(A/N): I know it's been forever, but I swear I haven't abandoned this fic. I got irritated with a different fandom, and if affected my ability to write anything halfway good without descending into a rant haha. Anyway, procrastination time is rapidly approaching (read, revision for exam time is approaching), and I am putting off a report and revision by writing this. Ah well, I'll get it done eventually haha. So, anyway, hope you like it.

Family

Chapter 4

"Did Ray Jay and Lindsay settle in for the night okay?" Nico asked as he slid into bed beside his wife, kissing her on the temple as she put a bookmark back into her latest novel and set the book onto the nightstand.

Dani sighed, snuggling into her husband's embrace. "I think so. I just worry. Ray Jay seems so happy to be here, but Linds…"

"She'll come around, Dani. I think Tori was a bit of a shock to her. And then with TK and Julie…"

"It was all a little much, I know. But, Nico, this is how we live." Dani frowned a little in worry. "It's how we've always lived, from situation to situation, and I just, I don't want her to feel like I orchestrated it all to not spend time with her."

"After a while, she'll see that. If it helps, I spoke to Xeno, and he found three extra tickets so we can take Ray Jay, Lindsay and Julie with us to tomorrow's game."

"Thanks, Nico. They should love it." Dani kissed him gently, her right hand reaching around to fist in his hair as his arms reached around to encircle her waist, pulling her to him. Dani pulled back ever so slightly. "I love you, Dominic."

"I love you too, Danielle."

…

The next morning, Juliette stumbled downstairs in an oversized t-shirt of Dani's and sweatpants of her own to find the two adults of the house sat together in the kitchen, Dani clutching a coffee mug in her hands and her head on Nico's shoulder, and Nico eating a piece of toast with one hand, the other stroking Dani's messy bed hair gently. She smiled. Every time she stayed with the Careles', she was always hit with the knowledge of what true love looked like. She hated to think of what her view on love and relationships would be like if she didn't have her Uncle Nico and Aunt Dani to look up to.

She poured herself a coffee and slumped into the stool opposite Dani and Nico, offering them a sleepy smile. "Morning."

"Hey Juliette." Nico offered her a warm smile. Dani managed a smile, still looking half asleep.

"Aunt Dani, did you tell him?"

"Nope." Dani popped the 'p' on the word, sitting up properly and taking a sip of her coffee. "You wanted to tell him yourself. I could see that so I held off telling him."

"She wouldn't even tell me when I asked extra nicely." Nico pretended to pout. Having been married to the petite therapist for so long, he had eased up a lot in family settings, especially with Dani, Tori and Juliette. Dani snorted into her coffee cup.

"Thanks Aunt Dani." Juliette took a deep breath. "Uncle Nico, Marshall's disowned me. Cut me off."

"What?" Nico stood up in anger at his friend's actions towards the teenager, only to be pulled back onto his stool by his wife, who shot him a harsh glare, silently telling him to stay calm until Juliette finished with what she had to say.

"Go on, Julie." Dani reassured her with a smile.

"Well, mom filed for divorce. But, she… she told my dad that…" Juliette trailed off, shooting Dani a pleading look. "I can't say it. Aunt Dani, can you please?"

"Nico, Gabrielle told Marshall about your affair." Dani told her husband calmly.

"She did what?!" Nico exploded, his dark eyes practically drilling a hole in his wife's eyes as he searched them for the knowledge that what she'd just conveyed was the pure, unfettered truth.

"Nico, calm down. Gabrielle told Marshall, and Marshall told Juliette. Juliette handed her cell phone to me so she didn't have to talk to Gabrielle. I've told her she can stay with us for as long as she wants." Dani turned back to Juliette, motioning for her to continue with what Juliette wanted to do next.

"I want to do a paternity test, Uncle Nico." Juliette blushed a little, ducking her head down to stare at the counter top, finding it easier to stare at the inanimate object rather than the two people that meant the most to her. "I… I always wished you were my dad since I was little, and when you married Aunt Dani, I wished she was my mom too. I just- I just want to know either way, I guess."

Nico rounded the counter and engulfed Juliette in a tight hug, nodding slightly. "Julie, it will all be okay. Of course we can do the paternity test. But no matter the result, we'll support you through anything and everything. Stay as long as you want. Just remember the sole condition of you living with us."

"In your house I abide by your rules." Juliette recited with a laugh. "I know Uncle Nico, and I've never had a problem with it before. Thank you both so much. You guys are the best."

"Julie, would you like to come to the Hawks game today? Marshall won't be there." Dani assured her as she finished her coffee. "And if he does show up, he'll regret it."

Juliette looked at Nico, who shook his head with a smirk, shooting a knowing look to his wife. "Not me, Juliette. Dani'll be the one to hurt him, not me. I would never get on Danielle's bad side."

"Okay, I'll go. Are we still going shopping this morning?"

"Of course. Nico, Ray Jay and Victoria will meet us at the Hawks at noon. We have a few hours until then."

"D'you want me to wake the kids for you?"

"Sure, thanks Julie."

"No problem."

…

Lindsay trailed behind her mother and Juliette, eyes wide as she took in all the stores around them that she could never afford with the meagre allowance her dad had given her. However, the price tags seemed to mean little to nothing to Dani and Juliette, who treated the designer clothes as nothing more than the expected norm. Not for the first time, she wondered just how much different, how much better, her life would have been had she chosen to stay with her mom all those years earlier. Dani turned to Lindsay with an easy smile.

"C'mon Linds. There's got to be at least one thing in this mall that you've seen and liked." Dani said with a gesture around them. Juliette nodded.

"Yeah, I've seen a million things that'd look cute on you."

Lindsay shrugged, taking in the outfits of the two females with her. Dani wore a pair of designer jeans with a blue blouse with shoulder cut-outs, black wedged shoes and a black tote bag finishing off her look. Juliette wore a pair of gold leggings with a black blouse and black ballet pumps, a similar black tote to Dani's slung over one arm. Lindsay wore a pair of jeans she'd owned for two or so years and a graphic tee that she knew she'd gotten at target. Juliette, catching on to Lindsay's unspoken comparison, offered the younger girl a smile.

"Lindsay, look at us. This money means little to us. We choose what looks good instead. Your mom wants to spoil you, at least a little. Just let her. She has more money than she knows what to do with." Juliette teased good-naturedly as Dani blushed.

Lindsay looked back and forth between the two before eventually nodding and relaxing a little. "Uh, I thought that top looked cute." She offered. Dani and Juliette both turned in the direction she pointed and nodded their agreement.

"Then that's the store we'll start with." Dani proclaimed, linking arms with both Lindsay and Juliette and practically dragging the teens with her into the store.

…

"Daddy, where's mommy, Julie and Lindsay?" Victoria asked as Nico finished putting the dirty dishes into the dishwasher. The man looked up as he gained interested looks from both Victoria and Ray Jay.

"They went clothes shopping, Tori." Nico told her gently. "We'll be meeting them soon. We just have to gather everything we need for the game and then we'll meet them at the facility before the crowds get there."

"Oh. Okay daddy." Victoria went back to reading a textbook whilst Ray Jay stood up, looking bored and a little frustrated. Silently, Nico pressed a kiss to his daughter's hair, telling her to stay where she was as he motioned for Ray Jay to follow him into the living room.

"Okay, what is on your mind?" Nico asked once the door was mostly closed behind the teenage boy. Ray Jay frowned in confusion, but Nico simply rolled his eyes. "I read people for a living, Ray Jay. It's not difficult to see that there is something on your mind."

"You, you love my mom right?"

"Yes. She loves me too if that helps you any."

"It's just… I mean…" He trailed off looking frustrated. "Do you go to all the Hawks games?"

"Whenever we can." Nico confirmed, unsure where the conversation was headed. "I am usually required to be there, but your mom and little sister join me whenever Dani is needed by a team member or has no patients scheduled. Why?"

"I… I might be wrong, but…" Ray Jay took a deep breath. "Dad might be at the game."

"What? Explain. Now."

"Well, just before Linds and I left, I could've sworn I saw tickets to tonight's game on the fridge. I dunno, I didn't see them real close or anything, and there were only two tickets… What're you going to do, Nico?"

"Nothing." Nico replied after a long, chilling silence. "I'm not going to do anything."

"What? But, you just said that you love mom!"

"I do. Which is why I will tell your mother about this and double security for the game. Other than that, I will not intervene." Nico sighed at the boy's incredulous look. "Listen, Ray Jay. The players and staff all know and love Danielle. Last year one of the newbies tried to belittle and threaten her, not realising who she was or who she was to me. Before I could even get halfway across the room, five of the players had Dani separated from the man and had the newbie pleading for mercy and crying." Nico shared with a smirk. "The players are incredibly loyal to their 'Dr. D'. Your father may be the one to get hurt should he choose to try anything."

…

"Nico."

"Dani."

The couple shared a chaste kiss in the parking lot, causing all four of their companions to groan at the public affection between the adults, with Juleitte teasing them to 'get a room', Ray Jay and Lindsay moaning about their embarrassment, and Victoria complaining that they needed to 'stop doing that all the time'.

They parted and shared smirks as Dani settled Victoria onto her hip and Nico led the other three into the facility behind her, stopping outside the security booth, manned by Nico's second in command, Xeno, as was always the case on game days. "Boss." Greeted Xeno easily, offering Dani and Victoria a small smile. "Dr. D, Tori. Miss Pittman. Who're the other two kids?"

"Uh, just call me Juliette, Xeno. Technically not a Pittman anymore." Juliette inputted with a sad smile.

"And these are my other two children, Ray Jay and Lindsay Santino. Kids, this is Nico's second in command, Xeno." Dani introduced quickly and efficiently. Xeno nodded, having been to the Careles home to watch Victoria when Dani and Nico had had to chase TK somewhere or had to make a last minute house call to one of the other players, and so had a fleeting knowledge about the other two children of the therapist, though he'd never met them before. His boss had told Xeno never to mention the pair to his wife, and Xeno had taken that order to heart. He never wanted to cause the therapist pain, which he knew he would should he have mentioned the missing children.

"Good to meet you." He handed the two Santinos visitors passes whilst Dani pulled out her staff lanyard and a small, family lanyard for Victoria. Nico had never carried a lanyard, and Juliette had hers hanging from her neck as well, though from the look she shot the second in command, Xeno knew he'd have to print off one with a different last name on for the teen. "Should I make two family passes whilst you wander the place?"

"Better make that three." Dani replied after glancing over the three teenagers. "Raymond Santino Junior, Lindsay Santino, and Juliette Careles, please."

"Are you sure?" Nico murmured into Dani's ear.

"She's a Careles no matter what the paternity test says, Nico." Dani murmured back. "Let her have this."

"Alright. Check what last names the other two want then."

Dani turned to her two teenagers. "Do you want to have Santino on the passes or Careles? I don't mind either way, I swear."

Lindsay and Ray Jay shared a look before coming to a silent agreement. "Can we have Careles please mom?" Ray Jay asked. "We don't know about changing names for real yet, but…"

"We want a taste of what the change might feel like." Lindsay finished for him, offering her mother a shaky smile that Dani returned enthusiastically as she readdressed Xeno.

"Alright then. One for Ray Jay Careles, Lindsay Careles and Juliette Careles."

"Sounds like a handful, doc."

"You have no idea, Xeno, no idea."

To Be Continued…?