Jason didn't know what to do. Joy had been sobbing for the past twenty minutes and those there were wondering if he had done something to her. Ben and Emma walked up to them after they spotted them when they walked in and danced for a few minutes.

"What's the matter?" Ben asked seeing Joy using a napkin to cover her eyes as she kept sobbing.

"I'm crying because I lost my necklace Olivia gave me." Joy said trying hard to calm down. "I know I had it when I got here but now it's gone."

Emma and Ben glanced at one another knowing Joy would tear the building apart or crawl on her hands and knees to find the necklace.

"Don't worry, Joy." Emma said smiling at Ben. "We'll help you find it."

Joy smiled up at Emma and Ben, grateful that she had them in her life. Joy watched as Emma and Ben began to search as she then scooted closer towards Jason.

"Here." Joy said handing Jason the small rectangular gift. "At least this will be bigger and you won't loose it as easily." She forced a chuckle as Jason carefully twirled the gift in his hands.

Jason smiled and carefully tore the paper. His grin widened as inside was a handmade frame with a slightly colored picture of him next to the pond. "Wow." He said looking over at Joy. "This is wonderful." He said genuinely happy to see how beautiful she was when she smiled.

Joy grinned but felt her smile fade as fear overwhelmed her. "Jason, I need to tell you something." She blushed when she felt his eyes on hers. "I wanted to tell you before we left, but I was afraid that you wouldn't want to go with me if I did." Her cheeks began to glow as she looked up and attached her eyes onto Jason's. "I need to go away for a few days." Her body flexed preparing for an argument.

Jason's eyes went as he was surprised by the announcement. "What?" He said his mouth suddenly going dry. He leaned in closer keeping his voice down not wanting to be overheard. "Where? Why?"

Joy blushed a little. "St. Louis, Missouri." Her body suddenly changed from being panicked over loosing a necklace to having something dark cover her once sparkling eyes. Jason looked into her eyes and saw pain from the past. "Turns out, my father...didn't die four years ago...when my mother did," Jason hung his head in reverent silence, "but he was somehow found back in Missouri. Awaiting trial and I need to be there to make sure he never gets out...to find me." She shook as she lowered her head. "I know if he left Missouri again, he wouldn't stop at hurting me. He would hurt everyone in the house. He wouldn't stop at just the girls. He would probably hurt them in front of all you boys. I can't have that on my conscience." Joy's hand shook as she pulled out the folded piece of paper and handed it to Jason. "A friend of my mother's sent this to me the day Olivia, Erin, Emma and I got our dresses."

Jason looked down at the letter and looked at her wondering if he was allowed to read what was on it. After a quick nod Jason carefully unfolded the letter and looked over the words.

"Come home Saturday. Father on trial on Monday. Testimony needed for arrest. Be back Thursday. Ticket Attached."

Jason looked down and his eyes were wide with surprise. "Oh dear."

"I have a ticket for the two AM bus to St. Louis tomorrow." Joy said her cheeks starting to turn red. "I'm scared that Olivia and John would be mad at me for leaving."

Jason slowly shook his head and held her close. "They won't. It will be all okay." Jason lifted her face and his lips gently pressed up against Joy's slightly parted lips. "I'll go with you."

...I'll go with you... Joy's eyes slowly opened from them shutting at the feeling of his warm gentle lips against hers. ...I'll go with you...

"You...You'll come with me?" She asked her eyes lighting up happy to see Jason's smiling face as he nodded. "Okay! I'll try and find a way to get five dollars for your tickets." She thinks for a second before throwing her arms around Jason's neck.

"I can't wait." Jason said gently rubbing her back not wanting to let her go.

Joy sat back before kissing him again.

"Uh..." Joy's face flushed as she pushed away seeing Ben standing there with Emma holding her necklace. "Found your necklace." He said trying his hardest not to laugh at finding his brother kissing a girl.

"Oh thank you Ben!" Joy squealed jumping up and hugging her brother before being handed over the necklace. She turned to face Jason and handed him the necklace and shyly looked away. "Would you put it on me?" She asked Jason who nodded and helped secure the necklace.

"Well, now that's been taken care of." Ben said grabbing Emma's hand. "I believe we are at a dance." Emma chuckled as Ben lead her to the floor where there were others already dancing like Erin who seemed rather happy to be with G.W.

"Joy?" Jason asked holding out his hand, after he placed his picture and telegraph safely under his jacket. "Shall we?"

Joy blushed as she took Jason's hand and allowed him to lead her to the dance floor. After a curtsy and bow Joy and Jason took hands and began to twirl around lost in each other's eyes.

~DSCWIN~

The six teens slowly left the dance hall and started to walk up towards the Walton's house. Joy and Jason lead the group their hands gently together. Ben and Emma walked behind them their arms linked together as they walked. G.W. and Erin were behind standing close to one another and talking quietly amongst themselves.

As a cool breeze moved past them, Jason gently draped Joy's jacket over her shoulders, Ben pulled his jacket and draped it over Emma's while G.W. simply wrapped an arm around Erin's shoulders.

The six love stricken teens arrive at the house just as the rest of the family had sat down for a late dinner. After Erin got a quick goodnight kiss from G.W. and the remaining five watched as he turned and quickly left, they all walked through the door. John and Olivia watched with smiles as the five slowly sat down around the table.

"How was the dance?" Olivia asked handing the five teens a plate of food.

"Good, thank you." Jason said smiling and glancing over at Joy who nodded in agreement.

Erin sighed as her eyes glazed over and looked up at the ceiling. "It was magical." She swooned making Elizabeth and Jim Bob giggle beside their older sister.

Ben looked over at Emma and smiled sweetly. "It was beautiful."

Emma quickly looked down as a blush soon spreads over her cheeks.

Olivia smiled happy to see that her children, and Joy and Emma, were all happy.

As everyone started to eat slowly Olivia looked surprised to see that Joy had already finished her meal and was heading towards the sink. "Thank you for dinner and the necklace, Olivia." Joy looks at Jason before walking up the stairs quickly. After hearing her in the bathroom brushing her teeth her feet vanished inside her bedroom.

Olivia slowly turned to look at Jason who was looking back at his food after he had followed her up the stairs. "Is everything alright?" She asked knowing that it wasn't normal behavior for Joy to act so jumpy around them.

"O-Of course, Momma." Jason said nodding quickly. He put a fork full of food into his mouth to stop him from talking.

Olivia gave her husband a small worried look before looking at the younger children. "Well, school will be starting Monday. Are you all ready?"

Elizabeth and Jim Bob let out small grumbles before nodding as they both had enjoyed the Summer.

"I'm ready." Erin said with a crooked smile. "School will be fun."

Emma and Ben both shrugged. "I'm sure it would be alright." They both said before locking eyes.

Olivia nodded before seeing Elizabeth and Jim Bob try to hide a yawn. "I think you all should be getting some sleep." She said with a soft chuckle. The kids quietly nodded as they all began to feel tired as well.

John cleared his throat before looking at his second eldest. "Jason I'll be needing your help on Monday with a shipment. Can I count on you?"

Jason bit his lip while glancing up the stairs. "Mm, yeah." He said even though he knew he promised to be with Joy on her trip to St. Louis.

John, not seeing the turmoil in his son's eyes, turned and smiled at his wife. "Dinner was lovely as usual, Livy." He said leaning over and kissing her gently on the cheek. He stood up and looked over at Ben who was still in his dreamy love haze. "Ben, hurry and finish Dinner. I need some help with locking up the animals."

Ben snapped out of the haze and smiled sheepishly at his father. "Yes, sir." Ben quickly finished his dinner and stood up before following his father out the front door.

Olivia chuckled as her older children finished their dinner and silently climbed the stairs. Some of them dreaming about what they're going to do in the morning while others were dreaming about how amazing it was to find someone they were captivated by.

~DSCWIN~

It was nearing one in the morning when Joy, who had been fighting to stay awake, slowly sat up. She wore her pants and had her socks on her feet before she rolled out of her bed quietly. She carefully picked up a small bag filled with clothes and bus ticket. Bending down she picked up her shoes before quietly tiptoeing to the boys room and carefully opened the door.

Jim Bob and Ben shifted in their beds making Joy freeze for only a second before she finished her trip towards Jason's bed and carefully began to shake him.

"Jason." She whispered her face near his so her voice wouldn't possibly wake up Ben and Jim Bob. "Jason it's time."

"Joy?" Jason asked rubbing some of the sleep from his eyes. He smiled as she nodded and helped him put some things into her bag. Together they tiptoed out of the room and down the stairs. Jason grabbed a few apples from the small bowl near the ice chest while Joy quickly wrote a note telling whoever woke up first, that she was sorry and that she'll be back before the end of next week.

~DSCWIN~

The moon was shining beautifully illuminating the road so that Jason and Joy knew where they would be going. The Bus station was on the other side of town and they walked quickly down the road knowing nothing would stop them once they were far enough away from the house.

Jason quietly mulled over what he was about to do, mulling over the fact he said he would help his father with a shipment on Monday but knowing he wouldn't be there made something drop in Jason's stomach. He had a duty to help his family when they needed him but he also knew that Joy needed him there too. He needed to protect her from any harm.

Joy shivered slightly before pressing her body up against him making Jason immediately wrap his arm around her shoulders keeping her warm. Though it was still summer the night air seemed to drop ten degrees with each step.

The bus station was quiet and had a single light on inside. Jason smiled stopping near some benches so that he could sit and wait for the bus to arrive. Joy walked into the building to figure out how to pay for Jason's ticket.

"Good morning, Miss." A tired looking older man behind the counter said with a friendly smile. "What can I help you with?"

"I need to see if I can get another ticket for the two AM bus to St. Louis, Missouri please. But I need to do it as a charge. Because I don't have the money right now."

The tired old man looked down at his small roster book and trailed his finger down the list before looking up at the young woman in front of him.

"I'm sorry miss but there is no two AM bus to St. Louis, Missouri." He said running a hand through his thinning hair. "The next bus to Missouri wouldn't be until next month."

Joy shook her head as she pulled out her ticket and handed it to the gentleman. "I beg your pardon sir, but this ticket says today at two AM."

The man gently took the ticket from Joy and then looked at her with a friendly gaze. "I'm afraid Miss, that this ticket is not real."

It had felt like ice had been splashed over Joy as she took a step back making the older man look confused at her. She quickly turned and rushed outside to find that Jason was no longer sitting on the bench.

"J...Jason?" She called rushing over to where she had seen him last hoping not to find something foul had happen. "Jason?"

A dark shadow crept around her. Joy let out a small gasp before darkness overcame her. But before she completely blacked out, she saw Jason limply laying in the corner his face pale in the moonlight.