Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/703780.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Rape/Non-Con, Underage
  Category:
      M/M
  Fandom:
      Nagron_-_Fandom
  Relationship:
      Agron/Nasir
  Series:
      Part 2 of Life_at_It's_Finest
  Stats:
      Published: 2013-03-01 Completed: 2013-04-07 Chapters: 45/45 Words: 47230
****** Mein Herz ******
by teardrop193
Notes
     This story is the sequel to Meine Familie. It could be read without
     it, but it probably makes more sense after reading it.
***** Chapter 1 *****
“Nasir, what are you doing?” Agron stood there peering up at the man as he
stood there looking at him. The dark-haired man was attempting to stretch and
put an ornament at the top of the tree, but it seemed to be just out of reach
for him.
“What does it look like Agron?” He offered a playful smile as dark eyes turned
to look at him.
“Well normally I would say that you were trying to do yoga, but I’m guessing
you’re trying to put something on the tree.” Careful fingers scooped the
ornament from Nasir’s fingers.  “Now where did you want it?”
“Somewhere near the other kids’ ornaments.” Nasir’s eyes turned up to look at
the other man a smile playing with his lips as he did. He was having trouble
believing that this was Lea’s first Christmas with them and an even harder time
believing that the little girl was almost nine months old.
“How’s that?” Agron asked placing it within the branches he had been attempting
to reach.
“Fine, fine.” Nasir’s voice was but a hoarse whisper as he spoke.
“So who all did you invite for this get together?” Agron didn’t mind of course;
he just wondered if there was anyone he should be surprised by.
“Well, Duro and Katrina and of course Anne-Marie, Ganny and Saxa and the kids,
Crixius and Naevia and their kids.” He stopped to think about it for a minute.
“A-and I thought about calling Katie.” The words were a hoarse whisper waiting
for Agron to yell.
“I think that sounds like a wonderful idea.” Agron’s eyes turned to look down
at Nasir. “I can’t see a reason why she should spend the time alone.”
The girl had become like family, and he was slightly impressed. She had handed
Lea over without a question, and though she often stopped to see the babe, she
never attempted to overstep her boundaries. She had done them a favor, one that
he wasn’t sure that they could ever truly repay her for.
Nasir’s eyes turned up to look at him, surprised. He knew that it was probably
awkward for him to have her around, and yet he never seemed to argue it. “W-
will Duro be alright with it?”
Agron laughed softly, arms wrapping around Nasir. “You have to understand
something. We speak with most of our exes, if he can be around Naevia without
losing it, he’ll be fine with Katie.”
“He’s okay with Naevia right?”
Agron laughed softly as he looked at him. “He’s fine with Naevia. Hell he’s
even pretty cool with Crixius. Especially since he practically saved his life
and all.”
“And Eva’s, we cant forget that.” Nasir knew that it would kill him to remember
such a thing, but the young girl had been pretty sick for a while.
“Yes, and Eva’s” He couldn’t forget the feeling of possibly losing the girl.
“Speaking of is she still asleep?”
“Yea, she’s still sore.” Nasir offered a smile. “But Derrick and Aerlia running
around doesn’t seem to bother her so that’s probably a good sign.”
Agron offered a nod. It had only been a couple of weeks since the young girl
had come so close to death. She’d awoken in the middle of the night, crying
unable to explain the pain to them, just that it hurt. A trip to the emergency-
room  lead to an emergency appendectomy, only to find out that it had burst.
He’d never forget the look in Crixius’ eyes when he came to tell them.
Though the young girl was up and moving again, it was still slow but sure for
her. As Nasir had said, she was still in pain, but she hid it well.
She slept frequently for extended amounts of time but from time to time,
Amelia, and Kai stopped to see her, and Crixius called frequently to make sure
that she was still doing alright. While she might not be the peppiest, Agron
was simply happy to have her home for the holiday rather than spending it in
the hospital.
“She’s a tough kid though, she’ll be alright.” Nasir’s voice was gentle as he
spoke, finger tips reaching up to brush Agron’s cheek.
Aerlia’s giggles could be heard as she came running down the hallway like a
terror. Reaching down Nasir scooped her up. “Are you supposed to be running in
the house?” He asked grinning.
“Brother chasing me.” Her pronunciations made Agron laugh.
“I could teach her German yet with pronunciations like that.”
“Not yet, English first, that is what she’ll use more often after all.” Nasir
shook his head. Agron had already tried, and he was sure that the girl would
pick it up given the time, but he was sure that if she didn’t learn English
first, she would have a harder time expressing herself to everyone else in the
world. Besides it would be their luck that the girl would end up speaking a mix
of the two instead.
“Oh so it wasn’t your fault huh?” Nasir shook his head. The young girl had
broken their heart the day before. She’d brought them her teddy bear and
blanket and said that it was bed time. Though she was right about it, it broke
their hearts. She was getting older, which in itself was a surprise to them but
this was the first real sign that she was growing up too.
“Dad?” Eva’s pitiful whimper came from down the hall.
Agron couldn’t help but flinch at the sound of her voice. He knew that she was
able to move from bed on her own, but he didn’t mind that she didn’t either.
Really, he couldn’t blame the girl for it. “I’ll go see what she wants.” He
slipped down the hall pausing in her doorway as he did. “Hey, how you feeling?”
“Sore.” She tried to offer a smile, but it was the weakest attempt that he had
seen from her yet. “And kind of hungry.”
“You feel like eating something?” He knew it seemed like a dumb question, but
she had complained the day before that she was hungry, yet she felt queasy.
***** Chapter 2 *****
Chapter Notes
     For my sweet and faithful reader McDannoIsaNagron. I hope you enjoy
     Darling.....your support means the world to me!!!!
She offered a nod pushing herself so that she was sitting up again. “Yea, you
think dad would make soup?”
“Actually, he already did.”
“Really?” The young girl’s eyes lit up as she looked at him.  She had started
to speak again when there was a knock at the bedroom door.
Agron’s eyes turned to the door, a grin spreading across his lips as he
realized that it was Derrick.
“You can come in.” Her voice was quiet as she spoke, her eyes falling upon her
brother, realizing he’d brought “Sorry” with him. Her favorite board game, he
had remembered.
“W-would you like to play?”  He felt bad for his older sister, he couldn’t
imagine what it was like for her to go through something like this. She left
her room now and then but she didn’t move quickly and she certainly didn’t do
much. He could only imagine how bored she really was. Plus he still panicked
any time that someone in their family got sick, for fear that they might now
come home. Which meant that he had been keeping pretty close eye over Eva.
“Yea, that would be nice.” Carefully Eva moved to make room for him on the bed.
Agron’s eyes fell upon the two of them, he was glad to see that the two of them
were so close. “I’ll go warm up some soup for you kiddo.” His voice was gentle
as he watched them. Derrick was setting up the board sitting at the opposite
end of the bed.
                                      ***
“A-are you sure?” Eva stammered as she looked at Derrick. They’d been playing
for hours now and yet he asked if she wanted to play again. She couldn’t
understand. Derrick usually didn’t sit still long enough to play a game much
less the three that they had played.
“Yep.”
“Why don’t we play something else?” She bad for him, she knew that he wanted to
go and play and yet he was going to play with her anyways.
“Like what?”
“Hmmm….maybe Monopoly? Clue? Checkers?” She was trying to think of what he
enjoyed playing but she couldn’t think of anything which was annoying for her.
“How about Monopoly? You can be the dog.” That seemed to be the argument that
they most often had. Who got to be the dog, an argument that Agron or Nasir
would normally end.
“No go ahead Derrick, you’ve played with me, you deserve it.” She couldn’t help
the smile that played with her lips as she looked at him. “And thank you.”
Though she wouldn’t admit to anyone that she was lonely because she didn’t want
them to pity her but more so she didn’t want to be a bother.
Derrick’s eyes fell upon his older sister a smile spreading across his lips.
“All you had to do was ask, I would have come and kept you company long before
if I had thought it would make you so happy.”
“Don’t tell Papa and Dad please but I wouldn’t mind the company whenever you
wished, it gets kind of lonely.” She would never understand why exactly she
told her little brother so much but she had always seen him as her ally.
“I will join you more often then.” Derrick offered a smile reaching out and
lightly pressing his fingers to her hand.  “I hated the thought that I might
wake you.”
“Wake me whenever you wish. I would be glad for the company.” Her fingers
curled around her brother’s hand. “Now go, get Monopoly and I’ll win like I
always do.”
Derrick laughed softly getting up from the bed, scooping up the Sorry box as he
did. He would never tell her but in truth he always let her win. She was older
and perhaps wiser but he hated to see how disappointed she seemed when she
lost, so he saw to it that she won.
Agron couldn’t help the grin that spread across his lips as he slipped quietly
from the doorway where he’d quietly been watching. He wished not to interrupt
but he couldn’t help thinking his own childhood. The bantering between he and
Duro much the same, and he was not surprised to hear Eva confide in the young
boy, though it provided him what he already knew. Though he would not let them
find him lingering, to do so would only cause them to be more secretive about
such communications.
Returning to sit beside Nasir on the couch, he offered a smile. Nasir simply
shook his head, eyes falling upon the man. “You’ve gotten quieter.” A smirk
fell upon his lips as he spoke. “You could almost sneak upon me if you got a
little better.” Of course he was only teasing but it was true. He remembered
well days where Agron was not nearly as quite stepped. “Is it as you believed?”
“Mhm….” Agron offered a grin as he looked at him. “She’s lonely and has
entrusted such in her brother rather than that of either of us.” He could not
help the thoughts swirling within his mind. What else had they spoken without
telling them? He trusted both children but he also knew what he would have done
had it been Duro. Neither of the children would ever dare hold something truly
important from them, that much he knew. Yet he did have to wonder what would
they chose to keep from him?
“Would you have told Duro of anything that you should not?” He could almost
tell what Agron was truly thinking. He supposed it was one of the nice things
about having known Agron as long as they had, even when it wasn’t on an
intimate level.
“If it was meant for Duro, it was meant for my mothers ears as well, as she was
always listening even when we didn’t think so.” Agron shook his head. “But, I
still cant help but wonder what would truly pass between the two of them.
“And if I know anything about you, you will be as well.” Nasir leaned over
placing a kiss upon his lips. “Now go see your daughter love.” He knew he had
heard Lea babbling away in her crib but figured that Agron had snagged her
while he was up. However that seemed to be a misguided thought.
“Is she awake?”
Nasir sighed and rubbed his eyes. “Obviously we need to work on your hearing
now that we have you up to speed on the walking part.” He couldn’t help but
grin. He was only teasing but it was something he had always wondered about.
Agron could be standing on top of something and yet he would never hear it. 
***** Chapter 3 *****
“I hear what I want to hear.” Agron grinned as he pushed himself from the
couch. “And as I recall that’s our daughter dear.”
            “Smart ass.” Nasir grinned shaking his head. “Gannicus is on his
way by the way.”
            Agron went to get the young girl. Scooping her from her crib he
couldn’t help smiling at Aerlia sleeping in her bed. She didn’t mind that they
had moved Lea in to her room in order to redecorate the nursery. In fact she
seemed to enjoy it.
            Slipping from the room he returned to the living room. “Ganny
getting tired of bachelor life already?”
            “He’s only alone till Saxa and the kids get back.” Nasir grinned
taking the girl from Agron’s arms. “Hey baby girl.”
            Agron settled in beside him on the couch once again. He couldn’t
imagine what it would be like not having his family around even for a short
period of time.
                                      ***
            “Do you want to play again?” Derrick’s eyes drifted to Eva. It
wasn’t hard to tell that she was fighting not to fall asleep.
            “Maybe later. I’m kind of sleepy right now.”
            “Alright.” Derrick offered a small smile. “Get better soon Eva.”
                                      ***
            Christmas came and went and with each Eva did get better. She was a
trooper, there was no doubting that. Aerlia was already almost three which came
as a surprise to everyone, it seemed like just yesterday she’d begun crawlins
around. Now though she was trying to help with Lea who was beginning to toddle
herself.
            Eva on the other hand was just happy to swim, jump and run again.
Poor kid had been so upset to have to skip her riding lessons and then to make
matters worse she’d be kept under Agron’s watchful eye. He never missed
anything, she swore it.
            Derrick was the one she should have worried about though. What
Agron did miss, he saw and he also knew she shouldn’t be doing half of it.
            “Papa!” Eva giggled clambering down from a tops the horse she’d
been working with. Agron’s heart nearly stopped watching her. He’d practically
begged Nasir to reconsider dance lessons or even skating but he’d insisted that
this was what the girl wanted and this was what she’d get.
            It wasn’t only once she was on the ground again that he felt
himself start breathing again. It wasn’t that he didn’t like horses. In fact
really it was the opposite but Agron also knew you couldn’t ever tame the
mighty beasts completely. The slightest things could set them off and that
worried him.
            “What’s up kiddo?” Agron asked leaning forward to unto the buckle
on the helmet for her.
            She swatted at his hand sighing as she did. Gannicus had been
right, now that the girl was in her preteens, she was a bit more of a handful
then she used to be. “I thought we discussed this? I’m not a “kiddo” anymore.
Where’s dad?”
            Agron couldn’t help the smile that formed upon his lips a he
watched her. He would ignore the fact that she was being mouthy until she got
disrespectful and then he’d put a stop to it. “When I left he was cursing in a
language I didn’t really understand. Syrian, Arabic, who knows, I just know he
wasn’t happy.”
            Eva’s eyes drifted to Aerlia who was clinging to Agron’s leg. She
was a daddy’s girl and when Lea was born she hadn’t been happy to see someone
take his attention. “But we were supposed to go to lunch.”
            “Yea, I know. If you can forgive that I’m not your dad, we can
still go.” Nasir had made it tradition that he’d pick her up from her lessons
and then they went to lunch, it was a bonding experience plus he got to see
what she would tell him when they were alone. He wasn’t sure what had set Nasir
off but he knew that he was very unhappy.  While Agron had understood very
little of the conversation, the tone of Nasir’s voice, the look in his eyes
told him everything he needed to know.
            “Alright.” Eva offered a smile as she looked at him, leaning down
she scooped Aerlia up offering a smile as she did, though it wasn’t as easy as
it had once been. She wasn’t dumb; she knew what he was doing. Nasir might
really be upset but this was also an opportunity to better understand the two
girls that he hadn’t been able to spend much time with. Eva, because she was
beginning to push them away from her for her friends and Aerlia because he knew
the young girl was still struggling adjusting to not being the baby anymore.
While she enjoyed Lea’s company, she missed the attention. She was used to
sniffling and getting Agron’s attention but that wasn’t true anymore.
                                      ***
            “Nasir!” Agron rarely raised his voice with him, but he was trying
so hard to get him to see that he couldn’t understand him. “English, German, I
don’t care what we speak as long as we both speak it.”
                        “Sorry, sometimes I forget you cant understand what I’m
saying.” Nasir sighed closing his eyes for a minute before he opened them again
to look upon him. “My father.” He let a hiss slip between his lips as his eyes
turned upon floor. He’d been working at trying to find the man for over a year
now and had finally found him but every time they made plans, the man would
call and cancel on him. Today was the fourth time in a month and Nasir was
beginning to reach the end of his patience. “Damn it I am his son, he at least
owes me enough that he should be able to say he doesn’t want to see me.”
            
***** Chapter 4 *****
            Agron paused listening to the sounds of the house; the kids were
still asleep, which led him to his next statement. “It sounds to me like what
you need is a beer, a long soak in the hot tub and someone to work out the
knots in your back for you.”
            “And what about the kids?”
            “They’re asleep. Eva and Derrick are old enough that they will come
and find us if something happens. As for Lea and Aerlia, grab the baby monitor
if it’ll make you feel better.” He knew that Nasir was worried about them but
they would be fine. They all slept through the night normally and Eva had
finally gotten over her nightmares.
             Nasir knew that Agron was right, it was probably what they both
needed, a welcome escape to the trials of every day life. “Only if you’re the
one to work the knots out.”
            “I think I can manage that. In fact, I can’t think of anyone better
for the job, nor anyone else I’d prefer to touch you.”
                                      ***
            “You feel better?” Agron asked, arm reaching out to wrap around
Nair as he leaned his head against side of the hot tub. While it had been spur
of the moment, it was one of the best investments he’d made, they both agreed
on that.
            “I always feel better when I’m in your arms.” The words were soft
but Nasir meant each one he spoke. “And yes, I do feel a little better. Less
achy then I did. However, I still cannot believe that a man could do such a
thing to his child.”
            “Nasir when we talked about this originally you told me you wanted
to know for sure he wanted nothing to do with you.” Agron held his voice steady
as he spoke. He meant no insult to Nasir by what he was about to say. “Yet he
has proven time and time again that he wants nothing to do with you and yet you
continue to go back to him. I don’t understand.”
            “Part of knowing he wants nothing to do with me is hearing him say
the words. If he were to simply tell me to leave and not come back, I could do
that. However this passive aggressive approach leaves me wondering which way
I’m supposed to go. Does he hate me? Does he just not have time for me? Is it
both?” A sigh slipped from between his lips before he pressed the beer bottle
to them settling in against Agron’s broad chest.
            “I don’t know how anyone could hate you Nasir. You’re an amazing
person, you have one of the biggest hearts that I’ve ever known and you aren’t
judgmental. I know what you’re thinking. Maybe he hates you because you’re gay,
but you know what Nasir? He’s not an important person in your life then. If he
was, he wouldn’t care. Look at your mother, she adored you, and she knew. I’ll
never forget the first time that I met her.”
            “You were the first that she’d ever met.” Nasir couldn’t help but
shake his head at the memory. “She insisted that she had to cook something, it
was only proper. I couldn’t make her understand that I didn’t want that, all I
wanted was for her to meet you. I was convinced even then that you were the one
that I would spend the rest of my life with.” His parents had been divorced at
the time and Nasir had decided it best that Agron meet his mother first, the
woman was most like he was and he didn’t wish for the man to
            “I’m not sure it was noticeable but I shook.” Agron shook his head,
arms tightening around Nasir as he did. “I was pretty well terrified that
something was going to happen.”
            “No that was Dad.” Nasir sighed thinking about the night he’d taken
Agron to meet his father. “I’m still sorry for the way he treated you. I’ve
seen men treat horses….shit.” Nasir sighed his eyes closing for a minute.
“Eva.”
            “What about her?” Agron was confused by the sudden change of
subjects. There was no noise from the house, and the girl was no where to be
seen, he was having trouble following Nasir’s rationale.
            “I was supposed to take her to lunch today. Fuck.” He had forgotten
all about it in the issues he’d been having with his father.
            “Relax Nasir. I took her and Aerlia out, she’s not upset.” Agron
couldn’t help but smile. “In fact she was kind of worried about you.”
            “Worried about me?” Nasir’s brow furrowed as he looked at Agron, he
couldn’t understand why the girl would be worried about him. He was fine after
all.
            “We all worry when we cant understand you Nasir.” Agron’s voice was
gentle. “We never know if you’re happy, sad, upset.”
            “I’m sorry.” Nasir meant it as he leaned his head back to look up
at Agron. “I don’t mean to worry either of you.” He knew that the young girl
was a lot like he was and worried about those that she loved. “I’ve been
thinking about something.”
            “Oh?”
            “Yea, I think maybe it’s time to put her back in school.” Nasir
hated the thought, but yet he also knew that it was what was best for the girl.
            “I-I….” Agron sighed thinking about it. “I’ve thought about it too,
but I each time I do, all I can think of is that little girl that came home in
tears from school because of the vial filth she’d been called.”
            “I know, but she’s not a little girl anymore.” He couldn’t believe
that she was almost thirteen now. “And she’ll have Kia and Amelia to help her
through it, they’ll be in school together.”
            “I think in the end, it should be her choice.” Agron pulled Nasir
closer wrapping his arms tighter around him. “But I thought we decided no
stress tonight, tonight was about making you feel better.”
            “You’re right. And I believe someone promised to work the knots out
of my back.”
***** Chapter 5 *****
                                      ***
“Daddy.” The little girl’s whimper woke Agron. Cracking an emerald eye, he
tried to get his eyes to adjust to the fact that they stung from lack of sleep.
Aerlia stood before him, clinging to her stuffed duck. The little blonde’s hair
was a mess; her cheeks looked as if they were tear stained.
Pressing himself up into a sitting position he held his arms out to the little
girl. The sound of Nasir’s breathing beside him told him that he was still
sleeping, a plus at least, he supposed. “What’s the matter baby girl?”
The girl moved to his outstretched arms, curling up within his lap. She felt
warm to the touch, which made him wonder if she was sick and yet that didn’t
explain the tears. “I no feel good.”
Agron offered a simple nod as he rocked her. She’d brought her ducky, but he
couldn’t figure out why, normally that was only for when she was upset or
scared. “What doesn’t feel good?” Ever since Eva had ended up in the hospital,
he was jumpy at the words.
“My tummy.” The girl moved to rest her head against his shoulder, her eyelids
drooping from exhaustion.
Carefully Agron slid his pillow over, he debated waking Nasir but decided
against it. “You want to stay?” He knew that he couldn’t make her better but he
could attempt to make her feel better.
Aerlia only offered a nod as she fought sleep. “Please”
Agron adjusted her so that she lay upon the pillow before he settled in besides
her curling his arm beneath his head. Perhaps it was not the most comfortable
way to sleep, yet he had done worse while he and Duro were kids and he would
survive. The other arm draped over the young girl, holding her close to him
before he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. “Sleep baby girl.” He knew
that the young girl was having a hard time adjusting to having Lea around still
and he felt bad about that. He had spoiled her, as Nasir had tried to warn him
over the years, and now he knew he had to make it up to her.
Aerlia curled up in the crook of his arm; soon drifting back to sleep and he
found himself hoping that it was something simple like the flu. She was his
baby girl and no matter what he wanted to make sure that she was alright. It
wasn’t long before she was asleep within his arms and Agron finally let himself
fall to sleep as well.
                                      ***
The sunlight cascading in the window told Nasir that it was in fact morning.
Rolling over he was surprised to find not only Agron but Aerlia. A smile graced
his lips as he eyed the young girl curled within Agron’s arms. There was such
as a size difference between the two of them.  The girl seemed even tinier
wrapped within Agron’s large arms. Yet Nasir couldn’t help but wonder why she
was there, but he just didn’t have the heart to wake them.
“She wasn’t feeling good.” Agron’s voice was quiet, though he didn’t open an
eye to look at Nasir. However, he had felt Nasir readjusting and he could only
imagine that he was awake.
            “Does she feel warm?” Nasir couldn’t understand why he hadn’t woken
him if the girl was sick. After all, Agron wasn’t normally the nurturing one,
but it seemed as though he had managed alright.
“Mhm.” Wincing as he moved, Agron sighed. “She’s tossed and turned most of the
night.”
“Neck bothering you?” Nasir tried not to smile but he knew that it was a
loosing battle.
“It’s a little sore but I’ll be alright.” He attempted to stretch it out but
instead he found himself in more pain. “I gave her my pillow, guess I should
have known that sleeping on my arm would be a bad idea.”
“You want mine?” He figured that Agron hadn’t slept very well the night before
knowing he would have awoken several times to make sure that the girl was
alright. “Go back to sleep, I’ll take care of her.”
“If you’re sure.” Agron didn’t dare move though, he was afraid that doing so
would only wake the young girl who still slept beneath his arm.
“Positive Aggy.” His eyes fell upon Aerlia, she was the one who seemed to end
up sick the most and that made him wonder. While it was normally simple colds,
or a case of the flu, he couldn’t help but wonder if there wasn’t more under
the surface. Though he wouldn’t mention it to Agron knowing that it would only
bring him more worry.
Agron was about to speak again as Aerlia began to whimper within his arms.
“Shhhh, it’s ok.” He found himself rubbing the girl’s back trying to quiet her.
“You’re going to be alright.” His words didn’t quiet the young girl though
which made him worry. Moving to sit up he pulled her within his arms and
holding her close to him.
Nasir’s eyes fell upon the pair a smile spreading across his lips as he
watched. It was not hard to see the love that Agron felt for the girl, the
worry clearly written in his face as he tried to quiet her. In the last three
years, Agron had fallen madly in love with the girl, she had captured his
heart. It wasn’t that he loved the other kids less but she had taken his heart
in the very beginning.
“What’s the matter baby girl?” His voice was gentle as he spoke trying to
soothe the girl.
“It hurts.” The girl whimpered, his face burying into Agron’s shoulder trying
attempting to hide her face.
Nasir pushed himself from the bed, heading for the kitchen. He returned a few
minute later with a glass of apple juice but Agron raised an eyebrow realizing
that it couldn’t just be juice. “See if you can get her to drink it.” It was
one of his mother’s many remedies and all he could do was hope that it would
help.  
***** Chapter 6 *****
“Dare I ask what it is?” Agron tried to adjust the young girl but she fought to
stay buried within his shoulder.  “Come on Aery, daddy brought you juice.”
Peaking her face to look up at him, the girl continued to sniffle. “Juice?”
“Yea, it’s apple.” His eyes fell upon Nasir still waiting the answer to his
question as the girl took the sippy cup from him.
“One of my mother’s many home remedies. Hopefully it will help, if so, it
should ease the pain some, maybe even help her to sleep.” Nasir found himself
sitting on the edge of the bed, finger tips rubbing against Aerlia’s back. “Get
better kiddo.”
He pushed himself from the bed, eyes falling upon Agron. “Eva’s up but Lea and
Derrick are still asleep. Get some sleep Agron.”
“I will when she does.” Gently he rocked the young girl, he felt like there
should be something more that he could do for her, and yet he knew he couldn’t
end her suffering.
                                      ***
Nasir’s eyes fell upon Agron for a moment before turning back to the game that
he and Eva and Derrick were playing. Lea had settled in on his lap, trying to
help him play, but her version of help was a little different then his own.
“How’s Aerlia?”
“Sleeping. She must be feeling better because she’s not as sniffly and she
slept through me moving.” Agron sank to the floor beside Nasir, eyes falling
upon the Monopoly board a laugh slipping between his lips. “I see that Eva’s
winning again.” He knew that Derrick let her win but Nasir normally was a
formidable opponent for the girl.
“I’m pretty sure that she and Lea are on a team together.” A grin formed upon
Nasir’s lips, he also had figured out that Derrick allowed Eva to win, a fact
that he was sure if she knew she would not be pleased with it.
 Eva shook her head, a grin forming as she looked at him. “No, if that was true
I wouldn’t be in jail right now because I let her roll for me and she rolled
doubles again.”
Agron shook his head, scooping the young girl from Nasir’s lap. “Are you trying
to help daddy?”
The little girl’s face lit up giggling as she began to bounce. “Daddy!” Even
Eva was beginning to become more comfortable referring to Agron as Dad, though
she still preferred Papa.
“I think Lea and I are going to go make lunch, is anyone else hungry?” While
Agron still didn’t really like the kitchen, and Nasir did most of the cooking,
he would cook from time to time.
“Not me. I’m already too fat.” The words caused Agron and Nasir to exchange
raised eyebrows. The young girl was beautiful, she was anything but fat, in
fact she could be considered underweight if anything.
“Eva Marie.” Nasir scolded taking the dice from her. “Don’t make me call your
Aunt Kat again. You know exactly what she would say.” While the woman had
suffered through an eating disorder when she was a teen and even into her early
twenties, she was liable to tell the girl to eat a cheeseburger.
“You’re anything but fat.” Derrick’s voice surprised them all. He rarely spoke
out against anyone but at least this time he was arguing for a good reason. He
and Eva had become good friends over the past few months, which meant less
arguments and Nasir and Agron were both glad to see it.
Eva paused her eyes falling upon her brother for a moment as she looked at him.
It wasn’t that she didn’t trust her brother; in fact it was something very
different that drove the girl’s motives. “That’s not what Joey says.” The
girl’s eyes cast to floor having spoken the words. She could imagine what he
fathers would say, how they would tell her that her self image shouldn’t be
based on someone else’s opinion. But she liked this boy, she really like in
fact, and he had turned her away, a fact that hurt though she hadn’t shared
such until now.
“That little lowlife bastard that lives next Gannicus and Saxa?” Agron’s words
caused Nasir to sigh, so much for tact he thought to himself. “Eva, you’re
beautiful, he wouldn’t know beauty if he saw it. Besides, if all he’s
interested in is your looks, he’s not worth it.” Though her interest in boys
brought something to heart that Agron was not yet used to, fear. He didn’t fear
the fact that she was interested in them so much as what they would do to her.
He had dated his fair share of men before Nasir, and all they had wanted were
simple fucks and nothing more, which he hadn’t minded then but he would see
better for his daughter.
“I have to agree.” Nasir’s words were soft. “Well, with most of it anyways.” He
couldn’t recall having met the boy in question, though obviously Agron had at
one point or another judging by his response.
“You just don’t understand!” The tears that formed in the girl’s eyes broke
both of their hearts. They understood more than she thought, each had more than
once laid his heart on the line with someone only to have it broken.
Before either could move though, Derrick had wrapped the girl within his arms
holding her close. “Then tell us Eva, what is it that we don’t understand? Make
us understand what has changed you so much that you would listen to someone who
says such awful things about you.”
“I-I don’t want to talk about it.” The girl stammered and Agron was the first
to move. Slipping Lea from his lap, he scooped the phone up off the table,
heading for the door. If there was one person that would know who was going on,
he knew exactly who it was. “I’ll be back.” 
***** Chapter 7 *****
                                      ***
“What the fuck Saxa?” Emerald eyes fell upon the blonde who looked especially
puzzled by this reaction.
“Agron, you’re going to have to be a little more specific if you wish me to
answer that.” She knew the look in his eyes, it was one she’d seen before, one
she often times feared and for a moment she considered calling Duro. She knew
after all that he was the only one that could possibly control Agron, other
than Nasir, when he got like this.
“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me that Eva was having an issue with that fuck
wad next door?” Agron’s voice was hardly a growl as he spoke.
“Because she didn’t know.” The voice caused Agron to spin around, coming to
rest upon the young blonde who stood before him. Kia. “Eva requested that I not
say anything.”
“Why?” Her words did nothing to soften the tone of his voice, perhaps he kept
his mouth in check more but that was all that it did for him.
“Because she didn’t want you to know.” He didn’t scare her, she made that
apparent. “Perhaps she was afraid you’d act like this?”
“What happened Kia? I’ve got that he called her fat but something tells me
there’s more to it than that.”
“I’m not supposed to tell.” The girl was strong, her eyes falling upon him as
she spoke.
“Kai, tell him.” Saxa stood as the reassurance that the girl needed. “Eva would
understand.”
Her eyes turned to Saxa for a minute. “A-are you sure I have to tell him? I
can’t tell Nasir?” She knew that Agron would lose it, she wasn’t afraid of him;
she just didn’t want to listen to him yell anymore.
“Tell him Kia, he wouldn’t hurt a fly. He’s all bark no bite. Tell him.”
The young blonde took a deep breath, her dark eyes falling shut before she
spoke again. “I-I only know what Eva told me.” Her voice was soft as she took a
deep breath. “H-he convinced her he loved her and….”
“And what?” Agron felt his blood begin to boil; he couldn’t believe that he
didn’t know that something had happened to the girl. “Tell me Kia, I can’t help
her if I don’t know what’s going on with her.”
“H-he forced her.” The words were hardly a whisper as she spoke them, her eyes
turning to the floor. She felt like an awful person for not telling them
sooner, but she had promised her friend she wouldn’t.
Carefully Saxa wrapped her arms around the young girl, and the sound of her
soft sobs could be heard as she ran her fingers through her hair, eyes turning
to Agron. He was quiet, but she was sure that he was numb, at least until he
realized what she had said. “It’s alright, you did the right thing.”
“Thank you Kia.” Agron’s voice was quiet as he spoke, his lips pursing still as
he did. “I-I….” He shook his head as he thought about it. He knew that neither
Gannicus nor Saxa would allow for such a thing if they knew about it, and he
also understood why she hadn’t told him.
“Go home to her Agron.” Saxa’s voice was quiet, and she knew that once the
numbness wore off, he’d be infuriated and the last thing she wanted was for him
to be near the person who had perpetrated such an act. “And give her a hug for
me.”
He offered a nod, eyes drifting to Saxa as she spoke. Much like with Duro, he
didn’t need to speak the words he was thinking, she understood, sometimes
before even he did. He knew that things would only get tougher from here. Eva
would be upset that Kai had told her secret and while he couldn’t blame her, he
was also glad that she had told them. Turning from the pair he slipped out into
the sunshine, but even the sun’s warmth did nothing to solve the numbness that
he was feeling. It wasn’t until he had climbed into the car that it really hit
him though, tears falling from his emerald eyes as he sat there. He had failed
the girl.
The one job that he had held was to make sure that nothing happened to her and
yet this had happened. How could she ever forgive him? More so how could she
ever forgive him for not knowing that something had been wrong? That up until
now he did not know that something had happened, even if she could forgive him,
he wasn’t sure that he could forgive himself.
Attaching the phone to the dash, he dialed Nasir’s number putting the car in
drive before he headed off in the opposite direction of home.
“Hello?” Nasir’s voice was calm compared to the turmoil that he felt within.
“Just talk to me Nasir.” The weakness in his own voice made him cringe. “I
don’t care what you talk about, just talk to me.”
“Agron, what’s wrong?” Nasir could tell by the sound of his voice that he
wasn’t alright, and he didn’t bother to ask such a question because of it.
“I-I…..” Agron paused thinking about the question. “He raped her Nasir, my baby
girl. Hell our baby girl, and I didn’t even know. Who knows how long she’s been
living with this.”
Nasir was quiet for a minute, allowing what he had just said to sink in. “This
isn’t your fault Agron, come home, we can make this alright.” It was true,
perhaps they could. “We can get her through this. Just come home.”
“I’ll be home in a little while. I-I need to do something first.”
“Therapy?” Nasir knew Agron too well, or at least that was what Agron would
have said.
            “Mhm….” It was rare he would admit to going but right now, he had
no idea what was going on in his head. He could only hope that talking about it
would help. If not for his sake, then for Eva’s. The last thing that she needed
was for him to be a wreck trying to help her through it.
***** Chapter 8 *****
“Alright, I’ll call Kat and see if she has any suggestions. I wont ask her to
take this one.” Nasir sighed. “I’ll take care of her Aggie.”
“I know you will Nasir.” HE didn’t doubt that. “I’ll call you later.”
                                      ***
Nasir curled the young girl within his arms. He hated to see her upset and knew
there was nothing he could due to make it ok. “Shhh…” The word wouldn’t calm
the girl and he knew it but he couldn’t imagine what she was going through.
Kat hadn’t needed to be asked but instead had shown up, not as her therapist
but as her aunt, a woman whom she trusted. It had been a long day, but he knew
no one would take it harder than Eva.
The brunette that cried within his arms had been so strong through it all. Yet
now she shook and sobbed, dark eyes turning up to look at him. “I-im sorry.”
“God no Eva. There’s nothing to be sorry for.” Carefully he pulled her to him,
eyes turning to look up at Agron who had slipping into the room before sitting
beside them. Gentle fingers brushed against her shoulder. There were so many
things he wanted to say to her and yet he didn’t know how to say them.
The girl’s tears streaked fact turned up to look at him. The touch surprised
her, it was unusual for Agron to offer such.
He trailed his finger’s pushing the hair behind her ears, trying so hard not to
spook her. Instead of pulling away as he had feared though, she instead moved
closer to his touch. “God I’m sorry Eva,” His voice was quiet, though he tried
to fight his own tears. “I-I….”
Eva shook her head, finger tips brushing lightly against his cheek as she did.
“You didn’t do anything.” Her voice was hardly understandable but he was able
to piece together what he did understand.  “Nothing you could have done would
have changed this. I-I deserved it.”
Agron felt as if someone had twisted the knife that much further. Carefully he
pulled her to him. “No, god no Eva. No one ever deserves what you’ve been
through.”
While he hadn’t been there when she needed him, he had also seen it best for
her. In the state he was in, he’d have been liable to rip limbs from anyone who
dared to lay a hand upon the girl. It was one of the many times he was glad for
Nasir. While he was equally as upset, he hid it better. It wasn’t until they
were behind closed doors that he would allow his emotions to show though.
As his attention finally returned to the girl within his arms, Agron couldn’t
help the smile that curled at his lips finding her asleep within his arms.
Gently, he pushed hair from her face, before laying her against the bed,
hopeful that she would stay asleep. He felt Nasir push himself from the bed and
yet he couldn’t follow. Emerald eyes fell upon the young girl, she’d been
through hell. He couldn’t even begin to imagine what she was going through, but
more than anything else he wanted to protect her.
“Agron.” Nasir’s voice was quiet from the doorway, dark eyes running over the
man. “Come on.” His voice was gentle but determined. “We’re across the hall;
nothing is going to happen to her.”
Pushing himself from the bed, Agron paused in the door way to look back at Eva;
he knew that Nasir was right. They were all of fifteen feet away if she needed
them, and yet, he still hated to leave her. Reluctantly though, he finally
convinced his feet to move from the room into theirs.
“Are you alright?”
“Yea.” Agron allowed a sigh to slip between his lips. “I’m sorry. It wasn’t
fair of me to leave this up to you.”
“It’s alright. Kat stopped by and helped out.” There was something about Nasir
that no matter what, he would be forgiving of Agron’s behaviors no matter what.
“I-I still should have been there for her.” No amount of reassurance on Nasir’s
part would make him feel otherwise. “Not her aunt.” He loved Kat, and he knew
that she was trained to deal with things like this but he was her father and he
knew that he should have been there for her. Yet, he wasn’t sure what he would
have done if he had. His mind was in a state of utter turmoil and yet at the
heart of it all, was the fact that he hadn’t been able to see what had happened
to Eva.
“Aggy.” Nasir stepped towards him, his hand reaching up and touching his cheek.
“More than anything, she needs you, and if you’re not where you need to be,
you’re not any good to her. You did the right thing.”
Agron allowed a sigh to slip between his lips, cheek leaning against Nasir’s
hand. “Did everything go alright at least?”
Nasir offered a nod. “Yea, you’d have been proud, she was as strong as she
could be. It probably helped that the officer she spoke to is a friend of
Gannicus’. I was amazed at how good he was with her.”
Agron pursed his lips thinking about it for a minute. “Attius? I hadn’t heard
he was back in town.”
He remembered the man well and didn’t find it the least bit surprising that he
had been so good with Eva. “He’s a decent guy. Always been good with kids.”
“I don’t hold a lot of hope on the legal end.” Nasir shook his head. “After
all, he’s not much older than she is.” He sighed at the thought. “But really,
more than anything, I’m concerned for her.”
Agron offered a simple nod.  “Are you alright?”
“No, I’m pissed.” Nasir shook his head. “I don’t understand, how could we not
have known.”
“Because she was acting like a normal teenager.” Agron shook his head. “She
hated when we touched her, she was moody, she cried but none of that is
abnormal for Eva.”
Nasir paused at the thought. “I-I guess I never thought of it that way.”
“I think Kia felt bad.” Agron shook his head, settling in on the bed, as his
eyes fell upon Nasir again.
“Saxa called earlier to check on Eva, the girls talked for a few minutes, I
don’t think that Eva’s mad, in fact I almost think that she’s relieved.” Nasir
sat on the end of the bed, crossing his legs as he looked down at Agron. “Kat
recommended a therapist.”
Agron nodded as he looked at him. “I figured she would but I-I don’t want to
push it with Eva if she’s not ready.” His voice was quiet as he spoke. “I
understand that she needs to deal with it, but maybe her way is what she
needs.”
Nasir offered a nod as he looked upon him. “The most important part right now
is that she knows that we’re here for her. That Kat and Duro and even Saxa and
Gannicus are there for her.”
“And Naevia and Crixius….god I never thought I’d say those words.” It wasn’t
that he held a dislike for Crixius anymore, he just wasn’t used to
complimenting him yet.
                                      ***
“Eva?” Agron yawned pushing himself from the bed to sit up, he was used to
Aerlia wandering in, but Eva sitting in the door way was anything but normal.
She sat curled in a ball, her back pressed against the door frame, eyes turning
up at his voice as if she’d been spooked. “What’s the matter?”
“I-I was alone.” Her voice was but a whisper as she spoke. “I didn’t want to be
alone anymore.”
Agron offered a nod pushing himself from the bed. “Come on, let’s get you
something to eat, I’ll make hot cocoa how’s that sound?”
Her eyes turned up to look at him offering a tiny nod as she did. “O-ok.”
Agron extended a hand to her, waiting for her reaction; if she didn’t want to
take it then she didn’t have to. He wouldn’t force such a thing on her but the
offer was there if she chose it.
Cautiously the girl placed her hand within his before she pulled herself to her
feet. “I-I am sorry if I woke you Papa.” Her voice was quiet as she spoke.
“No, you’re fine Eva. Know though that just because you are the only one in the
room, you are never alone.” He meant the words. “All you need is to yell or
scream and one of us will be there. I promise it to you.”
***** Chapter 9 *****
Eva simply offered a nod as she looked at him.  “Papa?” The girl’s voice was
meek as they reached the kitchen.
“Yea?” Agron paused opening the fridge as he spoke, though he stood to lay eyes
upon her. “How’s eggs and bacon sound?”
“Fine.” She forced a smile as he looked upon him. “W-would you mind taking me
for my lesson this afternoon?” She wished that things wouldn’t change, that she
would instead have things as they had always been.
“Yea.” Agron paused thinking about it. “Of course I will. I will mention it to
your dad, I’m sure he’d meet you for lunch.”
The girl offered only a tiny nod as she looked at him. “B-but you would leave?”
It was a question that made Agron stop to think for a moment.
“Not if you do not wish me to.” To him it was strange, normally the girl
couldn’t get rid of them soon enough and yet here she was asking him to stay.
Though he knew the reason well, it was still a surprise to him. Turning the
stove on, his eyes fell upon the girl. “Would you throw toast in the toaster
please?”
Eva offered a nod as she moved across the kitchen, the girl dropping the toast
within the toaster and pressing the lever. Leaning against the counter she
watched him. “I-I enjoy being around horses, i-it helps.”
He stopped to think about what she had just said.  Offering a nod he leaned
against the counter. He had heard of such before and remembered well Kat
speaking of a class she had taken on alternate forms of therapy, one being with
animals. If it would help her, he would to anything, despite his fear of what
might happen to her upon one. “It makes sense.” His voice was quiet as he
spoke.
            “Besides Sibyl’s really nice.” Jumping at the sound, Eva offered a
glare at the toaster, a chuckle slipping between Agron’s lips.
            “Apologies.” He couldn’t help but laugh grabbing two plates from
the cupboard. “Sibyl is your instructor correct?” He recalled meeting the woman
once or twice before. Very meek and quiet, he could understand why Eva would
take comfort in the woman. The motherly figure that she lacked in her life.
            “Yea.” Eva moved to the table setting the plate with the toast on
the table, before she pulled out a chair. “Are they dipping eggs?”
            “You should be able to, they’re a little hard but I think you
should still be able to.”
            “Yours are always better than Dads.” Eva leaned her elbows on the
table as she watched him.
            “Thanks.” Agron was surprised by the statement he knew that
undoubtedly Nasir was the better cook.
“You’re limping, what happened?” Eva’s eyes were like a hawk no matter how much
she would like to deny that she saw as much.
“I stepped on one of Lea and Aerlia’s cows in the bathroom. I’m fine though, I
feel alright though, just tender.” Agron shook his head. “I was attacked by a
cow.”
A giggle slipped through Eva’s lips for the first time in a long time and it
came as a welcome sound. “The way that sounds is kind of funny.”
“Eat up kiddo and then you can shower and I’ll wake your dad up and see what he
wants to do. I know that you normally go to lunch and I’m sure that he’ll enjoy
that. “He set a plate before her before he pulled out a chair across the table,
sliding into it.
Eva offered a nod as she looked at him. “I wouldn’t mind if he didn’t want to
go.” She was quiet as she spoke, her attentions turning to the food in front of
her.
                                      ***
A gentle hand ran over the chestnut colored mare who stood before her. “Yea,
that’s a good girl. We’re going to get over this hurdle today aren’t we?” They
were working on their jumps and though they had been at it for weeks now, they
just never seemed to clear it.
Eva allowed a laugh to slip between her lips as the mare nudged at her
shoulder. “Yes, yes, you will get a carrot when we’re done.”
She’d managed to come up with the courage to tell Agron that it was alright if
he left, though she was still a little jumpy. However, she knew that he had
things that he should be doing. Despite that though, he had insisted if she
wanted him to, he’d stay. She insisted several times that she would be fine and
he had finally listened to her.  
She knew that she couldn’t rely on them both for the rest of her life, at some
point she was going to have to take a step out and stand on her own two feet.
Yet she wasn’t sure that this was the time for it either, though she was going
to try it anyways.
“You ready Eva?” The voice behind her caused her to jump turning to look at the
brunette behind her.
 A smile formed upon her lips as she realized who it was, offering a nod as she
did. “I think so.  Maybe today we’ll get over it.” She was hopeful but yet the
way the rest of her week had gone, she wasn’t sure that it would much matter.
“Just remember what we talked about last week.” Sibyl offered a smile. “You’re
hesitating just before and Aragon knows that, she’s not going to be anymore
sure than you are. Trust in yourself Eva, I know that you can get over this
hurdle.”
Offering a nod, the girl pushed her foot into the stirrup before pulling
herself up into the saddle. She would never understand exactly why but somehow,
being in the saddle of a horse always made her feel better.  “Come on girl. We
can do this.” Her finger tips rubbed against the horse’s neck before she eased
her forward across the paddock from the hurdle. 
***** Chapter 10 *****
Easing Aragon forward she managed to get her up and over the hurdle, it wasn’t
until all four hooves were on the ground though that Eva let out a sigh of
relief. Finally, she thought to herself as she turned the mare around, eyes
falling upon the now grinning Sibyl. “See! I told you that you could do it!”
Eva leaned to hug Aragon’s neck, trying not to tumble off of her back. “We did
it girl, we finally did it.” It was in that moment though she realized
something. She might not always be able to get through it the first time, hell
she might fall down fourteen times but the important part was getting up that
fifteenth time and trying again. She could get through this, and she would. It
might not be today or even tomorrow but the girl would get through it.
                                      ***
Though each day brought new challenges they all made it through the next few
months. Day by day, Eva grew more like she had once been. The light restored
within her eyes much to the happiness of her fathers. “Lea!” The girl whined as
her little sister stole the last of the crackers she had been munching on.
Duro shook his head from where he was laying on the couch. “Let her have them
Eva.” He had offered to look after the kids while Nasir and Agron got time
alone. He knew that they were both under a lot of stress with everything that
had been going on with Eva, and if he could help his older brother out, he
would.
“But…but….they were mine.” Eva turned to look at him wide eyed, seeming rather
upset that he had dared to not agree with her.
“Yes, and you’re supposed to share. And you’re wishing that you had a
babysitter who didn’t have a clue the way this house should run, I know.” Duro
quirked a grin as he looked at her. When it came to looking after the kids,
really Derrick and Eva were easy. They were old enough to look after themselves
but every now and then he had to interfere on a fight.. It was Aerlia and Lea
that kept him on his toes. Aerlia had crashed early and he was waiting for Lea
to do the same.
Eva allowed a sigh to slip between her lips as she sank to the floor again
across from Derrick. She loved her Uncle to death but she wished that now and
then he would bend a rule.
“Here take mine.” Derrick offered a smile as he slid the napkin across the
coffee table to her. He knew that Duro couldn’t yell at him, after all he had
said that they had to share.
Eva offered a smile eyes falling upon her brother, before offering a nod.
“Gratitude.” Her voice was soft before she drew the next card.
Duro couldn’t help shaking his head before he scooped Lea up settling her in on
his chest as he did. The young girl was rubbing at her eyes and yawning, he
couldn’t imagine that it would be much longer before she was asleep, thought
Nasir had said that she loved to cuddle, especially when she was tired and he
would try anything if it meant that she wouldn’t be cranky.
“She wont sleep without her blankey.” Derrick’s voice was quiet as his eyes
fell upon the young girl. He pushed himself from the floor disappearing only to
return a couple of minutes later with the blanket.
Seeing it though, Lea’s eyes lit up, hands reaching out for the blanket her
older brother now held. Once she grasped it within her hands, she curled up
with Duro, settling in quietly again.
There was something about all of the sibling’s relationships that made Duro
shake his head. It had always been just him and Agron and while Agron had kept
a close eye on him growing up, especially after they had lost their parents, he
had also given Duro a hard time. These kids were no different; they would give
anything for one another. Especially Derrick who had really come out of his
shell since Nasir and Agron had adopted him. Now he would do anything for Eva
and would step in the way of anyone who dared to hurt Aerlia and Lea. Eva would
do anything for any of her siblings and much as Agron had, she mothered them
each in her own way. Aerlia had already proven that she wanted to help in
anyway that she could when it came to Lea and she wanted to be included by Eva
and her friends, which was something that Eva, Kia and Amelia didn’t seem to
mind.
“Thanks Derrick.” Duro offered a smile, eyes falling upon the boy.
                                      ***
“Gee Duro make yourself comfortable.” Agron’s eyes fell upon his brother, where
he had stretched out on the couch again.
“Would you have preferred I crawled into your bed to sleep?” Duro cracked an
eye to look at his brother, a smile playing at his lips as he looked at him. In
truth, all of the kids were asleep, tucked into their beds and he’d figured he
might as well catch up on sleep while he had the chance.
“Alright, a valid point.” Agron paused to look at him. “Thanks, it was nice to
get out. How were they?”
“They were good.” Duro pushed himself to sit up, eyes falling upon his brother
as he did. “You know as well as I do, every group of siblings is going to have
an issue now and then.”
Agron offered a nod sinking to the other end of the couch. “Eva and Aerlia seem
to be the worst of it. I think Eva feels like being the oldest she doesn’t
necessarily get the attention that she deserves but that’s not true.” He sighed
shaking his head. “And Aerlia, she’s been my baby girl for so long that she’s
not always so ready to give up the attention to Lea and Derrick.” 
***** Chapter 11 *****
“You give them all enough attention Agron.” Nasir’s voice was gentle. “I know
that it’s been hard. Especially when it comes to Eva and Aerlia.” He knew this
was tough for him, even more so since they had found out that Aerlia had issues
with her immune system. While it wasn’t severe and was in fact a common thing,
it had been a hard blow for Agron. While he loved all of his kids, Aerlia was
what the rest would call his favorite.
“Eva’s still jumpy I see.” Duro offered a smile as he looked up at his brother.
“I forgot about it and walked up behind her.”
            “Normally she’s ok if she hears you there.” Nasir offered a smile.
“Duro,go home, you look exhausted.”
            “I am. Annie’s had a cold and she’s cranky.” Duro allowed a sigh to
slip between his lips. “But I will survive. Have a great night.”
            “Get some sleep.” Agron’s voice was gentle, eyes drifting over his
brother as he spoke. He knew that trials of a young child who was sick well.
“And you’re always welcome here if you need to get away.”
            “Yea, I know. Kat’s still trying to get over her cold, so I’ve been
kind of busy.”
            “She didn’t mind that you were here did she?” Agron hated to think
of the woman upset, especially sick and trying to take care of the young one
who was only afew months older than Lea and a handful at times.
            “No, she said she felt pretty good other than the temp and then
whenever she stood up it was like the room spun on her. When I left they were
curled up on the couch watching Beauty and the Beast or something.” In truth,
Duro had no idea what the movie had been, much less what it was about. When it
came to movies about princesses, he was already at a disadvantage.
            Nasir couldn’t help but snicker, he was just returning from poking
his head to check in on the kids. “Was there a talking clock?”
            “Uh, no.” Duro’s eyebrows rose as he looked at Nasir. “Clocks don’t
talk, I’m not really sure what world you’re living in but you might want to try
this one.”
            Agron bit back a laugh. He felt bad for his baby brother, oh the
things he would learn with a little girl. “Then it wasn’t Beauty and the Beast
because there was a talking clock, candlestick, well really the whole house
talked at one point or another.”
            Duro raised his eyebrows at his brother. “Alright, I’m going home
because I’m so tired, I’m pretty sure that you’re talking about talking
appliances and houses.” Heading for the door he stopped to turn to look at the
two of them. “You’ve got a great bunch of kids, I know you worry about them but
they’re pretty special.”
“Thanks.” Agron offered a smile as he looked at his little brother. “Now go and
get some sleep, something tells me you’re going to need it.”
                                      ***
            “How in the hell are you getting that number?” Gannicus sat looking
at the numbers that Agron was working with comparing them with his own. They’d
figured that while the house was semi quiet maybe they could get the books
balanced but all that it was doing was leaving them both more frustrated then
when they had started.
            Saxa, Kat and Naevia had taken Kai and Eva for a day at the Spa
along with Amelia for a girl’s day. Duro had Annie-Marie and Lea since the two
girls loved playing together along with Aerlia who didn’t seem to notice that
she was so much older than the girls and Nasir and Crixius had taken Derrick,
Brice and Alton, Crixius and Naevia’s little guy, to the zoo.
            “Like this.” Agron went through it for him again before Gannicus
looked at the program before him, eyes turning to the number he had just
written down. “OK, but that’s not what it’s getting.”
            “And now you know why I do them with pen and paper.”
            “I thought it was because you couldn’t use a computer if you had to
in order to save your life.” Gannicus cracked a grin to look at the other man. 
They were both beginning to hate it, Duro trusted Agron more than anything but
seeing it in black in white on a computer screen was easier for them to
understand. After all, trying to figure out how Agron had gotten to those
numbers wasn’t as easy as it sounded.
“Well yea, that has to do with it too but I learned it this way so that is so
beyond me.” Agron sighed. “I guess we start at the beginning again and see if
we can figure out where our mistake is.”
Gannicus allowed a sigh to slip between his lips. This was the third time that
they had tried this and they still weren’t any closer then they had been the
first two. The numbers just weren’t matching and Agron was dead set that his
math was right. Gannicus wouldn’t argue, he was sure that he was right as well
but why the tax program wasn’t matching he just couldn’t figure out. “Alright,
let’s try this again.” He began to read off numbers for Agron to match against
his own.
“Wait, wait, what was that last number?” Agron pursed his lips. It certainly
wasn’t the number that he had.
“$650” Gannicus eyed him for a minute sure that it was exactly what Agron had
said when he had read them off the last time.
“Well that would do it then. That should be $6500.” One of the many reasons he
despised the blasted computer. It was purely operator oriented and he couldn’t
help but wonder how often mistakes such as this were made and never caught
because they weren’t checked.
“How did it take us this many times to figure this out?” Gannicus shook his
head, blonde curls flying as he did, eventually falling to rest in front of his
dark eyes causing him to blow at them, but when they wouldn’t move, he brushed
the hair behind his ears.
***** Chapter 12 *****
“Alright, so that makes us even.” Agron nodded. “My math is right, which means
that we have wasted the last 3 hours of our life.”
            “We didn’t question the math, we just can’t figure out how you get
to the numbers. Actually I think Duro is pretty well convinced that you just
pull them out of the air.” Gannicus knew how the brothers teased each other and
he was sure that Duro wasn’t serious.
“Duro can’t do math so everything seems like someone pulled the numbers out of
thin air.” Agron grinned, his eyes turning to look at Gannicus. “He wanted to
hire an accountant, I guess he forgot that I went to school for it.”
“Kai thinks you’re mad at her.” Gannicus let a sigh slip between his lips.
“We’ve tried everything but she just won’t listen to anything we say.”
Agron’s eyes fell upon the man beside him, the sudden change of subjects
confused him but it concerned him as well. “Why does she think I’m mad at her?”
He couldn’t imagine what would make the girl feel that way.
“Because of what happened to Eva. She feels like it’s her fault somehow, like
she should have told you but she was afraid of breaking her trust.” He shook
his head. “I’ve tried so hard but I was not ready for the teenage years Aggie.”
“Me either.” Agron shook his head. “As for Kai, I’m not upset with her. I’ll
talk to her if it’ll help.”
Gannicus offered a simple nod, his eyes falling upon Agron. “I haven’t told her
yet but Melitta called the other night. She’s decided that she wants to take
her back.”
“What the hell does she want to do that for?” Agron was surprised. When they’d
settled on the divorce, Melitta wanted nothing to do with either of the kids,
yet now she wanted the girl?
“She has decided that it would be best for Kai to grow up in a stable
household.”
“And yours isn’t?” Agron’s voice was elevated as he spoke. It annoyed him to no
extent that someone could suggest such a thing. “I mean you and Saxa might not
be married but you might as well be. Your relationship is beautiful.”
“I won’t let her have her.” Gannicus’ eyes fell to the floor. “She didn’t want
her almost three years ago, and she damn well cant have her now.” He hated the
fact that his ex wife was attempting to get back at him using the young girl.
She was just finally settling in again, she was beginning to fit in at school,
she had friends, yet the woman wanted to rip her out of it to spite him.
“Good.” Agron offered a smile reaching out and setting a hand on Gannicus’
shoulder before giving it a squeeze. “And we’re here if you need anything, and
I do mean anything. That is unless you want someone to detain Saxa because that
I will not do. You’re on your own with that wild cat.”
Gannicus offered a laugh as the front door opened, Duro slipping through it, a
sleeping Annie and Lea within his arms, Aerlia toddling a long after him as he
moved into the house.
“You can lay her in on the bed with Lea.” Agron offered a smile to his brother,
eyes turning to look at Aerlia. It wasn’t hard to tell that the little girl
wasn’t far behind her sister and cousin. “Come here baby girl.” His voice was
gentle as he held his arms out to her.
The little girl happily settled in within his arms on his lap, cuddling up
against him.
“You know, while my relationship with Saxa might be beautiful, you and Nasir’s
is perfect. I wish I had even half of the relationship that you have with each
of your kids.” Gannicus shook his head as he settled in against the couch.
“You do.” Duro offered a smile as his eyes fell over the two men, sinking into
a chair opposite them both. “Your kids are all amazing.”
Agron’s eyes drifted to the little girl who was no sleeping within his arms
before they returned to his younger brother. “She sleep at all today?”
Duro’s head shook as he looked at him. “I tried but she just wouldn’t go to
sleep for me. I thought she might on the way over but she just didn’t give in.”
“We’ve been having issues with her too, she’s not sleeping during the day but
she sleeps great at night.”
“We had the same issue with Brice, when he was about her age, our answer was to
let him sleep when he wanted to and eventually he grew out of it.” Gannicus
offered a shrug as his eyes fell upon the young girl within Agron’s arms.
“How’s she doing with being sick?”
Agron let a sigh slip between his lips as he looked at the other man. “She
doesn’t understand yet, of course but sadly I think she knows that she’s not
like everyone else.”  His eyes turned to look down at the young girl in his
arms. He knew that she might be young but she understood more than he could
ever imagine.
“Didn’t they say it was possible she’d grow out of it too?” Duro’s eyes turned
to the ceiling as he settled back in the chair. He knew that Aerlia meant the
world to Agron but he also didn’t think that he needed to worry nearly as much
as he did about the young one.
“Yea, but what if she doesn’t?”
“You’ll cross that bridge when you get there.” Gannicus offered as his eyes
fell upon him. “There’s no sense in worrying about it before the fact.”
“He’s right Aggie.” Duro offered a smile as he watched his brother push from
the couch to take the young girl to bed.
Agron returned a few minutes later, eyes falling upon Gannicus for a minute.
“By the way, how come you didn’t tell me that Attius was back in town?”
Gannicus’ eyes fell upon him. “I didn’t?” He could have sworn that he had told
him but it was hard to remember with everything else that had been going on.
“No, I found out from Nasir when he took Eva in for….” He drifted off a snarl
slipping between his lips. He couldn’t stand the thought of what had happened
to her even now.
“Shit, I’m sorry Agron, I could have sworn that I told you.”
***** Chapter 13 *****
“Speaking of things you didn’t know about.” Duro paused tossing a set of keys
at Agron. “I believe those belong to you. Cars washed and in the garage again.”
Agron’s eyes fell upon his brother, “How the hell did you get my keysand my
car? No, lets ty this again. Why did you have my car?”
“Nasir gave them to me. As for why, I recall you saying borrow it when I felt
like it.”
A snicker slipped through Gannicus’ lips. He vividly remembered the
conversation and while Duro was right, perhaps he had skewed it as well.
“If you asked!” Agron shook his head trying to keep his temper in check. Duro
was trying to goat him, a fact he knew well.
                                      ***
“You feeling any better?” Nasir’s eyes fell upon Agron curled within their bed.
“I feel alright, I guess you could say.” Agron mumbled pulling himself from
within the pillow he’d buried his face in. The truth was he felt like hell but
he wouldn’t tell Nasir that as he knew it would only worry him more.
“Eva’s working on making you soup.” Over the last few weeks the young girl was
really beginning to step to help out around the house. She had always loved to
help Nasir in the kitchen and it seemed that was also where she was choosing to
step in.
“You mean you actually wrote the recipe down for her?” Agron couldn’t believe
it. More than anything else, Nasir despised writing them down.
“Well kind of.” Nasir shrugged. “She has the basics but she’s kind of adding
her own flare to it, so this is could be interesting.”
“What’s the matter Nasir?” Agron’s eyes fell upon him as he tried to decide
what exactly the man was trying to hide.
“What do you mean what’s the matter?” While Nasir told Agron everything, he
wasn’t sure that he was ready to talk about this just yet but he had obviously
not masked it as well as he had hoped that he would. While Agron was normally
in a fog when he was sick, he was obviously starting to come out of it.
“Just tell me Nasir, we both know how much I don’t enjoy this game so we might
as well skip over it and get to the part where you tell me.” Agron pursed his
lips. He cringed as something crashed in the kitchen.
“It’s fine!” Eva’s call did little to ease his mind though, it might be fine
with her but obviously something wasn’t fine with Nasir.
“My step mother called this morning.” Nasir pursed his lips knowing that would
take Agron a minute to understand. He hadn’t spoken to the woman since he was
trying to locate his father. She had never been one of his favorite people and
in fact he almost couldn’t deal with her because she was hateful and hard to
deal with. “I guess my father isn’t doing well.”
Agron wasn’t sure what to say. While part of him wanted to say that he was
sorry, he also wanted to celebrate. While Nasir didn’t really like the man, he
was still his father.
Nasir had never wanted to be mad at the man, perhaps they hadn’t been close
while he was growing up, he had hoped that as an adult they could change that.
Yet, that hadn’t been the way that it had gone. “I’m not ready to let him go
yet Aggie.” His voice was quiet and it was easy to tell that he was having
trouble fighting tears as he woke.
“Nasir, he decided that he didn’t want you in his life.” He didn’t want to seem
like he was against the man because it was the exact opposite but he couldn’t
understand how Nasir could be upset over this.
“He is my father Agron, as you once said you hated what your father did to you,
to Duro, hell to your mother but you also understood that you loved him. It is
the same with my father. I don’t respect him, I hate what he did to you, to my
family but he’s still my father and I still love him.” Nasir looked down at the
bed, tears slipping down his cheeks as he did. “Aggy, I can’t let him die with
me mad at him. This isn’t even about his anymore, this is about me.”
Agron pushed himself from the bed taking the man within his arms, holding him
close to his body as he did. “I know Nasir, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it.” The
words were but a whisper as he spoke. “Don’t cry, please don’t cry. Do you know
where he is?”
“Y-yea….” Nasir somehow managed to stammer trying to pull himself together as
he thought about it. It wasn’t necessarily working for him, but he was trying
no matter what.
“Go see him Nasir. Call Kat, I’m sure she’d go with you.” He knew that the
woman hated hospitals, and she hated giving up her weekends but for Nasir she
would do anything.
Nasir offered a nod. “Once you’re feeling better.” His voice was soft as he
spoke. “I wont leave you to look after the kids like this.”
“I’m fine Nasir, Eva’s here, she’ll help. Really right now my heads killing me
but other than that I’ll be alright.” Perhaps he was lying to man but he wanted
him to be happy. If that meant seeing the man, truly assessing what was going
on with him for himself then he would do what he needed to.
“Yea, ok, I’ve heard those words before and I don’t believe them anymore this
time then the last time.” Nasir leaned up pressing a kiss to Agron’s forehead.
“Get some sleep. Once you feel better, I’ll take care of it. Besides, I should
go see what Eva’s crashing around about.” 
***** Chapter 14 *****
Agron offered a nod curling up against the pillow again. “The two of you in the
kitchen, that sounds like a scary thing.” He knew well enough that Nasir was an
amazing cook and Eva was quickly excelling as well. However, the other thing
that this meant was that the kitchen could be in shambles by the end of the
afternoon. While Nasir was a major neat freak, it seemed that by the time he
was done cooking; there were dishes from one end of the kitchen to the other.
Thought within an hour or so, he would have them cleaned up and everything
would be put away again.
“Shut up and go to sleep.” Nasir shook his head but he offered a grin as he
looked at him.  Slipping from the room, he cast a final look at Agron, a smile
playing at his lips before he moved into the kitchen.
“It was nothing major.” Eva offered a smirk turning to look at him. She could
only imagine if Nasir was standing there she was trying to figure out what she
had done. “The pan just wasn’t big enough. The clang was the old one falling
into the sink after I was done changing pans. How’s dad?”
Nasir paused as he looked at her. It was rare that she called Agron dad, he’d
often thought that the different names was her way of telling them which one
she was talking to. “He’s alright; you know how your father is. Stubborn and
determined to make us think that he’s fine.”
Eva simply shook her head, before she turned around to find him with a spoon in
hand. “Uh uh.” She crossed her arms. “You’d be having a fit if I did this to
you while you were cooking. You can taste it when it’s done.”
A chuckle slipped through Nasir’s lips. “Yea, I know but I’m curious. After all
it is my recipe that you altered. You could at least be nice enough to let me
taste it.” Sometimes he forgot that the girl was only thirteen. She had come a
long way since the little girl who had crawled in between them on the bed for
almost the first year of her time with them.
“I suppose.” She sighed as she looked at him. She knew that he was only curious
about what she had done but she also knew that he wouldn’t rest until he had
done so.
                                      ***
“So what do you think?” Eva’s eyes fell upon her father whom Nasir had tucked
into bed again.
“Honestly?” Agron couldn’t help the smile that played with his lips. “Honestly
I think that it’s better than your dad’s, or well maybe not better necessarily
but it is just as good.” He was trying to think of what he wanted to say
exactly. “God ask me that question again when my head isn’t pounding.”
Eva offered a nod and laughed, crossing her legs in front of her on the bed.
“Aerlia’s not a happy camper. She’s been asking dad to see you but he wont
allow for it so that she doesn’t come down with well whatever you have.”
Agron sighed, he and Nasir had talked about this earlier in the day, he knew
that the young girl was upset with Nasir but it was in her best interest. “Did
he take her out?” He’d tried to come up with a way to repay the girls but as
hard as he tried, he couldn’t come up with anything that would help.
“Yea, he took her and Derrick and Lea out for ice cream and to go to the park.”
She offered a tiny smile. She knew he would ask why she hadn’t gone as well but
the truth was that she had convinced him to let her stay with Agron. It was
rare that she got any time with him, especially alone and she wanted to take
advantage of it.
“Really now, why didn’t you go too?” He cocked his head as he watched her. “I
would have been fine alone.”
“I know, but, I wanted to spend time with you.” Her words were quiet, eyes
turning to the bed. He was always so strong and it seemed so odd to be so weak
with him and she certainly didn’t want him to see it.
“Look at me Eva.” His voice was gentle as he looked at her a smile forming as
he watched her. “There is nothing to be ashamed of. I enjoy spending time with
you as well and I’m sorry that we don’t get to do it more often. So what is it
that you want to do?”
“Really? I’d like to talk.” Eva’s voice was quiet as she spoke, eyes turning up
to look at him, surprise showing in her face as she heard his statement.
“About what?” It was odd for Eva to want to talk but he didn’t mind as he
pressed himself against the pillows pushing himself up so that he was sitting
up on the bed.
“About whatever, I just miss talking about things.” It seemed like the only
time they ever got to talk to one another was while they were having breakfast
in the morning or after the other kids went to bed.
“How is Kia?” He was concerned about her for the simple reason that Gannicus
had said that she thought that he was mad at her. It was the exact opposite
though; truthfully he was glad that she had told them, no matter if it had
taken her awhile or not.
“She is alright. She’s with her mom this weekend. I don’t think that she likes
going.” The girl wished there was a way to help her friend to feel better but
there was no way that she could make this better and she knew that. “She enjoys
being with her dad, and with Saxa. I wish that her mom could see that and would
allow her to stay here with him, where she enjoys being.”
***** Chapter 15 *****
Noding Agron allowed a sigh to slip between his lips. Even he had noticed that
Gannicus wasn’t himself as well and he could only imagine that it had to do
with the stress. “I know Eva, there’s nothing either of us can do though but be
there for them.”
“She’s always been there for me and all I can do is the same for her.”
Eva never surprised Agron anymore. HE had grown used to her surprising
behaviors over the years, though on occasion he still stumbled over some of
them. This one though left him in shock every time. It was amazing how big the
girl’s heart truly was even after all she’d been put through.
“I’m sure she will appreciate that. Remind me later and I’ll call Aunt Saxa and
see if Kia can spend next weekend with us.”
While Saxa wasn’t really family, he and Duro had taken her in as such many
years before. As such Eva had adopted to referring to her as aunt, as had most
of the kids.
“Alright. You look tired.”
“A little but I’ll be fine.” He didn’t want to end this with her if she didn’t
choose to.
“Sleep Papa.” Her voice was gentle, offering a smile as she looked at him. “I
have a book report I should be writing anyways.”
“I promise, I wont tell your dad it’s not done.” He offered a grin as he eyed
her.
Pushing herself from the bed she offered a nod. “Probably a good thing since
for the last two weeks I’ve been supposed to be working on it.”
“Right.” Agron offered a nod as he looked at the young girl . He recalled Nasir
spending tedious amounts of time trying to find a book for her.
“It is very boring.” She sighed starting for the door. “I will never understand
why anyone would fall in love with a vampire, or a werewolf for that matter.”
“Because your dad thought it was a good book. He made me read it too….I…yea I
agree.” A yawn slipped between his lips as his eyes returned to him.
“Go to sleep, I am going to suffer through this book and then maybe take Layla
for a walk and enjoy the sunshine.” While Eva still wasn’t quite ok with being
alone but Layla’s protective nature made her feel at ease.
“Be careful.” Agron settled in against the bed again. “Oh Eva before you go,
come here.” He offered a smile as he looked at the young girl leaning to dig
something from within the night stand drawer before he sat himself back up.
Puzzled the girl returned to him, standing beside the bed, her eyes falling
upon him as she did. It was unusual for him to allow her to leave only to call
her back.
“Let me see your hand, I swear to you Eva it will not hurt, you are not in
danger.” He knew how she felt about surprises after what had happened to her
and he would not do such a thing to her.
Holding her hand out to him, she waited, trying to figure out what he was up
to.
Carefully he pressed a necklace into her palm allowing her time to figure it
out.
Her fingers brushed across the cold rough metal, her eyes turning up to look up
at him, confusion showing in her eyes as she did. “I-I do not understand.”
Agron allowed a laugh to slip between his lips as he watched her. “It was my
mother’s, and her mother’s before that, it goes back many generations.” His
voice was gentle as he spoke. “I wish for you to have it, she would wish for
you to have it in fact.”
“But why?” She still didn’t understand exactly why he was giving it to her,
what had prompted such a thing to happen.
“You have found hell this last year Eva, we all know that well.” He allowed a
sigh to slip between his lips as he spoke. “And yet you stand before me, a
beautiful young woman who would do anything for anyone else to make sure they
did not have to live through what you did. You are our first Eva, I fear we
have made many mistakes with you, and yet you have still done amazing things.”
The tears that slipped down Eva’s cheeks as she looked at him weren’t of
sadness; it was rare to hear Agron say how proud he really was of them, and to
her that was the ultimate compliment. “You never failed me.” Her voice was
hardly audible as she spoke. “You have always been there when I needed you.
Thank you.”
Carefully reaching up, he brushed away the tears. “Go write your report Eva. We
will talk about it later, I promise.” He wouldn’t see her end up in trouble
Nasir over a choice he had made.
Eva offered a nod as she looked at him, hand curling around the necklace again.
“I promise, it is in good hands.” She knew what it must mean to him and in
truth she was honored and felt like crying all over again.
“I know Eva.”
Quietly the girl slipped out of the room, heading for her own. Though there was
little work that would get down on her book report. Slipping to her bed, her
fingers uncoiled from around the necklace. The simple gold chain slipped
between her fingers as they ran over it. The pendent was a golden heart, with a
pretty flower shaped inlay upon it. Trembling fingers undid the clasp as she
reached up placing it around her neck, finally getting it clasped, her hands
dropped, fingers running over the pendant.
                                      ***
“Papa?” The girl leaned against the door frame for a moment as she stood
awaiting his answer. She hated to interrupt him and Nasir but he had asked her
to remind him and that was exactly what she would do before she went to bed.
“Uh huh?”
“You wanted me to remind you that you were going to call Aunt Saxa about Kai.”
She offered a smile before she pushed away from the door frame. “Well, good
night.”
***** Chapter 16 *****
The young girl turned and started for the door before Nasir’s voice surprised
her. “Eva.”
Pausing but a moment she returned, eyes falling upon the man again. “Yes?”
“There is no need to rush away.” His voice was quiet, a smile playing with his
lips. “It is odd of you to disappear without even so much as a hug before bed.
What causes such tonight?”
“I-I do not wish to interrupt.”
“You are not interrupting, and you know that, if you were, the door would be
closed.” Nasir shook his head, dark locks flying as he did. “Now come here and
give me my hug and then if you would like to go to bed, you’re welcome to.”
A grin slipped across Agron’s lips, he felt human enough but it was always good
to see Nasir in such a playful mood. It seemed as of late, he was always giving
one of the kids a hard time about something but it was never harshly done. It
was simply playful in nature.
Eva simply stood confused though as her eyes fell upon the man. She did not
understand, how could she not be interrupting? She had after all stuck her head
in as they were in the middle of a conversation, though Agron had requested it,
she still felt like she was intruding.
Finally she willed her feet to move though, before she took him within her
arms. It still amazed her how small the man really was, she was nearly bigger
than he was already. “Good Night.” The words were quiet before she moved away
from him. Her encounter with Agron earlier in the day still left her with many
unanswered questions but they would wait.
“Good Night Eva.” Nasir offered a grin wrapping her within his arms and holding
her close to him.
            He knew what Agron had done to her earlier in the day; in fact it
was what they had been speaking of when she had poked her head in. Yet, he was
not surprised by it; in fact he only wished he had been around to see her face
when he had done so.
                                      ***
            “Yes Saxa I realize….” Agron allowed a sigh to slip between his
lips as Saxa cut him off again. He couldn’t help wondering if she enjoyed
talking to herself because that was pretty much what was doing right now.
“SAXA!”
            “WHAT?” The woman’s response did little to ease his irritation. He
was annoyed right now and for just reason he supposed.
            “I realize that it is your weekend with Kai, now had you let me
finish what I was going to say was that Nasir and I had been talking and we
were talking about renting a cabin at the lake, if you and Ganny and the kids
wanted to join us you’re more than welcome to. Then the girls could still spend
the weekend together as could you guys.” Agron finally took a breath, until now
he’d been afraid that if he did, she would interrupt again.
Oh.” Saxa paused unsure how to proceed now. This was not what she had expected
when he had started the conversation and now she regretted some of the things
that she had said to him. “That sounds kind of nice really. Maybe a get a way
would help Gannicus.” A sigh slipped between her lips as she as she thought
about it, she hated what he was going through and hated his ex wife for what
she was doing to him. Perhaps they had once been in love, she really didn’t
know but now, now it was different.
“How’s he doing? “
“Stressed, not sleeping. You know the norm as of late.”
“I’m sorry Saxa….when’s the final hearing?”
“Next week. We’re kind of hoping that she’ll settle for them being here all
school year and then with her the other three months.” Saxa wasn’t happy and he
knew that, yet because they weren’t married, she had no say in the matter.
“If you need anything please don’t be afraid to call.” He didn’t know how many
times he’d told her this over the years but he meant it as he had all the rest
of them.
“I know Aggy. There’s just not much that you guys can do at this point. Duro
called yesterday to say he was sending Gannicus home. He was a wreck having to
put Eva on the train yesterday.” It had been hard for her as well but she had
attempted to stay strong for Gannicus.
“Yea, he called.” Agron sighed and shook his head. “Hang in there Saxa, it’s
going to be alright. And you can borrow Eva whenever you want to.”
“I may take you up on that.”
                                      ***
“Be careful with your sister!” Agron called adjusting a hand over his eyes as
he pushed himself up in the lawn chair. It was good to see Gannicus smile,
perhaps because he had been awarded custody of both kids full time or perhaps
it was Saxa laying out lazily in the chair beside him in a bikini, but it was
still a beautiful sight.
“Let them play Agron.” Nasir shook his head as his eyes fell upon sweet little
Lea who was playing with Anne-Marie in the sand. “They’ll be fine.”
“He’s always been a worrier.” Duro didn’t bother to open an eye as he spoke.
“You’ll never break him of it Nasir. “
“Maybe if you didn’t try dying on me on a pretty regular basis I wouldn’t have
had to worry so much.” Agron’s eyes fell upon his brother before he relaxed
again. It seemed like every time Agron had turned around growing up, Duro was
into something. Some nights he’d snuck a girl in, other nights he was trying to
sneak out of her window and for awhile he had fallen in with a bad crowd.
“Hey, just because I snuck him out my window once or twice doesn’t mean
anything. My father wouldn’t have killed him, perhaps severely maimed but not
killed.” Naevia grinned.
“Hey, hey, I did just fine.” Duro leaned to look at the woman. For a while Duro
had been devastated about losing Naevia but after meeting Kat and marrying her,
he was alright with it.
Kat couldn’t help but laugh. “You were terrified of my father when you met him.
Then again I can’t really blame you for that, an ex general for the Navy can be
pretty terrifying.”
***** Chapter 17 *****
Crixius cringed. “Ouch, it doesn’t matter who you are. I’d be terrified of
meeting someone like that. Especially telling him I’m marrying his daughter.”
“See this is my point.” Duro’s eyes turned to look at Kat. “You wondered why he
didn’t like me, this is why.”
“He loves you Duro, he just doesn’t know how to show it.”
“Hey Aggy.” Duro leaned forward in the chair, eyes falling upon his brother.
“Yea?”
“Was that what I think it was hanging around Eva’s neck earlier?” Propping
himself up on an elbow, he awaited the answer. He wasn’t mad, just curious.
“Uh huh.” Shit, he knew he’d forgotten to tell Duro something. “You’re ok with
it right?”
A laugh slipped through Duro’s lips. “Yep, it’s yours. We decided that a long
time ago. Besides Eva is the first granddaughter, it only makes sense.”
“Alright, I’m going to join the kids in the lake who’s coming with me?” Saxa
pulled herself from her lawn chair.
“I will.” Kat grinned as she pushed herself from the chair. “I stay here much
longer and I’ll end up crispy.”
“There’s this new thing called sun screen that prevents that.” Gannicus allowed
his head to roll to look over at her. “That whole Celtic blood thing tells me
this.”
“I’ll come.” Naevia shook her head, “You think you can handle taking care of
Alton?” Her eyes fell to Crixius who looked like he might fall asleep if he
didn’t move.
“Uh huh. He’s playing with Aerlia, he’ll be fine.” He cracked an eye to look at
her. “Go, frolic in the water.”
“One of us will keep an eye on him Naevia.” Nasir’s voice was gentle.
 It wasn’t that she truly thought that Crixius would let anything happen to the
little boy but she also knew that accidents happened. She offered a nod of
thanks to Nasir before she went to join Saxa and Kat.
“You know I’m beginning to understand how you two must feel.” Crixius pushed
himself up on his elbow, his eyes falling on Agron and Nasir.
Agron rose his eyebrow’s trying to decide what he was talking about. “Nasir is
mine, you aren’t allowed to take him.”
“Ha, Ha, Ha.” Crixius shook his head. “I meant the reaction from the public.
They take one look at Alton, and then Naevia and I and assume at some point one
of us had to have cheated. They don’t even stop to think that maybe, just maybe
we adopted.” He shook his head, “And no matter how many times you explain it to
them, they just don’t get it.”
“Some people are always going to be bigots.” Nasir was the first to speak, his
eyes falling over the little boy that was playing with Aerlia. He was of a much
darker complexion then even Naevia and he could only imagine some of the things
that they had heard because of it. “But I finally came to the conclusion that
there’s nothing that anyone can do about it. They can tell me how awful I am,
how I’ll go to hell for it, whatever they want but it doesn’t change what the
real situation is and in your case, it’s that you’re a successful doctor and a
loving father. Even if one of you had cheated, that wouldn’t change those
things, so let them talk.”
“I’m going in search of a beer anyone else interested?” Duro pushed himself
from the chair he’d been laying in. He knew that Nasir had a hard time dealing
with people but this was unusual for him.
                                      ***
“Good Morning Nasir.” Naevia was curled up on the couch in the living room with
a cup of coffee. “Coffees in the pot if you’re interested.”
“What are you doing up so early?” His eyes fell upon the woman surprised that
she wasn’t sleeping in. Though he also supposed that since she was used to
being up rather early most mornings, this might actually be sleeping in for
her.
            “I’m used to being awake by now anyways.” Naevia offered a shrug.
“Normally I’m getting breakfast ready and trying to get Alton ready to go to
day care, Amelia ready for school, me ready for work and Crixius is just
walking in the front door looking exhausted. I don’t sleep in on the weekends
though so I figured I’d catch up on the book I was reading. I didn’t wake you
did I? I mean Agron said that you didn’t like early mornings.”
            “Oh no, I’m not sure what happened this morning but I couldn’t go
back to sleep and I couldn’t see a reason to lay there tossing and turning and
wake Aggy up too.” He shrugged sinking into the couch across from her.
“Speaking of Crixius how was his night?” He knew that the man was used to being
up all night at work, and could only imagine that when he didn’t have to be at
work, it was rough on him.
“It wasn’t so bad, he was up most of it trying to keep the girls quiet.” She
offered a grin as she looked at him. “You know how the three musketeers are.
You add in a puppy and you can only imagine what would happen.”
“Agron’s way of fixing things.” He shook his head as he leaned back against the
couch. “Layla’s sleeping at the foot of the bed right now, she doesn’t hate the
pup but I’m pretty sure he tries to bug Agron and Layla’ll  put him in his
place.”
“I hear that he bought her a horse too?” Naevia grinned knowing how frustrated
Nasir had to be right now.
“That one we talked about. She’d spend most of her day in the saddle if we let
her.” Nasir simply shook his head. “Right now she’s upset about having to keep
it at a stable though. She’s always complaining about not being able to ride
when she wants to.”
***** Chapter 18 *****
“Somehow I can only imagine there are many who wish they had that complaint.”
Naevia offered a grin knowing well enough Nasir’s reaction.
Nasir was to speak as Kat half stumbled into the room. “Morning.”
“Katrina, I mean this as nicely as I can, but you look awful.” Naevia smoothed
the woman’s hair as she settled in beside her.
“I feel awful too, kind of quiesy and dizzy.” More than willingly she accepted
the comfort that was offered to her. Normally she would still be curled within
Duro’s arms but she knew that had she stayed she’d have only woken him as well.
“It’ll pass though, I started yesterday the same and it passed.”
“Really? Has this been going on awhile now?” A smile spread across Nasir’s lips
as he spoke.
“A couple of….Oh hell.” Kat finally realized what he meant. “I didn’t even
think of that.
“Guess that answers the question of have you told Duro.” Naevia wasn’t one to
state the obvious but now seemed legit. “But no seriously, just wait it out, it
very well be a virus or something.”
“If I have to listen to Gannicus and Saxa one more night, I’m going to be
joining you with feeling sick.” Nasir cringed at the thought. “I mean I’m well
aware that they’re horny just by how they look at each other but really do they
have to be so loud?”
“Well, I know you aren’t talking about me. Tell me someone made coffee.” Agron
had always been an early riser but he also required coffee to be semi
functional.
“It’s in the pot if you stop talking about your sex life I’ll even be nice and
share.” Sarcasm and Naevia seemed to go hand and hand lately.
“We enjoy switching it up and Nasir’s the screamer.” Without another word he
wandered into the kitchen.
“I-I.” Nasir stammered, a blush upon his cheeks.
“So he’s not loud like Duro then?”
Agron was just returning with his coffee when the statement caused him to choke
upon it. “Good Gods Kat. There are some things that I never need to know about
Duro, that is number one on that list. And no, not loud.”
“This conversation is getting way out of line!” Naevia piped up. “More
information about everyone then I ever needed. I love you guys, please remember
that but, I really don’t need to know any of this.”
None of them were sure how but a weekend relaxing at the lake had turned into
taking a weeks vacation and spending it at the lake. In truth they could all
use a vacation but Duro was having a hard time knowing that all three of them
were gone from the coffee shop yet he was starting to relax as well.
“Speaking of my baby brother, he still asleep?” Agron was pretty sure that he
knew the answer to the question. Even when they had been growing up together,
he could count on Duro sleeping through anything.
“When I crawled out of bed he was kind of awake but it’s possible that he went
to sleep again.”
“Duro’s kind of like a cat, he’d sleep all day if he was given the chance to.”
Agron shook his head sinking into the couch beside Nasir.
“Anne too.” Nasir laughed; on occasion they babysat for the young girl and
Agron had commented more than once about how she had followed in Duro’s
footsteps.
                                      ***
“No! Come on Aunt Saxa you promised!” Eva pouted, her arms crossing across her
chest, it was her puppy dog face and Agron was positive she had learned it from
Nasir. He had yet to find anyone who could successfully say no to it.
Saxa’s eyes fell upon Nasir where he was stretched out in the lawn chair. “This
is your fault you know, you taught her how to do this.” A huff slipped between
her lips before she turned back to Eva. “Alright, go find Amelia and Kia and
we’ll go.” Saxa held a soft spot for the girl and she would do anything she
could for her but even she had a breaking point for how much she could handle.
“Thank you Aunt Saxa.” Eva hugged the woman before she scampered off to find
the other girls.
“And what did you promise her?” Nasir’s eyes turned up to look at her.
“That I’d take her and the girls to stable. Soo, you going to tell me what the
deal is with Kat?”
“She wasn’t feeling well.” Nasir had promised the girl that he wouldn’t tell a
soul why she had really run to town. “She was going to run to the doctor and
make sure that it wasn’t contagious or anything and stop and pick up a few
thing.”
Perhaps he had lied to her and he felt bad about it but he knew better than to
break her trust.
“Poor thing. She’s forgotten how to relax, her body doesn’t take it.” Saxa
grinned before she turned away. “Alright, I’m off with the girls. I’m pretty
sure that Naevia’s lying down with Alton and probably Crixius. Gannicus took
the boys miniature golfing and Duro’s around somewhere.” She figured that he
was aware of where Agron and the kids were.
“Sounds good. I’ll see you later. Enjoy the stable.” He offered a grin knowing
that she wasn’t very excited about this trip, but she would live none the less.
It wasn’t long after Saxa left that Agron was flopping into the chair beside
him. “The girls are asleep finally. Aerlia’s insisting that she doesn’t need a
nap, she’s a big girl now after all and she did not appreciate when I told her
no.”
“Of course she didn’t. She’s always hated when her daddy told her no. “ Nasir’s
lips curled up in a smile. He was only teasing Agron, he knew that he had
raised the girl the best way that he thought possible but she had ended up a
little on the spoiled side.
“My mother would adore her and Eva.” His voice was quiet as he spoke. It was
rare that Agron spoke of his mother, especially when Duro was around. However,
this time he surprised Nasir. “Well she’d love them all but especially Eva and
Aerlia.”
“What makes you think that?” Nasir couldn’t help wondering what had sparked the
statement.
“Because they are strong, independent, and above all else they are outspoken.
They are all traits of the perfect German woman.” His eyes rose to look at
Nasir. “And how is your dad by the way?”
He knew that Nasir had been to see the man and Nasir had come home in tears,
distraught. Agron had held him for what seemed like forever as he cried. He
knew that the man had not been doing well if he had told Nasir how sorry he was
for what he had done to him. For Agron the defining factor though was that
Nasir had been to see him several times now, he couldn’t imagine such a thing
after everything that he had put him through.
“About the same as he was before.” Nasir pursed his lips eyes turning away from
Agron. He still wasn’t used to talking about it, and he hated to let him see
him cry. “H-he’s dying Aggy, it’s something I have to face. It’s mom all over
again.”
Agron wished he knew what to say but he had no idea what Nasir was going
through, he had no idea what it was like to watch someone you loved go through
a slow and painful death.
***** Chapter 19 *****
”Hey, we’re going to make it through Nasir. I know it hurts, and I know that
this isn’t easy., but we’ll still figure out how to make it.” He didn’t know
what to say to him. For the first time since his mom’s death, he was
speechless.
Nasir took a deep breath. “I don’t want to talk about.”
Agron moved to take him within his arms. There was no need to talk. “Come lay
down with me?” Carefully he buried his face within Nasir’s dark locks.
“Why do I think you don’t intend to sleep?” Nasir was trying his hardest not to
smile. He wanted to hear from Kat and yet he wanted to be with Agron as well.
“I might but then again I might not.”
                                      ***
“Stop pacing Duro.” Agron wasn’t annoyed, he just hated that his baby brother
was freaking out.
“But…Aggy she said she wanted to talk. Kat never wants to talk what could I
have done?”
While he adored Duro, even Agron knew that their marriage was happy. There was
nothing that Duro could do to upset her.
“I’m sure it’s good news Duro.”
“What could she possibly have to talk about good or bad? I mean hell the last
time we ‘talked’ was when she told me she was pregnant with…” Duro turned dark
eyes falling on Agron. “You don’t think…”
“I think you aren’t finishing your sentences. Calm down Duro. You’ve got a
beautiful wife, a very sweet daughter, no matter what you’re going to make it
through.”
Duro had to admire his brother’s honest. HE knew that Agron had given up most
of his own childhood making sure that he was alright. A trait that Agron had
never lost.
“Thanks Aggy. For everything, I know that I don’t say it nearly enough.” He
knew that without his brother he wouldn’t still be alive, and yet he still had
trouble telling him how grateful he really was.
“Don’t worry about it Duro. I know you despise talking about feelings. Which
explains why you’re pacing waiting for Kat to get back.”
“God what am I going to do?” He paused to try and decide what Kat could want to
talk about. When she’d left, she’d said that she was going to se that doctor
which meant that there were too many possiblities to consider. HE had hoped it
was only a cold but that didn’t make any sense now. If it wre only that she
wouldn’t have wanted to talk about it.
“Duro?” Katrina’s voice spun him around again.
Agron pushed himself from the chair he was sitting in. Offering a gentle
squeeze to Duro’s shoulder, he slipped from the room. He knew that his brother
would eventually tell him and he saw no reason to stay.
“Hey.” Duro wrapped his arms around Kat. He could take anything she said, just
as long as she was here with him.
“Come sit with me.” Taking his hand within her own, leading him to the couch.
There was only so many things she could do before she told him and it was
beginning to reach that point.
“Just tell me please.” Duro hated when she drug things out like this and he
thought she knew that.
“Easy Duro. IT’s good news, I swear. I’m just having a hard time getting used
to it is all.” Gentle fingers reached out cupping his cheek within them a smile
on her lips.
“You’re alright then?”
“I’m fine Duro. I-I’m pregnant.” This had come as a surprise to her. With Anne
they had planned it, but this, this was different.
“Really?” Duro’s face lit up like a little kid who had just been given his
favorite toy back. “That’s great!”
                                      ***
“Just hold your horses!” Gannicus sighed eyes falling upon Duro.
“I don’t have any horses to hold.” Duro grinned, he’d been kind of hyper all
morning and no one was really sure as to why.
“Duro, did you have coffee this morning?” Naevia was almost reluctant to ask
knowing that he was liable to be sarcastic or crude with her.
“Nope, there wasn’t even sex this morning.” The face that Naevia made only
served to widen his grin.
“Duro!” This time it was Agron who argued the point. “There are some things
that none of us wish to hear and how often you get it is at the top of that
list.”
“And how apparently is on that list too….go figure.” Kat offered a shrug from
where she was leaned against the counter behind Agron. She could only imagine
that he was making faces now too.
“If you’re having sex right the question of are you having it shouldn’t need to
be asked.” Gannicus never looked up from what he was doing and Saxa snickered.
“Then you’ve obviously mastered the talent.” Nasir was calm as he spoke the
words. There was no malice in the statement.
“Saxa dear, did you want to chime in on that statement?”
“I think he’s very satisfying.” A smirk graced the woman’s lips as she eyed
Nasir. “Tis not my fault that you are not as satisfied.”
            “Gannicus weren’t you guys going to go do something?” Agron wasn’t
sure what had gotten into his brother but whatever it was, he was pretty sure
that it had something to do with Kat and their chat earlier that day.
            “Ah, yes. Steaks, come on Duro you were going to help me grill.” It
wouldn’t take two of them but it would keep Agron from having a fit about
anything that Duro might say.
            “But, but.” Duro sighed. “Always when I have him where I want him.
The trials of being the younger sibling.”
            The conversation fell silent as Eva and the girl’s wandered through
headed out to play with Layla.
            “Careful she likes to bring back sticks instead of what she’s
supposed to!” Agron called after them and somehow he wasn’t surprised when he
didn’t receive an answer from any of them. “Teens.” He allowed a sigh to slip
through his lips. Though, he had lived through raising Duro through his, how
hard could Eva be after that?
 
***** Chapter 20 *****
“Kai listens better to you than she does to us.” Saxa leaned against the
counter nearly falling over watching Gannicus walk out of the room. “God does
he have a nice ass.”
Agron groaned, eyes falling on the woman. “You know Duro is having a bad
influence on you. I’m glad to know you’re happy though.”
“Duro teaches well but I was this long before him.”
“What about Saxa sleeping with Duro?” Crixius yawned, still half asleep.
“Gods no.” Saxa shook her head. “Find coffee and then think about what you just
said. I might be ok with open relations but Duro’s not my type.”
“Good cause I like you too much to have to hate you for that.” Kat grinned.
A grin slipped across Saxa’s lips. “ I might consider sharing given the right
person but Duro is not on that list. Now however the brunette at the stables,
her I might share with.”
“Sibyl?” Nasir’s eyebrows became non existent as they met his hair line. He
couldn’t imagine a situation where the two women would remotely be compatable.
“That is what Eva called her.”
“She’s not your type Saxa.” Agron’s voice was quiet. HE wouldn’t  tell her what
to do, or what not to do in this case he would suggest.
“Oh come now. She’s beautiful, successful and oh by the way Eva’s avoiding men
her age.”
“You’re changing the subject but again?”
“Mhm. One of the stable boys asked her out and she made up an excuse not to
go.” Saxa’s eyes turned to the window peering out at the girls in the yard.
“She’s only fourteen, given what she’s been through, it doesn’t surprise me.”
Naevia beat Kat to the punch this time.
                                      ***
“What are you still doing up?” Eva’s eyes turned up to look at her brother.
“Wondering the same thing about you.” Derrick settled in beside her on the deck
step. “Kai said you were out here all by yourself again. What’s the matter?”
“Nothing. I-I was just thinking.” The young girl’s eyes never left the lake
before her as she spoke.
“You want to talk about it? I could go get Dad or Aunt Kat.”
“No, I’m fine Derrick, there’s no need to bother them.”
Kat had more than once attempted to talk to her and yet Eva was just stubborn
enough that it was hard to talk to her.
“Eva, one of these days you’re going to have to tell someone what’s going on in
your head.”
“That’s not today.” Eva pushed herself up from the step, turning to the house
instead.
“I’ll always listen.” Derrick was trying so hard not to upset her. He might be
her little brother but this was the best thing he could do for her.
“I know.” Without another word the girl slipped into the house, heading for
bed.
                                      ***
“You ready?” Nasir’s eyes fell upon Eva. He’d been waiting nearly ten minutes
on her to finish getting ready.
“Yea.” Grabbing her helmet she started for the car.
Nasir followed after her shaking his head. He wasn’t the type of person who
irritated easy but the young girl had been working at his last nerve.
“Dad?” Derrick’s voice brought Agron out of his day dream.
“Yea?”
“I’m worried about Eva.” The young boy settled in beside Agron on the couch.
“What makes you think that there’s something to worry about?” Agron had noticed
the change in her behavior as well but he was curious what the boy saw to make
him worried.
“She’s very distant, from everyone. From me, from Kai, even Amelia is
complaining about it. She’s jumpy, she hardly eats and I’m not sure that she’s
sleeping either.” Derrick’s eyes fell upon Agron. The concern that shown in his
face was unmistakable.
Agron offered a nod, trying to decide exactly what he was thinking.
The relationship that Eva and Derrick had reminded him of the one that he had
with Duro. Perhaps they had not always been siblings but the way they were now
was beautiful.
“I noticed.”
“You noticed and you haven’t done anything about it?” Derrick’s voice escalated
as he spoke. He couldn’t imagine that Agron would allow such a thing to happen.
“Easy Derrick.” Agron didn’t let the boys irritation change him. He knew that
he was simply expressing his concern that something might happen to Eva and for
that Agron couldn’t blame him.
 
 
“I cannot force her to talk if she doesn’t want to. That would undoubtedly make
things worse. I understand your concern, but know that we are keeping an eye on
her and we do worry as well. Also I need something from you. If she should tell
you what the issue is then I need you to tell me.”
“Alright.” Derrick nodded, teeth pulling at his lips. He wasn’t sure that he
liked this but he trusted Agron enough to do as he asked.
“You still going to the ball game with your Uncle Duro?” HE knew that Duro was
supposed to be there to get the young boy soon.
“Yea.” Derrick pushed himself off the couch to finish getting ready.
The girls were lying down but Agron was sure that when they woke they would be
holy terrors. With Lae’s birthday coming in the next week the girl would be
almost unmanageable.
“Aggy?” The voice confirmed for him that it was his brother. Sweet bubbly Duro,
Agron would normally scold him for being so loud with the girls yet asleep but
both were used to sleeping through noise.
“Yea?” The answer did not mean that his mind was in the present but simply that
Agron was answering him.
“You look like you’re in another world. What’s on your mind?” Duro pursed his
lips eyes falling to the man before him.
“Nothing.” It was rare that he lied to Duro but it was even rarer that when he
did that Duro believed it.
“Right and pigs may some day fly but both seem unlikely at this moment. What’s
really on your mind Bruder?”
***** Chapter 21 *****
“Worried about Eva again.” He wouldn’t elaborate unless he had to and Duro knew
that well.
“She’ll be fine Agron, she may like Nasir more but she is most like you. “ Duro
laid a hand on his brother’s shoulder giving it a gentle squeeze. “Now where’s
Derrick? You’re sure that you don’t want to come?” In truth, Duro was worried
about his older brother; he was obviously over worked and under enjoyed.
“You know how I feel about baseball Duro; I know nothing about the sport. Go
enjoy yourself.” He knew that Kat had volunteered to take care of the girls if
he wanted to go but it just wasn’t his thing. “Speaking of, how is she?”
“Hanging in there, but at least she’s home with us.”
“They have any idea why she’s so sick this time?” Agron knew that his brother
was worried about the woman. She had spent a couple of days in the hospital
because she couldn’t keep anything down, even water made her sick.
“Nope, she said this morning she felt better but I think that’s just because
she doesn’t want to spend more time at the hospital. I’ve seen more of Crixius
than I have since they moved in, he’s been keeping a pretty close eye on her.”
Duro offered a weak grin, eyes drifting over his brother. “But I am worried
about her, well her and the baby.”
“If it makes you feel any better, maybe I’ll give her a call; see if her and
Annie want to join me and the girls at the park. We’ll see if we can’t get her
to talk about it.” Agron knew it would make Duro feel better knowing that she
was with someone who loved her.
“Nah, Naevia was helping her with the nursery when I left. She’ll take good
care of her, but thanks Aggy.” His eyes turned up hearing Derrick slip into the
room. “Ready kiddo?” Duro couldn’t help noticing that everyone on the house
seemed just as stressed out as the rest. As worried as he was, it warmed his
heart to see it.
“Yea.” Derrick offered a smile, he had heard them talking and he knew that his
Uncle needed this as much as he did.
“We’re off then.” Duro’s eyes turned to his brother before he turned heading
for the door. It was amazing still how much they conveyed in one look. It had
told him that Duro his baby brother’s strength was beginning to give out and
that he really was overwhelmed with everything. Once he and Derrick were out of
the house, he reached over grabbing the phone before he dialed Naevia’s number.
“What’s up Agron?” Naevia’s voice was hardly audible.
“I catch you at a bad time?”
“No, no, just slipping out of Kat and Duro’s. She’s finally asleep again and I
didn’t want to wake her.” He heard the door shut before Naevia’s voice changed.
“I take it Duro told you I was here?”
“Yea, but I was calling to see if there was anything I could do to help. He
looked pretty close to breaking when he left here.” Agron let a sigh slip
between his lips. Many times he had been told that there was nothing he could
do, to sit down and take care of himself but this time he wouldn’t go for that.
He knew his brother, and the look he had just gotten was one he hadn’t seen
since they had been kids trying to make it on their own, a fact that scared
him.
“Kats finally eating soup broth, I brought over left overs with me for Duro and
Anne Marie but I’m not really sure that there’s food in the house otherwise.”
Naevia sighed. “I think he’s overwhelmed. I promised him I’d get the shopping
accomplished because he needed the time away.”
“I’ll call Ganny and see if we can figure out something so that Duro’s home
more than he is at work. I’m pretty sure that we can work something out. “
“Alright, I’m going to call Kore and see if she’ll keep an eye on Anne Marie
for awhile, give the two of them sometime to themselves.” Naevia allowed a sigh
to slip between her lips. “He’s going to fight me on that isn’t he?”
“Yup. He’s awful about letting strangers near Annie.” Agron sighed, he knew
that Naevia was trying to help but they were going to have to respect Duro’s
boundaries as well. “And he’s not going to let me take her either.”
“She’s a sweetheart though. I work with her, the mothering type, soft spoken.
Did I mention she loves kids?”
“It’s not me you have to convince Nae. All I can say is introduce him to her,
and see what happens. I’m with you though, they need them time.”
“As do you Agron. When was the last time that you had someone take the kids so
that you and Nasir could get away for a while. I know Katie’s out of town but
there are other options. I could call Kore if you’d like.”  Agron knew that
Naevia was serious and yet he still couldn’t help rejecting the thought.
“Not right now Nae but thanks, I’ll keep it in mind.”
“One of these days you’ll find that you have to take care of you in order to
help everyone else. Why do you think that I took the time off work? I couldn’t
deal with it anymore. I needed a vacation, I needed to love my kids, but more
than anything, I needed to take care of me.” The words were quiet as she spoke
hoping that the words would sink in with him.
“Let’s get Duro taken care of first and then we can talk about me alright?” He
knew that it wasn’t what Naevia wanted to hear but his brother would always
come first. It had taken him a lot to get Duro through their childhood and now
Agron would do anything to see that it would continue. 
***** Chapter 22 *****
Naevia allowed a sigh to slip between her lips. “Alright, I will hold you to
that though. Now, I’m off to grocery shop before Kat wakes up and is capable of
complaining.”
“Alright, I’ll dig out Nasir’s recipe out of the box and bring over soup, maybe
it will make her feel a little better.”
“Sounds good.”
                                      ***
“You know, I almost wouldn’t mind coming home to find you in just an apron.”
Nasir pressed his lips together, eyes falling upon Agron who now stood in the
kitchen cooking. He’d decided that after Eva had shooed him off, he’d come home
rather than find something to do. However, what he had come to came as a
surprise to him.
Of course this was a rare occasion but Agron didn’t think that it was rare
enough to deserve this reaction from him. “Right because explaining that the
girls would be easy.”
“Oh…yea…” Nasir’s lips turned up into a grin as he eyed him. “Well that’s just
unfortunate isn’t it?”
Naevia’s words fluttered in the back of his mind as Agron decided how to answer
Nasir. With Katie not around it was hell finding a sitter, he wouldn’t ask Duro
to do it, not now anyways. “I will never refer to a situation involving my
children as unfortunate. I will however say that I wouldn’t mind time alone
with you.”
Nasir’s eyes drifted over Agron. His behaviors, his mannerisms they were all so
very different from what he was used to from the man. “What’s up?”
“Just thinking.” Emerald eyes turned up from what he was doing to look at
Nasir.
“About your brother?” Nasir knew that Duro was supposed to come and get Derrick
and he also knew that Kat wasn’t doing well either. “Or your sister in law?”
“Both. Duro looks like he hasn’t slept in a few days now and Kat…poor thing is
weak and if she were to lose the babe it would be heartbreaking for her. I’m
just trying to decide what we can do to help them out.” Agron pursed his lips a
sigh slipping between them as he did. “There has to be something.”
“Well I’m pretty sure that we can put together enough meals that they wouldn’t
have to cook for awhile. Done right all one of them would have to do is defrost
and warm up if we do it right.” Nasir knew Agron’s love for his brother and he
couldn’t blame him for that. “That would at least take some of the stress off
of Duro.”
Agron nodded knowing that Duro loved to cook, he had taught himself while they
were growing up. It had probably been the many nights that Agron wasn’t home
that had driven him to cooking he supposed but he had excelled at it in the
end. However, he also knew that Duro didn’t deal well with stress, and Nasir
was right if they could make the stress easier on him, and this seemed like the
best way.
                                      ***
“Hey.” Kat offered a weak smile from where she was tucked in on the couch.
“How you feeling?” Agron’s voice was gentle as he eyed the woman. He was sure
that she would tell him that she was fine and that there was nothing to worry
about but the opposite could be seen in her eyes.
“I’m hanging in there. Finally eating again so with any hope….” Her voice
trailed off, eyes turning towards the floor. She knew the honest truth, that
each day like this only put the pregnancy more at risk. It was a thought that
broke her heart and then some.
“Don’t think like that Kat.” Agron settled in on the floor beside the couch.
“You’re both going to be fine, you’ve just got to start feeling better. Nasir
sent over probably close to a months worth of food.”
Kat couldn’t help letting a laugh slip between her lips as she looked at him.
“We are capable of cooking, but tell him I said thank you.”
“I will. As for you can cook, we’re just trying to make it easier on you guys.
Eva’s offered to come keep an eye on Annie too if it will help out some. That
way you can both get some time alone.” Agron hadn’t been surprised when the
young girl had volunteered. “And Gannicus is going to take Duro’s shifts and
give him a break.”
Kat yawned before she spoke. “She’s such a sweet kid, I’ll talk it over with
Duro and see what he has to say and give you a call, how’s that sound?” She
stopped as she heard about Gannicus and simply offered a smile. “Duro wont be
happy to hear that.”
“Sounds fine, just get some sleep for now hey?” He knew she hated to be like
this but he also knew that the sleep would help her to feel better. “And if
there’s anything that we can do please call Kat.”
“I will.” She offered a smile. “And you’re right, I guess I should try and get
a nap while I still can. I’m sure Crixius will be over in a bit to make sure
that I’m alright and all that fun stuff.” Naevia had taken Annie to play with
Brice for the day and she figured that Crixius would want to check in before he
left for work for the night.
                                      ***
“You look tired.” Nasir was settling in on the bed beside Agron, eyes falling
upon the man who lay before him.
“I’m fine Nasir.” The truth was he was tired, it had been a long day but he
also wanted to spend time with Nasir. He felt like they had been running all
day. When Nasir had left, he’d gone to lunch with Eva like they always did and
then Agron had left for Duro’s. It was as if they had been passing each other
all day.
Now all he wanted was to hold him within his arms, cuddle up with him and let
him know how loved he was. 
***** Chapter 23 *****
“Right, if I was an idiot, I might believe that but I know better than to think
that you aren’t. It’s been a long emotional day.” Nasir curled within Agron’s
arms happy to be with him as well, of course for a different reason. “Off with
your shirt.” A grin played with Nasir’s lips.
“Really? Is that all you can think of right now?” Agron couldn’t help but
laugh, perhaps it was the first time all day but it felt good.
“Shut up and do it, it’s not what you think it is. Don’t make me take it off
for you.”
“Where’s Eva?” He knew that Lea and Aerlia were in bed for the night and
Derrick was settled in for the night as well.
“Gannicus stopped to grab her; Kai’s been begging to have her spend the night
for awhile now. So we went to lunch and he snagged her after that.” Nasir was
sure that Agron had noticed earlier but it seemed he was wrong.
“O-oh.” Agron had known that he was out of the loop but he hadn’t figured it
was this bad.
“Now off with your shirt damn it.” Nasir’s patience was beginning to run thin.
Naevia had called him after she’d hung up with Agron. He was well aware of the
fact that he wasn’t himself.
“Alright, Alright. I’m having trouble seeing why though.” Agron’s confusion was
evident as he peeled the t-shirt off.
“Because if you aren’t going to take care of you, I am. Now roll over. You
think I haven’t noticed that you’ve tweaked your back again?” Nasir had always
kept Agron under a watchful eye but even more so lately.
“Alright, let’s not be pushy.” Releasing Nasir from his arms he moved and
rolled over onto his stomach, his chin coming to rest upon his arms, emerald
eyes falling upon Nasir. “Nae called you huh?”
“Yup. So you want to tell me what’s really on your mind?” Nasir pushed himself
up before he moved to straddle Agron, his weight moving to rest upon his knees.
Gentle hands came to rest at the base of his spine, fingers pressing at the
skin.
“It’s just everything Nasir. I’m sore, Eva’s not herself, Kat’s afraid she’s
going lose the baby, and Duro’s terrified he’s going to lose Kat.” Agron
allowed a sigh to slip between his lips, but for the first time all day it was
a contented sigh. Nasir’s hands were warm against his skin, gentle as he
pressed, yet firm enough to help.
“You’re one person Agron. I know that you want to help, I know what Duro means
to you, but at some point, you have to worry about you. I can take care of
Eva.” Nasir leaned to press a kiss at the base of Agron’s neck. “And Naevia and
Crixius have Kat taken care of, Saxa swears she’ll take care of Duro, which
means the only person you have to worry about is you.”
The shiver that ran down Agron’s spine, only made Nasir smile, feeling him
relax under his hands.
“You’re not going to take care of the kids all by yourself.” Agron’s voice was
gentle. He would allow Saxa to take care of Duro knowing that she could handle
him and he trusted Crixius’ judgment when it came to Kat, but he wouldn’t allow
Nasir to take on the stress of four kids all at once.
Nasir’s finger tips moved further up Agron’s back, finger tips still rubbing at
the underlying muscles. “You need a break Agron.” The words were stern but with
all of his heart he meant them. “We’ll manage for a few days while you get
yourself back in order. I don’t care what you do. Go to the Spa, go see a
chiropractor, hell I don’t care what you do, just do something for you.”
“You know I wont let many but you touch me.” Agron offered a grin over his
shoulder in Nasir’s direction. “Intimately or otherwise.”  It was true, outside
of a select group of people Agron wouldn’t let many people touch him. Perhaps
it had to do with the way he had grown up, or maybe it was his father but he
despised being touched.
“True, maybe you should go to the zoo then, I know how you adore the Tigers.” A
grin slipped across Nasir’s lips before he pressed them to Agron’s ear.
“Feeling better?”
“Mmmm…your hands are like magic.” The words were more of a growl as Agron
rolled himself onto his back again, hands coming to rest upon Nasir’s hips. “As
for the zoo, maybe I’ll take Aerlia and Lea. Get them out of your hair for
awhile, maybe see if Annie wants to go.” He knew that he had promised Nasir
that he wouldn’t worry about his brother but if he could help, then he would.
“Sounds like a good plan.” Nasir grinned leaning to press a kiss to his lips,
the intensity in which Agron pressed back against him wasn’t surprising but it
was welcome. Nasir had been concerned about him, but seeing him relax, feeling
it under his hands had made him feel that much better about it.  “But promise
me something, promise me that you’re going to start looking after yourself.”
“I promise.” The words were the truth, while they were hard for Agron to speak,
he would stand by them.
                                      ***
“The monkeys hey?” Kat offered a grin adjusting Anne-Marie within her arms. The
woman was finally feeling better, and while Duro rarely let her out of his
sight, Agron had convinced him that the fresh air and time with Annie would
make her feel better.
Lea was balanced on his hip, arms wrapped around his neck as she clung to him.
Normally the little girl was whining to get down but today she had been
complaining to be picked up. Aerlia on the other hand walked between him and
Kat, clinging to his pant leg in her tiny little hand. 
***** Chapter 24 *****
Agron was glad to see the smile on Kat’s lips. Perhaps he had promised Nasir
that he wouldn’t worry about her but he couldn’t not worry. She was an
important part of their family as was Duro. He couldn’t help laughing as Annie
babbled away about a monkey. “I think I know three little girls that will sleep
rather well this afternoon.”
“And one mommy too.” Kat couldn’t help but laugh. “But thank you Agron, it’s
been driving me nuts being stuck at home. I know that Duro means well but, it’s
still hard.”
“Had it been anyone else, other than maybe Saxa or Nasir, Duro would have said
no. However, I do encourage that every now and again you put him back in his
place.” A grin played with his lips as he looked to Katrina. “Don’t be afraid
to walk out the front door. When Duro gets upset, he might raise his voice but
he’s not a physical danger.”
“I know he means well. I just feel like I’m being held hostage in my own home
is all. This pregnancy has been tougher than Annie’s ever was and it’s only the
fourth month, I cant imagine what the next five months will bring.”
“I’m sure that it will bring only good things. Have you found out if it’s a boy
or a girl yet?”  Settling Lea into the back seat Agron offered a smile to
Aerlia who was still clinging at his pant leg.
There had been so many people today who had stopped to admire the tiny “family”
and Agron was surprised, it wasn’t he who had lost his temper. Instead it was
Kat. There was nothing that she despised more than someone she didn’t know
touching her, and then to follow it with words such as “What a beautiful
family”, that was the final straw for her. None of the girls looked anything
alike.
Of course there was a reason for that. Annie’s dark eyes and vibrant blond hair
were the perfect combination of her parents, yet anyone who looked at the young
girl knew that she looked more like Kat. Then there was Lea who was a spitting
image of Nasir, with dark hair and dark eyes and tanned skin. Yet Aerlia was
already a stunner. Her green eyes and blonde hair along with her beautiful
charming nature already had Agron wanting to buy a gun for when she got older.
“Promise you won’t tell Duro that I lost my temper because someone thought that
they could reach out and touch my belly?” There was nothing that Kat hated
more. She was finally beginning to show, and more than anything else it annoyed
her when they touched her. It was something completely different situation when
it was her family and friends but people she didn’t know at all was tough.
“I swear.” Agron grinned sliding into the driver’s side glancing at the girls
in the backseat, in the rear view mirror. “Although, I’m pretty sure that he’d
be proud of you. It’s either that or he’ll start cussing in German.”
“Yea, he does that frequently why?” Kat had never been able to figure it out
but she was positive that Agron would know the answer.
“Our mother only spoke German when she was trying to tell us something that she
didn’t want dad to know about.” Agron paused as he thought about it. “She was
one hell of a woman. But to answer your question, we both return to it when
we’re upset or under stress. Probably because it is our first language.”It was
true that they had been young when they learned English but for awhile the only
one that they had spoken was German. “Actually for awhile there was a period
after mom and dad died that Duro wouldn’t speak English. No matter how hard I
tried, I just couldn’t get him to do it. I almost lost him over it.” Agron
shook his head at the memory.
He recalled well the threats of those in the school system, how they had sworn
that he couldn’t care for his brother. How he had fought so hard just to keep
Duro by his side because he knew that if they took him, Agron may never see
Duro again.
“So how’d you get him to snap out of it?” Kat was interested. Even as long as
she had known Agron and Duro, there was still much about them both that she
didn’t know. Neither of the men really talked much about that time in their
life unless prompted in situations such as this and she had always felt strange
asking about it. Yet Agron had offered this information and it seemed like the
right time to ask.
“I finally told him one day that if he didn’t knock it off, they would take him
and they would place him with another family and we may not see each other
again.” Agron’s teeth pulled at his lips. He hated remembering it. There were
still nights that he awoke in the middle of the night shaking wandering the
house in search of Duro. He knew the man was not there, that he was happily
settled in with his own wife and daughter but it was a habit that he had been
unable to shake.
“And by that point you’d already lost so much.” Her voice was quiet. When she
and Duro had first met each other he refused to speak of his parents, it had
taken him a year before he had felt comfortable with it and even then he had
gone with the fact that they had died in a fire. It wasn’t until they were
married that he’d told her the real story. It was one that had broken her heart
to hear, yet she wouldn’t have changed her decision to be with him. Not even
because of that.  “I’m sure he was just as worried about you as you were about
him.” 
***** Chapter 25 *****
“Duro’s always been a worrier.” Agron sighed. “At some point though, you just
have to tell him to put a muzzle on it and do it anyways.”
“Oh, believe me, I do that frequently.” Kat giggled, her eyes drifting to the
girls in the back seat. “Guess you were right. We haven’t even made it home yet
and they’re out cold.”
“I figured as much. I remember the first time we took Eva to the zoo. What an
experience that was.”
It hadn’t been long after they had adopted the little girl. She hadn’t settled
in with them very well and they had tried everything but she still didn’t trust
them. Nasir suggested the zoo in order to perhaps make her feel better.
Agron would never forget the way her face had lit up and how happy she had
been. Thinking back it had been the first time that she had smiled with them.
“Speaking of, how’s she doing?” Kat was amazed by how alike the brothers were.
Their mannerisms, their facial expressions sometimes it was like looking at
twins.
The eyebrows that raised in response to the question made Kat smile. “She’s
alright. I’d love to say that she was great but I’d be lying if I did.”
“Something the matter? I’d be willing to help out if I can.”
It was a long while before Agron spoke again. He had been lost in thought about
how exactly to say it and yet he settled on the truth finally. “She’s not
eating much of anything, she looks exhausted, she won’t talk about much. I just
cant decide if it’s her being a teen or if something’s wrong.”
“She’s a beautiful young girl, but it would be wrong to not even consider the
fact that she has been through hell.”
Agron knew that Kat was right. The girl had seen hell, been through it and yet
he didn’t know what to do. “How do we help her Kat? What do I do for her?”
This seemed like the obvious question but Agron had never asked it before. No
matter what he tried there was always something stopping him. Yet this was Kat,
a woman that wanted the best for Eva just as he did. There was something about
asking her that made it easier.
“Well she’s still seeing someone right?” Kat had pushed for the longest time
that they get the young girl a therapist, Agron had stood in agreement but
Nasir insisted that things be taken as Eva was comfortable. They had finally
found common ground somewhere in the middle. Eva chose when she wanted to see
the woman, yet that didn’t seem to be working either.
“Yea, when she feels like she needs to.” Agron wished there was something that
he could do.
“And she’s not skipping out on anything that she used to enjoy right?”
“No, she’s still doing all of that kind of stuff. More than anything, she’s
just pulling into herself.”
“Call your brother because he wont argue with you and tell him that you’re
taking me home with you. I wont promise that I can fix it but there had to be
something that I can see from watching her.” Kat hated to let the man down but
she was only a person too.
Dialing the phone Agron and Duro talked for a few minutes before he hung up.
“He insisted that he will come and get you and Annie.” Agron shook his head,
more than anything he loved his brother but his concern was overwhelming
sometimes. He could only imagine what it was like for Kat to live with. “He
loves you Kat, that’s why he worries.”
“I know.” Reaching over she set a hand on his. “It’s like the way that you
worry about Eva.” While she knew that he also worried about Nasir, she often
times thought those were justified concerns. Sometimes Nasir would hide things
from Agron, though she wouldn’t tell Agron that.
                                      ***
“So would you like to tell me why you’re kidnapping my wife?” Duro was sitting
in the arm chair with Annie settled on his lap.
The young girl had gotten up from nap and Eva had sat and played with a doll
with her until her sisters had woken up.
“It’s not kidnapping when it is voluntary.” Agron shook his head. “You gotta
start loosening up Bruder, she is not a fragile thing that anyone can break.”
Kat was in the kitchen with Nasir and Eva working on making dinner.
Duro’s eyes drifted over his brother trying to decide what he want to say in
return. “I know Aggy.” His eyes fell to Annie who was babbling away trying to
read a book. “She’s just supposed to be taking it easy.”
“She is Duro but at least she’s not on bed rest. That means she should be up,
moving, enjoying time with her family and friends.” There were times that Agron
felt as if he were still raising Duro.
“Would you feel the same way if it were someone that you loved?” Duro’s voice
was colder than he meant for it to be. He knew that Agron was irritated by
statements such as that but he said it anyways.
“I wouldn’t keep them under lock and key as you have. After all did I watch
over you as if you were but a fragile doll when you had pneumonia? Better yet
did she?”
“Agron!” Nasir’s voice was stern as he spoke, surprising ever Agron. They were
both right but they would never see that. His eyes turned upon Duro looking
smug. “You are no better, kiss and make up. Especially with statements such as
that, there is no way for him to experience such; after all it is not as if I
can have a child.”
“All I am saying is that you need to loosen up some Bruder.” HE had not meant
to upset Duro but his reaction told him that he had struck a nerve.
***** Chapter 26 *****
Before Duro was able to speak though, Annie held the book out to him a pout
upon her lips. Dark eyes running over him as she reached out. “Book.” The girl
whined. She seemed oblivious to the goings on around her.
A smile slipped to Duro’s lips, tensions falling from his body as he took the
book from her. “You want me to read you the book?”
Agron was amazed, the little girl reminded him of how Duro had been as a child.
He couldn’t remember how many times he had read the same book to Duro growing
up. “Come here Annie.” He held his arms out to her trying to entice her. “I’ll
read to you while Daddy checks on mommy.” While he chided Duro for being a
worrier, he knew that it was who he was and that it would take time to adjust.
“No Daddy!” The little girl crossed her arms forming a pout as she watched
Duro. Agron couldn’t help laughing as his eyes fell upon them, he couldn’t
imagine how her behavior was going to be after the baby was born. She was used
to being spoiled; getting what she wanted and that was going to change
drastically.
“What about me?” Nasir offered a smile to the young girl; she had Agron’s
determination, that was obviously a family trait as Duro held it as well.
Annie paused her eyes floating from Duro to Nasir before she carefully crawled
from Duro’s lap taking the book with her as she left. It was a sight that
brought a laugh to the younger brother. “Guess she just doesn’t like you
Bruder.” Duro stuck his tongue out knowing that Agron knew better. Pushing
himself from the chair, he started for the kitchen.
Allowing Annie to settle in beside him on the couch Nasir couldn’t help but
grin as Lea settled in on the other side.
Agron’s eyebrows rose seeing that Aerlia was not with them. Normally the little
girl wanted nothing more than to play with her cousin and sister no matter what
was going on but she was no where to be found.
Pushing himself from the chair he was sitting in, he leaned into the kitchen.
Eva was leaned against the counter trying to fend off her uncle who had turned
from concern over Kat to harassing Eva in any way that he could. The smile upon
her lips told him that she was taking it as good naturedly as it was meant. It
was good to see her smile, despite everything that she had been through; she
still knew that it was alright to smile.
Slipping down the hall he paused to lean into the bedroom that Lea and Aerlia
shared. The little girl sat in the middle of the floor surrounded in blocks.
Her emerald eyes turned up to look at Agron. “Hey baby girl, what’s the
matter?” Agron moved into the room, sitting beside her on the floor.
“No thing.” She tried so hard sometimes but her pronunciations made Agron
laugh. He knew nothing of her family but he would have sworn that somewhere in
her history there was a German, and yet Nasir insisted that he couldn’t teach
her.
“So then why are you in here? Daddy’s reading with Lea and Annie.” Agron didn’t
believe that there was nothing wrong, yet the girl tried her hardest to make
things seem right again. “Daddy and Eva made your favorite for dinner tonight.”
It was true, Eva had agreed with Nasir that Lasagna sounded good and it did
help that Aerlia loved Lasagna. Her little eyes lighting up told him that she
was excited. “I’m just playin.”
She wouldn’t budge it seemed. “You wanna take Layla out for a walk?” The dog
was as much a part of the family as any of the kids were. She had walked into
the house without an invitation as if she was meant there, and that was exactly
how it was. She was their watch dog, and each of the kids loved her as well as
her companion Duke.
            Aerlia began to nod allowing the blocks in her hand to fall to the
ground. “What about Duke?” Duke had been a present from Agron. He had been out
shopping one day when he stumbled across a woman selling pups, Duke was the
last of them and Agron couldn’t bear to see him alone and in the conditions
that he was. The little pup’s fur was tinged with blood & had open wounds when
Agron brought him home. For nearly a month Duke had hidden under beds, if you
raised your voice slightly and run away when you moved towards him.
While Nasir had been upset at first, he’d also eventually understood. It was
probable that Agron had saved the little guy from ending up in a worse
situation. If it hadn’t been for him the little guy could have ended up worse
off with the family trying to adopt him out or even with another family who
would have treated him the same. However, now he was here with them, safe and
loved. In fact while Layla slept at the foot of their bed at night, Duke slept
curled up in bed with Eva.
“Duke can come as well if he wishes.” The pup was still young but he had
adjusted well. The open wounds that the little guy had when they had first
gotten him were just finishing healing. Up until now, he had only been out in
the back yard and for short amounts of time for fear that infection might set
in but now that he was healing, Agron couldn’t see a reason not to take him.
“He’s hiding under my bed.” The tiny girl leaned to peek under the bed a smile
forming on her lips as a tiny bark escaped from underneath.
“Well what’s he doing down there?” Agron’s eyebrows rose as he too leaned to
look under the bed. 
***** Chapter 27 *****
                                      ***
“You know I don’t know what we’re going to do when the wee one is born.” Duro
had settled in on the couch, Kat curled up against him nearly asleep. She never
did get the nap that she had anticipated taking.
“Why’s that?” Nasir asked sinking into the over stuffed arm chair that he had
fallen in love with. He would never regret buying this chair that much he did
know. However, Duro’s statement left him baffled. He had missed the first part
of the conversation as he was tucking Lea back into bed.
“Well it works out nice, we just tuck Annie in on the extra bed and she’s fine
but what are we going to do with a baby?”
“Come now Duro, you think I’d take that as an excuse not to come and see us?” A
grin formed upon Agron’s lips. He loved his brother, absolutely adored him yet
there was much that he didn’t understand.
“Oh gods.” Kat laughed softly. “I think we’d live here if he had the choice.”
There wasn’t much that separated the brothers, that much she knew but she had
known that when she married Duro as well.
“We would not.” Duro grinned, his eyes falling upon his wife. “You look tired,
you want to go home.”
“No, you’re fine. I’ll just curl up here and go to sleep.” She leaned up
pressing her lip against his before settling in again.
Duro was about to speak when Eva slammed the front door cussing as she stalked
to her room.
“Well that’s an abnormal reaction for coming home from her riding lessons.”
Nasir’s eyebrows rose. “Normally she has fun going with Saxa and Kai.”
“Saxa.” Both Duro and Agron sighed.
“She’s still after Sibyl. I just never imagined that she’d do it in front of
the girls.”
“I’ll talk to her. You call Saxa and put a leash on her.” His eyes drifted over
Agron turning them to Duro. “That might take both of you.”
It was rare that Nasir was upset about anything but this time Saxa had crossed
a line.
Agron pressed his lips together trying to decided what to say to her. In truth,
she scared him, even though was the oldest. “Right, I’ll see what I can do.
What we can do.”
“Good.” Nasir padded down the hallway still annoyed by the woman.
“So you wanna call or you want me to?” Duro’s eyes drifted to the ceiling, in
truth he dreaded it almost as much as Agron.
“You’re both babies.” Kat mumbled stealing Duro’s phone before she dialed
Saxa’s number.
“Ja?” Saxa rarely answered anyone as such but it was Duro after all or at least
he expected as much.
“Hey Saxa, it’s Kat.” The woman’s bold nature always amazed Duro. That was
probably why he had married her in the first place. “So the males of the
species are chickens, whats the deal with Eva?”
“They’ve always been Pansys. As for Eva, she was fine when I dropped her off.”
“Are you by chance still persueing Sibyl?” Duro closed his eyes preparing for
the screech from the other end of the phone.
“Well, yea but I don’t see where that’s a concern of yours.” Saxa growled. “And
you can tell Duro that he can do his own dirty work himself from now on.”
Kat’s reaction was enough to tell Agron that Saxa wasn’t happy.
“Give me the phone.” He knew Saxa wouldn’t respond well no matter what but this
was his daughter and she needed to know she’d crossed a line.
Handing over the phone, Kat sank into the couch. “She’s got a personality on
her. “Most times she really did like Saxa but this was hard for her. She
understood why she was as she was yet it was still an annoyance.
“Saxa, Saxa stop it. I could care less who you fuck, I just…” Agron’s
irritation showed as he was cut off.
“Fine Saxa, I don’t care who he fucks, but I do care that you upset my
daughter!” Agron growled his eyes turning to the floor. “She idolizes her,
you’ve embarrassed her and upset her.”
                                      ***
“So how pissed off is she going to be?” Nasir’s head came to rest upon Agron’s
shoulder.
“Honestly, I couldn’t care less.” Agron was still nearly as irritated by Saxa’s
reaction. “At some point she’ll have to see that her actions don’t just affect
her. How’s Eva?”
“Annoyed, mortified, she’s trying to convince me to sell Ariel.” The horse
meant the world to Eva so asking him to sell her told him that she was
incredibly upset.
“Poor kid.” Agron pressed his lips together, a sigh upon them. He hated the
feeling of not being able to make her feel better. “But Saxa is content, I
guess Sibyl told her yes.”
The hint of sarcasm in his voice wasn’t easy to mistake. Of course Agron was
upset but it was more upsetting for Nasir to see him and Saxa fight. “Isn’t it
possible that you’re both right?”
When Duro had left he was annoyed as well. Kat was exhausted though she he’d
decided to take her home and put her to bed so to speak. Yet being the eternal
peace keeper that Duro was, he’d tried to make matters better. He had said
similar before leaving.
Nasir had learned over time though that when Agron and Duro or Saxa went at it
there wasn’t much that he could do to make peace.
“She can be right if she wants to but that doesn’t meant that she insulted Eva
any less. She loves Saxa and she looks up to her. This kind of behavior is
unheard of when it comes to that. She’s been through enough, I don’t want her
suffering like this too.”
                                      ***
“Eva come on, I’m sorry ok?” Saxa sighed, her eyes falling upon the girl’s
closed door again.
She had finally decided that she had been in the wrong at some point during the
night and yet the girl still wouldn’t forgive her.
“I’m not speaking to you.” Eva’s voice was muffled yet still it came.
“Alright, but please know that I will be here when you decide to talk.” Saxa
turned on her heels stalking back to the living room.
 
***** Chapter 28 *****
“Still not talking huh?” Gannicus weakly smiled. He knew that this was
bothering Saxa and wished that he could help yet he also felt partly
responsible.
“No, she is like her father.” Her jade colored eyes fell upon Agron who simply
glared in her direction.
“If you hadn’t started this whole mess there would be no reason for me to be
upset with you.” Agron spat back.
Nasir sighed rolling his eyes as he looked at Gannicus. “Can I interest you in
a beer? Some popcorn perhaps? Something tells me that they’ll be at this
awhile.”
Dark eyes rolled to look at Nasir, the blonde trying to fight the smile that
was forming upon his lips. “The beer sounds good but there may be a way to put
an end to all of this.” Pushing himself from the chair he was sitting in, he
started down the hallway placing a gentle knock on Eva’s door.
“What?” The girl’s voice was cold figuring that it was Saxa trying to talk to
her again.
“It’s me Eva.” Gannicus leaned against the door frame not intending to move.
“Can we talk?”
“Sure.”
Gannicus waited a few minutes but hearing no sound that she was moving towards
the door to open it. “Without the door Eva.”
“Come in.” The girl’s words sounded more like a sigh than anything else.
Opening the bedroom door he stepped inside, keeping a distance from her knowing
her dislike for men. He knew that she trusted him yet he wouldn’t push either.
“What’s the matter?”
“Nothing, other than I’m trying to do homework and people wont leave me alone
long enough to.”
“You know what I mean Eva.” Gannicus was used to dealing with Kia when she got
like this. “Why wont you talk to Saxa?”
“She knows why I wont talk to her.” Eva crossed her arms across her chest, her
blue eyes turning to look up at him.
“Yes, yes she does. But, she feels bad. I’ve talked to Sibyl; she’s not upset
with you. In fact she’s looking forward to your lesson tomorrow.” Gannicus
offered a smile holding a hand out to Eva. He hoped that she would take it,
that she would forgive Saxa and understand that no harm had been meant to her.
“She didn’t mean any harm.”
Setting her hand within his, she allowed herself to stand up. Knowing that
Sibyl wasn’t upset with her made her feel better. She knew that he and Saxa
were in love, she didn’t quite understand where Sibyl came in but she trusted
him.
“Come here kiddo.” He held his arms open to her waiting for her to move. If she
moved closer, he would hug her, if not it was alright as well.
The girl allowed him to wrap his arms around her, returning the hug. “Thank you
Uncle.”
The word shocked Gannicus, he did not expect her to refer to him as such, he
would be content with a simple Gannicus. “You are welcome. Now go talk to your
aunt. Just don’t get between her and your father.”
                                      ***
            “No, don’t….” Duro sighed taking the wii remote from Derrick. “You
didn’t want to shoot there.”
            “Let him shoot the bear if he wants to shoot the bear.” Gannicus
shook his head, curls bouncing as he did. “The cougar will be there waiting
either way.”
            Agron was sitting in the arm chair, back resting against one arm,
long legs hanging over the other. “Why not kill them at the same time? Wouldn’t
that make sense? Nothing can eat you that way.” Perhaps he wasn’t the
wilderness type but he could still manage logic.
            “Uh yea but have you ever seen a bullet drop two large animals?”
Duro’s eye brows rose as he looked at his brother. “Remind me that if we ever
go out hunting together you’re not allowed to try and shoot anything.”
            “I don’t hunt so you’re safe there.” Agron shook his head as Brice
stole the remote from Duro.
            “So ya think it’s a bad thing that I allowed Saxa to leave with my
wallet and she said her, Kat, Eva, Kai and Nasir were going to go shopping?”
Gannicus leaned against the couch, tongue pressing against his teeth before he
clicked it.
“Probably.” Duro offered a shrug. “But Kat has the credit card so I’m right
there with you on this one.”
“Nasir hates shopping so I guess I have no issue there.” Agron leaned back
against the chair for a minute before he swung his legs to the front of the
chair again. “Although, I should go check on the young ones.” He knew that
Annie, Aerlia and Lea couldn’t get into too much trouble but keeping an eye on
them didn’t hurt either.
“Layla was laying in the door way when I peaked in last. I figured she wouldn’t
let them get far on us.”
“She’s the first line of defense.” Gannicus shook his head. “After all she
tried taking my leg off the other day for pulling my hair back. “
“She doesn’t like strange men.” Agron offered a shrug as he started down the
hallway a smile forming on his lips as he noticed the dog still laying in the
door way. Duke was in the living room with the boys, he had become Derrick’s
buddy as well as Eva’s.
“I’m not strange!” Gannicus could be heard calling down the hallway.
“Do we get to vote on that?” Duro was laughing like a maniac in the living
room.
Sometimes Agron wondered what he’d do without the two of them. As goofy as they
could be, the serious side was just as wonderful.
Layla let out a yawn as she heard Agron approaching. Leaning in he offered a
smile to see the girls sitting on the floor with their dolls. 
***** Chapter 29 *****
“Bye daddy.” Aerlia’s eyes turned up to look at him. As much as the little girl
had fallen in love with him, she was beginning to find the stage where she
thought that boys were icky, especially when the other girls were around.
Agron simply shook his head; he saw no harm in letting them play even if she
was a little mouthy. Though he supposed that if she was like this now, when she
was a teen she would be a handful. “Be good Aery.”
“Daddy?” It was Lea who spoke this time.
“Hmmmmm?” He was amazed by how the young girl had excelled at speaking. Perhaps
it had to do with the other kids and being surrounded with language or maybe it
was being Nasir’s daughter.
“Dolly.” She held the doll out to him to dress for her.
“You do it baby.” He knew that the little girl could do it, she had proven that
before and yet she still insisted that it was best that he do it.
Lea allowed her lip to slip into a pout as she looked at him. If Agron had
spoiled Aerlia then Nasir was guilty of the same when it came to Lea. She was
his baby girl, and while he loved all of the kids, she was his own flesh and
blood and Agron couldn’t help respecting him for that.
Slipping from the room, he moved back to the living room to find Gannicus’ dark
eyes peering upon him. “What?”
“Did you tell Eva to call me Uncle?” His mind had been a whirl most of the
night after hearing her say it. He had never figured a word could change how he
felt so much. Yet it had, it was as if she finally accepted him as family,
someone she loved and trusted.
“No.” His eyes turned to Duro. “Your doing?”
“Uh uh. I’ve done some cruel things but that’s not on the list.” Duro’s eyes
turned up to look at them both. “Nasir?”
“No, we talk about things like that normally.” Agron offered a shrug. “Could be
her decision. You might as well be family after all.”
“You mean because we almost dated once or twice?” Gannicus grinned. “Or because
Saxa’s like your sister?”
“Well all of the above works. However I meant because you have helped to raise
the kids, treated them as your own, and yet you haven’t ever over stepped your
boundaries either. When they tell you something we should know about, we do.”
“As you have done with Kai and Brice as well.” Gannicus reached out setting a
hand on Agron’s shoulder.
“So touching.” Duro began to sniffle, though it was obvious that he was mocking
them both. “For the love of god you two, Saxa’s right, we are the worst men.”
“Oh return to your hunting expedition.” Agron sighed. There were times he just
didn’t get Duro and this was one of them. Sometimes he wondered if his
outbursts weren’t his way of expressing his jealousy towards his brother. He
knew that they weren’t as close as they had once been but that was to be
expected. They had grown older, fallen in love, had families of their own. He
loved his brother but things couldn’t remain as they had once been no matter
how much they wished they would.
“Fuck!” Derrick screeched causing Agron to cringe.
“Gee wonder where he learned that from.” Duro grinned causing Agron to want to
hit him all over again.
“Perhaps his uncle?” Agron teased in return, before he set a hand on Derrick’s
head. “Don’t let your father hear that, we’ll both be in trouble if he ever
does.”
“Could be worse, he could be cussing in German.” Duro grinned as he looked up
at his brother.
“Uh huh, you mean like someone could be telling Kat that you’re smoking again?”
“You wouldn’t dare!” Duro’s eyes went wide. “Its stress related, I will quit
again.”
“Yea, I’ve heard those words before, like when Naevia left you and any time
you’re under stress.” Agron meant well, he loved his brother more than anything
but it was a concern of his. Duro was the only family he had left who was flesh
and blood, losing him would be devastating, even more so for something stupid.
Not to mention what would happen to Kat and the young ones.“Didn’t almost dying
teach you anything?”
Duro was speechless for a minute before he saw it in Agron’s eyes. The look
that he had gotten used to growing up, the worry that was kept in them,
concern, and fear. “Alright, Alright I get it Aggy.” He tried to force a smile
but he also knew that Agron was right. “I’ll quit, I swear.”
 “And I wont tell your wife, however, I do suggest that you do.”
The groan that slipped through Duro’s lips didn’t surprise Agron; in fact he
was used to it by now. However, if he was really going to get through this for
them both, he was going to need her.
“And if you don’t, then yes, yes I will be forced to tell her.”
“She tells you we found out what we’re having?” Duro was attempting to change
the subject but Agron’s point had gotten through.
“No.”
“Well there’s a reason that she’s been so sick.” Duro grinned as he looked from
Gannicus to Agron and back again.
“Which is?” Gannicus was having trouble following the logic that was involved
when it came to the two of them.
“She’s having twins.” Duro’s eyes lit up at the word alone. He was still
adjusting to the news and he could only imagine what his brother and friend
would say.
“Really? That’s great.” Agron had settled back in, in the chair leaning over
the arm to peer at his brother. He knew that Duro had been worried about the
pregnancy and in truth, he hoped the news would ease the worry a little bit.
***** Chapter 30 *****
Chapter Notes
     Warning: Mentions of Rape.
“Two little angels to keep you busy.” Gannicus paused. “Gods, you’re right.
Saxa is right.”
                                      ***
“What in the world.” Nasir stood pressing his lips together, eyes falling over
the outfit that Eva had just tried on. His eyes instinctively turned to Saxa
and Kat. “ I know nothing about fashion, tell me that’s not it though.”
Saxa allowed a throaty laugh to slip between her lips as she leaned against a
rack. “No, no that is not in fashion. However, she thought it was cute so we
figured we’d let her try it on.
“It’s not nearly as cute on.” Eva let out a sigh, her eyes turning to look at
them all in disgust. “What am I going to do? Nothing looks good on.”
“You’re over reacting Eva.” Kat’s gentle tone was soothing and Nasir hoped that
it would help, especially since he knew that she wouldn’t believe him. “You
look absolutely beautiful in a lot of things.”
“Come on.” Kai took the girl’s hand within her own. “Let’s go see about the
other outfits.”
Saxa’s eyes turned to Nasir, eyebrows rising.
It was a gesture that did not go unnoticed, though he made no mention of it.
“Go on girls.” He offered a smile, knowing that Eva found comfort in Kai’s
company.
                                      ***
“You didn’t know that I knew he was smoking again?” Kat’s eyes fell upon the
older brother a smile forming. “I just didn’t mention it to him. I know that
it’s a habit and no matter how hard I try, I can’t make him stop if he doesn’t
want to.”
“I could have stopped him the first time I found him smoking, or the second
time he relapsed or when I found out this time.” Agron sighed a calloused hand
rubbing over his eyes.
“You cannot kill your brother Agron. Let him deal with it, he’s quit before, it
wont be hard for him to quit again.” Offering a gentle pat to his hand. “He
adores Anne Marie and the young ones who are on the way will keep him just as
busy, eventually he’ll see that if he intends to keep up with them he’ll have
to be healthy.”
“He’s all I have left anymore Kat.” He knew that the woman would understand
what he meant and how he felt. Right now he was annoyed and tired of dealing
with the way that Duro could be sometimes. “I just I cant lose him too…”
“I’ll talk to him.” Her voice was gentle as she tightened her hand around his.
“Now come inside. While it’s still beautiful outside, I’m sure that it will
start to cool off soon.” The weather had been beautiful outside, which no one
would argue with but it got downright cold at night.
Not that Agron and Nasir minded much, it was the perfect excuse to curl up
together within each other’s arms. “I guess you’re probably right.” Agron
offered a tiny smile. “After all Duro would be pissed at me if I let you catch
a chill.”
As true as it was, Kat wasn’t sure that he truly was alright. “He’s going to be
ok Agron. I swear it to you, I wont let anything happen.”
“I know.” He nodded pushing himself up off the porch step holding out a hand
for her. “So you hoping for boys? Girls?”
“One of each would be nice. I wouldn’t mind another little girl but a boy would
make Duro incredibly happy.”
“He’s always wanted a son. For as long as I can remember.” A smile played with
the man’s lips as he looked at her.
“What about you? Don’t you want kids Agron? Well I mean kids of your own.”
“I have kids of my own, ones that no one else wanted. If it wasn’t for here
they’d have no where else to go.” He meant each word that he spoke. If it
hadn’t been for him and Nasir, who knew where Eva, Derrick and Aerlia would be
right now.
                                      ***
“Eva?” Derrick’s voice was quiet as his eyes adjusted in the dark. “Eva, what
is it?” He could hear the girl sniffling but couldn’t understand what was
wrong. “Are you hurt? Should I get dad?” Pushing himself up into a sitting
position, Derrick’s eyes fell upon her as he held his arms out to her.
“I-I couldn’t sleep.” The girl whimpered as she sat on the edge of the bed
looking at her brother.
“Nightmares again?” He moved to sit beside his sister wrapping his arms around
her, holding her close to him. He would let her cry no matter what it was
about, yet he hoped that she understood that depending on what she told him,
he’d be forced to tell Nasir and Agron.
Instead of answering, Eva nodded against his shoulder. She couldn’t find the
words to say what it was that she wanted to say. The words to describe the fear
and hell that she had lived with. She was sure that she could try but she
wouldn’t ever begin to find the appropriate words.
“You’re alright.” Derrick reached up brushing away tears.
“I’m sorry to wake you.” The words were quiet as she spoke. She truly did feel
bad but yet she hadn’t wanted to wake Agron and Nasir and figured her brother
was probably only just going to sleep as it was.
“No, no I’m wasn’t asleep. You’re fine Eva.” He hated knowing that she was
afraid, upset and perhaps even terrified and there was nothing that he could do
to help her. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“I-it’s like reliving it all over again.” She pressed her eyes closed for a
minute trying not to let the tears fall as she spoke. “Like I can feel his
hands on me again, lips pressing against mine.” The girl was failing at trying
to contain the tears as they began to fall harder this time. 
***** Chapter 31 *****
“Nothings going to happen to you Eva.” Derrick’s voice gently. “Dad and Dad
will make sure that you are alright, they’re across the hall after all. Take
Duke with you, he’ll make sure that you’re alright. These dreams might be hard
for you but that’s all they really are, dreams.”
Eva offered a weak  smile as she looked at her brother. She knew that he was
trying to make her feel better. “You’re going to tell them aren’t you?” The
words weren’t really a question, she knew the answer. He would tell them
because he had to. It was in her best interest to tell them even if it upset
Eva and despite denying that, Eva knew it as well.
                                      ***
While the nights seemed to pass much slower, and Agron and Nasir seemed to get
less sleep trying to make sure that Eva was alright, the next few months passed
quickly.
“Gods, Aggy what am I going to do? Anne-Marie was a handful as a baby. I can’t
imagine two of them.” Duro pursed his lips, dark eyes filled with concern. A
hand slipped into his pocket for a cigarette, before remembering that he had
quit again, the hand returning to run through his hair. “Fuck.”
“Come on, it’s only been a week. You can get through this.” Agron offered a
grin tossing a pack of gum across the table. “As for the babes, you’ll be fine
Duro. Babies love you, especially yours. Look at Annie, she’s a daddy’s girl
through and through.”
“I wish mom was still here.” Duro pursed his lips, eyes turning up as the door
to the shop opened.
Katie offered a smile before she moved to take care of the woman, not wanting
to bother the brothers. She’d never seen Duro this lost before and Agron had
warned her that he might be a little moody. Nicotine withdrawls were hell on
his brother and in truth, he felt bad for anyone who got in his way.
“No, no you don’t. You wouldn’t still be breathing after she found out you were
smoking.” Agron offered a smile before he set his hand on top of his brother’s.
“Come on, what’s really the matter? You live with Kat or I’d suggest you seeing
someone about this.”
“She asked the same thing but I told her there was nothing wrong. God I lied to
my wife.” Duro sighed calloused fingers moving to rub over his eyes. “But she’s
got so much on her plate right now. She’s not working, she’s trying to get
everything ready for the babies and I just….”
“Tell me Bruder.” Agron was worried about Duro, he couldn’t understand what he
would possibly be keeping from Kat. He was used to Duro being happy go lucky
and certainly not smoking.
“I-I….” Duro closed his eyes for a minute trying to decide how to tell him.
“I’m not ready for this.”
A smile pulled at Agron’s lips, as his emerald eyes roamed over his brother. He
recalled the same conversation, many years ago when they had decided to adopt
Eva. Yet his baby brother had told him time and time again that everything
would be fine and he had been right, now he supposed that it was time to return
the favor.
“Duro…you’ve been through this once before, how hard can it be the second
time?” Agron’s voice was gentle as he spoke. “You’ve got two beautiful babies
on the way. You’re never going to be ready; all you can do is make it work.
Kat’s going to be there with you every step of the way to help, and you know
that Nasir and I will help if we can.”
“Gods, I need a smoke.” Duro sighed, fingers nervously tapping at the table.
“These patches don’t help.”
“Come on, what say you come home with me. Derrick will be ecstatic to see you,
and it’ll get your mind off of things.”
“Well, I promised Kat I’d pick up a few things for the nursery and then I’m
supposed to go and paint it. You’re welcome to come help though if you want.”
He adored his brother and was glad that he was trying to make things better but
he knew that it wouldn’t be that easy.
“Yea, I’ll come. How’s Kat doing?”
“She’s tired of seeing Crixius’ ugly mug.” Duro shook his head offering the
first smile that Agron had seen from him all day.
“At least you know he’s worried about her?” Agron felt odd defending the man,
granted he didn’t hate him as he once had, but they still weren’t best friends
either. It was a work in progress and probably always would be.
“I know and I feel better knowing he’s there if we need anything but, she’s
having a hard time trying to adjust to being home and her docs put her on bed
rest, which doesn’t make her any happier.”
“She on complete bed rest?” Agron wasn’t surprised, he had figured it would
eventually happen but the woman was only six months along, it seemed awfully
early for such a thing.
“No. She’s just not supposed to spend more than three hours on her feet at a
time without being off of them nearly as long. You can imagine how well she’s
doing with that.”
                                      ***
“Hey you.” Agron grinned, his eyes falling upon Kat. The blonde looked highly
uncomfortable where she was curled up on the couch, a hand resting on her
abdomen. “You alright?”
“Fine. How’s your brother since he wont tell me?” It was a fact that annoyed
her to no extent. They were married, content with one another and yet Duro
refused to talk with her about what was bothering him.
“He’s hanging in there.” Agron’s smile faded, he should have figured that she
would have asked him this. “Worried about you, which I can see why. You don’t
look like you’re feeling very well.”
“No, I’m fine. Just a little sore today, but it’s nothing that needs to be
worried about. I’ll be fine, I’m pretty sure that I just over did it yesterday
scrubbing the floors.”
“And you wonder why Duro worries?” Agron laughed, glad to hear that she was
feeling alright. “Call Nasir, he’d come clean the house top to bottom for you.”
 
***** Chapter 32 *****
“Annie’s been begging to come see the girls, I’ve been meaning to call and have
one of you drop them off for a play date.”
“I could take her with me, you know she’s always welcome with us. You and Duro
can spend the night alone together.” It would be good for everyone; Anne-Marie
could play with the girls and his brother and Katrina could spend time
together, something that they wouldn’t get much of after the babes were born.
“You’re sure that you don’t mind?” Kat pursed her lips trying to decide if he
was just trying to be nice to her.
“No, it’ll be good for you guys.”
“Alright.” Kat offered a nod as she looked at him.
                                      ***
Groping for the phone Agron allowed a sigh through his lips as he cracked an
eye. It had damn well be the end of the world to be calling at two in the
morning.
“Hello.” Agron mumbled pressing it to his ear, he felt Nasir’s arms wrap around
him tighter, his head coming to rest upon his shoulder.
“Hey Aggie, sorry to wake you.” It was Duro but he was having a hard time
talking, and if Agron didn’t know better he’d have sworn his brother was
crying.
“What’s the matter Duro?”
“I-It’s Kat.” There was a catch in his voice. “S-she’s in labor. God Aggie,
they aren’t due for another three months.” It was hard to mistake it now, he
was in fact crying.
“Easy, you want me to come sit with you?” He felt wide awake now, if Duro asked
it, he’d do it.
“No Bruder, I-I will be fine. I-I guess I just needed to hear you say it was
going to be alright.” Duro set his head back against the wall behind him.
“Go buy yourself a pack of cigarettes, we’ll get you through after but
something tells me tonight you’re going to need them.” As much as he hated the
idea, he couldn’t imagine what Duro was going through. “And keep us posted
hey?”
“Nah, I’m fine. Besides I won’t leave Kat right now, she’s a wreck. I’ll call
when I know something. Sorry to wake you.” Duro’s voice sounded tired and
listless.
“Don’t apologize. It’s fine, give Kat a hug for me.”
“Thanks Aggie.” Duro hung up.
“What’s up?” Nasir adjusted again as Agron settled back in. It was unusual for
Duro to call so late.
“”Kat went into labor on him. He sounds like a wreck but he insists that he’s
fine.” Agron closed his eyes as calloused fingers reached up to brush his eyes.
He wanted to be there for his little brother and yet Duro had insisted that he
was fine and not to come, he didn’t want to upset him.
“Crixius is there, she’ll be fine.” Nasir cracked an eye to look at him, but it
was obvious to see that his concern wasn’t nearly the same as Agron’s.
“B-but…” Agron sighed. “She’s not even due for another three months. They
aren’t nearly ready to be born yet.”
“Go back to sleep.” Nasir sighed. “Duro will call if anything comes up, there’s
no reason to lay here worrying.” “Leaning up Nasir pressed a kiss to Agron’s
lips; he somehow doubted that would happen though.
“You’re right, I’m going to peek in on Eva and make sure she’s alright and then
I’ll be back.” Carefully he unwound himself from Nasir’s arms which only got
him a disgusted sigh as Nasir rolled over facing away from him. “I swear I’ll
come back and keep you warm.”
“Uh huh.” Nasir mumbled, his eyes closing again as he pulled the blanket up
around himself.  He didn’t blame Agron, hell he didn’t even blame Duro right
now but he was tired and cold, two factors that were not good for anyone else
he might encounter.
Slipping from the bed, Agron pulled the bedroom door open, wandering across the
hall he leaned into Eva’s room. The girl lay burrowed beneath her blankets
which were tucked on all sides of her. Her hair fell against the pillows, eyes
closed as she peacefully slept. It was a sight that brought a smile to his
lips, he was glad to see that she was at least sleeping peacefully for now.
Quietly he returned to his own bed, sliding in beneath the blankets, which
caused Nasir to whine at the sudden draft it caused. Wrapping his arms around
the tiny man, he pulled him close to him, his back pressing against his chest.
“Sleep Nasir.” Leaning down he pressed a kiss to his temple before he settled
in to return to sleep.
                                      ***
“Agron quit pacing.” The growl that slipped between Nasir’s lips as he rolled
over wasn’t intended. “What time is it?”
“9 o’clock.” Agron’s eyes fell upon Nasir. “Saxa called a bit ago, she was
going to check in and see how Duro was holding up and then she was going to
come get Eva and Derrick. Aery, Lea and Annie are still asleep.”
“Alright then. I take it Duro didn’t call since you’re pacing again. I mean I
know that the sex was good last night, but you never pace afterwards.” Nasir
offered a cheeky smile as his eyes fell upon Agron.
“Mmmm no Nasir, that was better than good. That was wonderful Nasir. We need
more nights like that, minus the two am phone call that is.” A grin played with
his lips. He wasn’t lying, he meant what he said.  “But you’re right, that’s
not why I’m pacing.”
“Well then we’ll have to try again tonight. Maybe we can manage mind blowing.
So I take it Eva and Derrick are up?”
“I’d be willing to do that. Hell, let’s just get Eva and Derrick out of the
house and we can try again.” Agron laughed. “Yea, they’re both in the shower.
Well not the same shower, but you know what I mean!”
 
***** Chapter 33 *****
It was in moments like these that Nasir was thrilled he wasn’t a woman; he
could only imagine how he would be pregnant all the time with the way that
Agron’s sex drive was. Although that brought him another thought. “Aggie?”
“Yea?” Agron paused in mid step turning to look at him. “What’s up?” 
“Come here.” Nasir held his arms out to him waiting for him, scooching over on
the bed to make room for him.
Settling in beside Nasir, Agron raised his eye brows again. “What’s up?”
 “I was just thinking. I’ve gotten to see your face the first time you saw
Aerlia, I saw you the first time you held Lea, even the first time you got to
hold Annie. Don’t think I haven’t noticed the way that you look at Duro, I’d
almost swear that you were jealous of him.” Nasir had been mulling the words
around in his head, trying to get them right for when he actually said them and
he was sure that Agron would argue, perhaps even still be upset. Yet he needed
to get them off of his chest.
“I’m not jealous of Duro.” Agron offered a smile as he looked at the man he’d
fallen in love with. “Well, let me rephrase that. In a way I am jealous of
Duro, yet in many others I’m not.”
“Would you explain that to me?” Nasir didn’t understand exactly what he was
talking about. He and Agron had been together going on thirteen years but there
were still times that he didn’t follow him.
“I’m not jealous of Duro for his kids, I am however jealous of the bond that he
has with his kids. It’s like the bond that you have with Lea; it is something
that I do not know. I have a bond with our children, but it is noting like what
you both have, being their father.” Agron’s eyes seemed distant as he spoke,
trying to figure out how to explain what he was thinking to him.
“You could know that feeling too you know.” Nasir didn’t know if that was what
Agron wanted to hear or if he was just trying to explain to him the answer to
the question he had asked. It was hard to tell this time.
“No, we aren’t ready for that Nasir. Lea’s only two and we have our hands full
with everything that’s going on with Eva and trying to keep the house going and
work.” Agron wouldn’t look at Nasir which told him that he was making excuses
now.
“Agron, we’re fine. Eva’s settling in fine, Lea’s adjusting well, Derrick’s
finally settling down and giving up his wild ways, and yea Aerlia is still sick
every now and then but even she’s doing better.” Nasir reached out taking his
hand within his. “As for the house, it’s still standing. Yea, it’s not always
as clean as I’d like it to be. Yea it doesn’t run as smoothly as I’d like
sometimes but we have each other at the end of the day and that’s the important
part. You’re not getting any younger Agron. If this is what you want to do then
let’s do it. I’m sure that Katie would consider surrogacy again, or we could
find someone else, it’s up to you, always up to you.”
“I-I….” Agron paused. He wanted this more than anything and yet he still wasn’t
sure. He was brought out of his day dream though by the phone which he leaned
over Nasir to grab pushing it to his ear hoping that it was either his brother
or Saxa with good news. “Hello?”
“Hey, Duro wanted me to call.” Saxa’s voice lacked its’ normal bubbly tone as
she spoke.
“Is everything alright?”
“Not much change from this morning. She’s in pain, her labor is progressing but
still no little ones. Duro’s a nervous wreck though. I’ve never seen him shake
like he is, he’s exhausted. I finally got him to go and get coffee while I sat
with her but he’s gunna crash eventually. I’ll come get the kids and drop them
off to Ganny for the day but, I think I’m going to go back to the hospital.
Maybe I can convince him to go home to bed for awhile if I sit with Kat.”
            “He might. Tell him that you’ll call if anything happens and he
should be ok. If not have him give me a call and I’ll see if I can’t talk some
sense into him. If need be I’ll come sit with her this afternoon so that you
can go home and enjoy time with your family too.” Agron knew that this was what
family was for. The times when nothing seemed to happen that was supposed to.
After all this was not something they had planned on. They had figured that
they had another three months before something like this would happen and yet
they had been caught by surprised.
            “We will see what happens Agron. Perhaps by then Duro will be at
ease, two young ones to love and take care of.” Though they both knew it would
not be that easy, they could hope, could they not?
            “Saxa?” Agron’s voice was quite as he bit at his lip.
            “Yea?”
            “What are we going to do if something happens to one of them?” He
didn’t care if it was Kat or one of the babies, Duro was going to take it hard
and he couldn’t blame him for that.
            “Let’s not worry about that until we have to alright?” She
understood Agron’s concern but in truth she didn’t even want to think about it.
“Kat just keeps saying they’re twenty four weeks along so they have a fighting
chance. I really think she’s all that’s keeping him hanging in there. If it
wasn’t for her and her optimistic thinking, he’d have given up by now.”
***** Chapter 34 *****
                                      ***
“Hello?” Nasir attempted to balance the phone against his shoulder as he worked
at scrubbing the floor. Agron had taken Aerlia, Lea and Annie to the park. Duke
and Layla were outside basking in the sun and he figured he’d take the
opportunity to get some of the cleaning done while they were gone. He had
always supposed it was probably something he had picked up from his mother. The
woman had been terribly neat and had fussed at him to clean his room and take
care of his messes.
“Hey Nasir.  Aggie around?” Duro sounded less exhausted then the last time
they’d talked.
“No, he took the girls to the park. Annie was starting to fuss about missing
mommy so he thought maybe it would help to distract her. What’s up? I could
have him give you a call if you’d like.”
“No, that’s fine, I should be getting back to Kat soon anyways. I’ll stop and
get Anne-Marie on my way home tonight. Then tomorrow I’ll take her to see
mommy.”
“How’s Kat?” Nasir paused to adjust the phone so that he didn’t drop it in the
bucket of water.
“She’s doing well. A couple of days and she should be home.” Duro didn’t sound
nearly as happy as he did when he’d first called.
“What’s the matter?” Duro’s behaviors were so similar to Agron’s that it was
hard for him to miss the tone in Duro’s voice.
“Nothing, she’s fine.” Duro sighed. “The little ones are in the NICU but, at
least they’re still with us. Faith and Karlee.” While he had hoped for a little
boy, the girl’s would have him wrapped around their little fingers in no time,
there was no doubting that. “They’re just so tiny Nasir.”
“And if I know anything, they have your blood. Stubborn Germans.” Nasir was
only teasing but it was true both Agron and Duro had experienced their fair
share of close calls over the years and yet it was as if they were too stubborn
to die.
“I suppose you’re right.” Duro offered a tiny smile as he thought about it.
“Listen just tell Agron that everyone’s alright. I’ll stop on my way home
tonight and get Annie.”
“Alright, let us know if there’s anything we can do.” He couldn’t imagine the
stress that Duro was under right now.
 “It’ll make me feel better knowing Kats home and then we’ll work things out
with the little one.” Duro’s voice was gentle. He did feel better knowing that
the little ones were in the best hands possible. He hadn’t been so sure about
letting the twins out of his sight, but yet he knew that they needed it.
Yet, Crixius had finally convinced him that they were in good hands. He knew
that they were his co-workers, people who were specialized. If anyone could
help them, they could.
“Aggie was going to stop on his way home and let the dogs out, he was hoping
that maybe seeing them would make Annie feel a little better.”
“Tell him I said thanks.” Duro loved his brother and he was glad to know that
he could count on him, not that he had ever wondered of course.
“Will do, say why don’t you and Annie join us for supper.” He knew that after
the night Duro had just had, he certainly wouldn’t feel like going home and
cooking.
“Sounds good. Alright, I’m off. I just wanted to call and check in, tell you
guys how grateful we are for you.”
“Give Kat our love.” Nasir couldn’t help but smile at the sound of Duro’s
voice. He was overwhelmed, that wasn’t hard to hear, but beyond that,
underneath it, he really was happy. “Have you gotten to hold them yet?”
“Kat had Faith for awhile but they’re just so tiny, I’ll kill you if you tell
anyone but I’m afraid that I might hurt them.”
“Go be with your kids Duro. I’ll see you tonight.” Already Nasir’s mind was
swirling with things that needed to be done for that night.
                                      ***
“Crixius! It seems like I haven’t seen your ugly face in forever now!” Duro
quirked a grin from where he had settled in on the couch. “Tell me you didn’t
come to find me.”
“Uh, no. Actually Naevia asked me to stop by and drop off a bag of clothes for
Eva.” His eyes fell upon Nasir before they returned to Duro. “But how are you
doing?”
“Alright, I mean considering the situation. The next couple of days are going
to be the hardest. I’m not used to it being just Annie and I. After that, at
least I’ll have Kat to keep my mind busy.”
“Don’t be afraid to take it easy. I wont lie to you, it could be weeks, even
months before you get to bring them home. It’s going to be a long hard battle,
but it will be worth it in the end.” Crixius’ eyes drifted over the man before
him.
“Do they give you guys a script or something?” Duro asked taking the beer that
Agron offered as he wandered in from the kitchen.  “That’s like the third time
today I’ve heard it.”
“Nah, Amelia was premie. Been there, done that. And no it does not help when
you’re trying to do rounds and worry about a child and feeling like you should
be with them rather than doing anything else. I was still interning then, it
was rough, believe me, I know.” Crixius sighed shaking his head. “Nea’s taking
care of the dogs though while you’re gone, in fact I awoke to one of them
bouncing on the bed earlier. She felt bad that they were all alone so she let
them in.”
“I’m sure they enjoyed that, they love playing with kids.” Duro sighed and
shook his head. “But no, I just feel so helpless, like there’s nothing I can to
do for them, they’re so tiny, I should be able to look after them and yet,
there’s nothing I can do.”
***** Chapter 35 *****
“They’re in good hands.” This time it was Agron who spoke setting his own beer
on the end table.
“But they need you Duro. Even if it’s only an hour or so a day. Go and hold
them, talk to them, I’ve heard you sing so I really don’t advise that but you
get my point.” Nasir offered a smile. He couldn’t imagine what this was like
for the man, in fact it was something he had feared with Lea but thankfully the
young girl had come with no issues.
“And know that I swear to you I may not have their case but I’ve always got an
eye on them.” Crixius set a hand on Duro’s shoulder.
“Thanks.” He felt better knowing that they were all behind him and Kat, made
him feel a little better.
“And we’ll be more than happy to come and stay with Kat so that you can get out
of the house.” Nasir offered a smile. “Which reminds me tomorrow while you’re
gone, I’ll let myself in and clean the house so that Kat doesn’t feel like she
has to do it while she should be healing.”
“You don’t have to do that Nasir.” Duro offered a smile as he looked at the
smaller man. He accepted him as family, he was like his brother in fact and he
was just as stubborn as his brother was, that much he knew.
“I know I don’t but I want to help, and there’s not a lot that I can do so this
is my contribution.”
“And I believe this belongs to you now.” Agron flipped his brother’s hand over
dropping something within it before he closed his fingers around it.
The cold metallic feel against Duro’s skin left him confused. Opening his hand
though he realized what it was. “No, Aggie, no, I cant take this, this is
yours. “ His eyes turned up to look at his brother wide with the emotions that
he was feeling.
“No Duro, it is yours. Leave it with the girls, whatever you decide. I know
that neither of us is as faithful to the religion as mother would have wished
us to be but, maybe he will keep watch over them. It isn’t doing me any good,
so consider it my gift to them.”
Nasir offered a small smile. Their mother’s saint Christopher medal, he knew
that each of the brother’s had one but Agron had been entrusted with their
mother’s. In fact if Nasir recalled right, there was probably more jewelry in a
security box at one of the banks as well that one of these days the brother’s
would have to decide what to do with but this was one of the more sentimental
pieces for them.
“Alright, I guess I should be getting to work.” Crixius allowed a sigh to slip
between his lips. “When I get down time I’ll stop in and see how Kat’s doing
and I’ll see how the young ones are. I swear to you, if anything happens, you
will be the first call I make.”
Duro offered a nod pushing himself from the couch. “I should be getting Annie
home too. Thanks for everything.”
“Anytime Bruder.” Agron reached out patting his brother’s arm. “Let us know if
you need anything hey?”
“Yea, I gotta call Naevia tomorrow, she if she’s still knows of  a sitter cause
I cant ask you guys to keep taking Anne Marie for us. It’s not fair to you and
it’s certainly not fair to Annie either.” Duro knew that his brother would take
her, he wouldn’t even complain even if it become a problem but he couldn’t
continue to ask it of him and Nasir. “And as for tomorrow Nasir, Aggie has keys
you can let yourself in. We’ll probably leave in the morning, stop and see Kat
for a little bit and then maybe we’ll go to the park or something.” That was
the other guilt trip he had going right now, that he had been neglecting the
little girl. It had broken his heart to hear Nasir say that the little girl had
whined about seeing him and Kat.
There had been so much going on in the past couple of days that he had been
neglecting her and sadly he knew that. Yet, he also knew that with the girls
still in the hospital even after Kat was released, it was only the beginning.
There would probably be many more days like this, but knowing he had his
brother and his friends by his side made it easier.
“I’ve actually got to call Naevia on my way to work so I can mention it to her
if you want.” Crixius offered a weak smile. He understood well what Duro was
going through and wished that there was more that he could do. “If I know her
she’s probably chomping at the bit to call Kore as it is.”
“Yea, if you don’t mind, that would be great.” Duro offered a nod before he
started down the hallway, carefully scooping Annie within his arms, hoping not
to wake her in the process. He knew that this wasn’t going to be easy, but they
would make it. Come hell or high water they would all make it through this. Kat
would heal and return to work and sweet little Faith and Karlee would be home
with them, healthy and happy.
For the first time in his life, he found himself praying to a god that he
hadn’t believed in since they had lost their parents. If only they would grant
him this wish, he’d never complain again about a sleepless night because one of
the babes had cried. That in itself would be a gift from the gods above, it
would be exactly what he needed to restore his faith in them and yet he wasn’t
sure why he was wasting his time.
***** Chapter 36 *****
                                      ***
“Aggie, I’m headed out.” Nasir leaned down pressing a kiss to the man’s cheek.
“K.” Agron mumbled burying his face further into the pillow.
“I’m taking Eva with me. I think we’re going to stop and see dad on the way
home.”
“Huh?” Agron finally pushed himself from the bed. Nasir rarely saw his father
and as many times as Agron had offered to go with him, he had denied.
“Just what I said. The last time I was there, he asked to meet my kids. I-i…”
Nasir sighed, things had been easier since the man had returned home yet there
were so many new complications. “And Eva is the oldest, the most mature, I
think she’ll be ok.”
“I-if you’re sure.” Agron wouldn’t admit to it but he also wasn’t sure this was
a good idea. However, Agron trusted Nasir’s judgement.
“She wants to go, we already talked about it.” There was so much going on
lately that he had forgotten to tell him earlier. “Go back to sleep baby,
Derrick’s still at Gannicus’ and the girls had a rough night so they’ll
probably sleep awhile.”
                                      ***
“You’re sure you want to do this?” Nasir’s dark eyes ran over Eva.
“Yes dad.” Eva reached over setting a hand upon Nasir’s. “You are the first
family I’ve ever known. I-I want to know yours too.”
Sometimes the young girl surprised Nasir. Over the past few years she had grown
more and more comfortable with talking about her parents and what had happened.
“Alright, as long as you are sure.”
Opening the car door he crawled out trying his hardest to hold it together for
Eva. He wasn’t used to holding it together for anyone and yet the girl was a
good enough reason.
Pulling open her door he offered a smile. “Come on.” His father had finally
taken him for who he was. He had accepted Agron as the man that Nasir chose to
spend the rest of his life with.
Slipping out of the car Eva followed after him. She had agreed to this and yet
she couldn’t help being nervous about it. There were so many different types of
nervousness. Little did Nasir know she had heard them speak so many times,
including the many when they had discussed his father’s distaste for Agron,
what if she was next? If she had done enough along the way to even be likable.
Yet, she was reluctant to express the words to Nasir for fear of how he would
take it and so she kept them inside.
Leading her to the front door,Nasir knocked, fingers absent mindedly moving to
brush dark locks behind his ears. Thanks to Agron’s prodding about how good
looking Nasir was when he allowed his hair to fall, Nasir had learned to adjust
to letting it down.
The door was pulled open by a man in his late seventies, he shared Nasir’s dark
eyes and skin. “Hello Nasir.” His eyes moving to run over Eva. “And who is this
beauty?”
“Hello father.” Wrapping an arm carefully around Eva, he was surprised to find
the girl shaking. “And this is Eva, our oldest. She’s been with us for almost
six years now.”
“Seven.” Eva’s voice was meek as she spoke. “I was six when you adopted me.”
“And as you can see, she’s one smart kid.”
“Come in, Come in.” The man who stood before Eva confused her. This couldn’t be
the same person Nasir had spoken of so many times before.
                                      ***
“So?” Agron had waited most of the day to hear how things had gone, the only
bright side had been that Duro had sent pictures of Kat and the girls,
proclaiming happily about holding them for the first time. He was beyond proud
of his baby brother. Despite everything that had been thrown at him this week,
everything he now had on his plate, he had stepped up nicely.
“So what?” Nasir’s eyes turned up from Aerlia who was asleep against his
shoulder.
“So you went to see your dad, you brought Eva and your brought her home with
new clothes. So that means it probably didn’t go well.” Agron let a sigh slip
between his lips. If Nasir thought that Agron was bad when it came to trying to
make things better with the kids, he was just as bad.
“No, actually it went really well. She just mentioned that nothing fit the way
that it should anymore. Poor kid, she’s losing weight again. Anyways, I think
she was kind of nervous to start with but she did just fine.” Nasir offered a
small smile. “He’d like to see you Agron.”
“Yea, that surprises you how?” Agron didn’t necessarily hate the man; he just
didn’t feel as though he should be accepted into the family so willingly. “You
know I love you and that I’d do anything for you and for that exact reason I
would do it but that doesn’t change what he said about you, about us, about our
family.”
“I understand Agron. “Nasir’s voice was quiet. “I respect that opinion as you
will accept mine. He is my father. Almost dying scared him enough that he
changed his beliefs. As Duro changed his about smoking after he nearly died.”
Agron was taken aback by such a statement. Nasir knew what Duro meant to him,
to make such a statement was basllsy, yet it struck the nerve it was meant to.
“Speaking of, he sent pictures today.” Sliding the phone across the coffee
table his eyes fell upon him. “They’re so tiny.” His voice was quiet, but his
eyes were soft.
“They’re beautiful.” Nasir smiled as he flipped through the pictures. “They
both ended up with Duro’s eyes, now how do they ever tell them apart?”
 
***** Chapter 37 *****
“Faith is the smaller of the two. I think that’s how she got her name.”
“Makes sense. Is there a meaning to them as far as heritage or?” Nasir still
understood little about the brothers’ family. They didn’t speak of anyone but
their parents very often and he often wished he understood more.
“Faith means what it sounds like, confidence or belief, knowing my brother it
is probably something like the confidence that she will be alright. Karlee on
the other hand is German, it means strength.” Agron paused thinking about it
for a moment. In truth he hated thinking about it. It brought back so many
memories that were better left buried for him. “It was our mother’s name
actually.”
“I’m sorry.” Nasir hadn’t meant to bring him pain, yet the look in Agron’s eyes
told him that he was remembering what life had been like with the woman. “I
should have thought about it.” Carefully he adjusted on the couch taking Aerlia
within his arms to put her in bed. The young girl had fallen sick again and she
had wished to cuddle, surprisingly enough with Nasir rather than Agron which
was a surprise for him.
“How’s she doing?” Though he was trying to change the subject he was sure that
Nasir would change it back once he had taken the girl to bed.
“She still feels warm, and you can still hear her breathing rattle. If she
doesn’t sound any better tomorrow I’ll probably take her in to see someone.”
His eyes fell upon the little girl. She was so tiny, and he wished that there
was something more that he could do for her. “I’m going to go and check the
humidifier in her room and put her to bed.” While he wanted to hold Agron, make
sure that he was really alright, and yet he had to put the little girl to bed
and make sure that she was alright.
“Sounds good.” Agron moved from the couch holding his arms out to Nasir for the
little girl. “Let me see her for a minute?” The little girl was still his baby
girl no matter how long it had been.
Nasir allowed him to scoop her away from him watching as Agron placed a kiss
upon her forehead, the young girl held within his arms.
“Dad, did you find my….” Eva trailed off seeing the sleeping little girl, she
didn’t want to wake the little girl knowing that she wasn’t feeling well. She
adored her little sisters and she hated that she had to go through this; it was
something that if she could she would trade the little girl, her immune system
for Aerlia’s.
 Adjusting her on his hip, Agron moved towards her bedroom leaving the two of
them to talk.
“Did I find your what?” Nasir asked, he knew that he should go check on the
humidifier and make sure that it was full before they turned in for the night
but if he could help her he would.
“My socks. I cant find them anywhere. I checked the drier, I checked the
laundry baskets, I just cant find them.” Eva sighed. This was an annoyance of
hers, she didn’t mind doing her laundry but it seemed like every time that
someone else took it out, no one could find her laundry again.
“They’re in on our bed Eva, they got dropped in the wrong basket.” Nasir
offered a tiny smile. “You’re welcome to go and grab them if you’d like. Then
off to bed with you.” Perhaps it was after her bedtime but he understood that
she had been trying to take care of things that needed to be done.
“Thanks.”
“No problem.” Nasir slipped down the hallway where Agron had disappeared,
pausing in the doorway, a smile played at his lips as he found Agron sitting on
the edge of Aerlia’s bed. The young girl tucked in with her ducky that she had
been given when they had adopted her.
“Come on Aggie, she’ll be fine. We’re just down the hall.” He knew that Agron
wouldn’t sleep well that night and that worried him, yet he also knew that
there was nothing more that they could do that night.
“Humidifiers full.” Agron pushed himself from the edge of the bed moving to the
doorway where he carefully wrapped an arm around Nasir, his eyes falling upon
the two girls in the room. Their baby girls, it killed them both when something
happened to either one, and this would be no easier. “I-I was thinking about
what you said.”
“Which part?” He began to guide Agron down the hall to their room. Slipping
inside, he turned to look at Agron, it was obvious that something was on his
mind and Nasir couldn’t help wondering what it was. He knew that Duro and the
girls were part of it but there was something more to it as well.
“A-about a child. I think I want to do it.” Agron brushed his lips against each
other as he tried to decide what else to say. “I think I really want a child. A
child of my own, much like Lea is for you.” He felt like he was rambling, like
he wasn’t making any sense. He had thought about it many times since they had
talked about it. He had thought about it so many times before, and yet each
time he had become a nervous wreck. What if the poor child inherited something
from him that was detrimental to them?
Yet, he had seen the look in Duro’s eyes when he spoke of the twins. The light,
the love, it had made him finally realize that Nasir hadn’t been far from
wrong. He really was jealous of his brother, of Nasir, of knowing the feeling
of being a father. Though it had taken awhile for him to admit it, the truth
was there and it was time for him to face it no matter if he liked it or not,
yet he had been given a way to get over it as well.
“Then let’s do it Agron.” Nasir offered a smile reaching up to cup his cheek.
“If that’s what you want, that’s what we’ll do baby.”
***** Chapter 38 *****
“You’re sure that’s what you want?” Agron’s voice was quiet as he spoke.
“I want you to be happy.” Pressing himself up on his toes, placing a kiss to
Agron’s lips, Nasir leaned into it. Lost within the bigger man’s arms, Nasir
could have stayed forever.
That is if it wasn’t for Eva. The young girl cleared her throat from where she
was leaned against the door frame.
Pulling away Nasir found himself thankful for Agron’s arms which kept him from
falling over. A blush crept to his cheeks as he turned to look at her “Yes
Eva?”
“My socks?” Though she tried her damndest she could not hide the smile that
played with her lips.
“Oh, right, they’re on the bed.” Nasir offered a weak smile in return.
Moving to scoop them up the girl offered a grin. “Well good night then.” She
smirked, before she slipped from the room, pulling the door closed behind
herself.
“Ya think that’s her way of giving us her blessing?” Agron’s voice was muffled
by the top of Nasir’s head since he had buried his face in his hair.
“No, I think that’s her way of not walking in on it.” Nasir laughed softly, his
fingers pulling at Agron’s. “Come on, at least come lay with me.”
“Oh, I’ll do a hell of a lot better than that.” Agron’s voice was a low growl.
“Really now…” Nasir’s finger tips brushed against Agron’s coarse hair, the
words but a breathy tone.
“Mhm.” The word was hardly a whisper as he spoke giving Nasir a playful shove
before he moved to cover the man’s body with his own. They had never truly
finished their discussion about a child. Yet they would eventually, it had
simply been left for pursuit of other activities that sounded more appealing
right now.
Their fingers eagerly pulled at one another’s clothes, ending up wound within
each other’s arms.
One of Agron’s massive hands came to rest upon Nasir’s hip pulling him back
against him.
“Please.” Nasir whimpered as Agron continued to tease. “For the love of gods
baby don’t tease.”
“You know all you have to do is ask. I will not make you beg.” Pressing his
hips forward he slid his cock within.
The hiss that slipped through Nasir’s lips urged Agron forward faster, his lips
pressing at Nasir’s neck.
“Fuck.” The word slipped through Nasir’s lips as his head rolled against
Agron’s shoulder.
“What’s the matter?” A grin played with Agron’s lips as he leaned, his breath
warm against Nasir’s ear, sending a new type of sensations through him.
The words that Nasir wanted to speak but all of the words that he wanted to
speak were on the tip of his tongue yet with all of the sensations that were
coursing through him, he couldn’t speak them. The steady rock of Agron’s hips
was soothing in the sea of emotions that he was swimming in. His fingers
wrapping within Agron’s, lips turning to press against his as they both found a
blissful climax.
For a while the room and house were silent other than their pants for air as
they lay beside each other. “Wow.” The word came from Agron, though he was
normally the type of person who only wanted to sleep after sex.
“Wow?” Nasir rolled to face the man. “Do you think that you could elaborate on
that for me?”
Wrapping Nasir within his arms, he cuddled up against him. “I-I don’t know what
got into me tonight but that was….mind blowing.”
“Get some sleep Aggie.” Nasir curled his arms around him, eyes drifting to
Agron for a minute. “Well I might suggest putting pants back on since we never
know when Aerie will come crawl in with us.”
“Good point.” Agron offered a yawn pushing himself up to sit up beside him,
eyes searching the floor, there wasn’t anything on the floor that looked
comfortable to sleep in. “You cleaned again.” A smirk played with his lips as
he moved towards the dresser.
“Well maybe but that’s just because we both know that I enjoy seeing your ass
while you walk across the room.” A smile played at his lips, eyes running over
the man who still took his breath away each time he saw him.
A laugh rumbled through Agron’s chest as he pulled a pair of sweats from the
dresser before he pulled them on. “You need anything while I’m over here?”
                                      ***
            “So…” Nasir’s eyes drifted over Sibyl.
            “She’s doing well.” Sibyl offered a smile. “Ariel’s a good match
for her. They work well together. Go ahead and ask what you really want to
though.”
            “It’s none of my concern really.” Nasir wanted to know yet he
wouldn’t be rude by asking either.
            “It’s nothing that bothers me.” The woman’s meek nature was
discarded for now.
            “Alright, fine. How…Why…What is the thrill to sleeping with
Gannicus?” Nasir had never been very good at being blunt yet this seemed like
the time to try.
            “I really wasn’t interested when Saxa asked but she’s just so
damn…well pushy I guess. So I finally argeed. He’s not so bad really, you just
have to worry about her. I-I feel like maybe before she wanted it but now she’s
not so into the idea.”
            “And now you know why I don’t share.” Nasir leaned against the
fence. “I wanted to thank you though.”
            “For what?”
            “For helping Eva through this. For being a woman that she can turn
to. She admires you so much.” Nasir figured that the woman knew that already
but he needed her to know if not.
            “I would do it for anyone Nasir, she’s a good kid Nasir. You and
Agron have done well and you should be proud.” Sibyl reached out setting a hand
upon his shoulder, offering a squeeze before she hopped the fence. “Alright
Eva, that’s enough for today. You’re starting to look more comfortable with it
so that’s a good start!”  
***** Chapter 39 *****
                                      ***
            “So what’s the doc have to say about Aery?” Nasir’s eyes fell upon
Agron. He had taken Eva out to lunch while Agron ran Aerlia to the doctor’s
office. Agron had called Naevia who had put him in touch with Kore. The woman
and Derrick had hit it off from the very beginning and Lea loved her as well,
which made them both feel a little better about it. Katie had started seeing
someone and wasn’t as available as she used to be, so it was nice to know that
they had someone that they could depend on to watch the kids.
            “She’s got bronchitis, and he’s worried about it progressing
further. She’s on antibiotics, and cough syrup.” Agron sighed, cuddling the
little girl closer to him. “He suggested lots of fluids, lots of sleep and her
taking it easy.” He felt better knowing that his baby girl was curled up in his
arms. “Kore didn’t really want to leave the kids but I finally convinced her
that she could leave.”
            “She seems really sweet.” Nasir nodded, his eyes falling over the
little blonde that was cuddled within Agron’s arms asleep. They had taken
Naevia’s word about letting her take care of the kids, it wasn’t the easiest
decision they had ever made but they had finally decided they were never going
to find another sitter if they didn’t give them a try to see how they really
were with the kids.  “You want me to take her and put her in the bed?”
“No, she’s fine.” Agron hated to think about what the poor little girl was
going through, and even if it didn’t bring her comfort, it made him feel
better. “I rubbed her back down good with Vicks before she curled up with me to
watch cartoons. She just fell asleep a little bit before you got home.” Agron’s
foot bounced on the floor keeping the recliner bouncing. It seemed to be a
nervous twitch of his that if the foot stool wasn’t up, he was rocking. Though
Nasir had noticed that Duro was the same way, perhaps it was a comfort from
their childhood.
“How’s chicken soup sound for dinner tonight?” He knew that the other kids
wouldn’t argue since it was also one of their favorites but he wasn’t sure how
Agron would feel about it. Though he knew that Agron would do almost anything
for Aerlia, as he would any of the kids, he didn’t see an argument in the
future but it was possible yet.
“Sounds fine.” He paused as Aerlia began to cough within his arms. “Shhhh,
you’re alright.” His hand ran lightly over her back trying to quiet her. He
knew well from experience over the years that if she couldn’t breathe she would
panic and it would only be harder for her to breath. His own breath caught in
his throat as he listened to her, and it wasn’t until she had actually started
to breathe normally that let it out.
Carefully Agron held her close to him again, allowing her to rest her head upon
his shoulder. “Sleep baby girl.” His eyes turned from the little girl, turning
to look up at Nasir. “Lea’s starting to sound pretty rough too. She’s got a
wheeze going on.”
“Her asthma’s acting up again I think, and on top of it she’s probably coming
down with a cold as well.” That seemed to be the way that it went when it came
to kids. When one of them got something, it went through the whole house no
matter how well prepared they were for it. Though he was thankful that it
seemed that Eva and Derrick were no longer as susceptible but he wished that
they could count on that rather than hoping for it.
 Agron saw the worry that flitted through Nasir’s eyes, it had happened more
times than he could remember and was always a sign that there would be more to
come. “She’s going to be fine Nasir.” He knew that Nasir felt bad for having
passed the trait on to her but truly there was nothing that could have been
done about it. Thought it seemed that every time the little girl so much as
coughed Nasir panicked and made sure that she was alright. “And if not then
we’ll both end up with a cuddle bug.”
Nasir nodded softly as he started for the kitchen, but he stopped turning to
look at Agron. “So then what are we going to do if you should have a little
one.”
“There’s room in my lap for another one.” The words slipped easily from his
lips. He’d been asked several times over the years how he ever kept up with the
four kids that he already had. For him it was easy though, he might not get to
go out and party like a lot of people enjoyed but instead he got the joy of
watching children grow. In truth, he was a lot like his brother, he wouldn’t
mind a boy. Sure he had Derrick but a sweet baby boy would make him incredibly
happy. “Besides we need to find someone who would consider surrogacy and such
anyways.” He had thought about asking Saxa but he wasn’t sure how to approach
her about it yet.
“I’m sure you’ll find someone.” He knew that with Agron’s history with Katie,
it would be a little awkward for him to ask her. Yet he was still certain that
there would be someone who would be willing to do such a thing for Agron.
Someone who was close to them, perhaps.
Cuddling Aerlia closer, Agron simply nodded. “We’ll talk about this later on.
Let’s get our baby girl’s feeling better and then we can worry about adding to
the family.” In the back of his mind he thought to himself, perhaps I’ll even
find the balls to ask Saxa. 
***** Chapter 40 *****
                                      ***
“Oh, come on. How does Eva always win?” Nasir’s eyebrows shot to the middle of
his forehead. “There’s two of us, how?”
Agron allowed a laugh to slip between his lips, finger tips resting on Nasir’s
shoulder as he leaned over it to whisper in his ear. “Because Derrick lets
her.”
The young girl hadn’t figured the secret out over the years, and he certainly
wasn’t going to tell her. Nasir’s eyes turned up to look at Agron. “You
shaved?”
“Uh, yea.” Agron raised his eyebrows as he looked at Nasir, it wasn’t something
that he normally noticed. Of course not that Agron cared if he noticed or not.
“Problem?”
“No, I just….” Nasir was cut off by Eva’s voice.
“No, no we aren’t doing this again. The last time you two had this conversation
it ended in awww but I love you more. We get that you love each other, but you
can show it to each other behind closed doors.” The girl couldn’t help
emphasizing the word behind. A smile forming upon her lips as Nasir blushed
again. “Alright, let’s play again. I wont play, I’ll just help Derrick.”
 “Alright, one more and then to bed with you both.” Nasir offered a smile as he
moved the pieces back to the beginning of the board. He leaned up to press a
kiss to Agron’s lips. “How’s Aerlia?”
“She sounds better. She’s had a warm bath, been rubbed down with Vicks again
and she’s settled into her bed with ducky. She doesn’t feel warm anymore which
means the antibiotic is helping. Would you hate me if I told you that I was
thinking about getting her a new stuffed animal?” Agron knew how Nasir felt
about such things but he was a sucker for little girl’s face when she was sick.
It was just as bad when Lea got sick.
“Nope, as long as this time it doesn’t bark or neigh.” Nasir offered a smile
over his shoulder. Of course he was only teasing; he knew that Agron enjoyed
spoiling the kids when he could. Nasir would allow for it as long as they
talked about the major decisions first. “Oh, Saxa called too. She said that
you’d called looking for her.”
“Mmmm yea. I should call her back.” His eyes ran over the two older children in
front of him, this wasn’t just a decision that affected them, it affected the
kids as well. “Alright, pause the game for a minute. I think we need to talk
about something for a minute.”
“What’s the matter?” Derrick’s eyes turned up to look at him, wide with fear.
“Did we do something?” Eva’s reaction was similar to Derrick’s.
“Oh, no, no.” Agron offered a smile. “It’s nothing that either one of you has
done. Just hear us out and then you’ll understand.”
            Both of the kids exchanged a look, eyebrows raised to the middle of
their foreheads before Agron went on to speak. “Your dad and I have been
talking about another child. I-I wouldn’t feel right though if we didn’t ask
what you thought though, it’s not just a decision that effects us. I’m
interested to hear what you think.”
            “I think that we want you to be happy.” It was Eva who spoke first,
which didn’t surprise Agron even slightly. He was used to her courage by now.
Besides that, she had helped with Aerlia when she was a baby, and still seemed
to follow Lea around as if waiting to be needed, so her approval of the
prospect of a new child didn’t surprise either of them really. “You have
allowed us somewhere to grow up, somewhere where we know that we were safe and
loved. And though things have had to change, they have not changed very
drastically since I was but the only one here.”
The words brought tears to Nasir’s eyes. She had finally reached a point where
she was able to think not only of herself but of others and that was a thought
that touched him. He had always feared that they had done something wrong in
raising her, yet he could see now that this was far from true.
“She’s right. You’ve always had time for us, and you’ve always done what you
thought was right for us. What makes you think that you aren’t doing that this
time as well?” Derrick was the ever inquisitive one; he had followed in Agron’s
shoes though with his blunt nature.
“Nothing.” Nasir offered a smile tossing his hair from his face in order to
look at the kids, rather than peaking through his hair at them. “We were just
curious what you thought, we didn’t want to make a decision like this, without
hearing what you had to say first. Now whose turn is it?”
Both children offered a nod in response, a smile playing with their lips.
“Yours.”
“I wish Aerlia felt better.” Eva sighed, her eyes turning down the hallway to
where the little girl’s room was. Eva remembered well what it had been like for
her to spend long days stuck in bed while life seemed to go on around you. “She
didn’t even want to play candy land with me earlier, and she never does that.”
“She’s doing better than she was and that’s a start.”  Agron felt badly for the
little girl but there was only so much that any of them could do before they
had to let nature take its course and let her heal. He admired Eva though, she
wanted so badly to play with her little sister to try and make her feel better,
much like Derrick had for her. “Maybe by tomorrow she’ll be feeling up to
playing.”
“You know you’re not really much help.” Nasir’s eyes drifted up to look at
Agron. “I’m no closer to who did it, in what room, and with what weapon. You’re
my partner remember?” Of course he was only teasing but they had agreed to play
together.
***** Chapter 41 *****
“There’s a reason I never play Clue, Nasir. It’s not because you try to
distract me over the board, it’s because I suck at the game.” Agron thought
that he had figured that fact out long before now but obviously it didn’t set
in for him.
“He’s right.” Eva smirked, her eyes peeking over Derrick’s shoulder as she
tried to figure out what he already knew.
Nasir threw Agron a dirty look, “From now on I get Eva as a partner.”
Agron never heard him though as he was busy flipping through pictures on his
phone. “Awwww….”
“What?” Nasir leaned back against the couch attempting to peek around the edge
of the phone. “New pictures from your brother?”
“Uh huh.” Kat was finally home from the hospital though she was still having a
hard time getting around he made sure that they went to see the girls almost
daily.
“I wanna see!” Eva grinned pushing herself from the floor to sit on the arm of
the couch. “Is that Faith?”
“Duro says Karlee but I think you’re right.” Agron offered a smile looking up
at her. “Faith looks more like Kat, you can tell especially when Kat’s got
her.That’s Karlee. “Agron offered a smile as he opened the other picture.
“She’s got Duro’s facial shape and if you set it next to one of his baby
pictures you’d see the similarities.”
“Honestly I can’t tell the difference.” Nasir’s eyebrows rose as he looked at
Agron. He couldn’t understand how Agron could see the difference, but perhaps
it really was there and he was just missing it.
“I guess I should call Saxa back.” He pushed himself off the couch heading for
the back porch. Pulling up a chair he dialed the number, gods don’t let him
chicken out now.
“Ja?” Saxa’s voice only increased the anxiety that he was feeling. When he
didn’t answer her she spoke again. “Agron?”
“Yea, I’m here sorry Saxa.” Agron bit his lip, it was either now or never.
“Saxa, I’ve got something to ask you something.”
“What’s the matter Agron?” His voice told her that something wasn’t right. She
couldn’t remember the last time that he had sounded as such.
“Nothings wrong Saxa. I-I wanted to ask you would you….” He was beginning to
chicken out now, gods this was Saxa, what was he afraid of?
“Aggie honey, come on talk to me.” Saxa let a sigh slip between her lips. She
was beginning to get worried about him now. There was so much that could be
wrong and it frightened her to think.
It was now or never, he supposed. “I wanted to ask you if you’d consider being
a surrogate for me.” He finally forced the words out of his mouth before he
could completely chicken out.
 “You wanted to ask me what?” Saxa was stunned. She loved Duro and Agron like
family, they had taken her in as such, loved her, looked out for her but she
had never expected anything like this.
“I-I understand if you say no. In fact, I wouldn’t blame you if you said no.”
Agron was waiting for her to do just that, and then he would be left to find
someone else but he would deal with that when he got there.
“I-I…” Saxa didn’t know what to say. “No, no, I don’t want to say no. Forgive
me Agron, I’m just surprised. I know that Nasir asked Katie and I guess I
thought that you would as well but thinking about it now I understand. Your
history with her would make it a little awkward. You’re sure about this Agron?”
“Yes. I’m sure I want this. I understand if you want to talk about it with
Gannicus and such but if you would like it then I would be honored.” The awe
that came over him now was amazing, he was glad to have said the words, glad to
hear that she didn’t sound like she was upset and above all else she hadn’t
said no.
“And I would be honored to do it for you Agron. You and Duro took me in when no
one else would, you’ve kept me as family, even after some of the fights we’ve
had.” She knew that this had been hard for him but he had made it through and
this was the least that she could do. “As for Gannicus, I will mention it to
him, but I don’t see an issue with it. You are like a brother to him, you know
that he keeps you in that regard, he would do almost anything for you.”
“Talk to him, let me know what you both think. Remember that I understand if
you decide against it. We can talk about it at a later date if we need to too.
I just wanted to ask you while I still had the nerve to do it with.” He
couldn’t help but laugh.
“You were afraid of me?” This seemed almost unheard of, especially for Agron. 
Duro backed down from her almost regularly but Agron always held his ground. It
surprised her that he would even consider fearing her.
“Honestly? Yea, I figured that you’d laugh at me and tell me to go screw
myself.” Agron didn’t realize what he was saying. For the first time he was
beginning to show fear, when he and Duro had been growing up, he didn’t have a
chance to be afraid. He was always busy making sure that Duro was alright,
working, going to school and the other tasks that had fallen upon his
shoulders.
“Aggie, no, I’d never say such a thing and I’d certainly never laugh at you.
Especially not for asking me something like this.” Saxa couldn’t help but
smile, he was making a breakthrough but it would take him awhile to get used to
the emotions that he was feeling.
“Thanks Saxa. For everything. No go to bed, it’s getting late and I know you’ve
got to get up with Kai tomorrow morning for school.”
“Night Agron. I’ll let you know after Gannicus and I have talked about it but
consider it a yes if you don’t hear anything right away ok?”
***** Chapter 42 *****
“Alright.” Agron pushed his lips together, now that he had said it, he was
beginning to question himself.
“Get some sleep Aggie.”
“You too Saxa. I know that things have been tough lately.” He knew that Duro’s
absence from work meant more pressure for Gannicus and then added to that, the
fact that she was taking care of Annie when Kore couldn’t.
“We will endure Agron. Soon Duro will be back to work and we will be welcomeing
two wee ones home.”
“Night Saxa.”
                                      ***
“Aggie? Aggie what is it?” Nasir stirred from his slumber as Agron moved from
the bed. He was used to the endless nights where Agron paced listlessly trying
to remember Duro wasn’t there.
“I’m not sure but something isn’t right.” Slipping across the hallway he peeked
into Eva’s room. The young girl was peacefully lost in dreams, the rise and
fall of her chest telling him that she was alright.
A smile played with his lips but it was short lived hearing a cough from down
the hallway, though he couldn’t decide which of the girls it was.
Moving further down the hallway he leaned into Lea’s room, but the young girl
was asleep as well, which meant it had to be Aerlia.
Moving into Aerlia’s room, he gently set a hand on the girl’s back. The young
girl wriggled under his hand a whimper slipping through her tiny lips. “Hey,
shhhh it’s ok. It’s daddy.” Moving to sit beside her, Agron held her close.
“What’s the matter baby girl?”
“I hurt daddy?” Instinct won out over the young girl as she cuddled Agron’s
shoulder.
“Where do you hurt?” He flipped his wrist over trying to determine what time it
was and if she could take more tylonal or not. Carefully he held her close to
him knowing her love for cuddling, especially when she was sick.
“Here.” Her voice was quiet as she spoke, her tiny little fingers pointing to
her chest.
Lightly he rubbed at her back. “Are you coughing again?”
He felt her nod against his shoulder and he felt his heart breaking for her.
“Come on, let’s get you some medicine and then I’ll stay with you ok?”
“Ok.” It certainly wouldn’t be the first time that he had slept on her floor
and probably not the last either.
                                      ***
“Agron, come on. Come to bed baby.” Nasir had awoke to find that Agron wasn’t
there and that was unusual even for Agron.
“No, I’m fine.” Agron hardly cracked his eyes as he spoke.
“She’s asleep Agron, she’ll be ok.” HE was used to knowing that after her cough
syrup she would sleep peacefully until it started to wear off again. “You’re
going to throw your back all out of whack sleeping on the floor like this.”
A sigh slipped through his lips as he sat up, eyes drifting over the little
girl in the bed. Nasir was right, she was sleeping within her bed, she
certainly looked peaceful which made him feel better.
“Will you come to bed with me?” Nasir held his hand out to Agron waiting to see
if he would take it or not.
Taking Nasir’s hand in one of his before he pulled himself to his feet. “Sorry
to wake you.” Agron felt bad knowing that Nasir hated sleeping alone for any
length of time.
“It’s alright.” Nasir offered a weak smile. He knew that the man was worried.
HE had often slept on Aerlia’s floor but on occasion he slept on Eva’s and once
or twice he had slept on Lea’s, yet he always regretted it. “Just come to bed.”
“Alright, Alright.” He offered a weak smile as he followed him from the room.
                                      ***
“I had to get out of the house.” Duro sighed sliding into the booth across from
Agron and Gannicus. “How are things here?” Saxa had offered to look after Kat
and Annie while he got some time away.
“They are. You know how it goes. Just when things start going right, something
has to go wrong.” Gannicus offered a shrug eyes falling on Duro, he looked like
he hadn’t slept well in awhile now. Any irritation that he had been feeling
faded, Duro needed them, and they had to be there for him.
“I hear that you’re hiring in new girls?”
“Yea, we’ve had three girls quit in a month. Granted we knew it would happen
since they’re going away to school but they need to be replaced.” Agron sighed
a calloused hand rubbing his eyes.
“What happened to the simple days when we still had Nasir working for us?” Duro
knew this had been a rough year for all of them, yet it could get better yet.
“Oh you know, someone thought it was a bad thing that he was sleeping with one
of his bosses.” Agron shrugged a smirk playing with his lips. He was only
teasing his brother yet it had been his reason for letting the man go, well
perhaps there had been more to it but that had been the major reason.
“If you’re going to tell the story tell the whole story Agron, as I recall I
wandered in on the two of you doing it on the office desk.” Duro grinned,
despite the exhaustion; it showed that he had not lost his sense of humor in
such matters.
“Really? Really?” Gannicus’ eyes moved from one to the other, a look of utter
disgust drifting over his face. “You tell me this now? I didn’t need to know
this, I could have gone my whole life without that.”
“Oh come on, like you and Saxa never sleep together in strange places, or with
strange people, or whatever you want to call it.” Agron shook his head, he had
heard stories from Saxa, much to his distaste but none the less, he had
listened, and listened well, yet he hadn’t enjoyed it.
“Alright, Alright, let’s not go there.” For the first time Agron swore that he
saw Gannicus’ blush as his eyes turned to the table in front of him. “So uh
Duro, how are the girls?”
“Good. Progressing as they should. Faith is still on oxygen, but for now
Karlee’s as been removed, it’s just a matter of getting her to put the weight
on in order to bring her home and even then it will be a long while before they
are both out of the woods. It is much like Aerlia; with a weakened immune
system they’ll be incredibly susceptible to being sick. Kat’s trying to nurse
but it’s so hard for her right now with not having them home with us as she did
with Annie.” Duro sighed leaning against the table, hands running through his
dark hair as he sat there.
“We’ll get them through it brother, as we have done with Aery.” He knew that
his brother was stressed out and longed to be able to do something for the
young girls and even for his wife yet he knew there was nothing to do as such.
 “You know little brother, I cant say I’ve ever seen a day where you looked
like you needed coffee as much as you do today. Have you slept lately?”
“A little, I will admit not nearly as much as I should be though. It seems that
when I close my eyes Kat takes it as time to attempt to do something that she
is not supposed to be doing.” Simply Duro shook his head. “Thank Nasir and Eva
for me too Bruder, the house looked amazing when we came home to it.”
“He will be glad to hear you say that you enjoyed it, however, I think it would
make him much happier to know that you are alright and healthy.” Agron offered
a smile as he looked to his little brother. “You aught to know by now, all you
have to do is call and one of us will come and help out. Even if it’s only that
you need someone to come and sit with Kat and make sure that she stays out of
trouble while you go and do something or you know sleep.”
“I know Aggie, I just don’t want to bother you.” After all of the years that
Agron had looked out for him, he wanted to do this all by himself. Yet he also
knew that he probably couldn’t do so.
“Oh!” Gannicus’ eyes lit up. “I knew what I was going to tell you. Saxa and I
talked about your proposition.”
“Oh?” Agron’s eyebrows rose, wondering what the man was going to say.
“Proposition?” Duro’s eyes fell upon his brother, tongue licking over his lips
as he looked at his brother. “What are you doing now? Our business isn’t
involved is it?”
“Well indirectly yes but no, I wouldn’t make a decision like that without
asking you first.” Agron offered a nod. “I-I asked Saxa to be a surrogate for
me.” He couldn’t help but laugh as he watched Duro’s eyes widen and brighten at
the words. He had not expected such a thing from his big brother; in fact the
last time they had spoken of such Agron had sworn to him, he did not wish to
have kids. Yet Duro was glad to see his brother’s decision changed.
“I see.” Duro offered a grin, following it with a nod. “that is the type of
proposition that I can support my dear brother.”
“Anyways you were saying?” His eyes turned to Gannicus waiting for him to speak
again. While he hoped that they had decided to do so, he would understand if
they had decided against it in pursuit of other things such as a family of
their own. He would be able to live with such a thing after all.
“She wishes to do you this favor Agron, and even if I wanted to, you know I
could not change her mind. With that said, I would do anything for you, and if
this is what you choose, then I will gladly allow it.” Gannicus grinned, eyes
wide in his normal madness, dark eyes dancing as if he were possessed.
“I-I….” Agron didn’t know what to say, this wasn’t at all what he had expected.
In fact he had expected to hear the man say that they had decided against it.
“Thank you.” The words seemed to be the easiest to speak and were the only ones
that came despite his wishes to speak many others. “And the greatest thanks to
Saxa as well.”
“Hey, I figured it was payment for not dating you.” Gannicus’ voice was calm as
he spoke, “Or did you not know that I even knew of such a wish?” He had known,
or well perhaps in his temporary moments of sobriety he had known of such
things. It had been in the way that Agron watched him, looked at him, even
spoke, until he met Nasir that was. Once he had met Nasir though, that had gone
out the window very quickly and there had been such a different relationship
between the two men. Gannicus had always seen them as simply room mates but
sometimes he wondered what it was that Agron dreamt of at night while lost to
slumber. What would have happened had they both gotten drunk and stayed in one
night had always been a mystery to him, yet it had not happened and for as much
he was glad.
“No need for such a thing. Not dating me was thanks enough.” Agron couldn’t
help but smile. “After all had you, there is no guarantee I would be as I am
today, with sweet Nasir and my wonderful young ones.”
 
***** Chapter 43 *****
“I guess I should be getting home.” Duro let a sigh slip through his lips.
“Maybe just maybe I’ll catch a nap with Annie, except that I’m pretty sure that
Kat would try and do something.”
“I was just getting done here, if it would help at all, I can head over and sit
with her.” Agron offered a smile as he looked at his baby brother. “Nasir told
me I wasn’t allowed to come home till three or so, so I was going to find
something to do but if you’d like I’ll sit with Kat, play cards with her or
something.”
“He’s setting times for when you can come home now?” Duro shook his head before
his eyes drifted towards Gannicus. “You alright without him?”
“Yup, it’s been pretty slow today, and we got a lot accomplished this morning,
in fact I was just considering going home myself. The girls should be able to
handle it and we’ve finally managed to organize the office.” Gannicus offered a
shrug as he looked at Duro. He couldn’t see a reason for Agron not to help him
out, especially not with the work that he’d been putting in lately.
“Alright, then I’ll take the help.” Duro could only nod. He knew that his
brother wouldn’t stop until he had slept and in truth, he was exhausted. “I’ll
warn you though, she’s a feisty little thing right now, even with me.”
“We’ll be fine. I have teens, I’m used to arguments.”
                                      ***
“So why is Nasir setting limits on how much time you can spend at home?” Kat’s
eyebrows rose as she listened to what Agron had to say.
“He says that I’m spending too much time at home again.” Agron had never
thought such, he was perfectly content with the way that their life was and yet
Nasir worried about him. “I’ve never heard him so happy to hear I was coming to
visit you.”
“He’s just concerned Agron, as you would be about him. He’s always been the
stay at home type, and hoped that you wouldn’t do the same for him. You just
have to bear with him, and everything will work out. I must say though, I am
surprised to hear that you asked Saxa to be a surrogate for you.”
“Which part surprised you? The part where I asked Saxa or the part where it’s
what I want to do.” He knew that Kat was attempting to help but her psychiatric
nature never seemed to fade away.
“Oh no, I know what you and Saxa are close, that doesn’t surprise me. Yet,
several times I recall you saying that you didn’t want kids of your own, that
you were afraid of what might happen if you did. That part surprises me, the
fact that you changed your mind about having your own kids. What changed your
mind?” Kat’s eyes ran over the man before her, watching his reaction to her
words. She wanted to help if she could, yet Agron was a tough case most of the
time.
 “Someone had to keep the family line intact.” A smirked played with Agron’s
lips as he eyed her. “And it seems that all Duro can manage are girls.” It
wasn’t the answer that she was looking for and he knew that, yet he used it
anyways.
“I’m serious Agron. Besides don’t make me laugh, it hurts.” Kat shook her head
as she looked at him. “What really changed your mind?”
Agron’s face fell as he began to think about it. “I-I love being a father, I
love the look on the kids faces when they are happy, cuddling when they’re
sick, seeing them succeed but something was missing.”
“And what was that?” The woman knew little about his feelings, his side of the
relationship. She had heard Nasir’s side several times and as close as she was
to Agron, she didn’t always understand what went on in his head.
“The bond, the connection, knowing that the child is mine. I’ve seen it in
Nasir’s eyes, in Duro’s with Annie and as he talks of the girls, I-I…I want to
know what that feels like.” He was trying so hard not to cry, he didn’t show
emotion, that wasn’t who he was, yet it seemed that lately it was.
                                      ***
Over the next few months, life seemed to return to normal, or well as close to
normal as possible. Karlee was welcomed home with open arms and while sweet
little Faith remained in the hospital, she was making great progress. “Let me
see the princess.” Carefully Kat scooped the little girl from Duro’s arms
laughing as his bottom lip stuck out in a pout. He had become rather attached
to the little girl since she had come home and could often be found at work,
listlessly rocking the young girl in her car seat while he worked at something.
“So do you have an estimate as to how long before Faith comes home too?”
Nasir’s voice was quiet, eyes running over the tiny little bundle in Kat’s
arms. She was still so tiny, but oh how precious she was.
“Hopefully within the next couple of weeks, but of course nothing is set in
stone. Where is my dear sweet older brother?” Duro was surprised, it was odd
not to see Agron, of course he knew that his brother had his own life but it
was still strange to see him missing.
“Saxa kidnapped him. She said she had something she wanted to talk about, so he
took her out to lunch.  Judging by the way that she sounded, it was good news.
It was hard to tell though.” Nasir had never quite been able to decipher her
behaviors but he certainly tried to.
“Oh? Duro raised his eyebrows, wondering if perhaps the woman had news of the
surrogacy they had agreed upon.
“Now Duro…” Kat shook her head a smile forming. “We both know that if your
brother learns anything at all about anything, you will know it as well. Now be
good.” Of course she was only teasing but sometimes Duro could be a little
pushy. 
***** Chapter 44 *****
Nasir tried his hardest to contain a laugh. Eva was in her room working on
homework, as well as Derrick, while Lea and Aerlia were happily playing with
Annie in the back yard with the dogs. “She sounded happy; I know nothing more
than that. Well other than your brother was in a fairly decent mood when he
left. I don’t know what it is but lately he’s been pretty happy go lucky.”
“Probably the fact that we’re fully staffed again at the shop. That could make
anyone happy.” In truth it had come as a relief to all of them that they had
finally hired in the last person that they needed.
“Including your spouses.” Kat grinned as she looked up at him. It was a taunt
of course but she couldn’t help it.
Nasir’s head turned hearing Layla bark, pushing himself from the chair, he
headed for the kitchen perching himself on his toes to peer out the window at
the girl’s in the back yard. They were out playing on the swing set, giggling
happily. This was when he was thankful for fencing in the backyard, the kids
could play in it without worry. Yet something had Layla’s attention. Moving to
the back door he stepped out on the back deck trying to decide what it was, and
then he realized that Aerlia and Annie were still swinging but Lea sat on the
edge of the sand box, tears streaking her cheeks as she sniffled. “What’s the
matter baby girl?” Moving to the young girl’s side he sat beside her.
“It hurt daddy.” The little girl pointed to her knee, whimpering. The knee was
bleeding a little but it looked like it was a little more than skinned.
“Come on baby girl, we’ll go get it cleaned up and then you can come play if
you would like.” Pushing himself to his feet, he scooped her up, not seeming
concerned that she was bleeding and may brush up against him, getting it on him
as well.
Pulling open the backdoor he slipped inside, setting her on the counter beside
the sink, he moved down the hall to the bathroom grabbing a washcloth, the
antibiotic cream and a band aid.
Duro could be heard from the living room teasing Eva relentlessly; obviously
she had finished her homework and decided that she was going to be sociable.
Returning to the kitchen, he offered a smile to Lea as he reached out brushing
away the tears from her eyes. “It’ll sting a little bit but I promise you’ll
feel better when it’s all over.” Wetting the washcloth he carefully rubbed it
over the wound, heart breaking as the little girl began to cry again. “It’s ok
baby girl, I’m all done.” Carefully he spread some cream on it before putting a
band aid on, leaning to kiss away the tears.  “All done.”
“Kiss it?” The little girl stuck her bottom lip out as she looked at him, her
dark eyes red from crying as she sniffled.
“Sure.” Leaning down he pressed a gentle kiss to her knee before he stood up
again. “Are you going to go outside again?”
“No.” She shook her head as she looked at him.
“You want to come sit with daddy?” Carefully he scooped her up from the counter
holding her close to him.
“Yea.” She nodded happily, her eyes lighting up for the first time since she
had come in from outside.
Cuddling her close to him he headed into the living room, returning to the
chair, Lea settling into his lap and leaning her head against his shoulder.
“Someone’s getting sleepy.” Duro quirked a grin as he watched Lea. “Oh and your
phone went off too.”
“Probably Agron.” Picking the phone up off the end table, he flipped through
the messages, shaking his head as he looked at it. “Yup, Agron.”
All the message said was ‘Saxa comes baring good news.’ Yet Nasir had figured
as much, this wasn’t anything new.
He sent one in return simply reading, ‘And that is?’ After all it wasn’t as if
he could read the man’s mind, even if he wanted to. Returning the phone to the
table, his eyes turned to Duro and Kat again. “So what do you think of Kore?”
“She’s good. You know how Annie is with strangers, but Annie took to her right
away. I guess that’s a good thing, I just don’t want her to be with a sitter
all the time, I really want to raise them myself.” Duro’s hand ran over his
eyes. He recalled growing up without his parents, normally there wasn’t even a
sitter either; it was just Agron to take care of him.
“You haven’t let Karlee out of your sight Duro.” Kat shook her head. “Gannicus
was just admiring the other day that you’ve learned to type reports and bottle
feed her at the same time. I honestly don’t think that will be a problem.”
“She’s right Duro, it wont hurt to leave them with Kore.” He reached for the
phone as it went off again.
‘Nasir, I’m going to be a daddy. Tell Duro I’m getting him drunk tonight.’ He
could only imagine how Agron was beaming right now, how happy he had been when
Saxa had told him.
“Your brother says he’s getting your drunk tonight.” Nasir offered a shrug as
he looked at Duro. “Sounds like good news.”
“Saxa’s pregnant then.” Duro offered a shrug as he looked at the other man.
“Aggie doesn’t really drink much unless he’s celebrating so there is obviously
a reason and that’s the only reason I can think of he’d be celebrating.”
Nasir would neither confirm nor deny though, that was Agron’s place. Instead he
offered a shrug. “He didn’t say, just that I should tell you that he’s going to
get you drunk tonight.”
Kat was the first to speak. “Go out, enjoy time with your brother, the girls
and I will be fine.” While every now and then she was still a little sore, she
was doing much better than she had been. She was able to take care of the girls
and the house on her own, had returned to work and she really couldn’t see a
reason for him to stay home, even though he would attempt to find one.
Duro was quiet for a long while before he nodded. “Yea, yea, sounds like fun.
It’ll do him so good.”
Nasir nodded, it would do them both some good. The message that went back to
Agron simply said ‘Duro is in.’
                                      ***
“A daddy huh?” Nasir grinned leaning his elbows on Agron’s chest, hands playing
with his hair as he spoke. While Agron had sworn that Duro and Gannicus had
attempted to get him drunk, he had escaped almost completely sober. How that
had happened, Nasir would never know but it had and for that he was thankful.
“Yea, I-I cant believe it.” His lips pressed together, he finally understood
how Nasir had felt during Katie’s pregnancy. The nerves, the anxiety, and it
was all just beginning. He didn’t want anything more than this, and yet it was
a terrifying experience all the same.
“It’ll take a long time for it all to set in, but you’ll get used to it. I
promise.” Nasir tipped his chin, pressing a kiss to Agron’s lips. “And I know
you both, this child will be beautiful, strong willed, and even a little
temperamental.” They were qualities that both of them held. “A real survivor.”
“I’m glad that you feel that way.” Agron’s hands came to rest upon the small of
Nasir’s back. “I just, it’s a very terrifying experience. You start out knowing
that this is what you want and then, one day, you find out it’s really coming
true. The eagerness, the happiness, everything that you thought you would feel,
you do feel, but it’s also added to the fear, being anxious, and so many other
emotions.”
“It doesn’t stop once their born either. I promise, you feel it each and every
day of their lives and it never gets easier.” Nasir was thinking about today,
hearing Lea sniffle, he’d panicked, feared that something was truly wrong with
her. Yet, it was something so very small, a skinned knee, and nothing to worry
about; he could only imagine that this would continue on for the next sixteen
years and even then he wasn’t sure that it would ever stop. She would always be
his baby girl, as would the other kids, but it was such a different
relationship. “So have you decided if you’d like a boy or a girl?”
“I-I….honestly, I’d be alright with either one but I’d love a little boy.
Someone to carry on the family name. When they had adopted Derrick, he had
taken Nasir’s name, at that point it had made sense, and it still did, yet
Agron knew that if neither he nor Duro could manage to have a boy, their name
would end with them.
“So what kind of shape are your brother and Gannicus in?” He could only figure
that Gannicus was in pretty rough shape, having seen him drink while he was in
college. However, Duro on the other hand, he was curious about. Neither of the
brothers really drank much of anything, an occasional beer or something like it
but otherwise they didn’t drink.
“Well, it took Duro and I to help Gannicus in as far as the couch. I expect him
to call tomorrow and ask what happened.” Agron let a laugh slip through his
lips, figuring that the man would be confused and distraught about not
remembering much.  “Duro on the other hand, he was doing pretty good. Still
walking a straight line and all.”
“What did you do to Gannicus?” Nasir’s eyebrows rose as he listened to Agron.
He could only imagine what the brother’s could have possibly dreamed up, yet he
wanted to hear it from Agron, to know the real situation.
“Oh nothing out of the norm. We took him out, we let him get drunk, except he
hasn’t really been drunk in awhile now.” Agron grinned like a wild cat. “Saxa
was highly amused listening to him, she said she was going to let him sleep on
the couch for the night unless he sobered up.”
“Poor Ganny.” Nasir almost felt bad for the man, and yet, he knew that Agron
and Duro wouldn’t intentionally hurt him and that was something he didn’t
doubt. “Saxa called earlier, she wondered what you boys were up to. I told her
I hadn’t heard.”
“And now you know why I didn’t tell you where we were going.” Agron laughed as
he spoke. “Because then you wouldn’t have to listen to Saxa. I told her to call
Kat and Naevia and see if they wanted to do something. Guess she decided
against that. What happened to Lea by the way? She was kind of sniffly when I
stopped to kiss her goodnight.”
“She fell down and skinned her knee up. She’s been a little cuddle bug ever
since. As for Kat and Naevia, they probably tucked themselves in early and
weren’t awake to answer Saxa’s call. After all they are up pretty early with
the kids.” Offering a wink Nasir couldn’t help but laugh. He knew that Agron
was the first out of bed every morning no matter what happened, where he had
been the night before. Nasir just didn’t get up early, unless he absolutely had
to. Given proper circumstances he would but his family and friends were one of
the few reasons that he’d consider it.
“Sleep in tomorrow Nasir, just one day of the year, it’ll be good for you,
those early mornings can’t be good for you.” He teased, leaning up to press a
kiss to Nasir’s lips, hands running up and down Nasir’s back.
“Ha, Ha, Ha.” Nasir shook his head, yet he knew that Agron was only playing and
that was good enough for him. 
***** Chapter 45 *****
Their life had never been what anyone would consider simple but it was theirs,
they loved each other, adored their kids, what more could anyone ask for? They
had survived the hell that had been thrown at them over the years and had done
it together. Yet, here they still stood, awaiting what would happen next. The
answer was unclear. Where would life take them now? Quietly Agron offered a
smile as he looked down at Nasir, the truth was, he couldn’t care less, not as
long as the man stood beside him, and if that was the case, well he’d be
completely at ease about it. “I love you Nasir.”
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