Author's Note: Yup! Didn't think I'd update this again this week but I must like you guys a lot. ;) Thanks again goes to Jinney for reviewing. The only new dino introduced is the velociraptor and I'm assuming you all know how to pronounce that.

Don't own Buck. Now on with the show!

Chapter 7

What is wrong with me? How could I let myself get in that kind of situation with Buck? I have to admit though - I didn't really want to get up. The moment just felt so - right. I've been trying to pretend like it was no big deal and he hasn't mentioned it, so I don't think he thought anything of it. Why not though? He's a very sweet, protective guy. We get along and - What am I thinking? He probably already has a mate. If so - why hasn't said anything about her? I might ask him. I just hope he doesn't ask me anything similar. I don't want to bring up anything that might remind me of him.

Buck led them into a new section of jungle. He had said something about recognizing some of the plant life, but otherwise he had not spoken again. Maggie was deep in thought, wondering about what had happened back at the Valley of Screams. She had been nervous but it hadn't felt like before with - another weasel. She glanced up every once in a while at the back of Buck's head. She really wanted to ask him, but she didn't know if she would like the answer. Taking a deep breath, she decided to forge ahead. "Buck?"

"Aye?" He replied without stopping or turning his head to look at her.

"This may sound like a crazy question," She heard his chuckle but continued, "but do you - have a mate?" Buck stopped and turned around with a puzzled expression on his face. Maggie looked away. "It's just you never said anything before - so I just - wondered." She whispered, "She probably is really worried about you. Not knowing where you are and all."

"Oh she's pretty cool with it." Buck stated. "She knows I have stuff to do. As long as I always come back."

Maggie felt a little dejected, but hid it well. "Oh! What's she like?"

Buck chuckled as he turned to keep walking. Maggie jogged to walk beside him, leaving Kid to follow behind them. "She's kinda quiet. Shy too." He answered, getting a dreamy, lovey smile on his face that almost made Maggie giggle. "Not much ta look at but I love 'er anyway."

"That's a horrible thing to say!" She gasped her eyes wide. "She should be the most beautiful weasel in the world to you! Even if she isn't pretty."

Buck's furry brow rose. "She isn't a weasel."

That really got Maggie's attention. "She - she's not?"

He shook his head. "No. She's a pineapple." Before Maggie could comprehend that, Buck had turned to check on Kid. "Oiy! Where's the dino?"

Maggie turned around too and noticed that the maiasaura was nowhere in sight. "Kid?" She shouted, cupping her paws over her mouth. "Kid!"

"He couldn'ta gotten far." Buck reassured. "Come on, let's back track." They kept calling for the little dino as they searched the jungle.

While Buck was looking for signs of some foot prints, Maggie walked a little ways away from him, calling for Kid. "Kid! Come back will ya?" Some bushes rustled just a few feet away from her. Training her ears towards the sound, she smiled. "Is that you Kid?" The bush stopped moving. With a sigh, Maggie walked towards it. "We don't have time for games right now, Kid! We have to keep moving." Poking her head into the bush, her mouth hung open. "Y-you're n-n-not Kid!" Turning to run, she yelled at the top of her lungs. "BUCK!"

He looked up as she ran towards him. "Wha?"

"V-v-ve-velociraptor!" She pointed back the way she had come. Sure enough, a big dino came charging through the brush at them.

Buck's eye widened as he turned to run. "Up the tree!" The clambered up with the velociraptor tried following them up the trunk only to slide back down. A safe distance from the ground and the predator lurking at the base of the tree, Buck laughed breathlessly. "Mags, you sure know how ta attract dangah!"

"I was looking for Kid!" She defended weakly, huddling close to Buck.

"I hope the little dino hasn't run into a friend of this beast." The male weasel mumbled, earning a frightened look from the still shook up female. He hastened to add, "But I'm sure Kid has the sense to stay away from them!"

The tree shook as the velociraptor slammed its side into the tree trunk. Maggie clutched onto Buck to keep her seat in the tree. The dino below them hissed as it began to circle the tree. The two weasels watched it warily. Buck scowled. "I don't like bein' helpless! Clutching onto his knife, he shouted, "You wanna fight?" Without a second thought, the weasel jumped down onto the dino's back.

"BUCK!" Maggie clung onto the tree branch now that her stability was battling it out with the velociraptor. As he had done before, he tried to hold onto the dinosaur as it ran and tried to shake off its rider.

Buck tumbled off but jumped to his feet. He ran for a vine and cut it loose. The velociraptor charged, but Buck had darted away, lassoing the dino's leg. He ran circles around the dino, tying up its legs with every lap. The dino went down with a thud but it still snapped and clawed at the weasel. "It's a'right Mags!" He shouted as he turned to look at her. His smug grin on his face. "It'll be tied down long enough for us ta scram."

Maggie cautiously edged towards the trunk of the tree so she could climb down, but she refused to take her eyes off of the dino. That was when she saw the dino twist so it could slash the restricting bonds. "Buck look out!" She cried as the dino's tail whipped out, knocking the startled weasel against the tree. Buck's eye fluttered then slid shut as he slumped against the tree. "No!" Maggie jumped down and tried to shake her friend awake. "Get up! Get up, get up, get up!" Glancing back at the velociraptor, she watched helplessly as it began to stand up. "Dammit." She whispered, reaching for Buck's knife. "I can't fight." She whimpered looking over her shoulder at the weasel that was still out cold. "I don't know what to do!" Maggie stared up at the approaching threat.

Something bellowed from the brush and a very large dinosaur charged the equally startled velociraptor. Maggie blinked a couple of times at the battling creature and was shocked to see that it was a maiasaura. The tan and brown-stripped dino jabbed the velociraptor with its thumb claws, trying to drive it away. Without much more of a fight, the wounded creature ran, limping all the way. The maiasaura turned to look at Maggie and made a sound like a purr. Approaching the weasels, it sniffed the female weasel before nuzzling her affectionately. "Yeah." Maggie smiled cautiously. "Thanks for saving us." A familiar bleat made her ears twitch. "Kid?" Out of the bushes ran her little dino, followed by two others. "Kid!" The tiny maiasaura ran into her arms for a hug. "Am I glad you're all right!"

Buck groaned from behind her. "Wha happened?" He blinked before sitting up, alert and ready for action. "Whe'ah did it go?"

Maggie laughed. "It's gone. Mama Maiasaura here scarred it off."

Looking up at the larger dinosaur, he grinned. "So we found 'er!"

"No." The she-weasel corrected. "Kid found her and then she found us."

"Wha evah!" Buck smiled cheerfully.

"Are you okay? You don't have a bump or a cut on your head do you?" Maggie let go of Kid to twist around Buck as he had done when they first met. She parted his fur to make sure that there was nothing wrong.

He squirmed, trying to get out of her hold. "I'm fine Mags! Just a little sore is all." Once he had convinced her that he was fine, he stood and picked up his knife. "Well! My work he'ah is done!" Patting Kid on the head, he said, "Take care Kiddo! You too other Kiddos and Kiddo's mum!" He turned and started walking away.

Maggie's ears drooped. What was she going to do now? She watched as Kid's mother began shuffling her hatchlings away, unsure whether she would be welcome with them or not. With a sigh, Maggie began walking in a different direction entirely from Buck's or the maiasauras'. She walked along, dragging her feet as she did so. A vine dropped down and on it, Buck. "Whe'ah do you think you're goin'?"

Shrugging, Maggie stuttered, "I - uh -"

"Wha was rule numbah two?" He demanded.

Not understanding where this was going, Maggie recited, "Stay in the middle of the path."

"Right!" Buck nodded. "So why were ya goin' off the path?"

Looking around her, she asked, "What path?"

He sighed and explained as if speaking to a slow child. "The path 'ome." Maggie blinked in surprise. "I thought ya wanted ta meet the Missus. She'd like you I think." Sticking out his paw, he grinned. "Whadiya say? Partners?"

A slow grin broke out on Maggie's face. She clapped her bandaged paw into his and shook it. "Sounds good."

Buck let go of the vine and jerked his head back the way she had come. "Right! Come on! We've got a long way ta go." He slung his knife over his shoulder and broke out in song. Maggie giggled as she caught up with him. She continued smiling as she thought of what lie ahead of them. I haven't had a friend in a while. We may not be mates, but that's okay. We'll do lots of crazy stuff together! He certainly is fun to be around. Not a dull moment here in paradise. Yup! Partners, she thought to herself, I like the sound of that.

End of Book 1

Yay! I finished a story! :D Don't worry all you Buck lovers, there is Book 2 to look forward to. I couldn't let it end there now could I? I mean, I still haven't told you all what happened to Maggie's arm yet! D: Until next time! :)