Chapter 6

Rose headed out to the forest and Amalia followed her, while Chris, Buck, Ezra, Vin and Josiah are hunting down some outlaws. Meanwhile John Winchester thinks of one of the last times he had seen his second wife Grace and his daughter. He was gone for more than six years and finally he had managed to come back to the town Rockridge and now he wants to meet her.

Rockridge

John took a deep breath, bringing him back to the present. Fact was he was in two minds about meeting up with Grace again. Sure he wanted to see her face and his girl who would be nearly eight by now, but it had been over six years. This lousy job had kept him away for six years, but at least they were safe. Grace was gonna be pissed though, no money and no man. In these times it was hard. It wasn't the life she deserved. Aah what the heck; she was still god dam beautiful when she was angry.

John knocked on the door of the small house at the end of the street. At first he didn't hear anything, but soon he heard footsteps coming closer. Nervously he dusted the knee of his pants with his hat. He just hoped Grace didn't slap him in the middle of the street where all the people could see them. His eyes grew wide as he opened the door to an elderly near sighted lady who looked up at him squinting.

"Yes?" asked the woman.

John simply continued to stare at her with wide eyes and open mouth. After a few seconds he regained control over himself and blurted out, "Who the hell are ya? Where's Grace?"

"What are you talking about sir? It's not polite to yell at people." She poked him against his chest. "You better pull yer horns Sir. I have no idea what you're talking about. My husband, Jonathan White, bought this house six years ago."

"I'm sorry Ma'am. Where's your husband?" John asked.

"He's the doctor of the town."

"Thank you." John turned around scanning the area. He told himself not to worry, however his concern transposed very quickly to feelings of dread, Where was Grace? Had she moved on? No, she would have told him. He ran the possibilities through his mind as he took off towards the Clinic

He pushed open the door. "DOCTOR! DOCTOR WHITE!"

The small man, dressed in a white jacket that covered his worn brown suit came out of a room. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"Grace who owned yer house before you bought it. Where's she?" He barked at the man."Did you know her?" He questioned.

The doctor was confused and feeling intimidated he took a few steps backwards. John grabbed him by his coat lapels "Tell me where she is!" He yelled.

"She d-d-died a few years ago. She got smallpox. I'm sorry we had an epidemic here. I did what I could."

John let go of the man and slumped down in the nearest chair. "No Grace I'm so sorry you didn't deserve that." He sighed, rubbing his hand across his face.

Doctor White softened," I'm sorry, Mister. I wasn't aware Grace had any relatives, I would have contacted you. But like I said we had an epidemic here, we lost over 50 good people that year. Left us a might beaten town for a while. We lost mostly the old and the very young."

"Grace was not old she was fit. And smart and … "

"And very caring. She helped me with a few of the others, but most just closed their doors in fear. Gracie helped saved a lot of lives and helped me bury a few. She was one of the very last to catch it. My wife and I wanted to take in her little girl, but we are too old and my wife is near blind.

Johns head shot up, "Her daughter?" Standing he towered over the small man and crabbed his collar again, "Where's her daughter?"

"There were a lot orphans that year, she went to orphanage with the other children after they were given the all clear. I'm sorry like I said if I'd known she had relatives I would have …."

"Well she did have relatives!" John sat again, careful about what he was going to say. He had to keep his wits about home. She did have relatives, But we couldn't let people know. That yellow eyed demon would have found them, Oh Grace I'm so sorry you were alone .He looked up at the sincerity in the doctor's face, "Where is she?" he asked more calmly.

The doctor went a little pale, before taking a deep breath, "She was the young girl who killed Kendall and stole everything he owned. The orphanage went bankrupt after that. Why are you asking anyway?" The man asked now getting his courage back. "Are you her father, because if you are you are the sheriff…"

John brushed the doctors off and stood up straight again. He bust back out the door onto the street, not listening to the doctor, lost in his thoughts and thinking about the last time he had seen Grace.

Flashback

"When will you come back, John?"

"I don't know Grace, but it's best that I stay away from you for a while. I don't want it to find you and…."

Grace interrupted him brusquely. "How long do you actually want to keep me and your daughter hidden from your sons?"

"I don't want you in the life of my sons…."

"Why? Ain't I good enough for your family?" She snarled.

"That wasn't what I meant and you know it. I married you, when I knew you were pregnant…."

"You only married me because I was pregnant?" She yelled.

"NO! Listen….. Please, Grace. I married you because I love you, you know that. The thing is; I don't want you to get hurt. I just want to know that you're safe."

Just then he felt a soft tug on his trouser leg. He looked down and spotted his small daughter looking up at him with her thumb in her mouth.

"Papa, cuddle." She demanded around her thumb and raising up her free hand towards him.

John realized that she was scared about the argument between him and her mother. Bending down he picked her up and settled her on his arm. "I and mommy are just talking Sweetheart. We're not mad at each other. Everything is fine." He soothed and wiped away a single tear from her cheek.

"No, angry?" She questioned.

"No, we're just talking I promise you."

"'Kay papa."

"Now, why don't you get some sleep, baby girl?" He carried her up to her room and tucked her into her bed.

"Stay here sweetheart. Sleep tight." He whispered and kissed her forehead. After making sure she stayed in her bed he headed down again.

Grace was waiting for him with her arms folded across her chest. "So what are we going to do now John? Do we have to keep going on like this forever?"

"Grace…. I promise I will come back soon, then we can talk about it." He said then put a finger under her chin. He tilted her head up and gave her a gentle kiss.

"I''ll be back at the latest in a month."

End Flashback

John had been wrong. He would be away for years.

Four Corners

The grey-haired man ran over to the boardinghouse. He didn't have time for long winded explanations to any of the seven peacekeepers. He smelled them. They were in the jailhouse.

He barged through the kitchen door, "Mrs. Patterson! Where are you?" He yelled.

Mrs. Patterson appeared with a surprise expression on her face. "How can I help you, sir?"

"Ma'am. Please Tell, Chris Larabee that the girls are out in the forest. He has to hurry, they are in danger, a murderer is there. I'm going after them."

"But….." She tried to ask, but was interrupted by the man.

"Please, Just tell him." He ordered and went out again.

Mrs. Patterson frowned after him. My, My she had never been spoken to like that, but if the girls were in danger…. She undid her apron on the move and dropped it on the woodpile as she ran to the jail to tell Chris what the man had told her.

The grey-haired man was running for all he was worth. He had to hurry. The smell was getting stronger and stronger. It was coming closer and fast. He couldn't change yet, there were still those that may catch a glimpse of the transformation. He threw a quick glance over his shoulder towards the village, but didn't see anyone. Perfect. He thought.

In the forest

With a contented sigh Rose lay down in the grass. Nutmeg was eating some leaves off a tree. Taking a deep breath she started to absorb the nature, but she couldn't relax completely because she had to think of the peacekeepers all the time. Her conscience just didn't leave her alone. Stop thinking of it Rose. No one will find out. She admonished herself. But that doesn't make it right! A small voice in her head whispered. She pushed the unwelcome thought away. All of sudden she felt someone coming closer. Curious, she sat straight up and looked around. She attuned her senses to the auras and lights around her. She could sense fear and anticipation. This aura felt familiar.

"Who's there?" She called and looked over to the bush where she felt the presence.

A young girl rounded the bush and looked at Rose with interest. It was Amalia.

"Hey, what are ya doin' here? Did ya follow me?" Rose asked angrily.

"I was jist wondering where you were goin'."

"I wanted to be alone." Rose replied defiantly. Amalia would surely tattle on her, or…. Hmm, but if she did it she would get into trouble too, because she was surely not allowed to wander off too.

"Why?"

"Cause…. I dunno. I was jist wonderin'. Why are ya laying in the grass like that anyway?" She grumbled.

"It don't havta bother ya, so it's none of your business." Rose snapped.

"And ya don't need ta get ya knickers in a knot. Why ya so riled up about it? Get back to town or ya gonna be in trouble." Amalia replied feeling her own temper rise.

"Ya ain't no right to order me around!" shouted Rose.

"You're just a stupid brat. Vin's gonna tan yer hide when he catches ya." Amalia taunted and took some steps towards Rose until their noses were only inches apart from each other.

"I'm not stupid!" Rose growled. "You're just a dumb snitch. You're gonna tell Vinjist so you can look like the Goody-goody. "

"Shut up!" Amalia yelled and shoved her hard.

Rose clenched her fist and stomped forward to face off Amalia, "DON'T PUSH ME!"

"STOP THAT RIGHT NOW!" A voice suddenly yelled.

The girls turned their heads towards the noise. A young grey-haired man was striding towards them. He grabbed a hold of Amalia's arm turned her around and gave her a hard swat, then he did the same with Rose. Both girls were too aghast to even struggle. "Get on your horse and ride straight back to Four Corners and if I ever, EVER, catch you here alone in the woods again I swear to God I'll cut a switch and flay the skin off a yer backsides. Now get movin'!" He bellowed as he dragged them towards Nutmeg.

Rose concentrated on his aura as she was legged up onto nutmegs back. It seemed oddly familiar. She knew this man from somewhere. She sensed his nervousness and recognized that he was alert. Something was scaring him and made him really anxious. Rose sensed his sincere concern for her and Amalia so she complied. She helped settle Amalia as the grey haired man hoisted her up behind her. The man's fear transformed to anger. Rose could feel him prepare himself for some sort of confrontation; he was concerned for them but steeled himself just before he sent Nutmeg on his way with a quick sharp smack to his rump.

"Yehaaa!""

Previously in Four Corners

Josiah, Ezra, Buck, Vin and Chris sat around the desk at the jail house, glad to be back. Vin sat on the end of the desk, while JD put their rifles away. Chris sat back in his seat and struck a match on his boots and lit up a cheroot. Normally he would take his smoke outside, but he was just too goddam exhausted. In actual fact all of them were completely exhausted. Chris looked over to Vin who just shook his head. No one was in the mood for could talk about it later. They just needed to take the time to be thankful. They had been lucky that no one had gotten seriously injured.

Flashback

"VIN!DUCK!" Buck yelled and fired his gun. The sharpshooter dived behind a large rock and the bullet narrowly missed him.

The peacekeepers had trailed the outlaws into a large valley and finally they had cornered them in a problem was that the men just needed two persons to defend the entrance. Chris leant out of his cover and fired in quick succession six times. One bullet hit his intended target right between his eyes as the outlaw leaned out of his cover and aimed at Buck. The man sank to the ground and didn't move anymore.

"They sure ain'tgiving up without a fight." Josiah growled and reloaded his gun. The fight had already carried on for several minutes and they had to watch that they didn't run out of ammo.

"Ezra are you alright?" Vin asked the card-player who was laying next to him. A bullet had grazed his head leaving a small bleeding trail.

"I'm just a bit dizzy." Came the somewhat unsteady reply as Ezra touched the small wound and looked at the blood on his fingers.

"We have to lure them out, otherwise they could go on like this all day!" Chris called.

Then all of sudden they had heard a loud scream and a deep animal-like growling. One of the outlaws appeared in the entrance holding a stick of dynamite. He turned around towards the cave and drew his hand back to toss the dynamite into the cave. Just as he went to throw it, it exploded and the entrance collapsed.

As the dust settled the degree of damage was clear. The entrance had completely disappeared and so had the men. They didn't hear anything of them at all. Chris stood up and headed quickly up to the now blocked cave. Grabbing a stone he hit it a few times against the stones which were blocking the entrance, hoping the echo would carry through to any survivors on the other side. There was no reply. After a while they tried to unblock the cave, but it was useless. Too much of the cave had collapsed.

End Flashback

No sooner had Chris finished his cheroot in the silence company of the other peacekeepers than Mrs. Patterson came knocking on the jail door and entered. All six men suddenly stood up at her entrance and frowned at her concerned expression.

"Mr. Larabee! A grey-haired man came into the boardinghouse and said the girls went into the forest and that a dangerous gunman was in there. He told me to tell you, that you had to hurry."

Chris turned to look at Vin. The tracker nodded. Both then took off at high speed towards the forest. The others followed.

Panic mighta been the order of the day, however Chris was confused. They outlaws were under about 100 ton of rock and who was this grey-haired man sending a warning. Chris kept alert wondering if this was a trap.

Vin's intuition was telling him much the same, though it did little to mask his anger. If indeed the girls weren't in town, they had disobeyed him, again. And when he found them, he was gonna make sure they never went off alone again. Though, once they were safe and sound, suppressing the urge to throttle them was going ta be difficult.

The sharpshooter quickly found the trails of Nutmeg.

"The tracks head off to the meadow, my hunch is that they are there." mused Vin.

"Well, let's jist be careful, this could be a trap, I don't even know this grey haired man."

Just then Ezra and the others joined them, "I met him in the saloon, said his name was, Sanderson. Seemed a likable and honorable sort of feller. Though I got the feeling he was watching someone. He may be a bounty hunter. "

Chris didn't like the sound of any of this, "Right spread out get to the meadow, if you spot the girls grab them and take cover. Vin and I will head that way. Go."

The peacekeepers all headed off in their different directions.

In the forest

Gabriel raised his head into the air and sniffed. The smell was coming closer quickly; he barely sensed the girl and the horse anymore. That was good, now he could concentrate on the fight. He would need a club or something similar if he wanted to win. He headed over to a small beech tree and pulled it from its roots, breaking off the foliage he fashioned it into a foreboding weapon; a club with spikes. As he turned around the monster was standing right in front of him.

Nearly seven feet tall, grey skin, red eyes and long claws on his hands, it was one of the ugliest specter he had seen in his whole life. It seemed to be curious, well he couldn't blame it. After all he was also very unique.

"I have to admit you really look damn threatening, but I didn't suspect you to be a beauty either….. Wendigo." The grey-haired man said eyeing the creature from top to toe.

That comment wormed out an angry growl from the monster. Gabriel laughed, rolling his large club in his hands and flicking his wrist, "You came too late. The girls are safe and now it's just you and me."

All of sudden the monster attacked. It raised his arm and hit his claws right into the man's shoulder. Grunting with pain, Gabriel grabbed the monster by the throat. Tensing all the muscles he spun around and tossed it of him. With a surprised yowl the monster lost his grip and smashed into a tree. The man heard bones break and knew he had gained some time. He concentrated his healing powers on the wounds in his shoulder and slowly they started to close. The Wendigo got to his feet again and growled loudly. The sound chilled him to the bones. It was so similar, so similar to….

Gabriel raised the club and waited. Wendigo's were fast and if it decided to go after the girls, he probably wouldn't be able to catch up to it again. He just had to make it angry so it would try to finish off him instead. "Come on! I ain't finished with you yet!" He called and the Wendigo did just that; came at him in one charging screaming form.

The Outskirts of the forest

Rose rode as quickly as possible back to the town. The man had been quite intimidating, though neither child had time to contemplate the situation, the hard swat to their backsides had seen to that. The only danger they were concerned with at the present was not getting back to town before the peacekeepers.

"Rose hurry!" Amalia urged. She was sitting behind Rose and had her arms wrapped around the girls waist. "I don't want Chris to catch us."

"I don't want that either, but it could be worse if Vin….." Rose stopped abruptly and pulled up Nutmeg.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Amalia asked and peeked around Rose.

What she saw made her gulp. Just about fifty yards in front of them were Chris and Vin and boy were they looking angry. Rose didn't kick Nutmeg into a canter again, she knew she wouldn't get out of this one, but perhaps she could at least delay it.

As soon as Chris and Vin came to the girls they both reached out and grabbed one of them. Chris took a hold of Amalia and Vin of Rose.

"Vin, I'm sorry…." Rose pleaded as she saw how angry he really was.

"Save it!" Vin snapped and put her in front of him in the saddle.

"I didn't do…." Amalia tried to intervene.

"We'll talk later Amalia." Chris interrupted her sharply. "Did you see anyone in the forest?"

"Why are ya…."

"DID YOU SEE ANYONE?" Chris bellowed.

Startled by Chris' yelling, Amalia winced and ducked her head, afraid that he might hit her. Whimpering she shut her mouth to scared to say anything.

"There was a grey-haired man. He told us to go back to town and never go back to the forest again. He put us on Nutmeg's back and sent us back. He didn't tell us why." Rose replied.

"Did you see anyone else?" Vin asked.

"No, sir."

Chris looked down at Amalia who still had her head ducked. Cursing himself for scaring her he pulled her into a soft hug.

"I'm sorry Amalia. I shouldn't have yelled at ya."

"You aren't gonna hit me?" She asked tentatively.

"No, Amalia. We're going to talk about it nothing more." He soothed and felt how she relaxed a bit. He pulled her tighter to him and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Come on we need to get you home."

"What's about the grey-haired man, this Sanderson?"

"You take the girls back to town, I'll meet up with the others, if there's a murderer we should help him." ordered Chris.

"He was in the meadow over by the big elm." directed Rose.

Amalia all of a sudden gripped Chris, "Please take me back!"

Chris looked down, the child was frightened. He needed to clear this up now, before any of her progress was undone. The kid trusted him, though a man of few words, he'd had experience with frightened children. If he left her now she may well feel abandoned. He was always sure his boy Adam would have felt that way; he wasn't going ta have that again. He couldn't have that again. "Okay I'll take these two back to town, you get to the clearing. You see anything, wait for the others. Don't go in there firing, till yer know what the caper is. Got it?"

"Got it!" Vin nodded then turned his gaze back to Rose, "And ya're goin' straight to my room and wait there for me."

Rose gave him a pleading a look, then slumped her shoulders and nodded. Vin's angry expression didn't change nor did his aura. "Yes, sir." She whispered looking down on her lifted her over to Nutmeg again and sat her down on her back. Then he handed Nutmeg's reins over to Chris who tied the horse to his saddle and headed off towards town.

Inside the forest

Gabriel ducked under blow and hammered his fist into the Wendigo's stomach. He had to change; he wouldn't be able to win in this form. The next attack surprised him. The fiend grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against a tree. Choking he hit both hands at each side of the Wendigo's wrist trying to break his bone. He raised his hand and poked it in the eyes. It howled angrily and dropped him to the ground. Coughing he stood up again and hit his fist against the monster's chest. It stumbled backwards then lunged forward trying to right itself. In doing so and the monsters claws hit him in the chest.

The Wendigo dragged him closer and grabbed his head with his free hand. The man tried to prepare himself for the pain he knew was coming. With one quick motion the creature broke his neck and tossed him away. He slammed against a tree and sank to the ground. Before he hit the ground he felt how his body started to repair itself. The broken bones aligned into their right place, the wounds closed and new strength washed over his body distinguishing the pain. It had taken him a long time to adjust to this power. It was eerie and it scared the wits out of him when it happened. When he was supposed to be dead his body always repaired itself.

The Wendigo had already turned away from him and was sniffing in the air.

Groaning the grey-haired man got to his feet. "HEY! I'm not done with ya yet."

The monster spun around and Gabriel transfigured. It only took him a few seconds to morph, but he hated this form. However he had no choice. If he wanted to chase away the Wendigo from the town, he would need the extra strength. He felt how claws grew out of his fingers and how his arms and legs got longer. The bones of his head broke and coalesced to a new from. His teeth got longer and the ground seemed to sink away as he grew a foot in several seconds. He had only changed into this form three times in his entire life. It was a mixture between Werewolf and Wolf, but it was more animal then human. As he finished he barred his teeth and growled. Howling the monster attacked him, but Gabriel could sense the creature's surprise and it was scared.

Suddenly another smell above the reek of the Wendigo permeated his senses. A horse was coming closer. He had to lure it away. Deflecting a blow, he grabbed the monster by the throat. It scratched wildly at his arm, but the Gabriel he kept it in a firm grip. He had to get it away from town.

As Vin reached the glade there were no signs of the man or the so called murderer, Mrs. Patterson had suggested was in the area. All Vin could see was something that looked like paw-prints, a bear perhaps, and some footprints belonging to the girls. There were also marks from a pair of boots, however, no trails which were leading away from the glade. Shrugging his shoulders he stood up and called to the others surveying the parameter.

The others joined him, "There is nothing here now." said Vin, "Whatever it was that guy, Sanderson, is probably still hunting him or it, I reckon we call it a day, what's left of it, ain't no use tracking in the dark."

"Perhaps we will catch up with this Sanderson back in Four Corners?" suggested Ezra.

"That's true, then Chris and Buck can talk to him." said JD

"Well then let's head back to town. We could all do with some food and some rest, and be thanking the lord that none of us or the girls are hurt." reflected Josiah.

Four Corners

Chris had just finished unsaddling the horses and was leading the girl over to the boardinghouse. Both Rose and Amalia glanced nervously up to the black-clad gunman trying to gauge how much trouble they were in. It was difficult to read in his face. He mostly looked tired. However Rose had no such problems. Chris' aura was full of the fear of losing them and anger, a lot of anger.

As soon as they were upstairs Chris put Rose into a corner and ordered her to wait for Vin, while Amalia was dragged towards her doom. The girl didn't think of struggling. She liked and trusted Chris, however, that didn't had to mean that she liked the consequences of breaking the rules being under his protection. With a soft nudge to her back Amalia was ushered into Chris' room and immediately turned around to face Chris. He had left the door open and stepped to the side.

"Amalia, do ya want Mary to come and be with you while I talk to ya? I can understand if you don't want to be alone with me." He said with soft voice and crouched down in front of her.

"I…. I dunno. I mean…. I trust ya and feel safe…. but…." She hesitated and looked down on her toes.

"Yes?" He asked suavely and tilted her head up. Amalia nervously fidgeted under his gaze and closed her eyes. "It doesn't help to close yer eyes little one."

Slowly she opened them again and peered at him.

"I don't want a spanking." She mumbled while playing with her fingers.

Chris sighed. He wasn't' sure how to handle looked at her nervously fidgeting and the lone tear that escaped her big pleading eyes. This girl surely knew how to pull at his heart strings and it was hard not just to pick her up and pull her into a strong hug, reassuring her that everything was fine. "Why did ya go into the forest anyway? You knew you ain't supposed to be there." He questioned.

"Rose was riding towards it with Nutmeg and…. and Wolf didn't wanna play with me. He lay in the shadow of a house and didn't move. I was just curious bout what she was doin'."

"Why didn't you tell Nathan, about her trip?"

Amalia fiercely shook her head. "No, I didn't wanna tattle. I told ya I was jist curious. I wanted to know why she's goin' into the forest." She scowled with some new found bravery.

"Hey…" Chris suppressed the urge to admonish her attitude and tried to direct the conversation, "Did ya find out?"

Again Amalia shook her head.

Chris shook his head he was losing the point and concentration. He was just too tired to deal with her now, but he had to.

"Amalia ya went into the forest even if ya knew you weren't allowed to go far on yer own. Being curious isn't a very sound reason, it was also very dangerous. Do you understand why?"

Amalia shrugged.

"Answer me!" Chris ordered raising his voice lightly to get her full attention, but again he was rewarded with only a shrug.

"Amalia!"

"No I didn't think it was dangerous. I dunno, I was just interested in seeing the forest and I was bored." She snapped.

"Putting yer life in danger just because you're bored, seems a pretty dumb reason. What would have happened if the outlaws we were chasing or a bear had attacked ya? No one was there to protect ya." He scolded and dragged her between his knees. "Ya also disobeyed me. I remember clearly that I told ya not to go out of town without an adult and…."

"Nutmeg is adult." Amalia quipped with a smile trying to break the frown on Chris face. She only managed the opposite.

"Don't be smart with me! Nutmeg, young lady, is a horse and at first sign of a bear or a wolf she would run away. You know that's not an argument."

"Would it have been better if Wolf had come with me?" Amalia asked.

"Yes… wait I mean No! Wolf is able to protect you and I have no doubt that he would, but he's still no adult. He's yer pet nothing more."

"He ain't a pet, he's Wolf." She protested loudly.

"Quit stalling, ya know you're in for it, so stop trying to talk yerself out of. Now tell me what you've done wrong and why it was wrong!"

"Why? Ya jist told it."

So much for the gentle talk and cautious nature to Chris's approach to the well deserved chastisement of Amalia. He found himself losing his patience. The child's feisty nature wasn't helping, though it sure pointed to the fact that she was extremely resilient. "I want to make sure ya were listening and understood what I meant." Chris explained and rubbed his eyes. He needed a coffee! This girl was exhausting. He felt the strong urge to just get put her across his knee and paddle her backside red. But then she wouldn't have learned anything and her trust in him maybe destroyed completely. He realized that she wasn't going to talk, so he turned her sideways and landed a soft swat to the seat of her denim pants. "Why was ya wrong ta go into the forest, without a HUMAN adult?"

The swat barely caused a sting, but it immediately caused the girl to start talking. "I disobeyed ya, when I went alone into the forest and I put myself in danger, cuz there wasn't any adult around."

"Good." He cupped her face with his hand and directed her gaze towards him. "I'm very proud of you Amalia. You understand what you did was wrong and didn't try to lie yer way out of it." He gave her a soft kiss on the top of her head. Amalia smiled up at him feeling very proud herself. He was right. She had never even tried to lie about it, but her smile was short-lived.

"However, being bored is no reason to put yerself in danger and disobeying a direct order." With that Amalia was lifted up and dropped facedown across Chris' lap. Before she realized what was happening the first swat landed on her denim clad backside. She let out a small yelp and threw her hands back.

"No, Chris! I'm sorry!" She wailed feeling the tears well up in her eyes as the sting sank in.

Without a word Chris moved her hands out of the way and applied quickly five more smacks to her bottom before landing the last two on her sit spot. Amalia was crying by the time he was finished. Chris lifted her up and settled her carefully off her inflamed bottom onto the side of his lap.

For a few seconds Amalia wiggled around on his knees while she tried to rub her behind with both hands, then she threw herself into Chris's chest hugging him closely.

" 'm…. I'm sorry." She cried while Chris softly rubbed her back, while he rocked her from side to side.

"I know and now you're forgiven little one. Everything's fine now." He whispered into her ear.

Slowly her sobs calmed to sniffles that slowly came down to an occasional hiccup, and finally transferred into a large yawn.

" 'm tired." Amalia mumbled and closed her eyes.

"Let's put you into bed then." Chris suggested and lay her down. Carefully he tucked her in and kissed her goodnight. As he was about to stand up she reached out and grabbed his hand.

"Can…. can you stay a little?" She murmured eyes already half-closed.

"Course I can." He sighed and took her small hand in his watching her as she slowly drifted off to sleep and before Chris knew it, he had also fallen asleep, but he would first recognize it when he fell of the bed and hit the ground with a loud thump.

I hope this chapter wasn't to confusing and I'm sorry that it took me a long time to update. Hope you enjoyed reading it and please REVIEW!

Ooops. I nearly forgot to thank Gaben and otkcp for their support and help and especially for Gaben's huge patience while she corrected this chapter. THANK YOU!