“You sure?” Paul looked at Vince.
“I think his other sister wants to see him, too.” Dante brought Katiana in; she giggled and kissed Nikolai’s forehead.
Andrei watched as Nikolai’s half-sister, Katiana, giggled and hugged him. He and Vince had decided to use the same surrogate as Dante and Kyle. She was trustworthy, intelligent and had taken wonderful care of herself and the baby. And after seeing how well she had done with Kyle and Dante’s child, Andrei and Vince had asked her to carry their child as well. Wendy had been a saint.
The nurse came in and put her arms out for the baby and Vince growled at her.
“This one I trust.” Jordan motioned to the nurse. “She’s not an incompetent crybaby. Just bossy.”
“Oh, go to hell, Jordan,” the nurse winked.
“See?” Jordan laughed.
Vince handed the baby over and eyed the nurse. “Lead the way.”
~*~
The first two weeks at home with Nikolai had Andrei sleeping peacefully eight hours a night. Any time he tried to get up with the baby, Vince would already be up taking care of everything. Instead of arguing with Vince, Andrei sat back and waited. He knew that sooner or later Vince would run out of energy and be so sleep-deprived that Andrei could finally spend some time with his son.
Two weeks and two days in, Vince collapsed and Andrei got his wish. He sat on the couch feeding the baby. Nikolai was smiling at him and Andrei played with his little fingers. He heard a short knock and then Mark and Paul walked in with the kids. Andrei had no idea why they still knocked. Being as close as they all were, it wasn’t odd to have any of the group just walk in at any time.
Paul headed for the kitchen and Mark came in with Phoebe, Conner and Colin.
“Beer in the fridge?” Paul looked around the corner.
“Yes, Paul,” Andrei smiled.
“Vince?” Mark looked around the house.
“He has been asleep for 12 hours,” Andrei chuckled.
“Finally collapsed, huh?” Mark smiled. He looked down at Conner sleeping peacefully with his pacifier.
“How are you coping with your own crazy?” Andrei snickered.
“Well he’s a lot like Vince in that respect — baby proofing the hell out of the house and doing everything on his own.”
“I let you change him yesterday.” Paul came in with a beer, smiling.
“Oh yes, thank you so much for that.” Mark rolled his eyes.
“I’m trying,” Paul grinned, placing a kiss on Mark’s head.
Andrei laughed and put Nikolai over his shoulder; he ran his hand around in circles and Nikolai let out a loud burp.
“Wow,” Andrei smiled at his son. “That was a good one.”
“He’s cute,” Colin giggled, looking over the back of the couch.
“Come sit down, Colin.” Andrei patted the couch.
Colin sat down next to them and Nikolai reached for him; Andrei smiled and put Nikolai in Colin’s arms.
“He’s so tiny,” Colin smiled, kissing Nikolai’s smooth forehead.
“Well he surprised us by coming early,” Andrei smiled. “But he is putting weight on.”
Nikolai let out a loud sigh and everyone heard Vince in the bedroom.
“Where is he? I hear him!”
“We are out here, my love,” Andrei smiled.
Vince came out in disarray and noticed the guests in his living room. “Hey.”
“Wow….you look like hell, Vince,” Mark laughed.
“Very funny.” Vince smiled down at his son. “I need to feed him.”
“It has been done,” Andrei said.
“Diaper?”
“Done, but I am sure he will leave you a present soon.” Andrei smiled wide.
“I’m sorry, babe.” Vince sat next to Andrei on the couch and palmed his face. “I know I haven’t been easy to live with.”
“Pffft,” Mark laughed.
“I know, I know, I’m nuts.” Vince rolled his eyes.
“Admitting it is the first step,” Colin piped up.
They all laughed loudly and Vince looked at Colin. “You have been hanging out with Uncle Chris again, haven’t you?”
“Maybe,” Colin hedged slyly.
“Well pretty soon he’s going to have his own child and then we will see what he’s like.” Vince grinned maniacally.
“Oh it won’t be Chris that’s nuts, it will be Dimitri,” Mark stated.
“Five bucks?” Vince smiled.
Mark smiled. “You’re on.”
~*~
As Nikolai grew, so did the love Colin had for him. Andrei watched affectionately as Colin doted on his son at every opportunity. When Nikolai turned one, they threw a huge party for him. The cake had been served and now the adults sat around the living room with coffee.
Colin had taken Nikolai and now sat on the couch with him, playing with his cheeks. Nikolai just smiled and let out little noises now and then. Andrei smiled at the two of them.
“He likes you very much.” Andrei palmed Colin’s face.
“You think he can see me? I know babies can’t see very well.”
“You are very smart, Colin; I think he sees you just fine.” Andrei smiled as his son put his hand out to Colin.
Colin held Nikolai close and whispered in his ear. “I’ll always protect you.”
Vince smiled at Colin with his son and took Andrei’s hand; he pulled him up and palmed his face.
“Looks like we have an extra bodyguard.”
“Lin.” Nikolai put his arms out to Colin.
Colin smiled and picked him up, holding him close. “What’s up, little man?”
“Luv.” Nikolai patted Colin’s face and gave him a wet, open-mouthed kiss.
“Wow…” Vince cracked up.
“He is very forward,” Andrei chuckled.
“It’s OK.” Colin smiled, holding Nikolai tightly. “I love him, too.”
They watched Colin leave with Nikolai cuddled in his arms and Vince looked at Paul and smiled.
“You are paying for that wedding.”
~*~
When the terrible twos hit, Vince almost went bald. The only one who could calm his son down was Colin, and he spent a lot of time at Vince and Andrei’s. Today was no different; they were all gathered around hanging out with the kids and Nikolai was getting into the DVDs on the shelf, pulling them down.
“Nikolai, Daddy has said no.” Andrei cocked an eyebrow at him.
Nikolai pulled another one down and looked at his father with a wide smile. “No,” Nikolai giggled.
“Nikolai, that’s not nice,” Colin frowned.
Nikolai pouted and put the videos back on the shelf. Granted they were upside down but Andrei didn’t care. The look on his son’s face was priceless.
“Better?” Nikolai smiled.
“Much.” Colin put his arms out and Nikolai went into his embrace.
“I am thinking we will have to hire you full time, Colin,” Andrei smiled at him.
“He’s just like Uncle Vince, that’s all,” Colin snickered.
Vince smiled. “I’d argue but it’s true.”
~*~
At five, Nikolai and Colin became inseparable. Each and every time they were near each other, Nikolai would run and jump on Colin, knocking him down. Colin had begun calling Nikolai ‘Tigger.’
Colin had fallen asleep in a lounge chair and Nikolai was palming his face and smiling. Colin was his best friend in the whole world and he always watched out for him. Nikolai glanced up to see his father looking at him and he blushed.
“What?”
Vince smiled and mussed his hair. “You like him.”
“I love him, Daddy.” Nikolai blushed crimson.
“Oh, really?” Andrei raised an eyebrow.
“He’s my bestest friend,” Nikolai giggled.
“Well, we know he loves you,” Mark smiled at Nikolai.
“Really?” Nikolai’s eyes widened.
“Oh, definitel
y.” Paul sat back.
As the sun set, the kids ran around the pond playing. Most of the adults were inside getting dinner started. Colin had woken up in the lounge chair alone and panicked. It wasn’t like Nikolai to leave his side. He cursed himself for taking a nap. He looked everywhere for Nikolai and couldn’t find him. Suddenly, he heard a loud cracking noise and looked up; Nikolai was in the tree house.
“Nikolai…get out of there now.” Colin looked up. “It’s not strong anymore and the boards are rotted.”
“I thought they fixed it?” Nikolai felt the board give way and tried to hang on to anything he could find.
“Colin!” Nikolai shouted.
“Oh God!” Colin watched as the board was breaking. “Get out of there!”
Nikolai was trying to crawl out the window of the tree house and Colin was underneath it with his arms out.
“I’m scared, Colin!”
“I’ll catch you, I promise!” Colin positioned himself.
All the kids had turned around when they heard the shouting and Jordan flew out of the house with Vince right on his heels. Nikolai leapt from the window of the tree house and Colin caught him. They watched in horror as the tree house gave way and landed on the boys.
“Fuck!” Vince ran and tried to find not only his son, but Colin as well.
“Get out here guys!” Jordan shouted.
All the kids ran over and started pulling boards off; Nikolai was found first. There was a large gash in his forehead and his leg was broken. He had landed right on top of Colin, who had broken most of his fall.
“Oh God!” Andrei cried.
“Hang on, Colin, we’ll get you out.”
“Oh, God, Paul!” Mark held Phoebe to him.
“My brother!” Conner was trying to pull off more wood and they were finally able to get Colin out; he was unconscious and bleeding badly.
“Hospital, now!” Jordan shouted.
Stefan pulled the SUV around and all of them made their way to the hospital.
Stefan was pacing the floor and Jordan took his hand and looked into his eyes.
“I should have fixed it sooner.” Stefan looked at Jordan. “Why didn’t I?”
“They hardly ever played in it before….it wasn’t a high priority, Stefan.”
“I should have fixed it!” Stefan shouted.
“Dad….” Paul took his hand. “Stop it.”
“I’m so sorry, Paul.” Stefan sobbed and Paul held him.
“Don’t do this.”
“Mr. Greystone?”
Paul looked at the doctor. “Yes?”
“Your son is going to be fine…we thought he had some internal injuries but the surgery revealed nothing; he’s sedated now and you can see him.”
“Thank you.” Paul looked at Stefan. “See?”
“It could have been worse.” Stefan looked at Paul.
Vince had to be restrained when no one would come out and talk to them, but the doctor was finally talking to Andrei now. Andrei nodded and looked at the whole group.
“He is all right; they set his leg and he is sleeping now.”
“Good, can I see my fucking son now?” Vince snapped at the doctor.
“Mr. Markov…”
Vince lunged at him and he took off down the hallway. Andrei took Vince’s hand and they went into Nikolai’s room. Half the group went to Colin’s room and the other to Nikolai’s; they would switch out every half hour.
Colin woke up slowly, looking at his fathers. They both had red eyes and he knew they had been crying.
“Where’s Nikolai?” Colin sat straight up in bed and let out a loud cry.
“Don’t move.” Mark eased him back down. “He’s next door.”
“Is he OK?” Colin looked at them. “Please tell me he’s OK.”
“His leg is broken and he has some other minor injuries but he’s all right.” Paul smoothed back his hair.
“I want to see him right now.” Colin sat up and winced.
“Let me see what I can do, OK?” Paul looked at him. “You saved his life. If he had hit the ground, there’s no telling what would have happened. You broke his fall.”
Vince and Andrei moved Nikolai’s bed into Colin’s room. They all cleared out to go get food, assuring them they would be back very soon. Colin climbed carefully out of his bed and into Nikolai’s, holding him tightly. He was still unconscious and Colin kissed his cheek softly.
“Nothing can ever happen to you,” Colin whispered. “I love you.”
When the guys got back they found Nikolai nestled into Colin. They all sat down and smiled at them. Vince held Andrei’s hand and they looked at Mark and Paul.
“Things could have been worse.”
“But they weren’t…” Mark smiled. “Thank God.”
Over the next few days Colin was feeling better; he spent all his time with Nikolai playing games. When he had finally woken up, Colin had cried for an hour straight and Nikolai had cried with him, repeatedly saying how sorry he was. Paul was watching his son threading his fingers through Nikolai’s hair when he felt Mark come up beside him.
“I think it’s safe to assume he likes him as more than a friend,” Mark smiled.
“And we will help him along, but he has to come to us first,” Paul smiled at Mark, pulling him into a hug.
“I agree.”
Nikolai looked up at Colin and smiled; he kissed his cheek and held him close.
“I love you, Colin.”
“I love you, too.”
Colin was caressing Nikolai’s face; he was so beautiful and Colin kissed his forehead.
“Colin?”
“Yes...”
“Will you always be with me?” Nikolai spoke into Colin’s neck.
“Whenever I can be, Nikolai, I promise you that.”
“Really? Because you love me, huh?” Nikolai looked up at him.
“Yes…I love you.” Colin smiled feeling Nikolai snuggle into his chest. “Now go to sleep.”
“You go to sleep,” Nikolai giggled.
“Nite, Nik.”
“Nite.”
~Chapter One~
Fort Worth, Texas
Paul stood on the deck of his and Mark’s house and watched the sun reaching for the horizon. The lake was still, except for the occasional duck crossing. The air was crisp and clean this morning and he could faintly hear the traffic of Fort Worth. People were going about their lives even at six in the morning. Paul sipped his coffee and smiled as the back sliding glass door whispered open, then closed. Arms came around his waist and he gripped Mark’s hand.
“Morning, babe.”
“Why are you up so early?” Mark leaned his head against Paul’s back and inhaled his husband’s scent.
“I don’t know; I got a bad feeling in my gut.”
Mark came around to face Paul. “That’s never good.”
Paul looked down at Mark and tried to smile. “I’m sure it’s nothing.”
“Maybe we should take a trip to see the kids? Would that make you feel better? I know you hate when they go back to school.”
“They were just here; they’ll complain that we hover,” Paul chuckled.
“We do, and we make no excuses for our hovering.” Mark stood on his tiptoes and lightly kissed Paul. “We could always go back to bed.”
Paul looked into Mark’s eyes and saw the mischief in them. How he survived sex with Mark was a mystery. When they’d first met, Mark had been a virgin and Paul was - well, so not. He’d been a bastard to Mark in the beginning, but Mark, unlike anyone else he’d ever known, had put him in his place. Paul opened his mouth to respond and the phone rang inside the house.
“I’ll get it,” Mark said.
Paul leaned against the deck railing as Mark went inside and answered the phone. The house was in need of repair again. He’d had it built from the ground up for Mark, who’d always wanted a log home. Over the years, it had seen rough times, including half the house being blown up. Mark came back out and
handed him the phone. His face was pale.
“What?” Paul took the phone.
“It’s Stefan,” Mark whispered.
“Stefan?”
“Paul, look, I’m going to tell you the same thing I told Mark. We have a problem. Carmine Rizzo was poking around the orphanage in Sicily where you adopted Colin. He got possession of the blood tests that were run on Colin. You remember those?”
“Yes, the nuns thought Colin may have a learning disability among other things and ran a wide variety of tests on him.”
“He not only got Colin’s tests, but he got access to the woman who put Colin up for adoption. It’s one of Carmine’s mistresses, Paul.”
Paul took a deep breath. “Just say it, Stefan.”
“We ran our own tests on blood we had from Carmine from a long time ago. Colin is Carmine’s son, Paul.”
Paul gripped the railing. “Where is Carmine now?”
“We lost him in Rome. You need to alert Colin and we need to send people to retrieve him right now.”
“He won’t go; you know Colin.”
“Then what do we do? Any ideas?”
Mark could hear the whole conversation and he snapped his fingers at Paul.
“Hang on, Mark’s got an idea.” Paul covered the mouthpiece on the phone. “What?”
“Nikolai,” Mark said.
Paul’s eyes widened. “You want to send Nikolai to Washington? With this kind of info?”
Mark crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes at Paul. “Tell me one other person who cares as much about our son, is ruthless enough to not only watch his back, but to kill Carmine in fun and unique ways.”
Paul nodded and got back on the phone with Stefan. “What are the odds Nikolai’s available?”
“For Colin?” Stefan smiled on his end. “Pretty damn good.”
Mark took the phone from Paul. “We have to play this just right. You know Colin; he’s going to bitch that he can take care of himself. He’s not going to like having a babysitter.”
“Do we tell him who his biological father is?” Stefan asked.
“That’s a good question.” Mark furrowed his brows. “He needs to know the danger he’s facing; if we keep this from him, he’ll be pissed off.”
“Okay, here’s the deal then,” Stefan sat back in his chair. “We send Nikolai in as a student. It’s not a stretch, he’s been thinking of going to Washington anyway.”
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