A/N: The usual disclaimer: I own nothing of Blake's Seven. I just enjoy messing with their lives. The characters belong to Terry Nation and BBC. Darkover belongs to Marion Zimmer Bradley.

There's still something missing.

B7B7B7B7B7

It was late afternoon by the time the last of the overnight guests had departed. Cally was off visiting Gwenneth in the tower, comparing notes on various aspects of their respective telepathies. Vila and Avon sat sharing coffee and some of the leftover cakes from the party in their small sitting room.

"Vila, there's something on my mind that I'd like to ask you."

"Sound serious."

"There's only one thing that's missing from our lives."

"Missing?"

"Yes, and before we came here, I wouldn't have even considered it."

"What are you talking about?"

Avon hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "The only drawback to relationships like ours…is that…there can be no children."

"Children?" Vila was incredulous. "Did I hear you right?"

"Yes. Look around you, Vila. We've begun building quite an estate for ourselves, not to mention the trading company. What'll become of it when we're gone?"

"I…don't really want to think about it."

"Well," Avon said, looking down, "no one lives forever, not even you or me. We should designate an heir."

"You've really thought about this, haven't you?"

"Not until Cally told us about her daughter. That's what started me thinking."

"Avon…you don't regret…not ever fathering a child, do you?"

"Of course not! That's not what I'm saying, not at all."

"Then what are you getting at?"

"How would you feel if we made Cally's daughter our heir? She could come here to live when she's old enough, if she and Cally agreed."

Vila thought for a moment, the idea growing on him. He nodded slowly, with some reservations. "I'd like that very much, Avon. But would you?" He watched Avon's face, searching for the man's true feelings. He didn't want his partner to feel obligated to this if it wasn't truly what he wanted. He didn't have to do this just for Vila's sake.

Avon took Vila's hand, staring earnestly into the warm brown eyes of the man he loved so much. "Yes. Definitely! I still remember how it was when we first came here and you were teaching. You seemed to enjoy it so and the children certainly loved you. Do you ever miss those days?"

"No, not a bit," Vila temporized, shifting his position a bit. "Besides, there's the staff's youngsters here to deal with." He went still, his eyes unreadable to Avon's searching gaze, then something like quiet hope lit Vila's face from within. "To have someone we could foster would make our lives compete somehow."

"It's the custom here, you know," Avon pointed out. "So nothing would be said, I'm sure."

"And with Serran here, it would give Cally a good reason to visit often. She said her daughter's abilities will require training. What better place than a world of telepaths?"

"Then you agree with my idea?" asked Avon.

Vila answered with a smile, nodding.

"Then we'll talk to Cally tonight at dinner."

Vila nodded as the two then fell to musing about what life would be like with a daughter to raise and guide to womanhood.

B7B7B7B7B7

Avon waited, instead, until the last evening before Cally's departure to resume her duties on the Auron Colony's behalf. Sitting together again in the library, savoring an after-dinner drink, the three friends shared an easy silence before the fire.

Cally had taken one of the wingback chairs this last time, so that she could see both her friends. Vila, ever the one to sit on the floor, given the choice, sat with his back against the sofa next to Avon, occasionally throwing an arm across or leaning against his knees. Vila could feel a tension about Avon and briefly wondered at its cause until he remembered their talk about Serran as their prospective heir.

Avon broke the silence finally. "Cally, what are you going to do about Serran's psychic training, when she's beyond your colony's capabilities?"

Cally gazed pensively into the fire crackling in the large hearth. "I don't really know, Avon. I estimate that by the time she's ten or so, her powers will need a more disciplined and extensive training than we can give her." She paused a moment, then rushed on. "Avon, Vila, I have a favor to ask of you."

They looked at each other, startled and hoping they were reading her right. Avon's mind whispered to Vila, *Could she possibly want us to take in Serran, as much as we want to?*

Vila answered her. "Cally, anything we could do for you would still be small repayment for what you've done for us. We…" He turned, raising his eyes to Avon's, and smiled, "would never have this home, this life…each other, without your help. We owe you, Cally, and…we love you, too," he finished, placing his arm across Avon's knees, speaking for the both of them.

Avon nodded in total agreement. "Yes, Cally, anything we can do for you, you have but to name it."

She hesitated, took a deep breath, and plunged on. "I'd like you to foster Serran when the time comes. I know it's asking a lot of you two to take a child into your home, but…"

She'd been looking down at her hands, avoiding their eyes, so she was startled to find herself surrounded by two 'thieves' hugging her!

*Cally, it's what we wanted to ask you!* Avon happily sent to her.

She turned wondering eyes from Avon to Vila and back before asking them, "You wanted Serran to come live here? I don't understand."

With a last squeeze, the men pulled away from Cally, Avon sitting on the arm of her chair with his arm across the back. He began, "Cally, we'd like to foster Serran, yes, but more than that, we'd like to declare her our heir – to Avilla and the trading company as well. However," he raised a hand, forestalling her reaction, "we…I was afraid you'd think we would take her away from you, but that's not our intent at all."

She interrupted his explanation. "It's all right, Avon. I understand that you mean only the best for Serran. My one concern in this is that I won't be able to spend as much time with her while she's growing up, developing, as I had hoped."

"But why not, Cally?" Vila asked.

"Because my first responsibility is to the Auron colony. Without me actively working for its survival, it could well die out. I'm needed there, Vila," she finished sadly, hoping they would understand.

"I think we can help, can't we, Avon?" Vila glanced up into Avon's eyes, knowing the man understood what he was offering.

"I'm certain we can. The main purpose of your work is to obtain money and supplies for the colony, am I correct?" She nodded. "Then, with the backing of Avilla Trading Company, your work should go faster and easier – leaving you more time to spend here, with Serran…and us."

"Oh, Avon, Vila, you would do that – invest your own fortunes in rebuilding Auron, for Serran…for me?"

"For you, Cally, yes, we would."

Avon continued, "We'll legitimize her as our heir right away, of course, but we'll have to take care of the legalities of fostering when you think Serran is ready to come to us. She'll be legally of age at fifteen here, though, and will be under our complete protection until then."

Suddenly Vila laughed. The other two looked inquiringly at him. He couldn't stop laughing long enough to tell them of the image, sprung full-fledged into his mind, for several seconds. He was still sputtering when he managed to speak. "Avon – a father? Heaven protect any young man come calling on Kerr Avon's daughter!"

After one startled second, Cally joined in, though Avon swelled up in indignation, glowering around at the two, before he too burst out laughing, a wondrous, free, and joyful sound that filled Vila's heart with love and his eyes with tears. He couldn't tell whether they were tears of joy or laughter.

It really didn't matter.

B7B7B7B7B7

A/N: Thus ends HOUSEWARMING. The story of Avon and Vila on Darkover continues with AVON'S LITTLE GIRL. Find out what kind of father Avon becomes, with Vila's active participation.