confusion. "I thought she... took off? Dissapeared, never to be seen again?"
I laughed, bitterly. "That's exactly what I thought. But she showed up today, same as nearly 11 years ago, and waltzed right in the mansion."
"And they accepted her!" I continued, now bordering on crying, "She left for almost 11 years, no contact, no savings, nothing, and then she gets to walk back here like nothing happened? Like she didn't take an experimental rocket on a joy ride and abandon her 4 kids? We're just gonna forget that happened?!"
"And another thing! She let her children live in poverty with her brother, all for the next adventure! Because that's all that matters! The next joyride! She's so worried about being an adrenaline junkie that she forgot to sit down for more than 5 seconds and raise her kids!" I ranted, taking a breath.
"I just don't get it," my tears welled up in my eyes. "My brothers didn't speak to me for almost a week, because I couldn't bring myself to tell them that she knowingly left us behind. But she comes back and everything's okay?" I bit my lip, desperately wiping at my eyes.
"Oh, Marí..." Antonio pulled me in for a hug, and I squeezed him tight, now sobbing. I hate this. I hate her. I hate feeling this way.
~~~
I woke up in the middle of the night, my head pounding. I saw Cecilia's motorcycle outside, which meant she was here. I heard a voice talking quietly in the kitchen, and I decided to investigate.
I quietly crept to the kitchen, but stayed outside. I paused, listening.
"You heard me correctly, Director. Della Duck is back. And I doubt she's the only thing we've got coming from space."
The voice paused. It was Cecilia.
"No. Marina Duck isn't at the mansion. Though I've got a recording that I think you'll be pleased to hear."
I walked out into the kitchen, staring at her in shock. Her hair was pulled up, and she was in all black.
"'Celia?" I asked.
She froze. "I'll call you back," She closed her phone, and turned around towards me.
Before I knew it, I felt a sharp pain in my neck. I looked down to see what appeared to be a tranquilizer dart. I reached for it before my vision went black.
~~~
I groaned, waking up with a pounding headache. I haven't felt so groggy in months.
I sat up, and immediately felt nauseous. Luckily, there was a bucket nearby, and I emptied the contents of my past two meals. I groaned.
"Hey, babe, how're you feeling?" 'Celia asked, holding a wet rag to my forehead.
I groaned, leaning into her touch. "Horrible... what happened?"
She took the bucket from me, and cooly propped me up on the pull out bed.
"Let's see," she recounted, "You got up around 2am, and threw up in the bathroom. Still dizzy, you made your way into the kitchen, where I must've caught you by surprise, because you passed out and hit your head."
I held the back of my head. "No wonder I have a headache."
She nodded.
"I had one hell of a fever dream, last night. I thought you were evil for some reason?" She said nothing. I shook my head. "I'm sorry. I guess it's just my abandonment issues rearing their ugly head in my dreams."
She took my hand. "Marina, I would never, ever betray you like that," She said, seriously.
My heart literally melted. I played it off by teasing her. "Awww, and you say I'm the sappy one."
She smiled. "Haha," She fake laughed, "You've got me."
"Hey, Marí," Antonio greeted in only his boxers.
"Ewww, have some decency," Cecilia told him, covering my eyes.
"My house, my rules," He told her.
I laughed, moving her hand away from my face. "I've lived in a house full of boys my whole life, I think I'll be okay, 'Celia."
"Hey, Marí, if you're feeling a bit better later, why don't we head to that diner? You know, get some free birthday ice cream?" Antonio suggested.
"Oh yeah! I gotta give you your present," Cecilia said.
"Thanks guys, I think after yesterday, the diner might be fun," I told them.
Antonio nodded. "Sounds great. I get off work at 6, so we can head there after that."
Cecilia nodded. "I'll stay here with you, Marí. To make sure you don't get sick again," She gave me a smirk, and I rolled my eyes.
"Ew, Gross," Antonio told us, gagging.
I chuckled. "Says the man in his underwear."
~~~
The rest of the day, Cecilia and I got dressed and watched TV for a bit. I began to feel a little better, and it began to sink in that I was actually 18 years old.
I'm 18 years old, and I have no idea what I want to do with my life.
My thoughts were interrupted by my phone ringing, again. I sent them to voicemail. I officially had 18 missed calls feom Louie, 6 from Huey, 2 from Dewey, 7 from Webby, 2 from Ms. Beakley and 1 from Uncle Scrooge. I also had over 100 texts that I wasn't looking forward to answering.
"Maybe you should answer a phone call. Your brothers are probably worried," Cecilia told me.
I shook my head. "No. If I answer, they'll all come looking for me. And I can't handle that right now."
She only nodded in response.
~~~
After Antonio got off work, we all got in his car, and I brought my stuff just in case. We headed to the diner, and got our usual seats by the window.
We ate our food, and talked and joked and even did the crossword puzzle they had on the menu. It was great.
Antonio called to the waitress to bring out the birthday sundaes. And of course, she did, and set them in front of us. She put a candle in mine and two other waitresses joined her in singing "Happy Birthday." I blew out the candle, and everyone went back to business as usual.
"Marina?" I heard a British voice ask. I froze. Oh no.
"Hey, Mrs. Beakley," I smiled sheepishly.
She wasn't amused. "Where have you been?"
I gestured to Antonio and Cecilia.
She rose an eyebrow. Then glared at me. "Finish your ice cream, then you will be heading home. And I will be there to make sure you get back." Her hair was ever so slightly out of place, and her uniform a bit wrinkled. She must've had a bad day.
She stormed out of the diner, and got into the limo. I watched from the window, laying my head on the table.
I groaned. "I don't wanna go home," I whined, my eyes filling up with tears. I sighed, sitting up, and taking a bite of my ice cream.
"Well... I hate to say it, Marí, but you can't avoid the past forever," Antonio told me, taking a bite.
"Here," Cecilia said, sliding two boxes over, "Happy Birthday, Marina."
I gave them both a sad smile, putting the boxes next to me. I shook my head, and finished my ice cream.
I said my goodbyes, got my bag and boxes, and entered the limo.
~~~
Launchpad started driving once I was buckled. Mrs. Beakley was the only one in the car, and she sat across from me. Launchpad was strangely quiet.
"So... you've had a rough day," I began, looking at Mrs. Beakley.
She wasn't amused. "Marina, I am going to give you two minutes to make your case."
I nodded, taking a deep breath. "So... Della... came back. I saw her from the window. And gods, I just, I can't! I can't be around her!" I tried to calm myself down, but the panic attack was evident. "She left us! She left me! For 11 years! How come she gets to come back home, no repercussions?"
"Marina, how on earth does that warrant you running away from home?! We were worried about you! When Duckworth said you left-" Oh that sneaky apparition, "-We thought something had happened to you!"
"Well I'm fine! I can take care of myself!" I told her.
She scoffed. "Yes, of course! By couch surfing and getting your meals from rundown diners?" She challenged.
"I've never needed help before, and I don't need help now! I'm an adult, officially now! I can handle things on my own!"
She groaned, "You're just like your hard-headed uncle! Marina Duck, just because you can do things alone does not mean you have to!" She told me.
I stopped, and looked down at my hands. I hated this part of me. I overreact, and I panic and I become too prideful. I shut everyone else off because I think I can handle things myself. I always do this. I thought I was working past this.
I closed my eyes, and slumped in my seat. I felt the car slow to a stop. "I'm sorry," I told Mrs. Beakley, "I didn't mean to worry you."
"Well I hope not," She said, getting out of the limo. "Take a few minutes to yourself. Then I expect you to come inside and greet your mother. Properly. Am I understood?"
I nodded. "Yes ma'am."
She nodded, and left the car.
I waited a few minutes, before getting out myself.
"Marina? Do you... want a hug?" Launchpad asked, quieter than normal.
I squeezed him tightly, and he hugged me back. I needed this. Launchpad gives the best hugs.
I pulled away after a good few minutes. "Thank you, Launchpad."
"Only the best for my favorite little sister-cousin-friend!" He answered, chipper as ever.
I nodded. Yeah, sounds about right. What a crazy family dynamic we have.
~~~
I was bombarded with hugs the moment I entered the house. I dropped my bag and boxes to pick up all four little ducklings that were hugging me.
"Hey guys," I greeted, sheepishly.
"Happy Birthday!" Webby and Dewey sung in sync. Louie blew a party horn, and Huey smiled at me. "We've got the best birthday present ever!" He told me.
I plastered on a fake smile. "Oh, really?"
Louie squinted at me.
But I was too busy to answer, because I saw her walk into the room.
"Is Marina ho-" She stared at me.
I stared back. I could feel myself shaking. I took a deep breath, but it was knocked out of me by her hugging me tight.
"Oh honey, I missed you sp much!" I could hear the tears in her voice, and just for a moment, I gave in, and I hugged her back. She was really here.
"M-mom," I squeezed, and I felt myself crying. From anger, happiness or fear, I had no clue. She didn't let go for a long time, and for once, I let myself indulge in the fantasy that she never left.
~~~
After a long birthday, and making sure that I was the one putting the boys to bed, I sat on my own bed.
I opened the box that Uncle Donald gave me, and it was a small, golden chain, with a diamond-shaped charm at the end. It was engraved, and it had my birthday. Under it were the words, "The day my life changed for the better. Happy Birthday, Uncle D."
I held the necklace close to me, trying not to cry, and failing miserably. I wish he were here. He would understand. He always did.
There was a knock at my door, and I set the necklace down. I wiped my face.
"Come in," I said, facing the door.
In walked Della, her hair shorter than it was yesterday. Can't believe this was the first time I noticed.
"Honey, can we talk?" She asked.
I nodded.
"I am so sorry," She began, sitting on the edge of my bed, "I never should've set foot in that rocket. I hate myself just thinking about it. I left you and your brothers alone with Donald and Scrooge for ten years. I'm surprised none of you developed an accent. Or a speech impediment," She joked.
I stared at her, unamused.
"N-no offense, of course! I know how close you and Donald are," She apologized.
I said nothing, and she continued.
"I remember you were just a 7 year old kid, in bed with your submarine and stuffed animals, and look at you now. 18 years old. Happy Birthday, by the way," She told me.
I nodded. "Thank you. A lot has changed since you left."
"And I will have to live with the guilt that I left you for 11 years. I am so sorry, Marina. I never should've left," She pleaded. "I want to make this right."
I looked her dead in the eyes. I felt numb. Is she serious? Second day back, and she thinks she can be forgiven? By me?
"No," I told her.
"Wh...What?" She asked.
"No," I said once more. "No. I can't forgive you. There's no making this right. Not after the countless nightmares, and years of my life I've spent being a mother when I should've been a sister. Not after everything I've given up for those boys. No. You can't just come back here and expect to be forgiven!"
"Marina! Please, you don't understand-" She began.
"No, I understand completely! You didn't have to watch Donald be torn apart from the inside and out for over a decade because his good-for-nothing sister decided to take a joyride! No! Absolutely not!"
"Marina..." She began softly.
"No. Please leave," I asked, turning away from her.
I could feel her eyes on me before she got up and left, closing the door behind her. The door muffled her sobs, but I still heard them. And somehow, that made me feel even worse.
(a/n: muahaha haha hahaaaaaa
yeah. you wanted angst? now you have it. 4030ish words babey. yup, the one time i write something extensive. i hope you're ready, because this story will be taking a few darker turns! so be prepared. because i know i am >:DDDD
once again, tysm for reading! don't forget to vote and comment, bc i love feedback! alright, thats all folx! stay awesome!)