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Taiga smiled at Rachel, "i know. we're brothers, real brothers. Tetsu and i will always be together." he looked at the others, "Daren can i use your phone to call mama and ask?"

Daren nodded, " go ahead, Tai." the little boy took his phone from his pocket and hurried to the back room to make the call in private. "it's a deal then. let's make all of Tim's favorite dishes. how about you make a list of them for us, Tim? we'll make sure to have everything you love there since it's a party for you."

Daren frowned a little, "you had favorite foods before all that dieting, right? what did you like to eat back then? we'll be sure to make lots of those dishes. you don't need a diet, Tim, you need fattening. you're way too skinny." he finished eating and lifted Tetsu onto his shoulder, walking over to the couch and settling down, getting comfortable with Tetsu curled on his lap. "that's ok. we're going to work on that. I even told Tim he could get so fat he couldn't get off the couch if he wanted, but he declined."

Taiga came bouncing out of the back room, smiling, "mama said it was ok, but she wants to talk about. she was downstairs but i hung up when she got on the elevator."

"Oh no, they're going to meet right here under my own roof!" Daren groaned teasingly as there was a knock on the door. Anna stepped in and smiled at the group, inclining her head to the women, "i hope my boys didn't interrupt anything." she pulled Taiga up into her arms and smiled at Daren and tetsu, "thank you. he's been having a hard time, the poor thing. i know you probably have your hands full right now, but i didn't know what else to do."

"It's more than fine, Anna. they are welcome anytime. Anna, may i introduce Tim's parents. This is Rachel and Amanda. Rachel, Amanda, this is Anna."

Anna smiled, "are you the two women i'm going to be cooking up a storm with next Saturday?" she walked forward and shook each of their hands. "pleasure to meet you both."

Anna blushed a little, "i have to admit, it's Tarte who does most of the cooking. i'm sorry you haven't had a chance to come! Tarte and i have been thinking about extending the hours once the boys are in school proper, but maybe we should do it a bit sooner." she smiled happily, glad to meet such kind people. "seafood is a must and lots of tarts and things that you like Tim. make us a list and we'll get to work, ok? Rachel, Amanda would you two be interested in coming to the shop next time you are free and we can conference? taiga said you have dancing later or i'd offer tonight. when would work best for you?"

Daren was watching Tim, wondering what the man's reaction would be to all of this.

Anna waved her hand, "oh no, we were planning to anyways. we'll talk to the kids and see how they feel about it, of course." she smiled a Taiga who smiled back. "oh, that would be perfect! i'll find you on Facebook too so we can chat there." she ripped the paper with the number in half and wrote her own information on the blank side, giving that over. "here we are. that should be perfect. i'm looking forward to working with you and really, send me a text next time you're in the neighborhood and i'll make you something fresh, ok? during, before or even after hours, it doesn't matter for friends."

Daren slipped his arm out of it's sling and put it around Tim's shoulders, giving him a very light hug before slipping it back into the sling, "it'll be ok. we'll all be right here to help you out, ok?"

Anna said he goodbyes to the women, happy to have met them. it was easy to tell Tim would be perfectly happy if they left as well. "I know for a fact that Daren loves seafood and if people don't like it they don't have to eat it. we'll have plenty of food there for them to eat." she put Taiga down and moved to pick up Tetsu. "he'll be alright now. Tarte and i are going to sleep with the boys tonight so he should be able to rest." she stroked the soft blue hair, here eyes showing the pain she felt that her son was suffering only for an instant before she took Taiga's hand. "We'll get out of your hair now, thank you Daren."

Daren held the door for her and kissed her cheek before locking the front door. "well that was quite a bit of excitement all at once. how are you doing,, Tim?" he sat next to his friend and looked him over, "you look tired. do you want to go to bed?"

Daren nodded and carefully put an arm around Tim, "i'm doing alright. worried about you, but what's new?" he smiled and gently tug the other against his chest, hugging him close and keeping him safe, "what can i do to help you feel safe, Tim? anything, anything at all if i can manage it. i'll do whatever i can to help you be able to rest, even if it means spending the night holding you like this." he wanted Tim to forget about Givens as much as possible. he should at least feel safe here at home and Daren would do his damnest to make sure he did.