She whistled a happy jig as the wagon bounced along the cobblestone path. "Ye ne'er should marry th' Gallager lass, she'll spend all her time in th' looking glass. So find ye a lass who is kind and can cook and for another ye'll ne'er dare look..." She sang with glee, happy to be home. The time in Yransea had been pleasant and productive, but towards the end she had begun to crave the sight and sound of him.

Slipping down from her seat as the wagon slowed, she blew her brother a grateful kiss. "My thanks, brathair. May th' Bride guide ye safe one tae yer home." The lute strapped fell over her shoulder as the carpetbag was toted easily. The glow of the house beckoned to her in the falling twilight.

?And ye spare a greeting from me for yer lad afore ye get distracted, aye?? With a chuckle, Hudson snapped the reins of the wagon and set the horses moving again - not exactly in the direction of his house, not yet. First he headed for the harbor and the shipyards, despite the falling darkness of the night.

Johnny whistled as he worked, cheerfully as ever and just as off-key - but it was as much to fill the echoing stillness of the house as anything else. For a moment he?d thought he?d heard the rattle of a wagon, but from the kitchen it was hard to be sure. And there were enough traders who passed through at all hours that it really wasn?t unusual. After a moment the thunk-thunk of the knife on the cutting board resumed as he sliced a tomato neatly.

Pausing at the gate, she grinned ever so slowly. Distractions indeed. A wave of her hand after the departing wagon before stashing her things around the side of the house. Hands in her skirt, she held them free of her feet as she quietly moved across the post before knocking on the door -- loudly. Her heart skipped a beat as she raced around the side of the house to sneak a peek through a window.

The hard thrap of a knock at the front door startled Johnny mid-slice, and the knife slipped in his hand, skidding sideways along one finger; the mesh embedded into his hands turned what could have been a very bad cut into little more than a long shallow scrape. So as long strides took him through the house, he was alternately sucking on the cut and shaking out his hand. When he opened the door to find nobody immediately apparent, he sighed. ?Kids.?

Not having seen the cut, the shadow of his passing had been enough to send her racing to the back door, the knock repeated again, this time with extra gusto for good measure. Her breath escaped her in a muffle giggle as she continued her sprint about the cottage.

That knock on the back door got a roll of his eyes and a grin, and he made sure his voice was raised. ?Now who?s tha? a? th? back?? Pulling shut the door, he took a few long steps in place, carefully stepping lighter and the end to try and create the impression of motion through the house. Then he flattened himself against the wall next to the door - ready to yank it open if another knock at the front came.

Sure enough, another knock at the front door had been planned and she stepped with stealthy resolve, careful to not be seen passing by any of the windows, their shutters still open to the growing night. Her hand made contact with the wood in two succeeding knocks, hand poised to make a final contact with the door when....?Aha! Gotcha!? Johnny yanked open the front door and reached out a quick hand to grab the knocking fist. He was expecting to find a street urchin, or one of the few children who lived in this neighborhood, in his grasp. It was therefore a definite surprise when his hand closed over one that was much more familiar. He gaped at Sianna as she stood there in the doorway. ?Si??

About to answer with a wicked grin, his eyes widened a bit with surprise when his stomach growled at the mention of ?something proper.? That prompted a laugh, and he shook his head with a grin. ?I think I?ll hold onta tha? somethin? else fer later. Wha? somethin? proper did ya have in mind? ?Cause I don? mind tellin? ya, th? sandwiches were getting? a li?l borin?.?

She laughed as that, tilting her head to the side. "Aye, it seems as if your wame is quick tae agree wi' ye. What d'ye have in th' house, mo chroidh?" Not moving just yet, happily content to stand close to him.

?Ahh?. I go? th? stuff fer sandwiches?? Hopeful smile at that non-answer as he leaned forward to rest his head against her chest, his arms wrapping around her waist. ?Ya should know I ain? no good at shoppin? withou? ya. Think there?s some pork in th? cooler, an? some?a th? roast beef lef?.?

Sianna led her hands slide down his back as she lowered her head to place a kiss to his temple. Her mouth lingered as she whispered, "And it's no' half th' fun tae cook if ye are nae there tae devour it." A low chuckle rumbled at their predicament. "How does pork wi' apples and potatoes sound?"

Broad smile and he turned his face up to catch her mouth for another kiss before she straightened. ?Soun?s much better?n another sandwich. Lived on th? things fer ten years an? din? mind a bit until ya started cookin? fer me. Ya wan? some help with cuttin? anythin?? We ain? done a whole lot?a those cookin? lessons, bu? I can handle choppin? an? peelin? fer ya.?

"Aye, if ye'd slice th' potatoes an' apples it'll be ready faster." Fingers trailed down the side of his stubbled cheek before she stepped back from him. Moving to the pot rack, she selected two large skillets and a medium sized pot. Setting them to the stove, she lit the burners, dollops of butter dropped into each. While they were warming, retrieved her things from the porch, dumping them by the door, and the meat from the cooler.

A matter of moments to stand once she stepped away, and fish out potatoes and apples. He sliced them briskly into the width she directed, beginning to whistle to himself again - but this time not to fill the emptiness of the house; simply because he was happy, more than happy, at her return. The sizzle of the loin porkchops added a homey compliment to Johnny's whistling and she couldn't stop grinning. Seasoning the meat with a sprinkle of sea salt and cracked pepper, she flipped them easily. With a point of her fingers, Johnny deposited the potatoes in the other skillet and the apples in the pot.

With potatoes and apples safely in their respective places, Johnny paused behind Sianna to rest his hands on her hips and kiss the side of her neck. ?So now tha? yer home an? cookin? fer me again - how was th? trip? Wha? was Yransea like? An? did yer goin? help ou? Ewan?s mum at all?? The flood of questions was sincere - one of the things Johnny liked best was seeing a new place, and it was something he hadn?t had a chance to do for some time.

A cup of water and a handful of raisins were added to the apples along with heaping spoonfuls of brown sugar. Turning her head at the kiss to expose her neck, she shivered lightly. There were a lot of questions at once. "Mmm, coming home was easier'n gettin' there but th' sailin' was nae hard to handle owermuch. Was a lot like th' Lowlands, reminded me a bit a home. And aye, I pray so. I dinna ken how far her malady is, but she was no' going tae last till th' babe unable tae eat and waitin' fer death tae steal her awa'. She's vast improved from what she was. Even offered me th' prettiest lace cap for a babe of our own, but I told her better tae save it for th' girl Ewan and Storm will have, aye?"

Johnny?s turn to hastily chew and swallow before he answered. ?I like th? option. Other thin? I was thinkin? was ta go down ta th? Spacepor? an? see if?n there?s a passenger ship goin? on? a trip aroun? tha? time. Bu? I think Yransea?d be easier ta arrange, an? then ya?d ge? ta see Maeve again. An? soun?s like y?all hit it off real good.? The pork was tender, easy to cut, and he tilted his head thoughtfully as he sliced off another bite. ?An? where-ever we go, I like th? idea of explorin? it with ya. Yransea soun?s like a nice place, all in all. I?ll hav?ta ask yer bro if?n he noticed anythin? in p?ticular ta check ou?.?

"Aye, I'm sure he or Ewan could answer any question ye might have, or at least ken who tae ask on th' behalf of ye." A slice of apple and a few raisins were placed on the end of her fork, paused halfway to her mouth. "Now tha' th' honeymoon is settled all we have tae do is plan th' wedding, aye?" A wink in his direction. "But that will bide. Tell me th' news of what's happend whilst I was awa'."

?Th? news? Huh. Katie was handin? ou? th? tickets fer her opera. Yer goin? ta hav?ta rush ta fin? a dress in time, ?less?n ya go? one already. I go? mine set already. Other?n tha? ? ain? much unusual. More time in th? Inn tae keep busy an? entertained withou? ya aroun?.? He grinned across the table at her, and emerald eyes sparkled merrily as he returned to work on clearing his plate.

"Ye have yer dress all picked out already, aye? Ye dinna mean tae tell me yer wearing a kilt?" Her eyes twinkled merrily as she popped one last bite of food in her mouth before pushing the plate towards him in invitation. Settling back in her chair, she patted her stomach in apology for such a heavy meal so late. A swallow and sip of water before she spoke again. "An' who's been entertaining ye, hmm? Best ye tell me a'fore th' girls come over wi' all they've read in th' gossip papers."

"Ah, jus? a pair?a pretty blondes. Nothin? fer ya ta worry abou?, m?love. Ya know ya go? m? heart locked away.? He was definitely teasing her even as he pulled her plate closer to set to work on it. ?An? nah, I wasn? plannin? on a kilt ? figgered yer bro would have tha? covered, an? we din? need more?n one man runnin? aroun? in a skirt on th? nigh?.? Wicked light in his eyes and he waggled his eyebrows at her. ?Could fin? tha? plaid fer ya t?nigh? if?n ya wan?ed.?

Eyebrows had raised at the mention of blondes, her face a mock-accusation, before she teased back with equal wit. "So Juliane and Katie took pity on ye, did they? Verra sweet of them tae do as I'd asked. Would've hated tae return and find ye wasted awa' wi' th' grief of missing me, aye?" A mischievious flash in her own eyes was quickly hidden, a hand raised to her lips in a faux yawn. "An' nae Scot puts on a kilt tae sleep in, unless they're already wearing it an' have tae make their bed on th' moors 'mongst th' heather."