When Meadow and Hale finally arrived, thirty minutes after they had parted ways with her father and Eddie, her mother was pacing on the veranda by the sliding glass doors, watching for them anxiously. 

"That's my mom," Meadow informed Hale as they approached the deck. "You'll get a warmer welcome from her than you did my father." That last comment was spoken with an apologetic smile.

Hale brought Wanderer right up to the edge of the veranda and dismounted. Turning back, he reached up to assist Meadow down. His fingers gently squeezed her waist and he grinned up at her like the Cheshire cat as he pulled her off the horse and set her down.

He didn't let go straight away. His fingers lingered. Long enough to catch Meadow's attention. Suddenly hyper aware of his hands on her waist, his chest by her face, his wonderful cologne lingering in her nostrils, Meadow turned as red as a Darcey Rose.

"That colour," he was talking about the blush, "suits my lake nymph."

Meadow's heart fluttered or was it butterflies? She couldn't tell. She just knew she felt a spark of attraction every time he called her his nymph. It was so silly, and of course he was just flirting, but still, she knew she was drawn to him.

Noora didn't seem to be aware of the little moment her daughter and the lycanthrope were having. Had she been more perceptive, she might have tried to discourage it knowing what a fit Niko would have. But, being too preoccupied with the morning's events she only managed to frown at the pair asking, "Where is Taffy-girl?"

"She-she's with Dad," Meadow stuttered as she extricated herself from Hale's light hold.

This guy was altogether too charming. Meadow didn't know whether to be flattered or to be careful. She'd never encountered such a beguiling lycanthrope. She didn't even know they existed.

At the Bureau, lycanthropes (male or female) were often rowdy, outspoken, domineering and even violent. She had not encountered too many who even came close to Hale's kind – naturally seductive charmers that made your heart race, your stomach flutter and your cheeks burn red with just a smile. In many ways, he was a breath of fresh air. But, was he the kind of fresh air she could breath in without getting lightheaded and doing something stupid?  Probably not.

Hale, perhaps seeing the bewilderment in her eyes, gave her a devastating smile before turning his attention to her mother. "Hello Mrs. Rask. Brought your daughter back in one piece," he said with a twinkle in his eye.

Noora, always a sucker for an attractive man (lycanthrope or not), gave him and answering smile as she stopped pacing. "Glad to see it. Sorry for all the trouble. Was it, Ranger Seppanen?" she inquired with a quizzical look.

"Just call me Hale," he offered in his friendly manner.

"She's always causing someone trouble," Noora confided in him. "We are lucky you were around and her father didn't have to go all the way up to Copper Lake."

But those words, thoughtlessly spoken to bring out Hale's natural sympathies for the trouble Meadow had caused Mr. and Mrs. Rask, only stung Meadow. The whole family thought she was the problem, including her mother. It was really infuriating and entirely unjust. But, lucky for her Hale didn't take the bait. He never responded to the comment at all as his eyes sized up the older woman.

"They've missed so much time today," Noora went on anxiously. "No one will be happy tonight."

Meadow cringed. She already knew it, but hearing her mother say it out loud just confirmed for her again that coming home hadn't been such a bright idea.  Sighing, Meadow determined not to spend another night in the family home.

"Don't worry Mom," Meadow piped up with more confidence in her voice than she felt. "I'll take a room at the Inn tonight and get out of Dad's hair."

Noora shot her daughter a disapproving look, but didn't reply. Niko wasn't going to be any happier with her off at the Inn. Deciding to ignore her daughter's remark for the time being, she turned her attention to the enormously attractive ranger asking, "Hale, would you like a glass of cold water or some ice tea before you go?"

Hale, ever the gentleman, responded in warm, inviting tones saying, "Thanks for the offer Mrs Rask, but another time perhaps. I've got work still to do."

Noora didn't bother saying 'another time then'. She knew there wouldn't be another time. Instead, she nodded and walked back into the house. She had a million things to do, a husband to worry about, and Meadow to straighten out when she got in the door.

Meadow waited until her mother disappeared behind the glass sliding door before she half turned to Hale and let out a little incredulous laugh saying, "I think you've won her over. You have no idea how rare it is for a lycanthrope to get an invitation for iced-tea."

Hale chuckled, shrugged his shoulders and said, "I have that affect on people." His brown eyes were practically glowing with mischief.

Meadow was once again swept away by how attractive he was. She could look at his face all day. But, she didn't have that luxury. Their encounter was an anomaly - an isolated event that wasn't likely to repeat itself. She knew better than to socialize with local lycanthropes where the news could get back to her father. That was tantamount to lighting a fire under his favourite recliner while he was sitting in it.

Knowing this was going to be their first and last meeting, Meadow felt grateful to Hale, who'd been her shield that morning, and a little sad to see him go.

"Thanks for helping me out today. And for overlooking the family drama."

"It was my pleasure," he replied easily, smiling at her with his eyes. "It's not every day you get to rescue a nymph in distress," he confessed with a flirtatious grin that exposed his large, white and somewhat unaligned teeth. His expression became thoughtful as he asked, "How long are you going to be in Arrowfield?"

"Maybe a fortnight, " she supplied. Though, if things didn't improve with her father, she would be cutting this trip home very short.

"Well then, I'll be sure to keep an eye out for my nymph from now on," he replied with a summery smile.

Meadow broke out in goosebumps all over. He couldn't be more attractive if he were the Greek god Eros. Watching him ride off, she reasoned that it was probably just as well she wasn't likely see him again. A one-sided romance with an lycanthrope was not going to make her life any less complicated.

Back in the house she found her mother busy cleaning and organizing things that neither needed to be cleaned or organized. This was a sign of acute stress. There was no doubt in her mind that she was the cause. Coming home unscheduled like this had put the household in a tizzy. Meadow frowned and rubbed her temple. Just watching her mother and thinking about her father was giving her a tension headache. So much for a peaceful home environment.

"Mom," she called loud enough to get her mother's attention, who was so absorbed in what she was doting that she hadn't noticed Meadow come in.

"Yes Darling," Noora responded automatically.

"I'm going to make a reservation at the Inn. I'll stay there."

"Not that again, Meadow," Noora exclaimed with a touch of exasperation. "Forget it. Your father will be furious."

"He's already angry," Meadow argued. "I didn't come here so I can walk on egg shells around him for the next two weeks. I'm suppose to be recuperating after the incident."

"Your father and I want you to quit your job at the Bureau," Noora confessed.

"You are changing the subject, Mom."

"Am I?" She asked while giving Meadow a pointed look.

"I'll call the Turgenev's and book a room," Meadow said as she passed her mother and headed for the stairs. "I'll need a lift," she called over he shoulder.

"Your father wont like it," Noora repeated nervously.

"It's for the best," Meadow answered as she took the stairs two at a time.

The Turgenev's, long-time friends of the family, owned an Inn and had plenty of rooms available this early in the season. After a quick call, they were only to happy to promise Meadow their second best room for her two week stay. Ten minutes after she got off the phone, she was packed and hauling her suitcase down the stairs.

She left the suitcase by the door and went in search of her mother. She was in the kitchen making soup and sandwiches for her father and Eddie. Apparently, they came in from the hillside at noontime for lunch every day like clockwork.

"What will I tell your father when he gets here?" Noora asked without looking at her.

"I'll tell him. You don't worry about it." It's not like Meadow wanted to tell him or that she was any better at breaking news to him. But, it was one less thing her mother would have to fret over and deal with.

Meadow left the kitchen then to go and stuff her suitcase in the back seat of her mother's silver Hyundai Accent.  While she was half in the car, lifting the suitcase in, Taffy appeared at her leg with a little bark. The boys, her father and Eddie, were back for their lunch.

So, Meadow wasn't the least bit surprised when she heard a familiar embittered voice ask her, "What are you doing now?" 

She audibly sighed as she stood up and closed the car door. Why couldn't her he just talk to her like a normal human being? Why did he always have to sound angry or put out. With a frown she looked at him. He was standing between her and the porch, wiping the sweat from his forehead with an old handkerchief. And, of course, he was scowling. Great.

"I've made arrangements to stay at the Inn. Mom's going to take me there after lunch," Meadow informed him in a dry, even voice.

"Your mother didn't agree to this," he stated with disdain.

"No, she didn't. But you aren't happy I'm home and I'm not tippy-toeing around you for the next two weeks. So, it's best for everyone if I just stay at the Inn," Meadow replied with a shrug of her shoulder and a defeated look.

"You should never have gone up to the lake," he grumbled.

Meadow wanted to scream but suppressed the urge by clenching her fists and shoving them into her jean pockets. He had to know that going up to the Lake was not the problem. What he was really pissed about was that she had come home, uninvited, and had disturbed the peace and tranquility of his little oasis.

Not in a mood to take his attitude she piped up saying, "I'm sorry I put Taffy at risk, Dad. But, in my defence, I did check the town website before I went. And, it's not like I haven't been up there a thousand times before at this time of year."

He huffed and then turned on his heel without another word.

Meadow felt hurt, but it was nothing new. She'd never been able to please him or get along with him like the boys did. Not since the bear attack, at least. Everything changed between her and him after she was rescued. Meadow still couldn't remember the incident, much less the rescue, but she sure did remember how her father's demeanour morphed into something unrecognizable.

At first he wouldn't let her leave the house. His paranoia was suffocating. Then he became gruff and annoyed with her as she recovered and wanted more freedom. The two older boys could come and go as they pleased. And Meadow remembered not understanding why she couldn't have the same freedom. It wasn't like she done anything wrong. The bear attack couldn't possibly be her fault. So, why was he always punishing her?

She kept on asking, and whining like kids do, for more freedoms and over time he got so he couldn't stand to look at her any more. The least little thing she did - if she looked at him the wrong way, if she breathed the wrong way, if she chewed her food the wrong way - would set him off. He'd either storm off to his study and slam the door shut, or he'd bark at her to get out of the room and send her off crying. Happy times.

Of course, he'd mellowed a bit over time. And she had stopped crying over his inexplicable outbursts and miserable behaviour toward her. But here she was, going through a bit of a crisis at work and needing the comforts of home, and he still couldn't bring himself to hug her, smile at her, or tell her she was welcome to stay as long as she needed. Instead, he'd rather welcome the presence of a lycanthrope in the house, then tolerate his own daughter hanging around. 

Eddie happened to come around the corner of the house, heading for the stairs, just when Meadow was rehearsing in her mind what a pathetic relationship she had with her dad. He looked quickly from her to her father, who was just walking into the house.  Meadow's face burned with embarrassment. Had he heard their conversation? What exactly did Eddie know about her? Whatever it was, it couldn't be good. Her father didn't know how to say nice things.

To her surprise, he gave her the faintest of smiles and a little nod of acknowledgement.  Meadow was secretly relieved that he wasn't as bitter about the morning as her father was. She smiled and nodded back. But, she didn't follow the men inside.

Instead, she sat on the deck rocker and waited the half hour it took them to eat and leave through the back door. The last thing she wanted to do was sit and watch her father treat Eddie like one of the family while giving her the cold shoulder the whole time. She wasn't stupid enough to punish herself unnecessarily.

Not two minutes after she heard her father and Eddie open and close the sliding doors in the dinning room and exit out the back yard, the front door opened Her mother was coming out with a tray of food in her hands. Meadow stood up to help her.

"Why didn't you come in?" Noora asked as she handed Meadow the tray.

Meadow laughed a little, "Oh Mom, why do you even ask. It's not like he wanted me in there?" Sitting back down in the rocker Meadow sighed and confessed quietly, "Coming home was such a bad idea."

Noora grimaced, but didn't argue as she took up a seat in the second rocker and watched the scenery.

After a long stretch of silence between them she simply said, "He does love you. He just ..."

"He just loves everyone else more," Meadow said with a scowl to match her father's, "Including this Eddie character."

"Oh, Eddie's a sweet fella and a good worker," Noora countered in his defence.

"And I'm not?" Meadow asked point blank.

Noora stared at her with surprise.

Not wanting to hear her mother excuse her father or try to make Meadow out to be the bad guy, she got up and made for the door. "Lets just go after I take care of these dishes."

Not another word was said between them about her father, Eddie or any sensitive subjects as per usual.