He shook his head violently, rain splashing from his hair. He looked at her in disbelief. "Annie, you can't just disappear and leave us to worry our heads of for two years and then just drop in like everything's fine. You scared us half to death! Clu had to go to shrink. You broke our hearts, you broke my heart." Tears joined the rain in streaming down Carry's face. Annie wouldn't look at him, it hurt too much. She was almost afraid to look at him. "Carry my parents died on Christmas! How was I supposed to handle it? I yelled at them for never being there, so they decided to come home and died on the way. I know you wouldn't survive if Ned and Irene died." He shook his head again and ran his fingers through his hair. "Carry, I don't think you get it, I'm an orphan. I always kinda felt like one, you know? But I never expected to actually become one. It's scary. And remember that panther I told you about? The one I said follows me around, kinda protecting me? Well I haven't seen it in years! Not since I left. I haven't seen anything weird since I left. And look!" Annie showed Carry the ring Fi gave her, the engraving had worn away and it was now nothing more than a silver band. "Don't think you're the only one with a broken heart, here. You know, I-" "Believe me," Carry cut in, "no one wanted you back more than I did, but...now that you're here. It's different. We don't run smoothly together anymore. It's like, like an apple, once you slice it in two it won't stay together anymore." Annie felt her heart sink to her toes at this. "That's not true. People come and go, THAT'S true, but if you really love them, then they haunt your dreams until you see them again. I love you more that that. You guys are my family. I do blame myself, I scared you and I know that you love me. Carry, please love me. I can't do this any longer, I can't be alone." Just then the rain stopped and Carry smiled. Annie's heart was back and beating healthily in her chest. The sun shone and warmed their wet faces. "Annie I love you, I will always love you, but people just tend to go their separate ways and you did that two years ago. You can't just drop in and out of a family's life and expect them to welcome you with open arms every time. That's just not the way it is!" "Carry, I know what I did was wrong and I just came back to see if I was still welcome, I'll stay if you guys want me too. If you love me like part of the family then.then.I promise on my parents' grave that I'll never leave again." Then Carry did something that made Annie practically choke on her tongue. He fell to his knees, threw his arms around Annie's lap and wept. And after the wept, he cried, then sobbed, then bawled. When Carry had finished, Annie pulled him to his feet, and they began home. On the way (they took the long way) they filled each other in on what had happened over the course of two years. There had always been a strangely close, but unspoken friendship between them. Annie felt as light as a feather as she skipped stones across the pond in Willson park with Carry. It was dusk and they had still not decided to go home, there was just too much to say. "Wow!" Carry breathed as he fell back onto the damp grass, "I had no idea you had been through so much! You've been living in Salt Lake City? Now that can't be all that much fun!" Annie laughed. "Believe me it wasn't. But I met a lot of interesting people. Oh my God! That place is just infested with Mormons. Did you know they can't drink cafeen?" Carry put on a fake surprised look and dropped his jaw practically to his belt. He sat up and tucked his knees to his chest. "No freakin way!" He said scarstically. Annie rolled her eyes and sat down next to him. He put his arm around her sholders. "Annie?" "Yes Carry." "There's something I have to tell you."