Raina was getting Addison up from her afternoon nap when she heard the first few notes of music drift up the stairs. Smiling to herself, she picked the little girl up off the changing table. "Let's see what you sister is up to, huh?"

When she made it to the living room, she could see Melody and Antoine seated at the piano bench with their backs to her. His hands were moving fluidly over the keys as Melody watched on in fascination. Strange as it was, Raina couldn't help thinking what lovely hands he had. They were surprisingly soft, with long elegant fingers — an artist's hands. For the thousandth time since she had met him, Raina wondered how someone like Antoine Triplett could ever have worked for someone like John Garrett.

All too soon the music was gone, tapering off until only the final note hung in the air. "I didn't know you were so well rounded." Raina said, stepping further into the room.

"I guess there are still a lot of things we don't know about each other." He said before gesturing towards Addison. "Do you want me to take her?"

"No, you finish up your piano lesson. I'm going to go pack up her diaper bag before we go over to Mark and Leanne's"

"Again?" Melody asked, her shoulders drooping along with her smile.

She exchanged a concerned glance with Antoine for a moment. "What do you mean? I thought you liked going to the Abels, you get to play with Mackenzie and Connor."

"Mackenzie only likes to play dolls." Mel informed them. "And all of her dolls are boring. They just shop an get their hair done."

"Well, why don't you make your doll an astronaut or a zookeeper?" Raina suggested.

"I'll try, but what if she doesn't want to do that?"

"Then maybe you can try playing with the boys instead." Antoine said.

"Okay, I'll try." Melody said. "Can we do piano now?"

Antoine pulled her onto his lap, helping set her fingers on the proper keys. "Sure thing, Angel. First, you put your thumb here…"

Raina couldn't help but watch for a few moments at the natural way he interacted with her, gently correcting her when she was wrong and praising her work when she did well. For him it seemed as natural as breathing to have Melody sat on his lap and soaking up every bit of information he gave her. Maybe this was meant to be, her mind whispered before she could stop the thought. No, no more of this destiny business.

Addie started squirming in her arms then, reminding her that she had other things to do than stand around all day watching Antoine Triplett put the vast majority of biological fathers to shame with a single piano lesson. Raina left to go find the baby's diaper bag, bouncing her gently as she went. She glanced back as the music started up again and that little thought flitted its way across her mind again. Maybe this was meant to be.


"I couldn't believe she had said it Meredith's face." Leanne said, animatedly describing the drama that had taken place at the school bake sale that afternoon. "I thought she was gonna have an aneurysm right there."

The whole group laughed at that image. Leanne and Mark had invited Eva and Daniel over as well today, and the six of them were settled in the living room together. As promised, Melody was upstairs trying to play with Mackenzie and the boys where in Connor's room. Trip was watching Raina bounce Addie on her lap when Melody appeared on the edge of his vision.

He rose from his seat and knelt in front of her. "What's up, Sunshine? Are you and Mackenzie playing okay?"

"She said my astronaut doll was stupid and only boys can be astronauts."

"Well that's not true at all." Trip told her. "What about Mae Jemison and Christa McAuliffe? They were both astronauts and they were girls."

"I told her there were girl astronauts and she said that was stupid."

Trip rubbed her shoulder comfortingly. "Why don't you try playing with the boys then?"

"I did, but they were playing pirates. They said I couldn't be a pirate unless I was a boy."

He had to physically restrain himself from rolling his eyes. "Let's see if we can change their minds about that."

Trip heard the boys before he saw them. Connor was shouting orders to all three of Eva's sons, and they where rushing about to comply. "Hoist the sails!" He shouted, and a sheet tumbled over the edge of the top bunk.

"Hey guys!" Trip said, immediately silencing the din. All four of them stood still, blinking up at him. "Why did you say Mel couldn't play with you?"

"She's a girl." Connor said, as if that should have made everything perfectly clear.

"So?" Trip asked him. "Why does that mean she can't play?

"There aren't any girl pirates."

Trip pursed his lips, trying to think of a way to get through to the boys. "Have you ever heard of Ching Shih?"

The boys exchanged confused glances. "No, who's he?"

"Ching Shih controlled most of the South China Sea at one point, with over 1,500 ships and 80,000 sailors. She was one of the most powerful pirates of all time. And that's just one example. Tons of women have been pirates, and you didn't even know it."

Connor looked a little uncomfortable now. "Well, I guess Mel can be a pirate too then."

"Great." Trip said. "You kids have fun!"

As he walked back down the hall he could here Melody proclaiming. "I'm Ching Shih, ruler of the seas!"

And my heart, he thought as he walked back down the stairs.

Raina was surprised to see Antoine still up when she came out of the bathroom that night. Usually he left her bedside lamp on and drifted off while she changed and washed up. Not tonight though, tonight both lamps were on and he was sitting with his back against the headboard and a book in his lap.

"I thought we should talk about this morning." He said before she could so much as ask what it was about. She started to protest, but he intervened. "Look, you don't have to say anything else if you don't want to, but you were right that we don't really know much about each other. I'd like to change that."

She pulled back the sheets and crawled into bed next to him. "I don't have any objections to getting to know each other better. What exactly did you have in mind?"

"I figured you could just ask me whatever you wanted to know."

Raina raised her eyebrows. "Whatever I want to know?"

"Within reason." He amended.

"Very well then," she said propping her head on her hand, "what's your full name?"

"Antoine Timothy-Aloysius Triplett." He said, annunciating every syllable.

"Seriously?"

Antoine smirked down at her. "Yes, my mom's very sentimental." She could tell he was holding back, not wanting to press for information she didn't want to give, so she offered it willingly.

"I don't know what it says on my birth certificate, but my grandmother always called me Mali." She said, her voice barely above a whisper. It still hurt her to remember the only person who had ever really loved her, but it was also refreshing to reveal a part of her past to someone who she knew would keep it a secret.

"That's a pretty name." Antoine said, and he couldn't hold back his curiosity this time. "Where did you get Raina from?"

"Skye's father actually gave me the idea. I was part of this little band of misfits on the streets, and I sort of became their leader. Cal called me their queen once and it stuck in my head, so when I needed a new name I picked Raina."

He turned his head to look at her, his gaze roving over her face with care. "It suits you." He decided, holding her gaze for a moment that started to feel like a millennia. "See? This is good, we're getting to know each other."

I suppose it's not horrible." She teased. "But I think it would be best if we maintained an air of mystery for another night and went to sleep."

He reached over to click his lamp off. "Whatever you say."

Raina turned her own lamp off too. "Goodnight Antoine."

"Good night, Your Majesty."

She would never admit to kicking him, but the light bruise that formed on his shin spoke for itself.


A/N: So, I took some liberties and made some assumptions here. Please let me know if you see something in here that directly defies what's been stated in canon. And as always, please leave your comments an suggestions below!