Woot, it's 4 am, and I'm updating. Listening to the Grassland Chant from the Lion King musical. Getting to see it--that was one of the highlights of my life. ANYWAY, back to the story. Enjoy the next chapter, and wait with baited breath for the newer and more drastically revised parts.

Don't sue.

Chapter Four: You Were Contradicting Yourself Before You Had Anything to Contradict

James hobbled carefully down the stairs in a green-plaid flannel shirt and jeans, loaned to him by one of the more elderly chaperones who was about the same build as him and still wore plaid. However, James Norrington in plaid flannel was a good combination. (Wink wink.) He met the Youth Group in the Lounge, and listened as they were told what they were doing this morning. "This building houses a lot of mission groups, but we also use the downstairs for some people to stay. It's a real mess down there, and we've got to get it cleaned up. You're gonna split into two groups. One will make sandwiches for the homeless, and the other will get things shipshape downstairs."

"Shipshape?" James muttered to the lass, who stood at his shoulder. "I didn't know this would be a nautical task."

"Sarcasm noted, but it's just an expression where you come from, too, so I'm not even gonna bother." He smirked.

"Now please divide into your groups, and let's get to work!"

"Wellp, I'm not much of a fan of sandwiches, and I'm pretty sure you have no idea what a sandwich even is, so methinks we're on cleanup duty downstairs. Watch it on the steps—they're treacherous."

"Whatever you say," he shrugged, happier to do manual labour even if he couldn't bend his knee.

They made their way downstairs to the basement, and followed the rest of their group through the cramped rooms filled with members of the lunch group gathering the jellies for sandwiches, to a more open area. It was a plain room with a gray concrete floor, and blue cloth on the walls and low ceiling to cover the piping. Christmas lights and netting and such were strung from said low ceiling in an effort to liven things up a little. There were six narrow cots, pushed up to a pile of these-and-those that could be found in an average bedroom at the other end of the room. They needed new mattresses, and were to be organized into their own little living areas, each with its own nightstand, lamp, and mini-bureau. "There are mattresses under the bunk beds up in the bedrooms. A couple of you head up and find some clean ones and bring them down." Amy and a couple of the other girls volunteered and raced up the steps to the girls' bedroom. They checked under the beds, and sure enough they found some mattresses, which they heaved out and down to the main level, where a couple of the boys in their group offered to take them down to the basement.

Amy led the way back upstairs. "But there aren't any more mattresses in our room," said one of the girls.

"Maybe there'll be some in the boys' room," suggested the other.

They continued up to the boys' level where they paused at the door. "What about the 'no purple?'" asked the first. Amy rolled her eyes and led the way in, soon spotting the mattresses and pulling them out. Once downstairs, they managed to maneuver the bulky things down the basement steps and through the cramped jelly rooms. Upon appearing in the 'bedroom', Amy's mattress was taken from her by another and she could see that things were shaping up nicely. The narrow beds had been organized three to one wall and three to the opposite, so that they were facing each other. Each had its own miniature living quarters, and she could see things were almost done. "Hey, we've got an extra mattress," someone said

"That's okay, we found another bedframe," replied a chaperone. She spotted James limping toward said chaperone and the remaining pile of 'these-and-those' that had not been used. Standing and maneuvering on only one leg, he and Mr. Dewy, the chaperone, lifted the frame from the pile and placed it in an open space on the wall. The mattress and bedroom items followed, and everyone stood back to admire their work. "Well, all that's left now is to sweep up."

Amy looked around and groaned inwardly, seeing what he meant. The job was only half-done! The floor was littered with plaster and debris and trash and other such rubbish. With a sigh, she set to sweeping.

—————

It was around one in the afternoon when Ames, James, and their group emerged from the basement-turned-bedroom to find the sandwich group on the main level nearly finished. "Lunch time," she murmured as Scott was offering the extra sandwiches as a meal. "What's this, turkey sandwiches, too?" she asked aloud. "Hey James, do you like turkey?"

"Yes."

"Processed turkey?"

"Erm..."

"Moo. I guess we'll just have to find out, then, won't we?" Before he could reply, she snatched two sandwiches and began to make her way down to the lounge. James followed wearily. She handed one to him as he sunk into the couch beside her, and took a bite out of her own.

"All right, everyone," Scott addressed the group amid their lunches. "After lunch you're going to have a little free time. Make sure you're ready in time for when we leave tonight, though, all right?"

"What are we doing later?" James turned to his aunt.

"Delivering the lunches to the homeless. Now eat up. It's going to be a cold one."

"Right."

"Really cold."

"Okay..."

"Like, 'Barbossa-cold', savvy?"

"Cold as death?" he asked, looking somewhat concerned.

"Er...," she shrugged, "I dunno, sounded cool though."

James only rolled his eyes and went back to consuming his sandwich.

"Oh wait," Scott was doubling back, looking somewhat embarrassed, as if remembering something. "Everyone, I forgot: we're gonna go into the city instead of free time. We'll give you all the details later when you're done eating. Just be sure you're all ready to go in maybe a half hour, okay?" There were mumbled replies, and he strode off to do...whatever it is he was supposed to be doing.

James looked at Amy again. "Into the city?"

She shrugged, eyebrows raised, shaking her head a little. "I guess so. You'd think we were staying for longer than a weekend with everything they've got planned for us to do, you know?" He nodded, taking another bite out of his sandwich. She sighed, leaning her head back on the couch. "I can't wait til this weekend is over."

"Why?"

"I mean, I'm good with the manual labor and stuff, I just don't like to do it in the cold. Nor am I a big fan of the city. Too many people, too much pollution, too much general violence."

"But you're here with friends, aren't you?"

"No. My best friend is Jewish, so obviously she wouldn't be here on a Christian trip, my other close friend is Atheist, most of my Christian friends don't even go to my church, and finally, my closest church friend is a grade lower than me, and is still in the Junior High, and this is a Senior High trip, so she couldn't come."

She had so many friends, and yet she couldn't make nice with anyone here? "Well...you've got me."

"And thank goodness for that!" She flashed a grin at him. "Now come on, let's finish our lunch and get you set up with something to keep you warm outside." James gave her a withering look that said he didn't appreciate being ordered around, then suddenly chuckled. "What?"

"Sometimes you really do act like a mother, do you know that?"

She returned the laugh. "I don't know why. Maternal instinct, I guess."

"It's odd, seeing that you hate children." He stopped to think for a few moments. "Nice to know how much you care, pet."

She pointed at him, eyebrows lowered. "Watch it." He ducked his head with a smile and finished his sandwich.

Within the half-hour, lunch as a whole was over, and the group were now in their specific vans on a drive into another part of the city. They had each been given two dollars. The idea was to do something nice for just about any person on the street, though the focus was mainly on the homeless. One could...buy a rose and give it to someone. One could...pool his or her money with others to take a homeless person to McDonald's (or something relatively cheap) and buy him or her a meal. The list can go on.

Upon arriving at their destination, everyone was split into four small groups, each led by at least one chaperone, and moved off in all directions. The chaperone for Amy's squad was Mr. Dewy. Elderly, bearded, balding of the head, mostly gray, little pepper. Very friendly. The trek through the city began.

For a good while they walked through the cold, until, after what seemed like a frozen eternity, time was up. They had not seen a single homeless person while they were out. Prolly a good sign, thought Amy. She looked to James, who looked like he was trying very hard not to look cold. "Poor thing," she cooed.

"I'll be fine, so long as we get to some warmth soon."

"Well, time's up, so yeah, I think we're going back for a little while, now."

"Good," he said with vibrating jaw, teeth beginning to chatter. The Youth Group met up again, and Scott repeated her words. "So, ah...have you any ideas what is happening tonight?"

"I think we're handing out bagged lunches to the homeless."

"Oh not more of that," he scoffed.

"James!" And she flicked him in the ear. "It was once your job to help those in need, wasn't it?"

"Yes, but—."

"Same thing here."

He gave her a hard look. "Far from the same, dear. Far from it." His brow creased and he suddenly looked confused. "Pet, what is a 'bagged lunch?'"

Subtle change of subject, she thought sarcastically. "It's a sandwich, juice, and snack in a brown paper bag."

"Ah."

"You know, you should really keep your voice down when you're scoffing this stuff."

"What—?"

"—Because the only reason they're letting you stay is because you're supposed to be helping us, not discouraging us."

"I'm not trying to discourage anyone."

"You may not be trying to, but if someone were to hear you talking like that, especially some of these kids who are a bit timid when it comes to this sort of thing, or who are looking for any excuse not to do it, like I would if I were less mature, they might follow your example instead! You have power, kid. You as an adult influence us as teenagers, savvy?"

"Fine, I won't talk about it. But do not make the mistake of assuming that I have changed my mind in any way, do you hear?" It wasn't a fight. It was more of a debate. The dear reader need not worry that some rift was forming due to this mutual disagreement. In fact, it felt quite good to argue for both parties, for some odd reason or other.

"You'll come around," she muttered under her breath, a gleam in her eyes. "I'll make sure of it."

His expression grew worried. "You've got that look again. Shall I fear for myself, or run around in circles as you used to do?" And just like that, the tension was gone.

"I'd pay to see you of all people running in circles like a crazed maniac."

"Crazed maniac." He put his finger to his chin in Jack-like thought. "Sounds...interesting...If you'd be willing to pay, who knows who else would? I could make a living out of that."

"Ehh..."

"If I ever get back home, of course," he added quietly.

"But you won't."

"What?"

"You said it yourself: you can't go back to your home. Sure to your world, but not home. So!" she added, finding a loophole, "Technically, thou art homeless as well."

He snorted. "P-preposterous." The shivering had grown bad enough that his speech was affected.

"Is it, oh cold-one-in-borrowed-clothing?" He froze, eyes smouldering. "Hmm," Amy continued, pacing around him in mock scrutiny. "No home, no money, borrowing clothes and food...you're really not so much better off than they are."

"No," he denied it.

"Yes."

"But I... That's n-not..." he trailed off, eyes focusing on a point on the barely-visible horizon, thinking hard.

Got him now, she thought triumphantly.

The silence stretched on and on, even through the ride back to base, during which he spent the whole ride merely staring blankly at hist calloused palms which rested in his lap. Some free time followed, in which Todd retrieved her CD player and the Tarzan soundtrack. She found her nephew in the lounge, staring angrily at the floor, still trying to come up with a response. "I just don't know," he admitted as she joined him.

"Don't worry. Everything will be all right." She slipped the headphones over his ears.

"Wh-...what?" He looked at her confusedly. "What is this?"

"Shhh. Just listen." She pressed a button, and 'You'll Be in My Heart' began to play. She had figured in would calm him down a bit. She had expected him to take a joke, but instead he had taken it to heart. She wondered very much why the heck something like this would get to him, but she didn't mention it. The song went on and she saw him begin to relax.

He removed the headphones as the song came to an end. "Thanks, dear." He sighed. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I guess I've been a bit jumpy lately."

"And I understand why." His brow creased questioningly. "New world, new customs, new food, and so on. It's all new to you, and you just need time to adjust."

"No no. I think it's more than just that. I mean...for most of my life, I have had such strong beliefs. I find only now that I am such a hypocrite—that I contradict my own beliefs and concepts which I have always clung so tightly to."

"What?"

"Like this whole homeless ordeal. And my thoughts on the punishment of murderers." He laughed hollowly. They had both risen from the couch and moved off a few paces. "A murderer to murder the murderers."

"You're not a murderer!" she cried in but a whisper. "You were following the law!"

"Very technically, I was both following and breaking that law. I don't know anymore—," he broke off abruptly to scoot out of the way of a passing female chaperone. Anyone watching would have assumed he was being polite and moving out of her way—he seemed like a well-mannered cove to them. But Ames saw right through it. She had seen that flash in his eyes, she had sensed that explosion of emotion as he hastily moved away as though to avoid a poisonous reptile.

"James," she said suddenly, and he looked at her, breathing heavily as if the lady's presence had startled him. "You're afraid of women, aren't you."

I used 'savvy' in conversation today. It's been a while. Anyway, review? Please?