Luke clapped a hand over Sari's mouth and looked into her eyes in warning as someone thudded across the planks of the small shack they were staying in. There had been a heavy banging on the door, and a girl's voice rang out, 'I know you're in there! Open this door right now and tell me what you're doing here!' The banging got louder, and Sari was curious to know who the girl was.

The nonchalant boy in the next room opened the door.

' How did you find me?' he asked, and Sari could picture him leaning against the door frame as Luke kept his hand over her mouth, not wanting her to blow their cover. They listened intently as the girl spoke.

'Jake,' she said, her voice venomous. She suddenly laughed. 'How did I find you? Please! My parents own this shack! Evidently, I'll know who they rented it out to. Didn't you think of that when you arrived? Or didn't you know I was home? You certainly know who my parents are. I made the mistake of introducing them to you.'

'Maybe I just wanted to see you Katie,' Jake replied.

'Katie?' Sari wondered. 'Another girl? How many girls are in love with my brother? Don't they realize he's in love with someone else?'

Katie raised her eyebrows. 'I don't believe that. You know how I feel about you. Why would you want to see me?'

'To tell you something. We've changed Katie' Luke, Sari, and I. Ever since you showed me last time that what I was doing was wrong'that I wasn't who I wanted to be.'

It was then that Luke and Sari, sitting in the next room, recognized who their unexpected houseguest was. It wasn't just another girl, or another Katie, who was mad at Jake for not keeping in touch after she made him promise to. This Katie was special. They crept closer to the door so they could hear more.

Jake was still cool with the lines. Katie groaned in frustration. How much charm can one guy have? 'This act isn't going to work!' She sat down and the vibrations she was making by pacing stopped. Jake too, stopped walking around, and the vibrations he was making stopped as well, as he casually stood next to the chair Katie was in.

'I do know how you feel about me,' Jake told her. 'So why come here? Why even bother talking to me if you hate me so much?'

'I never hated you Jake,' Katie whispered softly. 'I just don't trust you anymore. But, now, I need you. My family is being threatened by some thugs my dad hit a rough spot with a few years ago.
They're coming to our house tonight to collect money from my family'money we don't have' and' and'' she trailed off and looked up at him, her blue eyes hopeful. 'Don't make me say it,' she pleaded with him silently.

Jake's brow furrowed. 'And you want help?'

She looked him over, and asked cautiously, 'Have you really changed?'

'I may have been lots of things Katie,' he said, 'but I'm not anymore. I really have changed. I'm not a thief, I'm not violent unless I have to be, and I'm not a liar.'

'Okay,' she said, finally accepting that Jake's words were true. ' We need help. Can you give it to us?'

'Yes. Not alone, but with Luke's help, I'll get rid of these people,' Jake assured her. He smirked, and added, 'If you play nice.'

Katie clenched her fists in anger. 'Me play nice? You had that coming last time Jake! You deserved it.'

'I did,' Jake agreed, and went over to where his weapons were lying.

'Then show me that you've changed,' she pleaded, eyes sad.

Luke took his hand off Sari's mouth, and she took in a breath of fresh air. They continued to look at each other wordlessly, listening to the exchange in the other room. Everything Jake said was true, but neither expected Katie to believe him as easily as she did. Maybe she was having a change of heart.

Being Jake's best friend and little sister, Luke and Sari were there with him when he met Katie, and when she left him emotionally and physically hurt after she discovered the ways he was trying to help himself, Sari, his friends, and other people in need. Sure, they needed help, but Katie didn't agree with Jake's awful methods, and she refused to help or stand by him while other innocent people got hurt. She turned against him, and, being the strong, clever, and courageous person she was, helped the people he was hurting instead, until he left them alone.

Luke and Sari, unable to contain their curiosity, peeked through the door of Jake's room, and saw a familiar glint in his eye. Knowing him so well, they knew what he was about to do. Katie probably had no idea what was coming though.

Jake dropped his weapons on the battered couch, and walked over to Katie. As he pulled her up out of the chair, and into a passionate kiss, Luke and Sari braced themselves for the loud and angry outburst that would come from Katie once they broke apart. But it never came.

Jake's action resulted in a very shocked Katie, but earned him another kiss; one that she started this time.

A few seconds later, they broke apart and stared at each other with giddy expressions on their faces. Katie had certainly had a change of heart. Luke and Sari smiled at each other, knowing that, finally, Jake's fantasy of a 'happily ever after' with Katie was now a reality.