The Soldier and The Thief

Tyrel looked at the girl.

"Pwease!" She begged.

"I don't think I should, hun." He said softly.

"YOu can't go again Papa!" The girl cried putting aa death grip on his neck. "You can't leave me!"

"I'll stay for a little while then." He said rubbing hte girls back and sending an apologetic smile to Audrey. She didn't look like she liked him stayin one bit.

Audrey sighed and gestured for them to follow her back to the picnic area, where Morgan and Hanna were cooking the food. She sat down next to a snickering Haley and prodded the white haired girl in the ribs, making her let out a loud laugh. "Everyone," all the kids looked at her, "Mister Soldier is going to be staying here a while as..." she stumbled over the next word, "your dad. However, do not get used to this!"

"You so want him Mom!" Haley snickered quietly.

"You better shut yer trap!" Audrey warned even lower.

"Momma and Papa sittin' in a tree!" Haley began and Audrey slapped a hand over her mouth, glaring.

"Shush!"

"K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" The rest of the group sung, contuing with the song. Audrey groaned and burried her head in her hands. Sometimes these kids were unbelievable.

Tyrel laughed and moved Lillian to his other hip.

"Come play dolls with me!" Lillian said slipping off his hip and pulling him away.

"Ok." he said following her. There were several dolls made out of dried grass. "What do I do?" he asked.

"Just play daddy." She smiled handing him a doll.

Audrey smiled lightly at the sight of Tyrel playing with Lillian, her heart going soft. "You so want him," both Hanna and Haley teased, soon screaming and running away from an angry Audrey, who was also being chased by all the kids other that Morgan, who was still cooking.

"Dogpile on Mom!" Before she knew it all the kids had piled on top of her, laughing loudly.

=--=--=--=--=--=

Once the picnic was over and all the kids were back in their beds, fast asleep Audrey boiled up a pot of herbal tea, handing a cup of it to Tyrel, who was still holding a sleeping Lillian. "Sorry about her and about all this that you got tangled up in." She looked down and took a small sip of her yea.

"Nothin to say sorry about. Lillian is the sweetest little girl ever." He said smiling down at Lillian. "There's nothing wrong with her, or what she's doin."

"You don't mind, you really don't?"She asked.

"No, I don't mind in the least. I'dve taken her with me too. She'd not have been a problem in the least."

Audrey had no idea what it was, or what caused her to do it, but she dropped her tea to the ground, the glass shattering, and leaned over towards Tyrel, latching her lips onto his. How she longed for this feeling over the passed year. She finally pulled away, breathing deeply as a dark crimson spread across her face. "Oh my god. I'm so sorry I don't know what I was thinking! I'm sorry! So, so, so sorry!"

Tyrel smiled and touched her cheek pulling her face back before she could fight and kissed her again.

"Well, I'm not sorry." he smiled at her standing up and carrying Lillian back to what he knew to be here room and her bed.

Audrey couldn't go to sleep that night, the fact that Tyrel was sleeping out on the hard ground with a single sheet. She stood and walked into the main room, poking Tyrel in the shoulder blade. "Hey, hey follow me." She whispered.

"What? Why?"

"Cause for some reason you out here all alone doesn't make me feel that your safe," she blushed at that, "Not that I care deeply about your safety, because I know you can defend yourself, but just to be sure you can sleep in my room."

"Then where will you sleep."

"In my room." Audrey answered, matter-of-factly.

"Red, come on, you can't be serious. That ain't a good idea at all." He said pulling the sheet around him tighter. "Don't you fret bout me, I'm perfectly fine."

"It'd make me feel better." She replied.

"No it wouldn't, Red. It'd be bad." He replied.

"Please." She said softly.

"Fine," He replied. He carreid the bedding into her room and then laid it on the floor layin godnw again. "Night."

Audrey tossed him her pillow and an extra blanket, whispering a quiet goodnight before acting like she was asleep. Once she heard his snoring she smiled lightly, but groaned due to the face she still couldn't get to sleep. She silently dragged him onto her bed and took his place on the floor, finally getting to sleep.

Tyrel woke up the next morning and growled whne he sat up. "I'm sleeping out there if I'm staying another night." he said getting up and walking out of the room.

"Daddy!" Lillian called running over. He laughed and picked her up smiling.

"Morning, angel." He smile.

Audrey laughed lightly as Haley interrogated her on what happened last night. "Like I said nothing," she laughed for the hundreth time.

"Lies! I heard a strange sound coming from in there."

"Yeah, it was him snoring." The raised her voice to a loud octave. "Because he snores so loud."

"Go talk to him."

"What?! Why?!"

"He seems angry at you do it now or I'll do it myself!" With a groan of annoyance Audrey walked over to Lillian, whispering something in her ear. She giggled and ran off while Audrey grabbed Tyrel's wrist and walked outside.

"Listen," she started, "about last night..."

"You shouldn't have switches spots with me. I still can't figure out how you did it though." he replied.

"I'm strong." She said.

"Maybe, but that doesn't matter, you shouldn't have done it. I'll be out in the living room if you will, and sorry bout my loud snoring." He msiled.

Audrey forced a smile and pivoted away from him. "I'm going to to pond. I'll be back in a bit." With that said she quicky walked off. The best thing about the pond was that nobody from the town came to it, for they believed it to be haunted. Once at the pond she shed her out clothing and dove into the water, coming up soon after before holding her breath and sinking down to the bottom. She watched in humor as a group fish kept swimming in a circle, never stopping. When she finally came up for air she heard voices.

"Channing, sir, what do you think of this?" A deep voice questioned, obiously male.

"Hank, but those clothes down! They could belong to the water demon!" A shrill voice called angrily.

"Oh, loosen up Darryl. There's no such thing as the water demon!" Yet another voice snapped.

"The hell there isn't Charles!"

"All of you stop!" A much more masculine voice commanded. This must've been the Channing they were talking about! Audrey climbed up the dock and held herself up with her arms, smiling nervously.

"Could I possibly... have my clothes back please?" The three men that stood at the end of the dork screamed like little girls and dropped Audrey's clothes, screaming something about a demon. Audrey took the clothes and quickly got dressed, making sure they saw nothing.

Once she was done putting her clothes on Audrey pulled herself up onto the dock with ease, her red hair hanging in wet ringlets. "Ah, sorry for giving you a fright," she laughed lightly, feeling a bit akward that the only one that wasn't hiding with staring so intently on her. "Any way... I should get going," she said quickly and started to walk down the dock.

Channing watched her go and he ran after her. "Wait up." He called stopping her. "Sorry bout that. I've never seen youa round before. I'm Channing." he smiled.

"Red." She repleid.

"Nice nic name." he smild at her.

"It's..."

"Where are you from?" He ssked with his charming smile.