Thank you for the reviews everyone! Please keep doing so, they're the only things which keep me updating.

Enjoy this chapter, the next one is rather epic :P

I do not own National Treasure or this script. Only Lorna.

"Silence Dogood..." I mused. "Benjamin Franklin? Fifteen years old? Middle aged woman?"
Ben grinned widely at me, the same knowing, mesmerised look he was so fond of giving me. I smiled back, happy he was impressed. We always seemed to be on the same level. That's right, I know things.

"-And you have the original letters?" Abigail asked from her place beside me, perched on the edge of the van which Riley had stopped in a park just off the main road. "You steal those too?" Hm, wouldn't put it past him.

"We have scans of the originals. Quiet please." Ha. He didn't tell me to shutup.

"How'd you get scans?" She continued, watching Ben pace back and forth with judgemental eyes. He turned to me, shooting an exasperated look in my direction. I wondered what he was going to do if she seriously wouldn't shut up. I hoped it would involve duct tape. This woman was a menace.

Honestly, she should've just been taking it as it came, which was what I was trying to do now that I knew Ben was a famous nut job and not just a weirdo off the street. Made me trust him more, which is weird, right?

"I know the person who has the originals, now shush."

There was a pause. We all knew it was coming.

"Why do you need them?" Abigail's tone was softer this time, like she was treading carefully, but Ben was nowhere near impressed.

"She really can't shut her mouth can she?" He looked from me to Riley questioningly. I just shrugged, as did Riley.

"I'll tell you what, look, I will let you hold on to this-" He passed Abigail the canister holding the Declaration. "-If you promise to shut up. Please." She took it and glared at him from beneath her heavily eye shadowed lids. It seemed to have quietened her down for now. "Thank you." Then he wandered off, murmuring things I couldn't hear to Riley. I thought maybe I heard the word 'Dad' but wasn't sure, as Abigail was talking to me in a hushed voice.

"Lorna," she hissed. I blinked at her.

"What?" I couldn't help but sound moody and snappy. She hadn't been very kind to me.

"These guys, we can't trust them." She didn't wait for a reaction from me, instead continued. "Distract Gates, I'll make a run for it with the Declaration. It's the only way to make it safe." I bit my lip, eyes casting down to the cylinder she held in her hands.

"But if he and his family are so adamant about this they're willing to have their name as mud, surely there must be some level of truth to this?" It didn't make much sense, I know, but it made more sense than a simple conspiracy theory, standing alone.

"If you do this Lorna," Abigail went on, ignoring my explanations, clearly sure of her decision. "I'll give you the job right now. You'll have a career, Lorna." She put her hand on mine, pleading with her eyes. "Please?"

It was a weak moment, for that one second I believed what she said was true. I was impressionable, slightly drunk and unsure of everything. Plus, she had offered me the job.

The question was, did I want it anymore? It was clear these guys needed help, I mean, I'd seen who they had on their tails, and it was clearly obvious who were the villains in this picture.

"Alright." I almost immediately regretted it as I stood up, heading over to Ben, mind reeling. I didn't know who to trust. Abigail would've been the smart choice, but she didn't seem to care much for other people's opinions.

"Ben?" I tugged on his sleeve. "Can I have a word? Privately?"
"Uh-" He glanced at Abigail warily, and then smiled back at me. "Sure."

We went behind the van, leaving Riley to 'guard' as it were from the front seat. I bit my lip, and twiddled my fingers distractedly.

"So, what's up?" He asked kindly, his eyes sparkling. Damn. Why did they have to sparkle so nicely? I thought for a moment.

Would Abigail really give me the job? Mere minutes earlier, back in the van, she had said she would "personally make SURE the entire academic community knows NEVER to give you a job!" and she had seemed pretty adamant about that. I didn't believe for one second that she cared about anything more than the Declaration. She hadn't even bothered thanking Ben for rescuing her from those goons earlier.

I felt sorry for Ben. He was so lost. He only wanted to uncover the history, to protect the Declaration from those murderous thugs. I understood that. We had...Clicked.

Right then, my choice was made.

"Abigail's going to take the Declaration, stop her before-" Ben was gone before I could finish, racing around the side of the van and out of sight. I followed blindly, unsure if I felt guilty or not, only to walk into quite a struggle.

Ben was wrestling the Declaration out of Abigail's grasp while she fought futilely against him while screaming "Let me go!"

I watched in astonishment, unsure what to do, until Ben flung her off him, ripping the tube from her hands.

"Okay. You're let go, go, shoo."

"I'm not going, not without the Declaration."
"You're not going with the Declaration."

I brushed my bangs out of my eyes so they swept along my forehead in one direction. Abigail was going to kill me for ratting her out. It was hard, not knowing what side I was on, exactly. I was leaning towards Ben, because he was the one who was so adamant about this whole thing I couldn't help but wonder if what he was claiming had some truth to it.

"Abigail..." I began. "Maybe we should just hear these guys out, y'know-"

She whirled on me, blue eyes flashing angrily.

"It's Doctor CHASE to YOU!" She snapped, giving me a death stare. I recoiled, unsure how to react. Somehow I still respected the woman too much to hurl abuse at her. I was sure a time would come where I could, though. The 'respect' counter was dangerously low.

"Give her a break, she's just as confused as you." Ben defended, stepping in.

"You aren't taking the Declaration, and you aren't coming with us"

"I'm not letting it out of my sight so I'm going." Abigail yelled back, turning to face him.

"Do you know where we're going?"

Abigail watched him, and then pressed her lips together in a thin line.

"No, you don't." Ben continued in a patronising tone. He must have disclosed where he was going while she had been whispering to me. "We're leaving, and you're staying here."

"Fine." Then she gave both Ben and I one last glare before sweeping away.

"Aren't you going to pay for her taxi or something?" I watched her go, disappearing into the night.

"No time." Ben said simply, turning back to the van.

"The mean Declaration lady finally left, then?" Riley said casually as we approached the vehicle. I admitted he didn't sound particularly bothered by this turn of events.

"I made her leave." Ben shrugged, sliding the doors open for me. I got in gingerly.

"-And why's she invited?" I shot Riley a look when he said this, but secretly wondered what the answer was myself.

"Because she's curious." Ben said affectionately.

"And pretty, right?" Riley teased, almost sounding knowing.

"I guess." Ben answered casually.

"So I can come?" I cut in. He twisted around to face me.

"Do you want to come?"

I held his gaze for a few moments before I answered.

"Yeah."

He grinned, that killer smile that had had me hooked from day one.

"I think," he began, as if he was explaining his reasons for inviting me. "-if you have a passion for history...And...We kinda ruined your career, then we owe you something. At least the adventure of a lifetime."

He had a way with words, something that made me want to listen to him talk all day long.

"Plus," Riley added. "If you're willing to crouch on the floor and eaves drop on our conversation, you must be as interested in this as we are. And we like it when people believe us." He smiled his boyish grin at me and I mirrored it.

"Welcome to our circle."

"The circle of what? Criminals?" I smirked, realising I oddly didn't mind.

"Something like that." Ben chuckled.

I sat tight as the engine started, realising I had in fact just been called crooked. Still, I was pleased my life finally had some excitement in it, that maybe I wouldn't be going back to the diner, and wearing my old apron.

I was being noticed for once. It felt good. Ben Gates made me feel like I mattered. Which I realised, right there, was why all I wanted was to be near him.

Only thing was, I couldn't help but wonder about Doctor Chase...

Please review! Then the next chapter will come sooner, and you'll find out where Abigail weeent! *Bribes*