Molly arrived at the school just as it was letting out, and she stood on her toes, straining to see a spot of Ann and Andy in the swarm of young children leaving the building. Once everyone had scattered, Molly still had not seen them. She slowly entered the school building and found them standing at the front of the room.  Andy had black eye, Ann's dress was torn and they were both filthy. She lifted a brow. "What is going on here?" She did not recall black eyes and dirty clothes as part of the curriculum.

"They got into a fight with some of the other children during lunch," Miss Avery explained.

That didn't sound like them... well, maybe Andy sometimes, but not Ann. "What happened?"

"No one would tell me.  Will you please inform their parents that if this continues I will not allow them to return?"

"I will," she said, giving them a stern look. Ann and Andy exchanged worried glances and followed her out of the school.

"Are you going to tell on us?" Andy asked as they neared the house.

"They're going to figure something out, with your black eyes and dirty clothes," Molly said.

The two hung their heads.

"Care to tell me what the fight was about?" she asked.

"The kids… they were... they were calling Daddy a monster!" Ann exclaimed.

"Annie!" Andy yelped.

"I don't wanna go there no more!"

"Spot and Rae are gonna want to know why you were fighting with the other kids," Molly said.

"Yeah but... Daddy will get upset," Andy said with a frown.

Molly crossed her arms and looked down at the two of them. "I think he's going to be upset anyway because the two of you got into trouble at school."

They both frowned and looked ashamed.

"In you go," she said, pointing toward the house.

Ann bit her lip and crept towards the door dragging Andy after her.

Rae was just coming down the stairs with Sam and Kendra when they walked in. "Ann! Andy! What in the world happened to the two of you?" she demanded.

They looked back at Molly and she gave them a very stern look.

"We... got in a fight," Andy said quietly.

Rae sighed. "Go to your rooms and clean up. And stay there until Daddy or I say you can leave."

"Yes ma'am," they mumbled in unison, shuffling upstairs.

"Do you know anything about this Molly?"

"They said they got into a fight because someone was saying Spot was a monster." She shrugged. "So I'm assuming that was it."

Rae sighed. "Will you watch these two while I go talk to Spot?"

She nodded. "All right."

Rae walked into the study were she knew that Spot was working and sat on the couch. "We have another problem."

He looked up at her. "What is it?"

"Ann and Andy got into some trouble at school today."

He lifted a brow. "What sort of trouble?"

"They got in a fight with some other kids at school."

He blinked in surprise. "Ann and Andy? OUR Ann and Andy?"

"Yes. Our Ann and Andy."

His brow knitted together. "But... why? How?"

Rae took a deep breath.  "Molly says they claim it's because of what some of the kids were saying about you."

He sighed. "About me, huh?" After a moment, he said, "But that still doesn't give them any reason to get into fights!"

"I know," she replied. "What are we going to do about it?"

"I don't know..."

"We need to do something."

"Well of course we do... I just don't know what..."

She sighed and leaned her head against the back of the couch.

He pretty much mimicked what she did, feeling his own frustration with the piling events.

"Taking them out of school would only be giving into those stupid people who started the rumors about you."

"I don't want to take them out," he agreed. "But that keeping them there isn't going to stop the kids teasing them... only time will.... but how can you make two seven-year-olds understand that?"

"I wish I knew."

"Well.... we can tell them anyway and hope they understand..."

She nodded. "Should we punish them in some way?"

"I think they deserve something... Despite their... intentions."

"I know it's still rather early, but what if we sent them to their beds now..."

"That sounds good," he agreed.

She got up and left the room, only to return a moment later with the twins in tow. They looked at Spot nervously.

"Care to tell me exactly what happened at school today?"

"Some... some kids were calling you names... and... we told them to stop, but they said no... and we got in a fight," Andy said quietly, looking at his feet.

"What have we told the two of you about fighting?"

"That we weren't supposed to do it 'cause it wasn't nice...."

"That's right. So why were you fighting?"

"Because they were saying mean things first!"

"You would have too if you heard them, Daddy," Ann said.

He sat down on the couch. "Come here."

Very hesitantly, they walked over to him.

"Sit," he said, motioning them to the couch. And promptly, the twins sat. "I know sometimes it seems like there is a good reason to fight, but fighting is still wrong."

They nodded soberly. "Yessir...."

"Now, Momma and I want you to go straight to bed."

"Now?!" Andy wailed.

"Yes, I believe I did say now."

Climbing to his feet sulkily, he said goodnight and trudged up to bed.

Ann hugged Spot. "I'm sorry Daddy..." she said.

He kissed her forehead, "I know, sweetheart."

With a sniffle, she hugged Rae as well and ran off to bed.

Rae walked over and sat beside Spot. "That went better than I expected."

He nodded. "I was very surprised."

"Should we go up in a little while and check on them?"

"Yes, definitely."

"Are we doing the right thing?"

He frowned. "I hope so."

She rested her head on his shoulder.

"Why don't you go lay down until dinner?" he suggested.

"Perhaps I will," she agreed with a nod. "This has been a long day."

He kissed her softly. "Rest well, darling."

She smiled a little. "Thank you." And she left the room to go to bed.

Ten minutes later Spot stood and walked upstairs. Rae was already sound asleep.  Andy was stretched out on his back on the bed in his room. "Hey little man," Spot said, leaning against the doorframe.

"Hi," he mumbled, rolling onto his stomach.

"Wanna talk?"

He shrugged a little. He didn't know what he had to talk about.

"You understand why Momma and I sent you to bed, right?"

"Yessir," he mumbled.

Spot nodded and went to check on Annie. He smiled when he entered the room and found her sound asleep. He tucked her in and kissed her forehead, before heading downstairs to start on dinner.

Molly was already in the kitchen.

"Already started dinner?" he asked, a bit surprised.

"Chris came back complaining that he was hungry."

Spot laughed a little, and began to help her. "What's on the menu tonight?"

"Pot Roast."

"Sounds good."

"Where's Rae?"

"She's napping," he replied, chopping up some carrots Molly had lying out. "The stress was getting to her."

"She's been looking kinda tired lately."

He nodded. "I hope she's not going to get sick as well."

"I'm sure she'll be fine, once she gets some rest."

"Yeah... yeah..." He nodded, hoping she was right.  "I'm going to check on Chris and those two little terrors."

She smiled. "All right."

When Spot entered the playroom, Kendra was attempting to climb on Chris's shoulders as he tried to help Sam build a block tower. He was laughing at Kendra's attempts and it caused her to roll off sideways.

Spot scooped her up in his arms. "Hey, Princess."

"Daddy!" she exclaimed, hugging him tightly.

"Are you being good for Chris?"

"Yes!"

"That's my girl," he said, tickling her.

She shrieked with giggles.

"How ya doing, Chris?" Spot asked, sitting on the floor as Sam crawled over to him.

"... All right, I suppose." Chris sighed. "Julie asked me to try again to find our father."

"Do you not want to?" he asked carefully.

"If he had wanted us, he would have found us before now. It's been almost three years since we ran away."

"Not necessarily... You're not in the same place you were.... probably not at all."

"Spot, I wrote my aunt. She knew we were here. And he knew that we were with her."

"Oh..." He nodded. "Well, that does pose a problem."

"I don't want to find him, but I guess I will have to look again. For Julie."

Spot squeezed Chris' arm sympathetically.

Chris sighed again. "I really don't understand girls at all."

He laughed. "None of us do."

"What's a guy supposed to do, Spot?"

"Tough it out."

"Besides that?"

"It's all you can do."

Chris groaned.

"Did you talk to Molly?" Spot asked.

"About... about what?"

"About what we talked about last night."

After a pause, Chris nodded, reddening some.

"And?"

"And what?"

"What happened, kid?"

"Nothing.. really..."

"Uh huh..." Spot said nodding. "Sure." Chris blushed scarlet. "What happened?"

"She... well... she said she felt the same...."

"And?"

"Nothing."

"Something else happened. I can feel it."

"No it didn't."

"You kissed her didn't you?"

"No...of course not...how did you know?"

Spot smirked. "I know all." Chris blushed furiously. "Besides," he added. "All that blushing hides nothing."

"Shut it," Chris mumbled.

"That's no way to talk to your elders," Spot commented with a grin.

"Yeah, yeah."

"Neither is that," he said.

* * *

After eating dinner, Spot walked upstairs and knocked on the door to Andy's room. There wasn't an answer. Quietly, he poked his head in the room. Andy was curled up on his floor, fast asleep. He walked over and gently shook him. "Wake up, little man."

Mumbling under his breath sleepily, he opened his eyes slowly.

"Are you hungry, kiddo?"

After a yawn, he nodded sleepily.

"Come down and get something to eat, but then it's right back up here for you."

He nodded silently, still half asleep, and climbed to his feet, heading downstairs.

Before heading downstairs Spot knocked on the door to Ann's room.  He stuck his head in. "Come get something to eat, princess." She opened an eye and shook her head before falling back asleep again. "Night Annie."

"Night," she murmured drowsily.

Spot sat with Andy in the kitchen as he ate and Molly washed the dishes.  "What exactly did they say to you today?" Spot asked.

He frowned. "They were saying that we were the monster's kids, and how monsters don't belong here... they were real mean!"

"Andy?"

"What?"

"Do you think I'm a monster?"

He looked at Spot wide-eyed with surprise. "No sir."

"Does Annie?"

He shook his head. "No sir."

"Does Momma?"

He shook his head. "No."

"Then it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks."

"Yes sir," he said quietly.

Spot ruffled his hair. "Finish up, kiddo and then go back to bed. I'm going to check on Momma."

He nodded and worked on finishing his dinner, though, that moment, he looked more tired than anything else.

Spot stood and went to check on Rae. She was sleeping peacefully curled in a ball with one arm flung over her head.

Spot walked over and moved her arm.  He leaned down and gently kissed her. With a stifled yawn, she woke up slowly.

"Hungry?" he asked.

"Hmm, mmm... yes," she said sleepily. "A little."

He scooped her up into his arms and carried her downstairs. She laughed lightly. Andy was just finishing up when they entered the kitchen.

"Hello Mommy."

"Hey buddy," she said as Spot put her in a chair.

He hugged her and Spot goodnight and then headed back to bed.

Molly sat a plate of food in front of Rae. "I'm going to bed," she said, leaving the room.

"All right... Sleep well, Molly... Boy, I didn't realize I was so unpopular," Rae commented with a small smile.

"We're all just tired."

"It has been one rough day," she admitted.

He put his arm around her. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," she said with a slight smile. "Worried, too."

"We'll make it...somehow."

She rested her head on his shoulder. "I hope so."

* * *

"Do I have to go to school?" Ann asked Spot the next morning.

"Yes you do, sweetheart."

"But I don't want to go back. Those kids are mean."

"They'll get over it soon enough," Spot assured her. Ann pouted. He kissed her forehead. "Turn that frown upside down, Annie," he told her with a smile.

She shook her head. "I don't want to go back to school."

"Well, I'm sorry, but you have to."

"But Daddy..." she whined.

"No buts."

She made a noise of frustration and stomped away.

With a frustrated sigh of his own, Spot shook his head. "That girl..."

"Still trying to get out of going to school?" Rae asked, entering the room with Sam on her hip.

"Yes..."

"She's asked me twice already this morning."

He sighed. "It's amazing that she suddenly hates going... just because what a few kids said."

"The sting of words is hard to forget."

"That's true," he admitted.

"I wish there was another school for them to go, but I'm not sure even that would be a good idea."

Spot nodded. "Besides, we can't teach them to run away from everything."

"I know. I just don't want to see them hurt."

"I don't either."

"Do you want to walk them to school? Or do you want me too?"

"I'm not sure..." she admitted. "I don't know what would be best for them..."

"Let's both walk them as far as the clearing."

She nodded. "That sounds good."

"Ann! Andy! Time to leave!" he yelled.

"Do we hafta?" Andy whined.

"Yes! Now move it," Spot said, pointing toward the door.

They sulked and shuffled slowly out the door.

"This is going to be a long walk," Rae muttered as she and Spot followed them.

He nodded. "I couldn't agree more."

* * *

Later that afternoon Spot sent Chris and Molly to pick the twins up at school. "Talk to her," he whispered to Chris as he and Molly headed out the door.

Chris sighed and nodded. "But I doubt she'll listen..."

"Try anyway," Spot said, closing the door.

He sighed and glanced around. Now or never, he supposed.

"Molly..." he started.

Folding her arms over her chest, she muttered, "What?"

"About that kiss..."

"What about it?"

"I'm sorry. It shouldn't have happened."

"... I see."

"You don't feel the same way?"

"About what?" she asked, glaring at the path before them.

"Are you upset because I kissed you?"

".... Not exactly..."

He kicked a rock. "Talk to me Molly. I'm just as confused as you are."

"I... I don't know what you want me to say," she said.

"I want you to tell me what your thoughts are about that kiss."

"I... don't know my thoughts, all right?"

"You aren't helping me any."

"Well neither are you."

"I'm just trying to figure what happened between us!"

"Well so am I!"

"I wish we could go back to the way we were."

"What do you mean?"

"Back to the way we were a few weeks ago. At least back then you would talk to me."

"I'm talking to you, aren't I?"

"You know what I mean, Molly."

She sighed and glanced down.

He reached over and tilted her head so that she was looking at him. "I'm sorry, Molly girl."

"Why are you apologizing? I never said I hated you kissing me..."

"Then you won't object if I kiss you again?"

"I... I..." She blushed and looked down. "I guess not..."

He kissed her forehead, "Come on, the twins are waiting for us."

"Right..." She nodded, blushing more.

"Friends again?" he asked, slipping his arm around her.

She nodded a bit shyly. "Yes."

He grinned at her, "Are you blushing, Molly Gaines?"

"Nooo." And of course, she blushed brighter.

He laughed and took a step closer to her, but stopped when he heard two childish squeals. "We thought no one was coming for us," Ann said as she ran up to them.

"Now why did you think that?" Molly asked.

"We waited forever!" Andy replied.

"Forever? You shouldn't have gotten out so long ago..." Chris said.

Ann pulled on his sleeve. "I want to go home," she whispered.

"Did something happen?" he asked, taking her hand and leading her down the path, with Molly and Andy not too far behind him.

"Those kids are mean."

"Well... sometimes kids are like that... but they'll get over it once you show them how nice you are."

"I don't want to go back."

"Why not? Did they do something extra mean today or something?"

"They wouldn't let me sit with them at lunch...and they said mean things..."

He frowned, uncertain what to say to this. If it was him, he would have beaten them up several times already.

She burst into tears. "They said that if my daddy was a monster...I was a monster too..."

He hugged her tightly to his side. "Don't listen to them. You're not a monster, and you know you're not. They're just stupid for saying those things."

She clung to him, "Why do they have to be so mean, Chris?"

"I don't know," he said, shrugging a little. "... I just don't know."

"I want Momma."

"You'll see her in a little bit," Molly said.

Ann sniffled and started walking away.

Andy trotted up next to her. "Don't cry, Annie."

She dried her tears with the back of her hands. A few minutes later, they arrived home. Ann walked in the front door and saw Rae playing on the floor with Sam and Kendra. Tears filled her eyes again as she ran up the stairs to her room. Rae looked up when she heard the increasingly distant thumping of Ann's feet and frowned, puzzled.

"What's wrong with Annie?" she asked when Chris and Molly entered the house.

"The kids at school were making fun of us again," Andy mumbled, coming in close behind them.

Rae looked at Chris. "Do I need to go talk to her?" Standing, she walked up to the room that Ann and Kendra shared.  She knocked softly on the door and stuck her head in. Ann sat hunched on her bed, sniffling. Rae went over and stretched out on the bed next to the little girl. "Wanna talk about, Annie?"

She sniffled and rubbed her nose.

Rae stroked the girl's hair. "What's the matter?"

"You're *hic* you're too busy."

"Right now the only thing I have to do is talk to my Annie."

She sniffled again. "The kids *hic* the kids were making fun of me and Andy again!" she wailed. "They wouldn't let me sit with them or nothing!"

Rae pulled Ann into her arms. "I'm sorry, sweetheart."

She sniffled, clinging to Rae.

"Do I have to go back?" Ann asked.

Rae nodded. "Yes... I know you don't like it, but you need to learn."

"Why are they so mean?"

"I don't know," she said, stroking her hair softly.

"Why do people not like Daddy?"

"People don't like things that are different... Remember when you were scared of him when we first found you and Andy?"

Ann nodded.

"That's how these people are... they're scared of him."

"They need to be not scared."

"I know," she agreed.

"Where's Julie?" Ann asked.

"She's in bed, sleeping," Rae replied.

Ann wrinkled her nose. "Is she sick again?"

"Well... she's tired."

Ann nodded. "Why are Chris and Molly acting so funny?"

"What do you mean?"

"They been acting like you and Daddy did right before you left and we went to bring you home."

Rae laughed a little. "Well... They like each other."

"Like you and Daddy like each other?"

She laughed again. "Something like that."

Ann wrinkled her nose again. "Have they been kissin?"

"That, I don't know."

"Are you gonna ask 'em?"

"I don't really think that, at this point, it's much of my business. If it gets out of hand, I will make it my business, but until then..."

"Can I..."

"NO!"

"But why not?"

"Because it's none of your business. Besides, haven't we had a talk about your asking too many questions and being too nosy?"

"But-"

She gave the girl a stern look. "No buts Miss Ann."

Ann pouted. "Can I go play now?"

With a smile, she nodded. Ann hopped off the bed and ran from the room.

Shaking her head, she climbed to her feet and headed back downstairs, where Andy was eating a snack and talking to Chris. "Where's Molly?" she asked.

Chris shrugged. "I think she went outside with Kendra."

"Thanks," Rae said, crossing to the door.

Outside, Molly was holding Kendra's hand and walking with her around the lawn.

"Molly, can we talk for a minute?"

She looked up, startled. "Uh, yeah?"

"I don't know what's going on with you and Chris, and I don't want to know... just be careful...Annie was asking me questions."

"Oh dear," she murmured with a blush.

"I don't know what she saw...or what she thought she saw..."

"I don't know either," Molly said honestly.

"Just be more careful."

"Yes'm."

"Thanks."

She nodded.

Rae turned and walked back into the house.

Chris caught up with her. "Is... uh... is Molly still out there?"

"Yes," Rae answered.

"Um, okay..." He paused, as if a little embarrassed. "Is... is it okay if I go out there?"

"I suppose."

Still looking embarrassed, he scooted out the door. Rae giggled, as she walked upstairs to check on Sam. Spot was up there, flipping through a book.

"Bored?" she asked.

He looked up and smiled at her. "Yeah... perhaps a little." She grinned and walked over to the window. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Chris and Molly are in the back yard talking."

Spot got up and stood next to her. "That so?"

"Annie asked me if they had been kissing."

He laughed. "She always was rather ... inquisitive."

"That wasn't my point."

"And you want to find out whether they are or not?"

"Of course."

Spot laughed. "You're awful," he teased.

"Don't you want to know?"

"I'll admit I'm curious..."

Rae pulled back the curtain and peered out.

"What's happening?"

* * *

Chris could tell as he walked across the yard that Molly had something on her mind.  Kendra toddled over to him and lifted her arms. "Up."

With a faint smile, he picked her up. He looked back at Molly, who had not even noticed the little girl wandering away.  "Penny for your thoughts," he said, stopping next to her.

"It would take a gallon of pennies," she replied.

"I don't have quite that many."

She smiled a little.

"What's on your mind, Molly girl?"

"Just some things Rae mentioned to me."

"Like what? If you don't mind me asking."

She blushed, but didn't answer. He gave her an inquisitive look, not getting the unintentional hint.

"Annie's been asking questions...about us..."

He smiled a little. "That so?"

Molly nodded, blushing even more.

He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are... are you okay?"

She nodded. "Annie asked if we had been kissing," she whispered.

"... I always thought she was kind of nosy..."

"That's not the point, Chris."

He gave her a bit of a puzzled look. "Then... what is?"

"Rae said we need to be more careful...that is...if..."

"If?"

"You decide to kiss me again..."

With a sigh, Chris tucked his hands in his pockets. "Well... I won't... if you don't want me to." He gave her a hesitant glance. She blushed and ducked her head. "I... didn't mean to embarrass you."

"Well...I..." She shook her head. "Nevermind," she muttered, walking away.

"What?" He reached out after her before following.

She moved Kendra from one hip to the other. "What are your feelings about Kendra?"

"My feelings about Kendra...?" Tilting his head, he asked, "What do you mean?"

She took a deep breath. "You know what happened to me...and who know the truth about Kendra...do you think differently about me because of that? Does it change the way you look at me?"

"No... why should it? It wasn't your fault..."

"It doesn't bother you?"

"Well.... I mean, it bothers me that someone had the nerve to do that to you... but... no, it doesn't bother me otherwise."

"Then you have permission to kiss me again," she whispered, before walking away.