Team: Alpha (Knights of Ares)

by Honor James

  “We can stay, though we might switch out and each head back for a couple hours before returning,” he said. “if you’re alright with that,” Gareth looked down at her. “I know we’ve been pushing our luck with you D, so if you’d rather have Fi watching over her we’ll understand.”

  “I would rather have you two watching over her honestly. Poor Fi has her hands full right now.” Daisy said with a shrug. “So if you two don’t mind, I would love for her father’s to watch over her. And yes, you both have a lot to make up for, but I’m willing to let the past be the past and just look to the future if you are?”

  “I’m all for letting the past be in the past darling,” he chuckled softly. “I have no issues letting go, mi amigo though,” Gareth shook his head. “he tends to delve into the past too often; at least the stuff he likes torturing himself with. Some of the past even he doesn’t touch,” he murmured that.

  Shaking his head again he smiled, “But enough about that. We are looking to the future and having you and Honey being a part of it. Which I think just makes it all rosy and amazing personally. I can’t wait to see what comes of having you in our lives again D. Only good things I’m thinking,” he said squeezing her to him.

  “I think that you are right. I think that we are all deserving of an amazing future, especially since we are going to give that future to Honey.” Daisy agreed and then pulled back and said with a crooked smile, “For now though I’m eating because I’m starving. I haven’t eaten much today.” Her eyes danced in merriment in reminder to him of why she hadn’t eaten much.

  “Not my fault,” Gareth teased with a grin. “Well, not entirely. Don’t worry babe, we’ll feed you and then tuck you into bed for a good sleep. And we will be good the entire time too, not even harass you all that much either.”

  “Well you can harass me a little,” Daisy said with a smile. Her bed was only a Queen size so they would have to do some careful sleeping, but she looked forward to it, so very, very much. Just not tonight. “Don't forget that I have to work tonight, so no bed for me. Sorry Gareth.” She murmured. “I will have a small nap just after supper, but then I really do have to leave you.” Regret shimmered in her words.

  “Don’t worry about it love,” he smiled at her. “I’ll wait on Mik to get here and we’ll figure out what to do from there. We’ll find things to occupy ourselves,” he chuckled, “And we’ll even attempt to keep it down to a dull roar so we don’t wake you.” Cupping her face he kissed her gently, “Go and get into bed babe.”

  “Food first, even if it’s a bowl of cereal. I’m starving.” She reminded him. “And then my happy ass is going to bed so fast that you will think that I’m the freaking roadrunner as I race to bed.” Leaning in she added, “But you could kiss me again. I wouldn’t mind that at all.”

  Smiling, he took her mouth and kissed her gently, sucking on her tongue as he pressed her back to the wall next to the door. Dropping his hands he cupped her ass and pulled her in closer to him as he assaulted her mouth.

  “You know there are about six people watching out of their windows, right?”

  “Fuck,” Gareth nearly dropped her as he turned to look at Mikhail. “Fucking make some noise for once in your life.”

  Snorting, he shook his head as he unlocked and opened the door, “Wouldn’t be any good at my profession if you heard me coming now would I?” he asked and gave them an eerie little grin before slipping into the house.

  Daisy shrugged, “I don’t care who sees. I’m kissing one of the men that I love and if they have issues with that then they need to take a flying leap. Personally, I’m happy as a clam kissing and loving on the two of you. Well the loving naked part should be in private, but the kissing part can be anywhere; so they will just have to deal.”

  “Yes they will,” Gareth smiled down at her. Kissing her again lightly he loosened his grip on her, “But you do need to get in, eat something and then crash. You have to be functional tonight babe and you won’t be if you don’t get at least a few hours of solid sleep before we jump your bones.”

  “Yeah?” She asked hopefully. “Promise?” She added. “Because I really think that would be the best way to go to work, just having been sexed up like crazy by the men that I love.” Daisy headed straight for the kitchen, “I’m just having cereal. If you guys want real food feel free to make you whatever you want, but me. I want something fast and simple so I can hit the hay.”

  “Sit your butt down,” Mikhail said cracking eggs into a bowl. “Or if you want, go and shower, wrap yourself in a robe and be back down here in ten. You are getting fed real food and then you can go and sleep. Cereal is definitely not going to keep you nice and satisfied while you’re sleeping.”

  Daisy’s eyes went wide, “You are cooking for me?” She asked in a small shocked voice. “Really?” She smiled then, “I.” Hell she didn’t know what to say. “No one has ever cooked for me before. Well other than my mother when she was alive and when she died I had to cook. Really?” She couldn’t explain to them just how much it meant to her that they were willing to take care of her.

  “It’s just an omelette D, not brain surgery,” Mikhail said shaking his head. “I can cook you know. I don’t tend to like doing it since I have to listen to the others bitching about it, but I can cook. One thing mom ensured I knew how to do was cook. I can even do laundry, clean and play the violin under extreme moments of duress that involve a gun pointed at my head.”

  “No one has cooked for me since I was a child Mikhail. You have no idea what this means to me.” She whispered honestly. “I love you, and I’m so damn glad that you boys came back into my life. No matter how it was that you got back in it; I’m happy you are.”

  “Yeah, well, it’s still not that much given the seriously lacking nature of your fridge. Gareth and I will be doing some grocery shopping in between runs by the school. I’ll throw something into the oven too at some point and we’ll have a good hot dinner as well.”

  Daisy just hugged him. She couldn’t believe what he was saying and she could only hug him. Finally she pulled back slightly and cupped his cheek. “I’m happy you are mine. Now, get me fed and then take the first round of cuddling with me while I fall asleep?”

  “Yes ma’am,” he murmured. “But I was serious, if you want to grab a shower so you’re all relaxed do it now. I still need to chop up a few things before I get this cooking. So go quick and then come back down, it’ll be maybe ten minutes. Just don’t take Gareth or you’ll never get out of the shower and I’ll be eating your omelet.”

  “I will be back in like five minutes. It really won’t take me long.” She looked at Gareth and grinned, “And you stay, please.” She smirked. “I mean it. Mikhail is right, if you come with me we will never get out of the shower, and I really do want a meal cooked for me by one of the two men I love, so you stay here.”

  “Oh babe, I don’t cook unless it’s on the grill and even then it’s a little spotty,” Gareth grinned at her. “This is all Mik,” he said with a chuckle. Leaning in he kissed her softly, “Go, I’ll set the table and we’ll be waiting for you when you get back.”

  “That’s why I said one of the two men that I love.” Daisy said and backed away, “No.” She held her hand out with a grin, “No touching or I’m not going to make the shower mister, and you know it. Go and do what Mik tells you. I will be right back.” She turned and fled the kitchen then, knowing if she remained she would end up as their dessert.

  “Set the table and stay away from the stove,” Mik said straight off. It didn’t take long for him to chop up what he wanted, get it sautéing in a couple pans and then dumped in the eggs when the water went off. “Gareth, see if she’s got any grated cheese, will ya?”

  Moving to the fridge he pulled it open, looked in and came out with a lump, “Nothing pre-grated just this block.”

  “Crap,” he muttered and pulled a knife from the block, “Thin slices so they melt this century,” he said flipping the blade and handing it over han
dle first.

  “There is a cheese grater in the cabinet.” Daisy said when she came down three minutes later wearing a robe and a towel around her head. “Just saying. Honey doesn’t like the pre-packaged shredded cheeses so we buy or make our own and shred it ourselves.”

  “This works just as well and he was fairly consistent,” Mik told her with a grin. Lifting the edges of the omelet, he slid it around the pan and then flipped it with a sharp jerk of his wrist before repeating it on the larger one. Laying down the thin slices he popped one in his mouth to chew as he covered the omelets partially with lids. “Two minutes and we’ll be ready so grab a drink babe.”

  She moved to the fridge and pulled out the milk. Grabbing a glass, she then asked them, “Do you boys want milk to drink as well?” She leaned her hip against the counter and watched, waited. When they said yes she poured three glasses before returning the milk. Taking two glasses to the table she went back for the third and took a seat, waiting to be fed the food that was making her mouth water.

  Lifting the lids, Mikhail flipped the omelets closed and slid one onto a plate. Cutting a chunk off the bigger one, he split them onto two plates. Turning off the stove he carried all three plates to the table and set the full one before Gareth and gave Daisy half of the big one. Sitting, he looked at her, “Dig in and eat up.”

  “Oh this looks so good.” She leaned in and inhaled the scents of the food and all but moaned. “God this smells even better.” Her mouth was literally watering. Cutting into the omelet, she took a bite and closed her eyes, purring in pleasure. “So good.”

  “Good,” he nodded and cut into his. Taking a bite he tipped his head, “Not bad,” he said taking another. “Add spices to the list G,” he told his friend who pulled a sheet of paper to him.

  “Just spices?” Gareth asked.

  “Yup, the woman needs everything if she ever expects another meal out of me. It’s truly abysmal the state of her pantry.”

  Daisy snickered and shook her head, “Hey now, I have food in there.” Granted she didn’t have a great deal of the extra things, but when one was on a budget they did what they had to do. “Besides, you were able to make this, so that’s good, right?”

  “Darling, I adore you and all that, but the state of your cupboards is horrendous. We shall fix that while you sleep, and you will have a hot meal before your shift as well as a couple of snacks to take along. Gareth doesn’t realize it yet, but he’s volunteered to be my schlepper at the store,” Mik told her taking another bite of his eggs.

  “And who will watch over Honey while she’s at school?” Daisy asked with a crooked grin. “You seem to forget that you promised her that you would watch and see if there was anything that you could do about the bullying situation that she has going on right now.”

  “First recess is from ten until ten fifteen, lunch is from noon until quarter to one. Second recess is from two thirty until two forty-five. We go for the first recess and then head to the market hitting the house to throw Gareth and groceries out while I go back to the school. I watch and then come back and put dinner in, clean up and Gareth takes the second recess. When school is out we collect her and we’re all back here for dinner when we wake you.” Mikhail looked to her and lifted a brow, “Did I forget something?”

  “Damn you are good.” She said with a smile. “Okay. I will leave it all in your hands.” She told him as she ate, “I personally will be sleeping soundly while you boys do the shopping and everything. I will leave you my credit card so you can get whatever it is that you need.”

  “Nothing doing. This is on me.” Mik said and leaned over to squeeze her lips shut. “Nuh-uh, zip it missy. I’m the one needing the supplies. I’m the one buying them. End of story.” Letting go he sat back, “What kind of ice cream do you like with your homemade apple pie?”

  “Dear heavens you made apple pie? I wasn’t in the bath that long, was I?” She was utterly and completely shocked, beyond words shocked to the depth of her bones. “How is that possible?” She asked. “I mean seriously, how is that possible?”

  “I haven’t yet, but I will be,” he said with a shrug.

  “Seriously? You’re going to make a pie from scratch?” Gareth asked. “When the hell are you doing that?”

  “While I prep the meal I’ll do the prep for the pie, and then once dinner’s in the oven I’ll finish the pie and start the baking. When we eat dinner I’ll do the final bake to brown it and get it all bubbly. Then we’ll have it for dessert with whatever ice cream D wants if she just tells me,” Mikhail looked to her again, “Ice cream. What kind?”

  “Well if we are doing pie then it has to be vanilla. Really and truly has to be vanilla because that’s the most delicious one if we are to have it.” She said happily. “I can’t believe that you are going to make me an apple pie.” She loved apple pie; it was a weakness of hers.

  “Not a big thing,” Mikhail said softly, “Only takes a little bit of time plus we’ll have extra dough to do a couple others at a later date. It freezes well and is often better after the fact. Put Vanilla on the list G, but not that store bought crap. We’ll hit up the Italian joint on our way back.”

  “Wow.” She shook her head at that and smiled, “I think that I’m really going to get used to this. I think that you boys pampering me like this will be something that I will be able to get used to.” She looked at both of them and whispered, “Please don’t break my heart again. I wouldn’t survive a second time.”

  Reaching out Gareth squeezed her hand, “We’re not going to do anything babe that hurts you ever again. Promise. And the pampering is just a side effect. Mik needs to keep his hands busy or he starts plotting ways to make my life miserable.”

  “Well we wouldn’t want that now would we?” Daisy sighed happily and nodded, “I want to ensure that you guys are happy too you know. I am happy if you boys are. And we will all three make sure that Honey is happy, right?”

  “That one is happy as long as we’re all in her life D,” Gareth pointed out with a grin. “I’m sure she has other plans in motion to ensure she’s ecstatic, but for the moment she seems to still be in plotting mode only.”

  “This is true.” Daisy was worried about what it was that Honey had in mind. “The thing that scares me is what that child has in mind.” She admitted her thoughts aloud. “I love her but I’m seriously worried about what she will have planned for us; and most importantly for you guys when and if we all have a life together on the farm.”

  “I wouldn’t worry too much just yet D,” Mikhail told her finishing his omelet. Picking up the glass of milk he sipped at it. “It’s once you’re living there, then I’d start to worry intensely. Mainly because she’ll be living under the same roof as those she is hero worshipping; which basically means she will be listening even more carefully to absolutely everything said.”

  “Just make sure that you talk to those boys and make sure that they know that they need to really watch every word they say around the little ears. I would suggest that you soundproof your home as well. It would really help in the long run. That way the guys will have a place to turn to when they just want to let go and cuss their heads off.”

  “We’ve been working on it,” Gareth told her squeezing her fingers. “And we’re trying to curb the swearing but babe, we’re guys. We’ve lived with guys, eaten with them, gotten into and out of so much with them. They are family. It’s hard to remember that there’s a little girl with big ears roaming around. Besides, she says she knows them all from you anyway and was offering up better combinations all based on what she’d overheard you saying.”

  Daisy flushed and nodded, “Yeah, she really does.” She said honestly. ‘I can’t help it. Sometimes I will cuss like a sailor and I won’t even try to hide that. I’m seriously bad about it. Especially if I stub my toe or something silly like that.” She knew that was crazy, but there it was. “So she listens, picks them up and uses them from time to time, much to my chagrin.”

  “Well you c
an either shelter your kid and turn them into a pansy give-me everything type, or you can teach them the real world is a harsh and unforgiving bitch,” Mikhail said quietly. “Personally I’d rather have her know that she isn’t going to have everything handed to her and to always keep her eyes open and watching. I don’t want her paranoid, but I don’t want her thinking she’s due.”

  “And she doesn’t now.” Daisy began to get her back up a little at what he was saying. “She’s never once even dared to think that she was owed something. I don’t know what you are thinking, but she’s never once thought she was due anything. That child has even worked a summer job when she wanted something that she didn’t have and I couldn’t afford.”

  “That wasn’t what I meant D,” he said softly shaking his head. “Honey’s a good kid, I didn’t mean anything by it,” he muttered. Getting to his feet he looked at the clock, “Shouldn’t you be in bed yet?” he asked moving to the sink.

  “Yes, I likely should.” She took in several deep breaths and then finally nodded. “All right. Nap. Thank you for making breakfast for me. And she is a very good kid. She’s not entitled or anything like that, so please never say that about her again.”