----Hehe…Cobra's yay!...Actually I usually don't like Cobras but I've been in a Kiefer Sutherland mood today…R/R---Sweet Dreams-----

Claire hated Castle Rock. She hated staying with her cousins. She wanted to go back to New Jersey where she belonged.

Her mother had thought it would be a brilliant idea for her to get some fresh air, was how she put it. Fresh air! Fresh air is a day at the beach. Not a summer is mother fucking Castle Rock, Maine. What was her mother on?

Her mother arranged for her to stay the summer with her Aunt, Uncle, and three cousins. It was going to be the longest summer in the history of summers.

She had three cousins, Roy, Lisa, and Nicky. Roy was 20, Lisa 10, and Nicky was only one. She really only liked Nicky actually.

She knew she despised Castle Rock as soon as she got there. It was so…country…and clean. She figured she may as well make the best of it though.

"Aunt Louisa," she yelled!

"Yes dear," she replied?

"I'm going to the store, do you need anything," Claire asked?

"No dear, not right now. Thank you for asking," she yelled back sweetly.

Claire walked out the door, carrying baby Nicky, with out replying. She felt like she was being suffocated in there. Nicky seemed like he was being suffocated too, so she took him with her. Nicky absolutely loved Claire and she could always make him stop crying. She probably should have told her Aunt she was taking Nicky, but Claire was never one for details or plans, so she continued on her way, talking nonsense to Nicky as she walked to the store. The store wasn't far and Nicky wasn't heavy so she didn't bother will a stroller.

As she walked into the store a group of guys were standing outside the store. They looked like typical hoods, although granted they were very good looking hoods, especially the blonde one. He was wearing a black shirt and jeans. The others were dressed similar, but not as good looking.

Claire walked right passed them, ignoring their hoots, and snide comments about Nicky. They assumed he was hers.

"Where's his daddy," one of the boys shouted after her as she walked into the store.

"I wouldn't mind being your daddy," another yelled.

Claire wouldn't dignify them an answer and walked on into the store. The one in the black followed her in.

She was walking up and down the aisles aimlessly and couldn't find anything of interest to buy. And as good looking as this guy was, she didn't like him following her.

She walked directly up to him and said, "Is there any particular reason that you're following me?"

"No," he replied simply. "Well yeah. Your new in town, thought I should introduce myself." Claire gave him an uninterested look. "I'm Ace," he said.

"Okay," was all she said back and continued looking up and down the aisles. He followed her again.

"Don't you think you should introduce yourself," he asked?

"I don't know. Let's ask my boyfriend," referring to Nicky. "Do you think we should introduce ourselves to Ace," she asked Nicky. Nicky wasn't old enough to talk, he simply dribbled in reply. "That's a no," she told him. He looked surprised and almost hurt. She doubted he got turned down very often.

Figuring there was nothing left to do and she would feel stupid not buying something she decided to buy a pack of cigarettes. Ace offered to buy them. Claire wasn't one to pass up free cigarettes, and said thank you and walked out the store.

Just as she was about to walk away he yelled after her. "Hey lady with the baby come back!"

Claire was bored and Ace looked good so she did. "Can I help you," she asked?

"What's your name," he asked?

"Guess," she said.

"I don't play guessing games. And I don't chase girls. Just make life simple and tell me," he said, getting irritated.

"Claire," she relented. "And this is Nicky…you can call him Nicholas though because I'm the only one who calls him Nicky," she told him seriously.

"Are you his mother," Ace asked seriously?

"No. Are you," she asked just as seriously?

"You've got an attitude," Ace said. "I kind of like it," he added.

"I'm happy for you," she replied.

"So if he's not your son, what is he," Ace asked?

"Why do you care," she asked, starting to walk. She gestured for him to walk with her. He started to walk away from the group of boys he was with, they had lost interest long ago anyway.

"Because, when I see something I like, I have to have it," he said. "And I usually get it," he added smugly.

"Is that so," she asked?

"Yes it is," he said. "So back to the baby, what is he," he asked again?

"He's a baby," she answered.

"You're very difficult," he said.

"I've been told," she replied. "He's my cousin, and this is where I live," she said pointing at the house. They had quickly made it back to her Aunt's house and we're stopped in front of it.

"Oh. Good to know," he said with a smirk. "So can I hold him," he asked? He always heard chicks thought it was cute when guys were good with kids.

"No," she said. "You're dirty. And probably have a disease. And I don't want Nicky to get it because…well because I don't," she told him matter of factly. "But thanks for asking," she added cheerfully. He looked very offended.

"Now, that's not a very nice thing to say," he said, pretending to pout. Damn he looked sexy when he did that.

"I know," was her simple reply. "Okay I have to go now. Bye," she said and turned to start walking into the house.

"Will I see you again," he yelled after her?

"I don't know," she yelled back.

"Do you have a phone number," he yelled!

"I don't know," she yelled back.

"How long a re you staying here for," he yelled, by this time she was standing on the front porch.

"I don't know," she yelled. "Bye." And with that she walked into the house and shut the door.

"I'm back," Claire yelled up the stairs. Her Aunt came rushing down the stairs looking very worried.

"Oh thank heavens Claire," she said. "I thought someone came and kidnapped Nicholas right out of his play pen, like the Lindbergh baby." She grabbed Nicky from Claire and hugged him tightly. As soon as she took Nicky away from Claire he began to cry. "Please don't ever do that again, you gave me such a fright," she said trying to soothe Nicky.

"I'm sorry. I forgot to tell you," she said simply. Nicky held his arms out to Claire and Claire simply took him back, he immediately stopped crying. "We're going upstairs to look out the window," she said carrying Nicky up the stairs to her room. "See ya later," she added pleasantly.

Her Aunt just stood there looking confused and hurt that her youngest son liked Claire more than his own mother.