John was followed into the kitchen by all the guests in the lodge. "What is going on!" John said as he looked upon the two girls.

"They did this to us!" Loria said as she pouted.

"Hey you two started this!" Sid said as he pointed to his toothpaste covered head.

"Well I don't know who did what, but this stops now." John said glaring at them.

"Fine." Loria said as she grabbed Teresa's hand and walked away.

"We're gonna just leave it like that?" Teresa whispered.

"Are you kidding, their gonna pay for this." Loria whispered back smiling at her. Teresa grinned.

"Well I hope the two of them learned their lesson." Sid said as he finished drying off his hair.

"Well they certainly made a mess of things." Bud said as he looked at Sid.

"So what are we going to do?" Teresa asked impatiently looking at Loria.

"Will you just settle down, what I have planned will take some good thinking and it has to be done just right or it will not work." Loria said as she grinned at Teresa.

"Ok, but I wish you'd hurry, I want to get them back." Teresa said smiling at her.

"Has anyone seen Loria and Teresa?" Michelle asked as she walked out onto the porch.

"Nope haven't seen them, their probably sulking." Sid said as he grinned at her.

"I doubt that." Peaches said giggling.

"Oh and whys that oh great one?" Sid asked starring at her.

"Well you have obviously not been paying attention to them, have you." Peaches said as she tried to contain her laughter.

"Well if your suggesting that they will try something, then your wrong, after what we did to them for doing what they did to us, they wouldn't dare." Sid said as he starred at her.

"Peaches is right, those two are pretty good at getting people back." Michelle said as she sat down on the porch steps next to Peaches.

"Well they better not try anything, I'm not in the mood for any childish games." Bud said as he starred at the girls. Michelle and Peaches just giggled.

"Ok its ready." Loria said as she giggle with glee.

"Ok so now what?" Teresa said as she grinned at Loria.

"Well now we get the guys to come out here." Loria said as she grinned.

"Well how are we gonna do that, they won't trust anything we say, besides we're at the pond, I don't think that they'll be in the mood for a swim." Teresa said as she giggled.

"We'll just have to think of something." Loria said grinning at her.

"Psst!" Loria called out to Peaches and Michelle who were now in the kitchen preparing lunch.

"Did you hear something?" Michelle asked looking at Peaches.

"I think so." Peaches said as she looked around and saw Loria peeking her head into the back door.

"Come here." Loria whispered.

"What?" Peaches asked as she walked over there.

"We need you guys to get Bud and Sid out to the pond." Loria said grinning at Peaches and Michelle.

"Well I don't know." Peaches said looking at Michelle.

"Ok, the pond, we can do that." Michelle said winking at Loria. Loria closed the door and disappeared.

"How are we gonna get them out there?" Peaches asked looking at Michelle.

"We'll go on a picnic." Michelle said as she pulled out a picnic basket from a cupboard.

"Yeah but what makes you think they'll go with us?" Peaches asked giggling.

"Oh they will." Michelle said as she walked over to the food they were making. Michelle and Peaches walked into the living room and saw Sid and Bud arguing over what CD to put in the stereo.

"This one!" Sid said as he tried to put it in the CD player.

"No!" Bud said as he yanked Sid's hand away.

"Um, boys." Peaches said smiling at them.

"What?" Sid asked looking at her.

"We would like to know if you guys would like to go on a picnic with us?" Michelle asked smiling at them.

"Why?" Sid asked glaring at them. Peaches looked at Michelle then back at Sid.

"Well we would like to have some alone time with you." Peaches said as she walked up to Sid and touched his face.

"Alone time, this wouldn't have anything to do with those other two trouble makers would it?" Bud asked staring at Michelle.

"Now Bud, would we ever do anything like that?" Michelle said as she walked up to him and grabbed his hand. Sid and Bud looked at each other.

"All right, but don't try anything." Sid said as he grinned at Peaches.

When the four of them got down to the pond Peaches and Michelle looked around, there was no sign of Loria and Teresa. Peaches looked over and Michelle who was looking at her. Both girls grinned. "So where would you like to lay the blanket down?" Bud asked looking at Michelle.

"Um." Michelle said as she looked around, she then saw Loria pointing out to a spot. "Over here." Michelle said as she walked over to the spot Loria had pointed out.

Peaches accidentally, well on purpose, kicked one of the cups Michelle had laid out over to the near by bush Loria was at.

"So what now?" Peaches whispered as she bent over to get the cup.

"I'd suggest you two girls get out of the line of fire." Loria whispered back giggling. Peaches glanced at her and smiled, then walked back over to Michelle.

"Hey 'Chelle, I think we forgot something." Peaches said looking innocently at Michelle.

"Oh yeah, the desert!" Michelle said as she looked around the blanket.

"Ok guys we'll be right back." Peaches said as she and Michelle headed back up to the house.

"It takes two of you to get the desert?" Bud asked looking at them.

"Well one's gotta carry the desert and the other has to carry the plates and stuff." Michelle answered smiling at him.

"We'll be right back, finish getting everything ready." Peaches said smiling at them.

"Couldn't have done it better myself" She smiled to herself, turning her attention to Sid and Bud.

"I don't like it Sid. Something doesn't feel right about this. Those two haven't given either of us the time of day since we got here and now they wanna play nice. I don't think so." Bud speculated, pacing the small clearing near the water's edge.

"I don't know. Maybe they've just been hiding their true feelings." Sid replied, swatting at an annoying mosquito.

Bud glared at him. "Yeah....That's right Sid and maybe one of us can walk on that water." He growled pointing to the pond.

"You think?" Sid asked with sarcasm dripping from his voice.

Bud's fists clenched until his knuckles were a bloodless white and his eye's bore into Sid. "Look Cyber punk! I'm not in any hurry to end up on the receiving end of those girls fun and games. I don't like being the butt of the joke. If you do that's your problem."

Sid's only answer was a round of riotous laughter.

"What the hell are you laughing at!" Bud starred at him.

"Watch." Sid said pointing to his opposite hand as another mosquito landed preparing to feast. Bud watched with minor interest as the insect punctured what passed for Sid's skin and, began sucking up the blue goo that ran through Sid's body. The tiny pest immediately fell over dead and Sid began laughing again. Bud rolled his eyes and went back to pacing, occupied by his own thoughts.

It took all the self control Loria possessed not to burst into laughter at the two. It didn't matter really what Bud thought, things had progressed way beyond the point of retreat and in truth Loria new the next few minutes was nothing less than the two deserved.

Quickly leaving her hiding place behind the bushes she scurried back to Teresa's side. "You ready?" Teresa nodded and turned a slightly nervous smile on Loria. "You sure this is gonna work?" She questioned one last time. "Positive! And don't look like a deer caught in the headlights will ya!" Loria giggled.

"All you have to do is stand right here between these two trees. Just stand there and look like your gonna run. OK?" Loria continued as Teresa nodded.

Loria gave the viney under growth a wide berth as she made her way to the thinly strung fishing twine. Reaching down she tweaked it with her finger tips to ensure the trip line would hold. Satisfied she hurried to the trail. Slowing her pace she sauntered towards the two wary men. Loria could see the suspicion plastered on Bud's face. She turned a placating smile on the two hoping they would drop there defenses, if only for a few moments.

"I told you Sid they were up to something!" Bud hissed.

Sid glanced over his shoulder to see what Bud was carrying on about and noticed Loria. "At least she's not carrying any sharp objects." Sid said looking over at Bud.

"That's not much comfort Sid." Bud replied.

"Your right Bud. We were up to something...No,I was up to something." She amended. "I felt really awful about the little prank Teresa and I pulled on the two of you so, I asked Michelle and Peaches to bring you down here so that I could properly make it up to you." To her advantage Loria was able to conjure up a woeful expression, complete with a slight sheen of tears. Knowing it would be a total sucker punch to Bud. Taking his hand in hers, she pulled him back to the blanket spread on the ground. Bud smiled eagerly misreading her intentions. She sat down between the two men and pulled the picnic basket to her, hoping that her guess was right and Peaches had packed what was left of the German chocolate cake that she had baked. True to form the cake was there along with a thermos of milk. Loria made a mental note to give Peaches a heart felt thank you the very next time she laid eyes on her. Retrieving the cake and thermos from the picnic basket she offered Bud a piece of the cake with her fingers. Bud greedily took what was offered him, running his tongue over the tips of her fingers. Turning she repeated the gesture to Sid.

"It's now or never!" She thought to herself as she moved to her knees preparing for the mad dash to come.

Turning an innocent smile on Sid she took the thermos and dumped it's full contents over his head and without a seconds hesitation turned to a smoldering Bud and shoved what was left of the cake in his face.

The chase was on as Loria sprinted along the shaded trail, veering off towards her ultimate destination."You two didn't believe that bullshit, did ya!" She yelled. Her legs burned with the exertion to stay far enough ahead of the men to elude them, yet not to let them loose sight of her. Finally coming to the last twist in the path she dove for a group of low bushes. From her vantage point she watched as both men came to a skidding halt turning in a circle searching for her. Just at that moment Teresa stepped into view between the designated trees directly across for them.

"You two have to be the most gullible men alive!" Teresa egged them on.

Bud and Sid charged forward their prey firmly in their sights and suddenly found themselves pitched forward the ground quickly closing on them.

Loria picked her way through the bushes to Teresa, with Bud's yells echoing through the woodlands.

"Well that went just perfect didn't it?" Loria turned an evil smirk on Teresa. "I would say it couldn't get more perfect. Nothin like a little team work." Teresa giggled as she stared down on the withering figures tangled in a mass of viney growth.

Loria knelt down trying to get more on Bud and Sid's level. "Well boys looks like we have the upper hand here. In case your wondering what your laying face down in, it's poison oak. You know you really shouldn't mess with the masters of disaster. You're way outta your league here, just give it up." Loria pushed their advantage farther as Bud lifted his head and let loose with a string of curses that would have made a sailor blush scarlet.

"I can just see it now you two are gonna look so adorable in splotchy red. I mean it could just be the beginning of a new fashion trend." Loria glanced down at her watch. "And looks like the two of you have just about 20 minutes, give a take a few, before your transformations." She stood and turned to Teresa intent on leaving the two where they lay but then suddenly another thought occurred to her.

"By the way .......You can search high and low for calamine lotion or benadryle but Teresa and I just happen to be on our way to town. We have a sudden urge to buy every last bottle of calamine lotion and benadryle that we can find. And one more thing......Don't bother coming to us and begging for any because I wouldn't share it for all the tea in China." Loria continued as she and Teresa laughed, walking away.

"Don't do that, you idiot!" Bud yelled at him as he rolled off the vines and came to his feet. "You're going to spread it everywhere..." Bud glanced towards the lake. "We'd better get this crap washed off." He started towards the water, stripping his shirt off as he reached the shore.

Michelle peered out into the trees from her perch on the porch. She saw Loria and Teresa skipping happily back towards the cabin, Bud and Sid were nowhere to be seen.

"They're coming, Peaches..." Michelle called back through the door.

"What's going on?" Colin poked his head outside and smiled at Michelle.

"Nothing." Smiling, Michelle brushed past him and entered the room, "Nothing at all." Colin's gaze followed her as she made herself comfortable on the sofa and picked up the copy of War and Peace that was sitting on the coffee table. She began flipping through it. Peaches joined her, cold beverage in hand and picked up an old copy of Time Magazine.

Teresa and Loria burst through the front door giggling. Everyone looked up at the sudden interruption. Everyone stared at them and they fell awkwardly silent before hurrying into their room.

"What's up with them?" John stared after them. Michelle and Peaches shrugged simultaneously.

"No idea..." Michelle muttered as she flipped another page in War and Peace and glanced at Peaches, who hid behind her magazine.

"What are you doing?" Sid followed Bud, still brushing at his clothes. Bud glared at him as he took off his pants.

"I'd stop doing that, Sid" He shook his head, "...you're going to be sorry!"

"What? This?" Sid looked at his hands. "I have nothing to worry about... the poison oak's not going to affect me." He rubbed absently at his face and grinned. "You forget I am computer generated... I am completely immune."

Bud, now only clothed in his underwear, glared at him as he started towards the water. "We'll see, Sid... But I have a feeling you're going to be terribly sorry." Bud dove into the water, swimming around madly. He hoped the cold water would wash away some of the poison oak. "You'd best wash it off, Sid... you don't want to be regretting it later..."

"I'm fine!" Sid growled from the shore. He paced impatiently, "C'mon... I want to go get the girls."

"Suit yourself, cyberman." Bud took another long dunk before he swam to shore. "If you're so confident, then you can carry my clothes." He nodded towards the pile on the ground beside him.

"Ah come on!" Sid groaned, but Bud glared at him. Sid huffed as he grabbed Bud's clothes and started back towards the cabin. "I know exactly what I am going to do to those two!"

Sid and Bud reached the cabin and stopped outside the front door.

"You gonna go inside like that?" Sid smirked at Bud. Bud glanced down at himself and swore under his breath.

"Let's go in through the kitchen." Bud walked around the corner and peered in through the kitchen window. There was nobody inside from what he could see. Opening the door, he winced as it sweaked on its hinges. He and Sid snuck through the kitchen and glanced cautiously into the other room.

"Shit..." Bud stepped back as he saw the group gathered in the living room.

"C'mon, let's just go! You walk beside me. They won't even notice." Sid growled and crossed the hall, pulling Bud with him. They stumbled out into the open hallway and tried darting across the doorway of living room unnoticed.

"Hey guys!!!" Peaches looked up as they flashed past the doorway. Everyone looked up and saw Bud in his underwear, Sid holding his clothes.

"What's up, man?" John nodded at Bud's lack of attire.

"Just decided to take a swim, that's all." Bud yelled as they continued down the hall and into their room.

"What's with them?" Colin furrowed his forehead and frowned. Peaches shook her head and returned to her magazine... a smile spreading across her face...

"No idea..." She muttered, glancing at Michelle. They both tried desparately to stifle their laughter.

About ten minutes later, Loria and Teresa exited their room and came into the main room in search of a cool drink. Loria winked at Peaches as she settled into a cozy chair and pulled out a copy of The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire. Teresa sprawled out on the floor beside her, opening the latest edition of the Financial Times.

"Jeez... You four are up for some exciting reading today. War and Peace, Time Magazine, Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire!... man..." Colin glanced over the four girls and chuckled to himself.

"Hey... don't knock it, mate!" Teresa quipped from the floor. "I've got 50 cents invested in Colgate toothpaste... never know... one day I could be a millionaire..." The other girls stifled their giggles once again as they waited for Bud and Sid to make their appearance.

"Shit!!!" Bud cursed loudly as he looked at himself in the mirror. Small rashes were starting to appear on his face and hands. He winced as his skin began to itch uncontrollably. He glared at himself, pounding the wall in frustration. "They are going to pay for this!" He turned and glanced at Sid who was pacing back and forth across the room. "Holy shit!" Bud gasped as he looked at Sid's face.

Sid glanced up, "Don't say it! Don't you dare say it!" He clenched his fists and glared at Bud, who's mouth dropped open.

"Your face is..." Bud stammered, "... it's... it's blue!"

Sid rushed towards the mirror and stared at his reflection. "Oh my God!" Sid looked on in horror. His skin had broken out in a heavy bright blue rash. "My beautiful face!" Sid brought his hand up to his face, and was momentarily taken aback when he saw that his hands were blue as well.

"Should of had a cold dip, Sid. I told..." Bud was interrupted by a knock on the door. "What?!?" He rushed the door, holding it shut.

"It's John... we're getting hungry out here... and it's your guys' turn to make lunch..."

"Okay... We'll be right out...." Bud glanced back at Sid. Sid was tearing off his clothes and tossing them to the floor. Bud grimaced, the rash was all over Sid's body. "Shit, man... Look at you."

"I can fix this..." Sid approached the nearby glass window and held out his arm. "Unlike you... I can cure this very quickly." Bud watched as Sid attempted to heal himself by extracting the glass particles from the window pane. Sid stared in shock as nothing happened. "This can't be happening!!!" He screamed.

"Everything alright in there?" John's voice outside the door again.

"We're fine, John!" Bud shouted towards the door. "Just a couple minutes..."

"Get dressed you idiot... we've got to get out there." Bud pulled on a fresh shirt, wincing as the cotton brushed against his skin.

"I AM NOT going out there like THIS!" Sid exploded. "I'm BLUE!!!"

Bud grabbed a clean set of clothes from the closet and thrust it into Sid's hand. "You ARE getting dressed and you ARE coming out there with me. YOU UNDERSTAND ME? I am not going out there alone, you son of a bitch."

"No need to get nasty!" Sid growled as he pulled on his pants and slowly and painfully buttoned up his shirt. With one last horrified glance in the mirror, they headed out into the living room.

The girls heard the bedroom door open and waited with baited breath, but they were not expecting the spectacle that appeared before them. Everyone gasped together as Bud and Sid appeared in the doorway to the living room. Loria and Teresa burst into laughter instantly, quickly followed by the others.

"What happened?!?" Cort approached, trying desparately to seem concerned as he bit his lip in an attempt to prevent himself from laughing. Sid squirmed uncomfortably as his clothes irritated his skin.

"I think the girls can explain for us." Bud glared across the room.

"Girls?" John turned towards the four ladies.

Michelle and Peaches remained speechless, Teresa rolled on the floor giggling, and Loria pointed at Sid stammering... "You're BLUE!!!" That sent the girls roaring with laughter again.

"It's not funny!!!" Sid shouted at them.

"It's Sid the Cyber Smurf!" Michelle guffawed as she fell out of her chair.

"I am not going to keep standing here, just so that I can be the laughing stock of the party." Sid huffed, turning and walking into the kitchen. Bud shook his head and followed him. Everyone was fell silent for a brief moment before bursting into another round of laughter.

"Yeah, why is Sid blue?" Cort said as he fell to the floor laughing.

"I didn't do anything." Michelle said as the tears from laughing so hard fell down her face.

"Well somebody did something." John said as he tried very hard to hold back his laughter.

"Loria, Teresa, what did you guys do?" Cort said as he sat up, whipping away the remaining tears of laughter.

"All...we..did..was...get....them...back." Loria tried to say in-between her uncontrollable laughter.

"Well I think you need to go apologize to the Bud and Sid." John said smiling at him.

"Are you kidding!" Loria said as she stopped laughing and stood up.

"No I'm not." John said starring at her.

"Well I'm not apologizing for anything they deserved it." Loria said as she walked off to her room.

"Me either." Teresa said as she got up and followed Loria.

"Well that went well." Peaches said grinning at Michelle.

"And you two." John paused turning to them.

"Yes." Michelle and Peaches said together staring at him.

"You two need to go and apologize to Bud and Sid too." John said looking at them.

"Why? We didn't do anything." Peaches said biting her bottom lip trying not to laugh.

"I have a feeling you did." John said sternly looking at them.

"I guess we should." Michelle said looking at Peaches.

"Oh man, Bud's gonna eat us alive." Peaches said as she slowly stood up. Michelle and Peaches headed to the kitchen. "This ain't gonna be good." Peaches said as they reached the kitchen.

"What do you want?" Sid said as he glared at them.

"We just wanted to come and say we're sorry." Michelle said as she bit her bottom lip, trying not to laugh at Sid's blue face.

"I doubt you are or else you wouldn't have helped them." Bud said as he stopped stirring something in a pan on the stove.

"We are." Peaches said as she giggled.

"Oh yeah you definitely sound sorry!" Sid said glaring at her.

"Hey we are and to show that we are, we will finish making lunch and clean up afterwards." Michelle said smiling at them.

"I look like a BLUE SMURF! And you think making lunch and cleaning up after is going to make me look normal again! Oh my beautiful face!" Sid said as he looked at himself in a silver pot lid.

"Sid come on, we are very sorry." Michelle said as she burst out laughing.

"Oh, that helped." Peaches said as she giggled uncontrollably.

"Do you think we should apologize to them?" Teresa said as she watched Loria pace back and forth in the bedroom.

"No, they deserved what they got." Loria said as she starred at Teresa.

"Yeah but Sid looks like a smurf reject." Teresa said as she started laughing.

"Yeah I know!" Loria said as she burst out laughing falling to the bed.

"Why don't the two of you go back out in the living room." Bud said as he turned away from them. Peaches looked at Michelle who looked at her.

"Gotta make them not mad at us." Peaches whispered to Michelle.

"Yeah but how are we going to do that?" Michelle whispered back. Peaches grinned at Michelle.

"Watch." Peaches said winking at Michelle. "Now Bud, you know we all were just trying to have fun, don't you, I wouldn't want to do anything that would make you mad at me." Peaches said as she pouted her bottom lip and let the tears flow.

"Oh that's nice." Michelle whispered taking her cue. "Yeah Bud, Sid, we are very sorry for what we did, it was all in good fun." Michelle said as she let the tears flow from her eyes.

"Oh if you think false tears are gonna get me your wrong!" Sid said as he looked at the girls.

"Fine." Peaches said frowning, then turning and grabbing Michelle's hand walked out the back door.

"We are we going?" Michelle whispered.

"Just trust me." Peaches said winking at her.

"Oh you are not falling for that!" Sid said as he watched Bud look at the girls through the window.

"I don't know Sid, I think they are sorry." Bud said as he put the lid on the pan.

"Oh come on! They are just putting on an act!" Sid said as he scratched at his arms.

"Sid, I think they are sorry." Bud said as he grabbed Sid's hand and dragged him to the door.

"I am not going out there!" Sid said as Bud dragged him.

"Yes you are!" Bud said as they walked out the door and saw the two girls. "Listen I know you girls didn't mean anything by helping them." Bud said as they approached the girls.

"So does this mean your not mad at us any more?" Peaches asked giving her best, I'm sorry face she could without laughing.

"I don't." Sid pouted.

"Sid, come on, you can always get back at them." Michelle said as she looked at him with puppy dog eyes.

"Um, I like that idea." Sid said as he smiled.

"So does that mean you forgive us too?" Peaches asked staring at him.

"Well I guess." Sid said as he reached for her.

"Whoa Smurf boy, ain't touching me with that stuff all over you!" Peaches said as she giggled and backed away.

"So what are we going to do now?" Teresa asked looking a Loria.

"I don't know, they will probably try and get us back for what we did, so we will have to be prepared for what ever might come our way." Loria said as she stood up from the bed.

"So what's the plan, oh great mischievous one?" Teresa said giggling.

"Don't worry I got a plan." Loria said as she grinned at Teresa.

"Oh, ya wanna clue me in?" Teresa said as she stared at Loria.

"Well, I was thinking that instead of getting just Bud and The Blue Smurf, we'd get everyone." Loria said grinning at Teresa.

"Um, but that will get us in more hot water than we are already in." Teresa said as she starred at her.

"No it won't, not what I have planned." Loria said smiling at her.

"It ain't them T! Just take it easy. You jumping outta your skin every time there is a knock at the door isn't gonna help matters" Loria frowned.

"Like your not. Tuff talk but lets see if you can hold your own" Teresa flung back.

"Hey! Just what the hell do you think I've been doin?" Loria hissed.

Teresa shrugged her shoulders as the knock came again and she stood to answer it.

"Stay put I'll get it" Loria sighed.

Navigating the sleeping bag strewn at the end of the bed she crossed the room and slowly opened the door. Just as she had suspected John stood on the other side with a smoldering look on his face.

"We need to talk" he announced as he strode through the open door.

"Would it matter if I said I really don't feel like it?" she casually asked.

"No....No it wouldn't" he met her eyes.

"Fine"Loria replied. Turning to Teresa she smiled a sugary sweet smile.

"Teresa maybe......." she began but was cut short by the other woman.

"Yeah...Yeah, I know. I'll see if there is anything I can help Peaches of Michelle with" Teresa huffed.

John waited till Teresa closed the door behind her and then her turned his attention on Loria."This has to stop and stop now" he asserted.

"What? What has to stop John?" Loria glared at him.

"Oh don't you give me that shit. You know exactly what I'm talkin about. Fun and games is one thing but it's gettin serious. Those two didn't deserve what you did to them." he growled.

"Oh They didn't? And just why is that because you say so? I happen to think those two deserved it and more" she practically screamed at him.

"It's not enough that there gonna be suffering with posion oak for the next week? When will it be enough for you?" John asked.

Loria dropped onto the bed, the anger that had sustained her moments earlier fled." I don't know. It was all just a silly joke and somehow it got all turned around."

John eased onto the bed beside her and slid his arm around her. "I saw it happening but I thought you would have your fill of it and it would be over. Now people could get hurt."

Sighing Loria let her head fall lightly against John's shoulder. "I get your point ,ok. I'll tone it down some but I swear if either of them try to pull something it's all out war."

The feel of John's warm lips against her forehead made farther argument impossible.

"Enough" he whispered kissing the tip of her nose.

Loria had several long minutes to think about John's words before Teresa returned.

"So is the plan on or off?" Teresa asked.

"Neither just on hold. John is worried about someone gettin hurt and I told him we'd cool it." Loria replied. Trying to formulate a way around the promise she'd made but it was impossible,she'd backed herself into a corner.

"The best I can do for now is we watch our backs and I don't think we should both spend to much time in the same place. Separate targets will make it a little harder for 'em and for christ sake becareful what you eat and drink" Loria cut her eyes to Teresa.

Teresa nodded. "What do you think their gonna do?"

"No idea T" she simply replied.

Loria stood from the bed and headed for the door. "Guess we'd best put in appearance for lunch. Don't want those two thinking were hiding in here."

Teresa followed behind her to the kitchen most everyone had finished lunch, only Sid and Bud lingered over their meals. They glared daggers at the two as they came into the room. Loria began to feel a twinge of guilt at the sight of the angry red patches across Bud's neck and his hand, as it came up to scratch at the offending blotches. She glanced over her shoulder at Teresa, who had her eyes firmly planted on Sid, and found her friend looking like she felt. Miserable.

"Did it have to be poison oak? This damn itching is driving me crazy" Bud whispered, cutting his eyes over to Loria.

As dusk fell over the lodge Bud had just finished taking another shower, the cold water being the only thing that seemed to sooth the rash that was steadily spreading. A light knock came at the door. He looked to Sid to see if he would answer it but the very blue Sid was dozing fitfully. Striding to the door Bud forcefully jerked it open and was surprised to find the hallway beyond empty. Clutching the towel around his waist tightly he stepped out into the hall and stumbled on something laying in the floor. Reaching down he saw that it was a full bottle of calamine lotion. Looking around he shrugged his shoulders and retreated into the room, never noticing the set of very blue eyes peering from a crack in the door down the hall.

On to Part 11-15