The group headed inside the shop where it was dim and smoky; the doorways covered by curtains and the air filled with hanging trinkets and beads. The children were mesmerized at once by the flickering lights and shimmering rainbows dancing off crystals, but held close by Bijou. Bram was more concerned with the figure shrouded in blankets in the dark corner.

"Willow?" he called softly. "Are you okay?" Bram walked the maze of objects in the room without taking his eyes off the far figure and crouched by her side. "Willow?"

Willow took a deep breath and shifted. "I'm alright," she said in French with a heavy Irish accent. "I'm just tired."

"You shouldn't have done this," Bram whispered.

"You needed me. And the girl—" She whispered in Gaelic.

"He speaks our language. Don't bother hiding things from him this way," Bram whispered back, knowing Bijou could probably hear them in the shop's quiet.

Willow looked at him, confused at first, then with a soft, kind look.

"Help me up," she said.

Bram wanted to refuse, but didn’t, knowing Willow would get up with or without his help. So he helped her to her feet. Willow was big for an omega, tall, and strong like Bijou. She matched Bram. They had the same copper hair and multi-colored eyes. Willow wore skirts and tops she made herself and wore her hair long and in a great deal of braids.

As the siblings walked up to Bijou together, it was clear to see they were really twins.

"Hello," Bijou said.

"Good afternoon, Bijou Moreau," Willow said. "You have need of us. Well, worry not. Your children will be safe here."

Bijou looked from one twin to the other. His grip on Theodore's shoulder tightened so much that the boy winced.

"What type of shop is this?" Bijou asked.

"An apothecary," Willow answered. "But we won't let the children get into anything. Will we, Kat?"

"No."

"Children, I have some food for your Papa's trip back to the city," Willow said. "Why don't you go into the kitchen and get it? It's right through that door, wrapped up on the table."

Before Bijou could say anything the children were off running through the shop to get to the kitchen.

"I've also got some charms for you, to keep you safe," Willow said.

"Her charms work wonders!" Kat exclaimed.

Bijou turned to Kat.

"You're British, aren't you?" he asked.

"You won't hold that against me, I hope," Kat laughed.

"No, of course not. But, how did you come to marry an Irish omega living here?"

"We picked her up crossing the Channel," Bram explained, folding his arms over his chest and frowning. He shook his head. "She was drunk, and had fallen off some boat."

"Willow was amazing!" Kat said.

"I saved her," Willow muttered.

"Her kiss saved me from death!" Kat went on.

"I gave her mouth-to-mouth," Willow explained.

"She was like a mermaid,"

"I had a tail at the time," Willow said.

Bijou stared, first at Willow, then at Kat, lastly at Bram. The children reentered the room with a pack.

"We found it!" Benoit said. "And a pack for it, too!"

"I found the pack!" Maria insisted.

Bram smiled at the children as he collected the two charms from his sister.

"And I've got the charms," he said. "So, Bijou, are we ready to go?"