p class="MsoNormal"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"Chapter Twenty-Eight: Resettled/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Daniel watched as Jack was resettled into their bed in the apartment. He was holding Malachi in his arms and loving every second of it. He waited until Jack was done shifting and moving, he looked around the bed and smiled when all the kids climbed up and into the bed but they left a place close to Jack for Daniel who moved to sit down as well. Zada was wrapped up in her father's side and the rest of the kids were around them. Daniel kept Malachi tucked close and Johnny was tucked on his other side. Daniel leaned down, didn't care how uncomfortable it was and kissed Jack on the head. He knew Jack was fading and he was going to let him sleep and the kids too but for now he was going to sit with his family./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Daniel," Jack whispered./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Yeah Jack?" Daniel returned just as quiet. Janet and Claire were already asleep./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""I love you, I love our children and I am glad Zada didn't have to do anything she didn't need to do."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Daniel smiled, "I love you too Jack, we're going to be okay."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""I am going to sleep now, does Malachi need anything?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Daniel looked down at their beautiful baby boy, "No, he's just sleeping."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""K, I'm going to sleep and I love you. Keep him safe."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Of course," Daniel whispered. Jack fell asleep soon after that. Daniel stood up, tucking Johnny next to his Papa before heading to the door. Ben was sleeping in the second bedroom since everyone understood that the children were going to be in bed with their parents tonight. Daniel walked down the stairs and towards the throne room. He walked through the open door and walked straight to Akina who cooed at the sight of Malachi in his arms before saying simply, "We waited for you, shall it be done now?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Daniel nodded and even though Akina held her hands out expectantly, Daniel tightened his grip on the sleeping infant. There was no way he was handing this child to anyone other than Jack, possibly Adrian who was the Godfather. Akina shrugged and they walked out of the room and headed towards one of the rooms downstairs, Akina walked out of the empty room and returned several moments later with Lust. Vane was there as well and they didn't take any time at all. Akina pressed her hand into the center of Lust's chest then after a few minutes, there was a shimmer of light coming off of the woman and then when it was over, she looked like the light was turned off from within. Daniel wondered what it was like to lose the power like that, lose something that she'd been born with. He hated that it had come to this but Daniel knew there was no other way but he couldn't imagine doing this to his children, their powers were annoying and complicated but it was a part of them./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Lust was crying, her face was down and she was shuddering. Akina stood as Vane removed Lust from the room. Akina held out her hand and there was a small vial holding a light pink vapor. Akina slipped it into Daniel's pocket, "It has Lust's name on it, and only Johnny can take it in. Next is Desire, are you ready?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Daniel nodded./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Vane walked back in and Desire focused immediately on Malachi in Daniel's arms. She jerked forward a little, her eyes narrowed, "You will be here to see them take everything from me. You have Jack, you have the child and we are losing our powers. You win this battle and there is nothing more I can do."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Daniel sighed, "I am here to be sure the punishment you deserve is doled out and you can no longer hurt my family."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Vane pushed Desire to her knees and there was nothing to stop Akina from pressing her hand to Desire and she started repeated the process. Desire glared at Akina the whole time and it seemed like it took so much longer to finish. Desire was fighting the process, Daniel could tell but Akina was too strong and had the focus she needed to accomplish the task. When it was over finally Desire cried out and it turned into a growl half way through. She tried to lunge up from the ground but Vane was there to grab her and pull her out of the room. Akina stood and turned towards Daniel and the small vial had a purple vapor inside it. There was nothing spectacular about it, something so small but it was a part of Desire, it was the only thing the girls would ever have from their mother. Akina gently placed the other vial in his pocket./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""They will be removed from the island in the next hour, go back to your beloved and exhausted husband and your beautiful children. Be together tonight because tomorrow you need to get ready to get out of the castle."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Daniel frowned, "What?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Your home is ready, with a little magical help of course. It is safer now, protected against magical attacks, your baby is going to be safe there. It will be important because Malachi has no powers."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Daniel looked at her, "How would you know that?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Erica could sense that he does not carrying any powers, he will be unique just like you and Jack but he is going to need protection that the others didn't really need."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Daniel nodded and smiled a little; Jack was going to enjoy having a son who wasn't all wrapped up in the powers and everything. Though they'd gotten used to the powers and Daniel would have to make sure he didn't treat any of the children different because Malachi was unique within this family, the only one related to Daniel and Jack, the only one without powers just like Daniel and Jack./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""We're going to be okay Akina, thank you for getting us here." Daniel spoke gently and then he pressed a hand into Akina's shoulder before he walked past her and back up to the room. He walked back to the bedroom again and found Jack and everyone still sleeping so he walked over to the rocking chair and settled into it./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""I know you don't know it right now little Spark but you are a gift to everyone in this room. You are going to be loved and adored by your siblings and your Papa and me. You are going to be a wonderful addition to our family and I know you came to us in a completely strange way but that doesn't matter now. God I love your Papa so much Malachi and you are a part of us both."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"He fell silent and kept rocking the baby for a little while and though he couldn't feel what Malachi was feeling, it didn't change the amazing feeling of holding him for a little longer. Then finally he changed the baby's diaper and placed him in the crib next to the bed and he climbed into the bed. It was easy to curl into Jack and the kids and easily slip into a light sleep./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"For the first time in months, they were all safe and together and there was nothing in the background making Daniel nervous and neurotic. He was just a husband and a father and that was always enough./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Sometime later, after a restful sleep Daniel woke up to find Jack wasn't in the bed next to him. The kids weren't in the room and Daniel turned over and sighed a little with a smile when he found Jack sitting in the rocking chair and he was feeding Malachi. Daniel watched Jack's face, despite the look of awkwardness there was also this amazing love and awe scrawled all over Jack's face. Jack's pectorals were only slightly fattier with the milk pouches that Erica and Desire had made possible and much like a woman, they would dry up and return to normal for Jack when he no longer needed them. He sat up in the bed and Jack's eyes skidded away from their son and the flush of embarrassment rose in his cheeks and across his upper chest./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Don't worry love, I couldn't love you more if I tried."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Jack smiled, "He's amazing isn't he Danny?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Yeah Jack, he's our little Spark."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Are you going to call him that for the rest of his life?" Jack asked with a chuckle./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Daniel smiled, "That's what he is."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Yeah," Jack whispered. Soon Malachi was done feeding from both sides and Jack burped their little boy before Jack slipped the child back into his crib before he walked back to the side of the bed and Daniel moved enough for Jack to slide into the bed. Daniel turned over and pressed his chest into Jack's side and reveled in the joy of having Jack in a bed and they were mostly alone. Malachi was sleeping and the rest of the kids weren't here, possibly relocated to their bedroom and the living room. Daniel pressed his hands gently into Jack's shoulders and upper back. Jack groaned into the contact and Daniel moved to slip the robe from his shoulders and down his arms. Jack almost stopped him but Daniel just pressed gentle kisses to Jack's bare shoulder. "I want to see you Jack, all of you."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Jack muttered something under his breath and pressed his face into the pillows. Daniel didn't ask Jack to repeat whatever he'd said; he just focused on unclothing the older man. Daniel reached across the bed to find some lotion and started rubbing into Jack's skin, across the shoulders and down his back and into the lower back and above the buttocks. Jack sighed and moaned gently at the sensation, Daniel could feel the tension leaking out of Jack's body and he smiled. Then he pulled off Jack's boxers and made the older man flip over. He didn't want to, pushing against Daniel's gentle pressure but Daniel was insistent. Jack finally flipped and Daniel looked up and down Jack's body and immediately started rubbing his feet, legs, hands and arms. Daniel took his time rubbing lotion into Jack's newly tight and healed stomach and up to his milk filled pectorals, he didn't think he could call them breasts out loud because Jack was uncomfortable about it. Daniel didn't see anything unattractive on his lover so he showed him with his hands, then his lips and his tongue. He used his fingers to tweak Jack's nipples, causing Jack to gasp and moan. The distention of the milk had made them more sensitive. Daniel smiled at the thought before he leaned down and pressed his mouth to the nipple and sucked, receive a little of the milk and Jack tried to push him away./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Danny," Jack muttered, his voice shaking with embarrassment./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Don't be embarrassed Jack, you are my Jack and you are always going to be the most attractive thing on two legs to me. It is more so now after you gave us our son."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanJack nodded but he didn't look very convinced./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""What do you want Colonel? How can I bring you pleasure?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Will you just touch me Daniel, I am still so tired. I just want to be touched by you, please?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Daniel smiled, leaned down and continued his exploration of Jack's body. He pressed lotion into his hand before leaning down and gripped Jack's hard erection and stroked up and down slowly. Jack threw his head back slightly and moaned quietly. Daniel continued his motion before bringing his head down and pressed his mouth back to Jack's stomach and back up to his chest and throat, finally making it to his mouth. Jack groaned into Daniel's kiss while he quickened his strokes and then with his eyes squeezed shut and a whimper into Daniel's mouth Jack came and Daniel slowed his strokes and helped Jack back down from the quick rise and fall of orgasm. Daniel pressed his hand against his own hard erection and tried to relieve some of the pressure. He just watched as Jack came down, pressing his forehead to Jack's cheek. He didn't need to come right now; this was about Jack knowing he was still loved and desirable. Daniel didn't need anything right now, he could go and take a moment in the shower./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Danny please," Jack whispered as he fumbled for Daniel's sweats. Daniel wouldn't let Jack get beneath his pants./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Jack this is about you love, I don't need to come right now."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""I want you to, I want you to be with me."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Jack, I can't right now, I want to be inside you and you're tired. That's not what this is about."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Jack pressed a hand to Daniel's cheek and brought him down for a kiss. Daniel went willingly, then pulled Daniel close into his side for a second then Jack flipped over on his other side so his back was facing Daniel's front then he reached down and jerked Daniel's pants down just enough to release his still straining erection from his pants. "Jack!" Daniel whispered sharply./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Daniel, just put your cock between my legs, come for me. You're right, I can't do sex right now but I can be here for you in this."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Daniel shuddered at the thought, pressing his erection between the warmth of Jack's thighs, close enough to rub against Jack's balls and the little hairs would slide against him and create another feedback of pleasure, they hadn't done this in a long time. Daniel rushed to pour some lotion into his palm and spread it onto his cock, his hands shaking a little from the pleasure. Then he pressed between Jack's legs, wrapped a hand around Jack's hips and started moving. He moaned immediately at the warmth of his lover's thighs holding him close and just fell into the pleasure of being with Jack again. He pressed his mouth into the back of Jack's neck, his teeth nipping at the skin there as he rose quickly to the precipice, it had been too long and watching Jack come had been too much for Daniel. Nothing was going to keep him from coming quick and dirty. Jack turned his head just enough to press his mouth into Daniel's just as he came and squeezed Jack's body close to his. He heaved a couple of heavy breaths into Jack's throat while his tired husband gripped him closely./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"They breathed together, coming down from the passionate heights before Daniel got up from the bed and helped Jack up and they both walked to the bathroom and got into the shower for a quick rinse off. Daniel helped Jack wash off and did it for himself as well before he wrapped a towel around Jack in the bathroom and Daniel walked back to the bedroom and changed the sheets. Jack rejoined him a minute later and climbed back into bed with Daniel right behind him. Daniel spent the time rubbing his fingers through Jack's hair gently and he just let Jack fade into restful sleep. They were going home soon but for now the most important thing was letting Jack sleep. When that happened Daniel rose from the bed, checked Malachi and walked back out of the living room and kitchen to start breakfast. Ben was sleeping on the couch and Johnny and Zale were on the floor, sleeping close to each other on pillows and blankets making a fort. Daniel was sure the girls were in the other bedroom but he walked over and opened the door just to be sure. Janet and Claire were sleeping but Zada was sitting in the window seat./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Hey love, you want to come help me in the kitchen?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"She nodded and followed him into the kitchen and they started cooking their normal breakfast for the family. Daniel watched his daughter as she quietly worked close to him then he stopped and turned towards her fully. He stopped her, pulled her in close and kissed her forehead, "What's up baby girl?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""You have a child now that is yours and Papa's, and me and Zale have done some awful things, made huge mistakes. You still going to love Johnny and me? Papa still going to love the twins and Zale in the same way?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Daniel frowned, "Baby girl, you are my daughter. Malachi is my sixth child, not my fourth. I will always fight for you as hard as I do for Zale and the girls because I love you so much. You have to know that right?" he asked her gently./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Zada looked at him with those chocolate brown eyes, so much like Jack and Daniel reached out and took her into his arms. "I believe you Daddy, Sarafina worries for me especially after Papa stopped me from ending Desire's ability to hurt us."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Baby girl, you don't have to protect us, we should be protecting you. You should have the chance to be a little girl, please don't give that up without a fight."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Zada nodded into his neck, "Can we go back to playing games in the back yard and less fighting, less magic lessons then? Just a little."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Daniel smiled, kissed his daughter's head, "Of course baby."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"They went back to cooking and soon the smell of cooking eggs and meat started waking everyone, except for Malachi and Jack. Daniel had every intention of letting his beloved sleep the day through until they were ready to go home. They ate breakfast, going back to some of their family traditions of speaking a little in different languages at the breakfast table and talking about what they were doing with their day. Daniel saved some food for Jack, placing it inside the cooling unit before he walked back to the bedroom when he could hear Malachi fussing a little. He pushed open the door as Jack started getting up from the bed; Daniel motioned for him to stay there. Daniel walked over and lifted his son from the crib. He felt the little boys diaper, pressed him back into his bed long enough to change him, "Okay, Papa's waiting for you little Spark." Daniel whispered the words, pressing his nose into the baby's head before he walked over and handed the baby to Jack who pushed his robe off to feed Malachi easily. Daniel pressed a gentle kiss to Jack's head, "You want some breakfast?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Jack was watching their son feed but he nodded a little with that dazed awe-filled expression on his face again, "Can I eat in here today?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Of course Jack, you had a baby yesterday. You don't have to ask me to take it easy. You think you'll be up for checking out the new house today?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Yeah," Jack whispered and Daniel turned back to retrieve Jack's breakfast. The kids were looking towards the door of the bedroom./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""You guys can go see your Papa and little brother one at a time," Daniel said and still had to jump into their path when all five of them got up to rush their other father. Daniel let Zada and Johnny go first, not because they were his but because Johnny was desperately looking and Zada had a rough day along with her Papa. Daniel retrieved the food and brought it back and let the kids switch out, Zale and the twins going in now and sharing a moment with Jack and Malachi while Jack ate, Malachi tucked into Jack's side on the bed. The little boy was already asleep again and his siblings were being incredibly quiet and well behaved while they touched him and spoke to their Papa but Daniel could see Jack was fading fast so Daniel pushed away from the doorframe where he'd been resting. He'd been giving the children the private moments with their other father but now he was going to get them started on their day./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Okay, let's give Papa a chance to rest some more, we have to get ready to go see the new house so lets go."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Everyone gave little kisses to their brother and Papa before they walked into the other room. Daniel moved over to the bed and helped Jack resettle in the bed and his husband reached out and pulled him close, kissing Daniel on the mouth before Daniel reach down to lift Malachi from the bed but Jack wouldn't let him, "Leave him with me for a little while. I just want him close."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Daniel smiled, "I'll come back and check on you in a little while, be careful okay?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Jack nodded, "I wouldn't let anything happen to him when he was inside me, definitely won't let him get hurt now."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Daniel nodded and walked out of the room, closing the door to keep the noise down and he helped the kids get a move on. They were going to go play with some of their friends and Daniel was going to pack some of their stuff. He didn't think he could leave the apartment while Jack was still out of it; the kids though were getting the chance to be kids today. /p