Element of Surprise

Part 4: Babies Have Secrets, Too

"Tim?" Samantha called out to Tim as she saw him approach the locker rooms in the cave. "Good, you're awake."

Dick hadn't quite fallen asleep, yet. "Sorry to keep him here," Dick said. "We fell asleep. I just wanted to make sure he was olay."

"You're spending more time with my husband than I am. You need to spend time with your daughter."

"I think she's jealous," Tim said to Dick.

"I think you're right."

"Don't ignore me," Samantha insisted. "You and I need to feed our boys."

Tim sighed. He knew Samantha was right. "Want to wait here while I get a shower?"

"I'll wait," Samantha said, then pointed at Dick. "You, go see your daughter."

"Yes, Ma'am," Dick said, wearily. He didn't want to argue. He knew Samantha was right. He needed to spend time with his daughter. 'Guess I'll have a nap with her instead.' He headed back up to the Manor to find Haley.

Tim got changed quickly and went into the shower. That's when he noticed additional bruising on his legs. 'I must have kicked my legs pretty hard.' Tim showered quickly and got dressed. "Okay, I'm here." He picked up Sammie, sweeping her off her feet. "Where to, my lady."

Samantha giggled. "Sunroom. The babies are in there." She loved being in Tim's arms, but they had their parental duty to attend to.

Tim carried her over to the sunroom near the west wing. He noticed the cribs had been moved. 'I guess Alfred is having the nursery repaired.'

On entering the sunroom Samantha noticed that the two sets of twins were in a circle on the ground. "I guess they are chatting it up."

"Yeah . . . And they are keeping it private. Interesting." Tim sat me down and tried to look over into the circle, but Jaylyn noticed and shifted over. "Keeping secrets. I wonder what's up?"

"Well, there was a shift in energy coming from the circle." Samantha. noticed Caleb and Caine eyes widen.

"Are you getting anything?"

Before Samantha could reply, Dick came in with Haley. "She's being fussy. She wants to be with her cousins. Jaylyn scooted over again and Dick placed Haley between Jaylyn and Caine. They all noticed how the children closed ranks around the circle.

Samantha bent down and touched the ground. Her eyes widened. "Jax . . . What?" Samantha frowned when the link she was trying to establish with the children got blocked.

"Jax?" Both Dick and Tim questioned. Everyone went silent. Someone knows something.

Samantha grinned and watched as the babies started to move away from the adults. Jaylyn helped Haley to roll since she was the youngest. 'They are acting like they got caught with their hands in the cookie jar.'

'You take Caine I'll take Caleb,' Tim said to Samantha through their link. 'It's time we find out.'

Samantha nodded. Both got up to grab their children, but the boys had other ideas. Caine started to crawl away faster. "Hey, hey . . . Come here you." Samantha grabbed Caine and picked him up.

"Come on Caleb," Tim said. "It's your turn."

Caleb also tried to crawl away.

"Gotcha!" Tim said as he scooped up Caleb from the floor. 'The kitchen?'

'Yes.'

"I'm going to head back up to bed," Dick said, yawning and covering his mouth. "Good luck with finding out."

Samantha and Tim walked to the kitchen side by side. Caleb and Caine traded worried glances without giving away anything.

Tim put Caleb in one of the highchairs. He then pulled from the fridge one of Caleb's favorite fruits. Samantha did the same with Caine. She pulled out some apple sauce that he liked.

Caleb clapped his little hand and hands and smiled. 'Ooohhhh...pineapple!' He gurgled happily at the sweet, yellow, fleshy chunks of fruit.

'Apple sauce!' Caine exclaimed in his mind, smacking my lips.

"You want some pineapple?" Tim asked and took a bite in front of Caleb.

"Ah!" Caleb opened his mouth so his daddy could give him a piece.

Samantha took a spoonful of applesauce. "Taste good, want some?"

Caine opened his mouth in anticipation of receiving a spoonful.

Tim put another the pineapple chunk in his mouth. "Mmmm really goood."

'Daddy, can I have some please?'

"Sure," Tim gave Caleb a tiny piece of pineapple while Tim took a larger one.

Caleb munched on the small piece but what he wanted was a larger one. 'More please?' Caleb pressed his hands together.

Tim gave Caleb another tiny piece. He looked over toward Samantha and she gave him a look that signaled to him to start their inquiry. Samantha held up a a spoonful and held it as if she was going to give it to Caine, but she quickly ate it and made a face of pleasure of the goodness.

'That was just a tiny taste,' Caine opened his mouth for more like a baby bird. 'More please,' Caine pleaded.

Samantha gave Caine another small spoonful as before. "Taste's good."

As far as Caine felt that wasn't enough. "Aaa . . . Aaaaa."

Samantha smiled and gave Caine a tiny spoonful, again.

Caine frowned. 'Mommy usually gives me bigger bites than that.'

"Aaaaa," Caleb was holding his mouth open for another piece. He also started questioning why he was being given small tiny pieces of pineapple when he normally was given larger ones.

"You want this one?" Tim held up a big one.

'Yes!' Caleb was practically drooling.

Samantha scooped up a regular spoonful and held it up. "Caine, want more?"

"Well, you'll get this, Tim coaxing. "If you tell me about Jax."

Caleb frowned. 'I can't. we swore we wouldn't tell. That's like, breaking secret cousin code.' Caleb looked over to Caine.

"Keeping secrets are important, but if there's a chance it might hurt someone then it's bad to keep that secret," Tim pointed out as he bit into a large piece of pineapple.

Caleb stared at his father. 'He just ate my pineapple,' Caleb pouted.

Tim gave Caleb a piece; not as big as the one that he showed Caleb.

Caleb was the first to figure it out. 'I know what mommy and daddy are trying to do.' Caleb smiled a little and picked up the piece of pineapple, then dropped it to the floor.

"I'll take that as you're full," Tim said. "Let's get your hands clean. Then it will be time for a nap." Tim turned toward Samantha/. "Let's put them in their carriers and put them in our room."

Caleb glared. 'I don't want to go in the stupid carrier. I hate that darned thing. I'm not even tired. I want to go back with my cousins. I'm not tired.'

"You dropped your pineapple on the floor on purpose. That's telling me you need a nap."

'I don't need a nap. I want to play. You took me away from playing,' Caleb argued.

"And if you are going to argue with me, you need more than a nap. You need a time out."

Caleb glared. 'No, you and mommy are just being curious because we won't tell you about Jax. He hasn't even told his mommy and daddy yet. Shouldn't they be the first ones to find out?'

"Did you hear that?" Tim questioned. "I think I've been out maneuvered."

"I'm impressed," Samantha replied. "Though I really wanted to know, Caleb is right. Jason and Sasha should be the ones to find out first."

"Caleb, I salute you." Tim handed Caleb three large pieces of pineapple. "Here, you can have these. A word of warning. We don't waste food. Do not drop food on the floor."

"I know. I just did it to make you angry. I sort of caught on to what you and mommy were doing." Caleb gave his father a smile.

"I know. I'm not going to get mad that easily. Now if you threw a tantrum, that could be a different story. You can play with your cousins, but you will need a nap later."

"He threw one of those the other day," Samantha stated, looking at Caleb.

'Sorry Mommy,' Caleb said with a sheepish look.

"I know. I'm sorry too," Samantha replied. "It was for good reason. He was upset and he did reach his breaking point. And we do need to remember they need us."

Samantha was cleaning up Caine and smiled down at him. He was pulling a chipmunk and had apple sauce stored in his cheeks. "Swallow that, Caine."

'I'm holding onto the taste,' Caine said. 'Mmmmm'

Samantha took Caine out of his highchair. "You still need to swallow that. You can't play with it in your mouth you might start to choke."

Caine frowned, but slowly swallowed the sweet, goodness slowly. 'Okay, I swallowed it.'

"Good boy," Samantha kissed his cheek.

'Go play now?' Caine asked as he squeezed back.

"Yes. Come on Tim let's get the boys back to the sunroom."

"Okay." Tim wiped Caleb's hands then got up to get him out of his highchair when his legs collapsed from under him. He pulled Caleb to his chest to make sure he wasn't hurt. Caleb started crying, startled by the sudden change.

'Daddy!"

Continues with Part 5