"Are they coming yet?" his mother asked as she bent to pull a pie out of the oven. Jaspert peered out the window.

"Yeah, they're just leaving the barn," he replied. Today it had been Deryn's turn to go ballooning with their father. Jaspert had spent the afternoon indoors, morosely helping his mother with house chores, stealing peeks out the window whenever he could.

"They were supposed to be back ages ago," his mother grumbled. "The Murrays are going to be here any minute and your father isn't even in the house… Jaspert, could you get the tablecloth out of the linen trunk? The one Auntie Elaine got us for Christmas."

Jaspert retrieved the tablecloth from the trunk in his parents' bedroom and laid it out over the dining table. He heard the back door clatter open and made it to the kitchen just in time to see Deryn trip across the threshold behind their father.

"I saw that," he whispered. She stuck her tongue out at him.

Their mother dropped the dishcloth she was holding and turned to face her husband. "Artemis Sharp. You said you'd be back half an hour ago!" she hissed at him. "The Murrays could be coming up the drive right this very second, and you're not even washed for dinner! Look at you!"

Truth be told, she had a point. Artemis's clothes were rumpled, his hair was standing nearly on end, and there was a smudge of grease along his jaw line. But he had nothing on Deryn. She was covered in dust, wearing a pair of Jaspert's old trousers that had one knee ripped open, and her hair was half falling out of its clumsy braid.

"And you, missy! You keep coming back looking like that and you'll never go up with him again!"

"Aw, Mum! You know I can't help it…" Deryn tried to subtly smooth her hair back into order, but her mother's eyes saw everything.

Her mother shook her head, resigned, and pointed upstairs. "Go wash up and get changed before they get here."

His father grinned. "You'd better go, little bird." Deryn frowned but trudged upstairs nonetheless.

"Jaspert, could you get the table set?" His mother was already bustling back to the kitchen.

He groaned. "Make Deryn do it! I've been helping all day!"

"I would, but somebody didn't get her back in time," she shot a pointed look at her husband.

Coming up behind her, Artemis wrapped his arms around his wife's waist. "Come on, Meredith. We made it in time," he said, resting his chin on her shoulder. "You've seen how she gets; I couldn't tear her away. You should have been out there today - the weather was absolutely perfect."

She laughed quietly, swatting at him. "You're getting me all dusty."

He kissed her temple. "I'll go wash up, then. This isn't over." He released her and headed to their room.

Jaspert was setting the table when he heard the knock on the door. He quickly finished and shuffled out to meet the guests.

His mother and Mrs. Murray twittered at each other, trading greetings and compliments. Mr. Murray stood aside, watching his wife bemusedly. Their son, however, planted his feet and looked Jaspert up and down.

Ross Murray was a year younger than Jaspert, but nearly as big. Over the years, Jaspert had been made to endure play dates with him on occasion, but nothing on a regular basis. As a result, the boys knew each other well enough to be rivals, but not well enough to be friends.

Artemis returned just then, greeting Mr. Murray with a clap on the shoulder.

"Jaspert, could you run and get your sister? We'll get dinner on in a minute here." His mother threw him a glance and gestured up the stairs. Eager to escape Ross's glare, he jogged up the stairs and knocked on Deryn's door.

"Mum says come down," he called. She grunted in response. "Now," he insisted.

"I'm coming in a second!"

"Fine."

He made his way back down. His mother had herded everyone into the dining room. Jaspert sat down across the table from Ross, leaving a spot for his sister. She ambled in a few minutes later, face washed, hair brushed, wearing a clean skirt and blouse. His mother looked vaguely relieved.

Dinner was served a few minutes later. The adults talked continuously and his mother laughed far more than usual. The children however, ate in silence unless someone asked them a direct question. Ross alternately glared at Jaspert and made faces at Deryn. Jaspert mainly avoided eye contact, although Deryn was more than happy to reciprocate the scowls.

After the meal, the adults moved into the living room, and the children were ushered out to play in the yard.

They eyed each other warily. None of them particularly wanted to be in the company of either of the others, but circumstances being what they were, there was no other option.

"I'll bet I can beat you to that tree." Ross pointed to a gnarled old elm tree across the yard.

"I'll bet you can't," Jaspert replied, but Ross was already running full out. "GET BACK HERE, BUM-RAG!"

Despite the head start, Jaspert was soon on Ross's heels, with Deryn not far behind. They reached the tree at the same time, locked eyes for a split second, and began madly clambering up the twisted limbs. A moment later, Deryn skidded to a stop beneath them.

"You coming or not?" Jaspert called over his shoulder.

"You need your baby sister for backup?" Ross jeered.

Deryn watched them indecisively for minute. Sighing, she hiked her skirt up and began to climb. When she reached them, they were perched on a branch, glaring at each other. The next handhold was just a few feet out of reach.

"Now what?" she asked.

"Get on my shoulders, climb up there, and then give us a hand up," Jaspert suggested.

Deryn's cheeks pinkened. "I can't."

Ross groaned. "Why not? You're not afraid of heights, are you?"

"Course not, I fly with my da all the time. Couldn't do that if I were scared, could I?"

"C'mon, Deryn!" Jaspert was impatient to beat the Murray boy, even at something as trivial as tree climbing. Deryn kept her eyes downcast. "I won't let you fall, if that's what you're worried about."

"I am not afraid of falling," she answered through gritted teeth.

"Then what?"

"You'll see up my skirt," she mumbled.

"Girls really are good for nothing!" Ross crowed.

Deryn looked as though she were about to say something, but thought better of it. "Wait right here!" she insisted before scampering back down.

"She's gone off to tattle, hasn't she?" The younger boy was watching Jaspert with a hint of worry hidden under his bravado.

"Not likely," Jaspert mused as he watched his sister run toward the house.

"She's probably crying, though," he insisted as Deryn cautiously opened the back door and slipped inside.

"Doubt it." Ross didn't have anything else to add.

A moment later, Deryn's bedroom window opened and she tossed a small bundle out. It landed noiselessly on the lawn below.

Ross shot Jaspert a questioning look, but Jaspert shrugged by way of response, watching as Deryn slunk back out the door and retrieved her parcel. She jogged to the barn and disappeared inside.

When she emerged again, she was back in Jaspert's old trousers.

"What is she wearing?" Ross asked incredulously.

"Don't tell me you've never seen trousers before."

"Well, yes, but not on a girl!" Jaspert shrugged again.

Just a few minutes later, Deryn was on Jaspert's shoulders. She took hold of a protruding knot on the trunk and pulled herself up to the next limb. Wrapping her legs around the branch and bracing her feet against the core of the tree, she leaned down and extended a hand to her brother.

Using Deryn for leverage, he was able to scrabble up just high enough to get a grip on the knot and swing himself up next to her. After Jaspert was settled, she reached down for Ross. He grimaced, but took her hand.

Soon they had climbed as high as they dared go.

"I guess it's a draw, then," Ross commented offhandedly. Deryn and Jaspert exchanged a glance, but didn't say anything.

Just then, the back door clattered open. Still chatting and laughing, their parents spilled out.

"Come on down, boys! It's time for Ross to go home!" Jaspert's mother called.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Deryn cringe. "You're gonna get it," he hissed.

"Oh, get stuffed! I already know that. No need to rub it in."

Jaspert and Ross scrambled down the tree. Deryn followed slowly behind, finally landing with a thump on the grass behind them.

"Oh!" Mrs. Murray gasped, flushing and giggling nervously. "Why, Deryn! I thought maybe your brother and Ross had found another little friend." Deryn silently locked eyes with her mother. She wasn't smiling.

"Why don't you go wait for me upstairs." It wasn't a question.

Ross snickered as Deryn made her way back inside.

The Murrays awkwardly made their goodbyes, and left without further excitement. Jaspert couldn't really say he was sorry to see them go.

As soon as the door closed, his mother was storming up the stairs. He heard Deryn's bedroom door open.

"DERYN SHARP!"

So, I promised the next chapter'd be longer :) Sorry about the delay - I've been trying to force myself to update every weekend, but I didn't quite make it on time this week. I actually was planning on posting a different chapter altogether. But about, oh, 3 AM Friday morning, I had this idea and, well... Here it is. I'm absolutely loving Deryn and Jaspert's parents together, they were so much fun to write. Baby Deryn is a blast, too!

Reviews make my day, so let me know what you think!