Chapter 1

The Raven haired beauty looked down with a scowl. Her dark blue eyes seemed to be flashing, as she smacked at the customers hands that were reaching out for her.

It was still early for lunch at midday, but some of the folks who worked on the wharf ate whenever they could, so once breakfast started they could be coming in and out all day in steady streams.

Today the young woman really didn't want to serve this customer, but it was her job to serve anyone who was paying for food and drink. But she really wished that this man would shrivel up and die, rather than stay in the tavern anywhere near her.

The young beauty said "No, no, NO! How many times do I have to tell you NO! I am not remotely interested in going anywhere with..."

She suddenly looked up sharply as she trailed off.

Then she looked back and forth around the room with a big smile and said loudly "YES! They're back. THEY'RE REALLY BACK!"

Suddenly she took off and moved swiftly through the tavern, leaving the bewildered man staring after her wondering what she was talking about. Even in his confusion he was still admiring her very shapely form as she left.

Meanwhile she had started looking around the room for her friend Gail. Suddenly she spotted her on the far side serving other customers.

"Gail! They're back, they're back! They really came back!" said Darla excitedly.

"Darla, didn't Galen tell you that though you shouldn't, you might still experience those ghost pains he called it, from time to time with Caelan being gone? I know it's been over a season since you had any, but don't tell me you're starting to have them again?" asked Gail frowning.

She was worried about her friend. She clearly remembered how Darla was during that time when Caelan first left.

Today Gail, who was Darla's very best friend, also had her long deep brown hair pulled back into a ponytail to keep it out of her eyes. Her hair reached just about mid shoulder length on her, and her light brown eyes, with the golden flecks floating in them almost like they were swirling, looked at her friend in concern.

"Maybe we should see Galen and tell him that you're having the problem again," said Gail finally.

"No, no, it's not the same. Before I admit I was hoping that I could feel Caelan and it was getting to me because it felt like I was living in a dream at times, but this time I know it's him it! It feels like he's standing right beside me again. I can't explain it, but it's not the same. Soon as we finish our shift lets go to their house and check it out!" said Darla excitedly.

Gail sighed, "Ok we'll go, but don't get your hopes up too high. They may not be there."

"Great! Soon as we finish with these customers here we're going! I know mom won't care if we leave a little early," said Darla with a wink of her eye at Gail.

Then she turned and with a big smile she headed back the way she came, humming a happy tune.

"Wow, traveling is always fun, but I am happy to get back home after being gone so long," said Caelan as he was the first to walk through the door of their house.

"Admit it, you just want to see Darla again after two seasons," said his brother Jaden with a wide grin on his face. He was looking around for a safe place to drop his pack that wouldn't get him yelled at later by their mother.

"And just who was it who started having wet dreams again about Gail just two weeks before we got here, after all these seasons?" asked Caelan as he poked his brothers chest while he looked at his brother smiling.

"HEY! They weren't wet dreams and ... I ... Uh ... uhm ... uh," said Jaden as he started to mumble turning red.

"So you DID dream about her. I thought so when you kept mumbling Gail, Gail, Gail, in your sleep," said Caelan still smiling. "You can't wait to see her either, admit it."

"Boys, lets clean up a little around the house and then you can go into town and say hi to all your friends," said Brianna with a smile.

She herself was looking forward to a little alone time with Aric soon as the boys were gone. She was sure that she had some ideas on how to keep Aric occupied for a few hours.

Aric looked over at Brianna. Suddenly he had a thought "Let's start with a light house cleaning later after we open all the windows and give it time to air out. Boys I bet you're itching to see your friends so go have fun. We'll meet you all in town for dinner and we'll do the heavy cleaning in the morning."

Both boys looked at each other with a knowing smile, turned and said "Thanks Dad!" at the same time and fled out the door as fast as they could.

Brianna, who was in shock turned to Aric, and it was then that she noticed his smile at her, and suddenly she fully understood, like the boys, why Aric did that.

Brianna dropped her pack and supplies on the table, turned put her arms around Aric's neck and huskily said "Well lets at the very least change the linens on the bed first so we're not doing it on dusty sheets. And then we'll see if we can't wear each other out for a few hours."

Then she smiled big, slowly started stroking Aric's chest, and gave him a really deep kiss for a few minutes.

"Sheets you say! Coming right up!" said Aric as he broke away and started dramatically looked back and forth around the room, in kitchen cabinets and drawers, before he rushed out the door in search of sheets.

Brianna laughed out loud as she followed him out the door, as she knew he was only acting like that for her benefit. She knew they would really enjoy themselves in the next few hours before they went to meet the boys.

"Darla, just why won't you go out with me again? The one time we did we seemed to have a good time. I even kept my hands to myself like you asked and never once tried anything, but I know you must have felt the same attraction that I felt. I could see it in your smile," said the man.

Darla was now back at the table she was at earlier. She really didn't want to talk to this man any more than she had to. But she still needed to get his order.

The man was very handsome and with a slight build and blonde hair with brown eyes. One might guess that he came to about 5'11 — 6' easy. But where most men who worked around the docks in this city were somewhat rugged and stout, he was more slender, but not closely enough to be called feminine by anyone.

But he would also never give anyone the impression he worked a hard day in his life with his hands. But he did have what girls often called pretty boy features. Meaning he had more than his fair share of girls willing to see what he was capable of.

"Quinn that one time shouldn't have happened. I was missing someone really important to me and I didn't realize at the time I was trying to do what ever I could to make me stop missing and dwelling on him. I wasn't in my right mind.

"And if I was, I wouldn't have gone out with you. That date was the only one that we'll ever have. If you're not going to eat please leave, but if you are, let me know what you want to order so I can tell my brother and we can get it for you," said Darla with a frown.