The morning after, Luke woke to find Magnus cuddled into his side, thumb in mouth, eyes closed and eyelashes stuck together with tears. He wondered how he'd slept through Magnus' sobbing; detangling himself gently from the small boy's grip, he went and checked on Raphael, who was sleeping with his stomach on his stuffed bear, on the girls, both of whom were awake and playing quietly.

Luke went back to his room, where Magnus was beginning to stir. He opened his eyes, and looked up at Luke, lip wobbling.

"Shush, Magnus, it's okay," Luke whispered, wrapping Magnus in a hug. "Shush. Shush. Shush baby boy, shush."

"I had a bad dream," Magnus mumbled into Luke's chest.

"I know, baby. What was it about?"

"I was drowning."

"It's okay, Magnus."

"I was drowning."

"Magnus..."

"Daddy was drowninged me!"

Luke stared down at Magnus; his face was horrified, that someone could do that to a child.

"No, Magnus, no, it's okay. No one will hurt you."

Magnus looked up at him. "Promise?"

"I swear."

Magnus smiled, then the two of them heard a scream from the boys' room.

"Maggie GGGGOOOONNNNNNEEEEE. Ook!"

Luke walked in holding Magnus' hand, to see Camille freaking out over the empty bed, while Seelie tried to calm the screaming baby.

"It's okay, kiddies. It's okay," Luke said. "Shush, shush."

Raphael's screaming slowed into hiccups, Camille pinched Magnus and Seelie breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Ouch! You can't be mean to me, Cammie, I had a nightmare," Magnus complained.

"Really?" Camille asked, "what about?"

"Drowning."

"That's not so bad."

Luke, sensing a fight asked, "Breakfast?"

The kids exclaimed, and began to get dressed, clothes flying everywhere as Luke held his youngest, changing his nappy and dressing him in jeans and a t-shirt. Magnus wore the same, as did Camille, although Seelie wore a dress in purple and green.

Breakfast was pretty subdued on Luke's part; he couldn't get past the feeling that maybe the immortals he was looking after had had harder lives then he'd imagined.

"Ook?"

"Yes, Raphael, baby?"

"Maggie gonna seep in you bed tonight?"

"I... Are you, Magnus?"

"Can I?" Magnus asked, shyly.

"Yes, of course. If you need it."

"I seep in you bed tonight, too," Raphael announced.

"Why? I don't mind at all, of course, but why, Raphael?"

"I don't like seeping wifout Maggie."

"Oh."

Camille looked jealous. "It's not fair, they get to sleep in your bed!"

"Would you like to as well, Camille?"

Camille pouted, but admitted she would.

"Alright, then. Three out of four. Seelie?"

"I'm fine, actually," Seelie laughed. "Too old for sharing beds."

"It's only eight am, why are we discussing bed? What do we all want to do today?"

The kids all made a ruckus, trying to get their favourite activities done, but eventually, after a big lunch, the two boys had a nap in their beds, and Camille watched a movie quietly, holding her favourite doll. Luke rang Jocelyn, who talked about the meeting details. Luke nodded and made noncommittal noises because he wasn't really listening, instead keeping an eye on his kids.

"So that's okay, then," Jocelyn said cheerfully, and Luke was jolted from his musing about what kind of dye was in Magnus' hair.

"Yes, yes, it's good," he said, hoping that was the right answer. Jocelyn laughed down the phone and said goodbye, so he assumed it was.

Eventually the inevitable bedtime came and after Seelie kissed them all goodnight, Luke positioned Raphael nearest to him, on one side, putting the older kids on the other side so he couldn't be accidentally squashed. He told three stories, happy, fake ones about a bear he called "Sloppy" as he was strapped for story inspiration, before the kids drifted off, Magnus clutching Luke's shirt, face buried in his chest, Camille curled around Magnus and Raphael was lying on his stomach. Luke felt warm and comfortable, holding his little ones in his arms. He was lying like that when the door opened, and light spilled in, illuminating the entire scene.

"Luke?"

"Jocelyn?!"