FTF: We're ba-aaack….. Not this time, but in the next chapter,we'll show you how it's linked to Leverage. Really. We promise. Also, thank you meatball42 for our ONLY review. It made us want to write more of this fic. Hint hint nudge nudge.

CGR: all I can think about is my pizza sorry.

FTF: *heavy sigh* Well, let's hurry and write this so we can do WriterChat at the end of the chapter.

"Hey!" snapped Saige at a smirking athlete. "Watch it!" She knelt to pick up the play script she had been reading as she walked down the aisle of the bus.

"Come on, Randy," said Owen reproachfully. "Why'd you trip her? She didn't do anything to you."

"Sorry, dude, no idea what you're talking about," sneered the boy. "It's not my fault the drama queen's a klutz."

"Back off, you worthless chimpanzee," snarled Charlotte. "I know you're all troubled and acting out about being an insignificant peabrained loser, but you don't have to take it out on Saige."

"You want to say that to my face, Spencer?" He glared and pulled himself to his full height, which unfortunately for him, wasn't much more than Charlotte's five feet six inches.

"I'd rather not, actually," replied Charlotte calmly. "Your breath is awful."

"Charlotte. Keep walking," Owen gently pushed her past Randy, then pulled Saige to her feet and walked her past him, too.

"You better watch your step, Spencer. My dad will sue your parents for all they have," called Randy after them.

"For what? She didn't do anything except come up with better comebacks than you did," Sean pointed out, squeezing past him to follow the other three.

"Isn't your dad the CEO of that one company?" asked Skylar dreamily. "I hope he's not allergic to dogs."

Randy stared at her, confusion written over his face. Skylar tended to have that effect on a lot of people. Sean shushed her and they made their way to the back of the bus to sit with Owen, Saige, and Charlotte.

Once they were comfortably settled, Saige turned to Charlotte, smiling mischievously. "I can't tell. Was that sexual tension or a long-running rivalry?"

Charlotte rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Saige. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Come to think of it, maybe we should burn it so we never have to cross it…."

"Um… what?" said Sean.

"It makes more sense when you read it," explained Charlotte. "Only two hours until we get to Chicago, guys!"

FTF: hee. Burning bridges. Good one.

CGR: like fire…ohh pretty lights….

FTF: So the next chapter will involve Leverage stuff. We promise. I think I said that up there… whatever. The point is, we know where this is going and we needed to establish our own characters first before we entered the world of Leverage.