The next week crawled by slowly as the heat of the summer started to really take its' toll on Robin. The sun seemed to be unnaturally hot to the point it made her not want to do much of anything. Luckily, she got up early and got her outside work done before 10am when the sun started to get high in to the sky.
Robin was overall having a decent week. Woody, scheduled to start repairs on her house, would be arriving that day with the boys. She did not mind then week, long wait she knew the shops were more important. She could not wait though even at her old home she enjoyed watching the builders in the summer sun. Hell she did not know a woman that did not enjoy watching contractors building in the summer.
Robin sat outside playing with Shadow as she waited for the builders to arrive. She relaxed before she saw Katie running up the road as fast as she could and stopped in front of Robin's house. Robin smiled and waved to Katie as she hunched over to catch her breath from the run over.
"Hello Katie what can I do for ya?" Robin smiled to her getting up.
"I wanted to get here before Joe got here," Katie panted out a bit still catching her breath.
"May I ask why?" Robin put her hands on her hips walking over, Shadow following.
"I want to watch him work, believe it or not if you haven't noticed my man has a nice rack of abs on him. I can grate cheese with them." Katie smirked proudly.
"And how pray tell do you plan to watch them? I am going out when they work so I do not get in there way." Robin smirked back she could not wait for an answer.
"I was going to see if Ellen wanted to have a picnic. I got food for all three of us." Katie smiled once more and turned showing the pack on her back that Robin did not see before. "You just need to bring drinks."
"Well my plan was to just go fishing but yours sound a bit more fun." She chuckled. "Cross the river, we can picnic on the other side of the bank across from my house. All the damage was to the back of my house anyways. Get Ellen I need to wait until they get here. So I will make drinks until they do."
Katie nodded and ran across the road quickly without stopping going in to the house to drag poor Ellen out whether she wanted to or not. Robin only shook her head and walked in to her house, grabbed a large pitcher and filled it with cold water, and squeezed lemons in to it. She dropped the crushed lemons in added a bit of sugar and nodded in approval as she heard a loud knock on the door. She checked her clothes and opened the door with a smile greeted by Woody.
"Hello Woody, I am glad you came. Come in." Robin waved him in and he entered looking around.
"All of the damage in the back of the house?" Woody questioned, though he knew the answer.
"Yea right over my stove and everything, I got she stove unplugged and the circuits to the kitchen turned off by Michael until you could come." Robin blushed a bit as she felt she was being over paranoid.
"No problem, best move you can make honestly. We will get to work shortly. Did you want anything special added or what not?"
"No, nothing thanks. I would just like my house to be in one piece again." Robin giggled softly "I made you three lunches for when you're working and drinks. Gwen let me barrow a cooler to store them till you wanted."
"Thank you, I am sure the boys will enjoy that." Woody nodded then looked out the window seeing the boys moving to the back with tools and lumber. "The boys are here, we will finish as quickly as we can, I will leave the bill in the mail box pay when you can, you can even do installments if you like."
"Thank you Woody. You are a great help. I will run off and get out of your way so you can work.
Woody nodded and walked outside with her. He walked to the back of the house and already started telling the boys what to do and where to put things. Robin grabbed her fishing pole and Shadow then headed to the other side of the river where she saw Katie and Ellen setting up for a picnic. Robin ran over and waved with a smile as she joined them and sat down to relax and have fun.
"So what did you guys do for the Bamboo boat festival?" Robin asked being curious. As far as they knew, she stayed home.
"Joe took me up to the water fall for a romantic dinner." Katie giggled and went a little dreamy eyed.
"I came to the river with Carl. We were near the end of the river watching the boat float by. It was so pretty." Ellen smiled and nodded. "We also saw a boat get pushed on to the bank so we pushed it back in to the water."
"Really, whose boat was it?" Katie got close wanting to know some juicy facts. "Come on I know you looked Ellen."
"Curt was the one who looked. But he didn't tell me whose it was." Ellen blushed a bit, as Katie was now too close for comfort.
"Fine, I will ask him. He will tell me." Katie smirked devilishly before glancing up to the roof of Robin's house as Joe was pulling his shirt off. "JOE! WOO!"
Joe turned his head looking seeing Katie smile and catcall him. He smirked and started to dance on the rooftop. He held his shirt between his legs and started to thrust his hips sliding his shirt back and forth. Katie cheered and whistled while Ellen and Robin laughed watching. Kurt looked over and shook his head behind Joe. Kurt had removed his shirt and vest earlier to keep from getting too hot. Woody turned his head hearing Katie then looked up to Joe before barking at him quickly to stop playing and get back to work.
Robin and Ellen laughed watching as Joe got in trouble being a show off. Robin glanced behind Joe at Kurt and blushed a bit seeing he was topless as well. Ellen and Katie saw Robin blush then looked up seeing Kurt was in the same state as Joe. Katie frowned a bit and Ellen shook her head lightly.
"I will admit he is not bad to look at, but he is still a bad person." Katie huffed before pulling a sandwich from her bag and shoving it in to her mouth taking a bite.
"Why do you all think he is a bad person, if you have no proof of what you all say he did then you can't say he is bad, and besides how do you plan to stay with Joe if you do not like his brother?" Robin questioned as she was still of the opinion he was not a bad person and people did not know the whole truth.
"Easy cause we caught him in the act the last time he did anything." Katie snapped, "And I can still not like him and stay with his brother, just means family dinners will be at my home."
"Robin, I do not hate Kurt but I do not trust him. After everything that happened with the last farmer and what happened to you concerns me. I want you to stay safe." Ellen spoke softly the only person to keep calm even when angry. "Well unlike you two I must get back the ranch. We have a lot of work to do with the upcoming animal festivals and races. "
"Aw, ok good bye Ellen." Robin smiled watching her friend get up and leave the picnic to go home.
"See you around Ellen" Katie called out waving before looking up to Joe as he slid down the ladder. "It must be break time for them."
Robin looked over seeing Kurt climb down the ladder slowly after Joe. They both looked exhausted from their non-stop work. Robin felt bad she could not help them in some way other than making lunch. Robin knew her home was one of the last few but she was not sure how many more homes they had to go, not to mention orders for furniture and wood supplies they still had to make sure got done.
After lunch, the boys were back on the roof and done just as the sun started to set and release them of their hard day's work. Katie and Robin were talking in the front before Joe and Kurt came around with Woody. Without a second thought, Katie grabbed Joe and started to drag him off to the bar. Kurt looked to Robin and smiled to her with a nod of his head. Woody watched as Joe ran off with Katie and grumbled about having to bring all the tools home. He glanced to Kurt seeing him smile to Robin.
"Kurt, why don't you, enjoy the rest of the night off." Woody spoke out quickly. He had not seen his grandson smile in years, at least not since that last farmer came to town.
"Huh? I need to bring the tools back and you know you are not supposed to lift anything heavy right now." Kurt looked to his grandfather his smile quickly faded as concern ran across his face.
"Bah, I am not a baby I can lift whatever I darn well please." Woody started to pick up the tools Joe dropped.
"Woody you are going to get hurt if you are doing something you are not supposed to." Robin spoke and quickly intercepted the tools along with Kurt. They did not want to see the old man hurt himself. "I will help you carry your tools back. It's the least I can do for what you guys did for me here."
"… oh alright lets go." Woody did not like them treating as if he was fragile but he was getting old. "Get everything and let's get going."
Kurt sighed in relief before he picked up his bag of tools. Robin picked up Joes before looking to Kurt as he picked up a few larger scraps of wood and a bucket of nail. Kurt handed her the bucket of nails before they followed Woody back to the workshop. It was not a long walk but it felt like it carrying all the heavy gear and supplies. Once they got to the shop Woody opened the door letting them in to put everything down. Robin headed to the door, leaving, when she heard Woody speak over to Kurt.
"Kurt do not be a jerk, walk Robin home. A girl shouldn't be walking any road after the sun is set." Woody nodded curtly giving Kurt no means to argue.
"Yes, sir," Kurt followed behind Robin out of the house. He shoved his hand in to the pockets of his vest before glancing to Robin as if she intimidated him.
"You do not have to walk me home Kurt." Robin spoke quickly letting him know he had no obligations.
"I do not mind, I was going to offer before the old man barked." Kurt looked up, as the sky was pinkish blue from the sun's last few rays of daylight.
"Thank you Kurt." She smiled before looking up to him. "Hey lets go somewhere else for right now. I do not want to be home right now. I have been there for days"
Kurt smiled and nodded he felt the same way. He bobbed his head to the beach and she nodded in agreement. They headed to the beach instead of her house for the time being. The beach was empty and the tide was high. It was a perfect night not cold but cold enough with the ocean wind to make couple cuddle for warmth. Robin smiled and reached in to her rucksack pulling out a thin small blanket.
"Do you always keep such convenient items in your bag?" Kurt watches as she pulled the blanket out and lay in on the ground to sit on.
"No, I actually packed this today for fishing at the beach. That was before Katie changed my plans. I just never changed my things out yet." She sat down on the blanket before Kurt sat next to her. "I want to thank you again for helping with my home."
"No problem." Kurt watched the waves of the ocean, it usually spiked back hair was now hanging limp around his head and in his face annoying him. "Stupid hair."
"Why don't you put your bandana back on?" Robin smirked watching him get flustered. "Or you can cut it."
"I took my bandana off because it was sweaty, I must have left it at your house." Kurt grumbled before reaching in to his pockets before pulling out a rubber band. With a slight hesitation and disgust, he used it to pull his hair back out of his face. His hair was long enough to pull back but not long enough to look good. His hair stuck straight back from where the band was making his hair look likes a handle, and this made Robin giggle.
Kurt sighed and looked out over the ocean in front of them. He glanced to her seeing she was looking at him or at least his hair. He blushed slightly before she chuckled and blushed herself and looked back to the ocean once more. She looked down to her watch and he looked to his own before biting his lip. Robin got up slowly and sighed heavily before looking to him.
"I have to go home and get up early for work." She sounded upset.
"Yea, same here." just got up and helped her pick up her blanket and fold it back up.
"Thank you very much." She smiled and slid the blanket in to her sack. "You do not have to bring me home. I know you must be so tired."
"Yea I will at least walk you to the bridge between our homes." Kurt put his hand out for her to join him in walking.
They walked in silence up the path and to the bridge between their homes. She stopped and looked up to him and he looked back to her. She gave him a smile and blushed looking down she never had anyone make her blush the way he did. Kurt stepped slowly to her, kept his head down a bit and spoke softly.
"May I kiss you?" Kurt's voice was a whisper almost unable to be heard.
"You may." Robin glanced up to him a bright blush over her cheeks
Kurt brought his hand up slowly, pushed a little hair from her face and slipped a finger under her chin and lifting. He leaned down a slowly and pressed his lips to her. His lips were warm but chapped from long hours in the harsh sun. Though as rough as his lips were, he was so soft with his actions. His hand slipped back going in to her hair. He pulled back slowly and looked in to her eyes.
"Good night." He spoke.
"Good night." She whispered.
Robin went across the bridge heading home while Kurt watched her just a bit longer before he turned and stared his own way. On his way home, he stopped by a rustle in the woods behind him. Turning quickly he was hit in the head, with a large tree branch. He stumbled to the ground blinking as he was recovering from the assault. He was kicked in the side then once more hit in the side of the head. Everything went fuzzy as his body went limp threatening to pass out. He felt a hand grab his hair and pull back to see if he was still conscience.
"Hmm, to easy, now to deal with her," The voice sounded familiar, a woman, no a man and he sounded so cold. His head was dropped let to fall to the ground. "She will be easy."
Robin got home quickly and opened her mailbox to see the bill as Woody promised. She walked in to her house and checked the bill over. Frowning she realized it would take a little while to pay it off. She got good money from the fish she caught, and herbs she collected in the forest, but that was keeping her from starving. The little money she had left after buying food went in to a jar for winter heat. She put the bill on her table along with her rucksack as she was going to bed after a long and very good day.
She showered and put on a clean sleep shirt then walked over to Shadow patting his head. She stretched once more as she walked to her bed and pulling the blankets back. As she started to get in, she saw Shadow lift his head and look around before walking to the door sniffing. Robin smiled and got up walking to the door to let him out so he could do his business. Shadow bolted out and around the house before he started barking.
Robin sighed and pulled her boots on quickly to go get him so he did not wake up the town. She ran around the house quickly and stopped looking to her crops. Each plant had been pulled from the ground and destroyed. Any vegetables that were going to be picked in the morning were gone the rest crushed and mashed. Robin felt like some on had just kicked her in the stomach when she saw the mess. She dropped her head then turned quickly to see someone was behind her. It was dark all so she could not see who it was but she did see spiked hair, and thumping of heavy boots.
"Kurt…"Robin started to cry. "You didn't do this."
The only response she could was a nod and she knew he nodded because of the bob of hair. She clenched her fists not wanting to believe it. She stepped forward wanting answers, but was punched in the stomach. She keeled over and dropped to her knees coughing as she tried to gasp for air. A hand grabbed her by her hair and pulled hard dragging her away from the house to the river.
Robin tried to scream but still could not get a full breath in to do more than little gasps of help. She felt her rear getting wet, as she knew they were close to the river she panicked. Was he going to drown her? She fought against him more before she felt his hand leg go something kick her in the side and fall over her. She scrambled to get away when she felt them move away. She quickly crawled and staggered to her house looking for a lantern she had. Hearing thumps, groans and growls she found her lantern and turned it on before shining to where the noises was coming from. She saw Jamie on top of Kurt both fighting. They stopped when the light hit them and looked up to her. Jamie got up quickly and looked down to Kurt. Kurt did not move for a bit, he had a blackening eye and a split lip, when he did get up he started to walk to her.
"Stop!" her words shook out. She was still registering what just happened. Kurt admitted to destroying her plants and attacked her, but could not figure out why after then just spent the evening together. "Go home, now, both of you!"
Kurt did not move or Jamie for a moment but soon they did. Kurt climbed over the fence and watched as Jamie walked around the house. They stayed in each other's sight until they saw Robin going back in to her house. Kurt growled and left quickly now knowing who was ruining his life.
The next morning Robin woke up to a pounding on her door. She got up and walked over looking out the window seeing Gwen and Katie outside. She opened the door and Gwen came in before even saying hi, Katie coming right behind her.
"I just heard! Are you ok? Did he hurt you? I will kill him!" Gwen grabbed Robin and started to check over her body looking for bruises and marks.
"I am fine, Gwen." Robin spoke pulling herself from Gwen's hands.
"I have already spoken to Joe. He said Kurt got home with a split lip black eye and bruised ribs." Katie crossed her arms. "Finally got what he deserved."
"Yea…" Robin looked down remembering having seen him nodding to her admitting he ruined her farm, and attacked her. "Jamie was the one that came, now will you both leave? I kind of want to be alone today."
"Ok." Gwen put down a package on the table before leaving Katie did the same. "We made you some things to make you feel better."
"Yea feel better." Katie smiled.
Robin nodded and looked to the boxes opening them and smiling. Gwen made her famous death chili, and Katie made a cheesecake. Robin went to her bed and sat down looking up to her calendar and sighed. This was going to be another day in her life that she will never want to remember. With a second look to the look to the second look, to the calendar, she realized it was the 24. The day she was supposed to go to the lake. She looked down to Shadow.
"Should I go or should I just stay here?" She sighed and thought a moment. "Well I can always run away if I need to. "
Shadow barked at her and wagged his tail, which made her smile. She got up, went to her draw and pulled out a white shirt, blue pants and a pink vest to dress in. She wore her favorite outfit and brushed her hair out. She picked up the hair comb. It was a jade green with pale pink and white flower designing it. She placed it in her hair and smiled again looking at herself in the mirror. She turned and left her home heading to the lack.
Robin checked the street repeatedly as she walked, to make sure she was not being followed. She actually had put her father's utility knife in her pocket before she left. It was not much but it could help later on. She crossed the bridge seeing the carpenter's house Joe was outside working with Woody and she saw Kurt in the window of his room. He turned his head seeing her and she swore she saw his usual stoic face sink to despair as he closed the curtain. She continued on her way she herself felt her heart tighten.
"It was him last night but, I feel it was not him." She hugged herself in her step feeling very cold even though it was the middle of summer nearing noon.
She crossed the path in the forest and came out at the lake. She sat on the side of the lake and looked out over the sparkling water. She realized that she should have brought her fishing pole. She was not sure if the person who told her to come would remember or when they would come. With a sigh, she watched the water relaxing letting the world around her fade away. Her mind shifted to last night trying to piece together everything. She had so many questions.
Why would he join me at the beach? Why would he blush and ask to kiss me? Why would he come to my home after we separated to destroy my plants? Why would he attack me with no reason or cause? Why did it have to be him? Why did I have to start to like him? Why do I doubt that he is the one that tried to hurt me? Why, Why, Why?
She was lost in her thought when someone had walked in to the lake area joining her. She was pulled from her thoughts when she heard a few twigs snap. She jumped and spun around to see the one that asked her to come, the one that gave her the comb. She was confused, so confused, that she did not know what to do or say. She looked up seeing the younger brother of the carpenters. She saw Joe standing there with a box under his arm the same wrapping and ribbon as the last but bigger, longer.
"Hey Robin." Joe smiled. "Glad you came, I was sure you were not going to come."
"Joe?" Robin was so confused and she was showing it.
"Yea…um about this whole thing…" Joe was red he was rather embarrassed that he was doing this. "Not me. Oh and this is for you."
Joe walked over to her and handed her the box before sitting down and relaxing. It was easy to tell he was uncomfortable with what he was doing. Robin took the box, opened it and saw all her old tools that were broken and then stolen. The handles had all been replaced blades sharpened and hammer polished.
"Joe?" Robin looked to him. "Were you the one that left me the box on my door step?"
"Physically, yes I was the one that put it there, but I was not the one who it is from." Joe smirked and leaned back on to his arms feeling very relieved that he told her that.
"Was it Kurt?" She asked with a very straight tone.
"Yes, it was. After the last girl he dated dropped him like a ton of bricks, he was afraid to pursue you, not to mention the others wanting to hunt him down." Joe smiled a bit before he then frowned. "He told me what happened last night."
"He did what happened?" Robin looked to him her eyes showing worry.
"When you left he was coming home and was attacked. He tried to get to you as fast as he could but was too late. And now he is afraid you hate him now." Joe sighed and looked down. "I was just supposed to give you that then leave. I told you nothing else."
Robin nodded and sat a bit longer as he got up and left quickly. He did was he was asked now it was just a matter of Robin making her move, or his brother to make his. Robin sat a bit longer watching the water. What she did not know was another was standing on the path in the woods watching her waiting. His sharp pale blue eyes glaring at her as he plotted to do whatever her could to get what he wanted.