“Liz, he probably doesn’t even remember me, lets go,” Adam muttered as he turned to brush past her but she held her arm out to stop him.

“Ben equals best friend which, consequently, means he HAS to remember you. I mean, Adam, it wasn’t like you suddenly forgot about Ben, so why would he forget you? Now get going and knock on that door before people start thinking we’re stalkers!” Adam shook his head.

“No. I can’t believe I’ve been so stupid. Anyone could be staking out around here, and here we are, out in plain sight. Goddamn it, I suck at this protecting thing. Liz, we’re going. End of discussion.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her along with him, but was quickly subdued when Liz gave him a loud thwack on the head. “OW! What was that for?”

“Ok, first of all, you ever pull that ‘end of discussion’ crap on me again, I swear I’ll kick your ass all the way to the North Pole and let those little evil elves have their way with you,” Liz started, heaving her hands irately on her hips. “Get your ass up to that door and knock on it until it explodes for all I care, but you’re going to knock on that door, you hear? I am NOT spending another day in that stuffy hotel room where we watch soaps all day long.” She pointed one long finger towards the door that lay just ahead of them. Adam looked down at the ground for a moment and then looked back up at her, shaking his head defiantly at her. Liz chewed on her bottom lip for a moment, deciding what kind of action was necessary. She made up her mind and marched up to the door before Adam could catch her. She began knocking on the door while a wide-eyed Adam stared at her, wanting to protest against her and her rash actions.

The door swung open in front of them, and a young, teenage girl stood before them. She was dressed in casual hip hugger jeans, and her tanned belly showed proudly beneath a short tee.

“Can I help you?” the girl asked Liz, looking her up and down. Obviously she sizing Liz was up, and Liz did her best not to make some snide comment. She wasn’t the one wearing a belly shirt with that ridiculous (and very clearly) fake tattoo of a dolphin on her stomach.

“I was wondering if you could tell me if-” Liz started, but Adam cut her off abruptly.

“Sandy…” Adam whispered. The girl, apparently named Sandy, whipped her head towards Adam, glaring at him.

“Excuse me,” she said nastily, “But my name is Sandra and if you have a problem with- OH MY GOD!” Her loud, sudden shriek penetrated Liz’s skull and she couldn’t help but cringe at the sound. Sandy’s previous arrogant stance was now replaced by a shaken and vulnerable appearance, her body trembling nonstop. Her hand gripped the door tightly and they became deathly white.

Adam stepped forward to help her but she pulled away instantly as if he had stung her fiercely. Liz witnessed the destroyed look on Adam’s face, and felt all the guilt in the world molding her body.

“Maybe we should just-” Liz started again, wanting to diffuse the situation as quickly as possible.

“YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD! THEY SAID YOU WERE DEAD!” Sandy’s loud shout shocked both Liz and Adam, causing them both to simultaneously take a step back. Sandy, on the other hand, fell to her knees, weeping like a child who had just lost her mother, father and best friend all in one moment.

“Sandy?” another young voice called out from somewhere in the house. “Sandy! What’s wrong?” A youthful teenage boy came bounding towards the front door, crouching next to the weak girl. He looked like he was in absolute confusion, and he probably was in absolute confusion. Hell, even Liz was pretty damned confused herself.

“Who the hell are you?” questioned the boy, who looked up at Liz and Adam. But again, like Sandy, he paled at the sight of Adam. And yet again, the guilt washed over Liz in a tidal wave. How could she have expected this to turn out picture perfect? Too much Maury. No more from now on.