~~Coming Home~~

DISCLAIMER: Not ours

SUMMARY: When the O'Connell family moves to Connecticut to get away from WWII, all is brought with them, except for a few of the most important family members.

NOTE: This is a joint fanfic between Evie of the Nile and Eviefan.

Amunet

In an instant they were gone. We could feel the stress in the air, every morning when we headed out to the field for the day, she would pause and watch us. I sometimes tried to comfort her, but it was hard, I didn't know what she wanted of me, and I don't think she knew what I was trying to do.

I had known Evelyn for a long time now, I knew Mr. and Mrs. Caranhan as well, I k now they're gone, she would come down to me and weep for hours almost everyday since they passed for weeks. She told me what had happened. But I didn't really listen, I just tried my best to be there. Echidna who belongs to her brother has been here for a long time too, but not as long as I, I have been here since their parents' horses. They've been gone for a long time, just before Mr. And Mrs. Carnahan passed away, Belle and Sennia had.

Now there are four of us, there is I, known to the humankind as Amunet, Seti who belongs to the boy, Alex, Barney who belongs to Evelyn's love, Rick and Echidna who belongs to Evelyn's brother, Jonathan.

As I was saying before, they left us. And it broke my heart. I don't know what drove my only real family away, but I haven't seen them since the fateful night four months ago. I remember it clearly, but not as clearly as I'd liked to remember it. If only I had known .

They came down as a family, dressed in their best, bundled up. The husband, Evelyn , the brother, Alex and the three little girls.

"Be quick please." Jonathan looked at his sleeve nothing the time. "The taxi will be here in a few minutes." He walked up to the stable where Echidna was and patted his faithful steed on the side of the neck, "You're a good horse, I'll see you later, we'll go catch a fox." With that he told the family he was going to wait out front and left the barn. He was the first to go and that hurt Echidna.

Evelyn put Rebecca down on the ground and entered Amunet's stable, to which, her horse came to her and nuzzled her coat. "No, baby, I have no treats for you, this is my good coat." She said in a quiet tone.

"Mama?" She heard from behind her, she turned around and saw Louisa standing in the doorway. "Can I see Amulet?" Evelyn picked Louisa up and let her sit on the horse. Louisa bent over and hugged the horses soft mane and neck. "G'bye Amulet." She said, then sat back up.

Rick went to Barney's stable and patted him on the neck in the same manner as Jonathan had, only he stayed for a longer time and gave his horse and nice rub down.

Alex entered Seti's stable, he was holding the bottom of his long jacket up, and Seti knew what was inside the folds of material. He patiently waited as the boy grabbed out a handful of the cut up apple pieces and fed them to Seti. Then Alex let Seti lick off his coat. Alex hugged Seti, said goodbye and left.

As did the rest of the family.

Amunet

I haven't seen her since. Now a man known as Sam takes care of us, I think he feels pity for us, he comes everyday and lets us in and out. Sometimes he gives us extra hay and lets us stay outside all night. Those days he doesn't come back for a few nights.

Other times he has his wife come to take care of us, she's very sweet, and I think that Echidna especially likes her, I mean, he loves Jonathan as well, but Jonathan doesn't give her the emotional attention as does Alex Rick and Evelyn to us.

Today it has been cloudy, not an active day. As does usually happen as I have mentioned, since it's warm out, we were left with extra hay and spent last night outside.

This morning we just stayed at our own ends of the field and grazed. I looked out for Seti, who was the most daring and least likely to stay out of trouble… but today he was fine, he just ate and didn't find mischief. Echidna was in a corner with her head over the rail of the fence staring at the house, I think this has been hardest on her, she was a real people horse, and she always has high expectations when she sees someone round the corner from the side of the house.

Barney reflects the master, Rick's emotions. He holds his head high and doesn't let much bother him. He looks out for us, and right now he stood in the middle of our field just looking about.

Seti

I didn't feel like looking for adventure today, Alex had always told me to find adventure to make life liveable, but since he left I really haven't felt like 'living' to the fullest extent lately.

I should have known that he was spoiling me with the apples only because he was leaving. I'm so mad at him right now! How could he? He didn't even spend that much time with me, I saw that he was upset, but he wasn't *that* upset.

I can hear Echidna nickering and stomping around at the fence. This probably means that the people are back to bring us into the barn, or throw us some more hay. Normally this wouldn't bother me, but the fact Amunet just ran past me and Barney is neighing, leaves me a little frightened. What's going on?

Echidna

I've been waiting for someone to come keep me company, anyone. But no one ever comes, and when they do, they don't stay long. Basically we just stay in the field, or the barn. I haven't been out on the trails for months now!

I usually stay by the fence waiting for someone to come. Now as I wait here on a cloudy mid-day I see the man Sam come around, and I get a little excited. With my normal determined nickering.

I would have only kept this up until Sam got here, but what I saw afterward shocked and surprised me. He turned backward, and started waving someone (or something) over. And what I saw next was a large metal vehicle. I knew what it was from my life in the beginning, it's called a trailer.

I looked back and saw Barney take notice of the beastly thing, he started to call out a warning to the trespassers. Then I saw Amunet come running over, she started to prance up and down the fence length. I think our biggest fears were A: who are these people? And B: are we going to be separated? I think Seti was the most frightened, the only time he was ever tailored was when he was very very young and I don't think he remembered. So I went over to comfort him.

Amunet

I heard Barney's call of distress and warning, and turned to see what was happening. It was Sam, the feeder, but the trailer was not his. At least, he's never brought it before. And what was he doing backing it onto our property?

I totally despise those forms of transportation, I think they are in humane, but who am I to say? I just get pushed onto one being lead by a carrot.

But alas, I knew when they came in with the beast, they were coming for us, I ran over to the fence to watch, and try to ward them off by running the length of the fence (old habit) Barney came up to me and lowered his head to mine for a brief moment.

"They're here for us, aren't they?" He asked. I just gave him a look and nodded as Sam came to the gate.

"Hello all, I have a special surprise for you, you're going for a ride." He said in a cheery voice, to my disgust.

(As any reader could guess, my pessimism has gotten the best of me in the last few months.)

I saw he hat halters and lead shanks hidden behind his back, but at this point I didn't care, I just wanted to get whatever was happening over with.

Seti

When Barney, Amunet, and Echidna walked up to him, I figured I would too. Sam had our stuff and he put Amunet's halter on first, to this I didn't like, and I wanted to run away, but I came closer because the grown ups were, and I felt safe with them.

After barney and Echidna got their halters on, Sam walked up to me, slowly. He patted my nose and talked to me about staying still and not moving. Then he carefully tossed the rope over my neck. This surprised me and I stepped away, but he talked some more, pulling me back over to him, slowly.

When I stood still beside him, he put the halter over my ears, and then on my nose. I don't really like it how he does it. He's not like Alex, Alex will pull the hair out from under the bands, and I like that, because now with my hair all tangely, it's poking my ears and is very ticklish and itchy.

Once he had all our halters on he called over some guys who got out of the truck that was pulling the trailer. They walked over with their own ropes, Sam latched his rope to my halter and stood with me, as the three men got a hold of Barney Echidna and Amunet, now they were leading them out the gate.

Sam waited, though, he waited with me until the men were done doing what they were doing with the other three. I started to get upset because I was afraid they were going to leave without me! But as soon as Echidna got in last, Sam started to walk forward. I got anxious and tried to trot, but he wouldn't let me, he shushed me and told me to calm down.

Then when I did slow down, he took me to the trailer. I saw barney and Amunet up in the very front, they were beside each other. And then Echidna was off to the side in the back, Sam lead me to beside Echidna, I was happy that we were standing together.

Barney

We were all startled when the bid metal door behind Echidna and Seti was slammed shut, you'd think they would be a little gentler around young horses (I leave Echidna in this category)

Then men shouted to each other, and laughed, then they all piled into the truck ahead of us and took off, pulling us in front of them. There were bared windows in front of us so we were able to see the path ahead of us, and what the men were doing in the truck, let's just say they weren't the most humane people I've ever met.

"Where do you suppose we're off to?" I asked Amunet in a low voice as not to let the others hear.

"I have not the slightest." She whispered back, "At this point, I really could care less." She turned away and looked out the window.

She's lost her spirit, I've noticed this ever since Evelyn's leave, well, we all have, Echidna is very upset not to have companionship, and she shows this, but Amunet is keeping her sorrow bottled up. Which is not good. I was shocked at what I did next, and I think I was hesitant, both for the reasons of not wanting to upset her, but there was also the dangers of getting hit really hard on the head by the partition if she didn't take kindly to it, but I did it anyway. I lifted my head over to her, and I rest it on her neck, nickering softly.

I think she did take kindly to my actions, for she didn't move, she just sighed and stared out the window. I noticed that Echidna and Seti behind us stopped making noise and either were watching, or calmed down. And so for just a moment, there was peace.

Echidna

When the trailer stopped, we were in a busy place. I saw other horses being pulled around by their humans, and some unfortunate souls pulling the large wooden things. I heard the men getting gout of the truck in front of us, and they came over to our trailer. They opened the big metal thing behind me and Seti, and pulled us out backward.

Barney and Amunet came out easily, and the men all held us together. I heard loud tooting noises, and they scared me, I tried to run away a couple times, but the man wouldn't let me he held me still.

Finally after a couple minutes of confusion, the men started to lead us up to these giant boats. We were on a huge dock, and there were these big boats, they had large ramps, too. So the men pulled us up the ramps onto the boats. Then we were brought to our own stables.

After we were settled in our stables, the men left us. We were all lined up, it was me, Seti, Amunet and then Barney. There were some other horses across from us, but we didn't talk to them.

~~~~~~

For almost a month now, Evelyn had guessed her husband was up to something, but he wouldn't tell her what, and she had tried everything to get him to talk.

Tonight she had dropped Alex and the girls off to stay with Genevieve and Edward. Once she had returned home she had made a romantic dinner for two. She had used her mother's Recipe for Fetticini, and had gotten a loaf of fresh french bread, and had put a liberal amount of garlic butter on it. Now it was in the oven heating slowly, and the smell coming from the kitchen was enough to make a person's mouth water.

While she finished up the finer details, outside Rick had arrived home from the city getting a few supplies he had needed for when the horses arrrived. For now he was going to leave them in the back of his car, and then when Evelyn went to bed he would take them out to the barn. He didn't know how he had managed to keep his surprise a secret and more than once she had tried to persuade him to tell.

As he stepped into the house his nose smelled the tantalizing smells coming from within the kitchen and he closed his eyes knowing that yet again his wife was going to try and pry out of him what he was spending his days doing.

Resigned to the fact that he would be tempted yet again this night, Rick walked down the hall and into the kitchen where he found Evelyn standing at the stove in only her peach silk robe. He smiled and walked behind her placing his arm around her waiste and pulling her against him. "Hmm that smells good," he said as he kissed her neck.

Evie nearly dropped the spoon with which she was stirring the sause with. "What smells good, me or the food," she asked as she tilted her head to the right givng him better access to her neck.

Rick needed no other encouragement. He brushed her neck with just his lips then trailed his way up to her ear. When he lightly bit down on her earlobe, she dropped the spoon into the sauce, and then turned it off, realizing that dinner was going to be postponed.

~*~

Almost an hour later, on the hardwood floor of the kitchen Rick sat with his back against the cabnets above the sink holding Evelyn in his arms. HIs cloths were gone as were her's and neither of them seemed to notice.

"Rick?" Evie asked as she rubbed her cheek against his chest. She was sitting on his lap sideways completely comfortable.

"YEah," he asked as he leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

"WHy won't you tell me what you have been doing going into the city almost everyday this week?" she asked.

He held her closer. "Because what I'm doing has to due with your birthday present, and because every birthday before this one, you have always managed to get me to tell you what I'm planning. Well this time I'm going to make you wait," he said.

Evelyn started to move away from him, pretending to be angry with him but Rick knew better and he held her close. When she looked up at him to yell at him, he lowered his head and kissed her, making her forget everything but his lips upon hers and his hands roaming over her soft slender form.

~~~~~~

Amunet

On the Third moon of out 'journey' on this boat, we started to run into trouble.

As I was trying to comfort Seti, who had been getting nervous of late, we were spoken to by one of the other horses across the way. "Will he ever shut up!?" One of the elder mares asked in quite a rude tone.

Seti was whimpering as I was trying to shush him comfortingly. "I'm trying the best I can, now if you'll mind your own business and please be understanding…" I forgot them and started to comfort Seti some more, but one of the stupid males had to pipe his two cents into the matter.

"He's better left as glue!" The gelding snorted.

"Here here!" Another chimed in.

"Quiet! All of you!" Barney surprisingly countered.

"What do they mean?" Seti asked innocently.

"Nothing dear, ignore them." I tried, but the brutes wound's lay off.

"It means the humans are going to come and grind your bones and feet for glue!" One of the more outspoken of the bunch explained.

I saw the terror and shock in poor Seti's face and promptly tried to right the wrong. "He doesn't mean it." I whispered, but by then it was too late, he wasn't calming down and started to pace his stable shaking.

"Look what you did!" Barney all but shouted. "Don't listen to them, Seti, they don't know what they're talking about." He growled, which is much more fierce then his bellow, believe me. This left the bunch across from us silent, I didn't see, but I think it was his sneering glare that caught their tongues, quite frankly, I'm glad I missed it.

Echidna

I heard the whole thing the other night, and ever since, Seti's been on the edge, every time the man comes to feed, he's in the furthest corner of his stable trying to get away. Poor boy, I really missed talking to him for the next couple days, despite al of our best efforts to comfort him, nothing worked.

Finally on the afternoon of only Amunet knows how many suns and moons into the journey did I feel the boat come to a stop. There was much excitement, and if I'm not mistaken, I do believe that some of the other horses were glad to get away from us, particularly Barney.

After a few minutes a man walked up to us, followed by some others. They weren't Sam and his friends, I haven't seen them since after they led us onto the boat, actually. I don't know what happened to them.

We were all let out of the stables, and lead off of the boat, down a ramp onto the dock. From there we were put back onto a trailer, is wasn't the same one. I had no idea where we were, I don't think any of us did. We all sat in silence for the whole journey, Barney once again put his head on Amunet's neck as she looked out the window, Seti nervously stood still and looked out into space and I just took in all the details.

When we stopped the men came out to the back and opened the metal thing, yet again. From there we were lead out backwards and found ourselves at the front of a large house.

Barney

It was Amunet who noticed it first. She sniffed the air and I saw a flame of hope light in her eyes. I looked at her amazed and found myself unable to take my eyes away until I was taken away from the trance by the man holding my lead beginning to drag me away.

We were brought to the back of the house, where in the distance, I saw a large structure that faintly resembled our barn back at home. The men brought us there and we were made at home inside the stables. Then they left us. We had plenty of food and water, but we didn't know what was going on.

~~~~~~

Rick was inside the house, having just put the girls down for their afternoon naps when someone knocked on the front door. He hurried out of his study and when he opened the door, the man there was one he had been expecting.

Thomas Moore had been hired, along with a few of his best men to bring the O'Connell horses to their home, and now the job was done. "They are safe in their stables. The younger horse, Seti seems to be fairly jumpy, you might want to have a look at him," he said.

Rick paid the man then went back inside, happy that the horses were finally home. He knew the girls would sleep for a while in his and Evelyn's bed, and after putting on his work boots, he headed out to the barn.

~*~

When he arrived at the stables he was whistling a song he always whistled when he went for a visit and when he entered he heard all of the whinny at him. He wanted to see Barney, but wanted to make sure Seti wasn't colicing. His stall was on the Right end of the barn, and when Rick arrived he found Alex's horse in the back of his stall.

"Hey there Seti," Rick said as he opened the door. He kept whistling and simply waited.

It took nearly five minutes but Seti finally waked up to him and put his head down letting Rick scratch between his ears.

"There we go, was that boat ride too much for you?" Rick asked as he continued to rub Seti's head and face. Once he was certain Seti was doing better, Rick walked to each of the horses stalls greeting them, then realized it was time to get going to get Alex from School.

~*~

When Evelyn stepped off the commuter train from the city, She found Rick waiting for her with a dozen red roses. She smiled and walked to him, and they kissed right in front of the rest of the passengers. When they parted he led her to his car and the drive home was relatively quiet. "Where are the children?" she asked as they pulled up to the house.

Rick parked in front of the house then got out. Without a word he helped her out of the car. "Go upstairs and put on something comfortable, for an evening walk, and you might want your boots," Rick said as he led her inside.

Her husband was still being mysterious and Evie ran upstairs hurrying to get dressed. She put on a black shirt and her black pants, then her good riding boots, wondering what he was up to. Was it possible he had gotten he another horse. She didn't want another horse. Evelyn trusted the man she loved and when she got downstairs she walked with him.

Rick led her through the field and up to the barn, not saying a word.

"Rick you didn't buy me a horse did you. I think that it would be sweet but I'm just not ready to simply love another horse the way I do Amunet," she said as he opened the door to the barn. Evie froze when she saw the first stall and who was in it.

Amunet

I thought I heard her voice! After seeing Rick, my hopes were lifted, and when I heard her after a couple hours of endless waiting (or so it seemed) I heard her talking!

I think she was just as surprised to see me as well, she screamed, and I whinnied and we both ran towards each other (momentarily forgetting about the dividing wall, unfortunately) She grabbed my neck and held me in place, I think she was crying, I felt her body shaking as she rubbed my neck and back with her arms. Then she turned to the man she loved and gave him a big kiss, and then she came into my stable and hugged me again.

Oh how I had missed her, I see she fared well, and I know she missed me too.

That night the whole family came down to our barn, Seti's boy, Echidna's man and the three little ones. Despite their random shrill calls, the night was very pleasant. Everyone was celebrating Evelyn for some reason, they shut off all the lights and lit fire and sang to her, and then she accidentally blew out the light, so they had to turn the lights back on. Then they all ate.

At the end of the night, Rick had to practically drag Evelyn out of the barn, but I knew I'd see her again. We were finally home, I hope we never have to be pulled away from the ones we love. I still don't know why, it's just the humans' they are slow creatures and very enigmatic, I don't think anyone will ever fully understand them.