its been a little over 4 months since Sally showed up and Monty still doesn't like her. he absolutely despises new people. he doesn't like anyone new in the town, so when he walks into Flos diner, Tommy clutched to his chest, he stops and starts at the new girl sitting on his stool at the bar. he stares daggers at the young girl, who is probably about 13.

"hey, you guys fostering a new kid?" Mable asks, looking at Flo. Mable goes to a private year round school in another state and hasn't met him yet. Monty runs around the bar to Flo with a whine, reaching up for her to pick him up.

"oh hey Monty." Flo smiles picking him up. she puts him on her hip and smiles. "no Red and Mack adopted him. Monty this is my daughter Mable." Flo smiles. he whines at her and points at Mable. Flo chuckles.

"whats wrong with him?" Mable ask curiously.

"thats where he likes to sit, so he can sit right in front of me." Flo smiles, shaking her head. "I know kiddo she's sitting on your stool isn't she?" Flo chuckles. he pouts at her when she sets him up on the counter.

"oh I can move." Mable assures.

"no its okay honey I'll just set him here and get him a cookie." Flo smiles. she sits Monty on the counter and goes to retrieve him a cookie.

"can I have a peanut butter milkshake too?" Mable asks as Flo comes back. she gives Monty a cookie and shakes her head.

"oh, I'm sorry honey. we don't have peanut butter anymore, do we little man?" Flo smiles, pinching his cheek.

"no peanut butter?" Mable ask, confused.

"uh, no. the whole town threw out anything with peanuts in it when Monty got his hands on some and went into anaphylactic shock. kid spent a week in the hospital." Flo frowns a little, ruffling his hair. "I don't think I've ever seen Doc panic like that." Flo said.

"Doc panicked?" Mable ask, shocked.

"yup, kid was blue in minutes and it was not very pretty." Flo frowns. Monty watches her, eating his cookie quietly.

"wow." Mable says.

"but let me get you a mint milkshake, is that okay?" Flo ask.

"yeah sure." Mable smiles. Flo heads off to make her one. "hey." Mable says. Monty turns to give her a dirty look. "sorry I sat on your stool kid." Mable says. Monty just glares at her. "I like your bear." Mable smiles. Monty looks down and hugs Tommy tighter. "hey ma, how come he doesn't talk?" Mable calls.

"he's shy and he has a studder." Flo says coming back over. she places the milkshake in front of Mable with a smile, then turns her attention to Monty. "isn't that right cutie?" Flo ask. Monty pouts at her a little. "where are your daddies at kiddo?" Flo ask. Monty squirms and gets up to jump off.

"so Red and Mack are his dads?" Mable ask, watching Flo put Monty on the floor so he could run off.

"yeah. his parents crashed out here and he was the only survivor. his dad beat him and his mom pretty good. he clicked with Red, I think because Red knew sign language." Flo smiles. "but don't get in his way when it comes to Doc." Flo chuckles. Mable smiles and watches Monty leave.

"he likes Doc?" Mable ask.

"he has the cutest little crush on him. Red had to get onto the boy for picking his flowers and giving them to Doc." Flo chuckles. Mable grins a little.

"well, I'm glad he gets to learn what real love is around here." Mable says. Flo smiles at her and turns to watch Monty.

Monty giggles to himself and heads over to Docs clinic. Red is sick and Mack has a sinus infection, so he's pretty much on his own any time he leaves the house. he pushes his way into the clinic, where Doc is working on paperwork. he squeals walking in and Doc looks up.

"hey squirt. whats up?" Doc asks, smiling. he picks the boy up and puts him on his knee, holding him gently. "what are you doing hmm?" Doc ask. Monty holds up Tommy.

"To-Tommy." Monty pouts. Doc takes the bear gently, something has to be wrong with the bear if he's easily giving him up.

"oh see he has a rip hmm?" Doc ask. Monty whines. "okay, okay. you sit here I'll be right back." Doc murmurs, sitting Monty in his chair. he walks out of the room and Monty sits quietly waiting for him. after 5 minutes, Doc returns and scoops the boy back up, sitting down in his chair. he hands Tommy back gently. Monty takse him and looks him over before grinning and squealing, hugging Docs neck tightly.

"th-th-than-thanks!" Monty squeals. Doc holds the boy gently.

"yeah yeah. your welcome. you're lucky I know how to do stitches." Doc chuckles. Monty sits back down in his lap and giggles holding Tommy tightly. he cuddles up closer to Doc, playing with his bear. "where are your dads kid?" Doc ask. Monty makes a quick sign to Doc and turns back to Tommy. "home?" Doc ask, getting up. Monty nods cuddling to him. Doc carries the boy back home and knocks, letting himself in. "Red? Mack?" Doc calls.

"shhh." Mack mumbles, heading into the living room. "Reds pretty sick and sleeping and I have a sinus headache. please don't be so loud." Mack mutters, walking over. Monty reaches quietly for Mack, who scoops him out of Docs arms. Monty settles into his arms and holds Tommy tightly. Mack rubs his cheek gently and smiles.

"you sound awful. come on back with me to the clinic." Doc frowns. Mack nods a little and puts Monty down, following him out of the house. Monty immediately follows them outside and heads to the backyard to get his four-wheeler. he giggles and heads off across the road, back towards Flo. he's almost there when someone stomps in front of him.

"watch it you little shit." a voice growls. Monty looks up and finds a man that he remembers his dads calling 'Chick Sr' with a boy, around 10, standing next to him with bright green hair. the man stomps off towards the clinic.

"yeah, little shit. move." the boy smirks, shoving Monty off the four-wheeler. Monty hits the ground and rubs his nose. he turns a little and stays quiet, watching the boy sit on his four-wheeler. he gets up and grabs Tommy, dusting him off gently.

"Tommy." Monty mumbles, looking the bear over gently. Red would wash him as soon as he got better.

"give me that stupid thing." the boy glares, snatching Tommy.

"m-m-mi-mine!" Monty squeals angrily, reaching for Tommy.

"cr-cr-cry about it." the boy snorts, pulling at the bears arm. Monty screams trying to take Tommy back. he grabs hold of Tommy and pulls with all his might.

"m-mi-mine!" Monty shouts.

"hey! why don't you leave him alone!" Mable glares walking over to shove the boy hard.

"keep your hands off me." he glares.

"fuck off CJ. he's just a baby. leave him alone." Mable snaps.

"why don't you fucking make me?" CJ grins. Monty cowards behind Mable, hugging her leg tightly.

"Mable, Monty, CJ whats going on out here?" Flo asks walking out. Mable pulls back and punches CJ hard in the face, ripping Tommy from his grasp.

"CJ's being a bully again!" she glares. she hands the torn bear back to Monty, who immediately starts screaming.

"where's your dad?" Flo glares at CJ.

"none of your fucking business." CJ glares. Flo grabs his arm hard and pulls him off. "hey let go of me you bitch!" CJ snaps, trying to pull his arm free. Monty scoops up Tommy and whimpers.

"come on. I bet I know someone who can fix him." Mable smiles. Monty follows her to Docs clinic. the moment she opens the door he runs inside sobbing, towards Docs office. Mack must've already gone home because Monty doesn't see him in there. he runs straight to Doc, holding up the peices of his beloved bear, sobbing and babbling.

"geez kid, what happened to you?" Doc ask.

"that jerk loser CJ." Mable huffs, walking over. "can you fix that thing?" she asks, frowning. Doc raises an eye brow and takes the bear.

"hmmm. I can try kid." Doc says, scooping Monty up and putting him in his seat. "stay here, I'll be right back." Doc assures, walking off. Monty whimpers watching him go.

"he'll fix it kid." Mable assures, smiling before walking out. Doc returns a few minutes later.

"alright kid, lets see if we can't put Tommy back together." Doc murmurs, scooping him up. he puts the boy in his lap gently and gets to work stitching Tommy up carefully. Monty keeps his hands to himself, holding onto the edge of Docs desk tightly.

"To-Tommy." Monty whines.

"I know kiddo. don't worry. I'll get him all fixed up. its alright." Doc assures gently. Monty cuddles to him and sits quietly, watching Docs hands carefully. Doc is, of course, as gentle with Tommy as he is with the boy in his lap.

it takes him nearly two hours to patch up every tear in the beloved bear, but eventually he sets the needle and thread aside, before working his aching hands a little. they would surely ache well into tomorrow, but the pure relief on the boy in his laps face, was absolutely worth it.

"okay Monty, he's fixed." Doc assures. Monty grabs the bear and hugs it tightly, cuddling up to Doc quietly. "yeah yeah. you're welcome." he murmurs softly. Doc scoops the boy up and heads for Flos to get the boy a cookie or something. Monty squirms himself free and Doc puts him down gently, watching him go. Monty comes running back with two flowers in his hand. he reaches up for Doc and than man scoops him up. "your daddy is going to be very upset when he sees you're picking his flowers again." Doc chuckles softly. Monty reaches up and puts one of the flowers in Docs hair, tucked up over his ear. Doc chuckles a little and heads off for the diner. he sits at the bar, where Mable is sitting again, nursing her bruised fist and sipping a victory milkshake.

"there you are, see I told you Doc could fix it." Mable smiles.

"him." Doc corrects gently. "his name is Tommy and it upsets him if you don't get that straight." Doc says. Mable nods and Monty holds a flower out to her.

"oh is this for me? thanks." Mable smiles, putting the flower into her hair the way she sees the flower tucked into Docs.

"yeah he does that if you do something he likes or something." Doc shrugs. "it upsets Red, but he's always giving me flowers." Doc mutters, shaking his head. "but he liked that you helped save Tommy." Doc adds. Monty settles into Docs lap, hugging Tommy.

"hey kiddo. you better now?" Flo ask, bringing him over a cookie. Monty holds Tommy tightly.

"what happen to the little shit and his dad?" Doc ask.

"Sheriff ran them off." Flo assures, smiling at Monty. she hands him a cookie. "here sweetie." she smiles.

"bet that little jerk won't mess with you again." Mable grins.

"Mable punched him and his nose wouldn't stop bleeding." Flo chuckles. "your dads proud of you by the way. can't have anyone picking on our favorite little guy." Flo smiles, ruffling Montys hair. Monty cuddles closer to Doc. he holds Tommy tightly and watches Mable. he's already decided he likes her more than Sally and doesn't mind her sitting on his seat, especially since he's got Doc. he decides she'll be allowed to hold him, not today of course, but eventually.