June 19, Summer, year 20

And here I though I had problems with just Damien! Skye strikes again…

Claire had gotten up bright and early, woken by the crowing of Jared the rooster, and the honks and clucks of her newly acquired chickens and ducks. Two of each, which made for an almost full bird coop. It made her glad for the upgrade where each coop could fit eight instead of the old ones that only fit four. She was especially happy to have one duck in particular back. Nana, a little gold and black duck whom she'd raised from an egg.

Because of this, all her chores were finished at ten in the morning, which left the rest of the day free for mining. Claire was starting to get really good at finding artifacts in the excavation site, and was looking forward to finding a lot more.

Finding Carter and Flora pacing outside their tent was not what she'd expected, and Carter seemed to be fuming.

"Morning," Claire called, raising a hand in greeting. "Is something wrong?"

"Claire!" and Carter brightened to see his niece. "Wonderful timing, we've just gotten something… disturbing."

"What is it?"

"A note," Flora waved a piece of paper. "It was pinned to the front of the tent… It's from that thief that everyone's been talking about…"

With her recent distractions, Claire had actually forgotten all about Skye. She held out her hand, and Flora placed the note into it.

At midnight, I'll be helping myself to the valuables in your tent.

Phantom Skye.

"That two-bit, good-for-nothing, snake-in-the-grass of a thief!" Carter roared.

Claire winced, used to her Uncle's temper when his site was threatened.

"We'll be set back for days if he takes our artifacts," Flora worried. "Claire, I hate to impose but…"

"I have a plan!" Carter interrupted. "If you help, maybe we can catch this no-good sonnova…"

"Uncle C, chill," Claire held up placating hands. "Blood pressure. And if you want me to help, I'll be glad to help. Really!"

Between Flora and Claire, they managed to get Carter to calm back down. Flora smiled at her best friend and sometimes student a little wearily.

"Thanks Claire, really," she said quietly once Carter had gone back into the tent to inventory everything. "I guess come to the tent around midnight and we'll lie in wait for the thief."

Claire half smiled, and hugged her cousin briefly before Carter summoned Flora into the tent to help him. Then she turned her own attention to the excavation site. That would help her work off her own irritation, and help her think of a way to get some answers out of the silver-haired thief.

It's almost time to go and wait for him… I wonder if he remembers that promise about me catching him? Would he really tell me if I asked about his past…?

And do I really even have the right to know? It's not like I'm his girlfriend or anything… He's a drifter too, so I bet he wouldn't be interested in someone who's got no big plans beyond making the farm the best it can be…

…Why am I worrying about it? It's stupid. Maybe I can get back the picture he stole while preventing him from taking anything from Flora and Uncle Carter! Though… I guess at this point he probably did something with the picture, and I do already have that copy I begged from Muffy…

Gah! Eleven-thirty?!

Claire all but ran the whole way to the tent on the far side of the Valley, arriving mere moments before the clock struck midnight. Carter and Flora greeted her with relief and no small amount of amusement.

"There's no sign of him yet," the older man frowned. "But maybe if we wait a while…"

They sat in the tent for the better part of an hour, before Flora spoke up.

"Maybe he forgot about the note," she said hopefully. "I mean… it's past time for him to be showing…"

Carter thought for a minute, then jumped to his feet.

"That churl could be stealing straight from the dig site!" he exclaimed. "Flora come on! Claire wait here!"

Flora gave Claire a sympathetic glance, hurrying out after the professor. Claire just shrugged and smiled tiredly, knowing that until her uncle's curiosity was satisfied, he would insist.

Twenty more minutes passed, and Claire yawned. The main reason she hadn't stayed up to see Skye was how late he came to the Valley after all. She needed all the sleep she could get for dealing with the farm.

The tent flap stirred, and she looked up, expecting to see Flora or Carter. Instead, Skye poked his head in. She sprang to her feet, adrenaline pumping through her as he stepped in fully, and smiled at her.

"Somehow, I had a feeling that we'd meet tonight," he said, smile becoming warm.

Claire backed away, edging towards the artifacts. Even if he froze her again, he would have to move her to get to them.

"Relax… I won't use the magic here tonight. I promise," and he chuckled. "Actually, I didn't really intend to steal anything today, I sent the note so that I could… hopefully see you Claire."

Blue eyes widened, and the farmer pointed to herself, wondering if she'd misheard him. Skye's smile widened, and he nodded.

"I was hoping… that you might want to spend some time with me on such a beautiful night. Hmm?"

Claire's mouth opened to refuse him, but something about the way that he was looking at her made her change her mind.

"Alright," she said slowly. "I guess… it couldn't hurt."

"Wonderful!" and Skye's face lit up in a cheery grin. "Come, let's go before those two return. I heard the old man mutter something about going to check in the mines, so we have plenty of time."

They reached out at the same moment, Claire's hand sliding almost naturally into Skye's as the exited the tent under a brilliant full moon.

"Where are we going?" she asked, a little uncertainly.

"Why not the beach?" and Skye's expression was full of mischief.

Claire reached out with her other hand, and lightly hit him in the shoulder. Skye laughed, and pulled her along. Within minutes, they were sitting on the beach, letting the cool ocean breeze swirl around them.

Claire hadn't been at he beach at night in several years, she had forgotten how beautiful it looked. She let out a soft breath of surprise.

"Beautiful," she grinned.

Skye smiled as the farm-girl kicked off her shoes and went to wade in the cool water.

"I think it might be even more so because you're at my side," he said softly, watching her.

As if she'd heard him, she turned, giving him a curious look. Skye shook his head, and after a moment joined her in the shallow water. They chased each other up and down the beach before Claire, laughing, called a halt and went to sprawl on one of the beach towels that had been left behind.

Skye joined her after a minute, sitting under the umbrella as Claire caught her breath.

"You know, I pride myself in making curry," he said suddenly, softly. "And I work hard at it day after day."

Claire rolled over partway, resting her head on her hand as she listened to him.

"I gather various ingredients, and taste curries that are made by many different people but…" he paused, frowning slightly. "But I just can't seem to make the curry I'm going for. It's got the right flavor, but something… something is missing. I can't quite figure out what."

He looked down at her, blue eyes meeting sea-green.

"Do you know what it might be?" he asked.

Claire shifted around, rolling onto her back so that she could look at Skye from a different angle, then smiled.

"Easy," she said. "You're not cooking with love. Even the best dishes fall flat when you don't love what you're doing. My brother has the biggest heart out of all of us, and it helps him make the best foods ever!"

"Huh… love?" He leaned back thoughtfully, looking up at the star-strewn sky. "You could be onto something beautiful. I have been pretty focused on flavor… I guess I never thought of it."

He smiled down at her, and she grinned in reply.

"I'll make you some curry in the future," he suggested. "If you wouldn't mind being my taste-tester."

And Claire giggled, rolling onto her stomach. She didn't know what it was about the ocean, but it made her more… free. More willing to pretend that it was a date than just a conversation.

"Sure," she chirped. "I was always the food-tester for my sibs, why not?"

They spent another few minutes there, with an almost electric charge running between them. Unfortunately, Claire yawned. Skye chuckled softly.

"Thank you for spending valuable sleeping time with me tonight Claire," he said softly. "I'd like to walk you back… but if that professor got a hold of me, I don't think I'd ever live it down. And a nice girl like you… shouldn't be seen with a thief."

And like that, the magic was broken. For a long moment, the blonde felt as though she'd been punched in the stomach

"Good luck on your farm beautiful," he said, getting to his feet. "And get some sleep."

The last part sounded so… familial, that Claire couldn't help sticking out her tongue in response. She watched him leave the beach, wishing she dared to go after him, to hug him, or maybe lightly kiss his cheek.

Once he was gone, she trudged her way back up to the tent, arriving moments before Flora and Carter returned.

"Any sign of that thief?" Carter demanded upon seeing Claire.

Flora was a touch more tactful, taking note of Claire's closed down expression. Something had happened, the professor's assistant decided. Something that had been painful.

Carter took her silence for a negative, and let out a long, relieved sigh.

"Nothing was missing from the dig either," he smiled.

"Well, I guess that's it then," Flora said. "The thief forgot, case closed. Thanks for the help Claire."

She hugged the blond farmer gently, and the professor gave Claire a hearty thump across the shoulders. Claire smiled wanly at them both, yawned, and headed for home.

I don't understand it. One minute he's telling me about his dream to be some sort of master curry maker, and the next he's talking about how we shouldn't be seen together. I mean, I can understand it, but it hurt! I didn't think it would hurt like that…

Am I reading too much into this? He said he wanted to spend time with me, and that was the reason behind the note to Uncle C and Flora… that sounds like something you would say to someone you like.

Maybe he was thinking about my rep… But hardly anyone is awake this late, who would be around to see us?

…I just said us. There is no 'us,' I'm probably just… someone to kill time with. Like it was with Damien.

Argh!

I don't want to be someone to kill time with anymore… I don't want to kill time either! I want to make time or have time.

I want to be what Momma was to Daddy… Where are you person just for me?