To Everything There Is A Season

~ A Report ~

            North watched Sang walk back towards the house. He had never met anyone quite like her. She was this tiny, delicate, butterfly of a girl with more energy and will than most men he'd known.

"Careful brother, your interest is showing." Silas teased.

"You can't tell me that I'm he only one who is interested. She snagged you with her yogurt." North shot back.

"She did, her food is a taste of home. It also doesn't hurt that she is the most adorable little thing I've ever seen." Silas grinned.

North just shook his head and started walking. His thoughts were churning as he checked each board on the fence. He couldn't figure out how anyone could leave someone like her alone. From everything he'd seen she was perfect.

"Silas, if you were married to someone like Sang could you leave her? What kind of fanaticism would drive anyone to leave someone they are, at the very least, supposed to protect?"

"I don't know. She isn't mine and I want to protect her. I want to protect her from the chaos that is heading this way. Help her around the farm and snuggle her close anytime I want. I like everything she has shown me, and I think there is so much more to her that we haven't seen yet."

They worked in silence for another half hour before North spoke again.

"Do you think anyone else is feeling the same way we are? I want to stay and watch over her when the others go back to report. I don't doubt she can take care of herself. She's been doing that for months now. I just want to help and be there for her."

Silas hummed in response his thoughts in complete agreement with his best friend. The two continued to work in silence both lost in their thoughts.

"Did you hear her giggle last night? I think it surprised even her when it came out. I don't think she's had many chances to laugh." North rambled, not caring if Silas responded. He just needed to get his thoughts out. "I never thought I'd say it and I will beat you if you repeat it, but I like having the old Luke back. Sang brings the fun in him out. Uncle's death devastated him. I miss the old goat, but he was Luke's dad in all the ways that counted. It would have been one thing if Uncle had been sick, but he wasn't. A drunk driver killed him after a late night at the diner. Then while we were all dealing with our own grief and trying to keep Luke in one piece, Jed Sorensen and his crazy group try to blow the United States back a hundred years. They fail, we get called in to investigate what went wrong in the first investigation, which causes us to run around like headless chickens for more than a month only to have a solar flare finish the job that fucker Jed started. When do we get a break? Luke is still so broken. Yesterday was the first time in six months he's wanted sweets. Can we just stay here and heal?"

Silas was stunned in all their years of friendship this was the rawest he'd ever seen North. He knew that the heart that beat in his friend's chest was a big one but usually it had a very thick shell.

"North we are all here for both you and Luke you don't have to do it all yourself. I hear you on the need to just rest and heal as a group. Maybe we can talk to Mr. B about staying here after we check in. None of us have anyone to go back to. Aggele needs us here more than the Academy needs a broken team there." Silas tried to reassure his friend. "We'll need to start heading back soon. The walk back is a long one. I figure you and I will be back out here after lunch. Think Nate could use a hand in whatever he is doing? It looks like her is playing hide and seek with a bull. How much healthy stuff do you think Luke will have to eat this meal? Sang is the first person I've ever seen who was able to get Luke to eat vegetables without whining."

North snorted, shaking himself out of his melancholy. "What do you think she'll have made us for lunch today? Yesterday's meals were delicious and simple. Breakfast was just as good. Did you get any of the syrup? I can't believe she made it. I know maple syrup but didn't know you could get something similar from other trees." Checking one last section of fence North turned back the way they'd come, "Let's check on Nate and start heading in."

The two men headed back to the pasture gate. Once there they entered and approached Nathan where he was trying to count animals without drawing the ire of the males watching.

"Nate what are you doing?" North loudly asked startling the cows Nate was trying to count.

"Thanks man I was trying to count them. Sang said she needed a count of all the animals out here. I should have traded places with Kota this is his thing." Nathan snorted.

"Are you kidding this would have put him in a meditative state we'd have had to carry him out of here or one of the cows would have eaten him." Silas laughed.

"Sad but true. Anyway, I'm done counting and checking the two herds out here. Just need to check the orchard and pigs. We can get those on the way back if you two can help me count." Nathan stood up and walked back to the gate with the other two.

The three of them walked back along the path until they reached the orchard. Each man took a row and started walking trying to count how many pigs were roaming under the various trees. When they finally met up at the end of the last three rows of trees, they were all hot and ready for a long drink and a meal.

"That is a lot of pigs. Sang will be set for pork this winter." North commented.

"There are a lot of animals in general. I think some of them were supposed to be sold off this year as there are way more than any one farm can use. We may want to let the Academy know that there is the possibility of her trading animals either on the hoof or post slaughter for labour. There is no way she can keep up with all the work on her own. Did either of you notice the trees?" Nathan said while looking back at the orchard.

"Yeah. They need to be picked soon. Doc will be happy I found a whole grove of apple trees. Think Sang makes pies as well as she makes everything else?" Silas wondered. "Anyway, my friends I am hungry and standing here wondering what else Sang can make with her tiny skilled hands is not helping."

The three shared a nod and a laugh before walking the rest of the way to the farmhouse. By the time they arrived lunch was being set on the table and the other men were getting cleaned up before eating.