The bright haired man rested lightly against a corner breathing deeply at the silence that finally filled his hotel room. 'Peace and quiet... I can once again hear my thoughts without someone yelling...'

The silence was once again shattered when a door flung open, slamming again a plaster wall. "Jeff... Jeffie, Jeffie, Jeffie!"

There she stood, all 5 foot 3 of her. "Oh no... the triple Jeffie! What do you want... and who's the dude?"

"My Jeffie! You know David Callaway."

"Oh... Mark's son. Yea heard a lot about you... but I got a triple Jeffie, something big has been plotted. Spill it Sam." Eyes opening , slowly dilating to except the harsh bright light.

Innocently she pulled her arms around her back and smiled sweetly. "Why would you say something like that the Jeff I love dearly."

"Because I know you. Ok then, David what's going on?"

After shifting nervously from foot to foot he began to stutter an answer, "Um, u-um... n-nothing sir... I'm here with her for something. I have no idea really..."

"And that something is?"

"No fair! You can't badger the witness!" She exclaimed while stomping her foot loudly.

"Over ruled! I have the golden power to do as I please. Now spill it or leave. I know you're not here to tell me how much you love me."

"Fine, I do have a hidden agenda, I have a idea about seeing the kids."

Groaning he stood taking hold of her shoulders. "Sam, me and you have gone through this a hundred and ten times. I love the kids as much as you do and want to see them but I can't get work off and you are not, repeat not, going alone. You're just going to deal with it."

"But Jeff... I do have someone..."

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Now we flash forward a day and watch David drive, slowly, as the early morning sun rose. "Damn it Sam. How the hell did you talk me into this?"

With a tired smile she looked over to him and sighed when seeing his shoulders tense and back ridged. "You said you would. Plus I didn't ask and I made sure you wanted to. We had a long talk with Jeff about the do's and don'ts with this trip and even then you smiled. After we talked to your dad then you sighed. I never forced you."

Turning into the next lane on the freeway he looked at her and smiled before turning his attention back to the road. 'She is always so confident and always smiling...' After a moment of silence he finally answered. "Yea but ever time I sighed I'd look over at you and you'd smile and shrug your shoulders. I'm not used to getting lectured and told not to do things. The only time I got yelled at was when I crashed my dirt bike. I need new parts and my mom yelled at me and I couldn't ride it for a week. That's the only time."

"Ha you're a goodie two-shoes. I crashed once going over a jump and Jeff yelled at me because I didn't roll. Honestly I love Jeff but he really is a push over. Marie was harder; I couldn't get away with that much. She was so much harder when it came to school. If I did great in school then I could do a lot more at home. That was Marie's rule. But if you really want to David you can get a hotel room and stay there when I go see the kids."

"Oh hell no. I drove all the way here so I'm seeing the kids. I can't just not go. You have me wanting to see them. Come on they seem great and I'm an only child... so I really think it would be cool to be the older one and teach them stuff.... I know I sound dumb," He finished shyly, trying to hide his rose cheeks without running of the road.

"No David... that's really sweet. Not many people are like that..."

His face began to color a deeper pink as he tried desperately to think of something to change the subject to. "Hey Sam... anyway it's really early, see it's 5 o'clock. Why don't you try to get some sleep. It's still about another 2 hour drive before I stop at the hotel. You haven't slept since I told you about my -smart- idea... that was about 30 hours ago. Come on go to sleep. I'll be fine... I'm not tired." He stated trying to hold back a yawn, but only succeeded in looking like a money holding his breath.

"Yea, you're not tired. You haven't slept since then too. Anyway it's mine and Jeff's rule. 'If on a long trip then no one will sleep because that will cause the driver to become drowsy.' Plus it's only two more hours; I'll just wait..."

Within an hour both we're about to fall asleep so David, being a good driver, pulled over at the nearest rest stop. "Yea Sam you could make it... your snoring was getting to me."

"I DON'T SNORE!!!!"

"Whatever, I'm going to take a walk to wake me up a little." With that he grabbed his hat and walked out the door, keys jiggling in his pocket.

More then just a little sleep deprived Sam stared out into space before the chilled morning air got to her. "Damn it he took the keys." Quickly stepping out the car and scanning the area she spotted him, 100 feet in front of her. With one last breath she started spring toward him.

Hearing the crunch of twinges in the otherwise soundless rest stop, he turned and was greeted with Sam almost knocking him over. After shaking his head with laughed he finally asked, as they walked together around the rather large rest stop. "What are you doing?"

"I had to catch up to you, you did take the car keys." She added shoving her hands deeper into her pockets.

Suddenly wide away and hyper a thought crossed his boyish mind. Digging into his pocket he retrieved said keys. "You mean these keys?"

"Yea, I'll just be taking those." As she was about to grab them he put his hand in the air keys just out of reach. "Come on David. Can I please have the keys?"

"Well, you'll have to catch me." And he took off with Sam on his heels. They weaved in and out of thick treed areas. Run up and over picnic tables and up and down hills. Everything was going great and Sam was catching up to him when... David ran down a hill and tripped... and Sam tumbled down after him and they rolled down the rest of the hill.

Now they lay, side by side, breathless with a few scratches. "Where did that come from? Did you just up and decide to run from me?"

After finally catching his breath David looked over and smiled. "Yea I thought it would be fun. Plus you didn't have to run after me."

"Well, I'm cool and still am. Leave me alone... it's not my fault that even in summer son mornings are cold."

All of a sudden Sam's hand was grabbed and covered by David's. The shock wore off after feeling cold metal against her cold hand. "Here, go warm the car up. I'll be up in a minute. I think I hurt my back..." Instantly after pulling their hands apart David felt a sudden regret and chill run thought him.