HOOOOORAYYYYYY! :D I love all the amazing reviews, thanks guys and gals!

FivelFleurHavens:
Me too! She is fun to write :) ha

RabidZukoFangirl:
Thank you so much for laughing! Cause it is suppose to be funny...Ha!

SAKELover:
Yay! You laughed tooo xD ! Glad you like it, but you'll just have to wait and see :)

Sokanon:
Perhaps, perhaps (evil grin)! Thanks! Glad you are enjoying it!

Jasper winked:
Oh ho ho! (evil cackle) You may be on to something...! (But shhhh! (: )

Danny Phantom Fan1:
I know! Sheesh I'm cruel lol. Haha it made me laugh too !

MaxRideFan35:
:o so attentive! Oh wise one -bows- thank you for pointing out mistakes! Cyber cookie for voting yes and thinking I'm funny!

Okay so I'm extremely happy that people think this is somewhat amusing! Because usually when I'm writing I just start laughing like an idiot...so now I don't feel TOO stupid! Ha :) Thanks again guys! E-N-J-O-Y!

I was in a hurry to get home, afraid that if I waited too long I would lose my nerve. Jake offered to untack Ace for me-which he almost never does-so I threw the reins at him and ran towards the house.

But now I stood at the bottom of the porch steps...procrastinating. What if I made them mad by asking? I could get in trouble! Because it would be obvious that I had been eaves dropping.

"What are you doin' Brat?"

Jake's boots crunched on the gravel as he strode towards me.

"Second guessing?" I honestly didn't know. My excitement had vanished from earlier and was replaced by fear.

What if I didn't like what they had to say? Could I even change it?

He nudged me on the shoulder, pushing me towards the door. I planted my heels into the ground so I couldn't be pushed forward anymore.

"Go!" He tried to shove me again and I teetered, feeling like a Weeble Wobble...except I did fall down.

I sat on the bottom step and groaned, frustrated.

"I can't," I buried my face into my hands, ashamed of my cowardice.

"Why?" He sat down next to me with a sigh. "You liked the idea a while ago...or were you just trying to get out of untacking Ace?"

"You think I'm that shallow?" I asked, mocking offense.

"Yes. Now answer the question."

I glowered at him but he just stared back, not fazed. Sighing, I threw my hands in the air.

"I'mafraid!" I mumbled quickly.

Jake knitted his brows in confusion. "English please...or at least a little slower."

My shoulders drooped and I stared down at the gravel. "I'm afraid. I don't want to hear what they have to say...because I'm afraid I won't be able to do anything even after I know."

Jake stared out towards the pasture silently. Moments past before he turned to me again, taking a deep breath. I prepared myself for the hard truth.

"This is happening Sam...whether any of us like it or not. Running away or hiding from it isn't going to make it go away or fix the problem...if it were to be fixable."

He was right. I've been trying to run and hide from this problem when I needed to face it head on. I stood and brushed my hands on my pants nervously.

"You're right. I'm going to go in there now and demand to know what's up!" I climbed up the stairs and reached for the door but paused.

Turning back I walked towards the steps again.

"Okay I'm back."

Jake rolled his eyes but didn't say anything as I sat down on the top step.

"I can't just run into this head first without knowing where I'm going. I need a strategy!" I banged my fist on my knee and willed my brain to plan.

"But you never strategize." Jake pointed out.

Right. Planning was never my forte.

"So I'm just rolling with the punches?" I asked hoping Jake would suggest a different plan.

"That's the only way you know how to operate." Which was true. "Besides even if I suggested something you'll just do it your way in the end...you never listen to me."

Which was also true.

"Okay," I stood up again, determined. "Reckless!" I cracked my neck and rolled my shoulders, ready to walk into battle. "It's how I do."

I walked for the door again but paused...again.

"Maybe I-"

"Just go!"

Right. With a deep breath I opened the door and gave Jake a final look before I walked into the house...the point of no return.

The door banged behind me and I peeled my shoes off letting them plop onto the kitchen floor. Gram would have a fit.

"Sam is that you?"

Speaking of the devil...

"Yeah!" I called back to Gram who was surprisingly not in the kitchen cooking. Odd.

I followed the sound of her voice and found her in the living room sitting with dad.

Odd.

"Hey I gotta talk to you...," I started.

"Sam, sit down. We have to talk," Gram said at the same time. I stared at them both confused and sat down on the recliner opposite of them.

"Okay...you first," I said hesitantly; not sure if I wanted to hear what they had to talk about. What if it was about school? Was I in trouble? Likely...

Gram and Wyatt exchanged looks before looking at me again. Gram pursed her lips then took a big breath.

"You already know that we are going to have to move...," she started. I was tempting to interrupt and say that wasn't exactly true but I felt it would be better to let her finish.

So I nodded. "Yeah...eventually."

Gram looked at Wyatt again who stared at the rug. "Well that's the thing. It may be sooner than we imagined."

I sat up straight and felt my eyes widen. "Like...how soon?"

Neither of them answered and I felt a growing dread.

"How soon?" I asked; my voice rising.

"Well...you see Wyatt got an offer. Do you remember Darby?" Gram began to explain and I kind of wished my dad would talk.

I swallowed and nodded again. Darby had been here over the winter and rescued one of the Phantom's offspring; she lived happily in Hawaii now though so I hadn't really been in touch.

"Her grandfather owns a ranch in Hawaii as you know since Darby is living there...and well he offered Wyatt a great job and lodging." Gram finished. She seemed dismayed yet a little excited by the idea of Hawaii. Me on the other hand...not so much.

"You're joking right?" I asked but when neither of them answered I jumped to my feet. "Hawaii? That's like...a bazillion miles away!"

"Don't yell." Wyatt warned and I stared at him in disbelief. "It's not that bad...and you already know someone out there."

I continued to stare at him...disappointed. His fight was clearly gone. But that didn't mean mine was.

I let out a bark of sarcastic laughter. "When?"

Again they exchanged looks; much to my aggravation.

"Two weeks," Gram whispered and I felt my jaw hit the floor.

"Two weeks?" I yelled making them both flinch. "How are we supposed to get everything packed in two weeks? How are we going to move the horses to freaking Hawaii?"

"Sam...they aren't coming with us," Wyatt said; finally looking up at me.

I felt sick...ready to barf up my shattered heart. Tears filled my eyes for the second time that day...never in my life had I cried so much. Never in my life had I been so angry, hurt, sad, and lost at the same time.

"Just like that? You are ready to pack up and leave everything we've ever known in just two weeks?" My voice was shrill as a yelled at them both. I clenched my fist and bit my tongue...but I couldn't hold back what I had to say anymore.

"Because apparently word on the block is that we can stay. That there is a way to save River Bend...not that anyone shares anything with me...," I glared at both of their surprised faced. "Or cares enough to do whatever it takes to save our home."

Again, I felt myself wanting to run away but I mustered as much common sense as I could in this angry haze and made my way to the front door.

"Samantha!" Gram yelled after me but I ignored her and slammed the door behind me.

And ran into something hard. Jake towered over me and I rubbed my now throbbing nose.

"Great idea...," I mumbled pushing past him and heading for the barn. He followed of course but I ignored him and headed right for the hay loft. I climbed the ladder and tried to pull it up after me but Jake grabbed it and weighed it down.

I still yanked even though it was hopeless. "Go away!" I whined giving a big yank only to slip and fall on my butt. Shoulders slumped; I gave up the fight and waited for him to climb the ladder.

"Don't-"

"What happened?"

"...ask." I glared over at him and he glanced at me concerned. Looking at him I wondered how much he had heard...because I was pretty sure I was yelling really loud.

I leaned against a hay bale feeling like a failure. Not only had I not figured out what could be done to save River Bend...I had failed to stand up and face what was coming-again.

"Two weeks...we're moving to Hawaii in two weeks."

Most likely...I had failed at saving my home.

x-x-x-x

Never in all the years I've known Jake Ely had I seen him look surprised. Nothing ever seemed to faze him. Surprise parties? Forget it. He always knew what was going on or what you were planning. Evil scheme of 8th grade...trying to get him back for putting a mouse in my sleeping bag? Failure.

So sitting in the hay loft; telling him what I had just discovered, I was surprised to see the look of shock on his face. A look that I had never seen until today.

"Hawaii?" His voice seemed too high pitch and if things were different I probably would have laughed. It's just I didn't feel much like laughing at the moment. "In...two weeks?"

"Did I st-st-stutter?" I mumbled half-heartedly. But Jake wasn't listening to me, he was staring down at the ground his face still showing signs of shock.

"I thought...you said...weren't you...," another thing...you never found Jake at a loss for words. His uncertainty didn't help. It was him who was supposed to suggest the next move while I babbled like a fool. But here we sat roles reversed...only I wasn't coming up with any ideas.

He took a big shaky breath and let it out slowly. "I thought you said you heard them say something about saving River Bend."

"Yeah, well...I never got the chance to actually ask," which I hadn't. I had mentioned something about it angrily but it wasn't like I stuck around to hear what they had to say.

We sat in silence, both lost in our own thoughts. It grew darker and darker but neither of us spoke or moved. Maybe this is what it felt like to lose all hope. I glanced over at Jake; he was leaning back on his elbows and staring out the door. He looked over though feeling my gaze...seeing his face made my heart break even more; it was sad...actual sadness.

Seeing all of these emotions coming from him was all most too much. I was about ready to lose my composure-or what I had left of it-when he pushed himself upright; his look of sadness vanishing. He was back to being a closed book, which was a little more comforting surprisingly. I never thought I'd appreciate not being able to figure out what he was thinking. Tonight made me appreciate it a whole lot.

"Why Hawaii?" He asked, breaking our long silence.

I explained to him everything Gram and dad had told me. About Darby and her grandfather's ranch. About the job...about everything I knew-which come to find out wasn't really all that much.

He shook his head before slowly smiling. I kind of wanted to punch him...now was not the time to smile.

"Stop smiling dodo!" I hissed; punching him in the arm. He gave me an amused look and rubbed his arm where I had punched it.

"Look I won't lie to you...this sucks. But hey...it could be worse."

My look of disbelief told him that I highly doubted that.

He rolled his eyes. "Sure its not...ideal. But at least it's not San Fran or some suburb. Besides," he leaned back again, a smile still on his face. "Kip works there...so I could always come visit."

Talk about being optimistic. "Is that supposed to be a good thing?" I teased and he shoved me, causing me to topple over on my side.

"You really are a Brat...," he mumbled shaking his head. I pushed myself back up giggling-surprised that I was still capable of laughter.

I shoved his hat further down on his head. "But that is why you love me," I cooed.

He snorted, his teeth glowing white as he smiled. "More like tolerate..." I went to punch him again but he dodged it and I fell into him.

He laughed and shook his head at my pathetic-ness; I tried to glower but couldn't keep a straight face.

"So what kind of mischief are you going to get in, in only two weeks?" He asked poking me in the face with a piece of hay since I hadn't gotten off of him yet.

But as I mulled over his question in my head I couldn't help but slowly grin...a grin that would put the Cheshire cat to shame. Two weeks...not a lot of time but then again just enough time. A week for scheming and a week for doing. There was no way I could actually get in trouble...and Gram and dad will be too busy packing and planning its not like they would notice anything...or care. Ideas flowed through my head; ideas that made me want to cackle like an evil scientist.

"A whole lot...," I said still grinning and Jake glanced at me curiously.

"I'm not sure I want to know," he shook his head and put his hat on my face to cover my evil grin.

Look out Darton...because I'm coming to get ya.

Mood swings à la mode! But this is starting to get really really fun :) mwahahah!