He looked at the man across from him coldly. Once good friends, now the two were sticking together because they needed to. "Don't tell me what to do."

The man laughed. "I only wish that was an option."

The boy frowned. A nearby oil lamp shone light on his somewhat blonde hair. "You think you know everything, but you don't."

The man glowered. "Stop acting so pretentious."

The boy snorted. "When you need me the most, I'll be there for you. But I trust that you won't be there for me. Goodbye Ransom." He left the room, having the last word it.

Ransom Cane looked at the boy who left. He shook his head and turned to his infant son. "Well, Kyle, it's been an interesting day, hasn't it?"

The brown-haired girl ran up to her friend quickly. "Well, Charity? Is it true?"

The older girl blinked, taken aback. She poured herself a cup of tea and turned to the younger girl. "Is -what- true?"

The girl rolled her eyes. "I'm not stupid, Charity, you can't fool me like this."

Charity blinked as she sipped her tea. "Jumper, I really have no idea what you're talking about." She looked as Leapfrog Kristo entered the kitchen and nodded a hello.

Jumper quickly turned to Leapfrog. "You should know. Is it true that some psycho wants to kill you? Huh? Is it? Is it?"

Leapfrog snickered and glanced at Charity, who just nodded. "Jump, there have been plenty of psychos who want to kill me."

Jumper pouted as she left the kitchen. She looked back over her shoulder and called out one last time. "You guys stink!"

Leapfrog laughed and helped himself to some tea. He looked up at Charity. "He's gotten meaner."

Charity frowned. She knew exactly what he was talking about, but didn't approve of the younger boy's disrespect. "Give him a break. He has a lot to deal with. The house... and Penny... and now... now this..."

Leapfrog shrugged. "Went to see him last night and he snapped at me for being so careless. Apparently I was not supposed to see him if it was after 10. It was 5 minutes past."

Charity shook her head. "You're wrong about this."

Leapfrog said nothing. He sipped his tea and placed the cup down. "So, what about that story in the papers today, eh?"

Charity laughed, "I know. Lots of substance there, telling us about a plant that can be used as medicine."

Leapfrog frowned. "Medicine? You mean it wasn't a poisonous crop of tomatoes?"

Charity grinned. "Oh dear..."

"It's weird. He's like another son to me." Ransom just shrugged.

Smudge nodded. "Right. I get the feeling that he thinks that sort of thing too, but he'd never say it to you, and..."

"I'll never say it to him. Right." Ransom nodded.

"But you wish you could?"

"Yes. It'd make things a hell of a lot easier, don't you think?" Ransom looked to a crying Kyle. "One second, Smudge."

Smudge nodded. "However long it takes, Ransom."

more to come...