Cayden was finishing up with straightening the house when he heard a vehicle pull up to the house from the sound of tires on the gravel. He rushed outside thinking they were home with his mother who had spent the last few days in the hospital, too sick to even pull her normal antics there. He stopped when he saw his father climb out of his truck. His mother, aunt and uncle were still not back.
"Hi, Danny," Flint waved at his son, grabbed his briefcase and started heading for the porch.
"Ummm...Dad can you help me with the bottle calf?" Cayden asked. He knew his mother didn't want his father to know about the hospital. She wasn't going to be thrilled that Flint came home a day early.
Flint's smile vanished. He knew by his son's tone of voice that something was afoot. "Cayden, what did she do now?" he asked, storming up the porch steps and looking into the youth's eyes, looking for the truth.
"Nothing." Cayden said, turning away from his father. "I need to go feed the baby calf." He tried to walk away hoping his father followed him.
"Hold it." Flint jogged several steps and grabbed his son by the arm, whirling him around. "Cayden, you must be the worse liar on the planet," he said to him. "Now, tell me what is wrong, or should I call your Mother? Who is supposed to be in the house..."
"Ummm...she's not in there," Cayden said.
"Then I will ask you this, where is she?" Flint asked sternly, his brown eyes filling with fire, the one thing his son could not handle and could unleash all secrets.
"Coming up the road now with Uncle Brad and Aunt Nancy," Cayden answered, sweat beading on his forehead.
Flint turned around, getting a glimpse of Nancy's blue Blazer driving up the gravel driveway, and parking slowly next to his own car. He frowned while watching them, moving their heads back and forth. Oh yes, something was indeed up. He walked briskly toward the vehicle, before any of them had any chance of escape, yanked the door open and gave a nice imitation of a smile. "Hello."
Nancy gulped from the back seat, and wearily glanced at her husband who was in the driver's seat. "Dashie! Yo-your home early. Wh-hat a surprise!"
Jaye pulled the pant leg of her jeans down to insure that her bite was covered. "Hi, Honey. What are you doing home so early?"
Ace looked to his wife with an "Uh oh" look.
Flint extended his hand, while eyeing all of their faces. "Well, let's see who was the person who wanted me to stay before, crying in my arms?" He read their faces, finding them all nervous looking. Oh, yes, something was indeed amiss and he was going to find out.
"Aww, Donatello was going to miss you!?" Nancy spoke from the backseat, not getting out of the car.
Flint cleared his throat. "No, it was a Faireborn who was going to miss me." He smiled cunningly at his wife while his hand remained in position, still empty and accepted.
Jaye took his offered hand and climbed out and hugged her husband.
"Ahh, I see this is where we left off," Flint chuckled, bending down and kissing her tenderly.
She kissed him back. "Let's go inside. I'll fix you something to drink."
"I would love a drink, I'm parched from the long drive from the airport," Flint wrapped an arm around her waist.
Nancy slowly and timidly got out of the car, walking around and stood next to the driver side. "Come out," she mouthed to Ace, who continued to grip the wheel as if driving a Cobra Hiss Tank for the first time.
Ace slowly climbed out and stood next to his wife.
Jaye lead Flint up the steps of the house.
Flint glanced over his shoulder to his son and the other couple. "Well, aren't you coming in, or staying out here in this hot weather?"
Nancy started walking, but noticed her husband did not budge from his position. She heaved a sigh, walked back, this time around Ace, placed her hand on his back and gently shoved him forward. "I'm going to use you as a shield when he find out, all right?"
"No that's all right. Nancy and I have some work to do at our house," Ace said and turned and started to pull his wife away.
"Come on, Dash," Jaye said as she lead him into the house.
"I'm going to go check the calf," Cayden said and quickly rushed off.
"Harriet said she was going to stop by," Nancy quickly added, being let away back to the car.
"Freeze!" Flint authoritative voice created icicles in the middle of hot autumn day. "Brad, Nancy, you should come inside."
"Dash, leave them alone. They've had a long day," Jaye demanded.
Ace and Nancy stopped dead in their tracks and looked back to the warrant officer.
"Oh really?" Flint asked with great interest towards his nervous looking wife, and then back to his sister and her Joe husband. "I would love to hear it."
Nancy gulped, glancing up at her husband, waiting for his reply. She squeezed his hand, knowing that he did not want to enter the Faireborn farmhouse no more then she did. "We can't leave her alone," she whispered.
"Fine," Ace said and walked toward them.
"Dash, you just get home to me and you want company?" Jaye asked slightly annoyed.
"Allie, you and I are going to be very alone tonight, since Brad and Nancy are having Cayden sleep over their house tonight," Flint informed her, taking her inside the house and right to the living room, setting her on the couch.
The door closed and Nancy with Ace walked in the room, not daring to sit.
"They are?" Jaye asked. "That's nice of them."
"Yeah, sure. Whatever you say," Ace said nervously.
"Can we take him now and leave you two to play?" Nancy asked, her brown eyes dancing with slight fear.
Flint walked toward the other couple, his own brown eyes glimmering. "Why the hurry?" he asked, then turned to his wife, and back to them. "Are you three hiding something?"
They all looked at each other and the same instant shook their heads. "Us? No. No!" they simultaneously protested.
"Are you two going to stand in front of my front door like a pair of scarecrows or what?" Flint asked, glancing back and forth from the pilot to his sister.
"Brad needs to get Nancy home. She's not feeling too well," Jaye said covering her tracks.
"What!" Flint looked at his sister, watching her turn white. "Nan?" He placed a hand on her shoulder, feeling her tremble from his touch. "You all right?"
Nancy nodded slowly. "I-I think so."
"What happened?" Flint asked, now staring at all their faces. "Where were the three of you coming from?"
"From town," Jaye answered. "She passed out."
"Let me get her home," Ace said, not wanting to be there anymore.
"She passed out!" Flint said very loudly in shock. He carefully studied his sister's face that had turn almost pure white.
"Dash, it-its nothing," Nancy tried to explain, hoping he would not find the real reason. She glanced at Jaye then at Ace.
Flint didn't answer her, but grabbed hold of Ace's shirt and yanked him out of the house, his face filled with anger. He let the door close on its own, listening to the bang it created from the force, and led Ace to the far corner of the porch and slammed him against the wall. He eyed the pilot with a brotherly protective face. "Remember when I said at your wedding there will be hell to pay if you hurt her? Well, it's time!"
"Dash..." Ace said trying to break free from his hold. "I didn't do anything to her. Trust me."
"Trust you?" Flint growled, his eyes shooting little Sky Striker missiles. "Trust the man who leaves her alone for days?" He slightly chuckled at the pilot's face. "What? You thought I could not notice?" He gripped him tighter.
Jaye ran out of the house as fast as he injured leg could take her. "Dash, let go of him," she yelled.
"I haven't left her alone like that in weeks. I'm working on it, all right. She is the most important thing in the world to me!" Ace yelled at him.
"Dash, he didn't do anything. It wasn't Nancy. It was me!!!" Jaye hollered.
Flint still continued to hold his grip, but turned to his wife. "You?" he asked, his voice filled with hurt from her lie. "Allie, get inside right now."
Nancy walked out, her heart pounded staring at the scene. "Dash, please," she pleaded him.
"Both of you in the house, I need to have a little chat with Bradley." Flint didn't let go of his hold.
"Dash, please..." Jaye said but she knew not to argue and went inside. "Come on, Nancy."
"Dash, let me go. You don't need to force me to stay. I won't leave," Ace told him honestly.
Nancy stood still, her brown eyes watching her brother and her husband. Worry surrounded her and she felt a tug, turning she found Jaye, leading her away.
Flint watched them enter the old farmhouse, listening to the door shut close, then satisfied, he let go of the other man. "I want to know what the hell is going on, Brad?" he asked with authority. "For months now I've seen something change in my sister, and you too. I want to know what!"
"This is between your sister and I. It is none of your business," Ace told him standing his ground. "I don't interfere with you and Allie."
"My sister is my business!" Flint growled, never leaving the pilot's eyes. "Especially when it comes to her being very upset because she sold her horse!"
"What?" Ace asked in total shock. "She did what?"
Flint glared at his brother-in-law. "Like you didn't know," he mumbled through his teeth. "But the question comes to mind is why she sold Pegasus?" He crossed his arms, waiting for the answer.
"I...I have a problem. But I'm working on it. We're working on it. I'm trying to get better but it's hard to fight the need, the desire to do it," Ace admitted, tears starting to water his eyes.
"A problem?" Flint whispered though his voice had a hint of fire. He once again grabbed the other man and slammed him against the wall. His eyes filled with rage, understanding the 'problem' he snarled, "I should had known your gambling problem would destroy you! But I didn't know it would also cost you more then you ever lost in a card game! Your wife!"
The tears started to fall down his cheeks, a sight that Flint had never seen before in him. "I'm fighting it Dash, with all that I am. She's helping me. I need help, I know I do."
"I can see in her eyes that she is trying to help you," Flint said to him, his voice turning softer. He slowly let go of the man's shirt. "And knowing my sister, she sold more then her horse, didn't she?"
"I didn't know about her horse. I thought it was getting shoed or something. But when I found out about her dolls, I knew I had to stop. I've been trying, really I have," Ace said genuinely.
"She sold her dolls?" Flint asked in pure astonishment. His eyes widened, realizing how deep the situation was. "Trying? Really?" His tone changed again. "I don't believe you. Even as a Joe—the betting pools, the gambling parties! You could not even stop when Hawk asked you too. Remember?"
"It's true. I haven't gambled in weeks. I've been coming home every night and helping around the house or on the farm," Ace said. "I don't want to lose her. She's my life. She's all I've got."
"Weeks won't cut it," Flint told him, then sighed. "Why didn't you come to me with this? I could had helped."
"Because this is personal. It's something between me and my wife." He looked away. "It's my battle to win," he sighed. "And I was embarrassed."
"We've been on the same team for almost twenty years, Brad. You know quite well even at the smallest battles, you cannot fight alone." Flint patted him on the shoulder.
Ace managed a smile. "You're right. But right now your wife needs you. Let me gather up mine and Cayden and leave you two alone."
"Oh, yes, I have to deal with my little fibbing Scot, don't I?" Flint nodded to his brother-in-law.
"Don't be mad at her. She just didn't want you to worry about her is all," Ace said, patting him on the shoulder. "Come on."
"Brad, when I leave for a meeting, leaving my pregnant wife alone for a few days, I always tend to worry," Flint said, started to head toward the door. "You two can stand back from the door now!" he called out, making sure the two wives in the house heard him loud and clear. He opened the door, and walked into the living room.
Nancy paled from his features, and she slowly sat down in the chair, before she really passed out.
"Lucy, you got some explaining to do," Flint said, crossing his arms and looking straight at his wife.
"I...ummm..." Jaye stammered.
"Come on Nancy," Ace said as he helped his wife up from the chair. "Let's leave the two of them alone. We can take Cayden out for pizza." He led her out of the house.
Jaye looked at her husband. "I...I'm sorry."
Flint walked over to where she stood, took her arm, sat her on the couch, before he sat next to her. "So let me guess, Nancy didn't pass out."
Jaye shook her head no. Her head was bowed and she didn't look at him.
"So, did you pass out?" he asked in a more gentle tone.
She shook her head no. "I...ummmm..."
"You can tell me, or should I call Nancy?" Flint sent her a half smile, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.
"I got bit by a snake," she said softly.
"What!" Flint almost shouted. He blinked several times. "Again, huh?" He pulled her closer. "When will you learn to leave those snakes alone?"
"It spooked Cherokee and was going after Nancy. I had to get it away from them." She pulled up her pant leg and pulled the side of the bandage away from the wound. It was swollen and discolored. "It was a Yellow Belly Racer."
"Why did you go near it?" Flint asked, now feeling his temperature rise. "Why didn't you just get the gun or call one of the workers?"
"The workers weren't around and the gun was inside the house and it was next to the south barn. It would have struck before I got back with it," Jaye explained as she covered the wound back up.
"So you thought of playing hero," Flint said with stale tone, dropping his arm and standing up. "You should had left it alone. It would had not attacked if not threatened."
"How do you know!" You weren't here!" Jaye exclaimed and stood up to storm out of the room.
With a quick stride, he grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her around to face him. "I know! I lived my whole life on this farm and so has Nancy!" Flint told her, his anger in check. "I know I can't be here every second and I want to be. But I don't want to have my wife playing G. I. Joe and getting hurt, not to mention my unborn child! What happened if it was a copperhead? Huh? Did you think of that? I don't want you to be dead, Allie! Not you or the little peanut!"
"Dash, it was going to strike!" Jaye countered. "I'm not stupid. I've lived here for fifteen years!"
Flint glanced down at her green eyes, before wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. "I know you're not stupid," he stated, closing his eyes. "I just don't want anything to happen to you."
"I'm fine. The doctors told me it's mostly through my system," Jaye told him, laying her head against his chest.
"And everything else is all right?" Flint asked. "Peanut too?" He held her tighter.
"They kept me for two days to make sure," she said softly.
"Why didn't you call me?" Flint asked, holding now her face with both his hands, making her tilt her face toward his eyes. "Why didn't Nancy call me? Or Brad?"
"I didn't want you to worry while you were at the meetings. I was too sick to call. I've been in bed since right after you left."
"Well of course you were too sick to call from that snake bite!" Flint stated. "But you could had Nancy or Brad call!"
"I didn't want you to worry. You had a meeting. You couldn't come until that was done," she told him. "I'm sorry."
"Allie, you are more important to me then some meeting," Flint told her truthfully, caressing her cheek lightly. "You know that."
"No, Dash. I don't." Jaye said tears filling her eyes.
"What do you mean you don't know that?" he asked with narrowed eyes.
"You leave me when you get those reminder calls about those meetings. I ask you to stay. I practically beg you to stay but you don't," Jaye said, sobbing slightly.
"Now its my turn to apologize, I am very sorry, Allie," he said, his voice soft and gentle. "This meeting was extremely important for us, ...and the farm." He kissed her brow, but didn't tell her how important it was. He held the secret inside of telling her about that day where he almost lost his own life to save her uncle's, who was one of the Cobra high in command.
Jaye hugged him tightly. "I didn't do anything to Henry at all."
"W-w-what?" Flint stuttered, his eyes growing wide. "Nothing? No punching him in the nose? Or locking him in the closet, or even chase him down the hallways with a needle?"
"Nope," Jaye said. "I thought I was going to vomit out my spleen the first day."
"Aww, my poor Allie," Flint said, stroking her hair. "You, my dear, were very brave." He kissed her forehead, then picked her up, holding her close to his chest. "You also knew about Brad's and Nancy's problems too, didn't you?"
Jaye nodded. "I promised Nan that I wouldn't tell." She leaned her head against his chest.
"I should spank both of you!" he slightly tried to joke, starting to carry her out of the living room and up the stairs. "But right now I'm thinking more of a bubble bath, some R&R, a good nice dinner provided by Chef Flint and some alone time with my wife." He made his way up the stairs, and glanced down to see her eyes closed. "By the way," he whispered so softly that he knew she couldn't hear. "You are so grounded." He chuckled and closed the bedroom door behind him.