AN: So this is silly short, but time is an issue lately. Really sorry about that and the length of time it took is forever, but my schedule has been less than kind. More to come I promise.

NikixXx: Thanks! I love that you consistently review with really kind words.

coconutcarter: He really is just too sweet isn't he? I am very glad you find it to be so. I was worried I wouldn't be able to get it right.

screamingknight: Thank ya. Iris was interesting, but (and it may be the envy talking) I wanted someone more colorful for Harry.

ElectricYouth: ^_^ Thank you! I blush.

Heart lodged thoroughly in her throat, Reese stared at the little book opened on her table. Littered across the small pages were tiny scribbled numbers organized in neat little lines. A small calculator was clutched painfully in her trembling hands.

Was it right? Did she make a mistake?

Please.

Carefully, she placed the small calculator next to her book. She flipped through the pages back to the beginning of her little book. It was almost humorous to see the passage of time through her written records. Her confident handwriting with minimal mistakes deteriorated with every turned page to the almost illegible chicken scratch on the first page with many sections furiously scratched out. Squinting at the little numbers, she reviewed her prior calculations. It was the third time she had gone over her numbers, but she would check her math as many times as it would take for her to be confident in her answers. Her little apartment echoed with the sound of her fingers clicking the buttons of her little machine friend.

Reese had kept a list of her expenses ever since she escaped her miserable home. She was determined to make enough money to put enough states between her and her estranged family. Creating a generous estimate with plenty of wiggle room for her to move west, she began her journal with that estimate as her goal. Her budget had been terribly strict, but the ends would certainly justify the means. Whenever her perspective on life hit rock bottom with a bitter enthusiasm, she would turn to her little book to see how close she was to her goal and how far she'd come.

Over the years her goal had become less of a brighter future and more of an impossible dream. Reese had begun to fear that she would be forever stuck in a temporary residence just trying to run from a life that still held firm to the leash constricting her. Her dream had turned to a mere existence of rituals: earning her money, paying her bills, saving extra, and recording it all down at the end of the month. She hadn't even checked how close she was to her estimate in at least two years. Finding some extra time, she had decided to go over her notes.

No. There were no mistakes.

She'd met her goal. Passed it in actuality by seventy dollars. Faced with the completion of the first phase of her plan, she sat in silence. Reese was happy of course. Terribly happy. It was the prospect of having everything change again. She could finally leave. Actually leave, not just hide nearby. She'd never been anywhere beyond the state's boundary. She could run away, permanently. Closing her book, she leaned back in her chair, and covered her face with her hands. There was no reason to be scared of the change. It wasn't as though she hadn't picked up and taken off before. It had worked out for the best, except for the loss of a dear friend.

Harry.

Reese dragged her hands off of her face as the realization sunk in. She would lose him again. She slammed the book closed between the sweaty palms of her hands. It wasn't as though she had wanted to leave him last time. He stayed behind.

000-00000-0000-00

"I'm running away."

"What?" Harry asked, plucking a few blades of grass next to his foot.

"I can't," Reese whispered sharply. "I can NOT stay there anymore." She rubbed her arm forcefully as she spoke, rocking back and forth where she sat.

Harry frowned at the statement. A thoroughly unhappy expression smeared on his face, warping his boyish features.

"I don't want you to go," he murmured under his breath. Reese took a deep breath in through her nose. She'd been waiting for an opening in which to ask.

"Come with me," she asked. "Please." Harry stared at her, not moving.

"I can't," he stuttered. "Why don't you just stay here?" She hung her head in frustration. She knew this was going to be difficult, but she wasn't in the right state of mind to logically pose an argument to convince him.

"I have to leave, Harry," she sighed. "Nothing out there could possibly be worse than what's being done in here." Harry's frown deepened as he stared down at the grass he had pulled out of the ground. "To either of us." He glanced up sharply at the comment.

"My mother loves me," he snapped. "She doesn't hurt me."

"Yet!" Reese almost shouted. "I see how she looks at you. I know how where that leads." She was losing him. He wasn't ready to handle the truth about his mother. At the very least he could handle honesty about her own feelings.

"Please, Harry. I'm scared to go alone"

Moving as quietly as she could, Reese stuffed the duffel bag with as much of her belongings as she could fit. Not bothering to fold any of her clothes she shoved them into the corner The crumpled masses of cloth into whatever corner they could fit. Somewhere in the bowels of the house the muffled sounds of elevated voices, harkening a fast approaching argument. Rummaging through her drawers, she sought out anything of value, all the while her ears straining to listen to the progress of the fight downstairs. It seemed the standard fight. Someone starts mouthing off to the other. Pitch starts to rise. They'd progress to screaming and throwing things at each other. As long as no one threw a punch, the fight would end up with her step father storming out of the house and her mother locking herself in the bedroom. The time it took for her step father to stumble back from whatever slums he found would give her plenty of time to sneak out. Her mother wouldn't come out until he came back.

After she emptied her drawers, Reese dropped lightly to the floor, pressing her body flat against the floor. Turning her head, she came face to face with a small gap between the bottom of her bed and the floor. Reese shimmied her torso, worming her way into that gap. In the far corner near the head of the bed was a small envelope taped to the underside of the frame of her bed. Plucking the envelope from its perch, she scooted out from under her bed. She peered into the gap of the tattered paper at the tightly packed green inside. Summer job was finally worth something other than petty cash.

A loud bang vibrated throughout the house, heralding the exit of one of the bane's of her existence. She held her breath listening for the next door to slam. Despite the expectation, she still jumped when the second bang echoed in her room. It was her opening.

With trembling fingers she hooked the straps of her duffel bag into the grasp of her right hand, and headed for her door. Slowly she twisted the door knob, terrified to make a sound in the unnerving silence after the storm. Pushing open her door open with a slight creak she took a peek at the hallway, making sure that no one would catch her during her escape. Her heart dared to steal a beat. Slowly she inched out of her room. Clanking bottles sounded from down the hall. Reese froze at the noise, staring at the closed door at the end of the hallway. She strained to make out what was happening inside the room. Sluggish sobs greeted her expectant ears. Remembering to breath, she stared sadly at the door, lamenting the time when her mother remembered to love her. Blowing out a regretful breath she tiptoed down the stairs and slipped out through the front door.

The cool evening air stroked the sweat trickling down the back of her neck. Quietly she slipped out of her front lawn and crept onto the sidewalk. She stopped just in front of Harry's yard, waiting for him to join her. As the seconds ticked by, she shifted the bag uncomfortably from hand to hand.

Finally the door swung open. Harry stood framed in the doorway. Empty handed. Reese furrowed her brow in confusion. He was supposed to come with her. Light flooded the house,

Oh no.

Tears started to flood her eyes. Reese stayed frozen in place, trying to will him to come out. Her lower lip trembled as she mouthed the word please over and over again. A dark shadow swelled about his ankles, slowly growing until it hovered over Harry. Bright red fingernails slid over his shoulder. Reese sobbed loudly at the picture they presented. She'd lost him. Turning away, she swatted at the moisture and took off running down the street.

000-00000-0000-00

Sliding her sweater down over her chest, Reese quickly zipped up her duffel bag and headed out the door.

"Reese!"

She jumped at the sound of her name, slamming her back into the wall behind her. Calming the painful beat her heart played against her ribs, she looked up at the source of her close attempt at achieving a heart attack. Harry stood to the side of the door, lounging casually against the cold bricks. She glared at his relaxed demeanor, a black hat sitting lopsided on his head.

"You scared the crap out of me," she squeaked at him, frowning at her cracking voice. "What is it?"

"I have a surprise for you."