PEOPLE CHANGE

Chapter 1: Shelby
Shelby sat in the quiet office, in the overstuffed dark marroon leather couch. She had gotten used to the silence. The long talks and working things out for herself. It was something that had been happening ever since she had started the therapy sessions with Dr. Thomas three weeks before.
"It's not like I didn't expect it." She said softly. "I did. I guess it's just that once it happened I didn't expect it to go as well as it did. I didn't expect him to want the same thing."
FLASHBACK
Shelby sat on the dock across from Scott. She had promised she would meet him once she returned to compus and now that she'd been back for over twenty four hours, she had decided it was time.
She had thought long and hard about what she would say. About how hard it would be to say it, but this was the only way. They both needed time - to heal and to grow. It was important. If they didn't have it, they would never be good for each other. Would never make it together.
"Scott," She said softly looking over into his eyes, "I know I have hurt you. We've both hurt each other - more then once. Maybe it's because of our past, maybe it's the way we were raised, but right now, that doesn't matter."
She paused watching for his reaction. "I love you, but right now that's not enough. I need to learn to deal with the things that have happened in my life, with the support of my friends and even my family. But I can't do that with a boyfriend, not right now."
By the end of her statement she was no longer looking at him and while she had practiced many times what she was going to say, it still hurt more then she thought it would.
"I know."
Shelby looked up suprised by the words that he spoke. "I know." Scott repeated regretfully. "You were the first person I ever told." He said. "And the first person I ever loved, but it's not enough. For either of us." He smiled sadly. "We both carry to much baggage. And the same baggage."
Shelby wasn't sure what to say. She took a deep breath trying to find lost words. "I didn't want it to be like this." She said softly.
"Me neither." Scott said softly. "But I think if we both take some time. Heal from what's happened in our lives that we'll be better off."
"How long have you been thinking about this?"
Scott almost laughed. "It took me awhile to see it. I mean, when you left I didn't give up. I thought you'd come back for me."
"I did." She protested, knowing it was a lie.
"No." Scott said sadly. "You came back because Horizon is where you need to be. Because you need to heal and your ready to do it. I see that. And I'm ready to heal now too." His voice was full of emotion as he said, "We just can't do it together."
Shelby didn't bother to brush the tears from her cheeks. "I'm sorry."
"Me too."
They were both silent listening to the night. "Do you think we can still be friends?"
"I never thought we wouldn't be."
"We haven't really talked about what happened." Shelby said.
"Your not ready to. When your ready I'm here."
Shelby leaned forward and hugged him, holding onto him hoping this wouldn't be the last time, but knowing that for awhile it would be.
"How did we get to this?" She asked softly through her tears.
"I'm not sure." Scott said gruffly. "But if we would have tried to work this out, I'm not sure we'd ever be able to be friends."
"Yea." Shelby said reluctantly pulling back from him. "It's the ones that wait too long that end up hating each other."
Scott nodded. He wiped the tears from his own eyes and took a deep breath, "Friends?"
"Yea." Shelby said as she wiped her own face free of tears.
"I guess we should head back before Peter catches us." Scott said.
"Yea." Shelby said reluctant. She stood and as Scott turned she caught his arm, "I'm sorry for everything that I've done to you. I know that I hurt you by leaving and pushing you away, but I'm not going to do that now."
Scott nodded. "I'm sorry too - for everything that I did. For pushing, for not understanding."
The two turned and headed back for campus together. They had been walking for a few minutes when Scott said, "I think we both learned something from all of this."
"What's that?" Shelby asked.
"That we both have a lot of healing to do."
END OF FLASHBACK

"Scott was right. We both do have a lot of healing to do before we can be together again." She paused. "But I learned something else, and that's that sometimes love isn't enough. We both love each other, but we hurt each other to much because of our own problems that we can't be together. At least not now."
"So you think the two of you will end up back together?" Dr. Thomas asked.
Shelby shrugged. "I don't know. I can't think about that right now. I need to concentrate on me. And getting better. After that - who knows. Maybe we will end up together again, maybe not."
"So you worked things out with Scott and he seems to understand, what about the other cliffhangers?"
Shelby sighed. "Things with Daisy and I aren't the same. We were close friends, best friends. She was the first to know about my life on the street. I went with her to her mom's funeral and we just were there so much for each other, and then this happened. While I was away a lot happened with her dad."
"He was in the accident right?"
"Yea." Shelby said. "The two made up." A pause. "Things aren't the same between us. I didn't let her be there for me and I wasn't there for her. I'm not sure things will be the same again. We made up, but things are different."

FLASHBACK
Shelby stood in the girls dorm unpacking. She had just gotten the ok to return to campus a few hours ago and now after an unnecessary search of her belongings she was back on campus. She looked up as she heard someone come into the dorm. "Hey." Shelby says softly.
"Hey." Daisy said as she walked into the room and placed her books on her desk. "Looks like your back." She said as she sat down on the bed.
"Yea." Shelby said.
"For good?" Daisy asked.
Shelby looked at her for a moment and then said, "I have to go back for counseling sessions and a few group session things, but I'm back on campus - for good."
"Good." Daisy said. It was silent for a moment and Daisy said, "I should probably head to lunch."
Shelby watched as Daisy turned and headed out of the room. "Daisy wait." She called. Daisy stopped and turned around looking at Shelby. "I'm sorry I left." A pause. "And I'm sorry about what happened with your dad."
"How do you know about that?"
"Peter told me he wreked his car and was in the hospital. How is he?"
"He's good." Daisy said with a slight nod. She walked into the room and sat down on the edge of her bed again. "Did you hear about anything else that happened?"
Shelby shook her head and sat down on her own bed facing Daisy. "No. Just that."
"We talked for a long time - my dad and I." Daisy said looking down at her hands. "I forgave him. I'm supposed to see him at Christmas."
"Wow." Shelby breathed.
"Yea." Daisy said. "Found out why my parents drink. That I had an older brother that died of Sudden Infant death syndrome. And visited my mothers and his grave." Shelby looked at her slightly shocked. "Looks like I still got shock value."
Shelby nodded. "Seems like I missed a lot."
"You did." Daisy said seriously. "I went through a lot when you left. Especially with my dad. Scott did too. You might say were not the same people we were when you left."
"I'm not the same either." Shelby said quietly.
"I know." Daisy said with a nod.
It was quiet again until Shelby said, "I really am sorry that I hurt you by leaving. I know you thought it was your fault, but it wasn't. I wasn't right. You and Scott did what you thought was best for me, few people ever do that."
"If that's your way of saying thanks, your welcome." Daisy joked.
"No," Shelby said, "It's my way of saying I'm sorry."
Daisy looked at Shelby for a moment. "I forgive you Shelby. You don't have to keep apologizing. It's going to take time for me to adjust to what's happened with my dad. And to get passed what happened when you left, but I forgive you."
"You don't have to." Shelby said quietly. "I wasn't, I haven't been a very good friend to you. You have always been there for me, always listened and cared in spite of everything and I still pushed you away and blamed you and I shouldn't have."
"I'm not going to say that I disagree with you about what you just said, but I didn't forgive you because I had to Shelby. I did it because I wanted to." She smiled slightly. "Besides I've been in a forgiving mood lately. After all I forgave my dad and he's done far more to hurt me then you have."
Shelby smiled. "I don't know if that should make me feel better or not."
Daisy nodded. "It's the truth though. I forgave my dad so I didn't have to hate him any longer, and I forgave you, because it's to hard to hurt from everything that's happened. Forgiving you helps me feel better."
"So things still aren't right between us?"
"Honestly, Shel, I don't know if they ever will be." Daisy said looking her in the eye.
Shelby nodded, dropping her gaze. She watched Daisy's shoes on the floor as Daisy walked past her.
END OF FLASHBACK

"So we forgave each other, same as with me and Scott, but things aren't the same. The cliffhangers aren't the same. And I'm not sure if were ever going to be. Not after everything that's happened."
"People change Shelby. It happens. And it sounds like the cliffhangers have forgiven you, now all you have to do is start again."
"Starting over is hard."
"Yes, it is. But sometimes it's all we can do."

Dr. Thomas didn't say anything for a few moments letting the words sink in. "So that's how things are with Scott and Daisy what about the others, your family, your sister. How are they handling the death of your father?"
Shelby takes a deep breath, "The other cliffhangers are glad I'm ok. A little concerned, but not as hurt as Scott and Daisy are. I was closest to those two."
"What about your family? You haven't said much about them."
"The cliffhangers are my family." Shelby said plainly. "Jess hasn't forgiven me yet for leaving. Not for running away before and not for running away this last time. I think that it's all just starting to be too much for her. With the suicide and all, things have gotten worse for her. She won't talk to me about it, so I can't explain what happened. Not even sure I want to."
"Did the suicide upset you?"
"I'm sad about it, in a way. When Walt had a heart attack I had wanted him dead and when he didn't die, I was dissappointed. And scared and angry. I wanted him out of my life. But the man that was my biological father, with him it was different. He admitted it. To my face. He never gave me a reason. Other then he was not right back then. But he admitted it." She paused for a moment. "And he paid for it. He took the cowards way out, but he paid for it."
"Why do you think he took the cowards way out?"
"I have to live with it. He doesn't."

Chapter Two: Peter and Sophie
"Well look at you mountain man, all busy at work." Sophie said walking into Peter's office.
Peter groaned.
"What's wrong?" Sophie asked stopping in front of his desk.
"There are not enough hours in the day to finish all this stuff. I've got so much catching up to do from the time spent looking for Shelby and dealing with Daisy and her dad. The scholarship honoring my father isn't working to well, I have a new admit coming in and with the lack of couselors that we have sense Brad left and Megan's given her notice, that unless we find some counselors soon, we're going to have to double up."
"Calm down." Sophie said. "Kat is here until after Christmas, and that gives you almost a month to try and find someone new. The scholarship program your trying for will be great because your doing it for your father and if you want I will take the new admit."
"Kat has to head back to campus early, so I only have three weeks, I can't find money for the scholarship program and you can't take the new admit, you have group."
"Well, I'm sure you can find someone in three weeks. You've already had several people apply. And why not ask Mark for the money. That's how you got the money before."
"Soph." Peter said looking up at her, "That was a business transaction, this is donated money."
"Well, all businesses need to have charity's to donate to, it's goodwill. Just convince him that it would be in his best interest."
"I don't like the idea of being a charity."
"You don't like the idea of asking your brother for help. But ever since your dad died, the two of you are getting along better."
"We talk once a month." Peter said pointedly.
"That's more then before." Sophie refuted. "I think you should ask, where is the harm in that."
"The harm in it, is that he's my brother and I already know what he'll say."
"So now your psychic?"
"No." Peter said.
"Well, then ask."
"Will it get you off my case?"
"I'm not on your case - and yes." She said smirking at him.
"Then fine I will call and ask Mark, even though I know what he will say."
"See problem solved, now do you want me to see if I can't get someone else besides you to take the new admit."
"I could probably let Roger do the admit. I think he's ready. And I've been thinking about letting him do one for a while. But I still need to meet the parents. Especially with this student."
"What's so unique about this student?"Sophie asked.
Peter said nothing, instead he handed her the folder silently.
Sophie opened it and read a few lines. "Oh."

Chapter 3: David/Daisy/Ezra
Daisy and David sat by the docks. It was mid morning.
"I'm really glad that we can meet like this." Daisy said looking over at David. "With Shelby not being here I didn't have her to talk to, and Ezra just doesn't seem to understand how I feel about my dad. He gets some things, because of his parents divorce, but it's just not the same. His father isn't as agressive as ours are."
"Guess were part of the same club." David said. "Our fathers our jerks."
"Well, mine doesn't seem so bad right now. Not since I forgave him."
"That must have been hard."
"It was. Took me a long time to do it, but I feel so much better now. I can't explain it."
"I think I know. When I visited Horizon that first time, my dad and I actually talked and I couldn't explain it, but I felt better."
"So what happened?"
David shrugged.
"I won't tell anyone."
"I know you wouldn't." David said looking Daisy in the eyes, "But, I don't know." He looked out at the water. "Things just got bad again. It was ok for a while, but things got bad between us."
"I thought you were living with your mom when you came back?"
"I had been, but dad started making appearances. And they weren't the good visits either. He was all over me about everything. 'Your mother says you need to try harder. Your mother thinks your not eating right. If you want to be a soldier your going to have to learn discipline.'" David mocked. "He just gets on my nerves."
"Yea." Daisy said with a nod. "My dad said to me one time that "I was his little girl - once.' Didn't exactly go over well with me."
"That's what you guys fought about when he came to group."
"Yep." Daisy said with a nod. "That's when he almost hit me. Wasn't anything new though, he'd almost hit me several times before. That's why I had taken a seven iron to him. Got sent here for that. Best thing that ever could have happened."
David was quiet for a moment and then asked seriously, "Did your dad ever hit you?"
Daisy looked at David for a moment. "No." She said. "Came close, but no." Going on a gut instinct she asked, "Did your dad hit you?"
David rolled his eyes and quickly turned away. "No, never. My dad hit me? I would have hit him back." Feeling the need to change the subject David then said, "So what's the worst thing your dad's ever done to you?"
Daisy almost laughed. "There's so many things to choose from." She said sarcastically, but then she grew serious, "Actually I would say the fact that he lied. Wasn't up front with me. Because had he told me why he drank, or just told me about what had happened, I don't think I would have had as big a problem. I mean, I would have, but had I known I might have been able to do something to try and help him. Maybe could have helped my mom too." She said sadly.
"Yea." David said. "But I wouldn't think about that too much. There's nothing you can do to change the past."
"I know." Daisy said. "If I could everything would be different. None of us would have gone through anything bad. We all would have grown up happy kids."
"Daisy an optimist." David joked and Daisy lightly punched him on the arm. "Hey," he said, "It was just a joke." A pause. "But you know, had we all led perfect lives none of us would have met."
"I don't know. We might have. Fate does have her ways."
"Well, we would have met under different circumstances. Maybe we all would have been different. Maybe you would have been the Princess and Juliette would have been the goth."
"Now there is something I would like to see. Little miss perky dressed in goth attire."
"I agree she's perky, but she's not all bad." David said.
Daisy looked at him sideways. "And now who is being an optimist." She joked. "Juliette isn't bad." She said after a moment. "None of the others are. I think we all pick on each other, but I don't think any of us really find fault with each other."
"I don't know." David said. "I think the others find fault with me."
"Only because your an antagonsit. If you were like this all the time, I don't think people would mind." Daisy smiled suddenly. "Heck, they might even like you."
"Oh, thanks." David said, throwing her a look.
"You know I don't mean it, at least not exactly." She smiled at him. "Lately you have been showing the real you a little more. You talked to Scott and what you did with Shelby, why the wrong way to go about it, was still sweet."
"You think I'm sweet?"
"Don't get your hope up Romeo." Daisy said quickly, but then said, "But yea, I think your beginning to feel safe here and at home, and the more that happens the more I see of the real you." She looked up at him softly, "I like that side of you."
"Well, when you got it, you got it." David flaunted puffing out his chest.
Daisy roles her eyes, "Maybe I'm wrong."
It was quiet for a moment and then David said, "You know how you said you liked meeting like this?" Daisy nodded. "I do too. There aren't many people that I get to talk about my dad with, who actually understand."
Daisy nodded and looked into his eyes. "David any time you want to talk about your dad or anything else. I'm here." David nodded and looked away.
Again it was quiet for a few moments and then David asked, "Did you really mean what you said? That I'm not as bad as everyone beleives I am."
"Yea." Daisy said. "I meant that - your not the ass everyone thinks you are."
"Well thanks." David says again with a laugh. "Two compliments in one day." He jokes.
"No really." Daisy says trying to get him to be serious. "Your not."
David just shakes it off. "Guess Horizon does that to a person."
"Yea." Daisy says sombering up. "This year has been so difficult. But things seem better now. After seeing my dad and talking to him, things have changed."
"Yea." David scoffs slightly, thinkng about his own father.
Daisy catches the scoff and realizes he's thinking of his own father. She looks up at him. "Things could change for you too."
David just shakes his head. "Yea, when pigs fly."
Daisy shakes her head. "I used to think that." A pause. "You know David, what you told me about your father - how things just got bad. Well maybe if you talk to him, things might get better."
"They might get worse also."
"I won't lie, that could happen. But you'll feel better for trying."
"Not if he does what he always does. He doesn't listen. He doesn't try. He doesn't care."
"He does."
"How do you know?" David shot back at her.
"David if my father loves me, after everything he put me through, your father still loves you. He's just too afraid to admit it."
"My dad is not afraid of anything."
"Yea he is. He's afraid of loving you."
David just shakes his head and looks into the water.

"Hey guys." Ezra says walking up. He had been watching the two for a few minutes. Why he couldn't hear them, he could tell there coversation was private and he hadn't wanted to intrude.
"Oh, hey Ez." Daisy says smiling up at him.
"Hi Ezra." David says looking at him as well.
"Uh, Peter wants us to meet in the lodge in about ten minutes."
Daisy nods and turns back to David. After a moment she realizes Ezra is still there.
"Anything else Ez?" She askd.
"No," Ezra said quickly. "I just thought we could walk together."
"Well, I'm kind of talking to David." She said apologetically. "We'll be there soon."
Ezra nods feeling hurt. He hadn't hardly seen Daisy all week. Most of her time had been spent with David. They hadn't even sat together at breakfast that morning. Turning around he heads back down the path with his head down.

Daisy watches as Ezra walks down the path. "He seems a little down." She murmers to herself.
"What?" David asked.
"Oh, I was just thinking that Ez seems a little down."
Suddenly David laughs and then after getting a glare from Daisy he sobers up. "Sorry I thought you were joking."
"About Ez being down? Why would you think that?'
"You haven't figured it out?" David asks increduosly.
"Figured what out?"
"He's upset cause we're together."
"Ezra knows there is nothing between us."
"Between you and him or me and you?"
Daisy looks at him taken aback. "Between me and him." She stammers.
David says nothing for a moment and then asks, "So there's something between us?"
Daisy regains her composure. "Yea, air." She says standing up and starting to leave. He grabs her arm before she can make her get away and she looks down at him.
"Daisy," David pauses, "I really like you."
Daisy looks at him for a moment. "I really like you too." She says gently. "But," She takes a deep breath. "Everything has been so up in the air lately, I don't think I'm ready to commit to anything yet."
David nods. "That's cool." He says going back to his usual self. "But just remember I can't wait forever." He then stands and the two begin to walk back towards campus.
Daisy rolls her eyes. "And people wonder why you don't have a girlfriend."
"It's just cause I have my eyes on the best." Daisy starts to roll her eys again, but there eyes catch and he smiles at her. She smiles back and then naturally slips her arm into his and the two head back towards campus.

Chapter 4: Auggie/Juliette/ Scott
"I wonder what Peter wants to talk to us about." Juliette said. She was sitting next to Auggie on the couch in the lodge.
"Probably has something to do with Shelby having come back. She's been back on campus for a week now. Things seem to be going back to normal." Auggie said.
Juliette shrugged. "I don't know, Aug, it doesn't seem normal." She said slightly sad. "Things have changed. Daisy and Shelby don't seem as close as they were and Scott and Shelby have broken up. And all the time that Daisy and David spend together. Nothings like it used to be."
"Things change Jules." Auggie said reassuringly. "But at least Shelby's back and she's safe."
"Yea. And Daisy's back to, so at least I'm no longer alone in the girls dorm."
"You always had me." Auggie said.
Juliette smiled. "Yes I did."
Auggie sighed suddenly. "There's something I got to tell ya Jules."
"What is it?" Juliette asked curiously.
Auggie dropped his head. "I'm..." He couldn't find the words to tell her. "I'm going to be going home for Christmas." He said instead.
"That's great Auggie." Juliette said with a smile, but then her smile faded. "But we won't be able to celebrate together."
"We'll celebrate when I get back."
"But were having a party and everything." Juliette slightly whined.
"I know. I'm sorry." Auggie said and he was, just not over what Juliette thought he was sorry over. "But I promise we'll celebrate when I get back, ok?" A pause. "And I'll be back in time for New Years eve, so we'll have then to celebrate."
"I guess that will do." Juliette said thinking of the kiss they would share at midnight.

"Hey, where's Peter?" Scott asked walking in.
"Not here yet." Auggie answered. "Shelby back yet?"
"No." Scott said his face clouding over slightly as he took a seat on one of the chairs. "She should be getting back anytime now. Roger left a little while ago to get her."
"How she doing anyway?" Auggie asked.
"Good." Scott said. "The therapist says as soon as she completes the required month of additional sessions, she'll be given a clean bill."
"That's good news." Auggie said.
"Yea." Scott said slightly sad. "I"m really happy for her."
They all looked up as they hear Ezra come in. "Hey Ez, you find Daisy?" Juliette asked.
"Yea." Ezra said a little darkly.
"She with David?" Juliette asked gently. She had a feeling David and Daisy were going to hook up soon and as taken by Daisy as Ezra was, he was going to be hurt by it.
"Yep." Ezra said as he sank down onto the couch.
"I know how you feel Ez." Scott said with a sigh.
"Yea." Ezra said giving Scott a look. "But at least you got the girl for a while and at least she's not with someone else right now."
"Ok," Scott said. "Maybe I don't know how you feel."
"I do." Juliette said reaching out and patting Ezra on the shoulder. "I remember when Scott and Shelby hooked up."
"David and Daisy haven't hooked up." Ezra denied.
The other three looked at each other, knowing that while technically true it was only a matter of time.
"Your right Ez." Scott reassured.
"Yea," Juliette said. "They haven't hooked up. They're just getting to know each other better as friends. With Shelby and Daisy not being very talkative, she needs someone."
Ezra was about to say something, when he heard laughter.The four turned to see David and Daisy coming in the door of the lodge laughing, and Ezra would have fallen had he not been sitting down, when he noticed that they were arm in arm.


Chapter 5: Roger
Roger walked into the Hospitals outpatient psychiatric area. "I'm here to pick up Shelby Merrick." He said to the lady at the front desk.
"She's still in session. It will be just a few moments. You can take a seat if you want."
Roger nodded and walked to one of the chairs in the waiting area. This was the first time that he'd been to pick Shelby up. Normally Sophie or Peter took the duty. He sat down and picked up a magazine.
He was flipping through the pages trying to find an interesting article when a voice caught his attention.
Looking up he noticed a medium height young woman. Her skin was the color of cocoa and her hair was jet black.
"I'll be back in just a moment, Dr. Sorenson." The woman said. She closed the door and stepped out of the office. Turning around she spotted Roger who was only a few feet from her.
"Sometimes, it's the doctors who are worse then the patients." She said with a bright smile towards him.
"Uh, yea." Roger said finding it hard to think.
"Your not going to be a difficult patient are you?" She asked.
"Actually, I'm not a patient at all." Roger said, glad that he was finally able to think cleary.
"Oh?" The young woman asked. "Then why are you here?"
"I'm picking up a student of mine. I work over at Mt. Horizon."
"That's the high school for students that have emotional problems, right?" She asked as she placed her hands in the pocket of her white lab coat.
"Yea, but we deal with kids with learning dissabilities and such as well."
"Really?" She said with a smile. "I think that that school is great. What you guys do for those kids is incredibly."
"Well," Roger said turning his head at a slight angle, "All of us ended up with second chances, some even a third and a forth. We just feel it's our way to give something back."
"A third and a fourth try huh?" She asked a half smile curving her lips.
"Some just take longer then others. Just means they need a little extra help."
Suddenly a beeping sound cut into their conversation. The woman checked the pager and then said. "It was nice meeting you, but I have to go. Someone needs me upstairs." With that she turned and headed off.
"You might want to wipe the drool from your chin."
Roger turned to see Shelby watching him. "You done?"
"Yea, I finished just in time to see you falling all over yourself."
Roger shook his head and then said, "Well, let's get going, cause Peter is having a meeting with the cliffhangers in a few minutes."
"Changing the subject won't change what I saw."
"I wasn't falling all over myself." Roger said as they two headed out. "I was talking to a nice young woman."
"And practically drooling." As they climbed into the truck, Shelby said, "Your setting a bad example you know. Horizon teaches us to face things head on, not avoid them."
Roger threw her a look. "I told you Shelby." He said as he pulled out into the street and began driving back to Horizon, "We were just talking."
"Oh, so you wouldn't be interested in knowing that her name is Alex?"
"Alex?" Roger asked before he could catch himself.
Shelby threw Roger a look that seemed to say I knew you were interested. "Yea, Alex." She repeated. "And she sometimes helps with the group that I come to on Wensdays."
"Is that so?" Roger asked.
"Yes." Shelby said. "Too bad it's Peter that normally comes to get me."
Roger shook his head. "Any chance that this won't be around the school by tomorrow?"
"If you admit that you like her." Shelby said.
"I just met her." Roger said.
"So admit your attracted." Shelby countered.
"Fine." Roger conceded. "I find her attractive."
"Ok, then I'll keep it to myself."
"You know blackmailing is against the rules at Horizon." Roger joked.
"You answered the question first though. Besides you said that I would tell in the first place." Roger sighed, knowing he'd been had. "So what's this meeting with Peter and the cliffhangers about?"
"You're getting a new cliffhanger."
Shelby sighs. "Great, just what we need, another change. Haven't the cliffhangers been through enough without dealing with a new member?"
Roger looked over at her. "You'll always have to deal with new people Shelby. Whether or not you've been through a lot."
"I know that, I do talk to Peter." She paused. "It's just that the cliffhangers are finally getting back to something relatively normal. We might not all have the same relationships we had before, but we're still a close group and a new member will only cause another change."
"Change always happens, Shelby. It's what makes the world go. You need to learn to adjust"
"That's all I do."
"Well then you should be used to it." Roger glanced over at her. "Things will change and new people will come in and out of your life, you need to learn to deal with that. Life isn't easy."
"I know that, but just once I wish it were."