"This brings back memories,' Grandma said, sitting in her favorite recliner. She sipped the hot chocolate and glanced out the front window. The only light in the room was of the fire in the fireplace so she could see the whole front yard in the light of the moon.

Both of her daughters looked at her quizzically.

"I remember having to wait up for you guys when you were younger," she said with a smile.

"I am so sorry Mom. I did not mean to worry you like this. I had no idea this is how it felt. It really is different when you have your own children," Katherine said softly. Laura nodded in agreement.

"I know, it seems like yesterday that Jason was in diapers and Adam was just being born. I am so glad that they get along like we all do," Laura said, wiping the tears from her eyes with a tissue. "Now they are almost men. Where does the time go?"

"I know what you mean Lorie," grandma replied. "I remember holding each of you as babies and now I am sitting here with you waiting on your own children. But I would not turn back time for nothing."

She smiled at her daughters warmly and sipped on her hot chocolate.

"I just never realized what it meant to be a mother until I had my own. I was so scared when I almost lost Adam. I remember that trip from San Diego to the trauma unit. Carl flew up the freeway and all I could do was pray. Then after learning about Bill, I have noticed that Adam is still not the same. I feel so guilty that I did not protect my own son in my own home. Carl says that it is all over, but it isn't over. I can't help but feel like I have failed them both as a mother," Laura said, starting to cry again. "Sometimes I wonder how I could let them follow in their father's footsteps."

"Oh, Lorie. You are a great mother. There are things that happen that you have no control over. We all have crosses to carry and all you can do is never give up, have faith, and go on," Grandma said to her daughter. "You will learn that when you get older like me."

The three women continued to discuss life and old times until it was very late into the night. Laura kept nodding off on the couch along with her sister. Finally, Grandma woke them both up and insisted that they each go to bed.

"I will wait up for them. I want to enjoy the moonlight any way," she said with a smile. After getting her own daughters to call it a night, she quietly sat in her old rocking chair in front of the big front window, waiting on her grandsons. It had started to snow and the flakes sparkled like diamonds in the moonlight until the clouds covered the moon. Grandma enjoyed those quiet winter nights. Watching the snow float slowly to the ground, she said a prayer and started to read in her Bible by the light of the cozy fire.

Meanwhile, Jason had made his way into the woods. He knew that his brother was very upset and he worried about what he might be doing. After witnessing his brother's behavior after Randall's death, Jason wondered what his brother was thinking at times. It was not a secret that Adam was upset over the past year's events. Jason was upset too, but worrying about it was not going to change anything. He just kept trudging through the woods, looking for any sign of his younger brother. It was then that he saw a snowflake flutter down in front of him. It had been forever since he had seen snow. Emerald Beach very rarely had snow.

"Adam! Adam! Where are you!" he would call out, hoping to hear an answer. But he heard nothing but the rustling of the dead leaves on the oak trees.

At the same time, Adam had fallen asleep in the old treehouse. He was in deep slumber when he heard a familiar voice calling his name. At first, he was not going to answer. But it was his brother. He promised to never turn his back on Jason. He crawled over to the open space that was a window.

"Jason! Over here!" he called out into the night. Something cold touched his nose and then melted slowly into a drop of water. Snow! Jason then came into view. Adam called out again and soon Jason was joining him in the old treehouse.

"Are you okay?" Jason asked as he sat down on the cold wooden floor.

"Yeah," Adam said, looking out the window. "I guess I lost my temper."

"Jacob said some things that he should not have said to you, but you did lose your cool for a minute or two." There was a silence between the brothers. Jason again broke the silence. "Talk to me Adam. Do you know how long it has been since we have sat down and had a good conversation."

Adam thought back. It had been a long time. He did not mean to leave Jason out of his thoughts, but it was hard for even him to understand them at times.

"I am sorry Jason, I guess I still have some things to settle," Adam said looking at the floor.

"Like what?"

"Jason, it is so hard to understand things anymore. I am not the same person even and that scares me. I know this is not what you want to hear, but I'm having trouble in school. I have trouble concentrating and remembering the stuff. It is just a big mess," Adam said with a sigh.

"Then I will just take more time with you on your schoolwork."

"Jason, that is not fair to you. You have a life to live. You should not have to waste your time trying to get me back to normal."

Jason looked straight at Adam. He didn't realize that he was having so many problems with his schoolwork. "Adam, you are my brother. I want to help you. I don't think it is a waste of time."

"So you heard what Jacob said."

"I really don't think he meant to hurt your feelings. Just keep that in mind," Jason replied. But Adam just looked away from him and stared at the floor. "I know that you told us the whole story so please don't worry about that."

Adam still did not say anything even though it did make him feel better that they did believe him

"Jason, I have been doing a lot of thinking. I really think that I should try out the special education department when we get back home, " he said, not looking over at Jason.

"No, you don't need that. I am going to help you," Jason said abruptly. He was not going to let his brother go into the special rooms. He knew that most of those kids were made fun of all the time and he did not want Adam to go through the same thing.

"Jason, as I said before. You have a life to live and you can't fix me and make me right," Adam said looking over at his older brother. "I am sick of messing up your life."

"You are not messing up my life," Jason fired back angrily. "Adam, I want you to listen to me." But Adam would not face him. Jason crawled over to where Adam was sitting and forced Adam to look him in his eyes. "There is no one on earth that can replace you. You are my brother and my partner. We will handle anything that is thrown our way together. You come first to me. We have had this bond since we were little and nothing is going to break it. If you need to talk to someone, you talk to me. It is what big brothers are for, to look after the youngest ones." Jason said that with a smile. He knew that Adam hated being reminded that he was the "little" brother. "I know things have changed, but as long as I still have you around, I can deal with the changes."

"Then you will not have a problem with me looking into the special education classes. We have those state tests coming up you know. How am I going to pass them? You only have 2 hours and it takes me forever to read things anymore," Adam said, a tear streamed down his face.

Jason didn't say anything at first. "Then we will just study harder."

"You can't take the tests for me. You can't fight my battles anymore. I don't want to spend my entire teenage years studying. I want to live too."

"Then what do you want me to do then. I just can't sit around and do nothing," Jason said. It was clear that he was frustrated. He really believed that he could help Adam pass those tests.

"I want you to accept me for the way that I am right now," Adam said, trying to hide the tears.

"I do accept you," Jason said in an aggravated tone. "I have never turned my back on you."

"Then don't get mad when I check into those classes when we get back home. I have to accept that this is the way it has to be, but I need you to accept it too."

Jason was going to protest, but then he looked into his brother's blue eyes. The moonlight did not hide the tears that were forming. Jason was started at first. He had hardly ever seen his brother cry and it choked him up. "Okay, but I still want to help you with what I can. We are in this together."

Adam smiled at the response. "Look at us, we sound like our mother and aunts--- crying and sniffling."

Jason laughed at that thought. Then he grew serious. "Are you sure you are all right now?"

Adam thought for a minute and then said, "For now I am. It has been really hard to swallow everything lately with Randall dying and Bill. There are things that I wish that my brain would erase, but its not going to do that. But I promise that if I need someone to talk to, I will let you know."

Jason smiled at that and put his hand on his brother's shoulder. It was then that he saw his brother's swollen cheekbone. "We had better get back and get some ice on that. He got you good."

"Is he okay? I didn't mean to hit him that hard. I just saw that he touched you and that was it. I lost it," Adam said with a slight grin. He touched his eye and winced in pain. "I guess he did nail me good."

"Well, he was right about one thing. It is snowing. We had better get back to the house. It is really starting to put it down," Jason said as they both climbed down out of the treehouse. They walked silently the rest of the way home, enjoying the snowfall. Right before they started up the hill to Grandma's house, Jason stopped and turned towards his brother. "Thanks for coming to my defense."

Adam smiled at that. It was usually Jason who had to help him out in situations like that.

"It's okay," Adam replied. "Jason, thank you for listening."

Jason just smiled and put his arm around his younger brother's shoulders. "I still wish mom would have just got me a dog as a playmate instead of a little brother sometimes."

It was not too long after they arrived at the house that they were both snug and warm in their bed. Grandma was still reading her Bible when she saw her grandsons make their way up the hill. She quickly tucked them both in, even though they protested and went to her bedroom for the night. It was early morning when Adam felt something shaking him.

"Adam, hey Adam. Wake up!" a voice was whispering in his ear. Adam barely opened his eyes. The morning sunlight was streaming in the window, burning his eyes. He quickly put a pillow over his head to block the light. "Adam, for Heaven's sake, wake up." Adam again felt the shaking motion of the bed.

"What do you want Jacob?" he finally answered.

"I was thinkin'. If it is that important to you to go and see Jeb, then I will take ya," Jacob replied.

Adam immediately bolted up in his bed. "Really?"

"Ya. It is my way of sayin' that I am sorry fer what I said. I didn't mean it. I jus' got mad and my mouth ran away from me," Jacob said glumly.

"Jacob, I am sorry too. We were both idiots. How is your nose?"

"It is sore, but fine. I didn't hurt ya when I hit ya did I?"

"No, it is just sore and bruised."

"Well, everyone's getting breakfast. I have already ate so we had better get going before we get roped into something," Jacob said, throwing his cousin's jeans over to Adam.

"Where's Jason?" Adam asked, noticing that his brother was not in the bed with him.

"Right here. Is there something you want to tell me?" Jason asked with his arms crossed.

"What do you mean?" Adam looked at him in confusion.

"You were not planning to go without me, were you?" Jason asked again, his stare going right through Adam.

"Oh, that. Of course not. But I thought that you didn't believe us," Adam smirked back as he got dressed.

"You know that I don't believe in that stuff, but I am always up for the mystery of it," Jason said with a smile. "It is interesting and I have nothing else to do and there is no way you are going out in God knows where without me again."

"You see, Jacob, you are lucky. Big brothers always get into your business," Adam said as he combed his hair back. The medium length hair just curled right back up though.

"You are right there, but I have somethin' far worse to deal with," Jacob said with a sigh.

"What?"

"A nosy cousin," Jacob said, pointing down the hallway.