"Thank god, girl, you're okay….. Julian call your father.. your sister is home." A middle aged woman yelled into the kictch. Instead he came out.

"Belle, where have you been." Being to busy taking off her muddy boots she ignore her brother's rage filled voice. "Belle, I said where have you been." He demanded of her.

"In the swamp."

"Chile, your father going to be mad," the woman said chuckling, Belle was a mess.

"Shut up, woman."

"Now you watch your tongue, young man."

"Silence, now go call my father and disappear." The woman hated that boy; she sometimes wondered how his twin could be so sweet when he was already turning into a monster.

"Grandfather! Grandfather, I've got something ta tell ya!" Belle ran up along side the banister, leaving her brother to catch up to her.

"Belle!" Julian called after her as she closed the door to her grandfather's room. "Damn."

"Grandfather?" Belle whispered into the slietly lit room.

"Come `ere, chile."

"Grandfather you will never guess what happened today." Anxiety was written all over her voice, as she sat down in front of him. He chuckled, Belle was always dressed up and she didn't even care that her new dress was destroyed. She smiled, maybe his little angel would make it. "I meet a boy today, his name's Remy. He was so cute, he had fallen asleep under our shrubs. We started running and lost time and that's way I was gone so long. I'm sorry about the dress."

"`orget about it. The dress ain't important you are; the swamp is very dangerous, are ya okay, chile? How did you get back?"

"Oh, Remy got hurt and the blood spread, I tried to patch it up, but I didn't think of it quick enough…. We where almost EATEN… Remy got me into da tree but he couldn't get up himself. I was so worried I felt like crying I didn't want him ta get hurt, then Henri come out of no way. And save us." Belle's ramping halted.

"Henri?"

"Henri Lebeau."

"Are you certain it was him?" Belle nodded.

"He brought me home."

"How is the boy?"

"Henri say he be fine."

"That be good, I think I'd like to meet your friend."

"Here ya go, Remy." Henri set a small tray of food next to his brother. No matter how many times Henri, heck all of them, thought about how thing fast things where going, but felt right.

"Henri, `em sorry, I know I shouldn't have gone out in da swamp." His head was hung low and his voice quite as he tried to spit the words out. "But I've been in da swamp so many times, I didn't think anything could happen, I mean, I know da swamp, I should have been able ta take care of myself, I… I'm sorry, I didn't mean ta be a problem."

"You're safe Remy, will at least `til papa gets home," he replied smiling.

*** A WEEK AND A HALF LATER

Remy recovered quickly and was already running around; well at least as much as you can in a house. He'd been grounded for what he'd done and the trouble he'd caused. He was luck that the assassins hadn't succeed in capturing Jean-Luc the first try and that Jean-Luc and Belle's father had a chance to talk afterward about what had started that particular part of the fight, where things would have become ever more so bloody.

At about 10 p.m. something hit Remy's window. He hadn't been able to sleep, he was wired. "Psss, Remy!" Can a hushed voice. Again something hit the window. Jumping from his bed he quietly moved to the window, looking into the shadows he found her, Belle, she was looking around on the ground for something to though. "Remy, you u- oh there you are! I wanna say I'm sorry."

"Dat's okay," he whispered back.

"Remy come down, I wanna talk ta ya."

"I'm grounded."

"Chicken."

"Non."

"Aww.. come down," she contained to whine. "PLEASE!"

"Only for a minute, `kay?"

"`Kay!" Jumping out the window or his second story room, he landed in the tree and began to climb down, toward the stem of the tree. "Remy, be careful."

"Always. Come on up, I don't wanna get caught." He extended his hand to her. Both giving a grunt as the pulled Belle into the tree they began to laugh. The tree would be occupied for at least another 2 and a half hours, while the two children talked: of their family, of their big adventure, and of their plans for the next day.

"Papa," Remy called running down the stairs. "Papa, wait." He jumped in front of the door.

"Oui?" The man wore an amused look on his face, which turned strain after though, "You should be hopping around like that Remy."

"But I'm better, Papa. Can I go outside today?"

"Non."

"Please, papa, please."

"What do you have on that devilish little mind of yours?"

"Nothing, just wanna go play some ball with Lapin, he asked if I could play, please!" Looking down at the boy, Jean-Luc sighed, how could he compete with his 'son's' eyes.

"Okay, but be careful and eat before ya go."

"Thank ya, Papa." He ran from the room and into the kitchen.

"`ello." The voice on the other end picked up.

"Hi, is Lapin dere?"

"Oui, it dat you Remy."

"Oui."

"Okay, I'll go get him."

"Thanks."

"Oui?"

"Lapin."

"What ya want, Remy?"

"Could ya cover for me?"

"What?"

"I'm going ta go see somebody, will ya cover for me?"

"Sure, what we doing?"

"Playing ball, maybe I'll come by later, huh?"

"Sure."

"Thanks." Hanging up the phone, Remy headed for Belle's house.

"Remy!"

"Hey Belle!"

"Come on, my grandfather is waiting, he really wants to meet you."

"I don't know, what if…"

"What if what? Come on!" Pulling her hands she headed toward the mansion.

Slamming the front door, Remy and Belle ran up the stairs to her Grandfather's room. "Grandpa, I brought Remy with me today."