A/N: This is shorter than usual but that's because it's mostly a transition chapter.

23: Dad

The next morning, Sine was limping as she made breakfast for the twins. Mark was in bed, so far as she knew, apparently content from his night of roughly using her. She had to put on a happy face and pretend nothing was wrong, but her legs were refusing to cooperate. "Here you go." She sang brightly, crying inwardly as she set plates of cut-up pancakes before the two.

"Dada?" Gavin demanded, picking up a syrup-drenched piece and cramming it into his mouth.

"Dada!" Kalea screamed as if in agreement, banging her fork on the table.

"Is right here."

Sine whirled around to find Mark standing behind them, his arms folded over his massive chest.

The twins simply stared at him.

Of course they didn't know him, why would they? He glowered at Sine, hating her with a passion for this and dropped kisses on each of the twin's heads before sitting down at the table. Almost instantly, a cup of coffee was placed before him and he grunted his appreciation. At least she hadn't forgotten.

He watched as Sine got his own plate around, knowing damn well she could try leaving him but would not get far, not this time. He had taken every precaution to ensure nobody found them and that she would never leave this house, not without his say so anyway. When she set a loaded plate before him, he nodded his thanks, digging in, well aware she had settled across from him with nothing but a mug of coffee.

She refused to look at him though, instead studying her babies. She had noticed, finally, that Mark had cut his hair, it was almost indecently short. She snorted, remembering how he had reacted when she had cut her own hair. That had been… bad. "Kalea, eat."

"Dada!"

She cringed when pancakes went flying.

Mark's temper was going to ricochet through the roof if she didn't get those kids under control, not helped when Gavin started in. He pushed violently away from the table, his chair flying backwards against the wall and stormed to the twins. "I'm your father, I'm your dada! Me!" He ignored Sine's appalled look, catching Gavin's hand before the runt could upturn his plate. "Don't. You. Dare."

Gavin did it.

Mark lifted his son out of the high chair and promptly spanked him, twice, then did the same to Kalea. "Enough!"

Sine was on her feet, already guiding the screaming children away, shooing them down the hall to their bedroom. "Play." She said gently, pulling out toys before stalking back to Mark and slapped him across the face as hard as she could. Twice. "Don't you ever put your hands on them again!" She ordered, eyes flashing with rage. "They haven't seen you in months, moron, what did you expect?"

"And whose fault is that?" He shot back, pleased when her entire face went red before she lowered her stare, folding his arms over his chest. "You took my children away from me, even after we were getting along, even after you decided to fuck Levesque in Japan."

Sine was trembling now, cowering when his fist came flying and punched a hole right through the wall. Right next to where her head had been.

"You'd better fix this, Sine. Those are my kids, not just yours, fix it. Fix them. They're spoiled little brats."

"They never acted like that until now." She snarled, scared out of her wits but she knew he wasn't going to hit. Sexually assault her maybe but not hit her, what the hell was the difference? Oh wait, in his mind it was always consensual. "After I fucked Levesque…" She echoed nastily, ducking under his arm to return to the kitchen.

He wanted to grab her by the hair and rip it out at the roots, barely managing to restrain himself as he fought to control his trembling. "Perhaps I should have him punished." He taunted finally, chuckling wickedly when she whirled around to stare at him. "Maybe I should have him killed."

"Leave him alone!" She ordered, eyes flashing with both fear and anger. "I am with you now, aren't I?"

"And the twins?"

"Will learn to… call you… dad."

He stared at her, feeling nothing but contempt for his wife, and watched as she backed away. He knew she was afraid of him, and she had damn well better remain that way if she knew what was good for her. "Get out of my sight." He hissed finally. "I don't want to look at you, you make me sick."

"Fair enough." She muttered, scurrying away from him. The sight of him made her sick, so they were even.