A/N: I'm sorry guys for taking so long to post this, but life just got in the way. Thank you everyone for the the reviews and support. I'll try to update much faster next time.

Love ,
Claudia^_^

Chapter Ten

4 PM
Somewhere in Sleepyside

Slowly, the dark haired girl walked towards the building. It had nearly been two years since she'd last been there, but she wouldn't forget it. Ever. What she didn't remember was the run down aspect of everything around it, the degrading looks and smells of it all. She had probably been too stoned to even notice. But now she saw it and it scared her. But the thought of letting him get away with all he had done scared her even more. She had been a fool then, but now she knew better. And she wouldn't let him ruin anybody else's life.

Sally still had a key to the house. She had kept it, not really knowing why. In the beginning it had probably been because she still wanted to challenge Joeanne. But now… Now it was something that would bring her closer to revenge.

With a pounding heart, she tried the key and was relieved when she heard the click. Of course they wouldn't change the locks. They wanted them to come back. She entered the house, trembling and checked her pocket for the knife she had managed to steal from the centre's kitchen. Then she sat on a corner of the dusty living room. All she had to do now was wait.

5 PM
Sleepyside High

As Trixie and Mart left the school, they found Annie sitting on the front steps, a worried look upon her face.

"What are you doing here, sweetie? Shouldn't you be home already?" Trixie asked.

"I'm waiting for Bobby," the girl answered, her voice trembling.

Mart frowned. "Waiting for Bobby? Am I mistaken or should you kids have been home hours ago?"

Annie blushed. "We would have talked to you, but both you and Trixie were in that meeting. And I couldn't stop him."

Now, Mart was getting really worried. "Annie, stop him from what? Oh, please tell me he didn't do something really stupid!"

"I think he did!" The girl on was the verge of tears. "Oh, Mart, we heard Ms. Martin talking to Darryl Warren. They sounded really mysterious, talking about how Darryl put drugs into Melanie's backpack, thinking it was mine and how Ms. Martin had put him up to it and then Bobby decided to follow Darryl to see where he was headed, because she gave him an envelope and…" Annie choked, as the tears fell down her face.

Sighing, Trixie exchanged glances with her brother and wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulders. "And you have no idea where he is right now?"

The girl shook her head. "No. He told me to stay put, because he wouldn't be long. He said he would come back before you two left the meeting and we could go home with you. But that was a long time ago."

Mart caressed the girl's hair, trying to comfort her. But his heart was telling him that something was wrong. "I just hope that Bobby's love for 'sploring won't get him into real trouble this time!" He exclaimed, the pale tone of his face matching his sister's exactly.

It was getting darker and Bobby was starting to worry. He had never meant for this to take this long or to take him so far from the school. He had followed Darryl into a part of town he didn't know and he really wasn't very interested in knowing it. The place was degraded, deserted, and he couldn't see any signs indicating where he was. I should have called one of the guys, he thought as he felt his stomach growling. He was tired, hungry and concerned. Annie must be worrying by now, and chances were Trixie and the others were too. He should have been back a long time before, and Annie had probably told them about his little adventure already.

Suddenly, he saw Darryl stop and look about him. He only had time to duck behind a half destroyed phone booth and hope he hadn't seen him. The other boy had looked back a few times in his course through town, as if he sensed something was wrong, but apparently had not seen Bobby.

Bobby peeked from behind the booth and watched as Darryl entered through the yard gate of a house, just as old and run down as the rest around it, and carefully slipped the envelope Janet Martin had handed him under the door. Then he looked around again, and walked away, whistling.

Taking deep breaths, Bobby considered what course of action to take. He could either go on following Darryl (who was probably just going home, so that would be dumb) or go on home himself (which was quite appealing). But Bobby knew his curiosity wouldn't let him go home just like that. He had to at least take a peek at that house.

So, in seconds, Bobby found himself in the yard of the house. He peeked through the windows, but it was either too dark inside or the window was just too dirty, because he couldn't see a thing. Then he noticed that there was a tiny piece of the envelope still visible under the door.

Kneeling on the front steps, he tried to pull it out. But as he leant against the door to get a better angle, the door slid open and he fell inside, landing on his back.

"Damn," he cursed to himself, as he shot fearful glances around him. But as far as he could tell, the house was as empty as it was dark. Still trembling he picked up the envelope and opened it. And just before a tremendous pain on the back of his head made him black out, Bobby saw that there was money inside.

6 PM
Darnell Farm

Dan felt his heart was just about to jump out of his chest, as he parked Jim's jeep in front of the Darnell's house. I really have to think about buying a car, he thought, turning off the engine.

He sat still behind the wheel, for a few moments. He had to calm down before he could face her, so he took his time observing his surroundings. The Darnell farm was a small but well taken care of place, with an orchard behind the house and a greenery to the right side of it. The one-story house itself was notably old, but it had been freshly painted probably just last summer. On the porch that surrounded the front and left sides of the house, there was a swing with some comfy looking pillows on it. Its only occupant right now was a brownish, lazy cat that was stared at Dan for a few seconds, as if considering if his presence was interesting enough for him to leave his comfortable position. Apparently, the swing was a lot more interesting, because he just laid his head over his front legs and went back to snoozing.

Taking deep breaths to even the rhythm of his heart, Dan stepped out of the car and slowly walked towards the front door. He spotted Joeanne's own car in the garage and he felt as if butterflies were flying in his stomach. Come on, this isn't exactly your first day of school, is it? he thought, trying to calm himself down.

As he was about to knock, the door was opened and Dan found himself staring at Joeanne's younger brother, Kenny.

"Hi, Dan." The boy greeted him with an open smile. Then he pulled him by the arm, practically dragging him into the hall. "I saw you through the window. I'm really glad you made it!"

Before Dan had time to do anything but smile, John Darnell came out of what appeared to be the kitchen, holding a pile of dishes.

"Oh, you actually came, hum? I'm glad Joeanne didn't manage to scare you away! Welcome aboard, son!" John said, winking at him.

"Thank you, sir." Dan was feeling kind of dizzy. "I… Well, here's my contribution to dinner." He handed out the box he was holding to Kenny, who peeked inside it and smiled even wider.

"Chocolate cake! Joeanne," he yelled as he rushed into the kitchen with the box, "Your boyfriend brought chocolate cake!"

Dan wanted the ground to open and swallow him as he heard the boy. John Darnell laughed and handed him the dishes.

"Go on, the dining room is through there. Just set these on the table and I'll be back in a second. Got go teach that boy not to say whatever comes to his mind. Though I think Joeanne is probably doing that already!" He disappeared into the kitchen, leaving a dumbfounded Dan in the hall, holding the pile of dishes.

Taking a few seconds to digest all that had just happened, Dan smiled and walked into the dining room. He looked around, observing the inside of the house, as he laid the dishes on the table. The room wasn't very large, but as everything else in the Darnell farm, it was comfortable and meticulously clean and organized. No wasted space, no useless or tasteless knick-knacks hanging around. Most pieces of decoration seemed to serve a purpose, but many others seemed to be of emotional value. Considering that three males inhabited the house, it wasn't hard to figure Joeanne still had an important role to play in it.

He had just set the last dish when Joeanne came in the dining room, through a door that apparently led directly into the kitchen.

"Oh, Lord," she said, having trouble looking him in the eyes, probably because of her brother's words. "Dad's already put you to work! I'm sorry. He doesn't entertain much, you know."

Dan chuckled. "That's fine! I like it that way. Makes me feel right at home! Just like I do at Crabapple farm, when Mrs. Belden puts everyone to work!"

Joeanne smiled too, still a bit embarrassed. "Crabapple farm is…very different from this place. Well, since you're here, you might as well help me out."

As they finished setting the table, Joeanne found the courage to mention Kenny's thoughtless words. "I'm really sorry about my brother, Dan. He has the annoying habit of not thinking before he talks. It's not like there's any reason for him to think you're my boyfriend." Joeanne shrugged. "He was merely teasing me. Kids!"

"Well, you know what they say about the mouth of babes…" Dan glanced sideways at Joeanne to see the effect his words might have. He wasn't disappointed. Joeanne almost choked and her cheeks turned a bright shade of red.

John Darnell saved them from an awkward silence, by arriving with a tray with roast chicken in one hand and the salad in the other. "Will one of you kids help me or are you willing to eat from the carpet?" He asked with a smile.

Joeanne rushed to him and took the tray, taking the opportunity to get out of the embarrassing situation of not knowing what to say. Dan smiled inwardly; somehow enjoying the feeling of knowing his words had affected her.

John stared at him for a few moments, and then at his daughter, trying to figure out why her cheeks were so brightly coloured. But as the two boys entered the room, he decided it was best to leave it at that and sat down to enjoy dinner.

The meal was pleasant enough, since Dan and John got along extremely well. They talked of several subjects, from the changes in Sleepyside in the last years, to horses, farming and the adventures of the BWGs. Joeanne didn't say much, but she was in a good mood and was enjoying the fact the two men were comfortable enough in each other's presence. She kept watching her brothers, though, probably afraid some other embarrassing comment might spoil the mood. But the two boys behaved wonderfully, despite the occasional chuckling that seemed to follow furtive glances at their sister.

"Joeanne, I still have some homework to do," Dave said, as they ate dessert. "Will you help me?"

"Sure. It isn't Biology, is it?" Joeanne made a face.

The boy shook his head. "No. English."

"Fine, then. I'll help you out."

"Do you have something against Biology, Jo?" Dan's eyes sparkled mischievously.

John raised an eyebrow at the way he called her, but didn't say a word. Joeanne cast a glance at her father and answered: "No, but it was never my specialty. I can deal with Math, English, French, History… But I never really liked Biology."

"What my daughter is trying to say is that she used to get B+ at Biology instead of A." John chuckled, and reached out to caress his daughter's hand.

"Dad!" Joeanne admonished. "I wasn't that good."

"You were in the top five of your class. That's good enough for me."

"Well," Dan said, turning to Dave. "I always liked Biology, so next time you need help, you can call me up."

"Really?" The boy grinned. "That's great."

"Dave, Dan has better things to do. I'm sure he's just being polite." Joeanne gazed at Dan, who shook his head.

"No, I meant it. I really don't mind at all."

"That's settled, then." John got up from his seat and patted Dan on the back. "Come on, son, let's go into the living room. Joeanne, the boys and I will clean up. You just leave everything and I'll take care of it later, darling."

Dan couldn't help feeling jittery as he got in the living room, following John Darnell. As they got settled on the chairs near the fireplace, he prepared himself for John's questions. And he didn't have to wait long.

"Daniel, if you don't mind me asking, are you dating my daughter?" John asked, looking him straight in the eyes.

Dan held his gaze, despite his nervousness. "No, sir. We met in New York, and we realized with had common friends. Then we met back here and got involved in this case… Joeanne must have told you about it."

"Yes, she did. So you're friends, then?"

Dan chuckled. "Well, I'm trying, sir."

John laughed back, understanding completely the meaning of Dan's words. He knew Joeanne very well. "She can be difficult. But she's a nice girl. I don't know how I would have managed without her after my wife passed away." His face turned serious and there was a sad look in his eyes. "I know I let too much responsibility fall on her shoulders, but when I did realize it, it was too late."

Gulping, Dan realized this was the perfect time to tell John Darnell what he felt about the subject. He knew he was meddling, but the older man seemed to appreciate honesty, so Dan went for it. "Mr. Darnell, I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but perhaps it isn't too late yet."

Joeanne's father looked up at him, surprised at the young man's boldness. He seemed to consider how to take his words and then said: "And why do you say that, Daniel?"

"I think I've grown to know Joeanne fairly well, these past few weeks, sir, and I know she believes that responsibility is all hers. She won't let anyone help. But that's tearing her apart," Dan couldn't help the plea in his voice.

"And you think I've grown too accustomed to her being the leader of this family…"

"Forgive me, sir, and you can tell me to just mind my own business, but yes, I do." Dan half expected the man to kick him out of his house, but instead John sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"As much as I'd like to tell you to mind your own business, somehow I think this now is partly your business. Besides, you're right and I must face that. But I just don't know what to do."

"Joeanne is very possessive of the ones she loves, Mr. Darnell, and she won't ever let you just brush her aside." Dan took a deep breath, knowing his next words could send everything down the drain. "But maybe you could start by visiting Sally."

For a moment Dan thought John Darnell was going to reduce his face to a pulp. The older man got up from his seat and stared at him, his fists clenched. Now I know where she got her temper, Dan thought. But then John closed his eyes and when he talked his voice sounded so tired and weary, Dan had to feel sorry for him.

"I miss my baby, Dan. I miss Sally with the bows in her hair and the way she rushed to me when I got home from work. But I don't know the girl that's in that place, the girl that looked at me with all that pain in her eyes. I'm scared of her."
Dan felt embarrassed. He had never expected John Darnell to open up like that. But apparently the man badly needed to let it all out. "Joeanne thinks you're mad at Sally," he said, slowly.

John agreed with a nod of his head. "I know. I let her think that. And I was, in the beginning. I was mad because she was throwing her life away. I was mad at her until I realized it had all been my fault."

"Mr. Darnell, it's nobody's fault. But you should know Joeanne feels the same way. She feels guilty too."

He looked up at Dan, surprised, as if the thought had never even crossed his mind. "Joeanne feels guilty? Why? She was both a mother and a father to Sally and the boys. I was a coward. I could deal with their smiles but never with their tears. Joeanne was the rock we all held on to!"

"And where did she hang on to, sir?" The words left his mouth before Dan could stop them and he felt his heart miss a beat when he saw the tears in the man's eyes.

"I know, son. I've spent many sleepless nights wondering about that. About how I ruined my children's lives."
"Don't be so hard on yourself. We all make mistakes. I've made a few myself," Dan smiled, wryly. "But there's still time. Go to see Sally. She needs you. And Joeanne does too."

John took a deep breath, and to Dan's surprise he held out his hand. Dan took it and shook it, puzzled.

"Thank you for being honest, son. I think I needed to hear someone speak the words that have been in my mind for such a long time. I'll try to find the courage to act on it. I will. But until I do, I need you to hold on to Joeanne, no matter what. She needs you. She needs someone who is brave enough, who loves her enough, to force his way into her heart."

Knowing he had given John Darnell the right to speak freely to him by speaking honestly himself, Dan didn't bother contradicting John's words, or trying to explain that all he felt for Joeanne was the love of a friend. Because when she entered the room, a few moments later, he wasn't so sure of that anymore.

"What were you and my father talking about?" Joeanne asked as she walked him back to the car. "You were silent the moment I walked in on you."

"Oh, nothing." Dan smiled. "Guys stuff."

"Yeah, right." Joeanne returned the smile. "You two seemed to get along."

"We did. Your father is a great guy." As they reached the car, Dan turned to her and added, "I really enjoyed tonight, Jo. Thank you."

"I'm glad you did. But I'm the one who has to thank you. You were great with the boys. Though I think you created a monster. They are going to make you live up to that promise you made them, about Biology homework."

"I hope they do. I look forward to spending more time with them and your father…" Dan held his breath and completed, "And you."

Joeanne looked up at him for a few seconds and then looked away again. "I do, too." Her words were a mere whisper, but they seemed to echo in the silence of the night and then hang in the air, like something physical.

"You do?" Dan asked when he was finally able to speak.

"Yes, I do." When she stared into his eyes, she held his gaze. Her eyes were shining and she had never looked more beautiful.

Something broke inside of him and the thought of being away from her suddenly terrified him more than anything ever had. Slowly, he reached out to touch her face with his fingertips, gently caressing her and revelling in the softness of her skin. He felt her tremble, but she didn't walk away. Dan went on tracing the contour of her face from her cheekbone to her chin, afraid of the intensity of his own feelings and wishing time would just stop.

Joeanne didn't move. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest and her knees were turning to jelly. She knew she should make him stop, but she couldn't even think straight. His touch felt so good and he looked so handsome, out there in the moonlight. When he gently tilted her chin upwards with his fingers, Joeanne knew what he was about to do, but didn't stop him. She was scared to death but she wanted this. She had wanted this for such a long time! That was her last coherent thought before she felt his lips on hers, tender, but firm. And the warmth of him spread through her body in a way that made her want to cry.

Dan let a soft moan escape his throat as he felt the velvety touch of her lips for the very first time. Feeling dizzy, he closed his arms around her, bringing her closer to his body. He could feel her hands on his chest, clutching at his shirt. He was so afraid she would run from him! But instead her lips parted slightly, responding to his kiss, almost shyly. Knowing he was going too fast, but unable to stop himself, he deepened the kiss, wanting to taste her fully. And he realized how hungry for her touch he had been.

Suddenly, the annoying ring of a cell phone broke the silence and the magic of the moment. Joeanne parted from him, holding on to the disruptive sound as if it would save her from him. She looked for the phone in her pockets with trembling hands, unable to look him in the eyes. She finally found it and answered it.

Dan was still too shaken up by what had just happened to say a word. He pressed his back against the jeep's door, trying to catch his breath. His lips felt numb and there was a lingering warmth that reminded him of the sweetness he had just experienced. He hadn't planned it, he hadn't expected it, but now he wanted more. And the most amazing thing was that she had kissed him back! Now if she would just get off that damned phone…!

But when she did, he automatically knew that something had just gone terribly wrong. Dan stood up straight, suddenly alarmed by the girl's pale face and scared eyes.

"Jo, what's wrong?" He asked, cupping her face with his hands.

"It's Sally…" Joeanne was so scared, she could barely talk. "Sally ran off!"

"What?" Dan felt the blood in his veins turn to ice. "She ran away from the centre?"

Joeanne nodded, choked by tears. Dan took her in his arms and cradled her for a moment, knowing this wasn't the time to get back to where they had left off. Besides, he had the excruciating feeling this had something to do with his visit to the centre. "Jo," he said, suddenly aware of how much he cared about her. "I have something to tell you…"

She breathed in deeply, trying to regain her composure. "No, Dan…I'm sorry! I have to get to the centre. I have to know what happened!"

Oh, I bet I can tell you that. I told her Dick was back and she went to find him, Dan thought, feeling sickeningly scared. She was going to hate him forever, if something happened to her sister. "I'm coming with you, Jo," he said. "And you should tell your father what happened."

She looked at him as if she hadn't understood what he was saying.

"Tell him. I bet he'll want to go too," Dan insisted, knowing Joeanne would need someone with her. He was coming too, but he had a feeling she was going to hate him before the night was through.

She didn't question him further and went inside the house. She was too confused to even think about why Dan was so certain her father would go with her. And the fact was, as soon as he heard the news, John Darnell picked up his coat and shot out the door.