CHAPTER 4: HOMECOMING

Chandler was at his house pacing back and forth. Rattler was with him. The police had called him letting him know that they had Thibault and he was safe and sound. Rattler was also on edge. It had been a couple of days since Thibault was first kidnapped and she wanted him back home. They heard a car pull up in the driveway. The driver side door opened and Tyrone stepped out. Then the passenger door opened and Thibault stepped out.

"Tee Wee!: cried Rattler.

"Thibault, my son!" wept Chandler. And both ran to see him. All were hugging each other.

"I never thought I'd see you again!" cried Thibault.

"I'm so sorry I didn't do more, babe!" wept Rattler.

"It's okay, Holly," assured Thibault. "I know you weren't at fault. It was Max and Max alone!"

Chandler walked over to Tyrone and shook his hand. "Thank you," he said, with tears in his eyes.

"It was my pleasure, sir," Tyrone responded. Chandlers mood went from joyful back to anger when he thought about Max.

"Where's that no-good brother of mine?!" he asked angrily.

"Where he belongs, at Sparkyville Police Department," said Tyrone. "We will make sure he doesn't get out." At that moment, the gang arrived at Thibault's house, led by Peppermint Patty.

"Welcome home, Thibault!" she said.

"We're glad you're safe!" added Marcie.

"We were ready to launch our own rescue mission," said Black Widow to Thibault. "Luckily we didn't have to bring out the big guns, so to speak."

"Are you doing okay, hun?" asked Frieda.

"I'm great now!" said a happy Thibault. Patty (Swanson), his ex-girlfriend, came up and hugged him.

"Thank goodness that uncle of yours didn't revert you back to how you were," she said.

"He tried, though," said Thibault. "Thankfully my aunt just so happened to be going the same way."

"You mean your aunt Martha?" asked Chandler.

"Yep. Turns out she was fleeing Sparkyville to get away from Max herself."

"Well we're all glad you're safe, Thibault," said Charlie Brown. "If it's okay with your father, we'd like to take you to Joe's to celebrate your homecoming."

"Go ahead, Thibault," said Chandler. "With Max locked away, you're safe."

"And even if he wasn't, we'd make him think twice!" said Peppermint Patty, punching her fist in her palm.

"You ever thought about becoming a Spider, girlie?" asked Widow. And everyone laughed as they all headed for Joe's to eat and celebrate.

While at Joe's, Thibault was enjoying himself. Plus he never left Rattler's side once. And she was sticking to him like glue, as far as she was concerned. Though one other Serpent Sister had other pressing issues to deal with. Mallory had made her presence known at Joe's. She was talking to Charlie Brown and Frieda about the capture of Max. And Cobra still needed to hash out her issues dealing with her making a pass at Dominick.

"So they finally got his uncle, huh?' said Mallory.

"They sure did, Mallory," said Frieda.

"Now there's going to be a huge court case about it," added Charlie Brown. Cobra walked up to the group.

"Hey folks," she greeted.

"Hey, Cobra," said Frieda.

"Can I talk to Mallory alone for a minute?" asked Cobra.

"No problem, Cobra," said Charlie Brown. "We need to find Linus and Eudora, anyway." And Charlie Brown and Frieda left, leaving the two rivals alone.

"So what's on your mind, Syl?" asked Mallory.

"Well, 'Mal'," Cobra began, "I'm going to make this short and sweet. Dominick's mine now. And if you even think about pulling another stunt like you did at his house knowing we're together, you better hope the Lord Almighty gets to you before I do! With that, have a wonderful day, darling." And Cobra walked away. Mallory smirked.

"So it's like that, huh?" she snarled to herself. "Game on, dearie!"

THE END

NEXT TIME, EPISODE 63: "THE TRIAL OF MAXWELL WATKINS"