Hi. The little girls are from my Family Story. I dont own any other Dark Hunters or Squires - unfortunately ; - ) The Nick in the story is the one before he becomes a Dark Hunter. I hope you like it. Had a case of writers block recently, so I hope you like it : - )

x EmmaLisa x


Baby Sitting

"Do you have any idea how to look after kids?" Nick half whispered to himself and half to Otto.

His companion in this foolishness was currently flicking his thumb back and forth across a blade. Looking about as approachable as … well Archeon. The man hadn't moved from that chair, and Nick was sure he had seen corpses with more 'get up and go' than Otto.

"Do I look like I do?! They're only little, how hard can it be?"

Yeah right! Nick had recently had the unbearable task of babysitting Marisa. He shuddered as he remembered the fiasco of changing diapers. Chubby legs flying everywhere, wipes and God knows what Kyrian expected him to do with that cream?! Cringing he eyed the leather clad Otto and wondered if Otto could change diapers?

"From the look on your face boy, I know what your thinking. The answer is NO. That's your territory, I'll be doing the discipline." Nick laughed at Otto's response, but when he saw him sheath the blade in a notch on his belt, he sobered as he realised Otto was more than likely being deadly serious. Ouch.

Talon and Ceara:

Nick watched the door crept open and prayed it was Ash coming to check – or laugh – at their Predicament. No such luck. Talon's black leather biker jacket appeared instead.

Nick looked at the sight of father and daughter with his usual raised eyebrow. Oh yeah, you could never deny they where of the same blood. Ceara- was it?- was walking in beside her dad, her little chubby hand clutched an almost identical Starbucks foam cup that her father carried, except hers was half the size. He watched them both gulp down from their cups before licking their top lip.

"Boy, meet my baby. I don't think I have to warn you what will happen if so much as a –"

"Yeah Talon, I have been warned by The All Powerful Archeon. Blood, Torment and death, blar blah blar. I know."

Nick watched as Talon gave Otto a once over and quirked a brow at the blade at his hip.

"Relax Celt, Ill make sure she doesn't accidentally fall on it. Besides, you wanna leave her with nothing but bait in a bomber jacket, or someone who knows how to handle themselves?"

"Excuse me! Bait in a bomber jacket? I can handle myself just fine."

Otto held up his hand with the spider web tattoo marking him as a Blood-Rites Squire "Your not even in my league, kid"

As Nick was frowning at Otto, Talon bent to kiss Ceara on her dark, braided hair and whispered something in her ear that made her giggle, before leaving.

"Hi Ceara" Nick had no idea what to say to a four year old, but figured that was a good place to start.

"Hi" He watched her take another gulp from her little foam cup, before frowning and shaking the cup upside down, and groaning. "I didn't even get to do dippy" Nick watched the little girl pout as she brought out three buscuits from her purple 'Dora the Explorer' raincoat.

"Do you like coffee?" He was at first surprised that a little girl would have a Starbucks in the first place, but she was Talons daughter, so that answered that riddle.

The expression on her face, as she cast Nick a devilish smile and nodded her head enthusiastically told him the answer to that question.

"Otto, make Ceara a coffee"

He watched Otto's head slowly rise, looking up at him from beneath his lashes, and by the black expression on his face, Nick was pretty sure he was two seconds away from being mince meat.

"Boy, I'm not your slave and I sure as hell aint your Waitress, or the Baby Celts"

"Okay. Then I will make the coffee and you can look after all the kids. All of them. By your self. Without me. Hundreds of – "

He watched as Otto groan as he stood, glancing at the baby Celt, before indicating with his head for her to follow him.

Nick wondered if she wouldn't want to, Otto wasn't particularly Mr Cute and Fuzzy to a four year old little girl. But after shrugging out of her purple jacket and leaving it in a pool on the floor, she ran to catch up with Otto.

Obviously the call of coffee was worth the peril of Otto.

Valerius and Lily

Nick knew who the next one was, as he saw only a single finger pushing open the door, as if it was distasteful for him to do so. Valerius stood on the threshold, glaring at the floor. What did he think it was going to do? Eat him?

Lily Magnus was a whole different story, he actually liked the little red head, who was often found in her mothers shop trying on 7 inch leather knee highs. He called her Lil' Mags which she liked, although she had often whispered to him not to say it around her daddy as he wouldn't like it.

That was for damn sure! Nick highly doubted Valerius liked anything.

The little girl thankfully was more like her mother than her father. Which meant she actually had a personality.

Watching Valerius walk over the floor, whilst eyeing it, and holding Lily as far from it as possible was almost amusing, if it was anyone but Count Penicula. It was then Nick noticed the little pink bag Valerius had over his other shoulder.

"Nice bag. Pink suits you Roman" Nick laughed at the exasperation clear across Valerius' face.

"Blood red would suit you, pleb" Snorting at the arrogant threat, he watched as Valerius handed Lily the little bag as he inched her to the floor. But not before he assessed what spot was cleanest for her to stand. Which incidentally was on top of Ceara's purple raincoat. Rolling his eyes at the arrogance, Nick for once held his tongue.

"Do you have your mobile phone, baby?"

Nick watched in amazement as the four year old pulled out a phone not even he could afford on his salary. Damn me, was that diamond encrusted??

"Remember, speed dial me on '1' ,mummys on '2' and Ash is on '3'."

"Ok daddy" Lily reached up as Valerius bent down and kissed his cheek. She then wandered off of the jacket looking for toys.

Nick watched as Valerius winced at every step Lily took on the floor. Dear God! The floor wasn't that bad! The man didn't understand the meaning of dirty, he needed to come see his room for the more appropriate description.

"Lily! Wipe down any toys before you play, ok. The wipes are in your purse"

Nick laughed at Valerius outright. Even Otto poked his head out from the kitchen to mouth at Nick "wipes?"

Wulf

Too busy playing the Bunny Rabbit game on Lily's phone, whilst she gave him advice, he didn't realise that Otto had returned without Ceara. Why didn't his phone have the Bunny Rabbit game? It was surprising good. Wait, where was the Baby Celt?

"Otto, where's Ceara?"

"I let her out the back door to go get herself run over by a truck. Where do you think she is? She is drinking coffee. By the damn bucket load" Otto shook his head at the last statement.

The sound of yelling and shouts interrupted their chat, as Wulf carried in his daughter. Literally carried. Freya was slung over one shoulder, her little legs kicking.

"Freya, you know your not allowed to do that!" Dropping the little girl to her feet, Nick got his first look at the little Viking.

Her face was flushed with annoyance, and probably the blood that had rushed to her head from being dangled over her dads shoulder. She had her hands in fists at her hips and glared at her dad.

"Good luck!" was all Wulf growled as he strode back out the door.

What! That was it?

Nick watched as Freya burst out crying and sank to the floor.

He gaped.

What the hell was he gonna do now!

He didn't know how to comfort a little girl. He doubted very much a bouquet of flowers would do the trick.

Surely Wulf wasn't going to leave her there!

He wasn't the least bit surprised when Wulf kicked the door back open and picked up his baby girl.

Kissing the top of her strawberry blonde curls, Nick watched as Wulf sang- yes- Wulf sang to Freya.

Nicks eyes must have been as wide as his mouth. Was Wulf – look at me twice, boy, I'll kick you till your dead – Tryvaggason singing a lullaby?!

"Have you ever thought of doing reality TV, there is more than enough drama going on between you two to last an entire series."

"Shut up boy" Wulf growled over the curls " If anything happens to my baby, just one tear – "

"Yeah I know! Blood, Death and Torment. Been told already. Twice!"

"Wanna come play the Bunny Rabbit game, Fray?" Lily asked as she perched beside Nick.

"The Bunny Rabbit game?" Freya said through her tears.

"Yes, Nicks playing too" Freya wiggled from her dads embrace, whilst Wulf gave Nick a taunting smile.

"What! Its surprisingly good… At least I don't sing lullaby's"

"You better look after my baby girl, boy"

"Yeah, yeah" Nick waved Wulf out the door, before glaring at Lily. Maybe she was more like her father than he had first thought, dumping him in it.

He turned his head as he watched Ceara enter the room, she carried a large mug in both hands, her little knees bent as she bent over the mug and tried to walk and drink it at the same time. He could hear her slurping the coffee and hoped Otto had allowed it to cool before giving it to her. But she seemed happy enough. Maybe they would be lucky and they would only have to look after three.

Three they could manage. Surely?

Zarek and Zara Rose.

Ceara sat down on Otto's foot.

Nick held his breath as he watched him lean over to eye the little girl, who was wiggling to get comfy on his boot. She held the coffee mug between her knees and was blowing into it. Nick was more than a little surprised when Otto leaned back into the chair without comment. Did the bad ass have a soft spot for the little Celt and her coffee addiction?

He looked up and gasped, at some point Psycho Ass aka Zarek had materialised in the room. Nick could still remember the last time he had had the pleasure of being in contact with Zarek. The man had serious issues.

"Uncle Z" Lily yelled and smiled up at him.

"Beautiful"

What was this the Twilight Zone! Did Lily just refer to Zarek as uncle and then smile at him.

And did Psycho Ass speak not growl back!

What was happening?

"Do you need to lie down Zarek?"

"Ha ha. I thought we already spoke about you being silent around me, so at the end of the day you remain breathing and not bleeding"

Nick wasn't in the least bit surprised when Otto burst out laughing.

"There you go Zarek, Astrid always wants you to make new friends. Psycho Ass meet grumpy." Nick waved from one to the other as he introduced them "Wait a minute, Zarek, didn't you forget something? Where's your baby?"

Surely he hadn't forgotten her?

Then again, Nick was pretty sure Zarek had 'misplaced his sanity' a couple of centuries ago.

Zarek snarled at Nick as if he could hear his thoughts and indicating with his head down towards his leg. Nick would have preferred not to have to look at Zarek anymore than necessary as he very much wanted to live.

But took the bait and looked down at Zarek's trouser leg, and sure enough, two little hands where clutching his leather trousers.

Looking up from her mug, Ceara smiled at Zarek, and Nick once more wondered what was wrong with these kids?

"Hello Zarek, hello Ra-Ra"

Ra-Ra? Oh, Zara in toddler speak. Nick got his first glimpse of Baby Z as she peaked around the leather column of her dads right thigh to smile at the Baby Celt.

Shy? Huh. Nick would never have pegged a baby of Zarek's as being shy. Nick looked closer at the little girls hands clutching her dads trouser leg, and saw the scar. He had heard through the Dark Hunter grapevine about the injury done to the little girl, and more importantly the rumours about what had happened. He had heard from some that Zarek had done it, whilst others say he didn't.

Either way, Nick knew what had happened to the nymph who was suspected of inflicted the injury, and had no plans to wind up the same way.

He winced even as he thought about it.

Lesson for The Day Kids; Don't hurt the granddaughter of a Goddess.

Baby Z, was tiny! He watched as she came to sit beside Ceara on Otto's other boot.

She was like a doll. Her little arms where so small, and she looked too little to walk. The little girl was all large dark eyes.

Nick kept an eye on Zarek, and was surprised to see an emotion close to hurt cross his face. Nick frowned before he realised what might be wrong. Was Zarek upset Zara was sitting with Otto? He had heard multiple times, Zara Rose was a daddy's girl, and after seeing her clinging to Zarek's trouser leg didn't doubt it for a second. He knew now that Zarek liked her being a daddy's girl.

"Ceara? Are you drinking coffee?" Nick looked at Zarek as he asked the question. It sounded almost as if Zarek was accusing him of poisoning her.

"Yep" Ceara replied as she licked her top lip.

Zareks attention returned to Nick "Your letting a four year old drink coffee?"

"She came with coffee, we just topped her up"

"Topped her up? Talon may be a --- many things, but he's no fool. You don't give a kid coffee. She is going to be on a caffeine high. If she isn't sick"

Nick looked at Otto who was looking at Ceara sitting on his boot. "God, I hope not. She's sitting on my favourite pair of boots"

Zarek strode across the floor and took away the mug, before wiping his thumb across her top lip to remove the coffee remaining there. "Its going to make you sick, sweetie. No more coffee"

Ceara looked on the verge of tears but managed to answer "Ok"

Zarek stroked her cheek, before kissing Zara's head and turning to snarl at Nick. "No more coffee for Ceara. And hurt my baby, and I swear to the Gods – "

"We know! Blood, Torment and Death! Your only the forth person to remind us. I may be foolish – occasionally- but I'm never suicidal"

Zarek arched his brow as if he doubted that, before flashing out of the room.

"Daddy!" Baby Z flew instantly to her feet, with her little arms out stretched. "Daddy!"

"I feel a little icky" Ceara whispered beside her as she held her belly.

"And Freya's gone" Lily said from beside him.

"What?!"


Please let me know if you like it. Thanks so much for reading. The next chapter will be on Lunchtime. So let me know if you want me to write more. : - ) Thanks for all the support.

x emmalisa x