Take My Hand

[Tree]

"He just sent back a single emoji.. so I'm gonna follow up later and have asked a few people to check on him physically. "

Especially after how bad he had been injured in the past caring for the children, she figured it was best to assume something was going on rather than he was flakey.... and it had been a red triangle with an exclamation point.


Jethro would have a rather interesting scene of two tween boys tugging on some .... bedsheets? Atop the mass was his eldest daughters, bright grins on their faces even though one had a decent cut across her face (It really made her look the horror movie extra with the blood running into her crisp white sun dress. ). The other was snuggling a sleepings Sacha and rocking a black eye. The bedsheets were coiled about in a slew of knots with two older looking male heads protruding.

"Look what we caught, daddy! "

The duo of vampires roped up in dirty linens looked mortified to be bested by the adolescent vampires, little wolves were stalking behind the group, growls low in their chest.

He really should have suspected something while he and T² had been playing cards with some of the children. The castle had been pretty silent and even the courtyard that still had giggles and screeches was absent the sound of the littlest Darrenthrope baby noises. The nannies had decided to take the toddlers and babies in when the hitman many had been arguing with an unknown group of strangers.

[Sushi]

"I'm impressed. You didn't even need help. Is that all of them?"

He walked over and looked down at the two, hands on hips.

"Were we touching things that weren't ours?" He asked them chidingly.

[Tree]

The adolescent hybrids snapped at the men when they went to try to move enough to free themselves. There was a distant howl and the girls beamed brighter.

"No. One got away off into the woods, Uncle Lucas and sis ran after him. "

Actually, the poor fool who escaped was running for his life from not just a fool grown werewolf but a mini version at his back as well as nearly delighted manic chats of "all for one and one for all! " from a brother sister duo.

"And another was chasing Drake and he took off somewhere with the girls...."

That was offered in an almost apologetic tone. The men weren't exactly talking. Bested by meddling kids.



(( Find Later Nanny for Nikki's kids name))

[Sushi]

Jethro nodded sagely.

"Well, I think these two need to go to timeout. I'll see to that."

He picked up the sheet and carried it over his shoulder.

"Can you go tell one of the grown-ups about Drake? Someone should go make sure he got away."




Ryder grimaced.

"That does sound kinda ominous."

[Tree]

Marina nodded, booping the affectionate baby.

"Yeah. He was told to just make sure the kids were safe or call for help. He's capable, he would even meet Hale's screening requirements.... but he's still only one person in the end... I hope he's alright."



Nikki had sharpie on the walls, animal crackers filled his couch, but really, the girls were prefectly alright, tuckered out in a snuggle puddle, sound asleep with my little pony playing on repeat.

The knock on the door was aggressive, if not down right dude.

The girls bounced up and glanced to their baby brother.

"Should we take Sacha to mom? Or his dad? Mom said he needs to be watched a bit closer...?"

The others were dispersing to clean up or find another father figure to help out in being sure Drake was alright.

[Sushi]

"he seemed okay when he left?"

That was the best Ryder had to offer.



"Probably his mom. I'm not sure I'd trust Nikki to babysit a vacuum cleaner. Text first, though."

[Tree]

Marina nodded and glanced to the bedroom as she heard her watch go off.... then Ryder as his phone went off fifteen seconds later. She smiled and shook her head.

"I suspect we're being paged. "

The teen gave her dad a look.

"Imma tell him you said that. "

She gloated, managing texts, baby, and teasing with little cares.

[Sushi]

Jethro shrugged.

"Knock yourself out. I'm going to go deal with these."

He was away past having shame at this point.



"It would seem so."

Ryder pulled the phone out of his pocket to read it.

"Oh. I'll let them know they don't need to avert their eyes."

[Tree]

Marina was all giggles until she saw her daughter with a black eye, looking over her in concern as she passed baby to Ryder and took Sacha. Before she even got the chance to ask what happened her daughter was whistling as she winked at Ryder.

"I'll admit I don't know why mom is always on the sack with someone, but with you I get it. Anywho, daddy said to bring Sacha here. Said Nikki couldn't babysit a vacuum. "

Marina sighed. Poor Nikki.

/Jethro. /

It was loving chide at absolute worst.

/Everyone alright? /

[Sushi]

Ryder failed to hide a bit of a smile.

"Well, judging by what he did to the blender..."

It had to be said, okay?



/Still checking heads, but I think so. The kids took care of it themselves, for the most part, at least./

[Tree]

Marina glanced at Ryder with a "Really? " sort of look while she reached up to rub her forehead. Oi, her head.. these guys.

"Go home and ice your eye. .... ... and no. "

She chided with a kiss to her daughter's cheek before she could ask more about Ryder, shooing the girl away as she snuggled a stuffed up Sacha who was very glad to have his mama, grabbing at curls and face trying to get closer.

/ That's my babies. Anyone hear from Drake yet? /

Beyond her emoji she hadn't gotten anything. She was shifting to take Ryder's phone to call Nikki to check on him.

[Sushi]

/no. They sent a man to go check on him, though./



Ryder showed the girl who had showed up.

"Looks like you got a playmate."

[Tree]

/Me too.... /

She sounded a bit concerned about that.

/ I'm glad everyone seems alright. Love you. Are Mila and Ekaterina there? /

She frowned at the voicemail she got with Nikki.... and the fact the box was full was even more off putting.


Little Rini reached towards Sacha with giggles and bright smiles. Marina glanced at how Sacha was grabbing at her more, growing a bit more concerned.

"It's alright, baby...."

He was definitely clingy while Rini was pretty much a little ball of sunshine.

[Sushi]

/huh?/

Nikki answered drowsily as he lifted his head off the cushion next to the tiny warm body.

/Yeah. We made it./



Ryder rubbed Rini's stomach

"He looks a little nervous. Let's let him get some special snuggles."

He walked off with the girl.

[Tree]

Marina smiled a bit to herself, soothed when Nikki reached out, kissing little Sacha on the forehead.

/ I'm glad you're enjoying time with the girls. I love you.. call if you need me. /

She shared, focusing on getting Sacha back to being more himself.

"He's normally a really relaxed baby.... I'm not sure why he's so distressed...."

She would get him as settled as possible soon enough, fresh clothes and diaper, wondering into the livingroom to see her baby girl rocking back and forth on her tummy, straining so hard to reach Ryder that she had a couple of little toots pop out.

Marina carefully hid her smirk behind Sacha, showing a mostly content Sacha his sister.

"Wanna play? "

She asked him as she sat next to Ryder. Marina clearly had a delighted look on her face as she put the boy in khaki slacks with suspenders down next to his sis. He had a cute little blush white button up with just the faintest tint of pink to it, with a little pink bowyie matching mom and sister.

"Look at them. "

She really did love being their mother, even if it didn't fit traditional family dynamics.

[Sushi]

"I have a weakness for matching outfits."

Ryder cooed at the babies.

"They're too cute!"



/They talk. I can work with talking./

He at least knew what was wrong with them now when they were unhappy.

[Tree]

Marina nudged him a bit, kissing him softly.

"I have a tie that matches.... you could totally join in on the fun. "

She urged, kissing him as she beamed at the babies.

"I love that you'll love them with me when they're around. "


/ They don't talk too well just yet.... and it's normally a mess of languages. /

She cautioned.

[Sushi]

"but I don't like wearing ties... I'd rather wear a pink shirt or something."

He glanced at her.

"They're cute. What else would I do?"

[Tree]

Marina pouted a tiny bit.

"I do have some cute pink hoops and a pinkish shirt like Sacha's... you could go that route?"

[Sushi]

Ryder was distracted.

"why are you pouting?"

[Tree]

Marina pouted further.

"It's nothing. .... are we staying in? Or do you want to go out with these precious littles? "

[Sushi]

"no, I wanna know. Why are you pouting?"

He wasn't letting it go

[Tree]

"You didn't hear me. About matching us..... and ties can be sexy. "

She sulked, lip popping out now..

[Sushi]

"yes I did. I just said the kind of matching I'd prefer."

Ryder was confused.

[Tree]

"But you didn't hear the hoops or anything. "

She noted, looking up at him.

[Sushi]

"no, I heard. you were pouting before you mentioned them.'

[Tree]

"Oh. ... that was just the tie bit. It's sexy is all. "

[Sushi]

Ryder smiled a bit.

"I'm only into it if there's no shirt underneath," he teased, though not un-serious.

[Tree]

Marina glanced over him, eyebrow arching.

/ I can work with that. /

She shared, leaning to close the distance and steal a kiss.

/I will happily explore that with you later. /

But they had kids here right this moment.

[Sushi]

Ryder chuckled.

"I'll go see if I can find that shirt."

He came out, triumphant.

"I found matching shoelaces!"

[Tree]

Marina grinned bright, clapping with glee.

"Look at you! "

She gushed with renewed enthusiasm.

"You're so stunning. I love your gorgeous self. "

[Sushi]

Ryder grinned at her and sat down with the bunch.

"Look at us. We're like a little family from picture books."

[Tree]

Marina nodded, giggling with extra happy more as she snuggled to him.

"It's prefect. I love it. "

She cooed, watching the babies now playing with some blocks and babbling back and forth.

/I love them, you know.... I know our dynamic isn't traditional norm..... but I love them so much. /

[Sushi]

"no one doubts that," he assured.

"At least, no one we care about. The rest can mind their business."

[Tree]

Marina watched her little ones. Bright as could be as she cuddled her lover.

" I just don't want the children to doubt how much I love or care. "

[Sushi]

"how could they?"

Ryder blew a raspberry.

"It's obvious how much you care."

[Tree]

Marina smiled a bit.

"Maybe I'll let you read the email Scarlett sent me most recently. "

It was a scathing dress down to say the least. Including keeping her grandkids away from her and intending to cut her mom back out of her life..... among other things.

"I try, though. I love them so much. "

She watched the two topple over, a pile of giggles, toots, and wrestling now.

/ I'm gonna die from how cute they are. /

[Sushi]

"she's still young. Everyone has to go through a period of not appreciating their parents. She won't always feel that way."

Ryder rubbed her back gently.

[Tree]

".... she'll always blame me for my sins against her father. It's alright..... I love her. I have many. I don't want him alone, so know at least he has her to love him. "

She couldn't hold her husband. Ex husband... she could not blame anyone in this. It was all her fault. She'd chased happiness and fun too far.

[Sushi]

"you have time," Ryder reminded her.

"And in the meantime, look at these cuties!"