Dean entered the boy's room to find his son sitting at his desk chair flipping through an old magazine. He had his feet up on the desk with the two front chair legs up off the ground, a position that never failed to annoy his father.

"You gonna tell me what that was all about?"

Johnny looked up at the sound of his father's voice. Plopping the magazine down on the desk, he lowered his feet and offered a shrug.

Dean pulled the chair away from the other desk, circled around it and plopped down next to his son. "I sense a bit of jealousy going on."

Johnny inhaled deep; he blew it out in a way that made his shaggy bags fly away from his face. "I'm not jealous, dad."

"Then what's the problem, Johnny?"

Johnny crossed his arms. "I just don't like the kid, okay?"

Dean pursed his lips. "How can you say you don't like him, Johnny, when you don't even know him? Don't you think you ought to give him a chance?"

"Why should I?"

Dean sighed. "Look son," He lifted Johnny's chin so they were looking eye to eye. "It doesn't have to be a competition. I know it's hard that your cousin, your best friend, is paling around with someone new."

Johnny gently pulled his face away. "No chick flick moments, dad."

With a roll of his eyes, Dean continued. "All I'm saying is the three of you can do things together. Just because he isn't your cousin by blood doesn't mean you can't be friends. I'm sure if you just put a little effort into it you could find some things you actually like about Tyler."

Johnny looked up at the ceiling, staring for a moment as if he were counting the speckles of the popcorn treatment. "Fine." He groaned. "I'll try."

Clapping his son on the back Dean replied, "Good boy… Now, we need to talk about your attitude and that little stunt you pulled at the dinner table."

"I know, I know." Johnny said, exasperated. "It was dumb. I'm sorry, dad."

"Good." Dean nodded.

"So, do we have to finish what you started in the living room earlier?"

Dean stood, crossing his arms. "We could, in fact we probably should. But maybe this once, given the circumstances, I let you off the hook," Johnny perked up. "But I think an apology is in order."

"Dad, I said I was sorry."

"I know." Dean nodded toward the door. "But I didn't mean to me."

Reluctantly, Johnny followed his dad into the living room where everyone had gathered around the tv for a movie after dinner. Dean made him apologize to each person individually for his disrespectful behavior, by the time he got to Tyler Johnny was starting to think he might have rather just taken his licks and gotten it over with. It's not that he had a problem with owning up to his mistakes, but five sets of eyes staring at him as he did it is not something he particularly enjoyed.

The next morning the three boys took the hike to the pond on the far side of the property, fishing gear in tow. Caden took the lead with Tyler close behind as he told stories of all the things he and Johnny had gotten up to on the property over the years. Johnny brought up the rear pulling most of the gear. He didn't mind though; he still didn't really want to be on this excursion, but he'd promised his dad he would try. He was thankful Caden was even allowed to go; he had fought Uncle Sam about fixing the ATV again this morning and almost got himself kept back.

The path they took was worn from endless summers going down to the pond for a swim or to fish. Crickets hopped around their feet aiming for the tall grass on the other side. Katydids greeted them with their familiar hum as the path curved and welcomed them back to the familiar view of moss-covered rocks, murky water and low hanging trees offering relief from the rising sun. It was paradise, as far as Caden and Johnny were concerned. They had grown to love this little pond as the place to escape their troubles or relax after a long day of chores and training.

As they settled down on a fallen log, Caden showed Tyler how to bait the hook and cast it into the water. Johnny watched from a few feet away, Johnny sat on a large, smooth rock, still wondering what he was even doing here. He would much rather be home going over hunting research with his dad, feeding the chickens, heck, even weeding the gardens; just something comfortable. This, being here with Caden's cousin who he had less than no interest in getting to know, was just uncomfortable, no matter how much he loved fishing. Still, he cast his line and leaned back against a crooked tree, hoping the morning would pass quickly.

Almost immediately, Johnny felt a tug on his line. He carefully set his hook with a gentle tug before beginning to reel it in. He brought up a nice sized Walleye wriggling from the hook.

"Wow, you got that fast." Tyler noted.

Johnny gave a curt nod. "Yeah."

"Maybe you could give Tyler a few tips." Caden added, clearly trying to create a bond between the two.

Throwing the fish back in Johnny baited his hook again. "I'm sure you've got it covered, Cade."

Caden gave him a look. "C'mon, Johnny."

Johnny exhaled. "Fine," He did promise his dad he'd try, after all. "Um, well, when you cast your line, try casting a little past your target and reeling it in a little bit. If you just plop it in the water, you might scare the fish off."

"Okay." Tyler answered with a smile. He swung the rod behind him and whipped it forward, releasing his thumb much too late.

"Christ! Watch it, dude. You're gonna catch me instead of the fish." Johnny shrieked.

"Sorry!" Tyler answered with a grimace.

"Looks like you hooked that tree." Caden pointed to the tree Johnny had been leaning on moments before.

"It's so high up, how do we get it down?" Tyler pulled on the pole.

"Woah." Johnny jumped up from the rock, grabbing the rod from Tyler's hands. "That's how you break it." With a hand blocking the sun from his eyes, Johnny squinted up at the tree. "No way that's coming down, we'll have to cut it." He pulled out his knife and snipped the line, tying the slack around the end of the pole.

"Great. Now what?" Tyler asked.

Johnny raised an eyebrow. "I still have a pole."

He got ready to cast again when Caden elbowed him in ribs. "C'mon, Johnny."

"Ugh. Fine. I don't know, we could swim."

"But I don't have a suit." Tyler said.

Johnny and Caden laughed. "Dude, you're in the country, you don't need a suit." Caden clapped him on the back. Tyler looked hesitant.

"If you're really worried, just wear your boxers." Johnny said, already stepping into the drink.

The boys swam around for a while, Johnny getting more comfortable as the conversation went on. Tyler was telling them about city life and what it was like to live in a city of 8 million people, Johnny thought he'd rather live in a vampire nest.

"Do you ever hear about hunts around the city?" Caden asked.

Tyler shrugged. "Not really. My dad doesn't talk to me about hunting stuff though, he stopped hunting years ago. I don't know if he doesn't really keep up with it anymore or if he just doesn't tell me about it."

Johnny narrowed his eyes. "How could he just stop hunting?"

"I don't know," Tyler raised his eyebrows. "He just didn't want to do it. He never really wanted to but his dad brought him up that way. When he became an adult, he decided he didn't want to be in that life anymore."

"So, he just lets people die instead of trying to help them?"

"What?"

"Johnny!" Caden gritted out. Johnny rolled his eyes.

"Look, I don't know the ins and outs but I'm sure he had a good reason. Besides, that life sounds kind of horrible to me."

"Are you kidding?" Johnny exclaimed. "This life is the best! You ever shoot a bullseye from 200 yards? Take a gun apart and put it back together blindfolded? Learn to drive as soon as your head could see over the steering wheel?"

Tyler perked up. "Drive? Really?"

"Are you kidding? I was driving before you graduated kindergarten."

"Okay, I think he's got it, Johnny."

"Could you teach me?" Tyler asked.

"Well…"

"Johnny, no." Caden interrupted.

"Oh, come on Cade. You were driving at 13."

"Yeah, because dad taught me, for the job! This is not a good idea. Ty can wait until he's 16 like every other normal kid."

"Actually, kids in New York don't often learn to drive," he said sullenly. "There's no need to, we take public transit everywhere."

"Come on, Caden. It could be the kid's only chance to get behind the wheel."

Caden gave him a look. "Oh, and since when do you care about Tyler's life opportunities?"

Johnny smirked. "Since now, we're all friends now aren't we? Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Please Caden?" Tyler gave his cousin his best puppy dog eyes.

Caden threw his head back. "Fine." He exhaled. "But I still think it's a really bad idea."

"Only if we get caught." Johnny smiled.