Thank you for all the reviews and for giving my story a chance! This is a bit of a filler chapter. A few key characters are introduced though! I'm having surgery next Monday so I'm hoping I'll be able to write more since I'll be laid up for a bit.

No Arthur in this chapter, sadly. I don't own any of the characters except my OCs, of course! I hope you guys enjoy and please leave a review:)

I set the basket next to the door and swiftly walked away. He was never here the other times I left something so I knew he wouldn't be here this time.

I walked back to Leslie's house. She was in the kitchen making a bagel, I could smell the burnt bread the minute I walked in the door.

"Leslie, don't burn the house down," I teased joining her in the kitchen as she pulled a darkened stiff price of bread from the toaster.

"Haha, very funny. I can never make a bagel right," she sighed tossing it in the trash,"What did you leave him this time?"

I hopped up into the counter peeling back a banana,"Just some shampoo and body wash,"

"Still wasn't there?"

"No, but he wasn't the last two times either,"

"Why do you feel the need to bring him things?"

"Because he literally had nothing and he was kind enough to shield me from the storm,"

"This has nothing to do with him bringing your underwear back to you? You're not trying to win him back?"

I laughed, loudly almost choking on my last bite of banana,"What? No, no, that man is a jackass, I'm just trying to be nice,"

"Yeah, to get him back in your pants," she laughed,"Hey, I don't blame you. The guy is gorgeous, but I seriously don't think it's working," Leslie said.

"How do you know?" I asked a bit upset with her matter of fact voice.

"Well because he's walking up to the front door right now,"

I turned in shock to see Arthur walking up the path to the front door. The door was wide open since Leslie decided to air out the house, he brought his hand up to the screen door and loudly banged his fist against it. The door rattled loudly and I ducked behind the island.

"Go answer it! Tell him I'm not here,"

"You know he probably saw you,"

"Just go!"

I peered over the counter watching as she opened the door and Arthur stood before her my latest basket in his hands. My heart sunk a little, but I knew it wouldn't take long until he figured out who it was leaving the baskets.

They only conversed for a few minutes and before he walked away Arthur looked past Leslie straight at me and I ducked so quickly.

"You can come out now, he left," Leslie said placing the basket on the counter.

"What did he say?" I asked as I examined the basket, he didn't take anything.

"He said he's not someone's charity case. I tried to explain it to him, but he was really pissed,"

"Oh," my heart sank and anger welled up.

"I know you were just trying to help, but not everyone deserves your help," She explained,"I'll give the basket to my brother, he loves care packages like this,"

"Okay," I murmured, I hadn't realized that could be taken as an insult.

"Mom, your medication!" I called to her. I set her pills on the counter next to her banana pudding and a glass of water. Days like these after her chemo she only ever wants banana pudding.

She came downstairs her body bundled up in a thick jacket.

"Need me to turn the heat up?"

"No, I've got enough blankets and I'm just going to go to sleep after this," she smiled taking her pills. I watched her hands reach for the bowl, they were getting skinnier with ever session.

"Ok, mom, get some rest,"

"Oh, I will. Night sweetie,"

I tried not to dwell on her outer appearance too much. She didn't like for me to and I didn't like to think about it, but I hated what chemo was doing to her.

I decided to sit out on the front porch tossing the ball with Simon. He loved it, I didn't want to walk him near the bay after what happened last time. I know he wanted to go back, every time I'd walk him he'd try to pull me that way.

One of these days I'll take him back just not yet.

TWO MONTHS LATER

The leaves were turning green again. March had been good to us, well in the weather sense. The air was warmer the wind crisper and the sea gentler. I finished washing the dishing enjoying the view from my window into the backyard. The early morning breeze flowed through the house and I sighed glad winter was coming to an end.

Suddenly, a man and a woman in suits appeared along my property line. They were holding large prices of paper and pointing. I frowned, dried my hands and made my way to the back door. My house sat on a few acres of land that led a path to the beach, but it was the condemned part and the path was blocked after a bad storm a few years back.

I watched the woman turn towards my house. Her dark hair was tightly pulled into a bun and her lips were as red as her blouse. I could tell she was in charge. I stepped outside onto my back porch. The air was warmer but the wind still had a slight chill and my bare arms were riddled with goosebumps.

"Can I help you?" I asked.

"You certainly can," The woman replied back. Upon closer inspection, she was gorgeous. High cheekbones, bright blue eyes, thick eyebrows, a strong nose and a perfect pair of lips revealing even better looking teeth as she spoke.

"I'm Yvette Wilson, I'm apart of an organization interested in restoring Amnesty Bay," She smiled at me.

My eyes darted back and forth between her and the man,"And you're out on my property because?"

"Well you see, this isn't actually all your property. You see that tree stump over there?"

I nodded, remembering when my dad and I had cut the tree down.

"That's where your property ends. Everything else beyond that, the path, the meadow and the beach belong to Amnesty," She explained to me showing me the map she had in her hands.

"Ok, that still doesn't explain why you're here," I deadpanned crossing my arms.

Her left eyebrow twitched slightly and the man spoke up.

"Hi, I'm Mark Allistar, what my partner is trying to say is that she's just examining the grounds. We're here to take Amnesty back to its good old days. We have a petition," He gestured to the clipboard in his hand," and we need half the town to sign to be on board with the rejuvenation of Amnesty," he explained holding the clipboard towards me.

I noticed a few of my neighbors had signed and there was a cheesy motto across the top of the paper: Help us bring Amnesty back to life!

I looked at both of them. A weird feeling had bubbled up in my stomach and I didn't like it. Call it a six sense or something, but they rubbed me the wrong way.

"No, thank you, now if you'd please get off my property I'd appreciate it," I said turning on my heel I walked back inside, locking my back door. I watched them bicker and could hear parts of their conversation.

"...all the other signatures don't matter..."

"...try again..."

I resumed washing my dishes and Mark turned to the window and waved as Yvette just stalked off.

Amnesty Bay was so old and so stuck in its ways that there was no way a petition was going to make a difference. I finished cleaning and went to dress for work.

"Hey, did you sign that petition?" I asked Leslie joining her in the back room.

"Petition? What are you talking about?"

I turned to her frowning," I could have sworn I saw your name on the list," I placed my purse and sweater in my locker.

"Some spiffy suits ended up in my backyard this morning, before work. They said they were apart of an organization to restore Amnesty Bay back to its good old days," I explained following her to the front of the store.

"I still have no idea what you're talking about, Ingrid,"

"Maybe I just thought I saw your name?"

"Are you telling me that or convincing yourself?" She asked biting into her breakfast apple.

I laughed,"I'm not sure, it's been crazy these last two months,"

Her face softened,"I know, sweetie. How are you hold-,"

The door dinged announcing a customer and I quickly greeted them, ignoring her. Leslie and I fell into our normal work pattern.

I was exhausted plopping onto my bed. Simon licked at my face.

"Hey, buddy, the store was so busy today! My back hurts, want to give me a rub?" I asked Simon. He just looked at me and licked my cheek.

"Not exactly what I wanted, but it'll do," I laughed scooping him up,"Let's go get something to eat,"

I placed him on the floor and quickly changed into shorts and a t-shirt, pulling my hair up into two buns. Leslie called them space buns. As I walked out of my room my eye caught my mothers room, her door was still slightly ajar. I hadn't shut it or been in since...I shook the horrible feeling from my chest and wiped my eyes.

"C'mon Simon,"

After I ate a salad and watched some tv Simon was nipping at my feet, dancing back and forth.

"Got to go potty?"

He barked running towards the door.

"Hold up," I laughed following after, but I stopped short, shocked at who I saw coming up my driveway.

"Dad?"