An hour later they were back home and carrying all the guns and safety gear with them, James saw that his dad was carrying a rifle case.
“Did you get that for the M4?” James asked.
“Yes I did,” replied Dave. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo giggled at the response.
“What’s so funny?” James asked.
“Nothing, nothing,” said Apple Bloom.
The rest of the day went by smoothly, James spent most of the day cleaning the guns and watching Destination Truth with the Crusaders. The episodes where the show went to haunted locations sort of scared Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo but James calmed them down and said that nothing like that never happened around here. When James mother had made dinner however, James in a way dreaded this moment.
“What have you cooked up?” James asked.
“Fish and chips, just the way you like it,” said Katherine.
“Lovely,” said James taking his plate and sitting at the table.
“Are you going to eat anything?” Katherine asked the girls.
“Mum I’m not so sure,” James began to speak but was cut off by Apple Bloom.
“It’s alright Mrs. Rogers,” she said, “We’ve had this before.”
“It’s not too bad,” said Scootaloo. James shrugged and began eating.
“They did feed us before,” said Sweetie Bell, “The people who helped us before you.”
“At least James lets us sleep on beds,” Scootaloo said irritably.
“You haven’t slept on beds since you got here?” James asked.
“The best before you picked us up was that one family who let us sleep in the basement on couches,” said Apple Bloom.
James shook his head is disbelief as he sliced up his fries.
“I can’t believe that anyone could just do that to you,” he said.
“We were always scared, wondering if we were ever going to make it back home,” said Sweetie Bell.
“That would explain why you were so worn out when I brought you home,” said James, “You never slept properly.”
“Never did until last night,” said Scootaloo.
After they had eaten James went back to cleaning the guns and the girls went upstairs to get ready for bed. As James was packing away the Glock he noticed that the Crusaders were taking a long time upstairs, he wondered if they were trying to use the shower, he had heard running water but that could have been his mother.
“Should I investigate? Knock on the door and see if I get a response?” James asked Dart, who was lying next to him on the couch. Dart looked at James and sighed. James decided to not look for them unless he heard something abnormal. Several minutes later he heard a loud crash come from upstairs, James grabbed the Glock out of the case and bolted up the stairs, he knew that it wasn’t his parents that broke anything because Dave and Katherine had gone outside and were talking to the neighbors, weapon raised he opened the door to his bedroom and saw Scootaloo looking down, horrified, at a broken lamp. The door had made a squeaking sound and Scootaloo looked up at James with the pistol in hand.
“I’m sorry James!” she said, “It was an accident, I didn’t mean it!”
“What happened?” James asked.
“I was trying to get the lamp to work because I wanted to see if there was anything to read on your bookshelf,” Scootaloo said, “I pulled at the cord and it fell off, I couldn’t catch it and it broke. I’m sorry! Please don’t be mad.”
James knelt down at the broken lamp, it was the old one he got from Blackpool when he used to live in England. The lamp was a glass lighthouse with Blackpool written on the sides of it, James pocketed the gun and looked up at Scootaloo, who was covering her face with her hands.
“I’ve had that since I was four,” said James, “I really liked it.”
James stood up and looked at Scootaloo closer, she had started to cry but was doing an excellent job of holding back her tears.
“I’m really, really sorry,” she said looking down at the floor in disappointment. She though that this was the end, they would be thrown out and forced to live on the streets where they would eventually perish from the elements. James saw the fear and remorse in her eyes.
“Come here,” he said walking over to Scootaloo.
“Please don’t get rid of us,” Scootaloo said, still looking at the broken lamp. James lifted her chin up so she could look up at him.
“I’m not mad, honestly,” he said softly.
“You-You’re not?” Scootaloo asked.
“Nah,” James said wiping her tears away with his thumb, “It didn’t work anyway and I’ve been wanting to get rid of it for a while now.”
Scootaloo’s mood brightened and she hugged him, burying her face in his shirt.
“You’d better not cry and stain my best shirt,” James said jokingly. Scootaloo laughed a little, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Bell then came into James room, Sweetie Bell’s hair hadn’t dried from her shower and Apple Bloom was missing her bow.
“What happened here?” Apple Bloom asked looking at the broken lamp.
“Forgiveness,” said James putting his arm around Scootaloo, “Forgiveness is what happened.”
“You might want to sweep that glass up,” said Sweetie Bell.
“Best we did,” said James, “I don’t want any of you cutting your feet on this.”
James lifted Scootaloo over the glass and then retrieved a dustpan and brush from the bathroom and swept up the broken glass then dumped it in the trash.
“Good riddance,” he said as he dropped the remainder of the lamp into the bin.
“Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell, know this,” James said, the girls listened closely, “I’m not like the other people who threw you out of their home because of one little incident where something broke. I am better than that, so long as you say sorry and don’t lie about it I will completely forgive you for anything.”
“Thank you James,” said Scootaloo. Later that night James had safely put all the guns back in the safe and was upstairs in his room watching Red Dwarf by himself. Scootaloo and Dave then walked through the door to James' room.
“I’ve had a talk with Scootaloo here,” said Dave, “She’s a little shaky from what happened but it was good of you to tell us that she broke that lamp. Even better that she took full responsibility for the accident.”
“I’m proud of you Scoot,” James said getting up and walking over to her, “You’ve matured quite a lot.”
“If you don’t mind I’ll stay in the other room tonight,” said Scootaloo.
“Try not to break anything in there,” said James.
Scootaloo gave a small giggle and left Dave and James.
“Glad to get rid of the lamp?” Dave asked.
“I never really liked it,” said James.
“So which one will be with you tonight?” asked Dave.
“It’s all their choice,” said James, “They pick, not me.”
Just as James finished that sentence Sweetie Bell slipped between them and dove on James' bed.
“Can I be here tonight?” she asked. James and Dave looked at one another.
“How can I say no?” said James.
“I’ll leave you alone then,” said Dave pulling the door to, then opening it again making the door to the bathroom make a squeaking sound.
“Quit that!” James said. Dave sniggered and shut the door.
“Does he do that a lot?” Sweetie Bell asked.
“All the time,” said James shutting the door to the bathroom. He then ran up and jumped back on the bed.
James and Sweetie Bell spent the rest of the night watching Red Dwarf, Sweetie Bell was entertained by the unusual form of comedy. Half way through one episode Sweetie Bell shuffled closer to James.
“James,” she said, “What’s that door lead to?”
“Which one?” James asked looking at her.
“The door covered by plywood, I know there has to be a door behind that,” said Sweetie Bell.
“I don’t know,” said James, “I have asked Mum and Dad but they won’t tell me anything.”
“What do you think is behind there?” Sweetie Bell asked.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” said James.
After the episode finished James was about to get up so he could turn off the ceiling fan when he felt something holding him back, he looked down at Sweetie Bell and saw her cuddled up to him sleeping. James wormed his way out of her grip and switched both the lights and fan off. He looked back and saw the moonlight streaking through the curtains and light up Sweetie Bell’s dress, James was momentarily distracted from the sight but shook it out of his mind and went over to the window and closed the curtains so the moonlight stopped illuminating his room, as he settled down for the night he felt Sweetie Bell involuntary snuggle up to him again, James looked through the darkness and saw that Sweetie Bell was smiling. There seemed to be a sense of security when James was around the girls, probably because he pretty much brought them home and let them live with him. As he looked to the sky he made a silent vow; He would protect the Crusaders, no matter what the situation or outcome was. If it meant his death but their safety, then so be it. James rolled over and fell asleep, his mind still hoping that this wasn’t a very vivid dream.