The Soldier and The Thief

"Let's go to the pond!" Lillian shouted and grabbed Tyrel's hand, pulling him with her as she ran, the other kids piling out of the house behind them, all shouting with joy.

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Audrey smiled lightly and moved her hair over to one of her shoulders. "I used to live a few towns over, but moved to the nearby town just this year." Channing smiled at her and sat down in the grass, patting the spot beside him, where Audrey slowly sat down, unaware of the kids and young man that were running for the pond.

"Oh really? I've never seen you around there before," at that she let out a small laugh.

"You said that already," she noted.

"Ah, so I did. Oh well, so where do you live?"

"Around the town. I'm never in a single place." The man, Channing suddenly carressed the side or Audrey's face, and, as surprised as she was, she didn't push his hand away.

"Forgive me for saying this so suddenly, but you are gorgeous." Audrey blushed deeply, lowering her head to hide it. Channing lifted her chin up with his finger and an alluring grin. "You know, that blush only makes you more beautiful. Audrey was so intranced by his words, and smooth voice to even realized the close proximity of their faces.

Tyrel saw Red sitting with another guy, his hand on her face and their faces close. She wasn't fighting it either.

"What's wrong, daddy?" She asked.

"Nothin, let's play in the pond." He said as he got drug to the lake. Red looked at them, but he didn't look at her. It hurt to bad.

Audrey pulled away from Channing with a nervous laugh. "I'm sorry, but my family's here and I couldn't possibly let them see me in this situation, especially with a man I just met. Again, I'm sorry," she stood and hurried over the kids, hoping nobody saw her.

"I saw you," Haley sung in her ear, making her jump.

"It wasn't what you think." Audrey snapped.

"Well, it sure looked like it, and I'm pret-ty sure Papa saw you." Audrey stared at her in disbelief.

"You're calling him that too?!"

"Why not? I mean he is taking the role of our father, is he not?"

"Well... I... I don't know! I don't know anything anymore!" She flung herself backwards into the grass and covered her face. She could still feel Channing's icey blue stare on her.

"Well, if I were you I'd apologize to Papa," Haley pointed to Tyrel who was walking up from the pond, soaked.

Audry stood up quickly and pulled him aside, her head down. "Tyrel... what you saw isn't what you might've thought..."

"Doesn't matter one way or the other." He replied crossing his arms. "I got no claim to you, or these kids. You can do whatever you want."

"But..." She started.

"I've seen the way you glare at me. I know the only reason I'm here is cause of Lilly, don't try and deny the fact that you hate my guts, I can tell by the way you look at me sometimes. You know, it hurts too. Wish you wouldn't glare." he turned and walked off. Wish you'd feel the same botu me that I do you too. He thoguth to himself.

**I think I'm going to make her as dense as Layton, but not too much that she doesn't realize her feelings**

Audrey ran a hand through her hair and took a deep breath. "Ouch... tha-" She cut Haley off with a glare and plopped down in the sun. "He's kinda right though Mom. You do glare an awful lot." Haley noted, making Audrey groan. She knew that she glared a lot at Tyrel, but in all truth it was to hide her damned feelings, the feelings that she'd lived without for a year and brought her pain and happiness at the same time.

"Well, Haley, it's hard okay? I mean, is he still my enemy, my acquaintance, ormy friend? He said it hurts... What hurts?! Oh my god!" Audrey burried her face in her arms and groaned loudly.

"Ah, I'd love to help you, but Mr. Charming's on his way over... so I'll let you deal with that." Audrey looked up and sure enough Channing, and his three friends were making their way over. Worried that something might happen to her kids, Audrey stood up quickly and walked over, scratching the back of her head.

"Hey, Red... Wow you have a lot of brothers and sisters," he laughed loudly.

Audrey laughed, her voice a bit nervous, "Eh... they're my kids."

"Huh?! But y-you only look maybe eighteen and that girl over there has got to be at least thirteen," he pointed to Haley.

"Actually... I'm seventeen, and she is thirteen. They're not mine by blood, I adopted them you could say." At that Channing seemed to breathe out in relief.

"Ah, I see I've touched another man's woman. Please," he bowed, "forgive me." When he came up, he pointed at Tyrel, who was shooting glances their way.

"I am not his woman!" Audrey hissed harshly. Nobody held a claim on her, besides Tyrel had said so a moment ago.

"Ah, then what is he to you?"

She bit her lip and lowered her eyes. "He's... an acquaintance," she finally sighed. After all, it was true wasn't it? Even with her feelings for him they were still only acquaintances.

Tyrel heard her words and clenched his fists, he was right, she didn't care. Wouldn't care, and probably shouldn't care about him.

"What's wrong, Papa?" Lilly asked running over and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Nothing, Lil, what are you doing?" he asked as he tucked some of her beautiful black hair behind her ear.

"Playin in the mud, can you come play in the mud too?" She asked as she held up a handful of mud that was probably behind his neck.

"Sure, let's go play in the mud." He said glaning at Audrey again. It hurt, seeing that guy so close to her. Eyeing her like he did.


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Channing smiled at the girl and wanted to touch her face again. "It's very nice of you to take in theses kids."

"I love them all." She replied.

"That's always a good thing." He eyed the guy from before and then back at her. "Who is he?"

Audrey smiled lightly. "Tyrel Grayson," at her words a odd look crossed Channing's features, like he'd just discovered something amazing.

"General Grayson's son from Vada? Wow, he's pretty far from home don't you think?" Channing smiled down at her. Even though he was good looking, kind, and made her blush she just didn't seem to feel the same way for him that she had when she first met Tyrel.

"Momma! Bentley threw mud in my face!" Addison ran over to Audrey, latching onto her leg, and began to sob as she tried to wipe the mud off. Audrey smiled down at her daughter warmly and glanced back at Channing.

"I've got things to attend to as you can see," she laughed lightly, "I'll see you around, maybe." With that she led Addison over to the pond and washed the mud off her face, wiping the water off with the sleeve of her shirt.

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

Haley looked over where Channing supposively was smiling goofily. He looked over at her, his smile instantly fading. Stay away from my mum. Haley growled mentally at him as she tied the cloth around her eyes tighter.

Tyrel saw Channing step back in surprise at something and he looked at Hayley.

"Daddy, can we go ride your horsey?" Lillian asked.

"Sure." He picked her up and cradled her against his chest. "We'll be back soon." He called to Audrey.

"Where are you going?" Audrey asked.

"For a ride." He replied walking ot his horse and mounting up. Lillian held the saddle horn and smiled up at him.

"LEt's go fast!" Lilly cheered smiling.

Audrey smiled lightly as Addison ran back over to the mud, jumping into and rolling around. Audrey laughed and turned back to the pond, tossing a few pebbles into it. She felt a presence nearing and turned her head slightly, her eyes catching on Channing. This, of course made her laugh and shake her head. "You just don't know when to leave a person alone do you?" She turned back to the pond as he took a seat next to her.

"Not when said person is as beautiful as you," Audrey laughed and shook her head.

"I'm not best pick of the litter if you haven't figured that out," she smiled.

"I beg to differ." Channing grabbed her chin roughly and pressed his lips onto hers, wrapping on arm around her waist so she couldn't get away.

Audrey smiled lightly as Addison ran back over to the mud, jumping into and rolling around. Audrey laughed and turned back to the pond, tossing a few pebbles into it. She felt a presence nearing and turned her head slightly, her eyes catching on Channing. This, of course made her laugh and shake her head. "You just don't know when to leave a person alone do you?" She turned back to the pond as he took a seat next to her.

"Not when said person is as beautiful as you," Audrey laughed and shook her head.

"I'm not best pick of the litter if you haven't figured that out," she smiled.

"I beg to differ." Channing grabbed her chin roughly and pressed his lips onto hers, wrapping on arm around her waist so she couldn't get away.

Tyrel rode around the area then turned around to check on the others. He stopped his horse in the clearing right next to the pond. Channing pulled Audrey to him, kissing her. He felt like he'd been stabbed.

"Hey, Lilly?" He asked gruffly.

"Ya, Papa?" Lilly asked.

"Wanna go for a trip?" He asked.

"Please!" She cheered. "I don't need to get anything, I don't have anything. Can we go now?"

"Sure. Let's go." He turned the horse around and took off at a full gallop.

Audrey pushed away from him, her body coarsing with anger and stood up quickly, her eyes narrowed. "Don't ever touch me like that again! I hardly know you and you just kiss me out of nowhere! You, man, are repulsive!" She turned back towards her kids just in time to see Tyrel's horse disappearing into the forest. Maybe he didn't see... She thought to herself. Suddenly Channing let out a shout of surprise and Audrey turned towards him, only to see Haley straddling his chest with her arm pressed against his throat.

"I told you to stay away from her? Did I not?" Haley growled, her cloth around her eyes falling off. She lowered her head to where her mouth was right next to his ear. "I can see your death. How beautiful it is. Full of torture and pain." She spat. "I can also see through your little act. If you hurt anyone out of my family, including my Momma and Papa I'll personally make sure your death comes true." She whispered so Audrey, who had been trying to pull her off, couldn't hear but Channing could. With a sadistic smile she stood and tied her cloth back around her eyes, following Audrey back over to the kids, who were almsot all covered in mud except the few older ones.

"Take a dip in the pond once more and we'll head home. When we get there change and give me you clothes." They cheered and began to run back to the pond.

Tyrel ran the horse for a while then they wlaked again. Lilly cried when he stopped it.

"I wanna keep goin gfast." She said looking up at him.

"We can't. If we keep going fast we'll wear him out." he replied. "It's like eyou can't run forever either."

"Oh, um....papa?"

"Ya?" He asked.

"I'm hunwry." He nodded and they rode to the closest town. "DO I need to steal something?"

"No, hun, I have some money." He replied. They stopped in front of where there was some bread and meat being sold and he bought enough for a long trip. He packed it away on an extra horse he bought and hten put lilly in front of the travel packs.

"I get my own horse!" She cheered.

"You do." He smiled as he mounted up and then started riding again. He had enough money to take care of all the kids for the rest of their life. but to suggest such a thing ot Audrey would be rude, he didn't want her mad at him. She didn't want his help. He sighed, he wanted to help. he wanted to be around her. He had worked his butt off his whole life for his earnings and he wanted to use it to help the kids. They could have a farm, they could raise their own food, and be a real family, but Audrey wouldn't have it. HE knew she wouldn't.

**TIME SKIP!! -gets in time machine and zooms off-**

It had been four weeks. Four freaking weeks since Audrey had seen Tyrel and Lilian. She had only sat in her room, worried, while the kids fished for their food. She felt like a terrible mother, letting her daughter slip out of her grasp so easily and worrying so much that she forgot to steal for her other kids. All she had done was cry, so much that she couldn't cry anymore. Channing was still at the pond everytime they went, and it annoyed Audrey to her fullest. All she wanted was her daughter and... and Tyrel back.

"Momma! Where's Papa?! He's been gone far to long!" Addison stomped into Audrey's room, her arms crossed and her best angry face on. "Maybe we should go looking for him! What if something happened," this of course put Audrey in a state of paranoia. What if something had happened? Like a mauling! Or a bandit attack!

"Calm down Mom, nothing happened. Stop filling Mom's mind with foolishness Addy," Haley scolded as she walked in, Morgan and Hanna behind her.

"B-b-but wh-"

"Morgan... will you take Addy and make her some tea? She needs something to calm her down," Hanna smiled at her twin, who nodded and led the small girl into the main room, closing the door behind him.

"Let's cut to the chase Mom," Haley suddenly said, "We all miss Papa."

"Even Morgan and myself," Hanna piped up suddenly.

"Yeah, but, we have this problem," Haley continued, clearing her throat to go on.

"We have no idea where Papa is so we want you to go find him for us," Hanna interupted yet again, recieving a look from Haley, "What? You were going to say it anyway. Haley sighed and nodded.

"So Mom, will you? Please?"

All of the kids suddenly burst into the room. "Please?!" They all cried. Audrey held her hand up defensively and stood to her feet.

"Fine, fine. I'll go, but you all stay here! Do NOT go out alone." With that said Audrey slipped out of the tree hideout and ran towards town, where she stole a horse and galloped off quickly.

Tyrel laid out the bed mats again and Lillian laid down smiling at him. "Nighty, night, papa." Lilly yawned beore falling asleep.

"Night, Lilly." He said softly stroking her hair. He looekd up at the sky sighing as he thought about Audrey, that's all the thought abotu when he wasn't playing with Lillian. He laid on his back and Lilly curled close against his chest. He took a deep breath and looked up at the stars again.

"You miss mama. DOn't you?" Lilly said looking up from him.

"I thougth you were asleep." He said softly.

"I know." She smiled. "You miss her."

"Ya, honey, I do." He sighed.