NOTE: This theme's a little ambiguous, huh, "drive". I had a little trouble with this one. This'll be good~

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The next page had a picture of Nicholas, Sandra, Aaron and Ashley. Aaron looked around ten, Ashley around five. And the girl in question happened to walk into the room. She'd apparently just woken up from a nap.

"Hey, Ash!" said Aaron.

Ashley yawned. "What're you guys looking at?"

"A scrap book," said Nicholas, scootching over and patting the couch next to him. "Why don't you join us?"

"Eh, sounds like fun," said Ashley, plopping down. She looked down and saw the picture. "Where's that?"

"That's the Museum of Natural History in D.C.," said Nicholas.

"It was your first 'long' car ride," said Sandra. "I wanted to tear out my hair. You two were arguing, kids."

"Us?" asked Ashley, feigning innocence.

"Ash, you're too old to do that," said Aaron.

"Yeah, it only works on parents when you're five," said Sandra.

"Speak for yourself," said Nicholas, wrapping an arm around Ashley and kissing her forehead.

"Well, the car ride was still a pain," said Sandra.

*flashback*

Aaron leaned over and yanked Ashley's pig tail. Again.

Ashley yelled out in surprise and punched him in the arm. Again.

"Moooom! Ashey punched me!"

"Well YOU pulled my hair!"

"You started it!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

Sandra turned around sharply. "Kids! Be quiet or I'll have Daddy turn this car around!"

"No! Don't, Mom!" exclaimed Aaron indignantly.

"Pleeeeeeease! I wanna see the dino!" whined Ashley.

"Then behave yourselves!" said Nicholas.

"Ashley, don't punch your brother. Aaron, keep your hands to yourself." Sandra eyed the floor. "Where are the books we gave you two?"

"She threw mine, so I threw hers," grumbled Aaron, crossing his arms and pouting.

"A few minutes ago," said Nicholas.

"Then what about their stuffed animals?" asked Sandra.

"I pulled over and you put them in the trunk, remember?"

"Gigi's not stuffed!" yelled Ashley. "She's a a kitty that came down here from outer space to save the rest of the animals!"

"No she's not! She's not real," retorted Aaron.

"Yes she is!"

"No she's not."

"Yeah huh!"

"Nope!"

"Yeah huh!"

"No way!"

"Enough!" stated Sandra loudly and clearly. Both children fell silent. "Do they have anything else? A movie, maybe?"

"D.C.'s only an hour away, Hun," said Nicholas. "We didn't bring any movies."

"I have an idea. Let's play a game!" said Sandra, turning in her seat belt.

Both children, who had begun to argue about something again, fell silent.

"What kind of game?" asked Ashley, intrigued.

"Yeah, it better not be anything stupid!" Aaron declared.

"Aaron! Watch your language!" said Nicholas. "One more word like that and you're going to be on time out!"

"Ok, Daddy..." Aaron looked at Sandra. "What kind of game, Mom?"

"It's called the Quiet Game! The person who can be quiet for the longest time wins a prize!"

"What kind of prize, Mommy?" asked Ashley excitedly.

"It's a special kind of prize that only Daddy and I know," said Sandra.

"What's the prize, Daddy?" asked Ashley.

"A special prize that I'm not allowed to tell you," he replied.

"Why not?" Ashley pouted.

"Because it's a secret," said Sandra. "Ready? One...two...THREE! Ok, no more noise."

And for a few minutes, there was silence.

Aaron yanked Ashley's pig tail again.

"Ow!"

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NOTE: I felt like writing something light hearted. What do you guys think? For those who don't know, Ashley Abner is Sandra and Nicholas' second child, whose character premiered in chapter 12 of Defender of the People. Here, I can explore what her character would develop and become, whereas in Defender, I'll probably only be able to explore Aaron's to a limited extent.