The plane screeched to a stop and I held my breath.

Jazz said that she would be at the airport at six forty-five.

It was now six ten.

My hands were shaking and my stomach was churning.

As I walked numbly down the stairs, Sam grabbed my hand and squeezed it gently.

I swallowed. My tongue felt huge in my mouth.

"Everything's going to be ok." She whispered.

We walked into the airport, went through security and got our luggage.

I sat down, my hand gripped tightly around the handle of my suitcase.

"You ok?" She asked, rubbing my back.

I shook my head. "No. This was a stupid idea. Why did I ever agree to do this?"

"Because you know that this is the right thing to do. And because you know that this is a step in the right direction." She said.

I let go of my suitcase and covered my face with my hands. "I can't do this, Sam."

"You can." She gently massaged my shoulders and kissed my neck. "You're strong, Danny Fenton."

"Not this strong." I replied.

"You are." She said, continuing to massage my shoulders.

I took several deep breaths.

"You can do this." She repeated in a whisper, then kissed my neck. "I love you."

I slowly released my breath. "Ok…"

A few minutes later, I saw my sister and her orange head of hair coming toward us.

I stood and Sam let go of my hand.

"Hi, Jazz." I said as she got close enough to us.

"Hi, Danny!" She exclaimed closing the distance between us in a run.

She pulled me into a hug. "Ooh, I've missed you little brother."

"I've missed you too." I mumbled, pulling away.

Jazz grinned at Sam and pulled her into a hug. "It's so good to see you guys!"

When my sister released her, Sam seemed kind of dazed.

I laughed.

"Sorry." Jazz chuckled. "I forgot that you're not a hug person."

Sam smiled. "It's ok…you just caught me by surprise."

Jazz reached down and grabbed my suitcase. "Let's go. My car's out front."

"You drove down here?" I asked.

She turned around to glance at me, walking backwards now. "Sort of...I'll explain in a little while."

I picked up Sam's suitcase and I took her hand with my free one.

After a few minutes of walking, we pushed open the exit doors and walked out into the chilly evening air.

The sun was just setting behind the clouds, and Sam was taking pictures with her digital camera.

"I can't believe you brought that thing." I whispered. "You do know that it's like three years old?"

She laughed and nudged me out of her way so she could take a better picture.

We'd teased each other like this before. She was a sucker for all of the old models of things and for the originals of almost everything.

I, on the other hand, didn't mind upgrading. As evidenced by the iPhone and the new electronics that were in my home.

Sam was still using her chunky old model of a Canon. She was used to taking pictures and developing them herself.

That had become one of her interests during college.

I even had a darkroom in my apartment for her, so she could continue developing her pictures after we got married.

Jazz grinned at us as she unlocked the trunk. "You guys are adorable."

I grabbed Sam's arms and tried dragging her away from the sunset.

"Hang on." She said, swatting my hands away. "You get the suitcases into the trunk. I'll be right there."

"Fine." I laughed, joining my sister at the back of the trunk.

"You didn't tell her yet did you?" She whispered.

I glanced at Jazz.

All traces of smile were gone from her now. In it's place was a glare that reminded me of my mom.

"Jazz, I'm trying ok? Can you help me get this in here?" I asked, struggling with the suitcase.

She sighed, pushed me away and rearranged it so it fit perfectly.

Jazz pushed her hair out of her eyes, and slammed the trunk.

"You have to tell her soon. Before our parents do." She said, her glare disappearing as she turned around to talk to Sam.

"Come on, there are plenty more things to take pictures of along the way." She called.

"Sorry." Sam laughed, jogging over to us.

My sister climbed into the driver's seat and asked us to sit in the back seat.

"The passenger seat is kind of damaged and near breaking." She explained.

I nodded and climbed into the back seat beside Sam.

Sam grinned. "This kind of reminds me of when Danny and I were kids and you would drive us to the movies."

Jazz laughed. "Oh yeah, I remember that. You two were so obvious in high school."

"After his freshman year." Sam said. "He insists that he liked me after but I know that he liked Paulina for a while."

"Oh yeah." Jazz looked at me in the rearview mirror as she pulled out of the parking lot. "Why were you into her again?"

"Can you focus on the road?" I asked.

She laughed. "Ok, keep your hair on little bro."

As she continued driving toward my childhood home, I looked out the window at the snow that was falling and at the trees that were streaking past.

"I don't remember you ever driving this fast when I was a kid." I said.

"Well, my college days kind of cured me of that." She said, laughing.

There was a momentary pause of silence.

"Speaking of your college days," She said. "I'm sorry that mom and dad didn't come to your graduation."

I shrugged and looked back out the window. "It's not a big deal, honest."

"It is." She replied.

I sighed.

Sam took my hand. "I'm sorry."

I took my hand from hers. "I said it wasn't a big deal."

"Danny." She replied. She was using her, 'please look at me' voice.

I resisted for a second, but in the end, I turned toward her.

Her gorgeous eyes were filled with nothing but concern.

"I love you." I said.

Her face softened. "I know. I love you too."

She rubbed my arm. "You ok? You're really tense."

The car pulled to a stop and I looked out the windshield as my heart pounded faster.

"Yeah." I said, my heart in my throat.

My parents were inside that house.

I slowly released Sam's hand and I opened the door. I was a mere footsteps away from them.

What would they think of me now? Was this all a big mistake?