A few days later at school. When Nancy's counselor found out that Nancy had decided not to talk to Joannie she proceeded to convince Nancy that this is something that she shouldn't let go. Nancy approaches Joannie in the cafeteria.

"Can we talk later?"

"Uh, sure, I guess. I'll be home late, though."

"Ok, I'll try to stay up till you get home."

Joannie's boyfriend comes over, sits down, and looks at Nancy.

"Get lost kid we want to be alone." He says to Nancy.

"In a minute rude boy." Nancy replies.

"That's Mr. Rude Boy to you."

"Watch out," Joannie warns her boyfriend. "She'll give you a reputation."

"I'd rather you give me a reputation." He flirts.

"Later Joannie." Nancy walks away.

"And what do you want me to give you a reputation for?" Joannie flirts back, barely noticing that Nancy's left.

He grins and kisses her.

Other students in the cafeteria start hooting and hollering.

Joannie's boyfriend laughs.

Moments later Nancy enters one of her classes.

"Ahh Miss Bradford are you gracing us with your presence today?" The professor asks in a holier than thou tone.

"Might as well." Nancy smiles and takes a seat.

This angers him slightly but he starts class anyway.

After her classes end she goes to the library to catch up on everything she has missed. By the time she remembers to take a break she glances at the clock and sees that it's almost 4pm. ~I'd better call home and tell them I'll be a few more hours.~ She goes to use the pay phone and phones home.

Mary answers. "Hello."

"Hey Mary don't hold dinner for me I'm still catching up on all the work I missed and I'm not even half way finished. I might be a few more hours." She tells her.

"Ok I'll tell Abby."

"Thank you." They both hang up.

"One less for dinner. Nancy will be at the library for awhile."

After the library closes Nancy returns home and lays her books on the kitchen table so she can finish what she has left to do while she eats dinner. She thinks she hears voices in the sunroom but can't make out what they're saying she decides to leave them alone.

"Hey Tommy did you get the IDs?" Elizabeth asks.

"Yeah." Tommy makes sure the coast is clear and shows her the ID's. "Pretty realistic, don't you say?"

Elizabeth examines the ID. "Yes very." She laughs. "According to this I'm older than Nancy does that mean I can push her around?"

"Shhh." Tommy admonishes her. "This is nothing to joke about, if we > are caught; we are dead meat."

"Yes Dad." She says sarcastically.

"Ha Ha." Tommy deadpans.

They continue to plan Friday night.

Back to the kitchen Nancy heats up her dinner intent on eating it and starts studying. She reads about a page and a half when she finally succumbs to exhaustion and falls asleep at the kitchen table.

Abby gently shakes her awake. "Studying in your sleep, huh? Does it work?"

Nancy glances around in confusion. "Oh hi, today's been catch up day. I'm almost finished I only have one chapter left to read for history."

"I think you'd better leave it for tomorrow or you might be history."

"Good idea." She tries to eat at least but is too tired so she goes upstairs to bed.

Abby cleans up after Nancy. "Poor kid, she really overdid it."

Elizabeth comes in after talking to Tommy. ~Oh no what if she heard us?~

"Hi, Elizabeth. So--what are you up to?"

"Nothing and yourself?"

"Nothing more than you are."

"Ok well goodnight." She goes upstairs. ~Good she doesn't know.~

"By the way," Abby calls up the staircase, "what are your plans for Friday night?"

"I'm spending the night with Molly remember?" ~I hope she can't tell I'm lying.~

"Oh, that's right. You said something like that."

"Yeah well I have to get to bed tomorrow is a school day. Goodnight Abby, love you." Elizabeth goes to bed.

"'Tomorrow is a school day'?" Abby echoes to herself. "Oh, well, maybe it's because of Tom they're usually so cranky."

The phone rings.

Abby picks it up. "Hello?"

"Hey Abby, how are things?" Tom asks.

"Wonderful. I don't know why you complain about the kids; they've been a pleasure. How's the conference?"

"Wonderful, eh? Oh my dear wife that could mean only one thing. They are planning on something. It is called the calm before the storm." Tom smirks.

"Oh, come on. Maybe it just means that since I trust them, they're trying to justify that trust."

"Well we all have to jump from the frying pan into the fire." Tom says.

"Very funny. Have a little faith in them. I think they'll surprise you."

Tom laughs "No, I think they'll surprise you. All kidding aside, I miss you."

"I miss you, too, but it's only a few more days. We'll survive."

Tom sighs "I suppose, if you need anything; you have my number."

"Well, I do need something, but like I said, you'll be home in a few days..."

"We have a date." Tom replies.

"Well, I hope I get a little more action than I did on our dates."

"If its action you want, it is action you will get." Tom assures her.

"That's what you say now. Let's hear how you talk when I get you in my clutches."

Tom laughs "I love you."

"I never would have guessed."

"Why do you say that?" Tom asks concerned.

"It was a joke, Tom. Boy, that conference is really getting to you. Is it that bad?"

"It makes the book 'Crime and Punishment' seemed like a page turner."

"Ouch."

"My reaction exactly." Tom says. "I better get to bed; there's another exciting day ahead for me."

"Poor Tom. Well, I hope at least your dreams are exciting."

"Only if you are in them." Tom says.

"Good night, Tom," Abby laughs.

Friday night:

Tommy knocks on Elizabeth's door.

She lets him in. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, but I think we better leave separately and meet at the end of the street."

"Ok."

Nancy walks in to get her jacket she's going out with Noah. She observes her younger siblings. "Are you two all right? You look nervous."

"We're fine."

"Nothing wrong here, I'll see ya later." Tommy says and goes knocks on Abby's door.

"See ya." Nancy leaves on her date and Elizabeth waits for Tommy to tell Abby he's leaving before she goes to tell her that she's leaving.

"Come in!"

"Hi...I am on my way for my night at Eddie's. See ya tomorrow."

"OK. If you need anything, I'll be here all night studying."

~The only thing I will need is a six-pack by my side. ~ Tommy thinks. "Don't study too hard."

"You could always stay home and quiz me," Abby offers.

"I am sure you can get more done studying alone." Tommy says "Bye." he hurry and leaves.

Abby shakes her head, laughing.

Moments later Elizabeth enters. "I'm going to Molly's now, have a good night Abby."

"Pity you just missed Tommy; you could have gone together."

"And be seen with my little brother on a Friday night?" Elizabeth says and hurries out.

Abby picks up her books. "Well, Professor, guess you and I have a date tonight..."

Tommy meets Elizabeth at the corner? "How did it go?"

"She bought it so where do we get the beer?"

"I have a surprise for you." Tommy says and pulls the beer out from under a bush.

Elizabeth smiles. "Cool, let's go."

They go to Dan's and start having the party to end all parties.

"I can't believe you got the beer." Dan says "How did you do it?"

Tommy looks at Elizabeth "My secret."

The party starts and everyone gets smashed. Sometime later Dan's father walks in. "What the heck is going on here!!"
"Hey Dad. Want a beer?" a very drunk Dan asks his father.

His father nearly blows a fuse. Half the drunk kids make a run for it. Tommy and Elizabeth are too drunk to find the front door. So he calls their house.

At the Bradfords', the phone rings.

Abby leans across the bed and picks up the phone, expecting it to be Tom. "Hi, there, handsome," she says in a low voice.

Dan's father momentarily forgets his anger. "Well hello there yourself sweetheart."

Abby cringes when she doesn't recognize the voice. "Who is this?"

"Elizabeth and Tommy are over here, drunker than sailors." He tells her and also tells her who he is.

"But they're staying with friends tonight," Abby protests, confused.

"Trust me they're here."

"I'll come get them." All the way over, Abby fumes at Tommy and Elizabeth.

"I don't feel so good." Elizabeth announces.

Dan's father rushes her to the bathroom therefore she makes it there in time.

Tommy is passed out on the couch.

A few minutes later Abby rings the doorbell.

Dan's dad opens the door. "Come on in Mrs. Bradford."

"Thanks. Have they made you much trouble?"

"Nope, Tommy's sleeping it off and Elizabeth is about to nod off."

Abby enters and looks at the destruction around her. "Ouch."

"Hey don't worry about it. Kids will be kids right?"

Abby takes another look around her. "And how."

"Abby hey." Elizabeth laughs.

"Hello, Elizabeth. How's Molly?"
 

"I don't know."

"Yep, that's what I thought." She looks around for Tommy.

Tommy starts moaning.

"Ah, the voice of experience," Abby says and walks over to him. "Come on, Tommy, let's get you home before you do some real damage here."

"That's not experience." Elizabeth chuckles.

"What....?" Tommy says. He gets up and takes a few steps and falls to the floor, passed out again.

"Could you help me?" Abby asks Dan's father.

"Sure." He picks up Tommy and takes him to the car.

"Come on, Elizabeth, you, too."

Elizabeth gets in the car.

Abby closes the passenger doors, thanks Dan's father, and starts the engine. "I'm not going to lecture the two of you," she tells Tommy and Elizabeth.

"Cool." Elizabeth says.

Tommy doesn't hear a word.

"Maybe I'll just wait for your father to do it," Abby continues.

"Why does Dad have to know?"

"Why did you..." Abby stops herself, remembering that she promised not to lecture. "We will discuss this in the morning. Early. With bright lights and loud voices, so you know what it really means to be hung over."

Elizabeth gulps. Nancy is watching tv when they come in. She helps Abby get Elizabeth and Tommy to bed, shakes her head, and tries to keep from laughing.

Abby sees what Nancy's hiding. "What's so funny?" she asks, still fuming at having been lied to.

"Nothing." Nancy tries to control herself.

"Fine," Abby says, though it's clear it isn't.

"Abby they were bound to try it sooner or later."

"Why? Because the family dictator isn't here?"

"I don't know what their motives were."

"Worse yet, I have no idea what their punishment should be," Abby says.

"I'd like to help you out but seeing that their my siblings I can't."

"Nice to know where your loyalties lie," Abby jokes.

Nancy smiles. "Would you like some Hot Cocoa."

"Maybe I should just call your father and get his advice."

Nancy's about to answer when Nicholas comes into the kitchen.

Nicholas comes in the kitchen. "Abby, something's wrong with Tommy."

"That's right, Nicholas. He did something he shouldn't have and now his body is explaining why it was wrong."

"Huh? What did he do?" Nicholas asks.

"He drank a lot of some stuff that's really not very good for you," Abby tries to explain.

"Oh...you mean like when I eat too much candy?"

"Exactly."

Nancy gets the hot cocoa started. "Nicholas you want a cup?"

"Yeah, I will need it. I am going to go sleep in my playhouse tonight."

"That's a good idea," Abby says. "Tommy's going to be even worse before he gets better. And Nancy, you might want to come sleep in my room, since I doubt Elizabeth will be at her finest."

"Ok, you don't hog covers do you?" Nancy jokes and pours them each a cup.

"No, I'm usually the one being hogged from."

"Poor Abby."

The phone rings.

"Now who's in trouble?" Abby sighs and goes to answer the phone.

"Hi Hon, How are you doing?" Tom asks.

"Fine. How are you? Still bored?"

"No, actually. I borrowed a typewriter and I thought I would get ahead in my column." Tom says. "How are things there?"

"Oh, fine," Abby makes a quick decision. ~I can always tell him they got home later than this.~ "nothing special. Just having some hot chocolate with Nancy and Nicholas."

"Oh, that's nice." Tom replies "So nobody broke curfew?"

"Of course not." ~Can't break curfew if you weren't supposed to come home at all.~ "I told you Tom, you have to give them some trust." ~And a loud lecture after they violate that trust.~

"Trust I have, just not blind faith." Tom jokes.

"Well, we'll just see whose system works better." ~Because after I finish giving those two a taste of the Abby Bradford Boot Camp, they will never do this again.~

They talk for awhile longer and then they say their goodnights.

Abby hangs up and turns to Nancy and Nicholas, silently daring them to ask why she didn't fulfill her threat to rat Tommy and Elizabeth out.

"What?" Nancy asks.

"Nothing, nothing."

"How's Dad?" Nicholas asks.

"Bored to tears," Abby says. "He's working just for the fun of it."

The next morning, Tommy starts waking up. ~How did I get here?~ he tries to remember and suddenly feels sick to his stomach and walks against the wall towards the bathroom.

Elizabeth refuses to get out of bed and pulls the covers over her head.

After being sick in the bathroom, Tommy manages to knock on Elizabeth's door.

"Go away and stop banging." Elizabeth groans.

Tommy walks in. "How did we get home?" he says while holding his head.

"Abby brought us home. Dan's father called her."

"OH NO!" Tommy exclaims, then suddenly feels sick again and rushes to the bathroom bumping into a family member.

Elizabeth groans.

Nancy quickly gets out of Tommy's way.

"Sorry." Tommy mumbles. He comes out of the bathroom and asks Nancy "What time is it?"

"Around 10am is Elizabeth awake?"

"Barely." he says. "Is Abby mad?"

"Yes."

"That's just great." Tommy moans. "I am going back to bed."

"That won't stop her."

"No, but at least if I stay away from her, she might calm down."

"Good idea."

Abby comes out of her room and heads for the sound of the voices. "Tommy. You're alive. Bet you wish you weren't, though."

"Hi, you look nice today." Tommy says trying to soften the blow.

"Why, thank you. I always try to dress up the morning after a betrayal."

Nancy goes downstairs.

Meanwhile downstairs. Nancy watches Nicholas make his famous peanut butter and jelly bean sandwich. "Hey Nicky are you sure you don't want eggs or something?"

"This isn't for me, it's for Tommy." Nicholas states.

"I don't think Tommy's stomach can handle that this morning."

"What should I make him?"

"Toast would be good."

"OK." Nicholas says.

"Abby, about last night....can we do this later?" Tommy asks.

"When you are less hung over?"

"Yeah." Tommy says and thinks ~Also to come up with a good excuse and she calms down.~

"Poor Tommy. It hurts, does it?" Abby says sweetly.

"Yes it hurts." Tommy replies. "Can I go now?"

"NO!!!" Abby screams at him.

Elizabeth falls out of bed and onto the floor. "What was that?"

"You, too, Elizabeth," Abby yells. "Out here, now."

Elizabeth comes out dragging.

Tommy covers his head. "Why'd you do that for?"

"Oh, that's just the start of what I'm going to do to you, Tommy. Good morning, Elizabeth. Sleep well?"

"Someone turn out the lights."

"Why don't the two of you come into my room with me. It's quiet and dark in there."

Tommy looks at Elizabeth.

Elizabeth looks at Tommy.

They go in there.

Abby has the two of them sit on the bed. "Is this better?" she whispers.

"Much." Elizabeth says.

"Yes but I get the feeling its not gong to last."

"I always did say you were brighter than you claim to be, Tommy. You're right."

"Abby, we are sorry about last night."

"The way you two must be feeling right now, I'd imagine you are."

"We'll never do it again."

"Very sorry." Elizabeth says.

"I want to know why you did it in the first place. I trusted the two of you!"

Elizabeth looks to Tommy. ~You're the brother, protect me.~

"I don't have a good reason except for it seemed like a good idea at the time especially with.......Dad gone." Tommy admits.

"While the cat's away, right? Well, guess what, Tommy? I know how to discipline, too."

Elizabeth cringes.

"You have any last requests?"

"Can I have Nancy here to protect me?"

"Nope."

"I just want to go on the record, that this was my idea. I pulled Elizabeth into it. So what's our punishment?" Tommy asks wanting to get this over with

"No it was my idea." Elizabeth chimes in.

"No it wasn't Elizabeth, I was the one who got the fake ID........." Tommy says without thinking.

Elizabeth cringes again.

"Fake ID?" Abby repeats.

Tommy nods yes.

"We had to get the beer somehow."

"You brought your own beer," Abby says. "Seems you planned it all pretty well."

"Sorry."

"Sorry? Not yet you're not."

Tommy elbows Elizabeth in the ribs.

"Oww." She elbows him back.

"Stop it, the two of you!" Abby yells.

They quit.

"Uh, when's Dad coming home?"

"Not soon enough to save you. I don't like being lied to, and I don't like being taken advantage of."

"I don't blame you there." Elizabeth says trying to change the subject. "One time at summer camp..."

"What do you think your punishment ought to be?"

"Send us to our rooms for the day?" Tommy hopefully asks.

"Tommy, this isn't some food fight in the kitchen or staying out a half hour after curfew."

"How about a week then?" he asks.

Abby begins to pace. "I'm not going to ground you--I've always thought that was a pretty lousy punishment. Besides, all you'd do is listen to records all day or play the guitar or something. No, I've got..." Abby paces some more and then stops, snapping her fingers. "I've got it. Yeah, this will work."

Tommy whispers to Elizabeth "I don't think we are going to like this."

"I don't either."

"I think your father will enjoy seeing how helpful the two of you have been while he was gone, don't you?" Abby says.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Oh, the lawn getting mowed, the hedge getting trimmed, the living room getting painted, all the kitchen cabinets getting cleaned, things like that. He'd like that, wouldn't he?"

"Yeah I guess he would."

"Good. I'll draw up a list of chores and the two of you can work on them today, tomorrow, and afternoons until you're done."

"But we have school." Tommy says.

~I hope she doesn't confiscate the ids they can come in handy later on for other things.~

"And I want the fake ID and the name of the person you got it from. And the store that sold you the beer."

"Abby if we rat them out they'll kill us." Elizabeth says.

"Oh, don't be so dramatic," Abby scoffs.

"I'm not, that's the way things work in high school."

Tommy agrees with her, but hands Abby the ID's.

"You can tell them your father the journalist found them out." Abby takes the IDs from Tommy. "Now get dressed, because the lawn's growing even as we speak."

"May we have some coffee and toast before we begin?" Tommy asks.

"I'll even let you have some juice. Can't have you taking a break halfway through for nutrition, right?"

Tommy reluctantly says "No."

"I knew you'd understand," Abby smiles.

Elizabeth soon joins them and eats breakfast.

Nancy goes outside to play with Sam and finds the rock she hit her head on earlier in the week. She picks it up, goes over to the trees in the back, and tosses it. "If you ever come back to this yard again you and I are going to fight." She says and turns around to see a family member trying not to laugh at her. "It had to be done."

The family member doesn't say anything so Nancy saves what little dignity she has left and takes Sam inside. Tommy and Elizabeth are eating breakfast and looking very reluctant to start their day.

Abby still looks upset at the two for lying to her.

"Is Joannie home?" Nancy asks.

"I think so. She said she'd be in late last night, but I didn't check. Unless she's lied to me, too..." Abby answers.

Nancy goes upstairs and knocks on Susan and Joannie's door.

A very small voice answers, "Come in--quietly."

Nancy quietly enters. "Are you hunting rabbit." She whispers.

"I was out late. My head hurts," Joannie whispers.

"Do you want some aspirin?" Nancy whispers back.

"Sleep."

"Ok." Nancy leaves the room and decides to take a walk.

While walking she's grabbed from behind and dragged into the woods she bites the hand that's got her.

"Sheesh take it easy. I just needed to get you alone!!"

Nancy finally glances at the guy. It's an old friend of Alan's the guy who had stopped by the house the day before her Father and Abby's wedding. "What do you want?" She says with suspicion.

"I need your help."

"Tough, all I want is to be left alone I'm trying to lead a normal life here."

"Nancy please you're the only one who can help me. You know what it's like to be terrorized by them."

"Who's after you? Last I heard Alan was in jail making license plates."

"Our boss is after me. I turned him in and now he has his thugs
trailing me."

"So tell the police I am not getting involved." She starts to walk away.

"Sure walk away nevermind that you had people to protect you when you were going through it." He says to her retreating figure.

"The only place I'll take you is to the police station so you can get protection from them. I will not do anything else that might put my life or my family's lives in jeopardy."

"I went to the police already and they won't protect me. They say they don't have enough manpower."

"There might be something I can do. Where are you hiding out at? I'll let you know something as soon as I know something." Nancy says.

He whispers the location in her ear and then they both part company. Nancy then goes home.

"Abby can I talk to you for a minute?" She says when she finds her supervising Tommy and Elizabeth doing the yardwork.

"Sure. Let's go inside," she says to Nancy. "And the two of you," she says to Tommy and Elizabeth, "don't even think of slacking off."

Elizabeth grumbles so does Tommy.

Moments later in the study.

"A guy I know needs the number to that lawyer that arranged it so that I had police protection during the Alan ordeal."

"Oh, sure, I'll look it up. But he won't be in today--I might still have his home number in my calendar if it's really important."

"Yes it's very important." Nancy says.

"OK. I gave my last year's calendar to your father to put with the tax stuff; it should be in his desk somewhere. You do realize, though, that Andrew may not be as good to your friend as he was to us."

"Yes I do, but it's worth a try he's pretty scared. And he's not a friend just someone I know."

Abby digs through Tom's desk. "Here it is. His number is..." Abby leafs through the book, "right here. Good luck."

"Thanks Abby." She leaves the house and meets the guy at his hideout where they call Andrew.
He agrees to meet them at his office.

When they get there. The guy explains the situation to Andrew.

"I don't generally do criminal law," Andrew says.

"Can you make an exception this time?" The friend asks. "You did for Nancy when she was the one in trouble."

"There were...extenuating circumstances."

"This guy who is after him has been responsible for a lot of ruined lives." Nancy says.

"I really think he'd be better off with a lawyer who deals with his sort of people."

"My sort of people?" The guy glares at him. "Thanks for trying to help Nancy." He walks out.

"Great, did you have to say it like that?" She says to Andrew before going after the guy. "Let's go to the police and you can tell them everything you told me."

"No I don't think so."

"It might be the only chance you have left."

They continue to discuss the matter unaware that they're being watched.

"Let's do it." One of the thugs says.

"No, he said to wait till he's alone, and he's obviously not alone."

"Yeah but it's her the one who ratted Alan out."

"And she's already paid for that. We're not going to touch her."

Nancy finally convinces him to go to the police and tell them.

"We already told you we can't offer protection right now." Officer Bernstein says. "And Nancy go home you don't need to be involved in this."

"I'm not going anywhere till you agree to offer him protection."

"Look, the guy who is after him is going to trial and he will be convicted that's all we can do."

"And meanwhile his life is still in danger and he's the one who provided the evidence so you could convict his boss."

"My hands are tied I'm sorry."

Nancy and the guy finally leave.

"Great what am I going to do now." The guy says worried about his own self and not showing any concern for the danger he might be putting Nancy in.

"I don't know what else to do just stay in hiding. The thugs are up for trial too and even though they're out on bail they'll soon be put behind bars. Look they don't know where you're hiding I'll bring you food until they're in jail."

He goes back to his hideout and Nancy goes back home.

"I think Andrew's still sore from that last time." She says to Abby.

"I was afraid he would be. I was pretty awful to him. Not that he didn't deserve it. You want me to try and see what I can do?"

"No that's all right. He's just going to lie low until the thugs are convicted and locked up also."

"You sure?"

"Yeah I'm sure. They won't be able to find him as long as he stays where he is." ~And as long as I keep the food coming.~

"OK. I'd better go back out and supervise the family slaves, then."

Nancy laughs. "Ok."

Insert anything that occurs before bedtime>

After making sure everyone in the house is asleep Nancy goes down the kitchen and prepares a care package of food for the guy. She then leaves the house and brings it to him.

"Are you sure no one followed you?" He asks.

"Very sure."

"And your family is ok with you bringing me food."

"My family doesn't know. I don't want them involved."

"Good."

"There should be enough to last till tomorrow night. I'll bring more then." She says before she leaves for home.

She opens the door and quietly closes it.

"You should be more careful," Joannie whispers. "Abby catches you sneaking out she'll add you to the slave brigade."

"But I'll be nineteen in two months." She whispers back.

"But she's trying to be SuperMom while Dad's away. Don't cross her."

~I'll take her anger over her or any of the rest of you being in danger any day of the week.~ "I'll keep that in mind." A packet of oatmeal that she forgot to give to the guy falls out of her pocket.

Joannie bends to pick it up. "Do I want to know about this?" she smiles.

"No you don't. Neither do the others." Nancy says.

"OK. Hey, if it has anything to do with that stuff I found in your dresser when David and I were searching your room, be careful, OK?"

Nancy laughs. "Ok." She heads upstairs. ~Whew that was close.~

A couple of mornings later. Mary is checking out the food supply. ~Hey that's odd. Abby went shopping Friday and it looks like she didn't even go.~ She turns to Nancy.

"Hey Nance do you know anything about our quickly shrinking grocery supply."

"Maybe everyone is eating more?" She shrugs.

"Hmm, the last time this happened is when you became friends with that homeless guy. What's going on Nancy?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." She gets a cup of coffee.

Elizabeth enters looking exhausted. "If I have to do one more chore I think I'll die." She looks at Tommy. "I see you survived another day also."

Tommy turns to Elizabeth "I feel like telling her she can't do this to us."

"So do I, but considering what we did do, oh the heck with that. Wasn't she young once? Didn't she lie to her parents? This isn't fair!!"

"So what do we do? Stage a sit-down strike?" Tommy asks.

"No we make a plea to the teenager who hopefully still lives inside of her."

"Think that will work?"

"What do we have to lose?"

"Our lives." Tommy says

Elizabeth gulps.

"I think we should talk to her later tonight."

"Let's wait awhile it might be too soon."

"It's almost like I wish Dad would have been here, there would have been a lot of yelling. But at least we would have spent our punishments in our rooms." Tommy observes.

"Yeah really." Elizabeth agrees.

The phone rings at the Bradford house.

"Hello?" Nicholas asks.

"Hi, I need to speak to Abby or Nancy Bradford are they home?" He asks.

"ABBY!!!" Nicholas yells.

Abby stops on her way to the kitchen. She takes a quick glance at Tommy and Elizabeth. "Quit yakking and get to work!" she yells at them and then heads back towards Nicholas. "What are you yelling about?"

"You are wanted on the phone." Nicholas says.

"Thanks." Abby picks up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hi Abby, this is Andrew look I owe Nancy an explanation of why I wouldn't help that young man the other day. I also owe you that. It wasn't because of what happened the last time I saw you. Look this kid doesn't deserve the help. He'd turn on anyone to save his own hide. He's left people hanging more than once. If Nancy is still helping him out tell her to break away while she still can."

"Thanks for the warning. I'll try to tell her, but I'm not sure she'll listen. And I'm sorry about what I did to you the last time I saw you. You didn't deserve that."

"Yes I did I was a jerk." Andrew admits.

"Well, maybe a little," Abby laughs.

"A little, lady try a lot. I really am sorry."

"Hey, you've more than made up for it with this warning."

"It's the least I can do. I have to go to court now, take care of yourself Abby."

"You, too, Andrew." Abby hangs up and goes looking for Nancy.

She doesn't find her so.....

Part 2