Dad promised we'd be here until our birthdays, mine in early June and Dakota's in early July. Unfortunately it's mid May and Colonel gave us some news Dakota and I weren't very happy with, we're leaving for Louisville, Kentucky in a week.

Dad is excited to be back in his home state and only 3 and half hours from his home town. I hate that we have to leave Texas. I never wanted to stay on a single base so bad since Hawaii, but this time for different reason. I want to stay with Red and in less than a month I'll be 18 and could stay with him, but then I'd have to leave Dakota.

We started packing our backpacks of the basic things for carry on.

"Hey Dakota, what if I talk to Dad bout you comin with me when I turn 18. Give you a solid home instead of moving constantly," I asked in our room.

"Dad won't go for it," they sulked.

"He might. We won't know till we ask. And it's only if you want to."

"Would Red be with us?"

"Why do you hate Red so much?"

They were quiet for a moment then burst into tears, "I've only ever had you, Blair. Sure mom calls me and Dad tries when he's not to busy but you're the one who took time to learn how to take care of my curly hair, order my food when I'm to scared, read to me when I was little, helped me with homework. You're my sister and I'm scared that now that you're gonna be 18 that you're gonna leave me and forget about me and a boy is only gonna take you away from me more." I hugged them and wiped their tears away.

"Kota, I love you more than anyone, I'd never forget you... if you don't want him with us then it will stay the two of us." I hoped I sounded genuine but I wasn't sure, I hated the idea of being without him but no boy means more to me than Dakota.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Ok, we'll talk to Dad" they grinned.

We talked to Dad that night and surprisingly he agreed we needed stability in our lives. He signed me as Dakota's legal guardian. He gave me access to a bank account that he started when he got custody of me to buy some property in Colorado, with the condition we call him regularly to see how we were doing. He said Dakota would get their account once they turned 18.

Dakota and I moved to Colorado and I got a job as a Ranch hand for a rancher who lived next to us. Dakota and I decorated the house in all my pictures and Dakota's drawings we collected over the years, and before we left Red sent me a vine of black bleeding hearts that I kept in my new room.

I had one picture I kept to myself: the one of me and Red. As much as I wanted to forget him I never could.

Dakota soon realized this and decided that they could live with sharing me. I called Red and he soon drove from Texas to Colorado every weekend to see me. Surprisingly Dakota warmed up to him quick and it was as if we were all a happy family.