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A soft laugh floated over the phone line as Killian stated his plans for dinner. Simple, and meat loaded, but there was nothing wrong with that. There had been many nights that spaghetti was the meal of choice. "If you want some expert hands for help, just wait to make it until Alyvia gets there. She loves making spaghetti. Just don't forget the bread and butter." Di told him with a smile as she took a sip of her own coffee and fired up her computer. She nodded her head a little disappointed as he just stated it was a surprise. But that she should have expected. It wouldn't be much of a secret if she knew. His curses about something being hot over the line set a small frown to her face,"Killian, what are you doing...?" She shook her head, didn't matter. And then he continued talking spilling the beans on the secret. Diana gasped in surprise, her green eyes looking around the room she was in. How had he..? It wasn't like he had never been in the house to not know the lay of the rooms and rough sizes."How did you.. She'll love it, Kill. Absolutely."Although Di knew that might mean another shopping trip for the girl to get dolls and furniture and clothes to go along with the new house. But that would be ok. "You know if you keep doing stuff like this, you're going to spoil her." Diana told him with a teasing smile. He deserved the chance to spoil his daughter. And damn if he was doing a good job of it. Why had she ever thought he wouldn't want to be a dad? That he wouldn't be cut out for it?

She nodded as he mentioned it being a school night, yet Di didn't feel that should be a problem. Sooner or later his visits would stop being supervised, and Di was sure he'd have the girl some school nights. The routine had to be set there too. But that all meant she was planning on staying here, past the summer even. Clearing the thought for another time, the brunette turned back to the conversation at hand, "What time were you thinking of for dinner? Do you need me to get anything?"

"Ahhhh! A man after my own heart!" She replied when Archie stated he was always hungry. Lena giggled and squirmed as his facial hair brushed the sensitive skin of her neck. The gesture felt good in multiple ways. The way that made her giggle and the other way which made her want to purr in delight. The kitchen door swung open and she glanced back at Tyson.
"Yessss?" She asked so he knew he was not interrupting anything.
"Mom, is it okay if Lizzie has dinner with us? Her Mom is working late."
"Yes, she has to get permission from someone in her house though."
"Okay! I will have her ask her Grandmother! Oh....and....can you two be like...normal parents during dinner. Not all kissy and touchy." He made a face like their behavior grossed him out.
"I want her to go to that stupid dance with me at school, so please don't be weird around her." Lena rolled her eyes and sighed.
"Us old people will behave for the sake of the possibility of new love. You mean the Sweetheart dance at school? The one you said was stupid, and you would never ever go to."
"It is stupid." Tyson replied defensively.
"She wants to go though. She likes dancing."
"You hate dancing."
"I hate carrots, you still make me eat them. So this dance is like carrots, only at least I get to hang with Lizzie and don't have to eat a disgusting carrot." Tyson said with a small shrug.
"I will go let Lizzie know you said it was okay." Tyson disappeared and Lena looked toward Archie.
"He categorized you as a parent. You okay with that?" Lena wasn't sure how Archie would react. He could laugh it off, it could make him extremely uncomfortable. She felt like it was something they should discuss in private though. She didn't want Tyson to get upset or feel weird about Archie's reaction.

Dereck was completely overcome with anger. He was pissed off that they had managed to get into the house without himself or her hearing. It could have just as easily been Lyn and himself that ended up dead. But, as much as it hurt that it had been the dogs, he was happy that she was safe, and his children were safe. As she asked about it, he could only shrug his shoulders, clenching his teeth together. This was not going to happen again, not on his watch. The Irish started a war now, and it was something he was not going to back down from. "Get the most expensive plan you can find." He murmured, now pulling himself to his feet. The cleaning crew was outside, and Nate had just arrived judging by the sound of the motorcycle engine. He knew Lyn was about as stubborn as he was, and there was nothing he could say or do to convince her to leave. "You're going to start carrying a gun on you, at all times. I don't care where you are, but you will have a gun on you." If she was going to stay here then he was going to make sure that she had a way to keep herself safe. Something to ease his mind when he couldn't be with her.

Soon enough Nate moved to the bathroom, and he looked like he was as sick seeing the scene had Lyn had been. "Oye, the Irish?" He gave Lyn an apologetic smile and a small nod, before turning his attention back to Dereck. "Yeah, call for a meeting. Make sure everyone is there. This will not go unpunished." Nate gave him a nod, and once they were out of the bathroom he hugged Lyn, and rubbed her back gently. "Sorry about the pups, Lyn. You call me if ya need anythin, yeah?" He placed a brief kiss to her forehead and moved out of the house, cellphone in hand to call a meeting.

Dereck turned back to Lyn and moved to the bedroom, quickly changing into some jeans, a dark red shirt and his kutte. His gun was shoved in the waistband of his jeans. "I'll call you after the meeting. Don't worry about what's going on outside, it will look like it had never happened." He placed his hands on either side of her waist, dipping his head down to press a firm kiss to her lips. Even though he was internally raging, she had a way about her that calmed him down. Made him think more clearly. "I love you." He bent down, placing two kisses on her stomach. "You too."

Archie Thompson

Archie chuckled at Lena's comment, but when he heard a smaller voice fill the air he whipped his head around, giving Tyson a smile. He didn't say anything as he spoke about the girl, and wanting them to act normal. When Tyson had placed him in the 'parent' category, Archie didn't even flinch. He held his smile, and nodded along to Tyson and Lena as they spoke. Only when Tyson left to fetch the young girl, and Lena turned around speaking about it did Archie shake his head. It didn't bother him at all. He'd always wanted to be a dad, but after his brother and his sister in law died in a car accident, he took over guardianship of Grace and Dereck. It was enough to keep him rather busy. He'd never had the opportunity to have a family of his own. "It's fine, Lena. I'm just happy the boy didn't call me his grandpa." He winked at her and chuckled, before dipping his head down to kiss her.

Archie had been spending enough time with Lena and Tyson that he rather preferred and was flattered that the kid saw him as a father figure. If anything, he wanted Tyson to know he could trust him enough to see him in that way. But, if it made Lena uncomfortable then he certainly would back off.

Lena turned her body toward Archie. She moved closer to Archie and moved her arms up his chest, and linked them about his neck. She pressed her lips to his firmly. She loved that he didn't freak out. It made her happy and relieved. For a second she was worried that whatever was going on between her and Archie was about to be over.

It would have been disappointing if things had ended before they really got started. She was pleased things weren't coming to an end just yet. They had something going. She didn't exactly call it a relationship, they had something going but not a relationship. They were together but their were no expectations. That was both good and bad. She loved having him around, loved spending time with him. She wasn't sure if he was a man that could ever really settle down. He had been a bachelor for so long. The old dog was set in his ways.

He was use to coming and going whenever and where ever he pleased. His life style had him constantly on the go, and in the company of many beautiful women, and always looking over his shoulder. Lena could not expect that Archie would just settle down with her, and take on the role of father and husband.

The thought actually made her want to laugh out loud. Archie was not that type of man! She knew his type very well. He was a bad boy to the very end. Bad boys were trouble, and things always ended badly with them. How things had ended with Joshua was proof that bad boys were nothing but grief, and not to be taken to seriously.

So she would simply....enjoy the ride this time. Enjoy it while it lasted, and not get attached. Though that was going to be hard seeing as how Tyson was getting attached. Tyson didn't have experience in the area of heartache, luckily.

Lena abruptly pulled away. The thoughts in her head were suddenly just to real and disturbing. She focused on getting dinner ready. Archie was not Joshua. He was a different man, and he should not be held accountable for something Joshua had done.
"Hey...what should I make for dessert?" She asked as she worked. She decided she would bake some fries to go with the sandwiches.

Lena had never stopped to think about how her past relationship with Joshua had shaped her daughter's taste in men. It was no wonder she was drawn to bad boys. Cadence was still searching for that man who had abandoned her, she just didn't realize it. If that was to believed, would Tyson follow in Archie's footsteps? She forced the thoughts from mind.

Diana looked down at her coffee at his comment of his fighting back. She shook her head and laughed. Inanimate objects didn't fight back, especially liquid. Unless it flew all over you But from his controlled expressions, she doubted that's what happened. Diana shrugged, signing into her computer, as he mentioned he had remembered the place and snooped only a little to make the dollhouse."You know, had you asked or told me sooner, I would have let you wander the house as much as you need. As it is it hasn't changed much though."Di had nothing to hide from the man. So she didn't care if he snooped around openly. Nor did she have anything to fear from him being in her house, with her and Lyv or alone. Killian she knew, could be a man to be feared. However for her he never had been.

And the house... Di honestly hadn't ever had the time to do anything with it. Plus she had never really thought of this move as permanent, until now that is. IF even now she thought that, which she wasn't certain on. It was a question. If she stayed in the Creek, did she stay in her parent's old home that was paid for, or did she buy a place for her and Lyv. Staying here meant updates needed to be made. But yet that wouldn't even touch on all the hassles of moving again. Either way, at some point she had to go through the things in her parent's things in the garage.

Di listened with a smile as he listed what she needed to bring as well as why he spoiled their daughter. She couldn't blame the man. And damn he had thought out his reasons for that question. "Wow. You thought that out. Saying she was your daughter would have been sufficient. But you know, she's just happy to spend time with you right?" It was true. The girl was happy to have and know her father. Of course she had known she had one out there somewhere. DI had always made sure to tell her her father was a good man. However now that she knew who he was and had a man to call dad, the girl was crazy happy. In fact Lyv had even been mad at Di for about an hour when she first told her about Killian. Why, might you ask. Because Di had kept the man from her.

The woman sat back in her chair and closed her eyes as she listened to him talk naturally. She swore she could see Killian sitting at the table with her just talking as naturally as if there had been no bad blood between them over the lost years. As his words sank in, her eyes shot open,"You got a dog!? When? Why?"she asked quickly, unsure if she had ever thought of Kill as a dog person. And yet it seemed he wasn't sure what he was doing. Di sighed, taking a sip of her coffee,"It's probably like any child. You have to establish rules, boundaries, and routines. At a young age, its you doing all three and hoping they catch on. Quite the game really, dear. But be strong, dear. He'll catch on."

As she felt Dereck tense behind her, Lyn rubbed her hand up and down his arm gently. She nodded as he told her to get the most expensive alarm she found, then again as he got up and stated she needed to carry her gun with her. Lyn pushed herself off the floor, and slowly made it to her feet. "Yea, I'll keep on me. Have been taking one when I leave the house. I'll get a safe and gun for the nursery too."That way at least if they were in that room, one would be there and within close enough reach. Not that she would really put it in a place where the babes could get to it. Plus they wouldn't be moving for at least a year and it would take a couple more for them to be tall enough to reach it. Then there would be the combo lock they would have to break. So at least until they were past being toddlers, it would be safe.

As Nate joined them in the bathroom door way, Lyn smiled at the man, returning his hug once they were all out of the small room."Thank-you Nate. I appreciate it. Just keep this one, and yourself safe." She told the man. They really were all sweathearts under all that gruff. The other man was gone as quickly as he had come. Lyn's form followed Dereck back to the bedroom, watching from the doorway as he dressed. Maralyn knew he had work to do now. Their easy day would take a small rain check. And that she understood, nor did she blame him for it. They had time yet, so it was no rush truly. As he mentioned that the drive would look as it had before, she only nodded. There was no way either of them would get that picture out of their heads anytime soon. "You make sure you call. I'll ask Lincoln to come by after they are done out there. Got a few more shelves and such I want put up anyway."And she'd call after the cleaners were gone because she didn't want her cousin to worry. Lyn knew Dereck and the Reapers would handle it. They didn't need Lincoln or the Angles making more of a mess of things. The house was going to be too quiet without the dogs though, so she wanted company at some point. Plus she had cleaning to do considering they didn't need all the dog things around anymore. Plus she had research and things to order. Plenty to do while Dereck was in the meeting.

Lyn returned Dereck's kiss. After he kissed her stomach and talked to the twins, she put a hand on either side of his face, forcing him to look at her before she let him go to leave,"I love you Dereck. You be safe. Watch your back."