Disclaimer: The characters you recognize as J.E. are hers, and I am only borrowing them. There are some original characters that are mine, and I claim them as mine.

Spoilers:Anything from books 1-19 might be used, so if you haven't read them all, you might want to wait to read this story.

This is an AU story with a mix of characters in canon as well.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who review as guest as well as those of you who don't allow PMs. I love the reviews and want to tell you that I read and appreciate them all. Thank you all. Special thanks to JenRar for coming along as Beta on this one. I appreciate all your help.

Chapter 8: Hobbit Acts

Bree's POV:

We were about twenty minutes from the castle when Hobbit's eyes popped open and Lester swore. "What the hell?"

I turned to see what was wrong and saw Lester struggling with the wheel as the SUV started going faster than was mechanically possible. I turned to see Hobbit's eyes were singularly focused toward Lester. I was getting ready to say something when my focus deviated and I found myself watching in horror as Sky and Alex were playing with Tango on the beach while Ranger watched. Stephanie was there talking to Diesel, and there was a game of beach volleyball going on. I saw the fins slicing through the water, and suddenly, one of them veered off from the others. Instead of swimming parallel to the beach, this fin was on a collision course.

My eyes focused back on Lester and I told him, "We have to hurry. The twins are in danger."

Les took his eyes off the road as he looked at me for a split second, and then he was no longer fighting to control the vehicle. His foot pressed the gas pedal to the floor, and our speed incredibly picked up even more. I can safely say I'd never gone that fast in a vehicle before. It took us five minutes to travel the distance it normally would have taken us twenty. Lester stopped the vehicle, and before either of us could move, Hobbit was out of the vehicle and racing toward the beach. He looked a little funny as he ran, and if the situation wasn't so serious, I'd be laughing. Lester and I climbed out and ran toward the beach. As we rounded the corner, there was a sudden commotion. I heard shots being fired and Ranger barking out orders. I heard the growling and saw the humongous Great White beached, its giant mouth opening and shutting as it tried to catch Sky in its massive jaws. Hobbit raced in and drew out a sword from his belt, slashing at the beast. The sword was small, about the size of a machete, and I was wondering how much damage he could do with that against the shark. The sword connected with flesh, and before I could blink, the shark's head was separated from the rest of its body.

Stephanie had Sky wrapped in her arms, and Ranger helped them stand as he pulled Alex in close as well. They moved up on the deck, and Stephanie sat on one of the chairs and checked Sky over. Sky was oddly still, and I was afraid she might have been traumatized by the scene she'd just witnessed. I made my way to where she sat on Stephanie's lap and knelt down beside them, placing my hand on Sky's shoulder. She turned to me, shivered, and then started coughing, as if she'd had a near miss with drowning.

When Sky stopped coughing, her gaze went to Hobbit and she smiled. "I knew you would save me."

Hobbit glowed suddenly, and the smile of pure joy that graced his face was incredible, so I stood and stepped back, realizing Sky needed him right now.

I turned, feeling Diesel close by, and saw the wary look he was giving Hobbit. I moved over beside him and softly asked, "What's bothering you?"

Diesel turned to me. "Where did you find him?"

I frowned. "Sky said we'd find him in Atlantic City and he was her protector."

Diesel whipped his head to look at me, shock evident on his face. After a couple of seconds, he said, "He isn't what he seems. He's an unmentionable that was banished years ago. He liked using his powers for his own personal gain."

I studied Hobbit for several seconds and then asked, "Is it possible he's changed?"

Diesel chuckled. "His kind isn't capable of change. They are drawn to the personal gain that money brings and will do anything to acquire it."

I watched the way Hobbit interacted with Sky. Suddenly, everything became clear and I grinned. "You're wrong. Look at them. I think Hobbit has found something that's more powerful than money."

Hobbit looked almost blissful as he stood there talking to Sky. He kept her attention focused on him, and when she looked over to where the shark had come out of the water for her, there was no sign anything had ever happened. I noticed Alex was sitting on another chair with Tango wrapped in his arms. His gaze was focused on Hobbit as well.

I moved over and knelt down beside him. "What are you thinking, Alex."

Alex smiled sadly. "Sky doesn't need me anymore."

I turned to look over at Sky and noticed she seemed to be searching for something. I grinned before turning back to Alex and telling him, "You're wrong. She's searching for you even now. You share something with her no one else ever will. She will always need you—the parameters will change from time to time, but she'll always need you."

Alex's eyes widened as we both heard a voice in our minds. Alex, where are you? I need you.

I watched as his eyes lit up. I took Tango so he could go to Sky. Sitting down on the deck, I ran my hands through Tango's fur as I watched Alex hug Sky. When Hobbit saw how Sky lit up when Alex joined them, he paused for a moment, and then he seemed to relax and his smile grew even more. It was as if Hobbit knew she needed them both and he had his own special place, as did Alex. I saw Alex's eyes meet Hobbit's, and the two seemed to come to an agreement.

Diesel sat in the chair and shook his head. "You were right. I would have never believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes."

Tango stiffened as Diesel sat, and he was now in the process of letting out low, growling noises. He was at the ready, prepared to attack at the first sign of aggression from Diesel. Diesel's eye widened and he looked down at my little dog. Tango took exception and snapped at him.

I giggled and gently scolded, "Now, Tango. None of that. Diesel's on our side."

I felt Diesel's hand on my shoulder. "I'm glad you finally realize that."

I looked up at him. "I'm still not sure I totally trust you, but I do know you're on my side."

He smiled and I felt a warmth all over. His gaze moved and he winked. "We're going to have company. Someone isn't too thrilled with us being this close. Remember, things aren't always as they appear. Your perceptions of the past are colored by what you've been told by others. Those who told you had their own agenda. Trust the truth you hear—don't hang on to the distortions."

I frowned, puzzled. Before I could ask anything else, he was gone. I was suddenly in shadow and looked up to see that Les was blocking the sun. He held his hand out, and I placed mine in his. He pulled me up and our bodies were mere inches apart. I was thinking about stepping closer, when Lester's blank look slammed down on his face and he released my hand and took a step back. I was puzzled by his action and slightly hurt. I did the best I could to hide my emotions as I turned away. I heard a sound of frustration escape from Les but didn't bother to turn back as I walked over to where Stephanie was sitting with the twins and Hobbit.

Stephanie's POV:

I looked up as Bree joined us, sitting in the chair beside mine. I could tell she had other things on her mind, and it took all my willpower not to interfere. I smiled and asked instead, "Where did you find our new little hero?"

Bree grinned and replied, "Actually, Sky told me I would find him in Atlantic City. She told me to bring him back with us."

I shook my head. "Some days, I wonder if I'll ever get used to this. I feel like I'm treading water just to keep up."

Bree's gaze turned serious. "It gets harder each time."

I nodded. "For me, the hardest part last time was letting you and Julie walk into danger. This time, I have two more children to worry over." My eyes narrowed, "If I find out who was responsible for this attack today, they'll be toast when I get done with them."

We both jumped as there was a loud explosion and flames shot up in the ocean. There were howls, as if someone were in horrible physical pain.

Bree shuddered and muttered, "I think you just got your wish."

I frowned, wondering what she meant by that. She said no more on the subject though, and soon, it was time to head inside. The sun was getting low in the western sky, and I could tell by the grumblings in my stomach that it was dinnertime.

Just then, Donnella appeared with a smile on her face. "Dinner is served."

Bree and I both stood. I turned to look where the others were. They had done a good job with the cleanup on the beach. You couldn't even tell it was the scene of a near tragedy. I saw Ranger look up and turn to me. I sent him a finger wave, to which he responded with a smile. When I pointed to my watch, he raised a hand in acknowledgement. I looked down at my children and the strange little creature with them, and my heart filled with gratitude that he had saved me incredible heartbreak by rescuing my baby. Somehow, thank you didn't seem enough.

The creature I now knew as Hobbit looked up at me and said, "No thanks are needed. By saving you heartache, I have found my life."

I nodded. "You have them anyway."

Hobbit bowed.

I felt a hand on the back of my neck and looked up to see that Ranger had joined us, along with all the others. We headed inside to wash up before making our way to the dining room. Amazingly enough, there was enough room for everyone at the table, and it didn't seem any more crowded than it had been this morning for breakfast. There were in fact five extra chairs, and it was then I remembered Rodriguez was supposed to be here with Angel and the others. Right on time, the doorbell sounded.

Donnella entered the room, placed a huge platter of fried chicken before Ranger, and then said, "I'll get the door, shall I? I'll be back with the rest in two shakes of a lamb's tail."

Less than a minute later, Rodriguez walked into the dining room with Angel by his side. They were closely followed by Mooner, Sally Sweet, and Randy Briggs.

On seeing his wife, Woody was instantly on his feet and had her wrapped in his arms. I heard his whispered, "Are you all right honey?"

Angel had time only for a nod before Hector joined the group and asked, "Just couldn't stand being away from the Bozo, eh?"

Angel turned to Hector with a huge smile on her face as Woody replied to Hector's greeting. "Nah. She came to see me. You're just a side benefit."

Hector slugged Woody's arm in good humor before giving Angel a hug. They joined us at the table, and Donnella brought in the rest of the meal. She brought Angel a huge glass of milk and smiled knowingly. Woody gave Angel a puzzled look. Angel rolled her eyes and let out a sigh. She leaned in and whispered something in his ear. As he listened, you could see the joy growing on his face, and then he gave a loud shout of joy and kissed Angel very exuberantly. He looked around before saying, "We're going to have a baby!"

I felt something weird in the air, and Bree suddenly started scanning the room. She touched the necklace that was always around her neck, ever since that first battle ten years before. Her eyes closed briefly, and when she opened them, she turned to the back of the house. I wasn't the only one to notice her actions. Ranger, Micha, and Lester were watching her as well. She turned back to us and leaned into Lester to whisper something. His gaze went to the back of the house. I wondered what she had said to him and was frustrated they were on the other side of the table.

I felt Sky's small hand in mine and looked down at her. She smiled up at me before saying, "It's all right, Momma. Bree felt the house's fear. It's afraid for the baby's safety." My daughter looked up at me, and her eyes were glowing as she continued, "We need to heal the house in order for us to be safe here."

The Hobbit was sitting between Alex and Sky, and his eyes gleamed at her words. The love in his eyes when he looked at Sky gave me pause. He turned his gaze to meet mine and winked. "Don't worry. It's the good kind. She sees the good no one else is able to see. The house indeed needs to be healed."

I felt everyone's gaze on us and looked up.

Julie was frowning. "Ram said the same thing earlier, about needing to heal the house before we could be safe here."

Bobby frowned, too, asking the million dollar question, "How do you heal a house?"

Sky smiled brilliantly. "You bless it with love."

You bless it with love. It sounded simple, but I hadn't a clue what that meant. Before I could say anything further, Bree stood and moved around the dining room, scanning the room as she went. She turned to Sky. "Only innocence can see the true beauty beyond the surface, and only innocence can heal."

Bree held her hand out to Sky. Sky slipped off her chair and made her way over to Bree. Their hands connected and Sky glowed. The light was blinding in its brilliance, and we were forced to look away. When the light dimmed and we were able to look again, we were shocked at what was before us. There was a freshness to the house that hadn't been there before. The rooms seemed lighter as well. Bree stood there with her eyes closed, her head lifted up to the ceiling, and Sky stood beside her, wreathed in a golden rainbow of light. The look on Sky's face was radiant. There was a slithering sound that made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end, and I wanted to go and throw my arms around Sky and Bree to protect them, but I was frozen in my seat. The huge snakelike creature that entered the room screamed danger. I tried to shout out but was unable to.

Just as the creature was ready to strike, Sky turned to it and smiled. The snake froze, caught in the goodness of her light, and its body dried up and burst apart into a million pieces. When the dust cleared, all that was left was a computer chip.

Sky picked up the chip and said, "Beauty prevails. You are free of evil. Fly free."

As if suddenly freed from invisible restraints, I was able to stand. I rushed over to Sky and wrapped her in my arms. Ranger was there beside me with his arms around us both. Sky grinned at us and held out a golden computer chip. At her nod, I picked up the chip and felt the hum emanating from it. I frowned, wondering if it would be safe to put it in the computer.

Before I could voice the question, Sky said, "It's free of the bad influences and will cause no harm."

We rejoined the others at the table, and I noticed Sally sitting at the table, sobbing his eyes out. He lifted both arms in the air and said, "She has set them free, and it is fuc—uh, beautiful!"

Mooner nodded. "The baby dudette rocks!"

I saw the twinkle of amusement in Ranger's eyes, but no one else said anything as we finished eating, acting as if nothing happened. It felt a little surreal. When we were done, we all headed into the great room. I was amazed at the difference in the room. It still looked much as it had before, but it was as if the room had gotten a face lift. It looked fresh. Not only that, but there were board games, cards, videos, and an assortment of other child-friendly items. Sky ran to the games and her eyes lit up. She held up her treasure and exclaimed, "Oh, Mom! Can we play?"

I looked at her and smiled. "Of course. Let's get it set up and see who else wants to play."

For the next two hours, we sat around the table playing Monopoly. When the game ended, Sky had the green and dark blue properties with the highest rents, Alex had the reds and yellows, and Angel had the rest of the properties. They had held each other at a stalemate for the longest time. On her last turn, Sky had bought four houses for each of her properties. It was now Alex's turn, and he put four houses on his red property closest to the yellows and the two yellow properties closest to the "GO TO JAIL" corner.

I rolled the dice and groaned. I moved my piece to the spot next to "GO" and handed over what cash I had left. I was officially out of the game. Checking my watch, I kissed Sky's forehead and then Alex's and said, "Bedtime for you two. We can leave the game set up and you can finish tomorrow if you'd like."

Sky shook her head. "We need to take good care of what we've been given. Besides, it doesn't really matter who wins. It's how you play the game."

I tussled her air. After helping them put the game back in the box, I told them I would be in to check on them in a minute.

As we watched them run from the room, Angel shook her head and asked, "Do they always have that much energy?"

I laughed. "Oh no. Sometimes they have more."

Angel groaned. "What have I gotten myself in for?"

"The ride of your life, and you wouldn't miss it for the world."

Angel turned shining eyes to me. "That's exactly how I feel. I've wanted this for so long. I don't care whether it's a boy or girl—I just want a baby to love."

I grinned, "I felt the same way."

Angel laid her hand over her abdomen, her eyes shining with excitement. "I feel like I'm still dreaming."

I chuckled. "Wait until you're woken in the middle of the night because someone's hungry."

Angel giggled. "I'm looking forward to every bit of it."

I nodded. "I wouldn't have missed any of it either."

"Thank you for asking me here, Stephanie. While we were eating, I felt things changing. I know this is where I'm supposed to be right now."

I bit my lip and debated voicing my concerns. Before I could say anything, I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up to see Ranger standing behind me, and then I noticed that Woody had made his way to Angel. I decided to keep my qualms to myself and allowed Ranger to pull me up and wrap his arms around me. Woody had his arm around Angel, and we said our goodnights. When we reached our wing, I stepped into each of the children's rooms to make sure they were covered and to kiss them goodnight. Hobbit was lying on the floor outside Sky's room.

I frowned and said, "You can't sleep here."

"I sleep near."

I smiled gently. "I have no problem with you watching over Sky. But you should be comfortable as well."

There was a look of surprise on his face, and then he smiled gently. "Ah… The daughter is much as the mother. You honor me."

Hobbit bowed and there was a whooshing sound. He pushed Sky's door open, and I watched him walk to the closet and open the door. The closet was no longer just a closet. There was a small bedroom there as well, and Hobbit settled himself on the bed and winked at me before the doors magically closed. I heard a voice in my head saying, Don't worry, Wonder Woman. I will keep your daughter safe.