This has no connection to any of my other stories.

Standard disclaimers apply. Don't own them, just borrowed, no profit. (The Hound)

Twelve year old Daniel Cooper watched his father dole out the food to the shabbily dressed man.

"Think you can handle this son?"

The boy nodded solemnly and accepted the ladle.

His father watched for a few moments as he carefully filled the next person's plate then the elder Cooper went to help Bonnie with the rolls.

"Look at the concentration on his face." She smiled at her only child.

"It's important he know the ministry is about giving. We'd better get these out there." He replied and left the kitchen with the freshly baked rolls.

Bonnie sighed and shook her head. Oh Cliff, he does give....so very much. She had knitted scarves, hats and mittens for the homeless and Daniel had cleaned out his closet bringing her old clothes and toys. They had had a long talk about why people were homeless and he had disappeared to his room, she presumed to play...until he came into her room with his arms full of the items. 'For the kids that are homeless,' he told her, bringing tears to her eyes. We have a wonderfully caring son Cliff.

"More rolls Mrs. Cooper."

"Coming up Jeannie." She smiled at the younger woman.

"You've done a good job young one, why don't you take a break and play with the other kids for a bit?" The older black cleric smiled.

Daniel hesitated, looking for his father for permission.

"Go on, I'll tell him I relieved you." The man smiled kindly.

The boy handed the ladle over and went to join the other children after thanking the reverend.

Cliff had insisted he wear a suit and tie and after a few of the kids made fun of him he took the jacket and tie off.

"Hey! For your jacket I bet I can make you speak Indian." Another boy said.

"How?" Daniel asked doubtfully.

"I just did!" The boy laughed, grabbed the jacket and ran away with the others.

Daniel was stunned, then realization set in that he had just lost his jacket....and his dad would be disappointed in him....again. He looked for the boy but couldn't see him.

"Get your things Daniel." Cliff called then went to speak to Reverend Trent.

Daniel picked up his tie and walked over slowly, eyes downcast.

"Hi honey....where's your jacket?" Bonnie asked.

"I...."

"Your mother asked you a question." Cliff said joining them.

"Well...um...." Daniel hemmed and hawed.

"You left this over there."

Daniel looked up to see his jacket...being held by a lanky, long-haired boy.

"Smart to take it off so it wouldn't get dirty."

"Manners Daniel." Cliff prompted.

"Thank you." Daniel answered accepting the jacket and looking at him closer.

"No worries." The boy shrugged and walked away.

Daniel was silent on the short drive home, his thoughts were on the boy with the funny accent.....and how he'd gotten his jacket back for him. He went right to his room, changed and climbed into bed with his favorite book.

"Night sweetheart." Bonnie kissed him.

"Night."

She paused at the door and studied him.

"Are you all right? You were very quiet on the way home."

Daniel could never lie to his mother so he told her what had happened.

"Why did he get my jacket back mom?"

"Maybe he thought it was wrong, what the other boy did."

"Could I go back tomorrow and talk to him?"

"I need to speak to a couple of the women anyway." She smiled at him. "Lights out at 10:30." She added and left him to read.

Daniel hurried over to Reverend Trent when they arrived at the shelter the next morning.

"Hello Daniel, Merry Christmas Eve."

"Hi! There was a boy here, older than me I think...he had a funny accent."

"About so tall, long brown hair?"

"Yeah!"

"Well now, let me see...the only boy I know of that fits that description, accent and all, is....Rollie."

"Do you know where he lives?"

"In a trailer with his dad, could be parked just about anywhere."

"Oh."

"Rollie does chores for me from time to time....due this afternoon as a matter of fact."

"Can I help?" He asked eagerly.

"Well, if your mom says okay-----"

"Mom!" He ran off to the minister's amusement.

The lanky teenager pulled the door of the church open and stepped inside. A bemused smile graced his face. Dad would be aghast to know I'm helping here.

"Hi!" Daniel grinned up at him.

"G'day." He looked over at the boy who he recognized from the previous night.

"I'm going to help you today."

"Suit yourself mate." Rollie shrugged and started up the aisle.

Daniel hurried after him, stopping to genuflect at the altar, then followed him to the cleaning closet.

"I'm Daniel." He said taking the dustpan thrust at him.

"Rollie." He replied and pulled out the broom.

"Thanks for getting my coat back----"

"Figured you didn't deserve a wallop from your oldies."

"Oldies?"

"Parents."

"You talk funny."

"Where I'm from they'd say the same about you."

"Where are you from?"

"Australia."

"Where's that?"

"A long way from here." Rollie sighed and nudged him out of the way.

"You travel a lot huh? We travel a lot too. This is the fifth parish in three years. My mom tries to make it a game though. I could teach you and you and your mom could play too." Daniel offered.

"My mum's dead." Rollie said and began sweeping.

Daniel looked at him, not sure what to say.

They worked in silence for a while until Daniel spoke again.

"Wanna come to my house after we're done?"

"Don't think so."

"Why not?"

"You're just a kid."

"Yeah and you're a grown-up." Daniel rolled his eyes.

"More than you!"

Daniel dropped the dustpan and started for the door.

"Where ya goin'?"

"I'm just a kid remember!"

"I'll come to your house if ya want, okay?"

Daniel stopped and eyed him.

"We gotta finish here first."

Daniel slowly came back and picked up the dustpan hiding a smile.

"Tell me about Australia." He requested as they worked.

"Hi mom. This is Rollie." Daniel introduced as they entered the back door into the kitchen.

"G'day ma'am."

"Hello." She smiled at the taller boy.

"Can we go to my room?"

"Just keep it quiet, your father is on the phone."

Daniel nodded, thinking nothing was new about that, and led the older boy to his room.

"Ya got a lot of books."

"I like to read." Daniel shrugged.

"What's your favorite?" Rollie asked looking them over.

"This one." Daniel smiled pulling one out.

" 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'. I heard of this one." He nodded and flipped through it.

"Wanna play a game?"

"What do ya got?" He asked reading the book.

Bonnie knocked on the door and waited for Daniel to open it.

"Thought you boys might like some cookies and milk." She smiled bringing them inside.

"Thanks mom."

"What time do your parents need you to be home?"

Rollie shrugged. Dingo wouldn't be there anyway.

"You're welcome to join us for dinner if they say it's alright."

"Thanks, but I can't."

"All right." She nodded, careful not to discomfort the boy more than he already was.

She left them to play together, admittedly curious about this new boy, when Cliff called her into their room.

"You can take some cookies for later if you want."

"Thanks, they're really good." Rollie grinned as he wolfed another down.

"My mom makes great cookies." Daniel agreed eating one himself.

"My mum made pav."

"What's that?"

"This really great dessert...." Rollie smiled getting a far-away look.

"Why did you come to America?"

Rollie picked up the milk and drank it.

"You can tell me, I won't tell anybody else, I promise."

"We gonna play that game or what?" Rollie asked finishing his drink.

"You play chess?" Daniel asked deciding to give up on the personal questions for now.

"Yeah, I'm the world champion, can't you tell?" Rollie snorted.

"Guess that's a no. How about checkers?"

"Bring 'em on." The Aussie replied tossing his coat onto the bed.

Daniel sat down to dinner after Rollie left, happy for having a new friend.

"Honey...your father got a call today...."

"We're moving again, aren't we?" Daniel looked at his plate with a frown.

"To Florida." Cliff smiled.

"When?"

"The 26th."

"The day after Christmas?!?" His head shot up.

"Yes honey." Bonnie answered gently.

"It's a good opportunity for the ministry." Cliff said pleased, he was really getting noticed now.

"May I be excused?" Daniel asked softly.

"You haven't touched your dinner." Cliff frowned.

"I'm not hungry."

"I hope you're not coming down with something." Cliff's frown deepened.

"You can leave honey." Bonnie nodded and Daniel hurried from the kitchen. "All these moves have been hard on him Cliff."

"I'm doing this for all of us. I want Daniel to have a legacy."

"I know." She sighed, poking at her own dinner.

"I'm one step closer to it all Bonnie."

She nodded and they ate in silence.

Daniel laid on his bed full of distress. He had just made a new friend and now they were leaving. His eyes fell onto the bookshelf and he walked over and pulled Twain's book down.

Daniel celebrated Christmas day at the church in the morning then opening gifts and having lunch. His father retired to the bedroom after lunch to make calls to Florida while his mother began the task of packing what they would take along. Daniel snuck out the back door bundled up against the cold afternoon of New York and rode his bicycle to the church.

"Daniel? It's late for you to be out." Reverend Trent said upon seeing him.

"We're leaving tomorrow and I wanted to know if you could do me a favor?"

"If I can."

"Would you give this to Rollie?" He asked handing the wrapped gift over.

"I'll make sure he gets it."

"Thanks,I'd better go." Daniel said relieved and rode off.

The cleric watched him with a soft smile and closed the door.

"Earth to Daniel."

He looked over at Alex and smiled.

"You seemed a million miles away." She smiled back.

"Just remembering another Christmas."

"A good one?"

"Bittersweet."

"Merry Christmas!" Molly called hurrying over and hugging her best friend Alex.

Merry Christmas Rollie....wherever you are, Daniel thought putting the book Dylan had received on the bar, just in time to get a hug from Kevin, which made him chuckle.

Across the country, in an old converted brewery, Rollie Tyler dug through his trunk of mementoes once Angie had gone to visit some college friends after they'd opened gifts and had lunch together. He removed the item he'd come searching for with care and gently opened the cover of the twenty year old gift.

'Rollie,
I hope you enjoy this book as much as I have. Merry Christmas.
Your friend,
Daniel'

Rollie felt tears prick his eyes, as he had every year he took the tome out, and thought how he never got to say good-bye to his first true friend in America.

"Happy Christmas Daniel, wherever you are." He smiled, brushed the tears away and began to read about 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'.