Once upon a time after twenty years had passed since edward finn had met his wife and the hill against the pine forest had grown a haphazard house a young woman walked barefoot down a dirt road into town. Her name was Deanna. She walked down the road aimlessly with her hands stretched out and feeling at the tall grass beside until her path was met by an older woman. Now, this older woman was no real human, but a demon sent by the Devil himself to get Deanna's soul. See, because Deanna was born from the magnetic Edward Finn and his witch-wife, she was a rather powerful specimen, and the Devil desired her soul for when the rapture came he would have the magnetic witch woman in his court, leading his army. So he sent up his demons to take her hand, and bring the marriage papers down to Hell.
On the Earth the Widow said to Deanna, "Young lady, why don't you wear any shoes?"
Deanna said to the Widow, "Well, it's a warm day out."
"Would you join me for tea?" The Widow asked. "My son and I would welcome company."
And Deanna, being a particularly optimistic and agreeable woman, agreed.

Deanna came quietly to the door of the Widow's house, wearing shoes with socks this time, and knocked thrice on the old wooden door. A man her own age- the good son of the Widow- answered. He smiled at her, and was handsome indeed. Deanna smiled back as he invited her in. The Widow and the Good Son sat by the warm fire with Deanna and flattered her kindly and profusely as they drank tea and ate. When it came to the end of their gathering, the Widow left the room quietly, leaving Deanna alone with the Good Son, who knelt before her.
"Deanna," He began, before Deanna stood up, knowing darn well what he was up to.
"Now, I'll stop you there." She set her teacup down on an end table. "A fine young man like you ought not to propose to the first gal who comes to tea. Now stand up."
The Good Son obliged sheepishly, and they said their polite goodbyes.
The Good Son and the Widow went back down to Hell. The Devil was appalled that his demons were unable to seduce poor Deanna, as he had seldom failed in this department. This time, he sent up a demon with more experience.

Deanna sat on the front porch of the general store, curled with her knees tucked beneath her chin and wrapped up in her freckled arms. She was waiting for what she knew would be the Devil's second try at taking her. Though she knew what was happening, she couldn't help giving the old widow and her son the benefit of the doubt. She thought perhaps, if she treated them cordially, they might decide to stay up on Earth, and be her friend. And when the next demon finally came, he looked her in the eye and she thought she might easily befriend him. The man- handsome, too handsome for her liking- approached her calmly and with a certain swagger that would have raised a red flag a mile away. He was dressed in a business suit and stuck out like a sore thumb among the townsfolk.
"Hey there," He said to Deanna. "I'm not from around here. Would you mind showing me around?"
"Not at all." Deanna stood up, dusting off her skirt and placing her hands on her hips. "What would you like to see first?"
Deanna took the city slicker around town, showing him every little place he asked to see until they were so tired they nearly collapsed on Deanna's back porch. The Slicker had sweat near through his shirt, and his blazer was slung over his shoulder with all the practiced nonchalance of a good con-man.
"Now, Miss Deanna, I think you're the most beautiful woman in the world." Said the Slicker, sidling closer up to her.
"Thank you kindly." Deanna replied simply.
"You have lovely hair, and a wonderful smile."
Deanna began to speak again, but was cut off.
"And what lovely eyes-"
"Thank you kindly! Don't interrupt me again." Deanna huffed. "You're very flattering, but it's unnecessary."
"Silly girl-"
"Don't talk down to me now, the only one being silly here is you. My daddy's got a gun and I'm a better shot than he is, so I'd thank you even kinder if you'd shut your trap."
"I just don't understand, I'm only trying to-"
"Trying to what?" Deanna stood up quickly. "I offered my friendship to you and that's all."
"I give up!" The Slicker shouted, to no one in particular. "I'm leaving. I quit!" He climbed down off the porch, storming off through the yard.
"Be careful now, there's mud!" Deanna shouted, turning around with a huff and walking into her house, slamming the screen door behind her.

Sat in the his lair, the Devil and his right hand discussed the issue of taking Deanna's soul. She was far too pure of heart; the only way to get her to hell would be for her to sign her name away. The plan was simply to seduce her, marry her, and take the marriage documents down to the Devil, but no demon could manage, even with their magick wiles.
"There must be a plan B." Said the Devil in exasperation.
"Surely there must be someone suited to the task!" Cried his right hand.
"Well," The Devil raised his eyebrows, "Why not you?"
"Me?" Asked the right hand incredulously. "Why me?"
"Because I trust you more than any other."
'You shouldn't.' The right hand thought. "Alright, I'll go." The right hand said.

On a red-skied morning, Deanna watched as the Devil's right hand man walked down the highway into town; he met her in the middle of the dirt road which led to her house. He was handsome-but not so handsome that it was uncomfortable- and had a smirk on his face like he expected to win the lottery that day. He wore a dusty black coat and boots. A flock of crows landed behind him; she counted thirteen. For a long moment, they looked in each other's eyes. He blinked first. Deanna spoke:
"Alright now, Highway-man. Let's go."
The smirk melted from the Highway-man's face as his palms began to sweat; he began to wonder what was wrong with him. Something about Deanna set his teeth on edge and made his stomach turn inside him.
Deanna and the Highway-man ran all about town together that day, and Deanna found that the Highway-man wasn't nearly as irritating as the other demons who had come to take her away, and she even got the feeling that the Highway-man wasn't interested in stealing her soul at all; after the first day of frolicking about with him, she was ready to do it again the next day, and so she did. Deanna began to find the Highway-man charming and agreeable, with all his nervous mannerisms.
As the next day dawned, the Highway-man came to Deanna's door, feeling strangely excited and nervous over her. He hardly thought about his goal at all; his mind had been invaded by Deanna's easy wiles and her unconventional mannerisms. As he prepared himself, he heard footsteps accompanied by the opening of the door. He stood straighter instantly, brushing his hair back with one hand as he fixed his eyes towards where he knew he would meet hers. Instead, his eyes met with the chest of a taller man who glared down at him with a crow's gaze. He looked up to meet the man's eyes and felt strangely frightened- of course, he knew the man by sight: Edward Finn, the mad, magnetic man- but still he found himself intimidated.
"Hello, sir." The Highway-man began, sure that he had never even used the word 'sir' before in his lifetime. "I'm looking for-"
"My daughter?" Edward raised his eyebrows.
A long moment of silence followed as the Highway-man grew sure that the day's plans would have to be postponed, until Edward turned and called Deanna's name for her to come to the door.
The day went by fast. The next day went by fast, and the next, and the next, and the next, until The Highway-man stopped going back to Hell to check in with his superior and began to sleep beneath the apple tree next to the highway each night.
One night, after three months of accompanying Deanna wherever she went, the Highway-man began to lie down when Deanna climbed down from the branches of the apple tree and landed, on her hands and feet beside him. She sat close to him, adjusting her position silently until she was comfortable.
"I know." Said Deanna simply, reaching for the top of his head and touching one of his horns that hid beneath his mop of brown hair.
The Highway-man nodded slowly, realizing that his plan had failed, and knowing that he never wanted it to succeed in the first place.
"Stay here." Deanna took his hand. "I'd sure like to marry you." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek.
"I can't. I'm bound." The Highway-man sighed.
"Please. We can undo that." Deanna laughed so easily the Highway-man began to understand the good of humanity, and he kissed her.
"What's your name, Highway-man?" Deanna asked.
The Highway-man made a sound so incomprehensible it is impossible to relay through human vocal cords nor through written word. What you must know is that it was felt more than heard, gentle more than quiet, and buzzing more than ringing.
"I'm gonna call you Norman." Said Deanna matter-of-factly, and Norman breathed the first breath of a man.
On that night Deanna slept beneath the apple tree, and in the morning she walked with him back to the house she grew up in, and they walked together through the winding halls and into the kitchen where Deanna's mother stood washing dishes. Sunlight came through the window and filtered light through the skeletons of the caught fish which hung on a line above the sink. Their shadows swayed on the wooden floor. Norman watched them carefully until Deanna began speaking to her mother, who gathered the family in the kitchen. Deanna's mother and father stood by the oven in their opposing demeanors: hers a calm and delighted one, his stern and cool yet still with good natured humor. Beside them was a boy who looked about thirteen, but who was dressed in what looked like clothing from long ago. Next to him was a teenage girl whose dark curls were pulled into small pigtails on the sides of her head, and next to her was a large, tall man who held a dog in the front pocket of his overalls. Norman looked around at all of them, feeling strangely at ease among their ranks. He didn't belong there, but nearly none of them did.
The affair was simple and largely silent. He was made to undress, and Deanna's mother- Caroline was her name- gave him a white linen gown to wear. It looked rather small, yet strangely it fit him fine. Caroline took his arm, walking with him silently outside and through the garden, where the family had gathered. She patted him thrice on the arm she held. Edward took him by the shoulder, and him and his wife walked him down to a koi pond in the middle of the yard. As he lowered down, he felt the fish swim around his body, wrapping him up in the water. He opened his eyes, watching the blurry silhouettes of his newfound family watch him become one of them. When he came out of the water, he noticed warm blood running from a single cut along his forearm. He looked at it curiously, watching Deanna's dark-eyed teenaged sister reach out and touch it with her finger.
"Their fins are real sharp." She gestured towards the fish in the pond with a nod of her head. "It will heal soon."

The cut had healed by the time of the wedding.