A little delayed, and a little longer chapter for you! 

I hope you like it! 

-Keegan-

"What happened?" Jared asked apprehensively as Keegan exited the enormous bush. He stood with his hands at his sides, anxiously waiting for an answer.

Jared's face was easy to read; he was terrified that they had hurt her, which they had. Fortunately, she was not as hurt as she could have been. From what Keegan could tell by the look on her face, the knife had made a semi deep cut. Even if it was not 'good', it could have gone a lot worse.

"She fainted." Keegan told Jared in a calming tone, indicating that Cara was alright. 

It succeeded. Jared exhaled in relief, bent down for a moment and then stood upright again. It took him about two seconds before he saw her bloody cheek. He grimaced instantly, guilt and terror played in his eyes when they met Keegan's.

"Did the knife..." He began but turned silent when his eyes returned to the cut on her cheek. The rest of the sentence was left unsaid. 

"Yes." Keegan mumbled and studied her face.

The cut was still bleeding and it needed tending to. He turned his eyes back to Jared, whom were still grimacing with guilt.

"She is fine. I think. It is just a cut..." He assured him. "We need to go back, she is..." 

As he spoke Jared's eyes fell a bit and studied the naked legs that hung over Keegan's left arm. He had only managed to cover the vital parts of her. At the very least this would keep her honor intact, for whatever it was worth. 

I have seen her naked before... but to not cover her would rob her of her honor. He pondered, even though he would not dream of doing anything else. 

"Is she naked, again?" Jared asked in shock, although it was obvious. Keegan nodded. "Your coat barely covers her." He stated, pointing at her legs. "Maybe you should..."

"I cannot readjust my coat, then it will not cover... the rest of her..." He answered awkwardly and adjusted his grip around her body. "Give me yours so I can cover her properly." Keegan breathed in frustration and struggled with doing anything else than standing there, holding her. "It is not exactly like I can adjust it myself." He nodded at his hands which were clearly full.

"Give you my coat?" Jared laughed, although he was not amused. He could not believe what he was hearing. 

"Yes." Keegan answered sighing. "Come on. I need to take her back home. Mother needs to tend to the wound as soon as possible." 

Jared looked like he was molding something over in his mind. His hands were still st his hips, making him look even deeper in thought than he probably was.

A long silence passed before he opened his mouth again.

"That will cost you three tankards." Jared muttered while he took his coat off. Keegan could not help but to chuckle at the not so surprising demand.

That's all?

"Fine. Three tankards." He muttered. "In total!" Keegan added the last part quickly.

It would not have surprised him if Jared would try to demand three additional tankards on top of the first one he had been promised. 

"You better keep that promise, Ember. I will hold you to it." Jared locked eyes with him and they warned him against violating their agreement. "Or I will hit you in the balls again." 

Keegan chuckled while giving his friend a crooked smile.

"You can try." He laughed. Jared muttered something about that he would  try, and that he would in fact succeed. He walked up to them and helped Keegan adjust the coats so they covered Cara's entire body. 

They used Keegan's coat to protect her head, shielding it from the rain, and her upper body. Jared's coat had the honor of covering up everything south of her hips. They made sure that their coats overlapped more than enough at her most private parts. Afterwards, they walked towards the edge of the woods, leading them out on the fields and eventually to the village gates. 

The rain was still pouring down when they stepped out of the cover of the trees. The poor weather did not make Keegan feel less happier. Now that he had found Cara, it felt like a colossal weight had been lifted from his shoulders. It would be such a relief to bring her home and let his family know that she was alright, and most importantly; alive.

As they approached the village gates Jared almost ran for them. There was not a piece of him that was not soaking wet. It brought out a laughter from Keegan as he walked calmly. He was in no rush even though he was just as wet as Jared. Of course it would be nice to get out of the rain and bring Cara inside, but she was protected by their coats and that was all that mattered.

From nowhere he heard a loud almost distraught bark. It echoed from where they had come from. 

Fuck! Blackie! He thought as soon as he remembered that he had forgotten something. He turned around in his step. The sight of his soaked wet beast of a dog, came running from the direction of the woods made him feel very guilty. Blackie barked a couple of times, ordering his owner to wait for him. 

"I am sorry." Keegan apologized when Blackies discontent eyes stared back at him when he reached him. He grunted at his owner and if Keegan was not imagining, he could have sworn that Blackie frowned at him. "I am. Truly." He continued and raised his eyebrows. "But I found her!" He chuckled and nodded at Cara's unconscious body. 

Blackie grunted, clearly not impressed by the fact that he had been left and forgotten in the woods and walked past him. 

"Do not pout." Keegan grunted back at him and started walking again. "You could gave stayed close, like you are supposed to, but you had to wander off."

A loud whining,  sounding very displeased, protest left the black fur ball and it brought an impulsive laughter out of Keegan.

At least I do not need to worry about anyone seeing us in this storm... He thought and looked up into the dark sky. Thick clouds moved over him and brought down the heavy rain fall upon them. I wonder what people would say if they saw me carrying her home, naked, in the rain like this.

Jared walked home with Keegan and removed his coat from Cara as they reached the door. He opened the door for Keegan and walked in after him. The sound of Orla groaning at the mere sight of Jared was the first thing that met Keegan. 

Around the table his whole family was eating in complete silence. He felt the warmth from finally being inside hit him. It felt so good that it made him groan out loud in pure pleasure. 

His family looked up at him. His mother saw him first as he turned to them, still holding Cara's unconscious, sleeping, body in his arms. To his big surprise his mother screamed in terror. He felt his whole face turn blank and his jaw drop a little. His mother's hands flew up over her mouth and he immediately realized what this looked like.

He had covered Cara's face and almost her entire body with his coat. However, it did not reach her knees and they hung over his arm. From where his family was sitting it must have looked like she was completely lifeless.

"No!" His father gasped darkly and got out of his chair. "No, it cannot be true..." He sighed very saddened. 

"No, no, no!" Keegan exclaimed while his parents hurried over. Before he could say anything else his mother ripped the coat away from Cara's face, revealing her bleeding cut. A loud shriek left her and she sniffled. 

"Poor girl." She whimpered and caressed her forehead gently. "She is ice cold, Georg." She whispered 

"Mother, she is not dead." Keegan sighed and met a pair of green shocked eyes. A tiny glimpse of hope rested in them. "I just covered up... She is naked."

His mother's face lit up like the sun. Then, as soon as it lit up, it turned very dark. 

"What do you mean 'she is naked'?" She spat out. "Why is she naked, Keegan?" 

"I found her like this." He defended himself. "Just like last time." He added. His siblings came up to them and Flynn put his hand on their mother's shoulder. 

"It is true, mother. She was naked that time as well..."

"Put her in your bed." Keegan's mother exclaimed in frustration. Probably when she did not have anyone to blame for Cara's delicate situation. "Do not sneak a peak!" She hissed and locked eyes with her oldest son. When he rolled his eyes but nodded she turned to her youngest, and he nodded as well.  

-Cara-

Sunlight made its way through the comfort of the blankets covering her face. The blankets were all quite poorly made and small holes in the fabric let the sunshine through. It irritated her eyes and she moaned.

She was so tired that she could easily have slept for a couple of hours more... A yawn tore its way out of her and she grunted in displeasure as she slowly woke up. Her face wrinkled as the sun hit her squinting eyes and she turned around.

Where am I? She thought as soon as she opened her eyes. Above her a wooden, strangely familiar, ceiling appeared. Her body felt sore and weary when she sat up in the bed she was in. The last thing she remembered was... walking alone in the woods... and that she heard voices calling... 

Keegan! She thought when she remembered that they had found each other in the woods. He found me! I am back! She was delighted to be back. 

"Thank God!" She sighed loudly and rubbed her face to make sure she wasn't sleeping. 

"Was that her?" She heard Miriam's voice from outside the door and was immediately assured that she was indeed safe and sound in their care again. 

"Mother. Let her sleep." Keegan spoke. Cara looked towards the door. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard his dark voice. 

I have to find a way to thank him... I would still have been out there if he hadn't found me... Oh my God I was naked... AGAIN. She felt her blood turn cold when she remembered that she had been naked in the woods. You've got to be kidding me! Keegan saw me naked again?!

"Oh come on!" Cara exclaimed without thinking of high the volume of her voice was. She threw her head back in frustration.

How many times is he going to see me without clothes? How many is it now? Three? It's three!

"She is awake!" It sounded like Miriam objected against whatever her son had said. "Even you heard that, Keegan!"

"She must be exhausted from what she has been through, whatever it was. Let her be, love." Cara lit up when she heard Georg's voice as well. "She needs her rest." 

"Since when do you agree with our children?" Miriam spat back. 

"Are they all awake?" Cara moaned quietly, smiling ear to ear, and looked towards the door. Her blankets fell off her and she went to cover herself with them when suddenly noticed that she was dressed. On her she had a long light brown tunic, it reached her elbows and almost down to her knees. "Of course, Miriam dressed me..." She chuckled.

"She is awake!" Miriam said the same thing as before and Cara could hear her approaching the door. It flew open a second later and the red headed woman smiled so wide at her that Cara couldn't resist but to smile back at her.

"Miriam." Cara said calmly. Warmth poured out of the woman's eyes when she heard her name. She scurried over to her and leaned in over Cara. Miriam's warm palm caressed her cheek. 

"Where were you...? We were worried sick about you!" She whispered and booped Cara on the tip of her nose. The last part of what she had said sounded almost like a scolding, but the boop on her nose dampened it. 

Cara tilted her head and managed to tell Miriam with her eyes that she still had no idea of what she was saying.

-Keegan-

"Where are her clothes?" His mother called out to them from inside of his room.

"In the dresser." Orla yelled back without even stop eating her breakfast.

"Which dresser?"

"Keegan's!"

Keegan frowned, turned to his sister and showed his palms in a silent question.

"You put her clothes in my room? In my dresser?" He asked in confusion. "Why?"

"Where else?" Orla asked and shrugged her shoulders with a frown on her face. "It is where she sleeps."

"But why? And when? And where?" The questions poured out of him.

"I just told you why. I did it the day she disappeared and I put it in the bottom drawer, which was empty. Do you want to ask me anything else or can I continue with this?" Orla circled her spoon above the bowl of porridge she was trying to eat.

He said nothing and took his place at the table and started eating as well. He was not hungry at all. The only thing he could think of was that Cara was awake and that he wanted to see her. But he had to stay out here, keeping his feelings to himself. If his family found out, he would never hear the end of it. And he did not want Cara to know either... what if she rejected him? 

"There you go!" His mother declared in a joyful voice. She sounded proud.

They all turned their gazes towards her voice. His mother was ushering Cara out of the door of his room. Keegan's heart stopped. He felt his eyes widen and his jaw drop a little. His throat closed up somewhat and he had to blink twice.

In front of them all, Cara stood in her own clothes. She looked even more beautiful than ever! The blue eyes glistened but the arms were shyly crossed over her chest. 

Fuck... did anyone see me?  Keegan wondered nervously when he realized that he had completely forgotten to keep a straight face. 

He looked to his father and brother but they were both preoccupied with looking at Cara as well. The only one who had seen his reaction was his sister, whom was smirking at him in silence. He ignored her and pretended like he had gotten something in his throat and cleared it awkwardly.

In an attempt to get away with his mistake he turned his eyes away from his sister. It failed instantly as his eyes betrayed him and went back to Cara. She was wearing her dark blue skirt and white blouse and he could not tear his eyes away from her as soon as they landed on her again.

"She looks beautiful, does she not?" His mother said pleased. She clasped her hands in pride."Oh, just...! So lovely!" She sounded like she wanted to take a bite out of Cara.

Everyone else agreed with her but Keegan was speechless, no sound left him. Which was probably for the best. 

"Looks very good, does it not?" Orla asked him in a chuckle.

"Shut your hole." He muttered hoarsely.

"Keegan?" His mother snapped at him, but not because what he had said. It was impossible for her to have heard him.

"Yes?" He asked and was ripped out if the trance Cara had put him in, and the annoyance his sister caused.

"Move over!" His mother told him and waved her hands at him impatiently. "Make some room for her."

You are placing her next to me? Why do you not just slap me right away and get it over with? He thought. Without a word he moved his chair to the left and tried to eat his food as Cara took her seat next to him.

"How nice..." Orla purred and winked at him when the others did not listen. They had started talking about how great it was that Cara was safe and sound. 

"Fuck off, Orla." He growled.

"But it is so sweet... you almost look like a couple." She laughed and gained the others' attention.

"Keegan..." 

Keegan and Orla looked at each other in shock. Cara had just said his name. He slowly turned and faced her, even though it would be his doom. 

-------------------------

I hope you liked it! 

I will soon, very soon, stop teasing you with the will-they won't- they ;) I promise! 

All the best,

Jenny