Medication Needed

Summary: What if Sidney had been home when Roman Bridger came knocking on their front door? What if she had fought for the brother she had never known?

Chapter One

Roman Bridger was exceptionally nervous. His hand shook the paper he held. He stared down at the piece of paper then back to the house. He had followed the directions correctly; now all he had to do was walk up to the door and knock. He swallowed and took a deep breathe. He stepped up onto the curb of the Prescott home and began to walk toward the door. His hand was shaking as he raised it to knock.

Sidney Prescott was standing in the hallway when a knock sounded at her door. She smiled, thinking it was Billy Loomis, her boyfriend of a startling eleven months, or Tatum, her best friend since childhood.

"I'll get it!" She sang as she darted for the door. Maureen Prescott, who had been watching the man from her bedroom window, rushed toward her bedroom door. She didn't know who the man was, but she did know that it couldn't be a good thing. Her mother's intuition told her that. Well, mother's intuition and the fact that he resembled her. The bed sheets trapped her feet in one large mass of white. She stumbled.

"Hello?" Roman questioned. The girl that had answered looked no older than sixteen, three years his junior. "I'm here to see Maureen?" The young girl tilted her head.

"What's your business with her?" Sidney asked as she had been told to do many times before by her father. 'Don't just let a stranger into our home!' He had scolded repeatedly. Sidney studied the man closely. Then, like cold water running over her frame, Sidney realized that he resembled her mother like she resembled her mother. She studied him harder. He held no trace of her father's DNA. Roman could see the young girl rapidly paling as she slowly studied him. He stretched his hand out to touch her shoulder. Concern for her brought a small frown to his lips. "What's your business with her?" Sidney repeated. Her voice wasn't as cheery or strong as before. It was weak and pleading as if begging for him to lie. Roman swallowed.

"She's my mother…" Roman could do nothing but watch as the young girl's face turned even whiter. "I know it's a lot to take in, but I'm telling the truth." Roman hurried, fearing that the door was about to slam on him. He watched as the girl took in a deep breath and released it.

"I see that," Sidney drawled. Anger was replacing shock. Roman could see the fire ignite in her eyes. "Please, come in." She opened the door wider for him. Roman entered warily. He would never admit it, but now he was worried for himself. An eerie calm had fell over the girl's face before she let him in. Her anger was still there. It was obvious by the set of her jaw. "Mother," Sidney said. Roman turned to see Maureen standing at the stair well. He knew it was her because of the picture he had studied many times. Except this Maureen wasn't smiling, she was panicking.

Maureen had never heard Sidney called her "mother" before. It was either "mom" or "momma." Her voice was hard and cold. Maureen's dark brown eyes darted to the man that was standing just behind Sidney. Her panic turned to anger.

"Who are you? What are you doing in my house?" Maureen demanded. Roman opened his mouth to speak, but Sidney cut him off.

"He's your son, mother. Don't you remember? He came to see you," Sidney stated bluntly. Her arms crossed over her chest as she spoke. She tilted her head and waited for her mom's comeback. She knew now and felt so stupid! All the rumors going around town were true! Her mother was cheating on her father and she had done so many, many times!

Roman felt a shiver go down his spine at the mocking, deathly calm tone the girl, Sidney, had taken. It reminded him of the calm before a storm. If Maureen made one wrong move or said one wrong word, Roman was sure that the cap Sidney was keeping on her anger would fully snap. Roman looked away from the fuming girl back to his mother.

"He's lying!" Maureen hissed. Roman's heart fell. He closed his eyes. She was rejecting him. "Get out!" Her voice cracked. Roman turned to leave. He didn't notice the young girl gathering up her coat and purse until Maureen spoke again. "Sidney! Sidney, where are you going?!" Roman stopped at the hand that touched his wrist.

"If he's leaving, then so am I. You have a choice to make, Maureen," Sidney said. "You can either have both of us and we are a family or you can't have either of us." Roman's mouth fell open in shock. It seemed that Maureen was just as shocked as he was.

Sidney grabbed the unknown man's hand and began to pull him toward the door. Despite the calm outside, her heart was beating a broken waltz. Her mother had been cheating on her father. Her mother had been lying all these years to both her father and her. Her mother had been ready to kick her first child out of the house. It could have easily been Sidney she was throwing out. If the roles were reversed, it would be Sidney in this man's shoes. That alone was the reason she refused to let her mother do this to him. He clearly couldn't do anything about her mother's choice, so Sidney would.

Maureen watched numbly as the door to the house slammed shut. She sank down against the stairs. Her daughter had just walked out the door with some unknown man claiming to be her son. Maureen knew it was possible; after all, she had given him up to the adoption agency. Now, Maureen decided, her life was falling apart. She would have to tell her husband about the affairs or she would lose her daughter. Neil was an understanding man, but he would not understand why a man would suddenly be staying with them. He wouldn't understand when Sidney didn't come home. Tears fell from Maureen Prescott's brown eyes.

Roman followed Sidney still in shock. Sidney had long since released his hand. Now, he simply followed her because she knew the town of Woodsboro better than he did. His mind was still having problems wrapping around the fact that this young girl had walked out of her home because her mother refused to accept him.

"Um, hey," Roman called as they walked, "why are you doing this?" Sidney didn't have to ask what.

"Because you could easily have been me, if that makes any sense," Sidney turned on him. Roman's eyes widened. He stepped back. "I mean, if the roles were reversed and I was you, I would want someone to fight for me." Roman blinked. "So, I'm fighting for you. I'm not going to let her abandon you again." Roman surprised her by hugging her suddenly. Sidney stood still in his arms. Shock held her in her place. He quickly let her go and looked away from her. He rubbed the back of his neck.

"Sorry, but…um…thank you. For fighting for me, I mean," Roman mumbled. Sidney smiled. Roman was momentarily surprised by the beauty of it. He returned her smile.

"So, what's your name?" Sidney asked as they started walking again. This time he walked alongside her.

"I'm Ramon Bridger," he informed.

"It's nice to meet you, Ramon," Sidney said. At Ramon's chuckle, she let out a laugh.

"So formal after…" He motioned back toward the house. They fell into laughter easily. The whole thing was slightly absurd. A nineteen year old man was being fought for by a sixteen year old girl. Their laughter had cooled slightly by the time they had reached a house with "Loomis" tacked to the mailbox.

(a/n: Let's take a small poll: a) Maureen rejects them both and sets off the same events as Scream but with Sidney and Roman as the masterminds behind it or b) she accepts them both resulting in a more gentle version of Scream?)