Sorry this has taken so long to update. I had a really hard time deciding which way to direct Reid and Ivy's relationship. I think I chose the best direction though. Thanks to everyone who reviewed that first chapter. I'm really hoping this story turns out good. Oh well, on with the story...

Chapter Two: Pretending To Be Without Pain

Ivy was just pulling on her shirt when she heard it; fast footsteps racing up the stairs and toward her door. Next thing she knew the door flew open and she was tackled to the ground by Pouge. All four boys were talking at once while Ivy got back up from the massive hug.

"It's great to see you guys, but you're gonna have to take turns. I can't make out a word of what any of you are saying if you're all talking at once."

"What are you doing here?" Caleb asked when suddenly no one knew what to say.

"Don't sound so happy," Ivy said sarcasm evident in her tone.

"You didn't say anything about coming back up here when we talked a few days ago," Tyler said with a smile.

"I didn't want to ruin the surprise, baby boy," Ivy said as she pulled her hair up into a messy pony tail and turned to walk out of the room.

"Hold on a sec. You come back up here and you're walking around like it's no big deal. Tell me you're here to stay." They all looked at her with hope in their eyes after Pouge's statement.

"Yeah, I'm staying. Now move away from the door. I'm hungry and you're keeping me from the kitchen. You all know that isn't a good idea."

Ivy finally made it down to the kitchen, followed by her new collection of flabbergasted boys. She began to make a sandwich while all the boys stood around staring. Ivy suddenly couldn't take the questioning stares anymore. "Are any of you gonna say anything, or are you all just gonna stand there and stare?"

"It's just that we've all missed you Ivy, and we haven't seen you in over a year, and well, this is just odd and really unexpected," Tyler said as sweetly as he could. Ivy had wanted it be a surprise and had specifically asked Aunt Evelyn not to say anything, but something about the way Tyler said that made her angry.

"Are you not happy to have me back? Does this throw a kink in some freaky plan you all have to take over the world or something? You knew I was coming back when dearest daddy got out of jail, and if you maybe could have counted using all your fingers and toes I think eventually at least one of you might have figured out that my two year sentence to hell was almost over," Ivy bit back. She couldn't understand why they were all so surprised. She had counted down the days until she could come back home and they had all just forgotten her.

Her contact with the boys was slim. She got a phone call from Caleb once a month that she eventually figured out was by Aunt Evelyn's request. Tyler e-mailed occasionally, and Pouge would call once in a blue moon. Reid was the worst; he never called, not even once.

"No, no it's not that we don't want you back. We're just surprised that's all. Look, why don't you come to Nicky's with us tonight. We'll all catch up," Caleb said with a smile. He would always be the one to sugarcoat the truth. Ivy knew that they all could really care less that she was back, and that they hadn't thought about her returning at all, but she agreed to go out anyway. They were her only friends after all, and she could not handle being alone at school for another year. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, Ivy needed the Sons, even if they didn't need her.

It was painfully obvious which one wished she had never came back though, Ivy thought as she made eye contact with the blonde boy leaning against the wall. He didn't seem all that impressed by her presence and that stung her a little. Of course, it was expected. She had not spoken to Reid since she left. He had made the visit during the summer with the rest of the Sons, but he was cruel and cold and the few remarks he sent in her direction actually broke her heart. He never called and from what she had gotten from the other boys he had truly forgotten her. But Ivy knew him better than that. Garwin was really good at pretending.

Reid and Ivy had always had an unusual relationship. When she had first moved to Ipswich, she knew no one. She had only met her cousin Caleb once before, because her part of the Danvers family lived so far away and probably mostly because her father never really got along with his older brother. He was always jealous of everything his sibling had; all the money and friends, and his popularity and his beautiful wife. Ivy's father had always been second best, so he started a life in Texas, where he could become all that his brother was, plus some. He eventually figured out that it wasn't so easy, which is how he ended up in jail. Ivy never really understood why she was sent to Ipswich. Her father hated the place, and her brother was never sent to Massachusetts. However, unlike her brother, Ivy never really got along with her father. She hated him, and as far as she knew it was a mutual hate. She assumed that was why he sent her away.

Ivy made fast friends with her cousin and eventually his best friend Pouge. Then she met Tyler and made friends with him. The three boys became her brothers. They always shared their crayons and let her play with them when there was no girls allowed. And they always protected her from the bullies at the playground, except for one, Reid Garwin. Reid was their friend too. Ivy could never understand why they hung out with such a jerk. When he came over to Caleb's house he would pull her hair and push her down. He stole her crayons and all her snacks. He even lit her favorite Barbie doll on fire one time. He called her names and played all kinds of mean tricks on her, but none of her brothers would ever stand up to him, because he was their brother too. At the time none of them really understood why they were all brothers, like their parents had said, and Ivy especially didn't know why. She just really wanted to vote Reid out.

When they turned thirteen the four boys got even closer and Reid got even meaner, until one day Ivy walked into Caleb's room to find Reid there. But it was not the Reid she knew. Ivy thought he truly must have been the devil, because his eyes were jet black and a pair of sissors was floating in front of his face. She screamed and scared Reid, whose eyes changed back while the sharp object fell to the floor. Ivy ran out of the room only to be tackled to the floor by Reid who made her promise never to tell. She eventually told Aunt Evelyn though, who was shocked that sweet little Ivy had just called Reid the devil. She eventually figured out what Ivy was talking about and set Ivy and the boys down and told Ivy what she really saw. Later on, Ivy realized the true reason why her father was so jealous.

After Ivy learned the boy's secret, they all got even closer. And to her surprise Reid stopped being so mean. In fact, Reid and Ivy got really close. Reid became her best friend, and all through their middle school years they were inseparable. Reid knew all of Ivy's darkest secrets, and she knew all of his. She knew first hand how good Reid was at pretending. It was what he always did when he was hurt; he pretended like he wasn't.

So, Reid's cold indifference to Ivy now that she was back was no surprise. She just hoped that he was still pretending and that he hadn't really grown to hate her as much as he made it seem like he did, because after all the pain she had been through over the past few years, nothing had hurt her as much as losing her best friend.

And now you review... ;)