Mal kept still when he heard the children's footsteps stop as he entered the house. He had made some- admittedly small -progress that morning at breakfast; Now it seemed Dobson, that self righteous fool, had ruined it. He rubbed a weary hand down his face and let himself wonder what he had got in to.

His mother had always told him he was too irresponsible. When he had gone off to war, brash and full of the confidence of youth, he had brushed off her concerns. Returning home he had told himself that his mother had been correct. He recovered from it; he still carried the scars but he had overcome it. When his mother had then told him he would still have challenges, he had laughed it off. Listening to the breathing of the Tam's in the next room, he realised he should have asked for all the advice he could while she was still alive. Children had never been a strong point of his, the ones in the village giving him a wide berth. He had been content with that. Content to be without their company. Now he was in the deep end without a ring and he didn't have a clue what to do. God how he wished his mother was still alive. He looked at her picture on the windowsill with tired eyes. Reaching out, he caressed the frame with calloused fingers and took in a deep breath. He knew for certain that she would be smacking him with her wooden spoon if she caught him being so morbid. He snorted. She was never one to wallow.

The children had scampered into the living room and he could picture them standing in front of the fireplace. They would no doubt be stood with bowed heads and crossed palms. Sure enough, when he stepped through the doorway, he found them exactly as he had imagined. He let out a loud sigh, closing his eyes in despair at their flinch. Moving further into the room, he appraised them closer, frowning once again at their distressed appearance. Both children's clothes were misshapen and their knees were filthy, a result of their being on the floor. They should have got those marks from playing. Thinking on it, there was a lot that 'should have' happened for these two.

Mal lowered himself into his arm chair, feeling his stress fall with him. With a booted foot he pulled the footrest towards him and patted it gently.

"Sit."

The two raised their eyes gingerly though Mal couldn't tell if it was from fear or lack of understanding. Lowering his tone, he repeated the command and gestured at the rest. River moved first, though Mal caught the small movement of Simon's hand on her wrist. Her brother followed her just as silently.

They all sat in silence for a minute, neither party wanting to move without the others permission. Mal caught sight of his mother picture through the doorway. He leant forward and grabbed the jacket River was wearing. In retrospect, it was a stupid idea. River let out a whimper and Simon, fearful for her safety, jumped up, pulling at his arm with weak yet heartfelt tugs. The little girl tried to move away from him and both were crying out in a horrible mix of German and broken English, pleading for mercy. Mal let go of her and sat with arms raised. Brother and sister clung to each other, terrified of reprisal yet too scared to run from the room. All three breathed hard.

Mal swallowed and let his hands drop to his thighs, causing the Tam's to look up at the noise. River in particular appeared distraught and it saddened him to see it after her burst of confidence that morning. Had that only been an hour or so ago?

Realising he held their attention, Mal decided to have another go at explaining his intention. Moving with great care, he lifted the corner of his own jacket. Their eyes followed him. Still moving with caution, he moved a finger into a hole in his jacket. From their expressions they still didn't understand.

Mal's head dropped, the familiar feeling of impatience rising within him. He took a deep breath. Then another. Thanking Zoe for the technique, he raised his head and, seeing the siblings still staring, moved his hands to his jacket again. He wiggled his finger in the tear, gestured to River's jacket, then wiggled his finger again. After a few more repetitions he could see the beginnings of understandings in their eyes.

"You want," came a hesitant voice. "to..fix?"

Mal smiled at River, who in turn squeezed her brother's hand then released him.

"To check." Replied Mal.

River smiled back at him and Mal felt his grin widen with success. Simon, to his relief, seemed also to relax; he didn't smile though. Mal still counted it a victory.

Reaching forward, Mal took the edge of River's jacket and looked it over with practiced eyes. He also checked her dress and stockings and, finding only a small tear on the hem of her dress, turned to check Simon. Other than a rip on the hip of his black shorts, the boy also appeared unscathed. For once they had some fortune. As he had been looking them over both children had relaxed more and when he finished both thanked him in small voices.

Now that he had finished however, he was at a loss what to do. They may have relaxed but both still did not trust him completely and they could not converse with one another. He dare not let them out again but could not think of what to do. He hummed in consideration and glanced at the expectant faces before him. Simon and River were waiting for him to do something and he knew he had to come up with something soon.

The picture of his mother still stared at him.


Zoe said goodbye to Nandi as she left the shop. She moved her attention to the books on the counter, noting down the trade. Her head raised as Nandi's voice floated through the doorway, expecting to see the woman returning for a forgotten item. Instead she smirked as noise took on meaning.

"Well Mr Reynolds, sure is nice to see you this morning."

"I'll say Nandi. You're looking...nice, as usual."

Zoe snorted at Mal's usual uncomfortable discourse. Man might be able to lead a group of men but he sure couldn't deal with a conversation. She wondered what had kept him after he had left to get his tools. Her mind quickly answered her with the thought of the children. Man had likely had to drag them off jumping on his furniture. She'd seen some of the townies and dreaded to think what Mal might find when he returned after fixing the wheel.

Mal had managed to untangle himself from social convention and made his way to the counter, holding aloft his tools. Zoe huffed a laugh at his harassed appearance, unable to decide if it was from the children or Nandi. She opened the counter and lead him to the back where the spare wheel sat in the small courtyard.

"So you just got to attach this one to the cart?"

The wheel she had called him for was 'beyond all hope' of saving so Zoe had wheeled out the spare. Mal nodded absently, mind already focused on the task at hand. Zoe leaned against the doorway and watched the man set to work. She let him make some headway before broaching the subject of the children.

"So what are they doing?"

"Huh?" Mal fumbled around for a spanner.

"The children? What have you got them doing?"

"Oh." Mal didn't turn his attention from the wheel. "I uh, I gave 'em some paper."

"Paper?"

"Yeah. I didn't know what to do and I had to come back here so..."

"You just gave them paper. That was it?"

"Yeah. They seemed fine with it."

The two lapsed into silence, covered by the sounds of Mal dealing with the wheel. Zoe, relying on reports from friends, tried to imagine what the children could be up to without guidance and just paper.

"If you think that's best then.." She trailed off, eyebrows raised in a suggestive manner.

Mal noticed and dropped his tools, smacking his thighs with his hands and letting out a hard breath of annoyance.

"I don't know what to do with 'em Zoe. Lord knows I ain't good with kids. What am I supposed to do with 'em?"

"You could take them to the fayre."

Mal gave her with a stupefied look. Zoe felt a part of her despair as she realised her friend slipped closer and closer to being a hermit everyday. She moved closer to her friend, grabbing a piece of paper from the stool just inside the door; She handed it to him, the garish colour scheme almost blinding. In large letters on the top, the flyer read 'Whitefall Fayre'. Mal scanned the sheet then looked away with a pensive look. Knowing him, his mind was flying through pros and cons, weighing up the benefits. It was only ten in the morning and Whitefall lay less than two miles away: he could easily be there within an hour. The flyer advertised various games and rides that he could imagine the Tam's would enjoy. They might actually have a good time as rides did not involve trying to stumble through a foreign language.

"You could even take the cart if you wanted. Get there quicker."

"You wouldn't mind? Wash doesn't need it for more bets does he."

"No." Her eyes narrowed as she was reminded of her husband's folly. Man was going to feel her ire when he slept on the sofa that night. "You fixed it. I wouldn't mind if you took it for the day."

Mal nodded, lips pursed, as he packed away his tools, mind concentrated on other matters. He followed her back through the shop, faltering at the doorway. His face showed an alien nervousness as he turned back to her.

"You sure you wouldn't mind?"

"No Mal, I wouldn't."

"I'll be back in half an hour then."

True to his word, Mal was back in half an hour, shadowed by two small shuffling figures. They did not fit the loud, obnoxious image she had created in her mind. They clung to each other, trying to distance themselves from Mal and yet they were stood so close it seemed as though they did not want to leave him. She wanted to speak, to comment on the funny sight they made; Catching sight of bruises, she found the words escaped from her mouth. She could only nod at Mal, leading him (and the children) through the shop and into the yard. The cart was all ready, the horse already hitched up and ready to go.

The children stumbled to a stop at the sight of the large beast and it took a lot of pushing and quiet words on Mal's behalf before he was able to lift them on to the cart's seat.

Mal huffed after sitting the girl down and moved back to Zoe. He stretched his hand out and she took it weakly, still focused on the children. They were trying to sneakily examine the yard.

"Thanks Zoe. I'll have it back by the evening."

She gave him a glance over, noting the tenseness of his shoulders.

"You sure you'll be okay Mal? Those two ain't gonna run you ragged.?"

"I hope not Zoe. I hope not."

He shot her a cynical smile than clambered onto the cart himself. He gave a final wave as the cart moved out the yard, the sound of horse hooves getting quieter and quieter.


So firstly, I need to apologise for my absence. Secondly, next chapter will be fayre time! Old-timey games and fun for all! If you like this story, or even want to comment on something you want to see or fix, then please favourite and comment. I live off such things.