Disclaimer: Same as previous chapters.

Chapter 3

Andrew sat in Ten-Forward, a couple of weeks had passed since Bubbles and Porkchop came to live with them, the children were taking care of the ill tempered animals but Porkchop in particular had earned the Captain's ire by ruining that diplomatic meeting and Dean chasing him half naked through the ship screaming, "Porkchop comeback, it's bath time!" and then the terrified targ voided it's bowels all over the ship.

As he left Andrew didn't notice a pair of eyes watching him, Simon stared at him; the man from wherever he liked, he had tried to find out more about him but all he knew was that he had those wonderful kids, sure they were mischievous but they adored him.

Guinan smiled softly and said, "Mr Tarses, why don't you try to meet Andrew? He's always looking for new friends you know?"

Simon shook his head and turned red right to his pointed ears and said, "No, I'm not sure he'd be really interested in meeting me."

She smiled slightly and said, "You better hurry Mr Tarses, good fathers such as Andrew tend to be snatched up by potential partners."

Simon frowned as he got up and left Ten-Forward.

At school the teacher watched the Wells kids playing with clay, she wasn't sure what they were making but it looked interesting, she walked over and said, "What are you making Dean?"

Dean looked up and said simply, "A car."

She smiled and saw Sam making a clay horse while Xander was trying to carve, of all things, a hyena.

Willow looked at Ms Kyle and said, "I made a girl, see?"

"Oh my, Willow," Ms Kyle said, "Who is that of, is it your mother?"

"No," Willow frowned, "Don't know who it is, just someone."

"Of course Willow," Ms Kyle said happily.

Buffy looked at her clay sculpture and said, "Not sure what I am making, just making a statue of Bubbles."

Faith was making a clay sword and said, "Making this."

Andrew walked in and saw his kids playing with clay, he smiled and waved at Ms Kyle, she smiled back, walked over and said, "Mr Wells, your children are doing fine, still a bit standoffish but Sam actually talked to another little boy."

"Good," Andrew said looking at his children, "I'm glad that they are doing well, I'll pick them up later."

As Andrew walked to his quarters he felt a bit better as his kids were making friends hopefully, when he suddenly walked into a forest glade where his room was he frowned, "What the?"

"Greetings my little friend," a man said as he rode a white charger, "I am the most potent and, I might say, devilishly good looking, supreme life form: Q."

Andrew stared, "So what are you, a crazy person?"

"Oh my," Q said clutching his chest, "I'm hurt, I'm going to talk about Jean-Luc about not informing you of me."

"Please leave me alone," Andrew said, "I have to feed our pets."

Q snapped his fingers and two bowls of food appeared in front of the targ and sehlat and said, "Now you can talk to me."

Andrew frowned and Q wagged his finger and said, "Don't frown, you'll get wrinkles," and snapped his fingers again, in a flash and they were back in his quarters and Q created a bowl of berries and said, "Now Mr Wells, about your lovely brood?"

"Leave them alone," Andrew growled, "You're annoying me, god knows what you'd do to them."

"Oh, you misunderstand," Q whispered into Andrew's ear, "I want to be their father too, I like all of you."

"I don't think you're father material," Andrew frowned deeply.

"Really?" Q said, "I could show you so much," and suddenly teleported Andrew to a beach and held out a sparkling blue drink, "Is this not tempting?" Q purred.

"Not really, now leave me alone," Andrew said, "I'm not really looking for someone right now."

"But," Q said in a mock pout, "I could protect you and your brood, I think you and your potential should be realized, not held back by Jean-Luc and his merry band of misfits."

"I like the captain," Andrew said, "I mean he didn't even kick us out after the problems with Porkchop's voiding his bowels."

Q laughed and said, "That was funny and the look Jean-Luc's face was priceless and, like I said, I could protect you and your brood," and grabbed Andrew and snapped his fingers, "From races and horrors that Picard's happy little Federation can't even imagine."

Andrew said, "Take me home, "I have to make sure to pick up my kids."

"Of course," Q said, "But if you need me, just say my name out loud."

In a flash of light Andrew appeared in the school, he walked over and held his hands out to the kids who all rushed over to him and hugged him, Xander held out his clay sculpture out and said, "Daddy, I made it for you."

Andrew smiled and said, "It's nice Xander," and sighed as the kids passed him the rest of their clay sculptures.

They all smiled proudly and Andrew said, "Come on, I have to make dinner, what do you guys want?"

"Umm," Xander said, "Want spaghetti."

"No," Dean grumbled, "Macaroni."

Willow giggled and said, "Meat pies."

Andrew groaned, they all wanted different things and he smiled, "What about meatloaf or hamburgers?"

Dean's eyes lit up and said, "Hamburgers? Want that daddy."

"Alright," Andrew said, "I'll make hamburgers."

As they walked back to their quarters Andrew said, "Faith, Dean, it's your turns to take Bubbles and Porkchop on their walks in the Holodeck, okay?"

Sam tugged on Andrew's jeans and said, "Daddy, will you carry me?"

Andrew nodded and picked up Sam and smiled as Sam clung to him and nuzzled him, he grabbed Xander as well and said, "Willow, open the door and Buffy, you can help daddy with dinner."

Buffy smiled, "Alright daddy."

Willow opened the door and nearly screamed, "Daddy! There's someone in here!"

Andrew ran in and saw Q wearing an apron and barbequing some hamburgers, Q grinned and said, "Hello darling, did the little ones enjoy their day at child prison, I mean school?"

"We aren't calling it child prison," Andrew snarled angrily, "Now leave me and the kids alone."

"Oh but I just want to know the little spuds," Q said, "I mean how long can you resist what I'm offering?"

Andrew glared and tapped his communicator and said, "Umm, Mr Worf, do you know a Q?"

Worf answered, "Yes, if he's near you do not antagonize him, he is very dangerous."

"He's going near my babies," Andrew said as he moved himself between Q and the children.

Q smiled and snapped his fingers and put toys in the kid's hands and said, "You go and play while I talk to your daddy."

They walked off while Andrew glared and Q smile, "You look real purty like that red faced, but to tell you the truth the Continuum wants the children, they think they have potential and frankly my dear man you can't really stop us, one way or the other."

Andrew frowned; he knew Castiel said that he would be losing his powers soon enough but if he could release enough magical energy as a pulse then maybe he could scare the guy off.

"Oh? What are you thinking?" Q asked, "About your children? They'll be happier as Q, you know and you won't have to feed them or comfort them when they have their nightmares, wouldn't that be nicer?"

"It would be easier," Andrew said nodding, "But the children are mine, I made promises and now I keep them and these children are my babies. If you're an example of Q parenting, well that's enough for me to denounce your entire species."

The door opened up and Picard and Worf saw Andrew glaring at Q who had an indulgent smile and Q said, "Well, if that's your answer Andrew."

Before Q could snap his fingers Andrew released the last bit of his magical energy and struck Q full force with a bolt of magical energy, stunning the being, who brushed himself off and said, "That isn't like our power!"

Andrew panted as Q frowned, "That actually hurt me?"

Buffy and Dean were watching with wide eyes, Buffy looked at Dean and said, "How did daddy do that?"

Dean shrugged, "But it looks like man hurt daddy, we gotta protect daddy."

Xander looked up, "Daddy hurt?"

Faith glared, "Man hurt daddy, we hurt him."

Sam and Willow got Bubbles and brushed the sehlat's fur while Dean and Xander got Porkchop and pulled them outside.

Buffy looked at the glaring men and looked at Q and said, "Leave daddy alone you mean man."

Q looked down and said, "It's alright my dear, we're just talking," but suddenly snapped his fingers and sent a couple of cakes into their hands.

Picard frowned, "Q, they don't want to be with you or the Q, just leave them with Andrew."

"Oh, but Jean-Luc," Q said, "They need to realize their potential and while we know that Mr Wells can handle them the Q decided that I would charm the little rugrats and their father into coming with me."

"Well, obviously they don't want to go with you Q," Picard said with a glare.

Q frowned for a moment and said, "Well anyways I'll be back, perhaps I'll try to get Andrew thinking my way," and teleported away.

Andrew stared for a moment and began to wobble, he felt ill, that blast took it out of him, he didn't even hurt Q but he surprised him. Andrew collapsed exhausted, he heard someone call out, "Emergency transport to Sickbay," before he lost consciousness.

Simon was working with Doctor Crusher when he saw Andrew beam in and frowned as the guy looked awful, he picked Andrew up and put him on a biobed and saw Dr Crusher run some scans on Andrew.

Picard sighed as he and Worf lead the children to sickbay and he frowned, he'd have to find someone to take care of them while however long Andrew was here for.

"Children," Picard said, "Please walk in a single, peaceful line."

Dean sighed, Daddy would want him to obey and grabbed his brother's hands while Buffy grabbed her sister's hands and moved together.

As they entered into the sickbay the kids saw Andrew lying on the bed and rushed over nearly tripping a couple of nurses, Buffy and Dean ran over yelling, "Daddy, daddy?"

Beverly walked out and said, "Guys, he's alright, he's just extremely tired and he's going to need some rest. He'll be alright and by rest you guys can't sleep here next to him."

Dean and Xander both said at once, "Not leaving daddy here."

Picard frowned, "No, you cannot be underfoot here, someone will take care of you until Mr Wells is well enough to take care of you."

"No," Dean shouted at Picard, "You're not daddy."

Simon suddenly said, "They can stay with me Captain Picard," he frowned as he suddenly realized that they were all looking at him and sighed, "I don't mind taking them in for a few days."

"Thank you Mr Tarses," Picard said, "That sounds good."

"Not going anywhere," Dean said and stamped his foot on the ground angrily and shot all three adults an angry defiant glare.

Worf growled causing Willow to back away and Worf said, "You will be going now," and suddenly picked Dean and Buffy up.

Dean struggled and kicked Worf's side and Buffy bit his hand, Worf breathed deeply and said internally, 'They are children, do not snap their necks.'

Picard looked at Xander and Faith and said, "Please come along, Mr Tarses's quarters are quite pleasant."

Xander frowned and saw his struggling brother and sister and said, "No, not going," and ducked under a table to avoid Picard's grasp, he grabbed the grasping hand and bit while Faith jumped on his back and started to kick angrily.

Simon looked at the struggling children and said, trying to be firm, "Please stop children," they looked at him giving angry looks and Simon looked at them in the eyes and said, "What will I have to tell your dad when he wakes up? That you were misbehaving and biting people or that you were good little boys and girls?"

Dean frowned and stopped struggling and said, "We be good."

"Good," Worf said as he rubbed his hand where Buffy had bitten repeatedly, "Let's go, now."

Sam walked over and said, "Umm, what about Bubbles and Porkchop? We can't leave them alone."

"I'll get them," Simon said softly.

"I'll show you," Sam said shyly and raised his hands up to be picked up.

"You, umm, want me to carry you?" Simon said and Sam nodded, "Alright," he muttered as he picked Sam up.

Sam looked at Simon's pointed ears and said, "You an elf?"

"No," Simon said quietly, "Let's get going," he looked at the other kids and said, "I hope I don't have to tell your daddy that you were being bad."

The other five nodded, as Simon left Picard muttered, "I do not envy Mr Tarses during the next few days.

As they walked through the corridors Sam kept touching Simon's ears and said, "Thank you for keeping us, I try be good for you."

At Andrew's quarters Simon, with Sam's help, grabbed Bubbles and Porkchop; he picked up Sam and began to walk to his quarters. He gulped, what in god's name was he doing? Could he take care of six children, a targ and a sehlat?

TBC

How should Simon's experience with the children go? Will Picard and Worf trust the children again? Why does the Q Continuum want Andrew and the children?

Please rate and review.