-- Chapter Seven: Family Ties
"Syl, it's Jack. Just checking to make sure everything is okay with Kayla. She says it is, but you know me. Give me a call!"
"The time is going by so fast, Jack," Daniel said as he leaned against his husband on the sofa.
"It sure is. The Munchkins are eight-months-old, and Kayla is eighteen weeks pregnant."
"J-O is doing well. Hiring Megan is one of the best ideas you've had, Jack."
"She's supposed to call later, isn't she?"
"Yeah, she is, with the results of the dig at Site A. It's not Egypt, but we're out there anyway."
"It's not exactly how we planned it, Danny, but it's working."
"Yes, and when the children are a little older, it will be how we planned it."
"Next year, we'll bundle up our brood and explore Egypt."
"Jack, we need to check on quarantine regulations for the girls."
"I already did."
"You did?"
Daniel looked at his husband with a broad smile on his face.
"We aren't going anywhere for any length of time without our girls."
"Gawd, I love you." Daniel leaned over and kissed Jack. "What did you find out?"
"Egypt is easy. Just need a couple of papers from Pam saying they've had their shots and are healthy. No big deal at all."
"Really?"
"Really, so plan away. It'll be our big inauguration of J-O Enterprises, for us anyway." Jack chuckled, then returned to the present. "We need to call Doctor Bryant tomorrow and see if he's made his decision. It'll be a big contract if we can land the Arizona project."
"Gawd, it'll be one for the Boonie Bear if he hires us."
"I told ya, Love. People love gimmicks, even geeks."
"It was his wife, though."
"Wives have power!"
"So I've heard. We'd better check on the Munchkins."
Jack looked at his watch, and agreed, "Yeah, almost dinner time."
The two stood and shared a passionate kiss.
"It really has gotten easier, and I don't think we've given up a thing."
"We haven't, Danny. Like most people with kids, we've had to make a few adjustments, but we're making headway, and we do have it all."
Jack kissed his husband again, and then, arm in arm, they went up to check on their children.
"I've done everything I can. I thank you two for all you've done. I'm going to do my best to find all my little darlings a good home over the next two months, but if I can't, they'll have to go into state care."
Daniel stood in Molly's cozy office, his arms folded. State care meant Social Services would take over, and that meant overworked staffers, some who cared, some who didn't. It meant foster homes with a few families in it for the right reasons, to provide love and security for the children, and all-too-many in it to get some cash or a servant ... or both. He'd grown fond of so many of the children at the Irish woman's shelter that this realization was hitting him hard.
"Isn't there something more we can do, Molly?"
There was a touch of desperation in Daniel's voice as he asked the question. He couldn't stand the thought of any of these children having the childhood he did.
"No, Daniel, and to be honest, I'm feeling old and tired. I still have family back in Ireland and ... I want to go home. If our benefactor hadn't died, that would have been different, but we're drowning, and as much as I love these little darlings, I can't give them all they need."
"They just need love," Jack insisted, his hands buried in his pants pockets.
"And glasses, and clothes, and schooling, and electricity, and food. Jack, the list goes on and on. I'm going to work hard to find them a home. I've contacted some friends who have agencies, and they are going to help me. Some of them may have room for a few of the children if we can't find them homes. No. No, I refuse to admit defeat. I will find homes for these precious babes. If'n it's with my last breath, they will all have loving families when they leave here."
"Are you sure there isn't anything more we can do, Molly?" Jack asked.
"If you know of good homes ..." Molly sighed, "I'm worried about the older kids. The babies will be easier. There are so many parents out there wanting newborns and infants. I'm worried about the others though. Young Carl with his asthma and little Julie with her sight problems, and then David."
"David? He's a great kid," Daniel said with concern.
"Yes, he is, but he won't interact with anyone he thinks wants to adopt him." Molly sighed, her Irish eyes looking dim instead of bright as they usually did. "He doesn't want to be separated from his sisters. Poor darlin'. He acts up just to prevent couples from wanting him, but soon, it won't matter. He'll be seven, and couples just don't want older children."
"Jennifer?" Jack asked, already knowing the answer.
"No, I'm afraid not. Nor Colleen or Helen or Susie. No," Molly rapped her fists against her desk, "I'm determined. I'm going to find them homes, if it's the last thing I do. If it's the last thing," Molly repeated under her breath, her inner strength shining through once again.
Jack and Daniel headed home, both sad and desperate to help; and yet knowing that there was a limit to what they could do. They couldn't save all the homeless children in the world, no matter how much they wanted to. All they could do for now was continue with their volunteer work, doing as much as they could in the time remaining before the doors to Molly's children's shelter closed forever.
"Well, you two look positively ... spiffy!" Sam said, holding Aislinn and Jonny in her arms as Jack and Daniel walked downstairs for their weekly date night.
"Carter, you're getting good at this," Jack teased, noticing how well Sam was balancing the two babies.
"Practice, Sir."
Sam smiled, and then placed a kiss on Aislinn's forehead.
"Jack, look." Daniel walked over to the crib, smiling at his namesake. The baby was curled up around Katie who opened sleepy eyes to smile at them before going back to sleep. "He's so peaceful right now. He still doesn't like the dark. Little Danny sleeps so much better in the light," Daniel said as he reached down to pull the blanket up a little and taking a second to reach over and brush his fingers against Katie's ears.
"He'll get over it."
"You sure?"
"Jonny will help him."
Daniel smiled in acknowledgement, and they said their good-byes and headed out to O'Malleys. They were going to have a nice dinner, then take in a movie, and head for their favorite hotel for a bit of x-rated fun.
As Daniel drove the Silver Fox, Jack coughed, the kind of cough that indicated he wanted to broach a potentially sensitive subject.
"Danny, Love, what would you think about swinging by ..."
"You mean it?"
"You want to?"
"Yeah. We could skip the movie."
"Let's!"
Daniel moved over to the left hand lane to make a U-turn, pointing the Silver Fox towards Molly's shelter.
Tonight was a party night for the children. They'd all be dressed up. The older kids were having a dance, and the younger ones a pinata party. Both men had wanted to go, but they'd both been hesitant to say anything, since the party was on their date night.
"Boys, what a pleasant surprise!"
Molly walked over and hugged her friends.
"Hope you don't mind," Jack said, listening to the music that was playing.
"Of course not, the children will love seeing you."
The two mixed and mingled for a while at the pinata party, then separated to make the rounds and visit with the various children.
Daniel studied the large pinatas hung from the ceiling. They were colorful and festive. He watched as each of the small children took their turns whacking away at the hanging objects ... except for David. Daniel saw him sitting in a corner. He shuddered at the reminder of his own childhood, remembering the number of times he'd hidden away from life.
Daniel approached David, sitting down next to him. He didn't say anything for a moment, waiting to see if David would acknowledge him, but the boy didn't, not until Daniel began the conversation.
"Hey, David."
"Hi, Daniel."
David couldn't hide the sniffle, and that explained why he hadn't said anything when Daniel had first sat down.
"What's wrong?"
"Mrs. O'Hanlon has to close the shelter. She said I needed to behave to find new parents, but I want to stay with Jennifer and Noa and ... I ... no one cares what I want."
"I do, so does Jack, and Mrs. O'Hanlon. She is trying really hard to find good homes for everyone, but you have to help her."
David shook his head adamantly, insisting, "I want to be with my sisters."
"I understand, David. I really do." Daniel reached out to dry the falling tears. "Don't lose hope. Hope and faith can take you far."
David looked into Daniel's eyes.
"Your eyes are blue like Jen's and mine are."
Daniel smiled and chuckled in disbelief. Blue eyes. What's so great about blue eyes? "Yeah, they are. Hey, how about taking a swipe at the pinata?"
David again shook his head, this time explaining, "I'm not good at sports."
"You can do this. It's not a sport. You just have to hold the stick and swing hard."
"They'll laugh at me."
"So what? David, I've been laughed at my entire life."
The little boy looked up, wide-eyed, disbelieving Daniel's words.
"It's true, and maybe someday, I'll tell you about it, but ..." Daniel sighed, "I know it's not easy, but what you have to do is hold your head up high and keep walking, no matter what. Take a swing, David. If they laugh, do it again. If they still laugh, swing harder. You can do it."
"Will you help me?"
"I'll be right by your side. Lean on me if you need to. Use my strength."
"How can I hit it if I'm leaning on you?"
Daniel chuckled at the literal interpretation of the comment.
"Pretend you're me. Close your eyes and ... think big! Go outside yourself. No one can hurt you there. Come on. Let's try it."
"Okay."
David went to stand in line, and when it was his turn, he spun around and saw Daniel, standing there smiling.
"Remember. Use me."
David flicked his tongue across his lips as he thought about Daniel's words, and then he took a big breath and nodded. As one of the working staff blindfolded the boy, she could hear him muttering under his breath, "Think big; think big; think big."
The staffer spun David around in a circle, and then told him to swing away. David took a big swipe. Unfortunately, he swung so hard that he missed and fell. Some of the children laughed, but David stood up, repeating his mantra, "Think big, think big, think big."
He took another whack using all his might and landed a crushing blow to the pinata which cracked open, spilling out its candied guts as it fell to the floor. The children cheered, and David removed his blindfold. He stood with eyes as big as dollars as he saw what he had done.
He turned, asking in a huge voice, "Daniel, did you see?"
"I saw! I told you that you could do it!"
David ran to Daniel and gave him a big hug, and then returned to his chocolate treasure. Daniel smiled, feeling a satisfaction that warmed his heart. He continued to watch, knowing David's self-esteem had just taken a huge leap forward.
Jack, meanwhile, had gone over to check out the older kid's dance. He laughed at some of the dances.
Whatever happened to the Twist?
He visited with several of the kids, and then he spotted Jennifer who, like David had been in the other room, was sitting quietly over in a corner. Jack grabbed a couple of glasses of punch and walked over to the teenager. He held out the glass and asked, "How about a Hawaiian Punch?"
"Huh?"
Jennifer looked up, surprised.
"Old joke."
"Joke?"
"It was a TV commercial ... back in the dinosaur days."
Jack pushed the cup of punch in front of Jennifer, motioning for her to take it as he sat down in a chair next to her.
"Thank you, but if I had wanted some, I could have gotten it myself."
"Jenny, why do you act so tough?"
"Jennifer!"
"Oh, geez, not another one."
"What does that mean?"
"Daniel. He's not much on nicknames, but I think nicknames are a requirement of life. Are you going to tell me no one has ever called you Jenny?"
With an exasperated sigh, the teenager said, "Jen. You can call me Jen, if you have to."
"Is that what your parents called you?" Jennifer nodded. "Did you like it?" The brunette nodded in affirmation once again. "Okay, Jen it is. So, Jen, why aren't you out there fraternizing with the boys?"
She shrugged, her head bowed as she answered, "They're immature. Besides, they don't like me, and that's okay, because I don't like them."
"Which brings me back to my original question. Why do you act so tough?"
"I have to. I have to take care of my brother and sister. I won't let them separate us. I won't, even if we have to ..."
Jack knew the rest of the sentence, even if Jennifer didn't complete it.
"Even if you have to run away? Jen, that's not a solution, and even if you could get away with it, what kind of life would that be for Chenoa?"
"We'd be together."
"Hiding in some flea-bag basement? On the streets? In a cardboard box? Is that what you want for your brother and sister?"
She looked away as she swallowed hard. Wiping her eyes, trying to remain tough and not cry, the teenager said again, "We'd be together."
"Molly's going to do everything she can to keep you together. I'm sure she'll find a way."
"If she doesn't, I will. Being together is the most important thing. Who needs parents anyway?"
Jack heard the threatening tone. He also recognized the determination and the dedication the teenager had to keep her family united. There was truth there, in the strength of togetherness, but Chenoa and David were too young. They needed parents.
And so do you, even if you do think you have all the answers. I have news for you, Jen. You don't even know what the questions are yet.
Jack decided it was time to lighten the conversation. After all, this was a party. He asked, "How about a dance?"
"What?"
"So I'm an old fogey. Dance with me anyway."
"With you, General Jack? The girls would just die with envy."
Jack smiled inside at the change in Jennifer's tone. Suddenly, the edge had dropped from her voice, and her face had softened. His simple request for a dance had changed the girl's entire demeanor. She was even smiling now.
"Die with envy?"
"Yeah, next to Daniel, you're the hottest thing around."
"Next to Daniel," Jack mocked as he made a funny face.
"He's cute, positively buff!"
"Buff?"
"Yeah!"
"Well, you'll have to make do with me," Jack said, standing, offering his hand.
Jennifer smiled. It was the first really big smile Jack had seen her exhibit. They began dancing to the crazy music of the day, and then Jack said, "You know, this stuff is highly overrated. Try this." Jack pulled the young girl closer to him, whispering, "It's called a waltz, and it is absolutely one of the most romantic dances in the world."
"It's dorky. They'll laugh at me."
"I thought you said that second to Daniel I was ... hot!"
"You are. Look, they're positively green with envy already."
"Trust me. This will really make them jealous," and with that, Jack led his youthful dance partner in a slow, sweet waltz.
The other girls watched, each wishing they were Jennifer, especially when Jack dipped her. Soft sighs of longing were heard, even over the loud music.
"Wow! That was awesome, General Jack."
Jack smiled as they continued to move to the music of the unplayed waltz. Covertly, the teenage girl looked around, and noticed that in spite of the fast music, most of the teens were now attempting the slower waltz steps themselves.
She leaned her head against Jack's chest and whispered, "Thank you, General Jack."
"You're welcome."
From the corner of the room, Daniel watched, a smile on his face. He imagined Jack dancing with Aislinn when she grew up. He also had visions of Jack on the porch with his P-90 fending off the suitors. Daniel laughed, but then he got lost in the sweetness of the picture he was viewing -- his husband making everything better for a girl who had no one but her siblings.
Daniel thought about little Chenoa. She had a big bright smile, a contagious giggle, and was so easy to please. He knew she'd find a good home, but he felt bad that it would probably be away from Jennifer and David.
The archaeologist had been eight-years-old when his parents died, and as he had gotten older, he had had problems remembering things about them. Chenoa was even younger, just a toddler, so Daniel knew the odds were that as the little girl grew up, she would probably remember very little about her birth parents, about the loving couple that had given her life and then tragically lost theirs in a car accident.
He also feared she'd become a stranger to her siblings, growing up to forget them or remember only scattered images of her very protective older sister and brother who were now fighting so hard to keep themselves together as a family.
The young man reflected back on his last session with David and some other children. David was shy, choosing to remain a loner. He used his language skills as a weapon to lash back at the others whenever they caused him hurt or pain. Daniel knew what that was like, too.
A part of the archaeologist wished he could bring the boy home, but that was a silly thought. With triplets at home, another baby on the way, and firm plans to adopt down the road, Daniel was sure Jack would scream bloody murder if he even had a clue what Daniel silently wished.
Not wanting to intrude, Daniel walked out of the dance area and went outside to watch the stars. Jack found him there a few minutes later. They shared the stories of their encounters with the Morgan children and others, and then they left for their romantic hotel rendezvous where they reunited their bodies in a joyful chorus of love and lust.
"Gawd, Jack. I can't leave you to take care of the kids. You can barely take care of yourself."
Daniel sighed. This was not the time for his husband to be sick. Jack had a nasty cold, complete with temperature and frequent trips to the bathroom. It had been five weeks since Molly's announcement, and time was ticking away on finding the children in Molly's care a permanent home.
On this particular day, Daniel was scheduled to work with a small group of students that included Jennifer and David on their language skills and linguistics.
"Bring them here," Jack said, his voice hoarse from frequent coughing.
"What?"
"Call Sam to help, and then call Molly. Tell her I'm sick."
"We've never brought them here before."
Daniel looked towards the nursery, uncertainty feeling him.
"Danny, we have baby monitors all over the friggin' house. Our Munchkins are in a pattern now that's pretty reliable. Have Sam pick up the kids from the shelter and bring them here."
"Are you sure? I mean, we've never really let people ... I mean, you know how we are."
"I also know we are getting more out of this little project than we ever thought we would. We're not talking the NID here. We're talking a few kids ... for a few hours. We can handle the invasion, don't you think?"
"I love you."
Jack coughed.
"Me, too."
An hour later, Sam arrived with Jennifer, who had reluctantly agreed to leave Chenoa with Molly, David, and three other children. As Daniel proceeded with their lesson, Sam checked on the babies, and on Jack.
"Is there anything you need, Sir?"
Jack coughed, seeing his former 2IC standing in the doorway to the master bedroom.
"Uh, does ..." Jack paused, wanting to ask his question carefully, "does my husband know you're here?"
Jack coughed again.
"Yes, Sir. I have permission to check on you," Sam laughed, adding, "... from both Daniel and Pete, I might add."
"Good. I'm not sure which one I was more afraid of."
"I'm guessing Daniel."
"That would probably be a good guess."
A while later, Sam joined Daniel as the lesson shifted a bit towards science. Suddenly, a cry came over the baby monitor.
"I'll be back," Daniel said.
Jennifer watched curiously as Daniel walked up the stairs, and she stared at the baby monitor when a moment later, the crying stopped.
"Shh, Daddy's here," she could just hear over the speaker before it was turned off.
Daniel held Aislinn in his arms, speaking to her with an abundance of love. She calmed, until suddenly both Jonny and Little Danny began to cry.
"Oh, gawd," Daniel exclaimed quietly before swearing in Arabic. "Now what? Geez," he chuckled, "three crying babies and one daddy. I'm in such trouble. I really need more hands. Have some I could borrow?" he jokingly asked his daughter. Then, as the cries grew louder and more persistent, he continued, "Do you all have to do this now? Jack is sick, and we have company. Come on, Munchkins. Give your daddy a break." Daniel startled, stopping his pacing with Aislinn. Panicked, he said, "Oh no ... Do I sound like Jack? Now, I'm really in trouble."
He tried to laugh at his ramblings as he continued his attempt to get his daughter to stop her wails. It was a bit comical in ways; he was only flustered because of the children downstairs.
Okay, Jackson. You do this all the time. Deep breath. That's it. Now, let's see if we can get the boys to calm down.
Daniel turned, about to walk over to the crib to try and calm his other two children, but when he did, he was stunned to see Jennifer holding Jonny and tickling Little Danny. Little Danny had now stopped crying and was cooing, and Jonny seemed fascinated by the new person in his life.
"Um, wow," Daniel heard himself say.
His children, especially Little Danny, had never taken so quickly to a stranger, but they seemed to be loving the teenage girl.
"Are they ... yours?" Jennifer asked a bit shyly.
"Yes," Daniel answered proudly. "This is Aislinn," Daniel said as he smiled and kissed his daughter. "The big one you're holding is Jonny, and the little guy you just tickled is, uh, Danny."
"I didn't know you were married."
"Um," Daniel flinched a tad, "Yes, I am ... have been for a few years now."
Daniel turned away a bit. He was a tad nervous, not in the sense that he was ashamed, but the subject of his marriage to Jack had never come up before with the children at the shelter. In fact, their personal lives had never been touched upon.
They had finally told Molly about their marriage a couple of weeks earlier during one of her visits to the house, deciding that with all the extra time they were now putting in at the shelter, she needed to know, especially with more people from Social Services dropping by as Molly worked to find homes for the children. It had been right before their dinner that Jack and Daniel had hesitantly told her the truth.
"Hey, Gorgeous," Jack had begun, "you know you asked me once if I was married, and I told you I was. What I didn't tell you is that I married Daniel. The babies are ours, courtesy of a wonderful woman who acted as a surrogate. In fact, we're having another."
"We thought you should know, Molly, with all the state workers hovering around these days, just in case."
Molly smiled warmly, shaking her head and then laughing. Then she admitted to having known for a long time.
Daniel could still hear her words, "Oh, Daniel, me darlin', do you really think you can hide the love you have for Jackie Boy here? And you, so formal, the big, tough General. When your Daniel's around, you are nothing but silly putty. Your eyes give you away. Now, let's eat. I'm starved!"
Remembering that night filled Daniel with joy. He always felt good when someone new learned the truth about his marriage and reacted positively, as Molly had. Still, they continued to believe that it wasn't their place to make decisions for other people, people who would become parents to the children at the shelter.
As Daniel fed Aislinn her bottle, he wasn't sure if he had a right to mention anything about his lifestyle to Jennifer.
"Where's your wife?"
"Wwwife?" Daniel stuttered, and then sighed. What do I say now?
Suddenly, Jennifer began to notice things she hadn't before. The room was full of photos of the babies and ... Jack and Daniel with the babies.
"Oh wow!" the teenager exclaimed. "You're with General Jack?"
Daniel smiled nervously, but he nodded in the affirmative. He would never lie about his marriage, not anymore.
"That's neat. He's a good guy. He treats me like ... like he ... respects me or something. They let you adopt?"
"Well, they're ours. We ... um, oh gawd."
"Surrogates?"
Daniel was amazed at the girl's perception, but after all, Jennifer wasn't a child. Certainly, she would have heard about artificial insemination and surrogate mothers before, so Daniel decided to be calm and answer her questions as best he could.
"Yeah."
"Neat!"
"Actually, crazy as it sounds, we're having another."
"Really?"
"Yes, we, uh, it's complicated, but she's pregnant. In fact, we're going to name our baby Jennifer," Daniel said brightly.
"Wow! So you know it's a girl?"
"In a way. I mean, we're not testing. We just ... it's complicated, but we know it'll be a girl, and we know it'll be our Jennifer."
Jennifer smiled, seeming to understand in spite of the complex situation. Daniel watched as she continued to tend to the triplets. She appeared to have the babies wrapped around her finger. Jonny was playing with her nose, and Little Danny had his hands up in the air playing with her hand that continued to tickle and caress the infant.
"Can I show David?"
"Show David?"
"He likes babies ... a lot. Before our parents died, Mom let him take care of Noa. She, Mom, was ... sick a lot, but he loved to help her. She told him Noa was his. It's going to be hard on him when ..."
Jennifer stopped, but Daniel knew the end of the sentence anyway. This was also the first time Jennifer had talked so calmly about anything with Daniel. She had finally let her guard down.
"You said Noa?"
"Oh, when Noa was born, David couldn't say her name right; I mean, he had a difficult time saying Chenoa. All he could get out was Noa, so that's what we call her."
"She likes it?"
"It's her name. Oh, that's right. General Jack says you aren't fond of nicknames. He likes them, though. So, can I show David?"
"Uh, hold on a second, and for the record, I like nicknames. I just like to drive Jack crazy by making him think I don't."
Jennifer laughed, and Daniel started to move forward, but he stopped, deciding this might be a good time to ask the teenager about her brother.
"Jennifer, David knows some very unusual foreign languages."
"Arabic, Russian, German, and a little French and Italian."
"All of those?"
"He's very smart. Our parents home-schooled us. They used a lot of those instructional videos."
"David learned Arabic and Russian from videos?"
Jennifer nodded.
"He has a thing for languages and science junk. He could sit and watch those boring historical shows all day long and never get tired. So," Jennifer repeated her request, "can David come and see the babies? Next to mummies and junk, he loves babies the best."
"Mummies?"
"Yeah, you know, those Egyptian dead people."
"Right."
Jennifer laughed at Daniel's reaction, though she didn't quite understand it. Daniel himself felt even more conflicted than ever. He had never left the babies alone with someone he didn't know extremely well, let alone a teenager. Yet, this teenager seemed to be a natural with them. They were happy and content with her, so he decided to trust her ... very briefly.
Still holding Aislinn, but keeping her facing away from Jack, Daniel entered the master bedroom.
"Danny, Ash'll get sick. You know better than to ..."
"Jack, be quiet and listen. Ash is fine. Jennifer is a natural with the babies. She says David is, too. What do you think?"
"Danny, what are you talking about?"
Daniel rambled on, talking as fast as he could. He was still anxious about having left Jennifer alone with Jonny and Little Danny. He wanted Jack's okay, his approval, and at the same time, he didn't want to admit he had already left their children alone with the teenager.
"Whoa, Danny, slow down. Breathe, Love," Jack said, adding, "You're giving me a headache. Now, if you trust Jen, and what she's said, and that big heart of yours is telling you it's okay, then just follow your heart ... but WATCH OUR BABIES!" Jack warned, causing Daniel to gulp.
"You left them with her, didn't you?"
Daniel nodded, nervously looking towards the door as he began to speak, "You should see her. What about David? Are you okay with that?"
"Sure, just watch them. He's young, Danny."
"I love you," Daniel said as he turned and walked out, returning to the nursery.
Daniel stopped still at what he saw. Jennifer had both babies on the bed that was in the corner of the room and was happily playing with them. The two boys were laughing and cooing, their arms and legs reaching out for the girl as she laughed and talked to them.
Seeing the cute scene prompted Daniel to make a decision that frightened him just a little. Quickly, he placed Aislinn next to Jonny and said to Jennifer, "Be right back!"
Still nervous, but feeling that what he was doing was the right thing, Daniel ran downstairs.
"Sorry, Sam. I need to borrow David for a couple of minutes." One of the children started to ask Daniel a question, but his courage only extended for so long. "Um sorry. I'll be back down soon."
Daniel took David's hand and hurried up the stairs, almost pulling at the small boy in his haste, but when he walked in the nursery, all three babies were happy as clams. Jennifer was still playing with them, and had actually started to sing a lullaby. The three babies were entranced by her.
"They like you," Daniel spoke.
"They're very sweet. David, come look. Triplets!"
David's eyes grew wide as he walked next to his older sister. Daniel watched the two interact with his children for several minutes. He found his heart was swelling with something he wasn't sure he could define, or maybe he was just afraid to.
Quietly, without saying a word, Daniel walked into the master bedroom. He removed the blankets and tugged Jack up.
"Hey, have some ... cough ... respect for the sick."
"You have to see this, Jack."
Jack saw the mistiness in his husband's eyes and followed as instructed. Standing in the doorway, Jack watched in equal amazement as Jennifer and David interacted with his children.
"Hey, General Jack!" Jennifer smiled. "Your babies are beautiful!"
"I love babies," David said. "Are they yours, General Jack?"
"Um." Jack looked at Daniel, feeling the same conflicting emotions as Daniel had earlier. "Yes, they're mine and Daniel's," he opted to answer truthfully.
"What are their names?" David asked, totally unphased by Jack's answer, something that made Jack smile.
A couple minutes later, though, after answering a bunch of questions about the triplets, Jack began to weaken.
Danny, I need to go back to bed.
"Jennifer, watch the babies for me, okay?"
He saw the huge smile on her face as she said, "Sure, Daniel."
Daniel helped Jack back into bed, pulling the covers up and also giving his husband another dose of medication.
"They're pretty amazing, Jack."
"The Munchkins love them."
"I'd better get back. I love you."
"Love you, Angel."
Daniel returned to the nursery, finding everything still running smoothly.
"They need to get some more sleep, Jennifer."
"Okay."
Daniel instinctively started to move towards his children, but then he noticed Jennifer handling everything.
"David, watch Danny and Aislinn while I put Jonny down."
"Okay, Sis."
Daniel willed himself to stand back, prepared to move in if necessary. He watched as Jennifer gave Jonny a bottle when he started to cry. Then she put the middle child in the crib, rubbing Little Danny's stomach just the way he always liked it. Next, she put Aislinn down, playing with her tiny fingers for a moment.
Finally, with all three of the triplets in the crib, she sang a quick lullaby. David stood on the other side of the crib, carefully taking the bottle when Jonny was through. It wasn't long before the littlest Jackson-O'Neills were sound asleep.
Daniel noticed David's smile as he had listened to his sister, and the caring look in the small boy's eyes as he watched the children fall into their slumber. Jennifer was right; David obviously adored babies.
Quietly, the Morgan children walked out, but suddenly, Jennifer stopped.
"Oh, wait."
Daniel watched as she walked to the baby monitors and turned them back on.
"Thanks, Jennifer. You, too, David. We'd better get back downstairs."
"Your babies are beautiful, Daniel."
"I love babies," David said. "Can we come play with them again?"
"Uh, we'll see."
Later that night, Jack and Daniel talked briefly about what had happened, but then they had fallen asleep themselves, and the event wasn't mentioned again.
Jack put away the athletic equipment in the storage room of the shelter and headed upstairs. He walked to the room where he knew Daniel was giving some private tutoring to David ... in Arabic. Daniel had been fascinated that the boy knew the language, especially considering how he had learned it.
When he arrived at the room, he saw Daniel and David sitting at a small table, rambling on in Arabic and laughing. David had a nice laugh, and as Jack thought back, he couldn't really recall hearing the boy laugh that often. It made Jack think of Daniel, and the decades of pain his lover had gone through.
Silently, Jack stood in the doorway and observed. Daniel was connecting with this youngster big time. Every bone in Jack's body told him so. He smiled, thinking about the youngest Morgan child, Chenoa. Her love for ice cream was even bigger than his own. Then he pictured the overly-protective teenager. He felt her heartache the most.
Jennifer would remember her parents more than the others, and she'd also feel the separation the hardest. If Molly didn't find a loving family for the up-front teen, Jack wasn't sure what might become of her.
For a moment he wished he could intervene, but that would be impossible. They had triplets at home and another baby coming. Daniel would think he was nuts. He continued to try and think of alternatives -- the Rancolinis, the Jenkins; there had to be someone out there willing and able to adopt this wonderful trio of children.
"General Jack!" David smiled.
"Hi, Davey."
"David."
Jack smirked and exchanged a "been there, done this" look with him. "You don't like Davey?"
"It's okay, but my parents always called me David, and I like it a lot. I guess if you really want to call me Davey, you can. I just ..." the boy shrugged.
"David, it is."
Oops, Love. A bit different after all.
Watch those assumptions, O'Neill.
Jack and Daniel said goodbye to David and then went home to their family.
"They sound like great kids," Kayla said as she sipped her tea.
"They are," Daniel responded. "Molly is really doing everything she can to find homes for all the children in her shelter, but ... I don't know. It's just hard to think about children like David and his sisters being brought up like I ..."
Daniel stopped his comments.
"Daniel, I know your childhood wasn't happy, but there are others who had positive experiences. Try to hang on to that. Think good thoughts for them."
"Yeah, you're right."
"I'll bet this is hard on Jack, too."
"He's a big softie where children are concerned. He's actually at the shelter now, putting in even more time. It's funny, Kayla, but this started as being a few hours a week, and now it's been like a job. I mean, a good one, but we ... I don't know."
"I do. You care. It's the reason the Munchkins, and this little darling," Kayla rubbed her belly, "are so lucky. They have parents who love and want the best for all children."
"Thanks."
"What are you thanking me for? You're doing the hard part. Hey, I have to go. I don't want to be late for my appointment with Sylvia."
"Don't ..."
"I know, Daniel. Don't forget to call and give you the blow by blow."
"I guess we're a bit ... overly ... over the top," Daniel said, trying to smile.
"Daniel, I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm glad you two are so devoted, that you care about me as much as the kids, and I know you do."
"We love you, Kayla. You're part of our family."
"I love you, too." The two hugged, and Daniel walked the mother of his children to the door. "Talk to you soon."
Daniel watched as Kayla walked to her car.
Another little life. Thank you for making my dreams come true. Gawd, I wish we could make the dreams of all the children at Molly's shelter come true, too. I wish. I just wish.
On to Chapter Eight ...
