Alright guys, I am working on this chapter *ducks from the tomatoes chucked her way* I am sorry for my extremely long absence. I suck, I know. I hate when authors do what I did, but it happened anyway, let's be like Tara and just forgive me because I thought I was doing what was best. :)

This is an excerpt. I just want to feel around and see there is still interest. I just needed this to get me jump started so I can continue with the story.

It's John. I love this character, he is such a shining star in my imagination, and I used to wonder why? Where did he come from? He is an awesome kid, now I remember I used to KNOW a boy like John. He was amazing and my best friend. :) So here's what I have. Read it an let me know if you want more.

I know this may seem like a mature conversation for two 10 year olds to be having, but put into context, it really is not. I've always wondered where Opie's kids were with the whole losing their mom thing, and gaining a slutty step mom. I'm sort of pissed for not having even a little attention given to that, but I still love KS.

"Someday, I'm gonna get as far away from Charming as I possibly can and never turn back."

John looked over at Ellie, the back of his head soundless against the soft grass. His blue eyes watched her, watched as she pulled a long blade of grass from her father's back yard and stuck it in between her full, pink lips. She was lying flat on her back, her legs propped on his stomach her long, silky blond hair spread out like a blanket on the perfectly manicured lawn. Her eyes were closed, her hands folded over her worn pink shirt. John looked down at her feet which were crossed and laying against his rib cage.

He and Ellie had grown tight after her mother's murder. He spent nearly all of his free time with either her, or Kenny. They were quickly becoming his best friends. John considered her words, and found that he didn't like how heavy his chest felt when he thought about spending that much time away from her. His fingers unconsciously brushed over the toe ring he had given her for her birthday two days ago. It was white gold, with Celtic crosses engraved all over it. He won it in an e-bay auction, staying up until 3 am to make sure he got it for her. He couldn't help but think that the effort was worth it, when she opened the box and her eyes lit up like green fireworks on the Fourth of July.

He absently twisted the ring around her second toe as his mind circled the possibility of a world without Ellie. He found he could not imagine it, which gave him pause. He had only known her for three months after all, most of his life he had been without her, so why was she so vital now? John's great mind circled around the topic over and over, dissecting it much like he dissected the lab rat in biology the day before, pulling it apart piece by piece he could only come to one conclusion.

"Ellie", he said "I love you."

He expected her to sit up quickly and punch him, to open her eyes and blush and repeat what he had just confessed, but Ellie didn't do any of that, she remained on her back, her eyes closed every muscle relaxed and at ease as she said,"I know John."

He began playing with the white blond peach fuzz hair on her legs as he contemplated her answer. John had inherited his mother's ability to think before he questioned, to reason before he opened his mouth. He used his words carefully, wisely and much like Tara could use them to wound and destroy.

"How do you know that?", he asked quietly.

She didn't say anything for a moment, didn't seem to even be acknowledging that he was speaking to her, and then her bright hazel eyes opened, more blue than green this time and she said, "You take care of me like my dad took care of my mom. You look at me like Jax looks at Tara."

She pushed herself up on to her elbows and looked down at him. John stared back at her, a slight frown marring his face, "But if you know it, why would you try to leave me?"

She looked away from him, staring at the mural her mother painted on the gate in an effort to brighten up the backyard. When she turned her eyes back to him, John caught his breath, those were not the eyes of a 10 year old girl, they were far too wise, had seen far too much and experienced too much pain. Those eyes understood fundamental truths in life that no child should ever have to understand.

"Daddy loved my mom, sometimes when we would visit him in prison, they wouldn't even talk, they would just stare at each other. They could communicate their love without words. It was so strong that she cried every single night he was gone, and when she left him she cried more. They were only ever happy together. Even so John, he couldn't protect her from everything, he couldn't protect her when it mattered the most. She's dead because she loved him too much", she ended on a whisper.

John sat up and crawled his way over to her side, he curled his into hers, turning her so that they were face to face. "I'll always protect you Ellie, you're the best friend I have ever had. I'll always be here, and I do love you as, like, more than a friend. Life is full of crazy stuff, and evil people", he whispered as his thoughts flittered over Kohn and good it felt to see his blood splattered on the wall,"sometimes unexpected things happen, but that does not mean that it is any one person's fault. It's not your mom's love that killed her, El, it was bullets shot by an evil person out for revenge."

Tears dripped down her face as she listened to him speak, she wanted to push him away as he gathered her into his arms, as he whispered over and over that everything was going to be okay. Ellie knew, even at her young tender age that everything would not be okay, everything was wrong. She let him comfort her, let herself be sooth by him. John was her best friend and she did care about him, he made her blush and gave her butterflies sometimes, but those times were few and far between now. She knew what he felt for her, but she didn't want to be like her mother, so she closed her feelings off. She didn't want to love this sweet, smart, caring boy in front of her, she just wanted to be free.