A Moment To Remember

2 weeks passed after the Alistair siblings' discharge from the psych ward. They went back to Big Sur — the place that had always felt like home, even when the world around them didn't. The salty breeze, the rhythmic crash of waves, and the endless horizon welcomed them like an old friend.

Victoria stretched her arms wide as they reached the shore. "God, I missed this place."

Madison grinned, already kicking off her shoes. "Last one to the water buys dinner!" she shouted, sprinting towards the waves.

Davis rolled his eyes but couldn't hide a smirk. "You're on," he muttered, chasing after her.

Rebecca sat on a blanket, pulling out a bottle of wine. "I'll let them run around like idiots. I'm here to relax," she said, pouring herself a glass.

Sadie sat beside her, pulling her knees to her chest. "It's been a while since I've felt... calm," she whispered.

Corina, sketchbook in hand, nodded. "Same. This place... it's like breathing again."

As the sun began to set, they gathered around a crackling bonfire. Davis strummed his guitar softly, humming a familiar tune. Victoria started singing along, her voice soft but filled with emotion. Madison giggled as she roasted marshmallows, while Rebecca teased her for burning them. Sadie leaned back, eyes closed, simply taking it all in. Corina sketched the scene, capturing the fleeting serenity.

"Remember when we did this every year?" Madison said softly.

"Yeah," Davis replied, his voice low. "Before... everything."

"But we're still here," Corina added. "And that counts for something."

Victoria raised her marshmallow like a toast. "To us. Flawed, fucked up, but still standing."

"To us," they all echoed, their voices blending into the night.

For a moment, the weight of the world didn't matter. For a moment, they were just siblings, laughing, singing, and healing.

It was a moment to remember.

As the fire crackled and the stars shimmered above them, a quiet hush settled over the Alistair siblings. The warmth of the flames and the comfort of each other's presence brought back a memory long buried beneath fame, pain, and years of survival.

"I miss Mom," Sadie whispered, almost too softly to be heard.

Victoria, staring into the fire, nodded. "Me too."

Madison smiled faintly, hugging her knees. "Remember how she used to read us fairy tales every night before bed?"

Rebecca chuckled softly. "She always did the voices. Especially the evil queens and wicked witches."

"She made them sound so... real," Corina added, her voice wistful. "No matter how tired she was, she never skipped a night."

Davis strummed a gentle melody on his guitar, his voice barely above a murmur. "Once upon a time..."

Madison laughed through a lump in her throat. "She always started that way."

"'There were six brave souls,'" Victoria continued, mimicking Penelope's soothing tone, "'each with a heart full of dreams and a spirit that could never be broken.'"

Rebecca smiled, remembering the way Penelope's voice would wrap around them like a blanket. "She believed in us even when we didn't believe in ourselves."

"'No matter how dark the night,'" Sadie whispered, finishing the line their mother always said, "'the morning light will always find you.'"

Tears glistened in their eyes, but for once, they weren't from pain — they were from love. From memories that refused to fade.

Corina glanced at her sketchbook and quietly drew a figure of Penelope, sitting in an old rocking chair, surrounded by six small children with wide, adoring eyes.

"She'd want us to keep going," Davis said softly. "No matter how hard it gets."

"And to keep dreaming," Madison added.

Victoria raised her marshmallow again, her voice steady but full of emotion. "To Mom."

"To Mom," they all echoed, their voices trembling but united.

As the night deepened, the Alistair siblings sat together, sharing stories, laughter, and quiet tears. In the stillness of Big Sur, they found a piece of themselves again — and the strength to keep moving forward.

For a moment, it felt like Penelope was right there with them, whispering one last bedtime story.

Flashback: January 2006 – Penelope's Bedtime Story for the Alistair Siblings

In the large family room of the Alistair mansion, winter snow blanketed the expansive yard outside. A grand fireplace crackled, spreading warmth throughout the room. The Alistair children sat in a circle on the thick carpet, each wrapped in their own blanket. Penelope Alistair, with a gentle smile and flowing blonde hair, sat in a rocking chair with a storybook on her lap.

"All right, children," Penelope said softly, "today, Mama will tell you a story about a princess and a secret kingdom."

Victoria, the eldest and most outspoken, beamed with excitement. "Does the princess have red hair like me?"

Penelope chuckled softly. "Of course, darling."

Rebecca sat quietly, hugging a star-shaped pillow. "And is she good at leading?"

"Absolutely. This princess is intelligent and wise."

Madison, her legs swinging in purple pajamas, asked, "Does she have pretty dresses?"

Penelope nodded. "She has a sparkling purple gown like stars in the night sky."

Davis, who preferred action over fairy tales, frowned. "Are there dragons?"

"Oh, there are indeed," Penelope replied. "But this dragon isn't what you'd expect. He's not an enemy, but a loyal friend."

Sadie, the shy one, sat near her mother's feet, clutching a stuffed rabbit. "What about an evil witch?"

"The witch is the shadow within ourselves," Penelope said gently. "The fear and doubt that can take over our hearts."

Corina, who was three at that time, sat on Penelope's lap, her wide eyes full of curiosity. "Mama, I want to be a princess too!"

Penelope kissed the top of Corina's head. "You are Mama's little princess."

She began to read a story about a princess who discovered her strength with the help of her family and friends. Her soothing voice made the children feel safe, despite the winter wind howling outside.

When the story ended, Victoria raised her hand. "Mama, did the princess live happily ever after?"

Penelope paused, looking at each of her children. "Happily ever after doesn't mean never facing hardships. The princess was happy because she always had her family's love."

Rebecca smiled softly. "Like us?"

Penelope nodded, her eyes glistening. "Yes, sweetheart. Like us."

She stood from the rocking chair, adjusting the blanket around Corina in her lap. She gazed at her five other children, who were beginning to yawn and rub their eyes.

"All right, time for bed, children," she said gently.

"In our own rooms?" Davis asked sleepily, his voice hoarse.

Penelope shook her head with a smile. "Not tonight. Tonight, you'll all sleep together on the big mattress in the family room. Let's spend this night together."

Victoria's eyes sparkled. "Like in the movies?"

"Like in the movies," Penelope replied with a soft laugh.

She pulled out a large mattress from the living room and spread a thick blanket over it. The children eagerly climbed on, scrambling for a spot in the center. Corina sat beside Rebecca, hugging her beloved teddy bear.

"Rebecca, can I sleep with you?" Corina whispered.

Rebecca smiled and embraced her youngest sister. "Of course, sweetheart."

Once all the children were settled, Penelope took one more large blanket and covered them all. "Now you're like warm little cocoons."

Madison giggled. "Will we turn into butterflies?"

"Yes," Penelope said. "You'll all grow into beautiful, strong butterflies."

She kissed Victoria's forehead first. "Goodnight, my spirited princess."

Then Rebecca. "Goodnight, my brilliant little leader."

Next was Madison. "Goodnight, my cheerful little star."

Davis scrunched his nose as Penelope kissed his cheek. "Mama, I'm not a baby."

Penelope chuckled and ruffled Davis's small mohawk. "But you'll always be Mama's hero."

She leaned down to Sadie, who clutched her stuffed rabbit tightly. "Goodnight, my loving little doctor."

Finally, she kissed Corina, who was already drifting off in Rebecca's arms. "Goodnight, my artistic little princess full of light."

Penelope sat at the edge of the mattress and sang their favorite lullaby, one they had known since they were babies.

"Hush now, my darlings, don't you cry,

The moon is watching from the sky…

Close your eyes, let dreams take flight,

Mama's here, through every night."

One by one, their little eyes closed. Their breathing grew calm and steady. Penelope watched them, her eyes glistening with tears, realizing how blessed she was to have these six children.

"Goodnight, my loves," she whispered softly before giving each one a final kiss.

And that night, under the soft glow of the fireplace, the six Alistair siblings slept peacefully, wrapped in the love of a mother who would always be their guiding light, even after she was gone.

Big Sur, Present Day – The Alistair Siblings' Night Together

In a cozy cabin overlooking the cliffs of Big Sur, the soft sound of waves crashing against the shore echoed through the night. The fire in the stone fireplace crackled gently, casting a warm glow across the room. On a large makeshift bed made of pushed-together mattresses and layers of blankets, the six Alistair siblings lay side by side, just like they had as children.

Victoria, in her red lingerie, stretched out with a dramatic sigh. "It's been years since we've done this. I feel like I'm sixteen again."

Madison chuckled, adjusting her purple headband. "Except now we're all award-winners, magazine covers, CEOs, and—" she glanced at Davis with a grin, "—rockstars."

Davis, the only brother in the mix, groaned. "Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up. This is already awkward enough without me being the lone guy here."

Rebecca smirked, resting her head on a green satin pillow. "Oh, come on. You've survived worse. Remember the time Madison forced you to be our 'practice model' when she started fashion school?"

"Don't remind me," Davis muttered, covering his face with a blanket while Madison burst into laughter.

Sadie, her glasses perched on the tip of her nose, smiled softly. "Still, this month has been... chaos but incredible. All of us achieving something we never thought possible, and we survived near-death experiences as well."

Corina, nestled between Rebecca and Sadie, nodded, her dark curls fanned out on the pillow. "Mom would've been so proud of us."

The room fell into a contemplative silence.

Victoria whispered, "I wish she could see us now."

Unbeknownst to them, the gentle shimmer of light in the corner of the room flickered softly. The ethereal form of Penelope Alistair stood silently, her serene smile full of pride and love. Her eyes, reflecting the glow of the fire, watched over her children—the children she had loved fiercely in life and now in eternity.

She moved closer, her presence unseen but deeply felt. One by one, she gazed at each of them: Victoria, bold and passionate; Rebecca, determined and wise; Madison, vibrant and creative; Davis, strong yet tender; Sadie, brilliant and kind; and Corina, artistic and fearless.

As they drifted off to sleep, Penelope whispered words only their hearts could hear, her voice as soothing as it had been all those years ago:

"My darlings, you've grown into everything I dreamed you would be. I am always with you—through every triumph, every challenge, every moment. My love for you is endless."

A tear rolled down Penelope's cheek, but it was a tear of joy. She reached out, brushing an invisible hand over their foreheads, a mother's kiss from beyond the veil.

As the first light of dawn touched the horizon, Penelope's spirit faded into the morning mist, leaving behind only warmth and the faintest echo of her lullaby in the sea breeze.

The Alistair siblings slept soundly, unaware that their mother's love had, once again, embraced them through the night.