It was a silent trip home, only ever talking around the fire, but rarely. And as hard as Keren tried, he couldn't start a conversation. When they got to Alice's, Keren stayed behind as Alice walked up on the porch. She took a deep breath, and knocked on the door. Crowley answered it.

"Alice?!" He exclaimed in suprise, looking her up and down. Yep, it was her.

"Amber, Ryan, guess who's home?" Crowley called over his shoulder.

Alice's two children came running out.

"Mummy!" They Chorused.

"Woah!" She exclaimed as they almost bowled her over. "Carefull."

Crowley smiled at Alice. Keren walked up and past Alice and her kids. He held out a hand to Crowley.

"Sir Keren" He said. Crowley took his hand.

"Crowley" He replied simply. "So, how's she been?"

"Buttle gave her and Will a hard time" Keren replied. Crowley tilted his head.

"Got her in the shoulder" Keren said. "Will in the leg. I assure you both of them are fine. Alice helped Will to heal." Crowley nodded now, understanding what Keren meant. Crowley had covered for Alice when she'd been on the mission. Her kids could be a handful, but not all the time. He'd spent a fair bit of time with Ryan. He was a rather curious boy, especially when it came to the things Ranger's specialised in. Amber, on the other hand, was a content little girl. She'd taken time to learn the ropes. And yet, she was 4, and Crowley was near amazed that the girl seemed so mature sometimes.

"Where've you been?" Asked Ryan. Alice froze. Oh shit, she thought. She couldn't tell them she hadn't been in Araluen. But then that would be lying if she didn't say so. She'd have to tell the truth.

"Hibernia" She said.

"You weren't here?' Amber asked. Alice almost chocked inwardly.

"Yes" Alice replied.

"Why couldn't we come?" Ryan asked. Alice didn't know how to reply. Thank god for Crowley.

"It wasn't safe, tiger" Crowley said, kneeling down on one knee and putting a hand on Ryan's shoulder.

"We would've been able to survive" Amber said, but both Alice and Crowley were shaking their heads before she finished speaking.

"No, you wouldn't have" They both said in unison.

"It was too dangerous, sweetie" Alice said, putting a hand on the side of Amber's face. Amber looked into her mother's eyes.

"I want proof" She said, crossing her arms. Alice sighed, and pulled her cloak away from her shoulder. The blood stain was visible enough for Amber's eyes to see, and Crowley, and Ryan, and the three all gasped. She pulled back her sleeve. Stitches. They made the two kids shiver, and just made Crowley... stare.

"What happened?" Crowley asked.

"Buttle took me by suprise" Alice said. She could see the kids wanted a story, and she covered over her scar as she spoke.

"I'll give you the details later" She said, half to the kids, half to Crowley. She'd have to give a report to him later.

"I knew he was there, his scent hung in the air like smoke" Alice told her kids and Crowley later.

"Will went to find him, told me to stay. But, he should've known that I wouldn't. As soon as he was out of earshot and out of my own line of vision, I moved to find Buttle."

"When I did about 2 seconds later, it was behind me. I whipped around, and screamed as he got me right in the shoulder. The shock drove me to the ground. He walked off, and I knew he was after Will. I found it hard to get up for a while, the pain in my shoulder unbearable."

"When I heard the battle begin between Will and Buttle, I knew I had to get up. And fast. I eventually did, and listened. I sensed Horace, but ignored him due to his idiotic act before hand. I heard it again, and dashed that way. Horace's heavy footfall faded as I jumped over logs and dodged anything that may make me trip, as silently as I could. Which was surprisingly quiet."

"I found the clearing just at the right time, took out my trusty saxe and sword" She said, getting out the two weapons.

"And crossed em over, like this," She said, showing the three what she meant.

"As I dashed between Will and Buttle. The crash came as Buttle's weapon hit me defence with great force. It sent him backward. I put them away and took out my throwing knife, and threw it straight into the center of his upper body. He jerked back and fell. I turned to Will. I asked if he was alright, and he replied saying 'I'm still here, aren't I?'."

"I sighed relief, saying that makes two of us. I knew he was weak. I picked him up off the ground, the others joining us. Halt almost burst out laughing when Gilan said that there was no body that could help for miles, and me saying that I listened to what he taught me. So, the ride back to Craikennis was a silent one. I found the wound on Will's leg eventually, and when we got to the inn, I stitched it up."

Alice ran her fingers through her hair as her other companions exchanged glances. Keren leant against a tree abit further away. It was a cold night, and yet he insisted on not joining them at the fire. She got up, stretching her arms, relieving the tension in her back.

"Now, it's time you two got to sleep" She said to Amber and Ryan.

"Awwww" Chorused her two kids.

"Come on you two" Crowley said, happy to help out Alice. "If you do what your mother says, you'll both get a suprise in the morning." The two were up and racing toward the house at this.

"Thanks Crowley" Alice said.

"No worries" Crowley replied.

"And uh, what do you mean by a suprise?" She questioned. Crowley smirked at this.

"The gathering is tomorrow" He said. "Mind if I bring 'em along?"

Alice smiled. "I knew you'd come up with something like that" She said. "A'right then."

Keren and Crowley talked in the kitchen, before stopping at Alice's voice. She was singing her kids to sleep. It was a soothing sound. She stopped eventually. As the two heard her footfall, they began speaking again, acting as if they had never stopped. Alice joined them eventually, stretching once more. Then, she cleared her throat, drawing the two's attention.

"I think I'm going to have to leave again" She said. "I'm not sure if the others'll make it back."

"They will" Crowley said. "They'll know what to do."