Hello again. Lightheart77 here. Here's the next chapter in my story and I hope you like it. Thanks to: londoncalling797, Claire Cooper, Aquafire1028, and Auronius, for reading and reviewing. And for new readers please review! I want to know if you all like it. And again thanks for reading! : )

Chapter 3: Friends Who Stick Together

Mrs. Melba sat at her desk with her arms folded across her chest. Behind her was Margot with a satisfied grin when she saw the three teens walk through the door.

The principal lioness's face became a little gentler when she said, "Hello you three. I'm glad to see that you came."

"I swear to you, Mrs. Melba. They're the ones who are to blame," Margot began to rant on.

"You have no evidence to say such a bold statement," scoffed Jamie.

"I don't need any proof. I know it was you three."

"That's enough, Margot. I don't need a full out brawl in my office. You can leave now," Mrs. Melba motioned her to the door.

"Yes, ma'am," Margot said in an annoyingly cheerful voice. She got out from behind Mrs. Melba's desk and headed to the door but not before give the three a look that said, "You're done for." She than opened and closed the door, leaving for her class.

"Ahem," Mrs. Melba cleared her throat, "Now, I realize that Margot doesn't have the skill or the resources to pull off stealing the Golden Claw. But you three seem to. I mean we have the daughter of a master thief," Alexa winced at the principal's reference toward her, "a straight A, brilliant student who can watch cameras in the office and then an all star athlete who could hold my attention." Alexa felt her friends tense up when the lioness made her reference toward them. "And when Margot told us how you had some ill-blood for her, it was easy to connect the dots from there. So… if you admit to taking the Golden Claw, then the punishment maybe lessened."

The three students looked at the floor staying quiet. What a hole they've dug themselves into this time. Plans and ideas were streaming through each of their heads, trying to find a solution to this problem. So far, none their answers were pretty.

"Come on, now. If I don't hear anything I'll have to put you all in summer detention," Mrs. Melba threatened.

What? Alexa thought as she looked to her friends who still looked down to the floor. They have better things to do over the summer than to be in the school for four hours a day. "I did it Mrs. Melba," Alexa boldly said stepping forward. "They only assisted me. It was all my idea, even. Please don't punish them for my mistake."

"Alexa," both Ken and Jamie said underneath their breath in shock.

Mrs. Melba smiled and said, "Alright then. Ken, Jamie, you can leave the room and go back to class."

"But…" Ken interjected.

"It wasn't…" Jamie tried to add.

But Alexa pushed the two of them out the door and whispered, "You guys can't afford being here for the summer. I can. Don't worry, everything will be fine," and with that Alexa closed the door behind the two and walked back over to Mrs. Melba's desk.

"So, Alexa," Mrs. Melba began, "You're willing to take the blame for this?"

"Believe me, Mrs. Melba. If I hadn't, those two would have easily said 'Ready for summer detention.' Unfortunately, they can't afford to stay here during the summer for me," Alexa explained.

"And you can?" Mrs. Melba questioned.

Alexa just shrugged her shoulders and replied, "More than they can."

Mrs. Melba nodded, "That's very honorable of you."

"Thank you. And I'm ready to except what ever punishment I have to take," Alexa said quietly looking down at the floor again.

"Then you're punishment is to leave my office and warn students not to pull off a stunt like that because the punishment is massive," Mrs. Melba said with a grin on her face.

Alexa looked up from the ground with surprise on her face, "Okay, whoa, one minute. Say wha?"

"I'm letting you go," she put simply.

"But we… I mean, I…" Alexa stammered.

Mrs. Melba chuckled and said, "The truth is I was quite the prankster back in my day, so I always appreciate a good prank. And this defiantly takes the cake. And with a good prank I let the pranksters off the hook." Mrs. Melba looked the door and added, "That includes you two."

Alexa turned to the door to see her two friends open it looking embarrassed.

"Hehe, sorry," Ken chuckled embarrassed, as he apologized. "We just wanted to make sure Alexa was going to be okay."

"Yeah," Jamie agreed. "We were going to bust in if her punishment was going to be over the top, that way we could take some of it, too. It wouldn't have been fair just to leave her to have all of the punishment."

Alexa looked at her to best friends with joy in her eyes. They always have and always will look out for me, she thought to her self as she said, "Aww. Thanks guys, you're the best." She then embraced the both in a hug.

"Alright," Mrs. Melba cleared her throat again. "You all can head back to class. And be sure to seem not too proud of yourselves. I don't want the student body to think they could pull off something like this and get away with it. I would have a whole mess of trouble."

"Yes, ma'am," the three replied happily as they went out the door.

Mrs. Melba's smile then went down into a frown and she picked up the phone. She dialed a number then said, "Hello, operator. Yes, can you please get me Constable Cooper?"

Back to our gang of teens; they were walking along the halls heading back to class. Alexa had her hands behind her head as she usually did as she walked, and she was the first to speak, "Can you believe it? We got off the hook."

"I know," Ken concurred. "I thought we were in it for sure."

"Yeah," Jamie nodded. "It's amazing we made it through today."

"Oh," Alexa turned her head toward her friends and added, "And guys, thanks."

"For what?" the fox and wolf asked.

"For coming to my rescue," she replied simply.

"No, you came to our rescue," Ken countered.

"Why does it always seem like you're doing that for us?" Jamie asked.

Alexa shrugged, "Cause. You guys do so much for me. You defend me and my family all the time, you help me out when I need it, and you've been my best friends since kindergarten. So, the least I can do is bail you guys out."

"Well," they both murmured.

"Don't worry about it," Alexa chuckled. "We're a team, so that's how it's gonna be. We protect each other no matter what, right?" she asked looked back at them with a huge grin on her face.

"Right," they both said with smiles spreading across their face.

They finally reach the class room, and open the door to hear… clapping?

"What the…" the gang said as they wondered as the thunderous clapping students approached them with a down poor of questions and comments.

"You guys rock!" one kid nearly screamed, "Come on, tell us how you did it," one asked, "I would have never expect you guys to do it but you did," one student commented, "How much trouble did you get into?" another one questioned, "What did Mrs. M say?" another went on.

"Hey!" Alexa shouted in frustration. The questions stopped and everyone quieted down. "Thank you. Now, what the heck is going now here? Is there some reason why we're playing twenty questions?"

One of her classmates stepped forward. It was a shy female turtle that Alexa had known since last year. Her name was Sophie. Every once in a while, Alexa and her two friends would sit with her and help with her confidence issues. And, indeed she had came out of her shell, metaphorically speaking of course. "Haven't you three realized it yet? You guys have become heroes for pulling off the prank of the year," she explained.

"How does us doing that, make us heroes exactly?" inquired Jamie.

"Because, none of us here would have had the guts to pull it off," said the turtle with a shy smile; everyone behind her nodded.

"Well, that makes some sense," Ken agreed scratching behind his ear.

"It makes no sense!" came a well known shrill voice from the back of the room. Margot then came pushing and shoving to the front of the room, nearly knocking Sophie over on her back. Lucky for her, Ken had quick reflexes and caught her just in time.

Sophie sighed with relief, looking up to Ken, "Thanks."

Ken just smiled and helped her up on her feet.

"All right, Margot," Alexa said, trying to keep her voice steady as her anger grew. No one was to treat her friends in such a way, especially right in front of her face. "Tell us why it makes no sense. I'm just dieing to hear it."

"Well, one: you guys blamed the fabulous me. And two: it wasn't the greatest prank ever because anyone with half a mind could've done it," Margot listed off.

"Oh, this is gonna be fun," Alexa said under her breath with her father's grin growing on her face. "Okay then, now let me say what I need to clarify your list. You are not as fabulous as you think. And I'm sure you'll admit that you at least have half a brain, so then you could have pulled off and be blamed for it. Except for the fact that you just went off blaming us right when you got through that office door. And you had no true proof that we had even done it in the first place."

"Hello," Margot scoffed. "I knew it was you all a long. You would do anything to get back at me for what I say. And besides, unlike you, I have a life over the summer and it doesn't include spending it here, at the school, for detention."

"Ha! Please. And what does that consist of? You sitting out in the sun at the beach making fun of people until they cry? Oh yeah. What a way to send a summer," Alexa countered.

"Like a mutt like you would understand."

Alexa's anger was quite clear at that point. "Oh you went too far, Margot."

"Oh, what you gonna do about it? Huh? You gonna go to that thief father and that washed up cop you call a mother?" she replied in voice that you would use when talking to a child.

Alexa growled. Her fur was truly standing on end and then showed her fangs in the most threatening way any one as ever seen her done. "That's it!" Alexa yelled and jumped at Margot.

Margot breathed in a scared gasp but lucky for her Ken caught Alexa in mid-flight. "Calm down," Ken gently said as he carried her to a desk.

"Ken, if value your arms, you'd let me go right now and let me claw her eyes out," Alexa growled.

Ken sat her down in a desk and said, "Relax. I think it would be a good idea if you just sit here and breathe."

"She went too far. Now allow me to settle it," Alexa complained trying to get up.

"Believe me, I would but, knowing you, you'd nearly kill her," Ken replied. "Besides, your friends have taken care of it," he added with a smile.

"Huh?" Alexa looked to her classmates and they were all huddled around Margot and all of them had angry expressions.

Sophie step towards Margot and said, "Don't' you ever talk to Alexa like that again. She is a good person, unlike you. Also, I'm sure next time Ken won't save you."

Jamie came up behind Sophie and added, "And if you do it in front of a lot people, like all of us for example, she won't be the only one to attack you."

"Hehe," Margot began to chuckle nervously when she noticed all of the glares staring at her. "Hey, now. Why the hostile looks? Can't you all take a joke?"

"Apparently not," Jamie replied with venom in her tone.

"Well, then…" Margot said a little shaky with fear, "Guess I should leave." She then ran out the door like the frightened poodle she was.

Alexa stood up and looked to everyone. She then smiled and said happily, "Thank you, all of you. Especially you Sophie," she then went to go stand beside her turtle friend, "You faced your fears and stood up to that witch. Everyone, let's applaud to Sophie and the fact that Margot has learned her lesson!"

All of classmates jumped up; some whistling and others clapping and laughing. Alexa looked toward her friends, who were just as pleased with the turn out. The day had worked out well.

The bell rang allowing students to leave for home. Many were screaming and shouting their hoorays and throwing the papers they don't need any more all over the place. Alexa, Ken and Jamie stayed behind for a while to allow the class to clear out.

"Finally, school is out," said Alexa with glee.

"Ah, summer. I can't wait," said Jamie excitedly.

"Me either," Ken added, "It's the perfect time to train for next year."

"Man, forget training. I'm gonna sleep," with hilarity in her voice. Soon all three of them were laughing. Alexa sighed, and then said, "Let's get out of here before people realize we're in here. I really don't want to play twenty questions, again."

"Good idea," Jamie concurred.

Ken opened the door, like any gentleman would, for his two lady friends. And outside the door a ton of people were waiting for them. Ken quickly closed the door before anyone realized they were in that room. "I vote the window," he suggested.

"I second that," Jamie pronounced.

"So do I!" Alexa ran over to the window and opened it. "After you." Both Jamie and Ken were quickly out the window and Alexa was right behind them. As soon as they had hit the ground, they heard the classroom door open and voices of confusion.

"We can so out run them," Alexa stated.

Ken and Jamie nodded.

"Okay, here we go. Ready…" Alexa started.

"Set…" Ken added.

"Go!" Jamie finished.

They went sprinting down the school yard and up the side walk. They ran for about five minutes looking back to see no one was following them, that or couldn't catch up, and that the school was visible no more. So the three stopped and sat on the grass next to the sidewalk, panting.

The three then laughed like they were back in kindergarten playing a game. They always try there best to have fun together like this since most of the time one of them is off doing some other thing and they can't be together. Many people, including their parents, wonder how they stuck together for so long.

"That was great. We haven't done something like that in so long, huh?" Alexa asked still panting.

"I know," said Jamie, panting just as hard. "I'm surprised we were all pretty evenly matched."

"Well, I went easy on you two," Ken laughed as two friends punched him playfully in the shoulder laughing with him.

Alexa sighed as she finally caught her breath and stood up, "Come on. We can head over to my house. It is the closest, after all."

"That sounds good," Ken agreed. "What about you, Jamie?"

"Fine with me," Jamie replied.

Ken stood up and then he held out a hand to Jamie. Jamie turned a little pink under the white fur of her cheeks, but she took his hand all the same, and he pulled her up with great ease.

"Aww, see," Alexa teased as she saw her friends acting like they were together; "You guys would make such a cute couple."

Jamie and Ken turned red at Alexa's usual comment and quickly let go of each others hands, yelling in an embarrassed tone, "Alexa!"

Alexa just laughed, "What? You know you two do."

Ken, still red, turned away from Jamie saying, "Well…"

Jamie, just as red, turned away from Ken adding, "It could never…"

Alexa just giggled. This was something she would always do to those two, though she said it truthfully she would also get a chuckle out of it.

But then something caught Alexa's eye. She looked up at a roof top to see something shrouded in black, looking down at her. What the… Alexa thought as she stared up at the figure.

"Alexa?" Jamie asked out of concern.

Ken began waving his hand in front of her face, "Yo, Al! Snap out of it."

"Huh," she looked back to her friends, "Oh, sorry. I spaced out for a minute there."

Jamie followed Alexa's glance, "What were you looking at?"

Alexa looked back up at that same roof top but nothing was there. "Nothing," she replied. "It must have been a trick of the eye. Let's go before the kids from school catch up."

They went down the side walk, walking instead of sprinting, and talked about the job they pulled off today. Thinking about how many things could have gone wrong but didn't. They laughed at some of the mistakes that could've happened and soon they reached Alexa's house door.

"Okay. My parents won't be back for a while, so you guys know the rules," she said as she opened the door.

"Of course," Jamie said simply as she and Ken came through the door.

"Don't you think we would know by now? I mean, we've been coming here for years," Ken added.

"Yeah, yeah, you keep telling yourself that," she said as she walked past the two putting up their stuff and into the kitchen. "I'll get us some snacks for us…" but her sentence trailed off as she noticed her father standing in the kitchen leaning up against the table. "D-dad? What are you doing here?"

Well, I'm sorry but gonna have to leave you in suspense again. If I don't, it would probably take even longer for me to get this chapter up. And for that whole scene with Margot being a little… well you know, that isn't what I had originally planned so please review and tell me what you thought about it. Oh heck, just review. I want to know what all who read this story think.

Until the next chapter, later.