Chapter 2

As they drove up to the Kent farmhouse, Chloe was filled with anticipation. She was expecting something exciting to happen, but there was no indication on what "that" would be. She loved the yellow farmhouse with every fiber of her being as soon as she saw it. Good things were going to happen there and she couldn't wait to find out what that was going to be.

When the car pulled to a stop, she would have unlocked herself if she could have just gotten to the button. Adventures were a new thing to her and her heart pounded with excitement as each new one was revealed. She just knew that her paper was going to be the best one Daddy had ever read. She grimaced for a moment. How was she supposed to get it all together for him to read by breakfast? She looked over to her side and saw Pete being helped out of the car by Abby. He seemed oddly biddable… She was startled when a head of red curls came into view directly in front of her face. She could only stare for a moment until gentle hands lifted her out of the seat and onto the ground. Chloe looked into a happy face with bright blue eyes and knew with a certainty that this was someone she could rely on.

"Hey there, Pete!" the lady smiled as Pete ran over for a hug. "How are you doing, little man?"

"Cow!" Pete said with excitement as he pointed toward the fields.

"Martha, really… I can't thank you enough! It's just that darn Frank! He thinks he can get his client off after he knew this big plant tour was today. Rat ba…!"

"Abby," Martha interrupted, "it's fine. We're going to have fun…"

Abby sighed with relief and kissed Pete. "You be good for Mrs. Kent, okay?" He smiled and nodded and held Martha's hand.

Martha led them into the farm house as Abby drove away. Pete had looked like he might have been upset about her leaving, but the prospect of cows was something that apparently overshadowed that. Chloe was just excited to get inside. She'd never been in a house like this before and she wanted to see what it would be like. Martha had a big beaming smile on her face as she walked in the door. "I have someone I'd like you both to meet," she said. Chloe could tell she was excited because she was practically bouncing up and down. "I'd like you to meet my son, Clark."

A dark head with vivid green eyes peeked around the corner. As he walked in the room, Chloe could only stare. There was something about the shy smile and the sad eyes that touched her heart in ways she'd never known before. She realized that he was staring at her too. She gave him her very best smile and ran up close to him. "Hi, me Choe… tat Pete," introducing herself and the boy who hadn't been much further behind her in meeting the newcomer with a point of her hand.

He just smiled at them with his hands securely tucked behind him as if he was afraid to touch anything. He looked up at Martha with a pleading look in his eyes and she came over to the trio. "Clark just got here, kids. He doesn't know many words yet."

"No?" Chloe asked incredulously. He shook his head shyly, but tried to grin. Suddenly, she was excited. Here was someone who needed her. She'd never felt that emotion before. "I 'each 'oo!" She grabbed his hand and Pete's and started to pull them toward the door.

She was already through before she heard Martha's admonition, "Be gentle…"

Chloe didn't even pause but in the back of her mind, she wondered why Martha would be worried about her hurting Clark. It wasn't as if he wasn't a sturdy boy. She shook her head. Who could understand those incomprehensible grown-ups anyway?

When she got to the edge of the porch, she stopped so suddenly that the boys nearly plowed right into her. Her eyes were wide and she started to tremble at all the empty space around the farm. She could see dark dots in the distance, but there wasn't anything else besides lots and lots of yellow and green. What if I get lost and Daddy can't find me?

Pete stared at her for a moment as she refused to move any further. His eyes widened and he started giggling. He had thought she was fearless, but this made her seem more human somehow. "You're scared!" He announced it as if he'd just discovered an easy route to Santa's house.

She blushed hotly. "I am not," she protested angrily, but it didn't have any conviction behind it. She hated being teased and to have this new boy know that she was scared was unbearable. Suddenly, she could hear her mommy's voice. "I was just enjoying the view," she repeated, hoping she sounded confident.

She almost wished she had saved her breath. Pete just continued his mocking little dance. She wanted to hit him and knock him down, but Daddy had always said that was a no-no. Her heart beat painfully and she could feel her eyes prickling. She really didn't want to cry in front of these boys, but she didn't know if she could stop it. After all, she was just a little girl.

She tried to look anywhere but at that darn Pete… but it didn't help. She could still hear him. Slowly, she became aware of a slight pressure on her hand and something patting her shoulder gently. Clark was looking at her with big, worried eyes but had a soft, encouraging smile on his lips. She felt like she was floating into those sparkling green depths and knew without a shadow of a doubt that she could always rely on him. She smiled shyly back at him, which unleashed his full smile on her. She could only stare. She could tell when he started thinking because his face scrunched up for a moment before his smile returned. "Me pitect you," he said confidently as he led her down the stairs.

With such reassurance, her courage returned in full force. She grinned at him happily and noticed that he tripped a little so she had to keep him upright by holding his hand. Pete tried to keep giggling at her, but she turned such a frown in his direction that he stopped as if she had hit him. "Didn't you say there were cows around here, Pete?" she asked as nicely as she could. After all, she would be spending all day with these boys and she didn't want to fight with them the whole time. Plus, a little voice whispered in her head, you don't want to risk Clark's good opinion. She smiled brightly at the boys and began to skip toward the barn… never letting go of Clark's hand.

A/N: I don't have a lot to say here. Life has gone crazy and taken me with it. That means this story and others are going slowly. I hope life gets better soon…

markmark261: Yeah, the first chapter was a bit too… well back-story, to be honest… I enjoy writing them as children. As the writing continues, I have to smile. I had intended this to be really short… one to three chapters… but I don't think I'll be able to stop that soon…