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~ Reserved for First Meeting ~



Shanara looked nervouisely over at her friend as she stopped the car in front of the agancey building. "You are really really sure about this?" Ever since they found out about this place they had been talking on and off about coming here to look into it. Shanara was all for it, but was worried in her excitment that she had forced Rayne into coming here.

Rayne's tail flicked back and forth as she looked out the car window at the place then nodded her head, "Yeah, I have been wanting to do this time the first time you showed me I was just a bit nervous was all, needed time to think." She said then looked Shanara's way, "And every time I go home and look at my babies that aren't babies anymore it just makes me that much more adamant about it."

The idea of adopting another child was one that she was all for and here it was taking in a baby that needed parents, taking in a parent as well for the last month of so of their pregnancy as well. They had looked into it in detail, read all sorts of stuff about this place, and decided that Maban Mabwysiad was the best place to go for this sort of thing. She gave Shanara a bright smile, "I think today we should go in and talk to them instead of just sitting here in the car. What do you think?"

Shanara laughed, turning the car off and hoping out of the driver's seat. "Sounds like a good idea to me." She walked over to meet Rayne on the other side of the car as they walked up to the agancey's door togerther, Shanara opned and made a grand motion. "After you.."

The foxfaire woman giggled then went inside and looked around. The atomosphere of the place was a rather calm one, she turned her ears forwards as she took the place in before her eyes fell on a guy who was sitting off in the corner looking a bit depressed, arms wrapped around himself, head lowered. She tilted her head to the side watching the blonde a moment before turning back to Shanara. She figured he must be a father to a child that could be going up for adoption, maybe the mother was already talking to the staff? Unsure really as she wasn't a mind reader she turned her attention to her friend, "Well here we are." She said with a smile.

The boy had caught Shanara's eye as well a** he steppped into the outter office of the place. "Yeah we are.." She mummred as she watched the boy as she started to walk up to the front desk. She blinked, no one was around and she didn't see any sort of bell to ring. "Should we go sit and wait?"

Rayne nodded, "Since thats why its called the 'waiting room' of course." She said then hurried to a seat before Shanara could retaliate.

Shanara's hand almsot made contact with the foxfaires arm a** eh scurried away. Again her attion was drawen to the blonde young man, her eyes squenting. She tapped Rayne on the shoulder. "Doesn't.... doesn't his belly look a little to ummm, round?"

Rayne tilted her ears forward, "His what now?" She turned to look at him and then tilted her head to the side, wait a minute... it kinda did, didn't it?

Their gazes his way had him seeming to be trying to shift himself so that he could try to appear smaller, more invisible to the eyes of others. He wasn't in the mood to deal with people, bad enough that he had to wait so long after getting here to talk to the people in charge he thought to himself. He finally looked their way, turning his unhappy glare their way as if daring them to say anything.

Rayne was dumb enough to do exactly that, "Hellos." She greeted.

The seahorse gave a sort of huff sound.

Shanara grinned stepping forwared as well. "Hi, I'm Shanara, andthis is Rayne. May we ask what your name is?"

The blond looked her over then turned his head to look at anything else but the two odd foxen, at the moment he wasn't a big fan of women and the fact that there were two of them he felt out numbered and a little bit more then unhappy. His tail twitched a bit and he gave a snort, "Douglas." He muttered finally, maybe if he answered they would go away?"

Shanara wasn't dure why, normally she took the hint and if you wanted to be left alone she whould leave a person alone. But not this time, She sat next to the upset young man, "Hello Douglas. So..... have you been in to see the coucilares?"

He gave her a sort of a look, "What business is it of yours?"

Shanara looked up at Rayne for some help, her friend was much better at soothing sore nervers then she was. Shanara had a talent of pissing people off sometimes. "None....it's just you look..."

"A bit knocked up." Rayne supplied.

Douglas let out a choked sound, "What? I'm... its not like that! I... and then she..." His tail started to lash back and forth rapidly.

Rayne smiled then sat down in one of the seats next to him, "She?"

"S-She... She left me like this!" He said unhappily, his ear fins seeming to sag a little, his anger seemed to be cooled by other emotions that it seemed he didn't want to give into.

Shanara watched him wilt alittle when he admited that the one he had loved had left him. Her arms sliding comfortingly around his shoulders. "And now you have two woman being far to noisy for thier own good." She supplied the teen.

"So I've seen. Feh, women." He muttered.
Rayne gave a little laugh at that but took note of the fact that he didn't immediently jerk away from Shanara so that had to be a good sign right?

"Damn right!" Shanara agree. There was no one else in the waiting room so she figured it was safe. "Woman piss me off all the time, can't stand them....expect Rayne... and my daughter.... and I'm kinda found of me..."

Douglas gave her an odd look, then gave a snort, "Piss me off too. I mean... she asks all lovey then this happens and she bolts? I thought it was guys that did that not girls." He found himself saying, her words getting him in a mood to complain.

"Hell yeah!Corse it's normally girls that get preganet, but that's besides the point. Just like all woman! They tell you sweet nothings, get you in the mood, then have thier way with you and go off to who knowes where! You desirve better!" Shanara moved her arm off of his shoulders, standing up a** he spoke, pacing a little, looking a little like a priest giving a sermion....


Douglas nodded his head, completely in agreement with everything she had just said, "I damn well do!" He said tail lashing now.

Rayne was trying not to giggle at the moment, she had heard that you were supposed to get pregnate people overly excited but in this instance it seemed to be doing him some good. He was no longer trying to hide in the shadows from them and look invisible.

"That's right! You desirve a safe place for your child, you desirve the freedom to choose what is best for you and that baby! You desrive the knowldge that you may come and go, be a full part of the child's life if you want! That is why you will come live with Rayne and I!" Shanara almost winced, quickly looking over to see if it was okay with Rayne, or if she just made a big mess. She hated when she got to into a rant, she useally did things like this. Her ears drooping appolgtically, having just volnteered them to the first person they met rather then looking to see if there was someone more compatable....

Douglas nodded as he got up to his feet, "Exactly! Huh... wait what?"

Rayne started to giggle this time unable to hold back this time, the poor Seahorse boy looked so confused that she couldn't seem to help it.

Shanara looked around then quickly sat back down, struggling not to laugh. "See? All settled. Your coming home with us as soon as we get the paperwork in order."

He blinked his eyes a couple times as he sat back down in his seat and gave a bit of a laugh, he had no idea how that had happened but... when he thought about it he didn't find himself completely balking at the idea. In fact... it didn't sound to bad, "Oh... Yes. Yes ok." He said nodded his head.

Rayne's ears turned forward, "Another point for Shanara when it comes to winning any argument huh?"

Shanara blushed a little, "It's all in the dilivery..." she mummred quiteally still waiting to get smaked for tricking him into agreeing to come with them. She looked over at Douglas lifting a questiong eyebrow.

The seahorse was seeming to be going over everything that had just happened, trying to figure it all out but he kept coming up with the fact that he had jsut been completely agreeable with her, she had said stuff and he had agreed. How odd... "Yeah, well I guess then we wait to fill stuff out huh?"

Rayne nodded her head, "Sounds good. Then we can get out of here and find some lunch. I am starving."
Douglas's stomach reacted as if by command, growling in agreement and his cheeks turned as red as his shorts.

Shanara grinned, nodding her head. "Sounds good to me. Douglas, where do you want to go?"

"Go? Oh... anywhere that they have something sweet." He said, he would kill for something chocolately at the moment.

Shanara chuckled, "I think.... the buffet place would be best. Where they have pretty much everything. Sound good to you two?"

Rayne nodded her head, "Sounds good to me. I could eat like... two of every animal at the moment." She said.

Douglas looked at the faire winged woman thinking it was some sort of joke, she looked to small really to be able to polish off that much food on her own.

The three of them waited a while longer, small talk was exchanged until they were able to talk to those in charge, fill out nessasary paper work, then they headed for for lunch.

Home Coming: Part Two

"Lathe and Jun decroated. And they all come up to help with the kids, both mine and Rayne all the time." It looked like the flamboynt boy was a little much for Douglas at the moment. Shooing the boy out of the room, "He does alot of cooking for me to." Shanara shut the door, hands spread to the door jams, a strand of white hair hanging down in front of her face. She blew it out of her eyes, "Ummmmm, yeah. It's not normally this hectick. It's just that your new..."

"New people always cause a stir." Rayne said, "And this is rather quiet compared to my place."
Douglas looked at her, his tail flicking back and forth then he rested back against his chair and gave the two women a smile, "I think that I may want to take a little break before I do anymore visiting if that is alright with the both of you."
Rayne nodded then walked over to the tray that had been brought in and she picked up one of the cups and poured some tea into it, "What do you like in your tea?"

He shook his head, "I don't know exactly, never had tea." Wasn't really his thing but now that it was sitting in front of him he saw no reason why not to try it, "What normally goes in it?"

"I drink mine with a lot of sugar and honey and some milk. What about you Shana?" She asked looking over at the foxen woman, "What about you?"

"A little sugar and lemon actully. It one of those things that you have to mess with to decied how you like it, or even if you like it at all." Tru and Yuber went rolling past the window...... Shanara rolled her eyes. "I have to make a shopping trip tommorrow into town. So if you want to give me a list or come along.... how ever your feeling."

He took the cup of tea and looked into it then at all of the ingredients that were waiting there for him to try out in it, he took a sip from it, to test its flavor without anything in it to see how its base taste was. Not to bad really he decided then reached over to start to add some of this and some of that, it was rather like a science of sorts this tea business. A few moments later he had it all set up how he wanted and was drinking the tea. He felt more and more relaxed as he sat here and really didn't notice what was going on outside of the window at the moment even.

"Ahh. I think that I will go with you if that is alright." He would rather pick out his own food since as of late he had been wanting the weirdest things to eat, things that didn't make sense. The seahorse male lifted a hand and gave a bit of a yawn, rubbing at his eyes to try to wake himself up. Tea seemed to be a rather contenting drink wasn't it?

Rayne looked over at Douglas, "Are you getting sleepy? Do you want to take a nap?"

"Hmm? Oh. Sorry, I'm a little tired yes, long day." He murmured.

"Oh, Lathe must have put camamille in the tea. It is a normal thing to do, it just helps you relax, probably thought you might need it. Umm the fridge is stocked, if you need anything and can't find it, let me know, I'll get it." Shanara opned the door and a soft voice could be heard singing a sweet lullabye, having a soothing affect just listening to it.

Douglas started to nod off in his chair, a combination of everything starting to catch up with him. He gave another great yawn and then held his hands out, "Help me up? I think I'm stuck." He said unable to get himself up from the comfy chair over to the bed that he figured would be better of sleeping in.
Rayne giggled and reached over taking one of his hands and helped him up to his feet and he gave another yawning sound as he stood there, wobbling a bit before he was lead over to the bed. He crawled onto it and curled up on it around his belly as if to protect the little one inside of him and he was soon snoozing away.

"Shall we?" Rayne asked as she picked up the tray.

Shanara made sure a light blanket was tucked around the young man, so he wouldn't get a chill. She smiled at Rayne and nodded, tip toeing out with the other Foxen. "I hope that went well..." She whispered.

"I think that it did. He's sleeping so that means that he feels safe." She said then closed the door behind them.

Food Hunt: Part Two

They had eaten lunch there and were back into the car soon enough, heading for the Farmers Market and Douglas had a hand on his growling belly. It seemed that while he wasn't sure on what he wanted to eat at the moment the baby was trying to tell him that the slush, while good, was not nearly enough. He figured that he should have gotten more while they were at the restaurant but as nothing really looked appetizing he really couldn't make himself right?
He grummbled a little then tilted his head seeing a sign in the distance that they were coming up on, "Ah... Shanara? Do you think we could stop there? They have really good curly fries and I think I should eat something before I get kicked to death from the inside." He said.

Shanara chuckled, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him over her black sunglasses, "I would say that is probley a really good idea." She turned the car into the drive threw, pausing at the menu. "See anything else you might want?"

He leaned over to look at the menu then tilted his head to the side, "The curly fries, lots of ketchup and... Hmm. That and some onion petals if thats cool?"

She nodded, leaning out the window and making the order. Luckly Yuber and Parvana where to full to really ask for anything more. She got him a soda as well, just incase he decied he was thirsty as well.

It was a long enough drive that as Shanara parked the care in the Farmers Market lot that when she looked over most of the food was gone. "Let me get the kids out first, I'll be at your door in a minute." Quickly getting the two kids, and then holding her hand out for Douglas, she looked around. She liked comeing on the weekdays, it wasn't nearly as busey as it was on the weekends, and she figured then less people the more comfortable Douglas would be.

Douglas quickly wolfed down the rest of the food that he had while Shanara helped the kids out of the car and had time enough to wipe his hands off on a napkin before she held her hands out to him and he gladly took them to get up out of the car. After eating that he felt that much heavier and yet at the same time he was still hungry. This whole pregnancy thing was making him rather ravenous when it came to food though he had realized a while ago.

While they walked towards the market he looked around curious while eating the contents of the many ketchup packets he had in the pocket of his hoodie.

Shanara raised a quesyioning eyebrow at the way he ate the ketchup, but kept her thoughts quite. He was pregnate, she wasn't about to question him out loud. She paused getting a large basket, and starte picking threw some fruit. Carefully selecting each one and cheking her list often. "If you see something that you want to take home, let me know."

He nodded his head, "I will keep my eyes open." He told her with a smile on his lips and looked around the store. It was a good size store so there must be a lot of good stuff here right? His tail swished back and forth as he looked for something yummy.

Shanara moved slowly threw the booths, picking up fruit and veggies. Some fresh breads and spices for Lathes cooking. "Ummm, I need to pick up some meat and fish to, but we'll save that for last. We can just walk around for a bit."

Douglas nodded, "That sounds good. The water helps sometimes. When I sit to much I get sore." He said as he moved from booth to booth picking up the occasional for inspection and would turn to Shanara to show it to her or ask for it. When she mentioned fish his tail started to wag that much faster, fish. That sounded really good, especially if they could find the kind that he liked the most.

Shanara chuckled, "Or we could go over to the fishermen's section now." One arm holding Parvana and the basket. Holding Yuber's hand with her free hand as much as possable. "One thing about Lathe cooking, he likes to make alot of fish."

"Thats one of my favorite foods so I am sure that I will enjoy his cooking very much." He told her, "Especially shell fish." He didn't at all mind skipping over to that section of the market himself but, "Do we have everything else on your list? I would hate to rush you along to there if you still need other stuff." He told her. He felt a bit useless watching her try to carry the basket and keep hold of her kids. He was told by a doctor that he wasn't supposed to lift anything over ten pounds which was rather ridiculous if you asked him but he still listened to what he was told for the good of the one inside of him.

"Is there anything that I could do to help you?" He asked of Shanara.

Shanara chuckled, shifting Parvana a little. "I'm okay, really. Come on, it's this way. I've gotton everything on my lists anyway." She started to move threw the booths showing him the way over to the fish. Tons of booths, with every sort of fish and sell fish. Shanara sighed as she looked of over the huge list Lathe had given her. "Take your time, this is going to take awhile.

The seahorse's eyes got rather huge as he looked around then nodded, "Can I get a basket to pick some stuff out? I will make sure not to make it to heavy." He said, tail wagging in a hopeful sort of manner. It seemed that since Shanara was older then he was he had grown used to looking to her for answers and permission about things.

Shanara nodded, wow he was so young. A part of her felt really bad for him, that he ad gotton in this situation, and she was glade her and Rayne could help him out. "Yeah.." She paused as Yuber tugged on her arm, she looked down. "I suppose... I could help Douglas." He mummred, "Just to repay him for getting you to stop for icecream." Shanara looked down, arching a silver eyebrow, "You cause him one lick of trouble and you won't get sweets for months. Is that clear?" He sighed glaring at her for making the threat. "Yeah, yeah, I get it." He grumbled as he went to go get a basket for Douglas once Shanara let him go. Shanara smiled at the Seahorse. "There you go, a volnteer, get as much as you want."

He gave a little smile, "Thank you for the help Yuber." He said, surprised that he had offered. He really hadn't thought that the kid like many people from what he had seen but maybe he was wrong? He went to get an empty basket and held it out to Yuber to take so that they could go and search for some different sorts of things, shellfish, cruestations, and things with lots of limbs like squid were sound yummy.

Yuber took the basket from him, walking behinde him. "I wanted to get away from Mom, she never lets me do anything. Knock down a few displayes and she hasn't taken her eyes off me for a seconed." He pouted a little as he looked over a bin at some squied. He wrinkled his nose, "Do people actully eat those?"

Douglas couldn't help but laugh, "I know how that goes, my own mother was a royal pain in the a**. Your seems a lot nicer though." He said then looked over at the squid and reached over to pick one of them up and got a bag to put it in, "Actually yes people at them and they are rather good, a bit chewy though."

Yuber made a face as it was set in the basket, "That is so gross! I'm not going to touch it!"

"Its safely trapped in the bag and on top of that its dead so you need not worry about it."

As he followed Douglas he still glared down at the offending fish, as if expecting it to jump out and attack him.

Douglas and Yuber headed back towards where Shanara was their basket full of various sea creatures, half of which had gotten the weirdest looks from the blond boy that was helping him out. The words of the seahorse hadn't seemed to help any either, about how Douglas was a half a step away from opening the bag and eating the squid like spaghetti, cooked or uncooked.

Shanara grrined, looking much like the perverbile cat that had caught the mouse. "I was hopping you'd be hungery when I got back. I hope I guessed right, I got a bit of a variety." She turned picking up a paper plate that had several cooked fish and bits of fried octopus. She then offered it to Douglas. "I had them cook it while we shopped."

Douglas gave a soft squeal and took the plate, munching on the food. It had saved poor Yuber from having to watch him eat something that would be less then appetizing for those watching. He looked at Shanara, "Yuber has our basket of stuff, he was sweet and carried it despite not liking what it was full of."

Shanara grinned, setting the basket up for the dealer to calculate the cost and pulled out a roll of cash to pay for it. "I'm glad I guessed right, I'll be sure to get extra seafood from now on, that's good you like it so much, it's good for you and...." She trailed off. Once everything was packed up her and Yuber carried everything out to the van.

Douglas smiled and followed after the three of them, munching on his foods.

At the moment he was a rather content but sleepy seahorse.

After the food and the kids where safely strapped in, she helped the sleepy Seahorse into his seat. "I bet your tired, we've been everywhere today." She went to the other side of the car and started them onto thier trip home.

He nodded his head and as soon as his food was finished off he was dozing.

Accepting the Invation

Douglas slowly made his way up the hill back to Shanara's house. He had to take a lot of stops, holding his belly as he panted his pale face a little flushed. It was getting harder and harder to do simple activities all the time. He smiled as he looked down at the octoplushi that he had just gotton and grinned, still amazed at how nice these two women where.

He sighed as he finally topped the little hill, almost sitting down for a moment so he could catch his breath, but decied against it becuse he wasn't sure that he would be able to get back up if he could mange to get all the way to the ground. He sighed, tilting his head as he started to see the house not to far away. Two distince sounds came to him. The familer sound of Yuber and Tru arguing, and the sound of Shanara's car coming up the long drive.

Douglas decied to go around to the kitchen, so he could find something to eat and drink, as he rouned the cornor he came to a dead stop, his eyes widing in shock. All three of Shanara's Kederi where in the yard, Ryas standing to the side yelling at the other two. Both of them had growen, and some how had gotton ahold of weapons. Tru had a gauntlet, and Yuber held two swords.

The car came to a screaching hault, and a very angery Shanara slammed the driver's door closed. "Alright you two, that's enough, stand down." The angery foxen's tail bristled, her ears laying down completely flat.

The two Kederi didn't even seem to hear her as they circled around each other and Douglas watched in confusion as they both seemed to launch at each other at the same time, closing his eyes, hearing the sounds of people crashing into each other. But then.... silence. After a momnet the pergnate teen peeked opned one eye and was even more startled.

Shanara was in the middle of the two, how she had managed to move from the car to between them was beyoned him. One hand on each of them, and by the looks on thier faces and the fact that they remained absoultely still he assumed she had them by pressure points. She looked between the two of them, her ears completely flat agaisnt her her head, her red eyes gleaeming. "This... is done. No more. We are a family, and we are going to start acting like it. No more attacking each other, ever. Is that clear?"

The look on the two blonde's faces was one of utter astonishment. In the short time Douglas had been here he had never seen Shanara raise a hand, and very seldome would she raise her voice. But here she was in the middle of two of her grown children holding them both down to force them to stop fighting. The two kids looked up at her startled, and slowly nodded. Shanara shook them a little before letting them go.

She went back over to the car, scooping up her fallen sunglasses as she went. She paused seeing Douglas standing there clutching the little octoplushie for dear life. She smiled reasuringly, I have to get something out of the car then I'll come walk with you the rest of the way to the house." Opening the driver's door and grabbing a small bag out of the car she then walked over to him.

She smiled hooking his arm with her's, genteally leading him back to the house, "Sorry about that. I've been trying to get them to stop before the baby comes. Now the damage they could do is alot more then when they where littler."

Douglas blushed, hugging his belly protectively, "I see." He mummred softly, not completly sure how to respond.

Shanara patted his hand, opening the kitchen door up for him. "How about a little something to eat?" He nodded in agrement, sitting down at the table with a sigh of relife, glade to be off his feet, setting the plushie on the table. Shanara couldn't hold her curosity anylonger, "What do have there?"

Douglas looked up, a little confuised, then remmbering the invation that came along with the plushie. "Oh, this? Rayne gave him to me, for the baby. And she has invited us for dinner tonight. I told Sasari yes, I hope that's okay?"

Shanara arched her eyebrows in suprise as she moved around the kitchen finding some fresh fruit and veggies to along with some cold shrimp. Sasari gave him the invation? She was impressed, useally Sasari hid away when she came around, he was so very shy. "Yeah, that sounds great." She chuckled, "She just wants to get to know you to, now that your settled in." Setting the choice of verioues foods in front of him, squeezing his shoulder. "I'll go give her a call, work out the details of time."

Parvana skipped along side of Lathe as some of them moved across the yards to Rayne's house. Shanara walked beside Douglas, holding his arm nad helping him walk carefully over the slight inclines and slopes. Douglas was once again in the bulkey red hoodie. He was still feeling very uncomfrotable with his body, and he wasn't really feeling like showing his belly off, even to Rayne and Shanara.

As they walked he stepped dow a slop he wasn't expeting, and when his foot did not land where he expected his wieght shifted and he almost lost his balance. The only that kept him from falling was Shanara. Her grip tighting, and he felt her arm wrap around the back of his wait steading him, and he was a little startled at the strangth she had hidden.

She grinned, her red eyes sparkling up at him comfortingly. "Careful now. Don't worry, where almost there." She motioned with her chin towareds the house only a few feet away now. "If you get worn out, I'm sure she has a bed for you for the night."

Douglas nodded, his shaggy blonde hair falling down in his blue eyes. "Yeah, okay." he mummred. The fall had scared him a little, and he was constrating on where he was walking.

"Oh, no that's okay. I'm fine really." Douglas sighed as he sank into the soft comfortable chair, wrapping his arms protectively around his belly. Just becuse he wasn't ready to take care of a child on his own didn't mean he didn't want the best for him or her.

Shanara squeezed his shoulder comfortingly, "We had a bit of a scare on the way here is all. Though a few minutes to calm down and a glass of water couldn't hurt I'm sure." Shanara smiled happily over at Sasarai and Yuki.

"Hi Yuki!" Parvana grinned as she looked at her cousion, and over at Sasarai. Lathe ruffled her hair before going over to Douglas, "Your sure your okay? Anything we can get you?"

Douglas looked up wide eyed, a little intmdated by all the attion. "Ummm, that water sounds really good." and space, space would be nice.

Lathe took the hint, taking Parvana's hand to get her set up to the table. Douglas took the water sipping it greatfully, "Thanks Sasari." He mummred softly over the rem of the glass. Taking another long sip, calming his nerves some.

"Come on Sasari, help me bring all the food to the table?" Shanara tilted her head as she started for the kitchen. She had spent the last few days with Douglas and felt it was only right that he got to know Rayne just as well.

Dougal smiled a little as he tought about the cute little plushie. Man pregancey did weried things to a guy. He never really got attaced to things like that before, and now thinking about his baby having it made him feel all warm inside..... not that he would ever admite it. "I....." he almost wanted to say he wanted to keep it for himself, then changed his mind. "I think the baby sould have it. It's so warm and soft I think he or she would really like it."

He took another long sip of water, sinking back into the chair.Looking down into the water as he spoke. "It's really nice......what you and Shanara are doing for me. It's more then I could have ever hopped for.."