"Daddy," the little girl screamed happily running towards her father, her scream echoing around the house as she ran into the room her father was in. Van swore the girl must have had some sort of homing device built inside her to tell her of the whereabouts of her father, sometimes her mother when she needed her, but she always knew where her father was.

Merle was Folken's little girl, and as far as Folken was concerned his little girl could do no wrong. Van was exhausted both mentally and physically; he just wanted to go up the stairs into his gigantic and beautifully decorated room, which was also his sanctuary for privacy, and get into that bed of his.

The bed was so soft like that of the feathers of a bird; he just wanted to glide into the sheets and wrap them tightly around him. It almost seemed as if he wanted them as a barrier… but against what? Suddenly he was brought out of his trance by the appearance of his older brother with little Merle in his arms resting peacefully against his shoulder with her thumb in her mouth furthering her innocent look, which already existed.

"Where's the boy?" Folken asked in tranquil tone as he referred to Dilandau as the boy. Folken and Dilly where almost always constantly arguing, and merely observing the two together in a room was comical enough.

"He's outside with the super soaker annoying the neighbours," Van replied desperately trying to find somewhere where he could settle his aching body. He had already had an assiduous day at work but having to take care of his five-year-old niece and nephew had cut the cake as far as he was concerned. It was frightening enough that he had almost lost Merle but then having to give Dilly a piggy back ride whenever necessary to compensate for the fact that Van was unable to take Dilly to the arcade had drained all his psychical energy.

"Well at least he's not bothering me," Folken spoke a little too truthfully. "So who is this Hitomi?"

"Hitomi?" Van questioned taken aback from the idea that she had now entered this conservation. Folken then put Merle down.

"Go help your mother in the kitchen, Princess," Folken said sweetly.

"Yes Daddy," Merle replied in baby tone and she ran into the kitchen. Folken then averted his attention back onto Van.

"Yes the girl who had found Merle when YOU LOST MY BABY GIRL," Folken yelled the last set of words at Van and then he continued to scold Van. "How could you be so irresponsible? Do you know how many sick weirdoes there are out there? What would have happened if one of them saw my princess and realized she was lost? Do you think they would have helped her to find you?"

"I'm so sorry bro, but Dilly was pulling me one way and she went another and…" Van stuttered, as he couldn't find the right set of words to say to his defence.

"We'll aren't you lucky you didn't continue on with your law degree. You wanted to defend other people and you can't even defend yourself," Folken spoke viciously.

"Folken, you and I both know that mother and father forced me to take up law. I always wanted to be a teacher," Van shouted to his defence. "Anyway, she's safe now."

"You don't get it," Folken uttered rubbing his head with his right hand.

"Folken, when I lost her I was scared stiff less, my heart was racing, my mind went into full panic mode thinking of all the worst case scenarios, my mind became dizzy and weak and when I saw her again I had the biggest sigh of relief. It was feeling I had never felt before, it was like a big weight had been lifted above my shoulders," Van protested against his brother's thoughts of him. "So, don't you dare tell me I don't get it!"

"Uh-hum," Dilly said clearing his throat trying to get the attention of the two quarrelling men. "Has anyone every taught you guys any manners?"

Van and Folken turned their attention to Dilly to see him standing at the door with a female's hand in his. Van almost gasped when he saw who it was but he remained his composure.

"Hitomi," a screaming girl ran into between Folken's legs and shoving her uncle aside also in the process. She jumped into the older girls arms.

"Hey Merle," Hitomi smiled. "Um…I'm so sorry for intruding but Merle you left your scarf behind. I was just heading home when I saw Dilly in the drive way drenching the child next door with a super soaker and so I thought I'd drop it off now, rather than give it to Mr Fanel on Monday." Hitomi put the little girl down and handed her the pink scarf, which had a picture of piglets at one end.

"Thank you; I wonder how I could have left that behind," Merle remarked innocently yet her innocence didn't have the normal purity towards it, it almost seemed like she had this situation planned. Merle hugged her scarf to show her appreciation to Hitomi.

"It's okay," Hitomi beamed as the little girl's happiness at the retrieval of her scarf had warmed her heart. Hitomi then realized her surroundings and she became at unease as the tension she could sense in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife. "I better go, see you two around." She knelt down and gave a hug both to Dilly and Merle.

Folken then decided to finally speak, as he realized Van wasn't going to talk any time soon. Van was pretty predictable, he always became quiet after an argument or if he was in an embarrassing situation.

"Wait, please," Folken called out to the girl who was getting ready to go. Hitomi stopped on her tracks and looked up to the silver haired man who was dressed in a ravishing navy blue suit. "I would like to thank you for helping Merle."

"It was nothing, really, I'm sure someone would have helped her out," Hitomi modestly spoke; she hated being complimented or gratified in any way as she could not handle nice comments. They always seemed to make her feel uncomfortable as if she had done something she should be proud off. She felt her cheeks begin to burn up in embarrassment.

"Daddy, can Hitomi stay for dinner?" Merle blurted out looking at her uncle who was listening on to the conversation intently. Merle then latched her hand in Hitomi's and started to draw her into the house.

"Yeah Dad, let Hitomi stay for dinner," Dilly choired on with his sister's notion.

"Oh my word, you're both agreeing with each other on something," Folken said taken aback by his children. He looked up to Hitomi who seemed to be clueless about what was going on. "Of course she can stay for dinner; I'll just go tell your mother."

"Oh no, please I really don't want to intrude," Hitomi hesitantly voiced out, finally getting to grips of what was going on.

"You won't be intruding anything," a new voice spoke out as the figure appeared in the hallway. Hitomi then saw a beautiful woman with beautiful azure eyes and silver hair.

"That's my mom," Dilly gleefully spoke as he took Hitomi's other hand and helped Merle further Hitomi into the house.

"Well then it's settled, your staying for dinner," Folken stated as he looked at Van who seemed to be unbothered by the whole situation.

"Hitomi, while we are waiting we can go and play with my Barbie dolls," Merle told her as she led Hitomi to the staircase and then hauled Hitomi up the stairs in the direction of her room.

Dilly ran after them with his fists in the air yelling, "Merle, she doesn't want to play with loser Barbie dolls, she wants to play video games with me."

Folken watched on amused but his children's behaviour, he had never seen the two so enthusiastic about anyone in their entire lives. Naria came up beside him and kissed her husband's cheek and whispered. "While the kittens are away, the mice can play." Folken laughed at his wife's comment and kissed her tenderly. Van let out a disgruntled moan and walked off obviously upset by something. "What's wrong with him?" Naria asked confused by her brother in laws erratic behaviour as of recently.

"Nothing," Folken replied as he shrugged the question off and kissed his loving wife.

***

"You guys, its dinner time," Naria called up the stairs.

"Coming Mommy," Merle answered in a cute yell.

"What about Dilly?" Hitomi asked as he was nowhere in sight. Merle's room was elaborately decorated with pink bows, pink cushions, pink curtains; pink bed sheets well just pink everything. The girl was screaming pink.

"He'll be down, don't worry," Merle reassured her by putting her arm on her shoulder. Hitomi couldn't help but to giggle at Merle serious manner.

* * *

"Where's the boy?" Folken asked in an irritated manner as Dilly was beginning to hit on his patience. Everyone was sat around the dinner table except Dilly and Van

"The boy?" Hitomi questioned dazed by her surroundings. The house was beautiful; it was beautifully decorated, spacious and most of all full of happiness, unlike her household where it was humongous and very rich, yet empty as her parents were never home but off on vacations or business trips.

"He's referring to Dilly," Van said as he came up behind Hitomi shocking her, which caused her to jump.

"Mr Fanel, you surprised me by your presence," Hitomi politely pointed out.

"Mr Fanel?" Folken queried Hitomi's usage of Van's name.

"She's one of my students," Van answered his brother.

"Really?" An astounded Folken blurted. "So what is he like as a teacher?" Van rolled his eyes as he took a seat next to Merle yet part of him yearned to know Hitomi's answer.

Hitomi struggled to answer the question. In truth she really didn't know, finally she replied. "He's the favourite amongst the student body."

"Oh how interesting but what about yourself?" Folken asked intrigued by the whole situation. Van wanted his brother's head in that one moment in time and he showed his discontent to Folken by eying him angrily. Hitomi really didn't want to reply to the question. You couldn't answer a question like that in front of your teacher.

Thankfully for Hitomi, Dilly walked in. Hitomi turned to see the silver haired boy was wearing an aborigine coloured robe and he had a pipe in his mouth. "Hello Hitomi," He greeted in the most sophisticated voice he could possibly speak. Merle burst out into laughter when he reached for the pipe with his hand and blew bubbles out off his pipe. Naria covered her mouth with her hand trying her hardest not to laugh. Folken eyed his son as he came and sat beside Hitomi.

"You're so adorable," Hitomi couldn't help but to melt, she then kissed him on the cheek. Van let out a chuckle and continued to watch his nephew's antics. Van then started to put food onto his plate

"The chicks dig me," Dilly grinned and then blew more bubbles out his pipe causing his mother to burst out into laughter. Folken then looked at his wife and grinned as he tried hard not to laugh also. "So, Hitomi, is that gold Lamborghini Diablo really yours?"

"Yeah," Hitomi replied. Folken and Naria stopped laughing and looked at Hitomi dumbstruck.

"Can you take me for me ride it one day?" Dilly asked sweetly.

"Sure," Hitomi smiled, she then looked at Folken and Naria. "If that's okay with your parents?"

"Fine with us," Naria answered. "Gold Lamborghini? Isn't that the most expensive car in the whole world?"

"Yeah," Hitomi replied as she started to eat.

"Your not Deacon Kanzaki's daughter are you by any chance?" Folken asked carefully.

"Yeah," she quietly answered.

Van noticed and looked up, she was upset. 'Is this got something to do with what Gaddess was talking about?' Van thought as recollected the conversation they had in the classroom.

"Folken, you talk business with her father, not her," Van spoke clearly-cuttingly.

Hitomi turned to look at him. Their eyes met and they both held onto each other's gaze.
 
"Hitomi," Dilly screeched. "Earth to Hitomi." Hitomi and Van broke out of gaze. Van looked down to his meal trying his hardest to cut the rock hard piece of chicken that Naria had prepared, while Hitomi turned to Dilly embarrassed and flustered.

"Sorry," Hitomi calmly spoke as she tucked into a strand of loose hair behind her ears.

"I was asking you a question," Dilly spoke in a demanding manner as he banged his fork against the table.

"Boy," Folken raised his voice.

"Sorry," he said in a little too innocent voice. "Anyway Hitomi, can you be our new baby-sitter?"

"Um…" Hitomi stuttered.

"Please Hitomi. Lydia, the other girl is so mean," Merle pleaded, watering her eyes to make Hitomi feel guilty.

"It's only Thursday and Friday nights," Naria added realizing how much her children wanted Hitomi. "And we'll pay of course."

"Oh well if it's only Thursday and Friday, then its fine by me. And you don't have to pay; my allowance covers me pretty well," Hitomi smiled.

"I bet it does," Folken said thinking about her car. Naria nudged him angrily.

"YEAH," Merle screamed as Dilly hugged Hitomi. Hitomi couldn't help but to smile. Her eyes then caught a glimpse of Van who seemed to be in deep thought.

'Hitomi as a baby sitter,' Van thought. 'The kids love her. I can see no harm from it.' If Van knew what the future withheld he would have protested against his niece and nephew.