Title: Unstoppable
Chapter 31
"And you weren't born like this?" He watched as Clark relaxed and moved further away from Buffy. Giving her and Martha a little space. The look on his wife's face as she gazed at him over the top of Buffy's head spoke volumes.
Martha was always taking in strays. Cats, dogs, orphaned lambs... their son as well as his friends. She was fiercely protective of them and Buffy had just found her way under Martha's wing. His wife had always wanted more children...
"No... she's not like me, dad." Quite confirmation from Clark as he reached for his shirt and pulled it on. He wasn't going to say anything else. This really was Buffy's show here but his mom had that look on her face. The one that was usually followed up by lots of cookies and hugs and invitations to dinner. Whether Buffy knew it for sure or not, she'd just passed the test. She was practically a Kent now.
Buffy spoke up as she returned Mrs. Kent's hug, "No, I wasn't born like this. I always had a high metabolism and lots of energy, but the rest came when I was Called. Very suddenly, like normal kid one day and supernatural Slayer the next. It took a lot of adjusting to." This was the easy part - filling in the gaps about the nature of the Slayer. "When I was called, I was confronted by a member of the Watchers' Council and assigned a Watcher."
Hmm... had to be careful talking about this, she decided. Talking about Watchers could potentially also be dangerous territory; she missed Giles terribly and she didn't think she'd ever stop feeling guilty about Merrick's death, even if there hadn't been much she could have done to save him.
"Why don't we go back into the house to talk?" Martha suggested. "Our cocoa is getting cold, and I think I have some cookies in the pantry, if you'd like some." Martha released Buffy and picked up the coat she'd discarded earlier. She wrapped the coat around Buffy's shoulders to keep her warm even if the girl didn't actually put the coat on.
Yep, Buffy just got the cookie offer so everything was okay. Clark knew she'd be welcomed from now on. Probably with open arms given the look on his mom's face.
Pity Lex didn't get that treatment.
Well, he did but only when his dad was out in the fields or in town. There had been a couple of occasions when he Found Lex sitting comfortably in the kitchen with a cup of coffee and a couple of cookies while his mom bustled around getting food ready. It was only his dad who really had problems with Lex.
Buffy slid her arms into the sleeves of the coat and pulled it tightly around her. "Inside sounds wonderful. It's freezing out here, now that I'm cooling off," Buffy said lightly. "I dunno if I'll ever adjust to weather as cold as it gets here. Well, maybe in ten years or something." If I live that long... but she kept the last bit to herself. She deemed it wise.
"You moved here from someplace warm, then?" Martha asked as she ushered them all back towards the house. They remained in a single group, this time, and Buffy was obviously more relaxed now that she knew they believed her.
"Yes, from Sunnydale, California. It's a couple hours from LA, which is where we lived before the divorce," Buffy answered easily. "My father still legally lives there, but I honestly don't know the last time he was even in the country. I haven't seen him since I was sixteen."
Now there was a damn shame if he'd ever heard one. Two young girls out on their own and no parents to look after them. Sweet girls too, although the younger one would have been better for Clark to take an interest in since they were both around the same age.
Jonathan shook his head as he walked beside his wife, slipping his arm around her waist. She leaned into him, smiling for a moment before turning her attention back to Buffy. Clearing his throat, Jonathan caught Buffy's attention before he nodded towards the house. "Just want you to know that you're welcome any time. You and your sister. Our door's always open..."
That invitation wasn't prompted because she knew Clark's secret or that his son was clearly head over heels for her. Like Martha, he knew when someone was lost and needed a safe haven. A place where they could come and no questions would be asked... other that what do you want for dinner.
And there was his dad's invitation now. Things couldn't be any more perfect. Yes, his parents were probably still upset with him for telling Buffy but they were accepting her. Making her family...
Buffy was speechless for a moment, completely taken by surprise. She hadn't expected to be so completely accepted within minutes of them believing her secret. "Oh my... thank you," she finally said. "Thank you so much. I can't possibly tell you what this means to me... for months it's just been Dawnie and me, really. My friends started to get caught up in their own lives and our little family started to break apart."
"Just to have something akin to that again... it means more to me than I have words to say." Buffy smiled brightly at Clark's parents, and on impulse she stopped and hugged them both. Normally she was a little more restrained with people she'd just met... but the Kents had completely thrown her for a loop, and she couldn't not be thankful.
Clark was grinning at her over his mother's shoulder; his eyes alight with happiness. Definitely part of the family now and that thought was enough to restore his natural good humor. He bounded up the steps, resisting the urge to do a little victory dance on the porch because that would be just too much. Especially since he caught his dad kissing the top of Buffy's head.
In that moment, Clark found that jealousy was more than a feeling. It was a taste. Dark and dangerous and it was a good thing he wasn't touching anything at the moment because he would have broken it. Nobody should kiss Buffy except him and Lex.
Ever. Buffy caught the expression on Clark's face and shot him a warning glance. Some things just weren't worth being jealous over, and familial-type affection was one of them. If he was going to lose it every time she kissed Dawn - or God forbid Willow or Giles should come to visit and be affectionate - there would definitely be problems.
It was one thing to be jealous of someone's time, or of any potential romantic-type affection being shown to your lover. But his father just barely kissed her head - why the hissy fit? She didn't understand.
Martha ushered Jonathan and Buffy inside, but she paused on the porch and stopped Clark from going inside with a gentle hand on his arm. Something in his expression bothered her greatly; almost as if someone else was looking out through Clark's eyes, because the tension radiating from him was very unlike her son. "Clark? Are you alright?"
At the sound of his mother's voice, Clark relaxed and then shook his head. He'd had another one of those blackout moments. All he remembered was turning around and seeing his dad kiss Buffy... uh-oh.
This was bad. The new found alien side of his showing up during sex was kinda understandable because both Lex and Buffy pointed out that sex was about losing control. But it showing up around his folks was definitely a problem. He and Lex and Buffy were going to have to get to the ship and figure this out... soon.
Hiding behind a smile, Clark hugged his mom. "I'm fine. It's just been a weird day." He looked into the kitchen through the screen door and caught sight of Buffy as she grabbed her mug of cold cocoa only to have his dad take it away with an offer to warm it up. "Thanks for being so accepting. She's had a rough time."
"It sounds like it," Martha agreed. "She's too young to be on her own, let alone trying to raise her sister. I'm glad you brought her home with you, Clark." She hesitated, then reached up to cup his cheek gently. "Just be careful, okay sweetie? I know you care about her but, while I don't think she'd hurt you purposely, I don't want anything to hurt you..."
"I'll be careful, mom. I promise." Another big smile, which Clark followed up with, a second hug before tilting his head toward the door. "It's nice having somebody who doesn't look at me and see the strange Kent kid. She treats me like I'm... normal and I like that. But you don't need to worry. Buffy won't hurt me that way." He almost told the lie that Buffy thought of him as a little brother but his mom deserved better than that.
He wouldn't volunteer anything but he wasn't going to lie either. Not unless he had to to protect Buffy and Lex.
"Okay, honey. As long as you're careful," Martha let the issue go at that. She'd just have to keep an eye on things for a while. She gave him a smile and then stepped out of the way so she could open the door. He beat her to it and held the door for her, just like his father would've done, and she smiled again. "Thank you, Clark."
In the kitchen, Buffy sat back down at the table upon Mr. Kent's insistence. While they waited for Mrs. Kent and Clark, she said again, "I really do appreciate you accepting me, Mr. Kent. I feel very safe here, and I haven't felt like that in a while," if you didn't count all day long with Clark and Lex.
She tilted her head slightly and considered a thought that crossed her mind. "You remind me a little of Giles, my Watcher. He really was more like a father to me, and he was my support the way I know you try to be for Clark. Just an ordinary man trying to do what was best for me, his supernatural charge. He had a fair amount of history to work from, but he kept telling me that I was the exception to all the rules and that they didn't help much. But he did try."
"Sounds like quite a job. A Watcher, right?" The microwave dinged and he retrieved her now steaming mug from it. Buffy smiled up at him as he set it in front of her and Jonathan was struck once more by how honestly beautiful this girl actually was. Martha kind of beautiful... open and honest and just the sort of girl he would have picked for his son. "What does a Watcher do?"
The next item to go on the table was a plate of cookies and a fresh glass of milk for Clark. Jonathan hooked one of the chairs with the heel of his boot and dragged it away from the table before taking a seat. One elbow rested on the checkered oilcloth as he waited for Buffy to answer.
Buffy looked up and smiled when Mrs. Kent and Clark came into the kitchen. "Hey. You're just in time... Mr. Kent asked me what a Watcher is, and I was about to explain." She waited for the rest of the family to settle themselves at the table and nibbled a cookie during the quiet. When she had their attention, she smiled and began her explanation.
"Traditionally, a Watcher is the Slayer's guardian. He trains her, teaches her to fight with all kinds of weapons and teaches her how to use her abilities. He does research regarding prophecies and demon lore, trying to keep the pair of them a step ahead of demonkind. He's a guardian but not a parent, and he's forbidden to become attached to her emotionally."
"With that said," her smile grew larger as she went on. "Giles, my Watcher, was as unconventional for a Watcher as I am for a Slayer. It took some time for us to get used to each other, but we do love each other. He's more a father to me than my own father is. And he always did more than Watchers are supposed to; he helped me fight. He is experienced at using magic, and a good fighter for a stuffy British 40-something man."
Her expression made it apparent that calling him stuffy and British wasn't offensive to either her or to him, and it wasn't. It had actually become something of a joke, in recent weeks. "He also put up with me breaking all the rules, and even encouraged me at times. Against all the rules, my identity is not entirely secret. I had a group of friends in Sunnydale who were my team; they helped me out, fought with me when the danger was too much for one person to handle, and were there for me when I needed help or support. Giles hated it at first, but he backed me up when he realized that my friends were keeping me alive."
While she talked, Clark made his way through several cookies. He'd heard a little of this before but not all of it. There had been so much going on that full-on explanations fell to the wayside.
Martha had joined them at the table with a cup of cocoa for herself and one for her husband. It was too late to drink coffee. Being on a farm meant early rising and coffee was reserved for the chill of morning when caffeine was the only thing keeping you upright. She took a seat next to Jonathan who was listening intently to every word.
There was a lot of history with this girl and she wasn't afraid to share it. In fact she was eager to share it. No wonder Clark had opened up to her like she did. Jonathan found himself wanting to do the same. To tell her about raising Clark and maybe even let Martha drag out the family albums and embarrass the hell out of him.
Taking a cookie for himself, Jonathan nodded. "He took good care of you but let you be yourself. That can be hard for a parent or a guardian to do. It's always hard when all you want to do is protect your children."
Buffy nodded. "I have a pretty good idea of what that feels like. I've spent the past six years protecting the world and trying to keep my friends and family safe from the darkness. I have very strong protective instincts and I've never hesitated to risk myself to keep others safe." That was different than being a parent, but it did give her some basis for comparison.
"In a way, though, I think it's a little easier for me than for my mom. She wanted to keep me safe and she knew I was out late every night risking myself to keep other people safe. She knew there was nothing she could do about it, and I'm sure she hated it. Most Slayers aren't allowed to stay with their families," she added almost as an afterthought.
"Slayers aren't supposed to have emotional attachments, because emotions make you weak. But I think the Council is wrong about that. I think having friends and family who know what I'm going through and care about what happens to me... I think they make me stronger. Because for them, I don't want to die. For them, I'm more careful than I might be otherwise. And for them, I fight harder."
Buffy shook her head and smiled a bit. "And it must be worth something, because I'm one of the oldest Slayers in recorded history, and one of the longest-lived as well. Most Slayers die after only a year or two of being Called."
Martha gasped at that. "You mean they disassociate children from their families and send them out to fight? Alone?! What kind of people could do such a thing, sending girls out to fight and die before they're even out of high school?!"
Someone stealing Clark away because of his abilities was a fear he lived with every single day. Sometimes it hit in the middle of the day, when he was moving the stock or plowing a field and even the hot sun on his back couldn't chase away the chill. Sometimes it hit in the middle of the night, waking him from a sound sleep and sending him to the doorway of Clark's room so he could watch the steady rise and fall of his son's chest. And know that he was still safe.
That cold hand was inside his chest, twisting as he listened to Buffy and knew that other parents lived with the same fear. Only they had lost their children. Lost precious and beautiful girls just like this one because they were special.
Without thinking, Jonathan covered Buffy's hand with his. When he spoke, his voice rolled through the room - the words deep and powerful. "That won't happen here. No one's going to take you away. Not you and not Clark, got it?"
Buffy smiled and turned her hand to take Jonathan's in a gentle grip. "I know they won't. They wouldn't dare even try to take me away, and I'd never let them take Clark either. No one will ever learn Clark's secrets from me; they'll go with me to the grave, be it many, many years away. I'm a unique Slayer, and I have quite the reputation among those who know such things. No one has ever gotten away with hurting a member of my extended 'family' and no one ever will. I promise you."
Martha reached across the table and rested her hand on top of Buffy's free one. "Families look out for each other, it's part of their strengths. And we want you and your sister to think of yourselves as part of our family. We won't let anything happen to you, either."
From across the table, Clark grinned at Buffy as he finished the last cookie. A few crumbs littered the table in front of him, mute evidence of his unfailing appetite. Dinner had been good but it hadn't been enough. Not after the workout they'd had. "Welcome to the Kents... Soon you'll be wearing flannel and pitching hay bales with the rest of us."
Now that was more like his son. Gentle teasing like he did with Chloe. Maybe they wouldn't need to have the sex talk after all. He knew they taught the basics in school but there was Clark's strength to consider and this was not something he should be thinking about on a Sunday night when there was school tomorrow and chores to be done in the morning.
Jonathan turned to check the time. It was late and Buffy still had to drive back into town. They could continue this discussion later.
Buffy laughed and shook her head at Clark's comment. "Hay bales, perhaps. But Clark, flannel is just so country," she teased. "And it totally clashes with about 99.9% of my wardrobe. Flannel and skirts really just don't mix. Like, at all." She giggled a little more, and really couldn't help it. Clark was fun to tease, and he'd started it.
She glanced at the clock as she calmed down and reluctantly said, "I'd probably better head back into town, though. I shouldn't leave Dawn alone too late."
"You're probably right," Martha agreed. It was getting rather late. "Would you girls like to come over for dinner tomorrow night? Around 5:30. I'd like to get to know Dawn, and you're both welcome."
Buffy smiled and nodded. "I'd like that, and I think Dawn would too. Thank you for the invitation." Buffy's eyes went wide as mention of dinner reminded her of why she'd come out to the Kent farm in the first place. "Um, Mrs. Kent? When I came out here this morning, I was hoping to ask you for a favor, actually." Buffy hesitated, but if she wanted to surprise Dawn then she needed to ask tonight.
"What is it, Buffy?" Martha asked with a smile. She took it as a sign that Buffy was getting more comfortable with them, if she was asking for favors. Even hesitantly asking.
Buffy didn't hold out much hope, given how closely Joyce had guarded her cooking secrets, but she had to try. "I... well, I had a piece of your apple pie at the Talon the other morning. And really, it tastes exactly like the pies my mom used to make for us on every major holiday of the year. But mom never wrote her recipe down anywhere, and so she took it with her when she died. I was hoping that you might be willing to teach me your recipe?"
She quickly added, knowing that Mrs. Kent sold the pies to local businesses and people, "I wouldn't do anything with it but make pies for Dawn sometimes, or maybe make them with her."
"That's how she ended up here, mom. Buffy came out to find you and got me instead." Clark finished off the last of his milk to keep from smirking at her over the rim of the glass. That was one expression his parents didn't need to see.
Because she had gotten him. In almost every way possible. Innocence was going to be hard to maintain and if she could tease him about flannel, he could tease her as well. Only with wide eyes and unassuming smiles while all the time he was thinking about crawling under the table and... maybe she could wear a dress tomorrow night.
Uh-oh... that was a blush. Definitely time for bed before his folks caught on.
Buffy hid behind her mug of cocoa while she struggled with laughter. She managed to turn it into another tease, though, as a way to give reason for her mirth. "You mean I 'got' six feet plus of hyperactive teenager to teach Tai Chi to," she teased back. She saw Martha smile and shake her head at the mild banter and was glad she'd managed to come up with a way to divert what might've otherwise been a dead giveaway.
Martha interrupted before Clark could answer Buffy again. "Yes, Buffy, I'd be happy to teach you how I make apple pie. And I appreciate your thoughtfulness in agreeing not to do anything commercial with it," she said lightly. "Perhaps one weekend you could come to the house and spend Sunday making pies with me? I think you'd pretty much have it down by the end of the day."
"That would be wonderful, Mrs. Kent. Thank you," Buffy agreed happily. "I'd like to surprise Dawn, if you don't mind. Can we just not mention it to her, please? I'll tell her where I learned from afterwards."
"Sure, sweetie," Martha agreed. "I think we can manage that."
Clark didn't want the evening to end but there was no turning back the clock. Besides it might help with the whole hiding thing if he was the one who suggested it. And Buffy actually had gotten what she came for... plus a whole lot more.
"I think I'd better turn in now. Buffy, it's been great." He pushed his chair back and stood up, surprising both of his parents a little. Clark hugged his mom as he passed her, patted his dad on the shoulder and stood beside Buffy for a minute, debating what he should do versus what he wanted to do.
What he wanted to do was take Buffy's hand and lead her up the stairs to his room. Strip her out of her clothes, kiss her for three or four hours and finally fall asleep together in his twin bed. What he should do is give her a brotherly hug with minimal touching. The kind he used to give Chloe before she developed the whole crush thing.
He did the right thing. Simply leaned over and gave Buffy a one-armed hug. "Thanks. It's nice not to be the only weird kid in Smallville... Um, not that I'm saying you're a kid."
Buffy laughed lightly and nodded; one arm slid around Clark's waist and she hugged him lightly back. "I understand. And remember what I said earlier; if you ever need to talk about anything or are afraid you might hurt someone, you can always come find me. Okay? Because I think we've established that I can take care of myself." She smiled gently at him and she allowed a brief flash of emotion to run through her eyes: love and gratitude, mostly.
"Sleep well, Clark, and I'll see you at dinner tomorrow night," Buffy finished softly. She released him so he could pull away, very carefully controlling her body and her impulses as she had been ever since they'd brought him home. But God did she want to kiss him. Badly.
"Good night, Clark," Martha called out as her son headed upstairs. "And you should be headed home and to bed yourself, Buffy," she added gently. For a moment she wasn't sure if she should have said anything, but Buffy's smile made her relax.
Jonathan was standing by the door with Martha's old coat over his arm. "It's still chilly out. Why don't you take this to keep warm." When Buffy gave him a startled look all he did was smile and then hold the coat open for her.
He could hear his parents downstairs and fought the urge to go back down. All Clark wanted was another glimpse of his... lover. A hot flush spread up from his collar and into his face at even hearing that word in his head while standing in the hallway between his parents' room and his own. He had a lover. Clark Kent, total loser of Smallville High, the class of 2005's Scarecrow had not only one lover but two. All in the space of a single day.
If it weren't for the fact that she was leaving everything would've been perfect. They'd told his parents that Buffy knew about his secret and the world hadn't come to an end. In fact, his folks were treating her like one of the family which she kinda was... or as close as anyone could get.
Buffy smiled back and let Jonathan hold the coat while she put it on. "Thank you. I'll bring it back with me tomorrow," she promised as she buttoned up the jacket and snuggled into its warmth. "I don't think either Dawn or I has anything this warm, but we didn't think it would still be chilly at this time of year. We'll bring extra sweaters, though, in case we need them."
"Let me know when you decide to go shopping," Martha offered with a motherly smile. "I'm pretty good at bargain-hunting to find clothes for a quickly-growing teenager." Her smile got bigger when Buffy nodded her agreement. "Good. We'll see you tomorrow, then."
Buffy hugged Martha, then Jonathan. "I'll see you tomorrow. Good night, and thanks again for everything."
"Good night, sweetheart." Quiet words from his father that were echoed on Clark's own lips. His dad could get away with calling Buffy that while he couldn't. Not until he was eighteen. Shaking his head, Clark opened the door to his room while stripping off his flannel shirt. Despite everything, it still sucked being a teenager.
Jonathan stood at the door with his arm around Martha's waist as they watched Buffy walk away. Across the porch and down the steps, neither of them moving until she was safely in her small car. He lingered even after Martha drifted away back into the kitchen, waiting to make sure that the car started. Older model with some hard miles put on it. Jonathan knew the original owner and hadn't been impressed with how the man took care of anything, let alone a car.
It was a good thing he and Clark were mechanically inclined. Between the two of them, they could probably keep Paul Johansen's old 90 Escort running for quite a few more miles.
Clark could just see her car from his window. He wasn't sure that Buffy could see him but just in case, he opened the window and waved.
Buffy felt someone watching her and looked up. She saw Clark wave and waved back with a smile. Then she got into her car and started it up. It sputtered for a moment, then the engine turned over and purred gently. Her lights flicked on and she carefully backed out of the driveway and onto the road.
She was getting tired and decided she could skip the sweep, since there hadn't been any demon activity in Smallville since she arrived. It wouldn't hurt, just this once. Besides, she really did want to get home to check on Dawn. Buffy hadn't seen her sister all day and it felt a little strange.
It didn't take long to park the car and head up to their little apartment. She let herself in and locked the door again, hung up Mrs. Kent's coat, then checked to be sure all the lights were off. She tapped lightly on Dawn's door, then let herself in. Buffy couldn't help but smile a bit as she saw Dawn sleeping peacefully. But a promise was a promise.
Buffy sat on the edge of Dawn's bed and rubbed her sister's back lightly. "Dawnie," she murmured lightly. "Dawnie, wake up."
"Buffy?" Dawn asked sleepily. "Wha..? Oh, you're home now? Good." Dawn blinked up at her sister, then rubbed her eyes and looked again. Something was very strange.
Buffy looked... she looked happy. Like, glowy-happy. Dawn hadn't seen her sister look this... this alive since before mom...
"Yeah, Dawnie, I'm home," Buffy answered lightly. She canted her head slightly, a little concerned over the way Dawn was just staring at her. "Are you okay? Anything wrong?"
"No, no!" Dawn hurriedly replied. In fact, she'd have to say that for the first time in a while, things felt right. She was so going to have to find Clark in the morning; Mrs. Kent had mentioned that Buffy and Clark had gone for a walk rather a while before Dawn and Lana stopped by the farm. Something just had to have happened during the day, and Dawn was going to find out what. She'd get to the bottom of this.
"Okay. Go back to sleep, then. I'm going to bed, too." Buffy smoothed a strand of hair away from Dawn's face and leaned down to hug her sister. "Sleep well."
"Thanks, Buffy. You too," Dawn bade her sister good night with a yawn and slipped back into sleep before she could get too far in her plotting how to get the truth out of Kent in the morning.
Buffy headed directly to bed after saying good night to Dawn. She didn't bother to shower since it hadn't been all that long since Lex's. She just cleaned up and got ready for bed. And for once, she fell almost immediately into a sound sleep.
*****
It was still dark, barely the middle of the night when Buffy woke to a thought that threw her into a near panic. With everything that had happened during the course of the day... she'd forgotten to tell Lex that they would be working together!
Of course she would see him tomorrow... at the plant, first thing in the morning.
**Oh, God... what am I going to do now??** She sighed and rolled over to stare out the window for a little while. She had absolutely no idea what to expect when she got to work in the morning. But if they weren't careful, she was going to get a reputation for being the new girl who was sleeping with the boss...
*****
Go back to the Smallville page.
Authors: Lex's Lady & Mistress Ace
E-mail: winter@sapphire-dragon.net & rosewood@inreach.com
Feedback: It's the icing on the cake. We write because the story demands to be told. Feedback lets us know if we struck a chord with you.
Distribution: Our website, of course, www.fandomwriters.com. The list archives are welcome to it also. Anyone else, please ask first. We'd like to know where our fic is going.
Rating: NC-17 (eventually – or maybe quickly depending on the whim of the muses)
Category: Crossover, Romance, Angst
Spoilers: All of season 1 of Smallville and season 6 of Buffy: The Vampire Slayer
Pairings: Buffy/Clark/Lex, m/f, m/m
Disclaimer: We don't own the characters at all (however much we might wish we did). Buffy and all references to BTVS are property of the great god Joss Whedon, et al. Clark, Lex and the Smallville storyline belong to Miller-Gough et al. We're just borrowing them for a while. We promise to put them back unharmed and perhaps a little happier.
Notes: ** denotes internal thought, * = italics.
Summary: What if the Summers girls moved to Smallville? What if Buffy discovered that Clark had a secret and thought he could use a confidant?
Dedications: From Em: To Ace, for her never-ending support and her willingness to work on this with me. She writes both Clark and Lex in a way I could never hope to achieve, and I couldn't possibly have done this on my own.
From Ace: To Em for reminding me why I love Buffy. To Beth for being my Smallville watching partner even when the scripts were awful. To the whole Clark/Lex list for opening my eyes to the potential here. And finally to Christina for her great story; Runaway Trains at 3 A.M. which was part of our inspiration. You can find it at: this site.