Chapter 1

"Cady, are you paying attention?" questioned her father.

"Of course I am," Cady lied bringing her attention back to the conversation at hand.

"You’ve been a bit spacy since you got home, are you feeling all right?"

"I’ve been having the weirdest dream," Cady shrugged. "I don’t ever remember what it is but I always know it’s the same dream, just like continued on."

"That is weird."

"Yah... So anyway, what were we talking about?"

-

"Cady Lynn, get up! It’s well past ten and it’s your turn clean the floors," a voice called from outside Cady’s room.

"‘m gettin up," Cady mumbled, making no attempt to move.

"Cady, I’m not kidding! Get up! The new neighbors are comin today and we’re havin them over for dinner," the voice called five minutes later.

"Cady Lynn, come on, girl, get up," a male voice said ten minutes later when Cady felt the bed shift.

"‘m up."

"Of course you are," chuckled the voice. "Come on, Bea’s about to come in here and you know she’ll have a heart attack if she sees how dirty you’ve let this room get."

"Who’s Bea?" Cady mumbled, rolling over.

"You don’t know who Beatrice is?"

"No," Cady answered removing the blankets from her face. "Ohmi--" she started to scream when she saw the person sitting next to her.

The man reacted quickly, covering her mouth with his hand. "Shh, don’t scream. If I remove my hand you have to promise not to scream. Do you promise?"

Cady nodded. "Why do I have a feeling I’m not dreaming when I know I must be if you’re sitting on my bed next to me?" she questioned when the hand was removed.

"Because you’re not, I mean you are, I think but you’re not," he answered.

"What?"

"Okay I don’t really know what’s going on but I can tell you what I do know. It’s 1964 and to everyone else you are Cady Lynn--"

"I’m already Cady Lynn," she cut him off.

"--and I’m James Basi-- Wait, you’re the girl from the signing who lived in Cady Lynn’s home," he cut himself off.

"Yes I am. And this is a very messed up dream I’m having," she replied. "A good one, since you’re in it, but still weird," she continued looking at the man, Lance Bass.

"That’s the thing, you aren’t dreaming," he said.

"Excuse me? I know very well that I went to sleep in 2002."

"You did," he agreed. "So did I, but for the last week I’ve been waking up here when I know I should be asleep."

"How is that possible?"

"I don’t know. All I know is, a week ago I woke up in this house with Cady Lynn and the Strokes all around me."

"Do you awake in 2002 as well?" Cady questioned.

Lance nodded. "My life has continued on as normal in 2002."

"This is too weird."

"It is," Lance agreed. "I wasn’t sure if anyone else would ‘wake up’ here or if it would just be me."

"So it’s just you and me?" Cady questioned.

"For now at least," Lance nodded. "You’ve got it easy though, you know your way around."

"The house. I have no clue what this town was like in 1964," Cady replied.

"The others will know at least."

"That’s true," Cady nodded.

"James, did you get her up yet?" asked a woman, who Cady recognized as Cady Andrew’s older sister/backup singer Beatrice, coming into the room.

"Yes I did," Lance nodded, gesturing to Cady who was now sitting up. "And I was just leavin so that she could get changed."

"Good, thank you," Beatrice said. "Child, if you don’t clean this room I’m gonna beat you."

"I-- I’ll clean it," Cady replied.

"And the floors," Beatrice reminded her.

"And the floors," Cady repeated.

"I’ll help you clean in here, if you want," Lance said when Beatrice was gone.

"You don’t have to," Cady shook her head. "It’s just clothes and making the bed."

"Okay.. Well I better get out of here before Beatrice comes back," Lance said getting off the bed.

"Okay," Cady nodded climbing off the bed as well. "Wait, do you remember all of this when you wake up in 2002?"

"Yes but it’s foggy like a dream, ya know?" Lance answered. "I’ll explain to you everything I can later when the others aren’t around."

"Thank you," Cady replied.

"Cady, please set the dining room table," Beatrice said coming up behind her when she stepped out of the bathroom. "And how many times have I asked you not to walk from the bathroom to your room in just a towel? There are men livin here and people already talk about us."

"I’m sorry, okay? I forgot to grab any panties," Cady replied. "I will set the table when I am finished getting dressed."

"Thank you," Beatrice answered. "Please do me a favor and buy a robe?"

"I’ll look into it," Cady replied going into her bedroom.

"Hurry up, Jeremy, Jordan, Jerrid, Connor, and Thad should be back any minute," Beatrice said. "They’ll all need to take showers before dinner."

"I’m hurrying," Cady called digging through the closet. "Cady Lynn had some really great clothes," she said to herself looking at the clothes in front of her.

"Who is it?" she questioned when there was a knock at the door a few minutes later.

"Jordan."

"Come in," Cady answered.

"You left these in the bathroom, kiddo," said the man who entered her room, holding a pile of clothing. Jordan Chase, Cady thought to herself.

"Sorry about that," she replied taking the clothing from him.

"Don’t worry about it, just don’t let Bea see you leavin your stuff in there where we could all see it," he grinned, rolling his eyes. "She’s hell bent on making you into a lady."

"It’s a loosing battle," Cady answered.

"I’m inclined to believe you, but that won’t stop her from tryin."

"Jordan, go take your shower," Beatrice hollered from the hallway. "The Adams’ will be here in and hour and none of you are ready!!"

"Sorry, Bea," Jordan said, exiting the room.

"Finish gettin ready and go set the table," Beatrice said looking sternly at her sister.

"I am," Cady replied, disappearing into her closet again. "Who are the Adams again?"

"Mr. Adams is the new counselor at the high school and Mrs. Adams I believe is going to work at the town library. They’ve got three boys who are eight, seven, and five," Beatrice answered.

"Right, thank you," Cady said.

"You all right?" Lance questioned while he helped Cady set the table.

"My family is coming for dinner," Cady answered. "The Adams are my grandparents, my father, and his brothers."

"Are you serious?!"

Cady nodded. "I’m gonna fuck this up!!"

"Cady Lynn Andrews, watch your language!" Beatrice exclaimed.

"Sorry," Cady replied, taking a plate from Lance.

"Why are you helping her set the table, James?" Beatrice questioned.

Lance shrugged. "Figured it help make things go faster."

"Go sit in the living room with the others," Beatrice said. "I’ll help her finish."

"I can do it alone," Cady insisted, not wanting to be alone with Beatrice.

"I’ll help," Beatrice replied. "You and James are sure spending a lot of time together," she commented when Lance was gone.

"No more than usual," Cady answered.

"I think it’s great," Beatrice stated. "James Basinger comes from a good family and he’s a good man."

"He is, but we’re just friends," Cady replied, remembering James and Cady didn’t start dating until 1966.

"Sure you are for now, but things will change as you get older. Look at Jerrid and me."

Cady nodded, biting her tongue to keep from commenting on the fact that Jerrid Thompsen was living in Independence with his lover of almost twenty years.

"He’s also much closer to your age than Thad."

Cady was interested in Thad? she thought to herself. Good taste.

"I’m speaking to you," Beatrice said bringing Cady’s attention back to her.

"I’m listening," Cady lied.

"Now you know I think the world of Thad but Mama’d have a heart attack if she heard anything were happen between you."

"Nothing’s going to happen."

"Good," Beatrice said as the doorbell rang. "Go check the chicken, while I get the door."

"Yes, Ma’am," Cady said exiting the dining room.

Cady used the time to prepare herself to see her family. When she entered the living room her grandmother, father, and uncles were seated on one of the sofas while her grandfather sat in a chair near the end of the sofa her grandmother was sitting at.

"This is my sister, Cady Lynn," Beatrice introduced. "Cady, this is Mr. and Mrs. Adams and their sons, Edward, Matt, and Geoff."

"Nice to meet you all," Cady said shaking hands with George and Nicole.

"You too," Nicole smiled.

"How are you holding up?" Lance questioned coming into Cady’s room after the Adams had left.

"Surprisingly well, actually, considering I’m apparently in my hometown twenty years before I was born and just spent the evening with my grandparents, my father, and his brothers, as a person who died ten years before I was born," Cady answered, laying on the bed.

"This is so weird," Lance said.

"It’s bizarre."

"How much do you really know about Cady Lynn and the they all spent here before 1965?"

"I don’t know a whole lot of the everyday stuff, just what my father and grandparents have said over the years, but Cady and everyone pretty much kept to themselves," she answered. "How about you?"

"I’ve just heard some of the rumors like Thad and Jordan were together and that Jordan and Jerrid got together occasionally, but I really don’t know much."

"Jordan and Jerrid never got together," Cady shook her head.

"How do you know?"

"I just do," Cady shrugged. "He really loved Beatrice."

"Even still--"

Cady shook her head again. "I’ve met Jerrid Thompsen. He’s not the kind of person to do something like that."

"You’ve met him?"

"I’ve met them all-- Cady and Beatrice excluded of course."

"I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that you’ve met them," Lance said. "You not only live in their hometown but their house as well."

"You’ve never met them?"

"Briefly once, but I’ve never sat down and talked with any of them."

"They came to the house last year after the reunion show," Cady explained. "Jerrid comes by occasionally to see how we’re coming a long with the house."

"Well that’s neat."

"I think so," Cady said. "He’s a nice guys, a little sad looking at times when I see him around town, but he always brightens up when he comes over."

There was a knock at the door before Lance had a chance to answer.

"Yes?" Cady questioned, opening the door to see Thad.

"Cady, hey, you runnin behind tonight?" he questioned. "Bea went to bed over an hour ago and Jordan and I have been-- oh, hey, James."

"Hello," Lance nodded. "I will see you tomorrow, Cady. Good night."

"Goodnight," Cady said when he excused himself. "Running late?" she questioned when it was just her and Thad.

"Never mind. I see why. We’ll be in my room if you wanna come after James has had a chance to get to sleep."

"Um.. okay," Cady agreed.

An hour later Cady walked down to Tony’s room, not quite sure why she was going down there. She knocked softly, as not to wake Beatrice.

"You made it," Thad greeted when he opened the door.

"Yah," Cady nodded.

"We’ll have to keep it down, Connor and Jeremy should be returning soon.

"Okay..," she replied following him into the room to find Jordan sitting on Tony’s bed.

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