"Do all of you have your buckets?" I asked the group of people in front of me, all of them nodded. I felt a tug on my shirt and a looked down, Luis was there, his younger brother standing at his side.

"We're ready too!" He said excitedly, holding a stick in the air like a sword.

"Good. Okay everyone follow me!" I took Luis by the hand, and Luis took his brother's and the people followed me, not in single file, but in a huddled group.

It took around an hour to get there, if it was only me, it would  have taken around fifteen minutes.

I took Comet and told Luis to jump in the water, it was only waist deep on him, and he splashed and played and giggled.

People gathered water in many, many buckets.

I washed Comets sandy blonde hair, and he almost feel asleep on me, I wasn't sure if he could talk, he hadn't said a word.

I scrubbed his head an he gave me a big relaxed smile, giggling.

I couldn't help but smile, and he made a bunch of cute little sounds and grins.

I dried off his head with a towel, and he sat at the edge of the stream, laughing at his older brother that had fallen in the stream.

"Luis. Your Turn!" He came over and I had him sit down in front of me. I started washing his hair, and some people who had finished getting water watched me with interest.

I scrubbed his head and he looked like it was the most relaxing thing he'd ever done, he tried to lean into me but I wouldn't let him.

"I can't wash it if you do that." I said, though it was a hassle trying to get him to stay still.

Finally getting all the dirt out of his hair, I release him and he runs back into the water, splashing around with his brother.

"Awwwww....." I turned around to see the mousey haired lady again, she was looking like she just saw a cute bunny.

She walked up beside me and I stood up, towering over her, it wasn't my fault, blame Dad for making me so tall.

"Those must be your kids, I can tell who the father is...... Oh..... What are there names?" She asked very quickly in succession. I had to pause an decipher what she said.

"There from here. We are taking care of them, have you not noticed them before?" I asked incredulously, and she looked confused.

"No, we were never allowed to have children. And when we did they were taken away. They showed up when you did, I thought they were yours."

Okay, this was strange, but maybe they just wandered here on their own? No. Their really young, that couldn't have happened.

"I thought they were from here. I didn't know they existed until I arrived." I replied, looking back at the boys.

They were playing like normal kids, nothing seemed to be off, but I did feel the roar of protective emotion come back, like I had known them all my life.

Wait, how did Luis know mine and Léon's name, I don't think we ever told them.

I shook it off, they were kids, nothing strange. And I turned back to the lady.

"I never got your name." I said, trying to change the subject, I didn't want to think about it.

"Oh, Lizzie!" She replied happily, less nervous than before.

"Mommy! Can we go back soon!"

I froze, My heart leaping at the word, and something buried deep within me stirred, like a beast waking up from slumber.

I turned back to the kids and Luis immediately recognized his mistake, he had his hands over his mouth.

"If you want to guys. We're about to leave!" I shouted back, surprising him, but I also saw him smile a little.

Mommy?

Good God, I just made mom a grandmother.

"Okay!" He yelled back, splashing back to the streams edge, and standing at my side, he grabbed my hand, and Comet, who was at Luis's side, held his.

"Is everyone ready!" I shouted and I get a yelling of yes's.

"Okay, Lets go!" Some nod and others, mostly men cross their arms like they don't like being told what to do.

"Or don't and get lost." I added and the few men that crossed their arms went red and nodded.

About halfway back to Deliverance. We ran into Léon's hunting party, they had caught a Radstag, and a few horned jackrabbits.

"Hey!" Léon whipped around, his pistol out and smoke rolling out of it, but he did smile when he saw me.

"Hey Babe!" He chortled as I got closer, holding about five rabbits in one hand.

"I'd hug you, but I've got my hands full." He lifted the rabbits slightly, showing them off to the people I had with me.

"I need to talk to you later. Okay?" I said in a sudden serious tone, and he nodded, his smile fading, but only for a moment.

"We have enough food to last awhile, I reset all the traps and I'll be out early tomorrow with a team to check them." Luis beamed up at Léon who finally noticed him.

"Hey there buddy! You wanna head home?" He asked, in a fatherly tone, He was a natural, and I couldn't help but think I was too.

It took around two hours, but we finally reached the town, we were greeted with cheers and hugs, a people immediately got to cooking the food we had gotten.

It was a celebration feast, and everyone was going to attend, it took place in the lavishly decorated foyer, where there was enough space to hold them all.

As the food was cooking I took Léon to the side and he smiled.

"What's up, is something wrong?" He asked, mostly happy but with an edge of concern.

"No, It's just Luis called me Mommy today and-" He cut me off by grinning and gently leaning into me.

"And? That's not a bad thing Ái, It is cute though." He kissed me on the forehead and we heard the foyer go silent.

"That's your cue, go on, make 'em happy." He gave me a thumbs up and once again stood in front of everyone, and people looked much happier, and buzzing than before.

They are full of hope.

"Welcome Everyone! Today marks the day of a new chapter in this town. Today is the day that and era of prosperity and vitality take hold!" I heard cheers from the crowd. But I needed to wrap this up quick, I knew they were hungry.

"I'll keep this short as I know you are hungry after a hard day of work. But I will say this, every single one of you is important, together, as a united people's, we can do the extraordinary!" The people roared in approval, and I took this as the time to
stop.

"Now, take this moment to fill yourself with food and water, and rejoice that now, you can have peace." I stopped, people clapped, and then there was a rush, a scraping of chairs and plates, food was everywhere. And they enjoyed it.

I strolled back to the side of the room and Léon was there with four plates.

He handed one to me, kept one, and handed one each to Luis and Comet.

"Thanks Dad!" Luis responded appreciatively, and Léon stopped in his tracks. Staring at the wall.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" I asked and he looked at me with star and tear filled eyes.

"More than you can imagine."