Chapter 8

I don't own any of the Higher Ground characters except Dani and Jessie.

Scott rubbed his eyes tiredly. He hadn't gotten the chance to talk to Shelby last night. He couldn't find her, but Peter said he thought he'd seen her with Dani and Juliette. It was amazing that Shelby and Juliette were getting along, considering the way they used to be at each other's throats.

He grabbed his breakfast tray and smiled. Still the same old mush. He sat down next to Ezra and Auggie. There was no sign of the girls yet.

Scott had been so preoccupied with seeing Shelby again, and with avoiding Jessie's advances, that he hadn't talked to the guys much. Peter had suggestion he try to rebuild some old bridges that he'd once burned.

"Hey, EZ, how have you been, man?" he asked, hoping for more than a one or two word response. Ezra had been kind of cold with him.

No such luck. "Fine," Ezra replied shortly. "So, Auggie, I know you probably want a boy, but what would you name him?"

Scott sighed, but tried to focus on the conversation between his once close friends. He found his gaze wandering and it settled on the door.

Scott mentally chided himself. Come off it, he told himself. You're mad at her and you don't love her. She didn't want you to kiss her. She doesn't love you.

Shelby came in the door, but she wasn't holding Dani. Daisy was, and she and the other girls came in behind Shelby. Juliette's eyes were red. Daisy found a table while Kat and Jules got in the breakfast line. Shelby went up the stairs to Peter's office.

Peter's Office

"Thanks for coming, Shelby," Peter said. "I know it's early, but..."

"Yeah, but this has to be done," Shelby finished for him.

"Yes, it does. The funeral's tomorrow and you haven't decided if you want to say anything about Jess yet."

"Well," Shelby began. "I know I want to say something. I mean, she's my little sister. I just don't know what to say. I'm not good at stuff like that."

She was silent for a moment before continuing. "I talked to the other girls," she said. "They all want to say something about Jess. I have a feeling it's to get me off the hook a little bit."

"Did you ask the boys if they wanted to say anything about her?" Peter asked. "I'm sure they would."

"Some might, but I don't want them to feel obligated to. I mean, David didn't even know Jess. The only one to really know her was..." She trailed off.

"The only guy to really know her was Scott," Peter finished for her. She nodded.

The two were silent for a moment, then began the planning of who would say what and when.

Shelby walked into the dorm two hours later. She flopped down on her bed, holding back tears. It was so hard. She knew Jess was gone. But it didn't seem real to her until they made plans to say good bye.

Ezra gave a quick rap on the door and came in holding a squirming Dani. Shelby put on a fake bright smile and held her arms out.

As hard as she tried, Shelby could not keep the tears in her eyes from falling. She turned her head so Ezra wouldn't see. Dani cooed and Shelby buried her face in her daughter's clothes. She could feel her tears slowly subsiding. Suddenly Dani was taken from her. Ezra wrapped his arms around Shelby and she cried. She cried in the arms of the one person that she knew would still be there for her after they all left Horizon.

"Shelby, I know you miss her," he began in a soft and gentle voice. "I know that you loved her so much. God, you sacrificed so much for her."

Hearing this caused Shelby to sob harder. "How can she be gone? She's my sister? How can she be gone?"

Scott walked to the girls' cabin, running through his apology in his mind. Shelby had wanted to know if he and Jessie were together. He had lied and told her no. He needed to set the record straight.

He got to the cabin and peeked in the window to be completely and utterly shocked by what he saw. Ezra was sitting on the bed, holding Shelby. The two looked very comfortable. And Dani was nowhere to be seen.

Scott backed away from the window, head spinning. How could she? Ezra was one of his best friends. And Ezra. How could he do it? Scott just didn't understand it. And to think, he was going to tell Shelby about Jessie. At least he had thought he could have cared about Jessie at first. There was no way Shelby could care about Ezra. Not after the way she treated them years ago. No way in hell.

Scott didn't notice he had started walking until he stopped. He was in front of the lodge. He walked upstairs, to the part where Peter had offered him to set up his business until he left. Jessie was there, reading a fax. He walked up behind her and made a surprising movement. Jessie jumped, not sure whose hands were on her. But when he kissed her neck, she was met with a rush of memories. Finally, she thought. Scott and I are together again. She turned around and kissed him passionately. She could tell from the moment he grabbed her, there was going to be no holding back. And she was right. There was no holding back.