Ben looked down at Chrissy, and then up at Mike. Mike was sitting in the chair next to the couch reading a magazine in the dark. "Hey, Mike," Ben whispered.

"Yeah?" Mike looked up from his magazine. He smiled when he saw Chrissy.

"Should i wake her up and put her in bed?"

"Nah, let her sleep. She likes sleeping with you."

"How do you know that?"

"Because she always does it, goofball." Mike grinned and went back to his magazine. Ben resumed watching the movie. Chrissy shifted, huggingBen's waist. She smiled in her sleep. Ben wrapped his arms around his little sister and kissed the top of her head.

Carol enetered the room. "Hey, why don't you put Chrissy in bed?" She asked Ben.

"Carol," he replied, "Look at her. Does she look like she wants to be in bed?"

Carol smiled. "No, i guess not. Alladin?" she asked, looking at the tv.

"And the king of theives," Ben corrected. "Chrissy picked it out. Then she crawled into my lap and fell asleep." He looked at Chrissy and smiled. "Hey, where's Luke?"

"Luke? Oh, he's out with some girl," Mike said, not even looking up.

"Some girl?///////" Carol repeated, placing her hands on her hips. "Does anyone know this 'some girl'?" She demanded.

"I do.She's Kate's little sister." Mike smiled smugly at Carol. "Speaking of Kate, she should be here any minute." Mike looked at his watch. Suddenly the lights came on as Dr. Seaver enetered the room.

"Aladdin?" He asked, looking at the tv screen.

"And the king of theives," Carol corrected.

"I didn't even know we had that movie." He sat down on the other end of the couch. "Hey, Ben, you want me to put Chrissy in bed?"

"No, that's ok." Ben smiled down at Chrissy once again.

Kate entered the fmamily room and snuck up behind Mike, putting her hands over his eyes. "Guess who," she said, grinning.

"Sharlene," Mike guessed.

"HEY! Who is Sharlene?" Kate demanded, sounding jealous.

"Mike grinned up at her. "Just kidding! Are you ready?"

"Yeah. Let's go. Bye guys!" Kate smiled at theassembled Seavers.

"See Ya!" Mike said as he and Kate left the room.

Chrissy opened her eyes. "What's all the talking about?" she asked sleepily. "Is Luke going out again?" She looked up at Ben and blinked a few times.

"No, Mike is," he told her. "Do you want me to put you in bed now?" he asked.

"I like it right here." She wrapped her arms around Ben's neck and closed her eyes again. She was asleep in seconds.

Ben looked over at his father. "Hey, Dad, could you get me a blanket? I don't want to wake Chrissy up again, and i don't think she wants to go to bed."

"Sure Ben." Dr. Seaver left the room, turning off the lights and leaving the others in the dark. Carol got up and turned off the movie. She turned the tv off and went upstairs. Ben fell asleep, despite the fact that it was only nine pm. Dr. Seaver came back in with the blanket, smiling at his two slumbering children. "And Maggie was worried that Chrissy wouldn't get along with the boys," he whispered to himself.

"You did, sugar," came a voice from inside her cell.

Kassy looked around. "Up here," said the voice. A head appeared from the top bunk in the cell next to her, and a hand followed, poking through the connecting bars. "Hi, there. I'm Samuel. And you are?"

Kassy shook his hand and introduced herself. Samuel jumped down from the top bunk and stood before Kassy, smiling. "So, what'd you do, if you don't mind me askin'?"

""Somethin' illegal," she replied with a sour smirk.

"Hm, clever. Very clever. How old are you anyway? Seventeen?"

"What's it to you?" Kassy asked, standing up and starting to pace.

Samuel sat on his bunk and grabbed the top bunk with his hands, holding himself up while he leaned back. "Just curious, that's all."

"Fifteen."

"Oh, you go to school?"

"Look, i'm not in the mood to answer any questions." she said bitterly.

"Well, that,s good, cause i'm not really in the mood to ask 'em. 'Cept maybe one more."

"What?"

"Do you, by any chance, know a Luke Brower?"

"Why?" Kassy asked, her eyes widening.

"Well, he was here last night, lookin' for ya'. I told him you were asleep and he left."

"He was here?"

"Yeah, he said somethin' about a guy named Ben and someone or somethin' named Chrissy bein' asleep at home. I don't really remember. I was a little out of it."

"Luke came here," she repeated with a smile.

"Yep, and i don't think he recognized me, either."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, back when Luke was homeless as an alley cat, we were buddies, pals, amigos. Then some rich family adopted him. We never saw him again. 'Till last night. Some people named Seaver is what was goin' around the streets. You know 'em?"

"None of your business." She jumped up onto the top bunk and went back to sleep. Samuel just laughed and shook his head.

"Guess i should take that as a yes," he whispered with a smile.

When Kassy opened her eyes again, it was because she heard Luke's voice. "Luke?" she asked, sitting up.

"Heya, Kass," Luke said from the other side of the bars.

"Luke!" Kassy exclaimed, jumping off the bunk and running up to him. "But how did you know i was here?"

"I've been here my fair share of times," he said with a half smile.

"How many times would that be?" Kassy asked curiously.

"Let's just say that everyone who works here knows me by name. But i came here for a reason, Kass."

Kassy walked back to her bed and sat on the bottom bunk. "Yeah, i figured you didn't just pop in for a visit. There's a catch to everything." She leaned back and stared at the empty wall opposite the bed. "I know what you wanna know, Luke. BJ probably told you what i did, and you wanna know if it's true." She looked at him. "Well, it is. So you can just forget i ever existed and go home to your family."

"Kassy, i wanna help you. We all do." Luke began.

Kassy held up her hand, silently telling him to be quiet. She stood up and walked over to him, glancing at the guard. "I'm not high, and i'm not going to run away. Could you please open up these bars for a minute and let me out? Just for a second?" she pleaded with her eyes.

The guard stood up and unlocked the cell door. "Don't try anything. There are police all over the place and you'll just get yourself into even more trouble."

"Don't worry, i wont. I promise." She led Luke over to a couple of seats and they sat down. "Luke," Kassy lifted her sleeve and showed him her arm. Luke held back a gasp of surprise. "Yeah, it's pathetic, ain't it? I been doin' this for months, Luke. I'm beyond help. I'm too far gone. Trust me, there's nothing any of you can do." She turned away from him and faced the wall, praying that she wouldn't cry.

Luke put a hand on Kassy's shoulder. "Kassy, we can try. I know you can do it, if you want to. You have to want to, Kassy; we can't force you. And even if we could force you to try, it wouldn't work unless you wanted it to."

Kassy turned around. "I want to, Luke. I want to! But it's not going to happen. As soon as i'm 'cured' i'll be back on the streets where i can get it for cheap, and i'll just start back up again."

"No, you won't."

"Yes, i will start up again. Believe me, i've tried to quit before."

"No, i mean you won't be on the streets again."

"Right. And how do you plan to keep me off them? Take me back to the Seavers' with some lame line like, "they took me in," blah blah blah. I don't think so. I can't go back there, not anymore." She stood up and went back to her cell, closing the door behind her. Luke folowed her to the door, wrapping his hands around the bars. He stared at her. "Kassy," he whispered.

"Luke, please. Just go away." Kassy jumped up onto the top bunk so she didn't have to look at Luke. She closed her eyes tight. She rolled over onto her stomach and cried softly into her pillow.

Chrissy sleepily opened her eyes. "No, it isn't," she said, closing them again.

"It is if you want to go to the park today. It'll be too hot later."

Chrissy jumped up. "The park!" she exclaimed happily. She jumped off Ben's lap and ran up the stairs to get dressed.

Ben saw his parents pacing the floor of the living room. "Hey, you guys are going to make a trench in the floor if you don't stop that. What's going on?"

"Luke didn't come home last night," Mrs. Seaver replied.

"Well, mom, he's seventeen."

"No, Ben," Dr. Seaver began. The door opened and the room was silent. Luke came in and closed the door behind him. He obviously hadn't slept all night, and he wasn't very happy.

"Where have you been?" Mrs. Seaver demanded.

"Jail," Luke replied.

"What?" Dr. Seaver was obviously shocked. Luke walked up the stairs without saying anything else.

"Hi, Luke!" came the cheerful voice of little Chrissy.

"Heya, Chrissy," Luke said glumly.

"Luke!" Mrs. Seaver exclaimed, starting to follow him.

"Maggie, don't," Dr. Seaver stopped him.

"But, Jason, he-"

Is tired and unhappy. Let him sleep, and we'll talk to him later.

"C'Mon, Ben, aren't we going to the park?" Chrissy asked. Ben looked at his parents, and then up the stairs.

"In a little while, Chrissy, ok? But first i need to talk to Luke."

"Can i come with you?" she asked.

"Nah, you stay down here with Mom and Dad and get some breakfast. I'll be down in a little while. I promise." He winked at her.

"Ok!" She skipped off to the kitchen.

Ben walked up the stairs and knocked on Luke's door. "Go Away!" was the muffled reply.

"Can't do that, buddy," Ben replied, opening the door and walking in. "So, what's up? Why didn't you come home last night?"

"I don't need you asking for them, so just go away."

"They didn't send me up here. In fact, they don't even know i'm up here. Now tell me what happened."

Luke stared at him for a minute, then finally gave in.

"I went to the jail last night to talk to Kassy, but she was asleep. I walked around the station for a while and then came back, but she was still asleep. Rather than make the trip down there again, i just stayed the night on one of the benches."

"Ok," said Ben. "But why are you so unhappy? Well, other than the fact that i'm sure you didn't get much sleep."

"I finally got to talk to Kassy. She said she wasn't coming here ever again, and that she was beyond help. And that what BJ said was true." He looked up at Ben. "We have to get her back here! She doesn't have a family, she'll just end up back on the streets and die of an overdose or something. That happened once to someone i knew, i can't let it happen again."

"Look, Luke. We'll try. Now, i promised Chrissy i'd take her to the park, and you need to get some sleep. Goodnight," he added quietly. Ben stood up and left the room. In the hallway, he leaned up against the wall and closed his eyes, letting out a heavy sigh of frustration and sadness.

Downstairs, the doorbell rang. "I'll get it," Chrissy screamed.

"Chrissy," Ben shouted, "You're not allowed to!" He sprinted down the steps and pulled Chrissy back, opening the door himself.

Two excited faces stood in the doorway. "Don't tell me this is Benjamin Seaver!" the lady exclaimed.

"In the flesh." He was about to ask who they were when Mrs. Seaver came into the room.

"Who is it, Ben?" she asked. "Jeanine! Danny!" she shouted. There was lots of hugging during the few minutes following the joyful reunion.

"Maggie Seaver, you're kids are wonderful!" said the lady again. "Now, where is that handsome Michael? Oh, and Carol, too! And who's this little one?" she asked, looking at Chrissy.

"This is Chrissy," Maggie replied. Luke came down the stairs sleepily.

"What's all the commotion about? I'm trying to sleep."

"Oh, my! Who's this handsome young man?" The lady inquired of Luke.

"Luke Brower. Hi." He walked up to the couple and help his hand out. He shook both their hands, smiling politely. "Excuse me, i won't function properly until i sleep a little more." He executed a little bow and climbed the stairs again.

Mike came in through the kitchen. "Aunt Jeanine and Uncle Danny!" he shouted. And there was more hugging.

Ben stood aside, not really knowing what was going on. "Ben," said Mrs. Seaver. "This is your Aunt Jeanine and Uncle Danny."

Ben shook hands with both of them.

"Ben," Chrissy pleaded, "Can we go now?" She paused and look at Ben. "Are we actually going to the park?"

"Yes, Chrissy, we're going now." He looked at his Aunt and uncle. "It was very nice meeting you," he said politely as he was dragged out of the room by Chrissy. "All right, Chrissy, stop pulling!"

"Mike, why don't you drive them to the park? Danny and Jeanine and i want to catch up on some things." Maggie said as she lightly shoved her son out the door. She closed the door behind him without waiting for an answer. IT was barely five minutes before someone knocked on it again. "Kassy!" she exclaimed when she opened it.

"Hi, Mrs. Seaver. Is Luke at home? I wanted to straighten something out with him before i left.

"Left?"

""Oh, yeah. The squad car is waiting for me. They searched me and everything. I'm not dangerous, so may i please speak with Luke?"

"Yes, come on in. This is Jeanine and Danny Thompson," she added.

"Hi," Kassy replied without interest. "Mrs. Seaver, i have to talk to Luke."

"Oh, of course, dear. He's upstairs, first door on the right."

"Thank you." She gave the couple a polite smile and climbed the stairs without further comment. She knocked softly on Luke's door. "Luke," she whispered as she slowly opened the door. "Luke?" she asked a little more loudly.

"Hunh," Luke said, rolling over and facing away from the light the open door allowed into the room.

"Luke!" she said insistently, shaking him.

"What is it?" he asked, slowly opening his eyes and looking at her. "Kassy!" he exclaimed when his eyes finally focused enough to recognize her. He jumped out of bed and hugged her tightly. "I thought you weren't coming back. I thought-" he stopped. The look on her face wasn't promising.

"I'm not. I came ot say goodbye, Luke. They're sending me to Oregon, to get help. There's a family who lives there that takes in kids like me. Anyway i only wanted to say goodbye. And that," she paused, as if thinking of a way to phrase whar she wanted to say, "I'll miss you." She turned and walked out of the room. Out of his life if he didn't stop her.

"Kassy, wait!" He put a hand on her shoulder and spun her around to face him again. He hugged her tightly. For the first time in her life, she hugged someone back. His grip on her relaxed, and he took her face in his hands. He gently kissed her lips, hugging her again. "I know i barely know you, but i'll miss you, too."

"Goodbye, Luke Brower," she whispered, leaving before she started crying again.

"Goodbye, Kassy Miller," he whispered back.

Kassy walked down the stairs and turned to Mrs. Seaver. "I'm moving to Oregon, where i can get the help i need. Tell Ben i said goodbye, please?"

"Of course, Kassy," Maggie replied, sounding shocked.

"And thank you, Mrs. Seaver, for doing what you did." Kassy walked out of the house. Luke watched from his window as the car she had gotten into pulled away.