Hello fellow fanfiction writers and readers, here is another chapter of this story that I hope you guys will enjoy. As usual I own nothing except new characters and ideas, I make no money from writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. Thanks for reading, please leave a review!

The first week of August hangs at the very top of summer, the top of the live-long year, like the highest seat of a Ferris wheel when it pauses in its turning.

I was getting the hang of swimming not so much they would let me go at it alone in the river, but as Mae said it was getting chilly now and swimming was for summer. So, the boys are piling up firewood in the shed for winter, we would be indoors all winter due to the heavy snow fall.

Mae said soon we would have the double pantry stocked for the winter, it might take a few trips to town, but they would get it done. Jesse and Miles are goofing off while I figure it would be nice if I baked a cake for them, Celia was already in the kitchen setting some seasoned chickens in one of the ovens when I walked in.

I smiled, "I would like to bake a cake, we can give Mae a break and do the cooking tonight."

Celia smiled, "I am just fine with that, Miles and I are leaving for a few days, but we will be back." her tone gave nothing away but still I worried why they were leaving and if they would come back.

I asked, "Do you have to go? Can Jesse go with Miles?"

She smiled pulling me into a seat, "We have to go and sign some paperwork, we will be safe. Miles and I will be back in four days' time, I promise."

I had to believe her.

I watched as she pulled a small beige box from the pantry, in it are all Mae's recipes from her life time. So, I scrolled through finally picking a lemon cake and a blueberry frosting those seem to pair well together. I walked around taking each ingredient and setting it on the counter before starting to add the dry ingredients into one mixing bowl, shifting in the cake flour. My hands hurt from zesting and squeezing the lemons as Celia cooked down the blueberries for me, we had corn boiling, biscuit dough ready along with some baked potatoes.

Everything was going smoothly, music playing low the sounds of the forest and animals, woodchopping, out of the window was Mae folding the dry clothes that are blowing in the breeze.

The cake smelled like summer with the lemon really coming out as it baked, the frosting was done as Angus took a swipe of it with his finger as he came in for three tall glasses of lemonade. I helped where I could as food cooked and baked, I just left Jesse's folded clothes on his un-made bed before walking it his room smelled of him.

Celia smiled, "Can you tell the boys supper in thirty, your cake is cooling now."

I made a bee line for the door to get the boys, it was twilight now as Mae walked in with a brilliant smile "I will set the table, so the boys can wash up,"

I called, "Boy's supper in thirty,"

I had a cake to frost so all they got was a single warning, the frosting spread on easy, I topped it with a blueberry compote before setting the masterpiece in the fridge. We started bringing the food to the table when Jesse walked in, I tried, I really did my eyes followed him as he walked in. His chest bare and covered in sweat, he had a few tattoo's he must have gotten in different countries while traveling.

I turned setting the platter down when his deep voice chimed through the haze that was my brain, "After supper care to go for a walk?"

"Sure,"

Mae and Celia watched with judging eyes but with fond smiles "Smells great girls," Mae lavishes us with compliments as we sat first since the boys were late getting into the house to wash up. Us girls did not wait as we started to eat, the food was outstanding so now I only hoped the cake could be just as good.

Angus took his seat and started to eat, "The sheds are filled to the brim, should be enough for the winter, they're coated as well. Having the boys home has made things much easier."

Mae nodded, "That it did and now they will be home for the entire winter, Jesse mentioned he might go to California for the winter."

Angus only gives a nod as a minute later the boys come rushing in, then everyone is eating together. Guess Jesse was going to go, a little disappointed since he was good company after a few days of being here.

Angus broke the silence as he laid his fork down, "Jesse, so when are you planning on leaving for the sunshine state?"

Jesse looked ready to drop his fork mid bite, "I was considering it pa, have not made any real plans."

"Well son, soon that snow will cover the ground so if you're leaving you have until the end of August to make them plans."

The first week of August was long over. And now, though the autumn was still some weeks away, there was a feeling that the year had begun its downward arc, that the wheel was turning again, slowly now, but soon to go faster, turning once more in its changeless sweep of change. I walked from the house with Jesse, heading to our spot where we talked most times.

It was a lovely night, the star shone bright above us. I broke the tension "So California?" I heard good things about it but never had a desire to go see it, but now I knew that I would be seeing every inch of this Earth. That with the Tucks I would be able to lead a life of adventure, but that wasn't about to happen with the brotherhood out for us female's.

He just tossed a rock into the trunk of the tree, "I was thinking about it, but thinking right now it ain't safe. Safe to be traveling on my own and leaving you lot here," but I doubted the brotherhood be coming int eh dead of winter, that would not be logical.

I say as much, "Doubt the brotherhood will come during the snowfall, it is to hard of a trek without the snow. You could go and we be safe,"

His long brown hair was tied back as he spoke again, "Yeah, but I don't think I want to chance it. Plus it be nice to be home for some time," like that he wasn't leaving to sunny California, he was staying here for a long cold winter.

For some, time passes slowly. An hour can seem like an eternity. For others, there was never enough. For Jesse Tuck, it didn't exist, and now it is the same for me. It was chilly now, I hadn't packed clothes for the winter.

I mused, "I rather Ceila not leave, but guess they have paperwork to sign,"

He leaned back on the fallen tree nestled between larger trees. "You will be safe here, maybe she makes you feel safer,"

"She does, she has a mothering nature about her and in retrospect I never had one. Grandmother was wonderful, but she lost her husband, her only child, only to see my own health failing worse as each day passed. She would have out lived all she held dear to her heart, but she saved me," it was really the Tucks in the end that saved me, they gave her the way and she grasped it.

Jesse smiled, it was easy going like he didn't have a care in the world.

It was silent as time passed, neither of us spoke for some time we just lay there staring up at the stars seeing the so bright over us. But than he did speak, low but I could still here him fine. "I am going into town for the last of the supplies with Maw and Pa, you should come since Miles and Ceila will be gone for a few days,"

Answering in the same low tone, "I will. I'll be needing to get some winter clothes so I don't freeze," my eyes closing on their own.

Only the deep voice of Miles, woke me, I tried to get up but I was still groggy with sleep when I felt warm arms lift me up. It was Miles he had this way about him, plus he smelled like the woods and the soil. I just let it happen, falling in and out of sleep but could hear their conversation.

Miles spoke low to his brother, "It's passed midnight, you shouldn't be havin her out this late," he was different than Grandmother once told me about him, seems love worked a level of magic the spring never could.

"Lost track of time, she was safe with me. We were talking and like that we both fell asleep," silence as the lights of the big house are visible. "You have taken a liking to her, unlike Winnie," Jesse stated not in an angry way more like understanding.

Miles groaned, "I have, she is more than her Grandmother, her courage and her strength. Finley, well she deserves to have a life and Ceila and I are going to make sure she has just that. But don't think we haven't noticed you have takin a liking to her as well, Jesse," but that was it end of conversation as Ceila gasped her small light footed steps are heard before a door was opened and I was placed in the warm bed, with that I lost the fight to stay awake.