Reviews, how I love them. And yes, AlbusSeverusPotter, I will be defining Susie more in this chapter, to get everyone's character in check. I love your penname by the way. :D

Also, thanks again to PrincessNinjaWarrior, as well as Omajaho-Boy and Wherever Girl for inviting me to their Christmas party. WG, if you're reading this, I'll be in contact with you soon about the New Years/Valentine's party. Can't wait to collaborate!

Anywho, here's another chapter. :)

"Susie! Hold on to the rock! There!"

Susie turned her panicked gaze away from Hobbes, facing the direction of the current, seeing a large rock sticking out from the creek. She fought the current to swim to the side, and grabbed onto it. Her hands were freezing, the creek was days away from freezing. Her flushed hands clutched the rock for life, her legs and torso surfing the top of the water, pulled mercilessly by the tide.

Hobbes, to both of their advantage, had become a very agile swimmer. The current going the direction he needed worked to his advantage. Trying desperately to keep his mossy eyes open, he forcefully breast stroked his way towards his damsel in distress. Susie, seeing the edge of the creek, where she could potentially get out, began to uneasily hoise herself onto the rock. Hobbes was about thirty feet away, gliding down the ravine as quick as he could. Her upper body was hoisted onto the rock now. She worked her left leg onto it as the tiger clutched a rock about three ahead of her own, trying to slowly maneuver to hers without passing it.

"Stay there! I'm coming. Just- stay there."

Heart pounding rapidly, the feline tore out of the water, landing catlike on the rock, and skipping over to the boulder Susie clutched onto, her long dark hair in matted tangles, bordering the ever paling skin of her face. He could see the desperation in her eyes. Now crouched on the large rock, Hobbes extended a long arm towards her, an expression of pure worry on her face. Susie, looking down at the unforgiving rapids, reached up with her left hand, clutching his wet paw. He pulled her up forcefully, sending them both tumbling backwards into the dirt, Susie landing on top of Hobbes, both covered in creek water and now, their position, Susie rolled off of the tiger, standing up, extending an arm to help him up. Now standing, he noticed how cold she must have been. He held up a finger, running behind the tree to shake out the water and dirt in his fur, before walking back over, mostly dry. She looked up at him,

"Th-Th-Thank y-you."

"Don't mention it," Hobbes breathed, wrapping a warm arm around her to guide her back to the house, where Mom would surely supply her with a towel and a blanket. As much as Susie wanted to thank him again, she remained silent, feeling uneasy to waste heart filled nothings at him. Hobbes, as they walked, also tried to speak to her, but couldn't find the words. All he knew was that when Calvin found out Hobbes saved her from possible injury, he was going to be pissed.

Now in the backyard, Susie found it comfortable to get closer to the heat radiating from Hobbes fur. He didn't seem to mind. She was still shivering from the cold water, but it helped, in the least. Climbing the steps, they entered the kitchen, to see Mom sitting at the table, drinking coffee and reading a magazine. She looked up at them, seeing Susie shivering and wet, and Hobbes' fur damp. Mom immediately stood up, walking around the table to help them. She looked at Susie, then to Hobbes,

"What happened here?"

"I fell into the creek," said Susie quietly, her breathing shaky, "H-He helped me out."

"Oh- Oh, you poor Dear, let me get you a towel."

Mom rushed out of the kitchen, towards the downstairs hall to fetch a towel and blanket from the linen closet as the pair remained, awkwardly standing in the kitchen. A million things were going through Hobbes; mind right now. He was pleased with himself, and his deed, but it still made him guilty to see her so cold. She leaned back into him, feeling the warmth of his chest fur again, before looking up at him again,

"Th-Thanks again. I'm so sorry for making you jump in the water."

"You didn't make me. I chose too."

She nodded, shrugging as Mom returned to the kitchen with a fluffy towel, wrapping it around Susie's shoulders, keeping them in her hands as she looked at the poor girl, "Here you go, Deary, get warm. It's not good to go falling in creeks during this time of year."

"Thank you, Ma'am. I'm fine, honest."

"I won't have any of that, Hon. And please, call me Doris."

"Well, Thank you, Doris."

Mom smiled at her, putting a tea kettle on the stove. Hobbes was leaning against the counter silently, not sure whether or not he needed to say anything at this point. They heard the sound of the front door closing. Calvin, seeing a number of occupants in the kitchen, set his bag of goodies down to check out what had happened. He padded along to the kitchen, seeing his Mom putting a kettle on the stove, Hobbes and Susie both wet, the latter drying her hair off with a towel.

"What happened to you guys?"

"She fell in the creek," said Hobbes flatly, glancing at Calvin. The blonde looked from him, to Susie, who shivered a little every few moments, "Are you alright, Susie?"

"I'm okay… Excuse me for a moment, I'm…I'm gonna go change."

She set the towel down on the table neatly before rushing out the back door towards her house, to change he clothes. The girl entered the house. Her Grandparents weren't home, probably playing bingo with their friends, sipping hot cocoa. She stumbled up again, blowing onto her fingers to get the numbness out. She entered her room, feeling the warmth. Shutting the door, the brunette reached into her dresser drawers to pick a new change of clothes.

'If it weren't for him, you could be really hurt.'

He nodded to herself, feeling remorse for causing Hobbes to jump in the river after her, but she felt it was sweet that he did anyway. She had only just met him, but he's known her for as long as she could remember. It was strange in a way. She wondered if any of her other friends would be able to see him, it was obvious Calvin's few friends did, and his parents did. Unless she was dreaming.

Susie was a very smart girl. She achieved a 3.9 GPA, and was the editor of the newspaper. She wasn't the most popular girl at school, but did have a good sized circle of friends, Calvin included on very rare occasions. She was very self-conscious, and had a rather low self esteem, and way particularly shy around new people. Her outburst at Calvin and Hobbes was a very minor exception. She sighed, pulling on a grey turtleneck, relishing the sudden warmth it gave her, like that of the tiger's fur. She stopped short for a second, almost feeling strange that she was thinking about it so much. Shaking her head, she pulled on a new pair of pants, and Ugg boots, feeling nice and warm.

Padding over to the bathroom, she took out her contact lenses to clean them, suddenly blind as a bat. She found the blurry handle of the sink, and washing the lens, before dropping it. Gasping, she felt around in the sink for the lens, and couldn't see it.

"Shit," she muttered, putting the other one back in her better eye. It was still only half the vision, but she could see, barely. After adjusting it in her left eye, she went carefully down the stairs to get back to Calvin's house. Their back fences connected with a gate. She walked through it to see Hobbes sitting on the porch, now dry. He had his elbow on his leg, chin in hand, glumly stairing down at the dirt below his feet. There were red mugs on either side of him. She approached him slowly. He looked up at her as she stepped in front of him. He smiled sadly, handing her a mug of tea,

"Oh, hi… Here, Mom fixed this up for you…"

"Oh. Thank you."

She hesitantly took the cup from him, taking a sip of the warm drink. Herbal peach tea was always delicious, especially in cold weather like this. She still couldn't see too well. The tension was growing, she could tell. She took a short glance over at him. He was staring at the ground still. She tensed a bit when she heard him speak, lowly, just above a whisper,

"Do you feel better, now?"

"I do. Thanks for helping me out of there…H-"

"Hobbes," he said softly, smiling ever so slightly. She looked up at him to meet his gaze dead on. His bright green eyes looked straight into her. Se felt almost uncomfortable, but safe at the same time. It was hard to describe. Again, as subtly as the first time, he spoke again, "You can't see."

"What?"

"You're squinting to see me, and this eye is brighter than the other."

"I dropped a contact lens into the sink…" she mumbled softly, "I don't want to wear my back up glasses. They're ugly."

"Opinions vary, you know."

"Hmph."

"Just put 'em on. It's just us here, isn't it."

Sighing she reached into her left pocket, pulling out a long, thin case. From it, she pulled out glasses. The frames were thick, and black. She pulled them on, pushing her bangs to the side, to see again as she looked back at him again. He smiled. She rolled her eyes, "I told you."

"I think they look great on you."

"Lies." She said simply, with a slight smile. He held up his right paw, mimicking oath, "I'm as honest as Abe."

"Hobbes," said a voice from the back door.

The girl and the tiger looked back, seeing Calvin standing at the back door. His arms were crossed. Hobbes looked at him, "Yeah, what is it?"

"I need to talk to you."

The chapter was sort of dragging, so I ended it there. But things are going a bit more. I intend to bring Hobbes into the school, to increase the whole triangle, but the question is whether or not I keep him invisible, or if somehow, I find a way to make him visible to all. Your thoughts?

Review! =3

-RJ