An Apple a Day

By Donna and Abby

Connor MacLeod's ship pulled into Edan with a happy cargo: several Innocents, including a very young one, and another Type A young man named Charlie Penknife.  Since Charlie had "found" Gala, it was up to him to get her safely to the Nanny at the Women's boarding house.

She still hadn't said anything, but had somehow managed to produce an apple to give to anyone who spoke to her. But instead of gravitating to her fellow Innocents, Gala stuck close to Charlie's side, as if she had chosen him to be her protector.

He didn't mind half so much when he arrived at the pretty blue house and was let in right away. The women who were living there were all *gorgeous*!  And the one he had to see was just a stunner, in his opinion.  They called her Nana, and of course Charlie just thought it was a sign of her job.

Nana's heart immediately went out to the small girl standing beside Charlie, and when she greeted her, Gala smiled brightly and made an apple appear from nowhere.

Nana grinned. Bending down to her level, she confided, "I'm apples, too.  You and I will get along just fine!"

"Apples?" asked Charlie.  He was lost.  What were they talking about?

One of the other women chuckled. "Has anyone told you about the fae yet?" she asked. “They often have a *nature* form. Some are animals, some are flowers, some spices. Apparent both Nana and your young charge are apples.”

His face went hot.  "Lot t'take in," he grumbled.

The woman laughed and offered him a place to sit on one of the sofas, and immediately Gala sat down beside him, slipping her hand in his reassuringly. With her other hand, she offered him an apple. To her, that was a cure all!

Charlie took it, though of course, as good as they were, man does not live by apples alone!  He could really use a steak and perhaps a pint of bitter?

Nana recognized a hungry look when she saw it. "You two must be starving. Would you like something to eat?"

Charlie jumped.  "You guys read minds?" He asked. 

"Some of us do," laughed Riva, coming in.  She had a plate of cookies and hot chocolate.  It wasn't exactly what he'd wanted, but he was not going to complain!

Gala looked at what was given to her, a confused look on her face. She had never eaten anything but apples before! She had refused all the food that had been offered her while traveling on the ship.

Nana smiled and urged her with her eyes.  "It's good.  I promise," she said.  "Too many apples give tummy aches."

When she still hesitated, Charlie took a big bit of a cookie and then rubbed his stomach, making happy, satisfied noises. The young girl looked at the cookie again and tentatively took a tiny nibble.

"See?" said Charlie, smiling as she took a larger nibble.  Then he took the mug of hot chocolate offered.  Even though Edan was a warm climate, it was starting to get cool there, and Charlie was not dressed warmly.

Gala watched him take a sip, and then did the same, her eyes growing wide with surprise at the hotness of the drink. But she liked it enough to have another very careful sip after Charlie showed her how to cool the drink by blowing on it.

It was sweet and creamy, and warmed her insides. The whole environment she was in now was warm and inviting, with a cozy parlor and a nice little fire going.  Some kittens played on the hearth.

The young fae finished every cookie crumb, and then drank a second mug of hot chocolate. She put it aside, and then took Charlie's hand, a questioning look on her face.

"You're staying here," he said. "I don't know where I'm gonna stay, but it's not with all these pretty ladies.  It's just not done."

She shook her head, opening her mouth as if to speak, but still unable to say anything. Reaching out, she grabbed Nana's hand as well and in desperation, she placed it on top of Charlie's, letting her know she wanted to stay with him.

Nana smiled, eyeing him appreciatively, but Charlie was flushed.  "What's 'is little matchmaker doin'?" he asked.  "I thought this was a *women*'s boarding house!"

Nana laughed. "Some of them have husbands," she told him.

"And the place is run by a man," Kalana pointed out.  "Some of us with men are here because we cannot be with them all the time.  Others are in the process of getting married, and will be moving out."

Charlie nodded and started to make arrangements with Nana for the care of the young girl that had ended up in his charge, but when he looked into her dark, beautiful eyes, for a moment, he too was completely speechless.

"I'll be back," he said forcefully, as if he really did mean it.

As Charlie stood up to go, Nana wrapped the trembling Gala in her arms, telling her it would be alright, he wasn't going to desert her. Gala looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears as she reached out her hands to him.

Charlie didn't know what to do.  He was new here, and didn't know the rules.  He wasn't abandoning the child, he just couldn't move into a boarding house for women, if he had no right to it!

There was one thing that Nana could not abide, and that was a heart broken child. "Please stay as my guest," she blurted out.

"As long as no one objects," he said.  "Of course I will!"

The next thing Charlie knew, he had a very happy child's arms wrapped around his neck!