Barbie was walking through the deserted schoolhouse, his last duty of the day before he could return home to Julia. His footsteps echoed in the empty building, his body casting eerie shadows against the walls and lockers. He almost blew off this seemingly senseless task. The passage was not going to magically open, no new discoveries would be made here but there was one thing about Dale Barbara that could not be disputed. He did not shirk a duty...ever. It may seem pointless or stupid or a waste of time but he would see it to the end.

A growing chill in the air made him shiver, made him walk just a little faster. His thoughts became filled with Julia...her soft warm body and the way she welcomed him with a tangle of arms and legs, her lips seeking his even as he slipped into bed beside her. That chill could not compete with the heat he felt sear his body from the inside out.

The crash of breaking glass stilled him, his instincts instantly on alert as he scanned the area for the source of the noise. He heard a scrape, as if a table or chair had been shoved and realized the sound was coming from the lab. Stealthily he approached and as he got closer, he became aware of whispers and soft laughter. The tension in his body eased slightly as he listened and recognized the voices – Joe and Norrie. He shook his head, pushing the door open at the same time.

Norrie was leaning against the desk, her arms wound around Joe, their lips crashed together, his hand snaked under her shirt. Instantly they sprang apart as it became apparent there was an intruder in the room.

"Barbie!" Joe yelped. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question, but I guess I already know the answer." His eyes were narrowed and serious even though a smirk played along his mouth.

Norrie's face was flaming in embarrassment, her eyes darting everywhere but at Barbie. "I have to go." She mumbled and raced out the door.

When Joe made a move to follow her, Barbie pressed a hand against his chest. "Wait Joe – I need a minute with you." His eyes serious and a bit forbidding, Joe couldn't help but gulp with apprehension as Barbie continued. "Please tell me I don't have to give you the talk."

"Of course not!" He huffed in typical teenage fashion. "We know what we're doing and we weren't going to...you know...go that far."

"Oh yeah? How do you know that? How do you know that one or both of you suddenly didn't want to wait? If Norrie wanted to take the next step, would you be able to say no? Did you bring a condom?" His voice had an angry, impatient edge to it, but he was truly concerned for the kids. He cared about them, looked out for them and that included their young relationship.

"No, I didn't and I told you, we weren't going to do that."

"You can't know that for sure. Trust me, there is a point of no return and no matter what your intentions are, once you've crossed it, there's no going back. I'm going to state the obvious now...you don't want Norrie to get pregnant."

By this time Joe was blushing furiously and looked down at the floor, unable to meet the challenge in Barbie's eyes. His mind was accepting of those words but his emotions were not. He was sure he loved Norrie and she felt the same but of course, having a kid was not the best plan. Still he couldn't stop himself from asking.

"What about you and Julia?"

"What do you mean, what about me & Julia?" Barbie narrowed his eyes as he always did whenever someone posed a question about them, about their life together. It was precious to him and he guarded it as he guarded her – loathe to let anyone get too close.

"Do you use a condom? What if Julia gets pregnant?"

"Seriously Joe? You don't want to go there but since you did, I'll say this to you one time and one time only. First of all, Julia and I are in our thirties, you and Norrie are sixteen! How we conduct our relationship or sex life is none of your business and if Julia gets pregnant, both of us would be ecstatic. Do you understand the difference?"

Joe had the good grace to regret both his words and his actions. "Yeah I get it. Sorry, Barbie."

Barbie clapped a hand to his shoulder, pulling him in for a brief hug. "It's OK. There's nothing wrong with having feelings for Norrie, nothing wrong with making out but just remember, all actions come with consequences. Make sure the end result is what you want and can handle."

"Yeah, you're right. Thanks Barbie"

"You're welcome. Now go home and be careful."

With a rueful grin Joe exited the lab leaving Barbie to shake his head and laugh to himself. He couldn't wait to tell Julia. Sharing his day with her and the events therein, no matter how inconsequential, had become one of his favorite things. She always listened intently, offered suggestions, advice or just a touch to comfort him. As he walked down the empty hallways, his steps hastened, his mind going over what he would say to her, hoping she would talk to Norrie about this as well. She always knew what to say. He already pictured her waiting for him, her eyes lighting up as he entered the room, a soft smile on her lips welcoming him. He almost heard her words... "How was your day, honey?"