Chapter Four

"He's not going to be happy." Nick stared at Natasha as stood a few feet from the study where his brother spent the majority of his time. "Not after the way I was acting." He then confessed what he'd wanted to do after she'd fallen asleep and just who put the blanket on her. "I don't know that he'll believe that you came into the Billiard room. If anything, he'll figure I went upstairs after you." All right, so the fact was if he'd realized she'd come down from the upstairs he would have confronted her first. Though, that was beside the point.

Natasha, who had decided that stories she'd heard should have given Nick more credit than they did, didn't want to be the cause of Nick getting into trouble. "So," Natasha smiled as looked from Nick to the study door to Nick, "what would you do if I said I was just going to go in there without you?" She wasn't perturbed at seeing both surprise and anger appear in Nick's eyes. However, before he could answer, she was doing just that.

Jarrod, who was sitting behind his desk, jerked backwards as the door opened and Natasha entered with Nick bellowing at her as she did so. The fact that she could see him passed by Jarrod simply because Natasha did not act as if she could see him; no, she simply walked across the room and starting running her fingers across the books on the bookshelf. He might have said something only, just as he stood up, Nick's body caught up with his voice.

"She wasn't suppose to…" Nick started his sentence only to have Jarrod hold up his hand.

"She's in here now. Calm yourself and we can get those answers you were so eager to get last night." Jarrod said, only to feel his eyes opened as wide as possible and his jaw fall to the floor as Natasha pulled a book off the shelf, turned around and looked right at him.

"I already gave your brother answers to any questions he asked me; I just figured you might have more." Natasha dropped down into a chair that sat near the bookshelf and sat the book she'd taken off the shelf onto her lap. "And before you say anything," Natasha said as Jarrod began shooting a glare at his brother, "Nick didn't start it. I did." She went onto to explain she had entered the Billiard room first.

Like Nick, Jarrod was in shock that she could see them without them making the first move. No one had ever been able to do that. Sense them yes, but never actually see them. And, like Nick, he knew of no one who could get past a locked door without a key or some kind of tool. He then, basically, repeated Nick's questions and received the same answers.

"Look," Natasha said as she flipped through the book on her lap, "I don't know what your story really is and all that. Nor am I," she said as she looked at both brothers who looked like they were going to tell her it was none of her business and just to leave, "pushing you to tell me right now. However," she stressed the word 'however', "I am not leaving the ranch either." As she stood up, she also held the book slightly forward, "Though, with your permission I'd like to take the book out on the verandah and read. It looks like the storm is over, and there's nothing like reading a good book while smelling the air after rain has fallen."

Jarrod and Nick looked at each other. The looks they exchanged told each brother that they didn't know what to think of this very outspoken and, apparently, very stubborn woman. "There's something about her, Jarrod." Nick's eyes sent the silent message to his brother.

Jarrod would have argued with that message, only his brother was right. There was something different about this visitor of theirs. For the first time since he'd passed away Jarrod gave in and nodded slightly at his brother, though he said nothing.

"Fine, we won't bother you." Nick turned his attention to Natasha, "but you'd better not try and do anything to our home."

Natasha, who had no need to ask why he would say such a thing, smiled and headed for the door. "Whatever mess I make while I'm here, I'll clean up and, don't worry; I'm not inviting anyone else. Why would I? They already think I'm up in the night as it is." The moment she was out of the room and the door was closed Jarrod and Nick moved effortlessly through the house and back to the Billiard room, making sure that the young woman had done just as she said she would. Sure enough, the French doors were open, and Natasha was pulling a chair out onto the Verandah.

"You know sooner or later she's going to ask more questions." Jarrod spoke quietly, not wanting their guest to over hear him.

"….made me curious as a cat," Natasha's words came back to Nick, and he couldn't help but smile a little. "Most likely," he answered as he kept an eye on the woman he was now studying closer. The fact that the sun's bright yellow rays were lighting her head, making her hair sparkle didn't help keep his mind on the matter on hand.

"She's out of reach for both of us," Jarrod rolled his eyes as he slapped his brother's upper left arm, but not so hard as to really hurt him. "Now, what are we going to do when she starts asking more questions?" The fact that anyone would start asking questions about a past he wished he could change bothered the oldest Barkley greatly.

"How should I know?" Nick answered rather bluntly as he found himself rather annoyed at his brother. "I haven't exactly thought about that one."

Jarrod, who found himself feeling more than uncomfortable, excused himself and headed for the door. Nick didn't bother asking his brother where he was going. There was no need to. Any time Jarrod was upset he only went three places; the study, his room or the *thorn tree that Eugene had planted just days before that fateful night. This being the case, Nick simply kept an eye on their visitor; he wasn't taking any chances. He was going to make sure she didn't have a hidden agenda.