TITLE: Strength Within Me
AUTHOR: Hayley
E-MAIL:
RATING: PG-13 and possibly higher
DISCLAIMER: I own no one
DISTRIBUTION: Ask first please

CHAPTER 1

"Mommy, where's Matt going?" 7-year-old Amy asked as she saw Matt, his younger brother Jeff and their dad packing some bags into their car. Christine, Amy's mom, came to the window to see for herself.

"Maybe they're going on a trip." Her mom replied simply fixing one of Amy's loose pigtails.

"Matt never told me he was going anywhere." She said pushing her mom away to leave her hair alone. "Is he leaving because of me?"

"Now why would he leave because of you?" She asked getting on her knees to look at her daughter whose lip began to quiver.

"I don't know." She said wiping the back of her hand across her eyes as they began to water.

"Oh honey," She said taking the crying 7-year-old in her arms and rocked her back and forth. "They'll be back soon. They're just going on a trip for a little bit."

"But why?" She sniffled.

"They need to spend some time together."

"How come I can't go?"

"Because it's boys only."

"But why?"

"Amy…" her mom started getting up off her knees. "Go play outside. He'll be home before you know it."

"But-"

"Out." Her mom scooted her outside the house as Amy frowned. Sitting on her front porch, she watched across the street as Matt carried another bag and loaded it into his dad's truck.

"Amy!" He yelled happily as he saw the little girl across the street. He waved her over. Jumping off the stairs, she walked across the street and ran up to him.

"Where are you going?" She asked sitting on the driveway as he did the same.

"My dad's taking me to see my mom at the hospital. She's far away." He said sadly.

"Why is your mom in the hospital?"

"Dad says she's very sick."

"Can I come?" She asked.

"No, you already have a mom. And she's not sick."

"So?"

"You can't leave her because she might get sick too."

"How come?"

"Because you have to take care of Billy so your mom can rest. That's what my dad told me. He said I have to take care of Jeff so mommy won't be stressed out."

"My mom's not stressed out."

"You still have to do it. It's the law."

"Oh." She said softly. "Well how long are you going to be gone?"

"A hundred days." He said glumly.

"How long is that?" She asked counting on her fingers.

He stuck up five fingers. "This many."

"Wow, that's a long time." He nodded his head. "Will you be back to play in the T-ball game on Saturday? Coach Patrick will be mad if your not there."

"My dad says I will be. Jeff too."

"Good. That way I can show you I can beat you at it." She said with a sure laugh as Matt rolled his eyes.

"Girls are stupid. They can't win in anything. They're too weak." He stated.

She punched him in the arm.

"You're stupid." She huffed before getting up to go inside. She smiled as she saw Gil and Jeff.

"Why hello Amy." He smiled patting her on the head. "Would you like a snack?"

She nodded her head.

"Can I have one too dad?" Matt asked following them in the kitchen.

"Are you done everything I told you to do?"

"No…"

"Then there's your answer. Get to it young man." He said nudging Matt as he grumbled while Amy climbed the chair and sat on her knees.

"These are very good Matt's dad." She said taking a cookie off the table as he placed a glass of milk before her. "It's too bad Matt can't have any." She mocked as she stuck her tongue out at him behind Gil's back.

"Dad, it's not fair! I want-"

"You can't always get what you want young man."

"But Amy does."

Amy smiled a cheeky smile.

"That's because she's a girl." He chuckled as Matt kicked the wall before running upstairs.

"I think Matt deserves a time out." Amy stated as Gil chuckled some more.

"You do, do you?"

She nodded her head.

"Maybe I'll go check on him. You sit put missy." And she nodded her head once more.

Laughing to herself, Amy took two more cookies before going into the living room where Jeff was coloring.

"Hi." She said offering him her other cookie.

He shook his head 'no'.

"Can I color too?"

He nodded his head.

"Are you sad that your mommy's sick?"

"Yes."

"Me too."

"I'm going to give this to her to make her better." He said holding up the picture of a red flower.

"Wow. You stayed inside all the lines."

He smiled. "It was hard."

Amy colored for a bit before she heard her mom calling her for lunch.

"I guess I got to go." She said standing up. "Give this to your mom okay?" Jeff nodded his head. She headed to the door when she bumped into Matt again.

"You're going to get fat y'know." Matt said roughly as he pushed her out of the way.

"Your fat." She shot back.

"Boys don't get fat. Girls do. And then you won't have a boyfriend and then you'll be sorry you were so mean to me."

"I'm not mean. You are." She said defensively.

"Boys aren't mean. Girls are."

"Yeah well boys suck. I hate you." She pouted before shoving him against the wall and running across the street to her calling mom.

When she walked inside, she saw her dad at the table.

"Daddy!" She smiled as she jumped into his lap. She gave him a big kiss on the cheek as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Hi Princess. Oh you're so big. How are you?" He asked setting her in the seat beside him.

"Why are boys so dumb?" She asked placing her hands in her lap while her mom placed her food in front of her.

"Which boys?" Her dad asked curiously.

"Matt."

"I'm a boy. Does that mean I'm dumb?" He asked pretending to be hurt. She giggled.

"You're not a boy. Matt's a boy. And he's dumb."

"Amy, Amy, Amy." Her dad shook his head. "My dear, when boys are mean to girls, that usually means they like them." He winked.

Amy covered her face with her hands before sliding them down stretching her face. "Oh man."

"Amy please eat your lunch." Amy's mom pointed to her food. Amy looked at her then turned back to her dad. "I don't like boys though. They're dirty and they smell like dirt."

"That's why they like girls. Because they're pretty and smell good."

"Well I don't want him to like me. You have to tell him that he can't like me. It's against my religion."

"Your religion?"

She nodded her head.

"I don't want to speak of it anymore." She said waving her hand as she began to eat and her dad laughed at the way she spoke. Her mom just looked on at the other end of the table while Amy laughed with her dad.

Read and Review, thanks!