Welcome to Gaia! ::

1. The Arrival

Well, look what you've gotten yourself into this time, old boy, Jesse thought to himself, It's quite a pickle, if I do say so myself.

The large man sat within his tent, perched on his makeshift bed and staring down at a little boy in his arms. A child. An infant. He'd found the baby screaming bloody murder outside at nearly 2 am, and had only been able to calm it down as of a few minutes ago. The baby burbled and tugged at the neck of Jesse's shirt.

"Careful, little man."

"Blrrrrpth," the baby responded.

Jesse had run rather hysterically through the camp and the town a mile or so away, asking if this was anyone's son. No, everyone had said. No, I've never seen that child before. Of course, what had he expected? People didn't abandon babies in camps if they intended to keep them.

"So I guess you're mine now, hm? 'Least until I find you a good Ma."

The baby yawned.

"Let's pick a name for you. How about...Anthony?"

"Neh," the baby said, somewhere between awake and asleep, "Neh-neh-NEH-ahhh..."

"I get the hint," Jesse nodded, watching the infant fall asleep in his arms. He thought back. There was some guy in some movie he thought was pretty cool. Kinda a crazy dude, but right in the heart, at least. Ah!

"How's Silas?"

"Mnnnnnnnnnh..."

"Alright," Jesse agreed, "Silas it is. And we can name yer middle name after my Da. That way we don't have to think no more." The baby was asleep.

Ah, jeez, old man. What have you gotten yourself into?

3. A Late Night Escapade

Natalia knew she was very fortunate to have a baby like Fiore, in regards to the fact that he rarely ever cried or screamed. He was well-tempered in the best way.

But damn it all if he was impossible to get to sleep.

"Fio, for goodness sake..." she muttered, hefting the straps of the baby-carrier slung over her shoulders as she looked 'round at him. "Go to sleep. It's late."

Of course, it had been earlier when she'd left her house. She'd walked for so long that late night had sneaked up on her. She cursed whoever had said that walking with a child made them sleepy - what a load of bullshit.

Wide awake and chewing on his hair, Fiore burbled.


Jesse had heard the same myth, as built of bullcrap as it was, and was also attempting it. He did not, however, have any kind of spiffy baby carrier. Instead, Sy was laying in a "sling" (actually on old bit of cargo net) over his shoulder.

"Naaanananananananana..." Silas sang.

The infant was not tired in the least.


Fiore perked up at the sound of singing. What a pretty sound!

"Vuh-vuh-vaaaaaah," he added, looking around for the source.

Natalia's ears drooped wearily, and she kept walking with eyes resting on the ground.

"Fio...noooo. Bad baby. Shush."


Sy attempted to sit up, nearly toppling headfirst toward the pavement.

"NNGH!" Jesse exclaimed and picked the baby up from the sling, holding him as he groped outward toward a large, lumpy shadow.

"NAAAANANANANANANA!"


Eyes still cast downward, Natalia walked directly into something very, very solid. She stumbled back and looked up, too tired to even try to pick a fight.

"Hm?"

Fiore gave a delighted shriek. The singing thing! There it was!

"VUH-VAAAAAAH!"


Silas giggled and reached out, groping for the other singing baby. Such beautiful music! He must see this master or mistress of song!

"OH! Christ, I'm sorry, miss," Jesse apologized quickly, although it was certainly none of his fault that she had slammed into him, "I didn' mean it."


Nat tried to stifle a yawn.

"My fault," she said uninterestedly. "Sorry."

She made as though to weave past the man but Fiore gave a sudden protesting squall, and yanked hard on one of her ears for effect.

"OW! FIO, THAT HURTS!"

Fiore hadn't meant to hurt his Mummy, but he absolutely did not want to leave. He could see the singing thing!

"Bvuhhhh..."

Tail curling, Natalia looked at the stranger again.

"Want a kid? I hear they make excellent roast," she said, head bent back as she tried to rescue her ear.


"I found my own, thanks," Jesse said almost sadly.

"NAAAAAAAAAH!"

"Mine, however, appears to want yours."

"NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"


"Knew I shoulda just left him where I found him," Nat said bitterly as she pried her twisted ear loose, setting Fiore onto the ground. "Ow...damn him..."

Fiore sat quietly, head craned back and arms raised,

"Baabaabaaavuh!"

Leaning against the convenient wall of a small coffee shop long since closed, Natalia glanced at her companion in mild interest.

"So."


Jesse moved to a moderately more convenient position, allowing his kid to see the other infant and to, as Butch so lovingly put it "shut the little crotchloaf the hell up".

"Naaaaaa..." Silas cooed, reaching for the new boy's pretty hair.

"Name's Jesse," the man nodded after a moment, "You?"


Fiore gave an excited burble at being noticed, trying to stand and failing dismally. Uncaring about the heavy fall he'd just suffered, he pushed himself up again and reached upward with one hand.

Natalia, who'd winced despite herself as the baby had plowed headfirst into the ground, glanced up at Jesse.

"Natalia," she said. "So, how long've you had yours?"


Jesse gently placed Silas on the ground, watching in something like fear as the infant wobbled on his behind. Once he was sure the kid wasn't going to smack his head open on the concrete, he turned back to Natalia.

"A couple of days," Jesse shrugged in reply and reached up to itch beneath his eyepatch, "I'm not so sure where he came from."

Sy burbled happily and reached forward, finally able to gently tug at a strand of the boy's lavender hair.


"Mm, that makes two of us," Nat said wearily. "My sister found it....found him. In the garden out back where I work..."

She trailed off, swallowing a yawn.

"I suppose it could just be a bad practical joke."

Fiore sat placidly, head tilting in the direction it was tugged. It was a bit uncomfortable but the new kid seemed happy, so he didn't mind at all.

"Vuh," he said, dribbling a little and trying to wipe it away clumsily.


"He was left at my...thoretical doorstep," Jesse shrugged and yawned himself. He then mumbled something completely unintelligible (even to himself) and yawned a second time. Kids were hard word, damnit. He wasnt sure he liked it.

Silas released the clump of hair and half-fell forward before wriggling his butt up to meet his top end.

"Nuuuu..."


"Theoretical?" Nat asked, arching an eyebrow. Well, her front door fell off the hinges all the time. She supposed she couldn't really one-up him. Stretching and cringing at the sound of bones cracking back in place, she yawned again.

Somewhat relieved to have his hair back, Fio stuck the tendril into his mouth and sucked on it meditatively. A flower bud snapped off from the abuse and tumbled to the ground. Fio looked at it, then the new boy, and picked it up.

"V'sen?" he said, proffering the bud. Presents!


"I live in a tent," Jesse answered with a shrug, and yawned again.

"Stop that."

Silas clumsily took the bud, nearly crushing it in his clumsy hands and then unfurling his palm to look at it.

"Ooooooh..."

He looked around again, hoping to see something to give in return.


"That's interesting," Nat said, biting her tongue a moment later to resist yawning again. Biting when you had serrated teeth wasn't at all a smart idea, but whatever. "Hmm...so."

She realized she had no idea how to hold a conversation. Usually her experience with other people involved trying to kick their teeth down their throats.

Hmm. Well, he was missing an eye....good conversation piece, she supposed.

"What's with the patch?"

Pleased simply that the boy had liked the gift, Fiore sucked on his hair.

"Foh," he said, pointing to himself.


Jesse arched a brow, as if asking the girl if she was, in fact, serious. He lifted the patch to reveal a gaping hole and no eyelid to speak of while replying:

"Oh, it's just a fashion statement."

He lowered the patch again and snorted slightly. If the chick didn't run away, she was worth talking to.

Silas, still looking around, snatched a shiny rock from the pavement and held it out to the other boy.

"Tai," he replied, thumping a hand to his chest.


Nat's ears flicked a bit, but otherwise she gave little reaction. Huh, neat....she wondered if it had been torn loose of the socket, or maybe scratched out...she doubted Jesse was the type to whine and cry after getting losing a piece of himself, and so was rather impressed.

"Nice," she said simply, nodding slightly.

Fiore's eyes widened in shock. A gift? For him? Wow... he took it gratefully, smiling wide and toothless.

"Tai," he parroted, nodding as he stowed the rock in the bumble bee shaped pocket on his onesie. "Taaaaaaii."


"I dunno what I'd do with two of 'em, really," Jesse said absentmindedly and shrugged, leaning against the wall himself.

Silas smiled broadly, drooling on himself a bit. He wiped the saliva away with a tiny fist and burbled incoherently.

"Foh!"


"Two could be seen as excess, yeah," Nat said, sliding down against the wall to squat, tail tucked between her legs. She gave the man a longer once-over, investigating everything the flickering halogen streetlight would allow her to see. ...hey, was he missing a finger, too?

By now excited fit to burst, Fiore gave a high pitched laugh at the recognition and launched himself at Silas on a whim, hugging him. Hopefully he would yell and try to run away like Mummy did when he hugged - though he had to admit, it was fun while he tried to hold on.


Jesse syaed facing forward for a moment, but when his eyes trailed down to Nat he noticed her glace at his hand.

"What?"

Silas let out a surprised, excited squeal of his own and squeezed the other infant, giggling insanely and trying to not topple over.


"Nothing, just looking for the missing piece," Nat said. "What happened?"

Fiore could have shrieked with joy. Not only did he have a shiny present, he was in the company of someone who liked hugs. In his short life he'd mostly figured every time he'd ever attempt it he'd be met with nothing but cries of disgust. He hugged Silas and cuddled against him, laughing.


"I was in a bar in Durem once. Bad place, that," Jesse started, "Anyways. This man said I was cheatin' him outta money 'cos he sucks hard at poker, right? Says a man can no way get four aces. 'Course I had cheated, but thass' not the point. I flip the guy off, and he says 'put that down or I'm gonna bite it off'. So he did." Jesse lifted his hand then, examining the nub that had once been his middle finger.

"Lucky I'm left-handed."

"EEEE!" Silas squealed and squeezed, snuggling the other boy. He didn't know what this arms-around-the-other-person-thing was, but he liked it!


Natalia laughed.

"That's the best story I've ever heard," she said. "Sorry you got it bit off and all. But good s**t, that makes a good story."

Letting go after a bit, Fiore investigated his companion more closely.Spiky hair, orangey skin, weird little marky-thing under his eye...he was foggily reminded of a mark Mummy had had the other day, a dark ring under her eye that turned all purple and green. She'd come home with her teeth all red and drippy and in a good mood, but the mark had discomforted him.

"Booboo?" he asked Silas, poking the mark slightly.


"Eh, whatever," Jesse shrugged, "Didn't hurt none, an' I still have the other do do my good work with."

He liked this chick. He really did.

Silas shook his head gently, not knowing how else to react. It was certainly not a boobo. It was his magical birthmark!

...he just hadn't figured out what was magical about it yet.


"Didn't hurt?" Nat asked skeptically. "Why, he bite it off so fast you didn't have time to miss it or what?"

Looking unconvinced, Fiore poked at it again, hoping it wouldn't suddenly spurt the red stuff Mummy was so often splattered with. When it failed to spurt, Fio gave a sigh and flkopped against Silas again. chewing on his hair habitually.


"Ah, no," Jesse replied, laughing, "I have me Congenital Insensitivity to Pain with...sum'm what starts wit' an 'a'. I can't feel pain. Really. Try." He looked down at the woman as if challenging her.

"Mmm," Silas said simply and pressed his forehead against the boy's shoulder, snuffling up his hair.


Insentivity to pain? Nat was instantly envious and deeply relieved she hadn't sought out a fight. At the invitation her ears laid back and she eyed him as though certain he was joking, then shrugged.

"Eh, okay."

Quite casually, she leaned over, sniffed briefly at his arm, and bit him.

Fio giggled, his vine-like hair wriggling.


As promised, there was no reaction aside from a look of mild interest. Jesse'd originally intended to flip out on her before revealing teh truth, but foudn that he was far, far too tired.

"Not a thing," he shrugged.

Sy gave a surprised little squeak and nearly fell back, clinging hard to Fio. Tentacle hair?! His eyebrows raised in surprise.


Leaning back and licking her teeth contemplatively, Nat made an interested sound.

"You taste good," she said idly. Realizing a beat later what she'd just said, she licked her lips clean unconcernedly. "That absolutely could be taken as innuendo, too."

Fio gave a yip of surprise as he was pulled forward. Couldn't Sy's hair do that? ...well, his didn't have growing plantlife, so maybe not...


Jesse's jaw dropped slightly, but he quickly regained his composure and clicked his mouth shut.

"...what?"

Silas stuck his tongue out in concentration and rubbed his hair forward rather violently until it all stuck up on its end.

"Nah!" he giggled.


Natalia laughed again, wiping her mouth on the back ofher hand.

"Nothin', nothin'..." she said patiently. "Innocent remark. Your blood happens to taste good, I'm paying you a compliment."

Fiore burst into giggles again, and ruffled his own hair until it resembled a nest of flowering serpents.


"Oh," Jesse nodded, "Thanks. I'm glad my bodily fluids please you." Bad choice of words. Again.

Silas giggled insanely and opted for falling onto Fio as opposed to the rock-hard pavement.

"Bllllllllr..."


With a distinctly unfeminine snort of laughter, Natalia leaned back against the wall and grinned up at Jesse.

"If I was any sort of lady I might've thought that was just a slip of the tongue," she said wryly. "I don't mind if you're implying, though."

Finding he was being used as a pillow, Fio yawned a bit and stretched out. All this excitement had effectively worn him out.


"I wasn't," Jesse replied with a little chuckle, "But if you'd like me to b--look." He nodded to the infants just as Sy gave a huge, toothless yawn of his own.


"Given a choice I'd certainly li-hm? Oh. OH."

Miracle of miracles. The plant-baby was falling asleep....Nat looked skyward, mouthing thanks to any god that was listening.

Not just falling, really. Fiore closed his eyes and with a final yawn, he was asleep.


Silas followed suit. If his new friend could sleep on him, he could sleep on his new friend. He closed his eyes, snuggled close, and rather quickly dipped into dreamland.

"I'll keep that in mind," Jesse said, suddenly whispering. He crouched beside the boys and picked the redhead up, catching the other before he fell with a free hand.


"I look forward to it," Nat murmured wryly, reclaiming Fiore carefully and terrified he'd wake up and start the vicious cycle of trying to force sleep all over again.


Jesse grinned, swallowing a laugh, and stood to full height with the limp baby in his arms. He was about to walk away, but turned slowly and whispered:

"See you again some other time, then?"


Hefting the sleeping infant into the carrier again indelicately, Nat grinned over her shoulder.

"I s'pose so," she said. "See you 'round."

5. A Second Meeting

"I should dump you at preschool. You're not to young for preschool, are you? That's why they call it preschool. You're too much of a slavering idiot to be useful in child society."

Natalia sat on the waterfront sidewalk's bench, giving Fiore an accusatory look. The lack of response was irking her, even though she realized it was no fault of the infant's.

"Wuh."

"See? Too thick to even attempt real words."

Jesse had found very recently that children made amazing accessories. Pretty girls talked to him more (and occasionally pretty guys, but that was a new and disturbing thing all on its own), people didn't try to kill him so much, and, hey, nobody ever suspected him of doing any wrong (except maybe kidnapping an infant).

"Oh, sorry!" he apologized with faux enthusiasm as he rather randomly bumped into a significantly smaller man on the street. The man looked as if he was going to say something, but the woman on his arm tugged at him and smiled to Jesse. Jesse smiled back and waited until they were out of sight before examining his prize.

Leather. Huh. Swanky.

He perched atop the edge of a nearby bench and began to rifle through the contents of the man's ex-wallet. Sy, slung over the man's shoulder, burbled happily to himself and sucked on an enormous silver coin, far too large to actually get into his mouth.

"I heard once that children are just parrots. Does that mean that if I keep talking to you, you'll start talking like an actual person and not just spurt horrible odors and exhibit your incontinence?"

"Uvuuuuwah."

Nat sighed, flopping on the bench and flinging her body around in dramatics, slinging one leg over it and knocking an innocent bystander in the head as they walked by.

"Hey! Watch ******** off!"

"You kicked me, you b***h!"

Nat sat up and gave a perfectly canine bark. The man she'd kicked swore at her again, but slunk off, distinctly weirded out. Nat snorted and laid back down on the bench, regarding her flowery-headed problem with a sidelong look.

"See that? THAT is how you deal with people. Not by hugging."

"Shuh!"

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETH!"

"GOOD GOD, LITTLE MAN! HAVE YOU LUNGS OF STEEL?!"

Sy had gone back to his coin and supplied no answer, simply making little grabby fists at the psycho b***h who had--oh, wait.

What was her name? Something like...Brittney. Or...Melissa. Natalie? ********, he didn't remember. All he knew was that she had been moderately coherent and far more attractive than the armcandy he had just seen.

And so he moved to the end of her bench.

"Yo."

"Abbah."

Jesse laughed a bit eerily and pocketed the sixty-three dollars he'd found in the man's wallet.

"Hey, it's you."

Nat sat up, though only to settle herself more comfortably upside down on the bench. Her head hung over the edge of it, splinters digging into her neck if she moved.

"So. Lose any other important bits since I seen you last?"

Fiore screeched and bounced in his carrier, hands stretching out towards a familiar spiky orangey thing that made very loud noises.

"TAAAAAIIIIIIEEEEE."

"I was castrated by a dolphin," Jesse said absentmindedly before tossing the wallet out into the street once more, "No. I got me a badass splinter, though." He waved a bandaged left hand.

'Splinter' was maybe an understatement. 'Shard of glass from a bottle I broke over someone's head' was maybe more appropriate.

Silas grunted and groaned, trying to reach the thing with the pretty hair.

"Nnnnnah. Nah. MMMMMMPH-AH!"

"I gush utter relief," Nat said, shaking her head slowly from side to side so that her hair trailed over the dusty ground. "Women everywhere would have wept to hear such news."

She picked her teeth with a nail, looking up at him and ignoring the uncomfortable pounding of blood as it rushed to her head, leaving her dangling legs starting to go numb.

"Gonna get creative with your perfectly legal earnings later, I'm guessing?"

Fiore, face scrunching up in distress, clumsily tugged at the strap keeping him firmly in place in the carrier. Drat the thing!

Jesse laughed, but made no verbal remark. Really, what were you supposed to say to that? 'You're a b***h. I like it.'?

"Oh, I'm gonna go find me some'a those women you're talkin' about."

It was a blatant lie. Silas needed food. There was no excitement in Jesse's immediate future. Speaking of Silas, he had easily navigated his way out of his netting-sling and flopped to the bench headfirst, laying like a lump of meat or a beached seal. That was it. The best he could do.

"Fo."

"Daaahling," Nat drawled, "I can set you up. I moonlight as a heartless and devious brothel madam. I'll give you one on the house."

Fiore squealed.

"Tai Tai Tai," he chirped, sitting up and grabbing at any bit of Silas he could reach.

"Do you mean...literally on the house?" Jesse asked, arching a brow and holding his hand up horizontally, as if you somehow replicate a coupling on a roof somewhere.

Sy giggled, even as his hair was tugged.

"Fo!"

"If you choose to be a blatant exhibitionist," Nat said with a snort. "All I ask is that you keep the noise level down. I've had complaints in the past, evidently the family next door with the four little brats doesn't quite care for the live-action porno soundtrack."

Biting at his own hair, Fiore burbled and tugged at the safety strap. He wanted to hug and play. This stupid thing was cramping his style.

"Oh, c'mon!" Jesse whined lustily, "That's the best part!" Why, oh, why were they having this conversation?

Well, it didn't seem that Fo was going to be able to go anywhere. His mother clearly believed in those straps of enslavement, the damnable devices. he pulled himself forward, using the edge of the horrible contraption to drag himself half into Fo's personal bubble.

And then he collapsed, trembling.

"Pbbblllllth."

"I fully agree, but you just can't reason with some people," Nat said with a mournful sigh. "Damn uptight ******** on the bench, unable to bear the growing headache any longer, she sat up and spun in her seat, tail curling over one leg. She ignored the way her shirt had twisted, riding up and exposing a few inches of her belly.

Glad for the company, Fiore moved on instinct and hugged Silas with a happy gurgle. It almost took his mind off the stupid evil restraints that kept him from escaping Mummy.

Jesse clicked his tongue.

"See, we don't have that problem back at home," he said, and found his eyes wandering to the newly-exposed skin. Sweet mother of God, you knew you were far too deprived of womankind when a bit of naval and some stomach got you all curious.

Silas sighed and hugged Fo back, trying to ignore the burny kinda pain in his chest from working so hard.

And then he noticed something interesting.

He leaned over far, smooshing Fo's head into his chest, and patted one of Nat's breasts, happily giggling.

"SY!"

Natalia was halfway through a smirk and catty response when she felt a very unwelcome touch on something very personal. Her ears set back and she growled, lips curling over teeth on instinct. When she saw it was Silas, she shuddered slightly.

"Hnn. I'm guessing he takes after you," she said to Jesse, flinging an arm over her chest and edging away from the perverted-infant creature. Blecch. Yet another reason to dislike children.

Fio, face effectively smothered, gave a small burble and waited patiently for Silas to get off. He kinda needed to breathe.

Silas did not so much moved as he was removed from his squishy bed of infant flesh.

"NAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"

"Thank'yehno," Jesse replied, as if it was all one word, "I think 'e just hasn't...yenno. Seen 'em enough. Livin' wit' thirty-someodd men n' alls." And then Silas began wailing, desperately wanting his hug machine back.

"Lovely," Nat said dryly, arms still wrapped protectively over her small but still highly personal bits of anatomy. "If you pull that move on me I'm sure you'll provide a better excuse."

Deprived of companionship, Fiore made a curious kind of sniffling sound, eyes welling up. He was a quiet crier, not resorting to whining screams but reaching out and grabbing with blatant distress.

"I prolly wouldn'," Jesse said honestly, and then added, "Real sorry 'bout that." He was going to address the woman by name, but then remembered that, hey, he couldn't recall it.

And then he saw the sniffling baby. God damn infants and their cuteness. They were the real masterminds. Who could resist such a thing?

Sy burbled happily as he was once more placed atop his Fo.

"Not much to grab hold of anyway," Nat said, dismissing the issue, though she maintained her healthy distance. "No big deal."

With a screech that clearly indicated how much he'd missed Sy in the past sixty seconds, Fiore clung to him firmly and glared reproachfully at the one-eyed man who'd so unkindly taken him away.

"Mm," Jesse said, which was neither an affirmative nor a negative. Or even a word, really. He relaxed again and laced his arms around the back of the bench.

Silas hugged his Fo back, rubbing his round cheeks against the other infant's chest.

Nat resorted to picking her teeth again, trying hard to get what she theorized was a piece of skin out from between serrated edges.

Giggling again, Fiore blew happy spit bubbles, dribbling over himself again.

6. The Quest (part b)

It was two days later and Jesse was back in the bay, walking toward the same fishing-and-hunting shop as before. Silas seemed content in his enormous shirt, but his ears had turned pink, and the white.

It was time for more warm clothing.

Jesse put the infant on the ground, and Silas rolled over to the bait tank, patting the glass.

"Bip! Bip!"

Nearby, Jesse had chosen a tiny little hat, smiling fondly. Aww, baby hats. He began toward the cashier to pay, and the noticed his bipping son. What...? He knelt and smiled.

"I'll take this..." he said, going back to pay, "and four'a those guppies."

"Can do. Four-sixteen."

8. Polite Fruit

Chaco was out of the house again, this time with no particular mission. Just to, well, get out. He'd been berated by Illesi three times this day alone, the other Sin'aeis being in a rather bad mood for whatever reason. Aylee was chalking it up to male PMS, and Chaco didn't even want to TOUCH that subject.

So out of the house he went. To the park. Parks were fun, right? Uh, or that's what he'd heard. But now that he was there, well, Chaco couldn't actually find anything to do! He saw a few people having picnics, and there was the playground, but a) he didn't bring a lunch, and b) he was no longer a kid. That would just be... awkward.

Instead, he decided to just... walk. It was a big park, and maybe he'd finally find something to do if he just walked.

Ah, and so many pleasant walks were doomed to be destroyed by children at one time or another. This time it was a boy with long red hair and, apparently, too much self-tanning lotion.

"Sy! SY!" a male voice shouted from the bushes, laughing beneath the apparent anger, "Will you stop?!"

The child giggled and, with total disregard for the other man's legs, barreled by him, apparently following some kind of small rodent.

"Dada! Fuzzy!"

"Diseased, horrible fuzzy! Stoppit!" Finally, the brute of a man was able to scoop his child from the ground and hold him aloft. Silas giggled. Jesse beeped his nose.

"Sorry about that," he said to this...new person, "He gets a little...eh. Boys will be boys."

When two new people emerged from some trees, Chaco wasn't so surprised by the rat (of which he'd seen a few around the mansion at times when people left food lying around), but by the young boy. And his protector. It had been a while since Chaco had met any new protectors, but that was more his own fault.

His wings opening slightly by reflex, Chaco smiled. "I understand." His eyes fell on Silas again, "This child is the Cherry Cordial, correct? What is his name?"

Of course, he had no idea that Jesse knew nothing about the Sin'aeis whatsoever, and that his words would probably be seen as completely strange and crazy. Which Chaco wasn't, but well, that's the price one pays for slacking off.

Jesse's eyes went wide.

"Um. I dunno what you're on about, Mister, but his name's Silas," he said with an arched brow, "Now...cherry cord--what?" Who was this strange man, and why was he calling Little Man a polite fruit?

"Hi!" Silas said, entirely clueless to what was going on and not caring a lick about that, "I Sy!"

It was then that Chaco got a good glance at the man's face, and was more than a little surprised to see the insane amount of scars on it. How much must that have hurt? Probably best not to stare.

Turning his attention to the child, Chaco smiled, "Silas, huh? That's a good name for a fellow chocolate Sin'aeis."

But the protector still seemed confused, and the milk chocolate Sin'aeis couldn't help but wonder if he should take better care with choosing protectors from now on. But the phone book method had worked pretty well in the past! But probably best to address the issues, "Cherry Cordial, it's a... a type of chocolate treat. Sort of. Usually pretty expensive." He looked down at Sy, "He happens to be created around this element. I though this was explained in the note, however...?"

Jesse noticed the prolonged glance, but didn't pay it any mind. When you looked like he did, you got a lot of people staring.

"Oh..." Jesse blinked and tilted his head to one side, "...I didn't get no note. Jus' thought his old parents didn' wann'im any more." Alright...how did this man know about Sy? And if he was just some nutter off the street, where was his cart full of empty cans?

Silas grinned and reached for this new man. A friendly person! Yay!

Jesse, however, just held him closer.

Awwwww...

It was clear that the man though Chaco insane. Who wouldn't think so, when they start spouting such randomness? Though to be honest, Chaco was completely oblivious to Jesse's thoughts. He never HAD been too good at spotting these things, and Illesi would probably laugh at him for it, if Chaco ever noticed and cared to share.

"...Ah. Well, uhm. Actually, there SHOULD have been a note. I'm sure I typed on up. Uhm." Yeah, crazy just about sums up THIS conversation.

When you lived with a gang of murderers and drunks, your reasoning skills began to hone. For example, Jesse no longer thought this man was off his rocker...

...well, maybe a little.

"You tellin' me you left him for me?" Jesse arched a brow and shifted Silas' weight on his hip. The boy simply continued staring. Hmm, this man and Dada didn't seem to get along too well.

Chaco scratched his head a bit, "Well, uhm... Kinda. Er. Maybe? I... don't actually seem to remember the name his protector was supposed to have?" It had been far too long. It really would be better if he just started meeting protectors again at the beginning, as opposed to explaining it in notes. That way things like this wouldn't happen.

But it had, and now Chaco had to deal with the consequences. "I'm SURE there was a note... Uhm. Maybe it blew away, or something?"

"I don't doubt it," Jesse said calmly, although he was about ready to mace the guy and run, "but that's not my concern. Why the Hell are you calling my little man candy?"

Jesse was beginning to believe the man because, whether or not there was a note, he'd always had an inkling that Silas was less than Human. Telling him he was 'created' around this 'element' was not all that reassuring.

"Dada, coor-dee-yull?"

"I have no idea."

"Kay."

"Uh." Yes, that was his response. Chaco is a talented speaker, now isn't he? To be honest, he didn't know where to begin. He was used to dealing with this topic when the Sin'aeis were babies, not when they were toddlers.

Finally, he found a starting point, "Well, uhm. Technically, we're... Uhm, not from this dimension. We're not human. Uhm. Our species is called the Sin'eais, and our souls are tied to food, sort of." Uhm. This probably made no sense whatsoever to the poor man.

It definitely didn't...but Jesse seemed to accept it anyway. He looked to Sy, who realized after a moment and looked back, giving a slightly drooly smile. Jesse grinned, and then turned back to this new man.

"Hey, whatever. Sounds cool to me. Weirder things have happened." Well! It appeared that Chaco's amazing oratory skills had made some sense of things after all!

Chaco looked at the man, head tilted to the side. Well, sure, perhaps somewhere weirder things had happened, though a lot of protectors didn't seem to think so.

"Uhm. Oh. I think I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Chaco, Chaco Shiroko." Wow, way to forget something important, Chaco!

"Jesse Goodwin," Jesse smiled, offering Chaco his hand, "Pleased t'meet'cha, I guess." And all he kept repeating to himself was 'stranger things have happened, stranger things have happened, stranger things have happened...'

It was nice to finally know a name, even if the man did kind of freak Chaco out. Too many scars. But, well, Jesse WAS a protector, so there wasn't much Chaco could do about it. Nodding at the name, Chaco reached out and shook the man's hand. "Nice to meet you as well."

"If you didn't know anything about the Sin'aeis, then I figure you must have never been to the estate, then?" Jesse probably would have learned at least about Chaco had he been. "If you'd like, I can show you where it is. It's my mother's house, but it's also the place Sin'aeis children go to find each other or meet, or contact me."

Jesse's eyes went wide. 'Estate'? Mansions were called 'estates'. Holy crap, mansions. There was a lot of expensive stuff in mansions...

"Sure. I'd be much obliged," Jesse smiled and finally offered the reaching Silas to Chaco.

"Hi! I Sy!"

A smile on his face, Chaco took Silas, "It's nice to meet you, Sy." He really needed to start meeting more Sin'aeis. It had been too long since he'd spent a lot of time with one of his own kind, ignoring Illesi's existence.

And so he led the way to the mansion, which fortunately wasn't too far away. Four or five blocks, and when you compared that to how much walking it took to go all the way around the mansion, it wasn't much.

Finally they arrived, and as they stepped through the large gates, you could see the mansion in the distance, in all its three-storied (plus basement and attic) glory. "Welcome to the Shiroko Estate. This is my home."

Jesse's mouth opened to a little 'o' of awe. That was one big house...

Part of him hoped that Chaco having Sy hostage would stop him from doing anything stupid. The other part thought it would be really nice to be able to afford a space heater.

"That's...that's just...wow. Wow."

Silas wriggled a bit to get a better look at the mansion, arms wrapped around Chaco's neck.

"Oooooh~" he cooed.

Noticing Sy squiggling in his arm, Chaco shifted the small boy around to get a better look at the mansion as they walked. It really was a large house. Chaco usually flew his way in, as opposed to walking, because really. It was a long driveway. But with people with him, he couldn't, so walking it was!

"My uncle is an assassin and was the one to pay for everything. Still does, actually." He hadn't seen uncle Kunny in nearly three weeks now, though. Chaco would probably have to ask Aylee if she'd seen him at all.

Assassin? Hah! Jesse suddenly felt quite a bit more at home.

"The last time I seen the inside of four walls and a roof, I was a teenager," he said offhandedly, still ogling the place, "but it sure warn't anything like this."

"We have room!" Sy informed Chaco happily, "Two beds! Fishies!"

"We used to live in a small house," said Chaco, as they finally reached the mansion itself, "But the family was getting too big, and mom wanted a larger laboratory, so she asked her brother to build this mansion for her." After a moment, he realized some explanation might be due, "Uh. My mom's kinda... a scientist. Er. Inventor. Of sorts. Though unless she builds it herself from scratch, any electronic devices she plays with explode. It's... weird."

Weird explained Chaco's family exactly, actually. Everything about all of them was strange, except maybe Kunny. But even that was a stretch.

"Anyway, you two could stay here if you like," Chaco said, looking down at Sy, "We certainly have the space."

"Dada! Stay?!"

"Sorry," Jesse said, voice dreamy and far off as he pressed his bandaged hand against the cool exterior walls of the mansion, "We need to stay with the ship, Little Man."

"But whyyyyy?!"

Jesse looked to Sy, looking for all the world like an amazed child.

"Butchy wouldn't like it much."

"Oh. Okay."

Silas was so easily appeased. "That's all right. But if you ever need a place to stay, feel free." But boat? That was interesting, "Where do you live and work, if I may ask?" Chaco said, smiling as he opened the front door and entered the mansion.

Ryuu was just inside, dusting a particularly large and expensive looking vase. He stopped in his work to bow politely to Chaco and guests, then returned to the dusting.

Jesse's eye widened even further, looking as if it may burst from his head. Was he just...bowed-to?! Wow, this place was amazing...

He then remembered that he had been asked a question and turned slightly to Chaco, his eye still trained on that hefty vase.

"We live where ever we dock, sir," he nodded slowly, "and I wouldn't exactly call it 'workin''. 'Survivin'', maybe..."

Silas, however, had gone entirely silent. This place was huge and pretty and big and enormous! He wanted to stay!

After giving Ryuu a brief nod (he was finally used to the android helping out around the house), Chaco turned back to Jesse, "That's an... interesting way to live. I've always had a stable life, myself. I mean, there was one time mom took me to some island somewhere for a few weeks, but that wasn't really..."

"Ah, anyway. We've got a lot of places around the mansion, including the pool, hot springs, ah... Kitchen, computer lab." He wasn't really sure what to suggest, "Whatever you might like to do? Mom's even having a playground room set up, upstairs, but it's still being built."

"Mm, the islands..." Jesse murmured, and finally his gaze returned to Chaco.

"I dunno what the little man wants to do, but I'm just enjoying the warmth, here."

"Dada?" Silas suddenly piped up.

"Hm?"

"I wan' play."

"I know, Sy."

"Yeah, you should see the heating bill," said Chaco, smiling. He'd seen the one from last month. It was, ah, probably a good thing that uncle Kunny was always working.

"Well, suppose we could go up to the nursery. There are some toys in there, for my siblings and for the children who have just been bound, yet to go to protectors." The nursery had been vacant for a while. Chaco should really start binding more souls, and there were many to do, but somehow... He couldn't find the time.

"Mm, we don't have one'a those," Jesse chuckled, "So how's that sound, Sy?"

"Ya!" the toddler cried, bouncing in Chaco's arms, "Chay-to play wif Sy?"

Jesse just laughed again.

Nodding, Chaco led the way up the stairs. The nursery was right next to the stairs, which was why Chaco had chosen the location. It was easy to find, or get to in a hurry.

The floor of the nursery was spotless, with empty cribs in the corner, and boxes full of toys around the edges. They were mostly for babies and toddlers, with very few of them for older children. "Play with what you want! You can even take a couple if you'd like. We don't have much of a use for them at the moment, and can always buy more."

Sy's eyes went wide. He could TAKE one?! He hugged Chaco around the neck hard and then attempted to wriggle out of his grasp.

"Down! DOWN!"

"Silas..."

"Please?"

"Good boy."

Laughing, Chaco set the small boy down, "There you go." The toys in the bins had been collected based on what Chaco had thought were good, or Aylee (who had a weird sense of 'good'), or Konstantin, who had the most accurate view of what was best for small children, ironically enough. "Take what you want!"

Silas giggled and stumbled over, beginning to rifle through the toy boxes head-first. Hmm...what to play with...

Aha!

The toddler pulled a little inflatable ball from one box, waving it in the air.

"Chay-to! Chay-to! Play wif Sy?!"

Jesse had taken to sitting on the floor, staring at a questionable toy chest. He saw a plushie worth at least 5 bucks, another worth 3, a train worth 9...god, what he wouldn't give to have this kind of money handy.

Completely oblivious to what was going through Jesse's head, Chaco nodded at Sy, "Sure, I'll play." He knew a lot of the toys here were expensive, but well, Kunny got paid insanely well at his work. Assassin, y'know?

"What do you want to play, catch?" Because really, what else was there to play?

Silas shook his head and sat on the floor, legs spread in a kind of V.

"Wan' play pass!" he said matter-of-factly, positively beaming. Well, Chaco, THAT'S what else there was to play!

Pass? What did the cherry cordial child mean? Chaco had a vague idea, but still. Wasn't catch really just the same thing, just in the air?

Well, whatever. Nodding, Chaco sat down on the floor the same as Sy, assuming that was how it was played. "Okay, ready."

"Ready!" Silas parroted and giggled, rolling the ball to Chaco.

"Roll back!" he said. It was amazing, how easily amused this child was. Then again, rolling a ball was much easier than rolling a stone!

Chaco caught the ball, grinning. Yes, the child was easily amused, but he was only a toddler. That was pretty much the very definition of toddler. "Here you go," he said, rolling the ball back at Silas. It had been too long since Chaco had played with a small child. None of his siblings were babies anymore, which was both a blessing and... a bit lonely for a binder.

Silas giggled gleefully and passed the ball back with an enormous arm gesture. Dada played with him sometimes, but it was nice to have other people...especially when the people he was usually around smelled like dirt and booze.

Yes, it was always good to be around people who took baths. Chaco knew that one well. Nearly everyone in the Shiroko Mansion took them regularly, except... Well, both Aylee and Wes tended to forget when they were busy making things explode (intentionally on the part of Wes, but not so for Aylee), and absorbed in their work.

Chaco passed the ball back to Silas with a quick toss of the arm, grinning. "Your turn."

While rolling the ball back, Silas began to talk to his new friend.

"Chay-to, do you have Dada too?" Seeing as to how that was all he knew, a father.

Chaco blinked at the question and stopped the ball, forgetting for a moment to return it. Father? Well...

"Not... in this life, I don't. I have my mom, Aylee, but that's it. I used to have a father, in my... old life. But he passed away." He rolled the ball back as he spoke. He hadn't thought about his father in a long time, but even in the old kingdom he hadn't spent much time with the man.

"Oh. I sorry," Silas said and rolled the ball back. He seemed to think a moment and then continued his train of thought.

"Dada say I have mommy but she in th'water with t'mermaids."

There was a sudden crash as Jesse flinched and his hand went into a toybox. He cleared his throat.

"Mm...sorry."

The statement caused Chaco to stop again, looking over at Jesse when he heard the crash. The man looked unharmed, but... Chaco turned back to Silas, passing the ball back. "Well, I'm sure she's in good hands now, uhm..." He knew what it meant, but he was pretty sure the other Sin'aeis didn't. Time to go for the nice happy route, "My mother and uncle are actually half-merpeople, so I'm sure she's being treated well." Ignoring, of course, the fact that Aylee and Kunny were actually kicked out of their home when their older sister (a full blooded mermaid) murdered their father and a few other people. Cause she's just that crazy.

Silas blinked.

"Really?!" he asked happily, "Do you think can bring her? Dada miss her! I wan' meet her! Her name Dan-kuh! Mommy knows her?"

Jesse cleared his throat again. It was time to change the subject. Hardcore.

Chaco caught onto the cough, and grinned sheepishly, passing the ball back. "Uhm. Well, my mum hasn't been to the sea in a long time, so I doubt she knows her." He searched for other topics, "Do you know any other Sin'aeis like us, Silas?"

"Oh, okay!" Silas smiled and returned the ball, "Don' fink so! Was girl wiv hoofs, do'." He then looked to Jesse, who had a hand firmly clapped over his mouth.

"Dada, you otay?"

"Mm, you just play, Little Man."

"Okay."

Hooves? "Oh, I think you mean the grapes girl," Chaco said, returning the ball, "I wonder how she and her protector are doing now. I met them, once, I think." Back when he still actually MET with protectors at first. That stopped pretty quickly.

"Do you have any other friends?"

"Fio!" Silas cried happily and giggled, "an' Butchy! An' fishies!" In other words? Not really.

"We're usually not in the same place for more than a week or two at a time. It's hard to...to socialize," Jesse sighed.

Chaco recognized none of the names. Well, he understood what fishies meant, but that was well... The boy seemed happy enough with what he had, though. "Well, if you're ever in the area, stop by. I mean, a lot of the other Sin'aeis come by here, so you're bound to make more friends."

Silas gasped as if he had just been offered a winning lottery ticket.

"Tank-oo!" he giggled.

"Yeah, I'll be sure to bring him by more often."

10. Too Early to Function

Sometimes, Silas loathed his inability to sleep through the night. Other times, however, it proved to be very...interesting.

He personally hoped this was going to be the latter.

The camp was dead silent, save the occasional snore or questionable yelp emanating from various tents. Those were easy to ignore as the toddler wobbled through the sand and began to climb the little rock escarpment to the street above. Very few people were out at all this early (although he truly had no idea how early it was, lacking a clock) and so Sy was free to travel the roads as he wished.

---

After hours upon hours of exploring the streets and staring into the closed stores (save a gas station that he didn't really feel the need to explore internally), Silas began back toward camp with his shiny stone, animal bone (from outside the butcher's shop), and flattened spoon in an old fast food bag.

He heard his name called once, twice, and then he was lifted from the ground and told "if you ever do that again so help me God I'm going to have a heart attack".

Oh well...he'd had fun!

12. Daddy's Got a Date!

"Why're we out Evie? Huh? Why?" Oh, Horatio was excitable, he was. Evie sighed, shaking her head.

"Groceries, H." She said, looking tired.

"Why?"

"Because we're out of milk."

"Why?"

"Remember the incident this morning with the toast?"

"Oh."

Jesse and Sy, however, were out for a very different reason. The crew needed a few new cartons of ammo, and had no money that didn't need to be spent on food or clothing. He bumped into a man, acquired four dollars, and continued on.

"How much we nee', Dada?"

"Prolly forty 'r so."

"Have foh-tee yet?"

"Nope."

"Kay."

And then he spotted a purse...and a purple, talking dog. Hey, weirder s**t had happened. The dog was a good distraction while he bumped into her.

"Oh! Sor...ry..."

...pretty lady.

And said pretty lady looked up at him in surprise, blinking. After a moment she smiled. "That's perfectly all right." She said softly. After all, accidents happened.

"Evie, why'd that guy run into you?"

"Accidents happen, Horatio."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Why?"

Evie laughed at him.

"Oh, no, I should have been watching where I was going," Jesse smiled, all the while slipping the woman's wallet back into her purse. He wanted to stay here, to talk more, but he couldn't think of anything to s--

"FUDDY!"

That would do.

Sy crouched beside the talking purple dog, petting for a moment before throwing his arms around the dog's neck.

Evie laughed again, watching Sy. "Your son...?"

Oh! Oh! Horatio was gleeful! He made a happy squeal, trying to lick as much of Sy as he could. "Little! Little! Evie! Little!" Oh my, The little wanted to play! Some littles didn't, and then Horatio got in trouble for making them cry.

Jesse nodded and smiled affectionately down to the toddler.

"More or less. His name's Silas."

Speaking of, Sy was dissolved into a giggling, snorgling little ball down with the purple puppy. Yay! A fuzzy he wasn't getting yelled-at for touching!

"He's adorable." Evie smiled down at the boy, feeling that oh so familiar twinge of jealously. She pushed it back down like she always did. Oh, well. Wasn't meant to be for her. After a few more moments of adoring watching, she smiled and looked up at Jesse. "My name is Evie, by the way." She offered her hand up for shaking.

Oh and Horatio was just as gleeful. "Little, I not 'aposed to touch you, but you did first, so we friends now, kay?!"

"Thanks," Jesse nodded and took the hand gladly, hiding his marred fingers behind his back, "I'm Jesse, JT, whatever ya feel like."

"Otay!" Sy nodded seriously, "I Sy. What you, Fuddy?"

Evie was glad herself. She was a terribly lonely woman. "It's very nice to meet you, Jesse."

"Horatio!" Ah, Horatio had gotten good at saying his name. Tail wiggling, he looked up at Evie and Jesse. "Horatio and Sy go play now. Okay? OKay! Come, Sy!"

"Be careful, Sy!" Jesse yelped after the boy.

"Otay!"

And Sy scampered after Horatio, quite ready to go where ever the pup lead him.

"Anyway...ah...where ya from, Evie?" Lame. LAME.

"Gambino." Evie said, looking after the pair. "And you don't have to worry. He may seem less intelligent than a box of rocks, but Horatio's pretty good at watching out for things." When he remembered.

Tail wiggling, Horatio kept looking back at Sy. "Wat Sy want to play?"

"Oh, I trust the dog more than I trust my own son," Jesse snorted. Oh, wait! Oh, God! You don't tell that to people!

"Anyfin'!" Sy smiled, "Pass?"

"Well, he is small still... He's so friendly, too. Does he try to go home with other 'nice' people?" Evie turned to look back at Jesse now. She smiled at him, not seeming to dwell on the scars or the missing eye. The remaining one was quite pretty enough anyways.

"Where get ball though?" Horatio asked him, nuzzling around him like a cat. Yay, little who came to play~

Jesse chuckled.

"I'm sure he would. I tend to...not let him out of my sight." Oh, he had such a nice grin when he was genuinely happy.

"Ummm..." Sy reasoned, "...use rock?"

"I understand that. I think if I had a child, I'd probably be too worried to ever let them out of my sight..." Evie shook her head lightly and smiled.

Horatio went on the look for a rock and found one that looked like it would roll, proudly bringing it over to Sy. "Found! Rock! See? Is good?"

"Yeah," Jesse nodded. And then came the awkward silence.

"Uh...d'you wanna...sit?" He turned around, looking for a bench. Luckily, there was one no more than 50 paces away.

Sy looked at the rock, studying it hard, and then grinned and nodded.

"Kay!"

Evie nodded. "It's better than standing. Horatio might steal Silas for a while. Usually kids are afraid of him because he's so... Hyper."

Horatio tossed the rock up into the air and caught it again, then carefully passed it on the ground over to Silas. His tail was going about a mile a minute and he, of course, had to stop and chase himself around in circles for a bit. Yay!

"Sy's not afraid of anything but the dark," Jesse smiled and shrugged. He was surprised that Evie wasn't scared of the scars or off-put by the vague stench of salt water that always hung around him.

This was one nice lady.

Silas giggled and dropped down to a squat, rolling the rock back. Yaaay!

"He seems like a nice boy." Evie said, sitting on the bench and carefully arraigning her skirt around her.

Horatio giggled as well, grabbing the rock between his front paws. After a moment of getting everything in order, he rolled it back. "I like Sy! I keep you, okay?"

Oh, God...so pretty and delicate and feminine and--

"Oh, yeah. He's a good kid. He tends to wander if something catches his eye, but that's not so bad. We always find each other again."

Silas rolled the rock back and tilted his head.

"Sy live wif Dada. We hab tent!"

"Mm." Evie crossed her ankles, resting her hands in her lap and looked up at him. "He's so small, though... I'd be terrified. But I'm a worrier." Then again, whenever she'd worried, it'd been founded. Like with Tom and Nikki.

"You and Dada come. We have extra rooms! I play Sy, Evie can has Dada!" It worked out perfectly in Horatio's mind. Yaaaaay!

"Mm, I keep an eye on him," Jesse nodded, eyes flickering over to the adorable pair for a moment.

"Hey, do you wanna see a cool trick?"

"Otay!" Sy grinned. It made sense to him too!

"Mm? Sure." Evie smiled.

Aaaaand Sy had himself a new bestest friend forever and ever. Horatio dropped the rock in favor of jumping at Sy and licking his face. Yaaaaay!

Sy gave a giddy shriek and giggled, petting at Horatio and occasionally pushing playfully. He really didn't mind.

"Alright," Jesse said, "Name anything you have on your person, and tell me where it is."

Horatio hummed, finally letting go. "I like Sy. Sy good." He informed him, snuzzling. Awwwwww. And then he went back to the rock, batting it at Sy.

"Mmm...?" Evie blinked after a moment. "Well, I have a charm on my belt...?"

"Hor-a-sho good too!" Sy grinned and continued their game. Oh, friends were so much fun!

"Alright," Jesse nodded. He stared into Evie's eyes and circled his right hand in mid-air. In a moment, he snapped and clapped it over his left hand...and there in his palm sat the charm. A slow grin spread over his face.

They were! Expecially when they weren't afraid of you. Horatio hummed to himself. "Sy? Wat tent?"

Evie's eyes widened for a moment and she smiled, holding her hand out for the charm. "Slight of hand, huh?"

"You could say that," Jesse nodded, holding out her charm and...her wallet?!

"Tent is...is...fwee wall an' a do'."

Evie raised her brows even farther. "So, that's why you bumped into me, huh?"

"Huh! I never seed a tent before." Horatio nodded. He'd seen sewers though!

Jesse looked pretty ashamed all of a sudden.

"Well, yeah, but I already put it back once." Caught.

"You come visit Sy, kay? See tent."

"And you're talking to me. That's honestly a nice change of pace." Evie smiled, reaching up to give his arm a little squeeze.

... Ooh. Nice.

"Kay! Were tent at, Sy?"

"I...I couldn't make myself do it," Jesse said, laughing slightly and blushing. Oh my...touchies!

Evie's smile grew slowly. Awww, cute man. "That's good to know, Jesse." Her nose crinkled up slightly and she grinned at him.

"Can we go see now?" That way? That obviously meant like twenty feet!

"On beech," Sy smiled and pointed, "Dat way."

Oh, God...adorable smile too. Jesse’s blush just deepened.

Sy shook his head sadly, frowning.

"Is too fars."

And that only made her giggle. What a nice man.

"Why?" Horatio looked confused.

"Uh..." Jesse said a bit awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck, "Do you wanna...maybe...go out for...dinner later? Or something?" Go, Jesse!

"Beech too far," Sy nodded solemnly, "Too long walk. An' men not like new peepls."

A slow smile grew over Evie's face. Apparently, redheads in their mid thirties seemed to not get as many proposals as one would think.

"I'd like that."

"But Sy, I not peoples." Horatio said in earnest. "I Jivvin. Dat Ferret-doggy-kitty."

Phew!

"Great! I mean...great," Jesse chuckled, "Where do you wanna meet?"

"Your mommy is peepls," Sy nodded seriously, "They mean to mommies."

"Hmm... I've been out of the loop for quite some time. Would you just like to meet at my home?" Evie asked, turning slightly red. Aw.

Horatio frowned, rubbing against Sy. Awwwww. "Okee." Awww, sad Kitty-ferret-dog thing.

Jesse blushed again and grinned.

"Sure. Where do you live?"

"S'okay!" Sy nodded, "See, my daddy gonna see yo' mommy! I come too!" Boy, was that kid going to be disappointed...

"Down on Crane street, house number's 147." Evie said, reaching up to twirl a piece of hair around her finger lightly.

And no doubt there would be a disappointed Horatio as well. He rubbed against Sy, rock in mouth, looking like a happy little purple dog thing. Hooray!

14. A New Life Beginning

Jesse stood outside Evie's house, fidgeting and knocking lightly. He'd taken the time to shower and shave in a campground's restroom, and he cold only hope he looked satisfactory.

One always had to look nice for one's woman.

Silas stood beside his father, holding his hand with a thornless rose clutched in the other tiny fist. He'd grown to like Miss Evie. He really had.

The door sprang open quite quickly. Perhaps Evie had been sitting in wait? Evie smiled at both men, giving Jesse a little squeeze before leaning down to hug Sy gently.

"Thanks for coming to see me."

Jesse gave that odd, sweet smile of his and Sy giggled, wrapping hs arms around Miss Evie's neck for a moment.

"I bo'ot you a fowa!"

"Any time," Jesse smiled. Ah, love.It made you do strange things. Like buy a polo shirt.

Evie scooped Sy up, grinning at him. "Well, thank you for the flower! I think that I just happened to pull some cookies out of the oven. Do you know anyone who likes chocolate chip cookies, Sy?"

She reached out one hand and gave Jesse's arm a little squeeze and a grin. "Nice shirt."

Jesse colored slightly and laughed.

"Uh...thanks."

Silas, however, looked to be in awe. His hands flew over his mouth, pink eyes going wide.

"Miss Ebie, Miss Ebie!" he said, practically bouncing, "Miss Ebie, I like tockolat cookie!"

Evie gasped. "Awesome! Because I have a bunch in there that I need help eating." My God, this little boy was precious. She stepped back inside the house with her little stolen bundle of Sy, waiting for Jesse to follow. The whole house smelled of cookies, with a hint of lemon as well.

Jesse stepped in and inhaled the sweet scents. Oh, yes.

"You treat us so well..."

Giggling, Evie lead them into the little kitchen, past the sleeping Horatio who was on the couch. There was a plate of Chocolate chip cookies on the table, and Evie put Sy down in the chair so she could go to the fridge.

"Oh, I enjoy it. Would you guys like lemonade or milk?"

Sy bounced happily and leaned over, taking a cookie and nibbling. Mmm. Nummy.

"Miwk!" he said, mouth full. Jesse just snorted.

"Lemonade for me, please."

Sy made a face. Ew. Sour.

Evie laughed at him, pouring a little glass full of milk and setting it on the table before getting a glass of lemonade for Jesse.

"Here you are... And to find a vase for Sy's flower..."

Jesse took the glass and smiled, following Evie as she wandered. Pretty lady, pretty hair, pretty neck.

She wandered over to the counter, climbing up on it before retrieving a little vase from the upper cabinets. She hopped back down carefully, turning around and smiling at Jesse.

"Is it good? I made it earlier this morning." She asked, nodding to the juice as she added some water to her vase.

Jesse wrapped an arm around Evie, far enough from anything inappropriate to be even vaguely friendly. He smiled and kissed the top of her ear.

"It is."

Sy, cookie in mouth, slid out of his chair and toddled over to his napping fuzzy. He waited there, sanding, watching, nibbling.

A slow smile moved over Evie's face and she leaned against Jesse lightly, looking up. Mmmm, Jesse.

"Good." Was all she could really think to say, blushing lightly. Awwww.

The fuzzy in question kicked his leg a few more times, snoring.

"Hor-a-sho," Sy said, prodding at the Fuzzy's belly, "Hor-a-sho. Wake up."

Jesse just smiled, swaying slightly, and put his glass down to hold Evie with both arms. No words, just loves.

The fuzzy snorted, opening one eye. "Hnn? Hnnn?! Syyyyyy!" Ah, and a very happy Jivvin tumbled down off of the couch, tail waggling a mile a minute. Wheeee!

Oh, God yes. She'd missed this sort of thing. Sighing, Evie wrapped her arms around Jesse, leaning against his chest. She smiled, eyes closed.

Silas giggled, teeth covered in chocolate.

"Hi, Hor-a-sho!"

Jesse closed his eyes too, resting his head atop Evie's hair for a moment before leaning down to kiss it. Beautiful woman, beautiful person.

"Ooooh! Sy! I got a ball, so we can play, and you can see the fishes Evie has, and and and I'm glad to see you!" Ah, happy fuzzy!

Evie hummed slightly, rocking against him. Hmmm, nice, strong man. How nice.

"Otay!" Sy nodded, trying to lift Horatio from the floor, finding he couldn't, and resolving to get some more cookies, "One minnit."

Jesse gave another little headkiss and half-grinned, whispering to Evie out of nowhere.

"You're beautiful."

"Kay!" Horatio hummed, looking for his ball. Yaaaaay~

Evie smiled up at him, eyes fluttering open. She reached up and gently rested her hand on his cheek. "Thank you."

After grabbing the full plate, Silas toddled after Horatio. Hm! Ball-hunting mission!

Jesse's smile grew a bit, and his neck moved slightly, face lowered...

Oh my! What was he planning?!

Horatio flopped on his belly and pawed under the TV stand, pulling out his ball. He looked over at the humans, momentarily wondering why they were so close, and then headed for a small room. "Can play here or outsides." He told him.

Evie just looked up at him, calm as anything. Whatever he did would be fine.

"Ou'side," Sy nodded, "Dada wan' be 'lones." He knew this, because every time Butchy and a girl were that close, he'd yell 'HEY YOU GO AWAY GET THE HELL OUT OF MY TENT OH GOD'.

Jesse leaned in further, kissing Evie's upper lip hesitantly, waiting a moment for a reaction, before kissing her full-on, gently and lovingly.

Yay, first kiss!

"Kay." Horatio dropped the ball by the door and hopped on his back feet, opening it up the door. He grabbed the ball again, flouncing out into the fenced yard. A white picket fence, for Christ sakes.

Eyes closing again, one of Evie's hands moved up to fluff at his hair as she softly kissed back. God, she'd missed this....

Sy followed, staring at the fence. Hm! What was this?!

Jesse again began to sway, one of his hands moving to Evie's back. Oh, Christ, it'd been years...so many years...

"Like fence?" Horatio asked, tail wagging. "Have pond too!"

Evie smiled as they swayed, touching his cheek lightly. She hummed quietly. Ah, yes...

"Fenss," Sy said, tilting his head, "Is pretty." As for the pond? Ponds were water. He knew water. He could go without water.

Jesse pulled away, opened his eyes, closed them again, gave Evie a very brief, final kiss, and then pulled away for good, smiling down at her.

"Keeps us in. Keeps others out! Not squirrels though." Horatio flopped down in the grass, rolling on his back. Whee!

Evie smiled, stroking his cheek. She let out a little sigh after a moment, leaning up on tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "My..." She laughed slightly.

"Oh," Sy nodded, "Otay!" He lunged into the grass with Horatio then, wriggling about. Yay! Fuzzy knew how to have fun!

Jesse chuckled slightly and blushed.

"Quite."

Horatio laughed, feet kicking in the air before rolling over to Sy. "Grass nice!"

Evie smiled, petting his cheek. Well, s**t. Jesse had passed all her expectations. They'd went on dates, he'd never made an inapropriate pass at her... It looked like he'd be staying around. Which meant that he needed to know a few things about her.

"Come sit down with me."

Sy giggled, reaching out to snuggle Horatio.

"Grass nice than sand!"

Jesse nodded. His grin turned to a simple smile. Sitting down meant something serious. He waited for Evie to sit before joining her.

Horatio snuggled back. "Sand gritty! Grass prikly."

Evie sat carefully, hands folded in her lap. "This will, undoubtedly, sound a little crazy. But what is your plan for the future. Do you want more children?"

Sy nodded.

"Prikly," he said, nodding seriously.

Jesse blinked. Wait a second. They hadn't ever...was there someone else? Nonono, best to not jump to conclusions.

"Well, I mean...yeah, I guess. I like kids."

Horatio flopped on Sy. "Sy squishy."

And Evie just smiled. "I don't think it would be fair for me to string you out. If you want children, then it would be best if you found another woman. I'm sterile."

"Hor-a-sho squishy too," Sy smiled, "...play now?"

Jesse's eyes got wide and apparently nervous for a moment, until the last bit sank in. His brows furrowed and his mouth screwed over to one side. He placed one of his hands over Evie's, squeezing lightly.

"No, Evie," he said, smile slowly returning, "I love you. No matter what." Oh, God...was it too early?!

"Play now!" Horatio beamed, bouncing up and going for the ball.

Evie's face twitched slightly, blinking fast. She leaned forward, free arm wrapping around his neck and face resting against his chest. Oh, God. He wasn't running, or calling her names...

"...I love you too, Jess."

Sy giggled, standing and waiting, arms out to receive the ball.

Jesse wrapped his arms around the woman, kissing the top of her head gently.

"I'm glad. I'm so glad," he whispered. His heart was tingling and alight.

...he was in mutual love again.

Horatio dropped the ball, kicking it over to Sy. He laughed, chasing his tail.

Humming, Evie caressed his hair. "It's nice... Feeling this way. I've been lonely, expecially until Horatio turned up."

Sy pickde the ball up and tossed it in the air, arcing it at Horatio.

Jesse head-kissed again and rubbed Evie's back.

"...Sy and I could...I mean...if you wanted us to...we would gladly come keep you company twenty-four seven."

Horatio raced back, jumping up in the air to catch the ball. Yaaaaaaaay! He giggled around it, racing in circles around Sy before tossing it back.

Evie looked up at him, eyes slightly wet. "You.. Would?" Oh, God... To live with someone she loved with a child and a dog behind a little white picket fence....

Sy giggled and tried to catch the ball, failed, and picked it up from the ground.

"Catch this!" he dares, tossing the ball almost straight into the air and stepping back, squinting as it passed the sun.

Oh noes! Tears! Jesse chuckled softly and placed a hand on Evie's jaw, caressing her cheek with his thumb.

"Mmhm."

Horatio waited. And waited. Then, aha! Ball was spotted! He jumped in the air to catch it, missed, and got whacked on the nose. He yelped slightly, shaking his head and snuffling. "Sun hurt eyes."

Evie hummed slightly, leaning against his hand. "I'd like that. We could move some things around and turn the little office into a room for Sy...."

Awwww. Sy rushed to Horatio, petting the fuzzy's face to try and make the pain go away. Oh no!

"I sorry."

"That sounds great," Jesse nodded, "I don't mind the couch." Oh my...he was moving in with someone the boys were NOT going to be happy...

"Is okees. Good frow!" Horatio nuzzled, pain forgotten. Yay!

"Just for a while." Ah, and Evie turned colors! "I'm.. Not, you know, a loose woman by any standards. But..."

Sy giggled.

"Okay!"

And Jesse blushed too. Oh my!

"Oh, no. Even if we were sleeping in the same bed, I wouldn't ask...that from you. Things just...happen when they happen. And anyway, I miss having someone to hold..." What a moosh!

Horatio carefully picked the ball up and tossed it back at Sy. He looked up to the house.

"Evie likes Jesse. An' Sy."

Laughing, Evie stroked his cheek.

"Being held sounds nice."

"Good!" Sy nodded, "Sy like Evie!" He tossed th ball back, eying he house. Were they outside? Nooo. Hm!

Jesse's smile grew. He kicked off his boots and laid back against to arm of the couch, kicking his feet up, and pulling Evie up with him.

"Then held you'll be."

"And Horatio like Sy!" Horatio caught the ball, moving around Sy happily and rubbing against him like a cat.

Evie made a little noise, smiling and resting against him. Her eyes closed and she let out a long low hum. Ah...

Sy laughed.

"Good! Sy like Hor-a-sho!"

Jesse closed his eyes ad let his head hit the arm, one of his hands caressing Evie's stomach, again comfortably far from anything inappropriate. Ah, a real woman. How nice!

Horatio licked at Sy's ear, nuzzling his neck. Oh, what was that he saw out of the corner of his eye? A squirrel? How delightful! "SQUIRREL." Horatio called, dashing for it. Whee!

Evie hummed again, stroking his cheek and nuzzling against him. This was nice...

Silas was knocked to the ground and laughed, standing and giggling as he wiped the grass from his behind.

"Fuddy!"

Why, yes. Yes it was.