Before I begin, I must thank the generous reviewers!

Norma Jean the Dancing Machine- thank you! even the smallest reviews brighten my day!

sarahofearth- wow! thanks for the wonderful review! it's not that i'm lazy, but my computer is slow, so i'm not changing ivy's age. besides, when you think about it, if ashton and demi can make it work, i guess this isn't too bad.

Madame Opera Ghost- who doesn't love Riley? btw, love your name. the phantom is gorgeous!

disneychic248- thanks for the compliment! made my day and motivated me

CharlieLOVER- ah, my first reviewer. sorry it wasn't ASAP, but i'll try harder next time!

I have typed this out while watching the movie. Sorry if it isn't completely accurate, but I thought it would be boring to have it exactly like the real one. Also, I'm busy re-creating the Declaration of Independence. It is taking me a total of 17 days, just like it took Thomas Jefferson 17 days to write the rough copy. I'll stop stalling now and begin.

Not long after the awkward meeting, the four companions were at the home of Ben's father in Philadelphia. Ivy hadn't said a word the entire way up, much to Riley's happiness.

"Dad…I'm in a little trouble." Ben said as soon as his father opened the front door.

Benjamin Gates' father looked confused. Just by seeing him you could tell he had never met anyone except his own son before. He surveyed them for a quick second before responding.

He pointed to Dr. Chase, "Is she pregnant?"

A look of confusion spread over Ivy's face. Riley frowned. Dr. Chase looked embarrassed.

"I look pregnant?" She asked Riley. He shook his head.

Ben's father didn't stop there. He turned to Ivy, "Is she?"

"Heck, no. I don't even have a boyfriend you pussy." Ivy replied irritably.

"Well if she is, are you going to leave the woman who may be carrying your unborn grandchild out in the cold?" Ben said quickly, referring to Dr. Chase.

Ben's father reluctantly let them in. Ivy looked around the house in awe while the others began to set something up in the dining room.

"Are you kids hungry? I've got some leftover pizza. It's still warm, I think." Mr. Gates offered.

Riley made a move for the pizza. Ivy did the same. Both of them may have been skinny, but pizza was like their savior.

Ben explained to his father they needed room to do something, but he didn't tell him that it was the Declaration of Independence. He also asked for the Silence Dogood letters.

"He dragged you three into this nonsense?" Patrick Gates asked Riley, Dr. Chase and Ivy.

"Literally." Dr. Chase replied.

"I was a stowaway." Ivy said casually.

"I volunteered." Riley stated proudly.

"Well unvolunteer," Mr. Gates said with a harsh tone, "Before you waste your life-"

Ben looked annoyed, "Knock it off, Dad-"

"Sure, I'm the family coot. I have a job, a house, health insurance," Mr. Gates continued mockingly, "At least I had your mother, for however brief a time. At least I had you. And what do you have…"

Mr. Gates looked at Riley, "Him?"

Riley, put on the spot, decided to focus on the pizza. Ivy suppressed a laugh, but choked on her pizza slice.

"Look, if you just give us the letters…we're gone." Ben said plainly. It was obvious he didn't want any fights or trouble going on between his father and himself.

"You disappoint me, Ben." Mr. Gates said solemnly.

Though Ben was hurt by his remark, he stepped forward anyway, "Well maybe that's the real Gates family legacy. Sons who disappoint their fathers."

Mr. Gates said nothing. Ivy felt bad for the both of them, though she didn't know why she cared. It wasn't like she and her father ever had a good relationship anyway.

"Get out," Mr. Gates said finally, "Take your troubles with you."

But Ben didn't give up, "I found The Charlotte."

Mr. Gates' eyes widened, "THE Charlotte? She was a ship?"

Ben smiled, "Yeah, she was beautiful. It was amazing, Dad…"

"And the treasure?"

Ah, though Ivy, I saw this coming.

Ben stuttered a bit, "No…but we found a clue that will lead-"

"Don't you get it, Ben?" Mr. Gates said, his face becoming angrier, "I've finally figured it out. The legend was invented, to keep the British occupied searching for buried treasure. The treasure is a myth."

Ben shook his head, "I refuse to believe that."

"This guy's really determined. What kind of stuff is he smoking?" Ivy whispered to Riley. He ignored her remark, but scoffed.

Mr. Gates finally gave up, "Do what you want, Ben. Do what you want."

"He's probably right," Dr. Chase spoke up, "You don't even know if there is another clue."

Ben thought for a moment, "Well I can think of a way we can find out."

Before long they got started. Ben, Riley and Dr. Chase, who they now had begun to call Abigail, laid out the document on the table while wearing gloves. Ivy arrived with lemons in a bowl from the kitchen.

She watched carefully as Ben and Abigail figured out how to read the map on the back. Ben's dad popped in a few times, but he wasn't around much. Ivy and Riley kept quiet as they watched miraculously as the code appeared on the back. Ben began writing it down.

"What do all the funny numbers mean?" Ivy frowned.

"It's a code." Ben replied, still writing them down, "That's why we need the Silence Dogood letters."

"That's the key?" Abigail asked him.

"The key in Silence undetected," Ben quoted, "Dad, can we have the letters now?"

"Will somebody please explain to me what these magic numbers are?" Riley asked.

"I thought geeks knew everything." Ivy said out loud.

"Please, princess of darkness, keep your comments to yourself." Riley retorted.

Ivy shot him a glare.

Abigail put down the hairdryer she was using for heat, "It's an Ottendorf cipher."

"A Ottenwho?" Ivy frowned.

"Each of these three numbers, corresponds to a word in a key," Ben explained to Ivy and Riley, "Usually a book or newspaper article. In this case…the Silence Dogood letters."

"Dad, we need the letters." Ben said, standing up.

"You know it's just by shear, happenstance," Mr. Gates said, "That his grandfather even found them. They were in an antique desk of the pressroom of the New England Current. That's a newspaper."

"Where are the letters?" Ben said tiredly.

"I don't have them, son." Mr. Gates replied.

"What?" Ben was getting sick of this.

"I don't have them." Mr. Gates repeated.

Ben cleared his throat, "Where are they?"

"I donated them to the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia." Mr. Gates said straightforwardly.

Ben stood up, "Time to go."

Riley made a motion to do the same. Ivy and Abigail stayed put.

"I still can't believe it," Ivy heard Abigail say to herself, "All this time, no one knew what was on the back…"

Mr. Gates came to the table, "That back of what?"

"Whoa!" Riley said, leaning forward to grab the document. Mr. Gates got to it first.

"NO!" Ben exclaimed, but it was too late.

Patrick Gates found himself looking at the front of the Declaration of Independence.

"Oh my god…oh my god…" He said in disbelief.

"We're screwed." Ivy said, shaking her head in dismay.

"I know." Ben said, trying to sound calm.

"What have you done?" Mr. Gates' hands were shaky as he looked it over, "This is the Declaration of Independence!"

"Yes, and it's very delicate." Abigail said, taking the document from him with her gloved hand.

"You stole it?" Mr. Gates looked up. Ivy and Riley pointed at Ben.

"Dad, I can explain," Ben tried, "But I don't have time. It was necessary, and you saw the cipher…"

"That will just lead to more clues!" Mr. Gates continued, "There is no treasure. I wasted 20 years of my life. And now you've destroyed yours. You pulled me into all of this."

Ben bit his lip, "Well we can't have that."

They left Patrick Gates duct-taped to a chair and took off in his car.

Ben and Abigail were in the front. A tired Riley leaned on the window. Ivy stared outside hers at the passing cars and streets around them.

"Your dad's got a sweet ride." Riley muttered.

"It's better than that hippie van you guys had before." Ivy said.

Riley shot Ivy a glare, "Hey, it wasn't a hippie van."

Ivy loved making him angry, "Whatever."

"I think we should change clothes. Look kind of conspicuous, don't you think?" Ben said to Abigail.

"I'd love to go shopping too but we don't have any money." Riley said aloud.

"Here. I stole from my dad's office. He usually tucks a couple of hundred dollar bills between the pages." Ben handed Abigail a small black book.

She smiled, "Common Sense, how appropriate."

Ivy sat up, "Common Sense? As in the pamphlet published by Thomas Paine? How the h# did your dad get one of those?"

Ben shrugged, "Got a copy from a friend."

"Hey, not to be rude," Riley spoke up, "But do you think Avril should get, you know, "normal people" clothes. Looks kind of conspicuous, don't you think?"

"I told you not to call me Avril!" Ivy sneered, "And really, do you think anyone would suspect to see me with you guys? I wouldn't look conspicuous."

"She's right," Ben said, "Ivy, you don't strike me as the type to like history."

Ivy crossed her arms, "Same with everybody else. I keep my secret hidden."

"When are we gonna get there?" Riley spoke up again, "I'm hungry. This car smells weird."

Ivy muttered, "YOU smell weird."

Riley made the motion to kick her foot. Ivy kicked him back harder, and he stopped. One thing was for certain: this whole treasure arrangement wasn't going to be easy.

It seems that Ivy and Riley STILL aren't getting along. Doesn't matter; I think it's cute. If you agree, don't hesitate to tell me. As such, I am attempting to give Ben and Abby equal spotlight as the other characters. Anyone think I'm doing a good job or ruining the beautiful film, speak up! Otherwise, review! Loverly yours, Autumn