Just a little Fruity

These good fellows don't belong to me but I promise when I'd done to pick um up, dust um off and with a kiss on the cheek return them safely home.

"Those who are faithless know the pleasures of love; it is the faithful who know love's tragedies." Oscar Wild.

Thanks for your patience as the story evolves. Keep up the reviews, they help!

Chapter 6

Johnny sat on the front porch and watched Jenny swinging at the big tree. He had to admit there was something therapeutic about being here at the ranch with his sister and his best friend. He realized that he shouldn't be surprised that Jenny and Chris were as at home here as they were at their house. Roy being so comfortable here was the surprising part.

"Unkle Johnny!"

He looked up to see little Jenny swinging high on the swing, "Not too high Jenny, you'll give your dad a heart attack."

"That's the truth," Kanda said coming up behind him. "Can I get you anything?"

"No, I'm good. Where's Roy?"

She waved at the house, "Oh he's finishing up dinner." She laughed, "He kicked me out of the kitchen."

Johnny eyed her closely, "Roy's taking over the kitchen? You better watch out sis."

Kanda turned to see Jenny running up the stairs to them before she got a chance to reply to his comment. She greeted her with a big hug.

"Kanda, guess what?"

She had to just giggle at the excitement Jenny had. "What my little Aponi?"

Roy was headed out onto the porch with them but paused just inside the house watching the exchange from the screen door.

Jenny took her hand and gently rubbed Kanda's cheek. Johnny smiled at them together. "What does Aponi mean?" Jenny asked her.

Kanda pushed her long hair behind her shoulders and smiled softly at her, "It is the Lakota word for butterfly."

Jenny just beamed, "I'm a butterfly?"

"Yes little one, you are a beautiful butterfly."

Jenny threw her arms around Kanda and gave her a giant hug, "I love you Kanda."

Roy took a deep breath and turned back to the kitchen as Jenny sat curled up in Kanda's lap while they sat in the front porch swing together.

"So Johnny, Karen seems really nice," Kanda started the conversation hoping to learn more about her.

He leaned back in the chair and put his arms behind him, stretching out his long legs and crossing them. "Yea, she's pretty amazing."

Kanda internally tapped her fingers, she wanted more information than that, "I was hoping she would join us for dinner so we could learn more about her."

Johnny chuckled, "That's probably what scared her off. I think she's intimidated by you two."

"I don't know why unless you told her scary things about us," Roy's voice came from behind them as he re-joined the group.

Kanda scooted her and Jenny over to make a spot for Roy to sit with them, "Yea little brother what did you say about us?"

He looked over to them together on the swing, Jenny sitting in the middle with a big smile on her face. "I didn't tell her anything bad I swear. Besides, she has a family much bigger than the two of you. With 4 brothers I don't think she got very much freedom in life."

Jenny made a big frowny face, "Four brothers?" She looked up at her daddy and pointed her finger at him, "I better not have four brothers!" Her tone making it clear that Chris was enough for her.

Roy laughed at the little drama queen, "I don't think you have to worry Jenn." With his divorce from Joanne long since finalized he didn't see more children in the future at all.

The next morning Roy took Johnny home, the kids to school and he headed back home for a while. They were both back on shift the next morning together again and he was worn out from staying up half the night playing cards with Johnny and Kanda. The two guys decided they better not invite Kanda to dinner at the station because the way she played cards they would be doing the dishes every time.

He reminded Johnny about Chris's game that afternoon and encouraged him to bring Karen along so they could all get to know each other a little better. Johnny liked the idea and said he would do his best to get her to come.

Roy sat on the bench with Kanda and Jenny cheering on Chris as he was pitcher for the team. He had worked hard to get the position and it was Johnny's tireless effort and time that helped him accomplish it. The day was sunny and warm at the park which was surrounded with large shade trees. The air was fresh and energizing as the two teams went head to head in competition. Kanda laughed at Jenny as she yelled at the other team in a most un-butterfly like fashion. Roy kept his eye on Chris so he could help him with pointers in between games.

"Hey you two, how they doing?"

They all turned to see Johnny and Karen come sit behind them.

"Unkle Johnny," Jenny yelled as she climbed up to the next level and then directly into his lap. Karen laughed as he was tackled by the little girl although she quickly realized that he was apparently very used to it.

"Hey Jenny bear, how are you today?" He asked her with a big grin on his face.

"My name is Aponi Unkle Johnny," she admonished him then giggled as he tickled her. "Stop it, stop it," She continued to laugh.

Johnny turned to Karen, "Sorry, this is my Jenny bear." He saw the look Jenny gave him, "Sorry my Aponi. She's Roy's daughter." He pointed onto the field, "That's his son Chris out there pitching today."

Kanda was watching Jenny and Johnny, "I'm so glad you joined us Karen."

"Thanks Kanda. It's a great day for a game isn't it?" She said.

"Sure is, a beautiful day."

They all sat and watched for a while exchanging small talk about the weather, the news, and the game being played. Mostly they all wanted Karen to feel more comfortable being with them.

Jenny tugged on her daddy's arm, "Daddy, I need to go to the bathroom."

He nodded, "Okay, I'm coming."

Karen stood up, "I have to go also. I can go in with her if you want me too?"

"Thanks," he replied warmly to her.

Kanda looked back to see them as they left and noticed Johnny rubbing his temples, "Johnny?"

He suddenly realized what he was doing, "Don't worry. I'm fine."

"Is your headache back?"

"Just a little, not bad. I'm okay sis." He tried to reassure her but know it was a wasted effort as she was now and forever his big worrying sister.

Karen and Roy walked to the restrooms with Jenny dancing in front of them.

"She's so cute Roy," Karen said.

He grinned as he was always proud of his children, "Thanks."

She walked inside the women's room with Jenny while he waited outside. After a few moments they both reappeared and Jenny went running back to the bleachers. Roy turned to follow her but felt a hand on his arm. He turned back to see Karen smiling at him.

"Uh, Roy. Can I ask you something?"

Roy figured she had some secret question about Johnny that she wanted to probe him for and was ready to give her a kiddingly hard time about it. He thought why not, welcome to the family.

Karen moved closer to him and with her index finger she traced his chest from his top button on his shirt, all the way down towards his jeans. That was when he got past the shock of her actions and he pushed her hand away.

"Johnny never told me he had such a good looking friend," she whispered heavily to him.

Roy glanced back to the bleachers to see Kanda and Johnny talking intently about something. Looking back at Karen he was still so appalled by her action that he was speechless. What the hell was she pulling?

"Karen I don't know what you're doing but I'm not that kind of friend." His voice was harsh and unforgiving.

She leaned in closer to him and put her hand around his neck, "Maybe I picked the wrong fireman cause you seem like the type that would play rough what with all those muscles. What do you think?" Her other hand rubbed across his chest.

This time Roy pushed her back but was repulsed by her response of a smile. "This is done. Don't touch me again," he growled at her. "How could you do this to Johnny?"

She looked over to the man on the bleachers, "Johnny is already mine, more than you will ever know." With that she turned and walked off, leaving him breathing hard with fury.

Now somehow he had to get back to the bleachers and figure out what to say to Johnny. This wasn't the place to bring it up and he was so frazzled over what just happened he didn't know what to even say to his friend.

Taking a deep breath to calm his fury he walked back to the others. He didn't make eye contact with anyone but simply sat down and stared at the field. Kanda felt the negative energy from Roy pierce her like a knife. She turned to look at him but he wouldn't look back at her. Something was very wrong.

"Roy?" She said noting how hard he was breathing.

He didn't answer her but got up and walked away from the game, heading to the parking lot.

Kanda looked back at Johnny who was busy talking with Karen. They looked so happy together but she felt very uneasy. Her eyes followed Roy, he wasn't strolling, he was stomping. She got up and followed him until they were on the other side of the restroom building.

"Roy, please tell me what's wrong?" She said, taking his hand in hers.

He just kept shaking his head, "I can't believe she did it. I mean it was clear; there was no mistaking what she wanted or what she meant." He looked at her so mad he was studdering, "How can she do that to him."

Kanda's heart was now beating twice as fast it seemed, "Roy what happened?" But he wasn't listening to her. He was walking circles and muttering to himself at this point. She grabbed his arm, hard. "Roy stop it!"

He stopped and looked into her brown eyes. His breathing was heavy and quick, "God Kanda, she hit on me."

Kanda stopped dead in her tracks, "What? Are you sure Roy? Maybe she was just teasing?"

Oh God yes he was sure, "She told me she may have picked the wrong fireman." He saw the shock in her face. "That was after she put her hands all over …" He just couldn't go there again. The thought of her touch repulsed him.

She could see in his eyes it was real and how much it upset him. She turned to go after her but Roy realized what she intended and ran to stop her, "No Kanda."

"Roy, we have to let Johnny know what's going on," she begged him.

"Not here, not right now. It's not the right time." His mind was spinning. "I'll try and talk to him tomorrow at work. If it doesn't work then we can get him to the ranch to try and convince him."

"Convince him of what?"

"I know that but I think he loves her. She's got some kind of hold on him right now and if we do this the wrong way he's not going to listen to us. It will suddenly become my fault or our fault." He felt her relax some under his hand. "Kanda we could lose him over this if we're not careful."

They walked back to the bleachers to find them empty. Both felt a flush of worry go through them. Roy saw Jenny sitting there alone, "Jenn, where did Johnny go?"

"Miss Karen took him home, he had a headache. I think he was sick daddy."