Enjoy.

One month later

Morning found Ali, Mattie, the other cook and roommate to Isa and Ali, and Isa all in the kitchen, getting the food ready for lunch and brewing massive amounts of coffee which always seemed to be in demand. Ali was watching the bread darken and turn crispy as it was toasted when Isa called her.
"Would you mind doing me a favor, Ali? The boys are outside fixing a hole in the roof and will probably work straight though lunch if I know Quinn. Would you take this to them?" She handed a bucket full of sandwiches and 6 waterbottles for the men to share. Winter would be here in a few months and with the harvest coming up Quinn had made fixing the roof a top priority.
"Sure I don't mind." Isa smiled knowingly when Ali left lugging the bucket with her. Mattie chuckled.
"You just can't stand the fact they aren't together yet can you?"
"No but you can't blame a girl for trying." They resumed their work in quiet amusement.

Ali didn't have a problem finding the men, but it was a challenge not to stare. The 9 or 10 men were taking a quick break from their work and sat around in the shadow of the castle, sweat glistening on their shirtless bodies, she blushed when her eyes met Creedy's who was shirtless as well. They all looked at her expectantly but she merely continued to stand there like a bump on a log thinking of that very nice chest in front of her.
"Well Ali what do you have in that bucket?" Creedy spoke to her and enjoyed the embaressed blush he saw come to her cheeks as she stammered.
"Oh uhm Isabell sent this for you since she thought ya'll might be hungry."
"Let's see it then." and "Out with it" were all phrases shot at her. She set down the bucket and watched as the men pounced on it like a lion on a wounded animal. They bit into the sandwiches and tossed around the water bottles. Quinn smiled at her from his place and nodded his head before he bit into a sandwich. Creedy was the last to get a sandwich, he smiled when he pulled out two and gave Ali a questioning look.
"Want one?" Ali smiled and accepted, some nagging feeling in the back of her said told her Isa had planned it that way as she sat down beside him and they ate quietly just enjoying the bright sun and peaceful moment they shared.
"Nice of the three of you to fix this and to bring this out."
"I had nothing to do with it, Isa fixed it, she only asked me to bring it out, but I would have even if she hadn't asked me, I had to get out of the kitchen for a little while." Ali realized she was babbling. 'Say something smart, don't babble.' She repeated over and over.
"I thought you liked it in there."
"I do, I've always liked to cook but I just had to get away for a little while. Those two are like mother hens sometimes." Quinn smiled to himself knowingly at the two not far away from him as he finished his sandwich and rubbed his hands together, most of the others had already finished and were passing around the water bottles. Isa will be proud of herself when I report this.' he thought to himself. Abruptly the peaceful moment was snatched away and replaced with a moment of unearthly silence filled the air and then that tell tale sound of a dragon screaming through the air.
The alarm went off around that time and the men scrambled for shelter. Ali stood up and made to run towards the castle doors when Creedy caught her by the arm and pulled her along. She vaguely noticed he had his shirt on, somehow it didn't suprise her he had time to put on his shirt, grab her and dash for the door in the span of2 seconds.
"This way!" Men were shouting to each other, ducking when the sound grew louder as it swooped down. Quinn opened a side door and Creedy pretty much threw her in and followed along with the others who all tumbled in through the narrow door.
"Get inside! Go! Move!" Quinn said pushing some forward through the hallway as they came out into the open bottom floor of the castle and saw a line of people going down a flight of stairs. Creedy pushed her into line and ran off with Quinn up the stairs to the higher levels. Ali was tugged along the surging mass of people and taken to a small alcove at the bottom of the stairs, it was tiny and cramped beyond belief but the depth of the room and the steel door would stop even the most determined dragon, or at least that was the idea. She was shoved into a corner and joined by a mix of little ones, men, and women. The noise was thundering in the tiny room with screams and crying and shouts, curses and sobbing. Quinn and Creedy were the last two to come in, with them came three little ones who had hidden under a bed and been overlooked in the chaos. Ali felt the breath being crushed out of her lungs while everyone jostled to get back from the door. She wanted to breath and they were crushing her. "Get off me!" Suddenly she felt the crowd give way.
She wrapped her arms around a strong body and felt safe once again.
"Creedy."
"Shhh. It's alright Ali." He led the way towards the front where there was a bit more room and settled her beside him. The two of them sat down and he wrapped his arm around her pulling her closer to him. She listened for a short while to Quinn and Creedy speaking in low tones, the sound reverberating in his chest was comforting and lulled her to sleep. She awoke sometime later with two little ones asleep on her legs, and someones foot poking her ribs, it seemed everyone was either dozing or napping. It suprised her that there was actually room to lay down, but everyone was being slept on and sleeping on others. Quinn had gone up to check for any signs of the dragon, when he returned his poked his head in the door an nodded. "Sleep good Ali?" She nodded sleepily.
"Your shoulder is quite comfortable Creedy."
"I'm glad." He smiled, causing her to smile. 'Gorgeous.' She thought as he pushed her gently forward a little to get through the door. At the top of the stairs they stopped and watched the others go by, back to their daily business. Creedy didn't exactly want to leave but he didn't have a reasonable excuse. 'Besides what will she think of me if I say Hey I can't think of anything so say so Ill just stand next to you. Idiot think of something!'
"I guess Quinn will be wanting us to start again, I'm sure Isa is looking for you as well." 'Nice one.There goes your chance Mr. Creedy.' He mentally kicked himself, while she merely nodded as Creedy walked off and joined up with Quinn and a few others on their way to resume the roof work.