It didn't take long for the rest of the Tuck family and Winnie to realize that Miles and Lena fancied each other as much as Winnie and Jesse. It was certainly a shock to them all because they never thought that Miles could move on from his first love, but there he was all the same.

Late that night, when everyone in the house was asleep, screaming loud enough to shatter the windows pierced the quiet air.

Winnie ran over to the screaming girl in the bed next to her.

"What's going on?" Miles asked frantically as the whole family ran to join Winnie next to Lena's bed.

"She gets night terrors sometimes," Winnie explained quickly. "They're rare, but they happen."

Lena continued screaming and thrashing around in her bed, threatening to hit Winnie at any moment.

"What can we do?" Mae asked her.

"It'll pass soon. All we can do is wait."

Miles went next to her bed and grabbed her arms before she hurt anyone including herself. When she stopped trying to hit the air, he placed his hand on the side of her face and gently stroked it.

"Shh, shh," he whispered to her. The family watched in awe at Miles's gentle touch. It had been so long since he had been capable of acting like this.

Eventually, Lena calmed down and resumed a peaceful sleep.

"She's fine now," Winnie told everyone. "You can go back to sleep."

Angus, Mae, and Jesse started walking away, but Miles didn't move. "I'll think I'll stay just a little longer," he said.

The three Tucks exchanged surprised glances, but no one chose to say anything. Miles leaned over her and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

The next morning, Miles found Lena washing some clothes in the lake water. "How was your night?"

She turned to look at him with a smile. "It was fine."

"You don't remember anything…unusual?"

"No…did something happen?"

"You had a…what did Winnie call it? A night terror."

Lena's closed her eyes and sighed. "I did? I'm so sorry. I probably woke up everyone, didn't I?"

"No one's upset. You couldn't control it."

"It really doesn't happen often. But every now and again…something happens in the middle of the night and I panic. But I never remember it when I wake up." She sighed again. "I'm so, so sorry."

Miles put his hands on her shoulders. "Lena, you don't have to apologize. If you have night terrors, you have night terrors, and that's okay. It doesn't change anything about you."

Lena smiled and the two of them shared a gentle kiss.

Unfortunately, their luck was quickly running out.

Angus brought everyone inside the cabin that evening and they gathered in the living area, Miles next to Lena and Jesse next to Winnie.

"Girls," Angus began. "We've all enjoyed your company. Some more than others."

The four youngest ones quietly laughed, but no one liked where this was going.

"However, as Winnie said on her first night with us, her father is looking for her. And I know that right now, they are very close to finding her. If anyone does find either of you, this whole family will be sent to jail for kidnapping."

"Well, we'll just tell everyone that you didn't kidnap us," Winnie insisted.

Angus gave her a sad smile. "I'm afraid no one will listen. Their minds are set against us. We are going to take you both home, and then we will have to be on our way."

Lena's heart sank. Home was the last place she wanted to go. Especially after living in what she considered paradise with such kind people and…someone her heart belonged to. But she also knew that Angus was right. No one in Treegap would let them go after this.

"We understand," Lena said softly, trying to be the mature one. She noticed Mae looking at her even more sadly than Angus was. It dawned on her that Mae knew about her life at home and she probably didn't want the girl to have to go back to such a lifestyle.

"We best start packing up as much as we can," Angus said.

All members of the Tuck family began loading up as much as they could in crates and trunks.

Lena ended up going out onto the porch and looking out at the beautiful water. She would give anything to stay here with the Tucks.

"Lena," Mae said softly as she joined the girl on the porch. "I know you don't want to go back."

"You certainly right about that," Lena mumbled.

"If we're being honest, I don't want you to go back either. It's been nice not being the only woman in the house. But more than that…you and Winnie have been like daughters to me. The daughters I never got."

Lena looked over at the woman with tears forming in her eyes faster than she could control. After living with a family who wanted nothing to do with her, she had found someone who really loved her as a daughter. The two women embraced as tears began rolling down her cheeks.


Lena helped the Tucks pack up everything they needed as Winnie and Jesse tried to force out a painful good-bye.

"It isn't fair, Tuck," Mae said quietly as Miles loaded up a couple of trunks into their cart.

"No, it isn't," Angus replied. "But when has life ever been fair?"

Those words could not be more true when it came to Lena's life. Miles hopped down from the cart and took Lena's hand in his.

"You've taught me how to love again," he said quietly as he pressed his forehead to hers. "I never thought anyone could do that."

"You've made me feel…special," Lena answered.

"Because you are."

Miles gently kissed her when they heard a man's voice say, "Forgive me for interrupting such a tender moment."

The four young adults turned to find a balding man in a faded yellow suit.

"Hello, Winifred. Lena," he said to the two girls. "Everyone's been so worried about you."

Lena lightly scoffed. Maybe everyone was worried about Winnie, but Lena? She couldn't find it in her to believe that.

"I'm relieved to find you both so well."

"You know this man?" Jesse asked the girls.

"I met him once," Winnie answered.

"I haven't," Lena said. "Who are you?"

The man did not answer her for it was at that time that Angus and Mae had noticed the stranger's presence.

"Hello, Mr. Tuck," the man said. "You have no idea what a pleasure it is to meet you."

"You're the man who's been following my boys," Angus said calmly. "Been expecting you."

"Yes, and here I am. Tell me, is it a relief to finally be discovered? Over a century of hiding out must have taken its toll on you."

"Who are you?" Mae asked of him. "And how do you know so much about us?"

"I first heard about your family from my grandmother. She knew a woman in a mental facility who used to rant and ramble about a family who never grew old and never died. This woman, she used to call out a name. What was it, now? Anna."

Lena's widened eyes looked over at Miles. It had to have been his past wife and daughter this stranger was talking about and no doubt the talk of them was cutting into him deep. She took his hand in hers and began squeezing it. His eyes were locked onto this strange man who knew too much about the family.

"Crazy old woman," the man continued. "Kept on talking about a music box. It seems the melody had a calming effect on her children. I'm sure you know it, Mrs. Tuck?" He began whistling the same melody from Mae's music box that Lena had heard nearly every day since she had been brought here.

"You have no right to come to our home and bring us such pain," Mae said sharply.

"There, good mother. I mean no harm."

"Tell us, sir," Angus demanded as he walked towards him. "What is it you want?"

"Well, you see, the Fosters have given me these woods in exchange for bringing young Winifred and Lena back home. I have the papers, all signed and legal. Gives me the rights to the forest and everything in it. Don't be alarmed. I'll let you stay here on my land if you prove cooperative."

"Cooperative?"

The man nodded slowly. "I want you to take me to the spring."

Now his intentions were clear. He knew about the spring and he wanted some. Lena's hand squeezed Miles's even tighter and she could feel his arm around her waist pulling her closer to him protectively.

"I don't know what you mean," Angus told him.

"Don't insult me, Mr. Tuck. It's immediately clear to me that the water's powers have been wasted on…unimaginative people like you. I intend to make this 'fountain of youth', as the simpletons would call it, available to those who deserve it. For a price, of course."

Angus slowly stepped towards the man. "You'll die of old age before I'll take you."

"Is that so?" The man whipped out a gun from his bag and grabbed Winnie, aiming it at her head. "Then perhaps Winifred will!"

"Winnie!" Lena screamed.

"No!" Jesse shouted at the same time.

The man took the gun and shot Jesse right in the stomach.

"Jesse!" Winnie cried.

Lena tried to go to him, but Miles held her back. Slowly, Jesse stood back up. Now after what Miles had told them, both girls knew that none of the Tucks could get hurt. But seeing that actually happen in person was something entirely different than just hearing about it.

"Yes!" the man said in a whisper. "Bravo!" He started walking backwards with Winnie as everyone but Mae stood on the porch watching the unfolding scene in horror. "Come now, Winifred. I'm feeling thirsty. Show me where the spring is. Perhaps I'll let you have a drink. After all, then we can spend eternity together."

Suddenly, Mae took a shotgun and whipped the man on the back of the head with it. Lena flinched in surprise and she felt Miles's hand around her waist tighten. The man slowly sank down to the ground with Winnie on top of him. The strike had killed him instantly.

Jesse and Lena ran to Winnie. "Winnie, Winnie, come here," Jesse said as he helped her up. "It's okay. It's okay, I gotcha."

Winnie clutched onto Jesse while Lena pressed her hands onto her back and shoulders. She had almost lost the girl who was like a sister to her. She couldn't even fathom the thought.

Angus went over to Mae, who was sobbing on the ground at what she had just done, and knelt down to hug her and comfort her. Suddenly, the sound of dogs and shouts rang out in the quiet forest air.

"Pa," Miles said urgently. They listened as the shouts and barks got louder.

"There they are!" someone shouted.

Everyone looked over and found a bunch of men swarming around them like spiders.

"Winnie Foster! Lena Bennett!" more shouted. "I see them!"

"Go," Angus ordered firmly. He bolted up the porch and went inside the cabin.

"Jesse, come on," Miles said to his brother. Jesse started after him when Winnie suddenly stopped.

"It's my father," she said quietly.

"Let's go!" Miles shouted. Lena ran up to him right before he hopped up onto his horse and firmly pressed her lips to his in a good-bye kiss.

Jesse and Winnie held hands as long as they were able to before he was forced to get on the horse with Miles and they two of them rode off.

Smoke started pouring from the house and Lena realized Angus had set it on fire to prevent them from finding anything they shouldn't.

Winnie's father ran up to the girl and embraced her tightly. "You're alright! You're alright!" he exclaimed. "We found you. You're safe." He looked over to Lena and touched her arm. "Are you alright?" She nodded a little before he went back to hugging his daughter.

Lena's parents were nowhere in sight. She wasn't the least bit surprised, but she found that she was still hurt.