Disclaimer: I don't own, wish I did, but I dont.

Enjoy!

August...

Quinn was swamped with little ones clinging to his pants and coat, all shouting and yelling excitedly when Creedy came up to him.
"Quite a brood you got there Quinn, what do they want?" He called out over the racket. Quinn just looked at him with a harried expression.
"They keep begging to stay out but no one will watch them." Creedy was silent for a minute just watching the kids jump and dance excitedly trying to convince Quinn it was alright to let them stay outside.
"Let me take them, it'll only be for a little while."
"Creedy I'm not sure it's a good idea." "Come on Quinn, just for 5 minutes, I'll be on the lookout and if the wind even moves the wrong way I'll bring them back in." Quinn didn't look at all convinced but gave his consent anyway, they cheered and immediately ran for the gate.
"Creedy I really don't feel good about this at all, you keep a sharp eye out alright?"
"I will Quinn, they'll be fine." Quinn went the opposite way and headed back towards the castle while Creedy headed down to the gate. Creedy should have known better than to believe nothing was going to go wrong.

They weren't a large group but it was still a challenge to keep an eye on them all, especially when they were bounding off in various directions. It's only natural that when you have that many children under the supervision of only one person something bad happens. Eddie's little girl, Stephanie, skipped by smiling brightly. She was a pretty little thing with dark blonde braids and bright gray eyes. She was a sweet girl too. Creedy was just about ready to round up the kids and go back inside when that complete stillness came over the land, the stillness followed by the zipper sound of a dragon and the alarm going off. 'Shit.' Most of the kids had sense enough to run, heading straight for the nearest cover (the castle), Creedy shot off towards the castle, picking up two smaller ones as he went. He dropped them off at the door and ran back to pick up the slower, ones. A few were even standing around in fright, unable to move.The kids were in and he was about to join them inside when the zipper sound grew louder and a great flame rose up somewhere between the castle and the wall. He heard a scream, one of those blood freezing screams of pain. Someone was out there.
"Oh God." Creedy slammed the door shut and ran towards the flames not really knowing who he was looking for.

He stumbled forward looking desperately for some other kid he had heard screaming. He stopped and did a complete 360 looking for anyone still out there and ran on some more. He stumbled and righted himself, nearly tripping over a body. He looked down at the body, or what wasn't covered in burns, of Stephanie. He hadn't thought she was still alive, most of the skin on her left side was gone. She was still smoking in some places. Her hair was singed and burnt, the only thing that had saved her from becoming complete ash was the fact she had been hiding behind a rock. Creedy couldn't make himself touch her, he just sat there unable to move. With an effort she moved her right arm out towards him. Begging for comfort. What the hell was he doing witholding an 8 year olds dying wish? He reach out for her hand, so cold despite the fact she had been dancing in fire not moments before. He eased closer.
"Hey there beautiful it's alright, I'm here." He choked on the words as her hand went limp in his. He threw down her hand and crawled backwards as fast as he could. It didn't matter how far or how quickly he got away, she would always be there asking for someone to hold her. Creedy sat there for what seemed like forever unable to break his eyes away from her body. "Creedy! Creedy are you alright?" The questions came a mile a minute, there was Quinn looking down at him when he finally broke his eyes away from the lifeless body. He looked up at Quinn with tears in his eyes.
"Stephanie." Was all he whispered.

Up at the castle the parents all searching frantically for their children, Eddie stood closest to the door. He immedietly intercepted the two men when they walked in the door. "Where's Stephanie? Where's my little girl?"He asked urgently.
"I'm sorry Eddie." Quinn said. Eddie took Quinn by the shoulder and shook him hard.
"Sorry won't bring her back now will it? It's your fault Quinn!"He snarled, pushed Quinn back and turned away. Creedy made for his room as quickly as he possibly could without running. He completely ignored Ali as she stepped out of the shadows wiping her sleeve across her mouth, looking pale. Ali moved to go after him but Mattie grabbed her hand and stopped her.
"Let him go, give him some time to himself."

Creedy stormed into the room, he slammed the door behind him and stood in the center of the floor for a minute before he viciously shoved all the magazines and various other objects on top of the desk to the floor with a flutter of paper and clatter of pens and pencils. He stood for a minute breathing heavily before he sank down to the ground, his head in his hands rocking back and forth. Quinn came in not long after. Creedy looked up at Quinn standing in the doorway, his eyes were red and watery.
"My fault Quinn. All my fault." Quin quietly shut the door behind him, he kneeled in front of Creedy.
"I shouldn't of let her out of my sight, my fault she's gone."
"Creedy, it's not your fault, no one wanted it to happen."
"You weren't there Quinn! I had to hold her hand and tell her it was alright when it's wasn't! She died right there in front of me Quinn." The fight drained out of Creedy and left nothing but a whimpering emotionally exhausted man. Quinn leaned forward and put a hand on Creedy's shoulder. "I'm just glad it was his kid instead of Ben or May." The way Creedy said so quiet and flat, so devoid of anything but complete and total truth. Quinn smacked him hard across the face, hoping to bring Creedy back to his senses.
"Creedy you heartless bastard. I thought you were better than that. No one wants their own child to die but don't wish it upon another. Stephanie was innocent." Creedy hung his head and Quinn left the room, angry, at his best friend. He pulled the door forcefully shut behind him.

Ali was heading up to the room, no matter what Mattie said Creedy might need her. She saw Quinn sitting on the stairs with a glass of what she assumed to be Creedy's brew. He looked depressed, like he had just hit someone and regretted it. She sat down beside him and nudged him softly.
"How you holding up, Quinn?"
"I've been better." His words were a hair line away from slurring, obviously this wasn't his first glass.
"We've all had better days." He grunted and took a sip from his glass. Ali turned his face towards her and looked into those expressive chocolate eyes. They were so full of guilt.
"Hey, I trust you Quinn, I trust you. It's no one's fault, yours least of all. You didn't know what would happen, none of us did." He let out a shaky breath. He did blame himself.
"I told Creedy he could watch them, I'm so stupid Ali. I should've just said no and left it at that, instead I let them go and what happens? Eddie's little girl is dead andit is my fault, I said yes, one word could have saved her, one word and she'd be alive right now." Ali was quiet thinking over her words carefully. She put a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm not going to say its alright because someone's little girl is gone, Eddie doesn't think its right, neither do you or I, but it could've been anyone, today, tomorrow, a week from now, or a month. We all are going to lose someone before its all over, don't give up on us Quinn." There was that weighted silence as Ali and Quinn sat there, her words sinking in. She hugged him tightly offering comfort. They sat there for a few minutes, not talking, just sitting. Quinn thought about Creedy, sitting in his room all alone, he felt even more guilty for keeping Ali from him.
"You should probably go see about Creedy, when I left him it wasn't good." She nodded and left.

Creedy was still on the floor, staring at nothing.
"Creedy talk to me." She wrapped her arms around him in a comforting manner. He pulled her to him and buried his head in her shoulder. His body heaved as he cried anew when he saw her. "Tell me it's ok. Lie to me do whatever you have to just tell me it's ok." He sobbed, she stroked his back in a comforting manner.
"Shh." "I tried, Ali. I tried to save them all. To get them all to the shelter." She had never seen Creedy this way before, it hurt to see him like this.
"I know you did Creedy. Shhh."

Poor Creedy.

FYI it hurts alot to type with two burnt fingers. And a sore back and shoulders, and elbow, and ankle. This definitely hasn't been my week...Sheesh.

The reviews help, really they do! Thank you to those who have reviewed:-)