Dad wasn't too bothered to find that Carrie was here. I'm not even sure he really noticed. He just ate his extra large portion of bacon and eggs Darwin made for him and crashed on the couch. Darwin made Carrie a plate, but partway through cooking he'd run out of bacon and eggs, so her serving was a little smaller.

"Here." I offered her a cut of my eggs and a slice of bacon.

"You don't have to do that." She said while scraping my offer off my plate and on to hers.

"You're our guest, we shouldn't be underfeeding you."

"Our uninvited guest." Darwin cut in.

Carrie glanced at him, then turned back to me, "Thank you very much, Gumball." And took a bite of the strip I had given her.

Darwin rolled his eyes took his plate to the living room, leaving the two of us at the kitchen table. Not far from anyone else, or behind walls, but separated nonetheless. While Darwin flipped through channels to find something to watch with his breakfast, I felt Carrie's hand rub up against mine. She locked her fingers into mine and gave my hand a small squeeze. I felt a hot rush in the back of my head, but then I thought of Penny, and jerked my hand back. Carrie's face went from plain to worried, but she didn't say anything. She only turned her focus back to her plate and finished up her food.

When she was done, keeping her head turned away from me, she got up, put her plate by the sink, and rushed upstairs. After finishing my own food, I cleaned the kitchen — including the mess Darwin had left — and went to go check on her.

I cracked my head into the bedroom, "Hey."

She was lying face down on my mattress, all covered up like before, but her head shot up when she heard me, "Hey."

"Sorry."

"What for?"

I stepped into the room and saw that her eyes looked a little misty, "I was just… surprised I guess."

"Ok?" She said as if she didn't know what I was talking about.

I decided I should change the subject, "So, any thoughts on what happens next?"

She got worried again, "What?"

"With the Tweakers."

"Oh. Duh. Um… not really. I guess it's good that Julius is in the system now. He was a pretty tough guy, so we won't have to worry about him. No telling how long he'll be in there, for better or for worse."

"I think who we really have to worry about is Rob."

She nodded, "Definitely."

"He's got the whole gang going with him, I think all of them are scared to go against him."

"Right."

"So I was thinking, we only really have to get rid of him, then the whole group will fall apart."

Carrie pondered my thinking for a long time, "Get rid of in what way?"

"Oh, um, I haven't figured that out yet. But I'm aiming for non-lethal."

Carrie sighed, "I don't know. There's no doubt he's intimidated his way to the top, but I think he's convinced the whole group this is what they need to do."

"Really?"

She nodded, "You saw how fired up those two were after he killed Alan right in front of them. He's got a way with words."

I hoped she was wrong, "Do you think there's any chance they've given up after Julius got arrested?"

"Maybe. But I wouldn't count on it. Julius was sloppy, but whether that was intentional or not — to make a scapegoat — I don't know. Maybe yesterday was a test for them, to see if they could pull something off that daring."

"You think if Penny and I hadn't left…"

"They'd break into someone else's house tonight too."

I stared at her for a moment, wondering if it would've been her they'd gone for next. If they kept trying, when would they stop? They couldn't really who who did it.

"They're trying to send a message, Gumball."

"What do you mean?"

"If Rob wanted to just avenge Tobias, he'd have been more forward with it. He and the Tweakers wouldn't be writing a hit list and marking off targets one by one if that was the case. They'd write that hit list, strap themselves down with everything they've got and then some, and…"

I heard a shot ring downstairs, followed by a warbled Wah Wah Wah. Darwin must have been watching a Western.

"Well," Carrie said, shaken by the noise, "I guess the police could have been good for something if that was the case."

"What are they planning then?"

"If I had to take a guess… branding."

"Branding?"

"They're trying to form a real gang. One that's a lot tougher and harder to disband than a bunch of high school juniors and seniors."

"Wouldn't that make it easier for them to get caught?"

"Not if they lay low first. They've gotta learn what they can and can't get away with right now. Maybe pick up a few more members while they're still a small threat…"

"Implying murdering students is a small threat." I thought to myself.

"…but once they've built up their reputation — made a name for themselves — they'll start to attract more around town that want a piece of what they can get. They'll be strong enough to get away with more serious crimes. You think going after students and breaking into houses is a big deal? Imagine what they did last night, but for an entire block. Or at the bank. Yesterday they were going after Penny, tomorrow… it could be a cop. Or even the mayor. Anyone they don't like."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing, "You really think they could do that?"

"Most of them are too pampered and comfortable to be of any real use, but they're just a stepping stone for the ones who aren't. They'll be long gone once Rob builds his empire. It's a long shot, and maybe they won't succeed, but they could still do a lot of damage."

"How do you know all of this?"

Carrie fiddled with her hair, running her fingers through it trying to untangle a few strands, "Rob talks."

I sat on the bed and thought of Rob leading a group of a bunch of dangerous rich-boys. All of them huddled around a table in some warehouse on the edge of town, planning where they'd strike next. Me, Carrie, Darwin, Penny, and so many others I knew wouldn't be there to see what they could do to Elmore if what Carrie was saying was right. Elmore, by no means, was a big place. They wouldn't have to grow too big to rule this town. And if they did, they'd could grow so big no one else would be able to take it back, at least not in this backwater town.

I think my heart stopped for a second. Like I was trying to give up before things went from bad, to worse, to the worst.

Carrie grabbed my arm, "But we're gonna fix this before that happens."

"We are?"

"We're in this together aren't we? You, me, Penny too."

I noticed that, for the first time in a long time, I saw Carrie actually smile. A genuine, happy smile. Like with her eyes and everything. If I was hooked up to a heart monitor, I must have went from flatlining to having a heart attack in instant.

My mouth felt really dry, "Y-yeah. We are."

The smile faded into the sad kind I knew her for. Sarcastic and half there, just like her, "Let's not worry about that now. If the Tweakers want to grow, they won't risk doing anything too rash right now, maybe not even until the end of the week. The police must be working overtime like crazy."

"We'll figure something out later. Before this long weekend ends."

Carrie nodded, "Right. But we should collect ourselves first."

Carrie pulled her blankets back up and closed her eyes, ready to take all this "safe" time we had in bed. Er, my bed. Which reminded me…

"Do you need a ride home? I don't think my Mom would be too thrilled about it, but she would probably take you if you really needed to."

She waved her hand up, "Don't worry about it."

"Your Mom'll come pick you up?"

She rose up, "I can get home on my own, Gumball."

"Are you sure?" I grabbed her hand, "You're still pretty cold, it's bound to colder by tonight, and your place is pretty far from here. I know you said it was safe but it's still gotta be dangerous heading out alone."

"I'm Fine. I'll just… go home in the morning."

"I mean… I don't mind having you over — really I don't — but I don't know if you can keep staying over here, especially with you and Darwin… y'know."

She looked down, put her other hand over mine, and said, "Look… I'm sorry, but I really don't know what to do. I don't want to get you in trouble with your parents, and I don't want to have to worry about anything right now. I can go right now."

She sat up, but I grabbed her shoulders and eased her back down, "Not happening. You'll freeze up out there. Don't worry about getting me in trouble, I'd be more worried if I didn't see you again and I let you go home alone in the cold."

"Gumball, it's really not that bad."

"Just stay here for now, warm up, and I'll ask my Mom take you home later. Or maybe my Dad, if he gets up again."

She cocked her head and stared into my eyes. She looked bothered, but didn't argue anymore. She shrugged and said "Ok." and laid back down.

She turned away from me, facing the wall. The blankets were all bunched up in her hands, held tightly to her chest. I could tell I had done something to upset her. She didn't want to go home yet.

If I hadn't felt a little guilty, I might not have said what I said next.

"Do you…" I said cautiously, "…still need help warming up?"

She nodded without turning over to me.

I pulled up the blankets and got under them with her again. With them all bunched up in her arms, they didn't cover me all the way, so I inched closer to her to get completely covered. And then I realized I was up against her, and my arms were around her, holder her close to keep her warm. She let go of the covers and stopped tensing up, falling back into me and drifting off to sleep.

Before I could ask myself what I was doing, I felt my eyes grow heavy, and I was asleep too.

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