Chapter 17. Wow. This is now the longest story I have ever written! Sorry WOV, but you're at second place now. I hope you likes. Wow, I just love this story so much that I am definitely continuing it! ;) To avoid confusion, this is taking place before Sam and Flora are thinking about their feelings for one another, so in other words, Flora is leaving right now after talking with Shira.

And Happy Valentines Day!

Despite seeing Flora back in the cave last night, Manny still wasn't convinced that she was not sneaking off anywhere. He decided to do a little scoping with her. Maybe Manny could recruit the possums to spy on Flora, but he saw the flaw in that plan.

As soon as Flora left, Manny eyed her as she walked away.

I don't know what you're hiding, thought Manny. But I'm gonna get to the bottom of it.

Knowing that Flora will see him because of his enormous size, Manny had to stay hidden behind the trees. Just when he thought his plan was ready to commence...

"Manny, what do you think you're doing?" Ellie was hanging upside down from her tail, looking at Manny with her eyebrow arched up.

"Oh you know, I'm just taking a quick stroll." lied Manny.

"You're spying on Flora aren't you?"

"N-no!"

Ellie shot him "the look".

"Okay fine I'm spying on Flora. Happy?"

"Manny!"

"I'm telling you she's hiding something and she doesn't want anyone to find out! Particularly Diego. And I'm surprised that Diego isn't doing anything about it! I mean a father's first instinct is to-"

"Manny I see what's going on. You miss the days when Peaches was an independent and curious teenager and now it's all coming back to you with Flora."

Manny sighed. He thought that Flora was up to something fishy, but maybe what Ellie said was true. Maybe all those times where he was so protective of his daughter are being repeated to him with his niece.

"I guess you're right Ellie." admitted Manny.

"Manny, I know you care about Flora, but don't you think you should leave stuff like that up to Diego? He is her father after all."

"Yeah you gotta point there. Okay I'll just leave Flora to do whatever she's out to do."

"You never would have been able to spy on her anyway."

"What why not?"

"Face it Manny, you don't blend in so easily. Plus all that blubber you've got packed in you would give you away."

"Ellie, I've been saying it for years now and I'm saying it again. I'm. Not. Fat."

"Okay Captain Denial, whatever you say."

Ellie seemed pretty happy with her self that she talked Manny out of following Flora. There was another reason however besides the fact that she didn't want him involved in Diego and Shira's parenting.

Have fun with your guy Flora.

Ellie just happened to be walking by when Shira and Flora were having their conversation about it. She was a little bit further from Cash and Bobby who were eavesdropping as well, but she does have pretty good hearing.

She of course will not tell anyone who doesn't know about it. Especially not Manny or Diego.

"So how did your parents react? You know, with you being late and all. Did they find out?" Sam asked casually.

"No. Well only my Mom did. She talked to me about it today and said that I'm old enough to make my own decisions. And she is not telling my Dad."

"Why not just blab it to the whole world?" Flora saw the humorous gleam in Sam's eyes while he was talking in his sarcastic tone. She knew he was just kidding. He did have the same sense of humor as him.

"I did not blab thank you very much." smirked Flora playfully. "My mom's just that awesome. Well my dad is too, but you know what I mean."

"Yeah." replied Sam with a bit of a melancholic tone. "Parents are pretty cool."

"Are you okay?" asked Flora. She was starting to worry that she offended Sam.

"I'm fine." he replied, not sounding so convincing. "I'm just saying, you have a great family."

That reminded Flora. "Speaking of which, you never told me about yours."

"I didn't?"

"No. Tell me a bit about them. Please? I want to know."

Sam had an uneasy feeling. He liked Flora, but to him, that wasn't exactly the best topic to bring up.

"Well, they, I..." Sam tried to explain it in a way that would make sense, but he just couldn't find the right words to do so. "I gotta go now." he started walking away, but the more steps he took, the more reluctant he got after seeing Flora's half-confused, half-hurt face.

"Sam, wait." Flora spoke up. Was it something I said? She thought.

As if reading her mind, Sam went back to Flora. Just as she was about to let an apology out, he silenced her and explained to her, "Flora, it's not you. You didn't offend me. It's just, well, about my family, there's not really much to talk about them. You can't really say we're a family."

Flora silently gasped. She remember how she saw Sam's pity for her. Now it was her turn.

"Sam, I didn't know this was a touchy subject for you." she said softly. "I am so sorry-"

"It's okay Flora, it's not your fault."

"Let's just change the subject."

"Okay..." Sam tried thinking of a topic. "How about that weather?"

Flora groaned.

"Is there a problem?" asked Sam.

"No one talks about weather anymore, that's old news." she replied, starting a playful bicker.

"So you're calling me boring?" Sam played along with her joke.

"No, no, I'm not saying that at all."

"I know you're thinking it. Take it back!"

"No way. In words of Cash, 'You can't take back facts.'"

"Alright, now you're gonna get it!"

Flora knew what he meant and she ran laughing with Sam chasing her.

"You get back here right now!" Sam jokingly commanded.

"Never!" Flora called out, slowing down to let Sam catch up to her. They might have been acting like cubs right now, but she didn't care.

Just as Sam was about to catch Flora, she jumped and pinned him down, quicker than lightning.

"You got me." chuckled Sam. "I never knew you had it in you."

"Thanks." Flora smiled at the compliment. "I get it from my mom."

"So now that you captured me, what do you want to do now?"

"You wanna just go for a walk?"

"Sure, it's your choice."

Flora released Sam from her grip and they continued to their walk.

Everyday, Sam would become more and more amazed with Flora. She would do things that would make Sam add on to the list of things that make her great. Clearly, she had never ceased to impress him.

So what did you guys think? Was it a little to touchy or syrupy? Please let me know. And I am planning to post a Valentines Day one shot (We all know which category) it's still in the works so it might be posted a little late. Hopefully sometime over the weekend. I have winter break (a four day weekend only, but it's something) so I will try to post as many things as I can. See you sometime between Friday and Monday!