With the snow emergency over and the college getting back to normal, rewards and congratulations are due to be handed out to those that deserve them. Unfortunately, however well meant, Jackson's comments to Nathan cut through him like a knife.
In the States, Nat and Bensinger squad are putting the finishing touches to their winter survival plans and getting ready for when the National Guard are mobilised to aid the local community. Back home in England, Craig decides the pheasants he's shot are ready to be cooked and so sets out to impress his mom with his culinary skills. There's a pheasant spare too, so perhaps Mandy would like it...
The snow begins to descend on college and as most of the cadets prepare for being trapped in the dorms, Sergeant Bower leads Bensinger squad out into the woodlands to try their hand at winter survival. They aren't meant to stay out overnight but as darkness falls they receive an unexpected visitor...
The New Year, and so a new semester, has begun at Allegheny College. Now in sole charge of Bensinger Squad, Nat has plans to push them further and the incoming bad weather could help him there. He makes an agreement with Jackson, then lets the guys in on his plan. Well, part of it...
Jack, in the closet, finds himself thrown into a fight for social change at his catholic school. His partner in this fight is the school's star athlete - the popular, good-looking (and obviously straight) Tyson. As they make their stand together, the two first become friends, then get even closer...
Boots' time in London with Shane is drawing to its close but, just hours before he says goodbye, a comment from Kyle stings Boots and makes him re-assess things. A decision is made...
It's New Year's Eve and Craig has plans for another day in London, eventually culminating in a trip to the Tower of London and then Trafalgar Square. First though, he has to get everyone there and that's easier said than done. Until, that is, Kyle's dad steps in and arranges things with the Secret Service...
It's time for Boots to meet Kyle and Shane's parents and so he dresses accordingly for dinner, much to the amusement of Kyle and Lee. He also has an envelope to give to Shane...
It's just before New Year and Craig is invited to spend a few days in London with Shane, Kyle and their family. Craig knows his way round London, having spent some time there when he was younger, and so soon organises a tour of attractions for them. The Mall, Horse Guards' Parade, London Bridge, The Tower of London, a trip to a pub...
It's Christmas Eve, the night when Nathan is expected to smile and play his cello dutifully at the Governor's Christmas Eve Concert but Nathan is more concerned with the package that arrived for him from England...
It's the last week of college before the Christmas holidays begin and Will is preparing to analyse the data from the survey cameras on Travis's plane. Needless to say, Craig has an input to that. Craig also goes shopping with Mandy for a few last minute Christmas presents and she spots something he absolutely has to have...
Nathan has several things on his 'To do' list: a. Form a golf club,
b. Drag Shane out of his comfort zone, c. Call Craig.. Two of them are straightforward...
In the US it's the Sunday after Thanksgiving and Craig's dad has accepted the invitation to play golf with Nathan and his father, Governor Bauer, at their country club. Jackson is there too, on a mission of his own. Several different agendas are in play, and all would benefit from some plain talking...
When Jackson spots Shane in the ante room and homes in on him, Shane's first thought is that he must have done something wrong. It turns out Jackson isn't an ogre though, and Shane & Nathan soon find their schemes growing wings. There's a visitors' dinner to host too after sports afternoon and Nathan finds he's been listed to sit on Jackson's table. Someone else though may have designs on Jackson.
It's Monday and Craig receives an unexpected visitor whilst he's working at the garage after school. He's just been volunteered for a task. Over in the States, the guys in the dorm are summoned to Weekly Orders by Nat, and he has bad news for them regarding their drill assessment...
It's Muster Sunday, the day the guys in the dorm go through their first test of Military Skills. Two reputations are riding on their performance: their own, and Craig's as a tutor. Unfortunately, someone is hell bent on ruining things for them...
It's early in the morning and something has woken Nathan up. Are Shane and Travis still asleep in their beds? It's rumoured they sometimes slip out of the dorm at night but he's never managed to catch them...
Later in the day it's time for the guys to go into town, where Noah makes an astute observation.
It's time for Craig to make that video call, to re-establish links with the guys in the dorm. But he hadn't counted on having Mandy gate-crash on the call... What will she think of his American friends? What will they think of her? More specifically, what will Nathan think?
Back at Allegheny Alcatraz, Nathan has news for the guys in the dorm: they are going to need to get their act together, and pretty fast too ! Can they rise to the challenge? And maybe Craig can reach out to them, re-establish the bonds that were broken so abruptly, help them...
Now back in the UK, Craig returns to school and has to face up to his friends. They are eager to know what really happened over in America and why he got sent home to England. On top of that, Nathan has been talking to his dad...
Things are quiet in the dorm, then the door rattles and bursts open, much to the annoyance of Cadet Sergeant Bauer. Who's making so much noise? And what have they brought him?
Back home in England, Craig is settling down to do his homework after school when his messenger pings. Somebody over in The New World wants to talk to him.
Sometimes the right decisions are the hardest to make. The most painful. Will Craig have what it takes to do the right thing, and this time for the right reason? His isn't the only future resting on it.
It was just after five-thirty as I gently closed Nathan’s bedroom door and crept down the corridor back towards my bedroom. As I turned around to close my bedroom door after me, a slight noise further down the corridor drew my attention. Jackson’s bedroom door had opened and he was standing in the corridor.
After the barbeque ends, Craig heads back up to the house for his usual Sunday evening video-call with his dad. Except, of course, this isn't the usual call. It's that call, and Nat wants a third item added to the agenda.
The afternoon was full of games and general good fun enjoyed by all the cadets but, as evening approached and we sat down for a meal, Mrs Bauer and Jackson started to ask a few seemingly innocent questions about Nathan and me.
When Craig and Nathan get back to the boathouse, the grills are sizzling and the guys from college have arrived, and not just the lads from the dorm: quite a few Cadet Officers have turned up too. After lunch is eaten, Will suggests Craig should demonstrate his skill with a shotgun.
Before the upcoming barbeque, Nathan takes Craig along the Allegheny River in a classic 1920's speedboat. After the adrenaline rush is over, Nathan drops anchor and asks an awkward question.
After staying overnight in Nathan's room, questions have to be answered when the bedside phone rings. Do I want breakfast in bed? And what are the plans for the remainder of the day ? Nat thinks it would be a good idea to invite Jackson and the other boxers over to a Sunday afternoon barbeque...
Nat’s standing there, looking at me. Those big sparkly amber - hazel eyes. I’ve forgotten what I was going to say. I don’t think I actually knew what I was going to say. Words didn’t come into it. Well, not my words anyway. But Elizabeth’s words were still ringing in my ears. ‘Punch him or kiss him’.