Alrighty, this chapter's been a bit glitchy, so forgive me if it's repeated in some party. Have fun!

Four years later. Riki was invited back to the home of one of the doctors who helped him. Her name was Kaeri, and she had two children of her own to watch over. But she worked so much that she was hardly ever able to be with them. The mongrel was given a place to live and food for him and his babies if he sort of worked as a full time babysitter. He didn't like the title 'nanny'.

Rion and Guy grew up happy children. They played with Kaeri's sons and never wanted for anything. Riki couldn't believe how much like Iason Rion looked and acted. He was the bossier twin, but still calm and quiet most of the time. Guy was a little maniac hellion, running around with tons of energy. Most of the time he even got the calm Rion to running around with him. That boy had too much energy.

Riki was entirely too busy with four kids to think about Iason. Which he was glad for. But sometimes late at night he would roll over and put his arm out, and then be shocked awake when he realized there was nobody to cuddle against. Only then would he cry for the Blondie, but in the morning he would tell himself that it's for everyone's good.

When the boys turned four, Kaeri told Riki that they needed to get into an academy. The mongrel never thought about that. He'd never gone to school, so he'd never planned for his kids to. But she was right. They needed to go so that they could do something with their lives. The only problem was Rion's hair.

Of course Jupiter would notice a Blondie running around in an ordinary elite academy. Kaeri and Riki talked about it for a long time before deciding to dye his hair. Nothing to extreme, just a light brown. It looked natural and wouldn't damage the hair. Of course the boy complained, but he didn't have much of a say. Riki needed to make sure that Rion went to school. Because he was a Blondie. He would become one of the next rulers of the planet, there was no way he'd pass in society if he was dumb.

The first day of school came and Riki didn't want to see the boys go. Of course they would be back in a few hours, but the mongrel didn't know the teachers or who would be taking care of his babies. The past few years as a nann… erm.. as a full time babysitter.. had made him more sensitive to his kids. And he had to hold back tears as they stepped out of Kaeri's hovercraft and ran with the other two boys up to the front doors of the school.

Every day was like that. Riki would drop the four kids off at school and then go back to his house to pick up toys and clothes, doing a small bit of housework. He would have a big lunch ready for when Kaeri brought the boys home on her lunch break and they would eat together, talking about their days. Then Rion would go off and try reading while Guy went into the backyard to run around like… well, like a mongrel. Kaeri's boys would either play games or run around with Guy.

Everything was fine. Almost perfect. Until the boys came back with big news. Rison was absolutely ecstatic. He- though usually calm- bounced around the house talking about a special visitor. Finally Riki and Kaeri got him to settle and ask what was happening. "Well my teacher said that we're going to have someone special come to the school and we get to meet him and he's supposed to be really really important, like the president or something!"

Immediately Riki felt his blood run cold. There's no way… but… luckily Kaeri laughed and asked the boy, "Special visitor? Who is it?"

Rion started jumping up and down. "Jason Minx!"

Riki had to stand up and take a step back. Kaeri giggled and said, "You mean Iason Mink? He's the most important Blondie on this planet, you know." She launched into an explanation of who he was, pretending to not notice when Riki fled the room.

The mongrel went into the bathroom and threw up. He felt tears roll down his cheeks, but didn't acknowledge them. After a few minutes Kaeri came in and asked softly, "It's him, isn't it? Iason is the boys' father."

Riki could only nod. Kaeri sighed and sat on the floor next to him. Though she wasn't home often, and was from a different class that Riki, she was his best friend. She didn't care that he was a mongrel, a pet, and gay. She liked him for who he was.

"Riki." She started. "You must have known it was dangerous to get into that relationship. And you've lived without him for four years. Don't let this incident be your undoing."

He nodded and hugged his friend. Then he stood and went to the sink to wash his face off and rinse his mouth out. He had two boys to take care of.

A few days later Riki didn't just drop off his sons at the academy. He parked the hover car and walked the four boys to the door. They were chattering excitedly and being bouncy, like boys would be. Especially Rion. He wanted to be just like Iason when he grew up, and didn't stop talking about the Blondie. Of course Iason didn't have the heart to tell him that Iason was his father.

They crowded into a large auditorium. The boys went to go sit with their respective classes and Riki stood in the back with other parents. After a few minutes the lights dimmed and Iason walked on stage, two other Blondies and a ruby elite walking behind him. The mongrel bit his lip when he saw him. He looked… well. And that hurt most of all.

Iason told the children that it was important that they did well in school. And that they did as their parents, teachers and Jupiter asked of them. The entire speech lasted about half an hour, and then Iason left the stage while another Blondie stood to talk. Nobody moved except for Riki, who left the auditorium.

He walked around the building until he saw Iason's hover car. The mongrel approached it and when he got within ten feet the driver stepped out and pointed an energy gun at him.

"Step away from the car!" Daryl said forcefully. Riki held his hands up and then brushed his longer hair out of his eyes. The furniture gasped. "R…Riki??"

The mongrel grinned and nodded. "Hello, Daryl."

The furniture put the gun back into its holster and rushed over to hug Riki tightly. "I've missed you! I didn't think I would, but I have! Where have you been?"

Riki was surprised, but he hugged back. "I've been here. Raising my sons and then I hear that a Iason Mink is coming to visit their school. Thought I'd drop by and inform him of their birth."

Daryl froze, and then he pulled back. "Riki… he doesn't remember you. Not at all. I've been dropping little hints, trying to get him to acknowledge your existence… the mind wipe was too thorough."

"I figured as much." Though it broke his heart, deep down the former pet knew that they wouldn't be remembered. "But I at least had to let him meet my babies."

Daryl nodded and the both of them leaned against the car, waiting for Iason. Soon kids started pouring out of the doors. Riki rolled up his sleeve and pushed a button on his bracelet. Soon Rion and Guy came running towards him. There was a little tracking device in a bracelet that each of them had. Riki HAD to get one, he wouldn't risk his babies to be kidnapped or lost.

"MAMA!" Rion shouted, hugging Riki's leg as Guy jumped up and had to be caught and lifted up by the mongrel. "That was so neat! Iason.. HE LOOKED RIGHT AT ME!" Riki was sure that his son was going to have a heart attack.

"Boys, I want you guys to be on your best behavior as I tell you a secret. This is a friend of mine from before you were born. I used to live with Iason Mink." He wouldn't give any more details, just let that soak in for a second. "And this is his furniture, Daryl."

The boys immediately swarmed to the furniture, grabbing his shirt and asking him many questions about Iason, living in Eos, being a furniture and other things. Riki watched them, laughing as Daryl tried to answer as best he could. Until a booming voice sounded behind them.

"DARYL? What is the meaning of this? I thought I told you to be sure my car was ready?" Riki turned and nearly melted when his brown eyes met Iason's blue.

Both boys shut up and immediately hid behind Riki. "Iason.." The mongrel whispered softly. "I don't suppose you remember me at all…"

The Blondie looked at Riki for a moment, and then shook his head. "No. But I have things to do. I'd appreciate it if I could get into my car."

The former pet felt tears welling up in his eyes. Then he turned and pushed his two boys forward. "I… I thought you might like to meet o.. erm.. my sons. You may not remember, but once upon a time you couldn't wait to see them."

Iason looked down at the two boys who just stood in awe, looking up at their idol. Riki continued. "This is Guy. He's the younger twin. And this is Rion, the oldest." The mongrel's voice was breaking from tears. "You named him."

The Blondie bent to look into the boy's eyes. He studied Rison for a moment and said, "His hair is naturally blonde. Are you sure he's yours?" Riki just nodded. "There are no female Blondies. And Jupiter would never allow genetic modification of this manner." He straightened and looked into Riki's eyes. He looked so familiar… so…. Ugh, he just couldn't make the connection.

"Well it's nice to meet you, boys. Obey your father and do well in school." He turned to get into his car.

"Do you ever cry at night?" Riki blurted out, making Iason stop in his tracks. "Do you ever hug your pillow and feel so empty and alone? Do you ever reach out to the spot next to you as if someone there will comfort you from your nightmares?"

Daryl looked between them. He had heard Iason screaming in the night and had run into his bedroom to see the large man crying. But of course he was ordered to never speak of it.

Iason turned back to look at Riki. "Blondies don't cry." He replied.

But Riki wasn't finished. "You have a scar on your chest. When you were younger you tripped and fell onto an energy knife and nearly died."

The Blondie scoffed. "Anyone with access to medical records could know that."

"You have a birthmark- a small darkened patch of skin- above your groin on the left side of your hip." Riki knew that nobody else had seen it.

"How did you…" Iason frowned. "Nobody but Jupiter knows that."

Riki managed a smile. "Come to my house tonight for supper and you'll find out."

Review! I love how I just rollercoaster everyone around... Tell me what you think of the kids!