The characters are not mine. The story is.

I don't know what possessed me to write this, as it is quite angsty, but once an idea seizes a writer...

I hope you enjoy it.

Neptune's Ocean

Macbeth: "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?"

Chapter 1

"Finally!" Alvin crowed, holding up a white plastic card in his hand. "Freedom!"

"Really, Alvin, " Simon glanced behind them at Theodore, then back to Alvin with a disapproving look on his face. "Don't you think you are being just bit dramatic?"
"Dramatic? Are you kidding? This is only the greatest thing to happen to me since we started high school!"

Simon sighed. "Alvin, have a care for Theodore. We didn't all pass, you know."

Regret instantly filled Alvin's face, and he turned around and fell back to trail behind with Theodore. His younger brother looked despondent. "I'm sorry, Theodore. Its just that I am so excited."

"Its all right, Alvin." Theodore looked at the ground in front him and then at the red failure slip he held in his hand. "Its just that I can't believe I've been the only one of us to fail my driving exam."

"Lots of people fail the first time. You'll get it next time."

"I guess so." Theodore sighed. "So much for my date with Eleanor tonight. Dave was going to let me use the car, and he's busy. So we don't have a ride."

"Hey, remember this?" Alvin flourished the driver's license he held in his hand. "I'll drive you."

"Really?" Theodore's eyes lit up. "You don't mind?"

"I'm not doing anything tonight." Alvin shrugged. "So, no, I don't mind. Where are you taking Eleanor?"
Theodore blushed. "Well, it's our first official date, so I wanted to do something romantic. Not just dinner and a movie. So I'm planning a picnic and...and I wrote her a song." If possible, his blush deepened. "Not much of one, I'm afraid, but I hope she'll like it."

Alvin laughed. "It's about time you guys 'officially' dated. Everybody knew ages ago that the two of you should get together."

Alvin didn't think that Theodore could get any redder. "Well, we just wanted to be careful," Theodore said, "so that we wouldn't mess up our friendship. We didn't want it to end up like you – I mean, uh, that-"

"Its alright, Theodore. You can say it." Alvin said, a dark look spreading across his face. "Like me and Brittany, right?"

"You guys will make up." Theodore tried to assure him. "You always do."

"We'll see," Alvin shook his head to clear it. "But I am not going to think about that right now. I'm more interested in what you're making for the picnic."

"Well, lasagna, Mexican pizza, garlic bread, manicotti, taco dip, chop suey, vegetarian tofu salad mold-"

"Whoa, whoa," Simon held up a hand. "I heard at least four entrées in there and I think three ethnicities. You're bringing all that? And just what is vegetarian tofu salad mold? It sounds disgusting."

"It is." Theodore shuddered. "But Eleanor thinks that because we're dating now she has to worry about her figure. It drives me nuts. I want her to stay exactly the way she is, and I hope its just a phase, but until then – I make vegetarian tofu salad mold."

"Then why everything else?"

"They are all her favorite foods. I'm hoping it'll tempt her out of this diet mode."

"With you and Eleanor, every food is one of your favorite foods." Alvin chuckled at the thought of Eleanor on a diet. She was a little plump, as was his brother, but neither one of them really needed to lose weight – health wise. But girls got things into their heads sometimes. Brittany was always –no. Not thinking about Brittany.

"I guess so." Theodore agreed. "Alvin, would you mind taking me to the grocery store, too? I need to pick up a few things."

"Sure, no problem." Alvin agreed, trying once again to put Brittany out of his mind.

"I'm staying home, though." Simon told them as they approached their house. "I promised Jeannette I'd call her and tell her how the test went. The Chippettes have theirs next week, you know, and we have a wager on who will score the highest on their written."

"But you aced it."

"I know." Simon grinned. "That's why I can't wait to call her."

Alvin eyed the cherry red Miata in their driveway as they walked Simon as far as the front walk. "Okay, then." He had just bought it two weeks ago with money from their latest tour. He finally would be able to drive it! It had taken some fast-talking on his part for Dave to agree on the purchase before he even got his license, but Alvin was used to getting his way and Dave gave in to the inevitable. Now, he could officially drive it.

Life was sweet. "Let's go!"

OooooOooooO

Alvin opted to wait outside while Theodore went to retrieve the few items he needed to round out his picnic. He flipped through the radio stations idly as he was waiting. Stopping on one as he heard his own voice, he grinned.

"Hey, I sound good." Alvin said out loud to nobody. Then he felt his smile fade as he heard Brittany's voice begin to harmonize with his. Oh, no, he had forgotten that this had been their duet.

"That was Alvin and the Chipmunks newest smash hit, Together Forever." The radio announcer said. "It was co-written with the members of Brittany and the Chippettes – but it sounds like Together Forever may have been released prematurely. Rumor has it that the two lead singers, Alvin and Brittany, have had an on-again off-again romance that is the constant angst-of-the-moment for thousands of teens. Well, kids, rumor is that they're both available – the two split shortly after their last tour. Brittany Miller-"

Alvin spun the dial on the radio so hard to 'off' that it spun off in his had. "Oh, great." He said sarcastically – again to nobody – as he looked at the little knob of plastic in his hand. "She's not even here and she's ruining my life."

Suddenly he caught sight of a young chipmunk teenager getting onto the back of a motorcycle, hair swinging familiarly. She kissed the cheek of another Chipmunk that was clad in a black leather jacket and who placed a hot-pink helmet over the girl's head. Maybe it was just because he had been thinking about her, but the girl looked like...Brittany.

It was her! Alvin got a good look at her face as the motorcycle roared past him, Brittany not even glancing in his direction.

Alvin revved the engine, all thoughts of why he was waiting here fleeing his mind as he peeled out of the parking lot after the two chipmunks on the motorcycle.

Just what did Brittany think she was doing with that creep?

And who was he, anyways?"

OooooOooooO

"Alvin? Alvin!" Theodore watched in astonishment as saw his brother's car tear out of the supermarket parking lot with a vengeance. Where on earth did he think he was going?

He put his groceries on the ground carefully and stared off into the direction that Alvin had disappeared into, and sighed. Alvin would come back. He knew how much Theodore had been looking forward to tonight. His brother wouldn't let him down.

Forty-five minutes later he had come to a different conclusion. Typical Alvin. Thinking about only himself, as usual. Theodore picked up his groceries roughly. He was going to have to walk home – he didn't want to be late to pick up Eleanor.

Maybe Simon would give him a ride.

His anger grew with every step he took. Alvin knew how important this night was to him...why on Earth would he have just left him there? He was so selfish!

Theodore knew he was working himself up, but it was hard not to, even if it was out of character for him to get so angry. Mentally he tried to figure out how in the world he was going to finish his cooking, shower, and finish getting everything ready in – he juggled the groceries a bit to look at his watch – two hours!

He was so surprised that he dropped the entire bag of groceries onto the concrete of the road below him. "Oh, no!" He cried in despair, seeing his apples rolling off across the pavement. He rushed to gather them up, oblivious to his surroundings in his rush to save what was left of his date with Eleanor.

Theodore was going to kill Alvin for this. His brother was one dead chipmunk. Eleanor's picnic was ruined because of his selfish, egotistical, self-centered, dead brother. Just because he didn't have a girlfriend didn't mean-

A car horn screamed at him as he stood with the last apple in hand, lights blinding him and freezing him in his tracks. Oh, no, was all he had time to think before the car struck, hurling him through the air.

Then blackness.

OooooOooooO

"Who is he?" Alvin muttered under his breath as he crouched behind a bush, watching Brittany and this new chipmunk through slitted eyes. They were talking to each other softly, every so often their conversation being punctuated by Brittany's charming little laugh. He had to get closer – he had to hear what they were saying. He had been following them now for just about an hour, maybe a little more, but this had been the best chance yet to get close enough to actually hear much.

He creeped along the side of the Chippettes' house to stand closer to the porch, where Brittany and this new boy looked for all the world as if they were about to share a goodnight kiss.

"Oh no, you don't!" Alvin whispered under his breath angrily, his hands balling into fists.

"I'm sorry I have to leave so early." The strange chipmunk said, stroking Brittany's cheek lightly. "But I have to work – I promised my dad."

"That's okay." Alvin gritted his teeth as Brittany smiled her winning smile, the one she usually reserved for him. Oh, no. That was his smile! "I had a wonderful time tonight, Gavin."

They bent towards each other, and Alvin growled almost imperceptibly. He had to stop her! This...Gavin, was it? Gavin wasn't fit to kiss her feet, much less her adorable lips! He had to-

Brrrrrrrinngggg.

He had to answer his cell phone.

"Is someone there?" He heard Brittany ask as he fumbled for his phone. She poked her head out over the railing and fury filled her face when she saw him. "Alvin! What are you doing here?"

"I, uh, I'm –" He stammered.

"You were spying on me!" Brittany accused, her hands planted on her hips and her eyes flashing. "How dare you?"
"I, um, well ..." He held up his cell phone. "I have to take this call."

"Who is it, Brittany?" Alvin heard Gavin say as he flipped open the phone. He didn't recognize the number.

"Hello?"

"Don't you dare talk at that while I'm speaking with you!" Brittany demanded.

"Shh!" Alvin said. Simon was on the line, crying so hard that for a minute Alvin couldn't understand him. "Something's wrong."

Brittany glared at him, but complied.

"Calm down, Simon. I can't understand you."

It took Simon a few moments to do so. "Theodore was hit by a car, Alvin." He finally managed, and suddenly Alvin felt a stone the size of the Titanic sink in his chest. "They don't know if he's going to make it."

"What?!" Alvin couldn't believe his ears.

"They already have him in surgery, Alvin. From what I've been hearing, you better hurry. I don't think..." Simon's voice broke again. "I don't think he's going to be with us much longer."

Alvin let the phone slip through his fingers. Theodore! He had forgotten all about him in his jealous chase after Brittany. Oh, god.

What had he done?

End of Chapter 1

Reviews greatly appreciated!