Steam rolled lazily into the air from a freshly poured cup of tea rested on the bedside table beside an open book that shone under the light of a table lamp dwarfed by a large cream coloured shade. In the bed beside that table a man and woman lay as they waited for sleep they knew would not come easily. Things had happened recently to put them ill at ease despite the safety of their home. For the first time in a long time they had locked their front door, something that until now they had never had cause to do since their once peaceful town had been terrorised by a woman that had turned everything upside down for them all. They were prisoners in their own home, hostages held by uncertainty as to who would get hurt next after those three people had been attacked by an unknown entity that now had them trapped in their fear.

Shifting himself slightly into a rather uncomfortable and slightly dangerous position, Mayor Meanswell lifted his cup of tea to his lips before setting it back into its matching saucer. With a lot of effort he manoeuvred himself back to his previous position and turned his head to look at his companion. Bessie noticed his glance and forced a smile, trying to reassure him that she wasn't as scared as she felt. Her smile only faltered when a loud knocking sounded at the front door of their house, knocking with such force that could tear the door from its hinges.

Pushed to his last limit when the knocking continued in a ceaseless rhythm that pressed his nerves and made his head hurt, the Mayor withdrew from Bessie's grasp and threw back the blankets covering him. With his feet shaking he slid on his slippers and padded towards the bedroom door. Raising a hand caught in a tremor he pulled his dressing gown from a hook fixed to the door. With great difficulty he pulled his dressing gown over his arms and wrapped it around himself. Opening the door he spared a look at Bessie before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

Surrounded by a darkness in the hallway he had learnt many years before to navigate he padded out to the kitchen and made his way towards the shaking front door pausing only to pull a spatula from a drawer in one of the units. Standing in front of the door he pulled back the bolt that he hadn't used in so long. With a white knuckled grip on the door handle he threw open the door.

The sight that greeted him wasn't quite what he'd been expecting.

Alone at last, they lay together on the bed. With his eyes half closed he gently caressed the top of her head with lazy fingers that luxuriated in the softness of her hair. His body took comfort in the warmth of hers as she rested against him. He knew that it offered her comfort too, knowing that he was alive and safe. As he continued to stoke her head he wondered what would have happened to her if he'd not gotten the upper hand in his fight with Lily, it was a thought that caused him more pain than all of his injuries put together. He opened his eyes when he felt a hand clasp the other of his own.

"Don't think about that. I'm fine." Robyn whispered.

Kit nodded, "I know. It's just…sometimes…one day…"

"When it happens, it will happen. I know you'll always protect me whenever you can but you can't always be there to save me. You know that already."

"I should have known he was there, I should have known that he'd knock me out."

"You can't know everything, no one can. Not even me. I didn't know that you'd been attacked until Bessie phoned us. You need to let it go. What happened happened and we can't change that, nothing can. I know you're hurting."

Kit watched distractedly as he saw Robyn snake a hand up to his chest. He grabbed it by the wrist and pulled it away from him, his grip was tight but not tight enough to hurt her or do any harm.

"Don't do that," He began, "I know what you can do, what you've done before and want to do now but don't. Leave me with something, Robyn, please."

Robyn nodded and drew her hand away, "Ok. I hate to see you like this though."

"Like how?"

"Broody, it doesn't seem right. Not with you. I just wish there was some way I could cheer you up."

"There is something you can do."

"What's that?"

"You can kiss me here," Kit pointed to his forehead, "here," then he pointed to his cheek, "here" he said pointing to his other cheek, "and, here." He finished pointing at his groin with a sparkle in his eyes and his little boy grin lighting up his face.

Opening her eyes and mouth wide in mock outrage, Robyn punched Kit on the arm before dissolving into laughter. She could feel his laughter vibrate through him as it filled the air around them.

"Ah well, it was worth a try." Kit chuckled when he had regained the power of speech, "Come here you," He then said pulling Robyn further up the bed and kissing her.

Robyn returned the kiss with the same tenderness with which it had been given to her. His lips curved into a smile under hers and he stroked her back with his hand. The couple's kiss was rudely interrupted when someone was heard clearing their throat pointedly.

The seven men stared at each other in a stupor of sheer confusion. Six men standing out in the cold dumb at the sight of the seventh inside the house wielding a spatula as a means of defence against an attack that wasn't going to happen. Had they not been so bewildered by the sight and the circumstances surrounding it they would have laughed out loud but their nervous systems kept them sedated as their brains tried to process what was happening. They were tired and this process was painfully slow. It only speeded up when a strained voice was heard from the hallway.

Blinking several times to clear the fog from his mind, Mayor Meanswell turned towards the hallway.

"It's ok, Bessie." He reassured, "It's just Ché with some other gentlemen."

Hearing these calming words Bessie emerged into the kitchen, "I wondered what was going on when I couldn't hear anything. What was the meaning of that dreadful racket, Ché?"

"I'm very sorry for the rude awakening, Mrs Busybody. These gentlemen with me were camped out near Sportacus' airship, or what's left of it and Skip frightened them terribly. Unfortunately I and my sons had to rip the tent to get them out. They have nowhere else to sleep. I'll understand if you don't want them here, I should know my own strength when knocking on doors."

Mayor Meanswell shook his head and a dismissive hand, "I understand, Ché. I'd rather it was you knocking down my door than anyone else. After all, who knows who's creeping around out there. You leave these men with us and get yourself off to bed. I'm sure Greta is missing you."

"Thank you, Mr Mayor. I'm very sorry again for the intrusion and promise it won't happen again. Alejandro, Rico, tell your mother I've returned. I need to fetch the airship."

Rico and Alejandro left straight away to do as they had been told while Ché went to find his airship after he had left it in a rush to answer his crystal's call. It was almost more than he could do to spend that extra ten minutes away from his beloved wife.

Kit looked up at the stranger that had appeared in the doorway with a frown creasing his brow. There was something that looked familiar about this man but he couldn't put his finger on what. As he studied them the stranger moved further into the room allowing for easier scrutiny that they seemed to invite. It was an odd thing to do to him but he didn't let that feeling press too deeply into his mind, it would only serve to distract him from working out where the resemblance had come from.

Unlike Kit, Robyn knew exactly who the stranger was. A fire lighted in her blood at the sight of him that would not be quenched for a long time.