Author's note: Hey everyone! I hope that you return to me for my newest attempt at a fan fic. This one begins right after the episode problem child, and I have a ton of things planned for this fic—it'll be a whirlwind of adventure, emotional turmoil, and surprising turn of events. I just hope you guys like where I take it. The first chapter is a little short, but I wanted a good lead up into the story. Once again, I try my best to post several times a day. Please Please Please R&R.

BAM! Eyes fly open, body propels itself into an upright position, nerves bunch up, shivers navigate the spine, legs tremble, the mouth presses itself into a narrow, pinched line, and suddenly the whole frame of the body collapses into a sitting position that trembles with a newfound clarity. Some would call that reaction 'the light bulb coming on in the head,' but I call it realization.

Life is so often like a book with characters being moved like pawns through different aspects of reality. Then there comes that one event in life, whether happy or sad, that causes people to look back on their lives. It's like watching a movie being played in your head with one frame dissolving into another. You relive and experience the drama, the mystery, the romance, the laughter, the horror, and the triumphant moments that life can bring us. And before long, those memories become like faithful reruns of your favorite television show—something you can recall any time you want. But what happens when the fantasy is broken into pieces by intruding reality—cruel, cold reality.

And sometimes reality can be as simple as a For Sale sign sitting in front of a home you had grown up in since birth—the kind of reality I found myself staring at in present silence as a cold weight settled depressingly in the pit of my stomach.

A grunt from beside me alerted me to the fact that Sadie was still trying to process the information as I slowly walked into the yard and circled the 12 by 9 inch piece of cardboard as if walking around it enough would make the damn thing disappear.

"Is this some kind of sick joke?" Sadie asked in a low tone as I glanced up at her with a quirked brow and a small twitch of my lips.

"Joke would be a bad description here, Sades. Do you see me laughing?" I said with candor as Sadie stared at me crossly before turning to run toward the house. Mom's car wasn't in the driveway. What did she think she could do—talk to the walls and hope they could give her some answers? Hmmm…psychic drywall—not a bad idea. Just when things seemed to be turning around, the world just has to throw another wrench into the mix.

Wearily, my eyes followed her progress a moment before turning back, once again, to look at the sign in disbelief. Oh, this couldn't be good. Confusion wracked my brain as I tried to recall anything in mom's demeanor over the past couple of weeks that would have clued us in to this moment, but nothing was coming to me. As a matter of fact, we hadn't talked to mom much lately, and now I was starting to regret that fact immensely. Why is it that every time I feel like I am getting a handle on my life, the freakin' door knob falls off in my hand. Kicking at the sign with my foot, I watched it swing back and forth almost hypnotically as someone yelled loudly from behind me, and I spinned around to find Jamie smiling from across the street.

"Don't tell me, you've decided to master the art of the all mighty ancient gods of kaahhraahhtee!" He shouted with a laugh as he did a fake wood chop with his hand in the air. I just stared at him hollowly, and I saw the moment he noticed I wasn't impressed because his face fell in an expression of concern. Jogging over across our lawns, he quirked a brow as he pulled on an old Interpol pull-over to keep out the morning chill.

"What's up, Jude?" He asked breathlessly as he approached. I didn't say anything. I just moved aside so that he could see the sign from where he stood. Looking from the notice back to me, I knew when it clicked in his brain.

"Shit!" He murmured as he ran his fingers through his already unruly hair.

"Shit is right." Sadie stated wearily as she stomped down the front stairs while waving a white piece of paper back and forth in front of our faces.

"She's gone, Jude. And I think we've just walked straight into hell." Sadie said with a frown as I grabbed the missive from her, reading it slowly as Jamie perused it from over my shoulder. No, it couldn't be. Looking back up at Sadie, I felt my face flush in disbelief and anger.

"Then we better start finding a way to douse the flames, because it's only going to get hotter down here." I mumbled as Jamie stood between us, placing an arm around each of our shoulders before squeezing reassuringly. I suddenly felt raw and exposed for today had transpired from such a simple morning to more like an epic event that, like a volcano, erupts suddenly with such power spreading and consuming before hardening into a rock that remains forever to remind others of the event long after it transpired.