Author's note: I promise to get more uploaded later, be sure to start with chapter two since I am uploading all these at the same time.

Please enjoy and review, drop some plot bunnies in my mailbox for the kids and their parents to deal with.

Chapter Ten: Mama Versus Daddy Daniel

Daniel forced the smile on his face when he walked into the living room, if he stayed in the kitchen a minute longer he was going to burst into tears again. He was sick of crying over any of the shit that tended to happen to him, he had never allowed it to change him and he wouldn't change that now. He had Jack, he had the kids and he had loving friends and his job. Henry wasn't in Colorado Springs and Daniel was rarely alone, Jack was right about the kids too. They were magically capable of taking care of themselves but Daniel also didn't want them to have to. It was Daniel and Jack's job in life to protect the children, not the other way around and Daniel was frustrated that more than once his children, especially Johnny and Zale had been forced into that protector role.

"Did you guys have some idea what you might want to do while your visiting Colorado Springs?" Daniel asked Lauren and Ben as he sat down in one of the recliners. Jack's parents were sitting on the couch with all the kids sitting or standing around them, sneaking questions and telling them excitedly what they'd been doing for the past couple months since their last visit.

He wondered what Jack was still doing in the kitchen even as Ben and Lauren were trying to answer the question. Daniel turned back to them and shushed the children who looked at him in shock. Daniel sighed and pressed his fingers into the back of his neck, he was getting frustrated and taking it out on the kids, "I'm sorry guys, you know Daddy didn't mean it." The kids nodded and several walked over to hug on Daniel before returning to their grandfather's side.

Lauren frowned at Daniel, "What was that for Daniel? That was a little rude."

"Please don't start with me Lauren," Daniel sighted quietly. He was really trying, had always attempted to be polite with Lauren but after months of being here and the supposed acceptance, to have her reclaim this behavior was really just too much for the day he was having.

"Start what?" she demanded.

Daniel watched as Zale and the others' eyes were locked on them both. Jack and Daniel rarely had snapping arguments with each other and even less so in front of the kids. He nodded towards the back door and the yard to Zale and he quickly started herding the kids towards the door when Lauren stopped them by standing and moving between the children and the exit, "If you never have these confrontations, how do you think your children are going to know what to do when they argue with other people?" she demanded, judgment clear in her tone.

"Excuse me?" Daniel asked.

"You heard me Daniel, you constantly send them away!"

Daniel stood and glared at the woman, "Are you kidding me with this, you have been around me parenting twice in the ten years I have been their father! How dare you question me, you have no right!"

Jack came rushing into the room with one of the cordless phones gripped in his hand, "What's going on in here?"

"Your mother," Daniel sneered as he turned towards his husband, even as he desperately wished he could stop himself. So much of the past came to the forefront with the woman's questions and attitude. He should have known that a few weeks of kindness was nothing in comparison to the way the woman felt about Daniel's presence in their son's life as well as how she felt about Sarah. He took a deep breath and started again, "Lauren is feeling that I am doing our children a disservice by not allowing them to watch us snipe at each other. She feels I am making them hide away from fights and arguments."

Jack slipped the phone to his ear and told whomever he was speaking to that he would call them back then hung up the phone and turned to Daniel, then looked at his mother. Daniel still wanted the children to leave but Lauren's hand was gripping Zale's wrist gently but Zale was tugging at her fingers.

Daniel snapped at her, "Let go of my son!"

Lauren frowned at him, "Why? Do you think I am hurting him?" she hissed.

"Her feelings are hurting me," Zale whispered and Daniel took a step across the room when Jack stepped in between them.

"Jack, she is hurting him," Daniel hissed.

He watched as his Colonel Jack sighed and turned back to stare at Lauren who finally released Zale's wrist. His little boy rubbed at his arm as he backed away from his grandmother and right into Daniel's arms. He rubbed Zale's dark head, kissing his hair and allowing Zale to pick up the soothing love shimmering through their skin contact then Daniel nudged Zale away from the woman and behind him. The other five children followed suit but did not leave the room. Daniel did not touch any of them; aware of the anger he felt when he looked back at Lauren who was glaring at Daniel.

"What's going on here Mama?" Jack asked gently.

"You left the woman who was your wife and the mother of your first son, you found this man who is leaving you alone with the kids half the day, leaving you with the school work prep. How can you possibly be okay with this Jack, you were a military man and a consummate professional!"

Daniel watched his spouse while Jack shook his head, "What's going on here? When did I ever give you a reason to think that I wasn't okay with my life here?" Jack demanded.

"Never," Ben interrupted. "Sarah was with us at the house for several weeks last month and your mother is allowing the woman's opinion to color her own."

After the first couple of months of drama, Daniel was pleased to see Jack not even really react to the news that his ex-wife and mother were plotting behind their backs again. Jack was about to speak but Daniel cut off his spouse with a gentle hand on Jack's shoulder.

"Lauren, I feel you are misunderstanding the little information you have gotten from being around my family for only a few times. Before we came here, Jack and I worked basically full time jobs, on opposite schedules, sometimes and the determent of our relationship in exchange for being there for the children. We did the best we could and when we came here, Jack chose to retire and I am working part time. I spend my evenings and weekends with my family. Jack also has only been responsible for the children's education in the past couple of months, I have been responsible for their education for many years."

"It's true," Jack cut in, not willing to stay silent.

Daniel smiled at Jack but continued, "Jack and I are both very passionate people and we argue in front of the children and we show them how to work through the feelings to the logic and for the most part they pick their own punishments. I will not allow them to be hurt by someone's need to belittle another person because of their own misconceptions. Jack and I don't do that to each other and they don't know what to feel or say about it, that is why I do not want them to hear how you speak to me sometimes. It's why I sent them away when we were at your place months ago, and I will continue to do so whenever I feel that is what's going on."

Lauren crossed her arms mulishly. He felt as Zale stepped forward and took Daniel's hand as he watched his grandmother, "I would speak please?"

Daniel nodded, didn't know what his son was going to say but despite his frustration and crabby behavior, Daniel constantly allowed all of their children and Greer to speak their minds when they felt the need. That level of acceptance and openness was a part of the O'Neill-Jackson household.

"I have been surrounded by many families for much of my life and my Daddy and Papa have always loved and protected us but lets us be who we are. What you want is for Daddy to be something and someone he's not. If he were not, we would not be here. Neither would you. The person you wish him to be is an unforgiving person who must judge others harshly. Daddy is the most loving and accepting person I have ever known and all of us have known many people in our short lives."

"You feel you have to say that, he's your biological father," Lauren returned with a sneer.

Zale shook his head, "I have seen into his heart from the time I was a baby and I would never believe he is without fault, he's a good man and a good father."

Lauren was still frowning but Daniel leaned down and kissed his son. Daniel knew that Zale wouldn't lie, his son had been listening to Daniel's emotions since the day he was born but it was something that Lauren would never understand especially since Johnny had never shown her the same emotional transfer he'd gifted Ben with because Lauren had never really accepted Daniel and that made all the children wary of her.

"Also, he is my Daddy no matter what, Papa is the same. Papa has no biological reason to love us but he does. We have two fathers, not two fathers and a mother. Please understand this otherwise we can never move forward. If you would have us choose between having both our fathers and one of you or one father and both of you, it is no contest. We are a family, not two families thrown together."

Lauren shifted but said nothing, Daniel sighed realizing that maybe this was not the time to coddle the woman, "Henry got out on good behavior. Your son is free from jail and I did not respond well to the news. It's the reason I snapped. I hate to say this but besides Ben, I have been amazingly mistreated by both you and Henry, ignored by Marcus and his family and Sarah, that's just insane. Maybe you should go home and leave this family alone if you have no intention of really accepting me."

Jack's mother looked up in shock from where she was watching the floor. She stared at Daniel, "What? You would allow this man to separate you from your parents Jack?" she demanded, gesturing wildly to Daniel even as Ben stepped back, clearly telling everyone in the room that Lauren was on her own.

"Daniel is my partner and I told you both months ago that I would choose him and the kids if you could not accept him over this stupid shit."

"This is bullshit!" Lauren shouted.

"If this is going to continue, I am sending the kids outside," Daniel said biting off the sarcastic retort that he desperately wanted to release. He turned and motioned to the kids who walked through the kitchen and outside.

"Again, really? That's what started all this!" Lauren yelled.

Daniel turned to Ben and Lauren, "I'm just curious if you allowed the boys to just watch you fight and curse at each other when they were nine and six?" Daniel asked.

Ben shook his head and Lauren had returned to mulish silence, "We weren't perfect about anything with the boys of course as you said Daniel as well as Zale stated but we tried not to fight in front of them."

Jack nodded with a shrug, which Daniel hoped he would have a chance to talk to him about later, but right now he had to be present with this asinine argument. "Why should I allow the kids to be here while you curse and shout at me?" he asked Lauren. "Why would that make me a better father?"

Lauren shrugged, "You want me to leave then I will, Sarah is back here and I can go and stay with her."

"That's your choice, Lauren but I am not telling you to leave. I am asking you to understand that I am doing the best I can for my children and my husband. Accept that Jack is not going to leave me for Sarah and that we live our lives because we talk about it, discussing what is the best thing for all of us not just you!"

Lauren gasped, being called out for her behavior. She was opening her mouth for another volley when there was an explosion close to the back of the house, Daniel stumbled and Jack gripped him as he cursed.

"What was that?" Ben shouted as he helped Lauren up from the couch where she fell.

Daniel looked to Jack and ran for the back door just as a group of people in black masks and military garb, Jack moved quickly into defense but the first guy shocked Daniel and punched him. He fell to the floor and listened as Jack brought the fight to whoever these people were. Daniel crawled towards the door to see what was happening and how the men got past Zale and Zada. He pushed himself to look out the door, all the while someone was trying to grab him and someone kicked him in his ribs, which were healed, but pain ripped through him. He kicked out at grasping hands and finally saw out the back door where all six children were down on the ground and deathly still. "No!" he shouted just as someone struck him in the back of the head and everything faded into black.