but oh what a year

[patrols]

Comments

[vampasm]

( He holds her in close by the waist. He hopes maybe his family will be hers one day. That, and, he loves her found family, too.

Josh sets one last dish aside in the rack.

"Merry Christmas...!" he says, drying his hands and coming around from the kitchen. "Buddy, look who it is!" )

[regentem]

Hi, Erroll.

[She gives a small wave as she makes her way inside.]

Do you remember my friend, Scott?

[She's at least something of a local celebrity and has spent enough time around the wolf packs. Scott probably hasn't just yet.]

[vampasm]

( "Davina!" Erroll exclaims rushing to her side, hugging her midsection, before looking up at Scott, studying him. He sniffs. Nods.

"It's okay, Erroll. I remember you, too. And, I helped Davina pick out a few things..." he says, holding up the bag in his hand and shaking it.

Erroll jumps up and down, turning to his dads. "Can I open them now?" )

[regentem]

[Davina looks over at Aiden and Josh.]

I got some stuff for you two as well.

[Aiden shrugs. "Sure, why not? Can I get you guys anything? Drink? Egg nog?"

Davina nods as she starts unloading some of the presents from her bags.]

I'll take some.

[commend]

Second for egg nog.

( He does the same, looking at whose presents are in his bag, making towers of presents for Erroll, Josh, and Aiden. Obviously Aiden and Josh's are puny in comparison. But again, first Christmas.

"Please, make yourselves at home," Josh says. He'll take the empty bag of Davina's, folding it, before he brings her in for a hug. "Thank you for being here." )

[regentem]

Of course.

[She returns the hug warmly as the living room becomes a flurry of wrapping paper. Once the hug is done, she'll follow him out into the kitchen to help with the egg nog.]

How's Erroll been settling?

[vampasm]

So far so good. No nightmares. No tantrums. He's quiet - but - loving.

( It's felt very good finally having him home. )

Does he looks settled?

[regentem]

I think he looks like a very excited kid on Christmas.

[Davina shifts to lean against the counter.]

I think he also might be the kind of kid that might need some time to warm up.

[vampasm]

He didn't fit in with the other bayou kids. He kept to himself. Held his own rough-housing. One of the times we came by, he had a small cut on his elbow. Kids can be...

( Cruel. )

Also, compared to that cabin, our house is quiet. Except for Aiden's music. Or my trashy TV.

[regentem]

Yeah, so it sounds like he may get used to that.

[Also werewolf kids are known rough-housers, that's nothing new. But she can see Josh being protective, and it's good. Erroll deserves people who will protect him.]

How have you guys been doing with having him here?

[vampasm]

Hopefully. We're not keeping him away from the kids. He did have real friends. But, there's going to be an adjustment period.

( He knows that. )

Honest? ( He looks back at his husband, something nagging in his cheek. ) Hey, can you - ( A beat, he looks over at the dying fireplace. ) Aid, Davina and I are going to grab some more firewood out back.

( He leaves their drinks in the kitchen for now and leads her out the back door. It swings shut behind him as he leads her down the back stairs. When he gets a few feet away, he speaks again. )

So, it's been great. For us. For him. Nothing's changed like that, but Aiden's... ever since I got taken. Up in Muir Woods. I don't know. He's going through something.

[regentem]

[Davina follows him back out into the courtyard and Davina waits and listens, trying to find the thing in between that Josh isn't saying.]

Going through something now? Do you think he got hit by some kind of spell?

[vampasm]

He won't talk about whatever was left behind after I was taken. Only that it was Dahlia and that she didn't make sense to him. But, he really hasn't been sleeping great. Or, napping during the day and Aiden doesn't nap. I know something's on his mind. He's keeping it together for me and for Erroll, but.

( Something nags. )

[regentem]

[Davina nods. She can check and see if there's any kind of residual magic, but she's seen them since California. She would think she would have noticed.]

Maybe we can talk about it after Erroll goes to bed?

[vampasm]

We can try. I don't want to spring it on him, especially if nothing is wrong.

( And he's just shaken. )

[regentem]

Of course not. But it's still good to check in.

[Davina doesn't want to just spring it on him either.]

There were a lot of weird magics in those woods. Better to be safe than sorry.

[vampasm]

Oh yeah. Spells I've never seen, like retribution spells.

( Absolutely crazy. And then the one that sent them all to the other world. Or the past? He doesn't know for sure, he got captured. )

[regentem]

[Davina nods, before reaching forward and giving Josh's arm a squeeze.]

Whatever it is, we'll figure it out. It could just have been a lot of stress in a short period of time.

[vampasm]

And then the stress of Eroll - getting Erroll, just that process, that ball finally moving forward.

( He, too, was anxious. )

It's probably nothing. You're right. Let's get this wood back inside and warm up our boys.

[regentem]

Yes. And also see how much of a mess they've made.

[Because she's willing to bet there's at least something of a mess.

She's at least right in the sense that Scott, Aiden and Erroll are all sitting on the floor, surrounded by Legos and intently studying the rulebook for how to put set Lego set together.]

You guys having fun?

[vampasm]

( "Legos have gotten really complicated," Scott says, turning his head over. Josh approaches from the back. )

Well, you have it upside down.

( He smiles in Davina's direction, how cute is he, before stepping over the lego pile and moving to the fireplace.

Erroll has ignored all instructions and has started constructing. )

[regentem]

[Davina smirks as she moves to settle next to him.]

Seems like Erroll's doing his own thing.

["Sometimes forgoing the instructions is the way to go," Aiden smirks. "Right, buddy?"]

[vampasm]

( He nods, continuing his work.

Josh lights and then stokes the fire before sitting back.

"Instructions, or suggestions?" Scott asked with a grin. )

Exactly.

[regentem]

Personally, I've always made my own thing too.

[She blames it on the artist in her.]

Sometimes you want to get creative.

[commend]

It's about then journey.

( He looks up from the floor at his girlfriend and her family. It's a good day. )