Family Resemblance (NJ)

[Shinigami]

Tobin set down his mug quickly as Saiyuri looked almost as if she were about to pass out. He let out a breath, one he hadn't been aware of holding, when she collected herself and began to speak. He took a deep breath and tried to think of the best way to explain the situation. "Well, Saiyuri, you must realize that your child is going to be Pard, Angel, Custos, and Vampire, and a Keahi vampire at that. Those are all very strong bloodlines that usually aren't crossed like this." He held up his hand, knowing that would worry her further, but he wasn't quite finished.

With a paused to take a drink of his tea, which had left a few splatters on the table, and then continued. "I'm only concerned because it's strange and incredibly rare mix. There is always a threat of complication, even with humans, so it's best if we have all the facts so we can handle any problems, small or large. Also, you're going to be worn quite thin once you give birth. You'll have to keep up with the child and keep an eye out for any powers that start to surface."

Tobin leaned back against the wall, arm still settled around Dion's waist. He smiled over at her before turning back to Saiyuri. "Of course, Dion and I can help you with any questions you have about any of the Angel/Custos business, as we're both a half and half. And I'm sure your father would answer any questions about your Pard half." Tobin paused, realizing that though her husband may be Keahi, he may not be natural born, so there was a possibility that he had no idea what to do during a vampire pregnancy.

"Just one last question for you... Does your husband know anything about vampire pregnancies? I mean, if he's not a natural born, most host vampires don't see fit to explain any of that."

[Maira]

Sitting listening to Tobin, Saiyuri decided it was time to just give up. How on earth was she supposed to survive this pregnancy, let alone the birth and raising of a child from such mixed lines? From the way Tobin was making it sound, this was going to be impossible. All the joy she'd felt the day she realized she was pregnant had gone poof in the last ten minutes.

Looking at her mother's husband, fear and hopelessness swimming in her black eyes, Saiyuri answered him as best she could. Her voice barely above a whisper, full of defeat she answered softly, "He was bitten 5 years ago. I don't know just how much he knows or doesn't know."

Unsure of what to say or do next Saiyuri stood up from the table begging the excuse that she needed some air. As soon as she was out the front door she was fishing in her pocket for the cell phone she had stashed there. She waited impatiently for the thing to turn on and as soon as she could she dialed her home phone number.

Three rings, a panicked conversation with her husband, and 10 minutes later, Saiyuri finally let herself back into the big house. Hearing voices still coming from the kitchen Saiyuri headed back that way.

(ooc: okay you two, here is a good opening to bring in other characters if you want. Dominic will be arriving shortly hehe)

[Demeter]

Dion watched as Saiyuri left the kitchen, and the house, and turned to her husband, "Why don't you leave for a bit. I'll try to calm her down without you scaring her any more. She just found out that I'm her mother and that her child is more mixed that she thought."

After shooing her husband from the kitchen, Dion left as well and meet Saiyuri in the hallway. She motioned for the girl to follow her and headed towards the living room. Dion sat on the couch and motioned for Saiyuri to the do the same. "I know that this must come as a very big shock to you. So much information in one day but I may be able to help you. Not directly, but indirectly. One of my younger sisters, Demeter, went through something like this. Had a mixed pregnancy. She'd be able to help you more then me with this part of things."

Dion leaned forward and patted Saiyuri on the shoulder. You will work your way through this, I promise and you won't be alone."

[Shinigami]

Tobin blinked, worry crossing over his face as Saiyuri got up to leave, on the verge of a nervous breakdown by the looks of it. He was about to stand and follow her - he had only tired to be honest after all- when Dion caught his attention. She was pretty much shooing him out of sight for a bit, allowing Saiyuri to calm down without Tobin spazzing her out again. He had tried to tell it truthfully with a goof bit of hope, but he had been talking to a scared pregnant woman who had just learned whho her mother was. He should have been more gentle about, and he usually was when other non-humans came to him for advice.

He nodded to Dion, understanding her point fully, as he shuffled off upstairs to try and think of a way to help. Tobin couldn't -not- help. That was just asking too much of him. He had to try to lend a helping hand whenever he knew one was needed. He skulked in the bedroom for a bit, sitting cross-legged in the middle of the bed, back to door. He had wrapped himself so deep in thought he hadn't heard Hawk enter the room behind, and hadn't even felt him approach until he was knocked upside the head with a pillow for the third time since dinner.

Hawk raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "Dad, could you be any more absent minded? What if I was a murderer, or a Custos?!" Tobin scowled at his son, snatching the pillow away from him and curbing his childish urge to stick is tongue out. He shoved the pillow in Hawk's face before replying. "You -are- a Custos, remember? And anyway, I was thinking about something"

Hawk growled and the pillow and tossed it towards the door to take it with him when he left, being it was his and all. "The last time you thought that hard was when that Custos that knew Grandpa Marrus came by. Did someone else come?" Tobin sighed and nodded, having almost forgotted Hawk had gone to meet Marrus and stayed with him for a few weeks. He looked up at Hawk, needing inspiration, and who better to give than a fresh mind? "Someone stopped by, but not about my father. It seems you have an older step sister." Hawk opened his mouth to speak, but Tobin cut him off. "Your mother was told she was a stillborn, but she survived. She's older, married, and is pregnant. She came to get a few answers as to what she is."

"Sounds valid to me." Hawk answered. Tobin was surprised at how well he took it. He was the least rational out of the bunch, after all. But Tobin continued. "Anyway, her husband is Keahi, bitten, and she's not sure what he knows. She's just so overwhelmed, and I want to help." Hawk sighed and sat down, not too thrilled about having yet another sibling, but his current ones hadn't done him wrong... yet.

Hawk blinked, suddenly glancing up at Tobin. "Hey Dad, you said her husband was Keahi, right? Why not call Uncle Niko?" Tobin smiled. Uncle Niko. The kids had taken to calling him that after he started helping Tobin out. When Dion had left Tobin had been beside himself with no clue what to do with four children all too young for school. Nikolas came to the rescue and helped him out. And Niko was a Keahi, and an old one at that.

"Hawk, that could actually be the best thought that ever crossed through your head."

[Maira]

Saiyuri had just been on her way back to the kitchen when Dion came out of it and detoured her to the livingroom. Once they were both comfortable on the couch, Dion started talking again. One on one, Saiyuri could handle things a bit better and as she listened, she began to calm down considerably.

When her mother was finished talking and patted her on the shoulder, Saiyuri smiled wrily and said softly, "Thank you so much for everything." Then after a minute or two of silence, she said just as softly, "I really am sorry for dumping all this on you. I hadn't meant to just sort of spill everything right away. When I called this afternoon, a guy told me to just come by tonight and that threw me. I had planned to just ask you a few questions over the phone and not bother you again." Then, shaking her head she mumbled under her breath, "Things would have been so much simpler over the phone...." Her voice trailed off as she drifted off in thoughts of the next 6 months and the years that would follow.

~~~~~

Dominic pulled his car into the driveway behind Saiyuri's and put it in park. Taking one deep breath for courage, he climbed out of the car and made his way up the front walk. As he passed he noted all the wilting and nearly dead plants. "Oh Saiyuri, I'm sorry..." he whispered to nobody.

Truth be told, he felt quite responsible for his wife's current state. After all, she couldn't very well get herself pregnant. They'd both agreed that having a Vampire/Pard child would be a handful but they'd accepted that challenge willingly.

Neither of them had known of Saiyuri's apparent Custos/Angel half though. With those thrown in the mix, the poor child was not going to know what to think growing up. Not to mention with all those different bloodlines running through the growing babe, Saiyuri's own body was going completely wonky.

When he finally reached the door, Dominic gave a smart rap and waited for it to be answered. As he waited, he glanced at (and cringed away from) more wilted plants. His poor poor Yuri.

~~~~~

Hearing the knock on the door, Saiyuri jumped off the couch and ran to answer it. So sure was she that it was Dominic that the thought didn't even occur to her that she was in somebody else's house and it very well may not be her husband. Opening the door, the sight before her was the most welcome thing she'd seen all day. "Dominic!" she cried as she fell into his arms, letting go of the tears that had been threatening all day.

Wrapping his arms tightly around his wife, Dominic maneuvered them back inside the house, softly shutting the door behind them.

[Demeter]

Dion, after recovering the shock of Saiyuri jumping up from the couch and running to the front door, stood and followed at a slower pace. As she walked, she thought out loud to herself. "It was probably Hawk that answered the phone when she called. Sounds like something he would say and he was often at the house in the afternoons...still eating her out of house and home.

Dion turned the corner into the front and watched from a distance as her newly discovered daughter embraced the man she was guessing was Saiyuri's husband. He was taller then Tobin by several inches and was very pale, which, Dion was sure, had all to do with the fact that he was a vampire.

Dion calmly watched as Saiyuri let loose on Dominic's shoulder and smiled at him. After a moment she picked up the box of tissues kept on the hallway table, scowled at the wilted plant that had been adversly effected by the mass of conflicting emotions running rampet through her home. The african violet was half in bloom and half deader then a doornail. Dion offered the box to Dominic. "Hi, I'm Dion, the mother, and I'm guessing that you would be the husband?"

[Shinigami]

Tobin had just picked up the phone when he had heard the door downstairs, another voice being added to Dion's and Saiyuri's. He was surprised he hadn't heard the door earlier when he realized that now the upstairs was much quieter than before. He was about to go see who was there, thanks to the blessing of cordless phones, when Nikolas answered. He sounded breathless, as if he ran for the phone. "Sorry to bother you Niko. It's Tobin... I have a favor to ask you."

***

"Oh, hey Tobi! Oh, you're not bothering. I just got outta the shower, had to run for the phone. So what's this favor?" Nikolas was lively on the phone, mostly because that was his nature, but it was also because he hadn't heard from Tobin in a while. Both of them had been busy, and it seemed Tobin's life was a bit hectic, though it was more so for Dion. Niko smiled as Tobin's story before speaking. "You have a heart of gold, you know that Tobin? There aren't many guys that would take in not just one, but two of their spouses surprise previous children. Let alone feel so compelled to help them. You sure you're half Custos?"

***

Tobin rolled his eyes, but was patient. Niko was always a big talker. "Now you know the answer to that. So, do you think you can help out? She's really upset and confused." Tobin sighed as Nikolas continued with a bit more of his chatter, hearing noises in the background. Finally he answered and Tobin smiled. "Alright, I'll go inform Saiyuri that they'll have a Keahi expert and child lover to help them out."

***

Nikolas smiled "Now, now, Tobi. I'm technically a Keahi/Kasi mix-blood, but I'll still help out. Hell, maybe I'll even have a tip about the kid, eh?" He chuckled at Tobin's exasperated voice. "I'll be right over, don't worry." Nikolas hung up the phone and sighed. Living in the city, crowded like it is, Niko had decided not to buy a car, so he's have to walk. It wasn't a long walk, not for him, but it was an annoying one.

Niko glanced over at the mirror in his dinningroom area, making a face at his messy wet hair, but he didn't have the time to bother. His walk was long enough and he had promised to go right over. He slipped on his most comportable pair of sneakers, his wallet, and his keys, and left for Tobin's

***

Tobin made his way down the stairs after his conversation with a smile on his face. He was a little surprised Hawk had been so helpful with his suggestions, but he had never been outwardly spiteful, so when he got the idea he probably never thought about keeping it to himself. His smile widened as he came upon Dion, Saiyuri, and her husband, Dominic. They were still by the hallway leading to the door. He coughed lightly, catching their attention and hoefully not startling anyone. "Hello. I'm Tobin, Dion's husband." He Indroduced himself to Dominic before turned to Saiyuri. He gave an apologetic smile."I'm sorry if I upset you earlier. I know you're worried. I called a friend of mine, one who happens to be a Keahi. And and old one at that. He's a natural born, and while he's never had children, he loves kids, and was there when his brother and sister were born. He should be able to answer any questions the two of you may have."

((ooc - oi.. long one ^^. I didn't mention Niko's name cuz I figured he'd be mentioned to Demmy if Tobin had.))

[Maira]

Saiyuri was still pressed into Dominic's chest when Dion introduced herself. The man held out his right hand and offered, "Yeah, I'm the husband, I'm Dominic. You can call me Dominic."

Before he had any time to say anything further, he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Turning to see who it was, just as that person coughed, Dominic smiled up at the man that had to be Dion's husband. When the man greeted him politely and then turned his attention on his wife, Dominic just listened. He was amazed at how understanding the man sounded and he couldn't help but think that Dion was as well, otherwise Saiyuri would have left already.

Saiyuri nodded her understanding of what Tobin told her and while she still didn't trust her voice not to squeak she smiled at him gratefully. Dominic, sensing how tired his wife was, looked to Dion and asked, "Would it be alright if we all go sit down?" As he asked, he looked at Saiyuri, who was still looking at Tobin, and then back to Dion.

[Demeter]

Dion nodded. "Of course, just go through that first doorway and take a seat in the living room. I've just got to go take care of something upstairs. I'll also call my sister while I'm at it." After speaking Dion headed down the hall and took the stairs two at a time. She peered in on her other children, smiling when she saw that Hawk was helping Rayne out with some homework. She contunued onto the master bedroom and plopped down on the bed.

Dion glared at the phone for a moment before picked up a pillow and mashing it against her face while she fell backwards. Just when she thought life was good, fate had to go and shove another daughter in her face. Not that she wasn't thrilled that her firstborn was actually alive but still...

Dion lifted the pillow away from her face and took a deep breathe before rolling over and burying her face into the fluffy pillow once again. She clamped her teeth around a chunk of the pillow and screamed. She hadn't meant to do it and hoped that it was well muffled. She didn't want to worry anyone.

After calming down Dion sat up and chucked the pillow back to the head of the bed and picked the phone. She dailed Demeter's number and waited. "Hello, Dem," she said after her sister picked the phone up and made some sort of sarcastic comment about telemarketers.

******

"Dion? Is something wrong? Because you normally don't call this late," Demeter settled the phone between her shoulder and ear while she stripped Rowan out of his tomato sauce stained clothing. "What!? You have another child! Of course I remember that? How could I not. You got fat rather fast. Uh-huh, I'm sure that you love me."

******

Dion glared at the phone and was tempted to stick her tounge out at it but that wouldn't have the desired effect because Demeter wouldn't be able to see it. She stood up and paced around the room. "Well, the thing is that said daughter, Saiyuri, is pregnant and well, we could really use your help on this. You see, Saiyuri is half pard, a quarter angel and a quarter Custos. Her husband is a keahi bitten. I'm sure you see the problem and since you have a very similar pregnancy with Rowan, Yes I know that Rowan is part vampire even if you've never told us. He has an unnatural tendancy to bite. Well, do you think you could come over tonight and have a talk with Saiyuri?"

******

Demeter nearly dropped the phone. Her sister had figured it out? But she had never even told anyone what Rowan's hertiage was, much less who his father was. Of course, now that Dion had said it, it was obvious. Her son was a biter. "Yeah, I'll come over as soon as I've cleaned up the messed Rowan made of himself and the kitchen. We had spagetti for dinner."

******

Dion chuckled as she clicked the phone off and put it back on the charger. A five year old with a plate of tomato sauce. She could just see the mess that had been made. Dion left her room, bounced down the stairs and re-entered the living room. She made her way over to Tobin and snuggled up against his side. "Well, thats done. Demeter will be over shortly."

[Shinigami]

Tobin watched Dion head for the stairs, sighing quietly. He knew Dion was a little stressed and over-whelmed, which is probably why she needed to head upstairs to use the phone. Tobin smiled back at Dominic and Saiyuri, leading them to the livingroom and sitting them down together on the love seat, leaving the couch to him and Dion. "Why don't I get us all some tea? It's still on the stove, so it'll only be a moment."

Tobin was quick to the kitchen, not wishing to leave the two in the livingroom to get uncomfortable. The kettle was whistling quietly when he entered, so he turned off the stove top and emptied the hot water into a ceramic tea pot with fresh cups, enough to include their expected guests, tea bags, milk, and sugar. He piled it all on a tea tray and placed it down on the coffee table. He smiled. "Tea to help calm everyone down for a bit." He sat on the couch and let out a sigh in relaxation. He waited to get his cup, letting his guests go first, ever mindful of his manners. Once everyone present got their cup he settled into filling Dominic in one what had been going on before.

***

Nikolas sighed during his walk, realizing he had forgotten his music player, but not his pocke knife. And the former would have been much more useful than the latter, but he had grown into the habit have never going anywhere without the pocket knife, which had been a gift from his brother for his 160th birthday. Of course, he hadn't been able to open it without hearing breath after breath of old man jokes. The walk was taking longer than he thought, but traffic was a bitch, and he was a pedestrian after all.

Niko used his time to think about what to go through. It was obvious that this Keahi, Dominic as Tobin called him, would have control over his power, or he wouldn't have planned a child for fear of accidents with fire. Since he was human before, he'd probably think the pregnancy went the same, which it did for the most part. The problem would be in the mix of blood. He sighed. This was gonna be one rambunctious kid. Niko hoped the mother, Saiyuri, was willing to stay at home. Either that, or they needed an experianced vampire babysitter.

***

Tobin was just finishing up the up-to-date chat when Dion came bouncing back in. Bouncing. That was odd for Dion, so Tobin assumed she had got out some of her frustration. Pillows seemed to the be the theme for the day, but Demeter could have had a hand in cheering her up, as well. Tobin smiled at Dion as she snuggled up next to him, throwing his arm around her waist after fixing her a cup of tea and setting it down infront of her.

Tobin held his own tea close with his free hand. "Ah, so she's bringing Rowan along, too? Has she finally admitted he's half vampire, or she still trying to hide it?" He glanced at Dominic and Saiyuri with a smirk, explaining a bit. "She kept who the father is from us, but it's obvious he was half vampire by his habit to bite."

[Demeter]

Dion grinned up at Tobin and rested her head against his shoulder while waiting for her tea to cool. "Yeah, she'll be over as soon as she cleans the disaster that Rowan made out of the kitchen and himself," Dion snickered and glanced over at Saiyuri and her husband. "Rowan is a litte...uh, hyper. And he bites when he isn't happy or when he just wants someone to pay attention to him. And she still hasn't openingly admitted it...I just know better."

Dion glanced around the little gathering in living room, and wondered what to say next. There wasn't really any point to move forward until Demeter and who ever Tobin called over arrived. "So, other then the obvious stuff of this meeting, what do you two do for a living?"

****

Demeter strapped her son into his booster seat and muttered while she dug around her purse for the car keys. Dion really didn't live all that far away but there was no way that she was walking over during one of the busiest traffic hours with a five year old in tow. Demeter chuckled to herself as she found her keys and dragged them out. She scooted around to her side of the car, slid into the drives seat and glanced back at her son. "You behave, mister, or no bed time story tonight. We're going to go see Auntie Dion and some friends."
Demeter smiled as the little boy giggled and kicked his feet against the seat. He looked so much like his father...

[Maira]

Saiyuri loved tea on any occasion. After today though, she was likely going to stay away from it for a while. Just something she would associate with stress for a bit. Until that time came however, she gladly accepted the mug of comforting liquid and sipped at it once it was cooled enough.

Dominic watched Saiyuri quietly sip at her tea and wondered why she wasn't saying anything. Normally she was bubbly and talkative, even under stress. Instead of commenting on it, he just kept an arm around her shoulders, letting her know he was there.

When Tobin and Dion both mentioned that one of their friends, at least he assumed it was a friend, had a half vampire child and she was coming over to talk to them, Dominic couldn't help but relax. He himself was a vampire but he'd been bitten. He knew nothing at all about vamire children. When they both made the comment that the child was a biter and thats how they'd known his parentage, Dominic flinched a bit. Saiyuri just blinked and nodded more calmly that Dominic would have thought possible in her current state.

Without any warning, Saiyuri said softly, "Pard children are like that sometimes. I've got scars from my younger siblings gnawing on me." Dominic wasn't sure if either Dion or Tobin heard his wife since she's spoken so softly. When Dion started asking questions about their day-to-day lives, he figured they hadn't heard.

He was going to answer for Saiyuri but she seemed to be doing better and spoke up for herself. "I've been going to school to be a nurse. I'm actually finishing up this quarter. I should be done about 2 months before the baby is due."

When Saiyuri trailed off, Dominic picked up, "And I work the overnight shift as an Innkeeper at my uncle's Inn. Nothing special, but it suites me. I've been doing it since I left highschool." All of a sudden Dominic got the curious notion that maybe Dion wouldn't approve of his job, how he intended to support her daughter and their child.

[Demeter]

Dion sipped at her tea and winced as she scalded the roof her mouth. Rolling her eyes at the normalicy of that, she listened to the two speak of what they did on a regular basis. "My foster-daughter, who is also your Tempest's, thats one of your brother's by the way, girlfriend, is also going to school for her nursing cerification. She's nearly finished with all the prerequirements."

Dion leaned forward and set her cup down on the coffee table to let it cool just a little more. She turned to Dominic and smiled at him. "I've always wondered what that was like, being the overnight desk manager. Do you enjoy it?" Dion had decided, previous to Dominic's arrival, to grill her new son-in-law at a later date, one when the stress level wasn't through the roof and nearing the clouds.

She had been about to ask Dominic which Inn he worked for when the front door thudded open. Dion smothered a laugh as Rowan rushed into the room and headed straight for the couch. She scooted off the couch and sat down on the floor between the coffee table and the sofa. She caught Rowan as he flung himself her, spun him around and sat him down in her lap. "Where's your mother?" she asked while she freed the boy of his sneakers.

****

Demeter stuffed her keys into her purse and slammed the rear right passenger door to her car. Rowan had escaped into the house the moment she'd set him on the ground. Demeter made her way up the walk at a jog, eyeing the plants and the other two cars already in the driveway on the way. The day that Rowan had learned how to work doorknobs was the day her sanity had ended.

After closing the front door, Demeter inspected the wall. Seeing no damange from the doorknob, she followed the sound of voices into the living room. She grinned at the sight of her older sister prying Rowan off her. "He just loves his auntie Dion."

Demeter turned and regarded the couple sitting on the love seat. The woman had the look of Dion, that was for sure. The man was paler then average and Demeter guessed thathe was the vampire in the relationship. "Hi, I am Demeter and that is Rowan. I had to bring him over. I gave my babysitter the night off and she jumped at the chance to go out with her friends for once."

[Shinigami]

Tobin smiled as Rowan came scamperin through, practically tackling Dion, who had moved to the floor to most likely save Tobin being caught in the middle. He took a chance and ruffled the boys hair, darting his back quickly to avoid a nip. Only a few minutes after Demeter walked through the door and Rowan started his attack on his aunt there was a knock at the door.

Tobin began to stand. "That should be Nikolas." But before he could step away from the couch he heard the door open a crack on it's own and a familiar voice come from the hallway.

***

Niko walked up to Tobin's house, glancing around as he caught sight of the three cars, which seemed like an odd number. There should only be two at most if Dominic and Saiyuri arrived separately. He blinked when he got to the walkway, noticing all of the dead flowers. Shaking his head, he stepped up to the door, deciding they would all be rather busy and occupied, he settle on knocking briskly before cracking the door open, giving a yell. "Hey, Tobi, it's Niko. Sorry it took be so long."

He walked in, shutting the door behind him and trudging down the hallway, trying to smooth out his now dry and wind-blown hair. Niko made a frustrated face as the hair refused to tamed without gel and sighed. As he caught sight of the group in the living room he smiled brightly, eyes drawing themselves down to the little boy, his grin widening.

[Maira]

At the knock on the door, and then the shout from the entryway, all heads in the livingroom turned. Including five year old Rowan's. Surrounded as he was by his Aunty Dion's arms, he didn't bother to run and see just who this 'Niko' person was.

The man came into the livingroom smiling at everybody and then his eyes moved to Rowan. Looking up at the man, Rowan blurted the first thing that came to mind, "Mommy, why does that man look like me?" Curiosity for once replacing the impish glee in his eyes, Rowan turned to look at his mother for answers.

~~~~~

Dominic and Saiyuri were both startled by the loud thump as the front door banged open. When a little redheaded whirlwind suddenly descended on Dion, who had moved to the floor unseen by the couple, Saiyuri laughed musically. Dominic looked at his wife and smiled. She loved kids, thats why they had wanted to start their family after all, and the sheer joy he saw on her face at the energetic youngster tackling her mother was a sight he'd missed since her pregnancy started.

While Saiyuri's attention was focussed on the child and her mother, Dominic noticed a somewhat frazzled looking woman come trailing into the house (checking the wall for damage from the violently opened door). When she finally entered the livingroom and introduced herself he smiled back and was just about to introduce himself and Saiyuri when a knock came at the door followed by a loud booming voice.

Only when Rowan looked up and saw the man did Saiyuri look too. The sight she saw had her looking back and forth between Rowan and the man who'd called himself Niko. When the little boy asked innocently why he looked like the man, Saiyuri couldn't help but do as he was doing, look at his mother.

[Demeter]

Dion blinked at Rowan's question and looked from the little boy in her arms to the man standing a few feet away. She blinked and looked back at her nephew. How in the world had she not noticed this earlier? Her little Rowan looked like she imagined a five year old Nikolas would. Dion turned her head but kept her eyes on her husband's friend. Only at the last minute did she switch her gaze to her sister. "Demeter? Um...Ah...How do I say this? Is Nikolas Rowan's..." Dion trailed off as she noticed that her sister wasn't even paying attention to her.

****

Demeter's eyes went wide when she looked away from her son being snuggled by his aunt. She had recognized that voice. She swallowed when she saw Nikolas, looking almost the same as all those years ago, standind in the doorway. She'd been about to say something when Rowan beat her to speaking. She squeaked and blanched.

Demeter had known this day would come. It had seemed inevitable, what with Dion's oldest children finding her. It was only a matter of time before she had envisioned telling Rowan who his father was. "I-I...Excuse me!" Demeter managed to get out before she rushed out of the living room, pasted Nikolas and into the downstairs bathroom off the kitchen.

She looked the door and sat down on the floor, not exactly sure how to handle all the questions she knew were waiting for her.

****

Dion looked from where her sister had been standing, to Rowan and finally to Nikolas, who was still standing in the living room, staring at the boy and figured it all out. She removed Rowan from her lap, deposited him on the couch as she stood up and excused her self as she hurried out of the living room.

[Shinigami]

Tobin blinked at the child's exclaimation. He had just been in the process of greeting Nikolas when he heard Rowan's question, and watched as Demeter froze in what looked like fear before running out of the room. He glanced from Niko to Rowan on last time before his eyes followed his wife as she went after her sister. Tobin did see how he could have missed the connection before, but it could be because he hadn't seen Niko in a while. Tobin sat back down, sliding over to leav Niko some room when he snapped out of his transe.

***

Nikolas' eyes settled on the little boy, no more than 5 years old, and his eyes widened slightly. It was like he was staring at one the portraits his father had done of him as a child. The boy's hair was redder, lighter, but other than that he was a mini version of Niko himself. He heard the boy speak, but the words didn't settle in until a second later. The boy was smart, that was certain. Nikolas looked up at the woman he had called 'mommy' and he gasped, a pure look of wide-eyed surprise crossing his face. He hadn't realized it, but he spoke, whispering. "Demeter..."

In that moment he knew it. That little boy was his son. He had to be. The last time he had seen Demeter was about 5 years ago, and the boy was around 5 year old. Plus, the boy looked exactly as Niko had when he was little, and though he was young, it was easy to tell he was vampire, mostly vampire, in fact. Niko's gaze had unknowingly rested back on the boy, his son. He saw Demeter rush past him, toward the kitchen, from the corner of his eye. He hadn't even noticed Dion move.

Nikolas took a deep breath, rubbing his hands over his face for a second. He glanced back up, stepping forward slowly until he was at the couch, sitting down next to Tobin, watching the boy. He smiled alightly giving a playful 'Psst" to get his attention before continuing. "Hey there. I'm Nikolas." He didn't want to push anything. He didn't know what Demeter had or hadn't told their son. "What's your name?"

[Maira]

Rowan watched as his mommy bolted out of the livingroom and then gave a small hiss as his Aunty Dion ran after her. He didn't like being ignored.

He was still watching after his mommy when the strange man 'psst' at him. He looked finally at the other people in the livingroom and realized the Uncle Tobin was the only person he knew. The lady looked like Aunty Dion but wasn't her.

Realizing he had almost a completely new audience, Rowan put on the biggest smile he could muster and clambered up onto the couch between the man and Uncle Tobin. Once he was up there, he didn't sit down, he leaned in real close to the other man, examining his face. "You shouldn't look like other people you know," he said, completely ignoring the man's question. Continuing his inspection, Rowan poked at the man's nose, pulled on his ears and just in general looked at every square inch of the man's face.

When Rowan was satisfied that the man wasn't wearing a 'Rowan mask' and that the man actually looked like him, he snuggled up to his Uncle Tobin. From his Uncle's lap he finally answered the other man, "My name's Rowan." Then, pure childish curiosity getting the better of him he asked, "Who are you and why do you look like me?"

~~~~~

Saiyuri and Dominic were both extremely aware of how out of place they were in this big house, not to mention this situation. Looking at each other while Rowan was inspecting Niko, Saiyuri smiled impishly, grabbed up the mugs that had held everybody's tea and politely excused herself to the kitchen. Dominic, not having any such excuse continued to sit there, watching the strange scene before him, unsure of what to say, do, or think.

~~~~~

Once Saiyuri had escaped to the kitchen with the mugs, she gave a huge sigh of relief. While Rowan was the cutest little boy she'd seen in ages, little fangs included, she did not want any part of the awkwardness that was happeneing in the livingroom.

Rinsing out the mugs and placing them in the sink, she then straightened her shoulders and went in the direction that she'd seen the two other women run. She felt more than a little responsible for this whole mess and she wanted to go apologize and see if there was anything she could do to help. She doubted it, but she'd offer anyway.

She walked down the hallway until she passed a door with voices coming from the other side. She didn't have to listen but a second to recognize Dion's and so she tapped gently on the door. "Dion, its Saiyuri, do you guys need anything?"

[Shinigami]

Niko's smile widened as the boy smiled back, and was happy to see him climbing onto the couch. He was certainly friendly. Nikolas blinked as the boy leaned in close to his face, just about the right height now that he was standing on the couch. He blinked at the comment, but didn't have much time to reply. A poke was set on his nose and he crossed his eyes to follow it, hoping to get a little giggle out of the boy. Most of the boys he knew liked funny faces.

As the boy continued to examine him, he realized the kid was either ignoring his question or had already forgotten it, but he silently suspected it was the former. Nikolas chuckled quietly as his ears were pulled on and so forth. As the boy finished Niko finally got his answer. And he got it just before being faced with a question he wasn't so sure he could answer. At least, not allowed. That would lead him to the line of thought that ended in him being a bad father, but he tamed his mind.

Nikolas took a few deep breaths, smiling. he had decided to be honest. "Well, My name's Nikolas, or Niko as your Uncle Tobin calls me." His smile widened as the boy was settled in Tobin's lap. He only hoped the boy would be that trusting of him eventually. "I'm.. I'm an old friend of your mother's. And as to why I look like you, well, I.. I think.. I may be your father." He said it. It was out, and now all that was left was to see the reaction of the boy, Rowan.

[Demeter]

Dion leaned against te doorframe to the downstairs bathroom and knocked softly. "Demeter," she called as she tried the doorknob. She frowned when the door refused to budge. "Come on, Demeter, open the door. You can't hide in there forever, you know."

***

Demeter scowled at the door but crawled the few inches over and unlocked it before resuming her spot on the floor. She tilted her head back against the wall and listened as Dion entered the modest bathroom, lowered the lid to the toilet and sat down. "Before you even ask, yes, Nikolas is Rowan's father and no I've never told him."

***

Dion gasped slightly, just barely surprised to have her suspicions confirmed. "But why did you never tell him, Dem? Why didn't ever tell anyone?"

***

Demeter thumped her head back against the tiled wall and huffed out a breath. "I was scared, all right. I was scared of what everyone would think. I was scared that maybe someone knew who Nikolas was and would spill the beans about Rowan, and I was right about that one, wasn't I?"

***

Dion shook her head and crouched down by her sister. "You need to talk to him, Demeter. He's going to want to know all about Rowan. Its as obvious as daylight that he is the boy's father. It hurts to know that you've had a child for so many years and you never knew. It hurts to miss out on all those things like birthdays and learning to walk and talk. I should know but I can only imagine the feelings that he's feeling right now."

***

Demeter shook her head and stared at the wall opposite her. "I can't do it. I can't just walk up to him and say, no, confirm that Rowan is his child, Dion. What would he think of me when he learns that I've kept his son from him for five years just because I was scared," she hissed at her sister."

***

Dion sighed and turned to the door when she heard someone knocking on it. She stood and crossed over, grinning when she opened it just a crack to see Saiyuri. Her grin grew wider when she heard the question Saiyuri asked. "Well, I don't need anything but Demeter needs a swift kick in the pants. Saiyuri, do you think you could tell Demeter here what it is like having a bomb dropped on you that your mother wasn't who you thought her to be?"