SunRise19: I'll get this chapter up quickly for you! Thanks for the review!

HC247: That's Thomas for you, willing to go the extra mile! I haven't decided for sure what exactly he'll say to convince her, but I promise you, it'll be good!

tinks-belle85: Lol, I thought the cameo would be cool too. And yes, Carrie should be lucky that Thomas is so willing to go and let his father recover. Thanks!

A/N: I just want to say, "Wow!" Thank you guys so much for the reviews, and reading it! It's very much appreciated, and I'm really glad you like it!

Disclaimer: I own the Caleb Shop and nothing else.

Thomas: No you don't, my father owns it

Me:…

Revised Disclaimer: I do not own anything….

"Carrie, I've been thinking." Daniel swung a chair around and straddled it. Carrie looked up from her bowl, and grabbed a chair next to Daniel's.

"Really? Well, what about?" She asked her husband.

"It's not very easy for me to say, love." Daniel cleared his throat. "And it won't be easy for you to hear." Daniel took his cap off, and held it with both hands, fingering the inside hem.

"Daniel, you can tell me what it is that bothers you, really." Carrie assured Daniel, running a hand through his auburn hair. A trait passed to Thomas, and her blonde hair had gone to Jenny.

Daniel took a deep breath and looked into his wife's eyes. "Care, I know that you don't like this idea, and believe me, I know why." He paused. "But, I think Thomas has the right idea. Maybe, he should go."

Carrie's eyes widened in disbelief. Even Daniel was agreeing with this idea? She loved her son dearly, but she had to admit that this idea was completely insane.

"Danny, please tell me that you are merely joking." Carrie said, trying to get at least a chuckle. She was unsuccessful, seeing as how Daniel remained completely serious. "No, no he is not going over there!" Carrie was speaking loudly.

She grabbed a small dish towel, and began to ball it in her fists. "I worry about him enough just walking around London, never mind going on a voyage with men we don't even know to a country we've never been to!" She threw the towel down. "I said 'no' once already, and I shouldn't have to be saying it all again."

Carrie, frustrated, grabbed a knife to cut up the little vegetables they had for supper. Daniel looked at his wife, and walked over, placing his hand on the counter.

"I don't like that whole aspect either, but love." Carrie looked up. "Did you see the look in his eyes when you told him he couldn't go? He looked completely crushed." Daniel tilted his head slightly, his gaze falling to the floor. "Just seeing him in the shop today impressed me. I really believe in him that he can do this." Carrie went back to dicing the vegetables. Daniel placed a hand under her chin.

"And you should too."

Massaging her temples, Carrie sighed outwardly. "Danny, you know it's not that I don't believe he can, because I know he would." She wiped her hands off on the apron. "It's that I don't want to lose him."

"You wouldn't." Daniel smiled. "He'd be fine. Besides, you said it yourself. Making Thomas stay in that shop forced him to give up his friends, and prevent him from doing what he wanted to. And now that opportunity's arisen, and he's shown some interest in it. More interest than ever."

Carrie nodded. "Yes, he did, didn't he?" She sighed, knowing that Daniel would try to guilt trip her into saying yes.

"And he is seventeen-" Wrong thing to say on Daniel's part.

"Exactly, Danny! Thomas is only seventeen!" Carrie said, throwing her arms up in the air. "Maybe nineteen, perhaps even eighteen, but not that, seventeen is too young, and that's final!" Carrie wanted the discussion to end, when she noticed how now Daniel's eyes were filled with the same sorrow, and looks of being crushed, like Thomas's were earlier. She tried to look away as she had done earlier, but just the look on her husband's face brought her back.

"Oh please Daniel, you know how I hate it, when he does that." Carrie said truthfully. She couldn't help looking into those sad eyes and feeling sorry.

Realizing she wouldn't win, Carrie sighed and massaged her temples again. "Alright, I'm not saying no, but I am most certainly not saying yes." She said in a firm tone. "We will all sit down tonight after Jenny goes to bed, and talk about this."

It was better than nothing, so Mr. Caleb kissed Carrie, and went back to go get Jenny.

Her hands trembled as she cut the vegetables on the counter. It wasn't that she was trying to prevent her son from doing what he wanted; she just couldn't bear the thought of being away from her child for that long. Other men and boys may have thought it foolish to worry so, but the object of affection being worried over happened to be her first child, and only son.

Minutes later, the front door opened up and Thomas strolled through. He hummed a bit to himself as he walked into the kitchen.

"Hello Mum." He smiled, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Carrie smiled back, and gazed down at his hand, which had a strip of linen wrapped around his forefinger.

"Thomas, what happened?" She asked out of motherly concern.

Thomas looked down, remembering the slight cut.

"Oh, it's nothing, I just got a small cut from something in the shop is all." Thomas said, waving his hand, as if it was the matter. "It was more of a bleeder than deep, anyway." He said, going off to the water pump.

Carrie sighed deeply. He got a cut just working at the shop, and she was going to send him where they had guns, possible knives, and swords? She shook her head. I really hope Daniel and Thomas know what they want him to get into. Carrie thought to herself as she finished up dinner. Jenny walked in, Kerry now in a cute blue dress, was seated at her "special" place setting. She walked back to help her mother. Carrie smiled, seeing Jenny still with her doll.

Dinner that night was pretty quiet. Even Jenny hadn't chattered much. The Caleb family silently ate their dinner. But each member was feeling different. Daniel was calm and content, Thomas was eager, Jenny was her usual happy self, and Carrie was worried and feeling down.

"Is something wrong, Mum?" Thomas finally asked, breaking the awkward silence.

Carrie looked up at her son, who was looking right back at her, with concerned eyes. Those eyes, she never could look away.

"Thomas I," She paused, remembering that her daughter didn't know any of what was going on involving the voyage and journey. Until the decision was made, she didn't want Jenny to know about what was going on. "I'm fine, thank you." She said instead.

"Are you sure?" Jenny piped up.

"Yes, love, I'm fine." Carrie said, hoping that her children wouldn't press the subject any further. Instead, Daniel looked over, setting his fork and knife down.

"So Thomas, how did the rest of the day go?" Daniel focused on his son.

"Err, fine, dad." He said awkwardly, not really knowing quite what he had meant.

"Make many more sales?" Daniel asked further.

"Not too many, but a fair amount." Thomas said, not wanting Daniel to feel bad about the shop's failed shot at success.

"I see," Daniel put his forefinger and thumb on his chin, eyeing the seventeen-year-old. "Ah well, just leaves more room for success for tomorrow, right?" Daniel waited for his reaction.

Inwardly frowning, Thomas feigned an amused expression and nodded. "Right."

The look in Thomas's eyes gave away his true emotion to Daniel, the one he had been picking for. "Right. You agree Carrie?" He asked, exaggerating his tone. Carrie looked up, just in time to meet Thomas's gaze.

She glared lightly at Daniel before nodding her head.

"Mummy, I'm done. May I be excused?" Asked Jenny, feeling very eager to go and play.

"Yes Jenny, but I want you to get ready for bed in a little while." Carrie called after her daughter, who was already up and running from the second Carrie said yes.

"Alright!" She said, and played with Kerry.

Thomas smiled at his sister, and turned back to dinner, and the very awkward conversation. He didn't know what his father was trying to do to him when he asked about the day at the shop, or about what tomorrow would bring, but he certainly hoped that it would be brought up.

"Thomas, your father and I would like to talk to you about what you said earlier, after Jenny goes to bed, alright?" Carrie asked.

Thomas nodded, excusing himself. He picked up Jenny's plate along with his, putting them on the counter. It was his turn for washing, so when his parents were done, he'd go back in and clean them off.

For the minute, Thomas walked out into the hallway, and into Jenny's room, where she was playing with her other dolls as well as Kerry.

He leaned against the door frame, just watching the game take place, smiling at the imagination of his sister. Thomas wished he could still be at the age of innocence, where anything could be dealt with, simply by playing games, and exploring your own imagination.

Jenny soon took notice of her older brother standing there. "Come on in, Tommy." She smiled, waiting for Thomas to cross the floor.

He obliged his sister's request, and walked over to her bed sitting down.

Jenny climbed up into Thomas's lap. He smiled, and let Jenny rest her head against his torso. "Tell me a story." She said sweetly, looking up into his eyes.

"What about?" Thomas said, knowing the answer all too well.

"A Kingdom!" Jenny squealed excitedly.

Laughing, Thomas nodded, and thought for a minute. He never thought his stories were all that good, but Jenny was mesmerized completely. Once he got a good idea to start, he looked down, and began the story.

"Once upon a time, in a land across the ocean from England, an enormous and beautiful castle thrived. This town was prosperous, magical, and gorgeous. The King was always fair and just, the Queen was beautiful and kind. They had many children, four princesses, and two princes, but of course the favorite of the royal family was the youngest Princess." He said, watching the smile on Jenny's face grow.

"Her name was Princess Jennifer. Everyone in the entire kingdom and town knew about her, and loved her very much. She was a beautiful, intelligent, and special girl. She made friends with everyone, rich and poor. Her most favorite thing to do was hold royal balls. No one was left uninvited. While there were plenty of beautiful maidens, the princes all wanted to dance with Princess Jennifer. Happily, she danced with each one. One night, however, she noticed that one of her older brothers was feeling rather sad, and she went to go and find out just what it was that bothered him. The little Princess sat next to him, and then listened to his problem. The prince was upset over his dreams being crushed."

"What dreams are those?" Jenny asked him.

Thomas continued. "The Prince wanted to be a soldier. But the King and Queen wouldn't let him. So the Princess decided to help the Prince out. Taking a brave action, Princess Jennifer walked up to the King and Queen. She told them how much the Prince wanted to become a soldier. While at first they didn't want to put their son in danger, the Prince stepped through. Seeing the look in the Prince's eyes, and the Princesses convincing, they decided to consider."

Jenny looked up to her big brother. "And did he become a soldier, Thomas?"

Unaware of the fact, that he had accidentally slipped out, in almost telling Jenny what was going on, he stopped himself, deciding that it would make an interesting place to pick up the next day.

"That is not to be known, until I finish the story tomorrow." He said, receiving a somewhat annoyed look from his sister.

"And why not now?" She put her hands on her hips. Grinning, and gently removing her from his lap, he started to stand up.

"Because," he started in a sing-songy voice "you can't make me!" Thomas darted out of the room, an open invitation for Jenny to go and chase him. She got up, running after her older brother. Thomas turned the corner, with Jenny on his tail

They ran by Daniel and Carrie, who were just leaving the kitchen. Carrie looked on as her children ran through the house. Shaking her head, her gaze went to Daniel.

"Let's give him a chance, shall we?" She crossed her arms. Daniel watched his son running.

"Ah, come on Care, this isn't how he, err, usually acts." Daniel said, unsure of whether he was trying to convince her, or himself.

"Uh huh." Carrie nodded, walking in between the two children. she caught them both by the arm. "Alright, then, that's enough!" She said, looking at them both seriously. "It's time for you to get ready for bed anyway, Jenny."

Frowning, Jenny nodded, and walked off to her room. Carrie sighed, and let go of Thomas as well.

"Ah, I guess I should really apologize." Thomas said. Turning slightly, his mother gave him a curious look. "I'm sorry." He said, with hints of a mischievous grin. He coughed. "Truly." He promised sincerely.

Carrie had an amused expression on her face. "I see, well, just be sure to not allow that display to happen again. You hear?" She said seriously, the same amused smirk on her face.

"Clearly." Thomas nodded. He then turned in the direction of the hallway. He walked down to the kitchen, and got to washing the dishes, waiting for Jenny's bedtime so that he could talk about his plans for the journey.

A/N: I'm sorry this took so long, and that it seems kinda short, but I had a bit of writers block, and crazy scheduling. I've written up future scenes, and I think they'll be really good! Any who, I hope you enjoy this chapter, and the rest to come!

Reviews are very much appreciated. Flames keep me toasty.