Author's Notes: This fic mostly came about because I was playing with some of my Lisa Grabpics which you can find on the Grabpics page and had altered the colours on one of them to turn Lisa into Maggie. I had just finished watching the movie "Stand By Me" and thought about doing a parody of it with The Simpsons characters, where Maggie took the role of Chris Chambers who River Phoenix played in the movie. At first I was just going to blatantly rip it off and probably kill off Bart in the process, instead I made it Homer, and eventually it evolved into something that pretty much took nothing except for the opening and closing.
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The year is 1984; the Simpsons lived in a small town of Springfield in a small apartment with their son. His name was Bart, he was only two years old, and he shall we say, a little active. While Homer was at work, Marge spent her time caring for Bart and talking to fellow neighbours in her apartment block.
"Did you girls watch the last episode of M*A*S*H?" asked Marge while bouncing Bart on her knee.
"That Mike Farrell really boils my potato."
"I miss the Klinger already."
Just then Homer comes walking down the street singing, as Bart walks up to him,
"Homer." he says joyfully.
Homer laughs. "Homer is what grown ups call me, call me daddy."
But Bart replies as always with "Homer."
A two word argument breaks out between what Bart should call Homer, Homer says daddy, and Bart says Homer, they keep going on until Homer strangles Bart impulsively all because Bart calls him Domer.
Bart lives in bliss, acting like a two year old does, but Bart is also a delinquent. He climbs up onto the television, and jumps on Homer. Grabs Homer's wallet and throws it down the toilet, and swinging on clotheslines naked for hours.
One time when Bart throws Homer's wallet down the toilet, Marge comes in.
"Guess what Homie, there's going to be twice as much love as there is now" she says.
"We're gonna start doing it in the morning?" he responds.
"No."
"Oh"
"We're going to have another baby, hear that Bart? You're going to have a little brother or sister to play with."
Bart was all for the idea of a younger sibling, but it was all to change when Marge and Homer had to go to the hospital for a check up. The doctor was a black guy, and well groomed, he went by the name Dr. Hibbert. As he scanned Marge, he noticed something; there were two girls in her womb. And he knew that this is one of those things that can't be kept secret.
"Mrs. Simpson, I'm pleased to announce that you're carrying twins." said Dr. Hibbert.
"What?!" yelled Homer surprisingly.
"Are you sure doctor?" said Marge.
"Oh yes. I'm quite certain, and I can confirm that they are both healthy and you're going to have two girls."
"D'oh!" yelled Homer
"What Homer?" cried Marge?
"Nothing. It just means that we'll have to look for a bigger house."
The family reluctantly went house hunting a few months later when they had cleared up the rent issue with the landlord. Homer and Marge left Bart with Patty and Selma, Marge's sisters. The keep giving Bart dollar bills as a reward for his singing, Patty and Selma enjoy Bart's company, as they have no children of their own and neither have husbands only an iguana named Jub-Jub. Bart performs such nursery rhymes as "Itsy-Bitsy Spider" and "I'm a little teapot".
Homer and Marge searched local estate agents to show them around Springfield for properties that are for sale. The first few houses were pretty lame, one was infested with cats, another one was still a crime scene and one was a house boat! But eventually they found a house that was perfect on Evergreen Terrace, which was just across the street from the Springfield Park.
Homer already had imaginations on what he could do to the place in the way of a TV and couch, but Marge had other ideas for the bedrooms. Bart's room, the baby's rooms and theirs were all planned out by Marge and Homer had to worry about monetary problems.
Homer couldn't go to his boss for a raise as his boss was a withered old, monkey skeleton, with boney girl arms and smelled like an elephants butt. Well, at least according to Homer. So there was only one place he could turn to, to help support his growing family, with twins on the way he needed all the money he could get. He went to his father, since his mom ran away from the law in the late 60's, but Homer always thought she was dead.
"Dad, I have a problem" says Homer, but not trying to sound too needy.
"Why'd you come to me? I don't know nothin' I used to get by on my looks. But now they're gone, withered away like an old piece of fruit."
Grampa Simpson then breaks into tears as Homer intervenes.
"Dad, I don't need advice I need $15,000 to buy a home."
"Oh well, all I have is this house, which I built with my own two hands."
"You didn't build this house. You won it on a crocked 50s game show."
"I ratted on everybody and got off scot-free"
The pair high-five.
"Alright son, I'll sell this dump and write you a check."
"Dad, first you gave me life, now you've given me a home for my family. I'd be honoured if you came to live with us."
"Thank you."
The two embrace a hug.
Homer, Marge, Grampa and Bart move into their home, while un-packing, their new next door neighbour, comes to welcome them; he has a small boy, his son, on his shoulders. But they welcome them in song. This would be annoying.
"Buenos Dias Neighbouritos, the handles Flanders, but my friends call me Ned." Flanders says introducing himself.
"Hi, Flanders" responds Homer without enthusiasm.
Flanders places his son on the floor, and he hugs Bart.
"Who the hell are you?" asks Bart.
"My names Todd. Will you be my friend?" Todd hugs Bart, but he quickly pushes Todd off.
The Flanders's leave and let the Simpsons settle in. While Homer and Bart were talking to Flanders, Marge got the crib set up, and Bart clings to it. It is hard for a child to part with their crib. Homer and Marge try everything to get him to part with it, including reverse psychology, and pulling on his legs. Homer's patience is not a virtue when it came to the reverse physiology. Eventually Homer gave up and built Bart a bed.
A month later, Marge was rushed to hospital by Homer, with a police escort, with Flanders looking after Bart. Marge successfully gave birth to two healthy baby girls. Whom they agreed to call Lisa and Margaret, who they quickly gave the nick name Maggie. Homer knew that they would both go far, but the two were so identical, Homer couldn't tell the difference, to help; Dr. Hibbert gave Marge a blue ribbon to place in one of the girls' hair. Marge placed it in Maggie's hair.
When they got home, Bart was unaware that he had two baby sisters rather than just one, and when he met both he automatically disliked them both for ruining his happy family.
Over the next following months, Bart was playing pranks on his sisters; he was sending them through the mail and cutting their hair. As Lisa said her first word "Bart” within a month of her birth, all three connected really well for the next following years.
As the years rolled by Bart was getting popular in school with his skate board stunts in the halls, Lisa played the sax, and Maggie, well, she hung around with Lisa every now and then, and Bart other times. Maggie was like the child who was a bit of Bart and a bit of Lisa. She had the delinquency Bart has, but also the soul that Lisa has. Lisa and Maggie do obviously connect being twins. Bart and Maggie get on well as well. Bart has taught her lots of tricks on his skateboard. But Maggie is known as a show-off, she is able to combine her Bart-isms and her Lisa-isms at the same time, she can perform Bart's skateboards stunts and perform Lisa's sax solo's at the same time. In fact, it's when she's on the skateboard that Maggie is able to play the sax best. But rarely gets to use either as Bart and Lisa are always using them.
Ever since their birth Lisa and Maggie have always had the same hair style, dress in the same way, its hard for their teacher to tell the two apart. The only way is by Maggie's ribbon and the colour clothes they wear. Lisa wears an orange pointy-hemmed dress with white pearls and orange sandals; Maggie still has the blue ribbon and a blue dress pointy-hemmed dress with green pearls and blue shoes. Though being twins their colour tastes are very different.
There was to be an unpleasant event when the three got home. It turned out that while Homer was working at the nuclear power plant, he got a case of radiation poisoning and had to be hospitalized, and Marge went automatically with a lawsuit against the power plant. But money is needed to be able to pay for a lawyer. Marge her old job back which she had as a teenager, working in a Burger Bar. But the pay wasn't any good, and could only place food on the table for the four of them.
Lisa and Maggie were smart enough to get by the first few grades easily and skip ahead into the 3rd grade, just one behind Bart. So they needed to help Marge earn more money, and Bart well, he couldn't help out as he couldn't miss any school, but Lisa and Maggie could.
Lisa looked around Springfield for two decent jobs and the only ones available were cocktail waitress jobs. Lisa was reluctant, but Maggie insisted that money is money, and Lisa gave in to her sister and they both went in for the job.
During the interview, the interviewer, Mr. Swindler, didn't notice their age, as the bar was quite new, as long as they knew what they were doing, and they were fine with taking the job, Mr. Swindler didn't mind. He gave them the job and gave them a dress each to wear as uniform.
The dress was a black cocktail dress with a frilly base. They wore their pearls to help identify them easier and Maggie kept her ribbon on. Mr. Swindler asked the girls to make sure that they look grown up so that the club won't get into any problems with child labour.
So they both thought hard as to how they could look older, without actually being older, they decided together, with Bart's help that it should be lipstick and high heals. Their colour choices were obvious. Lisa went for red, and Maggie blue, it did make them both feel a little awkward, but they knew that they had to do it for the sake of the family.
In hospital, Homer was not in the best of conditions. Marge and Grampa regularly visited him, Bart popped in every now and then, but Lisa and Maggie because of their demanding work for Mr. Swindler prevented them from seeing him. It was a good thing too. Seeing a man lying in a bed with green skin isn't a pleasant sight.
One night at the club, Mr. Swindler came up to the Simpson sisters,
"Girls, we've got a little bit of a crisis, the band that we were going to have play tonight cancelled, we need someone to take their place.
" He said panicking.
"Well, we'd probably be able to take their place." Replied Maggie.
"Really?" Mr. Swinder replied with a little bit of relief.
"Yeah," answered Lisa, "but we'd need to get a couple of things."
"Thank you Lisa, Thank you Maggie, what do you need?"
"We'd need a ride home." said Maggie.
"I'd need my sax, and we'd need to pick up our brother, the three of us have been playing 'band' recently." Lisa said.
"Great, and what a better time! I'll drive you home right now."
"But what about the drinks and nuts?" asked Maggie.
"Don't worry about them. We've got more important things to worry about." responded Mr. Swindler.
Mr. Swindler, Lisa and Maggie quickly drove to their house on Evergreen Terrace; where Bart and Marge were in the living room watching TV. Lisa quickly explained the situation, Bart however wasn't all for the idea of him getting up there. But Mr. Swindler promised to give Bart two hundred dollars for his efforts and double Lisa and Maggie's pay for the current month. Knowing that every penny counted towards the lawyer for the lawsuit against the Nuclear Plant, Bart was for it then, two hundred dollars, and a further eight hundred, it all counted.
Bart and Lisa quickly ran upstairs grabbed the instruments they have been playing Band with, Lisa's sax and Bart's electric guitar they set off again to the club.
Up on stage, Lisa and Maggie were a little nervous as they have never sung in public before, only with Marge. However, Bart helped them calm their nerves, and when they were ready, the three started to sing some of their favourite songs. They included "Hey Child" by East 17, "Karma Chameleon" by Culture Club, "Starlight" by Superman Lovers and Bart and Lisa performed "If you ever" by East 17 featuring Gabrielle. Maggie also performed a new song which she had been writing, with the help of Homer shortly before the accident. It was called Baby on Board, it went something like this:
Baby on Board
How I'm adored
That sign on my car's window pane
Bounce in my step
Loaded with pep
Coz I'm driving in the carpool lane
Call me a square
Friend I don't care
That little yellow sign can't be ignored
I'm telling you its mighty nice
Each trip is a trip to paradise
With my baby on board
Since Maggie did her own song, Bart did a song he was writing too, he was going to save it for the schools recital, but he thought that this would be a great opportunity to practice and adjust it later.
The crowed in the club loved their singing, and Mr. Swindler was so happy, that he gave the kids a little extra money, bought Bart a drink and hung around with the boy.
With coaching from Mr. Largo, the music teacher at Springfield Elementary, Bart became a musician too, and he helped out at the club with his sisters. Mr. Swindler didn't pay Bart as much as he did Lisa and Maggie, but Bart enjoyed it none the less. Bart's school work didn't suffer too much as it wasn't that great anyway.
Homer was still in a coma from the radiation poisoning, and the doctors were still trying to find ways of finding antidotes. Marge and Dr. Hibbert were determined not to break up a happy family.
As Bart was learning more in school, Lisa and Maggie were earning for the "Save Dad fund" Marge had to earn to keep the food on the table. Dr. Hibbert was determined not to give up on Homer as much as Marge was.
Within the month, Homer's skin was returning to normal slowly and Dr. Hibbert knew that it was going to slow. He needed the antidote. Thankfully, two or so days later, Professor Frink came in with it, and gave it to Homer; it only took him two days to fully recover.
By now it was July. Lisa and Maggie have been working since February, and earned around $3,500 each and a further $2,500 from Bart.
The family didn't need much more money before they were able to pay for the lawyer. Which they earned in the next month, thanks to Bart's help when performing in the band and performing "Thunder" by East 17, they earned the $8,000 needed for the lawyer and sue Mr. Burns.
As court proceedings went on, the family again needed money; Mr. Burns refused to pay Homer during the trial. Therefore, the girls needed to continue working at the club.
Mr. Burns was facing a hard case, bribing the jury didn't work, and they were still with all the evidence against him, agreed that he should pay the Simpsons a cash settlement.
When the verdict came around, it is shown that Mr. Burns was guilty of placing radioactive donuts in the boxes therefore trying to kill slackers. Guess Homer was just one of the lucky ones. He was found guilty and had to pay The Simpsons $3,500,000 and a further $8,000 to compensate for the lawyer and also another $60,000 because of the amount of time Lisa and Maggie had to pull out of school for, a total of $3,568,000.
Lisa and Maggie, having done their part, could quit at the club anytime they wanted, Lisa, quit instantly, feeling happy that she done what she set out to do. But Maggie however didn't, and she dropped out of school completely.
Maggie's attitude begun to change drastically, she was spending more time in the club and she was spending lots of money of make up and her tastes in colour begun to change, becoming more like Lisa's. She even changed her hair style and removed the spikes to a more straight down look.
The family, even Bart tried to get her to stop and go back to school, but nothing worked. When eventually, Lisa had to speak with Mr. Swindler;
"Lisa!" he said in excitement, "Have you come back to take your old place?" he asked.
"Sorry, Mr. Swindler, but no. I've come here about Maggie" she said.
"Oh, well, your place is always open if you need it" he offered.
"Thanks." she said politely "But really I've come here to ask a favour from you."
"Oh. What sort of a favour?" He asked
"Have you noticed a change in my sister?"
"No, not really except her hair and her make-up"
"Hmmmm... must be something only the family can tell. Anyway, she's been spending more time here, and she's been spending a lot of money on the make up you mentioned. She's even dropped out of school."
"Oh my lord, I can't believe that, she has so much to live for."
"I know, but she won't listen to us. Could you do something for us?"
"I might, but it depends on what it is."
"Fire her."
"WHAT!?"
"It's the only way Mr. Swindler."
"Okay. I'll see what I can do. But I have a favour to ask you. Can you ask your brother and yourself to play tonight; I'll pay each of you $500."
"Sure. We've got emotion to give. And I know the song we've been writing."
Lisa went home, and spoke with Bart, who was all for the idea of playing in the club that night for one thousand dollars. They went over, and they also asked Homer and Marge to come.
They got up on stage and they sung a song called Anyone Else; the lyrics went like this;
LISA: Hey, what are you hiding?
Under that funny hair
I know the lights are on
But there's nobody there
I need a new life
I need a new next of kin
So I've got news for you
Brother, I'm trading you in
BOTH: For anyone else
In the world I'd rather have than you
Anyone else in the whole wide world would do
Somebody who'd be a friend in need
Somebody who would care about me
Anyone else in the whole wide world would do
BART: Hey, Little Miss perfect who made you the queen?
Who said it was cool to be so squeaky clean
Aw... man
I need a play-mate
Someone who knows how to have some fun
So I've got news for you
Sister your time has come
Your time has come
BOTH: Anyone else
In the world I'd rather have than you
Anyone else in the whole wide world would do
Somebody who's got a radical mind
Over the edge and way outta line.
Anyone else in the whole wide world would do
LISA: I'm gonna trade you in.
Hmmm... Yea.... I'm gonna trade you in
You know you're too much to take,
You're completely deranged
I'd sell you for a dime
And give nine cents change
BART: I wouldn't take any money
That's a losing bet
BART: I'd trade you in for anyone I could get
LISA: Anything I could get
BART: Anytime I could get it
LISA: Anywhere I could get it.
BOTH: Anyone else in the world I'd rather have than you
Anyone else in the whole wide world would do
BART: Somebody who'd be a friend in need
LISA: Somebody who would care about me
BOTH: Anyone else in the world I'd rather have than you
Anyone else in the whole wide world would do
BART: Somebody who'd be a friend in need
LISA: Somebody who would care about me
BOTH: Anyone else in the world I'd rather have than you
Anyone else in the whole wide world would do
The crowd's reaction was great as it always has been when Bart and Lisa perform. During the performance, Lisa noticed that Maggie was running out of the club crying, but couldn't stop the song halfway through, she managed to signal Marge who recognized it and chased after Maggie.
"Honey, what's wrong?" Marge asked.
"Mom," she said, sobbing, "Mr. Swindler just fired me."
"Hmmm... maybe it's for your own good." stated Marge
"What do you mean?" asked Maggie tearfully.
"Well, you have been spending a lot of time here, and you did drop out of school."
"But how will school help me? I have everything I need already"
"Honey, you don't know what you're going to be when you grow up; you knew that this job was only so that we could pay for the lawyer."
Homer comes out to see what's going on.
"Your mothers right honey, you have so much to live for, you could get an even better job in future, maybe a journalist, graphic designer or something" said Homer.
"Well, I guess you guys are right." said Maggie, cheering up.
"Now lets go inside and lets see your brother and sister perform." said Homer.
"Okay dad" replied Maggie.
Maggie approached Lisa and Bart and asked them to let her perform, with Lisa the next song, Sisters are doing it for themselves. They agreed. Bart started up the music and sat down the Homer and Marge. The songs went all through the night, and the kid's voices got sore. So Marge and Homer did a song, every summer with you. The family was given the promised $1,000 at the end of the night.
Years went by like pepperoni on Homer's pizzas. 10 years to be exact. Lisa and Maggie were about graduate from high-school and go their separate ways. Lisa to Yale and Maggie to work with Mr. Swindler again, but not as a waitress, but as assistant manager/performer. It seemed that everything would be fine. The three and a half million dollars from Mr. Burns was long gone, spent away on mansions and fast cars.
When tragically, Homer getting ready to go out, accidentally swallowed large amounts of petrol and died. Lisa had to cancel her course at Yale to save the family some money and work again at the club, but she didn't really want to do the waitress thing again when she was eight. But, instead she became the finance manager and performer, the pay was pretty decent, and it was able to support the three women fine.
At the funeral, it was a not good scene to watch, Marge couldn't stop herself from crying and Bart just couldn't speak, Lisa played a memorial song for Homer with Maggie's help, one which they had played back in the club when they were nine or so. After the service, they buried Homer, they knew that the kids had to get on with their lives, Bart was now a construction worker, he knew that Marge will need care, so he decided (he kept this to himself) that he would send Marge a small proportion of his wages to his mother. He felt it was the right thing to do.
Lisa and Maggie kept performing at the club and it become an obsession to them, their bond to each other became stronger than ever, though not seeing much of their brother, they lived in the same old mansion with Marge. But within a couple of days, it would all turn for the worse.
When the twins returned home from the club, they found Marge on the floor dead, with a pool of blood around her, there was a bullet hole in her chest, it was clear to them both that Marge had been murdered.
The twins go on a search to how the murderer is and it turns out to be BART! When they question him, he avoids their questions and the police are quickly called. They had thought that he would have been the last person who you would expect to kill his mom.
Bart is sentenced to 12 years for murder. Lisa and Maggie now have to live life to the fullest. Without their mom, their dad, and their older brother.
Lisa managed to get out of the club working for Mr. Swindler, managing her own club and bar called the Jazz Hole. She played there quite often herself, she made lots of friends while doing it.
Maggie decided to quit working at the club for Mr. Swindler also, and goes to university; she took a course in law, after seeing everything that's happened in her life with her dad and suing Mr. Burns.
Maggie got her way through it and worked for a local law firm. But she was a little concerned when one of the people she had to defend turned out to me "Marge Simpson".
Maggie pondered over this and she spoke with Lisa about it at the Jazz Hole.
"Um, is Lisa Simpson around?" Maggie said to the bartender.
"Why?" he said.
"I'm her twin sister, I've got to speak with her urgently" Maggie replied, trying not to sound too law-firm like.
"Phew. Well, Miss Simpson is in her office, its upstairs to the right"
"Thanks."
Maggie approached Lisa's office door. She knocks.
"Who is it?" Lisa shouted.
"Lis, its me." Maggie responded.
"Come on in Maggie" Lisa replied.
Maggie enters and has a brief look around Lisa's office.
"Sure got a good club here Lis." Maggie said.
"Thanks Maggie," Lisa replied, "But what brings you here?"
"Well, I've got to defend someone in a couple of weeks in a case"
"Yeah, so?"
"The person I'm defending is Marge Simpson"
"What? That's Mom's name. Are you sure?"
"Positive, I've even got the papers to prove it, though I shouldn't really show them to you, but take a look"
Maggie hands Lisa a bunch of papers.
"What do you think?" asked Maggie.
"It could be a trap. I suggest that you and 'Marge' meet before the trial and come here" replied Lisa
"Why here?" wondered Maggie.
"My staff will be able to defend you in case it is a trap to kill you or something"
"Good point Lisa. Thanks"
"My pleasure Maggie, ooh. I've got to go perform. Fancy staying for little while?"
"Gee, I'd love to, but I don't have any money on me."
"Not to worry. You're my sister; you can have drinks on me tonight."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course, oh and if you want to get up and sing with me, you're more than welcome, I still have the music sheets from ten years ago."
"Really? I'd love to play Sisters are doing for themselves with you again."
"Great. I'll give the music sheets to the band downstairs and let's get it on the road."
Lisa and Maggie head downstairs and get up on stage, the song starts and it's like old times, Lisa and Maggie on stage performing together. If only Bart was still around. But he still had three years on his sentence.
Maggie arranged a date to meet up with "Marge" at Lisa's club, at around noon, When "Marge" shows up, it really is Marge. Both Lisa and Maggie are un-sure on how to react.
"Mom?! Is that you?" asked Maggie in disbelief.
"Yes, honey, it's me" replied Marge.
"B- B- B- But we thought you died." said Lisa.
"No." said Marge.
"So where have you been for the past nine years?" asked Maggie.
"I've been in hiding."
"But why?"
"Ever since your father died, I've been in a lot of financial trouble; I didn't want to ask you girls for the money so Bart and I set up a ruse to fake my death."
"But mom, you knew that we'd be able to support you, we always have done." said Maggie.
"I don't want to keep counting on you girls for money. You've sacrificed so much for family, and I didn't want you to sacrifice anymore. But as I can see, you've both become very successful."
"But mom, this case, is it true?" asked Maggie.
"No. There's nothing to worry about. I'm not being sued or anything."
"That's a relief" said Lisa.
"But anyway, we have to get Bart out of jail"
"I totally forgot about him." said Maggie.
"Me too" said Lisa.
Marge, Lisa and Maggie filed to get Bart released from prison, but it wasn't going to successful. Lisa felt that Maggie will have to stand against the parole board. Maggie asked to speak with Bart, and it worked. Maggie was allowed to visit Bart.
"Maggie!" said Bart, "what are you doing here"
"We're trying to get you out of here"
"Really how?"
"Parole. I will be your lawyer."
"But you're no lawyer"
"Oh yeah, this piece of paper says different."
Maggie shows him her lawyer's degree.
"Okay, Maggie that's great. Thanks."
"No problem Bart. The thing is today. You will be called to the parole room, that's where me, Mom and Lisa will be waiting."
"Okay, Thanks Maggie."
Bart is forced away. Maggie made her way back to see Marge and Lisa. The three prepared for the case and when it came, Bart was more nervous than Maggie was. His freedom was in Maggie's hands.
The trial went well, and Bart is released on parole, Bart moves in Maggie, and Lisa gives him a bartending job at the Jazz Hole. Marge moved in with Lisa and helped out with the paper work. The family was re-united, with still the loss of Homer. But they got by without his mishaps.
THE END
