Three weeks later, Jaye was getting stronger everyday but still needed to take a nap during the afternoon. Flint was in a meeting all day. She had gotten little Eryn to lay down with her and they both fell asleep. A while later Jaye was in a deep sleep when Eryn woke up. She looked outside, she wanted to go out there so bad but she couldn't by herself because it was muddy, and boy did Eryn love to get muddy unless she was wearing her favorite dress.
"Mommy..." the little girl whispered.
Jaye just snoozed on.
"Mommy..." she whispered again and again no response from her mother. She smirked, climbed off the bed, then hurried outside and started to play in the big mud puddle at the back of the barracks.
"Eryn!" Colleen cried out in surprise, walking outside with Rowan, holding her hand. "What are you doing out all by yourself?"
"Nofing," Eryn said turning away from Colleen and Rowan.
"What do you mean, nothing?" Colleen asked again, with her hand on her hip.
Rowan looked at the little girl playing in the puddle, and edged closer to her sister, hugging her stuffed puppy in her arms. She looked down at her yellow shirt and pants, then looked at Eryn's muddy looking purple dress.
"Colleen!" Cayden called out from his car, they were supposed to spend some time together.
"Cayden! Get over here now! Eryn's outside by herself!" Colleen shouted to him.
Rowan turned and watched the young medic race from his car toward them. She glanced up at her sister, then at Eryn, who kept playing in the puddle.
Cayden stopped right beside Colleen. "Eryn, where's Mom?"
"She won't wake up," Eryn answered, continuing to play in the puddle.
"What?" Colleen exclaimed, glancing at her fiancé with concern.
Voices came heard from the around the corner of the barracks.
"I'm telling you, Conrad. Cobra is behind the missing clowns from all the circuses!" Flint stated.
"Why would Cobra be after clowns?" Scarlett asked perplexed.
"Maybe they heard we made a poster of their leader in a clown suit and thought they did?" Flint answered, then dropped his jaw, spotting his daughter. "Eryn! Out of that puddle this instant!"
Cayden rushed into the barracks.
Eryn started singing the song, "I hate you, you hate me, let's hang Barney from a tree..."
"ERYN!" Flint hollered, making her frozen still. "Don't sing that song, and out of the puddle now, or you'll be getting P.T. with Sammy!"
"Aunt Allie is not waking up!" Colleen said in a panic.
Flint's head snapped to his goddaughter. "WHAT!"
Scarlett and Duke looked at each other, their features turning into concern.
Rowan let go of Colleen's hand and rushed over to her adoptive mother, hugging her tightly around the waist.
"Let's go." Scarlett took Rowan's hand and started leading her into the building.
Eryn watched her father rush into the building.
"Come on, Eryn," Duke said in his 'I'm not happy voice.'
The mud covered little girl followed them.
Cayden was knocking on the front door of his parent's suite. It seemed that Eryn had locked the door on her way out. There was no answer.
Flint charged down the hall, toward his son. Taking out the passkey, he put it in the keyhole, opened the door, and rushed into the suite. "ALLIE!"
There was no answer.
Cayden rushed in after his father.
The others ran down the hall, entering the suite.
Eryn tried to slip away from Duke but he kept a firm grip on her.
Flint ran into the bedroom, finding his wife on the bed. "Allie!" he screamed, rushing to her side, and took her in his arms, holding her tightly. "Someone get the medic!!"
"Dad, I'm right here." Cayden said as he entered the bedroom.
"What the hell is all the yelling about?" Jaye asked groggily. Watching everyone rush into the bedroom.
"Is she all right?" Scarlett asked from close to the door, holding to her both of her daughters tightly.
"Allie!" Flint said in relief, his voice breaking and lowering his head on her chest, sobbing.
Eryn sheepishly stayed behind Duke.
Cayden watched his father as he took his mother's pulse.
"Dash...honey...what's wrong?" Jaye asked.
"You wouldn't wake up," Flint answered solemnly, his tears stopping but his body still trembling.
"I found Eryn outside playing in the mud, and she told me that you wouldn't wake up," Colleen informed her godmother, leaning her head against her mother's shoulder.
"Why would she say something like that?" Jaye said, still sleepy. She wrapped her arm around Flint to comfort him.
All eyes turned to Eryn, who continued to hide behind the general, trying to escape.
Flint shook his head, kissing her gently on the lips, before releasing her from the embrace. "Eryn Anne Faireborn! What possessed you to say such a thing?"
Rowan held on to Scarlett's hand, leaning against her adoptive mother, her head placed on the woman's stomach. Her eyes stared at the little hazel ones.
"But Daddy, I called her name twice," Eryn defended, not telling him that she only whispered it.
"And you didn't scream like you always do?" Flint stood up and sent his daughter one of his unpleasant faces. "So, I'm now seeing the picture, you couldn't wake Mommy up, so you decided to go outside, where you know quite clear that you are not allowed to venture without an adult! And you knew that you were doing something wrong, but you continued to do it, and also jump in the mud puddles, without thinking that you could get sick!"
Rowan gazed at Eryn, whose purple dress was covered with blotches of mud. She took a step away from the little girl, not wanting her yellow outfit to get muddy.
"Eryn, what do you have to say?" Flint continued to lecture his daughter.
Eryn started to cry big crocodile tears. "Daddy don't wuv me anymore." She went to run away.
"Honey, I still love you," Flint said gently. "But right now I'm very disappointed in you. So, I have to put my foot down." He turned to Jaye. "Close your mouth, love." He grinned at her then turned back to his daughter. "Young lady, as of now until next week. No Elmo and no dessert."
Eryn cried and fled the room over dramatically.
Everyone looked at Jaye. "Why is everyone looking at me?"
"Because that was a little actress the just left exit stage right," Scarlett pointed out.
Colleen looked around. "Umm, I think we have a missing person here, I mean bear. I haven't seen her carry Brutus for a few weeks now, which is odd."
Flint slapped his forehead. "Don't tell me that bear is M.I.A.!"
Rowan held to her puppy, looking out of the room, watching Eryn now jump and down on the couch. She pointed to the little girl, then looked at her adoptive mother.
"Eryn!" Scarlett scolded, walking out of the bedroom, her hand still linked with the seven year old's. "Off the couch, young lady! You are getting mud all over!"
"No body likes me. Everybody hate me. I fink I gonna eat some worms!!!" Eryn sang extremely loud the song her mother used to tease her father with to get him to kiss her or hug her. She continued to jump on the couch.
Jaye looked sheepishly at Flint.
Cayden was trying not to laugh.
Flint shook his head, walked over to the couch and stared at his daughter. "I'm going to count until three, and if you are not off this couch. You won't see Elmo for years! Got it?" he stated, his features serious. "One, two... Three!"
Eryn continued to jump on the couch, continuing to sing "On top of the tank, all covered with blood, I shot Barney with an M-61. I went to his funeral, I went to his grave, some people threw flowers, I threw a grenade"
Scarlett snickered, leaning against her husband.
Colleen shook her head, while giggling lightly on Cayden's arm.
"ERYN!" Flint scolded.
"Twenty years later, he rose from the dead, I bought a bazooka and shot off his head..." Eryn sang, jumping up and down on the couch.
Flint grabbed her with one swift room. "Young lady, you just crossed the line. You have K.P. Duty for a week!" he growled, shaking his head. "Why can't you be like Rowan, who is nice and quiet."
Rowan held on to Scarlett tighter, when she heard her name, remaining quiet, never uttering a single word.
"That cause Rowan can't talk Father Doodoo head!" Eryn stomped on his foot and took off running again.
"ERYN!" Flint bellowed at the top of his voice. "First, you apologize to Rowan, second to Aunt Shana and Uncle Conrad and then your mother and lastly to me!"
Everyone stared in shock at the little girl, now running around, her head shaking back and forth, while her arms moved up and down vigorously.
She then stuck her fingers in her ears and yelled at the top of her lungs. "I CAN'T HEAR YOU I'VE GOT EAR INFECTION!!!!"
"Eryn! Stop right now!" Flint hollered. His temper began to rise. "If you don't, I'll take Brutus away!"
"Dashiel Robert Faireborn you will not take that bear away from her," Jaye said sternly.
Eryn stuck her tongue out at her father.
Flint turned to his wife. "Well, she's your seed from your apple tree. You take care of it!" He threw his hands in the air. "You had to make her like you! huh!"
Scarlett shook her head. "Eryn, can you please stop running around?"
Colleen glanced at her mother. "She's out of control." Then turned to Cayden. "We're not having kids, if they turn into that." She pointed now at the little six-year-old who now was on her back on the carpet, her feet wiggling in the air.
Duke grinned from his daughter's words.
Jaye glared at Flint then turned to her daughter. "Eryn, sweetie, please stop and go get cleaned up."
"Okay, Mommy," Eryn said and ran into her bedroom and shut the door.
"Eryn! Come out here right now and apologize to Rowan, Nana, Uncle Conrad, and your mother!" Flint yelled.
Jaye groaned. He should have just left her alone until she was cleaned up. That would have given her enough time to calm down and she would have came out and apologized.
The door opened and Eryn came running out and rubbed mud all over Rowan's yellow dressed outfit then apologized to everyone before running back into her room.
Scarlett sighed. "I'll go change, Rowan." She held her daughter's hand, smiling down at her.
"I'm sorry, Shana," Flint apologized. "She seems like she's having one of those days."
"Well, at least she didn't run over anyone with the Wolverine," Colleen pointed out smiling.
"Oh God! I hope not!" Flint said in shock.
Colleen walked over to her mother and looked down at her sister. "Mom, I'll take and change her."
Scarlett nodded, "Alright." She then kneeled down and kissed her youngest daughter. "Go with Colly. She'll get you all cleaned up, and then she will bring you to Aunt Keiko's."
Rowan nodded, kissing Scarlett on the cheek. She took hold of Colleen's hand, and followed her sister out of the suite.
They headed down the hallway, toward their quarters. Rowan looking around, quiet, reserved. Several Joes passed them by.
"Hey, Little Red!" Alpine smiled at them. "Yo there, Rowannie."
"Hi, Alpine," Colleen returned his greeting. "Rowan says hello too."
Rowan stared at Alpine, then glanced to see Bazooka wave at her, she remained silent.
"Still not talking, huh?" Bazooka asked.
Colleen shook her head. "No."
Alpine nodded. "Well, I hope one day to hear your voice Rowan, probably yelling at your Daddy." They laughed and headed down the hallway.
Colleen squeezed Rowan's hand, smiling down at the little girl. "Rowan, I don't care if you ever talk, I just love you the way you are."
The seven-year-old looked up at her sister's face, her features expressionless.
Entering the suite, Colleen led her sister into the new bedroom, which once was plain and white, had now been transformed into a little princess room, filled with pink colors, and white lace. A white canopy bed resided in the middle, with a pink comforter, several dozen dolls and stuffed animals sat nicely on it, awaiting hours of playtime.
"Alright, let's get this dirty outfit off and put you in something nice, not to mention mud free." Colleen smiled, heading for the closet. She opened the door, and then turned back to her sister. "How about you pick what you want to wear."
Rowan slowly walked over to the closet, holding her puppy. She looked up at all the outfits that filled the space. Her hand rose and pointed to a light blue dress with flowers on it.
"Alright, we'll put that one on, and also add a sweater, so you don't get cold for the night." Colleen smiled, taking out the clothes. She helped her sister, undress and then dress.
Rowan then pointed to the bed, and Colleen glanced over to see both Ice Cube and Icicle placed on a pillow of their own.
"Oh, thank you, Rowan. I think they love it there." Colleen smiled and bent to hug the little girl. "Come on, let's start heading for Aunt Keiko's."
They walked back to the living room area. Colleen led Rowan to the couch. "Sit for a moment." She then turned and glanced at the shelve on the wall, which held pictures of the family. Her eyes turned gentle, spotting two new pictures on the shelf. One was Rowan, holding her puppy, her features serious, no smile on the little girl's face, and the other of her brother Jeffrey with Sky Dancer.
Colleen headed for the kitchen, and took out two bottles of orange juice and a bottle of aspirins, then returned to her sister. She handed one juice bottle to Rowan and opened the other for herself, swallowing two aspirins.
Rowan stared at her, watching her closely.
"I know what you are thinking. You know I took two of these only a few hours before, but my headache is really strong today. It really hurts. Don't tell Mom or Cayden, alright?" Colleen smiled.
Rowan nodded, tilting her head at her sister.
"Come here, my sweet Irish rose," Colleen said, opening her arms.
Rowan slowly stood up from the couch and walked over and into her sister's arms, holding her close.
"I'm so happy you are here, Rowan," Colleen murmured gently in the little girl's ear. "You have made my family happy again. You made us a family again." She held her tightly, swaying her gently. "I love you my little sister."
Rowan held her close, staying in her arms. Then looked at her features once again, her blue green eyes staring into the dark blue ones. She turned her head toward the pictures, then back at Colleen.
"I see him in my dreams lately. I see my brother Jeffrey. It's probably because I miss him very much," Colleen replied, answering the silent question. "Don't tell that too, alright. Our secret."
Suddenly, a loud banging came on the suite's door.
Colleen rose from the chair, and answered it, finding a very panicky Eryn.
"Eryn! You're out again!" Colleen said in surprise. "Is Aunt All—"
"Cayden...fell by river...can't get him up," Eryn said in a panic.
"Eryn, You need to stop fibbing," Colleen scolded. "And where is your mom or dad? Or even my mom or dad?"
Rowan walked over to Colleen, glancing at the little six-year-old who now wore a yellow shirt and pants.
"Mommy and Daddy started fighting. Cay Cay took me out so dey could be awone," Eryn said starting to cry.
Colleen bent down. "It's all right, Eryn. Don't cry." She then stood up and took Rowan's hand with one of hers, while taking Eryn's with the other. "Okay, take me to Cay Cay."
She wondered why the little girl fibbed once again, but let her lead them out of the building, and toward the river. Colleen spotted many muddy puddles from the storm earlier in the day. "Cayden?" she called out, her head moving around trying to find any trace of her fiancé.
"Cayden!" Colleen called out again. She felt Eryn's hand leave her grip. "Eryn, he's not here."
"He's over here," Eryn called out and pointed to where Cayden lay on the ground.
"CAYDEN!!" Colleen screamed at the top of her lungs, making Rowan shiver from the voice. She looked down at her sister. "Stay here."
She ran madly where his body lay on the ground, his face in the dirt, not being able to see it. "Cayden!" her voice broke, filled with fear, she touched his back. "Cayden, wake up." She glanced up trying to spot anyone near the dog runs and yelled, "JOE DOWN!!! JOE DOWN!!!"
Cayden quickly grabbed her and rolled her over into the mud puddle causing Eryn to giggle happily.
Colleen gasped from the shock, her entire body covered in wet mud. Her eyes became wide, matching her mouth, where nothing came out. She glanced down at herself, the cashmere shirt, ruined, along with the white cotton pants, then glanced at his gleeful features, and then back at her clothing. Mud dripping everywhere.
"Oh, no words from Colly?" Cayden teased playfully.
She glared at him. "How could you do that to me! That was not funny!"
"Hey, babe. Payback's a bitch," Cayden said laughing, standing up.
Eryn was running back and forth at the side of the huge mud puddle laughing.
Rowan continued to stare at the six-year-old, and then glanced at her sister.
Colleen's face turned red. She punched in him in the arm. "One, call me babe one more time and you won't be a man anymore! Two, I can't believe you just said a bad word in front of my sister and yours!" She went to stand up, only to skid on the wet ground and fall back down on her face.
This caused Cayden to lose his balance and fall in the mud hole too.
Eryn roared with laughter. "Colly and Cay Cay sittin' in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G!!"
"Well, at least you are right at home, Piggy," Colleen smirked at his face.
Cayden grabbed a handful of mud, smearing it on Colleen's shirt causing Eryn to laugh so hard, she snorted.
"That's it!" Colleen stood up from the mud hole, glaring down at him, her features hard. "Now, you're going to see what a Joe woman can really do!"
She grabbed a handful of mud, then grabbed his shirt, pulling it toward her, threw the mud inside the shirt and then patted it with her hand.
Cayden grinned and took another handful of mud when she had turned around to leave and put it down the back of her pants then patted it.
Rowan stared at her sister, watching her closely.
"CAYDEN!" Colleen hollered, pivoting around, grabbing another armful of mud, and flinging it at his face. Only he ducked in the nick of time. The brown substance flew straight and hit Eryn on the pants.
Eryn looked down at her pants with a shocked look on her tiny features. "Oh...I'm tellin."
Rowan now stared at Eryn.
Colleen glared at Cayden. "See what you made me do!" She started walking toward her sister.
Eryn picked up some mud and threw it at Colleen.
"Hey!" Colleen gasped, then turned to the six-year-old. "Oh, you are going to get it now, Missy." she said playfully, getting a small amount of mud and throwing it back at Eryn.
Eryn squealed with delight as she flung mud at Colleen and Cayden.
Cayden threw some back at his little sister.
Rowan stared at everyone, watching them throw mud at each other, she took several steps backwards.
Colleen started throwing more mud at Cayden. She giggled at his expression when she nailed him on his hair. "Hmm, now you look like Sammy's twin..."
"Oh, you're going down!' Cayden vowed and threw more mud at her but she dodged at the last minute and it hit Rowan right on the chest.
"Cayden! You hit my sister!" Colleen spoke for the seven-year-old.
They all stopped and turned to watch the little girl.
Rowan continued to stare at Colleen, then at Cayden, and then at Eryn. Her blue-green eyes held no expression inside, she slowly bent down, grabbed some mud with both her hands and flung them at Cayden and Eryn, hitting them both at the same moment.
Everyone was shocked for a moment but then burst with laughter and the mud-fight continued with all four of them.
"I'm telling you Flint, your wife is too soft on Eryn," Duke could be heard saying from nearby.
"I know, she lets her do—WHAT THE BLOODY HELL!!" Flint hollered at the top of his lungs.
Both Hausers and Faireborns froze in time and glanced at the two in command.
"WHAT IN THE BLOODY BLUE BLAZES ARE YOU FOUR DOING?!" Duke hollered.
Cayden looked at Colleen with a huge grin on his face.
Colleen nodded, understanding his meaning. She then turned to her father, "Oh, just being a Joe. YO JOE!" she yelled loudly, throwing a huge handful of mud toward her father.
Cayden unleashed his wad of mud and it hit his father right in the chest.
"Let's bring them down," Duke said to Flint.
"Oh, yeah." Flint grabbed a armful of mud and began flinging it left and right, ducking from the incoming attacks from Cayden, Colleen and Eryn.
Duke felt a hit on his lower back, and he quickly pivoted around, staring at the mud covered Rowan, her face covered with it, but a small tiny smirk could be seen on those little features. He felt his heart skip a beat and he smiled at his new daughter. He then threw mud at her.
Eryn grabbed a bunch of mud and put it in her shirt, making a pocket out of it and climbed up a tree and started to throw it down on her father's head.
Rowan started throwing more mud on her father, then hit Flint on the back of his head, knocking his beret down.
"Hey!" Flint said surprised. "Well, she's got Red's aim." He pointed out while more mud flew in the air.
The mud flew left and right and soon all of them had colored brown, clothes and all.
A voice suddenly shot through the air. "What in the world are you all doing? FREEZE! That's an order!" Scarlett commanded, wheeling Jaye toward the group.
"Will you look at you," Jaye said. "Fine example you're being for the girls."
Duke gulped.
"Aw, Mom..." Cayden said.
"We havin fun mommy," Eryn giggled.
Flint gulped.
"But, Mom..." Colleen tried to protest.
Rowan hid behind her muddy looking father, staring at her mother's red face.
Joes began to crowd, watching the muddy ones with shocked expressions on their faces.
"Wow, must be the new spa treatment," Sky Dancer joked, crossing her arms over her green shirt.
"Yeah, Go with mud then get yelled out by wife," Gung Ho smirked.
Scarlett crossed her arms and looked down at the four muddy looking members. "I want all Hausers and all Faireborns right here." She pointed right next to her.
They all looked at one another, and did as she requested.
Jaye smirked at their faces.
"You are all, and I mean all on KP Duty until further notice. On top of that, you will all, and again mean all going to wash the laundry for the next three months," Scarlett said, her lips in a tight thin line, her features serious.
Colleen glanced around, seeing the amused faces of her other teammates and the surprised ones of her family's and fiancé's family. Her head pounded, throbbing madly, and she tried to ignore it.
"Geez, lighten up," Cayden said and started to walk away.
A few mud balls flew in the air, smacking him in the back of the head, he whirled around, stunned, spotting the two smirked faces of his mother and his godmother.
Cayden shook his head. "Figures. You guys have always had to have the last word." Everyone around them laughed.