Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original Higher Ground characters, and I'm not getting any money out of this, so please don't sue!
A/N: I'm pretty busy at the moment with school and stuff, so I'm probably only going to be able to post on weekends…Please be patient with me! I love reading all your reviews cause it really motivates me, so I'll try to get chapters out more often. Well, I guess that's all I have to say!
On Tuesday morning, Peter woke earlier than usual. Rolling over, Peter kissed his wife on the cheek and slipped out of bed.
"It's morning already?" Sophie grumbled sleepily. Peter smiled.
"Just for me. You've got time for a few more hours of sleep." He replied, making his way towards the bathroom to have a shower.
Fifteen minutes later he stumbled back into the large bedroom, pulling on a pair of pants over his boxers as he did so. Grabbing a shirt from a drawer, he pulled it over his head.
"Hey Soph, you awake?" he asked his wife softly.
"Let me guess. You want the morning off." She answered sleepily.
"I need to do some thinking. Maybe I'll be able to figure out a way to get the Cliffhangers to accept Chase." He replied.
"Go beat that rock, mountain man." Sophie smiled up at her husband. "I can take care of things here." She assured him.
"Thanks Sophie." He kissed her gently and was out the door.
* * * * *
After lunch, Peter gathered the Cliffhangers in the gazebo. Immediately he noticed the tension that seemed to be setting Chase apart from the group. He saw the cold glares and heard the sharp comments. It was going to take a lot to get Chase accepted. Peter cleared his throat and was met with empty looks. He sighed.
"Listen up everyone. Ok, some of you may have noticed that I was away this morning."
"Are we so profoundly dysfunctional that you had to take a vacation?" Daisy asked. Peter gave her a dry look.
"No, I had to do some thinking."
"That's never a good sign." Shelby commented jokingly.
"Can I continue?" Peter asked. The Cliffhangers got the message: Peter was serious. "I've been noticing some tension in the group and I had to take some time to think of a way to get rid of it. You guys should trust each other, and you don't. So, I came up with an idea. Starting tomorrow, we are going on a quest. Each of you will be given a task and a quote. You will not be allowed to tell anyone what either of them is. It will be personal and you will not be permitted to come back to Horizon until you at least make an attempt to complete it. Does everyone understand?" Peter asked. Everyone nodded slowly.
"Where are we going to be going?" Ezra asked, hoping it wouldn't be too far.
"We will be hiking up to a site near the solo cabin." Peter replied calmly.
"Are there any more questions?"
"How long will we be going for?" Scott asked.
"As long as it takes." Peter replied. The Cliffhangers' jaws dropped in disbelief.
"Peter! I can't stay out there for that long!" Juliette whined.
"Then I guess you'll have to convince your group mates to try hard to achieve what they are out in the woods to achieve." Peter's voice was calm and relaxed. "Ok guys, get pacing, and I'll see you at dinner." Peter waited as the Cliffhangers slowly made their way out of the gazebo.
"Shelby?" he said, stopping Shelby from leaving. Shelby let go of Scott's hand and walked over to Peter.
"Yes fearless leader?" Shelby smirked. Peter smiled at how relaxed she was, yet he knew it was all an act. The more Shelby acted like she was fine, the less questions and worried looks would be shot in her direction.
"How are you hanging in there?" he asked with genuine concern. Shelby shrugged.
"I'm good," she lied.
"Good. You should go pack."
"Yeah." Shelby turned and walked over to where Scott was waiting patiently. Hand in hand, the two walked towards their dorms to get changed.
Arriving at their destination, Scott stopped and searched Shelby's eyes.
"So how are you really feeling?" he asked.
"What do you mean?" Shelby feigned innocence.
"I know you're not 'good' Shel. I won't tell anyone you're wearing a mask, I just want to help…Please?" Scott begged.
"It's weird." Shelby replied, her eyes on the ground.
"Being back here?"
Shelby shook her head. "Having him here." Shelby watched Chase walk into the boys dorm. "It's like a perfect dream gone wrong. I keep thinking everything is perfect, and then I see him. I just want to forgive him and get it over with."
"Shelby, forgiving him won't make him go away. He's still going to be here."
"I know. I just thought…" Shelby's voice trailed off.
"That if you found it in you to forgive him, he'd magically disappear?" Scott asked. Shelby nodded sheepishly. Scott took her in his arms and hugged her. "It's going to be ok. We'll get through this." Scott whispered. Shelby buried her face in his shirt.
"Thank you." Shelby whispered back.
"Your welcome." Scott released her and watched as she made her way into her dorm.
Scott stepped into the boy's dorm and a dark feeling washed over him as he glared at Chase.
"If it weren't for her I would have killed you a million times by now." Scott growled angrily.
* * * * *
The next morning, the Cliffhangers were woken extraordinarily early to get an early start on their hike. Shelby sat on one of the picnic tables, waiting patiently for the rest of her group to arrive. Her eyes were heavy from lack of sleep, and images from the nightmare she had had lurked in the shadows of her mind. The blonde's stomach churned as she saw Chase walking towards her. There was a sickening feeling of filth and pain that was deep in Shelby's heart. Silently she prayed that someone – anyone – would get to her before Chase did. Her prayers were not answered.
Chase dropped his bag on the ground and sat down next to Shelby. Discomfort knotted Shelby's stomach and she inched away. He noticed, and a small frown appeared on his face.
"I'm not going to hurt you, ok?" He glanced at her cautiously, unable to believe she would think so little of him.
"Why should I believe you?" She asked quietly.
"No inappropriate touching. It's a rule here, remember?"
"Since when do you obey the rules?"
"If I ever want to get out of here, I have to do as I am told."
"You're right about that one, meat." Auggie said, walking up to them and taking a seat between Chase and Shelby.
"Where is everyone? I want to get this over with as soon as possible." Juliette whined as she joined the group.
"We're coming Jules, relax." Scott said, walking up with Daisy and Ezra on either side of him. Sophie and Peter were following close behind.
"Do you want your tasks and quotes now, or when we get there?" Peter asked.
"Now. The sooner we get them, the sooner we get back." Ezra said. Everyone nodded in unanimous agreement.
"Alright then, here they are." Sophie handed out a slip of paper to each Cliffhanger. Shelby glanced down at the sheet.
Shelby: Quote: "In all things it is better to hope than to despair." – J.W von Goethe
Task: Talk to someone you usually wouldn't about how you're really feeling.
Each Cliffhanger read their paper carefully.
Daisy: Quote: "True friends walk in when others walk out." – Anonymous
Task: Help a friend in need.
Scott: Quote: "If you judge people, you have no time to love them." – Mother Teresa
Task: Find something you like about the newest Cliffhanger.
Auggie: Quote: "Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend." – Martin Luther King Jr.
Task: Do someone an unexpected favor.
Juliette: Quote: "In the long run, the sharpest weapon of all is a kind and gentle spirit." – Anne Frank
Task: Find something you have in common with the newest Cliffhanger
Ezra: Quote: "When it comes down to it, we all just want to be loved." – Jamie Yellin
Task: Find out something new about each and every Cliffhanger.
Chase: Quote: "Face the thing you fear, and you do away with that fear."
Task: Show the Cliffhangers a side of you that none of them have seen before.
As most of the Cliffhangers read their papers, Auggie walked over to Peter.
"Do you think you could tell me what this says?" he asked quietly. Peter nodded and took him aside. After reading Auggie his quote and task, he handed him back the sheet.
"You think you could do that task?" he asked. Auggie shrugged.
"I hope so cuz otherwise we're never gonna get back here." He laughed quietly.
"Alright guys, lets get going!" Peter exclaimed.
The Cliffhangers shoved their papers into their backpacks and were off, each lost in their own thoughts.
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I know I ended that kinda weirdly…sorry it's been so long. I'll try REALLY hard to get another chapter out soon. Sorry this was so short! Please review cause it really motivates me! Thanks!!!