YAY! EVERYONE IS COMING BACK!

Leah's POV –Monday-

I stood in front of the mirror in the bathrooms. My flight had come in just an hour ago, and I'd gotten out as soon as possible. Plus, Reggie, my grandparent's bodyguard they sent me had collected my bags in about under ten minutes.

I had washed my face, brushed my teeth, wiped off the last of the mascara that I'd worn and changed into a baggy tee and jeans and no shoes. Rachel would've scolded me for that, but as long as I washed by feet when I got home, it'd be fine. Ew. Germs.

I walked slowly out of the bathroom, Reggie leaning against the wall. He cleared his throat and looked at his watch. He wasn't scary as in the big guy, sunglasses and black suit. He wore an old Brand New shirt and faded jeans I'd advised him to wear on the plane; his blonde hair all spiked up in different directions and sunglasses hanging on his collar. He grinned, "Well Rosie, it's about four in the afternoon now, we're actually expecting rain tonight. When's your ride coming?"

I sighed and ran fingers through my dark hair, blinking tiredly, "Um… In half an hour. Out the front." He took the handle to my bag, but I put a hand on his arm, "Reggie, dude, I can take it. I'm capable."

"I insist, Rosie." He was the only one I ever allowed to call me that. It made him feel special when I had told him that, plus, he was sort of like an older brother to me. I mean a really older brother.

"Oh don't be a dork," I slapped his hand and took the bag from him, "I'm not twelve anymore. I'm alright on my own, besides, you gotta get home in time for dinner." I gave him a motherly look and he laughed.

"Ah, Rosie, don't hurt yourself, okay?"

"Bye Reggie,"

He waved and tapped his watch before turning his back and walking with his hands in his pockets. I stared after him and sighed; Good bye Rosie, hello Leah!

I started walking towards the exit, my mind completely elsewhere.

I was so glad to be back in Ipswich; I could feel my best friend's presences somehow getting closer. I was saying goodbye to the little innocent Rosie I was to my grandparents and Reggie and older friends, and coming back to the comfortable Leah jeans in the bottom of my drawer.

I grabbed out my bottle of water as I leaned against a bench outside. It was almost deserted and the shifty men smoking on the other side of the road were barely paying attention to me. I was glad, but the heat was almost unbearable if you were in the sun.

I was peeling off my under shirt (I'd been able to master that without showing the smallest bit of skin) because of the heat when a familiar big ass black Hummer came into view. My lips were immediately in a huge smile.

It came to an immediate stop on the side of the road and the door swung open. Baby Boy leaped out, jumped over a bench and dodged a rushing woman until he got to me.

He breathed deeply, "Never ever leave me that long again!" He jumped onto me, his arms wrapping around my waist and picking me up. At first I was terrified, but 

then I lifted my longs legs to latch around his waist and hugged him close. Closer than ever before.

He smelled of Lynx and of shampoo and of… ah, he just smelled of Baby Boy. Perfect.

He pressed his forehead to mine, our lips barely apart. He stared into my dark eyes with his beautiful blue ones, "Do you know how miserable you made me?"

"I must be a horrible girlfriend."

"Terrible… horrific… yet I love you to oblivion, Leah."

I grinned and kissed him then. No more babbling words were coming from his mouth. I'd suck them all out of his lungs, his mouth, his body. My fingers clenched in his hair and suddenly my back hit wall.

I gasped and he leaned back, letting me slide down and catch our breaths. Someone was clapping as I looked over his shoulder.

Caleb clapped once more and then pocketed his hands, "You two are revolting lovers." That got him a goofy grin from Baby Boy, "Disgusting."

I grinned at him when he stopped in front of me, "Hi Caleb."

He held his arms out and I walked straight into them, no hesitation at all. We hugged for a long moment before Tyler shoved my bag in the car and came back. I blinked.

"So you're probably starving right? We can get food on the way, yeah?" Tyler grinned, the smile sending me to oblivion and back in a millisecond.

"Sure, I could do with something other than cakes, tea, cookies and more cake." We all climbed into the car, Caleb in the back.

"Hey!" Tyler said defensively as he turned on the ignition.

I smirked at him and then snorted when Caleb gave him a hugely questioning look in the rear-view-mirror. I put my hand dangerously on Baby Boy's thigh, clenching softly, "Boy, I'll never get tired of your cake."

"Oh god! Get a room," Caleb rolled his neck to look out of the window. Baby Boy and I erupted in laughter.

We all drove along the roads, talking about random things like bands, schools, people, jobs, TV shows… everything.

We stopped off at a fast food restaurant in a little town on the way. All three of us looked at the place.

"Damn, that line's gotta be a mile long." Tyler cursed.

"Oh man…" I sighed.

"Here guys, tell me what you want, and I'll go in. Baby Boy, there's a gas station just down the road. Why don't you pick up on some, yeah?"

"Sure, okay…" We both told Caleb what we wanted and he climbed out of the car, looked up annoyingly at the sky and then ran into the store. I looked at Baby Boy and frowned at his expression. It almost looked…. Evil.

When he started the car and pulled onto the road, I asked, "You're not planning to 

get fuel are you?"

He laughed and turned on the radio, turning it up and tapping the wheel with his hands to the beat. I sung along the words as we drove around town, looking at pubs, stores, houses, theatres… He pulled into a parking lot behind to a liquor store and grinned, "I'll be back, Angel."

I nodded and flicked through radio stations as I waited for Baby Boy. It wasn't long that he came back out with a case and shoved it in the back. I frowned at it and then at him, "You don't like dry-?"

"Oh, they're not for me… Caleb'll be a little pissy when we come back, so I thought I'd prepare for future events."

"Huh? Dude you make no s-"He leaned over and moulded his lips carefully to mine. He didn't smash me in the nose or even push me against the seat. It was so soft and gentle, it was as if it was our very first kiss.

One of his hands went to the back of my neck, fingers slowly slipping under my hair to press against my hot skin.

Our lips moved slowly and in sync, tongues slowly brushing against each other and hands roaming over each other. I broke back, out of breath. I bit my lip and smiled, "Wanna move to the back seat?"

"Our minds run on the same frequency."

I grinned at him and climbed to the middle part, sliding backwards to the middle of the back seat. I had one of his hands in mine, and as I went back, I dragged him with me. His hand landed besides my hip, the other one by my head on the seat. He grinned, grazing his lips teasingly over mine.

I kissed him quickly and then looked him up and down slowly, trying to make him feel vulnerable.

I eyed his shirt, "What the hell is your shirt still doing on?"

He looked down at himself and then his eyes fixed on my heavy breathing, and then flicked back up to my eyes. He smirked, "Yours is still on."

I put my hands on his neck and then slid them down to his collar, and then to the buttons. I undid one and then the next very slowly. He watched me intently, as if studying my every move.

I leaned up, kissing the hollow of his throat and then along to his collar bone. He grunted in satisfaction as my hands moved down, opening his shirt so that I could see all of his chest and stomach.

I eyed him for a long moment and then looked back up at him, "God, I missed you…. All of you."

He leaned down hastily, lips suddenly latching onto my neck and kissing roughly, "Don't… even get… me started… on what… I've missed…" he said between kisses.

I giggled, one hand on the back of his neck as his other free hand curled into mine, fingers flexing and then holding it up above my head.

His lips slid down my collar to the edge of my shirt and his teeth nipping at the material. I opened my eyes, grinning as I felt his silky hair against my jaw.



"I think Caleb would notice if my shirt got eaten, Baby Boy…"

"No matter," He whispered, leaning up and brushing his hand over my hair. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine. I shifted my weight, pushing him over slightly and crawling onto his lap.

I poked a finger to his chest, "You haven't been doing naughty things while I've been away, have you?"

He shook his head, leaning up and grabbing my face towards his, kissing me roughly. I pulled back, "Are you sure?"

He looked at me with wild eyes. He grabbed my waist as I straddled his, thumbs pressing against the exposed skin just above my jeans. The pressure was enough to make me throw up the butterflies building in my stomach.

He moved them in circles, pulling me closer to him. I would have complained it painful, but it was Baby Boy, the only person in the world I wanted to be so close to it hurt.

I pressed my front against his, bending my neck to kiss up and down his. I just noticed how close the roof was to my head, our tallness not paying us any advantages.

He leaned his head back, a low rumbling noise coming from his throat. I kissed over his Adam's apple, and then up to his lips again. We played battle of the tongues for a long time, his hands sliding in and out from under my shirt, my fingers exploring his perfect body in ways I'd totally not realized beforehand.

He slammed my back into the leather seats, the windows getting foggy and my skin sticking to the material.

He kissed my nose and lay there above me, one hand on my hip, the other supporting him. There was a sharp beep that pierced ours breathing.

"Is that your phone?"

"Yeah…" Tyler breathed into my ear.

"Hasn't it been going off for ten minutes now?"

He shrugged, "Dunno, don't care."

"It's Caleb, Baby Boy."

He let out a groan of annoyance and sat up, reached over and looked at it. "Fuck… five missed calls."

He turned down the radio, and called Caleb. I stared at him for a long time, my eyes exploring at will. But as Baby Boy's expression changed from carefree to hesitant to anxious, I started doing up his buttons.

"Yeah, man, okay! Dude, shut up, we're coming. Alright!" He closed his phone up and sighed, watching as I did his last button.

I grinned and leaned forward, pausing before kissing him again. We almost lost ourselves again, but instead I pulled back, giggled and climbed into the front seat.

Tyler did the same and he sighed, "I hope Caleb likes dry anyways… otherwise there'll be no living with him after this…"



-

We got there in under two hours, the traffic being on our side. The long drive looked more and more familiar as we kept driving. Soon enough a small house came into view and two cars parked in a garage came into view.

I felt excitement bubble in my stomach as we stopped the car and got out. Tyler hugged me from behind, walking with me to the door, Caleb trailing along beside us.

I knocked on the door once before I heard voices. Nothing of what they were saying really surprised me.

"FUCK! GET OFF ME ASSHOLE!"

"Bitch, you started it!"

"My house, my god damn rules! Off the couch, NOW!"

"Rachel… shut up, I have a head ache."

"Alex, get him off, he's all dirty!"

The door swung open and Pogue stood there, no shirt and hair all messy. I raised an eyebrow, "Been busy, Poguey Bear?"

He laughed nervously, "Quincy! Hey what's up?!"

"QUINCY?!"

"WHERE?!"

The two girls arrived in a split second, eyes wide and brilliant, glimmering smiles on their faces. They both latched onto me, Baby Boy stumbling off as their arms twined like vines.

"Let the girl breathe," Pogue said.

"Yeah, let me breathe!" I choked and they both let go, smiles still on their faces. Rachel looked more tanned, freckles covering her face, neck, chest, shoulders and arms. Alex's hair had taken on a lighter brown, a few faint freckles on her nose.

"How was San Francisco?" Alex beamed just as Reid walked slowly to the door, elbow on Pogue's naked shoulder.

"It was good, but I'm glad to be home," I side glanced at Tyler before looking back at everyone.

Pogue put one arm around my torso, squeezing me to his chest. I was amazed at how he felt. So… big and strong and… I was surprised that he didn't break Rachel just by holding her hand.

Reid held out a hand, which I took and slammed my shoulder into his. We did the manly greeting thing.

I looked at Rach, "So dude… When and where's the party?"

She grinned even wider and I thought her face was going to tear. "We'll get all the stuff in the cars, yeah? Quickly so we can get up before the mosquitoes eat us all alive." She thwacked her arm and grinned, wiping her fingers on Reid's shirt.

He looked good, his hair bleached from the sun, skin vibrant and it looked like he'd gained a little summat on his arms over the holidays. Working around at home?



"Let's get this show on the road," Caleb clapped his hands together and rubbed them.

All of us dragged out our bags, the smaller ones all shoved into the very back of Tyler's Hummer, the bigger ones strapped on top. We all crammed into the car as we waited for Rachel inside. She closed the door behind her, locked it and then ran over to the car. I sat in the back between Caleb and Reid, Alex at Reid's feet. Not the first time she'd done that. Pogue was in the passenger's seat and Rachel looked at him for a long moment. They seemed to be exchanging some sort of look that I couldn't read. She climbed up onto his lap, and his arms wrapped around her. But neither one of them spoke to each other. Okay, I was missing something here…

We turned on the radio, all singing to hokey country songs for a while before Baby Boy put in a CD I recognized as one of my mix tapes.

Then we all just rocked out.

The road was bumpy as we went along the rocky roads in the woods, everything getting darker and secluded. I was slamming against Caleb's side and blushing like a retard, "I'm so sorry!"

"S'fine, Leah, really."

"Ah, crap…" I clinged onto Reid who put his arm around me before I just spilled over onto Caleb's lap.

I grabbed with a white knuckle grip onto the two front seats and yelled, "WE'RE BREAKING SO MANY ROAD RULES!"

"Who gives a shit?!" Reid grinned.

"I spy with my little eye…. Something…"

"It's a tree, Rach. I know it is…" Tyler snorted.

"Shut up! I'm not that stupid! It's not a tree… it's-"

"A rock? Yeah, I win again. Dude, give up."

I rolled my eyes, "Nice one, Rach."

"Shhh!" She hissed and was leaning against the car door. I glared at Pogue's hand that was creeping slightly up her exposed thigh, higher and higher.

I suddenly blurted, "Uhhh! Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall! Ninety-nine bottles of beer!"

"NO!" Rachel shouted.

"Oh please no!" Alex groaned.

"Shut up!" Reid hissed.

"Give her a break…" Caleb laughed, patting my shoulder, "You're alright. Just ignore them."

I looked around at all the death stares I was getting. I settled for just playing word games in my head.

The bumpy road went on and on and on… Reid suddenly groaned and said, "Dude, I think you need to stop the car."

"Why? We'll be there-" Tyler tried to say but Reid snapped.



"STOP THE CAR!"

Alex started to slowly stand, "Oh god… Baby Boy, stop the damn car!"

The Hummer screeched to a halt and the first ones out were Rachel and Pogue. Pogue opened Reid's door, his face straitened, "Man, you okay?"

Reid went to speak but his stomach muscles flexed and he threw up at Pogue's feet with an awful gurgle.

I saw it coming before it even started. Pogue jumped back and stared, horrified, "Oh- Oh god, I think I'm gonna be sick!" He spun around and maybe puked for all I know around the corner.

Alex whined, "I can smell it… gross!"

"Dude… get out," Tyler said.

Everyone got out and Tyler moved the car forwards. Reid wiped his mouth and gargled water that I gave him. Pogue was slouched, hand on his stomach. I watched him for a long moment, but I was sure that his stomach was holding.

"You right?"

He stood up and sighed, "I think…"

"Guys! You better get in the car… It'll get dark before you know it!" We all looked at each other and nodded. Everyone seemed to be better, but this time we all rolled down our windows and got good breathing space.

As it was almost complete forest around the road now, Rachel told Baby Boy to stop. She slid out of the car and then motioned for us all to. She grinned, "We're here guys… come on, get the bags…"

She grabbed Alex and my hands, "You two come with me… I want you two to be the first ones to see it." She dragged us towards the trees and we laughed as we heard all the guys groan and complain about taking the luggage.

We stepped over a few large boulders, long longs, winding through trees…. Finally we got into a clearing where there was a bit of a grassy slope and then a big wooden cabin. I stared at it, "Wow…"

"It's brilliant!" Alex grinned.

"Doesn't it remind you of the witches house in the middle of the woods?" I mumbled half to myself.

"Yeah, I'm sure it was… but I chased that bitch out of there, and now it's all mine." She grinned, "I was planning to keep it for sexy time… but instead, it'd be way more fun with you all here. Where're the boys?"

I wanted to roll my eyes at her so badly, but I missed her so much that I just had to hug her. "Oh Rachel, you sex devil."

"Hey, what does that make me?" Alex put her hands on her hips.

"Sex Kitten," I winked and pet her head.

The boys trudged through into the clearing. They all stared and one by one… those cheeky slow grins came onto their faces.

"Dibbs first shower," I snapped.



"Shotty kitchen!" Reid dropped the bags and ran.

"Oi!" Rachel glared, bounding after him.

Suddenly it was all of them running except for Caleb and me. We looked at the luggage, shrugged, and tried to carry as much stuff as we could to the door.

The cabin was truly beautiful. All the walls were brick or wood, there was a fireplace, large kitchen, two bedrooms, a basement, a study room, and a sort of guest room that was also like a spare room with a pool table and book shelves and things.

Reid was sat atop the counter, a beer of dry in his hands. Pogue was looking at things on the wall, Rachel happily on the couch.

Alex scolded them but happily skipped off to Reid in the kitchen. Baby Boy put all the luggage to the side and grinned at me, Caleb talking on his cell phone.

I looked around, just amazed at the place. I'd never stayed somewhere so… wild looking. Rachel clapped her hands and we all looked at her.

"Okay! First things first, Alex and I decided no deliberate use of powers from now on, just to make this all the more fun. So we're in desperate need to shop for stuff like food, toiletries and stuff like that. The place has electricity, but it's not always the most reliable, but we have a generator out that was somewhere…" She pointed, "also, there's two bathrooms, one that way, the other that way, "She pointed again, "and last but not least… only two bedrooms, so-"

"Screw it! Let's all sleep out in the living room tonight," Tyler grinned.

"Love that idea," Pogue smirked.

"I'm in!" Alex called.

"Sure," I shrugged.

Caleb sighed aggressively at his phone and turned to Rachel, "Hey Rach… looks like I need to go into town to get a few things anyways… give me a list and I'll get it all,"

"Oh- well… a-are you sure? I mean-"

"S'fine," He shrugged, "I'd rather be useful rather than slacking." He looked at Reid who shot him a death glare back.