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A/N: Okay I know I screwed up chapter 19 and hopefully the corrections work. I apologize for that but this whole story has been an experiment for me. I also apologize for some of what is mentioned in this chapter. PLZ understand that I'm used to writing a lot of drama with some romance and both are fundamental in a story with teens. So with out further ado here you go. covers head please don't stone me. I know it's short but then next one will be longer I swear.

Review Response:

Kiere: I swear I didn't mean to confuse you. I don't know if I can make you understand but I'll give it a shot. I'm an idiotic mortal girl who REALLY needs to read something more humorous and less life, love, death, and DRAMA, and unfortunately that slipped into the last chapter.

Marik: I figured it was you, I didn't know the name so I went to look at the bio like I do with all of my reviews to see what sort of thing the person is into and I saw a reference to you and suspected as much. I'm glad to find I can respond to the reviews. But all the same guys if you ever want to e-mail me you can…(I've not had mail in days I'm dying).

Mother-Daughter-Talk

Lilly leaned forward over the table looking at the puzzle pieces her mom had laid out. She'd nearly put together the outside but there were a lot of sky pieces that Lilly was working on herself. As long as she could remember the two had had an unexplainable connection of sorts. Her mom knew when something was wrong and had obviously been tipped off, maybe it was because she'd yelled at Gracie when she'd called to see what happened with Don, or the fact that after the call stalked out to the pond and just screamed until exhaustion found her. Lilly couldn't put a finger on the reason it upset her so much to see Bakura and Don not getting along. Why she'd been filled with a strange giddiness when Bakura had stood up for her and a disappointment and rage when Don had likened women to dogs.

"You going to tell me what's wrong?" her mother asked snapping a long strand of pieces, that made the left side, into place.

"Don said some things. I don't know Mamma. It's weird." she started to tell her mom about all the things that had run through her mind the past few weeks since Halloween. Or it might have started before that, maybe the night Lady El was born or when Elaine died. She wasn't sure but she knew it wasn't yet the time to say anything about the foreign exchange boy.

"You and Don will patch it up. You two always do." she gave her daughter a reassuring smile.

"I don't know if I want to." Lilly said clicking a another piece of cloud into her chunk on twenty some tiny jigsaw pieces.

"Oh, It's something big. Hold the thought I'll be right back." her mother stood and passed through the empty doorway into the kitchen. She returned a few minutes later with two mugs of hot coco, a large Hershey bar and a jar of peanut butter. Lilly smiled at this. When she'd been very small it was what her mother had used to calm her down when she was upset. Countless times this was the feast she'd have after a bought with the monsters the dwelled in her room. "Now Cowgirl, tell me what happened." her mother said sitting down.

"Don's been asking to meet Bakura, and I've put it off and put it off. I don't know why it just seemed…. You know all those movies where the girl brings her boyfriend home to meet the parents?" her mother nodded breaking off a square of chocolate and dragging it though the peanut butter. " It was like that. I mean, I don't think there is anything there with Bakura and I. It'd just be silly. He's only here until July and I'm far to sensible to break my heart like that, but not dedicated to anything without four legs to make a long distant relationship work. But I bring 'Kura in and Don starts right away with questioning him. But he didn't want me to be there so he sent be after a stupid candy bar. When I got back the two were arguing over the woman's level in today's society."

"Where was Bakura's stand?" her mother interrupted. This had always been an important thing with her mother. She'd been in a relationship when she'd met Mr. Halse where the guy was beating her. Since then she'd drilled into her children's heads that this was terribly wrong and Lilly knew her mother would go straight to Bakura and give him a lashing he'd never dreamt possible if she'd said he belittled women kind.

"It wasn't as much women in general as me. But he stood up for me, or us or whatever."

"Good. What did you do?"

"I threw the musketeers at him and took Bakura by the hand and led him out." she smirked. Lilly took a sip of her coco and broke off a chunk of chocolate. For a long moment neither of them spoke. "Mamma, 'Kura and I… We don't, you know, do we?" Mrs. Halse smiled sweetly and tossed her head from side to side. She took a large swallow from her mug before answering her daughter.

"If things hadn't changed with you after Alex…..became Serena, I think you would have done a lot more with that boy than some harmless second graders version of flirting. Lilly, honey I'm so very proud of you. You dropped you whole lifestyle cold turkey and became so absolute angel when your sister had her accident. But I think you are reigning yourself too tight. That is what made you such a great competitor, it's what makes you such a great farm manager, but sweetheart your only 16." Lilly sucked at her bottom lip for a moment and tried to find some answer to her question in her mom's response. "Do I see a potential romantic relationship when I look at you and Bakura? No. You too," she paused. " It's like Son of Sam and Crooked Wings. You two look after each other and on some level will always see the other as part of your flock and may even have a soft spot for those like the other in the future. But when if come right down too it You can't swim, or fly. You are far to grounded to do so. Just like Sam, you whole life is wrapped up too tight in some future plan for right now to matter. Bakura is sort of Crooked. He's just here passing time enjoy what we've got to offer but when fall comes he'll migrate somewhere else and may never look back."

"I like him." Lilly said admitting for the first time even to herself that there was something about the boy that intrigued her.

"I know. I remember the last boy you said that about." her mother had a empty look on her face. Lilly on the other hand scowled.

"Don't remind me of him! He was….. He was bad for me."

"I saw Jason the other day." her mother said. Lilly looked up sharp. She wanted to ask how he was, where he was, if he'd dropped his old ways, there was so much she wanted to know but she held it all back. "I know you're too grown up to allow yourself the pleasure of asking about him. So not that it matters he was sober, his folks spilt and his dad has custody of his baby sister, his mom has terminal cancer and they are living with her parents." Lilly lowered her gaze to stare at the half a cloud that sat in front of her.

"I wish things were different." she mumbled.

"Now, don't go saying that! I don't regret a moment of your or my life. Even when I sweet talked that trainer into taking on you kids. If we changed anything about back then, I might not be sitting her with my very well mannered, independent daughter discussing what might or might not exist between her and a foreign exchange boy." Lilly gave her mother a grim smile.

"Yes, but" she trailed off. The two fell into another long silence. Her mother busied herself with the puzzle while Lilly stared a hole through the table. "You sounded almost proud of me." she finally said.

"Next weekend is Christkindlemart. Your father promised Father Lou he'd help with selling the trees down at the church and I have a double shift. I want you and Bakura to go alone." Lilly started to protest but her mother cut her off. "You'll be there to represent our family. You've got three generation of proud German-American farmers behind you and they've always gone. I'll make sure Matt and the children cover you."

"It doesn't bother you?" she asked tentatively. Mrs. Halse shook her head.

"No, I trust you and Bakura a great deal. I know several people who'll be there. I know the two of you will get there and back safe. I want the two of you to dance a polka or two for your father and I, I want you to have Lynn send us some of her honey wine. She stood and came over to lean over her daughter sliding two finger under Lilly's chin she made her look her in the eye. "I want you to have fun like a normal 16 year old girl. I want you do something , anything, that your father and I would disapprove of if we were to ever find out. Take a risk. That's what you cowgirls do." she kissed her daughter's forehead. "Now it's getting late and you've got tots to look after in the morning. Off you go."

Lilly went up to bed but before she went to her room she stopped in the open door way of Bakura and Ryou's room. She watch him sleeping for what seemed like years before he shifted and rolled over. Then and only then did she retreat to her own room. The next day she rose early like every Sunday. Showering and dressing then making a small breakfast for her and Bakura. They went to the church where they babysat until 11 AM after that the two went to the diner they'd gone to the first time she'd brought Bakura a long, it had become a tradition then they'd driven home and set out for the days chores. That evening they survived with only a few altercations to their planned attire. Book bags were packed and in the trunk of the car, lunches were waiting in the fridge or money on nightstands. Lilly had only one worry left. She had to ask Bakura to the Christmas celebration without it sounding like a date, which it obviously wasn't.