Parker rubbed the snow off of his head and punched Ahab in the arm. "Hah, you're too late! I'm already broke!" He said, laughing. He scooped up a snowball and threw it at Nemo. "Think fast, Nemo!"

He looked at Wendy. She had another worried look on her face. "Oh, it's around 11, I think. Maybe that's why I'm always getting locked out; I don't know for sure." He laughed again, hoping it would ease Wendy's nerves, he knew what she was thinking.

Dimitri laughed "Do not worry, you can call me Dima." he said to Addison "But yeah, you can call me Tree if you want to" Dimitri nodded

Ahab nodded, "Yeah, it's 11. But my owner really doesn't care what the neighborhood watch says, he leaves his door unlocked until Nemo and I come home." He said. He picked up another snowball and tossed it at Nemo as well, "Think fast little buddy!" He said.

Nemo was pelted by the two snowballs. For such a little guy, he seemed to be a fairly common target for snowballs. He didn't mind it though, he knew it was all in fun. He picked up two snowballs and threw them at Parker and Ahab. Because of his little stature, it was barely a throw at all; It hit them, but it barely felt like anything. He noticed Wendy's worried look on her face, and Parker seemed laugh a somewhat nervous laughter. Nemo was very good at reading people, but that just made him feel uneasy when others were worried and he didn't know why. He guessed that it was because of Parker's sister torturing him or something.

"Yay, that's a lot easier to say!" Addison said, clapping her hands. She turned to the others with a mischievous grin. She didn't notice Wendy's worried look. "Snowball!" She scooped up handfuls of snow, getting Wendy, Parker, and Ahab in the face. "Snowball; snowball; snowball!"

you get glomped if you get the reference.

Darren had left Dimitri's shoulder after placing the colored pencils near the other art supplies. He was wandering about among the others. He noticed Ahab and Nemo had arrived at the park as well as Addison. There appeared to be a snowball fight going on, so he was trying to stay out from under the other pets' feet. Being a small target had it's advantages. This'll teach you to *glomp* me. "Sneak attack!" he shouted as he threw a snowball at Addison. The small snowball barely reached her, and made a soft *piff* on impact.

---


Summer watched the fish slowly swim away from Dale as he waded toward them. She listened intently and closely watched the cat's movements to get an idea of how it worked. "Got it," Summer replied, nodding. That water looks so cold...I hope Dale's feeling up to this, she thought to herself.

Parker covered his face. "Hey!" He cried playfully, scooping up yet another snowball. He threw it very lightly at Addison, so as not to hurt her.

Nemo thankfully dodged the array of snowballs. He laughed as the snow hit the others. He picked up some snow and tossed it at Wendy, aiming for her shoulder

Ahab laughed a bit as he blocked the snowballs, "Hahaha!" He knelt down and picked up another snowball, tossing it at Addison gently.

"Ah cold!" Addison squealed, positioning another snowball to be thrown at Parker, when a rather wimpy throw grazed the lower half of her face and lodged itself in her mouth. "Ack, who did that?" Addison choked as she turned to Darren. "It's the Santa Elf!" she exclaimed, smiling widely at him. Then she threw the snowball at his face, and was immediately hit by Ahab's snowball. She brushed it off her and threw one at Ahab as well.

edit: roar, ctc ninja'd me

After the canvas and easel got set up, Francia began to paint. It was a painting of the park that she was doing, and, everyone who was in it, at the moment.

Darren had a look of *oops* on his face as he was pelted by Addison's snowball and thrown back a few feet. He got up in a daze.

Addison stopped throwing a snowball in mid-throw, making it land a few feet in front of her. "Are you okay Daren?"

"Hey!" said Wendy, giggling and throwing a snowball at Nemo, but deliberately missing.

When she saw Darren get hit, she gasped and ran over as well. "You're not hurt, are you, Darren?"

Darren didn't hear the kitten or dog calling his name as he stumbled over to where Dimitri was standing.

Nemo laughed as Wendy missed him, "Hahaha! You missed me!" He said. As she went over to Darren, he followed, "Hey, Darren, are you okay?" He asked. Ahab laughed a bit, "Don't worry about him. He's strong for a rat." He joked.

Nobody noticed Alex in the middle of the snowball chaos. He ran up beside Dimitri and blindly made a snowball, not noticing how it was a couple pounds heavier then it should, and threw it at Parker.

Alex's snowball hit Parker in the small of his back. His eyes became dots, and he screamed, "NGHOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!", the same as the scream heard before.

Darren didn't know what happened, one second he was closing in on Dimitri, the next he was flying through the air packed in a snowball.

Then he'd heard Parker yelp...loudly and painfully.

"Parker, are you all RIGHT?!?!?" cried Wendy, rushing over to him but making sure not to touch him.

She WAS crying now.

Parker had his hands on his back. His teeth were clamped shut as hard as he could clamp them, so that the scream would stop. "NGH, uh, I mean,... Ow?" Crap, now they all know it was me earlier!

Wendy put Peter into her backpack and said to Parker, "Will you follow me, please?"

She then started off away from the other pets but looked back to see if Parker was following.

Nemo rushed to Parker as well, and tried to see what was wrong with his back. Nemo was very good at first aid, so this would be easy for him.

(( Gah! Ninja'd three times! You guys do need to slow down just a bit!))

Parker sighed. He knew where this was headed. But it would only make him look more suspicious if he refused, so he followed Wendy.

"Nemo...I don't need your help..."

"Ha! So it was you who screamed earlier!" Alex said with satisfaction which he made no attempt to hide.

Addison stared wide eyed at Parker, and backed up into Ahab. "Is that...a normal sound?" she asked him.

When they were in a secluded spot, Wendy sat down in front of Parker.

As if in response to something spoken, she said, "I know."

She said nothing more.

Ahab put a hand on Adisson's shoulder, "Don't worry, Addy. Parker is just fine. He just got hurt is all." He said, trying to comfort the little kitten.

Nemo nodded, "Okay..." He said, worried. As Alex satisfactorily spoke, Nemo glared at him, "What's wrong with you!?" He yelled, "You hit him in the back with a huge snowball, and when he yelps in pain like that, you don't even apologize! You just yell something stupid like you just won something!"

Parker sat in silence. But then he started to cry, only slightly at first. "I'd been... trying to hide it for so long... Summer figured it out, and more of you must know. But I beg of you, don't do anything about it, please!"

"I wouldn't know what to do if I were going to," said Wendy honestly. "You don't deserve this. No one does."

She sighed. "All I can do is be here for you, which I will be in whatever capacity you want. I can't touch you right now, but you have my hugs and thimbles anyway."

(Note: this is the first time she's called kisses "thimbles"--Parker doesn't know she calls them that yet.)

"I...uh...I..." Alex took a few steps backwards. He couldn't explain why he said that to Parker. He knew they wouldn't understand. As soon as he felt tears reach his face, he turned around and starting running.

"...Thanks..." said Parker, as he looked up. "I just... I can't stop it, either... I owe my sister, for a reason I can't explain to you... not yet... and, I..." He looked down again.

Addison's facial expression stayed the same. "It sounded a lot more then just getting hurt. Why'd he scream like that?" If there was ever a time she wanted her blanket in public, it was now. "And why didn't Alex apologize?" she was too confused to start getting mad at Alex, but the way her lips were curling made it obvious that she was going to either start crying or yelling. Or both.

Dimitri sat down in a bench and relaxed a little bit and looked at all the action in the park Uuughh... I would like to throw but arms are tired... What a wonderful park and what a great society... "I wish Victoria was here to see this" he took a long sigh and kept looking around the park from the bench.


Dimitri heard the yelp and makes him almost jump from the bench "Woah! What was that?! he asked loudly and started to look everywhere


Dimitri noticed it was Parker who did the yelp, but he noticed it just when Parker sat down.


"Owe her?" Owe what? money, fa... Oh, I remember now...


--------------
What happened? for some reason I couldn't post anything for a minute, so that is why I did all that (Above)

"I can't think of anything she could have done for you that gives her the right to do this to you. But it isn't my place to say.... I hope I haven't said too much already...?"

She turned red and put her claws to her teeth, though she did not nibble her claws. She honestly looked as afraid as though Autumn would come after her now--and as if Parker WERE Autumn in disguise.

Nemo was a little surprised at Alex's reaction. This was the first time that anyone was intimidated or scared of anything he said. He ran after Alex as fast as his little legs could carry him, but it was no use. Nemo was a horrible runner, and was tired almost right away. He was didn't even really make it that far. He watched Alex run away, and Nemo lowered his ears and frowned. He walked back over to Ahab and the others and frowned, "I-I didn't mean to make him run away like that... I was just angry that he hurt Parker..." He said to himself, quietly, sounding ashamed. He looked over and saw Wendy and Parker. He wanted to go over there and apologize to Parker, but he knew that Wendy had brought him over there for some privacy.

-

Ahab knelt down next to Addison, "There, there, Addy. Parker just... Has a hurt back already, and the snowball made it worse. And Alex didn't apologize because he didn't know the situation was serious." He said, trying to calm the kitten.

"I... I'll tell you later. For now, you'll just have to make do with that. By the way, what do you mean by 'hugs and thimbles'? You're not going to poke me with a needle, are you?" He chuckled. But he didn't know if it was more to ease her suffering, or his...

Wendy nodded. "Okay, I will."

To his question she giggled, but cushioned it for fear of hurting his feelings.

"Of course not! I said THIMBLES--like the thimble I gave you on your cheek earlier, remember?"

Addison's lips stopped curling as she watched Alex run away. "But how did Parker hurt his back? And why didn't I know this before? And why is Alex running away if he didn't know? Someone has to stop him!" And with that last part, Addison took off running after Alex. She was somewhat close to him when she realized she was panting, but she didn't stop. "Alex wait! It's okay!" she called after him.

Ahab took off after Addison instantly, not wanting her to get hurt. It was very easy for him to catch up with her. He picked her up, "Up we go!" and continued running after Alex, "Alex, wait up! We just want to talk to you! Nemo said he's sorry!" He called to Alex as he was almost caught up.

"Oh, you mean a kiss? Why not just say that? But thanks for watching out for me, I hope I didn't hurt everyone too bad. Maybe I'll talk to everyone else about the problem with my sister... We'll see." Parker looked up, thinking, Well, it's too late now, I might as well tell everyone. I can't wait to see how that goes...

Alex heard Nemo's footsteps behind him, and decided to sprint. He went behind a tree. He slowly sunk to the ground and put his head into his hands.
Stupid freaking idiot! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO SAY THAT! WHY? If it was possible to scream in your thoughts, then that is what Alex just did. He did not know how to explain it to the others. Impulsive? Mood swings? Some strange disorder? Perhaps all of those combined? Alex was simply unexplainable. He stood up. Get a hold of yourself Alex, go back and tell Parker your sorry...
As soon as he came out of his hiding place, he spotted Ahab, who was carrying Addison. He sighed, waiting for the questions to assault him like a S.W.A.T. team.