Thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews! I try and answer all the ones with private messaging, but I din;t want to ignore the rest of you- so thanks, your reviews make my day!

Also- not mine, not making money from this story, and it was betaed by the amazing Rakina

Chapter Ten Sunday June 15

Cherub woke the next morning feeling warm and safe. Smiling he stretched, surprised when the felt another body next to him. Opening his eyes he calmed down when he saw Vincent sleeping next to him. The tent was lit softly by the early morning sun giving everything an ethereal quality. Looking over his shoulder, Cherub saw Mudiwa sleeping on the other side. Cherub snuggled down into the covers radiant as he thought of all that had happened the day before, and all of the exciting things to come. They were going to leave tomorrow, and go to all sorts of exciting places. Cherub's grin grew as happiness and excitement radiated from the small boy in waves, as he imagined what his future now held.

Vincent rose to consciousness as a light tingling feeling began to envelop him. Opening his violet eyes he could not help but smile at Cherub who was grinning like mad. 'The joy emanating from the black-haired imp is definitely what woke me up' thought Vincent. Looking to his lover he saw the ebony man beginning to stir.

"Good morning, Cherub," said Vincent, his voice deeper than normal from sleep.

Cherub blinked and turned to Vincent's handsome sleep-relaxed face. Wiggling closer Cherub loudly whispered, "Good morning, did you sleep well?"

Vincent smiled at Cherub's attempt to be quiet. "I did. You look very happy this morning."

"I am." Cherub whispered again, "I was thinking about all the fun I had yesterday, and all of the exciting adventures we are going to have." Sparkling emerald eyes looked into violet hoping Vincent would confirm his thoughts.

"We are going to have many exciting adventures, and we will get to see many exciting places." Vincent replied. "In fact I think we should have an adventure right now. We need to wake up Mudiwa," he said grinning evilly.

"I could shake his shoulder?" Cherub offered.

Vincent shook his head "No, I don't think that will work. How about…" Vincent leaned over and whispered into Cherub's ear.

Giggling, Cherub nodded and climbed over Mudiwa. Vincent pulled the sheet down to expose Mudiwa's torso and grinned at Cherub. Vincent then held up one finger, then two, and after the third they both began tickling Mudiwa's ribs. Deep rumbling laughter filled the tent, as the man who had been faking sleep succumbed to the wiggling fingers.

Gasping, Mudiwa said, "Okay, okay I am awake." Wiping the tears from his eyes Mudiwa caught his breath now the tickling had stopped. "I will, of course be getting both of you back," he said calmly.

Vincent nodded his head in consent. "Of course, but for now it is time to get out of bed. Cherub do you have another set of clothes?" Vincent asked as he walked to get his clothes.

"Yes, but they are not as nice as what I have been wearing." Cherub answered softly, looking down at the shirt he had worn for two days.

"Why don't you put them on, and tomorrow we will buy you new clothes on our way to Sennen," Vincent said trying to control his anger at the child's relatives, yet again.

Changing the subject, Mudiwa said, "Before breakfast Ria and Naveen lead yoga. Anyone who wants to join is welcome; this includes the rest of the troupe. I know you haven't met anyone else yet, Cherub, but you are welcome to join us, or play near by." They had kept Cherub separate from the others, just in case the police came looking for the boy. It was unfair to ask those not involved in the decision-making to lie. "We will need to find a scarf to tie around your head so your scar doesn't show," Mudiwa explained as he rummaged through a trunk. With a grunt he stood and walked over to Cherub who was tying a rope around his waist to keep his baggy torn denims up.

"Why do we need to cover my scar?" Cherub asked confused.

"We need to hide you in case someone comes looking for you, right?"

"Right."

Mudiwa took a deep breath, "Your scar is very unique and it would be easy for someone to figure out who you are just by seeing it. Wearing a scarf is like wearing a disguise; no one will see your scar and you will stay safe."

Cherub blinked thinking this over then looking into Mudiwa's gray eyes he smiled and nodded saying, "I want to stay hidden, and I want to stay with you."

Pulling the small boy into a hug Mudiwa said, "We want you to stay with us and to be safe." Cherub smiled as the deep voice confirmed what Vincent had said yesterday. "Will you wear the scarf now?" Mudiwa asked pulling back.

Cherub nodded happily and held still so the dark red fabric could the tied over his head. Kneeling in front of the small boy Mudiwa secured a dark red cotton cloth over the top of the boy's head, so it covered his lightning bolt scar on the pale forehead. Mudiwa's lips twitched, and he looked the boy over from top to bottom. The ends of Cherub's black hair stuck out from under the red cloth; his green eyes looked even bigger without his wild hair framing his face. If he didn't look like a waif before he certainly did now. Baggy clothes hung off of his too-thin frame and his skin looked pale and in need of a wash. "Let me get dressed and then we can go," Mudiwa said moving behind the folding screen.

Cherub looked up into Vincent's shining eyes. "Do I look okay with this on?" Cherub asked pointing to the cloth on top of his head.

Smiling, Vincent nodded, "Yes, you look just fine. I dare say Freja and Ria will try and smother you with affection because you look so tiny and sweet." Cherub wrinkled his nose at this, and Vincent laughed. Then clearing his throat Vincent said seriously and calmly, "Cherub, I know it will take a bit to get used to, but you will have to wear a scarf on your head anytime someone who is not from our circle might see you. Promise me."

"I promise," Cherub said earnestly. "Mudiwa said this is my disguise so no one can find me." Cherub had been wondering something since he got here; looking up through the bits of fringe peeking out of the scarf he decided now was the time to ask.

Vincent could tell Cherub was gathering up his courage to ask something, his face a mask of childish intensity. Emerald eyes fixed on him and small fingers curled beckoning him closer. Smiling, Vincent kneeled down.

Cherub took a deep breath then placed his small hands on Vincent's strong shoulders leaning in so he could whisper in his ear. "Is this like a secret identity? Are all of you superheroes?"

Vincent blinked, where had this come from? Continuing the secrecy Vincent whispered, "Why do you think we are superheroes?"

Mudiwa stepped from behind the screen and quirked an eyebrow at the two kneeling figures. Quietly he waited for them to be done.

"I have never seen anyone who looks like someone out of a comic book," Cherub explained.

"What do you mean? How do we look different?"

Cherub leaned back shocked. "You are all huge! So tall and strong and bumpy!"

Vincent blinked. It was true all of them except Freja were quite tall, and they all did work out daily, practicing different things to be able to do the circus-style acts they did for shows. Vincent mentally shrugged, 'Maybe the family he came from were short and out of shape?' Vincent opened his mouth to ask about the bumpy comment, when Mudiwa beat him to it.

A deep voice asked "Bumpy?" startling Cherub slightly, "What do you mean 'bumpy'?"

Cherub was confused as to how to explain. He looked at Vincent's arms. Vincent's black tee shirt fit tight against his skin, looking like the bumps of hills and valleys. "Bumpy," Cherub said as he ran his hand from Vincent's shoulder to his elbow rising and falling as he went over the well-defined muscle.

Both Mudiwa and Vincent's lips quirked in amusement; they valiantly held in their laughter, as Cherub was very serious about his question.

"That is muscle," Mudiwa explained gaining control of his voice first. "Everyone has muscles; however the more you use your muscles and the more exercise you do the stronger and more defined they become."

Cherub's face fell, "Does this mean your not superheroes?"

Vincent cleared his throat softly to let Mudiwa know he wished to answer this question. "There are many ways to be a hero. I think you will just have to get to know us better and decide for yourself if we are heroes or not. We do not have secret identities, nor do we go out in silly costumes looking for people to save."

"You saved me!" Cherub blurted out, interrupting Vincent.

Smiling Vincent replied, "We did take the next step in saving you. However you took the first step, you looked for help."

Cherub blushed a bit and looked down at the ground in thought.

"Why don't you think about this during the day, right now we need to freshen up and get to yoga," Mudiwa said picking up two blue tubes, and holding open the tent flap. Smiling, both Vincent and Cherub got up and walked out the tent.