"I know, me neither."

"Just as long as me."

Looking into Raleigh's beautiful eyes, Josh found himself falling further than he ever thought possible. "You haven't been here lately?"

"No, not since you left over Christmas."

"Oh." Was all Josh could say.

Looking away from Josh's piercing eyes, she then added, "You're the only person I could ever come here with, Josh."

Looking at Raleigh, Josh really didn't know what to say. Was she telling him she still loved him as he did her? Or just simply that this was their spot?

Looking back at the glistening water in front of them, Josh decided he had to tell her what had been on his mind since that night at the swimming hole. "I don't even remember why I broke up with you. I feel like I made the biggest mistake of my life."

Raleigh let out a small chuckle. "I bet you'll remember all those reasons when you return to school in September, huh?"

"I highly doubt that, Ray."

"I don't. You did it once Josh, how would I know you wouldn't do it again?" Sure Raleigh was still in love with him, it didn't take a rocket scientist to see that. But how could she ever believe him? "Look, can we just talk about something else please?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry that I keep bringing it up."

"It's alright." She smiled warmly at him. Josh couldn't help but to smile himself. He loved being around this woman, he now began to understand the whole ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder' statement.

~*~

"Bobbie, Janie, where is your sister?" Deb, Raleigh's mother, went into the kitchen where two of her five children where sitting.

"Hell if I know. She's not in her room."

"I don't think she's been here all night, Mom." Bobbie told them. Ok, so he didn't think, he knew.

"So then where has she been all night, Bobbie?"

"You know just as well as we do that Ray has a tendency to sneak out at night." Bobbie answered her absent-mindedly. Truth is, he was still up when she had snuck out her window with Josh. But he couldn't tell his mother and sister that. The entire family hated Josh for what he had done to Raleigh. Sure, he was good and pissed, but he also knew Josh was a great guy and would come to his senses, something that seemed to be happening sooner than Bobbie had thought. But if Josh breaks her heart again, he will be there with his other two brothers to beat the hell out of him.

"I swear if she's with him there's going to be hell to pay." Janie and Bobbie just looked at each other while their mother was grumbling all the way down the hall to where the telephone sat.

"Who you think she's calling?"

"Probably Karen." Bobbie's suspicions where confirmed when they heard their mother say the aforementioned name.

"Hey, Karen. It's Deb...I'm alright, how about yourself?...That's good, listen, the reason I'm calling is to know if Josh is there...Are you sure he's in his bedroom?...Ok.....That's what I thought...I have a reason to believe Raleigh snuck out with him last night. She's not here either and Bobbie said she hasn't been here all night...Oh Raleigh too, believe me. Well I'm gonna go. We'll see you later...Buh-bye." Hanging up with Karen, Deb made her way back to the kitchen only to find Janie and Bobbie where gone. No doubt to find their baby sister.

~*~

Stirring in her peaceful sleep, Raleigh began to wake up. Opening her eyes, she found herself in Josh's arms and couldn't help but to feel safe. She felt like this was how it was suppose to be with them, now and always. They just fit.

Suddenly realizing she had stayed out all night with him, Raleigh quickly sat up. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she stood up and walked over to the bank of the lake. Looking out to the horizon where the sun was still rising, she heard Josh begin to wake up. He made this noise that was a cross between a growl and a moan. Raleigh wasn't exactly sure what it was, but it was sexy and did things to her she could never explain.

Josh stood up and made his way over to where Raleigh was. "Good morning."

"Good morning, Josh." She smiled at him. If it was at all possible, he looked even more sexy when he was half asleep. The innocence of a little boy still in his features.

"Now this is the life. Waking up to this beautiful sight." Josh said, wrapping his arms around Raleigh. He was expecting her to pull away from him and maybe even a smack, but she didn't. She fell into his arms, melting at his every touch.

"Stop it." she said, turning a serious shade of crimson. Hearting the whinny of the horse by the tree they had fallen asleep under brought them back down to earth.

"Did we stay out all night?"

"Yeah. My family is going to kill me. I'm already grounded for staying out late with you the other night."

"Oh no." Josh laughed, resting his chin on her shoulder. "I bet mommy dearest was happy when I was gone."

"You have no idea." Raleigh smiled, relaxing even more into his embrace, his smell still filling her nose with that heavenly scent. "We should probably get going."

"Yeah. My mom's going to kill me."

"Why? You're nineteen."

"Yeah, but I am staying back under her roof for the summer so I have to obey her rules. Plus too she told me to stay away from you."

Raleigh laughed at that. "We all knew that wasn't going to happen."

"I know."

They stood there like that for a few more minutes, just taking in the scenery until they were interrupted.

"Raleigh Beth, get over here right now!"

Looking over to where the voice came from, Raleigh groaned and rolled her eyes at seeing her sister and brother coming towards she and Josh. "What are you guys doing here?" She asked, stepping away from Josh's embrace.

"Looking for you. Now what is it that you think you're doing here?" Janie asked Raleigh with attitude evident in her voice. Going over to her little sister, Janie grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the car. "What, has the past six months taught you nothing? Do you want to find yourself back in the doctor's office?"

Pulling her arm away from Janie, Raleigh looked at her with pure fire burning in her eyes. "Ok, first of all, if I remember correctly you found yourself in that same damn situation because of your Memphis asshole, Jake. And second, what I do and have done in the past and with who is none of your damn business. It's neither of yours!" Josh could not remember a time when Raleigh had been so upset she spoke back to somebody this way. Was this his doing as well?

"Ray," Bobbie had started but she cut him off.

"Don't Bobbie. I have a feeling I know what you're going to say anyway. So just save your breath." Looking at Josh, Raleigh mouthed "I'm sorry" to him and waved goodbye before climbing in the back of her sister's car.

Storming into the house, Raleigh was stopped by her mother before she could run up to her bedroom. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Well, I think I'm trying to go up to my bedroom."

"Don't smart off to me young lady. I'm not in the mood."

"And I'm not in the mood for this, so if you'll excuse me." Raleigh walked past her mother and climbed the first two steps.

"Don't turn your back on me, Raleigh."

"Oh no, Mother. Perhaps you shouldn't turn your back on me."

"Are you threatening me?"

"Of course not. I just didn't think that at seventeen, I, your youngest child may I add, would be your enemy."

"You're not my enemy. That boy is."

"No, Mom. You're both of ours." And with that, Raleigh ran up the remaining stairs and slammed her bedroom door shut.
1