Chapter THREE

DG thanked Phoebe one last time as the car sputtered and took off down the dusty path. After a very awkward car ride, one involving an explanation about Raw (she settled on a genetic defect that caused hair to grow everywhere) and a seat on Cain's lap (small car, no space for all five of them), they managed to make it back to the farm house. DG smoothed out her pants and looked up at the house. It sat quietly, outlined by the setting sun. Although abandoned for over a year, DG thought it looked pretty good.

"Well, here we are." DG gestured to the house. She walked up the path towards the front porch. The group timidly walked up behind her. "It won't bite,"she said opening the squeaky screen door. Her hand reached for the knob, but Cain's hand covered hers.

"Maybe I should go in first," he said. DG looked over at him.

"Oh you two just get a room already and do it," Az grumbled from behind. Cain and DG slowly turned to her at the same time. She looked up, unable to believe she said that allowed. "I mean." her face pinched up as she searched for something else. "I'm tired?" she made up. DG shook her head. Cain let go and allowed her to jiggle the knob. The door creaked as she pushed it open, dust floating out and around the guests.

"Someone hasn't been cleaning very well," Glitch noticed as he walked into the house, his pointer finger up. DG glared over at Glitch. "But there is a very good reason for the lack of good housekeeping and I will keep that in mind."

Taking into account how long the house had sat idle, it didn't really look that bad. Yes, it was dusty and cobwebs lined the walls. However, if home was where you make it, then this couldn't be too bad. She stood in the living room, looking around. She imagined it would be nice to have places to sleep for her guest.

"Alright, there are two bedrooms with two beds with enough room for four people." She looked around at her guests, thinking carefully.

"I pick Cain as my roommate," Az called out, raising a hand. Cain's face filled with horror. His mind couldn't wrap around what could happen in that bed if left alone with her. DG smiled, happy to see that he wasn't exactly thrilled with that idea.

"I think that's a great idea. I can take the couch and Glitch and Raw can share the other room."

"No I insist prin- DG," he stood straight. "You and Az will take the bed room and I'll take the couch." He took a step forward. DG nodded and gave in. "Thank you." he sighed. Az pouted and swung her dress behind her as she threw herself in a nearby chair. She pointed Raw and Glitch towards Emily and Henry's room in the back of the house. Raw headed back, but Glitch walked around looking at every odd and end around.

DG walked into the kitchen. The light bounced off the white cabinets, glaring in DG's eyes. She looked around the room. She expected Emily to be at the oven, cooking dinner. Henry would be at the table, looking over that day's paper, beat from a long day of work. DG shook the ghosts out of her head and sighed. She walked over to the fridge and opened the heavy door. It was completely bare except for a few odds and ends, none of which were edible. The pantry was the same. The boxes of crackers that sat stale on the shelf would not keep a bird a live, let alone 5 people.

"Great," she muttered to herself. She'd have to go shopping. With empty pockets DG thought of a way to afford food. She laughed at the thought of walking up to the nearest store with O.Z golden coins. She'd be laughed right out of town.

"Anything I can do to help?" Cain asked from behind her. With his hat now back on his head, Cain looked complete. DG shook her head.

"Unless you can pull money out of a can then-" DG stopped. Something clicked in her mind and she ran to a cabinet near by. Rummaging through the contents, she pulled out a tin can. Holding her breath she opened the can. It was the can Henry saved money in for a rainy day. However, she couldn't picture a monsoon anytime soon as a meager ten dollars was all she pulled out.

"I guess I can get a job at Hilltop until we can get back." She looked over to Cain. He opened his mouth in protest. "Unless you'd like to go hunt in the long grass for wild animals, I don't think there is another. It won't be a problem," DG said laying her hands on the counter. Cain watched her face as a million thoughts raced through her head. She'd never been on her own before, even in the O.Z she had the three of them with her. Now she was in charge of all four and it worried her.

"Do you know how odd this feels?" Cain asked her, trying to take her mind off the worry. She looked up at him. "My job is to protect you and your sister, but all I can really do here is let you protect us. There has to be a word in this world's vocabulary to discribe how this feels." DG nodded.

"Emasculate." She said. "Yeah, we know that word pretty well here." She looked over at Cain, suddenly overwhelmed with a feeling she couldn't quite put her finger on. She patted his hand and then turned to look out the back door. Glitch sat on the back stoop. "I'm going to go and see how he's doing." She said. She walked over to the door and slipped out, setting beside Glitch. Cain watched from afar.

"Hey Glitch," he heard her say. He held back and decided to give her space, sitting down at the table.

"Hey DG. My it's a wonderful night." Glitch shook his head. "I've never seen anything quite like this back in the O.Z." The two looked out at a beautiful sunset. DG always missed these back in the O.Z. You just couldn't replace this or capture it the same. Glitch looked down at his feet, a hand outline looked up at him. He jumped and gulped. "Is that a hand?" he asked, tapping DG on the shoulder. She looked over at what he was pointing at.

"Oh my God," she said, shocked. "My hand print." She smiled. She reached over and placed her hand on top of the tiny hand. Glitch looked over at her with a confused expression. "When I was little evil Mr. Gulch paved his sidewalk. I remember sneaking over with a friend and we placed our hands in the still wet cement. The cement hardened and the next day our hands were permanently cemented in his sidewalk." She looked over at Glitch, a large grin on her face.

"But what is it doing here?" Glitch asked, a finger tracing over the tiny fingers. DG shrugged.

"I remember Mr. Gulch was horrified when he saw it and made them tear it up and start again. My father had to pay for them to do it over. I never knew what happened to it. I figured it was broken down and thrown away. I guess Popsicle asked to save it. He built this stoop a few months after and I guess he used the broken pieces to build with." Glitch thought about it for a moment. He looked out into the yard, his brain piecing it together.

"So that would mean that you are apart of the this house then," He said simply. DG looked over at him and grinned. She put her arm around him and pulled him over for a hug. He smiled and hugged her back, patting her lightly on the back.

"I guess you're right. I guess I really am. Come on Glitch," She said. "It's been a long day, let's go get ready for bed." Cain couldn't see her face, but he could hear the sadness in her tone. They had to figure out a way back home soon before it was too late for DG.

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