A/N: Oh my chicken and waffles, this story has over 100 hits!! Thank you so much, everybody, especially AdamPascalFareeaak89, Penguinperson, and beccgallanter. Y'all are the best!

Chapter Three:

The Paradise We're Dreaming Of

Seaweed burst into the house, still leading Penny by the arm. "Momma!"

Ms. Maybelle stomped out of the kitchen wearing latex gloves and an apron, with Inez trailing along behind. "Boy, why are you comin' in here yellin' like…" She saw Penny. "Oh, Penny! Why aren't you home?"

"A bunch of taggers thought they were being funny," Seaweed explained darkly. "They wrote a message on her house."

Ms. Maybelle frowned and turned to Penny. "What did it say?"

Penny clamped her mouth shut and shook her head. She couldn't say it, not in front of this woman she respected so much; not in front of sweet little Inez. Seaweed patted her shoulder absently and whispered the message in his mother's ear. Her face hardened, and she bit her lip, unable to rave about it in front of her daughter.

As if she were able to read minds, Inez suddenly piped up. "What? What did it say?"

Seaweed sighed and turned to his sister. "Basically, someone wants Penny to… they don't like it that we're together."

"Oh." Inez paused for a moment. "Then why couldn't you say it out loud?"

Seaweed took a deep breath. "They just… they used some words that shouldn't be said out loud." Inez darkened. Penny wasn't surprised; she'd noticed that Seaweed sometimes underestimated what his younger sister knew.

Finally Penny was able to speak. "Could I stay here tonight? I mean, if it isn't too much trouble…"

Ms. Maybelle softened. "Of course you can, but aren't you worried about your momma?"

Penny shook her head. "My grandmother died of old age a month ago. I don't have to keep Mother away from the kitchen knives anymore." Ms. Maybelle raised her eyebrows and sent a questioning look at Seaweed.

He shrugged. "I told you her mama was loony."

Ms. Maybelle nodded gravely and continued her conversation with Penny. "You can stay in the guest room, Penny," Ms. Maybelle said, leading the blonde down a side hallway.

Seaweed looked after them and sighed. He would have to do something about this.

The next morning, Penny was very much aware of the fact that she was awake, but she didn't want to open her eyes yet. She stretched; first her arms, then her back, then her legs—but her legs wouldn't move. She tried stretching them a few more times, failed, and sat up in alarm.

She smiled and relaxed. Her legs wouldn't move because Seaweed was sitting on them.

"Good morning," she said, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek.

"Morning," he said flatly. Penny looked concerned. Seaweed took one of her hands in both of his and stroked it absently with his thumbs.

"Penny," he said, more softly than she had ever heard him, "you don't have to go through with this if you don't want to."

"Go through what?"

"You know… us."

Penny froze. Her mind raced and her eyes filled with tears. "What? Seaweed… you don't love me anymore?"

"No, no, never!" He grabbed her in a strong embrace, burying his face in her hair. "I love you. I will never, never stop, baby, don't you know that?"

In spite of how hard she was trying to keep them inside of her, she couldn't stop a few tears from slipping out of her eyes.

He leaned back and looked at her for a moment, taking her face gently in his hands. "I love you, Penny, and I don't want anyone to hurt you. I've heard things… awful things… about people in this same situation. Penny, you read the message. They want you to leave town… and, more importantly, they want you to leave me. What happens if you don't?" He brushed a few tears off her cheek. "I don't want you to get hurt."

She closed her eyes and tried to keep from sobbing. They stayed like that for a while, her face in his hands, him sitting on her feet. Finally she spoke. It came out soft, almost inaudible. "Seaweed?"

He came closer; wrapping his arms around her waist in fear of what was coming next. "Yes?"

She slipped her arms around his neck and put her head on his shoulder. "Nothing could ever hurt me more than leaving you."

A/N: Sorry this was so short, I'll make up for it in the next chapter, I promise!