It was light when I next stirred. The shaking of the bed as a small figure climbed out brought me to the surface, and I opened my eyes in time to see a naked rear-view padding out of the room, soft hair bouncing on her shoulders. Toilet trip, I thought, pity she hadn't been able to do that last night. I closed my eyes and drifted off again.

I came back to the surface with a start - immediately aware that a lot more time had gone by than I had intended. I rolled out of bed, my head still fuddled with sleep, grabbed my dressing gown from behind the door, and went out to see how my charges had fared with the night.

The living room was devoid of life. So was the kitchen. So was the bathroom. With rising panic, I checked the rest of the flat - the utility room, the office, and even the airing cupboard - gone. The space on the coffee table where I had left their clothes was bare. I felt my spirits sink into my boots - How could my little friends abandon me without even saying goodbye?

Then fear began to make its chilly hand felt. What if Amy had woken in surprise and alarm at her unexpected nudity? What if she had made this known to Nathan, and between them they had jumped to an awful conclusion? Wouldn't that explain their unexpected and unannounced departure? What if, even now, they were reporting their experiences to another adult? I was paralysed by the horrendous destruction to my life that this all represented - I felt physically sick. I collapsed into the armchair and contemplated my fate, already expecting the knock on my door that would herald the beginning of the end. I tried hard to think of alternative explanations, but each time around, I convinced myself more and more that the dreadful scenario I had painted was the only possibility. I wanted the earth to open and swallow me - I wanted to die rather than face the consequences of my mis-guided kindness. My head was aching and my heart going like a trip-hammer as panic filled me to the soul.

I forced myself to breathe - to get some air into my starved lungs. Inaction felt impossible - I dragged myself to my feet and staggered around the room - not sure what I was trying to do, but just needing to do something. The sight of the duvet they had started the night under heaped on the agony. The damp towels that they had dried themselves with, still with the fresh soapy shampoo smell, added another level of pain. The cards we had played such happy games with - hang on! There was a little slip of paper under the pack - an old supermarket receipt from my desk - and scrawled across it in childish letters was one word: "Sorry." I could not tell if it was Nathan's or Amy's handwriting.

My world lurched again. Did this fit with the awful scenario 1? Maybe - but at least it opened up other explanations. Maybe they had just left because that was what they expected to do - but why "Sorry"? What did they have to feel sorry about, when they had brought me so much happiness? And even if scenario 1 was not on the agenda when they left, might it come up when Amy revealed more later? And what new danger might they be in, alone out in the world again? I had a focus for my need to act - I must find them as soon as possible and talk to them. It wasn't much of a plan, but at least it gave me direction.

I dressed quickly - the weather looked fine and dry, as it had been for a number of weeks, so I wore only the basics. I swigged down the last of the Coke - I usually drink tea in the morning, but I could not afford the time for a brew. I grabbed a cereal bar from the kitchen, and munched on it as I set out.

There was a back gate in the garden which led onto a footpath, which linked with a maze of paths that criss-crossed the woods. I was sure this must be how they had arrived at my home, so this was where I set off in pursuit. It was only 8.30 - they couldn't have more than an hour on me. Immediately a choice - left or right? Left took me to the woods sooner, but headed for one edge, whereas right meant a detour of half a mile before heading north, straight for the centre. I took left. I walked as fast as I could, occasionally breaking into a steady trot, but I knew I could not keep that up all day, so I forced myself to walk again. My tortured head continued to process the events, and try to make sense of it all, even as my eyes scoured the countryside I passed, desperately looking for clues to their whereabouts.

The woods on the outskirts of Stourmouth are substantial - probably 4 square miles in all, some coniferous plantations, some old deciduous, some open areas of bracken and brambles. The terrain is very broken beneath the trees, with numerous banks and dykes, occasional hollows and steep hills and vales. I had walked it a few times before, but had never explored it thoroughly, an oversight I now rued. I racked my mind for some likely site for a camp, but it could be anywhere. In lieu of a better plan, I headed for the highest point somewhere near the centre.

By the time I reached it, I was hot and a bit puffed, and I had seen no one. I stood for some minutes, gazing at the woods around me in each direction, but still seeing nothing to draw me in one direction rather than another. I felt my heart sinking again, and kicked myself into action. The greater proportion of the forest stretched to the North of me, so I headed that way.

It took me half an hour to reach the northern edge marked by a major road, and in that time, all I had seen were a couple of joggers. I had considered stopping them, but I could not think how to explain the situation succinctly without opening myself to difficult questions, so I had continued my search alone. I could not see the kids going any further out than this, so I skirted round to the east, and then headed south, back towards my home, using parallel paths. This area was much older than the rest - mature oaks and yew trees mixed, with numerous hollows and collapsed branches forming natural shelters - an area I had not seen before, and much more promising territory.

A camp! Definitely a camp! I could see sheets of plastic had been stretched over a fallen branch, and clear evidence of the detritus of human habitation. I battled my way off the path, and up the short rise to the shelter, already planning what I would say to Nathan and Amy as I greeted them. A tramp - an old hairy, smelly, dirty tramp occupied the entrance to the structure, and my heart fell. He had spotted me blundering through the trees, and he eyed me suspiciously as I came to a halt 20 yards from him. I thought of turning around and continuing my search immediately, but it occurred to me that if he lived in the woods, he might know where others did.

"Have you seen any children round here?" I shouted across the gulf between us. "A boy and a girl - they've got lost?"

"Nah!" he growled "Never seen no kids roun' here."

"Thanks" I called as I spun round and made my way back to the path.

A few hundred yards later, I came on the small road that passes through the eastern edge of the woods, and I stood for a few minutes in the small parking area used by so many local dog-walkers. There were 3 cars already parked up - the woods were a natural local recreation area for the town dwellers - but all were unoccupied, their owners already deep in the forest. With sinking spirits, I headed west, and in 20 minutes found myself back at the high point I had been on over an hour earlier. I continued west, but my spirits were dropping with every pace - I was hungry and thirsty, and beginning to feel my search was pointless. Even if I did find them, I was not sure they would greet my presence with joy. I forced myself to continue.

Another hour later, and I had reached the western edge, where it petered out into fields, and then skirted south until I was close again to my own home. I was exhausted and defeated, and decided the best thing I could do was to return for some food and drink to get me going again. I covered the last half mile at a snail's pace, and let myself in the back gate. I trudged around the side of the garage and...

There! There was Nathan, sat on my doorstep! Tiredness forgotten, I bounded up the steps, and came to a halt at his feet. He did not stand, but looked at me with utter despair on his tear-streaked face. "I lost Amy!" he wailed, and dissolved in floods of tears.

My short lived joy was instantly replaced with cold dread. "What happened?" I asked as calmly as I could.

"When we got back to the camp, there was an old man there," he sniffed through his tears. "I tried to tell him it was our camp, but he swore at us, and then chased after us. When I looked for Amy, she wasn't there!" He was overtaken by uncontrolled sobs at the memory of the event.

"Did the tramp get her?" I asked, my blood running cold at the thought.

"No," he gasped between sobs, "I saw him go back to the camp, and Amy wasn't with him. I searched everywhere for her!" he added defensively, and then returned to sobbing.

I did the only thing I could think of - I grasped him by the shoulders, lifted him to his feet, and embraced him in a consoling hug. He resisted for a moment, and then melted against me, sobbing against my shoulder and holding my arms with his hands. Gradually the sobs subsided to sniffling tears.

"What are we going to do?" he pleaded into my ear. Through the sadness, the "We" gave me a crumb of happiness - at least we were on the same side!

"Don't worry!" I reassured him, with more confidence than I felt, "I'm sure everything will be fine."

Releasing him, I stood and opened the door. As he stood in the entrance, I went to the kitchen and grabbed a handful of cereal bars and sweets - the need for an energy boost was still there. The Coke was all gone, but I found a carton of Orange juice in the fridge, and handed this to Nathan as I locked the door. He followed me down to the garage, and I heard him gasp with surprise as I opened the door to reveal the MG. Soon, we were both aboard, buckled up and under way.

"Peel me a bar" I shouted over the noise of the motor, "And have one for yourself too!"

He complied readily, and soon we were both munching as I headed for the parking area I had found earlier. We were there in less than 5 minutes, and I parked up between the other vehicles - there were 6 now. We were out in a second, and I strode off in the direction of the tramps hideout.

"How did you know it was here?" panted Nathan as he trotted to keep up with me.

"I've been searching for you both all morning," I explained. "I found this place a couple of hours ago - I wish I'd known...."

"You been searching for us?" he asked.

"Yep."

"Why?"

"I was worried for you when you ran off this morning." That didn't seem enough, so I added: "I was very sad that you had left me."

He nodded understanding, and I saw his brow furrow in thought.

Soon Nathan directed me off the main path and up a track leading to the camp. As we neared the shelter, I could see the tramp, still sitting where I had seen him before. He eyed me defensively, and I felt Nathan drop back behind me.

I spared no time for niceties: "When I asked you earlier, you said you hadn't seen any children!"

"So?" he growled.

"This boy says you chased him and his sister away earlier!" I was angry.

"What if I did?"

"She's lost. Is she here?" I fixed him with a glare.

"Nah." He responded simply. Then he began to wither under my continued stare. "Look guv, I never touched her! These brats turned up this morning and started shouting the camp was theirs, which it weren't cos I made it last year. So I chased 'em off. I didn't see where they went." I continued to glare as I processed this. "Look, you can check if you like!" He climbed unsteadily to his feet, and indicated the inside of his hovel with his arm.

I approached cautiously, the smell of rotten food and human excrement becoming more powerful with each step. The thought that Nathan and Amy had lived here for a while was truly appalling. At last close enough to peer inside, I could see no one was hidden within. Just a very dirty mattress, a few plastic bags full of unthinkable things, and lots of empty beer cans.

I stood and backed off. "OK - thanks," I muttered quietly.

He growled his victory.

I walked the few yards back to Nathan. "Which way did you run off?" I asked. He pointed towards the centre of the forest, and we both walked in that direction.

"This is where I missed her," he whispered, and I could tell the tears were close to the surface again. We were in an open area beneath a large beech tree.

"Amy!" I shouted as loud as I could, but the noise died in the woods. We listened for a few seconds, hoping for some response, but there was none. I tried again. And again. And again, and again and again as we drifted slowly back to the car, but there was no answer.

As we reached the car, a middle aged coupled had just arrived, and were loading their golden retriever into the back of an estate. The man approached us as soon as we were close enough: "Hey - you looking for a lost child?" he asked.

"Yes - have you seen her?" my spirits soaring.

"Sure - you should have been here a couple of hours ago. She came out of the woods and she was crying. We waited for 20 minutes, but when no-one came to fetch her, and she wouldn't tell us where she lived, two ladies, who were here as well, took her off to the police station."

My relief was tempered with the concern that the police were involved, but at least she should be safe. "Thanks! Do you know which station?"

"No - but I guess the nearest - Stourmouth?"

"Great! We'll go and get her straight away." I was already dashing for the car, but Nathan beat me to it, vaulting the door in his haste. The wheels spun as we roared off.

I knew exactly where the station was - one of the spin-offs of my work. It would take us 15 minutes to get there, and my mind was already working flat out - how to get her out of there without her runaway status coming to light, and the social services getting involved. I glanced across at Nathan - his brow still furrowed in worry and thought.

"You don't want to go back to your Mum?" I asked as we negotiated a roundabout.

"No!" he shook his head firmly, his jaw set in determination.

"OK - I'm going to do my best to get her out, but I may need to tell a few lies." He looked up at me in surprise. "Don't give the game away!" He smiled now at the naughtiness of telling lies to policemen. "What's your Mum's name?"

"Rosie," he replied, looking puzzled again.

"Rosie what?"

"Rosie Day. Why dya need to know?"

"You'll see. What's her address?"

He gave me a house number and street a couple of miles from my own in a Council Estate with a dodgy reputation.

We had arrived at the station, and I parked in one of the visitors spaces. My mouth was dry, so I opened the orange juice, and we took turns at swigging from it. "OK - lets go."

I strode purposefully into the reception area, Nathan hanging back, his face a picture of fear - this place represented all his greatest nightmares. I recognised the auxiliary behind the hatch, but could not remember her name. "Hi - I gather you have had a missing child brought in today?"

"Yes Mr O'Fyle. Do you know who she is? She wont tell us anything."

"Yes - she is Amy Day - this is her brother Nathan. Her mother has asked me to come and pick her up."

"Oh Good - I'll get the duty sergeant." She disappeared from view, and I turned to see Nathan smirking beside me. I drew a line across my mouth, and he did his best to look more serious.

A few minutes passed before a very large Police sergeant arrived though the side door. Again I knew him - Higgins - but I did not like him much. He had always been unhelpful and unsympathetic to my clients in his custody. "Ah, Mr O'Fyle - follow me." He held the door open, and ushered us through into the heart of the building. We followed him down a corridor, and then he opened the door to one of the interview rooms.

There was Amy! Her look of surprise turned to delight at the sight of her brother, and she leapt to her feet, and soon they were wrapped in an embrace, tears of joy on both their faces. Higgins looked on severely - not much could touch his heart. After a few moments, he spoke to me: "We need to talk." I followed him out of the room, leaving Nathan and Amy together for a bit.

"Look," he started, "You know I can't release her to you? Has to be a parent or guardian." I had been expecting this - any more humane representative of the law would have made no issue, but not Higgins.

I cleared my throat, and headed into the argument.

Ten minutes later, and I was no further forward. I had told him I was the mother's legal representative, I had confirmed her name and address, I had pointed out that the presence of the brother reinforced my role, I had pleaded and cajoled, but he was adamant - rules were rules, and he was not going to bend any of them. There was something more though - he was avoiding direct eye contact with me, and he kept rubbing his left hand with his right. He was nervous, and something was bothering him.

Exasperated, I said at last: "OK - I need to speak to Amy - she is going to be very upset if she has to stay here any longer."

"OK" he shrugged, and I headed back to the interview room. I was surprised that he seemed intent on following me in.

"Alone," I remarked firmly. His face clouded with worry again, but eventually, he nodded agreement.

In the room I found Nathan and Amy sat next to each other in deep conversation. They looked uncertain and scared.

"Can we go now?" asked Amy expectantly.

"Soon, I hope," I replied. "Look - we might have to get your Mum down here to get you out." It was an unhappy admission of defeat.

"No!" they chorused together.

"I can't stay here!" added Amy, and she burst into tears again.

Nathan hugged her, and glared at me for my failure. Then he leant close to her ear, and whispered: "Tell him."

"I can't!" wailed Amy, and then "You tell him!"

Intrigued, I crouched down before them, and asked: "Tell me what?"

Nathan scowled at me, and then breathed: "He touched her!"

"Who?"

"That fat policeman."

"What do you mean, 'touched'?"

"He put his hand in her knickers." I felt my blood come rapidly to the boil. The bastard! How dare he violate my precious Amy?

"I bit his hand to make him stop," sniffed Amy.

My mind was racing as I fought to bring my rage under control. One of the benefits of my line of work is that one learns to control one's emotions and concentrate on using facts and the law to win your case. Rationally, this new information gave me a huge trump card to play, but I had to fight the gut reaction to bring hell-fire and damnation on Higgins immediately. But that way, Amy and Nathan would definitely fall into the clutches of the Social Services, as well as be dragged through the courts as we set about destroying him.

I opened my arms, and hugged them both to me, and I found their contact comforting and calming.

At last I released them both, and spoke directly to Amy: "Thank you for telling me that. He is a very bad man!" Her tear-filled eyes were inches from mine as she listened dolefully to my words. "Now, we can do two different things with that information. Either we can tell other people about it," I saw Amy flinch, "and get him into lots of trouble - maybe even get him put in gaol - but if we do that, lots of other policemen and the social will be involved...."

"No!" they both cried.

"Or," I continued, "I can use the information to get you out of here very quickly, but then you wont be able to tell anyone about it again."

"Please get me out!" pleaded Amy. I checked with Nathan, and got a very definite nod of agreement.

"OK." I stood grimly, and headed for the door.

Higgins was still in the hall outside, and I could see his face blanch with fear as he caught my stern visage. I did not want to talk to him, but I had to. "Amy has given me some new information..." I started.

"You don't want to believe everything these brats say!" His defensive response confirmed his guilt.

"Maybe - but I am inclined to believe her."

"You can't prove anything!"

"Maybe, maybe not - but I think the child size bite mark on your left hand will go a long way..."

I put my arm up to stop his continued protestations. "Now, you have two choices. Either you continue to deny it, in which case I will get the auxiliary to call the duty Inspector in, and I guess within an hour we will have a couple of Superintendents, the Police Complaints authority, and some CID from the next county here as well. I guess you will spend the night in one of your own cells. By Monday you will be in a local nick - I'm told they enjoy the company of ex-policemen. Then of course the press..." I was enjoying twisting the knife.

He swallowed hard, and I thought he might pass out, but he was not earning any sympathy from me. "Or?" he rasped out at last.

"Or, you simply let the three of us go our way." A look of relief spread across his face, but I could not let him get away that lightly. "I wont promise we might not raise a complaint later - I will think about it - but at least you have a chance."

"But the paperwork?" he pleaded.

"I'm sure you will find a way." I grimaced.

And he did. Within 20 minutes, we were walking through the entrance hall, and back into the sunshine, Nathan dancing a jig in front, while Amy held firmly onto my hand, a broad smile splitting her face. Nathan dashed across to stand by my MG. "Look Amy! Look at his car! Isn't it cool!"

"Wow!" shouted Amy as she scampered across to join him. "Is this really your car?"

"Yes." I beamed back, delighted with their delight, and the speed at which they were recovering from their ordeal.

It was about one o'clock - lunchtime - so we headed over to a burger joint - not my usual choice, but a no-brainer for pre-teens. As we munched our way through their standard fare, we chatted through the events of the day. Nathan explained that they had run away from me because Amy had wet the bed, and thought I would be cross. (She blushed furiously as the tale was told.) I reassured her that I was not angry - it was just one of those parts of growing up, and she looked a little relieved. I got them to promise not to run away again, at least not without telling me first.

I told them about my hunt through the woods for them, and they were awestruck by the efforts I had gone to to find them. We all had a good laugh about the tramp and his camp - Amy volunteering that she never wanted to go back there again. When they were fed, we went through the events at the station, and it was apparent that I had scored serious kudos for lying to the police, and getting them out. We didn't discuss the 'touching' incident - that was too dark and serious for such a bright day. Soon, it was all just a big adventure!

On the way back to my house, we stopped at a supermarket - if these two were going to be with me for a while, I needed a major restock. We had great fun picking out all the things they would eat - apparently their mother rarely let them shop with her, so this was all a treat. The trolley was soon piled high with goodies. We even stopped by the clothing aisle, and picked up a couple of changes of clothes and underwear for the two of them.

At one point, Nathan drew me aside and asked seriously: "Can you afford all this stuff?"

"Yes," I laughed back, "I'll tell you when you've spent all my money."

He grinned broadly, and went back on the hunt. We added some black PJs for him, and a pretty pink nightie for Amy. She also picked out a lovely yellow summer dress, earning a disapproving look from her brother, but a happy nod of agreement from me. We also stopped by the pharmaceutical aisle, and got some toothbrushes, toothpaste and children's shampoo. At last we headed for checkout, and my flexible friend took the load without issue.

We took a long route home, enjoying the sunshine and the wind in our hair as we sped through the countryside. Amy sat in the back, her hair streaming out behind her. Nathan was in the front, leaning forward in eager anticipation of each bend, and exaggerating the lean as we went round the corners. I even took them down my favourite section of road - a narrow section of single track with several pronounced hump-back bridges along it. At speed, the little MG almost took off as we crested each rise to the delighted squeals of the children.

Back at the flat, it took several trips to unload all the bags and stack them on the living room floor, but I had very willing beasts of burden. Then we had fifteen minutes packing all the consumables away in their respective places - I was delighted with their willingness to learn, their biddability, and their constant stream of questions. Soon they knew where everything was kept in my kitchen.

As soon as the chores were finished, Amy grabbed her new dress, and dashed to the bathroom. In a few minutes she re-appeared, pretty as a picture, and as pleased as punch. She posed and paraded before Nathan and me, begging our approval. Her dress was pale yellow, with white ruffs at the shoulder, and a tight waist. The skirt was pleated, with white lace at the hem, and as she moved it bounced and shimmered in the late afternoon sunshine. Her arms and legs were bare, and their slender uniformity combined with the prettiness of her face to remind me of the fairies that adorned Victorian children's books.

"You look very beautiful," I admitted.

She beamed her gratitude, and twirled on the spot. Nathan watched with pride in his little sister, but also a hint of jealousy. In a flash I remembered how I felt at his age, when my little sister was bought nice new clothes 'because she's a girl', and I had to make do with tatty old ones.

"You've got new clothes too," I whispered.

He looked startled, then with a "Yeah!" of joy, he dashed out to fetch them, and then charged back through the living room and into the bathroom to change. A few minutes later, he emerged, preening himself in a smart new blue shirt and jeans. Rather more self-consciously than his sister, he paraded for our approval. He was quite thin, which made him look taller than his four and a bit feet, and his figure was so straight and sharp that he reminded me of a young gazelle. His big blue eyes, and mop of unruly blonde hair completed the perfect picture of boyhood beauty.

"You two should be models!" I sighed in new found pride. A thought occurred to me: "Hang on, let me get the camera!" I was back in a moment, and soon they were striking poses and flaunts as I snapped away with the digital. Individually they were great, and I got some wonderful shots, both full length and close ups, but the best were when they were together - they really seemed to strike artistic sparks off each other. Whether side by side, or face to face, they complimented each other beautifully. I treasure all those pictures to this day, but most of all one where I got Amy to stand in front of Nathan, her head against his chest, his arm protectively over her shoulder. Her face looks serious, and a little scared, his proud and protective staring the viewer in the eyes, as if to say 'you mess with my sister, and you'll have me to answer to'. It summed them up perfectly.

Eventually they began to flag, and at my suggestion, they turned on the telly and settled down to watch. I pottered around - setting the soiled bed-clothes from the night before to wash, and replacing my sheets. Then I started on supper - bangers and mash. As I worked, I reflected that all these chores, which two days ago would have seemed depressing and mundane, now filled me with gentle satisfaction and pride.

Half an hour later, grub was on the table, and my precious visitors were tucking in happily to yet more food. They had Coke to wash it down with, but I rationed them compared to the night before, while I sucked on a small beer. Supper did not last long, and afterwards they readily helped me clear away and wash up - again naturally working as a team: Nathan dried while Amy put away. For children who had just spent time living wild, they had a remarkable sense of tidiness and good order.

We returned to the TV, but all the programs they enjoyed had finished. (I made a mental note to get in some DVDs for them.) It was still quite early, but they were already showing signs of sleepiness.

"Do you want to bath again tonight?" I asked.

"Nah!" they both grumped.

"OK, then I suggest you get changed into your new night gear, and we can play games until you are ready to sleep."

They grudgingly accepted, and trudged off towards the bathroom with their bags. "Brush your teeth as well!" I called, just before the door closed. A few minutes later they re-emerged, and dragged themselves back to sit beside me on the sofa and dropping their discarded clothes in a heap by the telly. They were really very tired, but it was only 6.30, so it seemed too early for bed. "Do you want to play games again?" I asked hopefully, but Nathan shook his head, and Amy acted as if she hadn't heard me at all. Instead she wriggled across the seat, and rested her head against my upper arm. I raised my arm and put it round her, and she melted into my shoulder. My hand, for want of anywhere else, came to rest on her thigh, and I gave it an affectionate squeeze through the soft cotton of her nightie. I looked across to Nathan - his head resting lightly on the back of the settee as he struggled to keep his eyes open. His PJs looked good on him - red bottoms and a black top with skulls and ghost pictured on the front. It was in that soft stretchy cotton material that seems reserved for children's pyjamas. I could remember wearing it myself many years before - tight but comforting.

"Can you rub my back?" murmured Amy. Automatically, I complied. describing small circles between her shoulders. "Ahhh, that's nice," she sighed, so I continued. A minute or two passed like this, then: "Can you do a message?" she asked.

"Pardon?" I replied, genuinely puzzled.

"You know, a proper back rub - Dad used to do it for me?"

"Oh, you mean a massage?"

"Yes - that's it. Can you?"

"I suppose so - if that's what you'd like?"

She answered by twisting around until she lay across my lap face-down, her back presented for attention. I glanced to Nathan, who was smiling benignly at his sisters antics. So I started to work her back over - rubbing and kneading, scratching and stroking, from her shoulders down to her knicker line, which I could feel through the nightie, and then back and out across her upper arms. "Ummm, that's good," she purred.

It was good for me too. Her body was warm and soft and pliant, and every touch sent little signals of pleasure up my arms, and through my body. Somewhere a guilty angel was telling me I should not be doing this, but it was far too good to stop, as long as she wanted me to continue.

Abruptly it did halt, as she wriggled her self upright again. "Hang on," she breathed, and without warning she was shimmying her way out of her nightie. She cast it to the floor, and threw herself back across my legs. "That's better," she sighed, and then when I didn't continue with my task immediately: "Go on! Don't stop!"

So I did, and if it had felt good before, it was a hundred times more potent now as I caressed and pulled, buffed and battered her bare skin as she sighed and moaned out her pleasure. She was so soft, and her skin so smooth and free of blemish! I felt a strong urge to bend down and kiss her back, but manfully I resisted.

In my euphoria, I was startled to find Nathan stood before me. I looked up guiltily into his face, and pulled my hands away from his sister's back, but all he said was: "Can I help?"

"Uh - I guess so - if Amy doesn't mind?"

"Please," sighed Amy.

So now we both continued. I don't know if Nathan had done this before, but he quickly took his lead from me - when I rubbed, he rubbed, when I stroked, he stroked, and when I went for the feather-light touches, he did too, causing little Amy to giggle. Occasionally our hands would bump as we went for the same patch of exposed skin at the same moment, and this too seemed both natural and pleasurable to us both.

I was carefully avoiding touching below the knicker line, but he had no such compunction, happily stroking her buttocks through the crisp white of her new knickers, and then continuing down her thighs to her knees, causing her to kick out at the tickle. After he had done this a few times, he stopped and looked pointedly at me - clearly I was being instructed to extend my territory out of bounds. For a split second I thought I could resist the temptation, but I could not, and my hands caressed her buttocks for the first time. She was so small! My palms covered her bottom almost completely. Her thighs were only a little longer than the length of my hand. I wanted this illicit exploration to go on for ever. I could feel the arousal in my trousers, but I was doing her no harm, and it was so good to caress her supple skin that I did not even feel guilty.

Suddenly there was movement beneath my hands. With a grunt and a wriggle, Amy twisted herself round until she was face up. With a beatific smile she sighed: "Do my front?"

For a few seconds I froze. My head was telling me that this was going to far, whilst my eyes took in the simple beauty of the near-naked child lying across my lap. Her bony collar bones, her skinny chest with her ribs clearly visible, her smooth soft belly and tiny navel - all were a perfect rendition of childish beauty. Then her tiny pants, clenched into wrinkles between her closed legs, but still revealing a little of the shape of her mons, and the tight cleft between. Further down, her thighs clamped firmly together were narrow and firm, her knees bumpy and cute, and her calves so thin I felt I could put my hand right round one.

Her eyes opened. "Go on!" she breathed impatiently, "Don't stop!"

So I brought my hands gently onto her chest, and began stroking her once more. She squirmed because it tickled, but sighed and closed her eyes once more. Nathan rejoined, and together we explored the soft contours of Amy's front. I worked slowly down from her neck and shoulders down her flat and rather bony chest. Did I dare touch her nipples, no more than discolourations against her pale skin? Yes, I did, and I was rewarded by a sigh of pleasure and a squirm of her hips. Down over the edge of her rib-cage, careful not to tickle, and across her sucked-in belly my wandering digits poked and stroked. Did I dare explore her navel? Yes I did, and this time I earned a giggle and a squirm as she sucked her tummy in as far as she could. Forsaking her sweet belly button I drifted further south, suddenly aware that all her sucking in had opened a gap, maybe half an inch wide, between the hem of her knickers and her soft skin. Did I dare encroach into the forbidden triangle?

No! I did not, for suddenly a vision of Higgins violating the same space earlier that day intruded into my thoughts, and I felt my passion collapse. With new found resolve, I passed quickly over to her thighs, where I encountered Nathan's hands happily squeezing and bullying her muscles. We exchanged ends, and continued administering to Amy's needs.

With a grunt, Amy wriggled out of our clutches and sat up. "I need a wee!" she exclaimed petulantly, and then trotted off towards the bathroom.

I laughed lightly, and looked up to find myself face to face with Nathan. He grinned sheepishly, and then quietly asked: "Can I have a go too?"

I was surprised, but replied "Yes if you want to?"

"Yessss!" he hissed, and immediately started wriggling out of his pyjama shirt, and in seconds threw himself face down across my lap.

Yet again, my conscience could not handle the temptation, and I started to massage his bare back. I was struck by the similarities and the differences to his sister. His skin was just as smooth and free from blemish, but maybe a shade more tanned. There was distinctly more muscle tone beneath the surface, and soon he was working his shoulders and back in response to my probes and pulls. His obvious pleasure was an easy match for Amy's as he sighed, rubbed his cheek against the arm of the chair, and closed his eyes. I worked quickly from his shoulders down to the hem of his pyjama bottoms and back again.

Amy reappeared - pouted at me for her lost place, and then set about adding to her brother's pleasure. Once again I was surprised by the easy way these two worked for each other, rather than squabbling and competing for the centre of attention. She had no problem with squeezing her brothers bum through the cotton, so I followed suit and soon took in everything from the back of his knees to his neck. It was apparent that Nathan was wearing nothing under his pyjamas, which I found... interesting. I was surprised to find that all this physical contact with him was having a similar effect down below as had his sister. I felt guilty for a moment, and then rationalised that there should be no reason why I should not receive some pleasure in reward for the happiness I was doling out.

After a few minutes, Nathan followed his sister's lead, and rolled onto his back for us to do his front. I knew there was no way I could turn him down, so I set to quickly rubbing and kneading his shoulders and chest, while Amy went for his thighs. His chest was harder than Amy's with reasonable muscles, his nipples stood out like little BB pellets, and he sighed with pleasure as I stroked them gently. As I worked south, I could not help notice an obvious tent in his pants, and Amy spotted it at the same moment.

"Why's you willy sticking up?" she asked simply.

Nathan blushed furiously, and brought a hand down to cover his groin.

To relieve his embarrassment, I said: "It just shows he is really enjoying it."

Nathan was trying to get up, but I held him gently down, and after a second he relaxed as I continued to massage his abdomen.

Amy was looking thoughtful, and after a few seconds, her question popped out: "Is it the same as when I get all tingly down there sometimes?"

"Yes," I laughed back, "Just like that."

"Oh! I see," she smiled her understanding, then: "You're nice - you tell us stuff. When I asked Mum about his willy, she smacked me!" She frowned as she remembered the incident. She resumed working her brother's thighs, the question resolved to her satisfaction.

After a few moments, Nathan released his hand from its duties, and lay back, letting his tent stand proudly in front of him. I was very glad that my own tent was hidden under the small of his back.

So we continued for some minutes, until my hands were getting quite tired. Amy too was running out of steam again, and soon she gave up her task, and climbed onto the settee beside me, rolling herself into a foetal ball and resting her head on the arm. She shivered in her near nakedness.

"OK," I sighed to Nathan, "I think that's enough. Amy's tired."

He grunted his disappointment, but rolled onto his feet, and grabbed his PJ top. I picked up Amy's nightie and tossed it to her, but she ignored it. "I think you had better put it on - you'll get cold" I said.

"Can you help me - I'm too sleepy," she yawned back. And so I did, pulling her gently upright, and then manoeuvring the garment over her arms and head until it dropped down to her waist, whilst she gave a good impression of a rag doll. As soon as I released her, she flopped back onto the arm, and closed her eyes.

"I think its bed time," I whispered to Nathan.

"But I'm not tired yet," he lied.

"OK, if you lie down, I'll get your duvet, and I'll read you a story until you are."

Reluctantly he agreed, and soon he was tucked up at the other end of the settee, and they both had pillows. I found an old copy of Alice in Wonderland, and perched on the coffee table as I read aloud to them. I think Amy was asleep before I even started, and Nathan followed only a few minutes later. I closed the book and stood up.

It was still early, so I pottered around the flat, tidying and putting away for a while. When I was sure they were not going to awake again, I fetched by own night gear, and headed for a shower. Soon I was luxuriating in the high pressure hot water as I washed. Quickly memories of our recent activities filled my head - the soft purity of their bodies, and the warmth of their touch, but mostly the trusting surrender to my intimacy with them. I could feel my passion respond, and idly I fondled myself - nothing so brutal as masturbation, just a little light self-pleasuring.

I was startled guiltily from my reverie as the bathroom door flew open, and I could see a figure pad into the room. I could tell it was Nathan, even from behind the frosted glass, by the red and black colour scheme. He headed straight for the loo, and after a few moments standing there, I heard the toilet flush - a pee break. Then, instead of heading straight back out to his bed, he came over to my shower cubicle, and I could see his face clearly peering through the frosted glass at me. I had already taken the precaution of turning away from him, so there was nothing disturbing he could see.

"Back to bed Nathan!" I called over the running water.

"Can I have a shower?" he called back.

I did not see why not, so I called back: "OK - when I'm done."

His face moved back from the glass, and then I could see the blurred image of first the black top scooting off his head, and seconds later, the red pants drop to the floor. The pink blurry image hopped from foot to foot. Then: "Hurry up - I'm getting cold!"

"Hang on!" I laughed back. "Give us a chance - I was here first."

The pink figure continued to hop from side to side, and I turned to finish my washing. A cold blast of air alerted me to the opening of the cubicle door, followed closely by soft flesh cannoning into my hip as Nathan jumped in beside me!

"I couldn't wait," he grunted. "Do you mind?"

It would take pages to dissect the turmoil of emotions I felt, both for and against his presence in the shower with me, but my reply was "I suppose not."

He grinned triumphantly, and then shivered - I was hogging the hot water. I reached the shower head down from its fixing, and doused him liberally in a steaming torrent, still carefully keeping my back towards him as far as possible. When he was wet and warm, I handed him the soap, and returned the stream of water to my own body.

"Can you wash me?" he pleaded.

"I'm sure you can do that for yourself" I replied.

"I know - but Dad used to do it for me sometimes. Pleeeease?" he implored.

I was too far gone to resist. I plugged the shower head back into its fixing, and took the soap back from Nathan. I began to lather up his shoulders - there was no helping turning towards him now - and as my hands slipped easily over his chest and arms, he could not help but see my package. Have you ever seen a child in the presence of something they want to look at, but know they shouldn't? Their eyes grow very large, and they turn aside from where they want to look, but roll their eyes round to stare. Self consciously I crouched down, both to bring myself in range of the rest of his body for washing, but also to disguise my burgeoning manhood. Unfortunately, the soapy slipperiness of his skin under my hands conspired to make matters worse. I spun him round, and worked down his back, relieved that I was out of sight for a few moments, but the sight of his tight little pale buttocks added to my problems. Trying hard to think of un-arousing things - case law and court rooms -I moved quickly on, skirting rapidly over his bottom, and spending a little longer on his thighs and calves.

"There - done!" I announced relieved.

"You haven't done my front properly" he replied as he turned to face me again, his eyes immediately locked onto my embarrassment once again.

I resumed, my eyes level with his ribcage as I soaped his belly. Below I could see his little penis, no bigger than my forefinger, and sticking straight up. I groaned inwardly with suppressed desire as I went quickly on to wash the fronts of his thighs and shins, down to his feet.

"Ok now?" I rasped - my voice had all but abandoned me.

"You missed a bit!" he smirked, thrusting his hips forward and waving his erection in front of him.

Could I have a clearer invitation to molest him? Could I resist? Even as I considered these questions my soapy hand had begun to gently stroke the prominent digit. I looked up to see his eyes were closed, and a blissful grin had spread from ear to ear. I had never touched a penis, other than my own, before, and I was stunned by how good it felt - hard and springy with the red head just peeping from beneath the foreskin. The effect on my own erection was stronger than if I had been stroking myself!

Suddenly the enormity of what I was doing rushed in on me, and I let go. "There," I said quite gruffly, "That's enough."

He opened his eyes, and smiled his gratitude at me. "Thanks," he murmured.

I got the shower down again, and rinsed him off thoroughly. Then I said: "I think I am done," and stepped out of the shower before there were any more confusions. I dried myself quickly, my head still spinning from all that had just occurred, and then slipped into my night gear.

Just as I finished, Nathan called "How do I turn it off?"

I rolled up my sleeve, opened the door, and turned the necessary dial. In the sudden silence, Nathan stood shivering and smiling in the middle of the cubicle, the water still streaming off him. I was relieved to see his stiffy had subsided. "There - OK now?" I said, probably a little snappily.

The smile on his face collapsed. "Are you cross with me?" he sniffed.

"Not at all!" I replied, trying hard to sound happy - I was furious with myself, but not with him. "Why should I be cross with you?"

He looked a little relieved. "For getting in the shower with you and... stuff," he murmured shyly.

"No, I'm not cross with you at all. I was a bit surprised - and then cross with myself because I shouldn't have... you know..." I felt myself redden in embarrassment at trying to explain what I should not have done. "But I'm not cross with you at all."

He smiled broadly in his relief, then shivered. "Dry me?" he asked.

It seemed an inevitable corollary of his forgiveness, so I grabbed a fresh towel, and wrapped him in it, and then lifted him out of the cubicle as he giggled with infantile delight. The drying became a game as I rubbed and dabbed, and he danced and laughed. My increasing familiarity with his immature body filled me with delight, and I was glad my reaction was hidden in the folds of my pants.

Finished at last, I reached for his jamas - to find he had abandoned them in a place that always flooded when the shower was in use: they were soaked. But we were in a deliriously happy frame of mind, and laughed together at the mishap. "You'll have to sleep in your pants tonight!" I said as I wrapped him back in the towel. I rung out the damp clothes as best I could and hung them on the towel rail to dry.

"Carry me?" he cried as soon as I was done. Without a pause, I scooped him into my arms, and took him out. I headed straight for the sofa, intent on laying him to rest with his sister. Then a voice wheedled in my ear: "Can't I sleep with you?"

I knew I should say no, and I tried: "I'm not sure that's a good idea..."

"Pleeeease? You let Amy!"

My resistance crumbled, and I turned left into the bedroom. I set him carefully on the edge of the bed, still wrapped in his damp towel. I went straight away to fetch his pants, and dropped them beside him, before heading out again. A quick tidy up of the bathroom, brush my teeth, put out the last of the lights, and back to the bedroom. Nathan was already curled up in bed, his head on a pillow, and his eyes shut. For a few moments I stood and admired the extraordinary beauty of a sleeping child. His mouth had fallen open, and for the first time I really noticed how full and red his lips were - infinitely kissable.

With a shudder I broke free from that fantasy, and tried to address the immediate problem: Was I really going to get into bed with this child? Although he wasn't quite in the centre of the bed, he was not far off - which ever side I got in, I was going to be very close to him. The settee was already occupied, and offered no more space or propriety than the bed. The armchair? I had dosed off in it occasionally to awake with a stiff neck - that seemed unreasonably uncomfortable, and after all, it was my home! With a groan of tortured conscience, I eased myself under the duvet next to Nathan, and turned out the bedside light.

He wasn't as fast asleep as I had thought. "There you are," he murmured, then he sidled closer and laid his head on my shoulder, stretching his arm across my chest. My arm was trapped between us at first, but as he wriggled, I became conscious of naked boy parts pressed against my hand - the little sod had not put his pants on!

With a grunt of surprise, I eased my arm out, and arranged it behind him. He wriggled again to get comfortable, and now I knew his tool was squeezed against my hip. Inwardly I groaned at the thought, and for a few seconds I fought with the compulsion that I should get away from this situation, but in the end, I did nothing. After all - he had put himself in this position. If he had a problem with it, he had only himself to blame. On that flimsy reasoning, I gradually eased into a troubled sleep, pursued by naked nymphs.

I came to the surface with a start a few hours later. I had been dreaming of Nathan and Amy lost in a dark wood - much more threatening than our own - and being pursued by somebody. At first it was me, but then, in the way dreams do, the chaser had become a policeman, then a social worker, and then a strange female, who I knew to be their mother although I didn't know her. I was now watching from above as this woman came closer and closer to finding them, whilst they were oblivious to her closeness. I had awoken as the mother figure had contrived to trip Amy up, and she was falling into a bottomless pit. I came to the surface panicky and sweating.

I quickly discovered Nathan had rolled a little away from me - I was both relieved and disappointed that he was no longer in contact. I lay still, trying to get my breath back with the images of the dream still bouncing around my head. I hadn't really thought about their mother much before - clearly they did not love her much, but surely she must miss them? She could not have reported them missing, otherwise the police would have known Amy as soon as she was brought in. What was going on there? And what if she now, belatedly, decided to report them lost? That could bring disaster down on me very quickly. Clearly I needed to square this woman away if I was going to relax in the company of my new friends. I fell asleep again formulating plans.