Okie dokie - here it is folks! Please enjoy!

Emmett POV

"Praise Bob from whom all soda flows…" Georgie began singing his version of the doxology until Momma slapped him on the back of the head and shushed him up real quick.

"Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! Amen." I looked up to the front pew where Penny was sitting with her mother. Lord Almighty, she looked pretty today. Should I be thinking like this in church? Probably not.

I probably should be paying attention and praying for forgiveness of my Saturday night sins.

Finally church ended and I followed Momma out of the pew and into the vestibule.

Penny and her momma were standing by the door with Preacher John telling everyone goodbye and thanking them for coming to the service. The preacher told my Momma, Daddy, and all of my brothers (except Willie of course) goodbye. When he got to me, he squinted his eyes and said, "Let's us take a little walk, son." Penny looked at me like she was about to burst into tears. As Preacher John was leading me away I heard her say, "Momma! Daddy's gonna scare him away!"

As we walked down the front steps of the church, Georgie ran up and threw his arms around my legs.

"Bye Em! See ya for supper! Love you!"

"Love you too, buddy!" I watched him run off and catch up with Momma and Daddy.

When we got down in the church yard, Preacher John put his hand on my shoulder and looked up at me. I figure I'm a good five inches taller than Penny's old man.

"Look here Mr. McCarty, I'm a man of God but I'm also a father. A father to only one child who just so happens to be a girl. There aren't any girls in your family, so you don't know how daddies act when it comes to their daughters. I would protect my little copper Penny to the death and if you so much as lay a hand on her, I will come after you."

Good golly, talk about personality changes. He went from nice preacher man at the door to scary daddy in a matter of forty-five seconds. Now, I've had a few girlfriends and none of their daddies had me nervous like Preacher John had me here. I've noticed most, especially a certain mayor, want their daughters married off and out of their hair.

"Wolf Valley is a small place and I know about your reputation with the girls in town, Mr. McCarty."

That made me blush. I'm not exactly what you would call inexperienced.

It's not that I didn't like the girls I've been with; they just weren't nothing special I felt would get me through the rest of my time on earth.

"Do you understand me, son?" I did the only thing I figured would get me on my picnic.

"Yes sir." I replied and nodded my head vigorously.

"Alright then, have her home by supper."

"Yes sir." Penny walked up to her daddy then and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Alright Daddy, that's quite enough now. We're leaving."

And with that, she laced her arm through mine and we started for the path that was beat out along the stream.

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Me and Penny finally made it to the perfect spot about twenty minutes from church. She pulled a blanket out of the large basket she carried with her and spread it over the big rock that hung out a bit over the water.

While Penny took out the food she packed for us, I tried to look around for tracks without her noticing. No reason for her to get scared or anything.

"Looking for bear tracks?" Man, she was good. Kinda reminded me of Momma, she wasn't gonna let me get away with anything.

"Uh, yeah. Just wanted to make sure we don't have anyone or anything crash our picnic."

She just smiled as I sat on the blanket and grabbed the sandwich she set out for me.

"So, I heard little Georgie begging to come with you before Sunday School this morning."

"Georgie wants to go wherever I go. I promised him a mushroom hunting trip next weekend to make up for it." I grinned at her.

"You're a good brother, Emmett. But, he could've come." She looked up at me then looked out to the water. "I don't have any siblings, you know."

I laughed, "You can barrow a couple of my brothers! I'm sure Georgie could keep you laughing."

"Emmett, I didn't ask you on a picnic to talk about Georgie." She sighed, "I probably shouldn't have asked at all. It was too forward.

"I lied to Daddy and told him you asked me. That's why he gave you your marching orders back there. I never lie to Daddy, or Momma for that matter."

I could tell by the look and the major blush on her face that she was really beating herself up over lying. Hey, she is a preacher's daughter. There's probably extra rules about that kinda shit.

She just looked at her hands in her lap as I put my sandwich down and moved over to sit by her.

"Penny, I think you are the cutest girl I've ever been out with." She looked up at me with her eyes as big as Momma's good supper plates. I have a feeling she's the most innocent of all the girls I've been out with too.

Before she could say anything, I leaned over and touched her face with the back of my hand. It looked pretty massive next to her tiny face. So pretty.

"Emmett!" She whispered. I just smiled.

"Penny, can I ask you something?" She nodded but was looking behind me.

"I know we're not even through our first real date, but, would you go steady with me?"

I can't believe those words just came out of my mouth. I didn't even get a kiss yet! But, I just felt like it was the right thing to do. When a McCarty is faced with something and makes a decision, that's it. Then we just follow through.

Penny gasped and put her hand up to her mouth. I had a feeling she would be surprised. Maybe I should've waited till after dessert.

I noticed Penny was still looking past me. I turned my whole body around to see just what in the hell she was looking at.

I felt all the blood drain from my head. I turned back around slowly and quickly grabbed Penny's hands.

"Penny," I whispered, "I need you to do exactly what I say when I say to do it."

She just looked me in the eyes and then laid the biggest kiss of my life on me. It was also one the best. Also, I feared, one of my last.

I turned my head slowly and looked over my shoulder. The huge black bear was nudging its nose along a log, probably looking for food. Before I turned back to Penny to deliver my plan of attack, I noticed two roly poly cubs tumble down the hill after their mother. Great. This is gonna be one mean momma bear. I just have to get Penny out of here.

"Ok, Penny. I'm going to distract her by throwing our food over to her and the cubs. As soon as I stand and throw the food, run like hell." She clung to my hands tightly and already had tears rolling down her face.

"No, Emmett." She whispered back. "I'm not leaving you here with a wild momma bear."

"Penny, listen, you have to. I promised your daddy I wouldn't let anything happen to you." With the mention of her daddy, she seemed to tense up and more tears came.

"Shh, Penny. We don't have much time. We have to do this now, ok. Start running and I'll try to be right behind you." She looked behind me again and began to shake.

That's when I heard the bear grunting. I said a small prayer in my head and gave Penny's hand one last squeeze.

"Now, Penny."

As I stood up I grabbed the whole picnic basket and threw it over to the bear, just beyond where she was sniffing. I pushed Penny down off the rock and screamed, "Run, Penny! Now!" She took off and the momma bear turned as though she was going to go after her. I don't think so. I grabbed a rock and threw it at her, clonking her in the back of her head, right between the ears.

I watched Penny make it safely around the first bend in the path and the bear turn and make her way toward me at the same time. I froze. My whole twenty years came down to me and a pissed of momma bear. And thanks to me listening to Patty, I didn't have my damn gun. Hell no, it was sitting at home, loaded and ready to go.

The bear let out a ferocious roar and I began inching my way backwards out of fear. It would not do me any good to run now. At least Penny got away. Hopefully she'll make it back to church and get help before….I didn't even want to finish that thought. We were twenty minutes up the path. In twenty minutes…

My back hit the tree that towered over the rock our picnic had been on. I quickly turned and began to shimmy up the tree. As soon as I hit the first branch I felt a massive blow to my right side. I flew out of the tree and landed face down on the path.

The bear roared loudly and swiped her paw across my back, ripping it open and turning me over in the process.

Oh God, I prayed, please take me.

The bear showed no mercy and swiped me across the face. I felt my cheek tear to pieces.

My vision went fuzzy, but in my mind I saw all those who meant the world to me. I thought of Momma, Daddy, my brothers, my niece and nephew, and especially my Georgie.

Oh God, I wailed to myself, how is he going to grow up without me? I felt the tears pour out of my eyes and heard the screams coming from my mouth.

The bear kept playing with me and swatting at me as I kept praying to the good Lord to end this misery.

I heard another loud growl. Oh God, another bear. I wish they would just finish me off. The pain is too much.

My head was spinning and I was struggling to breathe as I heard a loud groan. I then saw the large black momma bear fall down beside me.

I felt myself being lifted off the ground and a quiet voice said, "Hush now, it will all be over soon."

I opened my eyes as far as I could without them hurting too much and saw the most beautiful face with yellow hair flowing around it.

Finally, God had sent an angel to take me home.

Thank you to all those who are reading! I really enjoy seeing readers from other countries, as well! It truly amazes me that anyone would want to read my little story!

Let me know what you're thinking!! :)