AN: Wooh. Here comes a doosey chapter. You better have some time on your hands. 

Greta POV-

"Hey, Greta...wakey, wakey, Sleeping Beauty." A deep yet soft voice pulled me out of my dreamless car slumber. A blinding yellow light temporarily penetrated my sight and gave me a slight headache.

I didn't even realize it but my mouth was currently drooling on James's shoulder and being the gentleman he was, let me do so for the entirety of the car ride to Juliet's house/mansion.

A hand rubbed my shoulder awake, and I looked up to see the gentleman himself, smiling down at me.

"Oh-. Let me just- ah, here we go." I spoke quietly and wiped the drool off James's expensive dress coat.

"You drool a lot when you sleep." He teased, as he unbuckled himself out of his seat in the back. Lawrence's seat was folded over for an easier route out of the car. I could hear more muffled voices and the sounds of car doors shutting as everyone vacated the vehicles. A little slower, I unbuckled my seatbelt. Those kids really tire me out. I used to rough around with Samuel, too, before I left them for a while and the two of us grew older.

Getting out after James, my vision came back to preference as I looked up at the big house we were staying in. Juliet and Tony basically got this handed down to them by Tony's parents after they moved to a more secluded private island. If I remembered correctly, there were about five bedrooms but accommodations could easily be made with all the space they had in the house. Three bathrooms, a 'man-cave' (where ironically I hung out at the most), and a kitchen-living room area. Of course, there was a grand dining hall but even that was the smallest room in the house and it was the size of a grand hall in a castle.

The huge dark door to the house was open, as James and I stepped onto the concrete porch which was lit up by two lights on both sides of it.

"Come on in, guys." Juliet's sleepy tone welcomed us in. How James looked so awake was a mystery. How many late nights has this man had? It was two-o-clock in the morning. "You can take your shoes off right here." She directed us. As we walked in, a bright chandelier hung over our heads. Samuel, Cameron, and Frederick were sulking up the stairs that lead to the upper floor. The whole living room was in front of the entry way that held a little coat hanger and a big mirror to the right of the door, was wide open except for a walkway up by the ceiling that connected two sides of the upper level together.

"Samster, Camaro, and Freddie boy are all sleeping in one room." Tony explained. "Jackson and Sarah, you fellas can share Samuel's room."

He pointed to a hall that wasn't lit up right by the entry way. Samuel's door, however, was strung with lights and police tape. Classy, Sam. Jackson and Sarah smiled at each other and slowly meandered to the angsty yet rebellious teen's room.

"Jane, you'll take Cameron's room right?" Juliet asked her sister, who was half-way passed out on Lawrence who was caressing his youngest daughter. The two were always close. She was, and still is, a daddy's girl.

"Sure..." She mumbled, and sleepily grabbed her two purple suitcases, one in each hand, and rolled them away, towards his cute little dinosaur room (if Cameron's room was still dinosaur themed. I haven't been here in a while).

"Hey mama, you and dad want our room? We can stay in one of the guest rooms." Juliet offered. Lawrence shook his head.

"No, we'll take the guest room. You guys are hosting Thanksgiving." He declined politely, taking Maurice and his bags and walking to the downstairs which was where the 'man-cave' was and the other bathrooms.

Juliet and Tony turned toward us, with semi-guilty looks on their faces. I felt strangely uncomfortable suddenly and realized we were the last pair standing. Tony, the bolder one of the two, spoke first, "I really don't know where you guys are in your relationship but there's only one guest bedroom left, so we figured you guys would share it."

"Oh." I looked up at James for reassurance, but he only shrugged.

"It's alright with me if it's alright with you. We can figure something out, I believe in us." He joked slightly. I internally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay, that's cool with me. Thanks, Jules." I hugged Juliet, who smiled brightly and began to follow the same direction as Maurice and Lawrence had downstairs.

"What about me?" Tony complained. "Why don't I ever get thanked for anything?"

"Because you're too nice of a guy." Juliet answered for him. "Nice guys are naturally under appreciated."

"Well, this nice guy," he pointed both of his thumbs to his chest, "is going to get some rest, and thinks all you rascals should do the same." Tony said as he walked backwards towards their room which was located in the same hallway as Frederick and Samuel's.

Juliet rolled her eyes and smiled at the two of us, in the doorway to the downstairs.

"Thanks for coming, Greta. It really means a lot to see where you are right now compared to the last time I saw you at the funeral."

Those words hit me, and a quivering smile of sorts danced on my lips. I looked up at James and let out a snort-y kind of breath, more relieved, if possible, to have him by my side during all of this.

His eyes caught my stare and the corners of his mouth slid upwards.

"I guess I had a lot of help, didn't I?" I looked back at Juliet who looked like she wanted to squeal.

"Ooh! Mom was so right! Hold on, I'm gonna burst of adorableness! Good night you two." She rushed to her room, giddily, leaving the two of us standing in silence.

"Maurice." We both said at the same time, rolling out eyes and starting our journey to the room we'd have to share.

"So," James started, breaking the awkward quietness of us walking through the long hallway. The guest room door was open and the lights were all shut off in it. "How are we gonna do this whole 'sharing a bedroom' thing? Do you want me to sleep on the floor?"

"No! That would be rude." I exclaimed as we finally reached the room. Pushing the door open more, James dragged his suitcase in front of himself and turned on the light.

The guest bedroom was actually very beautiful. A queen sized bed with a big draped window and a couch on the side. A single wooden dresser and closet sandwiched the bed.

"I call the couch!" I cried as I raced in front of James and threw myself on the decorative couch.

"Nuh-uh." He shook his head and let go of his suitcase. "That's not how it works, Greta."

"Oh, so now you're just being sexist."

"I'm not being sexist-"

"Yes, yes you are. I can't sleep on the couch because I'm an entitled girl. Girls don't sleep on couches."

"I'm not saying that. I'm just-" he searched for the right words, "I'm just being nice."

"So being sexist is being nice?"

"Ooh, you are...something else."

"Oh, so now your not acknowledging that I am a girl. I see how it is." I crossed my legs on top of the couch arm and folded my arms across my chest. Before I knew it, James had swept me off the couch and I was literally laying in his arms. "Woah-! What are you doing!" I shouted as my arms instinctively wrapped myself closer to the man holding me four feet from the ground.

"You are sleeping on this bed, and I am sleeping on that couch. No discussion about it." He ordered, with a slight tease. I laughed as he spun and then flung me onto the bed. "Now sleep."

I landed and bounced back up in the air before landing back on the soft covers.

"Fine. But only because that was a lot of fun." I flipped on my stomach and stuck my face into the pillow.

I could hear him chuckle and open his suitcase.

"Alright. I'm going to the toilet, and then I'll be back. Don't even think about making yourself comfortable on that couch. It's mine." James pointed his two fingers at his eyes then back at me, teasingly before he walked out of the room. I watched him open the bathroom door and make the same taunting motion as before and then disappeared into the bathroom.

I got off the bed and sauntered my way to the laundry room where Juliet most likely had pajama bottoms. In a hidden door right on the opposite side of the bathroom, a set of washers and dryers sat, humming with clothes. On the right of the dryer held a table with clothes folded on top of it. Lucky for me, a pair of Juliet's pajama pants was conveniently folded and in hind sight like it was waiting for the right person to come along and sweep them away (aka me).

Picking them up, I shut the door to the laundry room and flicked on the lights. Now I could change in privacy.

As I was putting on the pink plaid pants, a book caught my eye. I moved forward, jumping my leg into the last hole, I read that it was 'The Count of Monte Cristo' by Alexandre Dumas and giddily picked it up. I had read this book several times during my breaks at the Book Shop.

Racing back to our room, I catapulted myself at the bed and waited for James's return from the bathroom. The very first paragraph of the story drew me in like every other book I've ever read,

On the 24th of February, 1810, the look-out at Notre-Dame de la Garde signaled the three-master, the Pharaon from Smyrna, Trieste, and Naples.

and thus began my adventure of betrayal, revenge, and romance, as I had read many times before. It seemed every time I reread a story, a new piece of information that I had missed before jumps up at me, and hits me hard depending on the state I was in. After my parents died, I had read 'The Count of Monte Cristo' for the betrayal, as the man who had shot my parents had betrayed me. The second time before, after the Lillidelchi incident, I had read it for the revenge. The revenge I had wished so hard for on life and the way it was treating me. Not to mention the setting in which I had read it in was not the best (and if you're wondering, it was on a hospital bed in the Mental Facility).

Now that I was reading it for the third time, I realized I was reading it for the romance, seeming how I now had a romance story of my own.

In some ways, I was just like Edmond Dantes, the poor young sailor saving up for the day he can marry his true love, Mercedes. Except I didn't get imprisoned for almost delivering a letter from Napoleon Bonaparte to a rich man giving away all the plans of the Royalists and escaping years after to realize Mercedes had married his best friend, Fernand Mondego, who locked him up in the first place thus spiraling a huge adventure filled with a dwarf smuggler, an old man who knew how to sword fight at 90 years of age and a long sequence of Edmond messing up the shit of all the other Counts in France.

Although I truly wish I could do that.

"What are you reading?"

I swear I jumped five feet in the air, or at least my book did, as James peered up at me from the doorway. He can be rather scary when he wanted to.

"Jesus Christ! Why do you always do this!?" I put a hand on my fast-beating heart. He raised an eyebrow and walked more into the room, stopping at the bed frame.

"I don't think I've scared you before."

"Um, actually, yes, you have." I corrected, "When I had first met you and you caught me at the Book shop. You scared me while I was at the smoothie bar."

His eyes flickered to the side as if trying to recall so, but I was right. He did scare me that day and I'm pretty sure that's how I died.

"Oh. Yeah, that's right." He guiltily admitted. "But in all seriousness, what are you reading?"

"The Count of Monte Cristo." I shoved the book in his face.

"Interesting. You'll have to read it to me some time."

"Oh my gosh! Would you really let me?"

"Of course! But not now, I'm too tired. Goodnight, Greta. He smiled with only his lips and hovered over the light switch in black sweatpants and gray T-shirt.

"Goodnight, James." I put my legs under the covers and laid my head on the pillow as the lights went off. Because it was dark, I was only able to hear James walk across the room and get comfy on his sad couch. I felt really bad but I didn't know if he was comfortable sleeping in the same bed, no matter how innocent it all is.

I flipped on my side and tried to close my eyes. Why was it now that I was thinking about the airport. I was so good at blocking it all out, but now that there were no distractions and I was now by myself, my mind went wild.

It took a while before it began to hurt to keep my eyes open, and gave myself to sleep, listening to James's even breathing, reminding me he was still there.

He was there with me. And that was all I ever wanted.

As I emerged from the fog, the sides of my vision were blurry.

"What's going on? What is this?" I had said to myself out loud. I was in my sweatshirt and jeans. As I tried to figure out where I was, a hand suddenly appeared and handed me a gun.

"You're gonna need this." An implacable voice called out as my grip on the handle tightened.

"No." I had demanded and set it down on an untracable ground. Whether or not it was grass or concrete, I had no idea. It was just...there.

"Fine." The voice said again, booming. "But you need to press on."

"I don't need to listen to a random voice in my head. I can live my own life."

"No, you can't. You're too weak. I've been here since the beginning. Go forward. I order you."

I felt my legs uncontrollably take steps forward and for some reason, I couldn't place why I felt sad. Immensely sad. And I began to cry. Hot tears streaming down my face making me uncomfortable.

"Greta..."

I remembered thinking about all the voices I could hear and began to wonder why I was hearing them. This one was feminine and sweet and...familiar.

"Mom?"

"Greta..."

A new one. One that didn't take me as long to pinpoint.

"Dad!"

My best friend, my father was calling for me. I cried harder and now I wasn't fighting my steps, as I ran and ran towards the void of nothing.

"Dad!" I yelled into the mist, stopping to hear which direction he was.

"Greta..." His comforting voice lured me like a fish on a hook, to my doom. A doom I was willing to accept as long as my father was there for me to embrace.

A golden door stood, beautiful and bright, and it drew me near. The whole aura of it screamed, "Open me!"

I neared the door and noticed a window beside it, on a non-existent wall. Looking in, I saw my parents.

"Mom, Dad!" I choked out. I placed my hand on the window, and my parents did the same. They're smiling faces beckoned me to them and I wanted so bad to see them. I felt like a little kid who scraped her knee and was going to see her mother who would put a band-aid on the cut and tell her everything would be alright.

I knew if I could just hear them tell me it would be alright, I would be content. I would be sane.

But then another voice called out. An even more familiar voice with a British accent and my head turned.

"Greta, where are you?"

James.

And as I realized who it was, another door, dark and red-rimmed, stood just on the opposite side. Somehow, I understood I needed to choose.

"Greta, you don't know how much I need you. Greta?"

I thought to myself that it wouldn't hurt to look and wandered closer to the door. This one had no window, but I put my ear to the door and heard him scream in some kind of twisted pain.

Without hesitation, I opened the door and rushed in, unaware of the contents of the room I had heard him. When the door slammed was when I came to sense with what I had done.

I had chosen James over my parents.

But I didn't care. I wanted to make sure he was okay. I needed to make sure I was where he was, right alongside him.

"Greta!" A more desperate version of James cried out and I was suddenly in the airport. I was underneath the curtain by the statue and a hand was seen pulling the curtain, revealing me. The thugs, the girl, James.

He lunged at the man with a gun but another one was pulled at him. The woman thug, the one I had popped in the forehead with the fire extinguisher. What happened to that whole sequence?

"Don't even think about it." She ordered dangerously at James and cocked the gun back. He backed away with hands in the air, an equally dangerous look on his face and I didn't know whether to be scared or flattered. "Besides, we aren't gonna hurt your wifey here. She's gonna do it herself."

James face softened.

"What?" He spat and looked over at me with wide eyes. "Greta? Don't..."

Leslie held out the gun towards me.

"Wasn't it funny? If you had kept the gun this all would have been avoided." She trailed around me, her fingers snaking along the back of my neck, yet I didn't tremble.

I did, however, feel my breaths quicken. Guns, my parents, the man who killed them in the first place, it was all my worst nightmare.

"We know all about your little...visit...in crazy town and we think you're better off there. We figure this might help, hm?" The woman took my hand and pried it open, placing the gun in my hands and closing my fingers on it.

"How...how did you know-?"

"We know everything. We're the demons that hide in the shadows wherever you go. We follow you and we haunt you and we've never let go. Now, bring me the girl." She ordered the big man who was holding onto her. He wobbled over with the girl just behind him and threw her in front of the woman and myself.

"Oh God..." James piped in the back. I gasped as the woman took my arm and made me point the gun at the young girl's head.

Some say pulling the trigger is the hardest part, but to me, pointing the gun is the hardest. With pulling the trigger, once you do so, it's all over. Your action was made and you can delve over what's already done. However, when you're pointing it at someone, you have to choose whether or not to pull that trigger. You have to watch them with wide eyes as their mind races with the same thoughts you are thinking.

"I'm not going to- don't make me- I will not shoot her." I refused, and looked away, bringing the gun down.

"Oh, of course, we won't make you. That would be way too easy for you." She said mysteriously. I instantly knew what she meant by that. "James-y? Would you please step forward?"

"No..." I shook my head as the other man shoved James forward.

"We knew you've already made a pretty hard decision, and honestly, we're really surprised you chose as you did. James, you should be really flattered, you're finally a priority to someone. Even if it is someone like her." She waved towards me.

"Hey, watch yourself." James spat at her. Literally, he spat at her.

"Ooh! Someone's getting a little clingy. Anyways, you're going to make one more decision and we're sure you already know what to do. Choose who gets to live. Choose who gets the pleasure of dying."

I shook my head frantically and tried to drop the gun. It seemed to stick to my fingers.

"Greta, listen to me." James coaxed me. I made eye contact with him and felt my heart race. "Shoot me. This girl is too young to die. Five years is not long enough. I'm okay with dying."

I shook my head again, not making a sound. I was frozen. I could not move or speak or breathe or think.

"Greta?" A new voice spoke. The girl. "Greta. I miss my parents. I want my parents." Her innocent face contorted in emotion and she began to cry.

"Shut up!" The fat man shouted at her but the woman silenced him.

"No. Let the girl cry. It might influence our precious Greta to make a choice. You know we do this because we love you, right? Your demons are in favor of you, remember that."

"I...don't want my...demons in favor of me." I was able to make out in the midst of the chaos. I began to think about what the other door and what it would be like with my parents. Would this still happen or would I be happily living with my parents. Would I be sharing a cup of coffee and talk about everything that had happened to me while they were gone.

"Yes Greta, it's alright to regret decisions. You regret choosing James?"

"No!" I shouted at her. "I don't regret ever choosing James, and I never will! He's the best thing to ever happen to me. I hate you! I hate you! I hate you for doing this to me!" I pointed the gun at the woman and did not hesitate in pulling the trigger.

I quietly gasped as I shot up in my bed. Unlike the cliche, I was not drenched I sweat and breathing heavily.

"Are you alright?" James called out in the darkness. He rushed to turn on the light. I was able to see his face and when I did and realized that he was here and I was here and we were no longer in the airport, I began to cry uncontrollably. For what seemed like the gazillionth time that day. "Hey...hey..." James rushed onto the bed and took hold of me into a strange hug that felt weirdly nice.

"I'm sorry, I just can't sleep and stop thinking about the airport and I'm so scared and I don't know why I'm thinking about now but I'm sorry and I feel guilty when I think about Shirley and I feel guilty when I don't think about her and-"

"Greta. Just...shhh. Everything's okay, we got out. We made it out."

"Barely. I can't...I just can't stop thinking. It only happened today, I can't just set that aside. I can't just love on and forget!"

"Then don't. Don't forget. Think. Do what you must because I'm here for you no matter what. You know that, right?"

"I know but...there's...I...can you just...sleep next to me? I can't sleep and I know it's early but I just can't." I stuttered, more awkward than needed but what was said was said.

"Sure. To be honest, I couldn't sleep either. I had this terrible nightmare with weird colored doors and the airport and- where was I going with this? I had a point. Oh, yes. I just wanted to say that you are not overreacting or anything."

"Okay." I breathed out, the last of my tears wiped away by James. The corners of his mouth turned upward as he got off the bed to turn the light off.

I felt as the bed shifted underneath his weight and the covers were placed on top of him.

"Just want to let you know, that couch is uncomfortable as hell." He murmured, snuggled into my back.

I chuckled.

"I guess you'll have to sleep with me then for the rest of the stay, huh? If you okay with that."

He breathed out a sigh of relief that tickled my neck through my hair.

"Yes, that's more than okay with me."

I chuckled a little. Before my eyes were closed I had no idea how tired I was, but now that they were, I went out like a light.

This time, I had slept more pleasantly, without any dreams at all. When the sun began to shine through the drapes on the window, my eyes flickered open. Propping myself up, I felt a strange (and not bed-like at all) carpet underneath me.

Why was I sleeping on the ground? I had a blanket so I must have moved or something in my sleep.

I heard the door creak open and James emerged from the door and smiled brightly when he saw me up.

"Hey! You're awake! Cool, well, I have plans set out for the day. Happy Thanksgiving, by the way! I really shouldn't get excited about this since it's only an American holiday but if you're excited than I am! Obviously, before Thanksgiving Dinner we have to get you some clothes but then I was thinking, 'When else am I ever going to have the chance to see Texas, the Capitol of America' so I figured we could go, what is it called, sight-seeing?" He rambled, and I would have paid attention if there wasn't a distraction full on distracting me. He looked at my troubled face and scrunched his eyebrows. "What? Are you mad that I kicked you off the bed? In my defense, you were moving around too much and I even felt guilty and put a blanket on you-"

"No, no. It alright but, uh...you don't have a shirt on. And I know we just slept in the same bed but I don think we're far enough for skin, yet." I used to my eyes to point at his...rather nice...bare chest and looked back up with a friendly smirk as I watched his face go from happy to completely mortified.

"Oh-Oh God, I'm so sorry, I-" he rushed to his suitcase and hurriedly put on an off-white crew neck sweatshirt. "Better?"

"I don't know, I kinda miss the toned abs." I teased. He really didn't have toned abs, but hey, it's a confidence boost if anything.

James let out a hearty laugh. "Me? Abs?" He lifted his shirt up slightly to look down at his stomach. "Oh. I guess so."

Now it was my turn to laugh.

"Alright, alright." I got up from the ground and placed the blanket on top of the bed that was already completely made. "I'm going to go get dressed in the very same clothes I had on yesterday because I didn't get the chance to pack." I said with fake enthusiasm. James chuckled.

"Go have fun with that."

"I don't know!" I shouted as I flopped onto a store bench. James, Lawrence and I were in a local Maurice's (the store not the person) shopping for a few day's supply of clothes. "I don't think I like any of this! Can't I just go to a Plato's Closet or something?"

"No!" James protested, looking as if I murdered his entire family plus some. "I'm giving you the full princess treatment, so that means no second-hand stores and no whining."

"Aren't princesses known for whining?"

"Then you will be a polite princess and choose what you want me to buy for you."

"Nooooooo." I leaned back against the wall. I knew I was making a scene but I didn't need him running charity for me (even if it was kind of flattering).

"Yeeeeeees." James mocked me and threw a weird black and white striped long-sleeve shirt and pants at me. The sleeve of the shirt happened to hit me in the eye in the process. "Now put this on or we won't go to Chipotle or whatever it's called."

"Fine." I snapped, rubbing my eye where the sleeve had hit me. "But only for Chipotle." I grumbled my entire way to the dressing room where my name was lazily written in cursive from the clerk who helped me beforehand. "Stupid, adorable boyfriend making me wear stupid, adorable clothes..."

"What was that?" James called as I opened the door, sassily, my hip sticking out and resting on the door frame.

"Nothing!" I went to slam the door but slowed down when it got to the lock set so it didn't make the loud noise and scare everyone in the small strip mall store. I took off my own clothes and put the other outfit on, hearing Lawrence and James laugh together and talk. When everything was completely on, I showed it off to myself in the mirror. Grabbing a hold of my not-so-toned stomach that was clearly shown in the semi-tight long-sleeved shirt, I rolled my eyes. I never really thought I was fat, I was too old to care about my appearance but I just wasn't comfortable in my skin 24/7. It's human nature to pick out your flaws. "The shirt's too tight!" I shouted to James.

"Do you need me to get you a bigger size?" He offered. I shook my head even though he wouldn't be able to see me do so.

"No, the size is fine, I'm just uncomfortable with the tightness of it." I complained. "I just need- ugh. Just grab an over shirt or something. Like a cardigan." When I had come to terms with how rude I sounded, I quickly added, "Please?"

"Yeah, it's all good. I think I found something." I heard rummaging through hangers on a rack and caught sight of his arm throwing a coat over the stall door. "Does this work?"

A magenta clare coat?

"I don't like the color! Magenta is literally my least favorite color in the world. Easily, the ugliest thing to exist on the planet. Besides a blob fish, but that's not my point!" I turned the coat around in semi-disgust. This one was a zipped-up one instead of the buttons which I did like, but I just couldn't overlook the color.

"Just try it on! For me?" James pleaded. I sighed loudly, so the whole store could hear.

"Darn, darn, darn, darn." I cursed quietly as I unwillingly tried the coat on, holding it out in front of me. With a death glare on my face, I opened the dressing room door. The sleeves of the clare coat came up to my mid-forearm so that it showed the black and white striped shirt underneath.

"I like it!" Lawrence piped in, as James grinned at me. "I like the magenta on you, really."

"I just don't like it." I flapped my arms once, up and then down.

"How can you complain about magenta now? Have you even seen yourself in the mirror?" James said with excitement.

"No..." I looked down at my feet. Suddenly I was being paraded to a mirror by James who was holding me by both shoulders.

As I found myself silent in front of a brown rimmed mirror, my eyes trailed down my outfit. I guess it wasn't so bad but I laughed at the wide-eyes and goofy grin James held.

"I think I found my new favorite color." He whispered in my ear. And it wasn't seductively or anything but just feeling his breath on my neck forced me to fight the urge to unattractively shiver like a demon in a church.

"Fine..." I huffed out, blowing a stray piece of hair out of my face that always seemed to fall when I was angry and stomped back into the stall.

I folded the new pants nicely once I had taken them off and put my actual clothes back on, and then put the shirt and coat on their hangers.

I sighed, trying (and failing) to shake the idiot-grin off my face, I stepped out into public where James and Lawrence where passive-aggressively arguing.

"You really didn't have to do that. I was more than alright with paying." James had his hands in his back pockets and didn't seem to notice me watching them go back and forth.

"Oh, I know! But I also know Greta and she would feel bad if you paid for it." Lawrence defended me, giving James his all-knowing-matter-of-fact looks.

"Why? Why can't she just let me treat her like this?"

I knew he answer, Lawrence knew the answer and I hoped to God James would never find out. If he did, I really don't know what I would do...or what he'd do.

"Well, don't tell Greta I told you, but it all started after her parents-"

"Oh-ho-Kay! I'm ready! You all ready? I'm ready." I interrupted, and I seemed to have scared the two of them, as Lawrence looked like he was in mid-stroke.

"Yeah, but you're going to need more than one outfit to last our visit, right?" James gave me a look as I faked a pouty face. I really didn't like people paying for me. I've always felt like a charity case.

"If you love me let me GOOOOOOO to Chipotle." I sang my own version of 'This Is Gospel' in the middle of a store, not caring about the looks I received. To be honest, I think my version was better than Brendon Urie's.

"Yeah, and I kinda want to go back to Juliet and Tony's to help preparations." Lawrence interjected.

"Alright, alright. We'll go grab Chipotle or whatever and then go home. We'll drop Lawrence off to be with his family, Greta can get changed and then we'll be off." James comprimised.

"If you've never had Chipotle ever," I spoke as James, Lawrence and I sat on the stools at the fast-food restaurant, although it wasn't near as greasy as a Wendy's (can we even include the food part there?). A huge glass window revealed a backyard pond with plants and trees and even ducks swimming around, as we munched on our burritos. Lucky for us, it wasn't so busy so we could talk without people shouting over us. "And this is your first time eating, does that mean you were Chipotlaid?"

Part of James's burrito snorted out of his mouth as he tried to contain his laughs.

"What kind of question is that?" He exclaimed, wiping a napkin over his mouth.

"An important one. But in all seriousness, how's your burrito? Taste like heaven?"

"It tastes like a launder hamper filled with meat."

"Oh come on, don't be like that." I dictated. James smirked at me.

"What, like what you were like at the clothing store?" He teased.

"Shush yourself. I was only practicing my rights." I argued, sticking my tongue out at him before taking a huge bite of my chicken and rice burrito.

"Oh really, and what particular rights were you 'practicing'." James made quotation guestures with his fingers in the air.

"Thou shall never be a gold-digging hoe." I stated in a fake-British accent and stuck my pointer finger and nose in the air. Lawrence lightly shoved my shoulder for my language as I laughed. James shook his head and chuckled.

"This burrito is really good, actually." He mumbled into the aluminum foiled meat-tortilla package from the Gods. When I came to sense with what he said, my eyes and mouth widened in shock and I looked over at him.

"You really think so!?"

"Sure. But I wouldn't go as far and say it tastes like heaven. After all, I haven't tried you yet for comparison."

Now it was my turn to spit out my burrito. James cackled while Lawrence looked like he was going to have two strokes back to back. I hid my face in my hands and laughed. I could help but feel my cheeks go red.

"Um-! Old man on campus, old man on campus!" Lawrence said uncomfortably as the two of us began to laugh at his face.

As we pulled up into the Larson's driveway, I realized all the work they actually did on the house since I disappeared for that time being. It was truly a beautiful house with a brick exterior and dark brown shingles on the roof. A beautiful garden was slightly visible, but in the back yard along with a pool.

"Are you sure you don't need any extra help with Thanksgiving? We don't want to just run away and come back for the celebration."

"No, really. We've got it. Juliet is a very responsible person. Besides, she'd want the two of you going out and spending time together. She takes after her mother, unbelievably." Lawrence denied, and patted James shoulder assuringly.

"Okay, but if you guys ending needing extra hands, you can give me a call." I added, getting out of the back of Jackson's car that he let us borrow.

"We won't need to, promise." Lawrence smiled teasingly at me and got out of the driver's seat of the car to join the boys over in the garage working on a project with a couple beers in their hands. "You two enjoy your time together now because soon you'll get married, have kids and they'll get married and have kids and you'll never have a calm moment in your life, I swear."

"Bye Lawrence!" I called out after him, rolling my eyes and walked over to where James was sitting in the passenger seat. "If you want to go after with him until I get changed into this magenta outfit, you can. I know Jackson will enjoy your company. Tony can get on his small nerves sometimes." I explained. James smiled.

"Alright, sounds good to me." He shrugged and opened the door, unbuckling himself. When he did so, he accidentally knocked me down with the door that I was in front of.

"Woah-!" I exclaimed as I fell back onto the concrete. My arms luckily kept myself from hitting my head and I began to laugh.

"Holy crap! Are you okay?" He helped me up.

"Yeah! Yeah! I'm fine." I gasped out as I wiped the dirt off my jeans.

"I am so sorry. I didn't mean to open the door so fast!"

"I know, I'm fine, really." I laughed it off, and tucked my hair behind my ear and picked up the bags from our 'shopping spree' that was on the ground.

"Hey klutz! Wait till Juliet and Jane get a load of this! It's all good on camera! It'll be just like the good old days!" Jackson yelled from the garage, pointing at his phone that was held sideways.

"You show 'em and you're as good as a skunk on the side of Highway 37!" I shouted back at the top of my lungs. The whole estate went quiet at the power of my words and everyone looked at me as like when the math teacher drops the 'F-' Bomb. "I'm just gonna...go....get changed." I dashed inside the house to get on my new clothes

"Greta!" Someone shouted when I got through the door. Cameron ran from the living room and attacked my leg. "Greta, come watch Doctor Who with me!"

"You're eight! Why in the world," I picked him up, off my leg, and onto my shoulders, "are you watching a show like Doctor Who?" I teased him, walking farther into the living room where a TV hung from a wall that also held a fireplace underneath it. A long, white sectional couch and a grand piano happened to be there also. There was no separation between the kitchen and the living room so you could get a good view of it all.

As I walked in with Cameron on my shoulders, I noticed Frederick on the couch as well, not at all watching the show, but rather playing on his phone.

"Stand your ground, Cameron!" I said in a burly, officer voice. "We've got a Dalek just up ahead!"

Cameron gasped, playing along. "What!? Where!?"

"Right there," I readjusted Cameron, "on the couch, he's being mind warped by that screen!"

Cameron made a buzzing noise, mimicking a sonic screwdriver. "This whole place is full of them! What will we do, Greta, my companion?"

"Well, Doctor, we must buzz them! Sonic the screens!" I bent over a little so Cameron could 'buzz' Fred's phone.

"Bzzzzzz! Bzzzzzz! Take that Dalek!"

Fred rolled his eyes but a little smirk played on his face. He put his phone down.

"Really, guys? I'm trying to play a really important game." Fred complained.

"Well, how about we compromise and watch this really important show with your's truly?"

"Fine. But I just don't understand it!"

Cameron and I simultaneously looked up at each other, him, looking down and me, looking up.

"You know what that means?" I asked him, slyly. Cameron copied my facial expression.

"Fangirl time!" We both said together, but I paused.

"Well, technically fangirl-dude time, because you ain't a girl."

Cameron giggled.

"No! I'm not a girl!"

"Alright. Alright. My neck is getting tired." I set him down, and once he hit the ground he raced to the couch and plopped down next to Frederick. "Alright, guys. I'm going to go get changed. Fred? You know how to work the Netflix to get to Doctor Who?"

"Yes, I know how to work Netflix." He sassed.

"Well, who pissed in your cereal today?" I teased him. Fred smiled and looked back up at the TV while Cameron jumped on the sofa singing the Doctor Who theme song. 

I smiled and shook my head, walking to the entry way to grab my bags. When I did so, I looked outside the door to see all the men, including James, in the yard as Tony motioned over the house, obviously talking about the layout of the practically mansion.

I grinned at the scene and made my way downstairs to my room to change into a more appropriate outfit for Thanksgiving.

When I was fully ready, Cameron was trying to explain the whole idea behind Doctor Who to Fred who looked super confused.

"Wait, so he's an alien, right?" Fred asked, readjusting his body on the couch to face Cameron.

"Yes! That's what I told you!"

"I know, but why is he an alien?"

"Because then he would be a hero." Cameron said with an annoyed tone.

"I thought he was a Doctor?"

"He is, but he's also a hero."

"But you don't have to be an alien to be a hero...or a doctor."

"They know that, it's just cooler that he's an alien!" Cameron argued. I stepped in at the last moment before they would start the fight that I was scared they would.

"Alright-y! I'm ready to watch this show, how 'bout it?" I plopped down on the sofa in between the boys. Cameron shouted happily over the noise of the women in the dining room sipping on the coffee and talking about the latest gossip as I knew they were. Jane was the worst gossiper of them all, I'd say.

"Yeah! Doctor Who! Doctor Who!"

"I guess so, but I still don't understand." Fred whined. I playfully shoved him.

"It explains everything itself in this episode, promise."

Cameron pressed play and the familiar background began to play. The very first episode of 'New Who', Rose, which was the newest season after the long break they had back when. Doctor who was one of the longest running shows I could think of, starting back in the 60's.

It was all enough to make me cry, all the memories of my childhood when my father and I would stay up just to watch. We loved the show with all of our hearts and it was a miracle we even found it. Sure, looking back now I realized how ridiculous it all was, but the nostalgia was getting to me. 'New Who' was by far the best thing to happen to the show. So many updated humors, personalities and monsters that frightened and intrigued all at the same time.

At first, I could definitely tell Fred thought it was weird with the whole mannequin thing and the man in the leather jacket (probably my favorite doctor, RIP), but soon enough the expression on his face changed to something of enjoyment and suspense. He was practically on the edge of the cushion when Rose, Mickey and The Doctor were trapped in the sewers. I smiled at the child who was so into this show in the very first moment he actually got to watch it. There's many things you miss while on your devices. You can miss memories being made with your family, even if they are as simple as watching a nostalgic (yet strange) TV show.

As I soon became wrapped up into the adventure of Rose and The Doctor, I was startled when a pair of arms was wrapped around my upper chest, and James hand leaned his head on my shoulder from the back of the couch.

"What's this?" He asked in my war quietly so he didn't disturb the other two boys who were cuddled up next to me as well.

"Doctor Who."

"Ah, so this is what it is. I've only heard about it. Very famous in my country. It's like you American's Gilligan's Island." He explained. "Man, these kids are completely hooked. And so we're you. You didn't even see us when we all walked in."

I turned my head the other way to see the entire family sipping wine in the kitchen.

"Oh! These kids, I swear." I teased, rubbing the black mass on top of Cameron's head.

"You ready to go sight-seeing? We got the 'okay' from Juliet."

"Yeah!" I exclaimed and gently got up from the couch. "Alright boys, James and I will be right back before dinner. We'll see you later."

"Bye, Greta!" Cameron yelled and stood up on the couch to give me a hug.

"See ya." Fred never took his eyes off the TV, and this time I wasn't offended. But only because he was watching my all-time favorite show.

When we were able to get in the car, I couldn't help but smile idiotically. I took a deep breath and started the car, looking behind me as I drove out of the driveway and into the snobby rich houses.

"So," I looked over at James who, like me, had a big grin on his face, "where are we going first in the wonderful Capitol of Texas?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out." James said slyly.

"Well, I sort of need to know because I'm the driver."

"No, I know where to go. I can tell you where to go without telling you where we're going."

"Lets see how that will turn out." I raised an eyebrow, still looking out in the road.

"Turn right." James directed me. I slowed down at the stop sign and flipped on my blinker, turning exactly where James was pointing.

"Is there like a landmark building next to it that I can drive towards and then we can go from there, or does it have to be step-by-step?"

"Go towards Kingsbury Library."

"I know where that is!" I exclaimed and happily turned the wheel over in the direction my favorite small book shop was located.

After a few minutes of singing obnoxious 80's songs and bad Texan drivers, we rolled in front of a small book shop squished between a dance studio and a Cherry Berry.

"Here we are." I turned the car off. "Do you think we have time for a little look-around in the book shop?"

"Of course! We have extra time. Juliet was going to call you when everything back there was almost ready."

I sighed in relief. "Alright, because this is the second best thing to Barnes and Noble."

The confused look on James face made me gasp.

"Have you not heard of Barnes and Noble!? What kind of human are you!?" I teased him. I felt awkward because he didn't smile right away like he normally did at all my joke. It took a short second, a second only I could catch, before he smiled and shrugged.

"A sheltered one, obviously." He chuckled softly. "Alright, let's take a look at this store, huh. You almost burst when I told you about it."

I nodded my head, as I got out of the car and took out my purse (of sorts). The familiar jingle of a small-store bell signaled our entrance and I was overwhelmed with the smell of pages on pages of wonderful adventures I had a chance of experiencing through text. All at my will, I can choose to go to the deepest Peru, a small town in Michigan, or the center of the Earth and all of it at my leisure.

I immediately strolled through the shelves of books, poking my fingers through some, and reading the very first sentences to see if it intrigued me. James watched behind me, following me around the store as I practically floated through air.

"Oh my gosh!" I exclaimed, flinging a book of its shelf.

"What?" James took a step forward so he could see over my shoulder.

"I loved this book when I was in Law School." I modeled it off to James who laughed.

"Catch-22? Seems like a catch-y name to me." He tried. I fake-laughed for his pleasure, but it only wiped the smile off his face. "I'm guessing you've heard that one before."

I tucked the corners of my mouth in. "Yeah. Many times." I put the book back in its spot. "I have it back at my house in my library. It really is small but it's all my favorite books on display. The rest are in my closet."

"I'll be sure to pick it up sometime."

"I'm holding you to that statement." I teased, and continued to waltz around. "Hey, I haven't read this one before. It's supposedly a classic." I held out a book with a tree on it and inside the tree were the words 'Their Eyes Were Watching God'.

"Hm?" James tilted his head slightly. "Their eyes were watching gold?"

"God." I corrected. "It's written by an African American writer in like, 1937. So obviously, very important. Zora Neale Hurston. She's very talented. One day, I truly hope to be as good as her."

"I didn't know you liked to write." James raised an eyebrow.

"Oh sure! Mostly Cival Rights stuff, as you already know since I can go on and on about that. But, I only did so in High School. Almost got my book published but they thought it was too hard-hitting to be written by a 17 year old."

"You wrote a book?!" His eyebrow shot farther up. "What was it called? What was it about?"

"Well, it was called To Rejoice and it wasn't really good."

"Obviously it was if publishers were looking at it!" He argued.

"They just looked at it. It's not like they actually liked it." I shrugged it off.

"I really want to read it. Do you still have it?"

At the last question, the color on my face drained. I didn't have it anymore because it was a huge memory and one I really couldn't take. Everything I ever did and ever will do, will always revolve around my dad. He was my best friend, my main supporter and my whole world. He helped me write that book. He stayed with me and gave me encouragement, ideas, you name it, he was there. When my parents died, all of my hope died with them and I burned a lot of things in anger.

Including my story. The precious story I worked on with my father since I was fourteen years of age. To say it wasn't good, was a lie. It was my greatest accomplishment, and my favorite memory with my father. So obviously, it was the first thing to go.

I regret it now. I regret everything I've ever done after my parents died.

"Greta?" James pulled me out of my trance, and I felt my eyes sting. To my amazement, I did not cry.

"Sorry. No, I don't have it anymore. It's in the Publisher's archives." I lied with a cardboard, reassuring smile.

"That's a shame. I would have loved to read it, just get another grasp of who you are. I heard writing shows more of your personality then your actions."

"I would have loved for you to read it, as well. Unfortunately, that just can't happen." I shrugged, took a deep breath and smiled. "Alright. I think I'm just gonna buy this book."

"No! Let me, I didn't get to pay for any of your clothes."

"You took care of Chipotle. I got this." I argued back. James rolled his eyes.

"Alright, alright. I've learned my lesson. You go on ahead."

"Thank you." I patted his shoulder and strode up to the cashier to buy it. My enhances trembled with excitement when the woman gave me my bag just waiting to read it. "Where to next?" I asked James, as we got in Jackson's car.

"Take a right at the next stop sign and you'll see it." He smirked, as he got in the seat next to me.

"You're making me nervous..." I side-eyed him as he whipped his head to face me.

"Oh, I'm just excited. Now hurry up take the wheel."

I sighed, and rolled my eyes, doing what I was told. To be honest, I was excited as well. The surprise of our destination was eating at me, and I couldn't help but step on the gas a little harder then normal, throwing away all safety procautions I had in me.

When I had turned the corner, I saw it.

The Blanton Museum of Art.

"Oh my gosh...James..." I manuevered my head around the windshield to get a better look at the building.

"Did I do a good job?"

"You did...great. Holy cow. This place is beautiful. Juliet has been here with Tony and she loved it." I rambled. I pulled into an empty spot in the parking lot and wiggled in my seat. "Oh, I'm so excited. Come on, let's go see as much really boring but interesting art before Juliet calls!" I opened the door to the car and got out.

"Uh, Greta?" James said from inside. I bent over sideways to see him.

"Yeah."

"The car is still running." He raised an eyebrow. When I looked down at the ignition, he key was still in it.

"Oh. I can fix that." I quickly took the key out and slammed the door to the car. When James was fully out of the car, I shouted, "Race ya!" And took off bolting towards the big front doors.

"That's hardly fair!" He shouted from the other end of the driveway and raised his hands in the air, bringing thing back down exasperatedly.

"Oh, just come on you big baby!" I shouted back as he laughed and shook his head, walking slowly across the parking lot to where I was at the door.

When we got inside the building, we were greeted with stairs and a bunch of sculptures made from a variety of things like tin to clay.

"Wow." I breathed out as I looked around the place. "This isn't as cool as I thought it would be."

James scoffed and looked around the place from where we were in the middle of the mess of art. It really could've been organized better.

"Agreed. But let's try it out. Maybe we'll find something interesting."

We didn't. It was all the same. Everyone was jazzing over 'the amazing contemporary idealism' behind a painting that looked like Bob Ross splattered pthalo blue on his Afro and used it for a brush.

We both didn't want to leave though, seeming how that would be our only chance alone this 'Vacation'. Although we also both sighed I relief when my phone rang with a call from Juliet telling us that Thanksgiving dinner would be ready in the next thirty minutes.

"Alright. We'll be right there." I told Juliet.

"No! No! Please, take your time. It'll be ready in thirty minutes. That's enough time, right?"

"Oh no, I feel guilty that we haven't helped with anything. I'm sure you have last minute chores or something."

"Greta? Is there something you need to tell me?" Juliet nagged. James studied a painting but widened his eyes with surprise and covered it with his body when he realized the painting was of naked man at a long table sipping wine. I couldn't help but laugh at his face.

"No. We're just in a art museum that's boring as fu-" I looked around at the parents glaring at me. "-dgerdoodles."

"Okay. Well, then come on over, by any means."

"Alright. See ya in a bit." I ended the call and looked at James. "This is our ticket outta here."

He released himself from the painting and pretended to wipe sweat off his forehead.

"Good because if I had to see one more painting of naked people, I might go mad."

Cameron and Frederick greeted us with squished faces on the glass pane by the front door. When we got up to meet them, I rushed forward and squashed my own face on the opposite side. Lucky for me, Fred was only half into his 'I'm a cooler teenager then anyone' stage. Samuel, however, was full in.

Cameron and Fred opened the door to the house for us.

"Welcome, your majesties." Fred kidded. I raised any eyebrow an look back to James.

"Hear that? You're Royalty."

James faked surprise and put his hand over his heart.

"Well, in that case, I'll have breakfast in bed every morning at around 8:30. And I request eggs with bacon and tea as well, but on Sunday's I'll take waffles without peanut butter please and raspberries maybe overflowing the plate. And don't forget my daily foot rub."

Cameron giggled endlessly. "I can't do that!" He exclaimed, and tilted his head.

"And why not?" James asked, crossing his arms playfully.

"I'm only eight! I'm not even allowed to use butter knife!" Cameron shrugged his shoulders.

"You're only eight!?" James exclaimed. "I thought you were 35!"

"35!?" Cameron giggled some more. "You're 35!"

"No, I'm not." He argued.

"Well, then what age are you?" Cameron asked.

"A great one." James said sarcastically. Cameron fell in fits of giggles.

"No, you have to tell me!"

"Why do I have to tell you?"

"Because you do!"

The two playfully argued back and forth as they walked together more into the house.

"Hey, mister!" Cameron called out.

"It's James."

"Hey, James! Come see my Batman collection!"

"Batman? I love Batman!" James turned to look at me as he was pulled in the direction of Cameron's room at the top floor and mouthed, 'Who's Batman?'.

I laughed as I watched him disappear into the upstairs.

"Greta! You're here, good because turns out I need your help!" Juliet called from the dining room.

"Sure thing, what do you need?" I practically skipped to where Juliet was.

"If you could just grab those dinner wine glasses from the counter in the kitchen and place them around the table."

I nodded my head and walked to the kitchen where Jane was sitting on a barstool and talking with Maurice who was shining dishes.

"Hey, Greta, cute outfit! Oh my God!" Maurice called out. I laughed and shook my head slightly. Jane smiled brightly at me.

"Yeah, that is so adorable on you, where'd you get it?"

"Thank you, I got it today at Maurice's downtown."

Maurice's smile grew bigger.

"That makes that whole outfit ten times better than it already was."

I laughed and took a couple of the glasses that were set on a fancy towel on the marble counter.

"Well, you'll have to thank James and Lawrence. They were the ones to convince me to get it."

"Lawrence was involved in all of this? I'm surprised he can't even choose a Sunday shirt to match with slacks to save his life." Maurice teased him.

"What was that!?" A voice called from the entry way and cliche enough, Lawrence walked into the kitchen.

"Oh, nothing..." She said slyly, continuing to dry her dishes like nothing was ever said against him.

"No, I'm sure it was something." Lawrence argued. Jackson and Tiny emerged as well.

"Oh, quit your glutting, you oaf and help poor Greta carry these wine glasses!"

Everyone looked over at me suddenly as I struggled to balance all the glasses all at once without making them fall. A sheepish smile grew on my face, as I blew the very same strand of hair out of the way.

"Oh, dear." Lawrence muttered, taking some of the extra weight and following me into the dining room Juliet still in, placing forks, spoons and knives in purple cloth napkins for everyone with a spot.

"Thank you for the help." I chuckled, placing the glasses around in a circle. The table was almost fully set for twelve and had little paper name tags on the dinner plates. Naturally, I hunted for my own. I was set right next to Juliet and Frederick.

"Alright, Julie. All the wine glasses are set." I placed my hands in the pocket of my (magenta) coat.

"Perfect! That's all I need from you. Can you go get Freddie boy for me? He's in the man cave, probably playing some game or whatever."

"Oh, sure thing." I made my way to the downstairs, whistling the tune of my Chipotle song I had made up in the store.

Sure enough, Fred was in the man cave playing a video game on the huge flatscreen.

"Hey, Freddo. Your mother would like to see you upstairs."

"Tell her I'll be up in a moment." He said with a stale face never looking up from the TV.

"I think she can't wait a moment for you to finish your game." I challenged, raising an eyebrow.

"Fine." He didn't argue as he paused his game where he was mid-slicing a zombie's neck with s spatula.

What is with games and their physics?

"Good, I'd hate to be the one to see your mother's wrath." I teased him as he sauntered upstairs. I fluffed up his hair as he passed me.

I lingered a while in the man-cave when I heard something that resembled a sniffle.

I was almost tempted to say 'hello' but let's be serious, no one really is going to just come out and be like, 'Hey, how's it going. You should try the chips here, they're great.'

I moved closer and closer to the bar and scooted around the pool table they had in the middle of the huge room.

I heard more sniffling and realized I wasn't going crazy. Peering around the wooden bar, I saw Samuel curled up in a ball, with his head in his hands and his phone right next to him.

"Samuel?" I asked, softly. His head shot up to face me, and I saw his eyes were red.

"Greta, I-I-" he wiped his eyes. "It fine. It's nothing." He dismissed me and went to stand up when I put my hands on his shoulders and sat him back down, gently.

"No." I closed my eyes, trying to keep a calm composure for Sam. "It's not fine, and it's not nothing." I slid down the wall to sit next to him. "Tell me. What in tarnation is going on? Samuel Larson doesn't cry over nothing."

He took a deep breath and turned his head around away from me, shaking his head.

"Sam?" I prodded. "If you don't want to talk about it now, that's fine. But you aren't going to enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner very much. And I'm gonna poke it out of you eventually anyways."

He chuckled a little and looked back at me. Sam's brown eyes had a little more color in them, so at least he was cooling down.

"Yeah, I know," he sighed, and stretched his arms across his knees that were to his chest. "It's just my dad."

"Tony?"

"No, my real dad, Bo Johnson. He's just being a real dick."

"Ah, I see. What did Bo do now?"

"Oh, just the typical no-calls-on-holidays anymore. I really just want to talk to him. Tell him how I'm doing, how I'm graduating, and about Chrissie." At the mention of Chrissie, his girlfriend, Samuel's eyes softened. It was cool how much you could see they loved each other at age 18. If I were any more naive, I would have scoffed. "I want to tell him so much, and I'll never get to because he never calls. I wouldn't mind telling my dad how you came back and now you've got a boyfriend who, let me just say, is extremely nice. I saw him with Cameron."

A small smile formed on my lips.

"You like him?"

"Yeah, but just know, he'll have a pitchfork up his ass from each one of us if he ever hurts you."

"And the same to you with Chrissie." I playfully nudged his shoulder with my own. He smiled but just as it showed up, it left and was replace with pursed lips.

"I guess it's kind of selfish for me to say all of this when I have Tony. I love my family, but I can't help but wonder how Bo's doing. I hate not knowing."

"It's not at all selfish, trust me-"

"Would it be selfish to say I hate him. For not ever being there."

"I would say it's normal." I agreed. "I don't necessarily understand, and I'm really sorry I don't, my dad was my best friend. But I do know what it's like to live without one and it sucks. You're lucky your mom found Tony. He's a good man."

"Yes, he's a great man an he treats me like his own. I guess I'm better now, thanks."

"It's okay to still be sad, but just don't let it ruin your mood. Enjoy being around your family while you still have them. Make every waking memory you can so when, if, they're gone, you don't have regrets."

"Are you...it sounds like-"

"I'm speaking from experience? Yes, I am. But that's enough of this, I have you guys and James, I couldn't be happier. Now let's go eat some food." I slapped his knee and jumped up to my feet, Samuel following soon after and racing up the stairs two at a time. The open doorway to the main floor showed Cameron continuing to pull James around everywhere.

I laughed lightly and walked into the dining room where the rest of the family was. Jane was talking with Sarah who shyly nodded her head to everything she had to say. Cameron had laid his head on James' shoulder who had his arm around Cameron's shoulder while talking with Tony and Jackson as if they were best buds.

As Juliet brought out the side dishes and placed them on the fully set grand table, everyone uniformly began to sit. I walked quickly to the kitchen to help bring out more dishes of food.

"Oh, Greta." Juliet cooed. "You are such a big help, where were you tho Easter?" She teased. I laughed lightly but it was more forced at the remembrance of why I actually wasn't there.

I grabbed the pot holder under the green beans and picked it up off the marble counter.

"Where would you like this to go?" I asked the very busy Juliet. She paused in the middle of stirring her gravy.

"Uh, just put it next to the corn." She spat out and continued working on her gravy. I snorted through my nose and walked into the dining room to set the pot next to the corn. I reached over James and Tony to place the beans.

"Nice jacket." James commented. When I had let go of the pot, I playfully slapped his arm.

"Shut up." I teased, Tony going into an uproar of laughter.

"Oh-ho, man." He muttered and nudged James who playfully rolled his eyes as I strutted to my seat next to Fred. Just as I had done so, Juliet came in with the gravy and a big stuffed turkey. I felt her hand on my shoulder as she sat down next to me. Lawrence sat at the head, Maurice sitting at the other end of the table.

"Alright, let's pray before we eat." Lawrence grinned at his table full of family. I grew suddenly nervous for James. He had never been to a meal with our entire family. It was tradition for us all to pray, but to my relief, he joined hands just like everyone else and made no kind of notion he was in any way uncomfortable. I smiled and took hold of Fred and Juliet's hands as Lawrence spoke. His words always seem just to go over my head whenever he prayed because I was always focused on the meal we were about to eat.

It all reminded me of Thanksgiving with my mom and dad in Salt Lake City. The way we used to pray before every meal. I even could remember the way he spoke, so diligently to the someone was really out there.

If someone was even out there.

I remembered laughing and eating the food my mom cooked, and my dad talk about a new project he was working on just for me. I remembered the food getting stuck in the beard he thought he'd grow, that only lasted the Thanksgiving dinner. I remembered the love my mom and dad showed towards me and each other.

They showed me how a family should love and how a husband and wife should love each other, and for that...I am thankful. I am thankful for what they sacrificed and shared to keep my in their arms whether it be in real life and in my dreams. I have not forgotten them, I will remember them at their best and their worst, just like how the mother asked Shirley to remember her.

Somewhere in the middle of the prayer, I felt the need to open my eyes and saw James with a small smile shoved to the side of his face and gazing at me from across the table. When I had made eye contact with him, his grin widened to show his teeth making it contagious for me to do the same. I bowed my head once again but couldn't help but continue to look up at James still gazing at me. When the prayer was over, Tony stood up to cut the turkey and as he did so, my mouth watered with excitement at the smell that arose throughout the room. Immediately, conversations erupted and there was not a single quiet moment through the entirety of the meal.

There was no need for me to worry about James inclusion in all the conversations because Jackson and Tony immediately started joking around with him.

"So James," Jackson went to say over the noise of all the rest of the family talking away, taking a hold of his knife and cutting his turkey.

"No," Tony interrupted, "his British name is James, but down in the United States of America, he's Larry. Told me so himself, if you don't believe me."

James laughed heartily, shaking his head lightly.

"Really? Well then," Jackson picked up his napkin and wiped it on his mouth, "Larry, you live in England, right?" He asked, taking a forkful of corn and shoving it in his mouth.

"Yes, I do. Just on the outside of London." He shifted in his seat, and if I didn't know any better I'd say he grew uncomfortable in his spot, as if he did not like the mention of his home.

"So how do you get here all the time? It seems like you're over here a lot, my mother updates us regularly with the news about how many dates you've gone on, and told us so much about you to fill out a full police sketch."

James chuckled, "Well, I just fly over here all the time. I hate being away from everyone."

"But don't you have a job and such?" Tony barged in. James nodded his head slowly, as if not sure how to answer that.

"Yes, but it involves traveling a lot, so expenses are paid. I'm just a businessman." He explained, and I grew proud of my little boyfriend, conversing with my family like its nothing. I wanted to jump up and hug him and chant, 'they grow up so fast!' But I figured that would be inappropriate.

"So...like a CEO?" Jackson prodded more. I was guessing the only thing Maurice had not told them was what he did for a living and all of those important things you have to tell your girlfriend's family by yourself.

James squinted his eyes in though, "Yeah...I'm like a CEO. But I'm not all the way at the top. I'm the 'international CEO' so I'm the one who travels to places and reconnects the ties and makes sure that the business is running sweetly in other countries."

"Well that's cool! What business?" Tony chimed in from the other side. I placed some of my own food in my mouth while I listened in, and mentally answered the question. Trolleys. He works in the trolley business.

"Trolleys." James swallowed the piece of meat he was eating in a hurry to get the word out before it was too long of an awkward pause.

"Oh, so you're more like an engineer?"

"I'm the guy who hires the engineers." James corrected. Suddenly deciding the conversation I was listening to was boring, I went to Jane's conversation who was right next to Sarah and Maurice, who was at the end of the table and looking completely bored with what Jane had to say. Juliet was talking with her father about the kids.

"So, then I told the lady that she needed to leave my store and she pulls out a knife on me!" Jane exclaimed loudly, and the entire table went quiet and snapped their attention to Jane, who held out her knife the way the woman had. As there was a pause, Jane started to laugh hysterically and soon the entire table was laughing with her and returned to their own. "Anyways, so this woman is nuts, I knew I had to get rid other before she cuts up the entire store so as manager, I kicked the knife out of her kinds in like a roundhouse kind of thing, you know, and then I went- BAM, POW-" Jane mimicked punching someone like in those Jackie Chan movies, "and she went out like a light! The only thing that was needed was to call the cops. True story."

Sarah, who was too nice to say anything about Jane's un-true story, nodded her head uncomfortably. Maurice rolled her eyes.

"How did you learn how to do all of that," Maurice motioned with her hand at Jane, "in a matter of seconds?"

Jane blinked, thinking around for an answer, "Well, you see, I've been watching YouTube videos on Karate for the past couple of months so I'm pretty much a pro." Jane lied through her teeth. I rolled my eyes and cut more of my turkey.

The food really was heavenly, all cooked correctly and evenly so that every bite was a new palate of colors. I normally hated stuffing but since it was cooked inside the turkey, it was inevitable to get some, which I picked past, but you still got the taste in the turkey.

"Greta!" Cameron shouted fro across the table. I turned my attention towards the mischievously smiling kid.

"What's up, Camo?"

"Look what I can do!" He shoved a huge spoonful of mashed potatoes in his mouth and squeezed it from between his teeth.

"Woah!" I exclaimed just as excitedly as he was. Juliet gasped.

"Oh, Cameron! Cut it out and have some manners!" She cried out, embarrassed at her child.

I cleared my throat as the boy pouted and swallowed his extra mashed potatoes. I smirked at Cameron and put a spoonful of my own potatoes in my mouth and spin the same thing he had, making him hysterical. Sooner than I had thought, Fred, James and Tony had begun to do the same. Maurice followed after, Jackson doing the same as Lawrence howled with laughter.

The conversation was just at its peak, and as always, the reminiscing of past years and memories began. They all had memories of each other but I didn't come into their lives until 6th grade when Jackson had stuck up for me when these kids were picking on me because of the gap in my teeth. Back before braces, I had a ginormous gap in my teeth, like I could stick peanuts in between my teeth and the kids would pick on me for it.

But those very same kids did not grow up to stay in the same job, own their own house and date a British CEO of a trolley company so who's laughing now. Actually, probably still them.

I felt a foot kick my shin from underneath the table. I gasped quietly and looked underneath to see the culprit. Sure enough, James held his hand underneath with a napkin, waving it as if he wanted me to take it. I slowly reached out from beneath the table and grabbed hold of it. James nodded from the other side of the table and urged me to look at it.

Let's get out of here,

Was written in tangible writing. I nodded my head and smiled, clearing my throat, and getting up from my seat quietly, not to disturb the totally unaware family. James did the same, following after me and grinning like a madman.

'Follow me' I mouthed to James and walked out of the dining room and to the patio outdoors. I burst out laughing when we made it undetected.

"Alright, time to go see my favorite part of this house! If it's still here." I pumped my fist in the air and James chuckled.

"Yes, let's go!" He responded and I lured him to the backyard garden where a maze of hedges lead to a bench surrounded by flowers and a small pond. I grabbed hold of James' hand and carried him to the bench.

"Oh, yes! It's still there." I sighed in relief and pulled out my phone to check the time, just to make sure we were close to the exact time I needed. "Okay, it's 5:57, so in about 3 minutes..." I trailed off for James' own suspicion. He gave me a weak grin as if he was confused. I giggled.

"What's in three minutes?"

"Something really cool!" I said enthusiastically and plopped down on the bench, James following after. My facial features went from totally excited to remorse and hurt. "I...I suppose I owe you an explanation."

James, who was looking at the Koi goldfish swimming around the clean pond, turned to look at me, concerned.

"Explanation?"

"Yes...with my parents. You don't know the full story. And I'm sorry I haven't told you everything right away, I don't know what was stopping me. But I need to now because otherwise that is not fair to you to be deprived of the knowledge of who I used to be before...you." I kept it together, controlling my emotions.

"You don't have to if you're not comfortable yet. James put a hand on my knee and I could feel those stupid butterflies again. I dismissed his compelling voice and shook my head.

"No, it's not right. I have to tell you." I said with a sudden strength i didn't have earlier. James didn't say anything back to argue and I mentally thanked him. He was so convincing with everything word he spoke. His voice was always so calming and beautiful and made me crave every day I got to hear it. I took a deep breath and finally mustered up all my courage to do my own talking,

"It was a Sunday. On my first year of Law School's spring break, which I stayed with my family with. I was studying Family Law, so that was working with divorces, adoptions, things along that line. We decided to all go to Church that morning since we were all up before the service started and when we got there, a man was in that building who disappeared for a while after his mom died mysteriously.

"During the middle of the service, I had to go to the bathroom. When I had just stepped foot out of the bathroom, a gunshot went off throughout the building. It was a small church of about 80 people including children. My first was thought was, in fact, about the children so I ran to the daycare and Sunday School areas to make sure they had left to go outside, mind you, there were people just rushing past me and knocking me over to get to their families safely.

"I ushered all the little kids out, but then realized my mother and father were still in the room, and that I didn't see them run outside," a took a small pause to take a deep breath and just breathe, "I asked around for the last remaining parents but they didn't hear me. . ."

I kept on talking but I felt as though I floated away towards the awful memory. The pain that I felt talking about it was too great, but I wasn't about to stop. I was doing this for James, and all the pain in the world wouldn't stop me from doing anything for him.

"Have you seen my mother?" I asked a flailing Ms. Chesterfield. She did not answer but run out the exit door. As she went by I caught a sight of the leader of the Worship team, Ethan, a man only one year older than me physically but six years younger mentally. "Ethan, you gotta help me! My parents, are they out there?"

"Man, I don't know. I was just trying to save my guitar, do you know how expensive these-"

"You know what, fine. I can find them myself." I raced into the hallway where the double swinging doors that lead to the Chapel were. Pictures of Jesus and the Crucifixion taunted me as I ran through the hallway with all I could. Slamming my entire body into those doors, I found my parents trying to convince the man to put down the gun.

It only took one moment. One moment to ruin my life.

My mother had been shot first, her crippling body falling to the ground. The crooked cries of both my dad and I echoed more loudly than the gunshot had.

However bad it may sound, my worst heartbreak came when my dad was shot after calling my name telling me to get out of the building. I had been running to my father to be with him, when he was shot and I had paused and stared at him fall just as I had with my mother.

"DAD!" I had screamed at the top of my lungs startling the man who held the gun. I picked up the body of my father who was gasping for air. My mother was killed on impact.

The gaping hole in my father's torso was staining his orange plaid shirt that went so well with his dark hair. A tear fell down his cheek as he was able to compose his last breath into a phrase. Three words.

I love you.

I broke down in a hysterical fit, crying over the two dead bodies of my parents. The parents I had lost in one day.

This isn't fair, I had thought. This isn't fair.

I looked up at the man with tears streaking down my cheeks. How dare he stand here, waiting after killing my parents.

"Do it." I said with a new-found determination. "Do it. Kill me. You killed my parents. Do you hear me!? YOU. KILLED. MY PARENTS. KILL ME!"

If I was hysterical before, imagine asking for death. Imagine accepting it and losing all hope. Imagine dreaming about it. That you might not have to be away from your parents anymore.

And then imagine it never coming. Imagine watching the cruelest man in history walk out of the church with two lives on his hands.

"After that," I finally was able to look up at James who looked absolutely heartbroken. That was all I took for me to cry. Just a little. "After that, my life spiraled into a chaos with alcohol and parties. I just didn't care what was to happen to me anymore. Now that my parents, my whole world, was ripped away from me, I was broken.

"Then came the night of a particular party. A night I'll never forget. I had been drunk and I needed a ride and asked my two best friends if they could drive me home after I went to the bathroom. Well, as you already know everything bad happens to me in bathrooms so while I was doing my business, they took multiple shots and then drove me home.

"We were on a highway when, and all I can remember from that particular moment was lights coming at us. When I awoke from a few minute long daze, I was in a burning car and my abdomen hurt like hell. From that cut that I got, I should have died." I said bluntly. I felt James slither closer, and place his hand on mine that were in my lap. "I got out of the burning car and saw a mini van just in front of us with people trying to get out. I knew I was drunk but for some reason, the impact suddenly made me sober-like. I limped to the van and saw the driver was a mother of three kids, who were in the back. She motioned towards them, and I could smell that gas from my car and it was very thick. I practically ripped the van door open and ushered all the kids out. They were crying and I realized the woman hadn't gotten out yet, even though I had a clear path for her to do so.

"I ran back yet again, and my abdomen was just seeping. I didn't know that if I didn't get medical attention soon I would have bled out. I got to the mother's door and did the same thing to the kids. The gas and fire finally got to the back of the car and it began to burn, obviously adding more urgency. The dashboard was stuck on the mother's leg and was keeping her from getting out of the vehicle. I tried and tried to get out before the entire car exploded, but the mother looked at me and smiled. She told me that she knew the kids weren't far enough to not feel the effects of the explosion, so I was forced to leave. I told myself I could save the woman and that once the kids are safe at a neighbor's house I could go back. I could save her.

"I told hold of all the kids and we ran. I knew of a house almost a mile away since I lived near the highway, and we made that our destination. I knocked on the door of the house and that was when we heard it. The explosion. From almost a mile away and that was all I remember.

"I awoke on a stretcher, doctors or nurses or whoever were right up above me, and I saw a bright light. I remember the headache and then I blacked out again. When I awake yet again, a doctor told me I was fully healed but being rushed to a psychiatric unit after some things I had said during checkups that I don't remember. They brought me to the Mental Institution under the same name as the Hospital. I got out a couple months later and then nothing any more exciting happened in my life," I paused, able to form a small smile at the completely shocked James, "until you."

He was completely silenced.

"And now I feel so much better. I don't feel like I have this heavy weight on me anymore. Now we're equal."

James took a shaky breath, as I looked away into the sky.

"Greta, I have to tell you-"

I interrupted him with a gasp. "Look! Look, look, look!" I pointed to the sky, which held yet another sunset. This one was different then all the others I've seen. It was red and made everything it touched look on fire. From over the small hedges you could see the whole town just red from the light reflecting off the sunset.

I was so wrapped up in the sunset, I didn't notice that James was looking at me instead of the scenery. "What?" I gave him a mischievous smile.

He shook his head a little, as though coming out of a daze.

"Nothing...it's just...how do you do it?"

"Do what?" I suddenly furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

"That thing where you just have this...postcard beauty. Do you know how gorgeous you are when say those poetic things and then look off into the sunset. It's truly just plain beautiful."

"Beautiful? Me? More like clumsy." 

 "No, don't joke. You are dismissing the fact that you are beautiful, and that's not fair." He said, with a sweet smile that seemed to dance throughout my mind. I was stunned at the fact he had called me beautiful. "Your personality, your voice, your laugh. It all seems to...scramble me. Every time you smile, I seem to forget my name and and when you walk into a room, my stomach turns. In a good way," He added, causing me to laugh, "and I don't think I'll ever get used to the way my breaths stagger when you sing in the car. Everything about you is way more than beautiful ever will be. I can't explain it, but...maybe I can?" 

I have yet to know whether it was the fiery light that illuminated on our skin or the pure sensation of being near each other making us closer and closer. 

"James?" I asked, almost a whisper. 

"Yes." He whispered back, almost only inches away. My trembling hands had no idea what to do and I felt every nerve in my bod go numb. 

"Are we gonna..." I trailed, my heart beat quickening. 

"Maybe..." We were so close I felt his breath on my lips. Soon, the space between us closed, and I felt his lips on my own. A certain panic arose in myself as I realized I had never been kissed like this before and frankly, didn't know how but I began to calm and melt like putty in his hands which rose up to caress my cheek as mine went to his neck. 

And that was the story of our first kiss. In a secret garden, overlooking a town with a fire glow in Austin, Teas. 

And the strange taste of turkey. 

AN: ...I honestly have no explanation for this 15,000 WORD CHAPTER. Sorry guys that I'm stupid and didn't decide just to split it into two parts. 

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And I'll see you in the next chapter that won't take 2 weeks to upload and 15,000 words long. Oops.