A/N Chapter warning, you may or may not need a tissue. Just sayin'. Alright, you've been warned. Proceed. Thanks for reading. :-)

It was fully dark when they returned, but they were sooner than we'd expected. We heard clanking as they closed the metal gates at the base of Haven's drive a half mile away, then they rode their horses in. As they got closer we saw not two men, but three. I guess they'd found trouble on the way, or trouble had found them.

"Evangeline, I'm happy to report this rifle shoots like a dream. And I have reconsidered your offer to stay for the night. I believe I'll need a place to sleep for the night. The barn'll do just fine."

Mel snorted, thinking he was joking. Mom started protesting, "The barn?! Don't be ridiculous."

I was firm, leaving no room for argument. "You're not welcome in our barn. Not when there are over ten comfortable and unused beds inside our house. You'll have to make do with one of those."

"Is that the way it is then?" He'd dismounted and stood below me on the ground by his horse. I went down to meet him.

"That's the way it is. I'm afraid you're stuck with it."

"Well I'll try and adjust."

"You do that."

He gave me a nod, respect. I nodded back.

The women couldn't stand it anymore. "What happened?!" Isabeu asked from beside her husband. Her kids had followed her outside. "We heard gunfire."

"We ran into some of the creatures from Evie's drawings." Tee-bo answered. "The creatures that look like their skin has wrinkled into paper bags. It seems they come out at night. Coo-wee, are they disgusting, and they stink to high heaven."

Ronan continued, "Only took so many shots cause we had to figure out how to kill 'em. Takes a shot to the head. One to the chest, even the heart and they still keep comin'."

Suddenly I panicked. "You didn't get bit did you? Any of you?"

They all told me, "Non." Lionel elaborated, "Didn't none of them get that close, no. I even shot one at a good fifty paces." He patted his new toy. "Ain't never givin' this back, fille."

I snickered. Mel teased. "Boys and their toys." He gave her a roguish grin and winked. Then he told her in French, "You give me half a chance, I'll show you how much of a man I am beautiful girl."

My mouth dropped open. When he gave me a wink as he led his horse to the barn, I closed my mouth. Mel dragged me inside by the arm whispering in my ear, "You tell me what he said right this second Eves!"

"I need to go get his room ready."

"That's fine. I'll help. While you spill."

So we put fresh sheets on the bed, but first I made a quick detour downstairs and let Mel pick one of the smaller bottles and a glass out. I knew nothing about liquors, though Mel seemed to know her way around... It would be tomorrow in a few hours. As far as I was concerned, he was staying. I shuddered thinking of what could have happened to the men tonight.

We put him next to Tee-bo's room two door's down from Mel's room which was right next to mine while I told her what he'd said. And apparently Mel was considering Lionel. She confided that after watching him work outside all afternoon, some of that with his shirt off, and then seeing the way he'd rode the horse and handled that gun, she was finding him ruggedly appealing. She liked his muscles and his long blond hair. Not to mention she'd gotten chills when he'd spoken French to her.

"What about Spencer?" I asked. She'd spent the better part of last spring and this fall trying to get his attention.

She shrugged. "Times change. It's a new world. After hearing you talk about Jack, I can see the appeal. And after watching Lionel today, I can see the appeal."

That reminded me of my last encounter with Jack, and how it hadn't gone the way I thought it would. "I need to talk with you about that actually. Something-"

Footsteps came down the hall. I shut up whispering, "Tell you later."

"No, you'll tell me tonight. Meet you in your room. Go!" She whispered.

I went to my room and got into pajamas and washed my face and teeth by candlelight, then got into bed. I picked up a book and started to read while I waited. I'd found Robinson Crusoe in our library downstairs. It made me feel closer to Jack. When Mel finally came in, she looked a little dazed and had a funny smile on her face.

"You look happy." I noted, closing the book and marking my place with a ribbon.

"Um, yeah. That man's got some skills alright." She gave herself a little shake. "But sisters before misters and I could tell you needed to spill about something juicy, so out with it." She flopped on her belly, stretching out beside me, head on the pillow next to mine.

I sighed, then spilled about the whole night with Jack, how he'd walked in on my talk with Matt and been jealous, taken care of me when my nose had been bleeding, how he'd fixed our barn to make more of our horses safe, and then the whole scene out in the cane fields. I stinted on nothing, giving her every detail, because I knew I'd messed up and miss interpreted things but I didn't understand how and I knew Mel would give it to me straight, but only if she had all the facts. Plus, I didn't want her to think bad of Jack, not after all he'd done.

When I'd finished, she just laid there with her eyes closed, on her side facing me, her mouth slightly parted.

I waited for what seemed like forever for her to say something but when she wouldn't contribute I gave her shoulder a shove and said impatiently, "Well?!"

"Shh! I'm having an eargasm." She told me, sounding one hundred percent serious.

"Mel!" I shrieked. Her eyes opened and she grinned and snickered at me. That set us both off and we were in a giggle fit.

Mom peaked in. "You two okay in here?"

We tried to calm down. "Mm-hmm" "Yeah mom." We were turning red with our suppressed laughter.

"If you're sure?"

We nodded.

"Well, I'm glad you're having a good night. Sleep well girls."

"Night Mom. "Sleep well, Mrs. G."

When the door closed we looked at each other and busted up again.

"Eargasm!" I gasped on a whisper, trying to be quiet.

"Seriously, Eves, that's the hottest non-sex sexual encounter I've ever heard of! Are all Cajun's like that or just him?"

"I have no idea. Rumors say they're hot blooded and they like their women that way too." A thought occurred to me so I said it. "You might just fit right in."

She gasped. "Shut up!"

I laughed. "At least they won't be trying to 'house-break' you."

At her quizzical look, I told her about Brandon's zinger comment regarding what she needed before Spencer would be interested in dating her. She looked both angry and upset by that. I hadn't liked it either.

"Cajun men would think your fire and passion are perfectly normal. And it's something I've always loved about you Mel."

"Hmm" She flopped to her back with a hand behind her head, looking thoughtful about that. After mom had talked with her about her language earlier right after the flash, she had toned it down, at least around mom. There'd also been a sort of softening though. It was subtle, and I couldn't put my finger on it exactly. Maybe it had something to do with an older woman paying attention to you and giving you genuine loving comments and instructions because she thought you would benefit.

I lay on my side and propped up my head on my hand, looking at her. "What happened after I left?"

"Lionel gave me a "sample" of what he was offering."

"A sample? What're we talking here?"

"Hot and heavy making out against the wall, second base." Mel summed up nonchalantly. My eyes widened. I knew from her briefing me before that this meant he'd touched her ass and probably breasts over her clothes while he'd pinned her against the wall and kissed her. Which meant she'd gone as far as I'd ever been with Brandon in the space of ten minutes with a man she'd practically just met. I knew she was experienced but it was hard to contemplate this.

"How was it?" I asked softly.

She grinned. "My panties are soaked, so pretty damn hot. He's got skills and we've got chemistry."

"Will you..."

"Maybe. It's a possibility. But back to you and Jack." Her face got serious. "Here's where inexperience bites. When he asked you for more, he was asking for sex. He'd already given you an orgasm, which is hugely impressive, considering he didn't actually touch your clit with his hands, or your g-spot. I'll bet he was pretty proud of himself and turned on as hell. Probably hurting a bit by then too." At my quizzical look she elaborated. "An erection can get painful after a while if it's not relieved. So he thought you'd given him the go ahead, only you didn't know what you were saying yes to. Then he thought you were dissing him, telling him he wasn't good enough to have sex with. So now he's not only horny and in pain, he's also mad. Not telling you that you should have done anything different sister, just explaining where his head was likely at. Alright girl?"

I took a shaky breath. My eyes were teary. I hadn't known any of this that night. Not any of it.

Brandon had been my first boyfriend and we'd barely made it past first base. I hadn't read any of the steamy romance books Mel had tried to push on me before, not having really been interested. I was a nature kind of girl, spending my time out in the fields or the garden, often listening to the sounds of life around me, but sometimes singing along with my diverse mix of music loaded on my Ipod. I was so thankful I still had that! If I wasn't doing those things I was drawing and painting, still listening to music.

And over the last year, when most girls were thinking about boys, I was thinking about my nightmares. I'd been just a few months over fourteen when they started. They'd been so traumatic, all the death and gore revolving around my peaceful beloved plants. It had all been downhill from there, trying not to let on that I was having visions, worrying that I was crazy, having delusions about plants, or some combination of the above. And that wasn't even counting CLC hell. I'd tried so hard with Brandon, but he hadn't turned me on, and I'd been too oblivious to notice...until Jack.

And then things had moved so fast that I hadn't had time to figure anything out, until it was too late. I hated myself so much right now! I vowed that if I ever had a chance again, I wouldn't be a tease again. I didn't know how I'd stop it, but I would.

My voice was low and soft, tremulous. "Right. Go on."

"Okay," she continued softly. "So considering all that, he got up and took a walk. He probably drank some and cooled off. Hell, he likely jacked off too." Her voice warmed as she got to what she thought was a sweet part. "But then, instead of taking off after all that teasing instead of pleasing, he did what he'd told you he would, and kept you warm all night, watching over you." Her tone got definitive, leaving no room for argument. "That is sexy as hell."

Then she gentled again, but stayed somewhat detached, in analyzing mode. "As for the awkwardness in the morning, well, he'd had a rough night. As far as he was concerned, you'd told him yes, then no, then that he wasn't good enough, then cuddled all night. Lots of mixed signals. He probably wasn't sure what to make of you either."

I nodded, sniffing and wiping away another tear. "Okay. Thanks Mel."

"Sure Eves. I'm sure Jack's fine. Just be patient. He'll be back someday soon."

I wouldn't count on that. I was so ashamed. "Sure. I hope so."

"You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah. I'll get there."

"Sweet dreams." She wasn't touchy feely, but she gave my head a rub and headed out.

As the door closed, the voices rose up. I'd been hearing their whispers in the day or two before the flash, but at night they'd started to rise up in a thunderous roar. A dozen different ones all at once. "Shut up, shut up!"

They didn't listen. I'd never felt so alone. I got up and went to the top drawer of my dresser, pulling out Jack's shirt that he'd left here. I'd managed to get my blood out. It was a long dark green short sleeve henley. I'd been hoping Jack would come back so I could give it to him. It was probably the nicest shirt he owned.

Slipping out of my nightshirt, I pulled on Jack's. It fell to mid thigh on me, looking almost like a dress. The material was soft. I wished it still smelled like him.

I climbed back into bed and blew out my candle.

When I finally managed to fall asleep through the din of the voices, the Red Witch was waiting for me. She killed a girl and a boy that night, trapping them in a tangle of vines. She'd laughed as they struggled, crying for mercy. "There is no shame in surrender." she told them as she slowly tortured them to death using rose thorns and the poison in her claws. She'd stripped the skin from them in strips, forcing them to watch each other, taunting them. Why did she have to be so evil, and why did I have to watch?

When I woke at dawn the next morning I was more than ready to be done with sleep. I slipped on shorts and a shirt, carefully tucking Jack's shirt under my pillow, and made my way down to the cellar. I had plants to grow and I'd finally found the secret. I brought a sewing needle with me, hoping those drops would be enough.

I was out the door and into the fields, through the cane, to the empty square Jack and I had slept in the night before the flash. It seemed right to start here.

Opening the box, breathing hard, hands shaking I rifled through the seeds. What to choose? I laughed. Well, there were nine people in the house now. Something everyone could enjoy. How about a watermelon? Full of water and juicy. Something everyone could share.

I picked out a single seed, putting it in hole I'd made in the dirt. Then I picked up the needle and pierced the tip of my finger and squeezed the tip, letting the blood drip onto the seed. I watched the seed sprout and I covered it with dirt, dropping another drop of blood on the tiny leaves.

I felt the seed continue to grow, the roots pushing into the ground, the stem lengthening above. I willed it to grow faster. And it followed my command! In seconds the vine grew. What should have taken months took less than a minute. There were full vines, flowers, then three ripe jumbo size watermelons ready for the picking. Where Jack and I had slept. It felt so right. He'd protected me here all night. Now I'd feed the people he sent to protect me. I wouldn't be bonne a rien I thought fiercely.

I planted more seeds, filling the square with ripe watermelons until there wasn't room to walk. Fresh fruit for everyone. It had only taken a few pricks of my fingers. My fingers were a little sore but I didn't care. No one would be able to tell. I hadn't been able to resist and I greened up a few stalks of the neighboring sugar cane, growing them to maturity too. They were beautiful.

When I came back inside, Isabeu was making some coffee. "I hope you don't mind?" She asked me.

"No. Help yourself. I can't cook. Mom will appreciate not having to do it all herself for once."

That earned me a smile. "You've all been so welcoming. Thank you."

"De rein. Mom was telling the truth last night. This big house with just the two of us...it's felt too empty. We've both felt that way. This is a good change."

She really relaxed then. "Perhaps I could make something for everyone to eat? Do you think...?"

"Sounds great. Like what?"

She puttered around, pulling out the last four eggs that needed to be used before they went bad. No electricity in the refrigerator. "Can I use these?"

"Yes."

She sniffed the milk finding it still good enough but just barely. Cookable but not drinkable she said. Like buttermilk. I shrugged, not knowing what she was talking about.

She pulled out flour and salt and soda, a few other things. "What are you making?"

"Pancakes."

"Mmmm"

"They'd be better with fresh fruit and nuts, but the syrup will do fine."

My ears pricked up. As casually as I could I asked, "What kind of fruit?"

"Oh, most any kind works. Berries are our favorite usually. Sometimes bananas and pecans."

"Sounds delicious." My mouth was watering.

She smiled. "Would you like to-"

"I just remembered something I need to do. Be right back in a bit. Don't start without me!"

I ran upstairs and roused Mel, who was grumpy as hell, but told her to hurry and get dressed and meet me out in the fields, but to be quiet about it. I had something to show her.

Then I grabbed a bowl from the kitchen and went to the porch where I'd left the seeds and went back to the fields. The square was covered with melons so I went farther in and dug a narrow trench with my shoe. Then I carefully planted tiny strawberry seeds and sprinkled them with drops of blood. The fruits grew to amazing size. The smallest were the size of a large berry you'd find in the store. The larger ones were the size of a snack apple.

My fingers were killing before I was done. There had to be a better way to do this. I planted a blackberry seed and let it take root. The vine grew and lengthened, flowers and berries growing by the dozen. Those were impressive too, huge and juicy, surpassing any I'd ever seen before. When I judged we had enough for the morning I stopped, glad to be done. My fingers were sore and crying from abuse, but I didn't care. I looked over my work with pride.

Just in time. I heard Mel calling from the drive. "Eves? Where are you?"

"In the fields! Follow the dirt path!"

"You nut! What're you doing out here?" She yelled.

"You'll see." I hollered.

I moved back in toward the square to meet her.

"Evangeline Greene!" She burst out. I saw her standing at the entrance to my square, mouth agape at all the melons. I laughed. "What the hell have you been up to?"

"Just a little gardening." I answered innocently, holding a green cane stalk next to me.

"You bitch! You holding out of me again?"

"Um, no. This is me not holding out on you. Come on. Help me pick breakfast, bitch."

She grinned at my language. She liked corrupting me a little. "There's more?"

"Yep. This way."

She carefully stepped through the melon patch and gasped at the line of berry plants. "Holy shit! When did you do all this?"

I was already down and picking. "Work while you talk. I did it all this morning."

She picked up a huge ripe strawberry, which was one of the smaller ones, and put it in her mouth, moaning. "This is unfuckingbelievable. How did you do this?"

"Well..." I avoided her gaze, picking the berries and putting them in the bowl between us. She grabbed my hand.

"Eves, you could tell me you pissed on the ground for all I care. But your secret is safe with me, and you know I won't look at you any differently for what you can do. You're my sister."

I gripped her hand. "It's blood." I whispered.

Her eyes got wide. "Shit!" she hissed and she grabbed my arm, looking at my wrist, my whole arm, trying to find where I'd cut myself. I slowly held out my hands, palm up, fingertips raised. "Eves!"

There were dozens of little red spots, so many that the tips of my fingers just looked swollen and irritated. "Damn."

I pulled my hands away. "It was worth it." I shrugged away her concern.

"Wish we had ice. That'd help."

She stilled for a minute. I looked at her. She was looking down the long row of strawberry plants. There were twenty four. And three blackberry vines. And eight watermelon plants. I could see her lips moving as she counted.

"Counting won't get these picked any faster." I told her.

She picked beside me quietly for a while, but then she said, "You're stronger than you look."

We walked into the kitchen, the smell of pancakes in the air and everyone sitting at the table waiting on us. I could see the questions in their eyes but Mom seemed to be the only one who felt she had the right to question our tardiness.

"What took you girls so long? Isabeu cooked such a nice breakfast for us. We've been waiting for you."

"Sorry Mom. I guess we should have called for reinforcements."

"That would have made the picking go faster." Mel told me.

"Picking? What'd you pick?" Mom asked, looking confused.

Mel set the bowl on the table with a flourish. "Haven's first fruits after the flash."

"Coo-wee" "Will you look at that!" "Cho! Co!" "C'est magnifique!" Ten year old Ronain plucked one of the largest berries out of the bowl. It was as large as his whole hand. "Cocain!" he said, telling us it was so large.

"Let's get these washed quickly while the food's still hot!" Isabeu said smiling large. "This is a miracle! So your fertilizer is a success then Evie?"

The women quickly washed the berries while I tried to think of how to put it. "Well, yes. That is, it works. But I've got to figure out how to make it in more quantity, and how to instruct other folks to use it."

Lionel frowned. "Can't be that hard can it?"

"Um, well, not really. But it's the production that's the main issue right now is all. I just need a little more time."

Mel, seeing me floundering added, "And we need to think of which crops will get the most bang for the buck so to speak. You know, the least amount of fertilizer to yield the greatest amount of food. So we can feed more people. We just did the berries for breakfast as a special first day treat. There's over a dozen watermelons in the field outside that we could take to the bayou this afternoon. Sort of a promise of good things to come."

Everyone seemed to like her explanation better than mine. I smiled at her and she gave me a wink. She always had my back.

Isabeu had been right, those pancakes with berries were like nothing else. They melted in my mouth. After we ate we headed to the field to bring in the melons.

While we walked I started talking out my thoughts on the future quietly with Mom in the rear while Mel led the group. "Mom, you remember you said that everyone will come here for food eventually, and we know that the big army will be coming for us some day. We should use the food we're growing to barter for things we can use to get everyone away to safety when the time comes. Gas, cars. Neither of them work now anyway. Maybe ammunition too. We'll need to grow as much food as we can. Preserve it. We'll need more people to help with that. With hunting and raiding too."

"You sound like you're building up to something Evie. What are you thinking?"

"I think we should ask the Jandin's for suggestions on trustworthy friends and neighbors to bring to Haven to work and live here. They're accustomed to working hard and have the skills we need. Our friends in Sterling, most of them don't. And they're used to easy jobs, my friends are used to going to school and playing in their time off. Besides, they're set for now with food anyway. Most of the Cajuns aren't."

"It's a good plan." She said slowly, but a note of caution entered her voice. "Things may get a little crowded around here."

"Mel and I could share a room for a while, until we come up with other arrangements. Tee-bo and Lionel might be willing to share if they needed to. It's worth a try."

"Alright sweety. It's your idea. I'll let you tell them. You've got my support."

"Thanks Mom."

"That's a lot of melons." Ronan said.

"How long did it take to grow these?" Tee-bo asked.

"I started working at dawn." I told him, not really answering.

They all just stood there. Amazed. Then Ronan picked up the closest two saying, "Melons doan pick themselves. Let's get a move on."

Between the nine of us we were moving a dozen melons to the house in one trip. Apparently men carried two at a time. While we walked, I nearly jogged beside Ronan, feeling a sense of deja vu. All I needed was a set of boots and for it to be fall. I thought for a few moments how best to word what I wanted to say, and then I told him, "So, Mom and I were talking about what needed to be done, all the jobs we have in mind and all." He slowed his stride a bit and looked at me.

"Go on." Tee-bo and Lionel were walking beside us now, quiet. Probably listening. No pressure to get this right. Mom and Isabeu were chatting nearby.

"Right. So, while we're waiting for the planting to kick into high gear, there's still raiding and hunting, but soon we'll need help for harvesting, and then for preserving, also for planting. We'd like Haven to be a central hub of sorts. There's five wind powered water pumps, and we figure folks will need that. So what we were thinking was that we'd like you and Isabeu, and Tee-bo, to head up bringing the folks you think would best suit our needs to Haven first. That's not to say we wouldn't barter with anyone else, but we can't exactly bring them all here at once, and we've only got the twenty two rooms, so..."

"You would like my, our suggestions on who to choose?"

"Absolutely." I answered. You know your neighbors best. You will know who you can trust. We trust you to choose well." "As for bringing people into the house, I know you wouldn't bring anyone here who was a threat to Mom and me, not since..."

I had to ask, I needed to know. "Ronan, did...Tee-bo, you said Jack, you said Jack said you should come here. You asked to help with out crops, but that's not," My voice broke with the depth of my emotion and my eyes watered and I forced the question out around the lump that had formed in my throat. "That's not why he sent you was it? He sent you to protect Mom and me, didn't he?"

We'd reached the house now. The men declined to answer until they'd placed their burdens on the porch and then Tee-bo took the question, standing in front of me. "Ouais, Evie. He did. It was the last thing he said to me before he and Clotile took off the night before the flash."

I covered my face with my hands and burst into tears. I felt strong arms go around me, Tee-bo's. He had a hand on my head, just letting me cry into his chest.

"What did he say?" I managed to get out.

"He tol' me if everythin' happened like you said, that you and your mere would be alone on this rich ole place, unprotected. That you planned to grow food here after. He knew my pere worked here before and that would be an in for us. He asked me and my family to come here, help you out, an make sure you were not alone." I cried harder. "He knew we'd look out for you, though, I doan think he expected you to ask us to move right on in." I laughed a little, my face still covered with my hands hand pressed into his chest.

Oh, why had I said such awful things to him? Why had I thought the worst of him? Sought him out to throw accusations, and worst of all, told him never to come back? Why had I said such an awful thing?

I cried harder. The arms around me grew tighter. He shhed me, telling me to calm down in Cajun French, that it would be alright. I shook my head, it wouldn't be alright. Jack wasn't here, might never be here. He was out there somewhere in a very dangerous world, without food, possibly without shelter, in danger, with Clotile. I hated myself so much.

"What's the matter Evie?"

My voice was ragged but I told him, Lionel and Ronan, "I went to his house that night. We fought. I said...things. Terrible things. That's why he's not here. It's my fault! It's all my fault! And now he's out there! And he could be hurt, in danger..." I couldn't go on. I was crying too hard.

Tee-bo just tugged me close, held me tight. He wouldn't let me cover my face though, wrapping my arms around him and his around me. I heard the men and women talking softly, asking and explaining quietly what was going on.

Finally, when I'd quieted a little he pushed me back and ducked his head down to look in my face saying, "Evie, folk fight. Even me, Lionel and Jack, sometimes we get into a scrap, but that doan change things."

I shook my head denying what he was telling me. He didn't understand the weight of what I'd done wrong.

Lionel cut in, "Evangeline, we didn't wan' to tell you, but you should know, Jack had another reason for takin' off, a damn good one." His voice was so deadly serious that I had to listen. "We went to his house after, to see if he'd come back. What we found there...well, it was bad. We woan go into detail, none of us will, but you need to know, he had a reason to take off. He needed to clear his head after. Some things a man needs to get away from. Give him some time. He'll be back. You'll see."

He was so sure. What did he know? What had he seen? Whatever put that look in his eyes, I decided, I didn't want to know. But maybe if I hadn't told him not to come back, he wouldn't have run so far, or stayed gone so long. Or maybe, just maybe, he might have run to me after. Or was that wishful thinking?

All the questions put an end to my tears for the moment and that seemed to calm the guys. Teebo put his hands to my upper arms and asked, "You okay, fille?"

"Yeah. Or getting there anyway. Thanks."

He gave me an easy smile, then chucked me on the chin with a knuckle before messing up my hair with his other big paw.

"Hey!" I shrieked with a girly squeal.

He laughed and I heard a giggle from the porch from Anais. I looked at her and she had a knowing look in her eyes as she giggled at us. I wondered if she got the same treatment from him after she cried. Then I wondered if that's how being treated like a little sister was like; strong hugs when you cried and then brotherly teasing after.

I gave Tee-bo a shy smile. He'd gone to tickle Anais and brought her back, an arm around her shoulders. When he passed by me and he wrapped an arm around my neck and shoulders, pulling me back to the melon field. I peeked over at Anais and we shared a smile. I could get used to this way too easy.

On the return trip, arms full of melon I asked Ronan, "So, we got things settled?"

"Ouais, and I am honored by your faith in us." he answered. I just smiled at him, then checked with the other guys. Tee-bo was just smiling with casual satisfaction that things were playing out well. It seemed he was glad he'd put his faith in Jack and come here. Where was Jack? Lionel gave me that nod of respect and then his eyes roamed to Mel, who was eyeing him right back. There was something brewing between those two. I wondered how long it would be before it boiled over.

As I turned my ear to the women's conversation I heard them discussing food preservation. It seemed there was an older woman who was the "queen of canning" and if there was a food that could be canned, apparently this woman knew how. Mom suggested moving this family in as soon as possible, so that her friend, Rosa, could aid us in suggesting which foods we should be planting. We also needed to meal plan for large gatherings and did Isabeu know anyone who could help with that? And so on went the conversation as we walked back and forth from the house to the field gathering melons until Ronan and Tee-bo pointed out that Fruit and Veg were all well and good, but men needed meat and large crowds needed lots of that. I pointed out that Ronan was effectively in charge of gathering and directing men. Could he organize hunting parties? He and Tee-bo grinned at me and I felt anything but bonne a rien. I felt like a favored daughter with that smile.

Thinking quickly I asked the party at large if we could organize a Cajun get together, large meal included, for lunch in two days? Perhaps Ronan and Tee-bo could bring the guests, fish, gator meat and I could get started on the fruit and veg portion?

Mom mentioned tables. Where was she going to seat all these people? She had the kitchen and dining tables but she and Isabeu were discussing how they'd love to be able to eat with everyone all together, rather than separating into groups.

Lionel decided to interject then saying, "Mais, there's dozens of restaurants with hundreds of tables just sitting there waiting to be picked up. All we got to do is go get dem."

Everyone just looked at him, well except for Mel; she ogled, there was really no other word for it. Appreciation was clearly in every ounce of her gaze.

I had to ask, "How good are you at thinking of this kind of stuff? At figuring out where to find what you need?"

"Mais, been doing it for a long time. When you doan got cash, you got to get creative. Now, wasn't always legal, but that woan be a worry now. The owners of dem restaurants is all dead, and even if they ain't, they ain't got any food to put on de tables. You do. So the way I see it, the tables belong here."

"What would you think about heading up a team of folks to source stuff for Haven? Go out and find stuff we need. Figure out where to find the hard to get items and such." He seemed totally stunned.

So I turned to Ronan and Tee-bo as we walked. "What do y'all think? He'd be great at sourcing stuff wouldn't he?" Tee-bo was grinning huge. Ronan's look was considering, but positive.

"Always knew you'd choose an unusual career path son, but I'll say, this option would seem to suit you better than any other I'd considered for you. I were you, I'd take the fille up on her offer. Though," Now he seemed to be considering all aspects of how to make this a true and workable deal, and Mom and Isabeu had caught up to us since we'd slowed when Lionel had stalled in shock at my offer, "I'd want those teams armed in case they ran into any trouble, and trained to work as a group, else they'll scatter at the first sign of trouble. Nother ting, need more'n one team. So, if we had a list of the best places to look in a house for the specialty items, guns and such, that would help cut down on the search time, which would be of a help." Lionel was nodding along, like this would be totally doable.

"Den, once we get dose teams trained up, if'n we had a specialty item, somethin' hard to find say, Lionel's personal team would take de lead on dat."

I fell back a little as Ronan and Lionel started talking shop and working out the details. They obviously had a handle on the situation and I'd made a great decision putting Ronan in charge of leading the Men's stuff. He'd thought of a dozen things I never would have. Mom had caught up and excitedly asked aobut the tables.

Lionel quipped that, "You name it, I'll bring it Ms. G." Picking up Mel's handle for her.

She laughed and then started describing a long flow of rectangle tables on the lawn, but it might be nice to have some small tables and rocking chairs for the porch for shucking corn and shelling peas and such once the harvest was really going.

He gave a firm nod and told her simply,"Done."

She told him he was a "Dear boy." and he blinked and blushed. I wondered if he'd ever been called that in recent memory.

Tee-bo spoke from beside me quietly. "That was a nice thing you done, you."

My eyes widened. "What?"

"You know." His eyes held a knowing look, and he continued talking in a quiet voice. "Givin' Lionel a position of responsibility, of authority. He woan' take it lightly, and he'll do a good job at it." He promised me, as though I needed reassuring. Maybe I did, a little. He'd been a bit of a shady character.

"I'm sure he will." I answered softly.

"Jack would've appreciated that. He an' Lionel didn't always see eye to eye, but they were tight, and they, well, you could say neither one of them never had much. Both had a hard life. But they've been podna's since we were little, and he would've thought a lot of what you just did, putting him, hell, putting all of us in positions of authority with all this startin' up. I see where this is all goin'."

Then his eyes got calculating. "Why are you doin it this way, you? You and you're mere, you could've kept things the way they always been, the Greene's in charge of the manor and the rest of us just workin' it. That's the way we all expected it to go. Why'd you change it?"

I was taken aback. Seriously?!

I'd never made a serious decision in my life until a week ago. I'd been told to let mother worry about everything, and to just concentrate on school. That hadn't worked out well at all! The only time anything had gone right was when I'd listened to and taken the advice of Jack. Well, and Matthew, and Mel. But I never would have gotten that far without Jack.

The things I was considering having to deal with were so out of the range of things my mother or I had ever considered, I thought it was only obvious that we needed help from the people that were more experienced. What did I know about hunting, guarding and protecting a group of people from the dangers that would arise after the flash, cooking for a huge group of people, organizing resources to get ready for a mass evacuation, and all the rest? It was so far beyond me I didn't even know where to start! I had the questions lined up, and a general idea, but implementation? Getting people organized to do...whatever it was they needed to do...? Phft. Yeah, right.

I blew out a breath, making my lips buzz as we carried the melons inside. "It's kind of complicated to explain." I started.

"I'm sure I can follow along." He told me.

"Oh, I'm sure you can." We hung back to the end of the group. Mel and Lionel were looking cozy. Mom, Isabeu and Ronan were deep in discussion about something, probably all the grand workings that were beyond me right now.

"So, here's the thing, Mom's been in charge of a harvest, and in selling and getting the crop to market. Your Dad has lead a team of men, so men will listen to him and take direction. I know you all hunt, and that...um," How to put this? I looked at him, hoping I could get my point across without him taking offense, "that y'all don't necessarily live in the safest place, but that you know how to protect those you care about." The corner of his mouth quirked up, like he thought I was funny, but he nodded that I should go on. I blew out a breath, took another one and did. "So y'all would be able to figure out how to organize hunting parties, guarding duties, or raiding parties and the like with lots of men to go along. Mom and I wouldn't. It just made sense to put y'all in charge of what you knew how to do without you having to look to us for direction on every little thing." His head tilted back like he got part of my point.

"Still doan explain why you gave us free reign and run of the house, ability to pick our own men an' women to work with an' all. Appreciated, doan get me wrong," roguish grin and a wink,"but still, I think there's more too it."

I felt frustrated. "Do they teach Cajun's lessons in how to be discerning and how to glean every little minute crumb of information?! Because I have to tell you, Jack did this too, and while it saved all our bacon, it's as annoying as hell!"

He out and out laughed. Threw back his head and let go, from the gut and everything. When he was done, we were at the melons, everyone else having passed us by, loaded down. Ronan told us this was the last of it, but they'd left two "just for us."

"Thanks so much!" I laughed.

"Mais, yeah, they teach us at our grandmere's knee. Now fess up, you."

I sighed. I didn't even really know. "Maybe because it just felt right? I mean, if Jack hadn't helped me figure out all the clues, none of us would be here, you know?"

His face got serious, and he asked, "For true?"

"For true." I confirmed. Then I told him most of the story. How I'd had a vision in History, how Jack had noticed, and bugged me about what I'd seen until I'd promissed him a sketch about it, not even knowing why I had. That I'd considered not giving it to him, until he'd told me he'd known other's who had seen the future in little ways that meant he might just think this vision meant something other than being something strange and crazy. Then I'd told him about it and he'd taken it seriously, actually told me he might believe me. And he'd known when the next full moon was, just known, right then and there! How he'd convinced me to tell Mel, and to show him the other sketches, how I'd never have done the fliers without him, never would have had the guts to do any of this. I left Matthew out because he'd asked me to keep his secrets, ever though it burned within me. His part should be told, honored. He was the one who sent the vision in the first place!

My voice was passionate as I gazed up at him, standing by the last two melons, where Jack and I had once lay. "So you see, he's the one who put the whole thing in motion. And he sent you, and your Dad. I'm not going to take the credit or stand over anyone I don't have to. That's not who I am, and it's not who Mom is either. We'd have been stranded here without our horses and Jack saved those. If you and Ronan and Lionel have the ideas and the ability to lead men in the jobs we've determined need to be done, I don't see why you shouldn't be seen by everyone else as the leaders you are! We're providing the location, the mansion and growing the food. You and everyone else will be doing hugely important jobs too. Hunting, sourcing, planting, harvesting, cooking and preserving the food, security. You shouldn't downplay that. Not for a moment, Tee-bo."

"No wonder." He told me.

"My brows furrowed. "No wonder what?" I asked.

"No wonder he made a play for you, asked me to come her when he left. He knew exactly what a treasure he was leaving behind." My eyes smarted with tears and he saw. He gave me a rough half hug with one arm around my back and shoulder, telling me, "Doan you start all that again, you!" He said in mock fear.

I laughed while I cried a little. He gave my shoulder a rub while he stared across the fields. "He'll be back. You can count on that." I nodded. I sniffed and dried my eyes. "Come on. Dem melons woan pick demselves." He parroted his father.

"Yeah." I said softly. I separated the melon from the vine and he picked it up. Then I separated the other one and picked it up. He took it from me and put it on his shoulder. "But-"

"Shush." He told me. "It's only polite."

Oh. "Thanks." I told him.

"De rein, fille."

When we got back to the house, the adults were discussing logistics. I heard Ronan muttering,"This would be a lot easier if we still had working cars."

Working cars.

I knew someone who could fix cars. Sigh. Only thing was, this would require revealing a couple more secrets to folks who weren't in the know. Well, I'd just keep the circle as small as possible. Just the Tee-bo and his dad.

"Hey, Tee-bo, I wanted to show you something over this way." I told him quietly. We peeled off from the others and I proceeded to spill the beans as vaguely as possible.

"Do you and your dad know anything about cars?"

"Mais, yeah. Not a ton, but enough to work our way around a few basic repairs. Why?"

"Well...If we can get the others on some other duties that need doing, I can probably get you the info you need to fix a car."

"For true? That would be great! You know how to fix a car?"

"Well, no."

Now his face was confused and a little angry. "Explain."

"You know how I have visions right? Well I had one about this before, but I didn't understand it at all. Cause I know nothing about cars. So maybe I could try to have it again, and you and your dad could interpret it?"

"It's worth a try. But why not let Lionel listen in? He's good with this stuff."

I shifted uncomfortably. "I'm sure he is, and I'm learning to trust him, but these visions...they're, well, they're strange, even to me. I might tell him about them eventually, I'm just not ready yet. Plus, they're really painful, and sometimes I bleed from my nose and nearly pass out..."

Tee-bo's eyes got wide and then concerned. "You goan to be ok if we do this? They woan seriously hurt you or nothin like that?"

"No! No I'll be fine, I'll need some rest after, but I'll be fine I'm sure. Thanks." My voice was soft. His concern for me was really touching. "It's just a really strange time and..."

"I get it, fille. It's cool. Just me and mon pere." He was on board and my secret would be safe. I blew out a breath.

"I'm going to wait in the barn then, see if I can get a tap on the vision, alright?" See if Matthew was available that was.

Tee-bo left and orchestrated Mel, Mom and Lionel on Horse and Cart raiding duty. Isabeu and the kids were inside, Isabeu was working on a menu for the day after tomorrow. Mel again requested she try and think of plants that used the most bang for the buck. Which was kind of funny since even we didn't know how to do that exactly.

In the barn I called for Matthew. After a few minutes he answered. "Empress, my friend." His voice was affectionate. "You've been busy."

"Hi Matthew. How are you?"

"Visions of futures and past meld and flow in the present. Visits from you are an anchor to the present reality."

Wow. That was a stunning answer. I didn't even know what to do with that. I decided to go with the little I understood. "I like talking with you too, Matthew."

I was rewarded with a smile. "How's your mom?"

"Her future is longer thanks to your interferance. I owe you one."

"Wow, really?" He nodded. "That's so awesome. But why did my talking with her change anything?"

"She listens to me, and she has hope. Hope in the face of dispair changes everything."

He was so wise! "Um, Matthew, I need a favor."

He nodded. "You meddle in the affairs of muggles when you should be training to be a wizard."

Um, what now? Yeah, I'd read Harry Potter, but seriously? "Matthew, these people are my friends, I love them. They love others. I care what happens to the people around me. How can I not help them?"

He studied her, weighing the depth of her sincerity? Then he told me, "If you do this, it will weaken you. Have you counted the cost?"

"I've counted the cost if I do nothing." I told him firmly. "My heart can't bear it. That cost is too high. I refuse to pay it. Please, Matthew. Help me fix the car?"

His eyes studied her then he said, oddly. "You are different this game. You are the truest friend I have ever had." He smiled again. "Call. I will answer."

I blinked at the barn door, sitting on the floor. My mouth and upper lip were wet. Ugh. I really really missed phones. But I'd never regret talking to Matthew. He was a true friend too. I rinsed off my face in the sink then left the barn and went to the car outside.

Tee-bo and Ronan were there. "We good to go?" Tee-bo asked. I nodded. He grinned. He wasa really a cute guy. I hoped he found someone soon. He totally deserved that.

I looked to Ronan. "Did Tee-bo tell you what to expect?" I asked.

He nodded, but seemed to have more to say. He came next to me, one arm on top of the car, leaning on it beside me. "I've never been prouder of my son than I was Sunday night." His deep voice was a baritone even deeper than Jack's and it echoed in my chest as he spoke. "I thought he'd lost his head with his teasing, but when the earth was a shaking and those lights were flashing, he protected our family and dozens of others. He protected our community. A couple days later, when there was no food, nothing living, no cars or bikes working and I didn't know what to do for my family, my son says, "Dad, I know exactly what we need to do and where we need to go." So I trusted him. He hasn't steered us wrong. And now I've met you. Evangeline. Karen. And Melissa. You women are are good folk make no mistake. But there is something unique and special about you Evangeline. My son has the right of it. We will protect you and guard your secrets, yes." I heard the honesty in his voice. I nodded, my eyes watering. Thank you Jack. I wish you were here!

I had to do this while guarding Matthew's secret though. I wished I could tell them about him. Mom knew though, and so did Mel.

Quietly in my mind I asked, "Matthew, can I tell them, a little? Please?"

-Just them, yes

"I'll need you to keep this just between us, only Mom and Mel know." They rumbled agreement and I went on. "So here's the thing, I have a friend. He's like me, and we talk in a...unique way. He tried to tell me before how to repair the car, because he repaired his, but I don't speak car and bike."

They looked pretty surprised, but everything lately was pretty surprising so all things considered, this wasn't out of the range of possibility.

Ronan rubbed his chin. "So...you'll talk to him, and tell us what he says, and we'll fix the car. It's that simple?"

"Pretty much? Um, Tee-bo may have told you my head hurts a lot and my nose bleeds but yeah, aside from that, simple."

They nodded, but didn't look too happy about that.

"I'll need tools." Ronan muttered. I walked to the barn to show him where they were. "You sure you wan to do this?" He asked me.

"Um, a working car would be a huge deal right?"

"C'est vrai." -That's true.

"And if you fix one, you'll be able to fix more right?"

"Ouais."

"Then it's worth it. Besides, Matthew's my friend. I like talking with him. I just miss phones." I said glumly.

I called to Matthew after Ronan went to the car. I had to wait a few minutes but he did show up, looking happy to see me again. Matthew would send me a mental picture and some instructions. I'd communicate his words. They seemed to get by okay although it seemed Matthew had made up a few names for some parts he didn't know. This amused me. Twice when I just couldn't understand what he was talking about and neither could they, Matt showed up beside me with an air of impatient frustration and ducked under the car. I followed him and pointed where he pointed, using his words to tell them what went where.

While the men were working, I asked Matthew his birthday. He'd shrugged as though it wasn't important. I wasn't able to sustain the connection since repairing the car took a few hours, but Matthew and I reconnected when they needed more info. I just laid there when I was waiting, holding cloth to my nose, closing my eyes and wishing my head wasn't aching so bad. I missed phones. Why did talking to Matthew have to feel like an ice pick in my head?

At one point Tee-bo suggested we take a time out, instead of getting the next set of instructions. Ronan looked like he wanted to agree but I knew there was only one set left so I powered through. I saw respect in their eyes. When I'd finished relaying the info and dropped the connection, thanking Matthew, calling him little bro, he'd looked at me funny. I'd shrugged, dopey on pain by then saying, "Until you know when you were born, I'm calling oldest. That makes you little bro. Deal with it sucka." He gave me a shy grin back, then let me go.

I was already laying on the ground, and had been for a while, my head on my arm, blood dripping on the ground beside the car. I hadn't been careful enough with the rag. Grass seeds had sprouted where my head lay for so long. Guess that secret was out now too. Oh well. Ronan hadn't said a word. He'd just brushed the tall grasses down for me so I had a soft pillow. He ran his hand over my hair when he settled me back down, telling me to rest easy. That was nice. I wondered if my dad would have done that if he were alive. That seemed like the kind of thing a dad would do. Bonus? The horses had fresh grass to eat. We had some hay stored so they'd be good for a month or two, but I'd have to see to this eventually.

Ronan's deep voice was nearby and he spoke in my ear, a large hand warm on my shoulder, another smoothing my hair. That was nice. "You did well fille. Very well. Do you want to go back to the house now?"

The house? That would mean my room. Alone. When I was alone, the calls and voices were louder. When I was with others, they were softer, more muted.

"Mmm good here. Soft grass. Sleep."

"All right fille. You rest easy then. We'll watch over you." He kissed my aching head softly, and moved to help Tee-bo with the car.

Wow! I liked Ronan. Tee-bo had a great dad. Anais was so lucky.

Thank you, Jack.

I wished he'd been here to stroke my hair. He'd sent Tee-bo to protect me. Did he even like me? If he had, I was sure he didn't now. I'd judged him so harshly. And now he might never come back, and it was all my fault.

My head aching and my heart hurting, I drifted off to the soft rumbles of the men talking and clanks of engine parts. In my sleep, I dimly heard the sound of an engine purr. I smiled.

I woke in my bed, one of the men having carried me there I guessed. My clothes were different though. I guess the women objected to dirty clothes in a clean bed and had fixed that, putting me in the sleep shirt I preferred these days. The pretty forest green that had looked great with his jet black hair and flattered my long blond hair that curved past my breasts. His shirt came down past my ass, so it covered everything important. I didn't have him. I had his shirt.

A/N Thanks for all your comments! I did have a question as far as how much Jack POV y'all think I should put in coming up. I'm coming up to my written but not beta'd stuff so things will start to slow down just a little soon. If there's something you're wanting to see, speak up. I'll take it into consideration.