Hmm. Sorry. I know that this has taken me forever, but I had already finished this story and I decided taht the ending sucked. Heh....ther'll be more action and stuff in Chapter Seven, if I ever get up and post it.

Chapter Six

"So," said Isadora, "we should probably get going If we want to make it."

"Yeah," said Klaus. "I'll drive, okay?"

She giggled. "You're so paranoid." Sunny watched with jealousy as he kissed her cheek.

"Yeah," said Violet. "Let's go. Quigley," she added, her voice full of concern, "are you sure you'll be okay?" Quigley has a sore throat, He was staying home with Sunny.

"Yeah," he croaked. "You guys go see the movie. Dunn can have my ticket."

Duncan smiled. "Thanks. You and Sunny'll be okay?"

Quigley nodded. "Yeah. Go."

"Are you sure--?" Isadora began, but Violet hurriedly cut her off.

"Let's go, you guys. We don't want to be late for the movie."

They left quickly, leaving an empty silence where they had been.

Quigley turned to Sunny. "So...what do you normally do when we go out?"

She tried to think up something clever, but just managed to squeak out "I read. Books and stuff. Nancy Drew."

"Okay." He grinned. "You wanna do that now?"

The fluttering told her to say no, I want to talk to you forever! She just shrugged. "If you do."

"I'm kind of hungry, actually," he admitted. "Do you want to make jello or something?"

Sunny grinned. "Sounds good to me."

He was in high school! She was in middle school! It was so unfair. They went into the kitchen and boiled the water.

"So," said Quigley, measuring out the powder, "I've talked to you sister and your brother a lot, but not you. How are you, Sunny?"

Sunny shrugged. "I'm okay, I guess. I really like Nancy Drew."

Quigley looked down and took a deep breath. "Do you remember a lot of...of when we all were...?"

Sunny looked down at the water she was pouring. "No. I remember Violet and Klaus looking upset a lot..."

Quigley nodded. "I...well, yeah. I always thought you were really brave. I mean, you were the one who was youngest. For us, we had memories to lean back on but you just..."

Sunny blushed. She wanted to kiss him. She was trembling, just watching him find a bowl for the jello. "Thanks, Quigley. You...I think you're really brave with...all the things you've done. I mean," she continued, "you survived a fire, without anybody else. You were so alone... And all the things you went through, and you made it and..."

She looked down. She'd said too much.

"Thanks," he said awkwardly, putting the jello in the fridge. "Thanks, Sunny."

She took a deep breath and smiled widely at him, still shaking and fluttering.

Quigley seemed caught off guard. He smiled, looking mixed-up. He took a step closer. Her heart banged louder than an elephant on a trampoline.

He kissed her on the forehead, then leaned back and said firmly, "I really care about your sister, Sunny."

Quigley turned and went upstairs.

Sunny collapsed into a chair, crying until her siblings came home.