TIGGER WARNING!

Grace

The ride back home was quiet and uneventful except for the occasional angry outburst by Chloe who was pacing the bus. Logan was trying to calm her down.

Grace rolled her eyes, Stupid Logan. I still don't get why he needed to come with us.

Logan's dad, Issac, decided that it would be a great chance for Logan to do some interviews with Benny and Chloe. So Logan hopped on the bus with them with his cameras, papers, and pens. But he only seemed to make Chloe more angry and sad than she already was. If there was one person in the whole world you didn't want to make angry, it was Chloe. One time she was angry at something and punched Yeah-Yeah on the shoulder, hard. After that, Chloe felt bad and they kissed. They used to do that a lot.

Grace was feeling mad at herself, for leaving her parents for the summer. Granted the summer was not over yet but she still felt horrible. Her poor mom broke her leg and was now at home with no help. She sighed.

Kenny reached over and squeezed her hand, "Hey we'll be home soon." He whispered.

Suddenly the bus slowed down then stopped. Grace looked out the window, they were just five blocks from home. Chloe marched up to the bus driver, her gold eyes so dark they looked burnt chocolate.

"Why did we stop?" Chloe demanded.

"The earthquake did lots of damage on the road. There are cracks everywhere and some trees are down. We might be here for a while Hollywood!" The bus driver snapped.

Chloe let out an outraged howl, Grace covered her ears and Benny quickly got up to comfort his sister. Chloe shook off her brother and opened one of the windows.

"I'm not waiting around," Chloe decided. "Come on Grace."

"Me? Why?"

Chloe stuck one foot out of the window, "Your mom is the hospital. Don't you want to see her?"

"Yes."

"Me too," Kenny said.

No one tried to stop the three kids as they climbed out the window. Once outside, Chloe bolted and ran towards her house.

"Well I guess we'll head to the hospital," Kenny said.

Grace shook her head, "I want to stop at the house first and get some things for mom."

Kenny agreed and they ran to their house. When they opened their door, they were surprised to see their mom sitting in a wheelchair with their father watching over her.

"Momma!" Grace yelled.

"Why are you in a wheelchair?" Kenny asked.

Their mom shifted until she was more comfortable, "I broke my leg in three places. They put me in a wheelchair."

"She'll be fine, huh Gina?" Their father asked.

Gina nodded, "I'll be fine. But I'll need you two to help out more around the house. Can you do that?"

"Yes," Kenny answered.

"Yeah," Grace echoed.

"Marquis, can you make the kids some soup or something? I bet they're hungry. Kenny why don't you go help," Gina suggested.

Marquis kissed his wife on the head then headed off to the kitchen with Kenny in tow.

"Are you really going to be okay?" Grace asked.

Gina ran her hand through Grace's hair, "I promise."

Grace beamed at her mother.

"Now why don't you go eat with your brother."

Grace nodded happily and skipped to the kitchen.

Chloe

While Grace was happy, Chloe was mad. No madder than mad. She was so angry that she wanted to punch someone. She had checked every nook and cranny and couldn't find Axl. Sasha was in the closet laying on her bed. Dodger was also gone but he was at Avery and Yeah-Yeah's house.

"Axl!" She yelled.

No response, no loud barking, and no whining. Chloe leaned against the wall, fell down, and sobbed into her arms and knees. After a few minutes, the door slammed and loud stomps sounded throughout the house. It didn't sound like Benny, he walked quietly and was at Harper's house. And the other boys would be at their own houses by now.

"Chloe?!"

Logan. No!

Chloe quickly stood up and wiped the tears from her face.

"I'm in here," she answered weakly.

Logan came into the room and held her chin in his hand and looked her up and down. His blue eyes lighting up at the sight of her.

"I know what will make you feel better," he shoved her to the floor.

Chloe grabbed the closet thing to her, a baseball bat. Thank you Benny for leaving his stuff everywhere.

"Leave me alone!" She ordered.

"No," and with that, he launched himself at her throwing the bat away from Chloe.

She let out a wail as he began kissing her neck, throat, and face. It only lasted a few moments until Logan was satisfied.

He wiped his mouth, "Remember, you tell anyone and I'll publish an article about your parents neglecting you for acting."

"Go ahead!" she wailed with tears streaming down her face. "I don't care anymore."

His blue eyes turned so dark they looked like a storm, "Then I'll hurt the gang. I'll hurt your brother, Harper, Yeah-Yeah! Anyone you care about! This stays between us!" Then he left.

Chloe stayed there sobbing, she felt so dirty and gross. She wanted her brother, she wanted Yeah-Yeah, but most of all she wanted Axl back. She felt something in her harden, she threw on her riding boots and ran outside to the barn. Chloe would ride Kash around the whole town until she found him.

Kash nickered when he saw her.

"Hi boy. We're going on a ride today," she tried to sound cheerful.

Chloe saddled him up, she preferred going bareback but if she wanted to search the whole town it'd be better to have his saddle. Once he was ready she climbed up on top and ran out, hoping to find her dog.

Harper

The whole gang was on a search for Axl. Actually, they were searching for Chloe who was looking for Axl so the same thing. Benny squeezed Harper's hand.

"How are your parents?"

"They're fine. So the baby," Harper responded.

Harper and Scotty's mom and step-dad had a son last year in October. He was only nine months old.

"Remind me of his name?"

"Theo."

"That's right."

"Hey lovebirds!" Ham yelled. "We're here!"

Here was Mr. Mertle's house. Chloe liked hanging out there because of Hercules. They knocked on his door.

"Hello?"

"Hi Mr. Mertle," Benny greeted. "We are looking for Chloe. Has she come by at all?"

"Not that I know of. Hercules is in the backyard though. She could be with him. Go ahead and go look."

"Thanks."

The group headed towards the backyard junkyard, Hercules came up and sniffed at them. Harper backed up, she was still a little scared of the mastiff since last summer.

"Hey boy," Squints said. "Seen Chloe around anywhere?"

Of course, the dog didn't respond but he didn't go anywhere. If Chloe was here, Hercules would already be gone. They decided to look around anyway, maybe Axl was here. Harper stepped on a wooden box and her leg fell through.

"Ow!"

"You okay?" Benny asked.

Harper nodded and slowly pulled her leg out. It was already bleeding from where the woodcut it.

"Can I?" Benny asked gesturing toward her leg. Harper let him.

It was sweet how Benny asked her before touching her. She appreciated it.

"Doesn't look too bad," he decided. "Come on. Up you go."

Harper stood up and was happy to see that the wood didn't leave any slivers in her leg.

"Okay," Bertram sighed. "Let's go to the Sandlot. It's the last place to look."

The group nodded and they walked out.

"Chloe!" Emily squealed happily.

The fourteen-year-old girl had Kash tied to a tree and was giving the horse water. Chloe's face was puffed up and red. She had more purple marks on her neck. Benny walked over there with the gang following, he didn't yell at her, he didn't ask what happened to her neck. He just scooped her up in a big hug, rubbed her back, and kissed her head gently.