Okay guys, here's chapter two (episode 2)! Thanks for all the great reviews. I meant to explain some things in the last chapter but I forgot. There will be 22 chapters to this story just like there would be 22 episodes in the season. I will be updating weekly during the weekend. I may have a few hiatuses here and there just like a normal season has breaks.

Most of this story, especially the first half, deals with closing up all the loose ends that have been created over the past two seasons but don't worry it has plenty of fresh plots and a lot of growth in Ruthie's character.

Sorry if this chapter's a bit choppy but it accomplishes the elements I wanted to be expressed.

Chapter 2: Mouth Shut

Eric pulled the RV up to the curb in front of the Camden home. Ruthie sighed looking out the window at the house where she had spent her entire life. There weren't even words to explain how happy she was to be home. And it wasn't just her. They all were. They left three months ago ready to get away from the normal and now they were coming back ready to embrace the normal.

A sick feeling came from the bottom of Ruthie's stomach when she saw T Bone come out from the front door waving at those in the RV. He had arrived a few hours earlier. Suddenly, she wasn't so glad to be home. She knew once she told T Bone her feelings, things would quickly turn away from being normal.

Sam and David ran out of the RV, gave T Bone a quick hug before rushing up and into the house trying to see who could get to their room first. Savannah, who was memorized the twins abilities, went toddling after them. Lucy brought up the rear to make sure Savannah didn't hurt herself.

Annie and Ruthie were the last of the group left in the RV. As Ruthie walked to the door watching her boyfriend's smiling face, Annie came up next to her and put her arm around the young girl's shoulders. "Are you glad to be home?"

Ruthie genuinely smiled at her mother. "Yes! Three months on the road with fourteen other people, three dogs and two hamsters is enough to drive a person crazy."

Annie laughed and kissed Ruthie on the temple. "Amen." She grabbed Ruthie by the shoulders and guided her out of the RV pushing her face to face with T Bone.

An awkward silence lingered between the teenagers. Ruthie didn't know what to say and T Bone wasn't going to do anything mushy around her girlfriend's mother. Annie, sensing the awkwardness, intelligently excused herself to go help Kevin unload the luggage.

Once Annie was gone, T Bone smiled widely and engulfed Ruthie in a hug. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too." Ruthie said weakly.

Still in T Bone's hug, Ruthie noticed a certain dark-haired boy come out of the house from across the street. His eyes met Ruthie's for a few seconds before he gave his full attention on getting to his son. Ruthie sighed a little. Was that jealousy that she had seen flash across Martin's eyes in their short moment?

T Bone reacted to Ruthie's sigh by pulling away. "Are you okay?"

She tried to do some quick thinking. This was not the time to have this conversation with T Bone. "Uh, yeah. I'm just tired." She tried to sound as convincing as possible.

"Well, I hope you're not too tired for me." T Bone leaned in to give Ruthie a kiss.

Ruthie stomach lurched almost at the thought of T Bone's lips on hers. When had he become so physically repulsive to me? She turned her head quickly. "Oh, hey, look!" Ruthie pointed leaving T Bone's lips hanging mid air. "Mac's just pulled up with Jane and Margaret. I'm sure your dying to talk to them." She grabbed T Bone's arm and pushed him forward toward the minivan Mac had just parked behind the RV. "You go talk to them. I'll be right over."

"Okay." T Bone looked confused as he walked away shaking his head.

Ruthie sighed again stomping her flip flop on the asphalt and running her hand through her curly hair. Her attention turned to where Martin holding Aaron in his arm and laughing with Sandy and Jonathan. In May, she had had such joy leaving Martin in hurt and disappointed. The way he left her. It's funny how things turn out. Instead of being depressed and confused, Martin seemed very happy. Instead of being happy, Ruthie was depressed and confused.

"You should forgive him." A voice came from behind Ruthie causing her to jump.

Turning around she found Stanley grinning at her. "What?" She asked.

"You should forgive Martin. You've punished him enough."

"What do you know about it?" Ruthie rolled her eyes.

"I know enough. Martin's made some mistakes just like all humans. Only, unlike a lot of humans, he's owned up to them and is trying to get forgiveness." Stanley patted Ruthie on the shoulder and walked away.

Ruthie stared after him shocked. "Who does he thinks he is? An angel?"

Ruthie had successfully avoided T Bone for three hours. I wonder how long I can delay this. She thought as she carefully walked down the stairs from her room carrying a basket full of laundry. She almost ran into Sandy as she turned the corner into the hallway.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Ruthie apologized.

"It's fine." Sandy smiled. "I just came up to say goodbye."

"Oh." Ruthie felt a little embarrassed. "I thought you left hours ago."

"I was over at Martin's getting Aaron settled in for the week." Sandy replied.

Ruthie nodded.

"Martin sure as matured over the summer. He's really stepped up to be a good father." Sandy said pointedly.

Her comment was not lost on Ruthie but she just brushed it off. Sandy and Ruthie's relationship had always been strained. They would always be nice to each other and even claim to be friends but there was a whole lot of resentment mixed in there. Ruthie resented Sandy for being the reason she and Martin didn't get together a couple years ago. Sandy resented Ruthie for being the girl Martin would always care for more than her. "That's nice." Ruthie replied. "Have a safe trip home."

"Thanks." Sandy said. The disappointment that she couldn't break through to Ruthie was evident in her voice.

Ruthie took the back stairs to kitchen. Sandy decided she'd take the front stairs so not to bother her anymore.

"Is the washing machine free?" Ruthie dropped the laundry basket onto the kitchen counter.

Annie looked up from the sink where she was peeling potatoes. "Not right now. Sam and David have got their clothes in there. But the cycle's almost finished."

"Okay." Ruthie stated. "Can I help you with dinner while I wait?"

Annie was surprised. It wasn't like her daughter to be so helpful voluntarily. "Sure. You can set the table. We'll have to eat in the dining room since Mac, Margaret and Jane are staying here until the beginning of next month when they can get their apartment back."

"No problem." Ruthie smiled, walked over to the cabinet to pull out some plates and then exited into the dining room.

Annie watched her leave. She was so glad to see the self-centered, bratty Ruthie gone and a courteous, cheerful Ruthie in her replacement. T Bone has worked wonders for her. Annie thought.

"So then, he challenged them to a race. I thought I was going to die from the speed we were going but we beat them."

Ruthie faked a laugh amidst the genuine laughs of everyone else at the table. T Bone had been prattling on about his trip for the past hour. She couldn't believe T Bone had not been calling her because of stupid things like getting into a drag race with a motorcycle gang.

"Sounds like you had a great time." Eric said. "But we're glad to have you back with the rest of us."

"Yes, we are." Annie agreed. "You're like a son to us."

T Bone smiled sheepishly. "Thanks." He reached his hand under the table to squeeze Ruthie's hand.

She felt herself pale. She never knew how much her parents loved T Bone. Breaking up with him wasn't going to be easy.

Pacing back and forth, Ruthie was forming a tread in the winter green carpeting in her room. How do I break up with a guy who my whole family loves? How do I break up with a guy that still seems crazy about me despite ignoring me all summer?

"Knock. Knock."

Ruthie turned around to see the aforementioned guy standing at her doorway. "Hey."

"Hey." He returned walking into the room. "So are you going to tell me why you've been acting so weird lately? Is it because I didn't call you when I said I would."

Ruthie breathed out. She knew it was now or never. "A little. But that not really the only thing."

"Then what is it." T Bone said exasperated.

Ruthie closed her eyes for a second and sucked in some air. "We need to break up. I've been doing a lot of thinking lately and have come to realize that I just don't love you." She was never good at breaking up with people. In fact, the only guy she ever broke up with was that guy clingy guy, Jake from seventh grade.

The hurt and confusion was beginning to display on to T Bone's face. "Then why did you say you did?"

"Because I wanted to love you. I wanted to believe I would be with you the rest of my life. It was all so comforting." Ruthie admitted moving over to the end of her bed and putting her hands on the iron-wrought foot board.

"This has to do with Martin. Doesn't it?" T Bone claimed. "I knew I was too lucky for you to choose me over him. When are you going to learn he's a two-timing jerk?"

"It's not about Martin. It's about me." Ruthie insisted. "I was living a lie. And you deserve better."

"But I love you, Ruthie." T Bone moved closer begging with her.

Ruthie stomp her foot. "T Bone, stop begging. It's over. I'm sorry."

T Bone stepped back never losing eye contact with her. "Fine." He stated as he hurried out of the room.

Once he was gone, Ruthie collapsed onto her bed crying. She may not have loved T Bone but she had spent too much time and energy in their relationship to not cry.

Next time on Far Away: Ruthie makes a new friend, Mac shares his thoughts on Martin and Ruthie, and T Bone makes an announcement.