Sand and Snow

"I might," Robert said, smiling, his arm around Andrew's shoulder.

"Hello," Andrew said to Cassidy. He looked at Steven, "Can I go look at the yard before I answer? The house is ok, but I'd really like ot see the yard." That made Robert laugh.

"Andrew really is an outdoors sort of a guy," Robert said. "I dont' think traditional Italian archetecture impresses him as much as it does us." Andrew scowled at Robert. "See what I mean? Oh, and he embarresses a bit easily too. He's just a bit shy. My guess is that Steven would like you to see the house and the yard both if he's actually thinking of buying it. May I, Steven? Andrew, go take a quick look. Don't be gone long. You're not here just to look at the grass."

"Yes, Sir," Andrew said.

"Come right back. You have five minutes. No longer."

"Yes, Sir," Andrew responded, disappearing out to see the yard. Robert laughed.

"He won't be gone long, Steven. He's trying to be on his best behavior. I think Cassidy said the magic words when she said trees and a creek. I think once he sees it, he'll be good with it. So, how was your yacht trip? Did you both have a good time?"

Cassidy smiled as Andrew ran out side, john following behind him " Its going ok , Steven tried to teach me how to swim but some sharks cut that short " she left out the part where Khaat had to be rescued twice and smiled seeing john running back and forth on the short cut grass.

Steven looked at Robert and sighed. "khaat gave us the day off , with pay , Jess didn't go she's stayed with khaat, but i can tell somethings not right Robert , stress or not we all can tell. " he said worry now in his voice.

Cassidy reached over and took his hand making him smile she knew the look she had used it many a time. " Steven was wondering if he buys the house, when he's not using it, you could as a safe house, its big enough. " she said moving the conversation away from Khaat and back to the reason they were there.

"What do you mean?" Robert asked. "I know when I saw her she was really nervous about measuring up on the mission you all did the other night. I know she knows that her skills arent' where they should be normally, but her health has not been that good since being back from Barker. The mission was successful, so I'm not sure what she would be stressing about, unless she's not coping with the fact that Brian was hurt. Exactly what is it that you're seeing?"

He glanced out to see Andrew heading on a dead run for the trees. He figured Andrew was running to scout out the creek and the woods. "Well, at least you picked a place that will appeal to Andrew's need to be outside," Robert laughed. "I've never seen a boy that age that could survive in the woods all by himself like he can. And the only person I've ever seen climb a tree faster than Andrew is Michael Tremaine. I wonder who would win if those two had a climbing contest."

Steven shook his head "Jess said it was something she was keeping locked up even she couldn't read her, maybe you right maybe it is just everything she's gone threw" he said and turned chuckling as he watched the two boys playing.

"I think that was Steven's Plan. " Cassidy said smiling watching them her mind drifted to watching a small girl play on the grass smiling back at them but she pushed that thought away it was one for another time and another place. "thats a tough one, i hear Tremaine the best in his field, maybe one day Andrew will be too, but right now hes nothing but a boy who wants space to run and play." she said smiling at Steven and gazing out the window as she picked up a cup of minted ice tea and sipped on it.

Andrew returned at five minutes, right on the dot, obeying Robert's instructions. "So what's your thoughts on the yard, Lad?" Robert asked Andrew.

"The yard is cool. The woods have a lot of toads. There are some little fish in the creek, according to one of the frogs down there," Andrew said.

"Good. Well, then, it looks like you're getting Andrew's approval, at least for the yard," Robert said. "Dont' you want to look at whatever room that would be yours, Andrew?"

"Nah. Its just a room," Andrew shrugged. "The house is okay." Robert laughed.

"I guess it gets Andrew's approval, then," Robert said. "Its all aobut the outside of the house. To heck with the inside of it. Oh, Steven. I gave both boys portkeys to my farm. I think Andrew loved the trip here, but John, well, maybe not so much. But at least that way they can get home. I think they can walk home to their house from the farm. I hope you don't mind. But I wanted them to always know they had a way to get home from school. We dont' have to tell Hogwarts they have them."

Steven smiled and nodded remembering he was like that at his age always out and never in.

"Andrew, John, I'd like your opinion on something else too " he asked looking at Cassidy " How would you feel if I saw Cassidy , as in she became my girlfriend" he asked feeling Cassidy squeeze his hand , he looked at Robert "Like I said no mistakes in everything" he said John stood looking at Cassidy and then Andrew waiting he kind of liked her but hen he did Ronata too til she went funny .

"You going to go funny like the other one?" he asked Cassidy blushed a little and shook her head smiling to him.

"No, I have seen your fathers work and lived on the streets for many years fighting the way he does, so no , the things he's seen I've already seen too" she said " worst thing i have seen... your father first thing in the morning looking like he was dragged threw ahedge backwards " she said smiling and chukaling.

"hey that was a one off " he said smiling at her then looking at both boys as he waited.

"I'm not so concerned about her," Andrew said, rather boldly to Steven. "Not so much as I'm concerned about you. You went more funny than Ronata did. Are you going to get all whacked out about her too, or can you hold it together?"

Robert looked at Andrew a tiny bit surprised and amused by Andrew's boldness. Andrew normally didn't express how he felt about much of anything. It was rare, and Robert usually had to pry for it. This new boldness was a bit surprising. And as much as Robert was glad to see him finally opening up to Steven, he wasn't sure if Steven would be alright with Andrew's being frank with his guardian. Andrew hadn't been rude, but he had been very straight up with Steven. Robert wanted to know now if Steven could handle Andrew's being that honest.

"Andrew," Robert cautioned.

"Hey, he asked," Andrew defended himself. Cassidy did not seem to be one of those fussy, weepy females like Ronata had been, so Andrew, so far, was good with it.

"That's true, Steven," Robert shrugged. "You did ask."

Steven listened to him and smiled he had asked and Andrew had spoken his mind. He shook his head to say he would not , thinking about it he had gone more mushy over Ronata but with Cassidy he was firmly fix on the ground.

"Its OK Robert, I did ask and thank you Andrew for letting me know how you feel, I won't be going all funny as you put it , Cassidy has this well in hand and is keeping my feet firmly planted on the ground " he said and smiled Cassidy next to him smiled too.

"Some one has too or you'd be running around with your head in the clouds" she said "Don't worry Andrew things will be slower , from what i have been lead to understand he went a bit quick last time , if he dose that with me I'll put him on his butt again" she said smiling at Steven.

Steven chuckled and remembered how she had when he walked in on her in the shower. "that was a one off" he said and chuckled seeing the look on her face.

Cassidy smiled and looked at the couple who now brought a tray with several bowls of fresh made Italian ice cream. while Steven excused himself and moved inside to finish signing the papers for the house.

Cassidy sat looking at Andrew and John her eyes moved from one to the other before she spoke. "so has the stream got a lot of frogs?" she asked as she finished "I hope so , I had a friend once he had a green spotted frog, if i remember right he called it Freddy , not sure why, it would hope every where then one day it hoped into a pond and was never seen again though that pond always had frogs in it every year" she said smiling.

"Its got a few," Andrew shrugged. "They're just little water frogs. Its not the season yet for a lot of frogs. And there's not enough for them to eat for us to have a lot of them. We'll have enough when spring comes."

"Andrew has a frog," Robert said. "He has it with him at Hogwarts. What are you doing with Frog while you're here, Andrew?"

"A housemate of mine is looking after him. He has to keep an eye on him though, because one of my other housemates has a fox as a pet, and I really don't want him to get Frog."

"No, that wouldn't be a good thing," Robert laughed. "Go get the gelato, Boys, before it melts. You'll find its better than regular ice cream." The lady of the house served the ice cream to the boys, and Andrew sat down with his bowl of gelato, not saying much, except to thank his hostess.

"They're fine young men, Cassidy," Robert said. "Andrew has a real independent streak. He takes time to get to know people. He doesn't trust very easily. But he has a lot of energy and he's a hard worker. And he seems to always be interested in learning."

Steven watched both boys and smiled he felt this time things would be different, he looked at Cassidy still smiling.

Cassidy nodded and smiled as Robert told her about the boys "I'm beginning to see that " she said " its good to see that Independent streak especially with boys" she looked at both hoping they had accepted her for who she was , she was no Ronata. Head strong, loving, but would do her job and take no bull from any one if she didn't like something she would say so.

Steven finished his gelato and placed his bowl down on the delicately tiled table in front of him. " you know this place has a heated pool and maybe we could put an adventure play area at the back " he said pointing to an over grown corner to the back of the neatly trimmed garden."what do you say, you could design it " he added.