I just stood there staring at her.

"Thank god you are home." She said walking over to me and hugging me.

"How long was I gone?" I asked.

"A little over six months."

"This is…" I said staring down at the little baby.

"Darya Paige Chernenkov." She said looking down at her.

I just stared at her…crying.

"Ivan…" Tanya said looking at me.

"She is…perfect." I said as she grabbed my finger in her tiny little hand.

"Here." Tanya said handing her to me.

I took her in my arms and just looked at her.

"She is so beautiful."

She had my eyes and what little hair she had was brown like Tanya's.

The next moment I heard crying coming from the crib.

I looked at Tanya who smiled.

She walked over and picked up another baby.

She started walking back over.

I could not hold my suprise .

"This is Alexander James Chernenkov." She said walking over.

"What?" I said looking at him and then back at her.

"I was just as surprised as you are."

She handed him to me and I just stared at them both.

"I am so glade you are home Ivan." Tanya said hugging me, crying.

"Hey, don't cry." I said looking at her. "I am home. I want to see your smiling face."

She smiled back at me with her tear stained cheeks and kissed me.

I staying her Darya's room all night rocking them each.

"Ivan?" Tanya said walking back into the room.

"Hmm." I said half asleep in the rocking chair.

"You should be sleeping in the bed not in the rocking chair." She said taking Darya and putting her in her crib.

"I know…I have just missed so much."

"That may be true, but you have so much more to look forward too." She said smiling at me. "Come on, you need a decent bed to sleep in."

I followed her back into out room and went to bed.

I must have fallen asleep as soon as I hit the pillow because the next moment I wake up to the sun shining on my face.

I turn over and Tanya is not there.

I look at the clock. 10:28 a.m.

I got out of bed and took a quick shower before heading to the nursery

"There, all clean and dressed." Tanya said as she finished dressing Alexander.

I smiled as I watched her.

"Oh," she said surprised. "Morning daddy." She said walking over and kissing me.

I just stopped when she said that.

"What?" she said looking at me.

"Daddy…I like it." I smiled as I took Alexander from her.

"How are you feeling?" she asked walking over and picking Darya up.

"Starving, let's go get some breakfast." I said walking out of the room with them.

We were eating breakfast when she broke the silence.

"Ivan?"

"Yes?"

"I know you just got home yesterday but…I was hoping to at least invite Yosef over to meet Darya and Edward."

"Wait, he hasn't seen them?"

"No, I didn't want anyone outside the castle to see hthem until after you had come back home."

I smiled at her.

"You know you didn't have to do that."

"I know."

"It's fine. I will invite…"

"IVAN!"

The next moment all three of my sisters came bursting into the hall.

Darya started crying from all the yelling.

"Hey….shh." I said picking her up. "I know they can be loud but you will get use to it."

"Ivan…" Tanya said giving me a look.

"What?" I said innocently.

We all sat and talked around the table.

"Thank you." I said to them.

"For?"

"For taking care of Tanya and helping while I was gone."

"Ivan…"

"I am so sorry I was not here for you Tanya." I said looking down at Darya, who had fallen asleep.

Tanya reached over and squeezed my hand smiling at me.

"We are just glade to have you home." Iyvonne said smiling at me.

"I'm glade to be back."

"I'm sorry to interupt." Mikhail said walking into the room. "The prince's and miss Maya are in the entry way."

I looked over to Tanya who was smiling hold Edward.

"We'll be right there."

"Are you sure? You just got home." Tanya said.

"I am sure. Go call Yosef and have a car go pick him up." I said carrying Darya as I walk out of the room.

I go and see the princes and Maya in the other room.

"What are you all doing here?" I saw walking in the room.

"Ivan." Said Max as he turned around.

"Aslan called telling us that they had found you." Said Hayden.

"Who is this?" Maya asked looking at Darya.

"This is Darya Paige Chernenkov." I said looking down at her.

"She is adorable." Maya squealed.

"Yosef is excited." Tanya said walking into the room.

Everyone stopped and looked at her.

"What?" She said looking around.

"Who...I thought..." Maya said looking at Alexander

"O, right..." Tanya said looking at everyone. "This is Alexander James Chernenkov."

We visited with everyone for a few hours before Alexander and Darya started getting fussy.

"I think that is their way of saying its time for us to go." Koun said.

"You don't have to go." Tanya said.

"No, its Ivan's first day back." Siege said.

"We will be back." Maya said.

Everyone left, Tanya and I fed the twins and laid them down in their crib.

"They are amazing." I said looking down at them.

"They are."

"I sm sorry I was not here for you Tanya. If I could..."

"Don't." She said placing a finger to my lips. "You would have been here if you could have, but you are here now and that is all that matters." She said looking at me.

I leaned down and kissed her.

I may not have been here for her when they were born, but I am here now.

I'm finally home. My amazing wife and two adorable kids are here with me. I would not trade it for anything in the world.