A night in a tree was not the most comfortable sleep. Brody and Levi had returned with some food, Levi's guitar, and Kelly's pain medication, and were able to climb back up the tree to be with their friends.

The Rangers slept well that night, but Kelly didn't. Her leg had kept her up. So when the sun rose, while everyone was still asleep, Kelly was the first to see Preston making his way to the tree. He did not look well.

He climbed up the tree and Kelly was the only one to greet him. She whispered that he should be quiet, since everyone else was still asleep, including the construction crew.

"Is everything okay?" she then asked him and Preston shook his head. "Wanna talk?"

"There isn't much to say. I'm not getting along with my parents right now."

"Same," Kelly smirked. "I'm not even sure where mom went in all this, but there's been nothing from her since dad died. I think we're definitely not on speaking terms."

"Well, it's not as bad as your situation," Preston said. "It's just… my parents have these strong beliefs and… I think I don't agree with them anymore. Actually, I know I don't, and they can't accept that."

"Uh…" Kelly frowned and tilted her head. "What part of that isn't like what's happened with me?"

"It's just not as bad."

"Preston, I'd describe what happened to me the same way as you did," Kelly said. "My parents have strong beliefs that I don't agree with. Is that why your dad is so angry?"

"Well, you guys really are pissing him off with the Ribbon Tree," Preston said. "But… there is more too it."

"You haven't been home for a while, right?" Kelly asked and remembered that Preston's father had been surprised to see him, and had made a comment that Preston hadn't been home for a few days.

"I caught my parents in the middle of a conversation a while ago," Preston said. "They were discussing what to do about… well, about Sarah."

"Sarah?"

"They think she turned me gay."

"Are you gay?"

"No," Preston shook his head. "Not that it matters, or that it would be her fault, but… that's the reason they don't want me to hang out with her."

"Apparently, Sarah is the gay fairy," Kelly chuckled. "My parents think she turned me into a lesbian. Although, they didn't know that when they told me not to hang out with her."

"It gets worse," Preston said. "I confronted my parents about that, and my mom said some pretty nasty things. It was right after those guys tried to attack Sarah. Basically, mom said if they raped Sarah, maybe that would fix her."

"She said that?"

"I couldn't believe it either," Preston said. "I mean, we've always had workers around the house. My parents have always been a little… difficult to them. I just thought that was because we paid them well and wanted them to do their job well. Turns out, my parents just think less of people who aren't like them. When I saw my mom had Sarah's hoverboard, and she didn't plan on returning it, I just left."

"Your mom took it?"

"She must have recognized it, seen it on her way back to the house and just took it," Preston nodded. "Dad hasn't said much about it, but he's clearly taking her side and I don't know what to do. And I don't want to tell Sarah any of this because… I don't want her thinking I'm like my parents."

"I don't think she'll think that," Kelly said and glanced at her girlfriend. "She knows who you are."

"I don't know what to do," Preston admitted.

"What do you mean?"

"I just don't know what to do," Preston shrugged. He was at a real loss. There was a lot he risked losing by leaving home, and he wasn't even sure that was the right thing to do. His parents had money. They could put him through college and get him set up for the rest of his life. If he went home, if he stopped arguing with them over their beliefs, they would help him.

But it was wrong for so many reasons. Preston couldn't justify giving up his beliefs just for his parents' money. He couldn't sacrifice his relationship with his friends. He couldn't live pretending like he didn't care about other people. He also couldn't use his parents just for their money.

Preston was no sell out, but the alternative – living with Brody in a house on the outskirts of the city with very little money and nothing else seemed terrifying. Preston would have no prospects after high school and would have to sacrifice much of what he was accustomed to having. He would essentially be making the decision to start his life over again without the support from his parents.

He didn't think he was brave enough to make that leap.

"I can't tell you what to do, Preston," Kelly shrugged. "I didn't have a choice in the matter."

"But if you did?"

"My plan was to stay with my parents until I was ready to move out," Kelly admitted. "They weren't supposed to find out when they did. They were just supposed to think Sarah was a friend and that I was just unlucky when it came to dates."

"So you would have stayed with them?"

"Probably," Kelly nodded her head. "I mean, it would have sucked, but if I hadn't been kicked out, I'd still be at home right now."

"And that would have worked for you?"

"Depends what you mean by worked," Kelly shrugged. "I'd be with my parents but… I don't think I'd be as happy as I am now."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I can be myself now. And Sarah and I can flirt and hang out and do couple stuff without having to worry we're going to get caught. The thing I'm worried about is now behind me, and I've managed to land a place to stay with a family that really seems to care. In a way, I think I'm better off, now. I guess I wouldn't have regretted staying at home, but it would have made me miserable."

"So I should leave?" Preston asked. Kelly could tell he was looking for a simple answer, and he was hoping she would give it to him. She shrugged again.

"I don't know."

"So stay?"

"No idea."

"Kelly…"

"I think you've got to decide if what you believe is worth fighting for," Kelly said. "My happiness and the relationship I had with Sarah was worth fighting for. It was worth losing everything."

The sun was really starting to come up now. A few workers were coming out of their trucks and some of the other Rangers were starting to stir. Preston knew his father would be coming back to the Ribbon Tree to demand the Rangers leave so he could cut it down.

"Is this worth losing everything?" Kelly asked Preston. "Only you can answer that."