Thursday, somewhere in Connecticut, Camp, You've got to be kidding me

[walks_two_paths]

Savannah was reading... if by reading you meant studying one of her magic books and snickering at some of the notes that had been left by previous owners of said book. "Oh puhleeze. Even I know that something like that doesn't have a chance in hell of working out correctly." She shook her head and wrote her own notes in the leather journal that she always kept close by her. "Don't follow hints left by someone named 'Heloise'..."




Paige and Lucas exchanged nervous glances. "Paige, we're doing the right thing," Lucas said quietly, squeezing her hand for encouragement.

"I know," Paige said, just as quietly. "But... I hope she understands."

They approached the teenager. "Savannah?" Lucas said. "I hate to interrupt, but there is a matter of importance that Paige and I would like to discuss with you."

Savannah looked up cheerfully. "Is about telling the neighbors to leave us alone or I would send them an exploding care package, because you know I wouldn't really do that. I haven't got the timing spell down pat yet." She tilted her head. "Or is it about the whole challenging Adam to see if he could make me a fire sculpture... no, wait, that was pretty funny."

Paige took a deep breath before launching into the speech she had been mentally rehearsing. "Savannah, we still have no idea where we're going or what we're doing. And we're worried that people may still try to target you, especially if anyone gets word of the ceremony we performed for you. Until Lucas and I find somewhere safe to settle down, we want to make sure you're in a safe place."

She broke off, knowing this part was going to be the hardest. Savannah had lost so much in such a short time and Paige was terrified that she would take this the wrong way.

Savannah really wasn't liking the sound of this and her cheerfulness went right out the door. "You're getting rid of me?"

"No, Savannah," Paige said. "We're protecting you. It's temporary. Just until we can find a safe place to settle down. Lucas found this high school in Virginia that runs a summer camp. It sounds like a lot of fun. You'd get a chance to hang out with kids your own age and just be a normal teenager for a while. Then you can come home once we have a home."

Savannah closed her book and her journal and tried to decide how to best respond to this. She didn't want to hurt Paige, or Lucas, but she also didn't like the idea that she was being sent away. "I thought I was safer if we stuck together..." she said slowly. She looked up, some of that Levine fire sparking in her eyes. "And, in case you didn't get the memo, I'm not a normal teenager, Paige."

"I know that," Paige said. "But after everything you've gone through because your magic, I just want you to have one normal teenage experience. We only signed you up for the first session. It's two months, that's it. Hopefully by then, we'll have figured out where to settle down and have a place to live. And who knows, you might really like it and want to stay for the rest of the summer."

Savannah took a deep breath and then another. "Normal teenage experience? Me?" She shook her head. "Paige, nothing about my life has ever been normal and I've never had a problem with it. Why now? Look, if you guys want time alone, just tell me that."

Lucas had been hanging back, but now he stepped forward. "Savannah. You know that Paige and I both care for you a great deal. We want what is best for you right now. It was not an easy decision for us to make because we will still worry about you, but I have been assured that the security at this school is first rate. We will miss you, but we will be able to better find a home for all of us this way."

Savannah was doing her best to keep her temper. She knew they cared about her, but she also couldn't help but feel betrayed about being sent away for the summer. "Virginia? What could there possibly be to do for fun in a summer camp in Virginia?"

She'd have to call Jeremy, Clay and Elena to let them know what was going on. Oh and Benicio. Definitely keep them in the loop about all of this. Maybe she'd get lucky and the Pack would decide that she'd be safer with them for awhile instead of being shipped off to some camp and school in Virginia.

Paige handed Savannah a few brochures. "They advertise a diverse student body and workshops that will interest any teenager," she said. "And Jeremy said he's heard good things about the school from some of his contacts. He said you should be able to take some art classes."

Okay, now she was getting a bit annoyed. "So, Jeremy already knows about this, then? How long have you guys been planning this?" She couldn't suppress her pleasure at the idea of being able to take art classes, though.

"We've been looking into options since we left East Falls," Lucas said. "But we didn't say anything because we wanted to make sure we could find a suitable location. We asked Jeremy and Elena to help us with the research."

Okay, just because the Pack knew didn't mean they wouldn't at least let her visit if she hated the place. She started glancing through the brochures. "Wait, an island? It's on an island?!" She glared. "Do I look like Gilligan?!"

Lucas gave her a puzzled look which caused Paige to giggle. "It means you'll get to spend time on the beach," she pointed out. "I'll even buy you a bikini before you go."

Her eyes gleamed and then she grinned, knowing that she was being bribed, but also not able to resist trying to get a reaction out of Lucas. "Oh neat, one of those ones with the strings in very strategic places that makes it look like you're wearing a spider web?" One of those ones that Clay and Jeremy would make her put a turtleneck and jeans over if they knew she was even thinking about wearing one of those.

That would be Lucas's eyes bugging out of his head. "Paige..."

Paige laughed. "Oh, come on, Lucas. You know I'll buy her something acceptable. In fact, Savannah, why don't we go out shopping now. We'll get everything you might need and then come back here to pack."

Savannah looked at them after she was done snickering at the look on Lucas's face.. "A new bikini and a shopping trop? What aren't you telling me about this place, Paige?" She demanded suspiciously.

The adults exchanged another glance. "Savannah, part of the reason we're sending you there is to keep you safe," Lucas said. "That means you can't use your magic while you're there. It will draw too much attention to you."

Savannah narrowed her eyes at them, then she sighed. "It's not like I'm going to conjure fireballs and juggle them in the dorms."

Paige pressed her hand to her forehead at the mental image. "Listen, Savannah. I know you have a lot of power and you really want to learn how to make the most of it, but please, just take these couple of months to be a normal kid. I promise that once we're settled somewhere, Lucas and I will work with you on new spells."

"I only did it in public once!"

"We know," Lucas said patiently. "But using your powers could potentially alert people to your location, which would defeat the purpose of sending you there to keep you safe."

Okay, so it had been twice, but what they didn't know wouldn't freak them out.

"You think that the Nast family or people that knew Leah will come after me again." She said calmly. "Leah almost got Paige killed by the Nasts. If they want to come after me, let them try it." Yay for fifteen year old bravado.

"We would prefer for that to not occur," Lucas said. "A lot of people got hurt last time and we certainly don't want that to happen again. That is why we want you to lay low in Virginia while we find a suitable location to call home."

"And we will be by your side in a heartbeat if anything happens," Paige assured her hastily. "We're not dumping you off or anything. We expect regular letters and phone calls. And the Pack isn't far in case of emergency."

It wasn't like she had meant for Kristof to get killed when she tried to bring Eve back. But she had thought that he had lied to her and let Paige be killed.

She nodded. It wasn't like she could argue when their minds were already made up about this. But she would be calling Elena and telling her what was going on and how much she really hated this idea.

"When am I supposed to leave?"

Paige and Lucas exchanged yet another glance. "We'll be driving you there tomorrow," Paige said.

"Tomorrow?!" No wonder the whole shopping trip and all of that. "Well, I guess I should be glad that you decided to at least go with the whole telling me instead of knocking me out and letting me wake up there." She shook her head, fighting with her temper as she glared. "Exactly when did you think I would be okay with this being sprung on me?"

"As I said, we've been looking at options since we left East Falls," Lucas said. "This opportunity presented itself and the new student orientation is tomorrow."

That would be the look of a very unhappy Levine. "So you've known since East Falls and just got around to telling me that I would be banished to an island for the Summer?" She looked at Paige. "This is worth more than a bikini, you do realize?" Extortion, who her?

"We haven't known about this since East Falls," Paige said. "We just started researching options then. We only managed to get this arranged yesterday. And I already told you I'd take you shopping for new clothes."

Savannah sighed and then nodded, trying not to look as hurt as she was feeling. "Alright, so then, shopping trip. This is a co-ed place, correct? Because there is no way in hell I'm staying some place that is only for girls." She looked at Lucas. "Don't even think about it, buster."

"Yes, it's co-ed," Paige said. "But, please, Savannah, promise me you'll try to stay out of trouble."

Savannah gave her wide eyes. "I will be on my best behavior." She shook her head. "How much trouble can you get into on an island, anyway?"

"Me? Not much," Paige replied. "You? You can get in trouble anywhere."

"It's a gift," she said proudly.

Paige closed her eyes and sighed. "Right. Now, do you want to sit around and talk or do you want to go shopping?"

"Duh," she said as she grabbed a jacket to put over her tank top. "And I still think we should negotiate on the spider webs string bikini. I'm about to be traumatized, you know."

"We'll see," Paige said, having absolutely not intention of backing down.

Savannah wasn't worried. If she couldn't get that, she was sure she could talk Paige into something else. "You coming with us, Lucas?"

Lucas looked startled. "No, I... have some... business to attend to." He handed Paige his credit card and kissed her briefly on the cheek. "I'm sure you girls will have plenty of fun without me."

Savannah just grinned at him when he said that.





[[OOC: Co-written with the lovely untouchableskin]]