Home For the Hollidays..

Sage hugged him tight not wanting to let go for some odd reason. "i don't want him to go," She whispered. "he could be killed." she couldn't think of what it would be life if her big brother wasn't there when she needed him. "he's always been there. if something happens he won't." she whispered. there was a knock on the door as Anna came up stairs. and sage hurried to wipe away her tears.
"Momma said to come tell you all its time for dinner." Anna said then ran away again. before any one could say anything.
"he's going to tell everyone down there." She whispered.

"Sage you have to listen to me. He is always with you no matter what.. You know that. I bettcha he will still find a way to sent you letters and everything just for you." He looked up as the door opened and smiled slightly at anna. "Thanks sweety we will be down in a minute." He told the girl then he looked back down at sage. "Ready to go back downstairs and get food?"

"I'm not hungry. At least not if i have to hear about him leaving again." Sage whispered holding him close to her. she knew he was right about max always being with her no matter what but she couldn't help but worry. "but you go on and eat," she added. "Tell them I'm not feeling well if they ask where i am. though of course max would know the truth." the last part was a little quieter than a whisper. "max is the one that taught me how to hunt. he taught me how to play base ball."

"Okay..." Saige said getting up.. "I will be back." Saige got his shirt back on, ruffled out his air then jogged downstairs to talk to Sage's parents for a bit. He came back upstairs with 2 plates of food. "Sage.. I brought some food.. Its better that you eat something than nothing at all. Whatever is left I can send out to snowball in the middle of the night so she can have craps like she used to." Saige set her plate on the small bedside table and sat on the bed with his food. He ate a bit but wasnt that hungry either.

"did he say when he's leaving?" Sage asked when Saige came back in the door. she had sat up and was hugging one of the pillows that normally sat at the head of the bed. "please tell me its after we leave so i don't have to see him go away." she whispered not knowing he hadn't said anything yet.
meanwhile down stairs max had just told every one. their grandma and mother where crying but trying to hide it. James had disappeared out side quickly afterwards and Anna had crawled under the table to hide. Tanya keep pinching her self to see if it was a dream. Aunt Sage put her hand on her mothers shoulder. Uncle Chase went after James and their dad put his arm around their mother. "I'll be leaving the day before Sage and Saige go back to school." he said quietly.

Saige thought for a moment. "Yes he did say... I just dont want to tell you when he is going to.. I dont want to see you cry more than ever.." Saige said looking down at his plate. He took it to the small desk in the room and set it down on there. He would eat later that night. "What a christmas this turned out to be." Saige mumbled under his breath. He really didnt like everyone crying when it was christmas. stupid max had to ruin the best holiday ever Saige thought, his hands clentched tightly into fists. "Babe.. I will be back. Im going to go out to find snowball and maybe walk around the land to think." Saige said kissing her on the forehead.

"Can i come with you?" Sage asked. she didn't want to be in the house right now. not with max and all his bad news. "i wish he had waited until tomorrow to say anything. he ruined a wonderful Christmas. though its not his fault he got the stupid call. just his fault he joined." she muttered. her dad had always told her never to ride when she was up seat but that never stopped her. if Saige didn't want her going with him on his walk that would be where she would run off to. to her comforting horses.

"Erm...I guess.. If you really wanna see what im like when im angry." Saige said as he opened the window. "Im going to go down there and when I tell you to, jump out.. I will catch you.. I promise." Saige whispered before kissing her on the cheek. "I think we should go back to school early.. If you dont want to see your brother leave by the way." Saige said as he jumped out the window. He landed on his feet and fell forwards but was up in a minute and got away to where he could run to catch her. "Okay! JUMP"

Sage jumped out the window when she was told. though she had never been scared to do just that before with out some one to catch her. she just though it would nice to have some one there at least just once. "hes leaving before we are supposed to?" she whispered to her self. just before she jumped she blinked back the tears not wanting saige to see them in her eyes. "I think I'm going to go out with buttercup by my self in steed." she whispered once her feet were on the ground again.

Saige ran towards her catching her and stopping then he smiled at her putting her down on the ground. "He is leaving the day before we are supposed to...." When she said she thought she would go by herself he kisses her on the forehead and whispered, "Please be careful hun.. I dont want you getting hurt." He then looked around and began to run to the farthest side of the ranch where he would soon find snowball waiting there to go play around and have a bit of fun.