The day was sunny and warm, and the six of them were walking down to Maria's grandmother's barn, which sat ominous and looming in the distance. Maria knew she should have felt safe and loved, with Michael's arms wrapped around her as they walked, and the scent that was uniquely his, gently wafting to her nostrils. But Maria instead felt foreboding. The barn that she had played so often in as a child seemed odd, off somehow.

"So, Maria, what are you carrying?" Alex asked, curious about the large plastic bag she was carrying in her free hand. Her other arm was wrapped protectively around Michael. Though maybe it was for protection for herself, not for him. She wasn't really sure.

Maria held up the bag and turned around to face the others. "Well, since we're stopped, I might as well give these to you now."

She plopped down on the grass and opened up the bag. Maria patted the grass, "Come on, sit down," she coaxed.

"Sit down? Okay, can you say 'grass stains'? And on my new pants!...." Isabel cried.

With that, Alex sat down, bringing Isabel down with him, onto his lap.

"Better?" he asked wryly.

"Much." Isabel blushed.

Maria rolled her eyes, "Anyway...in this bag, I have for you, riding boots." She pulled out a pair and slipped them on her feet. She handed everyone else their sizes, and waited until they put them on.

*****

They again began to walk toward the barn. As they neared the barn, Maria began to sing quietly, trying to get the knot out of her stomach. "Fish heads, fish heads, roley, poley, fish heads...." Michael quirked an eyebrow at her, but hugged her close and kissed her forehead.

"Here we are," Maria announced.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Alex mused. Maria glared at him, but couldn't contain her smile.

She raised the latch to the barn door and opened it slowly. As she stepped inside, she caught a movement out of the corner of her eye.

"Who's there?" Maria asked.

Michael walked up behind her and grabbed her hand, protectively.

"Just me," an unfamiliar voice stated. A handsome young man emerged from the shadows.