(08-31-07)
The minute we stepped off the plane, I know this isn't going to be a normal weekend getaway. Okay, I knew that before I ever stepped foot on the private jet that Dace sent for us, but that's beside the point, right?
"What the hell possessed us to agree to come to Vegas in August, Chief?" I ask as we relax in the back of the limo winding its way through the late morning traffic.
"The chance to finally meet our kids?"
Blair is leaning back into the plush seat of the limo, fingers laced over his stomach and a blissed out smile on his face. I know his eyes are closed despite the dark sunglasses covering them. I haven't lived with this man for the last eleven years without learning a few of his habits. Without hesitation, I reach over to rest a hand on his, taking solace from his familiarity.
"You know, it's okay to be nervous to meet them, Jim," he says after a moment or two. "I'm totally terrified to meet them. It's still really weird to even think of myself as a dad, you know?"
"I know. I just hope they like us."
Blair chuckles and shifts to twine his fingers with mine. "Do you really think they won't like you?" He pushes his sunglasses up onto his forehead to study me. "You're a great guy, Jim."
"I'm not good with kids, you know that."
He squeezes my fingers tightly and shakes his head. "You don't have a lot of experience, no, but you are good with kids, whether you'll admit it or not."
I snort softly and lean back in a poor imitation of his relaxed pose. The muted sounds of the Las Vegas traffic filter through the glass, and I find myself more grounded into myself by the familiarity. My eyes drift shut and I try to remember the last set of pictures that Dace and Catherine sent to us of the triplets. Was it their birthday party?
***
"Mr. Ellison? Mr. Sandburg?" The petite chauffeur's voice comes over the intercom, pulling me up from a surprisingly restful nap. "We're here."
I tug on our still-entwined hands to wake Blair. I swear, he could sleep through a bomb raid sometimes. He grumbles under his breath and turns to curl into my side. For a moment, I relish the nearness of him, but I know we can't put this off forever.
"Thank you," I call out as the engine goes silent. I can hear the driver's door open, followed by her soft footfalls. "Come on, Chief, wake up. It's time to go see Dace again and meet the kids." When he doesn't make any moves to get up, I lean over and flick the diamond stud in his exposed earlobe.
"Five more minutes," he mutters, batting at his ear. I repeat the movement, a little harder this time, and he opens his eyes to glare at me. "Damn it, Jim! You know I hate it when you do that."
I grin and shrug, running my hand through the riot of curly hair in apology. "I had to get you up somehow, and I doubt you'd have wanted the driver to witness how I wake you up at home. Or am I wrong about that?" I pause to check on her whereabouts. "She's grabbing the bags from the trunk. I can get you going before she gets that door opened."
"You're a sick, sick man, Jim Ellison," he replies, batting at my hands. The grin on his face belies his words.
"And you wouldn't have me any other way."
I lean in to brush my lips against his and pull his sunglasses down as the door opens. There's the faintest of blushes on the driver's face as she catches us smooching. Gotta love the pale skin on those redheads! We step out of the car into the heavy late summer Las Vegas heat. As Blair takes the opportunity to stretch, I glance around out of habit.
The House of Hearts building certainly stands out from the others in this sleepy little industrial park. While the other buildings look to be part of the manufacturing industry, this ten-story building of glass is practically a skyscraper. Oh, it wouldn't stand up to anything on the Strip, but it certainly towers over everything else around here.
"If you'll follow me," the driver says -- what was her name again? -- and heads into the building, dragging the luggage cart behind her with our bags and packages for the kids.
The jungle aspect of the main entryway's atrium, spanning two stories easily, is both a surprise and strangely comforting. All it's missing is the trilling bird calls and some of the undergrowth, and I'd swear we were back in the jungles of Peru. An image of Alexis Barnes pops up in my mind's eye, and I have to consciously force it back behind the door that is better left locked and undisturbed. Especially right now.
"--the two men to see the King of Hearts."
Dace's strange title only adds to the sense of confusion and nervousness I'm feeling. Blair and I willingly submit to the security procedures required to enter this building, and then we're ushered into a key-carded elevator. The ride up to the ninth floor is quick and the A/C wicks away the sticky heat of the outdoor world. When the doors open, we're met by another trio of the security people that look remarkably similar to the Secret Service. Of course, given Dace's job and some of the rumored clientele of the Four Suits, perhaps that comparison isn't exactly incorrect.
The striking woman in a tailored suit turns to face us, calculation in her dark eyes as she studies us. The driver steps out of the elevator long enough to talk to the woman. "Hey, Renata," she says. "These are the men to see the King."
"Cindy, you made good time getting back. Nice. Do Tom and Aaron need to clear their bags?"
Cindy. I can remember that. Can't I? And where is that delicious scent of roast beef coming from? I can practically see the drool forming in Blair's mouth.
"Nope. Jeff and Sara got it downstairs, along with any personal belongings on them. I'm taking the luggage straight up to the guest suites. Not even leaving the elevator here."
Renata nods and gestures us forward with a hand. "Welcome to the ninth floor, gentlemen," she says as we step out into the entryway. "If you'll just follow me, I can take you into the main offices." She narrows her eyes and stares at Blair for a moment. "Looks like Frenchie's working her magic on the two of you already." There's a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "We'll get you checked in with Darcy, and then I'll take you over to the cafeteria."
Blair grins at the thought of food and rubs his hands together. "I'm down with that. Lead the way."
Renata chuckles and swipes her card to open the glass doors, motioning for us to step inside. The elevator doors whisper closed behind us and we move just a little closer to meeting the triplets. She leads us to the largest of a group of desks, where a lovely young brunette is sitting.
"Darcy, I have Messieurs Ellison and Sandburg to see the King. Have they finished that conference call yet?"
Darcy shakes her head, and I can tell she's resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "Not yet, but I'm hoping it'll be soon. Tessa's already had to shift several of Anastasia's afternoon calls." She turns to face us next, a bright smile on her face. "Hello, gentlemen. I'm Darcy, Dace's Executive Assistant. I apologize that she's not available to meet with you just yet, but her call is taking longer than planned."
As Blair takes her hand and tries to be the gallant flirt, I can hear Renata muttering under her breath in Spanish about the guy on the call. Darcy twitters at some piece of flattery that Blair is offering her. If I didn't know his flirting was harmless, I'd be a really jealous bastard. And she is a very pretty girl.
And then Blair's stomach decides to join the conversation, reasserting its place of primacy in his list of priorities: food, pretty girls, and me. I don't bother to hide my chuckle. "Better be careful that beast doesn't try to nibble on the locals, Chief."
Before Blair can formulate more than a glare in my direction, Renata steps in. "Darcy, I'm going to take them over to the cafeteria. Will you page me when Dace is ready for them?"
"I'll probably just send her over, to be honest," Darcy replies with a knowing grin. "She's been messaging me every few minutes since Cindy left to get a status update."
***
Thank God for Frenchie and her fantastic food. Blair's spent the last forty-five minutes working his way through samples of every single dish she's making today for the employees and the kids in the daycare. When Frenchie brings out another full tray of food, Blair groans and shakes his head.
"Oh man, Frenchie, I can't eat another bite."
"This isn't for you, silly!" she says with a roll of her eyes. "This is for the boss lady. She'll be down here in just a few minutes." And then the door slams into the wall. "Or now."
This is only the second time that I've seen Dace since the triplets were conceived five years ago, almost to the day. I suck in a breath, preparing for the rush of animal need that accompanied our last meeting. When it doesn't come, I let out said breath gratefully.
"It's because she has dependent cubs, Jim," Blair mutters in a tone low enough that only I -- and Dace -- will hear him.
She looks exhausted, dark circles clinging beneath her pale eyes, and her hair has grown back in nicely to cover the vast majority of the livid red scars on the side of her head. The glint of silver on her brow reminds me of the damage Snake-Eyes had wreaked on her. Thankfully, she's not looking so damned emaciated like she had been. The healthy slenderness suits her as she stalks closer to the table, a trio of women following in her wake. I recognize Catherine instantly, but the other two seem only dimly familiar from that get together at the White House.
"Frenchie, have I told you how much I love you lately?" she asks as she takes the plate held out toward her, dropping into a seat with feline fluidity.
"If it weren't for Catherine, you'd be asking for my daddy's permission to marry me, I know," comes the reply as Frenchie heads back into the kitchen. "Blah, blah, blah. Just eat."
Dace chuckles and tackles the burrito on her plate. The woman barely seems to chew, practically inhaling the food. She could give Blair a run for his money. As she swallows the last bite, she grins sheepishly at us.
"Sorry, guys, but we've been on that call for the last three hours, and I was starving before the call."
"Don't worry about it, Dace," Blair says and gets up to wrap her in a quick hug, then follows suit with Catherine. "It's great to see you both again." He pauses and offers his hand to the other two women. "Tessa, Lady Heartsblood."
Dace's sudden knowing chuckle makes me realize that I'm telegraphing my fond annoyance for Blair's flirting again.
"Oh, hush, dear boy. You're family, call me Anastasia." The reply is accompanied with a gentle cuff to his upper arm. Tessa just smiles and giggles. "Do sit down."
"Actually, you guys wanna meet the kids?" Dace asks, filling her plate with a few other things as Frenchie brings out travel mugs of coffee for her and Catherine. "If you don't mind, Anastasia?"
Anastasia waves her hand in Dace's direction as she chews a mouthful of her salad. When she finally swallows, she says, "Go ahead, Dace. I can take care of the rest of the calls today. Say hello to the children for me, will you?"
"You got it!" Dace is instantly on her feet, Blair following after her eagerly. I finish my coffee before standing and nod my head toward the three women of the House of Hearts. "Ladies, it has been a pleasure. Renata, thank you for keeping us company while we waited for Dace."
"It was my pleasure, Mr. Ellison," she replies with a warm smile, but there's a tightness around her eyes. "But you and Catherine should catch up to them before they leave without you. Dace is clearly in a mood today."
Heading out of the cafeteria, Catherine and I make our way toward the bank of elevators where our respective partners are waiting impatiently. I chuckle when Catherine mutters something about the impetuousness of youth; having a lover so many years younger than you can be taxing at times.
***
"Unca Dace!"
The chorus of voices greets us as we walk into the on-site daycare center and school on the fifth floor. More children than can possibly be part of Dace's extended pack clamor around her and Catherine, and she greets them all by name, but makes a beeline for the trio coloring in the far corner.
Without realizing I'm even doing it, I dial up my hearing a little to focus on these kids with their backs to me. I recognize their scents from Dace and Catherine's clothing, but I'm rooted in place with a strange kind of fear. A glance at Blair confirms that he's feeling the same way.
"Dace, the quiet room's open, if you'd like some privacy," says a young brunette. She's far more of the girl-next-door pretty than the other brunettes I've met so far, but still very pretty. "I'll get Boo out of class and send her in. Do you want me to pull Emily and her twins, too?"
"That would be great. Thanks, Rosie," Dace replies. "Come on, guys, we'll go in here."
She leads the way with the trio of children, Catherine following behind them. Once they're inside the room, Dace sticks her head back out and waits while the brunette disappears through another door leading out of this large room. She returns in just a moment with a quartet of children. The oldest and youngest -- redhead and brunette respectively -- stop to stare at me. The younger one runs off into Dace's open embrace, while the two middle children tug at the redhead. And then it hits me. This must be the first Sentinel child they'd discovered, Dace's niece.
Taking a deep breath, I squeeze Blair's shoulder and we head toward the room Catherine and Dace entered with the children. Stepping into the room, I immediately dial down all of my senses to a more tolerable level. The redhead is still staring intently at me, completely ignoring everything the two older children are saying to her.
I can't quite look at my kids just yet. I've been waiting for this day for four years, but now I'm terrified they won't like me, won't want to have anything to do with me.
"Okay, I think it's introduction time," Dace says brightly, then glances over at the redhead. With a sigh, she stalks over and grabs the girl in a headlock, forcing a squeak of surprise out of her. "Are you done?"
"What?" comes the confused reply. "Sorry, Uncle Dace, I--"
"I know, and I'm stopping it for now. Do we need to send you back to class and wait for your mom and Kryn to be here for this?"
The girl shakes her head. "No, I'll be okay. Fawn can help."
"Fawn's been trying to help," her friend says archly. "You haven't been listening to me, Em'ly. You're supposed to listen to your Guide, you know." Blair and Catherine both chuckle at that, causing the girl to freeze for a moment. Then her eyes narrow and she points at Blair. "You're like me, and Aunt Catherine, and Rose, aren't you?"
Blair glances at Dace, waiting until she nods to take a step forward. "If you're her Guide, then yes, I am. My name is Blair. And you must be Fawn and Emily, right?" When the girls nod, he smiles and points at the boy. "Which means you're Cubby."
When he says it, I realize that the little boy has sidled over to hide behind this older boy, Cubby.
"Jim, Blair, meet Emily, Fawn, and Cubby, the oldest of the new Sentinel and Guide pairings, plus their anchor, who is Fawn's twin. He doesn't necessarily have the abilities, but he works in a pinch when Emily needs him. Guys, these are Jim and Blair."
Blair shakes hands with Cubby and Emily, but presses a kiss to Fawn's knuckles, making her giggle girlishly. Seriously, someone needs to rope in his flirting before it gets him into trouble. Oh wait, that would be me; and he never listens when I tell him to stop. Then he shift slightly and crouches down.
"Hey there," he says in a gentle tone. "I'm gonna bet you're Jimmy, right?" The boy nods and steps away from Cubby, but still grips his hand tightly. "My name is Blair and that" -- he points to me -- "is my partner, Jim. You were named after him, did you know that?"
The boy looks up at his mother, who smiles and nods. This puts a shy smile on his face. "I was?"
"Yep. He's a pretty cool guy, too. He used to be in the army. Do you want to meet him?"
When Jimmy nods, Blair grins and beckons me over. Jimmy may not be mine, but he's Blair's and that kind of makes him mine, too. I walk over to them and crouch down next to Blair, holding out my hand. "Hi there, Jimmy. My name's Jim. Nice to meet you."
"Hi, Jim," he replies, shaking my hand.
"You've got a firm grip there, Chief. I like that."
"Thank you!" He grins and turns to the girls with Catherine. "Katie, Sandy, he has my name!"
"And I bet your sister Sandy was named after Blair here," I reply. "His last name is Sandburg, and sometimes his nickname is Sandy."
"It is?"
One of the two little blonde girls sidles a little closer to us. The little dark-skinned girl positions herself between the two, and I know she's trying to keep track of both of them, just like a good Guide would do.
"Yes, it is," Blair says as he and I leverage ourselves down to sit on the floor. "But mostly Jim calls me Chief."
"He called me that, too!" Jimmy says happily and suddenly moves to plop into Blair's lap.
Dace laughs and goes to pick up the warier of the twin girls, ruffling her hair, and rests a hand on the little Guide's head. Catherine does the same with the other twin, the one that had spoken to her brother. And then Emily sighs softly and moves to sit across from Blair, while Fawn sits next to her, across from me. Emily still watches me from the corner of her eye, as does the girl in Dace's arms, but she's not quite as wary as she had been. Cubby settles himself behind and between them, reaching out to touch both of them for reassurance. And then I realize that we're sitting in opposing pairs across from each other. I would guess that it's some sort of comfort zone thing for Emily. Not that I mind.
"Katie, Sandy," Dace says softly, "we talked about this, remember? Blair is Jimmy's daddy and Jim is your daddy. He's a Sentinel like Mama, and Emily, and the two of you, but he's okay."
When the girls nod and hide their faces bashfully against Dace and Catherine's chests, Emily grins at them. Fawn beckons the other little girl over, and lets her settle in her lap. The twins look longingly at Emily, who waggles a finger at them. Apparently that's all it takes and they scramble down to jostle for position and comfort in her lap. They still eye me carefully, but that's okay. This allows Dace and Catherine to join us on the floor, as well.
"Jim, Blair, this is Rose, the twins' Guide. We like to call her Boo. And these are Katie and Sandy," Emily says, pointing to each girl after getting a nod from Dace. "Or as we like to call them, the monkey children. Monkeys, this is Blair, Jimmy's daddy, and Jim, your daddy. Can you say hi to them?"
"Hi," they say together in quiet voices.
"Hi there," I reply just as quietly. "I'm glad to finally meet both of you. Your moms have been sending me lots of pictures and videos." I pause to make an exaggerated look around the room before leaning in closer. "You know what? I'm kinda nervous to be here, because I don't really know anybody. Do you feel nervous, too?"
They nod, eyes wide and round as they stare at me and Blair.
"Jim and Blair flew here from Washington to meet you," Catherine says.
"By Em'ly's yaya and papoose?"
Dace laughs at what obviously must be looks of confusion on our faces. "Emily's grandparents."
"They live in Seattle," Emily supplies, then grins at the girls. "And yes, that's right. You're smart monkeys today. So… Do you think you might want to show me that you're big monkey girls and go say hi to Jim, so he doesn't feel so nervous and alone?"
Sandy nods and takes a deep breath before getting up to come and sit on the floor right in front of me. She's close enough to touch, and also close enough to young Rose and her family to feel safe. She pats me on the knee.
"Don't be scared," she says. "We don't bite."
"Usually," Dace replies with a grin and leans over to ruffle Sandy's hair.
"Mama!"
Katie's still reticent to come over, but we have the entire weekend to let her warm up to us. Okay, to me. Blair's not nearly as scary as I am to these kids. And I want pictures. Lots of pictures. These are memories I don't want any of us to forget.