Lounging on her couch, blanket wrapped around her, a movie on the TV, and her sheltie curled up on her legs was a perfect way to enjoy a cool autumn evening. At least in Gwen’s opinion it was. The sun had set awhile ago and only a small lamp on the table beside her and the blue glow of the television lit the room. In fact, Gwen was just beginning to doze off when the doorbell rang jarring her from her sleep and sending her dog into a barking frenzy. “Who could possibly be stopping by?” It wasn’t like she had made any friends since arriving in the city, well, none close enough that she expected them to visit her.

Unwrapping herself from her cocoon of blankets, Gwen made her way over to the door hesitantly. “Reilly, shhh.” And little did the chastising do. The little sheltie continued his barking at the door, tail wagging vigorously.

A familiar voice called through the door. “Come on Sis, it’s not getting warmer out here.”

“Dallen?” Caution gone, Gwen unlocked the door and flung it open to find her younger brother standing there with a bag thrown over his shoulder and a grin on his face. Reilly wasted no time in pawing at the young man, bouncing on his hind legs happily.

“Hey there, Reilly.” Dallen laughed and knelt down to appease the dog with a scratch on his head before standing back up to face his still shocked sister. “What, no ‘Nice to see you?’ or ‘How have you been?’ not even a hug?”


Gwen blinked. “More like, what the hell are you doing here should be the question.” None-the-less she stepped forward to give him a hug.

Dallen happily returned the hug before readjusting his bag on his shoulder. “Well, Dad said you weren’t coming home for the holiday. He has to work at the bar and I figured I’d make it a week vacation and come visit you.”

“What...alright, get inside and put that bag down. No reason for us to be cold.” She ushered her brother through the door, and shooed Reilly back in before closing the door and locking it behind her. “Now...what about classes?”

Dallen dropped the bag by the couch before turning to face Gwen again. “It’s only two days I am missing and I am doing well in all of my classes. No need to worry about me. A lot of students miss these next two days to be with family.” He shrugged. “Besides, I don’t get to see you as often now that you moved down here.”


Gwen sighed and ran a hand through her red hair. “You realize that I wasn’t intending to do anything for Thanksgiving, right?”

Dallen flashed another grin at her. “Well, looks like you are now! This is perfect, we can go shopping together and cook ourselves up a small feast.”

Gwen raised a brow and crossed her arms. “And since when do you cook?”

“Since I’ve had to survive on my own, thank you very much.” He retorted.

“Fine. Fine. We’ll do Thanksgiving. Nothing elaborate though since it’s just the two of us.” She paused. “You realize it would be easier to just order take-out.”

Dallen waved a hand at her. “I think we can handle a dinner for two. Come on sis, I came all the way down here to see you after all!”

With a sigh she resigned herself. “We’ll go shopping tomorrow then. For now, let’s get you set up in the spare bedroom. I’ll go get the extra blankets for you and pillows. You know where the room is at, right?”

Dallen grabbed his bag. “Yep!” He winked at her before heading off towards a door just off the entrance.

Gwen looked down at Reilly who had made himself a nest in the blankets that now lay discarded on the couch. “Well, I guess I won’t be missing this holiday after all.” With a smile she walked over and scratched the little dog under his chin before heading off into her own bedroom to grab the necessary blankets and linens.

Opening her closet she stood on tip-toes to glanced up onto the shelf above her clothes. She cursed the blown out bulb that made it near impossible to see in the darkness of the closet. Reaching up blindly she felt around until her fingers brushed across a soft, fuzzy piece of cloth. Grabbing hold of it she pulled it to the edge of the shelf and was rewarded with the linens piled on top of the blanket toppling down on her.

A chuckle at her doorway halted her barrage of curses and she turned to see Dallen there. “You know you could have helped instead of watching me struggle.”

He put his hands up in mock surrender. “Hey, I just got here in time to see you knock all that down on yourself.” He walked over and scooped up the pile of of sheets that had fallen. “At least it was soft.”

Gwen gave him a face that said ‘that was beyond the point’ before tugging and pulling the blankets down into her awaiting arms. “Come on. Let’s get that bed made so we can relax.” She let him lead the way to the guest room.

“Here you take one end.” She handed him one side of the fitted sheet and the two of them stretched it out over the full size mattress and smoothed it down.

“So how have you been, sis? You haven’t called much since moving down here.” Dallen grabbed the flat sheet when Gwen handed him a side of it.

“Well I’ve been busy getting set up down here and you’re busy with school and all.” She said as she gave the sheet and flick before they laid it out carefully and folded the top of it down.

“Mm hm. Nice excuse.” Dallen said as she grabbed a blanket himself and threw it on the bed hastily. “I bet you’ve been having a rough time of it down here and not wanting to talk to me about it.”

Gwen didn’t respond right away. Instead she worked at fixing Dallens’ hasty job of laying the blanket out. “It’s not been that bad.” She muttered as she the last blanket.

“Don’t put that one on. Just lay it at the end of the bed. And I figured as much.” He eyed Gwen. “Have you managed to find a job yet?”

Gwen sighed. “No. I told you I wanted to open my own place down here.”

“Yes, but you need a job here until then.” He retorted.

“Look, this is why I didn’t call you. I don’t need you reprimanding me. Who’s the oldest of the two of us?”

“Oldest doesn’t matter, sis.” He walked over and held his arms open for her.

Gwen hesitated a moment before walking over and letting herself be enveloped in his hug. “It’s been tough. I’ve not made any friends yet and this city is...different.”

Dallen laughed. “Well different is good! Come on. Let’s go have some hot chocolate cause I know you have a stash of it somewhere and you can tell me all about it. Alright?”

Gwen nodded into his shoulder. “Alright.” She pulled back and smiled. “Thanks.”

“Hey, it’s what I am here for! I am no longer that annoying little brother who pestered you all the time.” His goofy grin returned to his face.

“Oh no. You’re still that little brother. You’ve just learned new ways to pester me.” But Gwen returned the grin. “Ok, so, Hot chocolate. I have a few different kinds.

“I knew it.” The two of the laughed as they walked out of the guest bedroom and off to enjoy each others company and catch up.

Count: 1300 (On the button! XD)