A/N:Hey,it's AWESOME to be back and everything!Thanks to everyone who reviewed,well,there could have been a few more...Anyway,this next chapter takes place when Madame Foster is 11 and entering from a child to a adolescent.Plus,I expect this one to be better then the last.So,what else can I say,read onwards!

Repiles:

Garth Paul Barsby:Hey,thanks for pointing the croquet thing out and yeah,I've become better since "You Can Count On Me."

Barry I Grauman:You certainly have a good eye for noticing that this may have tooken place in the Great Depression.My awnser:Yes,I was partly,acutally reviewing to that time.lolz,I thought Laurice was good too.I almost went with Lauren.But my cousin's middle is "Laurice" and I always looked up to her when I was younger,roughly 4-12 or whatever.And besides,it seems to suit her perfectly!

Hannah:Cute?Yeah,I guess you could say that.

Sapuda:Yep.It is.Well,in this fanfic anyways...

I'll do replies every-so-often.Depends if I feel like going through the trouble.Anywho,here we go!

Five years later...

From the very day she had thought him up,up to the very day she had had to move again into Brooksdale Washington,which was close to Montana where she had lived.Laurice Hyland and Mr. Herrimen had grown inseparable.Which wasn't quite what her family had had in mind,acutally,the told her every chance they got that it wasn't wise to keep an Imaginary Friend around long.Because the more you did,they would say,the more you got attached to it.But even at thier warnings and excessive nagging,she still kept him.He was a bit like them himself and had even managed to win them over after awhile,but a time came when,even though they seemed fairly impressed by then.

It would time to give him up and do away with him.And as Laurice was entering the 6th grade and her other siblings were already well into High School by then,everyone was slowly starting to come to the realization that maybe it was time to give Mr. Herrimen up.Even though they were fond of him,they knew it was nearing the time where Laurice was maturing into a young girl and was no longer just a child.

"I'm nervous,"Laurice admitted a bit hesistantly,as she combed her long,brunette hair for the fourth time that Morning,"About today and all."

Laurice and her faithful Imaginary Friend of 5 years,Mr. Herriman,were bracing themselfs as Laurice was entering Middle School for the first time.She had been silent ever since she had gotten up that Morning and even when he had asked,she only shrugged and lied that she was fine.But now that it came right down to it,she was riddled with fear.This was the beginning of yet another school year,but in a different school,with different Students,Teachers and work.It was all very nerve-wracking for her and she could barely maintain a straight face.

"Madame,I have known you now for five years and never in all my wildest dreams could I imagine being created by a more confident and thoughtful child,"Mr. Herrimen told her sincerely,tiddling with his thumbs behind his back as he to anxiously awaited for her to turn around,"Even though some of the time you can have you're doubts,"he continued slowly,"They never last long anyways."

"What's that suppose to mean?"she challenged back a him with a soft giggle,making sure that her shoe laces were tied tight enough.

"Um..."he stammered a bit and then said scrupuously,"Well...you know,everyone has thier undertaking of dubious feelings every so often."

"Relax!"Laurice laughed obstreperously,walking over and patting him on the back lightly,"I was only kidding,come on.We better go now."

"Oh,"Mr. Herrimen chuckled weakly,pulling a bit at his collar,"Yes of course.I kew that!I was just...um...you're right.We should go now."

He watched as Laurice ran her room and down the stairs,dragging him along by his paw.She was growing up and although he wasn't quite sure what happened when you're child grew up,he still knew one thing.There friendship would probabley last forever,she told him everything and they did almost everything.Sometimes it took Mr. Herrimen a moment to get what she meant by some things,but she explain it to him and he'd usually get it or eventutally anyways.One thing was for sure,they had a unique bond.One,that nothing could break.Or,at least,that's what he hoped for.But one could never tell and he could tell something was happening,but nothing really yet.

"Hi Mom,Dad."Laurice greeted her parents politely like every Morning those days,as she and the rest of her family sat down for breakfest.

"Sweetie,"he Father murmured lazily from behind his Newspaper,without looking up as his Daugther and Mr. Herrimen entered the room.

"Morning,Laurie dear."her Mother tried to reply a little more cheerfully that Morning,something was on her mind and couldn't get it off.

"Hey,"Laurice repiled back with a smile,trying to hide the fact that she still felt a little uneasy about the whole ordeal.

"You seem pretty cool this morning;considering the fact you're going into a new school and all,"Candace observed airily,just noticing her sister take a seat at the very end as usual,"When I was you're age,"she started to grin some as she said consternatingly,"I was scared to..."

"Candace Marylin Hyland,that's quite enough out of you!"thier Mother cut her oldest daugther off suddenly and then went on to say a sigh,"For goodness sakes,you're in the Eleventh grade this year,Joesph's in 9th and Laurice is in the 6th and she's behaving better."

"Sorry,Mom."She bowed her head and apologized quietly,but not before glaring briefly at Laurice with envy flashing in her eyes,"I'm leaving now,"was the last thing she said and when no one even so much turned a head,she left and muttered bitterly,"Like anyone cares."

Lately in seemed like all her parents were focusing on was Laurice and whenever one of her siblings did something that even hinted they were teasing or playing with her,thier parents went straight to work and got in thier faces about it.She didn't understand why and she didn't want to think about it,but on the way to her new school which was only a mere four blocks away,she began to confide her feelings to Mr. Herrimen.She always did whenever she felt confused or scared and today was no exception,as he was only going with her the first 2 or three blocks.As they crossed the street of the first corner,Laurice came right out and asked plainingly,

"Do you think there's a reason Mom and Dad are treating me different,"she inquired him as they reached the edge,"It's really making me wonder.I mean,I know that they only do it because they care.But it seems like it's making Candy and Joe miserable.What do you think?"

"Hmm,"Mr. Herrimen glanced down at her absentmindedly,not mean to not listen,but other things had been filling his head lately too,"What was that?"he tried combing back to were thier conversation had last let off,"Oh,yes!Well,I think you're Mother makes a fine Carrot cake."

Laurice giggled slightly,"Yeah,I guess she does,"she repiled knowingly,dismissing what she had said before,"Well,this looks it."

Suddenly,a vague memmory resurfaced in his mind.It was of a conversation that had took places a month or two prior to thier move.Laurice's Mother had been making tea like she did in the evening after her husband had returned home from a long day of work and Laurice was out playing with Mr. Herrimen and her friends,including thiers.And one of the girls that she played with,Meghan,had came alone that day with her blue and purple Elephant-type friend.When questioned,she hadn't wanted to talk about it.He had only been a coincendce,he decided,that when they were heading back to thier home and Laurice had had to go back for her shoe that had accidently feel off,that he,himself,had heard them talking of disowning him.Laurice Father had only sat down,when she brought up the subject.

"Well,"She told him an air of apprehension,starting to walk down the last block of the street where a corner of her new school came into view just behind a red-bricked building,"I guess this is it,"with that,she started to proceed forward,but not without turning to smile gratefully at him and race back to give him a quick hug,"I never could of made it this far without you.Thanks,for being here for me."

He was left in a dubious awe,as she hurried down the rest of block and waved back to him all the way.Something about the look in her eyes made it clear,just the way her deep blue eyes sparkled and shined,that she intended to be friends with him for as long as she could.Starting to feel the uncomfortable guilt rise,he waved back meekly and began to head home.But a new thought crossed his mind,what would happen when she out grew him.Where did unwanted and down-on-thier-luck friends go?However,there was always hope.And sometimes when you had enough of it,things happened.Things that made whatever else you went through seem worthwhile.

OK,I know this particular chap. was focusing more on just random things...you know.It'll smooth out more when Laurice goes into middle school and meets...well...I'll bet you'll never guess his last name!Anywho,more soon and thx for reviewing.Once again,that is.