Schoolhouse Rock is the next "short" from my Snapshots series, little glimpses from each book, mostly focusing on taking Trixie and Jim from number 1 to number 39, and then beyond. Some of these things actually occur in the book; some of them are only in my imagination. J This short comes from #7, Trixie Belden and The Mysterious Code and possibly gives some insight (of mine) as to how a little incident in The Black Jacket Mystery occurred, and a "relationship" began. Actually, for Brian-Honey fans, this will be not much more than a tease. For Trixie-Jim fans – yeah, we’ve got some "shipper" stuff here. J

Trixie Belden belongs to Random House Inc. and no profit is being made from this. It is intended as a tribute only. I have no idea who owns the television program Schoolhouse Rock, or the songs associated with it, but they know who they are, and trust me – I have nothing but the utmost respect for any TV program that I can remember 20 or more years after I stop watching it. Schoolhouse Rock begins just as The Mysterious Code ends. Enjoy!

Schoolhouse Rock

by Heather(Trix15)

It had been a long day and the Bob-Whites were ready to retire for the evening. Jim headed up the hill to the Manor House, taking one last glance and wave at Trixie as he headed out the door. Mart tromped up to his room, happy with the day’s activities but exhausted. Honey and Diana had gotten permission to spend the night with Trixie and now the girls went upstairs to shut themselves in Trixie’s room to gab for as long as they could remain awake. But Brian was strangely unable to gather any enthusiasm for sleep.

"Are you okay, son?" Peter Belden looked quizzically at him?

"Sure, Dad," Brian smiled, running his fingers through his wavy dark hair. "Just still a little wound up by today I guess. I think I’ll go sit on the porch and wind down a bit."

"Okay. Your mother and I are going up to bed. We’ll see you in the morning." Peter and Helen had come down stairs after putting Bobby to bed, to hear the results from the show. He clapped a hand on Brian’s shoulder and squeezed gently before following Helen back up the stairs.

Brian gave a short, soft sigh and exited the house to sit on the glider on the porch. From upstairs, he could hear the soft laughter coming from Trixie’s bedroom. He looked up, smiling as he finally allowed his mind to wander to where it had been for these last few weeks.

He had watched the growing interactions between Trixie and Jim develop into more interactions certainly, but also, more private communication. Little glances when they thought no one was looking, little touches that perhaps they didn’t even know were happening – they all left Brian feeling a little bereft – and agitated at the same time. His agitation however wasn’t of a negative nature. It was that feeling deep inside of restlessness that could only be put to rest by taking a huge leap – a leap of faith. Only it was one that he was sure exactly how to take – of if it would be wise to even do so. For it was Trixie’s honey haired friend lying somewhere just above him, who had him in such a state of restlessness.

Thinking about her now drew his thoughts to wondering how Jim had decided to take steps to becoming closer to Trixie. Wow, he thought. It was easy for him. He gave her a diamond ring just a short time after meeting her. Brian almost laughed out loud at the thought. No, seriously, he continued in his mind. Maybe he doesn’t even know what he’s doing. Wait – it’s Trixie, of course he doesn’t know what he’s doing. Brian had the utmost affection for his sister but sometimes…. Well never mind. I suppose if I had to see her with someone, Jim would be it. He’s probably the only man out there who can tame her. I can’t believe I’m thinking about them being "with" each other. Not that it matters. I’m thinking about wanting to be "with" Honey. But maybe it just comes naturally to him. I doubt if he even realizes people see all the things that go on between those two.

Brian laid his head back on the arm that was behind his head and closed his eyes, remembering some of the past few weeks.

All of the events of the last few weeks had began with Mart rushing into the cafeteria and telling them that Trixie had called an emergency meeting of the Bob-whites. "She’s been crying," he noted to them with an odd look on his face as he rushed back out. Brian quickly removed his apron and followed Jim out, catching his muttered words as he did so. "If anyone’s hurt her, I’ll…" Brian’s sense of protection kicked in mightily and he realized that the person he was thinking about protecting was Honey. He had just managed to wipe the slightly confused look off his face before they reached the table.

It wasn’t long before he found himself in close quarters with her at her very house, having those same sort of feelings. Mart had just commented that a kid had probably done the key with the stick figure code on it. Brian had been trying to concentrate on the sword that he was holding, but he couldn’t help catching the teasing grin and arm jostle that Jim gave Trixie as she stuck the key into her pocket anyway, with a determined look on her face. Jim probably knew that look as well as I did. It meant, "I’m going to find out what this code means with or without anyone’s help." He had immediately got the discussion focused on the swords in hope of waylaying her one-track mind, but on the back burner of his mind was imprinted the gentle teasing that had taken place. He remembered thinking how he had wished it had been he and Honey jostling one another.

Later that very week, he and Jim had been exercising Jupiter and Starlight, and discussing the Antique Show.

"We should get some good profits for the admission price, and even more from what people buy," Jim said.

"Sure. And those two rings will bring quite a lot as well."

"Oh, I don’t know," Jim replied, not looking at Brian. "I was thinking about giving them to Trix. She already has a diamond one. And her birthstone is the emerald and mine is the ruby so…" his voice drifted off as Brian reigned in Starlight and raised his eyebrows at Jim, his mouth forming a small O.

"Bri – I’m joking with ya man."

"Oh. Okay, for a moment there…"

"You’re too serious," Jim smiled. "We’ll sell the rings." Brian knew that Jim never meant for Brian to hear his next words, but hear them he did. "There’s plenty of time for more rings later."

And when the Bob-whites were finally able to work again without worrying their heads off over Bobby’s illness, he remember what had occurred in the clubhouse the night the Hakaito brothers had come about the swords. Such a small thing, Brian thought to himself. And yet so significant that another person’s pain can affect you.

"He probably means Trixie," Jim had said with a smile. "If we have a boss, she’s it." But Brian noticed that Jim’s smiled had faded into a private wince and a self-deprecating roll of his eyes as he realized that Trixie had a saddened, shamed look on her face.

Jim was right, Brian thought. Trixie would be our "boss" if we had one. But he was upset because he knew that his words had hurt her. Brian didn’t think he had every done or said anything to hurt Honey, but it was an eye-opener for him to be careful not to in the future.

It was the day of the blizzard however, that had really opened Brian’s eyes to what was starting between his sister and his best friend. And to what could be happening between he and his sister’s best friend. Just before they started out, Brian secretly was watching Jim watch Trixie. Even Brian had to admit that his sister was getting less like a little brother and more like a younger sister. She wasn’t and might never be beautiful in a model like way, but her features were natural and pretty. Kinship aside, with her spirit of adventure, outdoorsy nature, and generosity of character, he could see what Jim liked. He however, would take hazel eyes and flowing honey hair any day. What? Where had that thought come from? He asked himself as he watched Jim wink at Trixie after promising Mrs. Belden that they would attempt to curb her enthusiasm for adventures outside of finding Reddy. He watched Jim’s eyes light up at the sight of a rosy cheeked breathless Trixie heading out into the snow. Brian sighed, trying to dismiss Honey from his head, and concentrate on the task at hand.

Sitting on the glider, Brian switched arms underneath is head. The giggling from above had quieted down to a few whispers now and then. He began to miss Honey’s clear high pitched laugh, just as he realized how much he had missed it during that night. Were he ever caught in another blizzard again, he selfishly hoped he’d be lucky enough to have her along, even if only for the small comforts. His sharp eyes caught the way Trixie had held onto Jim as she helped Jim tie he rope around his waist to go out into the storm to find wood. Nor had he failed to notice how she had held her breath as she doubled and tied the rope around his waist the second time, and nervously twisted his watch around her wrist until he had finished his task. Later, he almost choked from trying to control his laughter. As Trixie had served Jim his birdseed porridge, Brian noticed that she doled it out very gently for him and managed to make sure that he had enough melted snow to drink as well. My domestic little sister, he remembered thinking. It was amazing what one could glean from one night in a schoolhouse.

His mind dug back to a rather distant memory of watching the children’s program "Schoolhouse Rock" when he was Bobby’s age. Conjunction, junction, what’s your function? He sang in his mind. Conjunction, he thought. A conjunction is a joining together, or a union. There was something to be said for having a brother who made it a point to read bits of Webster’s dictionary aloud each night before bed. I guess it’s sort of official, he thought, even if they don’t know it yet. They’re joined together. They’re an item. Or as much of an item as two young teenagers can be. When is it my turn?

His eyes closed now, and he drew his feet up on the glider, willing it to slow down and stop on it’s own. There was now no sound from upstairs. Up on the hill, the lights in Jim’s room blinked out. He wondered if Jim was thinking of Trixie like he was thinking of Honey. He’s the lucky one up there on the hill. Maybe I should have gone home with Jim tonight. Honey’s so close, and yet so far away down here, Brian mused. At least up there we both would have been in the same boat.

Brian wished he’d had the courage to send Honey an orchid as Jim had sent Trixie. He wished he’d have sent her an orchid, a carnation, a blade of grass, anything to give her some signal that he was… well… interested. Yes. That was the situation. He was interested in Honey. At the dance, he was happy to dance with Trixie, and Diana and a few girls from school, but he always came back to Honey. And he realized that whenever he saw her dancing with anyone but Mart or Jim, he anxiously was awaiting for the dance to end so he could go to her side again for one more dance. Eagle-eyed Trixie had even noticed this at one point during her dance with Brian. Honey had been dancing with Tad.

"Brian?" she had asked. "Hello? Brian, over here," Trixie giggled.

"Sorry Trix. My mind is somewhere else," he’d replied.

"I noticed. But hey, how many times do we get to be with each other not at odds?"

He had smirked at her, his mind going back to what she had done for him in November and their conversation afterwards. "What are brothers for, Trix?"

She had merely rolled her eyes at him as the dance ended and he quickly grabbed Honey’s hand as Tad reached for Trixie’s. Brian and Honey had danced for the next long while over in a corner. Brian hadn’t wanted to admit to himself that he was being possessive, but he knew deep down that he was. As they slowly moved on the living room floor, he noticed that Trixie and Jim with plates of food had sat down on the loveseat in front of the window. They appeared to be off in their own little world. The moonlight streamed in the window behind them and Trixie laid her head back on the back of the couch. Brian didn’t know for sure, but he suspected that one of her small hands was tucked into one of Jim’s in between themselves. He gave a soft smile, his thoughts turning back to the girl he was dancing with. Well, this is a start, he thought.

He had begun to think that his inclination to be near Honey had not gone unnoticed. As Jim had moved near to Trixie to smell the hamburgers she was mixing, Brian had stopped in front of Honey who was chopping marshmallows. Honey had looked up at him, her eyes questioning, and handed him a marshmallow, thinking that’s what he wanted. He covered it by taking it from her and turning around just in time to see Trixie tap her raw hamburger covered finger on Jim’s inquiring nose. Brian had hid a grin and continued outside for the firewood.

So little, he mused. And yet I think it means so much. Of course, at age 13 and 15, maybe that’s all it can be. But maybe it’s enough. It certainly seems like it.

The glider had stopped now and Brian’s eyes were having difficulty keeping open. As he debated moving inside to his bed, he looked up at the Manor House one last time to where his best friend slept. His eyes wandered to Honey’s room and then back down his own driveway with a smile. She won’t be up there when you awaken Brian. She’ll be here. Brian stood up slowly and trying to make as little noise as possible, moved back inside the house. He felt Reddy’s cold nose at his hand as he began the climb up the stairs. Reddy turned off at Bobby’s room to sleep with his little boy. Brian brushed his teeth and fell into bed.

Just last night through the rearview mirror he had watched Trixie huddle with Jim in the backseat of his jalopy. Jim’s concerned arm was around her back and his other hand holding hers. He knew that Jim would feel guilt about not realized that Trixie was in danger sooner than he did. He understood. He knew that he would be wracked with guilt if it had happened to Honey. But remembering the two of them today and how they had seemed to fall right back in sync with one another today gave him hope.

Come on Brian. If Jim can do it, you can. Courage, he told himself. And he vowed that someday soon, he would do something about these tickling feelings he was having for Honey. He’d form his conjunction. He sighed softly as he slowly fell asleep. He just wasn’t sure what, or when.