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Contains spoilers for Season 2 but nothing too major

This story has more spoilers for Season 2 then the video

This story picks up at the beginning of Season 2 and will follow along with the season

Hope y'all enjoy

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Your comments keep me motivated to bring new chapters to y'all and I love to read everyone's thoughts on as they read through the chapters.

Without any further ado, here is Chapter 1 of Walker: Secrets!

'Oh come on,' Maddie teased with a smile, looking down at Cordell as she rode past him at a canter on a chestnut gelding. 'don't tell me that's all you've got.'

'You-you are getting too cheeky... young miss.' He replied while shaking a finger at her, not slowing down. 'Besides... you're on a horse!'

'Yeah, I ain't silly.' She chuckled.

Copper sped up at a touch of her heels, the teen cantering him on ahead as Cordell, Liam and Trey raced on foot up the path. Being on a horse gave her a great advantage and it wasn't long before they reached the post where Cordell had left one of his hats. Copper tossed his head as she stopped him, turning the gelding back to watch the rest of the race.

Cordell was way out in front by a mile, Liam and Trey both trying to hamper the other so they could get ahead. She chuckled watching them all race, Cordell shouting back at the pair of them. They'd been doing this 'boys bootcamp' thing for quite a few weeks now and since they had started, she had enjoyed coming along on the odd occasion to watch and tease them a little.

Seeing Cordell approaching the 'finish line', she slid off the chestnut and replaced her helmet with his hat. 'I think this suits me, don't you think?'

'Give me that...Blooming rascal.' He laughed as he took the hat from her and playfully hit her over the head with it before passing it back to Trey, Maddie giggling loudly. 'Who got it?' He questioned as Liam joined them. 'Who got it?'

'You got lucky.' Trey replied while he caught his breath again. 'But a... a hat shouldn't be for... for second place. It should be for first, right?'

'In that case then,' With a flourish Maddie took the hat from him and put it on her own head. 'shouldn't I get this? I think it looks pretty good on me.'

'Maddie...' She laughed again as Cordell took it once more and handed it back to Trey. 'Second mouse gets the cheese right? Plus, I got plenty of hats. I'm here for the show.' He turned to his brother. 'Alright stinker, drinks on you.'

'Hey, only three months in, and we already cut our time in half boys.' Trey said after checking his watch.

'Keep it up, you might beat me and Copper in a couple years.' Maddie teased with a smile.

'You got to slow that pace for when Micki gets back.' Liam remarked.

'I'm always the one that had to keep up with her.'

Maddie turned to him. 'How is Micki doing?'

'Have you spoken to her lately?' Cordell questioned.

'No. It's, uh, it's been a month.' Trey replied.

'I'm meeting up with James later. I'll see what I can find out.' He offered.

'Thanks man.'

'Yeah, of course.'

'Cordell-' Maddie interjected. 'Did you see the 'sold' sign over the hill down by that old barn? I noticed it while I was out working Copper earlier.'

'No. I wonder who the new neighbors are going to be.' He replied.

'Hopefully they'll be as nice as the Andersons.' She placed Copper's reins over his neck again, preparing to mount up. 'Who's up for a race back to the house?'

'As if any of us would stand a chance with you riding.' Liam said and she laughed as she sprung up onto the geldings bare back. 'Now running, yes, I'd love to see you do that.'

'You know I prefer someone else's legs doing all the work.' She ran a hand down the geldings neck. 'Cordell, I was hoping maybe you'd ride back with me. I was hoping I might be able to speak with you.'

'Ah, sure. Yeah, we can do that.' She offered him a hand and he got on behind her. 'See you both back at the house.'

'I'm gonna head out,' Trey started. 'I've got to get to work.'

'You should stay for breakfast, we'd love to have you join us.' Cordell invited.

'I know, I know. Some other time. See ya'll.'

'Bye Trey.' Maddie nudged the gelding gently with her heels and he started forward down the path back to the barn.

'So...' The Ranger turned his attention back to the teen. 'What ah... What do you want to talk about?'

'My horse.'

'The one-the one you still haven't been able to find despite looking for over three months?'

'Yeah, that one. I still haven't been able to find anything that I really like or that I feel a connection with.' She replied. 'Your Dad has been great taking me around to try different horses but I can't ask him to keep taking time away from the ranch to help me. There's an auction this Sunday up in Bowie and since you're off work this weekend, I was wondering if perhaps, maybe, we could go up and take a look?'

'I-I guess we can go take a look.' He agreed. 'What time does it start?'

'Nine o'clock is the ridden horses, penned start at ten. I wanted to be there earlier to have a look at what's there though, so could we get there at eight?'

'It'll be an early morning.'

'Couldn't be any worse than your Dad and I going to Amarillo and back in one day last week.'

'You know, you could just choose one of the horses here at the ranch.' Cordell pointed out.

'If there was one here that I bonded with, I'd have already chosen one.' She replied. 'They are nice horses, and I do like Copper here but there's no connection here. Not like Skylar and I had.'

'Fair enough. Hopefully you'll find what you're looking for up there. How much money have you got saved up now?'

'With your Dad still paying me for my work around here, and what I'd already saved, almost two thousand. Copper is going to be sold this week. There's a buyer coming to look at him today and your Dad said if he gets a good price, he'd give me a bonus for my part in training him.' Arriving at the barn she brought the gelding to a halt, Cordell dismounting before she slid off then led Copper back to his stall. Cordell filled up the water buckets for her as she gave the gelding a quick brush and took his bridle off then they both headed for the house.

The smell of bacon and eggs greeted them when they came through the back door, Liam arriving in the kitchen the same time they did. Bonham, Stella and August were seated at the island bench while Abeline served up the rest of their breakfast.

'Hey, where's Trey?' Abeline questioned as she glanced up, Cordell, Liam and Maddie joining them in the kitchen.

'He had to take off.' Cordell replied.

'He had to go. He had to go home.' Liam added.

'You know he needs to eat more-'

Maddie chuckled as she took a seat next to Bonham, placing the plate that Abeline handed her down on the bench in front of her. That was something she herself had been told more than once since coming to live with them on a permanent basis.

'I hope he knows that he's more than welcome to stay for breakfast.' She said.

'He knows.' Cordell replied. 'Mama, we-we've told him. You've told him.'

'He starts early at Sacred Heart.' Stella interjected while cutting up her bacon.

'A guidance counselor starts this early?' She questioned with a raised eyebrow.

'Oh, he's also a parking lot monitor.' August added.

'That man's trying to fill a void.' Bonham remarked, flipping to the next page of the magazine he was reading.

'Cordi,' She looked back at her son as he poured himself a cup of coffee. 'You really should ask James.'

'Oh, yeah, yeah, I know. I'm gonna talk to James later, Mama.'

'You know,' Liam spoke up, screwing the lid onto his smoothie travel mug. 'someone bought the Anderson's property.'

'The Anderson's have been there forever, who was there before them?' August questioned.

'Uh, Davidsons.' Cordell replied.

'Wait...' Stella thought about it for a moment. 'Didn't you break off your engagement to Marv Davidson after you met Grandpa?'

'Why, yes, I did and it was the best decision I ever made.' Abeline answered.

'I really hope the new neighbors are cool,' August said. 'you know. Maybe they have, like, kids, or something.'

'You mean a hot daughter you can try and date since Ruby's gone.' Stella teased as she stood to return the orange juice to the fridge.

'Shut up. Like you're gonna be single forever.'

'Oh, 'cause your love life is just perfection.'

'Okay, it's early.' Cordell interrupted their argument before it could go any further. 'That's enough.'

'Alright, alright.' Stella closed the fridge again. 'Uncle Liam, are you going to New York this month to see Bret?'

'Maybe. I don't know, I got to figure that out.' He glanced at his watch. 'Anyway, I got to get to work. It's a big day today too. You know, they might have another election or an interim D.A.'

'Surely they're not gonna make you go through another election.' Abeline said as she glanced over at him.

'Well, I mean, I doubt voters would make the same decision if they knew what they know now.' Cordell pointed out.

'Yeah, anyway...' Liam started for the door. 'See you.'

Upon finishing their breakfast, Stella and August stood. 'Y'all heading out already?' Cordell questioned.

'Yeah. Trying not to start out senior year with as many absents as last year.' Stella replied to her father, picking up her bag on the way out.

'Okay.'

'Love you.'

'Love you too.' Cordell replied as both of them headed to the front door. 'I should shower. Also, I've got to get to work...'

'Hey, remember to ask James.' Abeline reminded, taking a seat at the island to eat her breakfast.

'I... Yes, I will talk to Captain James about Micki today.'

'How do you think she's doing, son?' Bonham questioned.

'Micki? She's uh... Micki's solid, Daddy. She always is.' He helped himself to a piece of bacon from Maddie's plate on his way out of the kitchen. 'Thanks Maddie.'

'I was planning on eating that.' She laughed, calling back over her shoulder as he headed up the hallway. 'Next time how about you sit and eat your own breakfast?'

'More fun taking it off your plate.'

Maddie shook her head, smirking with amusement. After the hustle and bustle of everyone being in the kitchen, the silence was most welcome with the slight headache she'd gotten from the noise. 'What time will these people be coming to look at Copper?'

Bonham glanced over at the clock. 'Bout ten o'clock. How'd he go with his morning workout?'

'As well behaved as he normally is. I was riding him bareback over the trails this morning and we didn't have any problems.' She finished off what was on her plate and got up to take it to the sink. 'I um... I asked Cordell if he could take me up the the auction this Sunday up in Bowie since he's got the weekend off and he agreed, so...' She rinsed her plate then turned back to them. 'I hope that's okay with you both. I should have asked first, I know I need to work with Chester-'

'Maddie, if you want to go to that auction,' He interrupted as he stood. 'that is perfectly fine by me. Just buy something decent, we don't need broken down glue factory material on this ranch.'

She chuckled. 'Understood.'

'Oh, I'll do that honey,' Abeline said as Maddie started cleaning up the kitchen, Bonham heading out the back door. 'you don't have to.'

'I know, but hey, I'm here anyway.'

It didn't take long for the kitchen to be cleaned, Abeline heading out to start the washing while Maddie started on Cordell's lunch. Humming along to one of her favorite Beth Crowly songs, she made up his sandwiches and began packing his lunch bag. Hearing footsteps, she glanced up to see Cordell coming into the kitchen. 'Your lunch is almost done.'

'What have I got today, Maddie girl?' He questioned as she zipped up the lunch bag.

'Two ham and cheese sandwiches, fruit and chocolate chip cookies your mom and I made yesterday.' She handed the cooler bag to him. 'I hope you like the cookies, Abeline let me try a different recipe.'

'I'm sure they'll be great. Thank you.' He said, giving her a hug and a kiss on her forehead. 'Have a good day.'

'You too.' She replied as he left and as she began to clean up from making the sandwiches, a big smile was on her face. It had been almost six months now since the Walkers had taken her in and in that time she had really started to blossom in their family. Cordell had been working hard at fostering a relationship with her and his persistence had paid off. She trusted him now, really trusted him and felt comfortable enough to let her guard down and enjoy being with him. How she lived now was definitely a far cry from the life she had known with her father...

'You bout ready to get to work?'

She turned around, her ponderings interrupted by Bonham as he returned to the kitchen. 'Almost...' She finished washing up the chopping board and placed it in the drying rack. 'Alright, all done.'

'There we go, good boy.' Maddie was grooming Chester later that afternoon, the bay still slightly nervous of her grooming his back legs. 'There we go-' She slowly drew back to his shoulders while giving him a pat. 'Well done.'

Deciding it would be a good idea to let him have a short break, she turned him loose into the corral once more then climbed up on the fence to watch him. The gelding trotted into the middle of the corral then began to paw at the sand before lying down to roll. She chuckled as he got up, bucking and prancing around for a moment before he calmed once more. There was nothing she enjoyed more then watching a horse play.

Copper had been sold earlier, the father and daughter that had come to look at him bought him for a price better then what Bonham had been expecting. It was sad to see him leave, he had been a good horse to work with but the nice five-hundred dollar bonus had greatly helped her horse fund.

She'd been searching for a new horse for three months now, since Skylar had blown her near fore tendon. The mare was recovering and able to be turned back out with the herd once more but she'd never hold up to hard riding again. It was retirement for her but now, Maddie was left without a horse she had really bonded to.

It was hard to believe too that three months had already passed since everything that had happened with Stan, her kidnapping and Cordell almost being murdered too. The day of Stan's hearing, someone had taken a shot at him and Cordell though Stan was the only one who'd been shot. He'd recovered though to serve a sentence in jail that was longer than his lifetime, he'd never see the outside of those walls again.

Maddie was glad.

While she wasn't the person to wish bad upon someone else, in this case, her feelings towards that man were more than justified. It had taken her quite some time to work through the aftermath of those events, just as it took the rest of the family time to process things too. She had her own demons to deal with, like the fact that her father had had another family but this time, she didn't have to deal with it alone. She had the support and love of the entire family to help her get through.

And slowly, her past was finally being laid to rest.

She was moving on. Moving forward.

That night, Cordell didn't come home.

'That's it, good boy...' Maddie spoke softly, the bay trotting around calmly as he started to become accustomed to the weight of a saddle on his back. 'Good boy. There we go.' She sent him around once more then brought him to a halt and walked over to lead him back to the middle. The bay sniffed at her when she reached him and she gave him a pat. 'Good boy.'

Bonham came over to the fence, resting his arms on the top rail. 'How's Chester coming along?'

'We're going well.' She replied as she looked over to him. 'He's getting used to the saddle now, I'll start riding him with the saddle in a few days.' Exchanging the lunge line for his leadrope she led the gelding over to where Bonham was, tying him up to the post to unsaddle him. 'We've done enough for today, I don't want to push him.'

He frowned, watching her closely. 'Something on your mind?'

'I'm just worried... About Cordell.' She finally admitted as he joined her in the corral. 'I know you and Abeline say not to worry but I just can't help it. My Dad... My Dad would up and leave without telling me, I got used to being alone.' She placed the saddle and saddle cloth onto the fence, trying to occupy herself with untangling a knot in Chester's mane. 'I'm... I'm just... I'm just scared one day Cordell might do the same thing... I don't want to be alone.'

Oh Maddie... 'Come here Maddie.' He initiated a hug, the teen resting her head against his chest as she held him back. 'I know you're worried but you don't have to be. You'll never be alone again. Promise.'

'I know. I just can't help it.' She replied softly, swallowing the lump in her throat.

'Yeah, I know...' Bonham rubbed her back gently for a moment then Maddie pulled away from him. 'Why don't we go for a ride? Get your mind off things.'

'If it's okay, I think I might spend some time with my guitar instead.' He nodded. 'Thank you though, I know you're trying to make me feel better but I want some time to myself.'

'I'll look after Chester for you and come check on you later, alright?'

'Okay.' She smiled sadly. 'Thank you.'

Bonham patted her shoulder then turned back to the gelding as she headed for the barn. Climbing up the ladder into the loft, she made her way over to her little spot Bonham had let her use. She'd arranged it the same way as she'd had her spot in the old barn when she'd been living with her father. It was the place where she could find solace amongst her songwriting and drawings.

The afternoon began to slip by as she contented herself with her music, Bonham coming to check on her as he had said he would. Reassuring him she was okay, he left again and she kept on experimenting with a new song she was writing.

As her phone began to ring she glanced over, frowning a little as she saw who the caller was. Placing her music book aside, she answered the call. 'Stella. What's up?'

'Are you doing anything important right now?'

'Um... No-' She placed her mother's guitar back into its case. 'Why?'

'Colton and I found an injured horse not far from the ranch.'

'Colton?'

'Our new neighbor, remember?' Stella looked back over at Colton who was holding onto the horse with his belt so it didn't run away. 'Can you come give us a hand?'

'Where is the horse hurt?' She questioned as she climbed down the ladder from the hayloft.

'Near side foreleg, looks like wire cuts to me.'

'Can the horse walk?'

'It doesn't look like it's lame.'

'Alright, I'll come have a look. Where exactly are you guys?'

'Up at the crossroads.'

'Give me fifteen minutes or so and I'll be there.'

'Brilliant, thanks Maddie.'

'No problem.' She replied as she packed a saddlebag with some first aid supplies and a halter and leadrope. 'See you soon.'

Five minutes later, Maddie rode out of the ranch yard on one of the work horses and it wasn't long before she arrived where Stella and Colton were. Tying her horse up to a tree, she gathered her things and headed over to them.

'Colton, this is Maddie.' Stella introduced when she joined them.

Maddie smiled and they exchanged pleasantries then she turned her attention to the horse. Once she had haltered the horse, she gave the leadrope to Colton to hold as she and Stella looked over the gelding's leg.

'It doesn't look too bad.' She remarked after taking a look at the wound. It had stopped bleeding though it looked like it was beginning to become infected. 'He was lucky it's not worse, horses and wire aren't a good mix.'

'I wonder where he came from...' Colton wondered out loud while rubbing the geldings neck. 'What do we do with him now?'

'Take him back to the ranch, look after his leg and then try to find out where he came from.'

'I can help you both if you need it, I don't know much about horses though...'

'That'd be great.' Stella replied. 'Thanks.'

'I'll lead him back,' Maddie started, turning back to Stella. 'Stella, if you could go get a stall in the quarantine yards ready for when we get there, that'd be great.'

'Sure, no problem.'

'I'll walk with you Maddie, in case you need some help with him.' Colton offered.

'I'd appreciate that, thank you.' After Stella had driven away, Maddie untied the work horse and they began the walk back to the ranch.

'So...' She started after they'd been walking a little while. 'How are you liking Austin so far?'

Colton shrugged. 'Seems alright, I guess. I mean, I haven't seen much of it yet...' He looked over at her. 'I'm going to the same school as Stella and August but I haven't seen you there.'

'I ah... I don't go to school as such. My studies are through correspondence.'

'Why don't you go to school?'

'A few reasons, I um... I don't- I don't really talk about it.'

'Oh... sorry for asking.'

'No, it's alright. You didn't know.' She replied, glancing down at the horse's leg as they kept walking. It didn't appear lame but its hooves were well overdue to be trimmed and reshod. 'Where did your family move from?'

'Thalia. This is the first time I've had to move so it's been a bit rough.'

'I can understand that, I moved around a lot as well.'

He frowned, trying to figure it out. 'I thought you were Stella's sister?'

'Not quite. I um... I only moved here this year with my Dad and when he couldn't look after me any longer, Cordell and the Walkers took me in. I'm not adopted or anything, he only got custody of me but they've been very good to me.'

'Well, we kinda have something in common then.' She looked over at him curiously. 'I'm adopted.'

Maddie was about to ask a question when the gray stopped suddenly, pulling back on the leadrope. 'Woah... Easy, easy boy.' He pulled back, half rearing up on her and she held on tight to the rope. 'Easy... Easy...'

Colton stopped his horse, watching as she calmed the horse down. 'He okay?'

'Yeah... Good boy. That's it.' She looked around trying to see what had spooked him but didn't spot anything out of the ordinary. 'Dunno what that was about...' She remarked as they started on down the drive again.

They continued on, making small talk until they reached the ranch. Stella was waiting for them at the quarantine shed, a little two horse stable and pen arrangement set away from where the rest of the horses were kept. While Stella and Colton started on the gray, she returned the work horse to its pasture then went back to help.

The cuts on the gray's leg weren't too deep and once they had cleaned and bandaged his wounds, Maddie set to work on pulling off his old shoes. Stella took photos while she worked to document the condition they had found him in, Colton assisting by holding the horse for her. With the shoes off and his hooves trimmed back to an appropriate length, she took a moment to rest.

'I didn't know you knew how to trim hooves.' Stella remarked, slipping her phone back into her pocket.

'Yeah, your Grandpa has been teaching me. It's not perfect, but it'll do.' She stretched, her muscles aching from crouching over. 'There's no way I'd be a farrier for a living though.'

Colton rubbed the geldings neck. 'Now that's taken care of, what next?'

'I guess we should probably talk to Grampa.' Stella replied.

'That one's on you Stella, seeing as you two found him. I'm just here to help out.' Maddie pointed out.

'Okay, okay. I'll talk to him.' She looked at Maddie. 'You know, maybe if we can't find his owner, he might be your next horse.'

She laughed as she took a look at the geldings' teeth. 'Yeah, ah, no... Sorry old boy but no. He's older than Skylar, I'd say he's probably between twenty five and thirty. And he has a tattoo. Can you get a photo Stells?'

'So he's an ex-racehorse?' Colton questioned.

She nodded as Stella took the photo then gave the gelding a rub on the neck. 'He's at least raced once to have a tattoo.' After making sure the photos Stella had taken were clear, she turned the horse loose in the pen and they filled up its feed and water.

'I should probably get going,' Colton remarked as they stood a little while later, watching the gelding eat. 'it's getting late.'

'I'll drive you home.' Stella offered.

He nodded. 'Thanks.' The two of them started over to her car and he turned back to Maddie. 'Let me know how he goes.'

'Will do.'

After they left, she looked back at the old gelding, continuing to watch him eat for a moment while she thought. Colton seemed nice enough, it'd be nice to talk to someone apart from the family for a change. And he was adopted, that had been a little bit of a surprise. As she headed to go start on the rest of her chores, she made a mental note to ask him later about a few questions she had.

'How's the search going?' Stella questioned, flopping down onto the couch beside Maddie later that night.

Maddie sighed heavily as she glanced up from her laptop. 'Ah, good and bad. Found the register with his owner-'

'That's good, isn't it?' August questioned, shuffling a deck of cards.

'Except it's from nineteen ninety-four and the address of residence listed as Arizona.'

'Probably outdated then.' Stella said.

She nodded.

'What else did you find out? Apart from that?' August continued.

'Well, his registered name is RockabilityRoundWagon and he had a total of forty-eight starts in a four year career with forty three wins and over eight million in winnings.'

August whistled. 'That's a lot of money.'

'And he just gets abandoned after winning all that.' Stella remarked sadly. 'Poor guy.'

'Your Grampa didn't have any luck with his phone calls then?' Maddie asked.

She shook her head. 'No one seems to know where he came from.'

'Did you speak to him about keeping him?'

'I did and the answer was no.'

'I expected as much...' Maddie sighed. 'I'd offer to pay for his keep but I can't when I'm trying to buy a new horse.' A thought came to mind. 'What about Colton? They have plenty of room over there, maybe they could keep him?'

'I guess I could ask-'

She was interrupted by the front door to the farm house opening, Cordell walking in. Hanging his hat up on the rack beside the door he noticed the kids gathered in the living room. 'I-I hope ya'll aren't still up waiting for me.'

'No, Maddie's been doing some investigating.' Stella replied as he came over to them.

'Oh? What are you investigating?'

'Trying to find the owner of a horse Stella found today.' She closed the laptop up, covering her mouth as she yawned. 'But I haven't had much luck.'

'Maybe you could help us Dad?' August turned to him. 'You might be able to find his owner.'

'I'll see, okay? Right now though, I think it's way past your bedtimes. Maddie, I'll walk you back to the house?'

She nodded, zipping up her laptop bag as she stood. 'Thank you.'

After exchanging good night's with Stella and August, she and Cordell left the farmhouse to head over to the ranch house. 'How was work?'

'Work... work was ah... work.' He replied. 'How was your day?'

'It was alright, I guess.'

Cordell stopped, looking down at her. 'Something wrong Maddie girl?'

'No, no I'm fine... Just tired, I've had a headache all day...'

'I-I can tell when you're tired and this... ain't it.'

Maddie bit her lip. 'I was worried... okay? About you... when you didn't come home last night and you weren't replying to my messages, it took me back to when my Dad would leave. I know it's silly but I'm scared one day I might wake up and all this is just a dream and I'll be alone...' Her voice cracked slightly as she swallowed the lump in her throat. 'I'm sorry, that's probably too much... you just got home.'

'No, Maddie, it's-its fine.' He assured her gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. 'I'm glad you are being truthful with me. I know you... you went through a lot with your Dad but I hope you know I would never abandon you. You will never be alone, that's a promise. You have us now, we-we're your family now. You aren't on your own.'

'I know, I know that. That's why it's silly I was worried.'

'No, baby girl, no. With what you've been through, those fears are valid. No one can say you are silly because you were worried, sweetheart.'

Maddie nodded. 'If you have to stay away for work, could you please at least let me know first? So I don't have to worry?'

'I'll try too, okay? Yesterday things uh... things happened fast and I needed to be there-'

'You don't have to explain to me.' She interrupted. 'I just want a head's up in future.'

'Alright.. I-I'll try to do that.'

Maddie smiled. 'Thank you. There is one thing you could explain though.'

'What's that?' He questioned.

'Why do you smell like a chimney?'

He chuckled. 'I do smell a bit smokey, don't I?'

She nodded, stifling a second yawn. 'Just a little bit.'

'I think that can be answered later, you young lady need to be in bed.'

'Bed sounds like a good idea...'

'Come on then, let's get moving in that general direction then.'

'Can you sing me something before I go to sleep? Please?'

'Just something short, alright?'

She smiled as they continued on to the house. 'Deal.'