A/N: Hey, new chapter. Sapphire goes home way past curfew and has to deal with, (cue scary music), John! Will he go easy on her, or will he bring down the hammer? Well, you're going to find out. Italics is a thought.

Disclaimer: Don't own Ice Age...

"Oh. My. God." Sapphire's words came out slowly. "I'm so screwed! Peaches, I have to go, I'll see you later!"

It was then that the Herd realized how late it was. "Oh, Geez! Yeah, bye Sapphire!" Peaches called to her already tunneling away friend. As she tunneled away, Sapphire ran different scenarios through her head. One of two things could possibly happen. Either everyone could be sleeping and she could slip in quietly, or John would be sitting there waiting for her. She hoped everyone was sleeping as she arrived at her burrow. Sneaking into the entrance, everything was dead silent. Just as she thought she was home free, she heard the chilling sound of her oldest brother clearing his throat behind her.

"Ahem."

I'm so screwed.

She turned around and lowered her head, even though he couldn't see her in the darkness. See stood there, waiting for what was to come. The yelling, the scolding, the possible cussing and the fearful shrinking back that she does whenever John blows his top.

"Where were you? I sent Zach to go find you and when he came back telling me he couldn't find you I got worried." John seemed unusually calm, and it put Sapphire in a state of unease.

"I was with Peaches at her place." She tried to thoroughly explain her case so maybe John wouldn't be as mad. "I didn't mean to come home late, honest. I lost track of time and the next thing I knew, it was late and I hurried home as fast as I could."

"Do you know what went through my mind when you never came back? I thought you were better than this, you never came home late before." John's voice was growing increasingly angered and it sounded like he was trying to control an outburst. He ran a hand through his brown hair and sighed.

"Come with me outside, we need to talk."

Sapphire followed him out the burrow entrance, knowing why he wanted to go outside. It was late, and Jack and Molly were sleeping. If he were to yell inside he would wake them up, then he would have to explain to them why he was yelling. Once outside, the floodgates of John's anger were opened, unable to control it any longer.

"What were you thinking! I thought something bad happened to you! And it wasn't just me and Zach you worried, Jack and Molly asked why you weren't home! Do you know how hard it was to tell them I didn't know why you didn't come back?!"

Sapphire recoiled, clasped her hands together in front of her mouth as she always did when her brother was angry and spoke. "John, I swear it was an accident, I didn't mean to and I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Sorry?! Do you think sorry works when someone you love is gone, never to be seen again?! I thought you got kidnapped or raped or killed or even all three!"

Now Sapphire was getting mad. She dropped her hands to her sides and defended herself. "Well I'm fine John, okay! I said I was sorry and that I didn't mean to come home late! Now get off my back, there are just some things you can't control John, and you have to learn that!"

John's enraged expression softened to one of understanding. "I- I'm sorry sis. I just- I just don't want to lose another family member. When you didn't come back, I thought I lost you." John sat on the ground and put his head in his hands "Just like Mom and Dad." Sapphire sat on the ground next to her brother and smiled. "You know, you should feel grateful."

John looked at her, confusion stamped on his face. "Why?"

"Today while I was hanging out with Louis and Peaches we went to a cliff with the most amazing view. I guess I stood a little too close to the edge, because the next thing I knew, I was falling off the cliff to the rocks below."

John still looked confused. "And you didn't die how?"

Sapphire smiled warmly at her brother. "Before I fell too far, Louis grabbed my arm and pulled me back onto the edge. I'm alive because of him John."

John suddenly looked concerned. "Are you okay? You didn't get hurt, did you?"

Sapphire giggled. "The only injuries I got were from Louis grabbing me so hard. He's surprisingly strong, he left a bruise on my arm." She lightly touched her upper arm. "I don't think he knows he left a bruise."

"That's a nice sized bruise." John stood up followed by his sister. "When do you think you can bring Peaches and Louis around here?"

"Um, maybe tomorrow? I'm fine with bringing them here only if Jack, Molly and Zach promise not to embarrass me. Especially Zach."

John laughed out of no where as if Sapphire said something funny. "You- you're not bringing them tomorrow. What makes you think you're bringing them tomorrow?"

Sapphire was confused. "Uh, because I figured you would want to see them soon?"

"Sure I want to see them, but just not for three days, when you're allowed to leave the burrow again."

Sapphire was floored by his statement. "But I thought we had some kind of heart- to- heart here?"

"Sure but that doesn't excuse coming home late. You're going out with your friends for three days."

Zach then appeared at the burrow's entrance, doubled over in laughter. "That was classic! I saw the whole thing, you totally made her think she was off the hook! Oh, I can't wait for the next three days. I'm not going to let you live this down!" Zach continued laughing while Sapphire looked pleadingly at John. John took pity on his little sister.

"On second thought, maybe two days will be enough. Consider Zach's taunting and Jack and Molly's exhausting play times with you as part of your punishment."

He then turned to Zach, "And I wasn't playing a joke on her. I just had a 'realization' moment and calmed down a little is all."

Sapphire looked grateful. "Thanks bro, you're awesome." She smirked in the darkness, John didn't know Zach was going to spend the day with Becca tomorrow, eliminating half of the grounding reduction reasons. But she was still troubled, what would Louis and Peaches think when she doesn't show up at the clearing for two days? She knew John wouldn't let her go tell them. Zach would, but he's not in charge. She hoped they wouldn't be too upset.

They all went back inside and went to bed. Sapphire laid on her grass bed, thinking about her friends. She wondered how they would react to her absence. They might be concerned, but she worried that they might think she ditched them. For some reason, though, she was more concerned with Louis thinking she ditched him. But why did she worry more about him than Peaches? Sapphire's mind wandered to the event at the cliff that day, remembering how Louis held her tight against him, how he felt so warm and comforting. She blushed at the memory.

Wait, she was blushing? How odd.

A/N: This chapter was kind of short. I just wanted to get the confrontation out of the way. Unless you guys don't thing it's short, then just disregard that. So will Peaches and Louis think Sapphire ditched her? Maybe yes, maybe no. I won't tell you! (I don't give spoilers.)

Reviewer shout outs!

scoobs5601- Yeah, Sapphire's got it kind of rough in life, huh? I'm glad I described her eyes well. And purple contacts? Wow, that's unique, and definitely gutsier than I would go for. I could never pull that off. (And yes, you can call her Saph.) :)

Guest- If you saw love in the last chapter, then this one had to have flashed neon lights at you, practically screaming love!