Quite a few years ago...

   The lighthouse was the first building in the town to be built, guiding cargo ships across the treacherous waters of the great lakes to the near by harbor. A nice little community had sprung up around the lighthouse, but the beacon of hope now belonged to an eccentric couple.
   Rift stood on the balcony, enjoying the storm. Lightning thundered overhead, the rain cascaded down and the wind shook the glass. Behind her, safely under cover, Mathias was working on getting the light back up.
   Rift's attention was drawn to the stony path leading up to their house. A lone figure was struggling up it, wrapped in cloak and mystery.
   "Hey" Rift called, turning around. "There's a-"
   It was at that moment Mathias got the light working again. Right in Rift's face.
   "Eureka" Mathias declared proudly, straightening up. "... Rift?"
   He ran over to the balcony, desperately looking around, fearing the worst. Rift, hanging onto the railing, popped up and planted a kiss on her husband's long nose.
   "Congrats on the light!" She declared. "Now we just need the house part. Anyways, we have a visitor!"
   Mathias hurried after Rift down the stairs, but she was speeding ahead, sliding down the banister. There was a loud thud at the bottom of the stairs and Mathias shook his head.
   "She's okay" A bruised red-haired lump at the bottom of the stairs said, as Mathias walked past and unlocked the door.
   There was no one there. Only a pair of baskets.
   "What in the world?" Mathias muttered grabbing them and pulling them inside.
   Rift got up and ran to the open door, looking outside to make sure there was no-one there. Mathias, meanwhile, had sat the baskets on a table and taken a step back when he saw what was in them.
   "Trick or treaters, this time of year?" Rift asked, closing the door and coming up behind him. "What is it scarecrow?"
   And then she saw it too.
                                           ***
   Badger and Ash stared blankly at their parents.
   "Do not worry" Mathias assured them. "We have always loved you as if you were our own."
   "It's not that" Badger said, recovering. "We asked why we lived in the Homebound!"
   "Oh! Well, we had to sell the lighthouse of course" Rift said brightly. "We lived there for years and didn't get one more baby"