"Discover Yourself" - Act 11
Disclaimer: The characters of Peter, Sophie, Shelby, Juliette, Scott, Auggie, Daisy, Ezra, and Kat do not belong to me.
"Knowing others is wisdom; Knowing the self is enlightenment; Mastering others requires force; Mastering the self needs strength." - Tao te Ching
Author's Note: I must thank everyone for the reviews, they are very motivating! Splash and Mary, you're both too clever. :-) Yes, I plan on writing a fall fanfic after this wraps up. There are so many possibilities! Please continue to read, enjoy, and provide reviews. Thanks!
Peter smiled as he surveyed the group about to begin the quest. The sun was just beginning to come up, and he could hear complaints in the air.
Peter noticed with interest that Ali and Mike were sticking close together, as were Lynn and Troy. Liz was sitting by herself, grumbling as she applied bug spray. He had already caught on to Shelby sticking by Sophie's side, and he was a little hurt that Shelby didn't seem to want to be near him, but Peter knew he had to give her some space for now.
"Alright, let's get going, gang! The plan is to hike for the next few hours, then we'll set up camp and finish the one-on-ones, and have a group session. Tomorrow are the solos." Peter and Sophie had already introduced Shelby to those she hadn't yet met. They decided she wouldn't participate in group, but would do the solo hike.
Unlike the previous hike, John was no longer there to join Peter up front. Lynn and Troy followed closely behind Peter, then Liz, then Mike and Ali, while Sophie and Shelby brought up the rear.
Lynn breathed a sigh of relief. She was looking forward to getting outdoors, something that surprised her. She also needed a break from Liz, and was secretly glad to have an excuse to be closer to Troy. She just felt so relaxed around him, which was a refreshing change for Lynn, after putting up with several arrogant men at her office. She smiled at Troy and concentrated to what he was saying.
"So, then Claire looked up at me and said, 'Daddy, you need to learn from Nana how to brush my hair. You're too rough.' It was the cutest thing." Troy grinned at the memory.
"She sounds adorable." Lynn loved the look on Troy's face when he was talking about his daughter. It was clearly evident how much he loved her.
"Would you like to see a picture of her?" Not waiting for an answer, he pulled out a picture from his pocket and handed it to Lynn.
"Do you carry this everywhere?" she asked with a laugh.
"Yes, always. I have more than one," Troy replied.
Lynn examined the picture. The little girl was absolutely adorable and resembled her father. "She's lovely."
"She has her mother's eyes and hair," Troy said softly. Lynn, not knowing what to say, handed the photo back to him.
"Do you like kids?" Troy asked curiously.
"Uh, yeah, sure. Everyone likes kids, right?" Lynn answered dully.
"Yeah, I guess so." Troy was puzzled by her response.
"Uh-oh, it looks like I need to stop and re-tie my shoe here. You go ahead with Peter." Lynn motioned for Troy to keep going, which he did, as she stopped and bent down, then joined back in the group near Sophie and Shelby.
Sophie was dumbfounded when Mike dropped back and started talking to Shelby, who responded easily to his chatter. She decided to give them a little space, but stayed behind them so she could keep an eye on Shelby.
Sophie had summed up Shelby's journal entry for Peter and had relayed Shelby's request that she be the only one to read the entries. She could tell Peter was hurt, but she didn't know how to alleviate his pain. The first worry was to help ease Shelby's pain, which Sophie knew was going to take a great deal of time and work on everyone's part.
Sophie made a mental note to talk to Shelby later about her entry. She hated the thought of Shelby thinking she was intruding on her and Peter, but she didn't yet know how to convince Shelby otherwise. Plus, Shelby's self-esteem seemed to be at an all-time low, after she'd made much progress over the past year and a half.
Sophie remembered back to last year, the year after the Morp. It had been a very good year for most students. True, the Cliffhangers took a while to adjust to Kat graduating, but they held strong. Scott was making some progress with his father, and he and Shelby seemed to be closer than ever. Daisy was also taking small steps toward her father, who hadn't disappointed her yet. Sophie hoped that Daisy was having a good summer at home with her dad. David was back with his mom for the summer, and had calmed down a great deal in the past year. Ezra had gone to live with his dad for the summer, who was dating someone new. He had given up the idea of finding his birth parents, as far as Sophie knew. Auggie had learned to overcome his dyslexia more, and his self-esteem had grown tremendously. He and Juliette were still an item, although her mother was not pleased about it.
Juliette. Sophie had almost forgotten about Juliette going to Europe in the fall. *When do I tell Shelby about her?* she pondered, wondering how Shelby would handle the news.
"Let's set up camp here," Peter said, stopping in a clearing.
Liz groaned as she collapsed to the ground. "How in the world is this supposed to be fun?" she complained.
Lynn rolled her eyes and whispered to Ali, "Do you want to smack her, or should I?" She was glad to see Ali giggle in return.
"Ew, ew, ew!" Liz screamed as she jumped up and shook her fingers through her hair. "Quick, look," she said, running up to Peter. "What's in my hair?"
Peter, resisting the urge to laugh, searched her hair and pulled something out. "It's a leaf," he said, smiling broadly.
Liz mumbled thanks as she sat back down, a big frown on her face. Mike, Troy, Lynn and Ali were all stifling laughs, as Peter started to issue orders.
"Okay, I need Liz, Mike and Troy to go get some water from the river, which is that way," Peter said, pointing. "And Lynn and Ali, go ahead and start preparing lunch. Sophie and Shelby, keep setting up the campsite."
Everyone busied themselves with their assigned chores. After a few minutes, those at the campsite were startled to hear a scream.
"Soph, come with me," Peter yelled as he ran toward the river, where the scream had come from. Lynn, Ali, and Shelby all stayed at the campsite and were shocked when Peter and Sophie were followed back by a very wet - and very mad - Liz. Mike and Troy were behind Liz, each grinning and each dry.
"What happened?" Lynn asked, trying to control her laughter.
Liz's face was bright red. "I was trying to get some water in my bucket," she said, her teeth starting to chatter. "And then one of these guys - they pushed me, and I fell in," she ended, almost in tears.
"Hey, man, it was an accident," Mike said, holding his hands up innocently. Ali could not contain her laughter anymore, and laughed until she had tears streaming down her face.
Sophie was trying to swallow her laughter, but finally also had to giggle a little. "Shelby, bring me a blanket, will you?" she said with a smile.
"I'm glad you all think this is so funny," Liz sniffed, and then started to cry.
Instantly, everyone stopped giggling and went back to their chores, as Sophie apologized for laughing before going to start a fire.
Shelby brought the blanket over to Liz and indifferently handed it to her. Liz kept crying as she wrapped the blanket around herself.
"What the hell are you crying for?" Shelby demanded suddenly.
Liz looked up at Shelby with a look of pure disbelief on her face. "What did you say to me?"
Shelby looked at Liz with contempt. "I said, why are you crying? You fell in a river. Get over it." She turned around to walk away.
"Hey, you brat," Liz yelled, drawing everyone's attention.
Shelby whipped back around to face Liz. "What did you call me?"
"A brat. You could at least show me some sympathy," Liz said, lowering her voice a bit when she noticed the others looking.
"Sympathy? You want sympathy for getting wet?" Shelby rolled her eyes. "Gee, I'd hate to think what you'd want if you ever had anything really bad happen to you."
"Who are you to talk to me that way?" Liz was getting really angry now. She stomped up to Shelby until they were mere inches away from each other.
"How about if you get out of my face?" Shelby's voice was low but menacing. Liz took a step back, a look of uncertainty on her face.
"You're crazy," Liz said scornfully, as she turned away.
Shelby lunged at Liz, knocking her to the ground. "What did you say I am?" Shelby yelled, pulling Liz's hair.
"Get her off me!" Liz screamed, as Peter and Sophie tried to pull Shelby off of Liz, finally succeeding. Liz stood up, covered in dirt. "I could sue you for this!" she screamed. "You'd better keep her away from me," she said in a shaky voice to Peter, who was still restraining Shelby.
"Oh, are you scared now?" Shelby taunted Liz with a daring smile.
"Shelby, enough!" Sophie yelled. She grabbed Shelby's arm, pulling her from Peter. "Come with me - NOW," she demanded. Shelby obediently followed, while Liz tried to compose herself.
Lynn and Ali watched as Sophie took Shelby inside her tent. "I hope Sophie goes easy on her," Lynn said. "I've felt like doing that exact same thing to Liz." She looked at Ali, as they both burst out laughing.
"Shelby!" Sophie hissed, unable to raise her voice since the others were nearby. "What happened out there?" She looked at Shelby, waiting for an answer, but only got a shrug as Shelby continued to look down. "No, Shelby," Sophie said, lifting her chin up so Shelby had to look directly at her. "That's not going to cut it. I know you've been through hell, but that's no excuse to physically attack someone."
"Look, I'm sorry, okay? She's going to be fine," Shelby said irritably, then dropped her head back down. "I'll just stay in here for the rest of the quest," she mumbled.
"Shelby, get real." Sophie was becoming exasperated. Shelby's behavior was so uncharacteristic of her, so erratic - she didn't know what to think. "You know you can't stay in here the whole time. You're going to apologize to Liz, and tomorrow you're going to go on your own solo."
"Fine, whatever." Shelby picked at her shoes, scowling.
Sighing, Sophie left the tent. *I'll give her a few minutes before I tell her again to apologize to Liz,* Sophie thought, but to her surprise Shelby came out of the tent and went right over to Liz.
"What do you want?" Liz said, frowning, as everyone watched them.
Shelby took a deep breath, focusing her eyes on a tree instead of Liz. "I'm sorry I was mean to you and hurt you," she said in a monotonous voice.
"Apology accepted," Liz muttered, then sighed. "I'm sorry, too, for what I said."
Shelby nodded slightly and joined the others for lunch.
After lunch, Peter met with Troy, while Sophie met with Lynn for their respective one-on-one sessions. Once the four were out of sight, Liz went up to Mike, who was talking to Ali.
"Ali, could you excuse us for a minute?" Liz asked with a sickeningly sweet smile.
Ali looked at Mike, who nodded. Once alone, Liz tried to put her arms around Mike's neck, but he swatted them away. "Oh, don't worry. Peter and Sophie took their spies with them," she said coyly.
Mike stepped back and fixed Liz with an icy glare. "You like mind games, don't you?" he said contemptuously. "One minute, you're all over me. The next, you stay as far away as possible. Now, you want me again." He stopped and shook his head. "Well, guess what, Liz - you're really not worth the trouble." He smirked as he walked back over to Ali.
Shelby was sitting by the fire, writing in her journal, while this took place. She smiled inwardly. *Good for Mike, don't put up with her crap.*
"Is everything okay?" Ali asked nervously, looking over at Liz.
Mike gave her a big smile. "Yeah, it's all good now. Why don't we go for a walk?" he asked, winking at her.
Ali hesitated. She desperately wanted to be alone with him, but Peter and Sophie had told them not to leave the campsite. *I can't blow this. If I say no, he might go back to Liz,* she thought. "Let's go," she said, grabbing his hand.
"So, then, I'll come up here about a week before the kids return from summer break?" Troy asked Peter.
Peter nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, that will work out well. You can become acquainted with the rest of the staff, and familiarize yourself with the kids' files." He chuckled. "But believe me, you'll learn the most about these kids from being around them."
Troy grinned. "Yeah, I think I have an idea of what you mean, from teaching and all."
Peter smiled back, excited about having Troy come aboard the Horizon staff. Their one-on-one had gone well but had mainly centered on Troy changing jobs.
As the two men started back toward the campsite, Troy decided to get Peter's input on one more issue. "Peter, it's been about a year since Linda died. Do you think it's too soon for me to date again?"
Peter hesitated, not quite sure how to reply. "Troy, man, that has to be your call. But you already know that. And if you think you're ready, then go for it."
Troy nodded, looking straight ahead. "Yeah, you're right. I know it's my call. I keep thinking I'm ready, but then I have this weird feeling. I don't really know if it's guilt or what. I know Linda would want me to be happy, and I would love to one day find a woman to share my life with and to be there for Claire. I guess part of what is holding me back is that I don't know if I'll ever find anyone like Linda, and that kind of scares me. Does that make sense?" He looked at Peter, tears in his eyes.
Peter slapped his back, nodding. "Yeah, Troy, it makes perfect sense. I guess you just need to decide if you're willing to take that chance at being disappointed. But it could go the other way, and you could find a terrific woman. Have you met anyone yet who you'd like to date?"
Troy smiled. "I'm sure you've already picked up on me spending time with Lynn." Peter nodded, smiling. "She is very - what's the word - intriguing. I keep thinking that I'm getting to know her better, but then she puts up this wall," Troy finished, sighing.
Peter chuckled. "That sounds like Sophie. It took me awhile to break down her wall, but it was worth it."
Troy smiled again, thinking about Lynn. "Yeah, I think it would be worth it. She only lives a couple of hours from here, so maybe we could meet once I'm settled up here. I'd love for Claire to meet her."
Sophie studied Lynn as they were going over her goals. "Lynn, you have set some great work-oriented goals here, but you don't have any personal goals."
"Like what? Read more, watch less TV, and eat healthier?" Lynn looked away from Sophie, shrugging. "Everyone has the same goals, so what does it matter?"
"I don't think that's true," Sophie countered. "I bet that I don't have the same personal goals as you would have. Come on, give it a try. It can involve relationships, self-improvement, whatever you like."
"Okay," Lynn complied, thinking for a bit. "I guess a good goal would be to keep in touch with friends more. I'm kind of bad about that right now," she admitted sheepishly.
"Do you have some good friends that live nearby?" Sophie inquired. "I know you said your family lives far away from you."
"I don't know if I would call them 'good friends', but I do have some friends in the area," Lynn replied. "I guess I'm just busy with my job a lot, so I don't spend much time with them. Plus, a lot of my friends are married now, some even pregnant or with children."
"So what? Just because your friends are married doesn't mean you have to lose touch with them," Sophie said, confused.
Lynn looked at Sophie in frustration. "Come on, Sophie, get real. Once a person couples up, so to speak, then that couple tends to only get together with other couples. Every once in a while, there will be a Girls' Night Out, but then the conversation revolves totally around men and kids. Not my idea of a good time," Lynn answered sourly.
"Well, what is your idea of a good time?" Sophie asked, curious.
Lynn shrugged. "I don't know, I guess I just enjoy my work. That's why I immerse myself in it."
Sophie sighed. "That's great that you enjoy your work, Lynn, but it won't give back to you like people in your life will. But you have to give them the chance to get to know the real you." Sophie paused, remembering back to an earlier group session. "Lynn, you said you don't usually accept help or support from others. Maybe you're trying to be too independent. Your friends may need to feel wanted by you, and it doesn't hurt to admit you don't have everything under control."
Lynn shook her head. "You don't understand what it's like," she said matter-of-factly. "Maybe I'm just meant to be alone."
Sophie laughed out loud, causing Lynn to stare at her in surprise. "I'm sorry, but you sounded just like me a couple of years ago." Sophie smiled, remembering her frame of mind before she'd settled at Horizon. "Lynn, Peter and I only married last December. I've been single most of my life, so I think I do understand more than you may think. And I also live far away from my parents, and I'm not particularly close with them emotionally, either. I used to travel a lot by myself. I would get lonely, but I often wondered if that was just what life had in store for me. Little did I know..." she smiled, thinking of her wonderful husband.
"Wow, Sophie, I had no idea you and Peter only wed recently. No wonder you two are such the lovebirds," she said, watching Sophie blush.
"What about you? Any serious relationships?" Sophie prodded gently with a smile.
Lynn made a face of disgust. "Me? No, I seem to attract only the worthless men, for whatever reason. Most men seem scared to death when they realize that I actually think for myself. God forbid a woman have a brain and use it," she ranted.
"You don't have a very high opinion of the male species, do you?" Sophie asked, wondering where Lynn's hostile feelings stemmed from.
"Why should I?" Lynn retorted. "I am only 24 years old. Already, I know that 5 friends have been raped, 3 have been in domestic abuse situations, and one is already divorced after her husband refused to go to counseling to try to save their marriage. And that doesn't even go into all the sexual harrassment I've seen and experienced in the workplace. Men are pigs!" Lynn's face was beet red as she finished her tirade.
Sophie shook her head sadly. "I've also seen first-hand the damage caused by rape and abuse. There are some cruel people out there, men and women. But there are also some good men out there, Lynn. Don't give up hope of finding the right man for you."
"There isn't a 'right man' out there for me, Sophie," Lynn stated calmly. "I've accepted that, and I'm learning to live with it."
"How do you know that?" Sophie was incredulous that Lynn could already be so cynical about love at 24 years of age.
Now it was Lynn's turn to shake her head sadly. "It's just something I know," she said quietly.
Sophie was more confused now than ever, but decided not to press Lynn any more. Besides, it was later than she thought, and she wanted to get back to the campsite and see how Shelby was doing.
Shelby had just finished writing a journal entry when Peter and Troy returned from their session. She had steered clear of Liz, who was reading some fashion magazine by the fire, and reapplying her bug spray every five minutes. Shelby smiled inwardly, wondering how Liz was going to make it on her own for the solo tomorrow.
"Where are Mike and Ali?" Peter asked Liz and Shelby. Shelby just shrugged, not even looking in Peter's direction.
Liz walked over to Peter and Troy and smiled. "The two of them went for a walk, I believe, but that's been a while ago."
*Damn,* Peter thought. *They knew not to leave the campsite*. Peter looked around, deciding it would be best to look for them on his own. Just then, Sophie and Lynn came into view.
"Soph! We have a situation," Peter stated grimly, fearing Mike and Ali were lost in the forest. After filling Sophie in, Peter decided to take Troy and Lynn along with him, while Sophie stayed behind with Liz and Shelby. "I'll radio you when we find them," Peter told Sophie, trying to stay positive.
"Do you think we should be heading back?" Ali asked anxiously, pulling back and glancing at her watch. They'd been gone for almost two hours.
Mike looked disappointed. "I thought we were just getting started," he said huskily, running his hands down the sides of her body before kissing her again.
The two had walked through the forest until they came to a grassy clearing with a beautiful view of a valley below. After talking for awhile about their lives, they had given in to their physical attraction for one another once again, and had been making out for the past hour. They both kept their clothes on, but their hands were traveling all over each other's bodies as they stretched out on top of their jackets.
In the distance, Mike and Ali suddenly heard their names being called. "Shit!" Mike exclaimed, jumping up. "I can't afford to get caught again." He grinned down at Ali as he helped her up. "Let's try to avoid them for a bit more so we can say we were just lost. I don't want them to find our spot here."
The two quickly put on their jackets and started hiking away from the voices. Soon, they could no longer hear their names being called. Ali was starting to wonder if it was such a good idea to hide from Peter, since they really seemed to be lost now. Luckily, they accidentally stumbled upon the campsite.
"Hey, everyone!" Mike called out to Sophie, Shelby, and Liz as he and Ali came into view.
Sophie ran up to the two. "Oh, thank God! Where have you two been?"
Mike and Ali looked at each other and smiled. "We just had a nice walk, that's all. Sorry if we worried you, Sophie," Ali answered innocently.
Sophie raised an eyebrow, suspecting something was up. "Well, do me a favor. Don't wander off again on your own. Now, I need to go radio Peter and tell him to come back. He, Lynn, and Troy are out looking for you."
"Sorry!" Mike yelled after Sophie's retreating figure, then leaned over to Ali. "Tomorrow, I'll come find you during your solo. Maybe we can pick up where we left off," he whispered in her ear.
Ali felt herself get goosebumps, partly from Mike's breath on her ear, and partly from the anticipation for tomorrow. "Deal," she whispered back, smiling as she walked away.
Sophie had been in the middle of her one-on-one with Liz when Mike and Ali had suddenly reappeared. After informing Peter about their return, she resumed her session with Liz. Sophie was trying to get Liz to set down some goals, but Liz remained indecisive about everything.
"Why do I need to worry about all that?" Liz asked, frowning. "I'm having fun, isn't that what life is all about?"
Sophie sighed in frustration. "Liz, you can't just go through life without making decisions. It's great to have fun, but you need to be careful when you're having fun, too." She paused, studying Liz for a moment before continuing. "What exactly do you like to do for fun?"
Liz was well aware of Peter's reaction to Mike's admitted drug use and wasn't about to fall into that same trap. "Oh, you know, the usual. Go out with friends, dance, shop, go on dates."
"Would you describe what happened between you and Mike as having fun?" Sophie asked in a serious tone.
"Well, gee, Sophie, it certainly wasn't torture," Liz replied with a giggle, then groaned when she saw Sophie's look of disapproval. "Oh, come on. Lighten up a little. Since when is having sex a bad thing?"
Sophie rubbed her temples, trying to think clearly. After Lynn's one-on-one, she had wanted to jot some notes down about their session, but hadn't had a chance to. Now, she was starting to feel rushed, and wasn't able to concentrate as well because of it.
"Liz, it's not a joke that the two of you just had sex after knowing each other only a few days. Don't you want to have a real relationship with someone, not just be physical with them?" Sophie asked.
Liz made a face. "I'm not ready to get serious. I have my entire life ahead of me. I enjoy the physical part, so why not partake in it? As long as I'm careful, I don't see what the harm is."
Sophie was starting to wonder if she'd ever make headway with Liz. She decided to switch topics. "Okay, what about your major? You've been to two colleges in two years now, and you just selected a major in anthropology. What exactly do you want to do after school?"
Liz shrugged, looking down. "I don't know. It sounded like a good idea at the time. Maybe I should switch majors again," she said glumly.
"No, that's not what I'm implying," Sophie said, exasperated. "Why did you choose anthropology?"
Liz was getting fed up with all the questions. "Because I have no idea what I want to do with my life, but anthropology made my parents happy, okay?" She glared at Sophie as she her eyes filled with tears. "I don't know what I want to do with my life. Just because I'm this certain age, it's expected of me to be a good girl and go to college. Next, I'll be expected to graduate with good grades and find a well-paying job. Then, I'll be expected to marry the perfect man and raise the perfect children. When does it end?" She stopped, putting her head in her hands as she started to cry.
Sophie, shocked by Liz's outburst, moved over to sit beside Liz and put her arm around her. "Liz, you have to do what is right for you. And what is right for you today may not be what is right for you in two years. That's the beauty of decisions, they can always be changed." Liz turned to look up at Sophie.
"But how do I stop feeling like a failure if I don't live up to my parents' expectations?" Liz asked, still crying. "If I make a decision about something, then that means I have to follow through with it. And if I fail, my parents won't let me live it down. I have to be their perfect daughter," she said bitterly.
Sophie sighed, knowing all too well what Liz meant. Her parents had expected her to be the perfect daughter as well. "Liz, it sounds like you need to sit down and have a talk with your parents about what you want versus what they want from you. It's easier said than done, but you need to talk to them before you totally resent them and it's too late."
Liz smiled through her tears. "Sounds like you've been where I'm at," she commented.
Sophie smiled. "In a way, yes, I have been. You have to be true to yourself. Otherwise, you won't be happy."
Liz started crying even harder, startling Sophie. "I'm not happy. But I don't know what I want. That's the problem," she said between sobs. "How am I supposed to tell my parents I won't do things their way when I don't even know how I want to live my life?"
Sophie continued to try to comfort Liz as best she could, but couldn't give her the answers she was looking for. The two eventually ended the session to prepare for dinner. Sophie made a mental note to give Liz the written test she had for career placement, once they returned from the quest.
After everyone had dinner, Peter conducted a short group session, and prepared everyone for their solos for the next day. "We'll be getting up at the crack of dawn again, so let's hit the sack," he said with a smile. He received groans in return, but everyone said good-night to him with a smile before going to their individual tents.
Peter and Sophie each had their own tents, even though they were now married. Peter walked over to Sophie, who was reading Shelby's journal by the fire. He sat down behind her and started massaging her shoulders, as she put down the journal and closed her eyes.
"Wow, you're tense, Soph," Peter said, concerned. "Hard day?"
Sophie nodded, feeling some of the tension ease in her muscles under Peter's hands. "Yes, I'll have to tell you about it later," she whispered, not wanting anyone else to hear.
"Okay, I can wait," Peter said before moving his mouth down to her neck. Sophie jumped, but then relaxed, as he started kissing her neck, ears and shoulders, while still massaging her shoulders and back. She finally turned around to face Peter, and the two quietly kissed for awhile, until the fire started to die down.
"I guess it's time for bed," Peter said regretfully, wishing they were home in their bed instead on in different sleeping bags in different tents.
"Yeah, I guess it is." Sophie reluctantly pulled away and doused the few embers still aglow. "Walk me to my tent?" she said, rubbing Peter's back.
"Okay," he agreed with a playful grin, before picking her up and carrying her to her tent, which was right next to his. After putting her down, he again kissed her passionately, until they were both trying hard to keep themselves under control.
"I love you, Sophie Becker Scarbrow," Peter whispered, sending tingles down her spine.
"I love you, too, Mountain Man," Sophie whispered lovingly.
"We really should go to bed, Peter," Sophie whispered in his ear as he kept kissing her neck.
"Alright, alright." He finally pulled away, but grabbed her hand and gave it one last kiss before they each entered their tents for the night.
Next time:
-The solos!
Disclaimer: The characters of Peter, Sophie, Shelby, Juliette, Scott, Auggie, Daisy, Ezra, and Kat do not belong to me.
"Knowing others is wisdom; Knowing the self is enlightenment; Mastering others requires force; Mastering the self needs strength." - Tao te Ching
Author's Note: I must thank everyone for the reviews, they are very motivating! Splash and Mary, you're both too clever. :-) Yes, I plan on writing a fall fanfic after this wraps up. There are so many possibilities! Please continue to read, enjoy, and provide reviews. Thanks!
Peter smiled as he surveyed the group about to begin the quest. The sun was just beginning to come up, and he could hear complaints in the air.
Peter noticed with interest that Ali and Mike were sticking close together, as were Lynn and Troy. Liz was sitting by herself, grumbling as she applied bug spray. He had already caught on to Shelby sticking by Sophie's side, and he was a little hurt that Shelby didn't seem to want to be near him, but Peter knew he had to give her some space for now.
"Alright, let's get going, gang! The plan is to hike for the next few hours, then we'll set up camp and finish the one-on-ones, and have a group session. Tomorrow are the solos." Peter and Sophie had already introduced Shelby to those she hadn't yet met. They decided she wouldn't participate in group, but would do the solo hike.
Unlike the previous hike, John was no longer there to join Peter up front. Lynn and Troy followed closely behind Peter, then Liz, then Mike and Ali, while Sophie and Shelby brought up the rear.
Lynn breathed a sigh of relief. She was looking forward to getting outdoors, something that surprised her. She also needed a break from Liz, and was secretly glad to have an excuse to be closer to Troy. She just felt so relaxed around him, which was a refreshing change for Lynn, after putting up with several arrogant men at her office. She smiled at Troy and concentrated to what he was saying.
"So, then Claire looked up at me and said, 'Daddy, you need to learn from Nana how to brush my hair. You're too rough.' It was the cutest thing." Troy grinned at the memory.
"She sounds adorable." Lynn loved the look on Troy's face when he was talking about his daughter. It was clearly evident how much he loved her.
"Would you like to see a picture of her?" Not waiting for an answer, he pulled out a picture from his pocket and handed it to Lynn.
"Do you carry this everywhere?" she asked with a laugh.
"Yes, always. I have more than one," Troy replied.
Lynn examined the picture. The little girl was absolutely adorable and resembled her father. "She's lovely."
"She has her mother's eyes and hair," Troy said softly. Lynn, not knowing what to say, handed the photo back to him.
"Do you like kids?" Troy asked curiously.
"Uh, yeah, sure. Everyone likes kids, right?" Lynn answered dully.
"Yeah, I guess so." Troy was puzzled by her response.
"Uh-oh, it looks like I need to stop and re-tie my shoe here. You go ahead with Peter." Lynn motioned for Troy to keep going, which he did, as she stopped and bent down, then joined back in the group near Sophie and Shelby.
Sophie was dumbfounded when Mike dropped back and started talking to Shelby, who responded easily to his chatter. She decided to give them a little space, but stayed behind them so she could keep an eye on Shelby.
Sophie had summed up Shelby's journal entry for Peter and had relayed Shelby's request that she be the only one to read the entries. She could tell Peter was hurt, but she didn't know how to alleviate his pain. The first worry was to help ease Shelby's pain, which Sophie knew was going to take a great deal of time and work on everyone's part.
Sophie made a mental note to talk to Shelby later about her entry. She hated the thought of Shelby thinking she was intruding on her and Peter, but she didn't yet know how to convince Shelby otherwise. Plus, Shelby's self-esteem seemed to be at an all-time low, after she'd made much progress over the past year and a half.
Sophie remembered back to last year, the year after the Morp. It had been a very good year for most students. True, the Cliffhangers took a while to adjust to Kat graduating, but they held strong. Scott was making some progress with his father, and he and Shelby seemed to be closer than ever. Daisy was also taking small steps toward her father, who hadn't disappointed her yet. Sophie hoped that Daisy was having a good summer at home with her dad. David was back with his mom for the summer, and had calmed down a great deal in the past year. Ezra had gone to live with his dad for the summer, who was dating someone new. He had given up the idea of finding his birth parents, as far as Sophie knew. Auggie had learned to overcome his dyslexia more, and his self-esteem had grown tremendously. He and Juliette were still an item, although her mother was not pleased about it.
Juliette. Sophie had almost forgotten about Juliette going to Europe in the fall. *When do I tell Shelby about her?* she pondered, wondering how Shelby would handle the news.
"Let's set up camp here," Peter said, stopping in a clearing.
Liz groaned as she collapsed to the ground. "How in the world is this supposed to be fun?" she complained.
Lynn rolled her eyes and whispered to Ali, "Do you want to smack her, or should I?" She was glad to see Ali giggle in return.
"Ew, ew, ew!" Liz screamed as she jumped up and shook her fingers through her hair. "Quick, look," she said, running up to Peter. "What's in my hair?"
Peter, resisting the urge to laugh, searched her hair and pulled something out. "It's a leaf," he said, smiling broadly.
Liz mumbled thanks as she sat back down, a big frown on her face. Mike, Troy, Lynn and Ali were all stifling laughs, as Peter started to issue orders.
"Okay, I need Liz, Mike and Troy to go get some water from the river, which is that way," Peter said, pointing. "And Lynn and Ali, go ahead and start preparing lunch. Sophie and Shelby, keep setting up the campsite."
Everyone busied themselves with their assigned chores. After a few minutes, those at the campsite were startled to hear a scream.
"Soph, come with me," Peter yelled as he ran toward the river, where the scream had come from. Lynn, Ali, and Shelby all stayed at the campsite and were shocked when Peter and Sophie were followed back by a very wet - and very mad - Liz. Mike and Troy were behind Liz, each grinning and each dry.
"What happened?" Lynn asked, trying to control her laughter.
Liz's face was bright red. "I was trying to get some water in my bucket," she said, her teeth starting to chatter. "And then one of these guys - they pushed me, and I fell in," she ended, almost in tears.
"Hey, man, it was an accident," Mike said, holding his hands up innocently. Ali could not contain her laughter anymore, and laughed until she had tears streaming down her face.
Sophie was trying to swallow her laughter, but finally also had to giggle a little. "Shelby, bring me a blanket, will you?" she said with a smile.
"I'm glad you all think this is so funny," Liz sniffed, and then started to cry.
Instantly, everyone stopped giggling and went back to their chores, as Sophie apologized for laughing before going to start a fire.
Shelby brought the blanket over to Liz and indifferently handed it to her. Liz kept crying as she wrapped the blanket around herself.
"What the hell are you crying for?" Shelby demanded suddenly.
Liz looked up at Shelby with a look of pure disbelief on her face. "What did you say to me?"
Shelby looked at Liz with contempt. "I said, why are you crying? You fell in a river. Get over it." She turned around to walk away.
"Hey, you brat," Liz yelled, drawing everyone's attention.
Shelby whipped back around to face Liz. "What did you call me?"
"A brat. You could at least show me some sympathy," Liz said, lowering her voice a bit when she noticed the others looking.
"Sympathy? You want sympathy for getting wet?" Shelby rolled her eyes. "Gee, I'd hate to think what you'd want if you ever had anything really bad happen to you."
"Who are you to talk to me that way?" Liz was getting really angry now. She stomped up to Shelby until they were mere inches away from each other.
"How about if you get out of my face?" Shelby's voice was low but menacing. Liz took a step back, a look of uncertainty on her face.
"You're crazy," Liz said scornfully, as she turned away.
Shelby lunged at Liz, knocking her to the ground. "What did you say I am?" Shelby yelled, pulling Liz's hair.
"Get her off me!" Liz screamed, as Peter and Sophie tried to pull Shelby off of Liz, finally succeeding. Liz stood up, covered in dirt. "I could sue you for this!" she screamed. "You'd better keep her away from me," she said in a shaky voice to Peter, who was still restraining Shelby.
"Oh, are you scared now?" Shelby taunted Liz with a daring smile.
"Shelby, enough!" Sophie yelled. She grabbed Shelby's arm, pulling her from Peter. "Come with me - NOW," she demanded. Shelby obediently followed, while Liz tried to compose herself.
Lynn and Ali watched as Sophie took Shelby inside her tent. "I hope Sophie goes easy on her," Lynn said. "I've felt like doing that exact same thing to Liz." She looked at Ali, as they both burst out laughing.
"Shelby!" Sophie hissed, unable to raise her voice since the others were nearby. "What happened out there?" She looked at Shelby, waiting for an answer, but only got a shrug as Shelby continued to look down. "No, Shelby," Sophie said, lifting her chin up so Shelby had to look directly at her. "That's not going to cut it. I know you've been through hell, but that's no excuse to physically attack someone."
"Look, I'm sorry, okay? She's going to be fine," Shelby said irritably, then dropped her head back down. "I'll just stay in here for the rest of the quest," she mumbled.
"Shelby, get real." Sophie was becoming exasperated. Shelby's behavior was so uncharacteristic of her, so erratic - she didn't know what to think. "You know you can't stay in here the whole time. You're going to apologize to Liz, and tomorrow you're going to go on your own solo."
"Fine, whatever." Shelby picked at her shoes, scowling.
Sighing, Sophie left the tent. *I'll give her a few minutes before I tell her again to apologize to Liz,* Sophie thought, but to her surprise Shelby came out of the tent and went right over to Liz.
"What do you want?" Liz said, frowning, as everyone watched them.
Shelby took a deep breath, focusing her eyes on a tree instead of Liz. "I'm sorry I was mean to you and hurt you," she said in a monotonous voice.
"Apology accepted," Liz muttered, then sighed. "I'm sorry, too, for what I said."
Shelby nodded slightly and joined the others for lunch.
After lunch, Peter met with Troy, while Sophie met with Lynn for their respective one-on-one sessions. Once the four were out of sight, Liz went up to Mike, who was talking to Ali.
"Ali, could you excuse us for a minute?" Liz asked with a sickeningly sweet smile.
Ali looked at Mike, who nodded. Once alone, Liz tried to put her arms around Mike's neck, but he swatted them away. "Oh, don't worry. Peter and Sophie took their spies with them," she said coyly.
Mike stepped back and fixed Liz with an icy glare. "You like mind games, don't you?" he said contemptuously. "One minute, you're all over me. The next, you stay as far away as possible. Now, you want me again." He stopped and shook his head. "Well, guess what, Liz - you're really not worth the trouble." He smirked as he walked back over to Ali.
Shelby was sitting by the fire, writing in her journal, while this took place. She smiled inwardly. *Good for Mike, don't put up with her crap.*
"Is everything okay?" Ali asked nervously, looking over at Liz.
Mike gave her a big smile. "Yeah, it's all good now. Why don't we go for a walk?" he asked, winking at her.
Ali hesitated. She desperately wanted to be alone with him, but Peter and Sophie had told them not to leave the campsite. *I can't blow this. If I say no, he might go back to Liz,* she thought. "Let's go," she said, grabbing his hand.
"So, then, I'll come up here about a week before the kids return from summer break?" Troy asked Peter.
Peter nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, that will work out well. You can become acquainted with the rest of the staff, and familiarize yourself with the kids' files." He chuckled. "But believe me, you'll learn the most about these kids from being around them."
Troy grinned. "Yeah, I think I have an idea of what you mean, from teaching and all."
Peter smiled back, excited about having Troy come aboard the Horizon staff. Their one-on-one had gone well but had mainly centered on Troy changing jobs.
As the two men started back toward the campsite, Troy decided to get Peter's input on one more issue. "Peter, it's been about a year since Linda died. Do you think it's too soon for me to date again?"
Peter hesitated, not quite sure how to reply. "Troy, man, that has to be your call. But you already know that. And if you think you're ready, then go for it."
Troy nodded, looking straight ahead. "Yeah, you're right. I know it's my call. I keep thinking I'm ready, but then I have this weird feeling. I don't really know if it's guilt or what. I know Linda would want me to be happy, and I would love to one day find a woman to share my life with and to be there for Claire. I guess part of what is holding me back is that I don't know if I'll ever find anyone like Linda, and that kind of scares me. Does that make sense?" He looked at Peter, tears in his eyes.
Peter slapped his back, nodding. "Yeah, Troy, it makes perfect sense. I guess you just need to decide if you're willing to take that chance at being disappointed. But it could go the other way, and you could find a terrific woman. Have you met anyone yet who you'd like to date?"
Troy smiled. "I'm sure you've already picked up on me spending time with Lynn." Peter nodded, smiling. "She is very - what's the word - intriguing. I keep thinking that I'm getting to know her better, but then she puts up this wall," Troy finished, sighing.
Peter chuckled. "That sounds like Sophie. It took me awhile to break down her wall, but it was worth it."
Troy smiled again, thinking about Lynn. "Yeah, I think it would be worth it. She only lives a couple of hours from here, so maybe we could meet once I'm settled up here. I'd love for Claire to meet her."
Sophie studied Lynn as they were going over her goals. "Lynn, you have set some great work-oriented goals here, but you don't have any personal goals."
"Like what? Read more, watch less TV, and eat healthier?" Lynn looked away from Sophie, shrugging. "Everyone has the same goals, so what does it matter?"
"I don't think that's true," Sophie countered. "I bet that I don't have the same personal goals as you would have. Come on, give it a try. It can involve relationships, self-improvement, whatever you like."
"Okay," Lynn complied, thinking for a bit. "I guess a good goal would be to keep in touch with friends more. I'm kind of bad about that right now," she admitted sheepishly.
"Do you have some good friends that live nearby?" Sophie inquired. "I know you said your family lives far away from you."
"I don't know if I would call them 'good friends', but I do have some friends in the area," Lynn replied. "I guess I'm just busy with my job a lot, so I don't spend much time with them. Plus, a lot of my friends are married now, some even pregnant or with children."
"So what? Just because your friends are married doesn't mean you have to lose touch with them," Sophie said, confused.
Lynn looked at Sophie in frustration. "Come on, Sophie, get real. Once a person couples up, so to speak, then that couple tends to only get together with other couples. Every once in a while, there will be a Girls' Night Out, but then the conversation revolves totally around men and kids. Not my idea of a good time," Lynn answered sourly.
"Well, what is your idea of a good time?" Sophie asked, curious.
Lynn shrugged. "I don't know, I guess I just enjoy my work. That's why I immerse myself in it."
Sophie sighed. "That's great that you enjoy your work, Lynn, but it won't give back to you like people in your life will. But you have to give them the chance to get to know the real you." Sophie paused, remembering back to an earlier group session. "Lynn, you said you don't usually accept help or support from others. Maybe you're trying to be too independent. Your friends may need to feel wanted by you, and it doesn't hurt to admit you don't have everything under control."
Lynn shook her head. "You don't understand what it's like," she said matter-of-factly. "Maybe I'm just meant to be alone."
Sophie laughed out loud, causing Lynn to stare at her in surprise. "I'm sorry, but you sounded just like me a couple of years ago." Sophie smiled, remembering her frame of mind before she'd settled at Horizon. "Lynn, Peter and I only married last December. I've been single most of my life, so I think I do understand more than you may think. And I also live far away from my parents, and I'm not particularly close with them emotionally, either. I used to travel a lot by myself. I would get lonely, but I often wondered if that was just what life had in store for me. Little did I know..." she smiled, thinking of her wonderful husband.
"Wow, Sophie, I had no idea you and Peter only wed recently. No wonder you two are such the lovebirds," she said, watching Sophie blush.
"What about you? Any serious relationships?" Sophie prodded gently with a smile.
Lynn made a face of disgust. "Me? No, I seem to attract only the worthless men, for whatever reason. Most men seem scared to death when they realize that I actually think for myself. God forbid a woman have a brain and use it," she ranted.
"You don't have a very high opinion of the male species, do you?" Sophie asked, wondering where Lynn's hostile feelings stemmed from.
"Why should I?" Lynn retorted. "I am only 24 years old. Already, I know that 5 friends have been raped, 3 have been in domestic abuse situations, and one is already divorced after her husband refused to go to counseling to try to save their marriage. And that doesn't even go into all the sexual harrassment I've seen and experienced in the workplace. Men are pigs!" Lynn's face was beet red as she finished her tirade.
Sophie shook her head sadly. "I've also seen first-hand the damage caused by rape and abuse. There are some cruel people out there, men and women. But there are also some good men out there, Lynn. Don't give up hope of finding the right man for you."
"There isn't a 'right man' out there for me, Sophie," Lynn stated calmly. "I've accepted that, and I'm learning to live with it."
"How do you know that?" Sophie was incredulous that Lynn could already be so cynical about love at 24 years of age.
Now it was Lynn's turn to shake her head sadly. "It's just something I know," she said quietly.
Sophie was more confused now than ever, but decided not to press Lynn any more. Besides, it was later than she thought, and she wanted to get back to the campsite and see how Shelby was doing.
Shelby had just finished writing a journal entry when Peter and Troy returned from their session. She had steered clear of Liz, who was reading some fashion magazine by the fire, and reapplying her bug spray every five minutes. Shelby smiled inwardly, wondering how Liz was going to make it on her own for the solo tomorrow.
"Where are Mike and Ali?" Peter asked Liz and Shelby. Shelby just shrugged, not even looking in Peter's direction.
Liz walked over to Peter and Troy and smiled. "The two of them went for a walk, I believe, but that's been a while ago."
*Damn,* Peter thought. *They knew not to leave the campsite*. Peter looked around, deciding it would be best to look for them on his own. Just then, Sophie and Lynn came into view.
"Soph! We have a situation," Peter stated grimly, fearing Mike and Ali were lost in the forest. After filling Sophie in, Peter decided to take Troy and Lynn along with him, while Sophie stayed behind with Liz and Shelby. "I'll radio you when we find them," Peter told Sophie, trying to stay positive.
"Do you think we should be heading back?" Ali asked anxiously, pulling back and glancing at her watch. They'd been gone for almost two hours.
Mike looked disappointed. "I thought we were just getting started," he said huskily, running his hands down the sides of her body before kissing her again.
The two had walked through the forest until they came to a grassy clearing with a beautiful view of a valley below. After talking for awhile about their lives, they had given in to their physical attraction for one another once again, and had been making out for the past hour. They both kept their clothes on, but their hands were traveling all over each other's bodies as they stretched out on top of their jackets.
In the distance, Mike and Ali suddenly heard their names being called. "Shit!" Mike exclaimed, jumping up. "I can't afford to get caught again." He grinned down at Ali as he helped her up. "Let's try to avoid them for a bit more so we can say we were just lost. I don't want them to find our spot here."
The two quickly put on their jackets and started hiking away from the voices. Soon, they could no longer hear their names being called. Ali was starting to wonder if it was such a good idea to hide from Peter, since they really seemed to be lost now. Luckily, they accidentally stumbled upon the campsite.
"Hey, everyone!" Mike called out to Sophie, Shelby, and Liz as he and Ali came into view.
Sophie ran up to the two. "Oh, thank God! Where have you two been?"
Mike and Ali looked at each other and smiled. "We just had a nice walk, that's all. Sorry if we worried you, Sophie," Ali answered innocently.
Sophie raised an eyebrow, suspecting something was up. "Well, do me a favor. Don't wander off again on your own. Now, I need to go radio Peter and tell him to come back. He, Lynn, and Troy are out looking for you."
"Sorry!" Mike yelled after Sophie's retreating figure, then leaned over to Ali. "Tomorrow, I'll come find you during your solo. Maybe we can pick up where we left off," he whispered in her ear.
Ali felt herself get goosebumps, partly from Mike's breath on her ear, and partly from the anticipation for tomorrow. "Deal," she whispered back, smiling as she walked away.
Sophie had been in the middle of her one-on-one with Liz when Mike and Ali had suddenly reappeared. After informing Peter about their return, she resumed her session with Liz. Sophie was trying to get Liz to set down some goals, but Liz remained indecisive about everything.
"Why do I need to worry about all that?" Liz asked, frowning. "I'm having fun, isn't that what life is all about?"
Sophie sighed in frustration. "Liz, you can't just go through life without making decisions. It's great to have fun, but you need to be careful when you're having fun, too." She paused, studying Liz for a moment before continuing. "What exactly do you like to do for fun?"
Liz was well aware of Peter's reaction to Mike's admitted drug use and wasn't about to fall into that same trap. "Oh, you know, the usual. Go out with friends, dance, shop, go on dates."
"Would you describe what happened between you and Mike as having fun?" Sophie asked in a serious tone.
"Well, gee, Sophie, it certainly wasn't torture," Liz replied with a giggle, then groaned when she saw Sophie's look of disapproval. "Oh, come on. Lighten up a little. Since when is having sex a bad thing?"
Sophie rubbed her temples, trying to think clearly. After Lynn's one-on-one, she had wanted to jot some notes down about their session, but hadn't had a chance to. Now, she was starting to feel rushed, and wasn't able to concentrate as well because of it.
"Liz, it's not a joke that the two of you just had sex after knowing each other only a few days. Don't you want to have a real relationship with someone, not just be physical with them?" Sophie asked.
Liz made a face. "I'm not ready to get serious. I have my entire life ahead of me. I enjoy the physical part, so why not partake in it? As long as I'm careful, I don't see what the harm is."
Sophie was starting to wonder if she'd ever make headway with Liz. She decided to switch topics. "Okay, what about your major? You've been to two colleges in two years now, and you just selected a major in anthropology. What exactly do you want to do after school?"
Liz shrugged, looking down. "I don't know. It sounded like a good idea at the time. Maybe I should switch majors again," she said glumly.
"No, that's not what I'm implying," Sophie said, exasperated. "Why did you choose anthropology?"
Liz was getting fed up with all the questions. "Because I have no idea what I want to do with my life, but anthropology made my parents happy, okay?" She glared at Sophie as she her eyes filled with tears. "I don't know what I want to do with my life. Just because I'm this certain age, it's expected of me to be a good girl and go to college. Next, I'll be expected to graduate with good grades and find a well-paying job. Then, I'll be expected to marry the perfect man and raise the perfect children. When does it end?" She stopped, putting her head in her hands as she started to cry.
Sophie, shocked by Liz's outburst, moved over to sit beside Liz and put her arm around her. "Liz, you have to do what is right for you. And what is right for you today may not be what is right for you in two years. That's the beauty of decisions, they can always be changed." Liz turned to look up at Sophie.
"But how do I stop feeling like a failure if I don't live up to my parents' expectations?" Liz asked, still crying. "If I make a decision about something, then that means I have to follow through with it. And if I fail, my parents won't let me live it down. I have to be their perfect daughter," she said bitterly.
Sophie sighed, knowing all too well what Liz meant. Her parents had expected her to be the perfect daughter as well. "Liz, it sounds like you need to sit down and have a talk with your parents about what you want versus what they want from you. It's easier said than done, but you need to talk to them before you totally resent them and it's too late."
Liz smiled through her tears. "Sounds like you've been where I'm at," she commented.
Sophie smiled. "In a way, yes, I have been. You have to be true to yourself. Otherwise, you won't be happy."
Liz started crying even harder, startling Sophie. "I'm not happy. But I don't know what I want. That's the problem," she said between sobs. "How am I supposed to tell my parents I won't do things their way when I don't even know how I want to live my life?"
Sophie continued to try to comfort Liz as best she could, but couldn't give her the answers she was looking for. The two eventually ended the session to prepare for dinner. Sophie made a mental note to give Liz the written test she had for career placement, once they returned from the quest.
After everyone had dinner, Peter conducted a short group session, and prepared everyone for their solos for the next day. "We'll be getting up at the crack of dawn again, so let's hit the sack," he said with a smile. He received groans in return, but everyone said good-night to him with a smile before going to their individual tents.
Peter and Sophie each had their own tents, even though they were now married. Peter walked over to Sophie, who was reading Shelby's journal by the fire. He sat down behind her and started massaging her shoulders, as she put down the journal and closed her eyes.
"Wow, you're tense, Soph," Peter said, concerned. "Hard day?"
Sophie nodded, feeling some of the tension ease in her muscles under Peter's hands. "Yes, I'll have to tell you about it later," she whispered, not wanting anyone else to hear.
"Okay, I can wait," Peter said before moving his mouth down to her neck. Sophie jumped, but then relaxed, as he started kissing her neck, ears and shoulders, while still massaging her shoulders and back. She finally turned around to face Peter, and the two quietly kissed for awhile, until the fire started to die down.
"I guess it's time for bed," Peter said regretfully, wishing they were home in their bed instead on in different sleeping bags in different tents.
"Yeah, I guess it is." Sophie reluctantly pulled away and doused the few embers still aglow. "Walk me to my tent?" she said, rubbing Peter's back.
"Okay," he agreed with a playful grin, before picking her up and carrying her to her tent, which was right next to his. After putting her down, he again kissed her passionately, until they were both trying hard to keep themselves under control.
"I love you, Sophie Becker Scarbrow," Peter whispered, sending tingles down her spine.
"I love you, too, Mountain Man," Sophie whispered lovingly.
"We really should go to bed, Peter," Sophie whispered in his ear as he kept kissing her neck.
"Alright, alright." He finally pulled away, but grabbed her hand and gave it one last kiss before they each entered their tents for the night.
Next time:
-The solos!