The moon shone down on Destiny, who was peacefully sleeping thirty miles away from where Isaac, Jessica, Diana, Lynette and Randall had conversed earlier that evening. The police were searching for her now, but she was blissfully unaware. She had made plans earlier that day to continue west, hitchhiking and making her way to the coast of California, which she had always wanted to visit. She would try to find work there.
She dreamt that night of her parents before their deaths. Scenes of her mother and father that she had actually witnessed flashed through her mind. She saw her mother, at dinner, laughing at something her father had said. She saw her father teaching her to ride her bicycle for the first time, and she saw them both driving her to her first day of school.
Then her dream took a frightening turn. She was still in the backseat, but she was seven years older, going into sixth grade. It was summer, four weeks before school started, and she was going to the mall with her parents. She told them a joke, and her father, who was driving, turned to smile back at her.
It was a fatal mistake. Before he could look back, a van hit them from the side, throwing the car and its occupants to the opposite side of the road, where it was hit by a second car. Destiny was tossed around like a rag doll, and quickly fell into unconsciousness.
Destiny sat bolt upright, breathing heavily, sweat pouring from her brow. Her memory of the wreck had always been fuzzy, but now she remembered it fully as it burned itself into her mind. The part that had come after was different. That she could never forget.
How could one forget waking up in an all white room, with two nurses rushing to your side and a plastic tube up your nose? Destiny looked up at the stars, drawing her knees to her chest. She quickly spotted Cassiopeia, a constellation her father had showed her two years before. Aching, she looked down at her leg, then quietly pulled up her jeans.
A long scar ran up her calf to the back of her knee. She ran her index finger along it, not even remembering how it had happened, only knowing that the crash had caused it. It was so unfair, she thought. Why did they have to die, and leave me to fend for myself? She sighed and leaned back, deep in thought.
Two months later, Destiny had successfully hitchhiked all the way to California. She was in San Diego, making her way north to San Fransisco. She had had to avoid police officers when she saw them, knowing a good percentage had seen her profile... she didn't doubt Lynette and Randall would have plastered her picture in every Police Department in the country.
Destiny watched her feet as they moved, one in front of the other, up the street. It had been hard getting to San Diego, and she didn't know if she could go any farther. Meals had been scarce. Any person she had gotten a ride from offered her food, and she usually took it. But there had been periods when Destiny hadn't gotten rides, and that had taken its toll.
Now weary and footsore, Destiny leaned against the glass front of a Circuit City. Two televisions were being modeled in the window, both showing the same news station. She glanced at one out of the corner of her eye, and what she saw caught her attention. She turned around swiftly.
It was Zac, smiling at the camera. He waved. A little banner across the bottom said his name. The newscaster's voice came clearly through the glass, even though the noise of San Diego was loudly in the background.
"This is Zachary Hanson, with a favor to ask of all his fans in the United States. Tell us Zachary, what would you, of all people, need from your fans?" The newscaster thrust the microphone in Zac's face.
"Well, you see, two months ago, a girl named Destiny ran away from our home in Tulsa. We've been searching for her. We want any information leading to her. Hey, I've always wanted to say that," he giggled.
Suddenly Destiny saw herself fill the screen. She groaned, loudly. "No way," she grumbled. "This is not good. Trust them to stick me on television." She sighed, closed her eyes, and leaned her forehead against the glass.
Zac's voice came again. "We really miss her. Destiny... if you're out there..." Destiny opened her eyes and watched Zac, whose face had gone from happy and carefree to worried and imploring. "Please come home. Please."
The camera swung from Zac to the reporter, who started yakking about something Destiny didn't want to hear. She felt a guilty pang in her chest, and she desperately wanted to see Zac again. Not only Zac, but Taylor, Isaac, Jessica, Avery, Mackenzie, Diana and Walker as well. She slammed her fist against the window.
Destiny turned and marched down the street, instantly forgetting her weariness. She needed to call them. She reached into her pocket, fishing for a quarter, only to realize that she probably would have spent it on food. Growling, she looked around quickly. There were people mingling and filtering all around her, on their way to wherever they well pleased. She tapped one on the shoulder, and the man turned and looked at her curiously.
"What do you want, girl?"
"Do you have a quarter to spare, sir?" She felt uncomfortably poor when she said that.
"No. I don't have anything for people like you." He turned and stiffly walked away.
Destiny rolled her eyes. She continued to ask people, but the best she got were sympathetic glances. Some told her to go home to her parents, then walked away before she could explain. She decided on a different approach.
Advancing on one woman, she again tapped on the lady's shoulder. This time, when she turned around, Destiny asked, "Hey, ma'am, I need to make a phone call home, because I kind of got lost. Can you spare a quarter?" After the lady relinquished the quarter, Destiny set off in search of a payphone.
Walker listened to the phone ring in the kitchen. He wasn't in the mood to answer the phone. Since Destiny had been gone, all six of his children had tried to keep their spirits up, and raced to get the telephone each time it rang, hoping it would be her. The same held true for the front door and the doorbell. Now, after two months, they were starting to give up.
Isaac lazily ambled by, en route to the kitchen for a sandwich. He nearly tripped over his father's feet, but managed to avoid them at the last second. Walker pulled his feet up closer to the bottom of the couch. "Get the phone, Ike, would you?" he asked.
"Yeah, sure..." was the muttered, monotone response. Isaac finally reached the kitchen and flicked on the light. He stumbled over to the phone and picked it up, holding it to his ear. "H'lo?"
Walker watched as Isaac's face suddenly burst into expression. His eyes widened, and a surprised, happy look overcame his face. Walker knew it could only mean one thing. He leapt up, burst into the kitchen, and listened to his son's side of the conversation.
"Des, is that really you?!... Where are you?... WHERE?.... How did you get--.... No I guess not... Can you get back?.... Yes! We'll come get you...." Walker, at this point, grabbed the phone.
"Destiny? I couldn't understand a single part of Ike's conversation. Where are you?" His voice, though he tried to keep it calm, was full of emotion.
"I'm in San Diego, and don't ask me how I got here. It's not important. Can you come to get me? Somehow?" In the beginning she had sounded strong and independent, but with her "somehow," came a hint of desperation.
Isaac, who had completely forgotten about the possibility of a sandwich, was racing out of the room, screaming, "Destiny's on the phone! Destiny's on the phone! It's Des, guys, it's really her...!"
Avery, Jessica, and Zac thundered down the stairs, into the kitchen, each staring at their father, trying to figure out what he was saying. Isaac followed them in, nearly falling over Avery, who had decided to stop in the doorway. Isaac picked her up and held her in his arms while spinning around in circles. Then he stopped. "Where's Taylor?" he asked, confused.
Walker, who was still on the phone, heard a click. Then a voice sounded over the extension, "Destiny, we're going to come get you right now!"
"Hold it Taylor, you're staying here with your mother and your siblings. I'm going to drive out and get her." Walker's firm note indicated he wished the subject closed.
Taylor, however, wouldn't budge. "No way. I'm coming, whether you like it or not, Dad. I'll sneak into the trunk if I have to." With that, he started talking to Destiny. "Des, where are you, as in, specifically?"
"The corner of Fifth and Forty-Second street. They really have stupid names for streets in big cities," she said, and Taylor could almost hear her smile over the phone.
Walker sighed. "Okay, Taylor, but only you can come, okay? I'm not toting the whole Hanson family halfway across the United States to get Destiny and then come straight back. Destiny, I'll talk to Diana, pack, and head out in an hour. This should take a week or so... Driving from Tulsa to San Diego isn't going to be easy. Can you hold out until then?"
"I've done it before. I'll just play on the street, or something... oh, drat it, I don't have my guitar," she groaned. "Okay, let's see... I'll get a job waitressing... I don't know."
Taylor had a good suggestion. "Go to the police department there. It should be easy to find, and they'll take care of you until we get there. Or they should, at any rate."
"Okay, I'll do that... I think this quarter is going to run out soon, unless these pay phones don't have time limits, which I doubt, so I guess I'll see you in a week or so..."
Exactly one week later Taylor and Walker were making their way down the streets of San Diego in their red van. It had been hectic getting out of the house, with each of the Hanson children exclaiming that they should have been the ones to go, and for all different reasons.
"I introduced you to her!" was Zac's excuse. Taylor couldn't deny that, but he had already decided that no matter what, he would be the one to go. So he had taken all of his brothers and sisters, excluding Mackenzie, who was too young, into the room he shared with Zac and Isaac, and told them why he wanted to go. They didn't like the idea of being left behind, but eventually Isaac realized that if everyone kept fighting over it, no one would be going. So he convinced Zac, Avery, and Jessica to stay behind with minimal difficulty. Being the oldest was convenient, Taylor thought.
The drive to San Diego had been long and boring. What made it seem even more drawn-out was the fact that Destiny was on the other end. And now, here they were, hunting up and down the streets of San Diego for the police department.
Taylor sighed. "Dad, face it, we're lost. Pull over and ask for directions!"
"No. I refuse to be seen asking for directions. I know perfectly well where we are!" he insisted. Taylor rolled his eyes. He promised himself he would never be like that when he got older.
"Well, then let ME ask for directions, get mobbed by adoring fans, dragged off into the sunset, never to return again," he over-exaggerated. Walker only grunted, keeping his eyes on the road. "We're not going to find her at this rate. If you don't sight the police station in five minutes, I'm rolling down the window and screaming for help."
"You wouldn't dare, Taylor." Walker shot him a sidelong glance, not at all sure.
"It would help us find the police faster, wouldn't it? Heck, a famous kid screaming 'help' at the top of his lungs, with the possibility of a kidnapping?"
"Fine, directions it is," mumbled his father.
He angled the car into a side lane, closer to the curb, and eventually pulled over. After asking the nearest person for directions, he pulled the van back out into the traffic. "See, we were close!"
Ten minutes later they'd found the police station. Taylor started bouncing up and down excitedly, like a child waiting to open a Christmas present. Walker parked the car, and Taylor bolted out, not even bothering to close the van door behind him. He raced up the front steps of the building, slammed his weight against the front door, and burst into the station.
Five policemen were milling about, and these stopped to appraise him with a critical eye. One came forward after a few seconds. "You're that Hanson kid, aren't ya?" he asked, still eyeing Taylor.
"Yeah," Taylor returned breathlessly. "Where's Destiny?"
"She's over in the barracks, waitin for you ta drop by. It's down that hall, left at the corner, fifth door to the right." The policeman pointed, and Taylor was off like a shot, narrowly dodging opening doors and people milling in the halls.
When he got to the aforementioned door, he stopped, trying to recollect his breath. He leaned against the door, almost afraid to knock, his face red with the exertion of running. He couldn't believe he was that out of shape after lazing around for two months. After he stopped panting, he turned, and knocked on the door.
A familiar voice called, "Come in," and Taylor grabbed the brass doorknob, turned it slightly, and pushed the door inwards. Destiny was sitting on a small cot, brushing her hair. As soon as she saw Taylor, she leapt up, dropping the brush back on the bed. They met in a huge bear hug, wrapping their arms around each other, rocking back and forth, tears streaming from their eyes.
"Oh, Destiny, I thought we'd lost you," Taylor cried, fighting for breath against Destiny's crushing embrace.
Walker walked in to find the two like that, each struggling to breathe, but unwilling to let go. He chuckled softly. Destiny reluctantly detached herself from Taylor, who grinned foolishly at her. She turned to Walker, then took him, too, in a huge hug, which he returned fondly.
After they had broken apart, Walker looked around the room. "Is your stuff all packed, Destiny? We're leaving immediately, as soon as the station draws up the release forms."
"You would think I was in prison, the way they treated me..." she grumbled.
Walker smiled. "Yes, well, without parents, they have to be careful about who they turn you over to. And since you ran away, they have to be even more sure."
Destiny shrugged, smiling. "Still, you think they would recognize you two or something."
"Oh they did," laughed Taylor. "It doesn't make any difference to them who we are. Just that you're going back to where you're supposed to be." His mouth was permenantly in a smile. "You're coming home, Destiny."
The trip back wasn't half as boring as the trip there, Taylor thought idly. With Destiny along, things had certainly been more interesting. They had whispered after Walker was asleep and snoring, and they had pointed out strange people and interesting looking shops to each other when they drove through different cities.
Though it was good to be alone with Walker, and especially Taylor, Destiny ached to be back among the family, who she had dearly missed. She could just see the scene as she walked in the door. She smiled fondly.
"Destiny," Walker said, startling out of her thoughts. "Umm... Well, Diana and I were talking about it, and we wanted to know if you wanted to live with us... permanently, that is."
Destiny hadn't the faintest idea what he was talking about. "Huh?" She glanced over at Taylor, who was dozing in the back seat. Upon further inspection, she realized that he wasn't just dozing, he was full fledged sleeping. 'Must've fallen asleep a few seconds ago,' she thought.
"I mean, ahh-- Diana and I wanted to adopt you. We've got six kids, and taking care of a seventh shouldn't be much more problem... besides, you have a way of keeping those impish kids in line."
Destiny was overwhelmed. A flood of feelings rushed at her. But she wasn't sure. Something held her back from immediately saying yes. After a moment's silence, she realized what it was... her own parents. She was drowned in a sea of memories, most good, some bad.
Walker allowed the silence, knowing Destiny needed to think about it. He had expected the reaction as much the same. Having Taylor asleep was an added bonus... he didn't want to get his son's hopes up, when Destiny could very well say no.
After a while, Destiny came out of her reverie. She looked at Walker, his kind, understanding face, and sunk back into thoughts of Diana and the Hanson children. She loved every one of them, each in their own way. She knew it was what her mother and father would've wanted her to do, to find a family that would love her as much as she had loved them. And she thought this might be the one.
"Yes... yes, I'd like that," Destiny said softly, glancing back at Taylor again. He was so peaceful back there, his right leg dangling off the edge of the seat, his left tucked up underneath him. He was on his side, sleeping contentedly on the two-person middle seat. His arm was perched against the side of the van, much like a pillow for his head. His hair was falling across his face.
"Good, I'm glad," Walker smiled over at her, and caught her eyes. "I think we'll wait until next week to tell the kids, but we'll try to work it out with Lynette and Randall."
Destiny felt an unpleasant taste in her mouth at the mention of those two. "I hope they're back in Maryland," she muttered. "Have they given up on finding me yet?"
"No, they've still got patrols going around Tulsa. We didn't tell then that you'd called yet. They can't seem to believe you would leave the city, so we just let them stay like that..." Walker shook his head sadly. "Rather mislead people, aren't they?"
"Quite."
When she got back, the response was much what she expected. As soon as she opened her door and got out of the car, Zac pounced on her, nearly carrying her backwards with his momentum. "Destiny, Destiny, you're back!" he cried, hugging her tightly. He was now, she noticed, not quite as short as he used to be. Not much taller either, but during the two months she'd been gone he'd grown almost an inch.
Destiny laughed, hugged him back, and then tried to scoot her way back to the trunk. But Zac wouldn't let go, so she ended up dragging him as well. "Come on, Zac, help me with my stuff," she said, hoping he'd release her. He did, and scooped up her duffel bag quickly.
"Allow me, my lady!" he said, then darted up the front walk and into the house.
She shook her head and grinned at Taylor. "Bundle of dynamite, that kid is."
He just nodded.
When Destiny made her way in the door, she was bombarded by Isaac and Avery, who also trapped her up in another fond embrace. Avery's arms were around her waist, and Isaac's around her shoulders.
"We're so glad you're home, Destiny," Isaac said, looking relieved she had made it back in one piece.
Avery echoed his welcoming with a, "Yup!" Then she raced off to find Jessica.
When Destiny finally made it to the kitchen, she found Arthur and Diana sitting there waiting for her. Arthur motioned for her to take a seat, and she did.
"Destiny, it occurs to me you haven't written any songs, now have you?" he asked, eyes twinkling. "That demo tape needs to go out soon, because I have three labels very interested in hearing you."
"Three?" she squeaked, amazed.
Diana laughed, then reached over and squeezed Destiny's hand. "Yes, Destiny, dear, three. When do want to start making the tape?"
Her response was not unexpected. "Right now!"
Note: I hope I made up the names of the songs in here. If I didn't, and you know of a song by one of these names, please write me and I'll change it.
Destiny stood in the Hansons' garage, twelve-string in hand, twanging a few chords. They echoed off the over-painted walls harshly, reverberating back to her ears. 'Hmm, out of tune..' she thought to herself. After a few quick adjustments, she strummed the chord again, this time nodding in satisfaction.
The past week she had spent writing seven new songs, one a day. She had written them completely on her own, refusing Isaac, Taylor, and Zac's offers to help. Many different styles and octaves had been written down, tried, and erased. She had actually written many more than one a day, but she only really approved of one. She knew she had rediculously high standards for her songs, but that was the way she was, and she couldn't change it.
No one in the house had heard her songs yet. She preferred to keep it that way. After she recorded them in the garage, she would play them back for the family and Arthur to hear their opinions. She was alone with the insturments in the small room, and she idly wondered how she was going to play them all. She didn't know how to play anything other than her twelve-string and acoustic guitar.
That's when she remembered Randy, Trevor, and Matt. Giggling at her stupidity to the easily answered question, she replaced her twelve-string on its stand and raced into the house to the phone. She quickly dialed Matt's number.
"Hello?" Matt picked up on the fourth ring.
"Hey, Matt, it's Destiny!"
His voice suddenly became more enthusiastic. "Des, wow, it's great to hear from you! What's been going on?"
She filled him in quickly, then brought up the question of needing players. "Look, Matt, I'm kind of in a jam.. could you bring Trevor and Randy up here? I'm trying to record a demo tape for my agent, and you know I can't play bass, keyboards, and drums."
"Funny how you can write chords for them, but don't know diddly otherwise," he laughed. "Yeah, you're in Tulsa, right? We'll hop on the next plane. I don't think they're doing anything. We'll be in tomorrow. What's your address?"
After they hung up, Destiny went to talk to Diana. "It's okay, isn't it?"
She nodded, smiling. "Of course. I hope they don't mind the basement, though.. and we'll have to have one of them sleep on the couch." She got an intense far away look on her face for a second. Then she sighed. "How about they just rent a hotel room? We'll pay," she added.
Destiny hugged Diana. "Thanks, that'd be great!"
The next day, Destiny opened the door to see Trevor's familiar face. He was six inches taller than she, but it hardly made a difference. He was carrying a suitcase in one hand, and his bass guitar in the other. He looked slightly weighted down.
Destiny quickly took his suitcase, knowing how precious his bass was. He rarely let anyone near it. Matt was making his way up the front walk, and behind him, Destiny could see Randy unloading one of his drums. She gave them each a huge grin, waving to Randy, who waved back.
After a lot of bustling and reorganizing, Destiny finally got them out to the garage with their insturments. She handed them sheet music and giggled. "Just like old times, ehh?" she joked.
Randy was glancing over his sheet. "Des, tell me about..." They talked about the music for the next twenty minutes, sorting out minor problems and confusing or conflicting parts.
Destiny swung the shoulder strap of her twelve-string over her shoulder. After switching on the microphone, she glanced back at her friends, who were ready and waiting. She started playing the chords to her song Precious Dream. After a few moments, Randy kicked in with a soft backbeat, enhancing her guitar. She hummed the first few bars as Matt started playing his keyboards with Trevor's bass. A moment later, she was singing full out, putting all of her heart into her singing.
The song was five minutes and seven seconds long, and afterwards, she launched right into Random, which was a confusing mixture of chords and rhythms, mixed in an interesting way. This song required a very focused attitude, and the four played through completely, already used to such spur-of-the-moment playing. Her other five songs, Inside Out, Rainbow Spectrum, Spark, Deep Into Your Memory, and Last Wish were completed just as easily, each one's different style being fed through the microphones and into the tape recorder.
Destiny hadn't used her voice so much since she had played at the restaurant, and at the end of recording, after she switched off the mike, she found it rather strained. When she tried to speak, she croaked instead, which the three boys found hilarious.
"It's Destiny, the singing frog!" joked Randy.
"Yeah yeah, shut up," Destiny mumbled, trying not to overuse her voice. She was majorly embarassed, and she couldn't believe her voice had gone out on her then. 'At least I finished taping,' she consoled herself.
She took the tape out of the recorder, and made her way into the house, Randy and the others following. "Matt," she muttered, "call the rest of them, would you?"
Matt smiled, then did so. "Hey, everyone, the tape's done!"
The sound of feet rushing from all corners of the house was quite evident. Destiny fingered the tape nervously, then handed it off to Arthur, who had stayed overnight, before she could change her mind. The whole group, which included every Hanson, followed him into the living room, where the tape player rested.
