Angelle is mine, and the rest belongs to Whedon.

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Hot water...what one gets into when they are in over their head or have bitten off a wee bit more than they can chew...I remembered this as I sat on the top of the bog in the splits trying my hardest to distribute my weight equally to stay above the mud. Had I done this before? Only about seven thousand times. Would I do it again? As long as stupid people continued to let their children play in the bog.

"Gerry, you need to sit still or you'll sink faster." I called to him as the boy stopped squirming. He was about another fifteen feet, plenty of rope and both my father and Mal on the other end to pull once I had him. My weight was one thing to balance, but add squirming ten year old and things would get interesting. I wasn't really interested in eating mud today.

"Auntie Angelle, is that you?" His voice was shaky and I scooted forward, using my hands and keeping my legs in the splits.

"Yes, Gerry. Now, when I get to you, you need to grab my foot, okay?"

"Okay, but what about Moo?" Stupid kid was so like me. Worried more about that damn dog than himself.

"We'll worry about him after. Your mama is gonna kill you, though I reckon she should be the one gettin' her hide tanned." I was close and I could see his blue eyes fall.

"Ain't Ma's fault. I sipped away from her when she was takin' care of Bekah."

"And you brought your sis with ya. It could be her out here and she's just a littlen'." I could feel his fingers grasp my leg as I felt my body begin to sink. Swinging my leg so that I was flat, my hand wrapped tight around the rope as I felt Mal and Dad begin to pull.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Angelle." I heard him whisper, his hands tight around my ankle.

"Best apologize to your Ma and Grandpa. They're the ones who are gonna hear it from Papa Sam." I looked down, my body now covered in mud. "Not an hour home and I'm already covered in mud."

"It's a good look for you." Mal smiled as I fe