Skies were blue and temperatures were hot in the weeks to follow. The middle of January saw them with nothing less than a few good sunburns. Angus winced from the stinging sensation on his fingertips made by newly acquired blisters formed by his guitar. It seemed forever since he played outside of a studio, and he spent the whole day plucking away a few song ideas. Taking a small break he went to go get his mail, eyeing the hallway for any sign of Mr. Nelson. There hadn't been a mixup in a long time, and it had been quite peaceful without all the knocks at their door. 

A stack of envelopes was all he could find, and he winced again as he pulled them out. Quite a few were bills, putting a stop to all fan's fantasies that the band was simply filthy rich. Holding them by the balls of his fingertips, he returned to his apartment and closed the door. There on the kitchen table, he made three stacks. One for bills with his name on it, one for any envelopes with Hannah's name, and one for any he could throw out. Several were for him until he came across one pink envelope with Hannah's name scribbled in blue pen. At least, it didn't look anything like his. The return address was illegible. 

Hannah sat at the kitchen table just across from him, watching the rabbit in her cage. Pencils and papers were strewn in front of her, or rather behind her from her position. A few papers had paragraphs and scribbled out words, while others had doodles on the margins. One pencil had broken while another's tip was chipped. Hermione stood alone in her cage, the three little bunnies all enjoying themselves in their new homes. The two wouldn't have asked any money for them, but it did help cover the cost of the veterinarian bills, which Angus was just now putting in the bill pile. Giving the pink envelope one last glance, he passed it across the table.

"You uh, got somethin'," he said. Hannah gave him her attention and picked up the envelope. 

"Who's it from?"

"Can't tell. Anyone askin' for a picture?" Hannah opened the letter and read it, taking a long time. Angus assumed the handwriting inside reflected the scribbles on the outside. Before he could pick a bill from the pile to open first, Hannah smiled.

"Susan's had her baby!"

"She did?" he asked raising his eyebrows. "Huh. When?"

"Last week, she says. It's a girl named Cassie." A silence passed as Hannah kept reading. "Oh..."

"What?"

"She's asked us to stay with her. On Thursday." Angus stretched out his hand and took the letter from her. Never in his years of school did he remember her writing being that sloppy, then again, he hadn't ever received a love letter back. 

"For how long?"

"A week."

Angus glanced up at her. "D'ya' feel like goin'?'

"I certainly want to," she said tapping her fingers. "I want to see the new itty bitty, don't you?"

"Sure," Angus shrugged. "She can't possibly best Cara, of course, but she'll be alright in her own way, ya' know."

"She lives in Queensland..."

"Yeah?"

I felt like we were just there."

"It's been a while since Christmas." Hannah rubbed her arm up and down, both of which were still covered by long sleeves. This action didn't escape Angus' notice. "They hurt?"

"Hmm? Oh, no-" She pulled her hands away from her arms, folding them on the table. Picking up the broken pencil, she attempted another drawing, a cartoon. Angus watched her a few minutes, handing her the end with the eraser when she couldn't find it. 

"Looks nice," Angus complimented opening up one of the other envelopes. "Water's gone up," he mentioned upon scanning the paper.

"Again?" Hannah asked. Angus nodded, picking up his bottle of soda on the table and drinking. 

"That's what happens in the summer, ya' know? Costs money jus' to sweat around here."

"I made a bit more from my last painting, I can pay that one." Angus frowned a bit.

"You sure? It's over two hundred."

"Hand it here, this one's mine." Hannah took the letter from Angus, who reluctantly held it over the middle of the table. Hannah's attention turned back to the letter from Susan. Opening another letter put some strain on Angus' fingers, and he pulled each bill in a pile where the envelopes once were. Standing from the table he grabbed his guitar from the stand, let Hermione nibble his finger, then returned to his chair, setting the instrument on his lap to pluck. A scene of Hannah rubbing her arm again caught his eye, but he made no comment. Only silently observed. Once in a while, her sweater creased from her pinch, the fabric pilling. Tuning his eyes to his playing, he lost himself in a world of music, only to be awakened a minute later. "I can make another trip, can't I?"

"Hmm?"

"It's not any different than the other ones, and we travel a lot anyway."

"No thanks to me," Angus grinned.

"I wonder if Malcolm got a letter too..."

"Not likely. He wasn't as acquainted with her as we both were, ya' know? Maybe he did, I dunno." At that moment the phone rang, Hannah standing up before Angus beat her to it, holding a hand out to stay her. "I got it, hon, I got it." Hermione kicked up some shavings in her sudden spur of excitement. "Yeah?"

It was a few minutes before Angus spoke again. "Oh, that's great! You don't mess around, do ya', Mal?... Uh, we'll be goin' back to Queensland in a few days, I guess Susan had her baby a little bit back... I know... Maybe we can see you both... you didn't get invited?" He looked at Hannah. "I didn't think so..." Angus blinked, staring at his friend. "Jus' one a few nights ago, nothin' serious... Well, she's right here, you can ask her." 

Hannah stood up, knowing instantly what Malcolm wanted. Handing her the phone, Angus retired to his place at the table, resuming his playing and paying. Hannah's voice became the words to the music he played, for a minute forgetting there were pressing matters to address. She insisted it was nothing the next morning, but he didn't let it slide that a few tears still fell as she made that promise. He had been in her dreams again. 

Ruined them.

Tarnished them.

Molested them. 

Angus opened his eyes, fixing his finger position when he hit a wrong note, trying to forget the slight pain still lingering from the blisters. By that time Hannah had finished talking and was handing the phone back to Angus. He took it, taking her hand in the other one, and pressing it gently. "Mal? Yeah..." Running a thumb over her knuckles, he listened to his brother on the phone, moving his head slightly to the right to allow Hannah to place her head on his shoulder. "Ask Cliff to do it... He knows more about that stuff than either of us do..." Angus frowned. "What was that sound?... That didn't sound like nothin'... Don't get your knickers in a twist, Mal, I was jus'..." Angus sighed, wrapping an arm around his wife and brushing her hair. Hannah's eyes focused on the phone in his hand, a voice belonging to none other than Malcolm yelling on the other end. "I was just askin', that's all. I wouldn't put it past ya' to pick up a few bottles... I didn't say that... What you do with 'em is your business, sure, but when you're gettin' all scruffy with me an' bustin' your knuckles on your phone, ya' know... You sure?... Alright. I'll uh-we'll call you when we get back. Bye, Mal."

With that, Angus handed the phone back to Hannah, who took it back to the receiver. "What was all that about?"

"Jus'...thought I heard somethin' is all." Angus plucked a few more strings, the sound not coming out quite right. Tuning it a bit, he looked up into Hannah's eyes, both of which shone with a sad suspicion.

"He's not coming to Susan's?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Nah, Susan didn't give him any letter," he said. "Didn't think she would anyway. Oh, an' he's got a little somethin' himself to worry about too." Angus' expression changed from one of annoyance to one of someone who knows something no one else does. "Linda's pregnant again."

"Really?" Hannah took a step back. "First she had Cara, then Susan went on to have her fourth child, and-even Hermione had four kids!"

"Guess that kind of thing jus' happens over the holidays, ya' know? When everyone gets time to have children they have 'em." Taking all the news in, Hannah took her seat across from Angus, tapping her fingers by the pencil she set down. With her papers almost filled with drawings and Angus' soda bottle almost empty, she spoke again. 

"I'd like to see Cassie."

"Susan's girl?"

"Yeah, I think it'd be good for me to go somewhere." Remembering her bad night a few days ago Angus couldn't disagree, though he simply had to make sure.

"I want you to be sure you want to," he began. "in case you have another nightmare. I know it ain't as easy when you're not home."

"I'm sure," Hannah insisted, collecting her papers and water bill into a pile. "I have to get out again, and not just on tour. And summer won't last forever, and if...we're moving to London..."

"Well, that hasn't been decided yet," Angus said with a shrug. "Mal's wantin' George to do a bit more research about the whole thing, an' then we all have to go lookin' for new apartments. An' we gotta figure out how we'll get all our gear there an'... Giving her concerned expression a smile, he removed his guitar from around his shoulders and placed it on the table. Finishing off his soda he put the bottle on his head, trying to balance it. "You're right, love, summer won't wait for us. Might as well make it a good one, eh?"

"And you never know which summer is going to be your last," Hannah said, laughing at his antics. "Guess we'd better pack again, huh?"

"Ah ah ah, we got bills to pay first, my love." Taking three or four of them for himself, and giving Hannah her pick of the rest, he grabbed his guitar off the table and brought it back to its stand by the couch. 

"Nothing like a romantic night at home," Hannah sighed, using a napkin to work out the numbers. 

"Could set a few candles on the table," Angus suggested grabbing the empty bottle. Standing by Hannah's place he set the bottle on her head, attempting to balance it. "Use the bills to stoke 'em."

"And have our electricity turned off."

"We don't need it, we got candles burnin' like bonfires over here. We're leavin' town anyway, might as well make our last few nights here memorable." The bottle refused to stay where he placed it, and he gave up, setting it on the kitchen counter instead. Substituting his arms for a hug than for a hat, he embraced her from behind, setting his chin on her hair. It had been recently shampooed, with the favored bottle of course, and a light perfume coated her skin. "Hmm...you smell a lot better than me, love."

"You smell fine to me," Hannah responded, sorting through the utility bills. 

"I never said I smelled bad," Angus defended, pretending to look offended. He sniffed under his arm. "Nah, I'm alright." The variables and numerous numbers on the paper had Angus' eyes flutter from drowsiness. He was thankful days of school were long behind them. Watching her erase her math and try again, he tightened his hold for a minute before letting go and facing the kitchen counter. "I'll start on dinner, yeah? What do you want?"

"Cookies!"

"Somethin' a bit more filling?"

Hannah turned her head to look at him. "You can't tell me you eat four cookies and don't feel like your belt's gonna cut you in half." Resisting a laugh, he kept a not-so-straight face. 

"I'm all for cookies myself, but I am a bit hungry for dinner food, ya' know?" Tapping her pencil to her chin, Hannah eyed all the kitchen utensils. Angus waited patiently for an answer.

"A salad?"

"With?"

"Uh..." Her eyes trailed to the fridge, knowing, or at the very least suspecting of the food inside. "Carrots? Potatoes? Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew?"

Narrowing his eyes at her, he had to ask. "Huh?"

Grinning, Hannah kept her recent readings to herself. "Nothing."

"Are you sure your arms don't hurt?" Hannah looked down to see both arms wrapped around each other, skimming up and down the sleeves. Immediately she moved them, grabbing the top of the chair instead. Taking to her side, Angus gently grabbed her shoulders, suggesting she stand up. Inspecting one arm as he rolled the sleeve up, he could see a faint few red spots, one clearly having been scratched. Running a fingertip over it he got a light inhale out of her, instantly pulling back. "These don't look all that great, Hannah..."

"They itch a little bit, but they don't hurt," Hannah assured, hoping he was convinced. 

"Maybe that lotion of yours ain't workin'."

"It works, it just...hasn't in a while." Angus frowned. "I think I've been using it too much and my skin's been reacting to it."

"So you're sayin' if you take a break then it'll start workin' again?" Hannah nodded. Sighing, wishing there was something more he could do, he let her arm go. A second later the sleeve was rolled down again. Retreating back to the stove he grabbed a pot from the cupboard and filled it with water. "An' if it doesn't? I think maybe you ought to go back to the doctor. See what he thinks," Angus suggested. "That okay?"

"If you say so," she shrugged turning back to her letter. Setting it aside she resumed her math for the electricity bill. 

Hermione twitched her nose, then settled down for an evening nap.

"You two sure got off early." Angus set his guitar case down to shake hands with a man he'd never seen before in his life. He was tall, black hair and a bit older looking. Angus blinked, thinking this man bore a horrible resemblance to Travis. He looked to Hannah to see her reaction: not much different than his own. Setting her suitcase down, she took his hand next. "I'm Victor, Susan's husband. I don't believe she told you I would pick you up?"

"Thank God, I never would have found my way," Angus said. Hannah offered Victor a weak smile, the man pointing a finger at her. 

"You're Hannah, right? Susan told me about you-both of you. You're Angus?"

"I think so, been shouted at me my whole life."

"You three know a lot more about each other than I do, I think you all have a lot to take about."

"How's the baby?" Hannah asked, unable to help herself. Victor smiled at the inquiry.

"Cassie is a great baby, hardly ever cries. Just what Susan was hopin' for, another girl to balance out the chaos back home. You don't have any kids, do you?"

"We have a rabbit," Hannah stated proudly, wincing as she remembered who was taking care of her while they were gone. "She had some kids but we had to sell them."

"Susan mentioned that rabbit giving birth while she watched it," Victor thought aloud. "One didn't make it?" Hannah shook her head. "That's too bad. And now we have four kids of our own, it's crazy."

"My brother's havin' his second kid," Angus said, bringing up his late phone call. "They jus' found out a few days ago."

"That's great, they know what it is yet?" Without realizing it, the three and all their luggage had arrived at the revolving door leading them out of the airport. Angus' guitar case got stuck and Hannah, giggling to herself, ran behind him and shoved him out.

"Thanks, hon. Nah, not yet. They have one little girl, I think they're hopin' for a boy this time. Or at least," Angus smiled to himself. "Malcolm's hopin'."

"He your brother?" Victor asked. "Oh, this way, this white car right over here." The two followed the man toward a small white car, neither one sure of the model. Opening the trunk, Victor grabbed the suitcases and guitar and placed them inside.

"One of 'em, yeah." Opening the back door for Hannah he climbed in after her, the car even hotter than the air outside. Victor opened the door to the wheel and got in, opening his window. "Susan knows him too, a bit."

"Eh, seems everyone's havin' kids these days," Victor said turning the key. Backing out of the parking space proved to be a bit of trouble as a hundred other families intended to leave for Susan's house as well. "Believe me, we didn't plan to have four of 'em."

Angus and Hannah exchanged a look. "You don't say," Angus muttered. 

Finally getting the car in drive, Victor started down the lot. "I'd love to get a pet but Susan is allergic to most animals and-doesn't want Cassie getting into it." All this new information cast Hannah's eyes down. Years without proper communication proved difficult in keeping up with current news. 

"I didn't know she was allergic," Hannah whispered to Angus. 

"What's that, miss?"

"Uh, we were jus' sayin' we didn't know Susan was allergic to animals," Angus answered. Victor nodded.

"Not rabbits as much as cats and dogs," he said pulling up to a light. "You know, I think she's allergic to birds as well. There's a lot more of them but, Cassie and the kids would probably drive them up a wall anyway."

"Surprised she didn't swell up when Johnny touched her," Angus muttered.

"No," Victor laughed. "Only when I touch her."

The two in the backseat exchanged another look. This one a grimace.

Victor's job really did pay off. The house was old yet well constructed. A gate required opening before one could enter, and a garden sat to the side of the drive with various flowers. Two young boys were playing in the front lawn, a fountain of sprinklers watering the grass. A little girl in a pink tutu bathing suit followed after them, teetering on her little feet. They outran her again and again, but it didn't stop her from trying to keep up. 

The house itself was only two stories, but a pair of stone lions by the front door was enough to overlook it. Hannah got distracted by the birds fluttering around an apple tree by the garden. As the car pulled into the driveway the three kids ran toward the car, shouting with glee. Victor opened his door, the noise growing. Hannah gave her attention to the kids after the birds flew away, grinning when she saw the little toddler. 

"Where have you been, Mum's been waiting all morning for you!" one of the boys said. He had freckles and sandy red hair. 

"Has she now?" Victor asked stepping outside. Hannah and Angus followed after him. The trunk opened and two suitcases toppled out, a guitar case tumbling next. "Here we are, boys? Can you open the front door for us?"

The red-haired boy ran ahead while the other, a blond like his mother, attempted to push him down. Angus took his guitar case before it could fall to the ground, setting it on the ground for a moment. Looking up, he could see a little girl with black hair like her father, staring at him. "Hello, little one," he smiled, taking Hannah's suitcase. "I'll get that, love." Observing his every movement from the way he adjusted his hold on the handle or the way he shook his hair out of his face, the little girl was enchanted. Angus smiled at her, resulting in the little girl running to his behind her father. 

"Hello, sweetheart," Victor said to the rugrat behind his leg. "Seems she likes you."

"Doesn't surprise me," Angus smiled. "Lots of young ladies do."

"I heard Susan sure did," Victor said, picking up the little girl in one arm while taking the suitcase in the other. "Come on, Princess, let's show our guests the way in, shall we?" The little raven-haired girl buried her face in her father's shoulder, sneaking peeks at the new man following them into her house. Rather handsome, she thought.

The inside of the house was just as impressive as the outside, if not more modest. The entryway led right to a staircase and a living room to the left. On the couch was Susan, holding a pale yellow blanket in her arms. "Mum! Mum! I was playing outside-and I found a rock that looks like-it looks like that pancake you made yesterday and dropped on the floor." The red-haired boy must have been the more outgoing of the two.

"You did?" Susan asked. "Did you bring it inside?"

"No, I found it in the dirt and left it there."

"Oh. Well, good." Seeing the parade walk through the front door, she smiled and stood up, bouncing the bundle in her arms. "You made it!" A one-armed hug was given to Hannah, Cassie opening her eyes. "Good to see you, and good to see you, Angus," she said hugging him as well. The little girl opened her arms for a hug but Susan furrowed her brow. "I'm sorry, sweetie, I've got my arms full already."

"What, you don't want Daddy to hold you?" Victor asked feigning offendedness. 

"I can take her." Angus set down his carry-ons and took the toddler into his arms. The littlest of smiles broke out, with a blushing face retreating to his shoulder. Victor took the opportunity to hug his wife and take the rest of the luggage up the stairs to their right. 

"I see you've met Winifred," Susan said suggesting the name of the girl. "Where are my boys... David?" The little red-haired boy returned from the kitchen around the corner. "Go get your brother and no running!" David didn't exactly listen. Susan sighed. "Every day."

The room they were standing in was littered with toys, blocks, and a few unused diapers. A few puddles of water coated the wood in the shape of footprints. Family portraits with a few paintings covered the walls, with a bookshelf filled with conversation starters behind the couch. David and his blond brother returned, David holding a cookie to his mouth. "Sean ate four of these, Mum," he tattled.

"Four? It's almost dinner, you won't want it." Sean didn't say anything. "This is David, he's six years old. And that's Sean, he's almost ten years old." Sean looked up from the floor and smiled. Hannah smiled back and waved, tilting her head. "This is Angus," Susan pointed. "and Hannah."

"He's holding Winnie, Mum!" David observed. 

"Why so I am," Angus amused himself. "Cute little thing, ain't she?"

"She's not cute when she spits up on you."

Sean had left the six of them to pick up some blocks off the floor. Watching him, Hannah noticed a small band around his wrist. The writing was too small to read, but the band itself was neon yellow. Taking a block in each hand, Sean began building. "You used to spit up too," Susan informed her youngest son. "Now you just throw up."

David laughed, running away to the kitchen for another cookie. Susan balanced Cassie on her arm, freeing her other hand. Placing one hand to Sean's back, she got his attention and he adjusted his position to face her. 

"Did you clean your room this morning as I asked you to?" she asked. It didn't escape Hannah's notice of why Susan needed to free her hand. Sean nodded, grabbing a few more blocks. "If I go up there later and check...would it be clean?" He nodded again, using his own hands to speak. "Okay, I'll check it later. It seems I'm always asking these kids to clean their rooms," she said, this time to Hannah and Angus. "Come on, sit down, don't mind the clutter."

"Don't mind it a bit," Angus said taking Winnie to the couch with him. Hannah sat next to him, keeping awfully quiet herself, and her eye on Sean. "So this is Cassie?" he asked, getting Hannah's attention.

"This is her. All seven pounds of her." The baby was fair, and barely any hair to cover her head. Two blue eyes, just like her mother, opened. Her nose was squashed as well as her chubby cheeks. Sleeping seemed a more enjoyable task than staring at the funny looking strangers in her house with the big smiles, so that's what Cassie decided to do. "I'm glad I had her over the summer break before the kids go back to school. That would have been a nightmare to deal with."

"Don't we know it, eh, love?"

"I'm glad I don't have to tutor you anymore, that's for sure."

"But you did it anyway, yeah?" Winnie raised her head, standing from Angus' lap to walk on the couch. Cassie wasn't too fun to look at, and Sean's tower was too complex to help construct. Another hug for Angus then. "Come here, cutie," he said taking her again. 

"How old is Winnie?" Hannah asked.

"She's turning two next month," Susan explained. "Still a little heartthrob, Angus?"

"You don't mind, do ya'?" Angus asked Winnie. "I've been known to leave many women a little torn up inside." Hannah squeezed her eyes shut knowing exactly what kind of smart remark would come out of his gob next. "And outside."

Susan laughed. Hannah didn't want to, but she'd be lying if she said it wasn't funny. "Glad my kids are too young to understand."

"I understand," David laughed from his spot at the doorway. 

"What? No, you don't," Susan said. "I hope you don't." David giggled, both of them knowing good and well he had no clue. He kneeled to the floor helping Sean build his tower. Once he tapped his wrist, signing a few words. Sean seemed to understand and placed a few blocks in front of him, connecting his tower with the new one they began. "David?" He looked up. "Make sure you two place nicely. And speak when you sign so he can understand you better."

"Okay," he replied uninterested in playtime etiquette. A little whimper came from the bundle, drawing Winifred's attention. Footsteps came plodding down the stairs meeting the company in the living room, now three bags fewer. 

"Victor?" Susan called from her place on the couch. Victor returned with a collection of toys in his hands, placing them on the floor with the reminder not to leave them in the guest room. 

"Yes?"

"Could you put Cassie down in her crib? I've just fed and burped her, I don't know what else it could be." Both Angus and Hannah didn't want to giggle like school children, but that proved difficult whenever they made eye contact. 

"Well Susie, maybe she needs to be changed," Victor suggested. Pouting her lip, her husband sighed and took the bundle in his arms, grimacing. "Oh yeah, that's definitely it."

Winifred grimaced herself, imitating her father, who hustled back up the stairs. "You don't like the smell either, do ya'?" Angus asked, wrinkling his nose. "Does your little sister smell bad?"

She giggled at his funny faces, the first sound he'd heard from her. Angus giggled back at her, perhaps at himself as well. Turning to face Hannah he saw her staring intently upon Sean, as he played with his younger brother. David grabbed a few too many blocks and Sean punched his shoulder. 

"Mum, Mal's bein' a hog!"

"I wouldn't if you'd ask nicely!"

"Mummy!"

"Shut up, Angus!"

Hannah had stayed out of that argument, much preferring to knock over Angus' creation of blocks when it was finished. No matter how funny it had been, Malcolm knew he had to step in before someone got hurt, Angus not having the mean girl get away with it. 

"Angus, hands off. Hannah, put his blocks back up."

"Yeah," Angus spat, sticking his tongue out.

"Boys, play nice," Susan reminded them.

"You're doin' it wrong."

"Then you do it if you're so smart," Hannah replied. 

"You're supposed to help, you're the one who knocked it down."

"Both of you help each other, an' quit fighting all the damn time."

"Mum, Malcolm said a bad word!"

When Sean had a block that David wanted and couldn't find, it was to his misfortune that he should have placed it at the bottom of his tower. When David did find it, he simply took it, and the whole tower came with it. Sean's patience grew thin, and he figured giving his brother another punch in the shoulder would teach him. It only aggravated the younger boy as he retaliated with a good punch in the face. 

"I can build it myself, you keep messing it up!"

"You told me to put the blue block by the red one, and I did!" Angus pushed Hannah away from him, accidentally knocking her into the container where excess blocks took up space. She wasn't hurt bad, but the sudden force and such animosity from who she thought was her friend was too much. 

"Now look what you did," Malcolm scolded as Hannah left their side with tears in her eyes. 

"It wasn't my fault," Angus mumbled, feeling a bit bad, but more worried he'd get into trouble. Malcolm's eyes trailed from Hannah, who shrunk away in a corner, hiding behind a moving box they kept in the basement to Angus, who meekly placed a few more blocks in place. Knowing his little brother wouldn't do anything, Malcolm stood up and took to Hannah's side, giving her a hug from behind.

"He didn't mean it," he tried to console. "He's just in a bad mood, ya' know?"

"He's always in a bad mood," Hannah sniffed, wiping her nose on her sleeve. Malcolm turned around hearing a loud crash. A pile of rubble took the place of Angus' coliseum and he stomped away up the stairs.  

"I'll talk to him later, and settle him. He's been in a bad mood ever since school this morning. Johnny stole his lunch, then he got his foot run over by some kid's bike." Malcolm knew hardly a thing about comforting women, and this little girl was no exception. "Don't cry, he probably feels bad." Hannah sniffed again, keeping her wet face from Malcolm's sight, knowing good and well she shouldn't have started this whole mess. "Don't cry, he still likes you."

"David!"

If Sean's tears weren't enough to put guilt in his heart, his mother's voice was. Angus looked up from Winnie's adoring eyes to see what had transpired, noticing Hannah scratching at her arms. He took one in his hand, running a thumb up and down her skin. The marks had faded some, enough to stay bare in the hot weather. Winifred noticed this act of affection and tried pulling his hand away. "What's the matter?" he asked. "You don't like that?"

Leaning on the edge of her seat, Hannah longed to comfort him, hold him the way Malcolm held her. Before she could stand up Susan had taken action, scooping Sean up into her arms and escorting him out of the living room. "Stay right there, David, don't move a single muscle." David stayed put, slightly afraid.

Angus reached out to take Hannah's arm again when she did stand up, approaching David who looked at the wood floor, suddenly not interested in building anymore. He barely looked up when Hannah knelt in front of him, scooting away a bit. "David?" He inspected a yellow block in his hand. "You know that wasn't very nice."

"..."

"Your sister saw that. That's not setting a good example for her, and it's not a nice thing to do to your brother."

"He punched me first," David whined.

"I know. That wasn't right of him either." Hannah sat cross-legged on the hard floor, pushing some of the blocks out of her way. David refused to look her in the eye. "Punching someone is not right, and neither is taking something without asking for it."

"I know."

"You already know that," Hannah repeated. "You know what you did was wrong, which is good. But you didn't follow through with what you knew." For a split second, Hannah looked to Angus to see what he and Winnie were up to. Winnie had taken to standing on Angus' lap, poking his face trying to get his attention. Angus' eyes were focused on Hannah and her little speech. "When your mother comes back you should ask to apologize to your brother." He didn't respond, Susan's voice coming out from the kitchen.

"David? Are you still there?"

"Yeah," he replied. 

"Alright, I'll be there in a minute."

"You love your brother, don't you?" David nodded. "And you know your brother loves you. One way to show that love is by not punching each other. Understand?" David finally nodded, knowing he wouldn't get away without an answer. In a few seconds, his mom came back, scooping him up from the ground as well. 

"I'll take you to your room for a talk, alright? Angus, Hannah? Will you two be okay in here?" 

"Yeah, take your time, we'll be fine." Angus finally gave Winnie a kiss on her head to satisfy her.

"I'm so sorry about all this, this usually doesn't happen. Sean's in the kitchen cleaning his face with a rag. If he needs anything he'll write it down for you." Nodding in the affirmative, the couple watched David get taken away down the hall where a door stood open ajar, then closed behind them. 

Hannah stood from the floor, tempted to check on Sean in the kitchen. Embracing Winifred tightly, Angus stood from the couch, freeing one hand to place on Hannah's back. "You okay?"

Holding herself, Hannah nodded. 

Staring at the ceiling without a hint of sleep, the couple reclined on the bed, Angus shifting in the sheets. "God, you'd think they were tryin' to have a fifth kid or somethin'."

Hannah didn't answer.

Taking his pillow from behind his head, Angus turned it around and fluffed it, resting on the cold side. A yawn escaped his throat, his eyes strained by the hour. "It's no wonder they put the kids' rooms downstairs, ya' know?" He laughed a bit, clearing his throat when Hannah didn't. She stayed rather still, clutching the bedspread. Angus took her hand, her eyes closing at the sudden contact. His fingers brushed over it gently, a deep breath replying to the comforting gesture. "You okay?"

Instead of answering, she turned in the bed to face him, hooking her arms around his waist to use his shoulder as a pillow.

And a place to hide. 

Eventually, sleep took her, Angus forcing himself to keep awake, waiting for her to be at peace. Fixing her lopsided nightgown, he kept his hand on her back, pleading in his mind for sleep to take him too. 

Not a single nightmare haunted either of them that night.