So what now? (Katydid50 x 5Bulletproof-Marshmellows)

[Katydid50]

Daniel wasn't sure how things were going -neither Nicholas or Grace would talk to him- but at least Deserai seemed to be happy. She stuck to his side and waited for his answer before wandering into the room she would share with her sister and brother. He promised himself that, by this time next year, Deserai -and Nicholas, Grace and the new baby- would have a room all to herself. Until then, he would work hard to make this place into a home.

He turned his attention to Elenore when she placed her hand on his arm but he caught the look Grace sent them before she followed her sister into their room. He sighed inwardly. Grace was going to be the most difficult of the three, but, then, he had already known that.

"I think 'coping' would be the best word," Daniel whispered back in the moment before a squeal sounded from the children's bedroom. He sent back the look Elenore gave him but, while confused, he wasn't overly worried. It hadn't been a scared squeal, or even a startled one. It had sounded excited, though what Deserai could possibly be excited about, he didn't have a clue.

The next moment, the young girl appeared from the room, holding a displeased and affronted bundle of orange fur. Daniel started at the cat for a moment before he realized it was Max. He had compeltely forgotten about the creature, having not seen him for the better part of a week, before Elenore and Micheal had shown up on his doorstep and set him to rights. Daniel knelt down. While Max looked very much annoyed by the small, strange human who held him, he didn't appear to be hurt. And, more importantly, neither did Deserai.

"Max. His name's Max. I'd compeltely forgotten about him. Haven't seen him for days. Must've stayed away because of the noise." Construction was not a quiet activity and Max did not like a lot of noise. Secretly, he wondered how in the world the feline had managed to get into the house at all without Daniel's noticing.

While Elenore focused on Deserai and Max, Daniel noticed Grace reappear. He couldn't quite read her expression but he thought she looked lost. She probably didn't know what to do with herself, being a city girl through and through like she was. He could understand that. When he had first moved out here, he hadn't known what to do with himself either. In fact, he'd spent the first three days pacing around the house like a caged lion. It hadn't been a pleasant experience but he had settled down eventually and Grace would too.

When Grace announced that she would be outside, Daniel bit back a warning to stay out of the trees, even though that was ridiculous because, no matter how close they looked, they were a quarter-mile away. The last few nights, he had heard the local wolf pack howling. He knew that the wolves were more scared of humans but it still gave him the creeps. Besides, it wasn't his place to order her around and she certainly wouldn't take kindly to it.


Deciding that he would consider it later, once everything had settled down, Nicholas left the living room to find his mother, younger sister and Daniel standing in the hallway. Deserai held an orange cat in her arms and, like any child, he was immediately drawn to the creature, no matter how angry it looked. He knelt down beside Daniel and Deserai, giving the cat a tentative pet. When the cat didn't hiss or growl, he gave the cat a few more before looking around and realizing Grace was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Grace?" he asked. Daniel looked up from examining one of Max's paws -it looked like he'd torn a claw- and telling him she'd gone outside. Straightening up, Nicholas slipped past them and out the front door. He didn't see her right away but a quick scan revealed where she walked along a fence. He trotted down the steps and over to her. They might not always agree on things, but at least he could always be honest with her, when there weren't others around. "He seems nice," he said. "And his house is much nicer on the inside than the outside."  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

When Daniel replied, she didn't have much of a chance to reply, but she did feel bad. At least she had given him the basics of how they would react but she wished she had been able to do more. Would he crack under the pressure? Of course there were other things that he had been under.. but circumstances with children were different. She learned that when she had Grace. Of a child didn't like them, they tried so many different ways to appeal to them, showering them with money for example, and when that didn't work.. well they just snapped.

Once Deserai came into view with the four legged animal, she relaxed slightly. The tabby cat looked at them as if he was being ridiculed. He was actually quite cute in Deserai's arms. Elenore reached down and ran her fingers behind one of the cat's ears before deciding that the cat would be just fine around the children. "Be gentle," she told Deserai, not wanting any of them to get hurt. Thankfully Nicholas seemed to like the tabby as well.

"Max," Deserai repeated before looking at the cat. She sat down on the hardwood floor letting the cat sit in her lap as she hugged it. Her fingers ran through the soft fur and she slowly loosened her grip on the cat, hoping that he would stay though. She liked him and he definitely fit in. "Can I feed him?" She looked at Daniel as he examined Max's paw, her eyes hopeful. Animals ate right? Then again maybe he caught mice, but she frowned at that thought. Mice were cute too.

Watching Nicholas get up, she knew that he would go after his sister. Hopefully he would bring her back and the two would be in a better mood. Closing her eyes for a moment, she then leaned against the wall before a light blush came to her cheeks. Shaking her head, she pushed the thought out of her head, letting her cheeks return to their natural color. Looking down at the two, she knew that they would get along once Daniel got used to her. "Do you want to move to the couch?" she asked him, knowing that they couldn't stay in the hallway forever.

Grace ended up leaned against one of the posts, remember the horse that she had passed on her way to the forest. Had it been on this road? She wasn't entirely sure. It had been a lot darker then. Hearing footsteps over her music, she looked over to see Nicholas coming over. She pulled out her ear piece and stuffed the cord into her pocket, turning off her music as well.

Hearing his opinion on the man, she looked out to the horizon. She shrugged. Yeah, his house did improve on the inside. They would all be sharing a room though. She had seen the three beds. Where would the baby be? With them? It would be too much. "Yeah, the house is better on the inside.. but it's too small." How were they all going to live there? She hadn't quite decided what to think of the man though. He seemed fine. Deserai had taken to him.. but the image of him standing covered in blood was still in the back of her mind.

"I don't know.. I'm not trusting him anytime soon.." she said, her voice hushed.  

[Katydid50]

Perhaps 'coping' was too strong of a word but Daniel couldn't think of a better one. The children were certainly behaving better than he had expected. He put it down to the fact that he had very little experience with children and he was just too highly strung at the moment, too afraid of doing or saying the wrong thing. While he tried to convince himself that he didn't particularly care whether or not the children liked him right off the bat, it did matter. He knew Grace would take a long time to warm up to him and Nicholas would likely take a while too, but Deserai was so young and trusting. She seemed to like him already and he didn't want to disappoint her.

When Deserai came out with Max, Daniel was actually quite surprised. Max had never seemed like a very tolerant cat, at least not with Daniel. The beast had been known to scratch him on the face just to wake him up when the cat thought it was getting too far past breakfast time. But, then, perhaps Max was aware of the fact that Deserai was only young. Daniel didn't know whether or not Max had ever been around children before but he was relieved to see the cat tolerate Deserai's attention.

Daniel watched as Deserai sat on the hardwood floor, setting Max in her lap and hugging him. The cat was just full of surprises today. He had thought Max would struggle free the first chance he got. With a mental shrug, he turned his attention to one of the cat's front paws when he noticed a bit of dried blood near one of the claws.

Deserai asked if she could feed Max and Daniel looked up from the torn claw. He cast one look at the cat before looking back to the girl. "Well, you see, Deserai, Max here is an outdoor cat... usually. He eats mice, birds. Anything small enough for him to catch. The only time he ever really needs to be feed by humans is during the winter... or when he's been too lazy to hunt. He'll let you know when he's hungry." Or, more precisely, he would let Daniel know when he was hungry.

Daniel watched out of the corner of his eye as Nicholas got up and slipped out the front door. He hoped the two of them had enough sense to stay out of the woods, for now at least. He knew enough about children to know that they liked exploring and he also knew that he wouldn't be able to keep Nicholas -at the very least- out of the forest for long.

Out of the corner of his other eye, Daniel noticed movement. He glanced up at Elenore in time to see the color rush into her cheeks. He wasn't sure how to consider that, so he asked, "What is it? What are you thinking about?" He couldn't understand her blush. Nothing embarrasing -or pleasurably inappropriate- was happening. But, then asked if he wanted to move the couch. Confused, he leaned over and looked into the living room. The couch and coffee table had been placed haphazardly in the room, to be moved another time. With a shrug, he said, "I guess. Where to you want me to move it to?" True, he wasn't fully recovered but she was pregnant. If he pushed himself, it was only he who would suffer. If she pushed herself, she could harm the baby too, or so he'd heard. He didn't want to risk that.


Nicholas leaned against the fence beside his sister, looking out at the fields and forest. There was so much space out here. It was wonderful. But Grace didn't feel the same way. She preferred the city. When she spoke about the house being too small, he listened, then shrugged. "Yeah, it is, but we'll be okay. Mom wouldn't be making us move in here if she didn't think so." He had his doubts, but he knew their mother would take care of them, no matter what happened.

When Grace spoke about Daniel, Nicholas frowned. "Mom's having his baby. They'll probably get married soon and then he'll be out step-dad. We'll be living with him in a couple of days, once everything gets moved in. You'll have to trust him sooner or later."  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Deserai couldn't stop smiling. She liked this place. She had a father now, at least that's what she saw him as, and she had a pet. Of course the cat wasn't exactly enthusiastic about her but she loved him. She listened to Daniel's explanation before frowning. "He eats them?" She looked down at the cat. "What about the baby birds? And baby mice? Who feeds them?" her question was directed at Daniel. Shaking her head at the cat she then sighed. Deserai could go on a long strand of questions whenever she started a conversation. Daniel would probably be assaulted by them constantly from now until she fell asleep.

Biting her lip, she then blinked when Daniel questioned her, the blush coming back up. "What? Nothing, nothing." She laughed a little before shaking her head. "Just a memory," she added quietly and lowered her head. Hearing him talk about moving the furniture she then remembered that it hadn't yet been set out. "Nevermind," she shook her head once more, "We can just move to the table." It had chairs. She knew he shouldn't push himself and it was stupid of her to even bring up the couch.

Her blush had disappeared by then and the cat walked off once Deserai got up. She was surprised it didn't run. That cat was certainly a strange one but at least he got along with everyone. She moved to the dining area and sat down in one of the wooden chairs. Deserai looked around the place curiously, tempted to open the cabinets. The girl glanced at Daniel, wondering if he would get mad before she opened one and looked inside. There were a couple cleaning supplies and nothing that caught her interest so she closed it after a moment and moved to the table, looking at the boxes.

"When are we going to open them?" she asked, looking at her mother and then father.

He was right. She would take care of them no matter what happened. She had managed to do that for the past couple of years. Without their biological father. Lowering her head, she let out a soft sigh. She didn't want to be here. The only thing that attracted her to this place.. well.. it wasn't really something she wanted to admit, so in the end it was nothing.

The baby. Well. She had nothing against the kid. She just wanted out of this place and she had only been here for about half an hour if not less. Looking at Nicholas when he said that she'd have to trust him sooner or later, she narrowed her eyes. "We'll see," she told him before straightening her back and pushing away from the fence. She was sure things wouldn't fall together like puzzles pieces to a picture. Something was going to go down. A fight. A mishap. Something.

"Let's head back." She refused to call that place home. She walked down the dirt path, wondering how in the world she was going to survive here. There was nothing in miles. There was the forest.. but even then, it wasn't the same. It wasn't her sanctuary.  

[Katydid50]

Daniel was already beginning to understand what Elenore had meant when she'd told him and Micheal that Deserai was constantly asking questions. He frowned down at Max who seemed to be wearing the feline equivilant of a frown. How to answer? He could tell her the truth but that would crush the poor girl. All little girls thought baby animals were cute. In all honesty, Max probably ate the babies too but he couldn't very well tell her that. "I... don't know. Maybe their... neighbors or... aunts and uncles." He could already feel what little dignity he had beginning to die.

When he noticed Elenore's blush, he watched and waited. When she finally answered him, he considered her before a small smirk tugged at his lips, making him look like he knew exactly where her mind had gone, which he did. She might not have realized just how much of a reputation he'd had with the ladies in his younger years but he got the feeling she would soon enough find out why he'd had that reputation. He was so glad Nicholas and Grace were outside, and unable to see the look on his face... and their mother's.

When talk turned to the couch, he slowly stood up, holding in a grimace as his stomach gave an unpleasant twinge. It had been holding out for most of the day but his bruises had finally decided to remind him that they were there. Probably a good thing that Elenore suggested the kitchen table instead.

Daniel followed Elenore into the kitchen, keeping an eye on the child who followed them. He'd moved the liquor into a higher cabinet, at least until he could figure out what to do with it. Considering how old they were, they were probably worth quite a lot and, even though he didn't want to drink anymore, he wasn't about to pour them down the sink.

Taking a seat at the table, he glanced at Deserai, watching her open one cabinet. Luckily, there was nothing in there of interest to a child. At least, he hoped she was beyond the stage of investigating every liquid she found. He knew young children were in danger of drinking or inhaling cleaning products but he wasn't sure at what age that was no longer an issue. He glanced at Elenore but she didn't seem worried so he let himself relax.

The cabinet didn't hold Deserai's interest for long and she was soon wandering over to them and questioning about when they were going to open the boxes. Daniel shrugged. "They're not mine to open," he told her before looking to Elenore. "When do you want to open them? And what's in them, anyway?" It was really none of his business but he figured that if she was already bringing them over, they couldn't hold anything too personal.


It was all Nicholas could do not to sigh when Grace said that they would see. He hoped she didn't see that as a challenge to go as long as she could without trusting Dan. He didn't want that. Even though he didn't completely trust Dan himself, he knew he would in time, given that Dan didn't give him a reason not to trust him. Grace would just flat out refuse to trust Dan because he was a new person. "Don't be stubborn, Grace," he told her. "It will just make things harder."

When Grace pushed away from the fence, Nicholas cast one more glance at the forest before doing the same. As she started back towards the house, he followed after her. She was going to make things difficult. He could tell already.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Deserai nodded her head after Daniel explained that their neighboring animals would feed the hungry orphans. After that she moved around the kitchen. She loved being there with all the pots and pans but sadly the cabinet that she opened didn't hold any of that. The liquids though.. well she had already gotten in trouble with those at Aunt Rose's home a while back, having almost burned a hole through the floor. She knew now not to touch them.

Daniel telling Deserai that the baby animals were fed by their parents made her smile. It was a sweet gesture on his part, after all Deserai would be heart broken if she found out the truth. She knew that he cared for the little red headed girl. Maybe he would even go along with the little fairy tales, about St. Nick coming down the chimney and the Tooth Fairy. It would give Deserai her childhood.

Noticing the smirk that appeared on his face after she had answered him, she lowered her head and bit her lip. Why did he get to her so quickly? She could tell that he knew and that only made the color in her cheeks last longer. Grateful for the fact that Grace and Nicholas weren't there, she shook her head at Daniel. Deserai was still too young to catch on to it.

Walking to the table, she couldn't help but note that Daniel was still in bad shape. He really did need more than three days to heal. The better part of the month would have to be set aside for him to rest. He needed to heal but he was stubborn.

Hearing Daniel's response to yet another question, she then shrugged. "We could open them now. It's just Deserai's toys. Sheets, blankets, and pillows for the kid's beds. And some pictures and a few sets of clothes." She got up and placed her hands on one of the boxes. "We could unpack them now." The clothes could be left alone for now but the bedding could be set on the beds. Grace and Nicholas could make their own and she could set up Deserai's. The toys and pictures could be left in the box as well.

Grace didn't respond to Nicholas. She never thought that her father could be so distant. Of course, she was sure that her mother had something to do with it but it still hurt. He didn't even say happy birthday or send presents. She shook her head. Daniel could easily turn out to be just like that.. Everything had been fine with their parents in the beginning. Only time would tell if her mother and Daniel would stay together through thick and thin.

Walking back up the porch, she made sure she didn't have any mud on her shoes before going inside. She could hear her mother's voice from a different part of the house so she went to go join the little group. Nick would probably close the door behind them. With her hands in the pockets of her jacket, she looked at the boxes. Hopefully none of them were heavy.. her arm wouldn't be able to handle it.  

[Katydid50]

Daniel's smirk shifted into a grin when Elenore shook her head. What did she think he was going to do? He wasn't going to say anything, not in front of Deserai. And he certainly wasn't going to do anything with other people present. He might have, once upon a time, but he wasn't that person anymore.

Daniel forced himself not to place a hand on his stomach as he stood. He was still incredibly sore. He had managed to ignore it while he'd been kept busy but now he wasn't. It was much better than it had been a few days ago but he knew Leaf and Micheal -and probably Elenore too- would continue to harrass him about the necessity of proper rest. It was ridiculous though. There was simply too much that had to be done. How could they possibly expect him to relax, knowing how much he had to do?

As they moved to the kitchen table, Daniel kept a close eye on Deserai until she, too, wandered over to the table. He turned his attention to Elenore as she explained what the boxes held. Nothing surprising, basic necessities and a few personal objects. Nothing secretive. But, he did find himself slightly disappointed. As much as he wanted to allow Elenore a certain amount of privacy, he was curious and, though he was never admit it, nosy. He took after Micheal that way and he intended to get to know every one of Elenore's secrets.

"Sure thing," he said, pulling the other box closer and opening it. Bed sheets and a couple of soft toys. He took out the toys and set them on the table before pulling out the sheets just as he heard the front door open.


Nicholas followed Grace back towards the house. All the while, he wondered whether or not he actually believed what he had told Grace. In all honesty, he couldn't really blame her for being so untrusting, not after what he did. He himself had been hurt from it but Grace had been older, more aware of what was going on. It wasn't until they'd been gone a year that Nicholas had figured out what had happened. Grace must have known much quicker.

As they walked up the porch, Nicholas also made sure he didn't have mud on hsi shoes before following his sister inside. He closed the door behind him before making his way to the kitchen. Everyone was gathered around the kitchen table save for the cat who had disappeared. He watched as Dan unpacked one of the boxes, noticing a familiar-patterned set of sheets. "Those are mine," he said, stepping closer.

Dan looked over his shoulder at him and asked, "Did you want to put them on your bed?"

Nicholas hesitated. It was such an odd thought, making his bed in a place that was not his home. But, that wasn't entirely true. He would be living here in a few days. It wasn't his home yet and but it would be. With a reluctant nod, he took the sheets and carried them into the room that would be his -and his sisters' and likely the new baby's too. Looking around the room, he was surprised. Grace and Deserai's beds had been returned to their previous bunkbed state and pushed into a corner by the window. Nicholas' bed was in the other corner by the window. Walking over, he set the sheets on the bed before sitting down.

It hadn't really seemed to sink in but now it did. They were going to be living there. This was going to be their home. This was where he was going to live until he was old enough to live on his own. Unsure how to feel about that, he looked out the window, staring out over the field.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Of course he grinned. In turn she had to smile. It made her wonder what he would have done if no one else had been here but she'd probably find out later. She doubted that he would forget about it.

Once they start unpacking these things, she figured that they could head back to Aunt Rose's. All of her things were already there. The last thing that had been in her apartment had been furniture. She knew she'd probably have to head back there in about a month to see if she had gotten any mail that wasn't forwarded to this address. It'd be a while before that happened though.

Deserai sat down in one of the chairs, looking at the boxes before watching Daniel open one of them. Seeing the toys, she quickly grabbed one of them and hugged it. It was a bunny, one that had been passed down to her. Seeing her siblings walk in, she smiled, glad that they were back. As much as she liked it here, she did want to be around them as well. They were usually doing homework, at school, or simply didn't want her to bother them. Maybe things would change here.

Grace hung around the table but she didn't come too close. Her eyes examined the boxes, some of them had her mother's neat hand writing, saying what was inside of them. She could see that Daniel had already opened one of the boxes. For some reason that set her on edge. She didn't want him looking through their things.

Walking up to the table, she opened a different box and took out the pillows. Three pillows that had pillow cases on them already. Looking at Daniel, she guessed the rest of the sheets were in that box. "I'll take them," she told him, waiting for him to take them out and hand them to her. A moment later she had them and was walking to what would be her and her siblings room.

Deserai jumped from her seat and ran after Grace. "I'll help," she told no one in particular before disappearing into the room.

Grace noticed the look on Nicholas' face. She frowned but didn't say anything since Deserai bounced in the next second. Throwing Nicholas' pillow onto his bed, she did the same with Deserai's. She placed Deserai's sheets on her bed before going up the later. Deserai was a little too young to be sleeping on the top bunk and she knew her mother would have a heart attack if she fell off the bed at night.

"Don't touch those," she told her, knowing that she would make a mess of those. She sat down on her own bed, her head brushing against the ceiling as she moved to place the light purple sheets on the bed.

Deserai looked disappointed before she sat down on the bare mattress. "Why not?"

"Because you'll only make a mess of them," Grace answered. She finished with her bed rather quickly despite the fact that she tried to barely use her injured arm. Climbing back down, she shooed Deserai off the bed before making her bed. Just because she was doing this didn't mean she wanted to stay. It simply meant she wasn't going to leave her siblings behind.

Elenore watched as her children left to go their new room. Looking up at Daniel, she then got up herself and opened another box that was full of blankets and between them were pictures. She gently set the photographs down on the empty spot on the table. There were a few pictures of Grace and Nicholas when they were younger. One of Deserai when she was a baby too. "Where can I put these?" she asked him. She hadn't seen a single picture in his home.. at least not hanging up. So she wasn't sure what to do with her own photographs.

((Would you want to do a time skip to when they are all moved in? I don't really have anything planned. ))  

[Katydid50]

Daniel couldn't help but smile -something he'd been doing quite a lot lately- when Deserai grabbed one of the stuffed animals. A rabbit, he saw. It was probably a good thing he wasn't the habit of eating rabbits. That could have cause quite a drama. He didn't think on it long because Grace and Nicholas returned. They didn't look any happier but at least they didn't look less happy.

As he pulled out the bedsheets, he took note of Nicholas on one side of him with Grace on the other, opening another box. He handed off Nicholas' bedsheets to him before giving the others to Grace when she asked for them. The next moment, all three of the children had left the kitchen. Daniel sighed, both relieved and ashamed that he felt relieved. He had felt as though he was walking on eggshells the entire time, not sure what to do or say. He didn't like the feeling. It reminded him too much of when he was still living with his father, walking around on tiptoe -both literally and figuratively- never sure what would set the man off.

Daniel turned his attention back to Elenore as she opened another box. He set the empty one on the floor and put the toys back into it. He looked back at what Elenore was taking out, his curiosity getting the better of him when he noticed the photos. He picked one up. It was of Nicholas and Grace when they were younger. He couldn't help but smile. They looked so much happier in the picture, more care-free. This must have been taken before Elenore left with the kids.

He was pulled from his thoughts when Elenore spoke. Where to put them? He wasn't entirely sure. He'd never been one for pictures. He was more of a keepsake guy. "Well, I can put some nails into a couple of walls, if you like. We'll probably have more places to put them once everything's moved in. You can put some on the dresser if you like."

The rest of the afternoon was spent unpacking the boxes until Elenore announced it was time for them to return to Aunt Rose's. Their goodbye was even more distant than it had been previously. He watched from the porch as they all climbed into their car and drove away. It felt wrong, them leaving and him going back into a half-furnished, empty house. He'd hung some of Elenore's photos in the hallway, between the door to the kids' room and the living room. He paused to look over them. They all looked so happy in the pictures. He just hoped they could be that happy there, with him.

Over the next few days, everything was moved in. The next morning, Leaf and Micheal had come over again to see how things had gone. They had sympathized in regard to Grace and outright laughed at him when he'd told them about Deserai. After that, they had quickly gotten to work painting the living room. Where they'd gotten the paint, he wasn't sure and didn't ask. He found life was just easier that way.

They ended up painting the living room cream with a brown trim that matched the floorboards. They'd finished by the time Elenore got there with more stuff. Despite the cooler temperatures, they left the windows open to help with the fumes. Everything that was brought over that had to be put in the living room was left either in the hallway or the kitchen.

Once the paint had dried, things started to be moved into the living room. He didn't have any outlets in that room aside from one that was taken up by a standing lamp. So, no television. None of the children were happy about this, least of all Deserai. Luckily for Daniel, Max had begun hanging around more and more, despite how much he seemed to dislike his new humans, and he allowed himself to be used as a comfort and distraction for the young girl.

By the end of the third day, everything important had been moved in. All of the furniture was here now. Everyone's clothes too. Daniel had moved all of his own clothing into two of the dresser drawers, leaving the other two drawers and the closet for Elenore. He had finally gotten around to putting a lock of the liquor cabinet but it was a small one and so hadn't been noticed yet.

The day that everyone was finally going to be living there, Daniel was left to his own devices. The children had to go back to school that day and Elenore had to go back to work. There wasn't much left to do, anyway. Deciding that it wasn't fair to expect Elenore to cook after being at work all day, Daniel went to the country town in the opposite direction as the city. He bought what he considered a ridiculous amount of food; it was going to take a while to get used to buying food for five people. Most of the food was put away but, that evening, he got busy. By the time everyone arrived, the house smelled of roasting vegetables and beef.

((Sure thing.))  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Seeing Daniel sigh after the children had left, she couldn't help but hang her head. She didn't realize how tough it was for him. They kids would remember his every move, every word and so he was being careful. She hoped he'd learn to relax around them as time went by otherwise the stress would spread to all of them. Then this house would be filled with fights, silent anger, and who knows what else.

Once Daniel answered her, she nodded her head. Really she just wanted them up somewhere. "Yeah, that would work just fine," she told him. After that, she took the blankets to the kids. All of their beds were made already and Grace was fluffing up Deserai's pillow. She handed them each their blankets before leaning against the wall. Nicholas and Grace were not at all thrilled. She knew that Nicholas would love the countryside out here but it also worried her. She didn't want him wandering the forest in the middle of the night.. Grace on the other hand. She would have to find something to hold on to.

The rest of the day was spent unpacking before she gathered the kids to take them back to Aunt Rose's. She didn't want to leave Daniel to be honest.. but she didn't have much of a choice. Her kids needed her. She gave him one last smile and a quick good night before driving off. Tomorrow she'd see him again. They'd unpack more things.

By the time that everything had been moved from Aunt Rose's to her new home with Daniel, the living room was in better shape. It was actually quite homey now. The cream color made her think of coffee. Deserai seemed to like the new look as well. Grace on the other hand didn't even look in that direction. She really didn't know what to do with that girl.

During those few days she managed to give Leaf and Micheal a good meal. She had made it at Aunt Rose's when she got the chance and brought it over when they were working on the living room. Thankfully they appreciated it. She noticed that Grace also avoided Leaf but at the same time she could tell that the girl was itching to ask him something. What it was though, she had no idea.

The cat also came back and kept Deserai company though he certainly didn't have a smile on his face. Deserai treated him well at least. She even caught Grace petting the cat at one point. They really had wanted a pet for a while now.. They used to have a few canaries back before she got divorced. She had never gotten the chance or the money to get a pet since then.

When the day finally came that they would all be staying in their new home, she couldn't help but feel excited and nervous. So much could happen. Opening the front door without knocking now, she let Deserai run in first before walking inside. Smelling the food, she couldn't help but smile. Daniel had cooked. That really was more than she could ask for. It smelled delicious. "You're cooking?" she called out before finally seeing him in the kitchen.

Deserai was already jumping up, trying to catch a glimpse of what was on the stove. Walking up to Daniel, she gave him a quick hug, happy to see him. It had been a long day at work.

Grace pulled off her shoes in the hallway, leaving them on the floor before disappearing into her room. Sliding her backpack off her shoulder, she threw it up onto her bed. It really was the only semi private place that she had in this entire house so in turn it was the place that she would inhabit most of the time. Her stomach to her dismay grumbled when she caught the smell of dinner.  

[Katydid50]

Daniel paused in checking the boiling pot on the stove at the sound of the front door opening. His first thought was that it was Micheal -up until then, he was the only person who ever came in without knocking- but then he reminded himself that Elenore and the children would be living there now. It was their home, too, and they had no need to knock now.

When Elenore called out, he couldn't help but grin. "Of course," he told her, stirring the pot before setting the lid back on. "Does it surprise you that I can cook?" He honestly didn't expect the answer to be 'yes'. He'd been living out there, on his own, for well over ten years. He'd had to learn how to cook. In his past life, he'd had people cook for him. He'd got out to eat. But, when he'd moved to the country, there had been no one to do that for him. Micheal had taught him to cook, to make sure he wouldn't starve.

Daniel smiled, amused, when Deserai began jumping beside him, trying to see what was in the pot. He didn't think she would thank him if she did find out. Green beans and peas weren't usually kids' favorite vegetables. But, he had made plenty of other kinds so, hopefully, they would all find something they'd like.

When Elenore appeared, Daniel's smile widened. Even after what looked like a busy day at work, she was still the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. He was surprised when she hugged him, though he wasn't sure why he was surprised, but he hugged her back anyway. He'd never been one for displays of affection in front of other people but, if Elenore didn't mind them, he guessed he would just have to get used to it.


Nicholas kicked off his shoes just inside the door, pushing them off to the side before making his way into the room he would be sharing with his sisters. Now that everything was in there, it seemed smaller but not necessarily in a bad way. He couldn't quite describe it.

He tossed his bag onto his bed, cast a glance at Grace and left the room again. She may have been content to sit in their room until supper was ready but he wasn't. He was hungry and if he could snatch a bite or two before supper, he would.

Everyone else was already in the kitchen. Deserai was trying to see what was in the pot and Dan -Daniel. Daniel had quickly expressed his dislike of being called Dan but Nicholas hadn't yet worked out why- was asking his mother how her day was. Nicholas wandered over to the stove, just tall enough to see what was inside. He pulled a face at the sight of green before moving away.

As he moved towards the window, he glanced at the table, set for five. It was really only made for four people but it was big enough that they could fit five, or even six at a squeeze. They'd have to, once the baby came. With a quiet sigh, he walked over to the window, staring out at the field of grass and the trees beyond.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

She came in to see him stirring a pot on the stove. At his question though, she shook her head. "Nope," she told him before smiling. She honestly was a lot happier now that they had finally settled down here. Nicholas was warming up slowly to the place as well. Things would calm down in a bit and hopefully Grace wouldn't fight it. Taking a quick peek to see what was in the oven, she couldn't help but smile. "You're quite the cook, aren't you?" she teased him before looking around, guessing that she could help with a few things. She wasn't used to other people cooking in the kitchen but it was definitely a nice change.

Elenore noticed that the table was set. A smirk appeared on her face. "You didn't leave anything for me to do, huh?" she told Daniel, turning around to look at him before picking Deserai up so that she could see what was in the pot. Deserai made a face that made her laugh before she set her back down. A moment later the girl was gone, probably wondering what her siblings were up to.

Looking at Daniel once again, she couldn't help but smile. She had been looking forward to this day and now it was finally here. Placing her cheek on his arm, she guessed that she should probably go and change into something less formal but she didn't want to move. "How was your day?" she asked him, her voice soft.

Grace turned on her MP3 before putting the headphones on. She didn't really want to listen to happy family conversation at the moment. Turning her attention towards homework, she was glad that she at least now had time to do work now. She didn't have to have a job either.. but then again that also meant everything was on her mother's shoulders. Daniel wasn't working. She had also noticed that he didn't move quickly and it took him a moment to stand as well. Something wasn't right about that. He had gotten into a fight.. a pretty bad one at that from what she could tell.

Shaking her head, she pushed her thoughts away from him. He wasn't her concern. She didn't care for him. Looking at the assignment in front of her, she then let out a sigh. Writing wasn't her strong suit so she put her English homework away and took out the math. She had already managed to get into calculus.

She had just begun to work when she heard Deserai over her music. Rolling her eyes she pushed her headphones down so that they were wrapped around her neck. "What?" she asked, looking over the edge of the bed, an eyebrow raised.

"What, what are you doing?" Deserai asked, jumping up and down once more. She was full of energy today. She got a mumble from her sister. Frowning she stood still for a moment. "Dinner's gonna be ready soon." She wanted to get her down from her perch but Grace seemed to be content with staying up there, listening to her music. Sighing, realizing that it was no use to question her at the moment, she went back to where she had last seen Nicholas, in the dinning room.

"Whatcha doing?" she asked him, trying to gain some height so that she too could look out the window.  

[Katydid50]

Daniel grinned when she informed him that she wasn't surprised. He didn't quite believe that but it didn't matter so he didn't push it. He glanced over his shoulder to where Nicholas was staring out the window. In all honesty, it was the boy who worried him the most out of the three. While Deserai was obviously happy and Grace was obviously not, Nicholas was so hard to read. Where Grace seemed angry about the whole situation, Nicholas just seemed sad, though not blatantly and Daniel wasn't entirely convinced it was over the living arrangements either. He wasn't sure what it was but he decided he would make a point of spending time with him. A boy needed a man in his life, whether or not he liked it. And, he wasn't entirely sure that Nicholas would dislike it.

Daniel turned his attention back to Elenore when she spoke again. He smiled back at her and shrugged. "Well, it's nothing fancy but food like this has kept me alive so far." He himself didn't particularly care for vegetables, being more of a meat and potato kind of guy, but he knew how important they were for young people, especially children.

Daniel glanced at the table when she did. He let out a soft laugh at her comment. "I can leave the dishes for you, if you like," he offered jokingly. He wouldn't mind washing the dishes but he could leave them for her if she really wanted something to do.

He watched as Elenore lifted Deserai up enough to see what was in the pot. At the girl's face, he laughed and watched as she scampered off once on ground again. He shook his head, checking the clock before stirring the beans and peas again. He paused when he felt Elenore leaning against his arm. He smiled, setting the lid back on the pot and returning the wooden spoon to the counter. Oddly self-conscious, and painfully aware that they were not alone in the room, he glanced over at Nicholas. Upon seeing that the boy was still staring out the window, he placed a kiss on the top of Elenore's head before leaning his own against it.

"Oh, good, good. Can't complain really. Except that there's not really much else for me to do now. I'll have to start looking for work again." He didn't mention how hard it was going to be. There were very little options for him in the city and there weren't many options in the country, period. Now was not the time to discuss it, and certainly not where young ears could overhear.

The next moment, Deserai reappear, walking over to her brother and asking what he was doing. Daniel watched them out of the corner of his eye, listening as Nicholas told her that he was just looking. However, no sooner had Nicholas spoken that the boy went unusually still. Frowning, Daniel lifted his head and turned fully towards them. Still unable to see the cause of the boy's odd reaction, he stepped away from Elenore and walked over to the window.

Immediately, he saw the reason for Nicholas' stillness. A figure was approaching the house from the forest, slight but sure figure covered in layers of buckskin with his black hair free and blown about by the wind. A small smile formed on Daniel's face. Even though he and Wolf didn't see eye-to-eye, he still cared about the boy. He liked to even think that he'd had a hand in raising him.

"Heads up," he said. "You're about the meet the most prickly teenager who ever existed." Stepping away, he made his way to the front door, opening it just as the young man stepped up onto the porch. Wolf carried a bundle of deer skin under one arm.

"My grandfather sent me over with this," Wolf said in way of a greeting, holding out the bundle. Daniel took it without question. "Welcoming gifts, to your new woman and her children."

In spite of its size, the bundle was quite heavy. No doubt the skin held something valuable. "Thank you, Wolf. And thank your grandfather for me. I will come over soon to thank him in person." The young man nodded and turned to leave when Daniel asked, "Would you like to come in and meet everyone?"

Wolf blinked before looking out over the field towards the forest. He was silent for a few moments before saying, "I am expected at home."

"Of course, but introductions don't take long."

Wolf paused again, seemed to consider it, before nodding once. Daniel stood aside and let the boy enter before closing the door behind him.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

She hadn't expected anything to be ready when she came home but then again why not? He had lived out here for so long, he had to know how to cook. She didn't know why that didn't connect in her head earlier. Elenore honestly doubted that he went to fast food places. And now that she was thinking about food, she couldn't help but wish that dinner would hurry itself up. She was quite hungry, feeding two was not an easy job.

A small laugh escaped her lips when he said it was nothing fancy. "Don't sell it short," she told him. Most people wouldn't even be able to prepare spaghetti and meatballs. Grace had thankfully learned how to cook.. Aunt Rose had never taught the girl and neither did she, but one day she had come home from work and Grace had been standing in the kitchen, reading instructions off the back of a box and stirring food in a boiling pot. She had gotten hungry enough to cook and feed her siblings. Of course her first dishes weren't the best but they had gotten good over the years.

"Deal," she smiled at him. She really did want to do something while she still could. Besides, she wanted him to know that she wasn't going to dump all the work at home on him while he didn't have a job. They didn't talk much on the topic since the kids had been around for the past couple of days, but she knew it would come.

After Deserai had run off, she had made her way back over to Daniel. Maybe she was being a little clingy today but she did want to be near him. She watched as he put the lid back on the pot. He was hesitant, it wasn't too hard to figure out why. The kids. It made sense and perhaps she was rushing with all the hugs. Lowering her eyes for a moment, she then felt him kiss the top of her head before placing his own against her head.

Work. It did come up just as she had predicted, though it was a whole lot sooner. While he was here, he could hang with Deserai. She still went over to Aunt Rose's but she could stay here. Maybe if the two sides agreed then she'd give it a chance. "Would you want to stay with Deserai?" she asked him. She knew the girl liked him but she was also quite the bundle to take care of.

Hearing Deserai's voice, she lifted her head slowly and looked over at the two children. Then Nicholas went still after Deserai's question had been answered.

Nicholas was so quiet these days. She was getting tired of it. The moment he went still though, she frowned. "What is it? What's out there?" she asked, placing her hands on the window sill and pulling herself up a little so that she could barely see over it. Seeing a person walking towards the house, she then smiled. Guests! She loved guests! Running over to the door, she waited for Daniel to open it before looking at the new person.

Elenore slowly made her way over to the window as well. The boy walking across the field looked a lot like Leaf. His son. That had to be his son. She couldn't help but make her way to the door with Daniel. She was just about as curious as Deserai was though she wasn't going to voice it through questions. Daniel had said that he was a prickly teenager but she wasn't sure if the boy beat Grace in that category.

Seeing the boy hand over skins to Daniel, she wondered what was in them. Hearing herself referred to as 'new woman' she glanced at Daniel. Had there been old ones in the past? Others? It was a stupid streak of jealously that ran through her veins briefly. She pushed those thoughts out of her mind before looking at the boy. Wolf.

Elenore wanted to say thank you as well but the boy was already turning to leave. Deserai was already looking disappointed as well because she didn't have a chance to ask any questions. She ran her fingers through the young girl's hair before smiling. Deserai's face lite up when Wolf came inside.

Deserai didn't waste any time. "Hi," she waved at the teenage boy. "I'm Deserai. This is my mom." She moved over to her, grabbing hold of her hand briefly. "I'll go get Nicholas." She bounded off once again, going to the dinning room. "Nick, come see." Her little hands grabbed hold of his and started to pull him back over to the door.

Elenore laughed as Deserai ran off. "I'm Elenore," she told the boy with a smile. "It's nice to meet you." She outstretched her hand to shake his. Something about him reminded her of Grace. She wasn't sure what it was exactly but she was sure that she'd find out soon enough.

Hearing all the commotion, she frowned. What was going on? All she wanted to do was get some peace and quiet and even that wasn't possible. Wasn't the country supposed to be exactly that? Sighing, she pushed her headphones back down, wondering what was going on despite her frustration. Hearing her mother's voice, she blinked. Why was she introducing herself? Guests? Her eyes narrowed. Who in the world could it be?

Turning off her music, she pushed her homework aside about to get off the bed when she heard Wolf's voice. Her eyes widened. What was he doing here?! She frowned, realizing that she was wearing the jacket that he had mended. Her head was a mixture of emotions and her stomach clenched. She wasn't sure how to feel about this situation. Shaking her head, she climbed down the ladder, her headphones still around her neck. Sitting down on Deserai's bed, she took in a deep breath. Hopefully he wouldn't mention anything about the arrow. Maybe that was why her heart was racing. Yes, that had to be it.

Brushing a red curl away from her face, she put her hands into her pockets. Her jacket was unzipped to show a white simple shirt and ,of course, she always had jeans on. Why did it matter how she looked? Frowning at herself, she then debated whether or not she should go out or stay here. Why was this decision so difficult?!

Sighing, she lifted her hand and tugged on the leather string that Screech had given her with the eagle. She pulled it out from her shirt and ran her fingers over the stone once more. Wolf didn't care, or at least that's what she thought. She tucked the necklace under her shirt once more. There was really no point in going out and seeing him. He had probably come over to talk to Daniel.  

[Katydid50]

Daniel shrugged helplessly when she told him not to sell it short. How could he not? There wasn't much to sell in the first place. He was no fancy chef. The old diner wouldn't even look at him twice. Not that he'd tried, of course, but he knew for a fact that he just didn't have the skills. Truthfully, he didn't know how to make much beyond roasts, which were the easiest meals in the world to make. He could make eggs and pancakes. He could cook meats without them being burnt or bloody. He couldn't do much else. Being a guy, he hadn't been an overly picky eater.

He'd brought up work. Of course, it was always in the back of his mind. The majority of his life had not been stable or even remotely normal. He'd had no family life. Everything he'd learned about the role of a husband and father had come from Micheal, Leaf and the surrounding farmers. All of them were extremely traditional. So, Daniel had learned that a man's place was out, working, earning a living for his family. Now that he actually had one, it went against the grain to stay at home. No doubt the farmers would tease him about being a stay-at-home husband. At least Micheal and Leaf didn't mock him.

When Deserai was brought up, Daniel lifted his head in surprise. He'd had very little experience with children. The only experience he'd had was with Dolan's eldest two and neither of them were exactly normal. "Elenore, I really need to find a job," he said. He paused, considering it, before adding, "But, until I do, I guess we could try it." He didn't know how he would be, taking care of a three-year-old by himself, but he was willing to try.

Once he had spotted Wolf out the window, Daniel made his way to the door. The boy was exactly as he had expected, short, civil, not overly friendly but not exactly rude either. While they talked, Daniel was aware of Deserai and Elenore behind him. No doubt they were curious about the young man at the door. Wolf was probably curious about them too but he was also cautious and his predjudice against whites wouldn't allow him to openly show his curiosity. Honestly, Daniel was surprised that Wolf eventually relented and came into the house.


Wolf was keenly aware of Daniel at his back, almost as much as he was focused on the two females before him. He had seen the woman before but he had never spoken to her. She looked like Grace. He assumed she was her mother. The little girl looked like her too. A younger sister, then. The girl was excitable, it was plain to see. He merely blinked when she waved at him. He turned his attention to the woman -Elenore, his father had told him- when Deserai grabbed her hand. The next moment she was gone, claiming she was going to get Nicholas. Wolf's mind flashed back to months ago, when he had saved Grace and Nicholas from the sick coyote.

When Elenore spoke, he focused back on her. As she introduced herself, he only blinked again then looked down at her hand. He didn't move for several long moments before lifting his hand and shaking hers. Even for one so young, his hands were rough with callouses, almost as rough as Daniel's hands. Even so, it was obvious that shaking hands was not a custom they did. His grip was hesitant, his movements unsure. "Eit eh Adesh Yron," he said. "Eyes of Hunting Wolf."

A few seconds later, Deserai reappeared, the boy in hand. Wolf retrieved his own hand. The boy looked different than he had before, smaller somehow. Something had happened, then. Or perhaps Wolf's presence just put him off. Was he worried that Wolf was going to mention his little escapade? Not likely. He didn't want to get himself into trouble -again- for hunting outside of Daniel's and Micheal's properties.

He looked around as Daniel introduced him to Nicholas. The boy held little interest for him. At least, for now he did. Nicholas seemed almost relieved at that and Wolf had to restrain a smirk. He contented himself with looking around. The place looked much better since Wolf had been there last. However, one thing was missing. "Leaf mentioned that you had another daughter," he said to Elenore. "Grace?"

"She's in their bedroom," Daniel said. "You can go on in and introduce yourself. Supper's almost ready anyway so you won't be disturbing her."

Wolf didn't particularly care whether or not he bothered her but he suspected that Daniel said this more for Elenore's sake than anything else. Daniel knew very well what he was like. Walking over to the closed door, he opened it without knocking. He didn't even consider that she might have been changing but he didn't really care. Nudity was not as much of an issue for his people as it was for whites. He spotted Grace immediately, sitting on the bottom bunk of a bed with some contraption around her neck. "I am no expert in white ways but I'm fairly certain that it is rude not to come and greet a guest."


Back in the hallway, Daniel wasn't sure whether to be relieved that Wolf had behaved himself so far or worried that he and Grace would try to kill each other. They were certainly far too similar to get along. Deciding that it was already out of his hands, he sent a small smile in Elenore's direction before returning to the kitchen to get everything ready for supper.