Consciousness returned slowly and was very hard to hold onto. Mentally Branwen equated it to trying to catch a fish with your bare hands when you could only move at half speed. She felt like she was actually self aware long before she had the strength or capability to do anything about it.

She had a feeling she had been in and out a bit before she regained any understanding of time in a linear form. She had fuzzy memories that she couldn't quite string together. They either didn't make sense or weren't clear enough to understand.

She was also distracted by the growing awareness of the world going on around her. She understood she was hurt. The pain in her body and her trapped consciousness made that clear. But, despite knowing there was an IV in her arm, and hearing the beeping and whirring sound of the machines managing her IV, she knew she wasn't in a hospital. For one, she was far too comfortable. The bed she was in was soft, the blankets warm and the pillow down.

She also knew because whenever someone came to check on her or switch her IV bag, there wasn't the sound of voices, echoes or other hospital-esc noises when the door opened. By the sound of shoes hitting the floor, Branwen guessed the floor was both hardwood, and the real shit. None of that combination real and man made. She also knew the person who came to check her vitals was male.

The footsteps spoke of a large shoe, wide rubber heal and deep tread. Branwen had a lot of time on her hands with very little to do so she had analyzed the length of the steps, the pattern and the sounds they made. The person checking on her was not happy to be there. They always paused outside the door and then their footsteps were forced. Something made them uncomfortable entering the room. Then again, maybe it was the half-comatose girl in the bed, Branwen thought ironically.

In all seriousness, Branwen did think she was the reason the man was uneasy. She just wasn't sure if it was because she was unresponsive or if it was another reason entirely.

Because there wasn't a way for her to tell the passing of time, Branwen wasn't sure how many days she had been out for when she realized she was beginning to get control over her body back. All she knew was that when she became aware of her surroundings she thought about how nice it would be to stretch, long and taught like a cat, and she could feel the sensation of the sheets against her toes.

It was just the right foot but, as she tested it, she knew it was true. She was slowly wiggling her toes.

Slowly she developed other muscle reactions. Small ones. Fingers, her nose, even her jaw could move a little. But the bigger things like legs, arms and her eyes, were harder. And they took more out of her trying. But Branwen wasn't a quitter. She would try with all she had every time she was aware. It gave her something to take her mind off all the questions and thoughts running through her head as her memories came back.

She was especially ashamed to admit her first real emotional reaction was annoyance. Both at Pogue and herself. Herself because she couldn't seem to get over all her hang-ups to trust him and let him in. She couldn't relinquish the kind of control that he demanded to have. That just led her to being annoyed at him for demanding it. She understood what he was saying, because she hated when people tried to protect her by not letting her make her own decisions. But she couldn't find it in herself to do so. She didn't know what it would take.

And then she returned to annoyance at herself and Pogue because despite his ultimatum, she loved him. Loved him so much she had sacrificed everything she had to make sure he was protected when the SUV had come at them.

The SUV that was clearly another warning from the Coven. Sure, there was the slightest chance that it was an accident, but there was a niggling coming from a still dark part of her memory that told Branwen that what happened had been staged. And the idea that the coven was coming after them again just made Branwen want to close up tighter to keep all the people she cared about safe. The exact opposite of what the man she loved was asking.

Well wasn't she in a pickle.

The shame returned when she woke to the awareness that she wasn't alone. Immediately she knew that Aria was with her. Branwen could sense her presence and was a little ashamed she hadn't been worried about Aria. But she hadn't had much reason to be. She had a lot of faith in Aria. Neither of them had really studied their magic the way they should have, but they knew enough to protect themselves.

Branwen also knew that Aria had been at the house with Nathan and Caleb. Caleb might be in a rough spot lately but he would never let anything happen to Aria, his own outburst of magic excluded. And Nathan knew that if he let anything happen to Aria, there wouldn't be a pebble on this earth he could hide under.

When Aria touched Branwen's hand, Branwen wanted to move it. She wanted to signal to her best friend that she was in there. But Branwen had been doing a lot of testing her muscles lately and she didn't have the energy to move. She barely had the energy to stay conscious.

"Wake up soon, Branwen. I have so much to talk to you about. I don't know how to feel about where we are or what's happening. I need you back."

Branwen tried to hang on but before she knew it, the darkness had descended again.

It had been three days since they arrived. They saw very little of Catherine. She was always off working on something. But she never failed to return for dinner. Dinner, she said, was to be eaten together.

The fact that Catherine still held comfort in ritual should have made Aria feel better. But it didn't.

So she had decided to take a walk around the property. Catherine had told them she owned most of the surrounding lands and there were lakes on both sides of the property so they should feel free to wander. But the more time they spent here, Aria wasn't sure FREE was what she felt. Sure, they could leave, but Branwen couldn't. And even if they did leave, what were the chances they wouldn't be followed and watched to make sure they didn't tell anyone about this place.

And what a place it was. Beautiful hills full of tall, wonderful smelling trees, surrounded by frozen lakes just glistening in the sunlight. The crunch of Aria's boots in the snow even calmed her; like a little audible mood enhancer from Mother Nature, herself. Aria hadn't realized how much she missed nature when she was cooped up in the city. Being one with nature had always been stressed in the coven but sometimes that made it easy to forget that nature didn't have to be part of a ritual. It could just be a calming soul cleanser when your life was starting to feel a little heavy.

Because she didn't have to just worry about Branwen. She also had Caleb to worry about. They were given free reign of the house, all but Catherine's personal bedroom suite on the main floor. Upstairs, Aria had been given a room that was near the front of the house and Branwen's room. Caleb and Pogue had room on the same floor but grouped together at the back of the house. Nathan had been put on the lower level where the fancy entertaining areas were.

They were told Kieran lived on the property but they saw him so rarely that it was almost like her didn't exist outside of dinner. He, supposedly, was the one looking after Branwen, something about him having medical training, but Aria never saw him come or go, despite Branwen's fluid's always being replenished.

With all her Caleb problems, he who was usually sitting in front of the TV or video gaming system, Aria knew it was stupid and pointless and all sorts of trouble she didn't need, but there was something about Kieran she just couldn't help but be curious about. She couldn't shut it off.

Which is why, when her walk brought her to a well-worn path towards the lake, Aria pulled her coat a little tighter around herself and followed.

Now be it because of either Kieran's usual appearance of well-at-ease sophistication, or even just his cocky demeanor, the last thing Aria expected to find at the end of the path was a whimsical looking boathouse. Two stories, bright yellow and adorned with white Victorian trim, it was as far away from the sleek abode Aria would have imagined for Kieran. In fact, it was downright Seussian.

"Hello Red."

Aria was ashamed to admit she jumped, completely snuck up on despite the snow on the ground. "You could have announced yourself."

When she turned to him, Kieran wasn't looking at her, instead following her previous gaze to the boathouse. His topaz eyes were dark and forlorn despite the smirk on his face. It was something akin to devilish… something self-satisfied and mischievous…

"Didn't your mother ever warn you not to stray from the path?" He said, his eyes finally turning to her and giving her a slow perusal before meeting her own.

Wolfish. His smile was wolfish. "I am not Little Red Riding Hood and this most certainly is not my grandmother's house."

He reached out and pulled on one of her red ringlets before looking back at the boathouse and the lake beyond. "I see Catherine's secret is out. Still, if the story fits…"

"I am not nearly that naïve and I doubt you are as wolfish and devious as you'd like to think you are."

He looked back at her. "You think not?" Dusting some snow, she hadn't realized had begun to fall, off her shoulder, he turned and headed towards the boathouse. "Then by all means come into my den and see for yourself."

She watched him walk towards the building knowing full well that the wisest course of action, despite the injury to her pride, would be to turn tail and head back to the main house. There was no question that despite all her curiosity, following him into that building, no matter any good intentions, would spell trouble of some sort. She locked that thought away in the back of her mind so she could tell herself she's told herself so later.

Walking up a staircase at the side of the building, they came up to a deck. Aria was sure in the warmer months it would be a beautiful place to sit. Right now, however, it was snow-laden and empty. Kieran was already at the door on the other side, unlocking it.

"Worried about trespassers all the way out here?" She asked ironically, since she, herself, had been thinking about trespassing.

He smiled over his shoulder at her. "I've never really been good at that whole trust thing."

"You seem to trust Catherine perfectly well, No questions asked."

Something dark ran across his face before he turned away and opened the door. "Extenuating circumstances. She's earned my trust." He cleared his throat as he walked across the barrier and turned to her. Whatever expression he'd had was gone now, replaced with cool amusement. "Would you like to come in Red?"

"Why do you keep calling me that? It's not my name." She said as, without even thinking about it, her feet propelled her across the threshold.

"Haven't you ever heard of a nickname?" He walked around her as she stood, staring at the interior, in mystified amusement.

The inside wasn't as Victorian as the outside, but it still wasn't what she'd picture him living in long term. It was white-washed wood on the walls and ceiling with dark wood floors and navy accents. The nautical theme was more masculine than the outside but still not quite the modern sophistication she'd imagined.

"I am nothing like Little Red Riding Hood and it's only one letter shorter than my name so what's the point?"

"Not all nicknames are meant to be shorter." He went to the kitchen and put the kettle on the stove before turning and leaning against the counter, looking her over. "Besides, you have some of the reddest hair I've ever seen. And I would be willing to bet you are much more like Red Riding Hood than you think."

They stood in silence for a couple minutes. She didn't think she liked the way he looked at her but she found herself unable to look away from him just the same. Finally finding the power to control her mouth the way she couldn't control her eyes, Aria tried to do the right thing. "Maybe I should leave. Someone might be looking for me."

She realized the weak excuse was exactly like something Red Riding Hood would say, even before a satisfied grin started to curve his lips. She definitely thought he would comment, but instead he avoided the opportunity completely and turned, pulling a couple black mugs out of the cupboard. Then, walking across to another cupboard, he pulled out a dark plastic container. "You really want to leave before the hot chocolate?"

Aria tried very hard not to give away the inner struggle she faced. He had found one of her weaknesses. She loved hot chocolate the way most people loved coffee. The question was, did he know that and that was why he offered, or was it a coincidence? She didn't like not knowing his intensions. One, because she didn't know how trustworthy anyone here at Catherine's could be, and two, because Kieran, specifically, seemed to pull her curiosity out against all her better judgement.

Just as she had decided it was time to leave, the kettle started whistling and Kieran poured the boiling water into the cups, adding some scoops from the container and a splash of milk from the fridge. Aria was momentarily distracted by yet another failed assumption she'd made. She hadn't expected his fridge contents to be so varied and normal. She didn't know why but she had expected him to be on some high protein diet or something. Must have been something about his physique…

"Here." Caught not paying attention again, Aria turned just in time for him to hand her a big, delicious smelling mug of steaming hot chocolate. Unable to help herself, Aria brought it close to her face and took a giant sniff of it. It most certainly was not store-bought powder.

"It smells amazing." She said, completely sincere.

"Just imagine how it tastes." He replied. She rolled her eyes, but when she looked up to comment on him mocking her, it wasn't mockery she saw in his eyes. Not that he was meeting her eyes, because he was avidly watching her lips as she blew on her drink.

Eventually he seemed to shake himself and glanced around the room. "It does look like the snow is picking up. Perhaps you should get back to the main house. I can grab the mug next time I'm up there."

She paused, confused. Had it just been her or had he not worked rather hard to get her into his house only to be basically kicking her out now? Still she wasn't going to argue when she had just been saying the same thing moments before. He walked her to the door and as he closed the door behind her and disappeared from view, she couldn't help thinking that the wolf had never treated Little Red Riding Hood like that.

Shaking her head at herself, she held her warm cup in both hands and headed back the way she'd come.

"You were using this afternoon."

Kieran jumped as Catherine spoke behind him. He'd just come back up to the main house for dinner, despite his better judgment. After his run in with Aria this afternoon, he'd thought it might be best to avoid her for a bit. But Catherine had her rules about dinner.

Pretending he hadn't heard her, he turned and put on his charmingly indifferent smile. "You startled me. What did you say?"

She raised a brow, clearly on to him. "You were using this afternoon."

It was said as a statement but Kieran knew she expected an answer. "Only a little. It was nothing important."

"And yet you found it important enough to use magic. An interesting bit of magic, as well. Tell me, what did she think of it?"

Sometimes it was very irritating when someone oversaw your magic. Catherine didn't generally care what he used it for but he found himself uncomfortably touchy about the subject today. "I suggested she leave."

Something indefinable went through Catherine's eyes before she smiled at him and put her hand through his arm, walking him towards the dining room. "I don't know why you insist on torturing yourself, Kieran. You know she's in a relationship with Mr. Danvers. Even if she weren't, how do you expect to build something with someone if you think you need to use magic to charm them?" She stopped and turned to him, patting his cheek. "One day you will have to learn to be happy with yourself. I will not always be here to help."

The idea of that hurt him more than he cared to think about. Uncomfortable with the wave of emotion, Kieran stuffed it all down and slammed the door shut, pasting a tight smile on his face. "Who are you kidding, Catherine, you're going to outlive us all."

Knowing she could choose to press the subject if they remained alone, he put his hand over hers on his arm and tugged her the last couple feet into the dining room where the others waited.