"Freckles?" Jack questioned, looking at the boy in disbelief. "Excuse me, but what is your name?"

The boy laughed. "Call me James, okay?" he said seriously. Jack took a step back toward Kate.

"Okay…," Jack said, fiddling with his shirttail. "Alright then, James."

"Jack!" Kate said, trying to get Jack's attention. Suddenly Jack came back down to earth. Kate started to walk away from where James was standing, with Jack right behind her.

"Sorry," Jack muttered under his breath. Kate turned around to face Jack, once they were far enough away from James. She had a pleading look on her face.

"Please, please," she begged, "stay away from him. You do not know how maniac-ish he can tend to be, you know. He's kind of crazy up here." Kate pointed to her head. Jack crossed his arms, staring at the ground.

"Why?" he asked. Kate smirked.

"I just told you."

"Okay, okay. Promise." Jack smiled, and so did Kate. "So, Miss Kate, where are we off to now? Another tree, perhaps? Or are we going to randomly meet some other crazy whacked-up kid like James or something? What's on the schedule?" Jack chuckled, and Kate laughed out loud, turning around. She smiled slyly, then turned around, running for it. That took Jack off guard.

"Hey!" he cried, starting to run after Kate. "Wait up! Where are you going? Or- where are we going?"

Kate ran, continuing to laugh. Smiling, Jack ran up to her, so he was right behind Kate. Pouncing on her back, he sent them both to the grass, laughing wildly. James walked up to them, watching them on the ground on their backs, smiling to himself.

"What do you want now?" Kate asked, trying hard not to laugh anymore. "Huh, James?"

"None of your business," he said coldly, his smile fading. He glared at Jack. Jack glared back.

"What do you wa-?" Before Jack could say any more, he felt a cold and hard slap across his face. He fell to the ground, wincing in pain. He put a hand over his cheek, and immediately Kate dropped down next to him, seeing if Jack was alright.

"I'm okay, I'm okay," Jack said to Kate. Jack stood up and gave James a good punch in the stomach.

"What the hell was that for?" James asked. "You hit like a girl."

"Hey!" Kate cried, putting her hands on her hips. "Shut up and stop fighting! The two of you!"

"Don't tell me what to say!" James cried back in Kate's face.

"Hey!" Jack cried, standing in font of Kate. "Don't yell at her!"

"Well," James said, smiling, "I didn't know you had to be the hero in everything, Jack-o."

"Shut up with nicknames, okay?" Kate cried out loud, dramatically throwing her arms up. "Stop judging people! What did your parents teach you?"

"Well, gee, I don't know," James said, his grin widening. "I thought parents never told you to run away and flee from enemies and trouble that you caused." His smile faded. He turned away and started to walk around Kate in slow, steady circles. "I thought you had to stick with your parents until you're old, and look at you, Sweet Stuff. You're what? Fifteen or so? You don't have a clue where you are, and where you're going. You ran, Kate. So start running. Cause you know what? Troubles coming."

James turned around and walked away, whistling a tune to himself. Kate dropped to the floor, her head in her hands.

"What was that about?" Jack asked, crossing his arms. He sat down next to Kate. He looked at her, but she didn't want to make eye contact with him.

"I, um, have to go now," she said quietly, almost in a whisper. She stood up and ran, out of Jack's sight.

"Maybe we'll meet again," Jack whispered to himself quietly. He turned and started to walk home.