"You alright, man?"

Lance looked up at Keith as he rubbed at the cramp in his neck. The Force had just left the morning meeting and gone their separate ways. Hunk had a class in mechanics to teach while Pidge was going to the hospital wing to install a computer in Becca's new office. Keith and Lance were heading to Castle Control to go over a few things before Keith had to go to a meeting and Lance had to take a crew of cadets up for practice in the planes.

"Yeah. Sky had a nightmare last night and slept with us. I woke up halfway off the bed and with her foot pushing my head to the side, so I have a hell of a kink in my neck."

Keith chuckled, "Just when we thought we were done with those days, we go and have another kid, so we're still up all night."

"I don't know how you guys do it with four kids when we're run down with just one."

"Patience, love and alcohol, lots of it."

Lance snorted.

"What was the nightmare about?"

"Clowns."

Keith punched in the code to open the door to the control room, "Clowns?"

Lance nodded, "Clowns. She woke up screaming and crying. She wouldn't let go of Darcy, so she ended up sleeping with us. How do you guys deal with this?"

"I usually take whoever it is back to bed after they fall asleep. It's a real pain when the twins have a nightmare. I swear, they must have the same dreams every night, so when one comes to our room in tears, the other is right behind him."

"I guess it's a good thing you guys have that huge bed."

"Yeah," Keith nodded. "So the whole circus thing backfired?"

"She had a blast at the circus, she got to ride an elephant and we won tons of stuff. She didn't like the clowns close up, but from a ways, she was fine." Lance lowered his voice. "You'll probably think I'm strange, but I had a real weird feeling last night."

Keith furrowed his brow, "What do you mean?"

"Well, Chewy was barking and scratching at the door and I just felt like something was…off. So I got my weapon and we went out back. I don't know how to explain it, but something weird was going on. The dog was acting strange and I felt the hair rise on the back of my neck."

"You think there really was someone out there?"

"I don't know, I mean Sky's room is on the second floor, they would have needed a ladder or something and they couldn't move that fast if they were carrying a ladder. I would have seen something."

"We're taking the kids tonight, they offered us a behind the scenes look, part of the perks of being royalty, I'll see if I notice anything out of the ordinary. Any idea of what the clown looked like?"

Lance shrugged, "No, there were at least two dozen clowns there."

"Alright, I'll let you know if I find anything."

"Thanks, man, I appreciate that."

The door slid open and Darcy walked in looking exhausted. "Good morning."

"You look like hell," Lance commented.

She scowled at him, "That's not what a woman likes to hear, honey."

"I meant it in the nicest possible way, sweetheart. Where's Sky?"

"I just left her with Nanny. She was too afraid to go into her room this morning, so I had to get her clothes and she changed in our room." She crossed over to Lance and laid her head on his shoulder. "I think I got three hours of sleep last night, she kept kicking me."

"I got a kink in my neck that will make it hard for me to fly today."

"It will not."

"Children, do I need to separate you two?" Keith asked, a smile on his face.

"I'm going," Darcy sighed. "Class starts in fifteen minutes." She turned to her husband, "I just wanted to let you know Sky and I are going to head straight home after my class, I think we're both going to need a nap."

"Sounds good, I'll go into town and bring home something for dinner."

"Thank you, sweetie," she kissed his cheek. "We'll see you tonight."

"Have fun in class," Lance teased, patting her backside as she walked away.

"See you later, Keith," Darcy called over her shoulder.

"Later, Professor," he called back.

The old barracks on the far corner of the castle grounds had been converted into classrooms and training rooms. It was a five minute jog out to the barracks, which gave Darcy ten minutes to check on Schuyler. She was worried about her daughter. Darcy knew it was perfectly normal for children to have fears and clowns were not an uncommon fear, but she had never seen Sky like this. She had never felt the little girl shake like that or cling to her, even in sleep.

Jogging up the stairs, Darcy heard Schuyler scream at the top of her lungs before she saw her. With her heart in her throat, she rounded the corner and saw her daughter standing in the hallway with Allura crouching beside her, trying to calm the little girl.

"What happened?" Darcy asked.

Allura stood as Sky ran over and wrapped her arms around her mother's legs. "The circus decided to send a welcoming committee to the castle. I didn't know she was afraid of clowns."

"We just found that out ourselves," Darcy told her, crouching down in front of the little girl. "It's alright, Sky, the clowns won't hurt you."

"I wanna go home," she sniffled.

"We can't, sweetie, I have a class to teach and Daddy has work to do."

"Can I come to class with you?"

Darcy considered this a moment. She could set Sky up at a desk in the back with paper and crayons, she could be quite well behaved when she tried, especially if she was bribed with ice cream. She looked up at her daughter when she heard the girl gasp. Schuyler began to shake and tears ran down her face.

"Sky…" Darcy broke off when she noticed a dark spot appear on Sky's pants as she wet herself out of pure fear. Looking over her shoulder, Darcy noticed a clown standing there holding a balloon.

Allura carefully directed the clown back into the nursery.

"It's okay, baby, he won't hurt you," Darcy whispered, hugging her daughter tightly.

"Dat…dat…w-was da c-clown in my w-window." Sky sobbed into her mother's neck.

"That was the clown you saw?"

Sky nodded.

"Is everything alright?"

Darcy looked up to see her sister, "Hey, Bec, can we use your bathroom and get cleaned up."

"Of course, come on."

"Darcy," Allura hurried from the nursery. "Are you guys alright? Can I do anything?"

"Could we borrow a clean pair of clothes? I'm taking her to Becca's room to get her cleaned up."

"No problem, I'll find you something in Cady's closet."

"I don't wanna wear a dress," Sky whined.

"Schuyler," Darcy warned.

Allura smiled, "I'll see what I can find."

Sky still had her face buried in Darcy's neck as they made their way to Becca's room, afraid to lift her head in case another clown appeared. Darcy pulled her communicator from her belt and dialed up Keith.

"Whitaker."

"Hey, Keith, I have a huge favor to ask you."

"What is it, Darc?"

"Can you get someone to substitute for me, just for my class today?"

"Is everything alright?" He asked, worriedly.

"A little incident with Sky, I'll explain later."

"Yeah, okay, I can get Pidge to cover for you."

"Thanks. Tell him my lesson plan is in the middle drawer of the desk, it's dated and easy to follow."

"No problem, Darcy."

"Thanks, Keith, I really appreciate this." She disconnected and reattached the device to her belt. "Sky?" Darcy whispered into her daughter's ear.

"Wha'?"

"Do you want to take a bath in Aunt Becca's tub?"

Sky lifted her head and looked around her Aunt's cheerful room, "Does Aun' Becca have bubbles?"

Darcy rolled her eyes at her sister, "You can take one bath without bubbles."

The little girl shook her head as her mother set her down in the bathroom, "You don't get all the way clean without bubbles."

Becca spoke up as she started running water in the tub, "I can go and see if Cady has any bubble bath."

"Thanks," Darcy smiled at her and turned back to her daughter. "Hands up, my Sky."

Schuyler lifted her hands above her head so her mother could pull her shirt off. By the time she was completely stripped, Becca had returned with a pink bottle and half a dozen little plastic ships.

"I raided the twins' bathroom too," she explained as she dumped a liberal amount of strawberry scented bubble bath into the bathwater and dropped the boats in.

Darcy lifted her daughter into the tub and watched as she quickly forgot all about clowns and went about sinking the ships and giving herself bubble beards.

"You alright?" Becca whispered.

"What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine thanks," Darcy looked down at her shirt, noticing a spot. "Well, can I borrow a t-shirt?"

"Yeah."

Darcy followed her sister to the doorway separating her bedroom from the bathroom, staying where she could see Sky.

"Feel free to help yourself to anything you need," Becca said as she reached into her drawer and randomly grabbed a shirt, throwing it to her sister.

"Thanks, Bec, I really appreciate it."

"No problem, Darc. Just remember this someday when Pidge and I ask you to baby sit."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Darcy looked down at the shirt she was holding and rolled her eyes. "Do you have another shirt?"

Becca looked up to see Darcy holding up her light green ringer t-shirt with the words Green Is The Color Of Love printed across it. She laughed, "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention to what I pulled out. Pidge got me that as a joke, he found it in some online store."

Darcy rolled her eyes and threw the shirt back at her, "You guys make me sick."

Becca tossed her a gray shirt with Mickey Mouse on it, "Aw, has someone lost the romance in her marriage?"

"Hardly," Darcy pulled the shirt over her head. "Is that why you haven't tied the knot yet?"

Becca looked down at the engagement ring that had held residence on the third finger of her left hand for just over three years, "No. I just wanted to finish all my training before we got married. I want to be able to concentrate fully on our relationship when we get married."

"Becs, this job is permanent, that isn't going to change after you get married," Darcy glanced over her shoulder to see Sky gleefully sinking another plastic ship.

"I know."

"Then what's the holdup?"

Becca shrugged, "I don't know, I guess I'm just not ready to make it official."

"You're not making any sense, you guys are practically living as a married couple now."

"I know…I just," she sighed. "We'll get married when we're ready."

Darcy lowered her voice, "Is everything alright, Rebecca?"

"Yeah, everything is great. I love Pidge, he loves me and we both want to get married. Just in our own time."

Darcy was about to respond when she heard her daughter calling for her. "Yeah, sweetie, what is it?"

Sky waved her over, "Come 'ere."

She knelt down beside the tub and smiled at her bubble covered little girl. "What?"

"You're, uh, you're not gonna tell anyone I had a…a accident, are you?"

Smiling, Darcy ran her hand over Sky's damp hair, "No, I won't, baby, don't worry."

"It was a accident."

"I know, no one is mad, Sky."

"Hello," Allura called out as she walked into Becca's bathroom carrying some clothes. "I thought about what you said, Sky, so I didn't bring a dress. I found these and I think they'll fit." She held up a pair of jeans and a Tampa Bay Buccaneers shirt. Even though they didn't live on Terra, Keith was determined to raise his children as all Buccaneers fans.

"Thank you, Allura," Darcy stood. "Thanks for all your help."

"Your welcome, it's no problem at all."

"Ready to get out?" Darcy asked Sky.

"My fingers aren't wrinkled yet."

"Super Action Squad is about to start," Darcy said, bribing her with her favorite cartoon.

"'Kay," Sky pushed down the lever that released the water.

"Do you need anything else?" Allura asked as Darcy wrapped the little girl in a thick towel.

"No, thank you, Allura, I think Sky is going to lay down until lunch time, then we'll head home." She stood as Sky started pulling her clothes on and walked with Allura into the bedroom. "Have the clowns gone?"

"Yeah, they just left," Allura reached into her pocket and pulled out an envelope. "I don't think you'll want them, but they gave me these free tickets to give you as a sort of apology for scaring Sky."

"That was nice of them, but we won't be returning any time soon. Give them to Becca, she and Pidge can go."

"Mommy?"

Darcy turned to see Sky standing in the doorway, "What's up, sweetheart?"

"I can't close da button," she replied, walking over to her mother.

"I think you should lie down on Aunt Becca's bed to watch your show," Darcy said as she fastened the jeans. "I want you to rest."

"'Kay," Sky clambered up on the bed and burrowed under the beige comforter covered with columns of cabbage roses. "Super Action Squad, Mommy."

Allura touched Darcy's arm, "You know where everything is if you need anything."

"Thanks Allura."

"And I have to go see if Pidge finished setting up the computer in my office," Becca leaned over and kissed her niece on the forehead. "Be good, little Sky."

"I will."

"Schuyler," Darcy said with a warning tone.

"Oh, uh, thank you Aun' Becca an' Aun' 'Lura."

Darcy shut the door and closed the blinds, making the room dim and cool. She picked up the remote to the televiewer and turned it on, stretching out on the bed beside her daughter.

This was how Lance found them over half an hour later. He crept over to the bed and gently shook Darcy's shoulder. Before he could blink, he was on his knees with one arm twisted behind his back and Darcy's other hand gripping his shoulder.

"Dammit Lance," Darcy whispered. "Don't sneak up on me."

"I didn't, you were asleep," he replied quietly as she let him go. "Glad to see you still have it, though."

She motioned for him to follow her and they stood in the hallway just outside the door so they wouldn't disturb their still sleeping daughter. Glancing back at the bed, Darcy shook her head, "I swear she could sleep through an earthquake."

"What happened?" Lance asked. "I came back from my session and Keith said there was an incident with Sky, but you didn't elaborate. I had a hell of a time finding you."

"The circus sent a welcoming committee up to the castle and there were clowns in the nursery. I didn't know they were here and they didn't know Sky was afraid of them. I decided to stop in and check on her before I went to class, I found Allura trying to calm Sky in the hallway. I was going to take her to class with me when a clown came out and Sky panicked, she was so scared she wet herself. So I brought her here and she got a bath and a change of clothes."

Lance sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "Keith said they were going to go tonight and they're getting a behind the scenes look, so he'll let me know if he finds anything out of the ordinary."

Darcy smiled and laid her hand on his cheek, "Sweetie, I love that you are this worried, but she is just a little girl who is afraid of clowns. No one is out to get her. I know you just want to look out for her and take care of her, but this is in her mind. The circus leaves next week and she'll be fine."

"I didn't tell you this last night because I didn't want Sky to hear, but I had a weird feeling, Darc. There was someone out there. Chewy sensed something too."

"Are you serious?"

He nodded.

"What do you think…"

"Mommy?"

They both looked down to see Sky standing in the doorway, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"Hi, kiddo, how're you doing?" Darcy asked, passing her hand through her daughter's hair.

"I'm hungry."

Darcy looked at her watch seeing it was after one. She picked Sky up and set her on her hip, "What do you say we head home and I'll make you a grilled cheese sandwich."

"With pickles?"

"As long as you don't feed pickles to Chewy."

"'Kay."

"What are you wearing?" Lance asked, tugging at her t-shirt.

"I think it's one of da twins' shirts."

"Okay, but just this once. I don't ever want to see you wearing a Buccaneers shirt again, okay?" He tickled her stomach.

"'Kay, Daddy," she giggled. "I like da Bears."

"That's my girl," Lance caught her chin between his thumb and forefinger. "Maybe this year we can go home and you can see your first Chicago Bears game in person."

"For real?"

"For real."

Darcy gave him a quick kiss, "We'll see you later, honey."

He nodded and kissed Sky's cheek, "Be good."

"Why does everyone keep saying dat to me?" She asked dramatically.

"Because you are your father's daughter," Darcy said as they made their way down the hall.

……………………………………………………………………………….

"Daddy, I need cotton candy."

Keith looked down at his daughter who was holding his hand as they made their way through the crowd, "You need cotton candy?"

"Uh huh."

"Me too, Daddy," the twins added in unison.

Keith met Allura's eyes as she smiled. They had left Tess home with Nanny since she was too young to appreciate the circus and they were now meandering through the crowd. Allura's hands were clasped tightly around her son's hands while Cady clung to her father. They were on their way to meet with the ringleader who had promised them a preshow tour.

"Can you wait until after the tour?" He asked. "We're supposed to meet the ringleader now."

"I guess so," Cady sighed.

"You just had corndogs and popcorn, you can wait for the cotton candy," Allura told her.

"Over here," Keith led them to a smaller tent just behind the main tent.

A short man dressed in a sparkly, dark purple jacket with tails over a pink shirt and green bowtie stood beside the tent. His curly red hair was topped by a tall green top hat. When he saw the royal family approaching, he swept the hat off his head and bowed deeply. It was hard to believe that he was not only the ringleader, but also the manager of the circus.

"Your Highness! Commander! How wonderful of you and your beautiful family to join us tonight," his voice was melodic as he spoke.

Allura curtsied, "Mr. Pepo."

"Ah, your highness," he bowed again and when he stood, pulled a rose from within the sleeve of his jacket, offering it to Allura. "It is just Pepo."

Keith groaned inwardly and rolled his eyes heavenward.

"Please, follow me, we will start with the main tent, there you can meet some of our animals," Pepo was now speaking to the Whitaker children.

They followed the sparkling man into the tent where they met horses, floxins, loopers, tigers, lions, and elephants. The clowns showed them how they squeeze into a small car and jump through hoops. From there, they were shown around the games and food tents. Pepo was obviously quite proud of the tight ship he ran with his people. They were a large family who looked out for each other and their customers.

They returned to the small tent where they had first met with Pepo.

"Well, I must get ready to introduce the show," Pepo told them. "Here are your tickets, you have front row seats."

"Thank you, Pepo, we had a wonderful time," Allura told him, clasping his hand in both of hers.

"Thank you, Pepo," Cady echoed softly.

"Yeah, thanks!" Gideon said, tugging on the string of the balloon he had been given.

Declan grinned, his mouth full of cotton candy.

Keith shook the man's hand, "Thank you, Pepo."

"It was a true pleasure of mine."

"What's in that tent?" Cady asked, pointing to the small one.

"Oh, that is just my office," Pepo winked at her. "Nothing that would interest a beautiful young lady like you."

"Well, I'd like to see it," Keith said. "I'm interested in seeing how a circus is run."

Pepo looked at his pocket watch, "I suppose I have a few moments if you would like to see, but I really must get ready."

Allura gave her husband a strange look, "I'll take the kids in and find our seats. Here's your ticket, come find us when you're done."

He nodded and winked at her, "I'll be there in a minute."

"As you can see, Commander," Pepo said as he held back the tent flap for Keith to pass through. "We do almost everything by computer, but it still hasn't cleaned up my workspace."

Within the tent was a desk set up with a computer and various papers spread out around it. There was a cot along one wall, a trunk along another, and in the center was a table covered with folders and papers. How someone was able to work in such clutter amazed Keith.

"I apologize for the mess, I really wasn't expecting anyone. Do you have any questions?"

"I was just curious," Keith commented as he walked around the table. "But then I guess running a circus is pretty much like running any business."

"Oh yes, we have overhead, payroll and you have no idea how much the animals eat…"

Pepo's voice faded away as Keith noticed a pile of photos lying on top of an open folder. The picture on top was a close up of Schuyler Collier.