A/N: Okay, I hoped u liked chapter one. Here I am with chapter 2. Hope you enjoy! (It might be kinda long!)

Choices

Chapter Two: The First Real Challenge

I am fighting the Huntsgirl…she takes off her mask…Rose. "Hi, Jake," she says tauntingly, pointing her Huntsstick at me. There is a flash of light, and I know no more…

I sat up rigidly in bed, and noticed that Grandpa and Fu were in my bedroom. "Hey, G," I said hoarsely, lying back down.

"Jake," said Grandpa seriously. "I think I know what is troubling you…Ever since you found out that your friend was Huntsgirl…you've not been the same."

Sighing, I decided to tell him the truth.

"The thing is…I know that someday I'll have to-to chose between, telling Rose, or…or…"

"Yes, I see young one. Now, your father has arranged for a doctor to come and check you out…"

"Yo, G, I'm fine," I said, frowning.

"Jake, listen. We will give you a simple potion to bring your temperature down to look like a normal human's…so that the doctor won't insist on doing tests to see why your temperature is so high…"

"You mean, they could find out that I'm a dragon just by some temperature tests?"

"No, of course not," said Grandpa impatiently. "It would just be a waste of valuable time."

"Oh," I said. "But why can't you just make one to make me feel better right now?"

"Hey, kid, don't sweat it. We can," said Fu Dog, "but don't you think that it would seem a little odd if your dad saw you sick one minute, and then you're fine the next? Plus, magic isn't the solution for everything! Ah-goo-goo!"

"Hmmm…his temperature is not too high…only 101 degrees."

"Oh, but Doc, I know that it said 111."

"You must have read the thermometer wrong," said the doctor to my dad. "Truth is, if his temp was that high, he probably wouldn't be alive right now."

I suppressed a grin, but held back. "It seems," continued the doctor, "that this is not really a virus or anything of that sort. I believe that this sudden illness is a result of stress. Have you had a hard week, young man?"

"Well…" I suddenly saw Rose in my mind…heard her voice as loud as if she were actually here…Like it? It's the mark of the Huntsclan. It assures me that I was born to do one thing-slay dragons!

"Ahem." I was jerked back into the present with several anxious faces.

"Uh, yeah, I guess I have," I said casually.

"Well, I suggest sleep and lots of it. Maybe some Tylenol. And if you aren't feeling any better by, say, day after tomorrow, call me." And he left.

After he was gone, Dad left the room with my little sister Haley trailing behind him. Mom, Grandpa, and Fu Dog stayed with me. "Well," said Mom after an awkward silence, "you heard the doctor. Sleep and lots of it."

"Yo, I can't sleep my day away! I've got, like, stuff to do! Hey, Gramps, can't you give me that feel-better potion now?"

"Well…I suppose I could give you some form of it. But I think your father and the doctor would be surprised if you felt better ten minutes after they left. Let's see…he suggested sleep, so Fu Dog will make a combination of a potion that will make you well and a sleeping potion. You should wake up tomorrow as good as new."

"But, G, that still doesn't help me any! I'll still be sleeping the day away! Plus, whenever I close my eyes, I see her."

"What?" said Mom, who had been quiet all this time. "Who?" I realized that I hadn't told her about Rose being Huntsgirl. I didn't normally talk to her about my missions.

Grandpa cleared his throat uneasily. "I'll tell you later," he muttered to my confused mom.

"Okay," she reluctantly agreed.

"All right, Fu Dog will also add a pinch of no dreaming potion as well. How's that?"

"A'ight, I guess."

The next day I woke up feeling fine. As I walked through the hallway of my school on my way to Mythology , I ran into Rose! Suddenly I felt sick. I seemed to have trouble breathing, but tried to remain calm. "Uh…h-hi, Rose," I said awkwardly.

"Hey, Jake. Where were you yesterday?"

"Um…s-sick."

"Well, are you better now?"

"I don't kn-know."

"You look a little pale. Do you want me to get the nurse?"

"No, I'm fine. I just-oh will you look at that! It's time for Mythology! I'll talk to you later." And, breathing a sigh of relief, I ran to class.

After an hour and a half of boring lectures about what Mr. (I mean, Professor) Rotwood calls "magical creatures", I heard the magic words. "Class dismissed."

Trixie and Spud quickly caught up with me while I was walking toward the main hall toward the exit. "Hey, bro," said Spud. "Dude, where were you yesterday? I mean, we were like, here, and you were, well, not…"

I lowered my voice to a whisper. "I was…sick."

"Yo, Jakie, this doesn't have anything to do with you-know-who, does it?"

"Yeah," I said, frowning. My two best friends had been with me when I found out about Rose. "I sorta had a nightmare last night…about her. Then I woke up and everybody was buggin' out 'cause I had a little temperature."

"Like 99 degrees or somethin'?" asked Trixie.

"Nah," I said. "Only 111."

"Say wha-?"

"Never mind," I said testily. "Point is, everything's fine now…fine…" I had suddenly spotted Rose walking toward us.

"Hey, Jake, why'd you rush off like that?"

"I, uh, was gonna be late for Mythology…and I don't want to get into any more trouble with Rotwood…he's already busted me for missing school."

"Oh, well, that's okay, I guess."

"Uh, right. Well, gotta go. Bye!" And I rushed off, leaving Rose with a puzzled expression on her face.

As I was skateboarding down an alley with Trixie and Spud on the way home, I heard an anxious voice from upon the rooftop. "Help, help, don't ya know?" I looked up and saw a young leprechaun girl with red hair and wearing a green dress that was cornered on a rooftop…by Huntsgirl.

"Yo, Jakie, it's time for your big, bad, dragon business, boy!" Trixie said, glancing up at the leprechaun cowering from the Huntsgirl.

"I…can't," I muttered almost inaudibly.

"Jake," said Trixie sternly, "you can't just let the Huntsgirl win! Just because you know who she is. Look, boy. You are the American Dragon. You have a job, buddy. You gotta protect all those 'magical creatures'. You can't just let Rose get in the way! If you back out, you are letting down the entire magical world. Just think about that, Jakie."

I sighed. Trixie was right. I couldn't let my feelings get in the way of my responsibilities. I was the American Dragon, and I had duties. "Okay," I said firmly, taking a deep breath. "DRAGON UP!"

A/N: Well, I hope you liked chapter two. Please remember to review and I'll update ASAP!

~Emachinescat ^..^