Hi, me again. Yep, I'm back. Sorry everyone for the break. I've been busy.

OK, this chapter is short, basically because my laptop is in for repairs. Also I have really bad writers block (it went away, and has now come back, just as I'm about to do this! Typical!) so that's why this chapter is utterly rubbish. I'll probably redo it at a later date as I hate it. But anyway, here's something for now.

Buttercupfoxxxxxx

Disclaimer, I do not own ice age or any of it's characters. I only own my own Ocs.

Diego limped through the undergrowth, every now and then, he paused to take the weight off his leg. Suddenly he saw a child's face peering at him, through a hole in the shrubs. He froze.

The child, a young boy with curly brown hair, giggled and ran back to his mother, who was in the midst of making a picnic lunch.

"Good boy, Timothy dahling!" crowed the woman, with a southern accent. "No made up stories all week, you can have some yummy desert!"

"Mommy, mommy!" screamed Timothy, waving his arms. "A sabre toothed tiger! In the bushes!"

The woman stood up abruptly. "That's it Timothy!" she shrieked. "What have I told you about lying! There's no cake for you!" Then she marched him away.

Meanwhile, I was painfully aware of Diego behind us. I glanced at Darcy, who was still bawling, and rolled my eyes. My good lord she was a brat! They should probably make her into one of those highly obnoxious dolls, y'know, the pink clad ones with ridiculous ideas about life and what not.

Thank goodness we hadn't brought the car, Diego'd have a rough time fitting in. I giggled at the thought.

Soon we passed under the evergreen fur trees that led to our drive. A strong wind had sprung up and was whipping the boughs around. They creaked and moaned as we walked underneath.

Our house seemed to sway in the wind. Blimey, it was so old, I wouldn't have been surprised if it fell down. Not that I'd be too upset if it landed on Darcy. Haha!

Mum,, Dad, and IT went through the rickety front door, paint peeling off, exposing the previous colour underneath.

I hung back, as I saw Diego emerge from the corner of my eye from the drive bushes. He hobbled up to me like a lame duck.

"Whoa, you...sleep in here?" he mused, looking at the house.

Oh flipping fantastic! I thought, bitterly. Our house is so bad, even a sabre toothed tiger from the bloody ice age doesn't want to be seen dead here! Wonderful

"You don't have to rub it in!" I snapped, folding my arms. "It just needs some T.L.C!"

Diego made no comment, and followed me around the back. I opened the rear door and let him in.

We tip-toed over the kitchen carpet (yep, this wacko house even had a carpet in the kitchen!) and I hustled him up the stairs, just before my parents could find me. I could hear them calling.

In my bedroom, which hadn't been decorated yet and was pretty yuck, I cleaned his leg with some water from the upstairs bathroom and wrapped a bandage around it. I was right, It was sprained.

I decided, upon hearing my parents cries getting more and more angry, to go. I motioned for Diego to be quiet, then went to leave.

"I'll be back in a second!" I assured him, my hand on the door knob.

Diego nodded. "Tess", he suddenly said, looking slightly embarrassed.

"Uh-huh".

"Thanks", he smiled at me. I went red and turned the doorknob. Then it was like an explosion. Don't ask me.

Two small furry shapes hurled themselves at my face as the door opened. They were rather rat-like. I shrieked as they attached themselves to my head.

"Diego!" they howled. "Run!"

I think they were his friends or something. Anyway, I panicked and ran backwards, them still clinging to me. I tripped over Diego, he cried out and fell backwards. We all crashed into the large window, there was the sound of shattering glass, then we all screamed in terror and fell.

Yep, I know, that stank. I'm seriously debating whether to scrap this story and do something else. I had to delete my other one (By The Cove,) as I can't find the other part anywhere. Anyhows, cheers for all the reviews.

Bcfxx