Protection

Author Note: Another new story! And I KNOW these guys are family. So what? LOL enjoy!

Dan Cahill sighed as he laid down on his bed, his spine aching from a long day on the job. Nothing could compare to nine years ago. Nine years. The second digit in the number of clues he and his big sister had found. It was so amazing and thrilling and dangerous…he missed it, but he wouldn't go back and do it all over now. He was twenty now and sore and settling down now. He was ready to take care of his own family.

He didn't want to expose the kids to the danger of the Cahills. It had been so much to do it on him, so putting them through it…he couldn't let that happen. He had to protect them like a good father. He'd do it well, like his father. But he'd work on avoiding murder by a fire and succeed.

"Daniel," a familiar voice spoke, and his eyes rose to look at her, "I could use some help in here." She rolled her eyes at his guilty look and smiled.

Natalie.

He'd always had a thing for her. She was kick-butt priss who was confident and sweet and could stand up to "The Devil Women". He'd fallen for her after the hunt was over, and she had gone into MEGA-flirt tease mode. After six years, he'd proposed. Amy thought he'd lost his marbles when he did so at seventeen, but whatever. She was such a worrier.

Natalie, of course, said yes.

Now they had a family themselves. It was a start, at least. Natalie had decided she loved kids and wanted to have a lot like the two, so…yeah. He was interested where this was going, exactly. Not that he minded, of course.

"Sorry, Natie," he used her nickname, "help me up."

Rolling her eyes again, she offered her dainty, yet strong, hand. He was pulled up before he trotted beside her into their kitchen. They got their own place a year into their marriage, which was a country home near the outskirts of the town. They made their lives there in two years now with their family. It had four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a wide layout. It was brightly colored and warm and homey, and he loved it as much as he loved Grace's old mansion.

"Daniel!" a high pitched voice squealed as soon as their shadows hit the room.

Dan rolled his eyes and smiled weakly at his young daughter, Danielle Joanna, or DJ. Her dark brunette hair bounced in her pigtails as she jiggled, reaching toward her father. He had zero idea why she insisted on calling him 'Daniel' like her mother, but whatever. He lifted the three year old out of her high chair and blew air under her blue blouse. She giggled loudly and wrapped her arms around his neck to escape his tickling.

"Silly boy," Natalie laughed at him before scooping up their two year old daughter, Nichole. Her hair that matched Dan's bounced in her ponytail, held with a diamond clip, as her eyes that she got from her mom sparkled.

"Shiny!" she fondly pulled at the diamond necklace her mom wore. It was her favorite, considering it twinkled in the light.

Chuckling at this, she straightened her pink blouse and smoothed her yellow skirt, sending glitter to the tile. The toddler felt of the wife of her father's rounding stomach fondly and gently.

"Sister?" she inquired.

"We'll found out tomorrow, sweetheart," the women kissed her forehead gently.

"Daniel!" DJ shrieked as her father tickled her in the stomach as he laid her on the table.

"No, no, no," he kept tickling under her arms, "you gotta' call me Daddy."

"Never!" she burst into more giggling as he blew air into her stomach.

"Are you sure?" he kept it up and went to her feet, stirring another shriek.

"Okay, Daddy!" she giggled madly.

"Was that so hard?" the male picked her up by the ankles and plopped her on the couch, blowing air under her shirt once more.

"Yes," she pushed his face away, "stop it!"

"Silly girl," she was too much like him. He sat her in his lap and cradled her in his arms, stroking her air.

Sighing, she curled up and closed her eyes. Natalie entered with Nichole in her arms, asleep like her big sister.

"I excited for the baby," the women smiled.

"So am I, but.." he sighed worriedly, "I don't want them near the others. They're dangerous, and they are so innocent.."

"But they are strong," his wife kissed him, "I understand, but the Hunt is over. So stop worrying."

"Fine," he nodded, kissing her again, "come on, let's get some sleep. Innocent or not, they're a few handfuls."

Protection. They didn't know how much they would need it. Now more than ever.