Author's Commentary: I'm just polishing this up. I looked it over and thought, by set you can hardly read it! Aahaha. So if you're getting alerts, that's all it is. Thanks for still reading this.

Disclaimer: This story is not mine. The characters aren't mine, nor is their universe. I make no money from this work of fiction, I'm just having fun. P.S. If you've never read: The Face on the Milk Carton, you're missing out. Go get it!

...

Day One.

I'm dreaming. I know I am, because I can see this white film over everything I'm looking at. It's of me walking in a mall; everyone there is looking past me, as though they don't wanna see me. There's a woman beside me. but I can't see her face just her hand; and she's holding mine.

"Stop squirming, honey; the man has to see if your new shoes will fit. Don't you wanna look good for the Christmas party at school?" She said to me and I just looked up at her.

She remained faceless as I stared at this head with no features, but hair and ears and familiar skin tone.

'Who is this woman?' I wonder mindlessly; looking around I can see her grab my foot but I pulled it away.

"Stop it Jefferson," she said to me, smacking my leg and she tried again to grab at my foot to shove it into a dress-shoe that was waaay too small.

"Stop it, lady. I can't fit that." I heard myself saying to her but she doesn't seem to hear me.

"Johnathan get off of there." She called to another boy; who was standing on top of one of the benches.

He was a younger boy, who looked about 8 years old. He had dirty blond hair and tanish skin; he reminded me of myself when I about his age. I used to jump on everything and anything just to get a rise out of Dad- I'll bet a lot that this kid is trying to a get a rise from his mom. Haha.

"Come on honey," I heard a voice beside me and I turned and looked to her. "wanna get some ice cream?" She asked me; I nodded taking her hand. The two of us walked into the halls of the mall and were gone.

"Colt?" I heard someone saying. "Hey Colt wake up." The voice said again but this time I recognized it.

"Rocky?" I asked before my eyes opened and I heard him saying.

"Who else would it be? Now come on, get up, we're leaving."

"Where are we going?" I asked sitting up holding my head tiredly. Then I looked at the calender noticing the day that was circled. "Right, we're going home for Christmas." I answered my own question; sliding out from the covers of my dorm-room bed. "Is all the hot water gone?" I asked walking into the bathroom.

Rocky just tossed me a yeah right look. He kept his water luke-cold where I turn it to as hot as my skin can stand it.

Adjusting the knobs to the temperature I like, I walked over to the basket and began to strip my clothes off, thinking attentively about my dream last night. Why would I dream about something like that? Usually my dreams made sense- because usually my dreams were about girls and what I'd like to do with them- but this one was about me being some lady's kid.

I stood blankly for a moment longer then shook it off, it's no big deal it's just a dream anyways. Climbing into the shower, I let the water run over my face as I massaged the water into my skin; it's weird, because the entire time I showered, it felt as though someone were watching me. Though, I know for sure that I'm alone...

...

After my shower I got dressed quickly to get out of the bathroom; I heard two voices on the other side of the door. One of course was Rocky's but the other took a moment to recognize.

"All right, Samuel; besides, I have nowhere else to go this winter- just as long as your brother doesn't mind?"

A female voice was saying. Opening the door, I confirmed my suspicion seeing Neilissa there with him.

"Speak of this devil, heh heh." I said as I left the bathroom, going straight to my bed, grabbing my suitcase to fill it up.

"Don't bother I already packed for you." Rocky said heading out the door.

"Oh," I replied. "Thanks. So what were you two out here talking about?"

I had to ask; Neilissa took off her glasses, and smiled at me. "Well Jeffrey, Samuel thought it might be a good idea if I went with the two of you and spent Christmas at your house- if that's okay with you?" She asked.

"It's better than okay, sure." I answered. "A-are you packed I'll carry your bags."

"I am, but I can manage."

I smiled an 'okay', then went out the door after Rocky. This was gonna be a great trip now; and who knows, maybe Lissa and me can spend some time to get to know our not-officially-in school-selves better. Hey, I might be a student, but if she weren't so smart she would be too so rights to date her are open out of schooling hours.

"Come on you guys!" Rocky called honking the horn.

"And he's supposed to be the patient one," I was saying as we made our way through the parking lot. "you should hear how many times he's rushed us along when we were younger."

She laughed at the image of my brother dictating like a tyrant for things to get done. Placing her bags into the trunk, neatly so they wouldn't take up an once of space; I just tossed mine inside and climbed into the backseat.

...

"Oohhhhh," I sang at the top of my lungs. "jingle bells, batman smells, robin laid an eeegg."

"Colt," Rocky started to say, but I went on.

"The bat mobile lost a wheel, and the joker got away! He-hey!"

"Colt! Be quiet!" Rocky shouted at me; I narrowed my eyes at him with a mischievous smile, and replied.

"Okay, Rocky."

"Thank you." He said mildly now and continued driving in silence.

'Lissa had a knowing thin smile on her lips, as if she knew what I were going to do next. And with out further adue I began to hum. "Hmm hmm hmmm...Hmm hmm hmmm."

And my hum soon turned into a lightly sung. "Hot crossed buns,"

I saw Neilissa snap a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing.

"hot crossed buns," Rocky glanced at me from the side of his eye now, so with a shrug, I stopped.

'Lissa's looked away to keep from laughing at my antics; and I pressed on waiting to hear Rocky shout at me again. There was nothing like bugging the driver- believe me- I used to do it to dad a lot. Come to think of it, so had Tum tum, and the fun-prude Rocky.

"They're so delicious, they're so delicious." This time he turned his head to look at me, and there was a scowl on his lips this time; again, I shrugged.

"Colt, stop it. We're almost home; and the roads are getting kind of foggy, so unless you wanna find yourself in an accident I suggest you shut the-..."

Bang! We heard what sounded a lot like the tire popping and, low-and-behold, we were slowing down.

"Shoot." Rocky muttered. Turning the car towards a gas station that, luckily, was close to by.

"Is it the tire?" 'Lissa asked.

Nodding, Rocky leaned halfway out of his window to see if it were on his side.

"Can you change it?" She then asked.

"I just need a few minutes."

"Great, I'm gonna get us some snacks from the station, you wanna come, 'Lissa?" I asked her, already out of the car.

Looking at Rocky for a second, as though she didn't wanna leave him companionless, she eventually caved and climbed out of the car.

I heard Rocky's door close as we walked the distance to the store; he walked around to the back of his car opening the trunk. We'll be out of here in no time, he's got his face set on 'do it quickly, but efficiantly.'

Sometimes I think Rocky works waaay too hard; he has too much pent up stress that- frankly- I think he needs to learn to release, lest there be an explosion. That happens to calm people at least once in their lives, but me I take everything in stride.

"How y'all doin'?" A woman with a southern accent asked us when we walked through the push/pull opening door.

"Great." I replied while I walked to the back, feeling the clerk eyeball me under her curly brown bangs that were too far in her face for the style she'd pulled her hair up in. "What are you getting?" I asked 'Lissa.

She looked over the selection of snacks, furrowing her brows. "Don't they have anything healthier than this?" She muttered to herself.

Women. Always going for what's healthy. I gave her a 'there there' smile before walking around and getting a few things for myself like: Devil Dogs, Circus Peanuts, Cheetos, and a few sodas. Y'know, the bare essentials.

Neilissa picked up a few individually wrapped muffins, then walked to freezer area grabbing two Brisk iced tea's; one, I assumed, was for Rocky. I joined her at the counter, reaching for a candy bar, that she'd put back while giving me a stern look in the process.

Oh man. She even tells you when not to have too many snacks. How can I flirt with, and try to get with a highclass woman?

"Thank you." The clerk behind the counter said, handing 'Lissa her change.

"Thank you." She replied, while taking my wrist, walking us out of the gas station.

"Hey Rock', you ready!" I called to him before we reached the car.

"Yeah," Rocky announced, then added. "could you go back inside and get me a carton of milk though?"

"Sure." I replied. Handing everything to 'Lissa; she took a moment to adjust all the bag handles then she walked to the car.

"Forgot something." I said to the owner, as I'd dashed to the back of the store; after grabbing a carton of milk, my eyes came across a bulletin board of missing people.

I'd always hated looking at those things. They're so depressing, because you start wondering if those people were ever found or if they're ever going to be found. And I just couldn't take it. But as I started to walk away, one in particular caught my eye.

"Whaat?" I said to myself almost mutely.

The little boy on this poster looked like- and this may sound weird to you- but the boy in the poster looked like me! But it couldn't be, of course not.

"Jefferson McRea." I read to myself.

Jefferson...? My dream!

"Stop it Jefferson!"

'That woman in my dream was calling me Jefferson, but why?' I didn't know what I was doing, but my hand went up and snatched the flyer off the wall. Folding it up, I snuck in into my pocket then paid for the milk and walked out of the store.

When I returned to the car it was already started up and ready to go. I climbed in silently and handed Rocky his drink.

"Thanks..." he paused and studied my face a minute. "What is it, what's wrong?" He wondered.

I just sort of shook myself, not sure if it were a nod or shake or anything; I was just dumb for a minute.

"Jeffery?" 'Lissa's voice called to me, and I blinked.

"Yeah?" I answered feeling her hand come to my forehead, and she sighed. "No fever. Did something happen in the store?" She then asked, her voice was full of concern.

I suddenly smile, and waved them both away. "No, no, not at all. What could have happened in there?" Searching for an excuse, I decided on this. "It's just the fog, y'know. The chill in the air it got to me a bit and I felt a little sick, but I'm better now, thanks." I said lamely.

But they seemed to buy it, and we were on our ways back home.