Flashback….

“Look Nicky!” Leona exclaimed, pointing to a puppy in the pet store window. “Do you think Mommy an’ Daddy would let us have him??”

“I don’t think so, Kiddo,” Nick sighed, as she asked him that question every time they walked past a pet store that had a puppy in the front window on display. “You know how they feel about that.”

“But we’re responsible, Nicky! I’d take really, really, really good care of him! I swear!” Leona insisted.

“I know you would, Leo-Lee,” Nick assured her. “But it’s not up to me, remember? It’s up to Mom and Dad. But, if it were up to me, you’d have one in a heartbeat.”

“Why can’t it be up to you, Nicky? What’re they gonna do if we just buy one? Return him?”

“One can only hope they’re decent enough to do that,” Nick thought to himself silently. “Hunny, I don’t know. But I do know they’d be mighty peeved, and I’d rather not make them that way. They argue enough as it is.”

“But that’s not fair, Nicky,” Leona argued. “We’d all look after him! I’d even clean up his poop!”

“You say that now,” Nick chuckled. “But when the time actually comes, I know you wouldn’t. you’d be standing there throwing a fit and demanding Aaron or Angel or somebody else does it instead.”

“I would not!” Leona protested, stomping her foot ever so slightly.

“See?” Nick laughed, reaching out to grab hold of her and tickle her sides.

Leona squealed, as she began to giggle uncontrollably. “Nicky! That tickles!”

“Well, I’d sure hope so!” Nick replied, scooping her up into his arms as they continued their trek though the mall.

Leona giggled a little longer, before resting her head upon his shoulder. “Nicky, where are we going?”

“To the CD store,” Nick answered. “There’s a CD out, that I’m trying to find, and Mom wants us to pick up that movie Leslie wants for her birthday.”

“Oooh yeah,” Leona nodded, her head still on his shoulder. “I forgot.”

“What’re you getting her, Runt?”

“I’m not a Runt,” Leona frowned, though she giggled once more a moment later when Nick poked her side. “I’ma get her that doll she wanted, and the new Barbie that’s out.”

“Ah, I’m sure she’ll like that,” Nick smiled, kissing her head affectionately.

“I hope so,” Leona admitted softly. “She didn’t like what I got her for Christmas.”

“She didn’t?”

“No,” Leona sighed. “It was on her list, but when I gave it to her, she made a grossed out face an’ threw it back at me, an’ told me it was only for babies like me.”

“Well, I’m sure these gifts will go over much better,” Nick assured her. “Because I already asked her three times to ensure everything on her list is what she truly wants.”

“Thank-you, Nicky,” Leona said softly, kissing his cheek.

“For what?”

“For making me feel better.”

Nick smiled at her warmly. “Anytime, Runt. Now, c’mon. Squirm down so you can find that movie for me, while I look for that CD I wanted.”

Leona giggled, as she did as told. “Which one was it again?”

“Toy Story,” Nick answered, as he watched her head for the movie section in the store. “Don’t you leave this store without me, you hear?”

“I won’t, Nicky,” Leona smiled to assure him. “I’m the good one, remember?”

“Well, I seem to remember different, but, okay,” Nick winked, causing his littlest sister to giggle yet again. “Full of giggles today, aren’t you?”

“Uh-huh,” Leona nodded. “I’d a bowl of giggle cereal for breakfast!”

“Well, run along and rind that movie, Ms. Giggles-A-Lot Bear,” Nick told her. “We have to be back home soon.”

“There’s no such Care Bear!” Leona replied, poking her tongue out at him, as she turned and ran over to the movies, to find the one Leslie had asked for.

Nick shook his head at her, then turned and went down the aisle he was currently standing in, as to try and find the CD he wanted.

After a short while, Leona came over to where her brother stood and handed him the movie she’d been sent to find. “Here, Nicky. I found it.”

“Thanks Leo-Lee,” Nick smiled down at her. “I’m going to be a little longer, so you can continue looking if you want.”

“Okay!” Leona chirped happily. She loved to browse in CD stores.

“But remember, stay in this store, got it?”

“Got it, Dude!” Leona grinned, as she turned and fan off to where she knew the Chipmunks stuff was.

Nick shook his head once more, then resumed looking at the CDs in front of him, still trying to find that one he wanted. As well as another one he’d thought of while searching for the rest.

Leona looked at everything she wanted to see, but eventually grew bored. No matter how much she loved CD stores, she could still only stay in one for so long, before growing bored. And her being bored was never a good thing – it was just as bad as Nick being quiet while he thought up crazy pranks.

“I wonder what that puppy’s doing right now,” Leona wondered silently. “I wonder if anybody’s thinkin’ of buying him, I know I am, but nobody will let me, an’ I don’t got ‘nough money to do it on my own….”

It was while thinking about the puppy, that she decided to do something impulsive and foolish. Very foolish. She glanced around to ensure no one was watching her, then turned and darted right on out of the CD store! She was going back to check on the puppy she had seen, to ensure he was going to find a good home and be loved and cared for – like he would be, if she were allowed to bring him home with her.

Meanwhile, Nick finally found the CDs he was looking for, and decided to find his sister and head on home. He went and paid for the things he’d in his hands, then went in search of his baby sister.

“Leo-Lee!” He called out. “C’mon! It’s time to go!”

He paused a moment, and scanned the store as best he could, in search of her, when he got no reply. “Leo-Lee?” He repeated, trying not get become panicked. When he got no response once more, he quickly began to check each aisle to see if she was anywhere in there with headphones on, as the store had listening stations.

When he saw that she was nowhere in sight, he began to become angry. He’d told her over and over again to remain in the store, so she wouldn’t get lost, and so he wouldn’t have to worry. And in return, she’d assured him over and over again that she wouldn’t leave the store without him. He’d trusted her, and now she was gone!

“Dammit Leo-Lee!” He grumbled to himself, as he made his way back to the check-out counter. “Excuse me, Sir. But have you seen the little girl I came in with?”

“The little one with the Chipmunks shirt on?” The man queried.

“Yes, her,” Nick nodded.

“She left the store about ten minutes ago,” the man replied. “I would’ve stopped her, but I thought she was headed for someone she knew, so I didn’t but in.”

“Did you see which way she went once out in the mall?” Nick questioned, feeling panic and fear set in.

“She went left, I believe,” the man answered.

“Thank-you, Sir!” Nick said hurriedly, as he turned and ran out of the store in a hurry. If she left on her own free will, he was going to throttle her for scaring him like this!

He ran through the mall, dodging people left and right, even jumping over a little kid whom was sitting on the floor tantruming. He had to find his sister! He just had too! It was as he rounded the one corner that he spotted her, standing there in front of the pet store, laughing and making faces at the puppy in the window. He felt anger surge through his veins and into the very core of his heart, as he watched her laugh, completely oblivious to the fear and panic she had caused him.

Leona laughed some more, as the Yorkshire terrier puppy in the front store window jumped over his friend that was in there with him. The two puppies were playfully tackling one another, thus amusing their lone admirer greatly.

“Thatta boy!” She cheered her favourite one on, completely oblivious to the fact her brother now stood fuming as he watched her. “You get him!”

“Leona Evelyn Carter!” Nick roared, once able to find his voice.

Leona just about jumped three feet. It wasn’t often her brother called her by her full name, nor was it often he used that tone of voice with her - especially since he knew how easily she cried when people yelled, whether they be yelling at her or not.

“Hiya Nicky!” She chirped; a forced, nervous smiled on her face. “The puppies are playing!”

“Do you have any idea just how close I came to having a heart-attack when I could find you?” Nick growled angrily. “Just who the Hell gave you permission to come see these puppies again? Huh? Do tell me, please.”

Leona gulped nervously. “I-I did,” she stuttered softly. “I thought he’d be lonely. I didn’t know he had a friend.”

“That is no excuse, Leona!” Nick yelled. “I told him twice not to leave the store without me, and twice you promised me that you wouldn’t! And look where we’ve wound up! You standing outside the pet store by yourself, and me running around like crazy trying to find you!”

“I’m sorry, Nicky,” Leona said softly. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Well, you did!” Nick snapped. “Your broke your promise to me too, Leona! How am I supposed to be able to trust you now, hmm?”

“I didn’t mean too!” Leona protested, tears filling her eyes. Normally she could hide her tears until she was alone – but that was only the case if it wasn’t her eldest brother yelling at her. When it was him, she seemed to have no control whatsoever over her emotions and she hated that!

“You’re grounded Leona,” Nick told her firmly.

“You can’t ground me!” Leona argued. “You’re not Mommy and Daddy!”

“Oh, and like they won’t ground you for this stunt you pulled, should I tell them?”

“How am I s’pose to be grounded if you don’t tell them, huh?” Leona shot-back. “They’re gonna wanna know why, dumbass.”

Nick glared at her then, as he grabbed her quickly, whirling her around, and planting three very firm whacks to her backside. “Don’t you stand here and sass me about punishment, after nearly giving me a heart-attack Leona Evelyn! I was nice enough to let you come with me, and this is how you repay me?!?!?”

Leona yelped and began to cry; she cried harder after he’d landed three more firm swats to her backside after the first three.

“Now, let’s go! March!” Nick ordered, as he grabbed her hand and practically dragged his sobbing sister out of the mall and to his awaiting car in the parking lot.

Leona cried as she sat in the back of the car, unable to believe he had spanked her, and that she’d made him mad enough to do so. She’d come close to it before, but he hadn’t swatted her in forever! And never had it been that hard!

End of Flashback…..