2 Guys 2 Girls and the Cliffhangers

Chapter 3: Day 3- The Hike

*****

Yet again the sun rose over the horizon signaling another wonderful day full of Nate's attitude and Shelby's sarcastic comments. Peter was out for his morning run when he saw Jakob out by the woods leaning against a tree crying.

He started over to Jakob and in an effort to comfort him he put a hand on his shoulder. It startled Jakob but when he saw it was Peter he accepted it.

"Hey, Jake? Whats wrong?" He asked.

"I HATE him!" Jakob exclaimed.

"Who? Who do you hate so much, buddy?" Peter asked.

"My dad! He doesn't care for me. He has always wanted a football star of a son... like Scott was. The perfect athelete. I have always wanted that too but I am just no good! I can't do anything!" He exclaimed.

"I'm sure he cares for you some. I know how parents can be when they want kids to be just perfect and they're model child. Maybe you can talk to Juliette about overbearing parents. Her mother was like that. If you dont want to talk to Juliette you can talk to Katie or Cole on the hike were taking. We want to help you before you start some self destructive behavior. Okay?" Peter said.

"Sure." I'll talk to Katie and Cole on the hike today." He said and stood up. Peter grabbed his hand and the both walked side by side back to campus both feeling like they had accomplished something.

*****GUYS*****

Scott was awoken by the suns light, he must have forgotten to close his curtain last night. He decided to let the others sleep, because he didn't think he could handle Nate this early in the morning. He decided to start packing for the wonderful hike that Peter had in store for them today.

"I really feel sorry for you EZ, you have Nate" he said as he looked at Ezra still sleeping he looked around and noticed that Jakob was gone! Right before he was about to run and tell Peter, Jakob came in side by side with Peter.

"Good morning! Time to get up!" he yelled to get everyone up

"Hey Peter, you wouldn't happen to have a cup of hot black coffee waiting for me would you?" asked Cole

"Funny" replied Peter, "I want everyone packed for the hike before they come to breakfast. When everyone was up and moving around Scott noticed Nate packing and he saw him put in some fresh undies, when Nate went into the bathroom Scott went over and picked them up.

"Nice Power Ranger underwear" he said while he was laughing

"Those are mine! Give them back!" screamed Nate furiously, when Scott decided that he had enough fun with Nate this morning he headed for breakfast one by one the Cliffhangers left for breakfast, Cole was the last one which ment he had to stay and wait for the little ones.

*****GIRLS*****

Meanwhile Sophie was running a little late in waking the girls up so when she entered the girls dorm she yelled loud and clear.

"Okay girls, rise and shine!" When the girls were half awake and half asleep Sophie told them "Everyone has to be packed and ready for the hike before they come to breakfast." Shelby was the first one in the bathroom again, while she was "freshening up" the others started to pack.

"Tell me again why we have to go on this fun filled hike" Daisy asked to no one in paticuliar

"Because" Shelby said as she came out of the bathroom "it is Peter, what else would you expect" she finished.

Surprisingly Taylor and Caitlen were the first ones done packing

"I am gonna lay on my bed and try to get some more sleep, wake me up when you leave" said Taylor

"Do I look like your slave?" asked Caitlen. Taylor just glared at her. While the other three were finishing up their packing Caitlen headed for breakfast.

When Shelby finished she waited for Daisy before heading off for breakfast, Juliette was the last one to finish packing so she headed for breakfast but when she got outside she remembered Taylor then ran back inside to wake her up. They headed off to breakfast together.

*****

Soon all of the Cliffhangers had piled into the cafeteria for breakfast.

"Oh joy!" Nate remarked "Another meal from hell!" For the first and seemingly only time Scott agreed with Nate.. but he didn't show it.

"I'm gonna die on this trip thingy" Ezra said.

"And why would that be, Freakin?" Shelby asked.

"Okay its Freidkin F- R- E -I -D -K- I- N" He spelled out for her "And the reason I'm going to die is because of him" He whispered the last part pointing at Nate. "He's going to gnaw at me and Daisy until we keel over. I can't handel a little 10 year old rich kid! I couldn't even handle DAVID!" He exclaimed. Shelby just laughed at him not realy listening.

After Breakfast Peter walked into the lodge where they were all waiting and summoned them outside.

"Okay! This isn't JUST going to be a nice little hike. As some of you know we are going to hike up to each site and drop each other off." Peter said.

"Like our solos?" Juliette asked a little unsure. She for one didn't know what was going on. And realy only Ezra did.

"Bingo! Only this time you will be with your partner and the kid you were asigned to. " Most groaned but then looked at Scott who was smiling from ear to ear. Then they all caught on and stopped complaining.

"Oh yes. And for this issue there will be NO funny buisness. Since this is a co-ed hike I expect you all to be on your best behavior. You may as well wipe your extra curricular plans away because this is going be supervised more then you can ever imagine. That is why Jeff and Roger are going with us." Peter said smiling.

Scott and Shelby frowned more then the other Cliffhangers because they were planning more... ALOT more. But then they realised that they had a little 10 year old kid with them and figured they wouldn't get anytime anyway to do what they wanted to do.

*****

"Awww can we PLEASE stop for a rest?" Juliette asked while wiping away the mud the some how got all over her face. Of course Nate wouldn't know why.... no he would never. Ah yes Nate "accidentaly" Kicked mud in Juliettes face when she was complaining about resting. But it was only an "Accident"

"Okay, Juliette we can stop here and just up ahead is the first site. " Peter said.

"Well since its just up here we can keep going." Juliette said bravely

"Well thats nice of you Queenie" Shelby said... not realy meaning for it to sound mean cause come on people she's not mean ALL the time. The nick name is just a habbit. Juliette looked at Shelby oddly for a second and then shrugged it off.

*****

After all of the teens and kids had been dropped off at their sites Peter, Sophie, Jeff, and Roger all went to the main cabin and sat infront of their fire even though it wasn't all that cold outside.

Back at Katie, Cole, and Jakobs site a little discussion was going on.

"So I sorta hate my dad too." Cole said. "Actually I probably hate him more then you can know. He dropped me off when I was 9 at a foster home and never came back for me. Then my foster father Randall Rotterts killed my foster sister."

"I dont realy hate my dad but he can be an ass sometimes if you know what I mean. Infact he can be like David sometimes" Katie said. Cole and her laughed but realised that Jakob didn't realy get the comment cause he had never met David.

"Inside Joke" Cole said. Jakob nodded.

"Well I guess I feel a little better about it now." Jakob admitted.

"Cool. Were glad." Katie said. Cole nodded.

"Hey wanna go for a walk?" Cole asked both of them. They nodded and Katie said "Yeah"

*****

At Auggie, Juliette and Caitlens site.

"So what can we do on these?" Caitlen asked.

"Well if you were to read Peters little solo hand book it would say sit and think about your life and reasess your inner child but in the Auggie/ Juliette handbook it says Have some fun!" Auggie said smiling.

"Okay well what should we do?"

"Maybe we can sit by the campfire and make smores." Juliette said.

"SURE! I like doing that." Caitlen said.

*****

At Scott, Shelby, and Taylors site.

"So.... I have a feeling you two have more in common then just favorite colors. Am I right?" Taylor asked

"What are you psycic?" Shelby asked knowing she was right. "First its "Im hiding something" And now about me and Scott. You have to be related to Daisy." Shelby finished.

"Shel.. maybe its just her guessing... that would be weird wouldn't it?" Scott asked.

"Actually I just know by the way you look at each other and the way you talk to each other." Taylor stated 'as a matter of factly'

"Well your right but we dont want to realy talk about it." Scott said.

*****

At Daisy, Ezra and *Shudders* NATE's site.

"This sux" Nate blatently said.

"Naw ya think. Boy you know JUST how to state the obvious dont ya." Ezra said while poking the fire with a stick.

"Yup... I guess you dont." Nate said.

"Sure whatever little rich boy." Ezra said.

"UGHH Am I tired of hearing you say those things? YES! So shut up before I catch a stick on fire and shove it down your throat. I came THIS close to doing that to my father once. When he ignored me" Nate said.

"Whatever. We don't realy care what you do." He said.

"I am SICK AND TIRED of being treated like a kid here!" Nate said and took off running into the woods.

Ezra looked at Daisy. When Daisy saw the worry in Ezra's eyes she dove for the radio. She pressed the talk button.

"Peter, Sophie, Jeff, or Roger! Can you hear us?" She asked slowly as to not have to repeat herself. Instead of picking up one of them she somehow picked up Shelby. The frequency must have been skrewd with.

"Daisy? Why are you radioing us and how did you do it?" Shelby asked.

"Nate's run off. We dont know if he's going to come back." She told her.

"Okay. Just stay calm. Scott, Taylor and I will go look for him. Over and out!" Shelby said.

Shelby jumped up and told Scott the situation.

"I dont much respect the kid and neither does Taylor here but we are nice people and will help you look for him." Scott said smiling. "Come on Taylor." Shelby didn't think he would... but she was wrong. How she loved her man.

*****

Nate had been running non stop for around 10 minutes and figured he was a good mile or 2 away from the site. Good enough for him. He hadn't ran like that in his whole life. 'There's a first time for everything' he told himself.

He stopped running and walked a while until he heard runnning water. He jogged up to it hoping for something to quinch his thirst. He had not had anytime to take his water bottle with him. It looked real dirty but he saw a small clear water pond on the other side and decided that he could just walk over the river. There were alot of rapids so he stuck his foot in to see if it was deep it wasn't so he stepped in. Its was cold but he could take knee high water for a moment.

He started to walk out a little further. He was close to the edge and figured a couple steps would do it. He took one step and the dept was around 10 feet and Nate fell in. He was okay until he saw a HUGE rapid coming coming toward him.

"HELP!!!" He shreiked.

*****

"Did you hear that?" Cole asked.

"Yeah it sounded like some one was saying help. " Jakob said confused.

Katie jerked her head up. She shot down toward the water Cole and Jake right behind them.

"LOOK!!" Katie said. There was Nate coming swifly toward them. Cole all of a sudden jumped into the deep water and swam without much effort to the other side. Once there he held on to the banking and waited for Nate to make it to him.

"HERE BUDDY I'VE GOT YOU!" He yelled as he grabbed Nate by the arm and pulled him out of the water. They looked up at Katie and Jakob on the other side just about the time Scott bursted through the clearing. Nate then passed out beside Cole.

"GET OVER HERE WITH SOME BLANKETS!!" Cole screamed. Luckily Scott had drug his back pack out with him and it had some warm blankets in it. He took the 20 pound pack and being the football star he was threw the entire thing over the 10 foot wide river.

Cole started at Scott in amazement. Then he remembered the task at hand and took out all the blankets and wraped them all around Nate. Then he realised that the couldn't get Nate back themselfs.

"THE RADIO! DO YOU HAVE ONE WITH YOU!" Cole yelled to Scott on the other side. Shelby realised that she hadn't put the radio down and gave it to Scott he threw it over the river also.

Cole saw the radio flying through the air and realised that if it hit the ground it would brake so he stood up and moved around until he caught the radio with ease, just like a football.

After Cole was finished telling Peter the situation Scott looked at Cole.

"HEY YOUR PRETTY GOOD AT THAT! MAYBE YOU CAN PLAY FOR ME ONE DAY ON A FOOTBALL TEAM!!" Scott yelled to Cole.

"SURE BUT I THINK MAYBE WE SHOULD GET NATE BACK FIRST!" He yelled back. He could see Scott smiling from over the river. Suddenly Peter arrived on Coles side with a 4 wheeler. Him, Cole and Nate were all loaded onto the vehicle and threw Scott's pack in the back beside Cole and took off toward Horizon.

*****

That night

*****

"Do you think they're all right?" Ezra asked Daisy who had just been informed of what had happened by Sophie. She had called everyone on the radios and told them what had happened and to stay at their site. Daisy and Ezra were to come back to the main cabin since their partner was gone.

*****

A/n: Well that was it. We hoped you liked it and REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!

NEXT TIME: They all make it back to Horizon. In light of what happened Peter starts a survival course for the kids so that wont happen again.

*~The Haystack~*

~*The Needle*~