For mind link

{For thinking to ones self}

(Kindred thoughts)

[Arguing with ones self, or Alli arguing with Buffy]

Is for dreaming

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Deamon and Lucivar were walking in from morning training.

"You did good today, old son," Lucivar said while throwing an arm around his brother's shoulder. "But I don't know how many times I have to keep telling you to keep your knees bent and not to drop your shoulder."

Deamon eased out from under his brother's arm and sighed. "And I don't know how many times I have to tell you that I'm no worrier. I don't fight like you. I do my battles differently."

"Oh, nonsense. You and your inner Sadist may be good, but you haven't had to leave early from practice because of injury, or needed a healer in a very long time."

Deamon was about to make a smartass retort when a little blond girl flew down the stars and hid behind his right leg, holding on for dear life. A little boy flew down after her, but stopped and hovered in front of the two men and threw up his hands in frustration. "Ok, you found home base, but you can't stay there forever. You only get twenty seconds. Ok, now ten, nine, eight, seven..."

She ran and held on to Lucivar.

"Oh, that is so not fair."

She giggled and ran like a shot. Lucian was hot on her heels when she burst into Seatan's study. He was slipping on his coat and was heading to the door when Alli ran and hid under his coat. "What do we have here?"

He looked up at his sons that walked into the door.

"Alli..." Lucian whined. "That is no fair at all. Grandpapa was not a home base today."

She stuck out her tong. He responded in kind.

"You didn't say he wasn't a base."

"But I didn't say he was." Lucian pointed out.

"But you didn't say he wasn't, as such, your fault."

Lucian turned, "Papa!"

He smiled, "Lucian!"

Kealas and Ludvarian walked in.

(Puppies, you should be in class.)

Kealas just walked over and lifted Alliana with his teeth on her shirt.

(Young cups should learn stealth before playing with stealth.)

For that was what he called hide-and-go-seek, Stealth.

Alli wiggled her shirt from his teeth and climbed onto his back. "Ok Kealas. I was getting tired anyway."

Lucian fallowed grumpily, trailed by Ludvarian.

Deamon and Lucivar sat down on the chairs in the study while Seatan leaned against the desk. "How do those little nymphs get out of class anyway?"

Lucian grinned. "I have no idea. And nothing short of torture would get them to tell."

Deamon just laughed. "To be young and carefree. And to try and give their parents heart attacks."

"What did they do now?"

"They were playing around and somehow Lucian got to the weapons room. He was chasing her with a short sword."

"Oh sweet darkness"

"I know, by the time we got there, she had the sword and he was running for his life."

"Hey, their your children. I'm just here to help them break the rules. I'm an uncle, remember?"

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Later that night Deamon slipped into his daughter's room.

"Hey daddy."

"Hi there."

She jumped out of bed and ran to her bookcase. She grabbed one after a moment's hesitation and jumped back onto the bed. "Can you read this one tonight?"

He took the book and settled onto the bed. He took a look at the book. "Alli, sweetie, this is a very thick book."

"Yes, but I saw a lot of people reading it and I was hoping you could read it to me a little bit at a time. Explain what I don't understand. Will you please daddy."

"Ok baby-girl."

She took a pillow and adjusted it on his thigh and lied down. Lucian came in from his joined room and took his usual place with a pillow on his sister's belly, like ritual demanded.

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Years later, Deamon woke up from a snooze. His daughter was asleep with her head on a pillow on his thigh; Lucian was asleep with his head on a pillow on her belly, his wings tightly around him. Deamon slowly slipped out of the bed and put the book on the bedside table, a little piece of paper marking the page. He covered them with two blankets and left the room.

He found Jeanell in the room's sitting room. He took her hands. "Jeanell, what are you doing up?"

"I couldn't sleep. I was thinking."

He sat down next to her on a couch. "What were you thinking about?"

"I've been spending a lot of time with Lucian. He's still the same little boy. The tough demeanor around him is just to protect his sister. But I just want to know why Alli hasn't said to words to me, or to anyone but you in that matter. She spends all her time alone or with you and Lucian. Why?"

Deamon took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I don't know sweet heart. She shies away from every other male that isn't kindred, and won't say a word if they're around. I know that she needs space, and I know that it will take a long time to regain that trust she had in us."

"But why, Deamon? How did we loose that trust. For years we didn't want to believe they were dead. For years we searched every way we could. I always knew we missed something. Why does she hate us so?"

Deamon wanted to cry. He had never seen his wife so defeated. It was usually him who cried and asked all the questions that he didn't want to know the answer to. Jeanell was his support.

"Jeanell, I think she blames you for what happened to her and Lucian."

"What!?"

"She knows what you are. She thinks that Witch could not have not found them. If you didn't find them, then you didn't want to."

She was sobbing by the time he was done. "But I did try. I tried with everything I am. You had to stop me some times because I was wearing myself out. I wanted to find them Deamon. How could she believe otherwise?"

"Because she loves Lucian. He took most of her punishments, and she won't, or can't, forgive those she believes responsible. She told me that the only male a girl can trust is her father. Lucian is the exception. Just give her time Jeanell. Remember, you didn't want any part of the family that loved you when you came back from being hurt. For a while, you chose one person and confided in him things that even Seatan didn't know, and it helps. She needs the same thing, just more time."

She nodded, understanding perfectly what he said and what she needed.

Didn't mean she had to like it though.

"I just want my daughter back. I just want my family."

He hugged her close; then led her to their bedroom and helped her get ready for bed.

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Good, I think. Just to show how different she is now.