I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. I had made it. I had reached the one place no one would bother me: the treehouse my dad and I had built in the forest behind my house when I was eleven.

I reached behind me and pulled out my book. "The Scarlet Pimpernel" was my favorite book. This copy had been with me since before my dad had died. He had given it to me for my tenth birthday, saying that it was the best superhero story ever...even better than the ones he had read to me when I was little.

I turned to the middle of the book and started to read. "Chauvelin, who, as he had told Marguerite once, had seen a trick or two in his day, had never dreamed of this one. With one ear fixed on those fast-approaching footsteps, one eye turned to that door where Desgas and his men would presently appear, lulled into security by the impudent Englishman's airy manner, he never even remotely guessed the trick which was being played upon him."

I started to giggle at the next part, remembering how Dad had acted it out the first few times we read the book together. His gigantic sneezes had shaken the whole room, and caused my mom to run in, wondering what was wrong.

"Is someone there?" I heard a man call out underneath me.

I stifled my laughter and leaned out the window to see who was down on the forest floor. The stranger was a tall, blonde man in a brown leather jacket. Currently, he was looking around him, trying to find where the sounds he had heard had come from. I crossed my fingers, praying he wouldn't look up.

"I know someone's out there, you might as well show yourself." His gaze was getting a bit higher each time he looked around. I needed to make evasive maneuvers fast! I stuffed my book back in its hiding spot and climbed out the window.

I stepped onto a branch and grasped one directly above me. I carefully walked to just where the branch started to bend, knelt, and then dropped onto the branch below. Then I scrambled to that spot where a branch from another tree was close enough that I could haul myself onto it. I looked back at the man, his eyes were getting closer to the tree house. I climbed up a few branches, to where the leaves would cover me, and giggled again. The man spun around.

"Show yourself!" He commanded, walking toward me.

I edged around the trunk and scrambled onto another tree and giggled again. The man walked a bit faster.

I led him to the edge of the forest that way, circling around and around so he wouldn't realize what was happening.

When we reached the last trees, I slipped to the ground behind him and giggled as he scratched his head, probably trying to figure out how he got there.

He spun around when he heard me giggle, going into a defensive pose immediately.

"Who are you?" He demanded.

Instead of answering directly, I pointed to my house and said, "I live there. Who are you?"

"Ca...Steve. My name's Steve." His eyes narrowed slightly, "what did you say your name was?"

"Nice to meet you, Steve." I said, holding out my hand. "I'm Grace."

He took my hand reluctantly and shook it. His grasp was strong, that was good. Dad would have said that he has a strong character.

"So, Steve," I drawled, "Where're ya from?"

He hesitated for a second. "New York. I'm here on business."

I snorted, "Business? Doing what? Selling cow bells to cows? Try again. And make your lie a bit more plausible."

He turned scarlet. "Not that kind of business. I'm here to meet someone."

"In the woods?"

His already red face went even redder, "I might've gotten a bit lost."

I laughed again, "Want some help? It's a pretty small town and I've lived here my entire life, so I'd be a pretty good guide."

Now he laughed, "Why not? I'm looking for a Ms. Eliza Kelly. Heard of her? "

"Ha! You're in luck! She's my aunt! Follow me!" I rushed off toward the Main Street of my small hometown. My day had just gotten a bit more interesting.

And, as you can see, I love The Scarlet Pimpernel. Just too much to do a fanfic with it.