A/N: So I'm really liking this story :D So Imma keep it ;D Please R&R

Thanks to Julianne123 for first review. You guys should check out her Teddy/OC story, it's pretty cool.

After I post this I'll start on the next chapter of Ashes And Wine. Also please review Hope For The Hopeless. I need some input before I continue!!

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Ray Brower. The name stuck in my head as I packed up my stuff, my dad had already agreed to letting me 'camp-out' in Gordie's for the next two days. He thought it was great that I'd already started to make friends. I walked out of my house just in time to see Teddy leaving the house beside mine, "Teddy!" I called out waving at him. He grinned widely when he saw me, "Hey Les," he said jogging over to me, "You live next door?" he asked.

I nodded, "Yeah. How come I didn't know you lived next door?"

Teddy shrugged, "Who cares?"

I smiled. As Teddy and I walked he chatted happily, we got in a few arguments along the way; like who would win in a fight, mighty mouse or batman.

Teddy seemed like a happy enough person and I had to admit, I was kinda glad to know that someone else had a weird high pitched laugh too. Teddy also fought for what he believed in, he also had some of the best insults I had ever heard.

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Soon enough we reached the train tracks where we were to meet Vern, Gordie and Chris. We waved as we reached them, and we figured out how long it would take to reach the back Carlow road. After Vern suggested hitch hiking and Teddy instantly disagreed saying it was 'pussy'. I agreed though, camping out would be fun with these guys.

We walked for a while, sang some camp songs, chatted until I started to feel hungry. "Uuuuh guys.. Who brought the food?" I asked

"Aw shit! Did anyone bring anything?" Teddy asked putting his hand to his head.

I sighed, great at least I had 86 cent in my pockets.. I hoped. I couldn't believed I'd forgotten food though. I mean really? C'mon.

After everyone denied bringing any food we all sat down on the tracks and gave Gordie our money. I looked up upon hearing a train…

Flashback

The train honked at me to move, but I just grinned. "Train dodge… awesome!" I muttered to myself grinning as I stood there waiting for the train to come close enough so I could dodge it. Suddenly I heard a scream come from the house beside the tracks. Our house. My mom came running out of the house frantically screaming my name. She pulled me away from the train. Anger rose up inside me as I wiped the dust off my jeans and my face. I was about to shout at my mother when I saw her, lifeless on the other side of the tracks. "MOM!" I screamed running across the tracks to her. She lay there, unmoving. Tears were streaming down my cheeks. "no no no no!" I whimpered over and over as I wiped the blood off my mothers beautiful face. "DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!" I yelled at the top of my voice. My dad walked out of the house and then ran when he saw mom beside me. "What happened?" he asked panicking. "I.. I just wanted.. To dodge it.." I bawled. My dad caught on. I'd been watching a lot of war movies lately.

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"Train," Gordie announced. Everyone but myself and Teddy left the tracks. I stayed sitting staring blankly into space. Tears welled up my eyes.

"Leslie?" Teddy said softly.

I looked up quickly and saw Teddy's hand waving in front of my face, "Wh- what.. Oh right.. Sorry I blanked there," I said quickly wiping tears from my eyes. No one needed to hear my pathetic story. I jumped up grabbing my sleeping bag and walked off the tracks down to the others. I turned and looked at Teddy, "You comin' or what?" I asked nervously noticing Teddy smirking at the train coming his way. Teddy shook his head, "No… no. I'm gonna dodge it." he said smiling. My eyes widened. "Teddy.. No" I said.

Teddy looked at the train again, "Train dodge… dig it."

"Come on Teddy get down from there before you get yourself killed!" Chris yelled.

"Just like the beach at Normandy," he said raising his hands imitating a gun and making noises like gunshots.

"Teddy!" I yelled.

Chris ran up onto the tracks, Gordie tried to pull me back as I tried running to get Teddy down. Chris pulled Teddy off the tracks and minutes later the train passed us in a flash.

Anger bubbled up inside me and a single tear fell from my eye. Teddy glared at Chris. "I woulda dodged it," he mumbled walking to pick up his bag. Chris, always the peace make walked over to him, "You can dodge it on the way back Teddy. C'mon. skin it" he said holding out his hand. Teddy sighed giving in and rubbed hands with Chris.

"Let's cut through the junkyard," said Gordie.

I was still staring at Teddy. Wide eyed.

He frowned and shook me slightly, "You ok?" he asked me.

I snapped out of it nodding quickly, "Y-yeah" I said quickly, "That was pretty awesome," I said plastering a smile onto my face.

Teddy nodded, unconvinced but smiled anyway, "Thanks," he said.

Soon enough I was back to my old self. Running ahead of everyone with Teddy and having fake wars with him. Singing songs that everyone soon joined in and exchanging stories with Gordie. Finally they came to a fence, the boys informed me of a dog called Chopper who apparently "Sticked Balls". Can't imagine what of mine he would stick. I shuddered. Teddy shouted yet another war phrase and threw his bag over the fence making an explosion sound. I smiled shaking my head at his childishness and followed him over the fence and ran along with him ahead of the others yelling wildly as we went.

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We all sat in a circle underneath a shelter throwing coins into a tin. I grinned as I aimed right again and the coin landed perfectly inside the tin. "How does she do it?" Vern asked in amazement.

"What can I say? I'm awesome," I said winking at him. The boys chuckled.

"This really is a good time," said Vern.

"The best." Teddy agreed.

I nodded with a grin. I finally felt accepted somewhere. Wanted. "Thanks guys," I said with a smile.

"For what?" asked Chris.

"I dunno. It's just.. Where I used to live. I didn't have many friends, they thought I was weird and crazy," I said with a sigh, "So.. Thanks."

Teddy smiled and squeezed me shoulder.

Gordie grinned, "Sounds like you," he said pointing at Teddy.

Teddy rolled his eyes and threw a coin at Gordie hitting him smack in the forehead and I burst out laughing. Everyone stared at me, "What?" I asked frowning confusedly then slapped my hand to my mouth. The boys all laughed, "That's creepy," said Vern, the only one who hadn't laughed. Teddy sighed, "Oh shocker. Verno would find Leslie's laugh creepy, king of the pussies," he said laughing.

"No really. You two sound too alike," Vern shuddered.

I smiled, "So who's gonna get the food?" I asked recovering from the laughter we'd shared.

Vern looked at me confused then at the others, "I thought we were all gonna go."

"No way I'm staying right here" Teddy said grinning.

"Me to," said Gordie.

"I third that," I said with a sigh.

"We'll flip for it," said Chris, out natural leader.

We all grabbed a coin from the tin and flipped them, lay our hands out in front of each other then removed the hand covering the coin and noticed we all flipped the same.

"Oh that's a goucher," said a freaked out looking Vern. Trust him to be terrified of us flipping the same sides. He launched into a full blown story about how two guys he knew got gouchers and something bad happened to him. I rolled my eyes and exchanged glances with Teddy, he made a face and I stifled a laugh, he winked at me and then turned to shut Vern up, "Verno, no one believes in gouchers, it's baby stuff. C'mon flip again," he said flipping his coin. We all imitated Teddy all except for Vern.

"You gonna flip or not?" asked Teddy. Vern sighed and flipped too. Gordie was the one with the tail in the end. Teddy burst out laughing, "Oh Gordie you lose, ol Gordie just screwed the pooch!"

I chuckled at Teddy's outburst.

"Does the word retarded mean anything to you?" asked Gordie.

"Just go get the food Gordie you morphodite," said Teddy smiling.

"Don't call me any of your mom's pet names," said Gordie.

"oooh," we all said in unison. Back then, finding a new way to insult someones mother was held in high regard. We grinned and all began to wrestle while Gordie walked off to find some food. I don't think I'd ever felt happier. Or more loved than I did at that moment.