Warehouse

"I think she was always smarter than he was" she giggled

(After Mika finishes talking with Arya)

Mika came back over. "So what is first in building these stalls?" She asked. She didn't want to look around the warehouse. Didn't want to remember Jarlon's kindness that night when she had collapsed outside in the rain. At least not now.

they had worked for several hours and half the stalls were done before it got dark The cold set in and she was ready to go home. "Hey guys, I think it's time for me to get to bed" she smiled and headed back to cahoon, afraid to get lost

........cahoon-mika's house

Arya gasped about Mika's story.

"Oh Mika.... I'm sorry" she shook her head and looked at her feet.
"I understand. Don't worry, your secret will be kept well."
She turned to others.
"I... well, I'd better start goin' home. Seeya all tomorrow."

"And Mika..." she turned to her again. She didn't know what to say
really. So she just stepped forward and hugged her, trying to put all
of the words she wanted to say and all emotions in one hug.

Then she turned around and walked back to her house.



-----------Arya's house.

Mika nodded quietly. She hugged Arya back. "Arya.." she whispered before Arya left "I am sorry I couldn't save him. I...I pleaded with him to run..save himself. But he would not" Mika bit her lip and looked up again with misty eyes.

Arya shook her head and put her hand on her shoulder.
"Jarlon must have known what he was doing." she said silently with a shaky voice.
"You couldn't do nothing about that. She wanted you to be safe. Yo are safe." she paused.
"I saw you were surprised when I said he loved you before. Well evrybody who knew him even a little could see that" she smiled a bit.

Mika smiled slightly "And I loved him" she whispered "We..we tried not to. We knew it was to complicated and dangerous but" she sighed and shook her head "I don't know anymore."

Arya smiled a bit and put hand on her shoulders.
"It wasn't wrong. Denying it would have been wrong. Real love is never wrong."

Mika smiled slightly and placed a hand on Arya's. "Thank you" she said quietly. She then gently gave Arya a hug "for everything. I better let you get home" Mika laughed sadly.

Arya hugged her back.
"And I thank you. It's so good to feel like you would have a.... real family" she smiled sadly.
"I will pop in tomorrow morning. Be brave then Mika"

She slightly squeezed her shoulder, turned around and walked to her house.


------------Arya's house.

Bardon watched as everyone left and sighed. He looked at the stables.
'Jarlon would have wanted me to help....' He thought for a second and began on the next stall.
'I am going to finish this by morning. I want to prove myself.' He picked up a hammer and stuck some nails in his mouth, hammering a board up.

Tyler watched as bardon worked. Why couldnt he act his age, always flirting with random woman. She worked on the goats stalls, two to be exact. One for the Buck and one for the kids and there mom. Then when the kids needed to be weened, they could move the buck in with Gretta.

Bardon lifted some wood planks to nail up, his muscles rippling and bulging. He finished one stall and looked over, seeing Tyler working on her goats' stall.
"Hey Tyler." He called to her.

"Hey" She growled. He had embarassed her in the pasture, and she wasnt going to let him forget it. He had made mika yell at her.

He looked at her surprised.
"What's wrong?" He asked her, continuing his work on the stall.
'I don't know what I did....' He told himself.

She turned away. "Dont start with me" She said then added silently. 'cause I'm sick of crying'

Bardon set down his tools and walked over to her, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Tyler, I'm really sorry for everything. Please, forgive me." He said quietly, almost a whisper.

"Forgive you?" She growled. "How can I forgive you!-Bardon!"

He pulled his hand back harsly, as if she had just burnt him.
"You told me we could forget the past and start over." He growled back.
"Why can't we just be friends? I want to forget the past I want to forget everything!" He stopped and looked at her, a scared look on his face.
"I didn't mean..." He stammered, looking down.

"You didnt mean what?!" she snapped. "To be so controlling?! To be such a jerk!?" She glared at him. "Well you are controlling and you are a jerk and You dont deserve a girl like arya!"

He looked at her shocked.
"Arya? When did she get into this?" He asked calmly, a questioning look on his face.
"And yes I am a jerk and I am sorry I am so controlling, alright? I never meant to hurt you."
'Because I still love you.' He almost added.

"It started when you started chasing her." she snapped. "And Just to let you know" She said quirkily. "I am VERY happy with kuruk" She saw the jealousy flare on his face.

"She's just a friend, Tyler." He said her name with ice in his voice.
"And you know what? I don't care! You go ahead and live your happy life with Kuruk! How about we just break that little promise of yours while we're at it too?! Don't come back to me!" He hated saying the last part, but it was for the best.

"Bardon." She said looking him in the eye. "promises, just like rules are made to be broken"

He looked away from her and turned around, his back to her.
"I never meant to hurt you, just like I said before......" He trailed off, looking down.
"Our promise broke from the moment we began fighting...." He said quietly, hoping she didn't hear him.