Chapter 3

Tophyr bit the tip of her pen as she stared out the window. Her thoughts reigned supreme over her as she neglected her dissertation. Something about that young man was familiar. She couldn't place it and that was bugging, had been since she had seen him at Eclipse.

She had gone back to class with her papers graded. That had only happened because she had stayed up late Saturday and Sunday nights. She had missed Mass Sunday morning because she had slept late on accident. Her mom had crawled all over her. There wasn't anything that could be said except sorry.

She sighed and dropped the pen to her desk. There was nothing she was going to get done tonight. She might as well accept it. She went back to class tomorrow.

Pulling her hair out of the loose ponytail she'd had it in all afternoon, she mussed it and crawled into bed. As she closed her eyes, the familiar sea green eyes came to mind. Then she pictured the face and body that went with those eyes. Something about the way he had looked at her made her cringe at being examined but at the same time, she wanted to look more closely at him, to find out what he was about.

Finally her mind gave her a reprieve and she was able to go to sleep.

~~~~~~~~

"So I was thinking we'd go to see that new James Cameron flick tonight." Percy said as he and Penelope were walking from the cafeteria to her next class. After the night at the club and the way he stood up for his sister, Penelope really saw what every other girl saw; a handsome guy with a heart for his family.

She thought for a minute just to make him squirm. "Sounds fun," she finally said as he looked about ready to jump for his life. Percy's smile was very addicting and she couldn't help but smile back. When she returned her attention to where she was walking she saw a familiar face. "There's Tophyr."

Percy looked in the direction she was pointing and smiled. "Hey, Toph! Need some help?"

Tophyr looked caught off guard as she carted two boxes across campus. They were no doubt part of the research she had found in the law department about libel and slander.

She smiled and was about to answer when someone grabbed a box in her hands. She jerked her head up to look at the person helping her. Those sea green eyes were back once again, this time helping instead of mocking or sizing.

Percy was by her side instantly, and miraculously, so was Alex. Both her brothers looked imposing as they stood on either side of her.

"You okay, Toph?" Alex asked.

"Yeah. I didn't know you were on campus today. I thought it was your day off since you didn't have classes on Tuesday," she said to distract herself.

"I had to talk to Dr. Cartwright about my paper I wrote the other day for his English class." His attention was suddenly drawn to the other guy. It never really left but he was talking to his sister so it must have for a moment. "I thought I told you to stay away from her."

"As I recall, you told that to my friends. You made no mention of it to me whatsoever," sea eyes said. He jostled the box around and held out a hand. "Derek Stark, sophomore in physics."

"Alex Hurst, junior in journalism," Alex responded coldly.

"Percy Hurst, freshman in automotive mechanics and jet propulsion. I don't like you," Percy stated.

Tophyr swung her gaze to her twin. "Percy, that was rude!"

"And so was the way his friends treated you at Eclipse. I get a freebie."

"And you are?"

She looked back at him. Apparently Penelope had already told her name, rank, and major. She was the last on to do so. As she looked the young man up and down, she got the feeling he wanted more than her name and occupation. She jostled her box and extended the newly freed hand.

"Tophyr Hurst, graduate student in journalism with a dual major in journalism and philosophy," she said.

He looked surprised as he held her hand a little longer. "You've already graduated? You can't be more than twenty-one."

"We're twenty-two, thank you," Percy huffed.

Derek seemed stunned. "There're three of you?"

"Actually, there are six of us. We have another brother and two older sisters," Alex said. "If you're quite done interrogating us, we'll be helping our sister to her next class." Without further ado he jerked the box from his hand and led his sister around him.

Derek watched as Percy made a face at him as he took Penelope's hand and

followed his siblings. There was something about the three of them that was downright bewitching. He watched them disappear into the crowd of students that had just gotten out of their classes then turned to head to his own.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Toph, you in there?"

The door opened as Percy gently pushed it. He saw his sister sitting at her desk with her ankles crossed. She was no doubt working on her thesis paper for her masters. This was the time she usually did it before she began grading papers.

Not wanting to disrupt her too much, he walked in quietly and looked around for a moment. Their shared room was pleasantly large for a penthouse bedroom. Then again there had been eight of them in a four bedroom penthouse. He remembered all the days Britani and Lily argued over who wore whose outfits. Alain and Alex were more comfortable with each other.

Percy and Tophyr had been another story. When Alain had gone off to college, it gave Alex his own room. The twins were ten and their parents thought it would be a good idea for Percy to move into the room with Alex, who was twelve. Percy had thrown a fit because he didn't want to leave his sister. He claimed she needed him. So he had remained in the same room, even after Tophyr had graduated high school at sixteen (in the same class as Alex, no less). By then, both Britani and Lily, who were 22 and 20 respectively, were out of the house and in college, Britani being engaged by then. Ever since then they had shared a room.

"Perce? What's wrong?" Tophyr's voice registered in his mind at that point.

Percy shook his head and looked at her. She was watching him closely and slightly warily. He held up both mugs of hot chocolate and waggled his eyebrows.

"I come in peace and bearing gifts." She laughed as he moved into the room and flopped out on her bed. She joined him seconds later, rubbing her eyes from staring at the computer. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just trying to work this whole thing out." She took the mug he offered and tipped it in satisfaction after taking a sip. "Thanks. I needed that."

"I would have brought coffee but you only drink soy and we didn't have any soy milk."

"How'd you make this?"

"I bought it." He smiled cheekily as she laughed. "Anyway, something's going on.

What is it?"

Tophyr frowned at him. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb with me, missy. We're twins and have that freaky twin thing going on. I know something's wrong. What is it?" His face brightened at a thought. "Is it a boy?"

She looked at him with a look that was short of disgust and full of laughter. "You sounded like a fourteen year old girl there, Perce. Watch out or someone might think you're gay."

He waved a hand. "No one's gonna think I'm gay. I'm too masculine for it. Not to mention I have a girlfriend."

"Good cover up."

"Yeah, good… Hey! I know what you're trying to do. You're trying to turn the tables on me. Well, I'm not going to let that happen. Tell me what's wrong."

"Percy."

"It's either me or Mama. She'll be ten times worse than I am."

Both shuttered at the thought of their mother prying into her youngest daughter's affairs. Last time she had done that, Britani had to make it all better because Tophyr refused to listen to her mother. It wasn't that she didn't love her mother. She did, but it was just Lucille Hurst had a way about her that made it seem that she was always trying to set her daughters up. And she was. All the time. It wasn't as bad as it had been with Britani and Lily. Those two had been the worst. She had relaxed when it came down to Tophyr and that was only because her brothers and her father threatened to castrate anyone who so much as put their hands on her.

"Toph, you zoned out again," Percy said softly. He was used to it by now and waited patiently.

"There's something about Derek Stark," she replied just as softly.

Percy took a minute to think. If he took this the wrong way, she would never speak to him for a good while. And he knew it too. Last time he had said something that had hurt her feelings she hadn't spoken to him for three days.

"What do you feel?" he asked.

"I don't know. It's just….there's something there. I don't know what it is but I can feel it."

"And the two of us acting as bodyguards isn't helping at all, is it?" She didn't say no but she didn't meet his eyes either. He got the hint. "I'll tell Alex to back off."

"And Alain and Matthew and Jason and Everett."

Percy laughed. "All right. I'll tell all the men in this family to leave you alone for the time being. I say it will be three week grace period then they'll be back at their normal thing." He watched her for a moment. She only ever got totally still when he was deep in thought. "What is it?"

She looked up at him. "I don't know, Percy. He's rich."

"So are we."

"But we don't flaunt our money as much as he does. They have limos that take them around. We take taxis and ride the subway. Mom and Dad give half their money to charities anyway. The only reason we live in a penthouse is because Grandpa Fred bought it for them when they were just starting out. We don't wear flashy clothes or shop at Saks and Bergdorf's. We're normal people."

"Except you."

She frowned. "What?"

"You're not the normal person, Toph. You're a genius who graduated from high school at 16 and earned two bachelor's degrees in two different fields in four years. Now you're going back for your master's. You're different, Toph, but you don't want people to treat you like you're a freak because you're really smart."

"How do you know me so well?"

Percy smiled. "I'm your brother. No, I'm your twin. I know a lot about you and I'll know more than the guys you decide to marry. I won't ever leave, Toph."

Tophyr leaned over and hugged her brother, careful of the mug in his hand. "I know. Thanks."

"No problem. Now I suggest you wrap up that portion of your paper and start grading the students' papers. I know how much you like to stay ahead of the curve."

She smiled at him. "Thanks, Percy. I really enjoy our evening talks."

"I figured you did. I'll let you get back. Don't wait up for me, though. I'll be in when I get in." He shut the door quietly behind him.

Tophyr sat back down at her desk and stared out the window. Talking to Percy really had helped. Hopefully he gets her two brothers and then her brothers-in-law to ease up on their protection. They would if it was at her behest but it wouldn't last long.