A/N: Sorry I took a little while between posting chapters. My writer's block has been kicking my butt. I know this is just fanfiction but I wanted it to flow the right way, know what I mean. Well anyway between my crazy life and whatnot, I was doing laundry and this chapter popped into my head, so I let my pencil flow…LOL, totally crazy right? I mean while cleaning clothes, the cobwebs in my mind got cleaned out as well. Anyway hope you like it.

A/N: Flashbacks are in italics

There was silence for a few moments as the man and I girl regarded each other. As Tyler looked at her, he thought back to the last time he had seen his niece…

Flashback

5 Years Earlier.

Allison was in her room working on some math homework, when she heard yelling downstairs. At first she tried to block it out, but that didn't work so she left her room to go downstairs and ask her mom to keep it down. When she got to the stairs, she stopped. Her mom and dad were yelling at her Uncle Tyler.

"Tyler, you promised me you were done racing," Allison's mom said.

"Come on sis, I've got two more races left, then I'm retiring," replied Tyler.

"You've been pushing too hard, one of these days you are going to get yourself killed."

"I've got two left, what could happen?"

"Tyler Reed, if you don't have the brains to quit while you're ahead, and be around for your niece more often, then get out and don't come back!"

"Mom," Allison said interrupting the argument.

"Ali, honey, go back upstairs," her mom said, looking at her.

Tyler looked at his niece, realizing she had heard their conversation. He motioned for her to go back upstairs. She turned around on her heels, ran back upstairs to her room and slammed her door shut. Turning back to his family, he said, "I'll see you all in 6 months at the finish line." With that, he put his cap on and left. Then his sister spoke to her husband.

"Honey what am I going to tell Allison?"

"I don't know, I wonder how much she heard."

Well not too long after that he got into an accident and was forced to retire early.

End flashback

"Mr. Reed," Mrs. Jacobs said, "If you can just sign a few forms I will be on my way."

"Sure," Tyler replied, "but before I do, just let me ask you one question. Why on God's green earth do you have my niece?"

"Mr. Reed, no one told you?"

"Told me what," Tyler asked.

"Your sister and brother in law were killed in a car accident by a drunk driver a week ago."

Tyler stood there with a look of shock on his face. He took a few minutes to gather some composure, he would grieve later. Right now his niece needed him.

"Right, where do I sign?"

Mrs. Jacobs handed him the clipboard indicating where his signatures were needed.

"Thank you," she said. Mrs. Jacobs then retrieved a suitcase from the trunk of her car, got back in the driver's seat and left.

Tyler looked at his niece, "You hungry?"

"Not really," she replied.

"How about some juice and a breakfast sandwich," he asked.

"No thanks," she said as her stomach growled in disagreement.

"Well too bad, chickpea. Your stomach says otherwise. Let's go put your things away then we'll eat.

She carried her suitcase into the garage and set it down. "You can unpack later," he told her. "Now let's get you some breakfast."

She followed Tyler into Jodi's, sat down and started sipping some juice that was set in front of her, followed by a sandwich. As much as she wanted to protest against not eating, she was kind of hungry (well that and she knew her uncle would make her eat anyway), so she nibbled on it. Jodi looked at this girl. She looked quite a bit like Tyler. Dark hair and the same wild adventurous look in her eye. As Allison was finishing her sandwich, another car pulled up. Tyler heard it and looked outside.

"Great," he said.

"It's not…" Jodi asked hopefully.

"Afraid so, just what we need this morning."

Allison looked at her uncle. "What is it?" she asked.

"I'll tell you in a few minutes. Just behave yourself okay?"

"Don't I always?" she replied, with a slight smirk on her face.

"Get back to me on that later," Tyler said, remembering her mischievous streak when she was younger.

"Morning Jodi," said a man coming into the store wearing a suit."

"Morning Twitchell," Jodi replied. "Would you like some coffee?" she asked.

"That would be great." She handed him a cup. He noticed the girl. "Who's this?" he asked. Allison looked at him and said, "Why are you wearing a suit in desert?"

"Uh…" Tyler said, covering her mouth with his hand, "Sorry Twitchell."

"That's okay. I'll let it slide this time." He said glaring at the girl. Tyler looked at his niece with disapproval, and uncovered his mouth shaking his head, in a motion that indicated not to do that again. She just shrugged. "So who are you?" Twitchell asked again.

"My name is Allison."

"Oh, are you here to take the Graboid tour?"

"Uh Twitchell," Tyler said in response. "This is Allison Reed, my niece. She just moved here."