Hey guys, im just as glad as you people, that I updated. man im so sorry for the long wait, but its to blame on school and cross-country! if there were more hours in the daytime, this would have been up sooner.

"But FishInAFadora, what about that labor day weekend, you could have worked on it then?"

Shut up voice in my head, i was camping and how do you get wi-fi in the woods?

Anyway, enough with the excuses, heres chapter 14 (wow, already at 14?) this is a M.K. and Jason only chapter. sorry Nod and Ronin fans...

His gut feelings told him that it would be a great day. He decided his gut was deceitful and unreliable.

Sure, it had started off okay. His alarm buzzed off at six, proclaiming to get up and get dressed. Jason then proceeded to pull on his sweats, and went outside for his usual morning run. The air was clear and cool, with a pink sky and gold clouds, and he relished the burning of his muscles. When he returned, his mom had the Sunday breakfast prepared-toast, eggs, and sliced melon. She had put on her blue church dress, and his father wore his white buttoned shirt and slacks. Jason's little brothers, Matt and Daniel, were bickering about who took the rest of their favorite cereal.

Just your average morning in the Hale house. After breakfast, Jason would usually change into his best clothes for church, but this Sunday had a soccer match, and he had to be there early for warm-ups. His family promised that they'd be there after the service, and wished him good luck. Jason changed into his uniform, pulled his truck out of the driveway, and headed for school.

The blonde didn't let on to his family the conflicted feelings he held inside. Last night's events were still fresh in his mind. He tried to distract himself by turning on the radio, only to get Justin Bieber's "Baby," as the first thing he hears. They still play that song? Jason flicked the radio off, feeling even more irritated than before.

The soccer field was wet with dew, and some of the other players had already arrived. Jason joined them, and goofed around for a bit, before Coach Logan barked at them to start their warm-ups. By the time they were done with three laps around the field, the rest of their team arrived, and coach ordered them to do five laps for being late.

While they stretched and practiced shooting, the crowd began to filter into the stands, slowly filling its empty seats. This was the game of the year, being that it was against their biggest rival, and played on their home turf. The Whittney Bulls had occupied the opposite half of the field, wearing their black and red jerseys.

Every now and then, Jason would catch the determined glares and mocking smirks cast their way. Insults and jibes reached his ears, albeit faintly, but still audible. This would tick off some of the more hot-headed, impulsive members of his team, but Jason didn't react. Being the team captain, he had to set an example. The teenager made it clear to his mates that they were to ignore them.

Finally, the real mass of supporters arrived, waving blue and white flags, and proclaiming team spirit. The Hale family made themselves conspicuous as ever, holding up a giant sign that said, Jason Hale is #1! with the Stag's emblem in gold. The blonde didn't have any trouble spotting them in the crowd, and neither did his teammates. Before the game started, Coach Logan stressed the importance of winning this game, (like he did every year) then assigned positions, warning Jason to watch out for #32.

The referee had Jason shake hands with the Bull's captain, Rico Carrera. Despite being in different schools, Jason was friends with Rico. The boy was a good, kind person, and didn't hold any malicious feelings to the Stags, unlike Nick Turner, the #32 player coach had warned him about. That dude needed arrogance counseling in Jason's opinion.

The whistle blew, and the game began, with the Stags starting the kickoff. Jason passed the ball and was off running towards the Bull's goal box. His teammate, Carter, (they only used last names when on the field) passed it to Adams, who had a brief battle of possession with the Bull's forward, before Adams nailed it back to Jason.

With excellent footwork, Jason parried the ball towards him, and dribbled it expertly down the outside. Two defenders were on him in an instant, but they were too eager. They stabbed at him with their cleats, trying to get the ball in one go. This rarely worked and Jason evaded them easily, but one quickly recovered, and started pushing him out and away from the goal. He didn't have a clear shot.

The blonde, almost trapped in the corner, passed it down field to Brooks, then immediately went for the goal box, shouting that he was open. Brooks power kicked it to him, and Jason head balling it in. He smiled when he heard the sweet sound of the ball colliding with the net. The Stag supporters roared their approval of an awesome play. Jason's buddies swarmed him, clapping his back and half tackling to him to the ground, laughing with happiness. Many believed that the first goal gave good luck to the team that had made it.

The Hale family waved their sign and jumped up and down. Jason grinned and waved to them, his eyes reflexively sweeping the crowd for other familiar faces. That's when he saw M.K.

She was sitting with Angela and Reece, both girls clapping at his goal. M.K. however, was staring blankly, as if she just came out of a trance. He managed a smile and waved at her, catching her slightly confused look at the gesture. The girl was wearing an orange tank top with an unbuttoned denim blouse over it, along with jean shorts, and orange sneakers. Her red hair was down, framing her doe-like face, and making her green eyes stand out even more. He loved looking into those eyes, as if it held the whole forest.

However, now he couldn't look into her eyes without having the memory of last night pop up, and that made it sour. He quickly turned away, before M.K. could see the scowl forming on his face.

While he jogged back to center field, his thoughts were on the red-head girl. She had seem startled when he asked her out, and it made him suspicious. Wouldn't a girl with a boyfriend be used to being asked out? Maybe she just didn't expect it from him, someone she considered a friend. Either way, he had a feeling that there was something else going on.

The Bulls started with the ball this time, and when the whistle blew, they quickly passed it back to their defense. If Jason acted quick enough, he could get the ball and use their momentum against them. He pressured the player with the ball into passing it away, and his quick feet stole it before the Bull could say "whoops." His win was short-lived however, when an equally fast Nick Turner was on him. Jason parried the ball away with his feet, glancing up to see if there were anybody who could help him. Before Carter could get himself open, Turner stabbed mercilessly with his foot, crushing Jason's toes. The captain bit down a yelp, but the distraction allowed Turner to take the ball. His smirk infuriated Jason.

No whistle from the ref. That meant he didn't see it, and Turner wouldn't be penalized. Jason swallowed the bitter anger, trying to keep his cool. There was no point in making a scene. As he ran after the ball, moving back and forth to stay open for a pass, his eyes wandered treacherously to the stands. He seeked out the red hair, and saw that M.K. wasn't even looking at the game, let alone him. She was staring at her sneakers, probably thinking about her man. Who was the guy anyway? Did he go to their school, or even lived in the same county? Jason would never admit it, because it made him feel ashamed, but he was feeling increasingly curious...and jealous.

The blonde knew he shouldn't feel that way. If M.K. didn't want to date him, then he should find another girl. God knows he had plenty crushing on him. But the jealousy was hooked in him, for the moment.

Adams passed the ball to Crawford, and Jason flash-backed to last week, at M.K.'s house. He had, by complete accident, eavesdropped on M.K.'s video chat. She was talking to a girl by the sound of it-Lex, he had heard her introduce herself. It was a really strange conversation to follow, but one thing was clear. They were talking about a rose and a guy named Nod. Could he be the mystery boyfriend?

Distracted. That's what he was when the soccer ball rolled right past him and over the boundary line. The referee blew his whistle and announced the ball as the Bull's throw in. The Stags yelled at him in disgusted protests, all wondering the same thing. Why did Jason, of all people, make such a rookie mistake? His face turned red with humiliation and shame.

The Bulls hurled the ball in and Jason was on to it in a flash. Now isn't the time to think about my relationships, he mentally scolded. The ball was passed to Turner, (his luck) and the two boys engaged in a running duel, Jason trying to deter the ball away from Turner and his goal, which they were getting nearer to with every step.

The physical contact between them was getting more aggressive, both of their elbows starting to fly. Jason's anger got the better of him and he jabbed particularly hard, digging in to Turner's ribcage. That's when the whistle blew. The boys stopped in their tracks as the referee marched up to them, pointing his finger at Jason, "Excessive use of force; the Bulls get a free kick!"

The audience of Stag supporters howled with furious exclamations, though with refs, such protests fell on deaf ears. Jason was reining in his own emotions, feeling a little guilty, even though the arrogant teen had deserved it. He was the team captain for Christ's sake, how could he lash out like that in the middle of a game?!

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it won't happen again," the blonde apologized quickly. Rule #1 in soccer: Don't make an enemy of the black and white stripes. The man nodded his appreciation and signaled to the opposing team to place the ball. Jason turned to get to his place in the defense, but not before seeing the smug smile on Turner's face.

Taking the kick was Joshua Maverick, the best shooter on the Bull's team. He rarely missed, but then again, so did the Stag's goalie, Ben Taylor.

Maverick swung back his leg back leisurely, and delivered a powerful kick, turning the ball into a lethal projectile. Taylor, who was watching the ball and Maverick's leg simultaneously, knew exactly where the kick was headed and launched up to the left, like a cat. He caught the ball and landed back on the dirt, the crowd roaring like a thousand lions. The Stags were jumping up and down joyfully, like little kids.

Jason himself let out the breath he had held, feeling blessed. If Maverick had gotten the ball in the goal, Jason would had been the one to blame.

Taylor prepared to punt, but the referee took a glance at his watch, and blew his whistle twice. It was half-time, and the players jogged to the sidelines, eager for some water and a break. The Stags headed to the gym locker room, and some of the audience strolled for the concession stand. Jason wasn't keen on facing his coach, who would surely be livid over his mistakes, but it's not like he could hide like a three-year old.

On his way, he saw Reece and Angela making their way towards him. M.K. was mysteriously absent. Reece smiled, "Now that was an awesome game!"

"You guys are doing great so far!" Angela agreed.

Jason shook is head, unable to match their enthusiasm, "I sucked. I let the ball roll right past me, and I gave the Bulls a free kick. If it had made it in..."

"Well, you're forgetting that you made the first goal, and you can't be Mr. Perfect all the time," Reece said, rolling her eyes playfully. "Your only human, and besides, Nick had it coming and Taylor caught the ball. You'll do better in the next half."

The teen only felt a little better at the encouragement, but decide on a subject change, "Where's M.K.?"

Angela looked annoyed, "She just got up and left! Said she needed to check on something, but really, was it that important? This is a big game after all, and your playing and-"

"She went to the parking lot, if you wanted to know," Reece said, cutting off her friend. She was a nice girl, but sometimes Angela could get a little air-headed and overactive.

"Thanks, I think I'll just go and see if she needs help." With that, the soccer captain jogged for the parking lot.

When he got there, the place was devoid of activity, and he didn't see the red-head girl anywhere. What was he doing? This wasn't the time to go chasing after a girl; he had a game to play after all! Coach would be even more furious if he didn't show up in the locker room.

Jason was about to turn away, when a gust of wind carried a leaf in front of his face. His blue eyes followed it and the leaf landed gently at the start of a trail. The pebbly path snaked into the woods, the shade looking quite inviting. The boy didn't know what it was, but there was the feeling...this sense of instinct telling him to go down the path. The breeze caressed his face playfully, and...there was this voice saying, almost ordering him, to run.

The blonde shook his head like a dog, trying to shake it off. He must be going crazy! Yet, the trail beckoned, urging him to come. Jason took a step, then another, and before he could convince himself not to, he was running through the forest.

M.K. jogged at a fast pace. She swore under her breath for the hundredth time as she tripped over a root, but managed to keep herself upright. She couldn't afford to look at the ground though, for she had to keep her eyes to the sky. Thankfully, the flock-no murder of crows weren't flying that fast. Their constant cawing weren't hard to track either.

She must have looked just like her dad. Minus the helmet and gear, she was another red-head running through the forest, chasing things that nobody else could see. And stumbling over roots as she went.

This is stupid, a voice in her head complained. Your running after birds that you think have tiny monsters on them trying to take over the world. Not how you wanna spend a Sunday.

When you put it that way, yeah, it was ridiculous, but she beat these thoughts down. Last summer, she had been shrunk down to two inches, rode a hummingbird like a horse, and threw an acorn at a savage beast trying to kill her. Not to mention, aided in defeating an army of the same beasts. When compared, chasing birds was almost normal.

She had learned to trust her instincts ever since that summer. They were ringing alarm bells, and she couldn't shake the uneasiness that had taken root.

Something was about to happen, and she had to be there for it.

The volume of the crows increased tremendously, and suddenly she broke through the trees and was among them. Dozens of black birds flitted between branches and the air was filled with there noisy calls. Upon closer inspection, she noted they had yellow eyes, so they were not crows, but grackles. When their beady eyes spotted her, their cackles rose in pitch, sounding very excited.

The hair on her arms were standing on end, and she grit her teeth in irritation at all the noise they were making. M.K. squinted, trying to peer closer to see if the birds were mounted. She couldn't see anything.

A cool breeze swept through, blowing the leaves back. A grackle lighted gracefully off its perch, the wind catching its feathers and carrying it to the sky. The flock, murder, or whatever it was called followed, like a school of fish. M.K. ran closer to see if there was any Boggans, but the grackles took to the sky in an unorganized fashion, and it made it difficult to spot anything but black feathers.

The teen growled in frustration. The birds were moving to fast for her to track. She had gotten so close, only to have them flee, and she didn't see any Boggans. The part of her that said this was stupid was looking more and more correct. She was ready to give up and turn back, when a twig snapped behind her.

M.K. turned so fast, her follower was more startled than she herself. It was Jason, still in his soccer uniform and gear. His blue eyes were wide with confusion.

"What are you doing here?" she blurted out.

"I was about to ask you the same thing."

When she didn't answer, he continued, "I didn't see you at half-time. Reece told me where you went. I just wanted to check on you, see if you were okay, maybe your dad or...your boyfriend had come to pick you up."

"And you followed me?"

"Well, I didn't actually see you go into the forest...what are you doing out here?"

"I thought I saw something," she lied quickly. Too quickly.

"C'mon M.K.," Jason said, his brows furrowed into a scowl. "You can't lie to me as well."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she snapped, sounding harsher than she intended to. Losing the flock (or murder?) of grackles frustrated her, and the questions were just making it worse.

Normally, Jason handled things reasonably, but she could tell that even he was losing his patience. The boy was in a really bad mood, "What I mean, is that I deserve an explanation. Last night, I suffered the embarrassment of asking you out and learning that you weren't single. Can you at least tell me what is going on, and what you're doing in the woods?"

She sighed, her fists clenched to suppress the emotions that threatened to break out, "I'm just under a lot of stress right now."

"I know, but your acting pretty weird!"

It was like a punch to her gut. M.K. felt the irritating itch at the back of her eyes, tears wanting to surface. It was pathetic, but this was what she feared. Being labeled as weird by her friends. By Jason.

"You should go back to the game," the girl said softly, unable to hide the hurt. "The coach will be pissed if don't get back in time."

"M.K. wait...," he started, but she already turning away from him, intending to disappear into the trees and not come out for a while. Before she take a few more steps, the wind suddenly blew like a gale. She gasped in disbelief, as a familiar force picked her up.

"M.K.?" Jason asked, sounding concerned. Then he made a choked sound. She looked down to see her toes a few inches off the ground and rising.

An invisible hand yanked her skyward, and the wind became a deafening roar in her ears. She heard Jason call out to her, but his voice was lost in the hurricane. The world began to spin, and the forest became a green, indistinct blur. M.K. couldn't believe it. It was happening again! She was returning to Moonhaven!

The trees doubled, then tripled in size and the gale lessened, carrying her like a leaf. The two-inch red-head landed softly on the ground, as if someone was placing her there. The smell of soil and moss was now very strong. M.K. laid there for a few minutes, waiting for her head to stop spinning.

Finally, she opened her eyes and was surprised to see the color green fill up her vision. Sunlight filtered through, casting a soft emerald light on her face. At some point, a leaf had settled on top of her, so daintily she didn't even notice. M.K. pushed it off and beheld the same, but exotic world she found herself in.

So beautiful. All you need was a different perspective and you'll never see the world the same way again. M.K. was so happy to be back, even if there wasn't any Leafmen nearby to escort her around. She scoffed at the thought. Damsel in distress did not apply to her.

"M.K.?"

The voice startled her so much, that the speed of which she turned would've hurt her neck. Jason was lying on the ground, holding his head and observing his surroundings with eyes so wide, they would've popped out. He turned his gaze to her, not quite believing what he was seeing. M.K. couldn't believe what she was seeing!

Jason had shrunk with her.

M.K.'s voice cracked with shock, "Um...I can explain?"

thank you guys for being patient with me, and if i got any of those soccer rules wrong then i apologized. i looked them up and all, even though i play soccer. yeah, go figure, i play the game but i dont actually know the rules of it...

R&R!