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Lucien gave a nod, "Ahh. Sure I could help where I am needed." He murmured, lookinga bit curious. There were two babies huh? Twins? He wondered what Sasarai would think about that being a one of a set of twins himself.

"We should tell Sasarai about them, he will interested I think." It was said half to himself, half to the Shana and Yuber.

Shanara looked into the car, making sure both infant seats where properly buckled in before going back into the hospital. The doctor wanted to keep the kids and Douglas for a couple days, just to make sure daddy and babies where doing okay, since the whole delivery processes was a little bit more stressful then usual. Shanara worried a little about Douglas. He seemed a little unsure of how to act around the twins. But she said nothing and didn't push. She was sure the young man would find what he needed to be at peace with all of this. It was a lot for anyone, especially such a young man. Shanara knocked quietly on the door of Douglas's room and waited for permission before entering.

Douglas turned his head having just finished dressing out of something that wasn't a hospital robe when he heard the knock, he gave a little sigh wondering if it were another doctor or nurse come to poke and prod at him. He didn't really want to go through any more of that, so when he went over to the door and opened it up he was glad to see Shana instead, "Hello." He murmured, stepping back out of the way so she could come in.

Shana grinned happily at him, "Ready to go home? I have the car seats in, and everyone is at the main house getting the finishing touches done. They can't wait for you to come home. And the kids of course." She squeezed his shoulder affectionately, not wanting to crowed him. She saw a tail wave up over the edge of the bassinette, probably one of the twins moving into a more comfortable position.

He nodded, "Ahh... I was thinking that... maybe I shouldn't come with you." He said, looking over at where the twins were laying, guilt plaguing his young mind to the point where it made his stomach swing.

Shana gently took his hand and urged him to sit down. "Okay.... Start from the top." Her voice was warm and understanding, Douglas couldn't hear any judgment in her voice. "Why do you want to leave?"

"I just..." He paused a moment, his tail twitching at the end, "I don't see why I should be allowed to stay near them... not when I am doing what I am doing. I'm abandoning them in a sense, the same way my parents did me and I don't want them to come to resent me later." He murmured then sat down heavily.

Shanara held his hand, squeezing it softly. "You gave them life, you are giving them opportunities that you may not be able to provide at the moment." She sat back, thinking things over for a bit. "How about a compromise?"

He looked up at her, his blue eyes holding in them a confusion and a tiny fragment of hope, "A compromise?" He asked.

Shanara chewed on her lower lip as she thought about it. "Well, since Rayne and I moved into the new house, she has one that only a couple of her kids live in, and then there is my old one where only Yuber has chosen to stay. Your welcome to either place. That way you can finish school, and when you are ready get to now your children." She raised her hands in a calming motion when she thought he might object. "They will not resent you, what you are doing is out of love, not anger and shock. There is a big difference."

His eyes went a little wide at the generous offer that was given to him, to be able to stay close by, to be able to watch his children grow and maybe even get to know them as well, "I would... I would like that." He murmured quietly.

Shanara smiled, nodded, "Then it's settled. It will be okay, just give yourself time..." She got up, squeezing his shoulder again before going over and scooping up Nereus, the little pink haired boy's tail wrapping around her arm. "Could you get Meena? I've already completed all the release paperwork. You and these two are good to go." She grinned over at him.

He nodded as he walked over to the little crib she was laying in, looking a little upset over the loss of her brother. He tilted his head then reached down, a little hesitant, then picked her up, "Its gonna be ok Meena. Nereus is with Shana." He told her.
Meena starred up at him, gave a little hiccup then blew a big bubble as her reply to what he had said. Douglas gave a soft smile then turned to follow Shanara.

Shanara buckled in Nereus, then Meena softly talking to both of them, letting them know they would be able to play together soon. With Meena she showed Douglas how to buckle them in. She wasn't exactly expecting him to do it much, but didn't want to leave him out of it either. She wanted to make sure he knew he was more the always welcome to be with his children.

Douglas tilted his head, watching the two as they sat in their little seats, "Wha? Hey look!" He murmured as the two seahorse babies reaches their tails out of their seats and wrapped them around each other, "Heh... cute."

Shanara smiled at the two before sliding into her seat and waiting for Douglas to get comfortable. He was healing quickly from the cesarean like procedure, but she could tell it would be a few weeks before he be completely healed.

*****

Shanara put the car in park once they where in front of the huge house, getting out and taking the kids in their seats out. She smiled as they looked up at her upset that she had made them let go of each other. "It will be only a couple more minutes darlings." She murmured softly. She looked up at Douglas. "Please come in, we'll make all the arrangements of where your going to stay and with who. And they all want to see you too, they miss you and have been worried."

Douglas nodded as he looked up at the new place, "This place looks wonderful." He murmured, glad that Nereus and Meena would have such a nice place to grow up in. No doubt it had to be so big to accommodate all those that were going to be living here. Was rather amazing that Shanara and Rayne were able to get it up and running so quickly, then again the two were rather good at surprising people with what they could pull off. Meena looked up at Shanara then looking over at Nereus then started to squeal to get the woman's attention.

Shanara looked down tilting her head, "Yes little one? What is it that you have to say that is so important? " She murmured as she started up towards the house.

Meena blinked up at her as if trying to tell her then gave a cooing sound and pointed instead at her brother. It was difficult to understand babies as it was for them to communicate what it was that they wanted.

She tilted her head to look at the little boy, lifting an eyebrow. "Yes little man? Is it you that requires my attentions?" She had noticed in the past few days Nereus was uncommonly quite, making no noise, and barely even cried.

Meena's tail wrapped around Shanara's arm and she went back to gazing at Nereus as if he were telling her something to tell to Shanara, to bad she was to little to pass on the message.
Douglas watch the two, a curious look on his face. They seemed to communicate well with each other, no doubt it was that whole twins 'power' that people talked about.

Shanara knelt down, unbuckling him from the carrier lifting him up and making a face. "I see... once we get inside I'll change you." She smiled, pressing a soft kiss against his forhead before setting him back down. Rising she picked up both carriers and knocked on the door, hoping someone was close by to answer it.

Douglas lifted an eyebrow, had he smelled so bad that Meena had smelled him? Or had he told her he needed changed? How... odd. He turned his head the moment the door popped up to reveal an excited foxfaire, "Your here! And a little earlier then expected." Rayne said in a sing-song sort of voice, "I gave Eros that recipe for ya. Now he will know how to make the food that the babies eat currently."

Eros only had to read a recipe and it seemed as if he knew it that easily.
Douglas was about to speak when Sasarai, Eros, and Yuki appeared peeking out at the car seats curiously and somewhere in the back was Marik who was interested but doing his best to appear as if he couldn't careless.

Shanara heard Parvana singing somewhere in the house, and Yuber's complaining about how he had to watch the little girl because she decided to have an adventure. She was sure her other children where somewhere near by. Handing Rayne Meena, "Little Nereus need a change. And I'm sure They are hungry by now. And at some point we need to sit down and have a long talk with Douglas." She gave her friend a familiar look that told her it was what they where expecting, and Douglas was very jittery and ready to bolt if they weren't careful.

Rayne looked over at Douglas a moment then nodded her head, "Sounds good." She said then ushered him into the house so that he didn't have the time to think more on running off as he may be prone to do and then stepped inside herself and was soon surrounded by her sons who wanted to look at the baby.
It was Marik that said was they were all things, "Oh hell! Its a girl!" Rayne had brought home a girl child? The first one in the house and the boys found themselves unsure on how to react to her.

Parvana looked over at Nereus as Shanara changed him, his little eyes watching her carefully. "Momma? Is he going to be like Yuber?" She asked. Shanara smiled at her little daughter, "I don't think so. I think he will be very different." Se chuckled softly. She carefully lifted the boy up and brought him back to his twin, laying him next to her. She watched as the two cuddled close together. "I don't think separate beds will be an option for a while..."

Parvana looked over at Nereus as Shanara changed him, his little eyes watching her carefully. "Momma? Is he going to be like Yuber?" She asked. Shanara smiled at her little daughter, "I don't think so. I think he will be very different." Se chuckled softly. She carefully lifted the boy up and brought him back to his twin, laying him next to her. She watched as the two cuddled close together. "I don't think separate beds will be an option for a while..."

Rayne gave a soft smile as she watched them, her fluffy tail wagging, "How cute." She murmured then looked around, "Where is the camera." Rayne thought to herself then started to search for it.

Shanara smiled reaching over and grabbing the camra off the table and holding it out to Rayne, "It's here hon." She mummred softly.

Rayne took it and then held it up and got a good shot of the two that were snuggling on each other, "You two are so adorable." She murmured as she clicked a couple pictures.

Shanara giggled, Meena was sitting on top of Nereus. The foxen sat down next to them, Eros handing her two bottles. Some how she managed to hold both bottles and both babies, feeding them at the same time. Douglas sighed as he sat down at the kitchen table tired.

Rayne looked first to Shanara and the babies whispering to Eros to help her out if she needed it then went over to where Douglas was sitting, "You need anything Douglas?" She asked as she sat down in a chair near to him.

Douglas rubbed his eyes as he struggled to keep his emotions in check. "I don't belong here.... with them. I mean you and shanara are going to be the ones that are raising them."

"But its still ok for you to be around." She said patting his hand.

He hung his head, "I... just don't know. I mean.... I just... thier just born and if wasn't for you two thier lives would be a mess."

"And if it weren't for you they wouldn't have been born." She said, smiling, "You could have choosen another route and you didn't."

Douglas rubbed his eyes and looked over at his two kids, Eros had managed to snatch his little sister away from Shanara and was very happily feeding her. "I could never do that. I knew they where special from the start...." He sighed. "It may just be better if I walked away completely."

"You don't really think that though do you?" She said, ears turning forward, "It would be the easy thing to do but it wouldn't be the right thing."

He looked up at Rayne longingly, hoping she could answer the question he couldn't. "What could I offer them? You gave them a home, family, everything they need."

"Life of course. You carried them! I think your the first boy I have ever met that had the baby." She told him then grinned, "That in itself is amazing."

He shrugged, "It's not that amazing for my people. All men carry the babies." He sighed softly, "S-Shanara said I could stay in one of the old houses to think it over?"

Big Brother Lucien: Meena

What was that saying again? What goes around comes around? He supposed that this was the punishment that he got for when he was little and used to pull on the hair of everyone he met. His mother had told him that it was a habit he had kept up until he pulled on the hair of two different cat Fa'e. Keir who it was just plain dangerous to yank on her hair he understood now and the other one, Mortimer was it? Lucien could remember if nothing else that pulling on his hair was a bad idea, it had been icky.

Lucien was currently laying on his back in the middle of the livingroom, on the side of him that was without the spines sat a small girl his mother had told him was named 'Meena' this was Douglas's child he was told and his new little sister. He lifted an eyebrow then shook his head a little bit but that only got her tugging that much harder on the hair that she had herself tangled up in. His tail was thumping against the floor but he really didn't do anything to stop her. After all she was tiny and she meant no harm in her exploration. No doubt she hadn't seen hair as long as his in her short life.

"You like my hair so much?" He asked her.

Her blue eyes lifted up to meet his, she starred at him for a long drawn out moment then she lifted up a hand full of it and held it out to him. A grin spread over the Fa'e's lips, "Offering me back a bit of my own hair huh? I bet your wanting to keep the rest to yourself though." This was as far as he knew really the first time that he had been left alone for a long period of time with a small child, the last one that had come into the house was Marik and he had clung to Rayne most of the time he was little and the moment he grew he was going anywhere he could but in the house. Anywhere that Rini was at least. This experiance was a new one, an odd one, "So... what am I supposed to do with you?"

Why had he agreed to watch her anyways? His mother had to go and run some errands and here he was, still in need of a shower and a meal after an afternoon's worth of training and instead of attending to those needs he was taking care of Meena. No doubt just his curiousity acting up again, what were babies like? What was it like to take care of one? What did they think about? He couldn't really rememebr what he thought about when he was her age. Well there was the facination with Solo's rainbow colored hair, leaning from Keir to break things, and Easter but at the same time it was hard to tell if that was really something he remembered or if it was something he thought he remembered because his mother had told him about those times enough.

Meena of course didn't answer his question, only looked his way for a long moment then blew a couple bubbles that promptly popped before she went back to what it was that she was doing.

"Hmm. I suppose that's that huh? So... what is it that you like to do Meena? Maybe we can bring you to go and do that?"

Again no answer but the scorpion Fa'e sat up and scooped her up into his arm that had the hand, this way she was kept a good distance from his spines, "I have an idea." He said then headed up the stairs a couple at a time and went into his room, "You know when I was little I got a bunch of toys from a lot of nice people. It seems that the births of Fa'e are celebrated and these presents arrive from no where. Just like that 'poof' and you have stuff waiting on your porch for you."

Meena seemed to be facinated by what he was saying, he was sure if it were the story he told of if it were just his voice but either way he seemed to have caught her attention, "So anyways I have plent of things that you can play with over here." He walked over to a bunch of shelves and on them sat all the things he had obtained in his collecting while he was little. He reached over and picked up one of the plushies, "This one. I got this because it reminded me of someone that used to be a friend. I was always following around after him like some sort of puppy when I was about your size." He admitted, "It was no doubt rather.. pathetic huh?" He flushed some and sat her down on his bed and she played around with the two tailed fox plush while he went over and got another, "Let's see. This one I got from Zin." He said setting a purple and grey dragon in front of her, "Isn't it cute? I think that you should meet Zin I bet that you would like her. She is one of my better friends, much like a sister."

He tiled his head, "You know your the first sister in this family. Gonna be hard for you with as many brothers as you currently have. That's not even taking into consideration the family that your twin was taken in by."

Meena looked up at him for a moment as her eyes seemed to grow a little distant and she seemed to be thinking for a moment on her twin brother Nereus who was currently with Shana, one of Rayne's friends. She picked up the plush dragon and fox and hugged them to her tightly, "Ah..." She murmured the first sound she had made for a long while now.

"Its alright. There is no reason to be sad Meena. You will see him again soon." She was rather lucky compared to some he knew like Sasarai who rarely if ever saw his twin anymore. He had seen him one day in the passed many months which was Halloween and that time he had spent giving out treats more then getting to talk with his brother, "Its odd. Sasarai's twin, my old friend. They live in the same place which isn't all that far away but... it seemed almost like a lifetime away." A lifetime ago since they had been there.

He shook his head and gave a bit of a hiss, "Feh. No reason to mourn over the loss of them. They care nothing for us so why should we care for them right?" He didn't see the point in thinking on such an old hurt. It was something he was sure he would have to confront one day and with it the one that caused the wound but until then he had better things to do with his time, "Come on Meena. Let's go get some lunch shall we?"

She nodded her head as he picked her up and she hugged the two plushies to her chest as they headed out of Lucien's room and out to retreive themselves some food.

One Mommy Missing...

Shanara had been away for a while now, things drawing her off so that she had to be away from the family and it would seem that Nereus had taken it the worst. She was his mother after all just as Rayne was Meena's. To have her just vanish seemed to make the already silent child that much more withdrawn. Only Meena seemed to be able to even make him smile despite everyone in the house trying to assure him that things would be alright. She was just drawn away by circumstances that couldn't be helped.

Rayne sat down on the floor next to the blanket that they were sitting on, watching as Meena babbled long conversations of baby talk at Nereus and waved in front of him the octoplushy that they had come to love and played with enough that it was a bit beat up. He lifted up on his elbows to watch the show that she was putting on for him, his eyes showing interest enough that Rayne found herself smiling. This was a good sign, a very good sign. If he were starting to get over Shana having to be away then he would be fine until she was able to come back home.

"Look at that would you Nereus? Its a monster Ocotoplushy!" She said lifting some of its long, tentacle arms up to drap them over the boy. His eyes went wide and he rolled over as if to escape the 'monster' only to roll himself up in the tentacles that much worse and started to flail all of his limbs. Meena gave a squeal of laughter, hands clapping together as the main part of the plushy was pulled out of her arms to 'jump' onto her brother. She then fell forward from her sitting position to attempt to help him escape from its grasp.

Nereus didn't look pleased over his currently situation, looking for a moment like a grumpy old man. So much so that she couldn't help but start to giggle, "It can't be as bad as all that can it?" She asked of him, and he seemed to give her a baby version of a glare, "Haha, Ok maybe it can?" She said, reaching down to untangle him from the multiple arms that were wrapped around his form and 'freed' him from the monster that had hold of him.

Meena squealed again, clapping her hands before glomping onto her twin, snuggling him close. So much better now that he was 'saved' from the monster, she could snuggle on him. Her tail twined with that of her brother and they snuggled on one another, shifting a bit, yawning and nuzzling on one another. All of the signs that they were getting sleepy. Rayne gave a soft smile as she watched them before sighing, she wanted for Shana to come home. The little ones missed her, Douglas missed her and even Ray herself missed her friend. She reached a hand to run it through Nereus's hair, "She will be back soon don't worry."

He gave a soft smile in his half sleeping state before his eyes sank the rest of the way closed, arm tightening on Meena and then both were dozing.

Rayne leaned back against the couch, sighing to herself softly.

Before Hand - Marik goes out to the mall with Rini, they come back to his place and they get tricked into babysitting. ^_^;;

Marik walked over and hopped up onto the couch, sitting down on it and stayed out of reach of the grabby hands of his little sister. Since he was not in reach the bunny became the new object of her babbles and grabbing hands. She was talking to Rini excitedly, talking to her quickly in baby talk.

Nereus looked up at the rattle for a long moment before reaching out to it, tapping a hand against it but made no noise unlike Meena. It seemed the girl child made enough for the both of them.