After three years of scrimping and saving, all it took was a single conversation with a family who enjoyed helping others out for Will and Jess to suddenly have a home of their own. Marin and Evan hadn't even needed the younger couple to explain their situation; as soon as the cabin had been mentioned, the Lassiters had all but fallen over themselves to offer it to the Taylors. Not only that, but rent free. Overwhelmed by the sheer generosity of the action, Will and Jess had broken the news to a very distressed Mrs. Middleton, standing their ground as she tried to entice them to stay with her, and within just a few days, they were moving into their new home.

The cabin was a sturdy sort of place, with plenty of room in it for the family they were hoping for. It should not have surprised them to find the ladies of the Brambles trying to exit the premises quickly just as they were pulling up to their new home. Marin, in particular, looked like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar, offering a smile to the young couple.

"We were trying to be out before you arrived," she confessed cheerfully, flicking a cobweb out of her own hair as she spoke. It didn't take a genius to guess what they had been up to.

Will had already had a peek at the interior of the cottage, which was already furnished, but in need of some cleaning and airing out, though it seemed the women of the Brambles had already beaten them to it. With few belongings other than their clothes, packing for the move to the cottage had proven easy and even little Boots seemed excited about the prospect of a new home. Will laughed as he helped Jess out of the beat-up old truck that got him to work and back. It was a good thing he liked tinkering with engines as it had taken quite a bit of tinkering to keep the old girl running.

"It's okay," he replied, with a smile to Marin. "We were so excited about moving in, we're a little bit early."

"So I see," Marin chuckled, moving to greet them properly as the others hurried back toward the main house. "We've given it a thorough spring clean, aired out the bedding and such. The larder is fully stocked with the essentials, and if you need anything, just come up to the house. There's always someone around."

Jess smiled in answer, still a little shy of the tiny redhead who seemed to have a heart that was bigger than her entire body.

Will wished he'd thought of this sooner, hopeful it would work out well for all of them. Living at the Brambles meant he could spend more time with Jess, and she wouldn't be so alone while he was working on the farm. Even if he picked up side work flying, she'd have the Lassiters and the others who lived at the Brambles to keep her company while he was gone. The list of pros far outweighed the list of cons, and while he'd appreciated Mrs. Middleton's hospitality, he had a feeling they'd be a lot happier at the Brambles. "Thanks again, ma'am," Will replied, still a little shy of Marin himself.

"Marin," the redhead reminded him - and would keep reminding him until he called her by her name all the time. She glanced between the couple, her smile deepening. "Well, I'll leave you to get settled in. Like I said, anything you need, just ask."

It was just then that Boots made himself known, mewling from the driver's seat and sticking his head out the window as if insisting he not be forgotten. Will laughed and scooped the kitten up into his the crook of his arm. "Don't worry! We haven't forgotten about you!" He turned to Marin with a warm smile on his face, eager to introduce the third member of their family. "This is Boots. I hope you don't mind us having him."

Laughing at the insistent little creature's hello, Marin shook her head. "Now why would we mind you bringing your whole family into your house?" she pointed out warmly. "Look, I need to go and sort out lunch for my children. I hope you like it here, both of you. Take care." Taking her leave with a wave and a smile, she headed along the track toward the main house, leaving the young couple alone together outside their own new home.

Jessamin looked up at the structure with a warm feeling in her chest. "Home."

It wasn't much to be sure. Certainly not what Jess was accustomed to back home in England, but it suited them both far better than a boarding house, where strangers came and went with regularity. Even if the farm was often teeming with hands, they had their own refuge there, their own home, rent-free, thanks to the generosity of the Lassiters. It certainly seemed like their luck was finally changing.

Will smiled, twining his fingers with that of his wife as they gazed longingly at their new home. "Shall we?" he asked, eager to show her around.

All they had were a couple of suitcases each, but that was all they really needed. Almost everything else was provided. Feeling his hand in hers, Jess turned her smile onto Will, glowing with excitement. "We shall," she agreed. "Once we have unloaded the ....car." The word was still very much a strange one on her lips, but she was getting there.

It was a truck, really, but he didn't bother to correct her. It was enough that she understood it had a wheel and engine. Though he was from a time over one hundred years in the past, he was far more comfortable with machinery than she was. "I'll get that," he insisted, knowing there wasn't much to unload. He handed her Boots, so he could grab their suitcases from the car, his heart feeling lighter than it had in a very long time.

"I can help," Jess protested, even as she took Boots into her grasp. The little kitten had proved to be very easy to love, if a little too attached to them when it came to bedtime. At the moment, he was eager to get down and explore, but they had already taken a little advice about that. He was staying inside for at least a couple of weeks, until he'd learned that this house was home.

"You are helping! I can't handle the bags if I'm carrying the cat," he replied with a laugh, touching an all-too quick kiss to her lips before turning to grab their bags from the truck.

"Will ..." She laughed a little helplessly, shaking her head as he insisted on taking the cases and bags out of the truck all by himself. "Well, since we've been abandoned for bags, maybe we should go and look inside, Boots, hmm?" she asked the kitten, who batted at her nose as she giggled softly.

Will chuckled a little as he overheard her, leaving her to it, while he tended to the bags. He had a feeling she was going to really like it here, but he had learned not to count his chickens before they were hatched. As for him, he'd grown up on a farm and felt far more at home here than he ever would at the boarding house.

With the kitten held close to her cheek, Jessamin made her way into the house; through the little garden and up over the porch to enter through the front door and take her first look at her new home. Wide open and decorated warmly, illuminated by plentiful windows letting in the sunshine, she smiled as she stepped inside, enchanted by the first space she saw - the living room that opened onto the kitchen at the far end of the house. "Goodness," she breathed to the kitten in her arms. "Isn't it lovely?"

The word cottage was perhaps something of a misnomer as it was more house than mere cottage, boasting three bedrooms with plenty of room for a growing family, and it had been updated with some modern amenities like indoor plumbing. Will wasn't far behind, following her inside and setting their bags down just inside the front door, which opened onto a spacious living room, a stairway to the right leading to the second floor. "What do you think?" he asked, eyes bright and cheerful.

Before anyone could answer, Rob had slipped in between the men, Boots in his arms. "What's his name, Mr. Will?"

Duncan's mouth opened, ready to answer the young woman's question when Rob interrupted. He laughed, reaching over to tousle the lad's hair affectionately. "Rob, say excuse me. You're interrupting," he reminded his son, though there was no scolding in his tone. If anything, he sounded amused.

"It's all right," Will insisted, turning to Rob with an equally friendly smile. "His name's Boots. We've only had a him a few days. He's a mischievous little scamp. Do you like him?"

"Sorry, Papa." The apology sounded a little perfunctory, but at least it was said. Rob grinned at Will as he hefted the little kitten in his arms. "My friend Maggie would love him," he declared confidently. "She's kind of a mischief too. Are you living here now" Maggie said that this house was haunted. Did you see any ghosts?"

There was a soft gasp from across the room, where Jess had set the basket down on the kitchen counter. "Haunted?"

Duncan chuckled. "Maggie has quite the imagination," he explained before looking back at his son. "And Boots doesn't belong to us, but maybe if you ask nicely, you can bring Maggie to meet him sometime," he told his young and slightly over-exuberant son. Though Will was ready to welcome the boy to visit whenever he wished, he looked to Jess for guidance, a questioning look on his face as he replied. "I reckon that would be all right, but we're keeping him inside for now, until he gets used to his new home." Turning back to the boy and his father, he continued, "We haven't seen any ghosts yet, but we've only just arrived. I'll let you know if we find any, okay?" he asked, with a wink back at Jess.

"Oh. I guess that makes sense." Disappointed that he wouldn't be able to abscond with the kitten, Rob let Boots wriggle free, moving to follow the little creature around the main room as though he was being shown around.

Jess smiled shyly back at Will, a little intimidated by this very confident family and their ease of conversation. "There aren't really any ghosts, are there?" she asked Mara worriedly.

The blonde woman's chuckle was as reassuring as her reply. "I'm as close to certain as can be that there are no ghosts in this house, Jessamin," she promised. "Here, hold this, and I'll put those things away."

Jess barely had a moment to protest before she found herself holding the baby, quite literally.

Will watched at the boy let Boots down on the follow and went to follow him around. "Sorry," he started to apologize as he turned back to Duncan, but the other man put up a hand to stop him.

"No need. He'll be having something of his own before long," he added, lowering his voice so the boy wouldn't overhear, an almost mischievous gleam in his blue eyes. He looked over at the women to find Jessamin holding their daughter, who didn't look much older than the kitten. "You should come by sometime. Both of you. We live in the cottage, just off the main path to the house. We're always happy to have visitors," he said, offering them both an open invitation, which was rare coming from him, but he sensed they could use some friends.

"Perhaps we will, once we get settled," Will replied. "Thank you."

Still utterly shocked to find herself holding a baby, Jess blinked as she looked up at Duncan. "That's awfully kind of you," she said softly. "Thank you." She glanced down at the infant in her arms, an oddly pained expression touching her smile for a moment before she wiped it away quickly.

"Papa, what?s this?" Rob asked suddenly from beside the door. Boots had somehow gotten one of Jessamin's cases open, and had hunted out a curious artifact ....a green glass ball that rattled as though something were hidden inside it.

Will seemed a little distracted himself by the baby in Jessamin's arms. It wasn't so much the baby that was distracting him, though, as it was the heart-aching desire to have a child of their own. This family had two, and he couldn't help but wonder if they knew just how lucky there were.

Duncan turned toward the sound of his son's voice, furrowing his brows to find both boy and cat discovering something that was none of their business. "Rob, that's none of your ..." he broke off, as his gaze settled on the object in question.

"Goodness, what is that?" Jess asked curiously, following Mara out of the kitchen to look at what the boy had found. "Was that in my suitcase?"

Rob nodded, picking the ball up to shake it again. "It was right in the bottom," he told them. "I only went in to get Boots out, I promise."

Duncan and Will made their way over, too, both with a look of wary curiosity on their faces. "I've never seen it before," Will said, reaching to take the thing from the boy and take a better look at it.

Duncan exchanged a glance with Mara, as if to communicate with her without saying a word.

Mara caught Duncan's eye, frowning a little. "It doesn't belong to either of you?" she asked, just to be certain that the young couple truly didn't know what it was.

Jess shook her head, confirming what Will said as she watched her husband look the thing over.

Mara's glance to Duncan was a little more pronounced. "Maybe we should see what?s inside."

"Would you mind?" Duncan asked, extending a hand to Will so he could take a better look at the strange object. "Is there anyone you can think of who might wish either of you harm?" he asked, as gently as he could so as not to alarm them.

"Harm?" Will echoed, eyes widening as he handed the thing to the other man.

"I think we should open it, but not here. Outside," Duncan said. He wasn't entirely sure, but if the thing had been planted to do either of their new friends harm, it was better to open it outside and not risk any of its contents escaping inside the house.

"Why would anyone want to hurt us?" Jess asked, alarmed by the turn the visit had taken. She almost jumped when Mara touched her shoulder gently.

"If anyone does want to hurt you, they will have to come through everyone here at the Brambles to do it," she told the younger couple. "Rob, run up to the main house and ask Marin for some sea salt, please."

Obediently, Rob nodded, skipping out through the door to run toward the main house on his errand.

"Sea salt?" Will asked. "Is it some sort of magic?" Despite knowing magic was prevalent in Rhy'Din, neither Will nor Jess had had much experience with it.

"What is it?" Will asked from a safe distance.

Mara winced, not particularly wanting to share what she thought this was but knowing she couldn't leave the young couple in suspense. Seeing them standing there, holding her daughter, simply made it worse. Rising to her feet, she turned to keep them from approaching. "It's a hex," she told them quietly. "And it's aimed at you, Jessamin."

The young woman gasped, truly horrified. "But ....what did I do for her to do that?" she asked, almost in tears at the idea that Mrs. Middleton wanted to hurt her. But the answer was obvious; she had married Will. Will loved her, and because of their love, he had been working to leave Mrs. Middleton's sphere of influence for years.

Will, too, looked shaken, jarred even, his face turning paler, jaw clenching in anger at the thought that anyone, much less someone they'd both trusted, would want to cause his wife harm. His arm went around her waist again, as he could keep her safe. He frowned as he realized the implications of what Mara was telling them. "Because she lost one son and she doesn't want to lose another. That's it, isn't it?"

It was so simple and yet so silly. If, indeed, she had come to care for him as a son, all she had to do was embrace Jessamin as a daughter, and all would be well. She could have had the family she so craved, instead of chasing them off by stifling them so. He didn't even need to ask what the hex did, as it seemed obvious enough. If he was right, thankfully, she'd only put a hex on Jessamin's fertility and not on her life. "It's why we haven't been blessed with a child yet, isn't it?" he asked further, his voice weary with sadness.

Mara frowned, not wanting to cause the young couple distress, but understanding that they needed to know everything if they were going to move past this. "It seems so," she said in answer to Will's weary question. "I'm no expert. I would like to tell a friend of ours about this, if you have no objection. She is well versed in magic; she may well know a counter spell, if one is necessary, and if not, she will be able to teach you how to protect yourselves against such threats."

Will looked shaken, but nodded his head in agreement. "If you think that's best," he said, looking over at Jess with a look of mingled concern and guilt on his face. "I'm sorry, Jess," he told her quietly. "I didn't know."

Meanwhile, once Duncan was sure he'd gathered all the bits and pieces of the hex ball together, he stepped away to gather some dried sticks so that they could burn the contents once and for all.

"It is not your fault," Mara told the young couple firmly. "Either of you. It is the action of a misguided woman who will never have what she has convinced herself she might have gained. The loss of your friendship is her punishment. Your future is your reward." She touched Jess' shoulder gently, turning as the sound of running feet drew her attention to the sight of Rob hurtling headlong down the road toward them.

Will was doing his best to keep his emotions in check, all the happiness they'd been feeling at this new beginning of theirs tarnished by the news that Mrs. Middleton was not so benevolent as she'd seemed. They had promised the woman continued friendship, but in light of what they'd just discovered, that seemed unlikely. Was it any wonder she had discouraged Will from taking work at the Brambles" Thankfully, he had not followed her advice. He had nothing more to say, except to touch a protective kiss to Jessamin's cheek, hoping she would forgive him.

Duncan waved to his son to get his attention. They were already late for dinner, but this took priority. "Go on back and eat your supper. Tell Marin we'll be along as soon as we can," he told the boy, as he took the salt from him.

"Yes, Papa." Rob hesitated, looking at the new couple in concern. "Did something bad happen?" he asked, his brow creasing in confused uncertainty as he looked at his parents.

Mara stroked her hand through his hair. "No, love," she told him gently. "Go on, go back to the Lassiters. We'll be along soon."

Duncan waited until Rob had gone on ahead and was well out of sight before pouring a generous amount of salt over the contents of the hex ball and the sticks he'd gathered about them. He crouched down and reached into his trousers to pull out a packet of matches he'd shoved there earlier in the day and set flame to the small pyre. "I suggest you search your belongings. Make sure there are no more of these. If there are, burn them, but make sure you burn all of it. You don't want to leave anything behind."

"Actually ..." Mara considered the mildly traumatized pair in front of her. "I'll check your cases," she said, moving to hurry inside. "If there are any more in there, we can burn them now."

As Mara disappeared inside, Jess looked up at Duncan uncertainly, one arm wrapped about Will's waist as she held Deirdre close..."And this will ....break the spell?" she asked worriedly.

Will was all too aware of the baby his wife was holding close - a baby that did not belong to them, but that somehow seemed to represent what it was that had caused this entire situation. It was no secret Jess was trying to get pregnant. It seemed it was that very eventuality that Mrs. Middleton was trying to prevent.

Duncan remained crouched over the small pyre, poking at it and making sure all of it burned. He wished he could promise the young couple that their troubles were over, but he was not that familiar with this sort of magic to say for sure. "I think so, but we have a friend who will know for sure. She's an herbalist, of sorts, and she knows something of magic," he replied, telling them as much as he dared. In truth, their friend was a lot more than that, but her secrets were not his to share.

"Thank you, Duncan," Jess said softly, trying not to hide her face against Will's shoulder. Already Mara and Duncan had done more for them than anyone had a right to expect, and they had nothing to gain by it but the friendship of the newest pairing on the Brambles. It would take time for the Taylors to recover from this terrible betrayal of their trust.

Mara came out of the house with a second ball in her hand, moving purposefully toward the little fire at Duncan's feet. "Your belongings are free of these now," she promised the young couple, dropping the ball to shatter in the flames.

Duncan continued to tend the fire, as small as it was, to make sure every bit of the hex was burned to ash. Dinner could wait a little while longer; this was too important to leave until later, and he had to make sure it was done right. "This won't make it easier to trust people, but you should know this is a safe place. Mara and I ..." he started, indicating his wife with a hand. "We were brought here from another world and had to start over. The Lassiters have been very good to us. They welcomed us and gave us a home and a purpose, and more importantly, they've become friends. You will find most people here at the Brambles friendly and helpful. Marin and Evan won't tolerate anything less. This place is special. We're all a family here. I know you have no reason to believe me, but in time, I hope you will both be happy here."

Taking Deirdre back from Jess to let the girl nestle into her husband's arms, Mara offered them both a gentle smile. "Anyone who tries to harm you will have to get through them, and through us, first," she told them, backing up Duncan's words. "A home is where you should feel safe, and this is your home now."

"Would you prefer me to be otherwise, Mrs. Taylor?" he countered, a playful grin on his face as he plucked a piece of chicken from the packet for himself. He was obviously in a good mood again, despite the fright they'd both had or maybe because of it, refusing to let even their ex-lady's scheming put a dampener on their happiness.

Jess smacked his hand gently as he raided the meat, giggling softly. "I would have you in any way you see fit, and you know it," she told him playfully, that sweetly endearing side of her that only he ever saw.

He slid his arms around her waist while she fussed over fixing them supper. "What do you think, Jess" Do you think we can be happy here?" he asked, touching a kiss to her cheek, though he neck was far more enticing.

Automatically drawing her hair out of his way, she leaned back into his arms, smiling as he kissed her cheek. "I think ..." She sighed softly, looking around at this place that was now their home. It wouldn't take long to make it theirs, filled with the little touches that would stamp their personalities on the rooms. "I think we could be very happy here, Will," she murmured softly, tilting her head against his as she stroked his hands at her waist. "It's home already."

"I think so, too," he agreed, a warm smile on his face as she leaned into him. Home. It had been a long time since either of them had truly been able to call someplace home, either on Earth or in Rhy'Din. Home was more than just the place where you ate and slept. There was an old saying that said, "Home is where the heart is," and as far as Will was concerned, his heart was wherever Jess was.

There was a tender pause as they lingered together, as Jessamin felt a thought enter her mind that would never have dared to make itself known at the boarding house. "You do not have to work tomorrow, do you?" she asked him curiously, reaching up to tease her fingertips through his hair as she raised her eyes to his. There was an invitation in her gaze that rarely made itself known, and certainly not during the hours of daylight.

"No, I took a few days off so we could get settled," he replied, brows arching at her question, wondering what she was thinking. And this friend of Duncan and Mara's was supposed to come by; he wanted to make sure he was around for that. "Why do you ask?"

His sweet little wife seemed to be having difficulty putting her thoughts into words, but to her credit, she tried her best. "I-is there any reason, any p-particular reason why ....why we shouldn't eat ....later?" she asked innocently, twisting in his arms to show him blushing cheeks and shy eyes.

His brows arched higher at her question, a little surprised at her forthrightness, even if she was stuttering a little nervously. He had told her time and again that there was nothing she had to be nervous about with him, but she was a product of her upbringing, and there was no changing that. "Other than hunger, no," he replied, a small smile tugging at his lips. He had a feeling he knew what she wanted, but he wasn't sure if he should assume. "What did you have in mind?" he asked, though he was already pushing her hair back from her face and kissing her neck, just below one ear.

It wasn't that she was nervous so much that she lacked familiarity with the words necessary to initiate a seduction of her own husband. Still, it seemed to be working, didn't it' She whimpered very softly against his ear, leaning into him as his lips brushed her neck. "Perhaps ....perhaps we should ....test the bedroom?" she suggested, the closest she had ever come to openly telling him exactly what she wanted. Still, after three years, she really should have gotten used to saying it by now.

He smiled at her question, finding it charming how she still had trouble saying it, even after three years. More like test the bed, he thought, scooping her up into his arms to carry her that way. Actions, after all, spoke louder than words, and he didn't really need to say a thing.

Neither one of them truly needed to say a thing, and one of these days, she was going to realize that it was possible to make such a suggestion without having to navigate her own upbringing to make her point. But until that day came, Will was just going to have to be patient with stuttering, innocent invitations that almost always ended with him taking charge before she turned her own tongue inside out in her embarrassment. In his arms, though, her embarrassment became a thing of myth and legend, forgotten as she dared to cast aside the veneer of gentility she wore to show him - and only him - the surprising passion that dwelt inside her being.

He had never been anything but gentle with her, though there was a warm passion that simmered beneath the tenderness. They both knew what was expected of the other, and yet, there were still surprises to be had, even after three years. There was still more to learn, more to explore. Youth was on their side, and now that they had their own home, there was nothing stopping them from exploring each other in earnest.

That realization of absolutely privacy seemed to have sunk in. There was certainly more laughter, more expressed joy in each other as they wrestled affectionately on the clean sheets, oblivious to the acute interest displayed by their kitten as he watched them from the windowsill. Boots seemed to know not to interrupt, even when they lay still at long last, sharing kisses and touches in the gathering dusk.

"I love you, William," Jess murmured to her husband tenderly, nestling close in the warm nest they had made together of the sheets.

Will linked his fingers with hers and touched a kiss to the back of her hand as they nestled close with only Boots to witness. There was no fear of anyone pounding on their door or the wall, no fear of anyone interrupting in any way. They were on their own, at last - just the two of them, not to mention Boots.

"I love you, Jess," he murmured back, a soft smile on his face, full of love and affection for this gentle woman who'd come into his life.

Perhaps it would take time to grow used to the lack of footsteps outside the bedroom door, the lack of voices heard through the wall. But that was something they were more than ready to get used to. Thanks to the generosity of one family, they had realized the dream they had been working toward for three years. There truly wasn't a price that could be put on this kind of freedom. Dinner could come later ....this time was about them, and their unspoken promises for the future in front of them. And this time, no one was going to interfere for their own ends.