DISCLAIMER: Ah, well, I guess without these disclaimers, we'd all be sued up the river, eh? So, without further complaint, I don't own anything other than my OC's, Ramica owns her OC and we both own the chairs we sit on. Any problems with that, take it up with Raphael.

Alert! The 2004 Fan Fiction Competition is soon to start. Ziptango is going to be doing the hosting honors again and will be holding the contest during the last two weeks of December. So, start reading all those stories you loved from this year and pick out your favorites. Again, only readers can nominate stories, not the author of said stories. That means if I really like one of mine, too bad. I cannot toot my own horn, so to speak. Someone else has to – hint hint! :0) Okay, I'm only kidding, but you know what I mean.

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Chapter 48 – Nervous Anticipation.

Rama furrowed her brow in worry. She knew instinctively, with the down-swing in Cassandra's emotions, that whatever Mike had shared with her, the news couldn't be good. Even Cassie's own words, 'terrible accident', left so much dangling in the air.

Therefore, quite concerned and troubled, Ramiela gently asked, "Cassandra, what happened?" She deliberately held back invading the woman's mind out of respect. Regardless of what it was about, though, she couldn't help but silently berate Mike for telling the woman in the way that he had. Was it so imperative for Cassie to know now, rather than wait until she was back at the house?

"Did - something happen to…" Rama began, but then stopped herself short of actually expressing that thought. Aside from her initial fears for Jordan, perhaps Mindy fell down the stairs in the big house or quite possibly she might have wandered out back into the forest. Considering what Don had said weeks ago about cougars frequenting the woods, it was a realistic concern.

Cassandra only shook her head, silently calming herself with several deep breaths. Despite her shock, she drew on her old training to take care of what needed to be done in the here and now. Finally, tearfully glancing at Rama before heading back towards her small living area, she croaked out, "Come on, I told Mike I'd bring you home."

Rama rolled her eyes in irritation as she followed her. She totally forgot about the shelf that she had been cleaning. All she could think about now was the 'terrible accident' that Cassie was so upset with. It also seemed odd to Rama that Mike sounded just fine to her when she answered the phone. In fact, he had even teased her as if nothing was amiss. Then, it seemed as if he dropped what turned out to be the proverbial bombshell on Cassie. That confused Rama to no end. She couldn't understand how in one moment she was to accept them as 'family' and then in the next they treat her as if she were an outsider.

Not the least bit insensitive to Cassie's dwindling mood, yet desperate to know what was going on, Rama persisted, "I want to know what in blazes is going on and what happened. Mike didn't even hint anything to me about it!"

The two were now in the small living area with its efficiency kitchen at the back. Cassie momentarily looked at the still wet dishes in the drainer and decided to let them air dry. She then turned and, brushing past Rama, commented, "Right now nothing has been confirmed, Ramiela," and then she took the stairs two steps at a time to her bedroom.

Rama huffed just a little in frustration, but followed Cassie up the stair casing anyway. As she trudged up the steps behind her, she thought of a host of things that could be considered bad news. It made her very anxious with unresolved worry. As she came to the second story, without thinking Ramiela followed Cassandra into her bedroom. However, she stopped when she suddenly realized she was virtually invading the woman's privacy. Quickly assessing the neatly appointed décor, Rama stepped back out into the small hallway and waited. Finally, when she saw Cassie scoop up some keys and then snagged a jacket from off a coat hook on the door, she asked more insistently, "What hasn't been confirmed? Whatever it is that happened is still pretty harsh news for how you're feeling, you can't deny that,"

As the woman came bustling out of her bedroom, she nearly collided with Rama. Coming up short and somewhat startled, it was obvious her mind had been elsewhere. Yet, seeing the earnest and pained expression on the girl's face, Cassie, sighed. It was only fair that she be informed about what had happened. "You do know that Don was staying in Japan, right?" her voice was strained, yet soft. At the same time, she hustled Rama down the stairs and back into the shop.

Ramiela followed along, easily keeping pace with her, "Yeah, I know he's been caught up in business. It's what's been delaying his return trip home." Suddenly, it dawned on her, "Did – did something happen to him?" Just hearing Don's name mentioned in almost the same 'breath' as the 'terrible accident', caused Rama's stomach to flip flop.

As she stepped into the main shop and hurried towards the front door, Cassie switched a lamp on by the cashier's desk, "Yes, or it's believed something has happened. Don was staying at the Hotel Hankyu in Osaka," she then stopped by the door. Taking a deep breath, she turned to face Rama as her eyes welled up with tears once again. Unable to keep the emotion from her voice, she strangled out, "There was an explosion that caused major damage to the upper levels of the hotel. A great deal of the damage seems to be centred near the room that Don was supposedly in." She stared for a moment at Rama and, then, ushered her outside, whereupon Cassie closed and locked the door to her shop.

Rama's eyes grew large with shock, taking in this bit of news as she stood out on the sidewalk. People walked by her, some looking briefly at the reptile with the long black hair, but paid no other mind and continued along their way. Rama hadn't even noticed them. She could only slowly shake her head in denial at Cassie as she choked out, "But, maybe he wasn't in his room." She felt a strange twisting bit of anxiety in her gut, which told her that she was only kidding herself. Why would Cassie react as she had unless there was a greater chance that Don was indeed in his room at the time of the explosion? Now, with this new development, Rama understood what had disturbed Cassandra. She then paused for a moment. Gulping a bit of air and clenching her fists tight near her side, the girl dipped into her own ninjitsu for self-control.

As she turned away from her shop, Cassandra immediately saw the affect the news had had on the young kunoichi. She laid a gentle hand on her arm and softly remarked, "Whatever did happen, Rama, I doubt very much it was an accident. You can be sure that his brothers will be looking into it." Then, she led the girl across the street to her car and unlocked it, gesturing for Ramiela to get in.

Rama obeyed, stiff with uncertainty. She numbly slipped down into the passenger seat as Cassandra entered the car from the opposite side. After she shut her door, the girl glanced at Cassie, one eye ridge cocked in concern, "Are you sure you're up to driving? You still look pretty shook up."

Cassandra closed her door and gave Rama a faint smile, "I'll manage," and then she started up her car.

A few minutes later, while Cassie drove down Highway One, Rama sighed as she peered out the passenger window. Deep in her own thoughts, she watched the waves roll in from the Pacific as they crashed along the coastline. The spray of water shot up and over the rocks below, glistening as the west bound sun illuminated the millions of drops within the waves. Any other time, Rama would have been awestruck. However, all she could do now was to keep silent as she tried to make sense of the disturbing news.

Other than back in New York, there really hadn't been enough time to get to know Don very well. Most of the opportunities that could have been spent doing so were exhausted in conflict. Rama regretted that most of all. Although it was partly Don's fault, there was a good amount of blame on her shoulders, too. As she thought about it, her stubbornness and his manipulating her was probably a bad combination all the way around. Just the same, he was far more imposing to her than her own Uncle Donatello was; that much she knew.

Just before Don left for Japan, she had seen a softer side to him which had surprised her. Considering what had transpired beforehand, she was quite grateful for it, in fact. It gave hint to his more gentle nature. It was this that she was now dwelling on. "I may have lost a chance to connect with him, to make amends and to show my true self," she lamented sadly She heartened just a little, though, when she realized that her uncle was alive and well in her world; at least, she hoped so. It was an encouraging thought for her that, when she returned to her family, Uncle Donatello would still be there to greet her.

However, she then considered the possibility of not ever returning to her world. If her failed attempt to transport to the garden the other day was any indication, then it was a sobering one at that. It made it all perfectly clear to her. "If I am forced to stay here, then if Don did die in that blast it will be as if my own Uncle Donatello had died." She shuddered involuntarily with the enormity of the possible grief to come.

Quite honestly, Rama didn't want to even consider Don not being a part of this world.

She sniffed morosely as she began to reminisce about her own uncle. Out of all of them, he had seemed to be the most aloof and distant. Even as a child, she found him hard to understand. Where she wasn't allowed into his lab area, it seemed as if he deliberately pushed her away. Of course, he was concerned and rightly so, that she would get into things that would be dangerous for her. As it was, her genius uncle only emerged from his lab to play with her on rare occasions and only for short periods, before returning to his room. Dubbed 'The Absent Minded Professor' by her father, her Uncle Donatello was usually too distracted where his mind was always on a numerous projects that were on-going. It seemed that he only laughed and had fun when he was at the farm. Rama couldn't forget all the years when he schooled her, either. She smiled a bit as she thought about how hard she tried to bring a measure of fun into her lessons, attempting to loosen him up a bit so that her learning wouldn't be so boring. Now, she wished she had paid more attention; at the very least and by those means alone, to show him honor and respect.

While Rama sat silent and reflective in the passenger seat, Cassandra briefly looked over at her. Returning her focus to the road ahead, the woman could only imagine how this young kunoichi might be feeling. Knowing that Don and his brothers were twins to Rama's family, to lose any of them here could only deeply affect the girl. As it was, she herself had her own thoughts about such matters, except that, for her, there wasn't the convenience of a twin. This was her world and, if what Mike had shared with her early on, the Donatello of Rama's life was already married and with kids, no less. So, for the moment, she had her own emotions to get under control as she piloted the car along the road. After a while, she finally turned to look at Rama, "Thinking of your own Uncle?"

Rama mumbled as her feelings began to peak a little, "Yeah." She sniffed before adding, "We never got along that well, though." She turned away to stare back out of the window at the coastline once more.

Cassandra stared straight ahead again as she drove the car along the highway. She smiled, recalling what Mike had said about how Rama. How she had challenged all of them on the way out to California and then after she first arrived. Turning to look at the girl again and arching an eye brow, she offered, "Well, just so you know, Don isn't that hard to get along with; so long as you don't play games, that is."

Shrugging, Rama commented, "Well, he asked for that. But, as far as what he's really like, I don't know much about that. We didn't give each other a chance to get to know one another." Looking back at the scenery, she shared, "As far as my Uncle Donatello is concerned, we weren't that close either. When I was a kid he was always the one to give shots and he was also my teacher. I kind of found him a bit boring, actually. No matter how much I tried to get him to lighten up, though, he just seemed determined to bury me under mountains of school-work." Rama then turned back to look at Cassie, "'Course, I probably wasn't the easiest kid to teach either. My uncle said that after teaching me, he could teach any child."

Cassandra laughed a little as she glanced over at her passenger again, "You couldn't have been that bad, Ramiela."

Rama turned to look at her with widening eyes, "Trust me, I was! Probably worse than that, even." She looked straight ahead at the road as she shared, "I mean, it's obvious someone told you how I was on the jet and then when I first got here. I didn't get that way over night, ya know." She then grinned as she recalled some of her antics.

Then, she shrugged. Recalling how Mike had relayed the information to Cassandra first, she sighed quietly, "Cassandra, I know you're a part of the family, but why did Mike tell you yet not say a word to me about Don?" She quickly noted a deep sadness from Cassandra and so she retracted it, shaking her head, "Forget it, you don't have to tell me. I just thought it was kind of odd, is all. I mean – sure, I don't really know Don of this world that well" Rama admitted. "Yet, it seems strange they would keep that from me when they've been trying hard to convince me that I'm part of the family and everything."

Cassandra looked her way for a moment before admitting, "Rama, I can't say why Mike didn't mention this situation to you first. You'll just have to ask him." She then paused for a moment, looking back towards the road again. While watching the highway ahead, she remarked, "I suppose no one's informed you that Don and I were dating?"

Rama was stunned. She gaped at Cassandra in surprise and shook her head 'no'. Devon hadn't even hinted at it. Not even within the last few days. Until now, the only connection she thought that Cassie had with the clan was through Gabby. Belatedly, Ramiela suddenly realized that when she had trashed the Musical Note, she had effectively brought the entire family against her. For if Don was interested in this woman, it also meant that Cassie had a double connection to the clan.

Rama gulped as she looked nervously at Cassandra "Are you two, like – um - serious?"

"As a matter of fact, we are – although I've done my best to keep that fact from Don." Cassandra chuckled softly and then swallowed as she fought for control. She sniffed a bit and stated, "He's not easily refused, just to let you know. He pursued me for almost two years before I would finally go out with him." Smiling, she added, "Early on he was quite the persistent suitor, which, to be honest, rather annoyed me."

Rama smiled, not quite able to help herself, and so she asked, "Why? I would think that with how wealthy he is and that he's ninja, Don would be the perfect boyfriend for you."

Cassis huffed just a little, "For one thing, Ramiela, money doesn't interest me. I've had money, in fact, I still have it, and so far it's only a convenience and nothing more. It pays the bills and that's all it does. If Don were here…." She checked herself again just thinking about that thought, but continued on after she swallowed back her emotions, "Well, he would tell you that money can oftentimes bring to your doorstep the worse society can offer. As far as ninja is concerned, I figured if he's as good as he's supposed to be, then his patience should be endless. At the very least, he'd have to prove that fact to me in order to get my attention."

"Did he?" Rama asked cheekily. She was rather amused that the very same Don Tello, the one who was her antagonist in this world, would be refused for so long without losing his patience completely.

"Hmm…yes and no. He's made mistakes, breaking into my shop was one of them, but – I eventually forgave him." Cassie explained as she gave Rama a sideways glance and a grin to match.

"He broke into your shop?" The girl was shocked, but then she remembered how willing he was to drug and then manipulate her, so maybe it wasn't so hard to believe.

"Well, his intent was to bestow me with gifts, like flowers and jewelry. Unfortunately, I had a premonition type dream that went wrong in a hurry. To make a long story short, after screaming myself awake I caught him in the act. I sort of 'decked' him! Looking back on it, though, I have to say it was all pretty funny. But at the time I was royally ticked off at him." She chuckled somewhat at the memory of the nervous grin Don had on his face when he owned up to his 'misdeeds'. Of course, remembering setting Don down on his tail only added to her enjoyment.

"But you forgave him, right. I mean, you just said you were dating." Rama asked and smiled. She thought this bit of Don and Cassandra history quite amusing and entertaining. It certainly helped to distract from the deep sadness she had been feeling since leaving Carmel.

"Yes," Cassie replied and then she went on to explain, "In fact, we usually have a standing agreement that whenever Don is town, we go out to dinner someplace. We didn't on the last stop-over when he brought you to Mike's, but normally we would have."

Suddenly, a very large wave of guilt washed over the girl as the full impact of what Cassandra shared hit her. Had Rama not been such a pain in the tail to Don when she first arrived at Mikes, and had she not caused all the trouble she did, he would have found time to see Cassie before leaving for Japan. Still, she did her best to remember the woman's kind words of advice about moving on. Although Rama now knew that Cassandra had forgiven her, forgiving herself was something else entirely.

Sensing the kunoichi's plummeting mood, Cassandra gave her a strict look. With a voice now stern and authoritative, she admonished, "Remember, it's behind you so I'll have none of that guilt-tripping, okay?"

"Yep" Rama agreed half-heartedly.

"Don't just 'yep' me, Miss Ramiela!" Cassie scolded, allowing a faint smile. Then in a reflective manner she commented, "I believe the only interest Don had in me initially, other than my background, was the fact that I had told him 'no'."

Rama shook her head and chuckled, "I get the impression that not many people tell Don 'no'."

Huffing a little in amusement, Cassandra remarked, "Consider this – he's rich, influential, and nearly impossible to get at…" She paused, again and realized that someone might have finally done what had been believed impossible. Then, shaking the feelings of impending grief away, she continued, "Don was just too used to getting his own way, even with his family. When you have what he has at your fingertips, the word 'Yes' becomes all too familiar to you." Smirking, Cassie remarked, "Basically, I didn't want to be his next conquest. So, I just kept saying no. If anything, I rather enjoyed seeing the frustrated look on his face."

"What changed your mind?" Rama asked.

"Raph." Sniffing in indignation, Cassandra remarked, "He told me that if I was only the next mountain to climb, Don wouldn't have bothered for so long. He knows when to let go. Seems Don didn't want to let go of me and if I didn't start saying yes to a date or two, Raph threatened to start pursuing me!" She laughed then, unable to refrain from doing so, "I have to admit, I felt rather cornered about then."

Rama looked at her and shook her head, "But didn't you almost kill him once?"

"Yep and I can only assume that threatening to date me was his way of rebuttal. I can't imagine going out with the one I almost dissed." She laughed then, allowing the mood and giving her a moment of reprieve with how she was feeling inside.

Rama joined in with her and then the two finally settled back to finish the rest of the drive in quiet contemplation. Neither of them said much more for the remainder of the trip. Once they were well on their way along the private road that led to the main house from the highway, they both tensed up. It was perfectly obvious they were expecting bad news once they arrived.

After Cassie had parked her car in the carport and as the two of them entered the home, it was easy to feel the weight of sadness and uncertainty. The instant they passed through the door, the somber mood almost seemed to wrap itself around them in a stranglehold.

The entire clan was waiting in the family room and, as soon as she saw him, Rama walked over and sat down next to Devon on the couch. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her gently, not having to say anything since it was pretty obvious it wasn't necessary. They looked into each others eyes and it was then that Rama felt the deepest despair she had ever sensed from Devon. Gone was his cocky, self assured attitude; replaced instead with uncertainty and sadness.

Leo immediately went over to talk with Cassandra, his voice soft and comforting. Though his words were undetectable to Rama, it was obvious Cassie could hear him. A single tear traced down her right cheek. She then allowed him to embrace her in a hug and then they quietly talked. It was obvious by Rama's observation that Cassie's place within the clan was solid and accepted, almost as if there was more to her relationship with Don than she had initially admitted earlier.

"Serious meant engagement didn't it?" Ramiela asked herself, "Or, maybe they're just dating 'seriously'?" Either way, she turned her focus on her own beloved, allowing Devon to pull her close to him. Resting her head on his shoulder, she sought and yet, at the same time, offered what comfort she could.

Even Jordan and Mindy, tended to by their parents, were relatively quiet, as if the depressing mood of the room was effecting them as well.

"We haven't heard anything else, yet." Mike muttered solemnly. He drummed his fingers along the top of the phone, which sat on the end table next to where he stood. It was quite apparent that he was too tense to sit down, if his nervous tapping was an indication. He then said as he directed his words to Cassie, "Thomas called while you were in route. He said that the forensics team is still trying to sift through all the debris. They're almost done, but considering Don's notoriety, they want to be absolutely certain." He sighed and then shrugged as he added, "We should be hearing from them pretty soon, though. I've already called Gaele, so she's heading on out as soon as she can close down the lab."

Rama's attention snapped to clarity. If Mike was calling his daughter back home and all the way from Connecticut, it was a sure fire bet that he expected the worse. She sighed and held onto Devon a little tighter.

Then, Rama looked over the rest of the clan. She noted that both Gabby and Rahab's eyes were reddened, as if they had already done a good deal of crying. Jordan was resting quietly against his mother in her embrace as he nursed under a blanket, while Seth held onto an unusually docile Mindy. It was obvious the mood of the room had affected the little girl, where her normally loquacious personality was now subdued. She squirmed a few times, sucking her thumb, but allowed her father to hold her nonetheless. In fact, he seemed to be holding her so desperately it was almost as if she were a security blanket for him. Seth's own expression was strained and full of worry, which pretty much matched the way everyone else looked, as far as Rama was concerned.

Even Raph, who was standing tense like Mike, seemed pensive as he stood by the fireplace. It seemed to be his favorite spot in the family room, in fact. Rama could see him work his jaw as he held in check his concern and worry. However, she couldn't help but sense an undercurrent of anger from him as it roiled within his tightly held self-control. In that moment, she saw the difference between him and her Uncle Raphael. Her uncle would have been out the lair to find out who the perpetrators were, not resting until he confirmed the worse and then made sure that someone was brought to justice. Yet, here in this world, Raph was biding his time until enough information came in. It was an interesting contrast for her.

Riahna stood next to Raph, his position as her favorite uncle well defined as she leaned into him for support. He had his arm wrapped around her shoulder as he gave what encouragement he could to her.

A few minutes later, a loud ring from the phone jarred everyone to attention. The family tensed up almost instantly as they all glared at the device. Uneasily, as if by picking it up would confirm his worse fears, Mike lifted the receiver. Tentatively, he placed the phone to his ear, while Jordan began crying. He pulled away from his mother as if having a foreknowledge of what news awaited them. Obviously, the infant was too young for such things, but then the way everyone was feeling, it almost seemed like it. To quiet him, Gabby scooped him up over her shoulder to burp him and to pat his back in comfort. Once he settled down, the silence that followed seemed deafening.

They waited anxiously. Those who were capable reached out with their senses to assess Mike's emotions and offer a silent show of support to him. After a few brief moments, Rama felt Devon squeeze her tighter as Mike finally hung up the phone. In that moment, she could feel her beloved's mood plummet.

Mike stared at the phone for a long pregnant moment, swallowing and trying to grab what control he could. Then, squeezing his eyes shut for just a second and taking a deep breath, he opened them again and looked up. Mike glanced around at each member of his clan. He came lastly to Rama, holding his gaze on hers as if by that measure alone he was including her in the family. Then, with tears in his eyes and with a voice near to breaking, he confirmed what the family had feared the most.

"Don was in his room. They – found him there. It's official; he's…" Mike sighed and then gulped, choking back a sob, "he's dead!"

Rama had never felt or heard such grieve as she did in that moment. It seemed as if everyone's world had come crashing down around them. Life in the clan, as they knew it, had changed forever.

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RAMICA'S COMMENTS:

Danceingfae: Aw, well maybe better luck next time and maybe... As you said wait and see. Yes Rama is learning more about Cassie. Why such a cliffy? Because we are nearing the end of this story it is to be expected. A gratitude for your insight.

Teddybear888: Only a few days have been skipped as we didn't want to get bogged down and slow the momentum of the story too much. Yes Leo can find wonderful ways to get people over their fears, personally I'm glad I don't know him. A gratitude for your insight.

Pretender: I think you have mentioned it. Oh dear looks like I must cancel my vacation. No just kidding as my next vacation isn't until January. Leo's punishments are like Rama's jokes neverending. A gratitude for your insight.

Sailor Vegeta: Do you really want to know? Course by now you do know. The definition of the acronym F.I.N.E used for Raph is fed up, insecure, neurotic, and emotional. You got the trouble part right though. A gratitude for your insight.

TBReader: Okay here is your update. Can we see your story huh? HUH? I know our update might not be what you want just bear with us. At least it is here. A gratitude for your insight.

REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS:

TBREADER: Cruel? How can you say we're cruel; just because we leave everyone gasping for the next chapter? Mwahahaha! Well, we're certainly having a great time for sure! :0) Sorry that you're not! LOL As far as who, what, when, or where, guess you know by now. Don't despair, though, okay? Keep the faith and keep reading. If you don't, you'll be disappointed. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed.

SAILOR VEGETA: Hmm…you know by know what actually happened, so I won't go into it here. As for what Leo did to Rama, yes he actually tied her up and then left her! By herself. Alone. In the dojo. And – she was prohibited from freeing herself. Yes, we do know how to torture our OC's, but we also – as you have just found out – know how to torture our readers! :0) However, stay tuned, don't change that channel, there's more to come – you can be certain of that! As for Raph's definition of FINE – glad Ramica knew 'cuz I was totally stumped. Typical Raph comment, too. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed.

PRETENDER FANATIC: Now, why would we want to let anyone know who was hurt at the very end of chapter 47? It would ruin the suspense for 48. The trick to bringing readers back is to dangle that 'carrot' just beyond their reach. Believe me, for myself it was a hard thing to learn to do – I 'so' wanted my readers to be on the same page as I was. However, I learned early on that it's like a death sentence to give out TOO much information. Speaking of 'death', you need to keep on keeping on with this story. Do not stop reading now, regardless of what you're feeling. As for Leo, yes in deedee, he certainly does know how to tackle fears. As Ramica mentioned in one of her comments, glad he doesn't know me. Glad he's just the figment of my imagination. Glad he's where he is. Glad you read and reviewed! Be blessed.

TEDDYBEAR888: Ah, yes, I'm sure Ramica and I will be on everyone's hit list by now. However, you all need to keep reading – pretty please? Trust us on this one. Glad you liked the time-skip. Given the fact that this story is racing towards 60 chapters, not that we want it that long, we felt it best to gloss over some things. Already we've dragged some aspects out, but then again we felt it necessary to do in order to give a foundation for certain things re: Rama's behavior, etc… Yes, Ramica and I both wanted Cassie to be that missing piece in Rama's life, the piece her mother should have been but wasn't. Maybe for some it seemed too convenient, but then when I originally crafted Cassandra back in YD, I was clueless that Shay's given name was Cassandra. You know, when things sort of naturally set themselves up like that, you need to take advantage of it. So, that's what we did. I'm rather pleased with how that chapter turned out, in fact. Having Gabby run away is part of her personality; it's something she's inclined to do when she's between that proverbial rock and a hard place. She is still trying to acclimate herself into a ninja family, so it's a given some aspects to that lifestyle will come into conflict with her. Glad you enjoyed her 'run'! :0) Leo is certainly creative, that much is certain. Well, please cross your fingers and pray a little, because where we had like 6 chapters backlogged, we're now with only 1. I'm getting a bit nervous, to be honest. I rather enjoyed the security of having so many already written and ready to go. Ah well, with co-writing, especially with Ramica, there's always someone who's thinking of something! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed.

DANCEINGFAE: Ah, bummer – I was so hoping we could spring an on-line baby shower for ya! :0) Well, keep us posted, nonetheless, 'kay? Yeah, we enjoyed doing that chapter. Insight gives depth to any story – in my humble opinion. Fair? Who says we have to be fair? This is fiction, right? Anything can happen, anything at all…remember that! Ow, that must hurt – all those pins and needles. Hmm....as for your request, we can't promise a thing, so you're just gonna have to keep reading and hoping and wishing…yada yada. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed.