Take My Hand

[Tree]

"Ing!"

She chanted in delight, from sunshine to tears when the swing bounced just a tidbit after they got going. She was all tears and snuggles, grabbing towards mama now.

[Sushi]

"aww, it's okay. Don't worry, I've got you," he tried to soothe.

[Tree]

He got lots of tears, but she did settle with the soothing gentle tone and reassurance. Though she did throw to out her strongest little word ever.

"No!"

She smacked towards the chain that held the swing. She really fell short, but she still did it again.

"No. No!"

[Sushi]

Ryder slowly brought them to stop.

"Do you want to be done?"

[Tree]

Rini looked up as it stopped, reaching towards the rest of the playground. Anything but the meal swing! It tried to hurt her! Scary!

Marina nodded a bit..

"I think the swing might be less liked now."

[Sushi]

"okay. How about the slide?"

He carried her off.

/No big./

[Tree]

Rini sniffled and reached at the slide. If he had patience, he'd find she fully rebounded after the first full slide down. Oh! This was delightful!

"GNNN!"

She screeched, throwing her hands wide, flopping forward towards him with blind, full trust.

[Sushi]

Ryder laughed, scooping her up at the bottom and spinning around once.

"Oh my goodness! You could give a man baby fever if he's not careful."

[Tree]

Marina smirked.

"She is precious. "

She agreed, cuddling a sound asleep Sacha as she lazily followed them. She was prefectly content to snuggle her boy and enjoy the sunshine.

[Sushi]

Ryder played a little while longer before picking her up and moving to Marina's side.

"You make cute babies.'

[Tree]

Marina glanced to him, blushing a bit as she looked over the blinky girl who snuggled into Ryder. She was rubbing her eyes and mumbling "no" as she held to him. No sleep. This was fun. She wanted to stay awake. No missing things!

"I think they're prefectly wonderful. I love them so, so much. "

[Sushi]

Ryder kept making little noises at the baby and rubbing her back.

"I know. You ready to head back?"

[Tree]

Marina kissed his cheek as they made the long walk back home.

"I think it was a happy blessing from the world to give this day to us."

Marina smiled down at the boy that was out cold. Probably could toss him about like a volleyball at this point without bugging him.

" today was good. Think we can get them to both stay asleep? "

[Sushi]

"If we're lucky. I'll try my best."

The house was filled with crying, though. Nikki was even crying at this point as he sat in the middle of the hallway with the two girls and their upset.

At least this was a new record for him?

[Tree]

Marina heard the breakdown in the house before they were even inside, unable to help how she smirked.

"I'm gonna go with "no"."

She laughed, stepping inside to the mess of crying, heart melting. Aww, the poor things. Sacha was out, but Ryder got the stirring and little "no"s chanted against his chest. She was more fussy than really awake though. Marina stepped about them in the hall to put little Sacha down before she bent to kiss Nikki and then scoop up Mila.

She started the process of snuggles and soothing rubs to the back to calm her before they could delve deeper into what was upsetting the kiddo.

/ Nikki, my love, if you stand up and hand me Ekaterina I can work with them and you can go detox in the shower? /

[Sushi]

Nikki got up and picked up the child, somehow managing to hold her out upside down.

"I don't want a shower," he sobbed.

[Tree]

Marina smiled a tiny bit, managing to take her other daughter into an upright direction and snuggle the two and shhh them.

/ It really is ok my love. What about a Bubble bath? Or go snuggle the puppies? It will go quicker if they are around calm..../

And he was sorta.... not.

[Sushi]

"I'll pet the dog..."

He obediently stumbled off.

Ryder was snickering in the corner.

[Tree]

Marina watched her lover in sympathy, shaking her head.

/ He's such a loving father. Even if he's clueless at times. /

She adored him so much.

[Sushi]

/at times?/ Ryder teased

[Tree]

Marina glanced over the heads of the over stimulated, slowly calming toddlers.

/ Yes. He's incredibly capable in many categories. ... maybe needs to grow in this one. /

[Sushi]

Ryder walked over with some juice boxes.

/Well, they look healthy enough, anyway./

[Tree]

/ They're perfectly fine. I'm gonna guess we've missed nap time judging by the faces. /

Lots of eye rubbing and exhausted little sad blinks as the tears slowed. The juice? Pretty much earned him favorite status.

"Dank Ou."

Ekaterina offered with a small sniffle. Mila was looking at the box suspiciously. What was the trick?

[Sushi]

/you could go lay down with all of them if you want?/

Ryder looked between Mila and the juice box.

"You don't want it?"

[Tree]

"Grape?"

She asked him now, unable to tell with his white box business.

Marina smirked at the little Spanish, nodding to her daughter. It was white grape, but it was grape?

/ They're picking up a strong mix of languages that kinda sounds like craziness most days..../

[Sushi]

Ryder double checked the box to see which he'd grabbed.

"Yeah. This is grape."

/I understood that word./

[Tree]

Mila smiled now and put it to her lips, draining the boy in about two seconds.

"Gone."

She told him, pushing the box towards him now.

[Sushi]

Ryder chuckled and put it in the trash.

"All better?"

[Tree]

"Daddy? "

She asked him curiously, looking about now that she was back to herself.

"Daddy...."

She was now full pout. Ekaterina had fallen asleep, squishing the box between herself and mama, drenching her mama.

[Sushi]

"I think he went for a walk. How about Mommy?"

He pointed to Marines instead

[Tree]

"Kay...."

She allowed slowly, lowering herself down to marina and blinking and snuggling until she was asleep. Marina just smiled at Ryder.

/Poor guy might still be crying. /

[Sushi]

"I'm sure he'll figure it out. This isn't exactly a high-risk place?"

[Tree]

Marina moved a bit, going to tuck the toddlers in before changing and washing up. She decided to just pull on a long silk nightgown with a slit up to mid-thigh.

" so..... wanna talk? "

She asked, moving to Nikki and snuggling to him. Poor guy.

[Sushi]

Nikki had calmed down and was just laying out in the yard. He was conflicted.

"I should probably go back..."

[Tree]

Marina looked at him, eyes soft as she moved to kiss him.

"It's alright. If that's what you need, love. "

[Sushi]

"I really did try."

Nikki sulked.

"Why did they randomly show up, anyway?"

[Tree]

Marina made a tiny face and kissed him before shifting to scroll on her watch a few minutes.

"A group tried to jump the nanny when he was with the kids. He was hoping about, trying to pull the situation away from the house and keep the kids safe all in one..... apparently some Russian vampire issue? I dunno.... but given that the Drake doesn't know your full name and just used it in email....."

[Sushi]

His face turned serious.

"This was because of The Family?"

[Tree]

Marina nodded a tiny bit..

"I would presume? You might have to find out more from Jethro? They have the individuals. They kids took them down easily enough.... really is kind of dumb to go to my children's home...."

She shook her head a bit, cuddling into Nikki.

"I love you. Is everything OK? "

[Sushi]

Nikki kissed her cheek.

"Apparently not if they found you. I have to go see what I can do about it."